Dream Jobs and More.
Part 1
I do not own Harry Potter.
17/5/09.
Set one year before HP goes to Hogwarts and so changes a little bit and will probably spread into his other years with the OC involved.
Anika had always been quite a bright student at Hogwarts, especially when it came to potions. She remembered fondly how Professor Snape had never been able to fault her, much to his what appeared to be annoyance in her eyes. Yet circumstances hadn't been on her side. Due to a tragic turn of events, she had lost most of her family and the other half of it didn't want anything to do with her. As she had to look after herself when she left Hogwarts, she couldn't do what she had always wanted to or go through other paths to get a good job. In pure need of survival she took a job in a pub down Knockturn Ally called 'The Killer Kurse". The hours were long and the customers were rude. Anika had to learn how to defend herself in most situations and once or twice made it very clear she wasn't afraid to use an unforgivable. It was a couple of years into the job when Anika had resigned herself to the fact that it was as good as life was going to get. Until when chance came, a familiar voice asked for a drink.
"A bottle of Elf-Made wine...Miss Delaney?"
She looked up at the start of the command. It was her old potions Professor, Snape. He hadn't changed at all and she looked up with a slight, embarrassed smile.
"Professor. Elf-Made wine you say?" She asked, looking in a cupboard behind the bar.
"Why are you working here?" He asked.
"Needs must Sir. That's seven galleons and eight sickles please." She replied.
"Need? Miss Delaney, I always thought you'd become a healer or private healer even. What happened? Why didn't you go for any further training?" He asked.
"Can't afford it, live alone, work alone." She replied shortly.
"You could have made potions Professor." He said.
"Unless you get the defence job, I can't see it some how." She added.
"Why does everyone know that I want that job?" He asked angrily.
"Because you send death-glares at every teacher who takes that place, every first of September." She replied.
Professor Snape looked very surprised at her bluntness. Yet he admired her for her honesty deep down, nobody else would have dared admit such a thing to his face. Yet Anika had nothing to fear from him, he couldn't punish her and threaten her with anything. He looked at her, a small, blonde-haired woman, she was no outstanding beauty but not an ugly woman.
"What if I had the defence job? Would you take potions Professor?" He asked.
"Dumbledore would never accept me. I'm too young." Replied Anika.
"You've done two years out of Hogwarts and you have all the qualifications needed. I don't see the problem." He added.
"With all due respect, you have wanted that job since you started teaching. Why would Dumbledore give it you now just to put me in your job?" Asked Anika.
"Because The Headmaster will be appalled when he finds out you are working here. I think this can work to our advantage." He replied.
"Oh I'm so happy that my shit life makes your life easier." She said sarcastically.
"I'm trying to save you from your shit life as you so pleasantly put it. Do you want my help or not?" He asked.
"Not as much as you want to help yourself. Fine. Just remember if this works, I owe you nothing. Not a thing. No favours." Replied Anika.
"Why would you accuse me of such a thing?" Asked Snape.
"You're a Slytherin, you do everything for yourself. You might fool Dumbledore some how, you'll no doubt go with your sob story about a talented young witch, stuck in some hell-hole of a bar, in a hell-hole of an ally and make it sound like you're really concerned, but I know different." Replied Anika.
"Did you take a Legimancy class at some point?" He asked.
Anika smirked at him.
"You still haven't paid for your wine." She replied.
To her surprise, he handed her most of the money on his person.
"I said seven galleons and eight sickles." She added.
"I know. But teaching robes and bar-witch robes are quite different." He said.
Anika opened the purse and only took what she needed.
"I'm not a charity case, there's no need to take the piss. I do have suitable clothing for an interview and teaching job thank you." She said.
Professor Snape couldn't seem to get offended. He smirked at her and took back his money. Before he left he looked back at her, as she began to clean some glasses.
"I'll see you at Hogwarts, next term as Professor Delaney." He said.
Anika shook her head. As an ex-Ravenclaw she had no reason to have any faith in him. He was never as cruel to her old house as much as Gryffindor, but he was remembered for his harsh comments such as 'Did the sorting hat make a mistake when it put you in Ravenclaw?" She smirked at the memory of the harshness and shook her head. Her a Professor? In her dreams as far as she was concerned! Potions Professor? Professor of glasses and drunks more like! She knew Professor Dumbledore could be eccentric at times, but surely he wasn't mad enough to turn a bar-witch into a Professor? It was Transfiguration beyond NEWT level and beyond as far as Anika was concerned and put the whole idea to a waste of hope and wishful thinking, until she received the owl, an unmistakable Hogwarts owl, with a letter that bore the school crest. Professor Snape had kept his word and Anika found herself making her way back to a castle that was practically home for seven years of her life. Hagrid had been waiting for her and opened the gates to let her pass. The doors opened and she made her way to the Headmaster's office, skipping naughty steps that tried to injure her and suits of armour that had a grudge upon her. The fun part was going through a list of sweets before she found the password 'Chocolate Frogs' and then knocked upon the main office door. It opened automatically at her touch. She stepped in carefully and the door shut behind her. The old man looked up from his desk and even Fawkes seemed to smile at her. Professor Dumbledore stood up and shook his head.
"Bar-witch indeed! Never in all my years have I heard of such a talent being wasted so obviously! Take a seat Anika Delaney, see if we can't solve this between us." He said.
