To warn you all ahead of time, some people may not like what Blythe does in this chapter, but don't worry, Snape will get his revenge in chapters soon to come.

Chapter Eleven: To Make Matters Worse

Blythe wandered the halls in a not so blissful daze after her threat from Severus Snape. He was indeed a cold and callous man. She wondered if anything could break through the thick walls and layers of ice.

She walked around for a long while until she came across Remus Lupin. Her heart made a sudden leap at the sight of him. She was about to rush over, when she noticed him talking to someone. A young boy of about 13 who was attempting to hide a scar on his forehead in the shape of a lightening bolt.

Blythe decided it would be best to leave them to their discussion. She contented herself to walk by and say a brief hello to Remus along her way. He turned to her with a bright smile.

"Blythe, how lovely to see you again. Are your classes keeping you busy?"

"Yes, very, Remus. Though I have to admit, I'm loving every minute of it. My students are excellent. So inquisitive and willing to learn. I just adore them."

"I'm glad to hear you're getting on so well." He turned from her for a moment and smiled down at the lad he'd been talking to, then turned back to Blythe. "I'd like you to meet someone. This is Harry Potter." He nodded to the boy.

Harry didn't seem pleased about the introduction of his full name. He sighed, shifted his weight onto his opposite foot, and seemed to be awaiting a specific reaction. Blythe extended her hand and smiled warmly at him. "Nice to meet you, Harry. I'm Miss Farrah."

The lad appeared to be shocked about something, then a wide grin broke over his face. His green eyes looked very lively. "It's nice to meet you, Miss." He paused for a moment, then continued in a low voice. "Aren't you going to ask about my scar?"

A quizzical expression revealed itself on Blythe's face. "No. Why should I? Is it something important?"

Harry let out a sigh of relief. "Thanks. I know you don't understand why I'm saying that, but believe me, you deserve it."

"Well...uh...you're welcome, I suppose." She giggled and turned to Remus again. "So when would you be available to complete my tour, Remus?"

"Oh, how does this evening after dinner sound?"

"Sounds perfect.", Blythe told him with a bright smile.

"Tour? Of what, Professor Lupin?", Harry asked.

Remus turned to him again and smiled. "Of Hogwarts, Harry. Blythe here is a Muggle who happened across the school."

"Wait, that means you're the new Professor of Muggle Studies Hermione keeps talking about!", stated Harry excitedly.

"That I am, Harry. And Hermione is an excellent student. I've heard many Professors telling me that she always seems to have the answers, but she's extremely well behaved in my class. Hardly ever raises her hand unless she's asked."

Harry looked completely thunderstruck about this news. "Really? She's a real know-it-all in everything else. I think she just likes to show off how much she's studied."

Blythe beamed at him. "Maybe it's because I'm not a magic using person, Harry. As Remus said, I'm a Muggle, like Hermione's parents. Perhaps that has something to do with it."

"Maybe." Harry shrugged. "She probably doesn't feel like she has to prove anything to you. Maybe you make her feel like she's already worthy of praise."

"That could be it, Harry.", Blythe admitted. She turned to Remus once again, her smile never leaving her face. "Well, I should be on my way, Remus. I'll talk to you again soon."

"See you tonight."

Blythe walked off smiling and humming to herself at the prospect of seeing Remus again. It was strange, but she was starting to develop feelings for him, even though she rarely saw him anymore. 'I wonder what it is he needs Snape for though', she wondered. Then a wave of depression broke over her. Severus Snape. Would he go through with what he'd threatened? Or would he just try to make her life at Hogwarts miserable. "Doubtful he could. At least, not while I can still see Remus from time to time.", she told herself. This cheered her up a little.

"Don't get too close to him, Miss Farrah.", came a whispered voice from around the corner.

"Huh?"

Snape stepped out into the hallway with a sneer on his face. "I had given you slightly more credit than this, Miss Farrah. I didn't realize you were deaf as well as intellectually challenged."

Blythe's brow furrowed and her eyes became emerald slits. "What do you want now? Come to threaten the Muggle a bit more?"

Snape's cold laugh filled the empty corridor. "Not exactly. I came to warn you, more or less. Of course, you don't have to listen to me. You'll find out soon enough, being the cunning woman that you are." His words were saturated with sarcasm when he said this.

"Oh, so now you're trying to be the 'good guy'? Why don't I believe you? So far you've done nothing but go out of your way to make me miserable, and you think for a second that I'll believe this rubbish that Remus is dangerous? Please. You might think I'm an idiot, but don't take me for a fool, Professor."

"Just as I thought. You're as thick as Muggles have always been." He stared at her, almost through her, in a way that made her feel like he was placing himself on a pedestal. "I've given you good advice, Miss Farrah, I'll leave it up to you whether or not you accept it."

"And since it comes from you, I don't think I will.", she answered scathingly. "What good is your word against his actions anyway? He's been nothing but a gentleman and a friend to me since I arrived. And what've you done? You've been nothing but a little pri...."

His scowl deepened and his voice harshened considerably. "Fine. Say what you like, but know this. I went to school with Remus Lupin and I found out more than I needed to about him. His kind is as unwelcome here as yours, even more so I daresay."

"Oh really. And what 'kind' would that be? I suppose you're going to tell me he's a vampire or something ridiculous like that. I won't have it. I'm sick of your lies, and I'm sick of you. Stay away from me, Snape, or so help me I'll do my best to see you in hell."

Again his icy laugh rang out. "And what can you do to me?"

Blythe walked up to him slowly and purposefully, and before he could react, her hand was clutching his throat. "I don't need magic to hurt someone, Snape. Keep that in mind and ask yourself this, will you be able to pull out your precious wand in time to stop me? Leave me alone, Severus Snape, or I will see you in hell, and it'll be my hand that sends you there." Then she turned on one heel and stalked off, leaving the Professor standing there in absolute shock at her actions.

"Who does he think he is? Walking around threatening people. I'm so glad I was able to give him a dose of his own medicine. Stupid sod deserved every bit of it." Her hands shook with anger, but she wasn't able to convince herself she'd done the right thing. Nor did she feel good about it.

She studied her palms for a moment as she continued to mutter to herself, this time in a more chastising way. "What was I thinking? It's bad enough he makes me feel like I don't belong, but did I really have to stoop to his level with threats? I even grabbed his throat! What's wrong with me? I've never been that mad at anyone! Never have I laid a hand on someone in a violent way. I'm going to have to avoid him if I don't want this kind of behaviour to continue." She sighed, and when she looked up, she found herself at her office.

She slipped through the door, closed and locked it behind her, and made her way to her chair. She slumped down into it, her entire body shook now, but not from anger. She couldn't believe what she'd done. "What gives me the right to do and say such things? Nothing. I'm not like them, I'm so different I can't help but feel out of place here. I'm nobody in comparison to them. I'm just a Muggle. I don't have a wand, I can't use magic. I probably couldn't mix a proper potion if my life depended on it. So why am I here?"

The answer to that was easy. Only four things kept her at Hogwarts, and Professor Remus Lupin was at the top of that short list. Blythe hid her face in her hands and closed her eyes for a few moments trying to calm herself. Her nerves were at their limit. She was terrified, angry and filled with regret all at once. It was almost an overload for her.

She glanced up at the clock after a few minutes and noticed it was almost dinnertime. She stood up, walked out of her office, closed and locked the door again, then headed towards the Great Hall. She paused before the double doors, expecting the worst upon entering, then went in. There were no cheers from the Gryffindors, no unusual grimaces from the Slytherins and no looks of disappointment or resentment from the Professors. 'Maybe he decided to keep it to himself', Blythe thought.

She made her way to the table, sat amongst the Professors and ate her supper without a word.

Remus was quick to notice her peculiar behaviour. "What's wrong, Blythe?", he whispered in her ear.

A blush appeared on her pale face. "Oh, nothing, Remus. I just had a rather...eventful day, that's all."

"Oh? What happened in the time between when I saw you earlier and now?"

Blythe choked on her food for a moment before sputtering, "N-nothing! Nothing happened!"

"Well, alright. If you want to talk while I'm showing you around, I'll listen." Then he turned and started eating in silence.