Severus' Most Useless Afternoon Appointment

by Lirulin

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K.Rowling and nothing at all to me.

AN: Just a short piece I wrote some months ago and had almost forgotten. It's somewhat in the same vein as my two other stories: Careers Advice or Why is That Leaflet Green?and Sirius' Plan For The Most Perfect Life. Go read those as well if you haven't yet.

And so I present to you: Severus Snape's Careers Advice. How will our favourite Slytherin handle it...?

Severus Snape was in a somewhat foul mood today.

His morning had been perfectly normal, scaring a few first-years, hexing Potter when he hadn't been looking and trying to prevent Black's attempts to ruin his potion, but he definitely did not look forward to his upcoming appointment. He could think of a dozen things he'd rather be doing than wasting his time in discussing his future with the Slug, he was almost tempted to believe that he'd prefer Potter's and Blacks's company, but ... no, he was not that desperate – yet.

Still, Severus was perfectly convinced that there was nothing as useless as this Careers-Advice-Thing. Nobody was taking it serious and why should they? They were only 15 years old, hardly fit to decide what they wanted to do with their lives.

He preferred not to think about his future anyway, it would come whether he liked it or not. So, why go to the trouble?

Nonetheless, the meeting with his Head of House was mandatory, there was no getting out of it, and he had certainly tried. He had gone so far as to contemplate brewing a Fever Potion, but Slughorn would probably have noticed it. If nothing else, he was an able Potions Master.

And so here Severus was, in front of Slughorn's office, resolved to get this whole affair over with as soon as possible. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door.

"Enter!"

Just hearing the jovial, boisterous voice of his professor made him want to turn on his heels and run as far as possible. But there was nothing for it and so he entered, a decidedly murderous expression on his face.

"Ah! There you are, my boy! Come in, come in! Sit down. I'm sure we'll have nice chat."

Severus wanted to gag. Why was the man so cheerful? Slytherins were not supposed to be like this and not for the first time he wondered if Dumbledore had become so senile as to forget which house Slughorn had been in. He would not put it past the crazy old Headmaster...

Anyway, Severus did not wish for a 'nice chat', and so said nothing in return. Which didn't really matter, as Slughorn just continued.

"Of course you know why you are here. I have the very important task of guiding you in the decision of your future career. I know it is a great responsibility, but I am very happy to undertake it and to help you along on your way. So, I'm sure you have read the leaflets that were distributed to the Common Rooms ...?"

Severus crossed his arms and lifted his eyebrow. He did not want to be here and would not make this any easier for his professor. 'Important task' my ass!

"No, I have not."

Slughorn gave a little start and looked at him incredulously.

"You have not? Well ... but ... I'm sure you have thought about the subject and can tell me what your plans for the future are."

Actually, Severus thought, this was somewhat amusing. He'd try out the liberties he had with his Head of House.

"No, I cannot. I'm not very interested in my future at the moment."

For a moment Slughorn just gaped at him, which was quite a funny sight. Severus knew he could go quite far, his talent for potions making him somewhat a favourite of Slughorns' – which he had neither asked for nor wanted to be. He did not need to be in anyone's good graces.

"Mr. Snape, how can you talk like that? You certainly must realise how important it is to decide on a job, on what you want to do once you leave school?"

Severus just smirked and leaned back in his chair.

"Why should I have to decide now? I still have over two years of school left. Do you think it wise to fix on a job just to determine which NEWT level classes to take? Do you not think, Sir, that it would be better to have a broad range of knowledge than to limit my choices and to specialise in only one field?"

Slughorn was silent and Severus congratulated himself on managing to stun his professor. It was his principle that others should never know what to expect of him. That way, they were always wary and thus easy to frighten – which was beneficial to him.

"Yes ... well ... it certainly is recommendable to have knowledge of a lot of subjects, Mr. Snape, but ... well ... this is not why we are here. Perhaps ... yes ... you could tell me, what you like. Then we can think about which area could possibly suit you."

Slughorn then began to shuffle through the leaflets lying scattered on his desk, being quite nervous, in Severus' opinion. How would he take another blow?

"I don't think terrorising first-years is an acknowledged job. I'd have to look into it."

By now Professor Slughorn was heavily discomfitted. He did not know what to think of the boy sitting opposite him, regarding him with cold dark eyes, did not know how to react to his manner or how to take, for example, the last statement. Was the boy joking? He certainly did not look like it and on the whole, Mr. Snape was anything but a funny person. Professor Slughorn was never entirely comfortable with him, he seemed – if you could apply the word to a 15-year-old – positively dangerous. But he had to admit that Mr. Snape was a genius at potions, which had to count for something, and so he decided to treat the last sentence as a joke.

"Please try to be serious, Mr. Snape. It is an important matter."

Severus bowed his head in mock deference and sneered contemptuously.

"Of course, Sir. You know that I like potions. Perhaps I'll consider something in that direction, research or experimenting."

A tiny sigh could be heard from the professor, who, Severus suspected, must be very happy to finally receive an answer relevant to the subject at hand.

"This is something we can work with, Mr. Snape. Yes, it sounds very reasonable, you are especially talented in that area. You would have to go to an elite Potions Academy, where you could make your Master. You can certainly then go into research, either at the ministry or at a private institution. But ... have you perhaps considered teaching?"

Severus threw him a venomous glance that almost made the professor cringe.

"Never!"

"But whyever not, my boy? I'm not growing younger and will not do this job for many more years, whether Albus likes it or not. It would certainly be nice for me to know I would leave the position to capable hands and I am sure you could well impart your knowledge to coming generations. Yes, being a teacher would suit you."

Severus could hardly believe what he was hearing. He – a teacher?! What was going on in that bald head of his? Completely ridiculous! As if he'd ever so much as consider... And this man actually claimed to be Head of Slytherin? He obviously didn't even know his students...

"I hate children. I'll certainly never teach any of them anything. Dunderheads, all of them. Complete waste of time to try to impart anything to them, especially knowledge about potions."

Professor Slughorn could not remember ever hearing a 15-year-old boy talk so cynically and he was again at a slight loss at how to react.

"You cannot honestly mean what you're saying, Mr. Snape. It is very gratifying to teach young children all that you know, to watch when they finally understand and make the right connections. Believe me, you would find that it is the most satisfying experience."

Severus' mood, which had improved slightly during the – admittedly odd – conversation, plummeted again. And he was not willing to endure such talk for much longer.

"And believe me when I tell you that I will never become a teacher."

But by now, Professor Slughorn was quite enamoured with his own idea, determined that such a talent as Mr. Snape was already displaying had to be used to help future young hopefuls on their way.

"I'm sure that you will change your mind in time, Mr. Snape. Once you realise how content sharing your knowledge will make you and what a fulfilling profession it is. Of course, the added bonus is that your postion would always be secure, and you can further be sure that I would put in a good word for you with Headmaster Dumbledore. Besides ..."

And then, Severus had enough. He had no patience to futher listen to his professor raving on about a job he would never – even if his life depended on it – take up and was even willing to risk losing points or detention just to leave this room. Which he would be doing right now.

"You're completely mad if you actually believe the nonsense you're talking. I have better things to do than staying here and arguing with you. Good day, Professor."

With that, Severus stood up and left the office, glad to have finally escaped. He had known it from the beginning, a completely useless affair, this Careers Advice. It had only served to provide him a bit of amusement in disconcerting his Head of House, nothing more. He resolved not to think about the conversation or his future anymore. Who knew where he'd be in five years time? Perhaps he would already be dead, it was entirely possible ...

In the office, Professor Slughorn was still staring at the door in confusion. He knew he should deduct points and assign at least two weeks of detention for this absolutely disrespectful and unacceptable behaviour, but he did not.

Why?

He was not sure about his own reasons. As the boy had left the room, something about him had struck the professor as rather tragic. He could not put his finger on it, but it was there, like a dark cloud, surrounding his student. Professor Slughorn could not shake off the feeling that something was not right in Mr. Snape's life, that he was treading on dangerous paths.

He decided not to punish him, but to rather observe him and try to detect anything amiss.

But the weeks passed without him noticing anything out of the ordinary in the boy and so the professor soon came to the conclusion that his strange feelings had been due to the stress of an overlong day of Careers Advice and thought no more of it.

Sadly, he did not know how true his notion had been ...

THE END

So, this was it. Don't forget to review and tell me what you think! Till next time!