Thanks for the nice response to the previous chapter, it motivated me to write this a bit faster than planned. I'm a bit annoyed at the Document Editor since it keeps changing some words so that they begin with a capital letter (it actually did so with both Word and Capital) and it also deletes my "–" ... So I hope you'll all continue reviewing and adding to alert/favs to support the poor writer that has to suffer through the continues torments of uploading! :) Enjoy a rather short chapter but I really wanted to update it!

As Time Goes By

Chapter V

"Evans does know there's still thirty minutes until the next class, right?" Sirius half-smirked as the four Marauders watched the redhead storm off in a hurry. Correcting his glasses, James acted rather nonchalant but was failing miserably to hide the goofy grin that was taking over his face; he was more than interested in knowing just who exactly Lily found more handsome than Sirius – because that went radically against the popular belief of the female population of Hogwarts. "But I might actually agree with you, Prongs, she might actually be into you."

"That's exactly what I'm thinking as well." Sirius aimed a kick at the other from beneath the table. "What the hell?"

"Nothing," he shrugged. "Just that grin of yours getting on my nerves. You look ridiculous ... Like a love-sick puppy."

James chucked a bit of bread at his friend's head, still not able to wipe the pleasure off his face. Perhaps Lily really did like him after all his troubles; running after her for the past couple of years, pestering her into dating him and it might finally have paid off. "Actually ..." His gaze flickered towards the entrance into the Great Hall, clearly considering something. "Think she'd actually go with me to Hogsmeade this time around?"

"You should try."

This time the three Marauders watched as their friend hurried off. "Think he'll be in luck this time?" Peter wondered out loud, stacking pancakes onto his plate while Remus continued to stay quiet; Sirius watched his two fellow Gryffindors, briefly wondering what was going on with Moony. He was probably still caught up what Evans had said earlier about the DADA professor.

"No way, he'll be turned down." Sirius chuckled.

"Didn't you just say Lily fancies him now?"

"Possibly, but there's some serious denial going on so, heck, she might actually shoot him down even harder than usual." With an arm slung around the brown haired wizard's shoulders, Sirius changed the direction of the conversation knowing James would come back to them with news of success, or failure, after his newest attempt at his love. "What's up, Moony?"

With both elbows on the table, Remus rested his head in his hands as he silently watched the clear liquid in his goblet. "Nothing much," he replied. "Just thinking about what happened earlier, and I must admit I agree with Lily; you guys shouldn't disturb Professor Evergreen anymore. It's our last year and we have exams coming up–" He was cut short as Sirius, with a barking laughter, smacked his back with a shake of his head; black hair whirling in all direction, grey eyes gleaming.

"Don't be so uptight, Moony! This is our last year so we have to go all out!"

"You're really bored, aren't you?"

Remus received a grin in answer. "Pretty much, yeah."

Samantha's forehead had started to crease during the following class, as she was this time watching one of two fifth year groups that would attend Defence Against the Dark Arts that year; she had no idea what went through the mind of those that fixed class schedules – whoever believed it to be wise stuffing Gryffindors and Slytherins into a room together for hours was seriously wrong. It was not a good idea – rather, it was a very bad idea indeed.

She passed back and forth in front of the class, weighing her wand in her hands as she, with a defeated expression taking over her features, watched the fifth year students. "Now, I honestly have no idea what could possibly have persuaded you all to believe it was tolerated to jinx someone – in my class even, while I was looking."

With a hand pressed against his bloody nose the Slytherin boy shot a look in the direction of the other House; he had, upon entering class, been met with a rather nasty Bat-Bogey Hex – which, if Samantha had to be completely honest, was performed almost perfectly – and the unfortunate wizard's friends had immediately jumped at the challenge. This of course resulted in a large brawl, toppling both tables, as well as students, over.

And the classroom had finally been cleaned after the previous incident ... It had taken quite a struggle for Samantha to seperate the two houses until she finally – albeit rather late – remembered she a witch in possession of magic. "I had not done a thing, Professor, so I believe a punishment should be in order."

Samantha watched him indifferently, though, noting in the back of her mind, that the boy was quite all right on the eye – if not for the blood splattered nose and angry glare that was directed at her.

Who did he think he was, telling her what to do?

She was well aware of the consequences and responsibility she had as a teacher.

Students nowadays, she thought grimly. "Stop dripping blood on my floor," with a flick of her wand, the bleeding was stopped momentarily and she turned her attention towards the other student that had thrown the spell in the first place. "And you, I hope you're aware that your behavior is unacceptable and will be punished ... I will deduct fourty points from Gryffindor," she raised her hand at the protests erupting from the Slytherins at what they believed to be nowhere near enough. "This ends now; if anyone prefers to complain then perhaps I should take into consideration what happened afterwards. You were all part of this."

A silence fell over the students.

Samantha ignored the angry glares from the Slytherins, and she had a feeling they were far from done with the other House. Now she only hoped they would at least settle it outside her class; although they were not exactly meant to fight in the hallways either, she really wished for just one class to pass devoid of events. It was her first day!

"Return to your seats," she ordered harshly. "Class will begin."

Turning a page in the textbook, she considered her options silently. She had to make changes in her curriculum plans.

"I had planned to start off with a practical spell, the Reductor Curse, which I believe would come in handy in these ... dark times." Samantha paused once more, painfully inviting unwelcome memories back although she had tried her best to ignore them. Her eyes trailed the students. "But now I may have to reconsider whether I should allow such irresposible children to learn it ... For I fear you would rather use them on others than to their actual purpose. Self-defence."

A few groans of disapproval erupted, and it seemed they finally understood the consequences of their actions.

If they wanted to be treated as adults they would have to act like ones first.

"So," the witch gave a faint smile. "I will have you all write a two feet essay on the proper and lawfully correct way of using spells, with at least three examples of defensive spells in duels. Only those that hand in an passable essay will be allowed to partake in next week's practical lessons. Do I make myself clear?"

Yet another uproar met her question, several of the fifth years raising their hands to word their arguments.

"I could make it three feet," she suggested in return. This, of course, silenced them. Another smile crept over her lips. Thought so ... Samantha returned to her seat at the front desk, while the others fumbled through their belongings, pulling out parchment, ink and quills. For a short moment she actually considered whether she was being too harsh on them, but decided against it. It was better to beat down any rebellious attitude in the upstart – at least that was what her own professors had done and it had worked.

One by one, Samantha took in the features of her students; she could not teach them anything if she did not know what exactly they planned to use her teaching for. Minerva had told her that a handful of the students – Slytherins in particular – admired and planned to join Riddle's ranks once they graduated from Hogwarts. Perhaps some of them were already recruited? How could she with a clean conscience give the tools to torture and kill other witches and wizards – Muggles even?

Even though the students in front of her was only a year younger than herself, she still had a responsibility as their teacher to help shape them for a bright future, not one of pureblood fanaticism. And so, a good place to start, was of course by stopping them from attacking and antagonizing each other ny randomly hexing people. Samantha shook her head.

... Still, it was a well performed curse ...

Perhaps I should use it on Black ...? She nearly slapped herself at the outragious thought. What kind of professor was she supposed to be? The guy was admittably a self-satisfied and pompous twat, but was that really enough of an excuse – especially when she had just explained her students how wrong it was to hex others. Unbelievable.

At the end of class, the students one by one filed up to her desk and placed their essays in a pile. Samantha was greeted with absolute silence from all of them, until she, remembering something from earlier at the sight of the Gryffindor crest , paused a girl on her way out. "Could you possibly hand a note out for me?" The witch asked, quickly scribbling down a few words and ripped the parchment in half; handing it over to the girl, she continued: "Could you pass this on to Mr. Black later today, please?"

She had forgotten to tell Black about the time and place of his detention.

"Which Black?" The blonde asked, uncertain as she took the handed note.

Samantha blinked repeatedly. "... There's more than one Black?"

"Yeah, there's his brother; Regulus Black." The Gryffindor pointed back towards the good looking, bloody nosed, Slytherin from earlier; when Samantha looked closer, she could actually see the resemblance between the wizard and the older brother – the same dark, curly hair, grey eyes and overall good looks. As if through a sixth sense, the boy looked up from his bag at the mention of his name and so Samantha directed her full attention on him:

"Do you plan to create as many problems as your brother?"

"I would hope not," he responded.

"Good ... The other Mr. Black, then." The girl seemed awfully eager when she knew it was the Gryffindor brother, a flush taking over her cheeks and Samantha suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. "Preferably today, but I'm sure you'll give it to him on your first chance." Heck, the witch would probably run off to him immediately with how she looked at the note in reverence.

"S–S– Sirius," as the Marauders stepped out of the Potions classroom, their last class of the day finally over, they were met with the beet red face of a fifth year girl. Taken slightly aback at first, Sirius immediately gathered himself and shot her a flirtatious grin in return; she wasn't too bad. "I was told to give this to you ..."

He took the parchment and quickly scanned the letters with James leaning over his shoulder to sneak a peek. "What's this?" Peter noticed how they had stopped, halfway caught up in the stream of students filling the hall and he caught Remus' attention – face burried in a book – causing both to pause and look back towards them. "Detention, eh?"

But Sirius was busy looking at the appointed time. 'Immediately', so whenever he got the note she would expect him to come running like a faithful dog? "I guess that means I should do it now?"

"It would seem like it ... So you're going to abandon me to run off to your precious sweetheart?" His bespectabled friend mock-sobbed into his shirt. Sirius rolled his eyes. Their behavior earned them a couple of amused glances from the people passing by; the air was clammy and damp, with a faint smell from the potions they had just brewed. He pushed his friend off of him.

"Just as you did earlier with Evans?" He ignored the response of 'That's an entirely different thing' and in stead, with Remus and Peter cutting their way through the current of students, added: "I should be back before dinner but what'll you guys do until then?"

"I'll probably ..." James trailed off, eyes flickering to the side and he ran a hand through his hair. "Go write that Potions essay."

He stared blankly at his friends as they in absolute shock and horror watched him.

"I'd never imagine hearing Prongs voluntarily suggest studying ..." Remus muttered, earning him a punch to the shoulder.

"Lily just passed by," Peter added.

The look turned to pity.

"... Go die, you guys."

They climbed the stairs from the dungeons, but as they came to the upper levels the group split in two. Remus, making sure to not miss the golden opportunity, had headlocked James and dragged him towards the library under great protests, with Peter in tow; Sirius, on the other hand, parted from them on the second floor and headed towards the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom.

He paused for a moment outside the heavy door, hand resting against the wood.

Then he knocked.

"Come in," the witch's voice invited him inside and so, putting up his trademark smirk, Sirius stepped inside.

"I have answered your summon, oh beautiful–"

"Don't even get started," she responded and resulted in his smirk widening. The professor was seated at her desk, a large stack of parchment piled up in front; her brown hair was pulled back tightly and she looked up briefly, resting her quill against the bottle and waved him closer. "I had a feeling you would get the note fairly quickly ..." Sirius took a seat on the edge of her desk, casually stretching his legs and pointedly ignored her raised eyebrow; he lifted the first couple of pages in the pile, trying to make out the handwritings of the titles.

With a quick slap on the wrist from the professor's quill, he withdrew his hand. "What're you doing?"

"My job," she responded blankly.

"So, professor, what can I do for you this time?"

Evergreen paused, biting the tip of her quill as if she was thinking. "Right ... I'll need you to ..." Her brown eyes trailed the classroom. "Move all the tables over to the left side of the room. Oh, and, just since this is a punishment you can leave your wand here with me." His eyebrow scooted up at the weird request – he was not exactly a newbie at detention but he had never been told to do something as odd as that. But, with a shrug, he pushed himself off the desk; pulling his wand out and, with a clack, leaving it, he went for the first table.

Sirius made a big deal out of rolling his sleeves up when he noticed her eyes on him. He muffled a chuckle with his arm as she mumbled something incomprehensible, but he was fairly sure he heard the words 'narcissist' and 'brat'; he grabbed ahold of the firste table and lifted it with ease. The room was filled in a golden glow and a silence fell over the pair as Sirius began his work.

As he moved the third table, he suddenly caught himself shooting glances in the witch's direction ever so often.

She had once more begun nibbling at her quill – Sirius wondered if it was some habit of hers? – brow furrowed slightly in thought as she corrected papers; a strand of loose, curly hair fell into her eyes and she impatiently tugged it behind her ear. "You know," her voice suddenly broke the quiet, comfortable stillness of the room, forcing Sirius to pause his own trail of thought. "I met your brother today – Regulus, was it?"

His face darkened momentarily, resting slightly across the table but his changed expression did not go unnoticed by the professor. "Oh, yeah?"

"Yes, he got a nasty hex thrown at him in my class today. It seems it runs in your family to get in trouble ... especially in my class," her brow furrowed at the thought, clearly not finding that thought all too appealing.

"Well, that's about the only thing we've in common then."

A delicate eyebrow was raised at his words. But, much to his surprise, the witch did not dig further into the conversation and rather returned to her papers. "Very well." For the remaining time it took Sirius to finish his task, neither of them spoke; finally pushing the last table into position, he felt his shirt cling to his body from the labor, hair stuck to his forehead and he wafted his hands in front of his face, creating a small, cooling wind. He breathed heavily. "Are you done?"

He threw out his hands and motioned towards the neatly stacked tables. "Indeed I am."

"Good," she pointed the feathery quill at him then towards the cleared space on the floor. "Now move them back, please."

Sirius's jaw dropped. "What?"

"You heard me, Mr. Black."

He crossed his arms across his chest, appalled watching her. "What exactly is the purpose of this?"

"Who says there's a purpose behind it? I had given you a detention and had to come up with something, so I thought I might as well have you move stuff around to keep you busy. It feels very much like a punishment, correct?"

At first he merely stared, dumbstruck, but then he regained his posture and grinned. "Admit it, professor, you just wanted to see me sweat, didn't you? You have a thing for handsome boys doing manual labor and that was your excuse."

Once more he was fairly sure he heard her mumble 'narcissist'.