Chapter 7

It was a quiet Thursday morning, not very different from any of the others Giliana had seen. She walked down the dungeons, with her black messenger bag around her right shoulder; she was headed on her way to potions. She was dreading having to go to the class, for she was tired of Snape not giving her anything better to do but to clean up after the messes in the classroom, which would've been what detention students should have been doing. She sighed, and continued to walk along down the long dimly lit dungeons.

Todd had been sitting in the abandoned girl's laboratory, where Moaning Myrtle roamed. She sat way up high on a window shelf, the window open, a black cigarette rested delicately between her middle and index fingers. Myrtle had been complaining about the smoke for a good five minutes straight, but now was nowhere to be found. Myrtle didn't bother Todd much. Sure, she was annoying, but she enjoyed the large, cold room, where nobody ever ventured... and a little bit of annoyance from a ghost never killed her mood. She looked out of the window; the bathroom was one of the rooms on the bottom-most floors. Flicking the cigarette out the window, she sighed. Stretching a bit, she looked down at her pocket watch. In a moment of panic, she hopped off the window ledge a little too fast, landing with a slightly painful thump. Picking up her dark blue messenger bag and hastily swinging it over her shoulder, she rushed out of the room. She had lost track of time. Potions class was going to begin soon. She ventured down a spiral staircase into the dungeons. Slowing her pace a little, she saw Giliana walking ahead.

"Ey... wait up, you." Giliana slowed down, as Todd smiled a little and caught up, walking next to her. She pulled out a couple of pieces of drooble's gum and offered Giliana a piece before popping the other into her mouth. Her eyes looked slightly worn from lack of a good night's sleep. Her red hair was a mess, just the way she liked it.

"So, how has your morning been?" Giliana asked, while popping the piece of gum into her mouth.

"Eh. Kinda slow." Todd sighed slightly. "Stayed up all night doing that amazingly long essay Snape assigned. Don't know about you, but I've been dreading this class." She yawned before turning a corner with Giliana.

"Yeah I don't really blame you." Giliana yawned also, as if it were contagious. She stopped Todd as they were turning the corner. She put her hand in her messenger bag, searching around for something. She looked into her bag, pushing things aside. Her eyes light up when she finally found what she was looking for. She pulled out a small round black-metallic colored bottle, with a moon-shaped cap on the top.

"Muggle Perfume." She said, "It's the only kind of perfume I like." She sprayed it on Todd about three times in various places.

"Don't want Snape catching you." She said, with a slight smile on her face.

Todd stopped too, looking surprised.

"Uh..." After she sprayed it on, Todd had a look of great amusement. "Aw, he would be delighted to catch me! I could stay two more hours on Saturday for detention." She smirked.

"Catch you doing what, Miss Black?" Snape sneered, a look of delight in his eyes, as if he was going to catch her red handed with something particularly nasty. He had just appeared around the corner.

Snape looked from Todd to Giliana; a flicker of annoyance hid the softened expression.

"Right..." He began to walk, hesitated, but then stormed off quickly in direction of his classroom. Todd smirked.

"You really get under his skin sometimes, ya know?" She blew a bubble with the gum.

Giliana smiled a somewhat evil smile, with satisfaction.

"I know." She reached over, popped Todd's bubble with her wand.

Just then, a handsome boy with shiny dark blackish-blue hair, that was just a shade darker than the color of his eyes, walked up and stood behind Todd. He smiled when he noticed how no one knew he was there, until Giliana motioned Todd to look behind her. Todd jumped slightly at the unexpected company of this boy.

"Hello Todd." He smiled with his perfectly straight white teeth. He had a beautiful smile.

Todd's eyes widened slightly when she realized how handsome he was. Giliana looked at this extremely attractive boy. She had seen this figure before...

"Uhh...Hello." Todd spat out. Feeling slightly inferior to his powerful character. His looks could kill.

"I've been looking all over for you," he flashed a friendly smile. "I'm Damien." He politely let out his hand to shake hers. Todd hesitantly let out her hand to shake.

Giliana finally realized who it was. It was Damien Goodnight, a 7th year Slytherin. She had heard a lot of the Slytherin girls talk about him. He was more popular than Draco to all the Slytherin girls; mainly the 6th and 7th years because rarely a 5th year and under would even have a chance of meeting him.

Giliana watched as they shook hands. For a moment, both were memorized under the spell of his good looks and charm, as Damien continued to speak.

"I'm sorry if this is a bit uncomfortable for you, but I've come to return this book you dropped the other day." He held out a book that belonged to Todd: The Life and Study of Foxes. He handed her the book, and continued speaking.

"You see, I found this book out by a tree in the grounds of the school. I picked it up; I've always had this fixation with foxes," He smiled again, "and well, after skimming through the book, I wondered 'Who could have the same interest in foxes as me?' And I looked at the title page, and found your name on it Todd." He smiled satisfyingly.

"After that, I decided I'd return it to you. And well, I also thought it would be a great opportunity to be acquainted with you." He blushed.

Todd blinked, hardly believing her ears. What? Foxes? This was too weird. She paused and then smiled softly, all awkwardness and embarrassment removed, she came back to her normal calm self. "Well, thank you Damien." She took the book and glanced through it. "It's been missing for a while." She raised an eyebrow at Giliana, then looked back up at Damien. She was confused as to why Damien wanted to meet her. Letting out a slightly nervous giggle, she teased him.

"And how did you know my name, Mr. Popular?"

"Mr. Popular?" He laughed charmingly. "Don't flatter me with something like that." He smiled. "I realized you were Todd when I saw Snape approaching you, and I thought, 'Bingo! That's the one!'"

"Oh, I see." She crossed her arms and bit her lip. "Well. Maybe I'll see you around?" She glanced down at her pocket watch. Potions class was very soon.

He realized that they were going to be late to their class if they didn't leave soon.

"Oh right, you two better be going off to class." He said, apologizing. "I really do hope we meet again soon Todd." He smiled at her.

"Right on." She smiled back, grey eyes sparkling slightly.

He nodded respectfully at both girls, turned around, and walked away.

Todd looked at Giliana, not saying one word, but her expression of surprise and pride said enough. Blinking and standing where she was for a moment, she finally moved and put the book into her messenger bag. Then she laughed a little at herself and shook her head.

Giliana sighed. "That was Damien Goodnight."

"Really?" Todd shrugged. "I knew he was popular, but I never really keep track of all the names... too confusing." She raised an eyebrow, then took a step forward towards where the Potions classroom was. "Shall we go?"

"Yes, I guess we shall." Giliana said blankly, trying to take in what had just happened. It didn't make sense to her that a popular Slytherin like Damien would be interested in a Ravenclaw.

Todd was also pretty phased, nothing really sunk in yet. But she shook it off and approached the heavy door. "Ready?" She smirked, paused, then pushed the door open as smoke poured out. The room was dark and crowded as usual. Snape had already begun class. They were late.

Snape looked up at them, and stopped talking. He looked completely revolted.

"Miss Black, Miss Lenore..." He took a step towards them, but no more. "Do you really find yourselves superior to the rest of the class?" He smirked evilly. "Or do you just believe...that you don't need to attend class because you know everything?" He looked at Giliana, and sneered. Snape raised an eyebrow and paused to see if they dared to answer. Some snickers came from the Slytherin end. "...Have a seat, see me after class."

Todd cursed under her breath, but apparently it wasn't quiet enough.

"Fifteen points from Ravenclaw, Miss Black." He said her name with a mocking sarcasm, as if he felt she didn't deserve to be addressed with 'Miss.'

Giliana quietly walked over to her seat in the front, embarrassed for arriving so late. It was really awkward having to sit near Snape for the remainder of class after getting into trouble for being late. But she didn't let that get to her. She looked down at her desk, and began to do some of the paperwork that Snape had already left for her. She tried her best to keep all her concentration on what she was doing, so she wouldn't feel uncomfortable.

Todd walked to her seat normally, avoiding eye contact with the students. Sitting down with a slam of her bag on the floor, she put her head on her desk for a moment.

"Now that that's out of the way..." He looked around the room. Snape was one of the only teachers in Hogwarts that could make the entire class completely quiet and still. "Hand in your reports. Gil-... Miss Lenore, please collect them." He turned away from the class for a moment as if he had said something wrong.

Todd sighed loudly, taking out her huge roll of parchment. She really tried on this assignment, and it probably deserved great marks, but was sure she wouldn't get much above average because of the hatred he had for her.

Giliana stopped what she was doing. He almost called her by her first name. Oh well. It was just a bit odd coming from him. She got up and walked around the room, collecting everyone's essay papers. She brought them back to her desk, and began to check off everyone who turned one in.

Surprisingly, Draco turned his in. As Giliana took a quick look at the essay, she noticed a small piece of parchment was hidden underneath it. She picked it up.

It was a note with her name on it. Checking to make sure Snape wasn't looking, she quickly unfolded it, and read what it said.

Slytherin party at the lake is this Saturday.

You're coming with me. You said you would.

I'm going to show you the time of your life.

Love, Draco.

Snape glanced at Giliana, but didn't act upon what he saw...yet. His eyes were glazed over for a moment before he addressed the class.

"Here's your assignment. Turn to page 402. Take notes until you reach chapter 15. That will be all for today."

He slowly approached Giliana's desk while the class busied itself with its assignment, some groans came from the Gryffindor side, and some complaints about how pointless notes are came from the Ravenclaw side. He ignored them.

"Miss Lenore." He simply stated, his palm outstretched.

Giliana had the note crumbled up in her hand. She continued to check off more names of students who completed their essays, despite the fact that she had to keep her right hand in a fist, even as she wrote.

"What is it professor?" she asked in a soft blank voice, not taking her eyes of her work.

"The note." He looked down at her without any expression of hatred... just slight annoyance. "I know you have it. Don't try my patience."

"What are you talking about?"

As she moved more papers, the note fell out of her right hand and onto the table. It rolled right off the desk and onto the floor, right besides Snape's feet. Giliana froze, slightly embarrassed.

Snape smirked. He bent over and picked it up, opening it instantly. His eyes moved across the paper, and a look of disgust overcame his rare calm manner. He glanced up at Draco, then looked at Giliana. "G-get back to work." He snapped, turning back to his desk and throwing the note in a wastebasket. Giliana's face turned red ever so slightly, but she sighed in relief at the fact that Snape didn't read it out to the class. She could feel Draco's eyes on her, but pretended she didn't notice, and forced herself to concentrate on finishing the checklist. She let her long black hair fall over and cover most of her face, as if it were a protective shield.

Snape sat at his desk, rummaging through things as if to keep himself completely busy.

Todd was lazily copying down notes, her eyes kept closing and her head kept sinking dangerously closer to the desk every few words she wrote.

"Ugh.." She muttered to herself, before dropping the quill and staring out the window again. Her eyes glazed over and her thoughts were once again, far away. Remus... She bit her lip and lay her head down. Remus.

Giliana looked away for a minute, to see how Todd was doing at her seat.

She noticed Todd's head was on her desk. She must have been thinking of Lupin.

She must miss him, Giliana thought. She knew what it was like to miss someone you truly care about...

Todd had fallen asleep. She hadn't gotten past a paragraph of notes. She was awoken by Snape's unpleasant loud voice.

"...useful. Class dismissed." He glared at Todd for a moment. Peeling herself off of the desk, she had ink on her left cheek. She stood rather shakily and went to Snape, as was instructed. Snape walked and stood in front of Giliana and Todd, pacing for a moment. "Miss Black, 2 extra hours this Saturday... and you must stay awake for the entire 5 hours."

Damn you, "Snivellus"...her eyes squinted in hatred.

"As for you, Miss Lenore. Clean." He pointed to his potions supplies in the separate room and walked to his desk, out of earshot.

Giliana shook her head.

"I guess I'll see you later then?" She said to Todd softly.

Todd half smiled with sympathy.

"Yeah... Later..." She grabbed her stuff and walked out, glancing back once. Bummed. Snape didn't look up. He stared at something on his desk.

Giliana began levitating some trash from the floor, leading it to the waste basket with her wand. She wanted to make the best of her time there, and a little charm just made things more pleasant.

She stopped, and picked up the pile of essays that she had checked off during class. She walked over to Snape's desk to hand them to him.

She noticed how he didn't take his eyes off of what ever he was doing. She finally opened her mouth.

"Professor" She gently dropped them on his desk

Snape didn't look up. He raised a hand and motioned to an empty box. He then turned the page of a piece of parchment, looking at some writing.

Giliana walked over to the empty box, and put the essays inside them. She looked over at Snape. He was still focused on whatever he had on his desk. The eerie silence frightened Giliana more than his usual cruelty and rude remarks. This was a little different. She decided to act like she wasn't bothered.

She quietly walked over to his desk.

"Thank you for not reading the note aloud by the way." She smiled.

Snape mumbled something before finally looking up at her.

"It wasn't out of the kindness of my heart." He gave a small glare. "I do not wish to be on bad terms with Draco's father." He then looked back down at the parchment.

"Oh." Giliana looked slightly disappointed. "Well, it was still really nice of you to save Draco and I from embarrassment." She said softly, smiling slightly.

He slammed his fist on the desk.

"Just... " He took a deep breath before standing and walking to the door of his personal quarters. "Get out."

Giliana jumped at the sound of his fist slamming the desk. A look of confusion appeared on her normally blank face. She slowly walked back to her desk to gather her things.

Snape watched her, before whispering something at the door leading to his personal quarters, and pointing his wand, a grey mist surrounded the doorknob, and it opened. He walked in and shut the door.

Giliana quietly gathered her things, placing each book and object into her messenger bag. She looked over at the door Snape went to.

I wonder what's gotten into him, She thought. With that, she picked up her bag, and walked out the door, trying to shrug off everything that happened during that class.