Chapter Four: The Naming of the Kitten
Snape stared at the kitten in his lap with a huff. He had, mentally, turned down Cauldron and Elixa due to the fact that, well, they were names he would give an animal. Snape sighed as he scratched behind her ears, earning a purr. "You are being impossible," he muttered.
The kitten just purred louder and leaned into the scratching. "Now, how about Patches?" he questioned.
The kitten batted his hand in response. "No. Not dignified enough," he murmured and went back to petting the kitten, carefully between the ears.
"Callie?" he asked, wondering if it was good enough. It felt odd saying it and he continued to carefully scratch down her back.
The kitten purred and looked up at him. "Do you like that name?" he asked and she let out a tiny mew.
"I'll take that as a 'maybe'," he muttered, earning a purr.
He sighed softly and continued to think. "Una?" he questioned and kitten batted at his hand again. He glared at the kitten and looked over as the fireplace flared up.
The kitten turned to glare as Minerva McGonagall stepped through. "Have you named her yet?" she inquired while the kitten stared at the Transfiguration professor.
She then let out an angry, if pathetic, growl at Minerva. The Transfiguration professor looked over her glasses at the kitten and the kitten continued her soft growlings. McGonagall glared and the kitten slowly stood up before puffing up. "I think she's upset about you entering her domain," he stated.
"She liked me yesterday," the woman protested.
"Yes. When you were in neutral territory. Today you are in her domain. While the kitten and Mrs. Norris discussed things, Filch explained to me the nature of magical cats. It appears that Mrs. Norris sees Hogwarts as her domain, with exceptions, so she's an exception. However, she usually ends up speaking with the other cats and talking it over with them. As he puts it. Considering that Mrs. Norris went from glaring to happily playing with the kitten in moments, I am sure things were explained between the two of them. You're encroaching on her domain, not to mention mine. Get out," Snape explained in a voice he usually reserved towards children who were being incredibly stupid.
The kitten continued to puff up and growl. McGonagall glared, turned on her heel, and returned back through the Floo Network. Once she was gone, the kitten settled back down happily and purred cheerfully.
He smiled and he slowly worked on rubbing the kitten's stomach. Well, smiled for Snape. He wasn't one to actually smile and he let out a low sigh. "Chris?" he questioned.
A bat on the hand.
"Eve?" he continued.
The Kitten bat his hand again. Snape smiled and gently rubbed the top of her head with his thumb. "Come along. It is time for your daily bath," he stated.
The kitten purred and was rather calm about the entire thing. While more lively then the first bath, she pawed at the water, though didn't slosh it over the edge of the bowl. She was also cheerfully purring along, obviously understanding that baths would have to be a daily thing if she wanted to be a Potion's Master's cat.
"Adalinda?" he questioned.
Another 'maybe' twitch of her head. Snape smiled, well his version of a smile, and finished up washing the kitten.
Snape had been enjoying his time before the fire within the afternoon, after lunch in the Great Hall, when a knock came from the entrance to the quarters. He leaned back and then carefully collected up the Kitten before settling her on 'her' chair. He stood and stretched before his face fell to his usual scowl.
Snape walked over to the entrance to his quarters and opened the door to find one of his Snakes. The scowl softened. "Come in, Flint," he greeted and let the little First Year in.
Snape carefully shut the door and turned to see Flint shifting on his feet, unsure of what to do. Already heavier built and two times stronger than those of his year, Flint's bad temper made it next to impossible to have friends. Of course, Flint had his own intelligence and wasn't all brawn, but only House unity kept him from being completely out casted by the other Slytherins.
Snape prided himself on House unity, since no other House would defend a Slytherin.
Once he was sure Flint was settled on the chair, which the kitten had graciously given up for the boy, he settled across from them. "What's wrong Marcus?" Snape asked softly.
"Well, Professor Snape…um," Flint began before falling silent.
The kitten suddenly purred and stepped onto his lap, carefully settling on Flint's lap. She snuggled against him and lavished the boy with positive attention. Flint smiled, revealing his crooked teeth.
Snape waited patiently, while the Kitten snuggled against the boy, purring away.
They sat in silence, until Snape asked, "Do you want anything Marcus?"
Flint looked up and nodded. Snape raised his eyebrow and Flint ducked his head in embarrassment. "Hot chocolate would be nice, sir," he responded.
Snape nodded and called for a House Elf. The kitten jumped at the sound of the crack and gave the House Elf a look, before said House Elf brought up the requested tea for Snape himself and hot chocolate for Flint. "Thank you Gilly," he responded and sipped his tea.
Flint held his hot chocolate in his hands and sipped it. The kitten purred and snuggled, ignoring the cracks that had come with these acts of magic from the House Elf. Flint smiled and pet the kitten.
Snape watched, silence drifting around them easily. The kitten continued to purr. "Does she have a name, sir?" Flint asked.
"Not as of yet. She's very picky," he responded and the kitten arched under Flint's careful petting.
Aware of his strength, he was taking great care not to harm the kitten. As the kitten was so tiny, Snape could understand.
More silence followed and Snape kept quiet, waiting for Flint to talk.
"Professor Snape, some of the older students have been…picking on me I guess. And I remember what you said, at the beginning of the year, about being together and such…and I figured it was just because I was new and…well, that and I'm alone this Christmas. Mum and I are all we have left and Mum…well, Mum's not feeling well," Flint blurted out.
Snape nodded. "Why didn't you come sooner?" he asked, turning the teacup in his hands slightly.
"Sir?"
Marcus Flint's confused face made Snape resist the urge to sigh. "I do not tolerate bullying, Mr. Flint, especially amongst House-mates. Slytherin protects their own. I will have a talk when the students return," he explained and Flint paused in petting the kitten.
She let out a distressed mew and Flint focused back on the kitten. She purred and Flint looked up. "I don't think that would help much sir," Flint stated.
Snape gave a thin 'smile.' "I don't tolerate bullying, Marcus. It is supposed to be a place of safety and refuge for you and other Slytherin students. There should be nothing of the sort. And if you are being bullied, who else might be suffering?" he responded.
Flint nodded slowly. The kitten leaned up and purred, carefully climbing up to snuggle on his shoulder. Somehow, she managed to do this without accidently puncturing the boy. She rubbed her head against his cheek and purred brightly. He reached up and pet the kitten. "I didn't expect you to have a kitten sir," Flint admitted softly.
"Neither did I, but she has become immovable as the stones," Snape commented.
Flint smiled a bit and the kitten batted at his hair, carefully. She nuzzled his temple and purred louder. Flint smiled and eventually finished his hot chocolate. During that time, the kitten had moved to settle in the first year's lap, napping away.
Once Flint had calmed and Snape got more of the story, he carefully reached over, collected the kitten, before he walked Flint back to the Slytherin common room. He then returned to his own quarters and smiled at the kitten, who was staring up at him.
"Thank you for helping Marcus," he stated.
The kitten purred brightly.
"How about Amie?" he questioned.
His robes got the bat instead of his hand.
Snape managed to wrangle out of going to dinner by saying that he wished to finish up his essay grading. In fact, he had finished before going out on his fool's errand. "What can be your name?" he inquired.
During the day, he tried to find names for the kitten. Most were met with a bat, or Snape himself had disapproved of the names before they made it through his mouth. He smiled and scratched under the kitten's chin. She purred and leaned her head back.
The kitten was adorable, but he would never admit that. He had a feeling she would grow into a sleek cat that would probably always be small. Her blue eyes were closed now, enjoying the attention he was lavishing on her.
"You are such a menace," he muttered softly and her purring increased.
It was the first time she had purred over something. He looked at her, blue eyes slits and he sighed. "I call you a 'menace' often enough. It must be your name," he gave in and Menace the Kitten purred loudly.
"You are impossible," he muttered softly.
She merely purred in agreement.
A/N: Thanks to everyone who sent in names! Menace won for two reasons; One, it got the most votes.
Two; I used all names given to me and tried to write with them. 'Menace' wrote out the best.
Sorry it took so long to update. Forgive me?