Hogwarts Online

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DISCLAIMER: i own nothing; standard disclaimers apply.

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Six days later, in the early evening hours, Severus Snape stood in front of a door, poised to knock. He felt slightly exposed without his buttoned up frockcoat and robes. Instead he was wearing black slacks, a black mock turtleneck, a black blazer, and black wingtips. He only had a handful of muggle clothes, so he made a side trip into London after finishing up in Diagon Alley a few days back.

With his black satchel in hand – containing his shrunken trunk, lab supplies, and books – he drew a deep breath and knocked. The Headmaster had owled him the address, along with the date and time he was to report, after he had left the grounds for his vacation with Minerva. ‘The sneaky bastard,’ Snape thought. Dumbledore had managed to escape without giving him a name.

He looked down and took a final brush at straightening the front of his trousers, lost in thought, as the door opened.

“Good evening, Professor Snape,” a woman’s voice intoned at him.

As he began to look up, he noticed cherry red patent oxfords that were almost black, black trousers that were fitted around the hips, a black mock turtleneck, and finally to a pretty face that was trimmed with sandy brown curls, as most of her hair was pulled back loosely into a ponytail, and she was holding a book in her hands. Her eyes were the color of summer ale and were framed by square, black rimmed glasses. He was just beginning to think how lucky he was to spend time with such a lovely vision – with obviously good taste in muggle attire – when her salutation sunk in and he realized who he was face to face with.

“Miss Granger,” he drawled. ‘I should have expected something like this,’ Snape thought. The Headmaster did drop enough hints in his lap. ‘Three years out of the spy business, and it seems my wits have begun to become addled,’ he sneered to himself.

“Please, call me Hermione,” she said, as she stepped aside to allow him entrance.

He stepped into a foyer with white tiled floor, and sand colored walls. On one side he noticed a bench as she dropped her book down on it, and on the other were coat hooks. The foyer opened up into an inviting looking sitting room, with honey colored wooden floors and the same sand colored walls. There was a deep orange couch flanked by two wide cushioned chairs in the same color facing a fireplace. On the mantle were a collection of framed photographs, and while he couldn’t tell who was in them, he could tell there was a mixture of muggle and wizard photos. There was a warm looking deep purple rug in front of the fireplace, and there seemed to be wall to wall bookshelves. He should have expected no less from the bookworm, Granger. To his immediate left, just beyond the entrance way’s wall, he noticed a staircase.

“Professor, why don’t you follow me and I will show you to your room. After you get settled, I’ll give you a quick tour of the house and then show you to the lab. I have added an additional work table and shelves and I hope you find it to your liking.” There was a sound of wistfulness in her voice, and Snape wondered at it.

Before he had a chance to think too much on it, she was closing the door and heading up the stairs. As she climbed, she threw him a Mona Lisa smile over her shoulder as she looked him up and down.

“You cut quite a nice figure, Professor,” she said, and it was a good thing she looked back ahead of her, or she would have seen the momentary look of shock on Snape’s face.

After they reached the top of the landing, she showed him to his room. It had a queen size wrought iron bed, a dresser, small desk, and a closet. The walls were a muted sage green, and the floors were the same birch wood as the downstairs. There was a large grey rug and grey and deep green bedding were on the bed. The same color green fabric were hung in front a window on the opposite wall.

“The bathroom is right next door and there are fresh towels in the cupboard. There is also an empty shelf for your toiletries. My room is two doors down the hall. When you’re settled in, please find me in the sitting room and I’ll give you a tour of the downstairs. Then we’ll get you set up in the lab.”

“Thank you, Miss…” and stopped as she looked at him with a big smile, “Hermione.” He gave her a small nod before she walked out.

After she left the room, Snape let out a breath, and went to work unloading his satchel. He took out his trunk and personal bag, but left all of the lab supplies in it. After enlarging the trunk with his wand, he began to put away his clothes, and started to think of the last few minutes. Of all the places to be stuck! He was in a house for several weeks with the annoying little know-it-all. He knew he wasn’t being fair; she wasn’t so little anymore.

‘No, she has grown up into a beautiful woman,’ he thought. She seemed more subdued and poised as well, though he noticed that she had mellowed quite a bit about half way through her final year at Hogwarts. He often wondered what sparked such a drastic change in her outward personality, but her grades hadn’t slipped and besides a bit of apparent exhaustion, which could have been attributed to her study habits with the then upcoming NEWTs, she seemed fine. At the time he had thought that whatever brought that change about, he wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth. He had to work with the girl during the last few months of that year. He needed a second set of hands working on the potion that he was able to slip to Voldemort before the final battle.

He finished up by hanging the last of his clothes in the closet and shrunk his trunk back down before stashing it on the shelf in the closet. He picked up his personal bag, and headed next door the bathroom.

He had been especially surprised at the unexpected compliment she had paid him on their way upstairs. As he shelved his shaving supplies and soaps, he caught a look of himself in the mirror. The years since the war have softened his face. Not having to be at the Dark Lord’s beck and call anymore left him with more freedom to spend time outside the castle, so his skin wasn’t as pallor anymore. It also did wonders for his hair. It was so fine and tended to clump together, giving it a greasy look, but by keeping it tied back during potions classes and his personal brewing, and a better diet – thanks to an increased appetite due to a lack of Cruciatus – it was healthier looking. And, he had to admit to himself if to no one else, he did have a good frame for these clothes; lean, but not too skinny, and shoulders just broad enough to fill out the shirt and coat.

He huffed at himself for his vainness, and dropped his coat off in the room and grabbing up his satchel before headwhatwhat awaits him downstairs.

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