Chapter Four: The Sudden Stop

"Bless my soul, your Harry Potter!" I cried as they all sat down. "I hope you don't mind if I take a look at your face, do you?" I asked him. He looked at me and then at his friends, like trying to see if it was all right.

"And who might you be, Miss?" He asked me, he even sound a bit like his father.

"Oh, right. I'm terribly sorry for not introducing myself. I'm your new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, Miss Moon."

"Yeah, well, good luck to you then." Remarked the red head. "Everyone knows that job is jinxed!" The mouse haired girl across from me elbowed him, signaling him to shut-up.

"Yes, I am quite aware of that. Yet I don't plan on dieing either. I'm just staying there temporarily anyway. It's just going to be a part-time job, until I can get by. And who might you be?" I asked them both.

"I'm Hermione Granger. And this is our friend,"

"Ron Weasley." He announced sticking his hand out in front of me. I took it and shook both his and hers.

"Charming." I smiled. "But, really… May I?" I asked Harry once again. "Sure." He flatly said.

I took his face with both hands and looked strait into his eyes. They were an emerald green looking color. "Just like Lily's." I whispered. He gave me a halfhearted smile and waited for me. I brushed his bangs back with my thumb, just to reveal the legendary scar.

"You are a remarkable young man, Harry. Your mother's brains, and your father's face. Except for the eyes, they're your mother's, you know… But I bet you get tired of hearing that." I let go of his face and waved my wand, making a bottle of butterbeer appear in my hand. I gestured it to him, he shook his head, as did the others once I asked them.

"Yes, well, remarkable people, they were, your parents. Knew them both well, I did. Though your father I'd wish I'd known differently, instead of the brute he was." I uncorked the bottle in front of me, but before I could sip it, he stood up. "My father was not a brute!" He answered back at me. I could tell that his anger was rising; my guess was that he had heard this before. Snape, no doubt.

"Oh, please! Like hexing innocent kids wasn't cruel. I was lucky enough to stop him from killing Snape and anyone else who got in the way from his rein of big-headedness."

"Anything that he did to Snape was probably for the best! After what he did? How can you sit there and stand up for him, the one who murdered Dumbledore?"

I was taken by surprise as I heard these words slip through his mouth. "Please, Harry. I'm sorry for my sudden outburst before, I didn't mean to anger you. See, I tend to speak before I think. It's more of a curse, really, runs in my blood. He wasn't all that bad, you know, very talented really, your father. And your mother, she was extraordinary! Then again she was the witch of our time! So caring and thoughtful, smart and so full of life. One of the prettiest witches I ever did see. But she was always the brave one, never backed down from a goal, same as your father."

I placed the bottle to my lips and drank it down halfway, with that I licked my lips and sighed. It was pouring hard today as the train rushed over to Hogwarts. More then likely it was going to be a troubling year. A voice then broke the silence. "Excuse me, Miss Moon?" I turned to the mouse haired girl sitting in front of me, "Yes, dear child?" She looked at Harry who seemed to be giving her a look of distrust. She sighed and looked back at me, "I was wondering if you knew anything about,"

BANG! The train had stopped violently, causing Harry and I to tumble out of our seats. Butterbeer was all over the carpet, drenching it with the smell of butter, popcorn, and salt. I turned my head to see if the boy was all right, which he was indeed, with the exception of no glasses. I looked up at the other two and saw no harm come to them, except fear.

"Is everyone alright?" I asked them while I help Harry up. They nodded fiercely, especially the red head. We all stood up to help one another. My heart was pounding fast, like my life was about to end, but I knew better. The lights flickered as I drew my wand and opened the door; I turned to them and began to make orders.

"Weasley! Granger! Keep Potter in here. Make sure he does not leave this compartment. It could be dangerous, too dangerous, even for him. We wouldn't want anything to happen to 'the chosen one', now would we?" I stepped out side and only closed the door half way when a foot stepped in its path.

"Miss Moon, please, let me come. I'm not a baby anymore. You don't have to do this."

"Potter, for once, just stay where you are meant to stay. Which just happens to be safe, which is here, with your friends. Don't try to be a hero, Potter. Your mother and father learned that the hard way, don't try and gamble they're sacrifice just so you can get a taste of adventure."

"Come on Harry." Hermione said as she placed her hand on his shoulder. He looked me and began to back up, allowing me to shut the door and lock it.

I turned down the dark hallway and made my way down with only my wand to guide me. "Lumos!" I commanded my wand. The bright light gave me sight as I glided across the way, making my way toward the head of the train. I turned to look into each compartment, checking to see if any of the students were hurt. As I finished my fifth door I heard a small bang behind me. I turned to the sound of it and made my way cross the hall; I felt a chill run down my spine, one like I never felt before. 'Maybe a dementor', I thought; yet it would be most unlikely. Then again, finding Malfoy out of Azkaban was an unlikely thing to see as well, had his Lord not rescued him. Plus I saw no dementor once I opened the door, instead I found a small, somewhat filthy little house elf, one that had green skin and wore a pillowcase over his torso.

"Who are you?" I asked in a booming voice, wand aiming at him. I jumped back as he turned around to find me staring at him. His face expressed shock and fear, yet he relaxed once he knew it was I. At once I recognized who he was.

"Jasper!" I cried in half a whisper. "What the bloody hell are you doing here? I have not called your name, nor spoke of it, yet here you stand? Explain!" I ordered him.

He took yet another bow and stared, "Forgive me Miss Moon, but I was ordered to come to your aid." I tried to protest but he stopped me. "Not by you Miss, but by master, he worries, he does, for you. I was to keep watch over you and write to master every week about how you were and what you've doing. He only cares for your safety and hopes that no harm comes your way, he does. He is also concerned about you and the mission."

My feelings were a jumble. I was touched that Severus worried, yet appalled that he did not possible trust me! Sending a house elf as a spy just to check on me, it just didn't, yet it did sound like him. My hands clenched into fists as I took a deep breathe.

"Alright, I suppose you could still write to him. But since I already know you're here, you can at least assist me in class and in the mission. Just say you volunteered to help me, I don't want any snoops. Now come on, we need to see what's going on the train… Unless you were behind this sudden stop." His eyes widened a little and he shook his head quickly in disagreement. "No miss, I have not been a part of anything, except for masters work."

"And the lights?"

"No miss. Nothing of the sort."

I sighed and looked back at him with a stern face. "O.K. stay close behind me and try not to get in the way. Never know if there are dementors around here. For all we know, we could be the targets." I turned to start walking, but Jasper grabbed my sleeve and pulled on it. "Miss, there is no need to worry about it. It was no more then a fellow Death Eater,"

"What!" I cried, yet still keeping a low voice. "Which, which Jasper? Which Death Eater is here? Who is it?" Jasper just stood there silently. "Jasper! I command you to tell me who it is!"

"Jasper can not say, Miss. Jasper is sworn to secrete. Nor can Jasper tell you why the dementors are here." He stated, crossing his arms. I raised an eyebrow, "Wait. So dementors really are here?" His eyes got wide as he placed both hands over his mouth.

"Oh! Bad Jasper, bad, bad! Very bad!" He cried while he started hitting himself on the forehead. I heard a noise and then tried to shut the creature up. "O.K. O.K., Jasper, that's enough. Just shut up!"

Immediately his mouth sealed together. I lowered myself to his height and clung onto the front of his attire. "Jasper, if you aren't going to tell me, then I'll go and find out myself. Either way I'll find out. Now talk quietly!"

He glared at me then said, "Master's wish shall not be broken. But neither can Jasper afford to lose a life that he wishes to save. So you shall have to listen to Jasper, if you want to be connected with your ancestor. Jasper can help you not to become the Snake's bride." My eyes widened and my mouth gated. My fist released the house elf that fell to the floor.

"So that's what he wants with me? He wishes me to marry! I thought he wished me dead! Now you're giving me a story on me as a bride! What the blood hell if wrong with him!" I shouted at almost the top of my lungs. The door flung open and the young witch whom was sitting next to Harry, along with a spiky, red haired woman who was about twenty-seven-ish, came to my side both wands ready.

"Miss Moon? Are you alright?" Hermione asked her future teacher, what a strange thought I just thought. The red haired woman stepped into the compartment as well as the conversation, "We heard you scream to someone that you didn't want to be a bride. What the hell happened?"

I turned my head to look down in front of me; Jasper was gone. I breathed deeply and then looked back at the two witches. "Nothing is wrong. I just had a little to much to drink is all." I paused to turn my whole body toward them. "And nothing more. Yes… Now if you two excuse me, I have to find out why the train has stopped. Unless you have already found out?" I asked them both. I then spotted Harry running toward us three, along with Ron, of coarse and another teacher, one who I recognized shortly afterward.

"Harry! Ron! Oh thank Merlin your both all right!" The older woman replied. I raised an eyebrow, "Harry? What is he doing here? Didn't I tell you three to stay in your seats?" I asked suddenly realizing that Hermione was here and not back there. "Tonks came to check on us shortly after you left, Miss Moon, and she asked me and Ron to help her check on the other students. She then thought Harry might need protection so she sent a patronus after a professor to aid him." The young witch explained to me perfectly. "Oh and Professor Slughorn must have retrieved the message! Wonderful!" The Tonks cried as she greeted them. I looked oddly at the old man, who the woman had addressed as Professor Slughorn. I gazed back at my memories and remembered him well, though he had much more hair… "Yes, well the thing just came strait up to me and stopped me from moving, what was I supposed to do, Tonks?" Slughorn asked, somewhat annoyed.

"Professor Slughorn?" I asked him oddly. He looked at me and squinted, "I'm sorry dear, have we met before?" I gawked for a second and laughed slightly. "Professor, it's me; Sasha Moon!" His eyes widened as he heard me name and spoke loudly this time, "My dear girl! It is you! Oh for Merlin's sake, where have you been? You never called, you never wrote! It should be a crime that you and I never have spoken for so long!" As he said this he took my hands and then this led to a warm hug between a niece-like-figure and an uncle-like-figure.

"Yes," I agreed, "It has been too long! You and I must talk later on. This is just wonderful! My old teacher, whom I loved to tease, and thought was in retirement, is back at Hogwarts to do the thing he does best!"

"Now wait one minute! There is a problem going on around here and this is not the way it should be handled! What is wrong with everybody!" Everyone turned to look at Tonks who was obviously a little disorganized at the moment. It was Slughorn's turn to speak.

"Now, now, Tonks. There is no need to shout. I took care of everything." His gazed was now at me. "Apparently there was a Death Eater on the train, not sure who though, and he was trying to find someone, in any case. He left quite a mess in your compartment, Sasha. Seemed very interested in your stuff. Coarse he fled, the coward, and left no evidence of who he was."

"Or she." Hermione quickly added in. Slughorn looked at her, "Yes, or she. Anywho, the point is the Death Eater is gone now and we are all safe from this person. So I suggest you all go back to your seats." I sighed and looked at the three young adults near me. "Come on then. Harry, Ron, Hermione. Lets go." I led them back and found that Slughorn was right once I opened the door. My suitcase was ripped open and my things were scattered onto the floor, as if they were forgotten pieces of a picture that meant much to someone like me, someone with a sudden past.

I took one good look around, "Well, at least nothing is gone." I replied quickly before flicking my wand so that everything was back in its place.

"Miss Moon, how can you tell?" Hermione asked, "And before you said you drank too much, but all we saw you drink was a Butterbeer."

I turned to see the troubled witch as she was growing suspicious of me, this I could tell. I placed my wand back in my pocket and answered her questions with ease.

"Firstly, I can just tell. I have the eyes of a bird, and a sharp one at that! And also, what I say to anyone else is strictly my business and what you say you saw is none of your business. I suggest next time you shall think before asking questions. Also, bring your wits to my class, you'll be needing it." I spoke gravely towards them both, then glanced at Potter as I stepped out to try and look for Jasper once again.

Yet, instead I looked out the window and gazed at the dark, dreary clouds as the rain stormed down from the depths of the enraged sky. It seemed almost fearful; I searched my mind for a memory that might bring a longing feeling towards me. I smiled, as I had found one, the memory of which me and someone else was dancing in the center of the great hall at the Yule Ball.

He would make me smile sometimes, others times he would make me confused or mixed up. Then again many people did this; though I was a bit shocked when he asked me to dance with him, especially after Dumbledore told me something grave and important to my future.

End of Chapter Four

Hello, sorry bout the wait, having trouble with school and stuff. You should know the drill, please reveiw. I have to go to bed now, since its soooooooo late. (OK, its not that late, but still.)

Don't you hate the weather down near Texas, its been warm, then rainy, then warm rainy. It like, WHAT THE HELL?

OK not really, but still, more to come. Plus I added on a few things, like the main title. The '2nd version' just means that this is a story brhind the hero's story. Like behind the scene stuff. I'll try to start a new story about almost the same thing. Same name, except for the '2nd version' part.

Hope you know what I mean. Later.