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"In my defense, i did nothing wrong." Jessica sat down next to Race at the Gryffindor table for lunch, sliding her bag to the floor as she sank down next to him, "My potion was put together exactly as it was in the book, and all i did was ask what was wrong with it."

"Listen, Yank, here you tip your hat to the professors a bit more than what you have so far," Race said, drumming his fingers on the table and looking around, waiting for the food to appear, "I don't know how familiar you get with professors in America, but here we treat them with respect...even if they don't deserve it."

Jessica did not press into that last comment, but could only assume that there were some professors here that Race didn't agree with particularly, "OK, so the class is pissed off at me now because of that incident. Should i still try out for house teams tonight?"

Race laughed, "Don't joke, Vandenbrooke. Of course you're still trying out for the team. In fact, its only a pure formality that i need to watch you fly at all. No--not a formality. A sheer pleasure. Iv'e watched you fly at the match this past summer when you crushed us....you know what you're doing up there."

"Yep." Jessica said, grinning, "I do know what I'm doing...we International players are quite good at Quidditch, you see."

"You can't expect to get any special treatment from teachers just because you're from America, and you're a famous Quidditch player." Race explained to her, "Teachers don't play it like that. They treat you depending on your magical ability, not how quick your tongue is or how fast your reflexes are when passing the Quaffle. You hearing what Im saying?"

"Yeah i hear you." Jessica grumbled into her plate. This had been exactly what she had been warned against, but truth be told she hadn't really flaunted her Quidditch anywhere, and the whole mess with Potions had (in her mind) been quite innocent.

"Well, hopefully you can make more friends, not get the rest of the class homework, and finish out the rest of your day in relative sanity." Race clapped her on the shoulder.

OOC: Your charrie isn’t taking Ancient Runes, is she? I wasn’t sure so I didn’t say anything about her…

IC:

“…and I told her that it was Mimas that has an impact crater one-quarter the diameter of the moon. She even said that Iapetus was Saturn’s largest moon! I mean, c’mon mate, that stuff was on our O.W.L! I really don’t know how on earth she got into N.E.W.T Astronomy in the first place!”

Eden listened to Paul’s tirade for a while, but found his words falling on deaf ears. She had turned her attention to the Gryffindor table. Jessica was talking to a boy that had been in their potions class, but whose name escaped Eden’s memory. She thought he played Quidditch, but she couldn’t even be sure of that.

When she had finished her lunch, Eden made her way up to Ravenclaw Tower to grab the books she would need for her afternoon classes. She was early as she walked into Ancient Runes, but the class filled up quickly after her.

Eden was quite fond of Ancient Runes. It wasn’t specifically because Professor Gentry was the Head of Ravenclaw House, as she didn’t favor anyone, but rather because the sixth year N.E.W.T Ancient Runes class had only ten students in it. After O.W.L year, most students had dropped the class. The only ones left really cared about the subject as Eden did.

“Hello everyone! I’m glad to see what a small class we have, as it will allow us better concentration and ultimately more success. You lot are my most dedicated students, and I hope to help you all achieve an ‘O’ on your N.E.W.T’s at the end of next year.”

Professor Gentry was a tall, slim Japanese witch with long, flowing black hair. She was good-natured, especially compared to most teachers at Hogwarts. She moved to the front of the classroom, sitting on the edge of her desk and facing the class.

“I want to have an easy lesson today, so everyone please turn to the person sitting on your left, and take our your copies of Spellman's Syllabary. Turn to page five, which is the overview page for The Old Germanic Runic alphabet. This is easy stuff folks, so test your partner on their translation ability! Keep testing until the hour is up.”

Eden turned to her left, where an auburn-haired Hufflepuff girl named Greta Jones sat. She knew her name, as Greta was the only person in the class better at Runes than Eden was.

“Alright, should we get started then?” Eden flipped to page ten and read out the first symbol’s name. “Fehu.”

Greta barely had to think before the answer came spilling out of her mouth. “Fehu means possessions won or earned, luck, abundance, financial strength, hope, success and happiness.” She tucked a piece of shoulder-length wavy auburn hair behind her ear, looking at Eden rather nervously.

“That’s right,” Eden replied, checking the answer in her textbook. “OK, your go.”

“Actually, could I ask you something?” Greta’s face was instantly as nervous as it had just been. Her pale freckled cheeks were screwed up as she looked to Eden for an answer.

Eden felt rather suspicious, but that was nothing new. It was in her blood to suspect the worst when someone asked her a simple question. Despite this Eden replied with distrust in her voice, “What?”

“Erm… well, I was just wondering actually… do you… well, do you know why your brother Jasper is in Slytherin?”

Eden stared at the blushing girl before her. “How would I know?”

Greta looked dissatisfied with Eden’s answer.

“Well, don’t you think it’s rather obvious?” Eden continued, her voice coming out cool and low, “He clearly met the house requirements, or the sorting hat would not have placed him there.” There was a short silence, then Eden asked, “Why do you care anyway?” She couldn’t help her voice from sounding rude.

“Er…” Greta dropped her textbook, a loud crack sounding as it hit the hard wooden floor. She blushed as she retrieved it, everyone in the room looking ‘round to see what had happened.

“All right, Jones?” A Gryffindor boy a few tables over asked.

Greta nodded, burying herself in the textbook as her blush deepened. Eden found this girl quite strange, as she couldn’t remember blushing once in her life. It was even odder that this girl was asking peculiar questions about her brother. They spent the rest of the class translating the Germanic Runic alphabet, but there was a tension between the two girls that did not fade until each left the classroom.

OOC: For varieties sake...let's do this. And i can't help noting we don't have a Librarian. I'll take care of that.

IC:

Jessica had a free period after lunch, and spent it in the library. The library here was far more extensive and grand than the one at her school back home, but somehow she appreciated the one there better. She knew where every book was there, she knew where to find things without having to ask the wood spirits that floated around the library (some still attached to the tree that had given paper to make the book...)

Sitting at a table, Jessica noted that the librarians here were not detached wood spirits, but indeed human beings. She hauled all of her textbooks out from her bag and slammed them on the desk. This earned her severe looks from other students, but she didn't care. The sky was bright and the sun was shining outside of the window, what she really wanted to do was get out and fly.

But that would have to wait.

She pulled some paper and a pen from her bag. One thing about this place was it still liked to use parchment and quills and ink. She hadn't picked up any from their Diagon Ally, and thusly had to make do with what she had for the moment. Looking around, shooting annoyed looks at various inanimate objects, she began to work on her Potions essay.

The words came easy and flowed from her paper, eloquent and flowery, and they bore the slightest hint of sarcasm, but you really had to look for it. Jessica scowled at her paper as the words appeared. Potions was a waste of time, in her opinion. She couldn't wait for Defense against the Dark Arts or any other PRACTICAL class where she could show her stuff.

She pulled her letter from Jake out of her pocket, and put it on the table. Would he write to her every day? That would be sweet. She almost pulled a new sheet of paper out of her notebook to write him back, when something occured to her. She was all set to write back the Captain of her team, but she hadn't even given a thought to her mother back home in San Diego, or her father abroad (wherever he was.)

Guilt trickled through her.

She supposed her Quidditch team was more like family than anything. At the end of Jake's letter, all her teammates had left their untidy signatures, showing that they had all probably been present for the writing of the document. It gave her a warm feeling inside, like she really was appreciated and liked for who she was, not for what she could do..

Her wand shot out silver and black sparks in her pocket even as she felt a burst of anger at her parents.

She removed the thing swiflty and placed it on the table, not really all that chuffed at the prospect of burning a hole into her pants. (Which she was wearing underneath the robes despite the rules.) Her anger was still there, though. Anger at the wolf Antigonus who had claimed her father because of his magic skill, and angry because she knew that she could easily be next if she showed the same sort of profficiency as he did.

All she wanted to do with her life was fly.

She looked wistfully out the window at the Quidditch arena before the bell rang--harsh and shrill, breaking her from her stupor--and she gathered her things to head to Transfiguration.

OOC: So is Eden going to be in this class with her? Might as well.

OOC: Yeah, sure. I think I said Eden had dropped Transfiguration, but I don’t mind disregarding it.

IC:

Transfiguration was not a favorite class of Eden’s, but she had taken it at N.E.W.T level on Antigonus’ orders. He believed it to be a highly practical branch of magic, which it was, and as Antigonus himself had achieved top marks in the class during his time at Hogwarts he expected no less from his goddaughter.

It was no surprise that he had been upset when Eden only achieved an ‘Acceptable’ on her O.W.L that summer. One shot of the Cruciatus Curse had taught Eden never to do so poorly again.

The classroom was almost completely full when Eden entered. Students were chattering to one another about most trivial things. Gliding over to the nearest empty seat at the back of the room, Eden was mildly surprised to see Jessica beside her.

“Thought you said you were only in some sixth year classes, mate?” Eden was still rather iffy about sitting next to Jessica in yet another class, as she did not warm up to new people very quickly, if at all. Learning to keep a guarded profile had taught her that such things were irresponsible and potentially dangerous.

Taking out her copy of Guide to Advanced Transfiguration and flipping to the designated page, Eden spent the majority of the period staring off into the space behind Professor Bollbach at the front of the room. It was partly so that she would look as if she were concentrating, as Bollbach’s lecture on the nature of Vanishing Spells was dull enough to put even the sharpest Ravenclaw to sleep. She scolded herself for not listening once the homework was handed out, but scribbled down a good five inches of parchment for the first question anyway. Vanishing Spells were old news, as they had been a crucial part of the Transfiguration practical O.W.L. Eden hoped that they would at least be learning more exciting material in the coming weeks.

She hadn’t said a word to Jessica since she’d entered the room, but Eden tried to forget about the girl sitting next to her and concentrate on her work. She jotted down the answer to the last homework question just as the final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day.

Eden was more than relieved to feel the warmth of the common room fire as she sat down near it in a comfy armchair. She took out a roll of parchment and started on the Potions essay that Agnello had assigned them. "The delicate and most refined art of potion-making is unrivaled by any other wizarding practice. The precise skill of a true Potions Master can be hard to come by, as the talent seems to be a spontaneous genetic event that cannot be predetermined, or for that matter, cultivated. The infinite knowledge required, the passion and dedication necessary, the gentle stir of the liquid inside a bubbling cauldron; these things all make up the fine art that we call potion-making…"

Eden admitted to herself that she may have been sucking up to Agnello, but not without good reason. If she did not impress him with her skill and eloquent wit, he may not decide to supply her with the ingredients to make the Wolf’s Elixr. Yes, Agnello had long known about Eden’s connection with Antigonus, and had not told a soul. Morose Agnello was not a follower of the Great Wolf, but did not judge nor condemn Eden for her situation. He had taken an Unbreakable Vow to Eden that he would never speak of her relation to Antigonus, and would drop dead in an instant if he broke that promise.

“It’s almost time for dinner,” Eden heard a voice say from behind her, and she instantly knew it was Paul. “Aren’t you coming down?” he asked, rounding the chair to look at the silver-haired girl sitting on it, crouched over a long piece of parchment.

“Yes, all right.”

OOC: I never saw the practical usage of Transfiguration even in the book series...oh well. I was a bit confused at the end of your post...is it the end of the day alreadY? If not I'll edit my post accordingly. Tonight, while Jessica is at Quidditch practice, you can do your bit where Eden and Jasper are summoned to the manor. (If that is pleasing to you lol.)

IC:

Jessica grinned, "Well I'm in study hall with a bunch of 5th years..."

Transfiguration came easily to Jessica, although it wasn't her favorite class. Why transfigure objects when you could simply blow them out of the way? That was her mentality with a lot of things, and it stuck with her for pretty much her entire life. She breezed through the class with little to no trouble at all.

The rest of the day passed quickly and without notice. She managed to earn around 25 points for her house as the classes skipped by, she knew she was surprising her classmates with her practical skill--they probably thought she was going to just be a pushover. That was fine, just more reason for her to prove them all wrong.

When the final bell rang, Jessica didn't even bother heading down for dinner. She went straight to the Gryffindor tower (ignoring more hails and shouts to her fame) and snagged her broom. She had been waitig all day for this moment, all day to get out there and use the pitch. She clambered back down the tower stairs and made it to the entrence hall before she was apprehended by Race--who was just coming down the marble staircase from his last class.

"What are you..." Race saw her broom and his eyes widened, "Already?"

Jess shrugged, "It's been a while."

The other students were crowding around, a few Ravenclaws and Slytherings were giving her strange looks. While other students were thinking about food, she was just keen on getting away from the hustle and bustle, and just getting out on the grounds, "I'll see you down there, ok Race?"

"Right-o, just don't tear the pitch up."

Race turned and went into the Great Hall, grinning.

Jessica fought the tidal wave of students heading DOWN into the great hall, and excited the castle. She crossed the courtyard and found herself walking down to the pitch on faster legs than what she thought she had. In a bag on her back were her Quidditch robes, it was these folds of linen that she had folded most carefully, packed most painstakingly...

She found a desolate corner of the pitch when she finally got there (Oh, how achingly large and stunningly empty--although not as big as the International Pitch where the team played in the mountains of Colorado) and changed into her robes. Off were those stuffy school robes, now she felt free and happy. She strapped on her wrist guards and her other equipment, breathing slowly.

Soft green grass...

Tall hoops, waiting to have a quaffle tossed through them...

She ripped the wrapping off her Eclipse and swung her leg over the thing. Breathing a silent prayer of gratitude...she pulled her goggles over her face and kicked off.

The ground rushed away in a happy whirl of color, the wind screamed at her as she took a few laps around the pitch. Her stomach swooped and her heart soared--THIS is where she was meant to be. A few loops here and a dip there...yes...she lost herself, it could have been one hour, two that she was out there in the skies as the sun sank a little lower...

She pulled up between two of the hoops and looked back towards the school. Already there were figures coming down to the pitch. Her eyes were keen enough (as a Chaser) that she could make out that they weren't all Gryffindors...oh no, was she going to get spectators already? She just wanted to fly in her solitude for but a moment..

In her frustration she gave herself a burst of speed and shot around the pitch once more, backwards, in and out of the stands, up and down, in and out of hoops. The stresses and minor annoyances of the day melted away...

"All righ', Vandebrooke!"

Her few precious moments of tranquility were lost. A Hufflepuff had called to her from the stands, already his friends were filtering in. She supposed she should have expected as much.

She swooped back down to the ground as some red and gold robed folks strode onto the pitch.

"This is ridiculous." Race bustled in from nowhere, levitating the case with all the playing balls in it beside him as he stalked down the path, "How are we supposed to have tryouts when everyone is trying to cop a look at our new Chaser?"

"I haven't tried out yet..." Jessica tried, stepping off her broom. A small blond haired girl laughed and looked at her.

"Yeah right...you know you're with us almost by default. I'm Kara Stellin, Seeker."

"Hey." Jessica nodded approvingly. Kara was small and speedy, and looked good for her position.

"Do you mind signing my broom?"

"No..." Jessica said, not altogether untruthfully. She pulled her wand from her pocket and carefully took aim at the handle of Kara's broom. A gold streak shot from the end and hit the wood of the broomstick--a perfect signature was now engraved, "Sorry, that's as good as i can do right now I'm out of practice."

Kara slid her goggles over her small, thin face "Hey, that's fine. How good are you at Seeking? 'Quidditch Today' named you as one of the top 10 most versatile players on the field."

"Is your nick name really Dragonfly?" A tall burly kid asked as well, no doubt a Beater.

"Yeah, it is." Jessica grinned, "A Chaser is a kind of a Dragonfly...my Captain gave me the nickname and it kinda stuck with the team. And yeah...I'm pretty good at most of the other positions too."

"Well then let's go!" Kara laughed as Race released the Snitch from its case, and it was off like a shot. So was kara...

Jessica kicked off again, and threw herself into the air. She could hear the small crowd that had gathered gasping and laughing--the starring Chaser competing innocently with the Seeker for the Snitch. Kara's skill was great, but Jessica's broom had the edge--more acceleration and power. Jessica snagged it from the sky only for but a moment before flipping upside down and releasing it towards the girl.

Kara ganked it just at Jessica let go, and laughed even as she wheeled around at 40+ kph. The pair of girls whizzed around the arena before Jessica dropped back down and saw that a small group had gathered around the Gryffindor House team. These, she reasoned, would be the real contenders.

"It's not fair." She said suddenly, stepping off her broom for the second time, "Students wanting a spot on the House team, if you're letting me try out you know I'll get on...and that's not fair to any other student who earnestly wants it.."

"Oh come off it!" The thick looking Beater who spoke before, waved his hand, "I'm a seventh year, and we haven't won in at least five. You're our only hope at winning the house cup, Slytherin has been walking all over us for ages."

"Be fair, Dan. With Race as our Captain, we might have a chance.." A tall wiry looking kid (Probably a Keeper) clapped his hands together.

Dan gave a laugh, "You mean with Race as our Captain, and Jessica Vandebrooke as our lead Chaser!"

The current lead Chaser, a sturdy looking lad with brown hair nodded, "I'll take second left."

"Second right." The other Chaser spoke up, an Asian girl with short bleached white hair.

"You're missing a Chaser." Jessica looked around, counting folks in red and gold robes.

"Sara Jolie, graduated. Moved on to coach for Puddlemere United." Race grunted, wrestling with the bludgers on the grass a few feet away, "That spot is open, but in theory all of them are open. If someone flies better than any of us, we're out."

"Curt!!" Dan said sharply in way of warning as Race swore, and let one of the Bludgers out. It streaked towards a similarly bulky African American lad. The kid reached into his robes, pulled out his wand and magicked the ball forcibly to the ground.

"Race--NOW!" The other Beater--Curt--shouted

"Jurgens, Holtveleur...LOOK SMART!!" Race drew his wand as well, and once Curt broke the enchantment he took over, hurling the bludger into the sky.

Two boys standing into the small group barreled into the sky, startled momentarily at their sudden call to arms. Jessica shaded her eyes and watched as they slammed the Bludgers back in forth with a notable amount of skill."

"Cuuurve your wrist more." Jessica muttered to herself, miming the action subconsciously. The kids were hitting the Bludgers with a painfully rigid wrist, "Cuuuuuuurve it."

"Dan, Curt, you guys might be in trouble." Race was watching the pair as well...but he spoke to soon. The closer dot hit the smaller dot right at the medium dot...and the medium dot gave a weak scream and fell off his broom and plummeted to the ground.

"Oh...GOSH..." The Asian Chaser moved forward and cast a nonverbal at the falling Gryffindor, slowing his fall so that it was not fatal. (There was still a sickening crunch as he connected solidly...)

The rest of the tryouts went like this, mostly. Jessica wasn't used to such shoddy playing. About a dozen hopefuls went by and were knocked down. Finally she was the last to try out (No changes being made in the lineup)

She was relieved to be up in the sky with the other Chasers. They wove in and out back and forth, not with the same skill and proficiency as her other teammates, but it was still good to realize that they would now have a decent offensive.

She landed back down, and Race looked around at them all, "Well, that went like hell. Dan, Curt, Kara, Ashley, Drew, welcome back. And Jessica...welcome to the Gryffindor House team."

OOC: Your post was fine; I just hurried mine along a bit to get to the end of the day.

IC:

Dinner had proved to be a most tedious process, as Professor Marx had decided to tell the school the story of Harry Potter and Voldemort. Most students didn’t look very happy at the prospect of their dinner being invaded by a History of Magic lesson. Some Ravenclaw third years up the table took the opportunity talk about the outrageous purple robes Professor Marx was wearing.

Eden was less than impressed by this lecture, and decided to cut her own dinner short. She left the Great Hall swiftly, robes billowing behind her. It was only when she had ascended the first step of the staircase in the Entrance Hall that she realized there was someone behind her.

“Eden, come with me now. We have business.”

Jasper’s tone was merciless, and Eden knew very well what his statement entailed. They would scurry into the Slytherin common room, cast the usual enchantments on the fire, and use it to get to the Manor.


“Parselmouth,” Jasper stated, gaining them entrance to the common room in the heart of the dungeons. The large, cold stone room with green accents was completely desolate, all the students having gone to dinner. Only a few embers crackled in the grand fireplace, but this was all that was necessary.

Pulling out her wand and pointing it at the fireplace, Eden cast the complex charms and weaved defenses on their mode of transport. This was not the floo network, it was a much more advanced method of transportation – one that few witches and wizards knew existed. It was untraceable, which is why Antigonus had taught them to use it at Hogwarts.

A mirror had suddenly appeared in the back of the fireplace, which Eden knew to mean that her spells had worked. She tested the passage first, extending her hand and passing it through the reflective surface. When the familiar tingle of transport licked at her hand, she was confident, and stepped through the mirror entirely. The dark, wooden familiarity of the Manor’s study was now before her. Jasper came through the passage next, sealing it with the proper incantations once he was in the study.

A large red armchair sat with its back to the siblings; it was the place where Antigonus sat so often to ponder things.

“Sit,” drawled the low, strong voice from the armchair.

Eden and Jasper crossed the room and took seats in front of their godfather’s desk. His face was still out of their view, but with the way his tone sounded, Eden guessed that Antigonus was not smiling.

“Oswald Marx is warning the students of my dangerous nature, am I correct?”

“Yes, Sir.” Jasper’s voice came out hushed and compliant.

Antigonus rose from the chair, his light brown bearded face now in view of his godchildren. The study was dark, but the man’s face was as characteristic as ever, with his light brown short hair, and dark blue robes. It was perhaps his eyes though, that were his defining feature. They were as black as the night, holding all the character in them that Godric Gryffindor himself possessed.

“The Ministry is unaware of my location at the moment, but I do not expect that to stay the same for very long. With Adams as Minister, he’ll have Aurors jumping down my throat at every slip-up. We must grow in force soon, and that is where you two come in.”

Antigonus’ dark eyes had devious plans concealed within them, and Eden wasn’t particularly sure that she was going to like whatever they turned out to be. Sure, the Wolf’s Elixr was not a very big deal, she would make that for her godfather without a fuss, but this look was of an entirely different nature.

“But how can w—”

“Silence, boy! You speak only when you are spoken to!”

Trying to salvage a strand of his dignity, Jasper did not hang his head, but his cheeks broke out into a furious red blush.

The door to the study suddenly flew open as two of Antigonus’ wolfs came in looking exasperated and rather shameful. One Eden knew to be her godfather’s most faithful servant – Yates. He was tall, with short red hair. The other one was named Pulcey, a skinny blond man, but Eden was only just able to remember his name.

“I have told you not to disturb me. What is the meaning of this?”

“We were out in the countryside doing your will Master, but the Aurors had tracked us there! I bit one, I know he’s been infected… but they got Capper. They’ve shipped him off to Azkaban by now,” Yates explained while trying to catch his breath.

“Pulcey, did you cast the charms I told you to cast before you left?”

“Master, I – I was sure I had!”

“Not sure enough it seems,” Antigonus snarled, standing up to face his servant. The Pulcey man looked nervous enough to faint.

“Crucio!”

Pulcey fell to the ground, writhing in pain. His face was a contorted mess of agony, repulsion and fear. The torture seemed to drag on forever, and Eden was certain that she saw the corner’s of Antigonus’ mouth turn up in the faintest.

“Take him to the cellar. Transfigure him into a newt and place him in a jar on the shelf beside Vesta. Do not feed him until he deserves it. Oh, and I think you may take Vesta out now, he has served his time. Apparate him back to his home to rest for a few days.”

“Yes, Master.” Yates pulled Pulcey up from the floor, dragging him out of the room by his robes.

“Now, you two. We must make quick work of this, and I will only explain things once. We need more recruits. We can no longer risk going out into the countryside and biting people on a random basis. You can see what has come of that.” He paused to look closely at the two siblings as he took a seat in the chair across the desk from them. “We need to be strategic, and aim for the best we can get. I will not stand to have idiots like Pulcey in our ranks.”

“What exactly do you mean by that?” Eden asked quietly.

Instead of be angry with her for speaking out of turn, Antigonus looked to Jasper and replied, “Exley, you have the ability to bite others. It is about time that you used it.”

“What?” Eden cried. “He can’t bite other students! Marx will know!”

“Eden, control yourself. I am asking your brother to bite only one student at this time, and that is not too much to ask in return for everything I have given you two, is it?”

“I shall bite whomever you desire me to, Master.”

“Very well, Exley. Her name is Jessica Vandenbrooke. She will be an easy target, as she has come here from America just recently. Her father is under my services already. I expect you to do this within the week.”

Eden felt something strange inside herself; something that resembled pity. She had seen what a life of service to Antigonus had done to otherwise good men, and now Jessica was about to become one of those poor, unfortunate fools who wasted their life serving a powerful werewolf. She had seen what that kind of life had done to Jasper already, and she did not want it for Jessica, however little she knew the girl.

“Antigonus,” Eden said, calling him by name, “You must not mean that. What could you possibly want with an American girl my age?”

Antigonus did not reply. He simply stared at Eden with unfriendly eyes. “You get me my batch of Elixr by the end of the week, and do not meddle. You will help your brother accomplish his task if he asks you.”

Eden knew not to refuse, as it would only bring her pain. She and Jasper went back through the mirror to Hogwarts, and she did not speak another word to him before exiting the Slytherin common room.

OOC: How about the failure is that Jessica is too powerful of a witch for Jasper to overcome (much to everyone's surprise.) If we're going to do a sort of battle moment we might need to both be on at the same time, or just take it as it comes.

IC:

It had, in all, been a good night. The Ravenclaw team and the new Gryffindor team had played a quick pick-up match much to the pleasure of the small crowd that had gathered. No, scratch that. More than half the school had toddled down to the pitch, watching the teams kill some time. Eventually Race magnified his voice and told those assembled that they had best get back up to the castle and do some homework before they all risked detention or some sort of punishment--it was fast approaching nine-o-clock.

As the school thundered overhead, Jessica sat in the changing rooms with her new team members.

"This looks to be a good season!" Dan Howell said, grinning like a cat. He had changed out of his robes and now wore muggle clothing, twirling his wand expertly, "And we've got a solid team again. Come on, mates i know we can beat those damn snakes into the ground..."

This statement was met with general enthusiastic applause. Race clapped Jessica on the shoulder once more, "Sorry that we can't be better teammates, Jess. You're used to International players, we know--"

"Ey, none of that now!" Jessica waved her Captain off, a large smile across her pretty features, "Ya'll are better than some blokes I've played with in my time..."

The team laughed uproariously at her combination of American and British terms.

"'Ya'll'?" Kara chuckled, rolling the strange southern word around in her mouth, "What in blazes does THAT mean?"

The euphoria lasted even as the team headed back up into the castle, and into the Gryffindor common room. Jessica tried to fight it but soon she found herself swept up on the shoulders of her Housemates on a parade around the tower, the students chanting and declaring their newfound superiority...

Race stood at the edge of the room, a strange grin on his face. He looked pleased as punch, of course, but there was something else on his face. It was a silly sort of look, and it made Jessica blush a bit...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hour later, Jessica was laying on her back in her too empty dormitory. She actually wished she had a roommate, having never boarded at a school before. The hangings wide open as the moonlight streamed in through the window, casting an ethereal glow over everything. She had done her homework to the best of her ability, but as every second passed in this school she was starting to get the impression that this wouldn't be good enough. She needed to step up her game, didn't she? Everyone knew her for Quidditch, soon they would know her for her talent, her skill...

Too bad the Wolf wanted her, too.

Jessica grunted and rolled over, her new House team robes clutched to her chest in a wad of black, red, and gold. She flung them to the corner of the room in a rare moment of broken weakness, and covered her face with her smooth hands. She refused to let the tears come...but the truth was was that she was scared.

Her father had elected to send her here because it would bring her closer to Antigonus. Her mother was painfully, painfully ignorant of the dealings that wound around their wealthy family...Antigonus was extending his reach over the seas, something that Voldemort had not dared to do all those years ago. By infiltrating the Vandenrbooke family...Antigonus had nearly assured that all America would be in his grasp...

And she was next, no doubt.

Her wand gave those black and silver sparks again, and she scowled. it would be harder for them to take her down, when the moment came.

OOC: Yeah, let’s say that she puts up more of a fight than anyone expected. A battle moment will be necessary, and it would be great if we could both be on at the same time, but I guess we can just make relatively short posts and wait for the other person to reply… oh, and shall we just say that the girls have the same classes every day? They can switch the next term if you like, if we even make it that far.

IC:

Eden’s sleep had been short-lived and much disturbed. She tossed and turned in her bed for hours, thinking of the kind of hell her life would become once Antigonus instructed Jasper to start biting all the students…

She couldn’t let it happen, wouldn’t let it happen.

But did she really have a choice? Was she really at liberty to stop her brother from serving his master? Sure, she could hex him all she wanted, but it wouldn’t solve anything. Could she really refuse a direct order from her godfather? Antigonus had provided Eden a home once her father had been carted off to Azkaban, and that kindness should be repayed.

But it was his fault!

The tiny voice inside of Eden was telling the truth.

It is Antigonus’ fault that my father is in Azkaban!

There was no way around this fact. If not for Antigonus, Spencer Exley would not be incarcerated. It was Eden’s father that had been the most loyal friend to Antigonus during his rise to power. Spencer was a powerful wolf, but he was a risk taker. He took all sorts of risks for Antigonus, one of which that finally landed him in prison.

Eden sometimes felt like she had no hope since her father was gone… she could only rely on herself. Yes, Antigonus was her legal guardian, but he was not her master; not yet. She did not desire to live her life the way Jasper, or the other wolves did. She would not be at her godfather’s beck and call forever.

The next morning was fast-paced. Eden ate breakfast in silence, fearing that somehow the mission that Jasper had been sent on would come spilling out of her mouth. The air was cold and damp as she crossed the grounds to the Herbology greenhouses, a smell of pungent fungus hanging in the air as she sat down at the table.

She dared not look Jessica in the eye. Antigonus, like many other power-hungry lords, was superb at Legilimency, and would know of any suspicious tactics that Eden had employed upon their next meeting.

Herbology went by quickly as Professor Mulligan lectured the class about Fanged Geraniums and assigned them ten inches of parchment about the properties of the plant. The only other interesting event besides the huge pile of homework Professor Mulligan had assigned them was when a Slytherin and Ravenclaw boy got into an argument over who was better at Herbology, eventually hexing one another and earning themselves both detentions and trips to the hospital wing (the Ravenclaw boy had his feet turned into bricks, and the Slytherin boy had sprouted an extra head).

Despite this comical event, which made the other students rush from their seats shrieking with laughter, Eden did not move from her seat. She sat still and was not able to find the will inside herself to laugh.

"Oy, Eden, what's gotten into you?" Jessica strolled over to the Ravenclaw girl's side. She had hardly spoken at all during the class, and now she was sitting demurely, not letting her gaze meet anyone elses, "Are you feeling alright?"

Another letter from Jake Grose was clenched in her fist--it had come after all the other post owls and this time Jessica knew why. The subject in this letter was a little more risky than the last--it was a detailed list of all of Antigonus's movements, and a dire warning that he had servant placed throughout Hogwarts.

Recalling this bit of information her Captain had shared with her (Jake also worked with the Coven, an underground group of American wizards bent on unearthing this sort of goodness) Jessica pulled up short. What if Eden were one of those helpers, intent on dragging her to the other side?

"Jessica, you coming?" Race called from the door.

Jessica left Eden to her own devices, and headed after him out of the greenhouse and up the grounds and back into the castle.

Potions passed the same way, as did all her other classes. Jessica found herself quiet as death that day, not able to shake the feeling that someone was watching her, that someone was poised over her head, waiting to pounce. Unexpectedly, in between classes, she would whirl and find no one looking at her. The feeling was unnerving.

At last, the final class of the day. She walked down from her Defense Against the Dark Arts class, and once more ran into Eden (who was coming up the marble staircase, no doubt heading to her dormitory.)

"The Wolfram still lives, i take it?" Jessica whispered in a barely audible tone as she breezed on past the girl.

Wolfram--Ravenwolf. It was Antigonus's better known name, (at least in the States) signifying his ties to the house of Ravenclaw, as well as his affinity for the Canis Lupin. Jessica kept walking towards the Gryffindor common and did not look back.

When Jessica spoke to her, Eden did not look her in the eye. She simply shrugged and kept working on the Herbology homework.

She sensed that the Gryffindor noticed the way she was acting, and mentally kicked herself for it. Why am I acting this way? Eden thought to herself. She would have noticed nothing had I not been so obviously avoiding eye contact…

Eden decided that Potions would be different. When Jessica glanced over at her a few times, Eden did not look away, but simply stared back with a vacant expression. Her pale face had grown sallow, with dark bags hanging under her eyes. How was she ever going to live with herself if Jasper went through with the plan? It was not an outcome that she liked to think could happen, but found herself dwelling on it for the entire class. This, in turn, had caused a distraction, and her potion had turned out only mediocre. Agnello shot her a strange look when she handed it in to him. Eden knew that look – it meant he wanted to see her in his office that night.

She nodded back, obliging to the meeting with no complaints. It would be relieving to talk in confidence with the one professor she trusted. Agnello would understand her situation; he would know what to do.

With that one positive thought lingering in the back of her mind, Eden was able to carry on with her day. It was only at the end of the school day when she was heading up to Ravenclaw Tower that Antigonus popped into her mind once again.

It was Jessica, heading in the opposite direction on the large marble staircase, and the one whispered comment that she made in passing, that sent shivers up Eden’s spine. Before she had a chance to process the information, let alone say something back, Jessica was gone.
How can she..? What does she know? How could she have possibly made the connection?

For a lingering moment, Eden was at a loss. She felt dazed, as if someone had hit her with a powerful Confundus Charm. Her mind ran in circles, trying to comprehend the situation. Did Jessica realize her relationship with Antigonus? She must have… the comment was too specific to have been aimed at her for any other reason. But did she know of Jasper? Did she know of his mission? Eden needed answers, and straight after dinner she sought them in Morose Agnello’s office.

“You say Miss Vandenbrooke whispered this to you on the staircase?” he drawled, sitting in a cushiony chair in front of his fireplace, Eden in the other.

“Yes, she obviously didn’t want anyone but me to hear.” Eden stole a quick glance at the Potion Master’s pale face a snow-white hair before turning her attention to the fire. The wispy flames licked at the stone walls of the fireplace, sparking and crackling with the faintest, most comforting sound.

“Do not let this go without exploration,” Agnello stated, “For you must discover what this girl knows. She clearly has dangerous information, likely more than she is letting on. Perhaps you should speak to Antigonus about it?”

Something in Eden’s mind clicked. “Wait a second – Antigonus said that Jessica’s father was in his services already. I guarantee you that he’s told her things he shouldn’t have.”

“You ought to have a word with Miss Vandenbrooke then, if you are to truly discover what it is she knows about you.”

“Yes, Professor.” Eden stood up, making way for the door.

“Oh and Miss Exley,” Agnello spoke, rising from his chair and following Eden to the door. “I would advise you to be careful. This is serious business you have found yourself in, do not take it lightly. Make sure no one overhears you, and do not get yourself or Miss Vandenbrooke in the way of unnecessary danger. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Professor.” Eden stepped out into the dungeon hallway. “Good day, Sir.”

She found it quite remarkable that Agnello could tell her to stay out of danger now, as she had been involved with it her entire life. He seemed almost naïve in that sense, as the worst danger had not even reared its head yet.

Jessica was in the library. The members of her house could not seem to understand the fact that she craved the company of only a few of them, that she liked the attention but also had actual homework to do, that she was so tired after such a day of strenuous thinking...

Race had come to find her, and that was completely fine. They both sat wordless in the corner of the large library, working on History of Magic homework.

"This stuff is useless." Race scowled, slamming his book shut.

Jessica did not respond. She leafed a few pages through her own book, turned it around, and silently pointed out the passage that her friend had been so desperately hunting for.

"What's gotten into you?" Race asked her kindly as he copied the passage down quickly, making a mental note to commit it to memory later, "Manticore got your tongue?"

~More like Wolf.~ Jessica thought, but she forced a plastic smile, "Ahh...I'm just homesick."

"Already?" Race chuckled, "you've been gone for about two days.."

"Actually, five months." Jessica answered back smartly, "The Quidditch season just ended, I've been on the road with the Team since last March."

"Of course." Race slammed his palm against his head, "how could i forget? I'm really loosing it."

Race looked up at the clock, "Listen, Jess. I'm all done here, you had better head back soon too."

Race gathered his belongings and gave her that weird smile again before departing.

Jessica didn't have the energy to return it. She hoped she hadn't insulted the boy with her lack of enthusaism, she just had a lot to think about now. She sat there motionless, again that feelig surrounded her like she was being watched...

Eden cursed under her breath. Bloody hell, she thought angrily. What on earth is he planning? To the uneducated eye, Jasper Exley sat at a table in the library working on his Transfiguration homework. He was crouched over Guide to Advanced Transfiguration, quill and ink out, but only a few sentences had been written on his parchment. From the view Eden had (which was from behind a large bookcase a few rows behind his table), she could see that every so often her brother’s eyes wandered to the girl sitting alone a few tables away.

Jessica had been alone ever since the other Gryffindor boy left and she seemed to be working on homework of her own. Eden found herself pondering whether Jessica was aware that the Slytherin boy was Eden’s brother.

Jasper was not doing his homework. It was clear to Eden that he was studying Jessica most discreetly, calculating from the way she gracefully jotted down words on her parchment whether she was a talented witch.

Eden felt a jabbing sensation in her back, and turned around to face the Hufflepuff girl Greta Jones from her Ancient Runes class. She had a tottering pile of books in her hands, one of which that had slid from the top, hitting Eden on its descent to the ground.

“Terribly sorry, mate!” Greta apologized loudly as she stretched her hand out, awkwardly reaching for the fallen book while trying to keep the others balanced.

Quickly, Eden picked it up and replaced it on top of the pile. She felt a sudden rush of anger that she was being distracted from her actions, but managed to force a deceitful smile onto her face.

“I’m really sorry about that,” Greta repeated. Eden only nodded in response, so Greta continued. “How are you, then? You were really great in Ancient Runes the other day; you knew almost all of the answers!” The hurried tone of her voice and the enthusiasm behind it only made Eden want to escape the conversation more.

“Yes, well… thank you.”

“Oh Eden, really you were great! If you get any better Professor Gentry might have to let you teach the class yourself!” Eden was sure that Greta’s wide smile could not possibly get any wider, but she was wrong. “No wonder you’re in Ravenclaw, golly you’re smart!”

Eden could have hexed her she was so desperate to escape. “Listen, I’ve got to go. Lots of homework to do, you know…”

“Oh, right. Well, sorry then for the book thing… see you in Ancient Runes!” She took forever to leave, walking slowly and carefully with the stack of books.

The aisle was now empty once more, and Eden felt relieved. She turned back to her position lurking just at the edge of the bookcase. Her eyes scanned the wooden desks in the middle of the room, but suddenly a realization overcame her.

Jessica was gone... and so was Jasper.

Jessica strode purposefully back the way she had come, towards Gryffindor Tower. Her bag was slung over her shoulder, and her wand clenched firmly in her fist. She knew something was about to happen, something was about to go down--she couldn't stand to be in that stuffy old library anymore knowing that destiny was hovering over her head.

Rain was lashing viciously against the windowpanes, a steady rhythm that matched the pounding of her heart. It was nearly nine-o-clock, she knew she had best pick up her feet if she wanted to get back to the common room in time. In actuality, that was the last thing on her mind. Right now she was more concerned with how dark and ominous all the shadows were, how she had never fully appreciated (or much less realized) how large and foreboding the castle could be...

She did not light her wand, gliding along she felt much more silent and stealthy without the glow of a narrow strip of wood.

The sound of a robe brushing the wall behind her gave it away. Jessica whirled around faster than what the trained eye could follow, her wand held high.

She faced the pale visage of Jasper, the Slytherin Boy who had been following her all day.

It was a gloriously terrible moment, as the pair stood together in the hallway. They were in the Astronomy Department, no one would venture here for a goodly number of hours. It seemed a cruel twist of fate--Jessica had taken a wrong turn, and now was in the furthest corridors, literally as far away as they could both be from the teachers lounge.

Her wand was still in the air as she faced this boy.

"Evening." Jessica said shortly, her American accent evident as she stressed her vowels.

Eden’s heart beat at a rapid pace as she went swiftly from the library, following a safe distance behind her brother’s billowing robes. He was following Jessica stealthily, keeping a short distance after her, but staying close to the stone walls of the corridors.

It had been at such a hurried pace that she had followed, that it took Eden a moment to realize the path Jessica had taken. They were in the isolated halls of the Astronomy corridor, a place that students never traveled through aside from going to class.

The only echoing sound in the stone hallway was the tap of Jessica’s shoes on the stone castle floor. Eden kept close to the walls, listening to the soft patter. Just as she had come to a stone statue of the first Hogwarts Astronomy teacher, the rhythm of the shoes stopped. There was a lingering, enveloping silence before Jessica spoke.

Eden tucked herself as tightly behind the statue as possible. After a few moments, she decided to poke her head out from behind the statue, both curious and worried at what was about to unfold.

The two stood face to face in the middle of the corridor, each with a most menacing expression plastered upon their face.

“Took a wrong turn, have you?” Jasper spoke, his voice low and husky. There was an air of faint humor in his tone, a kind of mocking malevolence that Antigonus himself possessed. “You’re a tad more observant that I had first perceived.” His hand loitered in the pocket of his robes, pulling out his long, hawthorn wand. “But let me ask you this; do you know why I have been following you?”

Eden gulped, gripping her own wand tightly in her right hand. Her palms felt cold and sweaty, her head was spinning. She was instructed not to interfere. She knew that disobeying this order meant punishment. Was she willing to endure that pain to save this girl that she knew nearly nothing about? He would have her… Antigonus would have her if he truly desired – one way or another. So why stop it? Why do the right thing when Eden’s rationality was telling her to stay put, to stay invisible?

The lightning flashed again, lancing across the nights sky with a vicious passion. It reflected in Jessica's eyes as she stood her ground, unmoved and unafraid of the pale Slytherin boy standing before her. She did not bat an eye when he had drawn her wand--for seasons she had learned to not so much as duck when an opposing Chaser would barrel her way, desiring the Quaffle. It was the same here. She was not fazed easily.

"Well I assume i can safely rule out the possibility that you would direct me back to Gryffindor Tower," Jessica's smile was thin, but full of a grim humor that matched Jasper's, "I've been told there are a couple of the Wolfram's paws in Hogwarts, and it was only a matter of time before they'd come my way. America's intelligence in Britain is far more extensive than what you'll know. Do your worst, Exley. You'll find you might have bitten off more than what you can chew..."

This last comment held a biting, stinging irony. The lightning flashed once more--maybe it was a trick of the flickering torchlights, but for a moment Jessica's eyes seemed to flare a brilliant scarlet before fading back to their original hue...

"Or are you too scared? There's no turning back after you make your move, Exley. You can let me go now and we'll pay our dues later....or you can throw everything away in one move. What would your father think?"

Jessica was playing it risky. She was saying things, revealing facts that she--only an exchange student and an International player--should have no business knowing without outside information. Her gaze was cold and empty and her wand was still in Jasper's face.

"And just so you know, i can think a nonverbal before you'll even be able to bare your teeth."

The cool, collected look on Jasper’s face was the one he always displayed. Eden knew that it was his façade – his mask. The wolf that he became was his real self, the self most authentic to him. This did not deem him as fearless as a wolf; only Eden knew his true colors. On that dark, stormy night (much like the present night) that Jasper had cried himself to sleep in her arms that convinced Eden he was as scared of his position as any other servant of Antigonus. Failure meant severe punishment, or even death. Eden did her best to comfort her brother that night, but sleep had claimed him soon after his sobs died away. Eden would not let Jessica harm Jasper, but she could not let him harm her either.

The echoing sound of Jasper’s feigned laughter rang out sharply. “You foolish Gryffindor. You speak of matters in which you are ill-informed. What do you think you know of my father? I assure you, your guesses will be wrong.”

Jasper took a step toward Jessica, only a small step, not yet making a move to attack. His voice was now hushed, barely audible to Eden.

“I think you’d be surprised at the knowledge I hold of your own father. He couldn’t escape my master, what makes you believe that your fate will be so different?”

He stopped momentarily and started to chuckle. “Is it your bravery? Are Gryffindors not susceptible to the kind of persuasion my master has up his sleeve? Shall I remind you that Antigonus himself was a Gryffindor – a descendent of Godric Gryffindor himself!” His tone was suddenly serious, deep. “Silly girl, your words do not faze me. I have received punishment from my master that you could not hope to match. Listen to me, and do not make this difficult for yourself.”

Jessica laughed.

She threw back her head and laughed long and hard, an eerie sound in the dead silence of the Astronomy department.

"Gosh, kid. You MUST think I'm stupid! The Coven has been on to you and your sister for AGES we KNOW you're petrified out of your skin. You do realize that we can help you...that we can shelter you! Antigonus's hand may reach across the seas and into America, but what he doesn't understand is that we're poised to chop his freaking arm off at the elbow...."

Her eyes held no fear, "My father is either a lost cause, or the best informant the Coven has ever seen. He's dead to me, just like all the others. Now we can both get hurt here or we can be friends for the moment. Speak your piece."

It was Jasper’s turn to laugh. Eden knew what kind of laughter it was – mockery, scorn, disbelief. Her brother would never abandon Antigonus, despite how much he may have wanted to at times. Eden knew that pale, internally fragile Slytherin boy too well to doubt his next move.

“You jest! My emotions are none of your concern, Vandenbrooke!” Jasper had begun to grip his wand more tightly. His tone deepened, and the sound was sharp – like the crack of a whip. “I will not join your little coven, nor will I relinquish my duty to my master. I need none of your help, only your cooperation. I do not wish to harm you; my intent is simply to take you on a little journey. What do you say, girl? Join me in the Slytherin common room at midnight tomorrow.”

The way the lighting bounced off the walls of the corridor, Eden was unable to clearly see her brother’s face. She believed that it was safe to assume that he wore a triumphant smirk.

“It would not be wise of you to refuse. I have knowledge of dark magic that you could never possibly dream of. I too have been passed much information about you, do not underestimate this fact. I know your strengths, and I am surely aware of your weaknesses. But I shall repeat this once more; I do not desire to harm you. It is not in my best interests to do so.”

Stopping to collect his thoughts, Jasper continued, “Let this not be your deciding factor. Meet me tomorrow and we shall discuss further into this matter. I am only trying to execute the will of the Great Wolf. He is a merciful Lord, as he has told me not to use force, but to speak kindly with you. He does not wish to hurt you, only to discuss. A word of advice; he will have you. I suggest that you take the easy way.”

OOC: Shall Jessica whip out some magicks that Jasper never expected, attacking him and then have her leave? I'm not sure what you want here. Or should she wait until she's with Antigonus before showing her talent? Oh, just a suggestion....could you write a scene showing Antigonus chastising Jasper for being so boorish and then commenting on how much she could have just ended him? I'm thinking of bringing the Coven in later....this story is shaping up nicely, slow moving but its still good. So sorry.....I'll do my next story post when you answer the first question in this rambling paragraph lol.

OOC: Sorry, I kept changing my mind about what should happen; I can see how you’d be confused! How about this particular confrontation ends with some stinging words, and nothing more? This way Jasper can be summoned to Antigonus, be chastised, and then be sent out to finish the job. How about, out of pure curiosity and some vengeance in mind, Jessica decides to meet Jasper in the Slytherin common room, where he tries to bite her. Jasper will fail, but what’s say he manages to transport Jessica and himself to the Manor through the fireplace - that way he can be chastised in front of everyone (thorough embarrassment). Eden has a few tricks up her sleeve as well, but I don't want to ruin the surprise! What do you think? I’ll wait until you answer this to do my post as well.