"So, you are taking tutoring for potions?" Her best friend asked.

"Mmm hmm," Christina Lupin replied.

"Why? I could tutor you!" Lily practically screamed in her ear.

"No, we'd wouldn't accomplish anything and you'd just do my work for me!" Christina replied, "Any ways we have to get to potions Professor Slughorn is going to assign me to be partners with my tutor."

"I bet you karma is going to give you a Slytherin," Lily replied.

"Yeah I know," Christina, replied walking into the last person waiting in the queue outside the dungeon classroom. Unluckily enough it was none other then Mr. Ego number two, Sirius Black.

"Christina Lupin. You don't have to throw yourself on me like that," he replied.

"Don't flatter yourself Black. I was trying to walk between you and Potter but I couldn't avoid hitting one of the two of your swelled up heads," Christina said with a flip of her honey blonde hair.

"Why do you have to drag me into this?" James Potter replied. Christina rose up her eyebrows and put her hands on her bony hips. At that point, bad enough, Severus Snape decided to walk into Christina. The two knew it was an accident and started apologizing to each other. Christina stooped down to pick up the book Snape was obviously reading when he bumped into her, The Dark Arts Theory.

"I read this book it's excellent in my opinion," Christina replied handing it back to him, "I especially like chapter four."

"What are you doing reading dark arts books?" Sirius Black piped up from behind her.

"Will you shut up Black?" Christina snarled, "Anyway what he said about Crucio and all the thought process that went behind it… really well thought out."

"Snivillus, go grease your hair and leave us alone!" Sirius said when Christina finished. Through out this whole ordeal Snape has a slightly shock look on his face. Not because Sirius Black was harassing him, again. He was shocked because pretty, popular, claimed by aforementioned bully, Christina Lupin, was talking civilly to him. Also she was not talking civilly to Black

"Black, just because you can't read. Doesn't mean you can take the fun out of other peoples bookish conversations," She quipped. At that almost every one around laughed including Snape. Black got a look on his face and had his wand out in a second and Snape was hanging by his ankles. James, who it was clear was embarrassed by the whole thing, ran his fingers through his hair.

"Laugh again!" Sirius yelled. Fortunately for Snape, Christina's spell talent was much better then her potions and she had her wand out and had hexed Sirius into a wall. At that time Professor Slughorn rounded the corner.

"By Merlin," he started There it was Snape and Sirius on the ground and Christina with her wand pointed towards Sirius.

"Christina was only helping me, sir. Sirius had me up by my ankles, again," Snape said quickly before he could dish out punishment.

"Oh well then Sirius Black ten points and a detention. Christa Lupin you shall receive twenty points for helping a fellow student.

"Thank You," Christina said to Slughorn but her eyes were looking at Snape.

"Now, I'm going to split you into pairs, Mr. Potter and Miss Evens, please. Sirius Black and Peter you are together. Miss Lupin your partner is Mr. Snape…"

Christina got up and walked over to where Snape was sitting and put her books down. Unless her eyes were playing tricks on her, he went slightly red. Probably just the heat from the cauldrons, she thought dismissively.

"Hey, I'm sorry for what happened out there. Black isn't my boyfriend but he thinks because Potter likes Lily and claimed her he has rights to me or something," Christina said.

"If you want to get this potion done we better stop talking," Snape replied clearly unattached to her apology. They got to work and Christina found him explaining every little ingredient to her and what properties they had. Christina took to stirring the potion after awhile but her even had tips for her on that. She found it quite satisfying how he casually helped her out without yelling at her or taking over like Sirius did. She found the potion becoming easier and easier. The closer they got to finishing the more she dreaded the class to be over. The final stir was to be done by two people hands on top of the other. Since her hands were already on the spoon and she had totally forgot about the last step Snape grabbed her hands. Christina jumped a bit and then relaxed. Snape's hands were soft.

"Alright class, please put your potion in a vial for each of you and place them on my desk on your way out," Slughorn called. Christina and Snape quickly prepared their vials and placed them on the desk.

"When do you want to meet for tutoring?" Snape asked outside the classroom. Christina had completely forgotten about that.

"How about next Saturday?" Christina suggests.

"Sounds great to me!" Snape replied and turned to go to the Slytherin common room.

"So do you need to go take a shower?" Lizzie Avery asked Christina in the common room after dinner.

"Lizzie, don't be like that!" Christina called to her friend.

"Oh come on you can't actually like Snivillus," Lizzie replied with her pureblood raised arrogance. That side of their dear friend Elizabeth only showed every once and awhile and only when she generally thought she was better then someone.

"He's nice generally," Lily replied, "He has his normal Slytherin I-hate-mudbloods attitude but you he can change."

"Thank you Lily," Christina replied with a nod.

"I like him even though he's a bit to into the dark arts for my taste," Jessica Applewhite another good friend chimed in.

"I'm into the dark arts," Christina replied.

"Only to better yourself against them," Jessica retaliated.

"Okay you have a point there," Christina replied picking up her copy of A Dark Arts Theory.

"Uh oh here comes the 'Marauders'," Lily called and rolled her eyes. Remus came over and sat next to her.

"Mom said you couldn't buy that book," He said as he sat.

"Dad bought it for me," Christina replied, "Just like he bought that book on werewolf legends that mom said you couldn't have."

"Mine was strictly for research," Remus replied.

"So was mine if I want to get into the Auror Acadamy I have to know a bit about the Dark Arts," Christina replied still pretending to be absorbed in the book.

"Sounds like you got it to have book conversations with Slytherins," Remus replied.

"Oh bloody hell Sirius you had to screw it up," Christina yelled to Sirius.

"It's for your own good," Sirius replied.

"My own… my own… Sirius Black I can't believe you. You had no right to go and tell my brother about a conversation I had with Severus. If I talked about a Gilderoy Lockhart book with Voldemort I'd understand your concern but just a book that we both seem to enjoy for the reason that it is well thought out you had no right!" Christina yelled.

"So it's Severus now," Sirius asked.

"Yes I call my friends by their first name Black," Christina replied.

"Oh don't you go calling me Black. You know you like me. You know that no one in this school will go out with you because they all think you're my girl," Black replied.

"I AM NOT YOUR GIRL! QUIT TRYING TO CLAIM ME. I AM NOT SOME PIECE OF PROPERTY OR A TROPHY!" Christina screamed and with that she stood up threw her book at Sirius and ran out of the common room.