It took some time, but here it is.

-everyJohn

Madam Pomfrey spelled a stretcher for Silvanius and took the lead with him as the group of teachers and students began the long walk towards the castle. "Hasty boy. I should have gripped him when I had a chance. And I even thought that this time for sure I would finally have a proper physical examination on him", she grumbled to herself.

"Are you talking about Mr. Snape, Poppy?" McGonagall asked her.

"Oh, Minerva? Well, yes. That boy somehow keeps slipping away", the school matron confirmed, squeezing her fingers as if trying to hold on an imaginary boy. Her expression darkened and she shook her head. "And when I actually manage to catch him, he is usually not well. Sometimes healing magic does not even work on him. The boy is stubborn and mighty proud as a hippogriff. I would bet a sack of galleons that the he doesn´t come to me nearly as often as he should but deals with it by his own methods", Pomfrey groused.

"Why haven´t I ever heard any of this?", McGonagall asked, unsettled.

The school matron turned to her and stared her prickly. Darkening blood stains made a contrast to her otherwise shining white apron. The white cap kept her hair neatly on its place despite the cold breeze. "Minerva, you are my great friend, but I should inform only the house head of a student when it comes to these kind of matters. Strictly speaking I would get reprimanded for even mentioning it to you without Mr. Snape´s permission. After the first ten times of informing Horacio and hearing his excuses but nothing happening... Well, I kind of gave up! Of course, I told Albus, too, but he has this peculiar attitude, when it comes to Mr. Snape. Albus is an excellent headmaster and even thought students sometimes accuse him of being preferential, it is mostly unwarranted, but for some reason it seems that he can not be his normal objective and observant self, when it comes to Mr. Snape."

Minerva considered matron´s words carefully. The loyalty and great respect she had for Albus Dumbledore were something she had never questioned because there had never been a need to do so. This fact in itself was troubling. Minerva McGonagall was a realistic woman. She could not close her eyes from the alarming fact that the blind trust, she and her colleagues had for headmaster, could easily lead to disaster. Headmaster was so old and wise that it was easy to believe him infallible. Even when he seemed to be in wrong, there was usually some higher purpose behind his behavior. But... Headmaster was a human too. Minerva realized that she and the other professors would do well to remember that. If even they would allow themselves to turn into blind followers, then who would call on Albus when he was wrong.

Minerva decided that she would have a long talk with Albus Dumbledore. She would also demand a straight answer to what it was about Severus Snape of Slytherin that irked the old Headmaster so much.

/

"Did you see Snivellus´s face! He looked like he was about to piss on himself when Dubledore threatened him with expulsion!"

"Uh, Sirius. That dung bomb was not necessarily your best idea. Parkinson might have died and professor Kettleburn actually lost his hand."

"I know, I know, Moony. It went out off hands like a flock of cornish pixies... I was just so mad at Snivellus. He is parading in those expensive clothes and showing off his new wand. Everyone knows who is sponsoring it all! And Prongs suffers every time he sees his ugly face. I don´t buy it that he doesn´t know anything about what happened to old Mr. Potter!" Despite his list of excuses, Sirius Black looked genuinely remorseful. That beaten dog expression always got to Remus and he knew it.

"It was Wormtail´s idea, Moony. He had a spare dungbomb with him for some reason", Sirius revealed, lowering his voice. He nodded towards the plump boy, who was talking to some Hufflepuffs a little further from them. "I didn´t think it through carefully. It seemed harmless at the time. But you´re right, it could have been even bigger disaster than it already was. And Kettleburn didn´t deserve, what happened to him." He sighed. "At least it served to effectively show everybody what kind of creep Snape is. I´m just disappointed that Dumbles was so soft on him! It would have been great if he had been expelled."

Remus shook his head. "You should not use a nickname on professor Dumbledore, Sirius. And what else could he have done? Snape practically saved the whole class. Did you even see how the others reacted? If professor Dumbledore had expelled Snape, Slytherins would have told to all their connections and raised a mayhem. Even Hufflepuffs seemed ready to rebel. All of that would have been gas on fire for the Death Eater recruiters. It was very delicate situation and professor Dumbledore needed to handle it carefully."

"Oh, come on, Moony. It is not like they could sack Dumbledore", Peter Pettigrew chirped in. He had just come to them and heard their latest exchange. He smirked to Sirius.

"You never know. They say that Death Eaters have followers infiltrated even in the ministry. Maybe they would be able to convince others if given a proper chance", Remus insisted.

"Oh, Moony, moony! Why are you so gloomy", Sirius Black sighed and posed dramatically in Sheakspearean fashion.

"Yes, don´t be so serious. Be Sirius!" Pettigrew singsonged along.

The two troublemakers hit their hands together triumphantly.

Remus Lupin rolled his eyes trying to hide his amusement. "I´m not gloomy. I try to be reasonable and responsible. You two should try it some time too."

"Why ever? We are young only once and irresponsibility goes with it. We have lots of time to be responsible and boring adults later", Sirius Black philosophized. Then he suddenly stopped on his tracks and looked startled. "Oh my... It seems like my smarty-pants Slytherin brother is coming over."

/

True to Sirius´s words, Regulus Black was walking towards them. He looked a bit disheveled and held his racing broom in his left hand.

"Are you all alright? And do you know, what happened to Snape? I haven´t seen him yet...", Regulus Black asked, glancing past them. Sirius frowned and followed his brother´s line of sight. The boy was obviously scanning the seventh-year-students, which were slowly pouring back into the castle.

"We are alright. But we don´t know about Snivellius. He ran away somewhere as if his bottom had caught on fire." Sirius shrugged sullenly. Peter giggled to his hand and even Remus gave an apologizing smile.

Sirius´s little brother looked at them appalled. "How can you laugh at him?" he hissed sharply. Three Marauders instinctively took a step back and stood straighter. "After Severus put himself on harms way, you laugh at him as if it was some kind of a joke?" His gentle brown eyes were filled with disgust.

"Don´t get you knickers on a twist, Reg. I don´t know where you got your information so fast, but it did not go as your Slytherin friends tell you. They act as if Snivellius is some kind of hero, but he used bloody unforgivable!"

"I saw it!" younger Black shouted halting Sirius´s explanation. "I was on a broom in the quidditch pitch, where it would have headed next, you pompous fool! I saw all of it. I even saw you doing that infantile prank." He grimaced and shook his head as though wanting to erase the painful image. "Merlin, I was ashamed! You three were just watching and doing nothing despite your big talk now. And you claim to be better than Snape? Had you not been burned off from the family tree already, I would be forced to write mother about this, Sirius. I had vain hopes that you would keep your dignity despite your different way of life."

That certainly rubbed Sirius the wrong way. "Well, I am not in the family tree anymore! I walked out, Reg. And guess what? I´ve never been happier with my decision. You are the same old snitching sissy as ever, telling mama every time something slightly upsetting happens, Regulus. Are you sure that Walburga finds it dignified enough, how you lick arse of a greasy half-blood!"

"Petrificus Totalus!" Regulus´s voice howled. His wand was fast. Sirius lost all control of his limbs. Paralyzed by the curse he stood in place rigidly. Regulus grabbed his brother´s shirt and moved his mouth close to his ear. "Pardon me, brother, but I have finally grown up. I can no longer listen your simplistic nonsense and keep on pretending that it something other than plain flobberworm mucus. I understand that it hits hard you Gryffindors, whose only redeeming quality is supposed to be bravery, that a Slytherin makes you look like useless cowards by saving the day." Regulus slowly released his grip. "But do not be such a sore loser, brother", he murmured.

Regulus drew a long breath. He carefully straightened his robes. Then he nodded stiffly to Remus and Peter and left the scene with collected grace that would have made even his strict mother proud.