The Great Hall was noisy around Severus Snape as he sat at end of the Slytherin table with a book in his hands while he tried to ignore the noise around him. The first day back at the school was always the worst. At least it was his last year but he knew that he wasn't moving on to bigger and better things. He focused harder on the book before him and tried not to think about where his life was headed.
"Hey, Snape."
Severus glanced at Regulus Black with a sneer when he appeared beside him.
"What?" Severus snapped at the younger boy.
"Have you seen the new Defence teacher?" Regulus said and flicked his eyes to the head table.
"Not bad," Narcissa said from across the table.
"Aren't you engaged to Lucius Malfoy," Severus said smoothly.
"Can't stop a woman's eye from straying," Narcissa purred with a ruby smile.
"Just her eye?" Avery said with smirk. "I've heard-"
"Nothing," Narcissa hissed as her pale eyes flashed. "You've heard nothing, Avery."
Avery chuckled at the glare that Narcissa levelled at him. Regulus pulled back in his seat but he was like a lost puppy and just wanted to be part of everything. Something that he shared with his brother, Sirius. Severus just sneered as he let his eyes travel along the head table then paused. He could see what Narcissa was talking about. The man was something to look at as he sat at the end of the table with his own book before him. Severus placed his book down as the first years arrived to be sorted. The Defence teacher didn't pay much attention to the sorting as he kept reading his book. Severus's eyes skipped down to Dumbledore but the old man didn't seem interested in his new teacher's inattention.
The sorting wrapped up and Dumbledore stood with a smile and more colours than a firework display. The noise in the Hall dimmed before tapering off.
"Welcome to another year," Dumbledore greeted with a waved of his hands. "You would have noticed a new teacher. Let me introduce Professor Harold Swift on loan from the Ministry of Magic as our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."
Swift looked up with piecing green eyes and Severus felt his gut clench as those eyes seemed to look right through him. The man waved his hand to scattered applause.
"Once again," Dumbledore continued. "The Forbidden forest is off limits to all students…"
Severus zoned out on the rest of the speech as he studied the new teacher. He looked to be in his mid-thirties with short dark hair. He stood out slightly due to the fact that he wore muggle clothes but they fit him well.
"Looks like someone has caught your eye," Narcissa purred and Severus started.
"What?" Severus uttered and Narcissa gave him a wide smile.
"It is our last year, Severus." Narcissa pointed out with a wink.
Severus blushed and turned his attention to the food that had appeared on the table. Narcissa laughed lightly at his reaction but said no more.
xXx
Severus walked into the Defence classroom and glanced around. Professor Swift sat behind the desk at the front of the room with a book in his hands as he leaned back in his chair. He glanced up as Severus entered and he was pinned by those green eyes once again.
"Take a seat," Swift intoned and Severus tried not to shiver at his voice. "You are early Mr…"
"Snape," Severus offered. "Severus Snape."
"Very well, Mr Snape." Swift said and waved his hand. "Sit."
Severus found his normal seat, near the back of the room, and settled in as he pulled his potions book out and started reading. He tried to ignore Swift as the man focused back on his own book. The room slowly filled around him as the time rolled around until every desk was full. Severus placed his book to the side and focused on Swift but the man was still reading. His eyes drift around the room before they settled on Lily Evans next to James Potter at the front of the room. Sirius Black snickered from behind them as he flicked a paper towards James.
Suddenly the paper stopped in mid-air then flew towards Swift. Without looking, the man picked the paper out of the air and the room went silent. Swift looked up with those piercing eyes as he placed the paper on his table and took in the students around him.
"From what the Headmaster has told me," Swift announced. "You have lacked a stable teacher in this subject for the whole of your education. With the turmoil within the magical community, I find this counter productive to what you may face in real life. I also believe that the limited amount that I can partake to you lot will make no difference in what you may face when you leave here."
Severus shrunk back in his seat at that speech and could tell other students doing the same.
"That is, however," Swift continued. "What I have been employed to achieve. Let us see just what I can accomplish in one short year. Open your books to chapter one. I find that is the best place to start."
Severus opened his book with a chill of forbidding. There was just something about the man that made you sit up and pay attention for if you didn't then you would face the consequences. Severus was never good at staying away from things that put his life in danger. He got a thrill from it and as he glanced up and caught Swift's eyes. He knew that he was in trouble.
xXx
Swift was quick to get a reputation around the school. He was hard but fair and powerful. No one knew his background and it had started rumours that he was muggleborn which had been encouraged due to the way that always dressed in muggle clothing. Then they got a display of his power and Severus was sure he held more than Dumbledore. Just the thought sent a shiver down Severus's back.
"You're staring," Narcissa announced as she sat down next to him.
"So?" Severus muttered and focused on the woman. "Someone did mention that this was my last year."
"If you ask me," Avery said as he settled into the other seat beside Severus. "He's likely to curse you and burry your body in the forest."
"Lucius is interested in him," Narcissa remarked and Severus tensed.
"Lucius," Avery repeated in a tone of voice that implied different.
"Yes," Narcissa purred and both men shivered. "Whatever information that you could gather would help, Severus."
Severus looked down at that table at that. It looked like the Dark Lord was giving him a task before he had even left school. He glanced up at the head table to see Swift leaning back in his chair with a book open in his hands. It was rare to see the man without a book, in fact. Severus could feel a kinship with that.
"I'll see what I can do," Severus replied. "For 'Lucius' of course."
xXx
Harry grew fed up and flicked his wand and the door to his classroom crashed open.
"Get in here," Harry called as he put his book to the side.
Severus Snape peered around the corner. For seventeen the boy was tall, taller than any other seventh year but he hadn't grown into that height yet. He was still slightly gangly and not the sleek and sweeping way that he would walk when he was older. His hair was pulled back in a neat pony tail at the back of his neck but that just accented the sharp angles of his face and his pale skin. His black eyes were the same as they focused on Harry but without the hatred that Harry could still remember even after all these years.
"Sir?" Severus questioned as he came to stand before his desk.
"Is there a reason for the fact that you have been pacing in the hallway for the last twenty minutes?" Harry questioned. "I would believe with this rare sunshine that we are having that the lake would be a better place to pace?"
"Have you faced the death curse," Severus blurted out then blushed.
Harry held back the chuckle at the rushed question.
"I try not to," Harry answered. "I find it's bad for my health."
"Is there really no counter curse?"
"Correct," Harry answered. "That doesn't mean that you can't fight against it."
Severus frowned at that answer and Harry waved his hand for the boy to sit down.
"Think," Harry snapped as he stood from his chair. "How would you combat a spell that has no counter?"
"Don't get in the way of it?" Severus suggested, softly.
"Correct," Harry said and flicked his wand.
The floor before him pulled up as a wall and Harry stepped around it. He then flicked his wand and a desk flew up before him and hovered in mid-air. Harry paced around that as Severus stood next to the desk he'd been seated at. Harry gave him a grin and flicked his wand and a shower of birds flew out before him.
"As long as there is something between you and that spell," Harry intoned. "You have a chance."
Harry flicked his wand and his classroom was back to the way it was before the impro lesson. He stood before Severus and even at seventeen. He stood a good head or so taller than Harry. Before the boy could move Harry grabbed Severus's forearm and dragged him around as he twisted the arm, that he held, up behind his back. Severus grunted as Harry kicked the back of his knee. Severus landed on his knees as Harry held his wrist tight as his wand tip pressed into the boy's neck.
"Until you don't," Harry said mildly and felt the shiver run down Severus's back.
Harry released the teen and stepped back sharply but Severus didn't lash out just turned his head and looked at him. Harry took in the image of Severus Snape on his knees before him before he held his hand out in offer. Severus looked at it for a long second before taking it and Harry pulled him to his feet easily. He released him the moment that Severus was on his feet and took a step back.
"Did that answer your question, Mr Snape?" Harry inquired.
"Yes, sir." Severus muttered as he rubbed his wrist.
"Would you like to know about the other unforgiveable curses?"
Severus straightened up at those words with a light in his eyes.
"Yes, sir."
Harry walked back to his desk and wrote out a time and day on a piece of paper before walking back to the teen. He held the paper out and Severus hesitated before taking it in his hand and looking down at what he'd written.
"I'll see you then," Harry remarked. "Now, get out."
Severus scrambled from the room. Harry felt amusement run through him at that and remembered all the times that he'd done the same when their roles had been reversed. He flicked his wand and his door closed as he headed back to his table. He had work to do.
xXx
"Sometimes it's just not worth trying to remember every counter curse," Swift said to the class. "If a spell comes hurdling towards you then your best option is to block or get out of the bloody way."
Sirius and James snickered at the use of the word 'bloody' while Severus rolled his eyes.
"When you have to use a counter curse," Swift continued. "You better know that it will work. Ms Evans?"
"What about if you get hit by an unknown spell?" Lily asked.
"Hope for a healer," Swift answered.
"And if there isn't one, sir?"
"Invest in a few Portkeys," Swift answered as he stood beside his desk. "Anti-apparation wards are common but not anti-portkey ones."
Lily raised her hand and Swift waved his hand.
"Aren't they regulated by the Ministry?"
"Correct," Swift said. "They can be purchased through the Ministry or brought in a back alley in Diagon Alley."
Severus snorted at that as Lily looked taken aback by those words.
"I thought this was defence against the dark arts," Potter muttered and Swift focused on him.
"I was unaware that Portkeys were dark arts," Swift drawled. "I'm glad that Mr Potter in his grand wisdom could point out my fault."
Potter blushed and Severus wasn't sure if it was in anger or embarrassment.
"How could I have forgotten such a thing since I do work for the Ministry of Magic," Swift continued as his green eyes bore into Potter.
"Sorry, sir." Potter whispered.
"Perhaps we should get back to the dark arts part," Swift remarked. "Unless Mr Potter would like to lead this class?"
Potter's face was bright red now as Severus held back laughter.
"Then let us continue," Swift announced. "Perhaps some lessons on anti-apparation wards are needed."
Severus focused on the class as Swift ran them though the spells. Swift never assigned detentions or took away points in class and he would listen when someone wanted to make a point. In fact, he would go so far as to have a classroom discussion on subjects but he did have a temper.
"So," Swift called to the class. "How do you counter these anti-apparation wards? Mr Snape?"
"Get passed the boundary of the ward," Severus answered.
"That is one way," Swift agreed. "Ms Evans?"
"Counter charm?" Lily guessed.
"Otherwise known as pure stubbornness," Swift consented. "Ms Evans please cast the anti-apparation ward a foot around me."
Lily stood and held her wand up as she cast the complex charm. Severus knew why he'd called on Lily for she was the best charm student that they had. Once the spell had settled Swift pulled out his own wand. It was made from a pale wood and was a little on the short side with flecks of black throughout the wood grain.
"I could simply step past the boundary as Mr Snape suggested," Swift did just that before stepping back within the ward. "Or I could do this."
Swift flicked his wand without a word and a golden light flashed before it slammed into the ward with a sharp ringing sound. The ward broke with a pop as the students blinked away the light from their eyes. Swift calmly placed his wand away in the holster at his waist.
"Which only works for weak or newly cast spells," Swift continued, as if he hadn't just used pure power to smash down a ward. "Three options if an anti-portkey ward has not been placed. Class dismissed."
Swift made his way back to his desk and settled behind it as the students packed up. They paused when Albus Dumbledore appeared at the classroom door.
"Ah," Swift muttered. "Too loud?"
"Yes, my boy." Dumbledore said as he stepped into the classroom.
"What are you lot gawking at?" Swift snapped. "Get out."
Students scattered with Severus as the last one out.
"You have an unusual way of teaching, Harry." Dumbledore remarked as Severus paused outside the door.
"It works," Swift replied. "No spying at the door, Mr Snape."
Severus hurried away. He wasn't sure how the man always knew that he was there.
