A/N: Chapter beta read by Forty-Two Dreams. All remaining mistakes are mine.

CHAPTER 7
CHARMS PRACTISE

The next morning after his meeting with the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters, Snape noticed several finger-shaped bruises had appeared on his neck where Voldemort's hand had pressed. He had no potion to heal them, nor time to brew some or go to the hospital wing. Hence, he decided to wear robes with a collar high enough to hide the bruises.

The remainder of the day, he was extremely busy. While he needed little sleep, he had still had too little of it the previous night, and he taught the morning lessons with extreme irritability. Even some usually troublesome students seemed to notice and had kept a low profile.

He didn't eat in the Great Hall at lunch. Instead, he asked a House Elf to bring him a meal from the kitchens and spent his lunch break in his study to finish the correction of the fifth years' tests.

Since he hadn't left his classroom or his study since the previous night, Snape still hadn't had the chance to speak to Dumbledore or McGonagall. The Headmaster was usually very busy on Mondays, so he would seek the Transfiguration teacher first. He knew she had only one lesson to teach at the beginning of the afternoon, as he did. He would go meet her immediately after.

At the end of his afternoon lesson, Snape took a malicious pleasure in giving his students lots of homework, even more than usual. All left the Potions classroom with drawn faces. Soon after they were all gone, Snape left as well and headed for the Transfiguration classroom where he was quite sure to find McGonagall. On his way he found the time to take 20 points from Gryffindor because of two students playing with magical firecrackers, along with 10 points from Hufflepuff because of another student who had had the misfortune of standing next to the others when Snape caught them.

As Snape was about to enter the Transfiguration classroom through the already open door, he almost bumped into McGonagall who was going out at the same moment.

"Severus!" she exclaimed. "Were you looking for me?"

"I was indeed. I have some… recent news," he began, looking around to make sure no student would hear, "about some… delicate business of ours."

McGonagall understood immediately what he was talking about. "Maybe this should be brought to the attention of the Headmaster, as well as to some other teachers?"

"Certainly," Snape confirmed.

McGonagall frowned. "I'm afraid I'm on an urgent errand that requires my immediate attention. Would you care to warn Professor Wilson and then meet Albus and I in the Headmaster's office in one hour? Endora's last lesson ends in approximately thirty minutes."

As Snape was about to protest McGonagall interrupted him.

"Severus, I know of the animosity between the two of you, but for the sake of our cause could you please disregard it for a moment?" she asked. "I can't go and let her know myself at the moment."

Snape nodded reluctantly.

"This is settled then. I will see you in one hour," McGonagall concluded before leaving swiftly.

Snape unenthusiastically walked towards the Charms classroom. He had managed to take 80 points from Gryffindor, 30 from Ravenclaw, 20 from Hufflepuff and even 5 from Slytherin when he reached the door. He rested his back on the wall next to the door and crossed his arms over his chest, waiting for the Charms lesson to be over.

Fifteen minutes, 25 points and 2 detentions later, Snape hadn't moved an inch, but his patience had considerably diminished. A thought raised by curiosity found its way to his mind.

The lesson was almost over; there were barely ten minutes left. Maybe he could get inside discreetly and remain at the back of the room in the dark just to have a look at what Wilson's lessons were like. They were probably not worth attending, but it would give him some ammunition for the next time he belittled her…

Snape silently opened the door, entered and closed the door behind him as silently. He smoothly glided towards a dark corner; no one had noticed him. From the faces he recognised, he gathered it was the seventh year Gryffindors.

Professor Wilson was walking through the ranks while the students seemed to be practising the Disillusionment Charm on their pets, a spell commonly used by wizards on fantastic beasts to distort the vision of any Muggle that may see it. Those who owned no pet were working on owls from Hogwarts's owlery.

"Ron, don't be so brusque with your wand, if you make smoother movements it will work much better, and that goes for any spell," she was instructing when a sudden, strange noise came from Longbottom's desk.

Snape hardly held back a snort. Obviously the boy was as incompetent in other subjects as he was in Potions. Wilson hurried in front of Neville.

"I'm sorry, Professor," Neville apologised, looking completely stunned. "I think… I think I killed Trevor…"

"No, Trevor is all right," Wilson assured, but Snape clearly saw her discreetly performing a quick Healing Charm on the poor toad while the boy wasn't looking. "Just calm down, Neville. Calm down. Here, look at me. Look at me Neville."

Longbottom eventually looked up to the teacher.

"Just relax. You're so focused on trying to get it right that you get it wrong. Now close your eyes," Wilson ordered and Neville obeyed. "When I tell you to and only when I tell you to, open your eyes and cast your spell on your pet. In the meantime simply answer my questions without thinking."

Snape held back another snort - Longbottom speaking without thinking wouldn't be hard to obtain.

"What is your favourite colour, Neville?" Endora asked.

Longbottom frowned and hesitated, probably wondering why she was asking such a question. "Red."

"Which Quidditch team do you support?"

"Er… Montrose Magpies…" Neville replied at a total loss.

The Charms teacher went on, firing questions at him until Neville's answers became quicker, almost instantaneous. Snape knew what she was trying to do - she clearly had no interest whatsoever about the boy's tastes and was only trying to divert his attention - and found himself wondering if it would work, especially with someone as hopeless as Longbottom.

In any case, these were definitely debatable teaching techniques.

"What gifts did you get last Christmas?"

"A broomstick and some Herbology books from my Grandma."

"Do you like grapefruit?

"No."

"Cast your spell."

Neville opened his eyes. "Illusio!" he exclaimed while raising his wand, obviously without even realising it. When he eventually took it in his eyes widened and he looked where the toad was only seconds before. "Trevor?"

"Over there, Neville," Wilson said while indicating the desk-textured toad.

"It… It's Disillusioned! It worked!" Neville cried out with a grin.

Snape snorted. Pure luck. He wouldn't be able to do it again even if he practised the rest of his pathetic life.

Professor Wilson smiled back at the Gryffindor warmly before turning to the rest of the class. Then she froze for a second before turning sharply towards Snape and looking straight at him.

How could she know he was there? Snape wondered. He was sure she couldn't have seen or heard him. Instinct maybe?

A wicked smile slowly appeared on Wilson's lips. "Professor Snape," she greeted, and the students instantly stopped practising to turn simultaneously towards the corner where he was hiding.

"It's a pleasure to see you decided to join us for this lesson in order to improve your Charms skills," the witch went on. "Come on, have a seat," she invited, indicating the vacant seats at the front of the classroom.

Most of the students chuckled, especially Potter and his gang, Snape noticed. Severus held Wilson's defying gaze. Oh, would she pay dearly for this, he thought while lots of plans of revenge were forming in his mind.

The Charms teacher was the first to break eye contact when the bell rang. She turned towards the class. "I want you to practice this spell during your free time. I also want an essay on the necessity of using this charm on fantastic beasts for next week. Less than five feet long, if possible," she added with a quick look towards Granger. The Head Girl seemed slightly disappointed. "The class is dismissed."

The students picked up their belongings and began leaving the classroom. Snape glared menacingly at all who dared glance at him on their way out, and they generally hurried away. Once they were all gone he strode towards Professor Wilson's desk.

"I suppose you found that little game of yours enjoyable," he spat angrily.

"Positively delightful," she confirmed with a grin. "And I suppose you didn't come here to apologise for your behaviour of yesterday regarding that book I asked from you."

"Certainly not! There's nothing to apologise for!" Snape exclaimed indignant. "There's a meeting in the Headmaster's office in less than thirty minutes. Professor McGonagall couldn't come herself to let you know."

The Charms teacher nodded. "I will meet you there then," she replied and looked down to a pile of parchments on her desk.

Snape turned to leave, but changed his mind and turned back to her. "By the way, I would advise you to never try again the little show you performed a few minutes ago," he menaced.

"As long as you stop sneaking in my classroom…" she replied casually.

"I doubt I will remain as patient as I've been until now very long," Snape warned.

Wilson looked up at him sharply. "Because you think you're the one being patient?" she asked irritated. "If only you didn't – "

She stopped dead in her tracks as her gaze trailed down to his neck and frowned. Snape immediately understood what she was looking at and instantly straightened his collar to hide his bruises.

When she looked back at him she no longer seemed angry and had obviously lost the thread of her ideas, whatever they were.

If she asked anything about these bruises, he would hex her right away, Snape decided.

But she didn't say a single word and kept observing him for a long moment. "Maybe we should go to the Headmaster's office immediately," she eventually suggested calmly.

Snape nodded sharply, unsure about her sudden change of behaviour. On their way to Dumbledore's office, she didn't say a thing, even when he took points from a few students for very unfair reasons.

They entered Dumbledore's office, but the Headmaster wasn't there. They both sat in armchairs in front of Dumbledore's desk and waited, both silent.

After roughly twenty minutes Professor Wilson suddenly spoke up almost shyly.

"You know, you can fix them with a Healing Charm."

Snape turned and glared at her. How dare she? How dare she allude to it and make suggestions about what he should do about it? As if he wouldn't heal his bruises if he could!

To perform Healing Charms you had to be somewhat compassionate and kind-hearted. Quite unsurprisingly Snape had never been able to cast efficient ones. He didn't think them worth practising, even considering his activities. In his situation, there were only two possible states: alive or dead. And once dead, you needed no Healing Charm.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied coldly.

"If you don't want to perform the spell on yourself, maybe I can – " she insisted but he interrupted her before she could get any further.

"I need no one's help, especially yours!"

Wilson's answer was cut short by the entrance of the Headmaster, closely followed by the Deputy Headmistress.

"Ah, here you both are!" Dumbledore exclaimed enthusiastically. "Let us begin this meeting, shall we?"


(A/N: just decided to start teasing you guys with the title of the next chapter every time!)
Coming next: "Bets"