"Miss Nichols, Mr Salvatore, it's a pleasure to welcome you back to the Academy."

As Damon and Maya approached, Professor Aradia greeted them with a smile and introduced them to the woman beside her. Unlike Professor Aradia, who was clad in a sleek blue pantsuit that, aside from the colour, matched the one she had worn when she had shown them around the school, the woman wore a long silver robe with black embroidery that would have blended in at Hogwarts. Her hair was a mix of black and grey, neatly tied in a bun reminiscent of Professor McGonagall, but her expression was far from stern or rigid. She smiled warmly and radiated a sense of kindness and friendliness that made Maya feel at ease.

"This is Professor Bloodworth, Deputy Head in charge of Academic Affairs, she will be administering the testing today, Miss Nichols."

Maya nodded and offered them both a small smile, a large part of her was nervous about this whole testing thing, but there was a smaller part that was incredibly excited because it was another step closer to being a student at the Academy. With every day that passed Maya was realising that running away to New York was the best decision she could have made. With his every action Damon showed how much he cared about her, her wellbeing, her happiness, and her future, and with every sign of his care, Maya felt a little more at ease.

He'd taken her shopping again yesterday, this time for her bedroom, at first Maya had felt awkward about it, he'd already spent so much money on her, and they still hadn't purchased any of her school things which he'd also promised to pay for. Maya knew that it was likely to cost a lot just for her uniform, wand, books, and other equipment, and that wasn't even including how much tuition must cost for a place like the Academy. With everything Damon had already spent, and would spend on her schooling, Maya hadn't felt like it was necessary for him to spend any more, not on her.

Damon had been insistent though, finally telling Maya that he had enough money to last him ten lifetimes (as a vampire) and that he was constantly investing and growing his wealth, so buying things for her really wasn't a problem. More to the point he wanted to buy things for her because he wanted her to be comfortable, wanted her to feel like it was her home, her bedroom, not just some place where she was a guest.

He'd also had no problem with her asking to cut her hair. Maggie had said he wouldn't, had encouraged her to ask and had promised to go with her when he said yes. Maggie's confidence that Damon would agree had given Maya the boost she needed to ask him. As much as she wanted it, asking had also been a small test on Maya's part, to see if he would let her do something that the Dursleys had always refused to. Damon had passed with flying colours and Maya was looking forward to chopping off as much of her long thick curls as she could. Something Petunia had always refused to let her do, despite constantly complaining about how difficult it was to brush and style every day.

Professor Bloodworth offered her hand to Damon and then to Maya.

"Hello Miss Nichols. Now, there's no need to be nervous, these tests are just to determine what level you are at in your studies, and whether there is anything you have a particular aptitude for that we should nurture."

Professor Aradia gave Maya another sunny smile and turned to Damon.

"If you'd like to accompany me to my office Mr Salvatore, we can arrange for Miss Nichol's enrolment whilst Professor Bloodworth takes her for testing."

Damon nodded and shot Maya an encouraging smile.

"Good luck, I'm sure you'll do brilliantly, and I'll see you soon, okay?"

Maya smiled back before turning to Professor Bloodworth who was waiting patiently for her.

"This way please Miss Nichols."

Professor Bloodworth led her through the school in the direction of what Maya thought was the Department of Magical Studies, that is if she was remembering correctly from the tour. Maya still didn't have a new wand, so she wasn't sure what she'd do if there was a practical element to the test, hopefully there wasn't.

The classroom they entered was quite large, with desks at the front and a large open area at the back. An A4 sized booklet and a pen was sat on one of the desks in the front row, and Professor Bloodworth directed Maya to take a seat there.

"Now as I said before there's nothing to worry about, these tests aren't meant to judge you, they are merely to help us get a feel for where you are in your studies so that we can design a course that fits you and your needs okay. So, if there's anything you don't know how to answer, don't panic, just move on to the next question. Nobody expects you to be perfect. So just do the best you can."

Maya nodded, biting her lip slightly. The Dursleys had always had expectations of Maya, of course those expectations had been along the lines of 'do worse than Dudley – or else!' People at Hogwarts had always had also had expectations of her. Their expectations had been the complete opposite of the Dursley's expectations though. They'd expected her to be the best, the cleverest, the strongest, the bravest, the most powerful. They had wanted her to live up to the legacy of her parents and the legend of the girl-who-lived. Maya had just wanted to be Maya though, not a terrible student, not an amazing one, just an ordinary one, without anybody's expectations weighing her down.

For the first time ever, Maya didn't have to worry about what other people were expecting of her, she could just do what Professor Bloodworth had said, 'the best she could.'

"Okay."

"You'll have an hour to complete the test paper, if you finish before that, then make sure you take some time to go over your answers. There's no harm in double checking your work."

Maya gave another nod.

"Good. You may begin."

Maya turned the booklet over and read the first question, which wasn't on magic at all. It was a mathematics question. Maya thought back to her time at primary school, she might have been forced to score worse than Dudley, but that didn't mean she was stupid, she'd done her best to learn as much as she could and had purposely scored low on tests and homework to keep the Dursley's from punishing her. A small jolt of excitement went through Maya as she realised, she could do this. With that thought at the front of her mind she settled back and re-read the first question.

A box contains 24 chocolates. There are four different flavours: mint, caramel, orange, and coffee. The ratio of mint to caramel to orange to coffee is 2:3:4:5. How many coffee chocolates are in the box?

Damon watched Maya heading off with the professor who would be testing her until they had turned a corner and were out of sight before he turned back to the Headmistress and gave her his attention. He couldn't quite discern the look she bore as she gazed at him, but it made him want to squirm, almost like he was one of her students and was about to be disciplined.

"You care for her deeply."

That wasn't quite what he had expected her to say, but he didn't deny it, Maya might have only been a part of Damon's life for ten days, but she had already become of vital importance to him.

"Yes."

Professor Aradia nodded, another indiscernible expression flitting across her face.

"My office is this way, Mr Salvatore."

Damon dismissed his uneasiness at his inability to read her expressions, given how young she appeared to be he figured there was a lot more to her than met the eye, and proceeded to walk with Professor Aradia to her office. She waited until they were both settled down on a couple of chairs in the corner of her office, a tray of refreshments on the small table between them, before she spoke again.

"Before we proceed with the enrolment, I'd like to know why Maya Potter is in New York, with a vampire for a guardian, when she is supposed to be in Britain under the magical guardianship of Albus Dumbledore."

Professor Aradia spoke calmly without a single inflection in her voice to indicate what she felt.

Aside from the panic that rose within him when he realised, she knew who Maya was, Damon also got the feeling that he was faced with an incredibly dangerous being, who could and would snap him like a twig. Which was strange because up till now Damon hadn't felt at all threatened in her presence, he'd assumed she was older than she appeared, but this was the first time he'd felt like she might pose a danger to him.

She was sitting across from him, a cup of tea held daintily in her hands, an elegantly arched eyebrow, and a wry smile on her lips as she waited for him to respond. Damon wasn't sure what to say so he replied with the first thing that sprung to mind.

"She was being abused."

Professor Aradia didn't seem surprised by this, just gave a miniscule nod, as if all she'd wanted was the confirmation.

"I see. Please explain."

So, he did. He told her about Henry, and all the other Potter's he'd known over the years. Jasmine's death and learning that Maya was living with her aunt. Maya turning up on his doorstep ten days ago with nothing but a backpack and two letters, telling him that he had been named as her godfather by Lady Magic. He told her everything that had been in the letters; the abuse, the horcrux, and the plan that Narcissa Malfoy and Ragnuk, Chieftain of the Horde, had come up with to secure Maya a new home and life where she would be safe and happy. He even told her about Klaus Mikaelson being Maya's biological father.

Professor Aradia listened to the entire story without saying a word, just continued to sip her tea. Changes to her facial expressions were kept to a bare minimum, her brow furrowed slightly when he detailed the abuse, her eyes darkened when he mentioned the Horcrux, and her fingers twitched ever so slightly when he told her about Maya's father. It wasn't until he had fallen silent and picked up his own drink that she responded.

"The goblin ward on her bracelet is excellent work, powerful and subtle. There are very few people with the ability to sense what she is wearing, even fewer with the power to overcome it."

"Let me guess," Damon replied, somewhat sourly, "You're one of the few who can do both."

"Yes I am." Professor Aradia's smile was amused. "Chief Ragnuk is aware of this and yet he still recommended my school to you."

Damon gritted his teeth. How many times had one of the Potter's told him how tricky goblins could be, even when they were helping you.

"I see."

"Thank you for explaining the situation to me, and know that this changes nothing. I will still be delighted to have Maya enrol in my school, though we may need to add a class or two to her compulsory studies. We'll wait and see what Miranda says after the testing."

Damon was relieved that Maya still had a place at the school, but worry still gnawed at him about Maya's true identity getting out and leading certain people right to her. Professor Aradia seemed to read him perfectly and offered him a reassuring smile.

"You have my word that Maya's true identity will be a closely guarded secret. There are only two other members of staff at the academy who will be able to see through the ward bracelet that Chief Ragnuk has given Maya. I will speak to both of them before classes begin, but trust me when I say that neither of them will say a word about it to anyone else."

"Thank you."

"No need to thank me, Mr Salvatore. Abusing children is beyond abhorrent and I would never countenance sending a child back to an abusive home, not for any reason."

"You think he had a reason."

"I've met Albus Dumbledore. He is a powerful wizard, an intelligent man, and a good person. But even good people make mistakes. I don't believe he would knowingly send Maya back to an abusive household, even one from which her abuser had been removed, unless he thought he had a compelling reason to do so. I don't pretend to know what his reasons are or why he couldn't come up with an alternative solution, I just know he must have had one, or many, for the decisions he made."

She paused her eyes grave.

"I don't for one second believe there is any reason good enough for those decisions and should Albus Dumbledore discover Miss Potter's location, I will use my considerable resources and power to ensure custody remains with you."

"You're not just a witch, are you?"

"I was, I am, and I always will be a witch, Mr Salvatore. That doesn't preclude me from being more."

"I'll bite, what's the more?"

Professor Aradia's lips curled up into an amused smile and she once again raised an elegant eyebrow at Damon.

"I am a headmistress, with a passion for nurturing the minds of the young."

"Uh-huh."

"I am also the daughter of a powerful woman; I have walked upon this earth for many ages, I have seen empires rise and fall, I have watched the birth of species and the death of others, I was alive long before vampires existed, and I am still considered to be in the prime of my youth. None of that is as important as the occupation I have chosen for myself, I am primarily an educator, helping to shape the minds of children so that they may build a better future for themselves. "

It was an interesting speech, even if it meant little to Damon, besides explaining Professor Aradia's youthful visage. Maybe one day he'd unravel her riddle, but right now he only really cared about her keeping her promise to help him safeguard Maya, to ensure she had the opportunity to grow and learn as a normal child.

"Now that's settled, shall we get down to the business of enrolling Maya in the Academy."

Damon nodded.

"Lets."

The hour Maya had been given to answer exam questions passed quickly. The questions had covered a range of topics; Maths, Science, English, and History, had been okay, very similar to the exams she had taken at the end of her last year at Little Whinging Primary. The Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, Herbology, and Astronomy questions, had been reminiscent of her end of year exams at Hogwarts, but there had still been some that Maya had been unable to answer. There had been other questions as well ranging over many different topics that Maya had never been taught, some she had attempted to answer, others she hadn't had a clue and so had left blank. Overall, though, Maya was happy with her attempt on the exam.

Professor Bloodworth called time and Maya set down her pen on the desk. The professor smiled at her and picked up the booklet and the pen and placed them both on the teacher's desk at the front of the classroom. She picked up a box and gave Maya another warm smile.

"There's a few more tests, why don't we go sit down at the back of the room and do them there?"

Maya followed her to the back of the room, a couple of beanbags floated over from the pile against the wall, one for Maya and one for the professor. They both sat down, and Professor Bloodworth opened the box she'd carried over and pulled out a smooth and shiny, clear oval stone, a blue symbol was carved into the surface. The professor placed it down on the floor in front of Maya with the symbol facing upwards, and then pulled a feather out of the box and held it out to Maya for her to take, which she did.

"I'd like you to make the feather float please, Miss Nichols."

Maya grimaced slightly.

"I uh, I don't… I don't have a wand right now."

Professor Bloodworth just smiled at her.

"That's okay Miss Nichols. You know the incantation though? And you've floated a feather with your wand before?"

Maya nodded.

"Okay, I want you to focus on what you were feeling when you did that, and try without a wand. You can close your eyes if it makes it easier."

Maye nodded, a little more unsurely, placed the feather on the floor and obediently closed her eyes, trying to remember how she had felt the first time she'd made her feather float in Charms. It had been a warm sensation, that had gone from her chest, down her arms to her fingers and through to her wand. Maya tried to summon that feeling again, the warmth in her chest, the tingling as it had passed from her chest, through her body and into her wand. Once she thought she had it in her mind, she brought in the words of the charm and the flick and swish wand movement they had practised repeatedly until it had been second nature.

Once it was all there, Maya, keeping her eyes closed in case it didn't work, moved her index finger the same way she would have moved her wand and spoke the words.

"Wingardium Leviosa!"

"Oh my!"

Maya opened her eyes at Professor Bloodworth's exclamation and blushed when she realised that not only had she made the feather float, but also several other items. The stone that had been placed on the floor, and several of the beanbags that lined the wall behind Professor Bloodworth were all floating about a foot off the floor.

"Well done, Miss Nichols." Professor Bloodworth said. "Can you try and set them all back down on the floor? Just try picturing them floating back down to gently rest where they started."

Maya bit her lip and tried to do as Professor Bloodworth had instructed, she managed to control the descent most of the way, gently guiding the items back down, but her control slipped at the end, and they all ended up falling the last inch to the floor with slight thumps.

"Very good."

Professor Bloodworth took the feather and put it back in the box, replacing it with a blue ball.

"Could you change the colour of this please, Miss Nichols."

Maya once more focused on feeling her magic flow through her and the spell to change somethings colour. She kept her eyes open this time, and held the ball in her hand, focusing all of her attention onto it, so she didn't accidently change the colour of anything else. It took a bit longer than the previous spell, changing somethings colour was more difficult than making it float, but she did succeed in turning the ball bright green. Professor Bloodworth then had Maya run through several more of the spells she had learnt in Charms.

"Excellent work Miss Nichols. Now I would like you to pick up the rune stone on the floor and push some of your magic through it. Like you would if it was your wand."

Maya nodded and picked up the rune stone, which was no longer the crystal-clear polished stone it had been when the professor had taken it out of the box, appearing slightly cloudy instead. Maya pushed her magic through the stone as instructed. As she did so it became cloudier and cloudier, filling up with pale smoke until it was completely white in colour apart from the blue rune which flashed once and then turned black.

"Thank you, Miss Nichols, you may stop now."

Professor Bloodworth took the stone back from Maya and put it back in the box, along with the other objects Maya had used her magic on. She then took out a large circular object, pure black but polished to such a high sheen that the surface was as reflective as a mirror. She passed this over to Maya, who needed both hands to hold it given how heavy it was.

"Same as before, I would like you to try and push some of your magic through it, don't worry if you can't though."

She nodded and attempted to push her magic through it as she had with the stone, but it was like her magic was hitting a wall and could not advance. She quit after a few attempts, frowning, and shaking her head in frustration.

"I can't do it."

"Not to worry," Professor Bloodworth replied cheerfully, "That was just to test whether you have a talent for divination, the fact that you were unable to push your magic through means you don't."

"Oh."

"Divination is one of those rare magical arts that requires an innate talent, unlike most magics it cannot be learned by anyone who doesn't have that. Not to say that you couldn't learn the basics and the theory if you truly wanted to Miss Nichols, but, even if you do, it's unlikely you will ever be able to make an accurate prediction of the future."

"Are there other magics like that?"

"Some, necromancy requires a natural ability, mind magics can be learnt but never to the same extent as someone born with the ability, you have to be born a Metamorphmagus as well, that can't be learnt."

"What's that?"

"It's an inherited trait amongst some wixen, giving a person the ability to change their appearance at will. Of course, there are ways for a witch or wizard who isn't a Metamorphmagus to change their appearance, but it requires the use of charms, transfiguration, or potions to accomplish. Metamorphmagi can do it as easily as breathing."

"How do you know if you are one?"

Professor Bloodworth smiled.

"It's a rare trait Miss Nichols, but your hair colour would have started changing the moment you were born if you possessed it, you would definitely know by now if you were one."

Maya flushed at how accurately the professor had read the intent behind her question.

"That's all your testing done. You just need to fill out which electives you would like to take and which clubs you would like to join."

Nodding, she followed the professor to the front of the room. She had reviewed the electives and clubs on offer and after Damon had assured her that it was her decision and her decision only, but he was willing to go over the benefits and drawbacks with her if she desired, Maya had settled on her choices. She promptly filled in the form, selecting the electives and clubs she wished to join, and after that Professor Bloodworth led her to the Headmistress's office, where Damon awaited her.