InsaneJournal

Charity walked into the dungeon room where Severus did his own Potions work. Shutting the door behind her, she locked it and cast a silencing charm over it.

"The toad was never in any danger."

"Legilimency without eye contact." One corner of her mouth curved up. "I'm impressed."

Severus kept his attention fixed on the cauldron before him. "One look at the potion, and I knew that one of his meddling friends had corrected it for him."

"He didn't know that you knew."

"He needs to pay closer attention. But a moment's thought, and he'd have had naught to fear."


* * *


Charity watched Severus measure out powdered something-or-other. "That toad is very dear to him."

"Then he shouldn't be bringing it into Potions," snapped Severus. "A toad in my classroom is an aggregation of ingredients, not a best friend."

"You know bloody well he doesn't see it that way," Charity retorted. "Else your little drama should have been of no effect."

"I doubt it had any lasting effect, anyway. We are talking about Neville Longbottom."

"You scared the shit out of him."

"Good." Severus reached for a vial and dropper. "Perhaps it will clear his brain as well as his bowels."


* * *

Severus, as usual, was as demanding of himself as of his students.

"He thought you really meant to kill his toad."

"I might have done."

"Severus!"

"If the death of one toad would guarantee the lives of his classmates in future?" Severus squeezed several drops into the cauldron. "Yes. In a heartbeat."

Charity sighed. "I don't think, in his case, it should have been a pedagogically effective approach."

Severus halted, mid-stir, then slowly turned about. "Pedagogically effective," he echoed in an undertone.

"Don't sneer at me."

"Don't lecture at me."

"You know his background, Severus!"

He scowled. "Yes. I do."


* * *


Severus shrugged. "Be that as it may, I was attempting to impress upon all of them that a single careless mistake in Potions can be deadly."

"Yes, I understand--"

"Do you?" countered Severus. "With all due respect, Charity, what is the worst consequence if your students perform poorly in Muggle Studies?"

Charity narrowed her eyes. "Death."

Severus stared at her.

"Death," she softly repeated, "to innocent people they've failed to understand."

Abruptly he turned away. "I've got work to do," he muttered over the cauldron.

"I'll see you at dinner." She released the silencing spell and let herself out the door.