By Marie Noire
Chapter Two : The Music Teacher
She sighed as she bustled through Diagon Alley, sidestepping the eager students that had flooded the place since early that morning. She had already nearly been knocked headlong more times than she could count thanks to the shiny new broomsticks in the window of one store. The alley was getting louder and louder, due mainly to the fact that apparently the English still felt the need to shout everything… or at least everyone in the twenty-and-under crowd did.
Finally, she managed to slip into a shop full of potions supplies… although she missed the name above the door in her haste to get away from the deafening roar outside. She didn't need much in the way of potions, to her figuring… but it never hurt to get a few fresh ingredients. Granted she could probably borrow whatever she needed from the Potions Master of Hogwarts if she ran out of anything less than totally obscure. If she needed anything for her personal potions set… then she would see to it herself. Plus, it wasn't as if potions were a grand part of her subject anyway. But the call of cheap dragon's liver was too much… seventeen sickles an ounce! It was nearly twice that price in France! Apparently it paid to have a native species of dragon or two.
She picked a jar of fresh-looking dragon's liver and a few other items, a new set of scales among them… slowly making her way to the counter. Ahead of her stood a tall figure in black… not uncommon in England by the looks of things… she had always wondered if there was a law against colours. However, it was this figure's voice that caught her attention… low and soft, but with an unmistakable edge of command about it.
"When I order fifteen packets of finely ground dragon talons for the start of a semester… I expect fifteen packets of finely ground dragon talons… not fifteen packets of coarsely ground manticore claws. Now… I expect you to correct this rather egregious error and have what I requested by next week. Do I make myself understood?" the figure explained in a tone that was both patient and slightly threatening all at once and she found herself taking a step away from him instinctively.
"Of course, professor… I apologize for the inconvenience. The order will be taken care of right away." The clerk nodded quickly, swallowing.
"You should." The figure replied with an audible sneer.
"May I help you, miss?" another clerk offered in a soft voice.
"Oh… of course. Thank you." She replied, tearing her attention away to man as he turned, his eyes focused in scowl on the floor. At first glance, he was no oil painting… with a dark expression, a prominent hooked nose, and greasy hair that reached to his shoulders. In fact… he looked downright familiar, but she couldn't quite place him. Unfortunately a first glance was all she managed to procure before the clerk hustled her to the counter to tally up her purchases. In a blink, the man was gone, swept into the pre-term crowds of Diagon Alley.
Professor… the other clerk had called him professor. Most likely he was a teacher at Hogwarts, it being the only major wizarding school nearby. If that turned out to be the case, she'd see him again that night when she finally moved her belongings to her new quarters and joined the Hogwarts faculty for supper. Then she could get a better look at this stern but rather intriguing fellow… find out who on earth he was and where she knew him from.
Severus kept his own counsel at the faculty table as Albus and Minerva discussed the incoming first-years. Lupin was back again, despite the slight uproar over having a werewolf as a DADA professor. Lupin had Dumbledore's explicit trust… not to mention a magnificent track record with all of the students. Therefore, Snape had no cause for audible complaint other than the man's very presence… so he contented himself with a deeper scowl than usual.
Footsteps approached, but Snape didn't deign to look up although he already knew that all of the professors were present and accounted for, excepting Trelawney. Albus' chair creaked along the floor as he rose.
"Ah… at last. If I could have everyone's attention, please?" Albus asked in much the same manner he would use to address the students.
Severus looked up to see a young woman standing to Albus' right, a blush painting her cheeks as she suddenly came to the attention of every professor of Hogwarts. What was this? Some new havoc-wreaking advocate from the Ministry? Nonsense… she didn't look nearly official enough. A relative of Albus' perhaps… or Minerva's. Luckily, she bore no physical resemblance to Remus whatsoever…
"I would like you all to say hello to Chantal Duquesne, our newest professor here at Hogwarts. She'll be setting up class for a new subject that I am personally very excited about… Magical Musicology. Since this is her first term teaching, I will expect all of you to help her get her bearings." Albus introduced her jovially.
Snape nearly let his jaw drop. Chantal Duquesne? Could it possibly be? And what was this new subject she was teaching? Magical Musicology? That was hardly a subject that required a teacher all to itself! Musicology was usually a section covered in Charms, and not for very long at that.
She looked like one good class with both Slytherins and Gryffindors in it would topple her over, still being a rather wispy thing with pale blonde hair and large eyes of blue. Hells bells… it looked as though a single sneeze from Hagrid could knock her over! She wouldn't last a week… he was certain of it.
"Thank you, Headmaster." She smiled, her expression only slightly uncertain. Severus thought he remembered the lilt of a French accent in her voice. It was then that he realized the only empty seat at the table was right on his left hand, between himself and Hagrid. And she was headed directly for that spot.
He resisted the rather sudden urge to stand and pull the chair out for her. Luckily Hagrid beat him to it, offering the young woman the seat with a reddening face. She seemed slightly surprised to see Hagrid at the faculty table, but smiled at him nonetheless. "Merci, Hagrid."
"Sure thing, Tally." Hagrid grinned widely, winking at her devilishly.
She laughed out right. "Mon dieu… no one's called me Tally in years! Not since I graduated here!"
Lupin stood up and all but ran over. "I thought I recognized that accent! Tally, love, how have you been?"
"Remus? Alors! I didn't even recognize you! You look wonderful, mon ami!" she exclaimed, rising again to hug Lupin tightly about the neck. "Goodness, is there anyone else here I should know about?"
Remus cleared his throat reluctantly, jerking his head in Severus' direction. "Maybe."
Blue met on black as her eyes sought his. Severus froze; feeling exactly as he has all those years ago when she had so innocently asked him to help her with revising Potions. After that brief second of paralysis, he rose, nodding at her.
"Chantal." He said gruffly, his expression cold and displeased. "I did not think to see you here again."
Her eyes flickered slightly at his cold greeting, but she shrugged it out, smiling at him. "Severus… it's good to see you. I always thought you'd make a stunning Potions Master."
Albus saved him from making any sort of reply by addressing everyone again. "How silly of me! I forgot to introduce all of the teachers to you… good heavens, I'll leave my mind in the Sorting Hat one of these days."
One by one, each teacher endured Albus' rather lengthy introductions with fixed smiles. McGonagall apparently remembered Chantal fondly although Binns did not, citing her abysmal history scores under his breath. Hagrid clapped her on the back so hard that she nearly crashed into the soup tureen. Remus in particular seemed ecstatic to have a familiar face around and before long the two were deep in conversation.
Severus mentally chastised himself for feeling a tinge of jealousy over their tête-à-tête… concentrating on his meal with a determined expression. He was the first to excuse himself and head directly for the dungeons and his private chambers, claiming fatigue when Dumbledore shot him a questioning glance.
Chantal… after all these years… why did she have to come back into the picture? Of all the wizarding schools in the entire world, why did her jet-setting little feet have to land at Hogwarts? The brief notion that maybe she had hoped to see him was squashed immediately by the recent sight of her and Remus together. They had always been close… almost as close as James and Lily had been, although there was never any buzz about Remus and Chantal dating. Now it seemed that might change. Fine. Let them. He didn't care. If she liked being attached to a bloody werewolf, then that was her blasted business.
Nevermore let out a raspy meow in greeting when Severus finally made it to his bedroom, leaping from the chair to wind around his legs. Severus swept him up with a sigh and collapsed in the recently vacated chair, stroking the kneazle's darkly spotted fur absently, his eyes focusing on the fire in front of him.