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SLYTHERIN BOYChapter Four : Skipped Meals And A New Professor
The next day started like any other. Soon, though, it became apparent that Severus wasn't at breakfast, and from the smirk on Draco's face, it looked as though he'd slept in and they had carefully forgotten to wake him. Since their previous form of entertainment wasn't present, Harry, Ron, and Hermione contented themselves, instead, with watching the new Professor curiously. She was strangely quiet, only talking to the other teachers when they first spoke to her. She seemed shy.
Eventually, they moved to their first class, which was Defense Against The Dark Arts with Professor Lupin, thankfully Snape-free. It was a normal lesson, although they had a few minutes afterwards, so Harry, Ron, and Hermione stopped to talk to their old friend.
"It's so strange," he said. "I sat in classes with him as a student, but it's so much different to teach him. Things he already knows, too, he must be dreadfully bored."
"Why don't they let him teach? Or just hang around or something?"
"Well, there was a staff meeting last night. He asked the same thing, he also asked why he couldn't just stay in the guest quarters instead of in the Slytherin dorms. Albus thinks it would be too dangerous. His magic level, though still higher now than most people, is not at its full level, not as high as it is when he's an adult. Apparently, You-Know-Who's out to get him in a bad way, and they don't want to bring attention to his state, they don't want You-Know-Who to know that he's in a weakened state. They're afraid it might somehow get out that he's the way he is, and it might be by someone passing through and noticing him staying in the guest quarters, or simply someone in Hogsmeade recognizing him as Snape instead of simply a random student with a remarkable likeness to the man.
"The potion, of course, it keeps you from telling people outside the school, when you go to write a letter or when you are talking to someone through fireplace or visiting, you know there's something you wanted to tell them, but you can't remember what. Apparently You-Know-Who really wants Snape's head, although they wouldn't tell us why, but they're taking every precaution, just in case."
"Jeez," Harry murmured.
"I know. And he asked why he couldn't stay in guest quarters, if no one would be able to tell anyone else. Dumbledore said that only people who had drunk the potion would know, and t hat if there was a guest of a visitor, after all, parents come to speak with teachers and we have deliveries here all the time, such as for food and supplies and whatnot, it would be very easy for someone to notice. They don't want any way for people to know about this little incident." Lupin frowned.
"Why are they taking so many precautions? I mean I can understand some, but it seems like they're going to an awful lot of trouble." Ron said.
"He's a crucial member of the Order, you know," Lupin said. "Were we to lose him, we would lose an important link in information about Deatheaters and the Dark Lord's movements." He answered absently.
"Really? What does he do? Spy?" Hermione asked curiously.
"That's classified information. Sorry," Lupin shrugged.
"Wow, though," Harry said. "Who'd have thought?"
"Not me," Ron said.
"We have to go, guys," Hermione said suddenly. "Charms in ten minutes and we have to go all the way back up to Gryffindor Tower,"
"TEN minutes?" Ron said. "Aw, damn," he murmured, and though he got a reproachful look from Lupin, they were gone before he could take points.
****
Lunch was interesting. Severus was present, and in a foul mood. His hair wasn't spiked, he had obviously slept in and not had time to do it. Because of that, it was awfully strange looking, flopping forward with a dull sheen to it, random orange streaks abounding. He scowled, sitting down. He was wearing a tight fitting, tattered (it seemed all of his clothing had been torn and ripped to fit the image) long-sleeved bleached velvet underground shirt. His jeans were a dark red color, with what appeared to be fabric sewn into the denim up one leg, the image of red and orange flames.
He sat by himself, but they watched him fling peas with his spoon at the back of Draco's head for about ten minutes. Finally, Draco's chair squealed as he stood up abruptly, turning around and facing the irritating boy.
"Stop flicking food on me!" He snarled, and the room went silent as the students looked over to see what was going on. When they saw who was arguing, whispers started murmuring through small groups of people throughout the hall.
Severus stared at Draco, an irritated look on his face. "You turned my alarm off this morning," He growled.
"So what if I did?" Draco sneered. Severus stood up, holding his plate in front of him.
"Woah." He said, pushing his plate against Draco's shirt. The roast beef and mashed potatoes smeared all over the blond boy. "Whoops." Severus said sardonically, seeing the gravy soaking into the porous fabric of Draco's designer robes.
Draco let out a roar of fury and jumped on Severus. The teachers stood up, rushing over and tearing the two boys apart. Excited chatter flew throughout the room as the teachers held Severus and Draco apart from each other. Severus held out his arm, showing them a smear of something on his black shirtsleeve, near the cuff.
"You got gravy on my shirt," he smirked at Draco. "You should be more careful when you eat."
This got a roar of anger from Draco, who tried to leap at Severus, but was held back. Severus laughed at the boy's antics, his eyes gleaming. Hermione was starting to think he got a strange pleasure out of riling people up. The teachers dragged Draco off, to tend to his wounds, the blood that was pouring down his face, and to get him to change into clean clothing.
"Severus!" McGonagall scolded when they had left. "I can't believe you! Have some self-control, you're acting like a child!" She said. "Remember what I said yesterday? You can't lower the standards by which you set yourself just because you look younger!" She made no attempt to be quiet.
"I'll act like an adult when I am an adult, or at least when you start treating me like an adult. I might as well take advantage of being young and smash that insufferable fuck's face in every damn chance I get," he said. "Besides, every confrontation has been his initiation. So therefore, I'm in the right. Fuck him."
"Severus!" She exclaimed. "You always think you're in the right! And watch your language!"
"I'm an adult, remember?" He growled. "I can say whatever I damn well please. And I've begun to hate that kid, he's such a brat,"
"You'd better learn to control yourself," She said sternly. "Or you'll be serving detentions. And furthermore, you are not behaving like an adult,"
He sniffed angrily and slumped back into his seat as she walked towards the table. He sulked for the rest of Lunch, but to his approval, the other students left him alone.
****
Double Potions was after lunch, the last class of the day, unless the students had electives they were taking.
They were eager to meet the new Potions Professor, would she be nicer than Snape? Meaner? Well, not meaner, that was, after all, impossible. They walked in, taking their seats. Severus was a bit late, dropping his textbooks onto the floor when Draco walked straight into him, pretending it was an accident. He gritted his teeth, remembering what McGonagall had told him about not changing the standards by which he set himself just because he'd been reduced to his former self. He took a breath and picked the books up, taking the last seat that was left, the empty table in the very front of the room.
After about a minute, the new Professor walked in. She was fairly tall, with long, curly golden-brown hair. She had strange aqua eyes and a light dusting of freckles. She was wearing dark blue robes, and was carrying a thin red record book.
The moment he laid eyes on her, Snape's mouth dropped open. Emotion flitted over his features, first confusion, then indignance, then anger and disgust. He stood up, placing his hands flat against the table and leaning over it.
"YOU," He hissed, with more loathing than they'd ever heard him use.
It was looking to be a strange Potions class.
****