Chapter 17

Disclaimer: The characters depicted in this fiction belong to JK Rowling, her heirs and assignees, except for those who belong to me. Also, I seem to remember having read a story somewhere that mentions the "International Society of Potioneers" or "ISoP", but I can not remember the author or title. If someone could point me in the right direction, I would be most happy to acknowledge the contribution to this story.

Author's Notes: I want to thank GrammarPolice for the beta even though she had finals and SlytherinsHeirx for his brilliant Britpicking.

Chapter Seventeen

...October 1...

"I'm not sure I can do an apprenticeship with you, Minerva," Hermione said, sitting next to the Headmistress for breakfast in the Great Hall that morning. "I spend most of my free time learning about Extremely Advanced Potions with Severus. I'm really sorry."

"My dear, don't be," Minerva said. "It was a hope, but I understand your Potions mastery comes first. We'll see what happens after December."

"Why? What happens in December?"

"As of right now, Hermione, end of term exams happen in December followed by the Christmas hols," Severus purred in her ear as he took his seat. "Are you poaching again, Minerva?" he continued amiably.

"Of course not." Minerva smirked at him. "Just making conversation."

"Some conversation," Filius said, unashamedly eavesdropping on their talk. "I truly resent that I have to wait while you and Severus take all of Hermione's time."

"Hear! Hear!" Septima cheered, raising her cup of coffee. "I whole-heartedly agree."

Severus smirked at both of them. "I did ask first," he said, filling his plate from the platters in front of him. "And Minerva asked second. Your loss is our gain."

Hermione said nothing as she ate her breakfast, but she was thinking very hard about how to manage her time better.

* * *

"Dice the aconite into eighth-inch cubes so they dissolve easier and release their oils faster," Severus said while grinding moonstone and preparing the base potion that would eventually become Wolfsbane. It would be Halloween in one week, and the date coincided with a blue moon, the second full moon of the month.

Because there were still unfortunates who would be transforming during the three days of the full moon, the Ministry had Severus brewing the Wolfsbane without pay. Hermione was incensed that blaggart politicians could take advantage of the probation conditions the Wizengamot had laid down in order to force the Potions Master to brew his own improved version of the potion without even paying him for the ingredients, even the rare and expensive ones!

"I don't see why the Ministry couldn't at least pay you for your out-of-pocket expenses," Hermione argued again. "After all, they're certainly not paying for anything else."

"The Ministry is paying a stipend to the school for the cost of the most inaccessible ingredients. Just not as much as they should, given what we have to pay for them," Severus pointed out.

"And why should they spend galleons when they don't have to?" he continued. "This way they can point out how magnanimous they are in providing the potion at little cost to the inflicted."

Hermione scoffed. "Little cost, indeed. They're making galleons on this and you know it. You're not allowed to brew for Poppy and Hogwarts' Infirmary, but you can make the Wolfsbane for them?"

"Ah, but the Wolfsbane isn't going to one of their precious children now, is it?"

"Hypocrites, the lot of them," Hermione snorted, her hands dicing the aconite with precision even as they talked.

"When you have achieved your Mastery, then I will be able to point out that there is a qualified brewer the Ministry can use, and they need no longer sully their hands with my brewing," Severus said calmly. "That way you can charge them for your time and ingredients at a Master's rate."

"Or just give it to those in need without going through the Ministry at all." Hermione laughed bitterly. "That'd show them."

"Hold many grudges, Hermione?" Severus chuckled. "Don't make me one of your projects," he continued, frowning. "I have neither the time nor the inclination to get involved, and you do not have the time to concentrate on anything more than what I can teach you and the classes you are currently teaching."

"Yes, sir." She finished her chopping and added the diced roots to the cauldron.

Severus added the powdered moonstone and gave the potion its requisite stirs. "Now, this will be the third time you've brewed the Wolfsbane with me. Next month, we'll have you do it on your own."

"By myself?" Hermione was delighted.

"Well, I think we'll have Minerva in as a witness." Severus stroked his chin in thought. "That way, she can point out to the Ministry that I didn't have a hand in that particular brewing. She should be able to squeeze some more Galleons out of them on that fact alone."

"Don't you get tired of all the hoops you have to jump through?" Hermione asked. "You haven't been able to go home during the summer like the rest of the professors or go to Hogsmeade for a drink or to the bookstore or..."

"Enough, Hermione," he said gently. "I only have fourteen months to go on my probation. Then I can think of all the things I would want to do. Until then, I'll live my life the best way I can. At least I'm alive when I never thought I would be."

"I still think..."

"Yes, I know."

* * *

"Headmistress, this is highly irregular." The Ministry official who came to take charge of the Wolfsbane in November blustered with anger, but Minerva was unmoved.

"A competent Potions Journeyman brewed this month's Wolfsbane with myself as a witness," she said evenly. "If you do not want to pay for her time and ingredients...some of which are quite expensive, I believe...I'm sure we can send the potion elsewhere. St. Mungo's perhaps? I'm told they would be quite happy to handle the distribution, and with fewer caveats no doubt."

In the end, the official grudgingly agreed to pay for the Wolfsbane..."at Journeyman rates, mind you," he huffed...and went away with Hermione's brewed potions. Minerva smirked at his retreating back and waited until she heard the gargoyle at the bottom of the stairs move back into place before saying, "You can come out now."

Severus and Hermione crept down the stairs from the landing where they had been crouched, listening to the haggling. Both wore identical expressions of victory, and Minerva smiled at them while she opened the Floo and called down to the kitchens for tea and cakes.

"That was amazing," Hermione said, hugging the Headmistress in congratulations. "I thought he was going to have a stroke when you mentioned giving the potion to St. Mungo's."

"Hmm, yes," Severus said in agreement. "Too bad. It might have been an interesting experience to watch."

"Severus!" the two witches scolded in unison.

"What?" he said with all innocence. "I do have potions to help mitigate the effects of stroke. It would have been interesting to see if he would have asked for them, knowing they came from my hands."

"You're incorrigible." Minerva laughed as she moved back to her desk to prepare their tea as the house-elf delivered the tray. "At least we know that the Wolfsbane will be efficacious with Hermione brewing it."

"Indeed."

* * *

"Minerva, what brings you down to the dungeons this dank and dreary day?" Severus put down his quill and folded his hands, looking up at the Headmistress.

"I just wanted to see how Hermione has fared during her first administering of end-of-term exams." Minerva said, walking into their joint office.

Hermione turned away from her desk and smiled. "Just fine. I only had one cauldron melt during the exam for the second-years and, so far, only one Troll in the written exam for the fourth-years." She sighed, looking at the marked up parchment in front of her. "Of course, I was expecting this particular student to do poorly, but not this poorly."

"We all have our crosses to bear," Severus said from his own desk, also covered with exam parchments. "This dunderhead insists that pumpkin juice is used in Strengthening Potion." He picked up his quill and marked the parchment with firm strokes, using his favourite red ink.

"Well, I will expect both of you at the feast this evening," Minerva chided. "It's the last feast of term, so don't get so caught up in your grading that you forget the time, Hermione."

"I'll try not to, Minerva."

Severus snorted. Minerva looked at him and said, "I'll expect you to watch the time as well, Severus. After all, you know better."

Severus muttered under his breath. "Merlin, save me from managing witches."

"What was that, Severus?"

"Yes, Minerva, I'll make sure we're there."

"And on time, too."

"Yes, Minerva."

* * *

...December 31...

"Happy New Year, Hermione."

"Thank you, Filius," Hermione said, smiling down at the small man as she took his proffered drink. The staff's New Year's Eve party was in full swing in the staff room, and everyone was enjoying the drinks and food from the buffet prepared by the house-elves. Hermione filled a small plate with a varied selection of her favourite foods and found an empty seat in a corner where she could observe, but still be out of the way.

"Attention, everyone, please. Attention," Minerva called, gathering the rest of the professors around her where she stood on the hearthstone, while Albus smiled at everyone from his portrait over the mantel. "Severus has asked to make an announcement."

"Thank you, Minerva." He cleared his throat nervously. "Hermione, would you join us, please?"

Confused, she set her plate and glass on her chair and pushed her way through the small crowd to where Severus and Minerva were standing. "Sir?"

"Minerva, I ask you to act as witness." He pulled a scroll out of the sleeve of his robe and, opening it, prepared to read aloud.

"Of course."

"Hermione Jean Granger," he said, beginning to read, "having completed the requirements for a Mastery in Potions..." Hermione gasped, but said nothing as he glared at her and continued to read, "as set out in the bylaws of the International Society of Potioneers, is ordained and hereby awarded such Mastery, this thirty-first day of December, in the year two thousand and two. Hereby attested to by: Severus Snape, Magister Succi, and Minerva McGonagall, Magistra Transformationis." With that, he took a quill, signed the scroll and handed the quill to Minerva, who also signed. Immediately, the parchment rolled up on itself and disappeared.

"Congratulations, Mistress Granger," he said, handing her a copy of the scroll and shaking her hand.

Minerva also added her congratulations and shook Hermione's hand, happy tears streaming down her cheeks. "Tomorrow, if you're still willing, we'll enter into a contract of apprenticeship for Transfigurations," she said, smiling through her tears.

"Oi!" Filius said. "What about Septima and me? Don't we get a chance in this bidding war?"

"I wasn't aware that anyone was bidding," Minerva said with a laugh, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "Hermione and I discussed this at the beginning of the term, so you two just need to get in line."

"I don't know what to say..." began Hermione.

"Just sleep on it, dear." Minerva said. "You can give me your decision in the morning. Now, let's have a real party!"

With cheers, and congratulations to Hermione for attaining her Potions mastery, the professors started to party. She stood back and watched in awe at this frolicsome side of teachers she had grown to respect over the years. Then she returned to her seat, setting her food and drink underneath while she held her scroll open and read the words printed there.

"Are you happy, Hermione?" Severus said, coming up and taking the seat beside her. He took a sip from his glass of firewhisky and looked out over the room rather than at her.

"More surprised, sir..." she started to say.

"Severus."

"Excuse me?"

"You agreed at the beginning of the term to address me by my given name. Is that so hard for you to do?"

"You're such a private person, sir... er... Severus," she said, correcting herself when he glared at her. "And you are... I mean... were... my Potions master and professor." She smiled. "It's hard to think of you as Severus when I think of you as my teacher and worthy of any respect I can give you, but I do have a problem."

"And what might that be?"

"I didn't do a Master project for you," she said. "How could I have been accepted without that?"

"Oh, that." Severus took a sip of his firewhisky. "You actually did, you know."

"When?" Hermione racked her brain trying to remember what she'd done in the last five months that would have counted as her Master piece.

"Four years ago, when you and Draco saved my life," he reminded her. "I had you write it up as your Honours project for Seventh year."

"That was a joint effort," she protested.

"It still counted, Hermione." He looked at her from under hooded eyelids. "When I pointed out that you were all of nineteen when you created the antivenin potion, the examining board of the ISoP was very impressed. The committee agreed that if you could do that at nineteen, there's no telling how high you could go if you continue your potions work.

"I thank you for the idea that I am respected, as well," he continued, staring into his glass of liquor. "I know you have always shown respect for me, even when I was at my cruellest. The mark of a true lady... and, might I hope, a friend?"

"I hope so, S... Severus," she stammered. "I would like to be friends with you."

"Thank you," he said, holding out his hand once more. "I am delighted to be your friend." As they shook hands, the clock in the Astronomy Tower began to chime. "Midnight," he mused, counting the strokes. "Happy New Year, Professor Granger."

"Happy New Year, Professor Snape," Hermione answered and, leaning over, kissed his cheek.

A/N: Once again, I want to thank AmyLouise from Down Under for helping with my Latin translations.

Magister Succi = master of potions

Magistra Transformationis = mistress of transformations