PLEASE review my story if you've made to part three and haven't reviewed yet. I'll only get more annoying about it.
Title: Minnaloushe: Part 3
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Everyone but Evil Miss Kitty belongs to JK Rowling. Evil Miss Kitty is mine...ALL MINE I TELL
YOU!
"So where is he?" Ron was impatiently looking around the
great hall. Breakfast was almost over, and still there
had been no sign of Snape.
Hermione had been looking more and more miserable as the morning
progressed. Harry looked at his friend with
some concern. "Are you all right?"
She was startled out of some revere by his words. "What? Oh, yes...I guess. It's just...well...you don't think
Snape would have done anything, do you?"
Ron looked uncomfortable at the suggestion. "What do you
mean 'done anything'?"
You know...to the kitten. You don't think he could have
hurt her, or...or..."
"No." Harry's voice attempted reassurance. "I mean, he's a slimy git, but he never killed anything inside the school."
Just then the doors to the great hall opened and a house elf that
Harry recognized from the infirmary shuffled to the
professors' table. She whispered something to the headmaster. Several other professors sniggered at her news, but
Professor Dumbledore smiled with reserved amusement. He rose
from the table and followed the house elf out of the hall.
**********
"I will not calm down!" The sound of Snape's tirade could
be heard from down the hall. Dumbledore sighed and
followed the nervous house elf into the infirmary.
"Severus, this is not the crisis that you are making it out to
be." Madame Pomfrey tried to calm the furious teacher.
Snape gave her a withering look. "Not the crisis I'm making it
out to be? I have a bloody growth! " Snape looked
at Dumbledore as he came into view. "Sir! Look at this!" He sneered. "How am I supposed to teach with THIS
attached to me?" At his ankle, a small gray ball of fluff purred
loudly enough to be heard by all in the room. The
little kitten looked up at Snape with big green eyes and mewed, desperate
for attention. Snape rolled his eyes impatiently
at the plea.
"Well Severus, it looks like you made a friend. I don't see the problem here."
"Headmaster..." He threw a sneer at Madame Pomfrey that
sent her out of the room, muttering about rude behavior
in her infirmary. "Albus," His voice was quiet and very
serious. "This thing won't leave me alone. It follows me
everywhere. How am I supposed to function as a spy with a kitten
clawing up my leg?"
Dumbledore picked up the kitten and studied her carefully. She squirmed in his grasp, trying to find the potions master
once again. Little claws extended as she struggled.
"all right. Where did she come from Severus?" Both
wizards sat down and Dumbledore handed the kitten back to
Snape. As soon as she exchanged hands, she began to purr once
again. "It was in a covered cage by my door. This is
obviously some student's idea of a practical joke."
"Do you have any suspicions as to who left her there?"
Snape laughed dryly. "The Weasley twins. Or Potter and his
friends. If I'm being honest, any student that's not a
Slytherin, and probably a few Slytherins would be capable of this stunt." At Dumbledore's silent consideration, Snape
continued. "Look. I'm not well liked among most of the
students. It's not my job and you know that. You may have
protected the Gryffindors in the past but this is serious. This
is not a joke!" He slammed a fist on a side table, making
the kitten jump and dig her claws into his leg. "Whoever did
this needs to be found and measures must be taken."
Snape growled, rubbing the kitten behind the ears to calm it.
Dumbledore removed his glasses and began to rub the bridge of
his nose. Snape recognized the action as a sign that
he had gone too far. "What would you have me do Severus? Expel the Weasley twins, or Harry, with things the way
they are? How long do you think Harry would last outside these
walls? Could you continue to protect him because I
don't think I could.
"You're right, Severus. Things are very serious right now. This should be the least of our concerns." Snape had
the good sense to look suitably chastised. Dumbledore was right,
of course. There were more important things to
worry about.
The Headmasters voice was gentler now. "It's not uncommon
for a wizard, even a dark wizard, to have a pet, so
my suggestion is to give her a name and pretend that the cat was your
idea to begin with. If this is a student's prank,
then the affects should wear off in a few days, or weeks at the most." Snape nodded silently. "If there's nothing
else then, my breakfast is getting a bit cold I should think. Have a pleasant day Severus."
Snape watched him leave and then looked down at his new 'pet'. The kitten looked back at him happily. "Mrowr!"
She squeaked, and then proceeded to chew on his thumb. Snape
sighed. "It's going to be a long day."
