Severus did take a break from the headache of Fixing Slytherin after his meeting with the fifth year prefects. He had plenty of other things to keep him busy between homework grading and the ridiculous amount of inane correspondence with his Slytherin's parents. Merlin were these children entitled! It seemed certain offenders wrote home to complain every time they lost points or got detention, and the stupid parents then wrote to Severus to demand he correct the injustice. He found himself exercising against the parents the acid wit he so desperately fought to contain during actual classes.
I am aggrieved to confirm Timothy did indeed receive detention in herbology for insisting repeatedly that venomous tentacula leaves are used only in poisons despite Professor Sprout's assertions to the contrary and her tyrannical instructions to desist and move on. I leave it to the estimable prerogative of your own personage, descendant of renowned herbologist Beaumont Marjoribanks, to correct Professor Sprout in this matter. The despicable woman must have misled me as well, for I was under the impression that venomous tentacula leaves are used in several non-poisonous potions including certain fertilizers, a purgative that neutralizes several natural poisons, and a potion to prevent convulsions. I encourage you to write to the publishers of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, Magical Drafts and Potions, Advanced Potion Making, and Most Potente Potions, all of which contain this same error...
His latest correspondence was interrupted by a knock on his door. "Enter," he called briskly.
The door opened, and the first-year werewolf girl Chiara Lobosca bounded into his office. She ran right around his desk and hugged him. He was completely stunned and narrowly restrained the urge to violently throw her off or hex her.
"What in the name of Merlin and Morgana do you think you are doing?!"
She beamed up at him with tears in her eyes. Severus' surprise turned to panic. He didn't like dealing with crying children. Harry had only done it once so far in his experience, when he had tripped and skinned his knee this summer. Seemingly, the injury mysteriously improved with a kiss from Petunia. Chiara in no way appeared hurt however. Why was she crying? Why was she smiling while crying? Why was she in his office smiling while crying? As if in answer to his unvoiced questions, the girl finally let go and thrust a card up at his face. The front of it clearly read "THANK YOU!"
"Oh, Professor Snape! Thank you so, so much!"
"For what?"
"For the Wolfsbane potion! I've never transformed with it before! It was amazing! It still hurt, but I was back to normal the next day almost! I saw Madam Pomphrey today, and she says I don't have any more permanent damage this time! That's never happened before! Thank you!"
"Ah."
"You're my favorite professor, Professor! I promise I'm going to study as hard as I can and be your best student! I'm going to become a master potioneer like you and brew the potion for all the other werewolves! Professionally! And then maybe the laws can loosen up, and if everyone is taking it, then maybe eventually there won't be any more bites and the disease will be gone!"
Severus gradually manage to disentangle himself from her grabby arms as she continued her happy babbling. As he listened, he realized with a pang Chiara was probably another 'Slytherin who got away.' Chiara was the kind of naïve but motivated girl who could really benefit from the guidance of Slytherin House-as-it-should-be if she ever hoped to achieve her grandiose ambitions. He would have to overlook his discomfort with the fact that she was a werewolf. The world would be better for it.
"I'm glad," he said softly. "And I'll help you. Your goals will take years, decades to realize, but they are far from impossible if you plan well and gather the right resources." Chiara's eyes widened in star-struck excitement. "You can start with this." He opened his file drawer and pulled out Madam Pince's list of the potions section of the library. He copied it with a quick wand-flourish and gave it a tap to rearrange all the titles in the order in which Chiara should read them. "I do not expect you to read all of these, not for many years. But if you seek to become a Master Potioneer, you need a theoretical understanding of potions beyond the standard Hogwarts curriculum, and it is best to start young. Therefore, once you are done with all your assigned work, from all your professors, then you can work your way through this list, in order. Write down any questions you have. There will be no neglect of your other subjects." He paused, gauging her expression. She still looked hopeful rather than intimidated or overwhelmed. Good. "If you do well in your classes for the next few months, then perhaps you may join me sometimes in my lab, to observe and maybe eventually help with the monthly Wolfsbane brew."
She squealed in delight, the sound loud and grating on the ears. "Thankyou-thankyou-thankyou!"
"Quite. Now get out."
"Yes, sir!" She scurried away, clutching the list of potions books to her chest. At least she did not slam the door on her way out.
He savored a few moments of blissful silence before looking at the card in his hands. Purple paper, pink THANK YOU!, decorated with white hearts and the words followed by a veritable forest of unnecessary exclamation marks. Egad. He opened it to read the message.
Thank you so, so much, Professor Snape! My parents and I were so excited when we heard in August you would be making the Wolfsbane potion for me every month, because we could never afford it before, and we were ever so afraid of the worst happening and me causing an accident. Now that I know what the potion is like, I understand you're not just making me safe for the other students, you are saving my life! I know because of you, I will be able to study harder and learn better and actually do something with my life.
Thank you from me, and from my Mum and Dad, and from my baby brother! I hope he gets to be in Slytherin when he comes to Hogwarts!
Love,
Chiara
Merlin, she dotted all the 'i's with hearts too. He closed the card again with a snort, but he still stowed it carefully in his pocket. He would put it in the box in his quarters with the rest of the cards various Hufflepuff students had sent him last academic year.
Later that evening, he wrote to Petunia, How bad would it be if I put on a sign on my office door saying 'Attempting to hug a professor without explicit permission will be punished with detention'? -S
Minutes later, Hahahahahaha! What? -P
Briefly, Severus explained his encounter with Chiara.
That's so cute! She sounds sweet. You should probably tell her about persnal boundaries next time she shows up in your office, but putting up a sign is an invitation for the little darlings to ambush and hug you for a lark I'm afraid. Dudders has been doing something similar lately, holding onto my leg when my hands are full of laundry or what-not -P
That's what I thought, hoped I was wrong -S
No, you just thought I would find it funny and condescended to tell me for that reason -P
You're welcome -S
Thank you -P
Author's note: Severus doesn't hate all werewolves, just the evil ones and Remus Lupin... And yes, he kept the "Get Well Soon" card and every single condolence letter the students sent him even if he tossed all the ones from the adults. Anyone would. The reasoning is obvious and perfectly logical, *glares dramatically, daring to be contradicted and told he has a soft heart.*
Will continue to update sporadically as my schedule allows...