As per the usual, Severus found that the summer months sped by much too quickly. Not that the break had been particularly good. The Dark Lord had been busy which meant he was summoned frequently to report on the Order and supply his Dark army with potions for the coming war. Muggle raids and revels were becoming more frequent as well. He would be happy to be back at Hogwarts, if only to have an excuse not to attend such hellish events.
Then there was Albus, arrogant, infallible and terminally ignorant Albus Fucking Dumbledore. He'd managed to single handedly, completely on his own, deliver a devastating blow to the Order. A blow that he insisted they not be prepared for, a blow that he expected Severus, himself, to give. He felt his anger grow and mix with grief. How could he have been so, so stupid?
Albus had finally disclosed that the Dark Lord had made horcruxes, most likely six of them. The news had been devastating. He'd thought that it couldn't get much worse, but of course he'd been wrong. So very, very wrong, because Albus in his infinite wisdom found a horcrux in a ring and decided to put the damned thing on. Of course, it was cursed. Of course, it was designed to kill. He was lucky that Severus had been able to slow the curse's progress, but it would still kill him.
Snape begged Albus to allow the Order to prepare for his demise, but he'd refused. So, he begged to become the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor for the coming year. He didn't care if he only had one shot at it, because this was the year that really needed to count. The students had been plagued by incompetent instruction for years. The only instructors in the past few years that had been at all effective were Lupin and "Moody". In other words, a werewolf that almost killed three his students and a bloody Death Eater in disguise. So why not another Death Eater? Thankfully, Dumbledore had relented. Severus would be the new DADA teacher as long as Albus could secure a replacement potions professor.
It wouldn't be enough, not nearly enough. He'd reflected often on the battle at the Department of Mysteries. It had shown a glaring flaw in the students' instruction. A flaw so obvious that he cursed himself for not seeing it sooner, for not seeing it before six of his students had almost lost their lives. With that in mind, he owled a missive to Shacklebolt asking if it would be possible to meet with him and Tonks somewhere private.
He'd have asked them to Spinners End, but the Dark Lord had "requested" that he house Pettigrew until the start of term. He knew it was a loyalty test. To see how he'd react to cohabitating with the man who'd betrayed the woman he loved. So, he graciously opened his home to the rat. It did complicate things a bit. His comings and goings were being strictly monitored, as was his correspondence.
He'd hated to do it, but he'd had to ask Miss Granger to end their correspondence. It was a pity since he did enjoy hearing from her. She would engage him on some academic topic or another and advise him of her summer plans and activities. He appreciated the normality of it, but he couldn't afford to bring any further attention to her. He, of course, couldn't give her the actual reason he'd ended their correspondence, but he hoped the clever girl understood all the same.
*S*S*S*S*S*S*S*
Kingsley had promptly responded, and a few days later he found himself in a Muggle pub in a London suburb. He'd found them in a booth in the back and made his way to them. The dark-skinned man rose and shook the other man's hand. "Severus, good to see you."
"Likewise," Severus drawled.
"Wotcher, Snape! What brings you out of the dungeons?" Tonks said as she gave him a little salute.
Severus rolled his eyes as he sat. "You do realize that Hogwarts is not currently in session, don't you, Miss Tonks?" The young woman just hummed like such trivialities didn't really concern her.
"I must admit that I am curious as well," Shacklebolt said. "What brings you here?"
"I have a proposition that I'd like to run by the two of you," Severus said carefully.
"A proposition, eh?" Tonks grinned mischievously. "Now that I am curious about. And here I thought you didn't have it in you," she laughed. "Old Kings here is much too straightlaced for that, but I might be persuaded with a little sweet talk," Tonks batted her eyelashes flirtatiously at Snape while Kingsley let out a long-suffering sigh.
"That, Miss Tonks, is not why I'm here." Snape scowled at the young woman. "I'm here because what happened in the Department of Mysteries." They both looked curious now. "I've thought of it quite often and have found the defense training at Hogwarts to be severely lacking, to which, I'm sure, the two of you can attest." Both aurors nodded being Hogwarts alumni themselves. "With the curse on the position," Snape continued. "The DADA instructors have been a continuous parade of idiots and frauds. Albus has consented to my becoming the DADA instructor this year. I know that my tenure in that position will be brief, but I believe it is imperative that the students get adequate training. "
"So where do we fit in?" Tonks asked.
"I do not believe that one class alone will prepare the children. We all know that war is coming and is practically here already. I have no delusions that the sixth and seventh years won't be funneled straight into the war effort. Considering the strategic prize that Hogwarts is, we have no guarantee that the war won't be brought to them either, entangling all the students regardless of age."
"I need another drink if we're going to discuss this," Tonks announced and ordered a round for the table from a passing waitress. Within minutes, three pints of dark lager sat in front of the trio. Snape for one was grateful for the beverage, Tonks was right, such discussions required alcohol.
After a long drink from his own pint, Kingsley asked, "So, how can we help?"
"Both of you went through auror training, and I hear it is quite rigorous," Severus began.
Tonks snorted, "That's putting it mildly," she grumbled.
"I was hoping that the two of you would be willing to teach an extracurricular class on defense. Something that would prepare the students for battle conditions, situational awareness and the like. Potter and his little gang got lucky in the Department of Mysteries, and as it was, they still nearly managed to get themselves killed. They simply were not prepared for actual battle."
"Your idea sounds promising, Severus," Shacklebolt interrupted. "but I doubt that the DMLE would give us leave to teach considering the current circumstances."
"I agree," said Snape. "That's why I'm proposing a two-hour evening class once a week and perhaps one four-hour intensive class on a weekend once a month. I know it's a lot to ask. I'm afraid this will most likely be a volunteer situation…"
"It doesn't matter," Tonks interrupted. "I'm in." She turned to her partner, "you in Kings?"
"How could I not," he responded with a smile. Severus signed deeply with relief. "Who exactly would we be teaching?"
"I would like for it to be offered to all students from fifth year up. The classes would be voluntary, and while they would need to sign up for each class in advance, I'd like to keep attendance casual. That way we won't lose Quidditch players due to perceived scheduling conflicts," Snape explained. "While you are the first I've approached, I'd also like to see if the other professors would be interested in joining in and hosting their own evening classes as well. Maybe Poppy would be interested in a basic healing class."
"First approached, eh," Tonks grinned and bumped her shoulder against her partner. "Looks like we're special, Kings."
"Indeed," Severus drawled. "I couldn't see how these classes could be effective without proper defense instruction."
"Then why not teach them yourself?" Kingsley asked. "You're the DADA teacher and obviously qualified."
"Yes, but I doubt the Dark Lord would take kindly with me going out of my way to prepare the students to defeat him. He's accepted that I will be the DADA teacher this year. He was actually flattered by it. He believes I was allowed the position because Albus realizes what a threat he is," he explained. "In fact, I plan on speaking with Minerva next. If she is amenable, I'd like for her to approach the other teachers and to spearhead the project."
"That sensible," Kingsley intoned. "Whatever you need, we are in."
Tonks nodded her head eagerly. "Yeah, whatever you need."
That had gone easier than he thought it would. Step one of his little project had been successfully completed. Now all he had to do is convince Minerva to not only participate but to become the public face of it as well. He took a deep breath. One step at a time, he thought as he took another long draw from his pint.