Life as I Knew It

Chapter 5--Meeting Severus Snape

When their carriage arrived at the castle, Pansy saw Professor Snape standing beside Professor McGonagall. While McGonagall called for first years, Snape called for all transfer students, albeit much less enthusiastically. For a moment, Pansy quite forgot that she was considered a transfer student. She only remembered when Ginny nudged her and told her to go over to Snape.

It was quite a surprise to see Professor Snape back at school. Considering the fact that You-Know-Who was eliminated in her fifth year, Pansy supposed that here Snape had not killed Dumbledore, and thus would still be welcome. It was so frustrating that everything she knew was wrong.

The first thing Pansy noticed about Professor Snape was his hair. It was no longer greasy. In fact, it seemed to beg to be touched. Pansy groaned when she saw that. Could no one just stay the way she remembered them? If Snape was now washing his hair, where would the madness end?

Pansy stood in front of the professor, and he pointedly ignored her. After everyone but the first years had filed through the large doors, Snape smiled down at Pansy. "Only one this year?"

Pansy nodded awkwardly. "Looks like it."

"Well, then, we're off to see Professor Dumbledore. He's the headmaster here."

Pansy followed Snape, surprised that they were heading away from the Great Hall. She wondered why Dumbledore was not at the welcoming feast.

"So," said Snape after a long silence. "What's your story?"

"Oh, I don't much care to tell it. Not to be rude, Professor, but I'm afraid I'll just have to repeat the whole thing to the headmaster."

Snape did not seem to find her rude at all. "You're British! How delightful."

Pansy remembered that Harry had also said that being a British transfer student set her apart from all the witches the year before. Pansy had never known of a foreign student studying at Hogwarts. Sure, Blaise Zabini had been born in Italy and lived there for a couple years until his father died, but he had lived in England for nine years before starting at Hogwarts. The Patil twins' parents were from India, but both girls had been born and raised in England. Pansy wondered exactly how many foreign students there were at the school now.

Snape continued. "I think I've been the rude one. I should have introduced myself. I am Professor Severus Snape. I teach Potions."

Pansy had spent years wishing Professor Snape was a little more accessible. He had been civil enough with his Slytherins, but he was always a bit standoffish. As her Head of House, Pansy was expected to go to him with any problems she had, and that was always awkward. Now, here he was, being perfectly pleasant, and it was creeping Pansy out. She had also wished on occasion that he would have better hygiene, but on him this clean hair was a bit unnerving as well.

Snape turned to look at her. "You look to be past fifth year. Will you be taking Potions this year?"

Pansy wasn't sure, but she thought the professor had just leered at her. "Er, I am actually a seventh year. My name is Pansy Parkinson, by the way. I got an E in Potions on my O.W.L.s, and I know that... At my school, the professor would not take students who hadn't made an O."

That was not strictly true, because while Snape required an O, Slughorn would have taken Pansy with her E. By the time she found that out though, she already had a full schedule, and she was not all that keen to continue in Potions anyway.

Snape nodded. "I also require an 'Outstanding,' but if you wish to learn Potions, I sure I could find time to give you private lessons."

Pansy remembered the leering look he had given her before and decided that was the last thing she wanted. This Professor Snape was definitely too accessible.

"Sir, no offence to your subject, but I don't think that I need to continue in Potions."

"Well, what is it that you want to do with your life, Pansy Parkinson?"

Pansy could have sworn that she saw his eyes actually twinkle when he said her name. She put that out of her mind. Her real goal in life was to become a wealthy housewife, but she could not say that to Snape. "I'd just like a cushy job in the Ministry."

"Surely a witch as talented as you would be wasted in the Ministry." This time he definitely ogled her shamelessly.

Pansy bit her tongue to keep her from saying anything rude, like "Ew." This man was still her professor, and she had respected him for the last six years. Of course, another way to look at it was that this man was a professor and behaving very inappropriately.

Pansy was very relieved when they arrived at the statue that marked the entrance to Dumbledore's office. Pansy had never been to see the headmaster before, but she knew where it was just the same. Snape whispered the password and the gargoyle leapt out of the way. She wondered if Snape was going to accompany her, but he did not. He just sent her upstairs with a disturbing pat on her bottom.