Hi there! Sorry I took so long to update! ^_^; I've kinda been short of ideas, seeing as I had made this story to be a one-shot… I only intend to 'finish' the story more properly, so this chapter will be the final one. I really have to thank all the guys who reviewed for this story and asked for more of it; so, this if for you! THANKS A LOT! ^__^ (You were all kind of desperate in passing the message across in your reviews…I took pity...^_^;;;)
Also, I wanna thank all the ones who reviewed for; 'LIFE IS BUT A DREAM' (Sirius/Usagi one-shot)
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THE CURSE OF THE DADA TEACHER
Chapter 2: Together but apart
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"20 points off Gryffindor for running in the corridors!"
Serena watched with a frown as a first year Gryffindor student stuttered and cowered as the mad teacher rant on. She really didn't get it. Why did he hate the Gryffindors so much? She had been one many years ago and it hadn't bothered him like this. Okay, the kid almost ran into Severus in his hurry but to take off so many points because of it, even when the boy had apologized…
"Severus, please let the child go." She asked silently, and Snape stopped in middle phrase to look at her disappointed face. He almost sneered but went for a small glare instead, turned around with a swirl of his robes and stalked away. 'Jeez, someone's in a bad mood today!' she thought to herself, trying to comfort the terrorized child.
When the little crowd that had gathered finally dispersed, she was left alone in the corridor. "What happened to you, Severus? What made you act this way, so bitter and full of rage?" Nobody answered her.
Her classes were going on well, only if one week had passed. She was happy to be back, but now something irked her more than ever. Severus was being distant with her ever since she had asked him why he clutched at his left forearm every once in a while. His eyes had been so full of sadness, before hardening and becoming unreadable. She didn't push the subject anymore, at least until she got tired of it for good. Sirius just used the situation to his advantage and was having a great time with her and Harry.
***
"In Nepal, one calls it Kakshasa, which means "demon". Those who live in Canada probably knows it under the Sanskrit name Sasquatch (hairy man in the language of the Indians of America), while he's called Bigfoot in the United States. However, his exact name is Yeti, and it is said that he lived for over several millennia ago. Yeti simply means "magic creature" in Tibetan language.
In most traditions, the yeti measures in between 2 to 2.50 meters high, has long arms, a head like one of a monkey and is snub-nosed. The youngest ones are covered with a thick duvet of red fur, which turns to black when they become adult. It has extraordinary strength, so he would be able to juggle with enormous rocks as if they were small balls. They are also really fast due to their big feet, 2 times faster than our own sprinters. They communicate by grunts and whistling. Unfortunately, the yeti also has a deplorable hygiene: almost all the legends insist on the disgusting odour of the creature, an effluvium so repulsive that it makes your hair stand on end, as well as making you tear eyed."
Usagi deposited the book on her desk and asked her 4th year students to pair up. "I want you all to find other characteristics on the Yeti and write me a 2 page essay. I'm leaving you the rest of this class so you can start and maybe finish faster, but I don't want you to copy what's in the books."
She got thank yous for the free time and she sat back in her chair as they got to work. She was lucky. She didn't have any trouble with naughty students in any of her classes. She would've thought the Slytherins to be against her because she sided mostly with Gryffindors (even if she was also being fair with the 'snakes'), but it seemed as if they were respectful because she was with their head-of-house.
*~*~*
Serena put on her nightgown and prepared to go to bed. She passed in front of Severus who was still working on a potion in his personal laboratory and pouted. "Severus! It's too darn late! Can't you just stop making your potions at such a late hour? Come to bed!" She pleaded.
Snape wouldn't hear any of it and grunted a faint; "I don't need to sleep, just go to bed."
The blond woman frowned and approached him, brushing a hand on his arm, which he promptly swatted away as if he didn't want her to touch him. "Severus? What's going on?" The potions master gave her a sad look but returned to his potion. She insisted with a persistent frown, grasping his arm in a firm grip. "Severus, tell me what's going on! I know something's wrong with you!"
Severus tried to get her hand off his arm but it wasn't his intention to let his mark show when his sleeve went up with the movement. Her eyes widened when she saw it and he quickly moved to hide it. She was rooted on the spot. "Severus? Why is Voldemort's mark on your arm? Is that why you've been trying to get away from me all week long?"
Severus sneered, but in his eyes was sadness. "When you went away to wherever you had to go, I had no one to turn to and I did something stupid, okay? I was overjoyed when you finally came back, but now my eyes have opened. Now I just hope that by staying away from you, the Dark Lord's eyes won't stray over you."
Serena took a step towards him while her eyes softened. "You don't have to protect me like that, Severus. Maybe I can even help you!" she finished with passion in her words.
Snape visibly tensed and snapped back at her before she could say anything else. "Help me? To do what? This is not a game, Serena! I don't know what you've been doing all those years but you can't just march back here like nothing had happened and say everything will be fine! We've been fighting the Dark Lord for years and even Albus can't do anything about him, damnit! Stop acting so Gryffindor and see life as it is! It's all bullshit!" he swore, letting his temper flare out.
Serena glared at him. "As you wish" she ground out between gritted teeth. "I'll leave you to wallow in your self pity, Severus Snape. You've changed, and it's not for the better. You already judged me, as I can see. Good night, if you ever go to bed."
She marched right out of his office, glowering, and slammed the door loudly behind her. 'He doesn't know what I've been through! He doesn't have the right to judge me like this!' she fumed. She was already in her nightclothes and she didn't feel like sleeping in Snape's quarters now. 'What to do?' She bit her lips and thought of the best way to go to her own chambers without being detected by anyone. 'Teleport!'
With a small flash, she wasn't standing in Snape quarters anymore, and Albus remained unaware of the 'apparition' in the castle.
*~*
Totally ignoring Severus who was eating his breakfast, she made her way towards Sirius and sat down with a happy smile, waving to Harry and his friends in the process. "Hey Serena! Did you start to work on a way to bring James and Lily back yet?" asked Sirius, grinning in return.
"I still have things to deal with first, Sirius. I can't bring people back to life with a snap of my fingers." She drank her glass of milk and helped herself to a piece of toast, while Sirius eyed her with a raised eyebrow. He didn't ask any more questions and she left a bunch of curious teachers.
During that week, Sirius couldn't help but to speculate on how Serena and Snape seemed distant when they had literally jumped in each other's arms when she had come back. He didn't want to pry in their business, but Merlin help him if Snape had said something or done something that had hurt her in any way!
Slowly, time passed and the classes went on normally, as normal as a day in Hogwarts can be. Serena tried to reach the realm of Saturn each night with little ease, and she was getting rather tired of it. It didn't help that she was thinking about Severus each and every passing minute, making her heart ache even more. She missed him clearly, but his stubbornness was legendary.
'Why won't he believe me?' She asked herself this same question over and over again, and even Albus's usual meddling in others business hadn't worked out pretty well. She only hoped that Severus would see the light soon, because she was going to put it in his thick skull herself if she had to.
*~*
"Okay class, listen up! I want you to write me a 3 pages long essay about 3 different maledictions you either heard of or read about. I want it on my desk next Monday!" Serena instructed her 7th year students with a raised voice. She watched as the class emptied gradually, until Harry, Ron and Hermione were left standing in the middle and waiting for her.
"Can we accompany you to the Great Hall, professor Moon?" Hermione asked respectfully, but with a smile on her face. She already knew the answer to this question. Professor Serena Moon was an object of fascination for Hermione. She could be happy and the next minute calm or serious. Professor Moon's past was interesting her but the teacher hardly ever talked about it.
She had disappeared by means of a mysterious gate one day with another DADA teacher when she was 14 years old, with no reason to give to the headmaster and the other teachers. To have Dumbledore give up on a student so easily, the previous DADA teacher must've been really convincing. That's the only thing Hermione knew about her DADA teacher's past.
"Of course I don't mind."
The young adults smiled at their teacher and they made their way down the staircase in silence. Serena smiled softly to Harry when he linked his arm with hers. He had the odd habit of doing that when nobody was looking. Even though she looked their age and she was Snape's girlfriend (well, he wasn't so sure by those times), Serena knew that Harry thought of her as a second mother figure. No wonder, he had been deprived of that kind of love for ages. Since she hung out mostly with Sirius, the animagus and she were very dear to the green eyed boy's heart.
Remus was too, but he was on a mission for the Order. He had received Sirius's owl about her return and Remus had replied immediately with no lack of enthusiasm. Stating and I quote: 'I wish I could tell the Order to go to Hell, it stinks that I have to stay here until my mission ends.' End quote. Sirius had barked out a laugh and Serena had chuckled, while Harry had raised an eyebrow about the ever calm and patient Lupin's choice of words.
Serena froze when she descended the last stairs, while Harry smiled widely. "Professor Lupin!" he exclaimed, before rushing off to the weary man. He looked completely exhausted but managed to give Harry a smile.
"I'm no longer your teacher, Harry. I've told you hundreds of times to call me Remus!" he joked, and Harry blushed a little. The werewolf turned a little with the intention to greet Hermione and Ron when a 3rd person entered his line of vision and made him freeze in his spot. "Serena…"
With a teary smile, she jumped the last stairs and engulfed the tired man in a hug. "Remus! It's been so long! I missed you!"
Lupin finally seemed to unfreeze as he hugged her back, his fatigue disappearing to make place to joy. "Serena! I wanted so much to come here when I received the letter! We were starting to believe you were gone for good…" He gave a shaky laugh and they all made their way to the Great Hall together.
Sirius welcomed Remus back with opened arms and the 3, and by 3 I mean Sirius, Remus and Serena, seated themselves side by side with the permission of Albus, just like old times, just chatting away and laughing. "So Serena, is it true you're gonna bring Lily and James back? I don't know how this ever can be done but I can't wait!" Remus looked like an overjoyed pup.
Their blond friend giggled slightly and was about to answer when Snape growled. "I can't believe you think the dead can be brought back, Lupin! You, of all people! You're just a bunch of fools, if you ask me, to hope such a thing!" He got up and marched forcefully to the side exit as Serena also got to her feet.
"Severus! Why won't you believe in me?!" she called out desperately to him. He was already out of the room. She slumped down on her chair and put her head in her hands. Sirius was about to put a hand on her shoulder and they heard her whisper; "You just don't know, Severus, what my past was like. You just don't want to understand…"
Most of the teachers heard her, but none had the courage to ask what she was talking about. The rest of the dinner passed slowly in an uncomfortable silence, until the rabbit could take no more and retired to her chambers.
*~*
*Senshi dimension*
"Where is she?"
"Why can't we see her?"
"Answer us, damnit! Or we'll try to open a vortex ourselves!"
Setsuna could only stand tall and unwavering as the senshi let out their angriness on her. The princess had certainly made a foolish decision about going back to her world of origin, but she only followed orders. That didn't mean she was for Serenity-hime's decision, on the contrary, for now Crystal Tokyo was a long way from being created.
The other senshi were getting impatient and something awful could result from this. "I already told you everyone. The hime decided this herself, and since she is to her full power, I do not have the power to stop what has already been done. I already told you of her true past, I cannot open the gate, this is the order she gave me. We can only wait. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have matters to attend to." Setsuna entered her gate before the others had the time to reply.
Haruka punched the table to relieve her tension. "I wanna see her. I'm not mad about the fact she went back to her original world, it's not telling us and leaving us to our fate that's frustrating me! Crystal Tokyo should've already been created by now!"
The other nodded. Rei sat up more stiffly. "Shall we try to open the gate ourselves? Since we can't count on Setsuna's help, might as well do as best as we can. I have a couple of words to say to the odango-atama anyway!"
They all went outside and transformed, forming a circle. They needed quite a lot of their power to even create a dent in the space-warp, so opening a full gate was risky. They managed to do it for a short amount of time and were about to enter when a black light hurled towards them and made them all fall backwards. It swiftly entered the unstable portal and while it closed, the tired senshi could hear a maniacal laughter coming from the dark entity.
"Shit." Was the only thing they said, before fainting from exhaustion, de-transforming automatically.
Pluto swore loudly in the middle of her mist in the hall of the Time Gates. One of Chaos's remnants had lived and had used the opportunity to get away in her hime's world when it had felt the power output of the sailor senshi.
'I don't have any choice but to go there, foolish senshi! Now I have to warn the princess about this new threat to be dealt with, as little as it may seem. The people of her world aren't used to this kind of evil, it could create much damage!' she thought, somewhat in panic.
This would not please her princess one bit, she was in for it now. Her princess wasn't the same as she used to be; she now knew what she wanted and knew how to get it. Pluto created a portal to the wizards dimension and stepped through, all the while muttering about the planetary guardians' lack of patience.
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Here it is; the second chapter! I was going to make Severus softer but decided against it. He loves her so much he doesn't want to see her get hurt by Voldemort, so he'll try to stay away. She'll do her best to remediate to the situation. ^_^
-Are you happy that Remus is back? ^_~
-Are you happy that she's not a know-it-all and that she didn't know about Severus being a Death Eater?
-Are you happy about the fact that she'll make Harry's parents come back?
WELL, REVIEW SO I CAN KNOW HOW TRULY HAPPY YOU ARE! ^___^
I thought I would only make one final chapter to finalize the story but decided against it when I found myself a 'bigger' plot. The story won't be long, not this one. I'll wrap it up nicely with a little more Severus/Usa, for sure.
At least, the fans will be pleased, I hope, that I've decided to lengthen the fic! ^_^ You better review, cause I worked my butt out to find a new twist to continue the darn 'one-shot'!
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Love ya all!
Eternal Cosmos ^_~