First Day of Classes
The sorting went smoothly. The famous Harry Potter had made it into Gryffindor, and Dumbledore had seemed very pleased. The faces of the new first years had been just as surprised as yours when the mouth watering food arrived on the tables with a small 'pop'. It was a lovely evening, and soon the students were following their house prefects to their common rooms. Leaving the teachers to follow behind to ensure their safe arrival to their rooms. The awkwardness between you and Snape seemed to disappear after a little while and you were grateful for it. You'd thought about The Weasley boys dislike of him whilst you were eating, but what really shocked you was the very first lesson of the next morning. Maybe they had the right to think of him the way they did.
You woke early, bubbling with excitement. The students would be receiving their timetables this morning, and your teaching schedule had already been magically placed on your desk. You went over it carefully, noting that the first years and seventh years had one extra class than others. An extra introductory class for the new starters and extra study for those taking their N.E.W.T exams? Deciding you were right, you stuck the timetable into the side of the mirror above your desk. It was time to get showered and ready for the day.
Even though you'd been early, you had to skip breakfast and walk briskly across the corridor to the potions classroom as time escaped you. Standing outside the door, in a rather messy line, were the first students of the day. Third years, as you knew, from Gryffindor and Slytherin. You saw the bright ginger hair of Fred and George but they hadn't seen you. You didn't have the time right now to chat, and you knew they would come running if they caught a glimpse of you before class. So you rushed into the classroom just as Severus was coming to the door, the two of you almost collided but he stepped out of the way just in time. You greeted him with a polite 'good morning' and he nodded, acknowledging you.
Snape pulled open the door you had just walked through and the third year students came streaming in and filling up the room. They were quick to settle in their seats, encouraged to by the look of disdain on their professor's face.
"Year three," The long haired man began, striding to his desk where you stood waiting, "of potions.. is often where we find if any of you have any real talent or not. It is where we expand your knowledge on what you have already brewed in the last two years, and apply it to more uncommon creations and more."
"Now, as you all know, potions is now a core class. You can no longer drop this subject if it doesn't entice you, and so it is my job to make sure you pass. As things get more serious, I expect no disruptions in my class," He looked briefly at the twins, "as the wrong mix of ingredients can cause a very unpleasant mess."
Snape droned on, his tone slow but not at all boring. You found yourself listening on, as he explained the start of the curriculum for this year. He put in a few nasty digs towards the students here and there, intimidating them. This is where you picked up on why the two mischievous Gryffindors had called him a git at the feast last night. He had a powerful aura, he clearly liked to have control in his classroom and you couldn't exactly fault him for that. The problem you did have, however, was how he favoured the Slytherin students over the Gryffindors. Snape practically directed his words towards his own house, unless he was saying something unpleasant - the threats and disappointed looks were for the Gryffindors only.
"And," Severus finally introduced you, glancing over at you, "we have a new teacher to help you all stay on the right track. Professor [last name] will be around to advise and oversee those of you who might need a little encouragement. Now do we have any questions, or can we get started?"
Nobody dared put their hand up or open their mouth. You, however, were smiling at the young teenagers in front of you (appearing friendly, but also glad that Snape had finally referred to you as a professor.)
The class opened their textbooks when asked, and the class continued with mostly independent reading on which ingredients would be needed to make the Shrinking Solution they would be brewing in their next lesson. You took it upon yourself to wander between the tables to make sure everyone was on the right track.
"Pssst. Professor!"
You span round and smiled when you recognised the boys voice, "Yes, Mr. Weasley?"
"We did this potion last year. Didn't go to well, most of us ended up making a deadly poison." Fred sniggered quietly.
"Well maybe you should try getting it right this time, maybe by reading right now?" You suggested, with a friendly grin.
"Alright, alright," Fred joked, "and here I was thinking you were going to be nice!"
You pressed a hand against your chest as if you were holding your heart, "I am nice. But you need to pass potions and you won't if you don't start reading. I expect a perfect Shrinking Solution next lesson, without any help at all!"
"Only if you tell me and George what we can use to contain a storm in a bottle?" The boy tried to barter with you.
"I am not inclined to tell you anything, especially when you're trying to blackmail me... unsuccessfully so." You mused, "Read your book, brew a strong potion and maybe you'll find out one day."
"Although Professor [last name] is right, I'll be taking five points from Gryffindor as you're not even on the correct page," Professor Snape muttered, appearing beside you without any warning, "and for trying to distract the new Professor with your silly questions."
You almost frowned at Severus, but kept your cool. He put his hand on your arm to signal for you to leave the table, his touch lingering on you for a bit longer than you both expected. You made yourself move, feeling a little strange that even the tiniest touch sent electricity through your veins. You were quick to ignore it, plastering on a smile and roaming over to the Slytherin tables. They greeted you kindly, some of their faces you had recognised from your years at the shop. You didn't stay with students very long after that, giving out words of encouragement and explaining a few ingredients here and there. A few congratulated you and were happy to see you at Hogwarts, and you thanked them before moving on. The lesson came to an end soon after.
"I want you to write up the recipe for the Shrinking Solution on parchment for next lesson, that way I know you've read it," Professor Snape stared at the students who groaned, "I will be checking."
"What a waste of paper!" George piped up, annoyed.
"Five points from Gryffindor," Snape spat, "first day of term and you and your brother have contributed to the loss of ten whole points to your house. It is not a good start to the year to have minus ten points already. You're dismissed, all of you."
As the students left, you approached the man about to speak, but he was quicker, "If you're going to insult my teaching, you needn't say anything."
"I wasn't going to," You were offended that he would accuse you of such a thing, annoyed even, "but if you have to say that to me, then you must realise yourself that you were very harsh to those boys today."
"As if they weren't being harsh about me at the feast?" Severus retorted.
"They're children, you should know better than to hold such a grudge regardless of what stupidity they say." You answered, confidently, "When you treat the classroom as a prison, you are already seeing them as criminals. They are doing wrong because they know they hold no power here, it may be a school but their learning experience is what will make them successful."
"If you know so much, then why don't you take the lead with the fifth years next lesson," He spat angrily, "I'd like to see you fail."
The man, outraged, sat in the chair behind his desk to make a point. He didn't move for another minute or so, and you realised he was quite literally making you teach the next lesson. You pushed your panic down and resisted the urge, at the same time, to roll your eyes at him. Snape was making you feel so many different emotions in such a short amount of time. His electrifying touch from earlier had been forgotten as you felt so much bitterness towards him at this moment.
You stormed over to the door but composed yourself before opening it, seeing the next line of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students awaiting their next lesson. You slapped on a happy smile and greeted them all as they walked in. Again, some familiar faces - and a few kind words from the Ravenclaws who were happy to know you had been in their house previously. After the last teen had walked in, you made your way up to Snape's desk and stood practically in front of him to block his face of fury from the students. And, of course, to frustrate him further.
"Hopefully you all had a great summer, I saw a few of you gathering ingredients at the Apothecary in August and I'm delighted to be able to be here this year to help you all with Potions! And this year, is most important for you all, your O.W.L.s are coming up at the end of the year. I won't spend too much time talking, as we need to make sure from this moment on that you are prepared - but I will say this. If you're not sure of anything, or you feel nervous, I will be here for all of you no matter the time or place. Now, today we will be getting started with the Draught of Peace. Can anyone tell me what it is, what it can do?"
Quite a few hands of Ravenclaw students shot up immediately, but you took to asking the only Hufflepuff whose hand rose slowly, "Yes? And introduce yourself please, I believe we all need to get acquainted."
"The Draught of Peace can calm, um, anxiety and my name's Heather," The girl said shyly, "Heather Miller. My mother works at St. Mungo's and always loved seeing you when she was trying to create new cures at your shop."
"Nice to meet you Heather, I know your mother well," You beamed at her, "And fantastic answer! You're absolutely right, it will calm any anxious feelings and soothe agitation. It may be a difficult potion to master, but there is no need to stress because the next few weeks we will be getting a lot of practice. Can anyone tell me any of the ingredients we might use?"
"Moonstone! and I'm Iris."
"Syrup of Hellebore and Porcupine Quills, the name's Charles!"
"I think," A Hufflepuff girl flicked her eyes over the book she'd opened at the start of the lesson, "the last one is Unicorn Horn? My name is Eve. I'm sorry for cheating, professor."
"How else will you learn if you don't read?" You grinned at her, making her blush, "You were using your initiative, two points to Hufflepuff for using your brain!"
The class went on, with Snape looming behind you miserably as you interacted with as many students as possible. They were all getting even more eager to answer your questions as they were met with a smile and words of encouragement. They had been nervous at first, probably from Snape's constant frowning, but soon realised that you were taking the reins for this class.
"I want two paragraphs of what could go wrong when making the Draught of Peace for our next lesson," You told them at the end, a few Hufflepuffs cringing at the sound of homework, "Well, what did you expect? It is O.W.L year after all, but if you keep your head down and stay on top of things you'll be sure to be successful in all of your exams. Don't forget! Now go on, off you go."
A few happy words of thanks were thrown your way as they left, most of them leaving the classroom with grins on their faces and whispering about how nice you were. You smiled triumphantly and turned to Snape, with your arms crossed. He was much less annoyed but still held that usual stoic expression of his.
"I believe it was simple luck," He tried to put you down, "the Ravenclaws are often people pleasers. You should know that yourself, of course."
"I'm sorry, but I don't. I believe us just to excel when we are given the ability to," You shrugged at him, then pushed the power back to him, "I believe the next class is your first years, Professor Snape. I will see you later."
You turned and left the room, there weren't many of the little ones waiting outside and you had hoped they weren't lost. They were about to get the shock of their lives, you were sure of it.
"Are you not teaching us, Professor?" A small bushy haired girl enquired as you walked past her. "Only the fifth years who just left were raving about you."
"Unfortunately no, but no need to worry. You're in good hands with Professor Snape, he is a great teacher." You answered, knowing that the man you were talking about was now in ear shot, "I'm sure I'll be seeing you next term..."
"Hermione Granger." She smiled up at you.
"Have a good lesson, Miss. Granger."
You left the dungeons, making way for the teacher's lounge for a well needed late lunch and a pick-me-up cup of coffee. There was nobody in the lounge, clearly still teaching themselves. It was just you that had a lucky break due to Snape's strange request to teach the first years alone. You fixed yourself a sandwich and a hot brew whilst your stomach rumbled with hunger. You devoured your food within seconds, like a hungry dog, when Dumbledore entered.
"Ah," The wise man greeted you, "I was hoping to bump into you today. How fortunate that we meet. How is your first day coming along?"
You swallowed the last bit of food in your mouth before speaking, "Better than expected, Professor Dumbledore. I must thank you again for this, I truly appreciate it."
"Getting along with Severus?" His eyes twinkled as though he knew everything, "I overheard a few students talking about your lesson on my way here. I'm glad he's letting you take the lead now and then. He knows I have a lot of faith in your abilities."
"Yes, after a small discussion he did let me teach my first class - with his supervision, of course," You answered carefully, "I appreciate your faith in me, it is a great honour."
"He is a great man, and an excellent teacher," Dumbledore smiled, "I think with the two of you teaching potions, we will get some impressive exam results in the subject this year."
"I hope so." You smiled back at him.