AN: It's been awhile, but I'm finally posting on this site again. This is a sequel to a work I posted on years ago entitled Kiss From a Rose. You don't need to read that work to follow the plot of this story, but if you do want to read it I'd strongly suggest you read the edited version which I have posted on Archive Of Our Own.

Thank you for reading! Any support is always appreciated.

Dad said that the dunderheads came out during a full moon. While he was rarely incorrect, in this instance he was mistaken.

The dunderheads come out during a waning gibbous.

During the week of the waning gibbous, more lovers roamed the halls after curfew than at any other time, cauldron explosions became commonplace, and very few people could correctly pronounce their spells. A headache potion was required to get through the week. Speaking of which, more may need to be brewed. She should check her supply tonight.

"Professor Rose?"

She glanced up from the magazine. "Yes, Molly?"

"Can I use the restroom?"

"Are you finished scrubbing the cauldrons?"

"No yet."

"Then you are to stay in this room."

"But, but…"

"The sooner you finish scrubbing the cauldron, the sooner you may use the restroom."

Molly huffed before resuming her task.

Professor Rose took one last glimpse at the student before returning her attention to her journal. For a moment, the professor's thoughts turned to who had the dubious honor of being the most obnoxious Weasley: the elder Molly or her granddaughter. Rose snorted. Knowing the elder Molly Weasley she would spend less time pouting and more time railing against life's injustices.

"I think I'm done," the student announced.

Professor Rose did not look up from her journal. "Do you think you're done, or do you know you're done?"

Molly let out a groan. From her desk, Professor Rose could hear a whispered obscenity.

Professor Rose held up her wand. "Five points from Gryffindor for your attitude."

Molly bit her tongue and resumed scrubbing the cauldron.

Professor Rose turned the page. Scorpius owes me for covering his detention.

Molly grunted.

Once again, Professor Rose turned the page. A few paragraphs down, her eyes widened. She stuck a quill in an ink pot and underlined a few sentences. Then she set the quill down.

"Finished!" Molly exclaimed.

The teacher folded the top of the page and set down the journal. She motioned for Molly to step up to the desk. The student marched over, cauldron in hand.

Professor Rose glanced inside the cauldron. Then she ran her finger along the edges. Finally, she scratched off a lone piece of soot. Molly gulped.

"It is satisfactory."

Molly set the cauldron on the desk. "Thank you."

Professor Rose huffed. "You may go."

Molly stomped across the room. Professor Rose opened a drawer and placed the journal inside.

"It isn't fair."

Professor Rose suppressed a sigh. Most Gryffindors did not know how to leave well enough alone...

"I don't understand how I got a detention but Dolores didn't."

"It may have something to do with the fact that she was running around without a skirt while you held that article of clothing in your hands," Professor Rose explained. "Your laughter doesn't inspire confidence in your innocence either."

"I told you, she's a streaker," Molly argued.

"Which explains why she was so distraught," Professor Rose replied.

"It's not my fault she regrets taking off her clothes."

"I believe her only regret is being unlucky enough to come into contact with you and your cohorts that day."

"Yeah well," Molly squirmed. "She, she had it coming."

"Why would you claim that?" Professor Rose asked.

"She likes using terrible words such as 'mudblood.'"

"Why have you not informed us of this before?"

"I thought I could make her stop on my own," Molly replied. "There's no need to involve any of you professors if I can take care of a problem myself."

"In the future, I would strongly suggest you leave the discipline to us professors," Professor Rose suggested.

"Fine," Molly sighed. "But you should at least give me credit for doing the right thing and making her stop."

"Somehow I doubt stripping someone of her clothing constitutes doing the right thing."

"If I didn't do something she was never going to stop using that terrible language."

"I'm sure losing hundreds of house points would've been a sufficient deterrent."

"Yeah well," Molly argued. "How can I trust you to deduct points from her if you're the head of her house?"

Professor Rose shook her head.

"We all know how your father treated Slytherins. There's no reason to think you're any different."

"Have I treated you unjustly."

"Yes!"

"Ten points for raising your voice to me."

"But, but…"

"Would you liked to lose more points?"

Molly's face was rouge. "The only reason you're taking points from me is because you hate my family."

Professor Rose's voice was even. "You may leave at any time. As I recall, you were on the verge of an emergency twenty minutes ago."

"You," Molly sputtered. "You'll see. I'm going to owl my daddy about you. He's going to speak with Headmaster Longbottom. You'll have to listen to him whether you like it or not!"

"One hundred points for attempted extortion," Professor Rose replied.

Molly opened her mouth.

"Would you like to make it two hundred," Professor Rose. "Or would you rather leave before things become worse for you?"

Molly spun around and darted out of the dungeons.

Professor Rose stared at the doorway before exhaling. She put a hand on one of the cauldron's handles, but she did not pick it up. Instead she released it and strolled into her private chambers.

A man dressed in all black sat in an emerald armchair. He sipped his tea and kept his eyes focused on the documents in front of him.

"Dad?"

He lowered the papers.

"I apologize for my tardiness. Molly Junior decided that this would be the week she tortured every Slytherin in sight," Professor Rose explained.

"I see."

"Being true to her namesake, she could not leave the classroom without going into a tirade about how much I allegedly favor my own house. The speech ended with the ever-present threat of contacting her father, amongst other empty threats."

He grinned. "You act as if I do not understand the perils of teaching."

Rose embraced him. "I know, but Merlin Dad, you never told me students could be this frustrating."

"I believe I tried to explain the antics of students on numerous occasions," Severus answered as he returned the embrace. "But I believe your words were, 'if you could control them then so can I.'"

Rose chuckled and released him. "Ah, the naiveté of youth."

"Indeed," Severus pointed to the wooden rocker across from him.

Rose sat down in it. "I'd tell you to go ahead and look over my notes…"

"I figured if they were left out on your desk I could pilfer through them."

"How far have you gotten?"

"I am on page twelve."

"Merlin Dad, how long have you been here?"

"Roughly a half hour."

Rose scowled. "I swear Molly scrubs the cauldrons as slow as possible for the sole purpose of annoying me."

"Perhaps she enjoys being in your presence," Severus teased.

"Because I'm such a friend to all Gryffindors."

"You are kinder to them than certain other heads of the Slytherin house."

"That isn't saying much."

Severus chuckled. "I am not upset by your tardiness in the least. It gave me a chance to go over your proposals anyway."

"And…" Rose drawled.

"So far they sound promising," Severus replied. "There are few tweaks I think we should make in a few places though."

"I agree," Rose replied. "This is all preliminary, but I thought we should at least have something from which to work."

"Indeed."

"We have time to experiment, right."

Severus sipped his tea.

Rose's stomach sank. "Mum has time, doesn't she?"

Severus gave her a small smile. "So far there has been no change in her condition. I do not foresee any reason to think she will deteriorate any time soon."

Rose released the breath she'd been holding.

"That being said, we should be proactive," Severus set his cup down on a side table. "I propose that we discuss your theories over a game of Wizarding chess."

"Do you truly want to play Wizarding Chess?" Rose moaned.

"Do you have some other game in mind?" Severus asked.

"I was hoping you'd be more in the mood for Gobstones."

"I am not. I prefer chess."

Rose lowered her head.

Severus smirked. "What is the matter? Do you fear you'll lose again?"

"Why wouldn't I fear losing? I have yet to defeat you," Rose replied.

"There is a first time for everything. Perhaps tonight will be the night you prevail," Severus answered.

"Doubtful."

"With that attitude, you're hopeless. If you would gain some confidence in yourself you may find me an opponent you could defeat."

Rose stood up. "Fine, for you I will humiliate myself again."

"Now that's a proper attitude," Severus teased.

Rose strolled towards her bedroom. "If you're going to humiliate me, could you at least warm me up some apple juice?"

"It would be my pleasure," Severus replied.

"Thank you," Rose called back with a smile. She pulled out the box and paused.

Dad had a way of making everything a bit more bearable, even if that something was an evening spent with a bratty Weasley.