Ch 13

A/N: This isn't one of my best chapters, but it sets up some of the characters to come. Since no one could figure out the words from the last chapter I guess I'll have to give them to you.

Retroition: the act of returning

Obambulate: wander about

Quatervois: crossroads

Anagnorisis: the moment of recognition or discovery

Ziraleet: an expression of joy

…

Victoria thought that the first day of term would be rather quiet, but she was sadly mistaken. After missing breakfast, which wasn't much of a disappointment to her, Victoria joined Poppy in the hospital. Poppy had her doing little odds and ends while they waited. It wasn't more than an hour into the lessons when their first patient wandered through the doors. A small, blond, first year boy in Slytherin robes was the first to shuffle into the room, his face blotchy and his eyes red from crying. Poppy and Victoria both went to him immediately. They got him to sit and Poppy asked, "What's wrong dear?"

He sniffled and held up his finger which looked to now be a needle, "Professor McGonagall was teaching us to turn matchsticks into needles, but my finger got in the way."

Poppy shot Victoria a smile over the boy's head, "Not to worry dear, we'll have you fixed up in no time."

He sniffled again and nodded. Victoria watched as Poppy took out her wand, pointing it at the boy's transfigured finger. Poppy looked back at Victoria, "You probably know this spell as well as anyone else, but it is the best tool we have. Finite Incantatem." Before their eyes the needle turned back into a finger.

The boy looked at the older woman in amazement, "How did you do that?"

"You'll learn soon enough. Back to class now." She smiled as he continued to look between his finger and her.

"Thanks!" The boy ran back out of the room.

Victoria and Poppy laughed as they watched him leave. Victoria looked to Poppy, "Does that happen often?"

Poppy nodded still smiling, "More often than you would think. Minerva is an excellent teacher, but not all of her students are as adept at learning."

Victoria nodded returning to her previous tasks.

…

The morning went along much like their first hour. A few students made their way in with various problems, most simple and relatively easy to mend. A few Poppy let Victoria tackle on her own, knowing that similar ailments had already been seen. It was just after they'd arrived back in the hospital after having gone down for lunch when Victoria saw the double doors open. A girl looking to be around a sixth year, with a heart-shaped face and bubble gum pink, spikey hair made her way into the room. The left arm of her Hufflepuff robe was pushed up as she held her arm, which looked to be swelling. Poppy heard the door open and looked over at the girl. Seeing who it was she gave a great sigh, "Miss Tonks, what happened?"

"Wotcher Poppy!" Tonks replied sounding much too happy to be severely injured. "Just fell down the stairs again. You know me. I can never hang on when the stupid things start moving."

Poppy shook her head at the girl and lead her over to a cot. Victoria walked over as Poppy took out her wand, "I take it this happens a lot."

Poppy laughed, "With Miss Tonks, regularly."

Tonks shrugged and then grimaced as the movement pulled on her hurt arm, "I'm dead clumsy. I'm in here at least once a week."

"Lucky for us you started on the first day." Poppy joked.

Tonks gave her an indignant look, "I made it to noon didn't I."

"You did." Poppy laughed, "I must say I am surprised."

Tonks just laughed as Poppy whispered "Episkey," looking over at Victoria to make sure she'd heard the spell. "There, you should be as good as new."

"Thanks Madam Pomfrey." Tonks smiled rotating her arm around to test it. Once she was satisfied with the work she looked up at Victoria, "I didn't catch your name."

"Oh sorry," Victoria apologized, "I'm Victoria."

"Yeah, yeah! The new apprentice, I remember you from the announcements." Tonks smiled jumping down from the cot, "How's the first day?"

"It's great. I'm learning a lot." Victoria smiled at Poppy, realizing that she really was learning a lot more than she'd expected on her first day.

"Brilliant," Tonks said pulling her the arm of her robes back into place. "Well, better get to class. Professor Snape'll be seeing me in detention, again."

"Good luck." Poppy called as Tonks made it back to the doors.

"Who knows, he may be lenient." Tonks grinned, "He may send me back to you to clean out bed pans."

Poppy and Victoria burst out laughing as they watched her leave. Poppy shook her head controlling her laughter, "That girl. I have never known anyone more clumsy, but a heart of gold."

"So I take it we'll be seeing a lot of her this year?"

"I would be amazed if we didn't." Poppy shook her head glancing towards the door she'd just walked out of.

…

The day went by faster than Victoria ever thought possible. It didn't take long at all for the injuries to be fixed, but with each one came paperwork. Once Victoria had finally finished all the paperwork she only had time to beg the house elves for some food before she climbed into bed. When she picked up the diary she dropped it. It fell onto the bed opening to a place somewhere in the middle of the book. She was about to close it again and go back to where she'd been reading, but something caught her eye and she decided to read this entry instead.

June 11, 1959

I don't know what came over me last night, I truly don't. I spent most of the evening packing my trunk, avoiding the Great Hall where an impromptu party had formed. There was no way I could bring myself to go. I was not in the mood for a party in the least. I was leaving my home. I couldn't believe that everything that I had worked towards was over. The only way that I kept the tears at bay was to continue to rearrange things I had already packed. After a while I knew there was nothing more that I could do and I let a tear trail down my cheek. Of course that's exactly when my best friend came in. In true fashion, she chastised me for not celebrating while I had the chance. To placate her I told her that I'd be down in a minute. As I watched her walk out smiling I knew that there was no way I could possibly join them. A thought occurred to me a moment later, I knew where I would be welcome, no matter my mood. I would have known the way to his office with my eyes closed, even with the moving staircases. Memories hit me like a brick wall as I walked into the classroom; it was as if I were replaying every moment I'd ever spent there. As I knocked on the door to his private offices I felt my heart pound as if it were trying to beat out of my chest. He answered the door so fast I wondered for a moment whether he'd been standing behind it waiting for me. When I saw him, his auburn hair floating around his shoulders, his brilliant blue eyes shining merrily, I felt the butterflies in my stomach intensify. He invited me in under the assumption that I wanted to play yet another game of chess. Little did either of us know what was about to happen. He offered me a drink, as any host would do, giving me firewhisky upon request. Although I'd never had it, I figured it couldn't be much worse than the scotch my father drank regularly. He warned me repeatedly, but I didn't care. We played a simple game for a while, neither of us really seeming to be interested in it. He asked me the normal questions of any teacher, where I was employed after school, whether I was happy about finishing. It was when he asked that question that I couldn't hold my façade any longer. I couldn't think about losing my friends and my professors, in all honesty I still can't cope with it, but that's for another time. He promised me that I'd never lose him, although I don't know how he thinks that, and that he was no more than an owl away. Through my tears I tried to explain that it wasn't the same; that I would never get to see him again. He came to me and held me in his arms. Although I was crying harder than I'd ever done in my life, I couldn't help but feel safe and warm in his arms. I never wanted to leave his embrace. After a while he pulled back, making me mourn the loss of contact, and brushed the tears from my cheeks. He kept one hand cupping my cheek as he whispered the words I will never forget, "I'll always be right here if you need me." If only I could truly believe that. As he looked at me I felt myself become lost in his eyes. Even to this moment I can't say whether it was the firewhisky or how I felt being that close to him, but I leaned in and kissed him. That's right I kissed him! I still can't believe it happened, but it's true. I know it wasn't our first kiss, but this was so much better. He actually did kiss me back, but he ended it quickly. He told me that it couldn't happen between us, giving me the excuse of our ages, but I wouldn't take no for an answer. I knew this time that he felt the same as I did, no matter how much he protested he'd already shown it. I ignored his words and looked into his eyes, there was a war being played out there between sadness and want. I couldn't stand back any longer and pulled him in once again. This time there was no hesitation on his part. It wasn't long before I found myself in his private rooms. Well a girl doesn't kiss and tell, so that's all I'm going to say about that. I can say that I'll have the memories of that night forever. When I woke up this morning things were completely different. In all honesty after all of the firewhisky we'd had it took me a few minutes to remember everything, but when I did, let's just say I was shocked at my behavior. When I turned to him he was just opening his eyes. I could tell that he was just as shocked as I was. He didn't say anything for a while, but I could tell the instant he opened his mouth that I wasn't going to like what he was going to say. It was simple; he didn't want to be with me. Last night was a mistake, a great one, at least that's what I knew he wanted to say. If I was honest I would have fought with him that it wasn't a mistake, but the best thing that had ever happened to either of us. Sadly I wasn't honest with him. I did my best to placate him and tell him what he wanted to hear, no matter how much it killed me. I dressed as quickly as I could and nearly bolted out of the room. I slipped into my bed only seconds before my best friend opened her eyes. I easily played it off that I'd been asleep all night since I'd closed the curtains around my bed before leaving the night before. I still don't know how I held it together the entire train ride home. I gave all my friends a hug before apparating home. My father was at work and my mother was still at the station picking up my little brothers. I went to my bedroom and pulled this diary out, knowing it would be the only quiet time I'd have for some time. I still don't know what to do. I can't stop thinking about him. I know last night wasn't a mistake, no matter who tells me otherwise. I will never forget the feeling of being in his arms and seeing the look in his eyes. I fell for him long ago, this merely perpetuated it. I know he doesn't realize it now, but we're meant to be together.

To say that Victoria was shocked at the entry would have been a gross understatement. She had no idea when she started reading this diary that it would happen like that. After she'd read a few pages she figured the girl would never let anything happen with her teacher. This was nowhere near what she expected, but she was happy for the girl. Victoria didn't know personally what love was like, but if this girl had found it, even with her professor, she was happy for her. Victoria fell asleep that night as dreams of finding her own perfect man floated through her mind.

…

It didn't take Victoria long to fall into an easy rhythm in her new position. She would wake up in the morning, always too late for breakfast, and meet Poppy in the hospital. They would spend most of the day fixing the random injuries that would happen throughout the day and doing the paperwork on them.

A few weeks after she'd been working there Victoria realized that she had to make Remus's Wolfsbane. Unfortunately she didn't have a way to do it in her room. If she were to use the hospital she was sure that Poppy would ask questions, and although she trusted the woman, she wasn't sure if she wanted to explain everything. This left her with only one alternative.

That night after she'd finished with Poppy, Victoria made her way to the dungeons. She followed the corridor further and further until she found herself in front of an old wooden door. There was no marker, but she knew this had to be what she was looking for. Tentatively she raised her fist and knocked on the door.

A moment later she was face to face with Professor Snape. She hadn't been this close to him since the night years ago when they'd dueled, but he looked exactly the same. His hair hung around his shoulders like a black curtain in stark contrast to his pale skin. He looked surprised to see her there, but caught himself, "Miss Knight, what can I do for you?"

"I'm sorry to bother you Professor, but I was wondering if I could borrow your classroom for a little while." She asked awkwardly, somehow more scared of the man now than she'd been when she was fighting him.

He studied her for a moment, his black eyes taking in her nervousness, "May I ask what you need with my classrooms."

"I… I…" she stammered, unsure how to say what she needed it for. "I need to brew a potion and don't have a place to do it."

"I see." He drawled wrapping his robes around him, much like a bat's wings. "You cannot brew this potion in your own rooms."

"No I can't." she said firmly, her resolve slowly returning.

His lips curled at the edges, not quite a smirk, but enough to make her feel slightly more comfortable. "Very well, follow me."

He led her down another corridor, this one darker than the last. They stopped at another dark wooden door as he pulled it open. The room was as dark and dank as the rest of the dungeons, but a soft glow fell across the room from a single fire that was lit in the middle of the room. "You can use this room. It's not in use, you will not be disturbed."

She gave him a warm smile, "Thank you. I really do appreciate it."

He gave her a nod and walked back towards the door. Just before he opened it he turned back to her, he watched as she worked, taking only an empty cauldron from the shelves. Emptying her pockets onto the table closest to the cauldron she started adding ingredients barely looking at them. He was surprised when he recognized a plant she pulled from her ice blue robes, "Aconite? Not a commonly used ingredient."

She started when she heard his voice, her ebony hair flying around her as she whipped her head around to look at him. "Oh, you scared me! I thought you'd left. Yeah, I guess aconite isn't a well used ingredient, but some potions do call for it."

"Indeed, but they are usually either sleeping potions, or dare I say it Wolfsbane." He drawled walking back towards the cauldron. "You don't seem to be someone who needs a sleeping potion so that leaves me to assume only one thing."

Her blue eyes widened, "It's not what you think."

"Isn't it?" He asked circling her like a hawk with its prey.

"It's for a friend. I'm the only one who will make it for them." She explained realizing that it sounded lame even to her own ears.

His cold black eyes glared into her's, but he was surprised when she didn't back down. "If that is the story you would like to stand by that is fine by me, but you may wish to find another if the headmaster should ask."

"Thank you." She said, watching his robes billow behind him as he left the room, sincerely moved by his actions. The moment she'd heard him she knew he'd jump to the wrong conclusion, but she couldn't give away what she was really doing. What surprised her the most was that he wasn't going to say anything to Dumbledore. She wondered for a moment if this man was truly the same as the Death Eater she'd dueled.

…

A/N: These are a few words that I chose not to use on the last chapter, but I came across them in my research and thought they were fun.

Curwhibble: a thing-a-ma-jig

Deliciate: to make yourself happy

Delitescent: hidden or concealed

Gadzookery: the use of archaic words or expressions

Hoghenhine: a member of one's family

adoxography Skilled writing on an unimportant subject

Spermologer: one who collects trivia.

Joss Luck, fate