TITLE: Blood and Potions - Section One: Of Snakes and Night Skies
ABBREVIATED TITLE: BaP:S1
Part: 5/? (""...which really makes me wonder..")
AUTHOR: Cardinal Syn/Jamie Carlson
RATING: PG-13 for Language and Adult Themes
SPOILERS: Misc. Harry Potter spoilers
DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter and all things HP belong to JK Rowling. Not me. The characters Lilium Beryl, Liam Crescent, and Nii Nah Maxwell belong to me.
NOTES: Dhampir is one of the many spellings for a creature that is half-vampire and half-human. Also, this is a "continuation" of my first Harry Potter Fanfiction, "Searching for Acceptance", (which wasn't very good in my eyes, but I'm trying harder here!) and contains the characters Liam and Nii Nah, introduced in S4A.
WARNINGS: Language and adult themes.
PAIRINGS: Hints at Ron/Hermione, Snape/OC (original character), and a one-sided Liam/Nii Nah later on
MAIN CHARACTERS (in order of most prominent in the story): OC (original character) and Severus Snape; Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco Malfoy, Liam and Nii Nah Maxwell; Albus Dumbledore and the other teachers at Hogwarts School of Witchraft and Wizardry
FANFICTION.NET SUMMARY: Albus Dumbledore has taken it upon himself to hire a Defense Against Vampires specialist, who accepts with great hesitation - as she is a dhampir herself.
EXTENDED SUMMARY: Albus Dumbledore has decided that it is time for Hogwarts to have a fulltime Defense Against Vampires teacher, and has chosen a renowned vampire specialist. But this vampire specialist is a bit hesitant to take the offer as she, herself, is a Dhampir; half-vampire, half human. When she decides to turn down the position, something interesting happens that changes her mind, and makes her decide to stay....
A/N: Apologies for any mistakes in relevance book-wise. I still need to finish reading what books are out, and it has been almost two years since I finished reading even the first book. Feel free to correct anything in a review, or email me at vampgirl0009@yahoo.com with notes about mistakes, whether it be name-spelling or whatever. (Kindly put "Your Harry Potter fanfiction" in the subject, and copy-paste the offending line, paragraph, or word and tell me what I did wrong. The same goes for reviews!) This story, I hope, is better than Searching for Acceptance was. I rushed S4A.
Story Last Updated: September 15, 2002
Story Notes (added September 15, 2002): Not too many changes.. please note that this won't really focus on the Triwizard Tourn. much.... I'm not going to rewrite the whole arrival of the foreign students and the goblet stuff and everything Harry did.. that's all the same... Just throw Lilium in there somewhere.... And.. take out Moody and replace him with Lupin.... Yeah...
r/r is appreciated. Flames will be used to burn Severus Snape hate-mail and make s'mores.
______________________________________________________________________________
Blood and Potions - Section One: Of Snakes and Night Skies
PART FIVE -
"...which really makes me wonder..."
______________________________________________________________________________
The first term went by without much mishap - Madame Beryl only had to take twenty points away from anyone total, ten of which were from Slytherin, five from Gryffindor, and five from Ravenclaw due to a fistfight that broke out between Crabbe, Goyle, and some tough-looking Ravenclaw boy, during which Ron Weasley managed to hex Goyle into hiccupping bubbles.
The whole Tournament thing proved Lilium's fears of weird stuff happening, as Harry Potter's name came out of the Goblet of Fire along with the names of Cedric Diggory, Fleur Delacour, and Viktor Krum. She was puzzling over that with the other teachers, but wasn't too concerned, especially not after the way Harry handled the First Task, defeating that Hungarian Horntail dragon. Her relationship with Harry Potter and his closer friends had improved, as she was one of the few people that really believed Harry didn't put his own name in the Goblet of Fire.
It was break now, and Christmas and the TT Tournament's Yule Ball was coming up quickly, and Lilium was enjoying to the brief respite from class just as much as her students were (except for Harry, who REALLY wasn't looking forward to the Yule Ball).
But from what she could tell, her students did enjoy the class - now the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher didn't have to bother with Vampires, so the workload for the kids would be smaller. And her homework wasn't that hard - plus, they loved her "independent study" days, which she dreaded more than they could imagine. Not that she would tell them why.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Hermione sat in the Gryffindor common room, playing Wizard's Chess with Ron while Harry polished the handle of his Firebolt, thinking longingly of Quidditch, the golden egg he had received after the First Task laying untouched in his trunk since first opening it. Nii Nah was curled up by the fire, taking a brief "catnap".
"What do you all think of Miss Lilium?" Hermione asked, as she had taken to calling the young instructor. Ron looked up at her, moving his horseman, which swiftly chopped the head off of her pawn.
"I like her, myself," Ron said. "I like the way she teaches, and her subjects for her reports aren't that hard - most of it is based on opinion."
"Although that gives you the feeling she's trying to decide what to make of each of us by gathering information on us based on our reports," Nii Nah muttered, then returned to her snoring. Hermione shook her head.
"Opinionated stuff is harder for her to grade properly, so it puts more effort on her as our teacher," she said. "I respect her all the more for that."
"For a Slytherin-branded teacher, it's good to know she doesn't show her own House favoritism like Snape does," Harry remarked, putting the very last finishing touches on his racing broom with a satisfied smile. "Plus, I'm still really glad she doesn't believe all those rumors put out about that stupid Goblet and that horrid Skeeter woman generate."
"Too true, that, about Snape and all," Ron agreed. "I still want to know why she leaves on those little trips."
"I wonder if she would be keener on telling us now, not surrounded by all those Slytherins?" Hermione thought aloud. Ron looked up at her again.
"We could go talk to her - I think she'd probably in the staff room. If we knock politely we could probably get her to talk to us. She's really friendly and all that." Ron frowned in disappointment when Hermione placed her queen strategically, destroying Ron's last Bishop and winning the game.
"Checkmate. And maybe we should. It's getting rather stuffy in here, and I wanted to take a walk anyway."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Lilium Beryl was indeed in the staff room. She was having a pleasant conversation with Minerva McGonagall, the Transfiguration Teacher, Head of Gryffindor House, and Deputy Headmistress at Hogwarts. Lilium stirred her tea absently, smiling at a comment Minerva made about the raucous Slytherin in her class.
"Honestly, the only Slytherin child in Transfiguration who is even worth trying to teach is that Liam. You have no idea how relieved I was when we decided not to expel her," Professor McGonagall said, taking a sip from her own tea. Professor Lupin smiled from across the table, and Lilium nodded. Lupin took another sip of his own tea.
"Really, those two are reasons why I stayed on after prodding from Dumbledore," Lupin said. "Nii Nah and Liam are pretty inspiring examples of non-humans being good enough to learn the Arts as well. Nii Nah may be ditzy but she's a good student, although she goes into sneezing fits when we're close because I'm a werewolf," Lupin added, grinning sheepishly. "And Liam is a very brilliant girl."
"She and that Hermione Granger are the two best students in my class, out of all of the children who are taking it, and the highest in their Houses," Lilium commented. "Now, I'm still not clear as to why Liam and Nii Nah weren't kicked out? It's a good thing, but I'm still puzzled."
"We were in a meeting discussing whether or not to do so," Minerva said, and then paused. Lilium looked at her expectantly. "Well, knowing how much you dislike the man, you may have trouble believing this, dear, but it was Professor Snape who insisted that they - Liam specifically - be given a chance." She smiled wanly at Lilium's grimace.
"He was probably just showing his usual Slytherin favoritism," the Defense Against Vampires instructor said disgustedly. Lupin grimaced when he noticed who had heard her comment.
"What about my favoritism?" Snape said, gliding into the room in time to hear the comment. His voice was calm, silky as normal, but his narrowed black eyes shot venom at the brunette. Lilium tossed her hair over her shoulder with a flick of her wrist.
"I was telling her about your suggestion to allow Liam to stay," Minerva said, sensing the tension in the air. She disliked teachers having grudges against other teachers, but it couldn't be helped - Snape wasn't exactly the most friendly man in the world. Even the most friendly man in the world, had he come to Hogwarts, would have trouble liking the venomous, sarcastic, bitter man.
"Hm. For your information, Miss Beryl," Snape veritably hissed, "I could see nothing wrong with allowing either of those girls to remain - the Gryffindor one as well."
"Nii Nah, not 'the Gryffindor one', and don't play sweet," Lilium shot back. "It's obvious you don't like Nii Nah. Just as you're biased to dislike any Gryffindor. At least the Slytherin children tend to give people a reason to dislike them, and you don't make things any better with your damned favoritism. None of the other Heads of Houses show anywhere near as much favoritism as you, and give credit - and punishment - where it's due."
Professor Snape took a seat at the opposite side of the table, a few chairs down from Lilium. His narrowed eyes regarded her icily. "Whether and why I do or do not like any of the children, whatever House they are from, is none of your concern."
"It is when it causes problems in my class," Lilium said, frowning. "Just the other day, on the last day of the term, Vincent Crabbe used his wand improperly to inflict a curse on Ron Weasley. He was lucky the damned thing backfired and just broke a few things in my office - he could have killed Ron, playing with magic like that!" she snapped in annoyance. "And when I punished him, he and his little posse began complaining loudly that you never took points away from Slytherin when they misused their magic, which really makes me wonder if you're fit to be a teacher, let alone Head of Slytherin House."
There was steely, ice-cold silence. Professor Sprout, Head of Hufflepuff House and Herbology teacher, who had been sitting near Professor Lupin, shifted uncomfortably. Lilium and Snape were having a staring contest, neither blinking. Lupin sat stock-still, unwilling to move and direct either teacher's attention to himself.
Slowly, Snape's lips curled up in an almost-smile, conveying what seemed to Lilium as a cross between sarcasm, hatred, and acknowledgement - of what, though? Of a fellow teacher, or a worthy rival? Of someone who was understandably upset about the children in his House, or someone who was happy to indulge in word-duels with him? Of a fellow teacher, or an enemy?
"None of the Slytherin children have ever actively attempted such things in my class," Snape drawled slowly, languidly. "The fact that you can't keep them in control, as you should be able to do as an instructor, causes me to wonder about your ability as a teacher."
"That's quite enough, both of you," Professor McGonagall snapped, fearing where this was going. Wizards would occasionally challenge each other to duels, even in this day and age, to settle scores - she knew Lilium wasn't anywhere near as strong in her magic as Severus. But she also knew that Lilium wouldn't have any trouble ripping Snape to shreds. If they did reach a point when they dueled, chances were that one would kill the other - Snape wouldn't hold back, and if attacked, she feared Lilium's vampiric instincts would overtake her.
"You will have to tolerate the favoritism Professor Snape shows toward his students, Lilium, there's not getting around it," Minerva addressed the Dhampir teacher. "But there is no reason for you start picking fights amongst the other teachers, Severus. If you two continue to have problems, I will be forced to ask Professor Dumbledore to intervene."
The two frowned, and Snape's eyes flared. Lilium wouldn't look Minerva in the eye. They both knew they had been scolded just as Minerva would scold any child. But it had to be done. Whether or not either of them accepted that was not Professor McGonagall's concern. It had needed to be said. And she hoped they were both smart enough not to have to get Headmaster Dumbledore involved.... But she realized that they may make their quarrelling more private, and more violent. She would have to keep an eye on them.
There was a knock on the staff room door, and they all jumped. A relieved look on her face, Lilium got up to open it. The only people who would knock were students. She just hoped it wasn't Draco Malfoy....
The bright young faces of Hermione Granger, Nii Nah Maxwell, Harry Potter, and Ron Weasley greeted her on the other side of the door. She smiled.
"Can I help you?" she asked. Hermione peeked around her, saw Snape, and poked Nii Nah.
"Ah, can we please talk to you, Madame Beryl?" Hermione asked. "We haven't had a chance to speak to you since class." Lilium nodded, and excused herself from the staff room, shutting the door behind her.
"What is it you wanted to talk about?" she asked, folding her arms and smiling.
"Well.... And I know this really straight-forward, but..." Hermione began. Nii Nah stepped in when she hesitated.
"Where exactly do you go when you leave on those so-called 'independent study' days?" Nii Nah asked, her voice cautious. Lilium blinked a few times, obviously surprised.
"You all came all the way up here from the Gryffindor common room... to ask me that?" she said flatly. They all nodded.
"We're sorry if we're bothering you, and you really don't have to answer," Harry said quickly. Lilium laughed.
"Well, I know I don't have to answer, Harry." She absently played with a lock of her hair. "Well... I have to leave on certain days for many reasons. Usually it involves my being a Dhampir... and they are usually prime days for vampires to go hunting. I'm also almost always needed elsewhere to help with the growing vampire problem." Her eyes shone meaningfully. "Do you understand yet?" Hermione's eyes lit up.
"Oh! So you go when you know it will be most difficult to control yourself around all of the humans here at the school, and also to track down and ah..." she faltered, and then said, in a small voice, "dispose of...."
"Vampires," Ron finished for her. Hermione threw him a thankful look. She didn't seem to like the idea much.
"Very good, Hermione. I'd give you points to your House, but that information, I fear, is irrelevant to your class," Lilium said meaningfully. She stressed her last words with her voice and a slight narrowing of her eyes. The four Fourth Years nodded.
"We won't say a word to anyone else," Harry said.
"I might tell Liam, but you can trust her, Madam Beryl," Nii Nah piped. "Is it okay if I tell Liam?" Lilium's eyes were unfocused, staring off vaguely at some thought in her mind. She nodded.
"I don't mind you telling Liam. But I don't want rumors flying around school because of this, all right?"
"Of course."