Visions in the Night Sky
Chapter 1: A Gryffindor in a Slytherin's World
"Headmaster, is it really necessary?" Severus Snape pleaded as he stood before the desk of Albus Dumbledore.
"Now Severus, I thought you of all people would see that it is the mark of a true master to be asked to teach another. Besides, I thought perhaps you would appreciate the challenge of a student teacher," said Albus, looking over the papers once more before handing them to Severus. The black clad potions master looked them over with his scrutinizing chocolate brown gaze.
"A woman," he murmured without looking at Albus.
"A Gryffindor as well. She earned excellent marks in her years here," Albus replied. Severus' forehead puckered as he reviewed her grades. He would have remembered a student who had achieved marks like these. They were indeed as excellent as Dumbledore had said. Especially in transfiguration, potions and divination. But a Gryffindor? Did Dumbledore really expect him to mentor and guide a Gryffindor? Part of him was embarrassed that he didn't remember her name.
Merewen Euphemia Capenum
The name sounded vaguely familiar now. She had been a model student. A model Gryffindor student: brave, diligent, intelligent, generous and strong. Severus nodded respectfully to the headmaster and excused himself, needing to process this new information. Albus smiled as he watched Severus leave the headmaster's office, still looking at the papers in his hand. This student teacher would be arriving in time to begin teaching on Monday. Her quarters would be adjacent to his in the dungeons. He wondered how comfortable a young lady who was accustomed to the lofty, sunny Gryffindor tower would be in the darker, cooler dungeon area.
Sitting back in the thick, high backed leather chair in his office, Severus flipped through the file that Albus had given him looking for a picture. When he found it, he stopped and lightly fingered it. Before him was a smiling, green-eyed young woman with dark brown hair drawn up into a bun. She wore dark blue robes with a black dress. Reviewing more of her profile, Severus noted that she owned a cat, and played several musical instruments. Rising, Severus took the file with him to the chambers down the hall, directly beside his own. He turned the knob and it turned stiffly. He made a mental note to ask Filch to fix it. When he opened the door, the air smelled musty and stale. The room hadn't been used in ages; not since his brother Oran had been there visiting years ago.
Severus put in a request at once to have the house elves clean this room. It would need to be presentable for Merewen when she arrived Saturday afternoon. By the next morning, Saturday morning, Severus looked into the room to find that the house elves had outdone themselves. The room was spotless and redecorated. The curtains, both on the bed and on the window that had fallen into disrepair had been replaced, new bed linens and rugs had been brought down, the wardrobe had been refinished and was ready to hold clothes, the bookshelves had been repaired and dusted, and the vanity and nightstand had been cleaned and refreshed. Taking a few steps into the room, Severus noted that the bathroom adjoining this room had been repaired and updated and fresh linens were here also. Severus took a deep breath and nodded. It was a job well done if he did say so himself. There were just a few finishing touches Severus had thought of the night before. He hoped he was not being presumptuous by doing so.
He looked at the wide, empty corner and conjured a piano there. Near the bookcase he placed a large desk with extra parchment, ink and quills. Then he filled two of the six shelves on the bookcase with helpful texts that she could use for planning her lessons. He was sure that the actual pedagogy would be no problem for her. According to her file, she had been tutoring privately while she was training in order to gain practice. This was a smart move that Severus himself didn't think of when he was training. He had decided that most people didn't have the propensity to understand the delicate art of potion making and this drove most young potions students away from him.
Looking around, he wondered if there was anything else he could add for her. He was about to leave when he stopped himself, pointed his wand at the foot of her curtained four-poster bed conjured a small animal bed. Merewen, he remembered, owned a cat. By that evening, Severus finished a list of daily and weekly classroom procedures, as well as a list of his expectations of her and placed them neatly in the center of her desktop. Feeling as though he was prepared for Merewen's arrival, Severus made his way up to the front entry way, where Dumbledore had asked him to meet he and McGonagall so that they could properly welcome young Merewen to Hogwarts.
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It was nearly dinner time when a carriage wound its way up to the castle. As the castle loomed before her, Merewen peered out the window of the carriage and stared in wonder. She was eager to begin teaching here, but other challenges daunted her courageous spirit. Professor Snape was a difficult master. She didn't expect him to make any exceptions for her simply because she was Hogwarts alumni. She didn't expect anyone to remember her, or automatically like her. She wasn't here to be anyone's friend. She was here to be a teacher.
Of course, she wanted the students to like her and she wanted the staff to respect her, but it wasn't something she expected to be automatic. Merewen straightened her back and put on a professional smile. She was ready.
When the carriage arrived at the castle, the driver jumped down and opened the door, offering her his hand as she stepped down and walked toward the castle. The driver, carrying her things, followed. Merewen herself carried her small traveling bag and a medium sized wicker basket. A muffled mew from inside this basket made her smile.
"I know, Meriwether," she murmured. "We're almost there, baby."
Merewen smiled as the door opened for her and Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape were there waiting for her.
"Miss Capenum! Such a pleasure to have you back with us. I'm told Professor Snape has spent a good deal of time preparing for your arrival tonight," said Albus.
"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore. I'll try not to disappoint him," Merewen said, extending her hand to Dumbledore, who politely kissed it. Merewen nodded professionally to Professor McGonagall and the Deputy in turn, gave Merewen one of her rare smiles. Merewen then turned to Professor Snape.
"Professor," Merewen said, once again offering her hand. "I hope this is the beginning of a very profitable learning experience." Snape drew her hand close and kissed it with nearly breathless lips. He had not expected her to be nearly so beautiful. He had read her file, seen her picture, but the photo hardly did her justice. Now Snape knew why he didn't remember her at first. He was *trying* not to. A crush on a student was not something he had wanted to leak out, and he had been fairly certain that she didn't return his affection. He stood back and looked at her from head to toe. Her hair was pulled back into a sensible bun, her robes and dress were neatly pressed, and her smile like a candle in a dark room: radiant, but not so strong that it drove people away.
At dinner, a new place had been set beside Snape for Merewen, and Dumbledore introduced her to the school before the meal began. As dinner progressed, Snape made an effort to remain professional. It appeared to work. No one else at table noticed that he was nervous, least of all Merewen. He decided in his mind that he would simply have to do what he did when she was in school and discipline himself very carefully. He would be working especially close to her now, but he knew he could handle it. This would pass, and she would leave his life again just as quickly as she had come. Comforting himself with this, he finished his meal easier.
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After dinner, Merewen followed Snape down to the dungeons. They passed the common room, Snape's office, and then his quarters and then came to the spare quarters. When Snape turned the knob it opened easily. Filch had done the repair job well. Entering the room before her, Snape lit the lamps on the walls and threw light on the objects in the room.
"I hope these quarters will be acceptable. The only light we get is filtered from the water as we are beneath the lake, but there is more than enough time in a day for walking outside and such," Snape said as he turned to face her. Merewen took a few steps past him and approached the desk.
"You'll find that all of the paperwork is in order. I'll expect you to observe for the first three days and then be prepared to teach your first week of lessons to the first years. I'll expect you to keep a brief journal of your observations and meet with me on a regular basis to discuss your progress," said Severus. Merewen nodded and looked up at him, "Sounds like everything is in order, Professor, thank you," she said.
Severus nodded and watched as Merewen took the wicker basket and placed it on the bed gently before lifting the lid and allowing a tiny kitten to jump from the cushioned inside. The little creature mewed and purred, turning circles on Merewen's bed and looking about with wide, curious baby eyes. Merewen smiled and lifted the kitten into her arms to snuggle him a bit. She spotted the animal bed and looked at Snape in surprise.
"How did you know?" she asked.
"It was in your file," Severus said. "If you'll excuse me. I have some things to finalize before the end of the evening. I trust you remember the schedule. Good evening to you, Miss Capenum." Merewen nodded and watched him go until the door had latched closed and then placed the kitty in his bed. He purred and looked up at her, mewing again.
"We're finally here, Meriwether!" Merewen said, flopping back across the bed. "I'm finally going to be a professor!"
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When Snape reached his chambers he shut and locked the door. He made it through this beginning orientation. He hoped that this ache in his chest would subside after a while. Technically, he was no longer her teacher nor was she his student, but he was her mentor and supervisor and needed to maintain some professional distance if her student teaching was to be a success. Oh, how was he to do this? Snape let his head sink to his pillow that night and fell asleep quickly, deciding that the notion would have to wait for another day.