Trickie Woo and snivelly13 for the reviews! I know there's someone else out there that wants to...yes? *grin* This one's a bit longer...

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~4~ To Teach ~

It was as Achlys was finishing the last touches on the lab the next morning when the fireplace hollered. Correction. Albus Dumbledore hollered from the fireplace in the opposite room, the supply room (goodness knows why there was a fireplace in the supply room, she'd have to remove it). She opened the door and noted with satisfaction that her request had already been granted. The room was now a study with plenty of books and the door to the supply room was to her right. She smiled.

"Breakfast is soon and I was hoping to introduce you."

"Ah... all right. Just... give me a second."

Achlys retreated back to the lab, double checked everything, and shrugged off her robe, delighting in the chill of the corridors. Albus opened the Great Hall doors with a wave of his hand and he offered his arm to her, which she took with a dazzling smile. Her eyes swept the tables, landing on the Slytherin table. As she sat down in the chair Albus pulled away from the table for her, she gave her Slytherin table a piercing look and saw the whispers run up and down it.

"Children, children! As you know, our dear Professor Kez has passed away..."

There was muttering and looks of sadness. The Slytherin table went solemn and one Slytherin girl burst into tears. The boy next to her pulled her into his arms and consoled her. Apparently, he had been well-liked.

"And we have found a replacement for both Potions and Head of Slytherin House. Please greet Professor A.A. Ashling."

Achlys stood up and the room did not immediately burst into applause and it was, as it had been in the staff room, hesitant and unsure. She sat back down almost instantaneously and the applause just stopped at the same time. Her eyes swept the room. She recognized Severus at the Slytherin table and she let her eyes slip to the Gryffindor table. Remus Lupin (he looked peaky; was the full moon close?), the man that had to be James Potter, Sirius Black (who hadn't changed a bit), and the last man, a bit pudgy and rat-like, that must be Peter Pettigrew. There was an auburn-haired girl nearby and Achlys saw her green eyes – a replica of Harry Potter's. Lily Evans.

"Is there something wrong?" someone asked in a whisper. Her hand snaked down for her wand before she yanked her gaze away and found herself looking into the catlike eyes of Madam Hooch.

"No. Nothing's wrong." She relaxed and managed to indulge in her breakfast to actually savor it. Later on, it would all taste like ash.

****

He watched her from his place at the Slytherin table. She seemed good enough, with just enough spice to keep people away and just enough wildness to grow on him. She seemed like a Slytherin. He watched her talk with Madame Hooch and he frowned. He liked Madame Hooch and she was a Ravenclaw. Ravenclaws were all right. He let up and ate a bit, the open book in front of him still ignored.

"Hey, Snivellus, got a reason for looking at the new prof? Think she's got a little something-something?"

Rosier. Severus ignored him and looked down at his book.

"Look at that! Snivelly just might have a crush! At least she's a Slytherin and not a Gryffindor Mudblood like Evans..."

He banged the book shut and rounded upon his housemate furiously. It was then that he found a hand clasping his wrist as he went for his wand and a somber-looking Achlys staring at him. She shook her head discreetly.

"Unlike most Heads of Slytherin, I do take points from my own house." Her gaze did not waver from Severus'. "Ten points from Slytherin, Mister Rosier, for provoking a student and a fellow Slytherin. Don't give me reason to do it again."

Achlys released Snape's hand.

"Don't hex him, Mister Snape, or I shall be forced to give you a detention. I don't relish it."

She walked out of the Great Hall, dress snapping at the floor and grinding her teeth together. Blast and damn it. She had successfully alienated her house. That would have to be remedied tonight. A passing Slytherin was stopped.

"Send a message to Slytherin house. Everyone is to be in the common room at seven tonight, especially the seventh years."

The Slytherin nodded briskly and walked away, leaving Achlys to enter her classroom and collect her thoughts. It was then that she decided to employ the only teaching method that she thought actually worked, with distinct alterations: Snape Teaching.

It was, of course, a stroke of bad luck that she had the N.E.W.T. class first period.

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The class looked as if there was a mixture of apprehension, disgust, anger, and bigotry. She entered in a swirl of dark green teaching robes, face neutral and lined harshly. She swirled upon them, eyeing each and every one of them before starting to speak, placing her fingers in steeple form and projecting her voice, only a low murmur, across the room.

"I sincerely doubt that you have truly been taught what it is the fine art of potion making. There will be no – foolish – wand – waving – here," she said, enunciating each word with particular force. "Irrevocable accidents will happen. If you can pay attention for long enough, I can teach you to... bottle fame... brew glory... put a stopper in death... create the image of death... and give you tools to create things beyond your wildest imaginations and whatnot," she said, slipping into a faster, more comfortable speech. "This is the N.E.W.T. class. It will be harder. It will be harsher. But, if you play your cards right, it will be something that you will remember, probably not with fondness, but you will remember. And it might just secure your future."

Achlys released her cloak, allowing it to fall into a chair, and stood there in her teaching robes, sweeping her gaze over the class.

"Furthermore, I have been informed that I have James Potter, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin in this class."

There were snickers and she silenced them by merely tightening her lips. She found the trio in the bad and made her way to them. She planted her hands on the desk of the leader of the group, James Potter.

"I have heard several stories this morning about your little band of misfits. None of them will – be – happening – in – this – room. Is that clear?" she hissed as she leaned forward slightly.

He nodded and she cast her glance down at the other two.

"That goes for you two as well. Or you shall see exactly how creative I can be when it comes to punishments. Oh and, Mister Lupin, see me after class."

That last part was said with something like boredom as she moved away and back to the front of the class.

"I have not received a list of what you've covered last month. Mister Snape?"

"We were studying the theory and history of Veritaserum, as well as making its variant, White Lies Serum."

"White Lies Serum?" she said, voice dropping a tone with every word. "Are you joking, Mister Snape?"

"No, Professor."

"My God. What a completely useless potion and something that first years should be doing. Right... Mister Rosier! What, pray tell, do you get when you mix powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

His mouth opened and closed and Achlys smirked in a way reminiscent to the Snape she knew.

"Do you not know, Mister Rosier? That is a first-year question. I do hope that you did not get into this class by merely cheating off the nearest possible paper. Mister Black? Can you answer the question?"

"Er... Sleeping Potion?"

"No, Mister Black. Not a Sleeping Potion. Mister Shacklebolt?" She recognized Kingsley Shacklebolt, half-French Ravenclaw and Remus Lupin's lover.

She allowed herself to remember when she had found out. She allowed herself to remember her own Hogwarts, thirty years into the future... Gossip vines travel fast in Hogwarts and none traveled faster than Constantine and Sebastian. They had been making their way to their favorite snogging spot – the oak tree by the lake – and found Kingsley and Remus under it instead! Half naked, and we're not talking about the upper half. She shook herself and just barely managed to hear Kingsley's answer.

"Draught of Living Death."

"About time. Five points to Ravenclaw, Mister Shacklebolt, for letting me know that this class is not a complete mass of dunderheads. I'm not going to waste any more time asking questions or we'll have no class at all. Get out your books and turn to page... three hundred and ninety four. Let's all pray that you're better at the practical, shall we?"

"But, Professor, that's – " a Hufflepuff started with astonishment.

"– the theories behind a Dark Potion, yes, I do realize that, Miss Santelle. Do you happen to know who is currently terrifying Muggles and Muggle-borns? Yes, I don't think I need to illuminate on that point. The Headmaster has asked me to do this, to help you all recognize a lethal potion when you see it, smell it, hear its movement in whatever cup it's in."

She pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Page – three hundred – and – ninety – four."

There was a rustling of pages and she sat down heavily, watching her class warily. Life, in general, was not going as planned.

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Bwaha! Page 394! *snickers* I just had to do that. You know I did!

Please review... The plot bunnies would be ever so grateful! (Come to the Dark Side, we have muffins!)
-Mel

Edit: Apparently, a sneaky paragraph moved in here AFTER a proofread this chapter, so I had to made it sound at least like it sort of belonged there. Thanks, Trickie!