Chapter 3

"Now don't worry. You have the 7th years first today, and they may look like they bite." Procella smiled; glad he was walking her to her first lesson. Other than having a box of tissues by her bed (now an ex box of tissues), she went through her lessons plans. But all that did was make her even more nervous. So nervous, that Prof Lupin found her pacing outside her own door, shaking like a shivering mess. Luckily for her, her room was only down the hall from his quarters. He now had one arm hooked with hers, coaxing her on as he walked her to her classroom. "But I am sure that they will adopt you possibly as quickly as we teachers have." She smiled and mouthed 'thank you'. "Well, here we are. And be careful, this classroom is on the ground level…and directly opposite the door to the dungeons." She raised a brow. "Where potions is taught." She gulped, and he gave her hand a squeeze. "But don't worry. Snape can't hurt you in your own classroom. Now, off you go. And have fun." He pushed her back and gave her a helping 'push' into the classroom.

Procella gulped as she saw she had a very large class first thing.

Oh great, my first ever class has to be the ones with Slytherinsin it. Well, at least I have the Gryffindors too. They will be my house one day, from what Dumbledore said to me. She wore a brave smile and made her way through the desks to hers. Today she wore a long another off the shoulders, frilly white gypsy shirt, with a fashion black corset over that, and over a long black gypsy skirt today. Her hair was tied back with a black ribbon in a low ponytail, but her side parting made her curly fringe cover her right eye even now. It would never go back. She scanned the room with her emerald eye, and smiled to her students. Procella opened her arms, and curtsied to them all. The red half (to her left) smiled welcomingly to her, as the green side (to her right) snickered and found her a joke.

She saw a hand rise up on the red and black side, and she nodded to her.

This girl was very pretty, and had a mane of long, bushy brown hair and hazel eyes.

"I'm Hermione Granger. Please Mss, are you our new teacher." She nodded, and flicked her hand at a blank black board. It span on it's hinges like a cat flat, and then stopped. Now large white writing was neatly scrawled on it, and the class were amazed.

Where was her wand?

Procella pointed to Hermione, and then to the board. "Should I read it Mss?" she nodded. Hermione cleared her throat, and began. "I am your new teacher, Professor Consensio. I will be teaching you from now on." The writing vanished, and more appeared. "I bet you are wondering how I am able to write on the board, with no wand." Procella looked to the windows, and waved the back of her left had at them. The curtains flew open, and light shone inside. "I can do this, as I am using wandless, non verbal magic." A boy with ginger red hair put his hand up. Procella sat on the front of her desk, and crossed one leg elegantly over the other. She pointed to him, and smiled.

"Erm miss, I thought we covered that in Defence against the dark arts." She waved her response onto the black board.

Because of certain events, it is now necessary for non verbal magic to be a subject in it's own. It has now been added to the syllabus, with a new teacher. Procella smiled and pointed to herself.

"Please Professor." Hermione asked again. "Is that why you aren't talking? As a demonstration?" she nodded, and then shuck her head. "I don't understand." She chuckled, and then picked up a folder from her desk. She opened it up, and pulled out the first sheet. Another wave of her hand, and the first spell hit the board with a puff of chalk.

Wingardium Leviosa.

There were groans of 'but we did that in the first year' and 'I hate that spell'. She flicked her fingers this time, and a Slytherin boy rose up from his seat.

"PUT ME DOWN!"

"Look at him, Malfoy, touch the ceiling!" Zabini called out, and everyone snickered.

"That will teach you to be cocky with the new teacher." Hermione smiled, like this was a justice, and Procella stood before the levitating boy's desk. She waved a hand at the board, and the boy looked at it.

"YES! Yes I am sorry, now put me down!" she waited. "Please?" and with a thud, and of course a click of her fingers, the platinum blonde hared boy fell back into his seat. "I'm telling my head of house about this!" she rolled her eyes. "Snape will have her." He muttered, but she froze. She had heard him, and thought back to the horrid man in the great hall.

"Professor?" a boy with a lighting scar on his forehead, and glasses reached out and touched her arm. This brought her back to reality, and she masked her fear with a smile. She then returned to her desk, and sat at her chair this time. She looked to the either excited and eager, or the disgruntled. She looked over them, and looked to the boy who had touched her arm. He was very tall, hat jet black hair and kind eyes. And yet he looked strong and worldly for his age. Then she looked to his scar, and knew who he was. Harry Potter, in my class. Wow. She then smiled even brighter, and beckoned him close with her finger. She then looked to Malfoy, and around the other Slytherins. She found large plump looking boy. He was sat next to the blonde boy (who was still scowling) and looked as brain dead as a doornail. She beckoned him over too.

Both boys stood before then front desk, and looked at each other with resentment. Not friends then. She rolled her eyes, and stood up. She looked to a quill, and it suddenly became animated with life. It scribbled over a piece of parchment, and then the paper slid over the table to them.

Names please?

"Crab." The dense one answered.

"I'm Harry." He answered, and was glad when she didn't goggle at him. She just smiled and nodded. She raised both hands before them, and her palms faced up. "What are you going to do Professor?" she winked, and rose both hands. Both boys gasped and yelped as they hovered off the ground. Not as high as Malfoy, that had been a 'don't talk in class' penalty, where this was participation. "Wow." Harry beamed. "How are you doing that?"

"Wandless magic." Procella lowered them to their feet, and looked to the new voice.

Albus Dumbledore stood in the doorway, with his eyes looking over his half moon spectacles. "And Professor Consensio is rather good at it." Hermione roe her hand up, and he nodded to her.

"Please sure, why can't Professor Consensio talk?" everyone was quite, surprised by this bold question.

"It is not that she can't talk." He smiled. "It is just lucky for us she won't."

"What do you mean by that sir?" Procella clapped her hands, to get their attention.

"Yes, Professor Consensio is quite right. This is a lesson after all." He lingered on Hermione. "If I remember correctly, you figured out the secret of our DADA teacher, this should be no challenge for you either." He looked back to Procella. "I am sorry for the intrusion, but I have wanted to se your magic in action. Forgive my curiosity." She smiled and shuck her head. She waved her hand at the board.

Not a problem.

Now class, we shall be learning how to perform this simple spell. She walked over to the board, and flipped it. Without the use of a wand. So put them away. There were some complaints, but they obeyed. Harry returned to the front, eager to precipitate again. She smiled at this, and stood next to him. Procella put her hand out like she was going to shake hands with no one in particular, and looked to Harry. He copied her, and watched her hand. She then looked to a quill on his desk, and flicked the ends of her fingers at it. The quill rose up, and became level with her hand. She lowered it to the desk, and then looked to Harry. He nodded, and focused on the same quill.

"Alright." He muttered, concentrating. He flicked his hand, but nothing happened. He tried again, more vigorously, but still nothing happened. "Damn." She wrote down on a pad, and held it in his eye line.

Say the spell in your mind, will the quill to move. He nodded, and tried again. At one point it looked like it jerked to the side, but didn't rise up.

Procella saw he was getting frustrated with his failure, so she put her hand on his shoulder. She smiled, and nodded. Harry sighed and gave up. She egged the class into clapping, and half of them did. He returned to his seat, and the red head and Hermione gave him the thumbs up. Then, Procella sat by her desk, and again waved her hand at the board.

Your homework will be to practise this spell, and demonstrate one by one in the next lesson. You may use the remainder of the hour to practise now if you would like. If not, I have some work for you to get on with. She smiled when they all decided to practise instead of work.

She smiled like a proud mother as they all picked inanimate objects like quills, ink pots; pieces of paper, and one person even chose their own shoe.

But none of them were able to levitate their object, but she smiled at their effort.

Even Malfoy was trying hard.

Then the bell went, and she watched them all leave.

All, but three.

"Professor, do you just teach our year, the last year? We learnt some basic Wandless magic last year in DADA. Will we just have you know? Or will the 6th years have you too?" she chuckled, and wrote down her reply.

Both years Ms Granger.

"And when else will we have you Mss?" Harry asked with a blush, and the red head boy elbowed him and snickered softly. Procella lifted her hand up, and her lesson planner appeared on her hand.

"Did you Accio that professor?" Hermione asked, and she nodded. She opened the book up, slightly larger than a diary, and pushed it towards them.

"Well Harry, you have her for one hour first on Monday, one on Tuesday third, none on Wednesday, two on Thursday first and second, and two forth and fifth on Friday." He chuckled at the shade of which Harry had gone. "Lucky you." Harry then elbowed his friend hard behind him, and spoke to distract her from what he had done.

"SO." He chuckled weakly. "I will see you period three tomorrow, Mss." Hermione rolled her eyes, and dragged a winded boy back, muttering 'stupid boys' and 'serves you right Ron'. Harry blushed as he realised his friends had left him. "I'll see you then." He squeaked slightly, and walked out quickly.

Procella chuckled to herself and lifted up her planner.

She had no more lessons until first thing tomorrow, with the 6th year students.

So I have the rest of the day to myself. She huffed. What do I do now? She gathered her things, smiling that her lesson hadn't been as bad as she thought it would have been, and walked out of her classroom. But upon looking over the entrance hall to the dungeon entrance, she froze.

"I'm telling my head of house about this!"

Snape.

He was going to tell Snape.

Oh don't be silly Procella. She told herself. He won't care about one student being told off by another teacher surely. She gulped. Right?

She looked to the stairs, and quickly made her way up them, as if afraid the potions master was going to storm after her at any moment.

Procella smiled as she looked into a class window, and saw her new friend Professor Lupin. He was chuckling with the 6th years as they ran after a rouge Grindlylow. They were getting close too. He then looked up and saw her.

"Excuse me class. And Ginny, please reframe from jinxing the poor thing. Catch it literally." He chuckled, and walked towards the door. "Now if I didn't know better, I would say you are board." He chuckled, and smiled at her. She pouted, and nodded. "Well, usually you grade papers in your free time or projects. But as you don't have any yet, I suppose your time is your own." She sighed. "Don't know what to do with yourself, ay?" Procella shuck her head. "Mmmm…I suppose you could ask Dumbledore for more lessons or more duties. It can get a little glum here if you don't have something to do or entertain yourself with." He chuckled as she nodded, whimpering her boredom. "I think Albus is in his office." She nodded, and mouthed 'thanks'. "Now Ms Weasley, what did I say about jinxing him?" she chuckled and walked off to the stair case again.

It took her a few stops and retakes, but she soon found her way to the headmaster's office.

There, she faced a large eagle statue. She knocked on it's head, but nothing happened.

"You know, there is a password." Procella turned and locked her emerald eye on a set of magenta ones. "It's lemon bon-bons." And the eagle reclined to reveal the stair case. "I am Nymphadora Tonks. The resident Aura. And your name is?" Procella waved her hand over her chest, and a Muggle like round red badge appeared. It had 'Professor Consensio' in shiny silver writing on it. "Ah, so you are the new teacher. The non verbal magics one, right?" she nodded. "Well, that explains the not being able to say the password problem." She chuckled. This woman had shoulder length, bubblegum pink hair that flicked out in a feather fashion at the ends. Her eyes were a soft magenta, her skin peachy, and her clothes as outrageous as her hair. High heel witch ankle shoes, both legs were inside black and pink Denis the menace leg socks, she had a short black shirt to above her knees, a plain black belt, a pink work shirt with no sleeves, and a long black robe that didn't fasten at the front. But that was over one of her arms. She looked in her mid to late 20's, and smiled at her. "I would tell you to call me Tonks, but I don't think that will matter, will it?" Procella chuckled with her. "Now, why don't you just come with me?" she hooked her arm, taking Procella by surprise. "I'll look out for you. It's nice to find someone here around my own age and gender." She giggled, and led her up the spiral stair case to the head office.

Tonks dragged her down to sit next to her before Dumbledore, who was shocked to see them both. "Good morning Headmaster."

"Indeed it is Nymphadora. But may I ask why I have the pleasure of both yourself, and professor Consensio?"

"Well, I'm here to report that I have done a sweep of the perimeter and everything is clear. That, and all the sensor spells and precautions are all in working order."

"Excellent."

"But as for Professor Consensio, I have no idea. But I think you will have to do something about the means of coming up here. As my file on her shows, she can't say the password to get up here. So if she needed you, she would be stuck now wouldn't she?"

"Indeed she would. I see that an alternative means of entrance will be needed. Very well." He turned to Procella. "And why have I been graced with your presence? I trust your first class was not too hectic for you, was it?" she shuck her head with a smile. She then closed her eyes, and put on hand on Tonks' shoulder.

"No, they were lovely." Tonks gasped and looked to Procella. "Did you just make me say that?" she nodded. "Oh, well, go ahead." She said boldly. "I trust you." "Thank you Ms Tonks. I hope you will be able to call me Procella, and not by my title." "Oh, thank you."

"As glad I am that you are making friends…it is a little odd hearing you talk to yourself Nymphadora. As it seems."

"Oh, sorry. Go ahead Procella." She smiled and looked to Dumbledore. "I came to request that you give me another duty. I seem to have less lessons than the other professors here, and too much free time. In fact, I have no other obligations today. I will be bored to tears if I am not given something to do in such times."

"I see." He ran a hand over his beard. "Well, I suppose I could give you another duty. I don't know whether this duty would suit you however…" Procella raised a brow, but looked to him eagerly. "Well, we have a number of balls or 'dances' this year. The Yule balls seemed to have spurred on the popularity of such events, and we shall be having one each holiday. The nearest one is the Valentines day, then Easter, Halloween, and of course Christmas. All these dances will need a great deal of organisation, and if you would like to, Professor McGonagall has expressed the desire for assistance with her essential dance lessons. Would you be interested?"

"Yes I would. I would love that." Procella smiled, and turned to face Tonks. "I am grateful that you have allowed me to use your voice like this. Thank you." "No problem Procella. I have your file, remember? I know all about your 'little problem'." She giggled, and Procella slipped her hand back. "But I would like to know where you learnt to do that. Was that a mild case of possession?" she nodded. "Wow…you're gonna have to teach me how to-"

"If you young women have finished with me." He smiled, and they got the message. They both stood, and Tonks hooked her arm again.

"We'll be back when needed headmaster. And don't worry, I'll look out for our newest family member." She chuckled and started to lead her out the office. "Good bye!"

"Farewell. I shall see you in the great hall at dinner."

"You sure will!" Tonks led her down the stairs, but noticed the blank look on her face. "What's wrong?" she looked around, and looked to Tonks. She then beckoned her to follow her, and led her all the way through school until they were in an empty classroom. She then sat her down, and looked her directly in her eyes. "Wow…what are you…doing…to…to…to……"

I have accessed you mind.

Really?

Yes, silly. She chuckled.

So you are in my mind?

Yes.

what's it like?

Very colourful. Tonks beamed at this, and looked to her. Do you really trust me that much, so quickly, that you let me use your voice, and not enter your mind?

Yes. She didn't say anything for a while, blinked, and then smiled.

That is good. Because I trust you to.

On your file though, it didn't say you could perform Legilimency.

Is that bad?

No, I will just have to add it. That's all.

Very well. But I need to connect with you.

Why?

As you know, I cant talk. So, if I connect to you, I can simply speak to you like this. It is much easier than getting my damn paper and writing down all the time.

Go on then.

Bare with me. This will feel odd for you. Tonks shuddered. She could have sworn she felt a pair of cold hands on her brain, holding it slightly. There, I have connected to you.

That was…odd…

I apologise.

Don't, I prefer to talk to you than not. She giggled. They sat on a desk each, opposite and chuckling. They would look quite odd if anyone walked in, just looking at each other like in deep conversation, with no sound. So, why were you looking so glum before? Then, an image hit her so hard, she fell off the table with a jolt.

Are you alright!

Yes…but I never want to be that close to Snape ever again. Tonks rubbed her rump before sitting down again.

It was unbelievable.

Tonks felt for that brief moment, that she was sat right next to the gloomy Severus Snape, with him glowering at her.

And she felt fear, and hurt from his razor tongue. "Bastard." She looked to Procella. "Was that what happened? Did he hurt you?"

Yes, verbally…he was so awful…I felt so small… she looked to her lap.

"Oh don't worry." Tonks gave up thinking her reply, feeling it to be more natural to just talk. "I will sit with Snape, and you can sit with Remus. He saved me a seat, but you can have it."

No, I couldn't.

"Yes, you could." She said happily, but in a very motherly fashion. "Now let's go and see what we can do about planning. I mean, I believe that Valentines day is only…" she counted on her fingers for a while. "42 days away. And I hope you don't mind me helping too?"

of course not.

"Good. Now, off to speak with Prof M, and then by that time, it will be lunch. Then we can start a plan, and then by the time we have done that, and talked for like ages about each other, then we can go to Dinner." Procella gulped, and Tonks hooked her arm as she stood up. "Together. Don't worry, you've got me now. For moral support. Ok?"

Thank you.

"Oh no problem. Now, let's go!"

"My Gosh, for a minute there, I thought Minerva was going to either scream her head off at us, or hug us to death." Tonks plonked down on the couch of the staff room, as Procella came over with a cup of tea.

I know, but the shouting part may be due to the first year that tried to get his friend to throw his conjured mouse, out the window.

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Tonks giggled and waited for her new friend to sit with her. "Oh thank you. But, don't you like tea?"

I have my own drink.

"Oh, right." She looked curiously as Procella produced a long pale dragon horn, rubber cork topped drinking flask from her satchel. "What is it?"

oh, just a nice mixture of things. Tonks was about to enquire what was I it, when a very pissed off professor entered the room.

And not just any pissed of professor.

But Snape.

"You." He started, looking down his nose at Procella like she was a piece of filth. "A word, now." He demanded, and reached out to grab her wrist, when Tonks stood up, and moved between the potions master and her friend.

"Now look Snivels." She pointed to his face, making a stern statement. "Procella has done noting wrong so back off. She has been with me all day."

"Even first period?"

"…well no. but right after that she-"

"Right after that does not concern me." He focused his dark, almost black eyes on Procella, and made her want to shiver. "during that is what concerns me. And thus." He pushed Tonks to one side gently, as he was still a professional, and stood over Procella. "A word. Now."

"No, I don't think so!" Tonks moved between them again, and Procella stood up behind her.

"Are you such a coward that you need her of all people to stand up for you?" he sneered at her. "I would expect such from a creature like you."

"Severus!" Snape turned to see Remus Lupin stood right behind him. "I think you will treat both these young women with a little more respect, don't you?"

"No, I don't Lupin." Snape turned. "But I may be more pleasant to your ridiculously behaved friend with even more absurd hair, if professor Consensio." He red from her badge. "Would step outside with me. Alone. Now."

"No way!" Tonks remembered the wave of distraught fear that came with the memory of Snape from Procella. And she wasn't going to let her feel that again. "She will not!"

"If she is unwilling to join you Snape, you will leave her alone. Understand." But he ignored them. he simply glared right into the one visible emerald eye. As the other was hidden beneath her golden fringe of curly hair.

I will go. Tonks looked over her shoulder, with a brow raised. I don't want to cause you any trouble. Procella stepped to Tonks' side, and looked down to Snape's feet.

"Don't, remember what you told me before, how he-"

"Talking about me have we?" he said icily. "Talking about me." He added.

"Leave her alone!" Tonks was determined to get Procella out of this. She wasn't going to let this happen to her, not again.

I want to. "Why?" Procella looked over her shoulder and smiled at her.

Because I must. I, I have to make sure he doesn't upset you instead. I may be frightened of him…but not enough to push that upon you. "Don't, don't go." But Procella had turned away, and started to walk out the staff room.

"Good choice." Snape muttered to himself and followed her.

Snape walked in front of her now, letting her follow his back towards the dungeons. It appeared as if he wanted to talk to her like he said. Alone. He was silent all the way to his class room, where 20 or so cauldrons were empty and waiting for their next users. Snape glided through them, and to his desk. He then turned on his heels swiftly, and leaned back on his desk.

"Do you know why you are here?" he spoke to her very much like he did one of his none-Slytherin students. She nodded. "Then I will get right to it. What makes you even think you have the right to perform magic upon any individual student? Do you realise how irresponsible that is? What if you have performed the spell wrong and done him harm? What if when you released him, he fell on the desk and broke his back?" he slated into her, and she hung her head forward, her hair throwing a shadow over her eyes. Her hands came together in front of her, and she was silent. Still. "And how DARE you perform any form of punishment upon one of MYpupils, without consenting me before hand!" he yelled and he stopped when he heard her sniffle. But he couldn't hear anything else, and continued. "He is my responsibility and mine alone to punish for any such crime. I am both outraged and disgusted to learn of the way you have conducted yourself in your first lesson." He took a menacing step towards her. "Your, first, lesson." Her hands started to tremble, so she moved them behind her back. "You will never, ever do this again, agreed?" she nodded once, and remained still. Snape folded his arms and glowered down at her. "Pathetic. No backbone at all. How do you expect to have the respect of your pupils, when you can not even look your co-workers in the eyes when they are talking to you?" she flinched at that, and seemed to hang her head even further forward. "Look at me!" her body tensed, and still focused on the floor.

Snape stepped closer to her, and one hand grabbed her shoulder. "I said!" he began, but stopped when her face snapped up to look at him.

Tears were streaming down her face, her perfect lips were parted as whimpers flowed from between them. Her body was trembling even under his grip, and she leaned back. As if to get as much distance between them as possible. His face softened, and he simply looked to her.

Merlin…not even Neville Longbottom is this bad…

Procella whimpered and closed her eyes, glad at least one of her terrified eyes had been hidden from his scrutinising gaze. She turned her face and body away from him, making no sound other than whimpering. He felt her pull away from him, and his grip on her tightened. This made her yelp in her throat, and she turned her entire body to look down at the floor, as if the sight of him burnt her. With all her body weight pulling away from his one hand, and him unready, she slipped from his gip, and fell into a heal on the floor. Her hair fanned over her head and face, hiding her features from him, and she looked directly down at the floor. Which must have been only 15 inches from her face now. Her hands held her up, and her legs were curled behind her.

Snape didn't know what to do.

At his feet was a whimpering, shivering wreck of a woman, and he had made her that way. His aim had been to make her so defensive, or even angry, that she would state her right to punish her pupils. Or even just talk!

But this…he had not been ready for this…nothing could have made him ready for this…

Procella was still shivering, when Snape stepped towards her. She heard this, and flinched with a quick gasp. Snape was leaning over to grab her shoulder, and pull her up, when the door opened.

Tonks, Remus, and Minerva all saw the state Procella was in.

Procella on the floor, whimpering, crying.

Snape was furious with her when he demanded her to come with him.

He was still there with her, leaning over her.

A hand still outstretched at her, and shocked to see them.

You can imagine the conclusions made.

"SNAPE!" Lupin raised his wand, and wasn't in time.

To everyone's surprise, it was Minerva who had her wand at the ready first, and shouted.

"SEVERUSWASI!" he flew backwards at a tremendous speed, and hit the back wall behind his desk. Lupin ran forwards, as Tonks stayed with Minerva for back up, and wrapped his arms around Procella.

"Procella, can you hear me?" she turned her face away from him. She didn't want anyone to see her tears. But when he grabbed her shoulders and pulled her up, he saw her face. "Severus!" he seethed, and pointed his wand at the potions master. Snape stood up and brushed himself off.

"What was the meaning of that, McGonagall?" he said snarkily and raised his eye brow at her.

"How DARE you assault another teacher!"

"I didn't." he said calmly. "She fell over, and I was about to assist her up when you stormed in and made false assumptions." He walked around the desk, and Lupin snarled, making everyone but Snape jump. "Not had your potion yet I see."

"Back off." He growled, and held Procella to him.

"Ask her, I did not raise a hand nor wand to her." He didn't panic. All his years in service to both the dark lord, and Dumbledore taught him losing your head in an explosive situation, was not an option. Tonks stood closer to her, as her face was still buried in one of Lupin's shoulders.

"Did he hurt you? Tell me, I can have him sent straight to Azkaban on the next train!"

No. she looked up, and looked her straight in her magenta eyes. No, no he didn't assault me. "Impossible! I don't believe it." She kept her wand pointed at Snape, and puff.

Albus Dumbledore apparated next to Severus.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"Ask him!" Tonks waved her wand dangerously at Snape, who had his own in his hand now. Not liking how spell happy the three of them looked right now.

"Severus?" he turned to Snape, who rolled his eyes.

"I have a Pensieve. If you will not believe me, then look into her mind. I would for you…but I doubt you would believe that." He sighed, as if bored by this already. "But I did not touch her." He thought about that. "I did not harm her." He did touch her, when he grabbed her shoulder.

"Or we could simply ask Procella." Lupin realised that he was holding her possessively, like a mad man, and straightened up. He then tried to coax Procella to look up, but she wouldn't. "Did he harm you my dear?" Procella slowly shuck her head. "No? Then what is the problem here, Minerva?" he looked to see how furiously Minerva was looking at Snape, who was glaring back at her. "Would you care to lower you wand?" he asked softly. And slowly, Minerva lowered her wand. "Now, if this has been one misunderstanding, then I believe that we should leave it as that. A misunderstanding." He waited, but no one moved. A few moments later, Procella pushed away from Lupin gently, and made her way out of the dungeons. Tonks followed, and Snape saw her put her hand on her back before they were out of sight. Then, as if reluctant, Lupin turned his back and left. Next was Minerva, who didn't look all too convinced, not that anyone else was, and went back to her classes.

When it was only Albus and Severus, Dumbledore folded his arms.

"Now, would you like to tell me what actually happened?"

"I spoke to her about how she took her liberties as a teacher here upon one of my students. And she wouldn't even look at me." He huffed. "And she didn't say anything at all. Not even when I shouted at her." He then realised the 'old git' was trying to make him open up, and withdrew from this tactic. "But that is her problem." He grunted, and went off to gather the samples from his last class. If he didn't store them now, they would be ruined before nightfall. He didn't stop his working until he heard the familiar 'poof' of someone disapparating. He then allowed a frown to appear on his face, and stopped his work.

The look of terror on her face…it was still imprinted on his mind. He was used to fearful faces and screaming victims from his darker and prior career, but not like that.

Perhaps, because she wasn't screaming, or begging for her life…it made him look at her even more.

He remembered back to when he first saw her, her golden hair bouncing with life and her eyes dazzling with wonder and joy. Her smile was more bewitching than anything he kept in his store cupboard, or his ingredient jars.

He was not ready, he wasn't. He wasn't ready to see such a pure beauty look upon him with such fear…

The vile in his hands smashed in his grip, and the purple sludge fell to the floor. "Scourgify." The mess on his hand and floor vanished, and so did the broken vile. It didn't matter; it was only Longbottom's. He already had a fail as it was. The potion was supposed to be white and water like. Not purple and mud in texture, idiot. He still couldn't use his frustration towards the failure boy to get rid of that image of pure, raw horror. He had never noticed the fear he inflicted, nor had he cared…but her eyes. He saw both her eyes when she fell, and for a brief moment when she looked up at him. Such fear…the memory wedged itself right in between his heart, and wouldn't budge. Even when he told himself she was as stupid, over reactive girl.

Her face…he saw it before his eyes all the time. For hours he saw her face…

Her face…

Where is she?

Tonks was sat next to Lupin on the other end of the table than Snape, only because there was no sign of Procella. After they left the dungeons, she had run all the way to her room. The last mental note she got, was 'I just need to be alone, to clear my head.'

And now it was dinner, and everyone was here. Everyone, but a few more students…and Procella.

Snape was sat in his place too, almost anxious to see Procella. Perhaps if he saw her, and saw her smiling, even just once, this image of her cowered from him will stop tormenting him.

And then, it happened. The doors opened and in came Procella. She was still dressed in her long black skirt, her black over corset and off the shoulders white frilly gypsy top. Her hair now however, was not a mess like when he had last seen her, but curly perfection, as she walked slowly towards her seat. And she was making her way right to him.

Her eyes were closed, and one was hidden by her blonde fringe. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tonks get up, but Dumbledore looked to her and indicated for her to be seated. For once, Snape was grateful for the interference of the old man, but he didn't want to think why.

So Procella reached her place, and still had her eyes closed as she sat perfectly still in her place. The tension around the teacher's table was only pushed aside, as Albus stood and addressed the hall. He said something about the first day being the first of many, and something else inspirational.

But Snape wasn't listening. He was looking to his right at the woman who refused to speak, or open her eyes. He was grateful her fringe covered her right eye, or he wouldn't be able to see her face at all. And her face was so blank. And still slightly red from tears. But she held her posture, and remained still.

Just then, he felt someone reaching out with their mind over the table. He looked into his knife, and saw Tonks with her eyes closed and desperately concentrating on something. At first he thought she was trying to remember something, when he heard a whisper of something in his mind.

Procella, are you alright? Do you want to swap places with me? The voice was Tonks', and he heard it in his mind. Which meant either she had developed a form of Legilimency, or she was using a link to someone who did…and that would mean…

He looked up to Procella again, and narrowed his eyes at her. But without eye contact, it was difficult to penetrate her mind.

"Professor Consensio." He tried to get her attention. But she didn't look away.

But if you want me to move, I will. Remus agrees with me and everything. He was only hearing Tonks' side of the conversation, which would also mean that the person who she was linked to, could hide their thoughts.

Which would indicate Occlumency. The prevention of Legilimency and the invasion of another mind.

But he attacked you! You can't tell me he didn't! He clenched his fists, and continued to listen. Ok, but mentally he did! He verbally attacked you and mentally hurt you. That is just as bad, because it hurts longer and takes longer to heal. Please, at least come down here… he had enough, and looked to Procella. "Professor. I would like you to converse with me, not your friend." He heard her gasp, and her face faltered for a second, before returning to her mask.

What do you mean we have to cut this short! Don't-" but her voice was silenced. "Good, now that you have ended the connection, perhaps we can speak to one another like human beings?" her lips pursed together slightly, but she didn't do anything. "Professor…" he said in a warning tone. But she ignored him. "If you remember, this is how our ill feeling began. Because you ignored me. Following Lupin's advice on ignoring me and staying away from me, is both childish, and futile." He leaned towards her. "Because I will not be ignored and I will not be silent. Ignoring me will not make me 'go away' Consensio." As he leaned closer, he saw her flinch with a yelp in her mouth, and she turned her face away from him a little more. "I…" and he closed his mouth. Why did she disarm him so, by simply saying nothing.

Her fear disarms me so, not her lack of words. He sighed.

Then, food appeared on their plated, and they both ate minimally, to concerned about what the other person was doing. When they had both given up on eating, he looked to her again. "Look at me Consensio." She looked away even more. "If you look at me, we may establish a mind link. You will not verbally speak with me, so mentally is our only other option." She didn't respond. "What did I say about ignoring me?" he growled slightly, and she moved.

She moved her chair against the table leg, and as far away from him as possible.

But this was not a defiant action, as he saw her frown had returned at the tone of his voice. "Please?" he tried another tactic. "Please make a link with me." She slowly reached into her sleeve, with shaking hands he noticed, and gingerly dropped a pad and quill on the table.

No. I will not. And a tear drop was all the exclamation point she needed, before she turned her face completely away from him.

That wedge turned into a stake, and drove harder into him from inside his chest. He even recoiled from the note, but curled his slender fingers around it, before slipping it into his pocket. "Very well." And that was all he said. "I was forced to resort to this." He added, and fright spurred adrenaline started to pump through her veins.

Severus closed his eyes, and focused. Now that he wasn't trying to just ease drop a particular mind link, he would find this easier. He reached out with his mind, and turned his eyes to look at her. "Look at me, I mean it Mss Procella." The change in name caught her off guard, and she did actually turn her face slightly.

And that was all he needed. He clicked his fingers swiftly, and made her jump round to see what he had done.

Her emerald eye looked right into his dark ones, and couldn't look away. "I had no choice." He began to do exactly what he did to potter last year, and pushed his consciousness into her mind. His wand pointed at her under the table. "Legilimens." She gasped, and he pushed against her harder. Her visible eye twitched, and then grew with fear. A single tear fell from her eye…before…

Her eyes rolled to the back of her head, and back again. But they were completely white, no pupil, no irises. Her face was still blank, but her ghostly eyes seemed penetrate his soul. Her skin turned paler than his, and he felt something on his leg. He didn't dare break contact now, so he couldn't see one of her hands on his closest leg. Her nails grew, and she dug them into his leg. He growled in pain, but didn't stop.

And he hit it. A mind wall that pushed back against him, and halted his invasion. "Very good. You do know Occlumency." He felt something else now, a clawing sensation at his mind. "As you have just leant, so do I." it was a stand off, and only Snape and Procella weren't aware that they were glaring intently at each other, faces inches apart and both looking murderous. "But how well do you know it?" he pushed harder, and she flinched at the force. But she then pushed back, and he cringed. "Good, very good." He was starting to enjoy this. It had been a while since he met someone with 'the abilities'. And she was proving a challenge.

"Severus…?" Albus asked as he, and everyone else were focused on their silent battle. Snape's hand dug into the desk front, her hand dug into his leg.

"SERPENSORTIA!" a large snake flew from a 7th year's wand, and landed on Snape's lap. He yelled and broke the connection, falling back in his chair.

"Evanesco!" the snake vanished, and Snape glared over to the boy stood up, his wand still pointing at the potions master.

The Chosen one Harry Potter, the only one in the hall who had any idea what it was like to resist Snape and his Legilimency, had cast the spell performed on him in his second year, and come to Procella's aid. "Boy!"

"Leaver her alone!" he shouted. Snape stood up, ready to hex the damn boy, when Albus stood up.

"That is enough. I believe it is time for you all to return to your common rooms or sleeping quarters. Go all of you." He looked over his half moon spectacles at Harry. "And you too Harry. I am sure Mss Consensio will be alright, as will professor Snape." He looked to the rest of the teachers, who started to herd the rest of the students out of the hall. Both Tonks and Remus had to drag Harry out of the hall.

Snape looked back to Procella, and saw she had stood up. She had her back to him, and her arms around herself.

"Wait." She had started to walk off, and didn't show signs of stopping. "Stop!" she didn't. he started after her, but she just span round on her feet, and glared at him. Her eyes were still an eerie white, and she opened her mouth. Pearly white fangs hissed at him, and her left hand still had some blood on her nails. He then looked down at himself, and realised that he was still bleeding. He looked up to Procella, and smacked himself mentally. "Of course, of course you can't speak…you're a Banshee."

"A Half Banshee Severus." Albus interrupted. "One whisper could break the ear drums of anyone near her. Unless she directed her verbal attack at someone, then she could kill them." Procella blinked a few times, and she gasped. "Worry not my dear. Everyone else, other than the students of course, already knew of your heritage. And Professor Snape would have known too, if he hadn't have refused to come to the briefing." Snape mentally smacked himself in the head. It was his own fault he didn't know. "And I am sure that if anything, a level of understanding shall now fall between you both. And perhaps forgiveness?" he aimed more at Procella. Her eyes returned to their emerald colour, her skin its normal peachy huge, and her fangs retracted. She looked blankly at Snape, as if unsure of what to do next. "Perhaps?" he asked her again, and she still did nothing.

"Consensio, I." but as he stepped towards her, she backed off. The look of fear back on her face, and knifing at his heart. Why he didn't know. Maybe it was because he saw now he had wronged her? He didn't think about that know.

"Couldn't you forgive him?" Albus asked for him, seeing he was lost for words.

Procella put one hand over her temple, and the other over her mouth.

"You tried to invade my mind." Tonks had walked into the room, her face blank. "You hurt me so much. My voice may be deadly, but as I have first had experienced, so is yours." Then Procella turned her back to them all. "You made me vulnerable in every way. First with your words, and then with your very mind. You violated me. Tried to rape my mind at your leisure, because I wouldn't let you. That, I can never forgive. Never." And she walked over to Tonks, who returned to normal and walked her out.

Albus shuck his head, this was not a good start to term.

Snape however, we speechless. She would never forgive him. Never. "What have I done?"