Synopsis: Helena Appolinaire was a teacher evaluator for the Magical Degree Academy, which is something still new in the wizard world business but clearly growing since Dumbledore asked the Academy for their services.
It was for a simple reason, of course.
Everybody wants to know how their teachers were inside the classroom, so basically they were rated by someone who underestood the subject (as her) and also, later on the program, rated by the students — but that didn't count much since slytherins would rated gryffindor teachers bad and vice-versa. None of the professores were against the new project. Expect one. Severus never liked anyone to close to him, and Helena seemed like a pain in his ass. But with time... while things at the castle started to get strange, their relation also started changing. (*) Some muggle stuff are mentioned just to make it fun.

Every chapter is a new episode of her journey in Hogwarts. Later, her sister will be presented. New shipper: SiriusBlackxChloeAppolinaire

Not Always
Maddie Moe

1991
I was so happy with my new job. My father wasn't as pleased as I, probably because he rather see me working at the Ministry of Magic than Hogwarts but I didn't care which one were more important. I only had space in my heart for one place and it was the school of magic. Also, Albus Dumbledore came to my house in London personally to offer the job. Who — in their right mind — would refuse such an invitation? Think I said yes with my mouth fulled of my mother's (delicious!) toasts with smoked salmon when the director asked me during brunch — he didn't seem to mind my behavior and noticed how grateful I was. Since the day he visit 'til the day I had to leave home the anxiety took over me completly. I was eating like a pig with pms, even chocolat started to taste like water after a while — and I couldn't hear that word anymore or I would vomite. When I had everything with me I was ready to go take the train. My father, one grumpy slytherin, kissed my forehead. My mother, a lovely gryffindor, hugged me until there was no more oxigen in my lungs.
— Cinthia, you're going to kill her — He warned; she tried to hide her tears under glasses, but everyone knew the truth. I kissed her cheek and held my luggage.
— Be safe — I didn't answer, but my face spoke for myself. After all, I wasn't the difficult child of the family — you will meet the one later.

Back to me... I was a teacher evaluator for the Magical Degree Academy, which is something still new in the business but clearly growing since Dumbledore asked the Academy for our services. It was for a simple reason, of course. Everybody wants to know who their teachers were inside the classroom, so basically they were rated by someone who underestood the subject (as I) and also, later on the program, by the students — but that didn't count much since slytherins would rated gryffindor teachers bad and vice-versa. Anyways... Our methods include participation in class. Questioning teachers. And private interviews with themselves so we could create their profile not just based in what we see but in what the eventually tell us.

— ...so let's start this beautiful new year, shall we? — After explaning the students at the Great Hall about my work in Hogwarts that year some of them looked confused. Hermione Granger, who was just chosen for Gryffindor at the sorting ceremony, lift her hand to get my attention. I smiled staring at her and nodded my head giving permission to talk.

— There was nothing in the books of Hogwarts about the Magical Degree Academy.
— It is something new. So new you will be the first students experiencing. If you like history, miss Granger, I'm sure you would love being part of it. Any questions?

They were probably starving so nobody raised their hands — but I knew they had questions in their pretty heads (they would have time to it when I met them in class). Walked back to the professors table and Dumbledore got up just to say some few last, but encouraging words before the banquet, followed by a start-of-terms notices. The food was delicious — no doubt of that. Minerva McGonagall was sitting on the right side of Albus, followed by Sybill Trelawney, Quirinus Quirrell, Roland Hooch, Myself, Filius Flitwick and Severus Snape. Couldn't remember perfectly the order of teachers on the left side, although. I was drinking pumpkin juice when Hooch brought me to the conversation.

— I must say, miss Appolinaire, can't wait to see your flying skills in my class.
— Oh, you don't want to see me flying, Hooch... but is quite a spectacle when I fall.
— Maybe we should use some charm on you to help. Is it against the rules?
— Filius, please... Isn't she charming enough?

If you know what she meant — cause I didn't. We were talking about two different types of charmes here, weren't we? Was Roland flirting with me? I wasn't sure yet but since we were having fun I thought "what the hell with it!". Plus the only people who actually flirted with me back in London were men with bad breath, lower expectations in life and embezzlers — so I bit of "beautiful woman that knows how to ride a broom" wasn't going to kill me.

— Actually, my first class is potions.
— So Severus is the chosen one. — We all looked at him sitting in the bottom of the table all by him self not making much effort to be part of the conversation. After he put a slice of meat in his mouth he gave us a sideways glance — so he knew we were there, at least! But choose to ignore us. What a rebel!

— I'm not very good with potions, to be honest. Once I blew up a recipe into a boy's face.
— Oh, poor him! But professor Snape can teach you well.
— I don't think he likes me, Filius.
— Didn't you two study together?
— Yes. He was the boy I blew the recipe into...
— I see...

Exactly — maybe I wasn't the first person Severus wanted to meet. Of course, everything happened more than ten years ago, but eitherway, we weren't best friends that time or exchanging owls these days. I'm no idiot — everyone who studied in Hogwarts in the 70', had friendship with Evans and some common sense (which most slytherins didn't — probably why they didn't know this) could easily figure it out that the teacher of potions these days had a massive crush on a gryffindor back in time. I wasn't her best friend also so I'm not sure why things didn't go well with both of them, but something tells me it's because he never smiles — and doesn't like gryffindors, and doesn't tell (good) jokes, and... Well, I can stay here all night.

Dinner finished well. We watched every house prefect take the students to their common room and then we were excused to leave. Was so tired, I needed to catch some sleep. On my way I remembered I didn't have the schedule for Severus class the next morning so had to re-do my steps to the dungeons crossing my fingers the teacher would be at his office. Conjured a coat while I was going down because of cold it was there, which made me shiver a bit. When I got in front of the door I knocked twice.

— Severus? — No answer. I did put my ear on the door trying to listen if someone was actually inside, but I couldn't hear anything. Tried to open it, but closed. Course, had a spelled for students. I took my wand and with a non-spoken spelled the door was unlocked.

I was such a James Bond.

It was the same gloomy and dimly-lit room as ever. With another shake of my wand the fireplace started doing is job and I could take my coat off. I mainly forgot why was I there while my eyes were completly mesmerized with his collection of ingredients so well stored on shelves. Next to his table, however, there was a different glass cabinet with some small — other larger — bottles with ready-made potions. One of them got my eye. I opened the cabinet and grab the little bottle with my fingers.

— What are you doing here?
— For Merlin's jeans! Do you want me to drop this, scaring me like that?!
— You shouldn't be even touching this. — He came to my direction and tried to take it from my hand, but I didn't let him.

— Wait. I just wanted to ask you... Is this Felix Felicis?
— Yes, genius.
— That's not what I meant. It this the potion you made that time we were at Hogwarts?
— Does it matters?
— It does... That brings me so many memories... — I smiled while admiring the potion in my hand. Severus was the only student that made the proper potion, but he wasn't allowed to use it because it requires six months to stew before it's ready to be consumed. — You never used it?
— No.
— You were amazing in that class. — While rolling eyes he took the bottle from my hands, with all his rudeness.

— Before or after you blew a potion in my face?
— I didn't do it in purpose!
— I bet Potter made you do it.
— Don't Potter me!
— Him with all his allies...
— Stop it.
— Following his orders like minions.
— Shut up! — I finally pointed my wand in his direction. — I'm no ones minion.

He was finishing storing the Felix potion back into the glass gabinet and then turned facing me. It wasn't a cute smile that I saw in his face, but it was close to a maleficent one. Maybe he was having fun making me pissed off with that Potter talk. I wasn't a minion. Much less Potter's.

— Aren't you, miss Appolinaire?
— Let me prove it to you, then.
— I have no time for that.
— Make some. — I didn't quite remember our book of potions in the 70', but I was pretty sure how to messed up a recipe because I was a zero with potions. So I used my wand to get some bottles out of the shelf coming towards a caldron already on fire.

— What are you doing? Don't... Do not mix those two! — He pointed his wand at me.
— What are you going to do? Curse me?
— I was planing too. — Severus grabbed my wrist and started pulling my hand down. I tried to fight against it, but he was stronger. I, then, turned to look at him.

— Let me go.
— No.
— I'll scream.
— You came to the dungeons, miss Appolinaire, it was the place chosen by Salazar exactly because no one could hear the screams. — I'm hoping that was I lie, luckly it would be. He gave me one of those smiles again — some malevolent thing probably having fun because I was clearly scared. The professor didn't let go of my wrist, by the way, he just walked until was right behind me and pushed my body to the balcony where the caldron was. I'm not sure what spelled he casted, but my wand felt out of my hand and there was nothing I could do.

The book of his class came floating through the air coming in our direction and landing in front of me already opened in a potion's page.

— Draught of living death?
— Whats the first step, miss Appolinaire?
— Are we really doing this?
— Read. It. — I took a deep breath.
— Cut up the Sopophorous bean. — Severus put a silver knife and the bean in front of me, leting my hand free, finally. When I started trying to cut, I failed — It was impossible! The bean was hard as rock. He approached again. I could feel his body so next to mine this time, even his breathing was touching the skin of my neck making me shiver (Merlin, please don't make him noticed!). He grabbed my wrists once again showing me how to do it.

— It should be crushed. Releases juices more efficiently. — Said and done. He was right. Well, that made me smile like if I was impressed he knew that. I even looked at him.

— The book says cut.
— The book is made for idiots.
— So you're like a prince of potions now?
— Not the name I would use.
— I'll put that on your fille. — I laughed; he didn't, making me start to believe he had no sense of humor what so ever. — Let's continue.

Through the making process he was always there to interrupt when felt like it to give me those tips that weren't in the book and actually worked very well. My face when we finished had perfect expression of flabergast. I kept looking, searching for a mistake but couldn't find it. We did it. Well, he did it, but still.

— I never made such a perfect potion before.
— I know. I studied with you.
— Jerk. — I admired the purple bottle the potion was already in. — Can I keep it?
— No.
— Why not?! I made it!
— Oh, you made it?
— Yes!
— You can have it when you do it by yourself.
— I guess I'll need more lessons then...
— About that... Since I already gave you a lesson there isn't need for you to come watch my class tomorrow morning.
— Of course there is. I'm so dying to see how you act around eleven years old wizards.
— There's no difference teaching eleven years old kids and you.
— Are you calling me annoying or a moron?
— You can choose.
— You're such a slytherin.
— Thank you.
— Wasn't a compliment, professor. — Took my coat that I left on a chair — Oh, I almost forgot. I need your class schedule, please. — I knew he didn't want to, but he gave it to me while I was waiting at the door. — Night, professor. — He only nodded and closed the door on my face.

Wow. Who knew that Severus wasn't that much severus, after all? Yes, he was still rude, his hair looked a bit oily aswell, but he had strong hands — which is a good thing, isn't it? —, and was incredibly good with potions. I must say that while walking back to my doorm I thought a bit about his breath touching my neck. I know I shouldn't! But, you know, the last time I felt someone breathing too close to my neck was in a checkout line in a supermarket — and the guy was some gross fat man with probably 25 that looked 40. He had pimples on his face and was buying five playboy magazines. Who does that, anyway?

Finally with my pajamas I could only think that this month of knowing the teachers before evaluating them would be difficult, maybe even stressful but rewarding. I couldn't wait to find out what Hogwarts had to offer me.

'Night.

Next chapter: If you liked the story, show it and I'll post the new chapter.