Confess (A Severus Snape Fanfiction - SSxOC)

Chapter 2

Of course, he had informed Dumbledore of the events, who was not pleased, to say the least. He had prolonged the boys' detention for another week and had assigned Filch to the task. Filch was even less popular among the students than Snape, and he deemed it fit that they had to serve detention with him instead of with their house's head.

Professor Snape was just all too willing to hand that task over. He had far more important things to deal with than babysitting a dozen teenage idiots, and it made Filch happy to have someone to bully around. Well, not that he cared whether or not Filch was happy. He couldn't stand him.

After the Slytherins had served their two-week detention, Snape did not think of the incident anymore. He thought it to be over.

When he was on his way to the potions classroom one afternoon, though, he was proven wrong. As soon as he turned around the corner, he was greeted with a sight that made him stop in his tracks. What he saw was a very close display of his own experiences as a student at Hogwarts. It was as if someone had taken his memories and revived them, right here in front of him, so many years later.

Fuming, he pushed several students out of his way, who were cheering on the small group that had gathered around Samara Jones, pulling her clothes and picking on her. He stormed towards Chase, who was obviously enjoying himself far too much. Placing a hand on the boy's shoulder, the professor yanked him around.

"Having fun, Mr. Parker?"

Chase stood in shock, still holding up a small brown book, not able to utter a complete sentence.

"Prof... Professor..."

"I suggest you hand me that book," he hissed so intimidatingly that the student dropped it immediately. "Professor Dumbledore will be awaiting you in his office."

With frightened eyes he stared at his teacher.

"What are you waiting for? A personal invitation from him? Go! Now!"

With Chase gone, he turned his attention to the rest of the group. "50 points from Slytherin and detention. Duration to be determined. Now, if you would kindly take your seats in the classroom."

Fearing another one of Professor Snape's outbursts, they all hurried into the potions room.

Samara muttered a "Thank you, Professor," but he ignored her and rushed right past her into the classroom, furious about what he had just come to witness.

When she stepped through the door, he had apparently changed his mind about ignoring her and strode back towards her with fluttering robe.

"Why, Ms. Jones," he mumbled angrily as he came to a halt mere inches in front of her. "Why do you allow them to do that to you? Why do you let them treat you like that?"

The girl looked at him shyly, blushing at his words. "I don't know how to stop it, Sir." A single tear ran down her beautiful face. "I just don't know what to do."

For a moment, the professor felt his attitude weaken. He knew exactly what it was like to have to endure constant bullying. In her case, however, he was certain the boys picked on her not only because she was "strange", as they had put it; there was a completely different reason for their foolishness. They did it because she was pretty. Chase in particular seemed to be quite taken with her and obviously couldn't handle the fact that she was most uninterested in him.

Professor Snape frowned at his own thoughts. "Defend yourself," he growled.

With that, he left her standing there and returned to his desk. Sitting down, he threw the book he had still been holding carelessly on top of a stack of parchments and began his lesson.

As always, he felt as if he was just wasting his precious time with that inept bunch of dimwits, so he was relieved when it was time to dismiss his class. Gathering the homework from his desk, his eyes fell on the small book with the brown leather cover. He had forgotten to give it back to Ms. Jones. Well, he could do it during the next potions lesson, and until then he would just keep it.