Disclaimer: Everything apart from Marina Matthews belongs to J.K. Rowling. Marina's mine and I'm just having fun with everything else, so do not sue.

A/N – Back to Marina's POV. Thanks to Gwenivive, my one and only reviewer. Feels like I'm only ever writing for you grins. Enjoy.

Plotting

A fist thumped down on the blaring alarm clock and Marina sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. It was nearly five in the morning, why had she set the alarm so early? Recollection hit her and she stood up from her new floor bed. Dumbledore had given her a room on the ground floor. It was near Firenze's classroom, the centaur divination professor taught in classroom eleven. The room was near it so the centaur teacher could keep an eye out on her. Since the class and room led off the Entrance Hall, the Great Hall wasn't too far away. At least she'd never miss breakfast if she woke up late.

McGonagall had made the house elves decorate the room as if it really were part of the first year girl's dorms over in the Gryffindor tower. The only difference was that she had no four poster bed and it was sunken into the floor, as well as lacking windows. Since it wasn't likely for her to go to her house common room, a mini common room had been added for study and socializing purposes. This mini common room was based on the real one. To protect her rooms, she had a portrait, one crazy and demented knight by the name of Sir Cadogan, guard her room. If she had any trouble, Firenze's rooms were nearby.

After her morning ablutions in her enjoining windowless bathroom, Marina left for the Great Hall. This early, there was no one around and it was just her in the hall. She took out a book of simple spells her maternal grandparents had given her. After many, many failures, she mastered the spell to get the house banners down. She switched the Gryffindor and Slytherin banners and then went back to the book. After much tries, she got the hang of the colour changing charms. The house banners took on the other's colours, yet retaining their house symbols.

It was too much effort, but worthwhile. She'd originally tried to transfigure her Gryffindor badge into that of Slytherins. However, that had been too hard and beyond her scope. The colour changing charms were easier. The banners were raised back in place, looking no different, save for the house animal. Not that anyone would notice.

Just in time for the first of the students came in for breakfast. Perhaps this stunt would be "evil" enough for her to be put into Slytherin. Whilst she liked her room, she craved dorm mates and people around her. Apart from being in school, a different room and without her family around her, she felt as if she were still at home. After all, at home, she'd had the room to herself and hadn't shared. She'd been looking forward to sharing, a part of the school life experience.

The Gryffindor and Slytherin students sat at their tables, unaware of the banner switch. The House Heads were going around, handing out class time tables.

'Here you are Miss Matthews,' said McGonagall, handing her timetable to her.

'Professor, I'm sitting at the wrong table,' she said.

Passing by behind her, she heard Snape mutter, 'Not this again…'

'What makes you think that?' McGonagall sharply asked.

'Gryffindor's emblem is a lion and the colours are red and gold. Look up,' she said, pointing up. 'The banners are red and gold, but the lion's not there, but a snake. Snakes are for Slytherin. Does this mean that all Gryffindors are now Slytherins? Do we get to move down to the dungeons?' she hopefully asked.

The students and McGonagall looked up at the banners, lost for words. Many students were giving off cries of disgust at sitting under their rivals' banners, getting away from the tables. McGonagall's face registered confusion and as for Snape –

'Miss Matthews, fifty points from Gryffindor when they get enough points,' he said, glaring down at her. 'Detention with Filch - he's the caretaker, tonight.'

'Professor Snape, am I a Slytherin? I mean, I'm sitting under the snake banner…'

'Matthews, you're a Gryffindor through and through. I'm not sure how you pulled off such a large scale prank by yourself, but you're going to be punished anyway. As for your question, you're still a Gryffindor and no force on earth will change that.'

A crestfallen and disappointed Marina sat back down in her seat as he walked away. Picking up her timetable, she absentmindedly stared at it. There had to be some way she could get Snape to let her stay in his house tower. If only she could get a great idea or think of a plan…Maybe it would be better if she stuck to her studies for a while. She'd ask him daily if he changed his mind as she brainstormed for new ideas. It would throw Snape off when she did spring her plan, whatever it was, whenever she did so. With any luck, he'd be shocked enough to change his mind…

Over the next few days, she made friends with her year mates from all houses. Well, she tried with the first year Slytherins. Only Lucinda Dreary, the only girl Slytherin in their year, returned her friendly gesture. She wasn't unpleasant or was bigoted as other Slytherins, being rather nice and friendly. The other girl fell in with her plan to get Snape's permission for them to share Lucinda's dorm. After all, there was more than enough space for her to stay and Lucinda didn't mind sharing it with her. After her horrible detention with Filch, Marina did her best to stay out of Snape's way, but her luck ran out on her first Potions class.

From what she gathered, Gryffindor and Slytherins always had Potions together, despite or maybe because they didn't get on. Her year was no exception. With uneven numbers in both houses, it was obvious that one student from each house would have to pair up. After all, the majority of potions were done in partners. As Lucinda and marina got on best, they agreed to be this pair and sat together in class.

Entering the class, Snape sneered, 'Matthews, you're in the wrong section. No, just because you're in the Slytherin area doesn't make you one. Admirable as your desire to be a Slytherin is, you are and always will be a Gryffindor. Ten points from Gryffindor. Now move before I make it twenty.' Glowering at him, she did so. A little later, they were told to partner up. Marina gleefully rejoined her friend's side. Unfortunately for her, Snape saw her smile and took off a further thirty points and gave her another detention with Filch.

So the days passed, she asking Snape daily if he changed his mind. He took vindictive pleasure in taking off points and handing out detentions to her. She had class routes mapped out so she'd avoid the ghastly moving staircases unless absolutely needed. Flying lessons were spent watching the others or studying, never taking part herself. As astronomy classes were held in the astronomy tower, an alternative was found for her. After all, just the mere thought of the tower made her faint with horror and fear, so going up there was impossible for her. Firenze taught her the subject, teaching her the centaur's view to the subject. They went out unto the grounds at night, she armed with her telescope to look at the sky.

'Could you name the planets Marina Matthews?' he calmly asked her. She mumbled under her breath and he asked, 'Could you repeat that, but louder?'

'Many Vile Earthlings Munch Jam Sandwiches Under Newspaper Piles,' she said shyly, shuffling her feet.

'Pardon?' the centaur asked, blinking in surprise.

She coughed, 'My cousin taught me it to help me remember the planets' names and the order they came in. I can't remember them otherwise. Well, they are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. I hope I got that right.'

'You did, ten points to Gryffindor.'

Since Snape wouldn't let her stay with Lucinda and gave too many detentions with Filch, she backed off slightly. She got in trouble by not causing it, so she decided that her future punishments would be earned. Now all she had to do was find something to do that would change Snape's mind. But first, she decided to find out why Snape didn't want her in his house. The simplest way to find out was to ask him. So she did.

'Matthews, you're a Gryffindor. That explains it all, now leave me alone,' he growled, not looking up from the essays he was marking.

She stubbornly said, 'No, I won't leave until you elaborate.'

'Fine. You're an annoying Gryffindor brat, too goody-goody, big headed and idiotic. Now leave!'

As she left his office, she yelled, 'My head isn't big, it's in proportion to my body!' Alone in her room, she went over her meagre findings. The remark of having a bighead was new and had hurt as it was the first time she'd been accused of that. Just to be sure that her head was in proportion, she checked her reflection. Since he thought her to be too much of a Gryffindor, she'd learn to be a Slytherin. Who better to learn from than actual Slytherins?

Since it was too much bother to leave and return to Hogwarts for Christmas, she stayed at school. Marina's time was spent observing Slytherins and the mannerisms that set them apart from other house students. As far as she could see, they were unpleasant, meaner and unfriendly. She tried to be all three, but even with hours of practice, she couldn't be any of them. Instead, she copied Snape's unique walk and tried to copy his horribly evil expressions that terrified others. Not that they worked on her as she thought him not so scary. Her grandfather Matthias on a good day was scarier than Snape at his worst. Well, she thought he was.

Copying Snape was too hard and she'd practised on Sir Cadogan. The portrait hadn't been able to stop laughing for hours as she'd been so bad. On a whim, she practised her mimicking of her grandfather. The knight had run off, screaming his head off. She'd waited hours for him to return and let her into her rooms. He didn't come back so she spent the night locked out of her own room. It had been the stern Dumbledore who'd brought the knight back nearly a day later after she couldn't find him.

With the start of the school term after the holidays, she felt confident enough to put her plan into motion. To understand Snape, she had to mimic him as much as she could. She could copy his manner, attitude to an extent and clothing if not his looks, height, gender or voice. Her copying his clothing was as much as she could get away with without breaking school rules. Her school robes had a special charm on them. They looked no different, but when she did her "Snape Walk", as she dubbed it, they billowed out. All in a similar manner to Snape's.

Her plan was quite simple. She'd do the Snape Walk, act as evil as she could and continue to pester him daily. Deciding to give the man one last chance, she went up to the teacher's table. He didn't even look up as he said, 'Matthews, I haven't changed my mind since you last asked me exactly twelve hours ago. Ten points from Gryffindor for ruining my breakfast.'

'Very well,' she said, resolve stiffening. She walked away, taking out her wand. Out in the Great Hall, she tapped the wand on her head, watching Snape. He'd be too suspicious if she pointed her wand at him. Besides, he always knew if a student had their wands pointed at him. He sensed someone looking at him and looked up. His cold beetle black eyes met hers. She made a gun out of her fingers and "shot" him as if she planned to kill him. An eyebrow was raised at her and he sneered. To further infuriate him, she gave a smile and a little wave. As expected, he reacted in a very Snape manner.

'Ten points Matthews and detention with Filch.'

She sweetly said, 'Twenty points to Professor Snape on account of being unknowing entertainment. A further thirty points for the look of confusion on your face.' He looked a step away from exploding at her cheek. The entire hall had their disbelieving gaze on Snape.

Unbeknownst to the man, a black point hourglass hovered over his head. It was similar to the house points' hourglasses, but smaller. There were two plaques, one on each bulb. One read, "Professor Severus Snape" and the other stated how much points he had, with the hourglass holding jet beads for points. To add further insult to injury, though he didn't know it yet, bats flew around the hourglass. They'd attack the man if he was unfair or mean and impossible to get rid of. In fact, they multiplied with each banishing spell. She added a music piece that would annoy him no end when she took off points and she planned to take off plenty. The hourglass would follow him constantly and she knew for a fact that only she could give and take points as well as taking off the spell. It was an ingenious.

Valuing her life, she did the Snape Walk and hurried to her rooms, despite wanting to stay. He was bound to kill her once he found out just what she'd done to him. Well, he'd kill her after she took the spell off she amended. Thankfully, she had no classes with him that day so could avoid him a little longer.