WHEN THE HEART TURNS OVER by Lady Snape
RATED: R (for sexual content. I promise it's CLEAN! Very fluffy, like in those romance novels you can buy at the Grocery Store)
ENJOY!
Chapter One: The Assistant
"Well, I suppose I should tell you why I have called this meeting," said Albus Dumbledore as he rolled up a piece of parchment. It was a letter he had received just that morning by Owl Post. He looked around the staff table at all of the Professors, from Professor Severus Snape at the far right hand side to Professor Sybill Trelawney at the far left. "A new Professor will be arriving shortly and I'd like you all to meet him." He looked at his pocket watch and smiled.
"A new Professor?" repeated Quirrell. "But all the positions for this year have been filled, Headmaster, Sir. What will this Professor be teaching?"
"Surely you are not thinking of getting rid of one us, Albus!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed, looking worried.
Dumbledore merely smiled.
"Not to worry," he said, calmly. "I have no intention of replacing any of you. I have hired this new Professor, Professor Kiernan is his name, to assist you all in your classes." He looked around again, his expression serious. "Not that I don't have every faith in your work, but because the amount of students who will be attending Hogwarts this year is almost triple to what it was last year." he explained.
"Well, I know I certainly could use the help in Transfiguration." Professor McGonagall admitted.
"Professor Kiernan won't be assisting in all the classes, however," Dumbledore went on. "His areas of expertise are in, let's see now..." he unrolled the parchment and read: "Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology, Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions."
The Professors all nodded, glad to have the extra assistance. Everyone except Professor Snape. He scowled. He didn't want, nor did he need help in Potions.
Just then, the doors to the Great Hall opened and in walked Argus Filch and a young woman following close behind him, dragging a trunk and carrying a suitcase and a cage with an owl in it.
"I told you to wait outside!" Filch told the woman, annoyed.
"I told YOU that Professor Dumbledore is expecting me!" she shot back at him.
"I KNOW who Professor Dumbledore is expecting and you, Madam, DO NOT fit the description!" Filch retorted. As they approached the table, everyone got a better look at the young woman. She had flaming red hair and lime-green eyes. She wore glasses with a gold frame and her long silk robes and cape were cranberry, trimmed with silver around the sleeves and collar. And tiny silver buttons from her collarbone to her middle fastened what she wore underneath her robes. Engraved in gold on her trunk, suitcases and owl's cage were the initials "M.K.". She smiled at all the Professors, her teeth white and perfect.
All the male Professors at the table had their mouths agape. Even Hagrid, though you could hardly tell, what with his beard being so bushy. Professor Snape was the first to recover. He closed his mouth, put on his usual sour expression and simply stared at the woman, not even blinking. Professor Quirrell was the only one left who couldn't seem to close his mouth.
"Headmaster, I'm sorry about this, but she wouldn't listen and stay outside so I could announce her." said Filch.
"You didn't even give me the chance to tell you my name," she pointed out
"It's all right, Argus," Dumbledore assured him. "I'll take care of it. You may go back to the station and wait for Professor Kiernan to arrive. He should be there by now."
Filch was about to leave, when the woman held out her arm and stopped him.
"Excuse me, but I AM Professor Kiernan." she declared.
This time, everyone's mouth fell open in surprise. Dumbledore looked at the letter, then at Professor Kiernan and back down again. He did this several times before he finally spoke.
"YOU'RE Professor Kiernan, Miss?" he inquired, though she had already stated this.
"Yes," she answered, confused. "Is there a problem?"
"Well, I'm a little muddled," said Dumbledore. "The letter I received from Professor Argente clearly states that Professor Kiernan has been chosen to assist in classes at Hogwarts and HE should be arriving today at around noon."
"Oh dear," Professor Kiernan sighed.
"Perhaps they meant Mr. Kiernan," Professor Flitwick suggested.
"Oh, no. I'm not married," she said. "I knew I should've written the letter. It's not unlike Professor Argente to bungle up something as simple as this. You see," she added in a whisper, "He has gone a little mad."
Dumbledore smiled and nodded.
"Well, no matter," he said. "Professor Kiernan is who we were expecting and Professor Kiernan is who you are. Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" he exclaimed.
Professor Kiernan smiled and she shook Dumbledore's outstretched hand.
"You may call me Madison, if you wish." said Professor Kiernan.
"Certainly, and you may call me Albus." Dumbledore said. "Except when there are students present."
"Of course," Professor Kiernan nodded.
Dumbledore then introduced all the Professors to Professor Kiernan, letting her know who taught what. When he introduced her to Professor Quirrell, Quirrell rose from his seat, took her hand and kissed it gallantly. She blushed.
"Call me Alpheus," Quirrell said, beaming. "It will certainly be a pleasure working with you."
He remained smiling and Professor Kiernan was still blushing when the introductions ended at Professor Snape.
"And last, but certainly not least is our Potions Master, Professor Severus Snape." Dumbledore said, proudly.
"Charmed." Professor Snape said, coldly. Quirrell gave Snape a dirty look after Professor Kiernan and Dumbledore turned around to find their seats again. Snape glared back at Quirrell. Beauty did not impress or influence him in any way. He liked teaching Potions by himself, his own way and he certainly did not feel that he needed any assistance. And especially not from a woman. But he didn't dare argue with Dumbledore. What he said went, without question.
"Let's see now, I suppose we should get you a seat, Madison." said Dumbledore as he pulled out his wand. "Where would you like to sit?"
Professor Kiernan looked around and she smiled when she caught Quirrell's eye. He looked hopeful.
"I'll sit over there, between Professor Quirrell and Madam Hooch, if nobody has any objections to that." she decided, politely.
"I certainly don't mind." said Madam Hooch.
"I'd be honored!" Quirrell expressed, his extreme delight obvious to everyone. Professor Snape just rolled his eyes. He had disliked Quirrell the moment Dumbledore had hired him. The way he was acting now, over the radiant Professor Kiernan made Snape loath him even more.
"Women!" he thought bitterly. No woman had ever been able to turn his head. "This Professor Kiernan is going to turn Quirrell into a sentimental fool."
But as she took a seat in the chair Dumbledore had summoned with his wand out of thin air, he had to admit (though only to himself) that she was, in fact, very beautiful. And much younger than any of the other female Professors at Hogwarts. Even though he hated Quirrell, he could see why he was attracted to her. And Quirrell was still a young man and probably around the same age as Professor Kiernan.
"I'm sure everyone is famished by now," Dumbledore said. "It is after Noon."
Everyone nodded. In a moment the plates in front of everyone filled with sandwiches, cheese, pickles and the wine glasses with wine. Everyone ate and chatted. Professor Kiernan and Madam Hooch were discussing Quidditch and then broomsticks and flying. Quirrell had hoped he would get more of a chance to talk to the new Professor, but every time she tried to include him in the conversation, he would get flushed and not be able to say anything. She just smiled at him which made him blush even more. Then when she turned her back to him and continued talking to Madam Hooch, Quirrell would turn to Snape and say, "Oh, Severus, isn't she marvelous? Isn't she wonderful? And just think! You get to have her for two hours every Thursday and Friday, since Potions Class has double blocks!"
"How thrilling." Snape said, sarcastically.
"Pity that Defense Against The Dark Arts doesn't have any double blocks." Quirrell pouted.
Snape scowled.
"I'm sure you'll have plenty of opportunities to fraternize with Professor Kiernan," Snape said, matter-of-factly, as he got up, still wearing his usual scowl. "Excuse me, but I have very important work to do." He left the Great Hall, his black cape billowing behind him.
"You're just jealous, Severus!" Quirrell called after him and everyone at the table turned to stare at him. He went pink as everyone gave him a curious look. He laughed nervously.
"Just a little misunderstanding, that's all." he quickly explained. He went back to his plate and didn't say another word all through the remainder of the meal.
***
End of Chapter One
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: LadySnape on 2002-08-14 20:19 ]</font>
What Happens When Snape & Quirrell Fall For The Same Girl?
Moderators: DucksRMagical, Phoenix in the Ashes, Un'Anima Persa
27 posts
• Page 1 of 2 • 1, 2
by LadySnape » Thursday 1 January 1970 1:00:00am
Chapter Two: Quirrell's Lie
Professor Kiernan was unpacking her things in her new quarters at Hogwarts. It was a very nice room with a lovely view of the Quidditch Pitch and school grounds. Her owl, Ora was out of her cage and sitting on the window sill.
"As soon as Professor Dumbledore comes around to give me a tour of the school, I'll take you straight up to the Owlery, Ora." Professor Kiernan told her. "Or maybe I should send a letter to Professor Argente to let him know that I arrived here safely." She hung up her last robe in the closet, put her suitcase and trunk aside and sat down at the desk. She then pulled a piece of parchment and a quill out of the drawer and wrote:
Dear Professor Argente,
Just a little note to let you know that I arrived at Hogwarts safely. Hope all is well with you.
Sincerely,
Madison Kiernan
She was about to roll up the letter, when there was a knock on the door. She got up and answered it. It was Quirrell.
"Alpheus, what a pleasant surprise," she said. "Won't you come in?"
Quirrell, his pale face pink again, entered the room and Professor Kiernan closed the door behind him.
"I was just about to send a letter to Professor Argente to let him know I arrived here safely." she explained. She looked at the letter for a moment, then pulled out her wand, waved it over the parchment and said, "Erase!" The words she had written disappeared. "Actually, now that I think of it, there really is no point in doing that," she said. "I'm sure Professor Argente has by now forgotten that he even sent me here." She sighed and put the now blank parchment and quill away in a drawer.
"So, what can I do for you?" she asked Quirrell, smiling her perfect smile.
"Well, um.... I'm here to... to give you a tour of the school." he replied, his face turning more red with every word he spoke. He tried desperately to look at her, but couldn't.
"But I thought Professor Dumbledore was going to show me around." said Professor Kiernan.
Quirrell suddenly looked nervous.
"He was busy," he told her. "You know how it is, with him being Headmaster and all. So I offered instead." He managed a small smile. He swallowed hard and forced himself to look her in the face. Her green eyes were bright and she smiled again.
"That's very kind of you," she remarked. "Very well, then. The first place I'd like to go is the Owlery, if that is okay." Ora hopped onto her outstretched arm. "I think Ora would be much happier if she could be with other owls."
"To the Owlery it is, then." Quirrell bashfully offered Professor Kiernan his arm and she took it. He took her to the Owlery and she left Ora there with what looked like hundreds of other owls. Then Quirrell showed her all the common rooms. He also explained how points were given and taken and about the house cup at the end of the year. They stopped at Slytherin and Professor Kiernan observed the coat of arms that hung near the door.
"Slytherin, named after Salazar Slytherin, I presume?" Professor Kiernan inquired.
Quirrell nodded. "Yes, Severus is head of that house. Shall I show you all the classrooms now?"
She nodded and off they went again.
Their first stop was Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration classroom. The door was opened and there was a cat sitting on her desk.
"This is where Transfiguration takes place," Quirrell said, peering into the room. "Hmmm... but I don't think Minerva is here right now. Just her mangy cat."
Professor Kiernan laughed as she walked up to the desk and smiled at the cat. Quirrell watched from inside the doorway.
"I believe this mangy cat IS Minerva, Alpheus." she grinned.
Sure enough, the cat leaped off the desk and transformed back into Minerva McGonagall. She applauded.
"How on earth did you know it was me?" Professor McGonagall asked in surprise.
"Very simple, actually," Professor Kiernan replied, modestly. "I recognized the markings around the cat's eyes matched your glasses exactly."
Professor McGonagall looked impressed.
"Very good observation, Professor!" she exclaimed. "You know, even Albus doesn't recognize me when he comes in and sees me sitting here as a cat." She noticed Quirrell in the doorway and frowned. "But I suppose it won't be a secret much longer."
Quirrell hurried to the desk and stood next to Professor Kiernan.
"I won't tell a soul, Minerva." Quirrell promised, crossing his heart with his finger.
"Your secret is safe with me." Professor Kiernan added. "I am really looking forward to helping you in Transfiguration. It's one of my stronger points. However," she went on, "I was never able to transform myself into a cat." She closed her eyes and in a few seconds, she had turned into a beautiful red fox, with a bushy tail and with the same lime green eyes. She jumped onto one of the student desks so that she was level with Professor McGonagall. Both she and Quirrell had their mouths open in surprise.
"Transfiguration and Potions," said Professor Kiernan. "My two strongest points."
"Well, I've never seen anyone turn into a fox before," Professor McGonagall said. "I'm just glad you didin't transform into that while I was still a cat!"
They all laughed.
"Wow, you're amazing, Madison." Quirrell sighed, almost dreamily. He raised his hand above her. "May I?"
"Certainly," she said and Quirrell proceeded to run his hand from her head all the way to the end of her tail. The fur was soft and just as red as Professor's Kiernan's hair. Quirrell imagined this was what her natural hair probably felt like and he sighed to himself.
"Well, I guess we should be off to see the other classrooms and the rest of the school before dinner," said Professor Kiernan as she jumped down from the desk, and transformed back into herself once again. "It was nice to see you again, Minerva."
"You too, Madison," she waved goodbye and watched as Professor Kiernan took Quirrell's arm and then disappeared around the corner.
"Amazing." she thought to herself as she sat down at her desk.
About an hour or so later, Professor Kiernan had seen every classroom and the greenhouse outdoors where Herbology took place. All the Professors had been in their classrooms, except Professor Snape. The Potions room in the dungeon was locked with some sort of spell.
"Well, at least I know where to find it." Professor Kiernan said.
They were now on their way to Dumbledore's chambers. They entered and found Professor Snape and Dumbledore having a discussion. Snape scowled when he saw Quirrell. Dumbledore smiled.
"Madison, how are you?" said Dumbledore, approaching her. "Did you enjoy the tour?"
"Very much," Professor Kiernan nodded and smiled back. "Alpheus was a most helpful guide." She looked at Quirrell and he blushed for about the thousandth time that day. He looked down at his feet. Snape rolled his eyes and shook his head. He wasn't stupid. He could plainly see what was happening. Dumbledore had a suspicion also, but didn't let on that he had.
"I would've taken you myself, but Alpheus begged me to let HIM take you." Dumbledore told her, "So I gave in."
Silence thicker than fog filled the room. Quirrell looked up, his face pale and his eyes wide. He started shaking and looked like he was about to cry.
"Alpheus, are you okay?" Professor Kiernan asked, worried.
Quirrell looked at Dumbledore, then at Snape, who was smirking, then at Professor Kiernan. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Then he turned and ran from the room and was gone before anyone could go after him.
"What was all that about?" Dumbledore questioned in confusion.
"I think he was a little embarassed." Professor Kiernan guessed.
"Why is that?" asked Dumbledore.
"Well, he told me you were too busy to give me the tour, so he offered instead," she explained. "And you just told me he begged you to let him take me."
"Oh, I see," said Dumbledore. "I suppose I should have used a little more discretion. Or I should not have said anything."
"He should not have been lying in the first place." Snape declared.
"I hope he doesn't think I'm upset with him," said Professor Kiernan as she left Dumbledore's chamber with Snape.
"You should be," Snape said, matter-of-factly. "It's just like Quirrell to tell an outrageous lie. I don't know what to believe from him anymore."
"I'm sure his intentions were noble." said Professor Kiernan.
Snape stopped and turned to her.
"My dear, naive young lady," he said, mockingly. "Where Quirrell is concerned, his intentions are everything BUT noble. And if I were you, I'd watch myself." And with that, he turned and disappeared down the hallway.
Professor Kiernan glared after him. She didn't see a thing wrong with Quirrell at all and it was really none of Snape's business anyway.
"Well, I beg to differ, PROFESSOR Snape!" she retorted, though he was long gone. She turned and headed for her chambers to change for dinner.
"I'll talk to Alpheus at dinnertime." she decided as she changed into her dinner robes. "Too bad Severus sits on his other side. I certainly don't need HIS opinion."
***
Quirrell didn't show up at dinnertime, much to Professor Kiernan's disappointment. Snape's lips curled into an arrogant smile when she looked at him. She just scowled and turned away.
"He's probably in his room, still too embarassed to come out." Professor Kiernan thought.
She decided to skip the delicious looking dessert of Pumpkin Pasties and go and talk to Quirrell instead. She excused herself from the table, then headed for Quirrell's chambers, taking some of the leftovers and dessert along with her.
"Maybe it's just as well he didn't show up for dinner," Professor Kiernan said to herself, as she arrived at his room. "Especially since Professor Snape seems to have his nose in everyone else's business!"
She gently knocked on the door. There was no answer, so she knocked a little harder. There was still no answer. She strained to listen for any sounds that would tell her if Quirrell was there or not. She heard some sort of shuffling around and knocked again.
"Alpheus, it's Madison," she called softly. "Can I come in, please?"
"Open!" she heard Quirrell command and the door opened to let her in. Quirrell was in his bed, the covers pulled up to his chin. The only light in the room was the bedside lamp, shaped like a crescent moon.
"We missed you at dinner," Professor Kiernan began.
"I highly doubt that," Quirrell snapped, sitting up a little and moving the blankets down to his waist. This was the first time he was looking at her without blushing. "I'm sure Severus didn't miss me one bit."
"I wasn't talking about Severus, I was talking about myself," she said.
"Then why did you say 'We'?" he inquired.
Professor Kiernan sighed in annoyance.
"All right, then, I missed you at dinner." she corrected. "And I brought you some food. I suspect you must be a little hungry." She handed him the food, which he accepted greatfully.
"Thank you." he managed to say through mouthfulls of food.
She sat down on the edge of his bed and watched him eat for a few minutes, before speaking again.
"I really wanted to talk to you," she said, "about what happened this afternoon in Professor Dumbledore's chambers."
Quirrell swallowed the last bit of his Pumpkin Pastie and stared at Professor Kiernan.
"Nothing happened." he said, though not sounding very convincing.
"Then why did you run off?" asked Professor Kiernan.
Quirrell thought hard. Was it worth it to make up another lie?
"I don't know...." Quirrell sighed. "I just got... well, embarassed. I didn't mean to lie to you, Madison. It's just... well....." his voice trailed off.
"I'm very flattered, Alpheus," she told him sincerely. "But there really was no reason to lie. Why didn't you just tell me that you wanted to take me on the tour?"
Quirrell shrugged and looked down again. He started to fidget with his hands, nervously. Professor Kiernan placed a finger under his chin and gently raised his head back up so that he was looking at her.
"And you can look me in eye, you know," she said, smiling. "Although I can turn into a fox, I certainly won't bite you."
Quirrell smiled back. As he gazed at her, he sighed. She was smart, amazing and so beautiful. It was like she had stepped out of a dream. Too magnificent to be real.
Professor Kiernan leaned forward and gave Quirrell a small kiss on the cheek. He could only close his eyes and gasp slightly.
"Goodnight." she whispered and left the room, closing the door behind her. Quirrell heard her footsteps disappear into the quiet of the castle. He laid back down, flicked off the light, pulled the blankets back up to his chin and fell fast asleep, with Professor Kiernan and her kiss fresh in his mind.
***
End of Chapter Two
Professor Kiernan was unpacking her things in her new quarters at Hogwarts. It was a very nice room with a lovely view of the Quidditch Pitch and school grounds. Her owl, Ora was out of her cage and sitting on the window sill.
"As soon as Professor Dumbledore comes around to give me a tour of the school, I'll take you straight up to the Owlery, Ora." Professor Kiernan told her. "Or maybe I should send a letter to Professor Argente to let him know that I arrived here safely." She hung up her last robe in the closet, put her suitcase and trunk aside and sat down at the desk. She then pulled a piece of parchment and a quill out of the drawer and wrote:
Dear Professor Argente,
Just a little note to let you know that I arrived at Hogwarts safely. Hope all is well with you.
Sincerely,
Madison Kiernan
She was about to roll up the letter, when there was a knock on the door. She got up and answered it. It was Quirrell.
"Alpheus, what a pleasant surprise," she said. "Won't you come in?"
Quirrell, his pale face pink again, entered the room and Professor Kiernan closed the door behind him.
"I was just about to send a letter to Professor Argente to let him know I arrived here safely." she explained. She looked at the letter for a moment, then pulled out her wand, waved it over the parchment and said, "Erase!" The words she had written disappeared. "Actually, now that I think of it, there really is no point in doing that," she said. "I'm sure Professor Argente has by now forgotten that he even sent me here." She sighed and put the now blank parchment and quill away in a drawer.
"So, what can I do for you?" she asked Quirrell, smiling her perfect smile.
"Well, um.... I'm here to... to give you a tour of the school." he replied, his face turning more red with every word he spoke. He tried desperately to look at her, but couldn't.
"But I thought Professor Dumbledore was going to show me around." said Professor Kiernan.
Quirrell suddenly looked nervous.
"He was busy," he told her. "You know how it is, with him being Headmaster and all. So I offered instead." He managed a small smile. He swallowed hard and forced himself to look her in the face. Her green eyes were bright and she smiled again.
"That's very kind of you," she remarked. "Very well, then. The first place I'd like to go is the Owlery, if that is okay." Ora hopped onto her outstretched arm. "I think Ora would be much happier if she could be with other owls."
"To the Owlery it is, then." Quirrell bashfully offered Professor Kiernan his arm and she took it. He took her to the Owlery and she left Ora there with what looked like hundreds of other owls. Then Quirrell showed her all the common rooms. He also explained how points were given and taken and about the house cup at the end of the year. They stopped at Slytherin and Professor Kiernan observed the coat of arms that hung near the door.
"Slytherin, named after Salazar Slytherin, I presume?" Professor Kiernan inquired.
Quirrell nodded. "Yes, Severus is head of that house. Shall I show you all the classrooms now?"
She nodded and off they went again.
Their first stop was Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration classroom. The door was opened and there was a cat sitting on her desk.
"This is where Transfiguration takes place," Quirrell said, peering into the room. "Hmmm... but I don't think Minerva is here right now. Just her mangy cat."
Professor Kiernan laughed as she walked up to the desk and smiled at the cat. Quirrell watched from inside the doorway.
"I believe this mangy cat IS Minerva, Alpheus." she grinned.
Sure enough, the cat leaped off the desk and transformed back into Minerva McGonagall. She applauded.
"How on earth did you know it was me?" Professor McGonagall asked in surprise.
"Very simple, actually," Professor Kiernan replied, modestly. "I recognized the markings around the cat's eyes matched your glasses exactly."
Professor McGonagall looked impressed.
"Very good observation, Professor!" she exclaimed. "You know, even Albus doesn't recognize me when he comes in and sees me sitting here as a cat." She noticed Quirrell in the doorway and frowned. "But I suppose it won't be a secret much longer."
Quirrell hurried to the desk and stood next to Professor Kiernan.
"I won't tell a soul, Minerva." Quirrell promised, crossing his heart with his finger.
"Your secret is safe with me." Professor Kiernan added. "I am really looking forward to helping you in Transfiguration. It's one of my stronger points. However," she went on, "I was never able to transform myself into a cat." She closed her eyes and in a few seconds, she had turned into a beautiful red fox, with a bushy tail and with the same lime green eyes. She jumped onto one of the student desks so that she was level with Professor McGonagall. Both she and Quirrell had their mouths open in surprise.
"Transfiguration and Potions," said Professor Kiernan. "My two strongest points."
"Well, I've never seen anyone turn into a fox before," Professor McGonagall said. "I'm just glad you didin't transform into that while I was still a cat!"
They all laughed.
"Wow, you're amazing, Madison." Quirrell sighed, almost dreamily. He raised his hand above her. "May I?"
"Certainly," she said and Quirrell proceeded to run his hand from her head all the way to the end of her tail. The fur was soft and just as red as Professor's Kiernan's hair. Quirrell imagined this was what her natural hair probably felt like and he sighed to himself.
"Well, I guess we should be off to see the other classrooms and the rest of the school before dinner," said Professor Kiernan as she jumped down from the desk, and transformed back into herself once again. "It was nice to see you again, Minerva."
"You too, Madison," she waved goodbye and watched as Professor Kiernan took Quirrell's arm and then disappeared around the corner.
"Amazing." she thought to herself as she sat down at her desk.
About an hour or so later, Professor Kiernan had seen every classroom and the greenhouse outdoors where Herbology took place. All the Professors had been in their classrooms, except Professor Snape. The Potions room in the dungeon was locked with some sort of spell.
"Well, at least I know where to find it." Professor Kiernan said.
They were now on their way to Dumbledore's chambers. They entered and found Professor Snape and Dumbledore having a discussion. Snape scowled when he saw Quirrell. Dumbledore smiled.
"Madison, how are you?" said Dumbledore, approaching her. "Did you enjoy the tour?"
"Very much," Professor Kiernan nodded and smiled back. "Alpheus was a most helpful guide." She looked at Quirrell and he blushed for about the thousandth time that day. He looked down at his feet. Snape rolled his eyes and shook his head. He wasn't stupid. He could plainly see what was happening. Dumbledore had a suspicion also, but didn't let on that he had.
"I would've taken you myself, but Alpheus begged me to let HIM take you." Dumbledore told her, "So I gave in."
Silence thicker than fog filled the room. Quirrell looked up, his face pale and his eyes wide. He started shaking and looked like he was about to cry.
"Alpheus, are you okay?" Professor Kiernan asked, worried.
Quirrell looked at Dumbledore, then at Snape, who was smirking, then at Professor Kiernan. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Then he turned and ran from the room and was gone before anyone could go after him.
"What was all that about?" Dumbledore questioned in confusion.
"I think he was a little embarassed." Professor Kiernan guessed.
"Why is that?" asked Dumbledore.
"Well, he told me you were too busy to give me the tour, so he offered instead," she explained. "And you just told me he begged you to let him take me."
"Oh, I see," said Dumbledore. "I suppose I should have used a little more discretion. Or I should not have said anything."
"He should not have been lying in the first place." Snape declared.
"I hope he doesn't think I'm upset with him," said Professor Kiernan as she left Dumbledore's chamber with Snape.
"You should be," Snape said, matter-of-factly. "It's just like Quirrell to tell an outrageous lie. I don't know what to believe from him anymore."
"I'm sure his intentions were noble." said Professor Kiernan.
Snape stopped and turned to her.
"My dear, naive young lady," he said, mockingly. "Where Quirrell is concerned, his intentions are everything BUT noble. And if I were you, I'd watch myself." And with that, he turned and disappeared down the hallway.
Professor Kiernan glared after him. She didn't see a thing wrong with Quirrell at all and it was really none of Snape's business anyway.
"Well, I beg to differ, PROFESSOR Snape!" she retorted, though he was long gone. She turned and headed for her chambers to change for dinner.
"I'll talk to Alpheus at dinnertime." she decided as she changed into her dinner robes. "Too bad Severus sits on his other side. I certainly don't need HIS opinion."
***
Quirrell didn't show up at dinnertime, much to Professor Kiernan's disappointment. Snape's lips curled into an arrogant smile when she looked at him. She just scowled and turned away.
"He's probably in his room, still too embarassed to come out." Professor Kiernan thought.
She decided to skip the delicious looking dessert of Pumpkin Pasties and go and talk to Quirrell instead. She excused herself from the table, then headed for Quirrell's chambers, taking some of the leftovers and dessert along with her.
"Maybe it's just as well he didn't show up for dinner," Professor Kiernan said to herself, as she arrived at his room. "Especially since Professor Snape seems to have his nose in everyone else's business!"
She gently knocked on the door. There was no answer, so she knocked a little harder. There was still no answer. She strained to listen for any sounds that would tell her if Quirrell was there or not. She heard some sort of shuffling around and knocked again.
"Alpheus, it's Madison," she called softly. "Can I come in, please?"
"Open!" she heard Quirrell command and the door opened to let her in. Quirrell was in his bed, the covers pulled up to his chin. The only light in the room was the bedside lamp, shaped like a crescent moon.
"We missed you at dinner," Professor Kiernan began.
"I highly doubt that," Quirrell snapped, sitting up a little and moving the blankets down to his waist. This was the first time he was looking at her without blushing. "I'm sure Severus didn't miss me one bit."
"I wasn't talking about Severus, I was talking about myself," she said.
"Then why did you say 'We'?" he inquired.
Professor Kiernan sighed in annoyance.
"All right, then, I missed you at dinner." she corrected. "And I brought you some food. I suspect you must be a little hungry." She handed him the food, which he accepted greatfully.
"Thank you." he managed to say through mouthfulls of food.
She sat down on the edge of his bed and watched him eat for a few minutes, before speaking again.
"I really wanted to talk to you," she said, "about what happened this afternoon in Professor Dumbledore's chambers."
Quirrell swallowed the last bit of his Pumpkin Pastie and stared at Professor Kiernan.
"Nothing happened." he said, though not sounding very convincing.
"Then why did you run off?" asked Professor Kiernan.
Quirrell thought hard. Was it worth it to make up another lie?
"I don't know...." Quirrell sighed. "I just got... well, embarassed. I didn't mean to lie to you, Madison. It's just... well....." his voice trailed off.
"I'm very flattered, Alpheus," she told him sincerely. "But there really was no reason to lie. Why didn't you just tell me that you wanted to take me on the tour?"
Quirrell shrugged and looked down again. He started to fidget with his hands, nervously. Professor Kiernan placed a finger under his chin and gently raised his head back up so that he was looking at her.
"And you can look me in eye, you know," she said, smiling. "Although I can turn into a fox, I certainly won't bite you."
Quirrell smiled back. As he gazed at her, he sighed. She was smart, amazing and so beautiful. It was like she had stepped out of a dream. Too magnificent to be real.
Professor Kiernan leaned forward and gave Quirrell a small kiss on the cheek. He could only close his eyes and gasp slightly.
"Goodnight." she whispered and left the room, closing the door behind her. Quirrell heard her footsteps disappear into the quiet of the castle. He laid back down, flicked off the light, pulled the blankets back up to his chin and fell fast asleep, with Professor Kiernan and her kiss fresh in his mind.
***
End of Chapter Two
-
LadySnape - Fully Qualified Witch and Wife of Severus
- Posts: 355
- Joined: Friday 2 August 2002 1:00:00am
- Location: Snape Manor
by LadySnape » Thursday 1 January 1970 1:00:00am
Chapter Three: Professor Kiernan's Promise
The following day, the halls and rooms of Hogwarts were filled with activity. Everyone was busy making preparations for the day to follow... the day all the students, new and returning , would be arriving at the school to begin their lessons in magic once again. There was a lot to do. But this year, there were two extra hands and an extra wand! Everyone was glad to have Professor Kiernan's help and they were impressed with her speed and efficiency. Especially Professor Dumbledore. He went from class to class to see how preparations were coming along. Everyone was just about finished. Everyone except Professor Snape. And he stubbornly refused to ask Professor Kiernan for assistance. He didn't want her help and didn't think he needed it. And plus, she seemed more intent on helping Quirrell with his preparations.
When Dumbledore reached Snape's classroom, he couldn't believe the mess he saw. Not that Snape was the neatest Professor in the world, but this was much worse than usual. Parchment was strewn everywhere... all over his desk, all over the floor. A box of brand new quill pens had spilled onto the floor and it looked as though most of them had been stepped on, for they were broken. Many ink bottles had also spilled and it smelled. Snape was at his desk, his black hair askew and he looked extremely agitated. He didn't even see Professor Dumbledore in the doorway.
"I'll never finish this damn thing!" he shouted, throwing an ink bottle across the room. It crashed against the back wall and black ink flew everywhere. Then he scrunched up the parchment he had been writing on, threw it across the room as well and slammed down his quill pen.
"Having some trouble, Severus?" Dumbledore asked, somewhat amused.
Snape jumped in surprise.
"Headmaster!" he expressed. "I didn't see you there." He ran his hand through his hair, fixing it a little.
Dumbledore made his way over to Snape's desk and Snape quickly got him a chair to sit on. Dumbledore remained standing.
"It looks like you could use some help," Dumbledore commented, looking around the room. "Why don't I go and get Madison? I'm sure she'd be more than happy to help you."
Snape scowled. That was the last thing he wanted.
"Severus, it's no secret," Dumbledore suddenly said. "I know how you feel about having assistance in your classes. But why don't you give Professor Kiernan a chance? She's very efficient," he went on. "And I know you prefer nothing less. And I expect nothing less."
Snape said nothing. This was true. He hated procrastinators, laziness and inefficiency. And now his classroom was a mess. It would take him the rest of the day to clean it up.
"I'll go and find Madison for you," Dumbledore decided and Snape knew that there was no point in protesting now. He had made his decision. "I'm sure once you get to know her a little more, you'll change your mind about having assistance." He left the room.
Again, Snape scowled. He didn't want to get to know Professor Kiernan. And he highly doubted that he'd ever change his mind about her or about having assistance. He paced around the room and suddenly smiled when his gaze fell upon the many pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls. He hadn't yet met a woman who wasn't totally disgusted with his little collection. Even Professor McGonagall couldn't stand the mere sight of them, which is why she steered clear of Snape's room whenever she could. But Snape respected Professor McGonagall and if she ever needed to see him, he was decent enough to hide the glass jars. And the same went for Professor Sprout, Trelawney and Madam Hooch.
"I wonder how Professor Kiernan will like my little collection." he sneered, grinning evilly.
Meanwhile, Dumbledore was on his way to find Professor Kiernan to tell her that Snape required her assistance. He knew just where to find her too. No doubt, she was in Quirrell's room. As he neared the Defense Against The Dark Arts class, he heard Professor Kiernan laughing and then Quirrell's voice and then more laughter. Dumbledore smiled when he stepped into the classroom. It appeared that Quirrell was flirting with her. Every time he said something, she giggled. At the moment, she was standing on one of the shelves, pinning a chart onto the bulletin board. Quirrell helped her down, taking her hand. She nearly tripped and Quirrell caught her in time, his arms around her. For a moment, they gazed at each other, smiling and obviously enjoying their closeness.
"Would you like to hold Chuck now?" Quirrell asked and Professor Kiernan nodded.
They disappeared into the back room and a moment later, they reappeared and Professor Kiernan was holding Quirrell's giant Iguana, Chuck. His long tail was wrapped around her waist and she wasn't the least bit squeamish about holding a big green lizard. This truly surprised Dumbledore. He had heard Professor McGonagall and Madam Hooch complain about it many times. He had to tell Quirrell to buy an aquarium for it at the Magical Menagerie or get rid of it. He couldn't have it wandering around the school when some of the teachers didn't approve of it. Hagrid had offered to take it off of Quirrell's hands, but Quirrell just couldn't part with it.
"He's great, Alpheus!" Professor Kiernan exclaimed. "You must take good care of him. Just look how big he is!"
Quirrell blushed at the compliment.
"Well, I can't take all the credit," he said, pulling a dusty old book off of a nearby shelf. "Hagrid gave me this book one Christmas all about Iguanas and other big lizards. Care of Magical Creatures is his specialty." he declared.
"Well, he is just wonderful." Professor Kiernan said, amazed. "Watch this. I bet it would even impress Professor McGonagall!" She handed Chuck back to Quirrell, closed her eyes, crouched down onto the floor and suddenly, she had transformed into an Iguana, identical to Chuck, except with bright green eyes, rather than brown.
"You're incredible!" Quirrell gasped and Professor Kiernan laughed.
Just then, they heard applause as Dumbledore came into the classroom. They hadn't noticed him until now.
"Very impressive, Madison!" he said, as he finally stopped clapping. "And you're right. Minerva would be very impressed by that transformation."
Professor Kiernan returned to her true form, while Quirrell put Chuck back into his aquarium.
"Albus, how long have you been here?" Professor Kiernan asked, a little worried. How much had he seen?
"Oh, I just got here as you transformed." he lied, to save them both from embarrassment. Quirrell looked relieved and he smiled.
"How are you Headmaster, Sir?" Quirrell asked. "How is everyone doing with their, uh... preparations?"
"Everyone is just about finished, thanks to Madison, here," he replied, happily, smiling at her. She smiled back. "How about you? Are you nearly finished?"
"Yes, actually, we're done here," Madison said. "Defense Against the Dark Arts is ready to begin tomorrow!"
Quirrell nodded, excitedly.
"I was just showing Madison a few other things, like Chuck here." he explained quickly. He didn't want Dumbledore to think that they were neglecting their work.
"Wonderful," said Dumbledore. "Then I'm sure you won't mind if I steal Madison for a while. It seems Severus requires a bit of assistance in his preparations."
Professor Kiernan's smile faded instantaneously. She really didn't want to have anything to do with Snape, but that was next to impossible. She WOULD be assisting him in Potions Class. And she did love potions more than anything, so she decided that she could put up with Snape long enough to help with her favorite subject.
Quirrell looked equally disappointed that Professor Kiernan was needed elsewhere. And he hated it even more that she had to go to the dungeon to help Snape.
"Since when does that snake need help?" he thought to himself.
"I'll see you at dinner, Alpheus," Professor Kiernan called to Quirrell as she left his room with Dumbledore. Quirrell waved and suddenly didn't feel so happy anymore. He sat down at his desk and started writing out the lesson plan for the following day.
Dumbledore didn't walk very fast, and Professor Kiernan was glad, because she felt like someone else was in her shoes and dragging her down to the dungeon.
"I sense you are reluctant to assist Severus," Dumbledore commented as they headed down the stone steps.
"I guess I am," Professor Kiernan admitted. There was no sense in trying to hide it from Dumbledore.
"May I ask why?" said Dumbledore. "I thought Potions was your strong point."
"It is, and I love Potions," she told him. "It's just that I find Severus arrogant and rude."
Dumbledore looked surprised.
"Perhaps you are taking his personality all wrong," he suggested. "He's a very intelligent wizard and I have every faith in him. What you call rude, I call firm and what you call arrogant, I call set in his ways. He is a man of fierce principles."
Professor Kiernan hadn't thought about it that way.
"Well, I suppose I should give him more of a chance," she decided with a sigh. "I mean, I don't really know him. Not well."
"That's the spirit," said Dumbledore, pleased. "You are very efficient with your help and work and that is the kind of thing Severus likes. You may be surprised."
"Maybe." Professor Kiernan said, though she highly doubted it.
They finally reached the Potions room. Snape was seated at his desk, looking frazzled. He stood up when Dumbledore and Professor Kiernan entered the room. She took one look around the room and just shook her head.
"Professor Kiernan." Snape acknowledged her.
"Severus." she responded with the same cold stare that he gave her.
Dumbledore could sense the tension in the room, but he wasn't too worried about it. They were both adults, professors and they'd have to be professional and get along whether they liked it or not.
"Looks like there is plenty to do," Dumbledore said. "I'll be off now, I have some business to attend to. I will see you both in the Great Hall at dinner." He left them alone, just standing there. For a moment they didn't say a word. They just glared at each other.
"What a mess!" Professor Kiernan finally spat. "Do you actually work in these conditions? There is ink all over the---"
"Perhaps you can start ASSISTING by cleaning it up." Snape retorted. "And don't let my little collection... distract you." He grinned with spite and indicated the jars of pickled animals on the shelves around the room.
Professor Kiernan walked up to one of the shelves and looked intently at the jars and their horrid contents. Snape waited, anticipating her disgust. But instead...
"Fascinating!" she exclaimed. "You must have everything perfectly preserved in these jars."
Snape was dumbfounded. He watched, almost horrified, as she went around the room and inspected the contents of every single jar. He couldn't believe it. A woman... the first woman he had seen who had not been disgusted by his collection. He scowled as hard as he could.
"Never mind those!" he shouted at her. "I'm in charge and I asked you to clean up the room."
Professor Kiernan turned around and walked straight up to Snape. She was inches away from his face and she breathed into it: "Just because you're in charge doesn't mean I have to do all your dirty work. Like it or not, Professor Snape, I am here to assist you in Potions, so you are just going to have to learn to live with it."
Snape's eyes were dark and cold as he responded, "And as long as I am in charge and as long as you are an assistant and ONLY an assistant, you will do what I say. Whether YOU like it or not."
They glared at each other for a minute longer, before Professor Kiernan finally pulled out her wand. Snape did the same, thinking she was going to hex him, but instead she turned around, said some magic words and the room was no longer a mess.
"Honestly!" she expressed. "Are you really so stupid that you couldn't think to wave your wand to clean up this classroom?"
Snape was furious.
"What did you call me?" he demanded.
"You heard me," Professor Kiernan said, calmly. "And you call yourself a Professor. HA!"
Snape face turned red with rage.
"How dare you," he said. "You have no right, no right at all to come in here and mock me. Get out!"
"With pleasure." Professor Kiernan shot back and left the room, her head high and her shoulders set.
"And don't stumble on the way out!" Snape called after her.
Professor Kiernan stormed back up the stairs and all the way to her quarters. Once there she fell onto the bed and punched her pillow.
"How on earth did an idiot like that EVER become a Professor?" she wondered. "A man of fierce principles. Yea, right! What does Dumbledore see in that snake that I don't?" She rolled onto her back and looked up at the ceiling. "And how unfortunate that he has to teach potions. My favorite." She sighed and sat-up. There was no use in fighting it. Dumbledore would expect them to work together promptly.
***
Professor Kiernan and Quirrell were the first to arrive in the Great Hall for dinner, arm in arm. As usual, Dumbledore was already there, reading another letter he had received by Owl Post.
"Hello, Alpheus; Madison," he greeted them, warmly. "How did everything go with Severus?"
Professor Kiernan sighed and looked at Dumbledore seriously.
"Look, Albus, I can't say that I like him one bit, no matter how much you say he's neither rude nor arrogant," she told him, decisively. "But he is a Head Professor here and I will respect him. That's all I can promise you."
Dumbledore pondered this for a moment and then nodded.
"That's all I can ask." he declared.
***
End of Chapter Three
The following day, the halls and rooms of Hogwarts were filled with activity. Everyone was busy making preparations for the day to follow... the day all the students, new and returning , would be arriving at the school to begin their lessons in magic once again. There was a lot to do. But this year, there were two extra hands and an extra wand! Everyone was glad to have Professor Kiernan's help and they were impressed with her speed and efficiency. Especially Professor Dumbledore. He went from class to class to see how preparations were coming along. Everyone was just about finished. Everyone except Professor Snape. And he stubbornly refused to ask Professor Kiernan for assistance. He didn't want her help and didn't think he needed it. And plus, she seemed more intent on helping Quirrell with his preparations.
When Dumbledore reached Snape's classroom, he couldn't believe the mess he saw. Not that Snape was the neatest Professor in the world, but this was much worse than usual. Parchment was strewn everywhere... all over his desk, all over the floor. A box of brand new quill pens had spilled onto the floor and it looked as though most of them had been stepped on, for they were broken. Many ink bottles had also spilled and it smelled. Snape was at his desk, his black hair askew and he looked extremely agitated. He didn't even see Professor Dumbledore in the doorway.
"I'll never finish this damn thing!" he shouted, throwing an ink bottle across the room. It crashed against the back wall and black ink flew everywhere. Then he scrunched up the parchment he had been writing on, threw it across the room as well and slammed down his quill pen.
"Having some trouble, Severus?" Dumbledore asked, somewhat amused.
Snape jumped in surprise.
"Headmaster!" he expressed. "I didn't see you there." He ran his hand through his hair, fixing it a little.
Dumbledore made his way over to Snape's desk and Snape quickly got him a chair to sit on. Dumbledore remained standing.
"It looks like you could use some help," Dumbledore commented, looking around the room. "Why don't I go and get Madison? I'm sure she'd be more than happy to help you."
Snape scowled. That was the last thing he wanted.
"Severus, it's no secret," Dumbledore suddenly said. "I know how you feel about having assistance in your classes. But why don't you give Professor Kiernan a chance? She's very efficient," he went on. "And I know you prefer nothing less. And I expect nothing less."
Snape said nothing. This was true. He hated procrastinators, laziness and inefficiency. And now his classroom was a mess. It would take him the rest of the day to clean it up.
"I'll go and find Madison for you," Dumbledore decided and Snape knew that there was no point in protesting now. He had made his decision. "I'm sure once you get to know her a little more, you'll change your mind about having assistance." He left the room.
Again, Snape scowled. He didn't want to get to know Professor Kiernan. And he highly doubted that he'd ever change his mind about her or about having assistance. He paced around the room and suddenly smiled when his gaze fell upon the many pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls. He hadn't yet met a woman who wasn't totally disgusted with his little collection. Even Professor McGonagall couldn't stand the mere sight of them, which is why she steered clear of Snape's room whenever she could. But Snape respected Professor McGonagall and if she ever needed to see him, he was decent enough to hide the glass jars. And the same went for Professor Sprout, Trelawney and Madam Hooch.
"I wonder how Professor Kiernan will like my little collection." he sneered, grinning evilly.
Meanwhile, Dumbledore was on his way to find Professor Kiernan to tell her that Snape required her assistance. He knew just where to find her too. No doubt, she was in Quirrell's room. As he neared the Defense Against The Dark Arts class, he heard Professor Kiernan laughing and then Quirrell's voice and then more laughter. Dumbledore smiled when he stepped into the classroom. It appeared that Quirrell was flirting with her. Every time he said something, she giggled. At the moment, she was standing on one of the shelves, pinning a chart onto the bulletin board. Quirrell helped her down, taking her hand. She nearly tripped and Quirrell caught her in time, his arms around her. For a moment, they gazed at each other, smiling and obviously enjoying their closeness.
"Would you like to hold Chuck now?" Quirrell asked and Professor Kiernan nodded.
They disappeared into the back room and a moment later, they reappeared and Professor Kiernan was holding Quirrell's giant Iguana, Chuck. His long tail was wrapped around her waist and she wasn't the least bit squeamish about holding a big green lizard. This truly surprised Dumbledore. He had heard Professor McGonagall and Madam Hooch complain about it many times. He had to tell Quirrell to buy an aquarium for it at the Magical Menagerie or get rid of it. He couldn't have it wandering around the school when some of the teachers didn't approve of it. Hagrid had offered to take it off of Quirrell's hands, but Quirrell just couldn't part with it.
"He's great, Alpheus!" Professor Kiernan exclaimed. "You must take good care of him. Just look how big he is!"
Quirrell blushed at the compliment.
"Well, I can't take all the credit," he said, pulling a dusty old book off of a nearby shelf. "Hagrid gave me this book one Christmas all about Iguanas and other big lizards. Care of Magical Creatures is his specialty." he declared.
"Well, he is just wonderful." Professor Kiernan said, amazed. "Watch this. I bet it would even impress Professor McGonagall!" She handed Chuck back to Quirrell, closed her eyes, crouched down onto the floor and suddenly, she had transformed into an Iguana, identical to Chuck, except with bright green eyes, rather than brown.
"You're incredible!" Quirrell gasped and Professor Kiernan laughed.
Just then, they heard applause as Dumbledore came into the classroom. They hadn't noticed him until now.
"Very impressive, Madison!" he said, as he finally stopped clapping. "And you're right. Minerva would be very impressed by that transformation."
Professor Kiernan returned to her true form, while Quirrell put Chuck back into his aquarium.
"Albus, how long have you been here?" Professor Kiernan asked, a little worried. How much had he seen?
"Oh, I just got here as you transformed." he lied, to save them both from embarrassment. Quirrell looked relieved and he smiled.
"How are you Headmaster, Sir?" Quirrell asked. "How is everyone doing with their, uh... preparations?"
"Everyone is just about finished, thanks to Madison, here," he replied, happily, smiling at her. She smiled back. "How about you? Are you nearly finished?"
"Yes, actually, we're done here," Madison said. "Defense Against the Dark Arts is ready to begin tomorrow!"
Quirrell nodded, excitedly.
"I was just showing Madison a few other things, like Chuck here." he explained quickly. He didn't want Dumbledore to think that they were neglecting their work.
"Wonderful," said Dumbledore. "Then I'm sure you won't mind if I steal Madison for a while. It seems Severus requires a bit of assistance in his preparations."
Professor Kiernan's smile faded instantaneously. She really didn't want to have anything to do with Snape, but that was next to impossible. She WOULD be assisting him in Potions Class. And she did love potions more than anything, so she decided that she could put up with Snape long enough to help with her favorite subject.
Quirrell looked equally disappointed that Professor Kiernan was needed elsewhere. And he hated it even more that she had to go to the dungeon to help Snape.
"Since when does that snake need help?" he thought to himself.
"I'll see you at dinner, Alpheus," Professor Kiernan called to Quirrell as she left his room with Dumbledore. Quirrell waved and suddenly didn't feel so happy anymore. He sat down at his desk and started writing out the lesson plan for the following day.
Dumbledore didn't walk very fast, and Professor Kiernan was glad, because she felt like someone else was in her shoes and dragging her down to the dungeon.
"I sense you are reluctant to assist Severus," Dumbledore commented as they headed down the stone steps.
"I guess I am," Professor Kiernan admitted. There was no sense in trying to hide it from Dumbledore.
"May I ask why?" said Dumbledore. "I thought Potions was your strong point."
"It is, and I love Potions," she told him. "It's just that I find Severus arrogant and rude."
Dumbledore looked surprised.
"Perhaps you are taking his personality all wrong," he suggested. "He's a very intelligent wizard and I have every faith in him. What you call rude, I call firm and what you call arrogant, I call set in his ways. He is a man of fierce principles."
Professor Kiernan hadn't thought about it that way.
"Well, I suppose I should give him more of a chance," she decided with a sigh. "I mean, I don't really know him. Not well."
"That's the spirit," said Dumbledore, pleased. "You are very efficient with your help and work and that is the kind of thing Severus likes. You may be surprised."
"Maybe." Professor Kiernan said, though she highly doubted it.
They finally reached the Potions room. Snape was seated at his desk, looking frazzled. He stood up when Dumbledore and Professor Kiernan entered the room. She took one look around the room and just shook her head.
"Professor Kiernan." Snape acknowledged her.
"Severus." she responded with the same cold stare that he gave her.
Dumbledore could sense the tension in the room, but he wasn't too worried about it. They were both adults, professors and they'd have to be professional and get along whether they liked it or not.
"Looks like there is plenty to do," Dumbledore said. "I'll be off now, I have some business to attend to. I will see you both in the Great Hall at dinner." He left them alone, just standing there. For a moment they didn't say a word. They just glared at each other.
"What a mess!" Professor Kiernan finally spat. "Do you actually work in these conditions? There is ink all over the---"
"Perhaps you can start ASSISTING by cleaning it up." Snape retorted. "And don't let my little collection... distract you." He grinned with spite and indicated the jars of pickled animals on the shelves around the room.
Professor Kiernan walked up to one of the shelves and looked intently at the jars and their horrid contents. Snape waited, anticipating her disgust. But instead...
"Fascinating!" she exclaimed. "You must have everything perfectly preserved in these jars."
Snape was dumbfounded. He watched, almost horrified, as she went around the room and inspected the contents of every single jar. He couldn't believe it. A woman... the first woman he had seen who had not been disgusted by his collection. He scowled as hard as he could.
"Never mind those!" he shouted at her. "I'm in charge and I asked you to clean up the room."
Professor Kiernan turned around and walked straight up to Snape. She was inches away from his face and she breathed into it: "Just because you're in charge doesn't mean I have to do all your dirty work. Like it or not, Professor Snape, I am here to assist you in Potions, so you are just going to have to learn to live with it."
Snape's eyes were dark and cold as he responded, "And as long as I am in charge and as long as you are an assistant and ONLY an assistant, you will do what I say. Whether YOU like it or not."
They glared at each other for a minute longer, before Professor Kiernan finally pulled out her wand. Snape did the same, thinking she was going to hex him, but instead she turned around, said some magic words and the room was no longer a mess.
"Honestly!" she expressed. "Are you really so stupid that you couldn't think to wave your wand to clean up this classroom?"
Snape was furious.
"What did you call me?" he demanded.
"You heard me," Professor Kiernan said, calmly. "And you call yourself a Professor. HA!"
Snape face turned red with rage.
"How dare you," he said. "You have no right, no right at all to come in here and mock me. Get out!"
"With pleasure." Professor Kiernan shot back and left the room, her head high and her shoulders set.
"And don't stumble on the way out!" Snape called after her.
Professor Kiernan stormed back up the stairs and all the way to her quarters. Once there she fell onto the bed and punched her pillow.
"How on earth did an idiot like that EVER become a Professor?" she wondered. "A man of fierce principles. Yea, right! What does Dumbledore see in that snake that I don't?" She rolled onto her back and looked up at the ceiling. "And how unfortunate that he has to teach potions. My favorite." She sighed and sat-up. There was no use in fighting it. Dumbledore would expect them to work together promptly.
***
Professor Kiernan and Quirrell were the first to arrive in the Great Hall for dinner, arm in arm. As usual, Dumbledore was already there, reading another letter he had received by Owl Post.
"Hello, Alpheus; Madison," he greeted them, warmly. "How did everything go with Severus?"
Professor Kiernan sighed and looked at Dumbledore seriously.
"Look, Albus, I can't say that I like him one bit, no matter how much you say he's neither rude nor arrogant," she told him, decisively. "But he is a Head Professor here and I will respect him. That's all I can promise you."
Dumbledore pondered this for a moment and then nodded.
"That's all I can ask." he declared.
***
End of Chapter Three
-
LadySnape - Fully Qualified Witch and Wife of Severus
- Posts: 355
- Joined: Friday 2 August 2002 1:00:00am
- Location: Snape Manor
by LadySnape » Thursday 1 January 1970 1:00:00am
Chapter Four: The Animagi
Quirrell was walking Professor Kiernan back to her quarters after a wonderful dinner and dessert, plus a great coversation about the day to follow. The day another term would begin again for all the young witches and wizards. Professor Kiernan was a little nervous.
"Don't worry, all the students will love you," Quirrell assured her. "I mean, how could they not?"
Professor Kiernan smiled and thanked him for his compliment. Once they reached the door to her bedroom, they stopped and looked at each other, both beaming. Quirrell took her hands into his and gently stroked them with his thumbs.
"Madison," he said, his voice hoarse and his cheeks turning light pink, "I know we haven't known each other that long, but.... well, now that the students will be back tomorrow, I may not get the chance to do this until they are gone again." With that, he pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her waist. Their faces were inches apart. Softly, his breath fanned her face. Then his lips slowly descended to meet hers. His kiss was slow, thoughtful and his hands slipped under her arms, bringing her even closer, her soft curves molding to the contours of his lean body. She wound her arms inside his robe and around his back. At last, reluctantly, they parted a few inches. Quirrell smiled warmly and whispered into her ear, "Pleasant dreams." She sighed as they released each other and then he turned to leave. She watched him disappear into the darkness of the hallway.
Once she was in her room, she fell onto the bed and sighed deeply. She had never felt so wonderful in her entire life. She had only been at Hogwarts two days and things were happening so fast. And she really liked Quirrell. A lot. He was so sweet and he could always make her laugh.
"It's really too bad that Defence Against The Dark Arts has no double blocks." she said as she put on her nightdress. She crawled into bed and closed her eyes. She could still feel the kiss; her lips burned in rememberance of it. It took her awhile before she finally fell asleep. But when she did, she had the assurance that the following day, she would be fine.
***
The Professors were all seated at the High Table in the Great Hall, awaiting the arrival of the new and returning students. The Great Hall was decorated with Welcome banners and ribbons and the tables were neatly set with plates, bowls, cutlery and glasses. A few feet in front of the High Tabel was a stool where a very old and frayed looking hat sat. Obviously, the Sorting Hat, which would sort the new students into one of the four houses at Hogwarts: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.
Albus Dumbledore looked at his pocketwatch and turned to Professor McGonagall.
"Hagrid should be bringing the students across the lake by now," he said, his eyes twinkling with excitement. "I suppose you should get ready to greet them in the Entrance Hall and then bring them in here to be Sorted."
Professor McGonagall nodded and left the Great Hall. Professor Kiernan squirmed in her seat as she suddenly heard many footsteps outside the doors. The students were there.
"Don't worry," Quirrell whispered to her, squeezing her hand affectionately. They were holding hands beneath the table, their fingers entwined.
Returning students entered the Great Hall first and took their seats at the appropriate table. Their was a light chatter among them and some of them looked curiously at Professor Kiernan then began whispering to their friends. A few of the sixth and seventh year young men stared in awe at Professor Kiernan, obviously entranced by her beauty. She simply smiled.
"What did I tell you?" Quirrell suddenly said, as silently as he could. "Just look at those young men. You'll have them eating out of your hand!"
Professor Kiernan was about to reply, when Snape interrupted. "They better be showing Professor Kiernan the same respect they are expected to show the rest of us." His eyes went darker yet and he folded his arms across his chest.
Professor Kiernan was genuinely surprised at his comment. Did this mean he was finally seeing her as an equal and not just as an assistant? She'd have to wait and see.
Professor McGonagall finally entered the Great Hall with what looked like over a hundred new students, followed by some ghosts. The new students were in awe as they looked around the room at everyone and everything. Professor Kiernan remembered the first time she had arrived at her new school and how everything had been so strange and exciting all at the same time.
The new students were led all the way to the front to where the Sorting Hat was located. Professor McGonagall explained everything to them. What the Sorting Ceremony was all about, what they were expected to do, how House Points were given and taken away and a little bit about each house's history and which Professors were head of each house. Then she pulled out a long piece of parchment and began calling out names. One by one, each student was sorted into a house. After each turn, cheers and applause from a particular house filled the Great Hall. It took over an hour for the all the new students to be sorted, and by that time, everyone was famished. Professor McGonagall returned to her seat and Dumbledore stood up to say a few words, welcoming the students and telling them a few rules and regulations to follow.
"And finally," Dumbledore added at the end of his speech. "Before we begin the banquet, I would like to introduce you all to our new Professor. Professor Kiernan!" he exclaimed.
Letting go of Quirrell's hand, she nervously stood up, looked around at all the students and waved. Everyone applauded, except Snape. He just sat there with the same expression he seemed to always wear. Quirrell, on the other hand, clapped the loudest and beamed. A few of the older male students whistled, hooted and hollered. Dumbledore raised his hands to quiet everyone down. Quirrell was still applauding and the students snickered.
"All right, Professor Quirrell, that will do." Dumbledore told him.
Quirrell blushed and stopped applauding. He had given her a standing ovation, so he quickly sat back down and avoided eye contact with everyone. He started to fidget with the cutlery.
"Professor Kiernan will be assisting in Transfiguration, Charms, Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts," Dumbledore explained. "We were going to have her assist in Herbology as well, but it appears that the other classes require more assistance. Just remember," Dumbledore added, seriously, "she is a Professor here, and assistant or not, you will show her the same respect you show the other Professors. She too, has the authority to give and take away house points."
A murmur krept over the room and Dumbledore silenced the Hall once again.
"With that said, let the banquet begin!" he expressed and immediately the plates filled with food and the goblets with iced pumpkin juice. Everyone chatted and ate. The first-year students kept looking over at the High Table, obviously trying to figure out who was who and who taught what.
"That was quite the performance, Quirrell," Snape said, sarcastically, one corner of his mouth curling into what looked like a very cheeky smile.
Quirrell scowled.
"I didn't see YOU applauding!" he spat.
"I didn't have to," Snape said, annoyingly calm. "You did enough for everyone here."
Quirrell's eyes shot daggers at Snape, then he turned away.
"I appreciated it," Professor Kiernan whispered into his ear. Quirrell smiled as they joined hands underneath the table once again and finished their dinner.
***
Later that evening, as the first year students were getting a tour of the school by the Prefects, Professor Kiernan and Quirrell were on their way to Dumbledore's chambers. He had told her to see him after the banquet to collect her schedule.
"It's really too bad about Professor Sprout no longer needing you in Herbology," Quirrell commented.
"I don't mind," Professor Kiernan said, non-chalantly waving a hand in the air. "Kneeling in the dirt and digging really isn't my idea of fun."
Quirrell laughed.
"I don't think I'd enjoy that too much, either," he admitted. "But there must be more to it than that."
"Oh there is," Professor Kiernan said. "Certain plants and herbs are used in Potions. Those are the kinds of things I know the most about."
She knocked on Dumbledore's chamber door and the door opened. Dumbledore was seated at his desk and Snape was seated across from him. Everyone scowled, except Dumbledore. His eyes were twinkling merrily behind his half-moon glasses.
"Well, come in, come in," Dumbledore beckoned to them. "Have a seat."
As they approached his desk, Snape stood up, excused himself and left in a great hurry. He didn't give anyone a second look.
"Just as well he leaves." thought Professor Kiernan.
"Strange isn't it," Dumbledore 'mused as he opened a drawer in his desk and shuffled around in it, looking for a particular piece of parchment that contained Professor's Kiernan's new schedule.
"What's that, Sir?" asked Quirrell.
"Term just started today and tomorrow is already Friday!" he expressed.
"It is strange," Professor Kiernan agreed, "but also good for the first-years. Tomorrow is their first day ever of classes here. So it's going to be both exciting and scary for them. They'll need the break right away."
"True," said Dumbledore and handed Professor Kiernan her schedule. She thanked him.
"There's been a few other changes to your schedule as well." he told her.
Professor Kiernan sighed. Snape had just been in there. No doubt, he probably had something to do with these "changes". She looked down at her schedule and noticed that she was marked down to be in Potions everyday after lunch and for double blocks at the end of the day on Thursdays and Fridays.
"I apologize about cancelling your assistance in Herbology," said Dumbledore. "But Minerva and I thought it would be best if you helped her with the seventh-year students in Transfiguration. The pre-graduates. And they have double blocks on Monday and Tuesday morning." he continued. "And I believe they could benefit from your superior Transfiguration skills." He smiled.
"You mean my Animagus Transformation skills, Headmaster." she declared.
Quirrell froze. Animagus Transformations were extremely difficult and dangerous. Only the cleverest of witches and wizards could do it. He knew that and surely Dumbledore knew it, too. She was an Animagi! Able to turn into any animal she wanted at will! He had already seen her turn into a fox and an iguana.
"Yes, and that sort of thing is taught in Transfiguration," said Dumbledore. "But as you know, only some students will manage it. There are many others who won't. And once you discover who can and who can't, I'd like you to work with them seperately."
Professor Kiernan nodded. Quirrell was in awe. She was even more amazing than he had first thought.
"As for Potions, I hope you don't mind that I have you working with the first years, even though it is one of your areas of expertise," Dumledore questioned. "I was going to have you work with the fourth years, but we have a large amount of first-year students this year and since they are scheduled with double blocks, you could probably be of more help that way."
"Is that your decision or Severus's?" Professor Kiernan suddenly snapped and Quirrell nudged her with his elbow as a warning. "I'm sorry." she quickly apologized. "That wasn't very professional. I would be more than happy to help with the first-years. I know what it's like to be new."
"Plus, a lot of the students are scared of Severus," Quirrell added. "Because he's such a.... "
"Firm and set man." Dumbledore finished for him. "But you're right. Having you there, Madison, might make the students a bit more comfortable."
Professor Kiernan smiled.
"What else?" Dumbledore asked.
"Defense Against The Dark Arts and Charms," Professor Kiernan read from her schedule. Quirrell looked excited at the mention of Defense Against The Dark Arts.
"Yes, you'll be working with first-year charm students and third-year students in Defense Against The Dark Arts." Dumbledore told her.
Quirrell was beaming.
"It all sounds great, Albus," said Professor Kiernan. "I'm just thrilled to be working here at Hogwarts. I've heard so many wonderful things about this school. Thank-you."
"My pleasure." Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling with admiration. He continued to smile as he watched her leave with Quirrell.
Quirrell had his arm around Professor Kiernan's waist as they walked to her Chambers.
"Why didn't you tell me you were an Animagi, Madison?" he inquired. He wasn't upset, just surprised.
"Shh!" she hissed "I don't want everyone to know. It's a rather touchy subject."
"Of course," Quirrell nodded, lowering his voice. "But why didn't you tell me?"
She shrugged.
"I thought you would have put two and two together after you saw me transform into two different animals." she answered.
"You know, it never even occurred to me," Quirrell admitted. "But I should've known. I guess I was too amazed at the time."
"Well, now that you know, please try to keep it to yourself," she pleaded. "Aside from who I practiced the magic with, only you, Albus, and Minerva know. It's not the sort of thing you can talk about freely." She gave him a very serious look. "And I especially don't want Severus to ever find out. James warned me about him."
"James who?" Quirrell asked.
"Never mind," Professor Kiernan put a hand out. "Please, no more questions about this."
Quirrell was still curious as to who else knew how to perform Animagus Transformations, but he didn't push any further. He crossed his heart with his finger, as he did often and promised. "Your secret is safe with me."
Professor Kiernan thanked him and unlocked the door. Then she turned to Quirrell again. They embraced and kissed goodnight. Then they both retired to bed.
Poor Quirrell could hardly sleep. He still couldn't believe that Professor Kiernan was an Animagi. There was certainly a lot more to her than he had first thought. Beautiful, smart and obviously extremely powerful. He was willing to bet that she was probably as powerful as Albus Dumbledore.
"She makes the rest of us look like a bunch of muggles!" he joked to himself and laughed. "Oh, I'll bet Severus is going to LOVE that!"
***
End of Chapter Four
Quirrell was walking Professor Kiernan back to her quarters after a wonderful dinner and dessert, plus a great coversation about the day to follow. The day another term would begin again for all the young witches and wizards. Professor Kiernan was a little nervous.
"Don't worry, all the students will love you," Quirrell assured her. "I mean, how could they not?"
Professor Kiernan smiled and thanked him for his compliment. Once they reached the door to her bedroom, they stopped and looked at each other, both beaming. Quirrell took her hands into his and gently stroked them with his thumbs.
"Madison," he said, his voice hoarse and his cheeks turning light pink, "I know we haven't known each other that long, but.... well, now that the students will be back tomorrow, I may not get the chance to do this until they are gone again." With that, he pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her waist. Their faces were inches apart. Softly, his breath fanned her face. Then his lips slowly descended to meet hers. His kiss was slow, thoughtful and his hands slipped under her arms, bringing her even closer, her soft curves molding to the contours of his lean body. She wound her arms inside his robe and around his back. At last, reluctantly, they parted a few inches. Quirrell smiled warmly and whispered into her ear, "Pleasant dreams." She sighed as they released each other and then he turned to leave. She watched him disappear into the darkness of the hallway.
Once she was in her room, she fell onto the bed and sighed deeply. She had never felt so wonderful in her entire life. She had only been at Hogwarts two days and things were happening so fast. And she really liked Quirrell. A lot. He was so sweet and he could always make her laugh.
"It's really too bad that Defence Against The Dark Arts has no double blocks." she said as she put on her nightdress. She crawled into bed and closed her eyes. She could still feel the kiss; her lips burned in rememberance of it. It took her awhile before she finally fell asleep. But when she did, she had the assurance that the following day, she would be fine.
***
The Professors were all seated at the High Table in the Great Hall, awaiting the arrival of the new and returning students. The Great Hall was decorated with Welcome banners and ribbons and the tables were neatly set with plates, bowls, cutlery and glasses. A few feet in front of the High Tabel was a stool where a very old and frayed looking hat sat. Obviously, the Sorting Hat, which would sort the new students into one of the four houses at Hogwarts: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.
Albus Dumbledore looked at his pocketwatch and turned to Professor McGonagall.
"Hagrid should be bringing the students across the lake by now," he said, his eyes twinkling with excitement. "I suppose you should get ready to greet them in the Entrance Hall and then bring them in here to be Sorted."
Professor McGonagall nodded and left the Great Hall. Professor Kiernan squirmed in her seat as she suddenly heard many footsteps outside the doors. The students were there.
"Don't worry," Quirrell whispered to her, squeezing her hand affectionately. They were holding hands beneath the table, their fingers entwined.
Returning students entered the Great Hall first and took their seats at the appropriate table. Their was a light chatter among them and some of them looked curiously at Professor Kiernan then began whispering to their friends. A few of the sixth and seventh year young men stared in awe at Professor Kiernan, obviously entranced by her beauty. She simply smiled.
"What did I tell you?" Quirrell suddenly said, as silently as he could. "Just look at those young men. You'll have them eating out of your hand!"
Professor Kiernan was about to reply, when Snape interrupted. "They better be showing Professor Kiernan the same respect they are expected to show the rest of us." His eyes went darker yet and he folded his arms across his chest.
Professor Kiernan was genuinely surprised at his comment. Did this mean he was finally seeing her as an equal and not just as an assistant? She'd have to wait and see.
Professor McGonagall finally entered the Great Hall with what looked like over a hundred new students, followed by some ghosts. The new students were in awe as they looked around the room at everyone and everything. Professor Kiernan remembered the first time she had arrived at her new school and how everything had been so strange and exciting all at the same time.
The new students were led all the way to the front to where the Sorting Hat was located. Professor McGonagall explained everything to them. What the Sorting Ceremony was all about, what they were expected to do, how House Points were given and taken away and a little bit about each house's history and which Professors were head of each house. Then she pulled out a long piece of parchment and began calling out names. One by one, each student was sorted into a house. After each turn, cheers and applause from a particular house filled the Great Hall. It took over an hour for the all the new students to be sorted, and by that time, everyone was famished. Professor McGonagall returned to her seat and Dumbledore stood up to say a few words, welcoming the students and telling them a few rules and regulations to follow.
"And finally," Dumbledore added at the end of his speech. "Before we begin the banquet, I would like to introduce you all to our new Professor. Professor Kiernan!" he exclaimed.
Letting go of Quirrell's hand, she nervously stood up, looked around at all the students and waved. Everyone applauded, except Snape. He just sat there with the same expression he seemed to always wear. Quirrell, on the other hand, clapped the loudest and beamed. A few of the older male students whistled, hooted and hollered. Dumbledore raised his hands to quiet everyone down. Quirrell was still applauding and the students snickered.
"All right, Professor Quirrell, that will do." Dumbledore told him.
Quirrell blushed and stopped applauding. He had given her a standing ovation, so he quickly sat back down and avoided eye contact with everyone. He started to fidget with the cutlery.
"Professor Kiernan will be assisting in Transfiguration, Charms, Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts," Dumbledore explained. "We were going to have her assist in Herbology as well, but it appears that the other classes require more assistance. Just remember," Dumbledore added, seriously, "she is a Professor here, and assistant or not, you will show her the same respect you show the other Professors. She too, has the authority to give and take away house points."
A murmur krept over the room and Dumbledore silenced the Hall once again.
"With that said, let the banquet begin!" he expressed and immediately the plates filled with food and the goblets with iced pumpkin juice. Everyone chatted and ate. The first-year students kept looking over at the High Table, obviously trying to figure out who was who and who taught what.
"That was quite the performance, Quirrell," Snape said, sarcastically, one corner of his mouth curling into what looked like a very cheeky smile.
Quirrell scowled.
"I didn't see YOU applauding!" he spat.
"I didn't have to," Snape said, annoyingly calm. "You did enough for everyone here."
Quirrell's eyes shot daggers at Snape, then he turned away.
"I appreciated it," Professor Kiernan whispered into his ear. Quirrell smiled as they joined hands underneath the table once again and finished their dinner.
***
Later that evening, as the first year students were getting a tour of the school by the Prefects, Professor Kiernan and Quirrell were on their way to Dumbledore's chambers. He had told her to see him after the banquet to collect her schedule.
"It's really too bad about Professor Sprout no longer needing you in Herbology," Quirrell commented.
"I don't mind," Professor Kiernan said, non-chalantly waving a hand in the air. "Kneeling in the dirt and digging really isn't my idea of fun."
Quirrell laughed.
"I don't think I'd enjoy that too much, either," he admitted. "But there must be more to it than that."
"Oh there is," Professor Kiernan said. "Certain plants and herbs are used in Potions. Those are the kinds of things I know the most about."
She knocked on Dumbledore's chamber door and the door opened. Dumbledore was seated at his desk and Snape was seated across from him. Everyone scowled, except Dumbledore. His eyes were twinkling merrily behind his half-moon glasses.
"Well, come in, come in," Dumbledore beckoned to them. "Have a seat."
As they approached his desk, Snape stood up, excused himself and left in a great hurry. He didn't give anyone a second look.
"Just as well he leaves." thought Professor Kiernan.
"Strange isn't it," Dumbledore 'mused as he opened a drawer in his desk and shuffled around in it, looking for a particular piece of parchment that contained Professor's Kiernan's new schedule.
"What's that, Sir?" asked Quirrell.
"Term just started today and tomorrow is already Friday!" he expressed.
"It is strange," Professor Kiernan agreed, "but also good for the first-years. Tomorrow is their first day ever of classes here. So it's going to be both exciting and scary for them. They'll need the break right away."
"True," said Dumbledore and handed Professor Kiernan her schedule. She thanked him.
"There's been a few other changes to your schedule as well." he told her.
Professor Kiernan sighed. Snape had just been in there. No doubt, he probably had something to do with these "changes". She looked down at her schedule and noticed that she was marked down to be in Potions everyday after lunch and for double blocks at the end of the day on Thursdays and Fridays.
"I apologize about cancelling your assistance in Herbology," said Dumbledore. "But Minerva and I thought it would be best if you helped her with the seventh-year students in Transfiguration. The pre-graduates. And they have double blocks on Monday and Tuesday morning." he continued. "And I believe they could benefit from your superior Transfiguration skills." He smiled.
"You mean my Animagus Transformation skills, Headmaster." she declared.
Quirrell froze. Animagus Transformations were extremely difficult and dangerous. Only the cleverest of witches and wizards could do it. He knew that and surely Dumbledore knew it, too. She was an Animagi! Able to turn into any animal she wanted at will! He had already seen her turn into a fox and an iguana.
"Yes, and that sort of thing is taught in Transfiguration," said Dumbledore. "But as you know, only some students will manage it. There are many others who won't. And once you discover who can and who can't, I'd like you to work with them seperately."
Professor Kiernan nodded. Quirrell was in awe. She was even more amazing than he had first thought.
"As for Potions, I hope you don't mind that I have you working with the first years, even though it is one of your areas of expertise," Dumledore questioned. "I was going to have you work with the fourth years, but we have a large amount of first-year students this year and since they are scheduled with double blocks, you could probably be of more help that way."
"Is that your decision or Severus's?" Professor Kiernan suddenly snapped and Quirrell nudged her with his elbow as a warning. "I'm sorry." she quickly apologized. "That wasn't very professional. I would be more than happy to help with the first-years. I know what it's like to be new."
"Plus, a lot of the students are scared of Severus," Quirrell added. "Because he's such a.... "
"Firm and set man." Dumbledore finished for him. "But you're right. Having you there, Madison, might make the students a bit more comfortable."
Professor Kiernan smiled.
"What else?" Dumbledore asked.
"Defense Against The Dark Arts and Charms," Professor Kiernan read from her schedule. Quirrell looked excited at the mention of Defense Against The Dark Arts.
"Yes, you'll be working with first-year charm students and third-year students in Defense Against The Dark Arts." Dumbledore told her.
Quirrell was beaming.
"It all sounds great, Albus," said Professor Kiernan. "I'm just thrilled to be working here at Hogwarts. I've heard so many wonderful things about this school. Thank-you."
"My pleasure." Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling with admiration. He continued to smile as he watched her leave with Quirrell.
Quirrell had his arm around Professor Kiernan's waist as they walked to her Chambers.
"Why didn't you tell me you were an Animagi, Madison?" he inquired. He wasn't upset, just surprised.
"Shh!" she hissed "I don't want everyone to know. It's a rather touchy subject."
"Of course," Quirrell nodded, lowering his voice. "But why didn't you tell me?"
She shrugged.
"I thought you would have put two and two together after you saw me transform into two different animals." she answered.
"You know, it never even occurred to me," Quirrell admitted. "But I should've known. I guess I was too amazed at the time."
"Well, now that you know, please try to keep it to yourself," she pleaded. "Aside from who I practiced the magic with, only you, Albus, and Minerva know. It's not the sort of thing you can talk about freely." She gave him a very serious look. "And I especially don't want Severus to ever find out. James warned me about him."
"James who?" Quirrell asked.
"Never mind," Professor Kiernan put a hand out. "Please, no more questions about this."
Quirrell was still curious as to who else knew how to perform Animagus Transformations, but he didn't push any further. He crossed his heart with his finger, as he did often and promised. "Your secret is safe with me."
Professor Kiernan thanked him and unlocked the door. Then she turned to Quirrell again. They embraced and kissed goodnight. Then they both retired to bed.
Poor Quirrell could hardly sleep. He still couldn't believe that Professor Kiernan was an Animagi. There was certainly a lot more to her than he had first thought. Beautiful, smart and obviously extremely powerful. He was willing to bet that she was probably as powerful as Albus Dumbledore.
"She makes the rest of us look like a bunch of muggles!" he joked to himself and laughed. "Oh, I'll bet Severus is going to LOVE that!"
***
End of Chapter Four
-
LadySnape - Fully Qualified Witch and Wife of Severus
- Posts: 355
- Joined: Friday 2 August 2002 1:00:00am
- Location: Snape Manor
by LadySnape » Thursday 1 January 1970 1:00:00am
Chapter Five: Lessons
The next morning, Quirrell came knocking at the door, just as Professor Kiernan had finished pinning her hair back and was ready to leave for breakfast. She sighed and opened the door. Quirrell was all smiles
"Ready for your first day?" he asked excitedly.
"Alpheus, I thought we were going to be a little more discreet about out relationship now that the students are here," Professor Kiernan reminded him. "Not that I don't appreciate an escort to the Great Hall every morning."
"I know, but I just couldn't wait to see you again," Quirrell told her "Especially after what I found out last night. About you being an..."
"Professor Quirrell!" she interrupted, her voice rising an octave. "Didn't I warn you not to discuss this any further?" She closed the door to her quarters and they began to make their way to the Great Hall. "I told you, it's a rather delicate subject."
"But just think if Severus ever found out!" Quirrell said, hardly heeding her warning. "Maybe he would start..."
"He would start hating me more," Professor Kiernan cut him off. "He already hates me enough and I don't intend on giving him any more reason to make it worse. Now please, enough!"
"But, Madison..." Quirrell began again.
"Professor Quirrell, the matter is closed." she said firmly and Quirrell finally gave-up. The truth was, he had a hard time keeping secrets. Especially a secret as important as this.
"Madison," Quirrell said, as they sat down and started helping themselves to scrambled eggs and hashbrowns. "I need to ask you a favor."
"Yes, what is it?" she asked.
Quirrell searched for words.
"Well, I have to tell you something," he said. "I'm going to have a hard time keeping what I found out about you yesterday a secret. Especially with Severus being so rude to you all the time." he added in a lower voice, so Snape couldn't hear him.
"Are you serious?" Professor Kiernan asked, in surprise.
Quirrell nodded.
"Maybe you could do the Forget Spell on me." he suggested.
Professor Kiernan stared at him in disbelief.
"You're putting me on, Alpheus," she said, decidedly. "Surely you can keep a secret."
"If you believe THAT--" Snape began, with a superior grin.
"Mind your own business, Professor Snape!" Professor Kiernan retorted and turned back to Quirrell.
"Please, Madison," he begged. "It's the only way. I just couldn't bear it if I broke a promise to you."
Snape sniffed haughtily and rolled his eyes.
"What a pathetic display." he thought, disdainfully.
"Alright," Professor Kiernan finally agreed. "We better finish our breakfast quickly and then go down to the greenhouse."
"Right," said Quirrell, then gave her a questioning look. "Um... why do we need to go down to the greenhouse?"
"I need Forget-Me-Nots to perform the spell." Professor Kiernan said. "It's actually a pretty simple spell."
"Maybe we could give one to Severus so he'll forget about being so irratable and arrogant." Quirrell said and Professor Kiernan laughed.
"I'm afraid it doesn't work that way," she said. "It only works on secrets, disagreements and things like that. You can't change someone's natural personality."
They both laughed again, finished their breakfast and headed outside to the greenhouse. Professor Sprout was already there.
"Has Professor Dumbledore changed the schedule again?" she asked, astonished to see them there.
"No, I just came to ask you for some Forget-Me-Nots," Professor Kiernan explained. "Do you have any?"
"Certainly," said Professor Sprout and she disappeared into an adjoining room and emerged again with a small cluster of the flower.
"Great, thanks!" Quirrell said and they went back into Hogwarts and up to Quirrell's chambers.
Once there, they closed the door and Professor Kiernan turned to Quirrell and placed the flowers in the palm of his hand and pulled out her wand.
"Okay, now tell the flowers your secret." she ordered.
"Professor Kiernan is an Animagi." Quirrell declared.
Professor Kiernan waved her wand over the flowers and said, quietly, "Forget."
Then she made Quirrell close his fingers around the flowers and then open them again.
"I still remember, Madison." he told her.
Professor Kiernan looked annoyed and shook her head at him.
"Tonight, before you go to bed, put these under your pillow and the spell will work," she said. "And you won't remember that I am an Animagi."
Quirrell nodded and thanked her. They were about to leave for class, but Professor Kiernan turned to Quirrell and kissed him.
"Alpheus, no matter what Severus says about you, I think you're one of the most noble people I've ever met," she told him, sincerely. "To admit that you may not have been able to keep my secret took a lot of courage."
Quirrell blushed and they left his quarters, their arms around each other. What did it matter anyway? The students would eventually find out that they had a relationship, being that they would be spending all their free time together when classes were not in session.
***
First class was Transfiguration with the Seventh Year students from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. Professor McGonagall had Professor Kiernan do roll call and then she started with a review of all the spells they had learned in their earlier years at Hogwarts.
"You should have all those memorized by now," said Professor McGonagall. "Make sure you know them because I may give you a test on some of those spells next week."
The class groaned.
"When are we going to learn the good stuff, Professor?" asked a Gryffindor student.
"All in good time, Mr. Thurston." replied Professor McGonagall. "I want you to write down the spells that Professor Kiernan is writing on the blackboard right now and have them memorized by Monday."
Again the class groaned. Professor McGonagall ignored them and continued. "I also want you to look them up and write down what each of them does. Those must be handed in Monday as well. Then I will give you the review test and by the time you are done that, the assignments should be marked and we can start putting some of the spells into practice." she finished.
The class looked happy and then they got their quill pens and parchment out and started copying notes from the blackboard. There was not much to do, except walk around and make sure that everyone was doing what they were supposed to be doing. Professor Kiernan noticed that some of the students had already filled in what some of the spells were used for and what they did. She complimented them. Professor McGonagall also noticed this and gave some house points to Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. By the end of class, each house had earned five points.
The next Transfiguration Class with the Slytherins and Hufflepuffs went pretty much the same. Professor Kiernan noticed that the Slytherin students were very pompous and self-centered. They hardly paid any attention and acted like they already knew everything. Professor McGonagall seemed to be used to this type of behavior from them, because she didn't bother taking away any points and she continued on like nothing out of the ordinary was going on.
Next was Charms with the First Year Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs. Professor Kiernan liked Professor Flitwick very much. Like Professor McGonagall, he let her take attendance and then write some notes on the blackboard.
"There will be a lot of note taking in this class at first," said Professor Flitwick. "Then we will move on to our first spell, Wingardium Leviosa, by the middle of next week." As he said this, he pointed his wand at one of the student's books and it floated into the air. The new students were in awe.
"We get to learn that spell first?" asked a Hufflepuff student in amazement.
"Yes, but it is not as easy as it looks," Professor Flitwick replied. "It's all in the wrist movement. Swish and flick. Am I right, Professor Kiernan?"
"Indeed you are," she answered then pointed her wand at an empty chair in the back of the room and said, "Wingardium Leviosa!" It floated into the air and then she let it drop back down, gently. The class applauded. As they were taking notes, they chatted excitedly about the Leviosa Spell.
The last class before lunch was Defense Against The Dark Arts with Third Year Slytherins and Ravenclaws. This seemed to be a class that all students looked forward to. Third Year Students were especially anxious, because they would be learning the Riddikulus Spell, which could defeat a Boggart.
"Not today, though," Quirrell told the class, much to their disappointment. "I'd like you to read Chapters One to Five this weekend in "The Beginners Book of Boggarts." I'd also like you to answer the questions on the sheet that Professor Kiernan is handing out. I want you all to be prepared." he declared, seriously.
Quirrell then started writing some notes on the board while Professor Kiernan took attendance. The class went straight to work.
"How is Chuck doing, Professor Quirrell?" one of the students asked. "He must be pretty big by now."
"Yes, he is," said Quirrell. "Would you like to see him?"
Everyone in the class nodded.
"I have to leave him in the aquarium, though, he's a bit tempermental today." Quirrell told them. "We'll be right back."
He gestured to Professor Kiernan to follow him into the back room. She followed him, guessing that he probably needed help lifting the aquarium. Once they were in the back room, he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close. She was surprised.
"I've been thinking about you all morning," he whispered, so the class couldn't hear. "How is everything going?"
Professor Kiernan smiled at him.
"Everything is going wonderfully," she responded. "I just hope Potions will go as smoothly."
Quirrell suddenly let go of her.
"Snape and smooth don't go together, unfortunately," he told her, frowning.
Professor Kiernan sighed and nodded.
"I know," she said. "But I love Potions, so it's worth putting up with Severus every day."
Quirrell shrugged. He could hardly put up with Snape during mealtimes, let alone almost two hours everyday in Potions Class.
Professor Kiernan walked over to the aquarium which contained Chuck, the Iguana.
"You grab the other end," she said to Quirrell as she began to lift one end. He complied and took the other end and they brought it out to show the class, placing it gently on Quirrell's desk.
"Wow, he's a lot bigger than last year!" exclaimed one of the students.
"You must be spending a fortune on aquariums!" said another student.
"Nonsense!" Quirrell laughed. "When you buy an aquarium for an iguana at the Magical Menagerie, you buy the one that grows WITH the iguana!"
Professor Kiernan and the rest of the class laughed along with Quirrell. The remainder of the class went rather well. Professor Kiernan awarded Slytherin five house points since one of the students had completed his question sheet and handed it in before anyone else. Without knowing it, she had immediately made friends with the Slytherins in that class.
Lunch came right after Defense Against the Dark Arts. The students left, while Quirrell and Professor Kiernan stayed behind for a moment. They put Chuck in the back room once again and stood there, looking at each other for a very long time. Then they ran to each other, embracing and kissing as if they hadn't seen one another in years.
"It really is a pity," said Quirrell when they finally parted, "that Defense Against the Dark Arts doesn't have any double blocks."
"I know, I thought that, too." Professor Kiernan said. "But at least it is right before lunch, so we get to spend a little more time together."
"But it just isn't enough!" Quirrell exclaimed.
Professor Kiernan kissed him again.
"Cheer up," she said, kindly. "It's already the weekend tomorrow. We can spend plenty of time together then."
"Yes and after that, we have to wait a whole week again," Quirrell whined. "Damn it all, and why is Snape always the lucky one? He gets you for two whole hours!"
Professor Kiernan blushed at the compliment.
"He probably detests the idea more than you do." she assured him.
They headed to the Great Hall for lunch. On their way there, Quirrell took note of the storage rooms along the way that weren't locked. One little make-out session in the back room of his empty classroom just wasn't enough. He suddenly grabbed Professor's Kiernan's arm, pulled her into the Broom Closet, slammed the door behind them, turned and started kissing her again. This time, it was almost violent, but at the same time, exciting. They were laughing as they peeked out of the closet and checked that the coast was clear, then quickly stepped out, closed the door and kept walking towards the Great Hall, trying to appear as innocent as possible. Quirrell pulled her into several more storage closets and a few empty classrooms along the way. By the time they got to the Great Hall, they were starving and lunch was half over. Thankfully, nobody said anything and there was plenty of food leftover. Snape's eyes were fixed on them as they sat down.
"Having your dessert before hand, Quirrell?" Snape sneered at him.
Quirrell turned brick red, but did not respond. He helped himself to some food, ate and talked to Professor Kiernan and Madam Hooch about the upcoming Quidditch match.
***
Professor Kiernan sat quietly at Snape's desk, observing the First Year Gryffindor and Slytherin students. There was a very uneasy and uncomfortable feeling in the room, like something horrible was about to happen. Maybe it was the expectation of Professor Snape, for he had not yet arrived.
"I heard Snape totally favors the Slytherins," said Sarah Manners, a Gryffindor student. "And he'll look for ANY excuse to take points away from Gryffindor."
"I guess we'll find out if that's true or not." said her friend, Diana Weaver. "But... we have Professor Kiernan, also. Maybe she'll be on our side."
They shrugged and continued waiting. Suddenly, the door to the Potions Class was thrown open and Snape burst into the room, his black robes billowing wildly behind him.
"There will be little foolish wand-waving in this class," he told them as he came to the front of the classroom. His eyes looked cold and empty, like a pair of dark tunnels. "You are here to learn the subtle silence and exact art of potion making. Many of you will hardly believe this is magic." He fixed his eyes on the Gryffindor students and continued. "I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses..." He then looked admiringly at the Slytherin students and his lips curled into what may have been a very small smile. "I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death."
Professor Kiernan was surprised. She couldn't have said it better herself. However, she wouldn't have sounded as cruel as Snape did. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. She quickly changed her mind when he added, "If you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."
He looked at each and every student as if trying to decifer which ones were dunderheads and which ones were not. The class remained silent. It seemed he had struck fear into them and they didn't dare move or speak, out of pure fear that he would kick them out of the class. They knew already that Professor Snape was not a teacher you'd want to cross.
He turned to look at Professor Kiernan, his face a dark mask.
"My ASSISTANT," he emphasized, smirking, "will now take attendance. I suggest you use this time to prepare for the first lesson."
There was a sudden scramble for books, cauldrons, quill pens and parchment as Professor Kiernan did the roll call. Snape stood over her, watching her like a hawk, just waiting for an opportunity to critisize her.
"Everyone is here." she declared as she checked off the last name. Snape said nothing. He went over to the blackboard and wrote "Boil Remover". Then he put everyone in pairs and started writing down all the ingredients and measurements. Professor Kiernan knew almost all Potions off by heart, so she went to the cupboards and started collecting all the ingredients and measuring utensils and then handing them out before Snape was even finished writing on the blackboard.
When he finally put the chalk down and turned around, he was shocked. Everyone was sitting and waiting for their next instructions, all the proper ingredients in front of them. It was Professor Kiernan's turn to smirk. Snape's eyes narrowed.
"Well, what are you all waiting for?" he demanded. "Write that down and get moving!"
The class started writing down the recipe.
"Why did you hand out the ingredients?" Snape inquired in a whisper so that only Professor Kiernan could hear. "I didn't ask you to do that. They are quite capable of collecting the ingredients for themselves."
"They're only first years, Professor," she responed calmly. "They wouldn't be able to tell the difference between Stewed Mandrake and Sloth Brain Mucous."
Snape scowled.
"That is not the point," he told her. "You are my ASSISTANT and you will act accordingly."
Professor Kiernan only smiled which made Snape scowl even more. They both started walking around, checking to see that the students were writing everything down correctly.
"Be sure you spell everything right," Professor Kiernan told the class when she noticed a few students had made spelling errors. "If I see mispelled words, I'll be taking marks off. I'm a real stickler for spelling."
Snape was not pleased with her announcement and he gestured for her to come over to his desk.
"Spelling does NOT count!" he snapped. "And who said you would be marking their work anyway?"
"What else am I supposed to do?" she asked, innocently.
"You will do what I tell you to do," he said. "And it doesn't matter to me whether they spell the words right or not."
"YOU spelled everything correctly," Professor Kiernan pointed out. "Don't you want them to copy exactly what you wrote on the blackboard?"
Again, Snape scowled. Of course he did.
Minutes later, the class was ready to start measuring and adding ingredients to the boiling water in their cauldrons. Snape walked around where the Slytherins were sitting, giving them pointers and helping them along. The Gryffindors would have been left to figure things out for themselves if Professor Kiernan hadn't been there.
"No, no! Stop!" Professor Kiernan suddenly shouted. Everyone, including Snape looked up. "Miss Manners and Miss Weaver... NEVER EVER measure out the Boom Berry Juice over your cauldron! That is a big mistake. Look," she walked over to the blackboard. "The recipe calls for one Tablespoon of Boom Berry Juice. If you so much as leak one extra drop in there, the whole mixture will be ruined." She then went to the cupboard again and found some small bowls and started passing them out. "Measure all your ingredients over these bowls, to avoid accidents and to cut down on waste." She looked at Snape and gave him a self-satisfied smile. Even the Slytherins took her advice, without even asking Snape first. He was fuming.
"Since my ASSISTANT has practically done the mixture FOR you, Gryffindor," he said, venomously, "I'm taking away five house points. What a wonderful start for you." he added, sarcastically.
The Gryffindors looked at Professor Kiernan, pleadingly. She thought that was very unfair of him.
"I was offering them some helpful hints, just as you were doing for the Slytherins." Professor Kiernan explained.
Snape banged his fist on one of the desks, making everyone jump. They all stopped and stared.
"I'll let you know when it is appropriate to offer help!" he shouted at Professor Kiernan. "Do I have to remind you again that you are my ASSISTANT and nothing more? You take orders from ME!"
Professor Kiernan was determined not to play his little game of cat and mouse, so she just shrugged and kept right on smiling.
"Keep working." Snape told the students firmly, and they went back to their mixtures.
***
At the end of Potions Class, Professor Kiernan collected everyone's papers and placed them on Snape's desk. He started marking them, not caring about the spelling errors that Professor Kiernan could plainly see.
"I don't care what you say," she suddenly said. "Spelling IS important."
"That will be all, Professor Kiernan," he declared, not looking up.
"No, that is not all," she said, indignantly. "Spelling in Potions is just as important as knowing which ingredients are which. What if a few of those students decided to write books when they graduate? They'll need to know how to spell certain things correctly."
Snape slammed down his quill pen.
"If that's what they want to do with their life, waste it on writing books, that is not my concern." he said in annoyance.
"I'll bet those Slytherin students you favour so much may want to write a book about you," she suggested. "Did that ever occur to you?"
Snape pondered the idea and seemed to look at least a little pleased at the thought.
"And if they do, it may be important for them to know how to spell 'dunderhead'." she added, smiling curtly. And with that, she left the classroom and went looking for Quirrell. Snape just sat there, too outraged to even muster a reply.
***
End of Chapter Five
The next morning, Quirrell came knocking at the door, just as Professor Kiernan had finished pinning her hair back and was ready to leave for breakfast. She sighed and opened the door. Quirrell was all smiles
"Ready for your first day?" he asked excitedly.
"Alpheus, I thought we were going to be a little more discreet about out relationship now that the students are here," Professor Kiernan reminded him. "Not that I don't appreciate an escort to the Great Hall every morning."
"I know, but I just couldn't wait to see you again," Quirrell told her "Especially after what I found out last night. About you being an..."
"Professor Quirrell!" she interrupted, her voice rising an octave. "Didn't I warn you not to discuss this any further?" She closed the door to her quarters and they began to make their way to the Great Hall. "I told you, it's a rather delicate subject."
"But just think if Severus ever found out!" Quirrell said, hardly heeding her warning. "Maybe he would start..."
"He would start hating me more," Professor Kiernan cut him off. "He already hates me enough and I don't intend on giving him any more reason to make it worse. Now please, enough!"
"But, Madison..." Quirrell began again.
"Professor Quirrell, the matter is closed." she said firmly and Quirrell finally gave-up. The truth was, he had a hard time keeping secrets. Especially a secret as important as this.
"Madison," Quirrell said, as they sat down and started helping themselves to scrambled eggs and hashbrowns. "I need to ask you a favor."
"Yes, what is it?" she asked.
Quirrell searched for words.
"Well, I have to tell you something," he said. "I'm going to have a hard time keeping what I found out about you yesterday a secret. Especially with Severus being so rude to you all the time." he added in a lower voice, so Snape couldn't hear him.
"Are you serious?" Professor Kiernan asked, in surprise.
Quirrell nodded.
"Maybe you could do the Forget Spell on me." he suggested.
Professor Kiernan stared at him in disbelief.
"You're putting me on, Alpheus," she said, decidedly. "Surely you can keep a secret."
"If you believe THAT--" Snape began, with a superior grin.
"Mind your own business, Professor Snape!" Professor Kiernan retorted and turned back to Quirrell.
"Please, Madison," he begged. "It's the only way. I just couldn't bear it if I broke a promise to you."
Snape sniffed haughtily and rolled his eyes.
"What a pathetic display." he thought, disdainfully.
"Alright," Professor Kiernan finally agreed. "We better finish our breakfast quickly and then go down to the greenhouse."
"Right," said Quirrell, then gave her a questioning look. "Um... why do we need to go down to the greenhouse?"
"I need Forget-Me-Nots to perform the spell." Professor Kiernan said. "It's actually a pretty simple spell."
"Maybe we could give one to Severus so he'll forget about being so irratable and arrogant." Quirrell said and Professor Kiernan laughed.
"I'm afraid it doesn't work that way," she said. "It only works on secrets, disagreements and things like that. You can't change someone's natural personality."
They both laughed again, finished their breakfast and headed outside to the greenhouse. Professor Sprout was already there.
"Has Professor Dumbledore changed the schedule again?" she asked, astonished to see them there.
"No, I just came to ask you for some Forget-Me-Nots," Professor Kiernan explained. "Do you have any?"
"Certainly," said Professor Sprout and she disappeared into an adjoining room and emerged again with a small cluster of the flower.
"Great, thanks!" Quirrell said and they went back into Hogwarts and up to Quirrell's chambers.
Once there, they closed the door and Professor Kiernan turned to Quirrell and placed the flowers in the palm of his hand and pulled out her wand.
"Okay, now tell the flowers your secret." she ordered.
"Professor Kiernan is an Animagi." Quirrell declared.
Professor Kiernan waved her wand over the flowers and said, quietly, "Forget."
Then she made Quirrell close his fingers around the flowers and then open them again.
"I still remember, Madison." he told her.
Professor Kiernan looked annoyed and shook her head at him.
"Tonight, before you go to bed, put these under your pillow and the spell will work," she said. "And you won't remember that I am an Animagi."
Quirrell nodded and thanked her. They were about to leave for class, but Professor Kiernan turned to Quirrell and kissed him.
"Alpheus, no matter what Severus says about you, I think you're one of the most noble people I've ever met," she told him, sincerely. "To admit that you may not have been able to keep my secret took a lot of courage."
Quirrell blushed and they left his quarters, their arms around each other. What did it matter anyway? The students would eventually find out that they had a relationship, being that they would be spending all their free time together when classes were not in session.
***
First class was Transfiguration with the Seventh Year students from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. Professor McGonagall had Professor Kiernan do roll call and then she started with a review of all the spells they had learned in their earlier years at Hogwarts.
"You should have all those memorized by now," said Professor McGonagall. "Make sure you know them because I may give you a test on some of those spells next week."
The class groaned.
"When are we going to learn the good stuff, Professor?" asked a Gryffindor student.
"All in good time, Mr. Thurston." replied Professor McGonagall. "I want you to write down the spells that Professor Kiernan is writing on the blackboard right now and have them memorized by Monday."
Again the class groaned. Professor McGonagall ignored them and continued. "I also want you to look them up and write down what each of them does. Those must be handed in Monday as well. Then I will give you the review test and by the time you are done that, the assignments should be marked and we can start putting some of the spells into practice." she finished.
The class looked happy and then they got their quill pens and parchment out and started copying notes from the blackboard. There was not much to do, except walk around and make sure that everyone was doing what they were supposed to be doing. Professor Kiernan noticed that some of the students had already filled in what some of the spells were used for and what they did. She complimented them. Professor McGonagall also noticed this and gave some house points to Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. By the end of class, each house had earned five points.
The next Transfiguration Class with the Slytherins and Hufflepuffs went pretty much the same. Professor Kiernan noticed that the Slytherin students were very pompous and self-centered. They hardly paid any attention and acted like they already knew everything. Professor McGonagall seemed to be used to this type of behavior from them, because she didn't bother taking away any points and she continued on like nothing out of the ordinary was going on.
Next was Charms with the First Year Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs. Professor Kiernan liked Professor Flitwick very much. Like Professor McGonagall, he let her take attendance and then write some notes on the blackboard.
"There will be a lot of note taking in this class at first," said Professor Flitwick. "Then we will move on to our first spell, Wingardium Leviosa, by the middle of next week." As he said this, he pointed his wand at one of the student's books and it floated into the air. The new students were in awe.
"We get to learn that spell first?" asked a Hufflepuff student in amazement.
"Yes, but it is not as easy as it looks," Professor Flitwick replied. "It's all in the wrist movement. Swish and flick. Am I right, Professor Kiernan?"
"Indeed you are," she answered then pointed her wand at an empty chair in the back of the room and said, "Wingardium Leviosa!" It floated into the air and then she let it drop back down, gently. The class applauded. As they were taking notes, they chatted excitedly about the Leviosa Spell.
The last class before lunch was Defense Against The Dark Arts with Third Year Slytherins and Ravenclaws. This seemed to be a class that all students looked forward to. Third Year Students were especially anxious, because they would be learning the Riddikulus Spell, which could defeat a Boggart.
"Not today, though," Quirrell told the class, much to their disappointment. "I'd like you to read Chapters One to Five this weekend in "The Beginners Book of Boggarts." I'd also like you to answer the questions on the sheet that Professor Kiernan is handing out. I want you all to be prepared." he declared, seriously.
Quirrell then started writing some notes on the board while Professor Kiernan took attendance. The class went straight to work.
"How is Chuck doing, Professor Quirrell?" one of the students asked. "He must be pretty big by now."
"Yes, he is," said Quirrell. "Would you like to see him?"
Everyone in the class nodded.
"I have to leave him in the aquarium, though, he's a bit tempermental today." Quirrell told them. "We'll be right back."
He gestured to Professor Kiernan to follow him into the back room. She followed him, guessing that he probably needed help lifting the aquarium. Once they were in the back room, he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close. She was surprised.
"I've been thinking about you all morning," he whispered, so the class couldn't hear. "How is everything going?"
Professor Kiernan smiled at him.
"Everything is going wonderfully," she responded. "I just hope Potions will go as smoothly."
Quirrell suddenly let go of her.
"Snape and smooth don't go together, unfortunately," he told her, frowning.
Professor Kiernan sighed and nodded.
"I know," she said. "But I love Potions, so it's worth putting up with Severus every day."
Quirrell shrugged. He could hardly put up with Snape during mealtimes, let alone almost two hours everyday in Potions Class.
Professor Kiernan walked over to the aquarium which contained Chuck, the Iguana.
"You grab the other end," she said to Quirrell as she began to lift one end. He complied and took the other end and they brought it out to show the class, placing it gently on Quirrell's desk.
"Wow, he's a lot bigger than last year!" exclaimed one of the students.
"You must be spending a fortune on aquariums!" said another student.
"Nonsense!" Quirrell laughed. "When you buy an aquarium for an iguana at the Magical Menagerie, you buy the one that grows WITH the iguana!"
Professor Kiernan and the rest of the class laughed along with Quirrell. The remainder of the class went rather well. Professor Kiernan awarded Slytherin five house points since one of the students had completed his question sheet and handed it in before anyone else. Without knowing it, she had immediately made friends with the Slytherins in that class.
Lunch came right after Defense Against the Dark Arts. The students left, while Quirrell and Professor Kiernan stayed behind for a moment. They put Chuck in the back room once again and stood there, looking at each other for a very long time. Then they ran to each other, embracing and kissing as if they hadn't seen one another in years.
"It really is a pity," said Quirrell when they finally parted, "that Defense Against the Dark Arts doesn't have any double blocks."
"I know, I thought that, too." Professor Kiernan said. "But at least it is right before lunch, so we get to spend a little more time together."
"But it just isn't enough!" Quirrell exclaimed.
Professor Kiernan kissed him again.
"Cheer up," she said, kindly. "It's already the weekend tomorrow. We can spend plenty of time together then."
"Yes and after that, we have to wait a whole week again," Quirrell whined. "Damn it all, and why is Snape always the lucky one? He gets you for two whole hours!"
Professor Kiernan blushed at the compliment.
"He probably detests the idea more than you do." she assured him.
They headed to the Great Hall for lunch. On their way there, Quirrell took note of the storage rooms along the way that weren't locked. One little make-out session in the back room of his empty classroom just wasn't enough. He suddenly grabbed Professor's Kiernan's arm, pulled her into the Broom Closet, slammed the door behind them, turned and started kissing her again. This time, it was almost violent, but at the same time, exciting. They were laughing as they peeked out of the closet and checked that the coast was clear, then quickly stepped out, closed the door and kept walking towards the Great Hall, trying to appear as innocent as possible. Quirrell pulled her into several more storage closets and a few empty classrooms along the way. By the time they got to the Great Hall, they were starving and lunch was half over. Thankfully, nobody said anything and there was plenty of food leftover. Snape's eyes were fixed on them as they sat down.
"Having your dessert before hand, Quirrell?" Snape sneered at him.
Quirrell turned brick red, but did not respond. He helped himself to some food, ate and talked to Professor Kiernan and Madam Hooch about the upcoming Quidditch match.
***
Professor Kiernan sat quietly at Snape's desk, observing the First Year Gryffindor and Slytherin students. There was a very uneasy and uncomfortable feeling in the room, like something horrible was about to happen. Maybe it was the expectation of Professor Snape, for he had not yet arrived.
"I heard Snape totally favors the Slytherins," said Sarah Manners, a Gryffindor student. "And he'll look for ANY excuse to take points away from Gryffindor."
"I guess we'll find out if that's true or not." said her friend, Diana Weaver. "But... we have Professor Kiernan, also. Maybe she'll be on our side."
They shrugged and continued waiting. Suddenly, the door to the Potions Class was thrown open and Snape burst into the room, his black robes billowing wildly behind him.
"There will be little foolish wand-waving in this class," he told them as he came to the front of the classroom. His eyes looked cold and empty, like a pair of dark tunnels. "You are here to learn the subtle silence and exact art of potion making. Many of you will hardly believe this is magic." He fixed his eyes on the Gryffindor students and continued. "I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses..." He then looked admiringly at the Slytherin students and his lips curled into what may have been a very small smile. "I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death."
Professor Kiernan was surprised. She couldn't have said it better herself. However, she wouldn't have sounded as cruel as Snape did. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. She quickly changed her mind when he added, "If you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."
He looked at each and every student as if trying to decifer which ones were dunderheads and which ones were not. The class remained silent. It seemed he had struck fear into them and they didn't dare move or speak, out of pure fear that he would kick them out of the class. They knew already that Professor Snape was not a teacher you'd want to cross.
He turned to look at Professor Kiernan, his face a dark mask.
"My ASSISTANT," he emphasized, smirking, "will now take attendance. I suggest you use this time to prepare for the first lesson."
There was a sudden scramble for books, cauldrons, quill pens and parchment as Professor Kiernan did the roll call. Snape stood over her, watching her like a hawk, just waiting for an opportunity to critisize her.
"Everyone is here." she declared as she checked off the last name. Snape said nothing. He went over to the blackboard and wrote "Boil Remover". Then he put everyone in pairs and started writing down all the ingredients and measurements. Professor Kiernan knew almost all Potions off by heart, so she went to the cupboards and started collecting all the ingredients and measuring utensils and then handing them out before Snape was even finished writing on the blackboard.
When he finally put the chalk down and turned around, he was shocked. Everyone was sitting and waiting for their next instructions, all the proper ingredients in front of them. It was Professor Kiernan's turn to smirk. Snape's eyes narrowed.
"Well, what are you all waiting for?" he demanded. "Write that down and get moving!"
The class started writing down the recipe.
"Why did you hand out the ingredients?" Snape inquired in a whisper so that only Professor Kiernan could hear. "I didn't ask you to do that. They are quite capable of collecting the ingredients for themselves."
"They're only first years, Professor," she responed calmly. "They wouldn't be able to tell the difference between Stewed Mandrake and Sloth Brain Mucous."
Snape scowled.
"That is not the point," he told her. "You are my ASSISTANT and you will act accordingly."
Professor Kiernan only smiled which made Snape scowl even more. They both started walking around, checking to see that the students were writing everything down correctly.
"Be sure you spell everything right," Professor Kiernan told the class when she noticed a few students had made spelling errors. "If I see mispelled words, I'll be taking marks off. I'm a real stickler for spelling."
Snape was not pleased with her announcement and he gestured for her to come over to his desk.
"Spelling does NOT count!" he snapped. "And who said you would be marking their work anyway?"
"What else am I supposed to do?" she asked, innocently.
"You will do what I tell you to do," he said. "And it doesn't matter to me whether they spell the words right or not."
"YOU spelled everything correctly," Professor Kiernan pointed out. "Don't you want them to copy exactly what you wrote on the blackboard?"
Again, Snape scowled. Of course he did.
Minutes later, the class was ready to start measuring and adding ingredients to the boiling water in their cauldrons. Snape walked around where the Slytherins were sitting, giving them pointers and helping them along. The Gryffindors would have been left to figure things out for themselves if Professor Kiernan hadn't been there.
"No, no! Stop!" Professor Kiernan suddenly shouted. Everyone, including Snape looked up. "Miss Manners and Miss Weaver... NEVER EVER measure out the Boom Berry Juice over your cauldron! That is a big mistake. Look," she walked over to the blackboard. "The recipe calls for one Tablespoon of Boom Berry Juice. If you so much as leak one extra drop in there, the whole mixture will be ruined." She then went to the cupboard again and found some small bowls and started passing them out. "Measure all your ingredients over these bowls, to avoid accidents and to cut down on waste." She looked at Snape and gave him a self-satisfied smile. Even the Slytherins took her advice, without even asking Snape first. He was fuming.
"Since my ASSISTANT has practically done the mixture FOR you, Gryffindor," he said, venomously, "I'm taking away five house points. What a wonderful start for you." he added, sarcastically.
The Gryffindors looked at Professor Kiernan, pleadingly. She thought that was very unfair of him.
"I was offering them some helpful hints, just as you were doing for the Slytherins." Professor Kiernan explained.
Snape banged his fist on one of the desks, making everyone jump. They all stopped and stared.
"I'll let you know when it is appropriate to offer help!" he shouted at Professor Kiernan. "Do I have to remind you again that you are my ASSISTANT and nothing more? You take orders from ME!"
Professor Kiernan was determined not to play his little game of cat and mouse, so she just shrugged and kept right on smiling.
"Keep working." Snape told the students firmly, and they went back to their mixtures.
***
At the end of Potions Class, Professor Kiernan collected everyone's papers and placed them on Snape's desk. He started marking them, not caring about the spelling errors that Professor Kiernan could plainly see.
"I don't care what you say," she suddenly said. "Spelling IS important."
"That will be all, Professor Kiernan," he declared, not looking up.
"No, that is not all," she said, indignantly. "Spelling in Potions is just as important as knowing which ingredients are which. What if a few of those students decided to write books when they graduate? They'll need to know how to spell certain things correctly."
Snape slammed down his quill pen.
"If that's what they want to do with their life, waste it on writing books, that is not my concern." he said in annoyance.
"I'll bet those Slytherin students you favour so much may want to write a book about you," she suggested. "Did that ever occur to you?"
Snape pondered the idea and seemed to look at least a little pleased at the thought.
"And if they do, it may be important for them to know how to spell 'dunderhead'." she added, smiling curtly. And with that, she left the classroom and went looking for Quirrell. Snape just sat there, too outraged to even muster a reply.
***
End of Chapter Five
-
LadySnape - Fully Qualified Witch and Wife of Severus
- Posts: 355
- Joined: Friday 2 August 2002 1:00:00am
- Location: Snape Manor
by LadySnape » Thursday 1 January 1970 1:00:00am
Chapter Six: Out Of The Closet
Professors Dumbledore, Snape and McGonagall were seated at a table for five at the Three Broomsticks at Hogsmeade. It was a Saturday afternoon and they were waiting for Professor Kiernan and Quirrell to join them for a drink. Snape was in a most unpleasant mood ever since Professor Kiernan had got the better of him by implying that he was a dunderhead. He drank deeply from the goblet that Madam Rosmerta set in front of him. It was a very strong, alcoholic drink, complete with a slice of lime. He wasn't interested in meeting Professor Kiernan and Quirrell for a drink, nor did he wish to converse with them, but he definitely needed the drink. And at least Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall were there.
"What time did they say they'd meet us here?" Professor McGonagall asked.
Dumbledore looked at his pocket watch.
"They said around one o'clock, and it's already a quarter past." he replied. "I saw them go into Honeydukes."
"What would they be doing there?" Professor McGonagall inquired in surprise.
"Well, I suppose Professor Kiernan has a sweet tooth." Dumbledore answered, looking amused.
Just then, the door to the Three Broomsticks opened, the bell rang and Professor Kiernan and Quirrell walked in. Dumbledore waved them over to the table and they sat down at the two empty chairs between Snape and Professor McGonagall. Professor Kiernan had four boxes of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans which she set down on the table.
"I had no idea you fancied those," Dumbledore commented.
"Oh yes, but only the Strawberry Shortcake flavored ones," Professor Kiernan declared, and proceeded to open every box and dump them all onto the table.
"But... how can you tell which are Strawberry Shortcake flavored?" asked Quirrell, curiously.
"Simple," said Professor Kiernan. She looked intently at the multicolored beans and then picked out about seven beans from the bunch, which all looked identical.
"See look," she explained. "These are all Strawberry Shortcake flavored. The ones that are a very light pink with red speckles on them are all Strawberry Shortcake."
"Amazing!" Quirrell exclaimed as she popped one into her mouth and smiled.
"You missed one, then," said Snape frankly, pointing to a bean near his goblet.
Professor Kiernan looked at the bean.
"No, that's not Strawberry Shortcake," she told him. "If you look closer, you'll see that it has a few yellow speckles as well." She picked it up and showed everyone. They were impressed. Snape didn't care.
"So what flavor is that?" asked Quirrell.
Professor Kiernan shrugged.
"I have no clue." she said.
"But what are you going to do with all the rest of the beans you don't eat?" Professor McGonagall questioned. "Isn't it a waste of money to buy them and only eat the Strawberry Shortcake flavored ones?"
Professor Kiernan put the remainder of the beans back into their cartons.
"If they sold the flavors separately it wouldn't be a waste at all," she said. "But they don't, so not really." She offered the carton to Professor McGonagall. "Care to try one?"
Professor McGonagall reached in and pulled out a bright red bean.
"Hmmm," said Professor Kiernan thoughtfully. "Red. Could be blood, could be cherry. You just never know."
Professor McGonagall ate the bean and then smiled.
"Tomato, not bad at all." she said.
"Okay, Professor Dumbledore, your turn," said Professor Kiernan, handing him the carton, which he refused with a smile.
"No thank you, Madison," he said. "I was unfortunate enough to come across a vomit flavored one in my youth, so I'm afraid I've rather lost my liking for them."
Professor Quirrell made a face.
"Fair enough," Professor Kiernan nodded. "Well, how about you, Alpheus? Let's see what you get."
Quirrell bravely reached into the carton and pulled out a white bean.
"Could be spit, could be milk." Professor Kiernan 'mused and everyone watched as Quirrell ate the bean. He also smiled.
"Well? What did you get?" Professor Kiernan asked him, anxiously.
"Whipped cream!" he replied and licked his lips.
All eyes then turned to Snape.
"You're not going to get me to eat one of those," he told them quickly. "So don't waste your time."
Quirrell rolled his eyes.
"Don't be such a curmudgeon, Severus," he said to him. "Just try a damn bean."
Professor Kiernan pulled out a blue one and offered it to Snape.
"Come on, just try this one," she coaxed him. "It has to be blueberry something. I mean, how many flavors do you know of that are blue in color?"
Snape had to admit that what she said made sense. And he didn't mind blueberries. Plus, everyone at the table was staring at him and if he didn't eat it, he would never hear the end of it from Quirrell or Professor Kiernan. He snatched the bean from her hand and put it in his mouth. Everyone waited, expectantly as he chewed the bean for a very long time. Finally, he started choking and sputtering before finally spitting the chewed up bean into his napkin.
"Ink!" he shouted at Professor Kiernan. "Ink!"
Quirrell muffled a laugh and everyone else at the table bit their lip to keep from smiling. Snape gulped down the rest of his beverage, slammed the goblet down, threw a few knuts on the table to pay for it, then stormed out of the Three Broomsticks. Once he was out of sight, Quirrell burst out laughing.
"I can't believe he got an ink-flavoured bean!" he said.
Professor Kiernan laughed as well and shook one of the cartons.
"Every box is a surprise!" she said, beaming.
"I'm surprised he ate one at all." Professor McGonagall said, thoughtfully.
***
After a few drinks and many great conversations at the Three Broomsticks, it was time to return to Hogwarts. The Professors had spent a little over three hours there. It was just about dinner time in the Great Hall. Students put their books, parchment and Wizard Chess boards away as the tables began to set themselves. Then they returned to their dormitories to change into their dinner robes.
Professor Kiernan was doing the same in her room, when a large, brown owl flew into her room and landed on her bed. Tied to its leg was a piece of parchment.
"Why, I recognize you!" she suddenly exclaimed. "You're the Potter's owl, Hannah!"
The owl gave a little hoot and jumped onto Professor Kiernan's outstretched arm. She unfastened the note from its leg and it hopped onto the bed again. She unrolled the parchment and a picture fell out. She gasped in surprise at the picture.
"Good heavens!" she exclaimed, overjoyed. "Lily has had her baby!"
The picture was of James, Lily and their brand new baby boy. She stared at the picture for a long time, then finally read the letter:
"Dear Madison,
Hope this letter finds you well. Meet Harry James Potter, our new son. He was born on July31st at two a.m. Six Pounds, Eight Ounces. Enclosed is a picture. Please pass it around, along with the news. How are you enjoying Hogwarts? Professor Argente told us about your departure from Beauxbatons to Hogwarts. Lucky you, we thought. You get to meet Severus. Don't let him get the better of you. I'd wager you would get the better of him, what with you being so knowledgeable in Potions. Say hi to him for us. Say hello to everyone for us. Cheers!
Love,
James & Lily".
"Oh, how wonderful!" she cried in delight. "Harry James Potter. What a lovely name!"
She quickly wrote them back , congratulating them and letting them know that her experience at Hogwarts so far was wonderful, leaving out details about Snape and Quirrell. Then she tied the letter to Hannah and off she flew. Without waiting for Quirrell to pick her up for dinner, she flew out of her quarters and ran as fast as she could to the Great Hall. She burst through the doors and ran to the High Table. She tried to catch her breath as Dumbledore gave her a curious look.
"Madison, are you all right?" he asked in concern.
"I've never been better!" she panted and thrust the letter and picture into Dumbledore's hands. "Look! James and Lily Potter have had a baby boy!"
The Professors at the table gasped in surprise and started talking excitedly. Dumbledore beamed and passed the picture around. He gave the letter back to Professor Kiernan, being that it said things about Snape.
"And wha' is the baby's name?" asked Hagrid.
"Harry James Potter," replied Professor Kiernan. "Isn't he just precious? Little Harry Potter. I wonder if he'll be as amazing as his father." She sat down and Snape, who has just finished looking at the picture and NOT smiling, handed it back to her.
"As stupid and disobedient as his father, you mean." he declared.
Professor Kiernan gritted her teeth.
"What do YOU know of James Potter?" she spat.
"Plenty," Snape replied. "I went to school with him. He and his little Fan Club decided it would be funny to play a practical joke on me one night, long ago. A joke that would have resulted in my death if Potter hadn't got cold feet at the last minute." He frowned at the memory. "He's an amazing FOOL, Professor Kiernan and nothing more."
Professor Kiernan was furious. She was about to reply, when Quirrell came through the doors.
"There you are, Madison," he said as he approached the table. "I went looking for you in your quarters and you were gone."
Forgetting about Snape's rude comment and no longer being able to hold in her excitement for James and Lily, she blurted out the news the moment Quirrell sat down. He looked at the picture and also smiled.
"That is wonderful!" he expressed. "Even though I don't know them that well, that is great news. I met James and Lily when I was a first year and they were both fifth years." he explained.
During dinner, everyone talked about the Potters and their new baby, wondering if he would be a wizard or not. Quirrell asked Professor Kiernan how she knew the Potters.
"I've known James since we were kids," she told him. "We were neighbors and we spent a great deal of time together, as did our parents." She sighed and continued, "Then James got his letter from Hogwarts and I prayed that I'd get one too, but my letter came from Beauxbatons. That was the school I was to attend. But I still was able to see James during the summer." She smiled at the memories that filled her head. "You know, I've never told anyone this," she suddenly whispered and Quirrell leaned closer so he could hear her. "But James was the first boy who ever kissed me." She giggled when Quirrell gasped in surprise.
"Was he really?" Quirrell inquired. "But what about Lily?"
"We were barely even thirteen years old, Alpheus," she assured him. "I believe it was the summer we returned after our first year." She looked up at the ceiling, deep in thought. "Yes, I'm sure it was."
Quirrell kept asking her questions and Professor Kiernan answered them as best she could. She had to leave out a lot of details, like the fact that she had learned Animagus Transformations with James, Peter Pettigrew, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. After all, Quirrell had put the forget-me-nots under his pillow the night before, so he didn't remember about her being an Animagi.
Snape ate his dinner and then left in great hurry, not at all interested in any conversation about the Potters. Professor Kiernan wondered if what Snape said about almost being killed as the result of a prank was actually true. James had mentioned Severus Snape many times, referring to him as his arch-rival, but he never mentioned anything about any practical jokes.
"He must be exaggerating," she decided. "James would've been expelled."
***
The weekend passed much too quickly and it was back to classes once again. Sunday had been a very uneventful day. Many Owls went out that day, with letters of Congratulations to the Potters. But towards the middle of the school week, Harry Potter was old news.
Classes were in full swing. Even with the help of Professor Kiernan, the Professors still had their hands full. And so did the students. They complained about all the homework they were getting. There were essays to be written in practically every class, along with assignments to complete and spells to learn. And then there were tests on top of tests. The work seemed to go on forever. But the teachers assured the students that their loads would be lightened sooner than they thought. The beginning and end of the term were always the busiest and required the most time and work. The students were relieved and tried not to complain as much.
Professor Kiernan was impressed with how much the students learned and picked up on spells in such a short amount of time. It was still too soon to tell if any of the Seventh-Year Transfiguration students had Animagus Transformation abilities. It was possible that none of them could perform this at all. But there was still time.
And then there was Potions Class. For Professor Kiernan, it just got worse and worse. Snape still insisted on calling her "My Assistant". Worse yet, he had most of the students calling her "Assistant Professor". He disagreed with almost everything she said. The only things he had her do was take attendance and then walk around and supervise all the students, but forbid her to offer any help... especially to Gryffindor students. But she didn't care what Snape said or did. When he wasn't looking or was out of the room, she offered help. And she didn't get mad and start shouting at anyone when they called her Assistant Professor. And when Snape addressed her as "My Assistant", she would just smile. She refused to let Snape get the better of her. She kept a stiff-upper lip. And surprisingly, way deep down where he kept all his darkest secrets, Snape admired her stubbornness. He had never known anyone to be as stubborn as he could be and it looked like Professor Kiernan was so far, the only one who was. But he still treated her like a lower-life form. The only thing they had managed to agree on so far, was an Ingredient Identification Test for the First Years.
"I believe the time has come for me to stop handing out the ingredients to all of you," Professor Kiernan told the class one day, at the beginning of October. "It's been a month. You should know most of what is what by now."
Snape was nodding.
"And without the help of pointless labels," he added. "So tomorrow, my ASSISTANT will be testing each of you separately during class. You will accompany her into the back and she will layout several bottles. Your test will be to name them all."
"For each student who gets one hundred percent, one point will be awarded to their house." Professor Kiernan told them.
"I don't expect Gryffindor will get any points, but the rest of you should earn at least 20 points for your house." Snape said, looking at the Slytherin students with great admiration.
Professor Kiernan just rolled her eyes and whispered to the Gryffindors, "You can do just as good; if not, better."
There were other conflicts, besides Professor Snape that were going on in Professor Kiernan's life. With everyone being so busy, she barely had any alone time with Quirrell at all. The only time she saw him was during Defense Against The Dark Arts, at mealtimes, and he always walked her to her chambers at night and they shared their usual kiss good night. But that didn't last. Soon, they both got so bogged down with marking, that they went straight to their quarters after mealtimes to finish. By the time they were done, it was late and they were too tired to do much of anything else. And the weekends didn't promise them much time together either, since they were stuck running errands, collecting supplies for classes or accompanying the Third-Year students to Hogsmeade. And after about two weeks, Quirrell couldn't stand it any longer. He had to see Professor Kiernan for longer than just one class, a brief hello in the hallways or a very quick meal in the Great Hall. And on top of all that, they hadn't even embraced, let alone kiss each other. He couldn't let this go on any longer. And he knew just what to do.
The very next day, Quirrell got up an hour earlier than anyone else, prepared his first lesson, and then hid in one of the storage closets in the hallway where Professor Kiernan would walk-by on her way to the Great Hall. He left the door open only an inch, so he could see her. When he did, he pulled her into the closet with him, closed the door and embraced her warmly.
"Madison, I've missed you," he said to her. "And I've missed this." He kissed her softly, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer. She felt so warm and so good.
"I've missed you too," she replied. They kissed for a very long time before finally leaving the darkness of the closet, carefully making sure that nobody was there before stepping out. They laughed and headed to the Great Hall for breakfast, hand in hand.
This went on for several weeks. Sometimes, it was Professor Kiernan who hid in a closet and pulled Quirrell in with her for a few quick smooches. It was so much fun, especially the fact that they were hiding and the chances of getting caught were pretty high. Madam Hooch had already caught them once, as she opened the closet to get a broom, since one of her students had broken one during a flying lesson. They had also managed to bump into Professor McGonagall and Professor Sinistra while stepping out of a closet. And Snape has seen them several times in the dungeon, hiding in corners and one time in the Potion's Storage Room. He didn't bother saying anything to them. He just raised an eyebrow and was satisfied enough that they were at least embarrassed that he had seen them.
The only person they hadn't bumped into was Dumbledore, which was very lucky. But all the other teachers knew what was going on and it would only be a matter of time before Dumbledore would find out too. But Dumbledore didn't need to be told by anyone OR bump into Quirrell and Professor Kiernan to know what was going on. He was the Headmaster and it was unlikely that any sort of mischief would get by him unnoticed.
It was nearing the end of October and things had settled down quite a bit. The first snow had fallen, Quidditch matches began and everyone's work load was a whole lot lighter. Even though Professor Kiernan and Quirrell now had plenty of free time to spend with one another, they still went on with their little charade of hiding in closets. Dumbledore knew exactly what was going on and he figured it would have stopped by now, but it hadn't. He demanded to see Quirrell and Professor Kiernan in his office, one Saturday evening.
"You wished to see us, Headmaster?" Quirrell said and they entered his office and sat down on the chairs he had provided for them.
"Yes." Dumbledore said with no emotion. In fact, he looked very serious. Professor Kiernan had never seen him look like this before. His eyes weren't twinkling as they usually did and he was frowning with great disapproval as he looked at them.
"I am very disappointed in both of you," he declared and they looked at him, puzzled. "Don't think I haven't noticed what is going on around here with you two."
Quirrell and Professor Kiernan both gulped.
"I have no problem with you two having a relationship," he went-on. "In fact, I am happy for you. But that does not excuse you from acting like a couple of overly-hormonal adolescents! Really!" he exclaimed. "Hiding in closets, of all things. I thought you were both a lot more mature and professional than that." He looked at Professor Kiernan. "I expected a lot better coming from you, Madison." Then he looked at Quirrell. "And Quirrell, you've been here many years and you ought to know better."
"Yes, Headmaster." they both said in unison.
"Fine, then," said Dumbledore. "I don't want to hear of this matter again. Start acting like the Professors I hired. You are excused."
They both left and headed for the teacher's dormitories in silence. Once they reached Professor Kiernan's room, she finally spoke.
"That WORM!" she fumed, her teeth clenched. "We should've known he'd go running to Dumbledore the moment he caught us!"
"Who?" asked Quirrell.
"Severus, that's who!" Professor Kiernan answered.
"But Madison, it could have been anyone who told Dumbledore," he pointed out. "Everyone knew what we were doing."
"I don't care," Professor Kiernan said. "I'd bet my Invisibility Cloak that it was Severus who went and opened his mouth. Why can't he just mind his own business?"
"Because he thinks everyone else's business IS his business," Quirrell said. "Besides, I don't think anyone TOLD Dumbledore. He's not stupid. He knows everything that goes on around here."
Professor Kiernan realized that Quirrell was right. They should have known that they couldn't sneak around under Dumbledore's nose.
"Do you really have one?" Quirrell suddenly inquired, excitedly.
"Have one what?" Professor Kiernan asked.
"An Invisibility Cloak!" Quirrell replied, whispering.
Professor Kiernan laughed.
"Of course," she said, "Want to see it?"
Quirrell nodded and they went into her room. She pulled the Invisibility Cloak out of her trunk and Quirrell tried it on and looked at himself in the mirror. It was neat, since he could only see his head.
"Isn't it great?" Professor Kiernan expressed, smiling.
"It certainly is," Quirrell agreed, "And extremely rare! How did you ever get one?"
"That's a long story," she said. "I'll tell you about it some other time. I'm really tired right now and tomorrow is already Monday."
Quirrell put the Cloak back into the trunk and Professor Kiernan closed it and locked it. Then she walked him to the door.
"Do you think Dumbledore will mind if we kiss each other good night?" Quirrell asked, as they embraced.
"I doubt it," she answered, after some thought. "It's the hiding and sneaking around that he disapproved of."
Quirrell nodded.
"Too bad," he said. "It was a lot of fun."
They laughed and kissed good night. After that, they were never found hiding in closets again.
***
End of Chapter Six
Professors Dumbledore, Snape and McGonagall were seated at a table for five at the Three Broomsticks at Hogsmeade. It was a Saturday afternoon and they were waiting for Professor Kiernan and Quirrell to join them for a drink. Snape was in a most unpleasant mood ever since Professor Kiernan had got the better of him by implying that he was a dunderhead. He drank deeply from the goblet that Madam Rosmerta set in front of him. It was a very strong, alcoholic drink, complete with a slice of lime. He wasn't interested in meeting Professor Kiernan and Quirrell for a drink, nor did he wish to converse with them, but he definitely needed the drink. And at least Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall were there.
"What time did they say they'd meet us here?" Professor McGonagall asked.
Dumbledore looked at his pocket watch.
"They said around one o'clock, and it's already a quarter past." he replied. "I saw them go into Honeydukes."
"What would they be doing there?" Professor McGonagall inquired in surprise.
"Well, I suppose Professor Kiernan has a sweet tooth." Dumbledore answered, looking amused.
Just then, the door to the Three Broomsticks opened, the bell rang and Professor Kiernan and Quirrell walked in. Dumbledore waved them over to the table and they sat down at the two empty chairs between Snape and Professor McGonagall. Professor Kiernan had four boxes of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans which she set down on the table.
"I had no idea you fancied those," Dumbledore commented.
"Oh yes, but only the Strawberry Shortcake flavored ones," Professor Kiernan declared, and proceeded to open every box and dump them all onto the table.
"But... how can you tell which are Strawberry Shortcake flavored?" asked Quirrell, curiously.
"Simple," said Professor Kiernan. She looked intently at the multicolored beans and then picked out about seven beans from the bunch, which all looked identical.
"See look," she explained. "These are all Strawberry Shortcake flavored. The ones that are a very light pink with red speckles on them are all Strawberry Shortcake."
"Amazing!" Quirrell exclaimed as she popped one into her mouth and smiled.
"You missed one, then," said Snape frankly, pointing to a bean near his goblet.
Professor Kiernan looked at the bean.
"No, that's not Strawberry Shortcake," she told him. "If you look closer, you'll see that it has a few yellow speckles as well." She picked it up and showed everyone. They were impressed. Snape didn't care.
"So what flavor is that?" asked Quirrell.
Professor Kiernan shrugged.
"I have no clue." she said.
"But what are you going to do with all the rest of the beans you don't eat?" Professor McGonagall questioned. "Isn't it a waste of money to buy them and only eat the Strawberry Shortcake flavored ones?"
Professor Kiernan put the remainder of the beans back into their cartons.
"If they sold the flavors separately it wouldn't be a waste at all," she said. "But they don't, so not really." She offered the carton to Professor McGonagall. "Care to try one?"
Professor McGonagall reached in and pulled out a bright red bean.
"Hmmm," said Professor Kiernan thoughtfully. "Red. Could be blood, could be cherry. You just never know."
Professor McGonagall ate the bean and then smiled.
"Tomato, not bad at all." she said.
"Okay, Professor Dumbledore, your turn," said Professor Kiernan, handing him the carton, which he refused with a smile.
"No thank you, Madison," he said. "I was unfortunate enough to come across a vomit flavored one in my youth, so I'm afraid I've rather lost my liking for them."
Professor Quirrell made a face.
"Fair enough," Professor Kiernan nodded. "Well, how about you, Alpheus? Let's see what you get."
Quirrell bravely reached into the carton and pulled out a white bean.
"Could be spit, could be milk." Professor Kiernan 'mused and everyone watched as Quirrell ate the bean. He also smiled.
"Well? What did you get?" Professor Kiernan asked him, anxiously.
"Whipped cream!" he replied and licked his lips.
All eyes then turned to Snape.
"You're not going to get me to eat one of those," he told them quickly. "So don't waste your time."
Quirrell rolled his eyes.
"Don't be such a curmudgeon, Severus," he said to him. "Just try a damn bean."
Professor Kiernan pulled out a blue one and offered it to Snape.
"Come on, just try this one," she coaxed him. "It has to be blueberry something. I mean, how many flavors do you know of that are blue in color?"
Snape had to admit that what she said made sense. And he didn't mind blueberries. Plus, everyone at the table was staring at him and if he didn't eat it, he would never hear the end of it from Quirrell or Professor Kiernan. He snatched the bean from her hand and put it in his mouth. Everyone waited, expectantly as he chewed the bean for a very long time. Finally, he started choking and sputtering before finally spitting the chewed up bean into his napkin.
"Ink!" he shouted at Professor Kiernan. "Ink!"
Quirrell muffled a laugh and everyone else at the table bit their lip to keep from smiling. Snape gulped down the rest of his beverage, slammed the goblet down, threw a few knuts on the table to pay for it, then stormed out of the Three Broomsticks. Once he was out of sight, Quirrell burst out laughing.
"I can't believe he got an ink-flavoured bean!" he said.
Professor Kiernan laughed as well and shook one of the cartons.
"Every box is a surprise!" she said, beaming.
"I'm surprised he ate one at all." Professor McGonagall said, thoughtfully.
***
After a few drinks and many great conversations at the Three Broomsticks, it was time to return to Hogwarts. The Professors had spent a little over three hours there. It was just about dinner time in the Great Hall. Students put their books, parchment and Wizard Chess boards away as the tables began to set themselves. Then they returned to their dormitories to change into their dinner robes.
Professor Kiernan was doing the same in her room, when a large, brown owl flew into her room and landed on her bed. Tied to its leg was a piece of parchment.
"Why, I recognize you!" she suddenly exclaimed. "You're the Potter's owl, Hannah!"
The owl gave a little hoot and jumped onto Professor Kiernan's outstretched arm. She unfastened the note from its leg and it hopped onto the bed again. She unrolled the parchment and a picture fell out. She gasped in surprise at the picture.
"Good heavens!" she exclaimed, overjoyed. "Lily has had her baby!"
The picture was of James, Lily and their brand new baby boy. She stared at the picture for a long time, then finally read the letter:
"Dear Madison,
Hope this letter finds you well. Meet Harry James Potter, our new son. He was born on July31st at two a.m. Six Pounds, Eight Ounces. Enclosed is a picture. Please pass it around, along with the news. How are you enjoying Hogwarts? Professor Argente told us about your departure from Beauxbatons to Hogwarts. Lucky you, we thought. You get to meet Severus. Don't let him get the better of you. I'd wager you would get the better of him, what with you being so knowledgeable in Potions. Say hi to him for us. Say hello to everyone for us. Cheers!
Love,
James & Lily".
"Oh, how wonderful!" she cried in delight. "Harry James Potter. What a lovely name!"
She quickly wrote them back , congratulating them and letting them know that her experience at Hogwarts so far was wonderful, leaving out details about Snape and Quirrell. Then she tied the letter to Hannah and off she flew. Without waiting for Quirrell to pick her up for dinner, she flew out of her quarters and ran as fast as she could to the Great Hall. She burst through the doors and ran to the High Table. She tried to catch her breath as Dumbledore gave her a curious look.
"Madison, are you all right?" he asked in concern.
"I've never been better!" she panted and thrust the letter and picture into Dumbledore's hands. "Look! James and Lily Potter have had a baby boy!"
The Professors at the table gasped in surprise and started talking excitedly. Dumbledore beamed and passed the picture around. He gave the letter back to Professor Kiernan, being that it said things about Snape.
"And wha' is the baby's name?" asked Hagrid.
"Harry James Potter," replied Professor Kiernan. "Isn't he just precious? Little Harry Potter. I wonder if he'll be as amazing as his father." She sat down and Snape, who has just finished looking at the picture and NOT smiling, handed it back to her.
"As stupid and disobedient as his father, you mean." he declared.
Professor Kiernan gritted her teeth.
"What do YOU know of James Potter?" she spat.
"Plenty," Snape replied. "I went to school with him. He and his little Fan Club decided it would be funny to play a practical joke on me one night, long ago. A joke that would have resulted in my death if Potter hadn't got cold feet at the last minute." He frowned at the memory. "He's an amazing FOOL, Professor Kiernan and nothing more."
Professor Kiernan was furious. She was about to reply, when Quirrell came through the doors.
"There you are, Madison," he said as he approached the table. "I went looking for you in your quarters and you were gone."
Forgetting about Snape's rude comment and no longer being able to hold in her excitement for James and Lily, she blurted out the news the moment Quirrell sat down. He looked at the picture and also smiled.
"That is wonderful!" he expressed. "Even though I don't know them that well, that is great news. I met James and Lily when I was a first year and they were both fifth years." he explained.
During dinner, everyone talked about the Potters and their new baby, wondering if he would be a wizard or not. Quirrell asked Professor Kiernan how she knew the Potters.
"I've known James since we were kids," she told him. "We were neighbors and we spent a great deal of time together, as did our parents." She sighed and continued, "Then James got his letter from Hogwarts and I prayed that I'd get one too, but my letter came from Beauxbatons. That was the school I was to attend. But I still was able to see James during the summer." She smiled at the memories that filled her head. "You know, I've never told anyone this," she suddenly whispered and Quirrell leaned closer so he could hear her. "But James was the first boy who ever kissed me." She giggled when Quirrell gasped in surprise.
"Was he really?" Quirrell inquired. "But what about Lily?"
"We were barely even thirteen years old, Alpheus," she assured him. "I believe it was the summer we returned after our first year." She looked up at the ceiling, deep in thought. "Yes, I'm sure it was."
Quirrell kept asking her questions and Professor Kiernan answered them as best she could. She had to leave out a lot of details, like the fact that she had learned Animagus Transformations with James, Peter Pettigrew, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. After all, Quirrell had put the forget-me-nots under his pillow the night before, so he didn't remember about her being an Animagi.
Snape ate his dinner and then left in great hurry, not at all interested in any conversation about the Potters. Professor Kiernan wondered if what Snape said about almost being killed as the result of a prank was actually true. James had mentioned Severus Snape many times, referring to him as his arch-rival, but he never mentioned anything about any practical jokes.
"He must be exaggerating," she decided. "James would've been expelled."
***
The weekend passed much too quickly and it was back to classes once again. Sunday had been a very uneventful day. Many Owls went out that day, with letters of Congratulations to the Potters. But towards the middle of the school week, Harry Potter was old news.
Classes were in full swing. Even with the help of Professor Kiernan, the Professors still had their hands full. And so did the students. They complained about all the homework they were getting. There were essays to be written in practically every class, along with assignments to complete and spells to learn. And then there were tests on top of tests. The work seemed to go on forever. But the teachers assured the students that their loads would be lightened sooner than they thought. The beginning and end of the term were always the busiest and required the most time and work. The students were relieved and tried not to complain as much.
Professor Kiernan was impressed with how much the students learned and picked up on spells in such a short amount of time. It was still too soon to tell if any of the Seventh-Year Transfiguration students had Animagus Transformation abilities. It was possible that none of them could perform this at all. But there was still time.
And then there was Potions Class. For Professor Kiernan, it just got worse and worse. Snape still insisted on calling her "My Assistant". Worse yet, he had most of the students calling her "Assistant Professor". He disagreed with almost everything she said. The only things he had her do was take attendance and then walk around and supervise all the students, but forbid her to offer any help... especially to Gryffindor students. But she didn't care what Snape said or did. When he wasn't looking or was out of the room, she offered help. And she didn't get mad and start shouting at anyone when they called her Assistant Professor. And when Snape addressed her as "My Assistant", she would just smile. She refused to let Snape get the better of her. She kept a stiff-upper lip. And surprisingly, way deep down where he kept all his darkest secrets, Snape admired her stubbornness. He had never known anyone to be as stubborn as he could be and it looked like Professor Kiernan was so far, the only one who was. But he still treated her like a lower-life form. The only thing they had managed to agree on so far, was an Ingredient Identification Test for the First Years.
"I believe the time has come for me to stop handing out the ingredients to all of you," Professor Kiernan told the class one day, at the beginning of October. "It's been a month. You should know most of what is what by now."
Snape was nodding.
"And without the help of pointless labels," he added. "So tomorrow, my ASSISTANT will be testing each of you separately during class. You will accompany her into the back and she will layout several bottles. Your test will be to name them all."
"For each student who gets one hundred percent, one point will be awarded to their house." Professor Kiernan told them.
"I don't expect Gryffindor will get any points, but the rest of you should earn at least 20 points for your house." Snape said, looking at the Slytherin students with great admiration.
Professor Kiernan just rolled her eyes and whispered to the Gryffindors, "You can do just as good; if not, better."
There were other conflicts, besides Professor Snape that were going on in Professor Kiernan's life. With everyone being so busy, she barely had any alone time with Quirrell at all. The only time she saw him was during Defense Against The Dark Arts, at mealtimes, and he always walked her to her chambers at night and they shared their usual kiss good night. But that didn't last. Soon, they both got so bogged down with marking, that they went straight to their quarters after mealtimes to finish. By the time they were done, it was late and they were too tired to do much of anything else. And the weekends didn't promise them much time together either, since they were stuck running errands, collecting supplies for classes or accompanying the Third-Year students to Hogsmeade. And after about two weeks, Quirrell couldn't stand it any longer. He had to see Professor Kiernan for longer than just one class, a brief hello in the hallways or a very quick meal in the Great Hall. And on top of all that, they hadn't even embraced, let alone kiss each other. He couldn't let this go on any longer. And he knew just what to do.
The very next day, Quirrell got up an hour earlier than anyone else, prepared his first lesson, and then hid in one of the storage closets in the hallway where Professor Kiernan would walk-by on her way to the Great Hall. He left the door open only an inch, so he could see her. When he did, he pulled her into the closet with him, closed the door and embraced her warmly.
"Madison, I've missed you," he said to her. "And I've missed this." He kissed her softly, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer. She felt so warm and so good.
"I've missed you too," she replied. They kissed for a very long time before finally leaving the darkness of the closet, carefully making sure that nobody was there before stepping out. They laughed and headed to the Great Hall for breakfast, hand in hand.
This went on for several weeks. Sometimes, it was Professor Kiernan who hid in a closet and pulled Quirrell in with her for a few quick smooches. It was so much fun, especially the fact that they were hiding and the chances of getting caught were pretty high. Madam Hooch had already caught them once, as she opened the closet to get a broom, since one of her students had broken one during a flying lesson. They had also managed to bump into Professor McGonagall and Professor Sinistra while stepping out of a closet. And Snape has seen them several times in the dungeon, hiding in corners and one time in the Potion's Storage Room. He didn't bother saying anything to them. He just raised an eyebrow and was satisfied enough that they were at least embarrassed that he had seen them.
The only person they hadn't bumped into was Dumbledore, which was very lucky. But all the other teachers knew what was going on and it would only be a matter of time before Dumbledore would find out too. But Dumbledore didn't need to be told by anyone OR bump into Quirrell and Professor Kiernan to know what was going on. He was the Headmaster and it was unlikely that any sort of mischief would get by him unnoticed.
It was nearing the end of October and things had settled down quite a bit. The first snow had fallen, Quidditch matches began and everyone's work load was a whole lot lighter. Even though Professor Kiernan and Quirrell now had plenty of free time to spend with one another, they still went on with their little charade of hiding in closets. Dumbledore knew exactly what was going on and he figured it would have stopped by now, but it hadn't. He demanded to see Quirrell and Professor Kiernan in his office, one Saturday evening.
"You wished to see us, Headmaster?" Quirrell said and they entered his office and sat down on the chairs he had provided for them.
"Yes." Dumbledore said with no emotion. In fact, he looked very serious. Professor Kiernan had never seen him look like this before. His eyes weren't twinkling as they usually did and he was frowning with great disapproval as he looked at them.
"I am very disappointed in both of you," he declared and they looked at him, puzzled. "Don't think I haven't noticed what is going on around here with you two."
Quirrell and Professor Kiernan both gulped.
"I have no problem with you two having a relationship," he went-on. "In fact, I am happy for you. But that does not excuse you from acting like a couple of overly-hormonal adolescents! Really!" he exclaimed. "Hiding in closets, of all things. I thought you were both a lot more mature and professional than that." He looked at Professor Kiernan. "I expected a lot better coming from you, Madison." Then he looked at Quirrell. "And Quirrell, you've been here many years and you ought to know better."
"Yes, Headmaster." they both said in unison.
"Fine, then," said Dumbledore. "I don't want to hear of this matter again. Start acting like the Professors I hired. You are excused."
They both left and headed for the teacher's dormitories in silence. Once they reached Professor Kiernan's room, she finally spoke.
"That WORM!" she fumed, her teeth clenched. "We should've known he'd go running to Dumbledore the moment he caught us!"
"Who?" asked Quirrell.
"Severus, that's who!" Professor Kiernan answered.
"But Madison, it could have been anyone who told Dumbledore," he pointed out. "Everyone knew what we were doing."
"I don't care," Professor Kiernan said. "I'd bet my Invisibility Cloak that it was Severus who went and opened his mouth. Why can't he just mind his own business?"
"Because he thinks everyone else's business IS his business," Quirrell said. "Besides, I don't think anyone TOLD Dumbledore. He's not stupid. He knows everything that goes on around here."
Professor Kiernan realized that Quirrell was right. They should have known that they couldn't sneak around under Dumbledore's nose.
"Do you really have one?" Quirrell suddenly inquired, excitedly.
"Have one what?" Professor Kiernan asked.
"An Invisibility Cloak!" Quirrell replied, whispering.
Professor Kiernan laughed.
"Of course," she said, "Want to see it?"
Quirrell nodded and they went into her room. She pulled the Invisibility Cloak out of her trunk and Quirrell tried it on and looked at himself in the mirror. It was neat, since he could only see his head.
"Isn't it great?" Professor Kiernan expressed, smiling.
"It certainly is," Quirrell agreed, "And extremely rare! How did you ever get one?"
"That's a long story," she said. "I'll tell you about it some other time. I'm really tired right now and tomorrow is already Monday."
Quirrell put the Cloak back into the trunk and Professor Kiernan closed it and locked it. Then she walked him to the door.
"Do you think Dumbledore will mind if we kiss each other good night?" Quirrell asked, as they embraced.
"I doubt it," she answered, after some thought. "It's the hiding and sneaking around that he disapproved of."
Quirrell nodded.
"Too bad," he said. "It was a lot of fun."
They laughed and kissed good night. After that, they were never found hiding in closets again.
***
End of Chapter Six
-
LadySnape - Fully Qualified Witch and Wife of Severus
- Posts: 355
- Joined: Friday 2 August 2002 1:00:00am
- Location: Snape Manor
by LadySnape » Thursday 1 January 1970 1:00:00am
Chapter Seven: What Happened On Halloween
It was the night before Halloween and Professor Kiernan and Quirrell had decided to take a romantic moonlit walk together.
"I can't believe tomorrow is Halloween already," Quirrell said, as they stopped to look at the sky. "Two months of school have come and gone."
"I know," Professor Kiernan nodded. "I just love Halloween. So what do you do as far as celebrating here?"
"Usually there's a big feast, bigger than usual, and then a small dance for the students," he told her. "But the we can dance, too."
"I hope so," she replied, smiling.
They kissed under the stars and then walked a bit further. They were nearing Hagrid's hut, when Fang came bounding towards them, his tongue hanging out. He stopped in front of them. Then he suddeny growled at Quirrell. Quirrell, who hated dogs, hid behind Professor Kiernan. She didn't offer much protection as she bent down to scratch Fang behind his ears. The dog warmed up to her right away and splashed his wet tongue all over her face. She laughed.
"Yeh must 'ave a gif' with animals," said a very deep and loud voice. It was Hagrid and he was smiling as he approached them. He was also holding a crossbow.
"Hello, Hagrid," Professor Kiernan greeted him, as she removed her glasses and wiped off the lick marks Fang had left on them with the sleeve of her robe. Quirrell came out from behind her, keeping his eyes cautiously on Fang. "I guess you could call it a gift. I just love animals."
"Fang here is jus' a great coward," Hagrid said, roughly stroking the dog's head. "So 'ow are things at Hogwarts for yeh, Professor?"
"Just wonderful," she replied. "I've never been happier. This is a great school to attend. I only wish I could've been a student here at one time. But my letter came from Beauxbatons," she explained. "Because that is where my parents went."
Hagrid nodded.
"What's with the crossbow, Hagrid?" Quirrell suddenly inquired. "Are you going into the forest again tonight?"
Hagrid suddenly looked very serious.
"No," he answered, whispering. "Tomorrow is Halloween. Something is going ter happen. I can feel it in my bones."
Quirrell and Professor Kiernan looked at each other, puzzled.
"Of course something is going to happen, Hagrid," Professor Kiernan said. "There's going to be a celebration and a lot of great food. Just feasting and fun!"
"Exactly!" Quirrell chimed-in.
Hagrid still looked serious. He looked at them, as if trying to find something.
"I'm no' talkin' abou' that," he told them, firmly. "There's something evil lurking around. I know it." He pointed his crossbow towards the Forbidden Forest. "I'll have to tell Professor Dumbledore that I won' be here tomorrow. An' I better make sure I can borrow..." his voice trailed off. "If yeh'll excuse me, Professors," he said, and headed for Hogwarts, Fang following close behind.
"What is he talking about?" Professor Kiernan asked Quirrell as they, too, headed back to the school.
"Oh, he does this every Halloween, Madison and nothing has happened yet," Quirrell reassured her. "Don't worry about it. I mean, it is after all Halloween. Lots of strange things go on."
Professor Kiernan agreed. Once inside the school, Quirrell walked Professor Kiernan to her room. As always, they embraced and kissed good night. But this time, Quirrell seemed reluctant to let her go. He had a strange look in his blue eyes. She felt an eager affection coming from him. He seemed to be looking her over, his gaze was riveted to her face, then it moved over her body slowly as he stepped back a few inches. Then he swept her into his arms again and she could feel the uneveness of his hot breath on her cheek. Her heart fluttered wildly in her breast.
"Madison," he whispered into her ear. She tingled when he said her name. "Madison, stay with me tonight." She wasn't sure if she liked the suggestive tone of his voice. But she couldn't deny the spark of excitement that his request awoke in her. He looked into her green eyes, his own eyes glazed with desire. She let out a quivering sigh. She hadn't known him that long...
"It's late," she said to him.
Quirrell nodded and smiled. He wanted to spend the night with her, but he'd never pressure her. Their time would come when the time was right.
"Good night, Pretty Lady." he said in a teasing sort of way that made her smile. He kissed her again, turned and headed down the hallway towards his own room.
Professor Kiernan stood there for a long time, before finally stepping into her room. She slipped into her nightdress and crawled into bed. But she couldn't sleep. She knew that her feelings for Quirrell were intensifying. More and more with each passing day, each moment they spent together and each kiss that they shared.
"I may need a charm soon." she thought and her cheeks turned pink as her mind filled with images of a night with Quirrell. "Sooner than I thought."
***
It was Halloween and luckily, on a Saturday this year. Professor Kiernan usually liked to sleep in on the weekend, but she got out of bed a bit earlier so she could help Professor Flitwick decorate the Great Hall with Halloween Party Favors. She dressed quickly and was just locking up her room, when two First Year Gyffindor students came running towards her. It was Sara Manners and Diana Weaver, from Potions Class.
"Hello, Miss Manners and Miss Weaver," she greeeted them. "You know you shouldn't be here. These are the teacher's dormitories."
"Sorry, Professor," Sarah said, trying to catch her breath. "We just wanted to ask you a question."
"Well, it's okay, I suppose," she told them. "It is the weekend and Halloween. So I am in an extremely good mood." She smiled and they smiled back. "So what can I help you with today?"
"Well, we were wondering," said Diana. "If two Professors got married, what would we call them?"
Professor Kiernan looked confused.
"I'm not sure I understand," she began.
"For example," Sara said. "Let's say you married Professor Snape,"
Professor Kiernan scowled. That would never happen, she thought bitterly.
"Highly unlikely, but go on." she said.
"Well, what would we call you then?" Sara continued. "I mean, would we call you Professor Snape as well?"
"We just wondered, because it would be confusing to call you both Professor Snape." Diana pointed-out.
Professor Kiernan considered their question for a long time before answering.
"I suppose you would call me Lady Snape," she replied. "Unless I decided not to take his last name. Then you would just go on calling me Professor Kiernan. But let me assure you," she added. "I would never marry Professor Snape."
They all laughed.
"And what would two Gryffindor students be doing in the hallway of the teacher's dormitories?" an all-too familiar voice suddenly broke throught their laughter. It was Snape. He stood next to Professor Kiernan, his arms crossed and a frown on his face. "Students are not allowed in this hallway." he scolded them. "That's five points from Gryffindor. Leave at once, before I take away more points."
The girls hurried away, as fast as their legs would carry them.
"Honestly, do you have to be so damn belligerent all the time!" Professor Kiernan snapped. "They were just asking me a question!"
"Yes, a most inappropriate question and a horrible example," Snape said, cooly.
"I'll say it was horrible," Professor Kiernan retorted. "Me? Marry you? I'd rather live as a muggle for the rest of my life!" She glared at him and then headed for the Great Hall. Snape waited until she was gone before making his way there as well.
***
Evening came faster than everyone expected and the Professors and students were just getting ready to sit down in front of the glorious feast that awaited them. But Dumbledore had a few words to say before the festivities began.
"I know Halloween is usually considered a time for pranks and tricks," he said. "But I strongly encourage you to refrain from such activities or there will be many detentions given out. The dance and party will take place here, in The Great Hall, following the feast. You may stay here or return to your rooms. It is entirely up to you. But no one, I repeat NO ONE, should be wandering around in the hallways." He seemed to look at each student as he said this. "Mr. Filch and Professor Snape will be monitoring the hallways this evening. With that said, let the Halloween Feast begin!"
As per usual, the plates and platters filled with the finest foods one could ever ask for. There was little chatter as everyone ate to their heart's content. Snape ate very quickly and then left. Professor Kiernan supposed he wanted to get busy patrolling the hallways as soon as possible.
"He's probably just itching to take House Points away from anyone not in Slytherin." she said to Quirrell.
"He does this on every holiday," Quirrell said, taking a big piece of pumpkin pie and shoving it into his mouth. "Except Christmas. Most students go home so there is really no point in marching up and down the halls."
Professor Kiernan began eating her pumpkin pie. It didn't surprise her that Snape didn't stay for the party.
"You know," Quirrell said, scraping the last bit of whipped cream off of his plate and then licking it off of his fork. "I never used to bother joining the party. Not often, anyway. But now I have a beautiful date and a dance partner." He put his hand on hers and smiled. She blushed.
Soon, everyone was full and the dishes were cleared in a matter of minutes. Next, the tables were zapped away to make room for dancing. Professor Sinistra volunteered to be the deejay, and quickly set up some tunes. The room filled with lovely music.
Just then, Dumbledore's owl came swooping into the room, just as he was getting up.
"That's odd," he remarked, unfastening the letter that was tied to the owl's leg.
"Who would be sending you a letter this time of the day?" Professor Kiernan asked. She and Quirrell were about to go onto the dance floor, when they noticed Dumbledore's owl.
"I have no idea," said Dumbledore. He unfolded the letter and began to read it to himself. When he looked up, his eyes were full of tears and he had a horrifying look on his face.
"Albus, what's the matter?" Professor Kiernan immediately inquired. She had never seen anyone look like he did at that very moment. It was almost scary.
"Follow me to my office," he told all the Professors. "At once."
Confused and worried, the Professors followed Dumbledore to his office. They ran into Mr. Filch on their way and Dumbledore ordered him to find Snape and send him there as well. Once they were inside his office, Dumbledore didn't bother waiting for Snape before he announced the most horrible thing they could hear: "Voldemort is on the move."
Everyone in the room gasped. They all new he had succommed to the dark side, years ago.
"He's been looking for followers," Dumbledore went-on, looking at the letter. "And he has already killed those who refused to join him." He looked at Professor Kiernan, who was holding onto Quirrell as if she were about to fall over. "I am saddened to report that among his victims are James and Lily Potter."
Professor Kiernan felt like she had just been punched in the stomach. She started sobbing uncontrollably, the tears poured down her face.
"NO!" she wailed. "NO! You're lying! Not James and Lily! Not little Harry! It's not true!" She grabbed the letter out of Dumbledore's hand and read it for herself. It was written in a messy scrawl and signed by Hagrid. She suddenly stopped crying and took deep breaths.
"It says here that Harry is still alive," she said in surprise. "That he somehow, miraculously survived the attack. And... and somehow, Voldemort's powers were plunged and he... he's gone!"
Everyone was shocked. How could a little baby defeat Voldemort?
"Yes, it is miraculous," Dumbledore agreed. "Harry is already a legend and he's not even a year old yet."
"Who is going to take care of Harry?" Professor McGonagall suddenly asked.
"Professor, please let me look after Harry," Professor Kiernan suddenly begged. "I knew James well and I know he'd want Harry to be in good hands."
"I can't ask you to do that, Madison," said Dumbledore, after careful consideration. "There won't be a child in our world who won't know his name. He's a legend and he can't even walk and talk. He's famous for something he won't even remember. No," he repeated. "It's better that he grows up away from all of the fuss."
"You mean you're going to send him away to live with a bunch of muggles?" Professor Kiernan demanded, more tears falling from her eyes. "How can you do that? I can take care of him! James and Lily wouldn't want him to live with Muggles!"
"Madison, please try to control yourself," Dumbledore said with a note of warning in his voice. "I believe James and Lily would want Harry to grow up away from all the fame. It's the best thing for him."
"Muggles!" she shouted at him. "How can a bunch of good-for-nothing muggles be the best thing for him? How can you think that?"
"Madison, that is enough," Dumbledore raised his voice. "I've made my decision. I believe it is the right one. And I truly believe that this is what James and Lily would want for Harry. End of discussion."
Just then, Snape entered the office.
"Good of you to join us, Severus," said Dumbledore, peering at him over the top of his half-moon spectacles.
"Sorry, Headmaster," Snape apologized quickly. "There were some students wandering around in the hallways. I took away some house points and gave them detention." He looked extremely proud of himself.
Everyone remained silent as Snape came closer to the front of the room and stood beside Professor Kiernan. It was only then that he noticed the uncomfortable atmosphere in the room and the looks on everyone's faces. Most of them looked like they were about to cry. Professor Kiernan had obviously already done so, for her face was red and tear-stained. Quirrell had his arm around her for comfort. Dumbledore looked extremely serious. His eyes weren't twinkling as they usually did and he was far from smiling.
"Severus, Voldemort has struck again." he declared.
Snape nodded and suddenly cluthched his left arm as though he was in pain.
"I know." he said.
Dumbledore looked around at everyone then directly at Snape once again.
"I regret to inform you," he sighed, heavily, "that the Potters have been killed."
Silence thicker than fog filled the room. Snape looked shocked, but only for a moment. He let go of his left arm and crossed his arms, suddenly not looking shocked at all.
"Well," he said, matter-of-factly. "It doesn't surprise me. That Potter was bound to get himself blown-up sooner or later."
Before anyone could react to his awful, non-chalant comment, Professor Kiernan turned to face him and just glared. Her green eyes blazed murderously. She had never been more furious in her entire life.
"YOU INSENSITIVE b*****d!" she screamed at him, her voice echoing. She then took her hand and smacked Snape across the face as hard as she could. Snape nearly fell over from the force her hand had submitted. She burst into tears and ran from the room.
"Don't you have ANY feelings?" Quirrell shouted at Snape and ran after Professor Kiernan whose sobs could be heard all through the hallways.
Snape looked around at everyone, his hand on his cheek. It was red and burning. They were all looking him with hatred and contempt. They had never imagined hating anyone as much as they hated Snape at that very moment. Dumbledore had never looked so angry.
"Severus Snape," he said, his eyes becoming very dark as a cold shadow crept over him. "That was uncalled for and you know it. How dare you say something so heartless. You know very well that the Potters did nothing to bring this onto themselves. You should know that better than anybody in this room."
Snape remained silent. He knew Dumbledore was furious with him, even though his voice seemed calm and collected.
"Leave," Dumbledore ordered him. "Now. And if I ever hear of you talking about the Potters in that manner again, you can be sure you will be punished. Severely."
His cheek still burning, he quickly left the room and headed for his room, not even taking note to the students that were wandering in the hallways or to Peeves who stuck his tongue out at him for no apparent reason.
Meanwhile, in her room, Professor Kiernan was crying uncontrollably. Quirrell was there, trying to comfort her. He held her close and stroked her hair as deep sobs racked her insides. Her tears had already soaked the front of his robe, but he didn't care. She needed him and he was there.
"How could he say that? How could he be so callous?" Professor Kiernan demanded through her sobs. "James was a great wizard... and one of my best friends. And now he's... he's..." She couldn't stop the streaming tears.
"Severus has no friends, Madison," Quirrell said, as he rocked her back and forth. "He has only himself. And that's the only person he cares about. Severus cares about Severus. He couldn't even begin to fathom how you feel right now." Quirrell became more angry the more he thought about it. "And he doesn't think before he speaks. Damn him!" he cursed.
Professor Kiernan continued to cry. It hurt so much, it felt like it would never go away.
"Madison, I know James was you friend and I am so sorry he's gone," Quirrell said, gently. "But I am here for you."
She managed a small smile through the tears. She was glad Quirrell was there. More than he could know.
***
Professor Kiernan had cried for hours before she was finally exhausted and fell asleep. By then, Quirrell's front was soaked. He laid her gently on the bed, used his wand to dry off his robe and covered her with it. Then he pulled out her desk chair and sat there. He wouldn't leave her side. And he fell asleep in that chair, not caring that he'd probably have a sore back the following day.
***
Snape was walking to the Great Hall for breakfast the following morning, in an even more sour mood than usual. He walked passed Professor's Kiernan's room and noticed that the door had been left open. He peered inside and was perplexed at what he saw. Professor Kiernan was asleep, covered with Quirrell's robe. Quirrell was asleep in a chair, looking like he was in a most uncomfortable position. The only things he was wearing were his pants, shirt and tie. There was a cold breeze blowing through the opened window... he must've been cold, because Snape was at the door and even he shivered. Snape stared at the scence a moment longer and tried to understand what it meant. Quirrell had spent the whole night at her side, not caring if he woke up with cramped muscles? Snape could hardly believe it. Was this what it meant to be in love? Making sacrafices for others? Snape had never been in love. He'd never really had companionship. And nobody had ever needed him. Deep down, he envied Quirrell and Professor Kiernan and what they had. He didn't fully understand it, but he knew right then that it was something so wonderful, that he wanted it too. But where could he possibly find it?
***
End of Chapter Seven
It was the night before Halloween and Professor Kiernan and Quirrell had decided to take a romantic moonlit walk together.
"I can't believe tomorrow is Halloween already," Quirrell said, as they stopped to look at the sky. "Two months of school have come and gone."
"I know," Professor Kiernan nodded. "I just love Halloween. So what do you do as far as celebrating here?"
"Usually there's a big feast, bigger than usual, and then a small dance for the students," he told her. "But the we can dance, too."
"I hope so," she replied, smiling.
They kissed under the stars and then walked a bit further. They were nearing Hagrid's hut, when Fang came bounding towards them, his tongue hanging out. He stopped in front of them. Then he suddeny growled at Quirrell. Quirrell, who hated dogs, hid behind Professor Kiernan. She didn't offer much protection as she bent down to scratch Fang behind his ears. The dog warmed up to her right away and splashed his wet tongue all over her face. She laughed.
"Yeh must 'ave a gif' with animals," said a very deep and loud voice. It was Hagrid and he was smiling as he approached them. He was also holding a crossbow.
"Hello, Hagrid," Professor Kiernan greeted him, as she removed her glasses and wiped off the lick marks Fang had left on them with the sleeve of her robe. Quirrell came out from behind her, keeping his eyes cautiously on Fang. "I guess you could call it a gift. I just love animals."
"Fang here is jus' a great coward," Hagrid said, roughly stroking the dog's head. "So 'ow are things at Hogwarts for yeh, Professor?"
"Just wonderful," she replied. "I've never been happier. This is a great school to attend. I only wish I could've been a student here at one time. But my letter came from Beauxbatons," she explained. "Because that is where my parents went."
Hagrid nodded.
"What's with the crossbow, Hagrid?" Quirrell suddenly inquired. "Are you going into the forest again tonight?"
Hagrid suddenly looked very serious.
"No," he answered, whispering. "Tomorrow is Halloween. Something is going ter happen. I can feel it in my bones."
Quirrell and Professor Kiernan looked at each other, puzzled.
"Of course something is going to happen, Hagrid," Professor Kiernan said. "There's going to be a celebration and a lot of great food. Just feasting and fun!"
"Exactly!" Quirrell chimed-in.
Hagrid still looked serious. He looked at them, as if trying to find something.
"I'm no' talkin' abou' that," he told them, firmly. "There's something evil lurking around. I know it." He pointed his crossbow towards the Forbidden Forest. "I'll have to tell Professor Dumbledore that I won' be here tomorrow. An' I better make sure I can borrow..." his voice trailed off. "If yeh'll excuse me, Professors," he said, and headed for Hogwarts, Fang following close behind.
"What is he talking about?" Professor Kiernan asked Quirrell as they, too, headed back to the school.
"Oh, he does this every Halloween, Madison and nothing has happened yet," Quirrell reassured her. "Don't worry about it. I mean, it is after all Halloween. Lots of strange things go on."
Professor Kiernan agreed. Once inside the school, Quirrell walked Professor Kiernan to her room. As always, they embraced and kissed good night. But this time, Quirrell seemed reluctant to let her go. He had a strange look in his blue eyes. She felt an eager affection coming from him. He seemed to be looking her over, his gaze was riveted to her face, then it moved over her body slowly as he stepped back a few inches. Then he swept her into his arms again and she could feel the uneveness of his hot breath on her cheek. Her heart fluttered wildly in her breast.
"Madison," he whispered into her ear. She tingled when he said her name. "Madison, stay with me tonight." She wasn't sure if she liked the suggestive tone of his voice. But she couldn't deny the spark of excitement that his request awoke in her. He looked into her green eyes, his own eyes glazed with desire. She let out a quivering sigh. She hadn't known him that long...
"It's late," she said to him.
Quirrell nodded and smiled. He wanted to spend the night with her, but he'd never pressure her. Their time would come when the time was right.
"Good night, Pretty Lady." he said in a teasing sort of way that made her smile. He kissed her again, turned and headed down the hallway towards his own room.
Professor Kiernan stood there for a long time, before finally stepping into her room. She slipped into her nightdress and crawled into bed. But she couldn't sleep. She knew that her feelings for Quirrell were intensifying. More and more with each passing day, each moment they spent together and each kiss that they shared.
"I may need a charm soon." she thought and her cheeks turned pink as her mind filled with images of a night with Quirrell. "Sooner than I thought."
***
It was Halloween and luckily, on a Saturday this year. Professor Kiernan usually liked to sleep in on the weekend, but she got out of bed a bit earlier so she could help Professor Flitwick decorate the Great Hall with Halloween Party Favors. She dressed quickly and was just locking up her room, when two First Year Gyffindor students came running towards her. It was Sara Manners and Diana Weaver, from Potions Class.
"Hello, Miss Manners and Miss Weaver," she greeeted them. "You know you shouldn't be here. These are the teacher's dormitories."
"Sorry, Professor," Sarah said, trying to catch her breath. "We just wanted to ask you a question."
"Well, it's okay, I suppose," she told them. "It is the weekend and Halloween. So I am in an extremely good mood." She smiled and they smiled back. "So what can I help you with today?"
"Well, we were wondering," said Diana. "If two Professors got married, what would we call them?"
Professor Kiernan looked confused.
"I'm not sure I understand," she began.
"For example," Sara said. "Let's say you married Professor Snape,"
Professor Kiernan scowled. That would never happen, she thought bitterly.
"Highly unlikely, but go on." she said.
"Well, what would we call you then?" Sara continued. "I mean, would we call you Professor Snape as well?"
"We just wondered, because it would be confusing to call you both Professor Snape." Diana pointed-out.
Professor Kiernan considered their question for a long time before answering.
"I suppose you would call me Lady Snape," she replied. "Unless I decided not to take his last name. Then you would just go on calling me Professor Kiernan. But let me assure you," she added. "I would never marry Professor Snape."
They all laughed.
"And what would two Gryffindor students be doing in the hallway of the teacher's dormitories?" an all-too familiar voice suddenly broke throught their laughter. It was Snape. He stood next to Professor Kiernan, his arms crossed and a frown on his face. "Students are not allowed in this hallway." he scolded them. "That's five points from Gryffindor. Leave at once, before I take away more points."
The girls hurried away, as fast as their legs would carry them.
"Honestly, do you have to be so damn belligerent all the time!" Professor Kiernan snapped. "They were just asking me a question!"
"Yes, a most inappropriate question and a horrible example," Snape said, cooly.
"I'll say it was horrible," Professor Kiernan retorted. "Me? Marry you? I'd rather live as a muggle for the rest of my life!" She glared at him and then headed for the Great Hall. Snape waited until she was gone before making his way there as well.
***
Evening came faster than everyone expected and the Professors and students were just getting ready to sit down in front of the glorious feast that awaited them. But Dumbledore had a few words to say before the festivities began.
"I know Halloween is usually considered a time for pranks and tricks," he said. "But I strongly encourage you to refrain from such activities or there will be many detentions given out. The dance and party will take place here, in The Great Hall, following the feast. You may stay here or return to your rooms. It is entirely up to you. But no one, I repeat NO ONE, should be wandering around in the hallways." He seemed to look at each student as he said this. "Mr. Filch and Professor Snape will be monitoring the hallways this evening. With that said, let the Halloween Feast begin!"
As per usual, the plates and platters filled with the finest foods one could ever ask for. There was little chatter as everyone ate to their heart's content. Snape ate very quickly and then left. Professor Kiernan supposed he wanted to get busy patrolling the hallways as soon as possible.
"He's probably just itching to take House Points away from anyone not in Slytherin." she said to Quirrell.
"He does this on every holiday," Quirrell said, taking a big piece of pumpkin pie and shoving it into his mouth. "Except Christmas. Most students go home so there is really no point in marching up and down the halls."
Professor Kiernan began eating her pumpkin pie. It didn't surprise her that Snape didn't stay for the party.
"You know," Quirrell said, scraping the last bit of whipped cream off of his plate and then licking it off of his fork. "I never used to bother joining the party. Not often, anyway. But now I have a beautiful date and a dance partner." He put his hand on hers and smiled. She blushed.
Soon, everyone was full and the dishes were cleared in a matter of minutes. Next, the tables were zapped away to make room for dancing. Professor Sinistra volunteered to be the deejay, and quickly set up some tunes. The room filled with lovely music.
Just then, Dumbledore's owl came swooping into the room, just as he was getting up.
"That's odd," he remarked, unfastening the letter that was tied to the owl's leg.
"Who would be sending you a letter this time of the day?" Professor Kiernan asked. She and Quirrell were about to go onto the dance floor, when they noticed Dumbledore's owl.
"I have no idea," said Dumbledore. He unfolded the letter and began to read it to himself. When he looked up, his eyes were full of tears and he had a horrifying look on his face.
"Albus, what's the matter?" Professor Kiernan immediately inquired. She had never seen anyone look like he did at that very moment. It was almost scary.
"Follow me to my office," he told all the Professors. "At once."
Confused and worried, the Professors followed Dumbledore to his office. They ran into Mr. Filch on their way and Dumbledore ordered him to find Snape and send him there as well. Once they were inside his office, Dumbledore didn't bother waiting for Snape before he announced the most horrible thing they could hear: "Voldemort is on the move."
Everyone in the room gasped. They all new he had succommed to the dark side, years ago.
"He's been looking for followers," Dumbledore went-on, looking at the letter. "And he has already killed those who refused to join him." He looked at Professor Kiernan, who was holding onto Quirrell as if she were about to fall over. "I am saddened to report that among his victims are James and Lily Potter."
Professor Kiernan felt like she had just been punched in the stomach. She started sobbing uncontrollably, the tears poured down her face.
"NO!" she wailed. "NO! You're lying! Not James and Lily! Not little Harry! It's not true!" She grabbed the letter out of Dumbledore's hand and read it for herself. It was written in a messy scrawl and signed by Hagrid. She suddenly stopped crying and took deep breaths.
"It says here that Harry is still alive," she said in surprise. "That he somehow, miraculously survived the attack. And... and somehow, Voldemort's powers were plunged and he... he's gone!"
Everyone was shocked. How could a little baby defeat Voldemort?
"Yes, it is miraculous," Dumbledore agreed. "Harry is already a legend and he's not even a year old yet."
"Who is going to take care of Harry?" Professor McGonagall suddenly asked.
"Professor, please let me look after Harry," Professor Kiernan suddenly begged. "I knew James well and I know he'd want Harry to be in good hands."
"I can't ask you to do that, Madison," said Dumbledore, after careful consideration. "There won't be a child in our world who won't know his name. He's a legend and he can't even walk and talk. He's famous for something he won't even remember. No," he repeated. "It's better that he grows up away from all of the fuss."
"You mean you're going to send him away to live with a bunch of muggles?" Professor Kiernan demanded, more tears falling from her eyes. "How can you do that? I can take care of him! James and Lily wouldn't want him to live with Muggles!"
"Madison, please try to control yourself," Dumbledore said with a note of warning in his voice. "I believe James and Lily would want Harry to grow up away from all the fame. It's the best thing for him."
"Muggles!" she shouted at him. "How can a bunch of good-for-nothing muggles be the best thing for him? How can you think that?"
"Madison, that is enough," Dumbledore raised his voice. "I've made my decision. I believe it is the right one. And I truly believe that this is what James and Lily would want for Harry. End of discussion."
Just then, Snape entered the office.
"Good of you to join us, Severus," said Dumbledore, peering at him over the top of his half-moon spectacles.
"Sorry, Headmaster," Snape apologized quickly. "There were some students wandering around in the hallways. I took away some house points and gave them detention." He looked extremely proud of himself.
Everyone remained silent as Snape came closer to the front of the room and stood beside Professor Kiernan. It was only then that he noticed the uncomfortable atmosphere in the room and the looks on everyone's faces. Most of them looked like they were about to cry. Professor Kiernan had obviously already done so, for her face was red and tear-stained. Quirrell had his arm around her for comfort. Dumbledore looked extremely serious. His eyes weren't twinkling as they usually did and he was far from smiling.
"Severus, Voldemort has struck again." he declared.
Snape nodded and suddenly cluthched his left arm as though he was in pain.
"I know." he said.
Dumbledore looked around at everyone then directly at Snape once again.
"I regret to inform you," he sighed, heavily, "that the Potters have been killed."
Silence thicker than fog filled the room. Snape looked shocked, but only for a moment. He let go of his left arm and crossed his arms, suddenly not looking shocked at all.
"Well," he said, matter-of-factly. "It doesn't surprise me. That Potter was bound to get himself blown-up sooner or later."
Before anyone could react to his awful, non-chalant comment, Professor Kiernan turned to face him and just glared. Her green eyes blazed murderously. She had never been more furious in her entire life.
"YOU INSENSITIVE b*****d!" she screamed at him, her voice echoing. She then took her hand and smacked Snape across the face as hard as she could. Snape nearly fell over from the force her hand had submitted. She burst into tears and ran from the room.
"Don't you have ANY feelings?" Quirrell shouted at Snape and ran after Professor Kiernan whose sobs could be heard all through the hallways.
Snape looked around at everyone, his hand on his cheek. It was red and burning. They were all looking him with hatred and contempt. They had never imagined hating anyone as much as they hated Snape at that very moment. Dumbledore had never looked so angry.
"Severus Snape," he said, his eyes becoming very dark as a cold shadow crept over him. "That was uncalled for and you know it. How dare you say something so heartless. You know very well that the Potters did nothing to bring this onto themselves. You should know that better than anybody in this room."
Snape remained silent. He knew Dumbledore was furious with him, even though his voice seemed calm and collected.
"Leave," Dumbledore ordered him. "Now. And if I ever hear of you talking about the Potters in that manner again, you can be sure you will be punished. Severely."
His cheek still burning, he quickly left the room and headed for his room, not even taking note to the students that were wandering in the hallways or to Peeves who stuck his tongue out at him for no apparent reason.
Meanwhile, in her room, Professor Kiernan was crying uncontrollably. Quirrell was there, trying to comfort her. He held her close and stroked her hair as deep sobs racked her insides. Her tears had already soaked the front of his robe, but he didn't care. She needed him and he was there.
"How could he say that? How could he be so callous?" Professor Kiernan demanded through her sobs. "James was a great wizard... and one of my best friends. And now he's... he's..." She couldn't stop the streaming tears.
"Severus has no friends, Madison," Quirrell said, as he rocked her back and forth. "He has only himself. And that's the only person he cares about. Severus cares about Severus. He couldn't even begin to fathom how you feel right now." Quirrell became more angry the more he thought about it. "And he doesn't think before he speaks. Damn him!" he cursed.
Professor Kiernan continued to cry. It hurt so much, it felt like it would never go away.
"Madison, I know James was you friend and I am so sorry he's gone," Quirrell said, gently. "But I am here for you."
She managed a small smile through the tears. She was glad Quirrell was there. More than he could know.
***
Professor Kiernan had cried for hours before she was finally exhausted and fell asleep. By then, Quirrell's front was soaked. He laid her gently on the bed, used his wand to dry off his robe and covered her with it. Then he pulled out her desk chair and sat there. He wouldn't leave her side. And he fell asleep in that chair, not caring that he'd probably have a sore back the following day.
***
Snape was walking to the Great Hall for breakfast the following morning, in an even more sour mood than usual. He walked passed Professor's Kiernan's room and noticed that the door had been left open. He peered inside and was perplexed at what he saw. Professor Kiernan was asleep, covered with Quirrell's robe. Quirrell was asleep in a chair, looking like he was in a most uncomfortable position. The only things he was wearing were his pants, shirt and tie. There was a cold breeze blowing through the opened window... he must've been cold, because Snape was at the door and even he shivered. Snape stared at the scence a moment longer and tried to understand what it meant. Quirrell had spent the whole night at her side, not caring if he woke up with cramped muscles? Snape could hardly believe it. Was this what it meant to be in love? Making sacrafices for others? Snape had never been in love. He'd never really had companionship. And nobody had ever needed him. Deep down, he envied Quirrell and Professor Kiernan and what they had. He didn't fully understand it, but he knew right then that it was something so wonderful, that he wanted it too. But where could he possibly find it?
***
End of Chapter Seven
-
LadySnape - Fully Qualified Witch and Wife of Severus
- Posts: 355
- Joined: Friday 2 August 2002 1:00:00am
- Location: Snape Manor
by LadySnape » Thursday 1 January 1970 1:00:00am
Chapter Eight: The Hunt For The Perfect Gift
The days following the death of The Potters were some of the hardest that Professor Kiernan had to endure. Dumbledore had suggested that she take a few days off to grieve, but she refused. She thought that getting back to work would help her get over the tragedy quicker. But it did not. She was still upset at Professor Dumbledore for sending Harry to live with muggles who Professor McGonagall had said, "couldn't be less like us". She was the only other person besides Professor Kiernan who did not like the idea of Harry growing up in a muggle household, whether they were his only relatives or not.
"I'm closer to James and Lily than THAT family!" Professor Kiernan told Professor McGonagall one morning as they waited for the students to arrive. "Does he think Harry would be a burden on me?"
Professor McGonagall sighed. She couldn't help thinking that Professor Kiernan would have been a better caregiver than the Dursleys.
"If he wanted Harry to grow up away from his fame, I could have done that very easily," Professor Kiernan said.
"I don't like to speak ill of my colleagues," said Professor McGonagall, "and especially not of Professor Dumbledore. But I have to say that his decisions aren't always the right ones or the best ones."
Professor Kiernan looked at her in surprise.
"But once he's made a decision, that is just the way it has to be," Professor McGonagall added. "There's really no point arguing with him."
Everyone said that. Professor McGonagall, Flitwick, Quirrell... and Snape himself, knew it.
Severus Snape, yes. He was another story. Potions was by far the worst class of the day for Professor Kiernan. Every time she looked at Snape, she wanted to put her hands around his neck and squeeze, watching the life drain slowly out of him. Watch his pale face turn blue and let him die. She was at least satisfied that her the powerful smack she had given him had left a noticeable bruise on his right cheek. He had tried to cover it with his greasy, unruly hair, but every now and then, his hair would swing out of the way and there it was, in full view for all to see. One of the Slytherin students had actually asked him what had happened and Snape only muttered, "I fell." Professor Kiernan had to keep herself from blurting, "Yes, Professor Snape fell right onto my opened hand!". But she never did say that. He knew the truth. She had smacked him and it had hurt, no matter how much he tried to deny it. Professor Kiernan was actually surprised that he hadn't gone to see Madam Pomfrey about it. Surely, she could have made the bruise disappear in an instant. But it was there for several weeks, until it was finally gone after about a month. What she didn't know was that Snape had left it there on purpose. It was a reminder for him. Every time he looked in the mirror, he would see it and recall the look on Professor's Kiernan's face after his comment: that James Potter pretty much had it coming to him. Deep down, he regretted his words. Not so much because Dumbledore threatened to punish him, but because of the way he had hurt Professor Kiernan. He was surprised and a little uncomfortable at his own feelings. He didn't actually care, did he? Whether he did or not didn't matter in the least. Snape knew that she wasn't exactly fond of him. She was in love with Quirrell, as everyone could plainly see.
Quirrell had gone to see Madam Pomfrey twice for a sore back, after spending two nights sleeping upright in a chair next to Professor Kiernan's bed. She had woken up to find him there, asleep and her heart just flipped over in her chest. She couldn't believe he had spent the whole night at her bedside, watching over her. When she found his robe draped over her, tears sprang to her eyes. He truly loved her. It was the most amazing thing she had ever felt.
Many weeks passed and Professor Kiernan was starting to feel better. Christmas was just a few weeks away, so she concentrated on Christmas shopping. She was trying to decide what to buy Quirrell. So far, she had only bought him a new black silk tie... the kind that tied itself once it was around the owner's neck. He had spilled grape jelly on the one he usually wore and even though he had hexed the stain away, he insisted it just wasn't the same. But he hadn't had the time to go out and buy another one, so he continued to wear his old one. She also thought about getting him an owl, since he didn't own one and usually used one of the extras the school kept in the Owlery for delivering his letters and parcels. But that would have to wait until the last possible moment. She couldn't keep an Owl in her room and risk Quirrell seeing it. That would spoil everything.
Professor Kiernan sadly realized that her Christmas list was short two people this year. James and Lily. Dumbledore had even forbidden her to send any sort of gift to Harry. She was at the point now where she almost thought Dumbledore wouldn't let her do anything except teach. She was almost willing to drop everything and return to Beauxbatons. But it was her feelings for Quirrell that kept her there, doing her best.
She thought a lot about the night before Halloween, when Quirrell had asked her to spend the night with him. She almost regretted not agreeing to it, but at the time, it had made her a tad nervous. She was sure Quirrell would ask again, and so she went to see Madam Pomfrey about a charm that would prevent any unexpected bundles of joy. Madam Pomfrey made her a charm in the form of a ring that Professor Kiernan could wear discreetly on her pinkie. It looked like a normal gold ring, but it had many spells and magic around it. Now that she was prepared, she waited. But Quirrell had never asked her that question again and she could not figure out why.
Quirrell, however, wanted to ask her more than anything, but he thought that because of what happened to her friend, she may still be too fragile and vulnerable. And he didn't want to take advantage of that. They still spent a lot of time together and they were becoming more intimate with one another, but it seemed to be stuck at a point between intimacy and consummating the relationship. Maybe the time still wasn't right... they hadn't even discussed it yet.
***
Two weeks before Christmas, Professor Kiernan was out shopping with Professor McGonagall. They were discussing what to get the rest of their colleagues. Professor Kiernan already told her what she had bought and was going to buy Quirrell, and Professor McGonagall thought they were both great ideas. They were down to Professor Dumbledore.
"He gets books every year from everyone, but I've never heard him complain," said Professor McGonagall. "It just seems that maybe I should get him something else for a change. But the question is, what?"
Professor Kiernan looked down at her shopping list and noticed suddenly, that she hadn't yet checked off Snape's name. She hadn't bought him anything yet, and was wondering if she actually should or not.
"I'm going to get Dumbledore that case I saw for his spectacles," she told Professor McGonagall. "The one you can put your glasses away in at night and it cleans them off for the next day."
"That is such a great gift!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed. "Where do you get such creative ideas?"
Professor Kiernan shrugged.
"I just look around a lot," she replied.
They found the shop where Professor Kiernan saw the Glasses Case for Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall found a globe with a wizard in it that looked amazingly like Dumbledore himself and bought that. It wasn't a regular globe that you'd find in the muggle word. For one thing, it didn't have a glass cover on it and the snow that fell on it was real. And it played a different tune... any tune you wanted, you just had to tell it which song you wanted to hear.
"Well, I guess I'm all finished and not a moment too soon," Professor McGonagall announced as they left the shop. "How about you, Madison?"
Again, she looked down at her list and at Snape's name.
"I have to pick up the Owl I bought for Alpheus on Christmas Eve," she said. "And I still have Severus to buy for. But I don't know what to get him. He doesn't seem like the kind of person who would really get into the Christmas Spirit."
"You don't have to buy him anything," Professor McGonagall told her. "He doesn't get much as it is and what he does get, he doesn't use."
Professor Kiernan had a strange look on her face, like she felt bad if she didn't get him a little something. He was, after all, one of the teachers she assisted. And even though he treated her awful, she still felt he should get something.
"He doesn't buy any gifts for anyone, so don't feel too bad." Professor McGonagall declared.
"I don't care if he gets me anything or not," Professor Kiernan said. "Christmas is the time for giving. Besides, maybe he'll feel more in the Spirit of the Holidays if he gets something."
"Well, whatever you do, don't buy him shampoo," Professor McGonagall laughed. "I bought him that one year and I haven't heard the end of it from him."
Professor Kiernan laughed, too.
They decided to head to the Three Broomsticks for a cup of hot chocolate. After that, Professor McGonagall went back to Hogwarts, telling Professor Kiernan that she wanted to start wrapping. She gave her a few suggestions about what to by for Snape, but nothing she said seemed quite right. So Professor Kiernan went hunting everywhere. Hours passed before she suddenly realized just how much time she was spending looking for and how much thought she was putting into a gift for Snape. Someone she would rather avoid altogether if it were at all possible. She was about to head back to Hogwarts and forget buying him anything, when she saw it. The perfect gift for Snape. It was a silver chain with a serpent-shaped pendant on it that looked identical to the Slytherin Mascot, right down to the last detailed scale. Without thinking twice or even checking the price, she bought it. Happy and suddenly excited for Christmas being just around the corner, she skipped all the way back to Hogwarts.
***
It was the last class of the day on the final day of school before Christmas Holidays. The students were anxious for the class to end, since over three quarters of the students at Hogwarts would be returning home for the Holidays. They weren't concentrating very hard on their mixtures. At this point, the shrinking solution should have been thick, like gravy, but everyone's had turned out runny, like water. Except for one student from Slytherin, Thomas Jagger. As Professor Kiernan was monitoring everyone's progress, she noticed how beautifully his potion had turned out and called Professor Snape over to see it. He also, was pleased and ladled some up to show the rest of the class.
"I've never seen the Shrinking Solution so perfectly mixed!" Professor Kiernan observed as she, too ladled some up to look at it. "I can't even get it this consistent and I've been doing it for many years."
Snape nodded in agreement. Even his work on a Shrinking Solution was not as good as Thomas's, but he would never admit that in front of the students or Professor Kiernan.
"Ten points to Slytherin!" the two Professor suddenly expressed in unison. They looked at each other in total surprise. And then, they actually smiled at each other. Even the students were surprised and they laughed quietly to themselves.
"I never thought that would happen." Professor Kiernan heard a few of them say. She couldn't believe it either. Snape went over to his desk and sat down. He looked up at Professor Kiernan again and smiled, ever so discreetly. You could hardly tell it was a smile, but it certainly wasn't his usual bitter scowl. Professor Kiernan suddenly thought about the gift she had picked up for him and decided that maybe Snape wasn't so bad after all.
***
End of Chapter Eight
The days following the death of The Potters were some of the hardest that Professor Kiernan had to endure. Dumbledore had suggested that she take a few days off to grieve, but she refused. She thought that getting back to work would help her get over the tragedy quicker. But it did not. She was still upset at Professor Dumbledore for sending Harry to live with muggles who Professor McGonagall had said, "couldn't be less like us". She was the only other person besides Professor Kiernan who did not like the idea of Harry growing up in a muggle household, whether they were his only relatives or not.
"I'm closer to James and Lily than THAT family!" Professor Kiernan told Professor McGonagall one morning as they waited for the students to arrive. "Does he think Harry would be a burden on me?"
Professor McGonagall sighed. She couldn't help thinking that Professor Kiernan would have been a better caregiver than the Dursleys.
"If he wanted Harry to grow up away from his fame, I could have done that very easily," Professor Kiernan said.
"I don't like to speak ill of my colleagues," said Professor McGonagall, "and especially not of Professor Dumbledore. But I have to say that his decisions aren't always the right ones or the best ones."
Professor Kiernan looked at her in surprise.
"But once he's made a decision, that is just the way it has to be," Professor McGonagall added. "There's really no point arguing with him."
Everyone said that. Professor McGonagall, Flitwick, Quirrell... and Snape himself, knew it.
Severus Snape, yes. He was another story. Potions was by far the worst class of the day for Professor Kiernan. Every time she looked at Snape, she wanted to put her hands around his neck and squeeze, watching the life drain slowly out of him. Watch his pale face turn blue and let him die. She was at least satisfied that her the powerful smack she had given him had left a noticeable bruise on his right cheek. He had tried to cover it with his greasy, unruly hair, but every now and then, his hair would swing out of the way and there it was, in full view for all to see. One of the Slytherin students had actually asked him what had happened and Snape only muttered, "I fell." Professor Kiernan had to keep herself from blurting, "Yes, Professor Snape fell right onto my opened hand!". But she never did say that. He knew the truth. She had smacked him and it had hurt, no matter how much he tried to deny it. Professor Kiernan was actually surprised that he hadn't gone to see Madam Pomfrey about it. Surely, she could have made the bruise disappear in an instant. But it was there for several weeks, until it was finally gone after about a month. What she didn't know was that Snape had left it there on purpose. It was a reminder for him. Every time he looked in the mirror, he would see it and recall the look on Professor's Kiernan's face after his comment: that James Potter pretty much had it coming to him. Deep down, he regretted his words. Not so much because Dumbledore threatened to punish him, but because of the way he had hurt Professor Kiernan. He was surprised and a little uncomfortable at his own feelings. He didn't actually care, did he? Whether he did or not didn't matter in the least. Snape knew that she wasn't exactly fond of him. She was in love with Quirrell, as everyone could plainly see.
Quirrell had gone to see Madam Pomfrey twice for a sore back, after spending two nights sleeping upright in a chair next to Professor Kiernan's bed. She had woken up to find him there, asleep and her heart just flipped over in her chest. She couldn't believe he had spent the whole night at her bedside, watching over her. When she found his robe draped over her, tears sprang to her eyes. He truly loved her. It was the most amazing thing she had ever felt.
Many weeks passed and Professor Kiernan was starting to feel better. Christmas was just a few weeks away, so she concentrated on Christmas shopping. She was trying to decide what to buy Quirrell. So far, she had only bought him a new black silk tie... the kind that tied itself once it was around the owner's neck. He had spilled grape jelly on the one he usually wore and even though he had hexed the stain away, he insisted it just wasn't the same. But he hadn't had the time to go out and buy another one, so he continued to wear his old one. She also thought about getting him an owl, since he didn't own one and usually used one of the extras the school kept in the Owlery for delivering his letters and parcels. But that would have to wait until the last possible moment. She couldn't keep an Owl in her room and risk Quirrell seeing it. That would spoil everything.
Professor Kiernan sadly realized that her Christmas list was short two people this year. James and Lily. Dumbledore had even forbidden her to send any sort of gift to Harry. She was at the point now where she almost thought Dumbledore wouldn't let her do anything except teach. She was almost willing to drop everything and return to Beauxbatons. But it was her feelings for Quirrell that kept her there, doing her best.
She thought a lot about the night before Halloween, when Quirrell had asked her to spend the night with him. She almost regretted not agreeing to it, but at the time, it had made her a tad nervous. She was sure Quirrell would ask again, and so she went to see Madam Pomfrey about a charm that would prevent any unexpected bundles of joy. Madam Pomfrey made her a charm in the form of a ring that Professor Kiernan could wear discreetly on her pinkie. It looked like a normal gold ring, but it had many spells and magic around it. Now that she was prepared, she waited. But Quirrell had never asked her that question again and she could not figure out why.
Quirrell, however, wanted to ask her more than anything, but he thought that because of what happened to her friend, she may still be too fragile and vulnerable. And he didn't want to take advantage of that. They still spent a lot of time together and they were becoming more intimate with one another, but it seemed to be stuck at a point between intimacy and consummating the relationship. Maybe the time still wasn't right... they hadn't even discussed it yet.
***
Two weeks before Christmas, Professor Kiernan was out shopping with Professor McGonagall. They were discussing what to get the rest of their colleagues. Professor Kiernan already told her what she had bought and was going to buy Quirrell, and Professor McGonagall thought they were both great ideas. They were down to Professor Dumbledore.
"He gets books every year from everyone, but I've never heard him complain," said Professor McGonagall. "It just seems that maybe I should get him something else for a change. But the question is, what?"
Professor Kiernan looked down at her shopping list and noticed suddenly, that she hadn't yet checked off Snape's name. She hadn't bought him anything yet, and was wondering if she actually should or not.
"I'm going to get Dumbledore that case I saw for his spectacles," she told Professor McGonagall. "The one you can put your glasses away in at night and it cleans them off for the next day."
"That is such a great gift!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed. "Where do you get such creative ideas?"
Professor Kiernan shrugged.
"I just look around a lot," she replied.
They found the shop where Professor Kiernan saw the Glasses Case for Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall found a globe with a wizard in it that looked amazingly like Dumbledore himself and bought that. It wasn't a regular globe that you'd find in the muggle word. For one thing, it didn't have a glass cover on it and the snow that fell on it was real. And it played a different tune... any tune you wanted, you just had to tell it which song you wanted to hear.
"Well, I guess I'm all finished and not a moment too soon," Professor McGonagall announced as they left the shop. "How about you, Madison?"
Again, she looked down at her list and at Snape's name.
"I have to pick up the Owl I bought for Alpheus on Christmas Eve," she said. "And I still have Severus to buy for. But I don't know what to get him. He doesn't seem like the kind of person who would really get into the Christmas Spirit."
"You don't have to buy him anything," Professor McGonagall told her. "He doesn't get much as it is and what he does get, he doesn't use."
Professor Kiernan had a strange look on her face, like she felt bad if she didn't get him a little something. He was, after all, one of the teachers she assisted. And even though he treated her awful, she still felt he should get something.
"He doesn't buy any gifts for anyone, so don't feel too bad." Professor McGonagall declared.
"I don't care if he gets me anything or not," Professor Kiernan said. "Christmas is the time for giving. Besides, maybe he'll feel more in the Spirit of the Holidays if he gets something."
"Well, whatever you do, don't buy him shampoo," Professor McGonagall laughed. "I bought him that one year and I haven't heard the end of it from him."
Professor Kiernan laughed, too.
They decided to head to the Three Broomsticks for a cup of hot chocolate. After that, Professor McGonagall went back to Hogwarts, telling Professor Kiernan that she wanted to start wrapping. She gave her a few suggestions about what to by for Snape, but nothing she said seemed quite right. So Professor Kiernan went hunting everywhere. Hours passed before she suddenly realized just how much time she was spending looking for and how much thought she was putting into a gift for Snape. Someone she would rather avoid altogether if it were at all possible. She was about to head back to Hogwarts and forget buying him anything, when she saw it. The perfect gift for Snape. It was a silver chain with a serpent-shaped pendant on it that looked identical to the Slytherin Mascot, right down to the last detailed scale. Without thinking twice or even checking the price, she bought it. Happy and suddenly excited for Christmas being just around the corner, she skipped all the way back to Hogwarts.
***
It was the last class of the day on the final day of school before Christmas Holidays. The students were anxious for the class to end, since over three quarters of the students at Hogwarts would be returning home for the Holidays. They weren't concentrating very hard on their mixtures. At this point, the shrinking solution should have been thick, like gravy, but everyone's had turned out runny, like water. Except for one student from Slytherin, Thomas Jagger. As Professor Kiernan was monitoring everyone's progress, she noticed how beautifully his potion had turned out and called Professor Snape over to see it. He also, was pleased and ladled some up to show the rest of the class.
"I've never seen the Shrinking Solution so perfectly mixed!" Professor Kiernan observed as she, too ladled some up to look at it. "I can't even get it this consistent and I've been doing it for many years."
Snape nodded in agreement. Even his work on a Shrinking Solution was not as good as Thomas's, but he would never admit that in front of the students or Professor Kiernan.
"Ten points to Slytherin!" the two Professor suddenly expressed in unison. They looked at each other in total surprise. And then, they actually smiled at each other. Even the students were surprised and they laughed quietly to themselves.
"I never thought that would happen." Professor Kiernan heard a few of them say. She couldn't believe it either. Snape went over to his desk and sat down. He looked up at Professor Kiernan again and smiled, ever so discreetly. You could hardly tell it was a smile, but it certainly wasn't his usual bitter scowl. Professor Kiernan suddenly thought about the gift she had picked up for him and decided that maybe Snape wasn't so bad after all.
***
End of Chapter Eight
-
LadySnape - Fully Qualified Witch and Wife of Severus
- Posts: 355
- Joined: Friday 2 August 2002 1:00:00am
- Location: Snape Manor
by LadySnape » Thursday 1 January 1970 1:00:00am
Chapter Nine: Christmas At Hogwarts
Professor Quirrell was bouncing off the walls by the time Christmas Eve had come. The Professors and only handful of students were sitting down to dinner in the Great Hall. It was beautifully decorated, complete with a Christmas Tree. Professor Kiernan felt like she was at home... everyone was so happy and cheerful. Well, except for Snape. Even though it was almost Christmas, he still did not look happy. And he kept glaring at Quirrell every time he bounced in his seat.
"Alpheus, can't you sit still?" Professor Kiernan asked him for about the tenth time during dinner. Even she was starting to get annoyed with his bouncing.
"I can't help it, I am so excited!" he exclaimed. "Wait until you see what I bought for you! You are going to just love it, I know it!"
"I can be sure of that," she said, smiling.
"And I can't wait to see what you bought for me!" he added.
Professor Kiernan gave him a serious look.
"I'm sorry, I forgot to tell you," she said, looking sad. "But I don't believe in Christmas, therefore I don't celebrate it. So I didn't get you anything. I'm sorry." she finished.
Snape suddenly looked up in complete surprise. She exchanged a sly smile with him as Quirrell suddenly looked like he was about to cry.
"What?" he said, too shocked to say much of anything else.
Professor Kiernan started to laugh and Quirrell was totally confused.
"Oh, really, Alpheus, I was only kidding!" Professor Kiernan assured him and he finally started to laugh. She was certain she saw Snape shaking slightly from laughter he was trying to hide. She was glad she had made him laugh.
Quirrell continued with his bouncing all through dinner and dessert. And he hardly ate anything. He was like a little kid, too excited to do anything at all. Professor Kiernan had to admit it was very cute in a way. She was twirling the gold ring on her pinkie and wondering if Quirrell would ask her to spend the night with him that very evening. After all, it was Christmas Eve. Maybe tonight was the night.
She was disappointed again, when Quirrell only kissed her goodnight, said Merry Christmas and nothing more. She went to bed, deep in thought. Maybe she should've said something. Maybe she should have been more aggressive and pulled him into her room. Or maybe she should've just left things as they were. She had to now. Quirrell was no doubt, curled up in bed. She suddenly wondered if he was bouncing in his bed and laughed. Then she thought about the wonderful dinner and dance that would take place the following evening. If she could stay in Quirrell's arms for the entire party, that would be perfect. She finally fell asleep, with a smile on her face.
***
Professor Kiernan awoke the next morning and found a small pile of gifts at the foot of her bed. She slipped on her robe then sat down to start opening them. First, she read all the labels. When she came across the one from Quirrell, she set it aside. She would open that one last. From her fellow Professors at Beauxbatons, she received the usual amount of sweets, a bottle of perfume and several assortments of hairpins and barrettes. She put her new things away and settled back down to open the gifts from the Professors at Hogwarts. Dumbledore had bought her a leather- bound journal, with about five pieces of paper in it. She smiled. She had seen these many times before. A lot of students carried them. It was the kind of journal you could never fill up. You could write in it forever and whenever you wanted to look back on anything, you just had to tell the journal the date and the entry would appear. Along with it, Dumbledore had included an Quill pen, made from a white peacock's tail feather.
From Professor McGonagall, she received a brush and comb set with some fancy hair decorations. Madam Hooch bought her a Broomstick Repair Kit, which Professor Kiernan thought was typical of her. The rest of the Professors had bought her earrings, sweets and chocolates. She wasn't surprised that Snape hadn't bought her anything. She didn't care, though.
Finally, she opened the gift from Quirrell. She carefully removed the gold paper and ribbon and found a flat, square shaped, satin box. She lifted the lid and gasped. Inside was a gold necklace with a heart-shaped emerald pendant on it and a matching pair of earrings. The pendant on the necklace had some sort of spell on it, for when she looked into it, she saw herself and Quirrell in it, smiling. She immediately tried the jewelry on. The earrings were a little heavy, but the necklace was beautiful. She went over to the closet and pulled out the green evening gown she had bought to wear at the dance that night. The earrings and necklace would look perfect with the dress. Now she could hardly wait. She put the dress back into the closet and the earrings and necklace back into its box. Then she got dressed and waited for Quirrell to come and pick her up for breakfast.
Her eyes suddenly fell upon a gift she hadn't noticed before. It seemed to blend in with the comforter on her bed. She picked up the package and read the label. It simply said, "Happy Christmas" with no signature. She tore the paper off of it and was surprised to find a bag full of Strawberry Shortcake Flavored Beans, tied at the top with a pink ribbon. It wasn't exactly a small bag. There had to be at least a hundred beans in it.
"This must have cost a fortune!" she exclaimed, wondering who would go through all the trouble of buying hundreds of boxes of beans and picking out only her favorites. It certainly was a very thoughtful gift. But who could it be from? The only people who knew about her Strawberry Shortcake Flavored Bean fetish were Quirrell, Snape, Dumbledore, McGonagall and Professor Argente at Beauxbatons. Quirrell, Dumbledore and McGonagall surely would have signed the label and she knew Snape would never buy her anything. Even if he did, he wouldn't have gone through THAT much trouble or put THAT much thought into it. It had to be Professor Argente, then. Even though she had already opened a gift from him, the label signed and everything, she decided that he probably forgot as he often did and bought her two gifts, forgetting to sign one of them. She put the beans on her desk just as Quirrell came into the room. (She had opened the door once she was dressed).
"Happy Christmas!" he exclaimed, putting his arms around her, then lifting her off of the floor and spinning her around.
"Happy Christmas, yourself," she replied as they kissed warmly.
"I love my new tie and owl!" Quirrell told her, smiling like a Cheshire Cat. "Did you like what I bought you?"
"Alpheus, they're beautiful," she whispered, tears springing to her eyes. She blinked them back, went over to her dresser and opened the satin box again to look at the necklace and earrings. Quirrell took it from her for a moment.
"See, look," said Quirrell, excitedly as he gingerly took the necklace out of the box. "It's a spell. The pendant shows you and your true love in it." He blushed. "Let me put it on you,"
"Actually, I was going to save it until tonight at the dance," she said. "And I think you are going to be rather surprised." She gave him a cunning smile.
"I can't wait," he said. He put the necklace back in the box. "I'm saving my new tie for tonight as well." He handed the box back to her and suddenly gave her a pleading look. "Couldn't you at least wear the earrings to I can show everyone what I bought you?"
Professor Kiernan thought for a moment. She had planned to save those for the evening also, being that they were pretty heavy. She wasn't sure if she could handle wearing them for a whole day, but she didn't want to hurt Quirrell's feelings.
"I don't see why not." she declared and put them on.
"They look beautiful on you." said Quirrell, staring at her intently and with so much desire that Professor Kiernan blushed. They kissed again and left for breakfast.
***
Quirrell was disappointed that Snape hadn't shown-up for breakfast. He wanted to show off what he had bought Professor Kiernan and then ask him what he got for Christmas. He knew very well that Snape probably received only one gift... from Professor Dumbledore who always bought something for everyone. He didn't know that Professor Kiernan had also bought him something.
Throughout the morning, the Professors all talked about their gifts, thanking each other, hugging and shaking hands. Everyone went crazy over Professor Kiernan's emerald earrings, especially the women. And when she told them that she had also received a matching necklace along with it, they simply gawked at her, enviously. Quirrell had never looked more proud.
There wasn't a whole lot to do until the dance that evening. Most of the Professors preoccupied themselves with marking papers and assignments that they would have normally left until the last possible moment. Professor Kiernan decided to do the same thing. She wanted to help Quirrell with his marking, but she knew there was a large pile of essays sitting on Snape's desk in the Potions classroom just waiting to be marked. She decided that she may as well get that finished. Besides, she was also curious to find out if Snape liked what she had bought him.
The door to the Potions Room was unlocked, but Snape wasn't there. It didn't really matter. Surely he'd show up at dinnertime and she could talk to him then. She sat down and started marking the essays, impressed that the students were spelling everything right. About halfway through, her new earrings started to hurt her ears, so she took them off and left them on the edge of Snape's desk. When she headed to her Chamber to dress for the Christmas feast a few hours later, she forgot the earrings.
***
The Christmas Feast had been wonderful and everyone was full. Snape hadn't shown up for dinner, either. She wondered if he had maybe gone to visit someone, but Quirrell told her that he had been in the Great Hall earlier and had taken some food to go.
"He's such a humbug when it comes to Christmas." Quirrell said.
After the feast, some of the teachers left to change their robes for the dance. Professor Kiernan was one of them. She had decided to save her dress for the dance, in case she spilled something on it during dinner. And it was a good thing, too, because Quirrell had been bouncing so much during dinner, he had splattered wine all over her best robes. Plus, she wanted to surprise Quirrell with her beautiful gown and how his gift was a perfect accessory for it. She even received a pair of barrettes from Professor Sinistra that matched perfectly as well. She shivered with excitement and started getting ready.
Quirrell was waiting impatiently for Professor Kiernan in the Great Hall, wearing his dress robes and the new black silk tie that she had bought him. His stomach was doing flip-flops. He couldn't wait to see her in her best robes, wearing the magnificent necklace and earrings he had bought her. But when she suddenly entered the room, he was completely taken aback. She wasn't wearing robes at all. She was wearing a gown. Everyone's mouth dropped open in awe when they saw her.
Professor Kiernan's gown was unlike anything they had ever seen. It was deep green and pure silk with spaghetti straps and a figure-hugging bodice. The skirt fanned out and went down to the floor and it looked enchanted, because all around it in mid-air were golden sparkles. She even had matching silk gloves, the ones that fit halfway up the arm. Then of course, she had on her new emerald necklace.
When she approached Quirrell, he was too startled to say a word.
"You look very beautiful, my dear," Dumbledore was the first to compliment her. "Very beautiful indeed."
She smiled and thanked him. Quirrell had finally managed to close his mouth.
"Madison, you're enchanting," he sighed, dreamily. "Wow, I can't believe it... you're so beautiful. I must be the luckiest man here! No, in the world!" He embraced her and kissed her, his hands roaming all over her back and lower, letting the silky material glide between his fingers. Her body tingled from the contact. He broke the kiss and gazed into her eyes. He studied her every feature.. Her red hair hung in graceful curls around her shoulders and it practically begged him to twist his hands in its depths and feel the fire. He delicately ran his fingers through it, gently pushing it behind one her ears.
"Where are the earrings?" he suddenly asked, wrinkling his brow.
Professor Kiernan remembered where she had left them.
"Oh, shoot!" she exclaimed. "I must've left them on Snape's desk this afternoon when I took them off. I totally forgot about them, I was so excited about the necklace..." She laughed. "I'll go and get them, I'll be right back."
Quirrell watched her leave with a smile on his face. Whether she was facing him or had her back to him, she was still beautiful on every angle.
Professor Kiernan hurried down to the dungeons, her dress swishing along with her. She couldn't believe she had left the earrings on Snape's desk. Once there, she found the door open and Snape was sitting at his desk, marking the papers that she hadn't done yet. She politely knocked on the door to let him know she was there and stepped inside the room. He turned and was fascinated with how beautiful she looked. He quickly let his eyes scan her from top to bottom, but his expression remained serious.
"Can I help you?" he asked, crossing his arms and turning in his chair.
"What are you doing in here?" she demanded, pretending to be surprised. "Why aren't you upstairs in the Great Hall enjoying the party? I haven't seen you all day!"
"I despise parties and dancing and other such foolishness," Snape declared, icily. "I have more important things to do."
"Oh, I get it," Professor Kiernan teased. "You don't have a date. Is that it?"
Snape scowled.
"I assure you that has NOTHING to do with it." he said, picking up his quill pen and continuing to mark the papers.
"Then you must be a terrible dancer." Professor Kiernan persisted.
Snape slammed down his pen and looked at her, annoyed.
"If you came all the way down here just to ask me that -" he began, but she cut him off.
"No, I came down here to get these," She scooped up the earrings she had left on his desk and put them on. "Quirrell bought them for me. Aren't they wonderful?"
"Yes, wonderful Quirrell and his wonderful gifts," Snape retorted, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Are you quite finished?"
Professor Kiernan glared at him.
"Aren't you even going to thank me for the gift I bought you?" she inquired.
"No." Snape replied, frankly.
Professor Kiernan's eyes flashed red as they often did when she was beyond furious. She had obviously wasted her money. She stared at him a moment longer, then stormed out of the room, muttering a "Merry Christmas, Professor". She wasn't going to let Severus Snape spoil her evening.
Snape got up and slammed the classroom door. He reached under the collar of his robes and pulled out the silver chain with the snake on it. He looked at it. He loved it. Nobody had ever bought him anything that nice in his entire life. And of course he wanted to thank her. No, he wanted to REALLY thank her. But he didn't really know HOW to thank her. He couldn't even say it.
***
Professor Kiernan had spent half of the night in Quirrell's arms, until Dumbledore decided to cut in and steal a dance with her. Quirrell pouted.
"Now, Professor Quirrell, it's not fair if you get to have her the whole night," Dumbledore teased him. "I'm sure you can't deny me just one little waltz." His eyes twinkled merrily and Quirrell had to smile. He asked Madam Hooch to dance as Professor Dumbledore danced with Professor Kiernan.
"So how is everything, Madison?" Dumbledore asked, kindly. "I mean since Halloween, how are you doing?"
Professor Kiernan gave him a strange sort of smile.
"I'm still mad at you," she said, but it didn't sound very convincing. "I still disagree with your decision regarding Harry."
Dumbledore smiled and nodded.
"I know you do," he said. "You're not the only one. I know that for a fact. And I also know that you are the only Professor here who has the nerve to say it to my face."
Professor Kiernan was surprised.
"They don't think they can speak freely around you?" she asked.
"I suppose not," Dumbledore answered, with a shrug. "I really don't know."
"Maybe they think you'll hex them," she joked and they laughed.
The waltz ended and Quirrell was back with Professor Kiernan once again. She thanked Dumbledore, but was happy to be back in Quirrell's arms. They danced slow and close. Even to the upbeat music. Her head fit perfectly in the hollow between his shoulder and neck. It felt great to be so close and to be so in love. But all too soon, the party was over. They could've stayed there all night if they wished to, but it was pretty pointless being that everyone else was leaving and heading off to bed. It was past midnight, after all.
Quirrell and Professor Kiernan walked to her chambers, their arms still wrapped around each other. It was like they were glued together. Once they reached the door, they finally let go and faced each other. Quirrell swept her, weightless, into his arms. He held her snugly. She could feel heat radiating from his body and passing through her. Her heart fluttered as he whispered into her hair, his breath like fire on her skin, "I love you."
The words brought tears to her eyes. He released her, slowly, his hands trailing down her arms and over her fingers. At that moment, she closed her hands around his and drew him closer. She stood on tiptoe and kissed him with a hunger that belied her outward calm. She kissed his neck and jaw line and stopped finally to whisper in his ear, "Spend the night with me."
Her invitation, filled with such erotic possibilities had an immediate effect. He had no choice but to comply. His mind was spinning as he followed her into the room and closed the door behind them.
***
End of Chapter Nine
Professor Quirrell was bouncing off the walls by the time Christmas Eve had come. The Professors and only handful of students were sitting down to dinner in the Great Hall. It was beautifully decorated, complete with a Christmas Tree. Professor Kiernan felt like she was at home... everyone was so happy and cheerful. Well, except for Snape. Even though it was almost Christmas, he still did not look happy. And he kept glaring at Quirrell every time he bounced in his seat.
"Alpheus, can't you sit still?" Professor Kiernan asked him for about the tenth time during dinner. Even she was starting to get annoyed with his bouncing.
"I can't help it, I am so excited!" he exclaimed. "Wait until you see what I bought for you! You are going to just love it, I know it!"
"I can be sure of that," she said, smiling.
"And I can't wait to see what you bought for me!" he added.
Professor Kiernan gave him a serious look.
"I'm sorry, I forgot to tell you," she said, looking sad. "But I don't believe in Christmas, therefore I don't celebrate it. So I didn't get you anything. I'm sorry." she finished.
Snape suddenly looked up in complete surprise. She exchanged a sly smile with him as Quirrell suddenly looked like he was about to cry.
"What?" he said, too shocked to say much of anything else.
Professor Kiernan started to laugh and Quirrell was totally confused.
"Oh, really, Alpheus, I was only kidding!" Professor Kiernan assured him and he finally started to laugh. She was certain she saw Snape shaking slightly from laughter he was trying to hide. She was glad she had made him laugh.
Quirrell continued with his bouncing all through dinner and dessert. And he hardly ate anything. He was like a little kid, too excited to do anything at all. Professor Kiernan had to admit it was very cute in a way. She was twirling the gold ring on her pinkie and wondering if Quirrell would ask her to spend the night with him that very evening. After all, it was Christmas Eve. Maybe tonight was the night.
She was disappointed again, when Quirrell only kissed her goodnight, said Merry Christmas and nothing more. She went to bed, deep in thought. Maybe she should've said something. Maybe she should have been more aggressive and pulled him into her room. Or maybe she should've just left things as they were. She had to now. Quirrell was no doubt, curled up in bed. She suddenly wondered if he was bouncing in his bed and laughed. Then she thought about the wonderful dinner and dance that would take place the following evening. If she could stay in Quirrell's arms for the entire party, that would be perfect. She finally fell asleep, with a smile on her face.
***
Professor Kiernan awoke the next morning and found a small pile of gifts at the foot of her bed. She slipped on her robe then sat down to start opening them. First, she read all the labels. When she came across the one from Quirrell, she set it aside. She would open that one last. From her fellow Professors at Beauxbatons, she received the usual amount of sweets, a bottle of perfume and several assortments of hairpins and barrettes. She put her new things away and settled back down to open the gifts from the Professors at Hogwarts. Dumbledore had bought her a leather- bound journal, with about five pieces of paper in it. She smiled. She had seen these many times before. A lot of students carried them. It was the kind of journal you could never fill up. You could write in it forever and whenever you wanted to look back on anything, you just had to tell the journal the date and the entry would appear. Along with it, Dumbledore had included an Quill pen, made from a white peacock's tail feather.
From Professor McGonagall, she received a brush and comb set with some fancy hair decorations. Madam Hooch bought her a Broomstick Repair Kit, which Professor Kiernan thought was typical of her. The rest of the Professors had bought her earrings, sweets and chocolates. She wasn't surprised that Snape hadn't bought her anything. She didn't care, though.
Finally, she opened the gift from Quirrell. She carefully removed the gold paper and ribbon and found a flat, square shaped, satin box. She lifted the lid and gasped. Inside was a gold necklace with a heart-shaped emerald pendant on it and a matching pair of earrings. The pendant on the necklace had some sort of spell on it, for when she looked into it, she saw herself and Quirrell in it, smiling. She immediately tried the jewelry on. The earrings were a little heavy, but the necklace was beautiful. She went over to the closet and pulled out the green evening gown she had bought to wear at the dance that night. The earrings and necklace would look perfect with the dress. Now she could hardly wait. She put the dress back into the closet and the earrings and necklace back into its box. Then she got dressed and waited for Quirrell to come and pick her up for breakfast.
Her eyes suddenly fell upon a gift she hadn't noticed before. It seemed to blend in with the comforter on her bed. She picked up the package and read the label. It simply said, "Happy Christmas" with no signature. She tore the paper off of it and was surprised to find a bag full of Strawberry Shortcake Flavored Beans, tied at the top with a pink ribbon. It wasn't exactly a small bag. There had to be at least a hundred beans in it.
"This must have cost a fortune!" she exclaimed, wondering who would go through all the trouble of buying hundreds of boxes of beans and picking out only her favorites. It certainly was a very thoughtful gift. But who could it be from? The only people who knew about her Strawberry Shortcake Flavored Bean fetish were Quirrell, Snape, Dumbledore, McGonagall and Professor Argente at Beauxbatons. Quirrell, Dumbledore and McGonagall surely would have signed the label and she knew Snape would never buy her anything. Even if he did, he wouldn't have gone through THAT much trouble or put THAT much thought into it. It had to be Professor Argente, then. Even though she had already opened a gift from him, the label signed and everything, she decided that he probably forgot as he often did and bought her two gifts, forgetting to sign one of them. She put the beans on her desk just as Quirrell came into the room. (She had opened the door once she was dressed).
"Happy Christmas!" he exclaimed, putting his arms around her, then lifting her off of the floor and spinning her around.
"Happy Christmas, yourself," she replied as they kissed warmly.
"I love my new tie and owl!" Quirrell told her, smiling like a Cheshire Cat. "Did you like what I bought you?"
"Alpheus, they're beautiful," she whispered, tears springing to her eyes. She blinked them back, went over to her dresser and opened the satin box again to look at the necklace and earrings. Quirrell took it from her for a moment.
"See, look," said Quirrell, excitedly as he gingerly took the necklace out of the box. "It's a spell. The pendant shows you and your true love in it." He blushed. "Let me put it on you,"
"Actually, I was going to save it until tonight at the dance," she said. "And I think you are going to be rather surprised." She gave him a cunning smile.
"I can't wait," he said. He put the necklace back in the box. "I'm saving my new tie for tonight as well." He handed the box back to her and suddenly gave her a pleading look. "Couldn't you at least wear the earrings to I can show everyone what I bought you?"
Professor Kiernan thought for a moment. She had planned to save those for the evening also, being that they were pretty heavy. She wasn't sure if she could handle wearing them for a whole day, but she didn't want to hurt Quirrell's feelings.
"I don't see why not." she declared and put them on.
"They look beautiful on you." said Quirrell, staring at her intently and with so much desire that Professor Kiernan blushed. They kissed again and left for breakfast.
***
Quirrell was disappointed that Snape hadn't shown-up for breakfast. He wanted to show off what he had bought Professor Kiernan and then ask him what he got for Christmas. He knew very well that Snape probably received only one gift... from Professor Dumbledore who always bought something for everyone. He didn't know that Professor Kiernan had also bought him something.
Throughout the morning, the Professors all talked about their gifts, thanking each other, hugging and shaking hands. Everyone went crazy over Professor Kiernan's emerald earrings, especially the women. And when she told them that she had also received a matching necklace along with it, they simply gawked at her, enviously. Quirrell had never looked more proud.
There wasn't a whole lot to do until the dance that evening. Most of the Professors preoccupied themselves with marking papers and assignments that they would have normally left until the last possible moment. Professor Kiernan decided to do the same thing. She wanted to help Quirrell with his marking, but she knew there was a large pile of essays sitting on Snape's desk in the Potions classroom just waiting to be marked. She decided that she may as well get that finished. Besides, she was also curious to find out if Snape liked what she had bought him.
The door to the Potions Room was unlocked, but Snape wasn't there. It didn't really matter. Surely he'd show up at dinnertime and she could talk to him then. She sat down and started marking the essays, impressed that the students were spelling everything right. About halfway through, her new earrings started to hurt her ears, so she took them off and left them on the edge of Snape's desk. When she headed to her Chamber to dress for the Christmas feast a few hours later, she forgot the earrings.
***
The Christmas Feast had been wonderful and everyone was full. Snape hadn't shown up for dinner, either. She wondered if he had maybe gone to visit someone, but Quirrell told her that he had been in the Great Hall earlier and had taken some food to go.
"He's such a humbug when it comes to Christmas." Quirrell said.
After the feast, some of the teachers left to change their robes for the dance. Professor Kiernan was one of them. She had decided to save her dress for the dance, in case she spilled something on it during dinner. And it was a good thing, too, because Quirrell had been bouncing so much during dinner, he had splattered wine all over her best robes. Plus, she wanted to surprise Quirrell with her beautiful gown and how his gift was a perfect accessory for it. She even received a pair of barrettes from Professor Sinistra that matched perfectly as well. She shivered with excitement and started getting ready.
Quirrell was waiting impatiently for Professor Kiernan in the Great Hall, wearing his dress robes and the new black silk tie that she had bought him. His stomach was doing flip-flops. He couldn't wait to see her in her best robes, wearing the magnificent necklace and earrings he had bought her. But when she suddenly entered the room, he was completely taken aback. She wasn't wearing robes at all. She was wearing a gown. Everyone's mouth dropped open in awe when they saw her.
Professor Kiernan's gown was unlike anything they had ever seen. It was deep green and pure silk with spaghetti straps and a figure-hugging bodice. The skirt fanned out and went down to the floor and it looked enchanted, because all around it in mid-air were golden sparkles. She even had matching silk gloves, the ones that fit halfway up the arm. Then of course, she had on her new emerald necklace.
When she approached Quirrell, he was too startled to say a word.
"You look very beautiful, my dear," Dumbledore was the first to compliment her. "Very beautiful indeed."
She smiled and thanked him. Quirrell had finally managed to close his mouth.
"Madison, you're enchanting," he sighed, dreamily. "Wow, I can't believe it... you're so beautiful. I must be the luckiest man here! No, in the world!" He embraced her and kissed her, his hands roaming all over her back and lower, letting the silky material glide between his fingers. Her body tingled from the contact. He broke the kiss and gazed into her eyes. He studied her every feature.. Her red hair hung in graceful curls around her shoulders and it practically begged him to twist his hands in its depths and feel the fire. He delicately ran his fingers through it, gently pushing it behind one her ears.
"Where are the earrings?" he suddenly asked, wrinkling his brow.
Professor Kiernan remembered where she had left them.
"Oh, shoot!" she exclaimed. "I must've left them on Snape's desk this afternoon when I took them off. I totally forgot about them, I was so excited about the necklace..." She laughed. "I'll go and get them, I'll be right back."
Quirrell watched her leave with a smile on his face. Whether she was facing him or had her back to him, she was still beautiful on every angle.
Professor Kiernan hurried down to the dungeons, her dress swishing along with her. She couldn't believe she had left the earrings on Snape's desk. Once there, she found the door open and Snape was sitting at his desk, marking the papers that she hadn't done yet. She politely knocked on the door to let him know she was there and stepped inside the room. He turned and was fascinated with how beautiful she looked. He quickly let his eyes scan her from top to bottom, but his expression remained serious.
"Can I help you?" he asked, crossing his arms and turning in his chair.
"What are you doing in here?" she demanded, pretending to be surprised. "Why aren't you upstairs in the Great Hall enjoying the party? I haven't seen you all day!"
"I despise parties and dancing and other such foolishness," Snape declared, icily. "I have more important things to do."
"Oh, I get it," Professor Kiernan teased. "You don't have a date. Is that it?"
Snape scowled.
"I assure you that has NOTHING to do with it." he said, picking up his quill pen and continuing to mark the papers.
"Then you must be a terrible dancer." Professor Kiernan persisted.
Snape slammed down his pen and looked at her, annoyed.
"If you came all the way down here just to ask me that -" he began, but she cut him off.
"No, I came down here to get these," She scooped up the earrings she had left on his desk and put them on. "Quirrell bought them for me. Aren't they wonderful?"
"Yes, wonderful Quirrell and his wonderful gifts," Snape retorted, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Are you quite finished?"
Professor Kiernan glared at him.
"Aren't you even going to thank me for the gift I bought you?" she inquired.
"No." Snape replied, frankly.
Professor Kiernan's eyes flashed red as they often did when she was beyond furious. She had obviously wasted her money. She stared at him a moment longer, then stormed out of the room, muttering a "Merry Christmas, Professor". She wasn't going to let Severus Snape spoil her evening.
Snape got up and slammed the classroom door. He reached under the collar of his robes and pulled out the silver chain with the snake on it. He looked at it. He loved it. Nobody had ever bought him anything that nice in his entire life. And of course he wanted to thank her. No, he wanted to REALLY thank her. But he didn't really know HOW to thank her. He couldn't even say it.
***
Professor Kiernan had spent half of the night in Quirrell's arms, until Dumbledore decided to cut in and steal a dance with her. Quirrell pouted.
"Now, Professor Quirrell, it's not fair if you get to have her the whole night," Dumbledore teased him. "I'm sure you can't deny me just one little waltz." His eyes twinkled merrily and Quirrell had to smile. He asked Madam Hooch to dance as Professor Dumbledore danced with Professor Kiernan.
"So how is everything, Madison?" Dumbledore asked, kindly. "I mean since Halloween, how are you doing?"
Professor Kiernan gave him a strange sort of smile.
"I'm still mad at you," she said, but it didn't sound very convincing. "I still disagree with your decision regarding Harry."
Dumbledore smiled and nodded.
"I know you do," he said. "You're not the only one. I know that for a fact. And I also know that you are the only Professor here who has the nerve to say it to my face."
Professor Kiernan was surprised.
"They don't think they can speak freely around you?" she asked.
"I suppose not," Dumbledore answered, with a shrug. "I really don't know."
"Maybe they think you'll hex them," she joked and they laughed.
The waltz ended and Quirrell was back with Professor Kiernan once again. She thanked Dumbledore, but was happy to be back in Quirrell's arms. They danced slow and close. Even to the upbeat music. Her head fit perfectly in the hollow between his shoulder and neck. It felt great to be so close and to be so in love. But all too soon, the party was over. They could've stayed there all night if they wished to, but it was pretty pointless being that everyone else was leaving and heading off to bed. It was past midnight, after all.
Quirrell and Professor Kiernan walked to her chambers, their arms still wrapped around each other. It was like they were glued together. Once they reached the door, they finally let go and faced each other. Quirrell swept her, weightless, into his arms. He held her snugly. She could feel heat radiating from his body and passing through her. Her heart fluttered as he whispered into her hair, his breath like fire on her skin, "I love you."
The words brought tears to her eyes. He released her, slowly, his hands trailing down her arms and over her fingers. At that moment, she closed her hands around his and drew him closer. She stood on tiptoe and kissed him with a hunger that belied her outward calm. She kissed his neck and jaw line and stopped finally to whisper in his ear, "Spend the night with me."
Her invitation, filled with such erotic possibilities had an immediate effect. He had no choice but to comply. His mind was spinning as he followed her into the room and closed the door behind them.
***
End of Chapter Nine
-
LadySnape - Fully Qualified Witch and Wife of Severus
- Posts: 355
- Joined: Friday 2 August 2002 1:00:00am
- Location: Snape Manor
by LadySnape » Thursday 1 January 1970 1:00:00am
Chapter Ten: Beans
When Professor Kiernan awoke, it took her a moment to focus. When she did, the previous evening's events filled her mind and she smiled. The gifts on Christmas Morning, the long afternoon of marking essays and assignments, the delicious Christmas Feast, the look on everyone's face when they saw her gown, her conversation with Snape, the dance and then spending the entire night and most of the following morning making love with Quirrell, over and over again. He had taken her to new places, new heights... had done things to her that she had only dreamed or read about. And she returned the favor more and more as the night went on and slowly unrolled into morning. She never knew it could be like that. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced. Quirrell was her first and she had a feeling that he would be her only. Forever.
Professor Kiernan realized then that she was in his arms, her head resting on the taut smoothness of his shoulder. She could hear his heart beating and felt the gentle rise and fall of his chest as he slept peacefully. She raised her chin to look at him and she smiled when he began to stir. He also took a moment to focus and then returned her smile and kissed her forehead.
"Good morning, Pretty Lady," he whispered, his blue eyes sparkling affectionately.
"Morning," she replied and raised her head to kiss him tenderly on the lips. Then she turned to look at the clock. "It's already past eleven," she told him, absently. "We missed breakfast."
Quirrell just kept right-on smiling. He really didn't care. At that moment, he only cared about her. They kissed once again and she rested contentedly against the warm lines of his body. It felt so good and Quirrell suddenly felt a need for her again. A need he had felt many times the night before. A need only she could fulfill.
He ran his hand exquisitely over her body, first stroking her face and hair and then moving down her arms and down her legs as far as he could reach. She shivered with delight.
"Madison," he whispered and she looked at him. He had a lustful look in his eyes. "Do you think anyone would care if we missed lunch, too?"
She giggled and pulled the covers over their heads. Together they found the tempo that bound their bodies together.
***
It was close to two in the afternoon when Quirrell and Professor Kiernan finally emerged from her bedroom. Flushed and out of energy, they decided to get dressed and see if they could rustle up something to eat. Surely the house-elves wouldn't mind throwing together a few sandwiches for them.
Quirrell only had his dress robes to wear, so they headed to his room once Professor Kiernan was dressed and changed into casual robes. Then they headed to the Great Hall. They were alone, except for a few students who were sitting around, snacking, reading the paper and playing chess. Professor Kiernan and Quirrell found a few plates with sandwiches and toast on them and a pitcher of Iced-Pumpkin juice, along with two glasses. There was a note there as well:
"Missed you at lunch. Enjoy when you are ready."
The word breakfast had been crossed out and 'lunch' had been written above it. They both laughed and enjoyed a nice, quiet lunch.
This was how it went for the remainder of the Christmas Holidays. Professor Kiernan and Quirrell spent every night together, sometimes in her room, other times in his. They were almost always late for breakfast, or sometimes didn't turn up until lunchtime. Nobody objected... they all saw what was blossoming into something long-term and they started wondering not if, but WHEN Quirrell was going to propose.
Quirrell hadn't given marriage much thought. He was more worried about Professor Kiernan becoming pregnant. Something like that was bound to happen, what with all their nighttime activities. When he mentioned it to her, she just laughed and showed him the gold ring on her pinkie.
"Do you honestly think that I would continue like this without protection?" she said. "I thought about getting a charm the very first night you asked me to stay with you."
Quirrell smiled and was impressed. She wasn't stupid. And she wasn't going to trap him into something unexpected like that. His mind was put to ease.
It was the first day back to classes after the Holidays and the students were restless, chatting about their amazing gifts and trips and family reunions. Their minds certainly were not on homework. It didn't matter. The Professors piled it on anyway. Professor Kiernan was even finding it hard to keep her mind on her work. Despite her busy schedule, thoughts of Quirrell intruded into her day. She knew that now they would only be able to spend the night together on weekends. They couldn't be late for classes, because Dumbledore would surely have something to say about that. Waiting until the weekend just increased their hunger for each other.
When the last class of the day arrived, Potions with the First-Year Gryffindor and Slytherin students, Professor Kiernan forced herself to keep her mind on her work. She didn't want to give Snape an excuse to grumble at her. He still hadn't thanked her for the gift, which hurt a lot, even though she had already asked him if he was going to on Christmas, and he had barked, "NO." He wasn't even wearing it. At least, she didn't think so. Snape WAS wearing it. He had started wearing the chain since the day he received it. But he kept it under his collar so nobody, especially Professor Kiernan, could see it.
The class was busy working on a Shrinking Solution when Professor Kiernan decided to restock the ingredient cupboard.
"You should've thought of doing that during the Holidays," Snape told her, smirking. "Instead of satisfying some absurd desire every damn night."
Professor Kiernan glared at him, her eyes flashing red. Nobody in the class had heard, but there was still no reason for him to make it a public announcement. It didn't bother her that he knew - he had come knocking on her bedroom door one morning and demanded that she assisted him in marking the rest of the assignments. When she had opened the door, wearing her bathrobe, he had seen Quirrell in her bed, the sheets barely covering his lower half. She told him, defiantly that she would be there right away and slammed the door in his face. Snape left, unsure of how he was feeling after seeing what he saw. He felt angry and there was a very uncomfortable knot forming in his chest. He wasn't jealous, was he?
"The cupboard didn't need to be filled then," Professor Kiernan said. "I came down here and checked twice during the holidays while YOU were off satisfying some absurd desire!" she snapped, and headed to the opposite side of the room where the spare ingredients and bottles were kept.
Snape actually enjoyed this little game of attacking each other. He enjoyed how uncomfortable she became when he mentioned something about her and Quirrell's relationship. And he looked forward to hearing what sort of comment she would throw back at him. It actually surprised him.
Snape watched her walk across the room to the storage closet and suddenly remembered something. His face went whiter and it was too late to call her back. She turned the handle on the door and Snape cried in horror, "No! Never mind! We don't need-"
Professor Kiernan had already opened the door and the room was dead silent. It was like an explosion. Hundreds, maybe thousands of boxes of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans came flying out of the storage closet in every direction. Some boxes opened and multi-colored beans spilled all over the classroom floor. Professor Kiernan was so shocked at the explosion of beans, that she fell over and after everything had burst out of the room, she was sitting waist-deep in boxes and beans. The class just stared. Snape's face was no longer white. Professor Kiernan looked at him, with her mouth hanging open in surprise and he had turned beet red. She had never seen him that color before.
Some of the Slytherin students quickly got up and asked Snape if he wanted help cleaning up the mess.
"Just get out!" he shouted at them. "Everybody OUT!"
Within minutes, the students were gone. Professor Kiernan was still sitting on the floor, looking around in amazement at the mess. Snape looked outraged. He ran his hands through his hair harshly, pulling so hard that several clumps came out in his hands. How could he have been so stupid? He had meant to get rid of those days ago, right after Christmas. But he had forgotten and now she knew.
Professor Kiernan was having a hard time taking it in. So the beans had been from Snape? It was too unbelievable to be true. Snape had spent a fortune on pointless candy that he hated, just to pick out her favorite flavor and give her a gift? She tried hard to understand but she could not make heads or tails out of any of it. Professor McGonagall had told her that Snape never bought anyone anything. So why had he bothered for her? And to go through so much trouble...
Professor Kiernan finally got up and brushed off her robes. She took another look around the room, just to be sure that what had happened HAD actually happened. Then she looked at Snape. The redness had faded somewhat, but he still looked embarrassed. And for once, he couldn't bare to look her in the eye.
She approached him, cautiously, unsure of what to say or do. Unsure of what he was going to say or do. She was suddenly anxious to escape from his disturbing presence. But it was too silent and it made her very uneasy.
"Professor," she began, at a loss for words. "Ummmm..." She shifted her weight from one foot to the other.
"You know, I really wish you would've come to the dance," she said, changing her train of thought. "After this, I am sure I could've saved you a dance."
Snape looked at her with no emotion.
"I can't dance." he declared, through clenched teeth. All he could think about was how much he hated Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. And now, more than ever.
Professor Kiernan no longer cared about the beans. Instead she took a step back and looked Snape up and down, as if measuring him up. This made him very uncomfortable, but he kept his expression serious. She then took a few steps closer and reached out, suddenly lacing his fingers with her own. His fingers were cool and smooth as they touched hers. He suddenly had the wildest urge to jump back and pull away. But he didn't.
Professor Kiernan stepped back again, still holding his hands. She then proceeded to shake his arms several times, as if trying to shake dusk off of him. She dropped his hands and they fell loosely at his side.
"There," she said, satisfied. "Now let's see just how bad of a dancer you are."
Snape swallowed hard and started to tremble as she waved her wand and filled the room with slow, soft music. His breath caught in his throat when she took his hands and placed them on her waist, then put her hands delicately on his shoulders. She felt his muscles tense suddenly under her fingertips.
"The only thing you need to do is follow what your partner does," she told him, her breath hot on his face. She started to move and sway with the melody, forcing him to do the same.
"Just relax," she coaxed him. "Let the music flow through you."
Snape complied, hardly believing that he was actually enjoying this. Now he wished more than ever that he HAD gone to the dance.
Without his knowledge, Professor Kiernan had switched their positions, so that Snape was now leading. His powerful, well-muscled body moved with easy grace. He looked everywhere but straight into her eyes. He couldn't, afraid he would become trapped by them.
The music soothed him and he started to relax under her fingers. Then Professor Kiernan had somehow managed to capture his eyes with her own. He found himself looking into her beautiful green eyes. She was smiling and nodding in approval. She regarded him for a moment. His black hair gleamed in the dim light of the dungeon. One lock fell a little forward onto his head. His fair skin magnified the inky blackness of his eyes. And... could it be?... the beginning of a smile tipped the corners of his mouth.
"See?" she said, gently. "Anyone can dance, Severus."
Drops of moisture clung to his damp forehead. His heart flipped over when she said his name. His name had never sounded so wonderful. His pulse was racing, his heart was hammering against his rib cage and a voice was screaming at him to stop. This was wrong. It felt so damn exhilarating, that it had to be wrong. Snape felt his pants tighten suddenly and he nearly fainted. His emotions were on a roller coaster. He felt dizzy and suddenly felt his knees start to buckle from beneath him. Struggling to regain control and desperately trying to ignore the tightness below his waist, he pulled away. He shook his head to sweep the hair out of his face and gave Professor Kiernan a sidewards glance.
"You're gift was..." he took a deep breath. "very thoughtful." He finished, exhaling heavily.
Professor Kiernan was genuinely surprised. Even though she didn't know that he was wearing the chain, she was glad that he had at least seen it and been a little touched by it.
"Thank you for the beans," she said, smiling. She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. "Severus." she finished. She left the room and Snape closed his eyes as he put his hand to his cheek. It burned from the touch of her lips. Her powerful smack from months ago had just been replaced by a delicate kiss. Snape finally gave in to the weakness in his knees and slumped to the floor, beans sliding out from beneath his weight and scurrying across the floor. He tried to make sense of what had just happened and he could only think of one thing to say:
"I hate you, Alpheus Quirrell."
***
End of Chapter Ten
When Professor Kiernan awoke, it took her a moment to focus. When she did, the previous evening's events filled her mind and she smiled. The gifts on Christmas Morning, the long afternoon of marking essays and assignments, the delicious Christmas Feast, the look on everyone's face when they saw her gown, her conversation with Snape, the dance and then spending the entire night and most of the following morning making love with Quirrell, over and over again. He had taken her to new places, new heights... had done things to her that she had only dreamed or read about. And she returned the favor more and more as the night went on and slowly unrolled into morning. She never knew it could be like that. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced. Quirrell was her first and she had a feeling that he would be her only. Forever.
Professor Kiernan realized then that she was in his arms, her head resting on the taut smoothness of his shoulder. She could hear his heart beating and felt the gentle rise and fall of his chest as he slept peacefully. She raised her chin to look at him and she smiled when he began to stir. He also took a moment to focus and then returned her smile and kissed her forehead.
"Good morning, Pretty Lady," he whispered, his blue eyes sparkling affectionately.
"Morning," she replied and raised her head to kiss him tenderly on the lips. Then she turned to look at the clock. "It's already past eleven," she told him, absently. "We missed breakfast."
Quirrell just kept right-on smiling. He really didn't care. At that moment, he only cared about her. They kissed once again and she rested contentedly against the warm lines of his body. It felt so good and Quirrell suddenly felt a need for her again. A need he had felt many times the night before. A need only she could fulfill.
He ran his hand exquisitely over her body, first stroking her face and hair and then moving down her arms and down her legs as far as he could reach. She shivered with delight.
"Madison," he whispered and she looked at him. He had a lustful look in his eyes. "Do you think anyone would care if we missed lunch, too?"
She giggled and pulled the covers over their heads. Together they found the tempo that bound their bodies together.
***
It was close to two in the afternoon when Quirrell and Professor Kiernan finally emerged from her bedroom. Flushed and out of energy, they decided to get dressed and see if they could rustle up something to eat. Surely the house-elves wouldn't mind throwing together a few sandwiches for them.
Quirrell only had his dress robes to wear, so they headed to his room once Professor Kiernan was dressed and changed into casual robes. Then they headed to the Great Hall. They were alone, except for a few students who were sitting around, snacking, reading the paper and playing chess. Professor Kiernan and Quirrell found a few plates with sandwiches and toast on them and a pitcher of Iced-Pumpkin juice, along with two glasses. There was a note there as well:
"Missed you at lunch. Enjoy when you are ready."
The word breakfast had been crossed out and 'lunch' had been written above it. They both laughed and enjoyed a nice, quiet lunch.
This was how it went for the remainder of the Christmas Holidays. Professor Kiernan and Quirrell spent every night together, sometimes in her room, other times in his. They were almost always late for breakfast, or sometimes didn't turn up until lunchtime. Nobody objected... they all saw what was blossoming into something long-term and they started wondering not if, but WHEN Quirrell was going to propose.
Quirrell hadn't given marriage much thought. He was more worried about Professor Kiernan becoming pregnant. Something like that was bound to happen, what with all their nighttime activities. When he mentioned it to her, she just laughed and showed him the gold ring on her pinkie.
"Do you honestly think that I would continue like this without protection?" she said. "I thought about getting a charm the very first night you asked me to stay with you."
Quirrell smiled and was impressed. She wasn't stupid. And she wasn't going to trap him into something unexpected like that. His mind was put to ease.
It was the first day back to classes after the Holidays and the students were restless, chatting about their amazing gifts and trips and family reunions. Their minds certainly were not on homework. It didn't matter. The Professors piled it on anyway. Professor Kiernan was even finding it hard to keep her mind on her work. Despite her busy schedule, thoughts of Quirrell intruded into her day. She knew that now they would only be able to spend the night together on weekends. They couldn't be late for classes, because Dumbledore would surely have something to say about that. Waiting until the weekend just increased their hunger for each other.
When the last class of the day arrived, Potions with the First-Year Gryffindor and Slytherin students, Professor Kiernan forced herself to keep her mind on her work. She didn't want to give Snape an excuse to grumble at her. He still hadn't thanked her for the gift, which hurt a lot, even though she had already asked him if he was going to on Christmas, and he had barked, "NO." He wasn't even wearing it. At least, she didn't think so. Snape WAS wearing it. He had started wearing the chain since the day he received it. But he kept it under his collar so nobody, especially Professor Kiernan, could see it.
The class was busy working on a Shrinking Solution when Professor Kiernan decided to restock the ingredient cupboard.
"You should've thought of doing that during the Holidays," Snape told her, smirking. "Instead of satisfying some absurd desire every damn night."
Professor Kiernan glared at him, her eyes flashing red. Nobody in the class had heard, but there was still no reason for him to make it a public announcement. It didn't bother her that he knew - he had come knocking on her bedroom door one morning and demanded that she assisted him in marking the rest of the assignments. When she had opened the door, wearing her bathrobe, he had seen Quirrell in her bed, the sheets barely covering his lower half. She told him, defiantly that she would be there right away and slammed the door in his face. Snape left, unsure of how he was feeling after seeing what he saw. He felt angry and there was a very uncomfortable knot forming in his chest. He wasn't jealous, was he?
"The cupboard didn't need to be filled then," Professor Kiernan said. "I came down here and checked twice during the holidays while YOU were off satisfying some absurd desire!" she snapped, and headed to the opposite side of the room where the spare ingredients and bottles were kept.
Snape actually enjoyed this little game of attacking each other. He enjoyed how uncomfortable she became when he mentioned something about her and Quirrell's relationship. And he looked forward to hearing what sort of comment she would throw back at him. It actually surprised him.
Snape watched her walk across the room to the storage closet and suddenly remembered something. His face went whiter and it was too late to call her back. She turned the handle on the door and Snape cried in horror, "No! Never mind! We don't need-"
Professor Kiernan had already opened the door and the room was dead silent. It was like an explosion. Hundreds, maybe thousands of boxes of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans came flying out of the storage closet in every direction. Some boxes opened and multi-colored beans spilled all over the classroom floor. Professor Kiernan was so shocked at the explosion of beans, that she fell over and after everything had burst out of the room, she was sitting waist-deep in boxes and beans. The class just stared. Snape's face was no longer white. Professor Kiernan looked at him, with her mouth hanging open in surprise and he had turned beet red. She had never seen him that color before.
Some of the Slytherin students quickly got up and asked Snape if he wanted help cleaning up the mess.
"Just get out!" he shouted at them. "Everybody OUT!"
Within minutes, the students were gone. Professor Kiernan was still sitting on the floor, looking around in amazement at the mess. Snape looked outraged. He ran his hands through his hair harshly, pulling so hard that several clumps came out in his hands. How could he have been so stupid? He had meant to get rid of those days ago, right after Christmas. But he had forgotten and now she knew.
Professor Kiernan was having a hard time taking it in. So the beans had been from Snape? It was too unbelievable to be true. Snape had spent a fortune on pointless candy that he hated, just to pick out her favorite flavor and give her a gift? She tried hard to understand but she could not make heads or tails out of any of it. Professor McGonagall had told her that Snape never bought anyone anything. So why had he bothered for her? And to go through so much trouble...
Professor Kiernan finally got up and brushed off her robes. She took another look around the room, just to be sure that what had happened HAD actually happened. Then she looked at Snape. The redness had faded somewhat, but he still looked embarrassed. And for once, he couldn't bare to look her in the eye.
She approached him, cautiously, unsure of what to say or do. Unsure of what he was going to say or do. She was suddenly anxious to escape from his disturbing presence. But it was too silent and it made her very uneasy.
"Professor," she began, at a loss for words. "Ummmm..." She shifted her weight from one foot to the other.
"You know, I really wish you would've come to the dance," she said, changing her train of thought. "After this, I am sure I could've saved you a dance."
Snape looked at her with no emotion.
"I can't dance." he declared, through clenched teeth. All he could think about was how much he hated Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. And now, more than ever.
Professor Kiernan no longer cared about the beans. Instead she took a step back and looked Snape up and down, as if measuring him up. This made him very uncomfortable, but he kept his expression serious. She then took a few steps closer and reached out, suddenly lacing his fingers with her own. His fingers were cool and smooth as they touched hers. He suddenly had the wildest urge to jump back and pull away. But he didn't.
Professor Kiernan stepped back again, still holding his hands. She then proceeded to shake his arms several times, as if trying to shake dusk off of him. She dropped his hands and they fell loosely at his side.
"There," she said, satisfied. "Now let's see just how bad of a dancer you are."
Snape swallowed hard and started to tremble as she waved her wand and filled the room with slow, soft music. His breath caught in his throat when she took his hands and placed them on her waist, then put her hands delicately on his shoulders. She felt his muscles tense suddenly under her fingertips.
"The only thing you need to do is follow what your partner does," she told him, her breath hot on his face. She started to move and sway with the melody, forcing him to do the same.
"Just relax," she coaxed him. "Let the music flow through you."
Snape complied, hardly believing that he was actually enjoying this. Now he wished more than ever that he HAD gone to the dance.
Without his knowledge, Professor Kiernan had switched their positions, so that Snape was now leading. His powerful, well-muscled body moved with easy grace. He looked everywhere but straight into her eyes. He couldn't, afraid he would become trapped by them.
The music soothed him and he started to relax under her fingers. Then Professor Kiernan had somehow managed to capture his eyes with her own. He found himself looking into her beautiful green eyes. She was smiling and nodding in approval. She regarded him for a moment. His black hair gleamed in the dim light of the dungeon. One lock fell a little forward onto his head. His fair skin magnified the inky blackness of his eyes. And... could it be?... the beginning of a smile tipped the corners of his mouth.
"See?" she said, gently. "Anyone can dance, Severus."
Drops of moisture clung to his damp forehead. His heart flipped over when she said his name. His name had never sounded so wonderful. His pulse was racing, his heart was hammering against his rib cage and a voice was screaming at him to stop. This was wrong. It felt so damn exhilarating, that it had to be wrong. Snape felt his pants tighten suddenly and he nearly fainted. His emotions were on a roller coaster. He felt dizzy and suddenly felt his knees start to buckle from beneath him. Struggling to regain control and desperately trying to ignore the tightness below his waist, he pulled away. He shook his head to sweep the hair out of his face and gave Professor Kiernan a sidewards glance.
"You're gift was..." he took a deep breath. "very thoughtful." He finished, exhaling heavily.
Professor Kiernan was genuinely surprised. Even though she didn't know that he was wearing the chain, she was glad that he had at least seen it and been a little touched by it.
"Thank you for the beans," she said, smiling. She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. "Severus." she finished. She left the room and Snape closed his eyes as he put his hand to his cheek. It burned from the touch of her lips. Her powerful smack from months ago had just been replaced by a delicate kiss. Snape finally gave in to the weakness in his knees and slumped to the floor, beans sliding out from beneath his weight and scurrying across the floor. He tried to make sense of what had just happened and he could only think of one thing to say:
"I hate you, Alpheus Quirrell."
***
End of Chapter Ten
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LadySnape - Fully Qualified Witch and Wife of Severus
- Posts: 355
- Joined: Friday 2 August 2002 1:00:00am
- Location: Snape Manor
by Quicksilver » Thursday 1 January 1970 1:00:00am
That was one of the goddamn best fics I have ever read in my life!!!!!!
Are you JK Rowling in disguise or something? Cause I must say, if not she has a rival. It's so.....I don't even know how to describe it! Oh pleeeeeez post it on my site! Pleeeeaaaassseee!!!!!!!!
Are you JK Rowling in disguise or something? Cause I must say, if not she has a rival. It's so.....I don't even know how to describe it! Oh pleeeeeez post it on my site! Pleeeeaaaassseee!!!!!!!!
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Quicksilver - Ravenclaw Beater
- Posts: 428
- Joined: Friday 28 June 2002 1:00:00am
- Location: The Unexplored Forbidden Forest
by LadySnape » Thursday 1 January 1970 1:00:00am
Okay, I shall post it on your site. But that is not the whole story. So far there are 17 Chapters done. I have yet to finish it... when it is done, it will be 20 Chapters long. And thanks for the wonderful compliments!! I'm blushing!!!
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LadySnape - Fully Qualified Witch and Wife of Severus
- Posts: 355
- Joined: Friday 2 August 2002 1:00:00am
- Location: Snape Manor
by LadySnape » Thursday 1 January 1970 1:00:00am
Chapter Eleven: Moving In
Professor Kiernan had wanted to tell Quirrell about the Bean Incident in Potions Class at dinner, but she couldn't. Snape was there. Even though he had his head down and avoided eye contact with everyone, she knew he was listening to their conversation. So she decided to prepare a special surprise for Quirrell.
"Come up to my room after dinner," she said to Quirrell, her lips curving upward into a mischievous smile.
"It's a school night, Madison," Quirrell reminded her. "I thought we agreed not to-"
"Just come up to my room after," she insisted. "I have a surprise for you."
Quirrell shrugged and finally agreed. It wasn't like he could resist those beautiful eyes, anyway. She finished dinner quickly, told Quirrell to come to her room in an hour and went straight there to prepare her surprise. Once she was in her room, she changed into her purple silk bathrobe, pulled her hair back into a tight bun, and went into the adjoining bathroom, her wand in hand. Smiling, she waved her wand and made the bathtub big enough for two people to sit in. Then she said "Aquaticus!" and the tub instantly filled with hot water, steam rising out of it. She dipped a toe in to test the water and it was perfect.
"Now for the final touch," she said and took a few bottles of scented bubble bath off of a nearby shelf. She took the caps off of each one and sniffed them all. She finally decided on a scent called "Fruity Fantasy". She squeezed a few drops into the water and the lovely scented bubbles appeared, floating lazily over the water. It was the perfect scene. Now, a bath drawn by a witch or wizard wasn't like an ordinary bath. The water stayed the same temperature for as long as one wanted it to. When bubbles were added, they stayed full and didn't disappear into the water.
Professor Kiernan then hung some towels on the nearby towel rack, put a fresh bar of soap in the soap dish and waited for Quirrell to arrive. Moments later, there was a knock at the door.
"Come in!" she called and in stepped Quirrell, the love of her life, holding a yellow rose. He handed it to her and kissed her, wrapping his arms around her thin waist and pulling her full against his body.
"So what's this big surprise you have for me?" he whispered, gently nibbling on her ear.
Professor Kiernan smiled and led Quirrell into the bathroom. His eyes grew wide and he beamed.
"How would you like to have a nice hot bath with me?" she inquired, even though she knew he would not object.
And he didn't. Within moments, he was undressed and in the tub, waiting for her to join him. She was just about to unsash her robe, when there was a knock at the door. They both frowned.
"Now who could that be?" she demanded, slipping her feet into a pair of slippers and heading for the door. "I'll be right back, don't do anything without me." She said, winking at Quirrell.
"I wouldn't dream of it," he called after her and leaned back, resting his head on the edge of the tub and immediately relaxing.
Professor Kiernan opened the door and found Snape standing there, looking as nasty as ever. She scowled at him. His eyes raked boldly over her, taking notice to how short her silk bathrobe was and smiling inwardly.
"What do YOU want?" she inquired sharply.
"There are some assignments to be marked," he answered halfheartedly.
"I'm a little busy right now," she informed him and was about to slam the door in his face, but Snape grabbed it and held it open.
"Busy doing WHAT?" he demanded, his face becoming a marble effigy of contempt.
Professor Kiernan's eyes flashed red as Snape smirked at her. She gave him a cheeky grin.
"Well, as YOU so boldly put it," she answered, mocking him, "I am satisfying an absurd desire." She yanked the door out of his hand and slammed it in his face, missing his nose by only centimeters. Then he heard her turn the lock. His temper flaring, he stormed down the hallway. He knew Quirrell was in that room somewhere. And how he hated thinking it, even though it seemed that Professor Kiernan's feelings for him hadn't changed, despite the dance lesson or the beans. Snape felt utterly defeated. It was no use. Quirrell had her and that was that. He didn't stand a chance.
Back in her bathroom, Professor Kiernan was lowering herself into the tub next to Quirrell, sliding down into the water until she was submerged to her chin. As soon as she did, Quirrell felt heat and blood rush to the most intimate parts of his body. He nervously cleared his throat as Professor Kiernan gestured for him to come and sit in front of her. He obeyed and sat with his back to her. She took the bar of soap and soaped up her hands, rubbing them together to work up a good lather. Then she placed her hands on the nape of his neck and began gently stroking, letting her soapy hands glide over and all around it. Quirrell sighed as her fingers and hands worked their magic.
"So what did Severus want?" Quirrell asked, as her hands moved down his back and up again.
"He said there were some assignments to mark," Professor Kiernan replied.
"Since when does he want your help so badly?" Quirrell snorted.
"I don't know," she said. "He's really starting to get on my nerves, more so than before. You'll never believe what happened in Potions this afternoon." Professor Kiernan went on to explain about the mystery gift she had received on Christmas, the explosion of beans from the storage closet and how she had shown Snape that anyone could dance. Quirrell could hardly believe it. That wasn't the Snape he knew. He was also a little perturbed that she had been in Snape's arms, even if it was very brief. She assured him that her feelings towards Snape hadn't changed at all.
"It's only you, Alpheus," she told him sincerely. "Just because I showed Snape how to dance doesn't mean I'm going to marry him tomorrow. I was just trying to get him to loosen up a little," she explained. "Don't be jealous." She wrapped her arms his waist and rested her head between his shoulder blades. Quirrell put his hands over hers, gently, intertwining their fingers. They sat like that for a long time before Professor Kiernan let go of Quirrell's hands and reached for the soap bar again, saying seductively, "Now, where was I?" She rubbed soap all over her hands again and proceeded to continue bathing him, paying special attention to her favorite parts: his neck, his chest, his thighs and below his waist. Quirrell tried to throttle the dizzying current that was racing through him. A series of sighs, gasps and moans escaped from his throat. When she finally rinsed him off, they switched positions and now it was her turn. The first thing Quirrell did was reach up to undo
her hair. The flames of red tumbled carelessly down her back. She had tied it in a bun, so it wouldn't get wet, but she no longer cared. Quirrell spotted a bottle of shampoo and began to wash her hair, massaging the scalp and raking his fingers through the curls. It felt so good; Professor Kiernan melted into his arms.
Next came the soap and his exquisite hands all over her body. He too, paid special attention to his favorite parts of her body, namely her long, slender arms and legs, the very tips of her fingers, and her breasts. Her flesh prickled at his touch and a quiver surged through her veins. Out of breath, she fell backwards against him and he held her fast, kissing her damp hair and looking down into her eyes. For another hour they relaxed in the tub, in each other's arms, not saying much of anything, just enjoying their closeness.
At last, reluctantly, Quirrell decided it was time to go. She watched him get out of the tub, dry himself off with a towel and start to redress himself. She did the same, emptying the tub with a wave of her wand and then slipping into her bathrobe and slippers. She walked Quirrell to the door, where they embraced and kissed.
"Thank you, that was wonderful," Quirrell told her, his blue eyes sparkling with boyish charm. "I do hope you will surprise me again sometime."
"You can count on it," she said, with a laugh.
Quirrell stood there for a moment, deep in thought.
"Penny for your thoughts..." said Professor Kiernan.
Quirrell smiled.
"I was just thinking," he said, leaning on the door frame, "that maybe I should leave a few of my robes here in your room and you could leave some in mine. You know, since we spend a lot of our evenings together. Especially on the weekend." he added, blushing.
"I have a better idea," she said, grinning. "I was going to go and talk to Albus about letting us move into a bigger room... together."
Quirrell's eyes grew very wide upon hearing this, but he was all for it. He wrapped her up in a warm hug and kissed her again.
"That IS a better idea," he agreed, excited. "Madison, I can hardly wait!"
She laughed.
"We have to talk to Albus first, though," she reminded him. "So we'll go and see him tomorrow afternoon as soon as the last class of the day is over."
Quirrell nodded. They said good night and then Quirrell skipped all the way to his room.
***
Professor Kiernan and Quirrell were on their way to see Dumbledore in his office. They were both a little nervous. After all, he could very well say no to their request. But why should he? It wasn't against the rules and they were always together during their free time anyway.
"So what can I help you two with today?" Dumbledore 'mused in his usual cheery mood, once they entered his office.
Professor Kiernan and Quirrell looked at each other and then back at the Headmaster. Quirrell obviously wasn't going to say anything, so Professor Kiernan had to.
"Alpheus and I were thinking about moving into a larger room together," she said. "If it is all right with you and if there is one available."
"Well, congratulations," Dumbledore said, smiling. "The next step in your relationship. So soon..." he added, absently.
Professor Kiernan and Quirrell waited as Dumbledore shuffled through some papers on his desk.
"I have no objection to that," he declared. "And there is a larger room available. Actually, it is meant for two. It's right next to Severus's room."
The couple froze and gulped. Move in next to Snape? He was annoying enough, six doors down. Professor Kiernan stuck out her chin in defiance.
"Sure, that will be fine." she said, seriously. Quirrell just gawked at her as they left Dumbledore's office.
"Are you crazy?" Quirrell demanded. "Move in next to... to Severus? Of all people, why does he have to own the room next to the biggest?"
"I don't see what the big deal is about Severus being next to us," Professor Kiernan said, tough she wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea either. "It's not like we're noisy or anything. Besides," she went-on. "Are you going to let him interfere with this? I could care less what he thinks. He's just going to have to live with it." She said it so firmly, that Quirrell suddenly didn't really care either.
"So who's going to tell him?" he asked with a laugh.
"Never mind that," said Professor Kiernan. "He'll find out soon enough. It's more fun if we make it a surprise!"
***
The following weekend, Quirrell and Professor Kiernan started moving their things into the biggest bedroom... the one next to Snape's room. They were just pushing the king-sized bed through the door, when Snape emerged from his bedroom. It was a Saturday, so he had slept-in. Quirrell and Professor Kiernan had risen early, anxious to get their new room in order.
"What's all this about?" Snape inquired, crossing his arms and not even offering to help push the huge bed into the room.
"Madison and I are moving into together." Quirrell announced, beaming proudly.
Snape's mouth fell open and for a moment, he couldn't speak.
"Moving in?" he repeated.
"Yep," said Quirrell.
"Into this room?"
"Yep,"
"Next to... me?"
"Yep." Quirrell shook Snape's hand. "Howdy, neighbor!"
Snape yanked his hand away and scowled. Professor Kiernan was giggling and Quirrell laughed. They liked the fact that Snape was infuriated by this and there wasn't anything he could do about it.
"We'll just see about this..." Snape said, softly.
"You can go and whine to the Headmaster all you want," said Professor Kiernan. "But he was the one who said we could move into this room."
Her self-satisfied smile was too much for Snape. He scowled even harder.
"Fine," he growled. "You just better keep it quiet in there. You know, some people here actually sleep at night. Not like you two. It's no wonder you're so-"
Professor Kiernan suddenly grabbed Snape around his throat and slammed him up against the wall.
"You just better mind your own damn business!" she breathed into his face. She held him there for a long time, before finally letting go. He choked and wheezed, trying to catch his breath. He was shocked at how strong she was. It actually impressed him. It was a strength that amazingly did not lessen her femininity. Snape stared at them a moment longer then left quickly in a much fouler mood than before. He couldn't take this anymore. Every time he turned around, their relationship was taking another step in the right direction. What would they do next?
The idea of Professor Kiernan and Quirrell in the same bedroom had been a little unsettling for Snape, since the day he had first realized what was going on. Now they'd be right next to him and that just made matters worse. He knew exactly what went on behind their closed doors. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to put a stop to it. Dumbledore would never change his mind, that was for certain. It was up to Snape. Maybe if he annoyed them enough, they'd get fed-up and move somewhere else, far away from the only peace and solitude Snape had at Hogwarts.
***
End of Chapter Eleven
Professor Kiernan had wanted to tell Quirrell about the Bean Incident in Potions Class at dinner, but she couldn't. Snape was there. Even though he had his head down and avoided eye contact with everyone, she knew he was listening to their conversation. So she decided to prepare a special surprise for Quirrell.
"Come up to my room after dinner," she said to Quirrell, her lips curving upward into a mischievous smile.
"It's a school night, Madison," Quirrell reminded her. "I thought we agreed not to-"
"Just come up to my room after," she insisted. "I have a surprise for you."
Quirrell shrugged and finally agreed. It wasn't like he could resist those beautiful eyes, anyway. She finished dinner quickly, told Quirrell to come to her room in an hour and went straight there to prepare her surprise. Once she was in her room, she changed into her purple silk bathrobe, pulled her hair back into a tight bun, and went into the adjoining bathroom, her wand in hand. Smiling, she waved her wand and made the bathtub big enough for two people to sit in. Then she said "Aquaticus!" and the tub instantly filled with hot water, steam rising out of it. She dipped a toe in to test the water and it was perfect.
"Now for the final touch," she said and took a few bottles of scented bubble bath off of a nearby shelf. She took the caps off of each one and sniffed them all. She finally decided on a scent called "Fruity Fantasy". She squeezed a few drops into the water and the lovely scented bubbles appeared, floating lazily over the water. It was the perfect scene. Now, a bath drawn by a witch or wizard wasn't like an ordinary bath. The water stayed the same temperature for as long as one wanted it to. When bubbles were added, they stayed full and didn't disappear into the water.
Professor Kiernan then hung some towels on the nearby towel rack, put a fresh bar of soap in the soap dish and waited for Quirrell to arrive. Moments later, there was a knock at the door.
"Come in!" she called and in stepped Quirrell, the love of her life, holding a yellow rose. He handed it to her and kissed her, wrapping his arms around her thin waist and pulling her full against his body.
"So what's this big surprise you have for me?" he whispered, gently nibbling on her ear.
Professor Kiernan smiled and led Quirrell into the bathroom. His eyes grew wide and he beamed.
"How would you like to have a nice hot bath with me?" she inquired, even though she knew he would not object.
And he didn't. Within moments, he was undressed and in the tub, waiting for her to join him. She was just about to unsash her robe, when there was a knock at the door. They both frowned.
"Now who could that be?" she demanded, slipping her feet into a pair of slippers and heading for the door. "I'll be right back, don't do anything without me." She said, winking at Quirrell.
"I wouldn't dream of it," he called after her and leaned back, resting his head on the edge of the tub and immediately relaxing.
Professor Kiernan opened the door and found Snape standing there, looking as nasty as ever. She scowled at him. His eyes raked boldly over her, taking notice to how short her silk bathrobe was and smiling inwardly.
"What do YOU want?" she inquired sharply.
"There are some assignments to be marked," he answered halfheartedly.
"I'm a little busy right now," she informed him and was about to slam the door in his face, but Snape grabbed it and held it open.
"Busy doing WHAT?" he demanded, his face becoming a marble effigy of contempt.
Professor Kiernan's eyes flashed red as Snape smirked at her. She gave him a cheeky grin.
"Well, as YOU so boldly put it," she answered, mocking him, "I am satisfying an absurd desire." She yanked the door out of his hand and slammed it in his face, missing his nose by only centimeters. Then he heard her turn the lock. His temper flaring, he stormed down the hallway. He knew Quirrell was in that room somewhere. And how he hated thinking it, even though it seemed that Professor Kiernan's feelings for him hadn't changed, despite the dance lesson or the beans. Snape felt utterly defeated. It was no use. Quirrell had her and that was that. He didn't stand a chance.
Back in her bathroom, Professor Kiernan was lowering herself into the tub next to Quirrell, sliding down into the water until she was submerged to her chin. As soon as she did, Quirrell felt heat and blood rush to the most intimate parts of his body. He nervously cleared his throat as Professor Kiernan gestured for him to come and sit in front of her. He obeyed and sat with his back to her. She took the bar of soap and soaped up her hands, rubbing them together to work up a good lather. Then she placed her hands on the nape of his neck and began gently stroking, letting her soapy hands glide over and all around it. Quirrell sighed as her fingers and hands worked their magic.
"So what did Severus want?" Quirrell asked, as her hands moved down his back and up again.
"He said there were some assignments to mark," Professor Kiernan replied.
"Since when does he want your help so badly?" Quirrell snorted.
"I don't know," she said. "He's really starting to get on my nerves, more so than before. You'll never believe what happened in Potions this afternoon." Professor Kiernan went on to explain about the mystery gift she had received on Christmas, the explosion of beans from the storage closet and how she had shown Snape that anyone could dance. Quirrell could hardly believe it. That wasn't the Snape he knew. He was also a little perturbed that she had been in Snape's arms, even if it was very brief. She assured him that her feelings towards Snape hadn't changed at all.
"It's only you, Alpheus," she told him sincerely. "Just because I showed Snape how to dance doesn't mean I'm going to marry him tomorrow. I was just trying to get him to loosen up a little," she explained. "Don't be jealous." She wrapped her arms his waist and rested her head between his shoulder blades. Quirrell put his hands over hers, gently, intertwining their fingers. They sat like that for a long time before Professor Kiernan let go of Quirrell's hands and reached for the soap bar again, saying seductively, "Now, where was I?" She rubbed soap all over her hands again and proceeded to continue bathing him, paying special attention to her favorite parts: his neck, his chest, his thighs and below his waist. Quirrell tried to throttle the dizzying current that was racing through him. A series of sighs, gasps and moans escaped from his throat. When she finally rinsed him off, they switched positions and now it was her turn. The first thing Quirrell did was reach up to undo
her hair. The flames of red tumbled carelessly down her back. She had tied it in a bun, so it wouldn't get wet, but she no longer cared. Quirrell spotted a bottle of shampoo and began to wash her hair, massaging the scalp and raking his fingers through the curls. It felt so good; Professor Kiernan melted into his arms.
Next came the soap and his exquisite hands all over her body. He too, paid special attention to his favorite parts of her body, namely her long, slender arms and legs, the very tips of her fingers, and her breasts. Her flesh prickled at his touch and a quiver surged through her veins. Out of breath, she fell backwards against him and he held her fast, kissing her damp hair and looking down into her eyes. For another hour they relaxed in the tub, in each other's arms, not saying much of anything, just enjoying their closeness.
At last, reluctantly, Quirrell decided it was time to go. She watched him get out of the tub, dry himself off with a towel and start to redress himself. She did the same, emptying the tub with a wave of her wand and then slipping into her bathrobe and slippers. She walked Quirrell to the door, where they embraced and kissed.
"Thank you, that was wonderful," Quirrell told her, his blue eyes sparkling with boyish charm. "I do hope you will surprise me again sometime."
"You can count on it," she said, with a laugh.
Quirrell stood there for a moment, deep in thought.
"Penny for your thoughts..." said Professor Kiernan.
Quirrell smiled.
"I was just thinking," he said, leaning on the door frame, "that maybe I should leave a few of my robes here in your room and you could leave some in mine. You know, since we spend a lot of our evenings together. Especially on the weekend." he added, blushing.
"I have a better idea," she said, grinning. "I was going to go and talk to Albus about letting us move into a bigger room... together."
Quirrell's eyes grew very wide upon hearing this, but he was all for it. He wrapped her up in a warm hug and kissed her again.
"That IS a better idea," he agreed, excited. "Madison, I can hardly wait!"
She laughed.
"We have to talk to Albus first, though," she reminded him. "So we'll go and see him tomorrow afternoon as soon as the last class of the day is over."
Quirrell nodded. They said good night and then Quirrell skipped all the way to his room.
***
Professor Kiernan and Quirrell were on their way to see Dumbledore in his office. They were both a little nervous. After all, he could very well say no to their request. But why should he? It wasn't against the rules and they were always together during their free time anyway.
"So what can I help you two with today?" Dumbledore 'mused in his usual cheery mood, once they entered his office.
Professor Kiernan and Quirrell looked at each other and then back at the Headmaster. Quirrell obviously wasn't going to say anything, so Professor Kiernan had to.
"Alpheus and I were thinking about moving into a larger room together," she said. "If it is all right with you and if there is one available."
"Well, congratulations," Dumbledore said, smiling. "The next step in your relationship. So soon..." he added, absently.
Professor Kiernan and Quirrell waited as Dumbledore shuffled through some papers on his desk.
"I have no objection to that," he declared. "And there is a larger room available. Actually, it is meant for two. It's right next to Severus's room."
The couple froze and gulped. Move in next to Snape? He was annoying enough, six doors down. Professor Kiernan stuck out her chin in defiance.
"Sure, that will be fine." she said, seriously. Quirrell just gawked at her as they left Dumbledore's office.
"Are you crazy?" Quirrell demanded. "Move in next to... to Severus? Of all people, why does he have to own the room next to the biggest?"
"I don't see what the big deal is about Severus being next to us," Professor Kiernan said, tough she wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea either. "It's not like we're noisy or anything. Besides," she went-on. "Are you going to let him interfere with this? I could care less what he thinks. He's just going to have to live with it." She said it so firmly, that Quirrell suddenly didn't really care either.
"So who's going to tell him?" he asked with a laugh.
"Never mind that," said Professor Kiernan. "He'll find out soon enough. It's more fun if we make it a surprise!"
***
The following weekend, Quirrell and Professor Kiernan started moving their things into the biggest bedroom... the one next to Snape's room. They were just pushing the king-sized bed through the door, when Snape emerged from his bedroom. It was a Saturday, so he had slept-in. Quirrell and Professor Kiernan had risen early, anxious to get their new room in order.
"What's all this about?" Snape inquired, crossing his arms and not even offering to help push the huge bed into the room.
"Madison and I are moving into together." Quirrell announced, beaming proudly.
Snape's mouth fell open and for a moment, he couldn't speak.
"Moving in?" he repeated.
"Yep," said Quirrell.
"Into this room?"
"Yep,"
"Next to... me?"
"Yep." Quirrell shook Snape's hand. "Howdy, neighbor!"
Snape yanked his hand away and scowled. Professor Kiernan was giggling and Quirrell laughed. They liked the fact that Snape was infuriated by this and there wasn't anything he could do about it.
"We'll just see about this..." Snape said, softly.
"You can go and whine to the Headmaster all you want," said Professor Kiernan. "But he was the one who said we could move into this room."
Her self-satisfied smile was too much for Snape. He scowled even harder.
"Fine," he growled. "You just better keep it quiet in there. You know, some people here actually sleep at night. Not like you two. It's no wonder you're so-"
Professor Kiernan suddenly grabbed Snape around his throat and slammed him up against the wall.
"You just better mind your own damn business!" she breathed into his face. She held him there for a long time, before finally letting go. He choked and wheezed, trying to catch his breath. He was shocked at how strong she was. It actually impressed him. It was a strength that amazingly did not lessen her femininity. Snape stared at them a moment longer then left quickly in a much fouler mood than before. He couldn't take this anymore. Every time he turned around, their relationship was taking another step in the right direction. What would they do next?
The idea of Professor Kiernan and Quirrell in the same bedroom had been a little unsettling for Snape, since the day he had first realized what was going on. Now they'd be right next to him and that just made matters worse. He knew exactly what went on behind their closed doors. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to put a stop to it. Dumbledore would never change his mind, that was for certain. It was up to Snape. Maybe if he annoyed them enough, they'd get fed-up and move somewhere else, far away from the only peace and solitude Snape had at Hogwarts.
***
End of Chapter Eleven
-
LadySnape - Fully Qualified Witch and Wife of Severus
- Posts: 355
- Joined: Friday 2 August 2002 1:00:00am
- Location: Snape Manor
by LadySnape » Thursday 1 January 1970 1:00:00am
Chapter Twelve: And He Takes Another Step
Months passed and winter rolled into spring. Quidditch began again and the students were spending more time outdoors than in. The grounds were green and the flowers were in full bloom after many days of rainfall in April. It was the middle of May. The school year would be at an end in no time at all. Some of the more studious pupils were already studying for their finals, OWLs and whatever else scared them. The First-Year Gryffindors were more worried about their Potions Final than anything else. However, they remembered Professor Kiernan was there along with Snape and she seemed to like everyone.
Meanwhile, Professor Kiernan and Quirrell were enjoying their new living arrangements. The best part about sharing a room, they thought, was waking up next to one another every morning. The worst part was Snape being their next-door neighbor. Every second night he would come banging on their door. Professor Kiernan would open the door and Snape would demand that she help him mark assignments that very instant. Sometimes she gave-in and sometimes she told him just where to put those assignments. Half of the time, she'd be in her robe or nightdress and once she even had to wrap a bed sheet around herself, since she and Quirrell had been in the middle of something. Sometimes, Quirrell would answer the door if Professor Kiernan was in the bath or if she had fallen asleep. Snape would just mutter a "never mind" and leave when Quirrell told him that she was busy.
"I hate this room," Quirrell announced one day, as they were getting ready for bed. "Maybe we could move to a different one. Even if it's a little smaller, it would still be better than-"
"NO!" Professor Kiernan cut him-off, sharply. "This room is perfect. I like it."
"You like Snape banging on our door every night?" Quirrell inquired. "I've had enough. I think we should ask Dumbledore for a different room."
"And let Severus win? I don't think so," said Professor Kiernan, raising an eyebrow. "That is exactly what he wants us to do and I refuse to give in." she added, stubbornly. "He can bang on our door until he gets calluses on his knuckles for all I care."
Quirrell, on the other hand, did not agree. He was sick and tired of seeing Snape's face every night before bed.
"One of these days he's going to break the door down," he declared, as they crawled into bed.
"Good, then he can fix it." Professor Kiernan said, annoyed. Quirrell was beginning to get on her nerves. She couldn't understand why he was willing to let Snape get the better of him.
"I just think it would make things easier-" Quirrell began, but she cut him off.
"Fine, move then if you want to," she snapped. "I'm staying here. If you want to get up and run every time things get difficult, then maybe we shouldn't share a room." She rolled over onto her side, her back to him. "Good night."
Quirrell heaved a huge sigh and rolled over with his back to her as well. He hated when they fought. Not that it happened every day, but it seemed to happen more and more now and it was mostly about Snape.
"Stupid git," thought Quirrell, bitterly. "I'll be damned if I'm going to let HIM come between us."
And so, Quirrell stayed right there with Professor Kiernan and counted to ten every time Snape came knocking on their door. He forced himself to smile at Snape whenever they made eye contact.
Snape was beyond peeved by the middle of May. For months, he had been knocking on their door, trying desperately to interrupt their little escapades. He had managed to do it a few times... Professor Kiernan had came to the door sometimes, wearing only a bed sheet and he had seen Quirrell trying to cover himself with a pillow or any piece of clothing that was within reach. But it didn't matter. They didn't budge from that room and Snape decided that it was no use. They were going to remain there for the rest of their days at Hogwarts.
Snape didn't know why he even bothered to interrupt them. He knew very well that as soon as he was gone, they would either start, finish or continue whatever it was they were doing before he got there. And whenever Professor Kiernan accompanied him to the Potions Room to mark assignments, he knew that once she was done, she'd return to her room and she and Quirrell were free to do whatever they wanted. Snape had actually gone to their room twice in one night, flapping a stack of essays in Professor Kiernan's face and telling her that she had forgotten to mark them. She simply snatched the parchments out of Snape's hands, told him they'd be done by the next day and slammed the door in his face. The door was taking an awful beating. They had already called Filch over twice to tighten the hinges.
"Why do the hinges always come loose on your door?" he demanded to know.
"Old school, old doors," Professor Kiernan replied. "Dumbledore really should start thinking about replacing some of the things in this place."
Filch humbly agreed, but went right on fixing the door. Nobody ever mentioned replacing anything to Dumbledore.
***
It was a Saturday evening and the Professors were all sitting down to dinner, when Snape decided to try his last resort to get Quirrell and Professor Kiernan as far away from his room as possible.
"Excuse me, Headmaster, but I have an issue I'd like to address," Snape announced, standing up just as dessert was appearing on everyone's plates. Everyone was silent.
"Yes, Severus, what is it?" Dumbledore said, in his usual merry mood.
"Well, it's about these two," he said, rudely pointing one of his long, bony fingers at Quirrell and Professor Kiernan. They scowled at him and he smirked.
"What about them?" Dumbledore asked, bemused.
Snape lips curled into a very cunning smile.
"I can't get any sleep at all with all the noise they make in that room!" he blurted. "It's no wonder I can function properly on the small amount of sleep I do get. It's ridiculous. I think they should find another room to bunk in."
The Professors all stared at Snape and then stared at Quirrell and Professor Kiernan. Quirrell was about to jump up and accuse Snape of telling an outrageous lie, when Professor Flitwick spoke up.
"Strange," he said. "I don't hear anything coming from their room. Not even snoring."
Everyone laughed. Professor Flitwick had the room on the opposite side. Snape was horrified. He tried to speak, but nothing came out.
"We'll try to keep our breathing down, Severus," Quirrell joked, making everyone laugh even harder.
"If it bothers you so much, why don't you move to another room?" Professor Kiernan suggested with her self-satisfied smile; the one that made Snape furious. "I believe there are at least two available. The ones that Alpheus and I used to sleep in." She grinned and Snape scowled. He didn't want to move. He liked his room. He liked the large bathtub, the cracked mirror and the curtains with bats on them that hung in his window.
"Severus, perhaps you are straining a little too hard to hear something that isn't there." Dumbledore suggested, gently. "I am sorry if you don't like the arrangements, but that is just the way it is."
Dumbledore's words didn't make Snape feel any better. And the smiles on everyone's face and their laughter infuriated him. He hated being the subject of ridicule. Not caring about dessert, he stormed out of the Great Hall and headed for his room. He slammed the door, fell onto his bed and spent time with his only friend... Loneliness.
***
Snape didn't come out of his room at all on Sunday. He just sat in his room, trying to sort out his feelings. What was it about Professor Kiernan? There was just something about her. Whether she kissed him on the cheek or slammed him up against the wall it didn't matter... he liked her and he knew it. There he was, facing the truth. But what good did it do? She had fallen for Quirrell the moment she came to Hogwarts. He wouldn't have stood a chance.
"Quirrell," Snape said, with all the loathing he could muster up. How he hated him. He always got everything. The Defense Against the Dark Arts job, the biggest bedroom, the iguana and worst of all, the Lady. And with the Lady came love, friendship, kisses and hugs. Most of all, companionship. Something Snape had never cared about up until now. Now he wanted it. He wanted someone to hold, to comfort him, to always be there for him. His only companion was the lonely, empty feeling in his heart... the feeling he endured every day and night, sitting in his cold, dark room. It never mattered then, so why did it matter now? It was because of her. Professor Kiernan seemed to be the answer to all his problems. But she hated him. Didn't she? Snape rolled up the left sleeve of his robe and looked at the Dark Mark that had been permanently burned into his skin.
"I wonder how Professor Kiernan would react if she found out her neighbor was a former Death Eater?" he said to himself. He hated that mark and he would have given anything to get rid of it. But he couldn't. It was there forever. A constant reminder of the life he had once chosen to live and the awful mistakes he had made.
He suddenly yanked down his sleeve when he heard a soft knock at his door. He looked at the clock on the wall. It was already after seven.
"It's not locked." Snape called and the door opened. To his surprise, it was Professor Kiernan. She was holding a tray full of food and she had a very small smile on her face. She entered the room and closed the door. Then she approached the bed where Snape was sitting, propped up against two pillows.
"I thought you might be hungry," she said, setting the tray down on the bedside table. "We didn't see you all day. We were worried."
Snape's mouth watered as he looked at the food. At the same time, he was flattered. He couldn't believe Professor Kiernan had thought of him and brought him a tray of food.
"Go ahead and eat it," she coaxed him. "I didn't poison it. I promise." She smiled at him. Snape avoided eye contact with her and started eating the food. There was a very uncomfortable silence in the room as Snape ate. Professor Kiernan looked around the room and smiled when she saw his curtains. She walked up to the window and touched them.
"These are great, where did you get them?" she inquired.
"The usual places." Snape replied. He was in no mood for polite conversation. He really wanted to be left alone to pine. To look back at his pathetic life and all that he had NOT accomplished.
"Why are you always so cold?" she asked, seriously. "If you would just loosen up a bit, you wouldn't be so difficult to put up with."
"Look who's talking," said Snape, his brows drawing together in an angry frown.
"I know we have our differences, but at least I've made an effort to get past those differences," she told him. "I don't see you trying at all."
"Why should I?" he demanded. "My way and my class were just fine until you showed up."
They glared at each other.
"Why are you so stubborn?" they both asked each other in unison. Surprised, their eyes widened and they simply stared at one another. Uncomfortable, Snape looked away and Professor Kiernan said a quick good night and left in a great hurry. In her room, she lowered herself into the bath that Quirrell had kindly prepared for her and tried to piece together what had just happened. It wasn't the first time they had spoken something in unison. Little did she know that it wouldn't be the last, either.
***
It was the end of May and three days before Professor Kiernan's birthday, which fell on June 2nd. She was excited and nervous, mostly because Quirrell was being so secretive about the gift he had bought her. She knew it had to be something as great as the Christmas gift she had received... if not, better. No matter how much she begged and pleaded for a hint, Quirrell refused to say anything. She even went as far as searching the pockets of his robes, but she couldn't find a thing. Whatever it was, he had hidden it well. He had probably hidden it in some place she would never think to look. Three more days until her birthday and it felt like an eternity.
It was a darn good thing for Quirrell that it was nearly the end of the school year and the busiest time of all, because he was broke and couldn't even afford to buy anyone a drink at the Three Broomsticks. The gift he had picked out for Professor Kiernan had cost him a fortune, but he felt it was worth it once he saw the look on her face. He had been saving his money ever since Christmas and it was gone in the blink of an eye. So he was definitely glad that nobody had the time to go to Hogsmeade or anywhere else.
Meanwhile, Snape was wondering what on earth HE was going to buy Professor Kiernan. There was no way out of this one. The birth date of a witch or wizard was even more important than Christmas and everyone else would be buying her a gift, so Snape had to as well. He didn't want to look stupid by being the only one who didn't buy her anything. Plus, Dumbledore would have something to say about it. He just couldn't show up at her Birthday Feast empty handed.
Snape wandered around the streets of Hogsmeade the day before Professor Kiernan's birthday, without a clue in the world of what to buy. The only thing he could think of was Every Flavor Beans, but that had already resulted in disaster. And he didn't really feel like buying a thousand boxes and going through them to find her favorite flavor. He didn't have time now, anyway.
He absently walked into the Magic Jewel Shop, thinking that perhaps a pair of earrings would be practical enough. Unfortunately, Snape had no idea which ones were nice and which ones were horrible. He knew next to nothing about jewelry. Whether they were magic or not.
He looked through the glass cases at the front of the store and saw rings, lockets, pendants, necklaces, earrings, toe rings, bracelets and watches. The witch behind the counter smiled at him.
"May I help you with something, Professor?" she asked, kindly.
Snape looked up but did not smile back.
"What do you suggest?" he blurted.
The witch looked amused.
"Well, I can't say unless you tell me who you are buying for," she said.
"A woman." Snape declared.
"And what do you know about this woman?"
"Not much," Snape admitted.
The witch sighed. She hated stubborn customers. She looked through the cases and then opened one. She pulled out a ring. It was silver, shaped like a coiled-up serpent with bright yellow eyes.
"This is something new," the witch told Snape as she handed him the ring. "It's a ring that lights up." She put the ring on her finger, then snapped her fingers and the store became pitch black.
"Now," she said, "whoever wears the ring controls the light. Twist it all the way around once clockwise and voila!" At this point, a brilliant light appeared around the witch. "It's very useful. Especially if you have to use the washroom in the middle of the night." She laughed, snapped her fingers and the store lit-up again. The light around her disappeared when she twisted the ring around again and took it off.
Snape looked thoughtful. A ring that lit up? Big deal, he thought. He highly doubted that Professor Kiernan used the washroom in the middle of the night. He knew perfectly well what she did in the middle of the night and it had nothing to do with the washroom. But he liked the idea that it was shaped like a snake, not unlike the pendant on the chain she had given him. He decided it was practical enough, paid the witch and left the store, the velvet box containing the ring stored safely in the inside pocket of his robe. As he headed back to Hogwarts, a strange thought suddenly struck him. He couldn't give Professor Kiernan a ring! It was way too personal and much too nice. Snape would never hear the end of it from anybody. Everyone would think he had gone soft. Then they'd be wanting favors from him all the time. He could just hear it:
"Severus isn't all that bad, go and ask him!" or "Severus is a nice guy, why don't you ask him?"
It was too disturbing to think about. He quickly made his way to Honeydukes, bought two boxes of Every-Flavor Beans and decided that he would give her those instead. Then he went back to the Jewelry Store and asked for a refund in the ring.
"I'm sorry," said the witch, "but we don't give refunds. If you don't like it, transfigure it into something else."
Snape was furious and stormed out of the store. Now he was stuck with a ring he didn't even want and short a few Galleons. Then he got an idea. He could still give Professor Kiernan the ring... he just wouldn't say who it was from. And she would never suspect that it was him being that he was going to give her the beans and sign the card, "From Severus". Yes, that would work. Patting the pocket that contained the ring, he smiled to himself and headed back to Hogwarts once again.
***
Finally it was Professor's Kiernan's birthday. It fell on a Saturday this year, so there was not much to do before the Feast. That morning, many Owls from her fellow-Professors at Beauxbatons had arrived carrying gifts and cards and birthday wishes for her. Her parents had sent her a bundle of Galleons, Sickles and Knuts to go out and buy anything she wanted or to put away for a rainy day. Her other gifts included the usual: hair barrettes, earrings, sweets and assorted soaps and bubble bath. She also received a Cat Grooming Kit from Professor Argente. No doubt he had forgotten that she had an owl and not a cat. She kept it anyway. Who knew, maybe she would get a cat one day.
Professor Kiernan was especially anxious to open the gifts that her new friends at Hogwarts would be giving her at the Feast. She couldn't believe they were tormenting her like this, making her wait until dinner to open everything. She busied herself with marking and tidying up the room that she shared with Quirrell.
Quirrell, meanwhile, seemed to be avoiding her. He was so excited about giving her the gift that he'd bought that he was afraid he would give it away if he spent too much time around her. Professor Kiernan was racking her brain, trying to figure out what his gift was. Quirrell was full of surprises. At this point, it could be anything. She decided it had to be something very special since he had done such a good job hiding it and wouldn't even give her the tiniest hint. For someone who had admitted he had trouble keeping secrets, she thought he was doing a really good job at keeping this one.
"I guess I'll find out soon enough," she thought, looking at her watch. "Only two more hours until the feast."
***
Professor Kiernan arrived in the Great Hall about a half hour early. Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape were there already. They were dressed in their best robes. Snape looked like he was wearing the same thing he always wore. Professor Kiernan was wearing her silk robes and had done her hair in a nice French Twist, fastened with a new hairpiece she had received that morning. At her place was a rather large pile of gifts. She smiled at everyone and sat down right away and looked down at her gifts, beaming.
"Happy Birthday, Madison!" exclaimed Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall repeated the greeting. Snape reluctantly said it too and she thanked them.
She waited impatiently for the other Professors to arrive and they finally did, wishing her a Happy Birthday, with smiles. The only person left to arrive was Quirrell.
"I wonder what could be keeping Professor Quirrell?" Dumbledore said.
The others shrugged.
"He wasn't in our room when I went to get ready," Professor Kiernan told them. "In fact, I haven't seen him much all day. He keeps trying to avoid me for some reason."
All the Professors, except for Snape, wore very secretive smiles on their faces. They obviously knew something that Professor Kiernan did not. And she had a feeling it had something to do with Quirrell's gift.
"I'm sure he'll be here any minute now." Madam Hooch assured her.
He arrived at six o'clock, right on the dot. Professor Kiernan had never seen him look more dapper. He was dressed in red satin robes, trimmed with gold and the black tie she had given him for Christmas. He held a bouquet of red roses and handed them to Professor Kiernan, kissing her warmly and whispering, "Happy Birthday, Pretty Lady."
She blushed, not from embarrassment, but from the way his voice and kiss had made her feel. And the name he always called her. "Pretty Lady".
As soon as he got seated, Dumbledore asked Professor Kiernan what she wanted to do first and everyone laughed when she exclaimed, "Open presents, of course!" And so they watched her tear open each and every one, her face lighting up more with each gift. Hagrid had bought her an Owl Grooming Kit and she laughed and told everyone about Professor Argente's mistake. She received more earrings and sweets, including Snape's gift of Every-Flavor Beans. She wasn't surprised that he hadn't spent another fortune on thousands of boxes just to pick out her favorite flavor. She smiled at him and mouthed a thank-you.
Finally, she came to her last gift, a tiny green-velvet box. She guessed this had to be Quirrell's gift. But there was no signature.
"I bet this is from you," she said to Quirrell, undoing the ribbon around it.
"Nope," Quirrell shook his head. "My gift comes after dinner."
"Well then who is this from?" she inquired, annoyed that Quirrell was going to make her wait even longer. She looked around the table at all the Professors but they all shrugged. Snape remained serious and shrugged as well. She opened the box and found the coiled-up serpent ring inside of it.
"Wow!" she exclaimed. "It's wonderful! I read about these in the Daily Prophet. It's a ring that lights up."
She slipped it onto her middle finger, twisted it and a bright light surrounded her. Snape had expected to see a yellow light around her, but instead it was a bright red light.
"It appears that you are in love, Madison," Dumbledore remarked. "That is why the light around you is red instead of yellow."
Professor Kiernan and Quirrell smiled at each other. Of course she was in love. But who had given her the ring? She suspected Snape for a moment, but then thought it couldn't have been him. A ring was much too personal and he had given her Every Flavor Beans already, signed and everything.
"Well, whoever this is from, I thank you kindly." she said. "And thanks, every one for all of your wonderful gifts. But now let's eat, before I die from wondering what Alpheus has bought me!"
Everyone laughed and food appeared on their plates. Then, birthday cake for dessert, in which Professor Kiernan blew out the candles and didn't make a wish, claiming that was a silly muggle superstition.
Just as everyone was about to dig into the delicious looking angel- food cake, Quirrell lightly tapped his spoon on his wine glass and stood up. Everyone in the room, including the students, became silent and looked at Quirrell who looked extremely nervous. But he still managed to smile.
"Another school year is about to come to an end and I have to admit that this is the best year I've ever had at Hogwarts and in my entire life." Quirrell said, the tips of ears turning red. "I have fallen in love and I couldn't bear it if she ever left me." he looked down at Professor Kiernan who had tears in her eyes. "So I am going to make sure she is mine forever." He took her hand and got down on one knee. With his other hand, he pulled something out if his pocket. It was a ring. A gold ring with a beautiful heart shaped diamond on it. Tears poured down Professor Kiernan's face as he asked her, "Madison Kiernan, I love you and I can't imagine you not being in my life. Madison, will you marry me?"
Professor Kiernan could only nod as she wept. Quirrell stood up with her and they hugged and kissed passionately as everyone in the Great Hall broke out into tremendous applause. Then people shouted and whistled as Quirrell and Professor Kiernan stayed locked in their kiss.
Snape stood up along with everyone else, but he did nothing but scowl. It just figured. Quirrell had outdone him with his engagement ring and speech. Snape's Light-Up Snake Ring had been the best gift there until Quirrell came along with his. He always got everything. And now, The Lady was his forever. The Professor all started to mingle, shaking Quirrell's hand, kissing and hugging Professor Kiernan, congratulating the bright and beaming couple. The lady Professors all fussed over and admired the engagement ring on Professor's Kiernan's finger. When Quirrell made eye contact with Snape, Snape gave him a horribly forced smile and said "Congratulations." Quirrell smiled and nodded at him. Then Snape caught Professor Kiernan's eye as she was returning to her seat to eat her cake. He had to say something to her, even though he felt as though he had just been stabbed in the heart. He walked over to her and tried his best to smile.
"Congratulations, Professor Kiernan," he said, the words sounding terribly forced. "I hope everything works out for you two." That was an outrageous lie. Snape could have cared less if things worked out or not.
"Thank you very much, Severus," she said, her voice as gentle as a summer breeze. She kissed him lightly on the cheek, a gesture that both shocked and amused everyone at the Staff Table. "That means a lot coming from you." She smiled, sat down and enjoyed her cake.
Snape was so baffled that he had three pieces, quite forgetting that he hated cake.
***
End of Chapter Twelve
Months passed and winter rolled into spring. Quidditch began again and the students were spending more time outdoors than in. The grounds were green and the flowers were in full bloom after many days of rainfall in April. It was the middle of May. The school year would be at an end in no time at all. Some of the more studious pupils were already studying for their finals, OWLs and whatever else scared them. The First-Year Gryffindors were more worried about their Potions Final than anything else. However, they remembered Professor Kiernan was there along with Snape and she seemed to like everyone.
Meanwhile, Professor Kiernan and Quirrell were enjoying their new living arrangements. The best part about sharing a room, they thought, was waking up next to one another every morning. The worst part was Snape being their next-door neighbor. Every second night he would come banging on their door. Professor Kiernan would open the door and Snape would demand that she help him mark assignments that very instant. Sometimes she gave-in and sometimes she told him just where to put those assignments. Half of the time, she'd be in her robe or nightdress and once she even had to wrap a bed sheet around herself, since she and Quirrell had been in the middle of something. Sometimes, Quirrell would answer the door if Professor Kiernan was in the bath or if she had fallen asleep. Snape would just mutter a "never mind" and leave when Quirrell told him that she was busy.
"I hate this room," Quirrell announced one day, as they were getting ready for bed. "Maybe we could move to a different one. Even if it's a little smaller, it would still be better than-"
"NO!" Professor Kiernan cut him-off, sharply. "This room is perfect. I like it."
"You like Snape banging on our door every night?" Quirrell inquired. "I've had enough. I think we should ask Dumbledore for a different room."
"And let Severus win? I don't think so," said Professor Kiernan, raising an eyebrow. "That is exactly what he wants us to do and I refuse to give in." she added, stubbornly. "He can bang on our door until he gets calluses on his knuckles for all I care."
Quirrell, on the other hand, did not agree. He was sick and tired of seeing Snape's face every night before bed.
"One of these days he's going to break the door down," he declared, as they crawled into bed.
"Good, then he can fix it." Professor Kiernan said, annoyed. Quirrell was beginning to get on her nerves. She couldn't understand why he was willing to let Snape get the better of him.
"I just think it would make things easier-" Quirrell began, but she cut him off.
"Fine, move then if you want to," she snapped. "I'm staying here. If you want to get up and run every time things get difficult, then maybe we shouldn't share a room." She rolled over onto her side, her back to him. "Good night."
Quirrell heaved a huge sigh and rolled over with his back to her as well. He hated when they fought. Not that it happened every day, but it seemed to happen more and more now and it was mostly about Snape.
"Stupid git," thought Quirrell, bitterly. "I'll be damned if I'm going to let HIM come between us."
And so, Quirrell stayed right there with Professor Kiernan and counted to ten every time Snape came knocking on their door. He forced himself to smile at Snape whenever they made eye contact.
Snape was beyond peeved by the middle of May. For months, he had been knocking on their door, trying desperately to interrupt their little escapades. He had managed to do it a few times... Professor Kiernan had came to the door sometimes, wearing only a bed sheet and he had seen Quirrell trying to cover himself with a pillow or any piece of clothing that was within reach. But it didn't matter. They didn't budge from that room and Snape decided that it was no use. They were going to remain there for the rest of their days at Hogwarts.
Snape didn't know why he even bothered to interrupt them. He knew very well that as soon as he was gone, they would either start, finish or continue whatever it was they were doing before he got there. And whenever Professor Kiernan accompanied him to the Potions Room to mark assignments, he knew that once she was done, she'd return to her room and she and Quirrell were free to do whatever they wanted. Snape had actually gone to their room twice in one night, flapping a stack of essays in Professor Kiernan's face and telling her that she had forgotten to mark them. She simply snatched the parchments out of Snape's hands, told him they'd be done by the next day and slammed the door in his face. The door was taking an awful beating. They had already called Filch over twice to tighten the hinges.
"Why do the hinges always come loose on your door?" he demanded to know.
"Old school, old doors," Professor Kiernan replied. "Dumbledore really should start thinking about replacing some of the things in this place."
Filch humbly agreed, but went right on fixing the door. Nobody ever mentioned replacing anything to Dumbledore.
***
It was a Saturday evening and the Professors were all sitting down to dinner, when Snape decided to try his last resort to get Quirrell and Professor Kiernan as far away from his room as possible.
"Excuse me, Headmaster, but I have an issue I'd like to address," Snape announced, standing up just as dessert was appearing on everyone's plates. Everyone was silent.
"Yes, Severus, what is it?" Dumbledore said, in his usual merry mood.
"Well, it's about these two," he said, rudely pointing one of his long, bony fingers at Quirrell and Professor Kiernan. They scowled at him and he smirked.
"What about them?" Dumbledore asked, bemused.
Snape lips curled into a very cunning smile.
"I can't get any sleep at all with all the noise they make in that room!" he blurted. "It's no wonder I can function properly on the small amount of sleep I do get. It's ridiculous. I think they should find another room to bunk in."
The Professors all stared at Snape and then stared at Quirrell and Professor Kiernan. Quirrell was about to jump up and accuse Snape of telling an outrageous lie, when Professor Flitwick spoke up.
"Strange," he said. "I don't hear anything coming from their room. Not even snoring."
Everyone laughed. Professor Flitwick had the room on the opposite side. Snape was horrified. He tried to speak, but nothing came out.
"We'll try to keep our breathing down, Severus," Quirrell joked, making everyone laugh even harder.
"If it bothers you so much, why don't you move to another room?" Professor Kiernan suggested with her self-satisfied smile; the one that made Snape furious. "I believe there are at least two available. The ones that Alpheus and I used to sleep in." She grinned and Snape scowled. He didn't want to move. He liked his room. He liked the large bathtub, the cracked mirror and the curtains with bats on them that hung in his window.
"Severus, perhaps you are straining a little too hard to hear something that isn't there." Dumbledore suggested, gently. "I am sorry if you don't like the arrangements, but that is just the way it is."
Dumbledore's words didn't make Snape feel any better. And the smiles on everyone's face and their laughter infuriated him. He hated being the subject of ridicule. Not caring about dessert, he stormed out of the Great Hall and headed for his room. He slammed the door, fell onto his bed and spent time with his only friend... Loneliness.
***
Snape didn't come out of his room at all on Sunday. He just sat in his room, trying to sort out his feelings. What was it about Professor Kiernan? There was just something about her. Whether she kissed him on the cheek or slammed him up against the wall it didn't matter... he liked her and he knew it. There he was, facing the truth. But what good did it do? She had fallen for Quirrell the moment she came to Hogwarts. He wouldn't have stood a chance.
"Quirrell," Snape said, with all the loathing he could muster up. How he hated him. He always got everything. The Defense Against the Dark Arts job, the biggest bedroom, the iguana and worst of all, the Lady. And with the Lady came love, friendship, kisses and hugs. Most of all, companionship. Something Snape had never cared about up until now. Now he wanted it. He wanted someone to hold, to comfort him, to always be there for him. His only companion was the lonely, empty feeling in his heart... the feeling he endured every day and night, sitting in his cold, dark room. It never mattered then, so why did it matter now? It was because of her. Professor Kiernan seemed to be the answer to all his problems. But she hated him. Didn't she? Snape rolled up the left sleeve of his robe and looked at the Dark Mark that had been permanently burned into his skin.
"I wonder how Professor Kiernan would react if she found out her neighbor was a former Death Eater?" he said to himself. He hated that mark and he would have given anything to get rid of it. But he couldn't. It was there forever. A constant reminder of the life he had once chosen to live and the awful mistakes he had made.
He suddenly yanked down his sleeve when he heard a soft knock at his door. He looked at the clock on the wall. It was already after seven.
"It's not locked." Snape called and the door opened. To his surprise, it was Professor Kiernan. She was holding a tray full of food and she had a very small smile on her face. She entered the room and closed the door. Then she approached the bed where Snape was sitting, propped up against two pillows.
"I thought you might be hungry," she said, setting the tray down on the bedside table. "We didn't see you all day. We were worried."
Snape's mouth watered as he looked at the food. At the same time, he was flattered. He couldn't believe Professor Kiernan had thought of him and brought him a tray of food.
"Go ahead and eat it," she coaxed him. "I didn't poison it. I promise." She smiled at him. Snape avoided eye contact with her and started eating the food. There was a very uncomfortable silence in the room as Snape ate. Professor Kiernan looked around the room and smiled when she saw his curtains. She walked up to the window and touched them.
"These are great, where did you get them?" she inquired.
"The usual places." Snape replied. He was in no mood for polite conversation. He really wanted to be left alone to pine. To look back at his pathetic life and all that he had NOT accomplished.
"Why are you always so cold?" she asked, seriously. "If you would just loosen up a bit, you wouldn't be so difficult to put up with."
"Look who's talking," said Snape, his brows drawing together in an angry frown.
"I know we have our differences, but at least I've made an effort to get past those differences," she told him. "I don't see you trying at all."
"Why should I?" he demanded. "My way and my class were just fine until you showed up."
They glared at each other.
"Why are you so stubborn?" they both asked each other in unison. Surprised, their eyes widened and they simply stared at one another. Uncomfortable, Snape looked away and Professor Kiernan said a quick good night and left in a great hurry. In her room, she lowered herself into the bath that Quirrell had kindly prepared for her and tried to piece together what had just happened. It wasn't the first time they had spoken something in unison. Little did she know that it wouldn't be the last, either.
***
It was the end of May and three days before Professor Kiernan's birthday, which fell on June 2nd. She was excited and nervous, mostly because Quirrell was being so secretive about the gift he had bought her. She knew it had to be something as great as the Christmas gift she had received... if not, better. No matter how much she begged and pleaded for a hint, Quirrell refused to say anything. She even went as far as searching the pockets of his robes, but she couldn't find a thing. Whatever it was, he had hidden it well. He had probably hidden it in some place she would never think to look. Three more days until her birthday and it felt like an eternity.
It was a darn good thing for Quirrell that it was nearly the end of the school year and the busiest time of all, because he was broke and couldn't even afford to buy anyone a drink at the Three Broomsticks. The gift he had picked out for Professor Kiernan had cost him a fortune, but he felt it was worth it once he saw the look on her face. He had been saving his money ever since Christmas and it was gone in the blink of an eye. So he was definitely glad that nobody had the time to go to Hogsmeade or anywhere else.
Meanwhile, Snape was wondering what on earth HE was going to buy Professor Kiernan. There was no way out of this one. The birth date of a witch or wizard was even more important than Christmas and everyone else would be buying her a gift, so Snape had to as well. He didn't want to look stupid by being the only one who didn't buy her anything. Plus, Dumbledore would have something to say about it. He just couldn't show up at her Birthday Feast empty handed.
Snape wandered around the streets of Hogsmeade the day before Professor Kiernan's birthday, without a clue in the world of what to buy. The only thing he could think of was Every Flavor Beans, but that had already resulted in disaster. And he didn't really feel like buying a thousand boxes and going through them to find her favorite flavor. He didn't have time now, anyway.
He absently walked into the Magic Jewel Shop, thinking that perhaps a pair of earrings would be practical enough. Unfortunately, Snape had no idea which ones were nice and which ones were horrible. He knew next to nothing about jewelry. Whether they were magic or not.
He looked through the glass cases at the front of the store and saw rings, lockets, pendants, necklaces, earrings, toe rings, bracelets and watches. The witch behind the counter smiled at him.
"May I help you with something, Professor?" she asked, kindly.
Snape looked up but did not smile back.
"What do you suggest?" he blurted.
The witch looked amused.
"Well, I can't say unless you tell me who you are buying for," she said.
"A woman." Snape declared.
"And what do you know about this woman?"
"Not much," Snape admitted.
The witch sighed. She hated stubborn customers. She looked through the cases and then opened one. She pulled out a ring. It was silver, shaped like a coiled-up serpent with bright yellow eyes.
"This is something new," the witch told Snape as she handed him the ring. "It's a ring that lights up." She put the ring on her finger, then snapped her fingers and the store became pitch black.
"Now," she said, "whoever wears the ring controls the light. Twist it all the way around once clockwise and voila!" At this point, a brilliant light appeared around the witch. "It's very useful. Especially if you have to use the washroom in the middle of the night." She laughed, snapped her fingers and the store lit-up again. The light around her disappeared when she twisted the ring around again and took it off.
Snape looked thoughtful. A ring that lit up? Big deal, he thought. He highly doubted that Professor Kiernan used the washroom in the middle of the night. He knew perfectly well what she did in the middle of the night and it had nothing to do with the washroom. But he liked the idea that it was shaped like a snake, not unlike the pendant on the chain she had given him. He decided it was practical enough, paid the witch and left the store, the velvet box containing the ring stored safely in the inside pocket of his robe. As he headed back to Hogwarts, a strange thought suddenly struck him. He couldn't give Professor Kiernan a ring! It was way too personal and much too nice. Snape would never hear the end of it from anybody. Everyone would think he had gone soft. Then they'd be wanting favors from him all the time. He could just hear it:
"Severus isn't all that bad, go and ask him!" or "Severus is a nice guy, why don't you ask him?"
It was too disturbing to think about. He quickly made his way to Honeydukes, bought two boxes of Every-Flavor Beans and decided that he would give her those instead. Then he went back to the Jewelry Store and asked for a refund in the ring.
"I'm sorry," said the witch, "but we don't give refunds. If you don't like it, transfigure it into something else."
Snape was furious and stormed out of the store. Now he was stuck with a ring he didn't even want and short a few Galleons. Then he got an idea. He could still give Professor Kiernan the ring... he just wouldn't say who it was from. And she would never suspect that it was him being that he was going to give her the beans and sign the card, "From Severus". Yes, that would work. Patting the pocket that contained the ring, he smiled to himself and headed back to Hogwarts once again.
***
Finally it was Professor's Kiernan's birthday. It fell on a Saturday this year, so there was not much to do before the Feast. That morning, many Owls from her fellow-Professors at Beauxbatons had arrived carrying gifts and cards and birthday wishes for her. Her parents had sent her a bundle of Galleons, Sickles and Knuts to go out and buy anything she wanted or to put away for a rainy day. Her other gifts included the usual: hair barrettes, earrings, sweets and assorted soaps and bubble bath. She also received a Cat Grooming Kit from Professor Argente. No doubt he had forgotten that she had an owl and not a cat. She kept it anyway. Who knew, maybe she would get a cat one day.
Professor Kiernan was especially anxious to open the gifts that her new friends at Hogwarts would be giving her at the Feast. She couldn't believe they were tormenting her like this, making her wait until dinner to open everything. She busied herself with marking and tidying up the room that she shared with Quirrell.
Quirrell, meanwhile, seemed to be avoiding her. He was so excited about giving her the gift that he'd bought that he was afraid he would give it away if he spent too much time around her. Professor Kiernan was racking her brain, trying to figure out what his gift was. Quirrell was full of surprises. At this point, it could be anything. She decided it had to be something very special since he had done such a good job hiding it and wouldn't even give her the tiniest hint. For someone who had admitted he had trouble keeping secrets, she thought he was doing a really good job at keeping this one.
"I guess I'll find out soon enough," she thought, looking at her watch. "Only two more hours until the feast."
***
Professor Kiernan arrived in the Great Hall about a half hour early. Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape were there already. They were dressed in their best robes. Snape looked like he was wearing the same thing he always wore. Professor Kiernan was wearing her silk robes and had done her hair in a nice French Twist, fastened with a new hairpiece she had received that morning. At her place was a rather large pile of gifts. She smiled at everyone and sat down right away and looked down at her gifts, beaming.
"Happy Birthday, Madison!" exclaimed Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall repeated the greeting. Snape reluctantly said it too and she thanked them.
She waited impatiently for the other Professors to arrive and they finally did, wishing her a Happy Birthday, with smiles. The only person left to arrive was Quirrell.
"I wonder what could be keeping Professor Quirrell?" Dumbledore said.
The others shrugged.
"He wasn't in our room when I went to get ready," Professor Kiernan told them. "In fact, I haven't seen him much all day. He keeps trying to avoid me for some reason."
All the Professors, except for Snape, wore very secretive smiles on their faces. They obviously knew something that Professor Kiernan did not. And she had a feeling it had something to do with Quirrell's gift.
"I'm sure he'll be here any minute now." Madam Hooch assured her.
He arrived at six o'clock, right on the dot. Professor Kiernan had never seen him look more dapper. He was dressed in red satin robes, trimmed with gold and the black tie she had given him for Christmas. He held a bouquet of red roses and handed them to Professor Kiernan, kissing her warmly and whispering, "Happy Birthday, Pretty Lady."
She blushed, not from embarrassment, but from the way his voice and kiss had made her feel. And the name he always called her. "Pretty Lady".
As soon as he got seated, Dumbledore asked Professor Kiernan what she wanted to do first and everyone laughed when she exclaimed, "Open presents, of course!" And so they watched her tear open each and every one, her face lighting up more with each gift. Hagrid had bought her an Owl Grooming Kit and she laughed and told everyone about Professor Argente's mistake. She received more earrings and sweets, including Snape's gift of Every-Flavor Beans. She wasn't surprised that he hadn't spent another fortune on thousands of boxes just to pick out her favorite flavor. She smiled at him and mouthed a thank-you.
Finally, she came to her last gift, a tiny green-velvet box. She guessed this had to be Quirrell's gift. But there was no signature.
"I bet this is from you," she said to Quirrell, undoing the ribbon around it.
"Nope," Quirrell shook his head. "My gift comes after dinner."
"Well then who is this from?" she inquired, annoyed that Quirrell was going to make her wait even longer. She looked around the table at all the Professors but they all shrugged. Snape remained serious and shrugged as well. She opened the box and found the coiled-up serpent ring inside of it.
"Wow!" she exclaimed. "It's wonderful! I read about these in the Daily Prophet. It's a ring that lights up."
She slipped it onto her middle finger, twisted it and a bright light surrounded her. Snape had expected to see a yellow light around her, but instead it was a bright red light.
"It appears that you are in love, Madison," Dumbledore remarked. "That is why the light around you is red instead of yellow."
Professor Kiernan and Quirrell smiled at each other. Of course she was in love. But who had given her the ring? She suspected Snape for a moment, but then thought it couldn't have been him. A ring was much too personal and he had given her Every Flavor Beans already, signed and everything.
"Well, whoever this is from, I thank you kindly." she said. "And thanks, every one for all of your wonderful gifts. But now let's eat, before I die from wondering what Alpheus has bought me!"
Everyone laughed and food appeared on their plates. Then, birthday cake for dessert, in which Professor Kiernan blew out the candles and didn't make a wish, claiming that was a silly muggle superstition.
Just as everyone was about to dig into the delicious looking angel- food cake, Quirrell lightly tapped his spoon on his wine glass and stood up. Everyone in the room, including the students, became silent and looked at Quirrell who looked extremely nervous. But he still managed to smile.
"Another school year is about to come to an end and I have to admit that this is the best year I've ever had at Hogwarts and in my entire life." Quirrell said, the tips of ears turning red. "I have fallen in love and I couldn't bear it if she ever left me." he looked down at Professor Kiernan who had tears in her eyes. "So I am going to make sure she is mine forever." He took her hand and got down on one knee. With his other hand, he pulled something out if his pocket. It was a ring. A gold ring with a beautiful heart shaped diamond on it. Tears poured down Professor Kiernan's face as he asked her, "Madison Kiernan, I love you and I can't imagine you not being in my life. Madison, will you marry me?"
Professor Kiernan could only nod as she wept. Quirrell stood up with her and they hugged and kissed passionately as everyone in the Great Hall broke out into tremendous applause. Then people shouted and whistled as Quirrell and Professor Kiernan stayed locked in their kiss.
Snape stood up along with everyone else, but he did nothing but scowl. It just figured. Quirrell had outdone him with his engagement ring and speech. Snape's Light-Up Snake Ring had been the best gift there until Quirrell came along with his. He always got everything. And now, The Lady was his forever. The Professor all started to mingle, shaking Quirrell's hand, kissing and hugging Professor Kiernan, congratulating the bright and beaming couple. The lady Professors all fussed over and admired the engagement ring on Professor's Kiernan's finger. When Quirrell made eye contact with Snape, Snape gave him a horribly forced smile and said "Congratulations." Quirrell smiled and nodded at him. Then Snape caught Professor Kiernan's eye as she was returning to her seat to eat her cake. He had to say something to her, even though he felt as though he had just been stabbed in the heart. He walked over to her and tried his best to smile.
"Congratulations, Professor Kiernan," he said, the words sounding terribly forced. "I hope everything works out for you two." That was an outrageous lie. Snape could have cared less if things worked out or not.
"Thank you very much, Severus," she said, her voice as gentle as a summer breeze. She kissed him lightly on the cheek, a gesture that both shocked and amused everyone at the Staff Table. "That means a lot coming from you." She smiled, sat down and enjoyed her cake.
Snape was so baffled that he had three pieces, quite forgetting that he hated cake.
***
End of Chapter Twelve
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LadySnape - Fully Qualified Witch and Wife of Severus
- Posts: 355
- Joined: Friday 2 August 2002 1:00:00am
- Location: Snape Manor
by LadySnape » Thursday 1 January 1970 1:00:00am
Chapter Thirteen: The Softer Side Of Snape
After many glasses of wine, Quirrell and his now fiancée, Professor Kiernan said their good nights and went to bed. Not to sleep, as everyone knew. Even after they were gone, however, the Professors continued celebrating. Snape was grumpy and did not plan on hanging around much longer, glumly thinking that there was nothing to celebrate. At least not to him. He left the Great Hall and headed for his room, this time, definitely hearing noise coming from Quirrell and Professor Kiernan's room. He cursed under his breath, wishing he could drag Dumbledore to that very spot and let him hear the noise that everyone once thought he had been lying about. Now it was so plainly clear that they could be very noisy.
Snape slammed his door shut and went into the large bathroom. He used his wand to draw a bath for himself, threw his robes aside and stepped into the water, trying hard to relax. He picked up a book he had been reading. "One Million Ways to Bemuse Muggles". He hated muggles and found them and their inventions useless, so this book somewhat amused him. It had been a gift from Dumbledore last Christmas... the only gift he had received other than the chain that Professor Kiernan had given him. He absently fingered it as he read. But his mind wandered. It wandered to Professor Kiernan. Merlin help him, she was so devastatingly beautiful. Snape wiggled uncomfortably in the tub, thinking about her curvy and regal figure beneath her robes, her red hair and the way it swung about her proud shoulders and the delicacy and strength in her face. "And damn him all to hell," Snape thought. "He's got her all to himself." Thinking about Quirrell made him so mad. He grabbed a bottle of shampoo on the floor beside him, squeezed too much into the palm of his hand, and then vigorously started washing his hair. Not that it did any good. He could have washed it a hundred times and his raven-black hair would still look greasy and unwashed. It was just the way it was. That was why his nose got so out of joint when someone would buy him shampoo as a gift, almost implying that he never washed his hair. He often wished he had Dumbledore's silver hair or Quirrell's golden blonde hair, but he was stuck with black hair that looked like it would never turn gray, no matter how much he aged.
He rinsed his hair and combed his fingers through it. Bored with his book and depressed, he got out of the tub, slipped on his gray flannel robe and stared at himself in the cracked mirror above the basin. He had what seemed to be a twisted face, without even the slightest trace or hint of kindness in it. He looked mean, with his sallow skin, unruly hair and expressionless face. But it was who he was and there was no denying it.
Snape redressed in clean robes and left his room, trying hard not to listen to the fading noise next door. He headed down many corridors until he reached his destination. A large, empty room with only one object in it: The Mirror of Erised. Humungous, it was, with a gold frame, two clawed feet to support it and the engraved words on top, from left to right reading, "Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on woshi". Snape grinned to himself and read it backwards, as he always did: "I show not your face but your hearts desire". He stepped up closer to the mirror and rubbed the dust off it with the sleeve of his robe. This was the only thing that could ever cheer him up. Peering into the mirror and seeing himself as Headmaster and Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, the job he so desperately wanted. Dumbledore didn't mind that Snape often went to that room to look into the mirror. Snape wasn't a fool who would sit there for hours and waste away... he simply went there for a minute, saw his heart's desire, then left in a better mood.
Snape sighed and fixed his eyes on the reflection. But what he saw made his jaw drop and his face turned a brilliant magenta.
"It's a trick," Snape suddenly decided and he walked around the mirror several times, looking for something that was causing this image. He looked into the glass again and the same thing appeared. There he was, smiling. But not as Headmaster or as Professor of Defense Against The Dark Arts. Instead, he was holding someone's hand. That someone was none other than Professor Kiernan. She was smiling, too. He looked down at their entwined fingers and saw Professor Kiernan give his reflection's hand an affectionate little squeeze.
"No," Snape said softly, shaking his head. "No. It can't be."
The mirror was supposed to show a person their heart's desire and Snape was certain that his heart's desire was to be Headmaster, teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts. At least, he had been sure of that at one time. Now the mirror was showing him otherwise. How could a woman be his heart's desire? And not just any woman. Professor Kiernan, of all people. The one woman who didn't cringe at his pickled animals. The one woman who could be just as stubborn as him. The one woman who could stand up to him and be just as fierce as he himself could be. The one woman who had ever been able to turn his head. And the one woman who would be Quirrell's wife faster than he could say, "Wingardium Leviosa". The one woman he could never have.
"No," Snape said again. "It's just all this foolish birthday fuss. I'll come back tomorrow evening and it will be the same as it was before." He tried to sound as convincing as possible, but as he headed back to his room, he wasn't so sure.
***
The following night after dinner and after listening gloomily to Quirrell and Professor Kiernan patter on and on with their wedding plans, Snape headed back to the empty room where the Mirror of Erised stood. He was almost afraid to look into again. What if he saw again, what he had seen the night before? Then he would have to believe it.
"Maybe I should wait a few more days," he said to himself. "Until they stop discussing their damn wedding."
He had reason to believe he saw what he saw because their topic of conversation bothered him so much. But the Mirror of Erised didn't care what was in your head. It saw what was in your very soul. The deepest desires of your heart. And Snape was so sure that teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts was at the top of his list.
He wanted to leave, but he suddenly felt nailed to the spot. He had to look into the mirror again. He took a few steps closer to it, took a deep breath and stared. He clapped his hand over his mouth to muffle the whimper that escaped his lips. It was there again. The reflection he dreaded seeing. Himself and Professor Kiernan, side by side, hand in hand, smiling sweetly. His knees then buckled and he sank to the floor. When he looked into the mirror again, he saw Professor Kiernan sitting next to him. Then she placed a small kiss on his cheek. Snape swore he could feel it as though as had actually happened. He put a hand to his cheek and sighed deeply.
"Severus, back again?" a voice suddenly asked quietly. Startled, Snape rose to his feet, turned and saw Dumbledore standing a few feet away from him. "I am surprised. You don't usually come in here that often."
"Headmaster," Snape managed only to croak as Dumbledore moved forward and closer to Snape.
"Severus, you know how I feel about this mirror," he said seriously. "I don't mind you coming in here once in a while, but two nights in a row...." his voice trailed off.
"I had to be sure," Snape explained. "that what I saw was true and not just something in my head."
"Surely you haven't forgotten how the Mirror Of Erised works," said Dumbledore, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course I remember how it works," said Snape.
"Then why are you so sure that what you see is just your imagination?" Dumbledore asked. "The Mirror Of Erised does not lie, Severus. And it certainly doesn't read minds."
Snape knew that Dumbledore was speaking the truth. However, he couldn't face it.
"It's wrong." Snape declared, through clenched teeth.
"Is it?" Dumbledore said, absently. "Maybe you are the one who is wrong."
Snape scowled as he looked at the reflection once again. What had once cheered him up now made him more miserable than ever.
"Do you honestly know what your heart's desire is, Severus?" Dumbledore inquired, skeptically.
"I thought I did." Snape replied.
"It's amazing," said Dumbledore, thoughtfully, "how the heart can just turn over like that. Isn't it?"
Snape nodded, slowly. Dumbledore studied Snape's face for a moment.
"What makes you think the mirror is wrong?" he asked. "That Professor Kiernan is not your heart's desire?"
Snape was not surprised that Dumbledore could see exactly what he saw. But it still amazed him. There wasn't much that could pass by Dumbledore unnoticed.
"Because I will never have her." Snape answered.
"You're forgetting something very important, Severus," said Dumbledore. "The mirror shows you what is in here." He tapped a finger over his heart. "No more or less. What you see is not necessarily what you get." He smiled a little, and then left Snape alone with his thoughts and with the mirror.
Snape looked at the reflection again and swallowed the painful lump that arose in his throat. His head was spinning with emotions that he had never known before. Feelings he had suppressed long ago were surfacing. He thought he would loose control.
He suddenly decided to leave. He quickly made his way back to his room, shut the door and fell onto his bed as a million things rushed through his head. He heard Dumbledore's words echoing over and over again: "What you see is not necessarily what you get." He began to perspire, so he rushed over to the basin in his bathroom and splashed cold water on his face. It felt good, but did not make the feeling of utter defeat go away. The more he tried to ignore the truth, the more it persisted. And it hurt. It hurt more than the tattoo that occasionally burned on his arm, whenever Voldemort called to his followers. Professor Kiernan's slap across his face was like a tickle compared to what Snape was feeling that very moment. He looked at himself in the cracked mirror and said, "If I can't love her, let the world be done with me."
***
It was the last class of the day on Monday and Professor Kiernan was in Potions, along with Snape. Her mind was not on Potions. Her mind was on Quirrell and the glorious weekend they'd had together. Making sweet love all night and saying, 'I love you' so many times, they were sure the words had worn out. And Quirrell insisted that each time they made love, it was so much better than the last time. Professor Kiernan wasn't sure how much better it could get. If it DID get any better, she was certain she would die from absolute ecstasy.
Professor Kiernan absently did the roll call, and then stared at her engagement ring with a smile on her face. It was the most beautiful thing in the world, aside from Quirrell. It was more than a ring. It was a bond, a promise. A promise that she would be Quirrell's forever.
Snape was red-eyed, pale and tired. He didn't get a wink of sleep... and not because of any noise, but because his emotions were on a roller coaster and he felt as though he had no control over his thoughts. The only thing he could control were his classes, but those would be over in a little less than a month and Snape had no clue how he was going to occupy his mind after that. He tried not to think about it too much. Maybe he would be fine. He vowed to never go back and look into the Mirror of Erised again. At least not for a couple of years. Maybe once Professor Kiernan and Quirrell were gone, his heart would 'turn over" again, as Dumbledore put it. Unless of course, they decided to stay. Snape shivered slightly at the thought.
"Are you going to stand there all day or hand back those essays?" Professor Kiernan suddenly broke into his thoughts. "I didn't waste half of my birthday marking them so you could just stand there."
Snape didn't realize that he had been standing there motionless, holding the essays in his hands for a very long time. He looked down at them, taking note that Professor Kiernan had docked marks for spelling errors. He looked at her and frowned.
"What did I tell you about spelling errors?" he demanded, so the class couldn't hear.
"Listen, hotshot," she whispered back at him. "You told me to mark them, so I marked them. MY way." she added, with her self-satisfied smile.
She was surprised that Snape didn't argue. He simply started handing back the essays. She was equally surprised that he didn't tell the students that they would have to wait another day, since his ASSISTANT didn't mark them properly.
"I'm very disappointed in you," Snape suddenly said. Everyone waited for him to add, "Gryffindor" but he didn't. He added, "ALL of you."
The Slytherins looked surprised.
"Did you not hear Professor Kiernan when she told you that spelling counts?" he inquired and everyone, including Professor Kiernan gawked at him, with their mouths hanging open.
"But, Professor-" one of the Slytherin students began to protest.
"SILENCE!" Snape snapped. "You will all redo the essay WITH the correct spelling."
"But, Sir, it's nearly the end of the year," Sarah Manners whined. "We don't have a lot of time to redo any of our work."
The rest of the class nodded and murmured 'yes' in agreement.
"Then I guess you should've thought of listening to Professor Kiernan instead of ignoring her." Snape said, simply. Then he went over to the blackboard and started writing down the ingredients for their next mixture.
Professor Kiernan was frozen in her seat. Snape had actually said her name. He had actually called her 'Professor Kiernan' rather than 'My Assistant'. She could hardly believe it. Not only that, but he gave in to her docking marks for spelling mistakes. Did that mean he agreed with her? Finally?
She watched him brush chalk dust off his robes, and then unlock the ingredient cupboard for the students. Then he sat down and rubbed his eyes.
"Are you ill?" Professor Kiernan asked. Not only was he being nice, but he also looked awful. Something had to be wrong.
"Tired," he answered, yawning. "I didn't get much sleep last night."
Professor Kiernan bit her lip. She knew that she and Quirrell had been rather noisy the past two nights, since her birthday.
"Sorry," she suddenly apologized. "It's just.... well, now that we are engaged and all..."
Snape looked straight into her eyes and nodded. His sleepless nights had nothing to do with her or Quirrell and their nighttime activities. But he derived satisfaction by letting her think that it WAS her and Quirrell's noise that had kept him up. After all, Snape was still Snape.
***
End of Chapter Thirteen
After many glasses of wine, Quirrell and his now fiancée, Professor Kiernan said their good nights and went to bed. Not to sleep, as everyone knew. Even after they were gone, however, the Professors continued celebrating. Snape was grumpy and did not plan on hanging around much longer, glumly thinking that there was nothing to celebrate. At least not to him. He left the Great Hall and headed for his room, this time, definitely hearing noise coming from Quirrell and Professor Kiernan's room. He cursed under his breath, wishing he could drag Dumbledore to that very spot and let him hear the noise that everyone once thought he had been lying about. Now it was so plainly clear that they could be very noisy.
Snape slammed his door shut and went into the large bathroom. He used his wand to draw a bath for himself, threw his robes aside and stepped into the water, trying hard to relax. He picked up a book he had been reading. "One Million Ways to Bemuse Muggles". He hated muggles and found them and their inventions useless, so this book somewhat amused him. It had been a gift from Dumbledore last Christmas... the only gift he had received other than the chain that Professor Kiernan had given him. He absently fingered it as he read. But his mind wandered. It wandered to Professor Kiernan. Merlin help him, she was so devastatingly beautiful. Snape wiggled uncomfortably in the tub, thinking about her curvy and regal figure beneath her robes, her red hair and the way it swung about her proud shoulders and the delicacy and strength in her face. "And damn him all to hell," Snape thought. "He's got her all to himself." Thinking about Quirrell made him so mad. He grabbed a bottle of shampoo on the floor beside him, squeezed too much into the palm of his hand, and then vigorously started washing his hair. Not that it did any good. He could have washed it a hundred times and his raven-black hair would still look greasy and unwashed. It was just the way it was. That was why his nose got so out of joint when someone would buy him shampoo as a gift, almost implying that he never washed his hair. He often wished he had Dumbledore's silver hair or Quirrell's golden blonde hair, but he was stuck with black hair that looked like it would never turn gray, no matter how much he aged.
He rinsed his hair and combed his fingers through it. Bored with his book and depressed, he got out of the tub, slipped on his gray flannel robe and stared at himself in the cracked mirror above the basin. He had what seemed to be a twisted face, without even the slightest trace or hint of kindness in it. He looked mean, with his sallow skin, unruly hair and expressionless face. But it was who he was and there was no denying it.
Snape redressed in clean robes and left his room, trying hard not to listen to the fading noise next door. He headed down many corridors until he reached his destination. A large, empty room with only one object in it: The Mirror of Erised. Humungous, it was, with a gold frame, two clawed feet to support it and the engraved words on top, from left to right reading, "Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on woshi". Snape grinned to himself and read it backwards, as he always did: "I show not your face but your hearts desire". He stepped up closer to the mirror and rubbed the dust off it with the sleeve of his robe. This was the only thing that could ever cheer him up. Peering into the mirror and seeing himself as Headmaster and Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, the job he so desperately wanted. Dumbledore didn't mind that Snape often went to that room to look into the mirror. Snape wasn't a fool who would sit there for hours and waste away... he simply went there for a minute, saw his heart's desire, then left in a better mood.
Snape sighed and fixed his eyes on the reflection. But what he saw made his jaw drop and his face turned a brilliant magenta.
"It's a trick," Snape suddenly decided and he walked around the mirror several times, looking for something that was causing this image. He looked into the glass again and the same thing appeared. There he was, smiling. But not as Headmaster or as Professor of Defense Against The Dark Arts. Instead, he was holding someone's hand. That someone was none other than Professor Kiernan. She was smiling, too. He looked down at their entwined fingers and saw Professor Kiernan give his reflection's hand an affectionate little squeeze.
"No," Snape said softly, shaking his head. "No. It can't be."
The mirror was supposed to show a person their heart's desire and Snape was certain that his heart's desire was to be Headmaster, teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts. At least, he had been sure of that at one time. Now the mirror was showing him otherwise. How could a woman be his heart's desire? And not just any woman. Professor Kiernan, of all people. The one woman who didn't cringe at his pickled animals. The one woman who could be just as stubborn as him. The one woman who could stand up to him and be just as fierce as he himself could be. The one woman who had ever been able to turn his head. And the one woman who would be Quirrell's wife faster than he could say, "Wingardium Leviosa". The one woman he could never have.
"No," Snape said again. "It's just all this foolish birthday fuss. I'll come back tomorrow evening and it will be the same as it was before." He tried to sound as convincing as possible, but as he headed back to his room, he wasn't so sure.
***
The following night after dinner and after listening gloomily to Quirrell and Professor Kiernan patter on and on with their wedding plans, Snape headed back to the empty room where the Mirror of Erised stood. He was almost afraid to look into again. What if he saw again, what he had seen the night before? Then he would have to believe it.
"Maybe I should wait a few more days," he said to himself. "Until they stop discussing their damn wedding."
He had reason to believe he saw what he saw because their topic of conversation bothered him so much. But the Mirror of Erised didn't care what was in your head. It saw what was in your very soul. The deepest desires of your heart. And Snape was so sure that teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts was at the top of his list.
He wanted to leave, but he suddenly felt nailed to the spot. He had to look into the mirror again. He took a few steps closer to it, took a deep breath and stared. He clapped his hand over his mouth to muffle the whimper that escaped his lips. It was there again. The reflection he dreaded seeing. Himself and Professor Kiernan, side by side, hand in hand, smiling sweetly. His knees then buckled and he sank to the floor. When he looked into the mirror again, he saw Professor Kiernan sitting next to him. Then she placed a small kiss on his cheek. Snape swore he could feel it as though as had actually happened. He put a hand to his cheek and sighed deeply.
"Severus, back again?" a voice suddenly asked quietly. Startled, Snape rose to his feet, turned and saw Dumbledore standing a few feet away from him. "I am surprised. You don't usually come in here that often."
"Headmaster," Snape managed only to croak as Dumbledore moved forward and closer to Snape.
"Severus, you know how I feel about this mirror," he said seriously. "I don't mind you coming in here once in a while, but two nights in a row...." his voice trailed off.
"I had to be sure," Snape explained. "that what I saw was true and not just something in my head."
"Surely you haven't forgotten how the Mirror Of Erised works," said Dumbledore, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course I remember how it works," said Snape.
"Then why are you so sure that what you see is just your imagination?" Dumbledore asked. "The Mirror Of Erised does not lie, Severus. And it certainly doesn't read minds."
Snape knew that Dumbledore was speaking the truth. However, he couldn't face it.
"It's wrong." Snape declared, through clenched teeth.
"Is it?" Dumbledore said, absently. "Maybe you are the one who is wrong."
Snape scowled as he looked at the reflection once again. What had once cheered him up now made him more miserable than ever.
"Do you honestly know what your heart's desire is, Severus?" Dumbledore inquired, skeptically.
"I thought I did." Snape replied.
"It's amazing," said Dumbledore, thoughtfully, "how the heart can just turn over like that. Isn't it?"
Snape nodded, slowly. Dumbledore studied Snape's face for a moment.
"What makes you think the mirror is wrong?" he asked. "That Professor Kiernan is not your heart's desire?"
Snape was not surprised that Dumbledore could see exactly what he saw. But it still amazed him. There wasn't much that could pass by Dumbledore unnoticed.
"Because I will never have her." Snape answered.
"You're forgetting something very important, Severus," said Dumbledore. "The mirror shows you what is in here." He tapped a finger over his heart. "No more or less. What you see is not necessarily what you get." He smiled a little, and then left Snape alone with his thoughts and with the mirror.
Snape looked at the reflection again and swallowed the painful lump that arose in his throat. His head was spinning with emotions that he had never known before. Feelings he had suppressed long ago were surfacing. He thought he would loose control.
He suddenly decided to leave. He quickly made his way back to his room, shut the door and fell onto his bed as a million things rushed through his head. He heard Dumbledore's words echoing over and over again: "What you see is not necessarily what you get." He began to perspire, so he rushed over to the basin in his bathroom and splashed cold water on his face. It felt good, but did not make the feeling of utter defeat go away. The more he tried to ignore the truth, the more it persisted. And it hurt. It hurt more than the tattoo that occasionally burned on his arm, whenever Voldemort called to his followers. Professor Kiernan's slap across his face was like a tickle compared to what Snape was feeling that very moment. He looked at himself in the cracked mirror and said, "If I can't love her, let the world be done with me."
***
It was the last class of the day on Monday and Professor Kiernan was in Potions, along with Snape. Her mind was not on Potions. Her mind was on Quirrell and the glorious weekend they'd had together. Making sweet love all night and saying, 'I love you' so many times, they were sure the words had worn out. And Quirrell insisted that each time they made love, it was so much better than the last time. Professor Kiernan wasn't sure how much better it could get. If it DID get any better, she was certain she would die from absolute ecstasy.
Professor Kiernan absently did the roll call, and then stared at her engagement ring with a smile on her face. It was the most beautiful thing in the world, aside from Quirrell. It was more than a ring. It was a bond, a promise. A promise that she would be Quirrell's forever.
Snape was red-eyed, pale and tired. He didn't get a wink of sleep... and not because of any noise, but because his emotions were on a roller coaster and he felt as though he had no control over his thoughts. The only thing he could control were his classes, but those would be over in a little less than a month and Snape had no clue how he was going to occupy his mind after that. He tried not to think about it too much. Maybe he would be fine. He vowed to never go back and look into the Mirror of Erised again. At least not for a couple of years. Maybe once Professor Kiernan and Quirrell were gone, his heart would 'turn over" again, as Dumbledore put it. Unless of course, they decided to stay. Snape shivered slightly at the thought.
"Are you going to stand there all day or hand back those essays?" Professor Kiernan suddenly broke into his thoughts. "I didn't waste half of my birthday marking them so you could just stand there."
Snape didn't realize that he had been standing there motionless, holding the essays in his hands for a very long time. He looked down at them, taking note that Professor Kiernan had docked marks for spelling errors. He looked at her and frowned.
"What did I tell you about spelling errors?" he demanded, so the class couldn't hear.
"Listen, hotshot," she whispered back at him. "You told me to mark them, so I marked them. MY way." she added, with her self-satisfied smile.
She was surprised that Snape didn't argue. He simply started handing back the essays. She was equally surprised that he didn't tell the students that they would have to wait another day, since his ASSISTANT didn't mark them properly.
"I'm very disappointed in you," Snape suddenly said. Everyone waited for him to add, "Gryffindor" but he didn't. He added, "ALL of you."
The Slytherins looked surprised.
"Did you not hear Professor Kiernan when she told you that spelling counts?" he inquired and everyone, including Professor Kiernan gawked at him, with their mouths hanging open.
"But, Professor-" one of the Slytherin students began to protest.
"SILENCE!" Snape snapped. "You will all redo the essay WITH the correct spelling."
"But, Sir, it's nearly the end of the year," Sarah Manners whined. "We don't have a lot of time to redo any of our work."
The rest of the class nodded and murmured 'yes' in agreement.
"Then I guess you should've thought of listening to Professor Kiernan instead of ignoring her." Snape said, simply. Then he went over to the blackboard and started writing down the ingredients for their next mixture.
Professor Kiernan was frozen in her seat. Snape had actually said her name. He had actually called her 'Professor Kiernan' rather than 'My Assistant'. She could hardly believe it. Not only that, but he gave in to her docking marks for spelling mistakes. Did that mean he agreed with her? Finally?
She watched him brush chalk dust off his robes, and then unlock the ingredient cupboard for the students. Then he sat down and rubbed his eyes.
"Are you ill?" Professor Kiernan asked. Not only was he being nice, but he also looked awful. Something had to be wrong.
"Tired," he answered, yawning. "I didn't get much sleep last night."
Professor Kiernan bit her lip. She knew that she and Quirrell had been rather noisy the past two nights, since her birthday.
"Sorry," she suddenly apologized. "It's just.... well, now that we are engaged and all..."
Snape looked straight into her eyes and nodded. His sleepless nights had nothing to do with her or Quirrell and their nighttime activities. But he derived satisfaction by letting her think that it WAS her and Quirrell's noise that had kept him up. After all, Snape was still Snape.
***
End of Chapter Thirteen
-
LadySnape - Fully Qualified Witch and Wife of Severus
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