MEMORIES ⚡️ [h.p./s. snape]

Chapter 4

Daisy felt like she was going to be sick.

She was never one to feel any sort of stage fright. In fact, while she attended Hogwarts as a student, she prided herself in being Professor Flitwick's favorite soloist in choir.

During her fifth year, after reading a Shakespeare play in Muggle Studies, she begged her friends to join her in creating a theatre club. They held one successful meeting.

But today, she stared at herself in her mirror and smoothed her skirt with her hands for what was probably the thirtieth time. It was her first day of classes, and she'd never felt more self conscious.

She remembered what is was like being a student. She and her friends would constantly over-criticize every professor they had, and often times, they would let everyone know it. Now, that she was on the opposite end, she felt like karma was going to come back and bite her.

And karma had already put her through the wringer.

She walked out of her room and into her classroom that morning feeling every regret in the world. She was never passionate about children or education. How she thought she was going to pull this off was beyond her.

Her first class of the day was her smallest. It was a group of seventh years, most of whom didn't need to take the class.

"Alright, I'm going to assume that if you're here, that means you're passionate about history." She began her class, slowly gaining confidence with every word she spoke. "So, I want to know what you all want to learn about. Take out a piece of parchment and write down some topics you think would be worth studying in this class. I will go through and check them of course, but essentially I'm giving you control over how we use our time."

After that class, the seventh years seemed quite enthusiastic with Daisy's approach. She was correct in that all of her students were junior historians, and they all had their niche of interest. Some even confided in her that Professor Binns, who taught the class before her and still resides in the castle, never took their interests into consideration, and always taught the same curriculum over and over.

While Daisy didn't give the rest of her classes quite the free reign that she did her seventh years, she asked each class something they were interested in. Most of the classes were interested in the Wizarding War, Grindelwald, the Founders of Hogwarts—all topics Daisy was expecting.

It wasn't until she had a group of first years that her heart jumped in her throat.

Amongst the hands in the air of eager little Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs, a small hand hesitantly raised and caught Daisy's attention more than anyone else.

Harry Potter.

Daisy hadn't had the chance to introduce herself to him yet. In fact, when asked his opinion on the matter, Dumbledore told her she should let Harry figure it out on his own before approaching him that she was his aunt. At first Daisy thought this was a horrible idea, but she was so nervous about his reaction that she decided to go along with it. Surely it wouldn't take long, especially since she had the same surname as his mother. Right?

"Yes, Mr. Potter?" She called on him before any other student, smiling encouragingly.

"Could you talk about Voldemort?" His words were so innocent. A few of the students around the room gasped at his outright use of the dark wizard's name.

Daisy just smiled and gave him a small wink. "Of course, that's only natural you would want to learn about him. In fact, many, if not everyone, in this school has been impacted by You-Know-Who in some form or fashion. That's why it's important to learn about the past, and not forget it, so that we don't make the same mistakes."

Harry smiled back at her, and Daisy almost let everything out right there.

"And I'm your aunt! And Dumbledore wouldn't let me save you from my evil sister! And he convinced me not to tell you sooner!" She wanted to yell at him. More than anything.

But instead she swallowed her words and continued on with the class.

By the end of the day, she felt so accomplished. Each of her classes seemed excited about the prospect of learning what they wanted. She felt so proud that she had the students on her side for now. She just hoped she wouldn't screw it up and turn them against her. She really needed this job.

As she finished up tidying up her classroom, still riding off the high of a successful day, her cheerful demeanor was quickly squandered by a looming figure who knocked on her doorway.

Severus Snape himself made his presence known, in his all black attire and soulless expression. Surely he'd come here to taunt her.

"Professor Snape." She spoke plainly, not wanting to give him anything he could use against her, not even an emotion.

"Professor Evans." He spoke back in an evenly matched tone. It annoyed her. "I heard quite a few students speaking about you."

"Is that so?" She inquired, raising an eyebrow ever so slightly. "Probably terrible things. I maimed a few today actually."

As soon as she said that, she wanted to punch herself in the face. That was the exact thing he could use against her to get her fired. Who would people believe more: the girl who had been alone for years claiming to be sarcastic or the man who had been teaching at the school for years swearing she wasn't?

Instead of threatening her, Snape cracked a smile. It was a split second, but Daisy swore she saw it, before he returned to his usual straight-lipped expression.

"Oh, if that were true, I just wish I were here to see it." He replied. "Next time do invite me."

And with that, he left her classroom.