Year Two-
The following Monday had gone by faster than Hally would have liked. Today was the day she started as Snape's potion helper.
He was angry with her for following the voice she'd heard that much was true. But he believed her. At least it seemed as though he did, given his concerned reaction when she'd told him about it.
She was usually happy to be in close proximity to him but today she was dreading her upcoming time with the brooding professor.
She had a right to be concerned in her opinion, when Snape was in a bad mood the tasks he'd have her do would be much more disgusting than she'd prefer.
This wasn't a detention though, so maybe he would have her doing something other than cleaning.
She was shaken out of her thoughts when she walked through the doorway of his classroom. She quickly realized that she wasn't the only student in the room as Neville, Seamus and Hannah Abbott were also there.
All three of them were standing over a simmering cauldron as they greeted her warily. They told her they were there for some extra help.
Snape then popped out of the potions storage room, hugging a bottle of what looked like flobberworm juice to his chest. "Ahh the chosen one has finally decided to grace us with her presence." He all but snarled out at her.
"I'm right on time." She defended back.
He sneered at her, "On. Time. Is. Late."
It took all her strength to not roll her eyes at his attitude towards her, "what do you need my help with professor ?" She changed the subject hoping that he would just move on from her supposed 'tardiness'.
"You will be assisting me with the revision for the Wiggenweld potion. You got nearly perfect marks in it and since there is three of them and only one of me you can assist me by making sure that Mr Finnigan here,' he taunted while nodding in Seamus' direction. 'does not blow up another cauldron."
Before Hally knew it an hour had passed by and she was actually enjoying helping Seamus with his potion. Everything was going well too until the Irish boy mistakenly knocked over a vial of billywig string slime that poor, accident prone, Neville didn't notice and slipped on, sending the contents of his cauldron flying all over Hally's robes and the ends of Hannah's hair.
The two girls immediately started shrieking as Snape who had been watching the whole scene unfold hastily pulled Hally towards him and started unbuttoning her outer robe. "Miss Abbott go to the sink and rinse the ends of your hair, quickly !"
Hally stood in shock as the potions professor peeled her robes off her her body until she was in nothing but her white, button up blouse and pleated skirt. She had picked a rather unfortunate day to wear her pink and red, polka-doted training bra that showed right through the thin material of her shirt.
To both of their horrors, professor Snape brought his sights down to where her shirt was see-through. His eyes widened in shock before steadily looking away and closing in irritation. "Potter ! where is the rest of your required uniform ?!" He lowly snarled as he brought his sights to the two boys rushing towards Hannah Abbott to help her.
Hally covered her arms over her chest in shame. "I-I had quidditch practice before this ! The-the g-g-game is next week and...!" She tried to explain but ended up stuttering and losing her train of thought at her mortification.
"So you just decided to show up here half-dressed ?!" He snapped at her explanation. Hally lowered her head in embarrassment at his words. Quickly realizing that she didn't have an excuse for missing half of her attire other than being too lazy to put it all back on.
He grit his teeth at her lack of response before dismissing her, "leave now ! And do not ever show up to my classroom again unless you are properly dressed !"
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As the weeks passed by Hally and professor Snape didn't have another incident with her way of dress. She also decided that it was time to get rid of her training bra- that was hardly covering anything anymore- and invest in a few proper ones. Ones that actually offered her some support. She also made it a point to buy neutral coloured ones instead of anymore pink and red polka doted ones.
Just thinking back to that occurrence had her face flaming. They both couldn't look each other in the eyes for nearly two weeks after it.
An odd thought crossed her mind at one point, which was that she wished she'd had more for him to look at. Although her body was changing, she still hardly fit into a B-cup. She was just glad she decided to wear a shirt under her robes that day, sometimes on the really hot days she wouldn't wear one. But lesson learned. She certainly wouldn't be doing that anymore after that little hiccup.
Hally tried to clear her head of those thoughts as she entered professor Lockhart's -the new DADA teachers- duelling club. It was founded because Colin Creevey had been discovered petrified and the teachers wanted the students to be able to properly defend themselves against an attacker. Especially now that it was confirmed that the chamber of secrets really had been opened once more. Professor Mcgonagall had told them the story about how Salazar Slytherin had made the chamber in hopes to purge Hogwarts by means of an unknown monster. So that any witch or wizard that he did not deem worthy of studying magic wouldn't survive in the school. In other words, muggleborns.
Hally instantly took note that professor Snape was in the room, when he parted his way through a crowd of Slytherin students. He came to a stop in front of Lockhart who had just finally stopped talking about his apparent fight against a yeti. He then explained that him and professor Snape were going to demonstrate a proper duel.
A sickle of fear slipped down Hally's spine at this. Not for professor Snape's safety of course, but for his job. It was obvious that Lockhart was a crook and didn't actually do half of what he said he'd done in his books. She knew that Snape could very easily harm him if he tried and she didn't want the potions professor to get in any kind of trouble with the press if Lockhart was severely injured. He would no doubt go straight to the daily prophet and for Snape's job.
"Alright class Professor Snape and I are going to demonstrate how to participate in a formal duel." The two men then bowed to each other and before Lockhart could even get his wand fully in the air, Snape had exclaimed "Expelliarmus!" and sent the vain teacher flying back into a wall.
Hally winced. Hoping the man was alright. Everyone immediately rushed over to professor Lockhart but she stayed put and placed her eyes on the professor Snape, who was now smirking.
"I meant to do that.' The blundering man stated while sitting himself up. 'I was trying to show all of you how to lose with grace ! Professor Snape knows that if I had really tried I could've disarmed him just as fast !" Hally and Snape both simultaneously rolled their eyes at Lockhart's words.
"Let's have some students come up and demonstrate what they just learned, shall we ?' Lockhart said as some nearby students helped him up to his unsteady feet. 'Hally and Ron ! Go on up !" He said while bringing his sights on the two friends.
"Mr Weasley's wand is broken, he will not be duelling anyone until he gets another one. Potter has been in the hospital wing enough already this year." Hally knew immediately that Snape was referring to the bludger incident. Dobby had sent a rogue bludger at her during a quidditch match against Slytherin and she ended up breaking her arm. Alone that wouldn't have been a big deal but Lockhart then decided to take it upon himself to try to fix it and the idiot ended up getting rid of all the bones in her arm. Regrowing bones was one of the most excruciating things she had ever been through.
"Perhaps someone from my house would be a better suited partner.' Snape suggested with a lifted brow. 'Draco Malfoy, maybe ? They both have the same level of skillset." He then smirked at Hally as he grabbed Malfoy and pushed him onto the tables that had been pulled together for the duels.
Hally's eyes widened at Snape. She wondered why he would put her up against Malfoy knowing their issues. Maybe he was still punishing her for following the voice.
She looked at professor Lockhart with hope that he would step in but he just stared at her sheepishly and gestured for her to take her place across from the little racist.
Clenching both her wand and her jaw, Hally tried to not show her displeasure as she walked onto the table and stood in front of Malfoy. They then both reluctantly bowed to each other.
"Wands at the ready !' shouted Lockhart. 'When I count to three cast your charms to disarm your opponent-only to disarm them- we do not want any accidents..." He explained as he brought his attention between the two children and the potions professor.
Malfoy immediately cast a spell that was more than a disarming charm and Hally felt like she'd been hit in the head with a frying pan. Stumbling around for a second and trying to keep her composure as the blonde idiot laughed, she regained her bearings and pointed her wand straight at Malfoy and cast a "Rictusempra !"
As the jet of silver light hit him in the stomach- causing him to wheeze- Snape then stepped forward and chastised them. "Potter ! Malfoy ! The task is to disarm only ! Not render each other unconscious !" Hally brought her attention to the potions master for a moment and regarded his expression which had slipped into one of irritation.
Hally was then briefly distracted by professor Lockhart mumbling that he and Snape should have showed them how to block unfriendly spells before getting them to demonstrate a duel.
That ten second distraction was enough to not notice Malfoy cast a leg-locking jinx and a "Serpensortia !"
Hally fell forwards and hit her nose off of the hard table as a large black snake flew out of Malfoy's wand and a few feet away from her. It quickly started slithering it's way towards her, half ready to strike.
She was quite dizzy and disoriented from the shock of hitting her face. She lifted her head off of the cold surface and looked down. To her utter consternation there was a puddle of her blood that was starting to pool underneath where she laid.
She looked up at that moment noticed that the snake was still slowly inching its way closer to her.
All the students around them were screaming and out of the corner of her eye she noticed Professor Snape grab Malfoy by the back of his robes and take his place. "Don't move Potter. I'll get rid of it." He said condescendingly before Lockhart stepped in. "No allow me to get rid of it professor !"
Hally brought her full attention to the potions professor finally and he looked enraged as he regarded Lockhart. Snape's lip curled up at the DADA professor as whatever spell he cast didn't vanish the snake but shot it ten feet into the air. When the snake landed it was even more furious and bolted straight for Justin Finch-Fletchley.
Hally didn't know what came over her but in that moment she panicked and yelled at the snake. "Stop ! Don't hurt him ! No one in this room means any harm to you, I promise !" The large, black eyed creature halted and stared at her obediently while slumping calmly onto the table.
At that relief Hally licked her lips and immediately took note of the copper taste that was flooding into her mouth. As she grimaced that's when Justin Finch-Fletchley angrily yelled out, "oi Potter ! What are you playing at ?!"
She was befuddled at first and didn't understand what he was talking about, she had just saved him from getting attacked. She then decided to look around the room and noticed everyone else's face. She instantly picked up that something was wrong.
Carefully bringing her attention from everyone's shocked faces over to professor Snape, she noticed that the potions professor was staring at her with wide eyes and parted lips, looking a combination of puzzled and mortified.
He then waved his wand and vanished the snake before undoing the leg-locking jinx with a quick "Finite Incantatum !"
The hall was so quiet after that, you could practically hear a pin drop. Unease settled into Hally's stomach as she looked at Ron and Hermione who both simultaneously turned their attention towards the ground like it was the most interesting thing in the world.
Before Hally could ask what everyone's issue was Professor Snape started to walk towards her. She watched his long strides across the table until he was stood directly in front of her with a scowl.
"Come. Potter." He pronounced each word slowly as he wrapped his large hand around Hally's wrist.
Not giving her a chance to protest he started walking towards the door while dragging her behind him. Hally tried to dig her heels into the ground once they were off of the tables because she wanted to know what was going on but quickly gave up when she realized he was a lot stronger than her.
Once they were out of the room Hally was practically tripping over both her robe and feet as he continued to yank her towards the dungeons. "Professor can you please slow down ?!' She latched onto where he was holding her. 'I can't walk that fast !" She managed to stammer out as he shot a glare at her over his shoulder and gripped her wrist even tighter.
To Hally's surprise Snape didn't continue to pull her towards his classroom but instead into a hidden alcove behind a tapestry.
He finally released her wrist when he shoved her inside of it.
Casting a silencing charm once he stepped into it he then immediately started to berate her. "What in Merlin's name was that Potter ?! Are you insane ?!"
"What-what are you-"
"Do not interrupt me !' He ground out before continuing. 'Why did you not inform headmaster Dumbledore of your ability ?"
Hally stared up at him in utter confusion which caused him to frown down at her. "What ability are you talking about ?"
Rage came over his features at her inquiry. "Do not play dumb you insolent little brat ! You are a parselmouth !"
Hally lifted an eyebrow in confusion. "A parsel what ? Professor I haven't a clue of what you're talking about right now."
He let out a huff as he flared his nostrils at her. "You were just speaking in parseltongue ! It is snake language !"
Hally's eyes widened as her heart dropped. "H-h-how was I just speaking another language ? I didn't even realize-"
-"didn't even realize what ?" A look of confusion overcame Snape's features as he asked the question.
"How can I speak a different language and not realize that I'm speaking another language ?" Hally watched her professors jaw slack slightly as he furrowed his brows at her query.
"Have you never spoken to a snake before that ?" He asked while lifting a brow at her.
Hally stared at him thoughtfully for a moment before responding. "Well...there was one time at the zoo when I accidentally set a snake loose but I don't get what the big deal is. I'm sure there are a lot of witches and wizards that can speak to snakes."
Snape took in the girl in front of him. He wondered if she was actually telling the truth and how it was possible she had this ability.
He cast a cleansing charm to get rid of the blood on her face before explaining himself. "No Potter it is not a very common gift. In fact, it is so rare that the only people in our world that have that particular skill are ones that directly descend from Salazar Slytherin himself."
A look of horror came over the girls face at his statement. Tears were starting to pool in the corners of her eyes before she responded. "Professor I'm not related to Salazar Slytherin ! I can't be..."
Hally was lost in her thoughts at that. She was a Gryffindor. She was not in Slytherin. It couldn't be possible that there was any direct correlation between her and the blood supremacist wizard. But as she thought back to the sorting ceremony she recalled that the sorting hat had wanted to originally place her in Slytherin. Her stomach lurched into her throat at that thought.
"No I do not believe that you are either but that remains to be determined." Snape said skeptically while looking away from her.
"Well perhaps my parents-"
He quickly cut her off. "Your parents were not in Slytherin, they were both Gryffindor's through and through. Not to mention your... mother...was a muggleborn. As you are aware since you were raised with her muggle sister." He said the word 'mother' like it pained him to say.
Hally realized in that moment that Snape did know her parents or at the very least knew of them. She wasn't sure why he hadn't talked to her about them up until this point though. "My father was a pureblood, wasn't he ? I mean I don't really know anything about his family history."
Snape snarled at her bringing up James Potter. He had to restrain himself from lashing out at the thought of him. "I shall make some inquiries with the headmaster but until then I would keep my head down if I were you. After that little demonstration in the duelling club along with everything that is going on with the chamber of secrets being re-opened, there will probably be some...rumours...going around now about your heritage."
Hally couldn't catch his eyes again after he said that. She hoped he believed her. There was no way she was capable of hurting anyone nor was she the one who opened the chamber of secrets.
Before she could stop herself Hally reached forward as he was going to slip out of the alcove and wrapped her small fingers around his rough ones.
Snape snarled at her, "Potter what the devil are you doing ?"
Before he could push her off of him she asked him a question she needed to know the answer to, "you do believe me, don't you professor ? You know that I'm not the one who opened the chamber or petrified anyone ?"
Snape's stomach flipped as she stared up at him with hopeful eyes. A shiver went up his arm as her cold fingers grazed the inside of his palm and evidently ended up snapping him out of her little spell.
"Yes.' He spoke pointedly. 'I believe you." With those words he retched his hand out of her grasp and left her standing alone in the dimly lit alcove.
Hally couldn't stop replaying what had happened in her head over the next few days. She tried to explain everything to Ron and Hermione but they just looked at her with doubtful eyes. She knew they wanted to believe her but it definitely looked bad from an outsiders perspective.
It looked even worse when she was trying to find Justin to explain to him what really happened and ended up tripping over his petrified body in the middle of the corridor.
She gasped at the sight in front of her when she looked up and noticed that nearly headless Nick had also been petrified. Up until this point she wasn't even aware that ghosts could be petrified.
Of course with Hally's luck, before she could leave the scene to get help everyone came out of their classrooms and seen her next to him. Professor Mcgonagall came out with the crowd of students and immediately took Hally to Dumbledore's study after Hagrid picked up Justin to take to Madame Pomfey's.
Once there, the transfiguration professor said the password "lemon drop," and a large gargoyle statue opened and revealed a concrete staircase.
Hally then looked back at the professor who gestured towards the staircase. Hally returned her sights forwards and reluctantly stepped onto the step that led her up to the headmasters study.
Once at the top she started to walk forwards towards a large wooden door. It was then that she overheard a loud commotion. There was someone who was angrily yelling on the other side and that person didn't sound like the headmaster.
As she got closer to the ruckus Hally immediately placed the distinct baritone of her potions professor.
"Were you aware of this ability of hers ?" Snape's voice was muffled through the door but Hally could still tell that he sounded aggravated.
"I was not aware of that, no." She heard the much calmer voice of Dumbledore respond back.
"What does it mean then ? She is not a descendant of Salazar Slytherin, it is not possible." The disgruntled man pointed out before there was nothing but silence coming from the other side of the door.
Hally was confused at the sudden stop in conversation until the door that lead into the study that she was currently perched up against abruptly opened.
Not expecting that to happen she didn't have time to catch herself and quickly lost her balance.
With nothing else to do but fall forward she went face first into the hard chest of whomever opened the door-causing that person to let out a grunt as her nose connected to his chest bone.
Unfortunately for Hally that person happened to be professor Snape.
The girl laid her palms on the hard plains of his pectorals and pulled her face back a bit to look up at him. He was staring down at her with a look of complete detest as he swiftly removed her hands from himself.
He grit his teeth hard as he spoke. "It is quite impolite to eavesdrop Potter."
Hally was was then pulled into the study by her wrist before Snape released her. "I wasn't eavesdropping ! Professor Mcgonagall directed me here to speak to professor Dumbledore !" She quickly defended her actions even though she had technically been listening in on their conversation.
"Ah yes, Mr Finch-Fletchley has been found petrified." Dumbledore chimed in from where he was sat at his desk.
Snape's eyes widened as he snapped his head over to the headmaster. "What does that have to do with Miss Potter ?" He questioned as his eyes shifted between the two of them.
"Hally is the one that found the boy." Her potion professors eyes narrowed on her at Dumbledore's words.
"Yes I did find him.' Hally admitted. 'But I'm not the one who petrified him ! Sir, I know it looks bad but you have to believe me !" Hally pleaded with the headmaster as Snape moved closer to where she was standing.
"Unfortunately I believe Potter. The night that Mr Creevey was found petrified she was in the hospital wing regrowing the bones in her arm. It is very unlikely that...she...is the one who is behind these attacks." Snape surprisingly defended her as she felt him shift so he was standing almost directly behind her. She could smell his calming scent and feel the tickle of his robes against her back.
Dumbledore lifted a hand at the two of them, "Severus, I do not think that Hally has petrified anyone.' Hally deflated slightly at his belief in her. 'I simply brought Miss Potter here to have a conversation."
Hally's thoughts started racing about what the headmaster could possibly want to talk about.
"A private conversation." Dumbledore chided as Snape didn't make a move towards the door.
The potions master glared at the old man in front of him as Dumbledore stood to his feet. "Come Severus, you have a class with the fourth years to teach soon." The headmaster stated as he started walking Snape out of the study.
Hally was left to her own devices for a few moments as she heard the two mens voices murmuring lowly as they got further away from the door.
She took note that the sorting hat was on a shelf beside Dumbledore's desk and in that moment she decided to grab it and put it on.
"Ahh Hally Potter, to what do I owe the pleasure of being placed back on your head ? You have already been sorted." The hat snidely pointed out.
The girl took a deep breath. "I was just wondering if you're sure that you placed me in the right house ?" She questioned warily as she wrung her hands together out of nervousness.
"Yes. You were particularly hard to place but I stand by what I said last year. You would have done well in Slytherin."
Hally's stomach clenched at the hat's answer. "You're wrong." She stated while removing the hat from her head and placing it back on the shelf just as professor Dumbledore made his way back into the room.
"Sorry about that Hally, professor Snape just had a few questions for me about his classes." Hally tried to keep her face neutral as the headmaster lied right to it. She knew that Snape's questions were most likely about her not his classes.
"Right.' She responded back immediately. 'What is it that you wanted to talk about professor ?"
"I just wondered if perhaps you had something you wanted to tell me." The professor said as he went to sit himself down next to the large phoenix that was nestled to the right of his desk.
"Well professor Snape already told you about the fact that I'm a parselmouth.' She affirmed before continuing. 'Do you have any idea how that could be ?"
The headmaster nodded his head as a comforting smile came over his lips. "I do have a theory. I assure you the reasoning is not as sinister as you are probably assuming.' The smile slightly faltered causing Hally's heart rate to pick up. 'However, I cannot tell you my suspicions yet. Not until I confirm it."
Before Hally could respond he continued. "You have taken quite a liking to professor Snape. It is obvious to anyone paying attention that you requested to be his helper for more reasons than just being interested in pursuing a career in potion making.' A deep blush overcame the girls face as Dumbledore regarded her with warm eyes. 'You care for him."
"I-I do. He saved me last year and this past summer. How c-could I not care for him ?" She managed to stutter out as the headmaster nodded his head.
"Confide in him, if no one else. He will always protect you I can assure you of that."
"I know he will."
That was one thing that Hally knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, that no matter what happened she was safe with Severus Snape.
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Hey guys !! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter !! I love writing a worried Snape. Even if he doesn't express that worry in the conventional way.
Please don't forget to like and comment !! ❤️