Bridget was sitting behind her desk as the fifth year students began trickling in. She had skipped breakfast to make any final preparations. Soon, they were all present but one. As the clock ticked on, she stood and moved to the front of her desk. "Ave, students. I will be your new Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor, as I am sure you are aware. I seem to have a rather large role to fill." She took a piece of parchment from behind her. As she did so, Harry rushed in. She looked up. "Late, Mr. Potter. Really! For your first class of the term, no less." She moved toward him. "Well?"

He looked at her hesitantly. "I had to check on a few things…"

"Not much of a lie or excuse. Please, stand there a moment while I sort the whole class out." She returned her attention to the other students, making a quick adjustment to her parchment. "Now, as I do not wish for problems, you will have a seating arrangement so I may become familiar with all of you." She walked to the first table. "Mr. Potter, if you would come sit here." She pointed to the spot before her. "Would everyone stand so this will be easier." Harry sat down. "Good. Mr. Zabini, if you would." She pointed to the seat beside Harry. Many of the students frowned. She moved across the aisle to the next table and began telling the rest of the students where to go. End results were thus:

Bridget's Desk

Pansy - Lavender Blaise - Harry

Hermione - Millicent Dean - Vincent

… - Parvati Draco - Ronald

… - … Neville - Gregory

(AN:I realize I may be missing some of the female students, at least in Slytherin)

The students were not pleased with the arrangement at all. Draco quickly made this known. "I refuse to sit beside the weasel. If something is not done, I will demand your removal."

Bridget looked at him like he had gone mad. Remus entered at that time, frowning upon seeing her eyeing Draco. "Already running his mouth?" He asked. Draco spun around, as did many of the students, when he spoke.

"Yes, apparently he wants my job." She got a pure McGonagall look on her face that quickly changed to one very similar to her father's. "Splendid idea, really. Let's me see what he knows." She walked over to sit beside Parvati. "Mr. Lupin, you can take his seat as he teaches today's class." Draco smugly stood and moved to the front of the classroom. "Lesson plan is on desk, Mister… Excuse me, Professor Malfoy." She winked at Remus.

Draco picked up the lesson plan and frowned deeply. He had no idea what the gibberish was. He decided to wing it with what he could pick out. "Alright." He looked at the parchment some more, not about to give in. A light knock sounded on the door. He looked up but she motioned him on as she went to see who it was. Severus stood on the other side. She stepped out to join him in the hall.

"Professor Snape, to what do we owe the honor?" She knew exactly why he was there, had expected it as he had no class at the moment.

"I just wished to make sure my students are treating you as they should."

"And how is that? Mr. Malfoy seems to be doing a splendid job of it." She opened the door and motioned him in. She sat beside Parvati again as she motioned him to sit behind her. "Have you not started yet, Professor?" She asked Draco dryly.

"I can't read this gibberish!" She stood and moved to the front of the room. Remus stood to allow Draco to have his seat, moving to sit beside Severus.

"Give it here and take your seat." She took the parchment and smiled at the class tightly. "So far I have found reason to deduct points from both houses as well as give detentions. My patience is easily tried by young men and women who behave as tardy, impudent children." Severus and Remus, who were definitely not her students, felt as though they were included. "This gibberish, Mr. Malfoy, is called shorthand. Now, take out parchment and quill. I am going to tell you what you will be doing throughout the term."

"What are you doing here, Severus?" Remus asked quietly as the students did as bid.

"I can go where I wish in this castle, Lupin."

"Alright, first off, every week you will have at least one essay and one test. Each month, you will do a thorough, meaning multiple paged, report on a topic of my choice along with a possible book assignment, which will have tests and reports assigned to it separately. Every two to three months, you and a partner, again of my choosing, will have to complete a joint oral project to be presented to the rest of the class at an appointed time. I will expect you and said partner to work together or fail. You have Ordinary Wizarding Levels this year and I aim to see you do well. You are expected to do your best work in this class, slacking will not be tolerated. Should too many assignments be turned in late or with unsatisfactory results, I will give you detentions to be spent here with me to learn about the subjects of those assignments. You will also have to do assignments during class that must be turned in before you leave the room on that particular day. Do you have any questions?"

The students sat quietly for many moments. Remus and Severus were also speechless. Finally, Hermione raised a hand. Bridget nodded for her to proceed. "Can we have our assignments ahead of schedule and turn them in early? Will there be some form of extra credit work?" All the students looked at her like she had gone mad.

"Life does not, despite the emphasis I place on it myself, revolve around your schooling alone, Miss Granger. A student of your caliber does not need extra work. You need to relax and have some form of fun as well as striving to be the sharpest tool in the proverbial shed." She looked around. "Anyone else?"

Draco, though having been chastised, raised his hand. She reluctantly motioned him to speak. "Our joint projects will be mixed house? What are we to call you? Why is the wolf here?"

She pursed her lips before pulling them back tightly. "Professor Lupin is here to assist me should I need. He will be here throughout the year so get used to it, Mr. Malfoy. You will address him as I just have or reap the consequences." She eyed him, never blinking. "Your partners will never be the same and will likely be from another house. You will address me as Miss McGonagall as my mother is already entitled as Professor McGonagall." Gasps sounded around the room. She did not so much as blink. "Next?"

Ron was the next brave soul. "What if we have a major problem with our partner, like hating them?"

She looked at him blankly. "You will have to work things through." Pansy raised her hand boldly. "Miss Parkinson."

"What house are you from? Will we always have to sit like this?" She glared in detest at Lavender. "Does Professor Snape agree to us being paired with… Gryffindorks?"

Bridget never even looked toward Snape as she eyed the girl coolly. "I was… am from Ravenclaw, though both my parents were Gryffindors. I may change the seating, should see fit. As to your dear Professor Snape, last I checked I taught this class, not him. You will do as I require or you shall fail." She eyed the whole class. "Another slander to house, person, or anything else and not only will you lose house points but get detentions with Filch." She looked pointedly at each Slytherin, especially Draco and Pansy. Before she could continue, another knock sounded on the door. Her mother soon entered.

"I need to take Professor Lupin and Mr. Potter."

Bridget frowned but nodded. She looked at Harry. "If you do not return before the end of the course, do so at some point today to receive your assignments." Harry nodded and left behind Remus and Minerva. Bridget moved to sit behind her desk. "When I call your name come forth."

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Minerva led Remus and Harry toward Dumbledore's office. She had been not that surprised to see Severus sitting in on Bridget's class, but she wanted to know exactly what he had been up to. "Why was Severus present? He was not causing trouble, I hope?" She arched a brow as she looked to Remus.

"I believe he was there to eat crow." Remus smirked at her. "She's worse than you."

She looked at him indignantly. "What is that suppose to mean?"

Remus held up his hands. "I just meant… Help a man out, Harry." He looked to the boy, who was trying to hid a small smile. He was not surprised he got no help. "She's strict and taxing."

Minerva kept her brow arched. "And?"

"That's all! She did not break or cower like Snape wanted. She held firm, very firm. She told the students who was in charge and how things were going to be quite simply and quickly."

"Good." Minerva said simply but he thought he detected pride. They stopped at the gargoyle and she rolled her eyes. "Treacle treatsies." The gargoyle slid to the side. "I have students waiting." She left them to go up on the stairs themselves. They shared a glance before stepping onto the spiraling staircase.

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Bridget watched the somber students file from her classroom blankly. Severus stood and walked toward her desk. "I must say I am impressed. They'll be as frightened of you as they are of me in little time."

She frowned at him. "I do not wish to be seen as a tyrant."

He smirked. "It has its advantages."

"I imagine you believe so."

"I must say, I do not agree with you pairing the houses together, or the way you seated them." He crossed his arms and watched her. She leaned back and looked up at him with an 'and I should care why' look. "You will only cause problems doing so."

"We shall see, Professor. I believe they are capable of the work, I know they are. If they do not wish to fail, they will do so." Minerva entered, hearing her last statement.

"You aren't causing trouble, are you, Severus?" She eyed him coolly.

"I truly see the resemblance," he commented. "No, I was just saying I do not believe Slytherin and Gryffindor students should be paired together on projects of any length."

Bridget stood and leaned forward on her desk. "And, as I said, how I teach my class is my decision. If all you wish to do is dispute and degrade my curriculum, I believe you know the way to the door." She glared at him. "And inform your students that Parkinson and Malfoy cost them points today compared to Gryffindor's loss of thirty." Minerva frowned at that but said nothing.

Snape glared back at her. "That's outrageous!"

"Is it really? Then you should teach them tact and decorum."

Minerva stood back watching them. They would pull wands if she did not break them up soon. "Enough. This is pointless."

"Protect your young while you can, Minerva. Though, she seems to have left the nest long ago." He turned and started for the door. Both woman glared after him. They were still glaring at the door a second later when Albus walked in with Harry.

"Not a very warm welcome," he smiled.

"It was a good ridance," Minerva informed him.

"I am to assume this is where Severus was storming from?"

"Yes," they both said tersely. Harry found that creepy. They were so much alike.

Bridget looked at Harry. "You need your assignments." She pulled a piece of parchment from a tome on her desk. "Here you are. You best hurry to your next class." She looked at the students coming in the room as Harry left. "At least he is gone for a while, though I presume his curiosity will bring him back. Either that or the complaints I am sure he will receive." She grinned and winked at them. "I think he'll hate me before this is over."

"Bridget!" Minerva admonished. Albus just chuckled. She turned to him. "All of this is your fault!"

His eyes twinkled. "I have my reasons."

"I am certain you do." Minerva sighed. "I have students waiting and we are holding up her class." She turned to leave, rolling her eyes when he did not follow. She continued without him.

"You just love to try her, don't you?" Bridget smiled up at him.

"But of course. She is too easy."

"Wouldn't let her hear you say that."

"No, I suppose not." He winked at her and disappeared. She rolled her eyes. Just what she needed. More looking over as she knew he was staying to watch her teach. She ignored the students that were gaping and pointing at where he had stood as she waited for the rest of the second years to arrive.