The Man Returns (SS/HG)

Hellos

This chapter has been absolutely hell to get going, hence the long wait for an update. I have made a few alterations to the end of the last chapter so Hermione is not at the front gates to Hogwarts, but has apparited to the train station in the forest seen at the end of The Order of The Phoenix (sorry about the change but it works in better with the story this way). I don't know about this chapter it just really didn't want to be written so I hope it's okay.

Just a quick warning... The geography of Hogwarts may not be totally correct as I can not find a detailed floor plan of the school. Mainly the entrances and exits to the grounds might be wrong, but bear with me.

And without further ado enter Hermione...

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Hermione looked up to where she assumed the main body of Hogwarts castle would have been... Only she couldn't see the castle as there was a rather large forest in the way. She had apparated to the train station within the forbidden forest where the coaches normally took the students up to the school. Only there was one problem... there was no coach.

"Well this is a perfect start to the year!" Hermione huffed to the surrounding area as she placed her hands on her hips and looked around. Trees. Literally there was just trees... As far as the eye could see there was nothing but the regular evergreens of the forest souronding Hogwarts.

As any good academic would have done Hermione assessed her situation. She started this process by talking to herself, which was a habit she had done throughout her childhood.  "Right... So I'm definitely stranded!" She looked around and chewed her lip apprehensively as she thought about her options. "Well I suppose there's only one thing for it!" And with that she placed her wand up her sleeve and started walking. From what she could remember it only took half an hour by carriage to get up to the school, but that was via the aid of a Thestral... 'So it shouldn't take more than two hours then... Great!' She thought to herself sarcastically.

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It had just passed twenty to seven and dinner that evening was drawing to a close. As school had not officially started yet dinner was not its normal grand feast, but only a simple stew to tide everyone over until later when supper would be served. Minerva sighed to herself and took out her old watch that hung on a golden necklace around her neck.

"Oh for Merlin's sake woman! Would you stop looking at the blasted thing. The time hasn't changed that drastically since the last moment you checked it." Severus, as always, was being delightful dinner company. And had been continuously glaring his stew for the past half an hour.

"Alright alright! What's got your wand in a twist?" Minerva snapped back at him.

"What other than the fact this is my last night of freedom for the foreseeable future? Or the fact that partly against my will I will be shackled to a infuriating know-it-all for the next how many ever years? You do realise that tonight is the last evening that I will be able to enjoy the please and quiet that comes with not having an apprentice. And it's all your fault."

'Oh he's in one of 'those' moods...' Minerva knew better than to argue with Severus when he acted like a child. She wouldn't be surprised if he suddenly sat up straight in his chair, crossed his arms and pouted for a while. No, Severus was not in the chatting mood as if he was capable of such a mood.

"Oh come now it's not going to be that bad. It is only Miss Granger you know." She chuckled to herself when he spluttered into his goblet and wore a disgusted look upon her face. "Severus? Are you quite well?" She said with a hint mocking and faux concern in her tone.