House: Slytherin
Year: Head Girl
Prompt: [Object] Cracked cauldron
Category: Standard
Word count: 823
Severus remembers when he first met Nicholas Dodda. Even though he swept into the classroom with an intimidating scowl and a flare of his robes designed to cow the impressionable first-years, Nicholas only sat up a little straighter in his chair and flashed a gap-toothed smile. "Hi, Professor Snake!" he called out.
The other Hufflepuffs tittered, although a few managed to keep a straight face: either out of fear or out of loyalty to their Housemate. Severus didn't particularly care to find out; either way, the answer was bound to reflect badly on the students. House loyalty was all well and good, but there was a difference between blind loyalty because it was expected and loyalty to one who earned it.
Severus looked down his nose at the boy. "Mister… Dodda," he said in a slow drawl he knew made students - even the fourth years, who would never admit it - quake in their trainers.
"Yes?" Big eyes looked up at him.
"Yes, sir," Severus snapped. "Five points from Hufflepuff. If your behaviour continues, detention."
The boy smiled. "Okay, Professor Snake!"
Behind him, the Hufflepuffs seemed torn between bursting into laughter or looking properly horrified. Snape decided it was time to enforce the rule of law, or else he'd be "Professor Snake" for the remainder of the term.
"Detention," he said crisply, looking down his nose at the idiotic boy before striding to the front of the classroom. "Speak with me after class, Mister Dodda. Now, everyone, turn to page 241 of your book."
Class passed uneventfully, save for some bumbling Hufflepuff almost ruining her cauldron. When class ended, Nicholas did hang back, and Snape looked up from the row of vials before him to say, "Please come to the front, Mister Dodda."
Nicholas did so with a wide grin.
Severus scowled. "Are you quite alright, Mister Dodda? Most students do not smile when they receive detention."
"I'm alright, Professor!" the boy said with a little hop. "What should I do?"
"Your detention will be tonight. You'll be chopping flobberworms."
The boy smiled again. "Brilliant, Professor. Bye!"
And then he was gone.
That evening, the boy was once again bubbling and smiling, and Severus didn't know what to make of it. It wasn't until he took the boy to the Hospital Wing - because Poppy had requested some Pain Potions, and he couldn't leave Nicholas Dodda unattended in his classroom - that he began to notice something.
Nicholas never quite met anyone's eyes. He always looked off into the distance, and while he was always smiling, there was always something melancholy there, lurking beneath the surface. As he and Poppy left the room - to put away the potions - he asked her what she thought was wrong.
"He doesn't seem quite right in the head…" she replied. "I hate to make that diagnosis so soon, though, I've only just met the boy. I hate it, but that's my gut reaction."
Severus nodded. "Understood. I might ask him about it, then. He was acting out in my Potions class today, in a very atypical manner."
"You mean he was smiling?" Pomona said with a chuckle.
Severus raised an eyebrow at her. "Why, yes. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must get back to my classroom. Nicholas still has to finish his detention."
When he and Nicholas made it back to the classroom, Severus asked him to take a seat before chopping flobberworms again. Then he asked him if his parents had ever said anything about him being special. And the boy's reaction surprised him.
"Mum told me we all have something special inside of us," the boy said, his eyes looking off into the distance. "She told me I have a cauldron inside me, in my belly. And because I'm me, and I'm a special person, touched by the moon, my cauldron is a little cracked."
Severus nodded, wondering how to phrase the next question. "Did she ever take you to get your cauldron fixed?"
"I'm not sure," Nicholas replied. "But I like my cauldron. It's cracked, but it works. The plain ones are so boring and smooth, anyway."
"But the smooth ones are safer."
"I'm happy the way I am, Professor. I don't want to go to St. Mungos, or to a Mind Healer's. Maybe my cauldron's a little cracked, but many people have made do with second hand school supplies, and anyway, this adds a little adventure to life."
"Adventure?"
"Yes." Strangely enough, the boy's eyes were shining now, and he turned to look at Severus. "For me, there's always a little wackiness in the world. The greatest wizards of all time were just a little crazy. I must say, I've never understood Dumbledore's words at the Welcome Feast. Don't you see?"
Severus slowly nodded. "I suppose I do. Although I must warn you - your peers may not be as accepting. You are a Hufflepuff, but that does not always mean as much as it should. If you should want help, come to a member of the staff."
"Okay!" Then the boy jumped to his feet. "Am I done with detention now?"
"I suppose so. I'll see you tomorrow in class, Mister Dodda."
"Bye Professor Snake!"