The first day of classes was beginning bright and early.  Luna had given Vega her timetable and she was less than enthused to see she had no classes with the Head Girl.  "Hogwarts is full of kindness, you'll do fine," she had said encouragingly.  Vega had forced a smile, but doubted her words very much.  By now, news had undoubtedly spread about her father being the new teacher, and it wouldn't be hard to figure out who she was.

When she had gotten dressed and headed down to the common room she could hear everyone talking in hushed voices.  At first, she had thought they were discussing her, but upon hearing the name Malfoy, she listened in harder.

"Can you believe he had the nerve to come back?"

"I'm steering clear of him.  I don't want to be next."

"What was McGonagall thinking?"

"I wonder if any muggle born students will end up missing while he's Head Boy."

"His dad probably made him come back to spy."

"It should have been him that died that day, not Fred.  He always made me laugh."

"Good morning, Vega," Luna sang softly when she saw her walking by.

"Morning, Luna," she lowered her voice.  "What's everyone going on about?"  No one seemed to notice her as they were enthralled in their own conversations.

"Malfoy's new position.  Some of them don't think he should be here," she said quietly.  "You know, because he let the Death Eaters into the school last year."

Vega furrowed her brows at the girl.  "He what?"

Luna hooked her arm in hers and began to walk out of the common room towards the great hall for breakfast.  "Draco was working with Voldemort to sneak in Death Eaters.  Quite successfully, too," she added as an afterthought.

"Why did the headmistress let him return then?" she queried.  They passed by a few Slytherins that eyed them up and down with distaste, but Vega ignored them.  

Luna smiled sweetly.  "Because Professor McGonagall is a very understanding person.  Personally, I think Draco has had a change of heart, but others disagree.  I can see it though.  His aura is different.  Sad, remorseful..." she trailed off.  They entered the great hall and she saw the infamous bewitched ceiling that she'd heard so much about.  An assortment of candles floated about and illuminated the hall in a rich glow.  A depiction of a sunny autumn sky with bits of clouds covered the domed ceiling and rained down fall colored leaves that faded into nothing just before reaching the tops of the students' heads.  

She spotted the platinum haired Head Boy from across the room.  He was sitting alone at the end of the Slytherin table with a hand resting against his cheek, staring at nothing and no one, and stirring a bowl in front of him with his free hand.  She felt a pang of guilt for mentioning her prejudices of Slytherin house to him on the train.  

"I have to do the morning rounds, but I'll see you tonight," Luna said.  She had stopped walking when they reached the Ravenclaw table and turned to leave before Vega could say anything.  She sat down awkwardly where Luna had left her.  Her eyes flicked up to see Draco staring at her before he abruptly turned his gaze down.  She took a pastry from the golden plate in front of her and nibbled on it, not feeling like eating a heavy breakfast.  When she looked back up, he had gone.  She caught sight of white blond hair exiting the great hall and sighed to herself, feeling it was her fault.

"Hey,  you're new here right?  From Beaubaxton's?" She turned to see a boy off to her right.

"I'm Vega," she said with a shy smile.

"Daniel," he returned her smile.  "Sorry, I just saw you walk in with Luna.  Are you friends?" He had turned his body to completely face her, neglecting his plate of food and focusing on her.

"I suppose," she drawled.  "I haven't had much time to make friends yet.  I didn't get to London until I boarded the train."

Daniel grinned wolfishly at her, running a hand through his mop of brown curls.  "Well, I can be your friend.  Ravenclaws need to stick together, right?" She found herself smiling like a fool at him.  He had a charming smile that made her feel relaxed.  

"Right," she agreed.  "I have to get going though.  My first class of the day is Defense Against the Dark Arts, and my dad will kill me if I make him look bad by showing up late."

Daniel chuckled and stood up.  "It just so happens that I have the same class to get to.  Walk with me?" He grabbed a half eaten piece of toast from his plate and munched on it as she followed him.

The halls were bustling with students.  Mostly first years that had no clue where they were going.  She saw Luna directing a group of them back the way they had came. 

"This way," Daniel climbed a set of stairs and turned down a few different halls before stopping in front of a set of wooden doors.  "Hopefully," he began in a small voice, "your dad isn't nearly as scary as our last DADA professor."

"Don't count on it," she whispered back as they entered.  Her dad was standing against his desk with a scowl on his face.  A handful of students had already found their seats, but there were still plenty that hadn't yet arrived.

"Vega," he greeted her shortly.

"Morning, Dad," she said back monotonously.  Vega took her seat in the middle of the room beside Daniel and cracked open the ancient looking book in front of her.  "How old is this curriculum?" She wondered aloud.

"As old as Hogwarts most likely," he retorted. 

"Good morning students." Everyone stopped murmuring and turned their attention to the front of the class.  Her father had chosen to wear long black robes line in silver embellishments for his first day and she fought the urge to scoff at how positively dark he appeared.  His jet black hair had been slicked back to the nape of his neck and looked stiff whenever he moved his head about.  The Candlewood crest amulet was worn proudly around his neck and earned more than a few stares.  "I won't assign anything for our first week, but I will expect all of you to pay attention!" He snapped his fingers and Vega looked to see a boy and girl snogging.  Their chairs pulled apart upon his snap and all eyes were staring at them as they both flushed furiously.  "I won't tolerate any foolishness in this class." He glowered at the couple.

Vega put her head down as Daniel gave her a sympathetic smile.  She kept to herself for the duration of class and was relieved once it was over.  "Vega!  Stay," her dad instructed after class.

Daniel shrugged.  "I'll see you around," he muttered before walking out.

She went over to the desk and set her bookbag beside her.  "Who was that boy?"

"Daniel?"

"Hmm," he hummed in thought.  "Don't embarrass me here.  This is a good position I've acquired and I can't have you ruining that by giving yourself an unsavory reputation." He sneered at her.

Vega put a hand on her hip and raised her eyebrows.  "And what reputation do you think that is?" She challenged.

Her dad smiled wickedly, malice showing through.  "I think we both know what reputation pretty girls like you get when they throw themselves at any boy who gives them attention."  She opened her mouth to reply but he flicked his hand at her, cutting her off.  "Get to Potions before you're late."

She bit her cheek to keep from shouting at him and hurried out of the room.  She rushed down to the dungeons, holding back her tears all the while.

She made it to Potions in time to see Professor Slughorn rummaging through the drawers for something.  "Ah, Miss Candlewood, please have a seat." He gestured to a severe lack of seating and she surveyed the tables to find an empty one.  She found it.  A spare seat directly across from Draco, a dark skinned boy, and the girl who had rode in the carriage with him.  With a heavy sigh she went to take her seat.

"Candlewood, huh?" The other boy was eyeing her up and down.  "You're Octavian's daughter aren't you?"  His brown eyes glistened with mischief.

"Yes," she answered, uninterested in the topic.

The girl leaned forward, resting her chin her her hands.  "What was it like to grow up with the dark lord's executioner for a father?  Did he ever perform curses on you if you didn't keep your room clean?" The girl crinkled her nose at her own joke.

Vega rolled her eyes, not bothering to respond.  "Ignore her," the boy said.  "Pansy can be a bitch."

The pug faced girl scoffed and smacked him in the chest.  "Draco, are you just going to sit there and let him talk to me that way?  Do something!" Pansy hissed.

Vega glanced over to see Draco flipping through the pages of his workbook.  "Enough bickering," he said in a bored tone.

"Attention!  Eyes up here please," the teacher got everyone's attention.  "You're all quite advanced in this class, and this being your seventh year, I'm going to try something different.  You've all got the basics under your belts, now you can prove your knowledge of potions.  I'm going to break you all into partners and assign you particularly difficult potions to brew.  Should you master them, you'll receive a passing grade.  If you should fail, I'll have a word with the headmistress on how to go about placing you in a different level of Potions."

A series of groans went up.  Pansy whined about fairness.  "Right then," he looked around the room, "Mr. Vicker with Miss Qualley.  You two together," he pointed to the dark boy and Pansy, "Mr. Malfoy and Miss Candlewood," Draco glared at her and she felt herself shrink under his gaze.  He went on assigning partners before rubbing his hands together and giving the class a crooked smile.  "The potion I'm going to have you all concoct is the Vadon potion," he said excitedly.  "More commonly known as the animal spirit potion.  When brewed correctly, it will show the consumer their inner spirit animal's form.  Mine is an otter," he grinned.

A few students seemed genuinely enthusiastic, but uer table only groaned in irritation.  "I bet I'm a bear," the boy said smugly. 

"Please, Blaise, you're more likely a rodent of some sort," she snickered at him.

Draco watched the two with an unamused expression before going back to the pages of his book.   Vega desperately wanted to apologize for her rudeness on the train, but thought better of it.  The whisperings she'd heard of him were staring to settle in and the last thing she wanted was to be involved with a Malfoy, so she kept quiet. 

She looked at thr glossary for Vadon and flipped to the right page.  She studied the list of ingredients and glanced at the shelves.  "You won't find the ingredients on my shelves, Miss Candlewood." She jumped slightly at the closeness of Professor Slughorn's voice.  He was standing directly behind her with a pleasant look on his aging face.  "Didn't mean to frighten you dear girl.  I've heard good things about you.  It always impresses me when students with muggle parents excel in witchcraft," he commented.

She knew he meant it as a compliment, but the way her table was staring at her made her wish the ground would swallow her whole.  "I'm," she looked from Draco's curious gaze to Pansy's judgemental one, "not muggle born," she stated.  She meant to sound absolute, but her voice came out hushed.

"Of course not, of course not." He shook his head.  "But your mother is a muggle, am I correct?  Your father, I went to school with him you know.  He was excellent at potions." As if he somehow sensed the tension he quickly shifted his tone.  "Please don't think I meant any offense by that.  Some of my favorite students had a muggle or two for a parent.  It just ceases to amaze me at how quickly they adapt academically."  Vega gave him a tight lipped smile and turned back to her book as he awkwardly scuttled away to the next table.

"So your dad is a blood traitor then?" Pansy snarled.  Vega shot daggers at her.

"Easy Pansy," Blaise spoke lowly.

"Leave the mudblood to her studies," said Draco with a newfound sharpness to his tone.  That word.  She hated that word.  Grabbing up her books she shoved her chair backwards, letting it clatter to the stone floor, and stormed out.

"Miss Candlewood!" Professor Slughorn called out, but she didn't stop.

She had a free period after Potions and was determined to spend it down by the lake alone.  She didn't stop until she reached the tree and, seeing no one else was around, she let herself slump against it and cry. 

She wasn't called a mudblood often.  The people at Beaubaxton's didn't carry half the prejudice that Hogwarts students did.  When she was called it though, it hurt.  It hurt her deeply in a way no one but someone with a muggle parent could understand.  Halfblood was bad enough, but insinuating that she was lesser, that she was dirty, cut her deep.

She sobbed into her hands until she heard someone approaching.  She looked up to see the wolf again and wiped her tears.  "Hey you," she whimpered before tearing up again.

The wolf trotted over to her and licked at her tears.  She laughed at its concern and laid her head against its neck.  The wolf didn't move, letting her get comfortable against it.  "I think you'll end up being my only friend here," she confessed somberly.  The wolf stayed put.  She let her arms wrap around the creature and sobbed into its beautiful white coat until she'd gotten it all out of her system.

She sniffed and wiped her remaining tears away before settling lower, laying on the grass.  The wolf silently lay beside her, watching her intently.  "Do you always find sad students to cheer up down here?" The wolf cocked its head and licked her nose.  She giggled and wiped away the slobber.  "You're lucky, you know," she looked up at the branches swaying, "you don't have to deal with people unless you want to.  You never have to put up with anyone judging you, or calling you names."  She rolled onto her side and looked into the wolf's eyes.  "Mudblood," she whispered the name to herself and let a single tear slip down her cheek and over the bridge of her nose, plinking gently in the dirt.  The wolf lapped at it and snuggled into her side.

She stayed down at the water a while longer before heading back to the castle for lunch.  The wolf went off into the forest after she placed a kiss on its furry head.  She went back into the great hall, intent on taking her food back to the Ravenclaw common room, until a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Oh, its you," she sighed upon seeing Blaise.

The boy put his hands up in surrender.  "I just wanted to apologize for Pansy and Draco.  I didn't want you to think I was in agreement with them.  I think you're brilliant," he told her earnestly and she felt a smile tugging at her lips. 

"Thanks," she said sheepishly.

Blaise grinned at her.  "Listen, I was wondering if you'd be interested in accompanying me to Hogsmeade this weekend?  You don't have to I-"

"I'd love to," she replied briskly. 

Blaise was beaming at her.  "Good," he stated nervously.  "I can come pick you up on Friday night in your common room, say around ten?"  She nodded.  "Then its settled then," he puffed out his chest as he spoke, as if he'd just won a prize.

Draco walked by with a scowl plastered on his pale face.  His eyes were rimmed in pink adding just a touch of color to an otherwise blank canvas.  "A word, Blaise." It was not a request, and Blaise seemed to sense that. He gave her a polite nod before following the Head Boy.

Taking a plate of food, Vega exited the hall and climbed the five floors to the Ravenclaw dormitories.  "Studious," she whispered as Luna had before her.  The door swung open and welcomed her in.  She spotted Daniel sitting at a table bent over some parchment.  "Homework already?"

Daniel jumped at her voice before breaking into nervous laughter.  "Oh, hey Vega."  He sat up straighter and moved over so she could sit.  "Good first day?"

She shrugged.  "It was okay.  What are you doing?" She gestured to the paper.

Daniel pulled it up and showed her.  "Its plans for Ravenclaw's quidditch practice. Davies asked me to help so we have a shot against Slytherin this year.  Malfoy has been their seeker since his second year.  He's an awful little prat, but a damn good seeker.  Potter was the only one to give him a run for his money," he huffed.

"Why isn't he attending this year?" Vega inquired, pushing the paper back at him.

Daniel shrugged.  "I heard he's an auror for the Ministry of Magic now, but I'm not for sure on that.  Suppose that's what fame will get you though.  Free pass."  He didn't seem particularly fond of Harry Potter.

"Do you know where Luna is?"

"I think she's in the library." His focus returned to the paper in front of him. 

Vega walked out, searching the corridors for a sign of the library and finding none.  She had almost made it back to where she started when she ran into the back of a crooked little man.  He turned around, a scowl overtaking his old face.  His gray hair was long and greasy, and he looked as though he had never been happy a day in his life with how normal his contorted expression seemed to be worn.

"What's this?  Lost are we?" The man sneered at her, curling his lip up in hatred.  A fluffy cat jumped up into his arms and he stroked its back. 

"No, I'm so sorry!" She took a step back from the hunched man.  "I just turned the corner there and-"

"I miss the days where detention meant you was hangin' by your-"

"What are you doing squib?" Draco interrupted, his own unique grimace adorning his features. 

The old man made a choking sound before sputtering, "Y-you can't call me that!" The man tried to stand taller, but Draco easily towered over him and moved between the two to glower at him. 

"I came to tell you Peeves was boasting about filling your office with cockroaches." Draco folded his arms, not even glancing in Vega's direction.

"Mr. Malfoy came to warn me? Ha!" The man spat back at him.

"I'm Head Boy now.  The Bloody Baron told me I have to tell someone.  If you'd rather sit around putting girls in detention, then by all means," he said sarcastically and splayed both his hands in Vega's direction.

The man looked back and forth between Draco and Vega before letting out a growl of frustration.  "Don't think I won't have you punished, girl." The man pointed a crooked finger at her face and she stumbled back a step.  "One of these nights I'll catch you roaming the halls after hours, or you'll get caught fighting.  It'll be something, mark my words," he said in a hauntingly calm tone before stomping the other way. 

Vega let out a breath of relief ar her luck.  Draco turned around without another word and moved to leave.  "Wait!" Vega shouted, startling both of them.  He stopped, but only half cocked his head over his shoulder at her.  "Thank you...for helping me," she clarified.

He faced forward again.  "I hate that filthy squib.  He had a laugh at me when I got detention my first year."

"Oh," her gratitude faded a bit.  "Well, I'm still grateful.  My dad would kill me if I got detention," she laughed anxiously, rubbing her arm.

Draco spun halfway around, but still didn't turn his body fully towards her.  "He was looking for you on the main floor," he said reluctantly.

"Please don't tell him you saw me.  If--if you see him again, I mean.  Please," she pleaded.  She just wanted to get to Luna and turn in for the day.

He looked at her finally with a touch of sympathy to his gray eyes.  "I won't," he declared in a small voice.

"Thanks," she muttered and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.  "Draco?" she tried, sure she was pressing her luck.

"Yes?" He turned his body towards her.

"Should we work on the project soon?  I don't want to fail Potions because we didn't work well together." She put on her best motherly tone and earned a soft chuckle from him.

"Do you have anymore of those cookies?" He folded his arms and tilted his head at her.  She blushed at the memory.  "Is that a yes?" She nodded once, looking around to see if anyone overheard.  "I'm free Friday night."

Blaise.  "I can't do it Friday," she frowned.

Draco scoffed, turning on his heel.  "Then I can't help you," he called, walking away.

Vega closed the distance and grabbed his arm gently.  He stopped when she touched him and flicked his eyes from her manicured hand to her panicked stare.  "I have a date Friday night.  Please, Draco, is there another time?  There must be another day you're available." Vega tried to reason with him.

He shrugged off her hand and shook his head.  "I have Head Boy meetings the rest of next week.  Friday night is the last day I'm available."  His tone was cold, uncaring.

"What about Saturday? Sunday?" She tried again.

"I'm visiting my parents this weekend.  I leave Saturday morning," he said as he looked at the ground.

Vega bit her lip, debating on how to go about things.  Deciding that her academics were more important than some boy, she sighed out, "Okay, fine."

Draco looked up, narrowing his eyes at her.  "Friday night?" he double checked.

"Yes.  Friday night," she confirmed hesitantly.

He smirked at her.  "Who was your date?"

"No one," she answered, not wanting to admit it was Blaise.

The smirk grew on his face, tugging up one corner of his plump lips.  "Good.  We'll study in the Slytherin common room at ten."

"I don't know where that is," she said slowly.  She hardly knew where anything was.

"I'll meet you in the library then, and you can follow me."

"Actually," she sucked in a breath at how pathetic she sounded, "that's what I'm looking for now."

Draco quirked a brow, pursing his lips before blowing out a breath.  "I'll show you," he decided. 

"You don't have to do that," she assured him.  After being called a mudblood she wasn't keen on spending any extra time with the platinum haired boy.

Draco pulled a face and stiffened.  "You'd rather I let you wander the halls aimlessly?"

"It's not aimless," she defended.  "I have a destination in mind.  I just..." she groaned and rubbed her temples. 

"Right," Draco rolled his jaw.  "Suit yourself mudblood." He snarled the words at her.

Vega couldn't help herself.  She lunged at him and grabbed him around the collar of his black suit jacket, shoved him against the wall and barred her teeth up at him. All control left her body.  "Don't," she said through gritted teeth, "call me that."  She was close enough to smell his woodsy cologne again.  His minty breath fanned her face with each rise and fall of his chest as they both glowered at one another, refusing to back down.

"Or what?" Draco challenged, bending his neck down to show her she didn't intimidate him.  He stopped suddenly and pulled back, a bemused expression overtaking his sneer.  "Are you crying?"

Vega hadn't realized her eyes had begun to sting.  She quickly averted her gaze and gave him one last shove before stomping off in the direction she came.  "Library is that way!" Draco shouted over the sound of her heels clicking.  She spun around with audible irritation to see him jutting his thumb in the opposite direction.  When she passed by him he reached out and grabbed her arm to stop her.  She tugged it loose and kept going.  "Candlewood!" he bellowed, but she didn't stop.  "Candlewood!"  She hurried down the corridor until he was out of sight before slumping against a wall and letting herself cry beneath the hood of her cloak.  There was no one else in the hall thankfully, but a small grating sound from behind her made her jump.

She pulled away from the wall and looked up to see two great blue doors becoming more and more apparent by the second.  It was like she was watching someone invisible paint the doors onto the stone wall.  When the doors were fully formed, the sounds ceased. 

Glancing to make sure no one was around, Vega pushed the door open and peeked her head inside.  Floor to ceiling piles of old junk.  There were scorch marks nearly everywhere she could see, as if a fire had ripped through there at one point.  She let the door gently shut behind her as she wandered around. 

Pieces from a giant wizard chess set were strewn about along with hundreds of chairs stacked into a mountain that reached the roof.  She stopped at a tall black cabinet, half covered in dust and ashes.  Despite the state of the room, the cabinet was in pristine condition.  She reached out to open it when a white hand caught her wrist.  She gasped and spun around to see Draco staring at her.  "How did you get in here?" He searched her eyes, not dropping his hand.  "How!" His sudden shout startled her and she flinched back.

"I don't know!" Vega tried to rip her hand from his grasp.  "Let go Draco!" He didn't let up.  His grip tightened and his eyes began to frantically look all around the room.

"You can't be in here," he said gravely.  "You can never come back in here!  Ever!" He shouted inches away from her face.  The scene was awfully familiar.  

She pulled her wrist back again, but he gripped harder and jerked her arm towards him with a wild look in his pale eyes.  "Say it!  Say you'll never come back here!" he demanded.

Vega choked out a sob, her wrist was beginning to ache.  "Draco, you're hurting me," she tried, but he didn't relent.  He drew closer to her still, lowering his head so he was only an inch or two above her face.  His lips curled back, baring his teeth as he scowled at her.  "Please, Draco, let go," she sobbed and tugged at her wrist to no avail.

"Then say it," he snapped.  "You'll never come back here again."

Vega could feel her tears streaming down her face and hear the soft plinking sound as they dropped onto her cloak.  "I won't!" she cried out.  "I'll never come back!"

He smirked and released her wrist.  "Get out," he commanded.  

Vega rubbed her wrist and took a few deep breaths to regain herself.  Her body was trembling from the ordeal, but Draco just stood there and glared.  No hint of remorse was apparent.  "Luna is wrong about you," she gritted out.  He cocked his head at her words.  "She said you aren't the monster everyone thinks you are, but she's wrong."  A sob racked through her body.  "You're a spoiled, evil, pathetic excuse for a wizard.  All the Malfoys are."  Draco didn't move, his face revealed nothing to her of his inner thoughts.  She took a step forward to show him she wasn't scared.  "If you ever touch me like that again, Malfoy,  I'll kill you."

Vega sniffled up the last of her tears, cursing herself inwardly for letting him see her cry, and whirled around to leave.  "Wait," he grabbed her wrist again.

Without thinking it through, Vega spun around with her free hand and punched him square in the nose.  He stumbled back, more shocked than hurt, and put a hand over his face.  Scarlet had already begun to seep through his stark white fingers. "Don't ever fucking touch me."