Chapter 2
As the faculty departed. Hermione noticed that Snape was the first to
leave. ÔIf he hates it here so much why does he stay?Õ She thought as she
grabbed her cloak and made her way onto the grounds, but was stopped
when she heard voices down below her in the entryway.
The voices belonged to Severus Snape and Sirius Black.
Severus Snape was being followed by none other than his worst
enemy, and Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, Sirius Black.
"So, Snake, who did you end up with?" Black mocked.
"I believe the Headmaster wished for us to keep it secret, unlike you
Black, I do have a high regard of rules!" He said trying to get him to bugger
off.
"Oh, it is just a bit of fun, but then again you wouldnÕt know fun if it
was right in front of that long pointy nose of yours, would you?"
"Sod off Black, I believe when the Headmaster hired you he said
nothing to me about being friendly, so just go back to you happy little fantasy
world, and I will go back to reality."
"Fantasy land? I do not live in some fantasy, forgive me for being
happy! For MerlinÕs sake Snape, He is dead, Voldermort is dead, and I
should think that you would be somewhat grateful that you didnÕt end up
dead, or in Azkaban, with all of the horrible things you did."
"The day I have pity on you for being in Azkaban for those years, is
the day I fall down on my knees and worship your precious Godson. Need I
remind you that I kept that brat of yours safe, while you got what you had
long deserved.
I served my penance, thank you very much." He said and walked
towards the dungeons.
"You will never pay for letting all of those innocent people die! As far
as I am concerned your hands will never be clean of the blood of those
people who died while you were in allegiance with Voldermort. Maybe some
people overlooked the fact that you were responsible for Lady AdolynÕs
death, but I do not forget that easy!" Black said, looking about ready to
throw a punch. Snape whirled around and drew his wand.
"Black, I would watch what you say, especially since the thing that you
call a brain, doesnÕt even know what it is talking about. Besides, you
wouldnÕt want me to tell Potter about how his Godfather would constantly
cheat on every girlfriend he ever had, including his own mother, would you?
Or perhaps I should inform him that even you betrayed James, during his
time of need?" Snape said raising his eyebrows.
"You canÕt prove a thing! Besides, Harry hates you anyway, he would
never believe you." Black said half laughing.
"You keep telling yourself those lies Black, maybe one day you will
actually believe them." Snape said as he walked down to the dungeons.
Black was still standing there, worked up over the tiff that he had just
had, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around quickly drawing
his wand.
"Sirius, I must ask that you relax, this is not Azkaban." Albus said,
pushing BlackÕs wand away from his face.
"Sorry, Headmaster, just reflexes you know." He said feeling bad that
he had drawn his wand on the great wizard.
"No, need to apologize, just be careful in the future. Did I hear you
and Severus arguing down here?" He asked.
"It started out as a civil conversation but then he had to bring up
certain events.." He stressed, but Albus cut him off.
"Sirius, may I remind you, that Severus had done nothing worse than
you or I ever had. And Severus is right, you should not blame him for things
in which you do not know the full story."
"If you are referring to Lady Adolyn, I was there, I saw what he did, I
testified against him!"
"Sirius, You do not have the whole story, and I am not going to give it
to you, because it is not my story to tell. I must ask you to exercise caution
when discussing the past with our PotionÕs Master. Just as you have things
you are not willing to discuss freely, Severus has far more."
"I still donÕt understand why you trust that.. Man." He had to refrain
himself from saying something worse. Albus just gave him a look, and they
walked off into the Great Hall.
Hermione was still standing on the second floor having just listened to
the conversation. She wondered who Lady Adolyn was. She was surprised
that Snape did not hex Sirius into next year. However she was not surprised
at the fact that Sirius had a bad habit of straying when he was younger. She
felt sorry for whoever had Snape as their Secret Santa; if it were Sirius he
would probably be receiving coal, with a larger piece at the end of the week.
She still had no idea what to get Snape for Christmas, but she was
determined to find something in Hogsmeade, so she pulled up her hood, and
walked out into the snow down the path towards the small town.
************************************************************
Meanwhile back down in the dungeons, Severus Snape slammed his
door to his chambers, causing his cat to jump.
"I hate that man! The insufferable git! Thinks he know everything
does he? I know far more about him than he would ever know about me!"
He yelled, as he bent down and picked up his cat and sat down at his desk.
His cat meowed, and jumped down and pranced over to the fireplace, and
curled back to sleep.
"Stryker, you know you make an awful pet!" He said peering down
at the black cat. He looked back at Severus and yawned.
"I think that if you were human, you would be exactly like me. Have
you eaten today?" He asked Stryker. He responded by rubbing Severus leg.
"Oh of course when it has to do with food, you are sympathetic. Just
because youÕre hungry, doesnÕt mean I will feed you. You are horrid at
sucking up. You could use some lessons from Draco Malfoy." At this
Stryker hissed, and jumped up onto SeverusÕs desk and proceeded to lay on
his papers, until he was fed. Severus laughed. "At least someone in this castle
understands me." Snape snickered.
"There! Happy now?" Snape said as he put his catÕs bowl on the
floor. The cat responded by meowing.
Albus gave Severus his cat when he came to HogwartÕs to teach.
Snape never had a pet when he was at school. His family did not want child
ruining their precious 14th century antique rugs in the first place, let alone an
animal.
Albus thought that the companion, would comfort him, at least until he
could find a suitable wife. According to the Headmaster, an animal was a fine
cure for being lonely, but a woman was much better.
If Severus didnÕt know any better, the old wizard was worse than his
own mother, and ever since Hermione Granger came back to Hogwarts he
would go out of his way to find a way to leave them in each otherÕs
uncomfortable presence. In the back of his mind he felt that this Secret Santa
idea was just another excuse for him to get to know Miss Granger. But as far
as he was concerned, Hermione Granger would never be anything more than
an annoyance in his eyes.
As the faculty departed. Hermione noticed that Snape was the first to
leave. ÔIf he hates it here so much why does he stay?Õ She thought as she
grabbed her cloak and made her way onto the grounds, but was stopped
when she heard voices down below her in the entryway.
The voices belonged to Severus Snape and Sirius Black.
Severus Snape was being followed by none other than his worst
enemy, and Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, Sirius Black.
"So, Snake, who did you end up with?" Black mocked.
"I believe the Headmaster wished for us to keep it secret, unlike you
Black, I do have a high regard of rules!" He said trying to get him to bugger
off.
"Oh, it is just a bit of fun, but then again you wouldnÕt know fun if it
was right in front of that long pointy nose of yours, would you?"
"Sod off Black, I believe when the Headmaster hired you he said
nothing to me about being friendly, so just go back to you happy little fantasy
world, and I will go back to reality."
"Fantasy land? I do not live in some fantasy, forgive me for being
happy! For MerlinÕs sake Snape, He is dead, Voldermort is dead, and I
should think that you would be somewhat grateful that you didnÕt end up
dead, or in Azkaban, with all of the horrible things you did."
"The day I have pity on you for being in Azkaban for those years, is
the day I fall down on my knees and worship your precious Godson. Need I
remind you that I kept that brat of yours safe, while you got what you had
long deserved.
I served my penance, thank you very much." He said and walked
towards the dungeons.
"You will never pay for letting all of those innocent people die! As far
as I am concerned your hands will never be clean of the blood of those
people who died while you were in allegiance with Voldermort. Maybe some
people overlooked the fact that you were responsible for Lady AdolynÕs
death, but I do not forget that easy!" Black said, looking about ready to
throw a punch. Snape whirled around and drew his wand.
"Black, I would watch what you say, especially since the thing that you
call a brain, doesnÕt even know what it is talking about. Besides, you
wouldnÕt want me to tell Potter about how his Godfather would constantly
cheat on every girlfriend he ever had, including his own mother, would you?
Or perhaps I should inform him that even you betrayed James, during his
time of need?" Snape said raising his eyebrows.
"You canÕt prove a thing! Besides, Harry hates you anyway, he would
never believe you." Black said half laughing.
"You keep telling yourself those lies Black, maybe one day you will
actually believe them." Snape said as he walked down to the dungeons.
Black was still standing there, worked up over the tiff that he had just
had, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around quickly drawing
his wand.
"Sirius, I must ask that you relax, this is not Azkaban." Albus said,
pushing BlackÕs wand away from his face.
"Sorry, Headmaster, just reflexes you know." He said feeling bad that
he had drawn his wand on the great wizard.
"No, need to apologize, just be careful in the future. Did I hear you
and Severus arguing down here?" He asked.
"It started out as a civil conversation but then he had to bring up
certain events.." He stressed, but Albus cut him off.
"Sirius, may I remind you, that Severus had done nothing worse than
you or I ever had. And Severus is right, you should not blame him for things
in which you do not know the full story."
"If you are referring to Lady Adolyn, I was there, I saw what he did, I
testified against him!"
"Sirius, You do not have the whole story, and I am not going to give it
to you, because it is not my story to tell. I must ask you to exercise caution
when discussing the past with our PotionÕs Master. Just as you have things
you are not willing to discuss freely, Severus has far more."
"I still donÕt understand why you trust that.. Man." He had to refrain
himself from saying something worse. Albus just gave him a look, and they
walked off into the Great Hall.
Hermione was still standing on the second floor having just listened to
the conversation. She wondered who Lady Adolyn was. She was surprised
that Snape did not hex Sirius into next year. However she was not surprised
at the fact that Sirius had a bad habit of straying when he was younger. She
felt sorry for whoever had Snape as their Secret Santa; if it were Sirius he
would probably be receiving coal, with a larger piece at the end of the week.
She still had no idea what to get Snape for Christmas, but she was
determined to find something in Hogsmeade, so she pulled up her hood, and
walked out into the snow down the path towards the small town.
************************************************************
Meanwhile back down in the dungeons, Severus Snape slammed his
door to his chambers, causing his cat to jump.
"I hate that man! The insufferable git! Thinks he know everything
does he? I know far more about him than he would ever know about me!"
He yelled, as he bent down and picked up his cat and sat down at his desk.
His cat meowed, and jumped down and pranced over to the fireplace, and
curled back to sleep.
"Stryker, you know you make an awful pet!" He said peering down
at the black cat. He looked back at Severus and yawned.
"I think that if you were human, you would be exactly like me. Have
you eaten today?" He asked Stryker. He responded by rubbing Severus leg.
"Oh of course when it has to do with food, you are sympathetic. Just
because youÕre hungry, doesnÕt mean I will feed you. You are horrid at
sucking up. You could use some lessons from Draco Malfoy." At this
Stryker hissed, and jumped up onto SeverusÕs desk and proceeded to lay on
his papers, until he was fed. Severus laughed. "At least someone in this castle
understands me." Snape snickered.
"There! Happy now?" Snape said as he put his catÕs bowl on the
floor. The cat responded by meowing.
Albus gave Severus his cat when he came to HogwartÕs to teach.
Snape never had a pet when he was at school. His family did not want child
ruining their precious 14th century antique rugs in the first place, let alone an
animal.
Albus thought that the companion, would comfort him, at least until he
could find a suitable wife. According to the Headmaster, an animal was a fine
cure for being lonely, but a woman was much better.
If Severus didnÕt know any better, the old wizard was worse than his
own mother, and ever since Hermione Granger came back to Hogwarts he
would go out of his way to find a way to leave them in each otherÕs
uncomfortable presence. In the back of his mind he felt that this Secret Santa
idea was just another excuse for him to get to know Miss Granger. But as far
as he was concerned, Hermione Granger would never be anything more than
an annoyance in his eyes.