Harriet Potter and the Alpha in the Dungeon

Chapter 7 - Startling News

Thank you for reading! I don't own any of Harry Potter! Please let me know if you enjoy! Updates every Saturday!
—————————————————————

The following morning brought with it the first class day of the new academic year.

To Severus's surprise, Harriet appeared in the dungeons classroom a half hour before he had requested.

"Potter," Severus greeted her in his low purr of a voice when he saw her step into the doorway, "You're early this morning, how unlike you."

Harriet shrugged off his snide comment and asked the alpha, "Is the room to your liking, sir?"

Severus glared over at her.

He let his black eyes flicker around the classroom for a moment before he met her gaze.

Slowly, he drew in a silent breath and spoke, "I suppose it's.......satisfactory........at least, the parts of it that I've been able to examine so far. I haven't yet gotten the chance this morning to check each and every detail, but I will, Potter, don't worry about that. If anything's out of order, I'll be certain to let you know."

"Of course. I did my best on the instructions you sent, sir. They were quite clear." Harriet replied with a nod, unable to hide her happy grin that Severus was pleased with her work whether he wanted to say it directly or not.

As Severus studied Harriet's smile, he had to resist the urge to return it. Instead, he chose to scowl as he folded his arms and spoke, "Our schedule is strict. Years one through three come in rotations during the mornings, years four and five are immediately before and after midday, then years six and seven will conclude our afternoons. We only have a few moments of time between each class, with the exception of lunch in the Great Hall, as you're aware from your own  time here. I need you to be quick and efficient, Potter.......is that understood?"

"Did I fail you when you relied on me before?" Harriet asked.

Severus narrowed his eyes as if he were concentrating very hard and with a gentle sigh he replied in little more than a whisper, "............No."

"Then that should be enough evidence to ease your mind, Headmaster." Harriet answered with a nod as the first students of the day began to file into the room.

—————————————————————

After years of watching Harriet slack off, talk out of turn, and generally cause a disruption in his teaching environment, Severus was almost startled by how obedient she was as his assistant.

Harriet was quiet and respectful while she aided Severus in demonstrations, with passing out documents to students, and by walking around the long, wooden tables full of students to answer minor questions..........she even helped clean the room between class periods.

Throughout that first day, Severus eyed the Auror trainee very carefully.

Besides his own personal interests in the omega, Severus began to yearn for Harriet to stay in his employ forever.

Once Slughorn returned to work and he no longer had to teach classes while overseeing the school, Severus was certain that having Harriet with him all day every day would still prove to be just as useful.

Severus despised the harsh realities that Harriet was only going to be with him for a short period of time, and that she was only helping him to pass her trainee program.

Whenever their hands brushed as they touched the same piece of parchment simultaneously, whenever Severus glided past her and caught a strong whiff of those lovely pheromones that exuded from her skin, whenever Harriet's green eyes locked onto his and smiled brightly at him, Severus allowed himself to imagine.