This whole chapter will be from Mandara's point of view. I have introduced a new character, whom I hope you all like. Tell me if you want him to stick around for later chatpers. I will update soon. Spring vacation rocks!

Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. I don't own any of this, but I wish I did, so there.

Read on, my lovely readers! Read on!

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Mannie awoke the next morning still feeling extremely tired. She had a nasty feeling that her 'emotional open-up session' with Snape had not yet come to a close. She moved her arms softly under the heavy soft sheets. Today was Saturday, and she would not have to rise herself until she so desired. She dimly heard Hermione get out of bed and dress. Not long after that, she heard her voice directly above her head.

"Mannie, are you coming to breakfast?"

Hmm, breakfast actually sounded good.

"Yes, in a moment."

Mannie slowly pushed the covers away, and rummaged around for clothes. After getting changed, she pulled her hair back into a braid, and shrugged on her robes. She felt a small weight in her pocket, and reached down into it. Her hand reemerged with a small vial filled with dark blue, clear liquid. Mannie smiled to herself.

"Mannie, is that the animus potion from yesterday?"

Hermione looked horror-stricken.

"Don't worry; I gave a vial to Snape. My mother always told me to keep spare vials on my person at all times, just in case of an emergency."

"Mannie, you nicked a potion from Snape."

"Hermione, I made it. And besides, how's he ever going to find out?"

"The same way he finds everything out."

"Well, he won't this time."

She watched Hermione roll her eyes.

"Why did you steal that, of all things?"

"I don't know, actually. I suppose because it turned out so perfect. I don't think I've ever completed a potion as well as I did yesterday. Besides, I might use it."

"What in the world would you want to bring to life?"

"I don't know."

"Hmph."

"Oh, c'mon Hermione, what's the worst that can happen?"

"Anytime anyone says that, I swear I lose a year of my life."

Mannie playfully shoved her as they walked into the common room together. Lavender Brown was sitting by the fire, and joined them as they passed, on their way to the Great Hall. Some of the teachers were eating breakfast already, and Mannie looked with relief that Snape was not among them. Mannie ate heartily, and felt much better when she finished. She went with Adrienne to the library to work on Charms and Transfiguration homework. In the library, she quickly completed her homework, and after helping Adrienne a bit with hers, she left the library. Mannie aimlessly wandered around the halls of Hogwarts, eventually stopping in front of an odd wall hanging depicting a scene with someone who looked like he was trying to teach a bunch of giants something. As she passed, she noticed a huge door with brass knobs on either side. Mannie stared at it, sure that she had never seen it before. Ignoring the little voice in her head that reminded her that students shouldn't go into rooms they know nothing about, Mannie stepped in through the doors, and quietly shut them behind her. She looked around the room in amazement. There were beautiful sculptures and paintings decorating the sides of the room, with tall shelves of books and trinkets and the same such articles scattered everywhere. Mannie looked around at everything and nearly pinched herself to make sure she wasn't hallucinating. This was definitely not a classroom. A small tablet next to the inside of the door caught her eye.

'The Room or Requirement. Use Wisely'

Mannie's eyes widened as she realized what she had found. She had read about this place in Hogwarts: A History and several other books, but she never thought she might actually see it someday. Mannie strolled about the room admiring everything. She could entertain herself in here for hours if she wanted to. Something in particular, however, drew her attention immediately. In the center of the room, there stood a huge, life-like model of Hogwarts castle. There was even tiny glass windows with animated shadows moving about behind them. Mannie got up so close to it her nose brushed the shingles on the roof. There was even furniture in the tiny rooms, and she could faintly see tiny scrolls and quills sitting on desks. She breathed softly, not wanting to disturb any of the perfect beauty. She straightened up and gazed at the miniature gargoyles that crouched on the railings and roofs of the castle. There was one that held her eyes. It was the largest of all of the others on the western wall of Hogwarts, standing about five inches tall, and had giant wings that fanned out on either side of him, like he was preparing to fly. Mannie gently touched the head of the gargoyle, brushing down his back and along his wings with her fingertips. All of a sudden, the tiny statue broke off, and hurdled towards the floor. Mannie jumped up, and dove for it, and as she did so, the tiny vial holding the animus potion slipped out of her breast pocket, and collided with the statue in midair, shattering on impact. Mannie winced as she felt the rough carpet scuff her elbow, and squeezed her eyes against the loud crash she was sure the statue would make. There was a loud Whoosh!

Mannie blinked. Whoosh?

She lifted herself up on her elbows, and found herself staring straight into the face of a flying gargoyle. Now that his eyes were open, they were a pale yellow sort of color, with gold streaks running through them. He looked at her, and Mannie had an uncomfortable feeling that he could see her heart with those eyes. His skin which had been formerly stone was now smooth, and a dark blue color. He had long brown hair that was partially tied back with a black cord. The gargoyle looked at her expectantly, as if he wanted her to do something.

"Well?"

Mannie nearly fell backwards in shock. He could talk. She looked at him dumbly as he waved a hand, or rather, claw in front of her face.

"Hellooo? Can you speak?"

Mannie forced her uncooperative tongue to move.

"Uh..yes."

"Well, what's your name, then?"

His voice was deep, and had an interesting calm and cool sound to it. If he was a wizard, Mannie was sure that he would be one of the popular ones, which all the girls wished they were dating, but who didn't seem to have any interest in anyone.

"My name is Mandara Mortacrin, I'm a fourth-year at Hogwarts."

"Hmm."

"What?"

"You're small to be a fourth-year"

(Anime Prat Fall)

"I'm not small!"

"Yes you are. But you're also kinda cute, in a weird, in-desprate-need-of-a-hair-cut sort of way."

Mannie opened her mouth to give a sharp retort, but then stopped herself; did he complement her?

The gargoyle gave a regal bow and tossed his head a little to dislodge some hair that had fallen in front of his eyes.

"Allow me to introduce myself; my name is Kauste Zephyrus, chief guardian of the western wall."

"Kauste Zephyrus?"

"Yes?"

"No, I was just saying it aloud." Mannie made a face. "It sounds…hmm."

Kauste looked at her sternly.

"It is an honorable name that had been in my family for generations."

"Generations?"

"Are you hard of hearing?"

"No, its just that…gargoyles have families?"

"Yes, don't you?"

Mannie turned away, and picked up the shards of glass from the broken vial.

"I used to."

She let her hair fall in front of her face, hiding her eyes from Kauste. He flew in front of her, and perched on her wrist as she held the glass shards. Avoiding his gaze, she pointed her wand at the glass.

"Reparo!"

The vial reformed, and she tucked it away. Kauste glared at her.

"It doesn't look attractive when you do that."

"When I do what?"

"Let your hair hide your face like that."

"Well I haven't got anyone to look pretty for anymore."

"Yes you do."

"Oh yeah, who?"

"Me."

"You?"

"Yes, me. You said you didn't have a family, so I'm going to be your brother."

"My…brother?"

"I think you are hard of hearing."

Before she had a chance to say anything, Kauste pointed at her heart, and deep within her chest, she felt a tug at something. It grew to a sharp yank, and she felt like something had left her. A tiny, glowing, red sphere came from her chest. He pointed at his own chest, and a similar, pale green globe came from his. They switched in midair, and hers entered his chest, and his entered hers. As the tiny ball melted into her heart, Mannie felt a little happier all of a sudden. Like someone had just taken her hand in theirs. She shook her head.

"What did you just do?"

"I exchanged pieces of our hearts to each other, so that we are no bonded like a brother and sister."

"But, what if I don't want a brother?"

"You do. I can see your thoughts."

Mannie instantly put her hands over her forehead in an attempt to prevent him from reading anything else. He looked at her with a quirky little half-grin, and a raised eyebrow.

"I can still read them, you know."

Mannie put her hands down and glared at him. She looked down at her chest and softly put a hand over her heart.

"Well, what does that mean?"

"It means that I'm going to protect you from now on."

"Protect? You're not even a foot tall."

Kauste smirked and put his hands together as if in prayer. Mannie felt a warm breeze blow smoothly around her face. It smelled like cinnamon and rain at the same time. The breeze grew into a full blast, and she shut her eyes against the force of the wind. When she opened them again, Kauste was no longer only five inches tall. He was over seven feet high, with a chest that was more than two feet across. Mannie looked up at him, and felt her neck crick a little.

"Ah, yes. Point taken."

He reached down and ruffled her hair affectionately.

"I'm also going to make sure you do well in school, however. And make you work on your manners, because they seem to lack. And-"

"Hey, isn't that enough for now?"

He chuckled, and returned to normal size.

"I'll work on a list later, I suppose."

He flew over to her shoulder and perched next to her ear. Mannie flinched, and then batted him away.

"Ouch! I'm not a stuffed animal! You could break something."

"I can't walk around with a miniature gargoyle on my shoulder!"

"Why not?"

"Because…because if anyone saw you, it would raise questions as to how you got here, and then people would find out I used an animus potion on you, and then I would get in trouble because I nicked it from Snape's Potions Lab, and then-"

"You used a what on me?"

"An animus potion. You know, the kind that-"

"I know what an animus potion is. But you didn't bring me to life with one."

"I…didn't?"

"No. I live in a separate plane of existence. Like an alternate reality. When you knocked me off my pedestal, I chose to come to life."

"If you chose to come to life, then where did the potion go?"

"I don't know, you need to find it."

"Me?"

"Yes you, you're the one who nicked it, and you're the one who has to return it to Professor Snape."

"I am NOT returning it to him."

"It doesn't belong to you."

"So?"

"You are unbelievably disrespectful, young lady."

"I'm not disrespectful!"

"Fine. You're small."

"I am not small! You're tiny!"

There was a rush of wind, and Kauste stood towering above her.

"Who's tiny now?"

"Oh, stop it. I am not returning that potion to Snape."

"Professor Snape."

"No!"

"Oh, yes you are."

Kauste picked her up, and set her down next to the castle.

"Come on, we are going to look until we find that potion, and when we do, you are going to give it back to your teacher, understood?"

"No, it is not understood, because you're off your rocker if you think that-"

She was silenced by a hand the size of tennis racket clamped around half her head.

"You talk too much."

He put her down on her knees and fixed her with such a dreadful glare, she fell to looking, and muttered very inappropriate words for a witch her age.

"You're so bossy."

"You're childish."

"Over-bearing"

"Self-centered"

"Mean"

"Spoiled"

"I kinda like you."

"Me too."

She looked across at him, and smiled a little. He returned it with the quirky half-grin that Mannie was quickly coming to love.

Nearly an hour later, Mannie and Kauste had given up, deciding that it was lost for good. She smirked at him. He looked at her sternly,

"You should be ashamed. Stealing from a teacher."

"Well, once you've met this teacher, you won't be so upset with me."

"I already know who Severus Snape is."

"You do?"

"Yes. Just because we are made of stone does not mean we don't hear what happens."

"So then you should pity me that I have to put up with such a horrid man."

"He is by no means horrid. You have undoubtedly provoked him in some way."

"I have not provoked him!"

Mannie relied hotly. Kauste raised an eyebrow.

"Mm-hmm. Well, he's only your teacher, and you don't have to put up with all the time, so I don't know why you insist on actively hating him so much. It's bad for your blood."

"Well, apparently, he and my father were mates, so now he's my guardian, and I have to put up with him."

"You're his daughter!"

"Not by choice! And I'd rather to refer to 'ward'"

Kauste rolled his eyes.

"So you're his 'ward' then?"

"I guess."

"Hmm"

"What?"

"That sucks."

Mannie made an interesting sound in her throat between a scoff and a sigh, and got up from the floor.

"We should go. Everyone will be wondering where I've been." She looked at Kauste. "and I have to think of a good story about how I got you, and why you're now my brother."

"What's the matter with the truth?"

"Oh, right. I'm going to walk up to my friends and say: 'yeah, I was just mooching around in the Room of Requirement, when a gargoyle statue snapped off a model of Hogwarts, came to life, made me his sister, and is now following me about the school. And, oh yeah, I also lost the animus potion which has undoubtedly brought to life something unpleasant, and when everyone wonders who was klutzy enough to carry around a potion like that, and drop it, I guess all eyes will be on me, huh?'"

"Well, you might want to tone down the sarcasm, but otherwise, sure."