Disclaimer: Own not, sue not, profit not (except for Jadyce - she´s mine)

Chapter Two: Watching Her Leave

Jadyce uttered a barely audible greeting and he nodded his head, his eyes boring into hers. After Dumbledore finished his rambling and babbling, he dismissed Snape and her, to go and have a ´look around´. They walked through the castle in silence, followed by curious gazes of the other students. He showed her where most of the classes were, the Great Hall and finally, the Slytherin Common Room and her dormitory. She was supposed to live with other three girls whose priority seemed the art of putting some make-up on their faces. Jadyce made a disgusted face as she flopped herself on her new bed, completely ignoring the questions and glances the girls sent her.

Next morning, Jadyce found her new belongings at the end of her bed and in a thin, long box, she found her wand. Inside, there lay a letter saying: ebony, 12 inches, core – dragon heart.

Arching her eyebrow, she picked up her wand and twirled it in her long, slender fingers. For a moment, she felt warmness surround her and it disappeared as quickly as it came.

Jadyce made her way to breakfast, seating herself at the end of the table, so she sat near the double door. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Snape glide straightly towards her. When he arrived, she turned her head to look at him. He outstretched his hand and Jadyce saw a piece of parchment in it.

„Your timetable, Miss Frost," he said in a velvety voice before walking away. If she didn´t know, Jadyce would´ve guessed that he was a vampire, however, he wasn´t. But there certainly was some resemblance between him and a bat. Jadyce´s mouth twitched at that thought. Then, she took a look at her timetable. It read:

Monday

Charms

Transfiguration

Lunch

Herbology

Defence Against the Dark Arts

Astronomy

Tuesday

History of Magic

Arithmancy

Lunch

Double Potions

Wednesday

Potions

Herbology

Lunch

Defence Against the Dark Arts

Transfiguration

Astronomy

Thursday

Care of Magical Creatures

History Of Magic

Lunch

Double Charms

Friday

Double Potions

Lunch

Care of Magical Creatures

Arithmancy

Jadyce looked at the subject called Defense Against the Dark Arts, bit alarmed. Since today was Monday, she had that lesson as the last one.

Standing up, she took her schoolbag and headed for Charms. When she entered the classroom, many of the students were there. As she figured out, some lessons were taught together with another house, but they had Charms separately. Taking a seat in the back of the room, Jadyce kept muttering curses under her breath. She had to find an excuse how to get to Japan. She couldn´t leave when she wanted. No, when she wanted to go somewhere, it had to be related to school – for example a school trip.

Fuming, she nearly threw her books on the desk. Moments later, a tiny man entered the room. Jadyce almost laughed out loud when she saw him. That little piece of nothing was supposed to teach her magic? She wondered how much attacks would he endure, if he were in a duel. Jadyce snapped out of her reverie when he began speaking.

The rest of the class was uneventful. They had to practice some spell that created a shield, which would deflect a spell cast at them. It was really easy, in Jadyce´s opinion, for she succeeded the very first time. The rest of the lesson, she stared smugly at the others, who tried desperately to perform the Shield Charm.

Transfiguration wasn´t worth of her attention either, even if the topic Animagi caught her interest. Then, they were transfigurating diferent items into different animals. Piece of cake, thought Jadyce. She was really amusing herself when she grasped the basics of their magic. It wasn´t as powerful as the magic used back in Japan and only spells that caught her interest were well... the Dark ones. That was some real magic of raw power and that was the reason why was Jadyce attracted towards it. Knowing that Dark Arts weren´t welcome with open arms, she didn´t talk about it in the public freely. However, that didn´t discourage her. In opposite, she had read plenty of books about Dark Arts until the weekend came.

The next surprise was the teacher, who taught the DADA – Remus J. Lupin, a werewolf. Since vampires and werewolves weren´t on good terms, she didn´t bother to respect him, nor did she pay much attention on his lessons. Which caused her to stay after lessons, the teacher inquiring about her passivity. Like today.

„Miss Frost, if you could stay after class, please," called Lupin as the rest of the class began to pack. They had a lesson together with the Gryffindors and this was really the last straw. Walking towards his desk, her steps lithe, she eyed him intently.

He looked at her and smiled. Her face didn´t change. She kept looking at him, expressionless.

„I would like to discuss your activity during the lessons, Miss Frost. It seems that you are not interested at all. I have seen that you always manage to do the spells splendidly, however you keep disturbing my class."

„My apologies," said Jadyce, not sounding sorry at all.

Lupin sighed and leaned towards her on his elbows. „Is there anything that might catch your interest?"

„Dark creatures," she said, her voice clear. She knew she hit the right spot, for Lupin moved in his seat nervously. Then, when he recovered, he smiled at her.

„That is very interesting. Not everyone is eager to learn about Dark creatures. But if you wish to know more about that topic, I can give you permission to the Restricted Section in the library and an assignment to do," he smiled slightly, eyeing her.

However, Jadyce was still standing there, emotionless mask on her face. Lupin scribbled something on a piece of parchment and handed it to her. It was the aforementioned permission. Not bothering to say anything, Jadyce nodded her head and left the classroom, feeling Lupin´s eyes on her the whole time on her way out.

´What a strange girl,´thought Lupin. He was clearly surprised to hear from her that she was interested in Dark creatures. He had an odd feeling when she said it – as if she knew he was a werewolf. Shaking that thought off, he thought it was just his paranoia and looked at the stack of papers lying on his desk.

oOoOoOo

Jadyce entered the dungeons, taking out her cauldron and ingredients. She had double Potions today with Gryffindors. Potions was the only subject Jadyce truly liked – when she was weak, she always used some potions for casting her spells. It was very helpful and she didn´t need much power to do it. Taking a seat in the first row, right in front of Snape´s desk, which stood on a dais, she unpacked the ingredients. They were doing the Draught of Living Death. As Snape explained, the one, who drank the potion fell asleep, however looked like if he were dead.

While making the potions, Snape chose to walk around the desks to criticise and comment the students´ work. Jadyce always smirked inwardly, for he always found something that wasn´t appealing when he came to the Gryffindors. When he came to her potion, he nodded in agreement and sometimes uttered a word or two.

This lesson, he sat behind his desk, not bothering to look up. He was bent over a thick volume of book, curtains of greasy hair falling into his face as he kept reading. At the end of the lesson, he ordered them to put some of their potion into the flasks and cork it.

However, when Jadyce was on her way, some unfortunate Gryffindor ran into her, causing her to fall, the potion breaking as it hit the ground. Jadyce snarled as she stood up, meanwhile Snape was already towering over the scared Gryffindor.

Jadyce stood up and noticed the prickle of blood on her index finger. Her eyes widened and a slow smile threatened to creep over her face.

No, no, no! Not now! She scolded herself. Before she could lose control, Jadyce quickly wiped the blood off her finger with a napkin she took out of her schoolbag. She had to be careful, she couldn´t blow up her cover and reveal that she was a vampire. No, she had no idea what should she do if she were confined somewhere during the nights, the blood being denied from her.

Taking a calming breath, she dusted off her robes and Snape cleaned up the mess, muttering Scourgify. Jadyce then walked stiffly to her desk, bottling the potion again. She then marched to Snape and without a word, she put it on his desk. In the meanwhile, he had taken five points from Gryffindor for not paying attention. The Gryffindors immediately sulked at him and with a satisfied sneer, he sat behind his desk.

Just as Jadyce was about to leave, Snape called her name. „Miss Frost. A word if I may." Turning back, Jadyce walked up on the dais, waiting patiently in front of his desk, while he observed her intently.

„I would like to discuss the job counselling with you. As you came this year, it is necessary to choose a job you would like to have after you finish the school so I can arrange your timetable appropriately."

Not knowing if to tell him the truth about the spell that had been put on her, Jadyce decided rather not to tell him. „Potions have caught my interest, therefore, I would prefer some job related to them."

At this, Snape looked mildly surprised but masked it quickly.

Nodding, he asnwered in his silky voice, „Interesting choice, Miss Frost. You are quite gifted, it has been taken to notice. However, if you wish to study Potions, you need only ´Outstanding´ grades to attend the N.E.W.T.s. I accept none other. Potions is a subject that is related to only few jobs, such as is Healing Magic or the Potions alone by themselves -"

„A Potions Mistress?" inquired Jadyce.

„You need to complete an apprenticeship with one of the Potions Masters," said Snape slowly, tracing his lips with his index finger.

„With you, for example?" Jadyce looked at him expectantly.

„With me, indeed," he agreed, scrutinising her, as she stood there. „But I await only perfection from your work. I shall cancel the apprenticeship if I see you are not working hard or not attempting to spend a measurable time with attending the apprenticeship. I will consult this with the Headmaster. That is everything for now, you may go." He dismissed her and watched her leave.

oOoOoOo

That evening, Jadyce went to Dumbledore´s office, for he wanted to discuss the ´matter of her arrival´, as he called it in front of the others.

Muttering the password, Jadyce climbed the stairs and knocked on the door, scowling at it.

„Come in," bid a voice.

She pushed the door open and stepped into Dumbledore´s office.

„Ah, Miss Frost!" he said in a delighted voice. Frowning, she walked to his desk and took a seat in one of armchairs that stood there, without asking.

„I haven´t found any solution yet, I am afraid. However, I contacted one of my acquaintances working at the Department of Mysteries to have a look on that matter. Now, to another topic. I have heard from Professor Snape that you would like to start an apprenticeship with him and become a Potions Mistress," he looked at her above his half-moon spectacles, smiling.

Jadyce nodded. „I think that if I´m bound with the spell, I don´t have to study here forever. I merely thought of becoming a ... teacher or an assistant? At here," she added.

„Very well. I have discussed the topic with Professor Snape already about your career. You can start your apprenticeship as soon as you want."

Jadyce stood up, knowing that he didn´t have anything else on his senile mind to bother her with.

Walking to the door, Dumbledore watched her leave with a thoughful expression on his face.

Author´s Note: So, how is it so far? I´d be most grateful if you left a review or two to know it´s not a complete waste of time. Just click the Go button ;)

Thanks.