The Potions Master's Countdown to Christmas
Chapter 4: December 3rd
The morning…
It took all his endurance to get ready for breakfast the next day. He still couldn't get over the fact that some meddlesome old love was trying to contact her. Vector had worked here for four years and he had never heard a whisper about a, er, boyfriend or anything of that nature.
Then a thought occurred to him…
He remembered two years ago when Sinistra asked Vector something regarding a date over that summer. He hadn't been interested in her then or not aware of it yet for that matter so he had paid it no mind. Was it the very same fool who was trying to get back into her good graces now?
He slammed the door to his office shut in horror at the memory.
And then he remembered to compose himself as he glided off to the Staff Room. Everyone would be there, including Vector. They were having a small, informal meeting regarding December Events before breakfast in the Great Hall.
Fear entered his mind…that not even years of occlumency could quell.
This was not some holiday nonsense. This was something that needed to be looked into.
People, er, not him, send pointsettias, holly, pine, and other types of botanicals during the season.
This was not one of those times.
The only thing that was good was that the fool had selected daisies and he noted that Vector appeared to be underwhelmed.
As she should be…
And the fool should know his place and not bother her anymore. And he, Severus Snape, would remind him of this and step in from the shadows if need be.
This was no ordinary mission….like his Order work, or tasks delegated by the Dark Lord.
It was strictly about the blasted sod that was now trying to contact his Vector, his former mentoring subject, after having not bothered since she came to work her….but now the thought occurred to him.
Ah, deep, passionate love…obviously….madly in love with her…the dolt! Like she would fall for that….did the fool even really know her anymore?
Well, it appeared that his owl, Charon., would also have some work on his end in the Owlery.
And the Floo Network would have to be checked regrettably, for signs of an irksome idiot that sent ghastly daisies thinking it would impress any female really.
Why had he stopped contacting her? She was beautiful…undoubtedly. Surely, he had to know that she was smart, and now she has more prestige as a professor and she had been a Gringotts cursbreaker.
Snape himself could acknowledge that the combination was intoxicating and knew firsthand of the allure and appeal of Vector.
Perhaps, he wasn't such a dolt after all?
No, the fool wasn't going to use her.
He would see to that.
Even if he couldn't have her to himself, that dolt was not going to hurt her.
If they ended it years ago…who initiated it?
Snape had been hurt once. He knew how it felt and he didn't want her to feel as he had. It still hurt these many years later that Lily had chosen Potter, especially when he didn't think very much of him at all. And then what he would have to live with for the rest of his life…the sad realization that perhaps life had a chance of turning out differently.
That right before the "mudblood incident" he had seen the signs…that maybe Lily would have considered him. It had been an abrupt ending to the hopes he allowed himself to entertain, that she would see the real Potter and have a change of heart.
But it was not to be.
And then her…he thought he would never be interested in anyone but Lily. This one…comes out of nowhere with a force that took me by such surprise I made her pay dearly for it on a daily basis.
Years and years of not even giving it much thought because I didn't particularly care that I didn't encounter anyone with the goodness, genuineness, wittiness, and caring for others that Lily did.
What if the Headmaster hadn't hired her?
But Lily…he could admit now that it had been a downward spiral before that. A part of him often wondered if he had botched things up subconsciously and on purpose because he knew even then that Lily was too good for him.
But sadly, he still believed, that she was still too good for Potter. And he had to admit grudgingly that Potter knew it to. Even his head wasn't that big when it came to Lily.
And Snape knew he was good to her…and she was happy…she had a child like she always mentioned she would like to someday.
Very gut-wrenching, but perhaps there was truth to it at that stage in his life.
He hated Potter still, always would, but she had loved him apparently and he had made her happy.
Was it ever going to be different? Maybe not... Because the more he tried to draw her closer to him the opposite happened; she was pulled farther away.
And a little voice deep down somewhere sometimes told him that it was probably why he was so hostile to Vector…
And Vector was different from Lily. The same noble kindness, other wonderful qualities, the temper certainly, but they looked different. Lovely…but different, and Lily was more idealistic than Septima. Septima was more realistic like myself. And that was probably for the better, because me not understanding at the time some of Lily's ideals was usually what got us started on rows from time to time.
And Septima would never put up with Potter's nonsense like Lily did. It was encouraging to him.
But, alas, she wouldn't put up with Snape's either.
Yes, Lily had more patience, perhaps was more intuitive than Vector.
Who really knew?