Chapter 7
By the time the trio where back at their forest camp Granger had noticed something odd about the parcel – it had a fake bottom – she unlocked it to find the true locket of Slytherin. From the headmasters office I heard the Potter-ish accent of parseltongue and the mark burnt furiously as if itself was in pain which its master was. The Gryffindor's were another Horcrux down.
I left the glamour's undone as I flew through the grounds of Hogwarts, over the houses and businesses of Hogsmede – as usual Trelawney was over her head in sherry in the three broomsticks. But I was heading for the Hogs Head; Aberforth had flooed me saying the Golden Trio had arrived – I took the liberty of using my raven form to fly through one of the upstairs windows; I didn't want to be seen entering the Hogs Head pub. I followed my own instructions to small cube room which despite the roaring fire there was very little in the dilapidated room. The trio didn't notice me flying over them as they ate at the oddly circular table – how very Arthurian. I landed on the back of an armchair facing the fire, transforming myself back into a human I could feel the heat from it despite the lack of light. I had expected Potter or Granger to notice me first, not Weasley.
"Snape, how long have you…" I cut him off,
"Long enough Weasley, but we should be having this discussion at the school," I turned to the large portrait that hung over the mantle. "My lady; you know what to do." She bowed as she left her portrait from the back rather than the usual side of the frame. The silence was tangible until it was broken by a quiet squeak – I still heard it. "What is it now Weasley?" I sighed quietly, I could almost hear his question before he actual asked it.
"Your face, how long…" I cut him off, again; he was as eloquent as Potter.
"Been like this Weasley?" he nodded as he continued to stare. "Long enough,"
"Is that you answer to everything?" Granger had finally spoken, I shrugged – words did not wish to form in my brain. The young Gryffindor's seemed uneased by my lack of sarcastic bitterness – if I was honest I was uneased by their uneasiness.
"Pretty much, usually when I don't particularly want to be answering random questions."
"Oh," was the only sound to be heard from the Gryffindor collective. I looked back at the portrait of Ariana Dumbledore – yes I knew who she was; I also knew that the three lions stood around me may have been completely oblivious to this fact – it had finally unlocked itself as it swung forward to reveal a hidden passageway. I thanked Ariana as I stepped through; the barrier I had placed on the entrance dissolved when my Pegasus form touched it. I was rather pleased that we could make this journey pleasantly quiet, until Granger made another random question; well it was of a statement.
"Sir, you do know that your mane and tail have a white streak in." I paused to glare at her, fortunately the three of them had left sufficient space between ourselves to avoid walking into me. The only audible response she got was an array of snorts and grunts that any other horse type creature would have reared in contempt to my atrocious language in front of and at fouls.
However my human brain refused to call the golden trio fouls, they had stopped being children in their first year – particularly Potter – but that was not their fault: nobody listened to them. Even through this second silence it was clear to each of them that I had other things on my mind; and that I didn't want to be interrupted from those thoughts.