Chapter Four: An Anonymous Letter

Severus wasn't too angry with the fact that he covered Minerva's shift with Hermione. It had turned out to be a pleasant and quite place to read by wand light, and he had finished reading Hogwarts: A History again.

He opened his chamber door and immediately reached to his dresser to find new clothes. His white dress shirt, black vest, black trousers were all filthy and had a foul odor. Severus didn't figure that he needed to give the students another reason to think he didn't bathe. Not to mention, his black robe had been trashed by blood and muck from the night before.

After changing, he sat down in his class to get the assignments lined out for the morning classes. Smirking to himself, he pulled out a piece of chalk and began to copy a very difficult and useful antidotal potion for the fourth years to complete that day. However, within minutes he was pulled from his task.

Noise! Again the blasted noise! This time it was soft, a scratching at his classroom door. He glanced at his wrist watch and quickly dismissed the idea that it was student that darecome rapping on his door at six o'clock in the morning.

Slowly, Severus sighed to himself and threw his hand back at the door, causing it to swing open quickly. "Enter!" He bellowed, waiting for the sound of footsteps, a voice, or something. All he could hear was the rustling of parchment and a soft, persistent purr. Severus turned around.

He found himself looking at a small cat. Her fur was velvety black and her eyes shone like moonstones in the most brilliant yellow. A parchment envelope was sticking out on her back and she seemed rather irritated by it.

Absent-mindedly, Severus caught the creature in his hands and carried it back to his desk. The envelope was addressed to the head of Slytherin, and it was sealed with a sealing spell. He removed the envelope and released the cat, who quickly darted out of the Potions classroom. With his wand he undid the spell that bound the letter and let the letter fall open on the desk.

Severus' eyes scanned the old, yellowed parchment, reading its contents thoughtfully. But that thoughtfulness turned to repulsion as he realized he held a letter of confession.

Rushing to his chamber, Severus quickly activated the floo system that connected him with Dumbledore. Within minutes, the headmaster's weary face appeared in the roaring fireplace. "Sorry to bother you, Headmaster. I fear I have a letter of confession at my fingertips."

"What is that you say, Severus? A letter of confession. About Hermione I presume."

"Yes, Sir." Severus answered thickly.

"Do read it to me, Professor Snape." Dumbledore spoke through the flames, his voice as sharp as the crackle of the fire.

He began reading, again, what he had received from the black cat just minutes before.

"Professor Severus Snape, Head of the Honorable house of Slytherin:

I am writing to confess to my work in the attack of Hermione Granger, a fourth year Gryffindor. This attack, occurring on October 15th of this year was committed in your Potion's classroom at around 11:55 in the evening. You arrived not thirty minutes after I had finished my business with the Mudblood witch.

"Please, Professor, know that I did not attack Hermione Granger on my own free will. I believe I was placed under the control of someone who has cursed me unforgivably.

Shall Slytherin and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry be forever purged of the Muggle-born."

When the Potions master stopped reading the letter, he stared back at the face of the headmaster. This elderly face had grown more perplexed throughout the letter.

"What shall I do about this, Sir?"

"Nothing we should discuss over the floo, Severus. Bring yourself and the letter to my office in ten minutes." With a crack, Dumbledore's face disappeared from the roaring flame and left Severus standing with the confession.

He knew that the headmaster was correct, and that there were things that could not be mentioned over the floo system, but now was obviously not the time for gallivanting around the castle! Breakfast was to start in one hour, with classes starting an hour after that. Severus needed all the time he could to get his head together.

Nevertheless, Severus extinguished the fire and glanced at his watch again. Just enough time to get to Dumbledore, breakfast, and (hopefully) back to class before the first bell rang.