Chapter 4

Candles dimly lighted the hallway and he noticed Lierin limping along the left corridor. He quickly followed after her.

"And where exactly do you think you are going?" said Snape.

Lierin wheeled around.

"To my room, thank you very much."

"With the students?" he said with a smirk on his face.

Lierin went red again but still she slowly approached him until she was just standing a few inches away. She had to look up at him to be able to look him straight in the eyes.

"Fine, you lead the way."

He nodded solemnly, turned around and marched away in a sturdy pace, his black robes billowing behind him. Lierin let out a sigh and started moving to keep up with him, which was rather difficult with her left leg refusing to co-operate. It only took her a few corridors and a single staircase to lose track of him while it took Snape a good while longer to notice Lierin wasn't following him anymore. Standing in front of the hidden entrance to her private tower he looked about and waited a few minutes. There was no sign of Heartilly. He sighed in exasperation but the feeling of annoyance soon fled as he realised he had been rather inconsiderate and soon he found himself with only one option, to retrace his steps and see where she had lost him. He quickly strode down several corridors and stairs, taking a turn here and there hoping she had been clever enough not. to try and find her own way around the castle for she'd be hopelessly lost that way. He found her soon enough though, sitting against one of the walls looking quite lost and depressed. Hearing his footsteps she looked up to see him approaching her, her eyes growing wide in mocking disbelief.

"By Merlin, so you actually found out you lost me! Brilliant, very brilliant."

"Shut up," said Snape curtly, "I'm not in the mood for your wisecracks and as you found out earlier I'm not easily intimidated by them. I'm much better with tart remarks than you so you'd better remember, I can still make you cry if I want too." His voice was so ominous and full of venom. Lierin didn't dare to make a remark, for at the moment she was convinced he could do exactly what he said he could do.

It dawned to her he was still the same bully as he had ever been. It didn't matter if she was his student or his colleague. It didn't matter they were equals now, she was still intimidated by him and she knew he knew, and she found that quite disturbing. He quickly hoisted her to her feet with a little more care than he had been willing to show, but his sudden action caused her to fall against his chest. Lierin couldn't help but notice how muscular it was and she hated herself for that. Quickly she pulled away from him, avoiding his eyes and not wanting him to know that his near presence shocked her senses.

"Are you alright?"

Surprised by his sudden concern Lierin slowly nodded her head.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you."

Not sure how she'd take his next question, he softly nodded in the direction of her injured leg.

"How is your leg anyway?"

Not sure what to think of him or what to answer, she shyly looked away before answering his question.

"Okay, I guess. It was a long seat. You'd think I would have learned to be more careful by now, wouldn't you?"

Snape smirked at the remark but without his usual mockery.

"I think I'd better not answer that honestly. I might find myself being cursed by you this time."

Stunned at the fact Snape had actually tried to make a joke Lierin didn't reply, she grinned at him instead.

"Well, if you feel up to it, let me show you to your tower."

With those words Snape finally guided Lierin to her private quarters, this time making sure she could keep up with him.

The next day when Lierin entered the Great Hall to have breakfast, she was stopped by Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore before she could get to her seat.

"Excuse me dear," said Professor McGonagall, "But last night I couldn't help overhearing that short conversation you had with Madam Hooch. I asked her to explain what that was all about. And the Headmaster and I... Well, we were curious about what happened. Something about Madam Hooch remembering something and you should see it as a welcoming gift? We didn't understand, we never saw her give you anything. Madam Hooch just smiled when I asked and...."

Lierin broke out in laughter at McGonagall's poor attempt to ask about the events that took place between Madam Hooch and Lierin years ago.

"I'm sorry Professor McGonagall...."

"Call me Minerva, if you please. We're colleagues now," said Minerva with a little more strictness than she had intended, she gave Lierin a small smile hoping it would soften the strict tone in which she had spoken.

Lierin smiled back at her. Strange, she thought to herself, strange she had so quickly used the formal way of addressing her former teacher. Maybe she still saw Minerva that way, as her teacher.

"Alright... Minerva. About what happened...um, let me see how I can explain this best. In my days at Hogwarts as a student, Madam Hooch used to pass the menus to the house elves in the kitchen. Whatever was on that menu we would eat. One day during desert I tasted the divine recipe of chocolate meringues with sweet pistachio cream and stewed pears but, unfortunately, we never had it as desert again. So, one day when I had found enough courage, I asked Madam Hooch if she could put it back on the menu again. I'll never forget her face when she told me it would never be on the menu again, as if it was something detestable! Well, to some it probably was detestable because she told me so many students had complained about that specific desert, she had decided never to put it on the menu again. I was shocked at the thought I would have to go through three more years without ever having chocolate meringues again. So, in a moment of impudence I challenged Madam Hooch for a race."

Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling. Yes, that sounded very much like Lierin. Minerva was shocked to say the least.

"Miss Heartilly!" cried Minerva.

"Call me Lierin, if you please. We're colleagues now," said Lierin with a dry smile.

"Yes, of course but.... You challenged a teacher? My goodness child, you are lucky you are not in my house anymore. The impudence of it! I'm afraid I would have had to deduct house points for that!" said Minerva, but the glittering of excitement in her eyes told otherwise. "Well, do go on! What happened?"

"Right, at first Madam Hooch reacted about the same as you just did, but I could also tell she was intrigued. Yet she told me in a very haughty manner I was in no way ready to take her upon a challenge but I was determined. Can you imagine all the fuss I was making over a couple of chocolate meringues?" said Lierin. She stopped for a moment because Professor Flitwick hadn't been able to stifle his laughter. She hadn't noticed that he, too, had joined in the conversation. In fact, she noticed more professors had taken the liberty to listen to her story.

Lierin continued, "Like I said, I was determined..."

"And with a ruling look in her eyes she told me there was only one way to find out if I was right or not," came the familiar voice of Madam Hooch. Lierin swirled around to see the flight instructor standing right behind her. Madam Hooch nodded at her, smiling broadly as if she was proud at Lierin for beating her that day.

"Do you mind awfully much if I tell the story from here?" asked Madam Hooch.

"No, of course not. Take it away," said Lierin.

"Good. Well, of course, I couldn't leave that challenge be. It was a wonderful opportunity to teach a self-assured student a lesson, though, I knew very well that Lierin being self-assured had nothing to do with being haughty but everything with the fact that she was plainly 'bloody brilliant' on a broomstick. I wonder how many times I've heard Charlie Weasley say that. I accepted her challenge, which we would hold right before Quidditch training with Weasley as our witness. I'll never forget that day. She was early and polishing her trusted 'Fury' as I entered the field. The 'Fury' she had developed and crafted herself from fine Silverwood.

The objective was to catch the charmed Golden Snitch, which would lead us through a chase all around Hogwarts. I didn't trust Lierin to charm the snitch so I asked Flitwick to do it.

"Poor thing hadn't a clue what it was all about, now had you Fillius?"

Flitwick chuckled again. "I had no idea but I do find it amusing I had such a wonderful part in this story, but please go on."

Well, there isn't much more to tell anyway. Lierin left me in the dust, though it was an exciting neck-to-neck race, I never stood a chance. Lierin being a Chaser and not a Seeker didn't matter, over the years of playing Quidditch she had taught herself a few neck breaking maneuvers and it didn't take me long to notice she was just toying with me. She won fair and square so I put the chocolate meringues on the menu again but only once a month. The chocolate meringues on the menu last night were just my way of saying welcome to Lierin.

So, how did I do, Lierin?" asked Madam Hooch winding up the story.

"Besides the fact that you are giving me way too much credit, you did splendidly."

"And if we are all done marvelling at your wonderful flying skills, can we please start breakfast?" came the cold voice of Snape who was looking as if a good few hours of sleep wouldn't hurt him.

"And good morning to you too. I can see you are all excited about this years first classes so please don't let me bother you," replied Lierin in a curtly manner.

"If you'll finally shut up and take your seat, you won't," said Snape under his breath for he didn't want Dumbledore to hear the manner in which he had spoken to a professor.

"Ah, I see you are still as charming as ever. Don't forget I'm a professor now, you can't continue the special treatment you save for your students with me."

"Keep talking like that and you'll see what I can and cannot do!"

"Is that a threat, Severus?"

"I wouldn't dare, think of it as a warning. And stop calling me Severus!"

"So it's a threat after all then. And what else am I supposed to call you? If you think I'll just go back to, 'Professor Snape,' you'd better think again."

"Like I said, it's not a threat; it's a promise and I'd prefer it if you wouldn't call me anything at all. In plain English that means: STOP BOTHERING ME!"

Lierin raised an eyebrow at him but she sat down beside him without saying another word.

Soon the students entered the Great Hall for breakfast as well and the first thing Lierin noticed was the Malfoy brat entertaining a large group of Slytherins with a very funny story. When Potter, Weasley and ...she still didn't know the name of the girl who kept tagging along with the two boys... Well, when those three entered the Hall as well, Malfoy did a ridiculous impression of a swooning fit and there was a roar of laughter. Lierin surveyed the boy with mounting dislike. She forced her thoughts in the direction of her classes and she did feel kind of proud that all the third, fourth and fifth years had signed for her classes. Only the sixth and seventh years hadn't bothered and she couldn't blame them for only one or two years of AMA was probably a waste of time. Lierin examined her timetable and noticed that the Gryffindor and Slytherin third years would be her second class. Luckily her first class was well after lunch which would give her plenty of time to prepare for her first class.

She quickly glanced over to Malfoy who was still making fun of Potter.

Just you wait, she thought to herself; I've got a few surprises in store for you.

She noticed that Snape was taking her in again with that same odd, unreadable expression of his and she realised he must have noticed the particularly foul look with which she had been observing Malfoy. Pah! Malfoy was probably his favourite student. Lierin knew very well that Snape had always favoured his own students before all others and Malfoy with his rich and influential father was his most likely choice for being his all-round favourite.

Well, Malfoy was hard on his way of becoming her all-round least favourite student and if Snape could get away with bullying his students then so could she.

After eating her scrambled eggs and her fried toast, Lierin gulped down a goblet filled with orange juice and she decided she needed to have a talk with Hagrid, who, she had noticed with a glance around the staff table, hadn't showed up for breakfast. The Hall was starting to empty as people headed off towards their first lesson and Lierin was finding her way out of the Great Hall together with what seemed to be a truckload of students. When she found herself down the marble stairs she allowed herself to catch her breath before walking over towards the main doors.

Lierin very much enjoyed the walk down the sloping lawns to Hagrid's hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. The air was still cold and a thin mist covering the lands gave the surroundings an eerie atmosphere, exactly the way she liked it. She found Hagrid outside a kind of paddock, but there were no creatures in sight. Well, not yet anyway.

"Good morning, Hagrid. I missed you at breakfast," called Lierin in a cheerful manner.

Hagrid grew shy the second he spotted her and he stopped whatever it was he had been doing.

"Mornin' to yeh too Miss Eart'lly. Been up at five in the mornin' to prepare for my first classes! Got a real treat for 'em today! Gotta great lesson comin' up for 'em alright."

Lierin smiled endearingly at him.

"So what will this wonderful first lesson be all about if I may ask?"

"Hippogriffs!" Hagrid roared happily. "Beau'iful creatures if I may say so and I say so!"

Lierin bit her lip. Hippogriffs, were beautiful creatures, indeed, but also very dangerous. A subject Hagrid might best keep for later for if those creatures were handled without care, accidents might happen. Lierin explained her concern with Hagrid in a most careful way because she didn't want him to think that she saw him as an incapable teacher. Hagrid was very sensitive though his appearance might say otherwise. He also had the tendency to be a little over-enthusiastic when it came to magical creatures. Creatures other people might find dangerous, Hagrid thought them to be cute. As she expected Hagrid did look disappointed when she told him about her concerns.

"What do yeh think I should do then?"

"Hmm, what do you think about...Pearlypods?"

"Pearlypods? There are no Pearlypods round 'ere. Besides, they only com' out if yeh're using a magical flute. Not that I don't 'ave a magical flute. I have one, I honestly do, but that one's just for puttin' some creatures asleep, it ain't calling 'em."


"Okay, I'll make you a deal. I didn't come here to ask about your first lesson. You know, I came here to ask you a favor. So, if you'll help me, I'll help you. What do you say?"

Pleased that Lierin needed his help with something plus the prospect of being able to show his students REAL Pearlypods, Hagrid nodded his head with fervour.

"I'll take that as a yes. Right. Hagrid, do you still have that pendant that you used to wear when I was a student at Hogwarts? You know, the one with that bright blue stone in the middle?"

"Of course I still 'ave that pendant. My father gave that to me when I was just a toddler. Broke it a couple o' times of course. I had to take it off then. I'm still keepin' it safe though."

"Good, do you mind if I use that pendant in my class? It's just for a little while. I didn't know about it at the time but a few years ago it dawned on me that your pendant must be a spell breaker and I could really use that in today's class."

"Of course yeh can use it. Yeh may use it for as long as yeh need it. You'll help me with them Pearlypods then?"

"I promised I would, didn't I? It just so happens that my first class is right after yours, so if you get that pendant ready, I'll take care of those Pearlypods. I bet the lake here might house a few Pearlypods. Do you have a large water tank in which I can put them?"

"You'd better ask Professor Lupin. Saw him carrying around a water tank a couple o'times."

"Right, I'll do that then. You mind if I attend your class after lunch?"

"Of course, not. I'd be happy to have yeh around!"

"Deal! I'll see you after lunch then!" said Lierin and with those words she turned around for she had A LOT of preparing to do.

Lierin didn't have the time to freshen up for lunch and her stomach was growling like a mad bull. The entire morning she had been diving for the large shells that she was certain contained a Pearlypod. The result was a very large water tank with at least twenty Pearlypod shells in it.

She reckoned Hagrid was as excited as she was for he was beaming around.

Lierin ignored the particularly foul look that Snape was sending her way and she served herself a plate of stew. She spooned the stew into her mouth and hardly gave herself the time to chew it all away. She couldn't help herself, she was famished and as soon as she was finished eating she joined Hagrid with his class.