Year 1 Part 5 (chapter 5)

Word count: 1.4k

Warning: Mentions of death

It's the season that everybody loves and Severus hates - Christmas.

To be fair, he doesn't entirely hate it - most of the students will be going home to their families, which means he won't be bothered by any dunderheads.

Unless, of course, those dunderheads are Potter and Weasley...

He hopes that they aren't going to stay. For the love of Merlin, they could celebrate Christmas together in the Forbidden Forest for all he cares for... He just REALLY doesn't want those two idiotic boys to stay in the castle this Christmas.

It's the last dinner before the students will go home to celebrate Christmas. As Severus is tucking into his meal, he overhears Minerva's conversation with Pomona Sprout.

"I'm so happy to see Ms. Y/L/N sitting among her fellow Slytherins. She seems to be eating a bit more now that she isn't so focused on reading at the table" the Transfiguration teacher says as she smiles at the sight.

Severus decides to look at the Slytherin table - Y/L/N is indeed sitting next to the others. She's sitting between Draco and Parkinson.

"It really is. She doesn't need to be constantly reading anyway, that girl is quite smart. She seems to have a huge interest in Herbology, which makes me very pleased" the Head of Hufflepuff says in a cheery tone.

Severus has indeed noticed that the girl reads the Herbology book as well as the Potions book religiously. He wonders how she's doing in the other subjects.

His question is almost immediately answered. "Yes, I have noticed that she often reads her Herbology and Potions books. She seems to be doing an absolutely fantastic job in all of her subjects. Filius is always praising her hard work" Minerva reveals.

Severus quietly hums to himself. Y/N Y/L/N does seem to be one of the smartest and kindest students. He's very satisfied to have her in Slytherin.

It's students like her who make his job bearable. And frankly, there aren't that many students like her.

He almost wants to say that there is no student like her.

--

The next day, almost all of the students have left the castle. Severus takes a peek at the list of students who are staying.

He growls when he reads two names that he REALLY hoped wouldn't be there - Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley.

Sighing, he checks if any of his Slytherins will stay. Usually, all of them decide to go home to their families.

He's quite surprised to read one single name - Y/N Y/L/N.

Severus raises an eyebrow at that. Why isn't she going home to her family?

Wondering about this, he decides to walk towards the library. If she's there, he has an opportunity to talk to the girl and finally solve the mystery of where in Merlin's name he has heard that last name before.

He chuckles to himself when he sees that his assumptions are correct. Y/L/N is indeed in the library, reading her Potions book while taking notes.

He slowly walks towards her table. "Hello" he greets in his velvety voice.

A bit startled, Y/L/N looks up from her book to see who's talking to her. When she sees who it is, she gives a shy smile.

"Hello, professor" she politely says.

"I would like to talk to you, if you don't mind" he finally says.

Nodding, she rises from her seat and gathers her belongings before following her Head of House to the dungeons. They enter the Potions classroom.

Taking his seat by the teacher's desk, he levitates a chair in front of his desk and gestures for her to sit down. She immediately does so.

Severus clears his throat. "The other professors have been quite worried about you these first three months. Worried about you always being alone, constantly reading and not eating a whole lot. However, they are quite relieved to see you finally sitting next to your fellow Slytherins. I trust this is Mr. Malfoy's doing?" he questions.

The girl nods. "Yes, he and his friends have been very nice to me. They don't really seem to mind that I don't talk that much" she says as she nervously chuckles.

"Well, you remind me of myself when I was a student. I also didn't say much either. I preferred being alone, reading a book. I still do to this day" he admits, muttering the last part.

Y/L/N smiles at him. It's not her usual shy smile, but a bright and genuine smile. It suits her.

"Well, and I'm not just saying this because you are my Head of House, but I bet you did great things when you were a student here" she says, still smiling.

Severus can't help but smirk. "I did accomplish a few great things in my school time, yes. By the way, I was wondering... how come you didn't go home to celebrate Christmas with your family?" he slowly questions.

The girl's smile immediately drops. He almost regrets that he asked.

"My father works quite a lot. That includes during Christmas" she says as she sighs.

Severus raises an eyebrow at that. What kind of father would choose to work instead of celebrating the holidays with his family?

"How come he works so much?" he decides to ask, hoping it won't sadden the girl.

"Ever since my mother died, he's the only one who can provide for us. He believes that the richer we are, the happier we will be. Sometimes I just think he's jealous of his coworker, Lucius Malfoy" she says as she laughs, shaking her head over her father's silliness.

That reminds Severus of what Draco told him the previous month. "Your father works with Malfoy's father, huh?" he questions, wanting her to elaborate.

She immediately nods. "Yes, that's correct. Like Lucius Malfoy, my father is a School Governor. He also works in the Ministry, he has however told me that his work is top secret, so he doesn't tell me anything about it" she says as she shrugs.

That surprises Severus. Could her father be an Unspeakable? He will need to ask Lucius about that.

He clears his throat. "If you do not mind me asking... How did your mother die?" he slowly asks.

He really hopes that she won't cry - he can't handle crying students. He usually just scowls at them as he has no idea how to comfort them.

Surprisingly, she handles it quite well.

"I was really young when she died, so I don't remember her. I believe I was about one year old. My father has always said that she died in an accident. He however refuses to tell me the whole story" she slowly says, almost whispering.

That astonishes her Head of House - her father won't tell her how her own mother died? There's something quite insidious about that man.

Y/L/N suddenly notices what time it is. "It's almost curfew, professor. I should probably go to the common room" she politely says, interrupting his thoughts.

Seeing that it is quite late, the Potions Master nods. "Of course, we can't have Mr. Filch find a student out of bed. Especially not one of my Slytherins" he states as he rises from his chair to see her out. She rises from her chair as well.

As they are standing by the door, he clears his throat. "By the way, Ms. Y/L/N... You may always come to me if you wish to speak with me" he suddenly tells her.

Looking quite surprised, she once again gives a bright and genuine smile. "Thank you, professor. I really appreciate it, I hope I haven't bored you with my family problems. Happy Christmas" she says, still smiling.

He shakes his head. "Nonsense, it is my duty after all to ensure the wellbeing of my Slytherins. Happy Christmas" he says.

As she's about to leave, she turns around to look at him. "Professor, I just want you to know that I look up to you and that I respect you just like the other professors, if not more. You are a great man" she tells him before she shyly waves and leaves the classroom.

Severus looks at the now closed door, astonished. Did she really just say that? He has never had any students say that to him before.

He feels appreciated - and he doesn't want to admit it, but he likes that feeling.

After a while, he facepalms as realisation suddenly hits him. He forgot to ask for her father's damn name!

At this point, he might never know. He so desperately wants to know where he has heard her last name before.