The rest of the holidays went by without incident. Soon enough, we were all on the Hogwarts Express on the way to Hogwarts. 

People stared shamelessly as I approached along the corridor. They even pressed their faces against the windows of their compartments to get a look at me. I had expected an upswing in the amount of gaping and gawping I would have to endure this term after all the 'Chosen One' and 'Daisy Potter is an Angel' rumors in the Daily Prophet, and I enjoyed the sensation of standing in a very bright spotlight. I stopped outside the Insurgents' usual compartment and looked around: I was surrounded by mesmerized girls. 

I winked, blowing a kiss, and swept into the compartment. I smirked as I heard several girls swooning as the boys filed in after me and shut the door. 

"Damn, Softpaw, all the girls want you." Terry said in awe as he sat beside me. 

"And the boys, too." Fred said darkly, watching out the window in the door as several guys walked past, gawking and guffawing as they stared in at me. One of them mimed squeezing boobs in the air, and Fred stood up, yanking the blinds down violently. 

"So, what NEWTs are you two taking?" I said as Fred sat back down opposite me, folding his arms. The twins glanced at each other as Terry leaned forward, grinning. 

"What ones are YOU two taking?" George asked, his eyes twinkling. 

"Well, I'm taking Defence Against the Dark Arts - obviously - Transfiguration, Charms... er... Herbology! And - oh. I think that's it." I said. 

"I'm going to take all those, Potions, Ancient Runes, and Astronomy as well." Terry said excitedly. 

"You huge nerd." I smirked. "Maybe I'll join you in Astronomy if I feel like it when McGonagall's giving out the timetables." 

"Well, we failed spectacularly at Astronomy, and we didn't even take Ancient Runes for OWL, so those are out of the question." Fred said. 

"We were definitely going to take all those that you said, Softpaw," George said, "except Transfiguration, because we both got a P." 

"To be fair, it was a couple points away from being a pass." Fred frowned. "Sucks." 

"Wonder if McGonagall would allow us in if we begged." George mused. "If we said we actually wanted to learn this year. Promised to buck up our coursework. I mean, she's seen what we can do." 

"Yeah," Fred said, "yeah, she has. She knows we're a dab fucking hand at Transfiguration. She came into our shop for a cheeky look during the summer, remember, Bushy? Told us that she was impressed with our work." 

"I bet she'd let you return then." I grinned. "Minnie's awesome; there's no way she'd turn you down after seeing that you're great at Transfiguring, you're just shit at coursework." 

The twins nodded, and Terry clapped his hands together. 

"We were the same in results with Potions." George said sadly. "If only Snivellus wasn't the teacher." 

"Yeah, we might've actually liked the subject and then passed it if he wasn't there." Fred rolled his eyes. 

"Oh well, I can't even do Potions anyway so it'll be no banter without me." I tossed my hair over my shoulder as Terry gaped at me. 

"Excuse me - I'd be there!" 

"Yeah, and how are you gonna rile Snap up without me?" 

Fred exploded into sniggers at the word 'Snap.' 

Terry grinned. "Okay, fair enough. He'd go nuts if he heard you call him 'Professor Snap.'" 

George snorted. 

The day passed quickly as we were all having fun in the compartment. Kylie, Ginny, Bonnie, and Connie entered halfway through, the two female twins beginning to flirt heavily with the two male ones as Kylie dragged me onto her lap, touching me up and kissing all over my face. Terry and Ginny were chatting in the corner, pointedly ignoring the rest of us. 

But I couldn't ignore the rest of them. George and Bonnie were flirting back and forth, the girl with the straightened pink hair in her high ponytail being quite forward with her remarks and flirty touches, and George's face bright pink, but returning the cheeky remarks. And Connie was attempting to flirt with Fred, the wavy-haired brunette with the high cheekbones giggling as she talked with him and lightly touching his arm, but Fred didn't seem to show any interest. He didn't respond to her touches, and looked confused when she giggled especially loudly at one of his comments. 

I didn't know why I kept looking back at them, when there was such a sexy, handsome woman underneath me. I made myself turn back to her, planting my lips on hers, and her tongue worked its way into my mouth as her hands cupped my ass, squeezing it. 

Soon, the compartment door slid open yet again and Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco appeared. 

"Wish the lunch trolley would hurry up, I'm starving." Ron said longingly, slumping into the seat beside Ginny and rubbing his stomach. 

"Hi, Terry, Fred, George, Ginny. Hi... Bonnie? Connie?" Harry questioned. 

"That's us." Bonnie nodded. 

"Bonnie and Connie." Connie smiled. I hated her perfect smile. It was gorgeous and her teeth were straight and white, so perfect they looked fake. I didn't even know why I didn't like it. Why should I have a problem with another girl's smile? It's not that I was insecure of my own smile, I knew my smile was stunning. But why do I get that squirming, uncomfortable feeling of hatred when she opens her giant mouth? 

"Daisy?" 

I blinked. Bonnie was staring at me. 

"I was wondering if you were going to continue the DA meetings this year?" 

I cleared my throat, glancing around. Everyone was looking at me, waiting for an answer. 

"Um... I hadn't thought much about it. I mean, Umbitch is gone, isn't she? But I guess it was great banter... I don't know. I'll think about it." 

"I'd love it if they continued!" Connie said brightly. "I thought you guys were great teachers." 

"Oh... thanks." I said, my insides twisting almost painfully now. 

"Guess what?" Draco said, turning to me and Terry. "Floppy's not doing prefect duty. He's just sitting in his compartment with the other Slytherins, we saw him when we passed." 

I sat up straight in Kylie's lap, interested. It was not like Floppy to pass up the chance to demonstrate his power as prefect, which he had happily abused all the previous year.

"What did he do when he saw you?"

"The usual." Ron said indifferently, demonstrating a rude hand gesture. "Not like him, though, is it? Well... that is -" He did the hand gesture again, "- but why isn't he out there bullying first years or sexually harassing girls?"

"Maybe he preferred the Inquisitorial Squad." Terry said. "Maybe being a prefect seems a bit tame after that."

"Oh, yeah, and we heard that the Three Douchebags had to repeat their NEWTs." Harry said. "Apparently they failed them all dismally; though I think they're here for other reasons." 

He and I exchanged a glance. What the fuck? Why are they back? I thought we'd seen the last of them. 

"Seriously?" Fred growled. "Those assholes. Bet they're copying us." 

"Yeah, Floppy heard that you two are staying back in Daisy's year." Ginny said shrewdly. "So extra protection for her. So he dragged them back for extra buff on his side." 

We all stared at her. "Really?" I said weakly. 

Ginny shook her head. "I mean, I'm just theorising, I didn't hear it from anyone. But if I had to guess, that'd be what I think is the reason." 

"Daze, you should use your angel powers on them if they come near you." Harry said, his shoulders squared. But I shook my head this time. 

"I can't completely control them. I mean, I can do small things with my Grace, like normal everyday things that don't take much energy and don't make much of an impact, those things I can control." I said. "But stuff like bringing out my wings, or proper powerful shit, I can't control that. I can't MAKE them come out or happen, and when they do, it's always due to strong emotions I'm feeling at the time. And even then I can't completely control them. Because I'm highly emotional." 

Everyone was staring at me, entranced. Everyone knew that I was something special, something to do with Voldemort now, due to the Prophet, or what I had told them about the prophecy. And everyone knew that I was an angel... also due to the Prophet or what I had told them. The secret was out. So I don't know why I'm feeling so apprehensive about saying this. 

"I'm afraid to try to use my Grace when I can't completely control it yet." I said. "You know... the explosive stuff. The stronger, more powerful stuff that I can do when I get angry, or upset, or afraid. I need to learn how to control it or else I might end up hurting someone innocent, or someone I love. So until then, I have to keep it under wraps." 

Everyone was quiet; it seemed they hadn't thought of this before. What it could mean if I lost control and someone was hurt as a result. 

"So... you're really an angel?" Bonnie asked tentatively. "What was in the Prophet was true?" 

I heaved a deep sigh, and nodded. 

"Yeah. I'm an angel." 

But before I could expound on this, the compartment door slid open again and a breathless third-year girl stepped inside.

"I'm supposed to deliver these to Terry Boot, the Weasley twins, Bonnie Brooke, Kylie Ford, Ginny Weasley, and Harry and Daisy P-Potter." She faltered as her eyes met mine, and she turned scarlet. She was holding out eight scrolls of parchment tied with violet ribbon. Perplexed, we all took the scrolls addressed to each of us and the girl stumbled back out of the compartment.

"What is it?" Connie demanded, as Bonnie unrolled hers.

"An invitation." Kylie said.

I peeked at mine. 

'Daisy, 

I would be delighted if you would join me for a bite of lunch in compartment C. 

Sincerely, Professor H.E.F. Slughorn' 

"Who's Professor Slughorn?" Bonnie asked, looked perplexedly at her own invitation. 

"Oh, the new teacher." I said. "He likes to collect well-connected, influential, and, or, amazing students." 

Connie gaped. "Where's mine?" She said, outraged. 

The sick feeling in my stomach almost cleared, and I stifled a snort behind my hands, grinning satisfactorily to myself. Terry shot me a side glance. 

"Well, I'm not going." I said, stretching. "Can't be assed." 

"If you're not, then I'm not." George said, and Fred and Terry joined us in slumping back in our seats, grinning. 

Soon, the train had pulled into Hogsmeade station and we were eating our Feast in the Great Hall. We all bantered back and forth across the Gryffindor table, with Slughorn up at the staff table giving us sad glances all the while. 

"... And Mr Filch, our caretaker, has asked me to say that there is a blanket ban on any joke items bought at the shop called Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes." Dumbledore was saying as Terry, the twins, and I sniggered. The whole student body turned to look at us, most of the faces grinning. 

"Those wishing to play for their House Quidditch teams should give their names to their Heads of House as usual. We are also looking for new Quidditch commentators, who should do likewise.

"We are pleased to welcome a new member of staff this year. Professor Slughorn," Slughorn stood up, his bald head gleaming in the candlelight, his big waistcoated belly casting the table into shadow, "is a former colleague of mine who has agreed to resume his old post of Potions master."

"Potions?"

"POTIONS?"

The word echoed all over the Hall as people wondered whether they had heard right.

"Potions?" Fred and George said together, turning to stare at me. "But you said -" 

"Professor Snape, meanwhile," Dumbledore said, raising his voice so that it carried over all the muttering, "will be taking the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."

"No!" I said, so loudly that many heads turned in my direction again. I didn't care; I was staring up at the staff table, incensed. How could Snape be given the Defence Against the Dark Arts job after all this time? Dickhead. 

"But twins, you said that Slughorn was going to be teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts!" Hermione said.

"We thought he was!" Harry said. 

Snape, who was sitting on Dumbledore's right, did not stand up at the mention of his name; he merely raised a hand in lazy acknowledgement of the applause from the Slytherin table, yet I was sure I could detect a look of triumph on the features I loathed so much.

"Well, there's one good thing." I said savagely. "Snap'll be gone by the end of the year."

Dumbledore cleared his throat. We were not the only ones who had been talking; the whole Hall had erupted in a buzz of conversation at the news that Snape had finally achieved his heart's desire. Seemingly oblivious to the sensational nature of the news he had just imparted, Dumbledore said nothing more about staff appointments, but waited a few seconds to ensure that the silence was absolute before continuing.

"Now, as everybody in this Hall knows, Lord Voldemort and his followers are once more at large and gaining in strength."

The silence seemed to tauten and strain as Dumbledore spoke. I glanced at Floppy. Floppy was not looking at Dumbledore, but making his fork hover in midair with his wand, as though he found the Headmaster's words unworthy of his attention.

"I cannot emphasize strongly enough how dangerous the present situation is, and how much care each of us at Hogwarts must take to ensure that we remain safe. The castle's magical fortifications have been strengthened over the summer, we are protected in new and more powerful ways, but we must still guard scrupulously against carelessness on the part of any student or member of staff. I urge you, therefore, to abide by any security restrictions that your teachers might impose upon you, however irksome you might find them - in particular, the rule that you are not to be out of bed after hours. I implore you, should you notice anything strange or suspicious within or outside the castle, to report it to a member of staff immediately. I trust you to conduct yourselves, always, with the utmost regard for your own and others' safety."

Dumbledore's blue eyes swept over the students before he smiled once more.

"But now, your beds await, as warm and comfortable as you could possibly wish, and I know that your top priority is to be well-rested for your lessons tomorrow. Let us therefore say good night. Pip pip!"

"Pip pip!" I repeated loudly, and the Gryffindors around me laughed. 

"Pip pip!" The twins chorused, and everyone started copying us, sending a chant of 'Pip pip' all along the table. 

With the usual deafening scraping noise, the benches moved back and the hundreds of students began to file out of the Great Hall toward their dormitories. My Gryffindor friends and I all moved towards Gryffindor Tower in a small mass, chatting as we meandered down the corridors. 

"Hold it!" Hermione said, throwing out an arm and halting a passing fourth year, who was attempting to push past her with a lime-green disk clutched tightly in his hand. "Fanged Frisbees are banned, hand it over." She told him sternly. The scowling boy handed over the snarling Frisbee, ducked under her arm, and took off after his friends. 

"You're awesome, kiddo!" I yelled after him. 

"Thanks!" I heard a little yell back. I waited for him to vanish through the crowd, then tugged the Frisbee from Hermione's grip.

"Excellent, I forgot mine at home." 

Everyone was staring and whispering about me way more than last year, but I was used to attention, even if there was more of it than usual. I just beamed at them all with my winning smile, holding up an advertisement for Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes that I had unfolded from my pocket, and sauntered past. 

"It's rude to point." Ron snapped at a particularly minuscule first-year boy as we joined the queue to climb through the portrait hole. The boy, who had been muttering something about me behind his hand to his friend, promptly turned scarlet and toppled through the hole in alarm. Ron sniggered. "I love being a sixth year. And we're going to be getting free time this year. Whole periods when we can just sit up here and relax."

"We're going to need that time for studying, Ron!" Hermione said, as we climbed through. 

"Fuck that." I said, and Ron high-fived me. 

~~~

After we had eaten breakfast the next morning, we remained in our places, awaiting Professor McGonagall's descent from the staff table. The distribution of class schedules was more complicated than usual this year, for Professor McGonagall needed first to confirm that everybody had achieved the necessary OWL grades to continue with our chosen NEWTs.

"So, Miss Potter..." Professor McGonagall said, consulting her notes as she turned to me. "Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Transfiguration ... all excellent. I must say, I was incredibly pleased with your Transfiguration mark, Miss Potter, incredibly pleased indeed. Now, why haven't you applied to continue with Potions? I thought it was your ambition to become a contracted Auror?"

"It was, but I had to get an 'Outstanding' in my OWL, Professor."

"And so you did when Professor Snape was teaching the subject. Professor Slughorn, however, is perfectly happy to accept NEWT students with 'Exceeds Expectations' at OWL. Do you wish to proceed with Potions?" 

I glanced at Terry, who was sitting beside me at the Gryffindor table, unchallenged by Professor McGonagall. He grinned at me. 

"Am I hot as hell?" I said, and without waiting for an answer from the slightly annoyed Professor McGonagall, continued, "Fuck yeah! But I didn't buy the books or any ingredients or anything -" 

"I'm sure Professor Slughorn will be able to lend you some." Professor McGonagall said. "Very well, Miss Potter, here is your schedule. Oh, by the way - twenty hopefuls have already put down their names for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. I shall pass the list to you in due course and you can fix up trials at your leisure."

A few minutes later, Harry was cleared to do the same subjects as me, the twins cleared to do the same as me except Potions (Minnie allowing them graciously into her Transfiguration class), and Terry, Fred, George, and I all left the table together. 

"Don't worry, guys." I said enthusiastically. "Slughorn simps for me. I'll get him to slip you two into his class." 

"Can't wait to make illegal potions secretly in the back with you." Fred said, snickering. 

"Look!" George said delightedly, gazing at his schedule. "We've got a free period now and a free period after break... and after lunch... excellent. Perfect for the list."

We returned to the common room, which was empty apart from a half dozen seventh years, including Katie. 

"I thought you'd get that, well done." She called over, pointing at the Captain's badge on my chest. "Tell me when you call trials!"

"Don't be silly." I said. "You don't need to try out, I watched you play for five years!" 

Katie grinned as I tossed the Fanged Frisbee Hermione had taken from the fourth-year student. It zoomed around the common room, snarling and attempting to take bites of the tapestry. Crookshanks's yellow eyes followed it and he hissed when it came too close. 

"Right." I said, spreading the blank piece of parchment out on the table in front of us. "Let's do this."  

101 Ways to Piss Off the Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor: Snape 

1. Play with stupid wizarding toys in his classroom

2. Set his robes on fire 

3. Smile at him all the time

4. Fake an orgasm every time he calls your name on the register 

5. Turn up late to every class 

6. Pretend like he put the Cruciatus Curse on you every time he glares at you 

7. Transfigure all his quills into giant purple peacock feathers like Lockhart's ones

8. Ask him if he's verified on social media 

9. Bring large piles of books to class, and verify anything he states loudly, for example, "He's right, you know!" or "He's done it again!" 

10. Hack into his account and post an obscure picture of him from across the classroom 

11. Invite him to 'Sirius's birthday party' at the Whomping Willow 

12. Ask him why he doesn't make out with Filch because they share a passion for hating Daisy Potter 

13. Tell him to pick on someone his own size, stand on your tiptoes, and suggest yourself 

14. Call him 'Snap' 

15. Ask to borrow his wig 

16. Use the Skiving Snackboxes 

17. Tell him you've lost your pet werewolf and ask if he's seen it 

18. Perform curses and hexes on each other 

19. Take his pictures and slide them out the window 

20. For non-Potter-twins: Doodle things on your notes about 'that cute Potter kid'

21. Kick the bin over and spread the contents around the room 

22. Use 'Reducto' on random things 

23. Show up drunk

24. Find out what curse was used on Ron in the Department of Mysteries, use it on yourself, then turn up to class 

25. Make food in the back of the class

26. Sip tea very loudly 

27. Make casual but loud references to Daisy Potter being considered for an Order of Merlin

28. Do work for the business during class 

29. Do a photoshoot during class 

30. Ask him if he wants a massage and flirt with him 

31. Anonymously airdrop him obscure photos of him from across the classroom 

32. Threaten him 

33. Ask him if he listens to One Direction 

34. Play one Direction music 

35. When he glares at you, give a similar glare back. If he blinks or looks away jump up and shout "I won!"

36. Sit on the windowsill 

37. Bully Floppy and the Three Douchebags during class 

38. Transfigure his robes into a Weasley woollen jumper with a large 'S' on it 

39. Shout "Ten points from Professor Snape!" at random moments 

40. Tell him to take a time out when he gets mad

41. When leaving the classroom, wink and say, "See you tonight, Professor," with a sarcastic emphasis on 'Professor' 

42. Make out with a classmate during class

43. Offer to teach sex ed during class 

44. Tell loud stories about Neville's Boggart 

45. Hand out bunches of bananas to everyone 

46. Try to act cute in your Animagus forms 

47. Bring Snidget, Hedwig, and Pigwidgeon to class 

48. Eat nuts during class and leave the shells everywhere 

49. When he turns his back, imitate anything he just said in a high, squeaky voice

50. Turn his classroom into a neon themed nightclub 

51. Tell him, "NO. MORE. POMEGRANATES!" 

52. Dress up in something slutty 

53. When he leans down to inspect your work, grab your wand, place the tip of it directly between his eyes, and shout "Lumos!" 

54. Ignore him when he asks for your homework 

55. Stand guard outside his chambers like a bouncer. When questioned, say, "You wouldn't want anything to happen to him." 

56. Write swear words on his blackboard 

57. Hide in his office and giggle until he finds you 

58. Owl him the lyrics to your favourite songs 

59. Draw a detailed diagram of the female body on the blackboard 

60. Simply say that you were trying to educate Floppy and the Three Douchebags as they clearly didn't know their way around the female body 

61. Owl him long and detailed accounts of your summer holidays 

62. Bring a kid's kitchen playset into class 

63. Tell him you'll give him a gold star if he's nice to Neville in one class 

64. Buy him a haircare gift set

65. Anytime you catch his eye, wink at him

66. Offer to take him out to the Three Broomsticks if he needs any company 

67. Stand at the entrance to the classroom and charge for admittance 

68. Tell Rita Skeeter that he is a vampire and have it published in the Daily Prophet 

69. Propose a fourway with you, him, and the Weasley twins 

70. Get a hose, corner him, spray him down, then run 

71. Ask him if he needs a friend 

72. Tell him that you'll always be here for him 

73. Fuck around with the Invisibility Cloak 

74. Pretend that you're in Divergent and sort your classmates into factions 

75. Put all of his freshly graded essays into the bin 

76. Turn in all your essays on perfumed paper covered in scribbled little love-hearts 

77. Tell him to shut up 

78. Call him a wanker 

79. Play the Slumber Party song from an untraceable source 

80. Ask him to sing the class a lullaby 

81. Invite all the ghosts into the classroom 

82. Make his teeth grow abnormally long 

83. Publish a newsletter detailing his life and everyday activities and call it 'The Daily Snape'

84. Leave copies of Lockhart's books everywhere 

85. Give lap dances to everyone in the class 

86. When in detention with him bring a box of chocolates and say, "I love it when it's just us two." 

87. Tell him that he ought to have been in Hufflepuff 

88. Ask him out and sob when he rejects you 

89. Bring a toaster and start toasting everything 

90. Throw bits of bread at him like a duck 

91. Show him your iPad

92. Tell him that your uncle can send him a set of drills if he wants 

93. Talk loudly about your masturbation habits 

94. Grab Daisy Potter and drag her into his office by her ears, crying "Here she is, sir! I've got her!" 

95. Give him a tampon and tell him he has a leak 

96. Throw cabbages at him

97. Dress up as a slutty version of him 

98. Introduce him with the words, "Here is a man who not only has a brilliant mind and a wonderful wit, but can also sing." 

99. Everyone act like he stinks 

100. Remind him of the one year DADA curse 

101. Everyone Polyjuice into Daisy Potter and terrorise him for the day 

I was pretty proud of this list. 

An hour later we reluctantly left the sunlit common room for the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom four floors below. 

"I bet Snape gives us loads of homework." Harry said resentfully as we joined him. 

But I didn't care. I was elated at the prospect of sharing a class with all three of my best friends. 

The classroom door opened as my brother spoke, and Snape stepped into the corridor, his sallow face framed as ever by two curtains of greasy black hair. Silence fell over the queue immediately.

"Inside." He said.

I looked around as we entered. Snape had imposed his personality upon the room already; it was gloomier than usual, as curtains had been drawn over the windows, and was lit by candlelight. New pictures adorned the walls, many of them showing people who appeared to be in pain, sporting grisly injuries or strangely contorted body parts. Nobody spoke as we settled down, looking around at the shadowy, gruesome pictures. Fred, George, Terry, and I headed straight for the back row. 

"I have not asked you to take out your books." Snape said, closing the door and moving to face the class from behind his desk; Hermione hastily dropped her copy of Confronting the Faceless back into her bag and stowed it under her chair. "I wish to speak to you, and I want your fullest attention."

His black eyes roved over our upturned faces, lingering for a fraction of a second longer on mine than anyone else's.

"You have had five teachers in this subject so far, I believe."

"You believe?" Fred muttered under his breath. "Mate, everyone knows that. Why's he acting dumb?" 

I sniggered. 

"Naturally, these teachers will all have had their own methods and priorities. Given this confusion I am surprised so many of you scraped an OWL in this subject. I shall be even more surprised if all of you manage to keep up with the NEWT work, which will be more advanced."

Snape set off around the edge of the room, speaking now in a lower voice; the class craned our necks to keep him in view.

"The Dark Arts," said Snape, "are many, varied, ever-changing, and eternal. Fighting them is like fighting a many-headed monster, which, each time a neck is severed, sprouts a head even fiercer and cleverer than before. You are fighting that which is unfixed, mutating, indestructible."

I stared at Snape. It was surely one thing to respect the Dark Arts as a dangerous enemy, another to speak of them, as Snape was doing, with a loving caress in his voice?

"What the fuck is he talking about?" George whispered into my ear, and I snorted behind my hand. 

"Your defences," Snape said, a little louder, "must therefore be as flexible and inventive as the arts you seek to undo. These pictures," He indicated a few of them as he swept past, "give a fair representation of what happens to those who, for instance, suffer the Cruciatus Curse," (he waved a hand toward a witch who was clearly shrieking in agony, and Fred reached for my hand, giving it a squeeze) "feel the Dementor's Kiss," (a wizard lying huddled and blank-eyed, slumped against a wall) "or provoke the aggression of the Inferius." (A bloody mass upon the ground) 

"Has an Inferius been seen, then?" Parvati said in a high pitched voice. "Is it definite, is he using them?"

"The Dark Lord has used Inferi in the past." Snape said. "Which means you would be well-advised to assume he might use them again. Now..."

He set off again around the other side of the classroom toward his desk, and again, we watched him as he walked, his dark robes billowing behind him. 

"He looks like a giant bat." I commented, and the twins and Terry sniggered. 

"... You are, I believe, complete novices in the use of non-verbal spells. What is the advantage of a non-verbal spell?"

Hermione's hand shot into the air. Snape took his time looking around at everybody else, making sure he had no choice, before saying curtly, "Very well - Miss Granger?"

"Your adversary has no warning about what kind of magic you're about to perform," Hermione said, "which gives you a split-second advantage."

"An answer copied almost word for word from The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Six," said Snape dismissively (over in the corner, Floppy and the Three Douchebags sniggered, and the twins and I flipped them off), "but correct in essentials. Yes, those who progress in using magic without shouting incantations gain an element of surprise in their spell-casting. Not all wizards can do this, of course; it is a question of concentration and mind power which some," His gaze lingered maliciously upon me once more, "lack."

I knew Snape was thinking of our disastrous Occlumency lessons of the previous year. I refused to drop the gaze, but glowered at Snape until Snape looked away.

"You will now divide," Snape went on, "into pairs. One partner will attempt to jinx the other without speaking. The other will attempt to repel the jinx in equal silence. Carry on."

Although Snape did not know it, Harry and I had taught most of the class (everyone who had been a member of the DA) how to perform a Shield Charm the previous year. None of them had ever cast the charm without speaking, however. A reasonable amount of cheating ensued; many people were merely whispering the incantation instead of saying it aloud. Typically, ten minutes into the lesson Hermione managed to repel Kylie's muttered Jelly-Legs Jinx without uttering a single word, a feat that would surely have earned her twenty points for Gryffindor from any reasonable teacher, for fuck sake, but which Snape ignored. He swept between us as we practised, looking just as much like an overgrown bat as ever, lingering to watch me and Terry struggling with the task. Terry aimed his wand at me, and I flipped him off. He bit his lip to hold in the sniggers, eyes flicking in Snape's direction. 

"Enough." Snape said after a while. "Here - let me show you -" 

He turned his wand on me so fast that I reacted instinctively; I don't know whether it was my intention to do a non-verbal spell or if it was my Grace leaping out to defend me; all I knew was that I thought 'Protego' and everything happened all at once. 

My wandless Shield Charm was so strong Snape was knocked off-balance and hit a desk. The whole class had looked around and now watched as Snape righted himself, scowling.

"Who's lacking mind power now," I said, my heart pounding, "sir?" 

The words had escaped me before I knew what I was saying. Several people gasped, including Hermione. Behind Snape, however, Terry, Fred, George, Harry, Kylie, Ron, Dean, and Seamus grinned appreciatively.

"Detention, Saturday night, my office." Snape said. "I do not take cheek from anyone, Miss Potter... not even the Chosen One."

"That was brilliant, Softpaw!" George chortled once we were safely on our way to break a short while later.

"If this is what classes with you are usually like, then I'm fucking buzzed!" Fred said energetically, slinging an arm around my shoulders. 

"Daisy! Hey, Daisy!"

I looked around; Jack Sloper, a fifth year Gryffindor, was hurrying toward me holding a roll of parchment.

"For you." Sloper panted. "Listen, I heard you're the new Quidditch Captain. When're you holding trials?"

"I'm not sure yet." I said. "I'll let you know."

"Oh, right. I was hoping it'd be this weekend -"

But I wasn't listening; I had just recognized the thin, slanting writing on the parchment. Leaving Sloper in mid-sentence, I hurried away with Terry and the twins, unrolling the parchment as I went.

'Dear Daisy,

I would like to start our private lessons with your brother this Saturday. Kindly come along to my office at eight pm. I hope you are enjoying your first day back at school. 

Yours sincerely, 

Albus Dumbledore 

P.S. I enjoy Acid Pops.' 

"Ha! Snape's not going to be pleased... I won't be able to do his shitty detention!"