Severed Ties || Severus Snape

Prologue

"I read your letter," he began. "Very professional. I see I've taught you well."

Emma couldn't help but chuckle. "You certainly have, Professor."

"You'd like to apply for the post of Healing teacher, is that right?"

She nodded uncomfortably, then caught herself. Show confidence. "Yes, sir."

"You do realise that post does not currently exist?"

Her hand habitually lifted back up towards the tip of her braid. "Yes, sir."

A smile spread across his face. "I invited you here for a reason, dear. Your letter had me curious. Now, it's up to you to convince me. Why should Hogwarts teach Healing?"

Emma's chin raised. This was a question she'd expected. She'd practiced this. So why wouldn't the damned words come out? She took a deep breath.

"It is important for the students to know how to fix themselves up if something happens. Madam Pomfrey isn't always going to be around to do it for them." She stumbled over the words she'd so carefully prepared. "The amount of patients I've seen at St Mungo's who could be patched up with a simple Episkey is shameful. I believe this is something we should tackle at the root: people's education."

She held her breath, waiting for Dumbledore's response.

He nodded slowly. "A fair point..."

"I'm not asking for much," she rambled on. If he was going to turn her offer down, she'd better have said everything she came here to say. "I've seen the ads for the Defence Against the Dark Arts position over the years, I know teaching doesn't pay much. It doesn't matter to me. I just want to help those children become functioning adults. I've got the experience –"

"I know you do," Professor Dumbledore interrupted her. "I've seen some of the seminars you've lead, and I've heard nothing but wonderful stories about you. Which is why I'm wondering why you're here. Like you say, teaching doesn't pay very much. It's not as... adventurous as working in a hospital. And judging from your past experience, you haven't shown much interest in working with children before. All in all it seems like you'd be much happier back at St Mungo's."

Her heart sank. He wasn't going to hire her. She was sure of it. Her eyes flicked to her hands, as she rubbed them nervously together in her lap. St Mungo's... She'd never go back there.

"Unfortunately, I've had to leave my job at the hospital... for personal reasons. I'm looking for a change of scenery, Professor, a place to start over. Hogwarts seems like the perfect place to do that."

As silence fell, Emma couldn't bring herself to look up at her old headmaster. She'd been so hopeful when he'd invited her for an interview. If he declined her offer... She had no idea where she'd go.

"I'm here because I believe I'd be a good teacher, Professor," she added. "All my seminars and lectures have prepared me for a job like this. While I've not worked at the children's ward, that doesn't mean I never worked with children. I've always loved it. I've always felt a child on my ward was a wonderful change of pace. I'm ready to make that change permanently. I... I know what this job means, Professor. I'm not here for just a few months. I'm here to stay. If... If you'll let me."

The silence was pressing. It almost pushed the air right back out of Emma's lungs. Nerves fluttered in her stomach, making it even harder for her to breathe.

"May I ask you a rather... personal question, Miss Moore?" said Dumbledore suddenly.

She looked up curiously, but the wrinkles on his face betrayed nothing. "Of course." Whether she'd answer it, was a whole other story.

"Do you know what became of your old friend?"

Her eyebrows shot up. Her old friend? He couldn't mean... But who else? He was the only friend she'd had, apart from Lily. And she was sure he didn't mean Lily; they'd spoken at her funeral, after all. There was only one person he could be talking about.

Of course she knew what happened to him. He joined the Death Eaters. They hadn't spoken in over a decade. And after all those years, the mere memory of him still hurt like the sting of a Blast-Ended Skrewt. She couldn't ever see him again. She'd lose herself all over again. Fortunately, she'd never run into him since they broke contact. Whatever he did now, since You-Know-Who's defeat, it must've taken him far away, possibly overseas.

"Yes," she said eventually. "Yes, I do. But surely that has nothing to do with me?"

For a few seconds, he just looked at her over the rim of his glasses. His gaze tore deep into her soul, as if he was searching for something. Just as she started to wonder what exactly it was he was looking for, his lips twitched up into a smile.

"Well then," he said. "I can safely say you've convinced me of the need for a Healing teacher. I have no doubt you are competent and qualified for the job. Shall I send you an owl with the contract then?"

Emma's jaw dropped as the words registered in her brain. "Uh... W... Yes! Yes, thank you, so much! I... I promise I won't disappoint you."

Dumbledore chuckled. "You never have before, so I'm sure you won't start now." He stood up and held out his hand. "Minerva will send you all the other relevant information. Thank you for this lovely chat, Professor Moore. I will see you in August."