The musical tones of glass clinking together softly drifted from the box Severus carried in both hands in front of him. It had survived the apparation - the toughest part of the journey - and was almost to its destination. Needing a break from teaching and children, he had gladly taken up brewing. It allowed him to live comfortably at home, accepting who he would do business with, and who he would deny without being ordered to do so, and not to mention had a cozy impact on his Gringots account. St. Mungo's had been his largest customer, though their orders tended to be small; they requested rare potions from him, of which finding the ingredients for was always a lengthy search. The apothecaries around town had asked him to prepare raw ingredients and make some starting bases, which he gladly did and would replace those once a week. He had a few debutante-like families that had heard his name by referral and had been easy to gain Galleons more than he would normally charge all because of his reputation.
Madame Pomfrey, however, was the only person on his list that he neither turned down-even if he hadn't the space for more cauldrons or had to handpick the ingredients from the top of a mountain- or charged as she had saved him from death countless of times. It was the least he could do. Her orders were simple; pepper up potion or something to calm a coughing fit, and she never seemed to order more than was really needed. She would also call on him right when he'd start to second guess his exodus from teaching, right when he started to miss the wonder of a student making a delicate potion correctly all under his instruction. Returning to the school, even just the smell of juvenile essence had the idea of returning flying away faster than a Nimbus 2000X.
The snow had yet to fall, but the biting chill in the air suggested it was on its way. Severus quickened his pace as he stepped through the gates to Hogwarts, hurrying into the building. He may have never admitted it, but the older he got the less he cared for cold weather, preferring warm summer nights over the fridgid temperatures. The heat inside the castle warmed him instantly and he made his way up to the infirmary.
A few students were in the beds, a boy looking worse for wear; his face was swollen and red, appearing three times larger than it should have been. Pomfrey had been attending to the boy, her back toward the door so she didn't see Severus enter, or sense him as he crept closer to look at the boy over her shoulder.
"What did we learn here?" She asked the boy who answered in muffled hums and hisses, unable to form words. "Don't you forget it." She mumbled back at him, forcing him to lie down on the bed, then turned around nearly smacking into Severus as closely as he had stood.
"And you should know better than to stand so closely while I'm working. I'm a busy woman, Severus. A busy woman. I need my space." She chided him. Severus took a few steps back, watching as she went to the other bed, this one inhabited by a girl. She appeared fine, but the longer Severus watched, the more he began to notice that her head was beginning to swell. Her features were slowly thinning out, growing flat; nose spreading over her cheeks which were already as large as apples, her eyes becoming nothing more than wide circular wafers that looked to have been painted on her face, her mouth disappearing into an almost invisible slit. By the time her ears were molding into the sides of her swelling head, he had looked away growing repulsed by the sight and searched for a place to set his delivery. An empty bed was the closest surface to him, and after his hands were freed, began to creep to the door. He had wanted to leave before Pomfrey got the crazy idea to-
"Severus!" Minerva had blocked his exit, forcing him back into the room by grabbing an arm, pulling him back to the bedside he had just snuck away from.
"Have you any idea?" She asked Pomfrey who had only grunted and shook her head. Minerva squeezed Severus' arm, and he tried picking at a few fingers, but she did not release.
"They just started puffing up out of nowhere, Severus. Have you any insight?" She asked. He stared at her blankly for a moment as she watched the girl on the bed who was attempting to blink her eyes, but getting nothing more than an eerie wobble to her head.
"I'm not a professional therefore my opinion is irrelevant to the situation, but if it is the way to retrieve my arm, might I suggest one of Weasley's candies as the culprit?"
"Their heads would have shrunk back to normal size by now if it were." Hermione spoke softly as she entered the room, Severus swallowed his annoyance, though he succeeded in freeing his arm. He shoved his appendages as far into his robes as he could, feeling it would protect him. He found himself staring at Hermione as if her own head had swelled, and she took it thinking he was asking for an explanation.
"George snuck some on Bill when he visited last summer. The effect lasted maybe thirty seconds before returning to normal shape."
Severus continued to stare. "Maybe it was a bad batch." He added dryly.
"Or maybe it is something else entirely." Hermione remained stubborn, defending her friend's infamous candies hated by all the Hogwarts staff. His arms crossed of their own accord, defensively over his chest and slowly he felt a glare begin to develop, but knew it hadn't of been from her pressing the matter. Beautiful, she was and he already knew her intelligence surpassed most witches her age, he realized that she had seemed to lose all regard toward him. She had been obedient for what he recalled, the one student he would openly trust to complete any task he might have given without any fight. It seemed the years between their last meeting had her forgetting how intensely he could stare, how cold a single glimpse could make her feel. For some reason, she wasn't backing down as he gave his best mugging.
"If you don't believe me, we can always obtain some to try. I'm quite positive George would love to help your nose to head ratio." She had mumbled the last bit, but it came out clearly.
"I'd much rather shrink my nose to fit my face." He retorted. Hermione looked amused and even Minerva who had been standing quietly behind them enjoyed the banter. He turned back to the girl, looked her over once and smirked.
"Perhaps they're learning so much from Miss Granger, their brains are growing far too quickly." He allowed his glare to soften realizing the opportunity that had risen. Their first meeting in years, especially for him, could not end on a bad note. He couldn't afford spoiling any chance of comity that may develop. It would have been easy enough to disregard her as easily as he used to, but eager to remain true to the promise he had made knew she had to see the side students, previous students included, never got a chance to see. He allowed the corners of his lips to raise, nodded curtly and wandered to the door.
He had made it so far as the entry hall, when his feet had stopped working, sticking to the ground as Minerva called after him. Knowing she would have found him one way or another, remaining to let her speak with him now sounded less painful than it would be to welcome her into his home and play host for as long as she saw fit.
"I'm glad I ran into you, I've been meaning to owl. We will be needing a substitute for a few days in the coming months for the Dark Arts class and assumed you'd be interested?"
"No." His answer was quick, sharp, causing Minerva to pout slightly. He cleared his throat and rephrased. "I appreciate your thinking of me, but unfortunately, I will have to decline. My business is keeping me quite busy and I simply can't fit the time to teach wormless brats into my schedule."
"Oh. Very well." She sounded disappointed, using that tone that effortlessly brought on feelings of guilt. His eyes narrowed.
"I'll see what I can work up." He uttered in defeat.
"You'll feel right at home." She patted his arm. "I'm certain you will."
He noticed Hermione had followed her, keeping herself halfway hidden behind the Headmistress. Snape inclined his head toward her.
"Congratulations on achieving your assistant position, Miss Granger."
She filled out their circle, and gave a nod of thanks. Minerva had sent him updates every once in a while, and had explained of putting Hermione in a part time teaching position. He had half expected the girl to be covering for Professor Flitwick as she had shown remarkable ability in it. Transfiguration was just as suitable, however, and he knew she had been Minerva's first choice for the position when teaching and running a school became too much for her to bear.
"Thank you. I'm enjoying it very much."
"She seems to have your teaching style." Minerva added with pleasure. "Most of her fifth years are N.E.W.T ready, we're expecting great things."
"Indeed." Severus looked pleased while Hermione looked rather embarrassed. "I will have to come audit a class sometime."
"Oh God." Hermione breathed. Minerva let out a chuckle.
"We have our Christmas Ball coming up in a week, Severus. You're more than welcome to join." Minerva gave another one of those looks that instantly made him accept, though his stomach filled with dread. He was pretty sure this was her way of obtaining extra babysitting duties without having to ask it of him.
"I'd be honored." He tried not to sound too reluctant, and if he did, Minerva paid no attention. Her face had lit up like lights on a Christmas tree just then and motioned to Hermione, pulling her a little closer into the group.
"Why don't you and Miss Granger attend together?"
"Oh, I'm...I um, it's fine, I'll be fine attending alone, Headmistress. No need to pawn me off on-" she stumbled over how to call Severus, going through a calamity of 'S' and 'P' sounds, finally deciding on "Mister Snape."
Severus once again curled his lip. Another opportunity had been opened, albeit forced upon him just as the damn promise had been, but he nodded casually.
"It would be my pleasure." He answered, once again forcing himself to not sound too reluctant. Hermione's face scrunched up, obviously confused by his acceptance.
"I wouldn't want you to feel obliged." She said, but Severus only shook his head.
"As much animosity as I may have showed you, you are now a colleague and as such, an equal." He bowed his head. "I would love to chit-chat further, however, I do have a schedule to keep and I'm afraid I'm already running behind. Minerva. Miss Granger." He gave his pleasantries, then turned, praying they'd let him leave this time without any further interruption.