Redemption

3

I woke up to a dark room. It was unfamiliar and I didn't do well with unfamiliar.

I looked down and tried to adjust my eyes to the darkness. It took a while, but I noticed that I was in a large four poster bed. Much larger that the ones in the dorms. The dark, heavy curtains were drawn. The blankets wrapped around me were soft and smelled off the Potions class.

The smell was comforting. I felt more at peace than I had in years. I was where I needed to be.

I was home.

I stood up and pushed back the curtains to a dimly lit room. The only light came from a few floating candles and the fire that glowed in the fireplace. The whole room smelled of damp earth and old books. The familiarity set me at ease.

There was a gentle knock at the heavy door at the end of the room.

I approached it cautiously, wand in hand. I opened it very slowly and relaxed when I saw a house elf on the other side.

"Minky has a message for Miss Granger!" The elf squeaked, she seemed nervous. I'd never seen her around before. Maybe she was one of the new additions.

"Hello, Minky. What is your message?" I crouched down to the elf's height to speak to her.

She wrapped her hands in the filthy pillowcase she wore. "Professor Snape wanted to make sure you were alright, he heard you being upset in your sleep. He wants you to report to his classroom as soon as you are ready."

My heart sank. Apparently, the walls aren't as soundproof as I'd hoped. "Alright, thank you Minky. Tell Professor Snape that I'll be there in 5 minutes."

I turned back to the room after she left and walked over to my bag that had been dropped off. My mind was still reeling. Snape was alive. Actually alive, and at Hogwarts. Why didn't anyone know? Why so secretive?

I changed into some jeans and a wool sweater, seeing as the dungeons were rather chilly, and made my way out the door.

The Potions classroom was actually directly across the hall from the room I had left. I could get used to that.

I knocked at the door and entered after hearing his usual bored drawl.

"Good morning, Professor." I said, standing before his desk awkwardly.

He was sitting in his chair, leaning back, an ankle resting on the opposite knee, book in hand. It was the most normal thing I'd ever seen him do and to be perfectly honest, surprised me.

When he noticed I was there, he replaced his bookmark and sat up straight, unfolding his relatively long legs. The man was quite tall, maybe even taller than Ron.

Oh, Ron. He was right. Perhaps this wasn't the wisest choice I made.

"Good morning, Miss Granger." He replied, not unkindly. "If you could pull up that chair and sit right here, that'd be appreciated. I'd get it myself, but seeing as you're already standing,"

I nodded and grab the chair from the student desk and sat across from him. "Sure, no problem."

He cleared his throat before speaking and loosened his collar. "Now, if you are going to be under my supervision we need to make a few things clear."

I waited for his instructions.

"You will report to me every morning to receive the day's plan at 7:30 sharp. You will complete the tasks I ask of you, no questions asked. If you feel uneasy at all in my presence or with my instructions, you will report to the Headmistress. If I am unsatisfied by your performance, I will put in a request for a new apprentice. Do not disappoint me, Miss Granger. Is that clear?" He finished, looking at me expectantly.

I nodded. "Crystal, sir."

"Excellent." He shuffled around his desk for something and handed me a neatly printed Ministry document and a quill. "You'll need to sign this in the designated areas. It is just to say that you have understood and will follow the rules, reglementation, and code of conduct of the student-teacher relationship and work habits."

I scanned it quickly before signing. "They're very thorough."

He smirked. "Yes, well, they have been ever since the end of the war. Security measures. You can't have just anyone roaming the halls, now can we?"

I handed back the papers and Snape read them over one last time.

"As you may have noticed, your personal chambers are just across the hall. If you need anything, feel free to notify any of the staff. My office is just behind that door, should you need me." The man said, pointing to a black door behind him.

"Thank you, professor." I smiled gently.

He looked at me with a strange look in his eyes, but it was quickly clouded by the mask of indifference that I had grown up knowing.

"If you wish to discuss a personal matter, I suggest you ask someone else. I think it wise to keep things strictly professional, understood?" He said suddenly.

I thought that it was a very strange thing to say, but nodded all the same.

"Yes, sir."

He nodded curtly and leaned back into his chair. "Your first instructions are to take the day off. You had quite the shock yesterday and you didn't sleep very well. I could hear your restlessness through the walls."

I tried to protest, but he wouldn't have any of it.

"This isn't a suggestion, Miss Granger, this is an order." The scary tone he used with misbehaving students crept into his voice as he leaned towards me, fixating me. "If I learn that you disobey me, you will suffer the consequences and you may recall that I am not the kindest of teachers."

I swallowed thickly and nodded. Merlin, this man was terrifying.