The Man Returns (SS/HG)

Acceptance

Snape hesitated before knocking on the half giant's door; even though he desperately needed see Minerva he did not particularly like the owner of the hut. It wasn't that he had anything against the half giant, well other than the smell and the dubious amounts of Dalemount (a highly dangerous rodent that had the ability to decapitate a human's head with one flick of its tail) food lurking around the place. Hagrid had always had a love of dangerous beats and Snape shared that love although his was more for what was inside their bodies than what was outside. Snape only had two reasons to go near the half giant: one was to receive equipment for harvesting ingredients and the other was at the head table when he had to ask the man to pass him the pumpkin juice (apparently using wand-less magic at the table was considered rude...).

So all in all Snape wasn't the happiest person right now (not that he ever was), his main problem was that although he did need to talk to Minerva (a task that theoretically should only take him five minutes) he was obviously going to be welcomed into the the half giant's home with welcome arms. This was the problem. Ever since Snape returned from the "dead" he had been constantly bombarded with questions of his survival, which would normally be proceeded by groans as the person realised that he was actually alive and not just a figment of their imagination. All he wanted was to live his life quietly, and yes he often did ask himself why if he wanted a peaceful life did he return to one of the most hectic schools in the UK. He knew why. Secretly he'd miss it. Hogwarts had been his home for over twenty years, leaving it just felt wrong. Also where would he go? Back to his childhood home of Spinner's End? He didn't want to see that place for at least another twenty years and he was quite happy to let it sit there and rot. And one more thing plagued his mind when he thought of leaving. He genuinely didn't want to -he loved Scotland. The lochs, glens, hills, mountains and forests was what he loved about it. The atmosphere of Hogwarts was too good to just leave. He had experienced the best and the worst parts of his life in and around that castle -no there was no way Severus Snape would leave Hogwarts any time soon. And that pledge and would be cemented by the contents of the letter that he held in his hand.

Drawn back to the present, Snape stood on the first step leading up to the huge front door of Hagrid's hut.

He knocked. He waited. He was half way through turning and leaving when a cheery " 'ello there Severus. Wha' can I do fer you?" came from the door.

Snape turned back around to find Hagrid looking down at him from the doorway. Snape gave a forced fake half smile and a polite nod before asking whether Minerva was inside.

"That she is yea'. Why don't you come on in and sit ya'self down there?" The jolliness of the half giant annoyed Snape immensely, but he followed him in all the same.

Once Snape had become acclimatised to the smell and décor, he looked towards a large oak table and sitting behind that was Minerva.

"Severus, what a pleasant surprise! Do sit yourself down and have a cup of tea. And maybe even one of Hagrid's famous rock-cakes?"

He politely declined the rock-cake stating the fact he had just eaten (if just can be measured by hours then it wasn't a lie). He was not so lucky in declining the cup of tea. So having been sat down (more pushed really) and plied with gallons of hot tea he finally found a space in the conversation to speak to Minerva about his reason to visit.

"Minerva!" He said almost exasperated. "I must speak with you about the finer details of Miss Granger's apprenticeship before I send her letter of acceptance."

"Whart's that Severus? Is 'Ermione comin' home?" Severus  sighed and mentally bashed his head on the table a few times.

"Why yes she is. In fact she is to be Severus's apprentice." Mcgonagall said with a hint of smugness to her voice.

"Blimeh! How did ya get Severus 'ere ta agree ta tha'?" Hagrid looked stunned for a moment before bursting out into a fit of hysterics .

"I'm glad my pain is so hilarious for you half wits..." Severus snarled with a dark look taking residence on his face. 

"Well I can'a say it were easy." Mcgonagall's strong Scottish accent masked most of the sentence, but she continued all the same. "It took a bit of persuading from my side, but I managed to get him to agree; once he'd stopped acting like a sullen child that is."   She paused and turned back to Severus  "I would have thought it would have been perfectly obvious where Miss Granger will be living as she is your apprentice.

Oh Merlin please no... No don't make her stay with me please... I'll do anything! I'll be nice to Hooch! I'll eat a rock-cake... I'll wear yellow and complement Longbottom!-

"She'll be staying with you Severus."

Bugger.

"In the dungeons?" A look of horror appeared on Severus's face as the old witch nodded her head.

"That is where you live is it not?"

"As in my dungeons. With me... For a year and a half?"

"Severus, have you suddenly contracted a vial disease that makes you unable to understand the things I'm saying?"

"No Minerva I have not! I am just surprised that you'd let one of your precious Gryffindors live in close quarters with the head of the snakes." He gave her a non communicative shrug and Minerva pondered his words.

"So you'll let her live with you then?" Minerva said with a raised eyebrow mimicking one of Snape's trademarks.

"If that is what you wish headmistress." Snape said through gritted teeth. He had just been backed into a corner by an old woman in tartan! How humiliating...

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Some time later Severus found himself bidding farewell to the pair and making his way over to the owlery. It was a cold night and Severus was glad of his warm cloak that he wrapped around himself as he reached the first steps of the owlery.

When he got to the top he leaned out the nearest window that looked across the black lake and to the Forbidden Forest which carpeted the surrounding hillsides.  As he looked up he could see his breath spiralling upwards into the early evening sky. It was mostly clear with a few dark clouds skidding over the sky. The remains of the sunset were just visible; the pale pinks started to fade into grays that then in turn faded into pale then dark blue. Yes, Scotland was truly beautiful.

Reluctantly Snape turned around and selected a regal looking short eared owl and presented it with his letter. It happily grabbed his letter and hopped onto the windowsill and turned to him for further instructions.

"Well I suppose you'd better take it to Granger then... Perhaps you could get lost on the way?" The owl gave him a sceptical look but hooted all the same and then took to the skies.   

"Well Ganger our fates are sealed... I just hope we both survive this..."  And with that Snape returned to his dungeons to have his last apprentice free night .