Accidents of Circumstance

Chapter One: Know thy enemy

The Great Hall was buzzing with the usual gossip. The students were back from vacation, fresh from a holiday full of Christmas presents and time with their families. The spring term had just begun, and their mysterious Alternative Magic teacher had never arrived for the elective class. Students from all four houses had been invited to participate, but as there had been no class yet, no one knew who had signed up for the elective. Hermione Granger had somehow managed to convince Ron Weasley and Harry Potter to take the class with her. The argument that knowledge of more magic could save their lives was probably the one that had convinced them. It was either that or they had merely wanted to stop her nagging.

There had been speculation among the students of course. There was always going to be gossip. The current favorites included the missing Alternative Magic teacher, the lake, the whomping willow and an ill-fated romantic triangle. Some of the Slytherins had begun telling tales of gambling debts and secret duels. The stories often changed, and the teacher sometimes died at the end of them.

Dinner was already underway when the doors to the Great Hall burst open. A young woman in her midtwenties stormed into the hall. She was wearing a black felt coat that hung past her knees and a black hat. She was wearing dark trousers of some sort, and black boots that rang hollowly along the stone floor. There was a burgundy scarf wrapped around her throat, the only splash of color.

Dumbledore didn't appear particularly worried or surprised. He stood. "Miss Vial..." He pronounced it Vee-all.

"I'm so sorry, Albus, I missed the train at King's Cross!"

All of the students were silenced by the display. The woman's voice was flatly accented; she was an American. She walked with large strides between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables. The coat swung open as she rounded the tables, and she whipped off the hat to shove into the coat pocket. Black hair tumbled down. She mounted the steps to the professor's table two at a time and then walked straight up to Dumbledore. The other teachers had varying looks of worry on their faces, which made some of the students uneasy. She was some foreign stranger after all...

She hugged Dumbledore tightly, and he returned it. "I thought you would have been earlier, dear."

"The cabbie got lost. And so I had to try and get directions..." She looked around the table as she took off her coat. The students saw a burgundy V-neck shirt with ruffles at the sleeves, and she was wearing a large belt with metal grommets. The trousers turned out to be indigo-dyed jeans, widely cut so that they hung straight down from her hips and the belt was the only thing keeping them up. She had on a black velvet choker with a silver ankh dangling from it, amethyst set on a long silver chain and jade knotted into red string. At her wrists were leather cuffs with metal spikes set into them.

Her face was pleasant looking, with wide set hazel eyes ringed with heavy black kohl and an upturned violet mouth. She looked tanned, as if she had just come from somewhere warm, and wore the coat and hat for the Scottish winter.

"Where am I sitting?" she asked.

Dumbledore only smiled in response, and house elves arrived bearing a chair and silverware. "You do like scenes, don't you?"

"Well, the elves absolutely refused to let me eat in the kitchen. They took my trunk as soon as I arrived, but I ran off before they could snatch the coat off my back. They got my gloves, though, right off my hands."

"Ah... I should have warned you that they were a little eager to meet you."

"Yes, but where would you have sent the owl? I only just managed to find one at the platform... I was held up at the Ministry, I'm sorry."

"It's quite all right... As long as you're here..."

"Well, I had to get here somehow. When the cabbie rounded the same block for the third time, I got out in the middle of some sleazy neighborhood and asked for directions. Some nice Goth and Punk kids gave me great directions."

"That explains the outfit."

"What?" She looked down at herself and then flashed Dumbledore a brilliant grin. "Oh no, I left the Ministry dressed like this. I wanted to be comfy on the train."

Dumbledore smiled as she began to drape her coat over the back of the chair that had been set out for her. Scandalized, house elves whisked it away. "I'd say you'd be comfortable anywhere, dear."

"Well, yes. Oh! They took my coat! I had another letter in my pocket..."

"We should discuss this after dinner."

She looked around for the first time, seeing the gaping faces of all the students staring up at her. Never one to quail from such a silly little thing as scenes, she grinned. She swept herself up into a grandiose bow, and then stood at her full height. She had a friendly smile on her face, and spoke very sweetly. "Hello everyone. I'm Regina Vial, your new teacher for the elective Alternative Magic. I'm sorry for the delay, but things get very tense in the worst part of London."

And with that pearl of noninformation, she sat down at her seat between Professors McGonagall and Flitwick, and began to eat her dinner.

The talking began again in earnest, centered around the dark-haired stranger with the peaceful smile that was talking to the Transfiguration and Charms teachers as if she had known them for years and was simply catching up.

Hermione looked across the table at Harry and Ron. "You see? A character like that, it can't be a boring class."

Harry grinned. "I guess not. Sorry we doubted you, Mione."

"Think about it, too... if she can get through dangerous places in Muggle London, she should know some good protective spells." Ron looked up at her, gesturing animatedly for Flitwick's benefit. "We could at least ask."

"It will be after Potions tomorrow," Hermione said. "We'll ask after class."

"You memorized the schedule already? It's only the first day!" Ron cried. Hermione didn't dignify that with a response.

Harry was looking up at the professors' table, and noticed that Snape was looking at Regina Vial with an even more sour look on his face than normal. If he hated her that much, apparently this teacher was more interesting than they had thought.

***

Regina settled into the comfy armchair across from Dumbledore's cluttered desk and crossed her legs, right over left. The right leg jiggled a little bit as Dumbledore sat down. He opened a desk drawer and pulled out a little drawstring bag. "Chocolate frogs?"

Regina grinned in response and patted her stomach. "No thanks, I'm already stuffed."

Dumbledore retrieved a frog, then put the bag away. He savored the chocolate, then looked at Regina with a twinkle in his eye. "How is everything, then?"

"All set, prepared and ready to go in a worse case scenario," Regina chirped.

Dumbledore gave her a look. "With you, dear. I saw how Severus was looking at you during dinner."

"Was he?" Regina shrugged. The only outward sign of her discomfort was to recross her legs, left over right. "I was busy talking to Minerva and Filius. They wanted to hear about my schools and how they're doing."

Dumbledore didn't bother to heave a sigh. He already knew it wouldn't work. "How did the meeting with the Ministry go?"

Regina stopped slouching now, and snorted. "Impossible. At least you warned me. I brought a children's book called 'How Things Work' for Arthur Weasley. I thought he was going to kiss me right there. The reason I was late is that it so much time to explain to him how my Muggle artifacts worked. Fudge and the rest were the same old windbag bureaucrats that exist on my side of the pond. I hate them all."

Dumbledore made a clucking noise. "That's not terribly politic of you."

"I save that for the tearful parents thinking their children are controlling poltergeists."

Dumbledore grinned back at Regina's playful expression. "And how are your schools doing? I missed the explanation at dinnertime."

"They're doing great." Regina warmed to the subject, uncrossing her legs and leaning forward as she talked. "We're up to six schools now. There's the New York one, of course, Boston, San Francisco, Dallas, Chicago and New Orleans. The St. Louis branch is looking to open on schedule. The latest recruiting effort found almost fifty students."

"Fifty..." Dumbledore looked impressed. "And they do have magic talent, of course."

"Of course. The latest bloomer's fourteen. That posed a little bit of a problem, but considering how Andrea was sixteen two years ago, I think Ethan will do nicely."

"You still remember their names?"

"Well, I'm in the process of writing Andrea a college recommendation," Regina said with a small laugh. "I've had a chance to refresh my memory."

"It's amazing how many are missed over there."

"Too many different kinds of ley lines. The magic is different, a little more raw and wild out there." Regina shrugged. "At least I found out that it was suppressed talent, and that they can still tap it. Otherwise, they'd probably wind up in jail."

"You are quite the success in your field," Dumbledore said quietly. "It's why I asked you to teach, you know."

"Aw... and I thought it was just for my security skills."

Dumbledore's gaze sharpened. "Things have gotten more dangerous since last we spoke. I hope you've heard about the last batch of killings."

The smirk was wiped off Regina's face. "I did. I received your owl after that. I was in Des Moines at the time, recruiting Ethan, as a matter of fact. It's... Things are still doable. Nothing's changed in my plans. I did tell the guys to keep things under even tighter wraps, and that they have to be even more careful. But other than that... they're still set on helping."

"It's a completely unorthodox plan."

"Which is why it'll work. Your Ministry of Magic is set on ignoring the fact that their greatest threat is still alive and well. Mine doesn't seem to care too much, since Voldemort doesn't seem to believe that America's worth his time."

"Too many Muggles, I believe."

"Well, that's his mistake. He's overconfident and your Ministry is bowled over and exposing its throat. I hope it doesn't come to it, but I did plan for drastic measures. You approved," Regina added, her voice slightly questioning.

"I still do. And as Headmaster of this school, it's my duty to make sure that the children are safe, regardless of what threatens us."

"But you don't like it."

"Of course not."

"Then it better not come to last resorts."

"Anything can happen."

"I know. Accidents of circumstance, twists of fate..." Regina's voice trailed. "It's better to be prepared for the worst and not have to use it."

"I understand. But to think that things have come this far..."

"They've made more overt threats to Harry?"

"I've done my best to shield them from him. He knows something is going on. He and his friends are smart enough to figure something out."

"They won't win against this on their own."

"Not as they stand now."

Regina grinned. "Which is where I come in."

"Be careful. I cannot tell you enough how dangerous this is."

Her grin became rakish. "I always did like a challenge."

Dumbledore sighed. "Just be careful."

"I will... You've seen my syllabus."

"Yes. It's much tamer than it could have been."

"Ah. But you never play all your cards in the first round. Otherwise, people know too soon where your weaknesses are."

***

The next morning, the students filed into the Alternative Magic class. Regina Vial was sitting on the desk in the front of the room, looking up towards the door. She was dressed in a red shirt and blue jeans, just as informally as the day before. The multiple necklaces and garish goth makeup were gone. The classroom was arranged amphitheater style, with benches and long tables, wall sconces every few feet and a blackboard behind the desk. The students quickly arranged themselves into their respective groupings and waited for Regina Vial to begin.

"Hello. As I've announced last night, I'm Regina Vial. You may call me Professor Vial or even Regina. I'm not going to get mad if you do. I doubt any of you have any idea who I am or what I do. So, I'm going to introduce myself, and then this course.

"I attended Briarwood, New England's answer to Hogwarts beginning at age seven." She waited for the murmurs of shock to die down. "I was something of a prodigy, smashing vases and windows without touching them. It was safer to let me go to school early and control my powers than to have me stay at home and wait until I was eleven, as is customary. I did well, and graduated with high honors at fourteen. From there, I went on to Muncan University, and graduated with high honors at seventeen. I attended the Muggle institution called New York University, situated in New York City, if any of you have heard of it, and received a Master's in social work when I was nineteen.

"I have been involved with various research projects, and I'm a member of both Magical and Muggle research groups. I work with parapsychologists, psychologists, social workers and educators all over the United States. I originally started at fourteen with the idea that various parapsychological phenomena could be linked to undeveloped magical ability. From there, I was not only able to prove that theory, I've also developed ways to detect children whose magical ability was somehow passed over when it became time to attend Briarwood or Ridgehall. I've developed several small schools that are a cross between Muggle and Magical schools, so that they have a well-rounded education and can ultimately choose which world they want to be part of. It's safer to tame wild magic than to let it loose.

"I've also written articles in several different journals, Muggle and Magical, and have continued several different research projects. I was attending a conference here in England last year and met Professor McGonagall. Through her, I got an introduction to Headmaster Dumbledore. We've spoken on several occasions, and we have decided that it may be beneficial to share some of the esoteric knowledge I've gathered over the years.

"And yes, I'm older than I look."

There was silence for a long moment. "Behind me is the syllabus..." With a wave of her hand, the syllabus appeared on the previously blank blackboard behind her. It clearly stated the dates of each class, as well as written and practical exams. "I will be available after my class and after all classes are over right here in this room. For emergencies, there's always my quarters, I suppose, which is in the main part of the castle. The map on the right hand side of the board will tell you how to get there." Most of the students, Hermione included, began copying down the syllabus and directions immediately.

Regina pushed herself off the desk, and took up the roll of parchment that had been lying there behind her. "I'm going to do a roll call. I've noticed a fine distribution among the different houses, with most of you being sixth years. Don't worry, you're all going to be on the same level for this class, regardless of age."

Hermione, Harry and Ron had all noticed Draco Malfoy and two other Slytherins in the class. Harry was secretly glad that there were more Gryffindors than Slytherins in their year attending the class. Perhaps Draco wouldn't spoil it for everyone.

Draco was keeping a running commentary on all the students with Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson. Regina had gone through the class roster starting with the first years, of which there were four, straight through to the sixth years. No seventh years had opted to take her class. Aside from the three Slytherins were six Ravenclaws, two Hufflepuffs and five Gryffindors. By the time Regina had finished the roll call, the three sixth year Slytherins were in quiet hysterics and the five Gryffindors looked ready to start throwing hexes.

Regina hadn't made any fuss over having the great Harry Potter, Boy Who Lived, in her class. Perhaps she hadn't heard of him in America? Harry secretly hoped it was the case. He was sick of being treated like everyone's hero, saving the entire Wizarding World by default. Maybe he could finally pretend he was an ordinary student.

Regina ignored Draco, and levitated a tray full of tea light candles. Without a wand.

The snickering stopped, and everyone looked at their silent teacher in awe.

"When I said I was a prodigy, I wasn't making it up," she said in a quiet tone. "We will cover two aspects of Alternative Magic this term. First, we will cover wandless magic. For the second half of the semester, we will start with elementary blood magic. Both are very, very difficult to master, and can be very difficult to pick up on. It's not just waving your hands around and saying some words. It's about control, it's about focus. Any kind of magic can be inherently dangerous, and should you be caught without your wand, even a simple Incendio spell can be severely damaging. It was decided that I would try to teach you elementary spells using these techniques. There's no textbook for this, no amount of reading can prepare you for a class like this. It's all about participation and understanding the flow of magic."

At the mention of a lack of textbook, most students were happy. Hermione looked a bit distressed at the "no amount of reading can prepare you" part of the speech.

"I guess that Mudblood Granger will finally fail a class," Draco sneered from the rear of the room. His tone was just loud enough to drift over to the cluster of Gryffindors, composed of Hermione, Harry, Ron, Dean Thomas and Neville Longbottom.

Regina appeared oblivious, as she was distributing the tea lights. Several were on the desk in the front of the classroom. "Now, we're going to start with that Incendio spell I mentioned. It also gives a wicked cool effect."

The room dimmed as the students shifted uneasily in their seats. Suddenly, it seemed as though this class was going to be harder than they thought.

"Would a student like to volunteer?" Regina asked. It was silent. "Hm... stage fright. I don't blame you. How about... Neville Longbottom? Can you come to the front of the room?"

Neville looked as though he were about to faint. "Y-yes, Professor Vial."

"This ought to be good," Draco muttered. The Gryffindors looked mutinous.

Neville slowly walked to the front of the room. Regina held out a tea light for him to take, and he reluctantly did so. "This spell is easy enough for you with your wand, but I want you to keep it on my desk-"

"Careful, he'll burn it down," Draco called out, emboldened by Regina's continued silence. Blaise and Pansy didn't bother to keep back their laughter now.

Regina looked up from Neville's mortified face and then turned to face the class. Her face was cold, the friendly look completely gone. She stalked up to Draco, her eyes glittering, then loomed over his desk. It wasn't rage, but waves of something were palpably radiating from her tense form. The Slytherins would have called it sheer power.

"You will not cause a disturbance in my class. You will not berate your fellow students while in my class, regardless of year or House. You will not destroy confidences simply because it amuses you to do so." The scorn in her voice was painful to hear.

"My father-"

"If you think I give a damn about your father, you are sorely mistaken," Regina interrupted in a chill voice. "Your father is not in my class, is he? You are. Which means you are accountable for your own actions, and you will be. If you are not ready to learn anything, get out of my classroom. I will not have you disturbing my students."

Draco was stunned. This upstart American, who worked with Muggles, was talking down to him? A Malfoy? "This is a mistake..." he began.

"You're right, it is. Get out of my class."

The room was painfully silent. "What?" Draco finally managed to stammer.

"Get out of my class." Each syllable was enunciated clearly. "I don't want you back unless you're ready to learn something."

"But..."

"Get out." The quiet menace was chilling. Draco found himself rising to his feet. "Don't come back into my classroom with any of your prejudice." She pointed at the door in the back of the classroom. "Leave now."

In a daze, Draco paused at the threshold to the classroom when Regina called out his name. He turned to look at her. "Ten points from Slytherin," Regina added, voice bland and somehow bored. "Be glad it isn't more."

And then the door shut in his face.

Draco had never been thrown out in his life. And certainly not for making fun of the Gryffindors. There had to be some kind of mistake...

He went to Snape's office. As Head of Slytherin House, there had to be something he could do to rectify this situation.

Inside the Alternative Magic classroom, the students were silent. With a sigh, Regina leaned against her desk. "I had thought the fact that I had opened my class to all years and all houses was sign enough of what I wanted. Apparently not. I don't want any of your petty house rivalries in my classroom. I don't want any of your interpersonal vendettas being acted out in my classroom. This is a place of learning, where every single one of you are equal. Equal. As in, no one is better than anyone else. No house is better than any other. No year is better than any other. You are all exactly the same the minute you step into my classroom. And I want this made perfectly clear."

She took the silence for assent and began.

"Neville... you know the Incendio charm, right?" She waited until he nodded. "Normally, you would point your wand at this candle, speak and it would light. But now, you're not going to use your wand. It's easier for some people to close their eyes, and visualize the candle lighting itself." Regina waited a beat. "I want you to try this."

"But I'm no good at magic," Neville whispered.

"Of course you are, otherwise you wouldn't be here. Now I want you to try, as hard as you can, to focus on the candle's wick."

Neville gulped, but did as she said. He closed his eyes, and squeezed them tightly as he tried to imagine the candle catching the flame. He wanted to prove he wasn't a failure.

Student gasps made him open his eyes. He saw the wisp of smoke from the wick, the glowing edge of the string... and then it caught into flame.

Neville looked up at Regina, eyes wide with wonder. "I did it."

"Of course you did," she said, in a tone that told him that she had been more confident in him than he himself had been. She gave his hand a little squeeze of support. "Now, you can take the candle and sit down. With that little demonstration, I'd like to start explaining how this is possible. Then we'll all try it together."

***

Snape hadn't wanted to deal with Regina. She had insisted that everyone call her by her first name, rather than her last. Some students were trying to nickname her "The Vile One" as a play off the spelling of her name, but it wasn't sticking. The students in her class loved her. Even Draco's supposed friends had been raving about the class, that even Neville had been able to do wandless magic on the first tray without hurting anyone.

But because he had promised Draco he would intervene, he was standing outside of the Alternative Magic classroom during his free hour.

"You can come in, Severus," she called out from the front of the room.

He stood in the doorway. "I didn't knock yet."

"I saw you out of the corner of my eye," she replied, finally looking up from the paper she had been writing on.

Snape's jaw barely stayed shut. She was using Muggle paper and Muggle pen to write, not the parchment and quill that all wizards used. One top of that, she had some kind of Muggle device next to her to play music. "Not one for convention, are you?" he said, indicating the paper and pen. He inwardly gave himself points for not letting his voice waver.

She shrugged, and shut the book she had been consulting. "You might as well come in and sit down, Sev. I can't help you if you stand there glowering like something's going to eat you if you come any closer."

Snape walked down the steps as regally as he could. "You threw out a student from your class this morning, a member of my House."

"Draco Malfoy. Of course I did."

Snape blinked, not expecting the easy answer. But then, she had never been predictable.

"He disrupted my class and upset their focus. That is inexcusable. It would have been dangerous had I allowed that."

"He told me that you hadn't issued warnings."

"They aren't necessary. He's what? Seventeen? He should know better. And I did give him a chance to stop. Two chances, actually. But the third strike was it."

"He doesn't want to drop this class."

"Then his attitude better change, huh?"

"I want your word that you won't humiliate him again like that."

"Oh dear... He's getting you to fight his battles for him?" Regina sounded amused. "That does make me the big bad Vile One, heh? Look, Severus, let Draco fight his own battles. Tell him to come here after his classes are over and we'll talk. If I think he's repentant, he'll be back in my class, no questions asked. But he needs to own up to it himself. Not have you running in here to talk to me every time he does something stupid."

"You're picking on him because he's my student," Snape accused.

Regina was surprised. "You think that?"

"What else is this about?"

"This was about him insulting his classmates left and right. This was about him not bothering to pay attention in the introduction, let alone explanation and history. This was about a student that didn't act like he wanted to be here to learn, but someone looking for a free ride. I don't play that way. Students have to work at it, Sev, not coast on their last name."

"He doesn't."

"Then let him tell me that. Himself."

Snape's face didn't change. "I see."

"Do you? I'll be here working on papers until six thirty."

"I'll tell him that."

"Please do."

Snape looked at Regina for a long moment, as if he wanted to say something, but ultimately turned around and left in silence. When she was sure he was gone, she let out the breath she had been holding. "Well... that went well," she told the empty classroom.

***

Draco fidgeted aimlessly in the seat as Regina stared at him. "I'll try to stop," he finally conceded. She had an intense stare, as if she were able to read his movements as clear as written words. "Really," he added for emphasis.

"Do that," she said, her voice clipped. "You know what would have happened if I had let that last one slip? He really would have failed. He fails because people expect him to, because no one ever stops to think that he may actually be talented."

"But he's not!" Draco said before he could stop himself. "He's had six years to try and do something right, but it never happens."

"And you don't help him." Draco didn't deny that. "You will not make any more derogatory remarks in my class, got it? None. It's going to be a hostility-free zone. No house wars, no personal vendettas between you and the Gryffindors."

"It's not going to happen overnight."

"Maybe not. But if you put in the effort, I'll leave you alone."

Draco nodded slowly. "You won't tell my father you kicked me out of class, will you?"

"Why would I do that? You made the comment, not him."

"Good. He wouldn't like that."

"Draco, I'm going to give you two pieces of advice before I let you leave for dinner, all right? And hopefully they'll be enough for now."

"You'll let me make up the class, too, right?" Draco said suddenly, cutting her off. "I heard it was really good."

"Tomorrow, then. I'll go over the class with you this time tomorrow."

"Good," Draco said, relieved.

"Now that advice...." Regina paused slightly. "I'm surprised you didn't hear some version of it sooner."

"What?"

"Number one: You are accountable for your own actions, and no one else's."

"And number two?" Draco asked, when Regina paused.

She pointed at him, right in line with his nose. "Know thy enemy."

***

***