They Call chapter 21

Reflection

It had been another red-letter-day for Severus Snape. The only good thing that happened was his impressive Charms O.W.L. After that everything was downhill. Still burning with anger over Black's idea of a joke, still depressed about his mother, he didn't want to go back to the Slytherin dorms either. This meant that he began wondering the parts of the castle he was least likely to run into other people. Severus didn't even know what floor he was on. Wondering just where he was actually walking he noticed he was passing a large mirror. Mirrors were not Severus' friends, but what the saw briefly made him go back and look again.

His familiar short scrawny pale reflection with the face dominated by that nose and those black eyes was not there. In it's place was a tall trim but muscularly defined figure. The kid wearing his robes had a face that would make girls swoon; A normal sized nose; Blue-green eyes that exuded warmth; a clear tan complexion; chocolate colored wavy hair. He looked like someone most people would, trust on sight. While the real Severus' mouth went agape, the refection lifted his shirt out of his trousers to reveal six pack abs. The refection Snape winked, smiled, and swaggered.

Immediately the young wizard understood that this was some kind of magic mirror. He took another look, but his skeptical side would not let himself enjoy it. "Yeah right." Severus knew that magic could make impossible things happen, but not that impossible. No one was there to tell the boy that this mirror showed the looker their innermost desires, but if there had been he would have scoffed. He took another look at the 'buff' Snape in the mirror then snorted in disbelief, "Pa-lease."

If cynical boy had know this was his hearts desire, he would have felt shallow. He had spent his life trying to fight the stereotypes of appearances. If he could wave his wand and change into the boy in the mirror, would he? The truth of it was that he wouldn't. What he saw the first time he ever looked in the mirror of Erised was not a wish to change his appearance, but the wish that other people could see him like that. His deepest hearts desire at that age was that people would look beyond his exterior, and see what was inside; His true self, the one that was buried so deep even Severus didn't know he existed.

After an hour of wondering Snape felt like he could return to reality. Back down in the Slytherin common room the Regulus Black was the first face Severus saw. "It figures," Snape muttered under his breath. The look on his face was as sour as his mood.

Regulus couldn't miss that some of it was directed at him. He asked, "What's wrong with you?"

"Your stupid brother."

A knowing look crossed Regulus' face. He never really understood his brother's obsession with teasing Snape. "What's he done now?"

Snape wasn't about to tell him if he didn't know. "It's not important."

"It was important enough for you to give me the evil eye when you came in here."

"forget that I have other news." Everyone that was in the common room aimed an eye and ear towards Snape. A wicked grin grew on Severus' face. "Gryfindor lost."

"We knew that already," one of the younger Slytherins put in. Snape wasn't the first one to bring the news nor the only one who had seen the game. Severus started to notice that his fellow fifth years were not around. He turned to their team's seeker and asked, "Where's - - " He was about to ask where his normal sidekicks were when he remembered. "Astronomy exam." The skinny boy was darting back out of the entryway of the Slytherin dorms and raced to the Astronomy tower. On arriving he slid into his place next to Rosier.

"We were wondering what happened to you," Evan whispered.

"Sidetracked," Was Sev's one word answer. It came none to soon as Professor Kayllem the Astronomy teacher began introduce the Ministry examiner who in turn handed out the exam parchments and the school telescopes they were to use to mark the stars in the sky's migration across the night for the next four hours. During the time they waited for the slow movements of the heavens to occur the examiner began to ask different students questions they should know by their fifth year.

Whey he got to Snape the young Slytherin had a feeling he already knew what question he would be asked.

"What are the names of the two hunting dog's of Orion?"

Not wanting to use the common name for them, Severus answered, "Canis Major and Canis Minor."

"For extra points can you tell me their familiar names?"

"You mean their - - vulgar names?"

"If you wish to put it that way."

"I do. The common name for Canis Minor is Procyon , the vulgar name for Canis Major is Sirius ."

"Very good Mr. Snape."

The examiner failed to hear what Severus said under his breath, "but it's true name is Dick." Nor had he seen the boy fill in 'The Dung Star' on his chart where it should have said 'The Dog Star.'

Maybe this bad day would be bookends of excellent O.W.L.s even if the rest stunk. It was a new day by the time they were all headed back to their designated dormitories.

"That wasn't so bad," Avery said with a tone of relief.

Wilks added, "Piece of cake."

"Easier than beating Hufflepuff will be," Snape put in his opinion.

Mulciber grunted. "You guys got all of them?"

"You didn't?" Rosier asked.

"Well, uh, no." His fellow Slytherin gave him sideways glances. "Don't matter, don't need to know where the ruddy stars are to hit bludgers." Mulciber was sure that if he didn't join, or even if he did join, you know who, he would be a professional Quidditch player.

"Too bad there isn't an O.W.L. for what you do best." Severus never missed a chance to rib even his friends when they left themselves wide open to it. All of his other roommates were looking at Snape. He knew what they were wondering; what was Mulciber good at? What did he do best? "Hitting things."

Mulciber wasn't even insulted by this statement. He seemed to puff up with pride. When they reached their room he wanted to display his talents. He stood over Regulus' dreaming figure slamming his right fist into his left palm. "Don't seem fair that Reg gets to sleep peacefully for hours while we had to take a test." Smack. Smack.

"Hang on there Cib," Rosier being the Quidditch captain wasn't concerned with Black other than the fact that he was their seeker. "We need him healthy for the games. Don't punch him."

"I need to punch something."

As a joke he didn't think Mulciber would take seriously, Rosier tossed out, "Hit Sev."

WHAM! The blow to Severus' bicep was like being hit by the whomping willow.

"What the - - " Snape was rubbing where he knew a bruise was forming.

"Wow, didn't think he'd really do it," Evan put forth. "but if it helps his game."

"I feel much better now," the hulk boy said before striping down and jumping into his bed.

Still giving Rosier a stinging look Snape hissed out, "Always glad to be of assistance." What he was thinking was 'you wait till after the last game.' What he didn't know was he might get help from an unlikely source sooner than that.

tbc