rakina (rakina) wrote in snape_potter, @ 2009-04-11 19:56:00 |
|
|||
Current mood: | mellow |
Entry tags: | fic, rakina, rating: pg |
FIC: Tapestry, by Rakina, PG, chapter 12/?
Title: Tapestry, A Journey in Eight Stages
Author: Rakina
Rating: PG
Pairing: Severus Snape/Harry Potter
Summary: Harry only has one thing from his parents: a blanket. But his mum and dad were magical, and so it turns out to be no ordinary blanket, after all.
Beta: Thank you, to hel_bee and keyairreem for the fantastic beta work.
Disclaimer: I am not making any money from the characters which belong to JK Rowling. No disrespect intended. I do, however, lay claim to the plot and original characters.
Previous chapters here
Chapter 12: Start As You Mean To Go On
"Come in, come in, dear boy. Do sit down."
With an impressive sweep of a peacock blue sleeve Albus Dumbledore pointed to an upholstered chair beside his desk. Severus gave it a dubious look, but unless he wanted to continue standing throughout their meeting he had no option but to sit in the soft chair. So, with a sneer at its overblown pattern, he lowered himself into it. When a puffy cushion dug into his back and pushed him forward, he was forced to reach behind and drag it out. With an exasperated huff he placed it on the floor beside him.
How Albus expected anyone to be comfortable in the chintzy monstrosity was beyond him. The chair felt as if it was swallowing him, engulfing his long body in flowery-patterned softness. Although he was listening to Albus' greeting – a 'welcome to the staff' effort – a small part of his mind was concentrating on the chair, wary in case it had some kind of animation. An alter ego, perhaps, whose purpose in life was to trap visitors so they were unable to get out of it and rendered helpless until Albus released them. Severus knew he was a cautious soul, indeed he'd often been accused of paranoia, but he wondered if he really was being paranoid about the chair or if Albus was cunning enough to use office furniture as part of a strategy to foist his will on his visitors, be they parents, students or staff.
"I like to greet new staff members personally," Albus was saying in his most affable manner. "To make you feel welcome to Hogwarts and let you know one or two little foibles of life here."
"Thank you, Headmaster," Severus said politely, waiting. The old man would come to the point eventually, Severus knew. He could afford to be patient. He knew Albus wouldn't come out and reveal the real purpose of the meeting straightaway.
Severus had already received the details of the Hogwarts school system from the Deputy Headmistress, Minerva McGonagall. The booklet she'd sent, A Guide for Hogwarts' Staff, covered such mundane matters as the House system, the awarding and deducting of points and the role of prefects. In a personalised section there were details depicting the location of Severus' living quarters and office space, and an insert giving his salary details. Hogwarts paid its teachers a clothing stipend on top of their wages, allowing them to choose and purchase their own robes suited to their subject. Severus was happy with this. He'd already been to Diagon Alley and bought two sets of academic-style robes, in black with added charms to repel chemical damage. Potions could be a dangerous discipline and teaching children from eleven years old was something he was very wary of, something he'd never have sought to do. But Albus' previous Potions Master had left under something of a cloud and Albus hadn't been able to find a replacement in time for the start of the academic year, so he had asked Severus to step in as a personal favour to him while he sought another, more permanent teacher. It was a request Severus had half-expected for years now, ever since Albus had helped him out of the Auror cells at the Ministry. He owed the man an incalculable debt and this was just part of the repayment of that debt; a debt Severus doubted he'd ever truly be able to clear.
"Have you received the information pack from Minerva?"
"Yes, thank you, Headmaster, I have. Professor McGonagall sent it last week. It seems self-explanatory." Severus looked Albus in the eye, willing him to get to the point. There was no need to go over what he already knew.
"Good, good. Minerva is a most efficient deputy. Feel free to approach her with any little problems you might have while settling in or while I am away from the school. And so, Severus, this will be the first time you have taught, I believe."
"Yes, it is. I must confess I never considered teaching, being wrapped up in the experimental and practical aspects of my subject. And if I had wanted to teach I would have preferred older students – adults wishing to improve their skills, for example."
Albus gave Severus a rather piercing look. "And yet it is at this stage, at the very foundations of a child's Potions knowledge, where most can be done. Just think, Severus, you can inspire a whole group of children to be interested in your subject. That must be a satisfying prospect."
Severus inclined his head. "I can see it might be. However, I will reserve judgment until I see what the children can achieve. I must confess, I am unconvinced at the moment. I fear children of this age, and teenagers especially, lack the interest and dedication required to study Potions in any depth."
"And yet you did it, Severus. You cannot be the only one. There may not be many, but there will be some in your classes who will show the right interest and spirit."
"Hmm. I will be pleased if that is the case. However, the fact remains that there is a shortage of Potions Masters precisely because the subject is taxing. Only a few have the right aptitude."
"Then consider this chance for what it is. There are nearly eight hundred children at this school. You might find some with the right talents among that number. Where else would you have such an opportunity?"
"You have a point, Albus, and I am truly looking forward to finding these adept pupils. However, I am less enthused by the prospect of classes full of disinterested teenagers whose only interest is to mess around with joke products or pass love letters along the aisles. I have no intention of allowing such behaviour in my classes. There will be points taken and detentions handed out. I trust you will back up my enforcement of discipline. Potions is a potentially dangerous subject. It is not unknown for fatalities to occur among slapdash practitioners. I will not tolerate slack behaviour. There will be no such accidents in my classroom."
"I am happy to hear it, Severus," Albus replied. "And I am sure Madam Pomfrey will be grateful too. And of course I agree that you must enforce discipline for the sake of safety. But not for its own sake, however." He gave Severus another piercing look. "There is one other issue I would have you bear in mind, Severus. In fact you have already mentioned it."
And this was it, Severus thought, this was the reason he was here in Albus' office drinking tea and eating biscuits. At last Albus had broached the real reason he wanted to see Severus. Not to welcome him with tea and platitudes about teaching disinterested students a subject few of them could hope to grasp. No, this was the subject Albus wanted to address. Severus shifted, consciously trying to look casual. He leaned back a little in the well-padded chair and crossed his legs elegantly at the ankles. "Indeed?"
"Yes. As you pointed out, many of the students are teenagers and are sometimes romantically minded. Usually it is amongst themselves, of course. There is much gossip about who is going out with whom, who might be interested in whom, and so on. This gives teachers added responsibilities of care."
"I have already said that I will not tolerate romantic trysts in my classes. I will enforce proper behaviour at all times I am on duty as well."
"Yes, and I am happy about that, Severus. But I was thinking more about you."
"Me? I can assure you, Headmaster, that I am not romantically inclined."
Albus gave the young man a close look. He knew all about Severus' failed affair with Lucius Malfoy and was aware of Severus' vulnerability. It was the young man's need for love that had ultimately been his downfall. "Perhaps not, Severus. However, there will be those among the pupils who will look upon you with romance in mind, you can be sure of it. You are young for a teacher."
Severus allowed his lip to curl. "Perhaps, but I am hardly attractive, Albus. I doubt I am the stuff of adolescents' dreams."
"Even our older members of staff have been the subjects of their pupils' amorous dreams at times. Crushes, I believe they are called."
Severus huffed. "I believe you are right. I remember something of the like among the silly girls when I was at Hogwarts. You can rest easy, Albus. I am not interested in teenage girls, or any girls for that matter."
Albus smiled faintly. "I am well aware of that. But it is not just girls who get crushes on teachers, Severus."
Severus felt his cheeks flush a little as Albus stared at him pointedly. "No doubt you are right," Severus replied, keeping his voice calm even though he was unsure what he should say. He felt oddly like a specimen on a laboratory slide, having his substance stared at and his potential for danger assessed.
"I am just reminding you to be especially careful," Albus continued quietly. "I believe you can expect some of the older students to... how do the young people say it? Ah yes, to make a pass at you. Well, if that happens, Severus, please remember that there are rules against teacher-student relationships at this school, and more, that there are laws forbidding liaisons between adult wizards and young people under the age of sixteen."
Severus was about to protest, to ask Albus just why he thought Severus would be interested in a fifteen-year-old, or even younger, boy, but he was trapped by Albus' piercing blue gaze. Suddenly those eyes had pinned him so he was helpless to look away. Severus could sense Albus' memory of what he'd seen years earlier in Severus' mind. He could feel Albus' awareness of Severus' desperate need for love. Even though Severus had buried it deep and would not admit that need with his conscious mind, the blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore brought it forth, stripped it bare and exposed it to their mutual awareness. Severus' need was still there. He still sought his perfect partner, a man who would complete him. That unspoken quest was out in the open now and Albus was showing Severus that it must not be pursued within the walls of Hogwarts. Almost as clearly as if Albus was speaking, Severus was made aware that he'd transgressed once before in his life and Albus had rescued him. The implication was that he would not be saved again should he fall foul of this.
Severus was left in no doubt that he could not afford to piss off his mentor and that the whole area of romance was a forbidden subject within the walls of Hogwarts School. Swallowing around a suddenly dry throat, Severus gave a little nod of acknowledgement, though Albus had already seen his acquiescence. Albus turned his gaze aside, releasing him.
Severus knew his mentor was a master of Mind magic and he hadn't needed this demonstration to show him just how powerful Albus was, but he'd received it anyway. It left him breathless. Despite his own skill at shielding his mind, Severus felt a mere amateur next to Albus. The old wizard had decades of experience and practice. Severus didn't doubt Albus could read the thoughts and intentions of most people who sat here in this almost aggressively comfortable chair. No doubt Severus had just been given the 'welcome' all new teachers received from Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. For his part, Severus had told Albus how he intended to teach his subject, and it had been accepted. But he had received a warning from his mentor that he fully intended to heed. He had already had his second chance. There would not be a third.
Harry headed to the Great Hall with Hermione, Liam and Sid. They were relaxed after their summer away from school, Harry and Hermione particularly so. Hermione had spent the summer with her family, while Harry had returned to Mr and Mrs Ivett and the gift shop in Margate. He'd started serving in the shop this summer, earning extra pocket money in return. He still got plenty of time off to wander the town and the seaside though. This year he'd met a local boy, Mark Flanders, and they'd spent most of their free time together exploring the rock pools, paddling and just lying about for hours stretched out in the sun, enjoying their freedom from study. Harry had gradually turned a deep, golden brown on his arms, legs and everywhere else his shorts hadn't covered.
Since he'd got free of the Dursleys' influence – Dudley in particular – thanks to the intervention of the blanket his parents had left for him, Harry had found it easy to make friends. Harry's friends were always boys – with the sole exception of Hermione, who was a girl who liked going around with boys. Harry thought Hermione was unusual for that as well as for being so clever. Back at Hedwig's the segregation between boys and girls had been enforced by the staff, but here at Hogwarts most of the girls hung around together by choice. It was only in the final years here that Harry noticed the boys and girls started taking notice of one another, some of them becoming decidedly mushy when they did. Harry couldn't see himself behaving like that, though Hermione assured him it would happen to him and his friends before they left Hogwarts. During such conversations, Liam would always blush like a rosy apple. Harry had worked out it was because Liam was sweet on Hermione. It was a reminder that their friendships would change later and, although Harry didn't want that to happen, he'd come to realise it would. Nothing stayed the same in life - that much was guaranteed. Whenever Harry thought this way, his mind came up with the image of the tumbling dice, the next appliquéd image on his blanket, and he became aware of feeling close to something new. But Harry doubted it would happen just yet, because he was only beginning his fourth year at Hogwarts, with another year of study ahead of him. His OWLs suddenly seemed much closer – they were at the end of next year! Harry had always worked hard and done his best, but now he was more determined than ever to do well in class. There was no time to muck about – work and the outside world wasn't far away. As the dice reminded him, he had to make the best of the chances Hogwarts offered.
"Wonder who we'll have for Potions this year?" Sid asked as they walked along.
Harry wondered too. He'd last seen last year's teacher, Remus Lupin, running toward the Forbidden forest to avoid being imprisoned in Azkaban. Harry had been the one to set him free, letting him out of the pound, a kind of cell in the grounds where he'd been kept awaiting the Aurors from the Ministry to take him away. Professor Lupin had been a good teacher and Harry would miss him, but Lupin had promised to keep in touch. Lupin was a werewolf and was Harry's chance to liaise with other werewolves. Harry, as the Chosen One, the Immune One, was expected to free the wizarding world somehow from werewolves and vampires, presumably by some kind of mass slaughter. But Harry had no wish to slaughter people in such numbers, or at all. And unlike the vast majority of magical folk, Harry saw werewolves and vampires as people first and Dark creatures second. To Harry, killing them was still murder. He didn't want to do it – not unless there really was no other way. But perhaps now he had a werewolf liaison, a representative of the governing Order of Werewolves, he might find another answer. Harry had to – he couldn't just go around killing people.
Harry tuned back into his friends' chatter.
"It must be incredibly difficult for the headmaster to keep finding Potions Masters," Hermione was saying. "They're thin on the ground and teaching isn't the best paid job in the world."
"Bet the Potions professors get more than the other professors though," Liam said. "You know, to attract them."
"They must be people who have a calling to teach," Hermione continued. "Why else would they do it? There are always well paid jobs in the Ministry, they advertise every month in the Prophet's jobs section, as do Slug and Jiggers in Diagon Alley, for that matter."
"How do you know all this?" Liam asked, looking at Hermione. "Do you read the paper from front to back?"
"No," she answered loftily. "Only the news. Oh, and the classified adverts and the jobs. And the financial special they publish on Saturdays and Sunday's arts supplement... yes, that's all. Naturally I have no interest in the sports section."
"Oh, naturally," Liam drawled. Sid snorted with repressed laughter and Harry hid his grin from Hermione, who was beginning to look annoyed.
Liam was still chuckling as they reached the Gryffindor table and sat down, just in time for the headmaster's speech. With a ching of fork against glass goblet, Professor McGonagall called everyone to order. The headmaster got to his feet to call everyone's attention to the Sorting and make his welcome speech and announcements, but Harry, Sid and Liam ignored him. Hermione listened carefully, but the boys' attention was on the High Table, where the teachers sat in their designated seats according to subject. There was only one new teacher this year, so they could be sure it really was the new Potions teacher sitting there in the Potions Master's chair. Besides, it was a man they recognised from their early duelling club days.
"It's Snape," Sid hissed excitedly across the table to Harry.
Harry could only nod. It was indeed – the tall, slender, powerful duellist who was also a Potions Master, a man who had taken part in the World Duelling Championships, no less. It was Severus Snape. Harry wondered how on earth Professor Dumbledore had managed to get him to teach at Hogwarts. Snape was famous as a duellist but was also known as a Potions researcher. Why would he want to teach? Unless, of course, he'd liked teaching so much when he'd been a visiting duellist at the school duelling club that he'd applied for the post. Now Harry couldn't wait for their Potions classes this year. It wasn't his strongest subject, but he knew he was good at it. Suddenly, it was very important to do well at Potions, not just to get a good OWL grade, but to impress Master Snape.
Next Part