Severus glanced at his watch.
"The Minister will be here for supper in another hour, Miss Romanov. I suggest you prepare yourself and try to look presentable." Severus said, standing up himself, never once looking at her. He went upstairs to change into clean robes.
Nova, ignoring the implied insult in his words, decided she did need a shower. Her dilemma was where to take a shower. At Hogwarts she would usually go to the bathroom adjoining her dormitory, but she could not just barge into Ravenclaw House and use the shower. She also considered the Prefect bathroom, where she would go occasionally to indulge herself with a long hot bath, but feared running into a student or teacher. Instead she asked Snape to use his bathroom, calling the request up the stairs.
"What?" Snape's voice was muffled.
"May I use your bathroom to take a shower?"
"Uhhh…Yeah, where are you?"
"I'm down here. May I come up?"
Severus answered in the affirmative and Nova mounted the steps. On the landing there was a little sitting room with a fireplace along one wall. Books were piled everywhere. A precarious tower of them wobbled dangerously on a small coffee table. The singular place to sit was a worn armchair next to the fireplace as the sofa, squishy and soft, was buried under books as well as most the floor. Severus came out of an adjoining room fidgeting with the sleeves of his fresh robes.
"The bathroom is there." He pointed to another door.
Nova nodded and thanked him and went inside the room, closing the door behind her. A marble counter with a sink lined one wall. A bottle of shampoo, a comb, shaving cream, a razor, and toothpaste and toothbrush were all that were on it. A large mirror was mounted above the counter and reflected her as a tired-looking woman with slightly mussed hair. Before getting into the shower, she was forced to experiment with the assorted knobs, first producing cold water, then steam, then finally hot water.
Nova stripped off her wrinkled robes and stepped into the shower, eager for the hot water. After sniffing Severus's hair solution, she chose to conjure her own more feminine product. The water pooled at her feet before draining out and her toes were pink from the hot water. She struggled with the slippery bar of soap when trying to lather her equally slippery body, but managed to take a good cleansing shower.
Stepping out, she snatched a towel off the rack and patted her face dry. She combed through the tangles of her hair while it was still wet with the comb next to the sink. Once Nova was sure there was not a knot left she murmured a spell to dry her hair and left the bathroom, satisfied with the way she had cleaned up, though she was obliged to redress in the same robes.
In the sitting room, Severus was reading a book and looked up when Nova left the bathroom. He could smell her shampoo from across the room and he smiled at her. Nova was taken aback by the greeting, but smiled in return anyway.
"We better go downstairs," he said.
In the Entrance Hall, the teachers were trying to arrange the students into orderly rows to greet the Minister. The students, on the other hand, were trying to be as uncooperative as possible. Severus and Nova stopped at the top of the grand staircase and watched the commotion.
"Be quiet!" Professor Amycus Carrow was instructing. "Silence! I said silence!"
One thoughtless student laughed at him. Amycus rounded on the student and started yelling at her. The student did not respond, but stood still, accepting the reprimand. Amycus apparently was not sated with this response and struck the student, a girl probably in her first or second year.
"Carrow!" rumbled Snape from the landing.
Everyone turned to look at Severus and Nova. Alecto asked, "Yes?" and Amycus averted his eyes guiltily. It was silent for a moment other than the girl's sobs.
"Amycus Carrow," Severus corrected himself. "What were you just doing?"
Amycus said, "She was laughing at me."
"You are something to laugh at, Carrow, hitting a girl." Severus's voice was barely above a whisper and yet everyone caught every word. He proceeded to organize the students without any help from the other professors, who went to stand noiselessly in their positions.
Nova went to the girl and examined her cheek. There was a red mark and she could make out the shapes of Amycus' fingers, slowly turning to a bruise. Nova charmed the mark away and the girl's face looked undamaged once more other than a few tears. Nova handed her a tissue and asked Severus where to stand.
Severus was just finishing putting the last of the students in their rows. He inspected his work and walked over to Nova. "You may stand with the professors over there."
She went to stand next to Professor Flitwick while Severus and McGonagall stood in the center of the hall to greet Thicknesse. They all held their places for five minutes before a young man dressed in deep purple robes entered and announced the imminent arrival of Minister of Magic, Pius Thicknesse. The room hushed and the bored shuffling of feet and pointed yawns ceased. The students craned their necks to get a first view of their minister.
When, at last, Thicknesse arrived, the students seemed disappointed.
Some of them had believed Thicknesse was a code name for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, but the minister was rather dull looking compared to the images painted for them by their fellow classmates who had seen You-Know-Who, knew someone who had seen him, or knew someone who knew someone who had.
These students just repressed more yawns and looked eagerly towards the doors that led to the Great Hall, where they knew a feast was awaiting them.
Others were under the impression that Thicknesse was a pseudonym assumed by Dumbledore after he had faked his death then one-handedly taken control of the ministry, but the man before them lacked the intelligence that Dumbledore had behind his eyes of infinite knowledge.
Still others had expected a great powerful man that would see how they were treated and would save them from the hell Hogwarts had become.
Within the few seconds it took to look this man over, their hopes were ashes. This man was not Dumbledore and he was not going to rescue them.
Thicknesse shook hands with the Headmaster firstly then politely kissed the Deputy Headmistress's hand. McGonagall stared at him coldly.
Thicknesse was then introduced to the other professors.
"You know Alecto and Amycus Carrow, our Muggle Studies and Dark Arts professors." Thicknesse kissed Alecto's hand and shook hands with Amycus. "Pomona Sprout, our Herbology teacher; Sybil Trelawney, Divination; Horace Slughorn, Potions;" and so on, until he reached Nova, who Severus did not bother to even name for Thicknesse.
Thicknesse turned to look at the students, standing in orderly rows. Some students watched him reverently, appreciating their nearness to the Minister of Magic. A few waved at him, being already acquainted with him through their parents. Nova noted most of these were Slytherins, which vexed her, because she always had thought that in the end they would place their loyalties in the best interest of Hogwarts, not with a master that would have them beaten. The students that were loyal to Hogwarts stared back at Thicknesse defiantly, their dislike visible on their faces. Nova felt a surge of pride watching those bruised students who would always support Dumbledore and Harry Potter, those students who opposed the Dark Lord, and those who spoke out against You-Know-Who though there was always danger they might be tortured.
It is these students, Nova thought as she looked at them, who will ultimately win us this war. Nova surprised herself by grouping her fate with those of the Voldemort-opposers, having spent so much of her time ensuring she was perfectly neutral and ignoring the fact that a war was being waged around her, a rather bleak part of her life, now that she thought about it. However, being forced into slavery for a Death Eater would naturally have its pro-Potter side-effects.
Thicknesse and Severus were the first to enter the Great Hall and take the two center seats at the High Table. Nova and the professors followed, then the students. Nova found herself separated from Thicknesse only by McGonagall with Flitwick on her other side. She watched the students draw out benches and take seats. She was perplexed at how few there appeared to be. Slytherin table was perhaps the most full.
As the feast commenced, Nova leaned down and whispered to Flitwick, who was propped on a pile of cushions. "Where are all the students?"
Flitwick followed her gaze to peer sadly down on the children. "As you know, it is no longer safe for Muggle-Borns to be at Hogwarts, but you are right that there are still less than there should be. Some have gone into hiding, but where," he shrugged, "I do not know. One day they will just disappear."
"You think it has to do with Dumbledore's Army?"
Flitwick's eyes gleamed with pride as he said, "Yes, I do believe so."
The students quietly ate and if they spoke it was no more than a murmur. The food was as delicious as it had always been, but Nova thought it felt different. The Gypsy in her blood felt the aura of the room and knew it was bad. The room felt on edge, like it was on a precipice and no matter which way you leaned, no matter where you tried to go, you were going to fall. Nova cringed at the tension in the room, but also felt a bit of anxious anticipation emanating from a student at the Gryffindor table. She focused on that student's aura. They seemed to be awaiting something, the right time to do whatever it is they planned. Nova blocked out the pulsing auras of the room and concentrated on her plate.
She did not have to wait long to see what the student was going to do.
A boy, probably a Sixth Year, shouted from the Gryffindor table. Nova could not help but feel the room's shock at what he said. Indeed, she was shocked herself.
"Long live Harry Potter!" the boy had cried.
After a stunned pause, the hall broke out in noise. There were gasps; there were yells of agreement; there were boos; there were toasts to Harry Potter. Nova looked around to Severus and the others at the High Table. Many of them had gone stiff and were also looking to Severus, probably to see what punishment he would inflict on the brave student. Thicknesse was eating, his face blank, obvious evidence of an Imperius Curse. The Carrows exchanged wicked grins.
"Let us take care of this, Snape." Amycus said with obvious enthusiasm at the thought of punishing a student. He went to stand up as his sister withdrew her wand from her robes.
Severus looked up at Amycus and his sister. His face was blank, but behind his eyes his conflicting emotions rampaged. He was angry at the child for endangering himself, he hated the Carrows for their crude violent punishments, he was mad at himself for being perfectly incapable of remedying the situation, upset that these innocent students who were only searching for hope were being treated like dogs, and he was very happy Thicknesse was there because it gave him an excuse not to punish the student at that precise moment, and perhaps, if he was very lucky, he would never have to punish the student at all.
He put a hand up to prevent the Carrows from moving. "Minister, maybe you would like to choose the appropriate punishment for this rule-breaker."
Thicknesse stared at him blandly. "What rule-breaker?"
"Why, Minister, did you not hear what that kid just said?" asked Alecto Carrow.
Severus smirked at her. The Carrows had not yet figured out the Minister was under the Imperius Curse and thus had no mind of his own. "I think the Minister meant that there was no rule broken. The boy just said something, Carrow, even if it was wrong."
"But, Snape, we're supposed to torture them if they're loyal to Potter! The Dark Lord told us himself to punish them." Alecto whined at Severus.
"Alecto, are you suggesting you know more than our Minister of Magic?"
Alecto and Amycus looked at each other. They had no idea Severus was just trying to protect the boy. Amycus nodded to Severus gratefully. The idiots thought he had saved them from the Dark Lord's wrath by not letting them go against Thicknesse's 'decision'.
Nova felt the professors' relief. She stared at Severus, whose aura was smug. She could not figure out if he really believed what he said. She hoped not because that would mean he was very stupid, as stupid as the Carrows. Nova thought maybe his aura was smug because he had saved the rebellious student, but considered it unlikely considering his history.
The rest of supper was uneventful, but Nova noticed the students were more animated, alive, than before. She smiled at what one boy's courage could do for an entire room. When the students were ushered out, past the High Table, and to their Houses by Filch, Nova could see a glimmer of hope in each students' eyes, Ravenclaws, Slytherins, Gryffindors, and Hufflepuffs alike.
Severus talked while Thicknesse concurred with whatever he said. The professors sighed at the pointlessness of it all. Finally, they said their farewells to Pius Thicknesse and he left with the young man dressed in the purple robes.
Severus and Nova stood around the Entrance Hall with the other professors in an awkward silence. Everyone felt they needed to say something, yet none had anything to say. The castle around them was very quiet with all the children in their Common Rooms or Dormitories and no one speaking.
"Oh," Alecto said in surprise.
Amycus grasped his left wrist with his right hand suddenly.
Severus just turned on his heel and strode to the front doors. The Carrows followed him swiftly. Everyone stared after them.
When the doors clicked shut behind them, Professor Sprout said, "Off to a Death Eater meeting, I suppose."
McGonagall laughed bitterly. "To think there was a time when Death Eaters went to Azkaban. Whose night is it to patrol?"
"Tonight's my night." Trelawney answered. "The rest of you can go to bed."
Slughorn took the advice at once and hobbled off towards the dungeons.
"Coward," hissed McGonagall. "He is absolutely good for nothing."
Nova recalled when Slughorn used to be her Potions Professor, remembered him as a jolly, good-natured fellow, not really Death Eater material. "Is he sided with the Dark Lord? Why doesn't he have a Dark Mark then?"
"He isn't sided with anyone. He is more concerned about his own safety than the common good. When the final battle finally comes, and it will have to eventually, he will not fight anyone. He'll be hiding somewhere instead with a box of candies."
Everyone nodded in agreement with Flitwick's explanation.
"Good luck with your patrols tonight, Sybil." McGonagall said. She turned to Nova and said, "We try to avoid turning them over to the Carrows, but we still have to discipline them."
"The Carrows are in charge of discipline?" Nova asked curiously.
"Yes and they are very harsh, but I bet you can tell that just from looking at the students. It pleases Filch that they are being treated so."
"I imagine Filch is happy with the new regime." Nova said seriously. "What will happen to a student if they are out of bed after curfew?"
The professors shrugged helplessly. "It's hard to tell, it's whatever the Carrows feel like at the time."
"I suggest we all crawl into bed under our nice warm covers and dream happy dreams. Tomorrow is another day and who knows what it will hold for us? Maybe tomorrow will be the day You-Know-Who falls?"
Nobody answered Flitwick's question, not daring to hope, but instead they all headed towards their rooms. Sprout went down the basement stairs, like she was going to the kitchens. Sinistra ambled towards the astronomy tower. McGonagall, Flitwick, and Nova alone mounted the Grand Staircase in the Entrance Hall, and then they all went separate ways: Flitwick towards Ravenclaw, McGonagall towards Gryffindor, and Nova towards the Headmaster's office.
Nova went inside the office dragging her feet. She was exhausted from the long day and all the new information she had learned, most not good. She was startled by the sight of Twinkle sitting complacently on the pink-canopied bed, once more dominating the office's space. Upon seeing Nova, Twinkle hopped down from her comfortable perch and offered her a curtsey.
"Good evening, Miss Nova. Did Miss Nova enjoy supper with the minister?" Twinkle squeaked.
"Yes, indeed I did." Nova lied. She looked at Twinkle suspiciously. Who was to say the Elf wasn't spying on her for Severus?
"Twinkle's glad, Miss Nova. Miss Nova looks tired. Twinkle has Miss Nova's bed all ready for you. Twinkle put warming plates between the covers and bought Miss Nova pajamas." Twinkle held up a nightgown of soft pink silk.
"Did that nightgown belong to Miss Lovegood also?" she asked.
"No, clothes arrived for Miss Nova today. They're in that trunk." Twinkle pointed to a trunk pushed against a wall.
Nova felt like the situation was becoming ever more permanent. She lifted the lid in order to peer in. None of the clothes were hers and all seemed to be new. "Do you know who sent them?"
"Twinkle thinks Master Snape asked Missus Narcissa Malfoy to get you clothes."
Nova was surprised. It was thoughtful of Severus to do so. After all, what was she to him? She reminded herself to thank him.
Twinkle undressed her and pulled the nightgown over Nova's head. Nova sighed contently as the smooth silk slipped over her body. The material was cool and felt like liquid. Then she sidled between the warm sheets, pulled the quilt up to her chin, bided Twinkle a goodnight, and laid there awake.
"Thank you, Narcissa, for the trunk of clothes." Severus whispered to the blonde woman over a flute of bubbling champagne.
She smiled. "Believe me, clothes shopping is no awful chore for me. I was, though, unsure of her size."
"I'm sure what you bought was perfect…"
"Severus,"
He turned, automatically, at the sound of the high, smooth voice. The room was almost empty, the meeting having adjourned some fifteen minutes ago. It had been as short, relatively fruitless meeting, in which Severus' only part was to affirm that there had been no sign of Potter at Hogwarts. He walked slowly up to the Dark Lord, who was flanked by Greyback and Dolohov, and bowed reverently, hating himself every second for the traitorous façade.
"Greyback just reminded me to ask you how the gypsy is getting along."
Severus nodded coldly to the werewolf and tried to ignore what he imagined was blood streaked across his cheek. "Thank you, Fenrir, for your disinterested concern. Nova is well."
Greyback guffawed, spraying spittle. "My concern is anything but disinterested. I am not shy of hand-me-downs, though, Sevy, whenever you want her off your hands."
Severus could not help but feel slightly sick at the bawdy innuendos that followed and that he was compelled to laugh at. He excused himself as soon as it was possible and paid his respects to Narcissa and Lucius, assuring them that their son was well, that he was, at that moment, tucked safely in bed dreaming of broomsticks and dragons. Outside, he inhaled deeply of the cold air, trying to purge his mind of the image of Greyback sinking his teeth into Nova's slender throat.