This Story is in response to a contest from the Hideaway Sept Who's Line
Beginning Line:
Why are we doing this?
Somewhere in the middle:
I protest!
Last Line:
And we all knew that was coming
Did Somebody Say Reunion?
"Why are we doing this?" asked Professor Severus Snape as he sat back in his old but comfortable black French provincial chair and glowered at the complacent group before him. His four colleagues quickly tried to diffuse his anger as he sat silently glowering at them.
"Because Albus told us to." Answered Professor Minerva McGonagall tersely as she poured yet another cup of tea into a cup with the Gryffindor crest on it.
"Great, and none of you could tell him to take a..."
"Severus …be nice." warned Madame Poppy Pomfrey as a steely eyed glint came into her eyes.
"I don't want to be nice. I wanted to enjoy my summer away from all students present and former' in peace and quiet." Snapped Severus sullenly.
"Come on what harm can it do to take a few hours and mingle with a few guests?" coaxed Professor Sprout.
"A few guests? Can you not count?" asked the Potions Master who was looking thunderous "He expects us to host a Reunion for approximately two thousand two hundred and fifty past Graduates plus their families who probably don't wish to come but will because it's Albus who requests their presence. And while I am thinking about it, why was I the last to be informed?"
"Sorry Severus," squeaked Professor Filius Flitwick. "The Headmaster insisted he wanted to talk to you himself about this big reunion."
"We did think it very strange that he wanted to talk to us first then talk to you alone." offered Professor Pomona Sprout with a hesitant smile as she gripped her cup of tea tightly in her hands
Severus frowned as his eyebrow rose in disbelief. "To get backup for his plan, after all once he got you four to agree to his plan to have this reunion; it stands to reason that I would have to go along for the sake of showing unity."
Professor Minerva McGonagall. Shook her head and said calmly "Anyway here we all are and we may as well start planning how to contact everyone and ..."
Ignoring the drone of his colleagues voices as they discussed the plans for the big event Severus cradled his hot cup of coffee between the palms of his hands and thought back to what had transpired earlier that day in the Headmasters office.
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It was nearly the end of another term at Hogwarts and Professor Dumbledore had called Severus Snape to his office to discuss a new entertainment plan of his
Severus Snape sat quietly and stiffly in his chair as he waited to hear what Dumbledore had planned which obviously involved him to some extent.
"Severus, could you give me a rough estimate of how many children have you taught over the past eighteen years or so?" asked Headmaster Albus Dumbledore as he stared out of his office window towards the grounds where the students were enjoying the bright sunshine.
"Why do you want to know?" asked the dour Potions Master as he stood with his arms folded across his chest as he glared suspiciously at the elderly Headmaster.
"Just curious." replied The Headmaster innocently. "I was just wondering"
Severus's black eyes narrowed dangerously as he growled "You want me to calculate how many children I've taught ...just to satisfy your curiosity?'
The Headmaster said slowly as he looked back at his scowling colleague "Well ...yes I suppose that is one of the reasons why I am asking."
"One of? Really Headmaster you can be so obtuse at times. At a rough estimate I would say too many dunderheads and not enough intelligent ones." snapped Severus as he waited, suspicious as to what the Headmaster was up to.
"Come on Severus all joking aside how many?
"I don't joke Headmaster." The Potions Master grumbled as he calculated. " Hmmmm, take forty- Five new students each year as a mean average, eighteen years ... three hundred and fifteen total students a year for seven years makes five thousand six hundred and seventy."
The Headmaster looked terribly cheerful as he said, "by using your calculations then in the hundred and twenty years or so I've been teaching there have been thirty-seven thousand eight hundred students pass through Hogwarts."
Severus looked exasperated. "Don't you think it is enough to worry about teaching the present lot of Dunderheads? Anyway the calculations included those who stayed the full seven years . Actual count would be more along the line of eight hundred and ten. And that is only if there are only forty-five new students a year. unfortunately there has been quite a few more coming to Hogwarts some years."
Albus shrugged his shoulders, the twinkle in his baby blue eyes became more pronounced. "Right you are, It just sounded much more impressive when one ignores the fact that one student stays seven years."
"So what is your point?" asked the scowling Potions Master. "Is the Ministry of Magic wanting statistics now?"
"No not that I know of, actually I thought it might be nice to have a class type reunion for those who would like to come back with their families and visit with former classmates..." He said wistfully.
"You aren't talking of having everyone come? A lot of them have no interest in seeing their old classmates, or who with any luck have died."asked the dumbfounded Potions Master. "Even if only those who attended over the last fifty- years..." He calculated quickly in desperation. " approximately two thousand two hundred and fifty students ...It's still Outrageous!"
"That is an excellent suggestion, we should limit the guest list to make things just a little more manageable." The Headmaster smiled. "We will have to consider how much work there will be involved in getting up the invitations and preparing a feast for such a gathering. Just think of everyone who has lost contact with each other over the years meeting back here at Hogwarts and catching up on each others lives."
"Ridiculous" snapped Severus incredulously. "They could use the Floo Network or place ads in the Daily Prophet for any sort of reunions. That is if any of them wanted to see each other. Which I doubt."
"Oh quit being a pessimist Severus, after all I am sure you must have some fond memories tucked away from your own schooldays. I bet you would like to see a few of your friends and reminisce over old times. " Albus wheedled as he tried to persuade the Potions Master to agree to his plans. "It will be just one big massive party."
"NO, I Protest! " The Potions Master hissed as the elderly wizard smiled at him calmly and benignly. "I hate being around large gatherings."
"I know you say you do but I think you will enjoy it once everything is finally prepared and the Reunion is well on its way. Madame Pomfrey is willing to plan how to take care of any medical emergencies that may arise."
"I doubt that I will enjoy this reunion of yours very much." snarled the Potions Master as he shook with barely controlled anger."You want me to spend most of my time finding everyone from the past fifty years and send them invitations?
"Don't worry about owling everyone. You know Minerva, Pomona and Filius will help by notifying the former students from their houses and all you have to worry about is those from your own." The Headmaster said with a wry grin as he registered the horrified look on the Professors face.
"Let me guess you already spoke to them of your plans to disrupt our lives." Severus muttered as he glowered with his best death glare at the Headmaster who chuckled. "Yes I thought I'd get everything set up I knew you would object to the idea at first."
"And I still object." Severus snapped.
Albus grinned as a deviously cunning smile spread across his face, "The reunion is to be the weekend before school opens. I'm sure that you will have enough time to contact everyone from Slytherin House."
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The schools owls were very busy for the next few weeks delivering invitations to everyone that was listed as having gone to Hogwarts the school of witchcraft and wizardry. The House elves were insanely delighted as they looked forward to preparing the great feast for the event. Filch the caretaker hid within his quarters and refused to have anything to do with it.
The four heads of House along with Madame Pomfrey scoured the school files for those who had attended during the last fifty years. Minerva commented that it would have been nice to see some of her old classmates at the reunion to which Pomona replied, "Well why not contact a few of the ones you would like to see, after all what would it matter if there were a few more-or-less visitors."
"Oh go ahead and do it Minerva." grumbled Severus. "And while your at it why not try to locate Albus's former classmates or at least some of his contemporaries. I'm sure that would please him no end." He continued sarcastically.
"Why Severus, what an excellent Idea. how thoughtful." exclaimed Filius Flitwick. "I know of a few of his contemporaries who would really enjoy an excuse to visit him."
Minerva thought of who who would be willing to come from her own student years and that of Albus. She counted off the names she wished to add to the list. "Alastor Moody, Elphias Doge, Augusta Longbottom, Alberforth of course, we cant leave him out ..."
Severus groaned as he mentally slapped himself for opening his mouth.
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Severus was getting surlier every day as he had gathered the names of everyone in Slytherin house for the last fifty years and sent out the invitations. He was fortunate in that Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy offered to help him in contacting and convincing those Slytherins who were as he knew reluctant to return to the Castle. He decided to also ask Horace Slughorn his former Potions teacher and Head of House who was also a ruthless Meritocrat that favoured those who did well or were talented.
"Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy and son Draco Malfoy. At least they will be there." Snape muttered to himself as he marked off the acceptances.
"Graham Montague and his family, Miles Bletchley, Urquhart, Lucian Bole" Peregrin Derrick , Higgs, Flint, Puceys, Warringtons,..." Snape paused and then picked up two food stained acceptance cards. "Oh great Crabbe and Goyle, they will at least be comic relief. Parkinsons, Bulstrode, Greengrass, Nott's, Aabini, Baddock's, Prichards, Horace Slughorn, of course he would accept, nothing like ..."
"Severus how are you making out with your list?" asked Dumbledore as he strolled into the Dungeon office. "Everyone else are having an excellent response."
Severus looked up at the Headmaster with narrowed eyes. He responded curtly. "I'm doing fine. There are about five hundred responses. Not bad I suppose considering."
"Good, good. Minerva has had nearly five hundred and ten Gryffindors answer in the affirmative. Pomona had over four hundred fifty Hufflepuffs and Filius has just over six hundred Ravenclaws. I believe this is going to be a great bash after all." Dumbledore said, the twinkle in his eyes brightened maddeningly."Don't you think so?"
"I would consider giving you an answer but I don't think you would like what I would have to say." Severus responded sourly.
"Give it a chance my boy, you may find out that you will have a lot of fun while you visit old friends and the grand memories that they bring back to you."
Severus glared at the Headmaster and wondered if the old wizard really knew what he was blabbing on about. He must be becoming senile to think that he, Severus Snape would want to deliberately remember those childhood memories that returned to him every so often in his nightmares.
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The day finally arrived and the castle could not have been looking better with all the work that had been expended on it. The House-elves outdid themselves in regards to the delicacies set out upon the tables that literally groaned with the weight of food and drinks set upon them. The portraits were talking excitedly among themselves as they recalled many memorable happenings over the years that involved some of many of the returning Graduates of the Hallowed Halls of Hogwarts. Ghosts were floating about in anticipation also as never before had such an event had ever taken place before. The reporters and Photographers from the Daily Prophet, the Quibbler and the Witch Weekly among other publications in the Wizarding community were posed to record the unusual Event.
Severus wore his only set of dress robes which were just as black if not darker than his work outfit. It had taken a while for him to find them as he thought he had stuffed them deep into the recesses of his closet after the Christmas Eve Ball that was held during the year of the tri-wizard tournament. He had hoped that they had disintegrated over time and he could tell Albus that he was not able to attend the Reunion, but to his dismay he finally found them hanging neatly on a hanger that was hovering near his wardrobe. The house Elves had obligingly cleaned and pressed the rumpled garment for him as Dumbledore had requested them to do.
After an hour of talking to the Slytherin guests and then to a few old timers from other houses who were gushing out praises over what a wonderful occasion this Reunion was turning out to be, Severus' blood pressure was rising slowly while he wandered around, he hoped to avoid the notice of anyone who would prevent him from slipping away from the crowd that had exceeded the Headmasters expectations.
Severus saw Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley chattering away with Mad-Eye Moody whose magical eye was observing everybody whilst he was talking to the trio. Severus felt that the ex-Auror was sizing him up for a nice cozy cell at Azkaban when he felt the magical eye pause on him for a few seconds.
There seemed to be hundreds of youngsters racing around the improvised play area while their parents visited each other and compared how their lives had turned out since they had graduated. Grandparents and Great grandparents strolled around and told younger members of their families how much Hogwarts was the same and different in their time.
Severus noticed that Minerva was enjoying herself as she talked with one of the Weasley boys. He wasn't sure which one as he wasn't willing to get too close. All he knew from listening to Dumbledore was that he could expect to see more Weasleys at the school within another eleven years. From what conversations he overheard he could even expect a few more Potters in the future. He wondered if he could become eligible for an early retirement before then.
"Severus, so good to see you again." the ebullient voice of Horace Slughorn echoed as he came rambling over to the stressed Potions Master. "I see you haven't changed much. Still wearing black I see."
Severus stared at the brightly coloured outfit Slughorn was wearing. It was ghastly in Severus's opinion as it looked more like something that Dumbledore would appreciate. He said with a hint of asperity, "I still wear black because I like it and light coloured clothes have a tendency to attract food stains."
His former teacher laughed as he ignored the curtness of Snapes response. "I see you have developed a sense of humour since I last saw you. That is good."
The look on Albus' face when he noticed that Elphias Doge, Augusta Longbottom, and the Weasleys Auntie Muriel had come along with Bathilda Bagshot the author of 'A History of Magic' to the Reunion, was priceless as far as Severus was concerned. Madame Pomfrey had a momentary fear for the elderly Headmaster when Albus looked as if he was going to suffer a coronary, especially when Alberforth showed up with a glint in his eye that prophesied a most interesting bout of reminiscing over the past.
Severus was fascinated and entertained by the various shades of red crossing Albus' face from extremely pale to a nice splotchy flush as he listened to all stories the elderly wizard told about Albus and his adventures growing up and at school while the witches were regaling the younger generations with a bunch of embarrassingly cute stories about the Headmaster.
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When the Reunion was over and all the guests had left, the Headmaster had his his younger colleagues in his office to talk about how well the reunion went and the tiny fact that not all the invitees were from the past fifty years as was suggested. The papers reported nearly three thousand had attended . He had in his hands a copy of the special issue of The Daily Prophet which dedicated the entire paper to the Reunion including a very interesting life history of Albus Dumbledore.
Madame Pomfrey shook her head warningly and with her hands placed firmly on her hips reminded him that the Reunion was his idea and that he should have expected the Daily Prophet to create the commemorative Issue and document everything about the first ever Class Reunion of Hogwarts School.
He looked aghast as he said "But really, was it necessary for them to document all the so called major events of my childhood, including the age I was potty-trained? Was that really necessary?"
"Well that article was a lucky bonus for the Daily Prophet to go with their Reunion stories. I guess the Weasleys Auntie Muriel knew a lot more about your family history than even I do." answered Madame Pomfrey with a very large smile which made Albus feel a little uneasy.
Knowing it was not wise to push the issue with the Medi-witch, Albus turned toward his Potions Master and asked sternly. "Severus I thought you wanted to limit the gathering to those from the last fifty years. Just what happened to change your mind?"
Looking very innocent, for him that is, Severus told Albus, "I thought you would love to see a few of your own friends and reminisce over old times. since you did mention it, and I quote: might be nice to have a class type reunion for those who would like to come back with their families and visit with former classmates."
Pomona Sprout entered the conversation and explained calmly, "I suggested to Minerva to contact a few of the ones she would like to see after all what did it matter if there were a few more-or-less visitors. She was wishing to see a few of hers."
Filius Flitwick squeaked, "I thought It was very thoughtful of Severus to suggest locating some of your contemporaries. After all there are not that many of your Generation left."
"Honestly Albus, We thought it would please you to make this Reunion memorable for you and us." said Minerva with a slight hurt tone in her voice.
Albus sighed and reluctantly thanked them for the thoughtfulness they showed in thinking of inviting some of his contemporaries then brightened up as he said with a more cheerful outlook. "Well there is Halloween to look forward to now and I think that we could do something a little different to spruce up..."
While he espoused his plans as to what he would like to do at Halloween Madame Pomfrey and the four Heads of House looked at each other with identical smirks on their faces as each of them thought "And we all knew that was coming."