Fate Set Right

Chapter 6

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May 30, 1993

She was the last one to have the Restorative Draught administered, so he lingered over her as the rest of the victims began to stir. He ignored Argus blubbering while he clutched his cat and wept. Creevey drew his attention for a moment with his exclamation about his missing camera, but Severus promptly turned away with an eye roll.

He watched as limbs grew limp and unseeing brown eyes regained focus. His son had those eyes, and that's what was the most annoying thing about young Miss Granger: Severus was able to see his own children in her because she would eventually become his Hermione. But unlike seeing young James through Harry, he couldn't see his wife through this annoying little chit. Not even the one he'd first met had been as irksome as this girl.

But when those brown eyes peered up at him, he couldn't help but give the slightest of smiles.

"Welcome back, Miss Granger," he whispered.

"Thank you, sir," she mumbled.

He nodded and stepped away. It was only when he was out in the corridor that he let his exhaustion sweep over him.

When Pomona had announced that the Mandrakes were ready, he'd started the base he would need for the Restorative Draught. When that had been prepared, he'd readied himself to venture out of his lab to fetch the vital ingredient. Before he could leave the dungeons, Minerva had demanded all students return to their dorms and teachers meet in the staff room.

"It has happened," Minerva said to them, her voice shaky and her gaze averted. "A student has been taken by the monster. Right into the Chamber itself. The Heir of Slytherin left another message: 'Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever.'"

Severus' heart nearly stopped, and no one said a word. There were gasps and squeals of panic, of course, but no one asked the question he was sure everyone wanted to know the answer to.

"Who?" he asked softly, gripping the back of a chair. When Minerva didn't answer right away, his stomach churned. "Who was taken, Minerva." His knuckles turned white as he demanded his knees not to give out.

"Not Rory," she assured him at once. "Ginny Weasley."

The relief was not as overwhelming as he'd have liked. His daughter liked the girl and if he were honest, she was also one of the Weasley children he actually liked. Percy was the terrible combination of Slytherin ambition and Gryffindor brashness, and Charles and Ronald were a bit too similar in their academic mindsets. While the twins were not scholars, they were clever and creative. They and the eldest, William, were amongst his favorites. Ginevra and the twins had the added bonus of being kind to his daughter, and he had never been able to overlook kindness.

He'd had too little of it before he'd met his wife.

It was then that the pompous Lockhart came swaggering in.

Perhaps this is how we lose this Defense teacher, Severus thought to himself without guilt. The man had vexed him from the moment he had joined the staff. He'd gotten the job Severus had asked for since the Dark Lord had first fallen. There had been plenty of professors who had stepped down, neither killed nor wounded. But no, Dumbledore had gone through the list of experienced, knowledgeable applicants a few years back and still insisted that Severus should not leave the Potions classroom. And the result was this: a pretty face who thought it was an honor to be the youngest professor on staff, who believed that young girls fancying him was something to brag about.