Severus—

I am glad you wrote. I hope your time in Australia has been the break you needed. I am eager to hear what you have been up to. Your letter was quite vague. (I suspect that was deliberate.)

The students have been back at Hogwarts for just over a month now, as I'm sure you know. I don't have anything to write about that that you haven't already heard, so I won't bother to write it because I know you won't read it. You might be interested to know, however, that Prof. Ikramuddin (the replacement Defense instructor) has already made it clear that he will not stay past this school year. He claims that it is because he misses "being out in the field," but the staff suspect he just dislikes marking.

That said, I would like to offer you your position back, should you want it, before I seek elsewhere. You remain the best Defense teacher I have ever employed. The Deputy position would have to be discussed with Pomona; however, you would certainly be Head of Slytherin once again (Prof. Smythe has given the impression that it is an incredible burden on his time, though he is too proud of the title to give it up).

Should you decide to retake your position, owl me at once. The governors might be convinced to make your trip a paid sabbatical. (Details to follow.)

You must tell me what you have been doing. (I might have to come visit you over Christmas.) I am burning up with curiosity.

- Minerva McGonagall

Headmistress of Hogwarts, Order of Merlin & such

Severus put the letter down. He had already read it four times, but he always seemed to need to read it through once more. It was something to think about. Returning to the school would be his choice now. He didn't need to do it. There wasn't a war. There was nobody there to protect. He had proven—to himself more than to others, not that it mattered—that he didn't need Hogwarts. He had a job in a potions shop in Sydney's version of Diagon Alley. It was enjoyable, if menial, work, and it gave him extra funds to tinker about with other things. Mainly, he was still working on fully unblocking the Grangers' memories. They remembered enough, now, that they let him into their house and sat patiently while he worked. He told them what he was doing as he did it, and they gave him feedback on the spells he used. He was almost finished (he could tell because Mrs. Granger had started to hedge around the question of her daughter's grave).

He had known he would return to Hogwarts after reading the letter the first time. Of course he would.