Late Arrivals and Lifetime Rivals: Snape's Worst Halloween
In which Crookshanks shows his mettle.
Chapter 10: Drawing One's Claws
The bathroom was completely destroyed. Shelves, shower curtain, and all of the visible contents were shattered and strewn on the floor.
Items from the medicine cabinet had also fallen and were sprawled underneath, er, the basilisk's feet.
Snape's costume was slashed in various places and stuffing was coming out of rips in the material.
The snake's eyes were dangling from atop the snake head, where Crookshanks sat, unmoving, and staring at me in surprise as I walked in.
The ironic thing was that Snape and Crookshanks had the same expression of alarm on their faces. Well, the little part of Snape's face that was visible---not the snake head.
Crookshanks had sunk his sharp claws into the eyes of the snake head piece and when I approached him, he hissed at me and would not let go.
Snape didn't say a word. I almost got the impression that they were both now pretending that nothing had happened, there was no mess, and that I was a bit daft and seeing things.
"Severus," I only referred to him by his given name in times of seriousness or distress. "I won't ask you a thing…only step outside and let me clear this…er, mess."
Snape wobbled out of the bathroom, Crookshanks still firmly attached to his snake head.
I magicked the contents to be repaired and put in their proper place. This took some time after the severe damage the room and the objects had sustained.
When I finished, I still could not get Crookshanks to let go of Snape.
I informed Snape that regrettably, he would have to go back downstairs…
The snake head nodded, and Crookshanks bobbed with the head, holding on for dear life. The snake's "neck" smirked at me.
When we went downstairs, I saw that Fletcher was finally sitting up after a very long nap which had lasted the entire duration that we had been at the party. He and the Weasley twins were whispering conspiratorially…never a good sign.
I lead Snape by his felt fangs to steady both him and the angry kneazle on his head.
The guests' jaws dropped as I lead Snape to a very large lounge chair where he sat down.