Chapter 11
Staff meetings were not on Severus' list of favourite things to do, but he had to go them regardless. He was sitting at one end of the large round table in the staff room with his arms folded, watching the antics of Lockhart. He had interrupted McGonagall so many times that she was starting to get fed up. This amused Severus somewhat.
"We need to collect the names of all the students who are going to remain at Hogwarts over the holidays. Can the heads of house please do that this evening?" said McGonagall, looking to each of the heads who nodded.
"Now, the last order of business for today," she continued. "As you well know, a few weeks ago, the first year student Colin Creevey was attacked and petrified. Pomona has informed me the mandrakes will still take a while to grow to the right age, at which point Severus will be able to make a restorative draught to reanimate poor Mr Creevey and Mrs Norris. In the mean time, however, the students have been feeling uneasy and many of the students, especially the younger ones, do not feel safe. As they are staying here at Hogwarts, and we are acting in loco parentis, we should find a way to try and ease their fears. Are there any suggestions for how we could do this?" She looked expectantly at the other members of staff. For once, Lockhart was silent.
"We could escort the students to and from classes and enforce a curfew on them," suggested Flitwick. There were a few muffled groans from various staff members.
"We have done that in the past, and it hasn't always been the most practical thing to do. Also, since there haven't been any more attacks on students, I don't think it would be entirely necessary to spend so much time and energy in doing that only to ease the minds of students. However, if it becomes necessary, we shall implement it," McGonagall said, not exactly shooting Flitwick's idea down completely, but most of the teachers were visibly relieved.
"We could teach the students how to do basic duelling," said Severus quietly. It was a thought he had been mulling over for a while now, teaching Harry how to duel. "Granted, a first year with little knowledge of defensive spells could hardly defend himself against whatever the supposed monster is, but as you say, it could help them feel a little safer." He folded his arms and raised his eyebrow slightly as the rest of the staff stared at him.
"That is an excellent idea, Severus," piped up Lockhart, enthusiastically. "I was just about to suggest that myself, as a matter of fact. I have been making plans to start a duelling club that students could join as a way to teach the practicalities of some of the things they learn in class with me." He beamed at the other teachers. "I mean, who wouldn't want to learn from me, eh?" He winked.
Severus held back the urge to roll his eyes and punch Lockhart. Instead he looked expectantly at McGonagall, who still looked a bit taken aback. "Well, as Gilderoy is the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, perhaps it would be more practical to have him teach the students what he is covering in class. It was a very good idea, Severus, and I think you are right in saying that it could help them feel better. I shall go and speak to Professor Dumbledore and get permission." She paused for a moment. "I think we should not underestimate the abilities of a first year. Let's not forget what Mr Potter managed to achieve last year, when he was only a first year."
Severus' heart skipped a beat for a moment when McGonagall held his gaze, but he had years of practice in keeping a straight face, and tilted his head slightly in acknowledgement.
-XXX-
That evening after dinner Severus went into the common room and stood just inside the door, surveying the room. All the Slytherins were there, doing homework at desks or playing chess or exploding snap by the fire. These days, nobody wanted to be out and about in the corridor after dark. Draco Malfoy was sitting alone at the window seat reading a letter. He didn't look too pleased.
Severus stepped out of the shadow and cleared his throat. The room went instantly silent.
"I would like the names of anybody who will be remaining at Hogwarts over the holidays," he said, and very few students moved. Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle put their names on the list, as did a few other students. "Anybody else?" he asked. Malfoy looked up from the letter he was reading and stood reluctantly.
"I will also be staying," said Malfoy when he got to Severus. The boy looked him in the eye, like he was trying to see if Severus was hiding anything. Severus didn't know what the boy's problem was, so he wrote his name on the list and turned on his heel and left.
He returned to his room to find an elf had delivered a copy of Progressive Potioneering. He flipped it open and paged through casually until he came to his article. It was written over a double page, with a small picture of his scowling face at the top next to the title. Interspersed through the article were several pictures, most from the book Moste Potente Potions diagramming the various effects Polyjuice has on a person. He scanned through the article, annoyed that they had left out a sentence here or there, and added one or two of their own, though on the whole he was rather pleased with himself.
-XXX-
On Thursday afternoon, Severus had the Gryffindor and Slytherin second years. He had decided that they would attempt the Swelling Solution. He had instructed them earlier in the week to read up on it. The students filed silently in the room and sat behind their usual work stations.
"On Monday I set you the task of reading and learning the Swelling Solution," said Severus from the front of the room. "I hope you have done that, because you will be attempting it without the use of your textbooks. Just remember that if you get any of this solution on you at any point, the consequences could be... unpleasant. You have until the end of this lesson. Begin."
There was an instant bustle as the students went to the storeroom to get ingredients and start their potions. He stalked up and down between cauldrons, pausing every now and then to scrutinise and criticise a student's work. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Malfoy flicking something towards Harry, but ignored it. Harry could fight his own battles.
He came to Harry's work station, and was very disappointed to find the potion was watery and runny.
"That potion is so watery I'd be surprised if it makes anything swell at all. Perhaps we should see if it works at the end of this lesson, eh?" Severus sneered.
"Yes Sir," muttered Harry, keeping his head down and continued stirring his potion in completely the wrong direction. Severus was tempted to pass an even more scathing remark when he noticed Longbottom about to put in a wrong ingredient at the station behind Harry.
"Longbottom!" he snapped, and the boy jumped, dropping in the newts eyes. "Did you read the textbook?"
Longbottom went as white as a sheet and stammered, "Y-yes Sir."
"And did it say that you must use –"
He was interrupted by an almighty BANG! coming from the other side of the classroom. He whipped around to find that Goyle's cauldron had exploded and several Slytherins showered in the potion. Those who had been splashed were howling in pain, hands and faces and arms swelling rapidly.
"GOYLE!" he shouted at the boy who was blundering around blindly. "What on earth did you do?" Goyle obviously didn't hear him. The noise level was increasing as some of the other Gryffindors began giggling.
"Silence!" shouted Severus. "SILENCE!" The class quietened down somewhat. "Those who have been splashed must come here immediately for a Deflating Draught. When I find out who did this..." he said threateningly. Half the class lurched forward to receive some of the potion. Under any other circumstance, Severus might have actually been rather amused at the inflated students. As it was, he was in a murderous rage, and the sight of swollen students just made it worse.
When the students had all received some of the Deflating Draught and had returned to a normal size, Severus swooped down on Goyle's cauldron. Lying at the bottom of it was a twisted and charred something. He lifted it out, holding it high enough for the whole class to see. There was a sudden hush that fell over the class like a blanket: it was the remains of a Filibuster firework.
He scanned the faces of the students, looking for a guilty face. His gaze alighted on Harry who looked puzzled. "If I ever find out who threw this," said Severus venomously, "I shall make sure that person is expelled." Not a single student moved; they were all staring at him like frightened hare caught in wand light. "There are ten minutes left until the end of the lesson. Those of you whose potion is still intact had better finish it. You are not wasting any more of my precious ingredients."
There was a hustle to get back to their work stations. Severus knew that there would be hardly any potions worth marking now, and that his ingredients would be wasted, even though those in the students' store cupboard was paid for by the school. The events of that day put him in a foul mood. He was at last looking forward to the duelling club that he would be doing with Lockhart: perhaps this would be his chance to blast him to smithereens.
-XXX-
Saturday was another Hogsmeade weekend for the older students and Severus had volunteered himself to accompany them. He was beginning to get antsy and irritable, especially over the last few days. Lockhart was starting to really get on his nerves.
It was freezing outside and starting to snow, so he wrapped himself in his thickest cloak and gloves and ventured outside. McGonagall was collecting the last of the permission slips, and Severus walked past them and down the long lane towards Hogsmeade. There were few students on the pathways between shops, as it was rather cold. Glancing in the window he saw that the Three Broomsticks was full of students and even a few teachers, though his intention wasn't to go in there.
The end of the road was quiet: nobody really ventured that way because the only thing on that end was the Shrieking Shack and the Hogs Head. Severus was glad for the quietude that this pub provided for him.
"Can I have a Firewhiskey please?" he said at the counter. Aberforth Dumbledore handed him a glass that looked as though it hadn't been washed with clean water in a good while and poured a full measure of the drink. Severus took his drink to a corner booth and sat, blending in to the darkness quite easily.
For a pub it was rather quiet, everybody minding their own business and sticking to themselves. Severus watched the other people with slight interest. There was one man who had more fake limbs than his own real ones, with an eye patch drinking at the counter and having an animated conversation with Aberforth. There was another... something... at the other end of the room, wearing a deep hood, a strange hissing sound emitting from under it every time it took a drink. Severus knew that many of the people in this room were dangerous in their own right, some running from the law or just needing privacy. That was one thing about the Hogs Head. Nobody would ever question your presence there.
He tipped back the drink, handed the glass to Aberforth and walked out. He was there on duty after all. He wandered up the path, pulling his cloak tighter around him, trying to stave off the cold air. He made his way towards the Shrieking Shack. It often happened that students would dare each other to get as close as they can to the supposed haunted house.
He crunched through the snow up to the fence. He stood there and stared at the hideous shack. He knew that there was a path under the Whomping Willow that led to the interior of this building. It held horrible memories for him, and he preferred not to dwell on them too long. Behind him he heard a group of boys laughing and joking; one boy was teasing another.
"Come on! Don't be a flobberworm! Go in!" he shouted and cackled with laughter.
"I don't want to," said another. He was whimpering. The others laughed loudly and harshly. The group came over the hill and stopped dead at the sight of Severus. There were three sixth year Slytherins and a smaller Hufflepuff boy. The Hufflepuff looked terrified.
"Good morning boys," said Severus lightly.
"Good morning Professor Snape," said one, rather arrogantly, who seemed to be the leader. "Nice weather today, don't you think Sir?" he asked casually. The young Hufflepuff was trembling.
"Indeed it is. I hope you don't think that it's a good day for bullying, do you?" He met the gaze of the leader, who held it.
"Of course not. We were just showing this nice young lad here the Shrieking Shack." He winked at the Hufflepuff. Aside to Severus he whispered, "But he's a Hufflepuff. Don't you think he has earned it to go have a look up in the Shack, Professor?" the boy winked, and Severus felt the urge to slap him across the cheek.
"I suggest," said Severus slowly through gritted teeth, "that you three go back to the castle right now if you want to return to Hogsmeade again. Let that boy go, and if I ever catch you bullying anyone ever again, you will regret it."
To Severus' amazement, the boy laughed and leaned in closer to Severus. "I'm not afraid of you, Sir. My father has enlightened me about you. Apparently, you were once a Death—"
"I will not tolerate your cheek," snapped Severus. "You and your two friends will have detention for a week, and if you are not careful, you will have your Hogsmeade privilege revoked." He leaned in to the boy and said quietly and with as much venom is his voice as he could muster, "and I don't suggest you try your luck with me ever again."
The boy went white and stammered an apology. He turned on his heel and ran back, his two friends following him.
"Th-thank you, Professor Snape," stammered the terrified Hufflepuff.
"Don't push your luck either," he snapped, and the Hufflepuff scampered away.
Severus sighed inwardly and pinched the bridge of his nose to fend off the headache that was developing. He couldn't wait for the holidays, when he could get away from all this, even if it was temporarily.
A/N: Reviews, reviews, wherefore art thou reviews?
