Lyra pov
I awoke in a haze, dreams clinging to me like an old friend. I showered, grateful for the warmth to shake the remnants of last night's encounters. It was awful
"Hello." I chimed, trying to be as cheerful as possible. The man's movement was mechanical and repetitive as he unpacked his belongings in his classroom, placing jars full of slimy animal bits and pieces on shelves. It was evident he had done this time and time again and was utterly sick of doing it. His appearance almost caught me off guard, he wore black wizard's robes to match his eyes and long hair and his nose was abnormally large. He wore a scowl and grumbled a greeting. He obviously didn't receive many visitors.
"Severus, this term I took it upon myself to find you an assistant. I have a feeling you'll both get along quite well." Added Dumbledore. I wasn't quite sure what I was to actually do here, besides introduce myself; the man did not look eager to conversate. He slowly turned to face us, his expression displaying utter disappointment mixed with a good amount of annoyance.
"Have I not been performing up to your standards?" he asked, his voice barely more than a whisper. He was an interesting man, the type you might encounter in your storybook. Despite his cold attitude toward me I felt intrigued, wanting to know him just a bit more.
"No, you've done just fine. It's nothing you've done other than the fact I thought you were getting a bit lonely down here." He smirked and there was a twinkle of mischief in his sapphire eyes.
"I am not lonely." He hissed back, notably lightening to a shade of a light pink.
"Call it what you will, but Miss Ianthe is here to stay. Learn some patience and get to know her. It's for your own good." As Albus exited he swiftly turned and focused on me.
"I prefer working alone."
"Have you ever even tried working with someone other than yourself?" I huffed. My patience for this man was running thin. Then again I never had much patience to begin with.
"I'm not about to start with you. The feast will start soon. Go talk to Albus and see if he can find you a different position with someone else." He turned on his heel and his robes swirled around him, reminding me, strangely, of a bat.
"I don't have to take orders from you, you know." I shouted at him.
"Technically you'll be my assistant, so you will have to take orders from me."
I haven't talked to him since. So much for getting to know him, I'd be alright if I didn't have to speak with him for the rest of term. Now I did contact Albus, but it was based on my own displeasure with thee man, not because he told me to do so.
"I must apologize for Severus' sour attitude. I could tell you tales about that man that would explain why he's so bitter but it is best to let him tell you. And he will tell you one day I'm sure of it." He assured me this was the position that would be best for both of us, so I held my tongue and decided to trust his judgement, even if I was sure Snape would be a major pain in my ass this semester. I grew more anxious about the beginning of the years feast the closer it got. Not only would I be meeting my colleagues but I'd be on display for all the new and old students to analyze me and that's just not something I know how to handle. When you first meet me, I'm extremely shy and timid. You have to really try to get to know me to bring me out of my shell, which is part of why I never made any close friends in my school days. I showed up a bit late, the students already beginning to file, seventh years first due to seniority rules. My colleagues each began to size me up and I mindlessly began to tug and twirl at the ends of my rather short hair. Unfortunately for me, the only open seat was right next to Snape. I silently cursed myself for putting off my arrival, while trying t ignore the heated glares he seemed to be directing only at me. I snuck a glance whenever I could, and I could see him searching the masses as the sixth, fifth, fourth, third, second and finally the first years filed in one by one. I saw an old shriveled woman, posture incredibly straight and hair as black as the sky was now, boots clicking on the stone floor as she placed a worn wooden stool down and the hat who had sorted me a few months ago, in the center of the table. The kids looked almost like ants from up here, trembling in their too large robes as she shouted what would happen next. Some of their scowls and frowns evaporated to sighs of relief, others looked even more concerned as if they thought fighting a troll would be easier than having a hat peer inside their fragile minds. Snape was focusing on one student in particular and for a moment, he almost softened his hard gaze and relaxed his posture; almost. The boy's hair was dark as his was, with green eyes and something off about him, though I couldn't see from here. Something like a lost memory tugged at my nadirs of my mind, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it until the woman called out
"Potter, Harry." The name wasn't just familiar, it was legendary. It couldn't be the Harry Potter, the one from all the books I read, the one from my studies, the one who defeated the Dark Lord as a child, could it? Everyone swiveled around as I did, wondering the same questions out loud. The woman, Dumbledore referred to as McGonagall hushed everyone, begging the crowd to calm down. I now recognized the scar, branded on his forehead. The hat basically covered Harry's face he was so tiny, but despite this the hat called out loud and proud
"Gryffindor!" A table to the far left erupted in claps and cheers. A couple of red heads began chanting for him. As they did so, I noticed the rumbles coming from my stomach, I hadn't realized it but I was starving. I filled my plate to the rim with heap of toast beef, piles of mashed potatoes and all kinds of other delicacies.
The next morning I awoke and went through my morning routine as always, then dressed in some fine crimson robes; they were just my size and went well with the color of my hair. I reluctantly headed down to the dungeons early to begin my first day on the job.
"Listen Miss Ianthe, this is my classroom. I don't care what Dumbledore says, just sit and look pretty while I do the teaching." I felt undermined and disregarded; I was more than my appearance and this asshole wasn't going to demean me because he has a stick up his ass about working with me.
"I will help, as much as I want to, you ignorant cunt muffin." I whispered. Ever since I was little, I had had trouble controlling my temper. I will not allow anyone to walk all over me, not again.
"You haven't even had a proper education, how can you even fathom teaching what you obviously do not understand?"
"You haven't a clue the range of things I understand because you haven't given me the chance." Kids had begun to file in, so we both snuffed out the flame of anger we both set aflame. Every class was oaky, except the first years. He took attendance as normal but felt the need to add a sarcastic comment on one student in particular.
"Ah, yes. Harry Potter. Our new – celebrity." I did not understand this man's fascination with only this child. The rest of attendance was uneventful, as I ran it to Dumbledore's office. As I walked back to class I felt apprehensive, as if something were about to occur. I walked in the middle of his speech.
"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making. As there is little foolish wand waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of the liquids that creep through the human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses…I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death—as long as you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."
Suddenly he snapped out of his dialogue and turned, like a predator to its prey toward Harry.
"Potter! What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
The answer floated before me but I did not dare call it out.
"I don't know, sir." I couldn't stand that sick smirk on his face.
"Snape, no first year is going to be able to answer that. They're kids. Not Potions Professors." Some of the students looked surprised, as if I dare challenge this dictator in his own domain.
"Tut tut—fame clearly isn't everything. Let's try again. Potter where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"
"I don't know, sir"
"Why don't you ask someone else? This young girl up here seems to know." He shot me a glare and I returned the favor.
"What is the difference, Potter between monkshood and wolfsbane?"
"It's the same plant damn it, making your firs year kids feel like crap because they can't answer higher level questions is a poor teaching tactic. I thought you were able to actually teach your students not just harass them?" The room was deadly quiet.
"Copy that down, you fools!" he hissed. I walked around the class as they attempted to brew their first potion. It was obvious it would be rocky since this was their first time, but Snape was crueler with each student, except for the kids in Slytherin, whom he showed obvious favoritism toward.
"Idiot boy! I suppose you added porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?" he lashed out at a boy who was breaking out in awful boils due to his melted cauldron.
"Take him up to the hospital wing. You—Potter, why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor." By the time the kids left I was ready to explode.
"Why are you such an ass hat to Harry?" He has done nothing to you!"
"You don't know nor could you understand." I followed him, arguing the whole way to Dumbledore's office.
"That is none of your concern" he had been walking. I followed. We entered Dumbledore's office.
"Albus I cannot do this; not for the rest of the year nor any longer."
"Nor can I." I said.
"What seems to be the problem?" asked Dumbledore in a bemused tone.
"He is a pompous bastard!"
"She is a psychotic bitch!"
"Adorable." Said Dumbledore
"What?"
"The both of you, adorable. No you'll figure it out, I can't change it. Haven't you noticed how very alike you two are?"
"You're high, aren't you?"
"Tragic pasts, Slytherins, singleeee." He said the last in a sing song voice.
"Ugh…it will never happen." I left, disgusted
Severus pov
"How could you even suggest something like that?"
"Severus I have a feeling about you two. You don't like each other now, but you will later."
"No." I said simply.
"You may not like her now, but I think one day, she will capture your heart. Mark my words Severus, one day you will have your face in between her breasts." He said as he smirked.
