InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "and I'm good at it too."

S. Snape (exsequeverus) wrote in vox_lacuna,
@ 2007-11-24 01:21:00

Current location:	Slytherin, Head's Office
Current mood:	fuming
Entry tags:	1993, be thankful, letter, remus lupin, severus snape

Severus Snape, 9 September 1993, Letter
Name: Severus Snape
Format: Note
Date: September 9, 1993
Summary: A two-faced note to Remus Lupin, following the Boggart Incident.
Warning: large images

Lupin,

Accept my congratulations on the popular success of your first round of classes.

Some of my upper formers have asked me (it’s my practice to summarize the nature and importance of OWLs and NEWTs for the years to whom it's relevant) to call to your attention the brevity of Lockhart's habitation of the Defense post. I therefore remind you that Lockhart's predecessors were by and large reasonably competent, and both he and they shared your apparent preference for a curricular focus on dangerous creatures and entities; they're not as far behind as they believe you think them to be.

I should add that I hear this most years from at least one form, and have as usual reminded them that a new teacher and term will inevitably mean some degree of revision and assessment.

Cordially,
S. Snape, HSH

L--
I thought to end in an epithet, but none seems quite equal to the task.

As pleased as I am that we concur on the maddening nature of Longbottom's persistent cringing, your solution was distinctly suboptimal. Raillery is no substitute for confidence, disrespect for fear is not an acceptable trade, and any product of this juvenility will have to be reversed. It’s my sincere hope that you will exhibit the grace to admit to your House outright that you knowingly and deliberately courted the extra discipline, including but not limited to increased percentage of points lost per infraction (I will not, however, do anything so useless as to make them serve detentions which should properly be yours) which they will be experiencing until the full fifty have been properly siphoned.

If you find the total excessive, be so good as to recall that you do not now serve as any example so feeble as that of prefect.

No doubt they'll make the connection unaided, but it might be well for them to hear it from you.
Most sincerely,
S

(Post a new comment)

lielowwithme
2007-11-24 07:57 am UTC (link)

*reads over the notes a few times then heads to the staffroom, seeing Severus in conversation with Filius and waits until they are done then inclines his head in greeting*
Filius. Severus.
*to Sev but not waiting for Filius to leave*
You have my apologies for the unintended results of the boggart, Severus. I will be happy to speak to the students to warn them against being disrespectful.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	exsequeverus 2007-11-24 07:59 am UTC (link)
	(flat) Unintended. Are the reports I hear of your giving Longbottom precise directions complete fabrication, then? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	lielowwithme 2007-11-24 08:04 am UTC (link)
	shakes his head, speaking neutrally No. I said the results were a fabrication not the transformation of the boggart itself. As you know, the easiest way of defeating a boggart that is a person is to alter that person's appearance to something completely out of character or grossly exaggerated. It was, as you said, suboptimal but still effective for the boggart. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

exsequeverus
2007-11-24 08:17 am UTC (link)

(toneless)
If I were accepting apologies, that one would fall rather short of the mark, especially as I'm also given to understand that this particular Boggart manifestation was not only guided but given pride of place. I have explained what I mean to do to restore equilibrium; if you succeed in curbing them (a beat heavily laden with 'for once'), the students will find the consequences less onerous.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

lielowwithme
2007-11-24 08:22 am UTC (link)

*shakes his head once more, unphased*
No. I cannot control how a person's boggart originally manifests, Severus. In this particular case, you could. As for pride of place, there was no such thing. I had Miss Patil step in immediately upon its change and it was in existence for perhaps ten seconds and very briefly at the end before it shattered. When the students left, it was not the only topic of conversation.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	exsequeverus 2007-11-24 08:25 am UTC (link)
	(very, very soft) So you did have him repeat it. Surely, I thought, that detail at least was exaggerated. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	lielowwithme 2007-11-24 08:29 am UTC (link)
	exhales quietly Severus, you told a professor, a new one, that a student was virtually useless. Of all the students he needed the confidence that a victory- even as small as a confused boggart- would give him. Otherwise Neville would be cowering in my class as well as yours. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

exsequeverus
2007-11-24 08:54 am UTC (link)

(flat)
That was your interpretation. If you'd bothered to consider I might know what I was talking about, instead of summarily dismissing information given you by someone who has taught him for a year, I would have told you that Longbottom always gets results, and they are invariably explosive.
(Flitwick pipes up cheerfully to say it's not quite always or invariably, Severus, but Neville certainly does have a knack for spicing a class up, especially when he partners with Seamus)
(gives Flitwick a civil nod)

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	lielowwithme 2007-11-24 07:01 pm UTC (link)
	It was the students' interpretation. chuckles at Filius' comment I'll bear that in mind- as I did Severus' less cheerful warning. to them both Sometimes explosive is precisely what is needed. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	exsequeverus 2007-11-25 07:06 am UTC (link)
	(lip curls) Rather than waste my breath trying to convince a Gryffindor he could possibly for a moment have been anything less than completely right, justified, and on a mission from god, I'll let you bluebirds chirp. Gentlemen. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	lielowwithme 2007-11-25 07:11 am UTC (link)
	lays a hand on Severus' arm Wait. inclines his head to Flitwick Filius. If you'll excuse us. waits for Flitwick to exit, after telling them 'play nicely, boys' You have my apologies, Severus. And my promise that I shall speak with the students. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	exsequeverus 2007-11-25 07:20 am UTC (link)
	(twitches nervily at the restraining touch, surprised on several levels) (glares at the back of Filius's head) (reserved, notes of tired starting to creep in) And what is it you're apologizing for? If it's just for upsetting me, it's worthless. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	lielowwithme 2007-11-25 07:25 am UTC (link)
	shakes his head, not releasing his hold though it is soft Not just for that. But it was not the wisest course of action in front of students. And I appreciate you relaying the older years' concerns; I will adjust things accordingly. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	exsequeverus 2007-11-25 07:41 am UTC (link)
	(looks at him for a moment) No. I suppose you don't know the history that made it a worse idea even than usual. You're aware who your predecessor was--do you know him? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	lielowwithme 2007-11-25 07:49 am UTC (link)
	I know who he was and the complete drivel he wrote, particularly on the subject of werewolves which only made my life, and the lives of countless other werewolves, virtually unlivable. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

exsequeverus
2007-11-25 08:10 am UTC (link)

(nods, thinking Lockhart can't be held solely responsible for that, but willing to cede it for the sake of the discussion)
I trust it won't surprise you that the entirety of the male faculty and staff, and the vast majority of the female, understood him very well before the end of the first staff meeting. It surprised me to find he only enthralled a minority of the student population.
(eyes sharpen)
It's not unusual for professors to be thoroughly disliked. That's useful. Last year was another story. Lockhart's presence served a very specific purpose, but the near-universal contempt he was held in by the end of the year would, if repeated, do considerable damage to the--well, it's not a consistently united front; there's personal and House squabbling, but until last year there was never any question of students forming alliances with some faculty members against others. It will remain an isolated incident.

night!