Snape was sitting in the shade outside watching the rest of the school. Everyone seemed to be sitting outside in groups. Except him. From his hiding place he could see the Gryffindors sitting in a large group, playing with the water at the edge of the lake. Potter and Black were flicking water at the mudblood and her friend who were squealing but still not dodging out the way. One of them was missing, he noticed. The short one. No wait........there she was, just walking up to them with another girl. To his surprise she didn't sit down; just stood and talked for a bit before walking off.
"Hey," said a soft voice behind him. "You don't have to curse me, I just came to apologize that's all," He released his wand slightly, and turned around to see the girl he ran into earlier.
"What do you want?" he snarled.
"To say sorry for yelling at you. I should have been looking where I was going,"
Snape grunted in reply and turned back to his work. Mia rolled her eyes at his back; this was going to be harder than she thought.
"I'm Neria, Neria Turner," she told him, when he didn't reply she tried again. "And you are........."
Snape looked up in surprise. The whole school revelled in making him miserable, how could she not know who he was.
"Severus Snape,"
"Do you mind?" she asked pointing at the scrap of grass beside him. Again, he grunted a reply. Thinking quickly she tried desperately to think how to start a conversation. She needed something they had in common.
"Pathetic, isn't it?" she asked, gesturing to the groups sitting together on the field. "They all follow each other, couldn't think for themselves if their lives depended on it,"
At this Snape looked at her, that was exactly what he had thought. Once he realised that he was not going to be popular, he decided that he didn't want to be like anyone else. He wanted to be able to think for himself and do exactly what he wanted to do. That's why he was alone. Or so he told himself.
"Sometimes it's better just to be by yourself, don't you think?"
"I suppose so,"
"Finally! You don't know how........." she paused for a moment, "Refreshing it is to find someone who isn't exactly the same as every other bloke in the school. I mean, Hogwarts is great if you're looking for the typical eighteen year old; but it's impossible to find someone.........." Seeing that she had his attention, she looked right into his eyes, "Individual, you know?"
Everything in Mia's head was telling her to run. To get away from the one person she hated. The thought that he had tried to kill James kept running through her head.
Everything seemed to stop for Snape as he looked into her clear blue eyes. Finally there was someone like him, why he hadn't met her before he didn't know. Mentally shaking his head, he went back to his work and thought of something else to say.
"Your name's Turner?" he asked, she nodded. "That's a muggle name isn't it?"
Why hadn't she thought of that? Everyone knew Slytherins view of muggles, why couldn't she have picked a name that sounded more magical?
"So's Black," she reasoned, quietly breathing a sigh of relief.
"You know Black?" Snape asked in a slightly strangled voice.
"I know Black," she spat.
"What do you think of him?" he asked cautiously.
'Don't hate me Sirius !' she prayed quickly.
"I think he's an egotistical, arrogant traitor who overestimates his charm and his ability to get whoever and whatever he wants," she scowled, "He's no friend of yours is he?"
'Who is this girl?' he wondered, the whole school knew that Snape had hated Potter and Black form the moment he set eyes on them.
"Don't worry, he's no friend of mine," he sneered.
For the next half hour they discussed Sirius as well as James, Lily and the rest of Gryffindor. Mia gradually growing more and more disgusted with herself. Still if she wanted to win Snape, this seemed to be the only way to do it.
As the clock tower struck one, she got up and started to back to Lily and James's rooms.
"Wait! Apology accepted?" she asked trying her best to look hopeful.
"Sure," he smiled.
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"Here!" Lily called out. Walking along the school field they were trying to find a place where they could sit and watch the scene between Snape and 'Neria' play out. Walking with James, Isabelle and Sirius followed just behind them, with the rest of the group behind.
"Perfect!" cried James and sat at the edge of the lake. As though she had read his mind, Lily sat down next to him and told him, in no uncertain terms, that he was not going to flick water at her.
"And what if I do?" he teased.
"Oh that's quite simple," she told him seriously, "You'll be sleeping alone for the rest of the year,"
If it was the end of June, he might have thought that it was worth it, but the beginning of May to the beginning of July was a very long time.
He glowered at her and dried his hand on the grass.
Suddenly Lily screamed as water flew over her.
"JAMES!"
He gave her a look of wide-eyed innocence. "Wasn't me,"
"SIRIUS!"
"Sorry Lily! Missed," he pointed to Isabelle who was trying to dry her face on her sleeve. "It's hot outside, you'll soon dry off,"
Seeing Lily's look of surprise, James decided that perhaps it was worth it, after all. Flicking her with water, she squealed and glared at him. He just grinned back. The same smile that had infuriated her this time last year; but now made her knees go wobbly.
Soon all four of them were soaked, but enjoying themselves nevertheless. Lying back in the sun, they chatted with each other until people appeared in front of them.
"Hey Kara, hi Darcy" Lily said, looking up and shielding her eyes from the sun.
"Hi," she replied smiling, "You haven't seen Mia anywhere have you?"
Sirius and James glanced at each other so quickly Kara wondered if she'd imagined it.
"No sorry,"
"Oh, ok. It's just that Mum wanted me to ask her something,"
"When I see her I'll tell her that you're looking for her," Lily promised.
"Thanks. I'll see you later," she said and walked off with her friend.
"Look she's there!" Ellis pointed out. Immediately there were cries of 'Ssh!' and 'shut up!'
"What's the point, they're too far away anyway,"
"Sirius, shut up!"
They listened in vain for a while before giving up; they would get all the details from Mia later.
"It's getting close to one, she's going to need to run," James pointed out, "What are you laughing at?"
"It rhymes," Sirius replied.
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They walked into the Head's rooms to find Mia, looking like Mia, sitting on their sofa and waiting for them.
"Aren't private passwords a wonderful thing?" James asked sarcastically. Lily and James had sworn to Professor McGonagall that they wouldn't tell anyone ("Even Black, Potter!") but they decided that if they 'just happened' to say it in front of their friends and it was memorized, it wasn't technically telling anyone and they weren't breaking their word.
"Don't ever make me do that again, please!" she begged.
"What happened?" Lily asked. "Did it go ok?"
"Yeah, it went fine, but please don't make me do that again!"
"That depends if he's hooked yet, is he?" Sirius demanded.
Mia made a face, "Not yet, give me-"
Sirius pointed at the door, "Then you know what to do,"
"But-"
"Ah! Go on!"
"Just-"
"Mia........."
Mia gave him a look that Lily would have been proud of, and walked out.
"How does it feel to be prostituting one of your best friends?" Ciara asked. She still didn't approve of the plan and was letting everyone know it.
"Hey! I'm not prostituting her. She's too smart to let him touch her," Sirius pointed out, sending her an impatient look. Needless to say Ciara was not too popular at the moment, "She promised to help and she is. I don't see YOU doing that,"
"Just because I don't want to involve myself in this pointless bullying,"
"All's fair in love and war," Sirius replied.
James rolled his eyes and tightened his grip on Lily without realising. These arguments were becoming too common; soon he was going to snap.
"I know you're stressed, but can you not take it out on my hand?" Lily whispered.
"Oh, sorry! I'm going to kill one of them in a minute," he replied.
"-it's spiteful and malicious!" Ciara shouted.
("Make it Ciara," Lily said quietly.)
Sirius opened his mouth to send a scathing comment back, but James got there first. Holding his hand in front of his friend to stop him he snapped.
"FOR GOD'S SAKE! Ciara will you stop your bitching, please! I think that, by now, everyone knows that you don't approve so will you stop moaning?"
His mini-speech got him applause from all the Marauders and the girls, (with one exception) whistles from Ellis and Sirius, and a scowl from Ciara.
"So you're yelling at me just because I-"
"Get out," James spat, when she didn't move he tried again, "Look, if you stay here, you're just going to fight with Sirius, so one of you has to leave,"
"Why does it have to be me?"
"Because I like Sirius, Lily what do you think?" he asked, pretending that he didn't already know her answer.
"Oh defiantly keep Sirius," she agreed, "He's more fun," she added looking directly at Ciara. She still hadn't forgiven her for taking Snape's side in their argument. "Bye,"
"See you Ciara," yelled out Sirius.
"Bye," called out a half-hearted Isabelle. Normally she didn't like seeing her friends fight, but she didn't seem to mind this time.
No one seemed too sad to see her go, her incessant bitching and complaining was getting on everyone's nerves.
"Remus, are you coming?" Already knowing the answer. He wouldn't go against his friends.
"Goodbye Ciara!"
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Ciara eventually forgave Remus, not that the other Gryffindors missed her. It was only when the Hogsmeade trip came up that they started to be civil to her.
Over the next few weeks, Mia began to see more and more of Snape. She knew just how much he liked her and tried not to think of how he would feel when she disappeared. She decided that he was like a bug; she didn't particularly like him, but she didn't want to kill him either, instead just wanting him a long long way away from her.
It was time for the end of the plan, the potion was running out. There was just enough for one or two more hours, just in case things didn't go right. Knowing her luck she would need every last drop.
Snape was nervous, not the usual kind of nervous, waiting for the hex that he knew was coming. This was different. He wanted to ask Neria to Hogsmeade and he had no idea what to say. He decided that the best way was just to come out with it.
"Hi Severus," she said as she sat down beside him. They had taken to sitting down outside, that way it was less likely that someone would notice that Neria wasn't a student.
"Hi Neria," he took a deep breath, "doyouwannagotohogsmeandewithmeonsaturday?"
"What?" she asked looking confused, but had a nasty feeling that she already knew.
"Do you want to go to...erm.....Hogsmeade on.......Saturday?"
She smiled, "Sure,"
"With me?" he repeated, she obviously hadn't understood the question.
"Yeah, I got that. Sure I'll go,"
They sat in silence for a bit, both lost in their own thoughts.
"I have to go," she said, looking at her watch.
"Oh, ok. I'll see you Saturday?" he asked smiling at her.
"You know you will," she replied grinning back. Kissing his cheek quickly she turned and walked quickly away.
Biting her lip, she promised herself that she was not going to feel sorry for him. But she couldn't help it. He was so nervous about asking her, and seemed so happy that she'd accepted she couldn't bear to think that he would be standing alone on Saturday waiting for a girl who didn't exist.
'He deserves it, he deserves it, he deserves it,' she told herself over and over, but she couldn't believe herself. The truth was she didn't know anyone who deserved it.
Stubbornly, she wiped her face with the back of her hand and carried on walking. She had made up her mind; if she thought about it too much she'd change it.
Storming through the Common Room, Mia ignored the trail of seventh years behind her and went up to the boys dormitory,
"Mia, what are you doing? Oh no! Don't do it........don't do it," Sirius warned. She stared at him then dropped the last glass of Polyjuice Potion onto the floor. The glass split into thousands of tiny pieces and the potion went everywhere.
"You do realise that that was the last glass, now we're going to have to make some more," he said angrily.
"I'm not doing it anymore," Mia replied in a hollow voice.
"What?"
"Neria Turner is dead,"
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I'm sorry to everyone who thinks that its too cruel, but i was feeling mean and its too late to go back on it now!
Thanks to: cliverblood, RVG, Emerald Eyed Cutie, Rose-Mariann-Johnston, gldnsunsprite21 BurningIce22, Graceful Lily, L.M. Robertson for their reviews!