All the teachers, apart from their new defense against the dark arts teacher, sat in the great hall around a small table, eating. The last quiet meal they would have before the sea of students arrived.
Usually, these meals were filled with laughter and japs at each other, but this one was more tense. All of them wondering what the Triwizard Tournament was going to bring, and some still nervous after the Quidditch World Cup.
Of the most nervous, was Snape, and that didn't get lost on a few of his colleagues. His Dark Mark was getting more distinct and vivid on his arm as the weeks have gone on, a show of You-Know-Who's strength returning, the Dark Mark at the World Cup (which Snape was nearly certain all that was just former Death Eaters having a "laugh"), and Karkaroff and Moody being around.
Snape was actually grateful Moody hadn't arrived yet. He had only ran into him 3 times since You-Know-Who fell, and everytime Moody was very open how he didn't approve of his freedom from Azkaban.
McGonagall saw Snape deep in his thoughts, and decided to pull him out. "So sad there's no Quidditch this year, huh Severus? Guess the cup is staying with Gryffindor an extra year."
Snake was snapped out of his musings, and shook his head, "Out of default, doesnt actually count, Minerva."
She smiled at him, "Details, details."
Sprout leaned in and started on a new conversation, "I wonder what the other schools will be like? I've heard of Karkaroff and Madame Maxime, but I'm not too sure how they are."
"I've met Madame Maxime once, and she is nice enough," Flitwick commented. "A big woman though."
"Filius, everyone is big to you," Sprout said back teasingly.
He turned to her, "I mean, Hagrid big."
Luckily for him, Hagrid was on the other end of the table and didnt hear this conversation as he was going on about the new training he started doing with the Thestrals.
McGonagall then spoke, "Well, Madame Maxime should be fine my worries is Igor Karkaroff."
"Oh, right. He was a death eater, right?" Sprout shook her head. "Should have stayed in Azkaban. I don't get how he became the Headmaster, I mean, allowing a former death after so close to stude..." She stopped mid sentence. "Sorry, Severus, I didnt mean..."
Snape, who was only half listening in, wasn't offended by the comment, surprisingly. "Don't worry about it. Karkaroff is someone to watch out for. He got out of Azkaban by selling out names, not cause he had a change of heart."
"Good point," Flitwick replied, chugging down more Pumpkin Juice. "Could be one reasons Dumbledore wants Madeye Moody here. An ex-Auror should help keep a better eye on him than anyone else."
"Oh, he'll keep his eyes on ex-death eaters alright," Snape said accidentally.
McGonagall looked at him, "I'm sure it won't be as bad as you think. Dumbledore is the one who vouched for you, and Dumbledore's beliefs and trusts do stand for something."
"To some, maybe," Snape ate at his chicken. "I'm just going to keep as much distance as I can from both Moody and Karkaroff."
"I wonder where Madeye is anyway," Flitwixk chimed in. No one had an answer. Slowly, all the teachers left their final, quiet meal, and began heading to prep for the start of term.