Chapter Twelve: The end of filming.
Snape sighed as he read through his lines again. Today was the last day he'd be required on set unless Mr. Hampton called him back to reshoot certain bits, but Adam admitted that this was highly unlikely. "Trust me Professor, you did wonderful." He told him the other day. Nonetheless Snape had told them that if they needed him to leave a message for him at the Leaky Cauldron and he'd come back.
"It's hard to believe we're almost done hey Snape?" Emma asked him, coming over to him holding her script in her hand. She seemed to have gotten over his attitude and now was nice enough to him. And the fact that "Richard" had been found had eased the tension of everyone on the set. They'd received a phone call from him the other day where he explained his mother was taken ill suddenly and he'd had to go and see her, and regrettably he couldn't come back to the set, but he added, that it seemed as though everything was under control anyway. Snape knew that what had happened was that the finest wizards in the ministry had restored Lockhart's memory and he knew that there was no way he could continue to give out valuable information on their world. Another interesting thing was that Detective Saunders had suddenly appeared to have developed some sort of memory problem, and was currently on sick leave. Snape's lip curled whenever he thought about him- to think he'd wanted to put Snape in an asylum and now he should be in one himself.
"Yes." Snape said, suddenly realising Emma was waiting for him to respond. "Although I have to admit I'll be glad to get back to my normal life." In the last week or so Snape had managed to keep his temper remarkably well, and hadn't even wanted to curse a muggle. He supposed he was simply getting used to them, a thought which caused him to shudder. But once he got back to Hogwarts he thought it would be a very long time before he ventured out to deal with muggles again that was for sure!
Emma laughed. "Normal life?" She repeated. "Snape- you're going to be a star when this movie comes out. Life is not going to be ordinary for you again. And as a star you're going to have certain duties to fulfil."
"Duties?" Snape repeated confused.
"Hasn't anyone told you yet?" Emma said, shaking her head. "Well for starters we have to promote the movie. We're booked for both a morning talk show over here, and when the movie premieres in about two months we'll have to do the whole red carpet thing. And then when the movie's due out in America in a few months we're meant to be attending the premiere there as well and going on a chat show over there."
Snape frowned. "Well that's just not good.." He mused. "I've got to be back at work teaching soon, no time for that kind of thing."
"Didn't your agent go over the contract with you?" Emma asked. "When we signed we agreed to the two television shows and the two movie premiers, although I'm sure we'll get a lot more publicity than that. Especially the two of us being the stars and all..."
Snape groaned inwardly. By the sound of it he was going to have to leave Hogwarts on a few occasions. But he was determined that he wouldn't do a thing more than was in that lot of paper they called a contract.
"Alright gang!" Mr. Hampton called. "Let's get this show on the road and get this last scene in the can so we can then have a drink or two to celebrate."
Snape and Emma got in their places and then "ACTION" was called and the scene began:
Wendy: "I am so glad this is all over and that terrible wizard will never bother anyone again."
William (tiredly): "Wendy, I'm not going to lie to you. There's every chance that Lord Voldemist can come back and cause more trouble."
Wendy (confused): "But you defeated him!"
William: "I defeated him for the time being. The thing about Lord Voldemist Wendy, is he's a genius. He could have thought of many ways to come back again in the future. When someone as smart as him is as determined as he is to become the ruler of the wizarding world they don't give up. If there's one thing I remember from school it's that he is one stubborn person, never gave up on anything."
Wendy: "So we're not safe then?"
William: "For now we are. We might be forever, I'm just warning you that's all."
(Wendy leans her head on William's shoulder as he gazes into the distance.)
Wendy: "I guess we've just got to take things as they come then?"
William: "I guess so. There's no point worrying in advance is there?"
"CUT" was called for the last time and it was all over. The weeks making the movie had at last come to an end. The cast and crew all hugged each other in triumph, while Snape stood there for a moment wondering what he could do. Finally he moved away, planning on going back to his trailer for the last time and then collecting his things and getting to the Leaky Cauldron and back to school. But before he could move too far away Mr. Hampton stopped him. "I just wanted to congratulate you on some wonderful work Professor." He said. "I can see the talent you've got in you and you're going to go far."
Snape frowned slightly. "To tell you the truth Mr. Hampton, I don't think I'll act again. It was just once, just sort of...well an experiment of sorts."
It was Mr. Hampton's turn to frown. "I hope you don't mean that Professor. After this movie comes out you're going to be famous everywhere." Someone called Mr. Hampton then and he turned and hurried away.
His place was taken by Adam who urged Snape to come and have a drink with him. "What do you drink Professor?" Adam asked. "Champers, wine, beer?"
Snape thought about it. When he occasionally went into Hogsmeade and to Honeydukes he ordered a butterbeer or mulled mead. "I guess I could have a beer then." He said, realising that he clearly had no choice in the matter.
"Goodo!" Adam said jovially and they went over to get their drinks. Snape, feeling quite thirsty took a large sip of his drink and then gagged. It tasted terrible- all bitter and strange.
Adam looked at him strangely. "What's wrong with the beer Professor?" He asked.
"Oh," Snape hastened to assure him. "Nothing of course, I just don't feel too well. Maybe I'll give it a miss and get going."
"Get going?" Adam repeated. "But we're going to celebrate."
"Be that as it may I've got to get back to work tonight if possible, so I really should go now." Snape explained.
"But Professor you must wait for Mr. Hampton's speech before you go." Adam protested. "It would look terribly rude if you just left."
Snape was tempted to tell him that he WAS rude, especially when it came to muggles, but didn't. Instead he sighed and took another small sip of his drink. It wasn't as bad this time, and he took another sip. Not bad after all. Maybe the muggles actually knew something after all- how to make a drink?
Mr. Hampton's speech was, Snape reflected as it finished, a let down. He'd had to wait around for this? Mr. Hampton stood in front of them all with a huge smile on his face. "Well gang, we did it!" He said, and everyone cheered and clapped. Mr. Hampton waited for them all to subside before continuing. "I won't make this too long since I know you all want to get on with the celebrating. Firstly I have to thank my wonderful crew- without them nothing would have been possible. I should thank Richard even though he's too busy with his sick mother to be here, but it was his visions that really gave our movie a life of it's own. And of course I've got to thank my cast- Snape, Emma, Henry, Chris, everyone. They all played their roles superbly, and I am convinced when the movie comes out everyone is going to think they're real wizards the way they did it. Which leads me to thank our wonderful, fabulous wardrobe and make-up crew who did a brilliant job in making ordinary humans look like extraordinary wizards. In closing I'm sure this movie is going to be the most successful movie in a long time and it's thanks to every single person here that it will be! And now- let the partying begin!"
Snape decided that meant he could leave, and as he was leaving the room Adam called out to him "Sorry you couldn't stick around Professor but we'll see you at the premiere!"
Everyone heard him call and a few people also called out goodbyes, which Snape grudgingly returned. Soon he was back at the Leaky Cauldron knowing that it was awhile before he had to at least mix with any muggles again, a thought which made him sigh with relief. They really were very annoying, and very stupid!
Tom smiled at him. "All done playing the muggle movie star Professor?" He asked.
"Yes thank Merlin." Snape replied. "It'll be great to get back to my ordinary life as a Hogwarts Professor."
A strange look crossed Tom's face then, one Snape didn't like. "Uh Professor?" Tom asked.
"Yes?" Snape replied coldly wondering what on earth the moronic innkeeper was up to now.
"It might not be quite an ordinary life exactly.." Tom said. "I've had Rita Skeeter in here, you know from the Daily Prophet. I'm not quite sure how she found out about your movie, but she did, and I think she is planning on writing an article about it. Soon everyone's going to know what you did."
"Great." Snape growled. He'd read the work of Rita before and it certainly had never impressed him. But then, as Dumbledore had told him when they were at the Ministry the other day, surely he couldn't expect nobody to know about the movie? Snape had replied that he wished nobody would, but in the event people did know he wouldn't speak about it, because he wanted to be just a potions master and nothing more. So even if Rita did write an article about it and him he decided he didn't care because by then he'd be back at work like usual.
Seeing Tom was looking at him thoughtfully Snape added, "Let her write what she wants. I'm going back to work and I'm not planning on doing anything like this again, it was simply an experiment that as an academic I couldn't have passed up." Then he went up to his room to gather his things and make his way back to Hogwarts, back to normality.
[A/N. Just because the filming is over doesn't mean this story is over. I probably should finish it because it might become too long otherwise, but to tell you the truth I'm really enjoying writing it, so I'm not planning on ending it there at the moment.]
Snape sighed as he read through his lines again. Today was the last day he'd be required on set unless Mr. Hampton called him back to reshoot certain bits, but Adam admitted that this was highly unlikely. "Trust me Professor, you did wonderful." He told him the other day. Nonetheless Snape had told them that if they needed him to leave a message for him at the Leaky Cauldron and he'd come back.
"It's hard to believe we're almost done hey Snape?" Emma asked him, coming over to him holding her script in her hand. She seemed to have gotten over his attitude and now was nice enough to him. And the fact that "Richard" had been found had eased the tension of everyone on the set. They'd received a phone call from him the other day where he explained his mother was taken ill suddenly and he'd had to go and see her, and regrettably he couldn't come back to the set, but he added, that it seemed as though everything was under control anyway. Snape knew that what had happened was that the finest wizards in the ministry had restored Lockhart's memory and he knew that there was no way he could continue to give out valuable information on their world. Another interesting thing was that Detective Saunders had suddenly appeared to have developed some sort of memory problem, and was currently on sick leave. Snape's lip curled whenever he thought about him- to think he'd wanted to put Snape in an asylum and now he should be in one himself.
"Yes." Snape said, suddenly realising Emma was waiting for him to respond. "Although I have to admit I'll be glad to get back to my normal life." In the last week or so Snape had managed to keep his temper remarkably well, and hadn't even wanted to curse a muggle. He supposed he was simply getting used to them, a thought which caused him to shudder. But once he got back to Hogwarts he thought it would be a very long time before he ventured out to deal with muggles again that was for sure!
Emma laughed. "Normal life?" She repeated. "Snape- you're going to be a star when this movie comes out. Life is not going to be ordinary for you again. And as a star you're going to have certain duties to fulfil."
"Duties?" Snape repeated confused.
"Hasn't anyone told you yet?" Emma said, shaking her head. "Well for starters we have to promote the movie. We're booked for both a morning talk show over here, and when the movie premieres in about two months we'll have to do the whole red carpet thing. And then when the movie's due out in America in a few months we're meant to be attending the premiere there as well and going on a chat show over there."
Snape frowned. "Well that's just not good.." He mused. "I've got to be back at work teaching soon, no time for that kind of thing."
"Didn't your agent go over the contract with you?" Emma asked. "When we signed we agreed to the two television shows and the two movie premiers, although I'm sure we'll get a lot more publicity than that. Especially the two of us being the stars and all..."
Snape groaned inwardly. By the sound of it he was going to have to leave Hogwarts on a few occasions. But he was determined that he wouldn't do a thing more than was in that lot of paper they called a contract.
"Alright gang!" Mr. Hampton called. "Let's get this show on the road and get this last scene in the can so we can then have a drink or two to celebrate."
Snape and Emma got in their places and then "ACTION" was called and the scene began:
Wendy: "I am so glad this is all over and that terrible wizard will never bother anyone again."
William (tiredly): "Wendy, I'm not going to lie to you. There's every chance that Lord Voldemist can come back and cause more trouble."
Wendy (confused): "But you defeated him!"
William: "I defeated him for the time being. The thing about Lord Voldemist Wendy, is he's a genius. He could have thought of many ways to come back again in the future. When someone as smart as him is as determined as he is to become the ruler of the wizarding world they don't give up. If there's one thing I remember from school it's that he is one stubborn person, never gave up on anything."
Wendy: "So we're not safe then?"
William: "For now we are. We might be forever, I'm just warning you that's all."
(Wendy leans her head on William's shoulder as he gazes into the distance.)
Wendy: "I guess we've just got to take things as they come then?"
William: "I guess so. There's no point worrying in advance is there?"
"CUT" was called for the last time and it was all over. The weeks making the movie had at last come to an end. The cast and crew all hugged each other in triumph, while Snape stood there for a moment wondering what he could do. Finally he moved away, planning on going back to his trailer for the last time and then collecting his things and getting to the Leaky Cauldron and back to school. But before he could move too far away Mr. Hampton stopped him. "I just wanted to congratulate you on some wonderful work Professor." He said. "I can see the talent you've got in you and you're going to go far."
Snape frowned slightly. "To tell you the truth Mr. Hampton, I don't think I'll act again. It was just once, just sort of...well an experiment of sorts."
It was Mr. Hampton's turn to frown. "I hope you don't mean that Professor. After this movie comes out you're going to be famous everywhere." Someone called Mr. Hampton then and he turned and hurried away.
His place was taken by Adam who urged Snape to come and have a drink with him. "What do you drink Professor?" Adam asked. "Champers, wine, beer?"
Snape thought about it. When he occasionally went into Hogsmeade and to Honeydukes he ordered a butterbeer or mulled mead. "I guess I could have a beer then." He said, realising that he clearly had no choice in the matter.
"Goodo!" Adam said jovially and they went over to get their drinks. Snape, feeling quite thirsty took a large sip of his drink and then gagged. It tasted terrible- all bitter and strange.
Adam looked at him strangely. "What's wrong with the beer Professor?" He asked.
"Oh," Snape hastened to assure him. "Nothing of course, I just don't feel too well. Maybe I'll give it a miss and get going."
"Get going?" Adam repeated. "But we're going to celebrate."
"Be that as it may I've got to get back to work tonight if possible, so I really should go now." Snape explained.
"But Professor you must wait for Mr. Hampton's speech before you go." Adam protested. "It would look terribly rude if you just left."
Snape was tempted to tell him that he WAS rude, especially when it came to muggles, but didn't. Instead he sighed and took another small sip of his drink. It wasn't as bad this time, and he took another sip. Not bad after all. Maybe the muggles actually knew something after all- how to make a drink?
Mr. Hampton's speech was, Snape reflected as it finished, a let down. He'd had to wait around for this? Mr. Hampton stood in front of them all with a huge smile on his face. "Well gang, we did it!" He said, and everyone cheered and clapped. Mr. Hampton waited for them all to subside before continuing. "I won't make this too long since I know you all want to get on with the celebrating. Firstly I have to thank my wonderful crew- without them nothing would have been possible. I should thank Richard even though he's too busy with his sick mother to be here, but it was his visions that really gave our movie a life of it's own. And of course I've got to thank my cast- Snape, Emma, Henry, Chris, everyone. They all played their roles superbly, and I am convinced when the movie comes out everyone is going to think they're real wizards the way they did it. Which leads me to thank our wonderful, fabulous wardrobe and make-up crew who did a brilliant job in making ordinary humans look like extraordinary wizards. In closing I'm sure this movie is going to be the most successful movie in a long time and it's thanks to every single person here that it will be! And now- let the partying begin!"
Snape decided that meant he could leave, and as he was leaving the room Adam called out to him "Sorry you couldn't stick around Professor but we'll see you at the premiere!"
Everyone heard him call and a few people also called out goodbyes, which Snape grudgingly returned. Soon he was back at the Leaky Cauldron knowing that it was awhile before he had to at least mix with any muggles again, a thought which made him sigh with relief. They really were very annoying, and very stupid!
Tom smiled at him. "All done playing the muggle movie star Professor?" He asked.
"Yes thank Merlin." Snape replied. "It'll be great to get back to my ordinary life as a Hogwarts Professor."
A strange look crossed Tom's face then, one Snape didn't like. "Uh Professor?" Tom asked.
"Yes?" Snape replied coldly wondering what on earth the moronic innkeeper was up to now.
"It might not be quite an ordinary life exactly.." Tom said. "I've had Rita Skeeter in here, you know from the Daily Prophet. I'm not quite sure how she found out about your movie, but she did, and I think she is planning on writing an article about it. Soon everyone's going to know what you did."
"Great." Snape growled. He'd read the work of Rita before and it certainly had never impressed him. But then, as Dumbledore had told him when they were at the Ministry the other day, surely he couldn't expect nobody to know about the movie? Snape had replied that he wished nobody would, but in the event people did know he wouldn't speak about it, because he wanted to be just a potions master and nothing more. So even if Rita did write an article about it and him he decided he didn't care because by then he'd be back at work like usual.
Seeing Tom was looking at him thoughtfully Snape added, "Let her write what she wants. I'm going back to work and I'm not planning on doing anything like this again, it was simply an experiment that as an academic I couldn't have passed up." Then he went up to his room to gather his things and make his way back to Hogwarts, back to normality.
[A/N. Just because the filming is over doesn't mean this story is over. I probably should finish it because it might become too long otherwise, but to tell you the truth I'm really enjoying writing it, so I'm not planning on ending it there at the moment.]