A/N: Hello. Long time, no typing. I'm working with weird typing bouts and random inspirations. I did say last time that I would do a time jump and yes, I did with this update. It's a bit weird, I admit, but I tried. Please give it a chance.

OOOOOOOOOO

Avonlea walked the halls of Hogwarts, holding her books to her chest and kept her eyes focused ahead. She felt eyes on her as she walked towards her next class. People seemed to be looking at her more and more with each passing day. And she'd glance back at them, holding their gaze without fear.

She had no clue where this newfound confidence was coming from. There were moments she even raised her hand in class and answered the professors' questions. Much to the surprise of the professors, who had long since thought she would never answer vocally. And she was surprised that it felt good to have a voice.

"Hey Raven," someone called out from her left.

Avonlea drew up short. "What do you want?"

The guy who spoke, pointed at her hand. "Where did you get one of those?"

The Halfling didn't have to look down to know he was pointing at her bloodstone. "Is that really any of your business?"

He sneered. "There's no way a whore's daughter would get one of those easily. So, how do you have one?"

Avonlea whipped out her wand and pressed the tip to his throat before he could react. "Watch your tongue. I don't have to answer your questions. I don't have to tolerate your bullshit. So, why don't you run along and pester some second years like you really like doing?"

The boy glared at her and backed away. "This isn't over, Raven."

Avonlea flicked her wand at his back, even though she knew it was a low-handed blow to curse someone behind their back. She smiled as he fell forward, stiff as a board, and slipped her wand back into her robes. Someone started clapping, startling her.

"Carissa?" she asked, turning and seeing her best friend coming through the crowded hall with Katia and Cassius.

"Bravo, bravo," Carissa said, smiling proudly. "You're doing me so proud with your head held high and cursing people that annoy you. I am so proud of you, Lea."

Avonlea felt heat in her cheeks, but didn't look down at her feet like she normally would have. She did her best to hold Carissa's gaze. Carissa slid her arm around Avonlea's shoulders and started walking with her.

"So, tell me," Carissa began. "What has gotten into you that's made you so brave?"
"I don't know…"

"Well, keep it up. I'm enjoying the break from running to your defense every minute of the day." Carissa laughed. "Not that that was a bad thing. It's just nice to see you taking care of yourself these days. People have noticed."

"Is that what the staring is about?" Avonlea asked.

"It's that or it's because everyone is finally realizing how hot you are," Cassius commented, adjusting his tie.

Avonlea rolled her eyes. "Call your girlfriends hot, not me. They'll appreciate it more."

"So you don't like being called hot?" Katia asked, looking at her.

"Not particularly."

Cassius held the door for them. "Then what does he call you?"

Avonlea shook her head and headed for her usual desk at the back of the classroom. "There's not much he calls me but my name and surname. I don't think he's the kind of guy that would talk like that."

"Bullshit!" Carissa exclaimed, throwing herself into her chair. "Every guy has to compliment his girl." She glanced at Katia. "And I do compliment her too. So, if I can do that, then he can compliment your appearance."

Avonlea shrugged and sorted through her books for the ones needed for class. "I don't know what to tell you."

"Do I need to have a word with him? Because I'm sure I can get him to do the right thing. Plus, I have some things I'd like to yell at him about. Things that you don't need to know about."

"Carissa, drop it," Avonlea ordered, glancing at her.

"Fine, fine. But only because class is starting."

Merlin, she's going to be a pain to deal with now…

OOOOOOOOOOO

Snape walked through his dungeon classroom, among the many cauldrons and students that littered it. So many sounds filled the room and not all of them were pleasant.

So many disappointments, he thought, looking from one bubbling cauldron to the next. You would think that they would understand the very direct instructions that I have given them. Yet, so many of them have produced bubbling concoctions of unknown origins.

His eyes turned towards Avonlea where she stood at her cauldron for that class. She was reading her book and didn't acknowledge him as she traced her finger over the page. Snape paused for a moment to watch her add an ingredient to her potion and it turned the appropriate color. The ingredient had not been written down on the board. That had been the catch that he'd left out on purpose to see how many students would actually pay attention to their books rather than just his word. It appeared that Avonlea had caught on very quickly.

"Miss Raven," he said in his low voice that normally scared the students. "Why are you not in a more advanced Potions class?"

Avonlea looked up at him with her beautiful blue eyes. "Because everyone makes mistakes, Professor."

Snape's brow furrowed. "Are you implying that a mistake was made in your placement of classes?"

"No, sir," she said hurriedly, almost nervously.

"Then what were you implying?"

Color hit her cheeks. I wish I could keep the color there forever. She's so pale normally…

"I wasn't implying anything, sir," she said in a hushed voice.

"You said everyone makes mistakes, therefore you must be implying something." Snape turned away slightly. "Twenty points from Slytherin."

"But sir!" Avonlea gasped.

"Shall I make it more?" Snape asked, giving her a look.

Avonlea's mouth snapped shut and her eyes blazed. She grabbed a vial and filled it with her potion. She pushed past him and carried that little vial to the front of the class, putting it on his desk. With her shoulders squared, she marched past him again, gathered her books, emptied her cauldron, and left the classroom. The other students buzzed with whispers as they watched the scene play out.

So cocky, Snape thought, glaring at the classroom at large. She's growing bolder with each passing day.

"Silence or I will start deducting more points from the Houses in attendance," Snape threatened, moving to the front of the class.

As he expected, the class settled down and the sounds of bubbling returned. He sat at his desk and steepled his fingers in front of himself. Part of his mind wandered after the blonde that had stood up to him, seeking her out.

He could feel her unease. She was doubting whether or not she had made the right choice of standing up to him in front of the class. That had been awfully brave of her. Perhaps it was too brave?

She needs to calm down. There is nothing wrong with standing up for herself. I commend her for the audacity. She did well. She has begun growing into a confident young witch – one that I have hoped that she would become.

Snape sent out calming tendrils of thought towards the girl as she increased the distance between them. His mind, now given to thinking of the physical pleasures of the world, imagined trailing his fingers down her spine. Avonlea's mind reacted in startlement, sending back a warning. She would not be tolerant of his teasing at the moment.

The shadow of a smirk appeared on Snape's face and he dismissed the class.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Avonlea sat in front of the fire in her dorm room, just watching the tendrils of flame dance. She held a cup of steaming coffee in her hands, though it was late at night. Her mind raced with thoughts, some of which she didn't think were hers. She took a sip of the coffee and felt it warm her to the core.

I haven't heard from my parents since we left after holiday. Not that I want to hear from them. They made it pointedly clear that I'm a disappointment to them. I certainly didn't turn out the way that they expected me to. I've fallen quite far from the proverbial tree. And good thing too. I'd hate to be like either one of them. Her brow furrowed. How much of me reflects their vanity though?

The girl stood up and walked into her room. She set her coffee down on the bedside table and then started wandering around, picking through her things. Avonlea gathered things that reminded her of her mother, expensive trinkets and pieces, and carried them into the common room.

"Carissa!" she called out, dumping the trinkets onto the floor. "Carissa, come here please!"

Carissa came walking out of her room, rubbing her eyes. "This had better be important." She drew up short when her eyes landed on the pile on the floor. "What's all this?"

"Things that need to go away," Avonlea stated, putting her hands on her hips. "Useless lumps of greed and vanity that I don't want in my life anymore."

Carissa crouched next to the pile and rummaged through it for a moment, muttering to herself. She straightened and looked at Avonlea.

"Summon a House Elf, give them a command, and I'm sure they'll get rid of this without a hitch. I don't see anything that can constitute in any fashion as clothes, so they shouldn't protest."

Avonlea cleared her throat. "Um, I need a House Elf?"

With a pop, a little creature appeared in the room with the two witches. The House Elf bowed low and then looked up at Avonlea.

"You asked for a House Elf, Miss?"

"Yeah, I did." Avonlea gestured at the pile on the floor. "Do you think you could please take all this junk away and see that it never returns to me?"

The House Elf wrung his hands. "But Miss, surely you wouldn't want to get rid of such valuables?"

"Actually I do. Please, kind sir, please just get rid of them. Send them back to my mother for all that I care. I just don't want them anymore."

"Big changes," Carissa said solemnly when the House Elf looked at her. "She's making a lot of them lately."

The House Elf nodded. "As you wish, Miss." He snapped his fingers and the pile vanished. "Will you need anything else of me, Miss?"

"No, that will be all, thank you," Avonlea said, smiling.

There was another popping sound and the House Elf vanished just as suddenly as he had appeared. Avonlea brought her coffee mug to her lips again and moved back towards the fire place. Carissa moved into her line of sight.

"You know your mum is going to throw a shit fit," she commented. "Her precious daughter without jewels and expensive makeup. The nerve!" She rolled her eyes. "Again, I'm proud of you. You're so much better off without all that nonsense. Hell, I don't think I've seen you wear any of that shit before. It's all brand new."

Avonlea shrugged. "She can deal. I'm happy."

"Are you really?" Carissa asked, staring at her hard.

OOOOOOOOOO

A/N: I'll eventually figure out where I want to go with this story because I think I know how it will end. Big planning ahead. I just have to get back to typing regularly. Leave a comment for me to read, please? Thank you and good evening. -Scarlet