i am snape

After quickly grabbing a bite in the Great Hall, the two of them set off for Slughorn's office. This office was considerably larger than a typical teacher's room, furnished with two comfortable winged armchairs and a cluster of six or seven smaller chairs arranged around them. Slughorn, holding a small glass of wine, was engaged in a friendly conversation with a red-haired wizard.

"Welcome, my boys!" Slughorn exclaimed warmly as Snape and Abott stepped through the door. Though, from his posture and gaze, it was clear he was far more eager to see Abott.

Snape presented Slughorn with a box of candied pineapple, purchased through the Owl Post Office.

"Oh, thank you, Severus. Allow me to introduce you to the renowned Auror, Fabian Prewett. Gideon has work today, regrettably, so he couldn't join us. What a pity."

The wizard standing beside Slughorn raised his glass in greeting. Snape noticed a faintly scratched watch on his left wrist. The watch was gold, its face devoid of hands, with only a few stars twinkling and moving about.

"Good evening, Mr. Prewett," Snape stepped forward to greet him. "I'm not sure why, but you remind me of Mrs. Molly Weasley. You seem to bear quite a resemblance."

"You know Molly?" A smile flickered across Fabian's stern face. "She's my sister."

"Ah, no wonder then. My mother and I visited her at the Burrow this summer. We even saw little Percy; he was simply adorable."

"That boy will certainly go far, you mark my words!" Fabian declared proudly. "Last time we saw him, he was listening to the Ministry of Magic broadcast with wide eyes. And he'd only just turned one month old!"

Snape struggled to keep a straight face, fighting to suppress a laugh. He cleared his throat vigorously. "Cough, cough, absolutely! Bill, Charlie, and Percy are all truly wonderful children!"

As they spoke, other students began to arrive, one by one.

---

"Children, come sit down, everyone's here now," Slughorn called out, inviting them to sit around him and Fabian. "Lily, you sit here."

Lily took the seat to Slughorn's right. Between Snape and her sat Dirk Cresswell, a fifth-year Hufflepuff student fluent in several languages, including Goblin, Mermish, and Troll. Lily cast a quick glance sideways before turning her head away.

Slughorn reclined in his armchair and began to recount Fabian Prewett's achievements. "Such a hero rarely graces us with his presence. If any of you have questions about Aurors or the Ministry of Magic, now is your chance to ask him."

Fabian awkwardly rubbed his nose; he seemed quite unaccustomed to Slughorn's lavish praise. Slughorn held a small glass of wine in one hand, while the other picked at the candied pineapple from the box Snape had brought.

"Children, don't be foolish when it comes to choosing a career. I always recommend working for the Ministry of Magic; it's a most respectable path." He pointed a sugar-dusted finger at Snape. "Severus, you might consider becoming an Auror. Don't miss out on this excellent opportunity."

"I'd welcome you for an internship with us next year," Fabian said with a smile. "Provided you choose the appropriate N.E.W.T. subjects, leave the rest to me."

"Thank you, thank you so much, Mr. Prewett," Snape replied profusely. Becoming an Auror certainly seemed like a decent option.

"And you, Dirk," Slughorn continued, turning to Dirk Cresswell. "Your Goblin-speak is superb; you should consider working in the Goblin Liaison Office in the future. I could introduce you to their Head. But, you must steer clear of the Centaur Liaison Office, do you know why?"

"Professor, isn't that also a sub-division of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures?" Dirk looked a bit confused.

"I imagine Mr. Prewett will know the answer to that," Slughorn chuckled happily, looking at Fabian.

Fabian exchanged a knowing smile with Slughorn. "Centaurs aren't exactly fond of communicating with wizards. Rather than having a calm conversation with you, they're far more likely to give you a kick. If you ever find yourself assigned to the Centaur Liaison Office, the most urgent thing you'll need to do is find yourself a new job."

Whether genuine or feigned, everyone seemed amused and burst into laughter. For the remainder of the party, they happily questioned Fabian about the duties and secrets of being an Auror and working for the Ministry of Magic. Slughorn chimed in with supplementary details. On many matters, particularly gossip concerning various Ministry departments, he knew far more than Fabian did.

Suddenly, a rapid knocking sounded at the office's front door, and then Filch entered, clutching James Potter's arm.

"Professor Slughorn," Filch panted, the flesh on his chin jiggling as he spoke, his goldfish eyes gleaming with the manic satisfaction of catching a misbehaving student. "I found this boy lurking outside your door. He claims he was invited to your party and was delayed. Did you send him an invitation?"

James wrenched his arm free from Filch's grasp, looking utterly furious. "Fine, no, I wasn't invited," he said indignantly. "I wanted to break in, happy now?"

"No, I am *not* happy!" Filch retorted, contradicting the triumphant look on his face. "You're in trouble! Didn't the Headmaster say no wandering around after dark without permission, hm?"

"It's quite alright, Argus, quite alright," Slughorn waved a hand. "There's no harm in wanting to join a party. Let's overlook it this once, but don't let it happen again. Potter, you may stay."

"I don't want to stay! Who wants to be stuck with *him*!" James pointed at Snape, his voice rising in a rough shout. "Why is *he* allowed to be here?"

"I believe I understand what Mr. Potter means," Snape sighed. "Perhaps he feels that being in the presence of someone with a Muggle parent, like myself, is an insult to civility and good breeding."

"I didn't! I'm not!" James sputtered, too enraged to speak properly. "How dare you, you greasy git, twist my words like that!"

Slughorn frowned. Snape gasped, feigning shock at James's words. "I'm sorry, Mr. Potter, I never realized you held such strong prejudices against half-blood or Muggle-born wizards."

"Alright," Slughorn said, cutting off James's attempt to defend himself. He pointed towards the front door. "Argus, escort him back to his dormitory."

"No punishment?" Filch turned, twisting James's arm, muttering indignantly and disappointedly as they walked away. Even after the door closed, they could still hear James's furious curses echoing from the corridor.

---