I watched my son as he cut valerian roots. He paused and looked at the cauldron. The water was just starting to simmer. He added the roots and stirred carefully and I spoke
"Serpentine, when school starts I would like you to teach my new first years."
"Why?" He asked not looking up.
"Well, my method of teaching is harsh, maybe if you took the first years and taught them lab safety before I got my hands on them and make them so nervous they crap themselves and can't do anything it would be better." Serpentine looked up in shock before quickly looking back at his potion. He carefully added a diced sloth brain and stirred.
"I don't see how I would be a better teacher."
"You are kinder than I."
"Kinder perhaps but I don't know if I could deal with the Slytherin Gryffindor class." I felt a smirk creeping across my face. "Oh and bad handwriting." I smirked again. A teacher's worst nightmare is bad handwriting. That and pranks. Joy.
"you know, I've been thinking." Really? Wow. "What we learn in Defence is all well and good but." No go on you were just starting to make sense. "But Death Eaters fight dirty. Do you reckon it would be a good idea for me to continue the D.A- Wait you do know what the D.A is don't you?"
"Yes. The only ones that didn't know what was going on was Filch and Umbridge. Carry on." Please do, I'm bored.
"Well, I think it would be a good idea. In Defence we trade curses. It isn't like that really. I think it should carry on and then people, Muggleborns especially will have a better chance of surviving." Wow. How on earth did you think of this? No. That's brilliant. "That and I can teach them better, more sensible ways to come out of a vampire or werewolf perhaps even inferius attack alive." Great you want to, basically, teach the Slytherin's how to kill you yourself quicker? Great. Brilliant logic. Then again, Fenrir Greyback…
"Good idea, I'll speak to Dumbledore at some point tomorrow." He nodded and looked at his silver dagger.
"How do I crush this?" Pardon? Are you an idiot? "It's silver." Ah yes. A few days ago Marge gave Serpentine a fifty pence piece and told him to go get her a paper. Stupid- well I can't call her a witch can I? Hmm, Hag suits her nicely. When he started screaming in pain it was apparent he can't touch silver anymore. I conjured a set of fingerless gloves and told him to wear them all the time. That way he was at less of a risk from silver. They somehow suit. He'll probably get a lot of stick about it oh well. Not my problem. Well…
"Da- do you actually mind if I call you dad or what?"
"If you don't feel comfortable just use Sev. Lily did and she was the only one I didn't curse if she did." He nodded.
"Sev, do you think that on the first day, of school, at breakfast you could walk down the side of the Gryffindor table I'm at, see the bandages on my arm and start shouting about how my suicide attempts have got to stop? Can we say it's the reason I moved from America?" Yes.
"Sure, can't hurt."
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Ok this is basically a filler chapter…
