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Chapter 2
Meeting
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It was Hermione's custom to retire to bed at midnight – not a minute before, not a minute after.
It was the same way that Saturday. She had wanted to go down to Remus' house with him for the weekend, but he had some important work – some mission – beginning that night – or so he had said.
As she put down her hairbrush and got into the bed, she wondered if her job would aversely affect her relationship with her husband. Of course he wasn't against it – in fact, he had encouraged her to take it and not let her intelligence go to waste. She supposed she had gotten too used to having his warm body against her at night because minutes passed away after midnight but sleep eluded her.
Hence, it was no surprise that she sat up immediately and grabbed her wand as she heard someone stumbling into what passed for her living room.
Spelling on her dressing-gown, she stealthily moved towards the door.
"Professor Sprout… Pomona! What are you doing here?"
Hermione hastily pocketed her wand and a whispered command made her candles flicker to life.
"Pegasus just told me… oh Merlin!"
"What's the matter?" asked Hermione.
"The Board… can you believe who they will be appointing… have appointed the Headmaster since McGonagall has left?"
She didn't know why, but she was sure of the answer. And it proved to be right…
"It is Severus Snape! The man has returned… after all these years…" Shaking her head, Pomona Sprout sat down. "It has been too long…"
Hermione stood thinking over the news for some time. That was why he had come back, then. She wondered what he had been doing in the Three Broomsticks instead of contacting the Ministry where the Hogwarts Board Office was located.
"Did you see him?" asked Hermione quietly.
"Pegasus saw him. That was how he came to know about it in the first place. I suppose he will summon us tomorrow."
Hermione pulled her gown closer about her. Then realizing that the fire was not lit, she pointed her wand at it.
"I am sorry to be intruding in this manner, dear," said Pomona after a while. "But I had to tell it to someone. It seems so surreal… that Severus will be the Headmaster – of all people!"
"Shouldn't they be appointing either you or Professor Vector?"
"We… we declined."
Hermione looked at her inquisitively.
"Hogwarts needs teachers more than it needs a Headmaster or Headmistress."
Hermione said nothing, but she understood.
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As Pomona had suspected, Snape did summon them – an hour before the school was to begin.
The news had spread faster than lightning. Pegasus and Pomona had seen to it. As a result, no one fainted of shock as they saw the sour cold face surveying them as they gathered in the staffroom.
Maybe Snape had known of that particular fact, because once all had assembled, he merely stated the regular rules for staff and that he expected the students to be dealt with strictly. Of course no one had any questions – not even Hermione. He inwardly smirked at the fact. He surmised they were still in shock.
"Professor Lupin, please stay behind. There is something I wish to discuss with you."
Hermione sighed and sat down again; disregarding the half-sympathetic-half-wary look Pomona and Vector gave her.
As the door closed behind Vector and they were alone in the room, a thick pile of parchments appeared before him.
"The Potions Course," said Snape, his eyes scanning the topmost parchment, "is dreadfully below Hogwarts… accepted standards. I require an explanation as to this… deterioration."
"The Board had changed it after Voldemort's," (she slightly stressed the name, noticing Snape flinch at the name), "complete destruction, sir. They seemed to consider the set Potions standards close to Dark Arts."
"You shall refrain from mentioning the Dark Lord's name in my presence," he said curtly. "The Potions Course – as set and defined by me – shall be revived this year onwards. No exceptions."
"But the Board…"
"Professor Lupin," said Snape, getting up from his chair and spelling the pile of yellow parchments in front of her, "you are answerable to me and not to the Board. You shall do as I bid you to."
"But the older students will find it difficult to cope up with high standards after all these years…"
"This meeting is over. You will do as I tell you to…"
"What about the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh year students?" asked Hermione furiously.
"If they are such dunderheads that they cannot comply with true art of Potions, then they are not worthy of being called 'wizards' or 'witches'."
"That is unfair!" she exclaimed. "You cannot let them suffer because of Board's idiocy."
"You are dismissed," he said pointedly.
She glared at him but stood her ground. "I am afraid, Headmaster, I shall be unable to fully fulfil your order," she said crisply and was gone before he could say another word.
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Hermione went back to her office, skipping the breakfast. She felt she would be unable to endure a second more of Snape – the arrogant, sarcastic, bird-brained, greasy git! Treating her as if she was his hired servant! Damn him and his rules! Her students came first. It was true that the Potions course was pretty lousy. But introducing drastic change would make them worse at it. The best way was to give them the basics of high-level Potions by the end of the year. The damage was done – there was no way to repair it completely. At least the knowledge they would have would be sound and reliable if not Snape-standard.
Casting an annoyed look at the parchments (whose every inch was covered in Snape's untidy, spiky handwriting), she found the curriculum for First-Years and sat down to read it.
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"I am surprised you found me. How are you?"
He ran a trembling hand through his grey-brown hair. "Severus is back."
The blue eyes widened. "Indeed… and?"
"He knows… about Hermione and me, I mean… and… well, he isn't celebrating over it, obviously."
"I quite understand your position – and Severus'."
The grey eyes took on a hardened expression. "How was I to know that he would return? Hermione… Hermione needed somebody…"
"And you loved her, yes."
"You aren't blaming everything on me, are you?"
A sickly pale hand pressed his. "I am not blaming you, Remus. None of us expected that we would see Severus again."
"Exactly."
"But we have to concentrate on present – and the present is that he has returned."
"What should I do?"
"You could begin by returning to Hermione and being there for her. She might need you more than you now believe."
A look of horror reflected in his grey eyes. "He won't… tell her… resurface her memories!"
"Severus is a very passionate man, Remus, and he had loved Hermione with all his heart and soul – I doubt if Lady Snape could have made him forget that particular fact."
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Severus sat in his office – the Headmaster's office – staring at the intricately carved purple rose paperweight. The chamber was eerily quiet. He abhorred the fact that he was constantly surrounded by myriad of old witches and wizards who took it upon themselves to incessantly annoy him with their chatter. He had yelled them into silence a few minutes ago – even Dumbledore.
Mrs. Hermione Lupin – Mrs. Remus Lupin – bloody Remus Lupin… you have no idea what you have gotten yourself into, werewolf… no idea at all.
'What are you talking about? Can't you see that she loves him?'
She is mine.
'She is a married woman.'
It was treachery. She would never have married that half-breed if her memory had not been addled with.
'That may rest as it is. She married him.'
No, he married her – through deceit. You are going to pay, Lupin, oh yes, you are…
'Whatever. Just don't forget that he is her husband.'
She is mine.
Severus crushed the quill he had into pieces.
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Hermione had been absenting herself from the meals in the Great Hall. It was not just the fact that she had no heart to face Snape, but that she had to put in a lot of extra work to make last minute changes. Professors Sprout and Vector had tried forcing her to the Great Hall at least for one meal, but to no avail. She would only grab a sandwich or two from the kitchen while on her nightly and morning rounds around the castle.
It was late evening. She was usually left alone during this time as her temper tended to be extremely volatile if she was disturbed during her best working hours.
Hence, it was with a mixture of surprise and annoyance that she regarded the door when two sharp knocks broke her concentration.
"Come in! It better be important or else… Professor Snape… Headmaster."
The dark man closed the door behind him and sat down uninvited.
"I believe, madam, that you have seen me before tonight. The goldfish look isn't very flattering for your features," he said, his eyes taking in the redecoration of his first office at Hogwarts.
Hermione was brisk and business-like in a moment. "How can I help you, sir?"
"As the Headmaster of this school, Professor, it is my duty to see if the teachers are… functioning well…"
Her eyes blazing, she interrupted him, "I assure you that nothing is wrong with my teaching."
"I wasn't saying that there was, madam. Now if I may continue… it would not do if the Potions Mistress fainted in the middle of the class of dunderheads now, would it?"
"Why would I?"
He looked directly into her defiant brown eyes for a moment. "I expect to see you in the Great Hall during all the three meals."
Her eyes widened in surprise. Snape actually cared for her? Well, that was certainly a first…
"Is that understood?"
She sighed and looked at the table covered with parchments.
"I am afraid that I have more important things than that right now."
"You do not understand me – I am not asking if you could come – I am ordering you to."
Her tired eyes flashed with anger. The man was so aggravating!
"Headmaster…"
"As for this," he waved a hand over the parchments he had dumped on her, "bring it to my chambers after dinner tomorrow – I doubt if it would be a hard task for me to re-establish the old curriculum."
He got up and was gone in a swirl of robes, leaving Hermione dumbstruck behind him.
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"Maybe he has changed," said Hermione to herself as she put the papers in order.
Though it was hard to believe… and somewhat disconcerting. She was used to malice and unfairness… but how was she to deal with this seemingly human Snape? She had never believed that he could be concerned about anyone who was not of immediate advantage to him. But then again, he must not have been so bad for he had been an invaluable spy for the Order.
As she was warding her office and preparing for the nightly rounds, there was a knock on the door.
"Remus!"
With a wide smile, she put her arms about him in a bone-breaking hug.
Remus cupped her face in his hands and kissed her hard and long.
"Wow," she breathed mischievously as they finally broke apart for air.
"I miss you."
Hermione blinked – that had been unexpected. Of course, they missed each other, but… it was strange how he stated it as the first thing he said… so desperately, too.
"And I love you."
"I love you, too, Remus," she said, softly stroking the back of his neck.
"I know this is a bit sudden," he said, running his fingers through his hair, "and it is a bit late and you will probably be breaking some rules if you go along with this… but can I convince you to come out with me tonight?"
"Including all that, Remus, I am not even properly dressed for an outing."
He waved it away impatiently. "You'd be the most beautiful woman on this earth in rags, Hermione. Please?"
It was very lonely in Hogwarts – more than she had anticipated. While her quasi-workaholic part insisted that she couldn't just leave like that, another unnamed, dominant part wanted to forget everything and enjoy with Remus. She just didn't seem to be able to adjust to the monumental change from a loving home to a lovely workplace.
"Okay."
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FROM THE WRITER:
Sincerest and deepest thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed the story.
Please do not be hasty while judging Remus… I hope you will be kinder to him as the story develops.
As always, more reviews could never hurt. Yep, I am a greedy one.
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