Severus Snape was an odd, odd, man.
That was the conclusion Kora came to years ago, and he had yet to prove her wrong. She didn't want to hate him, but she vowed to hate fools, and he was foolish. He was hopelessly in love with Lily Evans, yet she thought of him as nothing more than a friend.
"Snape," She said curtly as she danced around him in an attempt to refrain from falling.
"Collins," He replied, his mind obviously elsewhere.
Kora sighed and walked outside; she whistled loudly and waited to mount her broom.
"Ey, Collins, I want a ride! Just not on that broom!" Sirius Black called, and Kora scoffed.
"Piss off, Black!" His friends burst into laughter and Kora flew towards them to greet the only one of them she found slightly bearable.
"Hey Remus!" she said happily, ignoring the others.
"Kor!" Remus said happily. She laughed and ruffled his hair, grimacing when she saw Lily Evans over his shoulder.
"Oi, Evans, where'd Snape go?" As if on cue, the boy ran out of the school and spotted the relatively large group. Lily and James were whispering back and forth and the girl's face was becoming increasingly darker. Suddenly, she grinned and ran off in Snape's direction. Kora floated just above James' head and watched as Snape's face fell, and he became angry.
"Take that, Snivellus!" James yelled and Kora narrowed her eyes. She swore not to be particularly fond of Snape, but that didn't mean she had to let such behavior go unpunished. She flew forwards rapidly and kicked him in the head.
"Whoops, Sorry!" She left and followed the path Snape had been traveling and wound up at her favorite spot near the black lake.
"Severus, I'm-"
"Don't!" He growled, standing to stomp away.
"Sev!" That got his attention, he whirled around and glared.
"What did you call me?"
"S-Sev?" I whispered weakly and he sent a hex flying at me.
That was the last time I saw Severus. Years later, I returned to Hogwarts as an assistant teacher. Today was my first day. My specialty was potions so they set me up with their potions professor. I walked into the classroom and my mouth fell open.
"Sev-erus? Severus Snape, is that you?" He looked up and was equally shocked to see me. His eyes narrowed at me and I flinched, not wanting to face his wrath yet again.
"Kora, Kora Collins?" He asked and I nodded slowly.
"The one and only." His expression softened and I was surprised. The last time I saw him, He was looking at me like I stole the cookie from the cookie jar! When we all know that it was James. But now, he was looking at me like one would look at an old friend.
"Last time I saw you-"
"A hex was—"
"You were half-dead in the hospital wing." My eyes widened at his proclamation. Had I been visited while I was in the hospital wing? Surely not... But- I began to speak but was interrupted when students began to enter the room.
"Take your seats, class." Snape said in a monotone and I almost obeyed. He seemed so much older!
", (assuming you haven't married) care to introduce yourself?"
I smiled at the class and thanked Snape.
"Hello, I'm Kora Collins (no professor, I'm not married, not even close.) I'll be your assistant teacher from now on."
"Umm, If you don't mind my asking, how old are you?" A girl with the face of a pug asked.
"Oh I'm old, a few days younger than Professor Snape, here." A black haired boy with emerald green eyes looked up and I turned to Severus.
"He couldn't possibly be…"
"Potter's son? Yes, he is." I wasn't sure what to say, the son of the two people I hated most in this world was sitting four feet away from me.
"She older than she looks," He muttered to the red-head sitting next to him.
"Bite your tongue!"
"Ma'am."
"Only I can joke about my age! But that's beside the point, Professor, if you will-"
"Thank you, Ms. Collins." He lectured about truth potions and then set to cauldrons out.
"Ms. Collins." I sat down and immediately felt like a third year again; only this time I was definitely hot for teacher. I brewed a potion that was weaker than veritaserum, but above standard. It flashed lavender, then orange, and then settled at a soft blue. I presented it to Snape and he smirked.
"Nice choice." I blushed at the compliment and set out to help the struggling students. The rest of the day went by smoothly, and finally I was left alone with Snape.
"It's nice to see you again, Sev, really." I commented.
"Sev?" He asked with a chuckle and my hand flew to my mouth.
"I'm sorry!"
"Don't worry about it, Kor, I find it attractive when you say it." He said nothing else, and disappeared into his room. A grin split my face in half and a blush flooded my cheeks. I was gonna like it here.
What a fool I was.
A happy fool.
Why do fools fall in love?
Why do birds sing so gay?