Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns all public characters, and the world of Harry Potter. There is no intention to violate copyright.

Working with a Weasley

Monday, September 14, 1998

Bill Weasley's classroom looked almost cheerful, and I found it rather disgusting. He removed the coverings over the windows, and brightened the area. How is an idyllic classroom going to induce students to focus on defending against the dark arts? Bill sat at his desk. On it rested a beautiful necklace made with several diamonds and rubies. It nestled in a designer box, and I curiously watched as the young man studied the ancient artifact. The clearing of my throat drew his attention, and then I enquired, "Is this the cursed item?"

The redheaded male glanced at me, and motioned to the chair on the other side of his desk. "Professor Snape, I appreciate your agreeing to help me with this. Unfortunately, the start of term caused a short delay in our work." He paused, and motioned with his hand while he stated, "This is the Necklace of Nymaatre." I glanced at him curiously as he further explained, "It means, belonging to the justice of Re. The curse confuses me, and I have yet to break it without risking the item." He pushed a parchment toward me as he explained, "I have attempted to discover the spell elements used to trigger the different defensive mechanisms, but that has proven futile. I am missing something."

Curiously, I unrolled the parchment and studied what the young man had written. "Indeed, this is interesting," I muttered as I continued to look at it. He asked about me calling him Bill, but I hesitated. Did I want to? The parchment had everything he knew of the spell, and it intrigued me. I followed the logic of the magical functions, and then I discovered a slight inconsistency. I barely managed to cover my delight, as I pointed at the area and mentioned, "This line is incomplete." He glanced at the parchment, and looked at me as I further explained, "The spell would unravel, do you see it, the broken pattern?"

We both cast analytical spells on the necklace, and attempted to understand the code. It was intriguing, as I had never seen anything as complex. The curse was very intricate, and I yearned to learn more. I will have to thank McGonagall for mentioning his work. I cannot remember anything so thrilling, at least, not in the last little while. Suddenly, Bill interrupted my thoughts as he mentioned, "I don't understand, Severus. Is it possible that something is missing from the spell? I already looked for hidden elements."

"Indeed," I agreed, as I too could not find the needed information. Rising from the chair I mentioned, "I know of another spell that can help us. It is weaker than the one we are using, but it focuses on dark elements." Severus Snape does not forget magic, and it horrified me to realize that I had. Through gritted teeth I admitted, "I cannot recall the incantation. I will return shortly."

Bill rose quickly from his chair, and retrieved his leather trench coat. He put it on while following behind, and then he said, "That sounds interesting, and I would like to study it." I smirked at the young man, as he always was a scholar. If not for his red hair, I would swear the Weasley family adopted him.

We nearly reached the library when a nervous platinum blonde approached me. Malfoy glanced over his shoulder, and then he spoke quietly, "Professor Snape, I think Parkinson wishes to cause trouble for you." I had little doubt. My brows rose questioningly at the youth, and I watched as he inhaled deeply. He anxiously glanced down the hall, and hurriedly mentioned, "I overheard her talking about polyjuice potion." My little snakes have learned much, unfortunately Potter already managed that years ago. Their lack of ambition failed to impress me.

Calmly, I stated to the youth, "Mr. Malfoy, I appreciate the warning." The platinum blonde gave me a slight tip of his head, and then he hurried off. Draco looked frightened, and I swore he walked with a limp. Bill gave me a questioning glance, so I silkily explained, "They wish to disguise themselves, I suppose, as Mr. Potter and his friends."

Curiously, he enquired, "Does it concern you that they plan to use polyjuice?"

My head shook in response to his question, and then I admitted, "Miss Parkinson knows nothing of the magical bond. Polyjuice will not deceive it." Bill smirked at me and then I enquired, "Would it interest you to have students serving detention, I wonder?" The young professor contemplated the question, and offered me a nod. Unfortunately, I could no longer handle detentions. McGonagall saw to that.

We walked quietly into the library's restricted area. 'Accio' brought the needed book, and Bill stared at it in horror. He eyed the dark vaporous plumes rising from the text, and quietly enquired, "How harmful is the smoke?" My lip curled at him, as I suddenly felt tempted to embellish my answer. However, His work intrigued me, and I opted for the truth.

I casually mentioned, "Dumbledore created it, I suppose, to alert teachers of students studying the dark arts. Only professors can see it." Bill laughed lightly at my explanation, and then we set to work looking for the spell. Eventually, I located it and stated, "This one will work." It bothered me to know that I earlier ignored it.

Bill smirked at the spell and admitted, "This one seems specifically written for dark magic, and I wonder how many other curses it would detect. Why have I never heard of it?" How should I know? Perhaps, it is a Weasley trait to ask idiotic questions. It deserved no answer. A loud rumbling sound came from the young man's direction, and he blushed sheepishly at me. With a hand on his stomach he jovially admitted, "The boss has spoken. We can test the spell after dinner, if it interests you. Fleur is at her mother's, so I am free for the night."

"Indeed, this does arouse my curiosity," I admitted as we walked toward the Great Hall. He approached the head table, but I noticed that Potter and his friends were already eating. My eyes closed as I inhaled deeply, and braced myself for the expected humiliation. I steeled my emotions, and approached the youth. He sensed my arrival, and we performed our bowing ritual. Students watched with fascination, and quickly averted their attention when we concluded. They wished to avoid my glare. Within minutes, I joined Bill at the head table, and we speculated about the hidden element that we hoped to find. Fortunately, he sat to the right of me, and I suspected McGonagall planned that.

Bill motioned to the Gryffindor table, and whispered, "What do you think those Slytherins want with Mr. Potter?"

My glance flicked to the young man, and I saw Miss Parkinson and her friends surround him. With a frown I admitted, "They need his hair for their polyjuice potion." Bill glanced at me sympathetically, but the cretins were too obvious. How did those simpletons expect to pull this off? Their effort failed to impress me, as I grunted my response, "Perhaps, they lack the cunning I previously thought they had."

We ate our meal quickly, and returned to Bill's classroom to test the spell. Nothing happened the first few times, but we changed the pronunciation and emphasis. It only took a few incorrectly uttered incantations, and then the spell worked. Our analytic charms now showed another line that we previously could not see. Bill smiled brightly at our results, and then we studied the rest of the code. He glanced at me and stated, "Now to interpret what this line says. Hopefully we can break these curses before the weekend."

The man received a nod in answer. Regrettably, this would have to wait. With a flick of my wand, I copied his parchment, and he did the same with mine. Calmly I explained, "Mr. Potter expects me for his tutoring lesson. I will send an owl to alert you of my findings."

Bill smiled warmly at me as he admitted, "Good luck with my little brother. He is a good kid, but mum and dad spoiled him. I swear, at times he acts like a dunderhead." My expression caused him to laugh, and then he admitted, "Guess I didn't need to tell you. I will send an owl if I make any progress. Would you like to compare notes on Thursday?" He received a nod, and another's entrance interrupted my verbal response.

Slytherin

"That's brotherly love for you," accused a younger Weasley. He turned toward Potter and mentioned, "I told you we would find him here." Did Potter never tell him of the magical leash, or are these the pretend Gryffindors? Weasley continued to explain, "They were talking during dinner, and when have you known Professor Snape to chat with anyone other than McGonagall?" My gaze narrowed on the youth, as dark eyes glared at him. What business was it of his?

The bond failed to alert me of my Master's presence, and I realized these students were likely Slytherins. I grinned inwardly at this revelation. My expressionless mask helped in hiding my understanding, as I stared disdainfully at the snakes.

Potter glanced uneasily at me as he asked, "Pro... Severus, what is the problem?" His eyes darted between the two professors, and then he mentioned, "We came to tell you that we won't make it tonight. Hermione is working with us on a project for charms." Unfortunately, the Slytherins knew of my tutoring sessions, because Weasley bragged about them.

Bill stared curiously at us, and I noticed his younger brother approach him. My arms folded angrily over my chest, as I glared down at the pretend Potter. There was a slight tingling sensation, and I hesitated for a moment. Polyjuice would not do that, as the bond knows my Master. Curiously, I thought of that, and wondered if the bond read my thoughts as contempt against him. The situation needed a little more care, because I had to avoid directing my anger against Potter. The younger Weasley grinned at Bill as he admitted, "The Slytherins detest Professor Snape's tutoring." The boy sneered when he mentioned Slytherins.

My dark eyes glared hard at the pretend Potter. "That is what you wish me to believe, is it, Potter? Perhaps, you want me to stand him up. You wish for him to punish me, I wonder?" The youth stared at me with widened eyes, and I sensed the tingling sensations slightly increase. The bond disliked my saying Potter? I did not dare call anyone else Master. Angrily, I sneered at the youths, "Thirty house points from each, and detention."

My head felt like a soon to erupt volcano, and I heard the sound of someone screaming. Blood mixed with drool as it oozed from my mouth, and poured out my nose. Potter placed his hands over my temples, and pushed the pain away. My eyes widened as I stared into those of my Master, and then loud laughter greeted us from the hallway. Merlin's beard! How did those imbecilic snakes outwit me? I didn't know what was more humiliating. The fact that my students outsmarted me, or having given my Master another reason to punish. Potter cast the cleansing charm, and removed the excess blood.

The Weasley brothers ran off to catch the pranksters, but that was little comfort. The intense tingling sensation worried me. It was cold, and I deeply dreaded what Potter would do. I looked forward to solving the mysterious curse with the elder Weasley, but now I had my doubts. How would I face Bill after this? Merlin, I hated my life! I rose from the floor, and kept my back to the youth, as I leaned my shoulder against the wall. Potter's hand rested comfortingly on my shoulder, and after a few minutes his concerned voice broke through my thoughts, "What just happened?"

"Slytherin," Bill furiously spate as he returned. He glanced angrily at the door, and then looked at Ron while he explained, "Mr. Malfoy warned us of Slytherins playing with polyjuice." With a loud sigh, he admitted, "Severus, we failed to catch the ones responsible. There was a communication charm placed on the door, and it allowed them to hear everything in the room. They likely followed the two here, and cast it when they entered. I suspect they placed the charm on an item in their possession, and that was how we heard the laughter."

Potter glanced at Bill and asked, "Did you break it, Professor Weasley?" The elder brother nodded his head in response, and then the youth said to me, "Severus, that doesn't explain how you failed to know it was me."

The younger Weasley suggested, "Maybe it had to do with the spell they used. Bill, did you notice anything odd about it, or was it a normal communication charm?" I stopped leaning, and turned curiously to glance at Bill. Slowly, he shook his head in response.

With a deep inhalation, I approached Potter and asked, "May I please cast a charm on you, Master? I wish to know if there are active spells." The youth readily agreed with my suggestion, and I called out the incantation. My brows rose as I accusingly enquired, "Did you quaff the potion that distorts a person's magical signature?" This was Potter's fault? I felt betrayed, but I attempted to hide it. Unfortunately, the link told him.

Potter shook his head in denial and earnestly claimed, "No, I never took anything like that. Severus, I would have told you if I drank the potion." He paused for a moment before asking, "Do you think Draco had anything to do with it?" My head shook in response, as I could not see him doing such a thing. Besides, he seemed truly afraid.

The dunderhead glanced at Potter and asked, "Is that the potion you told the media about?" The youth nodded his head, and I gritted my teeth. McGonagall's comments about our inability to break the bond interested the reporters, and Xenophilius Lovegood asked about our attempts. Unfortunately, the bond would not allow me to interfere with Potter's explanation, and he spoke of the potion. I suppose, he did so in the hopes of someone else finding a cure. Weasley glanced at me, and then he asked of his older brother, "Who wants a potion like that? What good is it?"

Bill stared at the dunderhead and asked, "Don't you ever listen in class? Criminals often use the potion to cover their activity." He glanced briefly at me, and then hastily added, "Spies would use it too."

The corner of my lips curled briefly at Bill's near slip, and then I added, "It was a favorite potion among death eaters. The Dark Lord had me brew several batches, and I suspect many in Slytherin are well aware of its use. However, the potion must enter through the mouth. It is not something you can accidentally rub on someone." Everyone stared at Potter, and then I enquired, "What did the Slytherins want from you at dinner?"

He rolled his eyes and explained, "They were teasing me about the upcoming quidditch game, and they claimed we couldn't even beat Hufflepuff." He snorted indignantly, and then sheepishly admitted, "They could have added the potion to my pumpkin juice." The boy is too trusting.

The young dunderhead groaned loudly as he stated, "Harry, that's it. We almost left our seats, and I wasn't watching the food. They could have easily added it." Both youths nodded at one another, and then they looked at me. Again, I had to hide my feelings. Their stupidity and carelessness failed to amaze me. I hoped the link didn't tell Potter.

Bill curiously enquired, "Severus, did Horace also take over as the head of house?" He received a nod in answer. He paused for a moment before asking, "Should we ask him to deal with the students?"

My head shook as I admitted, "No. He requires more information, as it is, we have no real proof." My lips curled into a slight smirk, as I stared at Potter and practically quoted the youth, "We just know." He grinned impishly at me, and I returned my attention to Bill while I explained, "We suspected problems from Voldemort's followers, and the children of fallen death eaters."

My gaze landed on Potter, who stared at me in contemplation. He glanced at Bill, and then cautiously asked of me, "Severus, what do you want to do about the bond's demand?" In complete honesty, I would rather do nothing. The elder Weasley seemed confused, and gazed at me questioningly. Potter did not offer an explanation.

My gaze fell upon Bill as I informed him, "Headmistress McGonagall neglected certain aspects of our bond." We watched as the youths walked around the room to seal the doors, and cast 'Silencio' in various areas. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach, as I thought of the paddling. I glanced at Potter warily, and hoped that was not his plan. With a glance at Bill, I continued to explain, "The bond demands my Master to punish me. If he fails, it shows no mercy." My eyes closed as I attempted to quell my anxiety, and then they slowly opened while I admitted, "It demands a severe public chastisement. I was disrespectful, and I punished my Master in front of others." Turning to Potter I attempted to fix the house point situation, and I canceled the detentions. The tingling sensation lessened slightly.

Potter glanced wearily at the Gryffindor head of house, and then at me. Hesitantly, he admitted, "Headmistress McGonagall asked me to tell her when the bond demanded another public punishment." My eyes widened at that announcement, and I quickly shook my head in response. I did not want this discussed with her. How was this any business of hers? Potter quietly mentioned, "Severus, she did not approve of my choices."

The Gryffindor head of house glanced at his younger brother, and then at Potter. Curiously, he enquired, "How many people must witness these punishments?"

With a shrug of my shoulder I admitted, "We have not fully tested it. The bond seems to accept the same number who saw the offence, but I wonder if we need more than one person?" His questions made it feel more like an experimentation, and not a punishment. I welcomed that.

He whispered something to Potter, and then commanded, "Ron, go outside and wait for Harry." The younger Weasley seemed offended by the order, but he obeyed.

Potter glanced at Bill, and received a nod of approval. He then turned to me and stated, "Severus, Bill wondered if the bond would accept only one witness." The idea intrigued me. He inhaled deeply, and then stated, "Severus, you will go to bed immediately, and ..." Seriously, does he think me a toddler? What is with these infantile punishments. Bill leaned over and whispered something to the youth. Potter stared at him and then added, "No dessert for a week." What? How dare he take away my sweets? Why does Potter treat me like a small child?

The Gryffindor head of house received an annoyed glare from me, as he chuckled in amusement at the absurd punishment. It was somewhat comforting, because he was not laughing at me. That much was obvious, and he made it less awkward. Curiously, he enquired, "Did that work?"

"No, the bond rejected it," I admitted. The tingling sensation refused to diminish. Potter took back the punishments, and then we called the younger Weasley into the room. It was worth the effort, but the bond preferred to humiliate me. Are childish chastisements all that Potter knows, or does he choose those to avoid the abuse he suffered in his youth? Draco's book would not suggest that punishment.

Potter glanced at Bill as he admitted, "Severus loves his sweets. The entire student body would attempt to murder me if I enforced that punishment." My lips curled slightly, as the youth knew me well. Who would want a frustrated, overgrown bat, angrily swooping upon students in the halls to hand out detentions? Bill smirked mischievously at the admittance, and I suspected this was not new information. Potter glanced at me curiously as he asked, "Severus, what is the best way to get rid of the bond's demand?"

His approach to the punishment impressed me, as it did not feel humiliating. Yes, the result was the same, but it seemed more adult. It was a discussion. Corporal punishment is my usual preference, because it is quick. However, I did not want that tonight, and I dreaded Bill's reaction. Potter easily felt my mortification through the bond, as I briefly imagined such a punishment. It would turn our discussion into something entirely different, and I hoped he would not consider it. The younger Weasley suggested, "What about lines, or an essay?"

The Gryffindor head of house teased his brother as he mentioned, "Ron, your suggestion does not surprise me. I remember a few years ago when you attempted to convince mum that teachers used homework to punish their students." He smirked at his blushing brother, and then glanced at me. I shrugged my shoulders in response, but I was not about to confess. The youth made a lucky guess. Did the bond tell Potter of my guilt? Cautiously, I glanced at him, and noticed how he smirked at me. The link told him!

Potter seemed frightened, as he glanced between me and his head of house. What did he have to fear? Did it ever occur to him how I felt? I walked to the far side of the room, and silently gazed out the window. Potter followed me, and cast 'Silencio' on us. He too looked out as he enquired, "Severus, what can I do?"

My eyes flicked to the Weasley brothers, and back to my young Master. I hated this. A resigned sigh met his question, and then I explained, "My body can easily withstand another paddling, but I do not believe I could. Master, he is my colleague."

Potter glanced at me and curiously enquired, "Severus, do you want to tutor us?" My eyes closed for a moment, as I attempted to respond to the question without offending the bond. He smirked at me and stated, "Your silence is answer enough."

My lips briefly curled at the youth, and then I admitted, "Master, tutoring you two is preferable to teaching the class."

Potter smirked at my honesty, and then he asked, "What about Ron's idea?" He received a shrug, as I could not see anything too upsetting about that. He studied me curiously, and then asked, "Tell me about your normal nightly routine. When you stay at home, and are not required for patrol.

The request sounded rather odd, and then I recalled his earlier threat of sending me to bed. His punishments are mortifying, and I wondered if he found them in a parenting magazine. My gaze lingered on the youth before I attempted to answer, "My projects receive the most attention, as I tend to work on them until eleven. This includes actual brewing, experimenting, or scholarly pursuits. I get ready for bed, and then read until I fall asleep. Normally, that isn't until two or three in the morning."

Potter removed the 'Silencio' and motioned for me to follow him. I turned, and glanced at the Weasley brothers. The delay made this no easier, and I dreaded the humiliation I knew to expect. We returned to the redheaded youths, and then Potter spoke, "Professor Weasley, the entity channels magic through Severus and into me. Sometimes his actions cause static, and we have to remove that through punishment. If I fail, the entity will harm him. He does not deserve any of the punishments that it forces me to give." At least he realized that.

The head of Gryffindor squeezed my shoulder gently as he admitted, "Severus, I work with curses. I break charms and the foulest spells created. Please, do not think that I judge you. We are helping you to decrease the dark magic. There is nothing more." He glared at his little brother and pointedly asked, "Wouldn't you agree, Ron?" The youth guiltily nodded his head, and blushed shamefully as he glanced at me.

Bill earned my respect. Perhaps, he could control his hellion of a brother. My gaze fell on Potter, as he approached me. With a calm voice he enquired, "Severus, do you remember the potions textbook you modified while in school?" I glanced at him curiously, and offered a nod in response. I remembered them all. He smiled at me and mentioned, "I learned a lot that year, because I read the comments on the side. They explained why certain ways worked better than others. You also modified the recipes. How long would it take for the Half-blood Prince to do that with my textbook?"

His question required some thought, as I mentally ran through all the potions he would learn. The comments would take the longest, because I would need to explain them for his level of understanding. After a few minutes, I broke the silence and mentioned, "I suspect, it would take less than ten hours." Is it cheating, I wondered? He used the work from a former student, but now he requested the same from his teacher. This felt wrong.

The Weasley brothers stared at us curiously, and then Potter enquired, "Would the bond let you drop our private lessons, if you did that to my book?" Ditching Weasley's tutoring sessions was worth sacrificing my ethics, such as they are. Master's idea intrigued me, and I eagerly hoped the bond would allow it. He asked a good question, but I did not know the answer. A shrug of my shoulders was all I could offer. He nodded in understanding and then he stated, "Severus, as punishment, I want you to improve my textbook. Provide the changes needed for making better potions, and add comments to explain the process. I will share this with Ron, so we can end the private lessons." He paused for a moment, and then he enquired, "Would you allow me to make magical copies for the other students in our class?" I glanced at him hesitantly, and he quickly added, "I meant everyone, including the snakes and the other houses." That calmed my concerns over cheating, and I readily agreed with his request.

Surprisingly, the bond accepted that punishment, and the tingling sensation vanished. My lips almost curled into a smile, before I regained control of my emotionless mask. "Do you have the textbook with you, Master?" Potter grinned at me, and pulled it from his bag. He handed it over, and I gladly accepted it.

Bill chuckled lightly as he stated, "My friend, that is a reward. I cannot imagine the horrors of tutoring my brother three nights a week." I completely agreed with him, and the upward curl of my lips confirmed it. He grinned at Ron and suggested, "Keep a good eye on Harry's book. You know mum will complain to me if you fall behind, and I don't want her asking me to tutor you."

The younger Weasley grinned impishly at his brother as he cheekily stated, "Mum knows better than to ask you." Bill glanced curiously at him, and then the youth explained, "We all know to go through Fleur. You wouldn't dare do anything without her approval."

Potter laughed at the awkward looking professor, and then teased, "Ron, you are no better. Hermione has you wrapped around her little finger, and you do anything she says."

The Weasley brother's would have made Fred and George proud, as they laughingly asked, "What about Ginny?" Now it was Potter's turn to blush.

I suppose, bachelorhood had its benefits.