Chapter 10: Broodings and Silky Smiles
Joining her house at their table, Constance eats, and celebrates alongside her Slytherin friends and secret allies. Placing half a baked chicken on her plate, she levitates a portion of bangers and mash alongside it. Taking out her wand and pointing to her plate of food, she whispers: "Unus sectum seorsuma." A minute sliver of light erupts on the chicken and slowly drifts over the meat in a specific pattern, cleaving the meat neatly off the bone into bite-size pieces. After three minutes, the chicken bones are laying naked on the plate with the meat neatly surrounding it. Nosing over Constance's shoulder, Mildrew eyes the handiwork of the foreign spell and asks of its origins, but gets a bland explanation instead.
"I picked it up a few years ago on the road. It cuts your food into bite-size pieces and doesn't even scrape the bone. It's also useful against vermin, but I've never developed it into a useful spell against people…never had the malicious soul for it, I guess. If you do try to use it against a person, it just pierces the skin like a needle, about an inch deep then fizzles out. Whoever does develop it into a spell against people would have to have a really dark heart."
Impressed, Mildrew returns to her dinner, and Constance solemnly consumes her dinner. To Constance's surprise, Madeline, the brilliant and beautiful Slytherin redhead abruptly sits down besides her, and waits for her to finish chewing.
"Pansy wants you to run some errands for her into town. She says to get with her after the first-years are settled in."
Nodding, Constance takes another bite of her chicken and a carrot slice. Chewing it and washing it down with a huge swallow of juice, Constance asks bluntly: "AND? Why else would you still be sitting next to the house freak, if there weren't more?"
Momentarily taken back, Madeline retaliates with her usual ferocity.
"I never called you a freak…at least not to your face! I never saw what Pansy saw in you, back when you first showed up; and now, well, I do."
Leaning closer to Constance, she continues in a private whisper.
"You're a powerful witch, who has accumulated a greater following than Malfoy and Potter combined! I have no idea if you are working for the Dark Lord or your own secret master, but I'd be willing to wager that whoever it is, you aren't some little prawn."
Setting down her fork, Constance takes another drink.
"And I have no idea what you are talking about Mandy. I'm just your run of the mill witch who is just doing her best to stay under the radar. Whether it's Dumbledork or the Dark Lord who runs this school, makes no difference to me just so long as they don't turn this place into another Auschwitz. I'm actually starting to like it here, and this beats the alternatives."
Mandy scrutinizes Constance before finally replying."I don't buy that for a minute, but because Pansy trusts you, so must I. If you aren't a threat to the Dark Lord, then you'll be allowed to live, I suppose. Nonetheless, Pansy chose you to do this errand over me and everyone else, so it's an honor to serve her. Everything you need to know she'll tell you later."
Madeline stands using Constance as leverage while stealthily slipping a sealed note into Constance's cloak pocket, and hurriedly returns to Pansy's side. Constance graciously nods towards Pansy, acknowledging her mission. Finishing her dinner, she meanders to a secluded corner of the castle, and reads the note Madeline slipped in her pocket. Constance feels her heart shake and flutter reading Madeline's words, and she immediately incinerates the parchment. Frustrated, Constance walks the halls long past when the first years were settled in their houses.
Strolling into the common room, Constance finds Pansy intimidating first-years and clearly establishing her rule over the young arrivals. Staring coldly at a droopy-haired second year curled-up in the comfiest chair in the room, it takes only a few seconds for her to scramble up and vacate the chair for Constance. Spinning around, Constance collapses in the chair, and waits for Pansy to finish her tormenting treatment. Letting her glare dance lightly across each face in the room, Constance counts almost half are members of her Lion's Guard. Reflecting inwards, in her practiced gloomy and brooding exterior, it only lasts for ten minutes until Pansy comes to kneel beside her chair to whisper.
"I need you to pick up something for me, in a few weeks. I'll let you know when it's ready, and you need to meet my contact behind Hogsmead. Then bring it into Hogsmead and leave it on the chair of an empty table until Malfoy enters. Then just leave. He'll do the rest."
Nodding, Constance sees no point in saying anything. To ask what she's picking up is pointless, and is probably some kind of contraband she didn't want to know about in the first place. With nothing exchanged, Pansy rises and leaves Constance to resume her evil brooding. With numerous plans running amuck, Constance fears she'll lose her balance and fall headlong into the wrong direction. Exhausted, she rises and fights her mirth as the underclass students jump clear of her path and scramble for cover. Passing Madeline in the hall she bows slightly at the waist appearing as a courteous exchange. As she enters, she notices the emptiness of her room, as her roommates belongings were nowhere in sight. With her new position, came also the privacy of a room to all those in her position. With Constance being the only Slytherin student-teacher, and no prefects needing a roommate, she was left with a room to herself, for the immediate future at least. Finding her room as she left it, she speaks a simple disrobe spell and steps out of her clothes. With a swish of her wand, the dirty clothes find the appropriate clothes bin, and her robes hang themselves up in her closet. Climbing into her bed naked, she relishes the silk sheets Susan had bought her as a birthday present. Sliding around between the sheets, she purrs from the energy they give her. As she drifts into sleep, she notes how she must return the favor to Susan for Christmas.
After spending an intense morning in Care for Magical Creatures, the third period of remedial potions went far better than she hoped. Finding three familiar faces from her Lion's Guard, she discovered they were spread out reassuring their friends of her qualifications and sincerity to truly improve their potions skills. Though over half were seventh year students, the remaining students were Slytherin who were taking double potions and her class during their break. Under those rules, she couldn't give them a grade, but the additional experience was priceless when it came to taking the NEWTs. Splitting the class in half, Constance focused each in the area of study which Professor Slughorn advised her to, while ensuring the safety of all by preventing the mixing of fumes from the two different projects. Feeling more like a tutor than student professor, Constance spent her hour drifting between the two halves, and ended her class by collapsing in her chair, exhausted. As the Cornelius Benders, a 7th year Slytherin, closes the door behind him, a beige and grey cat sneaks out from behind the desks and leaps atop the chair beside her. In a breath, the cat is replaced by Professor McGonagall sitting politely and smiling inwardly. Constance murmurs under her breath,
"I was wondering who'd be reviewing my class; I didn't believe you all would just cut me loose without some supervision." Lifting her head up, she sits back in her chair. Minerva stands and brushes the ruffles from her skirt.
"I am but one of many who will oversee your tutoring sessions. It takes more than just passing the NEWTs to teach…as I see you have grasped the foundation of. You aren't like Professors Snape or Slughorn in your technique; and with some helpful guidance, I believe you can be a superb professor in your own right." Patting Constance's shoulder, she turns and leaves.
"The exhaustion will eventually pass, as your confidence grows. Get some lunch, and another professor will be around to observe your next class."
As Professor McGonagall reaches to open the door, it is opened for her as Susan Bones comes by the walk with Constance to lunch. Bowing politely, she smiles as she passes and enters, pulling the door closed tightly behind her. Strolling down the path, she smiles lovingly at her best friend and waits as she extinguishes the remaining cauldrons. As Constance joins her, Susan reaches out and passionately kisses her. Embracing her tightly, she eventually breaks the kiss and leads her back into the corridor, reestablishing a respectful distance between two girls, best friends or not. As they stroll happily towards the great hall, Constance finally smiles meekly, and proclaims:
"I don't believe I thanked you enough for my birthday present this summer."
Susan shyly giggles before replying.
"Yes you did…twice that first night, and at least every other day for two weeks afterwards."
October arrived, and brought with it horribly cold weather, cooling everyone's mood as well. With the shorter days came a dour melancholy which spread through every aspect of student life. With mounting reports of increasing murders and disappearances spreading across the Wizard and Muggle world, few could resist the foul spirits filling the school. Constance, the Queen of Dour Spirits, was not immune to the effects and inflicted her displeasure upon the poor souls who crossed her. Growling horrifically at every younger student who came within 2 feet of her, a bubble of fear wrapped around her affecting student and professor alike. Even the fear inspiring Hagred, complained to Professor Snape that Constance was unusually sour. Absently, Severus dismissed Hagred's remarks but eventually meandered by Constance's class after lunch. Finding her growling and ripping apart a seventh year Slytherin who nearly blew up the classroom by improperly mixing an Elixir of the Magi. Used by every wizard who makes magical items like wands to flying brooms, the elixir is an essential binding agent and can easily react to anything it comes in contact with. The final product after boiling down becomes a thick translucent goo, resembling foul smelling honey. Though the entire cooking process takes several days, the difficulty in making the elixir lies with the mixing. Several explosive potions must be carefully added, at specific rates, in a specific order. Any deviation in the order or rate not can, but will result in a fantastic and catastrophic explosion killing anyone within fifty feet. Furthermore, the elixir was one of the potions she was tested on for the NEWTs, so the importance of following explicit directions was still etched in her mind.
Severus drifts down to the floor, ending Constance's five minute rant.
"Perhaps, Mr. Zabini has adequately comprehended the severity of his error, and will understand a belittling and humiliating dressing down by a junior student, will remind him that it is far better than being dead. Those kinds of mistakes will definitively result in your failing at NEWT-level potions! Miss Hollander isn't just enjoying herself by "ripping you a new one" as you might say, but trying to burn into your thick skulls that a mistake at this level isn't just failure, but almost certain death. Dismissed."
In unison, the cauldrons are magically cleaned and fires extinguished, as the students clean their areas and depart for either their last class for the day or their breaks, while Constance gets control of her emotions. Professor Snape inspects some of the potions before the students clean up their areas, and hides his admiration for Constance. As the last student departs and closes the door, Severus confronts Constance.
"It seems you have taken up where I left off at in potions; students dread your wrath as they did mine. Though I appreciate your display of respect, leave those dramatic shows to those who have tenure to get away with them. I will tell you what I told Albus when you first came here: it was as shame that you did not attend Hogwarts in the first year…I could have made you the best potions wizard in history. Alas, you are very good, but you have no real love for it do you?"
Constance shakes her head. "No Professor. Sylver Tannious is responsible for ensuring I would never enjoy the art of potions…" Constance uncovers her left arm revealing rows of burns and knife scars. "…or be able to walk in public in a pretty little dress or a bathing suit since I was seven." Severus momentarily lets escape a flash of horrific remorse, and regains his composure, and replies.
"As detestable as I am, I would never have done that to any student…even Mr. Potter. A cut or small scar here or there is trifling, even character building, but what you were subjected to goes far beyond reason. Understand this: what I do is done for the greater good, not my personal enjoyment. If I kill, it is because the creature was going to die, and I was putting him out of his misery. If I did it, at least it would be quick and merciful, rather than what others in that position might exploit. When caring for animals, I'm sure this concept applies, yes?"
Constance nods numbly.
"Excellent, you are on your way to confronting the real world, away from books and dormitories. If you choose to pursue Care of Magical Creatures beyond Hogwarts, then they will be blessed to have such a superb potion-maker in their ranks; don't forget your skills or let them wane. THAT would be an unforgiveable crime."
Smiling, Constance follows Professor Snape to the door, and closes it behind her.