A/N: Okay.... My birthday is October 9th.... I'll be twenty! YAY!

I forgot to post up a due date for the picture contest... who knows... I may come up with others! HAHA! Anyway, I thought that the due date should be my birthday. Happy drawing!

Okay... I know I've been splitting up a bunch of these chapters. I don't think ya'll have been too particular about the way I've done them. I have a specific limit I keep when doing a chapter. 6-8 pages long is my limit. I can't fit much more than ten into a text file and the chapter expands when I add the spaces between the paragraphs for easy reading.

You know... I think that should be mandatory if you write something for some place like fanfiction.net that translates everything into something almost completely different. I hate having to read through the single paragraph stories that have no separation whatsoever so it looks like one humongous paragraph.


Chapter Ten



On Tuesday, the teachers confirmed their collective insanity. When Harry was walking to Care of Magical Creatures, he saw Professor Wizworth running at top speed in the opposite direction.

"What the bloody hell was that!" Ron exclaimed as he dodged getting hit by the Professor.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Professor Trelawny came running after Professor Wizworth. "I'm coming, my darling! Wait for me! Oh mysterious professor!"

She caught up with him and wrestled him to the ground. "Let go of me! Let go of me! Help!" Professor Wizworth was having a horrible time trying to pry himself away from her clutches.

"NO! NO, My Darling! My Everything!"

"AAGH!"

"Do you think we ought to help him?" asked Hermione.

"Professor Trelawny! Professor Trelawny!" Harry exclaimed.

Professor Trelawny looked up in an irritated manner. "What do you want? Can't you see that I'm busy?"

"Sorry, Professor, but we need your help for our homework." Ron said quickly. Professor Wizworth looked hopefully at them all.

"Oh? Really?" She jumped off of Professor Wizworth and started walking with Ron away from him. "What sort of questions do you have?"

When they were out of sight, Harry ran over to Professor Wizworth and helped him up. "Are you all right?"

"Yes... Yes, I am..." He dusted off his red and black robes and looked into Harry's eyes with those lamp-like yellow eyes of his. "Thank you very much for helping me, Harry."

"That's all right. It was nothing really. The person you should be thanking is Ron, really. He has to keep her busy while you get away." Harry said smiling at him.

Hermione blushed slightly at Professor Wizworth's smile. "And you.... Thank you for being such a dear!" He bent down and hugged her.

"Thank you, Professor Trelawny! I enjoyed the lecture!"

Ron's voice seemed to be amplified. Harry figured why. He could hear her running back to attach herself to Professor Wizworth again. Professor Wizworth did something, Harry never thought a guy could do. He squeaked and ran away.

Ron sighed and leaned against a wall panting. "I feel like my ears are going to fall off." Hermione walked over to him and kissed him on the corner of his mouth. He blushed crimson and smiled. "Thanks, Hermione."

In Divination, Professor Trelawny never showed up. Everyone, however, could hear her moaning in her room, crying like a baby. Harry felt sorry for her. He couldn't help it, the woman seemed like she never had a date in her life.

He walked to the curtains and spoke to them. "Professor Trelawny?"

He was greeted with a wall of sound. She cried even louder than before. "I'm sure it wasn't because of you." He tried to say something good, but even that didn't sound right.

"Prof-professor Wiz-Wiz-Wizworth said that I was an old bat! WAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!" Professor Trelawny greeted the curtains with another wall of sound.

"Maybe he's just looking for someone closer to his own age. He is awfully young and beautiful." Harry chided himself for saying that, because the sobbing grew louder. "I didn't mean that you aren't pretty as well. I'm serious!"

She poked her head out of the curtains and looked up at him with tear stricken eyes. She wasn't wearing her glasses, so she didn't look like a bug right now. "Y-you think I'm pretty?"

Harry could've slapped himself silly for his mouth. He forced a smile and nodded. She shot out from behind the curtains and wrapped herself around Harry, sobbing into his shoulder. He looked at a grinning Parvati and Lavender, which he promptly glared at them. "THANK YOOUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!" Trelawny sobbed.

After class, Ron poked fun at Harry's drenched shoulder. "He is awfully young and beautiful!" Ron gasped in between fits of laughter. "Harry? Do you have something you wish to confess to me or Gin?" Ron smirked at Harry.

"I don't fancy blokes, now leave me alone!" Harry growled. He was getting tired of Ron's jokes about the entire incident.

"Well,... you're right, though... What would a guy like Professor Wizworth want with a crazy old bat like Professor Trelawny, anyway?" Ron said.

"There aren't much in the way of candidates here for dates for him, are there." Harry said.

"Maybe HE fancies blokes!" Ron gasped as he went into another fit of laughter. "After all,..." He gasped, "The guy is awfully young and beautiful!"

"Oh shut it, Ron!"

"He's not gay..."

They both turned to see Astra, Nevaeh and Kennedy standing behind them. "What did you say?" Harry asked.

"Professor Wizworth isn't gay! I should know!" Astra turned to Nevaeh and Harry saw something of a pink twinge creep into her cheeks.

"What do you mean." Ron asked.

"He's been flirting with me..." said Nevaeh quietly.

"Hmmmm..... I wonder why... He doesn't seem the type to chase after his students." Harry said.

"Eh... as long as he doesn't do anything MORE than flirt, I think you're fine." Ron said, looking like he did whenever Ginny's honor was at stake.

Astra poked his stomach. "You must protect the womens!" she giggled at him. Harry had a feeling that she was telling the truth.

"Where has your cat been, Astra? I haven't seen him around lately." Harry asked.

"Don't know. I figure that he's somewhere on the grounds, just wanting some down time or somethin'." She shrugged and slapped him on the back. "Besides! I have no need of him right now."

The next day didn't get any better for Harry. In Potions, Professor Snape was incredibly agitated and highly strung. He jumped at everything and growled at anyone who spoke. He spent most of the period, looking as if he had been through a horrible fright.

"I want you all to know that Professor Snape has asked for the Dueling Club to be reinstated." He said.

"Are you talking about Miss Snape, Professor?" asked Hermione.

"Yes.... why!" He snapped at her.

"That explains it!" Harry heard Astra whisper to Nevaeh and Kennedy.

"Explains what Astra?" Harry heard Kennedy's distinctive drawl.

"The Snapette has him spooked! THAT'S why he's so jumpy."

"But I thought that was because of the L--MMPH!" Kennedy was cut off just as Harry turned around to see what happened.

Astra and Nevaeh both had their hands over Kennedy's mouth and shushing him. "I thought I already told you to keep yer fricken mouth shut about that!" Nevaeh spat at him. Kennedy just mumbled an apology.

"Is something wrong?" Harry asked.

Astra turned to him with those steely blue-gray eyes of hers. Then, she smiled. "Not at all, Harry!"

After lunch, they all went to Defense Against the Dark Arts, but found that there was a sign on the door. "Dueling Club today." Hermione read aloud. "Go down to the Great Hall." Hermione shuddered. "I hope I don't have to battle against Millicent Bulstrode."

When the sixth years came to the Great Hall, they found Professor Snape looking paler than usual and standing as far away from Miss Snape as he could. "Welcome everyone! This is the Dueling Club! I am Miss Aldonia Snape and this is my DEAR cousin, Professor Severus Snape! Please join us here!"

Professor Snape suddenly stiffened and stared off into space. "I think we're about to witness a hardening!" Astra whispered into Harry's ear. He turned to her and blushed. "It's not as gross as it sounds. The Snapette over there has been conditioning Professor Snape for a Hardening. She's been continuously stressing him out until his nerves are shot and his body stiffens up like a board."

Harry saw what she was talking about. Snape's body seemed to have genuinely stiffened up like a corpse with rigor mortis. "Aw... has my ickle cousin lost his nerve?" asked Miss Snape as she poked Professor Snape with her wand.

Suddenly, Professor Snape seemed to loosen up. He glared down at Miss Snape with contempt. "I have NOT lost my nerve, Aldonia!" he growled at her. "I was just wondering how a cow like you could stay in a position like you have."

Miss Snape growled furiously and pointed her wand at Professor Snape. She smiled cruelly at him. "I would warn you, Severus.... I don't take kindly to being insulted."

"Get used to it." He said in his usually quiet tone.

"What would your precious Minnie say if she knew HALF the things I know about you?"

Professor Snape stiffened and went pale again. He straightened up and turned to the class. "The first step in repelling a curse in a duel is either to say 'Expelliarmus' or counter it with your own spell and dodge the other person's curse." He raised his wand to Miss Snape and sneered at her. "For example."

Miss Snape seemed quicker than Professor Snape. Something shot out of her wand and threw Professor Snape against the opposite wall, just as she dodged his own curse. Professor Snape stood up and growled.

"Nice skirt, Sevie!" Miss Snape laughed at him. "OH HO HO HO HO!"

Professor Snape was wearing a black leather miniskirt with a black leather jacket, and high heels. "That was uncalled for, Aldonia!"

He let something out of his wand and Miss Snape was suddenly wearing plaid flared pants with a striped shirt. "Get him, Miss Snape!" screamed Pansy Parkinson from next to Draco.

Suddenly, Miss Snape straightened up and laughed that horrible laugh again. "Oh ho ho... do you honestly think this phases me at all? I've been away from you entirely too long, Sevie!"

Her Japanese styled robes came back as did Professor Snape's black robes. Her violet eyes glittered with malice. "I think it is time that we let the young ones have a go at it!" She grinned at him.

Professor Snape narrowed his black eyes at her. He nodded curtly and they began to pair off people. Harry ended up with Draco as his partner again. Pansy and Astra ended up as partners.

"I do swear that you have the worst hair in all the world!" said Pansy. "It sticks out every which way!"

"I think it has character. Quite unlike SOME people who can only follow the crowd, Pansy." Astra smirked.

"Oh? And what about those freckles! Are you taking lessons from the Weasleys? Are you going to wear patched robes and dye your hair red next?" Pansy sneered.

"I so happen to LIKE my freckles and I really enjoy my VERY blonde hair. At least I don't have to use highlighters on it to be blonde. I'm this way naturally, unlike you, Pans." Astra smirked.

Draco smirked and drew his wand. Harry whipped out his wand just in time to propel Draco backwards before he got his the final phrase out.

Hermione ended up being paired with Keau Cha. "How can you have a boyfriend with hair like that!"

"Easier than you, apparently." Hermione countered and sent a blue jet of fire on Keau.

Ron ended up with Kennedy. The both ended up just talking and watching Hermione beat Keau at every chance she got. "Great job, Hermione!" Ron exclaimed.

At the end of the lesson, Miss Snape called to the rest of the class cheerfully as she held Professor Snape in a headlock. "Well! I hope you all had fun, kids! I think this is the last Dueling Club class you'll have!" She laughed horribly and let Professor Snape go. He dropped to his knees and started choking. "Have a nice day, children!"

When they filtered out of the Great Hall, Ron smirked. "You know... I kind of feel sorry for the poor bloke."

"For who?" asked Hermione.

"Professor Snape. He has to deal with a cousin that could take his head off if she so chose." Ron said. "That and what I gathered from Kennedy."

Snape passed them and headed for the Transfiguration classroom. Harry turned to Ron and Hermione. "Let's follow him."

They followed him and watched through the crack in the door. The classroom was empty except for Professor McGonagall at her desk and Professor Snape stalking over to her. "Severus?"

Harry noticed that she wore a similar outfit to what she wore to Hogsmeade, except it was a dark blue dress with a black satin over coat. Her hair was pulled over her shoulder in a long braid.

"M-Minerva..." he said in a slightly husky voice. He climbed up to her desk and collapsed at her knees.

"Severus? Are you alright?" she asked in a shaky voice. She placed her hands on his shoulders when he started to lift himself up.

"A-Aldonia.... s-she suggested a Wizard Duel Club."

McGonagall's face softened as she brushed a lock of hair out of his face. He started to get up again and nearly fell on her. He kept himself balanced on the arms of her chair. "I'm sorry, Minerva...."

Her eyes widened in shock. "What? What for?"

"I'm sorry that I never noticed that you were so compassionate." Harry thought he saw a smile cross Snape's pale face. Harry could tell that he was in pain from the dueling session. Professor McGonagall stared at him in disbelief. Harry could see pink twinging her cheeks.

"We had better get you to Madame Pomfrey.", she started to get up, "You are starting sound like something from an old romance--" He stopped her hand from pushing past him.

"No..."

"Severus! Let go of me! You're in pain, you thick skulled Neanderthal!" she growled at him.

Snape didn't let go of her hand. "For the first time...."

"Huh?"

Harry heard a squeak from behind him. He turned to Hermione blushing madly and holding her hands over her mouth. Ron shrugged and Harry turned back to the scene at hand.

"F-For the first time, I know why I preferred your company to the other teachers."

McGonagall's face was completely red by now. She was shaking slightly as Snape let go of her hand. "Are you m-mad? You hate me, remember?"

He stood up fully. Professor McGonagall stood right up to Snape's collar bone. He gazed down at her and smiled. "I..."

"This is too cute!" whispered a familiar voice behind Harry. Nevaeh and Astra were watching now as well. Nevaeh turned to Astra and they high-fived. Harry had a strong suspicion they knew exactly what was going on.

"Severus... don't you hate me? You always gave me that impression whenever you came near me." McGonagall said in a shaky voice.

"I...I.." Snape gulped. "I love you."

Suddenly, everything seemed to lift in the air. Harry felt as if something had been taken out of it and had been replaced by something else. "You can't mean that... It's something you drank, or Aldonia put you up to this!" McGonagall said. She sounded as if she were crying now. She had her back to the door.

Snape put a gentle hand on McGonagall's shoulder and turned her around. He lifted her teary face and bent down toward her. He kissed her gently on her mouth and straightened up.

"Hmmm.... maybe it was something I drank. I don't feel as stressed as I have for the past week." He said suddenly.

McGonagall growled at him and punched him on his shoulder. "OW!" He said. He suddenly did something Harry rarely saw of him. He genuinely smiled.

"You were always a HORRIBLE person to get ANY kind of emotion out of!"

She reared back to punch him again, but Snape grabbed her hands and held them behind her back. His face was inches from hers. "Did you know that you have a rather fiery temper?"

She pushed away from him and pulled her coat over her bare shoulders. "I don't understand you, Severus! If you slipped me some kind of potion to make me turn into putty in your arms, I will tell Professor Dumbledore!"

Snape stiffened and seemed to gain his usual mannerism back. "I do suggest, Minerva, that you take a compliment whenever you get one. They come rarely enough as it is to a cow like you." He growled at her and stalked toward the door.

Everyone ran for the nearest open classroom. Harry nearly tripped on Ron when the closed the door. They watched as Snape strode past, grumbling.

"Well... It looks as though the spell's worn off, Nev." Astra said to Nevaeh.

"Yeah... too bad, too... I really, honestly think those two are made for eachother, now." Nevaeh said.

"What did you two do." Hermione said in her usual tone when she's caught someone doing something out of order.

"Ask yerself this question, Herm... 'Do I REALLY want to know?'" Astra said.

"Yes."

"Take it, Nev!"

"We figured that Snape would loosen up if we gave him a mild love potion." Nevaeh said.

"We did the same to McGonagall, as well, though, I never anticipated Trelawny getting a hold of the concentrated version." Astra said. "I never anticipated her chasing poor Professor Wizworth around."

"And he must've gotten hold of the mild potion sometime when I was charming it." Nevaeh said. "That would explain why he was so flirty with me."

"Are you telling me that this is all over?" Hermione said.

"Yes."

"Then, I don't think a punishment is needed." Harry said quickly. Hermione was about to protest when Ron kissed her on her mouth, muffling her voice. "I think we ought to go to dinner, what do you two say?" Harry said to the two girls.

They each linked their arms through both of his and grinned. They walked out of the classroom and skipped down the hallway singing. "We're off to see the wizard!... The wonderful Wizard of OZ!"