Chapter Two
Looks Can Be Deceiving
"May I talk to you, Esmé?"
She paused in the hall, turning at the sound of Snape's voice. Esmé took him in visually. He had a dark appearance and seemed a bit greasy. But underneath, he seemed handsome. Esmé could do something with this.
"No problem."
Esmé noticed Snape taking her in as well. Really, she had nothing to do that night. Esmé had seen the feast through, and didn't have patrol duty this particular night. In fact, Esmé was just heading back to her room.
"Did you really want this position?"
"You mean as a Defence Against the Dark Arts professor? It doesn't matter. I had a desire to be the Potions teahcer, but I was told that there was a perfectly capable man already in that position."
"You should give in to your desires." Snape said.
"I always do."
"You don't seem to have done that this time."
With a frown, Esmé rolled up her sleeve. A deft hand tore up part of the bandage, revealing her tattoo. She looked up at Snape.
"I don't often flaunt my power."
Snape nodded, impressed. Esmé put the bandage back on and rolled her sleeve down. Her eyes met those of Snape's.
"You're not all that you seem." Snape said smoothly.
"I never am. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like some sleep before I have to teach class tomorrow."
Hardly noticing Snape's reaction, Esmé swept away down the hall. He seemed stiff, but he could flex if provoked. Esmé would see to that.
Snape looked atfer Esmé. She was stiff, like himself. And a Death Eater, of all things, as well. This new professor was quite a piece of work. Not like other professors he had met. Esmerelda Shelly wouldn't be easy to break off.
"Good afternoon, class. I'm Professor Shelly and I will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, hopefully longer than Quirrell, Lockhart, Lupin and Moody did." Esmé looked around at the class of fifth years.
"I understand that you've had a through grounding in nature creatures such as grindylows and hinkypunks, have covered Boggarts and werewolves and have been through the Unforgiveable Curses quite well. Have I got that right, Miss Granger?"
Hermione looked startled. "That about sums it up, Professor."
"Mr. Weasley. Do you know what a Diricawl is?"
"A Diricawl?" Ron looked puzzled. "No, I don't think so."
"That'll have to be covered first thing. And Mr. Potter, since you were brought up by Muggles, I don't suppose you've ever heard of a Lethifold?"
"No, but it doesn't sound very safe."
Esmé nodded. "You're right, it isn't. But, we'll go over those this year, too."
Lavender Brown raised a tentative hand. "Professor Shelly? Will we be doing any work today?"
Esmé offered the class a small smile. "Why, we are working, Miss Brown. I'm getting to know the class, and you're getting to know me."
Professor Shelly seemed to be a nice woman. She acted stiff and part of the upper-class, as if she weren't very nice, but seemed to be cordial to the class. Perhaps Snape could learn a thing or two from Professor Shelly.
"Where'd you go to school at?" Parvati Patil asked next.
"Oh, here. I was a Slytherin, don't you know!"
The class dropped into silence. Shelly was a Slytherin? But she seemed too nice! Perhaps the Sorting Hat had made an error with her.
"Some of my closest friends were Lucius Malfoy and Tom Riddle. I even introduced Lucius to Narcissa Dax, his wife! But don't mind what Professor Snape says about me. We used to be like two peas in a pod!" Esmé took one look at her class and changed the subject. "So, when's the first Qudditch game?"
"Saturday!" Seamus Finnegan and Harry shouted in unison.
"Say, that's the spirit!" Esmé cheered. "Ten points to both of you."
"Harry's our new team captain!" Neville Longbottom added, hoping to get some points.
"Thank you, Neville. Five mor points to Gryffindor, then."
"Did you play Qudditch?" Ron asked.
"I certainly did. I was a chaser and team captain. And, if you all don't mind, I'm going to see if I can referee Saturday's game."
That was met with a cheer.
Looks Can Be Deceiving
"May I talk to you, Esmé?"
She paused in the hall, turning at the sound of Snape's voice. Esmé took him in visually. He had a dark appearance and seemed a bit greasy. But underneath, he seemed handsome. Esmé could do something with this.
"No problem."
Esmé noticed Snape taking her in as well. Really, she had nothing to do that night. Esmé had seen the feast through, and didn't have patrol duty this particular night. In fact, Esmé was just heading back to her room.
"Did you really want this position?"
"You mean as a Defence Against the Dark Arts professor? It doesn't matter. I had a desire to be the Potions teahcer, but I was told that there was a perfectly capable man already in that position."
"You should give in to your desires." Snape said.
"I always do."
"You don't seem to have done that this time."
With a frown, Esmé rolled up her sleeve. A deft hand tore up part of the bandage, revealing her tattoo. She looked up at Snape.
"I don't often flaunt my power."
Snape nodded, impressed. Esmé put the bandage back on and rolled her sleeve down. Her eyes met those of Snape's.
"You're not all that you seem." Snape said smoothly.
"I never am. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like some sleep before I have to teach class tomorrow."
Hardly noticing Snape's reaction, Esmé swept away down the hall. He seemed stiff, but he could flex if provoked. Esmé would see to that.
Snape looked atfer Esmé. She was stiff, like himself. And a Death Eater, of all things, as well. This new professor was quite a piece of work. Not like other professors he had met. Esmerelda Shelly wouldn't be easy to break off.
"Good afternoon, class. I'm Professor Shelly and I will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, hopefully longer than Quirrell, Lockhart, Lupin and Moody did." Esmé looked around at the class of fifth years.
"I understand that you've had a through grounding in nature creatures such as grindylows and hinkypunks, have covered Boggarts and werewolves and have been through the Unforgiveable Curses quite well. Have I got that right, Miss Granger?"
Hermione looked startled. "That about sums it up, Professor."
"Mr. Weasley. Do you know what a Diricawl is?"
"A Diricawl?" Ron looked puzzled. "No, I don't think so."
"That'll have to be covered first thing. And Mr. Potter, since you were brought up by Muggles, I don't suppose you've ever heard of a Lethifold?"
"No, but it doesn't sound very safe."
Esmé nodded. "You're right, it isn't. But, we'll go over those this year, too."
Lavender Brown raised a tentative hand. "Professor Shelly? Will we be doing any work today?"
Esmé offered the class a small smile. "Why, we are working, Miss Brown. I'm getting to know the class, and you're getting to know me."
Professor Shelly seemed to be a nice woman. She acted stiff and part of the upper-class, as if she weren't very nice, but seemed to be cordial to the class. Perhaps Snape could learn a thing or two from Professor Shelly.
"Where'd you go to school at?" Parvati Patil asked next.
"Oh, here. I was a Slytherin, don't you know!"
The class dropped into silence. Shelly was a Slytherin? But she seemed too nice! Perhaps the Sorting Hat had made an error with her.
"Some of my closest friends were Lucius Malfoy and Tom Riddle. I even introduced Lucius to Narcissa Dax, his wife! But don't mind what Professor Snape says about me. We used to be like two peas in a pod!" Esmé took one look at her class and changed the subject. "So, when's the first Qudditch game?"
"Saturday!" Seamus Finnegan and Harry shouted in unison.
"Say, that's the spirit!" Esmé cheered. "Ten points to both of you."
"Harry's our new team captain!" Neville Longbottom added, hoping to get some points.
"Thank you, Neville. Five mor points to Gryffindor, then."
"Did you play Qudditch?" Ron asked.
"I certainly did. I was a chaser and team captain. And, if you all don't mind, I'm going to see if I can referee Saturday's game."
That was met with a cheer.