Chapter Two: Grandfather Arrives
The five of us stood waiting. A few minutes after Father took down the wards, there was a small 'pop' and our grandfather stood before us. Whatever I had expected, it was certainly not what I saw before me. My grandfather was tall, taller even than my father, and very thin. His black hair was neatly combed, and it met his shoulders. His visage was firm, making it quite clear that he was not a man to be crossed, but in his solid black eyes a flicker of warmth glowed. All in all, he looked very much like my father.
"Father." My father greeted him. "May I take your cloak, sir?" He extended his hand.
"Jardin." Drawled my grandfather, "How wonderful to see you again." He took off his cloak and handed it to my father. Then, he walked over to my siblings and I. He smiled at Siri, and the result was startling. It made him look younger, and kinder.
"Ah, you must be young Sirindia. Am I correct?"
She nodded timidly. "Yes, sir. Sirindia Nichele Snape." For whatever reason, Father had instructed us to introduce to Grandfather our full names. Grandfather smiled at her once more and moved to Lucas.
"Lucas Ian Snape, sir." Lucas bowed slightly, earning a quiet chuckle from Grandfather.
"He is very much like you, Jardin." Grandfather said to Father.
When Grandfather turned to me, I smiled at him.
"Hello, Grandfather." I said respectfully.
"Hello, young lady. Remylia, I presume?"
"Yes, Grandfather. Remylia Elisabeth Snape."
"That leaves you, young man." Grandfather said to Draco.
"Draco Dimitri Snape, sir. A pleasure."
"Indeed it is, boy. Indeed it is."
"Children, will you please wait in the lounge while I show your grandfather to his room?" Father asked us.
"Of course, Father."
We all stepped into the lounge and took seats.
"Well, he wasn't at all what I expected." Draco stated.
"I was thinking the same thing." I replied.
"He seemed nice." Said Siri.
"Yes, he did." Lucas said thoughtfully.
"We shall see." Draco said pensively.
The four of us sat talking about Grandfather and what our general first impressions were until we heard Father and Grandfather approaching. We all jumped from our seats, and stood awaiting their entrance.
"It is good to see you have taken care of the place, Jardin." Grandfather was saying.
"Of course, Father." Replied our father.
Our grandfather glanced around the room before he and father took their seats. Only then did my siblings and I sit. Grandfather looked at us, silently for a moment, and then spoke.
"Do all of you attend Hogwarts?" asked Grandfather.
"Yes, sir." Replied Draco, " Siri will be starting her first year this term." "Is that right? And what about you, Draco?"
"I will be starting my seventh year, Grandfather." Said Draco.
"Ah. And have you any ideas on what you would like to do after graduation?"
Draco nodded. "Yes, sir. I want to continue my study in Potions and become a Potions master."
Grandfather nodded in approval. He turned to Father. "It would appear that he had inherited the family interest in Potions, Jardin."
"Indeed it would, Father." My father respectfully replied.
"What about you, Remylia? You are due to begin your sixth year, is that correct?"
"It is, Grandfather." I nodded.
"Do you know yet what you would be interested in doing after your graduation?" he asked me.
"Yes, Grandfather. I would like to work for the Ministry, sir, in the Department for the Development of Experimental Charms."
"Indeed." Grandfather said approvingly, "That is a field in great need of new ideas. If I can take your father at his word, you would do well there."
"She is one of the best students Hogwarts has seen since Hermione Granger, Father." My father said, a proud smile creeping across his face.
"Is that so?" Grandfather fixed his piercing gaze on my siblings and I once more. "Perhaps it is even absurd of my to ask, but which house do you children belong to?" His cool, deep voice was directed to Draco, Lucas, and I.
"Slytherin, Grandfather. All of us." I replied.
"Excellent." My grandfather said.
Grandfather then began talking about his time teaching at Hogwarts, and my siblings and I listened respectfully, only speaking if he directed a question our way. Grandfather's eyes seemed to hold a content, peaceful sparkle as he spoke of his days as the Potions Master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Our grandfather did not at all seem the man that the world has made him out to be, and I was becoming less worried by the second. Then, Grandfather asked who the current professors at Hogwarts were, and my elder brother and I exchanged a glance. We knew very well that many of our professors had been taught under our grandfather, as well that most of them had not been well-liked by him.
The five of us stood waiting. A few minutes after Father took down the wards, there was a small 'pop' and our grandfather stood before us. Whatever I had expected, it was certainly not what I saw before me. My grandfather was tall, taller even than my father, and very thin. His black hair was neatly combed, and it met his shoulders. His visage was firm, making it quite clear that he was not a man to be crossed, but in his solid black eyes a flicker of warmth glowed. All in all, he looked very much like my father.
"Father." My father greeted him. "May I take your cloak, sir?" He extended his hand.
"Jardin." Drawled my grandfather, "How wonderful to see you again." He took off his cloak and handed it to my father. Then, he walked over to my siblings and I. He smiled at Siri, and the result was startling. It made him look younger, and kinder.
"Ah, you must be young Sirindia. Am I correct?"
She nodded timidly. "Yes, sir. Sirindia Nichele Snape." For whatever reason, Father had instructed us to introduce to Grandfather our full names. Grandfather smiled at her once more and moved to Lucas.
"Lucas Ian Snape, sir." Lucas bowed slightly, earning a quiet chuckle from Grandfather.
"He is very much like you, Jardin." Grandfather said to Father.
When Grandfather turned to me, I smiled at him.
"Hello, Grandfather." I said respectfully.
"Hello, young lady. Remylia, I presume?"
"Yes, Grandfather. Remylia Elisabeth Snape."
"That leaves you, young man." Grandfather said to Draco.
"Draco Dimitri Snape, sir. A pleasure."
"Indeed it is, boy. Indeed it is."
"Children, will you please wait in the lounge while I show your grandfather to his room?" Father asked us.
"Of course, Father."
We all stepped into the lounge and took seats.
"Well, he wasn't at all what I expected." Draco stated.
"I was thinking the same thing." I replied.
"He seemed nice." Said Siri.
"Yes, he did." Lucas said thoughtfully.
"We shall see." Draco said pensively.
The four of us sat talking about Grandfather and what our general first impressions were until we heard Father and Grandfather approaching. We all jumped from our seats, and stood awaiting their entrance.
"It is good to see you have taken care of the place, Jardin." Grandfather was saying.
"Of course, Father." Replied our father.
Our grandfather glanced around the room before he and father took their seats. Only then did my siblings and I sit. Grandfather looked at us, silently for a moment, and then spoke.
"Do all of you attend Hogwarts?" asked Grandfather.
"Yes, sir." Replied Draco, " Siri will be starting her first year this term." "Is that right? And what about you, Draco?"
"I will be starting my seventh year, Grandfather." Said Draco.
"Ah. And have you any ideas on what you would like to do after graduation?"
Draco nodded. "Yes, sir. I want to continue my study in Potions and become a Potions master."
Grandfather nodded in approval. He turned to Father. "It would appear that he had inherited the family interest in Potions, Jardin."
"Indeed it would, Father." My father respectfully replied.
"What about you, Remylia? You are due to begin your sixth year, is that correct?"
"It is, Grandfather." I nodded.
"Do you know yet what you would be interested in doing after your graduation?" he asked me.
"Yes, Grandfather. I would like to work for the Ministry, sir, in the Department for the Development of Experimental Charms."
"Indeed." Grandfather said approvingly, "That is a field in great need of new ideas. If I can take your father at his word, you would do well there."
"She is one of the best students Hogwarts has seen since Hermione Granger, Father." My father said, a proud smile creeping across his face.
"Is that so?" Grandfather fixed his piercing gaze on my siblings and I once more. "Perhaps it is even absurd of my to ask, but which house do you children belong to?" His cool, deep voice was directed to Draco, Lucas, and I.
"Slytherin, Grandfather. All of us." I replied.
"Excellent." My grandfather said.
Grandfather then began talking about his time teaching at Hogwarts, and my siblings and I listened respectfully, only speaking if he directed a question our way. Grandfather's eyes seemed to hold a content, peaceful sparkle as he spoke of his days as the Potions Master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Our grandfather did not at all seem the man that the world has made him out to be, and I was becoming less worried by the second. Then, Grandfather asked who the current professors at Hogwarts were, and my elder brother and I exchanged a glance. We knew very well that many of our professors had been taught under our grandfather, as well that most of them had not been well-liked by him.