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IT WAS the last thing you ever expected.
you sat at your usual seat in potions class, trying to blend into the background while snape handed back the results of the latest exam. you had known it was bad. the concoction you had brewed was nothing short of a disaster. but surely, it wasn't that bad.
snape's footsteps echoed off the stone walls of the dungeon, each step making your heart race faster. his black robes billowed behind him, and he stopped directly in front of you. your throat tightened as he slowly placed the parchment down on your desk, his cold eyes boring into yours.
"miss yln," snape's voice was quiet, but it carried the weight of a hammer. "see me after class."
your stomach plummeted. that didn't sound good. you quickly glanced at the exam paper, your heart sinking further at the sight of the giant, red "dreadful" on top.
the rest of the class passed in a blur of humiliation and dread, your friends shooting you sympathetic glances from across the room. finally, the bell rang, and everyone packed up their belongings, filing out of the dungeon in hushed whispers. you remained seated, trying to calm the storm of anxiety rising in your chest.
when the last student left, snape turned to you, arms crossed. "miss yln," he began, his tone sharp. "your performance in this class has been... abysmal."
"i know, professor," you mumbled, your fingers nervously twisting the hem of your sleeve. "i'm trying, it's just-"
snape cut you off with a wave of his hand. "trying will not suffice. at this rate, you will fail potions, and i will not have incompetence dragging down my classroom." his dark eyes narrowed. "you have one last chance to redeem yourself. you will retake the exam in two months. if you fail again..." he let the threat hang in the air.
"repeat the class?" you guessed, your heart pounding.
"precisely," he confirmed, his voice cold. "and i'm sure you understand the implications of that."
you swallowed hard. repeating potions meant another year of snape's glares, another year of struggling through complex brews, another year of trying not to get swallowed whole by a class you couldn't seem to grasp.
"i understand." you whispered, defeated.
"good." snape's lip curled into a thin smile. "i've arranged for you to have a tutor. you'll meet him tomorrow."
"a tutor?" you echoed, blinking in surprise. snape's eyes glinted. "the best potions student in the school. you'll need his help if you hope to pass."
