Conversations among Friends

Disclaimer: Jo wrote it and owns it, and no one profits from it without her say-so.

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January 1997

'Severus, your style is sadly wanting today. Again.' Minerva said crisply as she silently shouted Furnunculus!

Repello incantatem! countered her adversary soundlessly.'That was a pathetic attempt, Minerva.' Severus, looking as bored as a sweating, panting wizard could, readied his next spell: Labefio!

Mobiliarmum! A suit of armour hurtled out from beside the wall and caught the curse, instantly collapsing onto the floor as its legs went soft. 'Oh, poorly done!' Minerva grinned. 'I could see that Jelly-Legs Jinx coming before you cast it. And you have not been able to disarm me all week.' Rictusempra!

Diffindo aulaeum! A tapestry hanging from the ceiling billowed down between the duellers and immediately began twisting and rippling as though in torment from Minerva's Tickling Hex. 'You're trying to goad me into recklessness to mask your own deficiencies,' snarled Severus. 'You underestimate me.' Depulso magistrix!

An instant after he cast the Banishing Charm, Minerva's Backfiring Jinx hit him in the forehead and he flew backward into a dim and rather spidery corner of the chamber.

Expelliarmus! Minerva disarmed him and caught his wand neatly as she advanced. She stood over his sprawled form and held the wand out to him. 'Severus, I never underestimate you. And a bit of recklessness can come in handy from time to time, wouldn't you say?'

'No, I would not. That's a tiresome Gryffindor notion,' grumbled Severus as he got to his feet, wincing at the ache in his abdomen. It was nearly always bearable these days, but being flung across the room did make it worse.

'Shall we end?' she asked, wiping her brow with a large tartan handkerchief.

'Yes. Lesson preparation awaits,' he said, pulling out his own plain white handkerchief.

'Ah, indeed.' Minerva pursed her lips.

This afternoon students would begin Flooing in to Hogwarts; the older ones who were licensed to do so would Apparate at the gates (at the Ministry's insistence there would be no train).

Tomorrow morning, instruction would resume, with Severus back in his classroom for the first time in nearly a month.

'Two points I'd like to clarify with you, Severus, if I may.' Minerva held the door open for him to pass through. 'First, I've become rather attached to our daily duelling arrangement. Shall we try to keep it up?'

'Certainly.' His tone was indifferent, but inwardly he was pleased she'd asked. Though he'd never tell her so, his morning matches with Minerva had become important to him. His mind and his magic felt settled...integrated...after the exercise, making it an excellent way to start the day.

'Good. Before breakfast, as usual, then?' He nodded. She continued. 'Second, I want to ascertain whether you will be keeping Miss Granger on as your assistant in the new term.'

'I...'

'The reason I ask is this: if you are not, I'd like to take her on myself.' She looked away from him, scanning the whitening edges of the low-hanging eastern clouds. It wouldn't do to crowd him on this delicate issue.

'Cowell will be graduating in June, and I need to start training a new assistant for next year. I've been impressed with the work she's done for you...no surprise, I suppose...and if you can spare her...'

'I was going to say, Minerva, that I will be keeping her on. Her work has been... perfectly acceptable...'

She snorted.

'...perfectly acceptable, and I find I can... let go... of that particular task if it is being adequately performed.'

They had reached the entrance hall. 'Very well,' Minerva sighed. 'Perhaps then I will enquire if Mr Nott is interested in the job. There would be a certain symmetry in that, don't you think? A Gryffindor assistant for the Head of Slytherin House, and a Slytherin assistant for the Head of Gryffindor? Rather nice, actually.'

He had no opinion he cared to share on the niceness of these arrangements. Fortunately, she didn't seem to expect one.

* * *

'Spectacular, as always,' sighed Ron as the remains of the various puddings disappeared from the Gryffindor table.

'Mmmm, Wonnie-bunny is sweeter than pudding,' crooned the Appendage-to-Ron known as Lavender, running her thumb across his chocolate-daubed bottom lip and then popping the thumb into her mouth.

Hermione regarded the pair with open disgust; Harry and Neville, with embarrassed fascination. The Ronvender (as Seamus had dubbed them) were sitting with every part of their bodies touching that could touch and still permit them both to eat.

As far as their friends could tell, they hadn't broken physical contact with one another since their reunion that afternoon in the Gryffindor common room.

'I guess it's true that absence makes the heart grow fonder,' offered Neville with a sickly grin.

'Or the tart grow fondler,' muttered Hermione, who, though not usually given to wordplay, couldn't resist.

Harry snorted, and Neville glanced nervously at Ron to see if he'd overheard. But Ron was whispering something into Lavender's ear that was making her neck flush pink, and the two of them got up from the table, waved vaguely at their friends, and left the Great Hall.

'What d'you think?' Seamus scooted down the bench towards Hermione and Harry, and grinned across the table at Neville. 'Third floor corridor alcove, Room of Requirement, or greenhouse?'

Neville looked away, flustered, and grew pale.

'Stop it, that's just...' Hermione tried for some righteous indignation but she couldn't keep her lips from quirking a little. 'I vote third floor alcove. It's closest.'

Neville made a distressed noise, his gaze fixed on a spot behind Harry's head.

Harry looked smug. 'I have inside information. Ron's been practising Warming Spells and Cushioning Charms for the past week. My money's on Greenhouse Number One.'

'What about Greenhouse Number One, Mr Potter?' came a cold, lazy drawl from behind Harry, Hermione, and Seamus. Neville, whey-faced, stared transfixed at Professor Snape as though he were a great cobra.

Seamus's tongue untied first. 'First Herbology lesson of the term, Professor. Potter's just guessing that Spr...that Professor Sprout's going to start us off in Greenhouse Number One tomorrow. Ease us back into it, like.'

'My, my. What a very wholesome conversation.' Snape's voice dripped with sarcasm. 'I'm sorry to make you miss any part of this... edifying exchange, Miss Granger, but I need to talk to you. My office. Ten minutes. Bring your diary.'

Hermione's teacup cracked neatly in two, spilling her tea all over the table.

'Oh no! Erm, I mean, yes sir. I'll be there.'

He left in an eddy of black.

Hermione contemplated her teacup in dismay. The sudden buzzing spike in her magic that had broken it made her momentarily afraid to try to repair it. 'Erm. Harry... could you...? Oh, never mind, I have it.' She took a deep breath and pointed her wand at the mess. 'Reparo. Tergeo. ' The teacup mended itself and the tea vanished.

What a relief.

Harry was incredulous. 'You're not still working for him this term, are you, Mione? Not now that he's bet...that he's back?'

'I suppose I'll see in'...she looked at her watch...'nine minutes if that's what he wants. I'd be happy to do it, of course.'

Neville's complexion had turned greenish, and he stared at Hermione as though she were singing on her way to the guillotine. 'Why...?'

Hermione was blushing furiously, but also looking quite pleased. 'Well, it's an honour to be asked to be a teaching assistant at Hogwarts. I mean, think about Ernie with his 'Professor Flitwick says this' and 'Professor Flitwick told me that.' And besides, I don't know that that's what Professor Snape wants. It may be something else altogether, though I can't think what.'

'Well, if you start rabbitting on about how Professor Snape says such and such, you'll have to go sit at the Slytherin table, where they actually care what the git has to say,' declared Seamus.

Hermione rolled her eyes. 'Seamus, don't be such a, a berk. Anyway, I'll just be marking papers, not sitting at his feet soaking up the Sarcastic Sayings of Severus Snape.' She got to her feet and shouldered her bag. 'I will see you lot later.' She looked at Harry with just a hint of pleading in her eyes.

He nodded and shot her a little smile, affirming their tacit agreement to disagree peaceably when it came to Snape.

Seamus stared after her. 'She called me a berk. And she was funny. When did Hermione get funny? Did she go on holiday and come back funny? Because I don't remember her being funny at all. I think I might love her if she's funny now.'

Harry shoved Seamus lightly and grinned. 'I dunno. She was pretty funny, wasn't she? Maybe people change as they get older? Relax a little?'

'Maybe she's still in a good mood from her holiday. It sounded amazing.' Neville's eyes shone. 'I mean, Professor Sprout set her up with a letter of introduction to Magister Ekrem Teimourian. She got to meet him at his house. She spent the whole afternoon with him.'

Seamus blinked at Neville. 'Who?'

'Ekrem Teimourian. He's really old, older than Dumbledore, and he's one of the most famous Herbologists in the world. His collection is kind of legendary, and it's not just plants, either. I've heard Professor Sprout talking about the time she went specimen collecting with him in the Balkans. She said it was a high point in her career.'

'Oh.' Seamus could clearly not care less about some wrinkly Herbologist, or about Professor Sprout's career highlights. 'Harry, d'you have the time?'

'Just gone seven-thirty. You lost your watch again?'

'Yeah. Need to keep it quiet for a few months though. Me da'll blow his top if I tell him I need another one already.'

Laughing, the three Gryffindor boys trooped out of the Great Hall towards their dormitory.

* * *

Calm.

Whatever he says to you, remember you are his friend. Be his friend. He needs a friend. Be calm. Friendly. Not too friendly. Mildly friendly. And calm.

She knocked.

'Come,' he called out brusquely. His wards shimmered and the door opened just wide enough to admit her. She hesitated.

He pointed to the green-cushioned chair between his desk and the hearth. 'Sit.'

Hermione sat, settling her bag beside her on the floor and looking up at him. Quite calmly.

Snape pushed a small metal box across the desk towards her. 'Thank you for the loan of this item, Miss Granger. I... had forgotten how much I miss certain pieces of music.'

He did not mention that he had become so accustomed to using the M-Clip...so nearly addicted to it...that he had sold several volumes from his library so he could buy one for himself.

'You're welcome, sir,' she murmured, reaching for the box and slipping it into her bag.

Snape rose from his desk chair and strode to the fireplace. He cleared his throat.

'Hhhrrehmm. My health is... much improved, as you see. But the nature of my injury limits my strength and energy. I have come to concur with the Headmaster's stated preference that I take on a teaching assistant on a permanent basis.

'Will you assist me, Miss Granger?' He glared at her, as if daring her to refuse.

'Yes, sir. I'd be honoured to.' Short. Simple. Babble-free. Well-played, me.

'Hhhrrehm. Good. Ah, hmm, yes, good.' He turned and walked a few steps away from the hearth, then paced back.

'You will continue to mark all papers and exams for my first- through fifth-years. You will summarise for me each student's performance on every assignment. Briefly, Miss Granger. I don't want essays.

'We will also meet weekly to discuss upcoming assignments so you understand what I am looking for. If this would be acceptable to you, I'd like to draw up a schedule of your hours.'

I'm calm. Friendly. Friendly and calm. And succinct.

'Of course, Professor Snape.' She bent to take her diary and a quill out of her bag, and in doing so she felt the outline of a stone jar tucked in an interior pocket.

She had forgotten all about it. Her heart leapt.

Unable to stop herself, she yelped, then clapped her hand over her mouth. 'Oh, god, sorry, sir, sorry! I, er...' Aaghh, so much for calm!

'Does your diary bite, Miss Granger?'

'Does my di...? No, oh no, sir.' She could tell her smile was a little manic. Breathe, Hermione.

'It's just that when I put my hand in my bag, I touched this, and remembered that I had it.' She pulled out the jar and cradled it in her lap.

'Over the holiday, my parents and I went to Turkey. Professor Sprout was kind enough to give me an introduction to Magister Ekrem Teimourian, who lives in Ankara, as you probably know. We had a lovely afternoon in his gardens and when I left he gave me this. May I?'

He cocked an eyebrow as if to say, 'You are clearly going to do what you are going to do.'

She placed the jar carefully on his desk and turned a rapt expression on him. 'It's Amphora proteus, sir. Black Sea diatoms.'

He moved towards the jar, a blank look on his face. 'I know what Amphora proteus are, Miss Granger.'

She blushed. 'I know you do, sir. And I know that diatoms, specifically Black Sea diatoms, and especially those of the Amphora genus, are one of the preferred purifying agents for Iecur Fortis potion.' She burrowed in her bag and came up with a piece of battered parchment, which she unrolled.

'This also is not news to me,' he said testily. 'Is that...is that my handwriting, Miss Granger? My formula for Iecur Fortis potion?' He snatched the parchment from her hand.

'Erm, yes, it is. I helped Professor Slughorn brew the potion while you were ill, and I made my own copy using a Copying Quill. It, um, it makes an exact copy, down to the ink blots. As you see. All the blue ink is my notes.

'I was, um, curious, so I did some research on the potion, especially the purification components. I found an article by Magister Teimourian in Findings in Herbology that went into great detail about the different species of diatoms, the importance of their origins to their relative efficacy, and the history of diatom culturing and preparation in Turkey and the Crimea.

'So since Magister Teimourian lives in Turkey, and I was going to Turkey on holiday, I asked Professor Sprout for an introduction. He was, well, he was amazing. So brilliant and kind. We talked about diatoms for over an hour, and he gave me that.' She gestured towards the bottle. 'As a gift. And now I am giving it to you, and to Hogwarts. You and, and the other teachers will have much better uses for it than I would as a student.'

She smiled nervously. So much for brevity.

He leaned against the desk and rested his hand carefully on top of the jar's lid. 'That is very... thoughtful of you, Miss Granger. I'll put this jar in my stores; I'm sure the Amphora will come in handy.'

He didn't mention that he already had a supply of absurdly expensive Amphora proteus in his private stores, immaculately cultured and dried by the Tblisi firm of Artemis and Hidisyan and purchased by the Malfoys for Severus to use in the Dark Lord's restorative potions.

'Oh, but sir, you can't just put this jar in your stores. They're not dried diatoms. It's a culture. They're live Amphora proteus in an agar medium. They'll want to live in a larger vessel in a greenhouse.' She looked at him expectantly.

He gently broke the seal on the stone jar and lifted the lid. Inside a gelatinous mass glowed with dim green light. He stared at the precious goo, his heart beating fast. 'This is a valuable gift indeed,' he said slowly. Live Amphora proteus in a culture from the best collection in the world. A lifetime's steady supply, if properly tended. It couldn't possibly be...

'I wonder,' he said softly, 'whether Magister Teimourian told you when and where these were collected?'

A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. 'That strain was collected in Laspi Bay. In 1991. Before the great Black Sea die-off. Magister Teimourian says his mother culture may be the only source of its kind in the world.'

Severus stared at her, rendered temporarily speechless.

'Miss Granger,' he finally managed. 'Let me understand you. You independently researched the Iecur Fortis potion and discovered that freshly killed and cured Amphora proteus from the north shore of the Black Sea are far and away the best purifying agent for the potion.'

She nodded.

'You then procured an introduction to a reclusive Herbologist who is the world expert on A. proteus and other benthic diatoms, and came away from your meeting with the gift of a live culture.'

She inclined her head.

'And not just any culture, but one containing organisms collected before the die-off that extinguished the most magically potent strains of Amphora proteus.'

'Yes.' Her smile grew wider.

'Which you then brought back to Hogwarts in your school bag and presented to me.' His voice was nearly a whisper.

His eyes bored into hers for an instant before she dipped her head and began to study her own clasped hands.

'Did you happen to deduce that with this'...he touched the stone jar lightly...'I can make a batch of the potion that will essentially negate the Prometheus Curse and restore my health to a substantial degree?'

She lifted her head and beamed at him then, a huge, ecstatic smile. 'Oh, sir. I was hoping that was the case. I mean, I wasn't sure it would be as helpful as all that. But the literature was suggestive, and when I spoke with Magister Teimourian...only in the most general, theoretical terms, you understand, I didn't mention you or, or, or He Who Must Not Be Named...I really began to hope. And I did suppose that it certainly would not be a bad thing to improve the quality of your ingredients...'

Hermione caught herself babbling and shifted her gaze down to her hands again. Mildly friendly, mildly friendly, mildly friendly... Calm... Succinct...

She heard him walk to the other end of the room and back again, turn, and do it again. And again. He was pacing.

After an eternal couple of minutes, he stopped in front of her chair.

'Why?'

She looked up then, confused. 'I beg your pardon, sir?'

His expression darkened with irritation. 'Why, Miss Granger. Why did you go to such... lengths?'

She lifted her chin. 'A dozen reasons. Because I was curious about the potion. Because I love to research and solve problems. Because I had a good idea and wanted to follow through on it. Because I was glad of the excuse to meet an eminent wizard like Magister Teimourian. And because you did not deserve what happened to you, and it horrified me and made me angry. We are on the same side in this fight, sir, and I do what I can to help my friends.'

Friends.

There, she'd said the word. She wondered if he felt its weight in the air between them as she did.

Friends.

What was the foolish girl talking about? She was his student...a tiresome, managing, Gryffindor-to-the-core, Potter-loving, know-it-all, obviously sentimental, one-among-hundreds student.

So why did the word warm him so? He stiffened against the feeling.

'Miss Granger, much as I am... grateful... to you for this,' he gestured towards the jar, 'and suitably impressed by your intrepidity, we are not friends. I don't make friends of my students.'

The instant he said it, he wished it unsaid.

She turned beetroot red, but sat up even straighter than before. 'Well, sir, I also do what I can to help my allies.'

Then, as if it were her instinct to save him even from his own churlishness, she opened her diary and said, 'Why don't we discuss my duties as your assistant, Professor? What day were you thinking of for our weekly meeting?'

Dazedly, he retreated to his desk chair and opened his own diary, thinking, Theoretically, I won't need her help; the improved potion will have me fit soon.

Fuck that. I WANT her help. And he did, quite ferociously. Hermione Granger's help was patently a good, good thing.

'How are your Tuesdays?'

* * *

A/N: Geeky section of a/n: All the spells used in MM/SS duel in this chapter are canon spells or are have canon elements:

Furnunculus: skin boil hex (doesn't have an English translation in canon)

Repello incantatem: 'repel spell' (does not appear in canon, but the two words are used in other canon spells)

Labefio: Jelly-Legs Jinx (no incantation given in canon; this Latin means 'to loosen or make unsteady)

Mobiliarmum: 'move armour' (canon prefex 'mobili' plus 'armum' for 'armour')

Rictusempra: Tickling Charm (straight-up canon)

Diffindo aulaeum: 'cleave tapestry' ('diffindo' is canon Severing Charm, plus Latin for 'tapestry')

Depulso magistrix: 'banish teacher' ('depulso' is canon Banishing Charm, plus Latin for 'teacher')

(Again, I am no Latin scholar. So when I say 'X is Latin for Y,' I mean 'Internet Latin.')

Also, Amphora proteus is indeed a species of benthic diatom (with a fabulous name) that can be found in the Black Sea. There was a major biological die-off in the Black Sea in the early 1990s.

Glompy section of a/n: Love and thanks to hechicera, greenstuff, and lifeasanamazon for alpha reading, beta reading, Britpicking, and encouragement. Readers are love, reviewers are love: I squish you all.