A/N: Aaah, sorry for the huge gap in between uploads! My art exam is over *phew* but literally, as soon as that finished I came down with a sucker of a cold, that's suddenly turning into the flu. However, I've done a couple more chapters, chapter ten will be up as soon as eleven is done, and hopefully I'll be back on track :)

Chapter Nine

Most people were lined up outside the classroom when Rae and Rose arrived. They had spent even longer getting ready because Rose had tried to force Rae to wear a skirt and a fitted white shirt with short, puffed sleeves. Rae disagreed, thinking that a white shirt with long baggy sleeves that tightened at the wrist and hugged the hands comfortably and a pair of trousers would suit her much better. After ten or so minutes, the pair decided to go with the skirt and the long sleeved shirt and ran off to have a quick, late breakfast. Unfortunately for Rae, this meant she hadn't been able to get her iPod back because professor Moreau had gone to get ready for the lesson long before she had arrived in the great hall.

"Morning, Scorpius," Rae smiled as she passed the Slytherins on the way to Albus outside the Defence against the Arts classroom.

"Morning…" Scorpius said, looking a little abashed. Demitri Zabini on his left was almost shooting daggers at her. If looks could kill, Rae thought irritably to herself.

"Good morning, class! Come on into the classroom and we'll get started right away," professor Moreau called as he opened the door, he looked a lot brighter than usual today. The class filed into the room, but because Rae was near the front, she hadn't had a chance to stop and talk to Abel. A pang of longing shot through her, she really missed that damn iPod. Wizards had no idea what they were missing out on.

Adding to Rae's frustration, Abel didn't mention anything to her throughout the lesson when they copied down notes on dark creatures; drew and labelled detailed diagrams of them all and began to study spells. Scorpius seemed to be avoiding eye-contact with her and every time she stood up to go to the bin or something, he either ran off to his seat if he was stood also or bent as low to his desk as he could, even more so avoiding her eyes. Demitri Zabini had been glaring at her since first thing this morning and it started to get really uncomfortable, if he had a problem, why didn't he tell her?! Rae felt her short temper getting even shorter, she wasn't one for hating people behind their backs.

"So, before we pack up, can anyone tell me, in detail, what the Impediment Jinx is?" Abel asked, looking around the class. Rose's hand shot up into the air as usual, and, with a smile he said, "yes Miss Weasley?"

"The Impediment Jinx is a spell that slows down moving objects and is more commonly used in defence to obstruct attackers, therefore giving the caster time to run away or prepare for a fight," she replied confidently.

"Exactly right! Well done Rose, five points to Gryffindor. Well then, everyone pack up and then you can go to your next lesson. Rae, would you mind staying behind after class? Won't be long," Rae nodded and hurried to pack her things away, wondering what spell they used on her iPod and hoping it hadn't broken. Rose and Albus waited for her outside the classroom when the bell rang, they had Potions next.

Abel opened his desk drawer and pulled out the iPod, looking at it curiously before handing it over. "The headmaster said it's yours to use as much as you want as long as it's not in lessons or anything of that sort, but otherwise, the enchantment will last for the entire of this year and next year you'll have to get it enchanted again," he explained. Rae wasn't really listening to him as much as she should have been, but she couldn't help noticing how much happier he looked, well, she thought he was happy before (or at least, not sad) but in comparison, something had definitely been up with him before.

Thanking the professor, Rae turned and headed to the door but stopped. She turned to face Abel who was watching her and said, "professor?"

"Yes, Rae?"

"I'm glad whatever was bothering you before isn't anymore, you suit being happy much more than being sad," she didn't wait for a reply before she opened the door and disappeared behind it. Abel just watched after her, more than a little taken aback.

*

Professor Adrastea Kells was the Potions teacher for their year. She was a slender, pale woman with long shiny black hair and dark eyes that, according to Rose, only wore black. True to Rose's words, professor Kells wore swishing black robes buttoned up to just above her chest with large silver toggles, a thick black velvet choker and even her long nails were painted black. For some reason, this didn't seem like a fashion statement.

She let the class into the dimly lit dungeon room, waiting for them all to sit down before snapping the heavy door shut and sauntering up to her desk. Like all of the other teachers before her, she read out the register first and then turned to the class, gently placing the register back on her desk with long, elegant fingers.

"Seeing as this is your first Potions lesson with me, we'll go through the basics," she said in a soft yet dangerous voice. "Potions is a very delicate form of magic that requires little wand-waving, so many of you will not believe this is magic at all. But let me assure you, it is an ancient form of magic that was used before wands, so treat it as you would Charms or Transfiguration," she fiddled with her wand, her eyes sweeping over the class before saying: "what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?" Rae didn't need to look to know that Rose's hand had shot up into the air. No one else seemed to have a clue what monkshood and wolfsbane were. "Yes?"

"There isn't a difference, professor. Monkshood and wolfsbane are the same plant which also goes by the name of aconite," Rose answered, as confidently as she had in Defence against the Dark Arts.

"Correct. Well, why haven't you all copied that perfect answer down, as none of you knew it before Miss Weasley told you?" professor Kells asked quickly. Suddenly, everybody dived for their bags and pulled out parchment, quills and ink, afterwards, the only sound was that of quills scratching furiously against parchment. "Now, we will start with theory notes which deal with plants and their uses in antidotes. I will dictate a lot of it to you firstly and you shall copy it down, in the second half of the lesson I will be setting a task involving your books and then you will get homework."

Throughout the lesson, everybody was silent. This was probably because professor Kells didn't wait long for them to copy down what she had just said so note-taking took up almost all of their concentration, but she seemed like a very to-the-point teacher who didn't believe much in second chances. Most people got this feeling from her so they didn't try her patience. Otherwise, she seemed fair and alright as long as you did as you were told.

However, Rae wasn't thinking about the professor that lesson. The morning hadn't gone very well for her at all. Scorpius was avoiding her (when she had thought she had gotten very far with him the previous day) and the Zabini boy was acting as though he wanted nothing more than her death. As for the Zabini girl, she just pretended like Rae didn't even exist. Once again, Rae felt her temper bubbling like a potion heated for too long.

*

"Come on, I'm starving!" Albus said, grabbing his bag and hurrying to the door. Just as he was about to leave, though, someone shoved him out of the way and into the wall.

"Watch where you're going," Demitri Zabini said coldly, stalking past him. Albus didn't say anything, which only annoyed Rae further.

"Why don't you watch where you're going seeing as you're the one who shoved him out of the way?!" Rae growled angrily, her hands balled into fists. Demitri stopped, waited for a moment as if he was deciding whether Rae had spoken to him or not and then turned. Ren Zabini was leaning against the wall, her arms crossed as if she was merely waiting for Demitri to tie his shoelace. "And one more thing, if you have a problem with me, I'd prefer you tell me instead of glaring at me all the time. It doesn't go well with your complexion," she added sarcastically. Scorpius looked like he wanted nothing more than for Rae to have shut up.

"Oh I'm sorry, did I anger the filthy little Mudblood? I wasn't aware you were fit for anything more than a glare," he said mockingly. Rae was fuming.

"Alright, that's it!" she started, stepping towards Demitri, forgetting her wand completely. Albus and Rose seemed to know exactly what their friend was thinking as they shouted "Rae!" and held her back. "Let me at him, let me at him!" she yelled, waving her arms in anger.

"Haha, look, she hasn't even got her wand out. What? Were you going to throw your weight at me like those pathetic Muggles you love so much do?" Demitri was almost laughing at her.

"Pathetic?! I'll show you pathetic you little-"

"Miss Williams?" Rose and Albus jumped away from her and Rae stopped dead, turning around slowly. Professor Kells had just appeared at the door and was watching the group curiously, though it appeared that she hadn't seen or heard anything that had happened. To Rae's annoyance, Demitri was smirking horribly at her, expecting for her to get told off. "Oh good, you're still here. I need to have a word with you; the rest of you can go to lunch."

Still smirking, Demitri ushered his sister and Scorpius towards the great hall. Rose and Albus looked like they wanted to stay, but Rae shook her head and motioned for them to go. Professor Kells opened the dungeon door and allowed Rae to go in first. The young girl stood in front of the desk, feeling utterly outraged that she would be the one being told off for this when it was that damn Zabini boy who had started it!

Professor Kells leant on her desk in front of Rae. She could evidently see the anger in Rae's eyes because she chuckled lightly and shook her head, looking at the student. "You really are like him, aren't you?"

Now Rae really was confused – who was this woman?

Chapter Ten Preview:

"When he found me, it was terrifying. For an eleven year old girl, I had never seen anyone so angry… so hurt. I had accidentally stumbled on his most private thoughts and feelings, the memories he cherished more than any other. Of a girl whom he loved, but died because of him. The reason he became a spy for Albus Dumbledore… Lily Evans… more commonly known as Lily Potter."