Chap. 2: Rumours in the Night
Note: Again, everyone except McAllaster and Santon belong to Rowling. Still haven't finished reading The Goblet of Fire. Hoping to get some feedback!
" So, that's why Snape looked liked he wanted to hide down there?" asked Ron, intrigued.
All the Gryffindors led by Hermione had made their way to the common room. They were all gathered around the roaring fire listening to Seamus and Dean who had somehow found out all about Professor McAllaster's story. It seemed that she had indeed been to Hogwarts in her youth, which was not that long ago. As Dumbledore mentioned, she had been in Gryffindor and was an accomplished student who became Prefect and Head Girl. She was adequately renown for all this but what many remembered most about her was her bizarre relationship with one of the teachers. Professor Severus Snape taught Potions for quite a long time, so they were told.
" No wonder he's so grumpy about never getting Defence Against the Dark Arts! You'd think he would've gotten it after all those years," said Harry, with a slight snicker.
As it has been said, Natalie McAllaster was taught Potions by none other than Snape. Now, her, being a Gryffindor and him, being an enthusiastic Slytherin supporter, you would have expected them to have a relationship resembling any other Gryffindor's relationship with Snape. But this was not the case…
" So, rumour says that McAllaster and Snape got on really well! Disturbingly well, actually. S'pose she was really good at Potions or something." said Dean excitedly.
" Well Hermione's quite good at Potions and he never has anything nice to say about her!" exclaimed Ron.
" Well that's the rumour, is all! I heard it from a Slytherin 7th year, I did! And I think I heard it somewhere else too. Anyway, it was never really clear what they had but everyone was really suspicious and all. You all know teacher-student relationships are not at all well looked upon and Snape could've been sacked for that!" continued Seamus.
" But he wasn't so this is probably just some rubbish made up by some meddlesome person with too much time on their hands!" said Hermione firmly. "We should all be off to bed now and not listening to this pointless drivel."
With a few groans, the crowd around the fire had dispersed and most of them went to their dormitories to find their trunks already there. Harry and Ron wondered if all this was true and they talked about this and many other things, such as the Quidditch season rounding up and their subjects as they drifted off to sleep.
*
In the Staff Room, the teachers were calmly talking to each other over teacups. Professor McAllaster still had a slight look of uncertainty on her face as she conversed with Dumbledore. McGonagall had left an hour before, as she had to be at a very important meeting, some sort of Lifetime Achievement Award Ceremony. Many of the teachers had begun to slowly retreat to their offices until all that remained in the room was McAllaster, Dumbledore and Snape who had remained almost completely quiet during the whole evening. Dumbledore excused himself for a moment and left, closing the door behind him. McAllaster had her dark eyes fixed on the flames dancing in the fireplace, reflecting off the iridescent silver stars on her deep purple cloak. Snape was hesitating. He didn't know whether to speak, to leave or to just look at her. Finally, she turned around and broke the awkward silence.
" It's… It's very nice to see you again Professor Snape. You haven't changed a bit," she said softly, almost whispering.
" Yes, well you, on the other hand, have changed slightly. You look…". He stopped, lacking words.
" I look… older, perhaps, sir?" tried McAllaster.
" Yes, that's a way to put it… You know, you don't have to… call me sir or Professor Snape anymore… Severus will be fine, Natalie…" he replied, very unsure of himself.
" Right… I'm… I was very surprised to have been offered this job, you know. I was quite sure you would have gotten it… I remember how dearly you wanted it, Professor… I mean, Severus."
His eyes glittered at the mention of the Defence Against the Dark Arts position. He had wanted it so badly and for so long and this woman, with hardly any experience comes along and takes it from him.
" Well, I'm… I'm sure you deserved it. I think I'll be off now… Goodnight." he said swiftly, getting up with his black robes billowing behind him.
" Right… Goodnight, sir… I mean…" and Snape had left, nearly slamming the door, interrupting her. "…Severus."
Outside, Dumbledore seemed to have been waiting for Snape and he stopped him from storming off to his office.
" Severus, perhaps there's something you need to clear off your chest?" asked Dumbledore with a concerned look.
" Not at all, Albus, I'm fine. I'm absolutely fine," answered Snape, looking away from Dumbledore's piercing stare.
With a moment of hesitation, the Headmaster kept his hand on Snape's shoulder, Snape still trying to look away. Finally, Dumbledore took his hand back and patted the Potions professor on the back. Snape hurried off to his dungeon at a furious walking pace as Dumbledore looked on, gently shaking his head.
When Snape arrived to his dungeon, his hair was completely dishevelled and he had broken out into a cold sweat. He slammed the door to his office and sat down on his chair, as calmly as he could. His hands firmly set on his wood desk, he looked down concentrating until all his anger and frustration exploded. He violently pushed off the many pieces of parchment and books from his desk and let out a muffled cry. Breathing in and out hard, he sat back into his chair and brought a hand to his forehead, shielding his eyes, slowly drifting off into sleep…
Dumbledore had come back into the room shortly after his very brief talk with Snape to wish McAllaster goodnight. She was left alone, in the cold room with the fire slowly dying away. She had told herself many times that it was time for her to go back to her office, to go back to her bed, to just leave this room but not once had her legs responded. She had surrendered to sitting in the chair for now, staring into the fire pensively. She was not quite sure how she was going to go about this year. She knew strange and difficult obstacles lay ahead of her and, foolish as she felt, she wished for a brief moment that she had never come here. Her elbow leaning on the table and her hand supporting her head, she stayed there for minutes, perhaps hours, she was not sure. She stared into the flames, licking away at the remnants of the dying wood. And she remembered…
To Be Continued…?
Note: Again, everyone except McAllaster and Santon belong to Rowling. Still haven't finished reading The Goblet of Fire. Hoping to get some feedback!
" So, that's why Snape looked liked he wanted to hide down there?" asked Ron, intrigued.
All the Gryffindors led by Hermione had made their way to the common room. They were all gathered around the roaring fire listening to Seamus and Dean who had somehow found out all about Professor McAllaster's story. It seemed that she had indeed been to Hogwarts in her youth, which was not that long ago. As Dumbledore mentioned, she had been in Gryffindor and was an accomplished student who became Prefect and Head Girl. She was adequately renown for all this but what many remembered most about her was her bizarre relationship with one of the teachers. Professor Severus Snape taught Potions for quite a long time, so they were told.
" No wonder he's so grumpy about never getting Defence Against the Dark Arts! You'd think he would've gotten it after all those years," said Harry, with a slight snicker.
As it has been said, Natalie McAllaster was taught Potions by none other than Snape. Now, her, being a Gryffindor and him, being an enthusiastic Slytherin supporter, you would have expected them to have a relationship resembling any other Gryffindor's relationship with Snape. But this was not the case…
" So, rumour says that McAllaster and Snape got on really well! Disturbingly well, actually. S'pose she was really good at Potions or something." said Dean excitedly.
" Well Hermione's quite good at Potions and he never has anything nice to say about her!" exclaimed Ron.
" Well that's the rumour, is all! I heard it from a Slytherin 7th year, I did! And I think I heard it somewhere else too. Anyway, it was never really clear what they had but everyone was really suspicious and all. You all know teacher-student relationships are not at all well looked upon and Snape could've been sacked for that!" continued Seamus.
" But he wasn't so this is probably just some rubbish made up by some meddlesome person with too much time on their hands!" said Hermione firmly. "We should all be off to bed now and not listening to this pointless drivel."
With a few groans, the crowd around the fire had dispersed and most of them went to their dormitories to find their trunks already there. Harry and Ron wondered if all this was true and they talked about this and many other things, such as the Quidditch season rounding up and their subjects as they drifted off to sleep.
*
In the Staff Room, the teachers were calmly talking to each other over teacups. Professor McAllaster still had a slight look of uncertainty on her face as she conversed with Dumbledore. McGonagall had left an hour before, as she had to be at a very important meeting, some sort of Lifetime Achievement Award Ceremony. Many of the teachers had begun to slowly retreat to their offices until all that remained in the room was McAllaster, Dumbledore and Snape who had remained almost completely quiet during the whole evening. Dumbledore excused himself for a moment and left, closing the door behind him. McAllaster had her dark eyes fixed on the flames dancing in the fireplace, reflecting off the iridescent silver stars on her deep purple cloak. Snape was hesitating. He didn't know whether to speak, to leave or to just look at her. Finally, she turned around and broke the awkward silence.
" It's… It's very nice to see you again Professor Snape. You haven't changed a bit," she said softly, almost whispering.
" Yes, well you, on the other hand, have changed slightly. You look…". He stopped, lacking words.
" I look… older, perhaps, sir?" tried McAllaster.
" Yes, that's a way to put it… You know, you don't have to… call me sir or Professor Snape anymore… Severus will be fine, Natalie…" he replied, very unsure of himself.
" Right… I'm… I was very surprised to have been offered this job, you know. I was quite sure you would have gotten it… I remember how dearly you wanted it, Professor… I mean, Severus."
His eyes glittered at the mention of the Defence Against the Dark Arts position. He had wanted it so badly and for so long and this woman, with hardly any experience comes along and takes it from him.
" Well, I'm… I'm sure you deserved it. I think I'll be off now… Goodnight." he said swiftly, getting up with his black robes billowing behind him.
" Right… Goodnight, sir… I mean…" and Snape had left, nearly slamming the door, interrupting her. "…Severus."
Outside, Dumbledore seemed to have been waiting for Snape and he stopped him from storming off to his office.
" Severus, perhaps there's something you need to clear off your chest?" asked Dumbledore with a concerned look.
" Not at all, Albus, I'm fine. I'm absolutely fine," answered Snape, looking away from Dumbledore's piercing stare.
With a moment of hesitation, the Headmaster kept his hand on Snape's shoulder, Snape still trying to look away. Finally, Dumbledore took his hand back and patted the Potions professor on the back. Snape hurried off to his dungeon at a furious walking pace as Dumbledore looked on, gently shaking his head.
When Snape arrived to his dungeon, his hair was completely dishevelled and he had broken out into a cold sweat. He slammed the door to his office and sat down on his chair, as calmly as he could. His hands firmly set on his wood desk, he looked down concentrating until all his anger and frustration exploded. He violently pushed off the many pieces of parchment and books from his desk and let out a muffled cry. Breathing in and out hard, he sat back into his chair and brought a hand to his forehead, shielding his eyes, slowly drifting off into sleep…
Dumbledore had come back into the room shortly after his very brief talk with Snape to wish McAllaster goodnight. She was left alone, in the cold room with the fire slowly dying away. She had told herself many times that it was time for her to go back to her office, to go back to her bed, to just leave this room but not once had her legs responded. She had surrendered to sitting in the chair for now, staring into the fire pensively. She was not quite sure how she was going to go about this year. She knew strange and difficult obstacles lay ahead of her and, foolish as she felt, she wished for a brief moment that she had never come here. Her elbow leaning on the table and her hand supporting her head, she stayed there for minutes, perhaps hours, she was not sure. She stared into the flames, licking away at the remnants of the dying wood. And she remembered…
To Be Continued…?