The first thing that Circe was accustomed to was being called the 'late bloomer'. It started after three months of schooling, when a rather yellow skinned girl named Lucy Lindleton came up to her one morning during breakfast. She had on a warm smile which surprised Circe when she approached her that morning. She asked how was her first few months at Hogwarts and whether she needed any help. Circe replied politely that she was alright despite being isolated by others. She had gone through this billion of times; she certainly can go through it again.

"Just ignore them, you know." Lucy advised. "It's just that they're bored and really, it is rather strange…you know…what happened to you."

"I'm fine, really. I do admit that all that occurred was overwhelming but I'm coping now. Thanks, anyway. What your name?"

"I'm Lucy Lindleton. Are you a pure blood? I know I am. My dad works in the council of Magical Law. Mom organizes charity events for upper class people."

Circe flinched when she heard the word 'upper-class people'. She knew at once what kind of people Lucy is, the kind that she was not. "My mom's a Muggle. She died." She left it as that and allowed Lucy to figure out the rest herself.

"Oh, I'm sorry. You're a half-blood, then?" Lucy asked, giving Circe a chance of hope.

"Yes, my dad's a…" Circe frowned. She remembered what the professor said to her before. "Well…I…don't exactly know where he is now. But I do know that he's…a wizard."

"Hmm…" Lucy stared at her hopelessly. "Anyway, you should beware of a few students here. Remember, never trust anybody from Slytherin. We are rather famous for our slyness, even to each other. Take for example, Pansy Parkinson, a really snobbish girl, kept talking about her trip to Budapest. Try not to get in her way; she'd go lengths to destroy you."

"Thanks, I guess. Is there anyone else I should look out for?"

"You know what, on second thought, just about everyone else too…You are weird, admit it. So, it's really best if you just don't sulk about if people are mean."

Circe frowned harder. "I'm not planning to do that. Well, maybe I'm strange; maybe…I'm a late bloomer." She said in a matter-a-fact way.

Lucy gave her a puzzled look. Then, she got up and walked away. Circe thought contently that at least she made a friend. Lucy may sound snobbish herself too but she did made effort to introduce herself. It wasn't until at mid-day during lunch break when she was crossing the yard, she heard someone calling out.

"Hey, late boomer!"

Circe turned around. Leaning under a big tree was a black haired girl, with her was a crowd of other girls and to her astonishment, Lucy was standing right beside her. Circe gaped at the sniggering girls.

"You really shouldn't trust other people, late bloomer. You really should have followed Lucy's advice but, of course, you thought she was your new best friend, didn't you…Oh, boohoo!" and the rest broke into a loud cackle. "Your mommy died, Grace? Aww…you have my deepest consolation, Grace." The girl's grin grew wider and Lucy eyes sparkled with cruelty.

Circe felt stone cold. So, this is it then; her first enemy. No, not Lucy. It was the snobbish girl Lucy warned her at first, Pansy Parkinson. Circe rolled her eyes, gave out a loud huff and walked away.

"Where're you going, late bloomer? The girls' bathroom? Do you need a handkerchief?" Pansy poured out her poison.

Circe knew it was best just to ignore her. She wasn't even going to waste her breathe defending herself. However, someone else did.

"Knock it off, Pansy." Circe glanced sideways. A boy with messy black hair with a distinct lightning-shaped scar on his forehead was approaching the scene; Along with him were a bushy haired girl and a red headed boy. It was amazing how fast Pansy's grin was wiped off.

"Potter, Weasel and Granger. This isn't a Gryffindor's business. So, leave your noses out of this." Pansy warned.

The boy, he was Harry Potter; the boy who succeeded in destroying her father.

"You're just another pathetic who picks on other students." The red headed boy said.

"Oh, really? Get over it, Weasel. If my father hears about what you just said-

"Yea...Yea, go ahead, run to your daddy again." The red headed telling off. It seemed that he was having almost a good time teasing Pansy until Snape came along.

"What…is this? Another row between you three…" Snape's black eyes darted at the three others. "…and my students?" his eyes now turned toward Pansy and her friends. They sniggered again.

"Pansy was picking on the new student, professor!" The bushy haired girl cried out.

"Well, it still isn't any of your business, is it, Granger? Ten marks from Gryffindor, for always prying into other people's business." Snape stared with content at the three Gryffindors. "If Ms Grace is indeed being bullied, it's her business to report to me." He turned towards Pansy. "And five points from Slytherin and another for tomorrow, if Ms Parkinson does not fasten her tie properly."

Pansy's face which usually was proud with her nose up high, changed into a face of disbelievement. "Professor, are you cutting points from Slytherin too?"

"Are…you…deaf, Ms Parkinson? I will not allow my students walking about with their uniforms untidy as if they were dragged around in the Forbidden Forrest by a herd of centaurs."

Pansy with her face of horror and moisten eyes, ran away, followed by her girlfriends, rushing after her. Snape now glared at the grinning Gryffindors again. "What…are you still doing here?"

And in an instant, they ran off too.

Without another look to Circe, Snape turned around and walked off.


"What in the bloody world was that?" Ron cried out in amazement, as they were heading towards Transfiguration class. "Seriously, I don't think that I've ever witness something like that! Did you see the look on Parkinson? Heaven, I tell you."

"Well, Parkinson's tie was rather untidy." Hermione offered.

"Oh c'mon, Hermione! Ron's right! Snape never deducts points from Slytherin. And Parkinson's tie? I'm sure it wasn't worth five points." Harry said. "Even if it was about the tie."

"What? Are you trying to say that it wasn't the tie that got the deduction of points?" Hermione turned to Harry.

Harry wasn't sure either but…"I thought…I mean…it's just a hunch. Maybe…Snape…you know, was actually concern about the new student. It couldn't have been about the tie."

"No way! You're saying that he really cared so much until he was deducting points because of Parkinson, from Slytherin! That's not the Snape we know." Hermione disagreed.

"Hermione! You can't honestly, think it was about a stupid tie. It was five points! Besides, he was the one who tried to save Harry last year. He couldn't be that bad." Ron complained. "But yea…you're right about a caring Snape. It can't be that too, Harry."

"Well, never mind. It's really nothing. C'mon, let's go. I wouldn't want another points deducted from McGonagall because we're late." Harry said while quickening his steps. They were about to be late.

"The looks on her face…" Ron muttered dreamily to himself.

Behind them, Circe was listening closely. So, it wasn't like the professor to deduct points from his own house. Yet, he did it. No, Hermione's right. It wasn't because he cared. It was something else and it was the only reason. And the thought of it was almost like a stab in her stomach. She must see the professor after class. She must tell him to stop it.

"I'm not a murderess." She whispered for no one to hear.


The class was waiting patiently. Some kept glancing at the clock hanging on the stone wall. Professor Snape had already deducted another fifteen points for Gryffindor because Neville Longbottom blew up his cauldron again and Hermione helped him to brew a satisfactory Zyrophren, a potion that forces a person to tell lies. Couldn't the girl understand that as long as she keeps helping that stupid boy, he is never going to learn by himself? But she couldn't hold off her chance to show-off, could she. Snape eyes then darted to Circe, who occupied the last table, right behind of the class. The lights were dim and he couldn't see her face as it was blocked by the shadows. She seemed to be pouring in the last ingredients into her cauldron, a handful of minced Zyrope, a plant mainly used for the potion. But he couldn't see what color the potion became.

"Ms Grace!"

The whole class turned their heads to the back. Circe, in turn, looked up to face her teacher.

"You are to change seating with Mr. Finnegan here from tomorrow onwards. That way…I can see you properly."

Seamus Finnegan who sat at the front table groaned. He always sits in front in every class. That way, he is able to concentrate better when teachers were teaching. Besides, the back table was dirty and the nearest to the dustbin.

The class bell rang and the sigh of relief can be heard from every student, even from the Slytherins. Snape was also relieved. He always looked forward to rest and peace after classes were over. As he lie back on his easy chair in his office, he heard a sharp knock on the door, shattering his moment of relaxation. Highly annoyed and preparing to deduct more points from the knocker, whoever it should be, he got up hastily and opened the door. "TEN POINTS FROM –

He cut short his bellowing for at the door, stood, Circe Grace, with her black satchel.

"Ms Grace, I don't recall summoning you to my office."

"Good evening, professor. I…I thought if I could have a word with you." She looked thoroughly nervous.

"If it's about your new seating then you're wasting your breathe and my time."

"Err…it's not about that, professor." Circe held closely to her robes as if they were her shield.

Snape thought for awhile, thinking what Professor Dumbledore said once to him. Then, he step aside and opened the door wider, gesturing her to come in.

When he was seated comfortably with Circe opposite him, it brought him back to the day where they were just like that, the day he caught her and brought her to the castle, the day he told her the truth. It seemed just like yesterday when in reality, it has already been three months.

"Well, what is it?"

"I...I wanted to ask about today, at the yard, you…told off Pansy Parkinson."

"Yes, about her loosed tie. What about it?"

"Sir…with all due respect, I know it's not about the tie. It's alright, really, I wasn't going to get back at her at all. You needn't do it."

"I don't…understand what you're talking about." But clearly he understood her every word.

Circe got up and leaned forward against the table. Her nose was probably only 8 inches away from Snape. "I know you punish her because you wanted me to get the satisfaction, so that I won't be tempted to hurt her. You're afraid or maybe both you and the headmaster are afraid if I ever become like my father." Her voice was so soothing. She spoke like she was singing a baby to sleep. Her pale face was calm and there wasn't a single crease on her forehead.

Snape leaned back, distancing himself from her. "You are being most absurd, Ms Grace. I assure you if we actually have that thought in mind, we'd send you somewhere else…away from people. I do not fear you, Ms Grace, no matter who your father is. Are we done?"

Circe was paused for awhile, staring at her professor. "Yes, thank you, professor, for sparing some time for me." She said, smiling at him, Circe left the room, closing the door without making a single sound.

Severus Snape got up and moved to the window. He always enjoyed the view. He did question himself regarding his unusual action that afternoon. No, it wasn't about Ms Parkinson's tie. It wasn't because to give her the satisfaction of watching Ms Parkinson being humiliated. No, it was thoroughly something else. It was, in fact, something so different and unlike him, that he couldn't bring himself to say it out loud, even when he is alone. He thought about Lily, he thought about her death, he thought about his life after her. Snape clenched his hands unconsciously. "No, I will not change." His voice was so cold, as if he was trying too hard to convince himself that he wouldn't change, when he already knew, yet refuse to believe, that it was already too late for trying.


I hope you're enjoying every bit as I do. I'm really excited for the next chapter as I've done a lot of research for it. So, keep checking on my fanfic. Read and review 3. Love, Wildreams