A/N: I do love this whole updating every day thing, it gets the story so far along. Though I do apologize for the smaller then normal chapter sizes, but I wouldn't want to use up what I have written too quickly, and not be able to update. Not to mention the chapters break nicely. :)

I'm super happy that people like the way this story is going. I needed to get them to hogwarts. After all Harry Potter is basically about the school... characters are almost incidental sometimes. Every book centers there (hence my refusal to accept that Harry won't go back in Book Seven). And as for the whole sorting thing. Well this chapter sort of explains my feelings on that. But for Rheniel, there IS no reason to be sorted. That's the fun :)

This chapter introduces my second favourite character. I just hope I can write them well enough... Well we'll see. I've been excited writing, waiting to be able to get them in here. So much fun.

---So I noticed a few too many mistakes, so I fixed this chapter :) ---

Chapter 18

"You know there was NO reason for you all to laugh." I muttered as Sirius and I walked up the path to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

I had already had my moment of awe back when the castle first came into view. Castles were nothing new to me, I had gone all over the world and seen plenty of them. But this particular one was different, aside from the odd shaped turrets, and twisting architecture that seemed ponderous, it was Hogwarts. It was just amazing for it to be standing in front of me. It was amazing to look around me and see what the book had been based on. Reading about it is one thing, but seeing the real thing made things completely different. Being able to see the large lake, that had merpeople and giant squids living in it. To see the Forbidden forest home of centaurs, giants spiders and a large giant. To see the road leading down into Hogsmeade village, where Honeyduke's, Zonko's and the shrieking shack was. As I looked at the overpowering castle, I half expected to see a trio of teenagers flying out of the grounds. I half imagined seeing three youths of varying hair colour causing mischief wherever they want. But that was in a book. The real things were far away living their new lives as adults. It was a little disappointing to realize.

Sirius had laughed at me, seeing the gamut of emotions that had run over my face, but I could see the look in his eyes seeing his old school once again. No doubt there were plenty of memories flowing through his head about his time with the other Marauders here. It was a sobering thought though, since all three other members were long since dead. Maybe having Sirius come to Hogwarts again wasn't particularly a kind thing to do to him.

"Well the idea of a muggle being sorted is just preposterous." Sirius replied back to my first statement, and shifted the bag he was carrying over his shoulder, taking such strides with his long legs that I had to take two to just keep up.

"Well I will be a teacher. It's not that ridiculous."

"A muggle teacher."

Sulking wasn't something I did, but there was a distinct sulk to my posture as I heaved my own bag up the path.

"I don't see why we couldn't apparate."

"You can't apparate within the grounds." Sirius sighed, expecting me to know that. Granted maybe I should have, it had been mentioned in the books enough times.

The rest of the trip up the stone path was quiet. Sirius was deep in thought about something, and I was still focusing on why I couldn't get sorted. I just wanted to know what house I would have been in. Was it so hard for him to realize? I had read the books, and like I'm sure so many other people, I had wondered what kind of person I was. Was I brave? Loyal? Smart? Cunning? Or was I just a hopeless case who had none of the qualities needed to go to Hogwarts.

A sudden back in front of me, broke me out of my thoughts. Even as I collided with Sirius's strong back I couldn't stop the immediate flare of my senses at even the accidental touch.

"Snivellus."

There was enough cold dripping off that one word that I found myself almost frozen to the spot, but my curiousity got the better of me, and I moved to the side to see around Sirius and stared at the object of his hatred.

So this was Severus Snape. The hated potions master, head of Slytherin, double agent in the battle, murderer of Dumbledore, and redeemed hero. All the descriptions of the man in the books had been rather unkind if I was any judge. Apparently the author wasn't overly fond of the man, and like she had dealt with Draco, had painted a rather unkind portrait of him.

His skin was pale, his nose slightly pointed, and his black hair which fell to his shoulders was completely straight. He resembled a dark feathered hawk. Well with that skin, maybe a penguin. But he really wasn't as greasy as I had expected from my previous knowledge, from that book. The hair wasn't exactly shining like in a shampoo commercial, nor was he going to be a spokesman for skin care products. And there was certainly a earthy smell which floated in the air around him, but if he was mixing potions all the time that was to be expected. All in all, he wasn't bad looking. Though I couldn't help but think that he would be more attractive if he wasn't looking down his nose at the two of us, his eyes glittering black orbs in the pale skin.

"Tremendously unlucky that the veil had to spit you back out Black. Apparently it had good taste, for you to have left it disgusted enough to disgorge you." The silken voice was cold, hatred blatant for the new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher.

"Well we all can't have your cleaning habits to smell like roses." Sirius snapped his fingers. "Wait, you don't have cleaning habits."

A full few minutes of glaring accompanied this little back and forth, which wasn't helping me at all since I wanted to go sit down and put my bag away. I'm sure everyone has heard of the Unicorn and the Lion. This was sort of like that. Just substitute a tired, grumpy dog, and a cold, superior penguin... and well you have an idea of the scene I was looking at.

"If the testosterone can stop flying for five seconds. Can we go inside?"

Two sets of angry eyes focused on me, causing me to shiver whether from having the two men's eyes on me, or from the fact that either of them could hex me into the ground. I should have been worried that the former was the more likely.

A graceful brow rose at me, suddenly aware of my presence. "Who are you?" Sirius could never have accomplished that offhand tone, so completely demanding of an answer but not caring of the response.

"Aine Mackinnion. I'm the new Muggles Studies teacher. Pleasure to meet you." I smiled at him, and held my hand out to be shaken, as I would assume was common courtesy. There was a narrowing of his eyes on me, which flickered from my smile to the hand held out to him.

"A muggle." Snape sneered once he realized who I was, or more importantly who I wasn't. I wasn't a witch, so therefore who cares. "Hogwarts has certainly gone down the drain to let your kind in here."

"Like you should talk. You are a half-blood." I muttered, taking back my hand and the offer of any sort of friendship with the man seemed to be unlikely to take root. So the books had exaggerated his disgusting appearance since he was at least moderately attractive, but how a person acts is important, and perhaps that had ben portrayed rather well. Personality is... well... look at Sirius, he was gorgeous but I wasn't going to get involved with him since he acted like a womanizer all the time. Just my luck that the men I met were all either gay, womanizers, or slimy bastards.

"Reading books are we?" He took a step toward me, which only made me react by stepping closer to Sirius. It was an involuntary action, my feet just moved before I could think. I wasn't exactly thrilled with my body's reaction. It was doing this a lot. There was no reason to appear afraid of Snape. And there was every reason to make sure he didn't think I was afraid. Frowning slightly, I stepped away from Sirius and brought my eyes up to look at Snape directly. I don't know if it surprised him or not. His expression never changed.

"Leave her alone, Snape. Or it will be Snipped." His eyes flickered down Snape's body, explaining the point of his threat.

"I was just going to take her up on the handshake from before." Without any preamble, my hand was taken and a rather light, dry kiss was placed on the topside of it. His eyes never leaving mine. For no reason whatsoever I found myself blushing. Maybe it was those usual shivers that were back again. Hopefully Sirius hadn't notice that little slip, though judging by the hard look I was receiving, he had.

"Muggles should be careful at this school. Especially of some people. Women especially should be careful." Snape stood up straight, no trace of any smile on his lips at his words. Seriousness was the only thing I could be certain about him. His warning was to be taken seriously. I grabbed back my hand, annoyed at having let him touch me at all. The flickering of the Slytherin potions master's eyes to Sirius standing next to me, suggested that his warning was related to Sirius in some way. Though I have a feeling it was the women comment that was meant to be directed his way.

"Tormenting muggles. So much like your master aren't you?" The sneer in Sirius's voice indicated his feelings on the warning.

"I'm not a dog like you Black. I don't have a master."

Suddenly Sirius had gripped Snape's shoulder tightly, and had moved in close to him, whispering in his ear. It was such an intimate gesture. One that didn't match the venom laced words that flowed out of Sirius's mouth and into Snape's ear.

"You must know about the dark mark appearing. Your master is back. For you."