Chapter 1: The Girl's Bathroom

Severus Snape was in horrible mood, even for him. 'Mad Eye' Moody was this year's Defense against the Dark Arts teacher. He hated him and the feelings were returned. Moody was trying to poison Dumbledore's mind against him and thought he was trying to kill Potter. He had already demanded to search his office and threatened to send him to Azkaban if he took put one toe out of line. Though Snape acted as if he wasn't, he was a little frightened of the retired Auror. He shivered a bit. Even the werewolf was better than this. Plus with the upcoming Triwizard Tournament, he knew he would have to deal with Karkaroff, the headmaster of Drumstang and his least favorite former death eater. For some reason, that man had always annoyed him; he was always so whiney. Plus there was the same problem that he had every year, Potter. The brat was just a as spoiled and snooty as his father and had embarrassed him last term.

Snape was roaming the hallways, looking for points to take away; that always put him a good mood. On the first night after the welcoming fest, students were always sneaking off to see their girlfriends or boyfriends that they had missed over the summer break, or to see younger siblings, newly sorted into another house to make sure they were okay. To his delight, he was right, and managed to take at least fifty points from each house, except his own. He would have taken more to prove that he was an evil bastard to be feared, but Dumbledore was most lenient on love and loved ones.

He decided to make it a night after not seeing any student for at least a few hours and slinked towards his dungeons in a much better mood. Then he smelled something familiar. He smirked and head towards the smell's origin. Tut, tut, he thought, some student is making a potion in the middle of the night…and since it is the middle of night, the potion must against the rules to make during daylight. He smiled evilly.

The origin of the smell came from a girls' bathroom and Snape slithered in. To his disappointment, no one seemed to be there. Though he did find two cauldrons simmering. He knew what each contained from their consistency, smell, and color.

One was one of the strongest healing potions there was. It was called Alleviation Ale and so strong that it could regrow and heal muscle tissue as well as cuts and burns. Not exactly against the rules to make, but difficult to brew. Snape felt that a mystery was brewing as well.

The second was Regina's Solution. A powerful menstruation aid that forced a woman's week of period pains and blood into one day. No pain or PMS, nor conception for that matter, if taken once a month. This on the other hand was against the rules. Pomfrey believed that Regina's Solution affected the ever-changing hormones of growing females, and endangered them. There was no proof that unstable hormones would deter the desired results or hurt the girl but Poppy believed a woman must understand her body and its changes before taking such a potion. It was even more difficult to brew than the first.

They were both made correctly, he could tell, but the question was who made them. They would be complete in about an hour of simmering and Snape thought that who ever made them would be back by then.

He slunk back into the darkness and waited for the brewer.

As he waited, he went over the number of students in the school who could make such perfect potions. He narrowed it towards upper classmen... or should he say upper classwomen, he smirked in thought. There were only twelve women in the whole school he thought could do it. Personally, he hoped it was Hermione Ganger, the little-know-it-all always got on his nerves.

He stopped musing when he heard the door open. He prepared to pounce and scare the girl when he saw who it was. His mouth opened and the words did not come out. It wasn't even anyone he had thought of; in fact, it wasn't even a girl. It was Harry Potter.

He was starting to hate this mystery.

Harry Potter hadn't seen Snape and went slowly toward the cauldrons. He stirred one very lightly. Then he looked at the other, frowning. He sighed and gingerly sat on the floor beside it, and when firmly planted he let out heavy breath.

Snape, still hidden in the corners, decided to observe more before making his move. Why in the world was Potter making these potions? Especially the Regina's Solution, as far as he knew, it only worked for females. Maybe Potter knew more about the potion than he did? He quickly dismissed that thought, how could a fourteen-year-old boy know more than him, a potions master?

The potions were done and Potter began bottling them. When they were cool enough, he took a dose of each. Potter sighed, sounding almost relieved. Then he cleaned up his mess and put the bottles of potions in his school page. He got up, gathered his things, and turned to leave. To his shock, leaning lazily on the door with his arms crossedwas a scowling Professor Snape.

"Well, Potter, after all these years, its seems you have talent with potions after all. Alleviation Ale. Regina's Solution. Both very difficult to make but it seems you have, in the middle of the night, in a girl's bathroom," Snape sneered.

Potter looked gob-smacked.

Snape continued. "What? Nothing to say? Are you not at least proudwith yourself for that accomplishment?"

He looked down. His cheeks were flushed but the rest of him seemed to pale.

Snape's eyes glittered dangerously. "Well, well. Just like your father. You had to prove me right once again. Too good for the rules. Spoiled, snotty, little bugger, aren't we?"

Potter said nothing.

Snape stopped talking and watched him. He knew Potter's buttons, and his father was one of the best targets to get the boy riled up, but oddly enough, this time...the boy was quietThis was abit unsettling. Potter was just taking and not fighting back. This wasn't like Potter, he was acting odd. Something was wrong. He decided to go with a different approach.

"This will cost Gryffindor 50 points for being out past curfew. And another 50 for making a potion that is against the rules. Not which one of your little girlfriends is this potion for? Ganger, no; she's smart enough not to let you near a cauldron. Maybe Weasley, are you shagging her? Wooing her with your fame? What dirty things did you make her do?" Snape smirked.

Potter said nothing.

This was infuriating. Nothing. Why wasn't Potter defending their honor? They were his friends. He had a bad feeling about this. Snape had learned one thing over the years, was to trust his instincts because his instincts were usually right. He decided to have one last go at it.

"Looks like my dream has come true at last. You are going to expelled. Wand snapped and back to the muggles. Come on, we are off to see Dumbledore." Snape gestured to the door.

"Please, no! Don't tell Dumbledore. Please!" Potter fell to his knees and begged. Tears flowing down his face. He was shaking and had gone white. "Please, I'll do anything! I will! I will! Please, please!"

Snape was stunned; this wasn't supposed to be Potter's response. Potter didn't beg. He strong and arrogant and augmentative. Not this. Snape would be pleased if this weren't so odd. This was so odd, he was a little afraid. Yes, the mystery had deepened and something was very, very wrong here.