Devotion (Snape × Student OC)

9

The morning arrived, and we made our way towards the Potions classroom. I felt a growing sense of anxiety creeping up on me as I approached the door. It had been two days since my encounter in the forest, and I still hadn't decided what to do. Should I talk to him after class, or should I keep my mouth shut? Professor Snape sat in his usual spot, engrossed in reading something.

As the students took their seats, I felt a familiar wave of nervousness wash over me. Why did his classes always feel so strict? Even breathing seemed difficult. He lifted his gaze and observed the class, his eyes briefly meeting mine. I felt my throat tighten and swallowed hard, quickly taking my seat, trying to play off that I hadn't noticed his gaze.

Professor Snape's usual, monotonous voice filled the room as he began to speak. "Prepare your cauldrons; we will be making a Forgetfulness Potion today," he instructed, his voice maintaining its typical stern tone. However, there was a hint of weariness that I couldn't help but notice.

His voice rose slightly as he continued, The students immediately busied themselves, taking the necessary materials and gathering around their cauldrons. I followed suit, but my eyes would occasionally dart towards Professor Snape, noticing the subtle exhaustion in his demeanor.

Focus, Sue.. I whispered to myself, trying to concentrate on the potion. I reached for the bottle of river water to add to the cauldron, only to struggle with the stubborn cap. After a sudden burst of effort, the cap fell from the bottle, landing on the floor right where Professor Snape was walking slowly, observing the students' progress.

He paused and fixed his gaze on the spilled water, his annoyance evident in his expression. Then he looked at me, his eyes narrowing slightly. My heart pounded rapidly as a sense of nervousness washed over me. I opened my mouth to apologize, but no words came out.

I froze, my anxiety heightened by his slightly annoyed expression. Great, now he's annoyed with me... Professor Snape's voice broke the brief silence, his tone still strict but without any real anger in it. "Be more careful, Miss, Pick up that cap and clean up the spill."

I nodded my head in response to his instruction, but instead of reaching down to pick up the cap, I raised my wand. With a swift movement, I cast a spell, and the spilled water on the floor lifted into the air, gathering back into the bottle. Some students glanced at me with surprised expressions, their mouths slightly agape.

I looked at them with a sense of confusion, unsure of why they were reacting that way. But Professor Snape's attention was drawn to my action. He cleared his throat quietly, attempting to hide his subtle admiration for my display of magical skill. Did he just..admire my spell? I thought to myself, my heart rate speeding up further.

He cleared his throat once more, composing himself before addressing me. "Quite skillful, Miss. Sue" His voice was even, but there was a hint of something else beneath his words. "However, a simple cleaning charm would suffice in this case. No need for such display of magic."

Meanwhile, Ron rolled his eyes and whispered quietly to Harry, "Now he's got another reason to deduct five points from Gryffindor." Harry didn't bother to respond, simply shooting a disapproving glare at Snape. Professor Snape then walked over to Neville's cauldron, his irritation evident as he observed the boy's bubbling cauldron filled with grey liquid.

"Stupid boy!" he hissed in frustration, clearly displeased with the results of Neville's potion. I watched from a distance, feeling a pang of sympathy for Neville. His potions always seemed to be a target of Professor Snape's sharp tongue. Snape's disapproving gaze swept over the rest of the class before returning to Neville. "Why can't you even manage a simple Forgetfulness Potion, Longbottom?" he snapped, his voice sharp with irritation.

"Pay attention and follow the instructions. It's not really that hard!" Neville gathered the courage to respond, his voice shaking as he spoke in a low tone, "I did follow the recipe... I-" But before he could finish his sentence, Professor Snape's sharp voice cut him off, resounding through the classroom. "SILENCE!"

My heart skipped a beat, fearful for Neville's welfare. Amidst the tension, Malfoy caught my attention. He was secretly hiding his wand after having used it moments ago, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth as he and his annoying friends began giggling quietly. My eyes widened as I saw Malfoy use another prank on a already struggling Neville, casting a secret spell with his wand concealed under his robe's sleeve.

The result was a bottle of river water spilling from Neville's desk. Professor Snape turned his gaze back towards Neville, his expression one of pure fury. He clenched his jaw, his voice laced with venom as he spoke. "Longbottom!" he barked, his voice sharp and cutting. "You clumsy oaf! Can't even handle a simple potion without making a mess."

Malfoy and his friends snickered in amusement, thoroughly enjoying the scene unfolding before them. Neville's face went pale as his confidence shattered under Snape's harsh words. He attempted to stutter a response, but the words stuck in his throat. Snape stalked over to Neville's cauldron, peering into it with a look of disgust.

"Pathetic," he spat, his eyes narrowing as he observed the mess. "How many times do I have to tell you... PAY ATTENTION and follow instructions. It's not that hard! Five points from Gryffindor for your sheer uselessness." The other Gryffindor students sighed with displeasure, their murmurs and judgmental glances directed toward poor Neville.

I scowled as I finished my own potion, my eyes narrowing as I observed the unfair situation. Unable to remain inactive, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I silently drew my wand, discreetly hiding it under my sleeve. I aimed it towards Malfoy's cauldron, murmuring under my breath.

To my satisfaction and a bit of amusement, Malfoy's cauldron started to bubble restlessly, becoming chaotic. Malfoy's eyes widened, shock and annoyance evident on his face as his potion began to bubble uncontrollably. "What the-" he exclaimed, clearly caught off guard.

Snape, who had been scolding Neville moments ago, noticed the commotion and swiftly turned his gaze towards Malfoy's cauldron. His eyes narrowed as he took in the chaotic sight. He strode over to Malfoy's desk, his robes swishing behind him. With a stern voice, he snapped, "What is the meaning of this, Malfoy?"

Malfoy's eyes darted nervously between Snape and his cauldron. He was caught off guard not only by the chaotic state of his potion but also by Snape's stern approach. "I don't know, Professor..." he began, his voice unsteady. "My potion just started foaming on its own-"

"Indeed" Snape said slowly, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Potions usually just decide to misbehave without any outside influence, don't they?" Some of the students couldn't help but snicker at Malfoy's predicament, amused by his situation. Seeing this, Malfoy's face turned red with anger, but he knew better than to utter a word of protest.

Professor Snape approached Malfoy's cauldron, swiftly using his wand to halt the chaotic bubbling. He then returned to his chair, his voice echoing through the classroom with authority, yet laced with disappointment. "Those who have completed their work may leave the class," he exclaimed sternly.

"And those responsible for the disturbance shall remain here until they clean up the cauldrons and the floor!" I couldn't hold back a smirk as I observed Malfoy's bewildered expression, as it appeared this was the first time he'd faced consequences for his troublesome behavior. However, I felt a pang of sympathy for Neville, who would have to stay alongside Malfoy.