One Man's Favor, Another's Fear
Since the news of Voldemort's return had gotten out countless numbers of people had flown in and out of Hogwarts to speak with its headmaster, Professor Dumbldore. So when Severus heard his students whispering right before class was over, as they were cleaning up that some very important guests were expected today he paid it no mind. "Just another batch of those stuffy foreign ambassadors of good will, oh goody! Now I'll have to sit through another of those boring as hell banquets where you can't understand half the things the people are saying because to communicate from one person to the other took five extra people because they all speak only one language and none are the same."
Flopping down in the chair behind his desk he placed his head in his hands, raised his eyes to the ceiling and hissed with mock enthusiasm, "well I guess it's just another fun filled day at Hogwarts!" But aside from all that he was still troubled by his vision. How could this person be coming back, when Severus was sure that he'd done a pretty thorough job of banishing this person from his life. It had been almost twenty years since that fateful day. The day when he had managed to alienate the only person who had ever truly cared about him. She had learned his secret like all the rest and had fled from him in horror; she could not possibly have any contact with a man of his repute. Her departure had almost crushed him. But now, now she was coming back and did not think he could face her again. This was the thought that had been tormenting him for the past forty-eight hours. A thousand questions were running through his head, "what was she doing here?" "Did she know he was here?" "Was she still disgusted and repelled by him?" "Did she know that he had changed?" "Would she even acknowledge him?" And the list went on and on, "Why, why, why, WHY!" "What, what, what, WHAT!" "How, how, how, HOW!" Until he felt his brain would burst. She was the only one who could give him answers, but how could he be sure that the moment she saw him she wouldn't run away, or snub him, or slap him clear across the face as she had done once or twice in the past.
And so he sat at his desk for a good half-hour contemplating, trying to sort out the mob of thoughts and emotions till he thought he might just kick a hole in the wall from pure exasperation. But before he could implement his grand plan of causing the school to collapse by kicking through the foundation he was interrupted by a knock at his classroom door. He lifted his head and just barely found his oh so charming sarcastic to hiss, "Come in." (Severus had to be sarcastic about everything, it was his shield to disguise his misery and loneliness.)
Severus came out from around his desk to tower over the tiny second year that had just entered his classroom. "Please professor, Professor Dumbldore requests that you join him and the other professors out on the castle steps to greet the new guests." "Oh course" Snape muttered to himself. "You may inform the headmaster that I shall be up as soon as I can and that I am terribly sorry if my teaching preparations inconvenience him!" The little second year found nothing to answer Snape's last remark without seeming disrespectful. So it was with those words and with one of Snape's ever famous sneers that he left the classroom, determined not to tell the head master the second part of Severus's message.
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Severus took his time making his way up to the front steps, first making sure that he was wearing his work robes, which were in the worst condition. He wanted to put these ambassadors in their place, let them know exactly where they stood in eyes of Severus Snape, the greatest spy never known.
When he reached the front doors he stopped a few paces sort to examine himself in a full-length mirror that hung on the wall to his right. "Let's see," he said to himself. "Greasy hair, check." "Classic sneer, check." "Frayed collar and sleeves, check." "Dirtied robe, check." "And my favorite; disemboweling shoes, check!" And with that he stepped away from the mirror and opened the doors to file into the back of the clump of chattering teachers (all except professor Binns of course!).
They stood waiting like this for another half-hour or so before Dumbldore stood up from the front step where he'd been sitting and announced with no uncertain delight, "They're coming!" Every other teacher seemed to take up the headmaster's delight, you could even detect a note of life Binns. "What's so grand about another! Group of ambassadors, particularly ones who can't even manage to show up on time!" Well this was what he got for missing all those campy staff meetings in favor of sulking in his office and feeling sorrow for himself.
It wasn't long before four horseless carriages could be seen charging toward the school at break neck speed. Severus heard Professor McGonagull mutter, "My they're an offal large group, where will be able to keep them all?" "Well none of 'em are staying in my dungeon, no sir." "I'll have slap happy fresh water fish freak taking up what little space I have as it is." Severus thought. He had begun to rock back and forth on the balls of his feet with impatience. He had a thousand other things to yet today, (besides feeling sorry for himself). And here he was standing outside in the bitter November air waiting for people he didn't know, and most likely didn't want to know, to talk about something he'd rather not think about, and all on his free time!
The carriages slammed to a haul about two yards form the castle steps. Immediately Dumbldore jumped up and beat the footman who'd been riding at the back of the last carriage to the door. He courteously assisted each passenger out, but there seemed to be an air of impatience in his manner, which was most unlike him. Severus decided that he had fulfilled his duty, he would be formally introduced to all the "Sirs, Madams, and I didn't quite catch your names" tonight at the feast. It was not his responsibility to tote all the excess these people had brought with them. He had no further purpose here and with that decided he turned on his heels and went back inside.
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However had Severus stayed but a few moments longer he would have been able to witness the last passenger of the last carriage. A slight person draped in a light dark green velvet cape step from the carriage into Dumbldore's arms as they encircled the figure in a tight affectionate embrace. And had Severus waited for the visitors to ascend the steps and walk past him he would have been able to catch the slight scent of Freesia among the throng of people.
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So, what do you guys think, I'm more than happy to take suggestions. Sorry if it's kinda sappy, but hey, it's my first fic and I got time to improve.
Till next time J
P.S.
Special thanks to Moxie for helping me get on, You're the best