The Fate of Two
Chapter 3 – Better not look him to closely in the eye ...
Severus stood in front of the rather large class of students, a scowl on his face as he tried to ignore the Ministry worker standing at the back of the classroom. The students in front of him either ignoring him or talking amongst each other. It was a double potions lesson with fifth years, students that still remembered him as a student, being pushed around and picked on by the marauders.
"Tell me class ..." He said so loud that the entire class froze. "How much do you enjoy your house points?" He asked. "And your free time after classes?" He asked sternly, and commandingly. He couldn't be shy anymore. He couldn't back down lest he be eaten alive by his own students.
"MacLeevy?" He asked pointing to the Hufflepuff boy. Corbin MacLeevy stared at him a moment. "Well ... I asked you a question." The boy stared at him for a few more moments before swallowing loudly.
"Well ... we do want our house to win the house cup sir." He said. Severus turned and pointed to Slytherin girl.
"And you?" He asked. "Miss Garvant, I believe." He paused as she stared at him. "How much do you enjoy your house points and your free time after class?"
"You wouldn't take our house points, you're our head of house." She said defiantly.
"Fifty points from Slytherin." He said blatantly, shocking her. "I know none of you are happy that I am here. And none of you want me as your teacher. You remember me as a student and most likely remember what I was like back then. I can guarantee you, I am not that anymore." He said pausing as he leaned against his desk. "Now ... you need this class to graduate. So whether you like it or not, you will be listening to me, if I have to ground the information into your heads during detentions. I am not adverse to taking points from any house from rule breaking, tardiness, or speaking out of turn. But I am not adverse to giving points either. I will be awarding points for correct answers, good marks, and good behaviour." He paused again. "That being said, let's find out where you are at your grade level." He said and without picking up a text book pointed at another young girl. "Miss Tavis. Can you tell me what is Dittany?" He asked as he moved back around his desk.
"Dittany?" The young Hufflepuff girl said. "It's um ... It's a restorative?" She asked, more than answered.
"Go on." Severus said, wanting more information from the girl.
"It's use makes fresh skin grow over a wound, and after application, the wound seems several days old." She continued.
"Good. Ten points to Hufflepuff!" He said before pointing to a Slytherin girl. "Miss Chanvis."
"It's Chanis, Professor." She said, sitting up straight in her seat. Severus looked a bit annoyed at being corrected but looked down at his roster.
"Can you elaborate on what Miss Tavis has said about Dittany?" He asked.
"Shredded Dittany is an ingredient in the creation of the Winggenweld potion. Also known as Burning Bush. It sometimes releases flammable vapours. And can also be used as a wand core." She said proudly.
"Very good." Severus said, though his tone contradicted his words. He sounded more annoyed at how smart mouthed she sounded saying it. "Ten points to Slytherin. Mr. Andrews. Can you tell me anything about Winggenweld potion?" The boy stared at him, wide eyed, almost fearful. "Come on Mr. Andrews. This is a first year question."
The boy stuttered as he answered. "I ... I don't know sir."
"Pity. You just lost Miss Chanis her points. Ten points from Slytherin." He said before sitting back in his chair. "Does anyone know anything about Winggenweld potion?" He asked looking around the class. No one raised their hands for many moments, fearing that their answer would be wrong and they would lose their house more points. After a few more moments a Hufflepuff girl raised her hand. He pointed to her. "Yes, Miss ..." He paused not recalling her name.
"Vasquez, sir." She said quiet.
"Miss Vasquez. Tell me something about this potion." His voice sounding almost bored. The girl swallowed the lump in her throat.
"The Winggenweld potion is a healing potion that awakens a person from a magically induced sleep." She said shyly. Severus nodded to her.
"That is correct Miss . Vasquez." He said before standing up and moving to the chalk board. "I assume by this point you are able to follow instruction to make a simple potion. The one I am placing on the chalk board should be able to be done by third years." He said writing the ingredients and the instructions carefully on the chalk board."
"Professor." He almost cringed at the sound of the Ministry workers voice. "Should you not instruct the children how to make the potion?" He asked.
"The students have made this potion before, and have been instructed how to do so before." Severus said, clearly annoyed.
"Then why have them do it again?" He asked. Severus turned to him, the instructions only half written on the board.
"Potions, are mastered with practice. It is their first class and I have no clue as to their talent in the course. In having them do a potion they have done before, I can assess who is at what levels and who shall need help. As well as it will give them an idea as to how I grade. So if you will excuse me. I believe I'm the one teaching the class, and if you have any questions please refrain until after the class is over." He commanded before turning back to the board and continuing to write.
"Professor?" The ministry worker asked again. This time Snape did cringe. "Isn't it supposed to be seven Chizpurfle fangs? Not eight? Eight will cause the potion to explode will it not?"
Severus turned around almost angrily, but kept his temper in check. "The last fang will reduce the effect of Moondew drops, there for allowing it for a more potent dose when taken." He said. "Now once again, I ask that you allow me to teach my class."
"If there is a danger to these students I must put a stop to it." He said. "And an extra Chizpurfle fang will cause the potion to explode."
"Any potion done by a student can explode!" Snape said angrily.
"Still ... I would recommend you stick to the text book." The man said, jotting down some notes on his clip board.
"And I would recommend you leave my class room." He said angrily. The man raised his eyebrows, pushing his glasses back onto his nose with his finger.
"As you wish. But I will be speaking to the minister of the dangers that you are putting these children in." He said before quietly stepping out of the room. Severus rolled his eyes and continued to put the instructions on the board.
"Sir ... is it dangerous the way you're having us do the potion?" A girl asked.
"No ... it's the correct way, he's just a dunderhead!" He said. "And twenty points from ..." He paused and turned to look at the girl who spoke. "Hufflepuff for speaking out of turn." He said finishing off the instructions on the board. "I will expect this potion to be completed, placed in a vial, and put on my desk with your names clearly and legibly marked on them, on my desk by the end of class." He said before sitting down to mark some papers from his class earlier that morning.
((A/N - Ah, the Long awaited Chapter 3. I know it's been 2 years and to be honest I thought I had abandoned it, but I am picking it up again, and looking forward to future chapters. ))