Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Most Loyal
Chapter 7
Harry was angry. Cursed. Snape deserved to be cursed. Harry couldn't think of anyone more deserving to be cursed. Stupid git. The only salve to his uncharitable thought was Snape certainly did not seem to be suffering. He didn't know what kind of sob story he gave Neville and Hagrid, but Harry was not falling for it. He didn't even have to deal with Snape, now that McGonagall was headmistress. She even told Harry to see her, instead of Snape.
He had to get Ginny and Ron back at school. They'd make it bearable. Even if he dealt exclusively with McGonagall, that sneaky git would pop up every time he had a toe out of line to give him detention. What else made Snape happy, but harassing Harry Potter?
Ron finally got an owl from Hermione. She was back with her parents, but needed to settle them back in. Now that she was close enough, Harry also wrote back, letting her know to drop McGonagall a note to let her know that Hermione would be back at school come September first. She wasn't taking Harry's word for it.
*** Hoggy Hoggy Hogwarts *** Hoggy Hoggy Hogwarts *** Hoggy Hoggy Hogwarts *** Hoggy Hoggy Hogwarts *** Hoggy Hoggy Hogwarts ***
Hermione was at the Hogwarts gates with Ginny, Ron, and George Weasley. None of them had an appointment, but time was short since it was Friday, and this coming Tuesday was September first. After a grinning Argus Filch denied them entrance, interspersed with moments of cackling at their demands, explanations and pleas, she summoned her patronus to carry a message to Neville, hoping he was on the grounds.
When Neville did arrive, Hermione apologized when she saw how covered in dirt he was. "I'm sorry."
"What are you doing here?"
"We need to see Prof. McGonagall, and Mr. Filch has rightly pointed out that none of us have an appointment."
"That's right. Miserable mud-smirched urchins can't even be bothered to clean the filth out of their ears."
"You're keeping students out," Ron informed him once again. Filthy ears. Mrs. Norris probably licked his out. A lumos spell would probably shine right through the caretaker's head.
Neville did not want to get in trouble, nor did he want to let his friends down. "We can both walk them to the headmistress' office, and if she wants them to make an appointment for next week, we can see them out. What do you think Mr. Filch?"
"The headmistress is a stickler for appointments," Mr. Filch informed them gleefully.
"So you'll let us in?" Hermione asked hopefully.
"Uh, yeah. Why are you here, George?" Neville asked.
"Someone's got to hold little Ronniekin's hand."
Ron gave his brother a look of disgust. He knew why George needed to talk to McGonagall, and he could spill the beans if George kept up with the insults. It could be worse, George could want to come back to school with him. Bad enough he'd probably end up in the same year with Ginny. Ginny had been laughing that maybe Ron would be thrown back with the sixth years. If Harry could pass whatever test, Ron could.
Mr. Filch held back an insult. He detested George Weasley, but losing his twin was more than any punishment he would have thought up. Argus would have liked to give them both a good whipping. Side by side. Listen to their cries in stereo. Death Eaters ruined that.
"Come on, I don't got all day," Filch said as he opened the gate.
Neville shrugged at them. He had no rapport with Mr. Filch yet. He might after he started working inside the castle next week. He'd just have to wait and see.
"You got some uh … stuff on you, Neville," Hermione pointed out.
"Oh yeah, I was laying down a new layer of mulch where we moved a whole bunch of things for Prof. Sprout." He used his wand to remove the fine debris.
"Are you enjoying the work here?"
"Prof. Sprout left me in charge of a lot. It's a good opportunity for me."
"She went away?"
"She's got her family, and I think she was traveling to visit a lot of student families over the holiday."
"Her family?"
"Yeah, not all the professors are single, or they got their parents alive still."
"Who's married?"
Neville laughed, "I'm not falling for that. You'd have to ask them. The only one I'll answer for is me. Neville Longbottom is still on the market."
Hermione laughed in such an agreeable manner, that Ron said, "Well, Hermione Granger is not."
"Oh Ron."
"What?"
"Neville is working at the school, and I'm a student."
"So?"
"She's right, Ron. I can't go to Hogsmeade with you, or hang out in the Gryffindor common room. Nor can you visit me in my rooms."
"Why not? We've been to Prof. Slughorn's," Hermione answered.
"Well, his is for a party, and I don't think Prof. McGonagall wants me throwing a party. I think I have to be here a while before I can throw a party."
George suggested, "Maybe Mr. Filch can throw a party."
"When hell freezes over. Mrs. Norris and I have everything just so, and we don't need you coming around upsetting her."
George made a rude gesture where Mr. Filch couldn't see it to indicate what he thought about Filch having a party. They'd all be pushing brooms and mops in time to music.
"So what do you do for fun out here?"
"Me? Well, if I've had a long day outside, a bath is nice. But uh, I've been to the Hog's Head with Hagrid. I talk to the other staff when I see them, or even make dates to eat meals with them, and then I sometimes meet someone else in Hogsmeade."
"Someone else?"
"No potential students. Don't worry."
"Sorry, Hermione, you're going to have to wait till you take your NEWTs," Ron teased.
"By then she'll know what a selfish loser you are, Ron," Ginny commented.
"What?"
"You heard me. I'm tired of watching you eat for four months. Don't sit near me in the Great Hall."
Ron made a face at his little sister, then complained to George who was grinning, "Hey, Hermione knows I have a healthy appetite."
"And no table manners. Holding food in both hands and just shoving it in," Ginny continued.
Ron made a grumbling sound. This is why they needed to get back into school. All the bickering at home. Harry could come and go as he liked, but he was trapped with Ginny. Harry had horrified both of them when he said that mum could home school them for their last year, and they could take their NEWTs with him in June. September till June, with no Harry or Hermione? What was worse was when Harry got Ginny out of the house and mum pounced on her when they got back. Ron thought he got the charm down by now and wanted to try it on Hermione. Not that he suspected anything, but just to try it. When Hermione was taking a nap or her back was turned. She might know it and get insulted. Not that she should be. She said that Viktor Krum was more like a pen pal than a boyfriend. Maybe he'd get a chance this afternoon.
None of them were feeling upbeat as Filch started laughing to himself and at the last corner, started rubbing his hands together.
Prof. McGonagall was coming down the hall from the other direction with a stack of books levitated in front of her. "What's this, Argus?"
"No appointments, headmistress."
"I know that. What are you lot doing?"
"Coming to see you, Professor. Harry said we needed to take a test for you."
"By appointment. I can't have everyone showing up as it suits them, Miss Granger. And what are you doing here, George Weasley?"
"Well, professor, I uh … have something I want to discuss with you."
"Very well. Come up, but don't think I'm going to rush this to suit your schedules."
Neville smiled and waved farewell, while Mr. Filch looked disappointed.
Hermione got ahead of Prof. McGonagall and her books to get the door, and opened it to a strange sight. Prof. Snape was sprawled on a chaise lounge in front of an open window.
Prof. McGonagall only briefly looked in his direction as she instructed the books to stack on her desk. "Severus, are you all right to give a student a test?"
"Who?" he replied, without opening his eyes or moving anything other than his mouth. Hermione was looking him over. Harry said he was cursed with something. The only thing she saw out of place was that the bottom hem of his robe had rode up enough to see the bottom his bare calves. He even had black hairs on his toes.
"Miss Granger. I have three Weasleys that also showed up out of the blue. You can pronounce all the Ancient Rune questions."
Severus sneered and opened his eyes. Quickly assessing that the rabble had already breached their office, he changed to a smirk and suavely replied, "It would be my pleasure, Prof. McGonagall."
"Thank you, Prof. Snape," Hermione intoned, hoping he was feeling well enough to be impartial.
He rose and said, "Come on. It's too crowded in here." Then headed down the stairs.
Hermione gave the others a brief wave and followed him.
Prof. Snape was already seating himself on a wide windowsill in the hall. He pointed at the other end of the sill and started talking … in another language.
Hermione waited till he finished and guessed, "Greek?"
"And?" he prompted.
"I don't know."
"You only know Latin?" he asked with a frown.
"Um, a bit."
"What spoken languages do you know?"
"I can get by in French."
"I meant for your ancient language, Miss Granger."
"I can translate six written languages with the proper dictionary."
Prof. Snape tilted his head to the side and asked, "Are you attempting to receive better than an A for your NEWT?"
"Of course."
"Let me check the testing standards. They may have changed. All the Ravenclaws and Slytherins I tested knew at least Latin."
"Where would they learn that?" Hermione asked, getting up to follow Prof. Snape back up to the headmaster's office.
"I learned Greek here, but I knew Latin from home. If you wanted, it would not take you long to pick it up. You probably recognize it from spells and the percentage of English that has a Latin root," he replied, holding back his glee that the know-it-all did not know something.
"Back so soon, Severus?" Prof. McGonagall asked.
"Excuse me. I wanted to double check the NEWT topics from the Ministry for Miss Granger."
Seeing him on the floor, looking through a bottom shelf, she asked, "Did you want me to find it?"
"I'm fine, Prof. McGonagall," he answered, already pulling out a paper bound sheaf. Severus looked at it briefly before getting up. "We will take it with us."
Ron thought he had his opportunity because Hermione was holding the door for Snape, but then the git was a gentleman and let her go first, getting hit in the back with the detection charm. Crap was what he originally thought, until McGonagall had him on the floor, with her wand out, demanding, "What was that, Weasley?"
"Huh?"
"You cast a spell on Prof. Snape."
Ginny was mortified. She knew what spell it was. Why the hell would Ron cast that on Prof. Snape? That was bloody creepy.
"What you'd do, Ron?" Hermione demanded. Prof. Snape might have surprised her with the language requirement, but he was being nice about it and was holding something to check whether it was still needed.
George's mouth was still open in shock over the spell. He knew Ron meant to cast it on Hermione, which was really stupid. Hitting Snape was even more idiotic, considering the positive response. Ron might as well kiss his chance at getting back into school good-bye. And mum wouldn't like why. She only cast that on Ginny because she didn't trust Ginny.
"I've hardly asked Miss Granger anything yet," Severus said. He could react, but since Prof. McGonagall already had Weasley on the floor, it seemed pointless. He had not felt anything and believed he was mentally aware. Weasley should know if anyone was going to remain in seventh year, it was Granger. He didn't know why Miss Weasley bothered to show up, she almost completed last year. He was worried about George Weasley being here, but if he convinced Prof. McGonagall that he should return after years of absence, it was not important. His brother's death may have left him with different goals. They should all be her problem as Gryffindors, not his.
Ron hadn't even stayed in his seat long enough to see the result of the spell that hit Snape. Not that it mattered. Ron had merely been curious about Hermione and Viktor Krum. "It didn't hurt him."
"I'll be the judge of that, Weasley." Minerva did not need some ill-thought prank killing Severus.
"It was only a detection charm," George said. "Ron's a complete numbskull. He's unreasonably jealous over Hermione and casts that at any bloke that gets her alone."
Minerva made a face, "They weren't even out of our sight for five minutes, Mr. Weasley."
"Uh ..."
"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed. Her and Prof. Snape? On the staircase? What was he thinking?
"Can we go?" Severus asked. He did not want to get involved in some teenage spat.
"Yes, Severus."
Minerva turned on the Weasleys, "That better be the last time I see any of you casting something at him. The staff is not here for your target practice."
Ginny's eyes narrowed. Ron was stupid, but something else was going on. Prof. McGonagall had turned a blind eye towards any plots against Snape last year. Now that the truth came out, Snape was not their enemy, but there was no erasing years of him being a total git.
"It was a mistake," Ron protested as he got off the floor.
"If I was Miss Granger, I wouldn't put up with that sort of behavior."
Ron rolled his eyes. McGonagall could talk all she wanted, but she was no Hermione.
"Miss Weasley, you attended enough of the year that you can enter seventh year. Now what were you interested in, George?"
"Well, mum now and then brought up that Fred and I did not take our NEWTs. I don't want to come back to school, but maybe arrange to pay for some tutoring to take the tests in June to surprise her?"
"Tutoring? Do you have classes in common with Ronald or Ginerva? Perhaps you could visit them?"
"I guess, but considering Ron's lack of retention, I'd rather get a better source."
Ignoring his younger brother's noise, Minerva replied, "I'll check into that. It will have to wait until after next week. I'm very busy till school falls into its regular schedule."
"That's fine, professor."
"Now Ronald, do you recall any of sixth year?"
"Yeah."
Both Ginny and George winced as Ron made some obvious errors in his answers.
Prof. McGonagall concluded, "I'm not so sure you remember enough. You can review over the weekend, and I'll give you two weeks in seventh year classes to prove yourself. I suggest you concentrate on Potions, Transfiguration and Charms. Your Defense is fair enough."
*** Hoggy Hoggy Hogwarts *** Hoggy Hoggy Hogwarts *** Hoggy Hoggy Hogwarts *** Hoggy Hoggy Hogwarts *** Hoggy Hoggy Hogwarts ***
Hermione stormed down the stairs. Ron cast a spell at Prof. Snape to see if he had … with her? How often did he cast spells like that? Did he cast it at his brothers? At Harry? They were a lot more likely than Prof. Snape. Did Ron have some prejudice against bony, hairy, ugly bare feet? Oh yeah, they were dang sexy. Hard to believe there weren't witches a hundred deep around the building after him.
She was so mesmerized by his repulsive feet dangling off the floor once he sat that she missed Prof. Snape referring to the Ancient Runes NEWT standards.
"Excuse me, Professor?" she asked. It wasn't Prof. Snape's fault they showed up unannounced when he was resting or whatever up there.
"The spoken languages recommended are Latin for Exceeds Expectations, and the addition of ancient Greek for an Outstanding. There's a short list of alternate languages, but there's advance notification needed if you plan on being tested on them. French is not listed."
Hermione leaned over to view the list. The only one she recognized as still spoken was Hebrew, but it was preceded by the word 'ancient'.
"Did you take this NEWT?"
"Yes."
"Did you do well, Professor?"
"Outstanding. It's a good subject for an academically inclined field with research. A lot of the old families have books that haven't been opened in generations. Older English is in some, but Latin and Greek were used universally throughout Europe."
"Our library is not like that."
"Hogwarts' library has been modernized with English translations of most of the standards the students would need. Especially since the most popular books need replacing once they can no longer be repaired. Knowing Latin is no longer a requirement for admission. That was changed in the nineteenth century. Main subjects change also. For example, alchemy is no longer offered."
"So I should learn Latin?"
"Do you need to know it? Or is it just for the NEWT grade? There's some alternates to impress the testers, but they could be more time consuming than learning a language."
"Shouldn't I know it?"
"What are you planning on doing?"
Severus' eyes glazed over as Hermione Granger listed every profession other than training security trolls or playing quidditch professionally. She had no idea what direction her life was going to take.
Transfiguring some chalk, Severus scrawled an arithmancy problem on the wall opposite the window and handed the chalk over to Granger.
She paused during her work and asked, "So how did you do on your Arithmancy NEWT?"
"Outstanding. I still use it for resizing quantities and finding compatible ingredient substitutions."
"How early did you decide on Potions, or was it an opportunity that came along?"
"I had an early talent for understanding why the ingredients worked to achieve the result."
"Besides Potions, did you get an outstanding NEWT in any other subject?"
"Defense against the Dark Arts, Charms and Herbology."
"Not Transfiguration?"
"Exceeds Expectations is adequate for a potions master," he replied with a dismissive tone.
"Did you feel like you should have taken other subjects?"
"Why? I don't need them."
Hermione bristled. She knew Divination was worthless, but Magical Creatures, Astronomy and Muggle Studies were worthwhile. "What if you were stuck in muggle London?"
"Why would I be stuck?"
"I don't know, but you wouldn't know anything."
"What do you mean, I wouldn't know anything?"
"Like how to use any of their things."
"What things? Like dialing 999?"
"How do you know that?"
Severus shrugged, and asked, "Are you just looking for a reason not to work on that problem, Granger?"
She turned back to the problem. Even when she was little she knew 999 was for emergencies.
After she finished with the problem, Prof. Snape asked Hermione to draw a transfiguration diagram before saying she was fine for seventh year.
He cleaned off the wall and the griffin stepped aside for him to return to the headmaster's office. All three Weasleys were seated with their hands folded in front of Prof. McGonagall's desk.
"All done, Severus?"
"Yes, Granger can stay in seventh year," he replied, bending down to replace the NEWT volume on the shelf before going round to sit at his own desk.
"I'm finished with the Weasleys. You are all free to go. Miss Granger, would you like to stay for dinner this evening?"
"Um … all right."
Ron made a face. Dinner with a teacher. He already knew from Harry that Hermione got back too late to be head girl, but maybe McGonagall had something else in mind for her.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Ron. I'm going home tonight."
"S'alright."
Minerva watched the Weasleys leave and listened a moment before saying, "You are too bright for him, Miss Granger. Don't you agree, Severus?"
"With what?"
"Miss Granger and Ronald Weasley."
"They have history in common."
Hermione was not sure she wanted to stay now, but Prof. Snape's answer was not as condemning as she expected it to be. "Ron's got a bit to go yet."
"Casting spells on any male that's been alone with you, and for such a ridiculously brief period of time. That lack of trust is only going to grow worse. If you've done something to lose his trust in such a manner, you may want to consider cutting your losses."
"I haven't done anything. That's the first time I've caught Ron casting it."
"It probably was not the first. It was obvious to me that Prof. Snape had returned for something on your behalf. Surely any boneheaded Neanderthal would know you had been talking, rather than doing something else."
"Like what?" Severus asked.
"Mr. Ronald Weasley thought that Miss Granger would need to pay for her passing evaluation with her body," Minerva informed him.
Hermione was not sure if the look of disgust on Prof. Snape's face was directed at Ron's opinion or the thought of touching her.
Severus summoned his sandals from the other side of the chaise, then stood.
"Are you going somewhere?"
"Upstairs."
"Aren't you staying to dine with us?"
Hermione did not see anything particularly wrong with Prof. Snape. He did seem less insulting. That could be tiredness.
"Not if the conversation is going to be dominated by talk of Weasley and Granger's love life."
"We don't need to talk about him. I just wanted Miss Granger to know my opinion. If things are this bad now, they aren't going to get better."
Severus cocked an eyebrow and said, "Undoubtedly you are correct, Prof. McGonagall. You have a keen sense for telling which are the marrying sort."
Hermione knew there was some private knowledge between them by the way Prof. McGonagall gave Prof. Snape a glance over the top of her eyeglasses. Prof. Snape did not seem to be cowed by Prof. McGonagall's look and sent his sandals upstairs. He moved and took a seat in the middle of the loveseat across from the fireplace, then used his wand to drag a table over, open it to insert a folding leaf to enlarge it for dining , and maneuvered the matching chairs on either side of the fireplace into place for the ladies.
"Were you hungry already, Severus?"
"Not particularly. What about the two of you?"
Hermione noted the comfort with which they spoke to each other, and also that Prof. McGonagall kept asking Prof. Snape questions, like if he needed help with getting that book. Harry had not given her any firm details, but said that Prof. Snape was still sharp-tongued and was apparently not in any discomfort.
Both Minerva and Hermione were wiling to wait, and Prof. McGonagall offered Hermione a glass of wine to accompany a tray of cheese and fruit that was sent up by the house elves. When Minerva sat at the table, Hermione joined them. She looked at the variety of beverages the house elves had provided for Prof. Snape. He drank orange juice. That was unwizardly. Did he have vodka mixed in with it?
Prof. McGonagall asked Hermione about Australia, and she had plenty to tell of her adventures to find her parents.
Severus glanced around in boredom. He had asked them not to speak of Weasley. Granger constructed her own dilemma and then tells of her cleverness in finding the parents that she misplaced? Gryffindors.
Going to Australia with Lily had been one of Severus' old ideas. A country settled by exiled wizards couldn't be as choosy about blood status. Lily did not want to live so far away from her family among people she did not know. Her way of saying that she found him insufficient as a companion.
After he found Petunia and she proffered some greeting insults, including a comment about still not getting a hair cut, she got very chatty about the past. Once Lily took up with Potter, she was out of their lives except for a couple letters. Couldn't even be bothered to come see her son, Dudley, after he was born. Then Lily's brat was dropped on the Dursleys' doorstep. Lily could have written letters just as easily from Australia as Godric's Hollow.
Severus was able to convince Petunia to attend the event after he mentioned he had no family that could use his two tickets, that he could come to regret how remiss he was to not look Petunia up sooner. And visit frequently.
He was tired of all the talking. Prof. McGonagall's self-guilt was enormous. She repeatedly stated why she took matters into her own hands, with explanations about her past and comparing it to his. Severus was never married to Lily. She never wanted him. How were they the same? And why did Potter tell her all that? He obviously couldn't be bothered to stick to the facts. The truth was meaningless to Gryffindors. Probably told that to Weasley too, though why he'd make that flawed leap of logic to think he'd seduce Granger was beyond his capacity to reason. She was not physically attractive. She was not even well-groomed. She was too busy listening to herself talk that she heard no one else. Why was Weasley so desperate? Now was a good time to find someone better suited, while he was riding the wave of popularity with Potter. Ronald Weasley seemed the simple sort. He needed a witch that could cook and tell him he was brilliant in the bedroom and on the quidditch pitch. If Granger was not doing any of those three things, perhaps that's why he was pretending to be a total dunderhead. She'd break it off, rather than him, and he'd feel good about it being her decision. It was all about Gryffindors validating themselves. Granger in Australia, the new Mrs. Snape, and Ronald Weasley's quest to have Granger dump him.
"..., Severus?" He looked at Prof. McGonagall questioningly. She repeated, "I said, I definitely prefer Scotland over some foreign country. What about you?"
"Whatever you say, Professor," he answered. Hogwarts was in Scotland, and he supposed he had little choice about where he would be living in the near future. Might be simpler later if he could not tolerate sight of the thing to have all these house elves clamoring to care for it. If it was a difficult child, Winky alone might not be enough. What if he suffered from one or all of these complications he read about? Lying there, listening to all that crying, Winky making all those elf noises, and whatever his mother yelled in response? It could have been hell. He wanted quiet and to be left alone, however whatever his old master or his god forsaken ancestor did denied him that for the time being.
Minerva gave him an annoyed look, and Hermione said, "Scotland is beautiful. Around Hogwarts is nice, but do the two of you visit the countryside? I've seen beautiful photos of heather and rolling hills."
"The two of us?" Minerva replied. "I do not take Prof. Snape with me on holiday."
He raised an eyebrow in her direction. Discussion of where they would take holidays, separately or together, had not been one of the topics covered. Severus vaguely recalled her saying she was from Edinburgh, when one of the numerous Defense instructors had inquired.
Hermione laughed, "I didn't mean it that way. Just that either of you obviously leave the school at times."
"I enjoy staying in Scotland, but have traveled elsewhere." She gave an obvious glance to Severus.
"I don't go anywhere special," he commented.
"Harry let me know that Hagrid visited France again."
"Yes," Minerva agreed. "Like him, I find their food more fanciful in the presentation than substance."
As the silence grew, Hermione prompted, "Do you like French food, Professor?"
"No," Severus answered abruptly.
Hermione felt Prof. Snape was moody over something. He had been nicer and talkative earlier. Eating a meal with a student annoy him? She was above that sort of thing, and would not sink to his immature level.
Minerva signaled for dinner to be served, and platters and their place settings appeared. Prof. Snape's plate already had food on it. Hermione considered he might have dietary restrictions since his food was rather bland looking. A small piece of skinless chicken, some sort of sliced yellow vegetable that resembled a cucumber along with what looked like raw spinach leaves. He also had a small bowl of what looked like tomato soup.
"Potato, Severus?"
"Yes, please."
Prof. McGonagall lifted one of the jacket potatoes and added it to his plate. Then took one for herself, before pushing the bowl that contained another dozen whole potatoes in Hermione's direction.
Besides potatoes, there was a generous amount of roast chicken piled on a plate, a deep bowl of peas swimming in butter sauce, broccoli with cheese, and a dozen dinner rolls cushioned in a matching cloth to their table linen. There was a brick of butter, a boat of gravy, a bowl of sour cream, and then a little dish of chives and another of green onions.
Hermione watched the two of them silently. Prof. McGonagall had hearty portions on her plate, but not a Ron-sized meal. Prof. Snape spent more time cutting his food up than eating it, and did not add anything. Not even a pinch of salt or a dash of pepper. It would have been terribly boring to Hermione for a meal, and he left much of it untouched, even though all of it was reduced to bite-sized bits.
"We have the school and grounds open to the public on Sunday, Miss Granger. That will give us an evening and a day to restore whatever is out of place," Minerva mentioned.
"I missed the day two weeks ago. Was it bad?" Hermione asked.
"We thought that by setting some simple rules that we'd have cooperation, but unfortunately that was not the case. Prof. Snape let Peeves do as he pleased to anyone he found above the ground floor that was unaccompanied by a staff member. For the public's safety this time, the Ministry is sending more of their people over to keep an eye on things."
"Peeves follows instructions?"
"Selectively," Severus answered.
Although Prof. McGonagall had refilled her wine glass twice, it looked like Prof. Snape was now drinking from a glass of milk that had been sent up earlier.
Prof. McGonagall explained, "The Front Hall and the Great Hall are of historic interest to everyone."
"There's a lot of antique and valuable items in the school that are small enough to be looted," Prof. Snape added.
"Also tried to break into the library," Prof. McGonagall informed her.
"There was no fighting in the library, was there?" Hermione asked, positively horrified by the thought.
"No, but the books have value to anyone that would care to steal and sell them," Prof. Snape sneered.
Hermione's eyes narrowed. Mundungus Fletcher would not be the only person to take advantage of that. There were rare and valuable books kept safe here, besides whatever illicit knowledge was in the restricted section.
"Are you in the mood for trifle, Hermione?" Minerva asked when the three of them were done with dinner.
"Yes, please."
A glass appeared in front of each of the ladies, layered with cream, berries and cake. Prof. Snape had a small bowl of some cream and poured something that looked like sawdust onto it and mixed it in.
Noting that Granger was fascinated by his food, he told her, "It's yogurt with ground flax seed."
"Ah," Hermione replied. "That's good for …?"
"Anytime. I sometimes eat it with breakfast or lunch."
That was not what Hermione meant. Prof. Snape was not so old that he should be worrying about his health to the point where he ate such an uninteresting diet. It might also be why he did not eat his entire meal. There was nothing to savor.
Minerva reconsidered that perhaps having Severus eat alone in his room would provoke less questions from Miss Granger. Severus was avoiding any foods that he brought up repeatedly, besides needing certain things for the babe like whatever acid was in orange juice for its nerves. She was almost as fed up with this healer as Severus. It was too much information that neither of them had given thought to before this summer. Besides, the advice seemed to be of no help whatsoever. Severus was tired, felt ill on and off, and still could throw up with little warning. According to the nine month timetable, he should be feeling better. Not comparatively better to the whole days he wasted lying on the floor of his loo, but much improved. Severus was supposed to teach two subjects while they waited for qualified applicants to show themselves.
She already had a plan in motion to obtain a substitute for Defense, while Severus was incapacitated. However, she was using an unknowing Severus as the bait.