Why Would You Hide. A Severus Snape Fanfiction (Stopped)

Chapter 1: The Start of it All

We stood in the line, Ron still crying with mirth, Hermione trying to compose herself and me wondering what on earth was so funny! I also noticed we were getting a few weird looks from Neville, Malfoy and his crew, and a few other Gryffindors. It wasn't long before Professor Snape came down the corridor, his robes flowing gently behind him. As he walked past us he gave a very ugly look to the still sniggering Ron.

"Compose yourself Weasley." He spat. But as he caught my eye I saw the glimmer of a smile cross his lips, as if he too, was trying not to laugh. But no-one else seemed to notice. When we were all inside and quiet, Snape leant against his desk and flicked his wand at the board, where the ingredients and method appeared for a potion called 'Senésera'.

"Senésera is a potion created in France, which is why the name is spelt the way it is." Snape explained in his usual cold, deep voice. "When drunk, the person will fall asleep. It is a very basic sedative so there are no excuses if you mess it up."

With the usual start-up of muffled, whispered chatter, we got to work. As I added some crushed Dragon scales to my potion, which was already bright orange and bubbling dangerously, I looked up at Snape. Our eyes met instantly and it was obvious he had been watching me. Almost immediately a fleeting look of embarrassment crossed his face and he looked away. Getting up from his chair so fast it fell over, he put it back with a flick of his wand and went over to Neville, where he proceeded to point out everything wrong with his potion. As he walked around the room, at one point he said to the class.

"When finished the potion should be clear, like water. And will remain as flat as glass no matter what you do to it."

"Oh no!" Exclaimed Hermione, whose potion was crystal clear, but rippled like normal water.

"Oh get a grip Hermione, look at mine!" I snapped. My potion was no longer orange but a vibrant green and was now gloopy and flopped around in my cauldron. The truth was, I wasn't really trying. And I was very distracted. I kept catching Snape looking at me, but he was clearly avoiding my table. It was making me wonder what was wrong with him.

"Fascinating..." Ron murmured under his breath.

"Oh what is?" Hermione shot at him, clearly frustrated that her potion was wrong.

"Just the way it... Oh, watch this." He replied. He picked up a small cup that was on the side and dipped it in his potion, which was also bright green. As he pulled it out again, both the liquid in the cup and in the cauldron remained completely still. He was right, it was mesmerizing to watch. I picked up a spare stirrer and dipped it in his cauldron. The liquid did not move.

"Cool!" I said. "What do you think Hermione?"

"Hmph... Yeah. It's pretty cool." She did not sound impressed, but after we had convinced her that her potion was probably the closest to being correct out of the whole class, she too started messing around with Ron's potion. Trying to make it ripple in some way.

"Having... Fun?" Hissed a cold voice behind us a few minutes later.

"Professor, we... I, urm..." Ron squeaked, looking slightly paler than he had before.

"I don't care about your... Useless excuses Weasley." Snape spat. "Your potion would kill anyone if they drunk it, so I don't know what you three are so relaxed about."

"Look, Professor, It's my fault. I was messing around and convinced Hermione to. Please don't blame Ron, I just found it cool. I mean, if anyone's potion would kill someone, it's mine! Look at it! So much for basic, I completely messed it up!" I said quickly. Hermione and Ron both looked from me to Snape, clearly anticipating what he would do next. For a short while he just looked at me. But it was enough. A mass of emotion clearly shown on his face. Confusion, being the main one. Annoyance another. And something else I couldn't put my finger on, but it scared me more than anything else. Eventually, after what seemed like the longest six seconds in my life, he replied.

"Well Miss Baxter, as..." He paused, as if trying to find the right word. "Inspiring as I find your loyalty to your... Friends, I think it is not in your place to feel you should take the blame. Seeing as it is Mr Weasley's potion so he should have stopped you. And... In regards to your work, try adding two pinches of powdered mandrake stem. That should work."

And off he went, no punishments, no snide comments, nothing. I looked at Ron and Hermione, who both appeared as shocked as I felt. In fact, looking around at the class I noticed everyone looked the same. I couldn't stand it, so I stood up and I spoke...

"What? That's it? No points, no detentions? Professor?"

"Yes..." He replied slowly. As he turned around.

"What...? What?" I couldn't find the words. Half of the class was looking at me, and half at Snape.

"Miss Baxter, if you wish to say something, then say it. If not, I must ask you to please stop distracting the class and wasting my time." He turned back around and walked to his desk. No-one moved. No-one wanted to; there was too much tension in the air. It hung like a drape. Suffocating us all. I knew I should say something, what was wrong with him? So... To everyone's (And my own.) amazement, I spoke to him again. By this time he had turned back around and was leaning against the front of his desk. One of his arms were crossed while the other hand was by his mouth, his middle finger slowly tracing his bottom lip. I began to feel rather scared. The overall image was immensely intimidating.

"Sir...?" I noticed my voice was shaking, "What do you mean?" For some reason I felt like I was going to cry. I looked up at Snape's eyes, usually so cold, were full of emotion. He looked so sad. This, mixed with the tension in the air, the prying eyes of my two best friends and the rest of the class, I decided was the reason I felt upset. I sat back down but didn't break eye contact. A voice I didn't recognize replied. Gone was the icy tone, one of warmth and comfort had replaced it.

"Miss Baxter... Amelia. I would like to speak to you after the lesson please." He swirled around with such an air of finality that it was clear the conversation was over. I looked up again in shock. That was the first time he had ever called me Amelia. In fact, that was the first time he had ever addressed a student by their first name. Slowly, people got back to work. However they were quieter this time, as if they were trying to hear mine, Ron's, and Hermione's conversation. Not that anything was being said between us. I still felt upset for some reason, so I just kept my head down and followed Snape's advice about the Mandrake stems, aware that people were watching me.