Just Grading Papers

"...An accurate diagram of the process. Interesting commentary. More than a general understanding. Hmm. Seems perfect. A few spelling errors. Other than that it seems fine. Full points." There was a sharp rapping on the door. I looked up from the essays I was grading and said, "Come in."

The door swung open. Bang! I jumped up. My papers flew into the air as I reached for my wand. "Professor Longbottom?"

I realized that my face had taken on the appearance of an angry stone statue. I could feel my heavy frown and suspicious eyes. Slowly, I relaxed myself and set my wand back on the table. A long, tense sigh left me as I hunched over my desk, bracing myself on its edge. My heart was pounding.

"Please don't scare me like that."

"Merlin are you okay?" Whoever it was moved around the desk and took me by the arm. "Professor are you alright?"

I looked out from the corner of my eye.

"Professor Riley!" I cried jumping back. I fumbled with my reading glasses a moment before I managed to slam them back onto the table. A hard lump formed in my throat. "Uh, what...ehem...what are you doing here?"

She looked rather surprised under that praying mantis makeup of hers. I don't think I'd ever seen her make any face besides 'stark disappointment'. "I...I came to ask you...why?..." She paused for a moment. "H-hold on a second."

I watched as she pulled out her wand and murmured something under her breath. And like that she was gone.

Well, not exactly.

She was still there of course. But it certainly didn't look like her. All that makeup had disappeared and I was left staring at this woman who looked far too worried about me to be Professor Riley. I half expected her to start cackling and then turn green. But she didn't. Instead she pocketed her wand and moved towards me.

"I didn't mean to scare you Professor Longbottom. My god, if I'd known you'd be that afraid of me I would never have agreed to—"

"To what?"

She paused. "Oh, um...well…" She pulled at her bun with an ashamed smile. "The others...they thought it'd be fun if I dressed up a bit. Played the role of the scary Potions teacher. Just to have some fun with you. That's all." She waved her hands a little. "But if I'd known you'd do that I wouldn't have done it."

Without a word I bent down to pick up the papers. She dropped to the floor to help. I was silent for a long time until I realized that it really wasn't her fault that she'd frightened me. It's not like she would have known I'd react that way. And it certainly was a funny idea in hindsight. I took a deep breath. "It wasn't you that scared me. Not in the way you think at least. Just, ahh, just don't scare me at all preferably. Ever. If you don't mind."

"I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry," I said giving her a reassuring smile. She handed me the stack of essays she had collected. It would be a bother sorting through them again. So much for an early night. "Just don't do it again."

She pressed her lips together. I could tell the question was pulling at her tongue but I hoped she wouldn't ask it. I certainly didn't want to talk about it. After a few seconds she relaxed and turned to chewing at her lip. I stood up and began to sort through the essays.

"I came to ask you something actually," she said standing up.

"What?"

She wrung her hands. "I was wondering if you had any spare mistletoe berries. I'm going through a healing lesson right now and I've almost run out. I thought I'd ask first before I went and bought more." She laughed a little. "I must say it was easier asking you for things when you were afraid of me. At least then I always knew the answer would be yes." When I gave her a funny look she gave me that ashamed smile again. "That's a horrible thing to think isn't it?"

"Yes actually. Very horrible."

"I probably shouldn't have taken advantage of you like that."

"No," I said raising my eyebrows. "No you shouldn't have."

"Well I'm sorry. I can pay you back if you'd like."

I shook my head. "No. I'm fine. If I were someone else I probably would have had a good chuckle at the whole situation. But instead I think I'll just have a few strong words with my colleagues. Who did you say thought this up anyway?"

"Oh I didn't say," she said. She leaned up against my desk. "And I certainly don't plan on telling."

"Then I suppose I'll just have to find a way to pay you back."

"An interesting proposition. A herbologist versus a potions teacher."

"You're a strange woman," I said smirking.

She shrugged and crossed her arms. "All wizards come with their eccentricities."

"Hmm," I murmured. I stood up straight and put a hand on in my pocket, putting my reading glasses back on my nose. "I'll have a few students bring you the mistletoe berries in the morning. But for now I'll have to bid you goodnight Professor. I've got to patrol the hallways for a while."

"Yes, yes. I'll make sure to have my room unlocked." As I walked her out the door she turned back on me. "Again, I'm really sorry for scaring you so badly. If you'd have hexed me, I'd have understood."

If I'd casted any spells it would have been far stronger than a hex, I thought to myself. She was lucky I hadn't to be perfectly honest. The list of spells I had been contemplating on using rattled off in my mind. Any one of them and she would have been in the hospital wing. I clenched my fist in my pocket and tensed my jaw. What horrible things to think. What a horrible person I was. What if I had accidently hurt her? I had to get these fits in check soon before something bad happened. How in the hell was I supposed to keep an eye on Harry's kids and teach if I jumped at the chance to stun a fellow professor just for waltzing in my door?

I glanced at Professor Riley and saw that her face was turned away from me. But even then I could see the bright pink coloring her cheeks. It was then that I realized how tense and angry I must have looked. Surprised, I adjusted myself before clearing my throat and addressing her before we went our separate ways. "Professor, with the way you've been playing me for the past week or so I would have sooner soiled myself than dare hex you."

"Merlin I am sorry," she said, picking up. A smile stretched across her face. "Though I must say it was particularly fun playing such an elaborate gag on you. I look forward to our rivalry."

"Rivalry?"

"Oh yes." She twirled her hand as she turned on her heel and began towards the dungeon. "I am very fond of workplace rivalries."