CHAPTER THREE:

A FEW WORRIES

By the Goddess of Silence

Harry Potter sat scowling in class. This just wasn't his day. Snape was at the board talking about something and beside him sat Draco Malfoy. Professor Snape just liked to make him miserable, finally making a seating chart for his classes.

A tap came on the door and all eyes turned to see that the new professor stood at the door. The look on Severus' face was priceless as he looked up from his lecture. Like a big black crow he flew to the door and opened it.

"Good afternoon, Professor Raven," he said under his breath. A warm scent followed the young lady into the room. It reminded the older man of roses.

"Professor Snape, my class and I have come to the most disastrous conclusion," the young lady said, her crystal voice ringing like morning bells through the stuffy room. It was like the rainbow after the storm, relieving the student's minds from Snape's drawling lesson.

"And that would be…?" Snape replied, looking fairly uncomfortable.

"That we are out of sage. You wouldn't happen to have any, would you?" she asked, leaning in a bit. Snape's eyes filled with a slight rage as he went to the cupboard to look. To Harry's surprise the shelves were stocked to the brim with ingredients of every type. Fishing among them he pulled out a bottle. Handing it to Professor Raven, he began to shoo her out of the room."Thank you for you help, Severus," she said sweetly.

"It's Professor Snape," he growled, going back to the board. A few students giggled as he resumed the lesson. They had never seen Snape at such a loss for words.

"Looks like your favorite teacher has a crush, Harry," Draco said. Harry set aside the urge to punch Malfoy in the gut and went back to pretending to listen to Snape talk.

"Hagrid, it's just curiosity, but how do you know Professor Raven?" McGonagall asked, crossing her legs and looking at the burly man across from her. He just shrugged.

"I just know her, Professor. We're not really friends, but I know I can turn to her. She a good person, Professor. Believe me," he could see the glimmer of doubt in the old woman's eyes.

"I don't doubt your judgment, Rubeus," she said quickly, knowing that he could see that look in her eyes. "I just don't feel comfortable employing someone I've never met."

"Then why did you do it?" Now Minerva paused. Could she let Hagrid know that Dumbledore was alive? But he would tell Harry. And Harry couldn't know yet. That was to whole point; to give the poor boy a normal year of life. She decided against it and simply replied,

"There was something just telling me to do so," she remembered Dumbledore's words in her ears "Employ her." Now, as the old man sat in the supposedly empty chair behind her she felt completely ridiculous. Why had she taken advice from a crazy old man? A dead man, nevertheless!

"Because you trust me," Albus whispered into her ear. She nearly jumped a mile high at the feeling of his hands on her back.

"Something wrong, Professor?" Hagrid asked, looking over the mounds of curly beard that rested on his chest.

"Not at all, Hagrid. I trust your decision. Why don't you go?" Hagrid just looked at her and rose slowly.

"Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said softly,

"Yes, Rubeus,"

"Please try to trust Juliana." With that he walked out of the office. Minerva leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. But that didn't last long. Now Albus was fiddling with her cheeks.

"Wake up, Minerva," he said, a joking tone in his voice. She tried to ignore him. "Minerva," he repeated, softer this time with less of the fun in his voice. She swatted him away and tried to rest her weary mind. The bothersome man didn't go away.

"Albus, just leave me alone," she moaned.

"It's alright, Professor. I dream about him every once in a while too," said a younger voice. Now Minerva sat bolt upright. Harry Potter was across from her sitting serenely in a chair. His black hair was a mess, but she could sense that his thoughts were collected, and every one of them screamed "Snape!"

"Harry!" she exclaimed. He gave her a half-smile. Albus still pestered her, nearly driving her to insanity. "How did you get in here?"

"Hagrid let me in,"

"Did he know he was doing so?"

"…no…"

"You and your cape, Harry," she mused, sweeping her hand over her head in an elegant way, but in the same vicinity as Dumbledore's face. The invisible man got whacked in the nose. Muffling a groan he sat in the window seat behind the headmistress. "Why was it that you came to see me, Harry?" she asked.

"Professor, I really don't feel comfortable with Snape teaching here," he replied.

"I trust Professor Snape, Harry."

"…that's what got Dumbledore killed…" the boy muttered under his breath.

"Harry, it was Professor Dumbledore's time to go. They had Severus under a spell; he didn't know what he was doing." Nor did Dumbledore, she thought to herself.

"I don't want to accept that, Professor. Snape-"

"Professor Snape, Harry."

"Professor Snape has never liked me. He is a stuck up, arrogant, slimy, greasy, son of a-"

"That is quite enough, Mr. Potter!" Minerva exclaimed, her wrinkled face twisted into a look of distaste. She leaned forwards slowly so she could look into the boy's eyes. "Harry, I doubt that you really know Professor Snape. I have taught with him for years, and I would trust him with my life. Believe me, Albus did too. If he was here, he still would. That man was under a spell, Harry. He didn't kill Albus-" she was going to say "on purpose", but the slight hint to Harry that the man wasn't yet dead sort of comforted her, so she left it at that.

Harry sat grimacing, but said no more about the former Potions Master.

"If we can't talk about Professor Snape, than may we switch to the matter of Juliana Raven?" McGonagall asked sweetly. Now Harry looked up at her. "Harry, do you truly think that Professor Raven is suitable for the job?"

"Why are you asking me?"

"Because I myself am not sure. I had a bit of… help… making my decision. I just wanted to know how she is working out."

"I have yet to attend her class, but from my understanding everyone loves her. She had to stop in during one of Snape's classes for some sage, and she seemed like a pretty good teacher. When Hagrid, Ron, and I went to fetch her she acted fairly nice. I'll let you know what I think of her after I have class with her, if it would make you feel better."

"Oh, that's quite alright, Harry. I don't need you to do that," McGonagall said, a scolding tone to her voice, as she leaned back in her chair.

"I just want to make you feel better, Professor. I know that Dumbledore's death has been hard on you, and I don't want Juliana Raven to be another problem in your life," Harry said, his green eyes gentle.

The invisible Dumbledore rose slowly and walked around so he was standing behind Harry. Slowly, he became visible, nearly giving Minerva a heart attack. "What a sweet boy," he mouthed to her, forming an angel halo with his hands over the boy's head. Merlin was he bored! The old man hadn't left the office for a couple days, and toying with Minerva's mind was losing the fun that it once possessed.

McGonagall fought to keep a straight face. She longed to jump from her chair and beat the heck out of Albus, but she restrained herself.

"Professor, is there something wrong?" Harry asked, the look of pain on the old woman's face frightening him.

"Nothing, Harry my dear. Why don't you scoot along to your next class? I have a meeting with Severus in a couple minutes," she said, sending an icy glare over the boy's head. With a twinkle in his eyes, Albus once again became the invisible man.

A look of anger flushed Harry's face at the mention of Snape, but he said nothing more. Standing slowly, he gave McGonagall a polite smile, then left the room.

The instant the boy was gone Minerva marched over to where she had last sent the former headmaster. She whacked at the air with his arms, trying to hit the man.

"I'm over here," came his playful cry. Now visible, he sat on the window seat. A growl rose from her throat, but she sat back down heavily.

Rising, he stood behind the elderly woman.

"You're worried about Harry and Severus," he comforted, his hands gliding across her arms in a loving manner.

"More than worried. Harry wants to kill him, Albus. He wants to kill Severus Snape. Snape could turn the poor boy inside out. Then we are sure to lose again the Dark Lord, for without Harry we have no chance."

"We simply tell Severus not to kill Harry, my dear. It is as simple as that."

"It is hardly simple. And then you throw Juliana Raven into the mix. That girl makes me uneasy. There's something about her that is un-wizard-like. There's an evil air around her, Albus. Honest," the woman looked up into the blue eyes of the man behind her, a flicker of fear in her own.

"Minerva," came a faraway call. Albus made no motion to move or become invisible. He remained behind the worried soul, his hands tightening on her shoulder.

"Good evening, Severus," she replied, her hand on her forehead in worry. "There are a few things I would like to talk to you about."