Authors Notes: First of all to Mr. Darcy: Yes, of course I meant "prologue". Forgive me, but I tend to think in musical terms.
Secondly, I am so /unbelieveably/ sorry for the delayed update! Please, please forgive me and I promise you that the story will be concluded by the end of the year. RL has taken up a great deal of my time, and even though I have the entire tale scetched out and drafted, I still have blanks to fill in and I have been so uninspired for so long now. Glad to say that has changed and I am actually writing again. So I am uploading this, then I will start to fix the "Sarah & Sirius" chapter, since many seemed confused by that, and I will upload the prologue as soon as I tweak it a bit more, so that I am satisfied with it.
so, here you go, finally:
Chapter fourteen: Second semester
Sarah knocked on Dumbledores door. « come in» he called from inside his office. « I brought you a copy of the lesson plans and schedule for muggle studies», she said as she came into the room.
She noticed Snape, standing with his back to the window, looking rather angry. Sarah gave him a faint smile before she turned to Dumbledore again, « I'm sorry Albus, I didnt mean to disturb»
« Oh you are not disturbing, I am only trying to persuade Severus to give remedial potions to his weakest students. There were too many that failed their potions O.W.L. last term» Dumbledore said with a smile. « If I have told you once, I have told you a milion times. I do not offer remedial potions. If they cant cope with what I so desperately try to teach them, it is not my problem!», Snape said angrily and slammed his hand on the windowsill. « in any case, I am too busy. With the regular lessons, and Sarahs, supervising the Dueling Club and all the detentions, I simply do not have the time».
« You know Severus, you are not required to hand out that many detentions...», Dumbledore said with glittering eyes and a smile. Snape almost squeaked in offence and shot him a poisonous glare. Sarah focused her eyes on a door high up above their heads and bit her lip to not start laughing.
Then Dumbledore looked from Snape to Sarah, and an idea was quickly forming in his mind.
« All right, so you refuse to give remedial potions, but what if Sarah does it?» He looked at Sarah, waiting for an answer. « me...? but I couldnt possibly...», Sarah stuttered before Snape said, « that sounds good to me. We'll have to compare schedules to see when we can fit it in to both yours and mine».
Sarah could do nothing but stare at him, « but surely, I cant be teaching potions, remedial or otherwise. I mean its different with muggle studies, I spent 26 years as a muggle, but potions... thats just too-» Dumbledore cut her off this time, « Nonsense. You would only be teaching the fifth years, so it would not be anything you do not already know, and exceptionally well too, judging from your grade and what Severus keeps telling me. If you dont have any other objections than that, I think you will do an excellent job». Sarah looked at Snape. « do you really think I can do this?»
Snape gave her a single nod.
«Alright then, I guess I can at least try...», Sarah said hesitantly. Dumbledore beamed at her. «It's settled then! You and Severus can work out between yourselves when it suits you best. Just give me a heads up before the start of term».
Sarah and Snape left the headmasters office together. « You know, I really think you'll make a good potions mistress», he said to her as they were walking down to lunch. Sarah laughed, « Potions mistress...isnt that the exaggeration of the year!»
«Does this mean I get to scare the magic out of the students?», she teased. « yes of course, that is mandatory, one of the perks of the job in fact». He winked at her and for a moment they were back to what it was like between them before all the events of the summer.
Upon entering the staff room, both of them froze in their track. « Sirius!» Sarah cried out. Sirius who was standing at the other end of the room, talking to Lupin, ran up to Sara, lifted her of the ground and spun her around. « Have I missed you!» he said to her, still holding her up in the air. Sarah glimpsed Snapes expression and told Sirius to put her down.
«How can you possibly have missed me? You've only been gone three days!»
Sarah pulled back from his hug. She was happy to see him, but having caught the look on Snapes face she was a bit annoyed that he was here. She had finally gotten back some of the old familiarity they had, and here Sirius was pushing him away from her again.
« well I figured that three days was more than enough time without you. There is still a week til the students return and I want to spend that with you», Sirius said not noticing that she wasnt exactly overjoyed to see him.
« thats great» she said trying not to sound too eager, but at the same time wanting Sirius to know that she was happy he was there.
After lunch she was dragged off to Hogsmeade. They didnt return to the castle until well into the night.
For three days she was dragged around almost against her will with an overly excited Sirius. She wanted to talk to Snape, she needed to talk to him. Not just because they had to make arrangements about the potionsclasses, but also because she wanted to see if there was some actual truth to what Lupin had told her. She had not yet had the chance though, for Sirius demanded her full attention and companionship the entire day and well into the night. Finally on thursday before the start of term, she woke up dead early, in between Sirius and Lupin.
She slid out of bed, got dressed as quietly as she could and went down to the dungeons. She had Snapes password and could have walked right in, but decided to knock. He opened the door, still groggy and half asleep.
« I'm sorry, I didnt mean to wake you, I thought you would be up by now», she said carefully. « It dosent matter», he said while rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, « I would have woken up soon anyway. What is it?».
« well I was thinking that we should probably set up the lesson plans. I've been meaning to come see you for three days, but I couldnt get away from S-. Well, I mean I finally got the chance now, and if you dont mind, I thought we could get started».
« well come in while I wash up and we can get this over with».
She had not been in his room since before London. Sabine came over to her as soon as she entered the room. « we have missed you»
«we?»
« oh yes, he has definitely missed you...» Sabine looked over at Snape. Loyalty to her master kept her from wanting to divulge too much about what the mood in that room had been like since Sarahs last visit.
Snape took some fresh robes with him and dissapeared into the bathroom. « shall I send for some tea and breakfast?» Sarah called after him. « Coffee!» he called back from behind the door.
Sarah did just that, and as she was waiting for Snape and for the breakfast to come. She found herself wondering what would happen if she just walked right into the shower and kissed him. She didnt of course. He came out of the shower and they sat down to have breakfast and to work out the schedule. Snape found that as long as he didnt think about the whole 'Black-thing', as he called it, he could actually relax and enjoy himself around her.
« alright how about this, you only have two early lessons in muggle studies on fridays. I can switch my own after- lunch double potions to tuesday, that way the classroom is free after lunch on fridays, until our little lesson at five. You can have your potions class then», he said after playing around with the puzzle that were their schedules for about half an hour.
Sarah didnt answer, but smiled dreamily.
« are you paying attention to this? What are you grinning about?»
She smiled even wider. « 'my potions class', I like the sound of that. If this goes well, I might just set my eyes on your job». She nudged his shoulder.
«Let's see if you can theach these airheads anything first». He gave her a smirk and returned the nudge.
« oh dont worry, I think most of the kids do lousy in potions because they are too preoccupied with not pissing you off to focus, you grouch. Just you wait till I tell them about the Professor Snape that I know. That'll make them relax. You'll see». She nudged him back again, and this time he caught her hand and didnt let go.
« and just exactly who is the professor Snape that you know?»
« well he is a man that likes to pretend that he is this terrifying snake, mostly because the mean part of him likes it when the students get unsure and dont even dare to look at him, but in real life he is a joker and he is also very sweet, more a fluffy little kitten, than a snake».
She made to pull her hand back, but he didnt let go. She raised an eyebrow at him and he gave her a little smirk.
« You cant tell them that! Years of carefully building up a reputation. Students telling their younger siblings that 'when you start at Hogwarts just dont cross Snape, or he might pickle you in one of his jars'. I am the legendary snake of the dungeons, you cant turn me into a bloody kitten», he said jokingly. She replied with a small stereotypical witches cackle.
« by the way, I forgot to thank you for that gift. That was fantastic! Its almost impossible to get anything from an icebreather, them being so damn rare and all, and even the tears. How on earth did you get her tears?» Snape exclaimed, possibly to draw their attenions away from the connection between them.
« I told you, I broke her heart. Easiest way to get a girls tears, dragon or human.» Sarah said, and pulled her hand out of his. Snape was quick to change the subject, « and just the fact that you even remembered me while... well thank you Sarah».
« How could I possibly ever forget about you?! I l-», she bit her tung, « so did you miss me?».
Snape looked at her, then looked away. He wanted to say 'yes, I nearly died without you. I couldnt eat or sleep or breathe. Dont you ever leave me again', but a small whispering yes was all he could muster.
With a careful smile, Sarah took his hand and entwined her fingers into his.
He turned to look at her again, and she looked him straight in the eyes. His deep black eyes, that always made her heart skip a dozen beats. « I missed you too, Severus».
That certain magical silence fell over the room. Snape squeezed her hand just a little and Sarah licked her lips. Both of them were wondering what would happen if they just kissed the other one, but at that exact moment there was a loud knock on the door that broke the spell. Both Sarah and Snape thought, « I'll kill whoevers behind that door!».
It was, of course, Sirius. « so this is where you are. I woke up and you werent there. Did you forget we are going to Diagon Alley today?»
Then he noticed they were holding hands. He had clearly interrupted something, and deep down he liked that.
« I had to come down to set up the remedial potions lesson plans. I cant just ignore my job and go running of with you, you know». « what? Why are you taking remedial potion? I thought you were excellent at that». She laughed. That finally broke the tension in the room, « I forgot to tell you! I'm not taking remedial potions, I'm teaching it!».
« That's fantastic! That this rate, you'll be a fully fledged professor in no time».
He came over and hugged her. Snape noticed she pulled away rather quickly, « trouble in paradise?» he thought to himself and almost smiled at the idea.
Sirius almost dragged Sarah with him out of the dungeons. They had planned to go spend the day in Diagon Alley. Not that they had any particular business there. It was more for fun, or as Sirius didnt want to admit to Sarah, he just wanted to be alone with her.
It was the second of september. Sarah was having breakfast in her offical seat at the stafftable, between Lupin and Burnett. Sirius had left on sunday, without a goodbye kiss this time. Sarah had not had the chance to talk to Snape since the morning in his room. She had decided that all of that would have to wait. Between muggles studies, potions and her own lessons, she had a more than full plate and if she wanted to finish her N.E. the following june, as planned, she needed focus.
Yesterday at the start of term feast, the four Ravenclaw girls she had prepared for her exams with came running to her to tell her that they all had got Outstandings on all of their exams. They were overjoyed to hear that Sarah too, had acheived the same results. Following breakfast there was the usual handing out the students schedules and signing up for classes. Sarah was delighted to find that more than twentyfive fifth years had signed up for remedial potions. A whole classroom of students that were hers. It was different than the muggle studies third year classes she taught. There she merely followed Professor Burnetts lesson plans, but this was her own class. Her domain, her setup.
She had no classes today, so she went to the staffroom, and started on the sixth year defence against the Dark Arts book.
Her schedule had changed since before the summer. She now had defense againts the dark arts on mondays, followed by herbology on tuesdays, charms, transfiguration and once again potions on fridays. She had classes to teach on wendesdays and fridays, friday being the busiest day of her week, with two double muggle studies before lunch, then three hours of remedial potions, then her own potions lessons. She had also set aside an hour a day to grade essays and assignments for Burnett. Luckily Snape would be handling essays and exams for her potions class, but she still had her days packed. She had after all in addition to all this, the studying she needed to do for the subjects she was studying on her own. Arithmancy and Astronomy. She had cut back out Ancient runes and History of magic to clear her shedule for Mcgonagalls special Human Transfigurations class. That was a two-part class only offered to the seventh-years. The first semester was dedicated the Animagus-study, and the second to transfiguring other humans.
She would also be learning to apparate after the new year, something she hadnt been allowed by Dumbledore to sign up for last semester, because he feared her magical knowledge just wasnt enough yet. To top it all off, she was still having lunches with Trelawney to learn the true art of divination.
She had not really had time to think about what she wanted to do after 'graduation', but had noticed that throughout the staff, there was an assumtion that she would stay as Hogwarts to teach,
During the first week, Sarah was starting to fear that perhaps she had bit off more than she could chew.
The advanced classes were much more difficult than she had expected, much more demanding of her time. She was also expected to start mastering unspoken spells at this level. She had cast unspoken spells more than a few times, but it had always been unintentionally. Times when her head was so crammed with thoughts that her hand and wand almost acted on their own. She was determined, however, to repeat last years success and get top marks on all her subjects. She would not settle for anything less.
By lunchtime on friday, and she was exhausted, yet exhilirated that in half an hour she would have her first potions class to teach.
« So, are you ready?» Snape asked as he was clearing his things to give her the desk.
« Ready to embark on my secret plan to steal your job? Oh yes!», she said and sat down in his chair. She put her legs up on the table, and her hands behind her head.
« see... I belong behind this desk», she said and winked at him.
« I cant argue with that but as I've said before, let's see if you can teach these dumbnuts anything».
« Severus, I believe we have a bet on our hands...» she said, getting back up from the chair, « I bet you that within three weeks, that is after their first assignment, every single one of my students will have gone up one grade from what they got on their previous one. Do you take the bet?».
« well, what do I get when I win?» Snape said in an overly cocky voice. « that is irrelevant, because you wont win, but when I do, I get one favor. One single request that you cant say no to», Sarah said, mimicking his tone. « As long as it does not involve dancing, or being nicer to the students, I'm up for it. But if I win, and be sure I will win, I get the same. A single request that you have to agree to»
She moved closer, they were nose to nose now, staring at eachother.
« You're on, kitten» she whispered just as the students were entering the classroom. « they're all yours» Snape said with a slight bow, and went into his quarters.
He sat down on his favorite spot, the windowseat, picked up the book he was reading, and listened to Sarah talking to the students.
« Hello class» she said in a clear, very different voice than the soft tone she normally spoke to him in. There were some half hearted murmurs of hello, and scratching of chairs being pulled back.
«STOP! That will not do at all!» Sarah said in a loud voice, so stern that it even made Snape jump.
« Get up! All of you! Stand behind you chairs. Those of you who know me from mugglestudies know that I have very few rules in my classes. Number one is simple politeness. From now on when you enter my classroom, you will stand behind your chairs until I tell you that you maybe seated, and when I say 'hello class', I expect a proper response. Let's try again. Hello class!». Twentysix voices said « Hello Miss. Kessler» in perfect unison.
« Now you may be seated» Sarah told the class. He heard the students sitting down quickly and in perfect silence, no one daring speak out of turn. Sarah went on, « Now, you are the first remedial potions class in twenty years! That is just embarrasing. A school like Hogwarts should not have to teach remedial anything. I have been stuck with you, as professor Snape calls you, dumbnuts. I am well aware that that is an awful thing to say, so my plan is to make him have to eat his words. I intend to turn this remedial potions, into the advanced potions. If you do as I say, I will make sure that you not only pass you O.W.L, but get top marks aswell. There will be little actual potions making in this class. You do that in Professor Snapes classes, here I will teach you the art and science behind making potions. I will teach you to understand and know the ingredients. When you understand the prosess behind it, making the potion itself is as easy as cake. Now does everyone have their book on page 36? Excellent! Let's begin..»
Snape had never witnessed Sarah teach before and was astounded by the authority and knowledge in her tone. She sounded as if she had done nothing other than teach potions her entire life. She was so stern and demanding, that she could have easily given Mcgonagall a run for her money. He stretched out, smiling and thinking that if possible, he loved her even more now.
« now, for next week I want you all to read the first three chapters of 'the hundred most common magical herbs and their hundred most common uses is potions'» he heard Sarah say and knew she was wrapping up the lesson. There were some disgruntled moans and murmurs of protests from the students.
SMACK! Sarah had slammed her hand down on the desk. « Rule number two; there will be no moaning in my class! Most of you are here because you have been slouching off for the past four years, that means that you will have to work at least twice as hard to catch up to your fellow students. And yes, miss. Graham, I am fully aware that the book was not on your lists, that is why there are 26 copies reserved and waiting for you at the library. I want two rolls of summary on the first three chapters, and remember that I am a seer, so if you dont do it, or copy of someone elses, I will know and there will be hell to pay. If you think that Professor Snape can turn bad, you do not want to cross me! If anyone has any problems or questions, come to me during the week and I will be happy to help. Class dismissed».
Snape waited until he heard no more students in the classroom and came out. « so it seems I'm not the only one that has a mean streak.» he smiled at her proudly. « I never expected you to be so naturally gifted at teaching».
« Oh it isnt natural at all. The recipe for a good professor was quite easy to figure out. I took a handful of my favorite professors from old universities, and extraced the qualities I liked about them, added a little of Remus' kindness, and a touch of Minervas sense of fairness, and just a sprinkle of a snarky potions master on top for that extra...», she smirked, «...intimidation».
«more than a sprinkle from what I heard...», he smirked back.
Her whole face broke into a smile. « well, maybe I am more fond of snarky potions masters than most». Then there was a slight tinge of pink in her cheeks, for just a second before her face turned to normal.
« I was really impressed by that little speech of yours. So you plan to make me eat my words, are you? How are you going to pull that off with that lot, I have no idea. Half of them barely even show up for classes, and expecting them to do their homework... I wont believe it until I see it».
« Severus, you of all people should know that there is often more underneath the surface, than meets the eye. Just you wait and see, Professor Snape, just you wait and see».
The following friday, Snape and Sarah were heading for the dungeons together. « so you think that they have done as you told them, that they have even bothered showing up?» he asked, as they came upon the classroom.
Sarah didnt have to answer this, for as she opened the door to the room, there were twenstysix students, standing behind their chairs, waiting for her. On the teachers desk, there was a tall stack of parchments. « hello class!» she said as she and Snape made their way to his desk. « hello miss. Kessler» said twentysix voices in perfect unison. « and...?».
« hello professor Snape» they said, once again almost as one.
She looked over at Snape, « hello class» he said reluctantly. Sarah counted the rolls of parchment on the desk, «...and twentysix. Excellent! Five points to each house, since you all learned your first lesson. Do as I say. Now, professor, what was it you asked me again?», she looked at Snape, a teasing smirk on her lips.
« It dosent matter» he grunted. « very well», she turned to the class again, « are there any questions related to your homework?»
Over the next two weeks, Snape noticed that Sarahs students had dramatically changed their ways in his classes. From being perfectly apathetic in class, or so nervous they could barely speak, they were now asking questions and showing actual interest. Outside of class, there was barely a time he saw Sarah without one or two students around her, wanting something explained. He had now given them their first essay, and was slightly nervous that he might actually loose the bet. Not just because of his pride, but because he was nervous of what Sarah might ask of him.
Finally the third friday came, and all of the essays were handed in. That evening, during Sarahs own potions lesson. He sat down to grade them, while she was experimenting with a recipe from her book.
At around nine he had finished. He leaned back and sighed. She noticed he was done, and came and sat on his desk. One leg dangling, one resting on the arm of his chair. « well...?» she said.
He sighed again, « looks like I lost the bet. They all have gone up at least one grade, some even two».
Sarah threw her arms up in the air, « YES!».
« did you bewitch them?» Snape asked her, not really joking. « No, Severus. Now I believe I have a request that you cannot say no to...».
« it better not be any leude sexual favors», he said, while deep down kind of wishing it was.
« Dont be so perverted!»
She gave him a gentle kick in the shoulder with the leg she was resting on his chair, « it is very innocent. My sister turns thirty on the 29th, and she is having a party the weekend before. Next weekend that is. I am of course going home to celebrate with her, and she has invited my friends to come with me. Remus and Sirius have already said yes, and I want you to come too».
She looked at him, waiting for his answer. « she has invited me?», he asked in slight disbelief. She nodded, « yep! I have told her a lot about you, and how close we are. She specifically told me to ask you if you would like to come. Will you come? Please?».
He exhaled, « when are we leaving?».
« Seeing as I rarely get to visit my sister, I am going for the whole weekend. Friday morning til sunday evening, and the two pups are staying that long as well, so I want you to be there the whole weekend» she said, « and before you start complaining that you have classes to teach, and head of house duties. I have already talked with Dumbledore, he thinks its a great idea that you come along, and has already arranged for Professor Vector to take over your friday classes, and your duties for the weekend». She beamed at him now.
« you arranged this before even asking me?» he gave her a very angry look. It was the same look that he gave his students, when they messed up their potions. It terrified them, and had on more than a few occations made a student cry.
It did not work on Sarah though, she merely laughed. « well, I knew I was going to win that bet, didnt I. Now are you saying you are not coming? Are you not a man of your word Professor Snape?»
She gave him her 'angry teacher' look now, it sent shivers down his spine. He had never seen that look before. « If that is the look you give your students, no wonder you have them whipped into compliance».
« well, yes, but I would never whip you. Severus, not unless you asked me to» she said with a smile. « Is she flirting with me? No, she couldnt be. She is married to Black» he assured himself. « so you are coming?» she asked. He nodded. « Excellent!», she exclaimed and jumped down from his desk. She went over to the table where she had been working and gathered up her things.
« but I dont have any muggle clothes» he suddenly remembered. «that has been taken care of» she said as she left his classroom.
« Sarah, I was thinking...», Dumbledore said one morning as he and Sarah were headed to lunch together. « You have a way with Severus. He seems to have... a soft spot for you... cant you try and convince him to come to this years Halloween costume ball? I try every year of course, but every year he mysteriously vanishes after classes that day».
« well, Albus, if he dosent like Halloween, it is hardly my place to-». « No, no, you misunderstand. You see its his birthday, and I know for a fact he goes off to spend it alone, and forget about the entire event. I would really like to see him actually enjoy his day. Just once»
« I thought his birthday was in january...?». She looked at him puzzled. Dumbledore shook his head.
« so he is a Scorpio.. that does make much more sense than a Capricorn», she said to herself and turned to Dumbledore. « I'll see what I can think up, but I wont force him to do anything he dosent want to!»
Dumbledore laughed. « Oh I have a feeling you wont have a hard time talking him into it...».
When they arrived at the Great Hall her class came running to her. They all had potions with Snape on thursday mornings, divided into two groups. Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs at eight. Gryffindors and Slytherins at ten.
They all had their essays with them, wanting to show her their grades, knowing that tomorrow she would not be there. Most had Acceptable, but a few had Exceeds Expectations.
« this is fantastic!» she said to them, pretending she had not been there when Snape was grading them. « and to think, after a mere three weeks. Imagine how much more you can do within the end of year! Let's say twenty points to each house! Now huddle up, I have an assignment for you. As you know I wont be here tomorrow, but that does not mean you are let off. I want you to use the time we would have had for lessons to find me six of the ingredients we have been studying. Right here in the Hogwarts grounds. You will do this the whole class together, and I want individual reports on the things you have found, where you found them and their properties. from Hufflepuff, and Mr. Rosbach from Slytherin will be in charge of the little excurtion. Is this alright with you two?» she looked at the boy and girl she had mentioned.
They nodded eagerly. « This is about working together as a class. House rivalries will be set aside. I want you all to cooperate, even on the reports. Remember, if you dont, I will know... Now if I dont see you until I leave, have a great weekend and see you next week»
She smiled at them, and went to sit at the staff table. The group of students dispersed to their various house tables. She loved that class. She loved teaching. She loved teaching potions! « someday, I might really be after your job Severus», she thought to herself and winked at him as he was coming to the table.
Snape saw her winking, but couldnt understand why.