Chapter 12:
Matters of Trust
"Professor Snape, remain, please. I'd like a word."
The rest of the faculty exchanged glances, but rose and filed out of the staff room. Minerva, particularly, seemed to be having trouble meeting his eyes. It was a bit disturbing. Minerva McGonagall could stare down a viper without blinking, so when she pointedly didn't meet his gaze, it gave him an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. She hadn't even said 'good morning' to him, which, while not necessarily upsetting in and of itself, was a departure from the norm. A departure from the norm early in the morning, which was most unusual indeed.
When only he and Malfoy remained in the staff room, she rose, smoothing her pale gray robes. She moved gracefully to stand beside him, and then paused, looking into his eyes, her ice blue eyes darting back and forth slightly, as though she were trying to read him.
"Well," she said after a moment, "it's Friday. Would you prefer to have this conversation here or shall we go to my office?"
Severus' heart lurched, but he kept his features still. "Here is fine, unless you prefer elsewhere."
"Very well," she said, seating herself beside him. There was no hint of emotion on her face; in that, she reminded him very much of Lucius, who could deliver a killing blow or a hefty donation to a charity without the faintest flicker of feeling. "I have reached a decision about the Defense Against the Dark Arts post. I have hired a new professor for the position."
He felt as though he'd been punched in the stomach, and his eyes narrowed marginally. Fool, he thought miserably. Fool for believing anything would have changed. "Thank you for informing me of your decision," he said quietly, standing.
"Sit down, Professor. This conversation is not over."
He raised an eyebrow, his black eyes glittering dangerously. "What more is there to discuss?" he asked.
She tilted her head to one side, regarding him carefully. "Do you not wish to know why?" she asked quietly. "If I were perpetually passed over for a coveted position, I would want to know why."
He hesitated, his eyes narrowed to slits. It was the same outcome to which he had grown accustomed over the years, but this was a departure from the norm. Not once, in fifteen years, had Dumbledore offered him an explanation beyond that vague and flimsy excuse about it bringing out the worst in him. After a long moment, he seated himself again. "Very well," he said stiffly.
Her face softened a bit, to something akin to understanding. "It was not a decision I reached lightly," she said softly. "I want you to realize that. There were three factors involved, really. First, I had a recommendation for someone else, and this other person came with stellar references. I'm afraid, Professor Snape, that based on that alone, I would have found it difficult to justify accepting you for the position over one so highly recommended."
"Very well," he repeated, his lips set in a tight line. "I lost the popularity contest. Hardly a surprise."
The corner of Malfoy's mouth quirked up briefly before she smoothed her face again. "Secondly," she continued as though he had not spoken, "I must admit that I had reservations, given that Professor Dumbledore-"
"You are not going to sit there and tell me that you give a damn what Albus Dumbledore did or thought," he interrupted, an edge to his voice. "You've changed everything he has been doing here, and you have had very little regard for his opinion thus far. Do not give me that rot."
For a moment, she was silent, and then she nodded. "You are quite right, Professor Snape. I have not been particularly concerned with maintaining those policies of his that I do not agree with. I do, however, pay attention when I see that he turned you down nine times in the past fifteen years. He had to have had a reason, and..."
"He had a reason for everything he did!" Severus snapped.
"I'm sure he did," Malfoy replied. "But there is a difference between opting to allow the parents to visit for a day and making a staffing decision. If I am wrong about the visitors day, then I'm sure I'll never try it again, and the lot of you will have a solid reason for protesting it if anyone else tries. If I make a mistake in my choice of a professor, though, it's a year long contract. And these students have already had enough incompetence for one lifetime. I prefer to err on the side of caution, particularly since I don't know you well enough to make such a determination of my own."
Had she just suggested he was incompetent? He opened his mouth to protest, but she didn't give him the chance.
"My third reason, and the most important and deciding factor, was logistical. This school is short-staffed as it is, and I could not, in good conscience, move a highly qualified professor out of one classroom and put him in another with no assurance that the move would be productive enough to offset the deficiency created elsewhere."
Severus had to think about that for a moment- the woman not only wrote the language of bureaucracy, she spoke it. Fluently.
"In other words," she said, leaning forward, and he bristled at the insinuation that he hadn't understood, "I've no intention of sacrificing Potions for Defense Against the Dark Arts. Had I allowed you to make that move, I would be looking for a Potions professor, and they are more difficult to come by than a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor."
"It does not sound to me as though the decision was difficult," Severus said, folding his arms across his chest.
"I never said it was," she replied. "I said I did not reach it lightly. You are right, though. It was a very easy decision to make."
Severus sighed.
"I will offer this, though," she went on. "During our previous discussion, you said you would be willing to provide instruction outside of class hours. Would you still be willing to do this?"
He stared at her. "You want me to teach the damn course without pay after hours?"
"I am asking if you would be willing to help tutor some of the students after normal class hours, as you had volunteered to do when you were telling me how you would work to counter the deficit left by previous professors. It is certainly not required of you, I merely thought that it was an excellent idea, and if you were interested in it, it would be a good way to gain concrete experience in the teaching of the subject, which might give you an edge if the position becomes available again."
His forehead creased with a frown. "I don't understand," he said, shaking his head. "The position has been filled."
"And no one has lasted more than three years in the last three decades. And, I will confide this: I have been working on a proposal to more than double the faculty at Hogwarts. I think the current ratio of students to teachers is abysmal, and if I have my way, there will be need for a second Defense professor by the start of next term. I do not, however, intend to rush into making any additional changes to the staff unless it is strictly necessary without the benefit of many more days to explore various options."
Severus frowned. "Do you anticipate that you will be able to expand the faculty?" he asked quietly, momentarily distracted from the Defense position.
"When I was thirteen, I failed to accomplish something I set out to do," Malfoy replied briskly. "I did not enjoy the feeling. I will have the additional faculty by Christmas, or I will make Fudge miserable until he concedes."
She hadn't failed at anything since she was thirteen? Severus' first thought was that she was lying- everyone had failures. If, however, there was someone who managed to accomplish everything she set out to do, he imagined it would be Regalia Malfoy. She was, he was quickly learning, a force unto herself. His second thought was that she couldn't have had too many difficult goals if she achieved them all. Regardless, it was impressive.
"Do you think you would be interested in the extra tutorials?" she asked again, and Severus brought his mind back to their conversation.
This was something akin to dangling a carrot from a sting, and he wsn't sure he appreciated the leading question. "Who has been given the Defense post?" he asked suddenly, and her eyes widened marginally before the closed expression returned to her face.
"I had not intended to announce that until it is finalized," she replied.
"It is not final yet, then?"
"No. I am still awaiting word from Humphrey. Though I suppose it would hurt nothing to tell you. It is to be kept under the strictest confidence, though. You will be the only person at Hogwarts, save me, who knows, so if word leaks out, I will know who is responsible."
"Very well," he said testily. "Who?"
"Remus Lupin. I must say I was rather impressed with his resume and he had a good many letters of reference. And he seems to be uncontested as the most effective Defense Against the Dark Arts professor this school has seen in years."
Severus' eyes had taken on a liquid fire, and he could feel the vein pulsing at his temple as he struggled with a basic instinct to murder someone. "You do realize," he said, slowly and distinctly, his voice barely a hiss, "that Remus Lupin is a werewolf."
Malfoy sighed heavily. "Yes," she said after a moment. "I am aware of the fact."
"And I suppose you are also aware that the reason he left the last time was because he damn near killed three students?"
There was a flicker of something across her face, and Severus thought that perhaps that detail had been left out of her information. After a long moment, though, she shook her head. "No," she replied softly. "I was not aware of that."
"And I suppose I am to be required to make his Wolfsbane potion again?"
Malfoy took a deep breath. "No. I am not going to require any such thing of you. That would be rubbing salt in an open wound, wouldn't it?"
"That didn't stop Albus," he muttered.
"I am not Albus Dumbledore," she replied softly. "I am not going to require you to do anything other than teach your classes to the same high standard you have been for the past fifteen years, and to carry on your duties as Head of Slytherin. I was rather hoping you might be persuaded to mix the potion, but if you do not wish to do it, I will not press the subject."
"Whether you accept my request for the position or not, I would protest strongly against his appointment," Severus said, ignoring the half-made request.
"On the grounds that...?"
He stared mutely at her, unable to speak beyond his disbelief. "On the grounds that he is a werewolf and a danger to the students!"
"He will not endanger the students."
"He will endanger them by being here," Severus spat. "Whose idea was this, anyway? Minerva's?"
"This discussion is over," Malfoy said suddenly, standing.
"No, it is not. Do you have any idea how idiotic this idea is?" he demanded, standing as well. "There is not a student in this school who was here three years ago who does not know that Lupin is a werewolf. How do you think parents are going to react?"
The doubt flickered across Malfoy's face again.
"Hadn't thought of that, had you? What else have you not thought of? Do you really think the Ministry will approve a known werewolf?"
"Yes, that I do," Malfoy replied.
"I hope, for the sake of the students, that you are about to taste failure for a second time in your life, Headmistress."
"Do you think I didn't think this through?" she snapped suddenly, stepping in front of him. "I did! The terms of his contract are very strict. If he is seen within twenty kilometers of the school within two days either side of the full moon, he will be in breach of contract, and that should be more than sufficient-"
"Excellent," Severus sneered. "So he will have to actually kill a student before you realize that he is a danger. You are very much like Albus Dumbledore- hell bent to do everything your own way, even if it is wrong. Now, excuse me, Headmistress. I need to check my stock of ingredients for the Wolfsbane."
"I didn't think you were going to brew it," she began, but he interrupted her with a glower.
"If you are determined to put the students' lives in danger, the least I can do is brew a potion to lessen that hazard," he snapped as he stalked out of the room.
Minerva sat in her office, pretending to look over a stack of parchments, but her mind was far away from the student rosters. Her mind was back in the staff room, with Severus and Malfoy and the conversation she could just imagine was taking place. Malfoy couldn't possibly be prepared for the wrath she was going to incur by telling Severus what they'd decided, and Minerva felt vaguely guilty for that, but she couldn't allow herself to dwell on it. This decision was for the best, she reminded herself again and again.
The minutes ticked by slowly, and soon she realized that she was waiting for the moment when her door would burst open and Severus would stalk in, full of indignant and self-righteous anger. It would be entirely justified. She played out the conversation in her mind.
How dare you betray me like that? she could imagine him saying.
I didn't betray you, Severus, she would tell him. Don't take it personally. Remus did an excellent job when he was here before, and we needed someone who would do an excellent job again.
she would tell him.Don't you remember that he nearly killed me when I was a child? he would ask.
She would respond, It is time for you to put your childhood differences aside. Those things happened twenty years ago, Severus, and you are both adults now.
She could almost hear his reply to that as well, could see the anger in his eyes. Don't you remember that he nearly killed Harry Potter and Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley? How could you be so irresponsible?
This time we are going to be much more careful, she would assure him. We already have measures in place to protect the students. We have learned from our mistakes.
Her door suddenly swung open, and Minerva jumped, opening her mouth to protest the indignation of his entering without invitation, but she stopped short, her jaw dropped. It was not Severus. It was Malfoy.
"And just when were you going to tell me that this werewolf of yours has already come close to killing students?" Malfoy asked as she stepped inside, slamming the door behind her.
Minerva stared at her in disbelief. "There were extenuating circumstances…" she began, but Malfoy slammed a hand onto her desk with enough force to make her jump.
"THERE ARE NO EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN STUDENTS' LIVES ARE IN DANGER!" she shouted, leaning over the desk. Minerva was hard-pressed not to back away, but she refused to present cowardice to this slip of a girl. A slip of a girl she wasn't even afraid of.
"Be reasonable, Regalia. You don't know the circumstances and…"
"I don't have to know the circumstances!" Malfoy replied heatedly. "All I have to know is that he has already made attempts on the lives of students of this school and… and you're not even denying it! You're not acting surprised! You don't even have the decency to lie about it!" She was shouting again.
"Lower your voice," Minerva said evenly, looking at her over the top of her spectacles.
"I will not lower my voice! I want answers!"
"Be reasonable and…"
"I'M NOT THE ONE BEING UNREASONABLE!" Malfoy shouted, then spun away, her face shifting through shades of pink.
"Three years ago, Sirius Black returned to Hogwarts, and three of the students went after him. Remus attempted to stop them, and…"
"And the Wolfsbane didn't work properly?" Malfoy interrupted. "Wonderful. We're relying on a potion that is undependable."
"The potion works perfectly if taken properly, but he did not take it…"
"Then we can't depend on him to manage his condition!" Malfoy stalked back to the desk and leaned over it, bracing her hands on the surface.
"He was under duress! I told you about Sirius Black and…"
"And he is enough of a psychic that he knew Black would return and was unable to take the potion all day long?"
"Damn it, Regalia! Sirius Black was a close friend of his when they were in school, and…"
"OH! That makes me feel so much better! He can list a convicted murderer among his many references!"
"It was an accident!" Minerva shouted, standing as well and leaning forward so she was nose to nose with Malfoy. "It was an accident, no one was hurt, and it won't happen again! It was no more his fault than it was when he nearly killed Severus!"
A strange expression crossed Malfoy's face, and the color drained away from her cheeks slowly. "What did you say?" she whispered.
Minerva frowned. "That it wasn't his fault. It was circumstances beyond his control and…:"
"No," Malfoy said. "The part about nearly killing Severus."
It was Minerva's turn to grow quiet. "Severus didn't tell you that?" she asked softly.
"No," Malfoy replied testily.
"Severus didn't give you his sob story about being bullied in school and…" Minerva trailed off, her eyes widening.
"Bullied," Malfoy repeated. She straightened, and smoothed her robe, then looked away, blinking rapidly. "Remus Lupin bullied Severus Snape when they were children and nearly killed him?"
"It wasn't Remus so much as it was his friends. He was guilty by association, and Severus was every bit as bad as they were. He was far from defenseless."
"Then they were rivals," Malfoy said.
"Yes. That's a good word for it."
Malfoy took a deep breath. "You recommended a man who associates with convicted murderers," she began, and Minerva opened her mouth to protest. Malfoy didn't give her the chance. "And who has at least four near misses to his past. And who was a schooldays rival of another teacher in this school who happened to be the other primary contender for this position, and you knew about all of this and you didn't TELL ME!" Malfoy had started in barely a whisper, and the last was a shriek.
"It isn't that simple," Minerva protested.
"Yes it is!" Malfoy shot back. "I hope this appointment meant a great deal to you, McGonagall, because it is the last time I will be seeking your advice on any matter of importance in this school!" She spun on her heel and stalked out of the office, slamming the door behind her. Minerva sat, blinking at the door and wondering what she had just done.
A/N: Wheee! It wasn't three months before I updated this time! Aren't you proud of me?
I really am sorry this one goes so long between updates, and that I've been so quiet through January. Lots going on. Hopefully I'm back on track with my updates now, though.
duj- Hrm... good question. Of course, I have my plans, and I'm sure you can guess them ;)
yukka- I feel so guilty now. Of all my WiPs, this is the one I update the least frequently. The others tend to get updates at least weekly. I'm going to try really hard to be better about updating this one. I have to admit that my main reason is that I have so many fics going that one has to have 'back burner' status and it's been this one for a while. But I really got into it again last night, so maybe, just MAYBE I'll be more consistent.
cecelle- Thanks! I've been stretching my wings with Minerva a bit lately, but I can't seem to find her. I'm trying to keep her consistent within stories, at least. I do think she's rather fierce when it comes to those she favors, though.
Liat- hopefully you'll find out what the students think in the next chapter (which I'm making excellent progress on, btw!)
Thank you all for your comments, and thank you for reading, even though I've been so horrid about updating this one!
2/8: Cecelle, thanks for pointing out the missing punctuation. It must have been a program error, because the commas and such were all in place in my saved copy.
Jen
