Satan Barbie - lol You always bring some comedy relief to your reviews. It is so very entertaining. Anyway, the paper DID transport itself back to Snape. I'll explain the black mail a little bit. You see, one day when her family was visiting the Malfoy's Draco wasn't home and Roxy went exploring in his room and found his journal. She said many passwords before she finally got it and read through his journal. She found out some stuff that would make even his parents laugh. So I'm happy you like it and I hope you continue reading.
Mosh-13 - I'll try to add a little more comic relief, can't make any promises though. By the way, can you tell KittyWillow that I've updated my story? She hasn't sent me a review since the third chapter. Glad you like, hope you continue reading.
HEY REVIEWERS! I HOPE YOU ARE ALL DOING WELL. I HAVE GREAT NEWS! MY CONTACTS FINALLY CAME IN SO I'M NOT WEARING GLASSES ANYMORE. MAYBE I'LL WRITE BETTER WITHOUT MY GLASSES (JUST A THOUGHT). ANYWAY, I'M GOING TO BE TRYING TO UPDATE WITH NEW CHAPTERS AS SOON AS I CAN.
Chapter 7
The light of the morning sun flew in through the window and landed on Roxy. She groaned and rolled over to get away from it. She fumbled for her wand for a minute before whispering,"Tempus." The numbers that appeared read 6:15AM. The Hufflepuff girl groaned as she slowly climbed to her feet. She grabbed a change of clothes and locked the bathroom door.
I don't know where Sunday went. It's almost like it never happened. But then again how could I forget seeing Mike and Caleb dump their ice cream sundaes on top of Malfoy's head! That's something I certainly won't forget anytime soon, said Roxy to herself.
Roxy took her shower and then changed into her school robes. She used a drying spell on her hair and ran a brush through it. Moments of yesterday flashed before her eyes. Spending the day with Caleb and Mike; Caleb and Mike throwing Malfoy into the lake for insulting her; Seamus accidentally setting fire to Justin's robes; Her and Harry working on DADA homework; Hermione and Ron kissing by accident due to Colin pushing Ron into Hermione; Jeremy, the first year she had helped, asking for help with his Potions homework.
"Roxy, there are other people in this dorm that need to take showers too!" hollered Hannah.
That snapped her back to reality and she quickly finished brushing her hair before unlocking the door. The second she was out the door Hannah rushed into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her. Roxy walked over to her bed and knelt down. She stretched her arm out, reaching under the bed for her backpack. Feeling the strap of her bag, Roxy pulled it out and stood up with backpack in hand.
Megan was currently rubbing the sleep from her eyes while attempting to stand and Susan was making her bed.
"See you guys at breakfast," said Roxy.
"Okay," replied a groggy Megan.
Today was to be her first day of being Snape's TA and she wasn't sure how she felt. She wasn't scared or nervous but more like overly excited. So far she hadn't told anyone including Caleb and Mike about her new position. Her Divination classmates hadn't even mention her dropping out which she was very thankful for.
Roxy strolled into the Great Hall and quietly sat down at her usual spot at the Hufflepuff table. She had just begun eating when a familiar black owl flew into the room and landed in front of her.
"Snape's owl, right?"
The owl hooted in reply as if to say yes.
"Whatever. What's the Potions Master have to say now?"
He dropped the envelope in her cereal so she was forced to dry it off and pray that she'd be able to read the letter. She opened the envelope and unfolded the letter.
Miss Fudge,
As a Hufflepuff, I know you will be eating breakfast at this moment. As soon as you are done eating, come to my classroom. I have something for you to start doing before first class begins.
Professor Snape
Roxy sighed as she pulled a quill out of her backpack and scribbled Give me some time to
actually eat my breakfast, professor. I'll be there in a few minutes. before putting the letter back in the envelope. Before giving the envelope back to Snape's owl, she offered the owl a piece of fruit which he happily accepted. She smiled as she watched the owl fly out of the room. By the time she was finishing up on breakfast a lot of her classmates had showed up. Justin had just sat down beside her when she stood up with her backpack.
"Where ya going?" asked Justin.
"I want to get to class early. See you later," said Roxy before she left.
"To class? Early?! Doesn't she have Divination first hour on Mondays?" inquired a puzzled Justin.
"She does. Although I can't imagine why someone would go to that class early," remarked Ernie.
Thankfully, she didn't run into any Slytherins on her way to the Potions classroom since most of the students were already in the Great Hall. She found the Potions door open and walked in. The Potions professor was nowhere to be found but she did find a letter waiting for her on the professor's desk.
Miss Fudge,
If you want to remain my TA after the three weeks, you will need to eat your breakfast faster and get to the classroom sooner. You are to read and write about any improvements than can be made to the Wolfsbane potion. The book on my desk should help you. If you need any further help, there is a vial of the potion sitting on my desk in my office. If you are not sitting at this desk working when I enter the room, the consequences will be dire.
She raised an eyebrow but sat down anyway and set her backpack down beside her. She cracked open the book and began reading, jotting down notes onto a piece of parchment. While she was reading over the ingredients, the bell rang overhead which signaled for students to go to their first hour class. When she came across the essence of the potion, she decided to grab that potion Snape had left.
Roxy disappeared into Snape's office at the same time Malfoy entered with the sixth year Slytherins. The Hufflepuff girl saw two vials on the desk and unfortunately, both potions were gray. She growled something low under her breath with words like "Snape" and "hell" mixed in somewhere. It was then that she remembered that the Wolfsbane had the most terrible taste but it didn't have an odor.
Taking the vial from the left, she uncorked it and sniffed. Her hand quickly extracted and the potion was replaced on the desk. That potion had smelled as bad as the Wolfsbane tasted. Then she tried the potion to the right. As she grabbed the other potion, the Gryffindor trio entered the room with the rest of the sixth year Gryffindors behind them. She was pleased to find that the potion she held had no smell.
She looked over the potion as she walked out of Professor Snape's office. Now to say the students were surprised would be an understatement. The Slytherins were absolutely horrified while the Gryffindors were a mix of curiosity and shock. Everyone's eyes were bugging out but it was their jaws that dropped when she sat down behind Snape's desk. Oblivious to the staring eyes and dropped jaws, Roxy wrote some more notes down as she looked over the potion.
Without warning, Professor Snape stormed into the room and all eyes snapped to him. The Slytherins smirked and the Gryffindors grimaced. They all knew Snape was going to yell at Roxy and take away major points.
"Good job, Miss Fudge. You managed to stay where you were supposed to be," sneered
Professor Snape.
"Of course, professor," mumbled Roxy as she continued writing without looking up.
Professor Snape flicked his wand at the board and writing appeared on it.
"You are all to make this potion. Those who fail to complete it will serve detention tonight. Now get moving!" barked Professor Snape.
Roxy had never seen students move so fast. Professor Snape walked over to his desk and pointed at some papers that she had noticed earlier.
"When you are done writing your paper, begin grading these papers and then pass them back. Since this is Double Potions they will be here for a while so take your time, Miss Fudge," spoke the Potions professor.
"Okay, professor."
Roxy was busy cursing in her mind as Professor Snape walked around the room.
I didn't know his first class on Mondays were the sixth year Slytherins and Gryffindors! I thought it was third year Hufflepuffs and Slytherins,thought Roxy.
Soon she finished her Wolfsbane paper and started grading the papers. Most of the Slytherins slacked off on their essays and Pansy Parkinson didn't even write about the right subject! But she graded every paper on a fair level so the majority of the Slytherins got C's and D's because of the slacking off that their essays portrayed. Later, Roxy stood up and started passing the papers back.
Some of the Gryffindors looked very satisfied with their grade and the comments written on their papers while most of the Slytherins looked disgusted with what was on theirs. Professor Snape had his back turned when Roxy reached across Draco to pass Blaise his paper. The blonde Slytherin grabbed her arm tightly and wouldn't let go.
"You better have given me an A, Ro," angrily growled Draco.
"I gave you what you earned, Drake," sneered Roxy before she yanked her arm free.
Neville nearly fainted when he saw the B- at the top of his essay as Ron smiled wide while looking at the A- clearly written on his parchment. Roxy set a paper down in front of Draco and then moved on to the other side of the classroom to give Lavender her paper. Draco flipped his paper open and his mouth fell open. Written at the top of his paper was an A. Granted, it wasn't the usual A he was used to seeing but it was good enough for him.
When Roxy was done passing the papers back, Professor Snape had her work up a quiz for his fourth period class which was first year Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs. By the time she was done with that, the bell rang and class was dismissed. Roxy grabbed her backpack and handed her essay to Professor Snape.
"See you after lunch, professor," said Roxy.
Professor Snape said nothing but smirked at her as she left the classroom. Unfortunately, as she was exiting the dungeons, she came across Pansy. Rolling her eyes, she passed by the Slytherin Snob Queen as she was so nicely named.
"What was up with that, Ro?" growled Pansy.
Roxy whirled around with her wand pointed right at Pansy. Not having known about Roxy's fast reflexes, Pansy froze with her eyes trained on Roxy's wand.
"Let me warn you now, Parkinson, before I have every Slytherin calling me that. Only and I mean only, Malfoy calls me that. I call him Drake, he calls me Ro, no one else gets involved. Clear enough for you?" asked Roxy.
"Crystal," gulped Pansy.
"Thanks. I knew you'd understand," smiled Roxy.
She turned back around, putting her wand back into her pocket, and headed upstairs towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.
Word spread like wildfire about Roxy's morning and soon every student in Hogwarts knew about it. Caleb caught up with Roxy in the Great Hall for lunch.
"So what's this I hear about you helping out Snape this morning?" inquired Caleb.
"Why don't you ask him yourself?" asked a curious Roxy.
"I did. Every Slytherin student asked him. But he said the same thing to every one of us. 'If you want to inquiry as to what Miss Fudge was doing in here, I suggest you go find her and ask her yourself.' So I ask again. What's up?"
"Where's Mike?"
"Library. Now stop changing the subject and answer the question."
Roxy sighed and leaned against the wall as she put a hand to her head. She had been going through this all day, all sorts of kids coming up to her and asking her what was going on with her and Snape.
"Fine. I might as well as answer someone before everyone in this bloody school drives me to the brink of insanity. I'm Professor Snape's TA. I meet with him during the time I used to have Divination to help him out. Grade papers, research theories, brew a potion, whatever he requests."
Caleb stared at her speechless. Roxy stared at him as if he was crazy. He was just sort of staring at her with total shock written all over his face.
"Great. The person I tell goes into shock. That'll teach me to keep my trap shut," mumbled Roxy.
"I'm sorry, Roxy. It's just I can't imagine you being Snape's teacher assistant!" exclaimed Caleb.
"I know. It's a little hard to swallow. Listen, you can tell everyone you want. I really don't care what anyone says. I'm happy with the arrangement and Snape ain't complaining so I am doing just fine. Oh, and be sure to tell Parkinson that if she ever calls me Ro again her new permanent nickname with become Pans."
Caleb laughed and soon Roxy joined him. Caleb headed back over to the Slytherin table and Roxy sat down at the Hufflepuff table to have some lunch. The Slytherin shook his head with a smile on his face. He was confused but also happy for Roxy. She was lucky that Snape even
agreed to taking her as his teacher's assistant.
"So what's the story, Tirsh?" sneered Malfoy.
"Roxy is Snape's teacher assistant," said Caleb bluntly.
Malfoy spit out his juice, spraying Pansy and Blaise as others choked on their food. Caleb had no problem in keeping a straight face.
"Oh, and Parkinson..."
"Yeah?"
"She told me to tell you that if you call her Ro again she'll make Pans your new permanent nickname."
Parkinson turned a pale color as she slid down in her seat. Caleb snickered and walked back to his seat. He made a mental note to tell Mike about Roxy's new adventure.
The Slytherins began whispering and soon word spread out through the Great Hall. By the time lunch was done and the sixth year Hufflepuff's were heading into Potions class, mostly everyone in the school knew about Roxy's new arrangement. To the students shock and dismay, Professor Snape smirked at Roxy in sort a of a friendly way when she entered the room.
"Hello, Professor Snape. I trust you had a good lunch," said a way too cheerful Roxy.
"I did indeed, Miss Fudge. I read your essay during that time and I will be considering using some of your ideas that next time I brew that potion," replied a way to less evil Professor Snape.
"That's nice to hear, professor."
After that, Roxy sat down and Professor Snape returned to his old, snapping self. As the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs brewed their potions, the Potions professor took off points from most but when he came to Roxy he simply added some unicorn's hair and moved on.
"You know, I'm starting to think you're becoming Snape's new favorite student. Malfoy better watch his back," whispered Ernie.
"In my nightmares maybe. Oh, and Malfoy should be watching his back anyway. I swear if he taunts me about all of this he will pay," whispered back Roxy.
"25 points from Hufflepuff!"
Roxy and Ernie silently groaned. They should have known better than to have suspected Snape to skip over Roxy when it came to taking points off.
It was well past curfew when Roxy snuck out of the Hufflepuff dorms and to the kitchen. Once there, she grabbed an apple and ate it in silence. Most of the time she would sleep through the night but for the occasionally night or two that she woke up in the middle of the night the only way for her to go back to sleep was to eat something. She threw the rest of her apple away and quietly crept out of the kitchen.
She was heading down a dark hallway back to the Hufflepuff dorms when she spotted a light and shadow coming towards her. Afraid of getting caught, Roxy hid in the shadows behind a suit of armor. The light came around the corner and it was revealed as a lit candle. The person holding the candle was Professor Mercer. Professor Sprout had talked to the Headmaster who had agreed to give Professor Mercer a second chance. Roxy narrowed her eyes at the sight of him.
I'm in the entrance hall and Professor Mercer's room is on the third floor. So the question is what is he doing down here at this hour, thought Roxy.
Roxy looked on as Professor Mercer disappeared down the hallway. Curious as to what
her professor was doing, she quietly followed him. He sauntered down three hallways before stopping before a door with a symbol carved into it. Professor Mercer pulled a key out of his pocket and unlocked the door. He walked in and closed the door behind him.
The Hufflepuff girl quietly moved over to the door and pressed her ear against it, hoping to hear something. She could hear two male voices, one belonging to her Defense professor and the other she didn't recognize.
"You're late, Mercer," stated the other person.
"I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I was speaking with Professor Dumbledore. I only just managed to get away," whispered Professor Mercer.
"You shall be careful around him, Mercer. Or he may suspect something."
"Yes, I know.It's just my luck that the Minister's daughter wanted to give me a second chance and Dumbledore allowed it. What a fool of a child."
Roxy's face burned with shame and her eyes flared with anger. She began cursing in her mind, saying things that not even most Slytherins would even think of saying.
"Very good. You are to continue doing what I have told you to do. Let no one suspect it is you. Only trust those that you know will not say anything. Do you understand?"
"Yes. I understand."
Roxy stood up and hid in the shadows. The door opened and Professor Mercer closed the door, making sure to lock it before leaving. Only when he had vanished out of sight did Roxy come out from hiding.
"Who was he talking to?" said Roxy to herself.
She stepped up to the door and pulled out her wand. She knew a handy spell for unlocking doors that helped her a lot when her cousin locked himself in his bedroom with her finals essay. Chanting the spell softly, blue sparks floated into the lock, made small sparks, and unlocked the door. Roxy turned the doorknob and quietly opened the door. She kept her guard up just in case.
However, all she found was a few desks, a window, a chalkboard and a fireplace. There was no one in the room and the window was securely shut. Roxy cocked her head to the side with a confused look on her face.
Who the hell had Mercer been talking with, thought Roxy as she locked the door and went back to the Hufflepuff dorms.
End of Chapter 7
