Unexpectedly Expecting

27: An Unscheduled Visit

Minerva

As Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, Minerva McGonagoll was very disappointed in Severus Snape for his sudden lack of responsibility lately. First, there was his impromptu marriage with one of her best students no less! Second, was the arrival of the two deatheaters who now currently taught Defense Against The Dark Arts. Thirdly, was his lack of responsibility in not showing up for staff meetings personally. As busy as Albus got with his own personal business...whatever that happened to be, he always made time to have staff meetings when they were required.

So it was that Minerva found herself apparating to the outskirts of Prince Manor, and finding the exterior of Severus's home quite intimidating. The Manor was designed as almost a dark castle, and while it had a sort of dark elegance to it, no one could mistake it as anything but the residence of a Slytherin. The cobblestone driveway was circular, the snow on the ground concealing well tended grounds, no doubt. She approached the home with growing anxiety, especially since she was well aware that she was not invited to the house. She had never been a witch that just randomly popped in to visit people, it just wasn't in her nature, but her duty as Deputy Headmistress demanded it of her now.

She lifted up the silver gargoyle knocker, and knocked three times, and then used the doorbell next to it for good measure. She waited, and waited. After ten minutes of waiting, the medieval door creaked open enough for a house elf wearing a starched butler's uniform. His face was grim, and intense.

"What would you have of Lark's Master or Mistress?" The house elf addressed her in tones that she was not welcome here.

"I need to speak with your Master."

"Master is busy with Mistress at the moment," The house elf reported. "It is not yet time for them to rise, nor do they appreciate unwanted guests. An owl post would have been more acceptable to garner Master's attention."

Minerva forced herself to remain calm, remembering that the house elf was just doing his job. "Yes, it would have. But this is a business matter that requires one on one attention."

Lark humphed, "Lark sees. Well, come inside, and refreshments can be laid out for you. Do you require a saucer of milk per chance?"

"I see you are just as snarky as your Master, Lark."

Lark opened the door further, and closed it behind him. "Lark likes a plain speaking wizard, oh yes, Lark does. Follow Lark, if you would please? This house is quite the maze for the first time visitor."

Minerva followed, and golden framed portraits of long dead Prince ancestors looked at her arrival with interest. All of them were pale, dark haired, and had Severus Snape's eyes, and with some degree of pointed noses. She saw other works of art, all of them costly, and small touches of femininity that seemed to be new additions. House elves worked wearing lovely black uniforms with white aprons, and none of them seemed oppressed in any way, which was interesting, because even the Hogwarts house elves wore tea cozy's as their uniform with the Hogwarts school crest embroidered on them. Were the uniforms Hermione's influence, or Severus's? She remembered that the witch had tried to start a house elf club that tried to free the school house elves once. None of the students but her two guy friends joined, but Minerva secretly admired her courage in trying to right an ancient moral wrong in the wizarding world.

The house elf paused before a pair of double medieval doors, and knocked. "Come in," Hermione's voice called from within.

"Go on inside, although Lark would like nothing better than to throw you out for trespassing," The house elf grumbled. He disapparated away, and Minerva turned the handle to enter the room...

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Inside, was a very spacious parlor room, and sitting at a table with a morning tea service set out was the Lady of the Manor herself. She was wearing a rich dark green velvet robe, plush slippers, and her hair was down and framed her face very nicely. Hermione studied her, and she silently gestured for her to sit.