Harry Potter and the Gift of Memories [Harry Potter Fan Fiction]

Chapter XXV: Aftermath Part I

Snape kept the near permanent sneer on his face as he looked around at all of the other occupants within Dumbledore's office. Filius Flitwick and Pomona Sprout stood off to one side, speaking in hushed tones, the more diminutive of the two making slight hand gesticulations while the other one looked nervous. Knowing how excitable they were Snape had no doubt their conversation was about what happened with Potter and the troll.

A frown made its way to his face and the urge to scowl was just barely resisted. Snape wasn't quite sure what to think of Potter. The spawn of the man he hated most. The child of the woman he loved. When he first saw the brat during the sorting ceremony, strutting up to the hat like he owned the place, he had been sure the boy would be just as arrogant and insufferable as his good for nothing father.

Now he wasn't sure what to think.

Off to the side opposite of him stood Minerva McGonagall, his counterpart in many ways. She was his exact opposite in all the ways that mattered, as a teacher and a person. Her lips were drawn into a thin line and, though it was slight, Snape could feel the anxiety coming off her in waves. Most would never notice, but he had, and he was sure that Dumbledore could see it as well.

The other teachers were there as well. The dark-skinned beauty and Astronomy professor, Aurora Sinistra stood between Professors Babbling and Vector, the Arithemancy and Runes teachers respectively. Charity Burbage, the Muggle Studies Professor, stood a little ways away from the others, and Quirrel had squirreled himself in the back close to the door.

Snape's sneer increased.

“Before we begin any extensive investigations into the troll's appearance,” the old headmaster began, forcing Snape to look away from the turban wearing teacher and focus on him. The required shifting needed to move that little bit from staring at Quirrel to the aging headmaster forced him to aggravate his right leg. He winced and quickly shifted so that he favored his left. “I would like to know how all of the students are doing. Minerva?”

The Deputy headmistress stepped forward.

“The Gryffindors are all fine and accounted for,” she started, then grimaced. “With the exception of Mr. Potter.” Snape followed her example. Thankfully, it went unnoticed. “The only other two I am worried about is Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom. From what I understand, Harry rescued Hermione from the troll when she was crying in the girl's restroom, and Neville was there when Harry killed the troll. He is a bit shell shocked right now. Not that I can blame him.”

The line's around Minerva's eyes softened. It was almost unnoticeable. She was very good at hiding her feelings, but Snape could see it clear as day.

“Speaking of Harry, how is he doing?”

“He will live,” Albus informed the room. There was a collective sigh of relief from everyone except Snape, who would never show such emotion to show, even if he was relieved that the son of Lily Evans hadn't died. “Though Madam Pomfrey informed me that he has a long way to go before making a full recovery. I did not get much more out of her before she kicked me out.”

His attempt at humor fell on deaf ears. Snape rolled his eyes.

“Now then, Filius, Pomona, Severus, how are your students doing?”

“My Snakes are all fine,” Snape drawled, yet on the inside he was frowning. Two of his students had been quite nervous when they heard the troll had landed Potter in the hospital wing. Tracey Davis and Blaise Zabini. He had no clue how they heard of the incident so quickly when all the students had been confined to their common rooms, but then, the Hogwarts rumor mill had always been quick when it came to doling out information like this—even if more than half the time that information is completely inaccurate. He suspected the portraits to be involved somehow. “They are, of course, a bit shaken. The troll had first been spotted near the dungeons, after all.”