Fate Set Right

Chapter 18

September 2nd, 1994

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"Have you discovered anything in your calculations?" Severus asked as he gave Hermione a large plate holding a bowl of soup and crusty bread brought to his rooms by the elves.

"There should be nothing for you to worry about, Severus." She replied, taking the plate and casting a charm to allow it to hover over her lap. "With Harry not being old enough to enter the tournament, there should be no cause for alarm. It looks as if the year should proceed, unusually, as normal. Well, except for having a bunch of foreign witches and wizards, but that's hardly going to affect any possible poor outcomes."

"Good," He replied as he discarded his robes. He began to work on the buttons of his frock coat when he realized Hermione was watching him very attentively. He cocked an eyebrow, his lips barely stopping the smirk. "Yes, wife?"

"Just enjoying the show." Hermione replied casually.

"I was your professor dressed like this." He reminded her, slipping the top few buttons out.

"You were my professor twenty years ago. And not for all that long. You've been at least my lover most of the time I've known you. And the buttons are quite sexy, considering I know what they conceal from the rest of the world."

"Awe, yes," He said, pausing in the buttons to loosen his collar and cravat. "Curse and battle scars, the ultimate in sex appeal. The wizarding world is missing out, aren't they?" He glanced to his wife as she gave a snort of a giggle, just beginning to wonder if maybe soup could wait for something far more satisfying, when the wards around his office tripped. "Bloody hell." He said, re-tightening everything, and re-doing his buttons as he headed for the door to his office. "Start without me," He called, hearing Hermione say something though not catching what it was as he was already through the door.

As he entered the room, so did Moody and Draco.

"Alastor, this had best be bloody important." Severus snapped, looked at Draco sternly.

"Got a date or something, Snape?" Moody hissed.

Which was ... odd. Really odd, now that he thought about it. Alastor was never the teasing sort, per se, but he always did have a knowing twinkle and a touch of innuendo to his voice when he spoke of Hermione to Severus. Always had. And he knew that Draco was friends with Harry, so the need to act like the auror who caught him was entirely unnecessary.

A tingle like spiders crawling up the back of Severus' neck reminded him of a time nearly thirteen years ago, when it was absolutely critical to wear many masks while walking the tightest of ropes. Something wasn't right.

"My wife has come to have lunch with me." He said simply. "What is it?"

"This one attempted to curse Potter in the back. No greater coward, I say. McGonagall reminded me I needed to speak with you 'bout it."

"He turned me into a Ferret!" Draco screeched, his voice cracking.

"Hush." Alastor snapped.

McGonagall. It was never McGonagall. Min or Minnie, maybe Minerva, but never anything less than casual. Student or not.

"Interesting." Severus said slowly, eyes darting between the two. "Thank you, Moody. I'll take it from here."

"A word later, Snape?" Alastor asked, a coldness to his tone that made Severus narrow his eyes.

"We shall see." He said. It took a moment for Alastor to leave, be he did so, and closed the door behind him.

Severus took out his wand and immediately cast wards, silencing charms, and a few spells he created in his spying days to misdirect anyone trying to break them.