Disclaimer: You know the drill

Author's note: well, here we are at the next chapter. I'm trying to put up more and more chapters as fast as I can, but there are only so many hours in a day. I am also seriously thinking of removing my story, waiting a few days, then putting it back up again, so more people can get a chance to read it. Any-hoo...this chapter takes place in Harry's potions lesson. Gwen hits on Snape, Harry sees who his true love is, and after that, it remains to be continued. Now- on with the show...

Chapter Seven: The Potions Lesson

Harry was still walking on air by the time he got to his potions lesson. He and Ron had already decided to become Aurours. "And if we don't, Fred and George will always let us work in their joke shop," Ron kidded. Harry didn't really care what job he had, but an Auror had seemed the coolest. Hermione was with them, too. She was going to be a Healer.

However, if anyone asked (and many people did, seeing as everyone knew how Harry and the Potions teacher, Professor Snape, loathed each other), Harry was just there to piss Snape off. Over the summer, Harry had sworn to himself that he was going to keep his temper when in Snape's class. He knew that to make an angry person even angrier was just not to lose your cool yourself.

Harry, Ron and Hermione took their normal spots at the back of the class and set up their things. Snape was already at his desk at the front of the classroom. When it looked like everyone was present, Snape got up and started speaking.

"This year we will be studying numerous amounts of very difficult potions. Seeing as most of you here plan to become Healers or Aurors or professional assassins, the lessons this year will be very rigorous indeed. N.E.W.T.s will soon befall you and I will make sure that each and every one of you get through them with good marks if I have to break my back or yours to do so. Now let's get right to it. As you can see on the board-" The door next to Harry opened and Snape stopped talking.

Gwen stepped inside and shut the door. She walked over to the empty seat next to Hermione and whispered "Do you mind?" Hermione shook her head quickly, and Gwen sat down. She leaned forward a bit, and place her hands in her lap with the fingers laced together, a look of polite expectancy directed towards the stunned professor at the head of the class.

"You", Snape called to Gwen, "Come here."

Gwen rose from her chair and walked up the middle of the tables to where Snape was standing. "Why are you.... you..."Snape trailed off. This princess, dressed in her magnificently bright robes and jewels, was now prostrating herself on the floor before him. His eyebrow arched reflexively. "Why are you kneeling?" Snape asked, instead of his original question of "Why are you late?" Harry recognized that pose: it was the way Gwen had bowed to him only the night before. "You are the potions master," Harry heard her reply, "and one must show respect for one's elders." Snape considered this for a moment before saying "Stand up." She stood, and looked him square in the eye.

"You are the Headmaster's granddaughter, no?"

"Yes I am, Master."

Snape looked very pleased with himself at being addressed as 'master'.

The class just looked on in silence. The Slytherin side of the room gazed on with a very supreme air of smugness. The Gryffindors just wore expressions of horror. It didn't matter that hardly anyone knew her; No one cared that she was still a stranger to be kept aware of until more information could be gathered. Gwen was a Gryffindor- plain and simple- and there hadn't been a Gryffindor yet to regard Snape in such high esteem.

"Do you enjoy potions?" Snape inquired after a minute.

"Yes, Master. I have learned everything I could from the instructors in Aliyone, and it has made me eager to learn all I could from you. Grandfather speaks most highly of your sills in the art of potions."

Snape looked mildly surprised.

"Is that so?" he asked

"Yes it is so, Master-"and Gwen fixed her own bright hazel orbs onto Snape's cold black fishy ones-"He's told me everything about you."

Harry felt like he and Hermione were the only ones who picked up on Gwen's subtle sarcasm.

The professor grew uncomfortable under the young girl's stare, though he knew not why. Harry, Ron and Hermione saw the way their Potions instructor unknowingly rubbed his upper left arm, where they knew the Dark Mark was pressed.

"Well, princess or not," Snape continued, trying in vain to regain his domineering nature, "do try not to be late for my class again, or the consequences will be dire."

At this, Gwen swept into an elegant and deep curtsy. "As you wish, Master."