Snaps For Severus!
Chapter Two: The Silver Chalice Of Doom
The sight that met Severus when he opened the door was surprising for
a number of reasons. One was that the whole of the Hogwarts staff was
there, looking tired and rather unenthusiastic. Another was that Lupin was
there. Though he was a member of The Order, he was no longer a Hogwarts
staff member, and therefore should not have been invading this usually
lycanthrope-free vicinity. The last strange thing was the expression on
Dumbledore's face; instead of looking somber and professional as he usually
did when discussing the war against Voldemort, he was smiling and looking
as excited as a kid in a candy store.
"Severus!" he said, striding over to greet the potions professor. "So
glad that you're here! Everyone's here then? Yes? Well, I believe we can
get started now. Have a seat, Severus, you look exhausted." He beckoned
toward the one of the lime green velvet couches that were situated around a
small wooden conference table in the middle of the staff room. Severus took
a seat, situating himself as far away from the rest of the meeting's
attendees, Lupin especially, as he could. "Lemon drop, Severus?" offered
Dumbledore, levitating a dish of small yellow candies toward Severus. "No
thank you, Headmaster," he declined, and the dish came to rest on the
table.
Severus turned toward Lupin, sneering. "Why are you here, Lupin?" he
asked. "Are they all out of vacancies at the kennel?"
Lupin smiled wearily. "No, Severus," he said. "Professor Dumbledore
requested my presence, so here I am."
Remus Lupin. Always the gentleman. Always finding a tactful way to avoid
confrontation. Severus hated him.
"I realize Remus is no longer a Hogwarts staff member," Dumbledore cut in,
"But I asked him to join us today since some of us will be working in close
proximity with him in, ah, other pursuits." He glanced briefly at the
ornate tapestry of a phoenix on the staff room wall.
"May I inquire as to why you called us all here today?" asked
Severus, growing impatient. "Yes. I was just getting to that," said
Dumbledore. "As you all know," he said, addressing the rest of the staff
and Lupin. "The Wizarding world has seen better days. We seem to be at a
bit of a crossroads in the fight against Voldemort." Some of the staff
shuddered at the name, but Dumbledore chose to ignore this and continued.
"But we have all been working tirelessly to aid in the battle. Every one of
you has been an enormous help, and for that, I thank you." Dumbledore
smiled at them, and they smiled back. It was a touching moment, really.
Severus almost threw up in his mouth.
"And so," Dumbledore went on, "I think we all deserve to have a bit
of fun." Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no. This was it. This was what the ominous
feeling was about. Severus wasn't prepared for this. He knew he wasn't. For
he had experienced, first-hand, from many a Hogwarts staff Christmas party,
just what the Headmaster's idea of "fun" was, and he didn't like it. He
didn't like it at all.
Severus wasn't alone in his feeling of apprehension. Flitwick was
clutching his stomach as though he'd been impaled there with a knife, the
line of McGonagall's mouth was as thin as a unicorn's tail hair, and even
Lupin looked as if he'd been informed that the next full moon was coming a
week early.
"What I have planned isn't just about fun, though," continued the
Headmaster, apparently undaunted by the looks on his colleague's faces.
"This shall be a teamwork building activity!" Flitwick groaned audibly, as
if feeling unimaginable pain. "I believe we can be so much more effective
as teachers and as warriors for the side of good if we learn to work
together as a unit!" Hagrid began wringing his beard, his eyes darting
wildly around the staff room as though searching for a way out.
"And what..." stammered McGonagall, "What exactly do you have
planned?"
"Well, my dear Minerva, I believe that instead of wasting words
telling you, I shall show you. Sight tight, everyone. I will return
shortly." And he hurried out the door.
Filch clasped his hands over his head. "Merciful God, please take me now!"
he mumbled. "Well," said Lupin, wringing his hands. "This, ah. This might
not be so bad." Severus snorted. The poor naïve bastard.
In no time at all Dumbledore was back, carrying what looked like something
out a Care Bear wine tasting festival. It was a large silver goblet
festooned in pink. "This," said Dumbledore, setting the chalice down on the
table in triumph, "is my Snap Cup!"
Chapter Two: The Silver Chalice Of Doom
The sight that met Severus when he opened the door was surprising for
a number of reasons. One was that the whole of the Hogwarts staff was
there, looking tired and rather unenthusiastic. Another was that Lupin was
there. Though he was a member of The Order, he was no longer a Hogwarts
staff member, and therefore should not have been invading this usually
lycanthrope-free vicinity. The last strange thing was the expression on
Dumbledore's face; instead of looking somber and professional as he usually
did when discussing the war against Voldemort, he was smiling and looking
as excited as a kid in a candy store.
"Severus!" he said, striding over to greet the potions professor. "So
glad that you're here! Everyone's here then? Yes? Well, I believe we can
get started now. Have a seat, Severus, you look exhausted." He beckoned
toward the one of the lime green velvet couches that were situated around a
small wooden conference table in the middle of the staff room. Severus took
a seat, situating himself as far away from the rest of the meeting's
attendees, Lupin especially, as he could. "Lemon drop, Severus?" offered
Dumbledore, levitating a dish of small yellow candies toward Severus. "No
thank you, Headmaster," he declined, and the dish came to rest on the
table.
Severus turned toward Lupin, sneering. "Why are you here, Lupin?" he
asked. "Are they all out of vacancies at the kennel?"
Lupin smiled wearily. "No, Severus," he said. "Professor Dumbledore
requested my presence, so here I am."
Remus Lupin. Always the gentleman. Always finding a tactful way to avoid
confrontation. Severus hated him.
"I realize Remus is no longer a Hogwarts staff member," Dumbledore cut in,
"But I asked him to join us today since some of us will be working in close
proximity with him in, ah, other pursuits." He glanced briefly at the
ornate tapestry of a phoenix on the staff room wall.
"May I inquire as to why you called us all here today?" asked
Severus, growing impatient. "Yes. I was just getting to that," said
Dumbledore. "As you all know," he said, addressing the rest of the staff
and Lupin. "The Wizarding world has seen better days. We seem to be at a
bit of a crossroads in the fight against Voldemort." Some of the staff
shuddered at the name, but Dumbledore chose to ignore this and continued.
"But we have all been working tirelessly to aid in the battle. Every one of
you has been an enormous help, and for that, I thank you." Dumbledore
smiled at them, and they smiled back. It was a touching moment, really.
Severus almost threw up in his mouth.
"And so," Dumbledore went on, "I think we all deserve to have a bit
of fun." Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no. This was it. This was what the ominous
feeling was about. Severus wasn't prepared for this. He knew he wasn't. For
he had experienced, first-hand, from many a Hogwarts staff Christmas party,
just what the Headmaster's idea of "fun" was, and he didn't like it. He
didn't like it at all.
Severus wasn't alone in his feeling of apprehension. Flitwick was
clutching his stomach as though he'd been impaled there with a knife, the
line of McGonagall's mouth was as thin as a unicorn's tail hair, and even
Lupin looked as if he'd been informed that the next full moon was coming a
week early.
"What I have planned isn't just about fun, though," continued the
Headmaster, apparently undaunted by the looks on his colleague's faces.
"This shall be a teamwork building activity!" Flitwick groaned audibly, as
if feeling unimaginable pain. "I believe we can be so much more effective
as teachers and as warriors for the side of good if we learn to work
together as a unit!" Hagrid began wringing his beard, his eyes darting
wildly around the staff room as though searching for a way out.
"And what..." stammered McGonagall, "What exactly do you have
planned?"
"Well, my dear Minerva, I believe that instead of wasting words
telling you, I shall show you. Sight tight, everyone. I will return
shortly." And he hurried out the door.
Filch clasped his hands over his head. "Merciful God, please take me now!"
he mumbled. "Well," said Lupin, wringing his hands. "This, ah. This might
not be so bad." Severus snorted. The poor naïve bastard.
In no time at all Dumbledore was back, carrying what looked like something
out a Care Bear wine tasting festival. It was a large silver goblet
festooned in pink. "This," said Dumbledore, setting the chalice down on the
table in triumph, "is my Snap Cup!"