Disclaimer: Harry Potter, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Naruto, Doctor Who, The Dresden Files, and Star Wars are the property of J.K. Rowling, Nickelodeon, Masashi Kishimoto, the BBC, Jim Butcher, and Lucasfilm Ltd, respectively. This is a work of fanfiction based upon the plot of the Harry Potter Franchise. I make no money by writing this fiction. I just have an unhealthy obsession with Severus Snape. Sorry, Ms. Rowling.
Professor Evermoore followed studiously behind Master Spore on a very long route through the Castle. They spoke quite a bit through their walk, on nothing in particular. By the time they had gotten to the dungeons, Professor Snape had already finished grading the majority of his students final papers (he had been doing so through their exams), and had begun to work on inventory in his ingredients cabinet as a way to stretch before grading exams.
"Oh! Look, Master Spore, you were right! They're already here!"
"Of course they are my child, now hurry it up! Get inside!"
Professor Snape could hear her smile, her energy was so bright and warm that even through the walls of the Castle, he could feel her excitement and bubbling happiness. He heard the click of a doorknob turning, but not the gentle creak of the door opening. He then heard Professor Evermoore sigh.
"What have you got for me, dearest?"
The creaking door opened and Professor Evermoore gasped.
"Look at you! Oh, you sexy thing. Look at you!"
Professor Snape had, at this point, decided to step out of his rooms to check out the commotion, because he couldn't do much with her making such a racket. Were it anybody else, he would not have minded. He opened the door to his rooms to see a classroom door just across the hall, where a normally blank wall used to be. It was different from the other doors he had seen at the castle- it was covered in intricate designs, some of which looked indian in origin, others chinese. He opened the door and saw a positively glowing Professor Evermoore bouncing about the octagonal shaped room. There was a semi-circle of mats on the floor facing away from the door. At the head of the semi-circle was a longer mat obviously made for a large cat. Behind the larger mat was a raised platform with a viewing window at the top. The window appeared to look down into a chamber below, the entrance to which was a set of stairs off to the left. There was a series of six portraits on the back wall, some muggle and some magical. They were labelled with their names. A few of the names he could not read, such as the one for the portrait of a stern arabic man in a simple light robe and white turban, who scowled down at him in a sneer that was unsettlingly like his own. Or the two portraits which contained two small asian men, one dressed in what appeared to him as traditional asian fighting clothes, the other in a green vest with many pockets and a metal headband tied around his forehead. Both of these portraits were muggle. The others were all labelled in English. A Native American woman looked with gentle dark brown eyes upon the classroom, her long hair braided and resting on her shoulder. She was in modern muggle clothing, yet her portrait moved. Interesting. The label said her name was Master Paa Mogo'nee Watsukwe'yoo. A very old portrait of a proud and muscular African male was labelled as Master Abasi. His portrait, too, was moving. He was wearing no shirt, and Professor Snape could see many burn marks littering his arms and chest. His pants were of a fine red material.
The last portrait he immediately recognized. It was that of elder seer Edha Zakariya. She was indian, and dressed rather like Sybill Trelawney, and Headmaster Spore had joined her in the portrait. Professor Snape remembered many a time when they had exchanged seething and argumentative letters. Edha had taught at Hogwarts as Divination teacher long before Sybill, and had taught him Occlomency and Legillimency. Edha was an intelligent woman, but to Professor Snape, she had wasted too much time with the fates, and spent too little time with the living. He did enjoy the banter between them, however. Her letters were consistent in stating the obvious through vague and fuzzy language, pestering him as a mother would to see the love all around him, so on and so forth. He doubted she would ever give up on him; he also doubted he would ever give in to believing her. Professor Snape was a man of logic; he saw right through her 'fate' babble. It was, however, very entertaining to watch her try…
And she was the only one who would regularly send letters to him.
Tearing his eyes away from the portrait of Edha, he scanned the rest of the room. To the right of the portraits was a tall glass case which contained an outfit similar to the one worn by the portrait of Master Abasi. The only difference between the two was that it had a chest covering for females to go with it. It was labelled as Traditional Women's Agni-Kai Warrior Garb. The amount of skin an outfit such as that would show shocked Professor Snape.
There was also a simple desk in the room, a globe, and surprisingly, a weapons cabinet. There was also a blank space upon the left wall where a portrait to her quarters would one day reside, once she chose one and the elves moved it.
Professor Evermoore stopped bouncing about the room as she got to the portraits, and her face became solemn. She regarded the portrait of the Arab and a sad smile crossed her features. She reached up and gently stroked the cheek of the man. He could not hear her pained whisper of his name.
Professor Snape cleared his throat, and Professor Evermoore whirled around to face him. She tried to discreetly wipe her eyes, but he still caught her movement.
"I have my own classroom, Professor Snape!"
"I can see that."
"You're doing it wrong. The response I was looking for would be 'yes, yes you do.' And then my response would be to run wildly about the room as if on one too many Pepper-Up potions. Or crack cocaine. Your choice."
"That hardly seems necessary. Or relevant, for that matter."
"Oh it is necessary, Professor Snape. I have a classroom now. The first time I ever set foot in a classroom was when.. well you remember, but now, naught but a few months later I have one of my own! I'm a teacher, Professor Snape! The simple fact that Albus and Master Sprout took me in was incredible, but now... They've allowed me a home, a roof, food, and an occupation. A paid occupation at that! I've never.. I don't... I can't even coherent sentence properly! I'm dreaming. I must be. This can't be real."
Cue the breakdown. Professor Snape had seen it a few times before. The new teacher would become overwhelmed at the sight of their own classroom, although Evermoore's had come before she had even seen her imbecile students set foot through the door. Most professors would have this conversation with Dumbledore around the second or third of September. Then again, most new professors were moving in around the 23rd of August. She did have a head start.
"I can assure you, Evermoore, that this is real, and you will be teaching students starting on the first of September. You will likely find them just as idiotic and incompetent as I have."
"You're speaking of Neville Longbottom, yes?"
He didn't have to respond. She knew the answer.
"The poor soul. His chakra is unlike anything I have ever seen. It is as confused and clouded as Master Zakariya's crystal. Water and Earth so mixed as he- Difficult to teach and even more difficult to control. It is quite the miracle that he has survived as he has so far. It's no wonder he fares so poorly in potions; his chakra upsets the liquid in the cauldron and the ingredients in his hands. It is my greatest wish that my teaching him could help him to understand the sheer power he wields. He is a great bender in the making... As are you, Professor. Your chakra is... inherently water based. I can see it. But there is something different about it. Powerful, to be sure. You are a powerful wizard. But, there is something undefinable about your energy. Something... dark. It fights with you. Almost as if it had been branded..." She stopped when she realized he had been scowling at her.
"I apologize, Professor Snape. That was more than you wanted to hear, I'm sure. Would you like some coff... tea? I have need to ask you something."
"Then ask. I have no desire to deal with pleasantries."
She crossed the room to stand before him, and he suddenly realized the height difference between the two of them. She stood at eye level with his chest. He crossed his arms and set his face into a mask of indifference, his eyes becoming the black pools of nothing he had taken the time to perfect in his 7th year at Hogwarts.
It all melted when she looked up at him.
She had a nervous smile on her face and tangled one hand into her hair. Her brown eyes twinkled like amber. He could not help but stare at them. She chuckled a bit and looked away, the intensity of his gaze burning her.
"I was wondering if... youwouldteachmehowtoread?"
"Come again?"
Oh, he had heard her all right. Loud and clear despite her whispered jumble of words. He just was not comprehending. Of all the people she could have asked, she had asked him? The dungeon bat? Hell, she had even somehow seen his Mark. And she had still asked. Then again, she would not have recognized what that Mark meant.
"Would you teach me how to read?"
"And what would I get out of teaching you?"
"Any talent I possess. Ask and it is yours."
Now there was an opportunity if he had ever seen one. And she was so close. He could feel the heat from her body, even through the layers upon layers of clothing he wore. His gaze softened. His arms lowered.
Then he realized the weakness he was showing. His mask quickly snapped back into place, every mental wall he had was thrown up in haste. His body tensed and jerked back from her as if burned. He glared at her down his long, hooked nose with forced disdain. Her amber brown eyes were wide with questions and he decided it best if he left, robes billowing behind him in his trademark fashion.
"I shall think upon it."
He didn't even look back upon her as he walked out of her classroom.
Author's Note: Oh my gosh I am so sorry this took so long. First week of classes and all, I was so very busy. But this has been done! ^_^ Cue angst. Don't worry, it will get funny soon. And by funny I mean completely random. Well, maybe not completely random. Possibly just different. Moo Ha Ha.
In other news! A Very Potter Sequel. You should watch it. Just.. Just do it. Their Severus (I have named him Buddy Severus, just 'cause) is FUNNY. Just too funny. Check it out on youtube. Look for StarKid Potter. They're amazing.
To my reviewers, I love thee. CeresMaria and Watergoddesskasey, you two are awesome. And no, Reneé is not the Avatar. I'll explain it better soon. Promise.
Until Next Time, Everyone!
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