Chapter Three: Moving on.

The first days were always hectic, every student retraining themselves to wake up early. First years getting lost on every floor, and of course some getting caught up in the trick stair case. Yet for Shaddi things seemed fine, many of the other students quickly became envious of her knowledge of their course subjects, some even took to calling her names because she had done the obvious thing and picked up a book before coming to school. It didn't bother her, she knew in the end they would, one: get used to it, or two: get over it.

She walked down the halls confidently one afternoon heading toward the library to do research to her Defense against the Dark Arts essay on basic hexes which the common witch or wizard may use and how to defend against or counter them. She set her things on a table and found that someone else's things were at the other end of it. Thinking nothing of it she went down the "D" section looking for "defense" finding nothing she headed over to "H" or "hexes". As she turned into the row of shelves she found Severus kneeling next to the shelves examining the books there, he already had a small stack next to him.

"Didn't take all the good ones did you?" She asked as she drew closer. He looked up at her then down toward the books and shook his head.

"Just a few." He mumbled before gathering those he had choosing and darting away before she could say much more. She shrugged and gathered some books herself. When she returned to the table she found sitting across from her books where his own had been sitting when she came in. She set her books on the table and looked at him.

"I'm Shaddi." She offered him her hand. He stood,

"Severus." he shook her hand sitting down right afterward. She took her seat and began looking through her books, taking notes whiles Severus did the same. For a long while they sat like that occasionally comparing something they found with the other. By the time they had to return to their common room they had each completed the lengthy essay, which was easily more than they were required. They walked back to the common room and found it empty; they both sat down and began working on other homework in silence. Shaddi finish perhaps an hour later.

"Well that was productive." Severus didn't even look up he was too busy putting the finishing touches on his own work. "Good night Shaddi said just as he finished, he nodded and also began to pack his things.

On Sunday Shaddi enjoyed watching her fellow students rush and hurry to complete the work they had neglected all week, hoping to get it done by its due time on Monday.

"Hey Shaddi aren't you going to right your essay for Dark Arts?" One girl asked as she herself poured over books.

"I've already finished it." Shaddi said on her way out of the common room. She headed out onto the grounds; the air was still somewhat warm as she moved over toward the lake. Looking out over the water thinking of all that she had done just within the first two weeks. As the weeks continued on Shaddi felt more and more comfortable, still working alone for long hours to end up ahead of her own schedule.

While taking one of her many walks around the castle Shaddi accidentally ran directly into someone on the fifth floor.

"Ouch!" Both cried as they stumbled back trying to retain balance. Shaddi looked up and saw the Gryffindor girl she remembered as Lillian Evans.

"Sorry." she said reaching down to gather up her books.

"No problem, are you all right?"

"Yes." Shaddi helped her with her books. "Thanks, I'm Lilly Evans."

"Shaddi Ravencroft." The two exchanged a handshake and a smile, "Well it does look like you have a lot of work to do."

"I've just finished most of it, I have a few things left but nothing another hour of work won't take care of."

"Well I'll let you get to that." She left letting Lilly head toward the library, while she went onto the grounds.

Hours later she was still out by the lake just watching the water, the air was cold but she didn't care. It wasn't until she realized just how late it was that she went back into the castle.

The common room was buzzing with chatter when she entered. After listening to a few people talk she realized that they were all talking about Quidditch, it seemed that the date for the first match had been set. Gryffindor vs. Slytherin on November the first. And that house try-outs for second years and above would be held that week. Shaddi could only imagine that the Gryffindors would also be having try-outs soon as well then. She would have to ask Kai when she found him the next day. After thinking a little while longer she went up to bed.

The next day she searched out her brother finding him just as he was leaving the Great Hall from lunch, surrounded by his friends.

"Kai!" She called from the entrance to the dungeons. He looked around before telling his friends to move on, and coming over to her.

"Hello sister, how are you?"

"I'm all right, I saw a notice in my common room, and our house is having Qudditch team tryouts this week. Are the Gryffindors also trying out this week?"

"Yes we are. I'll be there for sure."

"Good luck, I hope you make the team, they would be fools not to choose you."

"Thank you for that. So how have your classes been? I don't get to see you much."

"All right, the studying I did over the summer really helped, I'm miles ahead."

"That's good. I'm very proud of you."

"Thanks Kai." They exchanged a hug before going their separate ways.

Within the next week Shaddi was surprised to find her brother running up to her in the third floor corridor one day.

"Shaddi!" He grabbed her in a hug and picked her up off her feet.

"Kai, what's going on?" She asked between laughs as he put her down.

"I made the Quidditch team!" He said, his eyes beaming with pride.

"That's bad news for the Slytherins; you're going to throttle us."

"Only until next year when you make the team, then I'll be in trouble."

"Didn't you hear?" She said her mood darkening.

"What?"

"There are no girls on the Slytherin team, its tradition."

"Well everyone knows that, but if you try out then you'll be fine, because you're the best. They would be out of their minds to not take you."

"Well, we'll see. But I'm really happy for you." She hugged her brother again before heading off to her class. As she turned a corner she encountered three third year Slytherins, all looking very unhappy.

"Hey, what were you doing hanging all over that lowlife Gryffindor?" One brown haired boy asked her.

"I wasn't "hanging" on him; I was congratulating him for making the Qudditch team."

"Why would you do that?" the brunet's blonde hair companion asked.

"He's my brother." She was now getting very annoyed.

"Well you had better be supporting Slytherin at the first Quidditch match in October. We're facing Gryffindor, and although there is no chance that they will beat us. We don't want any traitors in our house." the brunet said.

"Yeah." the others said.

"Jeeze, it's just a game."

"Watch your back first year." A black haired boy said before they left. Shaddi watched team for a moment before rolling her eyes and moving on.

Over the next few days Shaddi seemed to be seeing the three thug boys everywhere, sometimes it was only one at a time, and sometimes all at once. But she knew they were just trying to scare her. She assumed they had nothing better to do. She still spoke to her brother, in the hall, through the mail, anyway she could. Her sister also wrote to her a lot, both Shaddi and Kai could tell Christine was lonely. She asked a lot of questions and they told her to just hang on until the Christmas holidays when they could come home and visit her.

Another person she saw more often than not was Severus Snape. He, like her, was always in the library. Sometimes they worked together; sometimes they just spoke briefly before doing their jobs, and over all they were very cool toward each other.