AN: There will be some scenes directly from the book I do not own Harry Potter that goes to J.K. Rowling, I'm simply needed direct quotes for one particular scene.
Severus thought about the last two weeks of term Aella seemed to be doing better. They were having legilimency therapy twice a week where they went through her more traumatic memories from school. Today they were going to be going over lesson plans so that she could understand how to create them herself next year. His plan was to have her teach first through third years next year. If all went well her apprenticeship would be finished by Draco's fourth year.
He made their coffees knowing she would not be functional without the caffeine. 'One splash of cream' he chuckled a minute later he was surprised by two arms wrapping around his waist.
"Is that coffee I smell?" Aella whispered groggily taking in his calming scent.
"Yes, my dear it is. Did you have another nightmare?" He whispered back careful to not startle her. She shook her head no before plucking her coffee from his hands taking a sip enjoying the taste as she went over to the sofa next to the fire. She curled up one hand wrapped around her knees the other holding her coffee mug staring into the fire.
"Parvulus? Are you sure you didn't have a nightmare?" He knelt in front of her concerned for her mental health.
"Sev, I don't know what's wrong. I woke in a panic because I was alone. I'm not sure if it was the dream I had where you left me or waking up alone in bed." She whimpered into her mug as tears fell down her cheeks. It was obvious the thought of him leaving her side completely was bothering the young woman.
He lifted his hands to brush the tears before leaning his forehead against hers. "Little one, I will never leave your side. I got up this morning because I wanted to surprise you with coffee in bed before we got ready to begin today's lesson planning."
Aella smiled softly leaning into his touch. "I wish mama was around, to see how much I've grown and what I've accomplished. I miss her." Hearing the sadness in her voice gave him an idea but it would take some time to get the plan in motion.
"I know you miss Bella, darling. I wish you could have grown up with her. I believe you were the best thing to happen to her." Severus thought back to when Aelladora was born the brightness that Bellatrix held in her eyes staring at the little pink bundle.
"Tell me about her, I can't remember much. Everyone talks about how she lost her mind but that's not the mother I remember." Aella whispered raising her silver eyes to the onyx sea she always found herself lost in.
"Bella was… a wild child, the more outgoing of the three Black sisters your aunt Narcissa being another one. Andromeda was the shy one who kinda followed her sisters around until she fell in love with a Muggleborn. She left her family to be with him, after that your grandmother Druella burnt her name off the tapestry. Your grandfather Cygnus thought the best way to control Bella was to obliviate any "bad or wild" behaviour and I believe because of the multiple obliviations in her youth she was already unstable. After graduating she and Lucius tried to have a relationship but after one night together they knew it wouldn't work. So your grandfather Abraxas and grandmother Druella arranged for him to marry Narcissa. Although I'm sure Abraxas really wanted Bella and Lucius to work." He paused remembering the day Bellatrix found out about the little bundle she was carrying.
"One night joining two pure-blood lines was all it took though, about nine weeks later she was getting sick. Lucius asked me to take her to St. Mungos to make sure she was ok." Severus smiled as he moved to sit on the couch gathering her so she was leaning on his chest.
"I don't think I ever saw her smile so naturally as she did that day parvulus. She was so happy. Her mother and father found out and had her married that night to Rodulphus Lestrange but she refused to give you his last name or have him on your birth certificate as the father. I'm sorry my dear anyone that looks into your eyes knows Lucius is your father. The Malfoy's are the only pure-blood line that has that distinctive silver eye colour. Narcissa knew the whole time and she was happy for her sister. Rudulphus warmed up to you though, and even though he knew he wasn't your father he tried to be fatherly to you. His brother Rabastian was the funny Uncle we all stayed in the Malfoy Manor to make things easier all the way around. I even made amends with the Maruarders who made my life hell through school so you could have a relationship with your cousin Sirius Black. We were all happy for eight years even Tom Riddle, who was trying to woe Minerva and had just succeeded when that horrible night happened in Godrics Hollow." Severus took a minute he was just starting to get over Lily so this was hard.
"You were nine years old, Draco had just turned a year old. We had heard that the light was moving on the Potters they had discovered something on the Order of the Phoenix. I had just come back from meeting with Lily and James to get them to agree to go into hiding at Prince Manor where my mother lives. They had agreed, in order to protect their son. We were going to move them Halloween night Lucius, Tom, Bellatrix, and myself. Unfortunately, we were too late for James. Lily was upstairs with Harry, Tom rushed up there but Albus had already killed her. I don't know what happened or who said those cursed words but Tom fell that night and Albus fled all that was left was the baby. I hated the idea of bringing him to his aunt but we had to let Hagrid take him." Aella turned in his arms so she was curled up across his lap. A tear rolled down his cheek.
"You're mother wasn't the same after that something changed in her when you weren't around… She would go crazy trying to find you. She went crazy trying to bring Tom back as we were being arrested left and right being called Death Eaters. During your third year, Bella went missing she had gone out shopping for your Christmas ball she wanted to get you a beautiful gown. Next thing we knew the Longbottoms were admitted to the Janus Thickey Ward with permanent brain damage due to the Cruciatus curse. She went into hiding but came out to see you on Christmas with her husband and brother in law… I can only imagine what that was like for you that day my dear when the Aurors stormed the Manor." Severus paused as she shuffled closer to him he could feel tears on his shirt.
"It was horrible, I miss her so much Sev." She sniffled "I also miss cousin Padfoot. He was funny, even brought me my first broom. Narcissa had this look like she ate a lemon." She sighed "He was innocent wasn't he Sev?"
Severus knew who she spoke of and he had grown close to Remus Lupin and Sirius Black after the events of Godric's Hollow. "Yes my dear, I believe he was." He whispered hugging her closer. By this point their coffees were cold and their stomachs were rumbling.
"So, how about this we go get some breakfast and you can accompany me to class and I teach you how to plan and direct lessons today." Her face perked up at the sound of hands-on learning. Severus chuckled "Let us get dressed then." He said pointing to their joggers and her crop tank top.
Aelladora raced to her room after getting dressed she growled at her hair. "Severus!" Severus raced between their rooms only to stop in his tracks and burst out into the deepest laughter she ever heard at her pouty lip and wild curls.
"I'm…Sorry… My dear, you reminded me of your mother screaming Lucius' name with the same look." He said between chuckles as he slowly made his way over to her. "Hmm…Let's see if I remember how Lucius used to do her hair into one long braid shall we?" He poked her nose causing her to giggle. The sound was melodic to his ears causing his smile to grow.
After some brushing and curl taming cream as well as some well-placed spells to hold it in place. His long slender fingers worked through her hair as if he were an expert at it. "That should do it, little one take a look," he whispered in her ear, causing her to shiver as her eyes were closed.
Aella opened her eyes and gasped at what she saw in the mirror. Her hair was straight and perfectly french braided into a rose-shaped bun in the back with two long curled pieces framing her face. She spun around wrapping her arms around Severus' shoulders. "Thank you, Sev." She whispered overcome with emotions.
Shocked he wrapped his arms hesitantly around her waist. "We have to go to breakfast parvulus." He reminded her gently. She nodded standing up carefully wiping her tears away without destroying her makeup.
"Let's go." She whispered. They made their way to their seats in the Great Hall. She sat there sipping her coffee and nibbling on her eggs and toast. "Severus, do you remember my travels?" He paused mid-sip of his coffee noticing the conversation had gained both Minerva's and Albus' attention in different ways.
"Yes Aelladora, I do. What about it?" He slipped her whole name in there as a warning of their audience. She nodded understanding.
"Well, while I was travelling I heard a rumour there's a way to combine certain healing potions to help with the effects of the Cruciatius curse." She smirked knowing he would get the idea.
"Do they involve the time in which you collect the ingredients by any chance?" Severus smirked at her. 'Smooth little one.'
"Why yes, I could have sworn I wrote to you about it whilst I was in Japan. Anyway, yes the time at which some of the ingredients are harvested and used seems to affect the potion."
Severus nodded, "Yes, I have heard the time of collecting certain ingredients could change certain aspects of a potion such as longevity, and possibly potency."
"Well, as you know, for example, Veritiserum needs one lunar cycle to complete. My sensei suggested collecting Jobberknoll feathers right before they die. As for Amortentia, there are over a hundred species in the genus Rosa, My sensei suggested trying different thorns. The powdered moonstone to gather it during a full moon and powder it the same night should keep its potency. Things of that nature. Do you think we could try to create a potion to help others afflicted by the curse?" Aella grinned at his undivided attention and the sparkle in his eyes as she spoke of things he had read in her letter but they had never discussed it in person.
"Is this what you wish your Apprenticeship to focus around?" He asked almost breathless at her intelligence and understanding of the craft. She nodded her head finishing the conversation as they had gathered the attention of the whole table. No one had ever engaged him in conversation before his coffee, most certainly not whilst he was drinking it. "We will go to St. Mungos tomorrow and start investigating."
Aella giggled gaining gasps from up and down the table. "I believe we have a class to get to Severus."
Severus nodded standing and taking her hand he helped her out of the chair, before placing it in the crook of his arm smirking at the flabbergasted looks around the table.
They reached the dungeons before the two of them couldn't take it anymore and both adults burst into hysterics. "Did you see their faces oh Merlin, I thought Albus was going to have a coronary just because I dared speak to his Potions master?" Aella said once she caught her breath.
Severus calmed down from his laughter and brushed the hair that had fallen out from behind her ear. "He's jealous because you have my attention Aella. Though his reaction says more to your mother's disappearance than anything I suppose, how about we go to class the students should all be inside by now." He leaned forward and kissed her forehead affectionately. Aella sighed and reached a hand up to his cheek.
"I suppose you are right." Aella didn't want anyone to see the soft affectionate side of him that he only showed towards her.
Severus gave a deep hum of agreement, before sweeping dramatically into the classroom with a giggling Aelladora behind him. The students looked at her like she had lost her mind since no one dared giggle at Severus Snape the way she was.
"This is my apprentice Aelladora Black. You may call her Apprentice Black or Ma'am she's not here to be your friend but to learn how to teach." Severus brought the attention of his students right back to him, not by yelling strangely enough by speaking softly.
Aella smiled and watched the master, work his magic on the class. He was strict yes but given the fact, these children were dealing with volatile substances when ingredients are added incorrectly. She hummed softly while looking over his lesson plan and taking notes. Time flew by as the first period ended. Aella was so engrossed in her notes she jumped at Severus' touch on her shoulder. They had taken lunch in the potions room while they went over different ingredients that could be used in her potion to restore those tortured by the Cruciatius curse.
"Sorry dear, I just wanted you to know the next period is going to start in ten minutes and I wanted to give you your own protective robes. This is the last class of the day and by far the most draining. They tend to explode more cauldrons than I can produce." He held up one of his billowing cloaks and her face broke out into a grin as she took them. Aella brought them up to her nose and inhaled his scent giggling at the calm that settled over her. "These are dunderhead proof, meaning I have put every protection spell and charm I can think of to keep exploding cauldrons and potions from causing bodily harm. Now stand up and put them on so I can adjust them to your size and preferred colour."
Aella stood up putting the cloak on as he walked around her waving his wand muttering incantations. The robes shrunk to her size she buttoned them up turning and throwing her arms around his neck. "Thank you, thank you! These are perfect the way they are." She couldn't help the tear of happiness that trailed down her cheek. Severus reached up and gently ran his thumb across it softly drying her cheek.
"Parvulus, you're very welcome. This class in particular has the record for most exploding cauldrons. I just want you protected." Severus whispered in her ear as he gently tucked a hair behind her ear once again. They were so lost in each other, that when there was a knock on the door they jumped apart both blushing slightly. As the students filed in she saw the blond hair of her brother.
Aelladora looked over the class with steel-grey eyes. The inseparable trio as Severus put it, were huddled whispering to each other. Too low for even Aellas wolf hearing to pick up, she sighed before her attention was brought back to Severus as he was introducing her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the youngest Weasley glaring at her. There was a boy behind them who looked terrified of her.
Aelladora looked down at Severus' desk clenching her fists in her lap, 'That boy, has no reason to be terrified of me.' She thought to herself 'Why does everyone think I'm like my mother? I don't understand why!'
Severus looked over at her pausing his introduction, he saw a tear fall down her cheek. "The instructions are on the board, get brewing." He snarled in a low whisper, watching with a smirk as the students scrambled to get the ingredients. He swept over to his apprentice whispering a spell around them so they wouldn't be overheard. First, he had to get her attention, he knelt on one knee beside her.
'My dear, I am here to help but I need you to come out of your head so we can talk.' His voice was soft and comforting in her head.
Aelladora looked into the obsidian irises focused on her concern evident in them. "Why? Why do they fear me I have done nothing to them." Her molten silver eyes flickered to the short and chubby, slightly buck-toothed Gryffindor boy who seemed terrified of her. "What's his name?" she nodded towards the boy.
Severus looked to where she had jerked her head and sighed. "His name is Neville Longbottom. He is the son of Frank and Alice Longbottom." Severus turned his attention back to her. "You are in no way responsible for anything your mother did knowingly or unknowingly. We will find a way to fix those wrongs I promise. Now, what have you learned going over my lesson plans?" He was trying to take her mind off whatever downward spiral the looks from the Gryffindor students had sent her.
For the rest of the period, they went over how to plan lessons using their students' skill sets and still follow the curriculum. He was impressed with how quickly she grasped how he made the lesson plans. He left her to grade the first years' homework assignments as he made his rounds around the room. Surprisingly no cauldrons blew up this class not that any of the potions were usable save two Draco Malfoy's and Hermione Granger's they were immaculate in her opinion.
"Good job both of you." Aelladora smiled at the two children who brought their finished Wiggenweld potions to her, they were both the correct turquoise colour it was supposed to be.
Hermione beamed at Aelladora's praise while Draco smirked at the girl's reaction to being praised for the first time on her potions. Aelladora raised an eyebrow at her brother's reaction and had to hold back a giggle when he turned slightly pink under her gaze, then turned around heading back to his seat.
Severus watched the exchange from the back of the room groaning at his apprentice. 'My dear, you really shouldn't have done that. Now she's going to expect that from me.'
'From you, no but from me, I will praise any student on a job well done. Your cover stays intact.' Aella smirked at him. Severus chuckled softly before dismissing the class.
They spent most of the evening looking through books and reading different potions seeing if they could come up with anything for a base. The pair had narrowed it down to two strong bases but until they got more information from the staff of the Longbottoms condition they couldn't be sure where to begin.
"Let's take a break and head to dinner in the Great Hall Sev," Aelladora whispered while bookmarking another page and closing the book.
Severus took the book from her hands and placed it back on the shelf, before turning back to her. "I could do with something to eat." He said gently holding out his hand to help her up. Aelladora smiled at him before they both set out to get dinner. At dinner, they started discussing the possibility of using mandrake roots.
"Pomona, would you be able to grow some mandrakes for us?" Severus asked as he passed Aelladora her coffee their fingers brushed for a second causing Aella to blush slightly.
"I don't see why not, though they won't be fully mature until May at the latest. Would that be alright?" Asked the herbology professor and head of Hufflepuff.
"That would be acceptable, as we are still in the information-gathering stage. I thought Mandrake was a good ingredient to start with." Aelladora piped up taking a sip of her coffee. She let her eyes wander the Great Hall before landing on her brother, what was peculiar was the way he was staring at that Hermione Granger girl from earlier. Aella smirked 'Not my girlfriend indeed little brother,' she chuckled to herself at the thought. She listened to Severus and Pomona talk about her potion idea and possible ingredients she could grow for them in the private greenhouse. She smiled because even though he seemed standoffish he certainly had a way with people. After finishing her shepherd's pie she tried to cover a yawn but failed.
"I do apologize Pomona but I must get my apprentice to her chambers before I have to carry her. Thank you for doing this for her, it means a lot on a personal level that she's determined to create this potion and right the wrongs of her mother." Severus said in a hushed tone.
"I understand Severus, she wants to be accepted for who she is not who her parents are. I will gather this list for you and begin growing them. You get your apprentice to sleep." Pomona said with a smile. Severus just nodded not knowing what to say.
He helped Aella out of her chair whispering in her ear, "If you can walk to just beyond the entrance to the Great Hall I will carry you the rest of the way." He felt her nod against his arm, it seems the potion he had been working on for her nightmares was starting to take effect one downside was the drowsiness but in this case, it worked out fine.
Once they got around the corner and out of sight of the students and nosy teachers he lifted her up bridal style and carried her back to their quarters. Severus whispered the password to the great wolf smiling down at her as she grasped his cloak and nuzzled her cheek on his chest. As he laid her down on her bed, he removed her boots and the robe he had given her before tucking it next to her. He watched for a few moments as she curled around the cloak bringing it to her face and smiling before completely relaxing falling into a deep sleep. Severus kissed her forehead before waving his wand and releasing her hair from the braid he had placed earlier.
That night was the first night she slept through with no nightmares. The rest of the weekend was spent at St. Mungo's gathering all the information they could on the Longbottom patients. The symptoms and anything they could gather that would help them with her potion.
Halloween came quickly Severus and Aella were growing closer each day when they weren't teaching they were in his private laboratory experimenting on her potion.
"It's no use, without the mandrake root nothing I can think of works!" Aella threw her hands into her hair after scrunching up and throwing what seemed to be the hundredth ball of paper at the wall. She banged her head onto the desk. "Why won't it work?" She cried.
Severus was concerned she had always seemed optimistic about this potion and he didn't want her to give up. "My dear, why don't we take a break and go enjoy the Halloween feast. Pray that no trolls be let loose in the dungeon again this year." He smiled when he heard a chuckle escape her lips.
"Yeah that would be disastrous wouldn't it?" Aella bit back sarcastically, then looking down at her pile of crumpled papers she sighed dejectedly.
"Aella, the mandrakes will be ready by May, we have time I promise it will work." Severus gently touched her shoulder. "Come on, let us go eat." He smiled at her.
"Maybe I just need to take a break I've been going non-stop on this for a month now." She whispered. Severus nodded in agreement. Aella got up taking Severus' hand and they walked together in silence to the Great Hall.
"I think I may take a walk to try to a place where I can clear my mind. Would that be alright?" Aella asked quietly not wanting to upset Severus at all.
"I think that the room of requirement on the seventh floor would be a quiet place to calm your mind. I may join you once my rounds are complete." He smiled down at her.
"I would enjoy that bring coffee and snacks." She giggled a little when Severus brought her hand up and kissed her knuckles while keeping eye contact with her.
Once seated Aella took a look around before nudging Severus in the ribs making him grunt in pain.
"What witch?" He grumbled while holding his ribs where she had elbowed him.
"Is it normal for the dunderhead trio as you call them to skip the Halloween feast?" She asked softly pointing to where they typically sat.
"No little witch, it's not. I wonder what they are up to this time." Severus looked more annoyed than concerned. Aella placed a hand over his looking him in the eyes before her cheeks flushed pink and she went to take her hand away. His long slender fingers clasped around hers as she went to pull away. Wide silver eyes met obsidian a soft smile formed on his face as he brought her hand up and placed a soft kiss on her knuckles for the second time that night.
"S-Severus?" She whispered, he placed her hand back on the table giving her a playful wink before going back to his dinner. Aella's cheeks were flushed, her heart was beating fast. 'What is this feeling? It's almost like…' Aella shook her head not wanting to finish that thought.
Once the feast was over all the students left Albus kept the teachers behind for some reason. Aella rolled her eyes anticipating a long staff meeting but Severus told her to head out so she followed the students until she heard her brother.
"Enemies of the Heir, beware! You'll be next, Mudbloods!" Draco could be heard through the hall. He had pushed to the front of the crowd, his cold eyes alive, his usually bloodless face flushed, as he grinned at the sight of the hanging, immobile cat.
'Severus you and the headmaster should get over here bring Minerva as well, I found the trio!' Aella sent the message hoping he got it.
"What's going on here? What's going on?" Attracted no doubt by Draco's shout, Argus Filch came shouldering his way through the crowd. Then he saw Mrs Norris and fell back, clutching his face in horror.
"My cat! My cat! What's happened to Mrs Norris?" He shrieked. And his popping eyes fell on Harry. "You!" he screeched. "You! You've murdered my cat! You've killed her! I'll kill you! I'll —"
"Argus!" Dumbledore had arrived on the scene, followed by Severus and Minerva. Severus put a hand on Aella's shoulder as she looked up horror in her eyes at the sight of the cat. He noticed tears starting to form. In seconds, Albus had swept past Harry, Ron, and Hermione and detached Mrs Norris from the torch bracket. "Come with me, Argus," he said to Filch. "You, too, Mr Potter, Mr Weasley, Miss Granger."
Lockhart stepped forward eagerly. "My office is nearest, Headmaster — just upstairs — please feel free —"
"Thank you, Gilderoy," said Dumbledore. The silent crowd parted to let them pass. Lockhart, looking excited and important, hurried after Dumbledore; so did Professors McGonagall and Snape. Aella growled under her breath in annoyance but followed behind Severus.
As they entered Lockhart's darkened office there was a flurry of movement across the walls; Harry saw several of the Lockharts in the pictures dodging out of sight, their hair in rollers. The real Lockhart lit the candles on his desk and stood back. Dumbledore lay Mrs Norris on the polished surface and began to examine her. Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged tense looks and sank into chairs outside the pool of candlelight, watching.
The tip of Dumbledore's long, crooked nose was barely an inch from Mrs Norris's fur. He was looking at her closely through his half-moon spectacles, his long fingers gently prodding and poking. Professor McGonagall was bent almost as close, her eyes narrowed. Professor Snape loomed behind them, half in shadow, wearing a most peculiar expression: It was as though he was trying hard not to smile. The girl that always was with him was there too. And Lockhart was hovering around all of them, making suggestions.
"It was a curse that killed her — probably the Transmogrifian Torture — I've seen it used many times, so unlucky I wasn't there, I know the very countercurse that would have saved her…"
Lockhart's comments were punctuated by Filch's dry, racking sobs. He was slumped in a chair by the desk, unable to look at Mrs Norris, his face in his hands. Aella brushed past Severus to comfort the old caretaker. She never had issues with Argus, in fact, she often gave Mrs Norris treats. Aella wrapped him in a hug a tear ran down her cheek, as Argus hugged her back. Much as he detested Filch, Harry couldn't help feeling a bit sorry for him. Harry was also wary of the black-haired girl Ron had told him she had to be at least part Malfoy due to her eye colour being unique but beyond that Percy knew of her a little bit. Though Harry felt sorry for Filch, he was not nearly as sorry as he felt for himself If Dumbledore believed Filch, he would be expelled for sure. Dumbledore was now muttering strange words under his breath and tapping Mrs Norris with his wand but nothing happened. She continued to look as though she had been recently stuffed.
"… I remember something very similar happening in Ouagadogou," said Lockhart, "a series of attacks, the full story's in my autobiography, I was able to provide the townsfolk with various amulets, which cleared the matter up at once…" Aella growled at the self-absorbed teacher just wanting him to shut his mouth, while she was trying to comfort Argus.
The photographs of Lockhart on the walls were all nodding in agreement as he talked. One of them had forgotten to remove his hairnet. At last, Dumbledore straightened up.
"She's not dead, Argus," he said softly. Lockhart stopped abruptly in the middle of counting the number of murders he had prevented.
"Not dead?" choked Filch, looking through his fingers at Mrs Norris. "But why's she all — all stiff and frozen?"
"She has been Petrified," said Dumbledore ("Ah! I thought so!" said Lockhart). "But how, I cannot say…"
"Ask him!" shrieked Filch, turning his blotched and tear-stained face to Harry.
"Argus, come on think, it's not possible," Aelladora said softly. Severus was impressed with how she was trying to keep Filch calm.
"No second year could have done this," said Dumbledore firmly glaring slightly at Aella. "it would take Dark Magic of the most advanced —"
"He did it, he did it!" Filch spat, his pouchy face purpling. "You saw what he wrote on the wall! He found — in my office — he knows I'm a — I'm a —" Filch's face worked horribly. "He knows I'm a Squib!" he finished.
"I never touched Mrs Norris!" Harry said loudly, uncomfortably aware of everyone looking at him, including all the Lockharts on the walls. "And I don't even know what a Squib is."
"Rubbish!" snarled Filch. "He saw my Kwikspell letter!"
"If I might speak, Headmaster," said Snape from the shadows, and Harry's sense of foreboding increased; he was sure nothing Snape had to say was going to do him any good.
"Potter and his friends may have simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time," he said, a slight sneer curling his mouth as though he doubted it.
"But we do have a set of suspicious circumstances here. Why was he in the upstairs corridor at all? Why wasn't he at the Halloween feast?" Aelladora added in watching the trio trip over their words trying to explain as she walked back over to Severus' side.
Harry, Ron and Hermione all launched into an explanation about the deathday party. "… there were hundreds of ghosts, they'll tell you we were there —"
"But why not join the feast afterwards?" said Snape, his black eyes glittering in the candlelight. "Why go up to that corridor?" Ron and Hermione looked at Harry.
"Because — because —" Harry said, his heart thumping very fast; something told him it would sound very far-fetched if he told them he had been led there by a bodiless voice no one but he could hear, "because we were tired and wanted to go to bed," he said.
"Without any supper?" said Snape, a triumphant smile flickering across his gaunt face. "I didn't think ghosts provided food fit for living people at their parties."
"We weren't hungry," said Ron loudly as his stomach gave a huge rumble. Snape's nasty smile widened.
Aelladora snickered, "You sound like you're not hungry." She said sarcastically making Ron glare at her.
"I suggest, Headmaster, that Potter is not being entirely truthful," he said. "It might be a good idea if he were deprived of certain privileges until he is ready to tell us the whole story. I feel he should be taken off the Gryffindor Quidditch team until he is ready, to be honest."
"Really, Severus," said Professor McGonagall sharply, "I see no reason to stop the boy playing Quidditch. This cat wasn't hit over the head with a broomstick. There is no evidence at all that Potter has done anything wrong."
Dumbledore was giving Harry a searching look. His twinkling light-blue gaze made Harry feel as though he were being X-rayed. "Innocent until proven guilty, Severus," he said firmly.
Snape looked furious. So did Filch. "My cat has been Petrified!" he shrieked, his eyes popping. "I want to see some punishment!"
"We will be able to cure her, Argus," said Dumbledore patiently. "Professor Sprout recently managed to procure some Mandrakes. As soon as they have reached their full size, I will have a potion made that will revive Mrs Norris."
"Managed only because I asked…" Aella was cut off by an icy glare from Albus.
"I'll make it," Lockhart butted in. "I must have done it a hundred times. I could whip up a Mandrake Restorative Draught in my sleep —"
"Excuse me," said Snape icily. "But I believe I am the Potions master at this school." There was a very awkward pause.
"You may go," Dumbledore said to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They went, as quickly as they could without actually running.