Chapter Nine
July, 1976
Severus turned out the lights in the front of the shop and trudged up the narrow rear staircase. That afternoon, he'd caught yet another customer attempting to climb the stairs in search of a public W.C. It was, frankly, ludicrous, and he fully intended to ask Master Jigger if he could post a sign near the front door that this establishment did not have—
Severus stopped at the top of the stairs. There were two owls in his window.
Neither animal was Lily's. Both were tawnies.
And they were, without a doubt, Ministry owls.
Severus stepped forward into his kitchen-living-dining room and approached the animals, both of whom lifted their right legs as he neared them. Severus, with a hand that was not at all shaking, reached out and untied the first square envelope.
He pulled out the single sheaf of paper within, which read:
Ordinary Wizarding Level Results
Pass Grades
Outstanding (O)
Exceeds Expectations (E)
Acceptable (A)
Fail Grades
Poor (P)
Dreadful (D)
Troll (T)
Severus Prince Snape has achieved:
Arithmancy: O
Astronomy: E
Charms: O
Defence Against the Dark Arts: O
Herbology: O
History: E
Potions: O
Study of Ancient Runes: O
Transfiguration: I*
*The student did not complete his OWL examination.
Severus barely glanced at the results—he remembered, of course, what OWLs he had achieved and had no desire to revisit his lacklustre Astronomy and History marks, worthless memorization subjects might they be—and, instead, reached for the second envelope.
He untied it and withdrew:
Nastily Exhausting Wizard Test Results
Pass Grades
Outstanding (O)
Exceeds Expectations (E)
Acceptable (A)
Fail Grades
Poor (P)
Dreadful (D)
Troll (T)
Severus Prince Snape has achieved:
Arithmancy: O
Charms: O
Defence Against the Dark Arts: O
Herbology: O
Potions: O*
Study of Ancient Runes: E
Transfiguration: O
*The student holds the record for highest mark in this subject.
Severus surveyed his marks grimly. It seemed he had underperformed on the Ancient Runes examination, much as he had feared; originally, he had achieved a full round of Outstandings. However, holding the record for the highest mark on the Potions N.E.W.T…. That was not something that had happened before. (How close had he come the first time?)
Severus frowned. How disappointing, to have set only one such record. Who could've possibly…? It was irrelevant. And probably for the best, given that holding two such records (or more) might garner too much attention. So.
Regardless, this was (with a few exceptions) the best result he could've hoped for. Surely Master Jigger would have no choice but to accept such a truly exceptional student as his apprentice.
One of the owls gave a low, warning hoot, and Severus set the paper down on the small table and crossed to a kitchen cabinet, from which he pulled out the bag of owl treats he'd purchased for Lily's animal and offered one to each of the Ministry birds. The owls took them daintily and sped out his living room window—just as Lily's owl arrived.
The bag still in hand, Severus gave the new arrival a treat and took the letter tied to his foot. Severus unrolled it and, smirking, read:
Sev—
WELL?
Impatiently, Lily
Severus belatedly remembered that the test results were generally sent to the students early in the day—presumably his results had been delayed by the wards on the shop—and that Lily would've assumed that he'd had his marks for quite some time. He ignored a sudden mental twinge (if they'd been waiting in his windowsill all day he really should've given the owls more than one treat apiece) and headed towards his desk, already formulating his response.
Dear Lily,
I trust you're referring to my exam marks? Rest assured; my results were sufficient, if perhaps not quite as exceptional as I might have wished. "Disappointed" is too strong a word; let us say instead "not quite satisfied."
But I myself am far more interested in learning if you, Lily, are satisfied with your performance.
Best regards,
Severus Snape
The next morning, Severus paced up and down the shop, a copy of his N.E.W.T. results in his pocket. It was fifteen to ten; most Wednesdays, Jigger arrived quite early to begin brewing the store's stock potions. Evidently, this was not most Wednesdays.
As Severus turned and began one more circuit, Jigger entered through the rear of the shop and made his customary brisk way to the laboratory staircase with a brusque "Good morning." He had never once sounded like he believed it.
"Good morning," Severus replied. Jigger continued past him, so Severus called, "Master Jigger?"
Jigger stopped near the laboratory stairs and turned around. "Yes?"
"My N.E.W.T. results came yesterday." Severus held out the copy of his results, which Jigger regarded for a brief moment quite as though he'd never seen a piece of parchment before. He blinked and, finally, took the paper from Severus' extended fingers.
A lifetime later, when he had finished reading, Jigger glanced back up to meet Severus' gaze. "Very well," he said, his face, as always, its stolid neutral. "I will begin drawing up the contracts. Once we've both looked them over, I'll send them off to the Ministry for filing. You are, of course, welcome to procure a solicitor to examine them on your behalf."
Severus nodded. "Thank you, sir."
Jigger glanced back down at the parchment. "I can't very well refuse a mark such as this," he said. "I assume you're pleased with yourself."
How kind. "I'm more than pleased to be able to begin my apprenticeship," Severus replied. "I know I have much yet to learn from you."
Jigger's eyes narrowed. "I do not care to reiterate my caution against flattery," he said, thrusting the parchment back towards Severus. "And do not feign modesty; it ill suits you. You've scored better than any other British wizard in the last two hundred years, and you've done it at the age of sixteen."
That was…not entirely accurate, but. "Thank you, sir." Severus folded the parchment and returned it to his pocket.
"You'll note that what I just told you was merely a statement of fact, rather than an obsequious display of adulation," Jigger said. "So, by all means, make another attempt: I assume you're pleased with your N.E.W.T. performance."
It seemed that Jigger's first lesson to his young apprentice was to be one of…social interaction.
The man was far more qualified to teach Potions. Frankly, the man was more qualified to teach Divination, and Severus had (much to his amusement) heard the man decry the discipline on no fewer than three occasions to women who had mistakenly thought the apothecary a supplier for haruspices.
"I am," Severus acknowledged, but Jigger didn't respond—he seemed to be waiting for Severus to continue.
This conversation was well within his capabilities—he had been a triple agent for over a decade, for Merlin's sake—but it still surprised him. He could not, of course, have been more pleased to be Jigger's apprentice, however unfriendly the man might be (and Severus was not wont to be the pot that calls the cauldron). But when Severus gave the man his honest opinion, Jigger accused him of flattery. And so, to obscure the total truth—which Jigger thought was a fabrication—Severus had need of an appropriate partial truth.
"And I am pleased to be able to begin my apprenticeship," he said, "as…my research will be more likely to be taken seriously with your name attached."
Jigger nodded. "Correct, and somewhat insightful." He turned back towards the staircase before he turned around to add, "Of course, you'll need to find a part-time shop assistant. Once you've found a suitable person, we'll sign the contracts."
"Certainly," Severus said. Jigger disappeared down the laboratory stairs.
Severus exhaled in relief, patted the test results in his pocket, and went to open the shop.
Oh Sev,
What does that mean "sufficient" but "dissatisfied"? Let me guess—you got an E in something? You hold yourself to impossible standards, you realise. Just please, please tell me if you've done well enough in Potions to please Master Jigger? I'M SURE you have but I am just so excited/worried/nervous for you…
And as for me, yes! I shouldn't've worried—I got the mark I needed in Herbology after all (better than, actually, if I may say so)… I'll be able to take all the NEWT classes I need! Potions, Charms, Herbology, Transfigs… I think I'll also carry on with Defence, even though it's not required for even St. Mungo's program, because, well, you know. And I'll have to chat with Professor McGonagall but I think it might be a good idea to carry on with Ancient Runes and History, since it may help to understand the older diseases…that is if I can handle the course load!
You must tell me how it goes with Master Jigger,
Love from
Lily
Diagon Alley, London
Slug & Jigger's Apothecary
Ministry of Magic
Division of Magical Education
Diagon Alley, London
To Whom it Concerns:
I am inquiring as to the current record-holder for highest mark in the Defence Against the Dark Arts N.E.W.T. I have enclosed a self-addressed envelope and await your return owl.
Sincerely,
Severus Snape
When Severus entered his flat the next evening, he was surprised to see a scroll of parchment on his table. Unrolling it, he immediately recognized Jigger's overly-tidy handwriting from the shop ledgers, and a brief glance revealed the document to be a standard apprenticeship contract, much resembling the one he himself had entered into under Master Rotislavic.
A note attached to the scroll read, "SS: Please approve by end of this week. You are welcome to send to a solicitor. A.J." Severus briefly entertained a twinge of annoyance that Jigger had, evidently, been in his flat without his knowledge, but waved it aside in favour of reading the contract.
It was, indeed, standard; as Jigger's apprentice, Severus' stipend would be raised from three to five Galleons a week, and his room and board would still be provided for. His duties in the shop would change from Tuesday through Sunday to merely Saturdays and Sundays, and he would continue to have Mondays free. Tuesdays and Thursdays would be devoted to brewing the stock potions, and—to Severus' satisfaction—Wednesdays and Fridays would be for his own education and research. In addition, he would have free access to the laboratory in the evenings.
The contract also contained the standard clauses regarding published material (to be credited to "A. Jigger and S. Snape," with the exception of Severus' Mastery project, which would be "S. Snape under A. Jigger") and length of apprenticeship (five years, or until the completion of a Mastery project as accepted by the International Board of Potioneers). Altogether the contract was agreeable; Severus scribbled as such on the back of Jigger's note and set the parchment aside to return to Jigger in the morning.
Division of Magical Education
Ministry of Magic
Diagon Alley, London
Dear Mr Snape:
Enclosed you will find a list of the current record-holders for the Defence Against the Dark Arts N.E.W.T. I have also taken the liberty of including the list of record-holders for the Potions N.E.W.T., as I thought that might also be of interest to you.
Congratulations on your achievements!
Kindest regards,
Malfalda Hopkirk
Assistant Secretary, Division of Magical Education
Highest Achievements in the N.E.W.T. for Defence Against the Dark Arts
As of 20 July, 1976
1. Albus Dumbledore (1899)
2. [Redacted]
3. Severus Snape (1976)
4. Alastor Moody (1938)
5. Arsenius Jigger (1923)
Highest Achievements in the N.E.W.T. for Potions
As of 20 July, 1976
1. Severus Snape (1976)
2. Arsenius Jigger (1923)
3. Belvina Black (1904)
4. Libatius Borage (1873)
5. Terence Boot (1968)
Dear Lily,
To satisfy your curiosity, I have enclosed a copy of my test results. I'm afraid you have me sussed; I am indeed somewhat dissatisfied with my performance on the Ancient Runes examination.
Congratulations on your Outstanding Herbology O.W.L. (and, no doubt, the many other Outstandings to your name). I've long held the utmost faith in your academic abilities and am confident that you will succeed at any and all courses in which you enrol for next year.
I have indeed spoken with Master Jigger and, to my satisfaction, he is amenable to my undertaking an apprenticeship with him.
Best regards,
Severus
Three days had gone by in which Severus and Jigger had not spoken more than a dozen words to each other, and Severus found himself growing increasingly ill-at-ease. Since his belated realisation that yes, of course, his achieving the top record in the potions N.E.W.T. meant he was ousting the previous record-holder—and his discovery that the previous record-holder had been, in fact, his new mentor—Severus had been unsure as to how to approach the man about his impending apprenticeship.
Feeling an odd compulsion to prove himself worthy of his mark, Severus had spent the previous evenings drafting a proposal for his research—which would, with any luck (or rather skill) solve his disposal-of-Horcruxes problem—and had even copied the outline onto fresh parchment with a new dicta-quill (Jigger was none too fond of Severus'…unique handwriting). And now, well after closing, Severus was wiping the spotless counter for the umpteenth time, waiting for Master Jigger to emerge from the as-yet-unseen laboratory.
Finally, the door opened, and Severus renewed his pointless wiping with vigour. "Good evening, Master Jigger," he said, stilling his hand.
"Good evening," Jigger returned, closing the laboratory door behind him.
Severus extracted his proposal from his pocket. "I've completed my proposal for the trajectory of my research," he said, "up to and including my Mastery project." He held out the roll of parchment.
Jigger peered down at it. "Have you secured a replacement shopkeeper?" he asked simply.
Severus withdrew his hand slightly. "Not, ah, not yet—"
"Then I suggest you do so, so that we might sign our contracts and you might begin your research," Jigger said. "Good evening, Mr Snape."
Jigger walked away from Severus' research proposal and out the back door.
Once his rage at the injustice of it all had subsided, Severus flipped over the parchment, transfigured it to a stiffer paper stock, and used the till quill to write out HELP WANTED.
Severus stuck the new sign in the shop window and, kicking the counter as he passed it, went upstairs for the night.
Sev—
Oh my GOD, congratulations! I am completely unsurprised but so very proud of you. The RECORD HOLDER for the Potions NEWT? Amazing. I wonder if anyone we know holds the records in the other subjects?
Anyway it's no wonder Jigger agreed to take you on, with a mark like that (which is of course completely deserved). I'm so excited. When do you think you'll be able to begin?
So, so, excited for you,
Love from
Lily
"Are you…are you hiring?"
Severus glanced up from the till. The speaker, the only other person currently in the shop, was a man older than Severus was currently but younger than he had been, who was now looking at him with an idiotically hopeful expression on his doughy face.
"Yes," Severus said. "We're in need of a new assistant shopkeeper."
"I can do that," the man said immediately.
"May I ask what your qualifications are, Mr…?"
"Felix."
Severus blinked. "All right, Mr Felix. May I ask what your qualifications are?"
Felix snorted. "Not sure what you mean."
"Do you hold a Potions N.E.W.T., for example."
In the month or so that Severus had been working in he shop, he had decided that, rather than an Order of Merlin, what he truly deserved was an Order of Patience. This particular man, he gauged, should earn him at least a second-class medal.
"Why would I need a Potions N.E.W.T. to work in a shop?" Felix asked.
Severus pressed two fingers to his right temple and, rotating them clockwise, said, "Mr Felix, if you don't know Potions how can you possibly expect to work as a Potions supplier?"
"I can work a till."
"Do go on."
Felix shrugged. "Used to work the August rush at Quality Quidditch."
"'Used to'?" Severus echoed.
"Yes, well, it was seasonal, you know."
"I see," Severus said. "And this was regularly, or…?"
"Well, once," Felix said. "In, er, would've been '63."
"Nineteen sixty-three?" Severus repeated drily. When Felix merely blinked at him, Severus sighed and said, "Mr Felix, what have you been doing for the last thirteen years?"
Felix shrugged. "You know. This and that."
"Ah, but I don't know," Severus said. "Pray tell."
"Listen, kid," Felix said, his eyes sudden narrowing. "I get that you're taking the mick and that's your priorgative. Why don't you just tell me when your boss will be here so I can talk to him about the job, eh?"
"'Priorgative'?" Severus repeated.
"Yes. It means 'duty.'"
Severus closed his eyes and considered Vanishing the man on the spot.
"So when can I come by and speak to your boss, then?" Felix said, drumming his fingers on the countertop.
"Alas," Severus said, "Master Jigger has entrusted the hiring of my assistant entirely to me."
"What teenager needs an assistant, pray tell?" Felix asked.
"I am Master Jigger's new apprentice, and we need someone to work in the shop. I hate to disappoint you" (he didn't) "but that person will not, I'm afraid," (he wasn't) "be you, as you have no qualifications."
"The sign didn't say anything about qualifications," Felix pointed out.
Severus counted to five.
"Yes, well, that is my…'priorgative,' was it?"
Felix glared at him. "You think you're funny?"
"Occasionally."
"Go to hell, kid," Felix said and, with a passable sneer, stormed out of the shop.
"Thank you for visiting our apothecary," Severus said quietly, and made a mental note to send an advertisement to the newspaper.
Dear Lily,
You may be interested to know that the Headmaster, unsurprisingly, holds the highest Defence N.E.W.T. mark.
As for my apprenticeship, Master Jigger has informed me that I may begin as soon as we (meaning I) have found a suitable part-time shopkeeper to be my replacement. Look out for the job listing in tomorrow's Prophet and kindly wish me luck in locating such a replacement as quickly as possible.
Best regards,
Severus
Dear Mr Snape:
Your assistance last week was most welcome to both myself and my mother. Mrs Black sends her regards to both you and Mr Jigger, and fully intends to speak highly of you to Mr Jigger herself when next she visits the Apothecary in person.
Mrs Black would also like to inquire as to your plans for the future, and if they are to involve tutoring. I find myself in need of additional instruction in the fine art of Potions. If you are amenable, please let me know, and I will have Mr Black owl you to discuss the financial arrangements.
Sincerely yours,
Regulus Black
"Hello, Severus."
Severus, currently levitating so that he might dust the highest shelf of bottles, replied, "One moment, please." He set the last bottle down and, floating to the ground, said, "Yes, how may I be of assistance?"
He turned around and found himself face-to-face with a familiar-looking teenaged girl. "I've come about the position," she said, smiling demurely, and then it clicked into place.
She was the inexplicably giggling seventh-year Slytherin with whom he'd been roped into dancing on his last night at Hogwarts. The one called…Merlin, the one called…
"Miss Greengrass," Severus said. "What a pleasant surprise."
Greengrass tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "It's lovely to see you," she said. "I saw your notice in the Prophet, and, well, I've not got anything lined up just yet, and I did get an E on my Potions N.E.W.T., so…"
"Congratulations," Severus said, inclining his head.
Greengrass had the audacity to blush. "Oh, I couldn't've done it without you, I'm sure."
She probably couldn't have. "I'm certain that's not true," he replied smoothly. "Now, may I ask what it is about working at the apothecary that particularly interests you?"
Greengrass shrugged. "Oh, you know. The opportunity to work with…people."
That was not an opportunity that Severus himself relished (or, truly, more than barely tolerated), but he supposed Greengrass might be one of those incomprehensible people who enjoyed others' company. "I see," he said. "Well, if you'll leave me a copy of your CV I will go over it with my employer. If he is amenable, we will owl you for an interview."
Greengrass smiled and shook her head. "I'm so sorry, I don't have one with me. My CV, I mean."
Severus waved a hand. "No matter. You may owl one to my attention here."
Greengrass reached into her handbag and pulled out a quill and a scrap of parchment. "Let me leave you my floo address," she said, scribbling. "In case you need to contact me."
Severus frowned. "That's not necessary," he said. "It's no trouble to wait for your owl."
Greengrass handed him the parchment. "Well, just in case, then." She smiled at him.
Severus glanced at the parchment—"Evelyn Greengrass, Greengrass Gables"—and back up at the girl. "Please do send your CV and we will be in touch," he said.
"Lovely," said Greengrass. "Will I…will you be at Marty's party?"
Severus shook his head. "Alas, my duties here prevent me from attending. Do send him my regards, if you will."
Greengrass nodded. "I will. We'll talk soon?"
Severus nodded—what else could he do?—and Greengrass exited the shop.
He crumpled her parchment and Vanished it, marvelling at the remarkable lack of planning demonstrated by a person who went to apply for a position without a copy of her CV.
Dear Sev,
Yes, I saw the listing in the Prophet. Honestly, Sev. "No dunderheads need apply"? Really?
Love from
Lily
WANTED: PART-TIME SHOPKEEPER
Slug & Jigger's Apothecary, Diagon Alley. Must hold 'E' Potions N.E.W.T. or have equivalent knowledge. Minimum three years' retail experience required. Should have a pleasant but not overly-buoyant demeanour. No dunderheads need apply. Contact Severus Snape, Slug & Jigger's.
With each passing day, Severus' now ever-present headache increased as he entertained job seeker after underqualified job seeker. Either they knew nothing of potions, or they were unwilling to work more than three days, or fewer than five days, or they were obnoxious cretins.
Three were obnoxious cretins who knew nothing of potions and refused to work more than three days a week.
Thus far, two candidates had seemed promising, but both had balked at the low pay Jigger was willing to offer (a notion that Severus found vaguely insulting, as it was far more than he himself earned for his position at the shop), and every applicant, qualified or no, had been rather put off by Severus' apparent age. The experience had been, altogether, almost as frustrating as attempting to teach double Potions to a Slytherin/Gryffindor class containing the Weasley twins.
And so Severus was not feeling precisely chipper as he straightened the stock and prepared for closing, and then the shop's door opened and Martinius Wilkes walked in.
Severus briefly considered Disillusioning himself and running upstairs.
"Lovely," Wilkes said. "I was afraid you'd closed already."
"Not quite," Severus said, stepping away from the shelves. "How may I be of assistance?"
Wilkes leaned on the counter. "We missed you at the party," he said. "Practically all of Slytherin above fifth year was there. Frankly I started to feel insulted—it was my party and all I heard was 'Where's Snape, where's Snape?'"
Severus raised an eyebrow. "For some reason I doubt that."
Wilkes shrugged. "All right, perhaps not. But a certain Miss Evelyn Greengrass did mention that she had recently seen you."
"Yes, she applied for a position here."
Wilkes left out a single bark of laughter. "Oh, Merlin, I'm sorry. Did I hear correctly that Evvie Greengrass applied for a position here?"
"Yes," Severus said, refusing to roll his eyes.
Wilkes smirked. "I heard she didn't have any marriage prospects, but honestly, a shopgirl. No offense meant to you, of course."
"Of course," Severus repeated drily.
"I trust your N.E.W.T. results were satisfactory?" Wilkes asked.
"Quite," Severus replied. "I will begin my apprenticeship as soon as I am able to acquire a weekday shopkeeper."
"Are you going to hire Greengrass?" Wilkes said, amusement evident in his voice.
Severus let his distaste for that prospect show in his face, and Wilkes laughed. "Right," Wilkes said. "I can't blame you."
Severus nodded and, following social protocol, inquired, "I assume you were pleased with the outcome of your N.E.W.T.s?"
Wilkes nodded. "Of course. I was glad to receive them before the party, as they gave me even more to celebrate."
Severus crushed the feeling of foreboding that crept up his spine and said, "I'm glad to hear it." Seeing Wilkes glance around the shop, Severus added, "And how may I be of assistance this evening?"
"Do you carry burn salve?" Wilkes asked, his tone just a touch too casual.
Severus—who was, of course, much more experienced in such matters than Wilkes—nodded and smoothly replied, "Certainly. Would you prefer a paste or poultice?"
"A paste, I think."
Severus crossed the room and located a jar of burn salve—which was, not incidentally, also what he prescribed for healing fresh tattoos—which he showed to Wilkes, who nodded. "Will that be all?" Severus asked.
Wilkes nodded, and Severus rang up his purchase. Transaction completed, Severus handed Wilkes the salve and his receipt. "Thank you for visiting our apothecary," Severus said.
"Thank you for the salve," Wilkes replied. "Take care, Severus."
"And you," Severus replied.
Wilkes nodded and left the shop.
Dear Mr Black,
I am most flattered to receive such a missive from you and your esteemed family. Unfortunately, my commitments to the Apothecary and as Master Jigger's apprentice prevent me from such an undertaking.
I am confident that Professor Slughorn will be able to recommend a more suitable instructor.
With many thanks for your kindness in thinking of me,
Very sincerely,
Severus Snape
Dear Lily,
You would be amazed at how incapable people are of adhering to the barest minimum of requirements for a position.
Exasperatedly,
Severus
Severus had been on the cusp of abandoning all hope that he would find a more suitable applicant than the over-friendly and under-qualified Miss Greengrass, when, finally, a somewhat promising owl arrived for him from a Miss Sheridan Cadogan. One of the few applicants who went to the trouble of including both a cover letter and CV, Cadogan's missive explained that, although she had been working in the Muggle world for the four years since she left Hogwarts, she had been an avid Potions student—she'd enclosed a copy of her N.E.W.T. results, which testified by means of her 'O' in Potions—and that she continued to keep up with the Potions quarterlies.
That, by itself, was better than anything he'd read thus far, and so he'd owled the woman for an interview at closing time.
She was punctual—she turned out to be tall for a woman, with short light hair (unusual for a witch) and a tight smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr Snape," she said, shaking his hand.
"Likewise. Won't you please have a seat." Severus guided her to the rear of the shop, where he'd Summoned a chair from his flat next to the desk's chair. Once they'd both been seated, Severus pulled out her letter. "Miss Cadogan," Severus said, "let me begin by saying that I find your Potions background to be adequate for this position, providing you still retain most of the knowledge you acquired in your Hogwarts days."
Cadogan smiled. "Given that it was only four years ago, let us hope so."
Severus raised an eyebrow. "Indeed," he said. "But please, allow me to ask what has inspired you to seek employment in the Wizarding world, after a four-year absence?"
Cadogan nodded—it seemed she had anticipated Severus' line of questioning. "I'm a musician," she explained. "When I left Hogwarts, I was hired by an orchestra in Ulster—I don't know if you know about Muggles culture…?"
"A bit," Severus replied. Of course, that "bit" had been acquired from his father, and as such had never included classical music, but.
"Unfortunately the BBC dissolved the orchestra several months ago," Cadogan continued. "And my husband—he's a violist—he's now with the London Philharmonic, but I haven't had as much luck. And since, aside from my music, I've not any qualifications for working in the Muggle world…" Cadogan spread her hands in a so there you have it gesture.
"Your husband," Severus repeated. "Is he…?"
"A violist," Cadogan said again.
Of course, Cadogan's refusal to answer the question most certainly indicated that her husband was, in fact, a Muggle, but Severus still felt his opinion of her rise slightly at her polite defiance. "Do you also play viola?" he found himself asking.
"The cello, actually."
"I see." Severus regarded Cadogan for a long moment. "How is your wordless casting?" he asked.
Cadogan drew her wand and flicked it at a quill on the desk, sending it upwards with a leviosa. "Anything more complicated?" Severus asked, his eyes fixed on the quill, which, a moment later, turned bright green, shrank, and drifted back down to the desk.
Severus turned back to Cadogan. "I hope Master Jigger wasn't overly fond of that quill," he said drily. When Cadogan merely shrugged, Severus smirked.
"If I came into the shop," he said, "and asked you for valerian, sopophorous bean, and asphodel, what would your response be?"
"I would also sell you wormwood," Cadogan replied, "but not until after I'd asked you if you had a license to brew the Draught of Living Death."
Severus nodded. "As I would hope. Well, Miss Cadogan—or, I beg your pardon, Mrs Cadogan?"
Cadogan smiled. "It's Ms Cadogan. Socially, I'm Mrs Graves."
That, more than anything, clinched his suspicion that Cadogan was Muggle-born. "Well, Ms Cadogan," he said, "do you have any questions about the position—the duties, compensation, anything that was unclear in my owl?"
Cadogan nodded. "You explained that it is a Monday through Thursday position. I assume the hours are the shop's hours?"
When Severus nodded, Cadogan said, "Then I suppose my only question is why you're seeking a replacement. Are you headed back to Hogwarts?" When Severus shook his head, Cadogan added, "I apologise if I offend—it's just that you look rather young. Are you finished with school, then?"
Severus smirked. "Indeed. I am to begin my apprenticeship under Master Jigger, and as such, I will no longer be able to work the shop weekdays."
"Congratulations, then."
"Thank you. If you have no other questions?" Cadogan shook her head. "Then my thanks to you for your visit this evening. I will be speaking with Master Jigger and we should have a response for you by the end of this week."
They rose, shook hands, and Cadogan departed.
Severus locked the shop's front door behind her, turned off the lights, and, relief slowly building somewhere near his diaphragm, sat heavily on the floor.
Severus fell back, lay against the stone floor—he really needed to cast a sweeping charm—and allowed himself to almost entertain the possibility that, at some point in the future, he might be able to consider being somewhat hopeful.
Oh Sev,
I'm not sure whom I pity more—you, or your poor, misguided applicants.
Love from
Lily
On another note, I first started typing this story out, in miniscule letters, into my smartphone. The very first file—which is a different-perspective version of the prologue of this story—is dated November of last year. Happy one-year anniversary!
A few recommendations for my dear readers, to hold you over til next Wednesday:
His Own Man, by Crunchysunrises, is a WIP featuring a Second Chance Harry. And although I first "met" this story well after my Severus decided to sit his NEWTs early, I had not yet decided that the Ministry would inform him exactly how well he'd scored (an event that occurs in His Own Man). And so, this story owes a small debt to Crunchysunrises'.
I might also reiterate that Sindie's The Moment It Began was, without a doubt, the inspiration for this story, and if you've not yet read it, you ought to! (I warn you: you will not want to stop reading til you've finished it, so wait til the weekend!)
Finally, on an extra-fandom note, those of you who enjoy my Severus (or any Severus!) would most likely enjoy Johannes Cabal the Necromancer by Jonathan L. Howard, whose title character somewhat resembles, in personality, everyone's favourite Potions Master.
Coming up: A shopkeeper is hired and Severus rectifies an injustice.