AN: Thank you all for the support! It is very deeply appreciated!
Emerald City was every Slytherin's most pleasant dream; glowing, glittering green skyscrapers as far as the eye could see. Even the river below the emerald moat was a glistening green. The movie had not done the city justice. It was the kind of place Severus would have called home, had he not been so terrified of spontaneous musical numbers.
"So how do we get in?" Neville asked.
They all looked at Severus, waiting for his direction.
"If I recall correctly, someone allows us entry," Severus began.
"Who?" Hermione asked.
"There's a gate with a man inside," Harry pointed towards the toll box. "Is he the person who will allow us in?"
"I suppose if we ask him very nicely if we can see the wizard he may be inclined to help us," Severus replied. "Perhaps if we say 'pretty please' and bat our eyes enough he'll even give us a free dinner."
"Do you think so?" Neville's eyes lit up. "The apples were great, but I wouldn't mind a cheeseburger."
"A cheeseburger?" Severus raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, a man named Mr. Baum gave me one once. It was quite delicious."
"So he did," Severus led his group to the gate. He knocked upon the window. "Hello?"
The slot opened, revealing a man who looked identical to Draco. "Hello, who goes there?"
"My name is Severus Snape, this is Crookshanks, and these are my uh," he glanced back at the trio, who were all smiling, "friends I suppose."
"State your purpose," Draco began.
"We're here to see the wizard."
"The wizard," Draco pulled out a green note pad. "Do you have a reservation?"
"Not exactly," Severus admitted.
"Do you have an appointment?"
"No."
"Then you cannot come in."
"But we need to see the wizard," Hermione began as she pushed Severus aside.
"And I need to keep in good standing with my employer," Draco argued. "Which means no unauthorized entries."
"But this is important."
"Staying employed is important too."
"Listen Draco…" Severus cut in.
"How did you know my name?" He looked at him with wide eyes.
"Lucky guess," the friends all said in unison.
"That, and you have a name tag," Severus pointed to the pin on his shirt which read "Draco."
"So I do," he blushed as he covered the badge with his hand.
"Now that we've gotten the pleasantries out of the way, may we please enter?" Severus asked.
"No," Draco answered.
"Listen Draco," Severus lowered his voice. "I have had an extremely long day and am in no mood to play games. Either you let me in to see the wizard or I'll stomp on your throat with these silver boots everyone wants to get their hands on."
"Silver boots?" Draco raised an eyebrow.
Severus raised her leg, giving Draco a view of them. He huffed. "What would anyone care about some silver boots? They're completely out of fashion."
"Boots do not have to be fashionable to be practical," Severus replied.
"Yes, but they clash with your black robe. Silver is not your color."
"Did someone say silver boots?" A feminine voice asked.
All eyes turned to the person behind Draco. She had striking red hair and fiery brown eyes.
"Ginevra, what are you doing here?" Draco hissed.
"I came to give you your dinner when I heard the commotion and," Ginevra gasped upon seeing Severus' boots. "The-the legends are true then. You really did kill the Wicked Witch of the East."
"Indeed, I am the reason Bellatrix is no more," Severus answered.
"Those are Bellatrix's boots?" Draco asked.
"Yes, and the wizard said the second someone else got those boots was the second he wanted to see them." Ginny clasped her hands together. "Do you know what this means?"
"I have to schedule them an appointment?"
"No, it means we are in the face of royalty," she bowed before looking at Draco. "That, and you should apologize."
"Why? I was just doing my job."
"You're too much of a stickler for the rules, and you don't always pay attention to the little things, like fashionable boots."
"I didn't know making a fashion statement was something I needed to pay attention to," Draco replied.
"Draco," she snapped. "Apologize to Severus and his friends."
"I am sorry," Draco replied in a bored tone.
"Like you mean it," Ginny demanded. "Otherwise I'm taking back the cookies I baked for you."
"I'm sorry," this apology was more sincere, and more rushed.
"Please forgive my husband," Ginevra began as Draco pushed a button opening the gates. "He gets cranky when he's hungry. I'm sure he'll be much more pleasant in the future." She gave him a pointed look. "Isn't that right, dear?"
"Yes, I will be," he couldn't hide the spark of affection in his eyes.
"Nonetheless, thank you," Severus answered.
"Indeed, we appreciate it very much," Hermione replied.
After Harry and Neville gave their thanks, the door opened, revealing a group of Slytherin student lookalikes browsing around the city. They paused upon seeing them.
A man identical to Blaise Zambini driving a horse carriage stopped at the green gate. "Hello! I'll take you any place you want to go."
Severus' stomach dropped. This was beginning to sound like the opening to a musical number.
"We want to see the wizard," Neville began.
"Yes, the wizard," his other companions said.
"Right, the wizard," Severus replied as he got into the horse carriage with them.
"Sadly, I can't take you to him, not when you look like that," Blaise pointed to their clothes.
Severus opened his mouth to protest before taking a look at himself. His frock coat was littered with orange tabby fur, along with a few stray twigs and some dirt from where he'd fallen asleep. Neville's main could use a good brushing, as could Crookshanks'. Parts of Harry were looking flat. Hermione still looked better than she had any right to, but she may desire a new sheen.
"I suppose I'm amenable to a little freshening up," Severus admitted as he took note of the horse. "It's purple."
"Yep, it's one of a kind, that's for sure," Blaise answered.
"Of course it is," Severus muttered as Crookshanks settled into his lap.
As the horse changed from purple to red, the music began to swell. Severus groaned before shouting, "must we sing everything?"
Everyone stopped.
"You don't want to sing the day away?"
All eyes fell on a woman who looked like Lavender.
"I do not care for singing," Severus admitted, feeling almost sheepish with so many eyes on him.
"Oh thank God. I hate singing too," the woman replied.
"Lavender?"
The woman who hated singing's eyes bulged. "Hermione?"
"Yes," Hermione went to the front of the carriage.
"I, I thought you were dead," Lavender was pale. "Everyone said your last accident killed you. They said once your heart stopped beating you were gone. Everyone said the Wicked Witch of the West had made an example out of you, one we were terrified of going up again. Ron was distraught about what happened to you for weeks. H-how are you here?"
Now all of Emerald City wanted an answer.
"It's a long story, but let's just say I was saved by a passerby." Hermione glanced at Severus
"Who, him?" Lavender pointed to Severus.
"It would appear so," he answered.
"Well," Lavender broke into a genuine smile. "That must've really gotten under Molly's skin."
"You have no idea," he deadpanned.
"So, you hate singing, you hate Molly, and you saved Oz from Bellatrix."
"For the love of Merlin please don't break into a song about me," Severus groaned.
"Of course I won't! I couldn't carry a tune to save my life."
The other denizens of Emerald City muttered their agreement.
"I'm going to give you your makeover as a sign of my eternal gratitude," Lavender concluded.
"Makeover?" Severus snapped.
"Well yes, you can't go to the wizard looking like that."
"Yes, but I also refuse to go into the wizard looking like a dunderhead, which is what I suspect you will do."
"Me, make the person who brought Molly down a couple of pegs look like a dunderhead," She laughed. "I'd never do that. You're getting my very best treatment."
He was afraid to ask what that entailed, but realized he had little choice but to go along with it.
"Now, Pansy can go ahead and take care of the Scarecrow, Daphne will brush out the two cats, and Astoria can shine up Hermione. When you've gotten all nice and gotten fancied up," Lavender met Hermione's eyes. "I'd like to see you again."
"I would to, but I don't know how long I can stay," Hermione answered.
"I know, you'll be too busy with the wizard, but if you can spare a moment," she gave her a warm smile. "I really missed my friend."
Hermione returned the warmth. "I missed you too."
"Well," Lavender flicked the teardrop away from her eye. "Let's get moving! We don't have all day. The wizard does want to see our guests as soon as possible."
Emerald City bustled about as the friends were shuttled off to their various stations. As Hermione left, Severus took one last look at her, wondering what kind of trouble she would be in once he left Oz, and if there was anything he could do to make her life easier before he departed.