Chapter Ten: Remembrance

The week ended at long last. Blythe was exhausted. She had no idea teaching could take so much out of a person, which gave her a newfound respect for Professors. Especially those of a magic school. "Perhaps I should be nicer to Professor Snape when I see him. Maybe that's why he's always so harsh. I can't imagine anyone not having a nervous breakdown around here, and he probably has a lot to deal with."

Blythe almost scolded herself the second the words came out of her mouth. She had forgotten that if you speak of the devil, chances are, he will make an appearance. Severus Snape had just rounded the corner. "Oh, hello, Professor Snape." Blythe forced her voice to sound cheerful and plastered a smile on her face.

The Professor's eyes narrowed and looked her over with obvious suspicion. "What are you so happy about, Miss Farrah?"

She smiled more genuinely at what he called her. He had to speak her name from now on because she was a Professor herself. It was obvious from his expression that he hated every second of it, which was why, Blythe assumed, he always managed to avoid her. "Oh, nothing, Sir. It's just a lovely day and I'm in a good mood."

"Hmm..." His eyes remained narrowed, his face cold as ice. "I'm sure you have something better to do with your time than stand around in the hallways. Shouldn't you be visiting the Muggle World on your days off?"

Blythe knew it would have pleased him almost as much as getting the Defense Against the Dark Arts job if she were to suddenly leave Hogwarts, especially if she never came back. "No, I'm afraid not, Professor. All my things are here and there's nothing I need from the Muggle World, so there's no point in my going there." Speaking of the Muggle World, Blythe was suddenly reminded of what had recently transpired in one of her classes. "I have a question for you, Professor, now that I think about it."

Severus scowled deeply. He never liked it when Blythe had a question for him because it usually involved asking him about his least favourite thing. Muggles. "And what is it, Miss Farrah? I hope it's something important for once, since I'm in a bit of a hurry to get to my office."

"It won't take long, I promise." She rolled her eyes at his lame excuse to leave as soon as possible. "I was just wondering, what kind of charm a Muggle would have to have on them in order to find Hogwarts?"

He looked her over carefully, as if taking in both her appearance and her question. His brow furrowed and his black eyes narrowed even more. "Why would I tell you? You should already know that, Miss Farrah, considering you're a Muggle and you're here." He sneered at her then. "Now, as I said, I have business to attend to. If you want to know so badly, perhaps you should try the library like everyone else." His last words fell upon Blythe's ears as he walked away from her. "Provided you can find it without a charm."

Blythe spun around and glared at his back, but she managed to bite back her comments until he was out of earshot. Then she began to mutter to herself. "'Provided you can find it without a charm', he says. Ugh! When did I start putting up with crap from the likes of him? I'm getting too soft, that's got to be the problem." She turned around once more and started off in the direction she was going. "I suppose I'll have to speak to Professor Dumbledore himself if I want any answers. I'll be damned if I take Snape's advice. Look in the library. Pfft. I've seen some of those books, I'd never find anything!"

It wouldn't take her long to find Albus Dumbledore. She discovered him standing outside her office looking almost befuddled. He turned to her and smiled warmly as she approached. "Good day, Blythe. How was your first week as a Professor?"

"It went pretty well, actually. And I'm very glad you're here, Albus, I really need to speak with you about something." She quickly unlocked her office door and walked in, holding the door open for the Headmaster.

He walked in after her and closed the door himself. "Before we begin, since there's something I wanted to discuss with you as well, would you care for some tea?"

"Tea would be great, thanks." Blythe smiled gratefully and sat down at her desk. "You needed to talk to me too? That's quite a coincidence."

"Yes, I suppose it is." Albus chuckled softly then pulled out his wand, waved it around and a table with a teapot and two cups appeared in the room.

"I wish I wasn't a Muggle sometimes. Life seems a lot easier with magic."

"True, true, but there's a certain satisfaction that comes from doing things yourself, Blythe. Magic makes things easier, but it also takes away the pleasure of knowing you did something with your own two hands."

"I suppose you're right about that, Albus. But it'd still be nice once in awhile." She smiled at him, then became somewhat serious. "Now, what did you need to talk about?"

Professor Dumbledore poured the tea into the cups, passed one to Blythe then leaned back in the chair with the other one. "Actually, I was hoping to talk about how you managed to find Hogwarts." He smiled at her in a way that suggested he knew that was what she wanted to talk to him about.

She laughed softly then composed herself again. "Can you somehow read minds, Albus? That's exactly why I wanted to talk to you. I wanted to know what charm had to be used on a Muggle in order for them to find Hogwarts."

"Ah, there are many things within my power, Blythe, but I do not speak of them." He winked at her knowing his answer was not really an answer at all. "I do know what charm it is that has to be used. Unfortunately I have yet to find out who placed it on you."

"Would you happen to know why it was put on me then?"

"That's another question I haven't entirely found an answer to, Blythe. Though I do have a few theories."

"I might as well here them then." She sat back in her chair and crossed her legs waiting for his response.

"Yes, I suppose we might as well discuss it. We may just come across a definite answer."

Albus told her about his different thoughts of why the charm was cast upon her. One of which was that maybe the caster mistakenly thought Blythe was a Witch who was somehow overlooked by the Ministry of Magic. Another was the possibility that she had somehow greatly assisted a Witch or Wizard and they decided to pay her back by giving her a way into Hogwarts to learn more about the Wizarding World.

Blythe stopped him on his last point. "Wait. Albus, you think it's possible that this charm was some form of gratitude for helping someone?"

"It's quite possible, Blythe. You have an idea?"

"Yes, I do. Five years ago, there was a little redheaded girl...." Blythe told Albus the story of her strange meeting with four odd people in cloaks and the little girl she saved from five bullies. She told him how she managed to help the girl and brought her back to the strangers in order to find her parents.

Albus Dumbledore leaned back casually in his seat, his bright blue eyes focused on Blythe as he listened to her story with reverent attention. He nodded when she finished. "I think that would do it, Blythe. That would be a good enough reason for most Witches or Wizards to charm you. By your description, I'd have to say it sounds like a Weasley child." He paused and thought for a moment. "Yes, Ginny would've been about that age five years ago. At least that gives us an excellent beginning. We can easily work from there."

"Good. And there's no time like the present, right?" Blythe jumped up out of her seat, almost spilling her untouched tea in the process.

Albus laughed but his eyes were apologetic. "I'm sorry, Blythe, but it will have to wait for now. We don't want to scare poor Miss Weasley half to death, do we? Imagine what she would think if the Headmaster and an overexcited Professor of Muggle Studies suddenly walked up to her and asked if her parents charmed any Muggles five years ago."

"Hmm...I guess you're right." Blythe sighed and dropped back down into her chair. She calmly rubbed her temples with one hand as she took her first sip of tea. "Do you think we could arrange something then? Maybe with her parents?"

"Of course. I'll see what I can do about it, Blythe. For the time being, however, I think you should try to keep it from your mind. All that matters is that you're here and you're very well liked by everyone."

"Well, almost everyone." Blythe smiled weakly thinking of her run-in with Severus Snape not so very long ago.

"Oh? Do you know someone who you haven't managed to charm?" Albus winked at her a second time.

Blythe smiled shyly and spoke in hushed tones, remembering the saying about the devil. "Professor Severus Snape. He still hates me with every shred of life in him."

The Headmaster chuckled softly. "It takes Severus a long time to warm up to people in the least, Blythe. Don't be too concerned. I'm sure once he gets to know you better he'll come around."

'Yeah, sure, with his wand in one hand and a vile of poison in the other', Blythe thought to herself. "I'll have to take your word for it, Albus. I have a feeling it won't be anytime in the near future though." 'If ever', she added mentally.

"Now, since I'm not yet finished my tea, and you've only just begun yours, what else can we talk about to pass the time?"

"Well, there's the birds and the bees and the flowers and the trees....", Blythe sang then trailed off with a coy smile. "But of course, you'll know all about that already."

Professor Dumbledore tilted his head to one side with an expression of extreme vexation on his kind face, though a smile played at the corners of his lips. "No, I don't believe I've heard that song. Please, continue."

Blythe could feel her face turning many shades of pink at Albus' suggestion. "Um, I'd rather not, if it's all the same to you."

"Alright then." He continued to smile at her until a knock came to the door.

"Come in!", Blythe chimed happily.

The door opened, and yet again, Blythe looked into the cold, hate filled eyes of Professor Snape. "Headmaster, there is a matter of extreme urgency that needs your immediate attention." He deliberately avoided looking at Blythe, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

Albus stood up and looked apologetically at Blythe again. "I am sorry about this, Blythe, but you know how it is. There's always some emergency that needs my attention." He put down his almost empty cup of tea and bustled out of the room.

Snape, for whatever reason, decided to stay behind.

"Was there something else you wanted?", Blythe forced her voice to remain calm and sweet, but her undertone was bitter.

"Did you have a nice chat with the Headmaster, Miss Farrah?" His voice was silky, and if Blythe were anyone but herself, it would have easily been a voice that could seduce almost any woman. His cold sneer however kept her hormones in check.

She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before answering him, attempting to remain calm and not bite his head off as she so badly wanted to do. "Yes, actually. We had a lovely, even charming, discussion."

Severus' voice began to deepen and became slightly harsh once again. "What about?"

"I don't recall as it's any of your business what happens within the walls of my office, Professor Snape." She smirked triumphantly at him before continuing. "What Albus and I talked about is strictly between he and I. And if there's nothing else you'd like to discuss, I'd appreciate you leaving. There's a cold draft coming from somewhere and I'll have to find it so I can learn how to keep it out." Her sarcasm was not lost on Snape.

Severus' voice was dripping with venom as he spoke to her again, his eyes were barely slits of black they were narrowed so much, and the most wicked and chilling scowl was on his face. "If the castle is too 'drafty' for you, maybe you should take the hint and leave to a warmer climate in the Muggle World."

Blythe looked around the room for a moment as she spoke. "Now that's peculiar. I could've sworn I just heard a snake." Her eyes quickly shifted back to Severus and a cruel grin was on her lips, her own eyes narrowed, but not in the same way his were. Hers were narrowed in a vicious laughing manner.

The Professor finally lost his temper and hissed loudly, almost spitting as he did so. "Listen to me when I tell you this, Miss Farrah. I am not a man to be trifled with, and if you continue to do so, you'll find the remainder of your days to be quite unpleasant ones."

"The remainder of my days here, you mean.", Blythe corrected helpfully.

"No, the remainder of your days, period." With that, he swept out of the room and disappeared around the corner.

For the first time since she'd arrived at Hogwarts, Blythe actually feared Professor Severus Snape. It wasn't what he said that scared her, it was the fact that he meant every word, and she knew it.