Saved by Love (Severus Snape / Original Female Character)

1993

January 1993

Hogwarts

Lockhart walked into the Great Hall and smiled at the students on his way to the high table for lunch.

When his eyes met Florence, he winked as usual, completely ignoring the fact that Severus was sitting beside her and - if looks could kill - Lockhart would be falling dead between the Gryffindor and the Ravenclaw tables.

Florence looked at her husband and had to hide her laughter while he growled low.

"Just five more months, Severus," unexpectedly whispered Prof. McGonagall beside him.

And both Slytherins looked at her in surprise.

"Never liked him," McGonagall admitted, "I have no idea why Albus hired that man; he's nothing but a vain attention-seeker."

"Students can learn from a bad teacher, Minerva," whispered Dumbledore, sitting beside her that day, "What not to do, how not to be."

McGonagall scoffed and rolled her eyes, making Florence laugh again.

"Of course," Severus said in his velvety voice dripping with irony, "His presence here has nothing to do with your desire to expose him as the fraud he is."

Dumbledore just cleared his throat and glanced at the place beside Florence, where Lockhart had just sat.

"Hello, Madam Delacour. I had the most amazing morning! Woke up with my gorgeous blond waves perfectly in place and my skin glowing as a sign of my excellent health. How about you, my dear?" asked Lockhart cheerfully.

"Well, I spent my morning surrounded by petrified students in the infirmary, Prof. Lockhart," Florence replied, purposely popping his happy-bubble, "So... not so great," she paused, letting her fork rest on her plate, "If only we had an expert in the Dark Arts who could find the entrance to this Chamber of Secrets and save us all," she sighed, adding with a sexy whisper: "You know, I'd be forever grateful to him."

Severus raised his head towards her and frowned.

Just watch me, husband. She told him.

Lockhart chuckled nervously and gave her a big smile, "I'll work even harder to find that Chamber, Madam! I'll be your saviour!"

Florence smiled sweetly: "That calms my heart, Lockhart. Although it also makes me wonder how you ended up in Ravenclaw? Such a brave man like yourself; you'd certainly have been more suitable for Gryffindor. After all, Ravenclaws are not known for being brave team players, but actually competitive backstabbers."

Lockhart's smile faltered slightly at the indirect insult, but then he proudly exclaimed: "One doesn't need a team when one's good enough for ten!"

Florence looked into his eyes and caught a glimpse of a Memory Charm being cast on several different occasions and on distinctly different people, "Oh, so that's what you do..." she whispered, clearly understanding where his heroic acts came from, "But it's good to have a team" she added, "someone to do your job for you when you're incapable of doing it yourself, you know."

Lockhart slowly raised his eyes from his plate to her, looking into her eyes with concern.

Florence just offered him a sweet smile and turned to look at Dumbledore, changing the subject completely, her voice filled with concern about a more serious matter: "Have you heard about the new anti-werewolf legislation, headmaster?"

"Yes, my dear. I have," Dumbledore replied, exhaling, "It's very sad that instead of working for a more inclusive society, Fudge is allowing such a law to pass."