A/N: For all of you who could not guess, yes, my mother reviewed, hence
'motherofauthor.' Thanks mom! And to so-called Amethyst etc., since when
do you have the authority to take privileges??? Also, the one time I
called you nobody was there. P.S. From Monday to Friday I'll be away at 4-
H Rock Eagle Camp, where there are no computers. I will, however, take my
notebook, churn out some chapters, and type them up when I get home!
Please forgive me!!! (I will make these chapters longer)
Chapter Four:
Hermione took several deep breaths to collect herself, embarrassed after her spontaneous outbreak. Only then did she become aware that she was hugging someone wearing black robes, and not Dumbledore's usual violet.
"Oh my God! I-I-I'm s-s-sorry, Professor," she stuttered, backing away from Snape and looking as if she would rather be anywhere on this earth except in Dumbledore's Office. She was about to dash through the doorway when she felt a hand on her shoulder stopping her.
"It's all right, Miss Granger. If anyone could sympathize with you, it's Severus. He has been through the same situation as you are going through. His parents were taken by Death Eaters when he was about your age." Dumbledore tried to comfort the worried and humiliated girl.
Snape, on the other hand, did not appreciate this bit of personal history recounted to the Granger girl, of all people. He stood up and said forcefully, "Albus, I demand that you stop right there. That information is private. I thought that I could trust you not to tell anyone except those who needed to know."
Dumbledore nodded and said, "Calm down, my boy. You can trust me, and Miss Granger needs to know that she has somebody who suffered the same losses as she did, a mentor even. I understand that she has shown quite a bit of promise in your area of expertise, and you happened to be in need of an apprentice. I think that that particular dilemma can be solved right away, considering that this could be helpful for both of you. You could have some help, and Miss Granger could earn some credit at the university for an apprenticeship with a highly qualified potions master like yourself. So, what do you say?"
Severus could tell that, judging by the look in Dumbledore's eyes, this was just an order under the façade of a question. Surrendering, he sighed and muttered, "Oh, very well."
Then Dumbledore turned to Hermione, who was looking quite eager at this arrangement, only hindered by the fact that she would be working under her second least favorite teacher, although she had always harbored a deep respect for the man's intelligence. The headmaster glanced at her and asked, "Are these arrangements fine with you, for example, every Saturday at around 9 in the morning?"
Hermione nodded and briskly answered, "Of course I would love to be Professor Snape's apprentice, unless he has any objections. That time is fine for my schedule."
Snape just gave Hermione his trademark classroom glare, but the way he was positioned behind one of Dumbledore's spindly silver instruments, he looked like he was miffed with someone disrupting his process of dislodging a long and thin piece of metal from his nasal cavity, and that succeeded in taking the venom out of his scowl and was frankly just plain funny!
Hermione franticly bit her cheeks trying not to grin, and she was working as hard to control her giggling. Try as she might, she could not restrain from chuckling a bit and smiling. Soon after, she got her facial features back under control, worried about Snape's reaction to her second humiliating outburst, although this being of a completely different nature.
As said Potions Master shifted in his seat menacingly (and in Hermione's point of view, succeeding in his goal of removing the offending piece of metal) Dumbledore came to her rescue saying, "Now, Miss Granger, I know it has been a most trying evening for you. Perhaps it is best to get some rest."
Hermione nodded and scuttled out of the room. Snape, however, did not leave so readily. "Albus, what are you doing? The reason I got rid of my last apprentice was because I was sick of having someone working with me. You know I prefer working alone, and you know I wouldn't have wanted you to disclose that fact from my life, and especially not to a student!"
Albus Dumbledore just tutted and shook his head. "Severus, Severus. You have to forgive yourself and allow people into your life. You can't lock yourself alone in those dungeons forever. Listen to me. Either you give this apprenticeship a try, or I'm buying you a little gray, fluffy kitten."
Dumbledore was amused by the look of abject horror on his colleague's face and sighed at the sight of him leaving the room in a flurry of robes. Maybe this personal interactment would do Snape good. The headmaster had picked an intellectual equal. After all, he could've paired him up with Weasley.
Chapter Four:
Hermione took several deep breaths to collect herself, embarrassed after her spontaneous outbreak. Only then did she become aware that she was hugging someone wearing black robes, and not Dumbledore's usual violet.
"Oh my God! I-I-I'm s-s-sorry, Professor," she stuttered, backing away from Snape and looking as if she would rather be anywhere on this earth except in Dumbledore's Office. She was about to dash through the doorway when she felt a hand on her shoulder stopping her.
"It's all right, Miss Granger. If anyone could sympathize with you, it's Severus. He has been through the same situation as you are going through. His parents were taken by Death Eaters when he was about your age." Dumbledore tried to comfort the worried and humiliated girl.
Snape, on the other hand, did not appreciate this bit of personal history recounted to the Granger girl, of all people. He stood up and said forcefully, "Albus, I demand that you stop right there. That information is private. I thought that I could trust you not to tell anyone except those who needed to know."
Dumbledore nodded and said, "Calm down, my boy. You can trust me, and Miss Granger needs to know that she has somebody who suffered the same losses as she did, a mentor even. I understand that she has shown quite a bit of promise in your area of expertise, and you happened to be in need of an apprentice. I think that that particular dilemma can be solved right away, considering that this could be helpful for both of you. You could have some help, and Miss Granger could earn some credit at the university for an apprenticeship with a highly qualified potions master like yourself. So, what do you say?"
Severus could tell that, judging by the look in Dumbledore's eyes, this was just an order under the façade of a question. Surrendering, he sighed and muttered, "Oh, very well."
Then Dumbledore turned to Hermione, who was looking quite eager at this arrangement, only hindered by the fact that she would be working under her second least favorite teacher, although she had always harbored a deep respect for the man's intelligence. The headmaster glanced at her and asked, "Are these arrangements fine with you, for example, every Saturday at around 9 in the morning?"
Hermione nodded and briskly answered, "Of course I would love to be Professor Snape's apprentice, unless he has any objections. That time is fine for my schedule."
Snape just gave Hermione his trademark classroom glare, but the way he was positioned behind one of Dumbledore's spindly silver instruments, he looked like he was miffed with someone disrupting his process of dislodging a long and thin piece of metal from his nasal cavity, and that succeeded in taking the venom out of his scowl and was frankly just plain funny!
Hermione franticly bit her cheeks trying not to grin, and she was working as hard to control her giggling. Try as she might, she could not restrain from chuckling a bit and smiling. Soon after, she got her facial features back under control, worried about Snape's reaction to her second humiliating outburst, although this being of a completely different nature.
As said Potions Master shifted in his seat menacingly (and in Hermione's point of view, succeeding in his goal of removing the offending piece of metal) Dumbledore came to her rescue saying, "Now, Miss Granger, I know it has been a most trying evening for you. Perhaps it is best to get some rest."
Hermione nodded and scuttled out of the room. Snape, however, did not leave so readily. "Albus, what are you doing? The reason I got rid of my last apprentice was because I was sick of having someone working with me. You know I prefer working alone, and you know I wouldn't have wanted you to disclose that fact from my life, and especially not to a student!"
Albus Dumbledore just tutted and shook his head. "Severus, Severus. You have to forgive yourself and allow people into your life. You can't lock yourself alone in those dungeons forever. Listen to me. Either you give this apprenticeship a try, or I'm buying you a little gray, fluffy kitten."
Dumbledore was amused by the look of abject horror on his colleague's face and sighed at the sight of him leaving the room in a flurry of robes. Maybe this personal interactment would do Snape good. The headmaster had picked an intellectual equal. After all, he could've paired him up with Weasley.