Chapter 25: Midnight Patrol
Summary: Severus starts learning about elf magic.
Notes: Thank you all for reading and reviewing. I hope you like the new chapter.
I've borrowed some of the lines for this chapter from Harry Potter book 4, chapter 25.
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Severus focused on a point on the ground. He could feel the vibration of magic underneath his outstretched hand but it refused to bend to his will.
"Perhaps we ought to take a break and talk." commented Vulas, startling him. The man had been sitting motionless for the last few minutes.
"No, I need to keep practicing." said Severus stubbornly.
Vulas put his aged hand on top of his and the vibration stopped. "You're trying to force the magic to obey you. That's not going to work. The nature is far larger than you and I. You're the one that needs to get in the tune with the nature, not the other way around."
Severus sighed and let his hand drop. He leaned against a tree and started into the night, considering the man's words. "It's habit I suppose. A wizard's magic comes from within."
"Elf magic is inside you as well, only it's not overly strong on its own. It does however enable you to connect with nature. If you give yourself fully and lay yourself bare, it'll grant you access. Your magic is trying to make the connection, why do you keep fighting it?"
"How am I supposed to put myself in the mercy of something I don't even understand?"
"That's where trust comes in. Nature is our home, it blesses us with food and water and keeps us grounded. There's nothing more trustworthy in the world. Open your heart and listen and the nature will listen back."
"I understand that, but it's not easy for me." said Severus after a few minutes of silence.
"Shall we try again?" asked Vulas with an encouraging smile.
Severus nodded and took a deep breath before getting into position.
….
It was quite late when they decided to call it a night but Severus didn't feel tired. He had finally managed to connect with the magic of the forest and was filled with a sense of peace and joy, as if a fog had been lifted from his soul. He still needed time to learn how to use the connection of course but he was positive he would get a hang of it soon enough.
Once inside the castle, Severus made his way to the staircase, eager to retreat to his quarters. He was half way there when he heard a banging noise which was soon followed by an incredibly high pitched wailing. His peace shattering, the potion master rushed down the stairs to find the source of the horrid noise. The wailing stopped a few minutes later and he saw Filch standing on the landing in his flannel dressing gown holding a large golden egg, with Mrs. Norris standing next to his leg.
"I'm coming to get you, Peeves… You've gone and stolen a Triwizard clue, Peeves… Dumbledore'll have you out of here for this, you filthy, pilfering poltergeist…" the caretaker was saying.
"Filch? What's going on?" he asked.
"It's Peeves, Professor," Filch whispered malevolently. "He threw this egg down the stairs."
Severus frowned, he was about to climb down the last few steps when he walked into something solid and fell backwards. He heard a yelp and saw a head and a shoulder floating in front of him. "Potter!" he spat, then reached forward and yanking the invisibility cloak off of the teenager.
The boy was sprawled on the stairs, the only thing keeping him from falling down was his leg which was stuck in the trick step.
Severus pocketed the cloak and rose to his feet. "Insolent child! Out after curfew again, causing trouble. How typical." he hissed and went down a few steps, then grabbed Potter's shoulders and lifted him. "Sit." he ordered and reached down to free the boy's leg.
"You're in trouble now, you little jerk!" said Filch nastily. "I'm taking you right to the Headmaster."
"No, he has to go to the infirmary. I think he's twisted his ankle." Severus told him, then turned to Potter. "Ten points from Gryffindor for roaming the halls after curfew and rest assure, the Headmaster will be hearing of this. The rules of this school apply to everyone, celebrity Triwizard champion or otherwise. What were you doing out of bed at this hour?"
"What were YOU doing up?" Potter shot back, apparently overcoming his initial shock at being discovered.
Severus opened his mouth to scowl the child but closed it as he heard the familiar clunk of a wooden leg hitting the stone floor. This night was just getting better and better.
"That's a good question." said Moody, taking in the scene. His magical eye was moving frantically about the staircase. "Were you out hugging the trees and planting flowers again?" he added with a smirk, getting closer.
Moody's tone was arrogant and taunting as ever but there was a hint of nervousness somewhere underneath. Severus pulled himself to his full height, watching the man carefully. "I've taken to planting deadly ones lately. I hope you find the time to uncover them sometime." he said with as much venom as he could muster. "I told you to sit down Potter!" he hissed at the Gryffindor who had reached down and was now pretending to tie his shoe laces.
The Auror chuckled. "Thank you Snape, I needed the laugh. Why don't you go to bed and let me handle Mr. Potter here. I'll even escort you to your rooms, make sure you don't run into boggarts." he motioned for the boy to follow him.
Potter made to move, relief evident on his face. Severus put a hand on his shoulder to keep him where he was. "I have been a Professor at this school for fourteen years, I can handle this just fine. I'm also a head of house, which means I'm the one in the position of authority here."
"You're not MY head of house." protested Potter.
"Five points from Gryffindor for disrespect, now come along. Oh, and speaking of Professor McGonagall, Moody, I'll make sure to inform her that you were at the dungeons when you were supposed to be patrolling the upper levels of the school." he said and took the hold of the boy's elbow, helping him to his feet.
"I have permission to search every inch of this school as you well know. Auror privilege, and all that."
"Good, then you'll have no problem assisting Mr. Finch in looking for Peeves." he said with a smirk and turned to the caretaker. "I'll take the egg."
"No! This is evidence of Potter's rule breaking."
"It'll be safe with me." insisted Severus.
Filch handed the egg over reluctantly. Severus put it under his arm and guided Potter down the stairs.
"This is not the way to the infirmary." said Potter, frowning.
"We're going to my office and flooing from there, unless you want to go all the way up on that leg."
Neither of them talked the rest of the way. The boy was shivering slightly but Severus paid it no mind, it was his own fault for coming out in his pajamas after hours. He came to a halt as he reached his office. The torches were lit and a cupboard door was ajar; somebody has been searching it. He put the egg on his desk and turned to Potter. "Were you snooping in my office?"
"It wasn't me!"
Severus narrowed his eyes. The boy was as easy to read as a book, he knew something. "Who was it then?" he snapped.
"I'm not telling you." said the boy, his tone defiant.
"It was your new pal Moody, wasn't it? You're just like your father, surrounding yourself with arrogant big headed bullies."
The boy went pale at that. "He's tones better than you. You're a coldhearted git and everyone knows it! I can't believe my mom was ever friends with someone like you."
"What? Where did you hear that?"
"Professor Dumbledore told me. I bet she just pitied you. I bet you were as big a git then as you are now."
It was Severus' turn to pale. He stared at those hateful green eyes, feeling all of his strength leaving him. He lit the fireplace with a flick of his wand and grabbed the boy by the elbow once more. He was not going to let the little bastard get to him, he was going to keep his composure and deliver him to Poppy. He dumped a handful of floo powder into the flames and yelled out his destination.
...
Notes: In chapter 25 of Harry Potter the Goblet of Fire, Harry had gone to the perfect's bathroom to figure out the clue from the golden egg (based on the tip Cedric gave him). On his way out, he's looking at the map and sees Barty Crouch in Snape's office. He thinks it's Crouch senior, but it's actually his son who's pretending to be Moody. Harry's going down to the dungeons to figure out what the man is doing. He's distracted and gets stuck in the trick step, dropping the egg which opens and makes noise.
In canon, Severus is in his quarters. He wants to know where the noise is coming from and on his way discovers that someone had been in his office, so he's actually going up. Here, in this fic he's outside the castle and moving down the stairs and therefore runs into Harry, who's stuck in one of the stairs. In canon, Harry remains hidden under the cloak (with some help from Moody who sees through the cloak)