By Any Means

By Any Means
Chapter One

Minerva McGonagall sat at the desk in her off as she watched Severus Snape paced the length of the room in front of the fireplace in the headmistress’ office. She could tell that he wanted to growl at her and then stalk out of the room. He wouldn’t do that though. She was his boss, and she was one of the few people that he could consider a friend anymore.

Ever since the Dark Lord had been destroyed a mere seven years ago, Severus had been very careful about whom he trusted. Minerva was lucky to be one of the select few that had won his trust. But she was pushing it by asking this off him.

Severus Snape, dungeon bat and all around scary potions professor, just didn’t do parties.

“By all means, Severus, invite someone to the party with you. I know that you don’t get along well with many of the people that will be going. Invite one of your friends or even a hooker for all I care. I just want you to make an appearance. Please? It’s not as if I ask very much of you to begin with. You can do this one thing for me.”

Severus looked up at the woman standing in front of him, her hair pulled into a tight bun on the back of her head and he frowned. Minerva McGonagall was as much a mother figure to him as his own mother had been, if not more so. She had been there for him ever since he had begun going to Hogwarts when he was eleven.

And she could still manage to get him to do pretty much anything she asked.

“Alright, I’ll go. But I can’t promise I’m not going to bring someone who everybody there is going to hate.”

“I’m sure that as long as you aren’t bringing Voldemort, everyone will be perfectly fine with whomever you bring.”

“I doubt it.”

“Who do you plan to bring with you, then?”

“Draco Malfoy if I can get the boy out of his state of depression long enough to get dressed and come with.”

“State of depression? What’s wrong with young Mr. Malfoy?”

“That is not for me to answer. It’s not my place. You may ask him when we arrive at the party. Until then, good day Minerva.”

Severus stalked out of the room and down the spiral staircase before heading down to the dungeons where he usually spent most of his time.

The chances of Draco Malfoy actually pulling himself out of his self-sorrow were slim to none. But the older man was not going to this party by himself. He didn’t care if he had to drag the blonde to the party by the hair.

He was going with.

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Peck
Peck
Peck
Peck

Hermione Granger walked over to the bolted window and threw it open with all of her might. She was not going to stand around and listen to the incessant pecking of an owl just because she had other things to do. God forbid the owl wait for just a single moment longer.

She gave the bird a treat and then practically shoved it back out the window in her attempt to go back to what she was doing. She didn’t have time to be reading letters from Harry and Ron. They were both on a mission for their job and on the rare occasions they did write home, the letters tended to be a bit lengthy.

She eyed the envelope and wax seal for a moment longer than should have been necessary if it were from Ron or Harry. She knew their handwriting like she knew her own.

She flipped the small paper over and looked at the seal once more before tearing it open. She hoped it was a letter from who she thought it was and not just a trick. She had had enough of people playing tricks on her by writing her letters and saying they were from her friends.

Miss Hermione J. Granger;
You have been cordially invited to a Christmas party at your alma mater, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We look forward to seeing you at our soiree on the night of December 23rd at 8 o’clock. The festivities will end when the last person leaves the primacies, or at six o’clock the next morning. If you plan to attend please reserve your spot by sending an owl to Headmistress Minerva McGonagall with your name and the name of anyone to intend to bring with you.
Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Hermione read over the note a second, and then a third time, before jumping for joy. She assumed that the people who would be invited were people that she was used to seeing a few times a year, but she hadn’t been to Hogwarts since they had graduated nearly seven years ago.

It had felt strange returning to the castle after it had been destroyed because of the war. Thankfully she wouldn’t have to worry about bumping in Voldemort or any of his cronies since he had been killed and they had all been sent to Azkaban.

She quickly wrote out a quick note telling the headmistress that she would be attending the get together by herself and then tied it to the leg of her own owl that she had recently purchased.

“I need you to take this to Headmistress McGonagall care of Hogwarts. Can you do that?”

The owl hooted at her and then happily flew out the window glad that it finally had something to do other than sit in her cage all day long.

She was pretty sure, almost positive actually, that if she was being invited so were Harry and Ron. Ron would be bringing his fiancée, Lavender Brown, and Harry would most likely be bringing his wife Ginny. At least with Lavender there people wouldn’t be asking why Ron and her weren’t together.

The two had tried dating during their last year of school, and even for the year after that, but it hadn’t worked out. Not for the long run at least. Ron was a sweetheart, but he wasn’t what Hermione would consider for a life partner. They were best friends and not much more, as much as it bothered her to think about it.

Ron was the type of guy who was looking for a woman who was still willing to sit at home and make breakfast for him before he wakes up, bake cookies every day, and have a fantastic supper on the table when he got home from work. He was also looking for someone who didn’t fight with him or correct him or challenge him in any way.

None of which described dear Hermione.

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Draco Malfoy stared at the glass in his hand. It was just a small glass, probably about the size of his palm.

Many people when they filled their glasses that size with whiskey filled them maybe a quarter of the way.

Draco Malfoy was not “many people”. His glass was filled to the brim with dark brown liquid that he knew would burn his throat when he drank the foul tasting liquor down.

He had started out at an early age drinking butterbeer and then moved on to firewhiskey. But neither of those was anything close to what he drank now.

For the last year of his life, Draco had made it a point to drown firewhiskey in what muggles deemed “moonshine”. He had also snagged a couple of other bottles from various stores around the world that he mixed in when he felt the need for a thrill.

Tonight his drink consisted of firewhiskey, moonshine, and absinthe. He needed it. He had just heard from his wife for the first time in a year, only to have her tell him that she was pregnant and it wasn’t his child. He needed the drink badly.

It was bad enough that she had walked out on him without a word of goodbye or anything, but she had also taken their four year old daughter, Juliette, with her. He hadn’t been able to speak to or see Juliette since his wife had left him and that broke his heart more than anything. Even more so now that it seemed she was going to be starting a new family, a family in which Draco was most likely not going to be allowed to be a part of.

He brought the glass to his lips and began to tip it when he heard a whoosh and then a crash. He blinked his eyes at the sudden intrusion, but he didn’t care enough to reach for his wand for protection. At this point he didn’t care what happened to him just so long as the pain stopped.

“You know it would probably be better if you at least pretended to protect yourself. You’re acting like a Hufflepuff.”

The intrusion was none other than his “favorite” godfather. The blonde lowered the glass and then looked at the man standing before him.

“What do you want Severus?”

Professor Severus Snape sat down in the armchair next to where Draco was sitting. He tapped his foot on the ground as he tried to think of the exact words that he wanted to use to his godson.

“You’ve been invited to a Christmas party at Hogwarts.”

“I’m not going.”

“Yes you are. I have already decided for you.”

“You are not my father.”

Draco knew that the moment he said those words that they were the wrong words to say. Severus Snape had been more of a father to the boy than his own father had been for nearly his entire life. It was always Severus that he could run to when he was having trouble with school or with friends. It was Severus that he ran to when he had questions about joining the Death Eaters. It was Severus that had taught him everything he needed to know to be able to survive.

The only thing Lucius Malfoy had ever done for him was father him. He had the man’s looks and the man’s attitude; but he would not have been the same without Severus around to help him.

“You are going to this party if I had to drag you there myself. I don’t care what it takes.”

“Well then I suppose you will be dragging me, because I refuse to go.”

Severus looked at the man and shook his head. He knew that there was only one way to get him to go to this party, but he hadn’t wanted to bring it up. “Monika is going to be there and she will be speaking to the department of child care. She is going to be telling them how much of a drinker you have become, and how you miss work sometimes because you are too hung-over to see straight.”

There was a flash of something in Draco’s eyes, but it was gone before Severus could figure out exactly what it was.

“She is going to be asking them that she be allowed full custody of Juliette.”

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A/N: Let me know what you guys think. Should I keep going, not bother? Just let me know in the reviews.