Outside the Potions Classroom

Outside the Potions Classroom




Chapter Eight

Severus had just dismissed his last class for the day when he suddenly found the head of Albus Dumbledore in his fireplace. He was hoping for an evening of marking, a chat with his son over dinner in his office, followed by a bottle of Pinot Noir, and maybe a wank or two in the shower, but found his evening plans were slowly going to shit as the Headmaster spoke.

“I was hoping you would join me in my office, Severus, I have someone here who would like to see you,” Albus commented joyfully.

“And who would that be?” Severus inquired with disdain plainly evident in his voice.

“Now that would spoil the surprise, would it not?” The man only said it to give rise to his curiosity, which of course worked well. He smiled knowingly, winked, and was gone.

‘Surprise’ had suddenly become a word that was ready and willing to haunt him. In the past four days, he had had enough surprises to last him for the rest of his lifetime, so as he walked to Dumbledore’s office, he wasn’t particularly in the mood for another one.

“Fever fudge,” was the most idiotic password to date and Severus hated saying it aloud.

When he stepped into Dumbledore’s office, surprise reared its ugly head quickly – Hermione Granger was sitting by the large desk in the center of the room delicately sipping tea with the old coot.

Curiosity killed the cat, and eventually, so would it do onto him. Or he hoped for that today. He wasn’t ready to face her again, not so soon, and not without a defensive plan designed to destroy her greatest weapon, her overconfidence.

“Professor Snape,” she smiled warmly. Lying with her mouth again.

“Granger. Dumbledore.” He nodded curtly at each of them. “What is it you wished to see me about? I am very busy this evening.”

“No doubt,” Dumbledore offered, “But Miss Granger was here to visit and discuss Hadrian. I felt it only necessary to include you as well, being that you are his father.”

Crap. “What about Hadrian?”

“Well,” she began, “I was hoping that we could arrange for some extra tutoring for him, after all, he’s already completed most of the first year requirements at home. I just want him to be challenged.”

“You mean you wish for our child to become as big a Know-it-All as his mother? I think not. He is already being ostracized for having my name and being the most intelligent child in his year, I highly doubt he wishes to receive extra assignments on top of his workload already.”

This seemed to deflate her a little, so he progressed. “Do you not recall your first year, Granger? Crying in the girl’s toilet because no one liked you? Do you wish for Hadrian to share this fate?”

He wasn’t sure if he had taken the wind from her sails, she was looking rightly pissed off now. “Our son is a very well adjusted young man who wants to focus on his education while at Hogwarts. I would have thought you, of all people, would want him to take as much instruction as possible while here.” Her face was looking red in the light of the fire, and she had put down her tea.

“Ah, there is nothing so soothing to these old ears as a well meaning debate between caring parents!” Dumbledore interrupted with a soft chuckle. “It is so rare these days, but highly refreshing. Unfortunately, I would love to play mediator, but I am due to meet Professor McGonagall in the Great Hall. Please feel free to use my office, and enjoy your tea. Have a seat, Severus.” He rose with much grace beyond his hundred plus years and stopped in front of Granger before leaving. He took her hand in his and pet it gently. “Try to visit us more often, my dear. It is always a pleasure to see one of our most memorable graduates.”

Annoying old bastard was up to something, but he was too annoyed with her to focus on what Dumbledore was doing. “There is more to life than books, Granger, or haven’t you realized that yet?”

She stood up and her hands fell upon her hips. “That would be the pot calling the kettle black, now wouldn’t it? I am thinking of his best interest. I am his mother, after all.”

Oh, he remembered. “And I am his father and after being ill afforded the chance to say anything in my son’s life, feel you are mistaken. Blast the seven hells, are you afraid to let him live, or do you have to keep smothering him?”

“Smother?” Her eyes widened into saucers. “Me? How dare you! How dare you criticize my parenting. I want what is best for Hadrian.”

“And what makes you think I don’t either?” he asked, his tone lowered cooly. “He is my son, too. Even if you feel otherwise.”

She seemed to want to scream and lash out – but she held her tongue. After a moments silence, she turned and began to rummage through her bag. She rose holding several feet of parchment. “Hadrian has written me. I know all about that night he came to your office.”

He wasn’t surprised that she knew this – Hadrian had already informed him that he loved his mother dearly, even loved her faults, and would tell her everything. What surprised him was her reaction. He half expected her to be angry for ruining their little club a deux, snaking his way into their son’s life and eventually damaging him beyond repair. Seeing the expression on her face, he never expected remorse.

“I never would have thought…that you would be like that,” she confessed.

“Why? Just because I hate everyone else’s children?”

She laughed at what she thought was a joke. “Yeah, I did. You are so fierce and calculating in the classroom, I never would have expected you to soften outside of the Potions classroom,” she sighed. “I rarely saw the softer side or you, the one that doesn’t snap at people and criticize them. I didn’t expect it to really exist. Like an urban legend. How would I know you would want to be that kind of father?”

“You wouldn’t have. You never gave me the chance,” he answered coldly.

She nodded. “And I will forever regret that. I am very sorry, Severus.” She pursed her lips and took a step closer. “You gave me the one thing in the world that means everything to me and I am forever in your debt.”

He wasn’t sure how to take those words. He rarely received apologies that were not intended to make the issuer feel better than the receiver, so they meant very little. Anyone could have regrets. It was learning from those mistakes that took skill.

But by the look on her face, he wondered if she was telling the truth. It would be easy to read her mind, but somehow, someway, he didn’t want to find out what was going on inside the mind of Hermione Granger. He wanted her to know the mind of Severus Snape.

“You and I have a son, and that means compromise,” he began. “I have every intention on being a constant fixture in Hadrian’s life, whether you approve or not. Firstly, he will be learning his Pureblood heritage. When I pass away, he will be the last Snape in twenty generations, and will be required to live up to his lineage. This includes inheriting Snape Manor and all its remaining assets. I have made arrangements in the event of my death for him to be very comfortable, and have procured a vault to pay for his higher education after Hogwarts-”

“No! That is too much, he already-”

“I am still speaking Granger, just shut it. Furthermore, for the next seven years he will be spending his summer holiday with me, and alternating Christmases. Your protests will fall on deaf ears – you have had him all to yourself for long enough. I trust you not to make these terms more disagreeable than they are for yourself.”

She sat back down, looking slightly overwhelmed and outnumbered. She swallowed, and didn't speak for a long time. “Okay. I suppose that is...fair.” Her body language disagreed, but she forced the words out - he could tell. She pushed an arrant curl away from her face. “The vault is very generous of you, but when he was born Harry made him a vault of his own and every galleon he has saved Harry has matched over the past eleven years. So, you can have your money, he really doesn’t need it.”

“I think not. No son of mine is living off Potter’s charity.”

“It’s not charity.” Her eyes narrowed. “It was a gift.”

“And gifts can be returned.”

“If we are going to compromise when it comes to Hadrian, that means both sides give and take.”

“I am well aware of the definition of compromise – I believe you have had your fair share.”

She winced. “That was harsh…but fair.” She took a swig of her tea but found it cold – she grimaced. Or was it the apples giving her such a sour taste? “So we are parents together. I never thought I would see the day.”

“I imagine you would have not,” he retorted. “Now if you excuse me, our son is waiting for me in my office.”

Turning away from her, turning away from the fragile dare-he-call-it alliance, Severus took his leave of Dumbledore’s office unsure of what he had just done, but somehow feeling lighter in his heart.

Not that he would admit it aloud.



Tbc.