Deep in thought, Severus glided down the corridor, headed for the Infirmary. An indisposed new professor plus the questionable behaviour of certain Gryffindors equalled a mystery he was determined to solve.
If anything of the slightest import occurred at Hogwarts, Severus made sure he knew about it. The students claimed he read minds, but no Legilimency was required to know what most of the students were thinking. Every thought they had was immediately projected through their facial expressions and body language. They knew nothing about self-control, a fact he used to his advantage.
Potter's group was a frustrating exception. Unable to read lips from the staff table, Severus knew only what he could observe from the groups' behaviour. Potter thought he knew something about Professor Lorelei, but was also confused.
He turned at the sound of someone clearing his throat. It was Filch. He raised a brow as the toadying Squib and his scrawny cat approached. They both looked grey and grim. Did they roll about in dust? Severus hid his distaste, coolly waiting for the man to speak.
"We almost caught someone sneakin' about during the feast," Filch said, "but that Peeves tricked us and let them get away!"
"Very well," said Severus. "Go on about your patrol." He inclined his head slightly in dismissal and resumed his journey.
Inside the Hospital Wing, he paused to contemplate the curtains surrounding a bed at the end of the room. Madam Pomfrey seldom isolated a patient. He wanted to know what merited this patient's seclusion. He strolled forward, briefly considered, and then rejected the impulse to leave the person to their privacy. Determined to solve a mystery, Snape slowly opened the curtain.
.
Lorelei heard a soft swish and the hair on the back of her neck stood up. Someone was peering at her through the opening in the curtain. It wasn't the brusque mediwitch. Whoever it was stared with such intensity that she could physically feel it. She sat on the bed facing away from the curtain, with only the sheet around her hips to preserve her modesty. She held both arms up, keeping her hair out of the mixture healing her back.
"Who—what are you doing here?" asked a soft, dark voice that resonated through her body.
It was Professor Snape, the Gothic Hero. Lorelei felt both thrilled and unnerved. She said, "I'm practising. If anyone needs a model to sculpt a Greek goddess, I'll be ready." She felt his brooding gaze.
"Which goddess? Aphrodite?"
The sneer in his voice as he derided the goddess of love was quite amusing. "No," she said, "Persephone. I've always fancied Hades."
"The god the other gods avoid, not even mentioning his name for fear they attract his unwanted attention."
"I'd want his attention."
"Would you?" The man's silky voice was closer. Was he inside the curtain now?
"Professor Snape!" Madame Pomfrey's voice quivered with indignation. "Professor Lorelei is in no condition to be carrying on with you...I mean...carrying on a conversation!"
Lorelei bit her lip not to laugh. She could imagine his intimidating glare at Pomfrey's hapless words.
The mediwitch was not to be cowed, however, and soon rushed back into speech. "Although Professor Lorelei will not say how she received her injuries or why she did not have them treated immediately, I will do my best to ensure her speedy recovery." She paused to draw breath. "I must ask you to leave."
"Unless you're volunteering to help," Lorelei said. "It's time to put that gook on my front side."
Poppy sputtered incoherently.
"I'll leave you in capable hands." Snape's voice lowered. "We'll finish our conversation soon."
Lorelei shivered. She remained lost in thought until a large glop of healing mixture slid down her face.
The mediwitch said, "Time for more gook."
.
The next day, Lorelei sprinted through the maze of school corridors, trying to outrun a dilemma that resulted from Muggle running and vanity. Fully recovered after a night in the Hospital Wing, she'd gone for an early morning run. The Great Hall was empty when she'd set out. When she returned, she glanced through the doors to see a lone wizard at the staff table. Snape was drinking coffee and reading the Daily Prophet. If she had calmly walked off when Snape looked up, he might have returned his attention to his paper, but she had to yelp "Aahhh!" and take off running.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" she muttered, pushing herself to go faster.
She should have known that this man, when he saw someone running, immediately gave chase. Maybe she had known. She heard him shout for her to stop at once. Ignoring the order and the thrill it gave her, she darted down a side corridor. The rush was incredible. Lorelei was torn between the overwhelming urge to flee and the growing compulsion to slow and be caught. Realising that Snape would hardly throw her against the wall and snog her brains out, she decided against slowing. She turned the next corner full on.
.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione discussed their timetables as they headed toward the Great Hall. They had decided to eat breakfast earlier than usual to get a jump on the day. When they started to turn a particular corner, a runner from the opposite direction crashed into their group. Hermione's schoolbag spilled while Harry and the runner fell to the floor.
"Watch it, you stupid git," Ron yelled, helping Hermione gather her things. "You okay, Harry?
"Yeah...yeah...I'm fine." Harry adjusted his glasses and looked at the runner beside him. She wore a singlet and running tights.
"I wanted to run into you and introduce myself," she said. "but I never meant to do it literally."
"You're the woman from the train," Ron said.
Hermione held out a hand to help the woman up. "It's nice to meet you, Professor Lorelei."
"It's very nice to meet you three. You, and your other friends, were very kind."
"It was no problem," Harry said. She was really fit.
Professor Lorelei looked behind her. "Is there a girls' lavatory nearby?" she asked. "Professor Snape will be passing by here soon and I don't want to meet him looking unprofessional."
Hermione said, "I'll show you."
Halfway down the corridor, Hermione looked over her shoulder to see Ron and Harry watching. She said, "Boys are prats!"
"Boys react to visual stimulation." Professor Lorelei said. "Inferior wiring. They deserve our pity."
Hermione said, "Girls never act like fools over someone's looks."
"Never?"
Hermione smiled a little. "Maybe sometimes. In special cases."
"Like Quidditch players and rock stars?"
Hermione's smile widened. "Exactly."
.
A/N: DistinctVagueness knows Gothic Romance! Kudos for giving the correct 1st lines to Rebecca, Wuthering Heights, and Jane Eyre! Showing off is a good thing. For everyone else- yes, at least you're reading and I am grateful beyond grovelling that you read my story. Did I mention that I'm considering leaving my nonexistent fortune to my reviewers? Remember it's the thought that counts and Review. : )
