Black Plague

Chapter 6

The first few months have been pretty good. Quiet. Some blond kid in Gryffindor kept taking pictures of me. And Ron Weasley tried to force me to be his friends a number of times. But I knew his family was embezzling my money. So no, I wanted nothing to do with him. Or any other assholes living off my money. Here he's living pretty, while I have to steal to survive. Nope. Plus he's so loud and obnoxious. I just let him brag and tell people he knows me. But I want nothing to him. I talk to my room mates on occasion. They seem nice enough. But mostly I sit on my bed and study. It's why I'm here after all. Well. Not really. I'm hear because the headmaster would have forced it, because apparently he's my magical guardian. I still haven't talked to him though. Not once. Not that I want to.
Professor Snape has been surprisingly pleaseant. Well. He mostly ignores me. Which is almost as good. Some Hufflepuff seemed to screw up all his potions and the Professor is quite unpleasant. I'm happy to just make my potions and stay in the background. I usually get my work done quickly and accurately. Then begin my essays. I always write a first draft on my notebook then copy my work into parchment. That way it's written well, and I can focus on penmanship not what to write. I have been getting good grades in all my classes. I have thought about getting Acceptable in every class. Like I did in primary school. But decided there was no need. I am no longer worried about competing with my cousin. We attend two different school. And as a Ravenclaw, good grades are expected. I have almost finished all my school books. I need to get to a book store and buy some more challenging spell books during Yule break. I don't spend time with anyone really. So, these books keep me busy. I prefer my personalized wand. But, I have become more proficient with my other one as well.
It's almost Yule. It's only a couple weeks away. I was shocked when the school celebrated Christmas instead of the traditional holidays.
I stayed in Potion class after. "sir, I had a question. Why do we celebrate Christmas and not Yule?" I figured he was the best to ask. He seemed to be a wealth of information. And he'd been more tolerable lately.
He scowled. I shrunk back a bit. "Because some wizards consider the old traditions dark magic." My eyes bugged. "What?! How is burning a log, meditating, and praying to the gods and shit, dark?!" I was so shocked I didn't even notice I swore.
He gave me a grim look and shook his head. "When muggle born kids come into the Wizarding world. They bring all their traditions and Christian beliefs. And over time they've villafied our traditions." I was shocked. "Is that why some Wizards hate muggle borns? They are stealing out customs and traditions from us?" He nodded. "That's a lot of it. They come in and demand we change everything. not just our religion. They changed our laws, our customs, our court, our government. Everything." My eyes were wide. This seemed insane. "But, this is the Wizard world. They have deep held beliefs and traditions. They've had them for centuries. How do you just call it all dark and throw it away. Nothing is evil about the gods and nature. I don't know if I believe all of it. But while here I would follow the local beliefs. To worship the god of those who have oppressed us for generations seems crazy." He nodded again. "This is one of the many reasons for dissatisfaction in the Wizarding world. And deep-seated hatred for muggles and muggle born." I nodded in understanding. I was about to leave when I thought of another question.
"Sir, I wondered if you might suggest some good spell books. I've learned all the class curriculum for the year."
He sat contemplatively for a moment then looked at me. "I will write a list and give it to you during your next potion class." I flashed a small smile and nodded. "Thank you. Sir."
I was actually starting to like the guy. He wasn't near as bad when he didn't hate you. Yes, he was definitely angry and bitter. But if your loved knowledge, he was your guy. He had a passion for knowledge. And over the last couple months I had began to greatly respect him. It helped that I was doing well in class. But never showed off. Both things that were important to him. I heard all about him cutting down The obnoxious Granger girl when she tried to show her knowledge off. He had no patience for that. I just listened quietly in class, wrote notes and studied the potion before we made it in class, making sure to be prepared. I made sure I knew the information backwards and forwards before we made the potion. He seemed to notice and be pleased.
But he never called me out again. Seeming to like me enough, not to make me the center of attention again. This I greatly appreciated.
I had never been happier about following my gut. I didn't know if he ever told anyone about my Sire. Telling him James wasn't my father had been one of my best decision I'd made here.

DADA was weird. I listened and did all the spell perfect. I always sat in back. It was hard to listen to the poor guys stutter. But I never looked at him. Or got near him. And not just because he smelled really bad. My head burned when he looked at me. I stayed quiet in the back and remained as unnoticed as possible. I always knew when he looked at me. It made my skin crawl. But it made my scar hurt too. I found it disconcerting. But I mostly tried to ignore it.

Samhain had been crazy. A troll somehow made its way into the castle. It found Hermione in the bathroom and nearly killed her. She ended up in the medical wing for weeks. I heard rumors she tried to fight it all on her own. God, she was so egotistical. Serves her right almost getting stomped. I couldn't stand the girl. Seemed most felt the same way.

I tended to use my hawthorne wand as I did self studies. And use my holly wand for the first time in class. This way I didn't always get the spell the first time. I liked it that way. If I get the spell first time every time, someone would notice. But the holly wand was just a bit harder to use. I liked the hawthorne wand much better. It felt calming and I had more power and control. It just buzzed with my magic more clearly.

It was December and I still didn't have any friends. But that wasn't from lack of people trying. They all wanted the glory of being my friend. But I wasn't interested. I wouldn't be someone's prize. If someone actually was interested in me, I might consider it. Of course figuring out who was actually interested in me was probably impossible. It was safer to assume nobody really was interested in me personally. Nobody knew me. Only fanciful tales. I refused to become attached to someone, when they were only attached to who they wanted me to be. I wasn't that person. Maybe I wouldn't have trusted anyone regardless. I have never had anyone treat me kindly. And I trust nobody. Anyone who was nice, just wanted something. Or would abandon me when things got hard. And in my life, it was a well know fact by me, my life would get hard. It had never been easy. And it probably never would be.

That Friday Professor Snape handed me a long list after class. I noticed some of these were considered darker. Books of jinks, hexes and simple curses. I gave a small smile looking over the list. None of these were banned magic just frowned upon. But I appreciated it. I wanted a full, well rounded knowledge about magic.
"I would start from the beginning of the list, and work my way down. It might take a few years to get through all of these. But this is the basics of what you will want to know. The best books in my opinion." I nodded looking over the list. I looked up at him curiously. "What's mind magic?" He sat on his desk and looked at me. "It's a very important magic. But they quit teaching it a couple centuries back. Legilimecy is reading someone's mind, and Occlumency is blocking someone from getting into your mind." My eyes bugged. I felt my skin begin crawling again. "Is that something I can learn now?" He nodded
"It is, but you are still very young and it takes a lot of disciple. It will take a lot of work, focus and determination." I nodded a jerky nod once. "I'll do that first." He gave me a serious look. "It probably doesn't need to be done immediately. Me and the the headmaster are the only ones proficient at it." But that didn't ease my mind. "Fuck! That Dumble guy knows it?!" He looked confused. "You don't trust him?" My face became steely and cold. "No. He's been stealing all my money. Ever since My mother and James died. He's withdrawn and transfered thousands of dollars for him and his friends." I said curtly. The professor looked shocked. "Can I see the proof". Looking doubtful. I shrugged. "Sure. If you're not going to run to him with it. I don't trust him at all." I said. My arms crossed and gave him my most grave look. He nodded once. Seeming to understand how serious I was.
I went to my room and began gathering my bank papers. The stack was thick. I put them all in a folder. And decided to bring it to him after lunch. Which I had now. We had double potions today between breakfast and lunch.
The folder was bulging. I stuffed it in my bag and went to eat.

I ate slowly as I watched the Professor. As he got I, I got up and followed him. I knocked on his classroom door and walked in. I walked up and opened my bag. As I pulled out the folder I saw the Professor's eyes flash shock before he hid it behind indifference. I handed the thick folder to him and nodded, before walking out.