Opposites Attract
Prologue
Sitting on her bed, which was cluttered with an array of clothes, books and a suitcase, she finished reading the last paragraph of the letter she had read endlessly since receiving it.
She gently replaced it on her dresser and briefly let her eyes linger on a small silver frame. It contained a picture of two smiling young men who were waving for the camera.
She shook her head unbelievingly. "Return to Hogwarts…" she murmured, "Wont that be something?"
He bit his lip and his eyes screwed up in concentration as he gently tipped the bottle; a droplet of violet liquid slid along the glass neck into the crystal vial he held precariously between two fingers.
"Professor?" squeaked a high-pitched voice behind him.
The vial slipped from his grasp and smashed into glistening shards on the cold stone beneath.
"Damn!" He whirled to face a house-elf who, clothed in a baggy Chudley Cannons t-shirt, large novelty bowtie and floral tea cosy, looked positively terrified.
"I apologize, Dobby, but I do wish you wouldn't sneak up on me like that."
"Dobby wasn't sneaking, Professor, sir, Dobby was sent." He was adamant that he'd done no such thing.
"By whom?"
"Professor Dumbledore, Sir. Dobby has been asked to tell Professor Snape that his presence is required in the staff room, Sir."
Severus heaved another sigh, "I should have remembered. I might as well go now, seeing as to how there's no work for me to do now." He gestured to the mess on the floor and drew his wand from his robes.
"Reparo."
The splinters of glass shot back together, and the vial was as perfect as it had been. He picked it up and placed it on his desk. The house-elf had slipped out of the door. He followed Dobby's path through the door and locked it behind him, stepping into the dungeon's legendary coldness.
"Ah, Severus. Joining us at last, I see." Albus Dumbledore's wide smile and twinkling eyes from behind half-moon shaped spectacles, greeted him from the table as he entered the staff room.
"I apologize for my lateness," Severus replied. "I got...caught up."
"I'm starting to think he has a girl down there," joked Remus Lupin, who sat to the right of Dumbledore. The rest of the staff chuckled gently.
Severus allowed a rare smile to pass over his features.
"A gentleman never does kiss and tell."
The coldness and hostility that once existed between Remus and him had disappeared. They weren't necessarily the best of friends, but they were more than civil to each other.
Dumbledore smiled at the pair. "Remus here has something he wishes to tell you all."
Remus nodded and stood up. "First of all, I want to thank all of you for your support since my reinstatement nine years ago. I know that it was a difficult decision to make, considering who I am." He regarded them seriously. "I fear I must tell you now… that I have decided to leave Hogwarts."
The smiling mouths of the faces around the table suddenly turned into little 'O's of surprise. This was obviously an unexpected piece of news.
"You're leaving?" asked Pomona Sprout, her brow furrowed in confusion.
"I'm afraid so."
"But why?"
Remus nodded. "My family. As you know, my second daughter was born last month."
Fond smiles appeared upon the female staff's faces.
"It's brought me to the conclusion that my position at Hogwarts, no matter how much I love it, does indeed take me away from Nymph and the girls at times."
"How is Tonks at the moment?" interrupted Flitwick.
"She's fine, thanks."
"That is all very well, Remus," spoke Severus, "But are you intending to leave us without a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher so close to September?"
"Not at all," replied Remus.
Dumbledore had a broad grin on his face. "Remus has found Hogwarts a replacement."
Severus frowned, "Indeed, and who would that be?" Curious expressions from the rest of the staff matched his.
Remus smirked, "It's a surprise, Severus, somebody we haven't seen in a long while.
"She'll be arriving tomorrow."
Severus pondered over that as he made his way back to his private quarters in the dungeons. He'd have thought being overlooked for the Defence Against the Dark Arts job yet again would have stung more. Surprisingly, it didn't. He found that he was, in fact, quite curious as to the identity of this newcomer.
"Alohomora," he said softly, pointing his wand at the aged chrome lock in his door. It clicked and he pushed down on the handle to gain entrance to his office. He made his way across the green rug, which was stretched across cold, stone slabs. After pouring a drink from his small bar, he sank down heavily on the comfortable jade-coloured armchair beside it. He took a sip from his drink before absently speaking to himself.
"A new professor, how…interesting."
Hope you enjoyed this beginning. If you did, press that little button down below. I love my reviewers. And besides, how else am I going to know if you like it? Thank you to my beta Tara (NekoPen).
