Chapter Three
Being Honest
"I can see that I was wrong about you, Shelly." Snape muttered. "You are far too kind to your students and way too lax."
The two professors were walking the grounds together on a lazy Friday afternoon. Once again, Snape was pestering the fair-haired professor. It almost appeared, to the uncertain eye, that Shelly and Snape had never been friends when they were in school.
"Not every Death Eater can be as perfect as you, Snape."
Just then, a first year tripped and fell across their path. He looked up, petrified to see that he had fallen at Snape's feet, but Esmé bent down and helped him up. She pulled a bandaid out of her robes and put it across the first year's skinned knee, making him promise that he'd go straight to Madame Pomfrey for further care. When he had gone, the two professors continued walking.
"This is what I'm talking about, Esmé! You licked his wounds for him like a little puppy and then sent him off to Poppy Pomfrey to be mothered back to health!"
"Parents would freak if they knew one former Death Eater was working here. There would be chaos if it was obvious that there were two here." Esmé replied smoothly. "To them, there is no good Death Eater. The only good Death Eater is a dead Death Eater, Severus."
Snape turned his stern gaze to Shelly. Out of the blue, he said, "Esmerelda Shelly, what do you think of me?"
"Of you?" Esmé echoed, a bit surprised. "I'm not entirely sure."
"Be honest with me." Severus insisted.
They kept walking while this was happening, but Esmé had turned her head toward the lake. With surprising kindness, Snape allowed Shelly to think. When she finally spoke, it was in a measured tone of voice.
"Well, under all that grease and haughtiness, I believe you're a bit handsome. A bit misunderstood, too, I suppose."
"You really think so?" Snape asked, looking in her direction.
Shelly nodded. "I do."
Just then, Esmé noticed how low the sun had gotten, and that the students were heading in the direction of the castle. Without much heed to Severus, she walked a little bit faster and caught up with Hermione.
"Hello, Professor Shelly!"
"Good afternoon, Miss Granger."
"I'm not usually one to pry, but what were you talking about with Professor Snape?"
"Oh, he was just berating me. Saying that I don't act very much like I came from Slytherin."
Hermione gave Esmé a sympathetic smile. "He seems to do a lot of that."
"Quite true." Esmé agreed.
Politely, Hermione held the door open for Esmé as they went inside. Thanking her, Esmé gave five more points to Gryffindor before hurrying on her way. Shelly wanted to leave the area before Snape could catch up.
Being Honest
"I can see that I was wrong about you, Shelly." Snape muttered. "You are far too kind to your students and way too lax."
The two professors were walking the grounds together on a lazy Friday afternoon. Once again, Snape was pestering the fair-haired professor. It almost appeared, to the uncertain eye, that Shelly and Snape had never been friends when they were in school.
"Not every Death Eater can be as perfect as you, Snape."
Just then, a first year tripped and fell across their path. He looked up, petrified to see that he had fallen at Snape's feet, but Esmé bent down and helped him up. She pulled a bandaid out of her robes and put it across the first year's skinned knee, making him promise that he'd go straight to Madame Pomfrey for further care. When he had gone, the two professors continued walking.
"This is what I'm talking about, Esmé! You licked his wounds for him like a little puppy and then sent him off to Poppy Pomfrey to be mothered back to health!"
"Parents would freak if they knew one former Death Eater was working here. There would be chaos if it was obvious that there were two here." Esmé replied smoothly. "To them, there is no good Death Eater. The only good Death Eater is a dead Death Eater, Severus."
Snape turned his stern gaze to Shelly. Out of the blue, he said, "Esmerelda Shelly, what do you think of me?"
"Of you?" Esmé echoed, a bit surprised. "I'm not entirely sure."
"Be honest with me." Severus insisted.
They kept walking while this was happening, but Esmé had turned her head toward the lake. With surprising kindness, Snape allowed Shelly to think. When she finally spoke, it was in a measured tone of voice.
"Well, under all that grease and haughtiness, I believe you're a bit handsome. A bit misunderstood, too, I suppose."
"You really think so?" Snape asked, looking in her direction.
Shelly nodded. "I do."
Just then, Esmé noticed how low the sun had gotten, and that the students were heading in the direction of the castle. Without much heed to Severus, she walked a little bit faster and caught up with Hermione.
"Hello, Professor Shelly!"
"Good afternoon, Miss Granger."
"I'm not usually one to pry, but what were you talking about with Professor Snape?"
"Oh, he was just berating me. Saying that I don't act very much like I came from Slytherin."
Hermione gave Esmé a sympathetic smile. "He seems to do a lot of that."
"Quite true." Esmé agreed.
Politely, Hermione held the door open for Esmé as they went inside. Thanking her, Esmé gave five more points to Gryffindor before hurrying on her way. Shelly wanted to leave the area before Snape could catch up.