Previously…
"I am given to understand that you are partially responsible for Potter showing up in my office earlier today." Brethany froze. Oh, dear…
"Yes, I am," she replied uncertainly. "I merely gave him the boost that he needed. I'm sure that he would have done it on his own in time." Snape scoffed in disbelief, and Brethany had to laugh. "All right, he probably wouldn't have, but I really only gave him a little encouragement. I didn't force him to go to you in any way, and whatever Mr. Potter said to you was from him alone. I merely provided the opportunity; he was the one who took hold of it." The room was silent for a long moment as Brethany waited for a response. Finally, Snape simply grunted and swept out into the hall. Brethany sighed, but could not help grinning. Snape would be Snape…
And Now…
Two Weeks later:
Brethany was at the end of her rope. All day, students had been restless in her class, seemingly ignoring the lecture to stare at her in curiosity and horror. Two classes had passed in this manner, with only a few of the students rousing themselves enough from their examination of her features to answer any questions on the subject, currently being dementors. The third period fifth-year Slytherin and Ravenclaw class sat in silent interest as they followed her every movement with uneasy eyes as she paced back and forth across the room, explaining what was known about dementors.
A smack echoed through the room, causing the fifth-years to jump in alarm. Brethany stood next her desk, the pile of notes on the desk where she had dropped them. "Alright, you lot, this isn't funny any longer." She watched in annoyance as backs straightened, throats were cleared, and faces blanked. "What is going on? You all are the third class today to not pay attention and stare at me." She watched them shift uncomfortably behind their desks. "What, do I have dirt on my face," she asked wryly, noting that the Slytherins were just as obviously nervous as the Ravenclaws were. That was bad…
"So, no one wants to tell me what's going on? Miss Craffen?" The Slytherin girl flushed slightly, but shook her head. "Mr. Patterson?" The skinny Ravenclaw shrunk beneath her casual glare, shrugging helplessly. "Hmm. No one? No one would care to share what you all find so interesting about me?" The entire room was silent, then a dreamy voice spoke up from the back of the room.
"They believe you to be of Vampiric descent, Professor Lewis." Brethany's head jerked in the direction of the slender girl who had spoken.
"Miss Lovegood?" The girl looked up, her smoky gray eyes gazing at Brethany in dazed interest.
"Everyone believes that you have vampire blood. That's impossible, of course, because you have a great deal of Snorkack characteristics, and they don't interbreed with vampires." This was said in such perfect seriousness that Brethany almost laughed. It was typical of the girl, Luna Lovegood, to be so dreamy about mythical creatures.
"Thank you for being so forthcoming, Miss Lovegood," the Defense teacher spoke seriously, giving the Ravenclaw girl a small smile. "I'm afraid that I don't have any relatives in the Snorkack family, although my brothers and I do bear many similarities to them. As to having Vampiric blood, well, I never meant for anyone here to discover that." A murmur swept over the classroom, several of the students paling at the evident affirmation of their fears. Brethany contained her amusement as she gazed coolly over the class. "May I ask who divulged that particular fact to the entire school?" She watched as they exchanged nervous glances. "Such rumors should not be shared so carelessly," the words practically purred over her tongue, and her predatory gaze caused many students to tremble.
"Perhaps now that I understand what is going on, I can demand your attention? Does anyone here know what happens during detentions with me?" They shook their heads in ignorance, and the young woman smirked. "Well, I would suggest that you all pay attention, or you will find out personally. I'm sure that you all know what vampires consume for nourishment…" The unspoken words hung in the air, and the majority of the students straightened up in their seats with exaggerated expressions of attentiveness. Seeing that she needed not continue, Brethany turned and picked her notes back up. "Now, dementors, while somewhat similar to…"
The class continued in complete silence, those being called upon to answer doing so dutifully and in obvious fear for their necks. By the end of the class period, Brethany was caught between hilarity and sheer exasperation over the entire situation. Once she had dismissed the class, watching the rapidly retreating backs, she was left with the urge to both laugh and cry out of frustration. For a few minutes, she sat at her desk, head leaning on the stack of notes, until she finally gave a sigh and made to rise.
"I probably should not have done that," the young teacher murmured to herself. "Bad idea, no matter how much fun it was."
"No matter how much fun what was?" Brethany whirled around to see Harry in the doorway, watching her curiously.
"Oh, hey, Harry." She rolled her eyes. "Have you heard a rumor about me, something to do with vampires?"
The teenage boy snorted. "You mean the one where you're at least half vampire and have been seen flying through the halls in bat form at night? Or the one where you're half vampire, half veela and half human and you lure the male fifth through seventh years into your rooms at night to suck their blood and do who knows what other depraved acts in your bedchamber?" He laughed at her expression. "Actually, several of the boys in Gryffindor said that they wouldn't mind that second one too much." Brethany stared at him for a long moment, then buried her face in her hands as she tried to hold back her mortified giggles.
"That's awful!" she wailed in hysterical amusement, her shoulders shaking with laughter. "Who in the world came up with that?!"
Harry shrugged. "I would imagine that it was the collective imagination of most of the girls and half the blokes in this school by the time it actually went all the way around." He grinned. "Hermione says it's a load of bunk, but Ron is just a little bit wary at the moment. I think he might fancy you just a little." Brethany shut her eyes in horror.
"Merlin help me," she whispered, then grimaced. "I think I might have just helped the rumor." The teenage boy looked at her curiously. "One of the students finally told me what was going on in class just now." She paused. "I, ah, neither confirmed nor denied that I did, in fact, have vampire blood in me. I may have hinted at a little blood-sucking during detention, as well…"
Harry stared at her in silence for a moment, then burst out laughing. "So that's what the Slytherins were talking about just a moment ago! Some of them were muttering about Dark Creatures during detention." He shrugged. "I just assumed they were talking about detention with Hagrid in the Forbidden Forest."
Brethany frowned. "I would have thought that they wouldn't be quite so quick with the term 'Dark' after my classes."
"Yeah, well, they are Slytherins," Harry muttered, then grinned sheepishly under her sharp look.
"Two points from Gryffindor," Brethany said quietly. "I had thought you would know better than to say anything discriminating about another house, Harry. That is one of my rules, I think you will remember." The teenage boy nodded, his eyes downcast. "Now then, how would you feel about a small prank on the school?" His face came up, filled with interest as he watched her transfigure a quill into a small bandage. Brethany grinned. "Come on, undo the top part of your shirt so I can get to your neck. We want to be able to see the bandage clearly." Harry watched in good-humored silence as his teacher placed the bandage over the point where his pulse beat and sealed it there with a tap of her wand. "There. Maybe just a little bit of red seeping through, perhaps…" she muttered as she made the appropriate changes. "So Harry, how good of an actor are you?"
Ten minutes later, the buzz of gossip in the Great Hall died down slightly as Harry and Brethany appeared in the doorway. The teenager's face was glazed slightly, and he had a goofy smile as he gazed up at the DADA teacher. Brethany on her part wore a satisfied smirk as she patted the boy on the shoulder. "Go on, Mr. Potter, I'm sure you're quite famished after that little…incident. We wouldn't want your blood to lose its…strength. That could be very bad for your health."
"Yes, Professor," Harry smiled at her dreamily. "Won't you eat something as well?"
Brethany smiled widely, flashing teeth that seemed slightly pointier than normal to the entire hall. "Oh, that's quite alright, Mr. Potter. I've a full belly after our little…snack." She casually wiped a small smear of scarlet from the corner of her mouth. "I will remain here in the Great Hall, though, should you require any reassurance of my well being." Harry flashed her another adoring smile. "Be off with you, my boy." She pushed him away gently, taking care that everyone saw her hand revealing the bandage on the teenager's neck. "Feed well," she purred, flashing her teeth again, her eyes sparkling gleefully into her partner-in-prank's receiving gaze.
The entire hall went silent as Harry stumbled slightly to his seat, a drunken smile on his face. All eyes followed Brethany as she walked demurely up to the staff's table and seated herself between Snape and McGonagall. For a long moment, no one dared to make a sound, then a gasp rose from the Gryffindor table when they caught sight of the traces of blood on Harry's bandage. Brethany hid her face slightly behind her hair, struggling to contain her amusement. Really, it was too easy.
"Brethany," Minerva asked quietly, "Why does Harry have a bandage on his neck?"
The DADA teacher smiled vaguely, revealing her pointy teeth once again. "Oh, there was a small…accident in my classroom a while ago. Nothing serious. I ensured that Mr. Potter did not bleed…overly much." All the teachers eyed her warily. "Is there something on my face?" she asked innocently.
"Actually, yes," Snape drawled, his eyes glittering in suspicion. "There is a drop of something red by your mouth."
"Oh," Brethany spoke distantly, reaching up to her mouth. A small smear of red came off onto her finger; she surveyed it with fascination for a moment before sucking it off her finger with every sign of enjoyment. "Thank you, Severus." She flashed her fangs at him again and leaned back comfortably in her chair.
"Oh my," Flitwick squeaked, then fell off his chair. The Headmaster smiled serenely and turned back to his food, leaving the rest of the teachers to stare at the young woman.
"Brethany…" Minerva paused, a strange expression on her face. "Why do you have fangs? And what in Merlin's name is wrong with Mr. Potter?!"
It was too much; Brethany couldn't help herself. Shoulders shaking with silent laughter, the young woman bowed her head so that the students could not see the tears of mirth streaming down her face. "Oh! You should have seen your faces!" She chuckled at their expressions, trying to dampen her own amusement. "I couldn't help myself, you see. All my students today have been completely distracted by a rumor that has been floating around about me."
"The rumor about you being of Vampiric descent, I assume?" Snape asked dryly, his expression bland. Brethany grinned at him and nodded.
"When I discovered this from my fifth-year Slytherin and Ravenclaw class, I have to admit that I may have perpetuated the rumor." Her eyes twinkled. "Harry and I decided to have a little fun at lunch, which is why he is amusing himself by acting slightly intoxicated, and I am amusing myself by horrifying my colleagues." She grinned. "Aren't my fangs lovely?" Minerva struggled to hold her expression of disapproval firm. "I'll let the rumors continue strong for another few days, and then I'll teach them how to tell if a person is a vampire or not. Albus," the DADA teacher turned to the Headmaster, "Would you allow me to bring in a vampire for that class? Or at the very least, a dhampyr?"
"Albus! You wouldn't let her bring such a creature into a school!" Minerva was horrified. Brethany frowned in surprise.
"How are they to learn if they don't know what they are looking for?" she asked rhetorically. "And it's not such a danger as you seem to think, Minerva. There are several colonies of vampires in Scotland, alone, two of which are within a couple hundred miles of here." This didn't seem to make any of the teachers feel any better. "Have none of you ever met a vampire?" she asked curiously, and was slightly surprised to see that this was true of almost all of them.
"I have, of course," Snape sneered slightly, "As has the Headmaster. The normal witch or wizard, however, is far more likely to avoid the vampire colonies out of fear and ignorance. The vampires here are much more civilized than those on the Continent, which are well-known for their violence and blood-lust." Brethany frowned.
"So, all the students here are of the belief that vampires are bloodthirsty, dark creatures that will rip your heart out sooner than look at you?" she asked wryly, suddenly understanding the extreme reactions of the students. "Hmm." She grinned suddenly. "Well, this should make my next class quite interesting, don't you agree?"
"Brethany, you wouldn't," Poppy scolded, then took a closer at the young teacher's face. "Oh, dear," she sighed, "Yes, you would." The school nurse sighed again. "Do try not to cause mass hysteria, dear. I have only so much calming potion in storage, and it takes several hours to brew." Snape sneered.
"And I will not take time out of my day to brew more just for a lot of overwrought, ignorant dunderheads."
Brethany couldn't help herself; she laughed, loud and long, attracting the attention of the students from Harry. "Professor Snape, I can't imagine that you have much time in which you could to do much for the 'dunderheads', apart from your head of house duties, Potions Master duties, and Potions professor duties." There was immediately a long moment of silence, as the other teachers watched to see what Snape's reaction would be. Brethany was half aware of the fact that she seemed to have said something wrong.
"As you say," Snape nodded in bland agreement, his eyes glittering. "My days are full indeed here. I find a great deal to keep me busy." With that, the Potions Professor turned back to his own plate. Brethany stared at him for a moment with concerned curiosity, then quietly finished her own meal with a small frown.
Word Count: 2396