Written for my fellow admin ~Mrs Rickman.
21. Professor Collins and Professor Snape
Late one Thursday evening, Professor Collins was still awake marking the last of the Herbology assessment she had given back the day before. She began mumbling to herself.
"Why on earth did I say I would get this back to them in two days? That Finnigan boy is getting ten points docked from Gryffindor next time I see him."
Snape chuckled from across the staff quarters. "I never did like that Finnigan kid, always exploding things. Made a mess of my dungeons countless times."
Collins sighed as she completed the last assessment at her desk and placed her quill back in its ink. She conjured some water and tended to a small potted fern when she suddenly screamed.
"SEVERUS! Sp-sp-sp-SPIDER!" Professor Collins stumbled backwards away from her desk, still staring horror-struck at the eight legged creature sitting next to her plant.
In one sweeping movement, Professor Snape was next to the desk, levitating the spider into a jar he had conjured. "Calm down Rachael, I'll get rid of it."
Collins had now collapsed into another chair, the shock evident on her face. Once the spider had been removed, Snape sat beside his fellow professor, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Rachael, are you okay?" he whispered as she leant against his shoulder.
She nodded wearily. "Thankyou."
"You're very welcome." He smiled as he placed a soft kiss to the top of her head.