I'll Be There

Chapter 4: Curiosity

A week had already passed since Persephone's arrival at Hogwarts. She had immediately fallen in love with it, and highly enjoyed her frequent explorations of the castle and grounds with Firenze. She had also found the majority of the professor to be extremely agreeable. For the most part, they treated her like an equal; all except for professors Snape and McGonagall. Snape simply ignored her, and McGonagall just seemed like a very stern woman in general, so Persephone did not take offence. She had however, become fast friends with Firenze, Hagrid, and Professor Sinistra. Persephone especially looked forward to her evenings when she was free from her duties and was able to walk the grounds with her centaur and half-giant friend.

The days, however, seemed to drag on relentlessly. It was not that she didn't like Madam Pomfrey, only that she was bored. Without students to tend to, Persephone's afternoons were spent cleaning and preparing for the start of term. With all the bossing around Madam Pomfrey did, Persephone was beginning to feel less like a Healer and more like a house elf. This was something she definitely did not appreciate.

Today had been an especially tiring day. They had finally finished cleaning the entire Hospital Wing and they had moved onto restocking supplies. Persephone had spent the day with Madam Pomfrey at Diagon Alley. Normally, she would have enjoyed being there, but Madam Pomfrey had refused to let her take half the list and collect supplies on her own. Instead, Persephone had been treated as a child. She had been forced to spend the entire day trailing behind Madam Pomfrey, carrying the bags as Madam Pomfrey chatted with the storekeepers and haggled down the prices. Persephone understood the haggling, but she failed to understand the endless chattering. By the end of the trip, Persephone was tired and highly frustrated.

As Persephone placed the final item in its proper place on the self, she sighed heavily. She then grabbed her hat and said her goodbyes to Madam Pomfrey quickly. She was very eager to be out of the Hospital Wing. It had been a long day and Persephone wanted nothing more than to lay in the sun out by the lake. As Persephone pushed the Hospital Wing doors open, she heard Madam Pomfrey call to her. Groaning inwardly, she turned around and went to see what the woman wanted.

"Persephone, could you please go to Professor Snape and ask him to make me a new batch of Pepperup Potion? I've just finished cataloging our remedies. I think we still have enough of our usual potions, but the Pepperup Potion is nearly a year old and its probably gone old. We'll be needing a strong batch for the annual onslaught of colds at the beginning of term," Madam Pomfrey stated.

Persephone nodded mechanically, but as she turned to leave again, she stopped abruptly. "Madam Pomfrey, I thought Professor Slughorn was the Potions Master?"

"He is this year, dear," Madam Pomfrey replied. "But Professor Snape had been our Potions Master for quiet a while before Slughorn came out of retirement. And while Horace is a perfectly competent Potions Master, Severus is particularly skilled at healing potions. I've never had better potions than the ones he makes me."

"I see," Persephone said carefully. "I'll go straight to him then." Without another word, Persephone left the Hospital Wing quickly before Madam Pomfrey could assign her any other tasks.

As Persephone made her way down to the dungeons, she stopped to pull her cloak tighter around her. She couldn't believe how chilly the dungeons were, despite the heat in the rest of the castle. When she arrived at Snape's door, she steeled her mind against any intrusions.

Persephone knocked smartly on the door and quietly waited for a reply.

"Enter," Snape called dryly.

Persephone pushed the door open and stepped forward into Professor Snape's office. A smile flashed across her face briefly when she found him with his back towards her, arranging supplies her his shelf just as she had been doing only moments ago.

The professor said nothing so she decided to speak first.

"Professor, Madam Pomfrey sent me. She has requested that you brew her a new batch of Pepperup Potions."

"Does she not realize that I am no longer the Potions Master?" Snape replied curtly.

Persephone gave a short, mocking laugh. "Yes, I informed her of that myself, but she seems quiet set on you brewing her potions."

Snape groaned as he set an item rather forcibly on the shelf. He then turned around to sit at his desk with a rather impatient look on his face. At this, Persephone smiled softly, she wasn't sure why, but his impatience amused her. She often heard other professors paying him compliments, and she could not help but feel that the only thing he felt towards them was disdain.

Seeing the faint smile on her face, Snape once again brushed his mind against hers, determined to discover the reason for her amusement. Finding her mind once again well guarded, he grew more annoyed. He was not accustomed to being barred from peoples' minds.

"And what, may I ask, is apparently so amusing Miss Nosova?" he asked.

Persephone laughed softly. She would not be intimidated by him like a young student. Growing up with Bellatrix as an older cousin had made her immune to anyone attempting to intimidate her. Bellatrix was also the reason Persephone was such an apt dueler and Occlumens.

"Forgive me," Persephone said gently. "I was simply amused to see the famed Potions Master of Hogwarts so annoyed at the thought of brewing an easy potion."

Snape narrowed his eyes and raised one eyebrow, but he said nothing. He had never experienced someone so bold to express their opinion of him except for Dumbledore, especially with such a mocking tone. This girl's good-natured humor seemed highly out of place against his foul mood. Where normal students and Professors did everything within their power to avoid him when he was annoyed, she didn't seem fazed in the least bit. The thought of someone not being intimidated by him was also highly annoying. He failed to understand why she should stand there, with that silly little smile on her face, completely unaffected when any other person would have sprinted from the room by now. He would give her credit though, it was very cheeky of her to be so bold. He had definitely not expected it from the young Healer.

It was then that his curiously finally got the better of him. He wanted to know why she was there. A young, talented Healer in Training had absolutely no reason to be at Hogwarts. There was a reason why Hogwarts had no history of a Healer in Training ever completing their internship at Hogwarts. If she was going to be blunt with him, he would be just as blunt.

"Miss Nosova, why are you even here?" Snape snapped abruptly at her.

It was now Persephone's turn to raise an eyebrow. The smile however, did not fade from her lips. His statement only made her more amused. She knew Professor Snape was not a fool, and she was determined to test his limits. If this was the man taking care of Draco, she would make sure he was capable of the job.

"As I previously stated, Madam Pomfrey sent me to request your assistance," she replied.

"That was not what I was referring to and you very well know it," Snape retorted. "Why are you completing your internship here?"

Persephone remained cool, quickly thinking over her response. It had been a while since she had spoken to anyone witty enough to spar verbally with her. She was delighted to have found someone with a quit wit.

"I'm here for my own reasons, just as you are. Now let's not question that and behave civilly," she said.

"It's not a matter of civility," He snapped. "I know you have an alternative motive for being here, and I will find out what it is. Don't think I will be so easily fooled Miss Nosova."

"Why Professor, I'm shocked to hear you speak to me so. Is that any way to talk to a lady? You should be ashamed of yourself. I am here to complete my internship. Nothing more, nothing less. Now lay down your hostility. There's no reason for us to get off on the wrong foot."

Snape was taken back for a moment. It had been a long time since anyone had challenged him. Never in his entire life had someone shot back at him with such speed and grace, especially someone so young. For a moment he actually felt some sort of admiration for this young saucy girl. He then steeled himself; he was not going to be outdone by this insolent woman.

"Do not put on such airs with me. We both know very well that you are hiding something. I do not trust people with something to hide," he said coldly.

"Oh Professor," she said dangerously. "Do not pretend that you have nothing to hide," Persephone laughed with a jeer. "You can trust me just as much as I can trust you. Either way, it doesn't really matter. We are working together, and from what I gather from Madam Pomfrey, we will probably be working together frequently. So behave yourself until I give you reason not to. Now, while I have enjoyed bantering with you, I am tired and I wish to enjoy what little sunlight is left. Good day Professor, and do not forget to brew that potion."

With that, Persephone turned elegantly and sauntered out of the office. She could not help but smile to herself as she trotted up the stairs. She had enjoyed their little conversation. And now she knew that he was just as cautious towards her as she was towards him. He would warm up to her in time, however. Everyone always did. She could be extremely charming when she needed to be. It had turned out to be a good day after all.

Snape sat in his chair for a few minutes, silently contemplating what had just happened. He could hardly believe that she had just walked out on him, all the while commanding him to brew a potion. His wit must have gone dull from all the years of arguing with dimwitted students. With his pride severely wounded, Snape decided that he would not lose the next battle. He almost liked this new woman. Her wit was sharp but her tongue was graceful. However, he did not like her enough to let his pride become wounded. And he definitely did not trust her. For now, he would brew her potion. But he would find out her motives. If he were savvy enough to spy on the Dark Lord, he would figure out her secrets as well.