Chapter Four

La Marietta, France

(A/N) I have writers block with my other story (Running with Dragons) so I decided I would update this one and hope to clear that up. Plus I like this plot line I just cant get around to updating every week like I should. Oh well, maybe if everyone likes this story, I'll just start writing this one more, lol. (A/N)

That was quite possibly one of the most dreadful classes I have ever attended… and I have attended a lot," Hermione huffed to Ron and Harry as they left their first Defense Against the Dark Arts class. "Who was Dumbledore trying to kid when he made him the new teacher? All he talks about is Quidditch!"

"I think he might have a thing for you too, mate," sniggered Ron, at Harry.

"Don't even say that, I'll lose my lunch."

The rest of the day went rather okay, seeing as though the golden trio had almost every class together, as they had always had, for the last 6 years of their schooling career. Tomorrow, Hermione would differ from their schedule in that she had ancient runes as well as Arithmancy on the same day, which neither of the boys took. Ron had actually scoffed when he heard that she was taking that class again.

Finally Hermione's classes ended and she bid Harry and Ron adieu. She promised them that if she found the time, that she would go visit them in the Gryffindor common room, though she to do some research. Neither Harry nor Ron asked how she already had research to do when it was only the first day of school. She waved to them and set off to the fourth floor wing where the heads dorms dwelled.

When she arrived at the painting, Isis waved jovially, almost causing some of her leafy attire to come undone. She giggled and opened as Hermione said the password "Bouncing ferret."

She walked in and was about to sit on the couch when…

"Granger we need to talk about the rules you seem to have forgotten," Draco Malfoy drawled angrily from her pristine white couch.

"I don't know how you got in here, but you need to get your ugly ass off my couch and your ugly face out of my sight. We have nothing to discuss here, be on your way ferret."

"You have already gotten in my way and it is only the first day of school. Explain yourself Mudblood."

"I will not tolerate that language in my own dorm, so if you wish to keep your greasy hair the way it is, I would heartily suggest that you get the hell out," Hermione said as calmly as she could for the situation at hand.

"Honestly, you filth, was it entirely necessary to send me to that wench last night? She's clingy and annoying, though not as annoying as you are, I'll give you that."

"You deserve her Malfoy, because you're both trash. Now get out of my sight."

"Why you dirty, filthy, grimy little…" Unfortunately, he never finished his sentence as Hermione had turned him into a ferret. Drastic times call for drastic measures. Panic ran through Malfoy's icy grey (now ferret) eyes. Hermione was laughing so hard that she had fallen on the ground, tears streaming from her eyes. Even though he was an infuriating git, causing him pain and ridicule was almost enough to redeem him, as it caused her immense joy. While Hermione was rolling around on the ground, however, Malfoy decided that this was way out of line, especially for filth such as her.

Suddenly, Hermione felt a searing pain on her left forearm and blood began to squirt out at odd angles.

"You BIT me! You stinking ferret! I ought to skin you!" Hermione said, putting pressure on her wound and chasing the white fur ball all over her living area. He had reached the portrait, however, and streaked through the doorway. Hermione screamed in protest. The little mongrel had bitten her!

She decided against going all the way to Madam Pomphrey, as it was too far away and plus, she might meet Malfoy on the way, which could never be good in any case. She conjured up bandages to wrap around her arm to stop the bleeding and she would fix it up later if she had too. It didn't seem like that bad of a bite, just unexpected and unwelcome.

Hermione finished up her homework after she had settled down enough to stop thinking about hexing Malfoy into oblivion. When she was done with that, she took an extra long bath and relaxed as much as she could, and being Hermione Granger, that wasn't exactly a lot. She had told Harry and Ron that she was going to research something, and that was true. She was planning on researching La Marietta, France. She had heard of a castle there, but she wasn't sure what it was all about. Though she disagreed with Bagman's teachings, she thought that maybe a fieldtrip wouldn't be that bad, as long as he didn't screw it up with mindless babble about two men who walked into bar.

Though she was very tired, she still figured she would make an attempt at researching a bit about it from the bookshelf that she had in her common room. She just couldn't make it down to visit Ron or Harry tonight. Maybe tomorrow would be a better day.

She traveled into the common room once more trying to ignore the loud thumping noises coming from next door. Malfoy was probably just trying to get on her nerves, but she would never admit it was working. She settled herself down on the couch with three books around her about the older castles. Hogwarts was featured in all three of course.

After 10 minutes of research, she found the La Marietta castle. It wasn't anything too out of the ordinary. As with most castles, one or two epic battles took place here. Back in the 1300's or so, two rivaling nations had a battle here. Surprisingly enough, it was over the color of their skin, which so sickly reminded her of the prejudice battle that was going on today with purebloods and muggleborns. The battle had been fairly bloody, with both sides losing many men (and women) over a very stupid cause. There were stories in the text about specific warriors and their tactics, battles, diary entries, and letters that were lost. There was also a specific story. One that made La Marietta special from the rest.

The story was about two lovers back in the time of the war. The woman was no ordinary witch, as she was interbred with some kind of creature unknown at the time. The male was also very unordinary, but extraordinary never the less. Her mother was a beast, the town fold had said, and thereby made her a beast as well. The man's family were the ones who forced her into exile. They later feared that her primal beast-like nature would overcome her, so they captured her, hiding in a ruined shack near the town's river. She had white gleaming eyes and beautiful ebony hair, though it was matted and filthy when they found her.

Caged like a beast, she was, in the furthest and tallest tower, where she could not brandish her filth over the real witches and wizards of the community. They weren't half-breeds – they weren't beasts. Her name, Celestyn, was forgotten in the years she was there, at a young age of fifteen at the very beginning. Two years had gone by and with no contact with people, she began to forget things. Her name, her breed, her existence before she came to this place. On her two-year anniversary of being locked up (though she did not know this); a soft knock came at the door. Her mouth was dry as she never spoke to anyone but the mice. So she did not speak, but the door opened anyway. In came the boy whose family had changed her life, made it the solitary hell that it was. She hated him and his family. She could have gone as far as to say hate was the only thing she knew at this point. She was no monster, Hermione knew.

The story went on and on to explain about his constant attempts at getting her to speak and listen. She began to remember bits and pieces and slowly her guard fell to this boy… this man. Perhaps he was not like his family, she had thought. And unlikely love developed from this pair; Armand and Celestyn - the prince and the beast. They stated together for several weeks, unbeknownst to the rest of the town, especially the princes family. Unfortunately, he was called out to the war, and told his love that he would be back for her soon, and then they would leave this place and marry and be together forever. He did not return.

She believed him dead, but as the war went on the castle was raided and all members of the royal family and their accomplices were slain. No one thought to look in the tallest tower, her tower. She found out later that he was forced into an arranged marriage that his family had put upon him before the war. Back then there were no divorces, it just wasn't done. This was when she really did turn into the beast many thought she had always been. It is decided that Celestyn never wandered from the tower, haunting it and those who came near it.

Hermione closed the book. It didn't say what happened next, only that no one can speak that knows the true tale, so it became legend. Hermione wondered if it was really true, but deep down she felt a stirring. This sounded strangely familiar to her, the woman in particular. Perhaps she would try to do some more research later, maybe tomorrow before the class left or in the aftermath of it all. She doubted fully that Bagman would know anything about the castle itself, the useless lump. Tonight, however, it was too late to search more, and too late to do anything but pick herself up and go to bed in her nice warm…

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.

"Can't a girl ever get some sleep around here?" Hermione mumbled to herself as she walked over the door that adjoined hers and Malfoy's dorms.

"OPEN UP THIS DOOR GRANGER THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!" screeched Malfoy from the other side, still banging furiously on the door. Hermione opened the door mid-knock, causing Malfoy to half fall into her room.

"What do you want ferret?" She asked, eyeing him with such intense dislike, her eyes almost burned.

"Do you have soap?" She slammed the door in his face.

The next day dawned bright and clear, the perfect day for a fieldtrip, Hermione thought. Malfoy wasn't in her room when she woke up, thank the gods. Ron and Harry forgave her for not being able to visit last night, and promised her that the fieldtrip today would more than make up for it, as long as she didn't give them a big speech about that importance of this historical place. Hermione agreed, though somewhat unwillingly. She wished they wanted learn as much as she did, though she concluded that no one really did.

The day stayed bright as she got to her second Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Bagman greeted Harry fervently, who attempted to scoot around the edges of the shadows, so as not to be seen (unsuccessfully).

After many instructions and dumb jokes by bagman, he pulled out a large piece of medal. It appeared to be a somewhat ancient shield of some kind. He assured them that he could authorize portkeys as he still technically worked for the Ministry as well. When everyone had grabbed on the shiny substance, they all felt that all-too-familiar pull from somewhere behind their navel.

"And here we are ladies and gents! La Marietta castle, France! If you will get into groups of three or four, there should be tour guides coming around to assist you shortly. I would advise you all to pay close attention and not go wandering off because there may or may not be a test over this very subject! Oh boy-o! Harry, you can be in my group!" Bagman shouted, ignoring the look of protest on Harry's face.

Some 10 minutes later, Hermione, Ron and Harry were off with a tour guide of their own, Jacque (he insisted they call him this, though his name was Herman). They had eluded the pompous and overbearing presence of Professor Bagman and were happily walking around the castle, which even Harry and Ron had to admit was quite interesting.

Hermione was just turning the corner of the castle that the tour guide and the boys had turned when a streak of white flew by in her peripheral vision. She turned her head to see Malfoy giving his tour guide and the two goons he called friends the slip. This was outrageous behavior for a head of house and his actions should be documented accordingly, plus this was starting to bore her a bit, as she had already read about most of this basic information last night. She would only be gone for a minute, and she was almost completely positive that neither Harry nor Ron would notice her absence.

"Malfoy, you get back here!" she shouted as he turned another corner, vanishing from her view.