CHAPTER 3:

THE HEART OF SEVERUS SNAPE

Severus Snape thought that he detested teaching. In truth, he detested teaching Potions, as passionate a subject as it had been for him. And while he wasn't at all fond of children, he found that he could tolerate them far better when holding forth on subjects other than Potions. So, later that afternoon, when the Weasley children (other than the twins) and Longbottom had returned from their sojourn, and he had their attention, along with Gainsborough, Granger, and Lovegood, he decided to give them a lesson in Defence Against the Dark Arts. Both Harry and Hermione had expressed interest in the area, the former for his upcoming duel with Rosso, and the latter because of her learning of Lockhart being a fake. So, in the courtyard of the villa (he groaned at the name Black Shack), he began an impromptu lesson.

"Given that all of you, save for Ms Weasley and Ms Lovegood, had a stuttering imbecile for a teacher who turned out to be the Dark Lord's pack mule, and that all of you will have a strutting peacock for a teacher next year, and that Professor Calamitas, or Jenova as you know her, will have to pick up the slack…I thought perhaps to do this lesson, and an impromptu test. There will be no points deducted here, as we are not in Hogwarts. However, I will not tolerate disrespect, and I expect you all to use your minds to the best of your ability…as disappointing as that may turn out to be." Taking out his wand, tapping his palm with it as if it were a cane, his dark eyes roved the 'class', before they homed in on Neville. "Longbottom. Name the three Unforgivable Curses and their effects, and with a minimum of stuttering, if you would."

Neville blanched, but eventually managed to say, "The Killing Curse, which kills a person instantly, the Imperius Curse, which allows for the controlling of someone's mind and actions, and…th-the Cruciatus C-Curse, w-w-which c-c-causes severe p-p-pain."

"I said a minimum of stuttering, Longbottom, but I supposed given that it was a textbook answer, that is adequate. The Unforgivables are not on DADA curriculum until your fifth year. However, given Gainsborough's fame, as well as your association with them, it is perhaps better that you learn sooner rather than later what you have to dodge. Then again, you are already too-well acquainted with the Cruciatus Curse, Longbottom." He looked at the others. "Keep in mind that there are other spells of varying degrees of harm and lethality. Even a simple Stunner, used in the wrong time, could prove lethal, say, if someone was riding a broomstick, or climbing a ladder or stairs. But the Unforgivables are unforgivable for a reason. But the Death Eaters do not care. The Dark Lord and his followers used those curses like they were giving away candy at Halloween. They also require not just a lot of magical power, but, in the case of both the Killing Curse and the Cruciatus Curse, an overwhelming desire to see the person you are casting it on dead, or in agony. Hatred is often the fuel. These are certainly not spells I would want you to use. Using curses like these taint the soul. I speak from experience."

Silence fell over the children.

Eventually, Snape said, "Weasley!" He pointed at Ron to indicate who he meant. "Name another dark spell, but not classified as an Unforgivable!"

Ron was startled, but rallied admirably. "I have heard of Fiendfyre. My dad complained that one shady character tried to use that to burn his dark artifacts, and nearly killed himself, and the team sent to raid his home."

"Then said shady character was an imbecile and a dunderhead of the highest order. Fiendfyre is perhaps the most powerful magically-conjured fire in existence, but it has a life and will of its own, only able to be controlled by the strongest of wizards. However, there are few things that can withstand Fiendfyre. Indeed, disposing of dark artifacts is one of the accepted usages of the spell." Snape tapped the wand against his palm again. "Even so, if only you answered questions on Potions like that, you might do better in the subject, Weasley." After some thought, he then said to Hermione, "Granger! Name a spell that can be used in defence against a dark creature!"

"The Patronus Charm, sir. Used against Dementors."

"Would you care to elaborate what you know, Granger?" Snape asked, privately impressed that she knew about the Patronus already. Then again, if there was someone who knew about the spell, it would be Hermione Granger.

"The spell summons a guardian spirit, incapable of feeling despair. It is invoked by focusing on positive emotion, usually a happy memory. It can also be used to send messages, but the primary use is against Dementors. It is a difficult charm, not just because of the complexity of the spell itself, but because the effect Dementors have on one's emotions may prevent one from being able to use it. The incantation is Expecto Patronum."

"A textbook answer, Granger, though it is rarely mentioned that Patronuses can be used as messengers," Snape said. "The spell is a standard one amongst Aurors, especially those assigned to watch over Azkaban and the Dementors, but it is, as you said, a difficult charm to cast, especially when you're being threatened by Dementors. Four of you have already seen them, and Gainsborough has shown that, despite being capable of stopping a fully grown malevolent wizard, Dementors are another matter." A tight little smirk came upon his face briefly at that, before being replaced with a more solemn, even concerned expression. "His reaction, while rare, is not unheard of. Hopefully, that will be the last time you ever have to deal with them. In time, one of the dunderheads Dumbledore brings in may have the wit, or else deign to teach you this spell. I will demonstrate it." He waved his wand through the usual movements, and roared, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

Out of his wand, a jet of silvery light burst forth. A doe, outlined in a mist formed from that light, trotted out, and began circling the children. He was actually quite gratified to see the looks of awe and astonishment on their faces. "Wicked…" Ronald Weasley breathed.

"Actually, Weasley, if I were truly wicked, I would, in all likelihood, not be able to cast such a thing," Snape said dryly. "Wizards and witches whose souls are too tainted by darkness will have their bodies consumed alive by maggots(1). It is rare that someone like a Death Eater could cast such a spell…" Snape frowned when he saw Luna waving her own wand. "Miss Lovegood, it is unlikely that…"

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Luna cried out, interrupting him. And to Snape's astonishment, a corporeal Patronus appeared from her wand.

"…Is that a platypus(2)?" Gainsborough asked, looking curiously at the animal thus summoned.

"Were you expecting a hare(3)?" Lovegood asked.

Snape pinched the bridge of his nose, and took a couple of deep breaths. Well, it could have been worse. Gainsborough or Granger could have done it. And from what he knew of Lovegood, a platypus was a perfect summon. Given the interest of the girl and her father in cryptozoology, a platypus, which looked like some Frankenstein creature sewn together out of duck and beaver parts, was actually quite apt. Eventually, he said, "Lovegood, I would appreciate it if you attempted to do the impossible after my lesson. That way, we would have a minimum of interruption."

"Sorry, sir. I just like to do a lot of impossible things."

You ARE impossible, Snape thought wearily to himself, before rallying. "On a related note, when dealing with the after-effects of Dementor exposure, chocolate is a good remedy. It is a little known fact that while Muggle chocolate is more than adequate for exposure of many kinds, there is actually a chocolate potion that is used in the worst cases, particularly prisoners of Azkaban whose sentences are up, or have been commuted. It is also used by the Aurors who take shifts there. It is a somewhat unique potion, as many potions are actually ruined by the addition of sugar. Can anyone name one?" Only Granger put her hand up, and Snape sighed, and asked, "Granger?"

"The Wolfsbane Potion."

"Indeed. You must have studied very far ahead to know that," Snape said, actually impressed despite himself. "And it also ties into Defence Against the Dark Arts, as that is a potion a werewolf must take in order to inhibit the aggression and mental regression that occurs whenever they transform. It is taxing on the body, as they still transform, and many of the ingredients are highly unpleasant, if not poisonous."

The lesson continued, and Snape actually found that he was enjoying himself. True, it was a smaller class that he was teaching than he usually did with Potions, and, freed from the restraints of the points system, his audience was surprisingly more attentive. Not to mention that DADA was his pet subject. He would always have a passion for Potions, but that was more about his own experiments in the area. DADA, however, was something he could teach, and he railed against that reputed curse on the position.

Soon, the lesson had to end, as dinner was being prepared. The children went inside, while Snape stood in the courtyard, looking at the darkening sky, as the stars began to shine. Very different constellations to his world, he realised, and yet, strangely familiar. There was even a moon in the sky.

"You actually seemed like you were enjoying yourself."

Snape didn't turn around when he heard the voice. "That's because I was. Something of a rare occurrence, I will admit, but I did enjoy teaching them. And they didn't act like dunderheads, either."

A hand touched his own, cool and delicate. "I didn't think they would. It was nice of you to do this for them, Severus. You've changed since we first met a year ago, for Harry's birthday. And all for the better."

Snape scoffed, as he turned to face Aerith, who was smiling at him, her eyes so damnably like Lily's. "I'm not a good man, Aerith. If you saw the things I did with the Death Eaters…Merlin, even why I wanted Voldemort to spare Lily was for selfish reasons. Minerva and Lily herself made me realise that. If she had been spared, but her husband and child had been murdered…she wouldn't have come back to me willingly. I would have had to resort to the Imperius." He scoffed again. "So much for love. My heart was torn out of my chest when Lily died."

"But you realise that now, don't you?" Aerith asked quietly. "And while redemption is an ongoing process, it doesn't mean you can't be a good man. It's because you are trying to redeem yourself, and keeping on trying, that makes you a good man." She prodded him in the chest gently. "You didn't have to do this little lesson. But not only did you do so, you taught them in a manner far better than many of your Potions lessons. You didn't teach them Defence Against the Dark Arts to show off. You taught them because you care about their safety. That's proof, if any be needed, that you still have a heart." To emphasize the point, she prodded him gently in the chest again.

"Are you going to continue giving a little homily?" Snape asked archly.

"Severus…I know there is darkness in you. But I know there is light. That's why I'm giving you this homily, as you call it, and not, say, threatening you in the same way I did Don Corneo."

"Who?"

"Mob boss who used to control Wall Market back at Midgar. I thought the Turks killed him when he tried to abduct Yuffie and Elena in Wutai, but apparently he's alive and, save for being wheelchair-bound, well(4). I threatened to rip his genitals off him when we first met." This last sentence was said in a rather matter-of-fact manner with the slightest of smiles. She wasn't kidding, which was the disturbing part.

Snape looked at her, before saying, "Remind me never to anger you too much. I like my body parts intact, thank you very much."

"Don't worry, it takes a lot to do that," Aerith said sweetly. "Anyway, we'll be heading to the Golden Saucer tomorrow. The duels and battles won't be until the day after tomorrow, so you might find something there to enjoy. The hotel there is a haunted mansion, plus, there's Chocobo racing, arcade machines of all sorts, and of course, Battle Square."

"I can hardly wait," Snape said dryly, though to be fair, he doubted there was much he would enjoy at Golden Saucer. The Battle Square might be interesting, if only to see different kinds of battle magic, but even so, he wondered how much of a waste of time this sojourn would be…

CHAPTER 3 ANNOTATIONS:

Snape being a good teacher for once! Quick, look out of the windows! Has Hell frozen over? Are there flying pigs?

1. I don't think this is in the books, but it's apparently canon, according to the Harry Potter Wiki. Umbridge (in the films) was theorised to be able to make one either because her morality is dubious rather than non-existent, or (and I prefer this explanation) the Locket amplified her abilities.

2. I'm pretty sure Luna's Patronus is a platypus in one of sakurademonalchemist's stories, and I'm sure it's the Naruto crossover Troubles in Time.

3. A hare is Luna's canonical Patronus, but I think a platypus is better considering what she is like.

4. This is revealed in the novel Final Fantasy VII Lateral Biography Turks: The Kids Are Alright.