A 37 year old woman walked swiftly through the halls of Hogwarts, Professor Snape at her side. Her light brown hair, pulled into a messy ponytail, swung from side to side as she struggled to keep up with her acquittance.
"Severus, I really don't need a chaperon. I'm not 17 anymore." she complained. Her voice was silky soft, a more feminine version of Snape's own voice.
"I'm not your chaperon, Miss-"
She whirled around, her violet eyes defiant.
"Severus! We're best friends. We've been best friends since we were 3. Just because we're in Hogwarts, it doesn't mean we have to start using last names. So call me Sincerity, please."
Severus rolled his eyes.
"Sincerity, I assure you that I am not your chaperon. I am under orders to escort any unknown guests to the headmasters' office."
"Unknown guests?!"
Severus smirked.
"Any guests that Albus doesn't know personally." he corrected.
"I went to school here." she countered.
Severus' eyebrows shot up.
"So did Lord Voldemort."
She opened her mouth to retort, but thought better of it.
"Touche'," she muttered bitterly. "It doesn't matter anyway: We're here."
Severus shot her a smug smile before turning to the statue.
"Chocolate Frogs," he said, and the statue turned to reveal Albus Dumbledore's office.
Sincerity's eyes softened when she realized that this would probably be the last time she saw him until school began.
"See you later, Sev," she said softly, waving.
He smirked and made a quick bow, then walked away, his robed billowing behind him.
"Drama King," she mumbled before stepping into the Headmaster's office.
"Hello, Headmaster. I hope I didn't interrupt anything important."
Albus Dumbledore smiled at her, his blue eyes twinkling.
"Not at all, Miss Victalove. Please take a seat. To what to I owe this pleasant surprise?"
She sat in the chair directly across from him and placed her hands in her lap.
"I have a business proposition for you. Before I start, let me assure you that this will not only increase the over all health quality of the students and give them more in site into muggle activities, but it will also help promote inter-house unity."
Albus nodded, showing that he was indeed interested in such a prospect.
"Ice skating lessons. Many students believe, out of no fault of their own, that muggles sit around all day with nothing to do for fun. This will show these students one of the many activities muggles engage in to amuse themselves. The exercise with also be beneficial for their health. The class could be optional. Perhaps the students could earn points for their house if they attend. I'm not counting on many people coming, but the people who do will be healthier and more informed." she said
"I am interested, Miss Victalove," Albus said slowly, "But how will this promote inter-house unity?"
Sincerity smiled.
"If you say yes, I will assign the students partners of the opposite gender, and I'll be very careful to make sure that no one is paired with someone in their own house. Who knows? Ice Skating could be very romantic. Perhaps a few romances may blossom between houses."
Albus outstretched a hand.
"Miss Victalove, you are hired."
The first years had just finished being sorted and everyone was ready to dig in to their meal. Well, everyone but two people: Ginny Weasley and Draco Malfoy.
Draco, because Pansy Parkinson was stroking his arm and talking in that high-pitched voice that gave him a migraine. Talking and Talking, his appetite shrinking with every word she uttered.
Ginny, because she was too preoccupied with her feelings to think about food. Just a few months ago she could have sworn she was still quite infatuated with Harry Potter. Now, as she watched him talking to Ron and Hermione about one of their newest 'plans', she couldn't be so sure. Why had she loved him so much before? What about him had made her weak in the knees? What had made her heart stop when he looked at her? He was handsome, of course, there was no denying that. But that wasn't why. No, she could remember before Harry was 11, before she had every seen him, or heard his voice, she loved him. Because he escaped Voldemorts' wrath. She realized with a frown, suddenly feeling very superficial and slow. She didn't even know him that well-he usually ignored her and talked to Ron and Hermione instead-and yet she loved him-or used to love him. Did she know what his favorite color was? His favorite food? His favorite book? Did he even enjoy reading? It troubled her to know that she couldn't answer these things, while for many years she was sure he was her one true love. How silly she felt! The boy had never paid attention to her, hardly told her anything more than a 'Hello, Ginny", while she blushed and stuttered and made it so obvious that she liked him. Her cheeks burned with shame and she felt like running out of the Great Hall, away from Harry, Ron, Hermione and everyone else who had watched her make a fool out of herself year after year.
"Welcome, students, I am very pleased to introduce you to a new member of our staff, Sincerity Victalove."
Ginny blinked and looked up, the voice of the headmaster pulling her from her thoughts. She then noticed the woman sitting near Severus Snape, wearing something that resembled a muggle cheer-leading outfit. Snape was talking to her quietly before Albus addressed her. She looked up briefly and smiled at them all before standing up.
"I know you are all wondering what I am going to teach, but I'd like that to be a surprise. All I can tell you is that each day you attend my class, your house will earn 10 points. I'll warn you now: if you attend the first class, you must attend them all. Only 7th years can attend and classes will be held out on the Quidditch Pitch at 4:00 starting tomorrow."
With that she sat down and glanced nervously at Severus, who smirked and nodded slightly, indicating that she did well. She relaxed visibly, grinning at him as she picked up her glass of elf-made wine and took a sip.
"Bet I did better than you did on your first day," she teased.
He raised an eyebrow.
"Not quite; you forgot to call them all dunderheads."
She fixed her face into mock-shock.
"Oh, how could I forget that! They'll never attend my class unless I insult them. Albus, should I correct my mistake?"
Albus smiled at her.
"By all means."
Grinning, she stood up.
"What are you doing?" Severus hissed, standing up as well.
The entire hall was watching by now.
"My dear friend Sev had just informed me-" she began loudly.
"Sincerity!" Severus' eyes where wide with shock.
Sincerity turned to face him.
"Severus! How rude of you. Sit down and behave while I correct my mistake."
Severus' jaw dropped and Sincerity grinned.
"As I was saying, my dear friend Sev has just informed me that I have forgotten to call you all dunderheads. Being the humble woman that I am, I am not too proud to correct my mistake immediately, though for some reason Severus seemed intent on stopping me from doing so. Anyway, and please do not blame me if you are insulted, for I am only following his advice, but you are all useless dunderheads."
The hall erupted in laughter.
Snape looked shocked for a few more seconds before raising an eyebrow.
"Touche'." he said with a sigh, sitting down.
Sincerity grinned and sat down as well.
"Next time," she said, "No chaperons for me."
Almost the entire 7th year could be found making their way to the Quiddtich pitch the next day. When they finally arrived they found themselves paralyzed with shock. There, where the Quidditch pitch once was, was an enormous ice rink. Sincerity stood there, wearing ice skates and a gorgeous dress. Everything seemed to be perfect about it: The flared mesh sleeves that ended just above the wrist with slanted ruffles, the waist-length Georgette skirt, the front bodice lining, the rhinestones that where sprinkled generously across the baby blue glitter velvet. Almost all the girls felt a wave of envy overcome them; how had she gotten such a beautiful dress?
"Ah! I see that my little announcement yesterday gained me a few more students."
Sincerity's voice pulled them violently from their jealous daze.
Grinning slightly, she waved her wand and all of the girls where wearing the same ice skates and dress she was. The boys where also dressed differently now; they where all wearing cotton shirts with the first few buttons undone, ice skates and black trousers. The girls barley had time to shriek in delight at haven been given the dress when they all slipped and fell. The boys followed after them, and soon all students where on the floor-all but two, one who had been trained in 'Magical Ice Skating' (which really was the same thing as muggle ice skating, but taught by magic folk and named differently to please purebloods.) and one who had just been taught by one of her muggle friends.. So who where these two students, smirking as they watched there piers slipping on the ice?
Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley.
Sincerity tilted her head to the side.
"Are you two in different houses?"
They nodded.
"Wonderful. You will be partners."