Chapter 19:
The weather is unpleasant, winter having settled into its presence today. A chill wind is howling through the edges of the Forbidden Forest. Smoke is billowing from Hagrid's hut. I still have not seen the half-giant since my arrival. Deciding now would be as good a time as any, I amble down the path to his hut.
Knocking loudly on the wooden door, I hear the bumbly man approach his side of the door. Opening it, he looks at me warily, then suddenly the spark of recognition flares and he pulls me inside and into a crushing hug.
"Bena! I'd heard you was back! Took you long enough to come on down an' see me. Glad you did, though, glad you did. Come on in, come in then. 'Ave a seat. 'Ere, let me get you summat to drink." He moves around the hut. I am reveling in memory. Hagrid's hut was where I was shuffled whenever my uncle became too busy for me during visits. Hours upon hours were spent in his hut, or outside with his animals.
Not much has changed. The bed, over in the corner is just as it was so many years ago—the patchwork quilt appears to be the same one, a thousand times patched over. The walls are covered with dishes and jackets, and every centimeter of free space on the ceiling is covered over by cages and pots, hanging from a multitude of nails and hooks.
This, to me, is home. Hogwarts is wonderful and I adore it. Albus's cottage up north is pleasant and comfortable, but Hagrid's is easy, broken in, and immediately welcoming of everyone. I sigh and sit back in the huge chair. Hagrid pushes a mug of steaming something into my hands. I sip contentedly, taking in everything from this moment.
Suddenly Severus does not seem so important. Albus seems even less so. Hagrid is my constant. Constant in his enthusiasm for life, constant in his loyalty to Albus, constant in his sheer size. Bless Hagrid, I laude loudly in my head. Before he and I can get into a conversation, though, a knock is heard on the door.
"Hagrid?" I recognize the voice of Harry Potter. Silently cursing my luck at my quiet morning being interrupted, I take another sip of what I have determined to be Hagrid's attempt at tea.
"Jus' a moment. Here you are, Harry. Took you this long to come an' see me, huh? Seems to be a popular thing to do this mornin'. Come on in, then, and join the fun." Hagrid welcomes the boy. Entering the cottage, Harry looks at me with surprise.
"I didn't expect to see you here, Professor." He says politely.
"I'll go outside and wash up another mug for yeh, Harry." Hagrid calls on his way out the back door.
"Hagrid and I are old friends. I have been at Hogwarts for several days, but was unable to visit until now." I inform him.
"How old of friends?" he asks.
"I have known Hagrid all my life. I spent the first twenty summer and winter holidays of my life at Hogwarts." He digests this information and looks up, puzzled.
"What do you mean?" he asks.
"My grandfather is very close to the headmaster. Because of this, during holidays, I was invited to spend my time at Hogwarts. This is where all my childhood memories are." My smile is still nostalgic. Potter's face scrunches a little, before he speaks.
"Must be nice."
I had expected more. Prodding him into speech, I continue, "The Headmaster asked me to join my husband here at Hogwarts. He feels, and I agree, that together we might be able to get the vital information we need against Voldemort." I am pleased to note that there is not even an unconscious shiver on his part at the name.
"Your husband." He says cautiously. I can tell he is cycling through the male professors at Hogwarts. As I continue to watch, I can see the look of abject horror upon his features, "Who is your husband?"
Oh this will be fun. "Professor Snape."
Potter reacts as though he has been slapped. His head whips to the left, his eyes widening. "Professor Snape?" he repeats incredulously.
I smirk at him. "Oh, yes. Professor Snape and I have been married for eighteen years."
If my first statement silenced him, this one floored him. He says nothing for a few moments. In the interim, Hagrid comes shuffling back in.
"All righ', Harry? Bena, will you be needin' more tea then?" filling Harry's mug and refilling mine, he joins us at the table. Noticing neither of us is speaking he looks around nervously. "Was there somethin' I did?"
"No, Hagrid." Harry rushes to assure the half-giant.
"No, Hagrid," I agree. "I'm afraid I just told Mr. Potter about my husband."
Hagrid starts to laugh. "Yep, Professor Snape. Funny, huh, Harry? But they was made for one other, than I can assure you. All those summers together, and Professor Dumbledore agreeing to the whole thing. Too bad it didn't last long, but later's better than never."
I answer Potter's question before he can ask, and as well as the several others that follow, leaving out only my relation to the Headmaster and the prophecy. Soon enough, though, we are down to the dregs and I am due in the library. I make my goodbyes to Hagrid, and Potter and I trudge through the snow back to the castle.
Upon entering the main hall, we part ways, Potter to find Mr. Weasley, me to find Miss Granger. I feel that I have gained an ally in the boy who lived, a fact that gives me some small comfort.
Author's Notes:
I have five chapter, plus epilogue left for this story. Thank you to all who have read...let me say something to those who have reviewed, as they are very valued.
Anonymous: I will keep writing. And Bena is a 'good' girl, but I don't think she'll spy...there's that pesky prophecy to worry about.
Noteoneforyou: well, I had realized that, and don't worry, it comes back in the end. In truth, I borrowed the idea from Dzeytoun, a fabulous author. The idea of the plan does come from Dumbledore himself at the end of OotP...so, like I said, it will reappear.
Meriadoc / Celithrathien: I appreciate the comments. Bena has been a joy to write, though at times I wish she was a little nicer.
TiffanyandCo: Thank you...Snape is, in my opinion, the most intriguing character in the books, it's fun to explore what he'd be like in this situation.
Amailaya: I know it's dark, which is funny, because I am not. Ah well, the words just keep coming.
Daintress: Oh, I hope you're still reading! Your first four reviews buoyed me up. Thank you, thank you!!
The weather is unpleasant, winter having settled into its presence today. A chill wind is howling through the edges of the Forbidden Forest. Smoke is billowing from Hagrid's hut. I still have not seen the half-giant since my arrival. Deciding now would be as good a time as any, I amble down the path to his hut.
Knocking loudly on the wooden door, I hear the bumbly man approach his side of the door. Opening it, he looks at me warily, then suddenly the spark of recognition flares and he pulls me inside and into a crushing hug.
"Bena! I'd heard you was back! Took you long enough to come on down an' see me. Glad you did, though, glad you did. Come on in, come in then. 'Ave a seat. 'Ere, let me get you summat to drink." He moves around the hut. I am reveling in memory. Hagrid's hut was where I was shuffled whenever my uncle became too busy for me during visits. Hours upon hours were spent in his hut, or outside with his animals.
Not much has changed. The bed, over in the corner is just as it was so many years ago—the patchwork quilt appears to be the same one, a thousand times patched over. The walls are covered with dishes and jackets, and every centimeter of free space on the ceiling is covered over by cages and pots, hanging from a multitude of nails and hooks.
This, to me, is home. Hogwarts is wonderful and I adore it. Albus's cottage up north is pleasant and comfortable, but Hagrid's is easy, broken in, and immediately welcoming of everyone. I sigh and sit back in the huge chair. Hagrid pushes a mug of steaming something into my hands. I sip contentedly, taking in everything from this moment.
Suddenly Severus does not seem so important. Albus seems even less so. Hagrid is my constant. Constant in his enthusiasm for life, constant in his loyalty to Albus, constant in his sheer size. Bless Hagrid, I laude loudly in my head. Before he and I can get into a conversation, though, a knock is heard on the door.
"Hagrid?" I recognize the voice of Harry Potter. Silently cursing my luck at my quiet morning being interrupted, I take another sip of what I have determined to be Hagrid's attempt at tea.
"Jus' a moment. Here you are, Harry. Took you this long to come an' see me, huh? Seems to be a popular thing to do this mornin'. Come on in, then, and join the fun." Hagrid welcomes the boy. Entering the cottage, Harry looks at me with surprise.
"I didn't expect to see you here, Professor." He says politely.
"I'll go outside and wash up another mug for yeh, Harry." Hagrid calls on his way out the back door.
"Hagrid and I are old friends. I have been at Hogwarts for several days, but was unable to visit until now." I inform him.
"How old of friends?" he asks.
"I have known Hagrid all my life. I spent the first twenty summer and winter holidays of my life at Hogwarts." He digests this information and looks up, puzzled.
"What do you mean?" he asks.
"My grandfather is very close to the headmaster. Because of this, during holidays, I was invited to spend my time at Hogwarts. This is where all my childhood memories are." My smile is still nostalgic. Potter's face scrunches a little, before he speaks.
"Must be nice."
I had expected more. Prodding him into speech, I continue, "The Headmaster asked me to join my husband here at Hogwarts. He feels, and I agree, that together we might be able to get the vital information we need against Voldemort." I am pleased to note that there is not even an unconscious shiver on his part at the name.
"Your husband." He says cautiously. I can tell he is cycling through the male professors at Hogwarts. As I continue to watch, I can see the look of abject horror upon his features, "Who is your husband?"
Oh this will be fun. "Professor Snape."
Potter reacts as though he has been slapped. His head whips to the left, his eyes widening. "Professor Snape?" he repeats incredulously.
I smirk at him. "Oh, yes. Professor Snape and I have been married for eighteen years."
If my first statement silenced him, this one floored him. He says nothing for a few moments. In the interim, Hagrid comes shuffling back in.
"All righ', Harry? Bena, will you be needin' more tea then?" filling Harry's mug and refilling mine, he joins us at the table. Noticing neither of us is speaking he looks around nervously. "Was there somethin' I did?"
"No, Hagrid." Harry rushes to assure the half-giant.
"No, Hagrid," I agree. "I'm afraid I just told Mr. Potter about my husband."
Hagrid starts to laugh. "Yep, Professor Snape. Funny, huh, Harry? But they was made for one other, than I can assure you. All those summers together, and Professor Dumbledore agreeing to the whole thing. Too bad it didn't last long, but later's better than never."
I answer Potter's question before he can ask, and as well as the several others that follow, leaving out only my relation to the Headmaster and the prophecy. Soon enough, though, we are down to the dregs and I am due in the library. I make my goodbyes to Hagrid, and Potter and I trudge through the snow back to the castle.
Upon entering the main hall, we part ways, Potter to find Mr. Weasley, me to find Miss Granger. I feel that I have gained an ally in the boy who lived, a fact that gives me some small comfort.
Author's Notes:
I have five chapter, plus epilogue left for this story. Thank you to all who have read...let me say something to those who have reviewed, as they are very valued.
Anonymous: I will keep writing. And Bena is a 'good' girl, but I don't think she'll spy...there's that pesky prophecy to worry about.
Noteoneforyou: well, I had realized that, and don't worry, it comes back in the end. In truth, I borrowed the idea from Dzeytoun, a fabulous author. The idea of the plan does come from Dumbledore himself at the end of OotP...so, like I said, it will reappear.
Meriadoc / Celithrathien: I appreciate the comments. Bena has been a joy to write, though at times I wish she was a little nicer.
TiffanyandCo: Thank you...Snape is, in my opinion, the most intriguing character in the books, it's fun to explore what he'd be like in this situation.
Amailaya: I know it's dark, which is funny, because I am not. Ah well, the words just keep coming.
Daintress: Oh, I hope you're still reading! Your first four reviews buoyed me up. Thank you, thank you!!