It didn't bother her one bit that Draco hadn't been in the great hall when she went down for meals.  She hadn't seen him in the halls between classes except for once, but they both turned up their noses and pressed on.  She'd been so consumed with focusing her energy on helping Luna that she had little time to give the gray eyed boy a second thought.  She preferred it that way.  A busy mind was a distracted mind, and distraction was precisely what she needed.

Her father didn't look at her in class anymore.  When she raised her hand to answer his query about the common use for boar tusks, he skipped over her to ask Daniel.  She was both resentful of his sudden disinterest in her and grateful.  Grateful, because she no longer had to be on edge that he would find her wandering the corridors and scold her for something.

"Do you want to come?" Luna asked in ger dreamy voice.

"Hmm?" Vega hadn't been listening.  She was looking out the tower window at the forest, searching for a glimpse of white in the greenery. 

"We're all going to Hogsmeade today.  Do you want to come?  We'll be back before dark," she explained her invitation.  In all the drama surrounding her first month at Hogwarts, Vega had yet to visit the quaint little village inhabited solely by witches and wizards.  They had a similar place just outside of Paris, called Gemma Cachée, hidden by a spell.  However, she'd never had the pleasure of experiencing the wonder of Hogsmeade, and from what her friends had to say, it was worth the trip.

"Yeah, that sounds great," she beamed at the whimsical blonde.

"Splendid," said Luna happily.  "We'll meet in the courtyard after last period."

"Okay," she agreed eagerly.  She was glad that the Head Girl had became her close friend.  She'd shown a large appreciation for the creativity that Vega brought to the planning committee and it was repaid in a friendship that she'd never had before.  The girls at Beaubaxton's tended to be vain, but Luna didn't hold a drop of vanity in her petite body.  She was refreshingly honest and kind and had a mature insightfulness of someone who had been through tremendous trials in their life.

Luna skipped away to her next class, and Vega dreaded what came next.  After skipping Potions nearly everyday, it was time to turn in her report on the Vadon potion, and that meant seeing Draco.

She had her textbook in her arms with her report, along with the recipe Draco had gifted her, resting on top.  As she made her way down into the dungeons, she spotted the other Ravenclaws and Slytherins meandering into the classroom.  Blaise was walking behind Pansy and glared when he saw her approach.

"Nice of you to join us Candlewood," he said, the irritation evident in his tone.  "Try not to spill another flesh eating potion."

She didn't respond, choosing to brush by him and take her seat first.  Draco wasn't inside yet so she sat down alone and took the time to move her chair as far from his as possible.  Pansy gave her a cold stare when she finally stopped moving and was situated beside her.

"Is there a reason you're so close to me?" She snarled, screwing up her pug face as if she smelled something nasty.

Vega breathed out in vexation and turned to the Slytherin with a fake smile plastered on her face.  "I just adore you, Pansy."  The girl scoffed and shook her head, but didn't press the matter.

Blaise, however, leapt at her behavior eagerly.  "Trouble in paradise, Candlewood?"  She opened her textbook and tucked her report inside, ignoring his question.  Blaise laughed lowly at her lack of answer and elbowed Pansy.  "Ease up on her Parkinson," he muttered.  "Can't you see she's having relationship problems?"

Vega bit her tongue to keep from saying anything back as the two cackled together.   "Poor little bird," Pansy clucked her tongue, "got her wings clipped by a snake."

"Don't you have a first year to harass?" Vega quipped.

"But you're so much more fun to talk to," she purred with a wicked grin.

Vega opened her mouth to say something witty, but they all stopped to watch as Draco entered the room.  He was the last to arrive, aside from Slughorn.  The professor was still not present, but that didn't stop the Head Boy from strolling over to his desk and waiting expectantly with his back to the others.

"Slughorn's not here mate," Blaise called to his back in a deviously friendly voice.  "You'll have to go fetch him for us."  He smirked as Draco turned around with a look of utter and complete loathing directed at him.  His eyes shifted to Vega's briefly before realization of her presence struck and he swiftly turned back.  Blaise chuckled under his breath.

"What's with you two lately?"  Pansy looked between the two.  Vega busied herself with pulling her quill and ink from her bookbag.

"Don't know what you're talking about." He shrugged, but his expression gave away his sarcasm.

"Whatever, don't tell me," she said irritably.

Slughorn walked in moments later with a sweat dampened brow, blotting it furiously with a yellowing cloth.  "Sorry, sorry," he huffed, "I was stuck in a meeting with Professor McGonagall.  Oh, Mr. Malfoy," he paused at Draco who was holding up a slip with writing scrawled across it.

"I won't be able to-" Draco began.

"Yes, dear boy, no need for that.  I've just been informed.  Go on, you're excused." Vega's mouth fell open as Draco crumpled the paper in his fist and pocketed it.  He didn't look back at her table as he fled the room, his green and black robes fluttering in his wake.

Slughorn was fumbling with his bag, spilling the contents and inadvertently knocking over beakers and shattering tubes on the floor.  "Merlin's beard!" He ambled to sort everything out.

Vega took the opportunity to bolt out into the hall, spotting the white hair instantly.  "Hey!" He didn't stop.  "Draco!"

Finally, he ceased his steps and spun halfway around with a sneer.  He cocked a brow, waiting for her to get on with it.  "Where are you going?"

"You aren't the only one who gets to be excused from Potions," he seethed.

Vega curled her lip.  "That's different.  I showed up today because our project is due.  Do you honestly expect me to brew the potion alone?"

Draco smirked at her.  "Ravenclaws are supposed to be smart."

"And Slytherins are assholes," she retorted.

"Then we're both playing our roles well it seems," he replied without a hint of offense taken.

Vega laughed humorlessly.  "Awesome," she said under her breath and spun away.  She didn't hear his footfalls but she didn't dare turn back to see if he was still looking at her. 

Slughorn was still searching for something in his bag, the mess he'd made being swept up behind him by a floating broom and dustpan.  He let out an exasperated, "Accio gray worms."  A jar of wiggling worms popped out of the bag.  Professor Slughorn snatched it up before it too hit the floor and broke.  "There we are," he sighed.  "Attention everyone!  Attention!" 

Everyone turned quietly to watch him as he held up the jar.  "Ew!"  Pansy whined through her nose.  "What do you expect us to do with those?"

"These are common gray worms," he explained to the class.  "Today you'll be turning in your reports and brewing the Vadon potion with your partners."  Vega grimaced.  "If brewed correctly, when I drop in a gray worm, it will grow fat and turn as blue as Ravenclaw's robes."

"And if it isn't correct?" Neville piped up nervously.

"The worm will--er-- well it won't turn blue.  Just do the best you can Mr. Longbottom." The tall Gryffindor sank in his stool.  "Now then, let's turn in our essays first and--" everyone bolted out of their seats and rushed to his desk, reports in hand, "--one at a time!  Form a line!"  No one listened.

Vega placed hers neatly next to his cup of spare quills and took her seat.  "Alright," Slughorn cleared his throat, "you have one hour to brew the potion.  Starting..." he looked back at the clock on the wall, "now."

Blaise lit a fire beneath his cauldron and began work immediately.  Pansy stood to gather ingredients and it seemed everyone but her had a partner to help.  She stood up, at first going to get the ingredients listed on Draco's paper, but stopped and went to Slughorn instead.  "Professor?"

"Yes?  What can I do for you Miss Candlewood?" He asked, his eyes skimming over the various essays.

"Draco was my partner," she explained and he looked up.

"Yes, that's right," he recalled.  "Well, Mr. Malfoy has already turned in his half of the work so you have nothing to worry about.  He's exceedingly bright at brewing potions, very accurate, hardly ever a mistake in his work I must say."  He appeared to realize she was still standing in front of him and smiled warmly.  "You'll do just fine my dear.  I'll be taking into consideration that you are working without a partner, so no need to fret."

Vega pursed her lips and went to the supply shelves, taking out the ingredients needed.

"Why are you using that?" Pansy chided.  "I didn't see any variation of the potion requiring flobberworm mucus."

Vega ignored her and earned an offended choking noise from the girl.  She opened her textbook and double checked she'd acquired all that was needed.  It must have been Draco's family's book because it had certain things crossed out and rewritten in black ink.  Where one step said to squeeze the juices of sixteen fire crab pinchers, it had been struck out and replaced with the instruction of slicing ten rat tails.  The swap was odd, but it was her best shot at a passing grade so she followed it.

Pansy continued to harp on her method, but when the hour was up everyone quieted down.  Vega anxiously looked around at the other potions and noted that only three other cauldrons had the same chalky white substance as hers.

Blaise's cauldron was about to overflow in a gooey indigo mess.  "You fucked it up Parkinson," he hissed from the corner of his mouth.

"I followed the recipe exactly," she pouted.

"Hands off students!  Hands off!  Let's have a look, shall we?" Slughorn unscrewed the jar lid and pulled out a worm.  "You first," he sad to a Slytherin girl with frizzy blonde hair and a nervous look.

The worm was dropped and a puff of black smoke exploded from the cauldron.  Her hair stood on end as her face blackened with soot.  Her partner coughed beside her, waving a hand in front of his nose.  Slughorn tsked at the failure and moved on without another word.

Vega chewed her lip as she waited for her turn, staring into the milky substance she had created.  Slughorn had reached their table and hovered a worm over Blaise's cauldron.  "How did we do Mr. Zabini?" Before he could respond the worm dropped.  Vega shielded her potion as his cauldron cracked open and the liquid inside evaporated with a loud pop.

Pansy crossed her arms and grumbled something about it not being fair.  He ignored her comments and went to Vega with a quick sympathetic glance.

The worm made a soft plinking sound as it hit the bottom.  She held her breath, waiting for an explosion or her cauldron to break.  The white turned to a gorgeous bubbling cerulean and Professor Slughorn smiled.  He reached in with long metal tongs and pulled out a fat, brilliant blue insect that resembled more of a caterpillar than a worm.

He gave a delightfully amused laugh and clapped her on the back.  "Well done Miss Candlewood, well done!"  She breathed out as the class erupted in polite applause for her good work.  He leaned forward a bit so only she could hear and whispered, "It seems your partner came through after all."  She looked at him perplexed for a moment as he walked away smiling.  He knew that Draco had been the reason she brewed it correctly.

Neville had passed, much to his relief, and was slumped in his stool.  "Mr. Longbottom, Miss Candlewood," said the professor after sampling all of the potions, "care to demonstrate?  You'll need only a thimble full to take with you.  We'll be going just into the courtyard."

The class made a raucous of gathering their belongings and shoving back their chairs, jumping at the chance to leave the classroom.  "Miss Parkinson?" Pansy stopped at the door.  "Since Miss Candlewood is short her partner, you'll take over for Mr. Malfoy and demonstrate the effects with her."  Pansy groaned and stamped her foot down like a toddler.

"Why does Draco get to be excused?  This isn't fair," she grumbled.

Blaise chuckled at her misfortune.  "He's always known how to bark up the right tree for special privileges.  Little prat," he hissed.

They shuffled outside together, bumping shoulders as they scrambled to maneuver the corridors.  Neville and his partner went first.  The girl took her thimble full and shrank down into tiny, striped chipmunk.  Everyone laughed, except for Vega and Neville. 

"Alright Mr. Longbottom, have a go," urged Slughorn.  Neville lifted a trembling hand to his lips and tipped the potion into his mouth. He shivered, and after a moment, his body was shrouded in an amber light that faded away to reveal a very proud, very fierce, and very real lion.  No one laughed.  No one had expected perpetually nervous Neville to have a lion's form at heart.

"Well done!" Slughorn lead an applause, just as taken aback as his students, to a blushing Neville.  He shook his head to get back his brown curls, the mane still poking up in some areas.

All eyes turned to Pansy as she proudly took the form of a black viper.  "Your turn Miss Candlewood," the professor gestured to her portion of Vadon.

Vega cleared her throat and sipped at it, crinkling her nose at the taste.  It was bitter and sour all at once with notes of what she could only assume to be the boiled rat tails.  "Don't be such a drama queen," sneered Pansy as she slapped the thimble into her mouth.  Vega choked and sputtered as it splashed down her throat.

She felt a tingling sensation start in her stomach and spread a coldness throughout her body.  She looked down to see a beautiful lavender fog coating her skin as her limbs folded back and her nose elongated.  "Amazing," Slughorn breathed out.  "Absolutely astounding," he was murmuring and her ears picked up on the sound as if he was shouting it directly at her.

The class hummed and buzzed with wonder, and she looked down to see  set of four furry black paws.  The potion didn't last long at all, and she found her feet had morphed back into their usual boot clad form.  Everyone was staring at her in awe.  Her cheeks burned under their gaze as she looked to Slughorn for an explanation.

"My dear," he whispered, staring at her in admiration.  "Class dismissed."  Some grumbled, wanting to stick around and listen in, while others sprinted back into the castle.

"Professor?"

He gave her a comforting smile and clasped his hands in front of his earthy toned robes.  "Miss Candlewood, you--" he took a deep breath and couldn't hold back his grin, "--in all my years I've never seen the black wolf's form."

Vega cocked her head, urging him to elaborate.  "It's one of the rarest forms one can take.  You see, the wolf represents a deep loyalty, one that most humans are incapable of.  They are ferociously protective creatures, playful, curious, even a bit cunning, but above all they are loyal.  It's this unique varying of characteristics that makes the wolf such an anomaly as a spirit animal.  I doubt very much any of the students have ever even heard of such a thing, let alone witness it at school."  

Vega let his words sink in, mulling it over.  Her mind drifted off to Noori, and her eyes subconsciously searched for a glimpse of the forest from the courtyard, but it wasn't as easily visible as it was from the tower window.  "Is that bad then?" 

The professor's smile dropped as a worried look replaced the once intrigued face.  "Oh no, no please don't think that's what I meant.  I only mean to say that your soul is such a rarity that...well it makes you beautifully unique Miss Candlewood."  She relaxed a bit at that and he continued.  "It means you are a good friend to have," he added in a fatherly timbre.  

Vega felt her lip tug up slightly at his words.  "Thank you," she said under her breathe, happy for the positivity after a long month of feeling down.  

"Of course," he said and tipped his head towards her before going back inside.