A Room With a View

Long Lists and Hot-Cross Buns

August 30, 2005 - Headmistress' Office

Green flames rose and died in Headmistress McGonagall's hearth, heralding the arrival of Minister Shacklebolt and Percy Weasley in her office.

"Welcome Minister, Mr. Weasley." She nodded to each man in turn. "I've asked Professor Snape to join us in a few moments. May I offer you both some tea?"

"That would be very welcome, Minerva. I'm sorry we couldn't meet with you before now, but you know how busy things have been." He lifted his hands in a silent gesture of helplessness. "If it weren't for Percy here keeping such a tight rein on my schedule, I'd never get anything done!" The Minister's moon-shaped face crinkled in a smile as he glanced at his stoically silent assistant, who was at this moment poised to take notes on the meeting if necessary.

"Of course, Kingsley. You don't have to explain; I know how busy you are. I do hope you're not running poor Mr. Weasley ragged."

The younger man flashed his former professor a quick grin. "Works me like a slave driver, Headmistress. But he knows if he gets too high handed, I'll just hide his schedule book from him."

The trio laughed at Percy's joke--flat as it was. At least the boy was trying for a sense of humor these days. His recent marriage to Penelope Clearwater clearly agreed with him and Minerva was glad to see the boy shift into a less-overbearing mode of conversation after all these years. Percy had always been too serious for a boy of his years.

A knock on the office door announced Severus' arrival, and he quickly joined the round table at which Percy was serving tea into handsome jasperware mugs embossed with the Hogwarts crest.

He greeted the assembled officials curtly. "Minister, Mr. Weasley. I'm pleased to see you both in good health." He inclined his head in thanks as the younger man set a mug of tea before him and folded his hands on the table while he waited for the sugar tongs to become available. "Is there any news of my predicament that you can tell me?"

Kingsley heaved a sigh as he returned the milk jug back at the center of the small table. "You know more than we do at this point, Severus. The healers have been unable to offer much assistance with your case, I'm afraid, and we have few details to build a case on. I've asked the Auror Office to open a file on the problem, of course, but unless we have more information, I'm afraid they'll stall out. Have you and Professor Granger made any progress on recovering your memories?"

"A little, but it's slow going. We've been working at it for nearly two weeks, but we can only manage a few memories at a time without risking illness on her part." He hoped that he didn't sound as petulant or frustrated as he felt. The last few nights had seen them finishing Treasure Island and beginning physical therapy. While he enjoyed his evenings with Hermione and was glad to be gaining some perspective into his lost year, he was growing increasingly impatient with the glacial pace of memory recovery.

"These things take time, Severus," Minerva reminded him.

"You're right, of course Headmistress. And it's gracious of Professor Granger to give up so much of her free time to help me, especially as she is preparing her classroom and lessons for the start of the school term." And dealing with the residual fallout of her fiancé's public philandering. Severus had heard more than one Howler make its way into her chambers in the past few days, thanks in no small part to Rita Skeeter's full-throated endorsement of the younger Weasley's marriage. On the surface, her columns over the past week had dripped with false sympathy but the underlying implication was clear: Skeeter (and therefore her readers) blamed Hermione for failing to keep dear Ronald in her bed.

Kingsley's voice drew his attention away from his own frowning consideration of Hermione's ongoing battle with the press. "I'm sorry this has happened to you Severus, after all you've done for us over the years." The man's eyebrows drew together, creating a furrow in his otherwise smooth forehead. "We did bring you something that might help." He turned to Percy, who presented the Minister with a stack of parchment. "Percy here has compiled a list of those who attended the Orphan's Fund Ball at which you suspect you were attacked. It's quite comprehensive, so I suggest that you look for names of those who might have harbored a grudge against you. We can give those names to the Auror's Office and they can begin following up with those individuals."