Chapter 1

In Scotland's highlands, the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry sat behind his large wooden desk. Sounds of Albus Dumbledore's many contraptions and his Pheonix, Fawkes, crooning on his metal stand were filling the background, as he looked at the young girl that sat in one of the leather chairs across from him. Severus Snape, Hogwarts potions professor, stood beside her chair stiffly.

Sukaretto Mosukuwa brushed a strand of black hair behind her multiple pierced ear before running a tanned hand through the locks. Her brown eyes blinked at the headmaster, a smile gracing her lips, clearly pleased at how the previous discussion had gone. "I appreciate you allowing me to attend your school, headmaster," she said, "despite what I am."

"It wouldn't be the first time he has let a creature into the school," butted in Severus with a sneer, "despite the risk that they may present."

Albus gave Severus a look before shifting his gaze back to Sukaretto. "I'm sure that you won't cause any trouble." He smiled and gestured to the darkly dressed man beside her. "Severus here will help you with your needs, as he will be the only one of the staff aware of your status. Unless you decide to make them aware, of course. So, should you need anything, please go see him if I, myself, am unavailable."

Sukaretto glanced at Severus out of the corner of her eye, taking in the thin frame cloaked in flowing black, the sallow skin, and his large, hooked nose. His shoulder-length black hair framed his face like curtains, his lips pressed together into a hard line, and his dark tunnel-like eyes narrowed.

Besides his snide comment at her earlier, he hadn't spoken much. He looked like he wanted to protest this entire situation, yet he couldn't for whatever reason. She could understand a bit. She doubted anyone would want to deal with some teenager, especially one that wasn't human, and like he had stated, a creature that brought risks.

She stood to her feet and bowed slightly to the headmaster with a "thank you" before turning to Severus and doing the same much to his surprise. "Thank you for dealing with me. I hope to not be any trouble to you, sir."

Severus, taken aback by the gesture, stared down at the girl for a moment before nodding. "See to it that you're not."

Sukaretto simply nodded, not taking any offense to his cold and blunt words. She figured he was just like that.

"Now then," said Albus, clapping his hands together and rising from his chair. "There is much to do in such little time! We need to get you all your school things for the coming year, along with your wand. You did surprisingly well with a wand that wasn't yours; I'm curious to see how you will be with a wand uniquely your own..."

He walked to the door of the office and turned to look at the girl and Severus. "Shall we?"

Sukaretto smiled slightly, following the headmaster with Severus not far behind. "We shall."

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Sukaretto stood in the office of Severus Snape on August 31st, the night before the students would be returning to the school. She fiddled with her new wand in her hands; 14 1/2" larch wood with a dragon heartstring core Mr. Ollivander had told her. It took her a bit to get used to carrying the object around with her after she got it, but after the strangely exhilarating rush she had gotten when holding it for the first time, she couldn't picture herself parting from it. And Albus had been correct. Her magic and skill did improve when she had her own wand rather than the one that she had been lent.

She found that she was particularly good at charms and transfigurations. She assumed she would have been okay with potions if she had been skilled at cooking, as that is what the class seemed to be similar too, except for the risks of explosions. Defense Against the Dark Arts was an exciting subject; Sukaretto was only used to defending herself with her kagune and blunt strength. But she doubted Severus, who was the one teaching her as the new professor had yet to arrive, would be keen on being hit. Using a wand as a defense tool would take a bit to get used to.

Severus finally came through his office door, no longer wearing his usual cloak and instead in a black button-down and black pants. Seems like that was the only color the man ever wore. "Let's go, Miss Mosukuwa."

Sukaretto followed him out into the corridor and up out of the dungeons. The two hadn't spoken much since their last lesson a few days before. She had done her own research outside of her lessons and had come across some subjects that had piqued her interest. Namely things from the Hogwarts library's restricted section, but she kept where she had found the info to herself. The restricted area was restricted for a reason, after all.

She had asked Severus about it at the end of their lesson, hoping for further details; however, she was only snapped at by the potions professor and told to leave. Albus, after she had gone to him, had explained some things to her.

He informed her of the Dark wizard Voldemort, the war, and this boy Harry Potter. She had read recent newspapers that mentioned him, mostly bad-mouthing both him and Dumbledore, calling them insane and attention-seeking. She didn't particularly care about that; it wasn't what she was asking about anyway. She asked about the information she had come across, but Albus said they were the dark arts, dark magic, and to be wary and not to involve herself in them.

She had agreed with him behind a false smile. However, she continued her learning. After all, there was nothing wrong with reading on it, right? She was always a curious soul. It seemed that the Dark Arts were looked down upon by the majority of Wizarding Britain, though most were not illegal, besides the three Unforgivables. Sukaretto could see why some were...frowned upon, but why all dark arts in general?

It didn't make sense to her. Sukaretto shook herself from her thoughts as the pair stepped outside the school gates.

"Hold onto my arm," Severus said. She obeyed and lightly grasped the man's forearm. Suddenly, she felt as if her entire body was being pulled from all sides and through a tube, and then it was over. She stumbled, her stomach lurching as she let go of her professor's arm.

"Sorry," she mumbled, taking deep breaths to keep from throwing up. Looking up, she took in her surroundings. They were on a bridge, the only light source coming from a dully lit street lamp, and there was no one around. "Where are we?"

A soft Lumos came from Severus, and the tip of his wand brightened, providing extra light to the dark night. He started down the bridge's length near the railing, and Sukaretto jogged slightly to keep up with his long strides.

"Erskine, Scotland," he answered. "This is the Erskine Bridge. Albus informed me that you only...consume people who have already ended their lives, correct?"

She nodded, taking note of the disgust in his tone despite his neutral expression. "It is a route some ghouls take in a way to keep a low profile. It keeps us from putting ourselves in danger. Though not all ghouls are the same or have a similar 'lifestyle.'"

That was how she lived after she was able to escape Cochlea. She had been in the ghoul detention center in the 23rd ward since she was 12 years old. She didn't remember much of her life before that time, mainly because she didn't find it worth remembering. Living on the streets was difficult enough for anyone, but being a child and then being a ghoul added a lot more hardships.

"Well, there is an estimate of fifteen suicides that occur here per year. This is a good place to collect what you need."

They reached a metal stairway that led to the ground below. At the bottom, Sukaretto walked off, leaving Severus by the stairs. She lit her wand and sniffed around quietly. There was a body there, sprawled out face down in the dirt. She crouched beside it and flipped the body over, revealing the face of a young boy.

She stared down sadly at the boy, only a few years younger than herself by the looks of it. Green eyes stared upwards, dull and empty, dry blood covered one side of his head where she could see a stomach-churning wound that most likely came from the fall. Sukaretto hoped it had been quick, that he hadn't suffered the pain of bleeding out at the bottom of some bridge.

She brushed her fingers gently over his eyes, pushing his eyelids closed. "Rest easy, child, and may you find peace and happiness in the next life..."

She started pulling apart the body and packing the remains away into wrapped packages. She didn't want to waste time eating her fill then and there. There was a possibility of them being stumbled across, even at night. So she would eat when they returned to school and store the rest. This body would keep her sated for at least a month, based on the boy's size and age.

Tying the last of the strings tightly around the packages, she placed them in her bag and stood, making her way back to Severus, who hadn't moved from his spot.

"Your hands," he said, motioning for her to hold them out. She raised up her blood-covered hands.

He pointed his still lit wand at them. 'Tergeo.' And with the simple word, the blood disappeared from her palms, not even leaving stains behind. She'd have to remember that spell.

"Are you finished here, then?" He asked.

"Yes, this should last me a month, at the very least. So I won't be bothering you about it unless it's an emergency of some sort."

Severus nodded and held out his arm to the girl who took it, and together they apparated back to the school.

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The night of the sorting ceremony, Sukaretto could be found sitting cross-legged on the room's bed she was temporarily residing in. Her wand was in her hand, and a charms book in her lap. She raised her wand and aimed it at the desk chair she had placed in the center of the room.

'Flipendo!' A yellow flash erupted as she flicked her wand in movements that the book stated, the knock-back jinx slamming into the chair hard enough for two of the legs to break off. The rest of the chair fell to the floor. She smiled, feeling pleased with herself. Practice does make perfect.

With a simple 'Reparo,' the chair went back to its original state, just as a knock sounded at the door.

"One moment," she called, slipping off the bed and putting away the book, and making sure any items that she may or may not have...borrowed from the restricted section of the library were stored away in her trunk. Albus had informed her that regardless of what house she would be put in, she would be having her own room in the dorms and that her things would be there was she got there.

She locked her trunk and straightened her school robes before going to open the door. It was Albus like she assumed. He was dressed in bright blue robes.

"Are you ready, my dear? The students have just gotten off the train."

Sukaretto nodded, falling into step beside the headmaster down the corridor. She would be lying if she said she wasn't nervous. She always preferred being a sort of background type, but she knew that there would be some type of talk amongst the other students. Hogwarts didn't get exchanged students often.

The entered the Great Hall, which was empty besides the professors attending, and a toad looking woman dressing in all pink. She raised an eyebrow, but her attention was brought to Minerva McGonagall as the older woman approached her.

"Miss Musukawa," she greeted, placing a hand on her back and leading her into a side room off to the side of the teachers' table. "You're going to be sorted after the first years, just come out when we call you out, alright?"

She nodded, and Minerva went back out into the hall, just as 2nd-year students and above began filing into the hall. Sukaretto fiddled with her robe sleeves nervously as she peeked out the door but remaining out of sight. The students had seated themselves at their house tables, and the first years were in a small crowd at the foot of the steps. Minerva stood beside a stool, holding a raggedy old hat, the sorting hat she assumed, and a long piece of parchment. Sukaretto leaned back as Minerva began going through the sorting names. She took deep breaths to calm herself, and before she knew it, Minerva had finished with the first years.

Albus stood from his seat at the teachers' table, drawing the room's attention to him. "Now before we begin our lovely meal and handle this year's announcements, we have an exchange student coming from Edogawa Japan joining us for year'sth year. Please welcome Miss Sukaretto Musukawa."

Sukaretto stepped out of the side room hesitantly, as the room had filled with quiet murmurs, and she could see the students staring at her curiously, as she expected. She walked up to where Minerva was and sat down on the stool as she was instructed, and soon her vision was blocked by the hat.

Interesting. Came a voice in her ear, causing her to jump a little. Albus had explained how the sorting hat would work, but it was still unnerving. Not every day that you hear a voice talking to you in your head.

Freaky... She thought. What she assumed to be a chuckle sounded in her head.

Ah, the realist type, powerful and ambitious. Resourceful to a T, And a curious strive for knowledge...a leader, in a way. Better be...

"SLYTHERIN."

The hat was lifted from Sukaretto's head, and to her far right, the students were clapping. She got up from the stool and walked over to the Slytherin table. Seated towards the end of the table with the other older years, she found herself across from a boy that looked around the same year as her.

The boy had short, dirty blonde hair, and he sat slouched forward slightly, his head leaned against his hand as his green eyes watched Albus at the front.

He must have felt her gaze on him because he glanced over at her and the corner of his mouth twitched upwards as he nodded at her in acknowledgment.

Albus introduced the new professors and some of the more essential school rules that Sukaretto had already heard about. He was interrupted once by a toad looking woman in an all-pink outfit. She announced herself as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. She was a ministry official, according to the students whispering around her.

Her sickly, sweet, and artificial voice had her cringing.

The feast began, food appearing on the tables and loud chatter filling the room. Sukaretto sighed and reluctantly began putting food onto her place like the rest of her housemates.

She mostly pushed the food around her plate, cutting them into small pieces and only taking a few bites to keep up appearances. She could handle one night of this.

Disgusting...

"So, Japan, huh?"

Sukaretto looked up at the boy across from her. "Yes."

"The accent definitely gives you away," he chuckled. "Did you go to one of the magical institutions there?"

"No, I actually didn't know about magic until this past year."

The boy stared at her. "You must learn fast then."

She smiled. "I guess you can say that." She placed down her fork. She was done pretending. "Your name?" She asked.

"Oh, sorry. I'm Terence. Terence Higgs. 7th year."

"Nice to meet you, Higgs."

Sukaretto fell silent as Higgs became focused on his food, and his friends pulled him into a conversation. She was pulled in a couple of times by them, and she answered the usual questions.

Soon, the feast ended, and Sukaretto walked with Higgs and his group to the Slytherin common room where one of her dorm mates showed her up. A pretty redhead named Rachel. She thanked her and immediately headed into the restroom, shutting the door behind her and placing herself on the floor in front of the toilet.

Using tap water, she relieved herself from the little but still disgusting food she had consumed. Hopefully, she would be able to avoid doing this often. She left the dorm and walked into the hall and to the railing that overlooked the common room. She saw Higgs sitting with his friends. Once he noticed her, she pointed her thumb behind her and mouthed 'tired' before going back and crawling into bed.