The Potions Master's New Glasses - Severus Snape (COMPLETE)

Administration

Severus was in his office, doing the thing he loathed: administration. The students had finally gone home for the summer, and Severus was now back from his measly two-day holiday to the wonderful paradise of Spinners End. Minerva wanted him to go through the new students arriving in September and note down whose parents and/or siblings had been in Slytherin. Minerva insisted that it was an annual task so that, if there was a problem with someone's allotted house, they would know why. However, given that Filius and Pomona hadn't been called in, Severus suspected that it was really to see who might be targeted if they had Death Eaters in the family. The war hadn't been over that long.

*

Minerva came in around lunchtime, looking rather harried.

"Hello, Severus. You wouldn't mind signing some documents for me, would you?"

"What for?" He raised an eyebrow. He was rarely called upon for that kind of thing.

"The suppliers we were using for your more precious materials has recently gone under. We were informed yesterday that if we passed on our orders to a new company they've recommended we'll get an item free of charge."

"Good of them, I suppose," replied Snape. "So, where am I signing?" The parchment consisted of many squiggly lines.

"Here," Minerva pointed at the bottom, a little crease forming between her eyes. Severus quickly picked up his quill and scribbled his signature before he could lose track of where the line was. The suppliers always needed the name of the Potions Master to check that the ingredients were being used for the right purposes. "Thank you, Severus. I'll see you in a bit for lunch." And Minerva left.

He had now been sinking into the depression that was blindness for almost a year now. He was twenty-six, for goodness' sake!

* 

When Minerva arrived in the Great Hall, only Albus, Filius and Pomona were there. Severus had yet to arrive, so she went to sit by Albus.

"Hello Minerva," he greeted. "How are you?"

"Worried," she replied. Albus gave her an inquiring look. "Concerned, really. About our favourite, dark-eyed member of staff."

"What is it about Severus?" Albus asked, now frowning.

"I went to office this morning," she began. "Our suppliers for potions have had to change due to Slug and Jiggers' recent bankruptcy, you know, and I had to get Severus to sign a document of verification. And then he asked me where!"

"Where what?"

"Where to sign his signature! There was a line, clearly at the bottom!"

Understanding dawned on Dumbledore.

"He couldn't see it."

"No," Minerva responded. "I'm worried that he hasn't admitted this."

Albus stood and nodded to her.

"I'll check in on him later. Don't worry unduly, Minerva. It will be resolved."