Disclaimer: I own nothing but my plot and chars.

A/N: I'm on a roll... Yay! Thanks Steph, for liking my story so much! Private Eye Potatoe! And another thank you to Gweneth for the LONGEST review I have ever recieved-) You get a reward of getting to kiss snape on the lips for ten days straight..lol (If only)

Chapter 20: New Hope

Slowly, calmly, refreshingly, I opened my eyes to the new day. Laying steadily in my bed, I looked to the window. Snow was gently falling from the beautiful morning sky. It was still January, so I had no problem with the precipitation. Sliding out of bed, I slouched down to get some clothes out of my trunk. I saw a knee-length, white skirt with little flowers embroidered on it. It didn't occur to me that I had owned a white skirt. I took it out and studied it. The clothes trunk called out to me...Making me search for a top to go with the skirt.

The Great Hall was filled with a pleasant feeling to it. I sat down in my skirt and white long-sleeve, button down shirt. Wearing white wasn't a normal thing for me. I never really liked the color white, but today was different. I had a new hope and a strengthening faith; The white symbolized this. Breakfast appeared on my plate just like every previous morning.

"Nice ensemble, Maranda," Hermione complimented me behind her cup of juice.

I thanked her, "Thanks, 'Mione. I found it towards the bottom of my trunk. I guess I never wore it before."

"You know," Ron blurted, "You and Snape should really get a room."

"What?" Ron certainly made me angry.

He smiled, "You know I'm only joking with you. It's just the way he looked at you yesterday with your low-cut shirt. He must've thought 'What happened to the innocent girl I yelled at everyday?' Either that or he got a hard-on."

"Ron," Harry yelled, "That's really disgusting. From now on, you'd better stop teasing Maranda about Snape. They hate each other, plain and simple. No more sick jokes, ok? It's repulsive."

"Fine," Ron slouched back into his seat and continued eating.

"Thank You, Harry," I grinned.

Post-breakfast, I walked gleefully to Defense Against The Dark Arts Class, only to find Mr. Freedman mumbling cuss words under his breath. I suppose he thought we couldn't hear him. I sat in my usual seat next to Hermione, who told me today was rumoured to be Freedman's last day of teaching. Without hesitation, Neville raised his hand in the air until Freedman called on him.

"Yes, Longbottom?" Freedman's cranky coive called.

Neville looked at Hermione and I, then asked, "Is today your last day of teaching?"

"That," Mr. Freedman replied calmly, "is possitive, Mr. Longbottom. Tomorrow there will be a new professor in the school, but so you all know, I think the man's been here before. I can't say whom though, or it'll take away the surprise."

Professor Freedman's reply was probably the nicest sentence in his history of talking to us students. Class went on normally, and before the bell rang we all said a solemn farewell to our old, grumpy teacher.

The excitement of guessing who our new Professor would be carried throughout the day. In Charms, which was after Defense Class, we had a study day. So, instead of studying, Hermion, Harry, Ron, and chatted about the new Professor.

"Who do you think it will be, Ron?" Asked Harry.

"Well," Ron answered, "Freedman said it was someone we already had..."

"Might be..someone we already had," Hermione corrected Ron proudly.

I wanted to know desperately who they already had for a teacher, "Can you tell me who was Professor for Defense Class before?"

"I will," Harry volunteered as Neville began listening to our conversation, "There was Professor Quirrel, who won't ever be joining us again...He was helping You-know-who at the time. Then there was Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, the cockiest Professor in the history of Professors. The there was Professor Lupin, who had to leave because he was a wherewolf. Then-"

"Ok, I get the picture.." I wanted to ask another question, "Who's You-Know-Who?"

After Hermione explained You-Know-Who to me, I found myself wondering who murdered my parents. I told her my thoughts, but she said it would be impossible if Voldemort was my parent's killer.

"...It just wouldn't be possible," Hermione stated, "He was in hiding at that time. Plus, he wouldn't be able to crossover into the muggle world while in hiding; Everyone would have noticed. So it just isn't possible."

I took her response quite well, and figured I'd probably never find out who the murderer was. That didn't crush my hope though. Maybe someday I could avenge my Mom and Dad's death. Maybe someday...

0o0o0o0o

Dreadfully and Regretfully walking into Potions classroom, I realized I would have to work with Draco today. I sat down next to him as Snape strolled to the front of the room. He took a paper from his desk and read it silently. A moment or two went by which gave me time to get my book out.

Now ready to start class, Snape declared, "I have changed a few partners in this class. The partners you have now will stay the same unless I call on you. If I call on you, gather your belongings and come stand in the front of the room. I'm only changing partners with some of you for one of two reasons: Grades are low, or I feel you don't work well together. Now, please listen for your name in case you are called. I will not tolerate inattentiveness."

Now restless, the class anticipated there names being announced. Snape read from the short list, "Ron, Crabbe, Seamus, Lina, Maranda, Draco, Neville, and Paul. Please come to the front of the class."

Snape had called the pairs of two one-by-one to the front of the class. I was very anxious to know who Snape would stick me with. Changing partners was a respectful thing to do, for now I felt that Snape did this because of what I said the other day. I had said that Draco and I wouldn't work well together anymore because of a fight we had..So maybe this is why Snape changed our partners. He probably picked three other pairs so it didn't seem odd changing only two pair of students.

I stood next to Draco in the front of the class. Next to Draco was Crabbe, Ron, Seamus, Lina, Neville, and Paul. Snape told us to stand in a straight line side-by-side so he could state our new partners.

"Draco, you will be working with Ron.. You two should be an interesting team. Please sit where Draco and Maranda sat previously. Paul, you will sit with Lina. Neville, hmm... You will work with Crabbe. Finally, Maranda, you will work with Seamus. I know you are both Gryffindors, which ruins the purpose of cross-house-partners, but I think it will work out. You two will sit behind Neville and Lina." Snape concluded his orders, and still stood facing the class, waiting for everyone to settle down.

I sat next to Seamus, in back of Neville. I was surprised that Snape placed me with another Gryffindor, but I couldn't complain. I nodded to myself and was completely satisfied with my day. This was one of the best days in a long time.

"Now," Severus captured the class' attention once again, "Please turn to page two-hundred and one for the potion you will be making today. If you have any problems with it, too bad...I am not putting up with any nonesense today." With that, Snape sat at his desk and buried himself in papers.

I glanced at Seamus and then his book, "What are we supposed to make?"

With a huge grin on his face, Seamus answered in his rich accent, "I think we are making a silence potion. You drink it, and for two whole hours anything you do to make a sound is not heard by anyone. Even if you screamed to the top of your lungs you wouldn't be heard. The problem is, if Snape has us test it out, none of us will be able to answer any questions next class."

"That must be a really popular potion though.." I said enthusiatically.

Seamus asked me, "How do you suppose?"

"Think about it," I replied as I looked into the hazel eyes of Seamus, "You could swear and cuss all you wanted to professors without being heard. Think of what we could get away with if we used the potion in here."

"Very true, Maranda, very true. But there's one problem.." Argued Seamus.

"What's that?"

"Snape," Seamus whispered, "Can read lips."

I couldn't believe it, "Are you serious?"

"Yes. Last year Neville made this potion on his own so he could yell at Snape for giving him a bad grade, and Snape knwe exactly what he was saying. It didn't turn out so well come detention time for him, Snape forbade him to ever make the potion again unless it was for our class. And now that we are finally making it, I wonder what Neville is going to do.."

Neville turned around and paniced, "I won't do anything...I refuse to make this..There is no bloody way I am making this bloody potion. I can't do it!"

Snape apparently heard Neville and spoke, "Is there a problem, Mr. Longbottom?"

"No, Professor..." Neville turned back around and shrunk in his chair.

Seamus and I began making the potion and within fifteen minutes we were done...Done before anyone in class. Professor Snape was right putting us together. He was right in so many ways...