Brave { Neville Longbottom}

Chapter Ninety Six

"Hey Professor Snape! Professor Snape, wait up!"

Severus heard the girl, it was impossible if he didn't, her annoying voice echoed through the halls, but he hoped if he ignored her long enough that she would take the hint and go on about her way, leaving him to some peace and quiet.

She did not take the hint.

"Professor Snape, come on, I know you can hear me!"

He tried to leave down the corridor, however, Kefira hopped in front of him, stopping him in place. He rolled his eyes trying not to look down at her.

"What is it, Miss Walsh?" he said through his teeth.

"Why are you making that face again?" Kefira asked him, tilting her head to the side. "I'm only saying hello to you. It wouldn't kill you to smile, you know."

"It just might." he replied only to hear her giggle.

"You're really weird, Professor Snape."

"What is that you want, Miss Walsh? I'm very busy." he said wanting to get rid of her.

Kefira looked around. "Busy doing what, sulking around the corridors?"

He opened his mouth to tell her to just go away as blunt as possible but she continued on, not giving him the chance to do so.

"Anyways," Kefira said peering up at him. "I was wondering if you could help with something?"

"Help you with what? If it involves Transfiguration or any of your other classes outside of Potions then you should approach your other professors. I'm not here to be your private tutor, Miss Walsh."

"I never claimed you to be here for that, Professor Snape." She countered. "Besides, this has to do with Potions."

He raised a brow at her.

"What about it? You should have long finished your assignment that's due tomorrow, if you are waiting until last minute I-"

"I already finished that assignment ages ago." she waved him off. "I just had a question about Transmutation." 

"What? Transmu-...that's only covered in Advanced Potion making, that's far out of your league, Miss Walsh. Where did you even read about that?"

"In the Advanced Potion-Making book." Kefira said like it was the most obvious answer to mankind.

"How did you get a hold of a copy, I did not send you a cop-" he stopped himself as he saw her smile grow on her face.

"No, you didn't send it to me, Professor...but there are copies in the library. I was in there the other night reading.."

"And you picked up a copy of the book for some light reading?" He sighed.

"No, I wouldn't call it light reading, my brain is still feeling kinda mushy from reading a lot of it.Could you explain it further?"

"Of course I can explain, whether I choose to is a whole other-"

"Please!" Kefira said clapping her hands together and jumping up and down.

"Stop doing tha-"

"Please! Please!"

"No-"

"Please!"

"It is far beyond your knowledge of potions right now to even comprehend."

"You say that, but you're the one that has me brewing potions that are seventh year level. I think I could understand it if you explained it to me."

"I only have you brewing those potions as a punishment!"

"But I'm learning just as well. That's the whole purpose of the detentions right? Why else would you have be brew the potions if you didn't want me to learn anything? If it was strictly punishment, you'd probably follow what Filch does during his detentions."

"Perhaps I will from now on."

"You're a professor, are you not?" she questioned. "If a student is coming to you willing to learn about a topic, shouldn't it thrill you that they actually want to learn? No offense, Professor Snape, but I don't see students here lining up to praise potions class all the time. Normally, they all too occupied with Defense Against the Dark Arts or Charms. Please..."

"Miss Walsh, I have told you no numerous times and my answer will not change, no matter what."

Neville was sitting with Faye and Dean watching the two try to play a game of Exploding Snap cards but both of them failing miserably.

Suddenly, the portrait swung open and Kefira came into the common room with a skip in her step.

"I thought you said ten minutes." Neville said.

"Sorry," she grinned before walking over and sitting beside him, " I got a little caught up talking to Professor Snape."

"I don't understand why you try to be friends with that professor, Kefi." Dean shook his head at her. "The man is miserable and I think he prefers it that way."

"That's what you think!" Kefira said, " but I had him review over the subject of transmutation briefly and I swear I saw a hint of a smile on his face."

"You lie!"

"I'm not lying! I swear! If you were all there you would have seen it!"

"Yes because that's how I want to spend my time off," Faye said, " sitting in the dungeons going over advance potions."

"Right, I suppose losing horribly to Exploding Snaps is much better." Kefira said leaving to the girl's dorm.

"Snap." Dean said looking at Faye and Neville.

Severus picked up the open copy of Advanced Potion-Making that Kefira left behind and glanced over it briefly, before closing it over. He didn't understand the child, why she had developed such an interest in potions, baffled him especially since he had hardly ever made it a pleasurable experience.

It had to be a curse of some sort, he believed.

For her to have the similar hair and eyes, and to develop a love for Potions, it killed him internally to be around the girl and it certainly didn't help that all she ever did was try to be nice or defend him. He placed the book down on his desk before sitting down, welcoming the silence of his classroom as he became lost in his own memories that he had tried so hard to ignore for years.