"The odd couple."

FIRST IMPRESSIONS.

FLITWICK ON SNAPE.

Severus Snape and I have been a couple for nearly three years now, three enjoyable, happy years. As a general rule neither of us discuss our relationship any more than necessary so none of the Hogwarts students know anything about us being a couple- could you imagine if they did? A handful of select teachers know, and perhaps the others have inklings but their discretion over the past three years has been exemplary. To many Severus is a surly, grumpy, annoyed and even mean man. To me he is a true gem, loving, caring, and the man I love. I suppose that's why I wanted to write this story of our love, although Severus wasn't exactly willing and I had to bribe him to get his agreement. In my opinion it is time our love was known, and was celebrated.

One of the new Hogwarts teachers asked me the other day how I first knew Severus Snape and I thought back to when I first met him. It was in my first year of teaching charms at Hogwarts after a few years working in the wizard entertainment business and Severus was a fifth year student. He was surly and didn't ever smile. I got the impression he wasn't exactly the most popular student around- especially after some of the Gryffindors charmed his quill to cry "Snivellus! Stupid, smelly, snarling, squealing Snivellus" at ten minute intervals. I fixed the quill with a wave of my wand but Severus never thanked me. He just sat and stared at the table. Over the next two years I came to realise that he was a fairly smart student, albeit one who held back due to lack of self-confidence. He was also very quiet and had only a few friends.

I know he's not going to like me telling this since it's rather private, but there was a pivotal turning point in Severus' life when he was still a student at Hogwarts all those years ago. There was one girl who actually spoke to him, and took his side in things, but when he asked her out she was rather embarrassed about it and said she couldn't. It turned out she was actually dating one of the Gryffindors, James Potter, who in turn was one of Severus' major tormentors. If you ask me that turned Severus off women forever! Without wanting to sound too corny I say it's their loss and my gain!

But the student Severus I've just described is not the man I know now, not the man I love. After he graduated from Hogwarts Severus traveled, continued with his studies, and grew up. Then he came back to Hogwarts after being offered the position as potions master. And that is when our real relationship began.

SNAPE ON FLITWICK.

It is only out of love for Flitwick that I agreed, reluctantly, to do this. He can warble on as much as he likes but I am going to stick to the bare facts. It is true that I met Flitwick when he arrived as charms teacher, and my first impressions of him were "silly, weird man"- probably because he gave me a D on my holiday charms work. As a student I never really thought about Flitwick. As for him telling the very private story about Lily Evans I am going to neither deny, nor confirm this. However it was when I got the potions job that Flitwick and I got to know each other better.

It was just pointed out to me that I didn't write a lot about my first impressions of Flitwick, which I'm not sure I agree with. I said Flitwick was silly and weird- a legacy of his days in the entertainment industry I assume. I suppose I should say that by the time I was teaching at Hogwarts and our relationship was developing Flitwick was different- far calmer and normal. He's a lovely man, kind, caring, and a favorite with most of the students and staff here.

There, I've done it.