A/N: I own nothing…no shocker there…just Jocelyn Bauer and her most excellent bungalow!

Thankies!:

duj – Thanks so much for your suggestions, I added a Prologue! And I decided to finish this chapter completely, even though it got ages too long, just so I could upload it all at the same time.

One Dark Flame – I hope that the improved Chapter 1 helps more than the original. I'll try to delve more into Jocelyn's depths, I promise! If not, you have my permission to whack me with a tree trunk…

For All We Know

MoonlightSerenade

Chapter 1: From the Bungalow to Hogwarts

Clutched in her hands was the letter that Jocelyn Bauer had been eagerly waiting ages for. She hurried inside of her bungalow, setting her two bags of groceries down on the counter. Recently Jocelyn had applied to Hogwarts for an apprenticeship. She didn't say which subject or professor, knowing that Professor Dumbledore would choose what he thought would be best suited to her. She dug into one of the bags and procured an apple and after taking a bit out of it, Jocelyn popped open the wax Hogwarts seal and began reading:

Jocelyn Bauer

22 High Street

Bungalow #6

London

Dear Jocelyn,

How nice to hear from you again! It's been a few years, hasn't it? Since you graduated? You always were a bright on, you graduated very near the top of your class, didn't you? I recall many classmates taken aback by your high standing, they misjudged you severely.

Now onto what you wrote me about!

I do believe that I have found a great match for your aptitude and personality.

I did review your grades from every year and there was one class in which you showed great talent in, always receiving good marks. You also received an "O" mark on this subjects O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. exams.

You will be apprenticing in Potions for Professor Severus Snape.

If there are any questions, please feel free to Owl me or Floo in for a discussion.

-Professor Albus Dumbledore

Headmaster, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Jocelyn swallowed the bite of apple that she had just taken and then her mouth hung open.

"Professor Snape?!" she cried out. This couldn't be…Professor Snape was the one and only reason why she ever lost her house any points. They didn't see eye to eye, to say the least. The seven years that Jocelyn attended Hogwarts were the years that Ravenclaw had lost the largest amounts of points in its history. Professor Snape would either find some idiotic reason to subtract points because of Jocelyn, or he would make snide comments until she rose to the occasion and caused points to be taken away.

Jocelyn grabbed her cloak from where it hung across the back of her couch and strode over to her fireplace, securing the long, deep crimson velvet cloak around herself and grabbed a handful of Floo powder. She stepped into the fireplace, which hadn't been lit yet today, thankfully.

"Hogsmeade!" she said loudly and clearly, referring to the wizarding town that was very close to Hogwarts. Since no one could Apparate directly to Hogwarts, that was close enough for her. After speaking the name she threw down the powder and green flames engulfed her, spinning her away to the Hogsmeade fireplace. She made a sort of crash landing and sat for a moment so as to let her stomach settle down a bit.

"I hate Floo…" she muttered, standing up and brushing herself off as well as she could. Jocelyn then headed off towards Hogwarts, walking quickly, thanking herself for wearing comfortable Muggle clothing today. She didn't have work today so she was wearing blue jeans, a T-Shirt for a Muggle band called Further Seems Forever, and dirty white and blue Vans trainers. Jocelyn broke into a run as the gates came into view and she opened the gate and slipped in, walking up the dirt path to the heavy wooden doors that led inside of the grand old castle.

"Excuse me, but what are you doing inside of the castle? Are you a student?"

Jocelyn turned to locate the person that had just spoken to her and shook her head no. "No, I'm not a student here. More like a former student that has been accepted for an apprenticeship, but has a rather large question about it…Professor McGonagall," she finished with a slight smile. Professor McGonagall narrowed her eyes for a moment, trying to place this student. "Jocelyn Bauer, Ravenclaw, graduated five years ago."

A look of recognition crossed her face. "That's right. Lost quite a few points from Professor Snape, if I do recall correctly."

"Unfortunately you do. Is the Headmaster in his office?"

"Yes, come with me." Professor McGonagall turned to lead the way, which Jocelyn still knew by heart, and the professor also needed to provide the password so as to get to Professor Dumbledore's office. "Five years? Is that right? Doesn't seem that long…"

"Yeah, it's been a few years since I've seen Hogwarts, been inside of it. I've missed it these past few years. Finally got around to getting an apprenticeship. I guess I should have made suggestions to Professor Dumbledore on which subject and professor," Jocelyn replied to her former Transfiguration professor.

"Why is that?" Professor McGonagall inquired, raising an eyebrow ever so slightly.

"Well, I've been assigned to Potions under Professor Snape…and it's apparently very infamous how well he and I got along." The sarcasm in her voice was utterly apparent and the older woman merely nodded her head.

The two women had reached the giant stone phoenix that stood outside of the Headmaster office.

"Cockroach Clusters…" said Professor McGonagall to the Phoenix and it began to turn. Jocelyn was ushered into the revolving stairs and soon she was standing outside of Dumbledore's office. She heard that there was more than just one voice in there, but she didn't really care at this moment. Dumbledore should know better than to put Jocelyn Bauer and Severus Snape together! The two together were apparently infamous enough for everyone to remember how many points she had lost on account of him!

Jocelyn marched right into the office; her cloak billowing out behind her, her short, dark brown hair that normally framed her face was whipping around her face. "Professor Dumbledore, how could you apprentice me to Professor Snape? We get along about as well as Voldemort and Harry Potter do!"

An amused look crossed Professor Dumbledore's face and he motioned her to come in further. Imagine Jocelyn's surprise when she moved closer to Dumbledore's desk and there was Professor Severus Snape, in the flesh, sitting in a chair with his normal smirk upon his face.

"Severus was just discussing the same issue with me, my dear," supplied Professor Dumbledore. He literally drew up and chair and offered it to her. "Please, have a seat, won't you?"

"What, brought a snack for the trip?" Snape said with a sneer on his face. Jocelyn looked down at her hand and noticed that she had brought the apple that she'd been eating at her bungalow. She glowered at Severus and turned towards Professor Dumbledore. He cut her off when Jocelyn tried to speak.

"I imagine that Severus and you are arguing the same points, but it is in my opinion that both parties could learn from each other by working together. My decision is final, Jocelyn…and Severus." Dumbledore looked over his glasses at both parties, his blue eyes twinkling. "Will you be living at Hogwarts, Miss Bauer?"

"I don't know. I'd like to keep my bungalow, but if I apprentice here, I will have to quit my job. I won't have any income to keep it, I guess."

"Nonsense, you can keep your bungalow. Just for trips on the weekend, I am guessing?"

Jocelyn spoke the next line under her breath, but made sure that Professor Snape would hear it. "Yeah, or when the snarkiness gets to be too much…" He bristled and she knew that he had heard her. She grinned for the first time since she had opened that letter. "Yes…just for the weekends if I need someone private to work."

"Done. I will show you to your room now, Miss Bauer." Dumbledore moved from behind his desk and walked to where the stone phoenix stood sentry. "Ah…Severus. If there is nothing left to be discussed…?"

"No." And with that Snape stood and strode to the exit and left quickly.

"Good then. After you, Miss Bauer." Jocelyn exited first and waited when she stepped off of the twisting stairs until Professor Dumbledore emerged and began walking, leading her to where her room was.

"Professor Dumbledore…" she began, but he cut her off.

"Please, you are not a student anymore, Albus will suffice."

"Right. Albus, my…relationship…with Professor Snape is legendary; there is not doubt in my mind about that. I am sure that you've heard."

"I have."

"Then…why did you put us together? Honestly…that doesn't seem to me to be the wisest choice."

"But you must look beyond your student/teacher relationship with Severus. You are an adult now, things may have changed. Besides, Severus has much to teach you…and I have an inkling that Severus may learn just as much in this apprenticeship as you will. Ah! Here we are!" The duo stopped in front of a rather beautiful painting of an old English castle, similar to Hogwarts. "This is the painting that leads to your chambers. The password has not been set yet, so I suggest that you do that straight away. When you wish to bring some of your belongings here, call for a house-elf. They will be more than happy to assist you. Any questions?"

"No, none. Thank you for this opportunity, Prof—Albus."

"My pleasure, child," he said with a smile. He turned and walked back in the direction that we had come from, no doubt heading back to his office.

"Okay…password…password…" Jocelyn chewed the inside of her cheeks, a bad habit that she had picked up in childhood. She looked around, just to double check that there was no one lurking about before she set the password. "Marshmallow Fluff," she murmured, the painting swinging open. "Cool…got that done now…now to check out my room." Jocelyn walked inside, the painting swinging shut behind her. She looked around and her jaw fell slack for a moment or two.

"Well…this is more than I expected."

The room that Jocelyn stepped into was beautiful…and quite large. The king-sized bed had a canopy that came close to brushing the ceiling. A large bookshelf sat and took up a good chunk of the wall, a heavy-looking desk next to it with an equally heavy-looking chair. All of this was on the Jocelyn's right side, the bed was straight ahead. On her left side was a large wardrobe which would hold every stitch of her clothing, or so she was willing to bet. There were two overstuffed chairs that would fit two people into them, and there was also a doorway. This piqued her curiosity and Jocelyn walked towards it to investigate, finding it to be her own personal bathroom, very functional. Her suite was decorated in shades of blue and gray, with some black.

"Ravenclaw…" she murmured, quite satisfied. Jocelyn moved over to the window and curled up in it, the ledge being wide enough to fit her. She stared out the window at the landscape that she never thought she would see again. "Welcome home, Jocelyn…your dream and your worst nightmare all rolled into one bittersweet pill."

A/N: Okay...first chappie...total and complete...read, review...let me know what I'm doing well, and what I'm doing not so well...I want to know so I can improve!