The explosion didn't happen until after the door was closed.
"It is inconceivable that you would hire that idiotic, bumbling, blonde to teach defense against the dark arts!" exclaimed Severus, his eyes flashing dangerously.
"I liked her," said Professor Sprout briskly.
Professor McGonagall nodded. "She has remarkable composure for a girl her age."
"She's practically a child," said Severus.
"She's practically the same age you were when you started teaching here," said Dumbledore serenely.
"I have watched for years while you hired less qualified people while passing over me. Quirrell, Lockhart, that dangerous half-breed Lupin, Dolores Umbridge!" Snape listed. "I will not sit idly by and allow you to hire this teenager."
He hissed the last word. Red patches were appearing on his cheeks.
"Severus, you know why I will not hire you to teach defense against the dark arts and I stand by my decision. As to preventing Miss Summers from being hired, what do you intend to do to stop it?" asked Dumbledore. "I'm afraid the decision is not up to me but your fellow Heads of Houses. Do you intend to duel them all?"
"I'd like to see him try," said Professor McGonagall, drawing herself up to her full height and looking at Severus severely through her glasses.
"It's unpatriotic," said Severus.
You're grasping at straws, he thought.
"Pardon?" said Professor McGonagall.
"It's unpatriotic. It sends the message that we can't find any qualified teachers in Britain so we had to go to," he winced, "America to find a girl that would be better suited for the shopping mall than the classroom."
Severus did not expect Dumbledore's reaction. Which was laughter. He laughed merrily, as though he hadn't heard anything so funny in a long time.
"Oh, Severus, that beats the joke I heard about the hag, the vampire, and the kneazle. But that's not for here," Dumbledore said, wiping tears from his streaming eyes.
Severus fumed silently.
"You're right though, Severus," said Professor McGonagall quietly. "She doesn't belong here. She doesn't fit in. Maybe she'll brighten the place up. These are dark times, we could all use some laughter."
Severus harrumphed.
"In light of her…record," said Professor Flitwick, "Perhaps we could hire Miss Summers for a probationary period of one semester. At the end of the semester we could evaluate her behavior and performance."
"Shall we vote on it?" asked Dumbledore.
Everyone except Severus voiced their assent.
"All for appointing Miss Summers as the temporary professor of defense against the dark arts?"
"Aye," said Professor McGonagall, Flitwick, and Sprout.
"All opposed?" asked Dumbledore.
"Nay," said Severus.
"Then it's settled, Miss Buffy Summers will be the new professor of defense against the dark arts. Now about Miss Rosenberg?"
"She's more than qualified," said Professor Flitwick.
"Yes, she is," said Severus, "If one of her students irritate her she'll just flay them."
Dumbledore frowned. "I would not have considered Miss Rosenberg for a position here if I did not have full assurances from the coven in Westbury and from Rupert Giles of her progress and rehabilitation."
"She is clearly a witch of great power and she's beyond qualified to teach muggle studies," said Professor Flitwick.
"She's killed," said Severus.
"You were a Death Eater," said Professor McGonagall.
Severus sighed.
"We may need her here, her and Miss Summers, if things are going to be as bad as you think they are," said Professor Sprout, glancing at Dumbledore.
Dumbledore nodded.
"In order to be fair, perhaps we should consider a probationary period for Miss Rosenberg as well?" asked Professor Sprout.
Professor McGonagall nodded in agreement. "I think that's an excellent idea. Shall we vote?"
Everyone except Severus nodded yes.
"All for appointing Miss Willow Rosenberg as the temporary professor of muggle studies?"
"Aye," said Professor McGonagall, Flitwick, and Sprout.
"All opposed?"
"Nay," said Severus.
"Excellent," said Dumbledore. "Minerva, would you please write Miss Summers and Miss Rosenberg informing them of their appointments?"
"Yes, sir," said Professor McGonagall.
"Then I declare this meeting adjourned," said Dumbledore.
The four Heads of House filed out of Dumbledore's office. Severus was the first out and was on his way to the dungeons before the others left.
I've failed, he thought. Well, I won't make it easy for her, and he smiled at this thought.
The room in The Leaky Cauldron was littered with clothing.
"Wow," said Buffy as she walked into Xander and Anya's room. "I thought you were going to wait to find out if I had the job before moving in?"
"Oh, we don't care about that. We just came to talk to the owners of Slug and Jiggers about—"
"Anya!" said Xander. "Remember, we care deeply about whether or not Buffy and Willow get this job?"
"Oh, yes," said Anya, "We care deeply about whether or not you get the job and will be interested when you tell us about it in detail over dinner."
Buffy was too used to Anya to be offended.
"Besides," said Xander, "If Buffy and Willow get the job then maybe we could move the Magic Box here."
"Why do we have to move just because they move?" asked Anya.
Xander sighed. "You might be able to get a shop in Diagonal Alley—"
"Diagon Alley," Willow corrected.
"What I said. I bet there's a much bigger market for magical supplies here than in Sunnydale."
"And then I can make more money!" said Anya excitedly. "I'm sorry Buffy, I really do care about whether or not you move here. Get the job."
"Thanks," said Buffy. "When do you think we'll hear from them?" she asked Willow.
"I don't know. They said they had to deliberate."
"Meaning Professor Snape will do anything he can to keep us from being hired. What was his deal? I really didn't like him."
"I don't know," said Willow. "Maybe he doesn't like people that have lived with muggles. He is the head of Slytherin house."
"Well, he gave me a case of the wiggins, I'll definitely be keeping an eye on him."
"Giles is familiar with the wizarding world, maybe he knows about him?"
Giles and Dawn entered at that moment.
"Speaking of," said Buffy.
"Speaking of what?" asked Giles.
"We were just talking about you," said Willow. "We were wondering if you knew about Professor Snape and what his deal was."
"Oh, him," said Giles.
"Out with it, what do you know?" asked Buffy tilting her head.
"Well, I've never met him before today, but he's supposed to be very brilliant and very unpleasant."
"I got a bad vibe from him," said Buffy.
"So did I," said Willow.
"Let's just say all three of us were creeped out by him. He's not going to be one of my teachers is he?" asked Dawn.
"He will be, I'm afraid. He teaches potions, though he's always wanted to teach defense against the dark arts. That could account for some of the unpleasantness."
"It was something more than that," said Willow. "He's into some serious dark magic isn't he?"
"Like you were that one time!" said Anya.
Everyone turned and stared at Anya.
"What? I'm contributing to the conversation! Fine, I'll go back to not paying attention."
"Attagirl," said Xander.
"You're right," said Giles. "He's a Death Eater. Former Death Eater, actually, he's currently spying for Dumbledore."
"And Dumbledore trusts him?" asked Buffy.
"Dumbledore trusts a lot of people," said Giles simply.
The conversation was interrupted by a tapping at the window. A tawny owl was illuminated by the dying rays of the sunset.
"Eeek!" shrieked Dawn piercingly. "What's that?"
"It's an owl, that's how witches and wizards send messages. It's probably the results of your interview," said Giles.
"Someone has to let it in," said Willow, "But I kind of don't want to go near it."
The owl pecked more persistently. Buffy unlatched the window and it flew around the room hooting indignantly. It was a good five minutes before Giles could coax it to stay still long enough to remove the letters from its leg. The owl flew out the window without a second glance back.
"You open yours first," said Buffy.
"We'll do it at the same time. One, two, three!"
They both broke through the Hogwarts seal and scanned the letters.
"I'm hired, I'm hired!" said Willow jumping up and down.
"Me too," said Buffy, "It says that I'm temporary though. I'll be on probation for a semester because of '…my past record of violence,' then I'll be evaluated."
"So does mine," said Willow frowning.
"Because of Warren, probably," said Anya.
"Right, Warren," said Willow, her face darkening.
"Don't look glum, chum," said Xander. "You just got hired and get to live in a castle, that's something. This calls for celebration, where's the nearest McDonald's? Dinner's on me."
"Xander, I hardly think that you came all the way to England to eat at McDonald's."
"Yeah, well my stomach's still adjusting to this English food."
"It just so happens that I know a fabulous Indian place nearby—"
"Yes, Indian food, that's good for an upset stomach."
They eventually settled on eating at The Leaky Cauldron.
"To Buffy and Willow," said Xander, "And a new year at Hogwarts."
"Cheers," they said and clinked glasses. Dawn stole the silverware from her place setting.