After everyone had rested, Dumbledore debriefed the three professors together on Saturday after lunch in his office. Vasily and Hermione sat in armchairs before Dumbledore's desk, and Snape had found his customary chair by the fire. They all declined the headmaster's offer of lemon drops.
They at first only discussed Vasily's involvement, from the time he had disappeared until the three had returned to Hogwarts. Dumbledore then excused Vasily and listened to Hermione and Snape fill in their versions.
"It would seem Professor Borodin has no knowledge of your actions prior to his release, Severus," he announced, seemingly satisfied. "I believe your secret is still safe."
"What of the Ministry?" Snape demanded.
He seemed paler than usual, though Hermione thought it hard to tell since he always looked pallid. She wondered if it was a side-effect of her potion or crucio.
"The Minister is heeding my advice on this matter and is not going to become involved."
"What about Voldemort? What if word got out from that side?" Hermione asked, turning to face Snape.
"He would never let this get out, especially since I escaped."
"But now, won't he stop at nothing to get you back? Because you escaped?"
Snape shrugged. "He does take betrayal rather seriously."
She turned back to Dumbledore. "Sir, I believe this might put Hogwarts at risk; Voldemort might risk an attack to get Professor Snape. I think it would be wise to arrange for more protection."
The older wizard inclined his head in agreement and said, "Of course, Hermione. I will owl Cornelius immediately. Severus, I do not want you leaving the castle grounds for any reason. If there is something you require for your potions, Hermione shall see to it. I do seem to recall that she had the highest Potions marks among her year."
Snape did not seem particularly pleased by this judging by the deep scowl that crossed his face, but he said nothing.
"Do you have anything further to report?"
"No, sir," Hermione answered, and Snape shook his head.
"Very well then."
Snape took that as a dismissal and stalked out of the office; Hermione followed him, catching up to him on the revolving staircase.
"How are you feeling, Professor?" she asked tentatively. "Any more side effects from the potion I gave you?"
He turned at the bottom of the stairs and glared at her. "I did not sleep last night, the nausea returned, not to mention a bout of diarrhea, and my skull still feels as if it has been split open. Other than that, no."
To his satisfaction, her jaw had dropped slightly and it took her a moment to recover.
"I apologize," she said sincerely. "I did not expect for it to be so serious. I will have to work on that."
"Find your next test subject elsewhere, Miss Granger," he snarled before stalking off, leaving a frowning Hermione in his wake.
Monday morning came early, and Hermione woke to a bundle of nerves in her stomach. She pulled herself out of bed and showered, then spent an inordinate amount of time determining her clothes for the day. Finally dressed, she left her rooms, only to realize on the second floor that she didn't have her wand. She returned to her rooms and found her wand, then she made her way down to the Great Hall, smiling nervously at the students she passed. When she arrived, she found she had no appetite, in fact quite the opposite, as she looked at all the students eating breakfast, and she had to fight the urge to race back to her rooms and bury herself under the covers.
Just great, Granger. First day of class and you're having a breakdown?
She thought about Anne's words from last night. After the Sorting and the feast, she and Anne had talked, with Hermione giving her a highly edited version of Vasily's rescue. Hermione had then confessed her fears about her teaching abilities.
"You just have to bullshit," Anne had replied. "The students think you're qualified because you are the teacher. Just don't let them see you nervous."
She had faced down scores of Death Eaters, so what were a few hundred students? Taking a deep breath, she pushed through the doors to the Great Hall and strode towards the other professors, smiling at the students that made eye contact.
Dumbledore and McGonagall were deep in conversation as she approached, but they paused to greet Hermione. She sat between Sprout and Hagrid and made small talk while forcing down some fruit and a piece of toast, knowing she would be dying of hunger before lunch. She sipped her coffee as she watched the students, feeling her anxiety slowly subside.
Suddenly a tawny owl flew through the high windows and swooped down in front of her. The owl was holding a red apple and also carried a note. She untied the note and gave her crusts to the owl, who hooted appreciatively. She unfolded the paper, and her heart leapt as she recognized the handwriting.
'Sorry I couldn't see you off, but my thoughts are with you. Love, H. P.S. An apple for the teacher on her first day.'
She laughed, and pulled out a scrap of paper and scrawled a quick thanks, then tied it to the owl's leg, who took off immediately. Hermione drained the mug of coffee, grabbed her note and apple, and made her way to the classroom to prepare.
As she reached the room, Hermione remembered that her first class would be the fourth year Slytherins and she groaned audibly. She hoped they would be better behaved than the Slytherins she had gone to school with, though she did have her doubts.
Fifteen minutes into the class and her doubts were confirmed, and she stormed off to the dungeons, dragging a Slytherin behind her.
Severus Snape prowled the Potions classroom, hands clasped behind his back, criticizing the first year Gryffindors while praising the Slytherins, when the door flew open, banging into the stone wall. Snape whirled, ready to berate whomever was disrupting his class, until he saw an extremely irate Hermione Granger holding a student by the back of his robes. He immediately recognized the student as one of his own, a fourth year named Thomas Wilcox, who had been something of a troublemaker so far.
"Excuse me, Professor," she began, her eyes flaring. "Might I have a word with you in your office?"
"In case you hadn't noticed, Professor Granger, I am in the middle of a class."
"As I should be as well."
All of the first years had stopped working on their potions and were staring expectantly at the two professors and the student who was obviously in trouble.
"Get back to work!" he snapped. "If any of you does not finish his or her potion by the time I return, you will all receive detention for a week!"
With that, he started to his office without looking at Hermione. She moved Thomas towards an empty chair and instructed him to sit, then followed Snape to the office and shut the door behind her.
Snape's office hadn't changed much in the last few years. The shelves were still overflowing potions texts and jars filled with strange, pickled things. His desk was neat, a few rolls of parchment sat to the side.
"What can I do for you?" he drawled, his tone making it clear he had no real interest in helping her.
"You can discipline your students, Professor," she growled. "We were practicing simple protection charms when Thomas felt the need to set fire to Amanda Ashby's robes. She is with Madam Pomfrey now."
Snape stared at her coldly for a few moments, not saying anything, and she met his stare. Finally he answered, "Very well, I will see to his punishment."
Hermione opened the office door and motioned to the boy, who swaggered in with a smug smile for his Head of House and sat down in a chair in front of the desk.
"Did I tell you to sit?" Snape snarled, irritated not for the first time at the arrogance that ran rampant in his house. Thomas looked startled, then quickly stood up. "Mister Wilcox, by your actions this morning you have earned yourself a week of detention with Hagrid. You will begin this afternoon."
"And I am deducting forty points from Slytherin for your misconduct," Hermione added, casting a quick scowl at Snape.
"Return to the Slytherin common room until your next class. Dismissed." He waited until Thomas had left the office before returning his attention to Hermione. "Forty points from Slytherin? Seems a bit harsh to me."
"I seem to remember you taking a lot more points from Gryffindor for much less, Professor."
"No doubt it was warranted," he said silkily, his eyes drilling into her. "If that is all Miss Granger, I have a roomful of first years that have no doubt begun destroying my dungeons."
She had had enough of his derisive tone, as well as the 'Miss Granger' bit.
"Professor Snape! I am no longer your student, but your co-worker, and as such, you do not get to call me Miss Granger anymore! You will address me as Professor or Hermione!"
Her eyes glinted but he matched her stare, and they stood there, not blinking for nearly a minute.
"Very well, Professor," he snarled, inflecting as much hatred into the word as possible.
He stood quickly and swept past her, flinging open the office door, glaring indiscriminately at the students who cowered behind their cauldrons. Hermione moved to the door of the classroom, giving smiles of encouragement to the few Gryffindors who unknowingly risked Snape's wrath to watch her leave.
"Miss Jones, the directions clearly state you are to use crushed, not whole beetle eyes," Hermione heard Snape say, recognizing the tone of voice he had used to berate Neville Longbottom, and she turned back at the open door. Snape's eyes found hers, and he smiled a nasty little smile as he added, "Ten points from Gryffindor for not reading instructions."
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A/N:
Soooo sorry! I know I said the next chapter would be a few weeks, but I got side-tracked. I've got a lot going on, so I'm hoping to do a chapter every other week until the semester is over, which is the first week of May.
Moria - Thanks for the Lucius bit! I totally did not notice that at all in my re-readings! D'oh! But thanks, and I fixed it ... I think! And I agree about the erection bit so I reworded it .... LMK!
Again, muchas gracias for the reviews! They are what actually kicked me back into gear and got me to finish this chapter.