Chapter 5
Ron frowned. “But… I’m kinda glad I don’t take History of Magic, anymore. You were a taskmaster as a teacher. Merlin… You were so demanding, as a student, what heck are you going to be like as an official Professor?”
Hermione and Ginny’s eyes widened and both looked a little alarmed, while Luna smiled as serenely as ever. Sirius was slumped in his sea laughing. Snape and Flitwick were amused. And McGonagall? She was looking rather smug.
~~~
By six-thirty, Ophelia, Sirius and a small group of Hogwarts staff and students, were finished at Gringotts and had flooed back to Grimmauld, to be joined by Fred and George, who were quickly re-introduced to Ophelia’s secret. They all were gathered in the downstairs parlour, that now housed enough seats for all the guests, with the piano pushed back against the wall and the sofas now sat at angles to the rest of the room, opening up the space into a more informal setting.
“So?” Fred asked from his seat on a sofa, that he shared with Ophelia and Sirius. “Now what?” He looked from Ophelia to Sirius, then to the rest of the room.
“Uh…” Sirius grunted and looked at Ophelia.
“Well…” Ophelia hummed. “Kingsley’s going to get me a meeting with Croaker, and the head of the Unnamed. Now that Professor Flitwick has cast the Fidelius for me, neither of them remember that Ophelia Black used to be Harry Potter.”
“Ah.” McGonagall nodded. “I had forgotten that.”
“So had I.” Ophelia grimaced. “Dad had to remind me.” A few people nodded. “Hopefully, I can get that over with, so that I can meet with Molly and Arthur for lunch.”
“Yeah, don’t want to leave that for too long.” Ron shook his head.
“Monday, I will be going to the Ministry to see about purchasing a house-elf.” Ophelia paused. “Yes, Hermione, I know your thoughts on that, but only the Head of a Family can free an elf, unless they are purchased by a person, rather than for a Family. In which, case only the owner can free them. And if a house-elf is freed, their magic becomes unstable, eventually imploding. It’s the bond to a wizarding Family that balances their magic. You’re better off to work towards better conditions and laws on abuse, rather than trying to free them.”
“But Dobby…?”
“Dobby wasn’t free.” Ophelia explained. “He bound himself to me, it wasn’t until he died, that I realised it. I felt him die. I felt it.” She leant forward. “I felt the bond snap. Only way for me to have felt it, is if he were my elf.”
“Oh…” Hermione sat back and bit at her lip.
“Talk to the elves in the kitchens, at Hogwarts.” McGonagall directed. “They’ll explain it for you. You’re not the first to feel as you do. We generally have one muggleborn or muggle-raised, on a house-elf crusade, every few years. Penelope Clearwater was the last. She was in Percy Weasley’s year, I believe.”
“She was.” Hermione nodded. “He used to visit her when we were petrified, in second year.”
“Oh, I wasn’t aware they were involved.” McGonagall mused.
“I don’t think they were.” Hermione shook her head. “Not really. She was a Ravenclaw prefect and from what I recall, was more often partnered with Percy than anyone else.”
“Ah.” McGonagall nodded. “Yes, that does sound familiar.”
“Oh, excuse us.” Hermione blinked at Ophelia and grimaced.
“Not a worry. Mione.” Ophelia smiled.
“And once you have an elf?” Hermione asked.
“Then I need to meet with Snape and negotiate a contract.” Ophelia answered. “We might have tentatively agreed to me teaching, but the details need to be hashed out. There’s a lot involved and I need to know all the little details, the things that get glossed over, normally.”
“And don’t forget, you can get Gringotts to go over the contract and advise you.” Fred said.
“We did that when we bought the shop.” George added.
“You don’t need a vault.” Fred went on.
“You just need to be able to pay the fee.” George finished.
“Yes…” Ophelia nodded, slowly. “That’s not a bad idea.”
“Not bad at all.” Sirius added. “And then?”
“Then I have to sort out my accommodation.” She wasn’t about to expose Croaker and the Unspeakables to Hermione’s zealous quest for knowledge, but she really wanted see if the DoM could modify her trunk, by adding rooms for Teddy and Sirius. “After that, I have to speak to the WEA and find out exactly what should be taught for OWLs and NEWTs, as opposed to what Binns has been droning on about. Might have to have the OWL and NEWT students order new books. Probably gonna have to push hard to get students ready for exam time.”
“Ooh…” Hermione grimaced. “And I’m doing History…” She nearly whined.
“Same here.” Ginny sounded much the same.
“Tough luck, girls.” Sirius snickered.
“But I’m hopeful, that I can get everything done by the end of next week.” Ophelia ignored the side-conversation. “That being the case, I’ll start lesson the following Monday.”
“And is nobody going to comment on your age?” Kingsley asked.
“Unlikely.” Flitwick said. “Once her NEWT scores are announced and with the staff to back her, there should be little issue.”
“And I’m sure that Mr Pot-… Miss Black… is quite capable to handling anything that our students may through her way.” McGonagall added.
“Oh, Merlin, yes!” Hermione nodded, fervently.
“Definitely.” Ginny added biting her lip to avoid laughing.
“Oh, shut it, you two.” Ophelia huffed.
An elf popped in and stopped in front of Sirius. “There be’s a letter for Master Sirius, sir.” The little she-elf handed over a folded piece of parchment.
“Thank you, Pindi.” Sirius smiled at the elf and she gave him a shy smile before popping away. He opened the letter and quickly read it. “Ah. Snape is reminding us that dinner starts at seven-thirty and wants to know if we will be joining him at Hogwarts?”
“I think Teddy’s had enough adventuring for one day.” Ophelia shook her head.
“He’s dead to the world, you could put him to bed and have Pindi watch him.” Sirius offered. “Just for the evening. An hour or two?”
Ophelia snickered. “You just want to eat at Hogwarts, again.”
“Well, of course he does.” Ron retorted. “There’s nothing better than Hogwarts’ food.”
“Don’t let mum hear you say that.” Ginny laughed, but Ron’s eyes widened and he shook his head violently.
“You’ve convinced me.” Ophelia laughed, quietly. “Give me two minutes to put this one down. Dad? Ask Pindi to meet me in my room, please.”
“You got it, kiddo.” Sir nodded.
“Ah, Miss Black.” Snape nodded to the young witch that stepped from his fireplace. “I’m pleased you could join us.” He paused as the others emerged from the green flames. “Miss Granger, Mister Weasley, Miss Weasley. You may go ahead, we shan’t be long.”
“Professor.” The two young witches nodded to Snape.
However, Ron’s polite, “Headmaster,” got a raised brow from Snape and Ophelia, but after a second or two, Snape nodded at the redhead.
“Mr Weasley.”
Ron nodded back and hurried to join his sister and Hermione as they waited near the door. Then it was the turn of the two Professors to step from the flames, closely followed by Sirius and the twins.
“Minerva, Filius, if you would escort the students down, I would like a quick word with Black and the Demon Twins.”
“Of course, Headmaster.” Minerva gave the man a regal nod and turned to the students. “Well?” All three blinked and hurriedly walked from the office.
“Lord Black, Demons.” Snape looked sternly at the trio. “I am providing you three floo access to Miss Black’s rooms, do not make me regret that.”
“We won’t…”
“… Headmaster.”
“Too much.” The twins replied.
“I’ll do my best, Snape.” Sirius said sincerely.
Snape huffed. “I suppose that is the best I can expect from a Marauder and his apprentices.”
“Ooh, hear that, Ophie,” Sirius grinned, “I have apprentices.”
“Marauder?” Both twins blinked and looked from Snape to Sirius and back. “Did you say Marauder?”
Snape looked at Ophelia. “They weren’t told?”
“Oh, don’t look at me.” She objected. “I thought they knew. It’s not like dad and Remus didn’t use their Marauder names, all the time. Even Ginny, Neville and Luna knew.”
“It seems they’re a little… blind… to what’s in front of them. Are you sure you wish to associate with them?”
“They’re not blind,” Ophelia objected. “They’re just a bit slow on the uptake.”
“And that’s better than blind?” Snape asked, interested in the answer.
“Crabbe and Goyle were blind, they refused to see any option but Riddle’s.” Ophelia answered. “Draco was slow, but eventually he learnt what was important.”
“Hmm…” Snape nodded slowly. “Accurate descriptions. I acknowledge your point.” He offered her his arm and when she smiled and slid her hand into the crook of his elbow, he turned to the three men. “Shall we?” He gestured to the door.
“Yeah, lets.” Sirius nodded back.
Students weren’t surprised to see Hermione, Ginny and Ron with Professor McGonagall, but the addition of Flitwick got a few puzzled looks. Seeing the Weasley twins enter the Great Hall, arm-in-arm with Sirius Black, had brows rising. But even the Slytherins blinked in surprise when the Headmaster escorted a young witch into the hall and up to the staff table. When the dour man seated the witch, pulling out her chair and pushing it in after she’d sat, the surprise grew into shock.
Who was this witch? And did she actually smile at him? At Snape?!
No matter how much they were hoping that they’d be given an explanation, they were destined to be disappointed, as nothing was said about any of the guests.
After a meal spent constantly glancing up at the staff table or over to the Gryffindor table, the Slytherins and Ravenclaws were caught flat-footed when Snape escorted the witch, the Weasley twins and Black from the hall, barely nodding to the students as they went.
As one, the Slytherin students turned to Daphne Greengrass for answers, only for her to look as confused as they felt. She knew nothing more than they did.
~~~
Sunday morning dawned bright and cool. As he had the day before, Teddy woke early, but with happy coo’s and burblings. Ophelia made plenty of oatmeal and stewed apples for Teddy and Sirius, but only ate a small bowl of oatmeal, herself. Then it was off to the Leaky Cauldron to meet up with Kingsley, Croaker and Master Rumour.
The expressions on disgust on both Croaker and Rumour’s faces when they were told Ophelia’s secret caused Sirius and Kingsley to laugh and Ophelia to snicker. But once they assimilated the fact, each of them nodded.
Rumour also said that he would slip in a notice of completion for Harry’s sentence, but leave out any references to Ophelia and bury it in the last month’s archiving. If he buried it well enough, it could take the full length of Harry’s projected sentence, before it was found.
Neither man felt the need to waste time by sitting around and rehashing what they’d been told. However, Croaker asked Ophelia to meet with him a couple of times a month. If he’d been her guardian for years, the ongoing contact would be expected, even if she had reconnected with her ‘birth’ father.
That gave them a couple of hours before the senior Weasleys, Bill and Fleur arrived for lunch.
~~~
Molly and Arthur were the first to arrive, of course, and Ophelia had expected that. It earnt her a §ickle off Sirius, as he’d expected them to be running late. He was not amused when Ophelia had said that, “of course, Mrs Weasley would be early, you knows what she’s like in the kitchen. There’s no way she’s happy with an elf cooking, not when she’s capable,” she told Sirius much later, well after the two couples and the twins had left.
The older redhead had come to a stop, when she saw Ophelia in front of the stove.
“Oh.” Molly blinked. “And who are you, dear?”
“Long story.” Ophelia smiled. “Best wait for Bill and Fleur, before we get into that.”
“Hmm…” Molly hummed, before focusing on the stove and the bench next to it. “What can I do to help, dear?” She paused. “What are we making?”
“I’ve a pork leg in roasting,” Ophelia answered, “along with potatoes, parsnips, carrots and onions. If you could put together a cheese sauce for a cauliflower and broccoli bake, that would free me to finish up a pair of tarts for dessert.”
“Tarts?” Molly asked as she started grating cheese. “What flavour?”
“I was thinking one treacle and one chocolate mousse.”
“Chocolate mousse?” Molly paused to look at Ophelia. “A chocolate mousse tart? I… I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of those.”
“They’re American, I think.” Ophelia said. “I came across the recipe at a yard sale, at St. Paul’s church. It’s only a few blocks from the Leaky.”
“It sounds dreadfully complicated.” Molly frowned.
“Oh, no. Not at all.” Ophelia shook her head. “It’s literally only eggs and chocolate in a tart base.”
“Really?” Molly didn’t sound convinced.
Ophelia nodded. “Melt the chocolate. Separate the yolks from the whites. Beat the whites until firm. Once the chocolate’s melted, add the yolks and beat well. Let cool a tad, then add the whites. Then you just pour it into the pre-baked tart shells and chill it to set.” She shrugged. “Simple.”
“Oh, my.” Molly nodded appreciatively. “It does sound easy.”
“And tastes divine…” Ophelia grinned over her shoulder.
Molly saw the action and froze, for just a second. That action and smile were so reminiscent of their missing Harry.
When Sirius led Bill and Fleur into the kitchen, Ophelia turned from her workbench and looked at Bill. The eldest Weasley son was staring at her, his nose twitching.
“Give me five minutes to finish up here, and I’ll explain.” Was all Ophelia said.
“And who are you?” Bill asked.
“Give me five minutes and I’ll explain.” Ophelia repeated. Sliding the tray with the two tarts, into the chiller, Ophelia looked over to see Molly placing the cauliflower/broccoli dish, into the oven alongside the roasting pan. “Right… So, explanations, huh?”
“Please.” Molly nodded.
“Okay… So, Kingsley found Hermione, Ron and I…” Ophelia started the now familiar recitation of how Harry Potter became Ophelia Black, what that meant and what she intended to do in the near future.
“So…” Bill huffed. “You’re Harry Potter…” It wasn’t a question.
“I was Harry Potter.” Ophelia corrected. “Now… I’m Ophelia Black. The process of going from one to the other, is irreversible and even if it weren’t, I wouldn’t going back to being Harry.”
“Why?” Bill asked.
“I prefer being Ophelia.” The young witch answered. “No more ‘Boy-Who-Lived’ rubbish. No more ‘Saviour of the Wizarding World’. No more ‘Chosen One’. No more fangirls. No more fanboys. No more lies from the Prophet. No more being loved, one minute, and vilified the next. No more of people planning out my life for me. Now, I get to choose what happens in my future, just like everyone else.”
“Was it really so bad?” Bill asked.
Ophelia sighed and gave him the same explanation that she’d given Hermione, the day before.
“Oh…” Bill nodded, he could see that both Molly and Fleur had tears in their eyes. None of them had really given much thought to how Harry had felt about the future, they’d just expected certain things of him and now that they weren’t going to happen, Bill was slightly off-balance.
“Yes…” Ophelia nodded. “Oh…” Her nose twitched as the scent of bubbling cheese reached her. “Let’s not worry too much about it. What will happen, will happen. For now, how about we have lunch? I can explain what plans I have, after we eat.”
“Of course, dear.” Molly leapt to her feet and bustled around the kitchen, not at all surprised that both Fleur and Ophelia joined her.
Within minutes, plates were filled and bellies were heading in the same direction.
Sitting the parlour, with Teddy on a rug in front of her, the Weasley couples on sofas across from her and Sirius beside her, Ophelia continued her explanation. Telling them how Fred and George had brought her to Sirius, of his and Andromeda Tonks’ argument, of becoming Teddy’s guardian and wanting to adopt him, of Kingsley joining them. Telling of how the next morning, she and Sirius had visited McGonagall , who had called in Snape, who in turn, called in Flitwick to cast a modified Fidelius. Of how Luna had dragged Hermione to McGonagall’s office and Hermione’s subsequent rant and eventual understanding. How Ginny had been unhappy but resigned, how Ron had just blinked and nodded, likening it to an expected chess move.
Bill snickered at Ron’s query of what she’d be like as a Professor and Hermione and Ginny’s dismay at the thought.
Croaker and Rumour’s reactions barely got a blink, though, as none of the Weasleys present actually knew either man.
The afternoon finished with Fred and George popping in and polishing off the last of their meal and fighting over the last slice of mousse tart. When George won, Fred came crawling to Ophelia, begging and pleading for her to make them another. Ophelia raised her eyebrows and smirked.
“And just what, may I ask, do you plan to do for me, in exchange?”
That had Fred blinking. “Um… We’ll prank your enemies?”
“Fred. My darling Fred.” She looked at him blandly. “Who is my father? Fathers? Both my original father and the one I have now.” She huffed. “They are Marauders. What makes you think I need help with pranks? Aren’t I pranking the entire wizarding world, just by being who I am now?”
Fred and George blinked. “Oh, hell…” George muttered, his spoon falling from his mouth.
“Exactly.” Ophelia smiled sweetly. “So, what else can you offer?”
Bill looked from one twin to the other and started laughing.
~~~
Monday morning, saw Ophelia and happily burbling Teddy, flooing into the Ministry. After her wand was weighed, Ophelia headed for the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures or RCMC. She was in need of an elf, preferably two. One as a nanny for Teddy, while she was in class and one as a personal elf/lady’s maid, someone see to her personal care and wardrobe, but to also to see to their quarters. Sirius when he visited would probably bring Pindi’s partner, Cody, with him, or at least call on the elf when he was needed.
Exiting the lifts on the fourth floor, she turned to the right and in the first door on the left. She pressed the desk bell and listened to the grandfather-clock chimes, in amusement. Within seconds, she heard footsteps from a door behind the main counter.
“Coming, coming.” A man’s voice called. A vaguely familiar man’s voice. A voice that apparently belonged to Amos Diggory, as he was the one to emerge from the doorway. “Good morning, Miss. How can I help you, this morning?”
“Two things.” Ophelia answered. “First? How do the Creature Laws that Umbridge brought in, effect a child with a werewolf sire?”
“Is the child infected?” Diggory frowned.
“Not according to Gringotts.” Ophelia replied.
“Then the Laws don’t affect the child at all.” Diggory answered the original question. “There’s nothing in the Laws pertaining to the offspring of a werewolf, unless the child also has the infection. And, if I may say quietly? The Interim Minister and current Minister have worked diligently to have those Laws repealed. As of the first of July, they’ve been removed from the Law Books.”
“I am aware, but the child,” she ran her hand down Teddy’s back, “was born in early April.”
“Oh, you poor dear.” Diggory shook his head.
“It wasn’t until Friday that I became his guardian, so I didn’t have the right to inquire.”
“He’s not… yours…?” Diggory asked delicately.
“He is, now, but not prior to Friday, no.”
“Ah.” Diggory nodded. “Well, it’s not something you’re going to have to worry about, then. He’s immune to a werewolf’s bite. Although, our research indicates that he’ll be a little sensitive around the full moon. A little more temperamental, maybe mood swings, too. Possibly, he’ll be more partial to his meat being a bit rarer than you’d like, but it’s also possible that he’s missed that. You won’t know until he starts eating it.” He turned to a filing cabinet and opened a drawer.
“Anything else?”
“His nails and teeth are stronger.” Diggory answered. “Than yours or mine, but nowhere near that of an infected person’s. He’ll have a stronger senses of smell and hearing but his sight shouldn’t be affected. He’ll be a little stronger, overall, not significantly, but enough for those close to him, to notice. But perhaps the most important thing, is the fact that if he can’t transform, himself, he can’t infect anyone else enough for them to transform, either. That’s not to say he can’t bite someone, but his bite will have no greater repercussions, than any other child’s bite. Merely a lack of manners.” He dug around in the drawer and when he returned to the desk, he had a small pile of parchment in his hands. A few swishes of his wand and a pile of blank parchment moved from a pigeonhole to the desk and started to copy the sheaf from the cabinet. “This is all the information we have. We’ve had a few young women come in, asking. Most of them are victims of Greyback and his pack. We try to help them out, as best we can.”
“That would be most helpful.” Ophelia smiled at the man.
“Excellent.” Diggory smiled back. “And the other thing? You said, two things?”
“Yes, I did.” Ophelia nodded. “I need a house-elf. Preferably two, maybe three.”
“Ah, yes.” Diggory nodded. “The door to the right? The blue one? That there, is the House-Elf Relocation Office, they’ll be able to assist you.”
“Thank you.” Ophelia gave the man a smile and went through the door marked HERO, with a subtitle underneath it, for House-Elf Relocation Office.
“Good morning, Miss.” An older witch greeted her, as she neared the counter. “I’m Anna, How can I help you, today?”
“Good morning.” Ophelia nodded. “I need a house-elf. Preferably two, maybe three, depending on the elves’ skills.”
“We do have a few registered as available.” Anna nodded. “What type of skills are you looking for?”
“I need a nanny-elf, for this one.” She stroked up and down Teddy’s back, only this time the boy was awake and he stretched out his arms, burbling happily at his new mother. “Mostly for while I’m working.”
“That we can do.” Anna nodded. “We’ve two she-elves that are trained as nanny-elves. Although, one is considerably older than the other.”
“What’s likely to happen to the older elf, if I don’t take her?” Ophelia looked around the office.
“Oh, we don’t keep them here, in the department.” Anna shook her head. “Elves registered for sale, work at St. Mungo's or Hogwarts, until they're sold. The nanny-elves are at St. Mungo's, presently, and will stay there until either they are sold or become too old to work, then they’re put in charge of any elflings or tending other elderly elves.”
“Ah, that makes sense. Thank you.” Ophelia smiled. “In that case, I’d like to meet the younger elf.”
“Certainly, Miss. Just give me a minute to notify her St. Mungo's supervisor.” Anna said and went back through the door into a back office. Within a minute she was back, with a little elf following him. “This is Polly. Polly, this young lady needs an elf to tend her baby while she’s working.”
“Ooh…” Polly’s eye went wide when she saw Ophelia and Teddy. “Oh, missy…”
“Hello, Polly.” Ophelia smiled at the little elf. “This is Teddy, I adopted him, on Saturday.”
“He’s pretty…” Polly barely looked at Ophelia, her eyes were only for Teddy.
“He is.” Ophelia chuckled, and that drew Polly’s attention. “Now, I need to know. I know you will care for Teddy, but will you do what’s best for him, instead of just what he wants?”
“Oh, no, missy.” The elf was horrified. “Polly is a good elf. Polly was taught properly. Polly knows that babies don’t really know what’s best for them and Polly must do that, no matter what baby wants.”
“And what if that clashes with what I want?”
“Polly tries not to upset missy, but if Polly is bonded to be a nanny-elf, Polly must do what is best for babies in her care, or Polly will lose her magics.”
“Excellent.” Ophelia smiled. “Thank you, Polly.” She turned to Anna. “I think Polly will work quite nicely for us. What do you think, Polly?”
“Polly would be happy to bond with missy and little master.” The elf nodded, her head moving so fast, that her ears flapped.
“Lovely.” Anna smiled brightly. “Do you want to do the bonding now, or wait until you fill your other positions?”
“We’ll wait, if you please.”
“Certainly.” Anna nodded and looked at Polly, who moved over to stand beside Ophelia and Teddy. “You said, two, possibly three elves. What skills do you need the second elf to have?”
“I need a lady’s maid. Someone to see to my wardrobe,” which she had yet to buy, “my bathroom and bedroom. And if the elf is capable, our main living quarters, too. Otherwise, I’ll need a third elf for that. Apparently, the staff at Hogwarts are encouraged to have their own elves tend their quarters.”
“Ah.” Anna nodded. “Yes, Miss. I’m assuming that when they’re not needed by you, they’ll be helping the Hogwarts’ elves?”
Ophelia nodded. “Either that, occupying themselves within my quarters or assisting my father’s elves in the recovery of a home that’s only recently been reclaimed by the family.”
“Then I would recommend Candi.” Anna suggested. “She was the personal elf to an older witch from Appleby, while her brother saw to the outside of the house. He, unfortunately was killed in the war, a victim of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was accompanying the witch to market, to buy fruit tree seedlings, when the DeathEaters attacked. Both witch and elf were among the first to fall. Candi is working at St. Mungo's, but is not happy there. She’s too used to caring for a Mistress and a small household. She might have problems acclimating to the amount of people in Hogwarts, but for a household of one or two people, she’s the best we have.”
“That sounds fine.” Ophelia nodded. “I’d like to meet her, please.”
“Of course. One moment, please.” Anna headed into the back office again, emerging a few minutes later, with another she-elf following her. “This is Candi. Candi, this young lady is looking for an elf to be her lady’s maid and to run her household.”
“Ooh, yes, missy…” The elf looked at Ophelia with bright, hopefully eyes. “Candi was trained for being a lady’s maid and after Candi was bonded to Mistress Ellanora, Candi was given extra training so Candi could manage Mistress’ house and leave Mistress to her runey’s. How many in missy’s house?”
“At this point in time, just myself and my newly adopted son.” Ophelia replied. “However, my father and some of my friends will be popping in, fairly frequently.”
“Will missy be expecting Candi to cook?” The elf seemed worried. “Candi isn’t a good cook.”
“No, Candi.” Ophelia shook her head. “I’m going to be teaching as Hogwarts, so meals will be provided by their kitchens, unless I want something specific, in which case, I’ll make it myself. I rather enjoy cooking.”
“Ooh, Hoggy-warts…” Candi whispered. “They’s kitchens is huge…”
“They are.” Ophelia laughed quietly.
“What will missy be wanting Candi to do?”
“Much as you did for your last Mistress.” Ophelia replied. “My wardrobe, bedroom and bathroom, are your primary focus. Secondary, will be the rest of the quarters assigned to me. Four bedrooms in total. Mine, my son’s, my father’s and a guest bedroom. A living space, an office and a kitchen. Teddy also has a playroom, but Polly will be tending to my son and his spaces, so you won’t have to do anything there, unless you want to. Any free time is yours to fill, either assisting the Hogwarts’ elves or keeping yourself occupied within our quarters.”
“Will Polly mind if Candi spends Candi’s not-busy time in the room with the baby?” Candi asked. “Candi’s Mistress taught Candi to knit and Mistress sold Candi’s knitting to other witches and used the ʛalleons to buy Candi more yarn. Will missy let Candi knit?”
“Of course, Candi.” Ophelia nodded. “I rather like knitting myself.”
“Missy can knit?” That seemed to surprise Candi more than anything else.
“I can. A friend of mine taught me.” Ophelia didn’t mention that the friend was Dobby, another elf. “Would you like to join us?”
“Candi would be pleased to bond with missy.” Candi’s smile was big and bright.
“Lovely.” Ophelia smiled back at the elf, before turning to Anna, again. “I think Polly and Candi will be enough for now.”
“Certainly, Miss.” Anna nodded. “Shall we see to the parchmentwork and do the bindings?”
~~~
Stepping out of the floo into Snape’s office, Ophelia felt ready to begin negotiating her teaching contract. She wasn’t at all surprised to see Contract Writer Bogrod standing to one side of Snape’s desk.
“Good morning, Miss Black.” Snape greeted her at the fireplace and guided her, not to the Headmaster’s massive desk, but rather to the round table that had held Fawkes’ stand, when Dumbledore had been Headmaster. Now the table was cleared, as was the area around it, the massive astrolabe in its huge display stand was gone, so too the golden telescope and the multitude of mysterious trinkets.
Now, it was clearly as space for guests. The round table was slightly to one side, while the remaining space was occupied by a grouping of four armchairs.
“Good morning, Headmaster Snape.” Ophelia gave the man a smile and a bare dip of a curtsey. “Good morning, Contract Writer Bogrod.” She greeted the goblin.
“Good morning, Miss Black.” The goblin nodded back. “Are we ready to begin?”
Four hours and twenty-seven clauses later, Ophelia and Snape signed the contract that would bind Ophelia to Hogwarts for the next ten years.
“There will be some significant changes occurring in the next few years.” Snape informed the new History of Magic Professor. “I plan to introduce some new classes… or rather… re-introduce some previously suspended classes. Classes to acclimate muggle-raised to the wizarding world.” Both of them nodded to Bpgrod, as the goblin packed up his parchments and headed for the floo.
“And what of muggle studies?” Ophelia asked.
“Oh, that’s had a substantial overhaul, too.” Snape answered as he gestured to the office’s door. “Shall we view your quarters and ensure they’re suitable?”
“Certainly, Headmaster.”
“You are an adult now, Miss Black,” Snape said, “and a colleague. Please call me Severus.” Ophelia blinked. Calling him Severus was something she never thought she’d do, not even when she’d been Harry. It was just… unthinkable… “If you approve of the quarters that I’ve tentatively assigned to you, I will adjust the wards on the fireplace, so that your… father… and the Demon Twins are able to floo in. However,” he frowned, “if I find them abusing that access, by entering the school without notice or pranking my students… I will not hesitate to cancel their access.”
“They’d better not, or I’ll hex them into next year.” Ophelia snarled, as they stepped off the gargoyle’s stairs.
Snape’s lips twitched at that thought. “I asked Hogwarts to show me the classes Potter taught to the… DA… was it?” She nodded as they emerged into the gargoyle corridor on the second floor and around the wall that was the exterior of the Grand Tower, to the stairs that would lead them up to the third floor and the History of Magic classroom. “I was quite impressed. I had no idea Potter was so accomplished.”
“No-one did…, Severus.” She paused before saying his name, it felt odd, coming from her mouth.
“Minerva was likewise, impressed.” He guided her towards the stairs and waited until she’d taken the first step before beginning his own climb. “I wouldn’t at all surprised to find that she tries to tempt you towards a Transfiguration Mastery.”
“Nope.” Ophelia shook her head. “Not until Teddy’s a first year. Then I’ll think about it. Dad’s already trying to get me to do the Animagus transformation, but I managed to get him to back off until next summer. I can’t teach an academic class with a mandrake leaf in my mouth, can I?”
“No, you cannot.” Snape agreed, as they reached the classroom. “I’m sure that you’re familiar with the classroom, but I doubt that you were aware that the stairs that run up to the office on the fourth floor, continue on up to the fifth floor and the staff suite.” As he spoke, he led the way to an enclosed stone spiral staircase. “On the fourth floor, this door opens into your office, it’s only reachable from the classroom and your suite.” He gave her a brief look at the office, which was rather basic, before continuing up the stairs to a small landing. “There’s a small entrance area, here. As you can see it also opens onto the fifth floor. And this area has cloak storage to the left,” he gestured to a set of cupboards. “The door here, won’t open to anyone but yourself, myself and Madam Pomfrey. At least from this side.” He pushed the door open and waited for Ophelia to join him. “Currently, the suite is unfurnished, the house-elves had to dispose of everything that was in here and refurnish the entire suite, as it hadn’t been touched since Binns died and that was 1891.” He shuddered. “The place was… appalling… Windows had been left open, in Scottish weather for all that time. It’s a testament to the wards, that the place didn’t flood.” He gestured to the windows. “This is obviously the living room. Knowing that you have a son, the elves put in a kitchen, it’s only small, but it is complete. Down that hallway are the bedrooms, each with a private bathroom, and elf rooms on the floor above, are converted from a broom closet that hasn’t seen use in nearly as long as the suite. There is no human access, to them, the Head Elf insists that all elves housed within Hogwarts, have private quarters.” He waved at the hall and nodded to Ophelia.
“And so they should.” She replied and wandered down the hall, sticking her head into each room. On her way back, she entered each room and inspected them, finally deciding on a room for herself and one for Teddy. Both rooms were on the outside wall and had real windows, as opposed to ‘picture-it’ windows that only provided artificial light.
Reaching the living room, she smiled at Snape, something that the part of her that still considered themselves Harry, was surprised at.
“This will do fine, Headmaster.” She told him. “Please thank the Head House-Elf for me. Having a room set aside just for Polly and Candi was very thoughtful of them.”
“I’m sure Mipsy will appreciate the thought, Miss Black.” Snape replied. “The floo is connected, the address is ‘Professor Marauder’s Den’. I thought it would be appropriate.” His lips twitched as Ophelia laughed. “Yes, I did think you would like that.”
“Very much.” She smirked. “Dad’s going to be so annoyed that he didn’t think of it.”
“Indeed.” Snape’s smirk matched hers before he wiped it from his face and looked at her sombrely. “Lily Potter was my friend, you know that. I would like to think that if she and… Potter… has survived, I would have been allowed the opportunity to resolve our dispute and assuming that we had, I would possibly have been a visitor to their home. I would likely have been your contact here at Hogwarts and now that you are have joined our staff… I would like to offer you the benefit of my experience, should you need it. After watching a DA class, I’m not sure that you need it, but still… If you need an ear, please don’t hesitate to call on me. Or Minerva.” He frowned. “Actually, I think most of the staff would be delighted to answer any questions you might have.”
“Thank you, Severus.” Ophelia blinked. Severus Snape as a mentor? Who'd have thought it possible? “I may take you up on that. While I ran the classes, I never assigned homework or essays. So, I’m going to have think about that and how I want them presented.” She sighed. “But not until I’ve been to the WEA and got a better idea of what the students should be learning, for OWLs and NEWTs. Then I have to assess the books currently being used as textbooks, to determine whether or not they’re fit for the task.”
“If you plan to start teaching next Monday, you’d best not delay.”
“Nope.” She cast one more look around the living room. “And I need to add furniture to a list that doesn’t seem to be shrinking, even as I cross things off it.” She sighed, before straightening her shoulders. “Right. I think I can get through the WEA, before the Ministry shuts down for the day.”
~~~