Song Of The Guardians

Arcanus

Hermione walked into the staff room looking harassed. She sat down at the table with a weary sigh before looking around at the room's other occupants. Harry, Draco and Caroline were drinking tea and looking a bit discomposed as well. Professor Snape was sitting at the table with her, reading the Daily Prophet. He acknowledged her presence with a tiny stiff nod.

Perhaps Azkaban had changed him more than she'd thought. Professor Snape had always seemed to prefer solitude, but there he was, sitting calmly among his co-workers. He wasn't being particularly social, but his willingness to tolerate the presence of his former students, especially Harry, was an improvement. He could have easily retreated to his office between classes.

"Rough day Hermione?" Caroline asked, pulling Hermione from her thoughts.

Hermione nodded. "I'm so glad that I have only one more class today," she admitted. "Some of these students are just ridiculous. One second year hufflepuff was actually holding his book upside down."

Snape snorted in amusement, drawing the attention of the other teachers. "You must be referring to Christopher Nalley," he said, turning a page in the Prophet without looking up. "I am greatly anticipating the day that he fails his potions OWL so I will no longer be forced to put up with the little twit."

Hermione groaned and rubbed her temples tiredly. "I just didn't expect all of them to be so... inattentive," she said. "It was the first day of class and they never even attempted to focus on the lesson."

"A bit like having a class full of Potters and Weasleys," Snape commented with a smirk.

"A bit, yeah," Hermione admitted, a grin tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Hermione!" Harry protested while Draco chuckled.

"Honestly Harry," Hermione said shaking her head. "During history of magic, you and Ron never even tried to pay attention."

"Well, you've got me there," Harry agreed with a grin. Caroline shook her head.

"How was your day?" Hermione asked Caroline curiously.

"Better than Harry's," Caroline responded with an impish grin.

At Hermione's questioning look, Harry sighed. "It was a fiasco," he muttered. "The pointing and whispering started as soon as I walked into the classroom."

"Maybe they were talking about how ridiculous your hair looks," Draco suggested, nonchalantly taking a sip of tea. Caroline giggled.

Harry ignored him. "There were many requests for autographs," he said, looking unsettled. "And, one of the seventh years made a pass at me."

"All in a day's work, eh Potter?" Draco said with a smirk. "Tell me, was it a female student?"

"It's not funny," Harry growled. "I'll be supervising detentions every night for the rest of the year."

"Nonsense Potter," said Professor McGonagall, stepping into the staff room. "As the new head of Gryffindor house, you need to whip them into shape. As they say, 'Show them who's boss'."

"I will," Harry said. He glanced at his watch and saw that he still had a bit of free time before he had to be back in his classroom. "Is everything alright Professor McGonagall?" he asked.

"Oh yes. And please, call me Minerva. We're all adults here," the headmistress said. "I was actually looking for Severus." When Snape met her eyes she said "Some of your Slytherins were stirring up trouble in the common room. Will you see to them before your next class? I have a lot to do at the moment."

"Of course Minerva," Snape responded, rising from his chair. He nodded shortly to the others and then followed Minerva out into the hall.

Hermione watched Snape leave with a thoughtful expression. She turned her gaze to Harry when he said "I thought that Snape would be in his office or lab between classes."