My profound apologies for the length of time since my last update. I'll be making a second update a few hours, and then another tomorrow. Hopefully that will help make up for it. : ) I hope you enjoy.
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Chapter Ten
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Severus sat across from the headmaster, weary and feeling more defeated than he had in a very long time. He'd told everything he could, including his suspicions about both Lucius' involvement, and his confusion about how Trelawney could be involved. The problem was, as far as he knew, Trelawney never bloody well left the school. He'd even gone into detail as to why he'd said he didn't know *who* the mythical bride was, having ruled out any of the even half-way believable staff members who'd be willing to . . . make the sacrifice.
From what he could tell, Albus was stumped as well; though, at least he took his worries seriously. He had feared Albus might not, at least the ones in regard to Sybil.
"That woman is a menace, one way or another, Albus. I know *you* trust her, and I *should* be the last person to question your willingness to trust people." Severus snorted. The fact that he was sitting here right now and had, had a job he could be proud of for the last nearly 20 years was testament to Albus Dumbledore's ability to see past the surface, to trust against the evidence. "But she has been a fraud from the beginning. Surely you realize that."
"Actually, Severus," Albus replied. "I know quite the opposite. From the beginning, as you phrased it, her . . . apparent ineptitude has been a cover. She is the one who made the prophecy about Harry, you know. No seer has constant relevant visions about the future -- not about the big things. The fact that Sybil has had two verifiable visions of great relevance to Voldemort is rather significant. Of course, the one she had about you is still subject to verification."
Snape rolled his eyes.
"Yes, I know, you deny even the remotest possibility, but I find this rather amazing set of circumstances coming on the heels of it, most . . . fascinating."
"Albus! You may find it 'fascinating'," Snape sneered angrily, "I, however, find it galling, and utterly horrifying. The question of how I feel seems to be a moot point. If Voldemort finds out I lied to him, my value to the order is finished."
"Yes, yes, there is that. I have to admit, I'm far more concerned with the danger it will place your life in," Albus said firmly, frowning at him sternly. "I find that your 'value' to the order must take second place to those concerns."
Severus' eyes widened. He could not remember a time Albus had been so blunt, nor seemed to actually care about him personally. It made him . . . uncomfortable. He wasn't used to people 'caring'. Caring was dangerous. "Come now, Albus. Be realistic," he said, not quite knowing how to respond to the headmaster's admission.
Albus shook his head sadly, completely ignoring Severus' deflection. "Thankfully, solving one danger, solves the other as well. We simply have to find you a wife . . . quickly."
Severus groaned. That seemed to be the theme of the month -- though, he'd already figured out that much. He shifted uncomfortably before rising to his feet to begin pacing. "That's the biggest obstacle of all. It has to be someone that's believable as my mother's choice for me." He closed his eyes briefly, shuddering. "My . . . tastes don't need to be considered toward that believability, as I told him I hadn't had a hand in the choosing. He, Lord Voldemort, has long known of my estrangement from my family."
"Well," Albus admitted, "that certainly opens the field up a bit, now doesn't it?"
Severus snorted. "Considerably," he replied drily. He could not believe he was in the headmaster's office discussing this utterly ridiculous subject. It was so far beyond the ridiculous, in fact, as to lack an adequate descriptive."
Severus' attention was snapped back to the headmaster when the man head turned sharply toward the door. "What is it?" he demanded, instantly alert.
"A student at my door, a very agitated student."
Severus' eyes narrowed. "How very unusual," he drawled, the sarcasm thick. It wasn't exactly uncommon for the students to come running to this headmaster -- the utter antithesis of headmasters everywhere. Right now, it was simply another inconvenience as far as he was concerned, an interruption that dragged out a conversation he wanted done and over with. "You'll deal with it quickly and send them on their way, right?" he asked, hoping this was this case, despite the fact that he could probably predict Albus' response to that with sickening accuracy.
"Perhaps, Severus, it's possible there's a connection with our current situation, after all," Albus replied absently, already heading for the stairwell.
"Oh, please," Severus protested. "It's mere coincidence, a *happy* happenstance, nothing more."
Albus half-turned back toward him. "I thought you'd realize by now, Severus; I do not believe in coincidence."
Severus shook his head as the headmaster disappeared down the circular stairs, resigning himself to a delay of who knew how long. He revised his opinion of the level of his paranoia as he heard none other than Miss Granger's voice. The world was *definitely* conspiring against him. It was no longer a simple worry; it was now fact.
"You know, Headmaster, how much I believe in divination," Miss Granger said.
"Yes, child, I believe that is, in fact, quite well documented." Severus rolled his eyes to hear the humor so evident in the headmaster's voice. It would figure that the *estimable* Miss Granger would put stock in that bunch of hogwash.
"Up until tonight, I've always considered it to be so much hooey. I've never given Dreaming a second thought as more than our subconscious working out our worries while our conscious mind is at rest."
"Please, Miss Granger," Severus drawled silkily as the two entered the office proper, "do get to the point sometime tonight."
"Professor Snape!" Granger yelped. "I-I didn't know anyone else was here."
"Well, now you do, silly girl, please get on with what you need to relate."
"Severus!" Albus snapped, then turned his attention back to Granger; though Severus noticed the headmaster's eyes remained on him. "So tell me, Miss Granger, what made you think tonight's nightmares were anything more than nightmares and why you believe that Professor Snape is in danger."
**What?** Severus' eyes narrowed, his full attention focusing on the girl, as much as he doubted Trelawney's veracity, he did know that 'occasionally' there was the occasional person who could indeed 'see' things they shouldn't be able to.
Granger dropped her gaze before continuing, speaking, when she did so, toward the floor. "I've asked Harry what his *important* dreams are like, not specifics, just what makes him so absolutely *sure* they're not just nightmares."
"Indeed, Miss Granger," Albus encouraged. "Please continue."
"Well, he told me he couldn't really *say* why he knew, just that he did. He felt differently about them, they seemed more real. He said that wasn't quite an accurate description, but that it was the closest he could come to it."
"And you've had one of these 'different' dreams tonight?" Albus inquired, moving to sit behind his desk and silently offer the girl lemon drop.
Granger nodded slowly, absently taking one of the offered sweets. "Yes. Now I see what he was talking about, why it's so hard to describe the difference. It isn't the dream itself that seems so different, really; it's the way you feel about it. There's a driving sense of *need* to do something about it, that if you don't move quickly enough what you saw will come to pass. And the absolute conviction that what you've seen is real. You can't just ignore it, or pass it off as night terrors."
Just as Severus was about to open his mouth to chide the Granger girl into hurrying the bloody hell up, she snapped her head up to stare at him a second before turning an imploring gaze on the headmaster.
"Please, Sir. I know this is going to sound completely stupid, knowing how Professor Snape feels about Professor Trelawney -- something the entire school knows about--"
Severus felt his heart stop for just the briefest of moments, an undefinable, very physical wave of discomfort flushing across his body, spreading out from his chest. He didn't agree with Albus Dumbledore on the subject of coincidence, but too many of them all in a row was a bit much for even him.
"--I have no idea *why* he might marry her, but if he does, he'll be dead within the month."
Albus turned to him, his expression and voice as bland as Severus had ever heard it. "Coincidence, Severus?"
Eyes narrowed, Severus stared at Miss Granger, willing the silly chit to recant her earlier statement. Almost as if she sensed his eyes on her, she slowly turned to face him. While she flinched as their eyes met, her cheeks staining with the only outward indication of her embarrassment of the topic of conversation, she did *not* do as he wished. After her initial reaction, she squared her shoulders, raised her chin almost imperceptibly and met him head on, locking her stare to his.
After what felt like forever, Severus sighed and turned his attention back to the headmaster. "I give up Albus. You're right. It's too much of a coincidence to actually *be* a coincidence."
"You mean it was actually *possible* you might?" Miss Granger exclaimed, her voice cracking on the word possible.
Severus snorted.
Albus, on the other hand, replied to the nosey chit's question. "While not probable, the possibility exists he might be forced to it."
Eyes widening, she turned to stare at him again. "I wouldn't force that fate on *anyone*!"
Despite knowing what the blasted girl's opinion of him was, despite hardening himself to the facts of his own undesirability over the years, the girl's absolute horror sent a stabbing shaft of pain through his chest. "Oh, of course, marrying the Nasty Potions Professor, a fate worse than death," he snarled before he could censure himself.
Granger blinked in surprise. "No!" she exclaimed, "I meant marrying Professor Trelawney."
Both his and Albus' jaw dropped. Albus laughed.
Miss Granger, on the other hand, turned the same alarming shade of color she had in the library. "I'm sorry, I really shouldn't have said that. I mean, if someone were in love with her," she stammered, her expression clearly stating she could see how anyone could be, "that'd be a different thing all together. It's just--"
"Miss Granger, do stop babbling," Severus snapped.
The girl shut her mouth with an audible snap, her eyes flashing angrily at him.
"It's quite all right, Miss Granger," Albus interjected smoothly. "Being forced to marry anyone is a trial at best, and I'm sure someone as young as yourself would find the very idea horrifying, no matter who the participants."
Granger nodded, suddenly finding her hands *very* interesting, judging by the intense way she stared at them.
Finding her embarrassment amusing despite his present circumstances, it took Severus several moments to notice the speculative gleam in Albus' eyes. **Oh no! He wouldn't!**
"Miss Granger," the headmaster began.
**He would.** "Albus," Severus growled warningly.
"Hush, Severus."
Severus snapped his mouth shut just as audibly as Miss Granger had only moments before, his irritation turning to anger as he noted Miss Granger's oh-so-carefully hidden amusement. Having been rebuked once, and not wishing to be again, he remained silent on the matter. He glared instead.
"You are, of course, aware of Professor Snape's extracurricular activities on my behalf."
"Albus! You're stating the obvious. You and I were both there when she found out. You refused to obliviate her as I recall."
"Yes, Headmaster," Granger replied meekly, apparently completely ignoring Severus' outburst.
He frowned. The girl was too cheeky by far. The day they were discussing wasn't exactly a shining example of his best thinking. So cavalierly exposing his long kept secret had certainly not been his brightest move -- especially with so many witnesses. It *might* have been worth it, had it opened Fudge's eyes, but it hadn't. It had ended up being a worthless gesture worthy of a bloody *Gryffindor*. Thankfully, most of the people who'd been witness to his moment of foolishness had been removed of their memory of it. Unfortunately, that 'most' hadn't included the 'Golden Trio'. No, they maintained their exception to seemingly every rule.
"While I won't go into detail--"
**Too late,** Severus groused silently, hating the way his life was suddenly being exposed to far too much public scrutiny.
"--for reasons better left untouched--"
**Because we don't bloody well know what they are!**
"--Lord Voldemort--"
Miss Granger gasped.
"--virtually ordered--"
"There's no virtually about it, Albus. Despite the delicate phrasing as a request it was an order."
Albus nodded politely, accepting the correction as if it hadn't been an interruption. "--ordered, Professor Snape to marry Professor Trelawney."
"Can he do that?"
Severus snorted. "He can do anything he likes, Miss Granger."
"Oh. But, you can't do it!"
"We are already aware of that fact, Miss Granger," Severus snapped, angry at the girl's presumption. "We knew it, even before your most *timely* warning and unsolicited advice. The fact that Voldemort wants me to do it is reason enough by itself not to."
"Yes, I suppose it would be," Miss Granger murmured.
**She supposes?! Of all the bloody--**
"How are you going to get out of it?" Miss Granger asked pointedly. "I mean, from what I've read, if you agreed, even if--"
"Despite your obviously low opinion of my knowledge, *Miss* *Granger*, I am well aware of the magical traps inherent in an agreement to marry. In point of fact, I told him I couldn't do it." Severus clamped his mouth shut after that, not entirely believing he'd actually *explained* himself to a student.
Miss Granger's eyes widening fully as she stared at him. "I'll bet that didn't go over well."
Despite himself, and the overly obvious nature of Miss Granger's quiet statement, Severus could not stop the laugh that erupted from him. " *That* has got to be the single most inanely uttered understatement I have ever heard."
Miss Granger blinked at him owlishly, looking at him as if he'd grown a second head or something. "What?" he snapped finally.
"I've never heard you laugh before, Professor," she replied, her voice quiet, with something else in it he'd never heard before. "You have a very nice laugh."
His jaw dropped open for the second time as it became his turn to stare incredulously. That had been the last thing he'd expected her to say . . . *ever*.
"Be that as it may," Albus said suddenly, his eyes twinkling as merrily as Severus had ever seen them. "Professor Snape's ability to continue his service to the order is going to be severely curtailed if he cannot . . . follow through with the claims he made to Voldemort."
**Oh, Merlin help me! I think I've gone from the cauldron to the fire.**
"Given your apparent connection to all this, perhaps your fresh perspective could give us some insight as to what we can do about this situation."
Severus tuned out Albus laying bare his most recent confrontation with Voldemort to a *student*, that particular student no less. It was less painful that way. He closed his eyes as he heard Miss Granger reiterate the very same reasons he had come up with why the female half of the staff would be unacceptable in one way or another. She was even correct as to the reason why Madam Hooch would not be a good choice -- which surprised him completely. It made him wonder just how much the students truly knew about their professors. It wasn't a pleasant speculation. In the end, however, no matter the angle used to arrive, it all came down to believability. None of them were believable choices.
"I'm sorry, Headmaster, I don't know any adult witches outside the school."
Oh, how Severus had longed to hear those three words from that mouth. Unfortunately, he could wish -- however little he might have believed she'd actually be able to help -- she hadn't said them now.
"Well, that's that, then," Severus snapped, angry that his ability to keep tabs on Voldemort was going to be so easily brought to an end, coupled with the fact that Miss Granger was now unnecessarily aware of his . . . predicament, was enough to make his day a complete disaster.
"Does it have to be someone Professor Snape's age?" Miss Granger asked suddenly.
Severus' eyes narrowed suspiciously.
Albus leaned forward intently. "Why do you ask, Miss Granger?"
"I mean, as long as the witch in question is of legal age, does she have to be as old as Professor Snape?"
"No, I do not believe, given the current circumstances she would have to be," Albus replied, much to Severus' dismay. "Do you know of someone appropriate, someone who would not only be willing, but who would be able to carry this off without tipping our hand?"
Severus groaned.
"Well, I don't know about the appropriateness," Miss Granger began hesitantly.
Severus *had* to interrupt, but his protest came to naught in his shock over Miss Granger's next words.
"But, I would."
"What?!" Severus exclaimed.
Albus grinned, and Severus wanted nothing more than to throttle the senile old man. "Would you really," Albus asked benignly.
"You cannot seriously be considering this, Albus!" Severus asked, his voice rising in both volume and pitch. He cleared his throat before continuing. He shouted when he was angry; he did *not* screech. "This is *not* appropriate." He was all set to rant further at the headmaster when something about Miss Granger startled him. She was crying.
**What? Why?**
"Miss Granger?" Albus asked gently.
Miss Granger didn't even acknowledge the headmaster. Instead she looked over at him, making absolutely no attempt to hide the tears that fell silently down her cheeks. "Am I really so hideous a choice that you would rather die?" she asked, her voice nothing more than the faintest of whispers.
TBC
Kiristeen
Feedback, a gift from the heavens. : )~
Kiristeen@kiristeen.com
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AN: just wanted to explain something before I get the "too many seers spoil the plot". No, I've not made Hermione a seer. : )~ Her lack of ability in that area is too well documented for me to do that. LOL I assure you, her 'dream' has another source. Stayed tuned to find out the whys and wherefors.
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Chapter Ten
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Severus sat across from the headmaster, weary and feeling more defeated than he had in a very long time. He'd told everything he could, including his suspicions about both Lucius' involvement, and his confusion about how Trelawney could be involved. The problem was, as far as he knew, Trelawney never bloody well left the school. He'd even gone into detail as to why he'd said he didn't know *who* the mythical bride was, having ruled out any of the even half-way believable staff members who'd be willing to . . . make the sacrifice.
From what he could tell, Albus was stumped as well; though, at least he took his worries seriously. He had feared Albus might not, at least the ones in regard to Sybil.
"That woman is a menace, one way or another, Albus. I know *you* trust her, and I *should* be the last person to question your willingness to trust people." Severus snorted. The fact that he was sitting here right now and had, had a job he could be proud of for the last nearly 20 years was testament to Albus Dumbledore's ability to see past the surface, to trust against the evidence. "But she has been a fraud from the beginning. Surely you realize that."
"Actually, Severus," Albus replied. "I know quite the opposite. From the beginning, as you phrased it, her . . . apparent ineptitude has been a cover. She is the one who made the prophecy about Harry, you know. No seer has constant relevant visions about the future -- not about the big things. The fact that Sybil has had two verifiable visions of great relevance to Voldemort is rather significant. Of course, the one she had about you is still subject to verification."
Snape rolled his eyes.
"Yes, I know, you deny even the remotest possibility, but I find this rather amazing set of circumstances coming on the heels of it, most . . . fascinating."
"Albus! You may find it 'fascinating'," Snape sneered angrily, "I, however, find it galling, and utterly horrifying. The question of how I feel seems to be a moot point. If Voldemort finds out I lied to him, my value to the order is finished."
"Yes, yes, there is that. I have to admit, I'm far more concerned with the danger it will place your life in," Albus said firmly, frowning at him sternly. "I find that your 'value' to the order must take second place to those concerns."
Severus' eyes widened. He could not remember a time Albus had been so blunt, nor seemed to actually care about him personally. It made him . . . uncomfortable. He wasn't used to people 'caring'. Caring was dangerous. "Come now, Albus. Be realistic," he said, not quite knowing how to respond to the headmaster's admission.
Albus shook his head sadly, completely ignoring Severus' deflection. "Thankfully, solving one danger, solves the other as well. We simply have to find you a wife . . . quickly."
Severus groaned. That seemed to be the theme of the month -- though, he'd already figured out that much. He shifted uncomfortably before rising to his feet to begin pacing. "That's the biggest obstacle of all. It has to be someone that's believable as my mother's choice for me." He closed his eyes briefly, shuddering. "My . . . tastes don't need to be considered toward that believability, as I told him I hadn't had a hand in the choosing. He, Lord Voldemort, has long known of my estrangement from my family."
"Well," Albus admitted, "that certainly opens the field up a bit, now doesn't it?"
Severus snorted. "Considerably," he replied drily. He could not believe he was in the headmaster's office discussing this utterly ridiculous subject. It was so far beyond the ridiculous, in fact, as to lack an adequate descriptive."
Severus' attention was snapped back to the headmaster when the man head turned sharply toward the door. "What is it?" he demanded, instantly alert.
"A student at my door, a very agitated student."
Severus' eyes narrowed. "How very unusual," he drawled, the sarcasm thick. It wasn't exactly uncommon for the students to come running to this headmaster -- the utter antithesis of headmasters everywhere. Right now, it was simply another inconvenience as far as he was concerned, an interruption that dragged out a conversation he wanted done and over with. "You'll deal with it quickly and send them on their way, right?" he asked, hoping this was this case, despite the fact that he could probably predict Albus' response to that with sickening accuracy.
"Perhaps, Severus, it's possible there's a connection with our current situation, after all," Albus replied absently, already heading for the stairwell.
"Oh, please," Severus protested. "It's mere coincidence, a *happy* happenstance, nothing more."
Albus half-turned back toward him. "I thought you'd realize by now, Severus; I do not believe in coincidence."
Severus shook his head as the headmaster disappeared down the circular stairs, resigning himself to a delay of who knew how long. He revised his opinion of the level of his paranoia as he heard none other than Miss Granger's voice. The world was *definitely* conspiring against him. It was no longer a simple worry; it was now fact.
"You know, Headmaster, how much I believe in divination," Miss Granger said.
"Yes, child, I believe that is, in fact, quite well documented." Severus rolled his eyes to hear the humor so evident in the headmaster's voice. It would figure that the *estimable* Miss Granger would put stock in that bunch of hogwash.
"Up until tonight, I've always considered it to be so much hooey. I've never given Dreaming a second thought as more than our subconscious working out our worries while our conscious mind is at rest."
"Please, Miss Granger," Severus drawled silkily as the two entered the office proper, "do get to the point sometime tonight."
"Professor Snape!" Granger yelped. "I-I didn't know anyone else was here."
"Well, now you do, silly girl, please get on with what you need to relate."
"Severus!" Albus snapped, then turned his attention back to Granger; though Severus noticed the headmaster's eyes remained on him. "So tell me, Miss Granger, what made you think tonight's nightmares were anything more than nightmares and why you believe that Professor Snape is in danger."
**What?** Severus' eyes narrowed, his full attention focusing on the girl, as much as he doubted Trelawney's veracity, he did know that 'occasionally' there was the occasional person who could indeed 'see' things they shouldn't be able to.
Granger dropped her gaze before continuing, speaking, when she did so, toward the floor. "I've asked Harry what his *important* dreams are like, not specifics, just what makes him so absolutely *sure* they're not just nightmares."
"Indeed, Miss Granger," Albus encouraged. "Please continue."
"Well, he told me he couldn't really *say* why he knew, just that he did. He felt differently about them, they seemed more real. He said that wasn't quite an accurate description, but that it was the closest he could come to it."
"And you've had one of these 'different' dreams tonight?" Albus inquired, moving to sit behind his desk and silently offer the girl lemon drop.
Granger nodded slowly, absently taking one of the offered sweets. "Yes. Now I see what he was talking about, why it's so hard to describe the difference. It isn't the dream itself that seems so different, really; it's the way you feel about it. There's a driving sense of *need* to do something about it, that if you don't move quickly enough what you saw will come to pass. And the absolute conviction that what you've seen is real. You can't just ignore it, or pass it off as night terrors."
Just as Severus was about to open his mouth to chide the Granger girl into hurrying the bloody hell up, she snapped her head up to stare at him a second before turning an imploring gaze on the headmaster.
"Please, Sir. I know this is going to sound completely stupid, knowing how Professor Snape feels about Professor Trelawney -- something the entire school knows about--"
Severus felt his heart stop for just the briefest of moments, an undefinable, very physical wave of discomfort flushing across his body, spreading out from his chest. He didn't agree with Albus Dumbledore on the subject of coincidence, but too many of them all in a row was a bit much for even him.
"--I have no idea *why* he might marry her, but if he does, he'll be dead within the month."
Albus turned to him, his expression and voice as bland as Severus had ever heard it. "Coincidence, Severus?"
Eyes narrowed, Severus stared at Miss Granger, willing the silly chit to recant her earlier statement. Almost as if she sensed his eyes on her, she slowly turned to face him. While she flinched as their eyes met, her cheeks staining with the only outward indication of her embarrassment of the topic of conversation, she did *not* do as he wished. After her initial reaction, she squared her shoulders, raised her chin almost imperceptibly and met him head on, locking her stare to his.
After what felt like forever, Severus sighed and turned his attention back to the headmaster. "I give up Albus. You're right. It's too much of a coincidence to actually *be* a coincidence."
"You mean it was actually *possible* you might?" Miss Granger exclaimed, her voice cracking on the word possible.
Severus snorted.
Albus, on the other hand, replied to the nosey chit's question. "While not probable, the possibility exists he might be forced to it."
Eyes widening, she turned to stare at him again. "I wouldn't force that fate on *anyone*!"
Despite knowing what the blasted girl's opinion of him was, despite hardening himself to the facts of his own undesirability over the years, the girl's absolute horror sent a stabbing shaft of pain through his chest. "Oh, of course, marrying the Nasty Potions Professor, a fate worse than death," he snarled before he could censure himself.
Granger blinked in surprise. "No!" she exclaimed, "I meant marrying Professor Trelawney."
Both his and Albus' jaw dropped. Albus laughed.
Miss Granger, on the other hand, turned the same alarming shade of color she had in the library. "I'm sorry, I really shouldn't have said that. I mean, if someone were in love with her," she stammered, her expression clearly stating she could see how anyone could be, "that'd be a different thing all together. It's just--"
"Miss Granger, do stop babbling," Severus snapped.
The girl shut her mouth with an audible snap, her eyes flashing angrily at him.
"It's quite all right, Miss Granger," Albus interjected smoothly. "Being forced to marry anyone is a trial at best, and I'm sure someone as young as yourself would find the very idea horrifying, no matter who the participants."
Granger nodded, suddenly finding her hands *very* interesting, judging by the intense way she stared at them.
Finding her embarrassment amusing despite his present circumstances, it took Severus several moments to notice the speculative gleam in Albus' eyes. **Oh no! He wouldn't!**
"Miss Granger," the headmaster began.
**He would.** "Albus," Severus growled warningly.
"Hush, Severus."
Severus snapped his mouth shut just as audibly as Miss Granger had only moments before, his irritation turning to anger as he noted Miss Granger's oh-so-carefully hidden amusement. Having been rebuked once, and not wishing to be again, he remained silent on the matter. He glared instead.
"You are, of course, aware of Professor Snape's extracurricular activities on my behalf."
"Albus! You're stating the obvious. You and I were both there when she found out. You refused to obliviate her as I recall."
"Yes, Headmaster," Granger replied meekly, apparently completely ignoring Severus' outburst.
He frowned. The girl was too cheeky by far. The day they were discussing wasn't exactly a shining example of his best thinking. So cavalierly exposing his long kept secret had certainly not been his brightest move -- especially with so many witnesses. It *might* have been worth it, had it opened Fudge's eyes, but it hadn't. It had ended up being a worthless gesture worthy of a bloody *Gryffindor*. Thankfully, most of the people who'd been witness to his moment of foolishness had been removed of their memory of it. Unfortunately, that 'most' hadn't included the 'Golden Trio'. No, they maintained their exception to seemingly every rule.
"While I won't go into detail--"
**Too late,** Severus groused silently, hating the way his life was suddenly being exposed to far too much public scrutiny.
"--for reasons better left untouched--"
**Because we don't bloody well know what they are!**
"--Lord Voldemort--"
Miss Granger gasped.
"--virtually ordered--"
"There's no virtually about it, Albus. Despite the delicate phrasing as a request it was an order."
Albus nodded politely, accepting the correction as if it hadn't been an interruption. "--ordered, Professor Snape to marry Professor Trelawney."
"Can he do that?"
Severus snorted. "He can do anything he likes, Miss Granger."
"Oh. But, you can't do it!"
"We are already aware of that fact, Miss Granger," Severus snapped, angry at the girl's presumption. "We knew it, even before your most *timely* warning and unsolicited advice. The fact that Voldemort wants me to do it is reason enough by itself not to."
"Yes, I suppose it would be," Miss Granger murmured.
**She supposes?! Of all the bloody--**
"How are you going to get out of it?" Miss Granger asked pointedly. "I mean, from what I've read, if you agreed, even if--"
"Despite your obviously low opinion of my knowledge, *Miss* *Granger*, I am well aware of the magical traps inherent in an agreement to marry. In point of fact, I told him I couldn't do it." Severus clamped his mouth shut after that, not entirely believing he'd actually *explained* himself to a student.
Miss Granger's eyes widening fully as she stared at him. "I'll bet that didn't go over well."
Despite himself, and the overly obvious nature of Miss Granger's quiet statement, Severus could not stop the laugh that erupted from him. " *That* has got to be the single most inanely uttered understatement I have ever heard."
Miss Granger blinked at him owlishly, looking at him as if he'd grown a second head or something. "What?" he snapped finally.
"I've never heard you laugh before, Professor," she replied, her voice quiet, with something else in it he'd never heard before. "You have a very nice laugh."
His jaw dropped open for the second time as it became his turn to stare incredulously. That had been the last thing he'd expected her to say . . . *ever*.
"Be that as it may," Albus said suddenly, his eyes twinkling as merrily as Severus had ever seen them. "Professor Snape's ability to continue his service to the order is going to be severely curtailed if he cannot . . . follow through with the claims he made to Voldemort."
**Oh, Merlin help me! I think I've gone from the cauldron to the fire.**
"Given your apparent connection to all this, perhaps your fresh perspective could give us some insight as to what we can do about this situation."
Severus tuned out Albus laying bare his most recent confrontation with Voldemort to a *student*, that particular student no less. It was less painful that way. He closed his eyes as he heard Miss Granger reiterate the very same reasons he had come up with why the female half of the staff would be unacceptable in one way or another. She was even correct as to the reason why Madam Hooch would not be a good choice -- which surprised him completely. It made him wonder just how much the students truly knew about their professors. It wasn't a pleasant speculation. In the end, however, no matter the angle used to arrive, it all came down to believability. None of them were believable choices.
"I'm sorry, Headmaster, I don't know any adult witches outside the school."
Oh, how Severus had longed to hear those three words from that mouth. Unfortunately, he could wish -- however little he might have believed she'd actually be able to help -- she hadn't said them now.
"Well, that's that, then," Severus snapped, angry that his ability to keep tabs on Voldemort was going to be so easily brought to an end, coupled with the fact that Miss Granger was now unnecessarily aware of his . . . predicament, was enough to make his day a complete disaster.
"Does it have to be someone Professor Snape's age?" Miss Granger asked suddenly.
Severus' eyes narrowed suspiciously.
Albus leaned forward intently. "Why do you ask, Miss Granger?"
"I mean, as long as the witch in question is of legal age, does she have to be as old as Professor Snape?"
"No, I do not believe, given the current circumstances she would have to be," Albus replied, much to Severus' dismay. "Do you know of someone appropriate, someone who would not only be willing, but who would be able to carry this off without tipping our hand?"
Severus groaned.
"Well, I don't know about the appropriateness," Miss Granger began hesitantly.
Severus *had* to interrupt, but his protest came to naught in his shock over Miss Granger's next words.
"But, I would."
"What?!" Severus exclaimed.
Albus grinned, and Severus wanted nothing more than to throttle the senile old man. "Would you really," Albus asked benignly.
"You cannot seriously be considering this, Albus!" Severus asked, his voice rising in both volume and pitch. He cleared his throat before continuing. He shouted when he was angry; he did *not* screech. "This is *not* appropriate." He was all set to rant further at the headmaster when something about Miss Granger startled him. She was crying.
**What? Why?**
"Miss Granger?" Albus asked gently.
Miss Granger didn't even acknowledge the headmaster. Instead she looked over at him, making absolutely no attempt to hide the tears that fell silently down her cheeks. "Am I really so hideous a choice that you would rather die?" she asked, her voice nothing more than the faintest of whispers.
TBC
Kiristeen
Feedback, a gift from the heavens. : )~
Kiristeen@kiristeen.com
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AN: just wanted to explain something before I get the "too many seers spoil the plot". No, I've not made Hermione a seer. : )~ Her lack of ability in that area is too well documented for me to do that. LOL I assure you, her 'dream' has another source. Stayed tuned to find out the whys and wherefors.
