To Protect

31

As Lockhart struggled to neither confirm or deny all these allegations, Snape began to pace over to the overwhelmed Lockhart who for once for the entire year did not have a beaming grin, but a nervous frown. "I however, certainly remember you saying you were sorry you hadn't had a crack at the monster before Hagrid was arrested. Didn't you say that the whole affair had been bungled, and that you should have been given a free rein from the first?"

That caused Lockhart to stare at his colleagues with a frozen face and dripping of nervous sweat.

"Than it's settled, Lockhart will go fetch the monster and bring it to justice." Mcgonagall comments

"Yes, well, let me go to my office where I shall begin my journey!" Said Lockhart who than left the group of Professors

"Now that he's out of the way, I assure that everyone shall go back to their dormitories and inform your students the news." Mcgonagall had said which everyone agreed to.

One by one staff had left the room, Snape extended a hand to Eleanor who still sat against the wall with her knees to her chest, she gently took his much larger hand as he effortlessly pulled her up before they left the room.

"That was very slick of you, of what you did back there." Eleanor comments as they walked the empty halls. She crossed her arms and kept her eyes glued to the polished floor.

"Well, if one of the Professors must get eaten by a monster, it has to be him." A chuckled laugh came from him slightly before it died, the look on Eleanors face was saddened due to the recent news.

"Why dont we have a drink?" He finally asked, "Just to talk."

Eleanor looked up, "shouldn't you inform your house what's going on?" Eleanor asked, but Snape shrugged a bit.

"They can wait." He says and lead Eleanor toward his own sleeping chamber.

Eleanor analyzed his room as she walked in. The room itself was cluttered with books, empty and full vials of liquids or ingredients from potions scattered along the room and a bed was centered in between bookshelves.

"Sorry about the tight space." He said walking into his room and pulling a bottle out if a cabinet.

Eleanor didn't say anything. Instead she eyed all the things that surrounded the room. All of the books were old, some had written quill written withing them. The room was expected to be a potions masters room.

Within a few moments Severus came around from behind her with a glass of red wine.

Without a second thought Eleanor took it as he guided her to an armchair to sit.

"I can't believe it's over, so soon at that." Eleanor broke the silence.

Severus looked up, realizing she was talking about the end of Hogwarts.

"I know, I really was expecting more chaos than this." He spoke quietly

Eleanor looked up to him, "What do you mean?"

His eyes flicked back to her, "All I'm saying is that it could have been a lot worse."

Taking in his words, she nodded softly.

"So, now that you're without a job, what are you going to be doing?" She asked him

Severus looked as if he was thinking of it, "I'm not sure, I've been teaching here for the past decade... but I'm sure I can manage to land on my feet. What about you?"

"I only had one purpose here. Harry already knows I'm his aunt, but I'm probably going to be back home." Her hazel eyes gazed into her half empty glass. "Maybe I'll be allowed to pay Harry visits from time to time if I'm careful enough."

"I'm sure he'd like that." He said

The awkward silence was cut short due to Eleanor speaking up, "We're friends, right? You don't hate me or anything?"

"Oh no," he said sarcastically, "That's why I've poisoned your drink."

Eleanor smiled in a thin line, pushing his shoulder playfully, "I was just making sure."

"Yeah, we're friends." He smiled to her, there she was looking more perfect to him than usual, and here he was being in the friend zone for what seemed to be the hundredth time. To that realization his smile slowly vanished from his face, clearing his throat he drowned it with the rest of his wine.