Oooh I wasn't happy last time no reviews for my last chapter... :'( Do you not like Sirius? I seriously doubt it!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters I use here, apart from Arleen of course.
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Chapter twelve: I know you, little one!
- Harry Potter, I know you're in there, come over here at once!
Arleen was posted in front of the statue of the one-eyed witch, the statue that hid the secret passage leading to Honeydukes' cellar.
Watching carefully if no one was coming that way, she entered the passage. Some yards away, she saw a wand coming from nowhere.
- Harry, please, I know it's you and I'm no going to attack you, so come over here please!
She was easily losing patience with that one, especially when he was hiding under his father's cloak.
- Okay, coming, he sighed before taking the cloak off.
- Thank you, she said rather angrily. I'm still a teacher, Mr Potter, and I'd be more than pleased if you listened to me sometimes!
- Okay, I said! he whispered while coming closer.
- Damn bloody Potter, she said grinding her teeth.
They got out of the passage carefully and she drove Harry to her office. She made a gesture for him to sit before her desk and gave him a cup of tea.
- Now, Harry, I know I'm preventing you from having a great afternoon with your friends, and I'm sorry about that, really, she added seeing his doubting eyes. I've not come to give you a detention, in fact yes but not on the purpose that you think.
He looked at her not understanding a word.
- Why then? he asked abruptly. Professor? he quickly added.
- Professor Snape told me that...
He sneered.
- Don't do this or you'll get another detention on a Hogsmeade day, she said quietly. Now, he told me that you had been seen out of bed very late some day this week. You know that it's forbidden and he gave you a detention for this on...
- A Quidditch day, I know... he finished.
- Yes, she said with her piercing eyes. But, you see, I'm not as horrible as you think, and I asked Professor Dumbledore to give you that detention myself on another day, far from Quidditch matches. How about tonight?
- Tonight? he asked suspiciously.
- Yes, I'd love to. That way, you'll be able to do your Charm and Transfiguration homework with the secret help of a teacher you don't have, and that way I can set my eyes on a certain map...
- Which map? he asked innocently.
- Come on, Harry, I was at school years before you, and I've seen this map in action. I need to retrieve someone.
- Black? he asked. I'd much like to find him myself, Professor, he said grinding his own teeth.
- I know. But it's not him I'm looking for, and I have reasons to believe that so soon after the holidays, when he could froze getting out wherever he's hiding, he's not going to try and kill you again.
- Right then. You want the map?
- Only for tonight during your detention, Harry. After that, you have my word that I will give it back to you.
And she drew a cross on her chest.
- Very well, then. See you tonight, Professor.
- See you, Harry. Oh, and I almost forgot, be careful not to leave it somewhere unsafe, you appear on the map even if you are under your father's cloak.
And she closed the door with her wand, avoiding the surprised glance he shot her.
- Potters, she whispered. All the same...
-o-o-o-
- You did what?
- Calm down, for Merlin's sake, Sev'! It's not that unfair, is it? It's the first time I can set my eyes on him without seeing disgust in his mother's eyes... So like herself, she added slowlier.
Severus sat on the couch.
- I gave him that detention for a good reason, Lin, he said quieter.
- Yes, I know your reasons, she sneered.
He looked at her suspiciously.
- What do you need him for? he asked almost innocently.
She smiled.
- Sometimes I hate the fact that you know me so well...
She sat next to him and took her head in her hands.
- I'm trying to find Pettigrew.
He sat listening.
- He's in here?
- Yes. He's been adopted by the Weasley family years ago. Clever, isn't it? He could live next to the one wizard the remaining Death Eaters wouldn't want to attack. Safest place on Earth!
- Yeah, clever, he said. But why do you need Potter?
- Can't tell you. One of the remaining secrets of the Marauders I can't reveal yet...
She patted his cheek.
- You're cute when you're upset.
She got up and went to look through the window.
- That boy is so like both his parents, no wonder why he hates me so much...
- Don't tell me you care? he sneered.
- As much as you do, Sev'. I've always cared.
-o-o-o-
- Sit down, Harry. You can do whatever you want.
- Understood, Professor.
Harry put his bag heavily on the floor and sat in front of Arleen's desk which she had tidied for the occasion. He took his parchment and started doing his Transfiguration homework. Arleen was still looking out the window.
- It's a beautiful night, she whispered hoping that the dark dog who was hiding under a certain tree could hear her. What is your homework about, Harry?
- Animagi, Miss.
- Ah, that's a subject I can help you with. What's the rule?
- Two rolls of parchment on the difficulties people can have becoming Animagi.
- Well, they aren't many of them, so you are going to have to write a lot about not much...
- You know some, Miss?
He put his pen down and looked strangely at her. She turned around grinning.
- I am an Animagus, Harry, so yes, I know all of them.
He looked impressed and then suspicious.
- You aren't on Pr McGonagall's list.
- No, I am not. I am an illegal Animagus. But the Ministry doesn't need to know my reasons. And neither do you.
He looked down at his parchment.
- What's the first difficulty, then?
- The pain. The first time you turn, it really is painful. Some wizards don't stand the pain and remain half-turned. Saint-Mungo's had loads of people like that the previous year of my own turning. Becoming an Animagus was a way of protecting yourself and those you love, you see, when Voldemort was still alive and killing.
He looked up quickly. She grinned.
- I'm not afraid of saying his name. Now, if you please, I'd like to look at your map while you write about that first difficulty. Can I? and she put her hand out.
He gave her the map.
- You have to say...
- "I solemnly swear I am up to no good", she interrupted, and the map drew itself on the blank parchment.
Harry seemed stunned.
- What? How?
Arleen smiled widely.
- I have had other friends than Professor Snape when I was at school, Harry, and at some point I needed to get out of Hogwarts to help...someone I cared about.
He didn't need to know everything, did he?
He then looked down and started writing his homework, but she could see that he was wondering thousands of things about her as he was making mistakes he had to correct with his special Correcting ink from Wizeacres.
She looked down on the map and began searching for Wormtail.
-o-o-o-
She saw that lots of students were still out of bed, that wouldn't be easy to look out for him.
- Harry?
- Yes, Professor, he said happy to be allowed a moment of freedom in this special detention.
- Has Ronald found his rat yet?
He looked at her, another question flowing on his face.
- No, Miss, he hasn't.
- You'll tell him that I had seen him in the girls' bathroom on the fourth floor, she said before looking down again.
No need to look in Gryffindor's tower then.
Remembering what Sirius had told her once, she opened the map where it was showing an area of the castle that was hardly ever visited, the corridor where the portrait of the Sir Cadogan laid. But Wormtail was nowhere to be seen. She let the map down and whispered "Mischief managed". The map went blank again.
She then saw that Harry was staring at her.
- Yes? What is it? she asked as gently as she could, upset as she was.
- Is it true, Professor? That you and my father...
- Weren't the best of friends? Yes, it's true. James didn't like me, I didn't like him. We kind of fought each other on childish purposes, like the fact that I was too close for him to his best friend...
She let her answer make a place in his mind, and when his eyes lit, she nodded.
- Yes, I was friend with Sirius Black. You're more than probably going to suspect me from helping him, aren't you? she then said getting up again.
- No, he said a moment after. I don't think you did. You wouldn't have told me if it was you.
She turned to face him.
- I've misread you, Harry. You are better than your parents, in fact. Remus was right, you do think.
- My parents?
- ...judged people too easily. One of your father's reasons to hate me was that I was friend with Professor Snape, and still am. I suppose it's one of yours too, though you don't say it out loud.
- No. I don't like it, but you aren't bad.
He looked down.
- I think it's time I get back, Professor. My detention is over.
- Can I see your homework before you go?
- Sure.
He handed the parchment.
She read it quickly.
- Good, you understood my point. Your father would have liked what you said.
And seeing another question in his green eyes, she added:
- Ask Professor Lupin tomorrow, I believe you have DATDA class in the morning. After all, he was closer to James than I would ever have dreamt of. If I ever dreamt of it, she added grinding her teeth.
Harry got out of her office lighter than when he walked in two hours before. Arleen thought once more that it was a shame such a young boy would suffer that much for someone else's mistakes. She swore that Peter would suffer half as Harry had. Maybe even more.
And she waved her wand to make her bed appear. Getting in it, she heard movement in the next office. She grinned.
- Remus, she said loudly, it's bad to eavesdrop!
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Ah, another one done! I'm sorry darlings, I won't post so much next week, I have my exams. But I will, just don't wait for a new chapter tomorrow morning... :)
Review please!