A/N: Another chapter. It seems it really will be about one a week now, but they're all nice and long. So hopefully no complaints.

Also with students having been introduced there has been some talk about them being like Harry and Draco... Other then some purely aesthetic similarities, they will be nothing alike. I doubt there will be a great feud other then the normal Slytherin VS Gryffindor one. This story can not just be the books with different names... Sorry if that disappoints anyone.

Oh, and please everyone leave me reviews. I feel like I'm begging... but really, I need more feedback on the story. I would love to know what everyone thinks, what's working or not, where it should go or where it shouldn't. If you write reviews already, believe me I love you... now the rest of you... Think of it as early Christmas presents :)

Chapter 29

Five seconds after entering my room, a knock sounded at my door, halting my own dreams of a good night's sleep.

"Now Sirius, your lips come near me again and I will tear..." I opened the door, expecting to see one Sirius Black, instead a rather too amused Draco Malfoy stood there.

"My cousin has been rather busy with his lips has he?"

Just as Severus had done, Draco just walked into the room not even bothering to wait for permission. Not that I could have refused either of them entrance.

"Draco, you know I love spending time with you and your delightful insights, but I start teaching tomorrow and would love to slip into my pajamas and just go to sleep."

"Aine, while most men might enjoy hearing about your sleeping habits, it does nothing for me. Though I would have imagined you as sleeping in your all together. If I wanted to imagine." He took a seat on a chair by the fireplace, making himself comfortable for what I was beginning to worry was the long run.

"Despite your obvious love of my company, and our week apart, your reason to be here is...?" I stayed standing since I wanted to make it at least appear that I was ready for his exit.

"You know about the second attack."

I couldn't stop my foot from starting to tap. This subject was quickly becoming taboo for me, instantly raising my ire.

"Draco, if you've come to tell me another theory on how the muggles killed themselves, I might be forced to see if I can actually fit a wand up certain orifices."

Draco's smile was rather kinky at that statement, and I closed my eyes figuring instantly what I had said was certainly not a threat to the man. If anything it was something he might have suggested himself.

"Actually, Harry was rather worried about you. It's an anomaly undoubtedly, but one I was sent to check upon. I'm working on stopping that..."Of course that was utter bull. No doubt Draco secretly adored Harry's far gentler nature.

Now I had basically given up on the young man's quick departure from my room, and resigned myself to a lack of sleep by sitting down on the couch across from Draco.

"Severus told me that the muggles died in a break-in at NYU. It's connected to me isn't it?"

There was a flicker of surprise on the blonde's face.

"He shouldn't have told you that."

"And I probably shouldn't have responded by telling him that I raised Sirius from the dead, and that we're here looking for a missing horcrux."

Now there was definitely a lasting look of surprise on the pale face, which quickly dissolved into anger at my choice.

"You..."

"Oh don't try to get angry with me over something you would have done yourself. You don't want to keep this a secret from everyone, that's Harry's choice. You know and trust Severus, and given a choice would have asked his advice. And in my own defense as well, He had already guessed what was going on. It was either tell him or let him continue digging."

My little mini rant quieted whatever it had been that Draco wanted to say, just proving that his anger had been pretty much a token response. It had been the response that Harry would have expected from him had he been there, but the reality of it was that Draco wasn't that angry, at least not in my choice of confidante.

"So Professor Snape knows now. Sirius must have been pleased with that."

I snorted softly in response to that.

"Sirius is rather... displeased, but I explained that I needed Severus's help to break our connection, and that he might be able to help find the horcrux since he can go into the Slytherin rooms."

"The Professor offering to help is... surprising."

"Well there was some threats made..." I left it at that, not really wanting it to get around that I had threatened the Professor with nudity. Draco raised an eyebrow at that, but I stayed muted on the subject.

"Sirius had a visit from the Weasels I hear."

"And you aren't going to get off topic." I narrowed my eyes at the blonde's pointed face. "I need to know more about the break in at NYU."

There was no point in trying to get rid of him fast anymore, so I might as well take the opportunity to find something out. Severus's dislike of muggles had made it hard to find anything specific out. Draco was quiet for a while.

"I don't remember the name's of the people who were killed. They were killed in the history department though, so yes it is possible they were killed in some connection to you. The more likely explanation though is that they were just chasing where we had been. After all they had certainly known that Harry was in contact with you after what happened to Cairn."

The mere mention of the poor man caused a pain to start throbbing behind my left eye, and feelings of anger to flare up. The ministry and everyone was saying this was all a giant prank, they would have changed their minds if they had seen Cairn's mangled body.

"So there is no reason for you to worry. After all what would a wizard want with you?" I raised my eyebrow at that since after all Harry was a wizard who had needed my help. "They were likely just looking for the clag a bhais."

Skepticism was all that I could manage for that comment. It seemed unlikely that they would have broken into NYU for the clag a bhais. After all they would have known what it was for, and with Sirius's return from the grave, they must have realized that it had been used.

"No worries at all then. We should just have a party then."

"Sarcasm really does actually suit you..." Draco pushed out of the chair he had been sitting in. "Harry wanted me to check on you, so I did. I though am curious, with the students now having arrived did you notice anything worth note?"

I filled him in on the sorting this evening. Telling him what I could remember of the Hat's Song. Also making mention of the two boys of note. Draco didn't seem too concerned with the hat's predictions of trouble, after all that was a given knowing what he did. He did though take special interest in my descriptions of Cain and Kerstan. Personally other then the length of their sorting, there wasn't much to either boy, excepting that one instance of Cain's unnerving stare. But I was a muggle, it was entirely possible he had never really been near one before.

"I would ask Sirius to keep an eye on those two, but I don't think he would be very objective. Not when one is in Slytherin."

"I will keep an eye on all my students."

That was the upstanding teacher thing to say.

"Well just contact us if you find anything." Draco had moved to the door, but he paused with his hand on the knob. "I doubt Sirius has found anything concerning the horcrux?"

"His memory is still coming back to him... He thinks it might be better now the students are back."

"I don't know why Harry even bothered sending him here, you'll likely have better luck." Draco rolled his eyes.

"Make sure you go visit Severus." I smiled brightly at Draco, who just looked at me like I had two heads. Apparently suggesting to a Slytherin that he should go 'visiting' was out of the ordinary. Images of Severus and Draco chatting about old times was certainly an odd thought. But I thought it was one that should be done. The Potions master needed to speak to someone who didn't think he was out plotting with Voldemort the downfall of the Wizarding world.

"Good night Professor." Draco slipped out the door and I took a deep breath, waiting a few seconds before I got up to go to bed. Just in case anyone else decided that they wanted to speak to me about muggle deaths, horcruxes, kisses, or my lesson plans. When no more knocks came on the door after a few minutes I deemed it safe to move once again. With a great amount of pleasure I got up and slipped into my bed, quickly falling asleep.

Waking early has never been a thing of mine. I would love to sleep until the world ends and beyond if it were possible. So my choice to be a teacher was a little surprising since the job dictated that one had to be awake usually around 6 or 7 in the morning. Though being a college professor I had been lucky to occasionally be able to sleep until 8 or 9. Anyone trying to get in contact with me over the weekend would find it nearly impossible since I slept until noon at the earliest.

The second day of the Hogwarts term though saw me awake at 7 o'clock and down in the Great Hall for breakfast at 8 o'clock. Students were already eating breakfast, and about half the teachers were already doing the same. On the wall though Dumbledore still slumbered quietly, soft snores coming from him and the occasional mumbled names of candies. Apparently being a portrait meant you didn't have to keep the same hours you would have when you were alive. The man, or portrait-man, must have been a heavy sleeper though since the hall wasn't exactly quiet. Really though, did portraits have to sleep? I guess it was to recreate the person as close as possible...

I wondered what had happened to Draco after our little chat last night, wondering if he had spent the night here somewhere, or if he had quickly made it off the school grounds to apparate back to where Harry was. Since I didn't see him at breakfast I assumed he found it hard to be away from his little love bunny for too long.

"Heh... Love bunny..." I laughed quietly at that thought, getting me some very odd looks from the students around me. I shrugged the looks off though and sat down on Severus's right. He grunted and I took that to be a greeting, likely the closest I would get to one anyway. I should ask him if Draco had actually done what I suggested, but the appearance of a plate of eggs and toast in front of me distracted my attention, that of my stomach at least.

"Severus. Did you have a nice little visit with Draco last night?" I smiled at the sour looking Potions master after I had finished my breakfast. Perhaps I wasn't the only one who wasn't a morning person, but teasing always seems to make me rather chipper in the morning. At my question I got a rather annoyed look. Rather similar to all the looks I tended to get from the man if memory serves me right.

Sirius had come up to the dais in time to hear me ask my question.

"Draco was here last night? Was Harry with him?" He took the seat on my right and with no ceremony started to stuff his face full with the food in front of us. Ah, manners...

"No Harry wasn't. Draco was just visiting." I shrugged, not really wanting to get into specifics. If I told Sirius that I knew about NYU being broken into, that would cause him to worry. I had a general feeling that he would hover if he was worried. A hovering worrier was not something I needed or wanted. "Right Severus?"

Narrowed black eyes met my own brown ones. Professor Snape stood up and walked down from the dais without answering the question. He really was moody in the morning, and strangely that was taking into account his regular moody nature.

Having finished I got up to go as well, wishing Sirius as much luck as possible with his first classes. No doubt he was certainly going to need all the help he could get, as much luck as the students were going to need in his class. I quickly caught up with Severus, ignoring the odd looks I was getting from the students as I practically sprinted out of the Great Hall so early in the morning, wearing my normal muggle clothes. Rather an odd sight I suppose during breakfast.

"Severus." I grabbed hold of the sleeve of his robe to stop him. Perhaps not a good idea judging from the scowl I was receiving. "I get that you don't like having people interfere in your business, but I was just concerned is all. Having a talk with Draco might have been helpful for you... After all you're not exactly surrounded by people fighting to get your attention."

"You seem to be more then eager to crowd me." Severus snapped, black eyes glittering dangerously. Normal people might have taken a step back at this point. I was normal, but I was never smart.

"I'm only eager since I like you."

My smile and comment must have thrown him off since he actually took the step back.

"Really?" His voice was dry, and calm. No evidence at all of any discomfort despite the step he had just taken.

"Really Sevvie." I grinned impishly and went on tiptoe giving him a quick kiss on the lips.

Teasing people is something I have always taken quite an amount of joy in. This amusement has certainly landed me into quite a lot of hot water over the years. There was the time that I had pretended to be dead, resulting in my mother nearly having a heart attack, and my father grounding me for life (the sentence had later been commuted to a month, no allowance, and all the chores). Teasing boys had always been fun as well, though this only happened with ones I was friends with. Never would I have teased Matt, it would have just given him ideas. Of course kissing someone will certainly give them ideas. But judging by the storm that was appearing in Severus's eyes, the ideas he was getting didn't involve anything nice and fluffy. Unless by Fluffy you meant a certain three headed dog with large, sharp teeth and particularly nasty breath.

My attention though was diverted from the fuming Potions professor, when my eye caught a flash of fabric from the side. I turned and saw a student watching us from the side. On his way to having breakfast he had certainly had an interesting morning show.

I recognized the boy as the cheerful looking boy from the sorting who had been the cause of my momentary worry. His name had been Kerstan Faust, an interesting enough name that I was unlikely to forget it. He smiled sheepishly at us, looking rather embarrassed to be finding his teachers kissing in the hallway. At least to his eyes that had probably been what it had looked like. A quick peck on the lips was certainly not a kiss in my eyes.

"Kerstan." Saying the boy's name brought Severus's attention away from me to the small boy. The full on affect of Severus's doom and gloom attitude was apparent immediately since the young Gryffindor looked mildly frightened. Without even thinking about who I was doing it to, I punched Severus's arm. "Professor Snape needs some lightening up sometimes, as you can see. So nothing that happened here needs to be told to anyone." He understood immediately, and nodded, retreating to the Great Hall as quickly as possible. Not surprising with Severus still glaring at the spot he had occupied.

"You hit me." Now his full attention was back on me, and while the doom and gloom had retreated a bit, it was still rather an unnerving look.

"Oh, I'm sorry about that. But you were frightening the poor boy." I turned back to him, a rather worried smile on my face. I was in no way afraid of Severus, nor did I think he was going to hurt me. But he was still rather an imposing figure, and someone I really shouldn't be crossing. It was just my bad luck that he was also so much fun to tease. It was actually rather addicting in a way.

"You kissed me." The statement was simple, no real emotion in his voice. He could have been talking about linoleum and it would have sounded the same. It really made a girl feel special.

"I wouldn't really call that a kiss." I shrugged. "If you want I could show you a real one." I fluttered my eyelashes, once again reverting to my horrible habit of teasing him.

"Like the one Black gave you?" Severus was still fuming, though now I suspected it was in a different direction. I was rather surprised he had known about that. It wasn't like I had run down the halls shouting that I had been rather surprisingly kissed. Maybe Severus possessed great powers like telepathy so he knew what I was thinking at all times.

"I am not a psychic."

"Aha!"

He rolled his eyes at me, a rather normal gesture for him.

"I heard your discussion with him at dinner last night. It's not hard to figure it out when you warn him to keep his lips off you."

Well there went the far more interesting theory of telepathy. Though that idea was far more frightening in other ways. Someone's deepest and darkest thoughts should never be open for people to read. Not even just thoughts, but fantasies. If he could read my mind then he could then find out about that interesting little fantasy of mine including him, some leather, and some fur lined handcuffs. Good thing for me he wasn't telepa-... Damn... He had been lying.

There was a small smirk on his lips, though that looked a bit forced judging by slight blush crossing his cheeks. The man was a master of that magic that could see a person's memories, whatever it was called. My memory wasn't good enough to remember all the odd words in those books. I quickly repeated my earlier movement, this time putting far more effort and passion behind the punch I gave the man's arm.

"Read my thoughts again and I be using those handcuffs in an entirely different way that you will not enjoy." I hoped at that moment he was getting my emotions and memories, because my mind was being rather vivid about what I would do to him if he tried it again. I turned and stalked off, heading up to my classroom to prepare for my first class ever at Hogwarts, and thinking of as many possible ways to kill a wizard.

My first class was a combined class of third year students. Muggle Studies wasn't the hottest class in the school so I only had one class per year, meaning that I only had five classes, all of which had combined numbers from the four houses. As I looked at the students sitting there patiently waiting for me to begin though, I realized that there were absolutely no Slytherin students. I shouldn't have expected differently.

"Welcome to Muggle Studies." I stood in front of my desk, leaning back on it. "You're all actually the luckiest of my classes. You're all coming in fresh, with no experience in this class. Therefore my changes won't come as much of a shock to you. My teaching style will be... practical. You will certainly learn some theories, but more importantly you will be learning how to use things, not just why. Any questions?"

Third year students are not as confident as the sixth and seventh years, nor though are they still complacent and cautious like the younger students. So I shouldn't have been surprised that the first question I got had nothing to do with muggles in general, or how I was going to teach the class, instead it was directed at me personally.

"Why is a muggle teaching here?"

The question everyone was asking. I was almost hoping that someone would ask me about raising Sirius from the dead. At least that would have been interesting. No, this question had been one I had been expecting from the start. At least it hadn't been framed insultingly, that I too had been expecting.

"A muggle is teaching here, and by the way my name is Professor Mackinnion, because this is a muggles studies class. A wizard teaching this class is along the same lines as me teaching you all Transfiguration. Someone who cannot do something should not be teaching others that which they can not do for themselves. Rather simple."

Not simple enough since the questions didn't stop there.

A bright looking Asian girl from Ravenclaw raised her hand instantly, confidence in the gesture. In this class at least this undoubtedly was going to be the 'know-it-all'.

"But aren't muggles not supposed to know our world exists? How do you know? Normally when a muggle finds out too much their memory is charmed."

"A wizard has already put a charm on my memory preventing me from discussing what I know."

That didn't stop the girl's questions from coming, since the second my mouth closed her hand was in the air once more.

"What is your name by the way?"

"Michi Tsuroda. Why would you want to work here anyway? Isn't teaching us about your own people a little boring?"

I stood up straight, pushing away from the desk.

"Not in the slightest. It's always interesting to view another perspective. And the only teacher's lesson plans were diverting. Now, issues about me aside, does anyone have any question about how the class will be taught."

I could see that Miss Tsuroda wanted to ask another question, but it wasn't about the class so she kept her hand down, though I could see her warring with the urge to raise it and keep asking questions. No one else raised their hand though so I concluded the Q&A segment of the class.

"Right. What I am going to teach you is knowledge that will help you if you need to ever pass as a muggle." I heard a few snorts in the back of the class, likely from students who deemed the likelihood of what I had said as zero to none. "Since I am not a witch you're all going to be helping me out in this class."

I went behind my desk and took a seat.

"Now how do Wizards contact each other?"

No one ever wants to answer questions on the first day of class, so it wasn't surprising that not many raised their hands. It was also not surprising that Miss Tsuroda had been the first one to do so. I pointed at one of the other students though, a nervous looking Hufflepuff, one who hadn't raised his hand.

"Your name and the answer please."

"Michael Dillon. And we normally use the Owl Post."

"Right, you write letters and then send them to the person using an owl." I nodded at the answer, understanding it well enough, though personally it had always sounded a little backward. "Now muggles, we actually do things rather similarly. We write letters and send them to people, but we don't use owls. Instead there are muggles whose job it is to carry letters to people."

This seemed rather simple and straightforward to me, but to people who had never seen a postman, it was rather odd, and I had to field quite a few questions that if I had asked to my teachers would have gained me a session with the guidance counselor.

Why would someone want to carry letters around?

Doesn't that one person get tired having to deliver everyone's letters?

Aren't you worried that the person will read the letters?

How does the person carrying the letters cross over to other countries?

And my favourite, How had they failed in life to end up with such a crappy job?

I dutifully answered all those questions and the many more that sprang from the answers to them. It ended up with my first class being devoted almost solely to the discussion of Postmen and their possible displeasure with their jobs. It wasn't surprising anymore that wizards never knew anything about muggles, if it took one class to teach them such a simple thing, then I wasn't going to impart too much knowledge on them.

I dismissed my first class with the assignment of writing exactly what each of them thought about the idea of people carrying the mail, with specific guidelines against just saying owls were better.

The rest of my first day of classes was pretty much empty. With only five classes, I only had one a day. It left me plenty of time to go to the library and study, or perhaps even try and find the horcrux on my own. They were rather practical ways to spend my time, ways that I should be spending my time. But after the break I found myself entering Sirius's classroom right before the start of his class.

"I'm bored..." I whigned out, dropping into a seat at the front of his class. "You look a little stressed. How was your first class...?"

In fact he looked more then a little stressed, his face was rather pale and he was taking a sip from a glass. I rather doubted that the liquid in it was of the H20 variety. His grey eyes narrowed on me at my rather obvious amused question.

"Children at evil demons... If Voldemort wants to win easier, all he has to do is enlist the help of those creatures and he'd find himself King of England in no time at all."

"Sirius dear, you know they're not all that bad. Who did you have first off anyway to frighten you this badly?"

"I am not frightened!" His voice growled, as he slammed the glass back on the table. "They're just... not trained properly." My eyebrow raised at that, the canine apparently thought that children should be trained. "I had fourth year Slytherins and Ravenclaws. I don't think I did any actual teaching. They spent the entire class grilling me about my past..."

I stretched my body forward over the desk in front of me, draping my arms over the front, an amused expression on my face. It made my not so productive first class seem like the greatest one ever. Sirius was not a teacher. Given a chance to guess his future career, this had the likelihood of being my last choice. Instead I would go with something like, police officer, rock singer or sexy stripper... So maybe he could be a sexy teacher stripper...

"Were the girls giving you moon eyes the entire time?" I attempted to make my voice as neutral as possible, completely and totally uncaring. Really I was.

"Rather, yes." Sirius muttered. "That wasn't the problem though. It was all the question about how I had been dead, when I had been a criminal, how I had gotten out of Azkaban. Plenty of questions about Harry as well." A smile slid on this face. "A few of the boys asked me about you as well."

I snorted at that. School boy crushes were the last things I needed right now. I had enough crushes of my own to keep me occupied.

"You need to take command of your class Sirius. I'll stay and watch your next one, and jump in if you need help." I sat up and stretched. "What else am I going to do? I have too much free time with only five classes."

"If you could do magic I'd let you take most of my classes." He leaned back in his chair and propped his feet up on his desk. I ignored the voice of my mother telling him that it was bad manners to do that. "What was your class like then?"

"Well it was my easy class, the third years who have never had Muggle Studies before. Though I spent the entire class explaining what a postman does."

"What's a postman?"

I stared blankly at Sirius before dropping my head onto the desk, muttering about the incompetency of past teachers at this school. When he continued to prod me about what a postman was, I just answered in a rather nonverbal way.

"You know I have absolutely no idea the significance behind stick up one of your fingers, but I don't think it's meant to be too kind."

Narrowed eyes met his grey ones, judging whether he was kidding or if he really didn't know. I decided it was likely not worth my time to even figure it out.

The doors opened in the back of the class and students started to enter the classroom. Judging by their ages they were first years, and their ties named them Gryffindor and Slytherin. Well this was certainly going to be an interesting class to sit in on.

I stood up and smiled at the students as they entered, though noticeably only the Gryffindors returned the smile. Grabbing a chair I dragged it over to the wall to stay out of the way of the students. My presence was generally accepted by the Gryffindors, though little Kerstan Faust looked a little embarrassed around me, due to his witnessing that little impromptu kiss with Severus in the hall.

Slytherin on the other hand wasn't so accepting. Being only first years though they weren't vocal about the thoughts on the muggle teacher, but the glares and stares I was getting said enough. That boy Cain was still as quiet as he had been before, I don't think I had seen him speaking to anyone in his house. I found myself watching him rather carefully. Draco had asked me to keep an eye on the two boys who had stood out at the sorting, and they were both in this class of Sirius's.

Kerstan was generic. It's rather a rude thing to think, but it was true. He was chatting with some of his house mates, laughing over something. There was no presence around him, nothing to suggest any spectacular destiny at all, or anything strange going on. The length of his sorting was probably the same as my own experience. He had probably chatted with the hat. Ever since I had seen him get sorted into his house, I had seen him talking to everyone around him. That hat probably hadn't been different.

The other boy though... It was odd to see such complete opposites. Out of the two boys this was the one I needed to keep an eye on. Now I had sort of adopted Slytherin as my own house, so I wasn't going to suggest that just because this fair haired boy was in that house that there might be something sinister going on. But honestly the track record of my favourite Snake bearing house was a little grim. The main thing though was how long his sorting had taken, while with Kerstan I could believe he had spoken to the hat, I doubted that this one would have said a single word to the old thing.

"Sit down." Sirius's voice held a rather strong amount of authority, perhaps older students would have noticed how uncertain he appeared and would have jumped on that, but these youngsters dutifully closed their mouths. Even if the Slytherin students's expressions were anything but dutiful.

"Welcome to Defense against the Dark Arts, I am Professor Black. In this class you will learn how to defend yourself against the dark arts..." Sirius frowned slightly. "As the name of the class would suggest."

This little slip caused the students to laugh softly, and me to roll my eyes slightly. He was already losing his grip on the class.

"During this first year we shall go over some of the less dangerous dangers including cornish pixies, kneazels and doxies."

A first year Slytherin boy in the back of the class raised his hand, and immediately I winced knowing what was coming. It wasn't that hard to guess, not with the boys sitting on either side of him covering their mouths to stop their laughter.

"Yes?"

"How exactly did you kill thirteen people?"

Slytherins certainly didn't pussy foot around... Sirius didn't look too surprised at the question, he had likely had a similar one in his first class.

"I didn't actually kill any of them. I was cleared of that, so I can't actually answer that question."

I resisted the temptation to just bury my face in my hands. That was a question that didn't need to be answered, actually it shouldn't have been answered at all. I really wish that had been the worst it was going to get, but Sirius didn't understand that he needed to understand the question period needed to end. Immediately another hand raised, though this time it was at least a Gryffindor, which meant Sirius was a bit more open and friendly.

"I thought you were dead."

Of all the questions, that was certainly one that didn't need to be answered. His teaching of the class basically made it a 'Duh' question.

"Yes, well the rumours of my death were greatly exagerrated." Sirius smiled, trying to play off the answer as a joke.

"No, you did die. It even said it in that book, you fell through the veil and died. There were no rumours that were exagerrated." The girl asking the question wasn't trying to be rude or anything, her face was straightlaced and deadly serious as she spoke. She just didn't understand the joke he had been making, wanting a straightforward answer.

"Yes I know..." A frown appeared on his face. "Of course I know that I died, and somehow I am alive again."

"What, you don't know how you're alive again?" A rather smug Slytherin at the back of the class asked that question, a smirk on his face. It was rather similar to the smirks of Draco and Severus, making me wonder if that was the first thing all Slytherin students were taught their first night.

Welcome to Slytherin. Now everyone imagine you just saw your cook drop food on the floor, now imagine your worst enemy eating that food without any knowledge of where it has been. What expression would you have? Yes! That's it. There's the Slytherin smirk.

"Of course I know how I'm alive!"

Sirius was rising to their baiting.

"Professor Black is well aware of how he is alive, but it's far too sordid to tell first years."

The students stared at me as I spoke, the Slytherin boy who had asked the question was glaring at me for stopping Sirius from answering. I really should talk to Severus about teaching his house some better manners.

"Professor, being the ignorant muggle in the room, what exactly is a kneazle?" I innocently asked the question. I didn't know what a kneazle was, but the real reason to ask was to get Sirius back on track. He needed to concentrate on actually teaching instead of letting his personal life get hijacked by the students.

"Actually Professor, I was wondering how dangerous kneazles are myself. I have a friend who has one as a pet." This question was made by Kerstan, helping me get the class back on track. This rather thoughtful gesture earned him a smile from me, and Sirius's eternal love and gratitude. That boy was never going to have problems in this class.

Sirius radiated a grateful aura, thrilled to have the attention off his past. Thrilled as well to not have to try and dodge the questions anymore. I noticed that any time Sirius started to flounder, Kerstan would ask a question that would jumpstart him. I sat back and listened attentively as he went into great detail over what kneazles were. Now all Sirius had to learn was how to do this without me jumping in to save his ass.

When the class finished, it was with a greater knowledge of strange cat like creatures called kneazles. Not to mention the rather qualified answer to the question of whether Sirius could teach a class...

"So I failed the test didn't I?"

The two of us were walking down to the Great Hall for lunch after Sirius's rather abysmal second period class. Granted it wasn't all that bad. I could think of plenty of other things that could have gone wrong. He could have killed a student... Not to mention, even if the students hadn't learned anything, I know knew more then I ever wanted about the Kneazel's mating habits...

"You have a strong personality Sirius, the problem is that you also have a strong temper. You flare up too easily. They're just kids but you let them get to you in the same way that you would let your enemies. It's just that you need to keep control of the class, don't let them change the direction."

Sirius was shuffling his feet down the hall, not overly pleased that he hadn't done a great job. He had expected to be great at this from the start, because after all he was Sirius Black. The amazing Black certainly isn't afraid of a bunch of children. The stupendous Sirius would be able to do this with both hands tied behind his back, a blindfold on, and a enraged giant beating his head. But almost no one does this well from the start.

"The first time I taught any class... Well it was when I was still in college. I was doing a stint as a student teacher in a high school... It went far worse then yours. I ended up spending my entire first class period talking about my failed relationships. Since I wanted the students to like me, I let them walk all over me. Turns out a parent found out that I had been telling her kid about my romantic entanglements. I didn't go back to that school to teach again."

In hindsight that entire incident had been rather amusing. Having an irate mother come to school to discuss with you and the principal her displeasure that her young daughter now knows too much about the best ways to break up with a guy who just isn't good enough in the sack. It really was a good thing that I was a student teacher, since if I would have been fired from teaching permanently. Good learning experience though...

"Guess I can't discuss me relationship with you then with my class..." Sirius mused thoughtfully. "Was hoping to get advice from the students."

"There is no relationship." I muttered, immediately blocking out the memory of that one kiss.

I quickly found myself up against the wall, eyes wide staring up into Sirius's grey eyes in shock. He had moved too fast for me to keep up with, and now I couldn't move. Not with the hard stone against my back, or with the equally hard arms on either side of me.

"It's not that I haven't been trying..."

Really up this close his eyes were like liquid silver. I couldn't help but feel they were flowing all over me. Concentrating on those eyes I missed the fact that he had moved in closer to me. Only when his lips touched mine did my brain smack me back into consciousness. I jerked back hard, which unluckily for me brought the back of my head in to contact with the very hard stone walls of the school.

"Damn."

Sirius moved back, and I didn't miss the amusement etched on his face at my predicament.

"Did you see stars when I kissed you?"

"You are such a..." I cut myself off though when I realized we were being watched. Looking to the right I saw poor young Kerstan standing dumb struck in the hallway. His face was a bright red, and his mouth worked soundlessly, trying to apologize when he saw me.

"I'm sorry! I keep seeing you in these situations... I really won't tell anyone about this or the other time. Really." He backed away slowly, before turning and running down the hall out of my sight. All this before I could even say anything at all.

"That boy is going to start thinking I'm a tramp..." I mused softly, sighing about my destroyed reputation as a teacher. Luckily I didn't have him in any of my classes, but if he did ever tell anyone then everyone in the school would know. Though I didn't think he was the kind to gossip too much. At least I hoped not.

"What other time?"

Well today was just going from bad to worse... and it wasn't even half over yet.