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Chapter 2 Dark Times, Darker Places

"Mum almost didn't let me go back to Hogwarts now that Snape's Headmaster." Ginny said softly.

Harry frowned. "Snape? What about McGonagall?"

The redhead shrugged. "I don't know. I know as much as you do. With two Snapes now, we won't be able to get away with anything. There's no way I'll be able to contact you."

Harry pushed back her long hair and tucked it behind her ear. "It's better that way." He said and pressed a tender kiss to her forehead.

"The Potion's Mistress shouldn't be a problem. She's scary, but she isn't he enemy. Snape is. You can talk to her. She's much nicer than you think." Harry spoke, referring to when the woman had taken all the pain from his head and the rumour that had gone around that she had jumped into the lake to save Annalise Blackburn.

"She frightens me." The youngest Weasley whispered.

Harry nodded. "That's alright. It's mostly just an act though. She used to be friends with Remus and Sirius. That's why he and Tonks were at the wedding. She was the Slytherin Seeker and captain for 5 years. She taught Sirius' younger brother how to play Quidditch."

"I had no idea." Ginny exclaimed.

The boy who lived smiled. "I didn't know either. I was really surprised. You should have seen Ron and Hermione's faces when they heard."

"That's why she attends all the Quidditch matches!"

***

Bill and Fleur's wedding had been a good excuse to stay at the Burrow for as long as they did, but now it was time for the Golden Trio to get on their way and start the quest Dumbledore had layed out for them, though how vague it may be.

"Do you think Hogwarts will be alright?" Hermione asked, she was worried. She loved the school and her teachers.

Harry nodded. "Snape might be Headmaster, but McGonagall still has the control over the school."

The young witch wrapped her arms around herself. "How can you be certain?"

"Even if she doesn't, Snape's wife certainly has a solid reign on the place and she's not bad. She knows Remus." Harry said.

Ron shrugged. "That means nothing, mate. Snape was supposedly Dumbledore's man, remember?"

Memory of watching his mentor falling over the railing of the astronomy tower played through his mind. Ron was right. He had been blinded by the mysterious woman. She knew Lupin and Black, but that didn't mean that she hadn't become bad over the years. She was worse than her husband at the school. More terrifying. So terrifying that during one Dark Arts class, Neville's boggart had morphed from the greasy dungeon bat into the stunning and remarkable witch. She had an aura of darkness around her, but her pale eyes tricked one into believing she was kind and gentle.

***
Eliza had gone to the staff room to prepare a cup of tea and sat in one of the large armchairs before the fireplace.

She had a shawl draped around her shoulders. She had changed out of her formal robes and wore a dark, royal blue velvet dress. The sleeves were tight and the bodice too. The skirt of the dress flowed around her as she walked. Her shawl was dark grey, the colour of a stormy sea.

Her loose hair hung down to her waist in ringlets and hid her face as she sipped her warm tea.

Another figure walked into the staff room and smiled at her.

"Eliza, dear! I had no idea you'd returned. Wonderful to see you." Said Minerva.

The younger woman smiled back softly and patted the seat of the chair next to her.

The Deputy Headmistress sat down and summoned a cup of steaming tea.

"How are you?" The older witch asked, seeing the sadness in the other's pale eyes.

Eliza turned to face her and a sad smile graced her face. "Lonely."

The Transfiguration professor gave her a knowing look. "I'm sorry you had to go through so much trauma these past few months."

The newly married woman shook her head. "I can't believe it's been a year already since I first arrived here. So much has changed, yet much has remained the same."

"I know what you mean."

Eliza rearranged her shawl and held her cup closer to her. "Dementors make it rather chilly here, don't they?" She said sweetly.

Minerva smiled at the innocence of her statement. She had been victim to such horrors, yet a part of her was still sweet and gentle and fragile. She was like a baby animal, learning to protect herself but sometimes failing. Minerva wanted to make sure she stayed safe. She shouldn't have returned to Hogwarts. Not now.

Her husband wasn't quite who she believed.

Minerva, of course, was oblivious.

***
The students filed into the Great Hall quietly.

It was quite a contrast to the usual excited and jittery energy that enveloped the school.

No one spoke, it was cold and everyone was nervous.

Eliza shivered as she gazed upon the students.

The Dementors had made the once cheerful school cold and desolate.

Severus walked in when all the students had settled and stood at the podium. All the students stared at him wide-eyed. No one dared speak.

"Welcome back," he started. "To Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." The new Head of the school paused.
"The feast will begin after the Sorting. When the feast is over, you Head of House will lead you back to your dormitories. This is a precaution. The school is no longer under the care of merely the teachers. They have no bearing anymore."

Ginny, along with several others gasped. McGonagall was powerless.

"The Ministry has seized the castle. We follow their rules now."

He turned his back to the students and gave Eliza a weary look, motioning for her to speak.

Concern flashed momentarily in her eyes, but it was soon masked by indifference.

Severus sat in the large chair beside Eliza's. The designated chair for the Headmaster.

The woman stood before the school and swallowed thickly before speaking.

"As the Headmaster mentioned earlier, the Heads will lead you back rather than the traditional Headboys and Girls of each house due to a few changes in the school." Every eye was on her.
"Curfew will be taken very seriously this term. We have been generous in the past with students in the past who have been out of bed after hours. All rule breaking and inappropriate behaviour will be reported to me. I am in charge of discipline, beware. The third floor corridor on the right hand side is once again, as it always has been, out of bounds. If you choose to keep your soul, going outside for other reasons than Herbology, Quidditch, Care of Magical Creatures or other activities that have been approved by the Headmaster, is not the wisest idea. The Forbidden Forest is, quite obviously, off-limits. You will report to myself or Professor McGonagall if there are any problems. You will not, under any circumstances, disturb the Headmaster unless you have spoken to one of us beforehand." She took a deep breath.
"I do hope that we see each other often this year. Idid rather enjoy our time together last term." The woman in black robes smiled wickedly.
"As the new Head of Slytherin, I expect that my house remain here after the feast until I escort you to your dormitories. Unless, of course, you'd rather run into the other nasty creatures guarding the castle."

The Potion's Mistress returned to her seat and watched the Sorting ceremony begin.