Chapter Four

Professor Snape

Sunday morning was sunny and warm. Outside, the light breeze quietly shifted the fallen leaves of the trees and wrinkled the surface of the lake. The warming rays of the sun shined lazily inside the room. From the high window, the multicoloured crowns of the trees in the Forbidden Forest were clearly visible, and somewhere in the distance, the dark blue ridges of the mountains stood out. The occupant of the room, Associate Professor Undead, or Jane for short, had just woken up and was wandering absent-mindedly in a circle, adjusting her purple nightgown under the light blue worn robe that was obviously too wide for her. It wasn't time for breakfast yet, and for reasons unknown to her, the teacher could no longer sleep, so she paced back and forth in front of the burning fireplace and rubbed her eyes under her glasses. When she was awakened enough, she sat in the chair in front of her desk and admired the view from the window for a long time. After getting tired of this activity, too, she opened one of the drawers of her desk, took out a roll of parchment and a pen and began writing:

'Dear aunt Charlotte,

Forgive me for neglecting our correspondence lately, but I've been very busy this month and a half. The school is still as nice as I remember, my colleagues are kind and polite, and my students – thirsty for knowledge…'

The letter continued in that spirit, including an extensive account of the previous afternoon's concert, the teachers' bathroom, and even the repair of the principal's radio and the cookies. Jane highly praised her aunt's recipe but failed to mention her duel with Professor Snape. The thought of it still worried her, and until she knew exactly what had caused the strange side effect of the seemingly simple spell, she had no intention of telling anyone about it. It was enough that Professor Snape saw her.

The writing took up two rolls of parchment, and Jane was pleased when she read it again. Aunt Charlotte would definitely enjoy the news from her niece, though she sometimes muttered that writing letters was a waste of time and that she would prefer some other way of conveying messages that won't put her patience to the test.

Jane took the letter to the owlery and sent it via one of the school's Eagle Owls, and only then looked at her watch. Startled by its indication, she almost frightened the birds, which were dozing lazily on their stands or pecking grains. If she didn't hurry now, she would miss breakfast, she told herself worriedly. So she had no choice but to run down the stairs as fast as she could.

'Good morning, Jane!' Professor Flitwick greeted the panting teacher just as she settled into her chair.

'Good morning!' She replied, unwittingly pushing a goblet of pumpkin juice, which spilt all over the tablecloth. 'I'm sorry, Professor Snape.'

In her haste to soak up the spilt liquid with her napkin before it reached someone's lap, she had managed to also elbow her colleague. Jane cursed in her mind, rubbing the tablecloth without daring to look him in the eye.

'Hello to you, too, Jane.'

She raised her head just in time to notice his studying gaze, watch the teacher standing up calmly and pulling out his wand. A second later, the spill had turned into a small dried-out stain, and she felt particularly stupid, holding the end of the tablecloth with one hand and a cotton napkin soaked in pumpkin juice with the other.

'I'm sorry, Severus. Apparently, I'm not particularly focused this morning.' She sighed, resigned to the incident. Then she sat back down and, sighing again, tossed the soiled napkin aside.

'You'd better eat something,' Professor Flitwick said from her other side, trying to cheer her up and pointed to the variety of dishes. 'Then you can take a walk in the park. I went there yesterday, it's very nice. Each tree has a different colour.'

'I think I'll take your advice,' Jane said thoughtfully, reaching for a portion of bacon and eggs. 'Will you accompany me after breakfast?'

'Unfortunately for me, I will not succeed. I have to prepare my lessons for tomorrow and I think it will take me a long time because I didn't do anything yesterday.'

'Well, that's a pity.' Jane swallowed her bite and turned to Professor Snape. 'What about you, Severus?'

'I'd be honoured.'

After eating and talking a little more with Professor Flitwick, the two professors said goodbye to him and left the Great Hall together. Without much hesitation, they headed for the school's wide park. The weather was unusually clear for the season. The sun was shining on the meadows, and the ground beneath their feet was covered with yellow and red leaves. Such beauty.

'Nice weather, indeed.' Jane jumped on one foot and smiled. 'I'm glad we went out.'

'Indeed,' Snape echoed. 'Although it could shine less.'

'If it annoys you, we can sit on a bench in the shade.'

'I'm fine for now.'

They both fell silent. Jane wasn't particularly enthusiastic about it, but she was getting used to Professor Snape's silent nature. Although it was a hundred times better than talking nonsense all the time, walking with someone who didn't say a word had its drawbacks. Especially when she liked him. She sank into thought for a while, and when the silence finally bored her, she decided to ask her colleague a question:

'How are your students this year, Severus?'

He seemed startled, for at first he froze in place, then turned sharply to Jane, and finally opened his mouth to answer. 'Talentless as always. They cannot boil any given decoction properly. His face twisted into a grimace, but he was still cute. 'There's a flash here and there, however.'

'I hope there are some flashes from Ravenclaw, too. There's a girl named Lily Smith, she's doing very well in my classes. I was wondering how she was doing with your subject.'

'Smith? From the sixth grade? I think I remember. I'm surprised they didn't make her a prefect. She is capable.'

Jane smiled broadly at the praise, which she rightly thought was sincere.

'I also have a sixth-grader from Slytherin. His name is Anthony. He is also very smart.'

'Oh, yes. Anthony Stone. He comes three times a day to ask me about different potions. He spends more time a week in my office than in the Common Room.'

So it wouldn't be a surprise if he started coming to Jane and asking her about the things she taught, she told herself. Well, one or two, it wouldn't matter to her. Although the boy seemed to be more passionate about potions, something normal for his house.

After touring the park, the two headed for the lake, where many students were already walking. The children carried books, frogs and even cats, talked lively, played cards or just strolled along the alleys in groups. Some of them paid no attention to their teachers at all, while others looked at them with a curious glance for a moment and then returned to their tasks. Jane looked around, smiling at every change she noticed, so distracted that at some point she forgot about Snape's presence. It was nice to remember the park where she had spent so much time as a student, the trees they climbed when none of the teachers was around... Did the current students also do such mischief, she thought? At least the Ravenclaws seemed too polite for it. Thoughts engulfed her so much that at one point she completely forgot where she was. That's why, when Snape spoke unexpectedly, it was her turn to be startled.

'Well, Jane, are you always late when you have to go somewhere?'

The question was surprising and came practically out of nowhere, so she paused before answering.

'I guess I have to say "yes". As much as I don't want to.' She looked him in the eye for a moment and thought she saw a smile. However, his lips did not move a millimetre. This man really wanted to drive her crazy, and so far he has succeeded. 'Not that I try to make myself pretty, but I have so many things to do, and in the morning I feel terribly sleepy…'

'I understand.' Snape nodded and looked at the lake. 'I also find things to do. When I was younger, I made up spells. Now I engage more with potions. A little academic activity, so to speak.'

'Potions, you say. Honestly speaking, they're not my favourite. When I was five, I inadvertently drank my mother's cauldron cleaner. Bad first impression, I guess.'

Jane watched as her colleague laughed slightly, then quickly regained his usual impenetrable expression.

'And where is your mother now?', he asked suddenly. 'You probably go to see her often.'

'I would if she were still alive. Both my parents are deceased. I have only one aunt left, my mother's sister. She lives near York. My mother died when I was sixteen.'

'I was fifteen when mine died.'

Neither of them mentioned a word about their fathers. Jane to avoid the unnecessary questions and memories that this would inevitably raise and Snape for who knows what reason. One thing was for sure, this coincidence could not be accidental. She looked up at a tall tree with yellow leaves just in time to hide the faint smile that crept across her lips. She could hardly hide herself, but she did not intend to give the information that she liked the professor to everyone who looked at them.

The walk lasted another half hour, most of the time spent in silence, which was preferable to discussing unpleasant topics. However, it was not completely wasted. Watching his colleague closely, Associate Professor Undead couldn't help but notice some small nervous gestures on his part. Whether he was smoothing his hair or crossing his arms, his actions gave off a subtle tension that her trained eye sensed instinctively. Maybe he really liked her, she thought, and as much as she denied it, this notion gave her pleasure.

Time was flying, and although she didn't want to, in the end, Jane had to apologize for having things to do, but they still didn't have to hurry. With a calm pace, the two teachers went to the castle, where they politely parted in the Entrance Hall. She regretted not being able to walk around the school all day, especially in such company, but she had promised Lily Smith that she would teach her and her friends some music lessons.

Just as she was pouring cat food into Murray's bowl, there was a knock on the door, and four boys of different heights stepped hesitantly inside, one after another, closely followed by Lily, who was at least half a head below the lowest of them.

'Hello, boys, hello, Lily!' Jane said as she stood up.

'Good afternoon, Associate Professor Undead!', the students answered in unison.

'I think we'll need a few more chairs.' The teacher waved her wand, and several high chairs materialized in front of the fireplace, right next to the chair on which the bag of cat food had been left.

'Well, get yourselves comfortable,' Jane said, taking the packet of cat treat and moving it to the desk. 'Someone could sit here, too. I already know Lily very well, and the last time I saw Euphem Forest, I think he was too absorbed in the vine that had wrapped itself around him.'

'I'm sorry, Professor,' said one of the other boys, who had dark hair and square glasses and had sat down in the chair next to him. 'I got carried away.'

'Well, so you put him in that position. August Ripper, if I'm not mistaken.'

The boy nodded sharply.

'And the rest of you must be Jerry Hammer and Seth...'

'Seth Harding,' the short boy with long black hair, who was sitting next to the excellent student August, added quickly.

'So Euphem is the new Quidditch star.' Jane looked at him approvingly over her glasses. Tall and with an imposing blond mane, if nothing else, the boy was like a magnet for girls. At that moment, however, Lily patted him on the shoulder, not very delicately, from which it could be concluded that she was far from attracted by his irresistible charm. 'What do you play?'

'Guitar,' the boy said shortly.

'August is playing the bass, Jerry is singing, and Seth is playing the drums,' Lily clarified. 'We have all played a little, but we will need a lot of guidance.'

'So Jerry's a singer,' Undead said thoughtfully. 'What about you, Lily?' Won't you sing something?'

'Me? By no means.' She shook her head, and her blond tail painted a semicircle on the back of her robe.

'But yesterday you sang so well. Anyway, we can solve this later. Now it would be good for everyone to play a little. I want to see your level. August will have to play the guitar because I don't have a bass, and with you, Seth, I don't know what we're going to do.'

'We're going to buy instruments, Associate Professor Undead,' Jerry interrupted. 'I have a little money saved for a microphone, and Euphem's father buys him all sorts of things, as long as he is studying, so this won't be a problem.'

'Very well, then. Do you need help in choosing your instruments?'

'I think it'll be better,' Euphem spoke for the first time on his own initiative, a slight blush running down his cheeks. Apparently, he didn't like to admit such things.

'Next Saturday I could take you to the music store in London, which is located near Diagon Alley. Do you agree?'

The five students looked at each other, and Lily answered on behalf of everyone.

'We agree and we are very grateful to you, Associate Professor Undead.'

'For nothing. Now, I suggest Lily play the song we rehearsed yesterday, and Jerry will sing. Did you write the text for him, Lily?'

'It's ready. Jerry, you should know it, but take a look.'

Lily handed Jerry a not-so-long parchment. He just glanced at it and said, 'I know it.'

'Let's start then.' Jane handed the guitar to Lily and settled comfortably in her chair.

As soon as Lily started playing, the whole room fell silent. Murray wagged her tail and headed for her bowl, and Jane smiled broadly and shook her head to the rhythm of the song. Jerry's voice was a little husky, but pleasant, and it matched the melody very well. The other boys listened, too, and seemed to fully approve of what they heard. Euphem followed the text on Lily's parchment, and Seth even tapped his palm on his knee according to the rhythm. When Lily was done, she handed the guitar to August who played a short melody, and Seth showed a drumbeat with Jane's plastic Muggle ruler, bought long ago at the village fair.

'You're all doing well,' Associate Professor Undead praised them as Seth finished his performance. 'I think you will have a very successful band.'

The students were happy and thanked her for the good feedback.

'So you're taking us to the music store on Saturday?' August asked afterwards.

'Yes, on Saturday, sometime in the morning, you're welcome to my office. We'll leave for London from there. Before that, I'm going to ask Professor Dumbledore to let you go with me. I hope he won't refuse me. You all have permits for Hogsmeade, don't you?'

'Yes, Associate Professor Undead.'

'Very well. Until Saturday, then. And if any of you wants to ask me something during the week, I'll be either here or down in the classroom.'

Jane treated them with some Every Flavour Beans and then walked them to the door of the tower. They were really nice children, she told herself.

There was still some time until lunch, so she sat at her desk to read. She had taken a lot of her old books from Yorkshire and decided to read one out. As she rummaged through her desk, wondering which one to choose, she noticed a luxurious-looking edition bound in black leather and inscribed in silver letters – the "Encyclopedia of Wizard Rock". Well, it was readable, too. Flipping through the glossy paper, because the book was printed on paper, not parchment like the older volumes, she remembered that there was a page dedicated to her old band. She turned to the beginning of the letter "b" and soon found it. There was a big picture with the date and the name of the band written under it. Yes, it was really them – they looked young, carefree and extremely happy with their lives. Below there were links to other pages with information about the individual members – her and the boys. She opened the page with her photo and read:

JANE SUSAN UNDEAD

A performer from the mid and late 80s. In 83, together with Frank Wayne, she founded "The Black Witches" (after the cover band "Goblin Life", which existed from 80 to 83). From 85 until the break-up of "The Black Witches" in the autumn of 1991, Undead played the lead guitar, sang and wrote lyrics. In 92 she disappeared without a trace. See page 15, "Black Witches, The".

When did she buy this book? Maybe two or three years ago, when she happened to pass through Diagon Alley. There were rumours that the Dark Lord was once again busy weaving his nets around the little Potter, and she had decided she could walk down the street without being noticed. She took a walk, albeit hooded, went into the bookstore, bought the book, purchased a new robe, and went to see her aunt Charlotte. The next day, however, she saw a Death Eater in the village, in broad daylight. Dying of fear, she left the book and the robe on the couch, cast a spell to hide her aunt's house, and fled into the woods again.

Still, the book was one of her few memories of those golden years, she thought – moments of great fame and recognition. Jane sighed and shoved it in her desk again. Maybe one day she would put it on the shelf with the other books she read often. If only her heart stopped hurting every time she thought about her past.

The next week started practically without anything interesting happening. The lessons went on as usual, the Gray Lady had almost finished the first part of her autobiography and was already thinking about ways to publish it. Only on Monday morning, there was a strange argument between Professor McGonagall and one of the other teachers Jane didn't know about predicting the future. However, the disagreement quickly subsided after the unknown teacher got offended by something and left the table, and nothing special happened until the end of the breakfast. Accustomed to a more dynamic life, Jane found out that suddenly the things to do were drastically reduced, and this irritated her. After arranging her books, her clothes, and the rest of her luggage, she wondered what to do. That's why when one evening Professor Snape reminded her of her promise to look at his tape recorder, she hurried to fulfil it.

This time the professor's room looked different. Whether it was because the fire was burning in the fireplace or he had tidied it soon, but there was really something new in it. Now she had plenty of time and opportunity to look around and notice some details of the surroundings that had previously escaped her. Several scrolls were hung on the stone walls of the small antechamber, the window at the bottom was covered with a dark green curtain, and one of the walls was completely occupied by a bookcase in which various tomes were arranged.

'Come, sit down,' Professor Snape's voice distracted her from her occupation. He was pointing to an armchair upholstered in green velvet that looked very much like the one in her room.

'Thank you,' she said and sat down. 'Maybe we'd better pull the chair to the desk and disassemble the apparatus there.'

' The apparatus?'

'Well, the tape recorder. That's what the Muggles in the hardware stores call it.' Then she added because she noticed that the professor was looking strangely at her. 'Even though my parents were wizards, I've lived among Muggles all my life.'

'I see,' her companion said and hurried to get the little tape recorder. 'Here it is. See what can be done.'

Jane spread an old newspaper, which she found nearby, on the desk and pulled out a box containing several screwdrivers of different sizes from her pocket, which took Professor Snape completely aback. Where with a screwdriver, where with her magic wand, she managed to unscrew the cover of the tape recorder and began digging inside. She placed the various screws and bolts she had taken from its insides on the newspaper.

'Severus, I think its grease has stuck,' Jane said thoughtfully, staring into a corner of the poor device's open belly, illuminated by the light of her magic wand. 'Here, look for yourself.'

The professor crouched on the floor next to the desk and peered where the wand pointed.

'I don't see anything,' he complained, getting closer in an attempt to notice something.

'Right here,' Jane pointed with the screwdriver she held in her other hand. 'In the corner, the blackish one. This wheel should normally rotate, but it can't because of it.'

'That doesn't sound good at all.' Snape frowned.

'It's not a big problem. It just needs a little cleaning. Then we will put new grease on it and it will be fine.'

'If you say so.'

Jane rolled up her sleeves and focused. It needed very little magic to clean, but if she wasn't careful where she pointed it, she could damage something else. As she was preparing to cast the spell, she felt Severus's breath on her neck and shivered.

'Don't do that anymore, please', she rebuked him. 'I don't like it when people breathe in my neck. I get goosebumps.'

'I'm sorry,' he said, walking away.

Associate Professor Undead focused again, but she felt her heart beat twice as fast as usual. She waved her wand very lightly, then bent down to look. Then she turned on the tape recorder and began looking to see if the wheel was spinning. Everything looked fine.

'Now give me a cassette. One which you won't regret if it gets damaged.'

Snape silently handed her the cassette and their faces came extremely close, their hands almost touching. 'Jane, step back,' she commanded herself, 'and get this done faster, it's not good for you.' But these thoughts made their way to her mind somewhat slowly. With an effort of will, she pulled out her hand that held the cassette, looked away from him, and placed it in the device. She pushed the button and the room filled with a deafening crash that was supposed to be music.

'It's working now,' she said contentedly, almost in Snape's face. The two looked at each other for a while longer, but whether it was because of the music or their mood had passed, they eventually lost interest in each other and stood up.

'Thanks for fixing it,' Snape said first, trying not to look at her.

'You're welcome,' she said. 'I did what I could. And now I think it's good for me to leave. It's late and I have to get up early tomorrow.'

'Yes, we all have to get up early,' he said thoughtfully and headed for the door. 'I'll walk you to the Entrance Hall.'