AN:Thank you for the reviews I have received. Punurple, I would like to give a grand thank you. I'm not too good with summarizing but I will see what I can do. Funny thing, I was writing this when I got your review and the part where you said how she was a lot like Minerva but had a little of Albus hit me because I had just had Albus say that. Catwoman99, it is a pleasure to hear from you as always. Lioness78, I don't need to tell you thanks cause you know how I appreciate you! If any of you have suggestions or comments, anyone not just these three lovelies, by all means let me know.

Bridget made her way to the Great Hall for lunch along with Albus and Remus. As they were entering, they met up with Severus. Snape, as usual, was in a foul mood. The fifth year Slytherins and Gryffindor had double potions after DADA. Not even taking points had made up for the ire he felt for Bridget and the incompetence of Neville Longbottom. The school year was looking very grim, more so than usual.

"Ah, Severus, how was your first class?" Albus asked in his normal cheerful voice.

"Longbottom." Severus felt that said enough as he glared in Bridget's direction.

Bridget had thought the boy very sweet. "What could he have done? I found him to be a dear young man."

Snape gawked at her as though she were crazy. Remus smiled. "He is but…"

"He's a walking catastrophe!" Snape exploded.

"Well, considering the boggart he fought in third year looked like you…" Remus trailed off with a pointed look.

"You scare the child that bad?" Bridget looked horrified. "What kind of a man are you?" She stuck her nose in the air and walked over to sit beside her mother. She looked toward the Gryffindor table. "The poor thing."

Minerva looked at her before following her line of sight. The older woman sighed. "Severus, did you not see fit to send him to Poppy?" She looked across Albus to the potions master.

"It'll wear off. Serves him right to have to look like that."

Bridget started to feel rather hot as she glared at the man. She abruptly stood and left the table, turning to look pointedly at Snape as she neared the end of the table. "I refuse to sit, not to mention eat, at the same table as that… that… him!" She pointed to Snape before going to see to Neville. Many of the students were watching her as she moved to the Gryffindor table. She stopped beside Neville. "May I sit beside you?"

Neville looked up in shock. "M… me?"

"Yes, I wish to look over your… condition as that buffoon did not see fit to send you to Madam Pomfrey." She glared toward Snape again. He was eyeing her sourly.

He watched a moment as she looked over Neville's angry red skin and the white blotches that covered it. "Albus, she is most inappropriate for an instructor."

"Now, now, Severus. She's just passionate." Albus looked at Minerva with a twinkle in his eye. "She takes after her parents. Though she is much like her mother, she has a bit of me in her, too."

Snape choked on the bite of food he had just taken. "You?!" Everyone's attention was on the head table after that, except for Bridget. She was worried about Neville. Albus just nodded and continued to eat as though nothing he said had been at all surprising. Minerva sighed and looked at Severus.

"Is that a problem, Professor?" Her tone told him how to answer.

"I just did not expect…"

"None of us did," Remus commented. All of the professors had heard what Albus had said, and the students were very curious to hear what was going on.

"Come with me, Mr. Longbottom." Bridget stood and headed toward the head table. "Professor Snape?" She came to a stop before him. He looked up at her with a scowl.

"What?" He hissed.

She smiled sweetly and held out her hand. The skin was turning the same angry red as Neville's. "I suppose I deserve to look this, too?" He did not answer. She shot her hand out and grabbed his arm. "I know you do." He jerked back, looking very angry and violated. "Come, Neville. We will see Madam Pomfrey." She glared hotly at Snape before turning on her heel and marching from the room.

Minerva looked at Severus coolly as he too stood and headed to see Poppy. She put her head in her hand. "It is going to be a most long and tiring year." Albus chuckled and continued to eat his meal. She eyed him. "Just you wait, Albus Dumbledore. I will see you get yours for this."

Poppy Pomfrey was not surprised to see Neville Longbottom. She treated the boy on a regular basis throughout every year. She was, however, surprised by the two very embittered looking professors that accompanied him. "Hello, Neville. Off to an early start this year?" He flushed as he nodded. "Sit down, dear, and let's have a look at you."

"Don't touch him!" Both Bridget and Snape exclaimed.

"You need to wear gloves," Snape clarified as she frowned at them. He held out his arm. "Miss McGonagall just brought the contagiousness to my attention," he growled.

"You mean he has been like this for an extended period of time!"

"No more than twenty minutes or so…"

"Twenty minutes! Severus Snape, you should have had him here immediately seeing as you have no idea about the condition yourself." She huffed and turned back to Neville. "I'll see what I can do, dear."

"She is right, you know. You really should have had him up here immediately." Bridget looked down her nose at him.

"This was none of your concern."

"If I had not taken a concern, the entire school would be red and white!" She crossed her arms and glared at him. "This is entirely your fault."

"My fault! It is no fault of mine the boy is an incompetent fool!" Snape bore down on her.

"You are an insufferable, malevolent, dreadful man, Severus Snape. I do not know why my father employs you!" She would not allow him to intimidate her.

"And you are a spoiled, infuriating, presumptuous child!" He had moved to stand within inches of her.

"Enough!" Minerva yelled as she came into the room with a small handful of fifth year Gryffindors. Neville had come in contact with them as well. "Poppy, treat them so they can go their separate ways." Madam Pomfrey was all too happy to have them out of her ward.

Snape returned to his dungeons as soon as Poppy had let them go. Bridget had headed straight for her classroom. Remus was inside with the next class when she stormed in. She said not a word as she sat behind her desk. The fifth year Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students eyed her slightly. Remus just continued to teach the class. "You had started to ask a question, Miss Patil?"

"Uh… Will we have any time during class to work with our partners or will we have to work in our spare time?"

"I am afraid this will take up part of your spare time. If you would come forward when I call your name, you can see who you will be working with." He picked up the first parchment. "Miss Abbott."

Bridget sat silently as he called all the students up and answered more of their questions. Something occurred to her as she watched how he handled the students. He deserved the job more than she ever did. He was in his element, loved what he was doing. Was she kidding herself about being able to teach? Was Snape right? She shook her head. She would not accept that… Still, perhaps she should try to talk to the man again. So lost in thought, she was not aware the entire class was gone until Remus shook her shoulder. She jerked out of his touch when she became aware. She quickly realized how he may take that. "Sorry, you startled me."

"Quite alright. Are you well?" He looked at her concerned.

"Yes, I was just thinking that this should be your job more than my own. You are good with them and they adore you."

"But you have the strictness that I lack. Together we are best." Remus smiled at her. "I've heard rumors already that the Slytherins are planning something against you and the Ravenclaws want you as their Head of House."

Bridget rolled her eyes. "Rumors are always rampant in these halls, which reminds me. What did my mother need with you and Harry?"

"A friend was in the Headmaster's office."

"A friend? Why could this friend not wait until the boy was finished with his classes?"

Remus chuckled. "That's what Minerva said."

Bridget snorted. "Yes, we tend to have similar opinions. You did not answer my question. I'll give you a lemon drop." She looked up with twinkling eyes. A loud crash behind her kept him from answering. She jumped up and turned to see the chalkboard being violated by an unseen specter. "Peeves! Show yourself!" Peeves became visible. He grinned broadly and threw and eraser at her. She caught it. "Peeves, what are you doing?"

"Play with Fidget!" He threw another eraser. She ducked causing it to smack into Remus.

"Don't call me that, Peeves. You know how I hate it!" She fought the urge to throw back the eraser she had caught. It would only go through him. No, she thought of something better. "You want to do me a favor, Peeves?" Her eyes were alight with a twinkle he loved.

"Yes, if it is something good." He floated closer.

"What are you thinking, Miss McGonagall?" Remus was worried.

"Can you avoid the Baron and get in the dungeons?" She ignored Remus.

"I can try!" He grinned largely. "What is it to do I am, Fidget?"

Bridget glared at him. "Peeves," she growled, "I'll tell my mother." He just continued to grin. She looked to the ceiling for strength. "Well, I would love for you to do something horrid to Professor Snape. Sing to him for all I care, just annoy the bloody hell out of him."

Peeves loved the idea of bothering the potions master. Remus did not. "I don't think this is a good idea."

"Who asked loony, loopy Lupin?" Peeves quickly floated away. Remus looked at Bridget.

"Why did you do that?" She only smiled at him. "Very well, but I still do not like it." He thought a moment. "Why was he calling you Fidget?"

She growled softly. "I hate that name." She turned and put her hands together behind her back. "I fidgeted a lot when I was young. Having my father's sweet tooth didn't help, but when mother said stay put, you stayed put. So, I would fidget and she would yell at me. Peeves made up some horrid rhyme and the name stuck."

"Well, apparently I am loony and loopy." He smiled. "Almost time for the last class. Should have spent the free period getting prepared. Fred and George Weasley can be a handful, especially with Lee Jordan's help."

"I have heard much about them from my mother, particularly Mr. Jordan's commentating skills." She smirked. Remus laughed. Lee did have a way of getting to Minerva while calling the Quidditch matches. He hoped the three boys would not make trouble, and that Peeves failed to get passed the Bloody Baron. Little did he know that Peeves was already in the potion classroom with an unsuspecting Severus Snape.