Choosing Darkness

\"These originally are the rooms disignated for the DADA Professor,\" Albus admitted as they wound their way down to the dungeons. \"If you would like something more airy--\"

\"These are fine,\" Arista replied loftily as she fairly danced down the staircase. She\'d been in enough caves to feel comfortable in them. Besides, the dungeons would give her solitude that the other rooms would not have. A little cooler than she\'d prefer, she mused as she donned her cloak once more. \"I\'m afraid I haven\'t brought much in the way of clothing, or tools, just what\'s in my pack, and my sword--\"

\"I will give you an advancement so that you may find some appropriate things in Diagon Alley,\" Albus assured her as they stopped before a portrait at the end of an impossibly long hallway. Arista studied it and the swirling fiery colors that surrounded the night-mare as the two horned horse pawed and bobbed it\'s head in Arista\'s direction.

\"The doorways to the rooms and houses are guarded by a password that only the owner of the rooms knows the password. Of course there is a default known by me in case there is an emergency.\"

The woman nodded absently as she placed a hand on the frame. \"Vashneela,\" she murmured to the picture, watching in fascination as the horse-creature blew flame out of its nostrils in recognition and slid aside to reveal her new living quarters. Richly colored and decorated, it reminded her of her rooms at the Castle before she moved into her own house. \"It\'s wonderful, Albus.\"

\"I\'ll let you get aquainted with your rooms,\" Albus said as he ducked his head in through the picture. \"There is a staff meeting this afternoon. Three o\'clock in the staffing room. Classes begin in two weeks.\"

\"Two weeks?! Where the heck is this staffing room? Albus? Albus!\"

***

The staff of Hogwarts sat at the round table as Albus offerred tea and sweets to the teachers. Only one seat remained empty, and that was the one between McGonagall and Snape. \"Have you been able to find a DADA professor, Albus?\" McGonagall asked lightly as the other professors fidgetted.

\"Why, yes I did, Minerva. A lovely girl, lovely girl. I didn\'t take her as the tardy sort, of course. I do remember telling her that the meeting was at three.\"

\"Is she a former student here?\"

\"No.\"

\"Albus.\" McGonagall leaned forward. \"Does this girl know how to get here?\"

The eyes on Dumbledore\'s face suddenly twinkled in realization. \"Oh dear.\"

The door slammed open, startling a few of the teachers. Some crazed woman with her blonde hair wild poked her head in with an insane look to her eyes. She started only slightly at the looks the other professors were giving her and then glared at the Headmaster. \"*Thank you* so...MUCH for those lovely directions you gave me, sir. I hardly had much trouble finding the blasted place. \" She slid within the door and straightened her rumpled dress out to make somewhat of a more dignified entrance. With all the air of a queen, she strode to the last empty seat and sat, ignoring the strange looks she received from the pictures and people alike.

Dumbledore nodded benignly and passed a cup of tea down to her. \"Wizards and Witches, may I introduce Arista Starfyr?\"

All eyes went to look at Arista\'s grey eyes. She took each one in turn and nodded slowly. \"There\ sta stair that eats people,\" she commented carefully.

\"Seventh step, stair forty-two,\" piped up a diminutive wizard. He smiled brightly at the new teacher. \"Fillius Flitwick, Charms.\"

Arista nodded, suddenly realizing that they were introducing the topics they taught, as well. A great wail jolted Arista out of the uneasy comfort she had and swerved in her seat to look at Sibyll Trelawney, the Professor of Diviniation, swoon in her seat. She slowly removed her hand from under the table, noting that the Potions Master took note of her motions. *Better keep watch on this one, he\'s as keen as the Dragon is.*

\"Terrible things you have been through!\" Trelawney began. The other professors merely rolled their eyes as Albus looked on with interest. \"I see a dark sword, and red eyes...\" The thick rimmed glasses practically stared into her soul. \"A unicorn! And death!\" The woman fell back into a moaning swoon.

\"She always does that to the new professors,\" McGonagall whispered in her ear. \"Something about breaking in the new teachers, and all.\"

Arista smiled politely, slowly drawing her left arm below the table. \"All fun and games until someone pokes out an eye, I\'m sure.\" Another one she\'d have to look out for. Then Dumbledore cleared his throat, and the meeting began. It mostly dealt with finances and who was allotted what amount of galleons for their lessons for the first quarter. Arista\'s thoughts went to her own classes. Seven years, seven grades she needed to teach, but they each had a different level of control over magic. She had no idea how to teach them, or what, although Dumbledore knew exactly what she needed to do. Then a thought struck her.

\"Sleeping draughts,\" Arista murmured when the question was posed to her as to what she needed. \"Sleeping draughts that last one class, and do not inhibit dreaming. In fact, if they enhance dreaming, that would be good.\" Her eyes slid over to Snape, who\'s eyes were already narrowed at her.

\"Intend to teach your class while they are asleep, Professor?\" Snape drawled with a sneer upturning the corner of his mouth.

Arista flashed a snide grin of her own. \"Observant, aren\'t we? Yes, I intend to do just that. For the later years, at least. Albus said that the reason I was here was to teach the students to use magic without the tools of the trade. Dream Weaving is one of those skills imperative to defending oneself. It\'s a lot like...Occlumency, I believe.\"

Ah, that got Snape\'s goat. His eyes flashed wide and then narrowed suspiciously to dart towards Dumbledore as pink flushed his cheeks. Arista nodded to herself as she kept speaking. \"I think that this will be reserved for the Sixth and Seventh years, while the youngsters receive the basics. As an added bonus, the students would be able to perfect their potions skills by making the draught, or would you leave the task to yourself, Professor Snape?\"

His head snapped to look at her, slapping tendrils of hair across his forehead. His eyes glared heat at her, and Arista barely suppressed a shiver. \"I shall take the task upon myself, at first, Professor Starfyr, until the properties are correct.\"

\"Wonderful! I take it you\'ll be volunteering with me?\"

Snape\'s lip curled. \"If that would make you feel better that I\'m not poisoning you, Lady.\"

\"Splendid.\"

Albus clapped his hands together. \"Wonderful idea, Arista! Teamwork always makes the day seem shorter.\"

There was an additional half hour of talk before the meeting was finally adjourned. The last five minutes became a \'20 questions\' session between the professors and Arista herself. \"What school did you go to, dear?\"

\"I\'m afraid it\'s name is lost in the pages of history,\" Arista answered. \"Besides, it wasn\'t of this world-\"

\"Which house to you belong to?\"

\"I serve under House Draco, but my family is Unis,\" she replied to Snape\'s query.

\"I meant, which house would you be rooting for during the Quidditch matches.\"

\"Quidditch?\"

\"There is much you need to learn in these two weeks, Arista,\" Albus stated. \"They will help you. See you at dinner.\" He rose from his seat and walked out of the staffing room. Arista watched him go with her jaw open. She had finally met her match.

**

She rubbed the circles from her eyes. Two weeks of cramming took their toll on her sleeping patterns, or lack thereof. Arista watched the moon from the window of one of the towers the night before the students were to arrive. Nearly full, it told her of possibilities that may arise. After learning of the houses here at Hogwarts, she decided to keep to her own house and family. She wore no robes with the Hogwarts emblem, and her garb held the blue and silver colors of her house which had no affiliation to the school itself.

\"Have you picked up your things needed at Diagon Alley, already?\" questioned a deep voice behind her.

Arista swerved and crouched low to face her opponent. Snape sneered back at her as she straightened. \"Um, no. I haven\'t done that, yet. I forgot, with all the things I needed to know.\"

\"Well, I suspect that you should floo there early in the morning so that you will be ready by the Feast,\" Snape continued. \"Good night.\"

\"Severus, wait.\" Arista touched the back of his elbow just as he was about to step away from her. \"I\'ve never been there, even though Albus has given me a list of the proper things I may need. You wouldn\'t mind escorting me, would you?\"


\"Are you asking me on a date, Starfyr?\" One eyebrow arched as dark eyes pierced Arista.

\"Many of the things I need are from potion type shops. I would think you know of the best and highest quality places. You don\'t have to come, I\'ll ask Minerva, if you are so busy.\"

\"That won\'t be necessary,\" he replied a little too quickly. \"It is most fortunate for you that my lesson plans are prepared for the week. Meet me at my office no later than eight, and we will collect your things like a first year\'s.\" Snape\'s lofty voice carried down through the hall as Arista smiled gratefully at him.

\"Thank you, Severus. Everyone needs to begin somewhere. Dragon\'s guard your path, this night.\" She gave him a curtsy and flowed back to her rooms. The hem of her dress brushed against his dark robes as she passed him.

Snape glowered deeply. Since when were his menancing features enough to bring a warm and welcoming smile from a woman? He concluded that Arista was not right in the head, and definitely should be avoided at all costs. It was quiet possible that she could give Albus a run for his money with her innanity. As he stalked back to his own rooms, he couldn\'t quite get the scent of jasmine and lavender out of his head. The scent followed her everywhere. Blasted woman.