A/N: Yes, I'm in a posting frenzy! Chapter beta read by Forty-Two Dreams. All remaining mistakes are mine.

CHAPTER 8
BETS

"You were right, Albus," Snape began after Dumbledore asked him about the news he had. "In just over four weeks, there will be an attack on Hogwarts."

The other teachers exchanged a couple of concerned looks.

"Do you have any further information on this, Severus?" the Headmaster asked.

"The Dark Lord will send giants. I don't know how many, though," the Potions Master replied.

There was another exchange of anxious glances.

"Giants will be more delicate to deal with than Death Eaters would have been," Dumbledore noted. "Endora?"

The witch seemed worried. "I hadn't planned an attack of giants when setting up the school's defences, but…" She tapped the arm of her seat nervously for a few seconds, her eyes unfocused. "I should be able to put some new traps in place according to this new piece of information."

"Will it be able to stop them?" McGonagall asked.

The Charms teacher shook her head. "Probably only to delay them. I will have to do some research on what can stop a giant; I know too little about them."

"We will probably have to face them ourselves," Dumbledore observed, "but any delay you can cause will be extremely valuable."

"If I may suggest a thought," McGonagall began, "I believe we could ask the help of our Care of Magical Creatures teacher. Rubeus has an extended knowledge of giants. And with the participation of his protégé…" the Transfiguration teacher trailed off and glanced at the Headmaster.

The old wizard nodded thoughtfully. What protégé were they talking about? Snape wondered. He cast a side look at Wilson and she seemed as puzzled as he was.

"Rubeus took under his wing a giant known by the name of Grawp," Dumbledore explained, "and he now lives in the Forbidden Forest."

"There's a giant in the Forbidden Forest?" the Charms teacher exclaimed before Snape could. What had been going through the Headmaster's mind when he had learned this news and done nothing about it? And for how long had it been going on?

"Don't worry," Dumbledore assured, "Grawp was a bit aggressive at first, but he's become almost civil lately."

This wizard was totally demented, Snape concluded. Giants were violent, dangerous and uncontrollable creatures that shouldn't be taken lightly. Why not host one inside the school itself while they were at it?

"I will speak about it with Rubeus then," Endora replied, a bit hesitant.

"I'm sure he'll be extremely helpful," McGonagall insisted.

"Is there any other alternative?" Snape asked animatedly. He didn't like the idea of their fates - especially his - lying in the hands of the half giant gamekeeper.

"Don't you trust Rubeus to have sufficient knowledge about giants?" Dumbledore asked him.

"To be honest, I don't," he replied coldly.

"There is another option," McGonagall offered, "but I doubt you would like it any more than the other."

"Try," Snape insisted.

"We could contact a giant specialist we know of," McGonagall began, "but considering your history with her, I'm unsure as to whether she'd agree to come back to Hogwarts, even in view of the threats."

Severus paled, knowing whom she was referring to. "Nashira," he murmured and shook his head before speaking louder. "She won't come back," he confirmed.

While he was absorbed in the contemplation of long gone memories, Snape was faintly aware of Wilson looking alternately at him and McGonagall.

"Wait a minute…" the Charms teacher started. "Nashira, as in Professor Nashira Achernar? The Care to Magical Creatures teacher before Professor Kettleburn?" Snape saw her eyes widen in shock as she eventually understood. "You and Professor Achernar back then!" she exclaimed with a strange mix of surprise and enthusiasm. "Well there sure were rumours, but I never… Is it why she left at the end of the year?" she suddenly asked him.

Snape sighed and massaged his temples. "Could we please come back to our more urgent concerns?" he pleaded, hoping the Headmaster or the Deputy Headmistress would put an end to this - which of course neither of them did. He had no wish to brood over these memories, especially in front of such an audience.

"Oh my, I have to floo Ann about this!" Endora whispered, looking as excited as a schoolgirl.

Snape glared at her with disgust. "You will not floo any of this to this Ann, whoever she is!"

"Ann Carter, a former Gryffindor in my year," she began explaining, totally ignoring the fact that Snape didn't wish for any kind of explanation. "She's the only one who rooted for the two of you on that bet, you know…"

Snape stared at her as if she were completely crazy, but was somewhat anxious at the sight of Dumbledore's and McGonagall's half smiles, as if they knew what she was evoking.

"You never heard of that bet?" she went on, looking surprised.

He slightly shook his head, wondering what she was talking about.

"Well there was a bet running among the Gryffindors back then about whether you and Professor Achernar were involved." She paused. "You really never heard of it?"

Snape shook his head again, both bewildered and sickened by the fact that some students could be stupid enough to waste time and money on such ludicrous bets.

"Well Gryffindors have always been good at keeping secrets…" she went on with a shrug.

Snape snorted. "Which is why you, as a Ravenclaw, heard about it."

"I dated a Gryffindor," she pointed out.

Oh right, Snape thought with renewed antipathy. By the way, what had happened to her usual animosity towards him? Trust a woman to get all hysterical whenever she heard of some spicy bits of your private life.

"Surely you have heard of the bet about you and I?" she continued.

"No I haven't, and honestly I don't care," he replied, but in truth hoped it had nothing to do with the subject of the other bet.

"About who will kill the other first?" she insisted, looking abnormally enthusiastic considering the subject of the bet.

Snape shook his head, but he had to admit, he was intrigued by this one. The results could be helpful in gauging his reputation…

"You haven't?" Wilson looked positively astounded. "Are you sure you work here? I thought everyone knew about that bet; it's very popular among the students, along with the one about whether you're – "

Snape raised an eyebrow when she suddenly stopped in the middle of her sentence.

"… but I'm digressing…" she eventually concluded nervously.

Was she, really? He had barely noticed, Snape thought ironically.

"I think we now all agree that Professor Wilson should seek the counsel of Rubeus Hagrid," Dumbledore intervened at last. "Endora, do everything you can and keep me informed."

"Certainly," the witch agreed.

"We should also bear in mind that whatever charms are put in place," the Headmaster went on, "it is unlikely all the giants will be stopped. Hence we must prepare to fight the giants ourselves. The other teachers will be warned in due time only, for if the information was to leak out, the students could become alarmed."

Not to mention that the Dark Lord could also hear about the information leak as well, Snape thought, and immediately understand there was a traitor among his followers.

"You are to tell no one about this," Dumbledore continued. "Am I clear?"

Everyone nodded.

"Good. We will have another meeting soon to take stock. Good evening to all of you," Dumbledore concluded, and they all stood up.

Snape left the Headmaster's office, convinced that within an hour, all of the former students Endora Wilson had kept in contact with would know about his past relationship with Professor Nashira Achernar. They in turn would inform the ones they had kept in contact with themselves, and within two days it would come to the attention of his actual students one way or another.

Oh, how he hated that witch. But soon he would get his full revenge, he thought with an evil smirk.

"Minerva," he called when the Transfiguration teacher walked past him.

"Yes Severus?"

"Did you know about this bet?"

"Which one?" Minerva answered back with a malicious smile.

"All of them," Snape insisted with an exasperated sigh.

"Of course I did," McGonagall replied, her smile broadening. "Do you really think I don't know what the students of my House are doing behind my back?"

"And, by any chance…" Snape began. "Would you know who this bet about Professor Wilson and I is in favour of?"

Minerva chuckled at his question. "What I'm about to tell you is only based on what I heard… The odds are thirty to one in favour of you killing her first, while most students seem to think it would be only fair if it were the other way round, and would rather see you dead instead."

Snape smirked. "I ought to improve those statistics a bit," he commented. "One last thing Minerva… This other bet Professor Wilson mentioned… What is it about?"

A mysterious smile stretched on the Transfiguration teacher's lips. "That, Severus, is up to you to find out… It'll be a perfect opportunity to work on your relations with students."

Snape watched the witch walk away before striding back to his study.


Coming next: "Duelling Club Revival"