Beauty and the Beast
By: tombraider3
Summary:Severus Snape is reunited with an old friend. He was never able to tell her his feelings before. Will he be able to now? And will his feelings be returned?
Disclaimer: I of course do not own the Harry Potter characters. They belong to JK Rowling and I love her for making them.
"There is no remedy for love..." -Henry David Thoreau
Chapter 1:October 26th,1982 4:46 a.m.
"Someone among us is a traitor," A cold voice declared. Severus Snape stood in a large ring of Deatheaters. They had gathered in a clearing in the woods early in the morning of October 26th. There was a frost on the ground and a soft fog tickling their ankles. His breath appeared before him in puffs of white smoke. The man in front of him shouting was Lucius Malfoy. Severus could feel his blood running cold. Surely the couldn't mean him.
He had been a spy for Dumbeldore for almost 8 years now. Even though Voldemort had disappeared only a year ago, he still had very loyal supporters. He had been so careful. How could they have only been figuring it out now? Severus could feel his blood freeze in his veins when he realized whom Lucius was taking about.
"They've been watching our movements and reporting them to the enemy. That will end today!" Lucius roared. He began to walk around the group slowly, as if a tiger sniffing out his prey. Lucius stopped in front of a figure cloaked in black.
"See the enemy," he said throwing back the hood of the figure. The figure stared Lucius in the eye defiantly.
"Take a good look," growled Lucius grabbing them by the wrist and throwing them into the middle of the circle. Severus found himself staring even though he'd seen them a million times and again. Standing before him was a fellow classmate of his, a Gryffindor, the most hated Hogwarts House by Slytherin. The figure's dark brown hair, which was, shoulder length and in loose curls was easy to make out in the dark. The figure's light brown eyes viewed the scene and their plump lips curled into a sly grin.
A murmur of the person's name broke the silence.
Lucius pointed a pale finger at her, "Faith Sloom!"
"Some of you might know this girl from Hogwarts. She is a filthy mudblood Gryffindor," He spat. Faith's eyes darted around to view the lifeless cloaked figures.
"This is what happens to spies," Lucius said raising his wand while she wasn't looking.
"CRUCIO!" he yelled. Severus could feel his heart stop as he watched Faith withering on the ground and Lucius laugh like a maniac. What was only a matter of seconds felt like centuries to Severus. Finally, Lucius stopped and Faith lay there for a minute. It was dead silent until she broke the silence by retching blood. She shot a look back at Lucius, blood staining her lips, he smiled and raised his wand again. Faith scrambled to her feet and tried to make a run for it but several Deatheaters caught her. She was able to rip herself away from a few of them but then Severus walked over and yanked her from them. He held her by the elbow and dragged her in front of Lucius. Severus held her firmly and Lucius's lips curved into a wicked smile. Faith managed to look past the hood of her captor and see Severus's face outlined in it.
"Severus-" she whispered as Lucius raised his wand.
"Don't-" she pleaded as Lucius screamed
"Avada Ked-" but before he could finish the two were gone with a loud pop.
Severus stared at his new surroundings. The sky was just beginning to turn a light purple. There was a set of bright yellow muggle building equipment in front of them. Faith breathed heavily and Severus let go of her semi-reluctantly. She turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Thank you Severus. I'll find a way to repay you," she breathed into his ear.
"I know you will." He replied giving her a light squeeze.
She let go of him, "Can you find a way to tell everyone what happened to me? Make something up," Severus nodded and felt a lump form in his throat. Was this going to be the last time that he was going to see her? Severus had always viewed her as foolish for joining the Deatheaters. He understood why she did it though. Most people would jump out and try to kill the people that murdered your best friend, but Severus wished dearly that she had never put herself into harm's way. She gave him a fleeting smile as His heart ached as he watched her walk she turned around and began to walk away. farther and farther away from him. Suddenly she turned around and called out
"Oh! And Severus-"
"Severus!" a voice rang out, jostling Severus from his thoughts. Severus stared blankly up at Dumbeldore.
"You're going to miss the start of term feast," Dumbeldore said with that little smile he always had plastered to his face. Severus nodded and followed Dumbeldore into the Great hall. Severus only stared dead ahead, he walked right up to the staffs table and took his usual spot just as the returning students piled in. He watched them with mild interest. He saw Harry Potter and his Gryffindor friends talking wildly as they sat down as their was only Harry's 6th year at Hogwarts and already he was exactly like his father. He had awfully untidy black hair, and had a knack for getting in trouble, but just like his father he had a tendency to get out of. After the sorting of the first years, Dumbeldore stood up to give his usual speech. Severus rarely paid attention; he just clapped in the appropriate places, but always listened in to find out who the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was.
"And we all at Hogwarts would like to welcome our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," Dumbeldore beamed.
'Let's see what fool Dumbeldore has chosen this year'
"Faith Sloom!" cried Dumbeldore. Severus could feel his heart stop. Had he just heard him right? Faith Sloom at Hogwarts? Severus leaned far forward and sure enough there she sat at the end of the table. She looked the same as always as she stood up and nodded towards the school. She was of average height and her rose colored lips pulled into a wide smile.
Severus couldn't believe what he was seeing. Professor Flitwick made a squeaky noise of excitement.
"Remember her Severus? Do you?" chirped Flitwick.
How could he have forgotten? He had first met her in the middle of his first year...
"Now Severus, I've found you a tutor to help you improve on your charms," a young professor Flitwick said in a high pitched voice.
"Who is it?" Severus inquired shuffling his feet.
"Well, as soon as they get here you will find out," stated Flitwick. Suddenly the door opened and in walked one of the most beautiful girls Severus had ever seen. Her hair was short and curly. Her shirt was untucked and her tie hung loosely at her neck. She was fixing her robes as she approached them. She was absolutely perfect, except for the Gryffindor patch on the front of her robes
"Sorry I'm late professor," she muttered with a slight smile across her lips.
"Quite alright Faith." Flitwick responded. He turned to Severus, "Severus,This is Faith Sloom,"
Severus recognized the name. He had heard countless teachers having to tell her to be quiet in class, but he had never put name to face. She gazed at Severus with her light brown eyes as Flitwick squeaked.
"This is Severus. He'll be the one you will be tutoring,"
"Well, shall we go to the library?" Faith asked with her bright smile, Severus only gave a sheepish nod.
On the way over to the library a shout across the hall broke the silence.
"Hey Faith!"
Faith turned around and Severus stopped also to look at the person. It was Severus's least favorite people in the whole world, James Potter and Sirius Black.
"What?" Faith hollered back with an exasperated tone.
"Where are ya going?" James hollered.
"Library," She responded.
"Why are ya going with ol' bucket of grease?" Sirius yelled back.
"Why don't you two go pester Lily. She's in the Astronomy Tower," Faith yelled at them and then spun on her heel and started towards the library.
"Well, imagine their surprise when they realize Lily is really still asleep," Faith said laughing. Severus couldn't help but laugh along. Her laugh was infectious. She had her head thrown back and her shoulders rocking
4 years later, Faith was still helping Severues with his Charms and he was loving every minute of it.
"This is stupid," Severus said throwing his quill down in frustration.
"Hmmm?" Faith inquired looking up from the book she was reading. She looked across the table at what Severus was reading. Her eyes gazed over it and her face screwed up in confusion.
"Ok look," She said getting up and moving to sit next to him. She leaned far over his shoulder to look at the book.
"It's all in the way you move your wand," She said pointing to the picture. Severus looked at the picture but found his thoughts wandering when he smelled her. She smelled of Sandalwood Rose. She always did. It was if she bathed in the stuff. She looked up at him and Severus held her gaze.
Suddenly, someone joining the table distracted them.
"Hey Faith," A female voice said. Severus and Faith both looked up. Severus only knew the girl from what he had seen of her out on the quidditch field, Susannah Murry. She was the captain of the Gryffindor team.
"I just wanted to let you know that practice is tomorrow instead of today. I can't find James or Sirius anywhere so when you see them can you tell 'em?" She asked with a thick accent that was clearly American. Faith nodded and with a flash Susannah was gone. Shortly after Susannah had left they were distracted again. Severus's head pitched forward as someone slapped him upside the head. He turned around and glared at the person behind him, Sirius Black.
"Hey Snivillus," Sirius said with a malicious grin. James was on the other side of the table leaning far over it and giving Severus a wicked grin.
"What do you two want?" Faith asked sighing.
"Awwww,isn't she cute when she's frustrated? What is Snivillus being stubborn? Need us to teach him a real lesson?" Sirius asked with a sly smile while pinching Faith's cheeks.
"I heard Susannah was looking for us. What'd she want?" James asked.
"Only to tell you that practice is still on for today," Faith said flatly.
"Thanks," James said turning around to leave.
"See you later Snivillus. Bye Faith," Sirius replied as he followed James out.
Severus snapped out of yet another memory when he noticed the large quantities of food piled in front of him. He found it hard to eat with her only 5 seats away from him. He could feel his heart hammering in his chest. When the feast was over and everyone was starting to clear out of the Great Hall. He scanned the hall looking for Faith and found her with Harry Potter. No doubt she was telling him how much he looked like his father, but had Lily's eyes. She would also of course tell him what a troublemaker his father was and how incredibly popular his mother was. 'She'll tell him that Lily and her and her been-oh I don't know-…inseperable! Severus thought as she left the Great Hall
Severus walked towards the teacher's wing of the school in a bitter mood. He gave the password to the old man reading a book and found himself in a hallway. He then walked down the hallway, turned right and the 2nd portrait on the right was his. It was of two men who sat at a desk whispering excitedly.
"Polyjuice," Severus said and the portrait swung open. He quickly stepped through and stared around at his room. There was a desk in one corner with a window overhead. A large four poster bed was in one corner placed next to a fireplace. On the other side of the fireplace was a door which he already knew lead to the bathroom. Severus's trunk lay at the foot of the bed. He went over to unpack it, but found himself restless and unable to do it.
He stood up and began pacing the room muttering to himself.
"Dear God Man! Stop your muttering," A portrait of an elderly woman shouted. Severus ignored her and continued to pace. The elderly woman listened tentatively.
"Girl trouble eh?" She said after a minute or two. He just looked up at her with a glare.
"Well, that certainly won't win her over. My advice would be to talk to her. Girl's like that," The woman said with a smug smile. Severus rolled his eyes and left the room. He knew that he just had to talk to her before he could get any sleep. His heart hammered in his chest as he paced the halls back and forth. When a set of footsteps drew close, Severus's heart froze. His palms went cold and he walked quickly towards the steps.
"Severus…shouldn't you be getting to sleep?" McGonagall asked. Severus's heart fell when he realized that it wasn't Faith's steps he had heard.
"Can't sleep," he managed to mutter. McGonagall nodded and walked off down the hall and to her own portrait. It swung back and she climbed into her room. Severus heaved a large sigh and turned around.
"Severus,"
Severus stopped cold. He looked up and saw Faith walking his way. As if on cue, his heart hammered and the breath was stolen out of his lungs. His mind began to zip around in every direction. What should he say? She was coming his way with that large bright smile and he was standing like an idiot.
"Hi," he managed to say in one breath as she approached him.
"When did you become a professor? You're not teaching Charms are you?" she asked teasingly
"Oh, you couldn't tell? I could have sworn that all the students glowed because they accidentally did their lumos charms backwards," he said sarcastically while teasing her. Dear God! Where were these words coming from? Faith laughed and asked
"Well if you're not teaching Charms what are you teaching?"
"Potions,"
"That suits you. Well, tell me when you start teaching Charms and I'll be sure to move to a new continent for fear of blowing up," She said with a smile and turning to leave. Severus stood there for a minute and then went to his room. He looked in the mirror and realized he had a smile plastered to his face. 'Why am I smiling like an imbecile?' He shook his head and then climbed into bed. His last thought before sleep overtook him was 'Was she flirting with me?…Dear God I hope so'.