Harry Potter and Hermione Granger walked out of the Floo, hand in hand as they arrived back from their week-long vacation.
"My Lord!" a happy squeal of excitement greeted them as Luna, once again, tackled him.
"Luna, you do know we are going to spend a week together after Ginny and I return."
"Oh I know, but I just missed you so much!"
The two older teens smiled down at the lovable blonde, until an adult cleared his throat from the doorway.
"Hey pup, how was your time… to be honest I'm surprised you two aren't carrying more books…"
Hermione blushed deeply, before gesturing towards the bag she had securely wrapped around her arm, "Expansion Charm… there are a lot of books…"
The boy-who-lived merely smiled, he had purchased enough to keep the bushy-haired Witch busy for at least a full year of reading, much to her protest on how he 'shouldn't spend so much'.
Sirius grinned as well, "I hope you paid him back for them" he teased, earning another confirming blush from the girl. "Hey uh pup, before we get off topic we sorta need to talk with you before you go running off with Ginny."
"Of course, let me just help Hermione unpack and…"
A snap echoed through the room as a rather irritated House-elf appeared, grabbed the bags, and disappeared again all the while muttering about how 'Master was taking away work from good, honest Dobby.'
"Or not…"
"Go on ahead Harry, I want to catch up with the girls anyway."
Nodding, the emerald-eyed boy followed his godfather into the sitting room, where minutes later the other adults of his inner circle joined.
"Black…" Snape growled in annoyance, "I thought we agreed this wasn't a necessary interruption."
"We aren't interrupting, Harry is between vacations and it is important Snape, so swallow your damned pride and just get on with it."
The Potion master bit back a response, before sighing and producing the letter sent to him a week prior by Dumbledore. Once handed over the boy skimmed over it, his eyes narrowing in annoyance as he took it in. "How… irritating. A piece on the board changes color and Dumbledore moves to neutralize it."
This wasn't the first time Snape had thought of the Headmaster as a 'Chess Master' and had often wondered his own role in the game.
A knight? A pawn?
"Oh relax professor, you are certainly one of the 'important' pieces. The pawns are those I have no use for. Regardless this little intrusion will not stand, Dumbledore believes himself two steps ahead, but I am prepared for him."
"I understand my Lord."
"My side project will likely be done by next summer at the absolute latest, until then take a vacation professor, when was the last time you had one?"
Severus Snape paused to consider, "It… has been more than a few years." He noted.
"Good, then relax. So long as you are still being paid there is nothing to worry about. If worst comes to worst, we will simply have you move into one of the many homes Lucius or I own and give you a stipend until we can secure a steadier source of income."
The blonde promptly cleared his throat, "You might as well simply start with that now Severus, you have been in and out several times a day over the past half of a week, why not just move in temporarily? We certainly have the rooms available."
"That will not be…" the man attempted to argue, before Sirius took that moment to add in his own thoughts.
"I'm not sure if you have heard Snape, but Lucius is basically our little servant for the next month or so. I mean why not enjoy it while it lasts if nothing else?"
Bellatrix nodded excitedly, "We even got a little bell to summon him with!"
Letting out a sigh, the Malfoy Lord began to regret making the offer in the first place.
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