Winter at Hogwarts

Disclaimer: L. J Smith owns the Night World.

J. K owns Harry Potter and the rest. I promise to put it

all back together when I'm done.

I claim no rights to this copyrighted material.

1 OC (Night World based) - Winter Redfern

A/N – Just wanted to say this is my first attempt at fan fiction on this site for a very long time, so any and all feedback would make me so happy. Constructive criticism would be great also. Durham_Red x x

It was the first day back at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The new students had been sorted and everyone was eating the evening meal under the enchanted ceiling.

Professor Snape was thinking up new cruel and unusual punishments, mainly with one Harry Potter in mind.

Draco Malfoy and his hangers on were plotting Harry Potters downfall for some time in the coming year, while the boy in question was just happy to have survived his summer and to be back where he felt safest – school.

It was during this normalcy that the sound of something with a loud engine tearing up the gravel path to the school was heard in the Great Hall. Silence descended instantly and the sound of the castle door slamming open had hearts in throats and teacher on their feet with their wands out. Surely an attack wouldn't come so blatantly, still better to be safe than sorry, Harry thought as he steeled himself.

Winter Redfern could not believe how late she was. All she had to do was turn up at the school before the students arrived. Trust her to miss her alarm, she'd set it early on purpose to finish all her errands, which she had to do, which meant that she was seriously late and had to ride her motorcycle all the way from London to Scotland. She could've sent a message and flooed, but the mood she was in she couldn't be sure she wouldn't tell the headmaster to stick it and call out home.

She still wasn't in the best of moods when she finally arrived. Winter gunned the engine a few times, and then she sped all the way up the drive, kicking up gravel as she went. Killing the engine, Winter pushed up the visor on her helmet and climbed off she grabbed her trunk, which was securely strapped on the back of her motorcycle, and walked up the steps not even paying attention to her surroundings.

With more vigour than she meant, she pushed open the big oak doors, which crashed against the walls with a bang. Winter winced but continued walking along the corridor; she stopped in front of the doors with flickering light that could be seen underneath them.

'Come on Winter, you can do this girl,' Winter thought to herself as she took a deep breath and pushed open the door, more slowly than the last time. She walked in and stopped, six wands were trained on her. Slowly and deliberately, she reached out her hands palms up to show she was unarmed, and then she slowly reached up and removed her helmet, shaking out her asymmetric raven coloured bob.

"Sorry I'm late," Winter said with a sheepish grin, still trying to fix her helmet hair. With a collective sigh of relief, the six wands were put away leaving the students confused. They were all staring at her, hundreds of eyes burning a hole through her. She couldn't blame them, she was wearing tight leather trousers, a leather halter covered with her leather duster combined with spike-heeled leather boots, since most of them were wizards she could probably count on one hand the amount of them that had seen leather for something other than making shoes and coats. Then again it could've been the fact that she was obviously too old to be a student but too young to teach.

"Quite alright Miss Redfern, though I must confess I was starting to worry about you." Dumbledore replied with a smile.

"Oh you must know me by now headmaster, I love to make an entrance," Winter mumbled.

"Perhaps Albus, you would be as kind as to introduce this girl to your staff and the students," drawled a deep silky voice. Winter looked at him with narrowed eyes, 'I'll give you girl,' she thought.

"An excellent idea Severus, come child," Dumbledore said leading Winter into the centre of the room.

"Professors, students, I would like to introduce Miss Redfern. She will be joining us for a year, as our new potions assistant working alongside Professor Snape." He announced and Winter had the satisfaction of seeing the said professor's jaw drop, but a feeling of dread descended in the pit of her stomach also. Several students watched the exchange trying to hide their sniggers at professor Snape's expression. A few others were looking on a Winter with sympathy and pity in their eyes, which did wonders for her self-confidence.

Winter walked over to tall, dark, broody and sexy… 'Sexy? Where the hell did that come from?' She thought to herself as she held out her hand to him.

"So what do they call you?"

"Professor Snape, Potions Master," he replied, Winter wasn't sure but she could've sworn she saw his jaw tic. She didn't get a chance to look closer, as her turned on his heel and swept out of the dining hall.

"Well that went well," Winter quipped looking at Dumbledore.

"Don't worry about it my dear; he's like that with everyone. You'll get used to it," he replied.

"And...?"

"And I may not have mentioned your role when I told him about you coming to the school," he had the good grace to look sheepish. Winter looked at him and groaned.

"Do you like putting people together and watching the train wreck?" she said giving Dumbledore a thunderous look.

"What is it the muggles say 'variety is the spice of life,' It'll do Severus good to spend time with you, you could learn a lot from each other."

"Except the poor guy didn't want or need an assistant and now you've saddled him with me."

"He'll get over it," was his only reply and from the tone Winter knew that the discussion was over.

Winter walked back out with her trunk and made her way to the rooms she had stayed in. She heard the headmaster raise his voice calling dinner to an end and the excited whispers of the students as they began to file out rushing to their houses. When she got into her rooms she slumped onto the settee and kicked of her boots, her mind was already flying through the possibilities of getting Professor Snape to like her. As she got ready for bed an idea hit her, she crawled under the thick covers on her antique four poster bed and before sleep claimed her she set her alarm and closed her eyes with a smile.