Beginning of the End
Authors: Starchild and Saavik
Chapter Twelve: I Shut My Eyes In Order To See
***Disclaimer*** See Chapter Seven.
When you see // ..// it means the person is thinking and not talking.
********* Albus was getting too old for this. The AMA talks had not gone smoothly. They had not wanted to let Cat out of their sight. They believed she had to have something to do with the attack. They did not trust her. The fact that she, a mere muggle, had survived seemed to fuel their paranoia. When Dumbledore told them she would be going back to England with him, they had almost arrested her just to keep her in their jurisdiction.
Only after Veritaserum did they agree to let her leave. Although they still refused to except Stephan's use of a love potion as truth. The veritaserum just proved Joseph had told her of his findings, not the validity of them. And since he had taken the caldron and its contents with him to the now ruined school, there was no proof. The AMA agreed that no one would use a love potion that required daily doses. This also confused Albus. There were many more efficient and less complex potions which effects were permanent, why make one that required constant use?
Cat herself supplied the answer. Her nightly hot chocolate sessions. Sometimes Stephan would leave and not make it. He would then come home and enjoy the effect of a 'free' Cat. Stephan liked the idea that she stayed of her own free will. He knew that left to her own devises for too long, Cat would leave him. But she took her vows to seriously to leave without at least trying to work it out. So he could fight with her than drug her. No matter what he said, or how he treated her, after the potion she would crawl back for more.
Dumbledore shook his head. //Stephan has to be involved in this somehow. Why would he disappear just before the school was attacked? And by the pictures I've seen, he bares a striking resemblance to Salvianus. What did that old codger do? I don't see any of Larena in him; perhaps Salvianus . wouldn't surprise me. The man goes and has an affair on my sister and then brings a child into the world. Then sends the little one off to play spy. Makes sense. Just like Salvianus. Larena, what did you ever see in him?//
Shaking his head, Dumbledore put thoughts of his long dead sibling out of his mind. He turned to the fireplace. He had been gone for over a week. His daily owls to Minerva had made it clear that everything was going smoothly in America, if not quickly. He knew he would be in the States for a while longer and Minerva would need to be told what to do in preparation for the coming year.
Throwing some powder into the fireplace, Albus waited for Minerva to answer his call. "Albus! Are you returning yet?" "No, Minerva my dear. I have yet more work, I am afraid. I was calling to see what, if any, help you needed from me to get Hogwarts ready for the coming term?"
"Oh Albus, you will be back in time to do that won't you?"
"I fear not. The AMA is behaving remarkably similar to the MOM. I am beginning to wonder if I should compare Cornelius's ancestry to that of Director Edwards. I believe I may have discovered long lost family for the man."
Minerva looked ill at the thought of more Fudge's running around. "Well, Albus, let me think. We have a little over a month till classes start. The house-elves have the food well in hand. The cleaning has been done and anti-dust charms in place for weeks. The train crew contacted me yesterday to say they will be ready. The course curriculums need to be reviewed and start of term rule changes discussed. We still need a DADA teacher and a muggles studies professor."
"Contact Remus. Now that we have formally broken from the ministry we should be able to hire him without a problem. Tell him to bring Snuffles. He will understand. Oh, and I have a muggle studies instructor. She was teaching here at Armstrong's. Her class was the only one to survive. I believe she could use a change of scenery. As for the rules and curriculums, try a staff meeting. No matter how much Severus grumbles he will attend."
"Will the parents stand for a werewolf teaching? And can we trust this new instructor?"
"The parents can deal with it or transfer their students. A war is coming Minerva, and we need the students to be prepared. It is not us that will be on the frontlines. I want them to have a chance. Remus will make sure they know what to do. And as for Cat, I trust her like I trust Hagrid." With this Albus said goodbye to Minerva and went for tea.
*******
Back at Hogwarts:
Minerva sat back in her chair. //Trust her like Hagrid. By Merlin this is going to be a problem. ..... I miss him.// Minerva rose from her chair and went to look out the window. She hated being separated from Albus. His age worried her. She knew she did not have much longer to be with him and the stress of fighting a war was not helping matters. Sighing she went back to her paperwork. She had kept many of the problems from the Headmaster in his absence. //No need to worry him. Just tell him enough so he knows I am not lying but not enough to cause him undue concern.// Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock.
"Come in. Ahh, Severus. I was about to come look for you." Snape's eyebrow rose. "I need to call a staff meeting before term. Will you please take care of it? With Albus gone I can't seem to find time to do the Headmaster's jobs as well as mine as Deputy Headmistress."
"Not a problem Minerva. I will get started after we talk." Snape's easy expectance put McGonagall on edge. She had expected a fight or at least smugness. "What about?"
"Potter and Longbottom."
"WHAT did they do." Minerva's voice seemed tired and all too ready to defend her students.
"Nothing, yet. Potter is worrying me. He seems to be, well, stressed. And Longbottom is not handling things well either. Perhaps they should be sent home."
"Look, we need help. Professor Sprout can't go on alone, and you are up to your neck in work. I know you and Potter do not get on, but please work around it. And Neville should never even have to see you."
"Minerva that is not the point. These are children. They are just turning sixteen. Perhaps we should not be asking them to help in the fight. They need to grow up. Merlin Minerva, I know what it is like to lose a childhood. Can we not afford to let them have theirs?"
"You are not getting rid of them that easy Snape. You are just upset that two Gryffindors were chosen instead of Slytherins. Enough. Do your job and I will do mine." Minerva pushed Severus out into the hall. He stormed off to his dungeons. //That man will stop at nothing to infuriate me.//
//That woman is insufferable. To think I actually tried to HELP her students and that is the thanks I get. Bloody hag.//
A/N: They hate each other. Severus and Minerva that is. Minerva will not be portrayed as all nicey nice in this either. She is just as anti-Slytherin as Severus appears to be anti-Griffindor. And yes Albus and Minerva are getting it on. No explicate details are planned, just humor ones. Enjoy. R & R or the Stormtroopers will come for you.
LL&P Saavik
Authors: Starchild and Saavik
Chapter Twelve: I Shut My Eyes In Order To See
***Disclaimer*** See Chapter Seven.
When you see // ..// it means the person is thinking and not talking.
********* Albus was getting too old for this. The AMA talks had not gone smoothly. They had not wanted to let Cat out of their sight. They believed she had to have something to do with the attack. They did not trust her. The fact that she, a mere muggle, had survived seemed to fuel their paranoia. When Dumbledore told them she would be going back to England with him, they had almost arrested her just to keep her in their jurisdiction.
Only after Veritaserum did they agree to let her leave. Although they still refused to except Stephan's use of a love potion as truth. The veritaserum just proved Joseph had told her of his findings, not the validity of them. And since he had taken the caldron and its contents with him to the now ruined school, there was no proof. The AMA agreed that no one would use a love potion that required daily doses. This also confused Albus. There were many more efficient and less complex potions which effects were permanent, why make one that required constant use?
Cat herself supplied the answer. Her nightly hot chocolate sessions. Sometimes Stephan would leave and not make it. He would then come home and enjoy the effect of a 'free' Cat. Stephan liked the idea that she stayed of her own free will. He knew that left to her own devises for too long, Cat would leave him. But she took her vows to seriously to leave without at least trying to work it out. So he could fight with her than drug her. No matter what he said, or how he treated her, after the potion she would crawl back for more.
Dumbledore shook his head. //Stephan has to be involved in this somehow. Why would he disappear just before the school was attacked? And by the pictures I've seen, he bares a striking resemblance to Salvianus. What did that old codger do? I don't see any of Larena in him; perhaps Salvianus . wouldn't surprise me. The man goes and has an affair on my sister and then brings a child into the world. Then sends the little one off to play spy. Makes sense. Just like Salvianus. Larena, what did you ever see in him?//
Shaking his head, Dumbledore put thoughts of his long dead sibling out of his mind. He turned to the fireplace. He had been gone for over a week. His daily owls to Minerva had made it clear that everything was going smoothly in America, if not quickly. He knew he would be in the States for a while longer and Minerva would need to be told what to do in preparation for the coming year.
Throwing some powder into the fireplace, Albus waited for Minerva to answer his call. "Albus! Are you returning yet?" "No, Minerva my dear. I have yet more work, I am afraid. I was calling to see what, if any, help you needed from me to get Hogwarts ready for the coming term?"
"Oh Albus, you will be back in time to do that won't you?"
"I fear not. The AMA is behaving remarkably similar to the MOM. I am beginning to wonder if I should compare Cornelius's ancestry to that of Director Edwards. I believe I may have discovered long lost family for the man."
Minerva looked ill at the thought of more Fudge's running around. "Well, Albus, let me think. We have a little over a month till classes start. The house-elves have the food well in hand. The cleaning has been done and anti-dust charms in place for weeks. The train crew contacted me yesterday to say they will be ready. The course curriculums need to be reviewed and start of term rule changes discussed. We still need a DADA teacher and a muggles studies professor."
"Contact Remus. Now that we have formally broken from the ministry we should be able to hire him without a problem. Tell him to bring Snuffles. He will understand. Oh, and I have a muggle studies instructor. She was teaching here at Armstrong's. Her class was the only one to survive. I believe she could use a change of scenery. As for the rules and curriculums, try a staff meeting. No matter how much Severus grumbles he will attend."
"Will the parents stand for a werewolf teaching? And can we trust this new instructor?"
"The parents can deal with it or transfer their students. A war is coming Minerva, and we need the students to be prepared. It is not us that will be on the frontlines. I want them to have a chance. Remus will make sure they know what to do. And as for Cat, I trust her like I trust Hagrid." With this Albus said goodbye to Minerva and went for tea.
*******
Back at Hogwarts:
Minerva sat back in her chair. //Trust her like Hagrid. By Merlin this is going to be a problem. ..... I miss him.// Minerva rose from her chair and went to look out the window. She hated being separated from Albus. His age worried her. She knew she did not have much longer to be with him and the stress of fighting a war was not helping matters. Sighing she went back to her paperwork. She had kept many of the problems from the Headmaster in his absence. //No need to worry him. Just tell him enough so he knows I am not lying but not enough to cause him undue concern.// Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock.
"Come in. Ahh, Severus. I was about to come look for you." Snape's eyebrow rose. "I need to call a staff meeting before term. Will you please take care of it? With Albus gone I can't seem to find time to do the Headmaster's jobs as well as mine as Deputy Headmistress."
"Not a problem Minerva. I will get started after we talk." Snape's easy expectance put McGonagall on edge. She had expected a fight or at least smugness. "What about?"
"Potter and Longbottom."
"WHAT did they do." Minerva's voice seemed tired and all too ready to defend her students.
"Nothing, yet. Potter is worrying me. He seems to be, well, stressed. And Longbottom is not handling things well either. Perhaps they should be sent home."
"Look, we need help. Professor Sprout can't go on alone, and you are up to your neck in work. I know you and Potter do not get on, but please work around it. And Neville should never even have to see you."
"Minerva that is not the point. These are children. They are just turning sixteen. Perhaps we should not be asking them to help in the fight. They need to grow up. Merlin Minerva, I know what it is like to lose a childhood. Can we not afford to let them have theirs?"
"You are not getting rid of them that easy Snape. You are just upset that two Gryffindors were chosen instead of Slytherins. Enough. Do your job and I will do mine." Minerva pushed Severus out into the hall. He stormed off to his dungeons. //That man will stop at nothing to infuriate me.//
//That woman is insufferable. To think I actually tried to HELP her students and that is the thanks I get. Bloody hag.//
A/N: They hate each other. Severus and Minerva that is. Minerva will not be portrayed as all nicey nice in this either. She is just as anti-Slytherin as Severus appears to be anti-Griffindor. And yes Albus and Minerva are getting it on. No explicate details are planned, just humor ones. Enjoy. R & R or the Stormtroopers will come for you.
LL&P Saavik