Summary: Leora Black has always been able to think through even the toughest of situations, but when the wizarding world becomes divided, whose side will she stand on? Thank her stars she has a certain potions prodigy to guide her through, but is he the one helping her or is it the other way around?
Pairing: SnapexOC
Disclaimer: JKR owns all the characters accept for a few OC's of my own creation!
September 2, 1991
I wasn't sure the exact time that I made my way back to my own chambers using the floo system. Severus had installed it last year to connect our two rooms to make the late night escape a little easier on the two of us. See we couldn't have the whole school knowing that he and I even had anything more than a professional relationship. I didn't want it to jeopardize our reputations, and if anything got back to the Headmaster I was not about to sit under his gaze as he lectured the two of us for our inappropriate behavior.
Needless to say, I was completely and utterly exhausted when I was woken up by my internal alarm clock, telling me it was time to teach the seventh years their defense against the arts class. I was also completely aware that due to lack of time I was also going to be unable to make it to breakfast. Absolutely perfect.
I tied my hair back one lonesome piece of dark brown hung out in a way that drove me crazy, but for some reason it just didn't grow like the rest of my hair anymore. I sighed throwing that memory back behind the thick walls I had learned to build in my mind. My dark robes were flattering as I learned quickly from both the faculty and the students and my black heels only added height to my short stature, I thought It made me look more intimidating.
I sauntered down the hall attempting to dodge the first years who looked absolutely petrified at trying to find their way through the castle. Making it safely to my classroom I noticed my NEWT students were already sitting attentively in their desks, perhaps they had learned something over the years.
Walking briskly to head towards the front of the class made me smirk. Perhaps not all my students had learned as much as a thought. With a quick flick of my finger an eerie silence filled the room as the two Gryffindor girls looked shocked.
"First rule please?"
"Talking means someone is not listening and will not be tolerated."
I smiled down at them and removed the spell from the students with another quick wave. "Which spell is that?"
"Silencio."
Andrew Huggins a Ravenclaw boy who was far too arrogant for my liking answered and I nodded.
"And why is this one of the most useful spells in defensive magic?"
Everyone seemed to think hard which worried me. These students would be graduating this year and such a simple question should have an equally quick response.
"B-because if you can stop someone from saying a spell it can mean they wont be able to cast it."
"Thank you miss Eberle."
The nervous Hufflepuff smiled slightly and I had to admit I was pleased. I don't think that the girl even spoke a word at all last year.
"Now is this spell a guaranteed advantage?" I asked sitting at my desk and placing my heeled feet on top of it.
"Of course not," Lilian Arbittle stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. I raised an eyebrow at the earlier chatty Gryffindor as she sighed. "There are wizards who are able to perform wandless and speechless magic, and this would mean that the spell would not stop them from attacking."
"Correct Miss Arbittle, I am pleased that we found a better use for your mouth than idle witch gossip. Now I am going to go ahead and assume that most of you did not complete the required readings so I will update you on todays lesson. Today we will work on wandless spells and hopefully near the end of the fall term, you will be able to progress to speechless magic as well."
This was my favorite lesson to teach, some students, those who had drive and focus usually excelled with this whereas those whose magic was less focused and all around weaker usually ended up being unable to progress further.
"We will continue this lesson next week, I also want twelve inches of parchment on why speechless spells are a great advantage on my desk by Friday," I let a ghost of a smile grace my features as the students groaned. "Welcome back."
I went to my desk to begin to gather up my things as the first year students would be arriving, and along with them Quirrel. I stopped however feeling a very familiar magical signature standing near the door. "Headmaster what I have I done to elicit a visit from you on the first day of class?"
He gave me that full smile and peered over his half-moon glasses. "I am afraid I must ask you to stay for the next class. Professor Quirrel has come down with something and we need someone to cover his first year class."
Come down with something my ass.
"Sure," I stated plastering a fake smile on my face. "Not like I had anything else to do."
Besides work on my Wolfsbane potion.
He just smiled as he left the classroom and I waited for the Slytherin and Gryffindor first years to walk into the room. I didn't have to wait long before the first years began to file in. Conversing quite loudly about their previous class.
"Man Professor Snape sure is a crazy one."
"He's scary."
"I heard he used to use the dark arts."
"I think he could use with a good shampoo."
That was it. I slammed my hands down on the desk smiling all too sweetly at the new class. I was quick to pick out both Potter and Draco as most of the students sat stunned in their seats, looking furiously through their time tables realizing that I was not in fact their defense teacher.
"I can inform you all that there is no mistake on your timetables. Professor Quirrel is supposed to be teaching you your first year of Defense Against the Dark Arts. However it appears that he is currently predisposed and can not make it."
I quickly waved my hand as my name appeared on the chalkboard behind me. "I am Professor Black, and judging from the terrified looks on all of your faces I take it you met my colleague Professor Snape. I should have you know that I too do not tolerate foolish wand waving and my first rule is that no one is to speak while I am talking, for that means you are not listening."
That seemed to shut them all up. Perfect.
"Now who can tell me what the best spell for defense is?"
I attempted to keep my cool façade as they all looked dumbfounded except for a girl with brown bushy hair who had managed to get her hand so high in the air I was surprised she wasn't levitating off of her seat.
"Yes Miss?"
"Granger Professor. The best spell for defense is-"
"Wrong."
She looked absolutely mortified and the rest of the students looked like deer in the headlamps of a car. Absolutely no clue.
"A trick question you see, for there is actually no spell that is the best for defense. In fact the only thing in the world that is going to save you if you get caught in a bad situation is being prepared.
"You see you can know the strongest spell in the world, but all your opponent needs to do is stop you from talking, break your wand, knock you unconscious- well you get the idea. You need to realize that when someone is using the dark arts it means they will do anything to win and you need to prepared to do the same."
"Now open your textbooks and read from page twenty four to ninety five and six inches of parchment on why being prepared is the fist step in defense."
Lucky for me lunch was next and I couldn't wait to eat. Missing breakfast this morning sure didn't add to my pleasant mood for this morning. Surprisingly the first years were extremely attentive in their lesson with me. I only hoped the fifth years I had after lunch would be the same.
"How has your day been Leora," Pomona asked as I grabbed a roll off of the platter. "I already had two second years faint handling the mandrakes this morning."
I resisted the urge to laugh and shrugged. "Not to bad, had to cover for Quirrel with the first years this morning though, lucky for me it his only class today."
"Now don't tell me you scared them too much dear."
It was then that I let out a laugh, which only had a slight vindictive tone to it. "Of course not where would you get that idea?"
"I swear between you and Severus I'm surprised more students aren't coming to me with post traumatic stress disorder after sitting through your lectures," Minerva chimed in, and I knew it was in good humor, even if it was completely true.
I swallowed the last of the soup that was in my bowl and finished off my roll before standing. "Well duty calls. I will talk to you both later."
They both nodded and I headed towards my classroom getting the sense that someone was watching me. Realizing whose magic signature it was made anger bubble through me and I had to concentrate on not accidently launching him away with a stupefy charm.
"I thought you were under the weather…"
"I am f-f-feeling much b-better. T-thanks f-for watching my f-first years."
"Don't mention it," I growled as he opened his mouth and I placed my hand over his mouth. "No seriously don't mention it."
I internally giggled at his fear filled eyes but as he turned to leave a sharp shooting pain shot down my right arm. Almost as quickly as it was there it was gone and I brushed it off.
After having a successful time with both my NEWT students and the first years I assumed that my OWL students were going to be just as wonderful. I was wrong.
I had never suffered from such a bad headache as I did after that class. There was no discipline in them at all and it seemed like every few seconds I was taking away points or giving a detention successfully tying up my entire Saturday of the first week of school.
"I need a drink," I muttered realizing that I needed to go for dinner in the great hall before I could head back to my room. "I guess it will have to wait."
Seeing the great hall so full was kind of charming. I took a seat near Professor Sinistra who I knew would likely keep to herself and I was in no mood to talk. I saw Severus enter the great hall walking with Dumbledore and wondered what they were talking about. I pushed that to the back of my mind however and simply looked out into the mess of students.
After eating enough food to thoroughly satisfy oneself the hall began to clear out and before I could head to my room and crack open a bottle of Fire whisky I figured I should check on my cousin to see how his first day had went.
It wasn't hard to find Draco Malfoy. He was flanked by the two largest Slytherin first years I had seen and they appeared to be laughing at some sort of joke.
"Now what could be so funny?" I asked as Draco gleamed.
"Leo!" He smiled obviously noticing that my mood had changed completely from when I was in the classroom, plus I needed him to know that even though I was his Godmother he would not be receiving any special treatment from me.
"So Slytherin huh? I bet your Mother and Father are beaming with pride."
"As if I would belong in any other house."
He smirked and I had never seen him look as much as Lucius as he did in that moment. He made quick to dismiss his two lackeys as we talked about his classes and of course Potions was his favorite, but he was excited to start flying lessons tomorrow.
"You'll be a natural I'm sure," I told him giving him a quick hug. "I must be off though I'm afraid my job doesn't give me many breaks. If you need anything come find me."
SeverusPOV
Every year I had to ask myself why it is that I was even a teacher in the first place. Most of my students proved trying and there were only a few that showed an ounce of potential. Of course I knew I shouldn't be complaining, the fact that Albus even let a man of my past teach at this school was enough for me.
After Leora snuck out in the early hours of the morning I couldn't help but notice just how cold my bed was without her. Over the years she remained my only friend the only one who didn't judge me for what I did in the past, the only one with more Demons than myself.
She did well to hide the pain and torment behind her amber eyes. Hiding her emotions with humor and simply pretending that things didn't bother her. I knew better than that, I had never seen a mind with so many blocks built up.
Apart of me couldn't help but feel guilty at the fact that I was a cause of some of that grief. It was near the end of seventh year that Leora had come forward with her feelings about me, and of course I could not return them. I loved Lily Evans.
Of course when she ended up marrying Potter I went on a self destructive path. Nothing mattered anymore, but for some reason Leora just wouldn't let me go that easily. I owed her my life more than once over.
I pulled myself out of bed and placed my robes on running my fingers through my hair. I knew that my first class was potions with the Gryffindor and Slytherin first years. I also knew that this meant I would have to suffer through this Monday morning with Potter. I only hoped he lived up the headmasters praise, for if he didn't I would weed him out.
I didn't have time for breakfast as I made my way down the corridor towards the Potions classroom. I double checked my student stores to make sure that everything was organized to my expectations.
Placing my fingers on the bridge of my nose I took a deep breath. It was one class. One class.
One by one the student's filed in. Separating practically right down the middle into Slytherin and Gryffindor. Taking attendance went quickly but I stopped at Potters name.
"Ah Yes. Harry Potter our new –celebrity."
Of course Malfoy and his goons sniggered and I sent them a look.
"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 the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep though human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death- if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."
Silence followed this speech as it normally does. I only hoped I didn't leave this class completely irritated.
LeoraPOV
"Useless."
I had floo'd to his chambers and smirked watching as he paced the room appearing as though he was suffering from a migraine. I knew he was far more prone to these on the first day of school then any other day.
"May I ask who?"
I seemed to have startled him slightly as he sighed and I could practically feel the irritation flowing off of him. "Potter! Just like his father! Arrogant brat!"
I was one of the few who knew of Severus' past and can understand why the sheer presence of Potter bothers him. But he was not James and deserved a fair chance.
"He'll learn Sev, fame only takes one so far," I told him wrapping my arms around him from behind and planting a kiss under his ear. "Besides he has us for teachers so if he's anything like James who better to catch him breaking the rules."
"So positive, I take it your day went alright?"
I rolled my eyes releasing him from my grip and turning to sit on the sofa. "Most of my day was okay, ended up covering for Quirrel and found him walking around feeling just fine. My fifth years are going to need some work. My whole Saturday is full of detentions already… and it's only the first day…" I groaned as he chuckled. "Not funny."
I finished recounting my day telling him that I had a chat with Draco as well and heard all about what drove him so crazy during his first year potions class.
"You know," I stated my tone husky. "I can think of a way to take your mind off of the terrible day…"
"And how do you plan on doing that my dear…"
"Why don't you just relax," I replied kissing him passionately as we headed towards the bed.
This was the best way to end a terrible day.
Author's Note: Shorter chapter than normal. Im hoping to shorten them slightly so I can update more often. Hope you liked it... (sorry if there is grammatical errors, Ill go back over this again as I wrote it at like 4 this morning...)
