Going Concern

Year Two: Part 2

Marcus was back before they knew it. One day he was just there again, sitting on top of Snape's table—when had it become Snape's table?—and chatting away with Snape as if he wouldn't get his head bitten off. 

Surprisingly, he didn't.

"He was an exemplary student," was all Snape had to say when Ron made a comment about his marked tolerance for Marcus' company. "Unlike certain others I could name." To think Snape had claimed he didn't even know Marcus' name.

Harry found himself in the awkward predicament of feeling vaguely melancholy at the thought of Snape leaving. He was beginning to find amusement in the unveiled barbs Snape threw their way on a day-to-day basis, and watching Snape stare in secret fascination at Albus Severus' antics was very nearly endearing.

Still, he supposed he was prepared to go back to the way things had been.

"I want to ask Snape to stay," Hermione told Harry and Ron one evening, after they'd closed up shop and were headed to the pub for drinks. "Marcus wants to spend more time on his paper, and we both agreed that having Snape around really helps with inventory turnover. He's fixed loads of things since he's been here."

She seemed to be expecting some sort of argument.  

Both Harry and Ron were silent. Harry was glad there would be another person there to carry the load; having Snape around to assess the values of some of the more obscure items that came in was really helpful.

"Ron?"

"He did the inventory for us that time you were gone. And Louis behaves around him. Don't see why not."

"Can we afford it?" asked Harry.

Hermione nodded. "I did some calculations, and we're actually doing a lot better than last quarter. It wouldn't be a problem."

"Then it sounds okay to me. The real question is whether he'll want to stay on."

Hermione had a determined glint in her eye. "Oh, don't worry. I have a feeling I can persuade him."

Somehow, that's exactly what she did.

///

"I was thinking of taking the kids over to Mum's tomorrow to spend the night, and maybe the next day. George and Angelina will be there, too."

Harry looked up from the antiques magazine he'd been reading. "Great. Good." He hesitated. "I don't know if I can come with. It's my turn to close the shop, and there's this buyer who wants to meet on Saturday morning..."

"That's okay. I think I can manage them on my own. Work is important."

///

"I haven't seen Ginny around very much lately," Hermione remarked in the morning.

Harry gave her a slight shrug. "She's working more hours now. I think she's making up for all that lost time, with James and then Albus. You know how busy reporters are."

In truth, even Harry hadn't seen much of Ginny recently.  She was, apparently, covering a big story—Harry couldn't remember what it had been about—and it took up most of her time. They were both busy, and while he missed her, he understood that this was Ginny's time to focus on herself. Perhaps he should have moved things around, spent the night and Saturday with Ginny and the boys.

"I hope it doesn't stress her out. The Albertus case seems to have really heated up." That was it. The case against Quidditch coach Theodore Albertus, who had allegedly cursed an opposing team's Seeker before several crucial games. Ginny had told him all about it in detail; Harry should have remembered.