"It was," agreed Albus, steepling his fingers on the desk and willing his headache to go away. It didn't, so he instead tried to ignore it. Then, quite suddenly and unexpectedly, he had an idea. "Professor Slughorn is retiring this year," he said, as gently as he could. Severus had always been good with potions, and maybe a steady job would be good for him. Maybe people would be good for him. Maybe anything would be good for him, really, that wasn't sitting alone in his mother's vacant house, wishing the world had been different. Maybe this was a terrible suggestion, but Albus really did need someone to do it. "Perhaps you would consent to be his replacement?"