Chapter 11: Bedroom and Old Snooping Codgers?

Harri was ready to collapse onto the floor as tired as she was, but the nudges she was getting from the kit was enough to herd her over to the bed. Barely noticing the room and the décor Harri passed through the outer sitting room that was a perfect fit for the kind of retreat Harri needed to relax. Focusing on the large canopy bed, Harri picked Jahangier up from the floor to lightly deposit him on the bed prior to curling up. Five minutes later soft snoring could be heard by Calvyn as he walked through the paintings within the chambers. Glancing to the bed where Harri had fallen asleep atop the covers Calvyn sent a wave of his magic to position Harry properly on the bed.

Jahangier stood over Harri's head staring straight at Calvyn before glancing away at the window and back again.

"What is it kit? Is something at the window?" A kind of bark affirmed Cal's question. Seeing that there would be no harm in listening to the kit he sent a second wave of magic to the window. The second it popped open a white blur passed swiftly through only to settle onto the bedpost overlooking the sleeping girl. "I see that the young mistress has many dutiful guards watching out for her, no need to glare, I have sworn protection over any that become part of my house."

Hedwig seeing that the painting was not a threat she moved her glare towards the entry way. Jahangier knowing that all would be well with Hedwig joining them circled around and then curled up in the curvature between Harri's neck and shoulder.

In a different tower Dumbledore was feeling a variety of different emotions, annoyance and curiosity being the strongest.

"Fawkes will you please give me advice old friend? This girl is not part of what I planned, nothing is as I planned."

Fawkes just trilled and gave a glower.

"I see you don't approve any more than I do. Thank you for listening, I believe Severus could use some company, would you like to come with me old friend?"

Fawkes trill had not meant approval even in the roughest translation, what he had said was, "I hope all your plans fail. You've ruined too many children's lives with your manipulations, you wrinkled old codger." Turning on his perch so that his tail faced Dumbledore, Fawkes moved his head under his wing to get some much deserved rest, where dreams weren't polluted by a certain man.

"I see, you must be tired I will leave you to your rest." Not sparing Dumbledore even a glance Fawkes maintained his current position as the Headmaster began walking from his tower towards the dungeon chambers. It was a long walk for Albus to finally reach Severus' rooms, which were hidden down a hallway few entered or even noticed as it was an illusion that made it seem to be part of a painting. The guardian portrait was of a woman with dark hair and bloody lips smirking down at any person seeking admission, if one looked at certain times she would flash fangs.

"Doe my Deer." The headmaster thought himself quite witty for deciding such as his by-pass for Severus' rooms, never stopping to consider it was why he never got invited down to them. The guardian looked of ill inclination to allow him entrance, but was able to forgo making a decision as Severus had come to begin his nightly wanderings.

As the portrait slowly opened the passage way lost its chill for moment as the heat for the rooms within dispersed. The dark shape of Severus appeared before him in a billowing of cloaks, something that never failed to make him envy the dark grace of the man before him.

"Headmaster, why have you sought me out? We had spoken already earlier this evening."

"Am I not allowed to visit you my boy?"

"Answering a question with a question Albus, tells me you want something of me."

"Only your insight of our latest sorting." The twinkle in his eyes only served to irritate the potions master and make him want to curse them shut.

Through gritted teeth Severus extended an offer, "Would you like to come in this is a conversation best suited for being seated."

"My boy there is nothing I would like more." The damnable twinkle continued to become worse as Dumbledore swept past Severus into his personal rooms. Following behind Severus kept his eyes focused on the man before him.

Not waiting to be given an invitation to make himself comfortable Albus sat down in the armchair belonging to the Prince's, one of the few heirlooms left to Severus from his mother before he inherited the entire Prince family holdings from his late grandparents.

"Down to business then, I was the one to send you to introduce the Jacques muggleborn child to the wizarding world, but you seem to have left certain details out that leave me rather put out."

"Sir, I believe that Angelica has proven herself capable of becoming a witch of a higher caliber in comparison to the rest of the dunderheads sorted this evening."

"That is not significant, I want to know how her home life is, what her stance for dark creature are… not the possibilities." Dumbledore's sharp tone caught Severus by surprise; this was not the grandfatherly image he was used to, Dumbledore had portrayed himself as a kind grandfather for as long as he'd known him what was different now.

"—Is the grandfatherly face a mask? A façade? Why have I never noticed? — " The thoughts flew through his mind rapidly, before Albus' voice broke him out of his thoughts.

"Severus, this is a serious matter, the Sea House has been opened, I ask that you endear yourself to the girl and become her head of house so you have complete access to her at all times."

"—Trust him to play you like a fiddle and you allow him. I would be best to play along… he is the one to rescue me from a life time imprisonment in Azkaban. —"

"I will do my best Sir."

"That is all I can ever ask of you my boy, never doubt my affections," said Dumbledore as he stood leaning over to grasp Severus at his shoulder. Allowing his touch as abhorrent as it was only instigated a strong sense of weariness and the desire to sleep for a century for Severus. Waiting for the hand to release him Severus stood up to lead Dumbledore from his rooms.

The night was far from over for Dumbledore he still needed to gain some leverage over the latest surprise thrust upon him. Leaving the dungeons to head towards the Sea House Dumbledore realized he had no idea where dorms were located. Knowing it would be best to ask a house-elf he summoned the Head House-Elf from the kitchens.

"WALLYCE"

In a distinct crack a short creature with bulbous eyes and long ears appeared in front of him, "Mr. Dumbledore, sir has called upon Wallyce, what can I do for you?" As most elderly house-elves he had graduated from elf speak to the proper cultured tones of wizards though in Dumbledore's arrogance he never noticed.

"Wallyce I require you to lead me to the dormitories of the Sea House."

"I am sorry Headmaster but in the Hogwarts Charter nobody but the Head of House and the students may know where they are."

Angrily the Headmaster glowered down at the creature before thunderously exclaiming, "You are telling me, THE HEADMASTER, that I… THE HEADMASTER, am not allowed entrance or knowledge of even the location of the Sea House?"

"That is correct—Sir"

In his rage Dumbledore failed to see the portraits nearby listening to the confrontation closely before he stormed off in the direction of his office. The moment he left the corridor the portraits became a flurry of paints all bumping into each other as the hurried to convey the information to Calvyn, who had sent messages to every painting to bring him news if anyone had come seeking those of his house.

…"(_')…

(1,364 words)

I'd like to thank those that review and have followed this story despite the slow in coming updates. I often lose track of where I planned on going or my computer dies. So far I have killed 3 laptops and every time it takes me a couple of months to half a year to get another. I am on my fourth laptop re-writing the 3 chapters I had started before the last one died (3 chapters including this one). And no I do not keep back-ups, I should, but I don't.