You Promised It Would Be Forever - Edit

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 15 ~ And the Meddling Starts

Two days later, Minerva McGonagall stepped through the floo into Albus' office, to find the old wizard with parchments spread all over his desk and the tip of a quill in his mouth as he studied them intently. She could see a few of them were budget parchments and there was a Ministry folder as well. Curiously she walked around the desk and stood beside him.

"What's all this, Albus?" she asked, looking over the paperwork.

"I've heard through my sources that Hermione Granger was fired from her position at the Ministry and been blacklisted as well. I have her employee folder here. I'm checking the budget to see if I can create a position here for her at Hogwarts teaching Spell Theory. Now that Filch is gone I have the resources to pay another salary. I have set Professor Sprout to setting up the grounds to be primarily self-maintaining. I would have done it years ago except for Argus," he said. "He took on the additional duties of groundskeeper when Hagrid began teaching the Care of Magical Creatures class."

Minerva picked up Hermione's folder and looked through her paperwork. Her eyebrows rose.

"Albus, Hermione doesn't have the necessary amount of original spells to teach the course. She doesn't have a single spell she's done listed here," Minerva said.

Albus' brow furrowed.

"Yes, I've wondered about that. Hermione's been in the employ of the Ministry for almost three years, and they are very production oriented. If she didn't deliver, she would have been sacked long before now. Hermione is very prolific. Something is very odd here. We can however count her adaptable Pulsus spell. An amazing piece of Spellwork there," the Headmaster said thoughtfully.

"And you are going to pay her a caretaker's salary, Albus? Really," the Transfiguration Professor sniffed.

In reply, Albus picked up a parchment and showed her how much Filch earned each month. Minerva nearly choked.

"He made that much? Albus, how can that be?" Minerva asked, "That is almost a tenured Professor's salary!"

"Argus worked here since he was fourteen, Minerva. There were annual raises. Do the math. Hermione won't make as much as this, but enough to be comfortable, once I can find out what happened to the spells she created for the Ministry," he said.

Minerva looked at Albus.

"Albus, you are meddling again. How do you even know Hermione will want to accept a job at Hogwarts? After all, Severus is here," Minerva said frowning. "and they parted on such bad terms..."

The Headmaster smirked up at the witch, his eyes twinkling.

"Yes. Severus is here. That's exactly what I'm counting on as a major draw, Minerva," he said obliquely.

Minerva gasped at the Headmaster, her mouth drawn into a severe thin line of disapproval.

"Albus, you ARE meddling. The results of this can be devastating!" Minerva said warningly.

"No more devastating than they already are Minerva. You have to admit, things can't get much worse than what has already happened between them," Albus replied sagely.

"I suppose you plan on putting Hermione in the dungeons, next to Severus' rooms?" she asked the smiling wizard.

"Of course," Albus grinned as Minerva shook her head. "I am going to try to arrange an adjoining door if I can too. I just need a good enough reason for installing one."

Minerva simply frowned at him, her boot tapping the stone floor loudly.

"All right, I admit, the adjoining door is a bit much. I wouldn't want to put Severus on point, after all," he said.

"Albus, Severus is going to know you are meddling the moment Hermione moves into those rooms," Minerva responded.

Dumbledore's face grew clouded for a moment, then he brightened.

"Well, I am simply going to have to convince him this is a necessary move, then," the Headmaster said, rising and walking to the floo. He scooped up some floo powder and tossed it into the fireplace.

"Severus' study," he said.

The flames turned green.

"Severus? Severus are you there my boy?" Albus called.

"Yes, Headmaster. What can I do for you?" Severus called back. He was sitting before the fire drinking a cup of strong black coffee.

"I wonder if you might accompany me to the Ministry. I have an inquiry to make of a Department Head and have found it wise to have another ear present. Care to join me?" Albus asked.

There was silence for a moment.

"Yes, Headmaster. At what time do you wish to go?" the Potions Master asked him.

"As soon as you are ready," Albus replied.

"Fine. I will floo to your office directly," the Potions Master said.

"Very good," Albus responded, withdrawing from the floo and looking at Minerva with satisfaction.

The witch rolled her eyes and started for the door.

"I'm leaving. I don't want Severus thinking I am party to this…this…blatant manipulation of his life," Minerva sniffed.

"O ye of little faith," Albus chuckled as the witch strode out the door.

She just made it before the floo turned green and Severus stepped through. Albus turned and smiled broadly at the Potions Master.

"Good morning, Severus," he said, jovially as he surreptiously picked up Hermione's folder from off his desk. Severus looked at all the clutter.

"Looks like you've been busy this morning, Headmaster," he observed.

"Hogwarts' business is never done," Albus replied, "I thought we'd walk to the Main Gates and apparate from there. I want to stretch my legs a bit."

Severus nodded and accompanied him out of the office.

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Gregor Gregorian was caught off guard when a clerk announced he had visitors.

"Tell them to make an appointment," he had told the clerk, who looked quite scandalized.

"One of them is Albus Dumbledore," he said reverently.

Gregor's eyebrows rose. He couldn't very well turn away the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot.

"Give me a moment, then show them in, Fredrick," Gregor said, hurriedly cleaning off his desk and brushing his hair back with his hands.

After a moment or two, Albus and Severus were led into his office. He rose and shook both wizards' hands and asked them to sit down in two comfortable chairs in front of his desk.

"Welcome to my department, Headmaster and…Professor Snape," Gregor said. He had to think a moment to recall Severus' title.

"Thank you, Mr. Gregorian. I am here to make a non-official inquiry about one of your former employees who I am considering hiring," Albus said.

Severus looked at him with interest. A new Professor? Hm.

"I'll be happy to tell you all I know, sir. Who is the former employee?" Gregor asked.

"A Miss Hermione Granger," Albus replied.

Both Gregor's and Severus' eyes widened in surprise. Severus' narrowed slightly as he looked at the Headmaster. What was he playing at?

"Miss Granger was dismissed from her position for insubordination, Headmaster. The witch is quite volatile and does not respect authority. I would not recommend her for any position concerning spell work," he said.

Now Severus' narrowed eyes were on Gregor. Hermione would only have been insubordinate if she believed she was being treated wrongly. Now he was very interested.

"I am quite aware of Miss Granger's nature and skills, Mr. Gregorian. I did not come here for a recommendation. I came here to inquire as to why after three years of employment in the Spells Department, Miss Granger does not have a single original spell to her name?" Albus asked evenly. "I happen to know Miss Granger is a very prolific witch and it's odd that in all this time she has nothing to show for her work. Don't you agree, Severus?"

Severus looked surprised, then nodded, his brows drawing together.

"My ex-wife often worked on projects she was developing for the Ministry at home. There were quite a few if I remember correctly," he said evenly, "I've never known her to start another project before finishing the previous."

The Potions Master scowled slightly at Gregor, who was looking extremely nervous.

"What happened to those spells, Mr. Gregorian?" Albus asked, his blue eyes no longer twinkling.

"Well, Miss Granger was a low-level employee and as such, did not warrant having her name placed on spells developed for the Ministry," he said lamely.

Severus' face was now contorted with rage. They had been taking credit for her spells. This probably added to her frustration when they were still married. Why had she never told him?

"Credit is given to the person who develops and completes the spell. It has never been attributed to the Department as a whole. How else can they get the credits they need to work in the Spell community once they leave the Ministry? Who told you this, Mr. Gregorian?" Albus asked him, his anger plainly showing as he looked at the Department Head with narrowed eyes.

Shit. Gregor had made the rule up himself to take credit for the witch's spells. He had no idea that someone like Albus Dumbledore would be interested in her, particularly since he blacklisted her to avoid inquiries being made.

"It was a rule I developed. It was meant to…"

"It was meant to be a way to steal my wife's work!" Severus exclaimed, bringing his fist sharply down on Gregor's desk, making the wizard jump.

"Who took the credit for her spells?" Severus demanded.

Albus sat back with a half-smirk on his face, watching the Potions Master take the wizard to task over his ex-wife.

"I did," Gregor admitted.

In an instant, Severus had reached over the desk and collared the wizard, dragging him up out of his chair.

"You stole my wife's spells and took the credit for them yourself? I should beat the shit out of you," Severus growled shaking the wizard. "Do you know how what you did affected my wife? My home life? You fucking idiot!"

Albus rose and placed a hand on Severus' shoulder. The Potions Master released the Department Head and threw him back into his chair roughly. He sat back down, glaring at Gregor as if he'd like to beat him to a pulp. And he would.

Albus' eyes glittered at the wizard.

"Mr. Gregor, what you have done is unforgivable. You have stolen another's hard work and used it to make yourself seem more than what you are. I believe I will have to have a full investigation done on your department. Most likely you will be dismissed and blacklisted, sir," Albus said.

"No," Gregor pleaded. "I have a wife and six children, Headmaster. If I lose my position, we will be on the streets. I'll give them back. I'll take my name off of every spell and give her credit for each of them. Hell, I'll give her credit for the spells I have created. Please, Headmaster…don't do this."

Severus looked at him. Gods, six children? Another pack of Weasleys.

Albus looked at him thoughtfully.

"All right, Mr. Gregorian. Because, and only because you have such a large family, I won't report your treachery concerning Miss Granger. I expect her files to reflect her work by this afternoon. And I expect you to restore credit to any of your other employees you have been stealing from. I will have someone come down and check the other employee files as well. Consider yourself lucky, Mr. Gregorian," Albus said, rising.

Severus rose, continuing to glare at the wizard. He had gotten off too easy. If it had been Severus in charge of this inquiry instead of Albus, Gregor, his wife and all six of his squalling brats would have been shaking tins on a street corner someplace.

"I'm sorry, Professor Snape," the man said weakly, "I had no idea…"

"Don't talk to me!" Severus snapped at him. "I owe you an ass-kicking."

The wizard paled. Shit.

"Come Severus," Albus said placatingly.

Severus stalked out the door behind Albus. He looked back at Gregor, his brows drawn together threateningly.

He was going to get that wizard.

As he and Albus walked, the Headmaster said, "Severus, I want to stop by Hermione's house to make her a job offer. I'll understand if you don't want to come…"

"I'll come," Severus said angrily.

The Potions Master had a mind to ask the witch why she never informed him that her spells were being taken from her. He was her husband then. He could have done something to stop it. It was his duty to protect her and she didn't let him. He was furious.

Albus slid his eyes toward the angry Potions Master and grinned.

This was working out even better than he had hoped.

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A/N: Ah, Albus is back to meddling I see. No one does it better either. Lol. Severus got very upset, didn't he? I think Gregor better stick to lighted areas when he heads for home the next few weeks. I hope the Ministry provides good medical. I think Gregor's going to need it. Please review.