Charity gave a little smile and a sigh. She too was exhausted. “Everyone’s always worn out this time of year,” she said, oblivious to the fact that Harry was the reason and believing quite innocently that it was due to the exams.
Charity ticked, crossed, scribbled, and scored things off of the paper in front of her nodding and listening to every word Severus was saying. “A cooking class?” she said, continuing with her marking. “Why that’s just plain arrogance and stupidity if you ask me! Potion making is an art, and one that only the best such as yourself can master,” she said, looking up with a smile.
Charity laughed a little. “That poor Longbottom; such a sweet boy, not the brightest, needs some extra help at times but he really is keen to help and learn,” she said kindly and went back to her marking.
Charity looked up. “I apologize so profusely,” she said, dropping her pen. “Severus, might I ask for your assistance? Miss Granger… Always getting Outstanding; I just don’t know how to challenge her,” she said, picking up the paper in front of her and showing him the ticks. “I may as well just tell her on the spot!” she continued, exasperated. “How would you challenge a pupil who knew it all?” she asked.
“Well, I mean, it - it takes a certain mind, that’s all, it’s nothing really…” stammered Severus at her praise. “I may be the Potions Master at this school, but there are many people out there whom I believe are far more talented than I…” He looked down at his papers, hiding the small smile that he was wearing.
Severus wrinkled his nose when Charity complimented Neville. “I’ve heard nice things about Longbottom from Pomona. Not every student is good at every subject, however… And in my classroom, he is an unfortunate hazard. I dearly hope he isn’t planning on moving into my N.E.W.T. class when he is of age… I’ll give him a passing mark on his O.W.L. if that keeps him from returning, honestly…” he said. He had nothing against the boy, but he had much better things to do during classtimes than keep an eye on that boy the entire time. “It really is too bad what happened to his parents, though. Quite unfortunate.”
He was shuffling through his papers to find a particular student when she asked him for help. “Miss Granger…” he started with an annoyed sigh, pulling out the piece of parchment he was looking for. “She is a difficult one. Much like I was in school, she likes learning a bit too much. Admirable… Yet frustrating to teach. I admire my own professors for putting up with me if I was half of the know-it-all she is.” Severus put down another mark, writing a small comment along with it. He never had any problems or doubts when giving Hermione the top grade in her year, right in front of Draco, but her attitude often got on his nerves. “Personally, I like to ask her questions about very complex and obscure recipes, which she has no reason whatsoever to know. She seems to like to stick to the books… Perhaps challenge her by giving her reading on subjects that aren’t in the curriculum.”
