This does not belong to me, I'm merely borrowing it.
Chapter Four
Waking to the very rude shaking of your body wasn't the most pleasant feeling; neither was the first thing your eyes glimpse and focus on being a very angry, devilishly angry potions master. It took a few moments before his brain stopped rattling to figure out how he'd manage to annoy his friend so early, in fact it was only the hint "They refused to serve me Potter" that he remembered Sev's parting words, and the fact that instead of doing anything about them he merely went to bed.
Ok so he deserved the seriously dirty look as he smirked, but he couldn't help it, Sev was in a right state all because he didn't get his breakfast when he demanded it, it was cute. He looked seriously cute, his eyes flashing, his hair all windswept from having stormed up, and the slight hint of colour in his cheeks.
"Ouch damn it, what on earth was that for" what now? Ah, now he understood the problem, perhaps he shouldn't react so readily and overtly, but really did it deserve being pinched quite so hard… Though he could honestly say that Sev had touched him intimately.
"Potter, focus on something other than your own, admittedly impressive libido, and focus on the problem at hand" he looked cute when he sighed like that, the rolling of his eyes at the giggle his words had brought, "Yes I know I said at hand, Merlin man, you're not a child any more, act the age you are. Potter!" Harry couldn't help but moan at the growl as him hips started to sway, he did wonder though why Sev stayed when he knew all he'd get was this sort of treatment. Wondered, pondered even, but for the most part enjoyed it.
"No whimpering, if you had kept your cool then I'd still be over there, but as you just act like a kitten rolling in catnip I shall remove myself. Now the house elves, sort it out now. I expect to be eating lunch in my own rooms alone today. I have resigned myself to having breakfast being stared at by ingrates, which will be your fault, and if any of them comment on the chains, I blame you for the use of illegal curses. Now get up, and before you snigger, or smirk, I mean get dressed, I can tell you are already hard. And yes I have seen bigger" He'd withdrawn at the squawk, a grin gracing his face, he was an expert at getting the last word in.
When Harry eventually made it down to breakfast the rest of the staff were only just making there way through the doors, and well the students other than one or two bleary eyed creatures were still up in their rooms. The sneak had conned him into getting up early, but the only evidence that he'd been there was a few crumbs and a few dregs in a cup. He was long gone.
He managed to have a passable breakfast, grinning at the students who glanced at him curiously, even going as far to show them his wrists, all bruise free, now signs of rope marks there, though he was sure that they would peg that down to Snape having them, and as there would be no chance he'd ever show a student any flesh other than his hands and his face, well poor old Sev, he'd be known as Potter's bitch. He almost wished he could be a fly on the wall in Sev's lessons, how many students would spend more time trying to get glimpses of the creamy white flesh that occasionally flashed from beneath his long sleeves.
Aware someone was following him out of the hall, though he didn't slow until they got to his classroom, where he entered and allowed the other access, before closing the door gently, and flicking a sound barrier up, no need for passersby to eavesdrop.
"Professor Potter, may I have a word about the position of the new Headmaster?" Lupin, naturally, he was the only one other than Sirius who'd bothered to make any effort to stay civil after the Albus Affair. But it was a merely civil relationship, the old companionship had vanished, driven out by memories from both the remaining quartet, and Sev, and a lack of understanding about Harry's own actions had led to a collapse of friendship.
He really should just stop zoning out of conversations like that, while Sev just merely looked amused, Lupin was starting to get that impatient look on his face, "Yes, Remus?" unlike most of the faculty he refused to waste his breath with Professor this, Professor that, it was pointless, and it kind of amused him that he refused to copy their lead.
"As you are aware, Albus will not be returning after his brush with the Ministry and yourself, and we are without a Headmaster, whilst there are obvious choices for the position, and the option of opening it up to the public, it was suggested that we consult you to see whether or not you have any suggestions, or as he attacked yourself, you would like to take on the role. If so there would be help as you have no experience, and lack the years of wisdom that most headmasters have…"
"Now, Remus you know as well as anyone that I have something that " ok perhaps the bid for maturity was lost as he sniggered, but Lupin was always so stuffy with him now. Not quite Sirius's "You're parents would never have done such a evil thing" but still patronizing. "Something to offer the school, I could guide them with the wisdom that was behind the defeat of Voldemort, and do stop flinching when his name is said, even Snapey doesn't and he suffered far more under Voldemort than you ever did. Now repeat after me, Voldemort" it was too tempting and the look of disgust thinly veiled with a small smile sent him into fits of giggles.
"Come off it Remus, lighten up, you want my answer, personally I think Snapey would make a more than adequate Headmaster, however you might find he needs encouraging, I think his ultimate aim in life is to never teach again. If you can't then maybe Sprout, she'd be perfect, or Flitwick. But not Mouse, you know Minnie, we've had too much prejudice recently, and a bias to the Gryfindors for far too long, time to let the other houses shine you know. Yes I know Sprout's no longer teaching here, but she was a damn good head of house to her badgers. Hell Remus, if I didn't think your first action would be to find some way for Sirius to work here or at least live here, you'd be a good Headmaster, but we are not having Sirius here. Don't look at me like that, he's mentally younger than most of the students, and he's dangerous, hell he still stalks Sev when he's anywhere near him, and if he tries to slip him poison, or sends another hex Snapey's way, Remus no one would blame Snape if he turned round and demanded retribution, hell the Ministry would support it. I know you think I hate you both, but I don't want him to die or worse, and Snape's evil when he gets his back up. Be fair Remus, if you were in Snape's position… You'd have offed Siri years ago."
He didn't particularly upsetting Remus, for all their disagreements well he was part of his life, part of his history, as was Sirius, but still facts had to be faced at some point. "Look, I'm not threatening him, just stop him before he does something that breaks the camel's back. But it still stands, he is not welcome at Hogwarts. If he wants to talk to me I'll meet him at his home, or we'll go for a drink, but if he turns up here, I'll hold you personally responsible. Just talk to him. Talk to Snape to, see if he'll accept, I doubt it, but it'd probably appeal to his twisted humor to have you offer him the Headmasters role. It's probably open the way for you two to have a conversation too… He's a good man really, when you aren't under the impression he's pondering the problem of how to kill you without being killed. But that seems to just be a hobby to get him through the day."
""Pr- Harry, while I can understand the reasoning behind Sirius being kept away, though I don't look forward to the reaction to his being banned, I do have to question the wisdom of ignoring the fact that in a majority of cases in the history of schooling, the Deputy Head becomes the Head when the Head can no longer act in this role. It'll force her to leave. She's been harping on for weeks about how she's going to update the school. And if she stays on, it's the Head's decision to chose a new Deputy, she'll be demoted, and although you may feel like her house has had many advantages, I'll admit it, Both Albus and Minerva have pushed the realms of favoritism to new peaks, which we both gained from, Minerva made few friends within the rest of the staff. You might be surprised to find that it wasn't just Severus whom took offence to the Leaving Feast being rigged. Hogwarts might find itself presented with a lawsuit."
"She can argue all she wants that it was unfair dismissal, but other than working here for a long period of time, and a passable Transfiguration Professor, what has she got going for her? She ignores most of what goes on within her House, hell you know more about her students than she does, she picks on a couple to pay attention to, and then unless someone else picks up on a problem student she lets them riot. I know that Ravenclaw is better behaved, as is Hufflepuff, and Slytherin, for all the propaganda they happen to be some of my best students, Mione should have been in Ravenclaw, and Ron Hufflepuff, hell Neville should have been in Hufflepuff. It just seems like if we hadn't found each other we'd have ended up like Siri, a spoilt bunch of brats who neither cared or tried and would have delighted on tormenting the rest of the school. Remus, I know she and Albus were intimate, but even he should have dealt with her whole lack of care. If she resigns you'll take over as Head of House, and you try and sort out the bunch of idiots. I want her to resign, it might solve a lot of problems."
"Harry, I – look, we'll see ok, but she might just decide to stay on, she might see it as a way of getting rid of her, and in that case might stick her claws in. Just, well I wouldn't let it be seen that you aren't in favor of her ok. She doesn't know about your involvement in the selection, and if anything is said, I'll blame it on Umbridge, she managed to stick on at the Ministry."
"Remus, you know I don't hate you right, it's just that things have to change, and had to change, else who knows what we'll end up with. I know I didn't particularly go about it in the right way, and maybe I was too harsh on Albus, but you didn't see what he was really like. No we wont get into an argument, I know you think you owe him. But, just try and be objective, k? Look, my students are anxious to get to class, we're supposed to be learning how to protect ourselves from Vampires. Their request, poor old Snape, he'll be pelted with holy water and garlic again." He couldn't help but grin, it happened every year, the first years would fall in to the trap that he was sure the rest of the school still believed, that Sev was a vampire out to suck their blood, and they'd ask how to protect themselves against vampires and then for a week Sev would be stalked. One student even tried to stake him. And then the next lesson would be, what if the vampire could protect themselves against whatever they were taught the lesson before, and then the DADA teacher would try and convince them that actually the potions master was not a vampire. Until Sev would stand outside in the sun looking thoroughly pissed off, and then the lesson would be over, with Sev carrying a bottle of fine brandy. It had been explained that this was how it worked, and Sev would not demean himself unless bribed. Even though it meant he'd be saved from being soaked, and smelling vile.
"Good luck with that, I hear Severus was seen with blood on his face after a failed potion, and it's set them off completely, the ministry keeps getting complaints from parents, and has yet again had to pay compensation for another article in the Daily Prophet after the complaints were leaked. You would have thought after years of this going on they'd all accept that he's far too scary looking to be a vampire. Anyway, off to go take care of my Dryad's, they kindly accepted my invitation. I just hope the lads keep their hands to themselves this year, though I'm not entirely sure the ladies mind" With a wry chuckle Remus left and the hordes entered.