Story Name: Masked Desires
Chapter one- Introductions
Elizabeth Conner walked through the front doors of the school she had just received a job at, Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was the new Music and Art professor. The school had decided at the end of last year to add on another class, it just so happened that she had been the most qualified for the job, even having some muggle degrees in art and music.
She was in her early thirties, about 34; sometimes still claiming to be 27 and having people believe her. Her hair was a dark chestnut brown shining in the light of the candelabras on the walls and looking almost black in the shadows. Her dark blue eyes looked almost violet when reflecting light. Her nose was thin and turned up a bit at the end. Her cheekbones accentuated her beauty that anyone could have seen from a mile away. The woman's body was fit and slender right down to her small feet. She ran five miles every morning to keep in shape. She was every bit a woman.
All of her life she had been interested in different music and types of art. She had listened to a varying range of music since she was ten. It was the same with art. She had always needed to know more. It eventually led her to going to a muggle college in for a degree in them. She could now lead a choir and teach people about the major and minor scales with ease. She could teach someone the proper strokes to use when painting with oil based paints and which brush would suit their use better. This was why Albus Dumbledore had hired her. Well, that and other reasons that she probably didn't know of and he did. She had known him for years. She knew that he tended to keep things to himself when he knew them, even if it would have been for the benefit of the person to tell them. Ever since she was eleven she had loved him like a grandfather. They had been friends since she had attended Hogwarts and kept in touch over the years.
Elizabeth had just reached that familiar Gargoyle statue in front of the headmaster's staircase when it jumped aside and a familiar face glided out. "Hello, Severus."
The man had dark eyes, almost black, that looked a bit sad. Though the sadness was masked by anger, he had no doubt been riled by something the old man had said. His dark hair hung about his face to his shoulders, it could do with a trim she mused. He had a glare that he had probably perfected by the age of five, with his dark history. His cheekbones were ever present, adding to the effectiveness of the defiant stare. Elizabeth refused to let the stare unsettle her though and gave him a charming toothy smile, "Nice to see you. How are you these days?"
"Hello, Conner."
"Please, call me Liz. All my friends do," she implied.
"Then why would you want me to call you Liz?"
"Because I consider you a friend. We will be seeing a lot of each other this year. My classroom and quarters are down by the dungeons. Albus, for some reason, insisted on it. I don't know why. I'll try not to bother you too much, if that's what you want. But I'm afraid the music classes may get a bit loud."
Snape just stared. Was she saying she wanted to be friends and why was she talking to him like a normal person and not just leaving him alone like all the other teachers would have in the past? They all tended to ignore him and his malicious comments. It was always for the best. Why would anyone talk to him, the ex-death eater outcast? To do that would have been pure hell, like being run over by an eighteen-wheeler. He had picked up on a bit of muggle terms during his years as a teacher. "Yes, I'm sure Albus has his reasons." He started to walk away but was stopped when she started talking again.
"I guess I'll see you later then, nice to see you again Severus. It's been a long time since our school days." "If I recall correctly, those were none too pleasant. I would rather not take a trip down memory lane." "Then it's rather ironic that you chose to teach here, isn't it?" Before he could come up with a snarky comeback she stepped onto the staircase and ascended to visit Dumbledore. She wanted to see just what his reasons were for adding on such a class to a wizarding school when it was clearly not needed. Not that she was complaining. She was, after all, getting paid to teach it.
When she reached the door she had just lifted her arm when an aged voice called from within, "Come on in Elizabeth."
Liz smiled, pulling open the door. He was still doing that trick. He always seemed to know that someone was at his door. How he did it, she would probably never know.
Running into the room she pulled him into her embrace, "Albus! It's been so long."
"Too long, I'm afraid I'm getting old. You are so grown up. To think that I met you when you were eleven."
They pulled back after she gave him a kiss on the cheek. "It's about time, I thought you would never start to age. I have missed you. You have been the closest thing to an grandfather I have ever had."
"And I you, my dear. Please sit. Tea? Lemon drop?"
"Still offering Lemon drops when someone visits your office are you? Yes, please."
"Yes, afraid I am," Dumbledore waved his wand in the air and produced a tray of tea. "How have you been?"
"Fabulous, I was in Paris a few months ago. It is the most fabulous city to study painting. Well, the muggle part at least. There are so many artists lining the streets. It was like a muggle picture film. It was so beautiful, to die for. Very romantic."
Albus gave a soft laugh that sounded like he hadn't done it in a while. "Yes, I have been there. I went there on my honeymoon."
"I didn't know you had been married, Albus."
"Oh, yes, she died early for her age. The most beautiful woman ever to walk the face of this earth," he smiled at this thought.
"Are you okay Albus?"
"Hmm? Oh, I'm fine. I'm long over her death, Liz."
"I wasn't inquiring of that. I was more inquiring on what was wearing at that famous twinkle in your eyes over the summer. You look worn. Maybe you should take a holiday."
"Ah, I forgot how deeply you see into me, Liz. I shall be fine. I cannot tell you about it. It is between a student and I."
"You're sure Albus? Is it about the return of the Dark Lord? About the boy's prophesy?"
Albus' head snapped up and looked deep into her aqua eyes, inquiring with only a look. "I saw you and him talk about it in a vision. They don't happen often for me."
"You're seeing visions now? Since when?"
"Yes, for about fifteen years now. I found out by looking into my family that my great-great-great grandmother had them too, so it's not that strange. It often skips three generations," Liz suddenly gave a small giggle, "Wow, I have finally surprised you for once."
A smile tugged at the corners of Dumbledore's lips, "Indeed you have."
"Ok, Albus. Shall we get to business? Just why have you created a music and art department?"
"I thought that the students minds could do with a bit of expanding."
It was clear that was all she would be getting so she went on to her next question. "Alright, that's reasonable. Now, just why do they have to be so close to Snape and his classes."
"To clarify, your classrooms aren't close. They are actually on opposite sides of the dungeons and I wanted the music room to be in the dungeons so they do not bother other classes, as they will be a bit loud. As for your rooms, they are a bit closer."
"My rooms? They are close to Severus? Why, may I ask? There are tons of other free rooms. Why did you have to put me close to him?"
"They are close together so when you are bored you may go talk to him, if you wish. He does not have many friends here, and I would like him to have at least one. Your rooms are in the dungeons because they have to be close to your class."
"You want us to be friends? Why would you hire me for that?"
"I didn't hire you to be his friend I hired you to teach music and art. I just figured you could be friends if you wanted. It's all up to you. Thank you for your time, do drop by some time Elizabeth," he spoke warmly.
Knowing this was her cue to leave Liz stood up. "I will see you at dinner, Albus." She gave him a brief hug and walked out of the door. "He definitely has an ulterior motive."
Elizabeth Conner walked through the front doors of the school she had just received a job at, Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was the new Music and Art professor. The school had decided at the end of last year to add on another class, it just so happened that she had been the most qualified for the job, even having some muggle degrees in art and music.
She was in her early thirties, about 34; sometimes still claiming to be 27 and having people believe her. Her hair was a dark chestnut brown shining in the light of the candelabras on the walls and looking almost black in the shadows. Her dark blue eyes looked almost violet when reflecting light. Her nose was thin and turned up a bit at the end. Her cheekbones accentuated her beauty that anyone could have seen from a mile away. The woman's body was fit and slender right down to her small feet. She ran five miles every morning to keep in shape. She was every bit a woman.
All of her life she had been interested in different music and types of art. She had listened to a varying range of music since she was ten. It was the same with art. She had always needed to know more. It eventually led her to going to a muggle college in for a degree in them. She could now lead a choir and teach people about the major and minor scales with ease. She could teach someone the proper strokes to use when painting with oil based paints and which brush would suit their use better. This was why Albus Dumbledore had hired her. Well, that and other reasons that she probably didn't know of and he did. She had known him for years. She knew that he tended to keep things to himself when he knew them, even if it would have been for the benefit of the person to tell them. Ever since she was eleven she had loved him like a grandfather. They had been friends since she had attended Hogwarts and kept in touch over the years.
Elizabeth had just reached that familiar Gargoyle statue in front of the headmaster's staircase when it jumped aside and a familiar face glided out. "Hello, Severus."
The man had dark eyes, almost black, that looked a bit sad. Though the sadness was masked by anger, he had no doubt been riled by something the old man had said. His dark hair hung about his face to his shoulders, it could do with a trim she mused. He had a glare that he had probably perfected by the age of five, with his dark history. His cheekbones were ever present, adding to the effectiveness of the defiant stare. Elizabeth refused to let the stare unsettle her though and gave him a charming toothy smile, "Nice to see you. How are you these days?"
"Hello, Conner."
"Please, call me Liz. All my friends do," she implied.
"Then why would you want me to call you Liz?"
"Because I consider you a friend. We will be seeing a lot of each other this year. My classroom and quarters are down by the dungeons. Albus, for some reason, insisted on it. I don't know why. I'll try not to bother you too much, if that's what you want. But I'm afraid the music classes may get a bit loud."
Snape just stared. Was she saying she wanted to be friends and why was she talking to him like a normal person and not just leaving him alone like all the other teachers would have in the past? They all tended to ignore him and his malicious comments. It was always for the best. Why would anyone talk to him, the ex-death eater outcast? To do that would have been pure hell, like being run over by an eighteen-wheeler. He had picked up on a bit of muggle terms during his years as a teacher. "Yes, I'm sure Albus has his reasons." He started to walk away but was stopped when she started talking again.
"I guess I'll see you later then, nice to see you again Severus. It's been a long time since our school days." "If I recall correctly, those were none too pleasant. I would rather not take a trip down memory lane." "Then it's rather ironic that you chose to teach here, isn't it?" Before he could come up with a snarky comeback she stepped onto the staircase and ascended to visit Dumbledore. She wanted to see just what his reasons were for adding on such a class to a wizarding school when it was clearly not needed. Not that she was complaining. She was, after all, getting paid to teach it.
When she reached the door she had just lifted her arm when an aged voice called from within, "Come on in Elizabeth."
Liz smiled, pulling open the door. He was still doing that trick. He always seemed to know that someone was at his door. How he did it, she would probably never know.
Running into the room she pulled him into her embrace, "Albus! It's been so long."
"Too long, I'm afraid I'm getting old. You are so grown up. To think that I met you when you were eleven."
They pulled back after she gave him a kiss on the cheek. "It's about time, I thought you would never start to age. I have missed you. You have been the closest thing to an grandfather I have ever had."
"And I you, my dear. Please sit. Tea? Lemon drop?"
"Still offering Lemon drops when someone visits your office are you? Yes, please."
"Yes, afraid I am," Dumbledore waved his wand in the air and produced a tray of tea. "How have you been?"
"Fabulous, I was in Paris a few months ago. It is the most fabulous city to study painting. Well, the muggle part at least. There are so many artists lining the streets. It was like a muggle picture film. It was so beautiful, to die for. Very romantic."
Albus gave a soft laugh that sounded like he hadn't done it in a while. "Yes, I have been there. I went there on my honeymoon."
"I didn't know you had been married, Albus."
"Oh, yes, she died early for her age. The most beautiful woman ever to walk the face of this earth," he smiled at this thought.
"Are you okay Albus?"
"Hmm? Oh, I'm fine. I'm long over her death, Liz."
"I wasn't inquiring of that. I was more inquiring on what was wearing at that famous twinkle in your eyes over the summer. You look worn. Maybe you should take a holiday."
"Ah, I forgot how deeply you see into me, Liz. I shall be fine. I cannot tell you about it. It is between a student and I."
"You're sure Albus? Is it about the return of the Dark Lord? About the boy's prophesy?"
Albus' head snapped up and looked deep into her aqua eyes, inquiring with only a look. "I saw you and him talk about it in a vision. They don't happen often for me."
"You're seeing visions now? Since when?"
"Yes, for about fifteen years now. I found out by looking into my family that my great-great-great grandmother had them too, so it's not that strange. It often skips three generations," Liz suddenly gave a small giggle, "Wow, I have finally surprised you for once."
A smile tugged at the corners of Dumbledore's lips, "Indeed you have."
"Ok, Albus. Shall we get to business? Just why have you created a music and art department?"
"I thought that the students minds could do with a bit of expanding."
It was clear that was all she would be getting so she went on to her next question. "Alright, that's reasonable. Now, just why do they have to be so close to Snape and his classes."
"To clarify, your classrooms aren't close. They are actually on opposite sides of the dungeons and I wanted the music room to be in the dungeons so they do not bother other classes, as they will be a bit loud. As for your rooms, they are a bit closer."
"My rooms? They are close to Severus? Why, may I ask? There are tons of other free rooms. Why did you have to put me close to him?"
"They are close together so when you are bored you may go talk to him, if you wish. He does not have many friends here, and I would like him to have at least one. Your rooms are in the dungeons because they have to be close to your class."
"You want us to be friends? Why would you hire me for that?"
"I didn't hire you to be his friend I hired you to teach music and art. I just figured you could be friends if you wanted. It's all up to you. Thank you for your time, do drop by some time Elizabeth," he spoke warmly.
Knowing this was her cue to leave Liz stood up. "I will see you at dinner, Albus." She gave him a brief hug and walked out of the door. "He definitely has an ulterior motive."