Virginia followed Severus Snape. She really
wished to turn back and run away, but it was just an unrealistic thought.

  “Jobberknoll!”
Snape muttered. It was so quirky a password that Virginia thought it must be
somehow related to potions ingredients or dark magic. But she had no time to
deliberate about that. She began to sweat again and called herself a coward
repeatedly in her mind.

  “Oh!
That’s a first-year student! From Ravenclaw!” a voice rang behind.

  “What
do you say does Snape want to do?”

  “I
think…..”

  “…Well,
actually…..”

  The
whole room was whispering. Virginia knew that these portraits belonged to the
headmasters of Hogwarts who had already passed away. Did people realize that
they spoke too little when they were alive after they passed away?

  “Silence!”
Severus Snape turned back suddenly. He glanced over the portraits on the wall
and silence did fall in the room.

  “Ms.
Winchester,” his voice rang as though he was merely reading a name from a
paper, “I don’t think you are as frightened as you seem to be. Oh yes, this is
obvious. Now let’s have a small test about it.”

  Stay
vigilant, Virginia thought. She quickly lowered her head and entered into a
highly stressed condition. Obviously Snape noticed all these, for his thin face
seemed to show slight amusement, “Your wand! Ms. Winchester, give me your wand!”

  Virginia
took her wand out, trembling from head to feet. Recalling the situation of
choosing the wand, she suddenly gained some courage. “What do you want to do
with it?” she asked with trembling but clear voice.

  “Ah,
I need to examine it. Now I believe you should hand it to me.” He said in a low
voice.

  Virginia
reluctantly gave it to Severus Snape.  “Very
special…” Snape said under his breath, “Priorincantato!” He suddenly said an
incantation loudly.

  Virginia
knew it was used to show spells she had performed previously. “Er…” Snape’s
voice grew quirky, “The Disillusionment Charm. Our clever Ravenclaw first-year
Ms. Winchester has already mastered this advanced spell before staying at
Hogwarts for even one week! This isn’t some sort of surprise right? Ms.
Winchester?”

  As
a spy, Snape is rather sensitive toward the surroundings. At the new-semester
feast he noticed someone staring surreptitiously at him. He didn’t discover who
that was, but he didn’t forget either.

  He
also noticed six first-year Muggle-borns who claimed to have wizarding
relatives. He really doubted that, but he didn’t have the interest to report
them to the Dark Lord.

  This
Virginia Winchester is the only one of the six who ended up in Ravenclaw. He
didn’t observe her on purpose, but he noticed occasionally that she seemed not
to be noticed by others. She had fair grades, not too outstanding but
nevertheless acceptable. She liked to stay in the dorm or library during spare
time. A knowledge lover, that wasn’t perculiar at all for a Ravenclaw. But she
seemed to be exaggeratingly careful.

  She
always kept her head down when walking in the corrider. At her height she
cannot be seen by Snape at all unless she raise her head, but she still kept
her head down. Well, maybe this is just one of her habits. If all these were
not peculiar, then it grew more quirky – he stopped noticing her.

  He
was too busy. He was busy solving stupid problems created by the silly Carrow
brother-sisters; he was busy dealing with endless troubles made by the reckless
lions. And that damn DA, and he had to complete tasks from the Dark Lord; he
didn’t even have time to play with his dear Potions.

  And
that damn Dumbledore, asking the brainless Potter to do dangerous things! He
thinks he had a fair understanding of what that was about!

  So
that day he nearly walked into the Ravenclaw girl, whom he had nearly
forgotton. That was strange, for he was good at observing details. He had to
learn about this.

  Watching
the quiet girl standing in front of him with her head down, Snape broke the silence.

  “Oh,
I wonder what Ms. Winchester has to do with the Disillusionment Charm. That was
highly advanced, that was….. What did you do with it?” Snape said softly, but
Virginia felt dangerous, so she answered carefully, “I just learnt about it to
check how it works, sir.” This time her voice was rather steady and she was surprised
not to feel that nervous. She seemed to have got used to the situation.

  This,
then, was how to transcend one’s limit. She thought ironically.

  “You
seem sepcial, Ms. Winchester.”This time Snape assumed a cold voice, “According
to my knowledge, your parents are both Muggles, aren’t they? Now look at me and
answer my question!”

  But
then he suddenly moved slightly back. Virginia felt the movement, and heard him
shout, “Now go away! Get back to your dorm! Now! At once! And don’t forget your
wand! Ms. Winchester, we shall go on later!” Virginia suddenly raised her head
and surprise was written in her pale face. And then she saw the pale jaw,
bloodless mouth lips, thin face, the holy eyes, and…. the tightly grapped left
arm.

  Seeming
shocked by Virginia’s sudden raise of head, Snape was lost for a second before
he loosed his grap pretendedly and shouted, “I said, go away now! At once!”

  Virginia
grabbed her wand and ran out. She ran all the way to her dorm and lied down on
her bed as though a ghost was chasing after her.