Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Only Ashiri, Tristanis, Dezra, and Taylor. And probably a few more oc's along the way, but other than that? Zip, zilch, nada, null, etc.
Dante: I can second that.
Me: Shove it Dante Fena, or you won't be seeing Billy for a month
Dante: (gulps) Sorry, but I'm shutting up now.
Three: A Class, a Problem, and a Plan.
Hey Dez,
How are the kids at Milwaukee? Still as pig headed and sick as I remember you saying? Merlin, I hope not. Oh, and as for your question, I love this place. There's this student, Draco Malfoy, he wouldn't shut up. So anyway, one day he was being a little freak and started hitting on me. You know what I did. Well, in case you forgot my methods, I turned him into a rabbit and threatened to skin him.
McGonagall didn't find it funny. I sooo got in trouble but guess what? Don't care! It was funny! Oh, and the only teacher even remotely hot is Snape, and he's a pain in my ass. I mean, he's just like Jessup; same attitude, same overconfidence, everything! It's creepy!
Oh my god, I can't believe I forgot! How is little Ashiri? I miss my goddaughter… sob…why'd you have to move from California to Milwaukee?
Lylas biatch!
Tristanis
I spun in the swivel chair and headed out of my office quickly. The staff meeting would begin in less than five minutes. That's the only thing I really hated about teaching here, the staff meetings. I put my emotionless act in place before leaving my rooms.
The red velvet of my skirt swished quietly around my brown boots as I walked the corridors to the staff room. Even this early in fall it was chilly, making me put away the summer clothes. Looking out one of the many windows I saw the 'golden trio' out by the lake, laughing.
I had taken a liking to the trio. Hermione and Ron were great people, to be fearlessly loyal to Harry. Kind of reminded me of Tony, Kali, and I back at Salem's. Back before I had contracted the devil's disease. Back before Tony and Kali died in cold blood.
Amazingly, I kept my emotionless mask in place all the way to the staff room. I quickly grabbed my usual chair, as far away from Snape as the situation allowed. That asshole. Madame Hooch and Remus exchanged a knowing glance for some reason. And whatever that reason was, I really didn't want to know.
After sitting in the same spot for a half hour with a cup of java in my hands I still didn't know what the meeting was about. And really didn't care.
"I think Tristanis could do it." My head snapped up. What?
"Well Ms. Brandon? Do you think it would be too much to work with Severus in teaching a physical defense class next term?" Dumbledore asked. My hand twitched.
"Uh, suuuuure." I agreed reluctantly. I had to work with my worst fucking enemy. Greeeeeeeeeaaaaaaat. Just what I needed, another pain in the ass project to finish.
"Good. Now, I expect the heads of houses to post sign up sheets tonight. The students will have until the Halloween to sign up for the class. That means you two will have plenty of time to work out details." Dumbledore said, handing Minerva, Snape, Sprout and I the sheets.
They all filed out except for Minerva, who sat down beside me. "Hello Trista. How are things holding up?"
"Eh, shit happens Min. At least I'm not getting yelled at for turning students into animals anymore. So, where's the girl's night this Saturday?"
"We're going to go down to Hogsmeade actually. At seven." I nodded, grinning mischievously. "You know, it's scary how different you act when there are other's present."
"Well, I have to have some form of defense!" I responded quickly. "It's not as if I mean to be callous and stuff when I'm with big groups, it's just something that's… always been."
"Point taken. You may want to get some rest Trist. Tomorrow is...well, you know more than I do."
"I know, the worst damn day of the lunar cycle. How long do you think my temper will stay for tomorrow?"
"Probably half way through first period, bad mood lasting the rest of the day." Minerva predicted. I groaned, before leaving the room. Tomorrow was going to be a loooooong ass day.
"But you deserve every damn thing that it causes Tristanis. What a friend I turned out to be."
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"Sit down, shut up, and take out your books now!" Tristanis roared, slamming the door behind her. "Page 347 and I want a roll of parchment on combining the different stems of magic with the charms branch due Thursday. Get to work!"
"Today's her bad day, huh?" Hermione whispered quietly to Ron and Harry. Ron nodded quickly, looking positively terrified. Harry looked a little less intimidated, but still scared. Silence fell over the room as the students worked.
(Some time later)
"Miss Brandon?" Snape said slowly, walking into her office. She had her head down on the desk. "You were not a dinner and Minerva was worried."
"Get out Professor Snape." She said coldly, not lifting her head. "Just. Get. Out. Or I swear to Merlin I will skin you."
"What the hell's wrong with you now?" He sneered in response, not thinking that anything could actually be wrong. "Did your pet demon die?"
That did it. The next instant she was on her feet, and Severus had never been more afraid. Her onyx black eyes had now turned blood red and there were fangs protruding from her mouth. Black bat wings were drawn in, and the hands that she slammed down on the table were clawed. The scales covering her body were midnight black.
Fear surged through his body at a rate that Severus thought could kill anyone else. Rage and darkness and evil emanated from the charms teacher in waves. She was barely containing herself.
"GET THE HELL OUT BEFORE I FUCKING KILL YOU!" She screamed before letting out an inhuman screech. Covering his ears in pain, Severus darted out of the office and headed straight for the headmaster's. Her draconic form still lingering in his mind.
"Chocolate frogs." Severus growled before stomping up the steps. He flung open the door to Dumbledore's office harshly. "Albus why wasn't I informed?"
"I'm assuming you are referring to Miss Brandon having Teivil Aura?" The Headmaster asked calmly.
"SHE HAS WHAT! I KNEW IT WAS BAD BUT YOU HIRED SOMEONE WITH TEIVIL AURA? WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOUR BRAIN!" Severus yelled, throwing one of the fragile trinkets into a wall. "In case you weren't informed, that disease it one of the most-"
"Dangerous and prejudiced diseases in the world. I know Severus. And the reason you were the only one not informed is because you said you didn't want to hear it."
"I wha- AAAH! NEXT TIME IT'S THAT IMPORTANT DO NOT HESITATE TO TELL ME ANYWAY!" The potions master yelled, kicking the wall. "At least someone could have told me before sending me into the hell pit!"
With that Severus stormed out of the office, seething. On his way he met up with Remus, who was currently talking with Aleda Mathers, a member of the Order. "I take it, from the screaming, you just found out the dirty little secret?"
"Does she know?" Snape asked coldly. After receiving a positive response, Severus grabbed them both by the collar into the nearest classroom. He quickly put a silencing charm on the door. "WHY THE BLOODY HELL DO NEITHER OF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS WITH OUR CHARMS TEACHER HAVING TEIVIL AURA!"
"Because we know she's a good person and really, it's no different than accepting Remus as a teacher despite his lycanthropy." Aleda put in wisely, her voice calm.
"But it's different! It's bloody Teivil Aura!"
"Severus, did you know that the only way people can contract this devil disease is to come into contact with a dark curse created by the devil himself and staying alive?" Remus asked angrily, his fists shaking. "She got it defending a best friend. So if you look to the nature and cause, you would see that if you don't value pain you will shut. Up. Tristanis is not to be held responsible for what happened to her."
With a huff Severus turned on his heel and stormed out the door. He would talk with Brandon in the morning. Right now he needed a headache potion and some sleep.
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"Miss Brandon?" Severus knocked cautiously on her office door, hoping she would not display any temper in this meeting.
She opened the door slowly, eyes bloodshot and the rest of her looking worn. "Hello Professor. I suppose you wanted to talk about my… problem?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"If you don't mind." Severus didn't know why they were being polite now, of all times. It just seemed like they're usual hating banter would push her over the edge at the moment. She opened the door and let him walk in.
"What did I do?" Was the first think she asked. "I know I was in full draconic form, so I had to have done something. What did I do?"
"I came in and since nobody thought to inform me of your condition, I was being a callous bastard, and you can probably figure out the rest." He responded neutrally. She swore, before laughing bitterly.
"Yup, that would do it. Do you have any questions about the disease in itself?"
"Yes, what curse did you get hit with?"
"It was one that, well, you've probably never heard of it. Sparte Aeranatilan. It's a beheading curse."
"Oh, do you know what's going on when it's the day of the crescent?"
"I'm not sure, if I am I don't remember it." She whispered. "I don't remember a lot of things about it. Just that I have it and my temper is easily brought out during the day before a crescent moon."
"Naturally. Well, in a week would you like to meet in the staff room to get this stupid Physical defense class planned? That way I don't have to work with you for another two months. Which will be a complete blessing."
"Double your blessing and you know how I will feel. Now, I have shit to work on so get the hell out of my office." She responded, her normal tone back in place. Everything was normal again.
"With pleasure, Tristie."
"YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO CALL ME THAT!"
"What do you think you can do about it?"
"Get out of my office Sevvy, or you will find out why I was deemed a prankster at school." He was gone within two seconds. Laughing to herself, Tristanis stretched. "God how I love pissing him off."
(One week later, staff room)
"Well Snape, it looks like we have about forty some kids signed up. How do we split them? Houses, gender? I don't know." Tristanis said, staring at the list of kids fourth year and up signed up for the class.
"House sounds fine as long as I don't have to deal with the Slytherins." He agreed. She blinked once…twice.
"Let me get this straight, you don't want to work with your own house?" She asked incredulously. He nodded. She rolled her eyes. "You're going to one way or another, because if we separate by house I want to rotate so that we can teach two different things at once. So that, say, you have Gryffindor and Ravenclaw first, the next quarter I get them. That way I can teach one thing while you teach another. That way we cover more ground and we can deal with our forte."
"For an annoying, contemptible little girl, that was pretty smart of a plan. What do we want to cover? I know there should at least be what muggles call street fighting." Severus sneered bitingly.
"Whatever you say…GOD YOU SOUND LIKE YOU'RE FROM GRUMPY OLD MEN!"
"What may I ask is 'Grumpy Old Men'?" Severus asked dangerously.
"It's a muggle movie I watched when I was a little girl. I am a half blood you know!" She replied, giggling. "My lord, you sound like Max Goldman, angry at the bloody world and annoyed very easily."
"Shut up, stupid-"
"Ohhhh, play nice now Sevvy, don't want to hurt my feelings." She pulled up her kicked puppy look. Snape started twitching.
"What the hell are you on?"
"Aww, no worries! I've just decided that annoying you is much more fun than pissing you off!" Her face became serious again. "Now, we need to get down to business. We've agreed on street fighting. What about some form of martial arts?"
"That could work. But I don't know any. You'd have to cover it if you know how."
"I do, which makes that useable."
"What about dodging spells? Half these imbeciles don't know how to duck to keep from getting hit by an exploding potion." Snape sneered. Tristanis looked thoughtful for a minute.
"We'd have to teach that together, but sure, why not? Uh, how about… handguns?"
"You want to teach teens who hate each other how to use a muggle gun?" Severus asked incredulously. Tristanis shrugged. "Ok. That's no problem for me then."
"What else?"
"Maybe at the end we could have a small course on axes, swords, and staves." Severus suggested. Tristanis's eyes lit up almost immediately.
"OF COURSE! That would be awesome! Which one do you use?"
"My best is a normal sword, actually. I've been training with it for ten years now. Yours?"
"Double ended crescent ax. I've had one and used it since third year. Tony, Kali, Dezra, and Taylor all pitched in and bought it for me. best of it's kind." She responded, bouncing in her chair. He knows how to use a sword! Finally! A sparring partner!
"So, would you like to teach hand guns and karate? I prefer street fighting myself. And that could take a while to teach." Severus said, looking over their short list. "And I suppose we could add stealth in there too."
"You can do that. And then for the last two months work on avoidance and if time, real weapons. This works nicely. Now, which houses should we have together?"
"Slytherin and Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Huffelpuff." Snape ticked off immediately. Tristanis blinked.
"You're off your rocker aren't you? Gryffindor and Slytherin in a self defense class together? And to think I thought you had some shards of sanity left!"
"Shut up Tristie. If anyone's insane, its you."
"American hater."
"No, just you."
"You don't mean that Sevvy!"
"Don't call me that."
"To damn bad."
"You do know you're going to end up pushing me over the edge of sanity and I will end up killing you?"
"Definitely."
"Ms. Brandon, you have a death wish."
"Oh, you couldn't be closer to the truth than that."