Wonderwall

Back at last

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"Students and staff!" The pleasant yet loud voice of Minerva McGonagall carried through the entire Great Hall as another term at Hogwarts begins. "I welcome you to another year at Hogwarts! Welcome! Welcome!" She emitted a warm aura though her face remained stoic, as the majority of the student body stared up at her in admiration. Well, except those who doesn't really understand and care, but not that they are many.

This was the same woman who was stunned five times by death eaters and still managed, the very same woman who stood in front of the Boy-Who-Lived when it was threatened, and the one who led an army to stall the Dark Lord himself.

Now who wouldn't come to idolize someone like that! Hermione told herself, she's the epitome of a 'Badass' and the witch internally giggled.

Suddenly, Hermione felt a searing pain on her forehead, like something Harry described when taking Occlumency, and realized she herself was being probed. Immediately, she raised her walls and looked around for the perpetrator.  Nothing. Everything seemed normal, but she could really feel it. It's not that hard to miss, especially when you're an Empath.

"Is everything ok?" Her boyfriend asked and she was brought back to reality. She looked over to Ron to see concern written all over his face. Nodding vigorously, she noticed that the plates had been filled with food, she had missed the rest of the Headmistress' speech.

"Hermione?" Ginny asked from Harry's side, she smiled at her and beckoned her to eat.

They ate, spoke and had fun while catching up with their other friends, talking about their own experiences during and after the war. One thing seemed to be common, that each of them had become into some sort of celebrity, hence,  their movements - no matter how miniscule- were documented in the Prophet.

However, the brightest witch of her age felt something, as if she was being watched...again. This time she was keen on finding answers, which she soon regretted. There's only a handful of people who knows about the art of 'Probing and Protecting'- as her book put it. More importantly, she knows only one other person who knows how to practice it.

What could he possibly want?

....

Severus remained on his seat, not bothering to even cast the food on his plate a glance. Let's just say he had lost his appetite to a more enticing subject.

How the..?

He'd been trying to probe the Gryffindor Princess' mind for about twenty minutes, surprised with his lack of success. It oggled his mind, where did she learn? How, in Merlin's hairy armpits did the chit able to withstand him, one of (oh no, now he was the only one) Britain's best legilimens? Without even breaking much sweat, whereas he, underneath his extensive robes, is now feeling as if he was inside an oven? How?

"Brilliant one, isn't she?" Slughorn asked beside him, and he lazily stared at the old man.

"Whichever are you talking about?" He asked impassively, the old man sipping his drink before answering casually.

"Miss Granger, of course!" Looking once again at the girl, he noticed she had barely eaten. Is she on a diet, is she tired of the food here? Well, not that he mind of course. "Actually, I plan on offering her the apprenticeship for Potions." Severus raised an eyebrow at this, curious, oh what would she be like if she'd get to be a coworker.

"I'm sorry, Horace." Flitwick interjected from the far end of the table. "But I was under the impression that I, would be her mentor."

"Boys, boys, now don't get your knickers in a twist." Minerva reprimanded the two who now looked like they were to actually duel here atop the High Table. Severus smirked, oh what he would give to see who wins. 

"Now, don't you think Miss Granger would prefer, apprenticing under me?" The Headmistress stated smugly, oh now, it's just become more interesting. From the opposite side of the table he could see Poppy and Vector passing galleons under the table, a subtle hint of a betting game. He must admit, he find it impressive to see half of the Hogwarts staff fighting over to have the brightest witch of her age as their apprentice.

Not that he would admit it to her face.

The Potions Master turned towards the object of their chatter, only to find it staring at him with a blank visage. It suddenly leered at him and he heard a voice inside his head.

Looking for anything in particular, sir?

She then had those pair of caramel brown eyes boring into his, a hint of subtle playfulness along her face. She was smirking, why the nerve?! He projected, but realized she had broken the connection and turned to her plate. Now digging in with a gusto.