Disclaimer: See Chapter 17
Yet ANOTHER interesting chapter. . .
Later that day, Kokiri was working in the greenhouse, preparing plants for the next day's lesson. She was removing aphids from some potted wolfsbane (if she didn't, at the next full moon they'd turn into vicious were-aphids) when she heard the tapping on the door.
She wasn't surprised to see Professor Snape standing in the doorway. She would have been, though, if she knew him any better. Unlike Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, who seemed to want to meddle in everyone else's business whenever possible, Snape usually kept very much to himself. This was one of the handful of trips he made to the greenhouses during his entire tenure at Hogwarts. "Is there something I can help you with, Professor Snape?" "Why, yes, now that you mention it." He stepped into the greenhouse, smiling. Because he was so out of practice at it, his smile was thin, weak and sinister. "By all reports, you've done very good work in your brief time here. You've gotten us through the loss of our Herbologist, and I don't just mean the students. I'll admit that I, too, have learned something by your being here. I'm afraid that I was not completely in favor of your coming at first, but I can see my error now. I simply didn't know you well enough to see your. . .your many talents."
Kokiri's hand tightened nervously on the trowel she was holding. "You flatter me, Professor."
"I speak the truth. However, I do have one question, and I hope that you can answer it. You obviously have considerable talents, and you have, I'm sure, accomplished much with those powers. But don't you think that you could accomplish a great deal more if you weren't burdened by your . . . association with a Muggle?" And he reached out to touch her left arm. Her right hand came up quick as thought, brandishing the trowel like a weapon. In her eyes was a mix of fear and anger. "Professor," she said in a voice she kept as steady as possible, "before you say or do anything further, you had better leave. For my part, I will do you the favor of forgetting that this conversation ever happened, but you must leave now."
Even Harry Potter had never seen Snape as angry as he was at that moment. "As you wish, Madame," he said, his voice low and menacing. He spun on his heels at the door. "But you shall hear from me again, and soon!" He was gone. Kokiri stayed dead still for a few seconds, then dropped the trowel. She found her hand was shaking uncontrollably. Trying not to burst into tears, she raced to the castle and up to her office. Okino was there when she burst in. "What happened?"
"I-There was a problem. I handled it. It's over." "Dear, this isn't like you. What happened?"
It was all Kokiri could to not to shout at her husband. "I said I handled it. It's over."
"WHAT'S over?!" "I. . .made a promise. I can't tell you; not now. Please don't press me on this"
"Look, if you're in any danger. . ."
Kokiri hugged Okino, in part so that he wouldn't see her face. She said, "Don't be silly." But she thought, My love, I fear you're the one in danger. . .
***
Aren't you curious to see what happens next? Well, then, R/R!
Yet ANOTHER interesting chapter. . .
Later that day, Kokiri was working in the greenhouse, preparing plants for the next day's lesson. She was removing aphids from some potted wolfsbane (if she didn't, at the next full moon they'd turn into vicious were-aphids) when she heard the tapping on the door.
She wasn't surprised to see Professor Snape standing in the doorway. She would have been, though, if she knew him any better. Unlike Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, who seemed to want to meddle in everyone else's business whenever possible, Snape usually kept very much to himself. This was one of the handful of trips he made to the greenhouses during his entire tenure at Hogwarts. "Is there something I can help you with, Professor Snape?" "Why, yes, now that you mention it." He stepped into the greenhouse, smiling. Because he was so out of practice at it, his smile was thin, weak and sinister. "By all reports, you've done very good work in your brief time here. You've gotten us through the loss of our Herbologist, and I don't just mean the students. I'll admit that I, too, have learned something by your being here. I'm afraid that I was not completely in favor of your coming at first, but I can see my error now. I simply didn't know you well enough to see your. . .your many talents."
Kokiri's hand tightened nervously on the trowel she was holding. "You flatter me, Professor."
"I speak the truth. However, I do have one question, and I hope that you can answer it. You obviously have considerable talents, and you have, I'm sure, accomplished much with those powers. But don't you think that you could accomplish a great deal more if you weren't burdened by your . . . association with a Muggle?" And he reached out to touch her left arm. Her right hand came up quick as thought, brandishing the trowel like a weapon. In her eyes was a mix of fear and anger. "Professor," she said in a voice she kept as steady as possible, "before you say or do anything further, you had better leave. For my part, I will do you the favor of forgetting that this conversation ever happened, but you must leave now."
Even Harry Potter had never seen Snape as angry as he was at that moment. "As you wish, Madame," he said, his voice low and menacing. He spun on his heels at the door. "But you shall hear from me again, and soon!" He was gone. Kokiri stayed dead still for a few seconds, then dropped the trowel. She found her hand was shaking uncontrollably. Trying not to burst into tears, she raced to the castle and up to her office. Okino was there when she burst in. "What happened?"
"I-There was a problem. I handled it. It's over." "Dear, this isn't like you. What happened?"
It was all Kokiri could to not to shout at her husband. "I said I handled it. It's over."
"WHAT'S over?!" "I. . .made a promise. I can't tell you; not now. Please don't press me on this"
"Look, if you're in any danger. . ."
Kokiri hugged Okino, in part so that he wouldn't see her face. She said, "Don't be silly." But she thought, My love, I fear you're the one in danger. . .
***
Aren't you curious to see what happens next? Well, then, R/R!