Chapter 40:
Upon entering the classroom, I am astonished to find most my class already assembled. I have the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws first. Harry, the rogue, catches me eye and throws a wink. I struggle to keep my smile hidden as I reach the front of the classroom.
I turn and lean against the desk waiting as the rest of the students filter in. Soon enough, they are all gathered, faces expectantly at me.
I clear my throat. "Put your wands away." I instruct crisply. Several groans greet my ears as I turn away from them to face the blackboard. Pointing my wand at the board, wisps of white smoke shoot out from the end and arrange themselves in to words.
I spell out my name, turning as I finish to notice raised eyebrows from Harry, Miss Granger, and Mister Weasley. I return the look.
"Professor Bena Hummell." I repeat clearly. "I ask you treat me with the respect due a professor as I assure you, you will receive nothing less than the respect due you."
Most of the class nod, I note gladly. I begin to pace the length of the room as I launch in to lecture. "Now, Professor Lupin was kind enough to leave me his notes. Mister Longbottom, name me one identifying mark of a vampire."
Mister Longbottom's eyes widen, but he swallows and answers willingly. "An aversion to sunlight."
"Excellent. Let's try again. Miss Patil?"
The Ravenclaw prefect pipes up immediately. "Elongated canine teeth."
I nod and continue to pace. "Miss Brown?"
"Sallow skin."
"Indeed. Mister Goldstein?" Another Ravenclaw.
"Dresses completely in black."
I say nothing, but continue on. "Miss Granger?"
"Though many presume vampires would not take regular meals, they are able to ingest small amounts on regular food, as a supplement to their diet of blood."
My smile is twitching around both corners of my mouth now. Harry smiles mischievously and nudges Ron. He glances sideways, then gives a cough and raises his hand.
"Mister Potter?"
"They also tend to, because of their dislike of sunlight, stick to cold, damp places. Like dungeons."
He delivers this straight-faced. A few students have caught on to where he is leading and begin to chuckle. I school my features and focus my attention a foot above Harry's eyes, which are twinkling as merrily as ever my uncle's have.
"Mister Weasley?" I ask, "Anything to add?"
Ron looks a little startled, but pipes up immediately. "I'm not sure about this, but I think they have a tendency to move about in giant, billowing robes-like an overgrown bat." The class loses control and bursts in to laughter.
I sternly rap my wand against my desk, but it has little effect. I explode purple sparks from the end. Everyone stops and turns to me.
"That will do." I say simply. They sober themselves down.
"Fun though it may be to speculate about one's teachers, I would ask you not do it during my class." I reprimand sharply. A few of them seem surprised I caught on to the joke. "I have known Professor Snape for years, and I can assure you he is no vampire."
All of them are watching me now, not daring to speak a word.
"Oh, gather round, you lot." I cajole them. "I'm not going to take points."
The rest of the class passes quickly, as does the rest of the day. Before I know it, Severus and I are seated in our quarters, looking thoughtfully across the room at one another over our wine glasses.
A/N: My apologies for the lack of updates. I started a third story that I will begin posting this week. It's written in its entirety. Hopefully, now that it's finished, I can once again devote more time to this and Sorceress. Ta.