Chapter 85. Vacation
One Month Later
Severus left the classroom with a satisfied smile flickering across his face. Finally, he had passed his last exam and could go home today without waiting for the fifth and seventh years to finish their O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s. Like last year, a Ministry commission was supposed to come, but in the end everything was left to the teachers and the headmaster because of the threat posed by Voldemort. This year they might not even bother showing up to the school. Last time, they had dragged things out until June waiting for their arrival, even though final classes and exams should have ended by the end of May.
But instead of heading to his room, he stopped by the door and waited for Professor Slughorn, since this had also been his last lesson of the day, and he did not have long to wait.
As soon as the last student left the classroom, the head of house himself emerged, closing the door behind him.
"Decided to say goodbye before leaving the castle?" Slughorn asked with a smile, looking at Severus, then flicked his wand at the door. A click sounded, and he slid it back into its holster.
"You could say that, but I actually wanted to warn you that I probably will not be able to study with you from July through August. I will need to travel somewhere."
"Hmm. I will not ask where or why, but if you get a free minute there, do not forget to practice. I will also send you several books around mid-July so you do not get bored."
"No rest for the weary," Severus sighed bitterly, noting the professor's mocking look.
"Mr. Snape, do not forget our goal. If you really can obtain the Black Cauldron rank, doors will open for you anywhere!"
"Professor, did you not mention the gold one? How did it change to black over nine months?"
In response, Slughorn coughed and smiled awkwardly.
"I certainly have not told you this yet. I did not want you getting a big head, but you could already pass certification and earn the Gold Cauldron rank. Well, since you managed to overcome such a large gap in such a short time, I figured that by the end of seventh year you will have a chance to advance to Black Cauldron."
"Professor, do not set impossible goals. I will certainly try to meet your expectations, but I cannot promise I will succeed. It is almost impossible. Simple cramming is not enough here; you need experience, years, even decades of work in this field. It is too early for me to aim for that. And honestly, I know I can already pass the Gold Cauldron certification, and I want to achieve that, but it is impossible right now."
Slughorn froze for several seconds, processing the words, and when it finally sank in, he narrowed his eyes dangerously.
"So you are putting your own teacher in an awkward position." He reached for his wand without taking his eyes off the smirking young man.
"Professor, I have a request for you."
"A request?" His hand froze a few inches from the holster.
"Yes. I wanted you to teach someone during the holidays. I do not have much experience with this, but you have forty years of teaching experience and you are one of the best professors at Hogwarts." At those words, Slughorn even straightened a little. "She has a very good memory and already knows material at a fourth-year level. Mostly she helps me with the shop and brews those potions."
"Fine. Bring her to me tomorrow, and I will decide."
Smiling, Severus shook his head.
"She is here."
"Here?"
"Nelly." In the next moment, under Slughorn's stunned look, a house-elf appeared beside him in a black dress with a white medical coat over it. "I mentioned her."
"A house-elf?"
"Yes. I have been teaching her for about nine months. Though she has almost no talent, her memory is excellent," he said, patting the elf on the head and making her beam.
"Nelly thanks Master for the praise! Nelly is very happy!"
"Now I just need to break her of her servility somehow, and then she will be a normal person."
Slughorn's gaze darted between Severus and the house-elf, trying to figure out whether Severus was telling the truth or joking with him again. But seeing Severus's serious expression, he understood his student was not joking, and after brief consideration he finally focused on the nervous house-elf.
"You are not joking?"
"Why would I joke?"
For Slughorn, this was, to put it mildly, unprecedented. In all his life he had never heard of house-elves being taught such things. He himself had never considered it, though in fairness, it was understandable. They were already stronger than wizards, so if they could also brew potions, make artifacts, and so on, wizards would feel inadequate, especially aristocrats, since their servants would have surpassed them in everything. Of course, that was not the main reason. What wizards feared most was the power of house-elves.
Though they were in the minority, each could use nonverbal, wandless magic and Apparate anywhere. If wands fell into their hands, wizards probably would not live long. That was why the law existed forbidding magical creatures from using them, out of fear of an uprising like the one goblins once staged.
Of course, there was no law prohibiting teaching house-elves artifact-making and potion-brewing, but Slughorn did not doubt that if this ever surfaced, aristocrats would start voicing discontent, and then the poor Ministry, under mass pressure, would have to ban that for elves too. Goblins were one thing. Though they wielded magic, only a few did, and weakly at that. House-elves, on the other hand, were true killing machines. Give them potions and artifacts, and Magical Britain would meet its end.
And though wizards were truly paranoid, they thought and acted sensibly, cutting out problems at the root. However sorry Severus felt about these creatures' situation, he agreed with the wizards. Elves could not be free. If they truly did rise up, the losses would be colossal, and it was not certain victory would go to humans.
Taking a deep breath, Slughorn still nodded.
"I have never had to teach house-elves, but we can try. I have become interested in what might come of this, but," he continued more seriously, "do not tell anyone about her yet."
"Professor, I'm not that stupid," Severus replied calmly, reaching out to stroke the little elf's head. "And thank you. I'll send her here in August."
"But we still have lessons until then."
"I know, I know."
After visiting Slughorn, Severus dropped by Madam Pomfrey's office to say goodbye. The moment he stepped inside, he noticed two more stacks of books had appeared on her desk, with Madam Pomfrey settled behind them, calmly sipping tea. When she spotted him, she smiled warmly and pushed the books toward him.
Toward evening, after dinner, Severus met with Regulus. Head held high, the younger wizard had managed to conjure four flame spears. He had nearly conjured a fifth, though it was only an image. Still, Regulus had not won the bet they'd made at the start of the school year. He had met the condition by conjuring three spears, but couldn't maintain a barrier all day, so he didn't earn the prize of information. He tried to negotiate, but the moment Severus produced a dress and heels, Regulus fell silent and didn't protest again.
Even so, Regulus had impressed Severus greatly. His magical core was already comparable to a Mid-Rank Master's. Now he could channel much more magic through his body, which was why the number of spears had grown to four. When he could create eight, that would mark reaching High-Rank Master, and ten would be the peak of the rank. Further development would be difficult given the meager magical resources available, but even Peak Master was already a great achievement in this world. If he reached Magister rank, only a handful in Magical Britain could compare with him. Everything depended on Regulus himself. If he kept developing at the same pace, within about ten years he could call himself the youngest Magister, naturally, after Severus himself, not counting the years Severus had lived in his past life.
However, Severus hadn't come just to say goodbye. He also gave Regulus some tips on how to continue developing properly, since he'd grown rather fond of him. It wasn't because Regulus was Bellatrix's cousin, but because Regulus reminded Severus, both in character and appearance, of a good friend from his past life. So, occasionally, Severus enjoyed spending evenings in his company, sharing a drink and talking about life and magic, like in the good old days.
Severus had wanted to drop by Dumbledore and Minerva's offices, but they were rather busy, so he didn't bother them and returned to his room instead. Then, along with the others, he teleported home.
And, following that famous phrase about peace being only in our dreams, he began preparing for the upcoming presentation. The day after tomorrow, a session would be held at the Ministry of Magic in the Department of Magical Education, and his proposal would be submitted for consideration. He was looking forward to it.
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