Disclaimer: (Ring Ring) "Hi, J.K, It's me again, yeah I was just wondering --" (dial tone) "Hello?"
Hogwarts Interrupted
The thunder roaring outside of the castle wall reflected the dangerous turmoil within. He had come into this office many times, and had long since become accustomed to being chastised when he had been a student himself, so much so in fact that he nearly enjoyed the amount of displeasure his disobedience could bring to others. In truth, he was so used to being scolded for his actions that he had no trouble keeping both his silence, and a straight face before making a smug departure.
As the request to visit Headmaster Dumbledore in his office was a common occurrence, Severus Snape did not question the motive. He walked down the many corridors with an air of nonchalance, taking special care to venture the more populated areas as to apprehend any hoodlums he may find along the way. Over the years he spent teaching at Hogwarts, apprehending students had become a pastime. By the time he reached the passage to Dumbledore's office, he had handed out three detentions, taken fifty five points from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, and stared nearly twelve first years to the verge of tears. It's not a record, he thought to himself, but certainly brag-worthy. He smirked evilly as he knocked at the tall oak doors.
"Enter," came the humble voice of Albus Dumbledore. Snape allowed the doors to swing shut behind him and nearly waltzed up to the white bearded wizard, not having a chance to take his seat before being handed a thrice folded parchment baring the ministry seal. Silently, Snape broke the red wax seal and read. Albus stared at Severus noticing that whatever kind of mood the man had been in prior to this visit had vanished in a matter of seconds to be replaced with a most loathsome appearance. And though Severus prized his unreadable features, when the opportunity arose, he was not one to receive bad news lightly. Now, Professor Snapes' temper was fuming, and he was ready to throw something… hard.
"YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!", Severus Snape growled at a serene Dumbledore.
"Severus, do try to calm yourself." Dumbledore folded his hands in his lap as a smug and slightly amused grin crossed his face. He watched diligently as Severus paced in front of him, his cloak trailing violently behind. Dumbledore had admittedly never seen Severus in such a frenzied state. After all, the younger professor had never been an extremely emotional being.
"YES OF COURSE ALBUS BECAUSE THAT IS THE RATIONAL THING TO DO!" Severus blurted in a loudly sarcastic tone now appearing livid and quite obviously biting the inside of his bottom lip. Dumbledore's brows lifted still quite amused and to Severus' chagrin, increasingly serine.
" Rationality would be the appropriate concept Severus." Dumbledore now leaned comfortably back in his chair tapping his thumbs together which caused Severus' right eye to twitch uncontrollably. The professor shook his head in an attempt to dampen the twitch. Running a hand down his face only worsened the matter as his features were now pressed into a befuddled grimace with the slight remainder of a flutter below his right eye, Dumbledore chuckled to himself; this was quite a site indeed. Severus, now breathing heavily, crossed the cluttered room to the Headmasters desk and plopped heavily into the chair across from him. The former potions master looking increasingly distraught shoved his head into his hands allowing his black hair to dangle messily around his face. Reaching into a drawer Dumbledore rummaged with a few objects before shutting it and turning back to Severus. "Perhaps you should take this", Dumbledore said as he held out the calming draught. Severus angrily grasped the crystal vile and once again began to pace in front of the headmaster.
"HOW IS THIS EVEN LEGAL!?" he began yelling again as he pulled a piece of cleanly folded ministry parchment from his robes and began waving it about. Dumbledore noticed the unopened vile, the grayish liquid sloshing around as he viciously paced.
"Severus, perhaps you should--" Dumbledore made a gesture to the vile in Severus' clenched fist but was shortly cut off.
"SHE IS MY STUDENT ALBUS" Severus exclaimed while gesturing the paper closer to the headmasters steadily unchanging face.
"Yes; so I've noticed" Dumbledore stated as his hand moved to lower the parchment in Severus' trembling fist which was now just inches away from his nose. Dumbledore pried the wrinkled parchment from Severus' grasp before holding his wand to it and muttering a straitening charm.
"THERE MUST BE SOME LOOPHOLE TO ALL THIS RUBISH!"
"Yes Severus, perhaps, however, rest assured we won't find it through your eccentric dramatization" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled against the glow of the numerous candles lit around the circular room. Severus, now more frustrated than ever, nearly ripped the parchment from the headmasters hands and stormed out of the chambers vigorously heading toward his own, the long ebony cloak flapping at his heels.
"TOADSWART!" Severus shouted at the oversized goblin statue, white-knuckled fists at his side as if he were prepared to fight the thing for entry. A meek Hufflepuff second year walking by had noticed his state and began to run in the opposite direction, no doubt, in fear of being hexed. Snape grimaced at the event as he sunk rigidly into his black leather armchair that stood in front of the dormant stone fireplace. Glancing at the tattered parchment in his hand, he decided that it was useless to find in answer where he knew one couldn't be found. Yet, to his great dismay he found his eyes locked with the bloody thing as he read for the umpteenth time;
Regarding Ministry Law Number 849
Dear Professor Snape,
The Ministry of Magic is pleased to inform you that you are eligible to partake in clause 849. Because of a growing squib population clause 849 is a newly passed Marriage law which entails the betrothal of pure bloods or half bloods to muggle bornes. Once betrothed, the couple will be allotted one year to become married and to conceive a child.(Those exempt are listed below).
As several unforeseeable events have occurred, the ministry has taken the liberty of pairing a select few couples to be betrothed.(List below)
All other eligible Witches and Wizards must find a partner within the next three months from receiving this notice.
Exempt:
Squibs
Under seventeen years
Over fifty years
Infertile
Betrothed:
Remus Lupin - Nymphadora Tonks
Harry Potter - Luna Lovegood
Severus Snape - Hermione Granger
Neville Longbottom - Ginevra Weasley
Shaking his head much like a dog after a flea bath in an attempt to rid his mind of the days atrocity, he grimly crumpled up the notice and threw it at the empty fire place, missing, which only furthered his anger. Noticing the unopened vile in his tightly wrapped fist, in one swift and nearly habitual motion, Severus tore off the wax sealed stopper, chucking it somewhere to his left while jerking his head back and downing the contents. Within a matter of moments the potion engulfed his senses and he felt his muscles begin to relax. His eyes slowly softened as a stoic expression stole his face. The rain continued to pound on the castle window outside. The professor inwardly smirked, knowing that he should have recognized such weather as a premonition of the days overwhelming misfortune. Taking one calming breath after another, Severus stared emptily at the heap of cold ash beneath the hearth while he pondered the chaos taking place within the mind of a certain "know it all" high above his chambers in the Gryffindor tower.