Chapter Twenty
Suspicions
Finally things had begun getting back to normal. Jennifer sighed as she let her last class out, looking forward to the weekend. Stretching, she gathered up her books from her desk, cautiously opening the drawer a little at a time before pulling it out. Jennifer shook her head at that. I'm getting too paranoid, she thought to herself. Nothing else had happened to her in the last two weeks that was out of the ordinary, and Ginny was sitting up in bed now, nearly strong enough to return to class. At that thought, she pulled out a couple of papers she had laid aside to take upstairs to her.
Ginny was awake, listening to Hermione read out of a book. Harry and Ron looked up when Jennifer came in.
"Hi, all! I brought you your homework, Ginny," she grinned, handing it over to her.
"That's brutal, Professor Craw, giving her homework while she's still recovering," Ron protested.
"Nonsense, Ron, she doesn't want to fall behind on her studies, do you Ginny?"
"Well, at least I get to miss the fear drills," she grinned.
"Those aren't so bad, at least, not anymore," Hermione said, leaning over her book, "It's getting so if something unexpected happens in class we know what's going on."
"Oh, really? Hmm. I guess it's time I changed my tactics then," Jennifer said thoughtfully. "Maybe I'll ask Professor Snape to give me an idea on that one."
"Now that is a scary thought," Ron said.
"Hagrid asked us over tonight. I guess he has to go away this weekend," Harry said. "Are you coming as well?"
"Oh, yes, I almost forgot about him leaving," Jennifer pondered, frowning. Reports coming in from the giants had been infrequent at best, and lately Dumbledore suspected that trouble was stirring up there. "Sure, I'll come. I'll go let Snape know where I'm going to be and I'll meet you there."
"I wish I could go. I'm getting tired of this bed," Ginny sighed.
"Next week you can go. You should be up by then," Ron said, "Then we can show you how big the badgimeras are getting. I think Hagrid's going to have to build another pen if they keep it up."
The five-headed badgers were definitely getting big, Jennifer couldn't help but agree when she looked them over a few minutes later. Still cubs, they were play fighting each other, rolling over like a pack of zealous dogs. Already they were the same size as Ruby, and in another month she was sure they would pass Babe up. Hagrid was patting down the Pegasi now, trying to wake them up enough so that they would eat.
"Don' worry, Professor, they'll be awake in time fer yer patrol. Thanks for fillin' in fer me on such short notice."
"No trouble, Hagrid, I like flying… at least on Ruby." Jennifer watched as a large dog bounded out from the forest, slowing down as he got to the cottage. "Good evening, Sirius."
Sirius turned back into human form, smiling at her. "Good evening, Jennifer. Going riding tonight?" he asked.
"Patrol tonight," she nodded.
"C'mon in. I already got th' tea on," Hagrid said as Jennifer and Sirius followed close behind.
"So how have you been?" Sirius asked politely. "I heard, of course, about the close call you and Ginny had."
"Yes," Jennifer sighed. "I kind of feel sorry for the boy, though. He's in a delinquent wizard's home at the moment. Hopefully it'll turn out all right."
"And how's Severus?" he asked. The way that he asked it made Jennifer look at him.
"He's fine. And we're just friends," she said, trying not to sound annoyed. Hagrid looked over his shoulder at them, and then took the kettle off the fire.
A gentle smile crept over Sirius' face.
"Yes, well, you may not believe this, Jennifer, but despite his and my… differences… over the years, I wish you both all the happiness you deserve. Of course, that's assuming he'll stop being an old dragon about it and admit he has feelings for you."
"Sirius! We're just friends." Jennifer glared at him. "And don't be giving Harry and them any crazy notions that it's anything different."
"No, of course not. They're not likely to believe it anyway," he said bemusedly.
Hagrid cleared his throat, pouring out the tea just as they began to hear footsteps run up.
"Hullo, Hagrid! Hullo, Sirius!"
"'Alo Harry! Pull up a seat."
"So where are you going over the weekend?" Hermione asked Hagrid.
"Oh, out an' about on Hogwarts business," he said, "nothin' I can talk abou'."
"Are you going to be seeing Madame Maxime again?" Harry asked. Hagrid got flustered.
"Coul' be." Hagrid said. "Have some rolls."
"Ah, spring," Sirius said with amusement, "Blossoming love everywhere I look, and nobody but me the wiser." Hagrid and Ron glared at Sirius with the same glare Jennifer had herself given him a moment ago. Hermione was looking into her teacup.
"Reading tea leaves, Hermione?" Harry asked teasingly.
"Oh honestly, of course not, what a load of rubbish. I'm so glad I got out of that class. I don't know how you two stand it," Hermione said.
"Sometimes it can be interesting when she doesn't have me dying all the time," Harry said.
"How are you dying this week again?" Ron asked.
"I'm going to be thrown into a fireplace or burnt in a fire or something of the sort," Harry said.
Everyone had a chuckle, and then as they ate, the students went into a rendition of their classes last week, ending with Jennifer's.
"I think I was fine during the drill until Neville's face hollowed and all his teeth fell out. And then I was so busy laughing, I guess I came out of it." Ron grinned. Hermione looked uncomfortable. She wasn't quite so successful at fending off the morbid terror spell. Jennifer just shook her head with a smile.
"There's always one in every class," she sighed, and Sirius chuckled. "Of course, I still had to pass him. Laughing your way out of fear is just as valid as countering your way out."
"Is that what you do? " Hermione asked, "I've noticed you joke about a lot when things aren't going well. I've never seen you afraid." Jennifer looked thoughtful.
"Well, bravery is slightly different for everyone, I think. When I'm afraid, I dive into it as quickly as possible so I don't have to think about it. And then I joke later so I don't have to admit to myself I was afraid. Bravery is just doing what you have to do regardless of how afraid you are."
"I have to admit, it was a good idea to teach them about fear spells," Sirius said approvingly, tipping his cup to her. "Not that these three needed any more mettle, granted, but I'm sure there were a few that did."
There was a firm knock on the door, and everyone looked about thoughtfully before Jennifer glanced at her watch.
"Is it that late?" she said quickly getting up as Hagrid answered the door.
"Is Professor Craw ready?" Severus asked, glancing around the room and frowning at Sirius.
"I'm coming now. Thanks for the dinner, Hagrid. Good luck on your trip. Sirius, could you escort the students back?"
"Of course, Jennifer," Sirius smiled. "Good evening, Severus. As cheerful as always I see." Severus was about to say something when Jennifer quickly made her way to the door, pulling her cloak around her.
"Night, all. Don't forget you have a game tomorrow, Harry, got to win this one to tie for the house cup, you know." Jennifer said, pulling the door to behind her. "Sorry, lost track of the time."
"Tell me, what is Sirius doing here?" he asked her thoughtfully.
"He was here to see Harry, of course," Jennifer said, giving him an odd look as the walked to the pen.
"Does he come by often?" Severus inquired.
"By, yes. Inside, no," Jennifer said releasing the tethers. "Dumbledore said it was all right. The more people watching over Harry right now, the better. Sirius doesn't talk to me much, though, not since Christmas," she added, hopping up on Ruby. "Are you coming, or am I still under interrogation?" she teased. Frowning slightly, he mounted Babe, who immediately started prancing in irritation.
"Do you want grounds or the school tonight?" he asked.
"Grounds," she said, "If you take the Pitch."
"All right. We'll meet on the parapet between rounds." Severus nodded, and took to the air.
Ever since the night of the attack, flying had been a different experience for her. Every time she looked out, she remembered the Dementors that Voldemort had called. And now, they were all out there somewhere, just waiting for an opportunity to strike. She skirted around the Dark Forest, heading up behind the castle and around, then over the lake. Below, she could make out a tiny group of lamp lights, probably Harry and his friends, she thought, heading back towards the school from Hagrid's.
It was about that time that she felt like she was being watched. Ruby didn't seem bothered, she thought, but all the same, she decided to dive down closer to the ground to make sure they got there okay. They waved up to her, and she had the Pegasus circle around until they got all the way in, and then veered up to the parapet.
"What took you so long?" Severus asked, putting away his watch.
"I wanted to make sure Harry, Hermione, and Ron got back okay. I had a weird feeling," Jennifer frowned. Severus looked over at her quizzically. "Like I was being watched. It could have been nothing."
"It's not like you to have a random feeling like that," Severus ventured.
"Well, I don't know about that. Ever since the Venowraiths, I've been a little jumpy," she admitted. Severus' look softened somewhat.
"Just to be safe, we should stay together for the remainder of our shift," he decided. "Let's go."
The rest of the evening stayed relatively quiet, with only the beating of the two beasts' wings and the sound of the wind. Finally two lights appeared on the parapet, and they handed the midnight patrol to Sinistra and Flitwick, and then went down to stable the Pegasi and then walked back to the castle.
"You're going to the Quidditch match tomorrow, correct?" Severus asked as they walked up the stairs.
"Of course. I'm on Harry duty during games. Why did you want to know? I thought you didn't go to non-Slytherin games," Jennifer taunted him.
"Yes well, whoever wins tomorrow will be tying them," he reminded her. Jennifer snorted. How could she forget when Slytherin had played every dirty trick they could think of to get there? They paused at Dewhurst, who was eyeing them curiously. "I will probably be there early, so I will save you a seat in the teacher's box. Good night," Severus said. Jennifer gave him a puzzled look as he hurried down the hall. Since when was the teacher's box ever full? Shrugging it off, she turned back to her room.
"Nevermore, Dewhurst," she said, and the door opened.
After breakfast, Jennifer went to her office to spend the morning working on her test sheets for finals, taking care to rub Teacher's White over them after finishing them so that none of the students would be able to read them if they got a hold of one before class. As she was cleaning up the dusty substance, there was a knock at the door. She quickly opened it and then blinked in surprise.
"Oh, Ederick Thurspire isn't it? From the Ministry?" she said as he kissed her hand.
"Formerly of Animagi Department, now working for Law Enforcement's D.I. unit. I have an official paper for you," he nodded. "And I'm afraid it's not good news. The Department of Investigations has found evidence that you used an illegal dark spell."
"Oh, that. Come in," she sighed. "I was wondering when they'd get back around to me about that." Thurspire entered, handing her the folded paper with the Ministry seal on it.
"We also heard you have been teaching some questionable spells in your class as well," he added, almost apologetically in his tone.
"Questionable? Nonsense. I clear every spell with Dumbledore before teaching them. If you have any problems with my approved lesson plan, I suggest you go to him about it, although I wonder why this was brought up so late in the year." Jennifer pointed out.
"We weren't concerned about it up until a month ago. Just how exactly did you happen to learn the Bleeding Death? Did your father teach you?" he asked. Jennifer gazed at him. The hatred was still there from when they first met, and something else she couldn't quite put her finger on.
"If there's going to be a formal inquiry, I suggest you save it for the Council," she said coldly.
"No," Ederick said distastefully. "No inquiry." He gestured at the paper and she opened it and read it, her eyes growing wide.
"A fine of three hundred galleons? For one lousy death spell?" She didn't have that much in the bank. She frowned. "It's gone up a bit, hasn't it?"
"We don't take death curses lightly," Ederick stood in front of her, getting almost in her face. "This is a very serious matter."
"Yes, and I used it to save a life, not take one," Jennifer pointed out.
"Which is why there's just a fine," he replied.
"But this is outrageous!"
"Well, I'm sure that if you have a complaint about it, we can go to the Ministry and settle the matter," Thurspire offered. "I'm sure they'd be willing to hear you out and work out payments." Jennifer suddenly got suspicious. There were definitely hidden intentions here.
"Sure," she said slowly. "But first I need to speak with Professor Snape about it. We'll stop by his office to see if he's there."
"No reason for that. I'm sure it won't take very long," he said, taking her arm. She shrugged away.
"It won't take long because I'm not going. Not until I speak with Professor Snape." Un-cuffing her wand, Jennifer sent a bolt down to her feet. "I suggest you leave now, and I'll try to call back to the Ministry at my convenience. Good day."
"Enough of this nonsense. You will come with me at once!" he demanded, trying to compel her.
"What is going on here?" Severus asked, standing with his arm on the doorframe, frowning.
"Thurspire was just trying to convince me to go to the Ministry, and without telling you." Jennifer said accusingly, glaring at Thurspire.
"Professor Craw," Severus began, stepping up between them to face Thurspire, "is under my strict orders to go nowhere without my direct permission. If you have a problem with it, I suggest you talk to me. Now what, exactly, is this all about?"
"There's no problem," Thurspire said, his face tense and angered. For some reason, he seemed to hate Severus even more than he hated her, and feared him as well. "I'm sure this can wait until a more convenient time, but not too long I trust." He bowed, quickly heading down the corridor. Severus walked to the door and watched him go, making sure he actually went towards the doors.
Jennifer took out her wand and released her shoes from the floor. "Persistent bugger, he was," she muttered. Severus turned around as she put back her wand.
"What was that all about? He wanted you to go to the Ministry?" Jennifer nodded and handed him the fine, which he quickly read. "Hm. Gone up a bit, hasn't it?"
"I thought they usually sent fines by owl," Jennifer said.
"They do, I get them all the time. All you need to do when you get one of these is to give it to Dumbledore, or Minerva if he's not around. We have a school fund set up for things like this," he said unconcernedly. Jennifer blinked.
"Why am I the last to find out about all this stuff?" she muttered. Severus smirked.
"Well, Dumbledore usually doesn't mention it unless there's a reason to. We can't have new teachers running amuck knowing the school will cover it, can we? I'll take this up to him. You had better finish whatever you're doing. The game's but an hour away." He said and then left. Jennifer went over to finish straightening up her desk. As she started to put her books on the shelf, something fell off the shelf, hitting the carpet with a thud.
"There you are!" Jennifer said, picking up the pocket mirror, unfolding it to make sure it wasn't broken. "I've been looking for you everywhere. I must have set you up there when I was refilling my potion supplies. Did you miss me?" she grinned at the mirror, putting it in her pocket and feeling more relaxed. At least something good came out of today, she thought. Not to mention that she did get all of her finals written.
Harry waved to Ron and Hermione where they sat in the stands, then mounted his broom as they took their quick flight around the Pitch before the game. They were having one of their best seasons ever, and he thought they had every chance of getting to the final to trounce Slytherin once and for all. Jennifer was in the stands clapped loudly for both teams, but especially for Harry, who waved at her as the team passed by the teacher's box.
"Well, it's obvious which team you want to win this match," Severus commented at her enthusiasm as he clapped politely.
"Actually, if it wasn't for Harry, I'd probably be supporting Ravenclaw," she confided in Severus. "You have to admit, there really is something special about him." Severus Snape gave her a look that indicated he'd admit nothing of the sort. Jennifer chuckled. "Honestly, Severus, sometimes you're so transparent, I don't have to be a you-know-what to tell what you're thinking," she teased him.
"This coming from the witch who wouldn't know what she herself was thinking without looking in a mirror," he smirked. Jennifer put her hand in her pocket, waving it in front of him.
"Yes, and I have found it again, so beware. I am totally armed." Jennifer chuckled back. Minerva turned around from the row just in front of them with a strange smile on her face.
"We're here to watch the game?" Minerva reminded them. Jennifer looked at her accusing face wide-eyed, just as the Quaffle went up. She mouthed the words "I was not!" to Minerva just before she turned back around. Minerva just smiled. Jennifer became flustered, trying to concentrate on the game. She had not been flirting, she thought to herself. At least, not on purpose.
Harry watched as Gryffindor quickly sped towards the rings. He was also watching Cho across the pitch. Suddenly he had to dive as a Bludger came through, George coming up just a moment too late to smack it away. They just had to win this one, he thought, to tie Slytherin's score. He watched the scoreboard as it flicked ten points to Gryffindor.
It was then that his scar began to burn and he looked around, nervously. Not now, he thought to himself, watching as the Chasers from Ravenclaw passed him in close range, then caught the ball, passing it between them before pushing it through the hoop.
Harry shook his head. He missed Wood as a Keeper, he thought, looking around as a Bludger whizzed past him. Where was that Snitch, he wondered as the scoreboard moved again. It was just as he spotted the Snitch and began to dive for it that he was hit with another wave of pain. He spun about on his broom as his hand went up, disoriented. Shaking himself out of it he went for the dive again, trying to remain alert.
"Jennifer, did you see that? Jennifer?" Severus quickly stood up in surprise, not having noticed that she had disappeared.
"Severus, get down, I can't see," complained Flitwick as Severus fumbled in his pocket.
"There he is, right there, arrest him at once!" called a voice coming up the stairs. Three figures ran into view, two of them grabbing hold of Severus with their wands out as all the teachers in the box stood up in surprise.
"Drop it, Snape," Ederick growled at him as he neared, "You're under arrest under the suspicion of committing intolerable acts as a Death Eater."
"Mr. Thurspire! What are you doing?" Minerva demanded. "Let go of him at once!"
"You're an idiot, Thurspire, and I don't have time for this. Professor Craw has disappeared." Severus snapped.
"I said drop it! And I know where Jennifer Craw is; I had her mirror tracked. She's with her master, Lord Voldemort himself!" Thurspire declared. Severus began to struggle and they knocked the watch out of his hand, Minerva pulling out her wand and ordering them to stop at once. "Don't act as if I don't know what I'm talking about! She's a Dark witch, there can be no question about it, even her school records show it. Her father had taught her everything about Dark magic before she was even sent to school. After Malfoy tipped me off to the mirror, I knew for sure I had the connection I needed to put you both away."
"Quietus mute!"
Ederick's hand went to his neck and his two guards looked up in surprise as their wands flew out of their hands. Albus Dumbledore stood behind him, wand pointed at Ederick. Severus quickly grabbed his watch, glanced at it, and then looked up to Dumbledore who nodded.
"Go, Severus, I'll take care of this." His voice was calm, but his eyes magnified that he was anything but happy. "I only hope we aren't too late. Make haste, Severus. Time must be on our side." Nodding quickly, Severus reached in his cloak, drank down a potion, and then left, the guards crying out in alarm.
"Professor Dumbledore! Look!" Minerva said in horror.
On the Pitch, Harry Potter dropped the Snitch out of his hand and then shot off out of the field towards the Dark Forest.
"Professor Flitwick, tell Mr. Filch to put these three somewhere safe until I can see them. The rest of you teachers follow me, we may have a battle on our hands."
Ron and Hermione rushed after Harry, not knowing if they could keep up. "He's going in the Dark Forest! What does he think he's doing?" Ron asked.
"Something has got to be really wrong," Hermione shouted back. Ron looked at her like she just made the understatement of the year.