CH3 : A NEW DAY
Morning greeted her normally, nothing abnormal to her relief this time. She decided she will record everything in a diary as she made her way to the Great Hall. It was still early, there were very few students in the Hall so it was still quiet.
As soon as she sat down, a note appeared on her plate,
Ms Evergarden,
I hope you are faring much better now. I'm afraid we need to continue where we left off. 9pm tonight, password is Lemonquills.
Albus Dumbledore
She looked at him and nodded. And just then she felt someone's gaze boring into her, she twisted and found Minerva McGonagal staring straight at her curiously.
She coughed nervously, "Hello, we couldn't meet last night. I'm Hermione Evergarden, I'll be assisting in Potions at the moment." Uncomfortable pause, "If memory serves me right, you teach Transfiguration right? Ah yes, Headmaster Dumbledore did mention that you are a brilliant teacher."
Professor McGonagall finally gave her her full attention, a rare smile forming on her face. "Ah, is that so? What else did you talk about?" Pleased with herself even though there was a tinge of guilt, she figured it would be best to become friends with Professor McGonagall.
"Not much else. But please don't hesitate to ask me to substitute for you if you ever have any need, after all that's my job too."
"Yes, I had not been informed that we would get an assistant teacher this year."
"Ah yes, it was all decided rather suddenly. I had always fantasized about working under Albus Dumbledore and had been mailing him as such. So considering my age, he told me that it's best I assist in Potions."
"Even so, I find that rather hard to believe since we have never had any assistant teachers before that i know of."
Her mind whirred. Of course it's going to be difficult to fool her, feeling both pride and irritation. "Actually I believe it's my pet project that caught his eye. I'm working on a secret Potion that's in its final stage you see. I can't disclose it at the moment but he felt that it could be a great contribution once completed so he decided to let me stay here to get the necessary resources and time..And here i am!"
Her eyes narrowed but she nodded anyway. "I'll be looking forward to it."
She let out a silent breath of relief as she went back to her breakfast. She soon excused herself to make her way to the dungeons for the first class of the day.
Gryffindor and Slytherin, first years. Brilliant.
Slughorn soon caught up to her and they decided that she would head this one class and he would observe. Though she would mainly be assisting him in making potions for the Hospital Wing and any extra potions required by the staff, she might still be required to take a class every now and then.
"Just the first years for now though, not to worry," he said. She controlled her expression.
As the students streamed in and settled down, she recalled her own class and began, "You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making. As there is not much wand work, you may not even believe that it is magic. But know this, I can teach you to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death and your success shall only depend on how well you understand and follow instructions. Now, let's begin!"
She smiled as the curious little first years lapped up her every word. Then she shuffled the class into pairs of one Gryffindor and one Slytherin. As the class groaned, she continued in the actual Snape way,
"Another thing that i shall have you know is that only practical merit and sheer sense will work here. I'll have you all get along, no matter your houses or status. Prejudice is for weak minds. And I will not tolerate any nonsense in this regard. Am I clear?"
The students looked at her silently, a little scared, "Am. I. Clear?"
"Yes, Professor," the class responded.
And so she smoothed back a smile on her face and instructed the class to make a simple potion to cure boils.
"Alright, that's it for today's class. Now I may not be personally teaching you regularly but I am here for anyone if they want to discuss anything, personal or study related. And I'll repeat myself, work with sense alone and you shall have no problems in this class. Class dismissed."
As the students left, Slughorn approached her, "Well, Ms Evergarden, you did a great job today. I believe that you can even handle the higher classes. How do you feel about handling fourth year students and above?"
"Ah I'm comfortable with the whole curriculum for all years. Though since I have not taught before, I may not be the best for seventh years."
"Ah, not to worry, not to worry, you will mainly just be taking doubts from the students, not the class itself. Though Dumbledore did inform me that you can handle most of the subjects, I'm glad I'll get your help in making potions for the Hospital Wing." He said looking pleased.
"Ah, besides that you may be asked by the other professors to substitute for them every now and then."
"Yes, Horace. Oh by the way, can you recommend any students who can assist me in my own side project. I need them to be really talented."
"Ah, yes well I believe I have just the student that you are looking for. I'll introduce him to you soon. Now be off, you need to prepare that list of potions for the Hospital Wing in a month."
She picked up the list he had placed on the table, quickly looking them over. Pretty standard, she thought. She nodded and left to the teacher's potion lab to begin brewing.
-0-0-0-
She lost herself to brewing the potions and realized it was already evening. Pleased, she realized this was the longest she had gone in a long time without her mind torturing her.
This potion is just about finished too, she thought to herself as she left the left the potion to simmer.
Just then she heard a knock on the enter making her jump. She cleared her throat and said, "Enter."
"Hello, Professor," Snape said quietly, his voice yet to gain the baritone quality, "Professor Slughorn said I should meet you here for some project."
She had to face away from him to hide her reaction. Her eyes had shut and she once again could feel the strange reverberation along her spine, though not at the same magnitude.
She took a breath hoping to settle the tension, plastered a smile and turned to look at the younger, oblivious Severus Snape. His face had the youthful quality, fine white cheeks, red lips, perfect nose, an innocence about him perhaps because of the arrogance that surrounded him.
"Ah yes, I asked him to recommend someone to me who is particularly gifted with potions. You are?"
"I am Severus Snape, fifth year, Slytherin," he replied.
"Yes, yes, age and house are of no relevance. Let's see. Mr Snape, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
"The draught of living death," he said instantly.
She smiled. Still just as quick, she remarked silently. "Sit. What are your opinions about magical creatures? Like say veelas, werewolves?"
His eyes narrowed in a shrewd manner. He was probably considering how honest he should be.
"Veelas influence everyone in their vicinity whether they want to or not. I think they should live separately in their own society. I don't think anyone wants to be manipulated into anything, even small. As for werewolves, they are feral creatures who can infect others and even kill them. They should be closely kept a track of and monitored."
"But don't you think that being kept track of will lead to all sorts of discrimination and impede on their rights as well, since they are just humans for the rest of the month?"
"They are violent werewolves, Professor, not human beings. If we don't monitor them, they will infect others."
She had to remind herself that he was just a boy. She took a moment.
"There is... prejudice, intolerance and rigidity in all parts of society, even in our daily lives. That prejudice incapacitates us to think properly, to build a more inclusive structure. All it can do is subjugate another. It makes us compromise with our ideals, making us think that that's the only solution. When all you are doing is settling this one and creating just another problem. I don't see brilliance or even sense in that, I just see short sightedness."
She looked up to see him staring at her, emotionlessly and with a hint of impatience.
"Prejudice is for weak minds, Severus. It's limiting. Anyway, ah.. maybe I will ask you for your help when you grow up a little. That will be all, thank you for your time."
She said, giving him a small smile and getting back to the simmering potion which had gained the correct color making it's completion. Perfect. She emptied the contents into a vial and went to store it in the cupboards.
Snape was still sitting where she had left him. She looked at him expectantly. He didn't say anything.
"Speak frankly," she said.
He stared at her as if sizing her up.
"Fact is that prejudice does exist and even if there is one of that so-called brilliant mind that can think above it, it will only be suppressed in the society we live in. Talking and preaching doesn't serve anything."
She felt a genuine smile tug at my face, "doesn't mean one stops aspiring to be brilliant. I am not talking right and wrong here, I don't believe in black and white anymore. I got the lesson the hard way, I hope you don't. There are only things that work and things that don't; and their consequences."
"...What is this project you are working on?"
Might as well. "Wolfsbane, a potion that allows the werewolf to keep it's mental faculties during the full moon night."
He looked thunderstruck, she thought. Her inner know-it-all awakening at this most orgasmic experience, thinking the vulgar word most apt for this once in a lifetime happening. She wanted to laugh gleefully.
"Very few people are privy to what I have been working on. I am taking a risk by telling you about it so I hope you will be competent enough to keep quiet about it, Mr Snape." I ignored his insulted expression and continued, "We will continue this conversation another time. I am absolutely famished, if you could please excuse me."
He slowly shuffled out of the door and I walked off briskly leaving him...well, mute.