This dramatization is an extension of some of what happens during Harry, Ron, and Hermione's 6th year at Hogwarts. It also covers flashbacks to Snape's first year of teaching. And as a warning, this is a romance with Snape, so no flames or anything. It was just a weird dream I had, and the majority of it involved being hit by the whomping willow. So please, just humor me.
Anyway, since J.K. Rowling is yet to publish the 6th book, I'm very vague about what is happening in the wizarding world since only J.K. Rowling can truly write anything about Harry Potter. This is highly likely to disagree with a few facts, but since it's me writing, and not the author, please forgive me any goofs that I might make in relevance to the actual series. Thank you for choosing to read my story.
Chapter 1
Harry, Ron, and Hermione stared bleakly at the dark clouds swirling above them through the roof of the Great Hall. Rain poured down, though none of it touched the occupants inside the castle. Flashes of lightning accompanied by bursts of thunder caused many of the first years to shriek in surprise. The entire hall was quiet and bleak, which was odd, even on the worst of days.
The foul weather had put every one into an equally foul mood, but none any more than Professor Snape. Harry glanced up nervously from his lunch, his next class was Potions, and he was sure that Snape's mood would make the class even worse than it usually was. Snape, when in one of his seldom good moods, was not a man to cross. His current mood made his class even more dangerous.
Snape was dark and brooding, which was quite obvious from the sour look on his face, which Harry and his friends had already noticed. It was hardly a week into the new school year, and already his temper was to the point where the first offending student would receive detention. The reason for his short temper dealt only vaguely with the fact of Lord Voldemort's rise in power, but also that a dark secret that he had thought long buried had risen up again to add stress to his already stressful life.
It had begun when Malfoy, a 6th year student belonging in his house, had stayed behind class to 'brown nose' to Snape once again. In the first few years of Malfoy's education, he had allowed this to occur, figuring that since the boy's father was so well placed with the ministry, it wouldn't hurt for him to favor and improve the grades of his son. Lately, though, with the knowledge that Malfoy Senior was a Death-Eater, loyal to Voldemort, Snape's patience with the boy had begun to ebb, and he was swiftly beginning to dislike the boy for several of the reasons that he had hated James Potter, though the latter hatred was not as well founded. Now, he had an even better reason to despise the boy.
The boy had a constant tendency to be 'stuck up' around his classmates, something that, despite his own arrogance, Snape could not stand. Also the status of being one of the Slytherin prefects had made him somewhat bolder among the teachers. The past week Malfoy had received a detention for insulting McGonagall during a lesson. As much as Snape disliked his colleagues, McGonagall was a proud witch who deserved respect, from students and staff alike. They were adversaries when it came to houses, but she still held his respect.
This particular afternoon, Malfoy had entered Snape's office to request the usage of an ingredient from Snape's private stores so that he could create a difficult potion for 'extra credit'. Snape knew that the ingredient he was requesting was necessary only in a spell that was used in creating illness in one's enemies. Snape was annoyed that the boy thought him stupid enough to fall for this and was about to tell him off and even deduct points when he received a message from Professor McGonagall saying that she needed to see him immediately. Thinking that it might have something to do with the Order, Snape hurried out of his office stopping only momentarily to warn Malfoy to touch nothing or to face the consequences, which would be grim indeed.
It turned out that all McGonagall needed to speak with him about was an increased amount of vanishing students ever since he had taught his N.E.W.T class about invisibility potions. He replied curtly that the students were ill prepared to make any potions that would keep them invisible for more than a few minutes and that his teaching methods hardly concerned her. In his usual storm of billowing robes, he swept out of her office to return to his own in the dungeons.
As soon as he entered his offices, however, he found Malfoy absorbed with staring into his Pensieve, the same one that he had found Potter staring into a year ago. Filled with fury, Snape snatched Malfoy away from the Pensieve and threw him forcefully out of his classroom, able only to make grunts of barely surpressed rage. It wasn't until later the next day that Snape remembered the smirk on Malfoy's face as he limped away, and the sight of two stunningly blue eyes staring up at him from the Pensieve.
Within a few days, the entire school had heard what Malfoy had to say about what he saw in the Pensieve, and instantly Snape's worst fears were confirmed. Not only was it bad enough that the school had heard about his memory of a fight with a former student, but to confirm that Malfoy was not lying, the girl's name was found in the trophy room broom closet, on a Head Girl Trophy that had had to be replaced. The entire school now knew that something had happened between Snape and a student, and every one knew that her name was Gabriella Gisaf.
Harry Potter and his friends Ron and Hermione sat in the common room discussing what everyone else in the school was discussing, Gabriella Gisaf and Severus Snape. The topic was popular in all houses, and rumors were flying about.
"Well, you must consider the source. It is Malfoy who has been spreading the story about them. Snape is a Professor, I hardly think that he would attack a student." Hermione stated knowledgeably.
"But why would he be spreading rumors about his own head of house?" Ron asked. "I mean, besides, we all know that Snape has a Pensieve, Harry saw it last year!" Ron nodded as if to confirm that everything he said was a definite thing.
"But why would Snape attack a student? And besides that" she continued to Ron's annoyance "The entire story is highly incredulous! According to Malfoy, the girl fought with out a wand! Her wand was lying snapped in half in the grass! That would be implying that she had the powers of a great sorcerer from the times of old, which is entirely impossible!"
"Why not-" Ron began, but he was interrupted by the arrival of Crookshanks and another cat, this one a shy Siamese, with pale brown points and large blue eyes. Crookshanks leapt lightly to the table, followed hesitantly by the Siamese.
"Why Crookshanks! You've brought a friend with you!" Hermione gushed, stroking the Siamese, who arched her back appreciatively, emitting a soft purr. Crookshanks settled down comfortably into Harry's lap, also purring and immensely proud of himself. Hermione continued to talk to the new cat, entirely forgetting about the conversation she had been engaged in just a moment before.
Ron and Harry cast one another knowing looks, then began to work on the Potions essay, an exceptionally long one on the properties of some root or another. Hermione, meanwhile, having already finished all of her homework, glanced around the common room, looking for a likely owner of the Siamese, who was now curling up comfortably in Hermione's lap. Seeing no one who seemed a possible owner, Hermione scooped the cat up with her homework and proceeded upstairs, followed by the envious gaze of Ron and Harry, who still had a few hours of work ahead of them. To their disgust, she cast an envious glance towards them at the sight of their homework, wishing that she hadn't completed hers so quickly.
The next day, after constant nagging from Ron and Harry, Hermione raised her hand in the beginning of McGonagall's transfiguration class. Glancing up sharply over her glasses, McGonagall acknowledged Hermione.
"Yes, Miss Granger?"
"I would like to know who Gabriella Gisaf is and whether or not she and Professor Snape fought." Hermione said in a rushed voice, glancing significantly at Ron and Harry. Professor McGonagall paused a moment, as if considering what to say.
"Gabriella Gisaf was a former student at Hogwarts. She entered in her 5th year, not yet having taken any classes whatsoever from any other school." She glanced at the interested faces all around her. "Considering that some teachers do not know the full story, and are likely to tell half truths, it is probably best that you hear it from me. I doubt that the other two who know the full story are likely to tell you anything." McGonagall took a deep breath and continued with her narrative.
"Miss Gisaf was a Wandless." There were quiet glances about the room. "Oh, really, doesn't anyone know what a Wandless is?" Hermione's hand quivered in the air. McGonagall nodded.
"A wandless is a witch or wizard that doesn't require a wand in order to perform magic. There haven't been any since the time of Merlin though, and those few that existed were usually only able to perform very rudimentary spells, nothing complicated. Merlin was the last great Wandless."
"Very good Miss Granger. Miss Gisaf came to school about two months ahead of time. It was not until that year that it was detected that she had any magic in her at all. At that time, we were told that she knew a few spells and that she was to receive private lessons over the summer to prepare her to join her class year and finish off at Hogwarts. However, when they said that she knew a few spells that was entirely an understatement.
In the few weeks since she had developed magical abilities and she had joined us at Hogwarts, she had already many credentials to her that has taken other wizards years of study to be able to perform. She was a Metamorphmagus, as well as an Animagus. And she was not just any Animagus either; she could transform into any animal that she desired. She hardly needed the teachers, we just taught her incantations and the theories behind them. I remember many a walk when she and I discussed transfiguration theory in the form of cats." McGonagall paused. "She knew many things that some of us didn't know, though it might have been because she had a fresh view on our world as no other ever has had. There was only one class that she didn't excel in right away, though she learned quickly enough."
Harry raised his hand. "Which class was that?"
McGonagall smiled wryly. "Potions."
A small figure stood dripping in the entrance to the castle of Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The pouring rain from outside had soaked her thoroughly. Her coat was saturated with the rainwater. She also wore a worn skirt and blouse, all of which was dripping water on the marble floor. Her honey blonde hair was bedraggled from the rain and it dripped down her back, ensuring that she wouldn't be dry anytime soon. She held a suitcase in the form of a worn canvas bag, which appeared to be half-empty. She peered around at her surroundings. Grand staircases swept upward in all directions, and large doors led to what looked like a large, though empty, dining hall.
A figure with a long flowing beard and silvery blue robes stepped towards her welcomingly. Startled by his sudden appearance, Gabriella stepped backwards, before realizing that no harm was meant by his swift approach. "Hello" she muttered shyly.
Dumbledore smiled warmly. "I hope that your trip here was a pleasant one. I'm afraid that no fine feasts are available as of yet seeing as no students but you have arrived and won't arrive for a few more months. You are, however, more than welcome to join the staff and I in the Great Hall every evening. We were just about to begin when I was notified that you had arrived. You may leave your possessions there," he added, seeing her begin to pick up her bag. "I'll see to it that it makes it to your temporary quarters."
Self-conscious of how wet and how miniscule she was in the over powering grandeur of the school, Gabriella followed Professor Dumbledore to the Great Hall, where one table was centered in the middle of the room. She could have sworn that it was not there earlier when she had glanced into the room. She sat down in the chair indicated her by Dumbledore, who introduced her to each of the staff members at the table in turn.
"Professor Sinastra of astronomy," he indicated a lean woman wearing dark blue robes, the color of the night sky. "Professor McGonagall of transfiguration" he nodded to a thin woman who had an even thinner mouth. "Sprout of herbology, Kettleburn of Care of Magical Creatures, Flitwick of charms" and on down the line of teachers and staff until he reached a young man with greasy black hair and a hook-nose, wearing black robes. "And Professor Snape. This will be his first year of teaching at this school, and he will be instructing potions." Gabriella nodded to him in a polite greeting. Snape inclined his head only vaguely towards Dumbledore. Dumbledore continued, as though not noticing the rudeness on the part of his potions instructor. "Well then, since all of us are currently present, why don't we eat!"
Gabriella glanced down to her once empty plate, and noticed that now that the plate was filled with food of many sorts, much more than one person of her size could possibly eat. There were pork chops, potatoes, corn, beans, chicken, fish, breads, rice, salads, and numerous other foods that she didn't recognize. She also noticed that all of the plates were filled with the same quantity and quality of food. Her goblet was filled with some sweet orange beverage that Gabriella later learned was pumpkin juice.
All of the staff found this odd filling of the plates quite normal and were already setting to eating what they could of it. Gabriella picked at a few of the items on her plate, but found that she was quite full before she could even make much of a difference in the quantity. She saw that many of the teachers were able to stow away most of the food, but that others, like herself, had merely picked at what they found most appetizing.
Dumbledore was taking his time, not noticing or not caring to notice that the majority of his staff was done eating. Gabriella noticed that a few were rubbing their stomachs, as though they had overeaten. As he finally chewed and swallowed a last bit of sweet potato drenched in butter and brown sugar he glanced up, smiling to his staff. "Any one up for desert?" There were many groans at this last remark.
After eating more than she thought she could possibly fit, Dumbledore rose once more. "My good colleagues, I would like to bid you good night, seeing as that I am now quite befuddled by my food, but first, I must say that as an addition to your usual summer time occupations, you will each be training Miss Gisaf to prepare her to join the 5th year class at Hogwarts. Now, I know that this may seem at first difficult for all of you, but I assure you that she will be a swift learner, and with your excellent assistance, I am sure that she will become an excellent addition to the students of Hogwarts."
He smiled broadly to the skeptical teachers and even more so to Gabriella, who was now sinking low into her seat. She wasn't as certain as he was that she could live up to his expectations.
"As the sorting will not yet take place for another few months, I have provided quarters for Gabriella in the dungeons in a location that is rather close to all of her classes. Now, since Professor Snape's compartments are closest, would you kindly escort Miss Gisaf to her rooms, Severus?"
Snape glared at Dumbledore under his mop of greasy hair, but nodded curtly, standing up to begin to lead the way. The other teachers and staff pushed back their chairs as well, and Dumbledore strode to where Snape was standing expectantly, whispered in his ear, and strode off to were his own quarters could most likely be found. As the hall cleared out, Snape stood watching Gabriella, and Gabriella stood watching him. Snape turned on his heel, his robes billowing behind him.
"Are you coming?" he asked over his shoulder as he strode through the large double doors. Gabriella swiftly hurried to walk just behind him and to his right. She glanced up at his stern young face, noticing that he was pointedly avoiding her gaze.
She turned her eyes away from him and watched her surroundings. The walls were adorned with rich tapestries and beautiful paintings. As she watched a painting of a particularly handsome cavalier, she suddenly saw him shift his stance and wink at her. Gabriella let out a shriek and leapt backwards. Snape turned to look at her, sprawled on the floor and gasping for breath, then turned to see the cavalier gaze at her with a concerned expression on his face. He rolled his eyes.
"All of the paintings that you will find here move." Snape snarled. "It is hardly cause to scream." He knelt down, pulling her up. He was surprised for a moment at how light she was; she clearly hadn't eaten well except for tonight's meal. Her eyes were a startling shade of blue, and he shivered slightly as her hair brushed his arm.
"Come on," he said, breaking away from her steady gaze. "I'm sure that you're tired from your journey." He strode of again. After a moment, Gabriella followed him. They spent the rest of the trip in silence, until they finally reached her room, which was situated down a long and damp hallway.
Snape bid Gabriella good night, then she watched the retreating form of Snape as he stalked down the hallway to his own quarters. Gabriella closed the door softly behind her. She looked at her bed where her bag lay, then about at the room. She flicked her hand and the drawstring of her bag opened wide. She waved it once more and some of her possessions flew out and placed themselves in various corners of the room. She smiled contentedly as she waved her hand one last time, causing her clothes to be magically exchanged with the pajamas from her new closet. The sheets drew back, and Gabriella collapsed into a deep and dreamless sleep.