The Potions Mistress

**Disclaimer, JK Rowling is the big cheese, I’m not trying to profit from her success, nor defame her characters (hey I’m making them happy, they deserve it) Any character or locations you don’t recognise are the creation of my own imagination, yes I do possess one even though I am writing fanfiction.**

Chapter II
A small bell jingled in Theda’s ear. She opened her eyes and sat up, the curtains drew themselves open and sunlight flooded in reflecting off the mirror. Rubbing her eyes, she saw that the jug on the wash stand had been filled, and Theda did her morning ablutions in the light of the morning sun.

In the great hall, breakfast was already under way. Theda ate her toast and marmite quicker than she would have liked so as to be in class before her pupils.
It was the lesson before lunch and the third years came in apprehensively. They weren’t sure if they were going to like this new teacher. After all, Prof. Carter had been rather a character, what with his wearing a white lab coat instead of a cloak and whipping out his faithful spatula to point out things, anywhere, even Snitches.

‘Good afternoon, children.’

‘Good afternoon, Professor.’ They looked at her, and she looked back. They didn’t want detention, and they had already heard rumours about this new teacher’s strictness.

‘I hope you will be well behaved, especially compared to the seventh years -- an especially badly behaved year.’

The third years looked at each other. They knew all about the rivalries amongst the seventh years. Luckily for them only ten points were lost, and these were due to Gilderoy Lockhart’s attempts at being cheeky, which ended in him being the guinea pig for the Jellifaction Potion.

Overall, Theda was pleased with her first day of teaching. She felt she had instilled a fear of detention into her students. Always good to start hard on the little darlings, let them know where they stand she thought to herself.

The next day after an interesting lunchtime discussion in the staff room on the merits of Ten Pin Bowling and whether they should start a club, Theda sat at her desk waiting apprehensively for the seventh years. She was surprised to see the Gryffindor with the Wicked Grin come in and sit next to the Slytherin Prefect. The rest of the class appeared to be made up of a small group of Ravenclaws who sat themselves strategically in the centre of the room.

In the front row, Severus was fuming. Sirius Black had taken it upon himself to sit on his right hand side, and he had no idea why. The hatred was mutual and Severus was angry because he knew that Sirius was up to something. This something became clear when the class started to write down their after school work (due in next Wednesday). Sirius Black was left-handed and kept jogging him with his elbow as he wrote. Severus gritted his teeth and tried to move out of the way, but Black’s elbow followed him. Exasperated, Severus moved seats, and Professor
Vespertin looked up from reading out the work.

‘What’s the matter now?’ she said, raising an eyebrow.

‘Splinters on the desk, Professor’ muttered Severus, and glared at Black who was grinning his devilish grin.

Theda then started to talk about the work for the year.

‘Now, I hope every one has been thinking about their independent study over the summer, because I will be passing a piece of parchment around for you to write you ideas on so we can discuss them.’ Theda then produced piece of parchment and handed it to Black, who quickly scribbled his idea onto it. He then looked at Severus, got up, and handed the parchment to the group in the middle. Severus shot him an evil glance as he sat down again and fiddled with his quill. Theda noticed this little interchange of glances looked at Black as if trying to work out why he had got up when it would have been so much easier just to hand the parchment to Severus. For his part, Severus was watching Professor Vespertin and wonderiow oow old she was, since she didn’t look much older than they were, but he wasn’t sure -- women and age are tricky subjects at the best of times. He continued watching the professor as he had just noticed what a fascinating bosom she had, and so started violently when one of the Ravenclaws tapped him on the back to hand him the parchment. The movement caught Theda’s eye and she raised one eyebrow at him. Noticing this, Severus did the same and was very pleased when she smiled. He then jotted down his idea for the study and signed his name with more than the usual flourish.

Theda took the parchment form the front desk and read the list of projects. She then got the class to discuss each of the ideas. Severus declined to comment, preferring to mutter criticisms under his breath. Theda watched him out of the corner of her eye, and tried to hear what he was muttering. There was something almost comforting in his reticence. Everyone else at this school was so cheerful and extroverted, or that’s what it felt like to Theda, who was naturally shy and quiet. In the staff room she was constantly being berated for not talking enough.
When the class finished, Severus was the last one out, and as he turned to go to the Great Hall he heard Professor Vespertin mutter ‘circumlocum’ and the sound of a door opening. He peeked through the gap between the hinges and saw the dark green of her robe disappear through the bookshelf behind her desk.
***
That weekend was Hogsmeade weekend for the students, and Theda had also gone down to the village to get an owl that was strong enough to take letters to Armenia. When she had done this she wandered around the vge, ge, avoiding the knots of pupils walking along the high street. She stopped outside Gladrags and looked at a hat in the window, it looked like a dazed Chelsea bun made of velvet, and was decorated with a white ostrich feather. Theda looked at the hat and then went in the shop and bought it. Setting the hat on her head at a rakish angle, she set off to The Three Broomsticks for some lunch. As she walked in she almost slammed into Severus Snape, who was walking towards the bar with a note folded up in his hand. Sidestepping this disaster, she noticed one of the Slytherin seventh years waving at her. She recognised him and walked over to say hello.

‘Sev’s gone to get us lunch. Do you want anything?’

‘I’m here for the cheese salad sandwiches.’

‘Right ho, Professor.’

Rosier shouted across the room to Severus, who was standing at the bar trying to catch the barmaid’s eye. He looked around.

‘Prof V. here wants cheese salad sandwiches!’

Theda took a coin out of her purse and waved it at Severus, who deftly summoned it.
She looked at these people who seemed such a tightly knit group in a pub full of chatting teenagers , the jukebox was far too loud but the desire to flee was balancy hey her rational mind that reminded her she had ordered and couldn’t go anywhere else. She tapped her fingers nervously on the table as she was playing an invisible piano until a voice behind her said sharply;

‘Well, move then!’ Theda moved out of the way. Then she realised the voice was addressing the others in the group. There was general shuffling and the girl Bellatrix sat on Lestrange’s lap producing more space on the seat.

‘Do sit down, Professor,’ said Severus. ‘He not as contagious as he looks,’ and he indicated the space next to Wilkes, Theda sat down. Severus sat down next to her and folded his arms. Theda was trapped with these people and was beginning to feel very uncomfortable, when

Rosier addressed a question to her-

‘Professor, what’s Durmstrang like?’

‘I finished there over a year ago. It’s smaller than here and stricter.’ Then, changing the subjects, she showed every one the copper coil on the handle of her wand she had got when she had received the highest marks for Potions in the Durmstrang Equivalent of NEWTs. It was duly admired and passed around the table.

‘ But Professor, you said you were at medical school. So why are you here teaching ?’ inquired Severus, who had not leant forward to look at her wand.

‘We have to spend the second year abroad, experiencing ‘Other Cultures’. I rather cheated and came here -- as you can probably tell, English is not my second language.’

They continued chatting about schools, and as Theda was becoming more relaxed she glanced up and happened to notice the mirror on the far wall, reflected in was the tables she was sitting at to her left Rosier, Wilkes, Bellatrix on Lestrange’s lap, and to the right was Severus Snape, sitting up very straight with his arms tightly folded and his eyes quite obviously looking straight down her dress. Theda couldn’t help but feel a little thrill at this unwitting compliment. Severus was not quite so diffident about his behaviour; he felt rather disrespectful but at the same time compelled to look, he was hoping that no-one would notice. Only Theda had so far, but the others had noticed that he was not participating the conversation.

‘I think Sev’s nodded off,’ said Bella. From where she was sitting it looked like Severus had his eyes closed.

‘Our conversation’s obviously not erudite enough,’ said Wilkes. Severus realised that they were talking about him and stopped looking down Professor Vespertin’s dress.

‘Sickle for your thoughts, Sev.’ But before he could answer Rosier butted in-

‘It’s probably vampires, Professor. He’s always talking about vampires.’

‘He sleeps like a vampire, too,’ added Lestrange.

At this Severus felt compelled to enter this conversation.‘I don’t actually, Professor. And if any one --’ he addresseds tos to Wilkes ‘-- is bored by your conversations, I’m sure it is Professor Vespertin.’ He looked at her for approval.

‘Well, I do feel a little tired, and that was a lovely sandwich.’ The food had appeared on the table during their conversations and had vanished almost as soon as it had arrived.

‘Anyway, I need to get back. I have a pile of marking to do,’ she continued. Severus got up and let her out, but what he really wanted to do was to take her arm and walk her back to her office, and….

‘See you later. Don’t forget to do that work I set.’ Severus watched her cloak swirl as he opened the door and she disappeared into the hazy afternoon sun.

‘Well, well, Sniv. I wish you luck,’ said a voice, that sounded like some one posh trying to sound rough, in his ear. He turned around. Standing behind him was Sirius Black. Caught by surprise, Severus reached into his robes for his wand, butius ius just laughed. Severus looked down at him. He was at least four inches taller than Black, and it was one of the few advantages he had. Sirius looked back and then spoke in a low voice so that no one else could hear.

‘You’re nothing to her. You’re the greasy sneak who no-one likes and barely knows who his own mother was, although looking at the offspring I think we can conclude that she wasn’t strictly human.’

This time Severus did pull his wand out and was about to do a tongue-tying hex when James Potter came over and put a hand on his arm. Severnatcnatched his arm away and glared at Potter.

‘As Head Boy, I’ll have to report you, Snape.’ He smirked, enjoying this official opportunity to pick on Severus.

‘I was provoked, Potter,’ he said between his teeth. He appeared to be trying very hard not to hex Potter as well.

‘He was only talking to you, Snape. Now leave it, both of you.’ James walked off and Sirius followed him, only pausing to glance back at Severus and stick his tongue out. Severus sat back down and stabbed the table with his wand, muttering ‘I hate Potter’ and ‘I hate Black’ with each stab.
***
That Monday morning the dungeons were crisp and fresh, so when the seventh years trooped in, Theda made a surprise announcement.

‘Today, as a bit of fun before we get down to some serious work, I’ve decided we should do Cosmetic Potions. I’ve got some books out from the library.’ She indicated the volumes on her desk.

‘I bet Snape is g to to do a de-greasing potion,’ said Sirius Black, and the Ravenclaws tittered nervously.

Theda looked at Black and pointed her wand at the door. It flew open and slammed into the wall. ‘OUT! NOW!’ she commanded.

Black’s grin slipped from his face; the force of that door opening had shown just how angry she was. The class twisted round in their seats to watch Black practically dragged out of the classroom by Professor Vespertin. One of the more nosy Ravenclaws whispered a charm so that they could see on their side of the door what was being said on the other. This is what they read;
Professor Vespertin-Mr Black I am very disappointed in you.

Black (mumbles) – Sorry, Professor.

Professor Vespertin- I want my class to be a place of learning, not a war zone. I want my students to be able tarn arn in peace without having to endure insults from their classmates. Do I make myself clear?’

Black- Yes,fessfessor.

Professor Vespertin- Now, what are you going to do?

Black- Apologise to Snape, Professor.
Professor Vespertin- And one last thing. Ten points from Gryffindor.

Severus smiled at this. At last, here was a teacher who didn’t think the sun shone from every Gryffindor’s arse. The door opened again, and a sheepish Black walked back to the front bench and apologised to S. T. The Ravenclaws moved closer to the front and began looking through the books. Snape slipped off to the back of the classroom with a book called ‘Triumph over Tricky Trichological Trials’ and sat down, trying to find a degreasing Potion. Near the back, after Mrs Skowrer’s Scalp Scrub, was Sebum Suppression Solution. He read the instructions through and started work.

At the front of the classroom, The Ravenclaws were making odd coloured hairs dyes, some of which appeared to be for making hair glow in the dark. Theda did not want to know what that was for. On the frontbench, Sirius Black wasn’t in the mood for fun, and was reading his textbook.

Theda watched Severus working in the gloom at the back of the room and wondered why she had been so angry with Black. After all it had merely been a childish taunt. She could see Severus’ pale face framed by his hair as looked intently at his book. He really looked quite mysterious and handsome.

Handsome? Theda asked herself. Where did that come from?
Although, looking again, she could see that his movements were graceful and unsettling, like a spider’s, and those eyes beneath the heavy brows they were dark and glowing, but entirely inscrutable. Theda shook herself, embarrassed. What was she doing, dreaming over a student like this? She suppsupposed to be thinking about Potions, not Passions.

She decided she had better take a look at what he was doing, just in case. He looked up as he heard her approach and looked at suspiciously as if expecting a telling off. Theda pulled a stool over from the bench in front and sat opposite his cauldron.

‘I’m so sorry. This lesson was supposed to be fun.’

‘It not your fault, Professor. Black’s always like that.’ Severus added some witch hazel to his cauldron, and a cloud of astringent steam made both their eyes water.

Severus dabbed at his eyes with his sleeve, and looked at Professor Vespertin. She seemed to be waiting for something. He took a deep breath and breathed in more steam, which made him cough. Recovering from the coughing, he leant forward and whispered to Professor Vespertin:

‘Black and his pernicious friend Potter have been picking on me since the first year. Look at this scar--’ he pointed under his chin ‘-- that was from being pushed out of third floor window with a horned gargoyle beneath it.’

Theda looked at it and was duly perturbed.

‘But why you? What have you done to them?’ she asked, frowning in a puzzled manner.
Severus shrugged his shoulders.

‘I can’t even remember how it started, but the crux of biscuit is the fact that they’re everything I’m not; popular, good looking, clever, a Quidditch hero. Of course I’ve retaliated, but that just gets me in trouble. Every one at this wretched place favours Gryffindor- except you, Professor.’ He smiled at her in a mildly sycophantic manner. Theda looked at him, slightly shocked, and then a dark look passed across her face.

‘You know what they say about girls being just as horrible bullies as boys? It’s true.’ Her eyes dampened and she looked away.

Severus dropped the ladle he had been stirring his potion with into the cauldron with a clang and opened his mouth to speak, but Professor Vespertin had moved off and was dismissing the class in a tight voice. The Ravenclaws shot out, impatient to show therienriends their potions; Black, who seemed still to sulking, stalked out, merely throwing a contemptuous glance at Severus. Busy bottling his potion, Severus didn’t see Professor Vespertin disappear through the bookshelf. Had he done so he would, perhaps, have seen the damp handkerchief she was clutching in her hand.

(:Thank you to my beta readers Sheena, Aeishya and Devon_Severus who have all been a great help:)