Chapter 21 Severus Snape

As the air warmed the O.W.L.'s drew closer. And as they drew closer student's nerves worsened. Shayna was no exception to this. She had taken to reading through her notes, and completing chapter reviews even when no home work was assigned. It was frightening to think that her score on this test would determine where she stood in the world, for the rest of her life. This was the difference between a good job, or working at the Midnite Inn forever.

Everyone was dealing and studying in their own strange ways. Jes was setting History of Magic facts to the tunes of Muggle songs. Amber got up before the sun every morning to fly and when the rest of the girls woke she was relighting Potion ingredients with drama, like lines from a play. Alana was, in all seriousness, memorizing the O.W.L. study packets they'd been given. And Cho had chosen to deal with the stress by setting Shayna on fire, for she had "done so with an iglight blossom. Professor Sprout had sent Shayna up to Madame Promfry, who had spread jelice on her back. "It may scar up a bit." she warned ... stupid Chang!

Shayna stepped into the entrance hall. She glanced at the clock, 20 minuets till the end of class. Listening to the taunts of Cho and her friends was not how she wanted to spend that time. She could just tell Sprout it took a long time in the Hospital Wing. She turned to go back to the common room when she saw Harry coming down the grand staircase.

"Shouldn't you be in class?" she demanded in a false importance "I was talking to Dumbledore!" he explained quickly

Shayna laughed "Don't worry I'm not going back to class either." She walked over and sat down on the stairs, Harry sat next to her. "So what were talking to Dumbledore about?" He opened his mouth as if to tell her, them seemed to change him mind. "Nothing" he lied "So you nervous about exams?"

She shook her head "It's the O.W.L.'s that scare me." "I can understand that." he sighed "At least you live with muggles, they won't really care right? Man, over the summer Mrs. Weasley chewed the twins out for their scores." "You know them ... I mean you've like been to their house?" Shayna asked hoping for some dirt on them "Yea, their brother Ron's my best friend." he replied flatly

The door from the dungeons opened and Snape walked out. He turned to go into the great hall, but stopped upon seeing Shayna and Harry. "Does the famous Harry Potter feel that he is now exempt from classes as well as rules?" he asked taking a stride forward

"It's cool Severus" Shayna said He took one dark look at Harry and walked away. "Oh I mate that man!" Harry said once he was out of earshot "He favors the Slytherins so openly. And he is so mean!"

"Potter, you don't know what you're saying. Severus is cool, he just didn't like your dad much." Shayna replied "That's another thing!" Harry continued "All he ever tells me is what a horrible person my dad is. He's just bitter cause my dad saved his life." Harry suddenly slapped a hand over his mouth as though he'd felt he'd said too much.

"He told me all about your father and his friends." she said warmly "Look you just gotta see it from the other side. If it weren't fro him I'd be dead long before now. And besides, what would you tell Draco Malfoy's son if you met up with him and he had never met his father?"

"That's different"

"How?"

"I don't know, it just is." Harry laughed "So Snape saved your life and now you two are on first name terms?" Shayna nodded "When I was little my father tried to see me. I ran for a long time, I would have starved if he hadn't found me. He's not all bad you know, he's just been through some tough crap."

Suddenly the great oak doors flew open and people burst in from their classes. Before Shayna could say goodbye Harry had gotten lost in the masses