Severus's first class is sixth year. Because it's NEWT-level, all the Houses are combined in one class. All four colors of tie are represented, with the usual disproportionate amount of Ravenclaw blue. One of the blue ties is on Hermione's son Hugo, and judging by the amount of red hair in the room, Severus would bet Hugo's not the only Weasley here. He glances down at the class roster, and sure enough, the last three names on it are Weasley comma something. He sighs.
He's half tempted to do the old "bottle fame, brew glory, even put a stopper on death" speech, but it doesn't seem quite appropriate from a mid-year substitute. So instead he sticks to Plan A, keep things bland and forgettable, and says, "I am Professor Ebarossa. We will continue from where Professor Gr—er, Weasley left off last class. Turn to—"
"Excuse me, Professor?" says a girl in a Hufflepuff tie, raising her hand.
Instead of docking her House points for speaking before being called on, he says, "Yes, Miss…?"
"Holloway, sir."
"Yes, Miss Holloway?"
"Don't you want to know our names?"
Instead of asking her if she thinks this is a Muggle primary school, he just gives her a withering look. When she fails to wither, he realizes that Glamoured as he is, he may not be intimidating enough to teach Potions properly. Hmm. Clearly, he is too long out of practice, and did not think this through.
"Because all our professors find out our names on the first day of class, if they haven't taught us before," Holloway continues.
"Thank you, Miss Holloway," he replies. He looks at Hugo. "I've already met Mr. Weasley. One of them, anyway. I understand there are a multitude of Weasleys here?"
The class laughs.
"And Miss Nott. We've also had the pleasure."
Nott stares at her desk, blushing.
"Where is the rest of the Weasley contingent?" he asks.
Two hands go up, a ginger Gryffindor boy and a Ravenclaw girl with dark ringlets.
"Are you by any chance George Weasley's daughter?" he asks the girl. "The one I'm not supposed to let work with Longbottom and who is the cause of my being here in the first place?"
"That's my sister Felicity, sir. She's in fourth year. I'm Gwen. You won't have any trouble from me."
"Yeah, Gwen's the suck-up Weasley," the ginger boy Weasley says. "Uncle George would disown her if he thought Gran would let him."
Gwen gives him the kind of look Granger used to give Potter and Weasley when they were in school.
Severus looks at another red-haired Gryffindor boy. "Are you also a Weasley?"
"Potter, sir," he says. "But my mum's a Weasley."
Severus glances down at the roster. Potter, Albus Severus. Sweet Circe. That's a bit of gossip Lucius neglected to pass along.
hr
"You might have warned me that Potter named one of his brats after me," Severus says by way of greeting when Lucius opens the door.
"And have you whinge at me about it via owl post?" Lucius pours firewhiskey into two crystal tumblers and hands one to Severus. "No, thank you."
Severus glowers, then realizes it doesn't work properly with this face. "There are quite a few things about which you might have informed me."
"Such as?"
"Such as Granger."
"What about Hermione?"
"You know perfectly well what about her."
"I assure you that I do not." Lucius takes a sip of his whiskey and appears to think hard about it. "Oh, do you mean the business with Weasley?"
"Could you be a bit more specific? There are apparently several dozen Weasleys in the castle at present."
"Her husband, of course."
"What about him?"
"Oh. You don't know. Never mind, then. I thought that might be what you meant."
"You thought what might be what I meant?"
"That their marriage is all but over."
"It is?" Severus replays their conversation from the previous evening, looking for indications that what Lucius says is true. Upon reflection, he can't recall her mentioning her husband at all, which in itself is noteworthy.
"No, I don't imagine she'd tell a total stranger that," Lucius agrees. "I'm not sure what else I should have told you about her."
"Never mind." Severus drinks his whiskey and stares into the fire blazing in Lucius's grate. There is no way he's telling Lucius what he did mean, which is why didn't Lucius bother mentioning that grown-up Granger is totally fucking gorgeous.