Into the Light

You defend who you love

Snape approached the classroom quickly. The noise which the students made was already getting on his nerves. It would not take too long for them to understand that from now on, everything would be as usual again. No exceptions, no ridiculous warnings. Instead, there would be detention and he wouldn't hesitate to make somebody do lines.

He entered the classroom and slammed the door shut. The loud bang echoed in the dungeon, and the students turned around, frightened, and ducked their heads as Snape passed them with a dark expression. With a flick of his wand, the flying paper dragons turned into black ash, which slowly rained down on the students. Arriving at his desk, Severus turned around jerkily, his stern gaze wandering through the classroom as he studied one student at a time.

Not too many students were present. From the sixth year onwards, Potions was an elective subject, and many students decided not to be taught by Snape longer than necessary. Severus did not mind. On the contrary, the less idiots he had to teach, the better it was for him.

"My preference for AB-SO-LUTE... silence during my classes, should already be KNOWN," he said slowly, "You have been annoying me for FIVE-LONG-YEARS with your lack of understanding for this subject. If any one of you disrupts the lessons, I will do THE SAME as I have always done, and the detention can have very unpleasant CONSEQUENCES," said Snape, looking at Erland with satisfaction. The boy's gloomy gaze met Severus' and after a short staring contest, which Snape won, he continued visibly pleased.

"Jerk," Jason mumbled almost inaudibly, a comment that Severus did not miss.

"Mister Erland, do you want a detention," Snape asked dangerously quiet, as he turned his full attention to Erland, who looked at him perplexed as he wondered how Snape could possibly have heard that.

"I was assuming that two days of cleaning the sewers would suffice to put a little sense into your head. Apparently, I have overrated your ability to use your intellect. Ten points from Gryffindor for insulting a teacher," barked Snape.

"Just two days ago," Jason began, but Snape immediately interrupted him.

"Twenty points," Snape snapped, "Twenty points from Gryffindor for speaking out of turn. Let's make it thirty points, for disturbing my lesson."

Incredulous looks were exchanged on the part of the students, while Jason got up angrily, knocking over the chair on which he had sat. "Professor McGonagall will hear of this," exclaimed Jason excited.

Snape looked at Erland with a ruthless expression, "Was that a threat," growled Snape, raising a questioning eyebrow. "I am unimpressed," he added boredly, before turning away from the student and heading for his desk.

"Go to Azkaban where you belong," Jason said angrily before reaching for his chair and putting it back. Before the chair stood on its legs, Severus stood at his desk and leaned over to him.

"Strong words from a student which had shaken with fear as soon as he heard of the Dementors. If you have absolutely no idea of something, what is the case, you'd better keep your mouth shut, at least to your own interest. Your utterly stupid remark has once again pointed to your restricted mind, that, since you have been a first-grader, has not developed remarkably for the better. A further remark like this will earn you a well deserved detention for the rest of the year, which you will not forget for the rest of your life. I will personally see to this. Another one hundred points from Gryffindor," Snape snapped, straightening up.

"Who are you to decide where I belong? As long as you have not achieved anything in life, you should not be too boastful. Leave my lesson! Immediately!"

Erland reached for his book and bag and kicked over his chair before he stormed out of the classroom.

"Another one hundred points deduction, because of your rampage in the classroom," growled Snape loudly, so Jason heard him before he slammed the door.