Chapter 2: Do not judge by what you see.

Harry jumped out of his seat faster than anyone could say "Quidditch". Stuttering slightly, Harry found that he couldn't speak, so instead, he just waved and bolted towards the doors, leaving a very stunned Ron and Hermione.

Taking the stairs three at a time, Harry caught up with Fred, whose shocking red hair was a dead give away. Shouting for him to wait up, Harry panted slightly, Fred waiting patiently for the young elf to say what he needed. "Where's Alicia?" Harry asked after a moments pause, Fred laughing slightly as he pointed up the stairs and held up four fingers, Harry sighing gently in relief. "Fourth floor… that's good.." Fred nodded, leaning against the banister as students filed past him.

"You know. I would have thought being a professor would be easy.. now I know that it's not." Fred commented, running a hand through his flame red tresses before he laughed and looked to Harry. "Well, good luck in DA. It isn't going to be easy…" Harry grinned, shoving Fred slightly before speaking his own words and dashing up the stairway, "Yeah. But you have to explain everything to Ron." And with that, Harry left Fred to be very confused.

Loud long bells rang down the main halls as Harry continued to dash up the stairway. Only arriving before everyone else and watching the door carefully. It was propped open, and it seemed that the room was very empty. Taking a few steps closer to the door, Harry jumped as it slammed. "I'll remember not to piss her off…" Harry muttered as he stood back, Ron and Hermione coming up the stairs behind the other students and filing into the room in one huge mass of black. Taking their seats up the back of the classroom, Harry's emerald eyes continued to search for their teacher.

"Something wrong Harry?" Hermione asked, following his gaze before she let out a shriek. All attention was drawn to where Hermione was pointing, Harry having leapt out of her way and almost landing on Ron. "HERMIONE!" Ron yelled, shoving Harry off him and staring at her blankly. "B-but… there… there was…"

"A being feasting on blood? Very observant." Necks cracked as the entire class moved as one to face the doorway, a woman dressed in full black with a raised hood stood in the sunlit doorway before she walked inside and slammed the door behind her. "I must say… no one has ever caught them before. 10 points to Gryffindor for paying attention." The class muttered softly as the figure walked silently up to the front of the room, her figure slender, yet curved.

Throwing off her hooded garment, the young teenager turned to face her class. Sapphire eyes glinting in the darkness before she flicked her wrist and the torch brackets lit. "Now. Miss Granger. I believe that you saw something that mustn't leave this classroom. Also, I would like to speak to Mr Potter about why he was here earlier than everyone else. SHUT UP DEAN!" Silence fell upon the room as the girl turned to Dean Finnigan who had being shouting across to Parviti. "As I was saying…" Leaning slightly against her desk, Alicia sighed, nodding to Hermione as she took the liberty of answering her unasked question even before her hand had shot into the air. "Yes. What you saw was indeed a creature of the dark. That is also why the windows are not open. Now… I have been informed by Lupin that you basically covered most nasty creatures, but Snape prevented you from turning in an assignment about werewolves correct?" A few people nodded while others remained to afraid to move.

"POTTER!" Wincing slightly at her voice, Harry looked up, catching the soft twinkle in her eye before he answered her. "Y-yes Professor?" Alicia smirked slightly, motioning for him to stand and come to the front of the room. Harry, not wanting to give off the wrong impression, did as he was asked, standing before her as she whispered in hushed tones, and very quickly may I add.

::Harry, mind performing a levitation spell… to clear the room. Practical lessons I find are always better than lectures or theory.:: Harry grinned at the proporsition and clicked his fingers, Alicia winking gently as everyone was suddenly on the floor and mist was rolling around their ankles. ::Thanks.::

::No problem…:: Harry whispered back. Taking a step back, Alicia grabbed his shoulder and nodded to the tree off in the corner. Slowly, but surely it was dying. "Now class… guys… please?" Alicia asked amongst the whispers which soon died down as they looked back to her. "As you have noticed we are in a forest… or a simulation of one. Some creatures tend to find that forests make the perfect home. Take centaurs, unicorns, werewolves and… of course, elves and vampires. Now. How can you tell the difference between a human and a vampire?"

Only Hermione's hand went up, Alicia nodding politely for her to explain. "They have no reflection and their canines are larger than normal humans." Alicia grinned, her own canines seemingly normal. "Yes Miss Granger, 10 points. They can hide their canines however, so it is always handy to be carrying a mirror. If you can't see their reflection than that's all for the worst in some cases. Now, what if none of you spotted a vampire among you… what could that tell you?"

This time, Neville's hand went up, Alicia nodding once again in his direction as he thought hard about his answer. "They want blood don't they? So.. they could be carrying a blood flask?" Alicia smiled, Harry leaning back, slightly surprised at his teachers own daring.

"Very good Neville. Yes. They do carry blood flasks, and most of the time, it is only the nice ones. But I'm talking about a downright evil vamp. How do you know if they are sitting among you… right now?" Harry had to fight down a laugh at this point, since Alicia wasn't sitting down. "Yes Harry?" Alicia asked, catching his tiny snigger.

"You'd be dead if they were downright evil. That much blood would be impossible for them to resist. Unless of course, you are well trained." Alicia could have slapped him for that last comment.

::Very funny…:: She hissed, sighing gently before she conjured mirrors around the outside of the room. Plant life, the ground and the solid walls around them all revealing reflective surfaces. "Your task. Find out who does and does not have a reflection. And I must ask you not to judge by mere sight, take a closer look at everyone around you."

Murmurs flowed through the room as Alicia and Harry stood silently, Harry's reflection standing next to nothing at all. Which was quite normal in their eyes. Harry's reflection however, was far from the norm. A quiver of arrows, long sword and a long emerald cloak adorned his reflection, pointed ears poking out slightly from beneath his silver streaked black hair. Using her magic, Alicia conjured up a reflection, but she ket making small movements with one hand so that everyone could see that it was just an illusion, not her real reflection.

After about 20 minutes, Ron shrugged and sat on the floor, yawning slightly but jolted back up at the sound of a scream. Parviti stood, pointing directly at Alicia who was looking quite puzzled. This on its own made Harry burst out laughing. Alicia joining him almost immediately after. "Yes Miss Patil?"

"You! Y-you don't have a real reflection!" Alicia nodded, the image wafting away from behind her followed by a few oohs and ahs from the students. "Yes Miss Patil. I do not have a reflection. I am a vampire. I won't say that I am not. I have no reason to hide. But why do you scorn me so Parviti? Was it not last year that I saved your life from that falling rubble? Was it not myself, Harry, Ron and Hermione who warned you about the attack on Hogwarts? You should not judge by appearance Miss Patil. You may just lose your life."

Everyone had been hanging onto her words by a thread. They believed her, they had seen her act upon instinct. But they had not once seen her drain a live human. "I believe that life is a valuable thing Miss Patil. I do not scorn it like others of my kind. You don't scorn muggle borns like Hermione. She is a gem on her own. And there are many others just like her. Perfect in their own way. Do not judge. That is all I asked of you. Yet you scream and point fingers like an accuser. Are you not accusing me of being what I am? Who I have been for the past 20 years? Do you have that right? That right to judge me based by my race, and not who I am? No. You do not. I want each and every one of you to right me a two page report on discrimination among other races. Including the reasons behind the ones you can name. Also, if any one picked up anything else in this class today, they are welcome to add that into their report. For being observant, but for being ignorant, I will only award Gryffindor 5 points of the ten they were going to receive. Class dismissed."

Murmurs filled the room again as the mirrors vanished and the door opened of its own accord, Harry Ron and Hermione lingering behind to watch Alicia as she sat behind her desk. Her head in her hands as small splatters littered the parchment below her.

That's the second chapter done lol… . here's hoping I can have some reviews this time. Please?