I don't own HP.

Earthquakes and University exams are not a good mix... good thing this story is pre-written =)

Defeating the Dark Lord: an 11 part chronicle.

The Great Hall

One Drying and Odourising Charm later - "Harry, it's hardly appropriate for me to change in front of the entire school..." - and they were making their way to the Great Hall, in search of sustenance. By common consent, the Head Table was out of bounds, and since Severus refused to sit at the Gryffindor table, and Harry refused to sit at the Slytherin table, they ended up on opposite sides of the Hufflepuff table.

"After all," Snape murmured, "loyalty is important to both of us."

Anyone watching - as, indeed, the population of the school was - would have marveled at the intricacy of their movements. It was obvious that this was an everyday occurrence: it was like watching a well-choreographed dance. They ate in silence; any request was anticipated and fulfilled before it could be spoken. Severus knew that Harry would want the peanut butter, and nudged it to within easy reach; Harry knew Severus would want black coffee, and so he placed the jug down beside the Tall, Dark, and Snarky mug he'd bought him for his birthday last year.

The only noise for a good twenty minutes was the scrape of cutlery and the sound of chewing. Replete, they sat back, Harry clasping a tall glass of pumpkin juice, Snape holding his refilled mug of coffee.

There was a contemplative silence, and then Harry announced, "Ravenclaw."

Snape arched an eyebrow, "Slytherin."

Harry grinned. "I was actually referring to which House you'd be in if you weren't in the House that you are in."

The eyebrow twitched, "So was I."

Harry paused. "Ah."

Snape nudged the fruit bowl his way. "Here. You need the vitamins."

"No need to mother me, Severus."

"I don't think I could mother you if I tried. I'd have to dye my hair auburn, for one thing."

Harry chuckled, "Well, stop fathering me, then."

The instant he'd said it, Harry wanted to take it back. There was a brief flash of - something - in Severus' dark eyes, but his face was blank, closed off, when he replied flatly, "Merlin forbid I be compared to James Potter."

"I'm sorry."

Snape just looked at him, with that unreadable expression.

"I - I didn't think."

"No, you didn't." a pause, "If you truly wish for me to - "

"No! Severus - you're not just some James Potter fill-in, alright? You're a - a mentor, and a friend, and a dozen other things - even before Remus and Sirius - and - I'm sorry. It was stupid, and I didn't mean it, and I'm sorry."

Snape seemed to relax somewhat, or at least his air of tension eased: he nodded slowly. "Apology accepted, brat, now eat your fruit."

Harry grinned in relief and bit into a peach.

Another pause, and then Snape spoke, "I've been wondering: what career would you consider pursuing once the Dark Lord is dead?"

At Harry's enquiring look, he added, eyes lit with dark humour once more, "I told you I knew your mind better than you do. You only want to be an Auror because fighting Dark Wizards is what you've always done, and it would give you the best chance of surviving another encounter with him. But there are other career paths out there."

Harry frowned thoughtfully and sipped his pumpkin juice. "I quite like teaching, actually."

"Because of your club?"

"Partially. Although that was largely out of necessity - we needed to know how to fight, and somehow I was the one nominated to head it up."

Snape snorted. "Don't demean yourself, Harry. You're a natural leader. I think you'd be an excellent teacher."

Harry grinned, "Really?"

"Yes. You certainly have the experience, and the brats would positively worship the ground you tread on. What subject did you have in mind?"

"Ah. That's the thing." He eyed Severus for a moment, "Defence."

Severus laughed. "Dangerous ground, Potter."

"I'll fight you for it." Harry offered with a grin.

"That's actually not a bad idea. Succession via dead men's pointy shoes, or something to that effect. At least that would ensure a competent teacher."

"Not like Lockhart."

"Or Quirrell."

"Or Umbridge."

"Or Lupin."

"Hey!"

"I'm joking, Harry, I'm joking..." Snape chuckled, "the look on your face was priceless." He sobered, "But speaking of the Defence position, you can have it and welcome."

Harry was gobsmacked. "You mean - you don't want it?"

"Not personally, no. The Dark Lord wanted me to have it, so by all appearances I lusted after it and was fiercely jealous of any teacher that beat me to it. Albus knew my reasons, of course."

He paused, and then went on, "I would be quite happy handing over the lower years of Potions to another teacher, leaving me the N.E.W.T. classes and enough time for researching and maybe taking on an apprentice. I am, after all, a Potions Master; taking on an apprentice is the obligation of any Master."

Harry eyed him in awe. "Sounds like a good plan."

"I rather thought so. I aim to bribe Albus with my, ah - contributions to the school."

"Contributions - " Harry broke off with a laugh before deepening his voice, "Oh, Headmaster - seeing as Potter and myself just defeated the Dark Lord, we'd like a little favour. He wants the Defence position when he leaves school, and I'd like to drop most of my classes and play around with my potions experiments."

They shared a quiet chuckle.

"I can just imagine Hogwarts in thirty years' time." Snape murmured. "Albus will have retired, leaving the position of Headmaster to be filled - possibly by myself, as Minerva enjoys teaching far too much to be stuck in an office doing paperwork. She will still be Deputy Headmistress, of course; and I believe we shall need to reinstate the position of Assistant Headmaster, as a next-in-command to the Deputy. That will be you, at the sober age of forty seven."

The corner of his mouth curled. "Your friend Weasley would no doubt be overjoyed to be Quidditch coach, and I suppose we can find a spot for Miss Granger - Arithmancy, perhaps? Or Runes... Longbottom can have the Herbology post, as long as he discovers some self-confidence first; and as for the rest... well, we'll see when we get there."

Black eyes sparkling with humour, he smirked at Harry.

"No objections? Good."

Reviews make my day! =D