- Life got in the way-
...
Raven's eyes fluttered open from her dreamless sleep and got up from bed, cracking her bones. She leaned slightly to look at the window. It was just getting light outside, so Raven guessed it would be about four in the morning. She silently got dressed and picked up her guitar, slinging it over her shoulder.
Without a sound she lifted the window open and slid through it, hooking her hands on the slanted, cone-like rooftop and lifting herself up with ease. Raven laid her black guitar down beside her and took out her wand. She always kept it in her cloak when she was with the Titans, but only ever used it for practice or when no one was watching, which was quite a lot.
The only other Titans that knew about the wand was Jericho and Jinx. Jericho and Raven had a sibling-like bond that had been mistaken for something else by magazine journalists and editors. Much to the embarrassment of both heroes. Jericho found out that Raven was a witch when a dementor that was checking America for Sirius Black had come across Raven and Jericho while on Jericho's mountain and Raven had sent it away with her patronus.
Whereas Jinx had found Raven's wand and school spellbooks, along with a cauldron and a large range of rare potion ingrediants while looking through Ravens drawers. It turns out Jinx witchcraft already. And Cyborg, her so-called "big brother of the team" didn't know nor think to ask of why she had such unusual items in her bedroom.
Raven remembered the day at Diagon Ally when she got her wand when she was eleven as if it was yesterday.
X...x...X
X...x...X
11-year-old Raven ran with her navy cloak whipping out behind her up to Ollivanders, dragging her uncle by the sleeve. Severus stopped, pulling Raven to a halt and began sifting through his pockets looking for a pouch of galleons. Raven was impatiently bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Come on, come on, hurry up uncle Sev, mother is only letting me out a small amount of time." Severus chuckled at his young niece. He strode into the store. "Now I'm waiting for you" he called back over his shoulder. Raven scowled but hurried into the old store on her small legs. She breathed in the musty scent that accompanied the old store, a small smile curving her lips. Raven looked around, memorising the room.
"Good afternoon" Ravens head snapped towards the voice and saw an eccentric looking old man with white hair that went everywhere. "Ahh, Severus Snape I remember you, a chestnut, thirteen inches, unyielding, dragon heartstring (1). Is their anything wrong with it ?" Ollivander asked. Raven sensed an air of wisdom about him. "No , its working perfectly. I'm here for my niece, Raven, to pick one." Severus replied. Ollivander's gaze wandered over to Raven, who was staring right back at him with her emotionless purple eyes. Ollivander took out a measuring tape and started measuring her arms, hands and fingers. When finished he put the tape away with a 'snap'.
"Aaah, give me a moment" with that said he mounted a ladder and pushed himself down one side of the seemingly endless aisle. He came back a few seconds later with two boxes. "Here, try this one" he said while opening the first box. From it Ollivander produced a thin, light brown wand and handed it to Raven "ash and unicorn hair. Seven inches. Springy," he paused "well go on, give it a wave." Raven done as instructed and made the window explode. She placed it back in the box with a muttered apology."Very powerfull, I see" Ollivander said, his eyes shining. "You have no idea" Severus muttered, earning a glare from Raven. An angry Raven is a scary thing, so he bit his tounge as he couldn't speak. Ollivander shuffled down the aisle. Coming back a second later with a box, he opened it and passed the wand to Raven. "Try this - holly and pheonix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple(2) " Raven flourished the wand, but nothing happened. The wandmaker had a curious sparkle in his eyes. After about twenty more wands Ollivander stopped and seemed deep in thought, he snapped out of his trance and muttered somthing under his breath that even Raven's demonic hearing didn't catch. Ollivander pushed the ladder down the aisle, his fingertips trailing along the boxes the way Raven's would on the books and tomes in the Azerathian library. Raven craned her neck to see Ollivander at the very back, on his knees and pulling out a box at the very bottom of the pile. He stared at the dusty box "I wonder" he murmered. The old man mounted the ladder and swung himself forward. He handed Raven a dusty box. "You won't find another wand like this - blackthorn, twelve inches, quite whippy. And a very unusual core, this is the only wand with it! It was, in fact, a test wand..."
He started rambling on about things Raven didn't understand. Raven drowned out the old wandmaker, she removed the lid to see a thin elegantly carved, jet black wand. Raven thought it looked gothic, and instantly felt a connection without even touching it. She wrapped her fingers around it, lifting it from its box she admired the smooth wood and gothic style carvings. She found it fitted perfectly in her hand. "...It bonds with only one. In fact I crafted it about hundred and fifty years ago" Ollivander finished, his stormy eyes sparkling with pride. Raven flicked the wand, black, blue and silver sparks went flying round the room, both older men watching in silence. "What is the core ?" Raven asked, the ghost of a smile on her face. Ollivander beamed "Dementors bone."
X...x...X
X...x...X
Raven snapped out of the memory that always brought a smile, no matter how small it was, to her face.
Her thoughts turned to her 'team mates', the Titans. Ever since Terra came back they have ignored her ideas and suggestions, her warnings during fights, and her presence altogether while the blonde earthbender was in the room. The Titans didn't even ask where she would be disappearing off to for the rest of the year. Did they even care? Raven's hands unconsciously clenched into fists, her anger showed in her eyes. She was broken out of her thoughts by the window below her cracking. Taking a deep breath "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos" she chanted.
She released a breath of air and picking up her guitar decided on a song. Strumming the notes she sang along with it slowly
"Well if you wanted honesty,
Thats all you had to say,
I never want to let you down, Or have you go,
Its better off this way.
For all the dirty looks, The photographs your boyfriend took, Remember when you broke your foot,
From jumping out the second floor.
I'm not okay,
I'm not okay (yeah),
I'm not okay, You wear me out.
What will it take to show you,
That its not the life it seems, I've told you time and time again,
You sing the words,
But don't know what it means,
To be a joke and look, Another line without a hook.
I hold you close as we both shook,
For the last time,
Take a good hard look.
I'm not okay,
I'm not okay,
I'm not okay,
You wear me out.
Forget about the dirty looks,
The photographs your boyfriend took,
You said you read me like a book,
But the pages are all torn and frayed,
I'm okay,
I'm okay!
I'm okay now ( I'm okay now).
But you really need to listen to me,
Because I'm telling you the truth,
I mean this,
I'm okay (trust me).
I'm not okay I'm not okay Well I'm not okay I'm really not okay,
I'm not okay..."
Raven trailed off softly, looking up she assumed it would be about 7. She slipped through the cracked window and set her guitar on the wall, just as her bushy haired roommate awoke.
"What are you doing up this early?" The brunette asked.
"Same as you, getting ready for classes" Hermione shrugged, accepting the answer. When Hermione was ready the walked down together, talking about their favourite classes and authors.
After a while the two boys came down. "Good morning" they chirped.
"What do you mean," Raven deadpanned "do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning wheather I want it to or not, or that you feel good this morning, or that it is a morning to be good on." Hermione giggled as the other girl quoted from the book they were just discussing.
The boys blinked. "What" they chourused. Raven shook her head "nevermind, lets go down to breakfast." Ron and Harry hurriedly agreed. Walking down they started chatting about a sport called Quidditch. Raven had never heard of it, she had never really liked sports. "Hey Raven, what team do you support?" Ron asked.
"I have never even heard of the sport until today Ron" she answered.
He looked like she had grown two heads "WHAT," he squealed, yes squealed. "Never heard of Quidditch!" He then launched into a full explanation of said sport. Raven couldn't help but think of Beast Boy and Cyborg playing Stank Ball. She mentally shuddered.
Arriving in the Great Hall, they instantly took notice of a certain pink toad, looking quite smug, seated beside an irritated Severus, who seemed to be wearing his usual attire but pink and frilly with the odd bit of lace thrown in. Raven blinked and shook her head suppresing the grin that was creeping its way onto her face.
When the last of the students entered hall Dumbledore stood up "Now if I may have your attentions please, your new teacher has arrived and is currently in his office. Professor Umbridge will be staying due to the Ministries request. Now please enjoy your breakfast." He sat back down, questions flew around the room and people started eating.
The twins slid in on each side of Raven, simultaneously slung their arms across her shoulders and in perfect sync said "Oh sweet Raven, oh dear sweet Raven, you are beautiful, you know that? You are the most amazing-" "what do you want?" she cut them off .
Fred started "well you see-"
"We might -"
"Just might-"
"Have pranked the Slytherins-
"And now they're out for our blood" they finished together. Raven raised an eyebrow and glanced at the Slytherins, who were in a similar state to their potions professor, who's eye was twitching uncontrollably. "And you need me because..." She motioned for them to continue. They rubbed the back of their necks. They exchanged a glance.
"Your the scariest person we know." They said quickly. Raven arched a brow and snuck a glance at her uncle who was glaring with such venom, that if looks could kill the Weasly twins would be a smouldering pile of ash.
"I will see what I can do." Raven answered, the side of her mouth twitching.
The twins enveloped her in a bonecrushing hug from each side "Thank you Rae."
Raven opened her mouth to tell them not to call her Rae but closed it when a sleek, jet black owl landed gracefully in front of her. Tied to the owl's leg was a blood red envelope, with dark purple writing. The writing was slanted, neat and loopy, making it look very old fashioned, much like Raven's own writing. Raven gulped, recognising whos it was straight away.
"Hey, Ravens got herself a howler!" Seamus yelled from further up the table. "Go on, open it" Ron exclaimed. Everyone, even the teachers, leaned foreward, eager to find out who would send a howler to the scariest student in Hogwarts.
Raven took the envelope from the bird and it flew away, taking Ron's peice of bacon while at it. Raven opened it slowly.
""RAVEN SNAPE"" Jinx's voice rang out, sounding furious.
""HOW DARE YOU GO AWAY WITHOUT TELLING ME, HOW DARE YOU GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT ME. I FOUND OUT FROM STARFIRE WHEN I CAME OVER. THEN ROBIN HAD A PANIC ATTACK BECAUSE YOU DIDNT SAY WHERE YOU WERE GOING, SO WHEN TERRA, OF ALL PEOPLE TERRA, SAID YOUR UNCLE HAD PICKED YOU UP I HAD TO EXPLAIN THAT YOU HAD WENT TO SCHOOL IN ENGLAND. But dont worry I didn't tell them about the whole witch thing. BUT I HAD TO PUT UP WITH BEAST BOY AND TERRA'S CONSTANT MAKING OUT AND FRAKING PET NAMES. IT IS BEYOND DISGUSTING. THEN THAT IDIOT BLONDE STARTED INSULTING YOU AND SEVERUS, SO SHE MAY OR MAY NOT BE UNCONCIOUS FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK, your welcome. AND THEN KID FLASH CAME AND WOULDN'T LEAVE ME ALONE I WANT TO KILL THAT IDIOT, you owe me a favour send him to another dimension or something. THEN THOSE KIDS WOULDNT STOP ASKING ME WHERE YOU WHERE, IT TURNS OUT THEY WERE SURPRISE VISITING YOU. Ok, ok, oh and I set a new record, I only hexed, zapped or blew up Beast Boy or Kid Flash twelve times. I deserve a freaking medal. Remember to write to me and tell Severus I said hello,
Your Sister Sorceress, Jinx.
P.S Jericho said hello.""
The entire hall was silent. Raven leaned back so she could see her uncle clearly "Jinx said hello" she yelled up to him, making the hall erupt into laughter.
"Come in lets get to class" Hermione said, standing up with the other girl. The boys groaned but followed.
They all got through the day with nothing unusual happening, until their last class. They had heard from the other, female, students that the new Defense teacher was dreamy and handsome. Raven, Hermione, Ron and Harry were coming from Divination, or in Hermiones case Ancient Runes, where they found out Diagon Alley was going to be blown up on monday, and going to their last class of the day, Defence Against the Dark Arts.
They had been walking into the classroom when the two females of the group froze, rooted to the spot and staring at the newest professor. Hermione stared at how unbelievingly handsome and young he was and Raven for a whole other reason.
...
...
Anyone see the Iron Man quote?
(1) I just randomly picked that, it doesn't say what Snape's wand is anywhere; If you know what it is please tell me.
(2) Mhuwhaha, I just had to. Whoever understands gets CAKE...not really, I just award you on your nerdiness... :)
(3) Dementor's bone is MIIINNNE. I am really sorry about it being so long and boring but I wanted to put this stuff in. And AHH CLIFFY I'm so evil. Anyone have any idea who it is
~A.M.A.M~