My beta has vanished. So this is riddled with mistakes, just a warning. Anyone willing to beta, drop me a pm. Please review, good or bad.
Once again: not mine never will be.
The headmaster lead Severus into his office, sat down wearily, and waived his hand at the chair across from his.
"I take it the board didn't like Mr. Weasley?"
"They like him just fine as a person, Severus. It's as a father that they're having trouble with him. The board has decided that both Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley must prove themselves as eligible parents before they can marry. However the board has agreed that while Hermione is proving herself she is able to stay at the school."
"How does the board want them to prove themselves, Albus?" Severus said, putting his head in his hands.
"A parenting course." Dumbledore emphasized. "One of Hogwarts staff needs to be told the horrible tale so they can prepare for the difficulties that this young women will purpose."
"Yes, singling her out more. I can see exactly how that will placate a traumatized girl."
"I know, Severus. I just can't see anyway around it."
"What do you suggest we do?" Severus said.
"The board has been on the curriculum for a while. They wanted to introduce a sexual education class. We can start a base for the program this year, volunteer sixth and seventh years only… with the potion you'd developed when Chelsea had her problem."
The potion Master looked at him aghast. "You want to make students pregnant?"
Albus looked at him. "And you know just as well as I do that it would be completely false pregnancies and there would be no lasting trauma from them."
"Albus, who did they vote in as the teacher?" Severus suddenly asked.
"Severus we can go through this numerous times and we both know you will cave. You know as well as I do you have more free time then the other teachers. You also have a select group of sixth and seventh years at your disposal. You are the teacher they voted in. And before you ask, you can gain pleasure by taking the histories of the women and deciding which to give whom."
"Ah, you know me well."
"Yes, I know of your hate for some of the students you had to favor, but I also know you're going to give Hermione's to Ginerva Weasley, and you'll have to be nice to her to get the information we need."
"Albus." He said in a warning growl.
"Unless you want to take it yourself?" The Headmaster looked at him with a curious expression, then chuckled when he saw the younger mans horrified one. "I though not."
"Fine. I'll speak to her." As Severus got up the headmaster waived him back.
"I'm instituting Hermione as a student teacher for that class, and adding a wing of apartments to the castle. They're going to need to be separated from the rest of the student population for the school year, especially when the babies are 'delivered'."
"How do you suppose we give them a chance to show they can handle children?"
"It's a magical adaptation of a muggle concept. Child development classes in muggle high schools include an infant simulator. Take two drops of blood from the mothers, one for the potion, and one to create the infants. The board has already come up with one. It will make the transition easier for some."
"And how does Miss Granger feel about not being able to marry Mr. Weasley?"
"Considering she wasn't favorable towards the idea before? She'll probably be ecstatic. I will have to warn her however, she has to marry before the last day of school, or this years grades will be null and void."
"How are we supposed to know if Mr. Weasley is a capable parent before the grades are in?"
"They suggest having the students pair, and having them switch on and off with the baby for three out of four semesters. There will be an even number of students. They will get their grades directly sent to the ministry. The ministry approved this given exception that we not even see the grades. The record of the child will be sent as it happens to the ministry. But, obviously this is only necessary if she chooses to keep the child."
Another horrific idea planted itself in Severus' head. "Where will Ms. Granger be staying, if she so chooses?"
"Well Severus, she will be treated like any other apprentice. She will be staying with you."
"And how does she feel about that?" He asked with a grin.
"She took that as the only good news in the whole ordeal. I've summoned her. Do close your mouth." Dumbledore looked around the room, then again at his flabbergasted potions master. "There are no flies."
There was a quiet knock on the door, and then the squeaking of the hinges. The girl came in. For the first time that day he realized what she was wearing.
A white sweater with a thick burgundy ribbon at the collar and hem which was… obscenely muggle, over a pair of tight jeans. He realized she was almost as pale as he was. The golden hue that once caressed her skin had fled, and left her pasty. The amber highlights in her hair blended in the darker brown tresses. All of this made her golden eyes stand out even more.
"I'm sorry Hermione, they haven't agreed to Mr. Weasley's proposal, but they've agreed to you staying for this year, pending you get married before graduation day."
"Well, I guess that's good.""Have you decided…" The headmaster let himself trail off.
"Yes, I've decided I'm going to keep it." She said looking down.
"Then you have my condolences, and congratulations. We're going to have to inform the teachers of your condition, and if given your permission how it happened, to avoid any attempts at usurping your position."
"I'd rather just as soon forget, I imagine it'd be better to tell them now than wait." She said with steel in her voice.
"Then that's settled. Now, Hermione, I do have a favor to ask you. I'm expecting the new Defense teacher at any moment. She's bringing her brother, and I wanted someone to take him on a tour of the school. Do you think your up to it?" Dumbledore asked.
"Sure. Where should I meet him?"
"He'll be arriving at the entrance doors." At a chiming noise he added. "They've arrived, Hermione, if you don't mind." He waved towards the door, and without a word she left the office.
"Severus, I need you to meet the Defense teacher at the lake. Bring her to the great hall when your through. I have a feeling it'll be time for the feast before your back."
Severus knew he didn't have a choice in the matter, so he got out of his chair, and made his way to the lake. It had started pouring while he had been inside so he cast a water repelling charm on himself.
On the dock in the middle of the storm was a woman. She had long black hair in soft curls that complimented her pale skin. Wearing a black cowl neck sweater and blue jeans you could see she was heavy, but with wind blowing her hair back and eyes that matched the clouds she looked more like a goddess than a teacher. When the rain came down harder, she still stood on the dock with a small smirk, looking into the turmoil that was the lake during a harsh storm. Giving the cresting waves and sleeting rain a look as if it were a long-time lover.
He knew that face. He was figuring out where he had seen it before when she spoke.
"Hey, I'm…" The magic that flowed from the woman intensified and definitely felt like a swift kick in the gut. He leveled his wand with the hollow point of her throat. She did something unexpected, she hissed at him, and his wand never wavered.
"Ah, the one I most wanted to see." She purred dangerously.
"Why?" Snape said.
"Who am I?" She asked, still in that purring contralto.
"An elemental." he pushed through clenched teeth.
"Who, not what." When he paused she added, "Let me give you a hint, 'Toby'" She drawled. "Why does it rain when I cry?" She mimicked a child's' voice.
"Amethyst." He whispered.
"In the flesh. Lower your wand." Her eyes flashed dangerously.
"How?" He grit out, wand still unwavering.
"You want to know the why, not the how. Now back down, or I'll make you back down."
"Why, then? Why've you come?" He asked.
"I've come to perform the blood rights."
"What do you want from me?" She heard him plead.
"I won't force you into anything but telling me about my sister."
"Why?"
"Well there's really three possible questions there. The first one being; Why wouldn't I force you into something more in depth, given that I can make you do anything? The answer to that would be, simply, because I've had too many things forced on me to care for that power. Second, why do I want to know about my sister? Well, because she tried to force me to know her, at fourteen I didn't really care. Finally, third, would definitely be, why you? Well, I thought that'd be obvious to both of us. You have one more chance, lower your wand." Her voice commanded obedience, but he wasn't fast enough. Soon, the potions master was on his knees, gasping for air. It was almost painful to watch him try to cast a spell.
"Magic can't travel in a space devoid of air. Funny, isn't it. I am the most powerful witch alive, and I've had to hide for years. Can you imagine what he would have done if I was at his disposal?" She grasped his wand, pocketed it, and ended the spell. You could see him visibly take a deep breath. "Oh, don't be such a wuss, I left you with enough in your lungs to sustain you."
That should have been followed with her sticking out her tongue, he thought.
"Fine." She said, then she stuck out her tongue, like a petulant five year old.
"How?"
"I've fine tuned everything since I was fourteen, Toby." She seemed to be listening to the wind. "The headmaster wants to know if we're done yet. We need to get back. I feel the need to warn you. As I know it will be painful for you. My brother, his names Toby. He's Chelsea's, she named him after you. Worse is that he looks like her." She stood, not ready for the anguish that flooded out of him. After a while he turned it off like a faucet, and visibly steeled himself. "Come on," she said, "He's really getting anxious."
As they made their way around the lake she looked at him, confused, and asked, "What's a Hagrid?"