A/N: Thank you all so much for the support you've shown me! At the time I'm writing this it hasn't even been a full 24 hours since I initially published the first chapter of my very first story, and I'm blown away at the positive response! I haven't even gotten to 200 views before I got 12 reviews, 13 favorites, and an incredible 26 followers! This is the reason I'm working so hard to get this next chapter out to you as soon as I can.

Warning: This story will contain adult situations and language.

Disclaimer: The following is a non-profit fan based parody. All characters owned by- wait what? What do you mean Team Four Star trademarked their disclaimer? Well shit… Oh well I'm sure everyone knows the drill by now anyway. Please enjoy!


Half-Blood Emperor

Chapter 2

Severus slowly woke up, nestled comfortably in the bed he was assigned for the Slytherin dormitories. In his very own room. That he didn't have to share with anyone, he reminded himself, and couldn't help the wide smile from ear to ear at that thought.

Making the conscious choice to get on with the day wasn't a difficult decision however. He was more than eager to get started with both his formal education in magic, and his extracurricular activities. Mostly because he was excited; but also because he knew that for all of his grand ideas he didn't know how long each individual goal would take him.

Seven years seems like a long time but it wouldn't do to get too overconfident. He'd hate it if all of his ambitions grinded to a screeching halt if it turns out it will take years to master vital skills such as Occlumency, before he can even think of doing anything else. In the end though he knew he had to lay a rock solid foundation for himself before progressing to far, too fast and leaving himself exposed. "Success follows preparation in equal measure." Were words to live by.

But there was nothing for it. He would just have to look up what he was interested in before he could formulate an idea of what is feasible and what isn't at this early stage. Then the raven haired young man would knuckle down and plow through it. Besides, once he knew what everything would take he can work on a schedule to multitask. Some of the useful potions such as Polyjuice could take upwards of a month to brew; so he could use the downtime in between the steps to practice other things.

Sitting up and getting out of bed while stretching out his back and limbs to help wake up fully. He grabs the clothes set aside the night before, idly noticing that yesterday's clothes left on the desk where gone, he heads off to shower before getting the day started.

Meeting up with all the other first years in the common room at seven on the dot, Severus couldn't help but finally notice his other year mates for the first time.

There were only two other boys and four girls in total, including Narcissa. The platinum blonde hair, electric blue eyed girl was much more pleasant to be around this morning. Instead of a sneering visage like she smelled something foul constantly the other night, she looks cold and aloof now in an effort to ignore everyone else. Very impressive for a child her age. And it seems to Severus that it's now more likely she's just a stuck up brat who dislikes everyone equally interestingly enough.

But the most startling thing is how nice the other first years are being to him right now. It makes sense in a way after thinking about it. The war hasn't even really gotten started yet, and so with no line in the sand, and without propaganda being forced down their throats, they have no real reason to be blatantly antagonistic to anyone who is not of pure blood.

The prefects from the night before guide them through the same hallways and corridors as last night so as not to confuse them. They explained as much, that they were taking the most direct path to and from the great hall in an effort to ensure all of them knew the way. They could find their own way around other passages on their own time, after they memorized the main walkways.

Satisfied that they all arrived at once and in one piece, the prefects left them to sit and eat at their end of the table, promising to return once it was time for their first classes to escort them.

Severus decided to make idle small talk with his fellow students while helping himself to a simple plate of eggs, bacon, hash browns and some delightful grilled tomatoes. There was no reason not to be friendly after all.

And so he made good use of the natural skills he honed over years in his past life, to build a rapport with his year mates. Asking them unobtrusive questions about themselves, getting them talking about their dreams and passions. And in no time at all Severus had become almost everyone's friend just by asking the right questions to elicit the proper feelings to cultivate happiness and trust.

The funny part, to Severus at least, was that while they would all go on to claim that he was their friend, when asked if they knew anything about him; they would have to embarrassingly admit that all they really knew about him is that he was a great listener and seemed to like the same things they did.

Meanwhile Narcissa was sitting with them, taking it all in as her eyebrows rose ever steadily to her hairline until it seemed like they might get stuck there. She had the proper upbringing to keep her mouth from gaping for too long before she caught herself and snapped it shut.

But the disbelief was still there, plain as day on her face.

And despite all of this happening right in front of her own eyes, she didn't understand how it was happening. How he effortlessly started up a conversation with total strangers. How, to her perspective, he completely and without meaning too, bumbled into the leadership role as he was the one guiding the conversation, doing his best to include everyone.

Deciding she'd had enough of this nonsense she finally spoke up and subtly tried to cut him down to size with her own seemingly innocuous words.

"You didn't seem to be this friendly last night. What changed Snape?" She smoothly interjected in a lull of conversation.

Snape knew immediately what she was trying to do and already had the perfect response. Though to be fair it was something he had ready to use anyway when there was an opportunity to use it. "Well that's true I suppose. I don't know about the rest of us here but I was quite nervous." The black haired boy nodded to his fellow first years at the table.

"It was my first time being around so many people after all and it didn't help that it took me so long to get sorted, what with being the subject of everyone's attention last night. I'm sure I wasn't the only one who to feel that way. Others had to have felt the same way. But we all found ourselves in a house in the end didn't we?" He finished up.

Normally admitting weakness is a huge no-no in Slytherin house. But it was such a sound explanation. And it certainly didn't hurt that when he spoke, he included how everyone else might have felt, subliminally reminding them of their own nervousness when they had their own sorting and had all eyes on them. This had an added bonus of enforcing an 'us vs. them' mentality by having a shared experience.

Suitably chastised with a faint scowl at his answer, she went back to sipping her tea having finished her own modest breakfast as conversation resumed at the table, and the hall continued to steadily fill up with students from all houses.

Things didn't continue in this fashion for long however, as there was a sudden exclamation of "Cissy!" Putting a halt to everyone on our side of the table as an older girl with a flowing mane of curly black hair appeared and snatched the tiny form of Narcissa right out of her seat and twirled her around in a tight hug.

"Bella!" Narcissa bit out "Set me down this instant." She hissed.

Completely unfazed, Bellatrix sets her back down in her seat and chirps "There you go darling sister." As though she was doing her a favor.

The Blonde haired girl who was just treated like a favorite rag doll was currently blushing up a storm that didn't seem to want to go away any time soon.

While this was going on, Severus's mind was whirling a mile a minute at this overlooked opportunity. Bellatrix Lestrange, or Bellatrix Black at the moment, would go on to become Voldemort's most feared lieutenant. His right hand woman. An enforcer of unparalleled dueling ability with a devotion to her future master firmly in the 'fanatical zealot' scale of loyalty.

'Ex-future master' the dark haired boy mentally corrected. This vision of deadly beauty is wasted on anyone not named Severus Snape now.

Taking a moment to really drink in her appearance. Long, slender, porcelain legs lead up to the uniforms tragically knee length skirt. The uniform goes on to further anger Severus as the sweater vest and blouse hide her curves and all he can tell besides a slim stomach and grabbable hips, are that she's slightly flat chested. Or at least not as busty based on some of the more well-endowed women he had seen in the school uniform so far. She's still a young teenager though so there is still some growing to do.

But all of that pales in comparison to her beautiful, angelic face. Defined cheek bones give her an aristocratic air. Full pouty lips curved up into a smile. And stunning violet colored eyes full of mischief and a wicked intelligence that will one day be capable of great violence.

After the two sisters of Black greet each other, Bellatrix demands to be introduced to her little sister's new friends. Her words of course.

Narcissa would no doubt prefer to think of us as potential allies. Acquaintances at best really.

In the end she soldiers on and gives her older sister all of our names and begrudgingly finishes with Severus.

So lost in examining his future lieutenant/lover he only just realized that he'd been caught staring by the way she turns her violet, piercing, eyes his way with an arrogant smirk on her lips. She cocks her hip to one side and puts a hand on it before addressing our dark haired protagonist.

"Does the ickle little firstie see something he likes?" She cooed, thinking he'll turn into a blushing, stuttering mess that will trip all over himself to apologize.

Meanwhile Narcissa turns a smug grin towards him that says 'That's what you get for not knowing your place'.

But Severus wasn't born yesterday. He wasn't even born eleven years ago either with his reincarnated memories, but that was neither here nor there. He just hoped that what he was about to do was universal everywhere, and even if it wasn't everyone would still get a good laugh out of it and he wouldn't lose too much face.

With a dead serious expression on his face he gives her a slow, deliberate, once over before responding. "Yes I do actually."

And before the shock could fully settle in he continues by putting on his best, over exaggerated leer, "Now could you please not interrupt? I'm not done ogling you yet."

To everyone around who heard what this precocious little first year said, silence fell. And then silence promptly broke it's ankle.

Narcissa couldn't keep her jaw off the table for all the magic in the world at the audacity that was just displayed.

But Bellatrix recovered more quickly… Sort of.

Her stunned visage cracks fist with twitching lips. Then a very unladylike snort. Followed by barely restrained throaty chuckles.

It was at this point that Narcissa finally managed to pick her jaw up only to immediately adopt a look of dawning horror and disbelief. She'd lived with her sister most of her life and she recognized the signs of what was coming. And the worst part was that it was this little shit who is the cause her sister about to lose it.

Bella laughed. A wonderful, heaving, full belly, funniest thing that ever was and will be laugh.

Now people all throughout the hall were openly staring at the display and somewhat lost without the context for the Slytherin beauty's peals of laughter.

Narcissa was especially seething in light of this turn around. 'This stupid boy is making my sister laugh. And… And he did it by leering at her body like some kind of pervert!' She internally ranted.

'Why isn't he looking at me like that? He should only look at me!' A traitorous part of her mind whispered.

After various false starts where poor Bellatrix seems to finally get herself under control only to lose it again just by looking at Severus, she finally calms down, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"This one I like!" She giggles out before grasping her younger sisters shoulders and leaning down while not taking her eyes off Severus yet. "We've got a keeper here Cissy. Don't let him get away."

It was Narcissa's turn to take an unladylike action by bury her face in her hands and groaning. It was all she could do to keep the scream of frustration from getting out.

The entire situation was finally broken up when Professor Slughorn interjected himself to hand out schedules.

"Good morning everyone. And how are you doing Ms. Black? Are you alright?" He said after having enjoyed one of his favorite students having a good time and interacting with his new first years.

"Oh I'm fine professor. Just saying hello to my sister and her friends. Ta ta everyone." She says as she starts to saunter off, but when her eyes met Snape's he throws her a wink and a smile that causes her to burst into a renewed fit of giggles.

"Absolutely splendid. Well now everyone I have your time tables here." The slightly rotund man with greying hair says while he starts passing them to each individual.

"My name is Professor Slughorn. I'm your potions professor and also your head of house. Please feel free to talk to a prefect or even come by my office if you have any questions or just want to talk. My door is always open." He finishes with a kind smile and moves on down the table to continue passing out schedules.

All of the Slytherin first years had the same schedule which makes sense as there won't be any variance until third year where they will pick electives.

The standard seven classes were as expected. Charms, transfiguration, herbology, defense against the dark arts, potions, history of magic, and astronomy. The last one taking place at a time he would literally rather do anything, preferably sleeping.

Only the male prefect came by to take us to our first class of the day. Taking the most direct path again, they made their way to charms class where they got their first look at the diminutive head of house for Ravenclaw, Filius Flitwick.

Severus could admit that it was slightly boring, not because of the subject matter of course. But because this class, at least, would be all theory for the first month. Normally that wouldn't be a problem, except he'd gone through the whole course book.

He truly did find the theory fascinating. Or more accurately what isn't said in the first year book. The body he currently inhabited had already been through most of the magical library at home that his mother had accumulated over the years. Thankfully so long as he treated the books with care and didn't try to take whichever one his mum was reading at the time, she didn't pay any attention to him.

Unfortunately the old Severus had a one track mind and obsessed over the dark arts, even at this young age. And that's not admonishing him his choice. It just would have been nice to have a more well-rounded understanding of the many different aspects of magic.

It was impressive that the sheer number of curses he knew could put most seventh years to shame. But to the new Severus dead is dead, and defeated is defeated. To him it seemed wasteful to know a hundred different cutting curses when he's the master of none at the moment.

Snape spent the time wondering about wands and wandless magic. Whether a spell truly ever needs to be verbalized or if that's merely a mnemonic device to help children learn? Is it really better to learn the proper way to swish and flick instead of skipping straight to point casting?

Probably yes on that last one. He could imagine a lot of children getting frustrated and giving up if there is a lack of progress. And everything he's seen so far suggests that the more you practice something the easier it becomes. So progressing along that path seems the right move after training an individual's magic to perform a certain way.

No one who starts out exercising skips straight to onehanded, handstand pushups after having never exercised before in their life.

More relevant to Severus however, was the ability of wandless magic and what's possible with it. He knows he can't just do everything without a wand no matter how much practice he puts in.

A wand is a tool after all. Like a gun, a knife, or a hammer. A person can't very well perform the same tasks these tools are meant for with their bare hands. But we made these tools with our bare hands in order to make these tasks easier.

By that reasoning he couldn't help but wonder if there is a better tool for magic?

But on the other end of that scale the list of tasks that can be accomplished with nothing but a body and ingenuity is very impressive.

People were making shelters, and foraging for food before they learned to hunt. People were killing each other with their bare hands before they learned they could throw a rock or stab someone with a sharpened stick.

It evolved from there of course with putting a sharpened bit of metal on the end of the stick to make a spear. And then shrinking down the spear and building a tool that virtually throws it for you in the form of a bow. Eventually people got even more efficient with crossbows. And then along comes gunpowder, histories game changer.

Severus couldn't help thinking about how effective a gun would be against wizards and witches. They may like to think that a shield charm would stop a bullet but he's almost positive there hasn't been any real testing. Besides even if they could block a bullet they still only have human reactions and no one's faster than a bullet. The poor bastards probably still think it takes a minute and a half to reload between each shot.

Then there was enchanting that might make a gun even better, he daydreamed. Bullets that homed in on someone was the best improvement he could think of off the top of his head. But He couldn't even fathom how difficult or complicated that would be.

Coming back from the tangent to refocus on something he could do now, wandless magic.

As always it was best to keep it simple to start with. He'd make time to practice the levitation charm without a wand every day and see how that goes. It is the most common form of childhood accidental magic.

Transfiguration was next and they made it without issue thanks to the female prefect. It seems they were switching off so the other could take notes for the beginning and ending of class while the other helps us to learn our way around.

After the morning classes everyone gathered for lunch and Severus took the opportunity for a small break to head to the library.

The librarian was an older woman who, funny enough, was not Irma Prince. It was an idle curiosity to know if there was any relation between him and the future librarian but apparently it would have to wait.

One madam Abigale Taylor (no you may not call me Abby), thankfully was a librarian of the stern, yet helpful variety.

Despite her misgivings on helping him find books about learning such a difficult subject as Occlumency, she got him sorted on two books for beginners to check out and he wasn't going to argue with her.

Although he would probably flip out if the first words in either of the books are 'clear your mind'.

Rushing to catch up with the group, they had their final class of the day. Herbology with the Hufflepuffs. And they finally got to do practical work, but again Severus found it difficult to pay attention. Because now he couldn't stop thinking about if wizards and witches have ever smoked weed before, and if there is now a market to corner? Or if it even effects them?

Plan B was to brew potions for profit later on, to sell to students, such as draught of peace for anyone who needed to relax. And wit sharpening potion for the students taking their O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s. He'd like the practice and it would have been two birds with one stone.

He doesn't know much about growing, or selling weed sadly. It wasn't really relevant in his past life so option B it is. Option A will hopefully be coming up later tonight.

The raven haired eleven year old happened to be partnered with Amelia Bones in this class though, and he remembered she'll eventually become the head of magical law enforcement.

She's only eleven now. So Severus couldn't tell you why he forgot that and thought it would be a good idea at the time to ask dear sweet Amelia what she knew of the subject.

"Do you know if weed is illegal in the wizarding world?" Severus asked innocently enough.

Ms. Bones looks confused at him for a moment before speaking, sounding more than a little confused, "I don't think weeds are illegal? Why do you ask? Did you think I would know?" She scrunches up her face cutely as she tries to piece this puzzle together without all the pieces.

Snape knew instantly they weren't talking about the same kind of weed based on her obvious obliviousness. He also knew he fucked up asking something like that of, what he only now just remembered, is an eleven year old girl.

'Nothing for it now' Severus thought. "Sorry it's just that you have the air of a law enforcement type about you. And it's alright, I know it seems like the question was directed at you, but I was just thinking out loud really. My mistake." He says while giving her an abashed smile that was actually genuine.

"Ah alright then. Let's put these tools away, class is just about over." She says while blushing.

He might have noticed her reaction but after having just reminded himself that they are children right now he thinks she's only embarrassed.

Little did he know that while before there had been a chance, however small, that Amelia Bones might have picked a different career. The innocent words of a dark haired and mysterious boy that she was beginning to like would lock her into the path of an auror.

Supper was as perfectly cooked as all the previous meals. So much so in fact he was starting to wonder if there was anything special about the feasts if the food is always so delicious.

Tonight he dined on roast chicken and potatoes with gravy, a healthy helping of broccoli and a slice of blackberry pie to finish it all off. While everyone was eating they commiserated about their first day of classes.

Internally Severus couldn't believe that they were complaining about learning magic, though he supposed this was a case of the pot calling the kettle black. He was not enthused with the homework they were assigned on the first day.

He can finish it all in a few hours, maybe even one, if he really knuckles down to plow through it. And not because he's some kind of genius, he's not that arrogant. But he was a B average student in university and learning magic suitable for a first year is about as difficult as if he had to re-sit his secondary education. It's still time wasted in his mind however, when he could be learning so many more interesting things instead.

He knows he should feel grateful though. His mother had forced him to learn to write with both a pen and a quill growing up, and after taking token notes today in class in order to appear to be paying attention was enough for him to 'remember' how write fluently.

Severus managed to turn his mood around by talking with his fellow students and accomplishing one of his minor plans. More like covering his bases in this case really. It's not like he could just pop into the kitchens like he owned the place when no one told him how to get there.

So he casually asked about where the kitchens are and who cooks this wonderful food that they all enjoy.

None of the first years knew of course, but we were sitting close enough to the older years that they were pulled into our conversation as well and a few of them were happy to tell us of the portrait of a fruit bowl in the basement level that, if one were to tickle the pear it would turn into a doorknob that leads to the kitchen.

None of them spoke with respect regarding the house elves however. Too bad for them if they underestimated the little buggers, this black haired boy certainly wouldn't.

When it becomes obvious Severus isn't participating in the jokes at the expense of the elves, he calmly points out that it would be the height of rudeness to insult the ones who make your food. Some of the smarter ones around him managed to figure out just what the elves could do to their food with them being none the wiser, while most sadly continued to look down on and belittle them.

Snape wasn't concerned for himself however, he fully planned on being a familiar, friendly face when he goes to visit them on occasion.

After being stuffed the students dispersed to head to their common rooms or wander the halls.

The dark eyes of Severus were practically glittering in delight at what he was about to go see, when he's stopped by a hand on the shoulder.

One of his year mates speaks up, "Hey Severus, where are you going?"

Without even thinking about the ramifications he tells them, "I'm going to go explore a little bit of the castle, I'd like to familiarize myself with it until I know where everything is."

"Sounds brilliant! We'll come with." Another one of our group pipes up, one of the girls this time.

Like glass shattering into a million pieces, never to be put back together again, the light of happiness in his eyes, dies an ignoble death.

He takes a slow breath in and tries to tell himself it will be ok. He's only waited a week to get to this point, and only most of his plans hinge on the existence of a certain room he would like to make sure is actually there. A certain room, that if it exists, he would like to keep to himself for… oh… ever.

Breathing out in exasperation, "Sure! Let's all go exploring!" He says with false cheer that none of them catch while his smile is frozen in a rictus of silent pain that betrays none of the abject rage he feels in his current situation. It's not like he can just tell these people to leave him alone after he put in so much work earlier today.

But he can remember. And he will make these future minions remember someday, far in the future of the inconvenience they are causing him at this moment.

Thoughts of making them do inane things like rubbing their bellies while patting their heads for his amusement… for days on end, are all that get him through this little adventure with his sanity intact.

They managed to find a secret passageway that leads from the second floor to the sixth, that only feels like going up one flight of steps, in what Severus is now sure is some sick fourth dimensional real life version of an M.C. Escher painting.

But it's undeniably useful so he will, magnanimously, downgrade their punishment. Maybe make them eat a bowl of spider webs instead.

Nothing else of note happens on their journey so they decide it's time to head back to the common room for the rest of the night.

He begs off any more fun for the night in favor of getting a head start on his homework and self-study. Severus doesn't tell them about that second part though. He doesn't want to come off as some kind of overachiever any more than he already is.

He felt it was a good balance to only raise his hand and answer one question per class. To be known as intelligent, but not in their face about it was the happy middle he was casting for (apparently for wizards it's casting, not shooting).

Glad to be back inside the relative privacy of his room after the crushing disappointment of earlier, he sets about getting started on his homework to knock it out in a record pace. It's actually easier than he thought it would be, with proper spacing and indenting, combined with citing examples.

He can see exactly how the future bookworm, Hermione Granger, can get carried away and write foot after foot of parchment.

And just like that he wasted a half hour thinking about how he'll eventually use that to put her in the kind of detention with the type of punishment that will make her want to keep breaking rules to come back for more.

Finally finishing the tediousness of parchment work, and lamenting his missed opportunity earlier in the day to get a jumpstart on breaking the game of life, he cracks open one of the two Occlumency books he got from the library earlier in the day.

Casting tempus a few hours later only to find it's already after midnight he lets out a muttered curse. Severus certainly didn't mean to get so absorbed in reading, though he isn't all that surprised. Both the old and new Snape had an obsessive streak when it came to something they wanted, or were interested in.

It easily explains how he becomes potions master at such a young age in the original timeline. He was so great at brewing potions, not only because he was a genius at it, but because he had a passion for it that would simply not allow anything less.

After using a few of the Occlumency exercises to start on organizing his thoughts Severus is glad to still feel that passion. He's still got it, and grins excitedly for the first potions lesson of the year tomorrow.

Occlumency is actually a fascinating subject too. Part of knowing your own mind will confer proportional benefits to recognizing if it's being affected by outside influence.

The number of ways to actually enforce Occlumency is staggering in its versatility. Once a person hits intermediate level they can come up with any elaborate defense they can think of. But therein, coincidentally lies the problem.

Walls won't actually keep a Legilimancer out, they will only alert you to the attempt. A novice user will try to batter them down and will eventually succeed if the defender isn't quick enough to reinforce themselves. An expert however will subtly probe for a crack they can exploit without alerting their target and simply slip in entirely unnoticed and have free reign to one's innermost thoughts.

One helpful fact the book has is, funny enough, clearing your mind. And didn't that just tickle him that is wasn't even in the first chapter. Thinking of nothing will allow you to focus entirely on anything that's not supposed to be there.

Upon further reading Severus wondered if the opposite held true as well? What about bombarding an invader with hundreds of useless, everyday memories and sensations?

He already had a few ideas of his own to implement, and by doing all of them, it would hopefully be enough to deter anyone.

He knew from within the first few minutes of his arrival in this world that he could section off parts of his mind. Now the question was how best to use this natural talent of his to make a superb defense?

Creating a straw puppet false mind didn't fool the sorting hat, but the dark haired boy wasn't sure if that was because it wasn't complete enough or if the hat can just bypass anything?

Another thought was that the best defense is a good offence, and he was pretty sure that launching an immediate, and violent counter attack would put any Legilimancer off balance.

But the disconcerting part of the book was that the only way to know how good any defense is, is to have it tested. And he's not about to even risk that. So all he could really do in the end was throw up redundancy after redundancy until the day finally came that he was tested.

The easiest defense he could think of was to continue with his false mind. Fill it with just enough memories to fool anyone, and then proceed to throw up powerful walls around it to make the decoy seem even more legitimate while keeping the important things partitioned deeper.

With any luck, an aggressor would hopefully realize there is nothing of value and leave.

The next defense he had in mind to work on after finishing this would be to create false memories of random nonsense that are incomprehensible. Because, as it turns out, whatever a Legilimancer sees, has to be interpreted. If they see a memory and are lacking context to it, it's astoundingly likely they might draw the wrong conclusion from it if they don't understand the feelings or emotions behind it.

Collapsing into an exhausted heap upon the bed, he squirms around until he's nestled under the covers. All things considered it was a great first day.

'And the best part', he thought with a smile as he slipped into sleep, 'is that I made far more progress than I expected to in such a short time.'

Thinking of that however caused him to groan. He'd forgotten to make time to practice wandless magic! Oh well, maybe he can get away with doing that in certain classes when they work on theory instead of practical?

Severus knew that tomorrow would be even better.


A/N: Thank you all again for coming back. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and don't worry. I hope to have only a few more chapters of building up and establishing before I can start getting to the really good parts. And it's because of everyone who has already shown support and enjoyed this work of mine, that I worked so hard to get it out to you, as soon as possible. I'm a little embarrassed to admit though that I am a slow writer. It took me most of a day to write this whole chapter from start to finish and end up with what feels like so little. But I promise to keep working at it. And I'll do my level best to get out a chapter of roughly this size, give or take, once a week, on a day that's still to be determined. And as always reviews/favorites/follows are appreciated.

A/N 2: I also want to give my thanks to Belgrave123 for the suggestion and to say you are absolutely right. I almost fell into the trap, but I think I managed to work something out. Thank you so much!