Chapter 7

It was now the last day of classes before the Christmas break, Christmas eve to be precise. The Gryffindor's were in their last potions class. There were twenty minutes left, and things weren't going so well between Catherine and Severus.

Once again, as usual, Catherine hadn't been paying attention, and Snape was rather angry, again.

"If you don't want to do work, you may as well stop bothering."

"And what if I already have?" Catherine stood up from her seat, advancing on her professor.

"Then leave my class."

"Why should I? I'm here to get an education, I just don't want one from you."

"Catherine." Snape sighed, "If you don't want your education completed here, you may as well switch sides, go back to Canada. Go home." His voice was filled with anger.

"I am home." Cate was just as mad, if not more, "And you know that." She growled.

"Then why did you go to Canada?"

"Hey!" Catherine shouted, now only a foot away from him. "I'm not the one who jumped over to the dark side to serve Voldemort!" There wasn't even a mila-second before Severus's hand came in contact with his daughters cheek.

"GET OUT OF MY CLASS NOW!!!!" Snape roared. Cate's cheek stung in a great amount of pain, he had hit her much harder than before. Catherine grabbed her bag and ran from the room, not sparing a glance to the man. As she closed the door, she heard him addressing the class.

"Never mind that incident, we will continue with the lesson until the bell goes." Cate sighed heavily, tears fogging her vision as she walked through the halls. As she passed Professor McGonagall's office, Minerva called out to her.

"Cate, come in here for a moment." The young woman turned around, entering the office.

"Yes Professor?" She asked, smoothing her long hair behind her shoulders.

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. It's nothing." Cate waved it off as Minerva raised an eyebrow.

"Okay . . . " The woman paused, "Catherine, Elena left on a trip for The Order this morning. She won't be returning for a while."

"How dangerous is it?" McGonagall paused.

"Not very, she'll do perfectly fine. Don't worry."

"All right. Thanks Professor." Cate smiled lightly, then left the office.

A few hours later, all the students, except for: Catherine, Ron, Harry, Hermione, Ginny, two Ravenclaw first years, and two Hufflepuff fourth years, were now gone. The Christmas eve feast had already been completed, and most of the students were up in their house towers, relaxing. Catherine however, was not. The young woman had just entered Professor Beckinsale's office.

"Cate, it's good to see you again." The man greeted, then leaned in, kissing her softly.

"Same to you." She replied, leaning her head against his chest. Gabe kissed her head softly, leading down to her lips.

Not even a second after their lips touched, the door to the office flew open, causing the couple to tear apart. Professor Snape stood there, a very smug look on his face.

"Well, well, well . . . " He took three slow steps into the room. "Teacher and student, caught together. Beckinsale, you know you could be fired for this, right?" Snape commented, then turned to the young woman, "And dear Catherine, you could be expelled."

"Actually," She shot back, "I can't be expelled." Severus glared at her, trying to control his anger. Not only had he found a professor and a student together, it was his daughter, and the teacher he hated most.

"Than I have no choice but to force you to end it." Cate glanced back at Gabe, he was clearly terrified.

"Yes Severus." He replied. Catherine smacked his side not-so-gently.

"You can't give into people that easily." She shrieked, turning to him.

"You're just like your mother." Snape muttered, Cate whipped around.

"Excuse me?!?!"

"I said that you're just like your mother. Just as willing and slu . . . " He was cut off by a smack to his cheek.

"How dare you! My mother was nothing like that! Besides, you insulted yourself there too. We're not ending the relationship." Severus rubbed his arm gently as she spoke. Catherine turned back to Gabe, beginning to close an arm around him. At that exact moment, Severus grabbed onto her left forearm, pulling her away, a searing pain went through both of them, causing Cate to fall to the floor. Snape ripped his hand away, pulling back, toward the doorway. On his daughter's arm, was a hand print, bruised and etched into her skin. Severus looked over at Professor Beckinsale.

"You'll end it, or more of this will happen." He glared down at Cate as she stood up, her right hand clinging to her arm.

"You're an ass Severus." She muttered before fleeing the room.