36 35. Hogwarts Staff.

-:-HOGWARTS-:-

[GREAT HALL: Staff's Table]

"Have you completed the arrangements for your party this, Horace?" Prof Filius asked.

"Yes, everything is ready," Slughorn replied jovially.

"Why didn't you have it on Christmas this time, Horace?" Prof. Minerva asked as she took a sip of orange juice on her table.

"I was invited by the international potions association for a conference during the time of Christmas."

"Yes, I have read about it. The conference was on potions for viral diseases among the Magical populace." Prof. Linda said.

Linda Mathews, 45 years old, is a half-blood witch, who joined Hogwarts as the professor for Defense Against Dark Arts this year.

"Mrs. Mathews, I didn't know you had an interest in potions."

Prof. Linda smiled and replied, "Potions has been my second passion for a long time, sir."

"That is excellent, Mrs. Mathews. If you ever need notes, you can count on this old professor, I will be glad to help someone with a passion for the art of potion brewing."

"Thank you, sir."

"Who is the main attraction of this year, Horace?" Prof. Sprout teased.

It was common knowledge among Hogwarts staff that Horace had favorites, so did they, but they mostly remained impassive about it, but Horace didn't hide his favoritism and showcased his favorites and most talented of his house.

Horace smirked and says proudly "Damocles Belby."

"Oh...I remember him, he was your favorite student for a long time wasn't he, Horace? You used to praise him,and brag about him day and night." Prof. Filius said.

"Don't act like he was only my favorite, you and Minerva were too lenient with him, Filius. Minerva, You even let him out of detention regularly. " Prof. Slughorn teased the other two professors.

" Don't make stuff, Horace." Prof. McGonagall said sternly.

Some of the staff shared a small laugh since Prof. McGonagall always denied having favorites, but she certainly did.

"I wasn't talking about the guest, I meant who is your new favorite? Prof. Sprout asked slyly.

" Hmm..... It is tough competition between Miss Evans and Mr. Prince. Both of them equally talented." Prof. Slughorn said.

The mention of Prince got Albus Dumbledore's attention.

Other professors were confused they didn't know any student by the family name of Prince.

" Who is this Mr. Prince you speak of, Horace? I don't recall anyone by that family name in this school right now." Prof. Filius questioned curiously.

" ho ho, it seems Severus hasn't told you about his recent heirship, Severus is half-blood, whose mother hailed from the prince family. Recently, Severus took up his mother's name and heirship of the Prince family."

"Is he the son of Eileen Prince?" Prof. Sprout asked.

"Yes."

"Interesting development, though it doesn't change anything, Mr. Snape or Mr. Prince has been one of the most talented wizards to set a foot on Hogwarts in the past decade." Prof. Filius said proudly.

"I smell favoritism, Filius." Prof. Slughorn teased.

"I'm not playing favorites, Horace. We both know Mr. Prince's talents, he invented charm spells in his fifth year, though his spells were used in a bad way. We can't deny that he invented them. I would say Ms. Evans used to be a better executioner in charms before this Christmas, but Mr. Prince has improved a lot, he is No.1 in my class right now, though Miss Evan still gives him a tough competition."

"He invented spell in his fifth year?!" Prof. Linda exclaimed.

Prof. Filius chuckled at Linda's shock and replied

" Yes, Since you are new here, Mrs. Matthew, you might not know but Severus is rather notoriously known for his spell, it isn't usually spoken due to misuse of the spell by the students."

"Oh..." Prof. Linda understood about which spell they were talking about, she had to break that floating charm on many students.

"And Mr. Prince has improved a lot in Transfiguration from this Christmas. He used to be one of the brighter students before, but now he is one of the tops, and his behaviors as improved a lot from the past."

Prof. McGonagall said, but she was disappointed that her best students were on suspension and did something very vulgar.

James Potter and Sirius Black were some of the best students in her class, she was saddened to lose them but she was disgusted by their actions as well.

"I have to go with Filius and Minerva on this, Mr. Prince has always been good in Herbology. The boy is talented but his behavior in the last few years hasn't been right, but look at him now, he is set in the right direction and he even caught those four, I even caught the sight of him helping my puffs." Prof. Sprout said cheerily.

Prof. Sprout caught Severus using a slur against muggle-born one time, so she didn't have a good impression of him initially, but the past few days she had seen the young man change and she was happy about it.

"*Sigh* I just wish I could have found Potter, Black, Lupin, and Pettigrew earlier. Maybe I should have punished them a bit more severely before, it might not have come to this." Prof. McGonagall said.

She just wished she had stopped the boys from going too far.

She felt guilty for both not discovering sooner and for their suspension.

She felt as if she had failed as the head of the house.

"It is not your fault that they turned out like that, Minerva. Don't blame yourself" Prof. Sprout comforted Prof. McGonagall.

"Do you think Severus is related to the half-blood prince or he is the half-blood prince?" Prof. Linda questioned, which caught the attention of all professors.

Slughorn looked at her as if she grew two heads.

"While Severus is a very talented young man, I don't think he is the half-blood prince. The half-blood prince must be a very experienced potioneer to put such a beautiful piece of art out there. I don't think just because the half-blood prince and Mr. Prince have a common word means they are related."

Slughorn said, while he respected and loved his student's talents he refused to believe a 16-year-old was the author of one of the finest books published on potions.

"While I agree with Horace, I think Mr. prince and the half-blood prince might be related. People generally have something aligning to them in their pen names." Prof. Filius said.

"Might be or might ot be, we don't know. Only Severus knows." Slughorn shrugged.

"So is the bet for Quidditch matches still on, Minerva?" Prof. Filius asked.

" Yes, My lions would win this season," Minerva said proudly.

"Don't be so quick to conclude, Minerva. My snakes have been practicing. I'm sure The Slytherin would bag the trophy this season." Slughorn added with a smirk.

Dumbledore listened to his staff banter playfully, something that he usually enjoyed but now his thoughts were occupied with the new development that he just heard.

Outwardly he was smiling at his staff and students in a grandfatherly way, inwardly he was frowning, he didn't like the merging similarities between Tom Riddle and Severus Snape.

He knew about the encounters between Severus and Potter but he didn't care much about some childish shenanigans between teenagers.

He thought the boy was a lost cause even with his talents after the incident by the lake last year, but this year the increasing similarities between Severus and Tom shocked him.

Both were half-bloods, almost the same childhood, and their interest in Dark Arts.

Before he thought Severus might have just joined Voldemort but now, he felt that Severus might start a faction of his own.

Before Professors wouldn't talk about him due to his behavior but now it was as if they just had praises for him.

Just like Tom, who was everyone's favorite, Severus is slowly turning into that same charming young once Voldemort was.

What puzzles Dumbledore is why Severus changed so suddenly.

Dumbledore kept a close eye on Severus after that message in Potter's head.

He observed that Severus has changed, from helping the bullied to talking with muggle-born without disdain.

Why? why did he change so suddenly?

Sure he should be happy that a student stopped walking on a bad path but he was paranoid.

He didn't like to be optimistic all the time, he needed to know what caused the change?

Or maybe he can use this chance to gain a powerful wizard against the dark lord.

While he was happy that Severus changed, he remained skeptical.

He decided to keep a closer eye on Severus and try to show the young man a bright path, for a brighter future.

'For the Greater Good '