Chapter Two: Back at School:

Hogwarts:

Charity Burbage stood at the sink of her small but comfortable bathroom and looked in the mirror critically. She knew she was not the most attractive woman, she could see that, her nose was a bit upturned, her hair was a messy dirty blond, not the sleek blond of the Malfoys or the darker but well kept blond of Madam Rosmerta. No she was almost mousy, her eyes were a dull brown, her face she thought too round and with her build, she was tall and built more like a brick wall than a soft curvy woman she knew Severus Snape would prefer. Merlin is that why he avoided her now? She was too plain for him? She sighed and walked from her bathroom and put on her warm blue outer robes, buttoning them and though she would not believe it she looked rather nice in them.

She tugged on a pair of black low heeled boots and as she did this on one foot she fell onto the floor, oh yea there was that problem too, whenever she thought of him she got clumsy and Merlin he must have seen that in her! Charity get a hold of yourself, now he is free of the dark lord does not mean he will ever see you for you, she thought. She sighed, stuffing her pockets with her wand, some sweets and she walked out and down to the great hall for breakfast and of course he was there. She nearly tripped over her feet and blushed and sat down at her assigned seat, luckily not close to him, she was not sure she could form complete sentences around him right now.

What she did not know was the potions master felt the same way, that morning before he had come to the great hall he had actually spent time looking in the mirror, what he saw did not impress him, true he was tall and lean in a good way, not the scrawny runt who had gone to school here, now he was strong, with good lean muscle structure. It was the face that went with it that did not make him happy, not when he really looked at himself, his long hair hung lank around his sallow face, his large nose stuck out and his eyes were as black as coal, how could any woman want a man that looked like him, like a vampire?

He walked from his bathroom and as he dressed he looked into the orb that he used to check on his Slytherins in the common room right next to his rooms, if needed he could enter the common room in a heartbeat and he would this morning. The first years were easy to work with, but Merlin once those little brats hit puberty he had to show them who was boss, and before classes started today that is exactly what he would do. He dressed carefully in his usual attire, all back with his black masters robes over all, and entered the common room, smirking as he pressed a button and spoke to so the whole house could hear him though most where here, all but a few sixth and seventh years, one of them being his godson, Merlin that boy was going to be the death of him this year.

"Good morning my little Slytherins, I see most of you are here." Severus walked along the two rows of Slytherins all at attention, he had the touch to lead this house he knew, and he had to lead with a firm hand. "Now I seem to be missing three of you, I would hate to have to come get you." He said silkily.

He heard running feet and two boys, tall, lean and looking scared scurried into the common room and took their assigned spaces, as they were seventh year that meant they were nearer Severus and they looked at him fearfully expecting to be punished. At least they looked presentable and were not half dressed as he had caught some of his house. He scowled as he realized Draco Malfoy was missing and realized he was going to have to teach the boy that just because he had helped out defeating Voldemort did not mean he could flout the rules. Severus stormed up to the boys dorm rooms and in a very few short moments had a pale haired boy a few inches taller than him by the ear and was dragging him down to the common room (this hurts but does help when you are dealing with a child taller than you and you need to get their attention).

"Mr. Malfoy care to explain why you are keeping your fellow house from breakfast?" Severus asked.

"I-I am sorry sir, I over slept sir." Malfoy replied.

"Hnn, drop and give me ten now." Severus said, realizing that if Draco was going to bend the rules his last two years at least he would get quite strong, one could not say Slytherins left Hogwarts without good discipline. "I said, ten Mr. Malfoy or I can add more."

Now at breakfast Severus looked over at the Slytherin table and saw young Malfoy was avoiding his gaze, Malfoy was lucky that corporal punishment was not used (accept what he as the boy's godfather was allowed by his parents), though Severus mused that would not work very well at all, most of his Slytherins could take great pain, and his way worked best. Even though he was the boy's godfather he knew that Draco had reached the age that a spanking was not going to work. He was sixteen and even his mother had stopped last year doing that. Though the groundings could be far worse Severus mused. He left off glaring at Malfoy, looked over at Harry and his friends laughing and talking at the Gryffindor table then he looked over the table and at Charity, Merlin she is beautiful, he thought. Then he started in on his breakfast concentrating on his food so he would not look over at her, he knew she never could want him, the snarky greasy potions master.

"Severus would you pass the sausage?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes sir, here you are." Severus said handing it to the headmaster who had a twinkle in his eye, but then he had been speaking to McGonagall about something amusing he was sure.

"Should be a great year." Dumbledore said.

"Yes, I believe this year my house will take back the cup." Severus said.

"I second that." Moody said over his plate of food, he was after all an old Slytherin himself.

"I have Harry Potter, don't forget that." McGonagall said, "remember every year Harry has played, save when he was hurt my house has won."

"Don't forget Ravenclaw has a good team." This from Charity as she had been in Ravenclaw in school and loved Quidditch as well. "Cho Chang will continue as Seeker."

"Well we will see about that." Severus said smiling. "I have Draco Malfoy."

"I agree Severus, with Charity, I have an excellent team this year." Flitwick said with a smile.

Breakfast continued on with talk of Quidditch and Charity saw a small smile come across the dour potion masters face. His thoughts drifted to the new potions he was looking forward to making, potions was an art he loved, and it had been something he could share with his father. Though he was a muggle he had (when not so very sick) seen the love the boy had in the arts of potions making and knew it was a noble calling. His mother wanted him to do more with charms and such but he loved the quietly bubbling cauldron the most.

He did want a family now, a mother for his son, but he knew that there was little chance any woman would want him, one he had been a death eater at one time and two he believed he was an unattractive man. He only heard the whispers of the students, greasy git, overgrown bat and his personal favorite, slime ball, oh yes he was not a good looking man by a long shot, and even if he had been told half the girls in the school dreamed of being with him he would have laughed and said that they were mad. So on this first day of classes of the new year two people sat thinking of each other but without hope of the other ever seeing anything in the other…

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Quidditch Pitch Hogwarts:

Harry had spent his first Saturday picking his team and it was a trying time for him. He had found a few girls from other houses trying out for his team and after yelling at them they had run off giggling with their friends. He had finally come up with a good team, Ginny was his chaser, Ron the keeper and two stocky third years had beat out Dean and Seamus, David Thomas and Martin Green for beaters. Dean and Seamus would be the reserves but they did not mind, they trusted Harry's judgment. Harry of course was the seeker, he was the best and so he was the natural choice.

"Looks like we got the best team this year." Harry said to Ron as they headed back to school that evening.

"I would not bet on it." Came the voice of Draco and they turned to see him standing leaning against the stairs arms folded.

"Oh really?" Harry said. "Cause the only person with talent on Slytherin is you, too bad the rest of the team is too dumb even to find their brooms." Harry bantered with Draco.

"Nice one Harry." Ron said.

"We do have a good team, you just wait Potter." Draco said.

"Bring it on, first game you are going down." Harry shot back.

"A wager Harry?" Draco said.

"Yea, we win you have to wear red, all day, to class." Harry said.

"Fine, we win you have to wear green." Draco said. "You look good in green."

"You look good in red." Harry countered.

Harry started to train his team in earnest starting as early as Monday evening. This kept his mind off his studies and all the homework he had to work on. Severus was even more demanding now, he expected those in his NEWT classes to work even harder than they ever had before. Unknown to them he was testing his own potions book on them. He handed out directions on how to make the potions each day in class and Harry found this annoying for the simple fact the advanced potions book he had bought got little use. Still he found the handouts helped him make excellent potions.

"Hmm it seems you do have some talent after all Mr. Potter." Severus said glancing at Harry's perfect draught of living death.

"Thank you sir." Harry said. "I have an excellent potions master."

"Compliments Mr. Potter will not get your house points." Severus said glaring at the boy.

"I know sir." Harry replied, "I only speak the truth."

"Hnn, get back to work Mr. Potter."

"Yes professor Snape."

Severus was not fooling any of the sixth years, they knew Severus carried very much about his students. Yes he was a strict, gruff man but there was no doubt he was an excellent instructor. He was much like a well respected drill instructor, one may not like the fact he could be sharp and controlling but the end results were impressive. Everyone here knew Severus cared about Harry and his attitude toward the boy was not fooling anyone. He had very nearly adopted Harry and that was find with Harry, if things had gone differently maybe Severus would have, but he was now in his life to help him grow up safely and reach adulthood.

Harry left potions feeling better than he had in a long time, however that did not last as he had to deal with the whispers and stares in the halls by the younger students. He hated that and was tempted to get his invisibility cloak and did just that. It was much better to get to classes with it he found out. However McGonagall was worried, this was not boding well if Harry was going to go to class like this. She was going to have to speak to Severus about this and get him to do something about it as only he could…

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I know it seems abrupt however Charity Burbage is JK Rowling's. I thought of a charming pairing in the form of Charity and Snape, Max needs a mother after all though Molly Weasley does love to take care of the little guy. As for Harry well he is having just the kind of sixth year he needs with a potion master that has started to really like him! Yes and even respect him too as he respects Severus Snape so very much now too.

So thank you for reading and do review!