"Oh, Albus." Minerva sighed. "What are we going to do? I hate sitting
here doing nothing while he's out there." she faltered and turned to stare
out the window. "Albus, I taught half of them as children." She continued
softly. "and for You-Know-Who to just. I can't take it." she sniffled and
let Dumbledore wrap his arms around her comfortingly."
"I wish you would put an end to all of this You-Know-Who business," he replied, after a few minutes. "Minerva, you know as well as I do that Lord Voldemort is, or rather was, Tom Riddle. No matter what he's become since we knew him, remember that. He is a horrible, vile man, but don't loose your head over it," he smiled mischievously, "I seem to remember a certain third year who knew she was in love with Tom Riddle, once upon a time."
"Albus!" Minerva shrieked angrily. She pulled away from him and hit his arm. "That was thirty years ago!"
"Actually, my dear, it's closer to forty," he grinned. She glared, but only to conceal a smile.
"I don't want to hear any jokes about my age from you," she mock- scolded. Just then the door opened and Severus Snape walked through. He surveyed the situation with a cool disapproving look and closed the door behind him. The two professors stood speechless before practically flying apart. There was a awkward pause. Dumbledore cleared his throat.
"Yes, Mr. Snape?" he asked.
"I have just seen an owl from Arabella Figg and she informs you that Potter is safe." He sneered. "I have also received another bit of news, but it can wait until a more convenient time." His eyes darted to McGonnagal.
"Thank you, Severus," Dumbledore replied. The corner's of Snape's mouth turned upward a bit, and his eyes took on a more amused tone.
"Carry on," he sneered gesturing to show exactly what he meant. "I didn't mean to interrupt anything, though I believe an alternate location might prove more suitable." Professor McGonnagal's eyes widened in shock and it was a full minute before she could say anything.
"What?" she finally managed to articulate.
"I've known about this for eight years." Snape grinned evilly. "Your little secret is most assuredly safe with me." His smile grew, "Although I'm not too sure about the group of Gryffindors I heard it from. As I said before, their ringleader is safe at home with his wife. I thought it might. cheer you up a bit." With a look that said many things, he left the room.
"I don't understand why you keep him around." Minerva said angrily. "How dare he." She sank into a chair, her face nearly crimson. "How could they know? Who. what.." she spluttered.
"It's probably the best kept non-secret in England by now, if he found out eight years ago." He laughed at the indignant look on McGonnagal's face. "Don't worry, if we were going to be penalized, it would have already happened. The Governors have probably long been laughing behind their hands at us."
"And the Death-Eaters too, I suppose." She added crossly, then froze in fear. "What if one day, they decide to. to use me to get to you!" she exclaimed. "It would be just like them too!"
"Severus is perfectly trustworthy, Minerva. He would not put one of us in danger, I can assure you of that." He replied coolly. She scowled, then reluctantly sighed.
"I'll believe you, but it doesn't mean I have to like him."
"Yes, but you must try to get along with him. I've spoken with the governors and succeeded in getting him a position here. He will start next term when Professor Janglur retires."
"What about Grinlon?" she asked, "He's also retiring, you can't tell me you're putting Snape in as head of Slytherin as well!" she exclaimed.
"Of course. As of next term he will be the only Slytherin graduate teaching here."
"Only because all of the other qualified Slytherins joined You-know- who."
"Yes, Professor," Dumbledore replied, "but you must remember, not all willingly."
"I know, Albus. Believe me, I know."
"Potions?" Snape exclaimed, "With all due respect, I would be the best candidatef or the Defense Against the Dark Arts position that is open as well.
"Severus, while I know you would be equally capable of handling either, the governors have decided to place you in Potions. You have the option of declining, but that would probably not be in your best interest." Dumbledore sighed, "If you take the position you'll be made head of Slytherin House. If you don't, as there is no other former Slytherin to ask, I will simply have to ask someone else, Professer Trelawny, perhaps?"
Snape scowled, more at the thought of that woman in charge of his former house than his words, "I will take the position," he said graciously.
"Somehow," Dumbledore replied, a twinkle in his eye, "I thought you'd say that."
**(*)**
"I wish you would put an end to all of this You-Know-Who business," he replied, after a few minutes. "Minerva, you know as well as I do that Lord Voldemort is, or rather was, Tom Riddle. No matter what he's become since we knew him, remember that. He is a horrible, vile man, but don't loose your head over it," he smiled mischievously, "I seem to remember a certain third year who knew she was in love with Tom Riddle, once upon a time."
"Albus!" Minerva shrieked angrily. She pulled away from him and hit his arm. "That was thirty years ago!"
"Actually, my dear, it's closer to forty," he grinned. She glared, but only to conceal a smile.
"I don't want to hear any jokes about my age from you," she mock- scolded. Just then the door opened and Severus Snape walked through. He surveyed the situation with a cool disapproving look and closed the door behind him. The two professors stood speechless before practically flying apart. There was a awkward pause. Dumbledore cleared his throat.
"Yes, Mr. Snape?" he asked.
"I have just seen an owl from Arabella Figg and she informs you that Potter is safe." He sneered. "I have also received another bit of news, but it can wait until a more convenient time." His eyes darted to McGonnagal.
"Thank you, Severus," Dumbledore replied. The corner's of Snape's mouth turned upward a bit, and his eyes took on a more amused tone.
"Carry on," he sneered gesturing to show exactly what he meant. "I didn't mean to interrupt anything, though I believe an alternate location might prove more suitable." Professor McGonnagal's eyes widened in shock and it was a full minute before she could say anything.
"What?" she finally managed to articulate.
"I've known about this for eight years." Snape grinned evilly. "Your little secret is most assuredly safe with me." His smile grew, "Although I'm not too sure about the group of Gryffindors I heard it from. As I said before, their ringleader is safe at home with his wife. I thought it might. cheer you up a bit." With a look that said many things, he left the room.
"I don't understand why you keep him around." Minerva said angrily. "How dare he." She sank into a chair, her face nearly crimson. "How could they know? Who. what.." she spluttered.
"It's probably the best kept non-secret in England by now, if he found out eight years ago." He laughed at the indignant look on McGonnagal's face. "Don't worry, if we were going to be penalized, it would have already happened. The Governors have probably long been laughing behind their hands at us."
"And the Death-Eaters too, I suppose." She added crossly, then froze in fear. "What if one day, they decide to. to use me to get to you!" she exclaimed. "It would be just like them too!"
"Severus is perfectly trustworthy, Minerva. He would not put one of us in danger, I can assure you of that." He replied coolly. She scowled, then reluctantly sighed.
"I'll believe you, but it doesn't mean I have to like him."
"Yes, but you must try to get along with him. I've spoken with the governors and succeeded in getting him a position here. He will start next term when Professor Janglur retires."
"What about Grinlon?" she asked, "He's also retiring, you can't tell me you're putting Snape in as head of Slytherin as well!" she exclaimed.
"Of course. As of next term he will be the only Slytherin graduate teaching here."
"Only because all of the other qualified Slytherins joined You-know- who."
"Yes, Professor," Dumbledore replied, "but you must remember, not all willingly."
"I know, Albus. Believe me, I know."
"Potions?" Snape exclaimed, "With all due respect, I would be the best candidatef or the Defense Against the Dark Arts position that is open as well.
"Severus, while I know you would be equally capable of handling either, the governors have decided to place you in Potions. You have the option of declining, but that would probably not be in your best interest." Dumbledore sighed, "If you take the position you'll be made head of Slytherin House. If you don't, as there is no other former Slytherin to ask, I will simply have to ask someone else, Professer Trelawny, perhaps?"
Snape scowled, more at the thought of that woman in charge of his former house than his words, "I will take the position," he said graciously.
"Somehow," Dumbledore replied, a twinkle in his eye, "I thought you'd say that."
**(*)**
