Previously…
"Oh, but Severus would make such a tragic hero," Pomona Sprout appeared out of the mist, a broad grin on her face, obviously having heard the tale end of the conversation. The two women exchanged mischievous looks. "Obviously, he's only so mean to the children because his one true love betrayed him, leaving him destitute at the altar…he has since dedicated his life to teaching children, bent on helping others' offspring in lieu of his own desired, but regretfully impossible children. He can't help his bad temper; he must suffer through life thinking of his lost lover, able only to dream of a better life than his own." The middle-aged witch sighed dramatically, a dreamy expression on her face, then looked to said tragic hero to see his reaction.
"How in Merlin's name did you come up with such twaddle," the Potions Master demanded in disgust, his face puckered into an expression of distaste.
"Oh, I didn't come up with it, Severus," Pomona told him cheerily.
"Do you mean to say that you've never overheard the sixth and seventh year girls talking about you?" Brethany was honestly surprised, but equally delighted. "There is an entire clique of girls that devotes nearly all their gossip to you…they'll talk for hours-"
"During classes, even," the Herbology teacher chimed in.
"-All about you: who you took points from, and why; whether your lover was from Gryffindor and whether that's why you dislike Gryffindors so much; what your personal quarters look like; whether you're a boxers or briefs kind of man; how you-" Brethany cut herself off when her target stomped off, his face screwed up in horrified anger. "Do you think he believed all that?"
"Undoubtedly." The other woman looked satisfied. "I'm not certain whether we just pricked his pride or inflated it, but either way, it was quite enjoyable." Brethany snorted her amusement, then both women laughed.
And Now…Still At the Party…
"Brethany, I've been hearing rumors about you and young Mr. Potter…" the younger woman raised an eyebrow in question, and Pomona frowned. "Some of the students are saying that you've been spending altogether too much time together, and your public conversations are…overly familiar."
Brethany frowned deeply. "Of course we are overly familiar with each other, Pomona. I thought you knew that Harry Potter is learning Occlumency from me? That kind of student-teacher relationship always deteriorates to a significantly closer relationship, in spite of any efforts either might put forth. Even the Ministry recognizes the bond between student and teacher in such circumstances. Legally, I could apply for guardianship of Harry Potter and be given it with very few questions asked."
"Hm. No, I didn't know you were teaching him Occlumency." Sprout frowned. "Merlin-be-damned Albus plays everything close to his vest, always has. The staff should have been informed of that as soon as it was decided, as certain duties of guardianship do fall to you. We would have to consult you when any significant issue arises regarding his performance or conduct, since his relatives are muggles."
"Yes." The DADA teacher's voice was decidedly sour. "His relatives are…indescribable. I had…words…with Albus over them. No child should have been placed with anyone in such a manner." She grimaced. "But this is neither the time nor the place for this discussion, and I'm missing out on many of the costumes. Besides, I think Albus is going to make his speech soon." Both women looked to the Head Table, visible above the mist, where Dumbledore was dressed as a canary in bright gold robes and head-dress. "I should kill him for wearing that," Brethany spoke casually. "Unfortunately, I can't get close to him without trying to gouge my own eyes out." Pomona giggled, well used to complaints about the Headmaster's (absent) sense of fashion.
"Ladies and gentlemen…" the speech began, and the two teachers began moving towards their seats. By the time the blessedly short oration was finished, Brethany had seated herself comfortably between Severus Snape and Poppy Pomfrey, who was amazingly without any patients for the evening. Once the hubbub of the feast was begun, she settled herself down to truly enjoy her evening.
Per her request to the house elves, Brethany's entire dinner consisted of a goblet of viscous, dark crimson liquid that stained her mouth rather nicely. Several of the staff took notice and watched avidly as she drank daintily from the goblet, her red eyes flashing with amusement. Brethany was well aware of the eyes following her every movement, and flashed a predatory grin at the watching students. When several squeaks of terror floated up to the table, she couldn't help throwing her head back and cackling evilly.
"Must you try so hard to terrify your students," Poppy asked in amusement, shaking her head when one particular Hufflepuff collapsed into hysterics, kept upright only by dint of her housemates' helping hands. "I don't fancy having a dozen hysterical students in my ward, all suffering from shot nerves."
"It's good for them," the DADA teacher declared. "They've gotten too used to me, and forgotten that nearly every DADA teacher they've had has tried to kill someone. Harry, Mr. Potter hasn't forgotten; the only reason he doesn't pull his wand on me when I startle him is because he can sense my presence, and because I have proven myself to him quite thoroughly."
"Mr. Potter is usually the direct target of those murder attempts," Snape spoke up. "As little as I truly believe his competence, the brat does have strong survival instincts, simply by necessity." There were several snorts of amusement from the other teachers. Harry Potter was a common topic, and all present knew Snape's views on the boy.
Brethany sipped her drink again, delighting in showing her fangs to watching students. "Just wait, Professor Snape; I do believe you'll be surprised by Mr. Potter's performance tomorrow evening." At the others' enquiring glances, she explained, "Harry gets his Occlumency shields tested tomorrow. It will be his first time going against a natural Occlumens." There were several murmurs of dread, mostly involving the likelihood of either Snape or Harry being hexed to death.
"If either you or that boy end up in the hospital wing because you couldn't keep your tempers," the school nurse threatened, "I will hex you both to death myself. Brethany, if you can't keep them from killing each other, I hold you responsible as the only sane adult in the situation." Said sane adult struggled not to laugh.
"Poppy, I assure you, Harry won't attack Professor Snape. First of all, I'm taking both their wands before the process is begun. Second of all, Harry will be Occluding so hard all day tomorrow that he won't have any energy left with which to hex anyone, much less a teacher." Brethany took another sip of her drink and flashed her dripping fangs at the nurse. "Besides, there was no problem last time Snape checked his shields."
"Last time I was merely checking to see that they were actually in existence and correctly formed." Snape sneered. "This time, I will be seeing whether they are fit to hold against an attack. Rather, I will be proving that the brat cannot follow directions to save his own skin."
"Ten galleons says that his shields not only hold, but force you out," Brethany challenged, lifting her chin in defiance.
"I'll take that bet," several voices spoke up from around the table. "I put my gold on Potter," several others of the staff answered in kind. Brethany grinned as the pot was settled upon, and all bets recorded by a smirking Madam Pince, librarian and staff bookie. The DADA teacher had discovered the existence of the staff betting pool soon after arriving, and had been duly amused at the fact that anything and everything was bet on by the group of teachers. Hooch, the flying instructor, was the only one on staff who consistently won the pot, and was notorious for collecting the most money. Brethany was gratified to see that the sharp-eyed woman had bet on Harry.
"Now that that's out of the way," Brethany murmured, "Poppy would you mind greatly if I leered over your neck for a few minutes? The Slytherins are watching me, and I feel like giving them a show." Several chuckles were stifled.
"Leer away," Poppy huffed. "Although why you can't drool over Severus' throat, I don't know." Brethany congratulated herself on keeping a straight face.
"Because he's dressed as Dracula. It's not much good drooling over another vampire's throat; no fresh blood." The young woman let her face hover closer to the other woman's neck. "I like your costume, by the way, Poppy. It's very original." Said 'original' costume was that of a muggle nurse; the little cap on the older woman's head was cocked at a hilarious angle, and the red cross on it was decidedly cheeky with little drops of blood dripping from the four ends. Brethany allowed an expression of hunger to slip onto her face as she dropped her chin to rest on the nurse's shoulder. "Just a bite, Poppy? Please?"
"If you're going to put on a show, I suggest you do so quickly." Brethany glanced up in surprise; she had been joking. The nurse glared down at her. "You're a marvelous actress, Brethany; I'm certain you can make it look good without me needing to hex you." Brethany raised an eyebrow, but got the message. Without further ado, she gently bit down on the offered throat.
"Merlin!"
"Oh, crap!"
"What is she-"
"What in Merlin's name-"
Brethany struggled not to laugh. "You'd better make it look good, Poppy, or they won't believe it," she muttered against the neck. The older woman instantly relaxed in her seat, her head lolling back quite convincingly. "Oh, well done." Brethany kept her mouth there for a few moments longer, then pulled back, licking her fangs gleefully. "You can sit up now, Poppy," she murmured quietly. The other woman straightened back up slowly, seeming almost lethargic in her movements. "Beautifully done, by the way."
Poppy smiled beatifically at the younger woman, her eyes dancing merrily. "I have to find my fun somewhere, dear." She shook her head gently, as though to clear her mind of a fog. "I've never seen a person who has just been bitten by a vampire, so I'm rather unsure how to act…"
"You're doing fine," the Potions Master on Brethany's other side murmured quietly, watching the students' reactions. "Angle your head slightly so Ms. Lewis can caress her 'bite'." Both women cast him small glances of surprise, but obeyed. Brethany trailed two fingers over the other woman's throat, then grinned and stood, intent on having more fun.
"I'm going to wander around the tables," she announced to the general public. "Time to spread fear and chaos, I do believe." The young woman cast a mischievous glance towards the man next to her. "Would you care to join me, Count? I'm sure we could find you a few choice mortal morsels to sate yourself on…" her fangs gleamed eerily in a sudden flash of lightning.
"Do have fun, dear," Poppy waved her off, a smile of amusement playing about her face. "Remember what I said about a ward full of hysterical children." Brethany raised her eyebrows in a mockingly innocent expression. "I don't want it," the school nurse clarified dryly. "If I end up with dozens of students who can't sleep for nightmares, I'm dragging you out of your bed to dose them all."
"No lullabies?" the other woman asked in mock horror.
"I don't coddle my patients." Several incredulous snorts echoed down the table.
"I'll remind you of that, next time I find myself in the hospital wing," Snape spoke sardonically. "As for the other, I believe that I will join you, Ms. Lewis. Someone needs to keep you from trouble." Brethany cast him an incredulous glance. "Or perhaps to keep trouble from you," the man corrected himself dryly.
"That sounds infinitely more likely," Brethany huffed. "As though I actually go looking for trouble! What absolute rot!" But there was laughter in her voice and eyes, and all the other teachers knew that she was teasing Snape. The whole table watched as the two stalked off, both intent on enjoying their unusual hobby of terrifying children. Several of the staff shared pleased looks at the evident closeness of the two 'vampires'.
The two were often found teasing each other, and the needling was growing less and less barbed and more and more outrageous as they grew to know each other. It was unusual for the DADA teacher and Potions Master to actually fight, though they argued constantly. Unbeknownst to the two involved, the rest of the staff had high stakes in the most entertaining betting pool that year, a bet that revolved around Brethany and Severus' relationship. The majority of the teaching staff believed that the two would never have a romantic relationship, but a few of them, along with Poppy, Dumbledore, and Pince, had over fifty galleons apiece placed on the likelihood of a romance springing up. At the end of the school year, whoever won the pot would be able to take a very nice vacation indeed.
Word Count: 1888