Homages

Confrontation - An Homage

ONE morning, about a week after Ron's engagement with Pansy had been formed, as Hermione was sitting with her mother in the library of her parent's home, her attention was suddenly drawn to the window, by the sight of a broomstick landing on the back lawn, which was thankfully secluded from the Granger neighbors' sight. It was too early in the morning for visitors, and besides, the broomstick did not resemble that of any of her friends or classmates. As it was certain, however, that somebody was coming, Hermione went to the back door and threw it open, and the visitor entered. It was Professor Severs Snape, Potions Master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

She was of course intending to be surprised; but her astonishment was beyond her expectation. He entered the room with an air more than usually ungracious, made no other reply to Hermione's salutation than a slight inclination of the head, and sat down without saying a word. Hermione had mentioned his name to her mother on the professor's entrance, though no request of introduction had been made.

After sitting for a moment in silence, Snape said very stiffly to Hermione, "I hope you are well, Miss Granger. That lady, I suppose, is your mother."

Dr Granger, with great civility, begged the professor to take some refreshment; but he very resolutely, and not very politely, declined eating any thing; and then, rising up, said to Hermione, "Miss Granger, there seemed to be a prettyish kind of a little wilderness on one side of your lawn. I should be glad to take a turn in it, if you will favour me with your company.''

"Go, my dear," spoke her mother, "and shew your Professor about the different walks. I think he will be pleased with the hermitage.''

As soon as they entered the copse, Snape began in the following manner: --

"You can be at no loss, Miss Granger, to understand the reason of my journey hither. Your own heart, your own conscience, must tell you why I come.''

Hermione looked with unaffected astonishment.

"Indeed, you are mistaken, sir. I have not been at all able to account for the honour of seeing you here.''

"Miss Granger'' replied the professor, in an angry tone, "you ought to know, that I am not to be trifled with. But however insincere you may choose to be, you shall not find me so. My character has ever been celebrated for its sincerity and frankness, and in a cause of such moment as this, I shall certainly not depart from it.

Snape went on, "A report of a most alarming nature reached me two days ago. I was told that not only your friend Mr Weasley was on the point of being most advantageously married to Miss Parkinson, but that you, that Miss Hermione Granger, would, in all likelihood, be soon afterwards united to my student, my best student, Mr. Draco Malfoy. Though I know it must be a scandalous falsehood, though I would not injure him so much as to suppose the truth of it possible, I instantly resolved on setting off for this place, that I might make my sentiments known to you.''

"If you believed it impossible to be true,'' said Hermione, colouring with astonishment and disdain, "I wonder you took the trouble of coming so far. What could you, Professor, propose by it?''

"At once to insist upon having such a report universally contradicted.''

"Your coming to Longbourn, to see me and my family,'' said Hermione coolly, "will be rather a confirmation of it; if, indeed, such a report is in existence.''

"If! Do you then pretend to be ignorant of it? Has it not been industriously circulated by yourselves? Do you not know that such a report is spread abroad?''

"I never heard that it was.''

"And can you likewise declare, that there is no foundation for it?''

"I do not pretend to possess equal frankness with you, Sir. You may ask questions which I shall not choose to answer.''

"This is not to be borne. Miss Granger, I insist on being satisfied. Has he, has my student, made you an offer of marriage?''

"Professor, you have declared it to be impossible.''

"It ought to be so; it must be so, while he retains the use of his reason. But your arts and allurements may, in a moment of infatuation, have made him forget what he owes to himself and to all his family. You may have drawn him in.''

'If I have, I shall be the last person to confess it.''

"Miss Granger, do you know who I am? I have not been accustomed to such language as this. I am almost the nearest to him in the world, and am entitled to know all his dearest concerns.''

"But you are not entitled to know mine; nor will such behaviour as this, ever induce me to be explicit.''

"Let me be rightly understood. This match, to which you have the presumption to aspire, can never take place. No, never. Mr. Malfoy is engaged to my daughter, Eliza. Now what have you to say?''

"Only this; that if he is so, you can have no reason to suppose he will make an offer to me.''

Professor Snape hesitated for a moment, and then replied, "The engagement between them is of a peculiar kind. From their infancy, they have been intended for each other. It was the favourite wish of his mother, as well as of hers. While in their cradles, they planned the union: and now, at the moment when the wishes of both would be accomplished in their marriage, to be prevented by a young woman of inferior birth, of no importance in the world, and wholly unallied to the family! Do you pay no regard to the wishes of his friends? To his tacit engagement with Miss Eliza? Are you lost to every feeling of propriety and delicacy? Have you not heard me say that from his earliest hours he was destined for her?''

"Yes, and I had heard it before. But what is that to me? If there is no other objection to my marrying your nephew, I shall certainly not be kept from it by knowing that his mother and your late wife wished him to marry Miss Eliza. They did as much as you could in planning the marriage. Its completion depended on others. If Mr. Malfoy is neither by honour nor inclination confined to Miss Eliza, why is not he to make another choice? And if I am that choice, why may not I accept him?''

"Because honour, decorum, prudence, nay, interest, forbid it. Yes, Miss Granger, interest; for do not expect to be noticed by his family or friends, if you willfully act against the inclinations of all. You will be censured, slighted, and despised, by every one connected with him. Your alliance will be a disgrace; your name will never even be mentioned by any of us.''

"These are heavy misfortunes,'' replied Hermione. "But the wife of Mr. Malfoy must have such extraordinary sources of happiness necessarily attached to her situation, that she could, upon the whole, have no cause to repine.''

"Obstinate, headstrong girl! I am ashamed of you! Is this your gratitude for my attentions to you last spring? Is nothing due to me on that score? Let us sit down. You are to understand, Miss Granger, that I came here with the determined resolution of carrying my purpose; nor will I be dissuaded from it. I have not been used to submit to any person's whims. I have not been in the habit of brooking disappointment.''

"That will make your situation at present more pitiable; but it will have no effect on me.''

"I will not be interrupted. Hear me in silence. My daughter and Mr. Malfoy are formed for each other. They are descended, from equivalent noble and magical lines; and from respectable, honourable, and ancient families. Their fortune on both sides is splendid. They are destined for each other by the voice of every member of their respective houses; and what is to divide them? The upstart pretensions of a young Mudblood without family, connections, or fortune. Is this to be endured! But it must not, shall not be. If you were sensible of your own good, you would not wish to quit the sphere in which you have been brought up.''

"In marrying Mr Malfoy, I should not consider myself as quitting that sphere. He is a wizard; I am a witch; so far we are equal.''

"True. You are a witch, and a good student as well. But who was your mother? And your father? Muggles! Dentists! Do not imagine me ignorant of their condition.''

"Whatever my connections may be,'' said Hermione, "if Mr Malfoy does not object to them, they can be nothing to you.''

"Tell me once for all, are you engaged to him?''

Though Hermione would not, for the mere purpose of obliging Professor Snape, have answered this question, she could not but say, after a moment's deliberation, "I am not.''

Professor Snape seemed pleased.

"And will you promise me, never to enter into such an engagement?''

"I will make no promise of the kind.''

"Miss Granger, I am shocked and astonished. I expected to find a more reasonable young woman. But do not deceive yourself into a belief that I will ever recede. I shall not go away till you have given me the assurance I require.''

"And I certainly never shall give it. I am not to be intimidated into anything so wholly unreasonable. You want Mr. Malfoy to marry your daughter; but would my giving you the wished-for promise make their marriage at all more probable? Supposing him to be attached to me, would my refusing to accept his hand make him wish to bestow it on Miss Eliza? Allow me to say, Professor Snape, that the arguments with which you have supported this extraordinary application have been as frivolous as the application was ill-judged. You have widely mistaken my character, if you think I can be worked on by such persuasions as these. How far your student might approve of your interference in his affairs, I cannot tell; but you have certainly no right to concern yourself in mine. I must beg, therefore, to be importuned no farther on the subject. You can now have nothing farther to say,'' she resentfully answered. "You have insulted me in every possible method. I must beg to return to the house.''

And she rose as she spoke. Professor Snape rose also, and they turned back. The Potions Master was highly incensed.

"You have no regard, then, for the honour and credit of the Malfoys! Unfeeling, selfish girl! Do you not consider that a connection with you must disgrace him in the eyes of everybody?''

"Professor Snape, I have nothing farther to say. You know my sentiments.''

"You are then resolved to have him?''

"I have said no such thing. I am only resolved to act in that manner, which will, in my own opinion, constitute my happiness, without reference to you, or to any person so wholly unconnected with me.''