Beauty and…the Potions Professor?
Mackenzie W
Severus Snape sat uncomfortably in a café, pretending to enjoy coffees with his school day foes, the Marauders. Why would someone who had been so tortured by the likes of James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew (actually, he wasn't too scary…he was just guilty by association) be with them after they had graduated? Because he was a sucker for a certain pair of gold eyes and their owner knew that.
He glared across the table to see Hogwarts' most tumultuous couple actually getting along and acting lovey-dovey. But he figured it was a few minutes before either Potter or Black did something completely characteristic (IE: incredibly stupid and immature) which would then set Lily Evans off. He would then have to listen to her yell at her boyfriend and his best friend. The woman did not come with a volume control button, unfortunately, and if he were to try anything, it would upset the already delicate peace between the group.
Severus watched as Lily remained balanced on Potter's knee, talking animatedly to Harmony Anderson, who was sitting next to Lupin, her boyfriend. Pettigrew sat cowering in between Lupin and Severus. Not that the man thought this was odd—Pettigrew was sitting between a known werewolf and his schooltime enemy. That would make any lesser man quiver in his boots.
"So, Severus, before I dragged you out of the house, you said you had something to tell me. What is it?" Kristin Wright said, bouncing in her seat, located between Severus and Black. She flashed her gold eyes—the aforementioned ones Severus couldn't resist.
"Well, Kiki, I had hoped to tell you in private," Severus hissed back at her. He didn't miss the look between Black and Potter, almost like fear and detestment.
"Come on, Sev, it's not like you're planning on proposing. We've only been dating for a few months. So spill your guts!" Kiki said.
"Fine. Dumbledore offered me the currently abandoned potions position and I've accepted," Severus said, shifting uncomfortably in his chair.
Lupin picked up his coffee and raised in the air. "Well, I think this deserves a toast!" he said. Harmony, Kiki, Pettigrew and Lily put up their cups willingly, while Black and Potter needed some prodding. "For a man perfect for his new job, and good luck," Lupin said as everyone responded "cheers."
Severus took a sip of his coffee. Lupin was always the smart one, the one trying to make peace between the group. So what was he doing being friends with Potter and Black? Oh yeah, he could act incredibly stupid as well. But there were times Severus felt the man wasn't a total bonehead, to quote Kiki.
He placed down his cup. "Dumbledore also said that he was considering me as the head of Slytherin as well," he also announced.
Black snorted. "Ah, eager to look forward to training the future recruits of Voldemort, Snivellus?" he snickered.
"Sirius, you promised you would bite your tongue today!" Kiki yelled at him. Oh no, Severus thought. If he thought Lily and Potter were bad when provoked, Kiki and Black came in as a very close second.
"Well, I don't see why you had to bring him around!" Black yelled back. Harmony and Lupin offered to go pay the bill, dragging a twitching Pettigrew with them. Potter and Lily suddenly both had the urge to go to the bathroom, leaving Severus alone with the feuding friends.
"He's my boyfriend, Sirius," Kiki retorted. "And because of that, you have to be nice to him."
"Like hell I have to be," Sirius shot back. Now they were both standing at the table, at opposite ends and breathing heavily. That only meant one thing: the shouting match was about to begin. Under the table, Severus conjured himself a pair of earplugs, hoping to ease the deluge of sound that was about to descend upon his poor, innocent eardrums.
"YOU HAVE TO BE BECAUSE YOU ARE MY FRIEND, AND HE'S MY BOYFRIEND MAKING HIM YOUR FRIEND TOO!"
"I REFUSE TO BE FRIEDNS WITH A SLIMY, EVIL, LITTLE GIT LIKE HIM!"
"YOU DON'T KNOW HIM!"
"OH, AND YOU DO? HOW WELL, KIKI? YOU KNOW WHAT? DON'T ANSWER THAT. I DON'T NEED THE IMAGES!"
"OH, SIRIUS BLACK, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY PERVERTED!" Kiki shouted, slamming her fist on the table. She then plopped down in her chair, tears about to brim.
The tears must've caught Black as much off-guard as they did Severus. While the latter took out his earplugs, Black moved around the table. He placed his arm around Kiki's wrist. "Hey, hey, don't cry, shh," Black said, beginning to rock her back and forth.
To Severus' delight, Kiki pushed herself out of Black's embrace. "You are a true idiot, Black," she spat. She reached for Severus' hand, and he picked up her coat (knocked down when Black and Kiki stood up suddenly), placing it on her. "Thank you for the coffee, Remus, Harmony," Kiki said, hugging her other two, non-idiotic friends. She and Severus left the store as Lily and Potter finally returned to the table.
Later that day, Kiki and Severus sat on the couch together at his temporary lodgings. He had only bought it while he looked for a real house, but since he took the position at Hogwarts, he figured he wouldn't need the house. He could always rent another one for the summer holiday.
Kiki had wanted to watch her "comfort movie," and had begged Severus to watch it with her. So, here he was watching "Beauty and the Beast" with her. Severus Snape. Watching a Disney movie. Hopefully Lucius and Narcissa never found out. They would torture him for life.
"Sev, can I tell you something?" Encouraged by Severus' grunt, Kiki went on. "I want to go to New York one day. I heard that Disney just mounted a Broadway version of this movie and I want to see it," she said. She pulled a muggle disc out of her bag. "Harmony and Remus got me this for my birthday. It's the cast recording of the show. Here, you can listen to it. Maybe you'll take me to New York. Hint, hint."
The movie credits rolled and Kiki prepared the couch for her to sleep on. "I could always sleep there and you could have the bed," Severus said. "Or we both could have the bed." Kiki gave him a look, then kissed him on the cheek.
"Nice try, Professor Snape. Now, goodnight," she said, shooing him out of the room so she could change.
Severus laid in bed, placing one of his potions books down. He figured he should start making his lesson plans now before the school year started. He stared at the disc and the player Kiki had given him. He could always pretend to have listened to it, but knowing Kiki, she would probably see through his lie. So, giving in to his blasted emotions, he placed the player's earphones on his head and pressed "play."
Once upon a time, in a faraway land, a prince lived in a shining castle. Although he had everything his heart desired, the prince was spoiled, selfish and unkind. But then one winter's night, an old beggar woman came to the castle and offered him a single rose in return for shelter from the bitter cold. Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the prince sneered at the gift and turned the old woman away. But she warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty was found within. When he dismissed her again, the old woman's ugliness fell away to reveal a beautiful enchantress. The prince tried to apologize but it was too late, for she had seen there was no love in his heart. As punishment, she transformed him into a hideous beast and placed a powerful spell on the castle and all who lived there.
Ashamed of his monstrous form, the beast concealed himself inside his castle with a magic mirror as his only window to the outside world. The rose she had offered was truly an enchanted rose that would bloom for many years. If he could learn to love another and earn their love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time. As the years passed, he fell into despair and lost all hope, for who could ever learn to love a beast?
As the musical's haunting prologue finished, Severus found himself drifting off into a sleep, one that would be plagued by a dream the man would not soon forget…
