Disclaimer and explanatory paragraph in last chapter, entitled 'Endnote'
1
'You wanted to see me, Albus?' inquired Professor Granger, standing in the doorway. The headmaster gestured for her to take a seat, which she accepted greatfully.
'Tell me, Hermione, how have lessons been going so far? Are the students giving you a hard time?' he asked, pouring out two cups of an exotic-smelling tea. He handed one to Hermine, who took it in both hands and inhaled, closing her eyes to the scent of mango in her cup. She smiled.
'Yes, they have been going very well! I never had thought of myself as a teacher of charms, but things do happen, you know,' she laughed, taking a sip of her tea. Albus leaned back, chortling.
'Ah… the thoughts of youth. So often are they different from the reality of adulthood. Yes, I remember wanting to be a muggle accountant, but indeed it was not my path,' he laughed now, setting down his cup in its matching saucer. Hermione followed suit.
'What did you call me here for, Albus? For a casual cup of tea? Or is there something more you wish to discuss,' she sat forward, awaiting his answer. Albus looked towards the window of his office, where Fawks was basking in the beams of light. He sighed.
'Yes. There is another matter I'm afraid we must attend to. Before I continue, however, I need your solid word that what we speak of here will never be herd outside these walls,' his eyes bore deep into hers, drilling the importance of the subject in hand into her skull. She shook her head.
'I do solomly promise to never let the information disclosed here to ever leave this room,' she stated, leaning back into her chair when finished. Albus smiled and tapped his knee nervously.
'Excelent. Very good. Now down to business. Hermione, I'm sure you are aware that Voldermort has yet to be defeated, am I correct?' he asked with a sigh.
'Yes, you are quite correct, Albus. Continue,' she waved him on.
'Well, the Ministry and I have been working on a plan to finally defeat the Dark Lord, and I was wondering if, in addition, you must understand, to your teaching, you could help us with the small matter of concocting a plan to dispose of Lord Voldermort.' Ablus leaned back, studying Hermione's expression of thought.
'Why, yes. I am very happy you thought of me in this matter! I will do whatever it takes, I assure you! Harry, as you well know, is a good friend of mine still, and I would like to think I helped a great deal in helping him lead a normal life once more.' She smiled, eager to hear the plan.
'Very well then. I'll have Severus see you as soon as possible about this matter, then.' Hermione was stunned.
'I'm sorry, Albus; Did you say Severus? Isn't he… the Dark side…'
'No, no, no. Of course not. I have full trust in him, Professor Granger, and I do not intend to leave him out in the cold. Yes, he will be your working partner on this, be it a potion to lead to his downfall or a cunning trap of spells... I'm afraid you're stuck with him.' He chortled again, finishing his tea. Hermione suddenly didn't feel like drinking. Her mouth ran dry.
'If that is all, Albus, I must get back to grading papers,' she said airily, rising from her chair. She was in a state of shock. To work with her potions master? Albus smiled, and rose himself.
'Yes, that will be all. Oh, and Hermione… He's not that bad to work with, you know.'
Hermione closed the door with a click.
**
'Severus! I'm glad you could drop by!' Albus said merrily, beckoning him inside and pouring him a cup of tea. He left his own empty.
'Please, sit.'
'Good evening, Albus. A cheery tea-party, or are we here on actual business this time. I have students to put in detention, you cant possibly expect me to miss that,' he snapped sourly, setting the cup down on his saucer without taking a sip. Albus frowned jokeingly.
'Now, now, Severus. Musn't get tied up about all this. I have good news,' he exclaimed. Severus scowled at this, turning away from the headmaster.
'What now, Albus. New students? More poltergeists? Not that there's any difference, mind you.' Albus laughed, smiling.
'That's the spirit, making jokes already! Yes, I daresay the smell of my tea is making your head clear just fine.' Severus curled his lip in a growl, and drank some tea before setting it down again with a clatter.
'Cut the chit-chat, Albus. What's the good news?'
'My my, so eager. Well, I have found you a new work partner for the issue we were discussing last week… the defeat of Voldermort. I have told her you'll be speaking with her soon.' Severus looked up, startled at his words.
'Her? You mean to tell you that the fate of our world is resting in the hands of a female? God. You have gone soft,' Severus barked, burying his head in his hands. Albus frowned.
'Not at all, Severus. I mean to say that the fate of the world is resting in a very capable pair of hands. I'm speaking, of course, of the new professor, Hermione Granger. A former student, I'm sure you know.' Severus's eyes widened with disbeleaf.
'Oh, great. Now not only is there a girl, but a girl from Gryffindor. Albus- are you insane? Do you know what an absolute twit she is? For all her brain, and her textbooks, I'm sure you'll find she's nothing but a child with a good memory,' he snapped, rubbing his temples, and drinking another mouthful of tea.
'Severus, if you think her so silly and empty-headed then why in Merlin's name give her above average passing marks in potions?' Albus's eyes twinkled, and he cocked an eyebrow. Severus scowled again, and stood up.
'There are far better choices than Granger, that's for certain.'
'Oh, and is there anyone you can suggest? Draco Malfoy, maybe? We'll see if we can get him out of Azkaban for you.' Severus looked sour and gritted his teeth.
'I'll have you know, Headmaster, that Malfoy was nothing but a bastard. He used to offer sexual trades for the raise of his potions grade. And are you implying that I favour my house above others? Think again, Albus. Think again.' The venom in his voice was so unmistakenably deadly the Albus was forced to flinch. He had never raised his voice, but the velvet tone was enough to convey his hatred.
'I'm sorry, Severus. I do appologise. But I feel that Professor Granger is the woman for the job. That is final, Severus.'
'Fine. If you want to hire her, then so be it. I shall speak with her tomorrow, if I can find time in my busy schedule. But this doesn't mean I'm for this, you must realize.'
'Having you understand my methods is not the object of this whole topic, Severus; do remember that, please.'
'Good day, Albus'
The door slammed behind him, and the tired headmaster sat back, deciding that he might need that second cup of tea.
1
'You wanted to see me, Albus?' inquired Professor Granger, standing in the doorway. The headmaster gestured for her to take a seat, which she accepted greatfully.
'Tell me, Hermione, how have lessons been going so far? Are the students giving you a hard time?' he asked, pouring out two cups of an exotic-smelling tea. He handed one to Hermine, who took it in both hands and inhaled, closing her eyes to the scent of mango in her cup. She smiled.
'Yes, they have been going very well! I never had thought of myself as a teacher of charms, but things do happen, you know,' she laughed, taking a sip of her tea. Albus leaned back, chortling.
'Ah… the thoughts of youth. So often are they different from the reality of adulthood. Yes, I remember wanting to be a muggle accountant, but indeed it was not my path,' he laughed now, setting down his cup in its matching saucer. Hermione followed suit.
'What did you call me here for, Albus? For a casual cup of tea? Or is there something more you wish to discuss,' she sat forward, awaiting his answer. Albus looked towards the window of his office, where Fawks was basking in the beams of light. He sighed.
'Yes. There is another matter I'm afraid we must attend to. Before I continue, however, I need your solid word that what we speak of here will never be herd outside these walls,' his eyes bore deep into hers, drilling the importance of the subject in hand into her skull. She shook her head.
'I do solomly promise to never let the information disclosed here to ever leave this room,' she stated, leaning back into her chair when finished. Albus smiled and tapped his knee nervously.
'Excelent. Very good. Now down to business. Hermione, I'm sure you are aware that Voldermort has yet to be defeated, am I correct?' he asked with a sigh.
'Yes, you are quite correct, Albus. Continue,' she waved him on.
'Well, the Ministry and I have been working on a plan to finally defeat the Dark Lord, and I was wondering if, in addition, you must understand, to your teaching, you could help us with the small matter of concocting a plan to dispose of Lord Voldermort.' Ablus leaned back, studying Hermione's expression of thought.
'Why, yes. I am very happy you thought of me in this matter! I will do whatever it takes, I assure you! Harry, as you well know, is a good friend of mine still, and I would like to think I helped a great deal in helping him lead a normal life once more.' She smiled, eager to hear the plan.
'Very well then. I'll have Severus see you as soon as possible about this matter, then.' Hermione was stunned.
'I'm sorry, Albus; Did you say Severus? Isn't he… the Dark side…'
'No, no, no. Of course not. I have full trust in him, Professor Granger, and I do not intend to leave him out in the cold. Yes, he will be your working partner on this, be it a potion to lead to his downfall or a cunning trap of spells... I'm afraid you're stuck with him.' He chortled again, finishing his tea. Hermione suddenly didn't feel like drinking. Her mouth ran dry.
'If that is all, Albus, I must get back to grading papers,' she said airily, rising from her chair. She was in a state of shock. To work with her potions master? Albus smiled, and rose himself.
'Yes, that will be all. Oh, and Hermione… He's not that bad to work with, you know.'
Hermione closed the door with a click.
**
'Severus! I'm glad you could drop by!' Albus said merrily, beckoning him inside and pouring him a cup of tea. He left his own empty.
'Please, sit.'
'Good evening, Albus. A cheery tea-party, or are we here on actual business this time. I have students to put in detention, you cant possibly expect me to miss that,' he snapped sourly, setting the cup down on his saucer without taking a sip. Albus frowned jokeingly.
'Now, now, Severus. Musn't get tied up about all this. I have good news,' he exclaimed. Severus scowled at this, turning away from the headmaster.
'What now, Albus. New students? More poltergeists? Not that there's any difference, mind you.' Albus laughed, smiling.
'That's the spirit, making jokes already! Yes, I daresay the smell of my tea is making your head clear just fine.' Severus curled his lip in a growl, and drank some tea before setting it down again with a clatter.
'Cut the chit-chat, Albus. What's the good news?'
'My my, so eager. Well, I have found you a new work partner for the issue we were discussing last week… the defeat of Voldermort. I have told her you'll be speaking with her soon.' Severus looked up, startled at his words.
'Her? You mean to tell you that the fate of our world is resting in the hands of a female? God. You have gone soft,' Severus barked, burying his head in his hands. Albus frowned.
'Not at all, Severus. I mean to say that the fate of the world is resting in a very capable pair of hands. I'm speaking, of course, of the new professor, Hermione Granger. A former student, I'm sure you know.' Severus's eyes widened with disbeleaf.
'Oh, great. Now not only is there a girl, but a girl from Gryffindor. Albus- are you insane? Do you know what an absolute twit she is? For all her brain, and her textbooks, I'm sure you'll find she's nothing but a child with a good memory,' he snapped, rubbing his temples, and drinking another mouthful of tea.
'Severus, if you think her so silly and empty-headed then why in Merlin's name give her above average passing marks in potions?' Albus's eyes twinkled, and he cocked an eyebrow. Severus scowled again, and stood up.
'There are far better choices than Granger, that's for certain.'
'Oh, and is there anyone you can suggest? Draco Malfoy, maybe? We'll see if we can get him out of Azkaban for you.' Severus looked sour and gritted his teeth.
'I'll have you know, Headmaster, that Malfoy was nothing but a bastard. He used to offer sexual trades for the raise of his potions grade. And are you implying that I favour my house above others? Think again, Albus. Think again.' The venom in his voice was so unmistakenably deadly the Albus was forced to flinch. He had never raised his voice, but the velvet tone was enough to convey his hatred.
'I'm sorry, Severus. I do appologise. But I feel that Professor Granger is the woman for the job. That is final, Severus.'
'Fine. If you want to hire her, then so be it. I shall speak with her tomorrow, if I can find time in my busy schedule. But this doesn't mean I'm for this, you must realize.'
'Having you understand my methods is not the object of this whole topic, Severus; do remember that, please.'
'Good day, Albus'
The door slammed behind him, and the tired headmaster sat back, deciding that he might need that second cup of tea.