Position of a Potions master

Disclaimer: Aw, mummy, do I HAVE to disclaim?

Author's note: This is DAMN hard! I can't claim to know exactly what Snape is up to, and all I'm aware of, like the rest of us, is Malfoy is somehow connected, so I didn't want to put my own specs in here, but I wanted to have Snape as a chapter, so this has taken longer then expected as I tried very hard to put Snape's opinion without him actually HAVING an opinion stated! It's short but I couldn't drag it out.

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'You are positive you can cope without him, Severus?' Dumbledore asked gravely, looking over his glasses at the Potion master. Snape had his hands steepled in front of him and was looking back at the principal thoughtfully.

'Yes Headmaster. I will not say it will be any easier…'

'But still manageable?' Dumbledore seemed most anxious to the answer, his blue eyes were incredibly intense. Snape reflected momentarily, more on Dumbledore's overwhelming protective streak rather then the subject at hand.

'Yes, headmaster.' He said firmly, his dark eyes never leaving Dumbledore's pale ones. The headmaster of Hogwarts seemed finally satisfied and leaned back, tapping his fingers on the desk.

'Very well. If you run into any doubts what so ever…'

'You shall be the first to be informed headmaster.' Snape said curtly, making to rise. 'If I may be excused, I have several class schedules left to write and papers to mark…'
'Indeed, Severus. Let us not fall behind in our day to day activities.' The headmaster said, rising himself, and stroking Fawkes on the head.

The Potions master of Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry swept down the now deserted corridors, his dark eyes blank with introspective. Certainly Malfoy had been important, not pivotal, no; the order was too cunning to allow him only one route to the Dark lord.

Draco was going to be a problem, he thought suddenly, grimacing. The boy would automatically look to him for some sort of answer, some plan. He had none nor did he want any part of any- excepting of course the Dark Lord's own. The plots of a fifteen year old boy hardly ranked up there with anything possibly threatening to the Order.
Although it might threaten Harry.

A smirk twisted the corner of his mouth. Ah well, he was duty bound to report threats to the Order it's self, and honour bound to report to Dumbledore. Harry didn't seem to be mentioned on that list of priorities. What a pity. He might even have to turn a blind eye to anything Malfoy pointed in Harry's direction. God knows a bit of antagonism might even be good for the boy- have him deal with some home style playground hatred, why, wasn't it his duty as a professor to encourage such… character building activities?

He was lying through his teeth and he knew it. A kind, thoughtful, honest and caring Professor would stop this line of speculation then and there, and turn around instantly and voice their concerns to the headmaster.
But then again, he thought as he turned the handle to his office, lighting the fire with a negligent flip on his wand, he never pretended to be kind, thoughtful, honest OR caring in his life.

He thumbed through the pages of student essays, sighing, wondering why he set the damn things. He hated poor grammar, detested misspellings, and students seemed more and more determined to punish him with them every paper he graded. Ah, look here "Propaties of akonight" Good lord did the boy even GLANCE at any form of reference. He scribbled a rather pointed note at the bottom and scrawled a very low grade. The child deserved one mark at least- he had managed to figure out which way to hold his quill.

He started to lose his momentum by about the seventh paper, petering out at the twelfth. So, they'd caught Lucius Malfoy. He leant back in the chair, staring into the fire. Eyes and thoughts a mystery.

Sorry folks, not much here. Is there anyone you'd like to see muse about Malfoy's capture? Send me a review if you do and I'll happily think it over, ponder on how to do it. Lucius' POV IS coming, but I need to save it until last…