Hi...So yeah, I'm alive, and I sincerely apologize to those who have been waiting so patiently for an update. A lot of things happened IRL, and I barely had time to finish this. Hopefully, the next chapter isn't too far behind this one.
This chapter is unbeta'd, as usual, but also probably filled with lots of mistakes because I was trying my damned hardest to get it to you all as soon as it was finished. Please let me know if you spot any painful mistakes and enjoy, dear ones!
"She's Slytherin. Gotta be. She's not only married to Snape, but she's devious like one. I mean, remember that Howler Moody got because of her?"
"No way, mate! That Howler was a total Gryffindor move! Only a Gryffindor would be so…obvious. Plus, she's Gryffindory, sticking up against bullying like that."
"Nah, she's too…smart to be a Gryffindor."
"What about Granger? She's a Gryffindor, and people are calling her the brightest witch of our age."
"Yeah, but she also hangs with Potter and Weasley. I'd say not so much. She reads…a lot and actually tries with the homework. Outside of class? Eh…sure, she's pretty smart, but not sure I'd say she's the smartest or brightest witch of our age. Anyway, Ravenclaw. Ms. Lewis has got to be Ravenclaw. That's all that's left! She's totally smart enough to be a Ravenclaw!"
Severus smirks at the group of students as he walks up to them. "You forget, there is a fourth House," he comments in the silence before walking past the group and down the hallway, smirking at the no doubt gawking expressions on the faces of the students he leaves behind.
Darcy has never been and most likely never will be officially Sorted, but he does have a legitimate, strong suspicion as to which House she'd be Sorted into if the damned hat were ever placed on her head.
While she has the spades of courage and chivalry that Gryffindors are known for, she has the wit and eagerness to learn about seemingly any and everything that could easily match any Ravenclaw. While also just like a Slytherin, Darcy is not at all afraid of using her cunning, strategic thinking mind to get her way, but Severus holds no doubt that her loyal, steadfast soul would win over the Sorting Hat.
Regardless, he also knows that she won't get Sorted unless it's for the sole purpose of a prank or other such nonsense. She hates the system of division that Sorting causes too much.
As for Severus, while he also dislikes how biased those in the Wizarding community who aware of how Hogwarts' Sorting system works can be, he has not minded the system too much. Yes, it can be quite annoying that those who know about the Sorting system tend to automatically dislike him based solely on his Slytherin membership, but it has also aided him in particular circumstances. He can recall a few cases where belonging to a House that has the reputation of being a Dark House has actually allowed him the ability to complete missions far more under the radar than he estimates he'd have been able to if he were, for say, a Gryffindor.
Of course, he still very much so agrees with Darcy that the House system is ridiculous and unfair in the way it turns fellow classmates against each other. He also simply uses it to his advantage just like his mother, the bit of training the Red Room gave him, and his natural Slytherin tendencies have taught him to do.
Thinking of Darcy, his mind wanders to settle on the reason as to why he is currently seeking her out. The Triwizard Tournament. Watching Darcy rip into Clinton as her way of both greeting the archer and letting her worry shine through, Severus had again been reminded of the fact that she is still unaware of the upcoming events concerning Hogwarts and its students. More accurately, it's caused him to imagine what her reaction will be at learning that she's one of the very last people involved to know. Understanding that he'd only be in more trouble if he waits, he's decided to tell her today. After all, procrastinating has simply prolonged the inevitable.
Breakfast ended around twenty minutes ago, and he'd made up his mind earlier that telling her after the morning meal would be best. Thus, he is currently walking down the corridors of the dungeon to her office. Hopefully, with the full stomach and Chai in her bloodstream, she'll be more positively receptive to the news than she'd be without such sustenance. In addition, he's hoping that the little extra time it took to eat and walk to her office will be enough for him to organize his thoughts before having to present them to Darcy.
When he finally arrives in front of her office door, he knocks. After receiving permission to enter, he opens the door and walks inside, glad to find that she's alone as many students have taken to visiting her between classes. She's at her desk, going through a file on her computer. She looks up with a brilliant smile when she notices him standing there.
"Hey," she greets, "how can I help you? What's up?"
"I need to tell you something. It's quite important," he begins.
Her brow crinkles when she hears the urgency in his tone, and she closes the piece of technology in front of her to him her full attention.
"Alright, what's up? What is it? It can't be that bad, can it?" she asks.
If only, is all he can think.
He breathes deeply before speaking. "What I'm about to tell you has already been set in motion, and there is truly nothing you or I can do to stop it. I also did not have a say in the matter," he adds in a placating tone. She arches her eyebrow, unimpressed.
"Okay, then just tell me, because your little warning just made me pretty suspicious that whatever you're about to tell me, I'm not gonna like. It can't be that bad, right?" she questions with a slightly narrowed gaze.
He inhales and then exhales deeply, gathering his thoughts, before launching into his explanation, telling her everything and leaving nothing out. He tells her about the history of the tournament, doing his best to also explain the rules and the roles of the staff. He also explains how Dumbledore has decided to put the student-only event back into effect this year, and how Hogwarts herself will be in the role of host this year. Despite his hesitance to do so, he also shares the dangers associated with the tournament in past years and the main reason its continuation was halted: the death rates. By the time he's finished telling her, her face has fallen into a solemn, unimpressed expression.
"What?" she shrieks at such a high volume and pitch that it'd be a surprise if the whole damned castle doesn't hear it. She shoots to her feet in outrage and slaps the surface of her desk so violently Severus knows her hands must be stinging from the force of the gesture. She leans towards him over her desk, a dangerous glint in her eyes and showing just how unimpressed she is with the Triwizard Tournament. Then she's pointing a finger at him while using her desk as a support, poking him in the chest from the ferocity of the gesture. He winces as he prepares himself for her reaction. Darcy Lewis on a warpath is enough to scare anyone into shying away from her. "You damn well better be bullshitting me, Severus Tobias Snape Romanov!" She punctuates each word with a violent jab. He winces again at the use of his full, full name. She even invoked his mother's name, which only the Avengers, the Avengers by Association (Jane, Maria, Rhodey, Pepper, Darcy, Fury, and Coulson when he'd been alive) and his parents know about. Not even his S.H.I.E.L.D. file has such knowledge open to anyone aside from those previously mentioned. As for the magic community, as neither his father nor his mother, even after escaping the Red Room, ever "officially" adopted him in the eyes of the law, no spell has it registered that he's a Romanov. Darcy only uses the Romanov name when she's beyond pissed, and right now, she is definitely beyond pissed. Though, hopefully, more at the situation than at him personally.
"Darce, it wasn't my idea. I had absolutely no say in the matter and am just as happy about it as you are," he interjects in a placating manner.
She breathes deeply and leans back, relaxing her stance ever so slightly enough to cross her arms over her chest and shift her weight to one side. "Then whose half-assed, hairbrained, clusterfuck of a jackshit 'idea' was it?" she hisses with an unimpressed arch of her eyebrow.
He huffs out a heavy sigh. "It was a tradition long ago, as I've already mentioned, and Albus—along with the other Heads of House when I was not present, I can only assume—came to the conclusion that now would be a prime time to reinstate the tournament."
At his explanation, her expression falls into a deep frown, and she leaves her desk to instead begin pacing the length of her office. Relieved to finally have the weight of Darcy not knowing about the tournament now lifted off his shoulders, Severus sinks into one of the chairs at his side and observes his furious wife.
"Seriously? That's his fucked-up logic? Those stupidass traditions damn well stopped for a fucking reason! A.) It was ages ago! B.) They're fucking kids! Sure, they probably wouldn't appreciate being called kids, but as far as I'm concerned, especially in this circumstance, still in grade-school—Year-school, whatever—they're kids. Fucking kids! And C.), because apparently A and B just aren't good enough for him, the death rate was getting too high! Honestly, the fact that there is even a fucking death rate-a death rate, Severus—to begin with, should be enough for the tournaments to never ever be a thing again, but of course, it isn't! This is not fucking Panem or the Colosseum! No one, no matter what age, should be putting their lives on the line for shit as stupid and worthless as fame and money!" She stops in the middle of the line she'd been drawing in the flooring and turns to face him, her eyes steely and hard. "And you are absolutely sure that there is no way to I can convince anyone to stop the tournament?"
He frowns and shakes his head. "I've tried, but no one will listen to reason now. They are much too excited for the tasks and the Yule Ball and meeting the visiting schools to listen to me. With my history here, I had thought perhaps my name and reputation would lend me more power of persuasion. Seeing as I have obviously not been able to persuade them off the ridiculous idea, I highly doubt you, someone whom most didn't even know existed until the beginning of the school year, will be able to achieve stopping the tournament from taking place. However, I most certainly will not hinder any attempts you make and will gladly support you."
At first, there's a righteous, blazing fury lighting up her face, her eyes aflame, before a moment passes, and it's like a switch has been toggled. Instead of a fire roaring to life, her eyes harden in resignation and glow with the slow ember of a challenge. "Fine, if I can't stop these damned games, then I'm going to help the champions. No one is getting more than a scratch if I can help it. And for fuck's sake, I damned well can. I just want to know one more thing."
"Yes?" he arches an eyebrow.
"Why am I only hearing about this now and not earlier? Like when I damned well agreed to taking the job because this is actually important shit to know! Did everyone know before me?"
"You've been busy, and you were only asked a couple weeks before the start of the semester to teach here. I'm sure you'd have been informed soon enough before the tournament began if I hadn't told you now."
"Jesus, Severus! 'Before they start?' Good thing you told me now!" She throws her hands into the air with exasperation and rolls her eyes.
"Darcy, love," he tries before being cut off by a growl from her.
"Dude, don't you 'love' me! Your little sweet-talking is not gonna work on me right now. This tournament shit is something I should've known when you asked me if I wanted to teach here!" she screeches.
He takes a deep breath and exhales slowly, calming himself as best he can with such a minute action. "I realize that now, Dare, and I truly am sorry that I hadn't informed you earlier. However, I cannot change the past."
She huffs but nods. "Damn straight," she grumbles. "I guess I kinda understand. Despite it being such a huge topic, it really hasn't been the most important topic and doesn't that just say something about how crazy our lives are. We have been super busy, and there really hasn't been a time when it could naturally just be brought up. We've been so stressed too."
"Again, I apologize for letting the subject slip my mind." He stands and walks over to her. She huffs again but lets him gather her into his arms, in return wrapping her arms around his waist.
"I know, and I forgive you…eventually." When she pulls back, she sends him a determined expression. "Now that I know, you better know that I've gonna do damn well everything in my power to help the champions."
"I know. Actually, I'd be highly surprised if you didn't. I will offer my assistance to whoever is willing to accept it as well."
Before she can remark on his wording, a knock on her office door interrupts. He growls under his breath at the intrusion. "What?" he barks, sliding the door open only slightly large enough to see through.
"Oh, sir? Is Ms. Lewis there too?" a hesitant student asks. "We've been looking all over the castle for you two."
"It didn't occur to you or any of the others in 'we' to check either of our offices first? Yes, she'd here. As am I. Now, what do you want?" Darcy walks over and looks up at him to arch an eyebrow, silently chastising him for snapping at the poor student. He sighs. "Thank you for informing us. Is there something you needed from us?" he calls back in a kinder tone.
"There's someone looking for you, both of you."
"Did they give you a name?" Darcy asks, opening the door slightly wider so she can see as well.
"No, ma'am. He just asked for his Science Bro, and when we couldn't figure out who he was talking about, he asked for 'the scariest professor with the really black hair who is a snakehead or the teacher with the phones and the sass.' Apparently, he also came out of your rooms? You two seemed like the best options," the student, who Severus has now identified as Theodore Nott, replies hastily.
"Where is he now, Theo?" Darcy asks, apparently also recognizing the Slytherin Fourth Year.
"Oh, he's—" the youth is cut off by another voice.
"I'm right here! Hiya, Darce! Hiya, Sev!" a new, achingly familiar voice chirps, and Tony Stark nudges the Slytherin out of his way to stand right in front of the door instead of off to the side like he was previously. "Mind letting me in? This whole talking through a crack thing just isn't my style. Plus, we're making quite a scene! And this time it's not because of who I am, more like where I am and why I'm here! Which, by the way, what the hell? How can these many munchkins not know who I am? Sevvy! What are you teaching these kids? Should I be worried? SCIENCE! Bros don't betray each other like this! And I even brought presents, which are getting heavy! Come on, let me in! Lewis! I'm highly disappointed in you! How can you teach modern history without mentioning me—?" Tony rambles on at eighty miles a minute, and Severus just barely makes out his words.
"Tony!" Darcy squeals and flings open her office door wide open dramatically.
"Sparkles!" the billionaire squeals back.
"What are you doing here, Calcifer?" Darcy questions as she wraps the man in a bearhug, easily maneuvering around the box in his arms.
"I'm here to see our darling Howl, Mononoke! I need some of his genius and expertise!" Stark cheers.
Severus looks past his friend and is barely able to hold back a snicker at seeing the crowd of students and staff members failing to be inconspicuous as they stare, enraptured with curiosity at Tony's sudden appearance. He can hardly blame them though.
This makes Avengers in only two months! In all his years of teaching, before this semester, his mum and Clint had never deigned to actually step foot on castle grounds during the school year, always preferring to meet at Hogsmeade where there were fewer students. In fact, the only times he can remember his mother even stepping foot on the grounds are when she came to inspect it after he'd gotten his acceptance letter at eleven years old. Before allowing him to become a Hogwarts student, she'd staked out the castle and persuaded Dumbledore to give her a private tour (while in one of her plethora of disguises, naturally). Other than that, he really can't seem to recall her ever coming back until she came back to pick up Darcy (and incidentally him as well) on her way to South Korea. His mum's display of having never been to Hogwarts had been an act to throw off Dumbledore, Severus highly suspects.
First mum.
Now Tony.
Who next? The whole team?
"Haku! Look! I've brought goodies!" his teammate cheers and lifts his box.
"Why, may I ask, are you here? Need I remind you, it's a school team still?" Severus replies.
"Course I remember, Sev! How could I forget with all the kiddies around?" the other man says with a shrug. "I'm a genius."
"And in my experience, boo, that means you lost your common sense!" Darcy teases.
"Eh, lose a little common sense. Gain a little genius! Total evensies! Actually, nope. I win! I get the genius and the people with common sense! Like Sparkles and Pep!" Tony snarks back as he sets his things on the coffee table.
"If you remember, then what was so important that you had to come here? I suppose you used the floo?" Severus presses.
"Oh, yeah! I need you to look over the schematics of the suit and your Fangs, maybe even Nat's Bites," his eccentric friend says. "Of course, I used the Flying Through!"
"It's literally only one syllable," Severus grumbles.
"But it's so much fun to mispronounce!" Darcy chirps with a grin. Severus sends his wife and then his friend an unimpressed look before turning to address the rest of students and professors still waiting out in the hallway who are most likely highly entertained.
"Thank you, Theo," the Potions Master tells the youth, who nods and gathers his group of friends before dispersing from the sea of faces. Then the Avenger/Hogwarts Professor snarls at the remaining gathered crowd. "Leave. You've had your entertainment of the day. Now leave, before I force you," he orders. In less than a minute, the once full hallway empties. His lips curl into a satisfied smirk in response. Then he turns back to face the brunette duo, who stare at him highly amused at his antics.
"Aw, there he is! Our big, bad, scary Wolf!" Darcy coos with a dramatic clapping and bright, teasing smile as he closes the door behind him.
"Nicely done. You must have so much fun scaring the munchkins and any baby agents you met back when SHIELDRA was still a thing. Anyway, now, on to more important things, like SCIENCE! Severus, my brother in SCIENCE! —" Anthony starts.
"Despite the fact that I don't actually have a degree in any scientific field," Severus cuts in.
His comment is waved away by his friend, who continues to speak over the interruption. "Eh, you have those potions of yours, and you're the top expert in the world on earth 'magic' and SCIENCE! Close enough. Anyway, look, I've brought you the newest upgrade of your specialty Fangs!" the mechanic says.
The Snape-Lewis dup simultaneously curl their lips into concerned frowns. "Tony, you don't have to keep doing this. The older versions of my Fangs are perfectly fine. I know you gave up weapons manufacturing years ago after Afghanistan," he tells his friend and teammate.
The cheery, bubbly expression on the other man's face falls to be replaced by one of seriousness. "I-I-I know that. I just…I don't want you, any of you, to get hurt because your tech failed when I could've prevented it. Besides, at least with you all, I know exactly who is using my tech. It's not—" he breathes deeply, his shoulders heaving with the movement of it. "—it's not like before. Ugh. You two are horrible, making this a Feels Festival!" The older man's hands reach down to grab a piece of machinery, which he immediately starts fiddling and tinkering with. His eyes never meet of the couple.
"Tony, we all put our lives on the line, and it's our choice. If we get hurt, that's on us. Not you," Severus begins softly.
"Any tech you give the team is a gift, not something that is expected of you as penance for any past mistakes. You're not a weapons manufacturer, not anymore. You gave that up, and I respect you so much for it," Darcy continues with complete, real sincerity.
"As do I," Severus adds.
"You're a good man, Tony, and the weight of the world is not yours alone. It never was and never will be. You've got a whole team of people," Darcy finishes.
In return, they get a single nod.
Then the other Avenger is sighing dramatically. "Okay, alright. Feels of the week, I can put a check mark there!" Then he mimes writing an overly large check-mark in the air. "Now, on to the tech! Look!" He digs through the box and pulls out one of Severus' Wolf Fangs, a tiny disk that contains a dose of nitrogen, which can be lethal in the right dosage. "I've been working on these, and I think I've managed to add a few dosages and make it easier for you to switch between lethal and a nonlethal one! I think I even made one high enough to take out the Hulk, if we're lucky and my calculations were right. I love the Big Guy, but I really don't think he's the only one like him out there, and we gotta be prepared. If we're ready for someone like him, then we'll be ready for near anything, I hope."
"Well done, thank you. Now, why are you actually here? You could've waited until I came back to the Tower to tell me this," Severus presses once again while Darcy laughs at the both of them.
"Oh, yeah! I need your magical expertise on getting the suit to work in a heavily magical area so that it doesn't short out…" Tony babbles on, and thus starts a couple of hours of SCIENCE! in Darcy's office that lasts until the two Hogwarts professors have to teach and the inventor is then returned to New York.