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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After dinner the girls went back to their dormitory to study in the common room."Hey Caroline could you help me out on some of this Transfiguration homework?"
Caroline looked up from her reading of yet another Potions textbook Snape had provided for her extended studies.
"Sure, what do you need help on?" Caroline marked the page she was on and stretched before heading over.
Caroline helped Meagan out on her Transfiguration homework before Meagan decided it was late and headed to bed. Caroline meanwhile wasn't able to get to sleep as she was all nerves because of what Snape had told her in privacy that afternoon. Instead she put a cloak on over her robe to ward off the cold of night and exited the Slytherin common room. So far she hadn't been caught, upon seeing Mrs. Norris within her first week she adored the tabby cat and fed her scraps from her plate which she saved for that purpose. Caroline couldn't understand why people hated her so as she was extremely friendly with her. Then again she DID feed her and fawned over her and otherwise spoiled the cat. Caroline heard a soft scratching on the stone and turned around.
"Why hello there precious," she smiled as she crouched down to pet Mrs. Norris gently scratching behind her ear which elicited rumbling purrs. "Aw, aren't you adorable, here's some cheese I saved from dinner earlier today."
Mrs. Norris put her paw on Caroline's hand to thank her and gladly accepted the cheese licking her whiskers fastidiously after eating. Caroline patted her head again before leaving. It was Caroline's custom to take walks at night when she couldn't sleep which she developed after her subsequent changes from school to school. It also wasn't so bloody freezing back home as it is here, my fingers have gone numb! She thought bitterly as she forgot to bring her gloves. She had walked down countless stone hallways and was midway through a stair case when it decided to move. Generally she didn't mind when they did this when she walked as she delighted in having someplace new to discover. But as soon as the staircase stopped moving and she could at last reach the top step she heard a grating voice behind her, footsteps echoing on the stone floor. She saw his shadow reflected on the wall from his torch and recognized it as the bald head of the caretaker, owner of Mrs. Norris. His cat might like her but Filch despised any and all students who thought themselves above the rules. Caroline fled down the hallway she faced, at the sound of her footsteps she heard his quicken. She hid behind a suit of armor and waited for him to pass. She could hear him muttering the whole way down the hall, "I know you're here, I heard you running! Your first mistake was being out!"
Caroline watched him leave and saw the light from his torch dim to black shadows and pale moonlight once more. Breathing a sigh of relief she continued on with her walk calming her heart which thumped madly at the prospect of getting caught. She thought back to what Snape had told her that afternoon, how his eyes seemed to show concern for her that wasn't there all those times spent in detention together, those dreamy dark fathomless pools which drew her in. The way he knelt before her, putting his hands on her shoulders, the deep baritone of his voice which made her tremble deep inside. She didn't want to let herself think about him that way, he was her professor, her teacher. She had had enough of perverted Headmasters at her previous school. She would have liked to stay there had it not been for Marvelous. Well there's no point in wishing for the past, what's done is done. She sighed heavily again, I miss Adriana, I miss my friends, why do I force myself to move from place to place when I know I could stay at one and be as perfect a student as can be, why?
Her train of thoughts focused for the moment on her utter loneliness, she liked the school, she liked Meagan but she missed the familiar aspects of home. Caroline did not notice that Filch had taken a circuitous route to intersect her path. He appeared to her left and caught the hood of her cloak.
"Aha! Thought you could get away from me could you? We'll see about that, now march!"
He marched her down to his office where he hung all his chains and handcuffs which he polished daily. He peered at her robes, "Eh, from Slytherin House are you? Ooo, Professor Snape is going to have a field day with you. Wait here while I fetch him."
The color drained from her face, "No! No don't drag Professor Snape into this! Just tell me what my detention is and I'll go back to my room, you can follow me to make sure I do! Please! You don't have to let him know!"
Mr. Filch had a hideous grimaced on his face, "Yer right to be afraid of him Missy, and I won't be taking any excuses from you. Oh yes, I'm going to get Professor Snape right this instant!"
With that he locked the door behind him despite Caroline's protests. She slumped in her chair close to tears, she had just received the first bit of praise from Professor Snape since she had arrived and now she had ruined it by her stupid habit of hers. She caught sight of a peculiar looking piece of parchment paper that was folded up several times on Filch's desk. Caroline approached the paper and the pages flashed some writing at her.
Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot & Prongs invite Caroline to share in some Hogwarts secrets never to be released to the students…until now.
"Hah, sounds kinda cheesy to me."
Cheesy my ass girlie!
Caroline could have sworn she saw the paper form a roguish grin as the words appeared. Shrugging she decided to hide the folded parchment papers in her robes. It wasn't long before Mr. Filch arrived with Professor Snape in tow, since Filch hadn't asked nor known her name, Professor Snape had come with the mind of punishing some minor student whom he didn't feel much admiration for. As Filch stepped aside to allow Snape entrance Snape's face turned to dismay. Caroline hung her head in shame. Snape's eyes bored into her penitent pose without mercy.
"Like I said Professor, don't know her name but she's from your house from her robes. She begged me not to get you she did, but you know I can't resist torturing unruly students." Filch chuckled.
"Yes, I know." Snape drawled. "Up you wretched excuse for a Slytherin. Mr. Filch, I will take it from here, thank you for alerting me."
Mr. Filch bowed his head and closed the door behind Caroline. She walked behind Professor Snape with her head still bowed in shame. After a while Snape spoke, "You have disappointed me Caroline."
At the use of her first name and not 'Miss Black' Caroline raised her head, "Sir?"
"I thought you were better than the rest. You've disappointed me Caroline." He said a second time watching with a hint of satisfaction as his remark stung her.
Somehow Caroline found the courage to speak though her voice trembled she meant every word, "Professor, sir, I'm so very sorry for disappointing you. I have no excuse for my actions. But sir if I may speak freely?"
Snape nodded in affirmation.
"I never asked for you to single me out. I never asked for any of the special treatment that you've given me. I don't see why I am so important to you, how I've managed to capture your attention."
He shook his head, "You have my attention now but not my proper attention, if I were truly interested in you as you so imagine I would have gone to much greater lengths to acquire ALL of your time. Right now I am only looking out for the best interests of my House and with a mind on your history, which shows that when you are overburdened with work you cannot of will not commit so many infractions." He ended smugly.
Caroline's competitiveness flared up the moment he stopped talking, oh so he thinks he KNOWS me now does he? I'll show him, I'll show him tomorrow night in fact! Screw whatever deliberations I was having before about my prank, its on Professor Snape.
Both said nothing more and soon were at the door leading to the Slytherin common room. Caroline held her head high with a smug grin causing Snape to give her a perplexed look before retiring into his thoughts about her odd behavior. As soon as the doors closed and Caroline was alone in her room she drew the curtains around her four poster bed and cast a Lumos spell to read what the parchment gave her.
"So tell me what you do?" she whispered, "if I may be so bold in asking."
Why certainly! Padfoot, would you do the honors?
I don't know Prongs, should we make her Solemnly swear
To what, Moony? Is she up to no good tonight?
Padfoot has it right, she should swear and when we're finished perhaps her mischief will be managed!
Wormtail, Padfoot and Moony I agree, now, Miss Caroline, would you please tap your wand to the parchment at the bequest of our very kind words?
Caroline paused to wonder exactly what Prongs meant, but their small conversation was still inked to the paper in front of her and hadn't yet disappeared, a curious change in the font appeared around certain words. She thought for a moment then smiled deliberately, Oh, these guys are good. Caroline put her wand to the parchment and spoke, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."
Immediately the writing disappeared and a map of Hogwarts inked its way onto the parchment. Caroline was grinning ear to ear she could definitely make use of this tomorrow.
"But how am I to prevent anyone from using this other than me?"
Tap your wand again a second time and remember the words.
"Well that was vague enough. Hrm…" Caroline muttered, remembering the last few sentences in their conversation until it clicked, "Oh but of course!" She tapped her wand again speaking, "Mischief managed." And Caroline triumphantly watched as the inked lines of the map disappeared from sight as quickly as they had come. "Oh this is good, my dear sirs, I salute you."
Thank you my dear, from all of us.
Again she could have sworn she saw a face of a rather handsome dark haired wizard wink back at her.
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In the morning Meagan, Nadia and Caroline were hard at work in the library on their assignments before heading to breakfast when Caroline got a most impish grin on her face.
"Hey guys, I'm just letting you know now, that something's going down in the Great Hall tonight."
Both Meagan and Nadia stopped writing on their parchments to stare at Caroline.
"Okay, first off, what are you going to do and secondly, when?" Nadia questioned.
"To answer the second question first, duh Nadia I said it's going to be tonight! You'll know when it happens and as for the first question same thing. You'll know when you see it, just be sure to stay dry." Caroline winked.
Nadia and Meagan grinned widely, Caroline had been out of sorts since September and it was now mid-October. Aside from her occasional prank about the school she hadn't done anything major. Nor could anyone pin it to her, Mr. Filch suspected more Peeves before her but he didn't like her impish qualities either. Caroline had already performed the charm she needed, though it had taken quite a bit of effort to break through the protective spells that prevented her from doing just this. All she needed to do was set the magical sky above them in the great hall to the type of weather she wanted, a heavy thunderstorm.
Caroline waved them ahead of her while she picked up the rest of her things before joining Meagan at their table for breakfast. As she was exiting the library and passing by a nearby courtyard she caught sight of Bill about to create a nasty explosion with the two potion ingredients he was mixing.
"Hey, you know you really shouldn't do that, you know, mixing those two items in your hand. You could start a nasty explosion with those."
Bill looked up hesitantly, "Oh, well, thanks, I can never get this stuff right."
"I didn't know you could be so accident prone."
Bill flashed Caroline a grin, "Circumstantial accidents are my forte."
Caroline smirked, "Alright. Here I'll help you with your potion. Let me have a look at your ingredients and maybe I can show you how to speed up the process and simpler ways to go about potions making in general.
"Thanks sweetheart, you're a life saver."
"Good," Caroline winked, "hmm, well, according to these ingredients making this potion shouldn't take more than 30 minutes."
"Wow, you must be really good with this, I can't do Potions, I'm much better at Arithmancy though."
"Arithmancy? What's that?" Caroline raised her eyebrow as she went about making Bill's potion. She liked the friendly banter.
"Well, Arithmancy is about the magical properties of numbers."
"Oh cool, so it's just like an upper level math course then, except for the 'magical properties' part of course." She chuckled.
She was just about to finish Bill's potion when an angry Snape came down on them. Passing the courtyard and noticing first the bright flame that was the trademark Weasley hair, only secondly did he notice the person standing next to his cauldron and showing him, practically DOING his work for him! Snape tolerated the gossip about that Weasley boy and his Slytherin girl being together but he simply could not allow these outrageous behaviors of hers continue. Professor Snape was not one to scream and shout causing his face to redden to show his anger, instead his hatred smoldered into a cold and cruel tone. The quieter he got, the worse his temper.
"Miss Black, just what in the name of Salazar Slytherin doing you think you are doing? The assignment he was given is not a group project. Everyone is to make their own potions. 5 points from Slytherin."
"Well excuuuse me sir, I was only offering my assistance to Bill here because I saw that he needed a few pointers. I assume that is alright considering we are not in class and cheating on a class assignment, I have no intention of letting him slip by with my potion but teaching him how to create one flawlessly as you have so instilled in me these past weeks."
Snape was furious but he could find no legitimate reason to punish her further, except of course, I don't really need an excuse to keep her working for me…and I do so love to hear her beg.
"Very well, if you think your knowledge proficient enough to tutor others, you will aid me in replenishing my personal stores and as usual I expect your customary perfection in all your potions." He sneered lightly at her vanishing in a billowing cloud of black robes.
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After he had left her last night at her common room door Snape couldn't sleep for the rest of the night.
"It wasn't so much as I was disappointed in you." He said aloud to the empty air around him.
Filch's words to him that morning renewed his interest in her, she begged, he mused darkly. He loved hearing that she begged for his ignorance, he would have loved it even more had it been him she had been begging to. For some reason he was being plagued by increasing thoughts in that direction. Lately he'd only daydream about Caroline in various compromising positions. Fully clothed still, he dared not think of her in any further circumstances least he grow accustomed to such thoughts and slip up. He could not afford to lose his outward appearance as a darkly foreboding figure. Snape relished the fact that he was the most feared of Professors. But something troubled Snape recently he had been going through Caroline's previous school files. Something he did with all students whose names came to him flagged for some previous incident in their history that stood out. In Caroline's file sent from her last American Wizarding Institution, Snape noticed that though they knew she was highly capable of being put into the advanced classes for her age she was refused. Supposedly on the grounds that she was much too immature to handle the work load which was contrary to his, though quite limited, experience where he noted the amount of work she had to complete directly affected how much free time she had to spend devising schemes. On top of her education being one giant mess, each school had varying standards causing her to be put so far back it's a wonder she's learned as much as she has.
Another thing that bothered Snape was her last name.
"Of course it's not possible it's too obvious a connection! Besides, that name is fairly common, no need to worry about it." Snape spoke to himself as he paced about his room, he dozed on and off fitfully and was eager for morning to arrive so he could get into his daily routine.
He had made sure of it by cross referencing her genealogy with that of the Pureblood Black Family's and had been confident in there not being a trace to connect them. According to Caroline's heritage her father's family was an American, mixed Muggle and Wizard blood while her mother was a Pureblood from South America. The only odd part was that family history on her father's side did not extend further back than her grandfather, but such gaps are quite common in mixed Muggle and Wizard blood families. But she did have the same mischievous spirit as one of his tormentors during his time at Hogwarts, Sirius Black. Who, thankfully was locked behind bars at Askaban Prison for multiple counts of murder.
Snape was deep in his reverie, again dozing off for a bit before his internal clock woke him up to start his daily routine. He yawned and stretched a bit before jumping into the shower to help wake him up. He wiped away the condensed water from the mirror and stared at himself, taking note of some dark circles forming under his eyes from the lack of a restful sleep. Growing irritated with his appearance he dressed and was out to prowl the halls for disobeying students on his way to the Great Hall for breakfast.
As soon as Snape rounded the corner he caught a flash of bright red among the deep browns and grays of the stone and trees slowly losing their leaves which turned shades of red, yellow and orange before falling off leaving the trees bare. Right next to the red hair of that dreaded Bill Weasley was none other than the deep honey brown of Caroline, he saw her bent over a cauldron pushing back a loose strand of hair behind her ear before smiling prettily at Bill. He couldn't idly stand by and let that Gryffindor get away with this outrage, he was still angered with confusion over how no matter the amount of work he gives her, Caroline always manages to complete it somehow. Although much drained from her rush, she completed everything he gave her flawlessly. He would purposely mess up minor things in her work in order to keep her longer in his presence. But one thing he would not tolerate is others using her skills for their advantage, like this Bill seemed keen on doing. What irritated him more was that she let him unknowingly at least she let that boy get away with using her. Snape would not let anyone use her for cheating if he had anything to do about it. Like a dark cloud approaching the horizon he rained on them his discontentment receiving Caroline's even stares and smart mouthed replies. When he told her she would be personally helping to replenish his private stores he grinned in triumph. Let's see that Bill get a hold of her now! Snape walked away feeling very much satisfied with himself, last night she had shown humility at having 'lost' his respect. Now he gave her a chance to redeem herself while simultaneously hurting that Weasley boy, today is going to be very good indeed.
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A/N: This is the censored version of this chapter, if you'd like to read the original, and are over the age of 18, visit and search for my penname or this story title on adultfanfiction dot net