Disclaimer - see part 1.
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Wizards Honour
Part 25
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Minerva McGonagall sat primly in her chair at the teachers' table and surveyed the Hogwarts students with her infamous and well practiced 'I know you are thinking of doing mischief so don't do it' frown. Minerva was proud of the frown and had even reprimanded Percy Weasley once for copying it without permission.
She consulted her watch and was pleased to note that the Headmaster had arrived in the hall exactly at the right time. Minerva loved the symmetry of time and rules and rule keeping, when it suited her, and was content when a day began just as her meticulous mental-timetable said it should.
The Transfiguration Teacher's contentment was short lived. Professor Dumbledore did not sit down, as Minerva knew he should within one and three minutes of entering the room. Instead he called for the attention of the students and the teachers.
It appeared that Professor Dumbledore was to make a pre-breakfast speech. And speeches, as Minerva knew only too well from experience, did not bode well for a happy, well-organised day.
"Usually," began the Headmaster, his voice cheerful and calm over the nervous mutterings of the students, "we breakfast like an old married couple, without you having to listen to me talk."
Some of the students and most of the teachers smiled at this. Minerva didn't find it particularly amusing and shot a warning glance at a pair of giggling Hufflepuff First Years.
"However," continued Dumbledore, "this morning I have two most pleasant announcements to make. The first is that in place of the usual evening meal this Friday we shall be having a Feast."
Instantly the room was filled with the sound of whispered muttering from the students. Minerva was tempted to gently scold the students for talking but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She was just as surprised and curious about an unseasonable Feast as the students were. She looked to the other Professors and noticed that while most of them appeared to be curious or bemused, Snape and Sinistra appeared to be embarrassed.
Minerva put aside her questions about the Slytherin Professors' behaviour when Dumbledore raised his hand for silence. The Headmaster waited until the only sound in the room was the soft moaning of the ghosts in the entrance hall.
"The second announcement is a very pleasant one. Too often recently I have had to tell you sad news so I am most pleased to be able to tell you," the Headmaster paused dramatically, "that the Feast is in honour of the marriage of Professors Snape and Sinistra."
There was stunned silence for all of three seconds before the Slytherin students began cheering wildly.
"All bets were cancelled." Professor Moody said loudly, "I'm not paying anyone anything!" The ex-Auror's magical eye swiveled erratically and stared at a number of teachers and students before turning to stare into Professor Moody's head.
Moody's words started Professor Flitwick giggling. Flitwick looked towards Hagrid was chuckling merrily and congratulating the Snapes in a booming voice.
Soon most of the teachers and students were talking about the news. Snape and Sinistra were sending barbed looks at Moody, Flitwick and Hagrid, who were all oblivious to the Slytherins' embarrassment.
Again Dumbledore raised his hand again for quiet. It took longer for silence to fall this time.
"Although the Feast is on Friday, the Professors were legally married yesterday." Again an explosion of noise greeted the Headmaster's words and yet again Dumbledore waited, his smile growing more gleeful and mischievous with each second.
"Therefore, to avoid confusion with timetables Professor Aurora Snape will now be known as Professor Sinistra-Snape. And," he added loudly, "to avoid many weeks of detention, you are advised to not play any practical or impractical jokes on the Slytherin Professors. This warning should be most especially heeded by the seventh Year Gryffindors."
Professor McGonagall's cast her fiercest 'don't even think about it' concrete-melting frown at the Weasley Twins who, for once, blushed guiltily.
Dumbledore sat down. The arrival of the breakfast foods and the postal owls told everyone that the speech was over. Soon afterwards the room was filled with the buzz of conversation, the click of cutlery and the crackle of milk drenched Rice Pop'n'Wizz Fizzies.
The news had been so unexpected to all the people who hadn't been paying close attention to recent events that breakfast ran long over time and a number of students and teachers were late for the first class of the day.
Minerva later heard a rumour that the Headmaster had to step in and return five thousand seven hundred and ten points deducted by the Potions Master, in one morning for tardiness, impertinent questions and giggling in class. Minerva was not sure if the rumour was true as it was beneath her dignity to ask but the scowl on Severus Snape's face at lunchtime made her suspect that it was.
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Severus Snape groaned and covered his face with his hands.
"It's only a Feast, Severus," Aurora tried to drag her husband out of his office chair. For a thin man he was unusually heavy.
"It is not the Feast that I am avoiding," Severus's muffled voice echoed from behind his palms. He pushed his hands up over his face and through his hair, then sat back and let his hands fall listlessly into his lap. "It's Her!"
"Your old great-granny?" Aurora snorted. She gave Severus's shoulder a tug and almost fell over when he didn't move an inch.
"Aurora!" Severus scolded, "You must not refer to Signora Medusa Snape as 'my old great-granny." He shuddered, "Not if you want to keep all your limbs intact."
"I can't believe she's that bad," Aurora said absent-mindedly while she walked around the chair. "Severus, why are your feet hooked around the chair legs?"
"She was one of the most powerful Dark Witches of her generation," Severus snarled, ignoring the question. "Do not underestimate her."
Aurora stepped back and pointed her wand at Severus. "Accio Severus Snape!"
The Potions Master flew across the room and into his wife's arms. Aurora staggered as he collided with her but managed to keep her footing.
"Don't worry, Sev. I'll protect you." Aurora smirked and patted his cheek with her hand. "If I get desperate I can throw a budgie cage at her."
Snape winced. "Tonight," he said melodramatically, "is going to be a disaster."
To be continued
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Wizards Honour
Part 25
---------------
Minerva McGonagall sat primly in her chair at the teachers' table and surveyed the Hogwarts students with her infamous and well practiced 'I know you are thinking of doing mischief so don't do it' frown. Minerva was proud of the frown and had even reprimanded Percy Weasley once for copying it without permission.
She consulted her watch and was pleased to note that the Headmaster had arrived in the hall exactly at the right time. Minerva loved the symmetry of time and rules and rule keeping, when it suited her, and was content when a day began just as her meticulous mental-timetable said it should.
The Transfiguration Teacher's contentment was short lived. Professor Dumbledore did not sit down, as Minerva knew he should within one and three minutes of entering the room. Instead he called for the attention of the students and the teachers.
It appeared that Professor Dumbledore was to make a pre-breakfast speech. And speeches, as Minerva knew only too well from experience, did not bode well for a happy, well-organised day.
"Usually," began the Headmaster, his voice cheerful and calm over the nervous mutterings of the students, "we breakfast like an old married couple, without you having to listen to me talk."
Some of the students and most of the teachers smiled at this. Minerva didn't find it particularly amusing and shot a warning glance at a pair of giggling Hufflepuff First Years.
"However," continued Dumbledore, "this morning I have two most pleasant announcements to make. The first is that in place of the usual evening meal this Friday we shall be having a Feast."
Instantly the room was filled with the sound of whispered muttering from the students. Minerva was tempted to gently scold the students for talking but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She was just as surprised and curious about an unseasonable Feast as the students were. She looked to the other Professors and noticed that while most of them appeared to be curious or bemused, Snape and Sinistra appeared to be embarrassed.
Minerva put aside her questions about the Slytherin Professors' behaviour when Dumbledore raised his hand for silence. The Headmaster waited until the only sound in the room was the soft moaning of the ghosts in the entrance hall.
"The second announcement is a very pleasant one. Too often recently I have had to tell you sad news so I am most pleased to be able to tell you," the Headmaster paused dramatically, "that the Feast is in honour of the marriage of Professors Snape and Sinistra."
There was stunned silence for all of three seconds before the Slytherin students began cheering wildly.
"All bets were cancelled." Professor Moody said loudly, "I'm not paying anyone anything!" The ex-Auror's magical eye swiveled erratically and stared at a number of teachers and students before turning to stare into Professor Moody's head.
Moody's words started Professor Flitwick giggling. Flitwick looked towards Hagrid was chuckling merrily and congratulating the Snapes in a booming voice.
Soon most of the teachers and students were talking about the news. Snape and Sinistra were sending barbed looks at Moody, Flitwick and Hagrid, who were all oblivious to the Slytherins' embarrassment.
Again Dumbledore raised his hand again for quiet. It took longer for silence to fall this time.
"Although the Feast is on Friday, the Professors were legally married yesterday." Again an explosion of noise greeted the Headmaster's words and yet again Dumbledore waited, his smile growing more gleeful and mischievous with each second.
"Therefore, to avoid confusion with timetables Professor Aurora Snape will now be known as Professor Sinistra-Snape. And," he added loudly, "to avoid many weeks of detention, you are advised to not play any practical or impractical jokes on the Slytherin Professors. This warning should be most especially heeded by the seventh Year Gryffindors."
Professor McGonagall's cast her fiercest 'don't even think about it' concrete-melting frown at the Weasley Twins who, for once, blushed guiltily.
Dumbledore sat down. The arrival of the breakfast foods and the postal owls told everyone that the speech was over. Soon afterwards the room was filled with the buzz of conversation, the click of cutlery and the crackle of milk drenched Rice Pop'n'Wizz Fizzies.
The news had been so unexpected to all the people who hadn't been paying close attention to recent events that breakfast ran long over time and a number of students and teachers were late for the first class of the day.
Minerva later heard a rumour that the Headmaster had to step in and return five thousand seven hundred and ten points deducted by the Potions Master, in one morning for tardiness, impertinent questions and giggling in class. Minerva was not sure if the rumour was true as it was beneath her dignity to ask but the scowl on Severus Snape's face at lunchtime made her suspect that it was.
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Severus Snape groaned and covered his face with his hands.
"It's only a Feast, Severus," Aurora tried to drag her husband out of his office chair. For a thin man he was unusually heavy.
"It is not the Feast that I am avoiding," Severus's muffled voice echoed from behind his palms. He pushed his hands up over his face and through his hair, then sat back and let his hands fall listlessly into his lap. "It's Her!"
"Your old great-granny?" Aurora snorted. She gave Severus's shoulder a tug and almost fell over when he didn't move an inch.
"Aurora!" Severus scolded, "You must not refer to Signora Medusa Snape as 'my old great-granny." He shuddered, "Not if you want to keep all your limbs intact."
"I can't believe she's that bad," Aurora said absent-mindedly while she walked around the chair. "Severus, why are your feet hooked around the chair legs?"
"She was one of the most powerful Dark Witches of her generation," Severus snarled, ignoring the question. "Do not underestimate her."
Aurora stepped back and pointed her wand at Severus. "Accio Severus Snape!"
The Potions Master flew across the room and into his wife's arms. Aurora staggered as he collided with her but managed to keep her footing.
"Don't worry, Sev. I'll protect you." Aurora smirked and patted his cheek with her hand. "If I get desperate I can throw a budgie cage at her."
Snape winced. "Tonight," he said melodramatically, "is going to be a disaster."
To be continued