A/N- Thank you for your reviews, I love them all. Just to let you know, I have paid attentions to some of your hints and suggestions, and have taken some of them to heed. (Though I am not going to say what they are as they pertain to a future chapter…) Anyway, I apologize for the slight delay. I am currently writing the next chapter, so hopefully it shouldn't be too long before the next chapter.

Disclaimer- A rabid raccoon comes into sight, holding a sign that says 'This story is mine'. Copyright mongers then carry the raccoon away and the sign is then burned. Obviously, the raccoon owned nothing, and nor do I.

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Chapter 13- Temper, Temper

Severus watched through his hair as the girl's eyes narrowed. He looked back down to the table, feeling the horrible weight of her gaze on him. What the bloody hell was taking so long for her to answer him? Was she honestly considering the offer?

Bile started rise within back of his throat. NO, definitely not, she wouldn't. She would never agree to simply end such an opportunity, especially if she knew the full terms of it. Would she? If she did, he would certainly write the Ministry and try to get the clauses changed within the contract. He knew, for a fact, she would have no interest in the true way out of her apprenticeship. In truth, he was absolutely positive she would find it even more loathsome an idea than he did.

As the minutes dragged on, he began to feel nervous. What if he had been wrong about her? Was she actually so weak that after the past month, she would simply quit? He had seen her weaker side after her parents had been murdered, unfortunately for him, but she hid the weakness well. A thought popped into his head unintentionally that made his stomach churn. Her ability to hide her emotions reminds me of myself.

He clenched his jaw at his traitorous mind. She is nothing. Never has been anything, nor will she ever be anything to him. Ever. Yet somewhere in the back of his mind he felt that odd twinge of hope that she might actually stay. Perhaps because he knew that she was in a way like him; and knowing that if he were right about that particular fact, then he would meet the same fate as his own predecessor. Odd, how much he morbidly craved that. He wouldn't have to worry about a decent replacement, if he were right about her abilities. She could take his place very easily when he was finished with her.

He continued to stare at the table in front of him, impatiently awaiting her response, not allowing any of his inner thoughts show upon his face or manner. Slowly, as even more minutes passed, the nervousness changed into agitation, and from agitation, to outright fury. He lifted his gaze to her again, noticing that her eyes had not shifted from him, as if she were still considering the bloody decision. What in the bloody name of Merlin himself was taking the sodding girl so bloody fucking long to decide? "Miss Granger, would you perchance be making your decision today?"

What seemed to be a flash of anger passed over her features briefly before her gaze became more neutral. He had that horribly inane thought return to him about how much she resembled him sometimes. Merlin! He was going to lose his mind before this was over. She looked down and mumbled something, though all he could make out was 'just to bloody irritate him further, bastard.'

He raised his brow. "Pardon? I did not quite hear your answer. Usually you are so ready to flaunt that insignificant brain of yours, that you merely screech your answers out devoid of warning."

She groaned, and turned back to him, her eyes narrowed. She hissed, "Yes," and then looked back down to her plate.

"Yes you will stay, or yes you will take my offer? Clarity is sometimes beneficial to understanding, and I do not believe that I understand you clearly; considering the fact that I have mentioned two separate things."

"YES! Yes I will maintain this apprenticeship, you impertinent prat! You have practically starved me, and I have already all but died, I do believe I will stick it out for whatever other sadistic games you wish to play. Dear Master, do not worry yourself on my behalf. I can clearly take care of myself!" With her sudden outburst, she shoved herself away from the table, and half-ran out of the hall.

Snape merely sat back into his chair, lifted his goblet of pumpkin juice to his lips, and muttered out the word 'Clearly' before taking a sip. He ignored the fact that everyone present within the hall had turned their gaze towards him during the girl's outburst and allowed himself to smirk. He had been correct. She might hate him, but she obviously valued her education more.

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She paced inside the library after the next day's breakfast. Thankfully the man was not there, so she had instead decided to vent to her old mentor Professor McGonagall. She had been so upset the day before, that she had asked the house-elves for dinner in her room, because she had no desire to see the man again so soon. The bastard, he had actually thought that she would have taken him up on his offer. She had initially been tempted to take it on the grounds that she couldn't stand him, but decided otherwise. It was too valuable an opportunity. Not to mention, that try as hard as she might, she really didn't hate the man. She wanted to, she was irritated enough at him to be, but she simply couldn't do so. Damn, and blast it anyway. After what had happened a year ago…

She sighed; sinking down onto the chair that she had decided was now 'hers'. He might not have helped her voluntarily at that point in time, but he had done it. Saved her, in a way, that is. It was that moment that she had been thinking about after he had asked her to make his decision; trying to decide whether or not he had meant it when he had told her that he would personally see to it that no harm would come to her from that night on. Then he had to go and make fun of her. There were times she felt that he was somehow being nice, but then there were other times that the man was the world's most callous git. The day before was an example of the later. In fact, the last entire month had been an example of the latter. She groaned, wondering briefly if she would ever be able to figure the man out, if in fact he actually cared for anything but himself. There were times she honestly believed he did, but then he would distance himself, or do something horrid to counteract whatever it was to make her think such a foolish thing.

And she was starting to believe in everything that her heart wanted to tell her otherwise- That Snape was in truth, a very horrible person.

She was suddenly forced out of her reverie by the library door moving. The irritated figure that was better known as 'the greasy git' came in behind her, and firmly placed one of his hands on the back of her chair and the other on the desk. He then leaned in, bringing his nose into her long bushy hair, and his lips uncomfortably close to her ears. "I would like to remind you, Granger, that you are my apprentice. How I decide to reprimand you, as well as treat you, is my own decision, not yours. Do keep that in mind when you decide to rattle your tongue to your previous Head of House. Because of your slip-up I have decided on two things. The first being that once again your seat is to be on my other side, the second being that I have reduced the time for you to make your potion by precisely one hour. There will be no screw-ups, Granger, you will have the exact time allowed in order to get everything done when done properly. Do this, and I will allow you a 'day off', though, I doubt that you will."

She turned up to glare at him. "She is my friend! How dare you tell me that I cannot speak with her!"

"Do be quiet Miss Granger, you try my patience." She opened her mouth to speak again when she felt a finger press firmly onto her lips, squashing them painfully.

"If you so much as utter a single syllable to contradict what I say, I will take your privileges of talking to anyone away, Miss Granger."

He wouldn't… Would he? She pursed her brows together. What exactly did he mean by that anyway? Take her 'privileges' away to talk? Lock her in the library again? Honestly… She crossed her arms. "And I can do anyth-"

Just as she began to speak, he hissed, "Silentium vox vocis!" A sudden numbness traveled down from where his finger lay upon her lips down to her throat. Suddenly, her voice was gone, and she stared at him wide-eyed. He moved his hand from her lips to her chin to seize it and tilt it towards him so that she looked him directly in the eyes. "Do not believe that I shall go easy on you. Do not believe that there is anything that I would not do in order instruct you properly; as I am very sure you did not heed my warning just then. I willnot tolerate your disobedience of me, nor shall I tolerate you complaining to every creature within earshot of your 'misfortunes'." With a slight jerk he released her and stood back up, fully aware of the glare she was now giving him. "And do wipe that look off of your face, Miss Granger. Your current situation was entirely of your own doing. Now follow me, if you are to begin brewing this potion, it must commence now if you have any desire for 'free' time after dinner."

As he twirled around she stood, absolutely livid. What in the bloody hell did she do to deserve that? She absently rubbed at her throat, wishing away the odd numbness that had settled there. It was unfair. Everything he had done within the last month had been unfair. And what about those 'hidden' clauses that he had told her about? He had only told her of one, so what could the other three be?

She suddenly lost the will to be angry with him, her curiosity taking a firm hold within her mind. It was only one more mystery to add to the masses that were piling before her. She followed him out of the library, studying the way that his robe flew out behind him, the way he walked, the way that he held himself. It was at this precise moment that she figured out what would help keep her sane during her four-year tenure.

She would solve the biggest mystery of all the ones that she had already found, believing that come what may, all the smaller mysteries she had uncovered would somehow help expose the central one; Professor Severus Snape, Master of Potions, himself.

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A/N- Translation: Silentium vox vocis- Silent voice in Latin, just in case you were wondering. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter, and as always, please review. It always inspires.