#cuthbert binns

Professors: Binns, Cuthbert - Black, Phineas Nigellus - Fig, Eleazar Garlick, Mirabel - Hecat, Dinah - Howin, Bai Kogawa, Chiyo - Onai, Mudiwa - Ronen, Abraham Shah, Satyavati - Sharp, Aesop - Weasley, Matilda - Blainey, Noreen (Nurse) - Moon, Gladwin (Caretaker) - Scribner, Agnes (Librarian)

It's a really interesting question. No doubt that Severus's relationship with the staff evolved as he aged. At first he certainly was the wee baby of the staff room for sure, which couldn't have been comfortable by any means, especially since he was coming back to a place full of trauma for him and with colleagues that used to advert their eyes on the bullying he suffered from (a very nice post from @fannedandflawless who went more in depth about this). Also he went to the DE to be seen and recognized for his talents - something he never was at Hogwarts so this must have felt like a big social downgrade too. He literaly stepped into his past. I mean yes he had been hired because he was competent but he was 21... and most of them were at least in their late 40s. Except for Trelawney if I'm not mistaken.

I think at first it was mostly a mix of keeping to himself and pushing through , refusing the help they provided, because he's over-independent. But Lily died and I can't imagine him not collapsing in some way.

I know it's controversial and it's me liking their chemistry on screen, but I really like the idea of him and Minerva getting along - and it might have started at that point. I like the idea of her supporting him through his grief, because Lily was part of her House and she remembered they were friends so when she mentioned it to him (as he was trying to keep it together), she said something at some point that made him crack and that's the only time she ever saw him show such raw emotions. They've been close-ish since. It still kept on being a work relationship for a long time but she weaved a bit of maternal/friendship in it (or just plain house rivalry, it keeps them on their toes)(Minerva wasn't happy to start loosing the House Cup and the Quidditch Cup but a secret part of her was happy to see he was getting invested). They take smoke breaks together.

I don't see him getting super close to his other colleagues honestly. He's recluse, he keeps to himself. He keeps it professional, doesn't like staff parties or nights out with them. But they don't hate each other either...

He gets along fine with Filius. They had a few talks about the intricacies of magic which were quite interesting - but they fundamentally don't conceptualize it in the same way (Severus thinks Filius is very talented but way too old school).

He and Pomona have a neutral but a bit strained relationship. He was a very good student in Herbology back in the days, very calm and disciplined, never afraid to get his hands dirty, so she quite liked him. But after he became the Potions Master she slowly discovered his legendary bluntness. He ruffled her feathers quite a few times because he thought that some of the ingredients she provided were not well tended for during their growth and called her work 'sloppy' and 'careless'. She got really angry and Minerva had to calm her down.

Hagrid was really gentle with him when he started teaching - which made him a bit uncomfortable but grateful in the end because the half-giant may be a bit dense but he's very genuine. They passed each other at night when Severus was walking very fast around the castle to process some feelings patrolling. When Severus came back to Hogwarts he could see the Thestrals and Hagrid never commented on it, only got gentler as they discussed the beasts needs and temper (Severus likes them, they're totally his aesthetic) Also Hagrid doesn't push conversation with him, which is nice. Severus is appalled at Hagrid's carelessness when it comes to magical creatures but also kinda understand why one could be careless with something they really love (like him with the Dark Arts).

He never interacts with Sybill if he can help it. Not only because of the prophecy business but most of all because he knows she's a phony and the only time he allowed a conversation she read his palm lines and predicted him 6 children with a bearded woman.

He has absolutely no interactions with Binns except for the few times he came across a name he didn't know in one of his Dark Arts books and took it upon himself to check if his ghost colleague had any knowledge of them. Well, turns out the History professor is an floating encyclopedia but he gets sidetracked so often (and is so boring it's ungodly) that even when desperate, Severus prefers going to Knockturn Alley during term breaks to thrift other books on the matter.

Once Charity discovered he was half-blood (why did he feel the need to make that bloody comment about phones?) she talked to him way more often because she was really happy to have another member of staff to talk about muggle stuff with. It always made him a little uncomfortable (like being put under a spotlight) but with time he stopped caring about it. But he drew a harsh line in the sand the day she asked him personal questions about his childhood in the muggle world. She took the hint but never really understood why.

He gets along okay with Sinistra. Both of them are strict teachers and they sometimes exchange tired glances during staff meetings when a colleague or Dumbledore is being insufferable. During nights out in Hogsmeade, they're often the first two to leave. She hit on him discreetly a few times and he never noticed.

He get along quite well with Septima on discipline matters since she's said to be the stricter of the teachers alongside him. She doesn't rant about the students as much as him but is a good listener when he storms in the staff room, cape billowing, and needs to spit out his annoyance. She nods and sips her tea with a grave face and provides just enough commentary and empathy to make him feel heard. If Severus works in the staff room, he likes to sit near her as he knows she won't bother him with inane chit-chat. She's clever and straight to the point, which he appreciates.

Poppy and him go along well. She's the most maternal of them all towards him and he stopped trying to stop her because she's way too stubborn (and also not technically a colleague so it's okay). She confronted him about avoiding the infirmary when he was a student - which made him very tense - but she didn't outwardly show pity. They work very efficiently and communicate well about the infirmary needs regarding potions as both of them care a lot about the students well-being. Of all the staff, she's the one who knows the most how much Severus cares. She always offers him homemade sweets at Christmas and it's one of the only presents he genuinely appreciates. They grew to have a lot of respect for each other.

Weirdly enough, Severus goes along quite well with Argus because they both despise the students and can rant about them to each others for hours. When they come across each other at night in the castle they grumble and insult them for twenty good minutes, exchanging the latest stories and then go on their ways. Argus really disliked the Maraudeurs too, which they bonded over (like when Severus first started as a teacher, Filch made a comment about 'these awful boys' and clearly shot him a look of gruff sympathy and that did it). Unfortunately his squib status still made him complicated to be around (the stigma is real) but I dig their rant buddies dynamic.

(I added numbers on the speech bubbles bcs I fucked up the composition... and I may have read only manga lately hence the right to left.. sorry bout that)

Winter loves History of Magic, though, admittedly, she dozed off in the first few classes. Furious with herself for “wasting time” instead of properly studying the subject, she decided to always sit beside Amit—the passionate student—and focus entirely on her own reading, ignoring Professor Binns' droning. And when she’s stuck with certain topics or in need of more enlightenment for things not mentioned in the textbook, she came with a barrage of questions for Professor Binns.

Ominis always grumbles because her endless questions interrupt his well-deserved nap time. The rest of the class roll their eyes at this "QnA sessions". Others are able to blissfully ignore, but a few secretly enjoyed Winter’s mini-interrogation. Anything to make Binns’ lectures a little less of a sleep spell, I guess.

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I’m sorry but is Bathilda Bagshot

1)an honorary professor considering her status as a great wizarding historian

or

2) did she teach History of Magic at Hogwarts, retired so long ago that Cuthbert Binns got the job, lived to old age, died in front of the fireplace in the staff room & has been teaching throughout his afterlife?

👀