Chapter 3

I stared at the door to McGonagall's office, she eventually opened it, "Severus? What's wrong?" she knew what had happened I could tell.

"That woman," was all I could hiss.

"Come in and we can talk about it," she looked at me; apparently I was tired, "Would you like a cup of coffee?" I nodded, "black no sugar," again I nodded. After several minutes of silence, "Well?"

Umbridge walked past McGonagall's window still with the plastic smile on her face.

"Her, she, can't I torture her?" I was completely incoherent.

"Severus," Minerva scolded me, "You should know better and I've already had this from Potter," I looked up; she thought she had said too much.

"She asked about the arm in front of that class," I whispered urgently at her, "Did she ever work at the ministry?"

"Yes she does, those hypocrites forced her on us," despite the distain, her curiosity was increasing.

"Why?" she asked suddenly.

"Seems I have six boxes at the ministry,"

"Six; I thought Malfoy sr had ten," I cut her off.

"He does but eight of them are at his mansion, so officially he has two," I shrugged.

"Does she know what happened last year?" again I shrugged. "Your coffees gone cold,"

"No need, I'm leaving," she must have heard caught my real meaning. Not that I'd do that again.

"Don't you dare; we still need you," she was close to tears.

"Need me? Nobody's ever needed me, Minerva, least of all you. I shouldn't have helped Potter last year; but then Voldemort would be back and the boy – who – lived would be dead! Because of me," quietly I added, "just like last time," but she heard me.

"What do you mean, last time?" I looked through her, "Severus Snape answer me!"

"No, Minerva; you don't want to know," I left her staring venomously at the door which I had just walked through. I didn't leave properly until I heard her say: "What don't I want to know, child; what are you hiding really?" Her use of really surprised me. I continued walking around the grounds as I had when I was a student brewing over something; this time I was at the lake. I heard an annoyingly familiar cough, Umbridge.

"Severus Snape; don't you have a class to teach?" her voice was so false. I checked my watch, she was right; I had five minutes to get to the dungeons.

"Thank you for finding me Dolores; I'll be on my way," I rushed in the general direction of the castle but I could feel her following me. I stopped outside my classroom, "Professor may I help you?"

"You seem distracted Snape,"

"I was merely thinking; it wouldn't happen again," I was quick – too quick – her eyebrows raised in an impression of me – I shuddered.

"It better not," she was cold but still a falsely high voice that could make Voldemort himself sick.