Buried History

Chapter 2 Introductions and Mind Games

Harry sat on the train with Hermione and Ron. He had loads to tell them. Nothing particularly interesting had happened up until two weeks ago, when the Headmaster had rescued him from the Dursley's. He would have told them sooner, but it wasn't really a conversation to have had at the Burrow.

"Harry, you said you have something to tell us?" Hermione prodded curiously. Her best friend seemed a little antsy ever since he arrived at the Weasley's home.

"Yeah, I do. It's really important, so I'm going to lock the door." Harry answered as he stood up and closed the compartment door.

"What is it mate?" Ron asked impatiently.

Harry sat down and started recounting what had just recently happened.

"So, Dumbledore came to get me at the Dursley's and brought me somewhere strange. It was a really big house, really big and it looked like someone quite wealthy lived there." He started, nervously. "Um, he knocked on the door and a bloody butler answered it along with a house elf. I'm not even kidding."

Hermione and Ron's eyes widened.

"Yeah, my point exactly. We were brought to a type of parlour or living room and a few minutes later, this woman entered the room and said that she'd been waiting a really long time for our visit." He continued.

"Who was she?" Ron asked.

"He's getting to that, Ron!" Hermione snapped, for she too was eager to hear more.

"Anyway, she was really beautiful and she was wearing a long black dress with black robes and long sleeves. Her hair was a dark brown, nearly raven and curly. And her eyes, Merlin, her eyes were a pale green...almost a minty type of green. It's insane. They were her most prominent feature." Harry rambled.

"And?" The Gryffindor witch prodded.

"Oh, right. She didn't act like everyone else did when she saw me. She seemed almost disgusted, but I wouldn't know. She spoke in a really monotonous voice and wore an emotionless face most of the time, but occasionally, Dumbledore managed to make her smile." He said.

"Harry, mate, we don't bloody care!" Ron exclaimed.

"Oh. Sorry, I keep getting distracted." He apologized.

"We can tell, Harry." Hermione said gently.

"Um, where was I? Right! Turns out, she's going to be teaching at Hogwarts this year, but she seems a little suspicious. Dumbledore says that he's known her a while and she'll be good on the team, but I have weird feeling." Harry mumbled.

Ron and Hermione looked at each other.

"What type of feeling, Harry?" Ron asked.

The boy with the spectacles shrugged. "I don't know, she just seemed... Too perfect. I get distracted when I think of her and it feels wrong. I don't think she is exactly who she claims to be." He tried to explain. "And, it didn't really hurt, per se... But my scar prickled a little. It felt very strange. It felt like it was trying to warn me, but something or someone was soothing the pain. I think it was her."

"That's very strange." Hermione noted.

"What was her name? Maybe dad knows her." Ron asked.

"Eliza Barron."

****

"Professor Barron will be joining us this year as Potions' Mistress." Dumbledore announced.

The Great Hall burst into cheers as the new teacher stood and bowed slightly.

"Would you like to say a few words?" The Headmaster offered.

The woman nodded and approached Dumbledore's stand, her long robe and dress trailing behind her.

"Attention students." She called out, in a clear, crisp voice, coated with the slightest foreign accent, nearly undetectable. "I am honoured to have been selected to work amongst you all here at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as your new Potions' Mistress."

The students clapped as did the staff.

"I understand that most of you had troubles with your previous Professor?" She asked.

Many of them cheered and all of them nodded.

"Well, my apologies in advance because with me, it will be much, much worse." Eliza said darkly. "I have met your former teacher and he seems kind and generous in comparison to me. I anticipate our time in class together eagerly." She finished and sat down in her chair to the Deputy's left.

The dark haired witch turned to face the Head of Gryffindor. "Do you think I've scared them?"

Minerva glanced around the room and turned back to the younger witch. "Most certainly. I quite enjoyed the part about Severus being kind and generous in comparison. Very clever on your part, Eliza, dear."

The Potions' Mistress smiled and felt prickling in her back, as though someone were watching her. She turned and stared at the gazer straight in the eye.

'Caught you, Professor Snape.' She said, sending a silent message into the Dark wizard's mind.

His eyes widened in shock. How had she been able to penetrate his mind with such ease. There had been no mental effort at all. All this time, he had been trying to penetrate hers.

All she did was look into his eyes...

There was something very strange about Eliza Barron.