Lend me your love tonight

by Katta (KET on ff.net)

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. They all belong to J.K. Rowling, of course, of course. I'm sorry if I've borrowed them for a bit, but I am making no money from it.

Chapter 3: The interview

Hermione nearly fainted when she received the owl inviting her to an interview with Headmaster Snape next Tuesday afternoon. Up to that point she hadn't really believed in the job application, but now it seemed to have come horribly close. Her first thought was to write to say that she had changed her mind, but after yet another particularly trying day at the Ministry, she decided to consider the Hogwarts job seriously. She sat down and thought through the syllabus she had been taught and what changes she would like to make. By the end of the evening, she had a parchment full of notes and ideas. It was strange, she thought, how she had suddenly started to feel slightly demob happy at work. Perhaps she really would leave!

~@~@~@~

Professor Mobius arrived early on Tuesday morning. It soon became clear that his knowledge of the English language was sketchy in the extreme. Snape found it easier to revert to Latin even though it taxed his brain rather more than he cared to think about. He did, however, have to be quite firm with the good Professor in insisting that the lessons at Hogwarts could not be conducted in Latin. Snape had briefly considered the consternation he would cause if he announced that all arithmancy would now be taught in Latin. But he rejected it on the basis that even he realised that it would have an adverse effect on OWL and NEWT results. And he didn't think the parents would react kindly to a request to insert a Babel fish in every child's ear.

Professor Mobius seemed quite put out. At length he conceded that he might have to learn some English to teach at Hogwarts, but he didn't seem very keen and implied that the school was clearly not up to the high academic standards he had expected. This annoyed Snape greatly and, in the end, he was pleased to get rid of the man without having to invite him for lunch.

~@~@~@~

Hermione had been invited to come at 2pm. A few minutes before the hour, Snape gazed out of the window and happened to see her wandering up the road from Hogsmeade in the warm June sunshine. She looked relaxed and carefree … that wasn't how he liked his victims … ehr … applicants. He would have to put a stop to that!

So, when she entered the room, he put on his best scowl, pulled out his fob watch and stared intently at it.

'You're late!' he exclaimed.

Hermione consulted her watch, looking worried for a moment. Then she caught on to his game.

'No I'm not,' she stated calmly. 'Your watch must be fast.'

Snape swept over to the desk and sat down, indicating a small uncomfortable chair for Hermione facing him across the desk. Recreate the teacher–student atmosphere if possible, he thought. But the strategy didn't work as well as he'd hoped, as Hermione had really nothing to lose so wasn't frightened of him any more.

'Miss Granger, ' he began.

'That would be Ms Granger,' said Hermione.

'What?' said Snape, genuinely confused for a moment. Then he understood. 'Ms Granger, then, you are, of course, very highly qualified in arithmancy. I have read your dissertation…' Here he managed to sneer so that what should have been a compliment sounded like an insult. Hermione inclined her head.

'However, I don't see anything in this CV to indicate that you have done any teaching at any point, Ms Granger.'

Hermione had anticipated that.

'That is true in the formal sense, but I have spent a lot of time helping other students understand their subjects both at Hogwarts and at university.'

'I seem to remember that,' snarled Snape, clearly thinking of Neville Longbottom. 'Nevertheless, without formal teaching experience, I couldn't offer you any more than the bottom point on the salary scale.'

Hermione gasped slightly – she had rather assumed that with her arithmancy background she would start some way up the scale.

'I didn't intend to come here for the money,' she retorted.

'Clearly,' snorted Snape. Changing tack he said, 'You call yourself Ms Granger, yet I thought I heard you had got married a while back.

Hermione coloured slightly and said stiffly, 'As I'm getting a divorce, I have reverted to my maiden name.'

Snape observed that she looked uncomfortable. So this divorce was not all sweetness and light. Well, that was useful piece of information. Perhaps he should ask her about childcare responsibilities as well, while he was at it, but he was pretty sure she didn't have children. Instead, he rose slightly and leant menacingly across the desk.

'I am not in the habit of wasting my time and I am sure that you are not either. So let me put this bluntly. If your application is not serious, then please say so and leave now.'

But Hermione wasn't used to letting herself be intimidated and she rose slightly, too.

'I'm not in the habit of wasting people's time either,' she said angrily. 'The application is genuine or I wouldn't have made it.'

'When could you start?' said Snape abruptly, still staring aggressively at her.

This put Hermione slightly on the back foot. She had three months notice at the Ministry and she was uncomfortably aware that the start of the autumn term was only just over two months away. But she wasn't going to back down to Snape or anyone else.

'I have a great deal of leave owing to me and I am sure I could use it to make me available in time for the new term,' she said.

'Good,' said Snape sitting down. 'If you're serious, here is the contract. Sign!'

Hermione desperately wanted to ask for more time to consider, but given what she had just said about being serious, she could hardly do so without losing face. After a moment's hesitation, she picked up the quill and signed.

'A copy of the contract will be sent you by owl. I'll expect you on 1st September. Good day to you!' said Snape.

Hermione was left staring at him.

'Don't you want to talk about my lesson plans? Or show me round the school? Or something?'

'I think you know your way around this school. I'm a busy man. If you want to talk to someone about lesson plans, go and talk to Vector. She is still around!'

He shooed her out of his office, leaving her standing totally flabbergasted on the revolving staircase. She couldn't believe how rude he had been. And she was beginning to have a sneaking suspicion that he had manoeuvred her into precisely the position he wanted her, in a very skilful way.

~@~@~@~

A little later, Hermione was sitting in Professor Vector's office having tea. The little witch was delighted.

'You've no idea how worried I've been. He wouldn't let me be involved in the recruitment process at all! I was convinced he would appoint some awful person.'

'What is Snape like as headmaster?' asked Hermione, uncomfortably aware that she should probably have asked this before she applied for the post, or at least before she accepted.

'Oh, it has not been so bad,' said Vector with a little shrug. 'The good thing is that you hardly ever see him, except in the Great Hall. He never comes to the Staff Room. All he is really interested in is exam results and if you deliver that, he pretty much leaves you alone. It isn't difficult in arithmancy, since it is not compulsory and you can just refuse to take any pupil you don't think is going to make the grade.'

Hermione considered her tea cup closely.

'What is he like with muggle-borns?'

Professor Vector gave her a sideways glance and then said, 'He is on this great drive for academic excellence and not all the children are able to live up to his standards. Most of the muggle-borns who come here are talented high achievers, like yourself, and they don't tend to have a problem. He isn't frightened of anyone, you know, and he has been known to expel the children of prominent pure-blood wizards if they didn't perform well enough.'

Hermione was only partially reassured and it was with deep foreboding she returned home.

A/N: Did you spot the reference to the Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy?