A/N: Some of this chapter comes from Chapter 11 of Chamber of Secrets.
Chapter 12
Wednesday evening found Severus in Dumbledore's office playing a game of chess and sipping on a lovely mug of thick hot chocolate. After the weekend, Severus began to feel a little less stressed. The term would be ending soon and he wanted to take a well earned break and even perhaps spend a little time in London.
"Minerva came to speak to me the other day about a duelling club that you had suggested," said Dumbledore.
"I'm glad she did."
"Would you like to tell me more?"
"Understandably, there has been a general feeling of unease within the student body, and there has been a need to rectify that. I wanted to teach Harry proper duelling, especially after his incident last year with Quirrell, so I suggested it," said Severus. He poked the knight who was being particularly difficult tonight.
"Oi!" it yelled. "You aren't really putting in much effort tonight, are you?"
Dumbledore chuckled. "Minerva also told me that Gilderoy Lockhart will be assisting you in this endeavour."
Severus made a face like he had just eaten a lemon. "I suppose he thinks I'll be the one assisting him. He says that he'll use it to teach practically what he has been teaching in class."
"He really bugs you, doesn't he?" asked Dumbledore serenely.
"I hate fakes and drama queens. There is absolutely no way that Lockhart could have done half of the things he has claimed he has. I don't think he could even defend himself against a Cornish pixie. Oh, hang on, that's right, he couldn't. From what I heard from all the rumours, he left Harry and his two friends to put them all back in the cage. I honestly hope you don't intend on keeping him here permanently."
"Well, we shall have to see how the rest of the year pans out, but between you and me, I don't think he will be around in September."
"I have a feeling I won't be filling that position then, will I?" asked Severus irritably.
"Your time will come eventually."
"I know what that means. Probably never."
Dumbledore smiled gently, but didn't say anything.
"This is starting to get frustrating. Every year I apply for the job, and every year you reject my application with the same response," said Severus, neglecting the game.
"Severus, you have been here for almost eleven years, and every year there has been an opportunity for you to apply for the position. Why? Because not a single teacher in that post has remained there for more than a year; the position is cursed. I don't want to put you in any potential danger when it is unnecessary," said Dumbledore tiredly.
"That is just rumour and hearsay. It is coincidence that they leave after a year."
"There is no such thing as coincidence."
"Perhaps." Severus drank the last of his hot chocolate and stood. "I will inform you how tomorrow evening goes."
-XXX-
It was almost eight o'clock in the evening on Thursday when Severus met Lockhart in the antechamber of the Great Hall. He was wearing a deep plum waistcoat and it looked as though he had spent at least an hour on his hair. But it was the grin and wink that was the most sickening of all.
"Good evening my dear man," said Lockhart, holding out his hand for Severus to shake it.
Ignoring the proffered hand, Severus said, "Lockhart. Let's get down to business, shall we?"
"I am looking forward to working with you, Severus."
"I think you should know that I have had ample experience in duelling, and have, in my time, fought some very powerful wizards and beat them. I think—"
"Don't worry yourself about it. All I really need is an assistant to help with the demonstrations. It shouldn't be too difficult." He flashed a smile at Severus and patted him on the shoulder.
Lockhart glanced at his pocket watch and at the turn of the hour, he pushed open the doors and entered the Great Hall. There was a stage along one wall and Lockhart bounded up the stairs, Severus joining him on the stage. Severus was about to speak to the students when Lockhart beat him to it.
"Gather round, gather round!" he said, waving his arm and grinning to the students. "Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent! Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little duelling club to teach you some of the skills I have learnt over the years on my many adventures – for full details, see my published works," he said, and winked at the crowd. Several girls sighed dreamily while several boys looked ill.
"Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape," Lockhart continued, making a sweeping gesture in Severus' direction.
'Assistant?' thought Severus, 'I'll show him assistant.'
"He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about duelling himself, and has graciously agreed to a demonstration before we begin. Now I don't want you to worry," he said dramatically to the crowd, "you'll still have your Potions Master after I'm through with him."
Severus was amused at Lockhart's confidence and couldn't help sneering. Severus caught Harry's eye and Harry gave him a small encouraging smile. Severus and Lockhart faced each other in the formal duelling manner. Lockhart bowed with a flourish, but Severus had no respect for him and would never bow properly to him. Severus held his wand in front of him. Lockhart continued explaining the wand position, but Severus had tuned him out. Suddenly he was eighteen again, facing an opponent in the midst of a battle. Violent images flashed through his mind, and for a mere moment he was tempted to blast Lockhart into another century. He reigned in control, and instead of hurting him, he shouted one of the most useful spells he knew.
"Expelliarmus!" he cried, putting all his anger, annoyance and frustration into the spell. The result was far more powerful than he had anticipated. Lockhart was blasted off his feet and across the room and slammed into the wall. Some of the Slytherins cheered, and Severus was momentarily taken aback. He hadn't felt that much power surge through him in a long time. He remembered why he had gone over to the Dark side. The power was addictive.
Lockhart managed to climb back on the stage. Severus was glad to see his hair was messed up. "Well, there you have it," he said. "That was a Disarming Charm. As you can see I've lost my wand – oh thank you Miss Brown – yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was pretty obvious that you were about to do that, and I could have easily stopped you if I wanted to. However, I thought it would more instructive to show them—"
At this point Severus was angry. Not only had Lockhart claimed his idea for his own, but he had taken over and was calling Severus his assistant. Lockhart finally seemed to realise that Severus was angry because he ended the demonstration.
"Time to pair up, I think. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me."
Severus and Lockhart moved through the students, matching them up. Severus tried to avoid matching friends with friends, because he knew they wouldn't take it seriously enough. He aimed to get to Harry before Lockhart, and managed it.
"Time to split up the dream team, I think," he said, eyeing Weasley's broken wand. He partnered Weasley with Finnigan. Harry moved towards Granger, but Severus stopped him.
"Mr Malfoy, let's see what you can make of the famous Mr Potter." Harry shot him a desperate look which he ignored. "Miss Granger, you can partner Miss Bulstrode."
Malfoy came over and faced Harry. He had an evil smirk on his face. From the stage, Lockhart called out, "Face your partners, and bow!" Severus stood near the pair as they barely inclined their heads. "Wands at the ready!" Lockhart went on. "When I count to three I want you only to disarm your opponents. One... Two... Three!"
Immediately all the students in the room began shouting and spells flew this way and that. All around him students fell to the floor or wandered around looking for their wands. In front of him, however, Malfoy and Harry were not playing fair. Malfoy sent a spell at Harry that winded him. Harry immediately retaliated with a 'Rictusempra!' which sent Malfoy wheezing with laughter. Malfoy sank to the floor, but he caught his breath enough to send a 'Tarantallegra!' at Harry whose legs started to jerk and tremble uncontrollably. Lockhart was getting frantic.
"Finite Incantatem!" Severus shouted, taking control. The spells on both boys were cancelled immediately. There was a dull silence that hung over the room at the aftermath of the duels. Granger and Bulstrode were still wrestling each other. Harry darted forward to pull Busltrode off her with a bit of difficulty.
Lockhart appeared out of nowhere at Severus' side. "I think perhaps I should have shown you how to block unfriendly spells." Severus wanted to slap the idiot. "Finch-Fletchley and Longbottom—"
"A bad idea, Professor Lockhart. Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest of spells. We'll be sending Finch-Fletchley to the Hospital Wing in a matchbox." Severus approached Lockhart slowly. "Perhaps Malfoy and Potter would be a better choice?"
"Excellent idea, Professor." Lockhart ushered the pair into the centre of the room, and the rest of the students spread out to give them space.
Lockhart went to Harry's side as Severus went to Malfoy's side. Lockhart was saying something to Harry and wiggling his wand around in the air. He caught Severus' eye and dropped the wand. Severus smirked. What a phoney.
"Take Potter by surprise, show him what you can do, but do not injure him. Try the spell your father taught you," Severus whispered to Malfoy. As much as he didn't want Harry hurt, he had to orchestrate this properly.
Lockhart straightened and cleared his throat. "Three... two... one... go!" he shouted.
Before Harry even had the chance to open his mouth Malfoy had shouted "Serpensortia!" Out of the end of his wand erupted a long black snake.
Severus had been expecting this. "Don't move Potter," he said lazily. Harry was eye to eye with the snake, not moving. "I'll get rid of it..."
"Allow me!" shouted Lockhart, brandishing his wand at the serpent. Instead of the snake vanishing, it shot high up into the air and landed with a loud smack on the stone floor. The snake was now angry and slithered towards the Finch-Fletchley boy.
Out of nowhere, Harry jumped forward, and to his horror, started hissing at the snake. The snake immediately started backing away from the boy. Severus' stomach dropped to his toes. The last time he had heard anyone speak Parseltongue he had been in the presence of the Dark Lord. The hall had fallen deathly silent, everyone staring at Harry. He smiled at Finch-Fletchley, but the boy was angry.
"What do you think you're playing at?" he shouted and stormed out of the hall.
Severus stepped forward and muttered "Vipera Evanesca," and the snake vanished in a puff of smoke. He stared at Harry, who was now looking at him desperately. Severus didn't know what to say. He had never expected that Harry, his own flesh and blood, was capable of speaking to snakes.
Around them the students were muttering, and Weasley pulled Harry out of the room followed by Miss Granger. The students parted around them like they were infected with something.
"Alright, that's enough. Back to your dormitories," said Severus. At once all the students started moving off out of the hall. Severus waited until the last student had left.
"Well, that was quite a show," said Lockhart weakly. He had gone quite pale.
"It certainly wasn't a show, Lockhart. Potter may be famous, but he is famous for the things he actually did himself, and not lies written in a book." He glared at Lockhart. "We will not be doing this again. Good night." Severus left the Great Hall and made his way into the dungeon and into his quarters.
Alone, he lit the fire to warm the freezing room and sank into the chair. He summoned a house-elf and requested hot chocolate laced with liqueur, which then appeared on the coffee table. Severus took a sip, and felt immediately warmer. When he finished his drink he dragged himself to his bed. Exhaustion overcame him before he could even climb into bed and he fell asleep on top of the covers.
How could Harry be a Parseltongue? Surely it couldn't be an inherited trait like the Dark Lord's? Lily's whole family were Muggles, and the gene for it would be passed down through at least one magical parent. Could Severus' mother have carried the gene? No, it was not possible. It would have manifested in one of the more recent generations, and as far as he was aware, there had never been a Parseltongue in his family. Maybe there had been. Or maybe, and Severus hated to think this, Harry wasn't actually his biological son...
These thoughts and many others were racing through Severus' mind when he fell into an uneasy sleep.
He was sitting in a small boat on the Black Lake. The surface was perfectly still, and the weather warm. On the shore not too far away, a small blurred figure in robes walked towards Severus. He squinted and the figure cleared to reveal Harry. He waded into the water. Severus tried to call out to him to stop or he will drown, but no sound came out. He tried to jump out of the boat but couldn't move either. He was forced to watch as Harry kept wading in until he was up to his chin.
A tight knot formed in Severus' stomach as he sat helplessly watching Harry disappear under the water. Suddenly the surface started rippling around him, and the Giant Squid floated to the surface with the face of Harry. The tentacles appeared around him, wrapping around the boat. Suddenly, the tentacles turned into snakes, and when Severus looked back, Harry's face had been replaced by Tom Riddle's.
The face started hissing and the snakes wrapped themselves around him, squeezing him tight. They pulled him overboard and dragged him under the water. He couldn't breathe, or even move to fight back. He knew Harry was in grave danger but he couldn't do anything about it. He struggled and kicked and rolled around...
Severus landed with a thump on the cold hard floor. He sat up immediately, feeling disorientated. He had fallen off his bed, in his room, and was definitely not drowning. He was drenched in sweat and still shaking. This new revelation about Harry had really caught him off guard. He got up off the floor and checked the time. It was three o'clock in the morning. He wasn't going to get anymore sleep, and he knew it, so he decided to take a shower and finish off the last bit of marking he needed to do. In the morning, his head would be clearer and he would speak to Harry about it, and perhaps even Dumbledore too. Perhaps he would have some answers to this mystery.
A/N: Reviews are a writer's bread and butter, so I would really appreciate a nice one :)
