AN: Apparently I have a thing for looooong chapters :) enjoy and review.
CHAPTER 2
The Headmasters office, well Headmistresses office now, was much the same as it had been when Hermione had been a student. There were slight changes here and there, a feminine touch of a few flower pots, everything much more orderly than Dumbledore had kept it. Headmistress Minerva McGonagall had even kept her old friends' tradition of using sweets as the passwords for the gargoyle protecting the staircase.
"Spearmint Twigs" Hermione said to the gargoyle and it immediately moved out of the way to allow her access.
She reached the top of the stairs and knocked on the door. The door swung open to reveal the older witch at her desk covered in parchments.
"Oh, come on in Hermione," she said and quickly shuffled a few parchments into another pile.
"I can come back if this is a bad time Minerva" Hermione offered, they had both been on first name basis since Hermione joined the staff as an apprentice.
She now used first names with all the Hogwarts staff, except with Professor Snape. Hermione still felt that a more formal approach was always the best when trying to tiptoe around that particular wizard.
"No, no, now is fine, these reports can wait." Minerva sighed "I really don't understand why the board is still insisting that we do weekly reports, the war has been over for years"
"I think it's time you show them your claws." Hermione said smiling at her Mentor.
Minerva chuckled "Quite right. Tea dear?"
"Yes Please"
"Let's go into the sitting room so we can both actually relax for a moment" Minerva suggested and gestured towards the entrance to her private quarters.
Hermione followed the witch into her sitting room through a door tucked behind the staircase. It was a beautiful cozy room with red and gold tapestries, carpets, a decent sized fireplace and a large window.
"Scottie" Minerva called to her personal house elf and he immediately appeared in front of them with a pop. "Tea and biscuits, please"
Right away, Headmistress." and was gone again with another pop.
Hermione and Minerva sat down in two large plush wingback chairs in front of the fireplace.
"How can I help you, Hermione?" Minerva asked.
Another pop and Scottie was laying a tray out on the table in front of them.
"Well, I don't really want to cause any trouble." Hermione answered shifting slightly in her seat.
"Anything else, Headmistress?" Scottie asked.
"That's fine thank you Scottie" Minerva responded and reached for the tea set.
Hermione also took a tea plopping a sugar in and stirring carefully.
"Now what has you sitting in front of my fireplace this evening acting like a scared first year?" Minerva stared at the young woman over her spectacles.
"I'm just… well my studies… I mean I'm enjoying my apprenticeship, don't get me wrong. I love potions and the challenge.. It's .. well" Hermione stuttered, glancing nervously between her tea and the older lady.
"My goodness girl, spit it out," Minerva demanded.
Hermione took a deep breath and explained, "Well Horace has me doing quite a bit of the teaching, grading, brewing for the hospital wing, and I love all of those things but, well, I've fallen behind on my apprenticeship." She looked down at her tea again.
"Have you talked to Horace about this? Does he know hes been putting too much on you?" Minerva asked.
"I have talked to him. He's been distracted, I think, about finally getting to retire and I completely understand. He was only supposed to come back for a short while during the war and now, well. He's a wonderful teacher. I would never want to get anyone in trouble." Hermione pleaded with a look of worry on her face.
"No no, of course not. Just how far behind are you?" Minerva asked.
"About half of my fourth year practicals, most of this year's practicals, and I haven't started on my research final either although I have an idea and done a little research." she answered and saw a look of worry appear on the older witches face.
Hermione quickly continued "I have finished all of the reading and I am not worried about any of my written MEWS, I will be prepared for that. And I have completed some of the required brews on my own. The more dangerous ones… I have been trying to get Horace to restart my private lessons but he's always busy and distracted. I don't want to attempt those on my own, for obvious reasons."
Minerva set her tea down on the table "Hermione you should have come to me sooner, I had no idea Horace was neglecting your needs as an apprentice. I will speak with him about reducing your workload and getting you caught up."
"I really don't want to get him in trouble, he has taught me so much." Hermione added again feeling worried for the old wizard.
"Oh don't you worry. I'll be gentle with him" Minerva added with a smile on her lips. The smile faded and picked up her tea cup again.
"He has been bugging me about going back into retirement, we do have to tread carefully. I don't know what we would do if we lost him before you finished your Mastery to take over"
Hermione's face sank. "If I even manage to pass next year at this point at all. I have almost two years worth of studies to get through in eight months."
"You know we do have access to another Potions Master in this school." Minervas' face brightened up looking at the worried witch in front of her. "Severus"
Hermiones' eyes widened and she scoffed at the idea causing tea to spray out her nose. Minerva giggled, quickly vanquished the mess and offered the girl a napkin.
"When pigs fly, will that man help a Gryffindor with her studies out of the goodness of his heart". She retorted and took the napkin, "Thank you."
"It's worth asking him, he has taken on Head of House duties again this year but his DDA tenure has seemed to have a positive effect on his demeanor." Minerva set her finished tea down on the table and immediately her cat was on her lap demanding of attention.
Hermione picked up a biscuit, dipped it into the last bit of her tea and nibbled on the corner. She hadn't even thought of Professor Snape, he had been teaching Defense for over six years and she mostly kept her distance from the broody professor. He had been one of her best teachers despite his cruelty when she was a child, but would he be willing to help her now as a member of staff? She doubted it, almost as much as she doubted her bravery to even ask. Such a brave Gryffindor I am, she thought.
"Are you still helping George and Ron with their entrepreneurial endeavors?" Minerva asked, pulling Hermione back out of her thoughts.
"Oh yeah, I gave them a hand over summer to develop a new hair potion. Gives someone the ability to change their hair colour like Tonks used to for about a week. That was a fun one to test, I still feel back for the bunnies .. and people at the burrow" Hermione smiled at the memory from the summer just passed. "But I havent had the time since school started"
"They will be the end of us all with their experiments!" Minerva said only slightly sarcastically.
"I try to keep an eye on things." Hermione added.
"All joking aside, Dear. I will speak to Horace, but you need to also ask Severus to help you." Minerva becoming more serious again. "I don't want to be stuck without a Potions Professor next September. I've had you picked for the job since the moment you told me of your Apprenticeship."
"I know" Hermione fiddled with her empty cup and set it down.
"Promise me you will ask" Minerva stated, giving her her Headmistress stare.
"I will, I will, I Promise" Hermione answered, hands up in defeat.
"Now, I must be getting back to the giant stack of parchments." Minerva sighed and raised from her chair. "I really miss just teaching sometimes." she added with a deep breath.
"Oh but you're a wonderful Headmistress, we would be lost without you" Hermione said and followed her to the door.
"Come to me anytime, even just for a tea. It's been too long"
"Thank you Minerva. I'll see you tomorrow" Hermione said and left the office.
The coldness of the corridor hit her immediately and she pulled her robes tighter around her and headed off towards the dungeons. The halls were empty as it was already past curfew and therefore it was obviously too late to go knocking on anyone else's door. Or so she told herself. Hermione knew that Professor Snape worked late most evenings as she had to pass his office on her way to her rooms but there was no way she was going to be knocking on that door anytime soon. Promise or not.
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The next day was a blur of marking essays, studying in the library, and first and third year classes, thankfully no exploding cauldrons or loss of flesh.
After dinner Horace had sent a house elf to fetch her to his office. She was slightly worried to see his reaction to whatever Minerva had said to him about their conversation the previous evening. She had been brewing Blood Replenisher for the hospital wing and was thankfully just finishing up. She bottled the potion, quickly tidied up the teaching lab and straightened her uniform before heading off to meet the Professor.
"Ah Hermione, Come on in, come on in" Hoace said, swinging the door open not two seconds after she had knocked.
"Thank you" Hermione stepped into the office.
"Tea? Cake? Something stronger maybe? He asked with a smile and a wink.
Hermione felt a touch of regret at talking to Minerva about the smiling Wizard in front of her; he really was a nice man.
"No Thank you Horace. How were the sixth years today?" asked Hermione, moving further into the overly spacious and plush office.
"Fine, fine. Little angels." He responded, pouring himself a glass of amber liquid and sitting down at the couch. "Did you hear the news about Martha Goddard, she's just won an international achievement award for her work with international relations with Brazil. Just another example of my good taste for the Slug Club eh?"
"Congratulations Martha." Hermione said with a small smile.
"Indeed. Sit. sit. Sit." the Wizard gestured to one of the couches in the center of the room.
Hermione obliged and took a seat on the far side of the tan upholstered couch.
"Now, Hermione. You sure I can't get you anything?" he asked
"No, I'm fine. Honestly" she responded.
"Okay well then. Minerva says you're worried about your studies." he said and took a sip of his drink.
"Well I guess I'm just feeling.." she started to say but was cut off
"You're a wonderful Potions Mistress to be Hermione, nothing to worry about. You're doing amazingly, the best student I've ever taught. Well except for Severus, oh and Harry Potter '' he looked longingly across the room at an old picture taken of one of the Slug Club meetings where the aforementioned golden boy was a guest.
Hermione rolled her eyes and immediately regretted not taking the offered drink.
"If that boy had continued on in potions he would have been something! Don't you think so? Such a waste, such a waste, to become an Auror. And now that the war is over what can really be achieved as just an auror? Oh well, oh well" he took another swig of his drink.
Hermione took the brief silence as an opportunity. "Well Professor, I would like to ask you about my private classes. Since we are here" she asked using his title to try to remind him of his position.
"Right, right." He responded looking at her. "I really don't know why you're so worried. You're the brightest witch of your age. And I am just so busy, with teaching, the slug club, keeping up with old acquaintances and you know I've been looking at buying property in Spain for my second retirement?"
"No, I didn't know." Hermione said, starting to get annoyed.
"Yes, the weather is just brilliant down there, and the Wizarding community is quite something too" Horace said with a twinkle in his eye and took another sip of liquid.
"Some of the potions this year are quite dangerous, Sir," Hermione stated, again trying to pull him back into the real topic of conversation.
"Ah yes, yes. If you have any specific questions I am always happy to answer them for you. But you wont make mistakes I'm sure of it. You really need to have more confidence, young lady!"
He got up from the couch and squeezed her shoulder. "Besides you know many of the best containment charms and wards. Use them if need be, but you'll be grand! "
He moved towards the door and Hermione took the hint and got up from the couch, somewhat thankful that this encounter was going to be over so quickly.
"Now I must get back to my correspondence, so many letters to write, things to do '' he trailed off and held the door open for her.
"Good Night Horace" Hermione said and was nearly shoved out into the sixth floor hallway.
Well that went well thought Hermione now what?. Old Sluggy might be a harmless old man but he was still going to be absolutely useless to help her to actually finish this damned apprenticeship. She shook her head in frustration and took her steps towards her own rooms more aggressively. If he was not going to help she was going to have to write to the Ministry and make a formal complaint, or worse actually ask Professor Snape for help.
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AN: Well there we go I've added another chapter already. Thank you for the likes and follows. I do have this story mapped out and have intentions on working towards about 40 or so chapters if it gains enough interest to keep me motivated. I haven't written much fanfiction and recently started reading it again and found this old account. Review and Let me know.