The dreaded September
The first of September was right around the corner. This was one of the busiest times of the year at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Teachers were making sure their lesson plans were ready for the new school year and the head of houses attended their extra duties making sure they would be set for their returning and new students.
The head of Slytherin house was also doing this trying to distract himself from the fact that the child of his nemesis was soon going to start school and he would have to face him. That would not be the only challenging aspect of this year. With the recent break-in into Gringotts and how the headmaster decided bringing the stone into the school would be a good idea he knew he was in for a busy year.
Looking at the clock on the wall of his office he sighed, it was already past six in the evening, and she was late again. Putting away everything from his desk he had decided to wait. She was already half an hour late when she finally did show up.
“Sorry,” she said as soon as she had laid eyes upon him. “Today has been rough. Are you ready to go?” she asked.
“Not a problem and yes I am,” he answered.
“Great let’s go then,” she said extending a hand for him to grab onto.
“You are forgetting something darling,” he spoke.
“Right, we are at Hogwarts.” she agreed “You cannot just disappear”
“Usual place?” she asked, and he nodded. “Okay see you in a bit.” she smiled then just as quick as she appeared she disappeared.
Leaving the castle was something he did on an almost daily basis, so no one batted an eye when he did just that again. Walking down to the edge of the wards he turned on his heel and apparated away to their meet-up spot.
It was a small side alley with no windows looking over it. The perfect place for someone to just appear out of thin air. He looked around searching for her when the smell of some hit his nose. She was already there leaning by the wall and smoking something.
“Smoking again?” he asked her disapprovingly.
“Just a bit. I had a pretty stressful day,” she said but to his disapproving look, she had put the thing out and tucked it behind her ear. “What?” she asked when he said nothing. “Just because you don’t like I won’t waste a good smoke.”
“I know. Now let’s go before the shops close for tonight,” he spoke with a sly smile on his lips.
The shopping itself was a fast affair and not long after that, they were already relaxing at her home with each a glass of good wine which was followed by some well-deserved dinner.
“You know the boy is very different from what you have told me,” she spoke up suddenly.
“Could we not talk about him please at least not here?” he asked.
“You will have to face it and it will be sooner than later you know that.”
“Yes, I do but just for a bit more I want to pretend that everything is alright with him.”
“Alright but when you will see things for yourself, I will be there to tell you I have told you so.”
“And I will be there to listen to it but not now,” he spoke softly.
They remained silent for the remainder of the night just enjoying each other’s company trying not to think about what the future will bring to them. The wine was flowing and soon they both were nicely buzzed by it.
The next morning, he awoke bright and early to the smell of breakfast being cooked. He got up from the couch where he had fallen asleep the previous night. She was standing in the kitchen making food for the both of them and whistling.
“You seem happy,” he remarked.
“Well, I am.”
“That is good?” he questioned.
“Of course it is. Now come on sit and have some food.” She patted the chair gesturing for him to sit down already. “What are your plans for today? Tomorrow is the first so you should take advantage of any free time you have.” she inquired.
“Please don’t remind me,” he spoke placing his hand over his face. “And for your information, I will be heading back to the school soon as there will be a faculty meeting today about the upcoming school year.”
“I know about that what I meant is what will you be doing before that?”
“Go back and get ready?”
“No wrong answer,” she smirked. “We will be doing something fun, and you will not complain about it. You hear me.”
“Yes ma’am,” he answered back.
“Good then eat before things get too cold.” and he did so.
After a delicious breakfast, he was wondering what her plans were for the day. He did not have to wait too long to get an answer for that when she sprung back inside with a large picnic basket in hand.
“Surprise we are going on a hike,” she exclaimed, and they did.
Walking in nature and harvesting a few herbs was just what he needed to relax. In fact, they both were so focused on other things that they had lost track of time or at least he did. It dawned on him when the Sun was starting to set that he was already late for the meeting. After a quick goodbye, he was already at the border of the wards that protected the school. Running towards the castle he hoped he would not be too late as that would be very unlike him.
Arriving in front of the door of the teacher's lounge he gathered himself then went inside to greet his fellow colleagues.
“Ah, Severus my boy you are just in time.” greeted him jovially the headmaster.
“Headmaster” he greeted him respectfully then sat down to the only vacant seat in the room.
“Now that all of us are here I would like to talk a bit about the next semester. As you are all aware Harry Potter will be starting this year and I would like to ask all of you to treat the kindly like he was a normal student. There was already one of them who had met the boy. Hagrid would you mind telling us how the child was?” asked Dumbledore kindly.
“Of course, professors,” he said then turned towards the others. “He looks just like a little James but with Lily's eyes.” he recounted teary-eyed. “He grew so much a kind little thing he is still.” he sniffed wiping away tears with his sleeves.
“Thank you, Hagrid.” said the headmaster then turned towards the whole group. They had remained there for hours discussing various lesson plans and how they would prepare their students for their O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s. When this was all over Dumbledore asked the heads to remain as he had something important to discuss with them and only them. “Now I have asked the four of you to remain here to discuss the protection of the stone within the castle itself. You will each be tasked with perfecting your defense systems by the end of the first week. That is when I will be placing the stone in a secured place where no one would be able to access it.”
By the time he got away, it was already past midnight to the first and he was exhausted. Getting in his room he quickly changed and went to sleep only to toss until early in the morning and only then it was when he finally had fallen asleep.
After a little to no sleep, he started his day bright and early to finish the last of the preparations for his snakes to be able to smoothly start the year. Time flew by and the next thing he knew he was sitting already inside the great hall waiting for Minerva to bring the first years through the door to be sorted. The door opened finally with a heavy creak and in came the group of children who would become the students of the school. He quickly spotted his godson in the crowd and next to him were the children of Crabb Sr. and Goyle Sr. He then saw the boy. Hagrid was right he was a spitting image of his father except for the eyes that were truly Lily’s. Next to him stood an excited-looking redhead no doubt one of the Weasley children. They walked inside in a neat row marvelling at the castle and its bewitched ceiling which showed a beautiful night sky above them.
Shortly after they had arrived came the sorting hat singing. The children were called up one by one to the stool to get sorted into their houses with each new student cheered another table. Finally came the one everybody was waiting for the boy who lived, Harry Potter. All of the houses hoped he would be joining them and as the child hat sat down silence overcame the hall. Everybody was holding their breaths not making a sound so as to not miss anything. Minutes went by that felt like hours when the hat finally shouted its decision. A roar erupted from under the red and gold banners that decorated above the Gryffindor house table. The boy was greeted by claps and cheers with everybody making space for him in the hopes that he would sit next to them. In the end, he found his place among a group of gingers.
The potions master watched the child the whole time. He was glad that the boy did not end up in his house as he knew he would not be able to treat him fairly if that was the case. During the feast he was still keeping an eye on him, watching him interact with the Weasley boys he seemed happy, a little small for his age but happy.
There were also a few announcements made by the headmaster but the most important of them concerned the stone obliviously.
“And lastly, I have one more thing to say before we all go and find our beds to get a good night’s rest. This year the right wing of the third floor is strictly out of bounds to all of you who don’t want to die a horrific death,” he spoke still in his jovial tone which left everyone stunned. “Now before we all go let’s sing the song of the school. ”It was a sharp change from the topic before it but as usual everyone just went with what the headmaster had said.
The children neatly started to leave their seats and the older ones began to usher the first years towards their respective dorms. He would have to go down and greet them himself soon. It was something he picked up in his second year of being head of the Slytherin house he found it made the students more familiar with him and they trusted him more. This short visit made him able to assess what state his older students came back to and how the new ones seemed after arrival. He took pride in taking care of all of them despite what kind of families they came from. During the year he would set up times where they could turn to him with their problems be it schoolwork or even their families and home lives.
It was late in the night when he finally had a little time to himself. The next day would bring the start of this semester and he was already worried about just what kind of changes the boy would bring to the school. There was no use in worrying about what was to come he simply had to be prepared and hope for the best but knowing his luck rough times were ahead.
Far away from the castle in the night she was thinking and looking into a future of what could be. After all a little peak had never hurt anyone.