The Sins of a Father

Chapter Thirty-Three

                   I treaded softly to McGonagall's desk and waited patiently for her to be done with the current work that was in her sight. She looked up once then put her head then did it once more but stopped for a longer moment.

"Ah Miss - do you prefer your mother's or father surname?" she asked, unsure of what my answer would be.

"Snape, I want people to know without it going completely public," I answered softly. McGonagall smiled and gestured for my to come forward. Obediently, I walked closer to her desk until I reached a chair in front of her desk. 

"Very well, Miss Snape, I would've contacted you sooner but seeing on how your father's death affected you so, I wasn't quite sure when you'd be ready to work again. However, school is about to start and I had been wondering if you would consider coming back here and work as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher - you would be allowed to leave for the holidays so that you could visit Mr. Weasley and your brother," she explained. A job offer, just the thing that I needed.  

"I accept thank you Profess - er Headmistress McGonagall," I breathed with a smiled. Smiling at me with a wrinkly grin McGonagall continued.

"Very well, you shall have your Father's old office for now until we can convince one of the other professors to give up their old rooms and I shall see you by the end of this week so that you may prepare for your classes, understood?"

"Yes ma'am and thank you Headmistress but before I go may I ask why you just didn't hire someone older and with more experience?"

"As confused as I was by your father's behavior there's no denying that he was he one of the best professors at Hogwarts and seeing as how he taught you, you should be the same if not better, good day Raven." As she went back to her paperwork I bowed my head and left the room then on a quick whim and feeling of nostalgia I decided to walk about the Castle before it would be filled with students. It seemed weird that in every hall, almost every room a memory with either the Twins or my father, brother or even Draco would pop up and make me smile but then the smile would fade into a frown and pain would replace it's happiness. Even the memories with Draco would cause me to feel sad. The memories with Draco would usually lead to my father pulling me off of him especially after Cedric's funeral. I started to have second thoughts about working here, I wasn't sure if I could do it anymore.

"Raven? Is that you?" in the midst of my contemplation I heard Neville's voice at the end of the hall.

"Hello Neville," I greeted with a lying smile.  We met each other in the middle of the corridor and hugged each other lightly.

"What are you doing here?" he asked with a confident smile. He seemed so relaxed and comfortable even after everything's happened, it felt surreal to me seeing someone move on from the tragedy that took place here barely four months ago.

"Um professor McGon - excuse me - Headmistress McGonagall offered me a job as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and I felt confident at first but now I'm not sure if I want to anymore," I confessed.

"Headmistress McGonagall offered me spot as part time Herbology teacher with Professor Sprout. You've got an offer too that's fantastic, but why don't you want to teach? I thought you were a great teacher, what's got you scared?" he asked,

"Thanks Neville, that's sweet, but looking around at all the rooms, remembering all the memories I've had here my father, brother, George - Fred," my voice ended in a whisper but I continued. "I'm just afraid that I'm going to break down in the middle of class one day. How are you doing it Neville?" Neville looked a smidge uncomfortable at first but then spoke up.

"Well, people die every single day, we're going to loose family and friends but as long as we can keep their memory strong in our hearts then we can overcome anything. I do that for my mum and dad - wait who was your dad?" I kept forgetting that people didn't know.