(1130 words)

Your POV

It's been about a week since the term has started, everything has been going smoothly for my class. Following the old lesson plans that Snape gave me has been making very few students fail their potions.

Currently the students are taking notes behind me about a few ingredients, while I'm adding more to the board.

"Professor?"

Turning with a small smile on my face I look at the students in my class, my eyes dancing across them to find who was wanting my attention.

"Yes?"

"I have a question that's not about potions."

Putting my chalk down on the board, I nod gently. Turning fully and making my way to my desk.

"Go ahead."

The student took a second as it appeared they gulped.

"Is it true that if you're the Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor, you're cursed to die?"

Stopping In my tracks for a moment I look at the student.

"There were a total of 6 Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, during my school years. The first one being Professor Quirrell. You may know him as the stuttering Professor that had Voldemort within his own body. I saw that first hand as a first year, not a pretty sight." 

The students chuckle slightly as they listen to me. 

"He died when the Chosen One, Harry Potter, a friend of mine touched him." 

"How did he die?" 

"He crumbled into dust. I didn't see that one though, I just know from what Harry told me." 

"Why didn't you see it?" 

"When I was in the basement of the school with them, I was in the way of Harry for Quirrell to get to him. So I was knocked out when it happened." 

They nod as I think for a moment. "The second one was Gilderoy Lockhart. The famous Author that some of your mother's might have fawned over. He didn't die, though he did get put into St. Mungo's. Though that wasn't from the job, it was because he didn't want his secret to be revealed." 

Humming slightly as I lean on my desk I think for a moment. 

"The third teacher was Professor Lupin, he died during the Battle For Hogwarts. Though he wasn't a teacher here for long because of his secret that he had." 

"What was his secret?" 

"That's the point of it being a secret, no one knows." Smiling to myself I look at the students as they talk about what it could be for a moment. 

"The fourth teacher I had was an imposter that was pretending to be Professor Moody. He didn't die either, he was just found out to be Barty Crouch Jr, and was sent back to Azkaban. The one after him was Umbridge." Shuddering at the name slightly I pull my own robes around me. 

"She was appointed by the Ministry, and her 'teachings' were horrible. She ended up getting dragged deeper into the Forbidden Forest by some Centaurs that she offended."

"The last one was Professor Snape, his story is a bit more complicated. He had always wanted to be the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for as long as I could remember. The year he was finally able to be the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, was the year that Dumbledore died. Many staff and students believed he relapsed into what he used to be, what he was before he started to teach Potions. He did die during the Battle for Hogwarts." 

"If he died, then how is he still teaching?" 

"I was able to save him in time." 

They ooo'd and awww'd at the words, smiling I shake my head. 

"Are you in love with Professor Snape?" 

"I am, we're engaged actually." 

The class erupts in an uproar at their newfound knowledge and I smile. 

Hearing the bell, I dismiss them, reminding them of the homework they were to do by the end of the week on their ingredients as they pack up and leave. Smiling to myself for a moment, I think about what they asked. The curse that was over the Dark Arts professor. Knowing what I know about how badly Snape wanted the position, and everything Dumbledore had him do, it was clear why he wanted the position as bad as he did. 

Standing up, I make my way to the East Towers taking the Grand Staircase. Watching them change before i make my way up them, I sigh gently as I feel a pit in my stomach. Climbing the stairs to the East Towers, I dodge one of Peeves' shinnanigans and make my way into the class. Getting into the room to find him at his desk, he turns to me, his aggravated face upon being disturbed vanishing as he sees its me. 

He stands up as I walk over to him, enclosing me in his arms and I smile slightly as I look into his dark eyes. 

"What do I owe for this pleasant surprise?" 

"You have to answer my questions honestly." 

He nods as he raises a brow. 

"Before the Battle for Hogwarts, did you want to be the Dark Arts teacher because you wanted to die?" 

He freezes for a moment. "I wish you didn't ask me that." 

"So it's true? You wanted to die?" 

He nods slightly before he pauses.

"You know about everything that Dumbledore forced me to do. I was tired of being his slave. I hated what he was doing." 

"About what? Protecting the school? Protecting Harry?" 

"He was only protecting Harry for the sole purpose of him dying when the time was right." 

My mouth fell open as I heard the words. 

"What? Dumbledore practically raised him for slaughter?" 

He nods. "During his first year I loathed him because he has his mother's eyes, and his father's face. The constant reminder of my own time at Hogwarts drove me mad. The only thing that eased it, was you. Once we got closer after the Yule Ball, I no longer wanted to be the Dark Arts teacher. That position was assumed for me because of Dumbledore. He wanted it to be a cover for me killing him, by his orders. Have everyone believe I was a monster again." 

He grabs my hand for a moment as he looks at the ring on my finger. 

"You're not a monster." 

He looks up at me again as his face is solemn. "I was a Death Eater." 

"There's a keyword in that sentence, was. You were a Death Eater, you changed your ways and came passed it." 

Sighing gently I wrap my arms around him under his robe and hug him tightly.

"You'll be reassured to know that the destruction of the school destroyed the curse on the position as well."

~

I thought I had reminders set to post chapters, but apparently not, so there's three