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Part 6
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"Professor Sinistra!" Dumbledore walked into the room and gave the young woman a stern look. "Kindly stop kicking Professor Snape."
"It was just a nudge to check he wasn't faking it. Fancy a grown man fainting," Sinistra scoffed as she moved her foot away from the Potions Master's leg. "He wasn't waking up so I cast 'enervate' on him."
"Did I not tell you to wait until I returned?" The Headmaster placed the tea tray onto his desk with a loud thump.
Sinistra turned away from the Headmaster and looked at the portraits on the wall. 'Why,' she thought, 'does Albus' disappointment make me feel like a naughty First Year?'
Behind her Dumbledore cast a spell over Snape. "That should do it." Dumbledore muttered then returned to the desk and poured a cup of tea.
Snape's eyes flicked open. With a flick of his wand, Dumbledore sent the full teacup floating towards Snape. The Potions Master sat up groggily and took hold of the cup. Snape seemed to be confused; he stared at the cup as though not sure what he was supposed to do with it.
"Take your time, Severus, and drink your tea." Dumbledore said kindly. "You are suffering the after effects of a Poison Pen letter and a poorly timed rejuvenation spell."
"It wouldn't be 'poorly timed' if someone told me what was going on, for once," Sinistra muttered. Then, deciding tact was probably better than losing her job, she added, "I'm sorry, Professor Dumbledore. I can't take all this in at the moment."
"You need time to consider your future, Aurora." Dumbledore said commandingly. "While you are doing that I have a job for you."
'Why don't I like the sound of this?' thought Sinistra.
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When Professor Sinistra reached the Teacher's Meeting Room, two hours later, she found Professor Snape seated at the table. Snape was sipping a recovery potion from a goblet. Snape was obviously deep in thought and didn't react when Sinistra entered the room. 'Wonderful,' thought Sinistra, 'he's gone into Sulky Slytherin mode.'
"Did you want to see me?" Sinistra asked sharply.
"Thank you," Snape's voice was dripping sarcasm, "for the mistimed spell. It has done so much for my health."
Sinistra couldn't think of a clever reply so she said nothing. She sat in a chair and put her feet on the seat of another.
"Is my dungeon still in one piece?" Snape snarled.
"Yes, although the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw First Year's might never forget that class." Sinistra grinned, "Relax, I left Katie Bell in charge. When I left she was cleaning out your cauldron."
Snape glared imperiously at her. "I - beg - your - pardon?"
"Exhibit A," Sinistra put a jar on the bench. Snape picked up the jar and examined the contents.
"The potion is supposed to be deep red and thin." He stared at the grey gooey mess in the jar. "Who made this?"
"I did." Aurora smiled ruefully. "Did I mention that I failed my Potions NEWTS?"
"I would never have guess." Snape's reply was pure acid.
"Don't worry, all the students got it right. They bottled and marked their potions for your final expert approval."
Snape nodded and fell silent.
"I once considered writing a potions book." Sinistra said quietly.
"You," spluttered Snape.
"Uh huh. I was going to title it 'Magical Me's Guide to Potions and," she pointed to the jar, "'Putty'."
Snape snorted then bit back the smirk that threatened to cross his face.
"Yep," added Sinistra, looking at her friend out of the corner of her eye. "Unfortunately the person who was going to help me is working on his current book. It's titled 'How I Lost My Memory While Arsing Around With Memory Charms by Filderoy, is that my name, Glockhardt'."
This time Severus gave in to a wry smirk. Aurora pretended she hadn't noticed the smirk and continued looking at the mess in the jar. Silence fell across the room and both teachers were soon lost in their own thoughts. After a few minutes, Aurora spoke.
"Sev, what are we...?" Sinistra stopped speaking as she saw the expression on Snape's face. "What?"
"My name," said Snape, suddenly cold again, "is Severus. I would appreciate you using my correct given name and not mangling it in the same way you do the rest of the English language."
Aurora took a deep breath, "I am sorry that my uncle and your great-grandmother are sneaky old twits but that doesn't give you the right to take it out on me." She jumped to her feet and stomped towards the door.
Snape raised his wand and cast a locking, summoning and binding spell in quick succession. Aurora screeched as she flew backwards and was tied to a chair.
"Bully!" she sneered at him.
"Be quiet and listen, if you are capable of it." Snape sat on the edge of the table and glared down at her. "I refuse to marry you," he said softly. "Your manner is coarse, you have an immature attitude I cannot stand and, frankly, if I had to be forced to marry someone I would choose someone more," he sneered, "visually appealing."
"Really!" Aurora blinked refusing to cry in front of the rude, annoying man who she had considered her friend. "And I suppose you're all sweetness and light? Neither of us is getting a good deal out of this."
Snape didn't reply.
"Professor, if someone were to come in this would look rather ... umm," Aurora looked down at the ropes.
Snape smirked and still said nothing.
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"Professor McGonagall." The voice was a low, cold whisper.
"Oh!" Minerva McGonagall stopped abruptly and looked behind her. "Baron, you surprised me." It was a surprise indeed, the Bloody Baron hadn't spoken to Minerva in months.
"I believe you are needed in the Teacher's Meeting Room." The Baron hissed.
"Uh, thank you." McGonagall hurried down the hallway and wondered what was so important that it would interrupt her lunch break.
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Professor McGonagall was acting very like the Grey Lady had while she subjected Snape and Sinistra to a lecture in the teacher's meeting room. The other teachers in the room, Professors Sprout and Flitwick, were as unimpressed with Snape and Sinistra's behaviour as McGonagall was but contented themselves with glaring disapprovingly at the Slytherin duo while McGonagall went on with her mini-Inquisition.
Earlier, Professor McGonagall had unlocked the door and stormed into the room to find Sinistra tied to a chair and Professor Snape saying, "And that, Sinistra, is why you never turn your back on a Weasley."
Miffed that her Gryffindors were being discussed by her two least-favourite teachers, the Deputy Headmistress had released Sinistra and had begun listing all the Slytherin teachers' crimes in great detail. By the time the other teachers arrived, thanks again to the Baron, Minerva was listing some old social mistakes both Slytherins had forgotten about and various misdemeanours they'd committed as students.
Finally McGonagall reached the matter at hand.
"Just how, Severus, do you suggest we stop Mr Crabbe and Mr Goyle from quoting that outburst of yours?" Minerva said sternly. "And don't you dare suggest removing their memory of the incident. It was deplorable. What will the parents say?"
Professor Snape opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by Flora Sprout.
"How could you damage Hogwart's reputation like that?" Sprout demanded hotly. Flitwick nodding firmly in agreement.
"Their reputation?" Sinistra snapped. "Flora, Hogwart's reputation is the least concern here. It's survived much worse before now."
"Since poor Cedric's death..." Sprout sniffed dramatically and fell silent.
"It's sad that Cedric died but you really should stop making such a drama out of it." Sinistra muttered. She was tired, late for a class and didn't want to listen to any more talk.
"How could you? How disgusting!" Sprout was so angry her voice was cracking. She sniffed loudly and pulled a large, yellow and pink polka-dotted handkerchief from her sleeve.
"Face it, Flora. He's dead! Cope with it," Sinistra said bossily. "If you don't cope with it then your students won't either."
"That's enough!" Flitwick said, the rare sound of anger in the tiny teacher's voice. He patted Sprout's hand consolingly.
Sinistra shifted in her chair and stared at her watch. This rubbish was cutting into her celestial observation time, not to mention the combined 6th year tutorial session.
"Are we inconveniencing you, Professor?" McGonagall glared down at Sinistra.
"Actually, yes," Sinistra replied firmly. "I have a 6th year tutorial in ten minutes." She got to her feet. "Do you need me for anything else?"
"No I think you have said quite enough." McGonagall watched Sinistra leave the room then turned on Snape.
"Don't do it again, Severus," commanded McGonagall. "And no more of your arguments." Sprout and Flitwick nodded their agreement and followed her out of the room, closing the door behind them.
"What arguments," snarled Snape at the closed door, "I couldn't get a damn word in edgewise."
To be continued
Part 6
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"Professor Sinistra!" Dumbledore walked into the room and gave the young woman a stern look. "Kindly stop kicking Professor Snape."
"It was just a nudge to check he wasn't faking it. Fancy a grown man fainting," Sinistra scoffed as she moved her foot away from the Potions Master's leg. "He wasn't waking up so I cast 'enervate' on him."
"Did I not tell you to wait until I returned?" The Headmaster placed the tea tray onto his desk with a loud thump.
Sinistra turned away from the Headmaster and looked at the portraits on the wall. 'Why,' she thought, 'does Albus' disappointment make me feel like a naughty First Year?'
Behind her Dumbledore cast a spell over Snape. "That should do it." Dumbledore muttered then returned to the desk and poured a cup of tea.
Snape's eyes flicked open. With a flick of his wand, Dumbledore sent the full teacup floating towards Snape. The Potions Master sat up groggily and took hold of the cup. Snape seemed to be confused; he stared at the cup as though not sure what he was supposed to do with it.
"Take your time, Severus, and drink your tea." Dumbledore said kindly. "You are suffering the after effects of a Poison Pen letter and a poorly timed rejuvenation spell."
"It wouldn't be 'poorly timed' if someone told me what was going on, for once," Sinistra muttered. Then, deciding tact was probably better than losing her job, she added, "I'm sorry, Professor Dumbledore. I can't take all this in at the moment."
"You need time to consider your future, Aurora." Dumbledore said commandingly. "While you are doing that I have a job for you."
'Why don't I like the sound of this?' thought Sinistra.
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When Professor Sinistra reached the Teacher's Meeting Room, two hours later, she found Professor Snape seated at the table. Snape was sipping a recovery potion from a goblet. Snape was obviously deep in thought and didn't react when Sinistra entered the room. 'Wonderful,' thought Sinistra, 'he's gone into Sulky Slytherin mode.'
"Did you want to see me?" Sinistra asked sharply.
"Thank you," Snape's voice was dripping sarcasm, "for the mistimed spell. It has done so much for my health."
Sinistra couldn't think of a clever reply so she said nothing. She sat in a chair and put her feet on the seat of another.
"Is my dungeon still in one piece?" Snape snarled.
"Yes, although the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw First Year's might never forget that class." Sinistra grinned, "Relax, I left Katie Bell in charge. When I left she was cleaning out your cauldron."
Snape glared imperiously at her. "I - beg - your - pardon?"
"Exhibit A," Sinistra put a jar on the bench. Snape picked up the jar and examined the contents.
"The potion is supposed to be deep red and thin." He stared at the grey gooey mess in the jar. "Who made this?"
"I did." Aurora smiled ruefully. "Did I mention that I failed my Potions NEWTS?"
"I would never have guess." Snape's reply was pure acid.
"Don't worry, all the students got it right. They bottled and marked their potions for your final expert approval."
Snape nodded and fell silent.
"I once considered writing a potions book." Sinistra said quietly.
"You," spluttered Snape.
"Uh huh. I was going to title it 'Magical Me's Guide to Potions and," she pointed to the jar, "'Putty'."
Snape snorted then bit back the smirk that threatened to cross his face.
"Yep," added Sinistra, looking at her friend out of the corner of her eye. "Unfortunately the person who was going to help me is working on his current book. It's titled 'How I Lost My Memory While Arsing Around With Memory Charms by Filderoy, is that my name, Glockhardt'."
This time Severus gave in to a wry smirk. Aurora pretended she hadn't noticed the smirk and continued looking at the mess in the jar. Silence fell across the room and both teachers were soon lost in their own thoughts. After a few minutes, Aurora spoke.
"Sev, what are we...?" Sinistra stopped speaking as she saw the expression on Snape's face. "What?"
"My name," said Snape, suddenly cold again, "is Severus. I would appreciate you using my correct given name and not mangling it in the same way you do the rest of the English language."
Aurora took a deep breath, "I am sorry that my uncle and your great-grandmother are sneaky old twits but that doesn't give you the right to take it out on me." She jumped to her feet and stomped towards the door.
Snape raised his wand and cast a locking, summoning and binding spell in quick succession. Aurora screeched as she flew backwards and was tied to a chair.
"Bully!" she sneered at him.
"Be quiet and listen, if you are capable of it." Snape sat on the edge of the table and glared down at her. "I refuse to marry you," he said softly. "Your manner is coarse, you have an immature attitude I cannot stand and, frankly, if I had to be forced to marry someone I would choose someone more," he sneered, "visually appealing."
"Really!" Aurora blinked refusing to cry in front of the rude, annoying man who she had considered her friend. "And I suppose you're all sweetness and light? Neither of us is getting a good deal out of this."
Snape didn't reply.
"Professor, if someone were to come in this would look rather ... umm," Aurora looked down at the ropes.
Snape smirked and still said nothing.
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"Professor McGonagall." The voice was a low, cold whisper.
"Oh!" Minerva McGonagall stopped abruptly and looked behind her. "Baron, you surprised me." It was a surprise indeed, the Bloody Baron hadn't spoken to Minerva in months.
"I believe you are needed in the Teacher's Meeting Room." The Baron hissed.
"Uh, thank you." McGonagall hurried down the hallway and wondered what was so important that it would interrupt her lunch break.
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Professor McGonagall was acting very like the Grey Lady had while she subjected Snape and Sinistra to a lecture in the teacher's meeting room. The other teachers in the room, Professors Sprout and Flitwick, were as unimpressed with Snape and Sinistra's behaviour as McGonagall was but contented themselves with glaring disapprovingly at the Slytherin duo while McGonagall went on with her mini-Inquisition.
Earlier, Professor McGonagall had unlocked the door and stormed into the room to find Sinistra tied to a chair and Professor Snape saying, "And that, Sinistra, is why you never turn your back on a Weasley."
Miffed that her Gryffindors were being discussed by her two least-favourite teachers, the Deputy Headmistress had released Sinistra and had begun listing all the Slytherin teachers' crimes in great detail. By the time the other teachers arrived, thanks again to the Baron, Minerva was listing some old social mistakes both Slytherins had forgotten about and various misdemeanours they'd committed as students.
Finally McGonagall reached the matter at hand.
"Just how, Severus, do you suggest we stop Mr Crabbe and Mr Goyle from quoting that outburst of yours?" Minerva said sternly. "And don't you dare suggest removing their memory of the incident. It was deplorable. What will the parents say?"
Professor Snape opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by Flora Sprout.
"How could you damage Hogwart's reputation like that?" Sprout demanded hotly. Flitwick nodding firmly in agreement.
"Their reputation?" Sinistra snapped. "Flora, Hogwart's reputation is the least concern here. It's survived much worse before now."
"Since poor Cedric's death..." Sprout sniffed dramatically and fell silent.
"It's sad that Cedric died but you really should stop making such a drama out of it." Sinistra muttered. She was tired, late for a class and didn't want to listen to any more talk.
"How could you? How disgusting!" Sprout was so angry her voice was cracking. She sniffed loudly and pulled a large, yellow and pink polka-dotted handkerchief from her sleeve.
"Face it, Flora. He's dead! Cope with it," Sinistra said bossily. "If you don't cope with it then your students won't either."
"That's enough!" Flitwick said, the rare sound of anger in the tiny teacher's voice. He patted Sprout's hand consolingly.
Sinistra shifted in her chair and stared at her watch. This rubbish was cutting into her celestial observation time, not to mention the combined 6th year tutorial session.
"Are we inconveniencing you, Professor?" McGonagall glared down at Sinistra.
"Actually, yes," Sinistra replied firmly. "I have a 6th year tutorial in ten minutes." She got to her feet. "Do you need me for anything else?"
"No I think you have said quite enough." McGonagall watched Sinistra leave the room then turned on Snape.
"Don't do it again, Severus," commanded McGonagall. "And no more of your arguments." Sprout and Flitwick nodded their agreement and followed her out of the room, closing the door behind them.
"What arguments," snarled Snape at the closed door, "I couldn't get a damn word in edgewise."
To be continued