Three days later:
"Mr. Longbottom!! Desist at once!!"
Neville stared at the bubbling cauldron in growing horror. The thick green mass was spilling out over the pewter sides now, forming great oozing puddles on the desk top. The nearby students gave startled shrieks and clambered out of the way as the cauldron began to spit and froth. Neville could only stand petrified, eyes like tea-cups.
"I-I can't sir! It won't stop!"
Professor Snape gave a low growl and advanced quickly, robes billowing like a wings of a demon. Withdrawing his wand from his pocket he pointed it directly to the spewing green slime. "Alerixitus!"
With a short puff of smoke and the sudden scent of brimstone, the cauldron was reduced to a charred pile of molten metal. The squeals of surprised students was immediately subdued, all eyes focusing swiftly on Snape. Neville - complete with blackened face - stared at him fearfully in a look nothing short of utter terror.
"I'm so sorry sir, I didn't mean --- I-I didn't know---"
"Shut up, idiot boy!" Severus snapped harshly, onyx eyes flashing. "That's the fifth cauldron you've destroyed this term!"
A dark haired boy nearby spoke up. "Actually sir, it was you that blew up the cauldron. Neville only made a bit of green goop."
"If I want your opinion Potter I'll ask for it!!" he yelled, whirling suddenly around on his heel to face the boy. The Potions Master was in no mood for Harry's oh-so-funny little remarks. His day had been a long and stressful one, and he was now in a livid temper. "Ten points from Gryffindor for Mr. Longbottom's stupidity and a further ten points for Mr. Potter's cheek! Now get back to your seats all of you!! And so help me if I hear so much as one peep out of any of you, it will be detention for a month!!"
He paused and glared at the class who all stood, transfixed in fear.
"Well?? What are you waiting for, an open invitation?? Work! NOW!!"
*********************************
By the time that Severus finished his classes for the evening he had served out no less than ten detentions, and deducted a considerable number of house points along for the bargain. It had not helped his mood however. Anger and frustration boiled through his veins like dark adrenaline, infamous bad temper threatening to burst out at any moment. He was royally pissed off, and there was bugger all that he could do about it.
He stormed down the corridor, long legs striding with purpose. The best thing he could do...the only thing he could do...would be to shut himself in his room and wait until his rage had dissipated somewhat. He knew what he was like when he got into one of his moods. He didn't trust himself to be around people.
Turning the corner to get to his chamber, Severus was surprised to find an owl perched outside his door. He haltered uncertainly for a moment. He certainly didn't recognize the animal as belonging to anyone in particular, and what could someone mean by sending an owl to him at this time of the day?
The tawny brown bird gave a questioning call as he approached, hopping from one foot to the other. An envelope play on the floor just beneath the oaken bedroom door. The owl jumped around it rather idiotically, as if to ensure that he had seen it.
"Yes, yes...I can see the letter thank you very much."
The Professor bent down and picked up the envelope. He didn't open it immediately however, but turned it over in his hands, studying the handwriting. He recognized the scraggly script instantly.
Sirius.
This was not the first time that his lover had sent him a letter - it was how they usually arranged their meeting times. Still...Severus couldn't help but turn a guilty shade of scarlet. He didn't like to be reminded of Sirius when he was in Hogwarts. Whatever happened between them while they were in the Forbidden Forest, that was fine...but he liked to keep that side of himself completely separate from his day-to-day self.
Most of the time, he simply pretended that their relationship didn't exist.
Opening the envelope, he discovered a single, rather tatty, sheet of notepaper. The message itself wasn't exactly subtle in its implications:
'Fancy a fuck?'
Severus scowled angrily at the letter before slowly and purposefully tearing it in half. Trust him to write something so crude. Conceited prick...
But then, that was why he was seeing him, wasn't it? Another man would have demanded his affections...would have tried to sentimentalize their relationship. Not Sirius Black. He got straight to the point without worrying about emotional attachment.
---Fancy a fuck?---
Yes, actually. He did.
*****************************************
"Mr. Longbottom!! Desist at once!!"
Neville stared at the bubbling cauldron in growing horror. The thick green mass was spilling out over the pewter sides now, forming great oozing puddles on the desk top. The nearby students gave startled shrieks and clambered out of the way as the cauldron began to spit and froth. Neville could only stand petrified, eyes like tea-cups.
"I-I can't sir! It won't stop!"
Professor Snape gave a low growl and advanced quickly, robes billowing like a wings of a demon. Withdrawing his wand from his pocket he pointed it directly to the spewing green slime. "Alerixitus!"
With a short puff of smoke and the sudden scent of brimstone, the cauldron was reduced to a charred pile of molten metal. The squeals of surprised students was immediately subdued, all eyes focusing swiftly on Snape. Neville - complete with blackened face - stared at him fearfully in a look nothing short of utter terror.
"I'm so sorry sir, I didn't mean --- I-I didn't know---"
"Shut up, idiot boy!" Severus snapped harshly, onyx eyes flashing. "That's the fifth cauldron you've destroyed this term!"
A dark haired boy nearby spoke up. "Actually sir, it was you that blew up the cauldron. Neville only made a bit of green goop."
"If I want your opinion Potter I'll ask for it!!" he yelled, whirling suddenly around on his heel to face the boy. The Potions Master was in no mood for Harry's oh-so-funny little remarks. His day had been a long and stressful one, and he was now in a livid temper. "Ten points from Gryffindor for Mr. Longbottom's stupidity and a further ten points for Mr. Potter's cheek! Now get back to your seats all of you!! And so help me if I hear so much as one peep out of any of you, it will be detention for a month!!"
He paused and glared at the class who all stood, transfixed in fear.
"Well?? What are you waiting for, an open invitation?? Work! NOW!!"
*********************************
By the time that Severus finished his classes for the evening he had served out no less than ten detentions, and deducted a considerable number of house points along for the bargain. It had not helped his mood however. Anger and frustration boiled through his veins like dark adrenaline, infamous bad temper threatening to burst out at any moment. He was royally pissed off, and there was bugger all that he could do about it.
He stormed down the corridor, long legs striding with purpose. The best thing he could do...the only thing he could do...would be to shut himself in his room and wait until his rage had dissipated somewhat. He knew what he was like when he got into one of his moods. He didn't trust himself to be around people.
Turning the corner to get to his chamber, Severus was surprised to find an owl perched outside his door. He haltered uncertainly for a moment. He certainly didn't recognize the animal as belonging to anyone in particular, and what could someone mean by sending an owl to him at this time of the day?
The tawny brown bird gave a questioning call as he approached, hopping from one foot to the other. An envelope play on the floor just beneath the oaken bedroom door. The owl jumped around it rather idiotically, as if to ensure that he had seen it.
"Yes, yes...I can see the letter thank you very much."
The Professor bent down and picked up the envelope. He didn't open it immediately however, but turned it over in his hands, studying the handwriting. He recognized the scraggly script instantly.
Sirius.
This was not the first time that his lover had sent him a letter - it was how they usually arranged their meeting times. Still...Severus couldn't help but turn a guilty shade of scarlet. He didn't like to be reminded of Sirius when he was in Hogwarts. Whatever happened between them while they were in the Forbidden Forest, that was fine...but he liked to keep that side of himself completely separate from his day-to-day self.
Most of the time, he simply pretended that their relationship didn't exist.
Opening the envelope, he discovered a single, rather tatty, sheet of notepaper. The message itself wasn't exactly subtle in its implications:
'Fancy a fuck?'
Severus scowled angrily at the letter before slowly and purposefully tearing it in half. Trust him to write something so crude. Conceited prick...
But then, that was why he was seeing him, wasn't it? Another man would have demanded his affections...would have tried to sentimentalize their relationship. Not Sirius Black. He got straight to the point without worrying about emotional attachment.
---Fancy a fuck?---
Yes, actually. He did.
*****************************************