Snape and the DADA Professor

CHAPTER TWO

Snape sat at his desk in the potion's lab as the fifth years filed in. They were chatting loudly as they found their seats. Snape couldn't stand the noise. He stood up and glared down at the class. This usually silenced the class, but it didn't work. He noticed they were all chatting about Professor Drake and one student, Miss Granger, had a black leather book on her desk. Snape immediately recognized this book as a restricted book by the Ministry of Magic.

Snape walked to Hermione's desk and stood before it. "Miss Granger," he said loudly, which quieted the class, "May I see that book?"

Hermione handed the book to Snape. Snape read the cover Charms of the Dark Arts. He looked inside the book but did not see any markings that it was from the library. He glared down at Hermione.

"Where did you get this book?"

"Professor Drake used a charm to change our old books to this one," replied Hermione.

"Did she... Did you know, Miss Granger, that if anyone is caught with this book by the Ministry of Magic that they would be sent to Azkaban?"

"She said that the Ministry of Magic had given her permission to use this for educational purposes."

"The Ministry of Magic is letting fifth year students read books that could cause the down fall of their ministry? How interesting. How stupid." Snape tossed the book down on Hermione's desk and walked to the front of the class. He started his lesson for the day, even though he was still distracted with thoughts about Drake.

When the class ended, Snape headed to the staffroom, hoping to run into Drake. She wasn't there, so he sat and read her book Using the Dark Arts once again. As he was getting to the first curse, Aurora Drake entered the room. Snape looked up at her and felt the nervous wave again. She was wearing a black satin tank, black leather pants, her knee-high boots, and a long black leather robe over it. Although this outfit covered more of her body, it also revealed more, as it clung to her body.

Drake looked around the room. Her eyes stopped at Snape and she headed towards him. He sat very still, not moving. She stopped in front of him.

"Hello," she said. She paused as if waiting and answer. Snape couldn't find his voice. She smiled at him. "I see your reading one of my favorite books."

Snape looked his book, realizing he was holding one of her books. He closed the book and tossed it to a table near by. "I was just skimming through it."

"Have you read it?" she asked. She sat in an armchair across from him.

"No." Why did I say that? He asked himself.

"Oh. So, are you feeling better?"

"What?"

"Last night you looked sick, are you okay now?"

"It was just the heat. With all the students the hall seemed warmer."

"I didn't notice. Well, I'm glad your better."

She stood up to leave and as she turned away from him, Snape asked, "Why do you have your students reading Charms of the Dark Arts?"

She turned back towards him. "They need to know what they are up against, especial with Voldermort back."

"Isn't it dangerous to let students have those books? What if a Death Eater got their hands on that book? Several of the students parents may be Death Eaters."

"The charmed I used to turn their books into the new text also prevents copying of text and will convert back to its original book if taken off the grounds of Hogwarts. It's a charm made for educational institutes such as Hogwarts."

"Still, if a student were to memorize the book..."

"Then we shall fear the wrath of Hermione Granger."

Snape snorted. He realized she was right. Only Granger would be able to memorize the entire book.

"Why didn't you use Using the Dark Arts Against the Dark Arts? After all you wrote it."

"Why should I make them read my book if they already have the benefit of my teachings. They need another point of view."

"You are already better than Gilderoy Lockhart who taught that class two years ago."

"Gilderoy! Taught here! I once had the great displeasure of meeting him. That pompous fool."

Snape liked her a lot. Teaching dark arts to students. Believing that Lockhart was a fool. He knew she was of the same mindset as him. She was what he always wanted in a wife, if he ever married.

"You teach potions, right?" Drake pulled Snape out of a quick day dream of what it would be like if he had her as his wife.

"Yes."

"Dumbledore told me you're the best at making potions. Can you make the Wolfsbane Potion?"

"Yes. I made it often for a former professor."

"Could you make me some for next week? I will pay for the ingredients and a little extra for your time."

"I don't need your money."

"Then for a favor, whenever you need one."

"That will be fine."

At that moment McGonagall entered.

"I must go and talk to Minerva." Drake turned to walk away. She stopped, turned back and picked up the book Snape had been reading. She pulled out a muggle pen from a pocket of her robe and wrote on the inside cover of the book. She tossed the book on Snape's lap and then and walked away. Drake and McGonagall left the room together.

Snape stared at the book in his lap wondering what she had written in his book. He lifted the book and slowly opened the cover. He read it and then re-reads it.

Severus Snape,

By looking at the worn covers of this book I can tell you read it often. That is the best compliment a writer could ever receive. I know already that we have many things in common and look forward to our time together.

Your friend,

Aurora Drake

And look forward to our time together. She enjoys spending time with me. Snape thought. He felt warm all over, but in the nervous way. He smiled to himself. He decided to set himself a goal. He was going to make Drake more than just a friend.

***

As the week went by, Snape spent his free time being where Drake was. They talked about potions, and the Dark Arts. He finally admitted to reading her books, with the exception of her autobiography. They talked and debated about the contents in the books.

"How can physical combat defend against the Dark Arts?" Snape asked as they headed for the Great Hall.

"You said you read the book," Drake replied.

"I did but I don't see how practical it is to learn these Martial Arts, It's says they were created by Muggles."

"You don't think that Muggles are very useful do you?"

"No, they mostly get in the way."

"You sound so high and might about what you think is your superiority over Muggles. Has any witch or wizards ever gone to the moon? Muggles have."

They enter the Hall and took their seats, next to each other. Snape hadn't plan on eating in the Great Hall tonight. He had some papers to correct and was going to eat in his office. But then he ran in Drake on her way to dinner and changed his plans.

"Have you made that Wolfsbane potion I asked for?"

"It will be done tomorrow morning."

"I'll pick up tomorrow afternoon, before I leave."

This brought Snape to a halt in his eating. Where is she going?

"You are leaving?"

"I will be gone for the weekend. I don't get to see my boyfriend very often, so we decided to spend the weekend together in Hogsmead."

HER BOYFRIEND! The thought ripped through Snape's head. She has a boyfriend! Snape suddenly felt sick. He dropped his fork on his plate.

"Are you okay?" ask Drake.

"I- I didn't realize you have a boyfriend," Snape said quietly.

"We met in the States a couple of years back. But then he came back to England. We broke up then because of the distance but then when I ran into him on Diagon Alley on the day I arrived, we decided to get back together."

He had missed out on her just by a chance meeting. He always had an unlucky lot in life and this was no different.

"He actually wasn't sure if we should get back together after he almost killed me. But now that the Wolfsbane potion has been created he doesn't have to worry. Remus always worries about what will happen to me if I am with him."

Snape stared at her. Did she say Remus? The room was getting hotter. His jealousy was building. "Remus?" he barely got out.

"Do you know him? Remus Lupin?" she asked calmly.

NO! THIS CANNOT BE HAPPENING TO ME! Snape thought. He started quivering with jealousy. How do they always get the better of me?

"Are you okay, Severus?" she asked, pulling Snape from his angry thoughts.

"Lupin and I attended Hogwarts at the same time. He had almost killed me. We also had some differences when he taught here."

"He never told me he had been a professor at Hogwarts."

"He had your job, until the student body found out he was a werewolf."

"Are you sure you are okay? You look paler than normal and your shaking."

"It's nothing. It's probably something I ate."

Snape stood and walked out of the room. He headed to the solace of his office. He sat there staring at Drake's picture on the cover of her book. It was all to fitting that an auror would be in love with a werewolf. Why him? Why someone I loathe?

Snape decided it would be best to avoid Drake as much as possible for the duration of her stay at Hogwarts.