A/N I'm so sorry about the long wait and short chapter… I'm so lazy -- I promise that I'll make this chapter longer. ;; I also have to say, that I am very disappointed. In two weeks, all I got where five reviews. -Pout-

Chapter Four- Jasper's POV

Hogwart's was…in a word, Amazing. I gazed at the medieval-looking castle in wonder from the carriage window. I sat with three different mortals. Each one was about my assumed age of seventeen. One had unruly red hair and freckles. He sat besides another boy who had black hair and the brightest green eyes I had ever seen. His face was adorned with wire-rimmed glasses and a lightning bolt shaped scar across his forehead. The last was taller, a gangly youth whom had the air of a complete klutz. I ignored the three teenage boys, not wishing to strike up a conversation. Even without them talking, in the enclosed space, the smell of their blood was rich.

I gazed out the window of the flying carriage in silence, trying to take in my first dose of the magic.

You heard me right. I was riding inside of a flying carriage, and pulling it were two grotesque horses. I couldn't keep my eyes off of them. They moved with the infinite grace of any normal, living horse, but these creatures had the scaly head of the mythical dragon. I kept my eyes fixed on them, shocked at the odd beasts as they towed our carriage towards Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry,

A male voice cut through my thoughts.

"You can see them, too?" I turned to see the boy with the scar, and his green eyes staring back at me in wide-eyed fascination. At first I remained tight lipped, unreplying, and didn't return his gaze. I imagined being home, with my family, and my dear, sweet Alice wrapped safely in my arms. I knew that it wouldn't happen, but I still couldn't help myself. I had to hope, lest the emptiness would swallow me whole.

"Yes, I see them" I finally replied, keeping my smooth voice quite. I could feel a slight tremble of envy come through me, and I knew that the boys ached to be me. I didn't trouble myself with their petty worries, I merely continued gazing from the window as we soared towards the school.

The boy gazed at me in a peculiar fashion, trying to figure me out. His next question, though, made me jolt.

"You have seen death"

I was thoroughly shaken, and I gazed back at him with baleful eyes. I could see that he was uncomfortable that he had exclaimed such rudeness to a stranger, but I ignored the emotions radiating from him. They only served to muddle my own jumbled thoughts, letting them rush through my head, as loud as a babbling brook. I nearly shook my head in irritation, so mixed up were my thoughts and emotions.

Finally, I turned to look him straight in the face. He flushed, seeming taken aback by my sudden approach.

"I have seen death." I told him. "I have seen it many times." The silence in the coach weighed down on us, huge and threatening to blot out our smaller beings with its large shadow. I could tell that every boy in the coach was hanging off of my every word, even without the emotion of interest that so clearly made itself known around them. I shuffled over; closer to the window, feeling suffocated. The intoxicating smell of blood was becoming too prominent. The rest of the ride was endured in silence.

In The Castle

I sat at the largest table in the great hall, teachers surrounding me. I watched in silence as students came pouring into the great space, filling up the tables. I could see that there were certain places for certain students. I remained in my silent, unmoving state as I watched the most peculiar processing of small children walking to a stool, putting on a talking hat, and waiting with baited breath for the hat to call some obscure word. It was absolutely confusing. I sat next to an old man who's silvery beard was worn long. He wore a pointed hat that accented his long hair- it was a deep navy blue color. His robes were the same shade of deep navy, trimmed with silver.

After the odd process of the hat had been finished, the man next to me stood. I turned just in time to see him draw a wooden stick from his robes.

I froze in horror.

It was the weapon that had killed my Alice.

I shrank backwards from it, treating it as though it were contaminated. My eyes brimmed with hatred; I glared at the object as though it had committed a great crime. In my eyes, it had. The man proceeded to place the tip of the stick to his throat, at the underside of his chin. As he spoke, his voice was magnified until it bounced around the great hall. Every child and adult alike in the room fell silent, all eyes rested on the man to my left.

"It is my great pleasure to welcome our new students into the school." His voice boomed ", and to welcome back, all students who have come here in past years." He continued on talking, setting the rules and boundaries. I found many things that he talked about unfamiliar and strange. I suppose that I'll never know exactly what a "Self-Correcting Answer Check Quill" is, or why it's banned.

Finally, The man sat, and food was all around me. The smell was delicious, and I was tempted to try it, even when I knew that it would taste like dirt. So I waited, a stone statue, resisting the tempting fragrances all around me. Food and blood mixed together to form a smell nearly as tempting as forbidden fruit. I endured through the horrible temptation, and waited patiently for the meal to end. I was restless all through out, and jumpy. I still didn't understand why I was being summoned here. Was it really just for a classroom activity?

Finally, after the man announced that it was time for the students to be off to their dorms, I looked to him. The students were filings from the great hall in great masses. The room was near deafening with all their chatter, but I could still hear his quite words.

"I suppose that your wondering why you have been brought here?" He asked me. "Besides my initial reasoning. You may even be wondering who I am."

I turned to look at him, amazed. How could this man know exactly what I was thinking? Unless we was a vampire with the same traits as Edward… But, alas, one look into his pale blue eyes assured me that he was human- and not one of us. I nodded to him, signaling that I was ready to listen. The man stood, and I realized that we where in a now-empty chamber.

"My name is Albus Dumbledore. Follow me to my office, where I will tell you everything."

I'm sorry, I said that this one would be longer, but really, it isn't. I just HAVE to leave it here though, it's the most perfect cliffy ever. Thank you, reviewers, and drop me a review!

Wit