Summer School

Chapter 7 Gryffindor vs. Slytherin

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting in the Gryffindor common room working silently on homework essays when the Floo emitted a rolled up parchment. Harry caught it as it floated in the air towards them. Looking at the script along the side, he said, "It's for The Trio." He looked up at Ron and Hermione. "I guess that's us."

"Well, open it up, then. Let's hear it. But if it's more detention from that foul teacher, I will go straight to Dumbledore," Hermione said scathingly.

Harry unrolled the parchment and read silently for a moment. With a small grin, he said, "It's from Dumbledore. He wrote,

Please come to my office tomorrow after breakfast. We will be discussing what further measures are required to complete your detentions with Professor Snape.

Sincerely,

Professor Dumbledore."

Hermione's face reddened and they heard her growl low in her throat. "I don't believe it. He's going to make us keep trying to work with Snape! And Snape is being so unappreciative and surly! I wish we had never agreed to this!" She gathered her books, quills and uncompleted homework parchments and stormed up to the girls' dormitory.

Harry and Ron looked at each other for a moment, before shrugging and settling back to their own work. Ron muttered, "I wish he had waited until she had helped us with these History essays before he set her off again."

Hermione was silent in the Great Hall during breakfast. The boys knew better than to try to cajole her into a better mood. The way they figured it, that job was Dumbledore's or Snapes's. When they saw the Headmaster rise from his seat at the head table, they finished their breakfast and gathered their things to leave. Dean and Seamus called out, "Still in detention, you lot?" "How much more time, you reckon?"

Ron and Harry just shrugged in reply, but Hermione stalked out with her nose in the air as if she hadn't heard them.

They waited at the base of the stone staircase that lead up to Dumbledore's office.. It always seemed embarrassing to throw out so many kinds of sweet names before hitting on the correct password. Harry had told them that he believed Dumbledore knew exactly when someone was at the foot of his stairs, as well as who, and enjoyed hearing all the tries the visitor made in their attempt to gain admittance. Sure enough, after a minute or two, without a word from them, the guardian gargoyles stepped aside and the staircase began spiralling upwards. They jumped on, and allowed the steps to carry them right to the office door. It opened before them and they entered. Dumbledore and Snape were already seated. The list that Hermione had made out was on the desk in front of Dumbledore. Both men regarded them with solemn expressions. Snape stood up and indicated the three other chairs in front of the Headmaster's desk. As soon as Hermione was seated, he resumed his own seat. Dumbledore was silent and turned his eyes on Snape. Snape, in turn, took a deep breath before beginning.

"I feel an apology is in order, Miss Granger-"

"An apology! I do not owe you an apology, Professor! And if you think-" she began hotly.

"I owe you an apology, Miss Granger." Snape interrupted her tirade. She sat gaping at Snape, clearly unsure that she had heard correctly. Harry and Ron had their own mouths open in shock and were looking back and forth between Hermione, Snape, and Dumbledore.

Snape waited until he was certain Hermione had heard him and then, "I owe you an apology for my reception of your well thought out outline." His eyes remained unreadable, but he stood up to pace the floor before he continued. "I find myself in need of the expertise you possess in order to ready myself for this mission. If you could find it in yourself to oblige, I would be appreciative."

The silence was heavy in the room for a very long moment. Harry was the one who finally cleared his throat and spoke up, "Um, Professor, we know it's probably hard to ask for help from kids, especially us. I know you think we'll make it difficult for you, but we really do want to help. Hermione and I both know what it means to find out you're not a freak, but a wizard. We know how hard it to understand a whole new way of living."

Ron added, "Yeah, I don't like to think how awful it will be to stop using magic. Harry and Hermione are used to doing things the Muggle way when they're away from Hogwarts. I don't get to use magic, either, but my family still does things with magic when I'm at home." He shook his head, " I just don't get how they put up with how long it takes to cook and clean and get from place to place-"

"Thank you for your insight, Mr. Weasley," Snape drawled. "I have no intention of giving up magic while I undertake this assignment."

"But it's not the same, Professor." Hermione seemed to have forgotten and forgiven quickly. "Muggles will not be accepting of seeing you do magic in the classroom, at all. I mean, Harry and I had to adjust, because we are magical, and after finding it out, we knew we would be learning it. But Muggles, in a Muggle school, they will be in a panic if they see you -"

"I did not mean that I would be doing magic in front of them, Miss Granger. But I will be able do use my abilities unobtrusively, and I intend to do so."

"But won't that be very confusing to you, to keep going back and forth between when you can and when you can't? Seems like you'd get mixed up and forget to not wave a wand to write on the board, or Accio a book- " Ron began.

"I do believe I have had sufficient practice in playing a dual role that I can navigate the changes involved, Mr. Weasley." Snape's eyes swivelled over to Hermione. "Then, you agree to continue to participate in this?"

Hermione looked at him for what seemed like forever. Her eyes were suspicious, as if she was leery of Snape's sudden about-face. She held his gaze for a long moment, searching for any hint of derision in him. Then she realized that even if he was resentful or angry about asking for their help, he was entirely capable of hiding it from them. He was, after all, a master spy. She was reluctant to repeat this scenario, yet again, if Snape decided to resist their best efforts at assistance. Did she dare to point this out? She definitely felt that asking for their help was a bitter thing for him; did he realize that it was just as bitter for them? Deciding to take the risk, she finally allowed, "If you can swallow your own pride to let us help, I suppose we can swallow ours to do whatever you are willing to allow us to do in return."

Snape sniffed and returned her stare. He thought her comment about his pride was impertinent. But she was right that this was a difficult thing, accepting that he needed help from Gryffindor whelps. In that spirit, he couldn't help but reply, "Your Gryffindor bravery at aiding a superior Slytherin is indeed overwhelming."

"Superior?-" Harry sputtered, before Dumbledore interrupted him.

"Yes, well, at last we reach a mutual agreement. I trust that from here on out, any differences of opinion and ideal will be worked out in a friendly, non-confrontational way?" A slight pause, as this pointed admonition sank into all of them. "Excellent. In that case, I know that you will also be able to reach a decision about how best to proceed from here on out. Time does grow ever shorter until our last school term ends and a summer term begins at the school I have chosen."

This news was met with all eyes turning to the Headmaster. Even Snape was slow to hide his surprise. It was quickly shuttered and he drawled, "And do you plan to tell us more of this school you have seen fit to send me to, Headmaster?" Even with his tone being low and even, it was obvious that he felt he should have been told of this before the students in the room.

Dumbledore pulled out a paper brochure and passed it over to Snape. The paper was a shiny, slick Muggle type, which was tri-folded. Snape snapped it open and quickly perused the unmoving pictures of the Muggle campus. The hard lines of his mouth grew even harder as he read the description of the school.

"Remedial courses, as well as accelerated courses, I see. I trust that I will be teaching the accelerated course of chemistry?" He lifted piercing eyes to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore's eyes had not lost their twinkle. It seemed he was very much enjoying this last bit of information. "I'm afraid that due to the small number of students, your class will include both remedial and accelerated students, Professor." As Snape's expression grew thunderous, he finished, "I am certain that the combined efforts of Gryffindor bravery and Slytherin cunning will help to ready you for the challenge?"[Author ID2: at Sat Oct 7 20:55:00 2006 ]

He clapped his hands and actually rubbed them together, as if in anticipation. "Now, if you will all excuse me, I have several other matters that require my attention."

Everyone stood when Dumbledore stood, and he ushered them from his office quickly and efficiently. When the door closed behind them, the tall Slytherin Potions Master stood, as shocked at his dismissal as the trio of Gryffindors were of theirs. They all looked at each other silently before Hermione opened her mouth to speak. But at the even more menacing expression than the one Snape usually wore bore down on them, she closed her mouth and turned to walk down the stairs. The boys followed her without comment, before Harry turned back at the foot to look up at him.

"Professor Snape, shall we meet you in the Room of Requirement this evening?" He waited until the man standing alone at the top of the stairs nodded curtly. Then he turned to follow his friends.