IV: The Start of Term

Author's note: Thanks to JKR for some wonderful characters. Thanks to Daedalus Plum for beta reading.

Chapter IV: The Start of Term

The first night in my House dormitory wasn't the best. I hardly slept. There were too many thoughts on my mind.

And why did I have the feeling that Severus Snape was the reason I had ended up there?

~ ~ ~

Severus woke early. While dressing, he recalled the events of the last evening. Dumbledore had been the only one who hadn't seemed to be surprised by the Sorting Hat's decision. Did he know something the others didn't? Had he planned to have his great-granddaughter in Slytherin?

Severus shook his head. Why would the headmaster plot something like this? Morgaine had proven to be a smart young witch, and the way she had fought to impress all her professors over the last two weeks had shown that she knew what she wanted and how to get it. And ambition had always been highly valued in Slytherin House. But still, something felt wrong.

When he entered the Great Hall, Morgaine and Professor McGonagall were already sitting at one of the long tables.

'Good morning, Severus,' McGonagall greeted him. 'We have just finished putting together Morgaine's timetable. And we have ordered her books. They should arrive tomorrow. The Headmaster expects you to bring the girl up-to-date over the next week, so she won't have any problems when the term starts.' She rose and patted Morgaine on the shoulder. 'Well then, good day to you two.'

Morgaine timidly looked up at her Head of House, and Severus noticed dark shadows under her eyes. Obviously, the girl hadn't slept too well.

'Have you eaten?' he asked.

Morgaine shook her head. 'No, sir, Professor McGonagall caught me here before I got a chance.'

'You better eat before we get to work. We have a lot to do this week, and you don not have the time to be in bad shape, Miss duLac.'

He had meant to say something encouraging, but it had come out wrong. Severus noticed this at once when he looked at Morgaine's face. She looked rather uneasy, and again, she was gnawing at her lip. He pushed a plate filled with toast towards her. 'Have a piece of toast instead,' he suggested. 'Surely, it will taste better than your lip.'

Morgaine blushed and lowered her eyes. But Severus was content. Her lips had turned into a smile, and that was exactly what he had wanted to see.

He sat down opposite her. Normally, he didn't join any of his students at the breakfast table, but for some reason, he didn't want to leave the girl alone right now. He noticed Morgaine peering at his breakfast: a cup of black coffee and a bowl of porridge. A depressing sight, he knew that himself. But he wasn't a breakfast-person. He stared at Morgaine's breakfast in turn, and when his eyes met hers, Morgaine quickly lowered her gaze, realising that he had noticed her staring.

There was no sound in the Great Hall except the scraping of their spoons against the porridge bowls. Morgaine kept her eyes on her porridge, and Severus could see her holding onto her bowl like a drowning person holding onto a lifebuoy. He had not meant to make her uncomfortable, and once more he tried to find something to say, something that would make her relax. Once more, he failed. So he decided to stick to a teaching-related topic and to leave as soon as he had finished his coffee.

'When your books arrive, we will have to make sure that you can follow the first chapters without any problems. We will start with Potions today. I will lend you a book. Finish your breakfast and then come down to the classroom.' And without waiting for an answer, he rose and left the Great Hall.

On his way down to the dungeon, Severus wondered if he had been too cold, too distant. Morgaine was just a girl after all. Quite a lonely girl at the moment, surrounded only by adults she didn't know. Severus knew how it was to be a lonely. The situation must be intimidating, and for a moment, he wondered how he could make Morgaine feel more at ease. But then again, life wasn't easy, and it was just as well that she learnt that lesson early.

At eight thirty sharp, there was a knock on his classroom door.

So maybe I have been too harsh, Severus thought. Morgaine had looked so confident when she had entered his office two days ago, but now she actually looked a bit scared.

He handed her a Potions book. 'You are going to brew me a potion today. Page twenty-four.'

Morgaine opened the book without looking at him. Severus, on the other hand, didn't take his eyes off her. He wanted to see her reaction.

'A Laughing Potion?' There was a slight hint of disbelief in Morgaine's voice. She looked up at her Potions master and smiled. And Severus was pleased, had gotten what he wanted.

Without taking his eyes off of Morgaine's face, he nodded and lit the fire underneath her cauldron.

When Morgaine's books arrived the next morning, they systematically went from subject to subject, checking if there were any knowledge gaps to be filled. Severus wasn't making it easy for her, but Morgaine seemed eager to fulfil his expectations. And he truly enjoyed seeing how her eyes brightened every time she knew the answer to one of his many questions.

September arrived and with it the first day of the school year. That morning, Severus noticed that Morgaine was not her cheery self. She was working well as usual, but she was pale and unusually silent.

'Are you not well, Miss duLac?'

'I'm alright, sir. It's just ... tonight all the other students will arrive, and I don't know anybody in my House.'

Severus looked into her eyes. 'You will do fine.'

~ ~ ~

Something had changed. A week ago, Severus Snape seemed like the kind of teacher that would put you in detention just for breathing too loudly. A week ago, I wouldn't have dreamt of talking to him about anything but potions. If I had dared to talk to him at all. But today, he asked me if I was alright. Did this mean there was actually a caring human being underneath all of the coldness and black robes?

~ ~ ~

As usual, the new students were sorted into their Houses at the beginning of the feast. Then, the Headmaster welcomed them all to the new school year.

'Other than our first-year students, there is also an addition to Slytherin House. They welcome tonight a new fourth-year student. To all of you: welcome.'

Severus peered down the Slytherin table and saw Morgaine shaking hands with some of her classmates. She was smiling, and Severus was pleased. He had known that she would do just fine.

The first class for the Slytherin fourth-years the following day was double Potions with Gryffindor. When Severus entered the classroom, he scanned it quickly for Morgaine. She was sitting with a red-haired Gryffindor boy: Bill Weasley. Severus frowned. What was she thinking, sitting with a Gryffindor? And a Weasley, above all? But he didn't say anything.

Morgaine and Bill proved to be a perfect Potions team. They finished first, and their Murtlap Potion was the only one to reach the right shade of yellow. But Severus was thrifty with praise. Bill Weasly was, after all, in Gryffindor.

After class, Severus asked Morgaine to stay behind.

'Don't let him put you in detention,' Bill whispered.

Severus saw Morgaine grin.

'Making friends in other Houses, I see,' he said in a reprimanding voice as the last student had left the classroom.

'Actually, no, sir,' Morgaine replied. 'I met Bill this summer. I spent some weeks with his family before I came to Hogwarts.'

Severus didn't say anything to that. 'I have cleared my schedule for a tutorial meeting on Friday evening. Eight o'clock.'

Morgaine nodded in acknowledgement. And for Severus, the conversation was over.

'Your next class is with Professor McGonagall,' he said as he escorted her out of his classroom. 'You do not want to be late.'

Morgaine gave him a fleeting smile and hurried up the stairs to the Transfiguration classroom.

'And, Miss duLac,' Severus called after her. 'Do not forget to make friends in your own House as well.'

~ ~ ~

It had not been as bad as I had feared. Despite their reputation, the Slytherins proved to be a nice bunch. But maybe this was just because I was now one of them.

I was still glad to see that Slytherin and Gryffindor were sharing a couple of classes. Bill was, after all, the only one among the students I knew. I was glad to have a friend at Hogwarts. It seemed, however, as if Severus Snape did not approve of this friendship.