Chapter 29

The days dragged slowly past after receipt of the Hogwarts owl with no further contact from Severus. Sarah felt like a zombie, going through the motions at work, drained and exhausted, only to come home at night and mope listlessly before facing another night of troubled sleep. She found herself rejecting the calls from her two best friends, too ashamed to admit her romance of the century had turned into a horror of epic proportions. Her friends thought she was spending all her time in bed with her new man these days and so did not think anything was amiss from her lack of response and, if anything, felt quite jealous.

Severus meanwhile could not summon the energy to finish his latest paper on the additional uses of Boomslang Skin in cosmetic applications, for The Potioneer magazine. He'd been working on the experiments and paper throughout the summer holiday and was about to redraft it, but found he didn't actually care about it any more. He also didn't care that the cupboards were empty or that his own Potion supplies were dwindling and needed replenishing. He didn't care that he hadn't washed his hair for three days, or about the way his stomach growled with hunger. In fact, he found it hard to summon up any emotion for anything, apart from Sarah. Sarah, who had vanished his Mark and stolen his heart, and who had broken it in two with the look of fear she gave him after he'd pulled her from the Pensieve.

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Friday morning eventually arrived, and Sarah steeled herself in the shower. Oh God, he'll be at the meeting today! She scrubbed her hair with agitated fervour. It's Professor McGonagall who I've come to see. Just don't look at him, she thought firmly, swilling off the shampoo.

Once again, she was in the dilemma of what to wear for an interview at the school of magic. She tossed her Chinese-style dress to one side and picked up a long, black, flowing skirt with details of tiny black sequins on the front and hem. She matched this with a black bodice-style top and once again drew her black lace shawl around her. This time she wore her knee-length stiletto boots and finished the outfit with her usual jewellery, a little make-up and a delicately-embroidered silk bag big enough to contain her wand. She decided to wear her hair down, in curls. She glanced in the mirror and smiled. Not bad for a Muggle, she thought.

It was now nine o'clock, and although she had got ready in plenty of time, Sarah was worrying about using Floo Powder for the first time, despite the explicit instructions on the leaflet Severus had sent her. She opened the acid green box carefully, looking at the equally-vibrant powder within. It was fine, like flour, but shimmered with a slight iridescence, like the wings of a dragonfly. She set it down carefully and re-read the instructions, just to be sure.

"Right, so, a heaped handful into the fire, the fire turns emerald green, step into the flames and state your destination clearly," she muttered. She looked from the box to the roaring fire. It was against every instinct to step into a fire, into the depths of hot, roaring flames. She toyed with the handful of powder, pacing back and forth nervously.

"Just do it!" she told herself fifteen minutes later, still pacing up and down the hearth. She gritted her teeth and threw the handful of powder into the fire. Sure enough, the flames shot up, bright green. Gingerly, she poked a hand at the green flames. To her surprise, it felt cool. Summoning all her courage, she walked forwards at once into the cool green flames and shouted, "Hogwarts kitchen!"

Within a second she was spinning round and round. She tried to keep her eyes open but the feeling of spinning made her dizzy, so she kept them shut. She was being jostled from side to side which, along with the spinning, made her feel totally disorientated. Just when she thought she would be trapped in this weird vortex forever, the spinning slowed and she found herself lurching forwards out of yet more green flames into a large, old kitchen, with silver pots and pans suspended on the walls and curious little creatures with bulbous eyes and big flappy ears scurrying back and forth, looking busy and occupied.

One of these creatures was standing by the hearth, apparently waiting for her, gazing up at Sarah with massive orb-like eyes.

"Is you being Miss Shaw, Miss?" squeaked the elf.

"Er, yes, I am," she replied, noticing the elf was wearing what looked to be a tea towel tied as a toga, with the Hogwarts crest emblazoned on the front.

"I is being Winky, Miss, and I is showing you to the headmistress' office," Winky said with a curtsey.

"Thank you, Winky," she replied as the elf continued to bob and curtsey.

"If Miss would follow, Winky will lead you now," said the little elf, turning and scurrying towards the door. The elf was surprisingly fast and nimble, and Sarah's stiletto heels clicked across the stone floor as she hurried to keep up.

Sarah followed the elf along narrow corridors until they reached the familiar winding spiral staircase that lead to the headmistress' office.

"We is here, Miss. If there is anything else you be needing, you just say my name." And with that, the elf disappeared with a crisp crack. Sarah looked at the door, her heart racing. Severus is behind this door, she thought, and the knowledge made her heart leap. She wanted to see him, yet wanted to be as far away from him as possible, all at the same time. She took a deep breath before knocking smartly three times.

"Come in," replied a female voice in a thick, Scottish brogue. Sarah opened the door and smiled cautiously at the severe-looking elderly lady sat behind the desk in front of her, wire-rimmed spectacles perched on the end of her nose imperiously. The woman looked her up and down for a moment before standing and smiling, offering her hand.

"Miss Shaw, it's good to meet you at last." Sarah shook her hand firmly, grateful for a warm welcome whilst concentrating solely on the woman.

"It's great to meet you too, Professor. And call me Sarah, please," she replied.

"Do take a seat, Sarah. You already know Severus, of course."

At the sound of his name, Sarah's stomach swooped and she glanced at the window where Severus was sitting in a small armchair, his face impassive.

"Professor Snape," she said politely, avoiding his eyes, whilst Snape gave the smallest of nods in her direction.

As soon as she'd walked in, she'd taken his breath away. In black, his favourite, with those tumble-down curls he'd never seen her wear before. The bodice-style top accentuated her figure nicely and the scrap of the shawl drew attention to her pale arms. She looked gorgeous, and totally un-Muggle like, and straight away he'd had to apply his Occlumency lest his eyes revealed his desire and cross his legs lest his body betray him, too.

"Well, Sarah, Severus has been telling me all about your coaching lessons with him throughout the summer, and he says you're a very quick learner, which is high praise indeed, coming from him." She smiled at the younger woman, and Sarah smiled back.

"Sev- I mean, Professor Snape is a very good teacher," she said quietly, wanting to show her gratitude.

"Aye, he is, he's one of our best, so you couldn't have hoped for a better head start." The old woman peered over her glasses again. "So, you've decided on which subjects you are going to pursue this year?"

"Yes, Professor. I've decided to take Divination, Potions, Charms, Transfiguration, and Herbology."

McGonagall beamed, whilst in the background Sarah heard the portrait of Dumbledore mutter, "Excellent!"

"Good choices, if I may say so, Sarah," the headmistress answered crisply. "Potions, Charms and Transfiguration are widely considered to be the staple of magical education, much like English, Maths and Science is in the Muggle curriculum. Potions and Herbology naturally compliment each other, and as for Divination... Albus tells me you have somewhat of a predilection for the art?"

Sarah looked down modestly. "Well, I've had one or two experiences, and the subject fascinates me," she replied.

Minerva let out a little laugh. "I'm sure Severus did his damnedest to put you off it, lassie, so well done for sticking with it." The old lady smiled again.

"Well, before I notify the other professors, all that remains is for you to be Sorted." Minerva rose from her chair and reached up to the top shelf, pulling down a tatty, threadbare hat with a rip along the brim.

"I'm not sure how much Severus has told you about Hogwarts, but every pupil that has ever been educated at the school has been Sorted into a house, and I do not see why we should make an exception with you."

Sarah was reminded that she still had the headmistress' copy of Hogwarts: A Revised History and reached into her bag to retrieve it.

"Albus told me to borrow this, Professor," she said, placing the book on to Minerva's desk. "I've read it cover to cover; it's absolutely fascinating."

Minerva's mouth quirked. "Ah, very good. Then you will know all about the process of Sorting. I realise there is very little ceremony involved, but I see no harm in Sorting you now, whilst we are all present."

The headmistress walked forwards, placing the Hat in Sarah's hands. "When you are ready," she encouraged.

Sarah could feel Severus' eyes boring in to her as she nervously placed the hat on her head. After a few moments, the Hat began to speak.

"Now, let's see then... Well, this is a difficult choice. You are certainly diligent and loyal, but much too headstrong to be in Hufflepuff. What's that? Slytherin, you say?" the Hat chuckled. "You do possess cunning and ambition, I will give you that, but they are not your primary talents. Hmmm... yes, there is bravery, intellect and a keen thirst for knowledge, though; you would do well in Gryffindor. Not Gryffindor? Are you sure? Well then, better be... RAVENCLAW!"

The Hat roared the last word before falling silent, and Minerva moved forwards to take the Hat from Sarah.

"Filius will be very pleased. I'm most disappointed not to have you in Gryffindor, personally. I'm sure Severus would have liked you in his own house, too."

A thought flashed though Sarah's mind of being in Severus' house, curled up on his sofa and kissing passionately, and she chanced a look at Severus then, and saw his black eyes still boring into her. He looked as dark and intense and thrillingly handsome as she'd ever seen him, and no less impenetrable. She dropped her gaze quickly as he made to stand.

"Headmistress, it may be prudent if I head to Diagon Alley now to collect Miss Shaw's apparatus whilst you undertake your assessment?" he said curtly.

"As you wish, Severus," Minerva replied.

"Headmistress... Miss Shaw." He gave them both a terse nod before striding to the door. Sarah watched him leave, sad yet relieved. His movements were always so graceful, so measured. Even when making love, he held dignity and poise. As the door shut behind him, Sarah fought with the tears threatening to well up in her eyes.

"Well then, Sarah, I will show you to each of the classrooms in turn, and we will perform a brief assessment of each subject, so we can work out a teaching plan based on your abilities. If you'd like to follow me..."

Sarah stood as instructed, but they were interrupted by the sound of the portrait of Albus Dumbledore.

"I beg your pardon, Minerva. Would it be possible for you to send an owl to notify the professors in question, whilst I have a private chat with Sarah?"

Minerva looked at him hard for some moments before relenting.

"Yes, Albus, that's not such a bad idea. Dear Filius has two sets of good news that I shan't want to keep from him for too long."

She strode to her desk and laid out four pieces of parchment, laying a quill on each. Picking up one of the quills, she pointed her wand and it and muttered an inaudible incantation. At once, the other three quills became suspended in the air in the same position as the one Minerva held. She waved the quill back and forth, watching the other quills react, before setting it down on the parchment and began to scribble.

Sarah watched with fascination as the quills replicated every word and stroke on the other parchments. Once she had finished, she tapped her wand to the quill once more, and the remaining quills flopped on to the desk. Minerva added an additional passage to the first note before rolling each one up and addressing them neatly.

"I will meet you in fifteen minutes at the bottom the spiral staircase then, Sarah. And Albus, don't be filling the poor girl's head with nonsense about Sherbet Lemons and the like," the headmistress added in mock-reproach, glaring over her spectacles before bustling quickly out the door.

Sarah looked at Albus and saw he was peering down with her with grave concern.

"Do you mind telling me what all that was about? Severus is as prickly as an echidna on a cactus. Whatever's happened?" he asked gently.

"Oh, Albus," Sarah replied, unable to hold back the tears any longer.