Author's Note: Sorry for the wait! I've had my Troy over and been a bit distracted :$ neither the less, ENJOY!
Disclaimer - I Do Not Own Harry Potter, If I Did I'd Be Rich Not Poor


Broken Frames

Chapter Six - Severus's Book

Sariah awoke sore the next morning, but with a wide smile upon her thin lips. She stretched, and dressed in her normal skirt, shirt, tie, vest and tights, along with her robes over the top. Her long hair was braided sensibly back, as Sariah placed her bag next to the pile of books on her bed. She'd return later, once she had her schedule for classes, and pack her bag for the day.

With a slight blush to her cheeks, she ascended the girl's staircase, spotting Draco lounging on a couch waiting for her. He leapt to his feet the moment he spotted Sariah, and gave her a swift smile. Entwining hands, they headed up from the dungeons to the Great Hall.

At Slytherin's table, Blaise, Pansy and the trolls, as Sariah called Crabbe and Goyle, were waiting for the couple. Sariah sat down next to Blaise, and Draco sat on her other side, digging into his bacon and eggs, while Sariah opted for toast and porridge. After breakfast was consumed, the Slytherin's waited in their place, and watched as Professor Snape approached.

Sariah shot her father a quick smile, as he started distributing class schedules. It was a little more complicated because Snape had to confirm the O.W.L grades for the N.E.W.T classes. Sariah watched Draco, Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle go off to classes, and finally she heard her name being called.

"Enjoying being back, Riah?" Snape asked in a low voice as he went over her results again.

"Yes, Daddy. It feels like home," replied Sariah, her voice also low. Snape smiled and looked down at his list.

"All Outstandings… not something a father really forgets. What classes did you want to continue again, Riah?" he asked, taking out a blank schedule, and placing it before his wand.

"Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Transfiguration, Potions, Astronomy and Ancient Runes," she said with a smile.

Her father nodded, and tapped the blank parchment, where her schedule appeared. She knew that Draco had taken all except Astronomy and Herbology, and she'd have five out of seven classes with her fiancée, which pleased Sariah. She smiled at her father, accepting her schedule and rushed off back to the common room, packing her bag for Ancient Runes and rushing off.

Sariah slid into the classroom, choosing the empty seat beside Draco and planting herself down into it. She took out her text book, some parchment, a quill and some ink and listened in to Professor Babbling. Her smile stayed upon her face, as she felt Draco's hand rest on her leg. The class was quickly over, leaving the teens with an armful of heavy books, which Sariah dumped into her bag that luckily had another Undectable Extension Charm.

"A fifteen-inch essay… two translations, and we have to read these by Wednesday!" said Sariah, clutching Draco's hand as they started upstairs for Defence Against the Dark Arts. Draco was silent beside his fiancée, as they approached the classroom. The Golden Trio were already there; Granger having rushed off after Runes in an instant. Draco sneered, spotting Potter.

The door opened as Sariah and Draco approached, with Sariah spotting a glare from Potter who saw her entwined hand. Draco dropped Sariah's the moment Snape stepped into the corridor, and silence was heard by all.

"Inside," said Snape, in his familiar voice.

A smirk glanced Sariah's face, noticing her father had already imposed his dark personality and likeness for candles in the room. Grisly images adorned the walls, and she grimaced to see them.

"I have not asked you to take out your books," said Snape, closing the door and moving to the front of the classroom. Draco sneered seeing Granger drop her copy into her bag. "I wish to speak to you, and I want your fullest attention."

His dark eyes scanned the classroom, and they lingered on both Potter's and Sariah's, before Snape spoke again. "You've have had five teachers in this subject so far, I believe. Naturally, these teachers will all have had their own methods and priorities. Given this confusion I am surprised so many of you scraped an O.W.L in this subject. I shall be even more surprised if all of you manage to keep up with the N.E.W.T work, which will be more advanced."

Snape set off around the room, his voice low; the class craning their necks to keep him in view. Sariah kept her face forward, listening to his voice. She could easily listen to it, having grown up with his soft, but sharp tones her whole life. "The Dark Arts are many, varied, ever-changing and eternal. Fighting them is like fighting a many-headed monster, which, each time a neck is severed, sprouts a head even fiercer and cleverer than before. You are fighting that which is unfixed, mutating, indestructible."

The classroom was staring at Snape, and Sariah smirked quietly to herself.

"Your defences," said Snape, raising his voice the tiniest amount, "must therefore be as flexible and inventive as the arts you seen to undo. These picture" – he indicated a few of the wall's coverings as he swept past –"give a fair representation of what happens to those who suffer, for instance, the Cruciatus Curse" – he waved a hand toward a witch who was clearly shrieking in agony – "feel the Dementor's Kiss" – a wizard lying huddled and blank-eyed slumped against a wall – "or provoke the aggression of the Inferius" – a bloody mass upon the ground.

"Has an Inferius been seen, then?" asked one of the Patil twins in a high pitched voice. "It is definite, is he using them?"

"The Dark Lord has used Inferi in the past," said Snape, "which means you would be well advised to assume he might use them again. Now…"

Snape then set off from the back of the classroom to his desk, his robes billowing around him in a familiar way to Sariah. Her emerald eyes glanced his dark ones as he stood at the front.

"… you are, I believe, complete novices in the use of nonverbal spells. What is the advantage of a nonverbal spell?"

Granger's hand shot in the air, and Sariah went to raise her's as he called upon her, but only after scanning the room for other students, "Very well – Miss Granger?"

"Your adversary has no warming about what kind of magic you're about to perform," said Granger, "which gives you a split-second advantage."

Draco sniggered, and Sariah's own smirk echoed this. "An answer coped almost word for word from The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Six," said Snape dismissively, "but correct in essentials. Yes, those who progress in using magic without shouting incantations gain an element of surprise in their spell-casting. Not all wizards can do this, of course; it is a question of concentration and mind power which some" – and Sariah watched his gaze linger on Potter, a smirk gracing her lips – "lack."

She smiled then. Sariah had learnt non-verbal magic when she was twelve years old, completely by accident of course, but strengthened through outside training by her father.

"You will now divide," Snape went on, "into pairs. One partner will attempt to jinx the other without speaking. The other will attempt to repel the jinx in equal silence. Carry on."

Draco stood before Sariah. He was meant to be jinxing her, but every spell he sent her way was lazily flicked away with her wand, in complete silence. She was only good at it, because of the amount of practice, plus silence was where Sariah preferred things. You got more done in silence than in speech.

Ten minutes into the lesson Granger had succeeded in doing what Sariah had known for four years, which of course Snape ignored. He was sweeping around like a bat, watching the students practice.

Weasley was purple in the face from trying not to speak the incantation. Potter had his wand raised, waiting for a jinx that never seemed to arrive.

"Pathetic, Weasley," said Snape, after a while. "Here – let me show you –"

He turned on Potter so fast that all the entire classroom heard next was "Protego!"

The charm was so fast that Snape flew backwards and hit a desk. Worry clouded Sariah's face for a moment, before she pulled up her Slytherin mask. Snape righted himself, a scowl upon his features. "Do you remember me telling you we are practicing nonverbal spells, Potter?"

"Yes," said Potter stiffly.

"Yes, sir."

"There's no need to call me 'sir,' Professor."

Several students gasped, while some of the Gryffindor boys grinned. Sariah folded her arms, glaring at her half-brother with a look of contempt. She was half-tempted to hex him nonverbally, but fought against it. At school, her father fought his own battles, and she wasn't there to defend him. And vice versa.

"Detention, Saturday night, my office," said Snape. "I do not take cheek from anyone, Potter… not even the stupider half of 'the Chosen Ones.'"

A smirk graced the Slytherin witch's face once more, as the class dissolved. She approached her father's desk with Draco as the students vanished. "Still should have hexed him, Daddy," she said with a grin. Severus eyed his daughter, an affectionate look passing through his eyes.

"I would have… Except I am a Professor, and he is a mediocre excuse for a student. Did you grasp the lesson well, Riah?" he asked, standing and folding his arms around his body.

"I grasped this lesson the moment I learnt it four years ago, Daddy," said Sariah with a smirk. Severus nodded and came around his desk, giving his daughter a brief hug.

"Be good," he said, as the couple departed.

"I can't be good… I'm bad," she smiled to herself, grasping Draco's hand as they departed for break.

Draco and Sariah went down to the Slytherin common room, and the moment they entered and found the common room deserted, she pulled him into a long kiss. Unfortunately, break only went so long, and soon the teenagers had to part and go along to their next class, which happened to be Potions.

Sariah loved Potions; her father often remarked that she was very much like both her parents in that aspect. She had inherited a combination of both Lily's, and Severus's Potion abilities, and was adept as many Potion Master's and Mistresses around the world. Of course, Sariah put it all down to the study she regularly did and the potions she was constantly brewing.

When she and Draco arrived to the classroom, they found that only a dozen people were progressing to N.E.W.T level. There was Zabini and Theodore Nott who Sariah didn't really talk to that much, four Ravenclaws, one Hufflepuff and the blasted Golden Trio.

The classroom quickly opened, and Slughorn appeared, greeting the room, but also greeting Potter, Blaise and Sariah with particular enthusiasm. Sariah's eyes glanced over the cauldron's that lined the front of the room. She smirked, recognising all of the potions before them.

"Now then, now then, now then," said Slughorn. "Scales out, everyone, and potion kits, and don't forget your copies of Advanced Potion-Making…"

"Sir?" said Potter, raising his hand.

"Harry, m'boy?"

"I haven't got a book or scales or anything – nor's Ron – we didn't realize we'd be able to do the N.E.W.T, you see –"

Sariah opened her copy of the book, glancing at her scribblings along the pages. Her father had taught her better ways to produce even better results from the potions she made. He had said that he'd done the same with his copy of Advanced Potion-Making and always resented losing that book.

"Now then," said Slughorn. "I've prepared a few potions for you to have a look at, just out of interest, you know. These are the kind of thing you ought to be able to make after completing your N.E.. You ought to have heard of 'em, even if you haven't made 'em yet. Anyone tell me what this one is?"

Granger's hand shot in the air, followed instantly by Sariah's. Slughorn glanced from one to the other, before calling on Sariah.

"That would be Veritaserum. Colourless and odourless in appearance, it forces the drinker to tell the complete and utter truth," said Sariah, her voice soft and silky.

"Very good, very good, but of course, from a Snape!" said Slughorn happily, and Sariah saw that Potter was disgruntled at that comment. "Now," he continued, pointing at another cauldron, "this one here is pretty well known… Featured in a few Ministry leaflets lately too… Who can -?"

Granger's hand shot in the air before Sariah's and he called upon her.

"It's Polyjuice Potion, sir," she said.

"Excellent, excellent! Now, this one here… yes, my dear?" said Slughorn as Sariah's hand dipped lazily in the air.

"Amortentia…" she said softly.

"It is indeed. It seems almost foolish to ask," said Slughorn, impressed with the Potion Master's daughter, "but I assume you know what it does?"

"It is the most powerful love potion in the world… But it only creates the manifestation of love, not the actually feelings. It can lead to deep obsession," said Sariah.

"Quite right! You recognised it, I suppose, by its distinctive mother-of-pearl sheen?"

"That, and the way the steam rises in characteristic spirals," said Sariah, her eyes fixed with Slughorn.

"It smells differently to each according to what attracts us, and I can smell freshly mown grass and new parchment and –" Granger turned pink and did not finish her sentence. Sariah glared.

"May I ask your name, my dear?" said Slughorn.

"Hermione Granger, sir."

"Granger? Granger? Can you possibly be related to Hector Dagworth-Granger, who founded the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers?"

"No. I don't think so, sir. I'm Muggle-born, you see."

Draco muttered something to Nott, and they sniggered. Sariah rolled her eyes.

"Oho! 'One of my best friends is Muggle-born, and she's the best in our year!' –" Sariah grimaced and made a disgruntled noise. She was tied with Granger for best in year, with Draco a close second – "I'm assuming this is the very friend of whom you spoke, Harry?"

"Yes, sir," said Potter.

"Well, well, take twenty well-earned points for Gryffindor, Miss Granger," said Slughorn genially. He inclined his head to Sariah, "And twenty to you as well, Miss Snape."

Draco glared. "You're best in year, Sari," he said, finding his fiancee's hand and squeezing it while the Gryffindors chatted for a moment.

"Amortentia doesn't really create move, like Miss Snape said. It is impossible to manufacture or imitate love. No, this will simply cause a powerful infatuation or obsession. It is probably the most dangerous and powerful potion in this room – oh yes," said Slughorn, as Draco and Nott smirked. "When you have seen as much of life as I have, you will not underestimate the power of obsessive love."

"And now," said Slughorn, "it is time for us to start work."

"Sir, you haven't told us what's in this one," said the Hufflepuff, Ernie Macmillan, pointing at a small black cauldron standing on Slughorn's desk. The potion was the colour of molten gold, and Sariah recognised it instantly.

"Oho," said Slughorn again, as if for dramatic effect. "Yes. That. Well, that one, ladies and gentlemen, is a must curious little potion called Felix Felicis. I take it," he turned, smiling, to look at both Granger and Sariah. Sariah was smirking, "that you know what Felix Felicis does, Miss Snape?"

"It's liquid luck. It makes you lucky," said Sariah, her voice quiet.

"Quite right, take another ten points for Slytherin. Yes, it's a funny little potion, Felix Felicis," said Slughorn. "Desperately trickly to make, and disastrous to get wrong. However, if brewed correctly, as this has been, you will find that all your endeavours tend to succeed… at least until the effects wear off."

"Why don't people drink it all the time, sir?" said Ravenclaw's Terry Boot eagerly, and Sariah scoffed.

"If taken in excess, it causes giddiness, recklessness, and dangerous overconfidence," she said, cutting across Slughorn, and fixing the Ravenclaw with a stupid look. "Too much of a good thing, highly toxic, to be taken sparingly and very occasionally," she snapped.

"Too right, Miss Snape, another ten points," said Slughorn.

"Have you ever taken it, sir?" asked Michael Corner, another bloody Ravenclaw.

"Twice in my life," said Slughorn. "Once when I was twenty-four, once when I was fifty-seven. Two tablespoonfuls with breakfast. Two perfect days," he gazed off into the distance, and Sariah scoffed again, a scowl fixed upon her face.

"And that," said Slughorn, "is what I shall be offering as a prize in this lesson."

The classroom was filled with deadly silence.

"One tiny bottle of Felix Felicis," said Slughorn, taking a minuscule glass bottle with a cork in it out of his pocket and showing it to them all. "Enough for twelve hours' luck. From dawn till dusk, you will be lucky in everything you attempt."

"Now, I must give you warning that Felix Felicis is a banned substance in organised competitions… sporting events, for instance, examinations, or elections. So the winner is to use it on an ordinary day only… and watch how that ordinary day becomes extraordinary!"

"So," said Slughorn, suddenly brisk, "how are you to win this fabulous prize? Well, by turning to page ten of Advanced Potion Making. We have a little over an hour left to us, which should be enough time for you to make a decent attempt at the Draught of Living Death. I know it is more complex than anything you have attempted before, and I do not expect a perfect potion from anybody. The person who does best, however, will win little Felix here. Off you go!"

Draco gathered his ingredients hurriedly, ruffling through his book. Sariah slowly opened her book, gazing at it for a tiny moment and began to chop up some Valerian roots swiftly, dumping them into her cauldron. She then crushed her sopophorous bean, and the juices flowed, which using a flick of her wrist, drifted into the cauldron, which turned lilac.

Draco was saying something to Slughorn, but Sariah was in her element, completely tuned out from the world. She began to stir the potion, and it turned as clear as water after a few minutes. With a slight thought, she dropped a stig of the Muggle herb, mint into the potion. It merely disguised the potion's odour, causing it to appear like a clear mint tea.

"And time's … up!" called Slughorn. "Stop stirring, please!"

Slughorn slowly moved around the table, and paused at Sariah's, dropping a leaf in it, and clapping his hands together. He then went to the last table, passing over the cauldron's there.

"What a hard decision!" cried Slughorn. "Clearly, Miss Snape and Harry have inherited your mother's talent!"

"Give it to Potter, Professor. I could brew Felix Felicis whenever I wanted if it really pleased me," said Sariah, vanishing the contents of her cauldron and packing her belongings in a swift movement. She turned as Slughorn was presenting the potion to Potter and stormed from the classroom.

"Stupid Half-Blood Prince," she muttered to herself, having noticed that Potter was holding the familiar text book that had once belonged to her father.