A rumour had started amongst the students that someone had cursed the seat of the Headmaster of Hogwarts. Right now it did not look like the previous curse, that the person could hold this office just for a year, but that the Headmaster appeared quite rarely in the school. Instead of that, he would travel or just vanish, because no-one really knew where Dumbledore had been going to aforetime – and now, this custom was adopted by Professor McGonagall.

I, on the other hand, had a feeling that since I had overheard her peculiar conversation with the stranger, odd things had begun to happen in the school. Even the fact that Snape had come back to the living was one of them; still, not the only one.

Sometimes strange people came to the castle; usually they were hooded, sneaking quietly into the Headmaster's office, where they were received by McGonagall, as long as she was in the school. Now and again during breakfast I could see some owls landing on the table in front of the Headmistress, but she never opened the envelopes, when people were looking, just quickly finished her meal and left fast as she only could.

I would not even mention that she really departed very often. Well, of course I was aware of the fact that as the Headmistress she had exceedingly lot of things to do, both in the school and outside, but as of late she could hardly ever be seen in the castle. One day I even heard that a second-year Hufflepuff told her friends that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named came back from the dead and McGonagall was looking for a way to get rid of him, or else Hogwarts would be in danger.

Snape, who had been just passing by, grimaced slightly and took fifteen points from Hufflepuff, which made the girl's eyes glisten with tears. His smile full of some grim satisfaction, he then added that he was awaiting her the next Friday after supper for a detention. The girl's sobs echoed across the corridors; her friends soon followed her, hoping to be able to calm her down – I could see hatred in the eyes of one of them, as she turned to look at Snape.

"I think you were too harsh for her, Professor," I said suddenly, which surprised even me. Snape also seemed to be out of balance. "No-one had ever forbidden gossiping in this school before."

"I don't remember asking you for your opinion," he retorted roughly. "This girl has been spreading this nonsense for a long time already, some of the students have begun to believe her. The only way was to stop this behaviour."

"Stop, but not in this way!" I protested.

Snape came to a halt and looked directly at me. I shivered, when his dark eyes met mine. Unwittingly, I took a step back, which made him grim triumphantly, showing his yellowish teeth.

"I almost regret that I cannot take you some points," he answered, and I frowned. "Ravenclaws would be delighted to see themselves landing on the very bottom of the rank."

I did my best not to let him provoke me, nevertheless, I was already on the very edge of my edurance. However, I knew that I could not lose control over myself, even if it was so easy to do so while talking to Snape.

I took a deep breath to calm down and, to my surprise, it worked.

"Even you, Professor, could not take any points away from me during the classes," I noted, for the first time feeling the sweet taste of triumph. Snape apparently had not expected that, because he could only raise his brows in surprise.

"Your achievements were digustingly mediocre," he admitted after a while, but when he was saying that, it sounded almost like a compliment. "But you are right. I was quite astonished, seeing such accomplishments made by a Mudblood."

Knowing that he had just won this battle, Snape bowed his head slightly and left, and I felt the blood rushing to my face. For the first time he had dared to call me like that, and it was even more humiliating when I knew that he approved of such behaviour even when it came to the students.

However, I could not complain to anyone. If I did that, he would win the whole war, and I could not let that happen. The last thing I wanted was for Snape to see me as weaker than I really was. Even if that meant that I would have to listen to his offensive words more and more often.

I was right; it was not the only time when the Potions Master had called me that. I tried to avoid him, but it turned out to be particularly difficult, because we kept crossing each other's way surprisingly often. On the days, when McGonagall was gone and her seat in the Great Hall was empty, it seemed to be even more bothersome, since I could not stop feeling Snape's pertinacious stare during every meal.

To tell the truth, I was not quite sure what it was all about. Every next meeting turned out to be even worse. And I really tried to avoid him like the plague – this way, I hoped, I could not provoke him, which would let me just exist – relatively at ease. But it never happened.

At some point I just stopped entering the staff room, and during every break between the classes I just stayed in my office. Thanks to this I could enjoy the tranquility, all right, but even I needed company. To my complete terror, though, every time I left my office, I met Snape. Almost as if he had been stalking me... even though there was no reason for him to do that. I was convinced that those meetings were just as unpleasant to him as they were to me.

Neville, of course, had spotted that something was going on, but at this moment his care – yes, I know I will sound ungrateful – not only did not help me, but even bothered me, even though I was really thankful to him. But what was I supposed to tell him? That first I was forced to listen to Snape's tale, and now this might-have-been dead man kept harassing me, followed me step by step just to make fun of me?

I have to admit that I did not understand Snape's behaviour. It was so not like him, and if not for the fact that I had been experiencing it for days now, I would not even believe myself. I wanted it to stop already, so I could just go out into the corridor or to the library unbothered, without the impression that even my own shadow has eyes.

At last, a little too late, I realised that the only way to break this vicious cycle is to talk to Professor Snape, but I had never been as terrified of anything as of facing the Potions Master after all that had happened. However, the longer it had lasted, the more I felt that it was inevitable. At the same time, though, I was even more intimidated, whenever I imagined that sneer upon that man's thin lips and the glance full of contempt as he called me a Mudblood.

After October came in November, rainy and windy. Soon, the first Quidditch match of the season was bound to take place, and I noticed that I had completely forgotten about it, even though just a few weeks before I had not been able to focus on anything else.

Just as always before such happenings, the Hospital Wing swarmed with students who had fallen victim to strange jokes. For example, one of Gryffindor Chasers was sent to the hospital from the Charms class right after a Slytherin Beater "accidentally" jinxed her brows, making them cover all of her face. Of course, Gryffindors did not remain indebted for long. A couple of hours later the same Beater was found with another team member in the Prefects' Bathroom, completely bemused. Despite Snape's threats, no-one could find out how it had happened and who had been the culprit.

Even though until now I had not rooted for anyone, now, deep in my heart, I had started to cheer on the Gryffindors, in spite of the fact that when I had still been at school I had been quite irritated by their arrogance. While the House of Gryffindor was considered to be the proudest of all, I had never been able to understand this phenomenon. It would be a lie to say that I had never had any friends from Gryffindor, but I had never really liked the majority of the red-and-golds.

Still, even they were better than the Slytherins. Even more so, since I knew now how much they are praised by Snape, who had once again become the Head of their House.

At the beginning of November a thing happened; a thing I had not expected and which tore my thoughts away from the Quidditch, Gryffindors and Slytherins, and even from Snape.

"A Head... of House...?" I repeated, staring blankly at the Headmistress's strained face. McGonagall seemed to be strangely tired, but when I had asked her about that before, she had got quite angry, so I had not tried to continue the subject. "Pro- Professor... I am not quite sure if this... I mean... I only started my job in September..."

"I am well aware of that, Miss Shirley," replied McGonagall sourly. "Nevertheless, Professor Flitwick asked me to let him step down from this seat. He considers himself too weak now. Nothing strange, I believe; he has already resigned from his retirement, just to stay at the castle..."

I admired Professor Flitwick; I always had, since I had been one of his students. Many students disregarded him just because he was so short, but I could not help but notice how remarkable a wizard he was. Well, I think all of us Ravenclaws adored him. Sometimes we had even managed to persuade him to teach us some extra spells. The best way to do that was to remind him about the old good times, when he had still been young and loved to duel.

It was sad to think that he was getting old, but it is the unavoidable fate of us all. Still, I would have never thought that I would be offered the office he had just resigned from.

"We need the Head of Ravenclaw. Right now, you are the only representative of this House amongst the teaching staff. And please, do not panic, Professor Longbottom took this office relatively soon after he had become a teacher, two years after, I think. Why would you not be able to do that, then?"

I was convinced I could notice a soft shadow of smile upon her face, but I could not be really sure about that, so I did not return it. I looked down and cleared my throat, having no idea about what to say.

I had just been a student myself. Neville had become the Head of Gryffindor quite soon, but it had still been two years after he had begun teaching. I had started just two months before, and everything still seemed to be so new, even if I had known the castle for such a long time. However, I had never got to know it from this side.

"I need your answer now," said McGonagall impatiently, and I noticed that her lips were slowly turning into a very thin, horizontal line.

I did not want to irritate her further, but for sure I was not ready yet to make such an important decision. And in such a short time! I felt my whole body shivering, my heart pounding in my chest so hard that I had a feeling it was going to jump out soon. My hands were shaking so much that I needed to occupy them, but since I had no idea what to do, I just pushed them into the pockets of my robe, hoping the Headmistress would not think of it as of a sign of disregard.

I was not ready yet to become the Head of the House. I still had troubles with being just a regular teacher; besides, the Head was supposed to be able to make decisions on a spot, and I was just proving that I was unable to do that.

However, I was the only Ravenclaw amongst the teachers. I had no idea what would happen to Ravenclaw if I did not accept the office, but at the same time, I did not even want to imagine that. I cared about the students, about all of them, but I still had that soft spot for my old House...

Maybe I was about to make the gravest of mistakes. Nevertheless, I was afraid that the Ravenclaws would be deprived of the care they deserved. It was perhaps unfair to the teachers, but I was worried that someone who had not attended Ravenclaw would never be able to take care of its students properly. On the other hand, was I really able to take care of them?

"If... supposing I wouldn't accept the offer... who would become the Head?" I asked hesitantly, even though I had a feeling I had done that just to earn myself a couple of seconds.

"That is a decision we would have to make together. All of us. Of course, it would not be any of the other Heads," said McGonagall, and I was sure I had noticed a strange gleam i her eye. Did she knew more than she could say? "Miss Shirley, for God's sake, do get a grip."

The last of her words surprised me to the point that for a moment I could not say a word.

"Pro- Professor...?"

"I am not accepting your refusal. There is no-one better for this office than you!"