Part Eleven

Part Eleven

A/n: I'm going to pick this fic up exactly where the last one left off, and do a quick recap of the last few lines. But they may not be exactly right, as to get them spot on I would have to go upstairs and turn on my word processor, and I really can't be bothered!

"If things weren't as they are, I would be very tempted to forget this conversation completely. However, under the circumstances, I'm afraid the school board will have to be notified and I shall have to make a formal announcement to the school."

She gasped and grabbed his hand. He squeezed back tightly.

"But, I mean, the school? Must you Albus?" she asked in shock.

"If it is at all avoidable, then by all means, I'll avoid it. But I have a feeling that the school board will find it necessary for pupils to be informed, if only so that they know exactly what's going on."

"Well what business is it to them?" Snape asked, somewhat bitterly.

"None really, but I think possibly a lesson could be learnt. Tonight a life was put at risk for foolish reasons, and if other people can learn from that mistake, then, in a way, does it really matter if people stare at you in corridors a little?" Minerva nodded subduedly, although Severus looked as if it DID matter, but he didn't really want to say anything.

"I guess we deserve it." Minerva accepted.

"Yes, well, everyone makes mistakes," he smiled. "Now, if I draft a letter to the school board this evening, we may have a reply by tomorrow," he said, as if drawing their conversation to an end. "I'll get started. Could you please inform Misters Weasley and Potter and Miss Granger that they are to go back to their dormitories and request their silence for a while longer?"

"Yes, certainly," Minerva agreed, racked with nerves, but not willing to show it. She stood to follow Severus, who was already almost out of the room. At the door, she paused, and turned around. In the corridor outside, she heard Severus telling Harry, Ron and Hermione to 'clear off and keep quiet' but there was something she needed to ask. "Albus?" she started.

"Yes," he smiled, looking up from the parchment infront of him, which he was already starting to write upon.

"You know-you know when you leant us that cottage?" he nodded. "Did you…know?"

"What makes you ask that?" he asked, amused.

"Oh come on, I know you Albus. You wouldn't forget that there was only one bedroom without a reason."

"To be honest, no, I didn't know." She looked a little confused. "If I had known, there would have been no need for the confrontation earlier would there?"

"Well, no, I suppose not. Forget I asked, it was a silly question anyway." She turned to leave.

"Minerva?"

"Yes?"

"It was a hunch." There was an unmistakable twinkle in his eye. He got up and crossed the room to her, clasping her hands in his. "I wish you both all the best, and I hope you're very happy. Perhaps in future there need not be so much fuss over Quidditch timetables?"

"Oh I don't know about that!" she laughed, as she left the room slowly, then hurried down the corridor to catch up with Severus.

"So." She said, catching up with him, and walking at his side.

"So." He said, sounding a little unnerved.

"I suppose now we just have to wait." She murmered.

"They'd better reply quickly, I can't wait long."

"We may have to," she reminded him. "It's all up to them now."

"Which doesn't really say a lot." He muttered.

"Yes, well, they'll do what they think is best," she said as if trying to reassure herself.

"Yeah," he replied weakly. "So I suppose we just have to hope that they think it best that no one knows."

"I don't see that happening." She said briskly. "Don't kid yourself, someone could have died, this isn't something they're going to take lightly. We're going to have to prepare ourselves for a worse-worse situation."

"Which would be-?"

"I don't know…..they decide that the school body needs to be informed and we end up being stared at everywhere we go for the rest of our lives?" In spite of the situation, she laughed a little. He, however, didn't seem to find it funny. "Oh for Gods sake, don't be so serious! It could very well happen, and if it does and you go about handling it like you are now, well, then, well-"

"Do you have an end to that sentence?"

"No!"

"Didn't think so." They both fell quiet for a while, as they walked.

"Thank you." She said, breaking the silence.

"For what?" He asked.

"Earlier. When you hugged me. I got a little carried away, it meant a lot to me."

"Yeah, well, women crying, makes me uncomfortable," He said gruffly.

"Well, thank you anyway." She stopped, as she realised they'd reached a corner and they both needed to go separate ways.

"Okay, so, saying the whole worse-worse situation comes true, what do we do?" He asked, sounding slightly more collected than he had done for the most of the evening.

"We take it one day at a time, and if anyone stares, we stare right back and creep them out," she said, leaning against him, too tired to even laugh. He just took her hand and she squeezed reassuringly.

"Aren't I supposed to be the one reassuring you?" he asked.

"You did that earlier, now it's my turn. Although I wouldn't say no to a hug if you're offering." So he hugged her.

"We're going to be okay," he muttered, as he kissed the top of her head, then let her go and walked away slowly. Somehow, those five words filled her with more relief than the rest of the conversation put together.

The next morning, pupils filed into the Great Hall as normal. They started to eat their breakfast as normal. And the owls arrived with the post as normal. But what no one noticed, was that Professor's Snape and McGonagall were acting anything but normal. Neither had slept for more than an hour the previous night, and both were on the edge of their seats, hoping, praying for a response from the school board, so that, even if they were told that the school must be informed of their relationship, at least they would know.

As a large snowy owl fluttered down to Dumbledore's side, both were on tenterhooks as he examined the envelopes. After a moment of sifting through them, he handed a large brown one to Professor McGonagall.

"I think that has what you're after inside," he smiled encouragingly as she took it from him.

She leant towards Snape as she prised the letter inside out and spread it on the table between them. It read:

Albus,

Well that certainly is startling news! I have contacted the rest of the school board, and we all agree that, whilst it is quite obvious that neither professors intended for anyone to be hurt, they did make a rather severe mistake, and we feel that it is in the best interest of the Hogwarts pupils for them to be informed about this. We hope that you will handle the situation with discretion and wish the pair all the best.

Yours,

(insert name here, I'm too tired to make one up!)