I would like to say thank you to all of you for the reviews and the follows! It really means a lot to me, and it inspires me to keep writing this story! :) Now, without any further ado, here is the next chapter of "Hello... Again."

Here we are! Agnes tried to reach up to reach the book she was after. Unfortunately, even when wearing three-inch heels, Agnes wasn't even close. In the end, she was forced to cast accio for assistance. Agnes inspected the ancient looking book. The cover read "Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration." This was just the book that Agnes was looking for. Yes, McGonagall was the the Transfiguration professor, but Transfiguration has its own theories and laws. It was a different form of magic on its own. The seventh years are supposed to cover the Magical Theory of Transfiguration; however, Agnes didn't have a seventh year class. For now, this was a personal research project. Agnes planned to take notes then follow up by visiting Professor McGonagall. Teamwork, right?

It was Agnes' free period. Though extremely tired, she wasn't going to fall asleep on her students like she had yesterday. Dumbledore hadn't spoken to her about the incident, so Agnes assumed that the Headmaster understood. After all, that old geezer seemed to know about everything that happened at Hogwarts. If Agnes didn't know any better, she would assume there were cameras. But, Agnes knew there weren't.

Agnes had an hour and a half before her first class started. She had plenty of time to begin her educational reading. Agnes checked out the book, ignoring the curious look she received from the librarian, and was on her way. Time to go back to the ol' dungeons.

It was a normal, quiet stroll about the dungeons. The students were all in their respective classes. More importantly, that meant Severus Snape was out of her hair - unless he also had a morning free period. As far as Agnes knew, he didn't. Rejoyce! There was no one to bother her. No students, and no Severus. This was going to be a very productive morning.

Agnes was blissfully alone. She was accompanied only by the clicking of her heeled boots on cobblestone, and the dungeon's ambience. Agnes had taken the back way through the dungeons so to not be disturbed. She had passed the entryway to the Slytherins' Common Room and kept straight. She just had a couple flights of stairs left. Up the stairs she went. The corridor up ahead was Snape's Potions class. Snape would be occupied, and Agnes would be home free.

Unfortunately, Agnes wasn't so lucky. An explosion shook the whole floor of the dungeon. The one responsible would not be having a very good day.

Agnes saw blue fumes burst into the hallway. She was a good distance away. She assumed the door had been opened from the blast. Knowing Severus' temper, though, the door would be magically closed again so any passerbies wouldn't hear him yelling.

"No, you blithering idiot! Don't add more to it!"

Hm, Agnes thought. Must have been wrong.

Another explosion. A black mass fluttered as it was thrown into the dungeon's hall. For a few moments, it remained motionless. Agnes took a tentative step forward. The black heap sprung to its feet to reveal that black mass to be Professor Severus Snape. Agnes clamped a hand over her mouth to muffle any giggles that might escape. None did.

Severus pointed a finger into the classroom, more than likely to the guilty culprit, and took a few quick steps toward the doorway. "Detention for a week, Mr. Romaine, and fifty points from Hufflepuff! When I say no more, Romaine, it means no more! Let this be a not to the rest of you: never substitute Horned Slugs with Flobberworm Mucus! Especially when your substitution is a result of negligence and being wasteful!"

Agnes heard snickers and giggles from the unseen students. She took this opportunity to turn back the way she had came.

"Why," she heard Snape's voice echo. "Aren't you all writing this down? Not so fast, Professor Blackwood."

Shit… So close. Agnes stopped and slowly turned back to where she had been originally facing. Agnes smiled and politely nodded to the man quickly approaching her. "Professor Snape."

"Drop the formalities, if you would, please."

"But of course." Agnes' smile faded.

"You ran away before we could finish our… discussion last night."

Agnes' smirk betrayed her disdain of that incident.

Severus went on. "You didn't give me any time to respond to you… fabrications."

"Hm," Agnes' smirk tightened. "As much as I would like to help you, Professor, I'm afraid that you have a class to attend to."

"And I'm afraid, Professor, that you haven't a choice in the matter."

There was another explosion. "I'm afraid, Severus, that your ignorant students have made your choice, despite your wishes."

Snape cursed as he stalked back to his classroom. Reaching the door, he turned to Agnes. he pointed a finger and opened his mouth to speak. With his words failing him, Snape pivoted on his heel to go back into the classroom.


Dinner time again at Hogwarts and, as usual, Agnes was elsewhere. This time, she was in her office adjoined to her classroom. She held a fictional muggle-novel about werewolves in her hand. Though a muggle, the author had a pretty vivid imagination when it came to describing the werewolves individually, as well as how they transformed. They had no idea that their imagination… could just be very much real. Ha, foolish muggles; they entertained her.

Agnes looked out the window and placed the muggle-novel onto her desk. It was dark outside. Kind of obvious, yes, but it was darker than usual when it was dinner time. With common sense, that means it's after dinner time.

Now I can be on my merry little way without the bother of students running about the halls.

She just had to make a few final adjustments. There were papers to neatly put away, and the book to set back into its own proper place. Things that wouldn't take no more than a few seconds.

Rattle.

"The hell…?"

Rattle.

Again.

Agnes looked around in bewilderment to try to identify the source of the sound. She could have slapped herself. It was only the handle to the door! She had a habit of locking her office door after teaching hours. If it was a student and they were smart enough to know how to unlock the door then all the power to them. If it was a teacher, Agnes would be seeing the person on the other side of the door any minute.

The door unlocked in response to the Alohomora Charm.

Good. Whoever it is isn't stupid.

"You were missing from dinner yet again, Professor Blackwood."

Severus. Severus-fucking-Snape.

Of course. Why is it that I am not surprised?

"I suppose," Agnes answered. "That I have better things to do with my time than attend the Great Hall to dinner."

"Oh, and what would that be?"

Agnes held up the muggle werewolf novel for Snape to see. "Reading. It's much more entertaining than attending din-din in the Great Hall."

"As a teacher of Hogwarts, you are expected to dine with use at the Great Hall." Severus crossed his arms over his chest.

"Oh, is it now? I don't remember that being in my job description. Oh wait… What's that? It's not. If the Headmaster had a problem with my absence, he would have spoken to me by now. Now, please, Severus, I would appreciated it if you would get your bulbous nose out of my business."

"Why you," Severus pulled out his wand and aimed it at Agnes' throat. "You insolent low life!"

Agnes leaned her head back in an attempt to move her head as far away from Severus' wand. In doing so, she exposed her neck even more to him. Oh well; can't be helped. If Agnes played her cards right, he would think that she were asking for mercy and he would obey - with cheek. If that were what it took, then so be it, but not in her own bloody office!

"My, Severus," Agnes smiled the signature Slytherin smile. He should know this smile all too well. Severus pressed his wand against her wand with more pressure. "So touchy…"

Agnes tilted her head to the side inquisitively. The corner of her mouth lifted into a faint smirk as she looked up at him within the corner of her eyes. "Now, tell me, Severus, why have you come into my office and unlocked my door to do so? What troubles your mind?"

Severus frowned. Riddles - this was the Agnes Blackwood that he remembered. Someone who could not be trusted. It had been rumored amongst wizards that Bellatrix LeStrange and Agnes Blackwood could have passed for sisters. That is what Severus had heard, anyway.

"Stop the foolishness. Your behavior yesterday was not acceptable as a professor at Hogwarts. I came to reprimand your actions as well a-"

"As well as what, Severus? Scold and reprimand me for bringing up the past?" More pressure against Agnes' neck. She ignored it. "The past… it happened, Severus. Get over it. Get over her. Run away."

Agnes leaned her body weight against Severus' wand-holding hand. She was moving her body toward his. Alarmed, Severus jumped back. If she tried anything, he could sustain her while remaining a safe distance away. The witch only stood and stared at him with a sinister smile across her lips.

"You retched snake!"

Severus' only response was laughter. Maniacal laughter. And this was what Dumbledore hired as a teacher…

What then occurred frightened Severus even more. Agnes Blackwood then began to… sing.

"Thumbing through the pages of your fantasies; pushing all the mercy down. All of your hate cannot be found; so you can try to tear me down."

Agnes began to walk toward him. Her eyes never left his, and her smile never faded.

"Why, Severus?" Agnes' voice dropped in volume - barely a whisper. Her words became more husked. "Why are you trying to make fun of me? Do you find it funny?" Her eyes widened as she inquired the man before her. She waited for Severus' response. He gave none.

"You take your turn lashing out at me. Thumbing through the pages of your fantasy. But, oh so innocent Severus," Agnes came ever the more closer. She stopped directly in front of Severus. Snape stood completely still. Agnes' face slowly crept closer to his as she spoke. "I will not be drowned by your thoughtless scheming. All of this just so you can try to tear me down."

Agnes was no resting her chin upon Severus' shoulder - whispering directly into his ear. "I wanna see you take a swing at me."

Severus' eyes widened in confusion. How should she propose such a thing? If he did take a swing at her…, they were both teachers at Hogwarts! He would lose his job. Maybe that's just what she wants… Can't give her that satisfaction.

Agnes backed away a few paces. She began to rotate her hips as she danced and sang again. "I, I will not be drowned by your thoughtless scheming. So you can try to tear me down. Beat me to the ground. I will see you screaming."

Severus was beginning to believe she had lost her ever-loving mind… That's it; that explains her behavior. All he had to do was alert Dumbledore to this encounter, and she could be sent off to the nearest loony bin.

Then, her dancing and singing show stopped. She resumed her previous stance. She was right before him again. Just staring at him.

"Severus," She whispered. "I know that you don't trust me, and I know that apparently you don't like me. You especially don't like me being here at Hogwarts. I have changed since the last time we've met. Hopefully, my behavior just now will refresh your memory of how I used to be. That isn't me now. All I can do is prove it to you."

Agnes turned to walk to her desk. She resumed her previous tasks before Severus interrupted her. She was putting the stacks of papers into the drawers, and placing the muggle-novel into the top upper right-hand drawer. Once finished, Agnes turned to face him again. "Oh, and Severus? If you do feel the need to reprimand me, I would advise you not to do so. Last that I recall, that is left to the authority of the Headmaster. Are you the Headmaster?"

Severus Snape remained silent; staring. He said nothing. Agnes smile, "That's what I thought."

Agnes moved to leave the office. Before exiting, she stopped and faced Severus once again. "I do so wish that you would trust me… I am not what I appeared to be those times we had seen one another. I'm not some monster that you cannot trust. I bid you good evening, Severus."

With those words, she departed the office. She left Severus staring at her retreating form bewildered and disoriented.

I would like to say thank you to those who have given this story so many reviews and follows so far! It means a lot to me. I was expecting to post this chapter a lot earlier today, but, as usual, I procrastinated and caught up on some well deserved sleep (my cat did not object, as she was my partner in crime).

I cannot say when the next chapter will be, but I do know it will be a filler chapter.

I would like to thank you guys again for reading and voting!

~ DJ-Kyoto