"Now class. Today we shall be revising a potion from your third year, the ever famous shrinking potion." There would have been groans at that, if it weren't for the fact that the teacher was none other than Professor Snape, who would take 50 points from you for even a negative sigh. "The ingredients you will need to add to your pre-prepared cauldron, are as follows. One spatula of dried Caterpillar, a pinch of Daisy roots, a small veil of Leech juice, a Rat spleen, and one Abyssinian Shrivelfig. And for heavens sake, don't forget to peal your Shrivelfig before adding it to the potion." He sighed, as the 7th year pupils gathered their ingredients, the door opened and two students came in by the scruff of their necks. Filch was grinning with his yellow teeth, and pushed them both inside.
"Sorry to disturb your lesson professor."
"It is too late for that I fear, as my lesson is disturbed. And apologies are worthless." He mumbled slightly, and couldn't care less. Until he saw just who the students were. "Potter! Draco Malfoy!" he stood up from his desk, his wand in his robe pocket and his face in a scowl. His shoulder length hair was tucked behind his ears for now, and was greasy from a full day of potions. This was last period after all.
Both boys were leering at each other, absolutely filthy and even Malfoy's perfect gelled back blonde hair, was ruffled with a few leaves poking out at odd angles. He tried to straighten himself off, but couldn't quite manage it. Harry however, looked livid and didn't even attempt to brush himself off. "What is the meaning of this!"
"Excuse me Professor, but these two are the reason I had to interrupt your lesson. They were supposed to be in this lesson, and others today, but after their behaviour first period in Wandless magics, they had to 'help me' gather seedlings from the roots of the Whomping willow." He snickered, and then grinned. "They will be making up for what work they have missed, as homework in their own time. And they have at least one detention with each teacher, including you sir if you wish."
"You disturbed your Non verbal lesson?" he clenched a fist on his desk, and glared down at Harry. "And what gave you that right?"
"I was standing up for someone who didn't have the voice to!" Harry scowled back, and pointed to Malfoy. "If you need to blame someone, blame him! He made Professor Consensio run out of the classroom crying her eyes out!" without thinking, Snape placed his rage upon Draco, and made him whimper.
"Is this true boy?" he had never used that tone of voice on Malfoy, and shocked everyone.
"No sir! Potter attacked me!" he pointed to his black eye. "See!"
"I want the full explanation at the end of class. For now, pair up." They scowled at each other. "with someone else." That made them relax. "And try to complete the Shrinking potion on the board. Then, while the rest of the students leave for the day, you two shall stay behind and report to me everything that happened in your first lesson today. Understood?"
"Yes sir." They both said with a glare at each other, and walked to the opposite sides of the classroom.
Snape sat down behind his desk, put his fists under the table and took deep breaths.
The hour couldn't go quick enough.
But finally it was spent, and labelled vials all came to the front, and he looked them over.
Longbottom's was sizzling in its container, and only Granger seemed to have the right colour and texture to the potion.
Surprise surprise, Potter and Draco's potions were both instant failures, possibly because of their lateness and reluctance to stop glaring at each other across the room.
"Now get out of my sight." He spat at the class after the bell, and leaned on his elbows on the desk. Narrowing his eyes on the two disgruntled boys. "But not you two. Come here, sit down." He ordered, and Draco was the first to do as he was told. He was smirking, as he knew Snape would always favour him over Harry.
"Well sir." He began. "This morning-" but Severus snapped his hand up, and silenced him. "But I thought you wanted to know what happened?"
"I do. But not from either of your lips."
"No way!" Harry jumped up, and held his wand ready. Draco had no idea what the two of them seemed to know that he didn't, and became agitated. "You have no right to!"
"Just for that, I will not be needing young Malfoy." He looked to Draco. "Leave boy. I will call for you if you are needed." Draco couldn't think of a better result. Snape already seemed to be on his side.
But what if Potter was convincing enough…and he wasn't there to defend himself?
"Couldn't I just wait here sir?" His voice was as nervous as his expression, and Snape raised a brow.
"No boy. I told you to leave, and meant it. Now go." Malfoy gulped, and saw the look in his potion's master's eyes. He was serious.
"Yes sir…" he slowly dragged himself out of the classroom, and off to the Slytherin common room.
"Now."
"No." Harry raised his wand, ready. "I am of age now, I can protect myself if you even try it." He growled. "Sir."
"I still have permission from Dumbledore to use this method on you, for training purposes, and investigational purposes. And I am your teacher." He stood up. "You will do as I say, boy!"
"Fine." He said calmly, and lowered his wand.
Snape narrowed his eyes at him.
He had not been expecting him to give up so easily… "Alright. This way, you will see just how right I was, and how wrong Malfoy was." He said confidently, and put his wand away. "I won't even stop you." Harry looked to him defiantly, and smirked. "Well go on then. Sir." Snape walked around the table and looked down at him, very condescendingly.
"I will 'go on then' whenever I see fit, boy." He raised his wand, aimed it right between Harry's eyes. Harry took his glasses off, and put them in his pocket. He remembered al too well how many times he had to get Hermione to fix his glasses, and wouldn't have them broken again over this git. "Legilimens." he spat, and Harry growled in pain. He had forgotten how painful this was. At least because he wasn't trying to resist, it wasn't hurting as much, or for as long. Harry's eyes lulled half shut, and Snape entered his mind fully. "Got you."
Flash back
Severus found himself stood in the classroom, her classroom. He recognised his Slytherin Gryffindor class, the 7th year, and located Draco sat with his friends, Crab and Goyel. Not to mention Zabini and Blaise.
The golden trio were even present, and all where chattering happily. It appeared that the main topic of conversation was him, as he walked around the room.
"Did you hear about Snape? I heard he had a fight with Consensio."
"I heard she started it."
"I heard he did, and he slapped her across the face."
"Well I heard he tried to rape her." Severus snapped round, and glared at the boy. It was none other than Ronald Weasley, who was sniggering his head off. "I bet he thought he was flirting with her, and tried the line 'hay baby, want to come down into my dungeon and make a skelly-grow potion with me'." He laughed, and many other Gryffindors did to. Snape made a mental note to make all hell for the boy next lesson…or just find him and jinx him slightly…or a lot…
"Well I bet that would be his chat up line. If he had the balls to go after a woman. He strikes me as the gay type." Severus glared at the boy who was leaning over his desk, and joining in with Ron's childish banter. It was Dean Thomas, and he was certainly enjoying himself with Ron, he thought. "I mean come on. What kind of a guy lurks around in the shadows, has hair like that, and tries to bone girls? They don't, that's what. I bet he is having an affair with Filch."
"That's disgusting!" Hermione pulled a grossed out face, and looked to the next page of her book.
"Well, their hair is the same. And they are both disgusting old men."
"Disgusting old men! I am not a disgusting old man!" Severus added Dean to his death list, and grit his teeth together.
He was not a disgusting, or an old man.
He wasn't.
"You do know he is the same age as Professor Lupin." Hermione stated."
"He certainly acts like he is." Dean sulked slightly, and then chuckled. "I bet he went to the hospital wing, because Consensio bitch slapped him so hard, she broke his nose."
"And then she was so traumatised by the experience, she had to go to the infirmary too." Ron laughed his head off with him.
"That's enough." Harry growled.
"What?"
"It isn't funny. Consensio was missing for the rest of the week, really ill, and you are making jokes. They could have been attacked for all we know. It isn't fair or funny Ron." Ron shrugged, when the door opened. Snape never thought Harry would be the one to defend him. And he was reluctant to believe it.
His attention was taken again, when the door opened. He was stunned, when the bright smiling face of Procella walked inside. Her skin was a healthy peach colour again, her emerald eye bright and glistening with joy, her hair glorious and golden, curly and bouncing with each step she took, her side fringe covering her right eye, and smiled to everyone.
"Dressed as a gypsy again, Mss Consensio." He chuckled to himself, as he looked over her.
Flat black slip on shoes, a long black swishing layered gypsy skirt to her ankles, but he was frozen to the spot when he really looked at her. The skirt had a slit down one side, shoving the lower half of her right thigh downwards, and her long smooth, shapely leg. She had a black corset on with a material black rose in the centre of her breasts, and a crisscross pattern on the bust of it. But where she usually wore a long white gypsy shirt underneath, there was none. Her arms were clad only with dainty bangles around her wrists, all different colours, and her shoulders and neck, were bare. Her cleavage was enormous and Snape thought he was going to have a nosebleed, like the other students. Neville even fell off his chair at the back. She wore a black witch hat with a silver buckle that hung to one side. "Stunning…"
"Please Mss!" Hermione threw her hand up immediately. "I found that report you wanted."
"Report?" Harry asked in whisper. He hoped he didn't miss some homework while he was daydream…at her…
"Oh, I asked for the history on verbal magic, and I was given it as a report." Hermione explained with a proud smile. "302 pages." She pushed her thick roll of parchment forwards on her desk, and everyone put their wands away.
Procella nodded and picked the report up on her way to the front. She then put her satchel down, and sat on the desk. One leg elegantly folded over the other, and she beamed at the class.
Damn girl, always smiling. He rolled his eyes, but still smiled.
Why not? No one could see him.
He was impressed when she flicked her wrist at the black board, and writing appeared.
It is time to demonstrate the spells you have learned so far. The Accio, and the Wingardium Leviosa. Wands away, and I will come round you one at a time. You may use this time to practise, and good luck!
There was a smiley face drawn underneath the message, and Snape scoffed.
He followed her around the classroom, and observed her testing Longbottom. He looked constipated, and had his eyes closed.
"Damn fool. Not even looking at the quill." He then looked over his shoulder, and saw Draco and Zabini tip toeing across the room. "Truancy is not allowed." He was about to lock the door and shout at them, but remembered his is a memory.
"I can't Professor. It won't move." Neville huffed, and Procella held his hands in hers. She gave him an encouraging smile. She then raised a brow, and stood up. Snape watched as both Malfoy and Zabini shot off the ground, and thrashed their arms and legs out in shock. They looked down at Procella, who was wagging her finger at them, but still smiled. She guided them with her hands, and lowered them into their seats. A small sand timer flew from the front desk, and into her hand. It had green sand in it, and she held it out to them. She then turned it 10 times, and then put it down on her desk.
"What the hell…?" Zabini looked to Malfoy, and then put his hand up. "What did you just do?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Hermione rolled her eyes at them. "She just docked 10 points from Slytherin."
"WHAT!"
"You can't do that!" Draco then stood up, and glared at her. "I will tell Snape again. That worked last time." He threatened, and Snape was furious.
So, he was being used by Malfoy to get back at his teacher.
"I am no one's tool." He narrowed his eyes, ashamed of his behaviour.
"And I will tell him you used magic on me again. Let's see if you are still smiling then, Consensio. I hate this stupid subject." He spat. "I am a wizard, I have a wand, why do I need to know how not to use it? This is a waste of my time!"
"Shut up Malfoy!" Harry stood up, and glared at him.
"Oh yes, you would stand up for her, wouldn't you? Goody little Potter. The chosen one. Well, bone her for all I care. I am out of here." Then the door locked, and for the first time, Snape saw Procella with a stern look of anger on her face. "Go on, try and stop me." Draco dared her. He then smirked, and looked very arrogant. "I will just tell Snape. After you attacked him, he will be looking for any excuse to get you fired, or worse." He lingered on that, and Severus saw her glare falter into a frown. "I have Potions last Professor. Do you really dare do anything to anger Snape? Have you really ever seen him mad?" Procella took a step back, and looked down.
If it wasn't because this was a memory, Snape could have doe a number of unspeakable things to him right then. "He was a death eater after all. So you have to think of what he got up to in his free time." Procella actually gasped.
"My God…she didn't know…" He couldn't believe it. Procella looked so white, he thought she was going to faint.
"And there are some of us who think he still is. A death eater that is…" seeing the affect he had had on her, Draco had the look of utter victory on his face. "So open the door Consensio, or have the wrath of Snape. Your choice." He then pulled out his wand. "Open it or else."
"Watch it Malfoy." Harry pulled his own wand out, and pointed it threateningly at Draco. "I think you have said enough."
"Are you threatening me, Potter?"
"Yes, I am! Because you are threatening Professor Consensio." He looked ready to kill Malfoy, and lowered into a duelling stance.
"She should be used to it from what I've heard. Isn't that right, little swan?" her hands flew up to her mouth, and she backed off swiftly to her desk. Severus reached out to grab her shoulders, but his hands went through her. What did Malfoy do? He glared round, to see Harry was straddling Malfoy, and beating his face in. that explains the black eye, but he hadn't seen who started the fight. Instead, he had followed the cowering teacher with no voice, who was now shaking.
"Professor! Do something!" Hermione pleaded, and tried to pull Harry of Draco with the help of Ron. "Professor!"
But Procella held her face in her hands, and Snap crouched before her.
"Procella…snap out of it!" he demanded, but she couldn't hear him. Procella then ran straight through her, and out of the classroom, tears falling from her face. "Procella!"
End flash back
"Procella!" Snape opened his eyes, and looked around. He was back in his classroom, and looked down at Harry. He was leaning forward in his chair, and hung his head forward, his hands in his hair.
"So will you take your precious Malfoy's side after that? After he tried to stun her, and didn't stop until I used an expelliarmus, and then yes. Yes I did hit him first…but can you understand why sir?"
"Get out." He looked up, confused.
"Sir?" Snape had his back to him at this point, and still gripped his wand tightly.
"Are you deaf as well as useless Potter? I said get out!" Harry threw his bag over his shoulder, and stormed out. He had wanted a bit more of a result than 'get out'.
Severus walked to his rooms, and had a large glass of firewhiskey in his hands.
He had a lot to analyse here.
He had a few Gryffindors he wanted to torment for…comments…
He had to get a better understanding with Draco, and for some reason he wanted to use the Crucio curse on him.
And then there was Procella. She didn't know he was a death eater, from her reaction to that news. Snape took a large mouthful of whiskey, and closed his eyes in thought.
But why did 'little swan' have to do with anything?
Draco said she was used to being threatened, and then called her little swan. Why? Why would such a name affect her so? He paced his room, and thought back.
The most important thing he thought, was to find out if it was the pet name, or the fact that Draco said people still thought he was a death eater, that scared her off.
Memo to self, schedule a stern talk with the boy. He then put the empty glass down, and pushed the door open. He walked all the way out of the dungeons, and into the main hall. Snape saw Lupin and Tonks leave the corridor to her room, and waited for them to vanish up the stairs. He then stealthily made his way to her room, and knocked on her door.
He had wondered why she hadn't been at dinner…
"Professor Consensio." He knocked on the door, and waited. He heard movement, but no direct answer. "Procella." The door opened slowly, and he looked down at her. "I have been waiting, it is rude to keep people waiting Ms Consensio." He thought the best approach would to be normal, or she would suspect he knew. "Well? Are you going to stare at me all day? Or let me in?" she then nodded, and let him inside her rooms. He didn't really care what her things looked like, he just looked to her. "Why where you not at dinner Ms Consensio?" he spoke professionally. But he soon wished he had waited to confront her, as her rooms was not his own territory. He was in her domain now, her rules. He turned to look at her again, but she was now looking out of the window. Very much like when he had been here last. So he retook his place next to her, and looked very impersonal. He looked down at her, unable to keep his eyes off her, and saw a smart quill writing for her. Only her finger pointed to it.
A stressful day, you could say.
"Students? Classes? What do you find stressful?" he tried to keep it vague.
Nothing to do with school, I assure you.
"Then what?"
This was strange. Why was Severus Snape, here, in her rooms, again, when she was once again upset by something? And again the something concerned him. She knew he didn't care, so why was he here? She had managed to smiled and convince her friends there was nothing wrong with her, but Snape was not easily appeased. This would be a lot harder.
I was reminded of something I would have rather forgotten today. Nothing more. She showed him a strong smile, and nodded. But thank you for the concern.
"I assure you Ms Consensio, concern had nothing to do with it." He scowled, and turned his entire body to face her. "And I would like to know what exactly you mean by 'reminded of something rather forgotten'." He demanded. He was much more comfortable like this, taking the direct approach. "Anything to do with your Banshee history?"
It's more complicated than that.
Procella turned her back and held herself. She then walked away from him slightly, until he put a hand on her shoulder. "I assume you know of the order Ms Consensio?" her head raised. He was getting close… "As a main member, I will need to know what past memory surrounding you heritage or not, even f it is unpleasant or small in importance. I even have the authority to use Veritaserum if I feel inclined to." That should get her attention. "So I suggest you tell me willingly." She walked away from him and sat downs lowly on her bed. Her eyes were closed, and her quill continued to write on the paper. They both then hovered before him. he was impressed, she wasn't even looking at them.
You have no right to use your position on the order to poke around in my past, good sir. And I would like you to leave, now. she sniffled.
"I will not be forced to do anything, when conducting an investigation." He stood before her, and crossed his arms over his chest. "Not until I at lest get a lead." Then, Procella jumped up and grabbed his left wrist. "What are you doing!" she pulled his sleeve up, and held his arm up.
His dark mark. "So you know." He looked into her eyes. "I assure you I no longer hold The dark lord, as my lord. I work in the Order of the Phoenix to prevent his return. I am not a death eater."
Procella pushed a fresh piece of parchment into his left hand.
There is your clue. Now leave. She turned her back to him, and he looked to her"I don't understand." She whimpered, and reached behind her. She started to unfasten the back of her black corset, and Snape's eyes opened in alarm. She dropped it to the floor, and he saw her smooth, beautiful back…
…and the large, dark mark on her lower back. He looked to her left wrist, and then back to her mark.
They were identical, it was real. "You were a death eater?" she shuck her head, and reached for a night robe from the side of her bed. She fastened it around her, her head hung forward.
You have your clue, now leave. Her voice rang in his head with sorrow, and Snape immediately felt her mental walls raise up again.
Without a word, he left, his mind spinning.
Why would she have the dark mark on the small of her back, when it was specifically put on the left forearm? Why would she have it at all? Was she a death eater?
No, she shuck her head. She couldn't have been a death eater.
But then, why would she have the dark mark?
These questions plagued his mind all night, and into the next morning. He needed to talk to Albus about this. He would now something about this, and Snape wouldn't leave his office until he had his answers, answered.
