A Room With a View

A Little Help From My Friend

August 22, 2005 - Hogwarts

The Weasley Twins had never been great favorites of Severus while they'd been in school; he'd certainly spent enough of his time confiscating their inventions from students with too much pocket money or chasing the twins themselves out of his stores or away from secret passage entrances. However, Severus would have given a month's salary for one of their Daydream Charms today. He was having rather a bad work day. He'd conferred with a healer from St. Mungo's that morning and been told that reversing an obliviation that had sat for six years would risk intensifying the spell. "The only approved treatment would be a course of memory sharing, which you have already begun. There is a chance that this process may allow you to recover some of your own memories, though the results will be unreliable at best." Severus sighed at the memory, attracting the puzzled notice of Minerva and Hagrid.

It didn't help that the faculty meeting had ground on for nearly an hour past its allotted time as the various faculty members argued over how to best implement his curriculum. The table in front of him was littered with sliced and diced and red-marked additions to his proposed collaborations with each and he had a desperate headache brewing behind his eyes. Professors were eager to collaborate, yes, but it seemed they only wanted to do so on their terms. Every. Single. Professor. was outraged at the prospect of losing an entire week of teaching. And lo and behold, not a single one has volunteered to chaperone the training trip! Severus shot a desperate glance at Minerva, who seemed to be watching the proceedings with a slight smirk on her otherwise sanguine face. One might almost think she was enjoying his torture.

"Enough!" Severus snarled at the gathered company. "I have heard your concerns. And your questions. And your further complaints. I will review your proposed revisions to my curriculum and make some final decisions by the end of the week. However: The survival training trip is NOT negotiable. The Minister has approved it. The Headmistress has approved it. You don't have to like it, but it's going to happen."

The professors regarded him silently for a moment before they all began speaking at once again, each trying to be heard over the others. Finally, Minerva rose from the table and regarded the gathered intellectuals. "Severus is correct, the trip is planned and preparations are already underway. The Ministry and Hogwarts are committed to seeing this plan through. Everyone will need to adjust to that fact. If no one wishes to volunteer to chaperone the expedition, then I will assign volunteers. Now we are over time and the house elves will be setting out dinner in the Great Hall in half an hour. Take a few moments to yourselves and I will see you there shortly." She bent to gather her things as most of the professors left the room in a flurry of papers and waving hands.

Severus reached into the pocket of his slacks and silently placed a vial on the table in front of Minerva. She nodded her thanks to Severus as she placed the headache potion into the pocket of her robes and turned to leave.

Neville cleared his throat. "Headmistress?"

"Yes, Neville?"

"Luna and I will both volunteer to chaperone the trip for the sixth and seventh years. It sounds fun."

"And you never know what creatures we might find while camping! Not that I would neglect my chaperoning duties, of course," Luna added with a sunny smile.

"Thank you, Neville, Luna. I appreciate your willingness to assist in this matter."

Hermione spoke up as well. "I'll go as well, Headmistress. I've already rearranged my course calendar to accommodate a week of missed courses; each of my students will be working on individual research projects and will be under the supervision of Madam Pince for the duration of the week."