Days pass and Snape's hatred for all things associated with Defense Against
the Dark Arts has grown immensely. However much Snape argues that the
students lack intelligence, they do notice his altered attitude.
"I know Snape has always wanted the DADA job and that he practically can't stand the sight of the DADA teachers but this time it seems much worse." Hermione remarks to her two best friends one day at lunch.
"I know, it's as if he nearly wants to hang himself." Ron agrees.
Harry puts down his fork to join in the conversation. "Have you seen the way Snape and Bitters always fight?"
Lately whenever their paths cross Bitters and Snape have a go at each other. Neither one back down and they argue, fight, and bicker nearly every waking moment. Some students reakon they even fight with each other in their sleep.
"Did you see the way Snape's fingers were flexing in the hall just then? He looked like he wanted to strangle her." Ron mentioned.
"You know, I have a hunch as to why Snape is acting this way." Hermione looks earnestly at Ron and Harry, her mind working non stop inside her head.
"Yeah?" Harry and Ron simultaneously prompted.
"Well, he's never liked the DADA teachers because of his great passion to get the position."
"Yeah!" Harry and Ron are impatient to hear her views. "Get on with it."
"Maybe this year he's worse because the teacher is a woman." Harry and Ron exchange confused looks.
"So what you're saying is?" Ron asks, completely in the dark.
"Well, losing the position again is one thing but losing to a woman is even worse." Hermione sits back in her chair with a smug smile growing.
"Ah. I see what you mean!"
"That's got to hurt."
"Precisely." Hermione says matter-of-factly.
Harry and Ron look at each other again and, not being able to hold it in any longer, burst out in a riot of laughter.
"Oh, stop that. You're not being very understanding." Scolds Hermione.
"Understanding? Me be ¦understanding to Snape? Are you mad?" Ron utters disbelievingly in between gales of laughter.
"Well really. You must fell sorry for him."
"Sorry? Have you even met Snape, Hermione?" Harry stops laughing to stare incredulously at her.
"Well, yes, but.." She falters.
"But what?" Ron listens intently for her answer.
"Well, he is a person." She answers quietly.
"Is he? Wow, I never noticed!" Ron retorts.
"Now you're just being childish. I have to go to the library. I'll see you two later." She glares at them as she leaves.
"Man alive. Sometimes I think she needs a Deconfundus spell to clear her brains!" Ron stares at her retreating back.
****
Rebecca Bitters is sitting at her office desk writing some detention slips when she suddenly jumps out of her skin. Someone is pounding furiously on her door.
"Bitters. I know you're in there. Open up!"
Snape! What's he want now? Bitters throws open the door and puts her hands on her hips glaring at Snape.
A bit startled at her swift appearance, Snape is silent for a second.
"Well?" Bitters' scowl tightens.
"Where is my jar of rat spleens? It's missing and I just know you had something to do with it. Well, what have you done with it?" Snape spat.
"Nothing. I don't have a clue what you're raving on about."
"Don't lie. I know you stole it." Snape persists.
"Maybe you misplaced it, you raving egomaniac. Ever thought about that? Or perhaps you're too stupid to notice." Bitters bitterly snaps.
"You won't get away with this? I'll find out, don't you worry, you ranting lunatic!" Then in a split-second he's gone, as quickly as he came.
****
A few days later, one Thursday afternoon, the staff is having it's monthly meeting.
"I must apologize," Dumbledore begins, "for the misunderstanding last month. I was called away unexpectedly by the Ministry of Magic. Most of you got the message but I'm afraid the house elf got mixed up. As a result some of you," at this he looks over at Snape and Bitters who are unfortunately seated side by side, "were left in the dark." He clears his throat. "And on a brighter note, this year the teachers will all be actively participating in the ball. By the end of the year you must all have a dance partner. Hopefully this idea will raise staff and student morale and help everyone to enjoy their last week at Hogwarts."
Snape can not believe his ears. He stares at Dumbledore like he's never noticed him before. Noticed how insane he is, that is. Why would he, after all these years, suddenly make the teacher join in? It was unheard of and Snape certainly did not want to partake in this scheme.
"Sir, I-" Snape starts to protest when Dumbledore lifts he hand and stops his flow of words.
"I understand this may seem a little ¦absurd to some of you. However, I believe that you will all appreciate the time off to~let your hair down! School spirit is vital to keep this school running smoothly and I feel it is time for us teachers to take more of our interest in events here at Hogwarts. I will accept no refusals." This he adds when Snape attempts in vain to make himself hear again.
Snape and Bitters alike sit in silence for the remainder of the meeting. Snape doesn't pay attention to the rest of Dumbledore's words. His mind goes over the near death sentence the headmaster just handed out.
Bitters is equally annoyed. She n to only doesn't want to participate but she also feels it may be difficult for her to do so. When the time comes closer, she thinks, I'll discuss it with the headmaster. Maybe he'll understand then. If I can bring it up. She suddenly sinks lower in her seat and her eyes drift in and out of focus. Suddenly she is jolted back to the present by Dumbledore who has stopped talking to the group and is addressing her.
"Everything alright Rebecca?"
"Oh, yes yes. Everything's fine." She straightens up and tries her best to concentrate. The long, drawn-out meeting finally ends. Snape storms out of the room muttering under his breath and runs right into Bitters who has frozen in her tracks.
"Oy! Don't block the way. You're not a ghost, I can't simply walk through you."
"Yeah?" Bitters retorts coming out of her daze.
"Well why don't you just watch where you're going?" Bitters turns around and gives Snape a blood-draining sneer. Of course, his blood does not drain and he fixes her will an almost equally blood-draining sneer.
"Twit." He mutters and storms off.
It was one word but it pierced Rebecca like a million knives stabbing deep into her flesh. She fell abruptly to the floor and cradled her hear in her hands, internally sobbing. ****
"I know Snape has always wanted the DADA job and that he practically can't stand the sight of the DADA teachers but this time it seems much worse." Hermione remarks to her two best friends one day at lunch.
"I know, it's as if he nearly wants to hang himself." Ron agrees.
Harry puts down his fork to join in the conversation. "Have you seen the way Snape and Bitters always fight?"
Lately whenever their paths cross Bitters and Snape have a go at each other. Neither one back down and they argue, fight, and bicker nearly every waking moment. Some students reakon they even fight with each other in their sleep.
"Did you see the way Snape's fingers were flexing in the hall just then? He looked like he wanted to strangle her." Ron mentioned.
"You know, I have a hunch as to why Snape is acting this way." Hermione looks earnestly at Ron and Harry, her mind working non stop inside her head.
"Yeah?" Harry and Ron simultaneously prompted.
"Well, he's never liked the DADA teachers because of his great passion to get the position."
"Yeah!" Harry and Ron are impatient to hear her views. "Get on with it."
"Maybe this year he's worse because the teacher is a woman." Harry and Ron exchange confused looks.
"So what you're saying is?" Ron asks, completely in the dark.
"Well, losing the position again is one thing but losing to a woman is even worse." Hermione sits back in her chair with a smug smile growing.
"Ah. I see what you mean!"
"That's got to hurt."
"Precisely." Hermione says matter-of-factly.
Harry and Ron look at each other again and, not being able to hold it in any longer, burst out in a riot of laughter.
"Oh, stop that. You're not being very understanding." Scolds Hermione.
"Understanding? Me be ¦understanding to Snape? Are you mad?" Ron utters disbelievingly in between gales of laughter.
"Well really. You must fell sorry for him."
"Sorry? Have you even met Snape, Hermione?" Harry stops laughing to stare incredulously at her.
"Well, yes, but.." She falters.
"But what?" Ron listens intently for her answer.
"Well, he is a person." She answers quietly.
"Is he? Wow, I never noticed!" Ron retorts.
"Now you're just being childish. I have to go to the library. I'll see you two later." She glares at them as she leaves.
"Man alive. Sometimes I think she needs a Deconfundus spell to clear her brains!" Ron stares at her retreating back.
****
Rebecca Bitters is sitting at her office desk writing some detention slips when she suddenly jumps out of her skin. Someone is pounding furiously on her door.
"Bitters. I know you're in there. Open up!"
Snape! What's he want now? Bitters throws open the door and puts her hands on her hips glaring at Snape.
A bit startled at her swift appearance, Snape is silent for a second.
"Well?" Bitters' scowl tightens.
"Where is my jar of rat spleens? It's missing and I just know you had something to do with it. Well, what have you done with it?" Snape spat.
"Nothing. I don't have a clue what you're raving on about."
"Don't lie. I know you stole it." Snape persists.
"Maybe you misplaced it, you raving egomaniac. Ever thought about that? Or perhaps you're too stupid to notice." Bitters bitterly snaps.
"You won't get away with this? I'll find out, don't you worry, you ranting lunatic!" Then in a split-second he's gone, as quickly as he came.
****
A few days later, one Thursday afternoon, the staff is having it's monthly meeting.
"I must apologize," Dumbledore begins, "for the misunderstanding last month. I was called away unexpectedly by the Ministry of Magic. Most of you got the message but I'm afraid the house elf got mixed up. As a result some of you," at this he looks over at Snape and Bitters who are unfortunately seated side by side, "were left in the dark." He clears his throat. "And on a brighter note, this year the teachers will all be actively participating in the ball. By the end of the year you must all have a dance partner. Hopefully this idea will raise staff and student morale and help everyone to enjoy their last week at Hogwarts."
Snape can not believe his ears. He stares at Dumbledore like he's never noticed him before. Noticed how insane he is, that is. Why would he, after all these years, suddenly make the teacher join in? It was unheard of and Snape certainly did not want to partake in this scheme.
"Sir, I-" Snape starts to protest when Dumbledore lifts he hand and stops his flow of words.
"I understand this may seem a little ¦absurd to some of you. However, I believe that you will all appreciate the time off to~let your hair down! School spirit is vital to keep this school running smoothly and I feel it is time for us teachers to take more of our interest in events here at Hogwarts. I will accept no refusals." This he adds when Snape attempts in vain to make himself hear again.
Snape and Bitters alike sit in silence for the remainder of the meeting. Snape doesn't pay attention to the rest of Dumbledore's words. His mind goes over the near death sentence the headmaster just handed out.
Bitters is equally annoyed. She n to only doesn't want to participate but she also feels it may be difficult for her to do so. When the time comes closer, she thinks, I'll discuss it with the headmaster. Maybe he'll understand then. If I can bring it up. She suddenly sinks lower in her seat and her eyes drift in and out of focus. Suddenly she is jolted back to the present by Dumbledore who has stopped talking to the group and is addressing her.
"Everything alright Rebecca?"
"Oh, yes yes. Everything's fine." She straightens up and tries her best to concentrate. The long, drawn-out meeting finally ends. Snape storms out of the room muttering under his breath and runs right into Bitters who has frozen in her tracks.
"Oy! Don't block the way. You're not a ghost, I can't simply walk through you."
"Yeah?" Bitters retorts coming out of her daze.
"Well why don't you just watch where you're going?" Bitters turns around and gives Snape a blood-draining sneer. Of course, his blood does not drain and he fixes her will an almost equally blood-draining sneer.
"Twit." He mutters and storms off.
It was one word but it pierced Rebecca like a million knives stabbing deep into her flesh. She fell abruptly to the floor and cradled her hear in her hands, internally sobbing. ****