Redemption

11

A few weeks went by without further incident involving the article. People began to forget, at least the students did. The teachers had all been expecting it. It appeared that this truly did happen far too often.

However, it seemed the ministry had been notified of something going on at Hogwarts because the Head of the board of education was coming in to speak to the headmistress and a few other professors. Including myself and Professor Snape.

Was I nervous? Yes, most definitely.

We were told that Lucius Malfoy had stepped down from his post and another Head of the department had been instated. No one had any idea who it was. Not even McGonagall.

I played with my fingers as I waited in the Headmistress' office with my mentor and several other of my former professors.

A knock at the door signalled the ministry worker's arrival and everyone tensed a bit, except Snape.

I turned to catch a glimpse of the newcomer as Minerva hurried over.

It was a tall, slightly curvy woman with golden blonde curls. She wore burgundy robes and a matching dress that hugged and accentuated her figure. She had bright, caramel coloured eyes that sparkled when she saw the Headmistress. In her arms was a baby, of only a few months old.

"Oh, Professor McGonagall! How lovely to see you again! It's been so long." Said the woman. Her voice was soft and light, kindness lacing every word.

From the corner of my eye, I saw my instructor's face go pale. He hadn't yet turned around though it seemed that he knew her voice, yet was not expecting her presence.

The former Head of Gryffindor cooed over the baby. "Who's this little one?" She asked.

I saw the woman smile, showing off dazzling white teeth. "This is Mavis, my youngest daughter. My eldest, Waverly, attends school here. She'd be in Professor Flitwick's House."

Flitwick waddled over to the tall woman and smiled up at her. "Ah yes, little Miss Waverly. She's a lovely student, very clever, as you were."

She laughed. "Why, thank you! How kind of you to say."

I simply could not tear my eyes away from the breathtaking woman before us, she looked so familiar. Snape had taken a step toward the window, away from the group of people surrounding the woman. Unfortunately, she had noticed.

"Professor Snape." I heard her call out. Her voice grew calm, a little more than a hint of sadness showing through.

He finally turned around and the look I saw in his onyx eyes was haunting. I'd never seen anything like it before. He walked towards us again and stopped by my side, he seemed afraid to go any closer. She shifted the baby's weight to her other hip and looked straight at him.

McGonagall sensed something in the air and backed away, leaving them space.

"Eloise." He said, taking another step closer to her.

They gazed into the other's eyes with a fire burning in each. You had to be ridiculously daft not to see it. She stepped further once more and they were face to face. The sexual tension between them was so thick I could have sliced it with a knife.

He was lost in her eyes, and she in his. To be honest, it tweaked at my tender heart.

"You never came back." She whispered, tears brimming in her once bright eyes. I recognised her then. She was the woman Snape had danced with the night of the ball, two months prior.

He closed his eyes and looked away a moment before looking at the baby. "This is a discussion to continue later, in the privacy of my office."

She nodded and turned away from him slightly so that the baby could get a good look at the man.