"Unexpected in what manner?" Snape asked.
"Oh, I'll leave that to you to decide," Dumbledor said. "I assume you wish to continue our discussion from earlier."
"I have deemed it necessary," Snape said, as if chewing on something distasteful. "To ask your advice, Headmaster."
"Indeed," Dumbledor said. "Well, Severus, it has been a long time since we've had one of these chats." The older man walked to a nearby chair and sat down with a thoughtful expression.
"Not since I was a student myself," Snape agreed, taking a similar seat as Dumbledor gestured for him to do so. "Though I do not know why I have bothered, I am quite certain of your answer."
"Indeed, Severus?" Dumbledor asked. He shook his head. "You know me so well?" Snape started to answer, but Dumbledor forestalled him, raising his hand. "My advice is this. Slytherin and its students are the business of the head of Slytherin house. As Hufflepuff and its students are the business of the head of Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and its students are the business of the head of Ravenclaw and..." and Dumbledor leaned forward to give a piercing look toward Severus. "As Gryffindor and its students are the business of the head of Gryffindor house."
"I suspect I understand, sir," Snape said distastefully, standing up. Dumbledor shook his head as Snape turned toward the exit.
"You and James ever brought the worse parts out of the other," Dumbledor said. "And you only see those parts of him and his son."
"There is little else to see in Potter, Headmaster," Snape said.
"He acts as he believes he is expected to act," Dumbledor said. "And the none of the expectations of him; yours, my own, Voldemort's or the rest of our world's; shall allow him a common life. And, I fear, Miss Hecate is in the same situation. Whether they shall be great examples or great disappointments remains to be seen."
"Some of us have already seen it," Snape said sneeringly.
"Well, perhaps," Dumbledor said, smiling. "I hope we have less stressful things to discuss at some point Severus. If we spend all our remaining years seeking monsters and murderers in lost parts of the castle and arguing over the potential of one student or another, it would be poor reward for the years we've given to gain the peace we've enjoyed these eleven years."
"As you say," Snape said, bowing sharply and leaving with his normal flourish.
See other episodes by Thrythlind
(Posted Tue, 24 Dec 2002 19:25)
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