Veruca was awake and dressed for the day by nine a.m, she dressed in a pair of dark pants and a dark tank top- she would need to be free of any movement restricting clothes- with a light jumper over top. This was a normal outfit for her, though she knew it would not be a normal day.

The girl spent the hours of her morning reading her notes and perfecting her background story, she didn't eat much, she never did, but she decided, sometime around noon, to grab a snack before her training session.

On her way to the portrait of a fruit bowl, a paper folded into the shape of a phoenix, flew into the back of her head. The girl picked up the paper and smoothed it out in the palm of her hand. At first, it was blank, then lettering, very fine script, appeared. It read;

Veruca,

Meet me in the Forbidden Forest at 1:30 this afternoon. Also, I have arranged for you to work at the Three Broomsticks from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the weekends, Madam Rosmerta has insisted you keep any tips or extra fees for yourself, and during the week Minerva has gladly excepted you as an educational assistant. You will work any hours Minerva requests, though she says it will be roughly three to five hours of work on average. You will be paid 8 sickles an hour, for each of your jobs. I hope this settles some things, see you soon!

-Dumbledore

Veruca smiled, a rare thing for her to do, and quickened her pace to the kitchens.

***

The dark-haired girl cautiously approached the Forbidden Forest. Out of curiosity, she wandered towards the back of Rubeus Hagrid's hut. 

"Dumbledore?" she called, "Professor?"

"Veruca," the girl jumped at the sound of the elderly voice, "-good to see you've arrived. You recieved my message then?" Veruca turned to see Dumbledore coming out of Rubeus hut, said half-giant trailing behind him.

"Hey, Veruca! Nice to see ya out 'n about." Veruca smiled a well-practiced smile, and answered; "Hello, Hagrid. How are you?"

"Oh alright, and yourself?"

"I am well," the girl paused and turned to Dumbledore, "Must we be off?"

"Of course," Dumbledore turns to Hagrid with a warm smile, handing him a rather large mug that Veruca hadn't noticed before, "-it was good seeing you Hagrid. Thanks for the mead."

"See ya, professor."

And with that, the old wizard led the young witch into the Forbidden Forest, deep into the dark woods full of the mysterious unknown.

After a few minutes of walking, the duo stopped in the middle of a clearing. It was clear of trees and bushes but, the grass on the ground was dark and crunched beneath their feet. There was a distant chirping, like crickets singing to one another as the owls hooted their deep musical callings.

"Now, you are sure you want me to teach you?" asked Dumbledore.

"Teach me." Veruca commanded. She was curious about the old wizard, the only wizard Voldemort feared, and his knowledge. She knew he was old, it was obvious through his outer appearance and speech, but she wanted to know what he knew that Voldemort was so scared of.

Or was it what he knew? Maybe it was how he used the knowledge common between the two of them. Maybe it wasn't anything to do with knowledge, but the fact that Dumbledore knew both Tom Riddle and Voldemort, one and the same, personally.

"I am old, do go easy on me." The old man chuckles. Veruca only smirks, "In your dreams, professor."

A red beam [expelliarmus] blazes passed Veruca, she ducks and roll a few feet away, gets to her knees and sends a blast of blue [confundus] at her opponent. Back and forth, beams of red, blue, purple and yellow fly across the clearing. Veruca rolled her eyes as the old man swiftly and effortlessly blocked her next attempt. She didn't want to use a curse or anything that would get her into trouble, but the ones she had learned in class, the kiddy spells, weren't helping her.

If she were fighting Voldemort, she would use everything she had in her mental arsenal, which was quite the variety; curses, jinxes, hexes, the whole lot. Thinking this she sent a small hex Dumbledores way. An off-white beam [levicorpus] flew, almost invisible, towards her opponent. Dumbledore blocked it, but he stumbled slightly leaving a small opening, "Stupefy!" Another beam of red was sent to her opponent only this time he didn't block it.

The old man fell backward and landed on his back. Veruca collapsed, breathing heavily and sweating furiously. She wiped her brow and noticed Dumbledore hadn't gotten up.

"Professor?" she called, standing slowly. She was still out of breath, he had her on her feet one minute and then rolling on her back the next. He put up an excellent fight, she beat him, though, right? She couldn't tell. She walked over to her professor to find him smiling at the sky?

"Professor?" she repeated, leaning over him and waving her hand in front of his face.

"Expelliarmus." As she fell backward and her wand flew into his hand, she blanched. Did he just re-win?

"Did you just-," Veruca started, staring at the wizard as he got up, chuckling all the while.

"Win? Yes. However, you put up an excellent fight." The old wizard started back towards the castle, with a troubled Veruca trailing behind him.

"Lesson number one, always be cautious. Lord Voldemort is a master and he knows it, but young Tom Riddle is less arrogant. He expresses his confidence quietly, practice caution. Well done, Veruca."