Author's Note: Here's the next chapter, as promised. It's not as long as the last one, but I hope you still like it. Lockhart and Lillian are getting settled into their quarters at Hogwarts still. The next chapter will probably skip to when Lockhart's gone on his book signing, or at least a couple days.

Reviews:

CrossoverJunkie: Thanks! I really hated canon Lockhart, since he's just so.. so.. arrogant. That's part of the reason why I toned him down a bit. Another reason is that Lillian is helping him to get in touch with his non-selfish side. Plus her giggling at his antics and embarrassing him are what is also keeping him in check. For instance, his lesson plans. I believe I mentioned in the last chapter that he had run them by Lillian, to see what she thought and she laughed herself silly at the thought of a quiz that was all about Lockhart. So Lockhart's classes should be a little different than they are in the book. I really hate it when people introduce major changes to a story, only to have the events go EXACTLY like in the book. So we'll see what's changed! :)

Lady Syndra: Haha, that would be interesting to see how she'd get along with the twins. I think they might convince her to pull some pranks on some people. And of course Lillian likes cute potions! The more adult analytical part of her mind is curious about how certain ingredients go together to do certain things, so naturally she'd make the leap to combining the potions together. It'll be interesting to see how things play out once all the students arrive!

Anonymous: Thanks to your review, you inspired (guilted) me into updating this and Child of Spring. I don't mind you talking about my other fic here. :) I've already started on the next chapter for Child of Spring, as I really want to get my ideas for the rest of the chapter out before I forget about them. I also need to hurry up and update this fic again so I can get the plot moving along. I feel like it's taking forever!

Chapter Five: Settling In

Snape sighed, as he thought of his potions that were waiting on him as Dumbledore made himself comfortable in his sitting room. He begrudgingly found a seat in an armchair near Dumbledore.

"What is it?" he asked, as Dumbledore waved his wand, and a tea set appeared in thin air.

Dumbledore helped himself to a cup of tea and with another wave of his wand, sent a cup flying over to Severus.

Snape impatiently snatched the cup out of the air, as Dumbledore sampled his own cup.

"Mm, quite good," Dumbledore said with a smile. He noticed the look Severus was giving him and his eyes twinkled. "I know you just let our new teacher into the castle, and his young ward. It's most peculiar, since the castle wards have just informed me that a powerful magical being has just entered the castle."

What?!

Snape nearly spat out his tea at that.

He thought of that, and of who he let into the castle.

"You can't mean - " he started, and then stopped.

It couldn't be..

"I was hoping that you might keep a close eye on our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. The wards haven't indicated that this presence is dangerous. Indeed, if this magical being meant us any harm, it would have triggered the castle's defenses."

Snape gaped at Dumbledore.

"You can't mean that overstuffed popinjay is.. is.."

Dumbledore smiled at Snape.

"Now Severus, you can't judge a book by its cover, hm?"

Lillian sat on her bed reading her book, but her eyes kept wandering over to her toy potions kit, which was high on a shelf. Sure, she couldn't reach it from the floor, buuut..

With mischevious smirk she set her book aside and wandered over to where her desk was. She grabbed the chair and as quietly as she could, she pushed it over to where the toy potions kit was.

Soon she had the kit down and in her arms. She saw that it was advertised as being for 9+, but she was mature for her age. Really!

She looked at the picture on the front to see that it came with a small cauldron, all the ingredients she would need, plus instructions and its own toy wand that she would use on the cauldron.

Simulates real magic! Your child says 'incendio' and real fire lights the cauldron! the box said enticingly.

Oooh, she couldn't wait!

Lillian eagerly tore open the box and set the cauldron down on the stone floor. She grabbed the instructions, which were in a small book and opened them up.

Let's see.. The cauldron is magically protected.. Place it anywhere, fire won't harm surface...

Boring, boring.. skip ahead, skip ahead..

Aha!

She found the instructions for the first potion, which was the color changing potion. She looked at the ingredients, which thankfully weren't too gross.

Place cauldron on a flat surface and fill cauldron with water, being careful not to overfill, the instructions started. Then grab your wand and aim at the bottom of the cauldron. Make sure you have your parent to supervise! After aiming carefully say 'incendio!' and watch as a fire lights under your cauldron.

Hmm.. Fill with water. Lillian remembered the bathroom was nearby and picked up the small cauldron. She walked over to her door and peeked out. The coast was clear.. perfect!

A half an hour later, Lillian had her potion simmering away in the cauldron. She watched as it started to turn various colors. It was pretty interesting, but it was also a little boring just watching it sit there and change colors.

She was glad she got the potion right on the first try, and had gotten out a quill, ink and parchment from her desk and made notes on the ingredients she'd want to look up later. She wanted to see if she could mix them in other potions or not, as she thought of the color changing bubbles she wanted to make.

After she had taken her notes, she left the parchment on her desk to dry and then sat down by her cauldron to watch it change colors. She had set it up on the floor, since it seemed like the safest place to put it. The instructions had claimed the fire under the cauldron wouldn't harm any surface, but it still didn't seem like a good idea to her to set it up on her desk.

She could just imagine Gilderoy's disappointed look as he took in the burn marks she could have left on the desk. So she had placed it down on the stone floor.

As she sat staring down at the cauldron, she wondered if it would change the colors of anything it touched. She thought about dropping a quill into the cauldron when another thought occurred to her.

She grinned as she suddenly thought of her hair. It was a pretty cool rich brown color, but just imagine how much cooler it would be if it could change colors!

So without another thought, she grabbed a flask that came with the set out of the box and a small ladle. She carefully scooped up some of the potion and poured into the flask, until it was full. Then without further ado, she poured the whole thing over her head.

Lillian giggled as the still warm potion dripped down her head. Her smile faded however, when her scalp started to.. tingle.

Was it supposed to do that?

When it started to burn, she hastily grabbed the instructions and groaned in dismay when she saw the disclaimer at the very end.

WARNING: Volatile substance! Wash hands immediately if it comes into contact with skin. Contact your local healer or potions master if it comes into contact with eyes.

Lillian winced as it really started to burn. She reached up to her head and then stopped, remembering that she wasn't supposed to touch it.

Lillian whimpered when it felt like her head was on fire. Was it really that volatile? Who gave this stuff to kids anyway?!

She worried what this was doing to her scalp and hair, and thought maybe the potion would act like acid. This thought sent her into a panic and she started to cry loudly.

"GILDEROY!" Lillian shouted loudly from her room, just as her bracelet began to glow brightly.

A few minutes later, Lockhart rushed into Lillian's room. It wasn't just her panicked shouting that drew his attention, but the thunder that sounded like it was coming from her room. He remembered that what's-his-name, Jenkins..? Jerkins? Had told him that Lillian had displayed some very powerful accidental magic. Now Lockhart could see what he meant.

He looked around in dismay at the raging storm in her room, complete with booming thunder and lightning.

Good grief, what would the headmaster say if he could see this?! Or the other teachers! It was a catastrophe!

He saw little Lillian in the center of all that catastrophe. She was huddled under a shelf to shelter herself from the rain, and she had some sort of goop on her head. It was then that he noticed a small cauldron in her room, with a magical fire burning merrily underneath it despite all the rain.

Shaking his head and deciding he'd find out about that later, he pulled out his wand.

"Finite incantatem!" he bellowed dramatically, as he pointed his wand at the storm.

While he looked particularly dashing while doing it, it did nothing to diminish the storm.

"Ah.. evanesco?" Lockhart said somewhat more hesitantly, ruining the dramatic effect.

"Oh go away!" Lillian shouted at the storm, while pointing an accusing finger at it.

And just like that, the thunder and lightning stopped and the rain tapered off as the clouds magically diminished and then dissipated.

Lockhart stared first at where the clouds had been, then at the complete and utter mess Lillian's room was, and finally at Lillian herself, who was still crying.

She rushed out from her hiding place under the shelf to babble at Lockhart desperately.

He had a hard time understanding what she was saying due to her still crying, but he understood she said something about a potion -

Wait a minute..

He looked at the goop on her hair, and then remembered the cauldron in her room.

She wouldn't..

Would she?

Lockhart looked down at the crying girl and then at the goop in her hair again.

"Er.. my dear, did you put a potion in your hair?" he asked, while praying to every deity he knew of that the answer was no.

Lillian nodded as big tears rolled down her cheeks.

"It really hurts! Is it gonna eat all my hair off?! Make it go away!" she wailed at Gilderoy.

Lockhart raised his wand to banish the potion, but then stopped. What if he accidentally banished all her hair? He supposed that's what hair restoration potions were for, but..

Oh dear, if only there were someone who..

Someone...

That's it!

"To the floo!" he cried out dramatically, as he remembered that there was someone who could help them in this situation.

Lockhart grabbed Lillian's hand and raced over to the floo. He grabbed up his floo powder and cried out "Severus Snape's quarters!" as he threw the powder down in the fire.

Before Lillian could protest about being burned up in the fire, she found herself being held in Lockhart's arms as he raced into the now green fire.

They stepped out hurriedly from Snape's fireplace at the other end. Severus was still in his sitting room as he had just seen Dumbledore off not that long ago. He was sipping the tea that Dumbledore had summoned from the kitchens. It was one of his favorites, and he had a feeling that Dumbledore had chosen it on purpose to calm him.

He gave an irritated sigh as he heard his floo go off again and saw that Lockhart was (very rudely, he might add.. Not even bothering to call first!) stepping out of his fire while holding a wailing little girl.

Wonderful.

"Professor!" Lockhart said in a rush as he raced over to Severus. For some reason, it appeared that they were both soaking wet. The girl's legs and the lower part of her dress were completely soaked and Lockhart was missing his hat, while his robes were dripping all over the floor.

Snape slammed his tea cup back down in its saucer and glared the two.

Lockhart either didn't notice or didn't care as he went on to explain the situation.

"..So you see, I thought you might have something to diffuse potion so it wouldn't hurt Lil - " Lockhart went on explaining, but was cut off as Snape stood up in an instant and grabbed Lillian right out of Lockhart's arms.

Without another word, Snape strode from the room very quickly and soon had Lillian in his bathroom. He deposited her down in the shower, clothes and all and then turned the water on warm.

"Close your eyes," he snapped at the child, as he saw the potion being washed out of her hair.

Lillian did so, while sniffling. The burning was finally lessening now that the potion was being washed out of her hair.

When all traces of the goop were out of Lillian's hair, Snape turned the water off. He pulled her out of the shower and before she could even complain about being in a soaking wet dress, he had waved his wand at her and she was dry in an instant.

Her hand wandered up to her head, as she could still feel some buring there, but before she could feel her scalp Snape had smacked her hand away.

"Don't touch it," he warned her in a frightening tone.

Lillian's eyes went wide at this, as she couldn't ever remember being spoken to in such a way.

Snape grabbed Lillian's hand and dragged her out to the sitting room by Lockhart and immediately let go. Before Lockhart could say anything, Snape had strode off again, this time to his potions lab. He had several premade potions and salves stored away on shelves around the room and it was here that he went.

A few minutes later he returned to the still tearful Lillian and bewildered Lockhart. He unscrewed the lid of the jar to the salve he had grabbed and slathered some gently on Lillian's scalp, being mindful of the burns there.

Lillian finally stopped crying as the burning suddenly ceased. She blinked up at Snape in wonder, as he screwed the lid back on the jar and handed it to Lockhart.

"You'll probably need this more than I will," Snape said to him, his lips curling in distaste. "Considering you've only been in the castle for less than an hour and have already encountered your first disaster."

Lockhart flushed in embarrassment at this as he stored the jar away in a robe pocket. He too was dry now, after he remembered to cast a drying charm on himself and on Severus' floors.

"Ah.. thank you," Lockhart said after recovering himself.

Snape eyed Lillian with dislike, since he didn't like any small children. Why he stayed on as a professor at the school all these years always puzzled the students.

"A toy potions kit, I presume?" he asked them both.

Lillian nodded sheepishly.

"I wanted my hair to change colors."

Snape rolled his eyes at this.

"You need hair dye for that," he said as though talking to someone rather slow, and then directed his next comment to Lockhart. "And you do realize that those kits are for those who are nearly ready for Hogwarts and not small children?"

Lockhart looked rather embarrassed again, but covered it up with a grin.

"Of course I do, I merely thought that young Lillian here might enjoy making some potions, with the proper supervision of course! I only left her alone in her room for a few minutes anyway, while I tidied up our quarters. I don't even know how she got that kit down from the shelf it was on."

Lillian looked down at the floor guiltily at that. Here she was, in a brand new place and she was already causing trouble. This guy already didn't seem to like her. What if she was so naughty that Lockhart gave her back to Mr. Jorkins?

"The funny thing about children is that they often have a habit of getting into precisely what they shouldn't. I suggest in the future that you keep that potions kit under lock and key," Snape said with a derisive glance at Lillian.

"Yes, er.. I will keep that in mind," Lockhart said, his grin faltering a bit. "Oh, by the way, Lillian. This is Professor Snape. He teaches potions here at Hogwarts."

Lillian's eyes lit up at that, as that was precisely what she was most interested in at the moment.

"Do you know how to make color changing bubbles?" Lillian asked Snape excitedly, forgetting all about her poor scalp at the moment.

Severus rolled his eyes at that.

"Why would I care about something as silly as color changing bubbles?" he asked Lillian.

Lillian opened her mouth to reply, but Snape interrupted her prattling.

"I still have quite a few potions to catch up on, so if you're quite finished with your little crisis.." he trailed off with a pointed look at Lockhart.

"Oh! Yes, yes.." Lockhart said distractedly as he gave Lillian a worried glance. "There won't be any lasting effects, will there? Should I take her to Madam Pomfrey?"

Snape gave an exasperated sigh. He couldn't fault Lockhart for caring about his charge (even Snape had been somewhat worried about the wailing child, not that he'd ever admit it), but did Lockhart have to bother him?!

"I put a burn salve on her head. Leave it on for about ten minutes, then wash her hair out carefully. If her scalp still looks irritated, then put more salve on it for another twenty minutes or so, and that should take care of it. If you still see anything after that, then I would take her to the hospital wing. Now if you don't mind.."

Snape trailed off as he ushered them towards the fireplace.

Lillian however, hung back.

"I don't wanna go in the fire," she said, her voice getting a little higher.

"Now, now," Lockhart said with a smile at Lillian. "There is absolutely nothing dangerous about traveling by floo! Besides, we are all the way down in the dungeons, and it would be quite a walk for you to go upstairs. We have already tresspassed enough on poor Professor Snape's goodwill, so why don't you be a good girl and thank him, hm?"

Lillian blushed at that, as she had forgotten all about her manners. She turned hestiantly towards Professor Snape, only to see that he had stormed off and left them there.

"Um.." she started, only to yelp as Lockhart scooped her up.

"Nevermind then, you can thank him when you see him later at dinner," Lockhart said as he located the floor powder and threw some down. Before Lillian could further protest going into the fireplace, Lockhart had stepped inside.

The rest of the day was spent tidying Lillian's room up, as Gilderoy hadn't wanted to ask a house elf for help, in case word had gotten back to Dumbledore on how Lillian had managed to destroy her room on the first day.

Lockhart was rather exhausted when he was finished, as it had taken several very strong drying charms to completely dry out her room. As for her bedding, well.. he had discreetly banished it all down to the laundry and then had transfigured some things into some new bedding for her, at least for the time being.

Lillian complained that the sheets felt scratchy, but fell silent when Lockhart reminded her of how her other sheets had been practically ruined.

"Yes, I think something like this will require a little discipline," Lockhart continued, as Lillian gulped. "Let's see now.. No making any potions with your kit until the weekend and you are confined to our quarters until dinner this evening. I think that sounds fair, don't you?"

Lillian pouted at that.
"I wanted to make the other potion too," she said as she crossed her arms.

"As Professor Snape kindly pointed out, those potions are far too advanced for someone your age," Lockhart began, only to be cut off by an indignant Lillian.

"I made the first potion right!" she cried out. "I only had a problem when I dumped it on my head!"

"AND," Lockhart said, raising his voice to speak over her, "you obviously need supervision while making them. I will be very busy this week redoing my lesson plan, and I have that book signing to attend to. Maybe if Professor Snape isn't busy, he could help you with them, but I don't want you bothering him about it! Do you understand?"

With a huff, Lillian reluctantly nodded.

"Good, now be a good girl and quietly read your books this time. I think I'll take a nap before dinner," Lockhart said as he left Lillian to her own devices. He started to close the door to her room, but thought better of it as he left it cracked open instead.

He wondered if children were always going to be so exhausting all the time, and worried yet again about what he would do with her while he was teaching his own classes. He supposed he could just keep her in his classroom... Well, for the lower years anyway. Maybe the other teachers would be willing to help him out.

While Lockhart continued to worry, Albus Dumbledore was in his office, looking at his various instruments he had strewn about the room. He was watching them closely, as not that long ago one of them had indicated that a very powerful magic was just used.

Now that is interesting, Dumbledore thought to himself. He wondered if it could possibly have anything to do with his new guests. While Lockhart had alluded to many great deeds in his books, the man himself didn't really give off an aura of any sort of outstanding power.

Then again, perhaps Lockhart was more powerful than he thought.

Author's Note: I just have to say.. Are you as amused as I am that everyone keeps mistaking the powerful magic as coming from Lockhart? Of course they wouldn't suspect Lillian, since she's just a small child. And yes, I'm finding it very amusing that Lockhart has his hands very full with an inquisitive child like Lillian. With powerful spring magic that she can't control, she's even more of a handful than other children. I think for Lockhart's book signing, Lillian's going to have to do some wandering around the castle. We probably won't see much of Lockhart, since we've already seen that in the books.. Then again, maybe it would be more interesting from his point of view? Ah well, I'll probably just skip around.

If you have any ideas on any mischief Lillian should get into, let me know! ;) I have certain plot points figured out, but not everything. It won't be too much longer until Harry arrives at Hogwarts. I can't wait!