1994

Professor Moody had practiced the unforgivable curses during their class. Made school children witness the horrors the curses wrought on spiders. Shaylah's spine had stiffened as she was forced to watch the wretched presentation. Bile had risen in her throat and threatened to cause her to vomit. It took everything she had not to shout or cry. She had not only witnessed the effects of the Cruciatus curse first hand more times than she would like to admit, but she had been the one to receive it too. As she watched the spider writhe it brought back the horrendous feeling in her nerves.

She had sat with her hand over her mouth as other students around her had whispered to each other. Some of them seemed more than ready to learn the curses but some were apprehensive, as they should be. The killing curse struck the last spider and the room had fallen silent. Something that was just so full of life and vigor now lay motionless and gone from the world. Voldemort's favorite curse.

Watching his expressions as he performed the curses made the sickness brewing inside her even harder to conceal. Knowing he was Barty Crouch Jr. made the whole ordeal different for her. He was a wretched man and she had seen some of his viciousness first hand during her time within Voldemort's fold. He was despicable.

Carrie followed her out of the class to make sure she was alright. "I will be, that was just disgusting don't you think?" Shaylah answered.

"I agree. It gave me chills." The two girls walked to the Great Hall together for dinner, thankfully Carrie had changed the subject to the upcoming Triwizard Tournament. They would soon know who the three challengers were. Shaylah had completely forgotten about it during her attempt to get her homework caught up and attend her potions lessons.

Shayleh felt his eyes on her, as she did everytime she entered the Great Hall for a meal. She had begun to wonder if he had started to figure her out. He hadn't revisited her mistake in their continued potions lessons. In fact, the last one had been an even greater disaster. He stood so close that she bumped into him, sending the whole Valerian root clutched in her hand into the cauldron when it only called for a small amount. Both of their faces were covered with soot after the contents congealed and created a small blast.

She hadn't been able to keep herself from laughing when he looked at her with fury in his eyes. His lip twitched and he clenched his jaw. Small pieces of his raven hair stuck out in all directions and she couldn't help but swipe her thumb down his cheek causing him to shout. He practically chased her out of his classroom. She erupted in more laughter after she was in the corridor. Her Severus had been covered in soot more times than he would ever be able to recall. She didn't let this Severus' insults or jeers grind her down anymore.

Nate joined them at the Slytherin table, practically bursting at the seams with news. "Have you heard? There's rumor of a Yule Ball."

Shaylah and Carrie both lifted a brow as they glanced at one another. "You're excited for a dance?" Asked Shaylah.

"Of course!" Nate answered as if it was obvious. "I can't wait to wear my dress robes and dance the night away. My Gran taught me how to dance when I was little." He shot Shaylah a glance as he took a sip of Pumpkin Juice. "You're going to go aren't you?"

She ran her fingers through her hair before plopping a pile of potatoes onto her plate. "I don't know Nate, I'm not great at dancing."

"I'll teach you. I think each Head of House is supposed to give lessons, but I'm not entirely sure Professor Snape would be a great teacher. I bet he's never danced." Nate's eyes shot toward the Head Table.

Shaylah actually wasn't sure if Severus could dance. In their time, there were no balls to attend or many social gatherings. They didn't even get to dance at their wedding. They just struggled to survive and take down the evil that loomed over them. "Perhaps he can teach us how to make a dancing potion." Carrie cut in with a laugh.

"It's just a rumor though right? There hasn't been an announcement?" Asked Shaylah.

Nate shrugged his shoulders. "Well no, but the portraits are a great place for gossip and I heard them talking." He took a huge bite of potatoes. "You'll go with me, won't you Shay?"

"I don't know if I'm going to go at all." She shrugged.

Marsha joined them at just the right time to ease the tension Nate had just created. "Are you guys ready to find out who the Triwizard Champions are?"

Nate puffed out his chest, his shaggy hair fell over green his eyes. "I put my name in."

"So did most of the seventh years," said Marsha. "I bet Viktor will be the champion for Durmstrang."

All the girls within earshot shook their heads in a dreamy way. Shaylah still didn't know who Viktor was but he had definitely attracted the attention of her classmates. Shaylah finished the food on her plate and stood from the table. "I have to go to the library to finish my homework for Moody's class, anyone care to join?"

Nate shoved the last bite of roast into his mouth and took a swallow of pumpkin juice. "I will. I have some herbology homework to finish." Shaylah gave him a small smile but the seering look from her potions professor did not go unnoticed. What was he playing at? By all accounts he despised her. Yet, she couldn't help but notice that Nate leaving the Great Hall with her had set Severus on edge.

Nate had helped her greatly with some Arithmancy homework and kept her silent company in the library. They had been working for a few hours when he let out a deep yawn and excused himself. Shaylah had decided she herself was rather tired and had begun to pack her books and parchment when a familiar shadow loomed over her. A sneer plastered on his face. "I see you had more important things to do than attend your extra potions lesson."

Shaylah's brows knit together. "But sir it's Friday, we don't have another lesson until-"

He cut her off. "Your blunder from our last lesson proved that you're even more inept than I thought. Two lessons a week obviously is not enough."

"But sir you didn't-"

"Monday, Thursday and Friday, Miss Epans. Now, I have much more to do than be blown to pieces by your incompetence, let us get on with it."

She had come to realize it was a rather good thing that she had not attended Hogwarts in her youth. She would not have bitten her tongue the way she had to now. She would have surely been expelled after returning the same venom he spat at her back at him. She finished gathering her belongings and followed him to the dungeons in silence.

When they entered the classroom she sat her books on a vacant table and made her way to the cauldron that was always out and ready for them to use. Instead of joining her on the same side of the table, Severus stood across from her. He pressed his palms onto the table and gestured for her to begin. A potions book was already open to Wiggenweld Potion and the ingredients were already neatly arranged around the book. She ran her finger down the page and opened her mouth to ask a question but when their eyes met, she felt the familiar uneasy feeling that started in her fingers and ran down to her toes. She immediately focused and felt it ebb away.

She didn't mention it but she saw his eyes widen in recognition. How much had he seen? She thought she had taken action quick enough that he hadn't seen anything at all, but she had outed her ability. A strange look passed behind his eyes, one of intrigue and frustration. She moved her eyes back to the book as if nothing had transpired. "Sir, it says here that we need seven Chizpurfle fangs but there are only five in the bottle."

He huffed. "Use what I have provided, don't question me." He spoke through gritted teeth. The anger in his tone sent shivers down her spine. She continued to work on the potion without another word and she refused to look him in the eye. As she stirred in the required ingredients, the potion began to come together. The color was correct and the consistency was perfect. She watched his face soften with surprise as she tapped her wand on the rim of the cauldron and placed a stasis charm, as the recipe instructed.

She had done her best on this potion, if only to show him she wasn't a complete imbecile. She would never excell but she could absolutely improve. "All done Professor."

The green glow of the potion reflected in his dark eyes as he examined it as if she had cheated somehow with him watching so intently. "Hm, indeed. Do you know what Occlumency is, Miss Epans?" The potion no longer seemed to matter, her triumph was overshadowed by something he found more intriguing.

"Yes sir, I've read about it."

He folded his hands behind his back. "Have you ever practiced it?"

"No sir, I wouldn't know how."

She could see he was digging, burrowing inside his own mind to find answers. He had noticed the subtle things that only he had known that she now knew too. If he were able to recognize the way her walls were built, it might help him break them. She swallowed audibly, but still refused to make eye contact. She couldn't give him another chance to attempt his trick. He was the one who had taught her how to build it and she was sure he was the one who would wield the necessary weapons to destroy it. "Don't lie to me!" His voice boomed and the empty vials shook on the table as he slammed his palms down on it.

Shaylah took a step back, her hands out in front of her in a defensive stance. "I don't know what you want from me Professor."

"Neither do I." He growled.

She quickly gathered her books and left his classroom, not waiting for him to dismiss her. In the corridor she slammed her back into the cold stone and let it cool her body. Her chest heaved and tears pricked the corners of her eyes. She heard the breaking of glass from inside the classroom, followed by a shout. He had latched on to the tiny pieces of himself she had let slip and was grasping at them hoping to find the end of the string.

She hurried back to the common room, it was well after curfew. She just hoped she didn't get stopped by the caretaker or she would be brought right back to her Head of House who was already distraught over her very existence.