A/N: This story is set 3 years before Harry's arrival at Hogwarts and will be more or less following canon articles wherever applicable, but when not its all original fiction guys.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters created by JKR soooo, don't sue, thanks.
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Caroline went to her room and washed her face to make her face cool down from the constant blushing she was doing all too recently. She still felt overly warm but that was slowly going away and moved to unlock the door before Meagan started knocking.
"Wow, you know you're really good at that."
"At what?"
"At what just happened! At knowing exactly when I'll arrive and unlocking the door, stuff like that."
Caroline shrugged, "6th sense I guess. So what happened after class between you and Remus?"
Meagan blushed again, "Oh he just came up to me and told me that I really should be taking notes during class and not stare at him the whole time."
Caroline laughed, "Awww! Meagan's got a crush on a teacher!"
"Shut up you whore!" She snickered before levitating one of the pillows from across the room at Caroline.
"Hey! That was totally uncalled for! Besides, who uses wands for pillow fights?" Caroline laughed loudly and threw the pillow back at Meagan. They fought for a bit then sat down on their respective beds.
Meagan was the first to speak, "So do you think I can look at your notes from today and copy them over?"
"Yea sure, we can do that now if you want."
"I suppose so, they've given us a crap load of homework to do, and it's only the first day! Bastards…well, everyone except Remus." She sighed heavily; turning to Caroline she noticed her demure expression.
"Hey Caroline…are you okay? Did anything happen while I was gone?"
Caroline snapped out of her reverie to reply, "Yea, yea I'm okay. Just that… well, I got assaulted in front of the Great Entrance."
Meagan jumped off her bed, "Oh my god by whom?! We've got to tell Professor Snape or Dumbledore!"
Caroline grimaced, "Actually, Professor Snape was more the cause apparently I insulted a group of 7th year Slytherin boys by my actions today in class so they decided to corner me after classes and…"
Meagan was fit to burst from the lack of clarity in Caroline's answer, "Well?? What happened?!"
Caroline took a deep breath before continuing, "Well, I was on my way to the common room after you stayed behind and was just looking over my notes to make sure they were legible and that you could understand them because sometimes when I take notes I make abbreviations that only I know. I was right in front of the door when they come out of nowhere. They accused me of insolence and not knowing my place in the social hierarchy here"
Meagan was about to fall off her bed she was leaning forward so much with her mouth gaping open, "And???"
Caroline took another deep breath to calm her nerves, "and then Bill came up behind me, grabbed me around the waist and claimed me as his girlfriend. He said that if anyone bothered me they'd have to answer to him."
Meagan fell backwards on her bed, "Oh…my…GOD! He claimed you?" Sitting bolt upright, "Wait a minute, a Gryffindor going out with a Slytherin?!"
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Snape watched her leave his classroom with a smug grin on his face, that ought to teach her never to underestimate me. He got up and paced about the room purposely mixing up potion labels and making careful note of which ones he switched about to see if she would take note of their inappropriate placing as well as their mislabeling. If she was as good as she boasted to be, as good as she made him believe her to be, this was one student he would love and hate to have in his N.E.W.T class. As he sat back down at his desk to grade essays he became restless, losing concentration and being unnerved with the silence and the emptiness in the room.
"That's odd; I've never felt this way before about this room…" He mused aloud.
Giving up on the task at hand he let his mind pursue other thoughts, such as breaking through her stubbornness and forcing her to be submissive to his own will. A sense of superiority washed over him at this thought. He loved the imagined look of horror on her face as she obeyed his commands in the aftermath of a punishment he'd just given her and the way she moved quickly to comply... Suddenly he felt a tightening in his lower regions.
"BLOODY HELL!" He exhaled sharply, "How is this possible? She's a student! She's off limits! She's illegal."
But deep down he knew that wasn't going to be enough stop him.
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Meagan and Caroline went to the library to attempt some of their homework before dinner. On their way out of the Slytherin common room everyone was talking about the recent addition to Slytherin and her cockiness in Potions that day.
"Did you see the way Snape glared at her and how she didn't even blink!"
"I heard she was kicked out of every Wizarding school in America and that Hogwarts is her last chance!"
"No way!"
No one knew for sure whether any of the rumors were true, the only way to find out for sure was to either ask her or see if one of the teachers was willing to divulge that information. Bill and his group of friends sat huddled around their stack of books in an effort to finish with their immense loads of work. When the work was getting nowhere near completion their conversation drifted towards the recent events in the Entrance Hall today.
"You should leave her alone, she's probably got enough riding on her today what with all the extra homework she's bound to get from Snape in coming weeks." Said Sean Wood who was the only reasonable one in the group.
"Looks to me like she can probably take on an army of Snapes and not even break a sweat," said Jeremy in admiration, "I sure wish I could do that."
"Well maybe we'll get a chance to talk to her about these rumors, look she's coming in right now and heading this way!" Paul Kiedis exclaimed. "Who's that other Slytherin she's with?"
"She's one of Caroline's friends; I think they're also roommates." Bill stated.
They watched Caroline and Meagan as they headed in the direction of their table Bill was about to speak before Caroline stopped a couple tables down where some Ravenclaw girl was scribbling away at some History of Magic essay about an obscure moment in Giant History. They saw her standing next to a table filled with papers and books where the taller blonde haired Slytherin was busy introducing Caroline to a Ravenclaw girl. She stopped writing when she saw Caroline take a seat opposite her with Meagan to her right.
"Hey Meagan, how's it going?"
"Hi Nadia, Anyways, I'd like you to meet my new friend Caroline, she's also in Slytherin and we just happen to be roommates! Caroline, this is Nadia Gonzalez, Nadia, Caroline Black. Nadia comes from Puerto Rico! I think you too would get along really well."
"Really? That's awesome! I'm half Peruvian on my Mother's side, Hablas español?"
"Pero claro que si! Ay que bueno tener otra con quien hablar en mi propio idioma."
Both Caroline and Nadia chattered on in Spanish for a bit, definitely hitting it off marvelously.
"I met Nadia back in our third year when I saw her working on some Charms work which I needed help on. Since she was the only person in the library at the time I asked her and we've been good friends ever since."
"Alright, cool. We'll its nice to meet you Nadia, mind if we also sit here with you to do our homework?" Caroline inquired.
"Yea sure, here just push those books to the side."
They agreed to meet up together at Hogsmeade on the weekends and to generally hang out more often together. The guys watched them from behind their piles of books whispering to each other.
"Wow, did you see that? Since when does a Slytherin acknowledge someone not of their own house voluntarily?" Sean murmured to the others.
"That's because she's different from the rest of her house." Bill continued to stare.
"Nor would you see a normal one coming up to work on their homework together with a different house." Jeremy nodded.
"That gives me idea, okay here's what I want you guys to do…" Bill whispered his plan to his friends.
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Thanks to Nadia's amazing work ethic, Meagan, Caroline and Nadia finished all their work with enough time to relax on the grass outside before heading back inside for dinner. As they went to their respective tables to eat dinner, Meagan poked Caroline in the ribs with her elbow.
"Hey, what time did you have to go meet up with Snape for your detention?"
Caroline groaned, "Oh god, I think its around 8pm in the dungeons, don't tell me Snape's looking this way and that's why you remembered, I don't think I can stand another confrontation with him again."
Secretly Caroline was eagerly waiting till the time for her detention because it meant one on one time with Snape, all alone, together, in one room. Caroline peeked around Meagan to catch several glimpses of him sitting back perfectly straight at the High Table and always he'd happen to turn to meet her looks forcing Caroline to blush in embarrassment of being caught. She looked back to her plate then felt the uneasiness that comes from having someone staring intently at you, Caroline turned to meet the eyes of Bill Weasley who sat on the opposite side of the Hall but looking directly at her. Again she blushed but uncomfortably due to his unwavering eye contact. Bill grinned at her reaction sending nervous chills down Caroline's spine, it was then Caroline had the passing thought of: oh god, what if he thinks I like him? He turned back towards his plate and not once during the rest of the meal did he look her way, calming her nerves somewhat.
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From the elevated vantage point from sitting at the High Table Snape was able to keep an eye on students whom he thought most likely to cause trouble without the need of looking up from his plate. He could watch them without their notice and no one would be the wiser. There was only one person he lifted his head completely in order to get an unimpeded view of and that was of the new girl who had the audacity to speak to him in so rude a manner. He caught her staring back at him and watched her turn as color flared to her cheeks. It was then that he remembered the vivid daydream he had earlier of her in complete obedience to him so that he too turned away. Tonight's detention is but the first test I have for her to prove she is indeed capable of using the knowledge she spits out so easily. Snape considered possible events that could occur for every prospective decision she could make tonight. Tonight I'll see whether I should indulge her behavior for the sake of having someone to flaunt to the other Professors or to treat like all the rest of the dunderheads I usually have to teach. He finished his meal quickly and left, he would be waiting for her, prepared for every course of action imaginable. Hopefully.
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Caroline finished her dinner, avoiding eating anything heavy as she hated having a full stomach then being made to bend over cleaning on her hands and knees. She arrived a few minutes before 8 o'clock to find the door to the dungeon classroom left ajar. Caroline knocked and called out for Professor Snape but heard no answer, seeing as how she was being made to wait she entered the classroom. Idly she walked around the room peeking into all the cupboards at the various ingredients and labels for each when she noticed some bottles were mislabeled. It was the bottle with preserved chicken feet that was labeled as containing frog legs, an odd mistake to see among the stores of someone as dedicated to their subject as Professor Snape is. Curious, she went through all the cupboards and began checking all their labels. She found more serious errors as she searched and when she completed the organization she wiped the dust from her hands on her robes and stood in the center of the room with a smug expression on her face.
"I guess he's not as careful about his subject as I thought." Caroline mused aloud.
"Oh I am quite meticulous about my art it makes me glad to her you say that as it only proves what a worthless student you are."
Snape appeared in the doorway, looking as if he'd been there all long watching her progress. He closed the door behind him and stepped up to where Caroline glared back at him. Caroline was all too aware of the small gap that separated their bodies.
"In that closet you will find some cleaning supplies, it is your job to leave all the cauldrons in the class spotless by the time I finish my paperwork."
Snape sat down at his desk putting his fingertips together, watching as Caroline went about the task he assigned her without much of a fight. He smiled to himself as he saw her approaching one of the cauldrons closest to him, You won't find this task so easy to complete, Snape mused. The moment Caroline took out her cleaning brush to scrub at the dirty cauldron it sprouted legs and ran away. She spun around a moment to glare at him and without a word tried to capture the fleeing cauldron to scour it down. Every time she got close to the first cauldron it would scamper closer to another cauldron causing that one to sprout legs and run about the classroom. She made several attempts to clean the damn things, and all without protest before she couldn't keep her temper in control any longer. Snape made a small chuckle at her expense, Caroline whirled around furious at the show she was putting on for his pleasure.
"What are you staring at me for?" Snape barked, "Get back to work."
Caroline's face was smeared with dust and dirt from chasing the cauldrons around the classroom. She bit her tongue and turned around refusing to look him in the eye, she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her angered look on her face. Caroline took a deep breath and calmed herself, no instead of fighting the cauldron and giving him a show she would relax and evenly go about her assigned work. The moment she resolved herself to this notion the cauldrons settled down some and allowed her to scrub them clean almost to the point of lining up one by one and letting her go about her task. Snape was irate at her ability to control her temper and how she had been able to discover the correct method to approaching a jinxed object that refuses to do what you want it to. Before she finished cleaning all the cauldrons Snape put an abrupt stop to her work.
"Enough, its time for me to inspect your handiwork."
Caroline stepped aside, deeply irritated by his desire to force her to do wrong on so simple a task as what he had given her. Snape inspected the cauldron she was half finished with and raised an eyebrow in disapproval.
"This cauldron is still covered in filth you have failed to complete your detention. You will come back tomorrow at the same time and finish this mess you've created."
Caroline nodded and turned to leave, "I did not give you permission to leave you still have not completed the second part of your detention." Snape purred in satisfaction.
Caroline spun around at his command in shocked annoyance allowing Snape to continue with this preordained punishment of his.
"I see you have forgotten that you must organize all the ingredients within the cupboards for tomorrow refilling those that are empty."
At this impossible task Caroline couldn't help but retort back only barely keeping back her rage, "What you ask is the impossible, there simply isn't enough time right now to complete this task before dawn. Especially when most of the raw ingredients need to be hand picked and stored in order to guarantee their efficacy."
Snape put his hands in the arm mockingly, "Oh the poor child complains about not having enough time to do her work! Let's all take pity on her then and allow her to get off scot free! There aren't going to be any easy ways out of doing the work I give you, Black. See that you remember that notion, so I do not have to punish you further for your lack of intelligence."
Caroline gritted her teeth, "Yes, sir."
"Now that's a good girl, see how simple it is to do what I ask? Your extra assignment for tomorrow is this: Brew me a sample of the Draught of Living Death. Have it ready before you come to detention. If it is not satisfactory you will brew it again and again until you get it right."
The clock chimed 10 o'clock as soon as he finished. Caroline was startled to see how quickly the time had passed. Snape, though still willing to keep her working for him further was not one to pass up a good night's sleep baby sitting an insolent student after hours. Motioned for Caroline to leave, before she reached the door he spoke.
"You may go, tomorrow have the potion ready for me. I expect that you also have all your other homework completed as well, I will be keeping my eyes on your progress stumble and I WILL take means to correct your impudent decisions. This is not the right way to go about getting proper attention. Out of all my students you have the greatest potential."
"Aye aye Captain." Caroline mock saluted and ran out the door before Snape could shut it on her.
Caroline ran back to her dorm room and filled Meagan in on the detention and that for extra work she had to make the Draught of Living Death by 8 o'clock tomorrow.
"But Caroline! That potion takes two full weeks to complete! It's impossible to make in one day! How can he expect you to actually do the assignment then?"
Caroline grinned back at Meagan and shook her head, "Don't worry about that, I've got it all figured out." With that Caroline pulls out the Time-Turner her mother gave her for her birthday on her eleventh birthday. "Why worry about the shortness of time when I can wind it back and use it to my advantage?"
Meagan gasped then smiled impishly, "You know you're going to let me use that every so often."
"Oh Meagan, but of course!"
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The first week soon ended and everyone welcomed the weekend's respite from classes. For third years, the students were allowed to go to Hogsmeade on certain weekends, but the older students were free to go at any time during the weekends. Delighted at the break in the rigid studying routine Caroline immediately took advantage of the free trip. She had had enough of these castle walls and was fit to burst what with all the restrictions set on students: No wandering the halls at night. But how is one supposed to explore the castle when we're stuck studying all day? No entering the Forbidden Forest. But I want to see the Centaurs! Everyone must obey the curfew. I'm not a bloody toddler who needs a bedtime! Meagan and Nadia showed her around the town and otherwise had good fun running about the place. The trio eventually ended up in the Three Broomsticks where they ordered a round of root beers seeing as how Caroline despised the butterbeers they typically sold. After the root beers were served the conversation turned to Professor Snape, specifically the memorable event that Caroline was so keen on remembering on her first day at Hogwarts.
Nadia let loose a glorious belly laugh, "Caroline you weirdo, getting all turned on by Mr. Cruel Majesty."
Caroline giggled, "Oh Nadia! It's not just me, but Meagan's got a crush on a teacher too! Go on, tell her Meagan!"
Meagan pouted, "Aww, why should I?"
"Because if I told then you have to tell too."
"Now that's some backwards logic there." Nadia laughed.
Caroline was beside herself holding her sides fit to burst, "Come on! If you don't tell her I will!"
"Okay! Okay! … Remus…I like Professor Lupin." Meagan sighed. "Well Nadia spill, it's your turn."
Nadia blushed, "I really like Sirius Black…and I suppose Professor Lupin for his intellect."
"But I thought Sirius Black was a killer on the loose!" cried Caroline.
"Well yea, its all part of the allure you know?" Nadia winked.
All three girls began to giggle amongst themselves about their older male crushes. They finished their drinks and made a stop at Honeydukes for a few sweets. It was still a bright sunny day, and with no homework to do they were at a loss at what to do when Nadia came up with a great idea for them all.
"Hey, want to go swimming in the lake? There's a Giant Squid whose really friendly, come on while the water's still warm!"
"A Giant Squid? But don't they only live in the deepest part of the Pacific Ocean? What the fuck is a marine organism doing in a freshwater lake?!" cried Caroline.
Nadia nodded in amusement, "Yes, yes I know it's delusional to think of it in that manner, but face it, we're in a magical environment so anything goes."
"Next thing you know pigs will sprout wings and will be household pets!" Meagan joked.
"You know, I think my cousin did that to a pig on my Uncle's farm." Nadia said in reply.
They all rushed over to the lake but while Meagan and Nadia were conjuring up some swim suits Caroline had a most devious idea. She helped Meagan and Nadia pile up their clothes on the shoreline and put charms on them just in case someone thought it funny to take their clothes away.
"Hey, I just remembered I had to finish up some more potions homework" Caroline rolled her eyes while she told them.
"Alright, maybe you can finish early and join us later?" Nadia offered.
Caroline shrugged and was off towards the castle, as soon as she was out of eyesight from Meagan and Nadia she ran towards the back entrance to the Great Hall. Using a mirror she had brought with her and charmed to reveal what was around the corner she made sure there was no one in the room when she entered.
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Translations:
"Hablas Español?"
"Do you speak Spanish?"
"Pero claro que si! Ay que bueno tener otra con quien hablar en mi propio idioma!"
"But of course! Oh this is great having someone else I can talk to in my proper language!"