Severus Snape

Severus had to suppress his annoyance at the Weasley sitting in front of him. He had only had the boy in class a few times and he was already showing that he was going to be a source of constant headaches for the next few years. Not that the boy had really done anything himself. If Severus were to be fair, he would admit that the boy was probably the best student in the year, but he could sense the lack of caring emanating from the boy. No, the main source of issue with the boy was in everybody's reaction to him.

If he didn't know any better he would assume someone had cursed the boy with how easily he attracted the ire of his peers. Within Slytherin, only the Nott heir seemed interested in giving him the time of day. Draco had been leading a counter Weasley offensive to anybody who could tolerate his godson.

And the reactions of every Gryffindor were just one step short of hilarious. The way they gave him betrayed glances when they thought no one was watching made Severus want to burst out laughing. The only thing that held his tongue were the severe looks that Albus kept giving the boy.

Albus must know something about the boy, but he had been frustratingly withdrawn with information about him. Albus kept insisting that there was absolutely nothing interesting about the boy, but Severus could see the weighty glances Albus kept giving the boy.

All of the other professors had worked themselves into a frenzy over the boy as well. They were convinced in the fact that he was a prodigy, but Severus thought that he could see the boy clearer than any of the other staff.

He did not have that same spark for learning that he could recognize in other children that would grow up to be declared 'geniuses'. It was something that Severus was begrudgingly forcing himself to accept that he saw in the Granger girl, no matter how annoying and uptight the girl behaved in every lesson. But Severus could see that this boy truly held no care for learning. It seemed as if the boy was going through the motions for appearances sake, but nothing seemed to excite the boy behind the glossed expression he carried throughout the day.

Something was irked deep in Severus by the boy's unflappableness. He would have assumed that the boy's home life was of concern, if not for the examples of all the other Weasleys he had taught that disproved the notion. No, there was something different about this child in particular and Severus would not stop until he knew what it was.

"Mr. Weasley," Severus said in a low drawl. The boy looked at him with glazed eyes, the effect of Severus's menacing demeanor seemed ineffectual on the boy.

"Yes, professor."
"I have noticed that you have not been challenged by a single thing that any of the teachers have asked of you."

The boy didn't make any movement to deny it. "It's all just first year stuff. It's not hard."

Severus's eye twitched.

"I see that it will take something else to motivate you to give time to the spirit of learning," Severus said. He rose to his feet and towered over the boy. "It seems obvious to me that if I let you have a normal education for the duration of your time at this school, that you will be all too content to watch yourself fade into mediocrity. Unfortunately for you, I'm not in the mood to watch this happen. I am planning on giving you individual training."

The boy's eyebrows rose to his hairline.

Severus thought that he was being foolish for giving such an offer in the first place. The irksome itch in his brain told him that he had to do this, however. He couldn't quite place why it was bothering him so, but there was something different about this boy. Severus had to take action with the boy and find out what his secret was. If he didn't he thought disaster might await them all.

Which was an altogether ridiculous concept. The boy was 11, a Weasley, and seemed almost entirely unconcerned with the world around him. But when he thought of leaving the boy to his devices his blood sang in defiance.

He would find out what was wrong with this boy.