Confrontations

Chapter 2

Confrontations

The morning sun shone brightly through her window and woke her before the alarm did. She decided it was best to be early to the breakfast feast in the Great Hall. She left her room to find Professor Snape on his way to the hall.

"Good morning, Professor," she said, smiling.

"Good morning," he replied sternly before continuing down the hall.

Grace turned at Evelyn's tap on her shoulder.

"I don't think he slept well. He seems surly," Grace commented.

"You mean more so than normal?" Evelyn sniped.

"Come on, we don't know him. And he's blocking us, so we don't really know what's going on in that head of his."

"You always did give people the benefit of the doubt. And usually you're wrong," Evelyn said.

"What can I say? It's my kind nature. I think we should get there early," Grace said as she led the way to the Great Hall.

They paused at the door and looked around. Students were settling at their tables and spooning food onto their plates. There was a large dining table for the teachers at the far end. From his seat at the middle, Dumbledore gestured for them to come over.

"Good morning, my dears!" he exclaimed.

"Good morning, Headmaster," Grace replied.

"I trust you both slept well?"

"Oh yes. I fell asleep in the bath, actually!" Grace said with a laugh.

"You what? You never told me," Evelyn said worriedly.

"It's nothing," Grace assured her.

"Please, have a seat and get something to eat." Dumbledore motioned to the two seats adjacent to Snape, who was already eating silently. Grace took the seat next to him, and he glanced up for a second.

"I think the sun is going to stay for the day, don't you think?" Grace mused. She had hoped for a reply, but he seemed to ignore her.

"You do realise that it is incredibly impolite not to answer when someone asks you a question," Evelyn barked, eyeing him.

"Evelyn, it doesn't matter," Grace said quietly.

"Forgive me for wanting to finish my breakfast in peace," Snape replied sternly. Evelyn was about to retort when Grace kicked her under the table.

"I'm sorry about my sister, Professor. She rarely thinks before she speaks," said Grace.

Evelyn took this remark as a cue to leave the table.

"Where are you going?" Grace called after her.

"I'm not hungry."

"Sisters," Grace grumbled.

"I wouldn't know," Snape replied.

"Sometimes she can be hard to get along with."

"So can I," he said as he looked into her eyes.

Those blue eyes! He almost felt as if he would get lost in her eyes. He broke away from her gaze when he felt her mind getting closer to his own. If their eyes remained locked, she would soon be able to sense his feelings, and he did not want that. He had always prided himself in keeping his feelings private. He quickly finished breakfast and left. Grace sat thinking about what he was trying to hide from her. She couldn't fathom why he wanted to be so closed off from everyone.

She had a full day of teaching ahead, so she consulted her map of the castle and grounds and made her way down to the dungeon classroom. When she entered, Snape was already there, hastily scribbling something down on a long piece of parchment. He shoved it in his desk drawer when he noticed her come in.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realise how early I was."

"I suppose it's just as well. I need to show you around," he said, sounding put out.

"OK, well, I can see the students' desks, and I can see your desk."

"This is where the students will read the ingredients for potions they prepare during the lesson," he said, gesturing to the blackboard to the far right of the room.

"This is the store cupboard. Any ingredients used in the lessons will come from here. You will be required to get them to the students' desks before the lesson begins." He circled round her to one of the front desks and picked up one of the cauldrons.

"You will need to make sure all cauldrons are adequately clean and free from leaks before each lesson and after the lessons finish. You should check all desks for anything left behind and put away all ingredients. Any questions?"

"Yes, just one. Where is the teapot?"

"Excuse me?" he said, looking confused.

"Well, if I'm to be the cleaner, I might as well be the tea lady as well." She wasn't smiling as she looked straight into his eyes. He had no idea what to say.

"Professor, I may be a Muggle, but I assure you, I know everything there is to know about Potions. The only thing I can't do is make them myself. If you wish me to prove it, I will. I can tell you exactly what to put into the cauldron, if you give me a potion to make. Please, I'm here to help the children. If I can't use my knowledge, I would at least like to pass it on." She could tell he was unsure of what to make of her, but he decided to give her a try.

"Alright, you may assist the students if they need help. But I will be watching for mistakes," he cautioned her.

"Of course."

She walked over to the next cauldron. "And I'll do all you asked out of 'good faith.'"

He nodded and returned to his desk.

"So, how long have you been teaching?" she asked.

"Fourteen years," he replied obligingly.

"And what made you become a Potions master?" she asked, sounding almost nosey.

"It's an intricate art." He sounded almost annoyed.

"You don't like small talk, do you?"

"It's an unnecessary waste of energy." He didn't even look up from his desk.

"Oh, no, I don't think so. It's a good way to find out more about each other." She was smiling at him again.

He looked up at her and was about to say something when the door opened and in came the first years, rather noisily. Snape rose.

"There is no reason why you should be making so much noise," he warned.

Many of the students froze at the sound of his voice. They eventually got up the courage to sit down, and they waited patiently for Snape to begin their first Potions class.

Grace took her place at the front of the class to the side of Snape's desk while he went over what they would be learning. He put some basic facts up on the board, and the students copied it all down fervently. Grace stood for what seemed like hours and began to feel like a spare part. Professor Snape had already returned to his desk and continued his laboured scribbling. Grace approached the desk and tried to get close to him without invading his personal space.

"Professor, is there anything you'd like me to do?" she whispered, trying not to disturb the class.

Snape sneered inwardly. He didn't even lift his head.

"I am afraid that the first few lessons with the first years will be like this."

"Perhaps I should find something else to do. I know Evelyn needs a demonstration assistant. I could..."

"Absolutely not. You are my assistant, and I require your presence in my class."

"OK, perhaps I'll bring a book next time." Without waiting for a response, she returned to her original spot. He stared at her with disdain. She did not return his stare.

Grace stood rooted to the spot for the entire lesson, determined not to give Snape satisfaction by showing her discomfort. When the class left, she rounded all the desks and collected pieces of parchment and other things the students had left. She then walked up to his desk and stood patiently for about three seconds.

"Is there anything else?" she asked nonchalantly.

He looked up and saw she was standing with her arms folded.

"Firstly, I do not appreciate being spoken to like some annoying adolescent," said Snape. "Secondly, I would appreciate some respect from my colleagues."

His obsidian eyes bored into hers, but she did not falter.

"Fine, I guess it's my turn." She placed her hands on the desk and bent down to his level, making him sit back.

"Firstly, I am your assistant, not your student, so don't talk down to me. I'm sure there are other teachers who would appreciate my help, more so than you would. And secondly, you may not have noticed, but your 'colleagues' do respect you. I would imagine that some of them are also terrified of you, with me being an exception. I don't scare easily." She removed her hands from the desk and stood upright with her hands behind her back.

Snape blinked a few times, unsure how to react. The only person who had ever stood up to him was Dumbledore, and perhaps Harry Potter, although he was always good at beating Harry down.

"Look, Professor, it's obvious you didn't request me. Perhaps I could ask Dumbledore if I could be placed in another class."

"No, that won't be necessary. I... do appreciate your help, and I do understand why Dumbledore has placed you in my class. My work for the Order has become more and more time consuming. I think he is worried about me missing lessons..." His voice had become more calm and reasoned.

"He wants someone to fill in for you when you're... away," Grace added tactfully.

"It would appear so."

"Why didn't you just say so?"

"I wanted to observe your interactions with the children. Some people are not meant for teaching."

"Well, firstly, you have to stop thinking of them as children. Your seventh years are 17 going on 18. And secondly, I haven't had much chance to interact with them yet," she stated simply, trying not to sound accusatory or ungrateful.

"The next lesson should be better. I have the fifth years: Gryffindor and Slytherin." He sounded less than pleased at this statement.

Grace didn't understand why.

"Harry Potter is in that class."

"You don't sound happy about that. What has he ever personally done to you?"

"He's just like his father...arrogant and self-important," he spat out.

"I didn't realise that you went to school with his father. We are not born to be like our parents. Maybe he needs a second chance. I'm not defending him, after all, I have yet to meet him, but I can't understand how he could be so bad."

Snape glanced at her disdainfully. Grace shrugged her shoulders

"Everyone deserves a second chance; even you."

He narrowed his eyes, wondering what she meant. Did she know that he was a former Death Eater? Did she care? He couldn't find out without actually telling her he was.

Stupid man, he thought. Why should I care what she thinks of me? Why should I care about her opinion? Deep down he did care, but he couldn't understand why. All he could think of was the image of her in her nightdress.

The curve of her breasts accentuated by the satin; the fabric hugging her hips. How I would love to place my hands on her hips as I...

He was immediately shaken out of his daydream as the door swung open and the fifth years piled in. He was inwardly thankful that he was seated behind his desk, which hid his growing 'problem'.

Three Gryffindors took to the front row. She recognised Harry Potter instantly; his lightning bolt scar was visible through his black hair. The other two she supposed were his friends: a tall boy with striking red hair and an equally red face, and a girl with bushy brown hair and kind smile.

Grace could feel several pairs of eyes on her from the back row; she glanced over and noticed four Slytherins glaring at her with disdain. Grace simply smiled widely at them. The girl of the group had the look of someone who had had horse manure shoved under her nose.

This could prove to be an interesting class, Grace thought as Snape took to the front to begin the lesson.