AN – Nothing recognizable belongs to me.
Snape awoke the next morning in his new bedroom, feeling better than he had on the previous day. Although the situation wasn't ideal, he had to admit that it was probably better that he was doing something rather than rattling around his house and eating take-out. It seemed that the house elves remembered that he required coffee before he'd leave his bed; a fresh cup, charmed to remain warm no doubt, sat on his night stand, the aroma filling the room and improving his disposition even more he drank it. He sat up and picked up the cup, then summoned the Daily Prophet. It seemed that the publication believed his reinstatement was of interest its readers. Snape was relieved that the writer had chosen to simply present a direct account instead of sensationalizing his checkered past. The only mention of anything irregular regarding the potions master was "Snape has previously taught potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts and succeeded Albus Dumblredore, who was killed in 1997, as Headmaster, a position which he held for a until his own death in the Battle of Hogwarts a year later." What a diplomatic use of the passive voice, he thought. It almost seems as if the Daily Prophet is trying not to appeal to the lowest common denominator but instead aspires to serious journalism. Perhaps the recent troubles in Ruritania had been enough suggestion of Darkness for one issue.
After finishing his coffee, Snape dressed and flooed into Diagon Alley to collect some last minute supplies. It was a damp and cold day in London, and Snape cast a warming charm on himself, glad he'd decided to wear gloves and a heavy winter robe. He could feel many eyes on him as he went about his errands, but he wasn't particularly bothered. Snape had never been one to put much stock in what masses thought of him, he did wonder about how well Harry Potter had managed to convince them – he was familiar enough with the contents of that Skeeter woman's book to know that it hadn't been an entirely flattering portrait. Well, you used the possibility that you could be a Death Eater to keep the children in line the first time around, you wouldn't want to find that you suddenly can't control a class once they all know you're not really going to insanguinate them to make a smoothie for the Dark Lord.
Snape's train of thought was interrupted when he turned a corner and was suddenly face to face with Harry Potter, Ginerva Weasley (now Potter?) and some children that presumably belonged to them. Snape would have preferred to pass with a simple nod of the head, but it seemed that he was in for another round of conversation.
"Good morning Professor," Harry Potter said.
"Morning, Potter, Ms…" said Snape.
"Potter these days, Professor," said the former Ms. Weasley. "And these are our children, James, the oldest, Albus the middle, and Lily, our youngest."
Not terribly original. None of them look quite old enough to be at Hogwarts at least. Snape wondered how necessary it was that he make a general positive remark about the existence of their offspring. He settled on, "I'm sure you are very pleased."
"Ginny, do you mind go ahead with the children? I'd like to speak with Professor Snape for a moment," Harry asked. Ginny nodded and led the children towards the Weasley's ridiclous shop, although she glanced back at the two men as she left. Snape stood, waiting. "I wanted to tell you, we believe there is someone at Hogwarts who is not what he or she appears to be. A few weeks ago, aurors found evidence that very powerful and obscure magic had taken place. We believed this is what disrupted the wards. At first, my superiors didn't take what McGonagall was saying seriously, but after the poisonings, I didn't think that the disruption in the castle's magic was the result of deterioration or accident. The type of magic we found, it's rare and there isn't anyone in the faculty who's known for that type of thing. It leaves distinctive traces. They were performing some sort of spirit world spellwork."
Snape considered this information for a moment. "Most wizards who meddle in that sort of thing are from the continent – central and eastern Europe, and while it is possible that someone from Britain could have learned it, it would have had to have been taught – the techniques aren't the sort of thing you can describe in books. Of course you know all that I imagine."
"I wanted you to be aware – and on the look out. If you find out anything, or even have a suspicion, please let me know. And this conversation, it has to be completely confidential. I'm not really supposed to tell anyone outside my department and even there only those who are assigned to the case – McGonagall knows, but no one else."
"Forgive me if I am not shocked by your elastic interpretations of the rules Mr. Potter."
Harry rolled his eyes in response, realizing too late that it probably made him look like a surly teenager. He continued on, "I appreciate this, sir."
"Good bye, Mr. Potter."
"Take care, Professor Snape."
Snape went back to his classroom upon arriving in Hogwarts and continued to prepare his classroom and then reorganized the storage closet in the back. This Honeycolm woman had been lacking in that respect; dangerous items were mixed among harmless objects, there was no discernable pattern to the arrangement. Best to assume anything in here could hurt you unless you've completely verified it's safe, he thought. Not surprisingly the task was slow going. Severus faced the fact that he wouldn't be able to finish that day, and he'd have to lock the closet and continue at another moment. He didn't like leaving things have done, but there was no point in staying up all night before the first day of term. Casting a Tempus charm, he saw that dinner was still going on. He could probably still get some warm food if he hurried. Of course, the house elves could make meals for professors who were absent, but they were never as elaborate as what was served at full meals.
When he entered the great hall, he noted that it appeared that most of the students had already returned. He realized that for the first time since his first year, he'd have to learn the names of ALL seven years of students. It was a bit unsettling to know that any student could take a spoon and launch potatoes at him, and he wouldn't even be able to identify the culprit by name. Perhaps some charms to aid memorization are in order, a few tonight to know the seating charts, a few tomorrow evening for the faces, you've got to start strong with this term, no one here has had you, they only know you by reputation, any sign of weakness will be magnified in such a situation, although it might help if… Snape's train of thought came to a screeching halt as if someone had pulled a large lever marked "emergency." Only one seat was available at the faculty table. Next to Lily.
Fifteen minutes after the start of dinner, Professor Potter was aware that Professor Snape had not yet arrived. He's probably not coming. It's not his rotation day, but you'd think that he'd be here being his first day back with most of the students. Believing that he wasn't going to appear, Lily relaxed. Only a minute later, she sensed the energy in the Great Hall shift suddenly. Although the student's hadn't stopped talking, instead of the usual casual chit-chat interspersed with mastication the air was filled with purposeful whispers and stars. Utensils lay on the table of still in paused hands. Lily decided not to look at the focus of the student's attention. She knew already. As she continued to work on her salad, she noticed that the focus of the eyes was moving closer to her. The seat next to her was open. Ah. And it was an end seat. She wouldn't be able to avoid talking to him without cutting him off from table conversation. She finally turned to look at him when she heard the chair dragged back.
As she looked up at him, she caught his eye for a moment. Before he could look away, she gave a smile and a "good evening Professor," hoping that neither seemed forced.
"Evening," he replied before taking his seat and surveying the great hall. His posture in his chair conveyed complete control, awareness and ease. His face, as usual, showed nothing. When the food appeared in front of him, he handled his utensils efficiently but gracefully. When did he learn how to eat in such a high class way? Lily wondered (the young Severus's table manners had left something to be desired). Well, there's one benefit of his friendship with Malfoy, probably, she mused as she looked away, not wanting to be caught starting at Severus's plate and started eating again.
Surprisingly, Severus broke the silence. "I spoke with your son today, in Diagon Alley."
"Oh really? How did he look? That job, sometimes it's too much, it can be quite a drain."
"Well, he looks rather aged to me, but I am hardly in a position to say anything. To me, he was a malnourished teenager, living in the woods, a few months ago. He looked tired then too. The bo-, Harry seems to be chronically overtaxed. A completely voluntary condition, however, at this point."
A Lily's mouth flickered with a genuine smile. "Yes, you're right, it's his choice. I only mean, well, I wonder…"
Snape waited, looking directly at her for the first time since he had first sat down.
"I wonder if things aren't… worse than usual at the ministry. Of course, Harry isn't allowed to tell us anything, but we're not stupid either, Ginny and I, I mean."
"The ability to hide his emotion was never among his many good qualities."
"Well, we can't all be so talented." The words escaped before Lily realized how sarcastic she sounded. Snape continued to chew his food, still looking at her, and didn't show any sign of having noticed. Lily continued on, "I mean, well, it is strange that you knew him when he was young, saw him grow up…. And I missed all that."
At that, Snape looked away, and placed his silverware on his plate. "Excuse me," he said, moving his chair back as if he was preparing to leave. Just then, McGonagall rose and addressed the students. After welcoming them back and making some other announcements, she gestured to Snape and introduced him, bidding him to rise. Snape stood, nodded once, and sat down. Lily clapped along with the rest of the school.
After returning to her rooms, she ran over the conversation in her head. After all this time, she was suddenly blabbing to him as if nothing had happened. When they'd been friends, she'd done this a lot. If she had become particularly neurotic or emotional over something, she'd fret or fume while he'd been a mostly silent listener. She had known that he'd put up with that sort of thing much longer than anyone else, that'd been why she'd relied on him that way. She also didn't want anyone else knowing how worried and nervous she could be; it wouldn't have fit with the Gryffindor bravado she'd projected. And not only had she suddenly reverted to that old role, she'd been so informal as to give him a hard time. It had only been when he hadn't responded in kind like the old Severus would have that she realized she'd overstepped.