#16 The quest for knowledge

Professor Snape had barely taken his seat when there was a knock at his door. He almost wished he was back in the Potions classroom -- at least the 6th years were far more tolerable. This was his last year to appreciate his NEWT students, as the current set of 5th years would tarnish that feeling next year. He was certain of it.

'Enter,' he said, reluctantly.

With a swish of his wand, the door suddenly swung open -- yet was magically prevented from banging against the wall. The doorway clear, Snape awaited his company to make an entrance and explain why his peace was being intruded upon yet again, and so soon. He glanced up just enough to see who it was (someone who should be headed to lessons, he noticed), then resumed his task at hand.

Most notable was a decent stack of leather-bound books on one side of his desk. There were titles such as Unbinding Binding Curses, An Intricate Comparison of Werewolves and Wuffsnouts, The Most Advanced Study of Counter-Poisons, Lost and Forgotten Counter-Curses, and An Ancient Guide to Forbidden Magical Practices.

Professor Snape scrutinised the student, almost as if he was reading her mind. He drew out the moment, letting Charlotte be nervous and unsure. Her reasoning was fair enough, though she was a Doren so he already knew what he was dealing with.

'Very well. I shall grant you a chance to prove you're willing to dedicated yourself to the task at hand.' He summoned a scroll to the front of his desk for Charlotte to grab, which listed ingredients and their locations around Hogwarts.

Snape turned his interest back to his own task, making it clear he was done with their conversation. If it could even be called that. She had a lesson to hurry off to anyway, and he had no intention of delaying her as it meant she'd also leave him alone.

'Bring me five ingredients you've collected yourself,' he explained, sorting some papers under candlelight. 'Only then shall I consider your request.'

'Enter,' Professor Snape said.

With a swish of his wand, the door suddenly swung open -- yet was magically prevented from banging against the wall. The doorway clear, Snape awaited his company to make an entrance and explain why his peace was being intruded upon yet again. He glanced up just enough to see who it was, and was pleased to see it was a Slytherin. He then resumed his task at hand.

Most notable was a decent stack of leather-bound books on one side of his desk. There were titles such as Unbinding Binding Curses, An Intricate Comparison of Werewolves and Wuffsnouts, The Most Advanced Study of Counter-Poisons, Lost and Forgotten Counter-Curses, and An Ancient Guide to Forbidden Magical Practices.

Professor Snape scrutinised Kassia, almost as if he was reading her mind. Her explanation made sense, and he saw no reason to deny one of his Slytherins this chance. Though he was tempted to express his disapproval at her leaving it until this later in the school year.

'Very well. I shall grant you a chance to prove you're willing to dedicated yourself to the task at hand.' He summoned a scroll to the front of his desk forher to grab, which listed ingredients and their locations around Hogwarts.

Snape turned his interest back to his own task, making it clear he was done with their conversation. If it could even be called that.

'Bring me five ingredients you've collected yourself,' he explained, sorting some papers under candlelight. 'Only then shall I consider your request.'

With Charms class over, Elizabeth quickly set her mind to other things. First, get her Potion's kit so she could be more prepared for the fast approaching Potions OWL. While Potions wasn't her favorite, Elizabeth knew that it could be an important class, even if her fate was to be married off to another person instead of working.

Somewhere below the surface, perhaps because of recent events concerning the whereabouts of her parents, she didn't truly believe that it would happen. Or maybe it was just denial. Elizabeth had to believe, at least to everyone else and mostly to herself, that she accepted her parents' decision, no matter where they were. She just wished she could know more, either of the 'why' of the decision or the 'why' of her learning so much from her tutors if she wasn't going to use it.

Walking the familiar route to the dungeons, and editing it in her mind so she arrived at Professor Snape's office, Elizabeth cautiously knocked at the door, in case the professor was busy with something more important. She could always come back, after all.

Elizabeth peeked at the books on Professor Snape's desk. The one about counter-poisons, she understood, but the other ones seemed like they would better suit a different class. Well, Elizabeth had a variety of interests. Professor Snape probably did, too. Perhaps she would ask if she could borrow one later, unless she discovered they were too far above her level.

She tilted her head, and then quickly corrected herself, when Professor Snape mentioned one of her siblings. Or maybe even both of them.

"Pardon me, sir," Elizabeth said, "But was it William who was here? Or was it Charlotte?" If it was William, perhaps he was just talking to their head of house. Maybe about the way that their parents were acting somewhat odd. Or he could be getting his potions kit, too. Or maybe Charlotte was the one getting her Potions kit. Elizabeth had to be proud of her initiative.

Of course, she had some slight hopes that it was her parents that he had seen, but that was irrational. Why would they want to see her Potions professor?