Okay, okay I know I said I'd update by Tuesday and it's now Thursday but when I got back from holiday I had this college thing to go to and since then my boyfriend has dominated my time. As it start college proper on Tuesday coming updates will probably move to once a week as I have like, three hours of travel plus homework to do within waking hours.
Anyway, chapter long over due...
"Alright Hufflepuff, here's how it's going to be. I ask a question and you will answer it within five seconds. If I do not get a response in that time I will take five points from your house." Trix said, quite harshly, to her first class of the morning.
She was teaching a class of seventh years and getting answers from them was like drawing blood from a stone. In order to 'show them who's boss' Trix had gone from wearing her usual colourful robes to a black dress that reached just below her knees and green heeled boots that laced up with black laces to her mid shin. A leather jacket completed the look. It was done up with hook and eye fastenings and had brass coloured, dome shaped buttons that were purely ornamental down either side of the fastenings. If she were a muggle she'd be mistaken for some sort of biker-Goth.
As it was her 'new look' had attracted many a curious stare as she took her place at breakfast half an hour ago. Severus's expression stayed blank but Trix knew that he was hiding a smirk. Oh yes she definitely looked like the headmaster's daughter now. With her carefully schooled expression even if she wasn't dressed as she currently was or threatening her students the look upon her face was enough to give away whose daughter she was. Her students in their outrage of her new proposal seemed to be forgetting this however.
"You can't do that!" a guy in the middle of the class exploded in indignation.
"Answer the questions and I won't have to." Trix sent the boy, a Mr. Johnson, a particularly withering glare that made him seem to reconsider his outburst. "This week we you will be learning how to defend against Dementors. Can anyone tell me the first sign a Dememtor attack is inevitable?"
Silence.
"Two…" Trix counted down, "On –"
"Darkness. Everything goes dark." A girl in the first row said.
"Good. The second?"
"Coldness. It feels like you're never going to be happy again."
"What should be eaten after an attack?"
"Chocolate bewitched to bring about happiness."
"What does a Dememtor take from you?"
"Happy memories."
"The worst case scenario?"
"Dementor kiss."
"And the charm to stop that fate?"
"Expecto Patronum." Most of the class intoned at once.
"That wasn't so hard was it?" Trix sent another withering glance to her whole class. A few of them seemed a little ashamed of their past actions but a few would need a little more convincing. "Desks away." she flicked her wand, so as not to startle her class, to clear the desks to the side of the room even though she didn't have to. The class took places around the room making sure there was a lot of space between them.
"First of all you will earn how to produce the patronus charm. You need to think of a memory, the happiest memory you have. The charm acts as a shield and that is what the Dementors feed off until it is driven away. if you are ever attacked you will need to bring forth the memory and cast the charm all the while focusing on that happy feeling."
A few of the students began trying to cast the charm of their own accord but Trix did not stop them. She wanted her students to feel as though they could try things by themselves in the safe environment of her classroom. With her there as long as they followed the safety precautions they had learned back when they were first years they could do whatever they wanted in practical lessons… well, within reason. They were seventh years and should be able to be trusted to use their own judgement.
Trix walked about her class and gave each of them pointers of how to improve, encouragement and praise. By the end of the double lesson everyone could produce the charm and concentrate for long enough to stave off a regular Demenetor attack however their hard work had only just begun. After today they would have to learn to control their patronuses from there they would have to control them and then a boggart in the guise of a dementor would be unleashed and then they would face the real challenge – the boggart being released and then casting the charm. A long, arduous process but one that the ministry had deemed necessary just before the term began.
Her question was: if the ministry deemed it so necessary why was it only being taught to the NEWT students and not the final year OLW students? If it was so important why wasn't everyone in the school going have the chance to learn it?
"Because it takes an extraordinary amount of magic." Her father patiently said later that evening over a mug of steaming tea in their living room.
"Everyone needs learn this, Dad. What if the Dementors strike back or something?"
"There are enough competent magic users to cope with the situation."
"While everyone else has to hide in their homes in fear of getting the kiss." Trixabelle snapped.
"If you feel so strongly about the matter why did you not join the ministry?" Severus countered.
Trixabelle stayed silent and went back to marking some forth years' homework. It was only the second week into the job and already she felt that she was perpetually drowning in marking. She worked well into the night sometimes so that she might have the weekend off but always something seemed to come up to divert her from her never ending task whether it be detention or…
"You are to patrol the halls in dungeon tonight." Severus said after sipping his tea.
"I thought Macmillan did that?" Trix huffed. Really all she wanted to do was mark homework to get it out of the way.
"Usually. You need to go or else you will be late."
"Alright. How long for?"
"As long as you think necessary."
Sighing overly dramatically Trixabelle left the room pulling a back coat around herself as she did so.
Next morning Severus banged on Trixabelle's door but got no groggy response. Upon opening the door he found the room empty but with all the signs of her having prepared for the day ahead. Wondering what could have motivated her to get up before half six in the morning he headed into the lounge and saw that she had also already breakfasted. Most strange indeed.
Ruminating on this Severus completed his morning rituals of shaving and showering before he set out for the Great Hall where he would call breakfast for the few early risers before making an early start at his work. Today would take him out of the castle and into Diagon Alley and the Ministry where he would endeavour to purchase the many pieces of equipment Trixabelle needed for her classes. Normally this was a job he reserved for Filius but he felt the need to get away from the castle for at least a little while.
Once in the Great Hall he noticed the Scorpius Malfoy was not there. Over the past few days the child had made a habit of being one of the first into breakfast and one of the first out. Sensing no foul play Severus quickly called for breakfast, took some toast from the Ravenclaw table as was his supreme right especially when he had so much work to do, and headed for his office.
Much to his surprise Filius was already sat in a chair talking to a few of the portraits with a smile on his face that had no right to be there. Not this early and when there was so much to be done.
"Filius took the liberty of calling for some muggle coffee, my boy, won't you join him?" Dumbledore asked as if the office still belonged to him.
"No unless he wishes to speak with me whilst I have a migraine." Severus said. "What may I help you with, Filius?"
"I understand you plan on going to Diagon Alley this morning." He happily replied.
"Yes."
"Anything you wish me to do whilst you're gone?"
"Watch over Scorpius and Teddy. I believe their house mates disapprove of their loyalty towards Trixabelle."
"Very well. I shall go and preside over breakfast."
Diagon Alley was the first place he went to. He knew he would only be able to purchase so many things from the various shops but his willingness to scour the alley before going to the ministry was testament to how much he hated that place. It was crowded and noisy, messages flew everywhere and there were always a few sycophants who tried to talk to him even though he had made it quite clear that he had no desire to be in the same building as them much less within a few feet of them.
Standing in the middle of the street Severus took a moment to get his bearings right and then headed for one of the small side streets. Down there he would find a shop that sold a lot of school equipment. It was owned by a thin rake of a man called Master Stubbs. He was an elderly gentleman who had very white hair and was almost blind but could still somehow see things at a distance. He walked with a limp from when he was attacked by a couple of Death Eaters in the war and his right hand suffered arthritis so badly he could not move it.
Severus didn't take much pity on the man as most did. He'd got off lightly in the war. People had been killed or lost entire families, Frank and Alice Longbottom had been tortured to insanity leaving their son to the strict upbringing of their mother, lives had been destroyed. None had sacrificed as much as he apart from those who gave their lives. And Lily, precious, sweet Lily was dead.
No, Severus had no pity for the man as many in the alley did. He did not hate the man just the attention he received when there were people out in the world who needed and deserved it more.
Stepping into the shop a feeling of isolation befell Severus. Coming to this shop was never a good idea. It always made him think of the past and that was never a good idea. Before he could ruminate too much the old man stood from his stool.
"Potions Master." He greeted.
Severus inclined his head and closed the door behind himself. Placing the list on the counter top he asked if any of the items on the list were in stock.
"As luck so has it I believe I have much of this equipment in the back room." Master Stubbs shuffled to the back of the shop and opened the door gesturing Severus in.
A candle lit itself on an overhead chandelier and moments later the rest of the candles followed suit illuminating the rest of the room.
"Monty told me the new professor might need to replace a few items." Master Stubbs explained when Severus began looking at the equipment.
The store room wasn't large by any means but he was surprised at how much stuff there was in there. Shelves lined three of the four walls from floor to ceiling and held every sort of class room equipment imaginable. Boxes and crates sat perilously on the edges of shelves or stacked atop each other, boxes littered the floor, some of them as tall as a man. More boxes were stacked against the fourth wall as well as some ornate chests and cabinets.
"Everything you're looking for save the boggart and sneakoscopes. You'll have to go to the ministry for them. There's enough of everything to teach an average size class."
"The Hogwarts Express passes through tomorrow, will you load everything onto it?" Severus asked.
"I'll ask my nephews to help."
Severus nodded and then made his way back through the shop leaving the correct amount of coins by the till.
Out in the street once more he took a deep cleansing breath as if it would blow away the memories that were still threatening to break the surface. He quickly Disapparated to the phone box in London that would take him to the heart of the ministry.
After having his wand weighed he headed to the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures which was on level four. Once there he diverted to the Beast Department. A pretty looking witch who was obviously an intern was stationed at the desk. Severus very rarely had the time of day for interns but this one somehow looked familiar.
"Morning, Headmaster, my name's Adora Tonks, how may I help you?" her hair changed from the ostentatious purple to what was perhaps its natural blonde. Either way Severus realised why she was familiar – she was a much younger cousin of Nymphadora from her father's side.
"Hogwarts requires a Boggart." He replied.
"Alright. Here's the form. Normally I have to go through it with you but I guess you'd rather do that yourself. How soon do you need it?"
"Within the week." Severus didn't look up from the overly simple form.
With a form like this anyone will be able to get their hands on a Boggart, he thought in disgust and scribbled through the rest of the form. From there he visited the Auror department where a certain green eyed golden boy was having a conversation with Charlie Weasley.
Coupled with the memories that were still trying to surface seeing Potter almost broke the potions master. All the pain from those years of hardship came rushing back with the force of a train. All that kept him from leaving the room was Harry looking over with eyes so much like Lily's and smiled.
"Pleasant surprise, Sir." Harry said.
"Really, Potter must you keep calling me 'sir' you are not a student any more though there is still the matter of your N.E.W.T's which you have yet to complete." Severus snapped.
Fortunately Harry knew better than to replay having been on the receiving end of the man's anger for enough years of his life without needing a repeat experience to remind him how angry this man could get. Instead he continued his conversation with Charlie Weasley as if nothing had happened.
"Professor Snape." The latest head Auror greeted. Her name was Alicia Sharp, another former student of his from when he was a potions master. Severus remembered her to be one of the few students to not be in the D.A yet stand up to the Carrows whilst the Dark Lord had control of Hogwarts.
"Hogwarts is in need of sneakoscopes for the sixth years' class." Really the memories needed to learn when to go away. They were only supposed to bombard him when he was in the safe isolation of his rooms and only when he allowed them too. Not when he was at the ministry on important business.
"We only have five spare I'm afraid and then they are not in good repair and our mechanic hasn't had the chance to fix them."
"You have the spare parts?"
"You want them any way?"
"The new professor has a… unique way of teaching the topic."
"Very well. I'll have them sent over in the morning and any other broken ones that might turn up but really, they're in a bad way."
"No matter. Thank you, Ms Sharp." Severus turned away.
"Oh, Sir." She called. "Congratulations. Your daughter and all."
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Next time... Severus makes a trip to The Burrow and meets a three year old
J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter