The Era of Aria Snape

98

Ninety-Eight

FOR ARIA, SITTING at the Professor's table and staring down at the students was a huge privilege, an honor. She could see everyone from her seat next to her father and many surprised faces turned to gawk at her.

"Professor Slughorn, I'm happy to say, has agreed to resume his old post of Potions Master. Meanwhile, the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts will be assumed by Professor Snape along with his daughter who will work as his understudy, I'm sure you all remember her." Dumbledore cast a smile in her direction as a slow, unsure applause sounded throughout the Great Hall.

Aria contemplated doing as Umbridge had and stepping up, interrupting Dumbledore to say her own bit, but she stayed seated. The Gryffindors had hardly clapped she had thought she heard some booing, but she couldn't be sure.

Her eyes went to Draco, he'd barely moved, his eyes focused on the table and his chin resting on his palm. Aria groaned in frustration and looked away. She didn't know how she was supposed to help him if he didn't allow her to.

"Now, as you know, each and every one of you was searched upon your arrival tonight. You have a right to know why."

Aria had been wondering, but she assumed it was to do with the Dark Lord and as Dumbledore spoke of a young man, Tom Riddle, it appeared that she was correct. Flashes of her fourth year when she had met him for the first time went through her head. Moments in the Chamber, how she had almost gone through with killing Harry — something she would never forgive herself for — how she had succumbed to such dark desires that not even she knew she held.

"Just something to keep in mind." Dumbledore finished off the dreary story. "Now, off to bed." He grinned.

"That was fun," Aria spoke to her father who only grunted in response.

"I'll see you tomorrow morning. We have a first-year class to teach."

Aria thought she saw a small grin on his face before he strutted away, but couldn't be sure. Her attention shifted to the Slytherin table. It was strange, looking down at where she used to sit. All her friends were no longer in the school, off pursuing other careers or traveling the world — that's what Anna decided to do.

Draco shoved passed a group of students in an attempt to leave the hall in a hurry. Aria raced towards him, determined not to let him leave without speaking to him.

"Hey!" She grabbed his shoulder.

He turned to glare. "Oh." The glare vanished. "It's you. What do you want, Professor Snape?"

"I'm not a professor yet." Aria snapped. "I only want to know what the bloody hell you did to my brother's face."

"Nothing he didn't deserve. Tell your nosy brother to keep out of my business."

"Don't worry about him finding out."

"You didn't tell him, did you?"

Aria was taken aback by the question. Did he really have such little faith in her? "Don't be stupid. I've made it abundantly clear that I'm on your side in this, whichever side that is."

Draco snorted. "Don't have much of a choice, do I?"

Aria frowned. No, he did not. It bothered her more than she cared to admit. Something about him had recently been clinging to her mind, ever since he had cried in front of her she felt a need to be with him. Aria didn't know if it was love or something else.

"I'll do it for you."

"Don't be ridiculous, Aria."

"I'm not! Let me help you."

Draco glanced at the small number of students that had been watching over them as they spoke. One look from Aria and they dispersed. "Look." She snapped. "I'm here whether you want me to be or not. And I'm not going to let you go through this alone, okay?"

"He asked me to do it!" Draco growled, but his harsh expression faltered and revealed an utterly scared one.

"He's not here." She looked around to make sure no one was listening in. "It's too risky to speak more about it now, but I expect frequent updates."

"Fine." He stormed out.

"Wow, Snape, not even a day after you leave my brother you're already cozying up to him. Can't say I'm surprised. As I hear it, you couldn't even stay away from him while in a relationship. But now he's your student."

Aria turned to glare at Ginny. She had expected as much. "Don't you have other things to do? Like trying to get Harry to like you?" She saw the ginger's face fall. "We both know he won't ever glance in your direction, but keep dreaming."

Ginny's glare hardened before she turned her back and left the Great Hall.

Aria released a breath as she made her way to her new quarters. She would be staying in a room near to her father's outside the Slytherin common room. It had been suggested that she keep her own room from the previous year, but her father objected, fortunately, and now she had her own away from the students.

She lay in her bed, staring at her box of unpacked belongings, and sighed.

The whole reason she had gone back to Hogwarts was to assist Draco, but she felt useless. He wouldn't let her take on the task and she didn't know how to help him otherwise. A group of Death Eaters was to come to the castle on the night that it would happen, Aria assumed there was something for her to do there and that Bellatrix woman seemed persistent that Aria include herself, but what could she do aside from letting them in the front gate?

There had to be something she could do and as she thought, sleep finally overcame her senses sending her into a slumber full of nightmares revolving around one person — Draco.