The room is quiet except for the bubbling of the cauldron. A silver cauldron is not easy to work with, to keep the metal from warping, the temperature cannot rise past 1500 degrees. It also makes the room hot..very hot
For the third time, he wipes sweat off his forehead and adds ground dittany. Everything is already measured and set up in the order needed on his table. The potion turns a cloudy light green.
"Stop, and stir counterclockwise until it thickens."
He stirs counterclockwise counting each time it passes the top. Slow and steady. It visibly condenses, and he grabs a poultice of wolfsbane and dittany. As the last of it slides into the cauldron the door slams open.
"What happened?!" With a bang, Lupin flies backward out of the room. Snape's wand still drawn and pointed, the potion bubbles more intensely.
"Ah, shit!" The flame goes out, but the damage is done, what should have been a light purple and slightly viscous has become black sludge. Lupin slides back in, his wand at the ready this time. "If you ever barge into my office again I will not stop with a blasting charm."
"Why?" Lupin sounds exasperated.
"Do I need to repeat myself?" Snape vanishes the ruined potion with a vicious jab of his wand. "This is my office, you do not enter my office unless I expressly invite you." He gestures to the ingredients and silver cauldron. "For this exact reason. Did you know that an extra half teaspoon of wolfsbane can kill you?" Lupin stares at the table and opens his mouth. "A half teaspoon, who could fault me for that?"
"I'm sorry, ok. Next time I'll knock," Snape laughs bitterly,
"There will be no next time because you will not come into my office,"
"Alright, alright, I'm sorry."
"Yes, that'll bring it back." He snarls and sinks into his chair. "What the fuck are you doing here?"
"I," Lupin blinks looking at the ceiling. "I was-"
"The brat, yes?"
"Severus," Lupin tries reproachfully,
"I will curse you." Lupin presses his lips together. "She went to the lake to sulk and came back to dementors. They attacked her,"
"I already knew that,"
"Then why the hell are you here?" Lupin presses a hand to his forehead,
"I said I'm sorry, I won't do it again, now can you treat me like a human being for two seconds."
"This is how I treat stupid human beings." Another look at the cauldron sends his brain buzzing with anger.
"Do you realize how many galleons you just threw down the drain?"
"Do you realize this is more important than the potion?" He's not sure exactly how he got to his feet, but now he's across from the werewolf.
"No. Nothing is more important than making sure that YOU do not eat or turn any children at this school. If YOU do not understand that, then YOU shouldn't be here." Lupin turns pale, whether it's with anger or shame he doesn't care. "I'm going outside, you can either follow or leave."
He turns kicking the door open, when he's halfway down the tunnel the door opens again. Autumn had decided to start early this year, or maybe the dementors had brought it on. Leaves litter the grounds and a sharp breeze sweeps through. By the time Lupin walks out, he's already lit his first cigarette.
He doesn't say anything, only conjures a comfy chair, and sits beside him. Snape finishes his first and starts on his second.
"What is your worst memory?" Lupin starts then snorts.
"I'm not that stupid, Severus." Snape waves this away,
"I'm actually trying to help you, idiot." The werewolf presses his lips together, before releasing a breath.
"When I heard about James and Lily, of course." Snape waits for him to expand, as is the usual pattern with Lupin. This is what will hinder them the most when dealing with the brat. "It was an owl from Dumbledore. Very clear, very kind, very short." A screen door squeals open in the village. Madam Rosemerta pushes her cat out the door with an unintelligible remark before letting it slam shut.
"Just like that, three of my best friends were dead. Sirius was a murderer and a traitor." Lupin leans forward in his chair, "I wanted to be there, and I would've but for one sentence. 'Stay where you are,' I don't think he'll ever know that was the worst thing he ever did to me, and I've done a lot for Dumbledore."
"I was there," Lupin nods,
"But he knew, he knew he could give me that order and I'd obey like a good werewolf." His hand seizes in a fist, "I even envy Peter sometimes, stupid little Peter got to confront him. He got to die like a Gryffindor, and I stayed hiding behind my father."
The silence stretches on, and Snape uses the very little decency he has to give Lupin time to walk away from those dark thoughts. When he leans back in his chair Snape knows he's back in the present.
"She's just heard her worst memory, try and remember that tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?"
"Yes, after tonight I will need to dedicate my evenings to brewing Wolfsbane." His eyes flash at Lupin but he doesn't let his anger take over a second time. "Remember that this is to enforce a punishment if she is to realize how extraordinarily stupid her actions were-"
"Yes, I understand." Lupin cuts in, "Why wait until tomorrow?"
"Because that is what I choose to do," Lupin closes his eyes and looks down at the village.
"Working together means an exchange of information. I don't even know what really happened last year."
"You know what you need to know."
"I've just told you my worst memory, Severus. You've got to reciprocate,"
"If you think I'm going to tell you anything about myself you're a fool."
"If you don't trust me, why should I?"
"Shall I give you a list? I'll start with the most obvious, I've never tried to kill you." Lupin scowls,
"No, you only tried to get me expelled."
"And do you still think I was wrong?" They lapse back into silence Snape still coming up with reasons why he shouldn't trust a werewolf.
"Was it something Sirius did?"
"What?!" A hook seemed to yank his stomach into a different dimension. The thought of Sirius Black being his worst memory is so wrong he almost laughs. Lupin looks away.
"If it is, I'd understand. He always took it too far." He decides to say nothing, let the werewolf think Sirius Black is the worst thing that happened to him. Maybe it'll keep his mouth shut on the subject of trust. "I guess now I can understand why."
"The brat is trying to find out more about Sirius Black. They know he was James' friend."
"Should I ask how you found that out?"
"No," Lupin nods and stands, Snape feels the tension roll out of his shoulders as the door closes. Lupin sticks his head back out.
"I think I figured out why you don't want people in your office,"
"Because I value my privacy."
"Because that's the only place you put your hair in a bun." The werewolf is gone before he can confirm that, yes, his hair has been in a bun the entire time.
"For fuck's sake,"
...
When one is told to go into a room at a certain time by Fred Weasley, if they are smart, they avoid that room at all costs. If they have to enter the room, they do it with their wand at the ready.
Sarah looks at her bare hands and sighs,
"I am not smart,"
She opens the door. There's a shriek and a bang in sparkly capital letters the room lights up with
"BECAUSE FRIENDSHIP AND STUFF!"
She snorts and tucks herself inside the otherwise empty room. The letters stick around for a while then disappear leaving it black and musty.
Her breakfast had been rather strange. Professor Lupin had stopped by to ask if she was alright. Harry had come over and asked why she was an idiot, then confirmed they were still floundering for gift ideas.
"What if we just did our own homework for a week?" Ron had asked, to which Harry shook his head with a sigh. Then on her way to the Slytherin table, a flash of bright purple jumped at her squeezing her into a hug.
As unsettled as she was by the attack, it was nothing compared to realizing that Emmeline Slinkhard was the cause.
"Oh! I was so worried about you!" They ate breakfast together, with Emmeline doing most of the talking. A couple of other students in her year also sat beside them joining in her conversation.
Getting away from them was difficult, she had to insist several times that studying for their test on valerian was more important than "Hanging out with friends! Come on Potter, it's Sunday."
She still hasn't figured out the exact moment she became friends with six different people, two of which she wasn't a hundred percent sure of their names.
The door clicks and Sarah freezes as two voices sound outside.
"There's nothing cool in there, George!"
"Yuh-huh, I swear," Sarah smirks despite herself,
"I've been in the Artefact Room before, it's-"
"Just go inside," The door opens, another screech and bang with the sparkling words blinding them for a bit. The door closes behind Ginny, "Sorry, sis."
"George I will kill you!"
"Are you sure that's George," Ginny jerks, focusing on her.
"No," She lights her wand and looks around the room. "Are you what's so cool?" Sarah looks around,
"There's a skull over there, but I'm not sure what it is."
"Looks like a goat to me,"
"Big goat," They both laugh, it's strained, but it's a start. "The door's locked, then?"
"Yes, but I think I can get it." She nods, "Do you want me to?"
"No, I want...I need to talk to you." Sarah winces, if that hurt how the hell is she supposed to eat crow? Ginny looks happily surprised, that helps. "I know that, that I can be frustrating." Her mouth goes dry. "Flip-flop or whatever." Silence stretches while she tries to find the right words.
"If someone were to line up every student at Hogwarts and ask me who was the best...it'd be you."
"Me?" Ginny asks skeptically,
"Yes,"
"What about Harry?"
"He's my brother. That would be too obvious."
"So technically I'm after Harry." Sarah shrugs and they both smile.
"The point is, I know I change to fit other people, and maybe that makes me a shitty person." She closes her eyes before saying the next words. "But when I'm around you, I'm more comfortable." When she opens her eyes again, Ginny's face is inscrutable. Sarah can tell she's still angry, but the admission had pleased her.
"But not comfortable enough to tell me what's going on," She sighs, crossing and uncrossing her arms. A couple times she opens her mouth to start a sentence only to cut herself off. Ginny stares sympathetically but doesn't offer her a way out.
"I, um, fuck. The thing is." Sarah shakes her head, "The truth is,"
"Fuck me,"
"The truth is I forgot." Ginny raises an eyebrow, "I forgot that you stood by me through all the shit last year, and it's pathetic because it was all my fault and, and I hate myself sometimes because," She takes a breath,
"Because you were a bitch," Ginny offers with a roll of her eyes. Sarah freezes before nodding solemnly. "I guess if I was sorted into Slytherin I might've been too." The room seems to warm as she keeps talking. "I mean, I'd imagine it was hard enough with Harry freaking out and my brothers not sure how to act around you anymore. Let alone a giant snake slithering around. Either way, I forgive you for that."
"I haven't said I'm sorry,"
"Now you don't have to," Ginny says promptly, "Otherwise your hand might fall off," Sarah stretches out her fingers to feel warm muscles relieved for the break. "But that was last year; I want to know what's going on now." Sarah frowns,
"It's complicated,"
"We've got time," Ginny answers, her voice turning hard.
"It's, I mean, it doesn't affect you. Me and Harry just have to deal with it."
"It does affect me because it's stressing out my friend." Sarah purses her lips contemplating the word. Tom Riddle had been her friend, but Ginny was before that, and Ginny has never tried to make her murder muggle-borns.
She'd considered them friends before, and, and after, sort of, but they hadn't said it out loud. She has a feeling that if they accept the label now there's no turning back.
"She did put Percy in the Hospital Wing,"
"I can't tell you everything,"
"Well, I think that's bull." Ginny answers with a wave of her hand, "But I suppose I can wait for a bit." Sarah smiles and awkwardly puts her hand out. Ginny laughs but takes it.
"I guess we can start with Sirius Black."
...
Later that day Fred Weasley walks up to the Artefact room and puts his ear to the door. There's giggling then silence. He presses his ear a bit harder, the door swings in. His fireworks go off for the third time that day and the door slams shut.
"I told you it was Fred!" Sarah says smugly there's a click at the latch.
"Come on, we've got to get Hermione's book," Ginny calls. He shakes his head with a smirk.
"I'd call that a success,"
...
When there's a knock at the door, he opens it with a wave of his wand. The girl shakes her head,
"Do you realize that's the first time you haven't growled at me before I stepped through the door?"
"Stop wasting time," She laughs,
"Nevermind, I jinxed it." She walks in and silently asks permission to sit, he nods at the chair.
In the back of his mind, he remembers similar interactions with his father, but now is not the time for those thoughts. That's Lupin's job, he's here to find out what's going on at the school.
She's developed a hard line on her forehead and presses her lips together.
"You're determined to make this unpleasant?"
"This is detention," She points out,
"It is detention," He pulls out her paper from the last time they were in this position. "Have you figured it out yet?"
"What?"
"The Sleeping Draught, or are you going to pretend that's not what you're doing in my class?"
"How-" Then she shakes her head. "Nevermind, and no." Her eyes flick to the bookshelf.
"Have you confronted Prang?"
"What are you a mind reader?" When he doesn't say anything she crosses her arms. "Well, what am I doing?" He had several different ideas but settles on something different.
"There's dittany in the cupboard. Separate the stems from the leaves." She raises an eyebrow.
"How much?"
"Until I tell you to stop." Her shoulders tighten, but she grabs the jar and brings it to the table. Waiting until she's gotten into a rhythm he studies the paper trying to gain some insight into the girl before him.
"You saw Riddle again," She pauses and stares at him.
"They leave you with your worst memories, so yes." As she speaks, her voice grows quiet. "It was something I couldn't remember before, or at least, not that clearly."
"Dementors can unlock memories you have completely forgotten, it isn't inconceivable that they could get to yours as well."
"I hate them,"
"They are creatures looking for food," She starts on the next stem. "Detestable ones, but creatures nonetheless." She shakes her head, and in a completely different tone.
"So what's your play, today, Professor?"
"It'd be a bad one if I told you." The girl tilts her head with that damn smirk before looking down. "I have noticed how busy you've been."
"Lots to catch up on when you miss a year." She stops for a moment, staring. "They say you've wanted the Defense Against Dark Arts job for years."
He stiffens, coming up with a very different way to spend detention.
"How often are accidents with hippogriffs fatal?" Surprised, he tries to recall something.
"There's not a statistic I can think of."
"So not often?"
"No, but most people aren't stupid enough to mess with them." She frowns,
"Oh, nevermind, then." They settle into silence except for the rustling of dittany.
"The only argument for the hippogriff would be supervisor negligence." She frowns,
"Which means Hagrid's out of a job."
"A possible consequence."
"What about Malfoy, he's the one who didn't pay attention." He shakes his head,
"You're going about it wrong. Tailor your argument to your opponent?" She blinks, "Now the next obvious question, who is your opponent?"
"I mean the Ministry people, I guess."
"The board does not care if the hippogriff lives or dies."
"Malfoy then," Looking ready to spit venom, she crushes the leaf in her hand.
"If you waste my ingredients I will find something far more monotonous for you to do." She looks down and flushes, "And if you think Draco Malfoy is your problem then this could've been settled long ago."
Her eyes go back to the ceiling, then close and she drops her head to her hands. "His dad ruins everything."
"How many times have I thought that?"
"We're screwed, there's no way we're convincing him to leave Buckbeak alone."
"Lucius Malfoy is not infallible and he is not inconvincible." He grabs a stack of papers, fourth-year essays, just when they start to think they know stuff.
When he looks up she's staring at him and whips her head back down to her work. "Something else to say?"
"No,"
"You're lying," She shrugs,
"We haven't yelled at each other yet, and I'd rather it stayed that way." He goes back to the essay.
No moonstone is not an accelerator, dumbass. He marks out the sentence. Come on Gibbon, you know better than this.
When he's about halfway through the essays, there's a dull tink to break his concentration. The girl is flicking the empty jar. There are Two sizable piles of leaves and stems in front of her.
The clock says eight-thirty, he waves her away. She stands and walks slowly to the door, he can almost feel her warring with herself.
"Do you have another envoy?"
"Maybe,"
"That means no,"
"It doesn't," He puts down his quill and waits. "Would you tell me if I asked?"
"Maybe," Her eyes flash, "I've learned how expensive information is coming from you." She presses her lips together.
"You steal it anyway,"
"Then what is the harm?"
"What's the cost?" He shakes his head. She's so serious, some people might find that amusing in a child so small.
"So young,"
Finding the value in information only comes to those who have gone without, or those who were forced to through painful repetitive means to keep their damn mouth shut.
"This isn't right, this is Lupin's job."
"Why did Harry feel the need to knock out your uncle?"
"He didn't, it just happened," Her defensive posture grates on him, but he puts that aside.
"Why?" She presses a hand to her cheek.
"I had a nightmare," Clipped words, but her face has turned red with shame. "I woke everyone up."
"Did your uncle hit you?"
"No," It's not a lie, but...
"Has he ever hit you?"
"No," Still no lie, but her eyes speak volumes. Reserves of fear and anger trying to come to the surface. Her uncle has never, but...
"Petunia?" She doesn't have to answer, he stands.
"It's not like a daily occurrence," He doesn't want to hear her next words, "They don't like it when weird stuff happens."
"Show ya how ta be normal!"
"It's not that bad,"
"Ya fink dis is bad? Ya shoulda met me dah,"
"We're dealing with it,"
"Be silent," She goes quiet. He keeps the memories down with a massive shove. "Just be quiet, girl."
He could easily imagine the overweight oaf Williams described beating the shit out of his wife's sister's kids. He could see Petunia turning a blind eye and letting it happen, maybe calling them freak if they set fire to the curtains.
"Am I really surprised?"
No, Petunia was more than capable. Maybe he thought she still had some love left for her sister. Maybe it's just because she's a mother. He dwells on that for longer than he'd like and pushes it away.
Better to deal with this later, he could talk to Merlin first. Whatever the case, the girl's still here.
"What would you like to know about Sirius Black?" She strides back to her chair and sits with her hands folded on the table.
"Why would he want to kill Harry?"
"I'd think that was obvious,"
"No, he's been in prison twelve years, and the first thing he's going to do after gaining his freedom is come after Vo-You-Know-Who's killer."
"The insane are usually obsessive."
"Then why now? They said he was talking in his sleep like it was a new occurrence. What changed?" He raises an eyebrow,
"How did you find out about that?"
"Harry heard it, Mr. Weasley said that's what the Minister told him." They sit in silence considering this quandary. "Was he really that crazy? Twelve years is a long time."
"Yes, he was that crazy," Snape answers shortly,
"What did he do to you?" Anger crackles forward, he raises his eyes to her to see a white face with dark lines under her eyes. Her forehead creased with worry. Within their conversation she had wrapped her arms over her stomach; he can see shadows dancing on the floor where she's tapping the wood of the chair.
"It isn't important, girl." He stands, "It's almost nine, you should get to bed."
"But-"
"Madame Pomfrey gave you a Draft of Dreamless Sleep?"
"Yes, but-"
"You'll need it tonight," She looks to the door then back at him. "Sirius Black is a psychopath from a family of dark witches and wizards. He probably believes killing Potter will revive his Master. He and your father were close, as was Lupin, he betrayed them to the Dark Lord and was shortly after was confronted by another of your father's friends." Snape takes a breath, "He killed him, and twelve muggles, then went to Azkaban without a trial."
Sarah's eyes had grown wide as he had spoken. Probably more from the surprise of getting this much information than the extent of Black's crimes. "You can get more detail from Lupin if you're not stupid." He waves her to the door and finds imminently more interest within the essays on his desk than he ever had in his life.
"Professor Snape,"
"Get to bed, girl,"
"Thank you," It's a whisper, then she's gone with the door closing softly behind her. He attempts to immerse himself in the essay but the bad punctuation keeps throwing him off. With an angry huff, he gives up and starts pacing the room.
One act of violence confirmed, and plenty of other proofs of neglect.
"So, what are you going to do about it?"
Merlin's voice comes back goading him.
"Report it to Dumbledore? Let him do...absolutely nothing."
No, not this time, but what's the alternative? A different home? It probably wouldn't be difficult, families would line up to adopt the Boy Who Lived.
The Weasleys, they have seven kids already what's two more? He'd imagine Molly Weasley would never say no if asked...which is why he never would. Who is he to inflict two more mouths on a family who can't purchase their children proper robes. Maybe if they paid them,
He puts that aside because of the taste it leaves.
Minerva, yes, when she hears she'd insist they take them away from the Dursleys. Does that transfer to adopting them herself? The answer is immediate, no. They'd need someone who would defy Dumbledore. Minerva would question him, challenge him, but when it comes to soldiers there's no one more loyal.
That knocks most of the Wizarding World out of the running. Dumbledore has too much influence and too much of a reputation to take on headlong.
"There is one,"
Snape grimaces, the Malfoys would jump on this as soon as they heard. He could imagine Lucius showering them with gifts and using the Sacred Twenty-Eight to prove they're related to the famous Potters.
Ok, where does that leave them? Back on Private Dr.
He waves his wand and transfers the pile of leaves to his private stock. The stems return to the jar and the label changes to dittany stems.
Maybe a chance to smoke will give him a different idea. Snape walks out of the room with a little extra enthusiasm when slamming the door.
This took way longer than it should have, but Happy New Year may it be better than the last!
Thank you so much for reading!
I do not own Harry Potter.