"Try not to worry about the spell hitting you," I advised Pansy. I'd started teaching her a few defense spells that afternoon, and she mostly cringed with every spell I sent her way. "The point of defense is for you to be able to keep yourself safe from an enemy while you think of a spell to use against them — it's a sort of distraction method, you could say."
"That's hard to imagine when you know the spell is meant to hurt you," Pansy said nervously.
I paced thoughtfully, just then noticing the small audience that had gathered around me. I automatically looked at everyone in turn as I said, "It's true, you need to know exactly when a spell is meant to be used against you, yourself. However, keeping yourself calm is essential to being able to defend yourself. If you want to stay safe, you have to learn how to keep control over your emotions."
"Wouldn't it be better to let your emotions control your spell-casting?" one student blurted.
I looked over at him. He was a first year student, with curly brown hair. He blushed slightly under my gaze.
"That's a very good question, actually. What's your name?"
"Graham Pritchard," he said.
"Then answer me this, Mr. Pritchard. Why do you think putting emotion into a spell is better?"
"Well..." he looked very surprised by the question. "Because... because then there's a reason.. behind the — uh — spell... right?"
"Are you quite sure?" I asked.
He paused, "No."
"I'd suggest you offer a justifiable reason behind every answer you give in case a teacher asks." The boy blushed again and his friends chuckled slightly. "I personally agree with you, though emotion is helpful sometimes. Only one emotion would always be helpful, and that is courage. Courage drives you behind every single spell you make, otherwise they would all be meager little spurts of kid's magic.
"But what I mean by controlling your emotions is to control your fear. An enemy can practically smell it off of you, and any other emotion can be sensed as well when you put what you're thinking about into consideration. You can't be thinking 'oh I want to go home,' not when your attacker is standing in front of you feeling all your fear and trepidation pouring out of you. You have to focus your thinking on what spells to use against them while effectively protecting yourself. Just clear your mind of everything that clutters your brain except for the spells you know will assist you in that moment."
"And if the spell coming towards you is the Killing Curse?" Pansy asked.
I shrugged, "Well, then, do the next best thing and duck out of the way with. Just hope that it will rebound off of something, and hit the attacker instead."
Some people chuckled. Some blanched. I, however, smiled excitedly as I looked at everyone who'd gathered around to listen. There was something rejuvenating about other kids learning something from me. "To those who want some practice... let's begin."
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Severus walked into the common room about forty minutes later, and stared in silent shock at the scene before him. Students were in partners, neatly strewn across the common room, casting spells as each other as well as defending. True duelling.
He looked over at me as I studied a certain fight, commenting things like "You had some good power behind that stunning spell, Pritchard, but don't wander your eyes away from Parker." Graham and Lissy are actually doing pretty well for first years. "Actually, Parker, that's Furnunculus, not Furnooncoolus." To the room at large, I shouted, "Pronunciation is key, everybody, remember that! Say something wrong, and it'll backfire!"
I paced through the room again, watching everyone in turn. They all looked like they were actually having fun. Pansy and Millicent giggled when they successfully defended themselves against their partners. Draco and Becky fought each other, lost in concentration as they cast defense and offense spells back to back. Lissy and Graham did very well, actually seeming to hit it off with each other. If I do this again, I'll have to give them different partners — perhaps challenge them with older students. Trixy was already challenging herself, duelling Blaise of all people... but he was going easy on her.
"Miss Figsund can take care of herself, Mr. Zabini, I want to see you at least try to hit her."
Trixy positively glowed with humor.
A tap at my shoulder made me jump, I'd been so lost in thought. I looked to see, "Oh, Professor Snape...! How long have you been here?"
"Long enough — how did this start?" he said, looking around at the room in fascination.
I scratched the back of my neck, "Well, I started out helping Pansy with defensive spells. When everyone showed an interest in what I was teaching her, they all just joined in."
"I thought you hated being the center of attention in a crowd."
I thought through that, looking at everyone around me. "Well... yeah, but... I don't know what's so different about this. It's... fun, actually."
"Hm... call this off, and come meet with me in my office."
I shrugged, "We've been doing it long enough, I suppose." I gave a loud whistle and everyone turned to face me. A few were just as surprised as me to see Professor Snape there, "That's it for today! Good job everyone, you did great!"
Everyone dispersed, talking to each other in mumbled voices. Lissy and Graham continued talking, and laughed when Trixy bound over to them in a comical fashion.
I turned to Severus, and gave a mock bow, "Lead the way, m'lord."
He rolled his eyes, but set off to his office with me close on his heels. When he closed the door to his office behind us, he looked at me. "Was that the first time?"
"Yes," I said, walking away from him to partially sit on his desk with my legs crossed in front of me. "Are you going to make a really big deal over it? I'd only promised Pansy that I'd help her with defense spells, and when everyone began watching it sort of turned into a class lesson."
"It was as if you'd done it a hundred times before... and you even kept it professional."
My nose scrunched up, "How's that? The professional part, I mean..."
"You didn't call any of them by their first name — not even Miss Parker or Miss Figsund. Did you not notice you were doing that?"
"I was doing that on purpose... for the benefits of a regular classroom sort of thing instead of when I'm tutoring. I thought it seemed to be quite a useful tactic to keep them on task, and listen to my instructions."
"So now you understand why I do it," he replied with a small smirk.
I didn't answer, merely noting in my mind how I'd hated just being called 'Riddle' my first year... it seemed so long ago since that day. "Well, you could say I learn from the best."
"Melody, you're taking your O.W.L.'s this year — and next year your N.E.W.T.'s — have you thought at all about what you'll do after that?"
"No," I said truthfully. "I have been... procrastinating on those thoughts — it just seems so far away."
"It's not. It is very close considering how fast you're moving."
I moved to the chair in front of his desk, and slumped down in it. Did he just bring me here to make me think about my future instead of having fun teaching in the spare time I had?
He chuckled, as if he'd read my thoughts. "I believe you would be a great teacher here."
I sat up. "Wow, I hadn't thought of that..."
"Apparently not."
I scowled at him.
"Perhaps you could qualify for Defense Against the Dark Arts."
"No, I'd rather not be yet another person who takes the job you want," I said. He gave such a surprised look that I knew he didn't know what to say. "Don't get me wrong, it's a fascinating subject... as all the subjects are... but if I'm to be a teacher, couldn't I possibly make a new subject?"
He looked thoughtful, "What kind of subject?"
"What do you think?" I asked with a small laugh. "Wands! The history of wands have been passed down from generation to generation in certain families such as mine, but what if I could share that sort of information to anyone who might decide to become a wandmaker? Or at least to just learn a little bit more about wands?"
"That would work..." he said, nodding. "Are you sure you haven't thought about this before?"
I laughed "Yeah, I did it just now. It's a short process."
Chuckling, he asked, "You like your idea? You want to become a professor of wands?"
"I like the plan — yeah. Yeah, I want to become a professor of wands."
He inclined his head. "Now that that's decided, it's time for you to go back to the common room." He opened the door and beckoned for me to walk out of it.
"Severus..." I said walking up to him. When I stood right next to him I said "Thank you," and walked out the door to go back to the common room.
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Barty and I sped through the Forbidden Forest, racing against each other to see who could finish three laps first. It was childish, yes, but I couldn't help but laugh as we found ourselves tied neck-and-neck leading up to the imaginary finish line.
"What is the outcome going to be if we tie?" I called out to him, the wind roaring in my ears. It was really quite funny to look at him surrounded by fast-moving black smoke.. enough that I wondered how I looked while surrounded by it.
"Nothing, I suppose," he yelled back, seemingly gaining speed. "But, I wouldn't count on it! You're about to eat my dust!"
I chuckled, pushing more effort into keeping up with him. "You wish!"
As it was, I called the end of the race a tie but Barty insisted that he was a hair ahead of me. Naturally, I let him enjoy his 'victory.'
"Your eyes get redder every time you use Dark magic," he noted, leaning toward me with one hand on my chin so he could turn my face this way and that.
I swallowed a lump in my throat. "Do they stay red outside of our lessons?"
He shook his head, letting go of my chin to grin at me. "Not at all. Why do you sound so worried about it?"
"If my eyes are turning red," I sighed, "it will only be a matter of time before someone attributes it to Dark magic. I'm screwed if my mother learns about it."
He scoffed, turning away to gather his bags.
"What was that for?" I asked curiously.
"Be proud of who you come from. Your parents are skilled in Dark Arts. You'll get control over it."
"And what if I don't? I can't go around school with red eyes. I have half a mind to believe that my eyes turn red when I'm angry," I admitted, keeping my impending panic tamped down.
"All the more intimidation to add to your image," he said, licking his lips excitedly. "You should never be ashamed of who you come from."
I rolled my eyes, "I'm not ashamed. I just can't risk being found out yet, that's all."
He stared at me a few moments before something seemed to snap, "You should get ready for that time to come soon, princess.... Your part is coming up. There won't be any time for hiding once you finish that potion for him."
"I know, I know..." I said, nervously imagining Professor Dumbledore's normal easygoing attitude turning sour.
He snarled at my reaction, "You better not back out —"
"I would never!" I snapped irritably. "I've never backed out of anything, Barty! Not when it comes to helping my dad!"
He frowned, but gave no response. I didn't wait for one as I stalked off, my heart full of fury and fear.
Which part would overpower the other?