A/N: This chapter kinda let me set up the dark path for Jacqueline and all her relations. There are still a few things I need to think through for her and it ties in with everything else. Enjoy and Review.

"Welcome, to a new year at Hogwarts," said Dumbledore, rising from the staff table after dinner. "I would like to welcome all the 1st years that will embark upon a journey that may carry them to new discoveries. In addition, I would like to introduce a new student to Hogwarts. Ms. Mireille is starting her seventh year here. She is in Gryffindor. Also, I welcome your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Skarelli." Applause rang out in the Great Hall and a tall round man, dressed in deep purple robes stood up. He had straw colored hair and the kindest eyes. "Now, we all need to take caution this year. The Dark Forest on the edge of the castle grounds is off limit to everyone. No one is allowed outside the castle after dark. And now, your beds await you." The students got up and a thunder of voices irrupted in the Great Hall.

The next morning at breakfast, Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Jacqueline were discussing the schedules.

"We've got Herbology this morning with Charms following it," declared Hermonie.

"And a fwee perod betdeen… that and lunch," said Ron through mouthfuls of eggs and toast.

"Oh, listen to this," said Harry grimly, "Double potions this afternoon; an evening with Snape fawning over his precious Slytherins and taking points away from Gryffindor."

Everyone nodded glumly in agreement. After breakfast, they headed outside for Herbology. That morning they talked about plants in potion making and how to collect the most dangerous and rare types of plants. The lesson then followed up with hands on experience. Less than five minutes later, curse words were flying around and people were running around, away from a chasing plant or vine.

The lesson ended with a class with ripped robes, red faces, and fifteen inches of homework of the importance of plants in potions and how to collect them.

"I swear, Professor Sprout has lost it," mumbled Ron and Harry nodded in agreement.

"I don't see why you should complain," said Jacqui, who was the cleanest out of the four of them. "In my opinion, things like this build character."

"And what else builds character?" asked Ron, "Harry going against You-Know-Who year after year." Hermione shed an evil look, but Harry gave out a chuckle.

"Well…" said Jacqui thinking. "I don't know. What do you want from me? Oi!" And she stormed off to Charms.

"She will take some getting used to," said Ron with Harry's agreement. Hermione didn't say anything, within her own world thinking.

A/N: Ok, quick note. I'm going to skip most of the description of Charms and go straight to their free period. If you're disappointed then too those looking forward to a boring charms period, Deal With IT. Sorry. Now on with the chapter.

Charms didn't go too well. They were practicing charming things nonverbally. Hermione almost managed turning her feather from white to purple. Ron and Harry didn't get anywhere at all. Jacqueline's attempt to charm the feather went perfectly and earned Gryffindor fifteen points. Hermione wasn't happy and went off to Arithmacy in a bad mood, while Ron, Harry, and Jacqueline had a free period.

"What's that thorny red plant that kept chasing me in class today called?" asked Ron.

"It was a Siberian Rose, Ron," answered Harry, then to Jacqueline, "What are you working on?"

"Oh, I'm…" said Jacqui, completely caught off guard, "I'm…" she looked down at her work, "I'm writing a letter to a relative."

"Right," said Ron, taking point of that. "And when will you do your homework?"

"Probably tomorrow, it is due Wednesday. I've got more important things to do now and fifteen inches isn't much. You just need to know how to ramble on."

"Isn't much!" said Harry and Ron in unison.

"Yeah."

"Well, we'll definitely have another essay from Snape on how wonderful potion making is," said Ron with a snicker.

"Don't you have to get back to that thorny red plant?" asked Jacqui, eyebrows raised.

"Worse than Hermione," with a barely audible mumble Ron went back to his work and Jacqueline chuckled to herself.

At lunch the group was joined by Hermione who was in an uproar about the work she had to have finished by tomorrow.

"Why'd you even take that bloody class?" asked Ron.

"I like it, thank you very much," said Hermione.

"Mail's here," said Harry breaking the happy pair's starring contest.

All the students looked up to see owls soaring above their heads. A plain brown owl dropped off the Daily Prophet in front of Hermione and a beautiful black owl landed in front of Jacqueline who paled at the sight of it.

"Well, are you going to take the message from it?" asked Harry.

Jacqui hesitantly took the piece of parchment from the owl who took off after ward. She unrolled the letter and began to read it to herself, "Jacqueline,

I am content that you are enjoying yourself at Hogwarts, but do not forget the task you were assigned. I will write to you as often as I find suitable."

After Jacqueline finished reading the letter, the words turned red and the letter burned to an end and her pendant turned red for a few seconds but then dimmed again.

"What was that about?" asked a concerned Hermione.

"A letter from a relative," answered Jacqueline looking at Harry with curiosity in her gaze, but he didn't notice.

"What's new?" asked Harry quietly as Hermione opened up the paper.

"Well, there has been another Death Eater sighting not far off from London. The Ministry is in an uproar. Take a look for yourself," and Hermione handed Harry the paper.

Harry fumbled with the paper when his hand touched his scar. "What's wrong mate?" asked Ron.

"Does it hurt?" asked Hermione.

Jacqueline remained silent, her gaze transfixed on Harry.

"Some what," said Harry.

At that, Jacqui's gaze fell upon her pendant which remained black.

"Ready to die are we Potter? It would be such a loss for the Ministry to find out that the Boy Who Lived actually isn't living any more," rang out the clear voice of Draco Malfoy.

The four friends looked at the Slytherin. "Why should you care, Malfoy?" said Jacqueline coldly scanning his face trying to figure out why this figure looks so familiar. "Do you think that you would really care if Harry died this instant?"

Draco took a step closer and lowered his voice looking from Jacqueline to Hermione, "You mud bloods are all alike," not liking to be corrected.

"Hey," snapped Jacqueline, "Some of the greatest wizards of all time are mud bloods."

"Name one," said Malfoy walking into the perfectly set trap.

"I think I'll save you the embarrassment," said Jacqueline and gave Draco a pointed look. The Slytherine's eyes grew big and he stormed out the Great Hall, having lost for the second time that year.

"Brilliantly played," said Ron quietly.

"Thanks," said Jacqui, also quietly.

Lunch was spent in silence after that encounter, except the occasional Gryffindor asking Harry about Quidditch tryouts. After lunch the Gryffindors had another free period. Hermione sat by the fireplace scribbling away on a piece of parchment. Even Jacqueline worked on her Herbology essay. When the hour was up they were reluctant to leave the comforts of the Common Room. They got up, though groggily, and headed down to the dungeons.

They entered and sat down in the back. Their class was small, containing only five Gryffindors, one Ravenclaw, one Hufflepuff, and three Slytherin. Soon after everyone got settled, Snape walked into the dungeon and scrutinized every member of the classroom.

"I see only a few of you have made it into my N.E.W.T. Potions. I would like to inform you that if you can't keep an average of and Acceptable in here then you will risk being suspended from this class. Today we will be making Firepower Potion. You end result will be a black liquid. It's close to something Muggles call gun powder. Their use for gun powder is for guns which they use for defense. The Firepower Potion, when consumed, will let you control anything hot and you will be able to issue fire from the tips of your fingers. The instructions are on the board," and with a wave of his hand, the directions appeared on the board. "By the end of class I expect to have a sample of your potion which will be half way finished." Snape scanned the room again, starred at the Gryffindors and not finding any reason for deducting points said, "You may begin."

A scratching of quills immediately began as everyone struggled to write down the directions without mistake. Then one by one, people began to come up to take ingredients. By the end of the first hour the dungeon was filled with black, white, and gray smoke. Harry's cauldron contained a liquid of lilac color which was supposed to be lime green at that stage, Ron's wasn't any better for it looked like some sort of mud with things floating in it. Hermione barely managed to achieve the lime green. Jacqueline mean while, was on the last step of the directions for the day and was lazily stirring the potion. Malfoy on the other side of the classroom was bending over his caldron, clearly having done something wrong. Twenty minutes before class time was over, Jacqueline walked up to Snape's desk with a sample of her potion which was a deep red.

Snape looked up with disbelief in his eye. He looked from Jacqueline to the bottle sitting in her hand. "Yes?"

"I am finished for the day, sir," said Jacqueline with the outmost warm attitude.

Snape took the sample from her and starred at it, "Very well, Ms. …" He went blank. The dungeon sat in silence before Jacqueline said, "Ms. Mireille, sir. I'm new here."

"Right then, Ms. Mireille. Clear out your caldron and wait until class is over," said the Professor softly. Thankful that the girl didn't say anything else he turned his attention to the work in front of him.

Jacqueline headed back to her seat and had her work space cleaned in five minutes. Towards the end of class, Snape put up the homework on the board and everyone left.

"Twenty! Twenty inches on how the Firepower Potion is useful and where you can use it," exclaimed Ron as they walked to dinner.

No one answered his complaint. All thinking that if this was only the beginning of the year, then what would the homework would be at the end of the year. At dinner they talked about Quidditch, tomorrow's lessons, and just random topics.

That night after dinner, everybody headed back up to the Common Room. Most of the people stayed around to work on homework or to catch up. Harry and Ron decided upon a game of Wizards Chess. Hermione settled by the fireplace with Ginny to talk and get some homework done. Jacqueline sat by herself in a corner by the window reading quietly. Toward nine, people began to go to bed. By ten everyone except Jacqui had gone to bed. She sat there quietly in her own thoughts, starring into the night. She then sang to her self softly, "Everywhere I go, all the places that I've been

Every smile is a new horizon on a land I've never seen

There are people around the world different faces different names

But there's one true emotion that reminds me we're the same…" With that she sighed and headed up to the dormitory.

A/N: Yay! All written in one day. I feel kinda proud. Don't ask. This last part is a little awkward but I had to put it in there. It's from the song Let's Talk About Love.

I'll work on the next chapter that introduces the new DADA teacher.

Special thanks to superspunky7 who has been editing these chapters. Ooh, I have my own editor, SWEET. I don't know what I would do without her. Send her your thanks because otherwise you would be saying, huh? And that didn't make sense. THANK YOU superspunky7.