CHAPTER 4

Dumbledore summoned Gryffindor and Slytherin's heads of houses to his office.

"I'm sure you already know why I summoned only the two of you after the speech" Albus said as he took of his glasses and rubbed his eyes.

"Today I want you to be careful with who you choose as Sophie's opponent" the old man said.

"Do you want us to omit her name?" Severus asked puzzled.

"Quite the opposite" Dumbledore's voice was deep and thoughtful.

"You want her to duel today after all she has been through the last few days?" Minerva asked in shock

"Yes, I want you to see what she is capable of and if she is ready for what is to come. Severus, I want you to put her against your best duelist"

"Yes, Headmaster" He tried to do his best to hide a smirk.

"Sophie Miller" Minerva McGonagall said

"Pansy Parkinson" Profesor Snape said with a smug tone. He had yearned to see her fight. "The one to obtain the other's wand first wins 50 points for her house, you may begin"

Both girls saluted themselves and each house cheered for their representative.

"Confringo!" Pansy screamed. The spell fell in the spot where Sophie was before, after the explosion faded away, the smile on Pansy's lips faded, Sophie wasn't there either.

"Bombarda! Expulso!Dismaio!" Pansy threw spell after spell but Sophie deflected them all.

"Stupefy!" Sophie finally attacked and succeeded at her first try. Pansy was thrown five meters away. "Expeliarmus!" Pansy's wand flew away from her. "Accio!" The wand went from Pansy's side to Sophie's hand in a second.

That had been even faster than what he had expected. Miss Parkinson had never been defeated before and it had only taken her two minutes to take her wand without a scratch. He was impresed, and for Severus Snape that was beyond unusual.

"Miss Miller wins the duel, 50 points for Gryffindor." Minerva said gleefully.

Gryffindor's cheered and congratulated their new house mate. They were all impressed she was immaculate whilst Pansy's last opponent had been sent to the infirmary and had to stay there for two whole days.

Snape witnessed at least 150 duels that evening, but none had amused him as much as Sophie's had. Her grace, her speed, her strength, her eyes, they where filled with rage, ambition,power,pain. He wanted to protect her, talk to her, be close to her... to kiss her.

He tried to shove those thought away as it was "improper" for a teacher to have those feeling for a student, specially that student. But as hard as he tried he couldn't block her out.

Dinner time was both painful and happy. He would have to observe that Weasley fool trying to win her over,being able to speak to her like that, to hold her like that, it was tought for him to admit it, but he was jealous.

As her first month in Hogwarts passed she spent a lot of time with that Weasley twin a lot, he practically stalked her, but she seamed amused by him, she seemed happy, and he enjoyed seeing her laugh, but not with Weasley, not with any other man that wasn't him.

But there was a moment in which every ounce of jealousy faded away, the moment in which his eyes met her's. He could get lost in her eyes and apparently she could get lost in his. At first their eyes would meet during meals but after a few weeks they would meet on the hallways, even in class, thing that disturbed Severus a lot as he was afraid to loose his composure in front of other students.

Sophie already felt at home in Hogwarts, her friends were her family and the castle her home. Professor McGonagall was more than pleasant and had grown fond of Sophie, and Sophie had grown fond of her. Almost every teacher she had was insane, which made everything much more amusing for her as they all seemed rather nice. Hermione and the boys had introduced her to Hagrid with whom she clicked instantly as they both shared a passion for magical creature, they had basically spent an hour talking about Hippogriffs and Dragons. Her Headmaster had saved her life, she owed him everything. His eyes were wise and kind, and so was him. Finally her DADA teacher and potions master left her speechless, there was something about him that made her want to learn more about him, to talk to him and be near him. His eyes were fascinating, they were piercing and intimidant when he directed his sight to any student or teacher that wasn't McGonagall or Dumbledore... or her. When their eyes met, they were full of wisdom and peace, knowledge and warmth, pain and compassion.

In times she would loose sleep thinking about him, about all the nasty things everyone said and how she didn't believe them, how she thought that there must have been an explanation. But that night he wasn't the one that was taking her sleep away.

She was in a dark hallway, on the end there was a bright light and a man and a woman where talking, laughing, They were her parents, as she ran towards them tears begun streaming down her cheek. Suddenly another laugh appeared and a flash of green light was directed toward her parents. "AVADA KADEVRA!" both of their bodies fell numb to the floor.

"NOOO!" she yelled as loud as she could now the tears had passed from being of joy to being of impotence and sorrow. The witch's wand was now directed to her.

"Bombarda!"

She managed to move but she still got hit. She was in pain and couldn't wake up. This wasn't a dream.