White Heather for Protection

Interlude: Professors' Meeting

A severe elderly witch swept into the room and took her customary seat to the right of the head of the table. Nodding primly at her employer and colleagues, she began to speak.

"Apologies for the slight tardiness. I just sent two muggle-raised students home after their Diagon Alley supply shopping."

Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, an aged wizard with twinkling blue eyes and a long white beard, replied cheerily, "No worries, Minerva. How are young Miss and Mr Potter?"

That caught the attention of the three others in the room. Filius Flitwick, the cheery part-goblin Head of Ravenclaw and Pomona Sprout, the kindly and affable Head of Hufflepuff both looked eager and curious. In contrast, Severus Snape, the stern and foul-tempered Head of Slytherin huffed in annoyance.

Minerva McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor, wanted to roll her eyes at the Slytherin's reaction. Honestly, that man... "They're absolutely wonderful children. They look so much like their parents..." she trailed of wistfully. "Miss Potter looks just like her father at first glance, but she's definitely her mother's daughter. She has Lily's beautiful eyes and bone structure. Her temperament is also all Lily's."

Severus Snape's heart gave a violent lurch, though his expression remained unchanged. After all these years, even the slightest mention of Lily Evans (for she would forever be an Evans to him) still caused him agonising pain. He didn't need the Potter brats coming to Hogwarts and dredging up unpleasant memories. Wasn't it enough that he tortured himself over it? (No, nothing would ever be enough for what he had done.) He couldn't decide whether to curse or cheer - inwardly, lest he gave Minerva a heart attack - the fact that the older spawn purportedly possessed greater resemblance to Lily than Potter.

Minerva, oblivious to his emotional upheaval, proceeded to drive the stake in further. "Young Mr Potter, on the other hand, is a more even mixture of his parents, appearance-wise. His hair is a copper-red shade. Darker than Lily's but definitely not the jet-black of James' hair. His eyes are a...louder green than Lily's." Her tone showed her disconcertment. Severus was unfortunately well aware of the Potter boy's change of eye colour from Lily's emerald to that distinct puce colour. It was just another on his list of deplorable sins; that adulteration of Lily's pure, shining eyes. "Though he displayed some of James' mischievousness," Minerva said lightly, obviously trying to cover up her awkward pause.

A series of groans echoed through the room. While his colleagues looked fondly exasperated, Severus himself scowled darkly. Fantastic. Another horridly spoilt and arrogant golden boy to infest the halls. A miniature James Potter, going about provoking and attacking whomever he pleased without reprehension. And provoke Severus he would. Fooling around uselessly with his Lily-Potter hair and Lily's-but-not-quite-Lily's eyes. Haunting Severus alternately with one ghost that the child would never be able to live up to and yet another one that the brat could - easily.

"Which house do you think Miss Potter will sort into, Minerva?" Pomona questioned. The blasted woman! He was very much sick of this topic of conversation already. The others, Albus and Filius, nodded in anticipation. Where had all these asinine queries come from? The Potter brats were mentioned and suddenly the teachers' meeting had morphed into a fishwives' market! It was disgusting how eager they all were. Severus could already see them pandering desperately to the insolent little urchins.

"Well, Miss Potter showed a fair bit of bravery today. She led her brother around Diagon Alley unsupervised, despite it being their first trip. I wouldn't have left them alone, but as it happens I had some errands to accomplish." The Gryffindor Head smiled proudly at this declaration. The brats had probably been too impatient to wait and decided that they should walk about themselves. Unprotected. In an unfamiliar place. Where any adult wizard could have easily made off with them. Conceited, pampered little morons. Gryffindors.

"She's also very willing to learn. She bought at least twice as many books as stated in the supply list! She asked many questions that were rather astute," Minerva directed at the Ravenclaw Head.

'Marvellous, just what we need - a haughty little know-it-all,' Severus snarked to himself.

"Additionally, Miss Potter showed a very fierce loyalty to her brother. Can you believe she requested to delay her education by two years just so she didn't have to leave Mr Potter behind? Goodness, she was devastated when I told her she couldn't." The Hufflepuff Head looked pleased that the girl might be in her house. Severus rather believed that the spoiled whelp was just used to getting her way. Oh, it would so gratifying to force-feed the girl the humility and discipline she so sorely lacked.

Minerva then looked apologetically at him and explained that she hadn't noticed any Slytherin traits in darling Miss Potter. Was he supposed to be disappointed at this? Rant and rave about the loss of such a talent to his house? He must have made a suitably derogative comment, perhaps even voiced his earlier thoughts aloud, because now Minerva wore the pinched expression she reserved for irksome troublemakers. Really, as if any of Potter's offspring would have even an iota of cunning.

Now, that muggleborn girl at Slug and Jiggers on the other hand...