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The boys stepped away from each other. The professor Snape arrived and stopped.
"Mr.Epans, I need you to come with me," said the Potion master.
"What for?" asked the thief.
"I need to take a few tests so that I'm sure you have the right level for my class."
"Now?" asked the brunette. "I was supposed to meet the Professor Snape for my personal file."
Draco Malfoy could not hold back a smile.
"I'm sure I could ask him to forgive me later, I don't know if begging works with this teacher," said Tsilk.
"Follow me or have a detention," said the annoyed teacher.
The teenager with green eyes then followed his headmaster.
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In the lab
"You're attitude is not tolerable Tsilk", said Severus Snape.
"…" no answer.
"You haven't even started the school year and you deserve a detention", said the adult.
Tsilk stared at the window with rain drops appearing here and there.
"Epans, are you listening?"
The boy didn't move by an inch and didn't even try to make any gesture to answer the teacher.
The potion teacher slapped him. The boy looked at his teacher right in the eye, his cheek being red.
"Why do you like to slap me?" asked the boy, tears slowly appearing in the corner of his eyes. "Why? Am-I 'asking for it'?" Tears got a little bigger. "Am-I just plain annoying to see?" Tears became very noticeable. "Do I irritate you that much?" Tears got bigger. The boy let out a small sigh. "Because I'm not a brown nose?" He started to calm himself. "Because I've not been under your wonderful influence for the past six years?" Tears started to fade away.
"Epans, you better stop right now or,"
"Or what? Will you slap me again?" said the thief feeling the tears coming back.
"What is it with you today?"
"Oh, nothing, I have troubles with my friends, my colleagues are in prison, my arm hurts like hell, there are issues between me and Malfoy, it's my birthday and my father", the boy stopped right there realizing he had got farther than he wanted under the emotion.
The potion master took the boy's chin between his thumb and his index finger.
"Your father, what about him?"
"He doesn't even recognize me", after that statement, Tsilk looked away.
Severus Snape almost fell bad for the boy. It is true that it would be hard to have that over your head on your birthday at that age.
"Where is he?"
"I can't tell you…"
"Why?"
"Because I'm not sure I want him to recognize me…"
Severus got himself back together and sat back down.
"Well Mr.Epans, I'm not here to help you with your personal problems, I'm not a counselor. Now, onto business, if you could do this potion for me, the ingredients are on the board, you have three hours."
The teacher got up and left.
'You fool, don't you know today's date? Isn't it familiar to you? I guess you would have forgot by now…But still, can't you recognize your own son?' thought the thief once he was alone. 'Anyway…I guess it's better this way…Why the heck did I have to go emotional…stupid birthdays…come on, get yourself together, just do this potion…it's not even hard…why did he give three hours, I can do that in 45 minutes at most…"
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On Snape's side
This a terrible day…there's something with this kid… he's just annoying…I have to go back in there, tell him to go back to his room, check his potion and go to Dumbledore's…
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When Snape got back Tsilk had already left and his potion was perfect. The teacher then went to the Headmaster's office. He told the password and went up the stairs. He opened the door and sat down.
"Severus, how are you?"
"Fine…"
"Something seems to trouble you. Is it about today's date?"
"What about today's date Headmaster?"
"You know you can tell me anything Severus"
"Headmaster, I have my complete trust in you but, what event are you talking about?"
"You didn't need to be reminded of that…"
"Headmaster?"
"Do you remember what happened around 6 years ago?"
"No…I…"
"Your son's death."
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