The Interview and Tour (Anna Bellacoure)

[Severus Snape]

*Severus enters the Headmaster's office with Sylvan's owl, Syrol, perches on his arm. Moving swiftly over the worn rug toward his desk, Severus strokes the owl, explaining to the bird the task he needs done.*

*As he approaches his desk the owl flits off of his arm, and settles itself nicely upon the edge, waiting. Severus passes his wand over the front of the drawer he has a letter addressed to him hidden. This letter is one of the first steps in creating public distrust of the Ministry.*

*The drawer slides open, and he peers in as he plucks out the heavy parchment between his thumb and index finger. He unfolds the letter with a sharp snap, his black eyes fall upon the Sylvan's perfect scrawl. As he peruses the letter a very small smirk shadows his face.*

*After reading the letter once again he folds it carefully, and turns to face the owl. Carefully his hands tie the letter around the bird's small leg, and he once again explains, in a low voice, when and where to deliver the letter.*

Syrol you are to deliver this back to me in one hour's time.

*Severus strokes Syrol's feathers one last time, watching it as it flies out of the window, and toward Hogsmeade.*

[Anna Bellacoure]

*prepared, nervous, but ready to go, Anna made her way from Hogsmeade to the Hogwarts castle*

*She had not been here for a long time, but remembered it well and went straight to Headmaster Snape's office*

*takes one last look into her brown leather bag that she had been using since school, checking to make sure she had her paper, and quills and so on*

*smoothes out her nicest pale pink robes, adjusts her cloak, and straightens her hair*

*knocks nervously on the door*

[Severus Snape]

*He hadn't realized he was staring out of the window as he was lost in thought when a knocking on the door made him aware of where he was.*

*Hastily he move to his chair behind the desk, perching himself upon it, folding his hands atop the desk.*

Enter...

[Anna Bellacoure]

*takes a deep breath and walks in, feeling painfully shy*

*sees Snape behind his desk*

*smiles*

Hello, Headmaster.

*walks up to the desk and holds out her hand*

[Severus Snape]

*Doesn't offer any pleasantries as he remains sitting behind his desk, black eyes gazing fiercely at the journalist.*

Good afternoon, Miss Bellacoure.

*He glances at her hand, dismissing it with a his own gesture of offering her the chair just on the other side of the desk.*

*Wanting to keep their time together short, and to the point he clears his throat, and speaks in his usual monotone voice.*

We'll start with the interview.

[Anna Bellacoure]

*is terribly thrown off by his not accepting of the hand and cold tone but tries not to let it show anywhere else but the pink tinge that suddenly appeared on her pale cheeks*

Oh, yes sir. Of course. Thank you.

*sits down in the chair, sitting with her back straight*

*takes out her notepad and a quill*

*poises the quill,, ready to write*

I'll just begin then... As the new headmaster what do you believe is the most important achievement the school must make in order to move forward after the unfortunate events that have taken place? The fire, for instance, and the news of Harry Potter and the rise of He Who Must Not Be Named?

[Severus Snape]

*Fingers steeple themselves under his chin, still regarding Anna very carefully. Appears to be considering on a response to her question, but is really drawing out the time until Syrol, Sylvan's owl returns. He sent the owl away a good fifty minutes before Anna'a arrival.*

*He opens his mouth to begin speaking, his expression as cold as ever.*

There have been numerous security measures taken in assuring the public, and parents of the student's and staff's safety. The Death Eaters are unable to penetrate the various spells and enchantments placed on the school, and the grounds. It is my wish to ensure that the new term...

*Smiles to himself as Syrol soars through his office door, landing lightly on the edge of his desk.*

Excuse me Miss Bellacoure.

*Reaches for the owl's leg to untie the letter he tied there only an hour ago. Severus unfolds the parchment carefully, and rises from his chair, turning away from the journalist, having the appearance of reading the letter. It reads as follows.*

Headmaster,

It comes at great personal cost to pen this letter. It has come to our attention that my contact within the Department of Mystery has fallen to temptation and joined in with the sway of darker influences.

I have ascertained that they are not in league of You-Know-Who but follow the dark arts as he does. This is simply awful and we cannot afford to have the Ministry at this time seen as weak.

We implore you for your wisdom in this dark time. Please, as soon as you read these words send an owl.

L.S.


*Turns around sharply, reaching for his wand.*

I do apologize Miss Bellacoure, but I must respond to this owl immediately.

*Plucks his wand off of the desk, passing it over the letter, placing a weak Anti-Read charm upon the folded parchment, slipping it sloppily into a pocket of his robes.*

*As Severus strides out of the room the loosly hanging letter falls from his pocket and onto the worn rug just near the door to his office.*

[Anna Bellacoure]

*takes notes as he speaks, adding a few nods and mm-hms and so on*

*looks up when he pauses speaking*

*takes note of the owl*

*raises her eyebrows slightly with intense curiosity at the letter*

Yes of course, Headmaster. I don't mind at all.

*watches him read it, studying his reaction, trying to get a quiet glimpse even though his back is turned*

Oh, that's fine. I can wait.

*charming smile*

*watches him leave*

*sees the letter fall and as the door closes lunges for it*

*snatches it and waits for the oddly weak spell to ware off*

*reading through the letter her eyes widen and a grin appears on her face*

Finally I can make my way writing something truly important. It's breaking news. It's what everyone will want to read... Hopefully.... If I can decipher who this L.S. is... *finishes talking to herself and quickly copies it down onto a sheet of her own paper, puts a anti reading spell on the letter again and places it where it fell*

*goes back to her chair and sits as though nothing happened*

[Severus Snape]

*Returns to his office, his expression darker than ever. As he begins to move to his desk the letter he "accidentally" dropped catches his eyes, and he snaps his gaze up to Anna, looking at her as if he is trying to probe her thoughts, his eyes narrow.*

*He sweeps over to the letter, summoning it with his wand, and returns it back to his pocket. He knows that she has read it, a journalist could never resist the temptation.*

*Severus slips back onto his chair, facing Anna, looking sour.*

Perhaps we can arrange this interview for another time. I have to leave immediately for the Ministry, someone has been found dead.

*Watches her carefully, trying to gauge her reaction to the news.*

[Anna Bellacoure]

*jumps when Snape returns but tries to keep her cool and calm*

*smiles unsteadily, wishing she was a better actress*

*does not enjoy the look he is giving her*

*her smile turns into a look of concern and interest*

Oh, of course. I'm sorry to hear that. You're welcome to contact me at any time.

Not that I really need anything else to write about. I can't wait to tell Tallia!

[Severus Snape]

*Looks fiercely at the reporter, gesturing to the door for her to leave.*

I will send an owl scheduling another time, and day for this interview, and tour.

[Anna Bellacoure]

*stands up, not enjoying Snape's expression at all*

Yes, yes of course. Thank you for your time.

*hurries from the office*

[Severus Snape]

*Severus' black eyes watch as the journalist disappears through the office door, a smug feeling creeping into his chest, and settling there quite comfortably.*

*He has accomplished his part of the task, and wishes to return to The Dark Lord's lair to give a report of his finished deed, and perhaps hand over the Blood Locket Sylvan had given to him. As he thinks of the locket his hand reaches for it as it still lays against his chest under his robes. He had already used the locket to locate Sylvan, but hasn't yet removed it from it's hiding place.*

*Purposefully he rises from his chair, moving swiftly to the fireplace to floo out of his office, and into Hogsmeade where he can disapparate from there to Azkaban.*