17th of November 2019

14. 17th of November 2019

"Catnip," said Hermione, and the stone gargoyle—still bearing the scars of the Battle—gave her and Neville a melancholy look, a small bow, and slid aside with the discordant sound of marble scraping against marble.

The staircase looked so much steeper than she remembered, and when they started ascending, it was so much more demanding and much darker than she remembered.

"Why do you think Headmaster Snape asked us to come?" Neville asked from behind her.

"I have no idea." She worried about that. Fretted even. She had expected him to seek her out when Minerva died, but he hadn't. Then the note that had summoned her and Neville had arrived.

She hesitated before opening the door of the Headmistress' Office. It felt wrong to go inside now. Neville obviously felt the same way, because they both hesitated outside the door. Neville opened the door when Hermione nodded, and they entered anyway, just like the old days.

The portrait was there. It was fitted between Albus Dumbledore and Phineas Nigellus Black. Minerva was sleeping, and Hermione reached out to touch the painting in the same way she had once touched Severus' portrait.

"You are late."

Severus voice snapped the words at them, and Hermione jumped with fright, feeling a corresponding start from Neville, who was holding her hand.

"Severus." She could hear the pleading note in her voice. "You scared—" She cleared her throat. The dry constricted feeling didn't go away, so she tried coughing. That didn't work either, and she felt Neville's hand letting go of hers and supporting her elbow instead.

Severus gave them a look full of disdain and sneered at them. She blinked. It was like looking at a fun house mirror-image of the man she had come to know these last months. So familiar in all his hostility, yet not the Severus she now knew.

"Why did you want to see us?" asked Neville. He rarely reverted to the decisive persona he'd been displaying during the battle, but now he did.

Severus' face went blank then, and he smoothed down his robes and corrected his cuffs.

"I don't know if you are aware, but the acting Headmaster or Headmistress can give the Board of Directors his or her preferences for their successor. They may suggest up to three names. Minerva used that opportunity in full. Filius was offered the position of Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry yesterday. He declined the offer."

"He said no?" Neville beat her to it by a fraction of a second. He was staring at Severus now, looking bewildered. "But I thought ... Why?"

Severus threw a quick glance at Hermione, which she was unable to decipher, then he looked at Neville again.

"He claims that he likes teaching. He was always strange that way. He prefers to be in the classroom to working with administration."

Neville started to wander around the room, looking at the sleeping portraits. Or the faking of sleep, as in the case with both Headmasters Dumbledore and Black, if Hermione's suspicions were correct. The truth was that several of the others were probably feigning too, she realised, as she looked more closely at the portraits.

"You are both here since she gave the Board your names in addition to Filius'. She gave me the task of informing you both about the offer that might be made. Knowing that, the Board, in turn, gave me the task of talking to, or interviewing if you prefer, the two of you."

Hermione felt her knees wobble, and she seated herself in one of the armchairs close to Severus' portrait. Neville didn't look in much better shape. He was supporting himself against the desk.

"I will discuss the post with each of you. What you will have to give up and what you might gain. As you may deduct from this, the Board hopes to avoid any feelings of disappointment and animosity being the result of one being chosen over the other."

Something jarred with Hermione. "Then why tell the two of us? Wouldn't it be better to just offer one of us the position and let the matter resolve itself?"

Severus cocked an eyebrow at her, and Merlin, how annoying he could be when he was being superior and difficult!

"We are at Hogwarts, you must remember. Gossip gets around." He gave the portraits in the room a meaningful look, and Hermione could have sworn several of them moved just a little bit.

"What if both of us want it, then?" asked Neville.

Severus shrugged and gave them a calculated look.

"Then the Board will have to make a decision. Not their strong suit at all. So, I would like to meet each one of you. I suggest that I start with you, Longbottom. We will meet in your chambers so as to avoid being overheard. You do have a painting?"

Neville nodded, and Severus rose and gave Neville one last look, ignoring Hermione. "I'll give you an hour or so to think it over before my visit." Severus rose and went to the back of his painting, opened a door, and left through it, leaving Neville and Hermione staring at the canvas.