Always

Chapter Twelve

"Shut up and sit down."

Everyone went stiff as a board at Professor Snape's icy order as he slammed through the potions classroom door. Maia watched him carefully and determined that her Sev was extremely angry. He immediately started with the day's lesson - no welcome back or first day speech from him, of course—and continued to glower and snap at every opportunity; even attacking a few Slytherins.

When the bells rang, the class rushed out of the room as quickly as possible.

"Miss Malfoy! You will stay after class!"

Maia stopped in her tracks and turned to look at the scowling professor. She waved her friends on and moved toward the podium.

"Yes, Professor?" she asked politely as soon as the classroom was empty. "I have second period after this and—"

"I am quite aware of how this school works!" he snapped. He pointed to a chair and she sat down primly, looking at him expectantly. "As you know, there has been an undesirable element added to this school," he began.

"The music people?" she asked. He glared at her for the interruption and she quickly schooled her face into a blank mask.

"Yes. The music people," he sneered. "They are completely objectionable and you will have nothing to do with them. The Headmaster has elected to keep them here so you will stay away."

"Stay away?" Maia frowned. "Why? They will be very popular and I think it would be better if I became their friend."

"No! You are not to mix with their kind at all. I will not catch you within twenty feet of any of them or you will be serving detention with Filch."

Maia's eyes opened wide in shock. "What?"

"Have you gone deaf?" Snape retorted in contempt.

Maia stood up and frowned. "Why are you acting like this? You sound like Grandfather with all the 'their kind' rubbish. And threatening me with Filch?!"

"Sit down!" Snape barked and pinched the bridge of his nose while she returned to her seat. "Why I believed instructing you to stay away was a good plan, I don't know. You will, of course, seek them out at the earliest opportunity."

Since that was exactly what she was thinking of doing, Maia remained silent. Snape looked at her again and his shoulders straightened. "Let me put it to you this way: your parents do not want you getting close to any of those people. Your dad is very adamant about this and once your father is informed, he will be even more so."

"Dad doesn't want me around them?" she asked in shock. "Why?"

Snape stared at her for a full minute and Maia waited him out, hoping that she would actually get an answer.

"One of them is like us… an Indago," Snape admitted finally.

Eyes wide, Maia stood up again. "An Indago?" she asked in a whisper.

The classroom door opened then and the next class began filing in. Snape glared at them while stepping closer to Maia. "This is a dangerous situation. You will stay away from them at all times, do you understand?" he hissed at her.

Maia was confused but nodded her head in agreement.

"You will not go within twenty feet of them. If any of them try to approach you, you will leave the area and come to me or your dad immediately."

"Yes." Maia looked around and whispered, "Are they going to try to fight me?"

Snape's lips tightened. "Go to class," he replied, grabbing a scrap of parchment to write her an excuse for being late. "And do not disobey this edict."