Just Like Old Times

"Hoppin' Hobgoblins, it's him!"

For all it's intensity, the exclamation is spoken in a whisper. As are all those that follow, around and about Hogwarts courtyard. "I knew from his pictures that he was bald but I didn't think he was that short." "Right then, Badely, you step right up to one of the most powerful wizards alive and tell him he's a runt." A young girls whisper is heard. "He's an animagus you know, he becomes a arctic wolf." "I heard that he's a wolf that becomes a man." "Oh, honestly, Irene." "... the auror who caught..." "...can find anyone." "...only hunts the really bad ones!" "Who do you think he's after?" "...wonder if it's safe?" "Maybe we should head back to our rooms."

And then, at last, a mans voice spoken full, "Oh young lady, could you tell me where I could find Prof. McGonagall?" Prof. McGonagall turns in her usual form to enlighten he who has posed the question, only to be, herself, educated. Her eyes widen and her legendary calm is nudged aside by a wide smile but only briefly. Her stoicism is back in a blink. "Solomon Snow! You know very well who I am. This flirtatious behavior may seem quite charming but is not an appropriate way to address a professor." He smiles at the rebuff. It is an easy smile, one could tell that it came to his face often. Even with the smile his face is no-nonsense. Strong jaw, deep, wide set eyes and the touch of white at his sideburns showed that he had been who he was for quite some time. His top robe was sleeveless, all of his attire was loose fitting and of earth tones. He had more the look of a Barbary Coast pirate than of a wizard. Snow is undaunted by the professors stern manner. "Why haven't you aged?" Almost flustered. "I should pour veritaserum down your throat... but I enjoy your lies too much." "Not lies, Minerva, just the way I see things." She calls him incorrigible but hugs him anyway.

As they part from each other, they look to see a small knot of first years looking intently at them. McGonagall responds. “You will not absorb knowledge by growing roots and drawing it up from the ground. The best way is by study. So I suggest you find some place more suitable to that end.” All but two of the young students hurry along. The two boys left are riveted on Snow. He smiles a little smile that one of his position should not smile, for it can only be called… mischievous. He lowers his eyelids, slowly and then raises them in the same fashion. But in place of his, brown, all too human eyes are a pair of black rimmed wolf eyes. One of the boys gasps and bolts to catch up with his classmates. The other just stares and whispers “Wicked!”. Snow then smiles a broad smile displaying two rows of bright white, long, canine teeth. The last boy gulps and runs fast enough to pass his friend. Snow brings his lips together and closes his eyelids. When he opens them his brown eyes fall upon McGonagall, who is scowling. “If I haven’t aged then you have not matured. You would use that trick to scare your classmates when you were a student here.” That smile again, then Snow speaks. “Wasn’t it you who said ’When you find a method that suits you and is effective, adhere to it’?” “That was in regard to practical application, not pranks.” “Well, the students are headed to their classrooms.”

It is McGonagall who smiles this time but only for a moment until concern washes over her face and she draws a deep breath to ask a serious question. "Did Albus send for you?" "Yes" “I suppose it’s too much to hope that he just wanted to reminisce about old times.” “Just the reverse. He seems to have an eye toward the future and a grim one at that.” There is a brief silence, their eye contact providing all the communication necessary. Snow tries to shift the mood. “And speaking of grim, your students seem a bit concerned. Let them know that I‘m not tracking any dangerous wizard at present. Assure them that they are quite safe.” She looks at him for a moment. “Well I shall try but given the rumors of the Dark Lord’s return coupled with Albus Dumbledore requesting a conference with a wizard of your caliber and abilities, I believe that most of my students are bright enough to question such an assurance.” Snow opens his mouth to speak but can say nothing. He is as stumped by her logic as when he was a student. She is, of course, quite right.