After they made it to the school gates, they practically flew to Snape's chambers, where they quick-changed into the robes for the banquet. Snape wore his normal black teaching robes, while Bethany's were a dark blue, and fitted in a way that made her hourglass figure very alluring. Snape had to force himself not to stare.
They made it to the faculty table just in time, as only moments later, the first years were brought in, and the sorting ceremony began. About half an hour later, Snape had about thirty more Slytherins under his wing, and Hufflepuff had about twenty newcomers. Fifteen went to Revenclaw, and Twenty-three Gryffindors were introduced. Professor McGonagall stepped up to the golden owl podium, and started giving her speech.
"Hello, and welcome to Hogwarts! I am the Headmistress, but you may call me Professor McGonagall. This school has gone through many changes through the last few years, but now we have once again peace in this place. As this is the beginning of a new term, I'd like to introduce our heads of house. Professor Sprout, teacher of Herbology, is the head of Hufflepuff." she gestured to the small, stout woman, who stood and gave a small wave. "Professor Flitwick of Charms is head of Ravenclaw."
The poor man had to stand on his chair to be seen, for he was so small.
"And Professor Snape, of Defense Against the Dark Arts, is head of the Slytherin House." Severus stood and gave a nod. He couldn't seem too pleased with how smoothly McGonagall had filled Dumbledor's roll as Headmaster. She was much better than he was at it. She continued on as he sat.
"As I am now Headmistress, I cannot be head of Gryffindor House any longer, so I have a new Transfiguration teacher, who will also teach Muggle Studies. She will be the new head of Gryffindor."
'No.' thought Severus. 'Oh, no, no, No, NO!'
"I would like to introduce Professor Timble."
Bethany stood, and Gryffindor tables erupted in loud applause, as did the other housed, though quite a bit more quietly. Severus turned a shade of white quite unlike him. She hadn't shared THIS little nugget of information with him.
Meanwhile, a certain Gryffindor admired his new favorite professor. Seamus leaned over to Dean Thomas and murmured, "we HAVE to see her."
Dean nodded in agreement.
"I must remind all of you not to enter the Forbidden Forest, and to stay out of other student dormitories! And it is fine to polish your wand in the common room, but it NOT fine to 'polish your wand' in the common rooms!" Professor McGonagall got a laugh from this, and she finished her speech. "Now, please enjoy the beginning of term feast!"
Food appeared on the tables, and Bethany glanced down to see her goblet filled with a red liquid. Upon tasting it, she found it to be elf-made wine. Her sweet tooth took over, and she drank half the goblet before Hagrid, who was sitting next to her, noticed.
"Woah!" he warned. "Don' go o'erboard wi' that. It can come back to bite yeh."
She nodded and put the goblet down like a child following a parent's orders. Then she looked down the table. "What's wrong with Severus?"
Severus. They were on first name basis, then? "Oh, ah, well, yeh see, he's just a bit grumpy. Probably because you're the head of the house that always rivals Slytherin."
"Hm. Guess I'll be having a talk with him tonight then, eh?" she arched a brow at Snape's grouchiness.
After they ate, Bethany felt almost ill. Hagrid was right to tell her to take it easy on the wine. She made sure the head boy and girl of Gryffindor were leading the rest of them up to their common room, and that they knew the password was 'pickles.' Somewhere along the way, she lost track of Severus, but she figured she would run in to him in, if not along the way to, his chambers.
Behind her, a Seamus Finnigan trailed awkwardly behind her. When she entered Snape's chambers, a soft gasp was heard, and he ran back to report his findings.
When Bethany came into the chambers, she found Severus reading while soft music played in the background from the Wizard Wireless Radio. He looked up from his book.
"Why, hello. It's so nice to see the head of Gryffindor." he sneered.
"Hello, Severus. Yes, I suppose it is rather nice, especially when I hadn't expected the job in the first place." she cooly returned, and seated herself next to him. He put the book down. "Severus, don't let a silly house rivalry get in the way of our relationship."
"What relationship? We've never established anything but feelings for one another." he felt like a child the moment his sulky words left his mouth.
"Well, I was hoping that you would be kind enough to recognize me as someone like a lover," she glowered. "But now I see that friendship is all you have to offer, if even that!"
She marched to her room, and he glared at the doors of her chamber, which she had slammed behind her. For a few hours, he glared, and when she didn't emerge to apologize, he admitted to himself that he was being stupidly ignorant. This woman loved him, and he was being a child!
He stood from the armchair he had sat himself in, and changed into his nightclothes. He decided the last thing he would do was ask for forgiveness. Severus opened the doors to her room to find it dark. The stripe of light fell across Bethany's sleeping form splayed out on the bed instead of in the covers. Severus gently tucked her into the warm covers, only to find her shaking and twitching.
"No..." she whimpered, and his heart seemed to stop. "Don't hurt my family... don't hurt Severus."
He climbed onto the bed, and he hugged her shivering body to his. She seemed to relax immediately. A satisfying smile crossed his lips just before Severus succumbed to slumber.