Better Off Dead

Better off Dead.

Hello and welcome to my very first fic. It is set after HBP and will be a Snape/OFC fic. We wont see too much of Snape in the first few chapters but he will be a main character as the fic goes on. Unfortunately I don not own any of the characters that you will recognise. Also I am not making a profit from this fic, I’m just entertaining myself.

Chapter 1


A new term was due to begin at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the Great War had ended and the wizarding world was once again at peace. Parents now felt safe to return their children to the prestigious school. However for the time being it was the remainder of the school holidays.

The war had ended some point in the spring and celebrations had carried on through the summer. Celebrating the end of Voldermort, celebrating the remaining Death Eaters being sentenced to a life in Azkaban.

Hogwarts it’s self had taken most of the damage during the war but all had been set right. Despite this all was not well inside its walls. The school was lacking in Professors and the headmistress was struggling to fill vacancies. Headmistress Minerva McGonagall was finding it hard to fill the vacancies for Potions, Defence Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration. In her opinion they where the three most important subjects taught at Hogwarts and she desperately needed professors.

The recently departed Albus Dumbledore watched from his portrait as Minerva paced back and forth in frustration. He said nothing but continued to watch as she pondered all avenues. The poor woman was at a loss; she had tried nearly everyone that she could think of.

Eventually, after watching her anguish Albus finally decided to offer some advice.

“Minerva, may I offer you some words?” He asked politely. Minerva jumped in surprise; in her thoughts she had forgotten that she wasn’t alone. Silently she gave herself a telling off. How could she forget that Albus was there?

“Of course Albus’” She replied as she allowed her self to sit in the headmistress’s chair. She eyed her predecessor warily. She knew what he was about to say, but she valued his opinion and friendship so therefore let him continue.

“I think you should reconsider Miss Granger with regards to potions,”

“Albus, she is so young...” Minerva sighed.

“And more than capable,” Albus reminded her. Minerva had to agree there. Miss Granger was extremely capable; after all she had proved herself time and time again.

“Fine, I shall ask her,” Minerva said wearily. All this stress had taken a lot out of her.

“Also I thought you might ask Miss Tonks with regards to transfiguration?” Albus said in a questioning voice. Minerva thought this over, even though he sounded like he was asking, she knew he had already deemed Tonks a suitable applicant.

“But would she want to? She is still getting over Remus’s death,” Minerva said thoughtfully. Albus sighed.

“That’s another reason why I want her here, just to keep a friendly eye on her,” Albus said not quite looking Minerva in the eye. Minerva couldn’t help but think that he was up to something.
“Is that it Albus? You wouldn’t have any other reasons would you?” Minerva asked curiously. Even in death Albus could still meddle.

“Minerva, you shock me. Would I have any other reasons?” Albus responded in a feigned hurt tone. Minerva pursed her lips. She would get it out of him later.

“That’s Potions and Transfiguration, but what about the Defence Against the Dark Arts? It was hard enough when you were – alive – but no one wants it Albus,” Minerva said feeling a little despair.

Albus pondered this for a moment. He had the perfect solution to this problem. He knew a smart young witch who would be up for the job and would also help him out on a few matters that he did not want Minerva to fuss about.

“Zeladine Yorke,” He murmured. Minerva looked at him; she didn’t quite hear what he said. Albus looked at her with a smile.

“Zeladine Yorke, my dear Minerva. A young witch who is indeed very clever and trustworthy. She would be a credit to your staff,” Albus told her with a twinkle in his eye. Minerva felt a little aggrieved that he had failed to mention this woman before.

“How do you know she would be a good Professor though?” Minerva queried. Albus smiled at her again.

“I taught her everything she knows, she is after all my Granddaughter,”

Minerva looked at him in surprise. He had never really mentioned his Granddaughter.

“Well alright, I will write to her,” Minerva agreed. Maybe having Albus loitering around in a portrait could have its uses.

After a little more conversation with her old friend, Minerva sat down at her desk with three pieces of parchment and wrote out three polite invitations. She prayed to the gods that all three would accept her offers.

Albus watched her silently again, knowing that she wasn’t in turn watching him back he gave a triumphant smirk to himself. His plans were coming together nicely.

A few weeks later and to Albus’s delight all three young women had agreed to the offers that Minerva had offered them. Now here they all were in his old office. All three women were very different and all three offered different uses.

The three women were seated down on small chairs that were laid out in front of Minerva’s desk. The youngest of the three was the first to speak. She spoke so eagerly that Minerva thought she had gone back a couple of years.

“Oh! Professor, thank you so much for offering me this opportunity. I wont let you down!” The woman squeaked with great enthusiasm. Minerva smiled.

“You’re very welcome Hermione and please do call me Minerva. If you ever need any help or you feel like it’s getting on top of you don’t hesitate to talk to me,” Minerva said. She looked at Hermione Granger and smiled. Her very own student, a professor, she was so proud.

“That goes for all of you,” She added as she looked at Tonks and Miss Yorke.

Albus looked at the three women, he was sure they would all do a splendid service for Hogwarts, Minerva and himself. He looked over at Hermione first, she had hardly changed since the last time he saw her. Her hair had only just been tamed and she still had that bouncy excitable thirst to prove herself. Yes, Albus had no doubt about her.

His eyes shifted over to Tonks, whose hair lacked its usual vibrant colourings. A dark brown wave of hair now covered her head and she appeared sad and distant. Albus was glad she accepted the job; both he and Minerva had been quite worried about her.

The third woman was one he also recognised dearly. His Granddaughter; looking at her no one would ever guess that she was in someway related to Albus. For that he was glad. He was forever worried that she would come to some harm if any Death Eaters had known. She sat there taking in everything Minerva was saying. Minerva had stopped speaking and the woman turned round to face Albus’s portrait.

Albus winked at her and she smiled back. She pulled some loose strands of her long dark brown hair out of her eyes and stood up.

“Grandpa?” She said quietly. Minerva watched her with Interest. Hermione and Tonks looked on in confusion.

“Ah Zeladine, my dear how are you?” Albus said cheerfully.

“Please call me Zelda, everyone else does Grandpa,” Zelda said shaking her head.

“Ah, do forgive an old man. I am not one for such nicknames, I shall call you by your given name”

Zelda nodded and Tonks snorted quietly. Zelda turned round and looked at her new colleague in surprise.

“Same old Albus. He still calls me by my given name,” Tonks said whilst pulling a face of disdain.

“Ah Nymphadora, it’s good to hear you laugh,” Albus said with a twinkle in his eye, Tonks cringed.

“After all this I expect you are all exhausted, I will get the house elves to show you all to your rooms,” Minerva interjected. The three women all nodded and waited patiently for house elves. Minerva smiled as Hermione tried to convince her house elf that she was fine, but Minerva was prepared for this.

Minerva had sent the most stubborn house elf she could find. Now she had to keep a straight face as Hermione and the house elf argued over who was carrying her bags. Eventually the house elf won and the Headmistresses office was quiet again. Minerva relaxed back into her chair.

“That was fun wasn’t it Minerva?” Albus asked with a twinkle in his eye. She looked at him and frowned.

“Just what are you up to Albus?” She muttered to herself before retiring for the night.

~TP~

Next Chapter: We find out what Albus is really up to and how does it involve the traitor Snape?