A/N: Sorry for the wait. Long story short I'm 'detoxing' my body and headaches have ensued. Staring at a computer monitor doesn't help. This chapter took longer to get up than I expected. I think I've become slightly obsessed with this story (and Severus Snape). I've two other ideas for Severus/OC and a Ginny/Severus idea. I am thinking about starting one of them up within the next month.

Phew. I think this is the longest chapter I've ever written...ever.

Chapter 3- Stepping Stone

October 1990

October 1st landed on a Friday and Millie was thankful that her new schedule allowed her to sleep in every other day. Feeling refreshed as her first half of 1st year courses were out of the way, she strolled towards the greenhouses. She had taken advantage of the kitchens that morning for a late breakfast. Every chance she had, she intended to relax as she knew her workload would increase as the months passed.

She swung her bag back and forth dramatically as she walked outside, giggling as she lost her grip and it flew forward onto the ground. A strong breeze alerted her that winter was not far and she frowned. She picked up her bag and continued towards the greenhouses. Winter would come much earlier here than it had at home in the country.

The country. A smile graced her lips at the thought. The castle was a far stretch from the wide open fields of the cattle and poultry farm where she had spent her childhood. Their house had been small and worn. Green grass in the open fields and expansive forests were hard to come by. Unfortunately, life happens. Millie grew up and her family moved to the city when she was twelve. The country life became a memory.

After finding the proper greenhouse, Millie discovered that though Professor Sprout was kind, she would not be an easy grade. She was a tough cookie but that told Millie that she would definitely learn a thing or two from the woman and she liked that. She was briefed on the various greenhouses that she would be moving to and from throughout the year then handed a pair of dragon hide gloves.

"Some of the plants you'll handle would be better cared for with these on," said Professor Sprout.

Millie took in her warning and nodded as she tucked the gloves into her bag. Promptly afterwards, two large books were given to her- 1000 Herbs and Where to Find Them and 1000 Magical Herbs and Fungi.

"That second book there will also be handy for Potions," she said.

Millie's eyes lit up. "Thank you. Thank you, so much."

"Yes, well your Potions professor will probably be glad you're already equipped with something."

"Everyone makes him out to be so…difficult," she said for lack of a clearer term.

Sprout nodded her round head. "Difficult but adept."

Millie smiled and trailed after Sprout as they left one greenhouse and moved to another. Millie found that she rather liked being outside in the fresh air and around all the plants. It was a refreshing atmosphere. Her first Herbology lessons continued with an introduction to Devil's Snare and certain fertilizers such as dragon and mooncalf dung. She found Professor Sprout to be a good-natured woman with a reasonable sense of humor and a love for manual labor.

When noon came Millie was dismissed. She promptly headed back into the castle for her first Defense Against the Dark Arts class with Professor Lassiter. She was disappointed to learn that her first year lessons were mostly theory but felt she had the upper hand since she was informed that most students had a different DADA teacher every year. Instead, she would be learning her first five years worth from the same man and felt grateful for the consistency. She headed towards the kitchens with a copy of The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection tucked safely under her arm.

Millie decided to take advantage of her long break in between classes to mentally prepare herself for her first Divination course. It would be short and as far as she understood that was because it was like Care of Magical Creatures in that she was not supposed to be taking it so early. Hopefully, her first month would only consist of 'theory' like Defense Against the Dark Arts.

She popped into the kitchens for lunch and requested a pasta dish and a chocolate brownie for dessert. She made light chatter with the house elves then excused herself to the library for the remainder of her break. There, she knew no one would bother her since they had to be quiet anyway.

She found a corner near a window and snuggled into the seat, pulling her feet under her as she opened her new DADA text and began to skim through the first few chapters. She became so absorbed in the text that she did not notice Professor Snape in the aisle directly in front of her until he very non-discretely reprimanded one of the younger students about putting books back where they belonged. She tried to focus back on what she was reading, pretending that she was unaware of his outburst as she saw his dark boots enter her frame of vision.

"Ms. Fairholm," he said.

Millie looked up from her book and set it down gently on its pages so that she did not lose her place. His eyes graced over the title and he looked back to her.

"Taking an interest in the Dark Arts are we?" He raised an eyebrow.

Millie stuttered out a negative response, unsure of the answer he wanted to hear. He seemed a little disappointed but it was hard to tell since he face moved so little.

"Very well," he said and held out a book that she had not seen was in his hands.

She gingerly took it from him and looked over the cover. It was presumably her new potions text.

"I expect you have enough time beforehand to read over the first three chapters." It was more of a statement than a question.

She stared at him for a moment, not realizing that her jaw had dropped. "Um…yes sir," she said.

"Good. You will be quizzed on the material upon arriving to class this evening. Don't be late," he said with a tone of finality then turned sharply and glided out of the library.

Millie watched him leave then looked down at the potions text again. Even though his sharp tone was meant to sting and bite, she could not help but notice that he was actually very soft-spoken and his voice had a certain silky draw to it. She could not put a finger on why he intrigued her so. His presence was intense but she blamed that on the black attire and lack of expression. He was different, that was for certain, and people who are different are more noticeable. She nodded to herself, satisfied with that explanation.

Getting back to her studies, she marked her DADA text and slipped it back in her pack for later then opened up the Potions text and began soaking in the material as best as possible. So distracted by her new texts, she almost forgot she still had lessons left to take. She arrived to her first Divination class in the nick of time.

The room was very unique. That was one of her favourite aspects of the school- each subject had a different classroom setup and atmosphere. She was surprised and comforted to see that Professor Dumbledore was there, sitting next to a middle-aged woman who she presumed to be Professor Trelawney, the Divination teacher.

They both sat at a small round table with a crystal ball setting in the middle. Dumbledore stood to greet her. He welcomed her with open arms.

"Mildred."

She flinched at the use of her full first name.

"This is Sybill Trelawney," he said, turning towards Trelawney with one hand resting between Millie's shoulder blades.

Millie offered her hand as Trelawney stood but before they could make contact Dumbledore intervened.

"That won't be necessary," he said.

Millie lowered her hand, feeling as though she had done something wrong. Sensing her discomfort, Dumbledore gave her a reassuring pat on the back as he guided her towards the seat he was previously occupying. Once she was situated, Trelawney took her seat again and Dumbledore grabbed a third chair from one of the nearby tables. Millie's stomach felt heavy as she waited for the lesson to commence. She could not prevent her hands from shaking so she folded them on her lap, out of view.

"Professor Trelawney has just been informed of your situation," he said.

"My situation?" Millie asked, assuming he meant the remedial lessons but something in the back of her mind told her otherwise.

"Visions, my dear girl," Trelawney said, her voice was deep but fragile.

"Now," Dumbledore began again, "normally you wouldn't have Divination class until your third year studies but that is not the only reason your lessons will be short in duration. We are all three in uncharted waters here. I believe that taking things slow will be our best option. You can breath, Ms. Fairholm. This first month will be mostly discussion and an introduction to the different ways our world practices Divination. We need to all get a feel for where you stand. Rest assured, I will be here for every lesson."

"Now if we could begin by discussing what you saw last month while in the hospital wing," he suggested.

Millie hesitated before speaking but he nodded his head once, encouraging her to continue.

"It was very brief," she said. "It normally happens in flashes and I have to piece together what it means."

"What did you see?"

"I saw pale, lithe fingers. They corked the flask that my potion was in. It's hard to explain but the atmosphere was dark."

"Do you know what triggered this vision?" asked Dumbledore. Trelawney was listening intently, perched on the edge of her chair.

"Touch," said Millie. "They are always triggered by touch."

Dumbledore nodded at this and thought for a moment.

"Is that bad?" she asked.

Dumbledore shook his head. "No. It is not bad. Is that all you saw that day?"

"Yes," she said. "I can only gather that the Potions teacher was the one who brewed the potion. He is quite pale after all and I know his classes are in the dungeons. That would explain the darkness."

"Very good," said Dumbledore. "That is correct. Professor Snape brews most of our potions for us."

"So now what?" Millie asked.

"Before this circumstance, when was your most recent vision?" he asked.

Lisa, the little girl with the perfect pigtails came to mind. Millie frowned. "The day I met you," she said.

"Would you mind telling us about it?"

Millie shook her head. Learning to trust and open up to these two individuals was necessary and happening easier than she had expected. "It was someone else's vision," she said. "Like I was seeing things through the victim's eyes. I had met a young child that day. When we shook hands I saw it. The details aren't particularly pleasant so I'd like not to discuss that if you don't mind."

"That's understandable," said Dumbledore. "There are times when our gifts often seem like curses. Every rose has its thorns. How long have you had this gift, Mildred?"

Gift. Millie snorted. She had just gotten used to calling them 'visions.' Before that it was 'episodes' and 'attacks.'

"Since the start of adolescence," she said. "I'm not sure exactly. I was somewhere around twelve maybe. When they first started I thought it was my imagination. I thought I was daydreaming so I didn't say anything."

"When did you realize that what you saw was real?"

Millie glanced over at Trelawney who remained as silent as a fly on the wall. She looked like a fly too, with those gargantuan glasses that enlarged her eyes to an alarming degree.

"Well, I was out on the ball field bleachers watching some classmates of mine put together a game of baseball one summer. Someone hit a foul ball and it landed nearby so I went to retrieve it. When I picked up the ball I felt a tingling sensation in my fingers. I didn't see anything until I handed it back to one of the boys on the field. Our fingers must have brushed against one another as the ball was exchanged. I saw the boy but he was badly injured. His face was hardly recognizable. My reaction to the frightening image was not discrete and the boy noticed. In fact it bothered him so much that he started telling everyone about how I had reacted."

"Later that day he went to catch the ball in the outfield. The batter had hit it really far and it was flying out of the park. But the boy wasn't watching where he was running. He kept his eyes on the ball and ended up being struck down by a car. He survived but he's in a wheelchair now. People never treated me the same after that. The kids at the ball field all thought that I had something to do with it like I hexed him or something. News spreads fast amongst kids. Anyway, that's how I knew that what I was seeing wasn't my imagination."

"You saw the future, dear child," Trelawney said. She patted Millie's shoulder and her lips trembled. It looked like she was trying to hide a smile.

Millie smiled back at the woman. It was not easy to talk about these things but she was glad that she was getting her thoughts out and at the same time not feeling judged or shunned. These two elders were listening intently with a shine in their eyes.

"Am I right then in saying that you can see both the past and the future, Ms. Fairholm?"

"Yes, sir."

"Very well," he said. "Unless you have any questions, I think that will do for today."

Millie shook her head.

"Sybill?"

Professor Trelawney shook her head as well and Dumbledore stood, offering to walk with Millie on their way out. He bid farewell to Trelawney and guided Millie towards the door.

The lesson had not been nearly as catastrophic as she had expected and time had flown by. She was thankful that she did not have to hide her secret from everyone and Professor Dumbledore seemed to notice how much she appreciated being able to open up and let go. It would no doubt be a long process, but Millie hoped that these people would help her to better control her 'gift,' understand it and be able to use it to help others.

Trelawney seemed like a nice enough woman but she was eccentric. Eccentric was not a bad thing but it often alienated people and Millie wondered which came first for Trelawney- the Divination or the eccentricity. Either way, Divination seemed like a strange and lonely road. Will my visions always alienate me?

Dumbledore made light chatter with Millie regarding her classes and how she was enjoying her stay at the school.

"It is beautiful here," she answered. "I enjoy my classes a great deal but I suppose that is why I'm in Ravenclaw House, correct? I've heard that's where you put those who love to learn and I am enjoying learning so much stuff but..."

"But?"

"Well there is one class I haven't had yet."

"Ah, yes. Potions. Not to worry. I'm sure you will perform admirably. Your teachers speak very highly of your work ethic," he said.

"Yes well Professor Snape met me in the library earlier and assigned me reading before I've even had his class. He said I'd have a quiz first thing."

Dumbledore laughed. "Intimidated?"

"No...more like... I don't know... inconvenienced?"

"He has his reasons, I'm sure. Now, this is where I must leave you, I'm afraid."

Millie looked aside and noticed the now familiar gargoyle that marked the entrance to Dumbledore's office. "Yes, sir," she said and turned towards the dungeons.

She took her time but figured it could not hurt to arrive early. She had finished her reading and hoped to go over it one last time before her lessons actually started. The chapters were not as daunting as she had anticipated and she was looking forward to officially working with the young professor. There was something hidden beneath the surface there and as always, she was curious and willing to learn. The fact that her first vision while in the castle had been him had caught her attention but there was something else about him like he knew some great secret that she did not. Besides, he was the youngest teacher there. Even if he was twice her age, the intrigue could not be denied. He was not overly handsome but she had never focused much attention on him to really get a good look.

She stepped into his classroom just as the last of the sunlight was fading. It was dark and a complete opposite to what she was used to. The air was cool and slightly damp. There were several candles scattered about which casted a warm glow across the room. The walls seemed confining at first but once she took a seat towards the front she started to feel a little more at home. It was like she was nestled in a large cave filled with all sorts of treasures that aligned the walls. Shelves and cupboards of vials and flasks filled with different ingredients caught her interest. She stood and explored a bit since he was not present.

After a substantial exploration, she took out the book that he had given her earlier and glanced through the chapters again. When she felt satisfied she put the book away but there were still fifteen minutes until her lesson was due to begin so she took her wand out and started practicing some of the charms she learned the month before so as not to become rusty in her other classes.

She jumped nearly two feet out of her chair as the door to the dungeons burst open and slammed shut. Her wand arm froze in mid-air and a breeze passed her as a tall figure clad in black swept towards the front of the room.

"There will be no foolish wand waving or silly incantations in this class," he said, turning towards her.

Millie lowered her wand and folded her hands on top of the desk. She offered him her undivided attention.

He regarded her for a moment, satisfied to see that she was paying attention unlike some of the other dunderheads he had to teach.

"I don't expect you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion making. However-"

"Why not?" she asked. She looked offended by his words. In fact, she had the same look of shock and offense on her face that Lily had sported the day he called her a mudblood.

"Excuse me?" he asked, breaking from the memory of that day. How dare she interrupt his speech. He managed it every year without interruption. She isn't a first year, Severus. She's older. She isn't going to quake at the sound of your voice. Most students her age were exposed to this speech in their younger years and fear was instilled into their hearts then. All he had to do was intimidate the first years upon their first meeting then the rest of the years were pieces of cake. All he had to do was uphold his image which was done easily enough by taking house points, assigning tons of homework, insulting the students' intellect and handing out detentions. It really was not that hard.

Millie crossed her arms. "You said you don't expect me to appreciate your class. That's like telling me I won't succeed before I even try. So why not?"

Snape raised one of his dark brows before answering. "You are speaking out of turn, Ms. Fairholm. Another outburst like that and I will start taking house points away."

Millie closed her mouth for the time being but she was far from through. How does he expect anyone to appreciate anything that involves him with an attitude like that?

"Now, as I was saying before I was...interrupted...for those select few who possess the predisposition, I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory and even put a stopper in death."

Millie found that while she was still perturbed by him, she could not help but fall into a trance as he spoke. His voice was hypnotic and the way he highlighted certain words such as 'possess,' 'bewitch' and 'ensnare' sent a shiver down her spine. It was a shame that he seemed so standoffish. Then again, it was not as though looks were on his side.

His skin was not only pale but sallow. The yellow tinge gave off an unhealthy appearance due to obvious lack of sunlight. The contrast that was created by his black robes did not help either. His hair was greasy, limp and often hid his face as he leaned over a text or her desk as he spoke. There was a strange power about him and an intensity which could not be denied. Even though he leered down his malformed nose at her in disgust, she could tell he secretly enjoyed putting his students through this. I bet he just loves to watch us squirm. Millie cocked her head as he continued to speak, no doubt saying how horrible he expected her to perform in his class. In a different light his nose did not appear to be so odd but the shadows that were cast upon his face unless he was standing in between two candles, made his cheeks appear more sunken in and his brow more prominent.

"Now for your quiz."

Millie reached in her bag for her quill and parchment.

"You won't need those now, Ms. Fairholm. This quiz will be oral. Unless you wish to waste more of my time by digging around in your satchel...?"

"Oh excuse me," said Millie. "If I'm such a waste of your time then I'll leave." She hoisted her bag up onto her shoulder while standing and hastened for the door. What a prick. Why teach? Before she could reach the handle, a black clad arm shot out from behind her and held the door shut.

"Not so fast, Ms. Fairholm. Just where do you think you're going?"

"Somewhere where teachers want to do their job and encourage my learning. I'd hate to be a waste of anyone's time."

"You are lucky that your schedule is too complicated for me to hand out detentions. Though I'm sure I will find away to do something about that. 15 points from Ravenclaw for your cheek." Severus refused to remove his hand from the door so instead he just stood there and stared at her for a moment. Insolent, little...how dare she defy me! I can't let her go. She'll go straight to Dumbledore... "How about you take your quiz?" he suggested in a nicer tone but Millie was no fool. He was not going to get off the hook by buttering up his voice. "That should be a good opportunity to prove yourself. We'll go from there."

"Could you at least remove your hand from the door so I have an actual choice?"

He was reluctant to do so at first. After all, she is a student. He is the teacher and therefore she should not have a choice in the matter but he was willing to play a little nicer if it got her back in her seat. He slowly removed his hand from the door, allowing his fingers to slide down the wooden panels. He took a step back, giving her plenty of space to make her decision. For a moment he thought that she still intended to leave and would do so but his efforts must have worked. She might have been thinking about leaving at first but by stepping back and allowing her the choice, he earned points back.

Millie nodded in acknowledgement of his withdrawal and turned back to the classroom to take her seat.

Severus let out a breath that he had not realized he was holding as he made his way back to the front of the classroom and prepared to question her on the reading material he had assigned earlier that day.

"Ready?" he asked, turning towards her with an eyebrow raised.

"As ever," she said.

He nodded. "What are the four ingredients used to make a Boil-Cure Potion?"

"Dried nettles, crushed snake fangs, some porcupine quills and stewed hornslugs but the quills aren't added until after the potion is taken off the fire. If they are added before-"

"That'll do, Ms. Fairholm. Next question."

"No extra credit?"

"I don't do extra credit," he said.

Millie frowned. That should have been obvious.

"Where would you look if I asked you to find a bezoar?"

Millie smiled too brightly for his liking as she remembered what Kettleburn had told her last month. It might impress him. "The stomach of a goat."

He nodded. "What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

"Nothing, sir. They are the same plant which is highly poisonous and also known as aconite."

"Good. What would you get if I asked you to add powdered asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

"Essentially the draught of living death."

"Essentially?"

"Well there are a few other ingredients but they are not mentioned until a later chapter."

His raised his eyebrows at this and called an end to the quiz.

"Did I pass?" Millie asked.

"Well enough," he said. "Now you may take out your quill and parchment. We will be taking some extensive notes for the first week to get all of the information out of the way. Study what I tell you and potion brewing should not be so difficult. Attention to detail is of the utmost importance."

The rest of their lesson passed peacefully enough. There were no apologies exchanged afterwards but they both seemed to be on reasonable terms with one another. Millie felt like her hand was going to fall off towards the end. He had been covering material so fast and she had not wished to miss a thing. At the least, he seemed to pose a challenge and she wanted to meet it head on. She wanted to prove him wrong.

The first week passed without much further incident in her Potions lessons. As she was occupied in taking her notes, there was not a lot of interaction between the two. In her Herbology class she learned about the different types of common trees that were used in wand making. Millie wondered how painstaking the process was and how long it took but Sprout said she was not educated enough in the art of wand making to give her a proper answer. Time to make use of that library pass. DADA classes were quite boring to her dismay. She was not learning any magic and instead was taught about creatures such as vampire bats and iguanas. They were two creatures that she would have expected to hear about in her Care of Magical Creatures course.

Her Divination lessons became one of her favourite classes as all they really did for the moment was talk about her experiences. Trelawney had opened up a little more through the week and introduced her to the process of reading tea leaves. She soon discovered that Professor Dumbledore saw things as well. However, he claimed that his dreams were what revealed the truth to him and so the next form of Divination they covered was dream analysis. Millie could not recall a time when an actual dream had revealed anything to her but decided to pay more attention as was instructed.

"I'd like you to record anything that stands out to you in this," Dumbledore said during one of their lessons as he handed her a light brown leather-covered book.

Millie took it from him and ran her fingers over the soft leather. She absentmindedly flipped through the blank pages as he continued to speak.

"Even if you have a vision and it does not come to you in your dreams, record it. From now on, I'd like you record anything and everything you can remember about a vision including the date it happened to you and whether or not you believe it to be past or future events. Bring it with you to every meeting so that we may discuss anything new."

"But sir," she said. "I haven't had anything happen since I've been here except the one I already told you about."

"That is fine. I'm sure others will resurface in time. I find that when my mind is cluttered and occupied, I see less. Perhaps your studies have filled your mind for now but should something happen you should record it. Who knows? Maybe it won't come by its usual medium but in tea leaves or a crystal ball instead."

Millie nodded and tucked the book into the front compartment of her satchel. She thanked them both for the gift and headed towards the library after her lesson. It was Friday again and tonight she was going to be able to finally try her hands at potion brewing. She spent her break in the library, scanning through all the notes she has taken that week from Snape and her texts. She had even taken the effort to check out two other potion's books from the library in order to be prepared for all of the potions they would be brewing. She refused to let him see her fail.

The boil-cure potion was the first on their list and the only potion she would be brewing tonight. Professor Snape had promised her that if she got it right on her first try he would release her early. It was not much but from him, it was a huge step.

She showed up a little early, as always and made her way to the cupboards to begin gathering her ingredients. Once she had them all neatly organized on the desk before her, she paced the room waiting for his entry. Starting the potion without him there could prove to be a very bad decision.

When he did arrive, he seemed pleased that she had taken the time to prepare her materials already. At least he seemed as pleased as he could seem. Not much to go on with his expressions. He gave her little more instruction than 'begin' and remained an annoying presence over her shoulder while she brewed the potion. She hated working under pressure and with him breathing down her neck and his eyes scrutinizing every move she made, things were not easy.

A sheet of sweat surfaced upon her brow and she felt it seep into the roots of her hair. Whether it was from him or leaning over the steam of the potion, she did not know. If it was the potion, she certainly would never mock his greasy hair again. This steam would spoil the most tamed style.

When she was done with the boil-cure potion she looked up at him, waiting for his approval. He studied it a little more and frowned.

"You've got to be kidding me! That should be perfect," she said. "What could I have possibly done wrong?" She picked up her book and started flipping through the chapters and running over the notes she had stuffed between the pages. "I did everything you said and more."

"Stop your fussing, you silly girl. It is fine," he said and walked towards his desk. "You may go, as promised. I will clean up."

"Fine? Fine? You mean it's perfect but you're too obstinate to admit it? If it's fine then why did you frown?"

"You are dismissed, Ms. Fairholm. You passed the assignment what more do you want?"

Millie huffed and threw her bag over her shoulder, cramming her belongings in as she marched towards the door. Stupid ass!

She made steady progress through the month but the tensions continued to rise in during her Potions lessons. If he would not give an inch, neither would she. It was juvenile but if he wanted to play like that then she was too stubborn to let him make all the rules. Mom was right about one thing. Boys never do grow up they just learn to hide it better.

Millie had gotten ahead in her Herbology studies and spent her Saturday lessons helping Sprout collect ingredients for some of Snape's stores. She also helped her prepare for lower year lessons that would take place the following week. It was easy to see how most of her classes were linked. It was necessary to do well in things like Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures to have any chance at being descent in Potions since most of the ingredients came from those two classes.

Millie was highly disappointed with her DADA classes so far. She knew they were only first year lessons but expected more. She knew nothing about dark magic and how to properly defend herself. Patience. You've got to learn the rules before you play the game. She often wondered if Professor Lassiter would seem like a better teacher as they moved on to the heavier material. He did not seem overly adept and as he was often sick it seemed he had trouble fighting off the common cold. She wondered if there was another teacher in the school who would take on the extra responsibility of teaching her Defense. If Lassiter was no better with the second and third year material, she would talk to Dumbledore about the situation. She did feel an odd pull to the subject.

Towards the end of the month, Professor Snape had given her an extra challenge- Shrinking Solution. It was far more complicated than any of the potions she had brewed thus far and she thought he had assigned it on purpose to see her fail. She took the assignment with pride and spent every amount of free time pouring over volumes and notes so that she could get it right. Millie knew she could not be perfect at everything and eventually she would be confronted with something that she could not brew. However, everything she had learned thus far was lower year material and as a fifteen year old she refused to let a first year out brew her.

There was never any word of encouragement or guidance from Snape. He just stood there and watched her work. Occasionally she would throw an ingredient in perhaps a split second too soon or not cut something as precisely as he would have liked and all she would hear was the click of his tongue. The first time he did that she glared back as he shook his head but now she tried to ignore him. If he was not going to help then she would pay him no mind. Part of her wanted to screw up a potion just to see if he would jump in and stop her from doing something wrong but she decided against it, afraid that it would make a bigger mess than necessary.

When she was done with her particular potion for that lesson, having poured over all of those texts during every spare waking moment all he did was dismiss her as usual. She stared in disbelief as he silently took a seat at his desk and began sorting through paperwork. Millie grabbed one end of her text with both hands and slammed the free end on his desk. She had really wanted to hit him but that would probably earn her an expulsion and she did not wish to leave the school.

He seemed shocked by her outburst and said the first thing he could think of. "Detention!"

"You can't give me detention," she argued.

"Oh but I can," he said, standing and leaning forward with his hands pressed firmly on his desk. "Sunday."

"Sunday?"

"Your one day of freedom."

Millie thought she could detect the faint flicker of a smile and sought to remove it at once.

"There are two different kinds of teachers," she said. "There are ladders- teachers who are with you at the bottom and guide you rung by rung to the top and then there are stepping stones. You are the latter."

"Detention every Sunday for the rest of the month," he bellowed.

"There is only one Sunday left, Professor," she said while turning and gathering her things.

"Then every Sunday until Christmas I expect to see you in here no later than 5pm doing whatever task I see fit!"

"Fine!" Millie turned and headed out of the Potion's classroom.

"Fine!" he yelled after her just before she slammed the door shut. Severus sat down at his desk and ran a hand through his hair. Such arrogance. He had never before been so worked up by a rebellious teenager. His heart was beating rapidly and he found himself out of breath. Insufferable… Infuriating. It had been a long time since he had actually yelled at someone but she seemed to stir up such rage. Of all the nerve! Never had a student been able to rock his boat and get under his thick skin so easily. He sat back in his chair and pulled out some parchment, making a list of every horrible task that came to mind. Her detentions would serve as a lesson to never rile his temper again.

Severus made his way to the Headmaster's office that night for Millie's monthly progress report. The way he understood it, her teachers were to report to Dumbledore once during the month they had her for classes to remark on her performance.

"Acceptable."

"Acceptable?" asked Dumbledore. "What is the most number of times she has had to brew a potion before it was acceptable?"

"She had brewed them adequately on her first try."

"All of them?"

Snape nodded.

"That is brilliant," Dumbledore said with a clap. "And far better than acceptable, Severus."

Snape did not answer.

"Is there something wrong?" asked Dumbledore.

"She has an attitude problem and disrespects all authority."

"None of the other professors have complained," Dumbledore argued lightly, knowing exactly where this was headed. "I have heard nothing but praise about her work ethic and general manners, willingness to comply."

"Are we speaking about the same student? Ms. Mildred Fairholm?" asked Snape.

"Yes."

Snape did not trust the twinkle in the older man's eyes.

"Tell me, Severus. How many points have you taken from Ravenclaw this month because of Mildred?"

"At least 50."

"And detentions?"

"She has one every Sunday until the Christmas holiday," he answered. Snape was surprised as Dumbledore laughed. "Headmaster?"

"You are a very intelligent man, Severus. I'm sure you can put together that young Ms. Fairholm when asked about what she thought of your teaching abilities replied that you were also acceptable."

Snape tightened his jaw. "She is a nuisance."

"But she is working hard and producing quality work?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then that is what matters most."

"Anything else, Headmaster?"

"Do you remember what I told you about Ms. Fairholm before I collected her? About being susceptible?"

"Yes."

"We have been taking things slow but I have been working with her and Sybill throughout the month to try and unravel what exactly may have happened to her."

"And?"

"There is nothing set in stone as of yet but it appears that our resident American may make a valuable ally in the future."

"Ally?" asked Snape. "Are you expecting the war to resurface?"

"You know as well as I do, Severus, that it is possible. I sense that there is still a darkness out there, growing somewhere in the distance and waiting for the opportune time to strike. I advise you to not make an enemy of Ms. Fairholm. If anything, I'm glad of these detentions as I'd like you to monitor her behavior next month as well, when she will not be in your classroom on a daily basis."

"They are only once a week."

"That is fine. No need to overdo it. I would not want to make her self-conscious."

"What exactly should I be looking for?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "Nothing specific. Listen to her if she speaks. No need to interrogate her."

"With all due respect, Headmaster, I did not become a teacher to gossip with the students."

"I'm not asking you to braid her hair, Severus. But I'm sure you have noticed that she does not talk much to the other students."

"Yes but she does not have classes with them, does not share quarters with them and often has classes over meals."

"But next year when she does have the option of being with those her age, she will still shy away. I promise you that, Severus, and all I ask is that you listen to the girl when she speaks to you. She may be young but she will be the key to much wisdom if you know how to turn her correctly."

Snape was not entirely sure by what Dumbledore meant but was too tired to continue this vague and uninformative conversation tonight. He nodded, confirming to Dumbledore that he would do as he was asked and listen to the stubborn child. He had never had reason to doubt the Headmaster in the past and he was not going to start now. The two men said goodbye to one another and as Snape was about to leave the Headmaster's office there was a light knock on the door. Dumbledore nodded for Severus to open it and he complied. On the other side stood a red-eyed Millie whose cheeks were tear-stained.

She went rigid as she saw Professor Snape was in the room. She gripped her wand tightly in her palm and lifted her upper lip in revulsion as she entered the room, leaning as far away from him as possible.

"What triggered it this time?" Dumbledore asked and Snape looked on in confusion.

Millie said nothing but presented her wand to Dumbledore. "Who was she?"