After Hermione finished her dinner, Minerva McGonagall walked her down to
her rooms.
"I'm sorry that your rooms have to be in the dungeons, but considering as you're the new Assistant Potions Professor, we thought it would be best if you were near the Potions classroom."
"I understand. Professor-, Minerva, you've been teaching for a while now, and I trust you, so I have no problems in telling you that I am a bit nervous. I know absolutely nothing about teaching."
Minerva smiled. "Maybe you don't know much about teaching, but you'll learn. I wouldn't worry too much. You know a lot about Potions, which is really the most important part. All the rest will fall into place. Even Albus and I started out as Assistant teachers once. And if you have any trouble, you know that I would be more than happy to help you." Hermione smiled, feeling more at ease knowing that she could still rely on Minerva if necessary.
"Thank-you. It's your support that means everything to me." They reached a door. Minerva opened it and motioned for Hermione to enter. The room was rather plain, with dark blue walls and a stone floor. Hermione made a mental note to fix it up once she had brought her stuff here.
"But there is one thing that I must help you with." Minerva said. "No doubt, as you were once a student here, you now about how Severus - that's Professor Snape- deals with disputes. I suggest you stay on your toes. Don't let him have any reason to discourage you. You may be working 'for' him, but you are still working 'with' him. I think Albus has spoken to him about this too."
"Thank-you, Minerva. I shall keep that in mind when dealing with him." She then added in hushed tones, "Is there anything else you can tell me about him?" Minerva smiled, the curiosity she remembered from her favourite student resurfacing.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, there is. Um, perhaps we ought to sit down." Minerva walked into Hermione's new rooms, and shut the door. They sat down in two overstuffed armchairs by the fireplace. Hermione waved her wand at the empty fireplace, and lit a fire. Minerva conjured up some tea.
"I know that you know about Severus being a spy. I also know that he is being summoned by You-Know-Who more often lately. It is not commonly known that Severus hates Poppy Pomfrey. He makes potions for her, but he refuses to go to the infirmary when he is ill. You-Know-, Lord Voldemort regularly uses crucio on Severus. It's a game for him, to watch people suffer. And it seems that he particularly likes watching our Potions professor suffer. The last four times that he has come back, Albus and I had to bring him back to health, because he was absolutely adamant, even in his weakened state, about not going to Poppy." Minerva offered a cup of tea to Hermione, who took it, then poured one for herself.
"So what your saying is, that if, no, when he next gets called, I have to keep an eye out for him, help him recover and take over his classes for the time he is unwell." Hermione took a sip of her tea.
"Yes. If it is too much for you to cope with, Albus or I will help you, but we know that you did a preliminary healing class didn't you?" Minerva took a long sip of her tea.
"Yes, at University. I took MediMagic as a minor subject, and Potions as my major."
Minerva smiled. "Now do you see why Albus hired you?"
"Because I fit his needs exactly. I fit the job description."
"Indeed. Well, I'd best be going. You have to collect you thing from your apartment. Oh, and in case you didn't know, staff members can apparate to anywhere on the ground and to Hogsmeade."
"We can?" Minerva vanished the tea set and began to walk towards the door.
"Yes. Goodnight, Hermione."
"Goodnight, Minerva. Thank-you for your help. And don't worry, I'll look after Professor Snape."
"I know you will." Minerva left the room and closed the door behind her. She instantly wanted to try to apparate to Hogsmeade. She closed her eyes, and willed herself to be in the main street of Hogsmeade. She felt that familiar 'dropping' feeling in her stomach, and when she opened her eyes, she was in Hogsmeade. 'Cool.' She thought. All of the shops were closed, although The Three Broomsticks wasn't. So she went inside, and used their fireplace to Floo back to her apartment.
"I'm sorry that your rooms have to be in the dungeons, but considering as you're the new Assistant Potions Professor, we thought it would be best if you were near the Potions classroom."
"I understand. Professor-, Minerva, you've been teaching for a while now, and I trust you, so I have no problems in telling you that I am a bit nervous. I know absolutely nothing about teaching."
Minerva smiled. "Maybe you don't know much about teaching, but you'll learn. I wouldn't worry too much. You know a lot about Potions, which is really the most important part. All the rest will fall into place. Even Albus and I started out as Assistant teachers once. And if you have any trouble, you know that I would be more than happy to help you." Hermione smiled, feeling more at ease knowing that she could still rely on Minerva if necessary.
"Thank-you. It's your support that means everything to me." They reached a door. Minerva opened it and motioned for Hermione to enter. The room was rather plain, with dark blue walls and a stone floor. Hermione made a mental note to fix it up once she had brought her stuff here.
"But there is one thing that I must help you with." Minerva said. "No doubt, as you were once a student here, you now about how Severus - that's Professor Snape- deals with disputes. I suggest you stay on your toes. Don't let him have any reason to discourage you. You may be working 'for' him, but you are still working 'with' him. I think Albus has spoken to him about this too."
"Thank-you, Minerva. I shall keep that in mind when dealing with him." She then added in hushed tones, "Is there anything else you can tell me about him?" Minerva smiled, the curiosity she remembered from her favourite student resurfacing.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, there is. Um, perhaps we ought to sit down." Minerva walked into Hermione's new rooms, and shut the door. They sat down in two overstuffed armchairs by the fireplace. Hermione waved her wand at the empty fireplace, and lit a fire. Minerva conjured up some tea.
"I know that you know about Severus being a spy. I also know that he is being summoned by You-Know-Who more often lately. It is not commonly known that Severus hates Poppy Pomfrey. He makes potions for her, but he refuses to go to the infirmary when he is ill. You-Know-, Lord Voldemort regularly uses crucio on Severus. It's a game for him, to watch people suffer. And it seems that he particularly likes watching our Potions professor suffer. The last four times that he has come back, Albus and I had to bring him back to health, because he was absolutely adamant, even in his weakened state, about not going to Poppy." Minerva offered a cup of tea to Hermione, who took it, then poured one for herself.
"So what your saying is, that if, no, when he next gets called, I have to keep an eye out for him, help him recover and take over his classes for the time he is unwell." Hermione took a sip of her tea.
"Yes. If it is too much for you to cope with, Albus or I will help you, but we know that you did a preliminary healing class didn't you?" Minerva took a long sip of her tea.
"Yes, at University. I took MediMagic as a minor subject, and Potions as my major."
Minerva smiled. "Now do you see why Albus hired you?"
"Because I fit his needs exactly. I fit the job description."
"Indeed. Well, I'd best be going. You have to collect you thing from your apartment. Oh, and in case you didn't know, staff members can apparate to anywhere on the ground and to Hogsmeade."
"We can?" Minerva vanished the tea set and began to walk towards the door.
"Yes. Goodnight, Hermione."
"Goodnight, Minerva. Thank-you for your help. And don't worry, I'll look after Professor Snape."
"I know you will." Minerva left the room and closed the door behind her. She instantly wanted to try to apparate to Hogsmeade. She closed her eyes, and willed herself to be in the main street of Hogsmeade. She felt that familiar 'dropping' feeling in her stomach, and when she opened her eyes, she was in Hogsmeade. 'Cool.' She thought. All of the shops were closed, although The Three Broomsticks wasn't. So she went inside, and used their fireplace to Floo back to her apartment.