Professor Black: A Reader Insert

30. A Surprising Year for Sure

Draco had agreed to join (y/n) and Joan in the school early and was standing in Professor Snape's classroom with a hard look in his eyes.

"Everyone is leaving me out of the loop, what is wrong with my cousin? I know that both of you are on amicable terms and you spend quite a bit of time together, so could you please clue me in so that I can stop whatever happened at the World Cup from happening ever again." His arms were crossed as he stared down the potions master.

"That isn't something that you can stop. It isn’t your place to either." Severus breathed a long suffering sigh.

"So? Maybe I can help any way. Potion ingredients, charms, wards, something." Draco raked a hand through his hair. "Just please let me help her, she’s like a sister to me. I don't want to see her in that much pain again."

Snape hid the dry chuckle that threatened to bubble up behind his stony facade.

"You know what her animagus is don't you?" Severus asked the blond, earning a nod before her continued. "That particular wolf has a biological need for their one singular mate, a soul mate of sorts. One could go their whole life never meeting them and be just fine. Once they meet their mate, if they wait for too long to be physically intimate with them their psychic gift will kill them rather harshly. That is what's wrong. She met her other half and was in a position to not do such a thing and now she's paying for it."

"What can I do to help? Do I need to hunt this person down? Threaten him? I can do that." Draco began going over possible plans in his eyes only to be stopped by a hard look from the potions master.

"The way you could help is by leaving us be during our free time." Severus felt the world pause as he said this the eyes of the blond before him widening in almost comic horror.

"You- you and my cousin are-"

"Malfoy, you will do well to forget this conversation."

"Well understood. Well forgotten. Will spread the word about leaving you two be. Toodles." The boy couldn't leave fast enough.

The overgrown bat heaved a sigh that carried a lifetime of sulking suffering once he was alone. The potions were made and waiting for use, but he felt the need to make things special. Such a kindness his paramour deserved much more than a quick romp in the sheets. His mind's brief flash of exactly what he'd do to her made a craving burn through his body and a groan catch in his throat.

He's too old for this.

~~~~~

The feast brought about some news that made (y/n)'s eye twitch in displeasure. Ah, yes, a death tournament for what? Glory of course. What kid needs glory when surviving to adulthood is hard enough. It's a damn good thing there isn't an augurey infestation. Else all hell will break loose. She was certain the universe was trying to kill her from stress before her brain explodes.

(Y/n) ate calmly, trying her damnedest not to growl at the new teacher that just smelled wrong. All wrong. Like pretending to be someone they weren't, wrong. Unfortunately, that teacher sat next to her and made her one goal of not ending the teacher before the entire student body difficult.

'Rus, he's not really Moody.' She projected carefully to both Dumbledore and Severus.

She eyed the two men who didn't react to it outwardly but felt indignation flow from Albus like his lemon treats were banned.

"Miss Black, it's been a while." The imposter gruffly hummed. "What have you been up to?"

"Indeed, I've been... crouching here and there. I hear Bartemius is going to be here, I'm sure our juniors are chomping at the bit to prove themselves before such a stern figure." She hummed eyeing his reaction to her very subtle hint that she knew who he really was and didn't find him catching on.

So she ate a few more bites of her meal as she spoke as calmly as possible to the imposter before sitting back in her seat and sipping her wine while watching the students.

"Who do you think will be in the tournament?" The interloper asked his glass eye blazing a hole through her temple.

"That is something even I can't say Professor Moody."

~~~~~~

September was peaceful, despite Dumbledore's blatant ignoring of her constant pointing out that Moody isn't as he seems. And said Professor getting uncomfortably comfortable with her much to her dismay. The first instance of this was him asking detailed questions about her children to which she answered: "If I didn't know any better I'd think you were an agent of my estranged father." Before not answering any of those questions save what school she hopes they'll go to.

She also hinted at Harry to be prepared for what can be another year of trying not to die, only to receive a confused look from the teen. Last year must’ve put him off divination entirely. His loss.

She was currently enduring a meeting that she was being made to attend in regards to the schools attending and how her workload would double for the foreseeable future. It's a good thing her aunt made her learn so many other languages to proficiency or she'd be screwed. For a moment she thought she tasted the acrid taste of an augurey but then huffed in displeasure. That shit should stay in it's own lane.