Disclaimer: I do now own Harry Potter, even though I wish I did.
Chapter Three, The Grangers.
Snape stepped out of the fireplace in The Three Broomsticks, brushing ash off of his robes. Madam Rosmerta gave him a nod, and he sat down at the bar.
"Fancy a drink, Severus?" she asked, washing out a glass.
Snape nodded. "A Firewhiskey," he said, rubbing his eyes.
"Tough day?" she asked, setting a tumbler of his requested drink down in front of him.
He snorted. "No, but about to get tougher." He chased his words with the burning amber liquid and sighed.
"How's another sound, then?" she asked, fishing out the bottle to fill the glass again.
"No," he waved her off. "One is enough."
She set the bottle back down while he wondered what would happen if he showed up at the Grangers, drunkenly slurring about their daughter being a witch. He'd probably set something on fire to prove his point.
He stood up and dropped five sickles on the counter, three for the drink, and two for a tip.
"Thanks, dear," said Rosmerta
Snape nodded and walked out the door. He stepped out into High Street and pulled out his wand. With a quick flick, his billowing robes became a sharp Muggle suit.
"Quite dashing," said a woman walking past with shopping bags slung on her arm. Snape ignored her. In his opinion, it was too tight. He preferred breathing room.
Without a second thought, he turned on the spot and vanished with a loud crack.
The next instant, Snape reappeared in a perfectly normal Muggle suburb. He looked around, but no one was around to notice his sudden appearance. He tucked his hair behind his ear, and walked down the sidewalk.
The houses were very similar, bordering on identical, and he had to keep a sharp eye out for the address.
After a minute of walking around, he spotted the house he needed on the other side of the street. As he was crossing, a horn blared, and he had to jump out of the way of a car driving down the road. Muttering about noisy Muggle contraptions, he finally reached the house.
Standing as straight backed and professional as he could, he knocked astutely on the dark red door.
He waited for a few moments, and didn't hear anything inside. Just as he was raising his hand for a second knock, another car pulled into the drive leading to the house.
Snape felt faintly embarrassed as the small family got out of the car. He walked to a short, stocky man who must have been Mr. Granger. "Hello," Snape said, offering his hand. "Mr. Granger, correct?"
"Yes, hello," he said, buoyantly. "What can I do for you?"
Snape studied him and said "I represent a boarding school for the Gifted and Talented, and I wish to speak with your family." He had been practicing that line, and hoped it would work. It seemed to do the trick. Mr. Granger turned to Mrs. Granger who seemed to be doing her best impression of a goldfish. The small girl looked at them both, then Snape.
"Please, do come in!" said Mr. Granger. He followed them into the house, and Mrs. Granger set a kettle on the stove. "So," said Mr. Granger. "Our little Hermione's been accepted to some school for the gifted and talented?" he asked, excitedly.
Snape nodded, and pulled the letter from his inside pocket. "There are some things I must explain beforehand, though." Mrs. Granger came back in with the kettle and poured four cups of tea.
"Please, sit down," she said, handing him a cup on a saucer. Snape sat, setting the letter next to him.
"Now," he said, cautiously, trying to figure out how best to approach the subject of magic. "The school I am speaking of is not a normal school."
Mr. Granger nodded. "Of course, it'll be very upper crust."
Snape shook his head slightly. "No, not exactly." Mr. Granger seemed to have lost a bit of wind.
"Like I said, it is a school for the gifted and talented, but not necessarily the highly intelligent." Mr. Granger turned a very light red, as though he'd been in the sun too long.
"What do you mean, then?" he asked, his tea forgotten. Snape decided there was nothing for it. "It is a school for magic."
The Grangers looked crestfallen. "You're putting us on," said Mr. Granger, gloomily. He did not seem the fighting type, which Snape was thankful for.
"Not in the slightest," said Snape, careful not to tread on nerves.
Snape held out the letter. Mr. Granger, despite his accusations, took the letter, and pulled it open.
"Dear Ms. Granger," he read slowly. "We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
He set the letter down and rubbed his eyes. "Alright, prove it," he said, sighing.
Snape pulled his wand from an inner pocket in his suit jacket. The Grangers studied it intensely. Mr. Granger's tea had gone cold, but with a single tap of Snape's wand, it became to steam again. Then, with a light flick, he accioed a biscuit into his hand, which he dipped into the tea and ate.
"You see, I am not 'putting you on,'" said Snape, after he had chewed and swallowed the biscuit.
The Grangers looked nothing if stunned. Mr. Granger looked at his tea and took a sip. Just the right temperature. Astounded, he asked, "And our Hermione can do this, two?"
Snape nodded. "The school, Hogwarts, will teach her how to control her magic and to cast spells and charms, and how to brew potions."
Hermione had sat through the entire conversation with wide eyes, hardly believing what was happening.
Snape motioned to the envelope. "You will find there a list of school supplies and a ticket to the Hogwarts Express, the train that will take her to school."
Mrs. Granger quickly rifled through its contents, finding the list and ticket.
"Now, you must understand, Wizarding money is different than Muggle money. At the Granger's look of confusion, he said "Muggle is the term for non-magical folk."
Mr. Granger looked like he wanted to comment, but didn't say anything.
"The current standard, as I understand it, is five Pounds to the Galleon," said Snape
Mr. Granger looked to Mrs. Granger with a look of worry.
"The average cost of a book is two galleons," Snape said, and it seemed to calm their fears. "Her wand is a different matter. It will cost about seven galleons."
Mr. Granger did quick math on a scrap of paper. Snape waited while Mr. Granger had a hushed conversation with Mrs. Granger.
When they were done, Snape said "You can buy all of these things in Diagon Alley."
He gave them directions to The Leaky Cauldron. "Do keep in mind that you must be holding hands with your daughter to see it. Ask Tom to let you into the Alley, and he will be more than happy to assist you. If that is all you need." He stood up with a slight bow.
"Er," began Mr. Granger.
Snape raised an eyebrow.
"How do we get to the platform? Nine and three quarters?" asked Mr. Granger, looking at the ticket as though the world had gone daft.
Snape nearly laughed. "Once again, hold hands with your daughter and then walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. You will pass through unharmed, I assure you." He bowed his head again.
"One more thing," said Mr. Granger. Snape reined together his patience and waited for Mr. Granger to speak. "What do you teach?"
"I am the Potions teacher and head of Slytherin House," said Snape. "I have another appointment, if you'll excuse me."
Mr. Granger looked like he wanted to say something else, so Snape asked, "yes?"
"Couldn't warm me up again?" Mr. Granger asked sheepishly, holding out his tea cup.
AN: So, here's another chapter. I'll try for a once a day update. This chapter was a little longer, as promised, but not by much. Next one will be even longer.. I guess I just have a bad habit of calling it a chapter where other authors would put a break in and keep writing. Oh well. People like the story well enough, I suppose. C'set la vie and O zoot, il neige. This Chapter has been retrofitted to fit new chapters.