Broke-UP, PUT-DOWN & OUT

As she walked between rows of desks, Vexus paused to inspect the contents of a cauldron bubbling away in front a read headed second-year. She considered it for a moment before she spoke, "Mister Weasly, this shouldn't be bubbling," she raised an eyebrow "should it?" Percy Weasly was at a loss for words, he merely blushed. "No ma'm."

Vexus was enjoying her role as assistant to Professor Snape. Though she could see why he was always in such a completely miserable mood. Just this morning the first years succeeded in once again turning the potions classroom into a horrible mess.

She gave Percy some pointers and left him to his own devices. She helped them as much as she could, but knew that if they didn't learn it on their own dealing with Professor Snape would only be worse; for all involved. The students liked her, despite all the reasons she should've been horrible she was nice to them. This year the competition between Slytherin was getting ugly. There had been several incidents between students and both houses wanted to win the house cup so bad they could taste it. In the potions class however it was all business, at least with Vexus. Sometimes it was like the nastier Snape got the nicer she was, almost like they were different sides of the same coin.

 There was a discussion once between several second year Gryffindors about her.

"All I know is that she always helps me." this was said by a tall, thin blonde girl named Sarah.

"Well," Percy always sounded like he was giving a lecture "she's a Slytherin, who volunteered to be Snape's assistant? There's going to be a breaking point one day and she's going to revert to the typical Slytherin." Several of the other students nodded.

The blonde girl spoke again "Well from now on why don't you just stop accepting her help. I'm sure that you've never really needed it anyway." she smirked at him and he turned red.

And so it went in Vexus sixth year at Hogwarts. Her job assisting Professor Snape consisted mainly of reading over reports, helping cleanup the classroom and making sure that the potions class always had everything they needed on hand. In the first- and second-year classes she patrolled the rows trying to catch any potential problems before they literally exploded. Professor Snape seemed more relaxed around her but she still had the occasional run-in with him in her regular class. Toby said he thought that Snape was taking advantage of her after she had spent yet another evening in the dungeons doing an inventory.

Everything wasn't rosy with her other classes. She absolutely hated Divination. After much thought and discussion between her and her two best friends Vexus decided that she simply had to drop the class. "I just can't see the point in it." she was grumbling again after a particularly trying session with Professor Trelawney. Vexus had again failed to see anything but fog as she sat and stared in to the crystal ball in front of her.

"You're not focused enough, dear. Try again." Trelawney's eyes looked too big for her head through those glasses thought Vexus. An hour later there was still nothing emerging from the foggy depths of the ball but, well, fog.

After a particularly trying class Teresa offered a suggestion "Maybe you should just go ahead and ask about dropping the class. I mean you could always pick up double Charms or Transfiguration. And I am sure that McGonagall would support you. From what I've seen she doesn't like Professor Trelawney anyway. "

 "You're right." Vexus was openly annoyed now "I hate to drop a class though." She didn't often let it show when she was upset about something. "It makes me feel like I've failed somehow."

"Don't worry about it. You do well enough in everything else." Teresa had always stood by her and Vexus was suddenly very grateful for her friend.

After lunch she had a free period, which was usually spent in the dungeons, but today she headed for the headmaster's office. She ran into Professor McGonagall on the way there.

"I am glad I ran into you, Professor." It was the truth; she didn't know the new password to get to Dumbledore's office. As they walked she explained to McGonagall why she wanted to see the Headmaster.

"I would be pleased to have you in another class." Minerva McGonagall had grown fond of the girl over the years. She never showed any favoritism of course. After all, Vexus was a Slytherin, however she was an excellent student and Minerva liked her for it.  Occasionally, she would look at Vexus in her class and wonder about the decision that was made and her role in the life of the girl scribbling away at her desk.

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Nearly thirty minutes had passed since the appointed time. She stood just on the edge of the forest and waited. 'Surely Severus wouldn't have been caught. He's too careful.' Her mind raced. She thought that this was a bad idea and was only here waiting because of her loyalty to Dumbledore.

Now with Snape late and who knows what going on she was getting nervous. 'They'll be fine,' she thought. 'He knows how to get around the Death Eaters.'

Finally, as if in answer to her thought a figure emerged from the trees. Snape walked up to her and spoke "It worked. He thought she was dead and I have administered the antidote so," a small smile pulled up the corner of his mouth "she's not dead at all."

The baby was wrapped up in his robes and she did nothing more than watch quietly as the two spoke. Minerva looked at her "Is that an after effect of the potion?"  She couldn't believe that the child was so quiet.

Snape looked down at the small face, she hadn't made a sound since he'd found her. "I assume it is her natural demeanor. The potion has no lingering affects once you administer the antidote." He handed the baby to McGonagall and said, "I have to return. They will be suspicious. Tell Albus that I still think that we shouldn't have gotten involved in this."

She nodded and he turned back towards the trees. He was almost to the tree line again when he turned and said "Tell them her name is Vexus." And he was gone.

Minerva had taken the child to the small orphanage that they had decided on. She told them that both the girls' parents were dead and that she was named Vexus. And she left.

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Dumbledore agreed with them both about dropping the class, eventually. It took Professor McGonagall's support and rather vocal argument before he decided to grant Vexus' request. So Vexus only had to endure three more days of Divinination and effective Monday she would never have to sit in that stupid little room again. She practically floated to her Potions lesson.

Toby was waiting on her when she got there. "Where've you been?" he always wanted to know where she'd been or why she was late.  They were a couple, officially now. She had decided the prior summer during a weekend with his family that she may as well just bite the proverbial bullet. She still had her reservations about some of the things she felt, but decided that the benefits of the relationship outweigh the reservations. There were moments though that she almost regretted her decision, like now.

Her voice was cool when she answered "I was getting myself out of Divinination. Starting Monday I'll be doubling up on my Transfiguration class."

He looked upset "You keep going and switching your schedule around like this and I'll never get to see you at all."  It was bad enough that she spent every available moment doing work for some teacher or another. But this was getting crazy.

She smiled at him, leaned over and purred in his ear "You see me at Quidditch practice and during every match. Isn't that enough? Or." she was enjoying seeing the color creeping across his cheek "are you trying to say that you want to see even more of me than you already do?" She put heavy emphasis on the word "more" but never got to hear his response.

"If Mister Matthews and Miss Vexus are finished discussing their love life we can get started with today's lesson." Snape had overheard the beginning of their conversation and from the color of Toby's cheeks he could assume that what ever she'd been whispering must've involved a more personal aspect of their relationship. Something that he didn't even want to think about. He decided to make sure they got his point and added "ten points apiece from your house."

It had the desired effect, at least on one of them. Toby went even redder and Vexus coolly met his eyes with her own. 'I don't scare her anymore.' he thought. 'Maybe I've gone too soft on her.' he stood and began the day's lecture. He noticed that several times Toby tried to get Vexus' attention, but she just ignored him.

One night, a few weeks later Vexus was working in the Potions class, as usual, and had missed dinner. Midterms were approaching and she was working on a practice test for the first-years when Toby found her.

"You missed dinner."

She jumped slightly when he spoke. Rubbing her temples she rose and walked over to him. "I'm sorry, I got caught up in what I was doing." He hugged her and walked with her back to the table where she was working. He made a face "Snape works you like a dog."

"No," her voice betrayed how tired she was. "He told me to go eat, but then I got started on this set of questions about Deflating Draughts and..." her voice trailed off. She could see that it didn't matter to him, all he cared about was that she was still down here working when she was supposed to be seen sitting next to him at dinner. They were once again the stars of the Slytherin Quidditch team and their house hadn't lost the cup since her third year at Hogwarts. She knew too that part of the problem was that he was in his seventh-year and their time was running out.

She decided to change the subject while she put away the books she had been using. "Have you heard any more from Essex?"  The Essex Elite had approached Toby to play Quidditch professionally. She knew his father was a major factor in the final decision.

"Yeah, we finally settled on a contract and I sign on after graduation." He knew that he wouldn't see her after he graduated unless he got a firm commitment from her before then. Playing Quidditch would take him all over the country and he knew her well enough to know that she would not hold on to him as tightly as he held on to her.

Professor Snape had heard this last part of their conversation from the hall. He didn't mean to be eavesdropping. He had stopped following her around in her second year. He had decided that she probably wasn't going to bring the school crashing down around their ears in her third year. After he had observed them at the Yule Ball in her fourth year he felt almost bad about it. Which was funny because as a rule he never let little things like that make him feel bad. He had enough big things in his life to feel bad about. Severus had come back down to the classroom after noticing that she wasn't at dinner, and unlike Toby, had brought her a plate of food. Feeling like an idiot he stood in the hall and listened.

The boy was speaking again "Please, just tell me, is this going to be a long term situation? I need to know."

Snape couldn't see her face but he heard the tremor in her voice. "Toby, you know that I care deeply for you, but I am not going to be pushed into a commitment for the rest of my life. Not yet."

Toby was getting aggravated. It seemed like since they had "officially" become a couple she was even more closed off to him than before, even when they were alone together. "You know how I feel. You know that I want you to be there with me."

"Toby, just because your parents married right after graduation doesn't mean you have to." She kept her voice soft. It made her sad to see him trying to go in every direction and please everyone at once. "You didn't even want to play professionally. Remember?"

He was confused; he hated it when she saw right through him like that. "My father says,"

Vexus cut him off "Your father has his own life. He doesn't need to live yours as well. It may make him angry but what you do is up to you. Can't you see that?"  She had known that this was coming, she couldn't stand to see him trying to always do what his father told him to do.  And she knew that the reason he held on to her so tight was not that he truly loved her. It was more of an effort to prove that he was following his parents. She was about to tell him so when he started yelling. His patience had finally broken.

"You don't understand." He spat it at her "You're adopted. You don't have to live up to the family expectations. You were raised by Muggles! You have no concept of what it's like to have come from a pureblood family."

"Toby, I may not have the pedigree that you have" she had stopped feeling sorry for him and was speaking through clenched teeth "but I am smart enough to know what I want and not jump every time someone says 'Frog!'"

"That's not true!"

"Yes it is, your mother and father tell you everything. I am surprised that you know how to tie your own shoes. Face it, your family controls you." She had her fists balled at her sides and was trying not to scream at him.

"Well you never knew your family, for all I know you're nothing but a mudblood!"  He had let his anger take over and said it before he thought about it.

There was a moment of silence and Snape was sure that there was a fairly intense face off going on inside.  Then the sound of footsteps and what sounded like a… kiss? He dared the slightest peek around the door and saw that Toby had crossed the room and was kissing Vexus. Severus felt his stomach knot up suddenly and quickly retreated again as they separated.

"I am so sorry, I didn't mean any of that. I just lost my temper." He pleaded "Please Vex."

"Don't call me that."

"C'mon, I didn't mean it!" He was on the verge of shouting again.

Out in the hall Snape couldn't believe his ears. He knew about the physical side to their relationship. By chance he had overheard them in one of the dungeons. (He didn't like to think about that episode.) Snape still felt that Toby was not the right person for her, but he didn't know why that thought nagged at him. He had eventually decided that perhaps the two of them were going to be another picture perfect couple, at least until she got pregnant. But this was turning into something painful to watch, or rather listen to.

 He was snapped back to the present by her voice. He missed out on seeing the expression on Vexus' face but did not miss the anger when she spoke, "If you think that I am going to be swayed or have my mind made up by physical advances, you are wrong. And if you think that I am going to let you say something like that and then just kiss and make up" she stopped and glared at him. He felt a cold sensation run through him "You. Are. Mistaken."

Her words were like ice, it seemed that they hit the ground and shattered in the silence. "I think you'd better go now. I have to close up the classroom."

Toby stared at her for a moment and then left the room. She still didn't know how to explain it to him. She loved so many things about him but there was no energy or spark in the emotions. She couldn't stand to see him turning his back on what he wanted to do for his father's sake. And after this, the most recent argument, it was over. "I knew this wasn't going to work out" she still had her habit of talking to herself, "I should've never let it get this involved."

Once she had calmed down she realized really was sorry about the way things were turning out and let a tear slip down her cheek as she put various jars back on their shelves. When she turned around and saw that Professor Snape had entered the room she let out a tiny gasp. How much had he heard? Her mind reeled and she knew that she was going to get it. It was bad enough that she hadn't listened when he told her to stop for the night, but Toby had been down here and she knew that he didn't like people hanging around his classroom. If he had heard the argument on top of that… She knew she was going to lose some points for this. It was a moment before he moved; she noticed the plate of food in his hands.

She opened her mouth to explain or apologize, she didn't know which, but before she could say anything he shook his head for her to remain silent. He walked over to the table and set the plate down. With the sleeve of his robe he wiped the tear off her cheek then turned and walked out without a word.

She heard the sounds of his robes and his footsteps rapidly diminishing down the corridor. No sound followed him but a stifled sob from the classroom.

The next few weeks were miserable. Vexus wouldn't speak to Toby. Toby wouldn't look at Vexus. Snape snapped at the both and Teresa called them all stupid.

Christmas was approaching and there had been plans for Vexus to spend the holiday with Toby's family, but now she had decided that she really just wanted to stay at the school and be alone. She knew that the relationship was as good as over, but she didn't want to talk to him. Eventually she took advantage of a few spare minutes after Quidditch practice one afternoon.

"I think that we both know that this is over." She chose her words carefully.

"I agree." he tried to keep what he was feeling out of his voice. He waited for her reply and it was obvious she wouldn't argue with him. It had become clear that despite what he had been pushing for their relationship was not a perfect as he thought and she really wasn't the right one for him. They were too different. However he knew that she wouldn't turn her back on him, she would always be a friend to him.

"Vexus, I am sorry for what I said. I know that I shouldn't have said those things. I like your parents." He felt like he needed to apologize to her. She considered him for a moment and replied, "If I took everything everybody ever said to heart I'd have a miserable life. But thank you."

"Well that's that then." He said. 'I just won't have any perks anymore.' He thought. It made him smile.

"Is there something funny in what you just said that I've missed?" she asked him. He laughed and said "I was just thinking about all the benefits I'm going to lose by breaking up with you."

Her eyes twinkled and there was a challenge in her voice "Breaking up with me? I beg your pardon, but I, sir, am breaking up with you. Or didn't you notice?" He hated the way she always did that.

"You'd better stop being so damned charming or I may reconsider." They walked back to the main castle and as they walked Vexus casually mentioned that Stacey had been watching him at lunch. "You know she likes you."

"Are you trying to set me up already?" he was interested though. He remembered that Stacey had once told him how much she loved him.

"Well, she has said that she still likes you and if given the chance she'd marry you." Vexus smiled. Toby stopped and looked at her.

"Are you serious? She's said that?" he was intrigued.

"Yep, I bet your mom would like her." She knew that Toby and Stacey would be a better pair than the two of them had ever been. "Why don't you talk to her tonight, better late than never."

"O.K. If you say so." They started walking again.

"Um, just remember one thing about Stacey."

"What's that?" He asked

"She's not going to be nearly as much fun as I am, if you know what I mean" there was a slightly wicked gleam in Vexus' eyes.

Toby laughed, "Pervert! I'm going to miss you."

It completely confused Stacey Lions when he came over and sat by her at dinner that night. "Vexus has told me so much about you..." he began.

The following weeks confused more than just Stacey, they were befuddled by the sudden change, "You mean she dumped him?" it was whispered  "or was it the other way around. Surely it wasn't some sort of mutual thing." Since Toby had immediately taken up with Stacey Lions it was assumed that Vexus had been the dumpee and she didn't say anything to counter the rumors.

"I don't care what they're saying." she was saying to Teresa one afternoon as they were digging up herbs out in the greenhouse. "Honestly if that's the best they can do, well, it's not even worth my time to bother with the rumors. Utter nonsense."

"Vex, I agree with you, but even the stupid Gryffindors are talking" Teresa was having a hard time with a stubborn plant that didn't want to be transplanted "They all insist that we're going to lose the cup because you and Toby obviously won't be able to play on the same team after what's happened."

Vexus wiped her hand across her forehead, leaving a large smudge of dirt on her face. "Let them think that, we'll beat the snot out of them Saturday. Besides Toby's got no, shall we say, 'outlet for his energy' anymore. Have you seen him, he looks like he is going to explode? I won't be surprised if he knocks out someone when he starts going at the bludgers." there was an evil look in her eyes when she said that and Teresa snorted trying not to laugh. Which only made both of them laugh.

"I will never be able to figure out how you two managed to get away with so much." The conversation was abruptly ended when Professor Sprout started in their direction.

Potions class was interesting. Snape never offered to elaborate on what had happened that night and at first it seemed like he had forgotten. Initially she and Toby remained lab partners, which did seem to surprise the professor. One day he asked if "..In light of recent developments," a mocking tone in his voice, was it  "a good idea for the two of you to continue working so closely together." This drew a snicker or two from their classmates. Toby looked like the thought had never occurred him but now that it was out in the open it might be prudent.

And so Vexus wound up working with Shane Guinness, another 7th year Slytherin who looked and smelled like he hadn't been in a shower in three months. She glared at Snape and in her mind cursed him up one side and down the other. She remembered to not actually say the curses out loud or focus too closely on them as she had progressed to the point where she could do all sorts of things on her own just by concentrating intently on whatever it was she was doing.  Professor Snape sneered right back at her unaware of what was going on behind her eyes.

She still assisted Professor Snape but there was tightness in the air. As if both of them had revealed a little bit too much to the other and were trying to recoup their loses. She stopped spending her free period after lunch in the dungeon and was often found in the library reading up on one thing or another.

The Quidditch match came around and it was set to be a good game. The anticipation hung in the air; Slytherin and Gryffindor were tied for the lead and this match would decide the victor. Teresa wasn't exaggerating what she had heard. All the Gryffindor students were certain that the Slytherin team was going to fall apart before their eyes. Boy were they surprised.

Slytherin played as efficiently as ever and it seemed that every time Toby whacked a bludger a Gryffindor player being nearly knocked off their broom immediately followed the action. Vexus ran the Slytherin score up to a hundred before anyone even saw the snitch. When it was over Stacey rushed out on the field to Toby and made a great show of kissing him in the middle of the crowd of students. Vexus made her way back to the locker room unnoticed until Professor Snape stepped into her path. She stopped and followed his gaze to where Toby and Stacey were surrounded by cheering students.

His voice, (God what a voice! she thought) was mellow when he finally addressed her "Please advise Mister Matthews and Miss Lions that they should avoid the dungeons. I will not tolerate romantic liaisons under my nose." He gave her a look that said everything he hadn't said out loud. Vexus thought she as going to vomit, she felt her face flush and thought that any of the other teachers telling her this would've been preferable to the dark wizard scowling at her now.

"You knew." It wasn't a question. He looked at her coldly; she was windblown and disheveled after the game. She had already undone her hair and it hung down below her waist now. "I know much more than I let on." he turned and walked away. She watched him go and sulked down to locker room to change and then, hopefully she could just get back to the tower and go to bed with no one bothering her.

Snape was on edge. He probably shouldn't have told her that he knew about the extent of her relationship with the Matthews boy. He hadn't known what to think and still couldn't explain why he had acted the way he did after he heard their argument. He was a teacher, she was his student and that was the end of his concern for her. He kept tabs on her activities, still a little worried about her past. He watched her in the Great Hall and in his classes. Vexus never caught him watching and he noticed that she never looked in his direction anymore.  He still couldn't get the image of her after the Quidditch match with her hair undone out of his head. He felt a little pang at this and called himself an idiot.

After the students had finished the final exams her work as assistant to the potions master increased. She was assisting him in sorting through the first year exams and helped Snape maintain and update his records. Even though the course work for the year was over she felt like she was working as heard as ever. They didn't speak beyond what was necessary and she had the horrible feeling she'd let him down somehow. She was pondering that very thing as she marked down the fist year results from the stack of graded exams in front of her.

"I SAID, would you please step over here for a moment?" Professor Snape's voice snapped her back into reality. 'I really hope that he only had to repeat himself once' she thought as he walked to his desk.  He considered her for a moment before he spoke "Well, once again you have surpassed my expectations." he paused when she smiled "at least with your studies, that is." The words sunk in and she flushed red.

"You have passed the Seventh-year exam and you should have no concern about passing your N.E.W.T.'s You still, however, have another year with us to complete." He had been discussing this situation with the Headmaster. They had decided that she would be given the choice of continuing to act as assistant or picking up another class and skipping potions entirely the following year.

Severus was sure that after what he said to her at the Quidditch game and they way he had been treating her lately would have lead her to choose skipping Potions altogether. He explained her options and waited.

Vexus had a problem. As much as she was sure that Snape disliked her, there were those moments sprinkled in that made her wonder if there was more going on here than met the eye. And his remark about knowing more than he let on piqued her curiosity. If she opted out of Potions she would only see the professor at mealtimes and off and on in the halls. She definitely wasn't going to find out anything that way. She had been thinking for so long that he cleared his throat and started talking "If you feel that you need more time to decide."

"No." she said it softly. He was always surprised by the way she spoke just soft enough to make you have to listen only to her if you wanted to hear what she was saying.

"I would like to continue to assist with the potions classes anyway I can." she was sincere as she continued, "Potions is an art form after all and dropping it completely is no way to become a better artist." She meant what she said but made sure that she phrased it in a way that got his attention.

"Very well, you may return to what you were doing." there was a little twinkle in his eyes when he spoke again and Vexus thought about that for the rest of the day.

The Slytherins were becoming used to seeing the Great Hall decked out in their colors and the end of the year feast was as much fun as always. The following day Vexus and Teresa sat on the train making plans to get together over the summer.

Severus Snape spent his summer in Romania scouting out rumors about Voldemort.