A/N:
Thank you to all my readers. It is amazing how gratifying it is to have people enjoy something I wrote.
Bri892 - Thanks for prereading! Appreciate it.
Chapter 15: Career vs. Apprenticing
With Snape and Sabrina off picking potion ingredients from the castle grounds and edges of the Forbidden Forest; Hermione sat in the Headmistress' office, meeting with Minerva and Filius. They were discussing the apprenticeship in Charms and Spells.
"I am intrigued at the thought of creating my own spells." Hermione smiled at her former professors.
Filius Flitwick was beaming and bouncing slightly in his seat, reminding her of Sabrina. "You will have many opportunities for that," he said, "as well as guiding the first through third year students in basic charms. I do not have a lot of grading as most of the work is hands-on in the classroom but there will be a few essays and tests to grade each month."
Minerva explained the hours and salary, "We can arrange next year's schedules so your hours would be opposite of Severus so you can both have time with Sabrina."
"She will be in junior kindergarten next school year so the schedule would not conflict. Will there be an independent research project? How long is the apprenticeship? When can I test to become a Charms or Spells Mistress? Can I do both at the same time?"
Hermione's numerous questions were answered and they retired to the staff room for tea in attempt to entice her with the behind the scenes glimpse of Hogwarts.
~~~~O-O~~~~
The long day ended with a quiet dinner. Sabrina had been tuckered out after the long romp through the grounds. With a soft smile, Hermione watched her eat slowly as she tried to recall everything she had done that day.
"My wellies made a squishy sound: squish, squish, squish! And I had mud all over me but Daddy said scroogey and I was all clean."
Hermione bit her lip to keep from laughing, "Scourgify."
"Ya, and then I picked stuff. I don't member, Mummy, but it was fuzzy and tasted yucky. Daddy says its good for potions and food."
"That would be the mint, Sabrina," Snape reminded her.
Hermione wiped Sabrina's face softly with the napkin. "Let's go read for a bit, little one."
After a few pages, she was asleep in her mother's arms. Hermione was unsure of how to get out of the rocking chair without jostling the girl; she struggled to stand. Snape entered the room and swiftly took Sabrina from her arms and tucked her into bed.
"Would you like to join me for tea?" He asked Hermione as she smoothed her wrinkled clothing.
"That would be lovely."
~~~~O-O~~~~
"I could be a Charms Mistress in a year and a half and then take the Spells test after I create three unique spells." Hermione shared with Snape.
Her former potions professor could not help himself, "With a swot like you, it is more likely that you will achieve your Spells Mistress prior to completing your Charms apprenticeship."
After laughing at the absurd idea, Hermione fell quiet.
Snape waited as he watched her pull her thoughts together. Giving up on the conversation, he picked up a journal from the side table and began to read. He was startled when she spoke twenty minutes later.
"Perhaps I could become a Charms and Spells Mistress while working for Seamus. Integrating technology and magic would be focused solely on Charms and Spells."
Considering this, Snape added, "You would still need the formal relationship with a master."
"Yes, but would it need to be completed at Hogwarts?"
Hermione's notebooks raced through the air, almost hitting Snape in the head as they sailed by him and into her hands.
"Miss Granger!" He admonished her.
Ducking her head, Hermione mumbled her apologies. She flipped through her notes and shared them with Snape.
"Severus, I could do both! I could work for Seamus and still apprentice under Filius." Hermione jumped off the couch and did a happy dance (tripping over her own two feet).
Snape watched her jump and dance in place and drawled, "Now, I know from where Sabrina gets her energy and coordination."
"Oh, stop it! I am just excited." She said as she smacked his arm.
~~~~O-O~~~~
Over the next week, Hermione proposed her job sharing idea with Seamus Finnigan and Filius Flitwick. After reviewing the statutes on apprenticeships and Master/Mistress tests neither Filius or testing board found any issues with the proposal. As long as Hermione recorded her time spent on studying and developing charms under supervision of a Charms Master, she could accumulate the hours necessary for the apprenticeship.
Thrilled with her options, Hermione sent official notices to Ministry of Magic, withdrawing her applications.
Seamus owled her with a new hire packet and invited her to lunch. At a muggle restaurant, they discussed the expectations of position. "We should have our office space completed by mid-October. It's taking longer than I expected as we have to shield half of the building from magic."
Techno-Wiz would sit in Muggle London, one city block from Diagon Alley. The company would not turn a profit for two years but the financiers had high expectations. The first two products in development would be a media player and a mobile device. Hermione would be the co-developer and project manager on the media player, a tv / radio hybrid device.
"I've just hired Justin Finch-Fletchley to handle the electronics side on the media player; he will be your partner. Theodore Nott and Vanessa Lewis will lead the mobile phone. You don't know Vanessa - she's American."
Hermione sipped at her soda as she took down notes, "True, and honestly, I don't know Theodore."
"I'll set up some time for all of you to meet. We will be working out of my home until the offices are complete. Right now, it's mostly paperwork and patent research anyway." Seamus reached across the table and squeezed Hermione's hand. "I'm so glad you accepted."