Chapter 2
In the three broomsticks the atmosphere was very warm and friendly. All around people were talking animatedly to each other. Venus spotted the other Hogwarts staff at the other side of the room seated round at a large table.
"What do you want?" asked Severus leaning against the bar.
"Erm just a butterbeer please," said Venus said as she pulled up a bar stool while she waited for her drink.
"Madam Rosmerta can I have a butterbeer and a bourbon? Actually can you make that a double, looks like its going to be a long night." Severus said to the landlady.
"Yes of course Severus," she said and went to fetch the drinks. Soon she was back with them. As she handed them over Severus dropped a silver coin into her hand.
Severus took a mouthful of his drink and then walked over to the other Hogwarts staff. Quickly Venus picked up her drink and got off her stool and followed him across the pub. Smiling Venus sat down in an empty chair next to Minerva.
"Evening you two!" Minerva laughed, "You're late!"
"Yes!" said Mille giggling drunkenly, "what have you been up to?" she asked raising an eyebrow.
The whole table lapsed into giggles and calls of 'oh Severus you sexy thing!'
"Yes quite," muttered Severus and took another long drink from his glass.
All evening the alcohol flowed and the conversational topics changed quicker than a boggart facing 100 wizards. Severus didn't usually join in. in fact he had hardly drank anything either. After the bourbon he had just been drinking water. Venus however had gone from butterbeer to shareing about 4 bottles of wine with Minerva and Chloe and eventually resulted in having a drinking match with Mille as to who could drink 3 shots of Russian vodka fastest. In fact Venus had become less self conscious the more alcohol she drank. After about her second glass of wine she felt quite comfortable. By about 1am she was very drunk ad she was slurring her words and when she had got up to go to the toilet she had nearly fallen over.
"I think I will go back up to the castle," Severus announced at about 1.15am. "Venus would you like to come too?" asked Severus knowing that if she said no he would take her anyway. He didn't know why but he felt he had to look after her; maybe it was because she was only young.
"Yes I think. oops," she exclaimed as she knocked over a bottle as she got up.
"Never mind dear!" Mille said trying to focus her eyes, "See you tomorrow bright and early!" she laughed again and waved as Severus and Venus made their way out of the pub.
Severus had to support Venus as she walked. She wobbled so badly he was worried she was going to fall off her heels and break her ankle. In the end Snape had too stop and sit Venus on a rock. He pulled out his wand and muttered something and the next minute a broomstick was in his hand he went over and sat on the broom before helping Venus onto it as well. He flew up to the castle and stopped at the large doors, he opened them and went in. he was thankful that the fire was burning in the entrance because now he could use the internal floo system to get to their lounge. Severus helped Venus over to the fire place then he took some powder out of a punch in his pocket and threw it into the flames. By now Venus was beginning to fall asleep so he picked her up in his arms and stepped into the fire with her.
"Severus Snape's room" he said clearly.
Instantly he could feel a warm breeze on his face and in his hair and could see half a dozen fire places wiz by before he stepped out into his own lounge. He lay Venus down on the couch.
"Mmm, where am I?" she asked groggily.
"In your own rooms," Severus answered.
"Oh Severus did you bring me back?" she asked in a half surprised voice.
Severus came and handed her a glass of water then sat on the couch next to her and picked up the Daily Prophet.
"Severus what's wrong? You seem a little pissed off." Venus asked as she drank her water.
"Nothing is wrong with me." He said absently.
Venus kicked off her shoes and crawled over to Severus.
"What are you doing?" Severus asked looking at her.
"What do you mean? I have seen the way you look at me. I know you want me to kiss you." Venus said giggling drunkenly, trying to be seductive.
"I think you should wait until your sober enough to remember what your doing before you stat saying things like that Venus." Severus said getting up.
Venus caught his hand and pulled him back down. He landed on the couch with a thump. She crawled onto his lap so she was facing him with a leg either side of his. She put her hands either side of his head and looked at him.
"Severus I know you want his as much as I do." She said seductively.
"Venus get off me I am not going to kiss you and I'm not going to let you kiss me," Severus said as he gently pushed her off him.
He got up and went and searched the shelves of his potions looking for the hangover cure she would need in the morning. Eventually he picked up a little crystalline bottle full of an amber liquid and walked back over to the couch to give it to her. When he reached the couch he could see she was asleep. He put the bottle in his pocket and picked her up and took her through to her own rooms and lay her on the bed. He took her robes off her, but left the top and skirt on her. He covered her up with the blanket and left the room closing the door after himself. Then he went into his own room.
The next morning Venus woke up to someone shaking her gently and saying her name.
"Venus wake up, its time to get up. First day of teaching today, come on get up." It was Severus and he had brought her a cup of coffee, "here drink this before you drink your coffee," he said and handed her the bottle he had taken off the shelf the night before.
"Were am I?" Venus asked shading her eyes from the sun streaming through her window. "Oh god my head hurts. How much did I drink last night? How did I get home? The last thing I remember was that drinking game with Mille."
"Just drink the potion and the coffee. You have your fist lesson this morning you're going to need to be at your best." Said Severus and he left eh room.
Venus looked at the clock on the bedside table and saw that it said 7am. She knew breakfast started at 8am and lessons started at 9am. Venus took the top off the little bottle of amber liquid and sniffed it. It smelt of rosemary. In one gulp she emptied the bottle. It felt fantastic; she could feel the potion going through her brain as if it were cleaning it as it went. Refreshing it and waking it up. But then memories of the previous night came to her head. 'Oh fuck!" she thought. She drank her coffee and got up. Walking over to the wardrobe Venus realised she was wearing last nights clothes but no robe, then she saw the robe draped on the end of the bed. Smiling to her self she opened the wardrobe door and started to muse on what she was going to wear. Finally she decided on black under robes with a dark red robe jacket to go over the top. She went and brushed her hair and her teeth and had a wash and then went into the lounge. Severus was sitting on the couch putting books and bottles into a black bag ready for his first lesson.
"Erm Severus I'm sorry about last night." Venus said her face going pink, "it's just that I'm sure you know that when you drink you don't act like yourself."
"Actually Venus I have found that when I'm drunk I act as I wish I could with out the influence of alcohol, meaning I usually tell the truth." He said and got up. "Shall we go to breakfast?" he asked as he walked to the door, bag in hand.
Venus picked her bag up from beside the couch and followed Severus out the door. The walked up to the great hall, past the students milling around.
"Severus I am sorry about what I did last night." Venus repeated.
"I have decided to forget it as I'm sure that is what you wish you could do." He looked at her, "So what thing was that then?"
"Thank you," Venus smiled wryly.
Soon they were at the entrance to the great hall. It was the staff entrance and it opened onto the platform were the staff table was.
"Morning Venus," smiled Mille.
"Oh good morning Venus," chimed in Minerva and Chloe.
"Have a good night? I trust Severus provided you with some of that fantastic hangover cure? I always keep a bottle in my room. Oh that reminds me Severus can you make me some more please? Pretty please?" Mille laughed as Severus scowled at her.
"Are you ready fro your first lesson?" Minerva asked.
"I think so, I hope so!" Venus said lightly.
"Oh it's ok," said Chloe, "You have 5th Gryffindor first lesson. They are a really nice class. Minerva's house you know."
Venus nodded and helped herself to some fruit salad and pineapple juice for breakfast. She could hear the other teachers talking about their classes. Who they had, the good kids, the bad kids and the just plain impossible. Venus finished her break fast and checked her watch. Ten to eight.
"I think we had better go the students will be coming in soon." Minerva said and got up.
Venus followed the staff up two floors to the staff room. Severus immediately went over to the coffee dispenser and poured himself a cup of coffee.
"Would you like one Venus?" he asked as he offered her a cup.
"Oh yes please," she said taking the cup from him.
"What about us Severus is you not going offer me, Mille or Chloe a cup?" Minerva asked in mock disgruntlement.
"I think we all know the answer to that." Severus said and took his own cup and sat down.
"Oh Venus think yourself lucky! Severus only gets coffee for those he likes, which are no two people. Himself and you!" as she said this all the staff room burst out laughing.
Venus smiled polite and took a sip of her drink. All around teachers were changing their outer robes and robe jackets for the ones they kept in the wardrobe there. Some were finishing writing lesson notes and some were reading and drinking coffee. Severus was sat in one corner of the room drinking coffee and alternately watching the rest of the staff and watching Venus.
Soon the bell rang in the staff room, this bell rang 10 minutes before the start of the lessons so the staff had time to get to their rooms and set up the lesson. All the teachers started to get up and pick their bags up, drain their coffee mugs and head to the door. Venus got up with the rest but stood back and waited for Minerva to tell her where her room was. Minerva didn't, she kept on walking.
"Need some assistance?" Severus asked from behind her.
"Erm yes no one told me." Venus began, but Severus was already making for the door.
Venus followed him. He began to climb the stairs ahead of her. They went up two flights of stairs and then down a long corridor. Eventually the stopped and Severus pointed to a door to the side of him.
"This is your classroom." he said and opened it.
Venus entered it was great, her own classroom. Somewhere she could teach. She turned to thank Severus for guiding her but he had already left and she could hear his footsteps resonating in the stone corridor.
Venus walked tot the front of the room and laid her bag on the desk. No sooner had she done this when the students started to spill in. all of them talking amongst themselves in small groups of 2 or 3. Venus immediately noticed Harry Potter with his two friends. They were about to sit at the back but the girl pulled them both to the front and promptly sat down.
When all the class was assembled Venus looked around. It was amazing that just by looking at them all she could quieten them.
"Welcome back to school, I'm sure your all looking forward to this year. Like I'm looking forward to being eaten by a hippogriff." A laugh rippled round the class. "Never mind I'll try and make it not too painful. I'm sorry to say I have not had much information as to what you have done in the past years. I was told you had done basics in year one. Read some of Gilderoy Lockhart's book in year two, how lucky you must have been." she added sarcastically. Again the class laughed. "Oh Remus Lupin taught you in year three, good teacher him. And finally you had professor moody. Ok so you have covered dark animals and curses as well as the 'basics.' But I don't think any of you have done blocking dark magic have you?" everyone shook their heads. "Ok then great well I can start on that. I'm sure you all know of pentagrams and other symbols of protection, but do you know and understand how they work? No? Well you will. Ok let's get started. Can you all open your text books at page 26 and you'll see a pentagram."
For the rest of the lesson they learned about the history of it and what invoked it, also partially about how to draw one. She didn't want to let them do that too soon as that could be a whole new lesson and then they could test them.
By the end of the class Venus had learned all their name sand they seemed a nice bunch, well Neville was going to have trouble, he was a bit dithery, but she could handle that. At the end she told them to pack up and waved goodbye to them. Now she didn't have a lesson until this after noon the last lesson of the day. So she had 2 free periods. She picked her bag up and went back to the staff room with the work they had just done with the intent of marking it.
When she reached the staff room she found it to be not quite empty. Severus was sitting there in the corner glowering and holding a glass that looked suspiciously like it contained whiskey or bourbon.
"Something wrong Severus?" Venus asked as she laid down her bag and went over to get a coffee from the vender.
"Yes, I hate children and students!" he spat.
"Tell me something I don't know. What happened." Venus laughed in the face of his anger.
"Why do they never listen? I told them that they had to be careful when adding the last bit of leech juice to the potion or it would explode. But what do they do? Throw it and then it exploded and then my classroom became a wreck! And now I can't use my room again until Wednesday when everything is cleared up! Do you know how many potions ingredients there are in that room? None now! The explosion shattered all the glass and everything is on the floor in a huge slimy mess!" Severus stopped and took a big drink form the glass.
Venus had tried to stop herself from laughing. She knew she shouldn't after all it was a serious accident but the sight of how worked up he got over the thought of all his precious ingredients gone was too much to bear.
"What the hell are you laughing at?" he asked venomously.
"Oh nothing. You do know you can replace the ingredients I'm sure Dumbledore will give you the money." Venus said and took a mouthful of coffee so as not to laugh again.
There was silence for a while.
"So how was your first lesson?" Severus asked when he had calmed down slightly.
"Great the class are really nice, Gryffindor 5th years." Venus said and sat down.
"Ah yes the oh so marvellous Harry Potter." Severus said scathingly. "You like so many others seem to think he's fantastic. I however see him as just another student."
"No you don't you see him as a vile rodent or something." Venus said, "Oh do you always wear black and a scowl?" she asked as an afterthought.
"Yes. Although I don't always wear a scowl I thought would know that." Severus said.
"Yes that was the other thing why do you scowl at everyone else and not at me? What have I done to deserve something so rare from you? The rest of the staff I think would benefit from your more pleasant demeanour more than me." Venus said. The tension was building in the room and for no reason.
Both of them seemed to be looking for an argument. Either to get rid of aggression or just because they could. They sat there for a while staring at each form across the room when Mille walked into the room. As soon as she stepped in she stopped and looked at the occupants of the room. They didn't even flicker they just kept their eyes locked on each other. Mille walked straight back out the room to were Chloe was standing waiting to get in.
"Oh god the sexual tension is unbearable, don't go in there!" Mille said.
"Severus? And that lovely girl? Sexual tension? But she's so pretty she wouldn't want him!" Chloe laughed.
Both of them walked off laughing.
Back inside the staff room they were still staring deadlocked.
"So do I have to spend the rest of my time here with you being miserable? Because that's not something I want to come back to every night." Venus said.
'Why the hell am I arguing with him? He didn't say anything to me.' Venus though but she couldn't stop.
"Don't come back then." Severus said and got up, leaving his glass on the table and he left.
Venus sat there for a while contemplating what had just happened. Just as she was thinking there was an urgent knock on the door. Perplexed Venus called the person to enter. It was Hermione. She was out of breath.
"Professor, I think something's going on with the Slytherins!" she burst out.
"What are you talking about? Why are you telling me anyway." Venus said watching the girl try to catch her breath.
"Well you are the dark arts teacher. Well what it is, is that I went down to the Slytherin dungeon to get a book back from a girl that had it and she just told me to come in and up to her room so she could get it. When I was there I could see something under the bed, like chalk marks. So I ducked down to have a look and under every bed there was a pentagram. They're protecting themselves from something. We had seen them wearing various pendants but thought was a trend they had started." Hermione finished and looked sheepish. "It sounds stupid doesn't it?"
"No not if every bed has one under it, but Hermione don't worry about it. I'm sure." Venus began.
"Your sure nothing will happen?" Hermione burst in, "well every year I have been here something has happened and it starts as something silly. Like a teacher with a turban, turns out to be a servant of Voldemort, then a diary, then a pet rat, then someone entered Harry for a contest. See always unsuspicious or just harmless things that you can't see going wrong but they usually do and Harry is usually the target." Hermione said flustered.
"Ok I'll have a look." Venus said, she felt she was being held at knife point.
Hermione smiled and nodded. She started to back out of the room saying thank you. Soon she was gone and Venus was left alone again. What was she going to do now? Demand to check every Slytherin students room? Question them all? She had no idea but she knew none of that would be possible with out Severus's cooperation.
In the three broomsticks the atmosphere was very warm and friendly. All around people were talking animatedly to each other. Venus spotted the other Hogwarts staff at the other side of the room seated round at a large table.
"What do you want?" asked Severus leaning against the bar.
"Erm just a butterbeer please," said Venus said as she pulled up a bar stool while she waited for her drink.
"Madam Rosmerta can I have a butterbeer and a bourbon? Actually can you make that a double, looks like its going to be a long night." Severus said to the landlady.
"Yes of course Severus," she said and went to fetch the drinks. Soon she was back with them. As she handed them over Severus dropped a silver coin into her hand.
Severus took a mouthful of his drink and then walked over to the other Hogwarts staff. Quickly Venus picked up her drink and got off her stool and followed him across the pub. Smiling Venus sat down in an empty chair next to Minerva.
"Evening you two!" Minerva laughed, "You're late!"
"Yes!" said Mille giggling drunkenly, "what have you been up to?" she asked raising an eyebrow.
The whole table lapsed into giggles and calls of 'oh Severus you sexy thing!'
"Yes quite," muttered Severus and took another long drink from his glass.
All evening the alcohol flowed and the conversational topics changed quicker than a boggart facing 100 wizards. Severus didn't usually join in. in fact he had hardly drank anything either. After the bourbon he had just been drinking water. Venus however had gone from butterbeer to shareing about 4 bottles of wine with Minerva and Chloe and eventually resulted in having a drinking match with Mille as to who could drink 3 shots of Russian vodka fastest. In fact Venus had become less self conscious the more alcohol she drank. After about her second glass of wine she felt quite comfortable. By about 1am she was very drunk ad she was slurring her words and when she had got up to go to the toilet she had nearly fallen over.
"I think I will go back up to the castle," Severus announced at about 1.15am. "Venus would you like to come too?" asked Severus knowing that if she said no he would take her anyway. He didn't know why but he felt he had to look after her; maybe it was because she was only young.
"Yes I think. oops," she exclaimed as she knocked over a bottle as she got up.
"Never mind dear!" Mille said trying to focus her eyes, "See you tomorrow bright and early!" she laughed again and waved as Severus and Venus made their way out of the pub.
Severus had to support Venus as she walked. She wobbled so badly he was worried she was going to fall off her heels and break her ankle. In the end Snape had too stop and sit Venus on a rock. He pulled out his wand and muttered something and the next minute a broomstick was in his hand he went over and sat on the broom before helping Venus onto it as well. He flew up to the castle and stopped at the large doors, he opened them and went in. he was thankful that the fire was burning in the entrance because now he could use the internal floo system to get to their lounge. Severus helped Venus over to the fire place then he took some powder out of a punch in his pocket and threw it into the flames. By now Venus was beginning to fall asleep so he picked her up in his arms and stepped into the fire with her.
"Severus Snape's room" he said clearly.
Instantly he could feel a warm breeze on his face and in his hair and could see half a dozen fire places wiz by before he stepped out into his own lounge. He lay Venus down on the couch.
"Mmm, where am I?" she asked groggily.
"In your own rooms," Severus answered.
"Oh Severus did you bring me back?" she asked in a half surprised voice.
Severus came and handed her a glass of water then sat on the couch next to her and picked up the Daily Prophet.
"Severus what's wrong? You seem a little pissed off." Venus asked as she drank her water.
"Nothing is wrong with me." He said absently.
Venus kicked off her shoes and crawled over to Severus.
"What are you doing?" Severus asked looking at her.
"What do you mean? I have seen the way you look at me. I know you want me to kiss you." Venus said giggling drunkenly, trying to be seductive.
"I think you should wait until your sober enough to remember what your doing before you stat saying things like that Venus." Severus said getting up.
Venus caught his hand and pulled him back down. He landed on the couch with a thump. She crawled onto his lap so she was facing him with a leg either side of his. She put her hands either side of his head and looked at him.
"Severus I know you want his as much as I do." She said seductively.
"Venus get off me I am not going to kiss you and I'm not going to let you kiss me," Severus said as he gently pushed her off him.
He got up and went and searched the shelves of his potions looking for the hangover cure she would need in the morning. Eventually he picked up a little crystalline bottle full of an amber liquid and walked back over to the couch to give it to her. When he reached the couch he could see she was asleep. He put the bottle in his pocket and picked her up and took her through to her own rooms and lay her on the bed. He took her robes off her, but left the top and skirt on her. He covered her up with the blanket and left the room closing the door after himself. Then he went into his own room.
The next morning Venus woke up to someone shaking her gently and saying her name.
"Venus wake up, its time to get up. First day of teaching today, come on get up." It was Severus and he had brought her a cup of coffee, "here drink this before you drink your coffee," he said and handed her the bottle he had taken off the shelf the night before.
"Were am I?" Venus asked shading her eyes from the sun streaming through her window. "Oh god my head hurts. How much did I drink last night? How did I get home? The last thing I remember was that drinking game with Mille."
"Just drink the potion and the coffee. You have your fist lesson this morning you're going to need to be at your best." Said Severus and he left eh room.
Venus looked at the clock on the bedside table and saw that it said 7am. She knew breakfast started at 8am and lessons started at 9am. Venus took the top off the little bottle of amber liquid and sniffed it. It smelt of rosemary. In one gulp she emptied the bottle. It felt fantastic; she could feel the potion going through her brain as if it were cleaning it as it went. Refreshing it and waking it up. But then memories of the previous night came to her head. 'Oh fuck!" she thought. She drank her coffee and got up. Walking over to the wardrobe Venus realised she was wearing last nights clothes but no robe, then she saw the robe draped on the end of the bed. Smiling to her self she opened the wardrobe door and started to muse on what she was going to wear. Finally she decided on black under robes with a dark red robe jacket to go over the top. She went and brushed her hair and her teeth and had a wash and then went into the lounge. Severus was sitting on the couch putting books and bottles into a black bag ready for his first lesson.
"Erm Severus I'm sorry about last night." Venus said her face going pink, "it's just that I'm sure you know that when you drink you don't act like yourself."
"Actually Venus I have found that when I'm drunk I act as I wish I could with out the influence of alcohol, meaning I usually tell the truth." He said and got up. "Shall we go to breakfast?" he asked as he walked to the door, bag in hand.
Venus picked her bag up from beside the couch and followed Severus out the door. The walked up to the great hall, past the students milling around.
"Severus I am sorry about what I did last night." Venus repeated.
"I have decided to forget it as I'm sure that is what you wish you could do." He looked at her, "So what thing was that then?"
"Thank you," Venus smiled wryly.
Soon they were at the entrance to the great hall. It was the staff entrance and it opened onto the platform were the staff table was.
"Morning Venus," smiled Mille.
"Oh good morning Venus," chimed in Minerva and Chloe.
"Have a good night? I trust Severus provided you with some of that fantastic hangover cure? I always keep a bottle in my room. Oh that reminds me Severus can you make me some more please? Pretty please?" Mille laughed as Severus scowled at her.
"Are you ready fro your first lesson?" Minerva asked.
"I think so, I hope so!" Venus said lightly.
"Oh it's ok," said Chloe, "You have 5th Gryffindor first lesson. They are a really nice class. Minerva's house you know."
Venus nodded and helped herself to some fruit salad and pineapple juice for breakfast. She could hear the other teachers talking about their classes. Who they had, the good kids, the bad kids and the just plain impossible. Venus finished her break fast and checked her watch. Ten to eight.
"I think we had better go the students will be coming in soon." Minerva said and got up.
Venus followed the staff up two floors to the staff room. Severus immediately went over to the coffee dispenser and poured himself a cup of coffee.
"Would you like one Venus?" he asked as he offered her a cup.
"Oh yes please," she said taking the cup from him.
"What about us Severus is you not going offer me, Mille or Chloe a cup?" Minerva asked in mock disgruntlement.
"I think we all know the answer to that." Severus said and took his own cup and sat down.
"Oh Venus think yourself lucky! Severus only gets coffee for those he likes, which are no two people. Himself and you!" as she said this all the staff room burst out laughing.
Venus smiled polite and took a sip of her drink. All around teachers were changing their outer robes and robe jackets for the ones they kept in the wardrobe there. Some were finishing writing lesson notes and some were reading and drinking coffee. Severus was sat in one corner of the room drinking coffee and alternately watching the rest of the staff and watching Venus.
Soon the bell rang in the staff room, this bell rang 10 minutes before the start of the lessons so the staff had time to get to their rooms and set up the lesson. All the teachers started to get up and pick their bags up, drain their coffee mugs and head to the door. Venus got up with the rest but stood back and waited for Minerva to tell her where her room was. Minerva didn't, she kept on walking.
"Need some assistance?" Severus asked from behind her.
"Erm yes no one told me." Venus began, but Severus was already making for the door.
Venus followed him. He began to climb the stairs ahead of her. They went up two flights of stairs and then down a long corridor. Eventually the stopped and Severus pointed to a door to the side of him.
"This is your classroom." he said and opened it.
Venus entered it was great, her own classroom. Somewhere she could teach. She turned to thank Severus for guiding her but he had already left and she could hear his footsteps resonating in the stone corridor.
Venus walked tot the front of the room and laid her bag on the desk. No sooner had she done this when the students started to spill in. all of them talking amongst themselves in small groups of 2 or 3. Venus immediately noticed Harry Potter with his two friends. They were about to sit at the back but the girl pulled them both to the front and promptly sat down.
When all the class was assembled Venus looked around. It was amazing that just by looking at them all she could quieten them.
"Welcome back to school, I'm sure your all looking forward to this year. Like I'm looking forward to being eaten by a hippogriff." A laugh rippled round the class. "Never mind I'll try and make it not too painful. I'm sorry to say I have not had much information as to what you have done in the past years. I was told you had done basics in year one. Read some of Gilderoy Lockhart's book in year two, how lucky you must have been." she added sarcastically. Again the class laughed. "Oh Remus Lupin taught you in year three, good teacher him. And finally you had professor moody. Ok so you have covered dark animals and curses as well as the 'basics.' But I don't think any of you have done blocking dark magic have you?" everyone shook their heads. "Ok then great well I can start on that. I'm sure you all know of pentagrams and other symbols of protection, but do you know and understand how they work? No? Well you will. Ok let's get started. Can you all open your text books at page 26 and you'll see a pentagram."
For the rest of the lesson they learned about the history of it and what invoked it, also partially about how to draw one. She didn't want to let them do that too soon as that could be a whole new lesson and then they could test them.
By the end of the class Venus had learned all their name sand they seemed a nice bunch, well Neville was going to have trouble, he was a bit dithery, but she could handle that. At the end she told them to pack up and waved goodbye to them. Now she didn't have a lesson until this after noon the last lesson of the day. So she had 2 free periods. She picked her bag up and went back to the staff room with the work they had just done with the intent of marking it.
When she reached the staff room she found it to be not quite empty. Severus was sitting there in the corner glowering and holding a glass that looked suspiciously like it contained whiskey or bourbon.
"Something wrong Severus?" Venus asked as she laid down her bag and went over to get a coffee from the vender.
"Yes, I hate children and students!" he spat.
"Tell me something I don't know. What happened." Venus laughed in the face of his anger.
"Why do they never listen? I told them that they had to be careful when adding the last bit of leech juice to the potion or it would explode. But what do they do? Throw it and then it exploded and then my classroom became a wreck! And now I can't use my room again until Wednesday when everything is cleared up! Do you know how many potions ingredients there are in that room? None now! The explosion shattered all the glass and everything is on the floor in a huge slimy mess!" Severus stopped and took a big drink form the glass.
Venus had tried to stop herself from laughing. She knew she shouldn't after all it was a serious accident but the sight of how worked up he got over the thought of all his precious ingredients gone was too much to bear.
"What the hell are you laughing at?" he asked venomously.
"Oh nothing. You do know you can replace the ingredients I'm sure Dumbledore will give you the money." Venus said and took a mouthful of coffee so as not to laugh again.
There was silence for a while.
"So how was your first lesson?" Severus asked when he had calmed down slightly.
"Great the class are really nice, Gryffindor 5th years." Venus said and sat down.
"Ah yes the oh so marvellous Harry Potter." Severus said scathingly. "You like so many others seem to think he's fantastic. I however see him as just another student."
"No you don't you see him as a vile rodent or something." Venus said, "Oh do you always wear black and a scowl?" she asked as an afterthought.
"Yes. Although I don't always wear a scowl I thought would know that." Severus said.
"Yes that was the other thing why do you scowl at everyone else and not at me? What have I done to deserve something so rare from you? The rest of the staff I think would benefit from your more pleasant demeanour more than me." Venus said. The tension was building in the room and for no reason.
Both of them seemed to be looking for an argument. Either to get rid of aggression or just because they could. They sat there for a while staring at each form across the room when Mille walked into the room. As soon as she stepped in she stopped and looked at the occupants of the room. They didn't even flicker they just kept their eyes locked on each other. Mille walked straight back out the room to were Chloe was standing waiting to get in.
"Oh god the sexual tension is unbearable, don't go in there!" Mille said.
"Severus? And that lovely girl? Sexual tension? But she's so pretty she wouldn't want him!" Chloe laughed.
Both of them walked off laughing.
Back inside the staff room they were still staring deadlocked.
"So do I have to spend the rest of my time here with you being miserable? Because that's not something I want to come back to every night." Venus said.
'Why the hell am I arguing with him? He didn't say anything to me.' Venus though but she couldn't stop.
"Don't come back then." Severus said and got up, leaving his glass on the table and he left.
Venus sat there for a while contemplating what had just happened. Just as she was thinking there was an urgent knock on the door. Perplexed Venus called the person to enter. It was Hermione. She was out of breath.
"Professor, I think something's going on with the Slytherins!" she burst out.
"What are you talking about? Why are you telling me anyway." Venus said watching the girl try to catch her breath.
"Well you are the dark arts teacher. Well what it is, is that I went down to the Slytherin dungeon to get a book back from a girl that had it and she just told me to come in and up to her room so she could get it. When I was there I could see something under the bed, like chalk marks. So I ducked down to have a look and under every bed there was a pentagram. They're protecting themselves from something. We had seen them wearing various pendants but thought was a trend they had started." Hermione finished and looked sheepish. "It sounds stupid doesn't it?"
"No not if every bed has one under it, but Hermione don't worry about it. I'm sure." Venus began.
"Your sure nothing will happen?" Hermione burst in, "well every year I have been here something has happened and it starts as something silly. Like a teacher with a turban, turns out to be a servant of Voldemort, then a diary, then a pet rat, then someone entered Harry for a contest. See always unsuspicious or just harmless things that you can't see going wrong but they usually do and Harry is usually the target." Hermione said flustered.
"Ok I'll have a look." Venus said, she felt she was being held at knife point.
Hermione smiled and nodded. She started to back out of the room saying thank you. Soon she was gone and Venus was left alone again. What was she going to do now? Demand to check every Slytherin students room? Question them all? She had no idea but she knew none of that would be possible with out Severus's cooperation.