Shadow on My Heart

Chapter 4: Snape Gets His

After his meeting with Dumbledore, Severus decided the best way to deal with Callista was to avoid her. It wasn't all that difficult, as the start of term was a very busy time. As poor luck would have it, Severus was particularly busy dealing with a very disgruntled Draco Malfoy. The annoying little snot appeared in his office by the end of the first week of classes because Professor Hawkins stopped him when he attempted to hex Hermione Granger from behind. Now, he was trapped in his office with the whining little wanker. He sat, listening to him attentively, not knowing if Malfoy was in contact with any of Voldemort's followers.

"Then, sir, she threatened to give me a detention if any Gryffindor students appeared in the infirmary with magical injuries. I suppose she must be a Mudblood or a halfblood the way she sticks up for that lot." Malfoy's pale aristocratic face was plastered with a look of deep disgust.

Severus felt a momentary outrage that Malfoy would dare suggest such a thing. He reined in his anger and surveyed the youth over his templed fingers. "Actually, Mr. Malfoy, she is a pure-blood. Tread lightly, as she also happens to be related to the headmaster."

"Do you know her well, Professor?" Malfoy asked eagerly.

At one time I knew every inch of her. She has a birthmark on the inside of her left thigh shaped like- Snape snapped himself back to the brat's face. "She was a seventh year student when I began teaching. I took over her pre-apprenticeship. She would have been worthy of a place in our House. I found her to be a very gifted and apt student." In more ways than you could ever imagine.

"Did you teach her everything she knows?" Malfoy was grinning at his Head of House.

I taught her many wonderful things. Then again, discovering things together was rather fun, also. Severus smiled. "She was a brilliant student. It was such a shame she never came around to our way of thinking."

"Mother said she disappeared without trace. Supposedly, they had someone pumping her for information. Do you know who the lucky person was? If they need someone to do that again, I think I'll volunteer. She is rather attractive, for a Mudblood-lover." Draco closed his eyes, lost in his adolescent fantasy.

Snape stifled a snort at the thought of young Malfoy attempting to talk Hawkins into a tryst. She would most likely hex him into oblivion, once she managed to stop laughing. He cleared his throat to get the young man's attention. "I highly doubt that a student would be asked to do such important undercover work. Besides, Miss Hawkins is far too high-minded to have an affair with a student. My advice to you for now is simply to keep your head down and your mouth shut. Now is not the time to be calling attention to ourselves. I will deal with Miss Hawkins."

"How, sir?" Malfoy was practically bouncing with anticipation.

Severus eyed him with veiled disgust. "You need to learn to control yourself, Mr. Malfoy. If you can't do that, you will be thought of as a liability. I said I would handle it. Now, you need to return to your dormitory."

Callista had always been an average duelist. Her aim was very sub par, especially if she was agitated. He should be able to take her down a peg or two if he could get her in a dueling situation. He watched Malfoy leave, knowing that within the next ten minutes, Slytherin House would be buzzing with rumors of a revenge plot on Hawkins. He lowered his throbbing head into his hands. Some days he really hated his job.

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For the next week, Severus tried to find a weakness to exploit in the lovely professor. At the start of term staff meeting, he continually referred to her as Miss Hawkins. At first she ignored it, but eventually she asked him if he had forgotten that she had graduated. He decided to make it look like an oversight.

"I'm sorry. It's just that old habits die hard," he replied with a nasty grin.

She shook her head in exasperation, muttering under her breath, "That isn't the only old thing that will die hard if you don't soon get it straight."

Professor Flitwick overheard her and barely managed to contain a laugh.

After the meeting, Snape decided to push her further. "Miss, I mean, Professor Hawkins, I was wondering if you would remove any potion ingredients that are only used in the lower year classes from the classroom cupboard?"

"What on earth for?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. "I need those supplies for my classes. Wouldn't it make more sense to just have another cupboard brought it?"

Damn, she has a point, he thought. He quickly considered how to best get around this. Severus explained, trying to sound patient. "Normally that would work; however, I ordered four distillation systems for the N.E.W.T class. There simply won't be enough room. Besides, I ordered several expensive ingredients that I would rather the younger years no have access to."

Callista crossed her arms before replying in a nasty voice, "One of them wouldn't be the blood from a unicorn placenta, would it?"

She just had to mention that! Sometimes she can be a real--, he abandoned the thought before answering. "No, but all the same, I wouldn't appreciate it if the younger students muddled with them."

"Severus, you're being unreasonable! I'm sure if we worked together we could find a way to make everything fit." Her angry tone now had a touch of desperation to it.

He shook his head in mock regret, his lank hair falling over his face. "I'm sorry, but I had everything measured out before I knew I would be sharing the classroom."

She looked like she was ready to choke him. "But--"

"I need more space. Besides, it is my classroom." He added insult to injury with his next request, "You will also need to remove all collected sample flasks, as I will be using the shelves along the back wall."

She began fuming, "How exactly am I supposed to transport all of that between classes? The samples can't be reduced without the possibility of changing the composition of the potions!"

"I'm sure you will find a way; unless you want to ask your uncle to intervene. I will let you use a nice, roomy case I have." He gave her a challenging look, sure now that he had found her weakness. If her could annoy her enough, she would duel with him, he would embarrass her, Malfoy would report it back to whomever he was in contact with, and Voldemort would stop questioning his loyalties.

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Wednesday afternoon, Snape stood inside the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, watching the students assemble. A simple charm enabled him to see through the door and monitor the students in the hallway. Everyone queued up in front of the door to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Severus could sense their feelings of dread. Usually, this was the class that everyone looked forward to, but no one wanted to come in. The only motivation to even showing up, besides not getting detention, was the fact that the class could save your life, providing Snape didn't kill you first. The only people who looked excited about the class were Draco Malfoy and his little group of Death Eater spawn. They were huddled off to one side, talking quietly among themselves. The rest of the class eyed them warily, wondering what they were up to. Severus listened to their conversations, hoping for a chance to take points from one of the other Houses, preferably Gryffindor.

"Someone remind me why we signed up for this class," groaned Seamus.

Hermione and Harry arrived from their Transfiguration class. Hermione leaned against the wall, dropping her bulging bag. "Something about being able to defend ourselves."

Ron arrived looking rather refreshed from his nap in Divination. "Seeing that ugly git makes me want to be in first year, then I'd have a few Snape-free years ahead of me."

"Ron, we don't want to start completely over," griped Harry. "Second year might be better."

"The third year I think, Hawkins for Potions and Harry for Defense," laughed Parvati.

Dean threw in his opinion, "Best yet, the fourth year. Hawkins for both and we would be old enough to enjoy it."

The young men all laughed at this. Hermione rolled her eyes. "Sometimes, Dean, you can be a real pig."

"Why? Is it because I'd rather have a professor who's nice to look at over one who has intimate knowledge of the Dark Arts?" asked Dean.

Ernie McMillian, the Hufflepuff prefect, joined them. "Personally, Hermione, I must agree wholeheartedly with Dean. Although I'm sure it would be painful, I wouldn't mind if Hawkins hexed me six ways to Sunday. It just would mean I need private tutoring. A detention one wouldn't mind serving," Ernie said pompously. "All of the second and third years say how patient she is. She reads through the potion with them, they do them together step by step. I can only imagine how much better the class is."

"Maybe I should retake Potions," said Neville with a longing sigh. Like most of the upper year males, he found Hawkins quite attractive.

"Well," interrupted Malfoy's drawl. "I think it's high time we had a proper teacher for both subjects. Besides everyone knows Professor Snape taught Hawkins everything she knows about potion-making anyway. She was his star pupil and all."

"Shut it, Malfoy. He was only her professor in the seventh year, and she had already been accepted into a pre-apprenticeship. Dumbledore already told us she was Professor Blackburn's student," growled Harry.

"Let's just say today will be an interesting lesson," Malfoy said, his eyes bright and eager.

"Sod off, you ferret!" snapped Harry.

That was his cue. The Potions master pushed the door open.

"Language, Potter," said Snape in his silky voice. "That will be twenty points from Gryffindor for the use of profanity in the corridor, and if you say another word I'll add a week's worth of detentions to that. Now, all of you, inside and take your seats."

They all filed in without a sound and took their seats. Severus watched with a satisfied look on his face as Harry fumed inwardly, but kept his mouth shut. He began his lecture on curses and the various countercurses. He had the class take copious notes on the pros and cons of each defensive maneuver. With about fifteen minutes left to the class, the door opened and Professor Hawkins walked in, levitating an enormous case behind her. Snape stopped his lecture and stared at her while she pointedly ignored him.

"Ah, Miss Hawkins," he began. Malfoy grinned gleefully at his desk.

She stopped dead in her tracks; the huge case landing with a thump. She drew a deep breath, before speaking in a voice that clearly conveyed that she was insulted. "It's Professor Hawkins. What do you want?"

"I was wondering if you would care to help me with a little dueling demonstration, if you're up to it of course." His smile was malicious.

Callista knelt down and opened the case, checking to be sure that none of the sample flasks had leaked. She seemed to consider it carefully before replying with a shrug, "I suppose a bit of exercise would warm me up after my class in the dungeons. It is quite cold down there."

He cleared the front of the room and turned to face her. Hawkins sighed deeply before removing her heavy burgundy academic robe. This caused a lot of appreciative murmurings from the male population. She stood in front of Snape wearing form-fitting black leather pants that ended in three-inch heels and a filmy red shirt that accentuated her generous curves. Severus had almost forgotten what she looked like. Age had only added to her sex appeal. He forced his mind back to the task at hand.

"Ready?" he asked, eyeing her nastily. She spared him a curt nod.

The duelists turned on their heels and marked off the paces. They faced off, wands at the ready. On the count of three, Snape shot a Body Bind Hex at her that she blocked easily and returned with a Stinging Hex. She missed her mark, and Goyle yelped in pain. Snape advanced on her, sending a stunner at her. She spun around at the last second and threw a spray of silvery sparks at him. His last second shield charm sent them back at her. Callista stumbled against the desk. Severus had cornered her. He strode over to her, as she lowered her wand as if to concede defeat. It had been almost too easy. He reached for her wand. As he leaned over her, he became intoxicated by a memory of the last time he was that close to her. Their eyes met, and all he could think of was how it had felt to be pressed naked against her. Her eyes went wide as she realized that it wasn't his wand pressing into her leg. Angrily, she shoved him away. Snapping to her feet, she hissed a hex, and a few pale blue sparks landed on his groin.

He recovered his senses and laughed at her. "Whatever that was, Miss Hawkins, it didn't work."

"Oh, yes, it did," she said, a sly smile spreading across her face. "Go on, hex me. I dare you."

He hit her square on with a Disarming Charm. She retained her wand, and an angry, puzzled look crossed his face. Then he be came aware of an itching, burning sensation where the curse had landed.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Itchy?"

"What was that?" he demanded, suddenly fearful for his anatomy.

"I'm not telling you!" she snapped defiantly, turning her back on him. The classroom was deathly silent. No one had ever stood up to him before.

Snape's lips twitched with discomfort, as he attempted to hit her in the back with a full body bind. Too late he realized that the pain increased as he used the hex on her.

She whirled around to face him with wicked expression. Callista's voice was uncharacteristically cold. "I don't recommend you doing that again. It will only make matters worse for yourself."

Severus watched, as she walked over to where she left her things. She snatched up her robe and levitated her case up the stairs in front of her. Without so much as a backward glance, Callista Hawkins marched into her office and slammed the door behind her. Not a single student dared to move. He was furious; no one had ever bested him before and lived to tell the tale.

Snape's lips thinned into a tightly contracted line. The second the bell rang, he dismissed the class. Everyone rushed for the door. He was not surprised that the Slytherins were in the lead. As the door closed behind the class, Severus leaned against the desk, rocking in pain while he clutched his crotch. What on earth did she hit him with?

He hesitated to try and reverse the spell; with his luck it would only worsen. Severus had no choice but to go to the infirmary. He limped his way there, each step growing increasingly painful. Mercifully, the place was deserted. Poppy Pomfrey walked through the door carrying a load of towels in her arms.

"Professor Snape, what can I do for you?" she asked in surprise.

Merlin, this was going to be more difficult than he thought. Perhaps he should just leave and wait for it to wear off. The step he took caused a burning pain that almost made his eyes water. He said in what he hoped was an unconcerned voice. "I had a small accident during a dueling demonstration. I need you to remove the curse."

"What kind of curse?" she inquired. "Where did it hit you?"

He felt his face turn red. Madame Pomfrey noticed his look and caught on. "Go behind the curtain, and let's have a look."

Severus walked bandy-legged behind the curtain and dropped his trousers, hoping that this was a simple fix.

"Holy Mother of Merlin! Severus, what have you been doing?" Madame Pomfrey, who should have seen everything in her life, jumped back from him in horror.

He glanced down and stifled a yelp himself. The entire area was covered in crusty, oozing sores. It looked like he had some kind of disease. He was going to kill Callista for this!

"I've never seen anything like this. There's nothing I can do until I find out what it is. Severus, who did this to you?" The nurse's eyes were wide with concern.

Severus gritted his teeth. "Callista Hawkins hit me with some unknown hex. Every time I use magic; it gets worse. Obviously, I couldn't reverse it on my own."

"Sit tight, Professor. I'll have her sent for." Poppy bustled into her office and sent a house-elf down to the Great Hall.

Severus sat on the bed, cursing Callista silently. Yes, he had provoked her. Yes, he had tried to bully her. Did she really need to resort to an unidentifiable and unliftable curse? Why didn't she just disarm him and be done with it? What would he have done if the places had been reversed? Slowly, he realized that she had done the same thing that he had planned on doing to her. Humiliation, total humiliation. In his seeking to make her look like a fool, she had managed to turn the tables on him.

The N.E.W.T. class was working on their hypothesis for their final projects. Callista was working with the secretion from the spleen of an eel. She had researched the properties for over a week, sending out for foreign books that she spent hours translating. She now was asked to present her findings.

Old Professor Blackburn was listening to her presentation. "So what you are saying, Miss Hawkins, is that you don't think the spleen will hold up to a high enough temperature?"

"No sir, not according to my research. The acids will weaken the molecular structure far too much when they are combined," she affirmed.

Severus was sitting in on the class. "It should be possible. How long did you research this, Miss Hawkins?"

Callista steadily met his gaze, "As I said, I've been researching this for over a week, Professor Snape. I checked references in other cultures to see if maybe there was a different breed of eel--"

"Why on earth did you waste time looking into other species?" he interrupted.

Her eyes narrowed as she glared at the young upstart professor. "Excuse me for wanting to be as thorough as possible, and for being open-minded. I, for one, feel that there is a great deal to be learned from the magic of other cultures. Being so closed-minded can only stunt our acquisition of knowledge."

"Are you calling me close-minded?" he snapped, furious at the tiny girl from Gryffindor.

"I mean no disrespect, but yes, I suppose I am," she replied in a frosty tone.

He decided to show her up. He stood up and retrieved several jars from the cupboard each containing the appropriate ingredient. "Spare ten minutes after class, Miss Hawkins, and we can test your theory."

"As you wish, Professor Snape," she said in a mild voice. He could hear her think, 'Why is he picking on me?'

Severus and Callista spent the remainder of the class casting each other angry glances. He made eye contact with her to get a better understanding of what she was thinking. As she watched him, he listened to her thoughts. 'I can't believe he thinks like that. I was sure he would be impressed with my work. He is, after all, the youngest Potions Master in Great Britain. I can't believe I was ever impressed with such a closed-minded, egotistical troll. Here I am, looking forward to working with him, and all he does is belittle me! Maybe my father was right about him...'

He broke the connection. She had enjoyed working with him. She thought he was brilliant, but his ingrained ideals were now getting in the way. Merlin, what an idiot he had been! Now unfortunately, he was trapped into the after class demonstration.

The bell rang, and Callista stood quietly off to the side. He confidently mixed the ingredients and began to heat them over a low flame. It seemed like it was actually going to work, and then the cauldron began to smolder, filling the dungeon with a thick, choking, black smoke.

"Evanesco!" shouted the gagging voice of Professor Blackburn.

Severus stood there, gaping at the blackened mess, his eyes stinging, and his face coated with soot. He expected her to laugh or at least say 'I told you so', but she didn't. She wordlessly removed a handkerchief from her bag and handed it to him. With a heavy sigh, she said, "Well, back to the drawing board."

He mopped his face, and Professor Blackburn said softly, "Severus, I hope you learned something. She isn't the top student in her year just because she is Dumbledore's niece; she really has worked hard to earn her title. Sometimes, teachers need to learn from their students."

Severus watched the space she had just vacated, and nodded his agreement. Yes, she was his equal.

Severus looked up to see Dumbledore enter the infirmary with Callista.