A/N: I have taken great liberties with the character of Flitwick later in the chapter. I just needed him to push the plot along. Hope you all do not mind. Thank you so much for the kind reviews. To tarvika: I described Serena earlier in the storyas having red hair and green eyes. Icovered one of your requests. LOL! Again, please let me know what you think! This chapter is sort of angsty, but the next chapter is a little lighter.
Serena stood at the back of the room watching Severus in his first class. She had decided to just observe the first period to get a feel for Snape's teaching style. She certainly didn't want to step on his toes. Especially after he had taken the time to create her draught. Her eyes followed Snape as he stalked around the room. He was a very intimidating and demanding presence, but the class seemed to be extremely advanced. Serena was sure that this was a result of Snape's high expectations.
She observed the faces of the students as they followed the potion directions that were on the front board. There was not a lot of talking during the class, because the students were so focused on completing the potion exactly as directed. She watched as Snape leaned over each cauldron and made comments. She almost laughed out loud when she saw him warily lean over a particularly nervous student's cauldron. She glanced down at Severus' seating chart searching for the name. Neville Longbottom. Serena looked up just as the potion started smoking. Snape jumped back, coughing, tears running down his cheeks. The boy looked absolutely terrified.
"Well done, Longbottom. You were supposed to create a potion to cure headaches. Instead, you've just created the perfect potion to induce coughing fits. If all else fails, you can use it to cough away the pain." Snape looked towards the back of the room and caught Serena's amused look. His eyes narrowed when he saw her biting her lip, her shoulders shaking slightly. She was laughing at him. Well, two could play at this game.
"Perhaps, Professor Daniels could come and explain to you what you did wrong." Snape smirked, expecting an apprehensive look on Serena's face. Instead, he was rewarded with a full grin as she swept up the aisle. Peering over the smoking cauldron, she raised an eyebrow.
"It appears as if Mr. Longbottom has added the ingredients in the incorrect order. He should have added the asperroot before the powdered besta." She smiled at Neville, trying to reassure him. "A very common mistake. There is a little trick that I use to remember the correct sequence. I remember to think of it in alphabetical order."
Neville's face brightened. "Oh, of course. Thank you, Professor Daniels. It makes sense now."
Serena felt Severus tense behind her. This was the last thing she wanted to do. She certainly did not want to upstage him, especially in front of the students. She looked at Snape and smiled tentatively.
"Thank you, Professor Daniels," Snape said icily. "You may return to your seat."
She felt a twinge of anger at the obvious dismissal. If he hadn't wanted her to tell Longbottom what he did wrong, then he shouldn't have asked her. She pushed aside the angry retort and quietly answered, "As you wish, Professor Snape."
She felt the sympathetic looks of the students as she walked to the back of the room. She could tell that Severus was angry. His back was stiff and his face held a cold expression as he tore each student's potion apart. She heard him assign detention to five students for a variety of reasons, such as whispering, dropping a potion bottle on the floor, and she swore she heard him berate one student for breathing too loudly. She sighed and knew she would have to try to soothe his ruffled feathers as soon as the students left.
"I want five pages on the use of asperroot in advanced potions." Glaring at three students near the front, he added, "And Miss Granger, I expect Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley to do their own work." Serena watched as the girl's face burned bright red, and the two boys returned Severus' glare. She wondered what that was all about.
Snape turned his back to the class and growled, "Class dismissed."
As the students left the room, Serena nodded to each one and said "Good-bye" quietly. The door slammed shut behind the last student and Serena made her way to the front of the classroom ready to make amends.
"I thought I asked you not to smile or talk to the students," he spit out, not bothering to turn around and look at her.
Serena gaped. "You asked me to tell Mr. Longbottom what he did wrong. I simply did as you requested."
Snape whirled and frowned at her. "Yes, I asked you to tell him what he did wrong, but I did not ask you to teach him how to remember the correct order. This is my class and I would ask that you keep in mind who is the teacher here."
Serena flushed, becoming angrier at each word he said. "I am well aware, Professor Snape, who the teacher is here. I was simply trying to help a frightened boy feel successful. I am sorry if that was not in your lesson plans."
"Longbottom will never be successful in Potions. He is an incompetent idiot," Snape mocked.
Serena trembled with fury. "Perhaps he just has an incompetent teacher."
Snape's mouth dropped, and he just looked at her. Serena thought she saw a glimmer of hurt in his eyes before the coldness returned.
"I don't think this is going to work," Snape said quietly, turning his back to her. "I'll tell Dumbledore that you need to observe another, more competent teacher." He walked to his desk and sat down, pulling a stack of papers towards him.
Serena bit her lip, her anger receding. Once again, she had allowed her temper to get the better of her. And once again, she had hurt someone.
Taking a step towards the desk, she began, "Severus.."
She stopped when she saw the icy look on his face.
"Professor Daniels, I think you should leave." He turned his attention back to the papers on his desk, not really seeing the words in front of him.
Serena groaned and turned to leave as he asked. Before she left the room, she looked back at the man hunched over his desk.
"I apologize for my rudeness, Severus, because you are certainly not incompetent. You are an excellent teacher and I overstepped my boundaries." She opened the door and stood there for a moment. "I'm sorry," she repeated softly. She left, the slamming of the door echoing in the silence.
Snape just looked at the door and scowled, wondering why her words filled him with a sudden gladness, and why he cared so much what she thought about him.
Serena opened her eyes and glanced at the clock in the corner of her room. Half past seven. She closed her eyes again and tried to forget the argument she'd had with Severus earlier. Suddenly, her eyes flew open and she sat up in bed. Half past seven. She was late for dinner. She jumped out of bed and ran her fingers through her hair, twisting it up into a quick bun. Grabbing her robe, she pulled it on and ran down the hallway. Outside the door of the Great Hall, she paused to catch her breath before entering. There was nothing worse than being late for a meal. Every eye would be on her as she walked to the front of the room. This was not the impression that she wanted to make on the staff and students.
Gathering her courage, Serena opened the door and walked gracefully to the faculty table at the front of the room, ignoring all the whispers and stares. Since she was late, there was only one seat left at the end of the table. She sat down and looked at the diminutive man next to her. She tried to remember the man's name, her eyes squinting slightly. Finally, it came to her and she gave him a wide smile.
"Good evening, Professor Flitwick. How are you this evening?" she asked politely.
"On time," he deadpanned.
Serena's face burned and she gave the man a tight smile.
"Sorry, dear, I couldn't resist," he laughed.
Mentally, she scolded herself for oversleeping. Wondering how many other jokes she would have to endure, she glanced around the table and caught Severus staring at her. She looked down quickly at her plate and pretended to be engrossed in her food. She was unsure how to behave around Severus since their quarrel. She had apologized, but he had not forgiven her. Sighing, she used her fork to push the food around her plate, her appetite now gone. Serena half-listened as Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall discussed their classes.
"I am so glad that wolf is finally gone," Professor Flitwick suddenly announced.
Serena stopped moving her fork, her attention now completely focused on Flitwick and Minerva.
"I know it was hard for you, Francis," Minerva said sympathetically.
"I just couldn't stand to be around him after the full moon. Even though he wasn't responsible." Flitwick had a sad look on his face. It was one that Serena knew quite well. She had often seen that same expression in the mirror.
"Are you having trouble sleeping?" Minerva asked quietly. Serena strained to hear what was being said without being too obvious.
"I haven't had those dreams in such a long time. It was just hard to see Lupin walking around, knowing that his kind murdered the Nostrama family." Flitwick replied bitterly. "I just keep hearing the growls, tearing flesh, and the breaking bones. But the worst part is the screams that echo in my head. It was my job to protect them and I was unable to. How do you let that go?"
Images flashed through Serena's mind of what Flitwick described. It all sounded too familiar. She closed her eyes and swayed slightly, Thomas' screams sounding in her ears. Serena looked down at her hands and saw them covered in his blood once again. She dropped her fork and stood up, her chair clattering to the floor. "Please excuse me," she said, her voice breaking. She ran from the room, hearing Flitwick's words repeat over and over in her mind. Running towards the Astronomy Tower, she climbed the steps and reached the roof. Only then, did she release the sobs that she had been holding in. She looked at the moon and through her tears, saw that it was completely full. Clutching the heavy charm around her neck, she crumpled to the floor and whimpered, "Thomas!"
Serena did not see Severus in the doorway. Dumbledore had insisted he follow Serena to make sure she was okay. He was unsure how she became his responsibility all of a sudden. He stood there hesitantly for a few moments allowing her to cry, not really sure what he could do or say. Snape had never really dealt with crying females. Well, unless you count the ones he made cry during class. Making a decision, he came up behind her and draped his cloak around her shoulders.
"It seems you are still without your heavy cloak," he said severely.
Serena pulled the cloak tightly around her body. "Thank you," she murmured, her voice raspy.
"You're welcome," he said, turning to leave.
"Severus!" she called. He stopped and glanced back towards her.
She dropped her eyes to the ground. "Would you stay with me? I-I don't want to be alone."
He studied her for a few moments. Walking back towards her, he stood next to her, not really sure what she expected. She looked up and him and gestured towards the stone floor. He sat down uneasily. Serena scooted closer and leaned against him, sniffling. Severus awkwardly put his arm around the distraught woman and patted her shoulder lightly attempting to comfort her. He leaned his head back against the wall and allowed himself to wonder who this Thomas was and what had happened to him to upset Serena so much.