Chapter Text
I wanna be a virgin pure
A 21st century whore
I want back my virginity
So I can feel infinity
I wanna drink until I ache
I wanna make a big mistake
I want blood, guts and angel cake
I'm gonna puke it anyway
Teen Idle by MARINA
000
The first time Snape truly noticed her, when she wasn't just another student in the crowd of many, was near the end of her first year. Of course he'd seen her before, knew her name, but he couldn't say she really caught his attention before that day.
Just another day in class full of first years, all thumbs and snotty noses, but at least by the end of the year he'd been able to whip them into shape enough that their very presence didn't irritate him. That was except for Hunter Roadinger, a blond haired little Hufflepuff who had a knack for screwing up in his classroom. He'd spill things, blow up cauldrons, waste ingredients, and always ask the dumbest questions. Today was no exception.
Walking around the room, eyeing the students as they attempted to brew the potion they'd been going over for the last week, Snape's eyes landed on Roadinger just as the boy was about to blow up his potion for the second time that month. He mentally sighed and started towards the boy, ready to reprimand him when his work literally blew up in his face, but he was stopped when another little Hufflepuff rushed in front of him to Roadinger and grabbed the boy's arm before he was able to drop in the wrong ingredient. It was Opal Gale, a round faced girl with pale blue, almost white, eyes and long dark curls she'd often tie or clip back during his class. She spoke to Roadinger in hushed tones, clearly instructing him on his mistake.
Snape watched the pair for a moment then glanced over at Gale's work station, taking note by the smoke that she'd left the heat on her brew too long, most likely due to the distraction. Returning his gaze to the pair of Hufflepuffs, his eyes narrowed. While obviously good natured, Gale's act of chivalry towards Roadinger only resulted in her own self sabotage, and a screw up was a screw up. Before marching up to the Hufflepuffs to scold them both, Snape looked back into his mind to remember how Opal Gale was even doing in his class. Rather well, if he remembered correctly. Still, a scolding needed to be had.
"Miss Gale, Mister Roadinger." His voice was low as he approached the children, pulling their attention from the now successfully brewed potion sitting at the boy's station. Roadinger was obviously frightened, having gotten an ear full from the Potions Master many times, while Gale only looked up at him with a calm and innocent expression. This only made Snape's sneer deepen. "10 points from Hufflepuff, each. Roadinger, for your failure to maintain your own assignment without the help of Gale, and Gale, for your neglect of your own brew in an attempt to save Roadinger from his screw up."
At the mention of her own potion, Opal paled considerably then rushed back to her station only to let out a defeated huff upon noticing her mistake. Snape watched her start to clean up her area, the young girl ignoring all the words of condolences and encouragement she was receiving from her classmates. She glared at her ruined potion for a while then finally relaxed when she'd cleared the area, bending over to jot down in her notebook. As the class finished and the students filed out, he watched Gale as she made her way to the door.
"Miss Gale, stay a moment." Snape said, tone deep and threatening though it didn't seem to have the desired effect on the young girl.
Opal turned to face her professor, clutching her books to her chest, wide eyes looking up at him curiously. Once all of the other students had gone, most rushing out in fear of the scolding they were sure Snape was going to give the Hufflepuff, the man marched forward until he towered over the young girl. She still looked up at him, not a hint of fear in her eyes, waiting for why he'd asked her to stay.
"I hope you have learned a lesson today regarding your actions, Miss Gale." Snape started, voice stern and gaze hard. "In your attempt to rescue Mister Roadinger, you've caused your own downfall."
A few moments passed between them, onyx eyes locked onto pale blue, before Opal's face brightened with a gentle smile. "I'm sorry about my potion, Professor, but I wouldn't have done anything different. I knew how to complete the assignment correctly, Hunter didn't, and he needed the good grade more than I did, I think. But if you'll excuse me, I'm going to be late for my next class."
Snape didn't even object to her rushing off without being dismissed, only watched in silent irritation. He sighed.
Hufflepuffs, all bleeding hearts.
Through the years he would notice Opal Gale a number of times more, though not that she would do anything particularly special by most standards. She was smart, high marks in his class as well as many of her others, plus she was always the one who others went to when they struggled in Potions. She'd smile warmly at her classmates, though Snape could see the strain in it, and repeat the lesson he had just given. If it was him he would have told them to simply pay attention in class, but Opal always took their bugging her in stride. The help she provided had allowed quite a few students to go from the bottom to at least midrange in his class, and she was still maintaining her own grades so he didn't have much reason to call her out any more.
Even Roadinger had gotten better, seeming to have made quite the bond with Gale after their first year as Snape would often see them outside of class together or sitting together during meals. While he didn't often take much interest in students outside of his own house, Gale was an exception. This was only due to her proficiency in his subject, that and her indifference to any of his intimidation tactics. Occasionally the young Hufflepuff would speak to him after class or during study hours, picking his brain about more complex potions and techniques they had yet to cover. She always seemed to be a few steps ahead of the other students, but based on the fact that she could often be seen with her nose in a book that wasn't too surprising.
In her fifth year, Opal would catch Snape's attention for a completely new reason this time, as she ran through the halls and nearly slammed into his front in her hurry. She stumbled forward, just barely stopping before she ran into him, and looked up with a puffy face and tear filled eyes. Quickly, her gaze shifted from him to Professor Sprout who had been walking alongside him discussing the specimens he would need from her for future classes. The girl was clutching a piece of paper tightly, looking as though she was about to tear it to shreds.
"Professor, I need to go home! Please, Professor Sprout, let me go home! My mum is alone a-and Gran Eudora... Mum needs me! She doesn't have anyone else!" Opal rushed through her words, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. "I'll do make up work, I'll do extra! I-I... I'll come back as soon as possible, but please, Professor, I need to be with my mum for the service!"
Taken aback slightly, Professor Sprout took a moment to take in the girls words, then rested a hand on her shoulder. "Alright, calm down, child. Explain what is happening and why you need to go home?"
Opal sniffed, catching her breath. She glanced at the potions professor, looking to him for only a moment, then steadied her gaze back to Sprout. "My Gran Eudora, my mum's grandmother, sh-she.. passed." The girl held out the paper in her hand. "Mum wrote me... please, Professor, she needs me."
Sprout took the letter offered to her and glanced between it and the girl in front of her, a sadness in her eyes. She sighed, squeezing Opal's shoulder. "Come with me, dear, we will discuss this with the headmaster. I'm sure we can make arrangements."
The young girl nodded and walked on as her Head of House lead her away. Snape watched the two walk away for a few beats, then continued on his way to the teachers' private area where he and Pomona had been headed to begin with. Once there he sat with a book and a cup of tea, though he wasn't able to focus on his reading material entirely. The desperation in Opal's eyes, the despair, kept flashing into his mind. He'd never seen her like that before. She had always been very calm and put together, the strongest emotion he'd seen her have was her level of excitement at a new and interesting fact she'd learned as she shared her discovery with him for his input.
After a while of his silent contemplation, Snape was alerted to another person entering the room and glanced up to see the Herbology Professor. Catching his gaze, she made her way to the table he sat at and took the seat across from him, releasing a heavy sigh.
"I've sent Opal off now, the rest is for her to handle."
Snape regarded her silently, taking a sip of his tea.
The large woman smiled, turning to face him. "Are you familiar with Miss Gale, Severus? She does quite well in your class I know. Though she does quite well in most all of her classes." She chuckled lightly at her comment. "Many have said she should have been a Ravenclaw, that one, with her bookish nature and all. It can be hard to see why she's a Hufflepuff."
"Her profound empathy." Snape said immediately, softly voicing his thoughts on accident. He turned to Pomona to gage her reaction, almost sneering at the surprised grin she gave him, then looked back down to his book and tea.
Pomona nodded, still grinning brightly. "That's it there! Opal will always forgo her own needs and happiness for that of others. A true mark of a Hufflepuff, indeed." She tapped on the table lightly, her grin faltering slightly. "Makes me wonder, if she were to ever truly need something... would she ask? I would hope she'd come to me, but it's hard to be sure with that one."
"She came to you with this request, hadn't she?" He pointed out dryly, feigning disinterest in the topic of the bright Hufflepuff.
There a shake of her head and another heavy sigh. "Actually, this was not for herself. She wanted to return home to console her mother, not to be consoled by her. Even though she has lost someone dear to her... Opal is still only concerned with how others feel."
Their conversation regarding Opal Gale ended there, both moving onto more professional topics, far away from the habits and personalities of their student. Generally discussions with his colleagues about students would remain professional, grades and discipline and the like, but Pomona always seemed to get a little deeper with her talks. Snape could usually ignore her, he mostly didn't care. Still, for some reason his mind lingered on Opal and her 'profound empathy' as he had put it. It was going to get her into more trouble than she could sweet talk her way out of one of these days, he was sure of that fact.
It was in the middle of her sixth year when things changed quite drastically, though Snape wouldn't have predicted it to, would have even rejected the notion if someone had made the suggestion to him.
Past curfew, Snape stalked through the halls of the old castle to preform his rounds as was his duty this particular night. While usually this would have been a boring task, only brightened by the chance of catching the occasional student who snuck out of bed, this year he relished in the task. This was the year the famous 'boy who lived' had arrived at Hogwarts. He was the spitting image of his wretched father, Snape noted, and he was sure that like his father, young Potter would be sneaking around the castle, up to no good, at some point. If Potter was sneaking around, no matter what for, Snape wanted to be the one to catch him and put him in his place.
This night, however, it wasn't Potter he caught out of bed. Just as he passed the music room, Snape heard the faint sound of piano keys being pressed down in no musical order. He stopped suddenly, turned with a sigh, and marched back to the door of the music room ready to investigate. With the flick of his wrist a small light shown at the end of his wand, he then pulled open the door, taking note that the door itself didn't make a sound. He searched the room, wand arm held out to bring light to the empty room. His attention was then drawn to an open doorway off to the side where candlelight and the sounds of heavy breathing on top of smashed piano keys leaked out.
Another flick of his wrist and the light on his wand was put out. He followed the candlelight instead, stepping slow and quiet so as to be sure to catch whomever was here by surprise. When the happenings behind the open doorway finally came into view, Snape had to stop and simply look, unable to bring himself to interrupt. Laying on her front on top of the piano was Opal Gale, dark hair strewn around her on the piano top while a boy he didn't immediately recognize rutted into her from behind. One of her knees rested on the piano keys, clearly the reason for the noise as she'd smash keys each time the boy thrust into her, while the other was on the bench underneath.
This was the first time Snape was forced to see Miss Gale as more than a child, her flushed cheeks, her shirt pulled up and allowing her full and heavy breasts to rest on top of the piano, her full ass also in plain view as her skirt was yanked up to her waist. Then the sounds, oh the sounds, deep moans and hushed cries escaping her throat. How this could be the little girl who rescued idiots in his class or the girl who begged for permission to return home only to console her mother or the girl who beamed at the chance for knew knowledge, he simply couldn't grasp. It wasn't until he saw a few tears sliding down her face that he was shocked back into reality.
"Ow... sl-slow down, Lloyd... it hurts..." Opal muttered softly, glancing back at the boy behind her. Her eyes widened then as in her peripheral vision she caught sight of the last person she wanted to find her like this.
Angrily, Snape marched forward and grabbed the collar of the boy behind Opal, yanking him away and pulling his face into view. He sneered as he realized this was not just any boy, it was one of his, Lloyd Banks, a seventh year slytherin. He shoved the boy away as though he felt burned just being near him. "Pull you pants up, Banks, and go back to your bed. Tomorrow you will report to my office for your punishment first thing in the morning."
The boy fumbled with his trousers, fear taking over as he did as he was told and rushed out of the music room, leaving poor Opal to fend for herself. Snape glanced at her then quickly turned his back to her, trying to offer a semblance of respect and privacy for her delicate state. She slid off the piano, quickly righting her clothes as best she could, then started to rush away behind Lloyd.
"Gale."
She stopped at the sound of her Potions Professor calling to her, a shiver running up her spine. Though she was sure he had intended for her to look at him when he called her name, she simply couldn't find the strength to. She stood still, body tense, and waited for whatever was to come knowing full well she rightly deserved any scolding she was about to receive. Opal heard him step towards her but stop just a few feet behind her, the glow of the candlelight casting his shadow around her.
"I expected better from you."
His words were hard and cold, but Opal couldn't find herself feeling any fear or shame due to them. The worst she'd done was sneak out of bed after curfew, the rest was simply an act between two individuals that was no concern of anyone else in her opinion. There was nothing for her to be ashamed of as it was her own business. She turned to face him then, eyes cast to the floor, but a calm to her voice. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, Professor."
There was a long pause before Snape spoke again, his voice low and soft. "Did he hurt you?"
"Of course not." Her answer was quick, harsh. She couldn't understand why he would ask something like that, she was obviously complicit in the act from his view. So what if Lloyd didn't listen when she asked him to be more gentle? It was her choice to get involved so any discomfort was her own responsibility. A few moments passed before she finally looked up at him with a blank expression. "I asked for it, didn't I?"
Taken aback by her words and uncaring attitude, Snape only watched her silently, brows knit together in confusion. She kept her gaze on him, unrelenting and unafraid.
"After all," she started, voice still holding a steady calm. "I lead him on. I let him touch me, do things to me. I wanted it. Why would he take no for an answer now?"
Suddenly angered by her explanation, Snape reached out and grabbed her shoulders hard, shaking her slightly. "No matter any of that, he is not allowed to hurt you!"
Opal stared up at her professor's dark eyes, shocked by his outburst, then forced a weak smile to her face as tears began to fall. "What else can I expect? He's just a boy, Professor."
He released her shoulders then, struck by her words and by his own lapse in judgement. Snape forced a calm and reserved expression back to his face, hiding all he thoughts behind the familiar cold mask. "And you're just a girl. Now, go back to bed, Miss Gale."
She bit her lip and nodded then started towards the exit. Just before leaving the room, she threw a few soft words over her shoulder. "I'm not... just a girl... Professor."
With that Opal Gale was out of his sight, but the image of her would linger in his mind, unrelenting, for the rest of the evening.