Chapters 31-40

Almost a Teacher

‘Is Hermione really as bad an apprentice as she believes?’ Lois asked.

Snape tapped his wand at the table. A moment later two pots of tea and the relevant paraphernalia, including a huge plate stacked with sinfully buttery shortbread and spicy cinnamon scones still warm from the oven, graced the round table in his study.

Somehow they had fallen into the routine of having a cup of tea and a spot of biscuits at the end of their meetings. Snape couldn’t quite recall how that had happened. Maybe when Petrel had asked about life at Hogwarts, no doubt concerned for her daughter’s welfare? And he had felt obliged to answer her questions for some bizarre reason?

Goodness, he must be losing his touch.

However, Snape had to admit that Lois Petrel was surprisingly easy to talk to. She never assumed, she never prodded. And no matter how much he hated all those excruciating little exercises she subjected him to, his voice was improving. Sometimes, when he was well-rested and went easy on his voice, he almost recognised it again.

Frowning, he turned his attention to the Muggle. As far as he was concerned, there were only two positive aspects to having Granger as his apprentice: one, no matter what happened, there would be no further life-debts between them—the bond between master and apprentice would take care of that—and two, well, that very same bond would…

‘Miss Granger? A failure?’ That notion was so ludicrous that it pulled his mind back into the room instantly. Frowning, he poured Petrel her customary cup of Earl Grey, while taking refuge to his usual Lapsang Souchong.

When he looked up, Petrel was still waiting for an answer.

He scowled at her. Had they been talking about anyone else, he would have assumed that Petrel had been manipulated into asking that question. But Granger would be horrified at the mere thought of such a scheme.

‘I did accept her as my apprentice,’ he declared, hoping that this would end the discussion. He did not want to talk about Hermione Granger. He preferred not to think of her, if that was at all possible, which it really wasn’t, since they practically lived, and definitely worked together.

Petrel regarded him with raised eyebrows over the rim of her teacup.

‘What?’ he bit out irritably. Lois didn’t say anything. After another moment of silence, Snape wearily rubbed the bridge of his nose.

‘Miss Granger shouldn’t have attempted those experiments on her own. No one expects apprentices to experiment on their own. That’s why the damn thing is called ‘apprenticeship’ after all.—How is it possible that she is still so insecure?’ he asked at last. ‘There is really no reason for that. Her academic work has always been beyond reproach. I admit that I agreed to the apprenticeship only because I was not in a position to refuse the request of Headmistress McGonagall. But,’ he sighed, ‘if things were different…’

(Very, very different. So different that he couldn’t quite imagine that situation.)

‘…I would have been delighted to ask her to accept the position.’

And why did that thought make him feel so unbearably sad all of a sudden?

oooOooo

Alina Petrel turned out to be less of a nuisance than Snape had expected her to be. She was smart, studious, mostly obedient, and adapted well to her magical abilities and life at Hogwarts. But still, he knew a born troublemaker when he saw one, and when his instinct told him to watch certain students, watch them he did.

Additionally, watching Alina was quite amusing. She got along well with the other Slytherin girls of her year—Geilis Duncan, Mika Malkin, Dorothy West. But her best friends belonged to other houses: a little Ravenclaw girl, Prudentia Halleywell, and a boy from Gryffindor house with the unfortunate name of Myrddin Loewe.

At the moment Snape was standing in an alcove near Ravenclaw tower. Alina and Prue were seated just around the corner, in the shadow of an enormous bookcase.

‘Well, I don’t think you’re at all silly,’ Alina was saying earnestly. ‘What’s silly about missing home?’

Wet snuffling was the only answer. Miss Halleywell was obviously suffering from a violent bout of homesickness.

‘If my home were magic, I bet I’d miss it just as much as you do. You know, you really should talk to Miss Granger.’

‘But she’s a teacher!’

‘Well, yes, but not really. She’s like…almost a teacher. She’s Professor Snape’s apprentice. That means she’s still a little bit like us. She’s still his student, even if she’s our teacher. You can talk to her. And she listens. Even if you think you’re being silly.’

‘How do you know?’ Prue sniffled.

‘Well, I went to her when I was worried…’ Alina squirmed. ‘You know, about if it’s okay to be friends with people from other Houses.’

‘Oh. What did she say?’

‘She said how everyone’s House is real special, and so is Slytherin, and I ought to cherish my House. But how it’s also okay to have other friends, because it would be silly not to. She’s helping Geilis with her reading, and she’s tutoring those Gryffindors that don’t know the inside of a cauldron from the outside. She won’t treat you special because of your House, ’cause she doesn’t really belong to any House anymore.

‘She’s fair.’

Which surely was a grand and sweeping statement for an eleven-year old.

‘Maybe I’ll do that, then.’ Prue Halleywell sounded faintly hopeful.

oooOooo

Silently, Snape slipped away. He was almost sure that those two would return to their respective Houses in time for curfew.

So Miss Granger was fair? And she was helping a neglected Slytherin child practice her reading? Telling another Slytherin to cherish her house, while supporting her slightly unusual choice of friends?

Why, Miss Granger, he mused, I believe Miss Petrel is right: you are almost a teacher. And I bet you’re not even aware of it…