Chapter Two-First Day Testing
Georgie tapped her toes on the end of the couch as she spread herself fully out and nestled against the back of the couch. Darn, she though ruefully on glancing at her watch. It was only nine. Too early to hit the sack just yet, so what to do? Georgie's mom had always pointed out that she kept the hours of a Vampire, rather than those that should belong to a little girl. If that's true my night's just beginning. I think I'll get out and take a look around a bit…
She ran back into her room slipped her sneakers on without untying them, grabbed a cloak and her broomstick, muttering to herself, "Never know what I'll get into…"
Exiting the mammoth stone building by way of a side door, she stood a moment to allow her eyes to adjust to the light. There was a dull yellow-ish sliver of a moon starting to peep out over the forbidden forest-not much help to light her way tonight. But she noted with some satisfaction that the evening was still quite mild, and only a light breeze messed with her short, curl, split-ended hair.
Glancing left then right, she walked carefully down a short set of steps and ambled down to the lake. She set her broomstick down and plopped herself down on the shore. Picking up a good sized rock she hurled it as far as she could out into the inky waters. A hollow-sounding thwump came back to her, and she chose another that she felt would be more aerodynamically suited to out-distance the first. Which it subsequently did.
However her ears pricked up as she heard someone making there way to where she was seated. She turned and squinted into the darkness to see a quite large figure plodding straight for her slowly, and as he approached she realized he was a very large and tall man--much bigger than the average.
"Hullo!" He thundered as he approached her, so she leapt to her feet. "I'd been told about you and I reckon'd that might be you sitting out here all by yourself. Ya see I could see you clear as day from my window over there…." He gestured towards a small cabin-looking building with bright lights shinning in the two visible windows.
He held out his hand to her and she shook hands with him, barely noticing that his hands were almost three times as large. "Reubus Hagrid." He pronounced for her, "But you can just call me Hagrid. Most ev'ryone else does. Fine by me." He scrutinized her and nodding said, "So your name is George." It wasn't really a question, but she nodded anyway. "You can call me Georgie. I've found that that makes the name more feminine--not that I try to be feminine, it's just it helps to avoid confusion." She explained hurriedly. She thought he had a nice and jolly demeanor and she liked his uncomplicated way of talking.
"So, Hagrid are you a Professor?" She blurted out as she sat back down and he promptly followed suit.
"Yep. I teach Care of Magical Creatures. It's a heap of fun--trust me. As much fun to teach as it is fer the students as well, I'd venture."
"Excellent! I'm going to be in your class. I've never had this course as they didn't offer it at The Institute in Poland--that where I'm from. But," she lowered her voice," I have had a few interesting pets over the years…" She hinted slyly.
"Really? We might have a lot in common, you an' I. I once owned a dragon, ya know." He said with a wink.
"No way!? But they're illegal! Wow you've gotta tell me about this one!" So Hagrid proceeded to tell her about his short ownership of Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback. Georgie was shaking her head at the end of the tale, muttering, "So not fair…."
Sighing and looking out over the lake she changed subjects, "Hagrid, you must be the luckiest guy. Really. You have a kick-ass job," he colored at her choice of words, but she kept on. "You live at this amazing place, where crazy and exciting stuff's always happening--I envy you, truly."
"Yeah, the professors have really made me feel at home-like I'm one of 'em, you know? Dumbledore is the best of men--took me in when I didna have no where to go. They're all really great: smart, good an' fair--the whole lot of 'em." He said seriously, but turned and regarded her when she snorted at his last statement. "What was that for?"
"I'm sorry, that was pretty darn rude. It's only, well, um how to say this," she said looking to the lake's water for inspiration." Okily, well, one of my favorite, urm, pastimes is to study other people's characters. I like to try to figure out what makes people the way they are, why they think as they do-just try and imagine how I would be and think if I were them. It's come to be very useful, and after so many years of perfecting this art, I'm usually right on correct. I'm not saying all first impressions are right, it's just, with some people you can just tell-if you're looking for something….
"Blimey, you're sounding like Trewlaney right now. You're not talkin' 'bout Divination and all that, are you? He questioned.
"Nah, It's more of science, though by no means an exact one. Hell, I've been wrong lots times before…Argh, this is coming out wrong. I'm just trying to say I'm good with intuition and understanding characters and motives. More like psychology, you know…" She hoped he understood.
"Not really, but I'll trust ya on that one." He smiled.
"Thanks," she mumbled gratefully. "Okay, I've met the House Heads and they seem very intelligent and friendly people, it's just, well, I'm living with Professor Snape down in the dungeons, and I just can't see anything good coming from such a situation. I think he already hates me. I mean, I hope this foresight's wrong-wouldn't it be a blast to see us getting along perfectly in a few months and having raging pillow fights down there?!" Hagrid laughed at this." But I think he's going to be difficult to get along with…." She looked down at her hands in her lap frowning.
"Don't give up on 'im yet. He's not used to sharing… well anything really." He coughed. "Yeah, he's got his nasty moods, and I shore as hell wouldn't want to be on the receiving end when he's all up in a bad temper. Takes a lotta pride in watchin' out fer those Slytherins though. The man's a ruddy genius with potions, and no matter what you hear--he's a good guy. He just doesn't like to show it, so no more of this worryin'. We can't be all judgmental and all that before even the firs' day's out!" Hagrid said patting her strongly on the shoulder.
"Hagrid, how'd you get to be so wise?" Georgie laughed at him.
"Aww." He growled at her, but grinned widely still. "So what classes are you going to be takin'?" He asked, changing away from all that soft nonsense.
"Dunno. I'm meeting with most of the Professors this week to see what I need to take and what I've already got covered. I've learned Potions and Transfiguration extensively, Also a bunch of Herbology and Defense against the Dark Arts-though I've been told the classes are taught differently here, so who knows what Ill end up taking. At The Institute, we focused on Astronomy and Natural Sciences much more than they do here. I'm good with my wand, but I'm better with my brain…." She broke off.
"You'll do fine girl, no matter what ya take. This place won't try and kill ya, promise. Just try and relax, make friends and have a good time, alright."
"Easy for you to say. I'm at least 4 years older than the oldest students here. And just watch I'll get put in with a first year Arithmancy class and I'll feel like such a huge idiot." She felt like being ninny. It was the first time in a long time to actually have someone listen to her, and here she was boring him with her problems.
"I don't think they have first year Arithmancy…" Hagrid smiled, trying to ease her mind.
"Yeah, but they'll probably have to make one up just for me…." She countered.
Suddenly she leapt to her feet and snatched up her broomstick, looking into the darkness of the Forbidden Forest. "I'm kinda hungry." She muttered lamely. She offered her hand to Hagrid to help him up but he almost took her down in the process. Laughing, he answered, "Well you've got a coupla options now. I've got some tea and cakes in my cabin, plus there's bound to be sumthin' over in Hogsmeade….then there's the Hogwarts kitchens…." His eyes twinkled mischievously…
"Oh, so definitely the kitchens! Munchies, munchies, munchies!" She jumped up and down in a circle for emphasis.
"Thought you'd choose that!" He started up the slight incline for the castle.
"Say, you think they have Diet Coke in there? I'm addicted…" She said melodramatically…
"Dunno. We'll ask the house-elves when we get there."
"Hagrid, you're pretty damn cool. I think I'll keep you around, okay?" She smiled at him, then stuck out her tongue. He smiled back and stuck out his tongue back at her, wagging his head at the silliness they were up to.
Almost an hour later she had parted from Hagrid outside the kitchens, in very high spirits, after having laughed, and joked, and preformed an improvised song-and-dance routine using the house-elves as the test-audience. They had applauded, but Georgie knew it was out of duty or something, not for their obvious lack of talent. But, it was fun. It's gonna suck around here when everyone will be buried in their books, she thought sadly, readjusting her hold in the bag by her side. Inside were to Georgie's delight some 'Diet coke for the road', a pint of ice cream, some wizard candy, a hunk of gingerbread, cheese and crackers, and lastly --Cheetos.
Georgie was already a bit on the chubby side, but she was still very athletic and healthy, and she figured, hell, if she liked it--why not eat it?! At least her face didn't break out all the time over the stuff, she reflected, truly grateful.
She could now find her way between the great hall, the kitchens and the dungeons with some certainty. She came to the wall with the secret entrance and she spoke: "Serpent stare." And bustled inside quickly with her bag still clutched in her hand. It was now almost eleven, and her neighbor was nowhere to be seen.
She swept in to the lounge and threw open her door, tossed her cloak and the broomstick she'd dragged around with her up against the wardrobe and took her stash and collapsed with it on her couch. It was her couch now, she was laying claim to it, and Snape could just eat Donkey Shorts. She set up her contraband bag on the central coffee table and dug the spoon out from the bottom of the bag. Umm, this was going to be heaven. A chocolate fudge ice cream heaven.
Slowly the door to Snape's room opened and the owner himself strode purposeful out in to the room and directly into her line of sight. Crap, she thought, I wasn't making that much noise at all.
"How are you tonight?" She asked trying to sound disinterested and indifferent as she played with her spoon.
"Fine." He replied, he face showing no emotions. "Having a pleasant evening?"
"Oh, yeah, just…peachy." She drawled, eyeing him suspiciously. She couldn't remember what exactly they'd said when they last saw each other, but she knew it would have to be at odds with the false appearance of friendliness happening in the room right now. She hated not acting like herself though.
"Did you move all of your things in alright?" Huh, she thought.
"Yes, perfectly. Thank you for asking." Inside she was almost cracking up. Such politeness, HA! And coming from her, move over Hollywood.
She squinted at him and waited for him to do or say something. When he didn't, she motioned at the other couch and burbled, "Uh, you wanna sit down or something?" Now what. He was sitting and not making any effort to talk. She just shrugged her shoulders and turned away from him.
"How advanced are you at Potions?" He abruptly asked.
"I'm not sure. I'd venture to say I'm quite good, it was probably my second best class. I've been making potions with ease for years that here in England are deemed illegal and dangerous. But I'm not perfect of course, no one is…" She muttered under her breath, but he didn't seem to take any notice.
"Still, some of my basic skills are often found to be lacking, and some of my knowledge didn't transfer over into English. For instance, I could make 'Modra Skelica' perfectly: get all the ingredients and the proportions correct, but I don't know what that potion is called in English, so explaining what I just did makes no sense. Same thing goes for the ingredients as well. My education has taken place in perhaps 4 different languages. Now I want all the knowledge and understanding to become complete in English, as I'm choosing to remain here." She shrugged her shoulders once more.
Turning down to her bag once more, she suddenly yelped, "Shit!" And Snape's eyes flew open and he barked, "What? What is it?"
Looking him straight in the face, she regarded him and then chuckled and hooted to herself. He appeared to loathe this action and glared daggers at her, his eyes flashing dangerously.
"Sorry, didn't mean to freak you out. My ice cream's melting--forgot all about it…." His shoulders relaxed and he sat back gruffly.
Georgie tried to check her laughter, but the situation was funny. "Here." She said as she stood up to thrust the spoon into his hand. She found the container and pulled the lid off and set it down in front of Snape, who twisted up his face at her, clearly displeased.
"Oh, get off it." She rolled her eyes at him and giggled, helping herself to the gingerbread. "It's a midnight snack-y party." When he still hadn't dug in, she teased, "Do I have to spoon feed you? Geesh, it's not poisoned, it's actually quite delicious. Come on, everyone loves ice cream-'specially chocolate. Ya caught me in a generous mood, now if you don't help me with this, it'll melt, I'll get pissed off and I'll hex you. Understand?" She almost growled, to make it sound like she really meant it.
He looked down and snatched up the ice cream from down in front of him and murmured, "Fine."
Inwardly sighing, she figured that'd have to be good enough. Miracles don't happen overnight. She would make him her first project.
Georgie dumped out the contents on the coffee table, and noting his scowl replied, "Don't worry, I'm gonna clean it up." Shaking her head, whatta jerk.
"Wasn't thinking that." He spoke lowly. Then he began to eat the ice cream.
Deciding not pursue, she munched on the gingerbread and fished out a drink. "Want one?" She inquired, holding up a Coke and a Diet. He cocked his head to the side and said, "I usually drink tea."
"Good for you," she couldn't help saying. "But I don't have tea, and I personally think that you need junk drinks to accompany junk food." She hurriedly continued. "If you want tea, you can make some in a few seconds ya know…But if you want this, hell anything, you're welcome to it. Okily dokily?" She plopped the drinks down in front of him
"Okily dokily." He repeated sarcastically, as if laughing at her. Ah, screw him. But she watched as he picked up a coke anyway. Shoulda poisoned it, just for fun.
She attacked the snacks with a relish she reserved only for food. Heh heh heh, Cheetos. She munched for a few minutes, feeling the awkward silence, but thought if he wanted to talk he's gotta start it. Her fingers were getting tinted sorta orange-y from the excess processed cheese on the crunchy puffs, God bless the Muggles who came up with this stuff! She set down the bag and concentrated for a second on her outstretched empty palm, and suddenly made a napkin appear in it.
Snape spoke up, "You didn't use your wand." He must've been watching. "Nope, I didn't." She replied nonchalantly without looking at him, but proceeded to wipe off her fingers. Really, that hadn't been that difficult a piece of magic. Though maybe in these parts it was.
He scrutinized her slowly while still working on the ice cream, what the hell was he thinking? She took a long drink of her Coke and let out an earth-shaking, rumble-y burp. Smiling innocently, she said, "Wasn't me."
"Now you're becoming disgusting," he frowned at her. "Wrong." Georgie countered, frowning right back at him defiantly. "I am just as I was two minutes ago. I'm just giving you more insight into my person. Whether I was disgusting then or not is entirely up to your judgement…"
"Do you always go off on these tangents of yours? Can't your answer for once be a simple one?"
"Nah, I've got a lot to say." She winked at him, and turned back to the food--this time the cheese and crackers.
"How old are you?" He interjected without warning. Whatever she might have expected him to say or do, this question was not it. Her surprise was great indeed and she didn't even try to disguise it.
"You know, and don't take this the wrong way--though you probably will anyway, but you sounded almost human asking that. Like for once you asked a question that you didn't already know the answer to. Like you were actually trying to make an effort to try to be social, or neighborly, or something…."
He sneered, "How old are you?" He repeated strongly.
"Ohmigosh! He's trying to connect with his fellow human beings! Ring the bells, sound the horns, alert the media--"
"George!" he bellowed to cut her off, and they were both silent. Him giving her a sharp look, and her smirking humorously at him. "Call me Georgie."
"Isn't it considered rude to ask a lady her age?" She ventured.
"I did not take you for a lady." He snapped.
"Ow, that hurt. You're a mean one Mr. Snape." She tried to sound scathing, but her eyes gave her away as they were crinkled up in laughter. "Well, so long as you don't see me as a lady and I don't see you as a gentleman, we can continue seeing eye-to-eye and engage in our snacking wickedness in peace."
Snape's mouth frowned slightly at her calling him not a gentleman, but he really didn't care what this freak of nature thought. He set down the ice cream and took up the cheese and crackers Georgie had abandoned a few minutes ago.
"YES!" She hollered as she leapt on the container relinquished by the Professor. "Yummers, chocolate." She pronounced with a sigh.
"You appear to be almost wild," he commented with dissatisfaction. "You know, if you'd wanted the ice cream you could have asked for it."
"Nah, couldn't have done that. Don't get me wrong--I absolutely lurve the stuff," and she batted her eyelashes as best she could. "I love all of, too. But if I didn't get any, no big loss, it's not something to make a fuss over. It's just fun to get worked up over the small stuff. That way you have more opportunities to have little joys in your everyday life, ya know?" She asked then felt dumb asking. Nah, he probably didn't know.
He was gracious enough though, and shrugged his shoulders, muttering, "To each their own."
"How old are you?" She asked slyly, eyeing him from out of the corner of her eye.
"Why?"
"Only fair…"
"But you didn't answer my question." He pointed out.
"Well it was a rude one." She felt dumb saying it.
"And it's not rude when you're asking it now because..?" He drew out the last word for a long time as if expecting her to jump in with her reply.
"Well, I was going to say it was because you don't ask ladies their age. But as we've already discredited me enough tonight so as to say that I am no lady, I will go on the argument that you have me at a disadvantage already, and I wouldn't want to add to it."
She had piqued his interest apparently, because he immediately asked, "What advantage?"
She grinned smartly, "You know my name." Oh course she knew his name--well his last name, Hagrid and Dumbledore had told her, but he had missed the staff introductions and had dodged the question when she had first arrived. Still Georgie prided herself on always telling the truth, and this was just a simple case of not mentioning all the details. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him.
She took a swig of her coke, while he appeared to be mulling something over in his mind. Then he sighed as if resigning something, "Fair enough." He almost smiled. "My name is Severus Snape."
"Pleased to meet you Severus," and she solemnly grabbed up his hand and shook it profusely.
"You're not to call me Severus in front of the students" he insisted sternly and dropped her hand.
"Of course, but you're not to call me Georgie in front of the students either."
"OH?" His eyebrows raised in question. "What, exactly am I to call you then?"
She was sure he was thinking she was going to say George or something to that tune, so she caught him off guard when she replied, "Sugar lips."
His eyes flew open and his face contorted and he looked like he was trying very, very hard not to indulge her with a laugh.
"I was thinking, "she continued on, grinning like an idiot, "of honey buns, but that'd be extremely inappropriate and therefore totally out of the question."
"Yes," he said, the corners of his mouth twitching. "Totally out of the question."
Here Georgie finally allowed herself the indulgence of a loud guffaw followed by hysterical snorting as Snape looked on.
"You're an odd child," he virtually spat out when she had calmed down again, back to his old stern self again.
"Yeah, well you're not too normal yourself. And don't ever call me a child again." He'd gotten her back up.
"That sounded like a threat."
"I don't make threats." She replied through clenched teeth.
"You are hard to predict," he mused holding his hands clasped together up to his huge nose. "One minute she's all fun and games and the next she's seething. Whatever could have brought about such a change?"
"This place needs a television," she tried to change the topic.
"And now, she conveniently changes the subject when the conversation heads dangerously into her own direction."
She sighed, "Oh shut up, will you."
He still sat there looking very pleased with himself, as if he knew something that no one else knew.
She busied herself with the gingerbread again, trying not to think that she really hated the direction the conversation started to take.
"So,…" She looked up to see what he could possibly want. "How old are you?"
Georgie couldn't help but smile a little. "Persistent bastard aren't we? You first." She liked having it her way.
"I am 35 years old come this February."
"Okay, I am 21."
"See, that wasn't that painful was it?" He goaded.
"Yeah, I'm hemorrhaging over it…" She snapped back.
"Anything else you want to ask that might take half an hour to answer?" He scowled.
"Not tonight, we can save the really big life and death questions for another night."
"Lovely, I look forward to the complete waste of time with pleasure."
"Drop dead." She said bitingly.
"If you wish it." He bowed his head at her.
"Nah, by the looks of you, you're half-way there already." She tried to sound impertinent, but his answer had kinda freaked her out.
"You know," she went on, "I can't figure you out either…."
"Good, if my character and being were so transparent so as you could know everything about me in one evening, I'd be a sorry person indeed."
"Whatever, ya sick bastard….." She winked at him, but she got his drift. "You don't seem like quite the ignorant asshole I thought you were at first."
Snape wondered at where she could possibly be taking that statement. "I assure you that I can be very, very cruel, heartless, cunning and cold. But I though it'd be best not to scare you all the way back home your very first night."
"I think we both can recognize the potential we both possess to be able act a certain way to attain our goal. We are both Slytherins, are we not? I think much of this was shown on both sides here tonight." He stood up. "The only true question that remains is of all of the many faces we wore, which will be the true ones, which will be the one we wear most, and what are we to do with such a knowledge once it comes to light?"
She stared him straight in the eye, remaining devoid of all telling emotion.
Walking around the room, he paused at door and he said, "I choose to do nothing because I do not care, but I figured you might like that--having studied so much philosophy and psychology and other social sciences which you will find are entirely useless in the Wizarding World. As they say, stick that in your pipe and smoke it."
He turned his back on her and opened his door. Interesting end to a conversation, she mused. Then so quiet she was almost whispering, she breathed, "I underestimate you."
He spoke softly back without turning around, "Most people do." And he continued on into his room.
Okay, Georgie thought as she stared into the fireplace burning in the opposite wall.. Snap outta this. That was too weird. And way too intense a conversation. Next time, light-heartedness, jokes, and flowers were all she would allow herself to speak of. She suddenly burped, and thought, nah…..taking all that back.
Surprising guy, maybe this wasn't going to be such a hellacious living arrangement after all. But as a human being, man he kinda sucks. He's kinda freaky. Like one of those Goths that look like they're wearing their Halloween costumes year-round. Except with Snape it was his complexion, his figure, his skin--he couldn't just change out of it as if he felt like wearing neon pink to celebrate the summer.
Something dangerously close to pity started to seep into her mind, and she shook it out just as fast as it had come in.
Standing up, she dumped the empty ice cream container out in the wastebasket and cleaned up her things, piling what was salvageable for another day.
She hated going to bed so early--it was only half past midnight, so she brought out a medium-sized stack of books and pounced back on her couch. She had everything from Jane Austen to essays on current quantum theories. So she set in on something heavy that would keep her mind occupied until she were really tired…
Snape was also reading, but far different material. Potion making was like an infectious fever with him, it took hold of him, controlled him, ate away at his very core. It was what he was good at, but beyond that he was still fascinated with it after all these years. It was no mere hobby--it was his life.
He'd been sitting there for several hours, when he began to feel restless. Usually during the school term he could wander the halls making rounds, looking for students out of bed, but there were not students here yet. He grimaced at that slip. Well, he thought, old habits are hard to kill. Much like me, he thought unsmiling. He heaved himself up and out of his room.
He stopped dead in tracks when he heard a faint noise streaming steadily from the couch in that dark lounge room. He took a few steps forward and realized it was the girl. She was fast asleep and snoring quietly. He smirked at her, then frowned. She really shouldn't sleep out there--it would just not be very proper. Not that he cared a bit, but she might be alarmed when she woke up. Looking around the room and trying to think quickly he came to the conclusion that he had two options. He could cover her with a blanket of sorts and let her stay there, or try and move her. No, he figured, having to cover would be too… His mind reeled away from him--intimate, friendly, comforting, close, interested, attached. He snorted to himself at the idea, as he had no desire to come across as a comforting angel or a bottled-up sweetheart.
So he did what he had to do. He removed the book from her hand and slid his cold hands under her elbow. She remained asleep throughout the entire operation, and he was thankful, as it might be awkward if she were to suddenly wake up. He lifted her up slowly and directed her to her room, letting her go at the doorway. There was no need to go in. He saw that she had found her bed and so the task was done.
Walking out to the awaiting school corridors he found he could breathe a little easier, as he expected that she wouldn't have any recollection of him moving her. And as luck for Snape would have it, she didn't remember.
Georgie awoke to her alarm clock and groaned out loud. Where the hell did all the hours go? Wasn't she supposed to feel rested? Damn. Crawling out of bed she went to the mirror, was disgusted by the rat's nest that her hair reminded her of. She grabbed a rubber band and raked back the fly-aways. Good enough, she grunted. She'd shower during the long lunch break. She was to spend the morning with Professor Flitwick going over charms. Cake, she thought and smiled to herself. Her afternoon with McGonagall might be something of a challenge, though not an unwelcome one.
She threw on a pair of Khaki pants, buttoned up her shirt, grabbing her wand and her robes, lifted her shoes up and stalked out into the lounge. Snape was sitting there reading a Wizarding newspaper. He looked up as she came and sat down on the other couch-her couch, she thought protectively-and began to put on her shoes.
"What? No notes? No books to cram with for your tests?" He prodded.
"It's all up here," she pointed to her head without moving from her doubled-over position over her feet. Finally she sat up, shaking out her head and neck.
"What?" She asked of his lingering stare.
"Not a morning person?"
"Fuck you…." She mumbled and got unsteadily to her feet.
He smiled his thin-lipped malicious smile of his, and returned to his paper.
So she asked, "So Snape, you're not married are you?"
"No. Why do you ask?" Turning his eyes on her once again.
"Because having to wake up to you would be an utter hell." She flashed her eyes at him, snatched up her robes and darted out the door for breakfast.
Snape returned once more to his paper and sat thoughtfully for a moment, before allowing himself to chuckle at the absurdity if it all.
Up in the Great Hall, Georgie was yawning and chatting with the professors as they all say around the high table. Mmm, there was nothing like yummy food to get her going in the morning. Well, Diet Coke worked when food was lacking, but nothing compared to the crisp bacon she twirled in her hand at this moment.
All of the professors were excellent company-Hagrid hadn't been lying. Professor Flitwick kept doling out cheesy anecdote after anecdote. McGonagall seemed very matronly as she just sat there and smiled, nodding every so often, listening and mediating if need be.
The majority of the conversation consisted of stories from when they were themselves students at Hogwarts, mainly for the benefit of Georgie. It was a pleasant way to pass time, and she enjoyed jumping in asking questions and interacting with the bunch of them. Hagrid sat by her side and whispered clarifying bits of information to round off the stories been told. Ah, Hagrid was the best.
When whom should fly in like some classic vampire ruining the jovial banter, but good ol' Snape. The sullen man glared up at the table as he made his way around to his seat. "Good morning, dear." He growled sarcastically under his breath as he passed her.
"Die." She growled back as he stiffly sat down, still shooting daggers out of his black eyes. He's a cold one.
He didn't join in the conversation, but Georgie took this to be the daily routine as she saw that no one take any notice of him or his attitude. So she kept up the banter and raucous laughter until Flitwick glanced at his watch and suggested they head on up to his classroom to get the day underway.
Bummer, she thought. As she lifted herself up, Hagrid and Professor Sprout protested loudly to him taking away their new society. Georgie turned at the door after following Flitwick out and bowing to them, called out, "Yes, I know everyone wants me, but none of you can have me, so too bad for all of you!" And with that she stuck out her tongue and disappeared around the corner.
Snape was getting annoyed at her childish showiness. Couldn't she just act normal, he pondered as he drank his tea.
Georgie had a great time with Flitwick. As she suspected, she knew as much as he did about the subject, but she was being modest in demonstrating her skills. He was very clever and kept coming up with strange puzzles where should have to come up with a Charm solution to it. It was actually a lot of fun, since she hardly ever got a chance to stretch her wings in this area.
After only an hour of this, they plopped down atop some desks and just chatted until lunchtime. Flitwick told her about the recent problems they'd been having retaining their Defense Against the Dark Arts instructors. He spoke in hushed tones about the treacherous goings-on and about how even You-Know-Who was very interested in certain unnamed individuals at the school. Duh--she didn't need to be an Auror to figure out who he was referring to.
After a long chuckle about something Hagrid had recently done, Short Professor Flitwick hopped down off the desk and said, "Time for you to go." She thanked him profusely and they ambled side-by-side back to the Great Hall for lunch.
"Ooo," She piped up as the approached the table. "Sandwiches! Goody, goody." Sitting next to Hagrid she sang, "Sandwiches for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, If I had a million I'd eat them all at once!" McGonagall chuckled and advised her to tuck in.
The sun shone in through the tall windows, and the enchanted ceiling reminded her what a warm day it was. And running around in black robes performing any number of tasks certainly isn't going to keep you cool and comfortable, she reminded herself. She bit into an egg salad sandwich and looked down at it, darn this is good! She told herself to thank the house-elves next time she got a chance.
Georgie's mind wandered to what she was going to do for the next 3 free hours before meeting with McGonagall. She enjoyed sitting and chatting immensely, but she figured she'd better do something by herself and for herself. Taking a shower was at the top of the list, she smiled introspectively.
After the meal she got up, excused herself citing heaps of things to do before meeting with McGonagall, then promptly left. She was walking down the corridors slowly, smiling up at the paintings as she passed by each one. She was nearly to the dungeons when on passing a suit of armor she saw not only her own blurred reflection, but that of someone else. She spun around, wand in hand to discover-
"Snape! Damnit, what the hell's the matter with you? Can't you make noise when you walk or something? Were you there the entire time?"
He just smiled his simpering smile and let her follow him inside the entranceway. He went straight to his room with not a word spoken to her.
"You can be such an ass sometimes!" She called after him as she went, getting a little tired of him in general. He replied "Go jump in the lake." She was hot and annoyed--not a good combination, she thought as she yanked off her robes. She just wanted to cool down, then that loser wouldn't get her goad up so easily. She scolded herself angrily.
But that was short-lived as she got a great idea. She grabbed a towel and headed out once again, drawing Snape's attention as she bumbled by. Where was she going now? She was the most brazen, vulgar and uncouth person he thought he'd ever met. So what, he thought bitterly, rubbing his temples. It can't last.
He'd make sure of that.
She burst in through the lounge a bit later, completely soaking, dripping wet, hair plastered to her back. He regarded her as she passed by and she seemed to be in better spirits. "All right, " he called after her. "Who'd you kill?" Her head poked back around the corner of his doorway grinning. "Huh?"
"You like the Kneazle who's been in the hen house. Why are you wet?"
"But you told me to go jump….OH!" Her hand went up to her mouth in mock shock. "You mean you didn't really mean it?!" She feigned being hurt, her eyes wide with a glitter of amusement.
"You mean you actually jumped in that filthy thing? That's disgusting. You're disgusting," He pointed his finger accusingly at her.
She came in close and laughed right in his face. "Snape you are so boring." And she walked away.
He was right about one thing, she wouldn't want to not shower after a swim around that lake, since it was probably filled with duck poo. And at that she shivered with an internal, Ew.
She took a long shower then dawdled about her room until the appointed meeting time with McGonagall. She rushed up the stairs, and jumped down the corridors, almost jumping into McGonagall's arms as she awaited her at the entrance to the great hall.
"Oh-Oh!" the older lady sputtered.
"Oh my goodness! I'm awfully sorry. Wasn't looking where I was going, and I was in such a hurry to get here on time-"
"No need." She broke in and smiled, holding up her hand. "I've been looking forward to this for days now. Let's get started, shall we?" She motioned for her to follow her upstairs to her classroom. Georgie bit her lip wondering if she were looking forward to meeting the new student or to administering the tests.
Georgie needn't have worried. McGonagall was very hospitable and completely unassuming. She easily changed the several objects around the classroom as indicated by McGonagall-'Call me Minerva, really!-for instance a desk into a clawed bathtub, then an advance spell for changing her own arm into an elephants trunk. They both laughed as the trunk instinctively began to sniff Minerva's pockets.
"Well, I'm impressed. But we'll see at the end of the week what you're feeling towards your classes as well. If you keep doing as well in the remainder of these tests, you'll only have Professor Binns and Hagrid, and that won't be very worthwhile for you I'd assume." She smiled.
They walked out of the classroom and into her office and sat opposite each other, and chatted as only two women can chat. The spoke of Georgie's childhood, of the far-off places she'd visited as a child with her parents, of her new living arrangements down in the dungeons, her conversations with Dumbledore and Hagrid. Everything and anything. Georgie was really starting to warm up to this lady.
Minerva leaned in and asked, "So how do you like sharing rooms with Severus?"
"Taken aback, Georgie immediately asked, "Snape?" Duh, of course. She wanted to whack herself over the top of the head as soon as she's said it. Minerva nodded and winked.
Georgie narrowed her eyes at her, " Why do you ask?"
"Oh for goodness sake! Put that face away--you're scaring me. I just know how I'd react if I had to live so close to him." She sighed and looked, ceiling-ward. "Heaven knows at times I wished I were even further away than I am right now…"
Georgie relaxed and smiled a bit. Honestly, that's been at the front of my mind all day. I just can't figure him out." She gave an exasperated sigh.
"I can imagine, " Minerva turned and with a flick of her wand made an entire setting of tea for two appear. Georgie accepted the cup gratefully.
"He's so strange and unreadable. At times he'll be snide and sarcastic--even downright mean and cruel. He's…." She faltered here, not knowing if it were right to speak so ill of the man, but the feeling passed quickly.
"He's contemptuous of me and my background, my youth, hell...I can't do a single thing right. If I breathe too loud, he'll go ballistic." Taking a deep breath she continued in a more subdued tone. "But at the same time, sometimes he seems, melancholy--almost depressed. He spouts philosophy and stuff at me, half the time I'd swear he had a death-wish." At that, Minerva's face took on an even grimmer appearance, but she let her continue in silence.
"I really dislike him, and I'm sure he feels the same way," She smiled at this remembering how she hadn't exactly made his day easier. "But at times, he acts almost human. Not like a normal human, no. But like someone that if given a chance might someday--after years of therapy-resemble someone normal. He was even sociable for a few moments before we fought again. It's an almost constant bickering between us." She stopped and drank deeply of her tea.
"I can't say that Severus and I have always gotten along and never had petty arguments." Minerva began. "But I after time learned to control my reactions. It's not healthy to be showing this ugly side of adult relationships to the students. It detracts from the appearance of responsibility and intelligence that we hope to pass on to these students. Though I don't imagine that either of you would ever engage in such a public display. " Georgie stated smiling at that.
"No," She murmured thoughtfully. "He's had his own problems since long before you've arrived. The rest of the staff has known for a long time now--nothing's new under the sun for us. He's had a hard life, though one of his own making. He's really a good fellow, deep, deep down--we all would trust him unquestionably. Who knows why he's the way he is. I've had my own private suspicions, but I won't let them influence you."
Georgie nodded at this, feeling that she understood what she was trying to say. Yada, yada. Be nice, play nice, don't kill each other--especially in front of the students….
Minerva smoothed out her skirts with her hands, "Give it time. You both seem to be hot-blooded and to jump to conclusions based on your first impressions. It will get better and easier, mark my words. And if it doesn't we'll find a place for you far away from that bitter old man." She winked at Georgie who was staring back at her blankly.
On walking back to her room she reflected on what everyone had been saying about Professor Snape. Her neighbor was a veritable genius, with a serious deficiency in working with and understanding others, and a great excess of sneering, put-downs, and verbal abuse to spread around. She supposed his genius covered over these shortcomings for everyone else, but she wasn't fooled that easily.
She was sick of seeing him, hearing about him, hell, even thinking about him. She was also a little pissed that everyone kept defending him. She had better things to do. She headed straight into her room and shut the door behind her.
She spent the rest of the afternoon talking with Hagrid down in his cabin chit-chatting and eating his disgusting cakes. With a few minutes to dinner she headed back to her room to wash up.
Snape was sitting on the couch in the lounge reading a heavy-bound book and looked up at her as she entered. They didn't speak as she came in plopped onto the couch. She hefted her feet up onto the table and settled herself deeply into the plush cushions with a resounding sigh.
"Feet off the table." He piped up starring evenly at her with blank face.
Slowly Georgie's face clouded over and she returned his gaze. She slammed her feet back on the floor, thundered to feet and stomped off to her room in a rage, and couldn't help letting her emotions get the better of her as she slammed the door after her. Jerk, she thought. But decided to not think about him.
Instead she picked up her Muggle CD player and tapped it lightly with her wand. She'd known that electronic devices wouldn't work on the grounds of the castles, so she'd needed to fix hers up a bit.
Smiling she turned the volume up slightly-not too loud though--and sat down to write off a letter.
She sat down with parchment, quill and ink in hand at her desk and got to it. Soon though she was getting into her paper and song. This was one of major objections to the Wizarding world--it's obvious lack of music in everyday lives. She used to listen to music in the shower, before bad, even took it with her in portable players. Music was magic in and of itself.
Singing quietly to herself she smiled at the melancholy song.
Take me out tonight,
Where there's music and there's people
who are young and alive.
Driving in your car,
I never, never want to go home
because I haven't got one
anymore.
Take me out tonight,
because I want to see people and I
want to see lights.
Driving in your car,
Oh please don't drop me home
because it's not my home, it's their
home, and I'm welcome no more.
And if a double-decker bus
crashes in to us,
to die by your side
such a heavenly way to die.
And if a ten-ton truck
kills the both of us
to die by your side,
the pleasure and the privilege is mine…
A/N-That song's There is a Light by The Smiths, the best band of all time. Oh yes, forgot to mention: absolutely none of the Harry Potter stuff belongs to me--of course. Jk. Rowling's a veritable genius and as it's fun to embellish on character's, it's not mine. Characters such as Georgie are mine. Also more to come-I've got it all up here in my brain, but it take such a long time to get it all out here for you. Also my English sux.