Harry Potter and the Soul Shifter
By: Alex Lyons3
Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and everything in the wonderful world of Hogwarts. Disney owns Brooklyn, the gargoyle. I own Jessica "Jess" Cotten.
Author's Note: Originally, I started on a story about Harry's sixth year before J.K.R. released OotP. Sadly, when Sirius died, so to did my ability to write that fan fiction. So, I've salvaged some characters and added some cross over points and re did the whole thing. I really didn't expect Sirius to die. Truthfully, I should have. Just for the record, the time line is going to be a bit iffy since most people put it up as Sirius died in 1996. I'm going to say that Harry didn't even start Hogwarts until 1997, so Sirius didn't die until 2002. Did I lose anyone? *A few hands are raised* Okay! Simply, first book published in 1997. So, that's when Harry starts as far as I'm concerned. Harry's fifth year would be 2001-2002, so Sirius (at least in my mind) does not die until 2002. Okay? Anyway, on with the story.
Chapter 18: Staff Room Secrets and Billiard Tables
Brooks walked into the staff room cursing Umbridge under his breath. Snape was there sipping some tea. He gave Brooks one of his characteristic raised brows.
"Problems Brooks?" Snape asked nonchalantly.
"That Umbridge woman is a major pain in the derriere!" Brooks snarled loudly.
Snape put down his cup looking at Brooks.
"Hmm. Yes, she is quite aggravating. What did she do?"
"Interrupted me when I was trying to teach class. I told her to shut up and took her clip board from her because she was annoying me to no end."
"What were you teaching the class about?"
"Gargoyles."
"I see. Well, she is one who demands that Professors only teach what the Ministry tells them to teach. If I'm correct, the Ministry told you specifically to teach them about vampires, hags and the like."
"True, but they didn't say that I couldn't teach my students about other beings." Brian said waving his wand at a spot on the wall. The spot disappeared and what appeared to be a muggle refrigerator slowly came into view. He opened the door and got out some Firewhiskey.
"You know, most teachers don't try to get drunk when they are about to grade papers. Which, given the note book, I'd say that would be exactly what you are trying to accomplish." Snape said watching Brian get a shot glass from a hidden cabinet next to the now hidden refrigerator.
"I'll tell you that when you come in here looking for the whiskey after your inspection." Brian snarled filling the glass.
Snape smirked, "I assure you, I won't need Fire whiskey to make me feel better."
"Why?" Brian asked and soon downed the small glass. "Damn!" He said blinking.
"Never had whiskey before, Brooks?" Snape asked sardonically, still smirking.
"It has been a while. A long while." Brian said blinking tears back as he refilled his glass. "Tell me something, why are you always so depressed?"
"I'm not depressed." Snape said clearly confused and angry at the change in subjects.
"So you say, however, I seem to remember that you were a bit more cheerful in school. Maybe it was my imagination, but you didn't seem to wear nearly as much black when we weren't required to." Brian said taking a sip from his glass.
"Perhaps I just realized that I look better in black." Snape said angrily.
"Maybe, but you weren't nearly as waspish as you are now. What happened, Severus, to change you so?" Brian asked clearly concerned.
"That is obviously none of your business, otherwise I would have told you a long time ago." Snape snapped.
Brian shrugged. He got out some tennis balls from his cloak which was in the wardrobe.
"What are you doing, Brooks?" Snape asked annoyed that Brian wasn't going to keep up the verbal spar they had just been having.
"Mind if I transfigure something?" Brian asked, glancing at Snape.
"Not at all. I know you're the best at transfiguration next to Minerva."
"How much pain did complementing me cause you?" Brian said smiling cheekily.
"Not much really, I've realized that your not the same as you were before." Snape admitted. "Though, why did you change? There was no reason for it."
Brian chuckled as he transfigured each of the tennis balls into a set of billiard balls and the table that was there into a pool table. "You're right, there was no reason for me to change, except when you note the fact that I really haven't changed. I'm just being nicer to you."
"Your head isn't nearly as swelled." Snape commented lightly.
"True." Brian said as he transfigured an old broomstick that no longer had the straw attached to it into a pool stick.
"What are you doing, Brooks?"
"I need something to keep me occupied. Keep my mind off that horrible woman!" Brian said as he hit the little white ball at the colored ones, splitting them.
"Hmm. Yes, I completely understand." Snape said thoughtfully.
"You look as though something is eating at you." Brian said, glancing up before hitting the ball a third time.
"There is. You know that night..."
Brian stopped and looked at Snape, giving his full attention to him. He nodded.
"Well..." Snape started, but stopped when Brian held up a cautionary finger. He listened and heard a familiar patter of feet. The door of the staff room opened and a very disheveled Umbridge came in looking horribly like she did after the centaurs got a hold of her.
"Ms. Umbridge, how may we help you?" Snape asked coldly with a characteristic smirk of amusement on his face.
"That...that woman told me she needed me to help her with a demonstration. Oh! It was horrible. She showed the class the Prior Phobia Spell. That...that was embarrassing!" Umbridge shrieked.
Brian was wearing a smirk almost identical to Snape's. "Well, she did have to teach the children how to do that one. It was best that there was an adult who knew not to let their fear over come them. Don't you agree, Ms. Umbridge?"
"No! It was horrible." Umbridge whined.
The bell rang. Snape looked at Brian.
"Well, I must be getting back to my dungeons. I have a class to teach." Snape said with a smirk in Brian's direction, "I believe we'll be starting The Draught of Sleeping Hell."
"I've never heard of that." Umbridge whined in her girlishly disgusting voice.
Snape's smirk grew wider, "Oh, I assure you, there is nothing to worry about."
Snape strode out of the staff room with Umbridge following in his ever malevolent wake.
* * *
To Mella deRanged: LOL! Glad your liking it still.
To RogueFanKC: You're right, they don't know Jess or Snape very well. *evil chuckle* I didn't want to show what would happen when Jess showed the Prior Phobia Spell to the class. *chuckles* Since I figured everone could guess at what it was. As to your reenactment, isn't it suppose to be Texas Chainsaw Massacre?
To Samantha: *grins* Peeves is going to be very beneficial as is McGonagall and Snape. I never understood why JKR never told us what Snape was up to during all of fifth year. Strange. As for Monty Python, alas I have not seen it, so that's why there hasn't been anything resembling it in here.