Unlikely Mentor
Chapter 2
Disclaimer: This work of fan-fiction is not intended for personal profit. All characters utilized herein which are not creations of myself belong to J. K. Rowling.
After getting Horace Slughorn set up in a large, airy unused room on the first floor, which was (normally, but Hogwarts staircases occasionally had a mind of their own) just a flight of stairs up from the dungeons, where the Potions classes would be held, Dumbledore said, "Horace, I may be some time before I can join you for a late supper. Please remain here for the duration."
The other man nodded. "Fine; I'll just get unpacked. Heaven knows I've got loads of things to get out of these trunks."
With that, Dumbledore headed to the dungeons. It was time to meet Severus Snape.
/\/\/\/\
At the door to Severus's office, which Albus knew had a private door to the Potions professor's bedroom, he hummed a quiet tune as he unconcernedly waited for the man to open up his office door.
"Headmaster, to what do I owe the pleasure of your sudden visit? I was going to start packing up to go back to Spinner's End for a while," Severus said smoothly as Albus stepped inside the office and shut the door. Indeed, Albus could see that at the other end of the office, the door to Severus's quarters was slightly ajar.
"There are some last-minute changes I wish to make you aware of, Severus. First, based on your report on Voldemort's latest doings, I decided to move quickly to secure some extra assistance for myself and you." At Severus's frown, he continued. "I have managed to recruit Horace Slughorn to return to Hogwarts. Provisionally, he will teach the first through fifth year Potions classes, and perhaps give Harry Potter some extra tuition in the matter. In any case, this would free you up to teach only the NEWT classes and thus also allow you to more fully conduct your duties for the Order and for me."
"Hmp. I suppose you dangled the Boy-Who-Lived in front of him and he practically snapped it up like a starving fish to come out of retirement and teach again," noted Severus.
Dumbledore, not missing the acerbic note in the Potions master's voice, nodded slightly in acknowledgement. "Horace is a good man, but his ego has always required a certain amount of flattery. In any case, I have decided that in the war which is sure to come, Harry Potter needs more instruction than is conventionally given here at Hogwarts."
Severus frowned. "Will Slughorn be part of—?"
Albus shook his head. "I haven't decided yet. Be aware that you may be prodded by Voldemort to seek out Horace to ascertain what he knows about his time as Tom Riddle here at Hogwarts. The questioning will probably be indirect, but you will know it when you hear it and can craft the appropriate replies. It will probably be best to keep a certain distance from him in any case; your Slytherins will be clamouring to enter his Slug Club if he reinstates it, but their reasons may not be their own."
"He can do as he likes. But I want one favour out of this, Headmaster: this year, he brews the Wolfsbane for Lupin, not me."
Albus pursed his lips. "What if you do alternating months? Would that be acceptable?"
Severus grimaced. "Fine." His lips quirked in a small parody of a smile. "I suppose I can be thankful I won't have to deal with Potter any longer. Between not teaching him this year and him being unlikely to make an O at Potions, I suppose I can rest easy. But I still want the Defence position."
"I have some candidates in mind already, Severus." Albus sighed. "And as for Harry, Severus, I have tried and failed to reason with you on the matter, but if it will lead you to cease complaining to me I suppose I shall count it as an overall good."
"Good day, then, Headmaster." Severus politely opened the door, letting Albus leave to make his way through Hogwarts back to Horace Slughorn's new living quarters.
/\/\/\/\
Albus entered the room, and smiled at the speed at which the room had gone from being a bare chamber to a tastefully decorated room. The pictures of many of Slughorn's "acquisitions" (connections within the Wizarding world) adorned the various shelves amid the well-kept books, among them rare tomes such as the first edition of Nicholas Flamel's alchemy text from 1752. The magical paintings of famous Potions Masters and bucolic scenes lined the walls, and a rich royal blue carpet had been rolled out across the floor. A four-poster covered bed had been found (presumably by the house-elves) and placed in one corner. In another corner sat an expensive-looking mahogany desk, and situated between the entrance door and the bed was a sturdy-looking rectangular wooden table with four chairs around it.
Horace exited a door discreetly set into one wall and beamed, looking refreshed and relaxed in an evening jacket. "Hello, Albus! The house-elves were overjoyed to help get all this set up, even getting the WC magically set up and everything."
Albus smiled slightly. "Good. Have you eaten at all today? I had occasion to check the time before I arrived and it's now about seven o'clock."
"Nothing since this morning, when I started packing all my things away," admitted Slughorn.
"Good! Just sit down there. As host, I shall ask a house-elf to get us some food." Albus sat at the long end of the table. Horace sat opposite him.
Slughorn snapped his fingers. "You know, house-elves. There was a very excitable one – Dubby? Dobby? Anyway, as soon as he heard I was going to be helping Harry Potter he went into positive raptures of joy and just about went through the roof, prodding the rest of the elves to rather fancify this place up for 'the new teacher of the great Harry Potter'." Horace grinned and let out a short laugh. "What did the Potter boy do, anyway? Bring that elf back to life?"
Albus chuckled. "Nothing so dramatic, I assure you. He used to be Lucius Malfoy's elf. Through some clever work on Harry's part, he was able to help Dobby become free. Since then the elf has become a sort of friend to Harry and would do almost anything for the boy who helped set him free." Albus lifted his finger. "One moment – Dobby!"
With a pop, the house-elf appeared before Albus. He bounced with joy and said, "What can Dobby be getting for you today? Is you wanting a roast chicken, or perhaps a beefsteak, or shepherd's pie, or—"
Dumbledore gently cut in. "I think we will have the roast chicken, if you don't mind. Also please make up some side dishes appropriate to go with the meat, and send up a good wine."
Dobby nodded eagerly, his ears flapping. He hesitated, and said, "Dobby has heard that Professor Sluggy—"
At that, Horace burst out laughing. "Oh, I'd forgotten that old nickname the students used to use!"
"Go on, Dobby," urged Albus.
"Well, Dobby thinks – perhaps it is too ambitious for a house-elf, but Dobby would like to help Professor Sluggy in any way he can if it means helping Harry Potter!"
Horace chewed his lip for a second. "You know, that's not a bad idea. I need to order those Occlumency books anyway, so why don't we use the elf to take the books to him so we don't have owls going to and from his place all the time? You remember that time in 1979 when that owl of mine came back with suspiciously burned feathers, and the envelope looked like it'd been tampered with? That was a confidential Potions recipe – you remember – the one for the experimental bone strengthening potion? I was supposed to ask for volunteers along with Poppy Pomfrey to see how well it worked with young people who didn't need Skele-Gro but couldn't quite be healed fully with medical charms."
Albus nodded. "And then as if by chance, a Dutch Potions Master with known sympathies to Voldemort and Grindelwald published an almost identical recipe a month later, complete with experimental trials from Durmstrang."
Horace growled. "I lost a chance at that year's Potioneer's Prize because of that nefarious incident!"
"Well then," said Albus, "Dobby, would you like to be the go-between for us and Harry? I think he would appreciate your company, as well."
Dobby looked as if he wanted to hop around the room, but barely restrained himself as he nodded enthusiastically. "You may call on Dobby any time! Now, Dobby will get you your wine and meal!"
With a pop, the elf vanished, then returned a moment later with a chilled bottle and two wine glasses. He vanished again, leaving Albus to open the bottle, pour the white wine ("Not top-drawer, but it's a good all-around white wine the Hogsmeade vintner imports, if you remember. 1985 – a good year, I think.") and propose a toast:
"To a renewed teaching career and my gratitude for your acceptance to return here, Horace."
The two men clinked their glasses, and sipped their wines. Their conversation grew general, and the meal arrived shortly after that, upon which the two of them ate mostly in silence.
Author Notes: So far it's easy sailing. Given that I'm going to be retreading / remixing OotP, I am thinking I could use a beta to bounce chapters off of to see how well they integrate with Potteresque canon. If you're interested just drop me a PM. I'll edit this once I've found a beta I can work well with. :)
