"Do you know why you are here?" asked the voice behind the teen.

"I don't know," Draco whispered. "The letter just said to come."

The wand slowly moved from behind the teen's ear. Draco's hand automatically went to where the wand was to make sure that he wasn't bleeding. The hand was still on his neck. There was a tight squeeze before the hand removed itself from his neck.

A sigh escaped Draco's lips when the person removed their hand. The teen lifted his head to see who it was standing behind him, even though, he had a suspicion who it was.

His thoughts were confirmed when Fenir sat down across from him.

"Let's get down to business," Fenir said. "Don't want you away from school too long."

Draco didn't respond. He just swallowed.

"You were tasked to kill someone, yes?"

Draco nodded.

"What have you done to complete your mission?" Fenir asked.

Draco said nothing.

"Have you even gotten close enough to her?"

Draco wasn't able to hid his surprise at the last question he received. Her?

"Her?" Draco voice was low, but the werewolf across from the teen heard him clearly.

"You really don't know why you were asked here?" Fenir sounded shocked. A crooked smile came across the werewolf's face.

"Who were you told your target was?" Fenir asked after he looked the teen over.

"Dumbledore," Draco said.

"Well," Fenir said, smiling and leaning his elbows on the table. "Your target has changed."

"Changed?"

"Your target is Professor Minerva McGonagall. And to ensure that you complete the job, if you do not, you're mine."

Draco paled at the thought of what he just heard. Not only would he have to try and kill his Transfiguration Professor, but he would have to succeed if he doesn't want to be turned. Draco had no qualms understanding what Fenir meant when he said that he would be the werewolf's.

Draco felt sick to his stomach. How could his life be like this? There was no way that he could succeed this mission. This mission was a death sentence for him. He knew it. Draco was walking back towards the school. As he could see the castle becoming closer and closer, Draco realized that he was going to need help, badly. There was only one person that he truly trust in that school and he was going there as soon as he walked inside.

_0000_000_0000_00

Severus was reading over a tome when the fire turned green and Albus' voice came through the flames.

"Severus."

"Yes, Albus," Severus said from his desk.

"Can you please come through?"

Severus sighed as he looked at the green flames. He wanted to find what was causing his child's depressive state and it seemed like everyone was against him in finding an answer.

"Coming," Severus said, closing the tome on his desk and getting up.

Severus stepped through the flames and saw Albus was not alone. Sitting across from his desk was his old Head-of-House.

"What can I do for you, Albus?" Severus asked, walking over to the desk not paying the other man any attention.

Old wounds ran deep with the Potions Master and his old Head-of-House. Growing up, Severus never really gave much care to being a Professor, but now that he was, the one thing he knew he would not allow was bullying with his own house. Slytherin always had a bad rapport with the other houses, and if anything, he wanted his Slytherins to know that they had a peaceful home inside this castle. Something he never had during his stay as a student. Severus had a peaceful place only around Minerva or Poppy, but never inside his own house. But what hurt Severus more was that his Head-of-House turned a blind eye towards the bullying within his own house.

Severus learned during his beginning years that he truly had no help within his own house. It wasn't until he gotten into his fifth year, that things changed that the bullying had calmed down. Severus never really knew what changed about it from one year to the next, and he never asked. By that time, he learned to keep his head down.

"Ah, Severus," Albus spoke, bringing Severus out of his memories. "As I am sure you already know from Minerva, you are going to be the new Defense Professor."

Severus nodded, but didn't say anything.

"Since it is the middle of term," Dumbledore continued. "I'll give you the week to get a lesson plan going."

"I appreciate that," Severus said.

"Also, I would like to know," Albus said, "since you will not be Potions Professor would you like to relinquish your title of Head-of-House."

For the first time, rage and anger filled the Potions Master.

"And what, give it to him?" Severus fumed, pointing at the man sitting next to where he was standing. "I think not. I and my Slytherins have a good relationship. They know that they can come to me for anything." That last part came out in a growl and he was looking at Slughorn when he said it.

"Let him take over Potions," Severus continued, facing Albus again. "He was somewhat competent in that area. But he will not have run over my Slytherins. I will take care of my Slytherins."

"I'm sorry you feel that way," Albus said, "as I was not asking your permission."

"You're taking my Slytherins away from me?" Severus asked, incredulously. "And if I refuse?" Albus looked up at the Potions Master. "You'll fire me? Have me arrested?"

"Now Severus," Albus started, but was cut off.

"You need another professor. You asking me to take over the position does not mean that you can take away my Head-of-House duties. The only way that can be accomplished is if the Board of Governors deem me not trustworthy to watch over the children. As I have not had any complaints, you have no right to try and remove me."

"But I have the power to dismiss you," Albus said.

"You have no cause to," Severus retorted. "I have given you no reason for a dismissal. And if I were to give up my Head-of-House position, who were you planing on giving it to? Him?"

"He has held the position before," Albus said.

Severus narrowed his eyes at Albus and looked over at his former Head-of-House. He then quickly turned to the fire place and threw in a pinch of powder.

"Vocans caput, domorum(*)," Severus called out.

"Now, Severus," Albus said. "I do not think this is necessary."

Severus just watched the flames turn green and then the heads of the other three Head-of-Houses came in the flames.

"What is going on?" Pomona asked.

"What is the meaning of this?" Filius asked.

"Severus?" Minerva spoke.

"Please," Severus said, quieting the other Head-of-Houses. "Come through to the Headmaster's office."

"Severus there was no need to call the others," Albus tried again.

Severus didn't reply as Pomona stepped through the flames first, followed by Filius. Minerva was last. Pomona and Filius walked over to the Headmaster, but Minerva walked over to her son.

"Albus, what's going on?" Filius asked. "Horace, I haven't seen you in a while. How have you been?"

"I'm good," Horace spoke for the first time.

Minerva watched the small exchange between Filius and Horace and then turned to her son.

"Severus, what's going on?"

"I'm being removed from my Head-of-House position," Severus said loud enough so that everyone could hear, not just Minerva.

The looks of shock on Filius and Pomona's face surprised Albus. He didn't think that they would be on Severus side. The look of pure murder on Minerva's was a given.

"Has there been a complaint about Severus?" Pomona asked.

"No," Albus sighed, knowing this wasn't going to go the way he wanted. "I was ..."

"Then why are you removing my son?" Minerva all but growled the question. "When I left here, you gave me no indication that Severus was losing his position. What changed?"

"Now, Minerva," Horace spoke for the second time. "I asked for my original position back."

Minerva's angry gaze went to Horace Slughorn so fast that he visibly flinched at the look she was giving him.

"Who gave you the right?" Minerva asked, slowly walking over towards the man.

"Now, Minerva," Albus said, but was ignored.

"After everything you put my son through, you thought that you could take his position from him?"

Horace seemed to sink further into the chair as Minerva advanced on him.

"Albus," Filius spoke, looking over at the Headmaster. "Please tell me you were not actually considering giving Horace Slughorn back the Head-of-House position."

"Why are you opposed?" Albus asked the goblin.

"You may want to have a blind eye to what has happened, but I will not stand by and see it happen again," Filius said. "I have been here for a good many years. You know that. And what I've seen with that man here, it's not right. And unless you have a formal complaint on Severus Snape, then there is no reason to take away his Head-of-House status."

"He's going to be the new Defense professor," Albus weakly argued.

"And that means what?" Pomona said. "We all are professors to courses here at Hogwarts. Transfiguration. Charms. Herbology. Potions." She pointed to everyone in the room except Horace. "What will be different with Defense?"

"Unless," Minerva gasped, looking horrified at Albus. "You really are planning on dismissing him."

"What do you mean?" Pomona asked.

"The students have been speaking of this for the past seven years," Minerva said. "The Curse of the Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Now, Minerva," Albus tried to soothed. "You know that is preposterous."

"Really?" Minerva challenged. "The entire student body speaks about the fact that they have not had the same Defense Professor more than a year. Actually, Dolores is the first one to not even make it the entire school term."

Minerva walked the short distance to Albus' desk and leaned over, her hands in the middle of the desk.

"What are you planning?"

"Nothing," Albus said, trying to smooth things over with his Deputy Headmistress.

"Then prove it."

"How?"

A smirk came across the Transfiguration professor's face as she stood up. Albus sighed as he knew whatever she came up with, in the long run, he wasn't going to like it, but would have to live with it.

TBC

A/N: (*) Vocans caput, domorum is Latin for 'Calling Head-of-Houses.'