Margarite’s Turn by Livvy

Margarite's Turn by Livvy

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Professor Snape truly hates me. I found out recently when all of us seventh-years from all the houses got together for girls' night. We were gossiping about who likes whom, and who fancies whom, stuff like that. I always felt on the periphery, being a 'love child.' Perhaps that's the reason why I work so hard at being popular. My mum is Mary MacDonald. She had a secret romance with a Death Eater, before he actually 'became' a Death Eater, named Regulus Black. I never met my father's family, just knew that I had an Uncle Sirius that had been in Azkaban. My mum said she was proud that my father tried to leave Voldemort, even if it got him killed. She insisted I wear the Black name. I would have rather been a MacDonald, but my mum put it on my birth record. My name is Margarite Black. At least I'm a Gryffindor. Honestly, after this night, I will never think of myself as paranoid again. The Slytherin girls confirmed it: Professor Snape truly hates me.

They said it's because of my Uncle Sirius, but no one really knows the whole story. They had been sworn enemies all through their years at Hogwarts. He used to call Professor Snape "Snivellus." Even the Slytherin girls laughed when they told that tidbit. They said it's because I'm a Black. My mum always said I looked more like my father's side of the family: tall, black hair, nice-looking. I always thought Mum meant that I took after my dad, although Snape must think I take after my uncle since I'm in Gryffindor like Uncle Sirius was and my Dad was a Slytherin. But my Mum was in Gryffindor. Maybe I am more like my uncle. All I know is that it's not fair to be prejudiced against a person because they happened to be related to someone who was a bastard in their youth. As if anyone could ever claim they had never acted stupid or had been a prat sometimes growing up!

Well, at the slumber party we all gathered for a game of Truth or Dare. I got a dare card like everyone else. I don't mind...another inheritance from my father's side. My mum says I just can't resist a dare. She always said I was a bit like my Uncle Sirius. They had been in Gryffindor together. She said he had a flair for things and never passed up a chance to show off.

I've got one day to pull it off, and there has to be a witness...at least one...to make it valid. So, I bide my time. Oh, I'm going to get Snivellus and how! I'm going to humiliate and embarrass the sneer right off his face! And I will love every minute of it. No one gets the right to piss on me because of my parents!

***** *****

I was in the library with a bunch of Gryffindors and Ravenclaws, studying for our NEWTs. We were working hard, making study notes and looking information up in our books. Today, we're working on making our study notes to help us prepare. We were settled in near the rear, by the Restricted Section, so we could chat a little while we work...Miss Pince is a bit of a nutter when it comes to "proper library conduct," as she puts it...the old cow! Also, if someone needed something from the Restricted Section, I'm the one to do it. I am not scared to do daring things or afraid to get into trouble. As it is, I hardly get caught, and if I do, I can always talk my way out of it...unless it's Snape.

Domina whispered to us, "Hey, who's got the next dare?"

Carlie laughed quietly and said, "It's going to be Margarite."

"That's right," I said as I look around at all of them proudly, "laugh it up. I'm not fussed."

"You can't say you're not scared!" hissed Bernise.

"Honestly, no," I said matter-of-factly. "I've been waiting for something like this to happen."

Carlie leaned back in her chair. "Well, Mar, looks like your wish has come true. Check out your bag."

I looked down at where Carlie gestured, and sure enough, my card in my backpack was glowing yellow. "Well, I'll be buggered," I mumbled. "Looks like Tracey did the old boy already."

Phylis' 'Snape' radar went off, and she glanced up with that look on her face she gets whenever Snape is in the room. "No one better be 'doing' anything with Severus!" she snapped, pointing a finger playfully at me and Carlie with a grin.

I rolled my eyes towards Austrina, who smirked and shook her head.

"Hose down, Phylis," I retorted. "No one's after your bat."

We got back to work, and Austrina nudged my arm and jerked her head to the side. "Psst! There he is," she said in a quiet singsong voice.

Bernise looked down at her essay, obviously getting nervous. "Please don't do anything here, Mar!" she begged.

"Oh, old pinched face isn't even around. She's probably snogging Filch in the backroom," I said in irritation.

Emma lifted her head up from her book and said, "Ugh! That was totally uncalled for. No one needs that visual in their heads."

Everyone laughed softly. I watched to see where Snape was going and could see that he was in fine form today, smacking a third-year in the back of the head for talking, taking points away from a couple of second-year girls for giggling over Witch Weekly. I wondered if he'd already made a first-year Hufflepuff cry today. Snape flicked his hand to make a seventh-year boy's chair land on all fours with a thud while snapping at another boy for having his feet on the table, putting the second boy in detention for not removing his feet fast enough and the first boy for not sitting properly in his chair. When they mumbled, Snape deducted ten points from each for their cheek and another ten for their infraction as he walked away.

I watched him head for the Restricted Section not too far from us. "Perfect," I whispered. "Snivellus."

"Can I just say that it's so creepy when you say that?" said Carlie out of the corner of her mouth.

"Please don't get into any more trouble," pleaded Bernise in a hiss. "You could get suspended!"

"Remember," whispered Vera, as she shook a finger at me. "You can not antagonize him. He has to be mean to you first."

"Ladies," a deep, smooth voice washes over us. Bernise looked as if she was going to pass out. Austrina bit her lip, trying hard not to laugh. Snape can only see my profile, so I winked at Carlie.

"Is there a reason for all this whispering?" he asked with a softly spoken sneer as his eyes roved over us.

"We're just studying and helping each other out for the NEWTs," Vera said in her mothering tone.

"You all need to work more quietly," he snapped softly. "Although, I shouldn't be surprised; wherever Miss Black is, trouble is never far away."

My mind started whirling, and I jumped at the opportunity. I start flipping through my Potions book and said, "Professor Snape? May I ask you a Potions question?" I placed my most innocent look on my face, and he sighed impatiently.

"I highly doubt it. However, go on," he said in a bored tone as he began to become very interested in the state of his fingernails.

I took a deep breath and said rather loudly and quickly, "I am studying up on Strengthening Solutions, and I wanted to know are-you-on-your-RAG-WEEK?"

I listened as the girls started ducking behind their hands, books, anything to hide the fact that they all wanted to burst out laughing.

I kept a straight face as his grew increasingly pale. A nervous twitch near his mouth started moving. I would love to take credit for that twitch, but it was there long before I ever began to be a burr in his backside. My Uncle Sirius probably gave it to him.

He was silent for nearly a minute until he said in a murderous whisper, "I want you to repeat exactly what you said, and say it clearly this time."

His black eyes bored into mine, and I said, "I was asking, sir, about Strengthening Solutions, and I wanted to know how many rat spleens? I can't seem to locate the number in my book."

He looked at me in disbelief, as if he knew exactly what I had said, and knew that all the other girls knew it too, although he'd never be able to prove it. Nevertheless, he wasn't going to let it side by. "Twenty points from Gryffindor, Miss Black, for being disruptive in the library and another ten for your belligerence. I will also be seeing you tomorrow in my office for detention. Since you have such an interest in rat spleens, I'm sure I can do something about it." Without looking away from my eyes, he flips the pages in my Potions book and points a long finger on the page. "There, Miss Black, is your answer. Next time, try actually looking at the text and not the pictures. Good day."

And with that, I watched him as he swept away back into the Restricted Section. Soon he was out of sight.

I turned to the girls. "Ah, bless him. Every bat has his day," I said in mock defeat.

"Oh, my God, he is so hot," said Phylis longingly.

I exchanged glances with Austrina and Carlie and said, "Phylis, I think it's time that we took you into St. Mungo's for shock therapy."

The other girls snickered and someone snorted. Soon we were doubling over in silent laughter.

"Rat spleen?" asked Vera. "I can't believe you, Mar."

I look at the card in my book bag, smiling at the glowing green letters. I flipped it over to show the girls. "One down, one to go!" I said enthusiastically.

I turned to Austrina, whose card would soon be glowing yellow, and patted her on the back. "Good luck, mate!"

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And the fun continues...

Author's notes:

The original prompt is: The next time he is mean, ask him if he's on his period.