Note from the author: I present to you: a semi-canon-following fic, with a doll-like looking anaemic muggleborn girl from Slytherin fighting her way to graduation, her first crush in the new school (Hermione) being the bad b*tch she always was, her housemate Draco having a never-ending identity crisis and her Potion's Master secretly being a nice person. In the background I'm serving Harry being a lost naive little hero, flamboyant Lucius Malfoy being flamboyant and some complicated relationships (either developing or pre-existing), romantic and platonic alike. I do plan on juggling with chronology a tad. Also - other chapters are significantly longer than the prologue.

January 1997

Looking at the normally very pale face of the student suddenly taking the colour of ripe raspberries, one could easily tell that her upcoming tirade would be heartfelt. He, however, was completely indifferent to the girl's features apart from her eyes – one emerald green, one onyx black, in which his own were fastened. And those were indeed gleaming with fire and concern.

- How can you live a life like that, professor, constantly hiding from dangers that you're not even willing to acknowledge by simply shielding yourself from all people?! You're lying to yourself and basically everyone else by pulling this masquerade and it's not even beneficial, although I know you believe otherwise. It'll somehow backfire badly, I can feel it! So whatever's going on, you should tell someone. Geez, even me if you don't have a better candidate for that!
The teen kept rising her voice at him while the man stood still amongst the field with his gaze piercing her, yet seemingly completely unmoved by her outburst.
- I mean... you've saved me once professor, so the least I can do to repay you for that is helping you out now! – she added, as always irritated by the uncommunicativeness of the Potions' Master, as she never stopped calling him in her mind.

- Miss Castel – he started slowly with the usual sternness in his voice – Firstly, this is no way to address your teacher and if you ever decide to do that again, I might be forced to take away 10 points from the house, which I obviously would rather not do. Besides I believe my personal affairs that you're so keen on meddling with are no business of yours or any other student, for that matter. And while you might have been wrongfully convinced by the behaviour of some other students and teachers alike that such acts are by affiliation appropriate towards everyone at the school of Hogwarts, I am afraid I need to inform you that you are mistaken – he said, turning away on his heel and starting to walk away quickly.
The girl caught up to him easily and kept up with his pace, for a while quietly trying to collect her thoughts. Their robes, both equally dark and flowy danced in the morning wind. The sun was starting to rise over the hills surrounding the castle bathed in glittering snow as they marched towards the Forbidden Forest, still partly hidden in the shadows.

- Professor Snape? – the girl said, quite sheepishly this time.

- Yes?

- I know you'll probably take some points from me for that, but I still think you should tell someone. Maybe headmaster Dumbledore? That oath I heard you mentioning to Draco yesterday, I've researched it – she said, slightly prideful about it - and it sounds dangerous, whatever the deed he has been ordered to do actually is. Although given how grave the consequences are, I doubt it was used on you for something trivial, which gives one the more reason to worry, actually. And along with what I had found out accidentally during our mind-reading training, provided that I am connecting the dots right, you are tied up with something really dangerous, possibly involving Him Who Must Not Be Named. Am I right, professor?

The man listened to her outwardly emotionless, but with growing concern at the very centre of his being. "What devil prompted that child to try to involve herself in my struggles?" he wondered, knowing that nothing good for her could result from this.
Having patiently waited for her to finish her thought and only after he had ensured she does not have anything more to add, he took his turn to talk:
- You are right about one thing, Elena – she shuddered, hearing her first name unexpectedly – I have warned you that the punishment for your unyielding stupidity, oh I am sorry – he said sarcastically and continued after a pause - bravery and curiosity, as your Gryffindor friends would call it, is 10 points, therefore that is just what the Slytherin house has just lost thanks to you. You can, however, earn them back if you remain silent for the rest of our gathering quest on this blissful morning. And thank you for elaborating on what you know – he paused again, almost unnoticeably reaching for his wand – Obliviate!

- Expelliarmus! – the young witch capably countered his attack.

Something in his voice must have betrayed him, since they were both looking at the ground in pursuit of the ingredients he needed for his storehouse sticking out from underneath the duvet of snow, so the girl had no way of noticing the movement of his hand.

- Most impressive, , most impressive indeed. Let's pretend you have not just attacked your teacher and I trust that in return you will behave as if the charm has worked – Snape said, snatching his wand from Elena's hand – And now, what I have said earlier.

- But I really don't understand...- apart from spirited, she was also undoubtedly a pretty stubborn person, "or admirably persistent as some would call it" Severus thought to himself and snickered quietly.

- What I said earlier. Silence. Don't make me use another spell on you, Elena, because this time I guarantee you I will succeed. And with your inclination for chattering Silencio would almost equal Crucio, wouldn't it?
Convinced by his tone and therefore now slightly afraid to utter another word, the girl simply smiled and nodded, focusing again on the task at hand.
Neither of them said a thing in the following thirty minutes as they forced their way through the shrubbery of the Forest, leaning to collect the necessary plants and insects hidden in the mouldering trunks of dead trees every now and then.

When they got back, the school had already woken up and the corridors were buzzing with noise, that would only lessen a tad when the professor was passing through them with his young companion carrying all their harvest in an enchanted basket until they arrived at the staircase to the cellar.

- I'll take it from here. You can go have breakfast now. And thank you, Miss Castel – the professor either actually put more emphasis on the phrase "thank you" than he routinely would or she simply was imagining what she'd want to hear. - And be sure to come by to my office before dinner to talk about that... initiative of yours you had mentioned yesterday – he added with deliberately ill-concealed mockery, taking the basket from her hand.

- I certainly will. Goodbye professor! – she smiled at him, unfazed by his tone and left, hurrying towards her friends, whom she had just spotted somewhere in the corridor.