In an Alternate Universe

Chapter 39 ~ Severus Chooses

The next day found Severus and Hermione in the Staff Room, which at Hermione’s suggestion, was converted to a kind of open forum where all interested parties could make and hear the offers being given to the Gryffindor. She felt this would be advantageous to Severus, as his potential mentors would be more competitive. Albus agreed.

About thirty individuals were in evidence. Potions and Charms masters, Ministry representatives, representatives from the private and commercial sectors. It seemed everyone and his mother wanted a piece of Severus Snape.

Master Antoine Vargas was present, his wavy iron gray hair neatly parted down the middle, his gray eyes taking in the competition. With him sat two lovely young women, one black haired with black eyes, the other a stunning redhead with green eyes. Both were from Madam Nasty’s House of Hooch.

Hermione sat next to Severus at a table set up in the front of the room, tight-lipped, her eyes narrowed as she looked at the people before her. She felt as if she were in a room full of vultures ready to pick the young Gryffindor’s bones clean.

There were a number of packages resting in the laps of a few of the potential mentors. Gifts no doubt.

Hermione waited for everyone to settle down then stood up and addressed them.

”Good morning. My name is Hermione Granger and I am Mr. Snape’s potions instructor,” the witch said, purposely not stating she was a Potions mistress. “You all are here to make an offer of either Apprenticeship or sponsorship to Mr. Snape. Each one of you will have five minutes to make your offer and state your case as to why it would be of benefit for Mr. Snape to consider you or your company. After you are all finished with your offers, Mr. Snape will address you. Most likely, no decisions will be made today. You will be contacted at a later date concerning either his acceptance or rejection.”

This was met with murmurs as the wizards and witches present eyed each other.

”In addition,” Hermione added with narrowed eyes, “No gifts will be accepted at this time. If you intend to sway Mr. Snape, it will have to be with your words alone.”

Now the grumbles were louder.

Hermione gestured towards the podium set up before the table.

”Now, who’s first?” she asked.

The first representative was from the Ministry and he focused on Severus’ sense of civic duty, citing that his talent would be best used to serve the public rather than for personal gain, which met with a few hisses from the audience.

The next was a Potions master who offered him room and board and a small monthly allowance. Actually, a pretty standard offer without any perks.

One after the other, the group made their pitches, each offer becoming more materially oriented, offering signing bonuses, expense accounts, vacation time and even personal house elves to serve him.

Severus wasn’t big on house elf servitude and for a time he had tried to get the little creatures rights and pay. It didn’t work out since the elves were perfectly happy to be servants and actually coveted kind masters.

Finally Master Vargas made his pitch, majestically approaching the podium with the two lovely young women. He looked around the room disdainfully then eyed Severus as Hermione frowned slightly as she looked at the two prostitutes in tow.

”Mr. Snape. My name is Antoine Vargas. Surely you’ve heard of me,” he said to the wizard addressing him directly.

”Yes, sir,” Severus answered.

“I am well-known and respected throughout the wizarding world as the foremost authority on Potions and potions development. I have access to great stores of ingredients as well as have brews in development which would boggle your mind, young man. My name alone will provide you immediate respect among your peers. I do not approach just anyone to be an apprentice. Not only would you have lodgings here in England, but also in Bulgaria, Paris and the Ukraine. I can match and double any offer that’s been made to you here, and will do so willingly if you sign on with me. Not to mention offer you . . . other perks, perks a wizard of your tender age would no doubt appreciate . . . “

Here the young women smiled at Severus suggestively, the redhead even running her tongue around her full lips.

Severus swallowed and blinked at the girls. Hermione made a little noise in the back of her throat . . . very close to a growl.

Vargas smiled in a very predatory fashion.

”You would be wise to align yourself with me, Mr. Snape. Everything you dream of will be made available to you. All I need is your name on the dotted line and your future as a Potions master will be assured. Think on it, boy,” he said, “you’d be a fool to pass up such an opportunity.”

Severus stared at the wizard but didn’t reply. Vargas would double everything the others offered him? Wow. Suddenly, Hermione tapped him on the shoulder.

”You have to go add Hellsbore to the brewing,” she said to him in a low voice.

”Oh, yeah,” Severus said rising and quickly exiting the room, Vargas still at the podium.

”Where is he going?” the wizard huffed, very put out the young wizard left in such a manner.

”He will be back shortly. He is working on a brew,” she said to the wizard evenly.

Everyone looked interested.

”What kind of brew?” Vargas asked her.

”I’m afraid that is between Mr. Snape and myself,” Hermione said to irritate him.

Vargas snorted.

“I suppose you are attempting to claim as much of the boy’s work as you can before he is stolen from you, Professor Granger,” he said contemptuously.

Hermione’s eyes glittered.

”You should know quite a bit about stealing, Master Vargas,” she said, a nasty curl to her lips as her eyes glittered.

A low gasp rose from the audience.

”What are you trying to insinuate, professor?” Vargas demanded.

”I’m not ‘insinuating’ anything master Vargas. You’re a thief. Maybe the rest of these people here won’t call you on it, because they are active in the Potions community and a word from you can get them blacklisted, but I don’t have that problem,” she said to him.

“That’s because you are a nobody, professor. Your only claim to fame is creating a potion that nearly cost us the entire wizarding world when you served the Dark Lord. It’s a wonder you aren’t in Azkaban where you belong,” he spat at the witch. “If not for you, Voldemort would have never become as powerful as he was.”

Hermione’s eyes narrowed.

”That may or may not be true, master Vargas,” she said to him in a low, dangerous voice, her wand hand itching. “But where were you when he was rising to power? What did you do to try and stop the spread of his evil? I was young and impressionable when I created that elixir. Like Mr. Snape is now. When I discovered the depths of his evil, I did everything in my power to bring him down, unlike you . . . sir, who found it more expedient to take up residence in Paris until his demise. You are not only a thief . . . you are a coward too. How dare you stand here in judgment of me when you milk your apprentices of their creations and theories, claiming them as your own?”

”How dare you!” Vargas snarled, drawing his wand as Hermione leapt up, her own wand drawn. The audience all jumped up as well, drawing back from the snarling pair.

”Professor Granger!” professor Flitwick cried in protestation.

”Shut up, Filius,” Hermione growled, her eyes on Vargas, who was beet red. The prostitutes had quickly withdrawn and he stood alone at the podium.

Suddenly, the door opened and Severus entered. He stopped when he saw Hermione and Vargas standing off. He quickly ran forward, pulling out his wand and pointing it at Vargas as well.

”What’s going on here?” he demanded of the wizard, “why do you have your wand on my professor?”

Vargas looked at the young wizard, whose face was contorted angrily.

”Just a small disagreement, Mr. Snape,” he said smoothly, “I don’t plan on injuring your teacher.”

”Then lower your wand, sir,” the boy said, ready to blast him.

Vargas hesitated, then did as Severus said, returning his wand to his pocket and straightening his robes.

Hermione lowered her wand too, though she looked as if she’d still like to blast the fat fucker. She sat back down.

Severus walked up to the table and asked her was she all right.

”I’m fine,” she said shortly.

Vargas recovered quickly.

”Now, has everyone made their offers?” he asked, knowing they all had been made. He made sure he would be the last person Severus heard.

Hermione sat there a moment, then said, “No, not everyone. I have yet to make my offer.”

Vargas stared at her in disbelief, then broke out in rich laughter as the others returned to their seats.

”You? You wish to make this talented young man an offer for Apprenticeship? You haven’t produced anything of worth or note, other than that evil elixir you fed the Dark Lord. Besides, where would you house the boy? That shack at Spinners End? And how could you even afford his upkeep? You’re little more than a pauper, Mistress Granger. He’d be a fool to sign on with such a failure as yourself,” Vargas said disparagingly.

Severus bristled. He wanted to hex Vargas badly for what he said.

Hermione considered him.

”Just because I haven’t registered any original potions, Master Vargas, does not mean I haven’t created any, because I have. I just prefer to keep them to myself. And as to what I have to offer Mr. Snape, you will hear in a moment,” she said evenly. “Now if you will leave the podium so I can make my offer . . . ”

Vargas snorted and left the podium, returning to his seat and watching as the diminutive witch replaced him. Hermione looked at Severus.

”Mr. Snape, what Mr. Vargas has said about my financial state is true. I am barely solvent and cannot offer you chateaus in Paris or whores,” she said, “but what I can offer you is this, a non-binding Apprenticeship which you can leave whenever you feel it is no longer beneficial to you as well as full rights and credit for all your discoveries and creations for the duration of said Apprenticeship.”

Cries of protest went up from all around the room. Vargas looked at Hermione incredulously. She wasn’t going to cash in on the boy? Preposterous. He leapt to his feet.

”Mistress Granger! That just isn’t done!” he cried.

Hermione turned and gave him a wicked smile.

”I can set whatever terms I like on my offer,” she purred at him. “Now, out-perk that, master Vargas.”

Vargas stared at her for a moment, then looked at Severus desperately.

”She’s offering you nothing!” he told the young wizard, who looked at him with narrowed eyes.

”But Master Vargas, you said you could match anyone’s offer here. Can you match Professor Granger’s?” Severus asked him coldly.

Vargas didn’t reply.

”Can any of you?” Severus asked the crowd, who all shifted uncomfortably as if one entity.

None of them could. They all wanted to lock him into a straight four year Apprenticeship that he couldn’t leave. If he did so, he could never register anything he created for the rest of his life . . . if he did, it could be claimed because of the broken agreement. Of course, they also wanted the credit and residuals for whatever he did accomplish while apprenticed.

Hermione’s offer was much better for the wizard. He could earn money from his creations for the rest of his life as well as take the credit for them. There was nothing in it for Hermione other than the pleasure of teaching a talented individual and the satisfaction of seeing him become a great Potions master under her tutelage.

”I see,” Severus said, his eyes sweeping over the room full of silent individuals. “Well, I wasn’t going to make my decision today, but seeing how no one can match what professor Granger is offering, I’ve decided to go with her. So you all don’t have to wait.”

”What?” Vargas roared. “You little idiot! How can you pass up what I’m offering you? Immediate fame, recognition, women!”

Severus rose, walked from around the table and up to Hermione, his black eyes on Vargas.

”Just like this, sir,” he said softly, taking Hermione’s hand and shaking it firmly.

”You have an apprentice, Professor Granger,” he said with a smile.

Hermione smirked at him and turned to face Vargas.

”Now, that’s settled, Vargas. Get out of my school,” she said to him, scowling.

Vargas’ expression was terrible as he looked at Hermione, then he turned and pushed his way through the others, the young witches mincing after him. Hermione and Severus watched as the rest of the potential sponsors trailed out of the room, grumbling. Finally, they were alone. Severus smiled at her and Hermione gave him a smile back. A real one.

“So, Mistress,” the Gryffindor purred, “I think a celebration is in order don’t you?”

He lifted her hand and kissed it.

Hermione considered him. Severus had been ready to blast Vargas off his feet without knowing what was going on. And he gave her a much needed victory over the pompous wizard. Vargas’ notoriety and riches did nothing for him this time. No one had ever turned him down . . . until today. Hermione would always be known at the Potions mistress who bested Vargas. It would be in the papers tomorrow for sure.

”I think you may be right, Apprentice,” she said to the young wizard, her eyes going hot.

”Tonight.”

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A/N: Thanks for reading. ***