"Voldemort? Great."
"Well Rachael, what else could be causing problems these days- quidditch?"
"Do shut-up Severus, it would do you so much good," scowled Rachael.
"Now, now," said Dumbledore, a twinkle in his eye, "this is no time for fighting. Now, come inside and I would be delighted to tell you everything."
***
Rachael was really mad. She hated Hogwarts. Hated it with a passion. As she walked inside, she noted its fine wood floors, its beautifully polished windows.it all disgusted her. There had been too much ugliness at this school for it to deserve to be beautiful.
Flashback
"Come on Rachael! Don't be a wuss!"
"I'm not a wuss!"
"Then why won't you jump, huh?"
The first speaker was Jay Yater, Rachael's best friend. Everyone thought that they would date one day, but they knew better. After all, Jay was dating Gina Andrews, a Hufflepuff, and Rachael was dating one of James' friends, Remus Lupin. She rather liked Remus; though there was something odd about him she couldn't figure out.
"Jump!"
"No! You first!"
All right! I'll go first, don't have a cow."
Jay climbed onto his broom, flew it over the lake, and jumped off.
End Flashback
Rachael shook herself of the memory. She had to listen to Dumbledore.
***
"So basically Voldemort has Sirius and James-
"What!?"Rachael shrieked.
" And James went to rescue him," Dumbledore continued, "Calm down, Rachael, he wont get hurt."
"And just how do you know that? God, I swear this place is bad luck! I want to leave-why the hell did I have to come here in the first place?"
"For your safety," said Dumbledore, as it was the most obvious thing in the world, "and I want you to remain here until James returns."
"And just what am I supposed to do while I am waiting for my immensely deranged brother?"
"There she goes again with the big words," thought Severus
"You will take the Defense Against the Dark Arts position. Severus is Potions Master."
Severus smiled. He could not imagine Rachael Potter teaching. No way.
***
"Me?" asked Rachael, "You want me to teach? I've got as much patience as a two-year-old!"
"At least you're honest."
"Shut-up, Severus."
"I will not have you two bickering constantly while you are teaching, is that understood?"
"Yes Professor," they said simultaneously.
"Now.lets see.Severus, you know where your office is, could you kindly direct Ms.Potter to hers?"
"My pleasure, Headmaster."
Severus and Rachael left the room silently.
***
Severus couldn't understand Rachael. How could she not be over.well, it's not like it was her fault, though he knew she held herself responsible.
"It wasn't your fault, you know."
"What did you say?"
Severus sighed. "Nothing."
"Here is your office. Mine is in the dungeons, second door on the right by the gargoyle. I'll be there if you need me-but see to it that you don't."
Rachael smiled. "Thank you," she said softly.
"For what?" Severus was confused.
"For saving my life. I-I-." she trailed off.
"My pleasure-just don't get into any more life-threatening situations; I may not be there to rescue you."
"I'll keep that in mind. Good-night, Severus."
"Good-night, Potter."
Severus walked away, is heart beating. Why had he flirted with her lik that? It had just come out. He couldn't let that happen again. She was a Potter. He was a Snape. It would never work. But.he couldn't get her smiling face out of his mind. He shook himself.
"Get over it Snape, she's a Potter."
But that thought only made him feel worse.
***
Rachael watched Severus' retreating figure with a sigh. He could be so cute. And when he smiled.
"Wait a second. What am I thinking? Come on, it's Severus Snape. Your brother's arch-enemy?"
Yeah, but she wasn't James, she was Rachael, and at the moment, Rachael was telling her that maybe Severus wasn't so bad after all.
***
Next Morning
Severus awoke with a groan. What had he been dreaming about? It was a girl, and light, and children.
Children. That thought jolted Severus' mind. The students arrived today.
"Great. Just what I need today. A bunch of little kiddies running around while I try to explain how to make a Shrinking Solution. Why the hell did I ever take this job?"
Severus rolled out of bed and pulled on his black robes. As a teacher he could wear whatever color robes he wanted to, but he had always preferred black. It was such a morbid color. He liked morbid things. His life was morbid. All those memories.
Flashback
"Severus! Are you listening to me?"
"Yes, Master."
"Good. Now, I want you to kill the Burnlowes."
"You what?"
"You heard me, Severus, kill the Burnlowes."
"Yes, My Lord."
And Severus Snape walked out into the world to do Lord Voldemort's bidding.
End Flashback
Severus shook himself. It would to no good to dwell in the past- Severus had learned that a long time ago.
***
Rachael woke up sweating. She had had that dream. The one she had had in Knockturn Alley. The scary.
She struggled to remember what it was about, but failed.
"Damn," she cursed softly, as she realized that the students would be coming today. Rachael was in no mood to greet new people.
Rachael looked at her watch and realized it was 8:30. She had to get down to the Great Hall for a meeting with Dumbledore.
Rachael pulled on her robes, grabbed her wand, and was out the door in 5 seconds.
As Rachael sprinted into the Great Hall, she saw that Dumbledore wasn't even there yet.
"Figures," Rachael muttered under her breath.
"What figures?"
Rachael spun around. It was Severus, looking at her in a bemused way.
"Nothing. Why do you care?"
Rachael instantly regretted saying that. Severus had a hurt look on his face.
"Sorry, Severus. I'm not having a good day."
"A good day? It's only been day for about an hour. You must've had some morning to feel bad after an hour."
"Oh be quiet Severus! If you must know, I had a dream. And it kept me up, all right?"
"God, sorry Rachael. I'll just leave you be."
And with that he stalked off.
"Great. Just great. Nice going Rach. Scare him off. Really Smooth."
***
"Note to self," mumbled Severus as he walked away from Rachael, "stay away from Potter in the mornings."
Severus couldn't help feeling concerned for Rachael, though. She had looked very pale when she mentioned her dream, and Severus wondered if she had had dreamed about.
"Wait a second. Why do I even care?"
"You care, Severus, because you like her."
"I do not!"
"You don't what, Severus?"
Severus realized he had said the last part out loud. "Nothing."
"What ever you say Severus, whatever you say."
***
That Evening
Rachael sat in the Great Hall, waiting for the new students to arrive. She had always hated this part as a student. She found the sorting deadly dull.
Severus suddenly ran into the room.
"There's been an accident.train.Voldemort."
And with that, he collapsed.
"Well Rachael, what else could be causing problems these days- quidditch?"
"Do shut-up Severus, it would do you so much good," scowled Rachael.
"Now, now," said Dumbledore, a twinkle in his eye, "this is no time for fighting. Now, come inside and I would be delighted to tell you everything."
***
Rachael was really mad. She hated Hogwarts. Hated it with a passion. As she walked inside, she noted its fine wood floors, its beautifully polished windows.it all disgusted her. There had been too much ugliness at this school for it to deserve to be beautiful.
Flashback
"Come on Rachael! Don't be a wuss!"
"I'm not a wuss!"
"Then why won't you jump, huh?"
The first speaker was Jay Yater, Rachael's best friend. Everyone thought that they would date one day, but they knew better. After all, Jay was dating Gina Andrews, a Hufflepuff, and Rachael was dating one of James' friends, Remus Lupin. She rather liked Remus; though there was something odd about him she couldn't figure out.
"Jump!"
"No! You first!"
All right! I'll go first, don't have a cow."
Jay climbed onto his broom, flew it over the lake, and jumped off.
End Flashback
Rachael shook herself of the memory. She had to listen to Dumbledore.
***
"So basically Voldemort has Sirius and James-
"What!?"Rachael shrieked.
" And James went to rescue him," Dumbledore continued, "Calm down, Rachael, he wont get hurt."
"And just how do you know that? God, I swear this place is bad luck! I want to leave-why the hell did I have to come here in the first place?"
"For your safety," said Dumbledore, as it was the most obvious thing in the world, "and I want you to remain here until James returns."
"And just what am I supposed to do while I am waiting for my immensely deranged brother?"
"There she goes again with the big words," thought Severus
"You will take the Defense Against the Dark Arts position. Severus is Potions Master."
Severus smiled. He could not imagine Rachael Potter teaching. No way.
***
"Me?" asked Rachael, "You want me to teach? I've got as much patience as a two-year-old!"
"At least you're honest."
"Shut-up, Severus."
"I will not have you two bickering constantly while you are teaching, is that understood?"
"Yes Professor," they said simultaneously.
"Now.lets see.Severus, you know where your office is, could you kindly direct Ms.Potter to hers?"
"My pleasure, Headmaster."
Severus and Rachael left the room silently.
***
Severus couldn't understand Rachael. How could she not be over.well, it's not like it was her fault, though he knew she held herself responsible.
"It wasn't your fault, you know."
"What did you say?"
Severus sighed. "Nothing."
"Here is your office. Mine is in the dungeons, second door on the right by the gargoyle. I'll be there if you need me-but see to it that you don't."
Rachael smiled. "Thank you," she said softly.
"For what?" Severus was confused.
"For saving my life. I-I-." she trailed off.
"My pleasure-just don't get into any more life-threatening situations; I may not be there to rescue you."
"I'll keep that in mind. Good-night, Severus."
"Good-night, Potter."
Severus walked away, is heart beating. Why had he flirted with her lik that? It had just come out. He couldn't let that happen again. She was a Potter. He was a Snape. It would never work. But.he couldn't get her smiling face out of his mind. He shook himself.
"Get over it Snape, she's a Potter."
But that thought only made him feel worse.
***
Rachael watched Severus' retreating figure with a sigh. He could be so cute. And when he smiled.
"Wait a second. What am I thinking? Come on, it's Severus Snape. Your brother's arch-enemy?"
Yeah, but she wasn't James, she was Rachael, and at the moment, Rachael was telling her that maybe Severus wasn't so bad after all.
***
Next Morning
Severus awoke with a groan. What had he been dreaming about? It was a girl, and light, and children.
Children. That thought jolted Severus' mind. The students arrived today.
"Great. Just what I need today. A bunch of little kiddies running around while I try to explain how to make a Shrinking Solution. Why the hell did I ever take this job?"
Severus rolled out of bed and pulled on his black robes. As a teacher he could wear whatever color robes he wanted to, but he had always preferred black. It was such a morbid color. He liked morbid things. His life was morbid. All those memories.
Flashback
"Severus! Are you listening to me?"
"Yes, Master."
"Good. Now, I want you to kill the Burnlowes."
"You what?"
"You heard me, Severus, kill the Burnlowes."
"Yes, My Lord."
And Severus Snape walked out into the world to do Lord Voldemort's bidding.
End Flashback
Severus shook himself. It would to no good to dwell in the past- Severus had learned that a long time ago.
***
Rachael woke up sweating. She had had that dream. The one she had had in Knockturn Alley. The scary.
She struggled to remember what it was about, but failed.
"Damn," she cursed softly, as she realized that the students would be coming today. Rachael was in no mood to greet new people.
Rachael looked at her watch and realized it was 8:30. She had to get down to the Great Hall for a meeting with Dumbledore.
Rachael pulled on her robes, grabbed her wand, and was out the door in 5 seconds.
As Rachael sprinted into the Great Hall, she saw that Dumbledore wasn't even there yet.
"Figures," Rachael muttered under her breath.
"What figures?"
Rachael spun around. It was Severus, looking at her in a bemused way.
"Nothing. Why do you care?"
Rachael instantly regretted saying that. Severus had a hurt look on his face.
"Sorry, Severus. I'm not having a good day."
"A good day? It's only been day for about an hour. You must've had some morning to feel bad after an hour."
"Oh be quiet Severus! If you must know, I had a dream. And it kept me up, all right?"
"God, sorry Rachael. I'll just leave you be."
And with that he stalked off.
"Great. Just great. Nice going Rach. Scare him off. Really Smooth."
***
"Note to self," mumbled Severus as he walked away from Rachael, "stay away from Potter in the mornings."
Severus couldn't help feeling concerned for Rachael, though. She had looked very pale when she mentioned her dream, and Severus wondered if she had had dreamed about.
"Wait a second. Why do I even care?"
"You care, Severus, because you like her."
"I do not!"
"You don't what, Severus?"
Severus realized he had said the last part out loud. "Nothing."
"What ever you say Severus, whatever you say."
***
That Evening
Rachael sat in the Great Hall, waiting for the new students to arrive. She had always hated this part as a student. She found the sorting deadly dull.
Severus suddenly ran into the room.
"There's been an accident.train.Voldemort."
And with that, he collapsed.