A Squib's Proper Place
a Harry Potter fan-fic
by Ozma
a sequel to "To Save A Squib"
Chapter 5: Bad Dog
Everything in this story really belongs to J.K. Rowling
A very pleasant time spent with Minerva, concluding with lunch
together at the staff table in the Great Hall, had driven Sirius Black
completely from my mind.
It was not until Minerva had left to teach her next class that I
remembered the Animagus and my responsibility to him. Black, who had
plenty of healing left to do, tired easily. Could Hagrid be trusted to
make sure that Black did not overexert himself? Hagrid, whose idea of
"mild exercise" would be to wrestle with a troll?
Poppy had ordered me to spend the day relaxing. But she would be
angry with me if I had allowed Black to suffer a setback. I decided that
I'd relax much more efficiently once I knew that Sirius Black was back
in the hospital wing, where he belonged.
Hagrid, Fang and "Snuffles" were not in Hagrid's hut, nor were
they on the grounds nearby. Hagrid's garden was coming along nicely, but
the big man and the two dogs were not there either. The paddock behind
Hagrid's cabin was empty except for the pinkish-roan hippogriff.
Standing next to the paddock, with no one else in sight, I
summoned red-and-gold.
"Take me to Hagrid, please..." I told my Door. I stepped through,
only to emerge back in the same spot I'd entered.
This meant that Hagrid wasn't anywhere on the Castle grounds.
Where had he gone? Had he taken the dogs as far as Hogsmeade? Or, I
thought shivering, had he taken them for a romp in the Forbidden Forest?
Knowing Hagrid, that wouldn't come under the heading of "too much
exertion" either.
Sighing, I sent red-and-gold away. Then I stood, thinking, next to
the paddock. The hippogriff looked at me with fierce orange eyes as I
approached the fence.
How had Callandra found the courage to ride this monster, I
wondered. That sharp beak and those talons could have ripped her to
pieces easily! Even with the fence between us, I was frightened. At
least Hagrid did have the beast chained to a pole which was driven into
the ground. I hoped that Hagrid had driven it in deep enough.
I wanted to know where Hagrid was. And there was no other creature
around for me to ask.
Politeness, Hagrid had said. Respect. Those were the things that
allowed one to speak to a hippogriff and keep one's skin intact. Staying
safely on my own side of the fence, I bowed low.
"Excuse me?" I said, as soon as I straightened up. "I'm looking
for Hagrid. If you know where he's gotten himself off to, could you
just give a nod in that direction? Please?"
The hippogriff stared at me with a haughty expression.
"I need to find him and the dog..." I said, my voice trailing off,
nervously.
The hippogriff was approaching me. To my horror, I realized that
the chain was long enough to permit the monster to reach its giant
eagle-head over the fence!
Completely ignorant in the ways of hippogriffs, I still realized
that the beast did not seem too happy with me. What had I done wrong?
Too scared to run, I slid to the ground, meaning to stay out of
the creature's reach. Hadn't I been respectful enough? Kneeling, I fell
forward and pressed my forehead downwards against the grass.
I stayed that way for a while before I dared to look up, very
cautiously.
This time, when I met the creature's fierce orange eyes, he bent
his scaly knees and bowed!
"Oh!" I said, very softly.
"Please...?" I whispered, my throat very dry. "Where is Hagrid?"
Leaning on the fence for support, I pulled myself up, trembling.
My heart was pounding hard and my eyes never left those fiery orange
orbs.
"What are yeh waiting fer? Give him a pat!" Hagrid said, right
behind me.
Startled, I yelled and jumped what felt like a mile into the air.
Finding the hippogriff horrifyingly close to me, I backpedaled
frantically, tripped over my own feet and sat down, hard.
I'd startled the hippogriff. He was tossing his head in alarm, and
pulling at the chain with frightening strength.
"Don't let him hurt me..." I cried, cowering behind Hagrid.
"Sorry, Filch. Didn't mean to scare yeh! Look, yeh've startled him
too, yeh jumpy git!"
Taking the fence smoothly, Hagrid soothed the beast. "Easy, Beaky.
It's alrig' boy. There's a good boy! Filch. Come here! He won't hurt
yeh..."
When I proved reluctant to move, Hagrid sighed. He leaped back
over the fence, grabbed me and pulled me after him through the gate.
"He likes yeh. He bowed, didn't he?" The big man's voice was
exasperated.
"He jus' got a bit offended when yeh spoke ter him out o' turn.
Yeh should a' waited fer him ter bow, Filch. But then yeh made up fer
that mistake with some real groveling! The two o'yeh were gettin on all
righ'. Now, give him a pat."
Not giving me a chance to balk, Hagrid took my hand in his huge
one, moving it up to the hippogriff's beak.
With those fierce orange eyes locked with mine, I gave the
creature's beak a very cautious pat.
"Beau'iful, isn't he?" Hagrid said, beaming. He clapped me on the
shoulder and I staggered. My arm went around the hippogriff's neck for
support.
To my surprise, the creature didn't start tearing me to pieces
with that beak. Maybe he did actually like me, I thought in a whirl of
wonder and fear.
The beast smelled delicately of strawberries, with a faint hint of
orange or lemon.
"Hagrid?" I said, "why does your hippogriff have a glamour on
him?"
"Er... long story..." the big man said, evasively.
"Tell me... no, wait," I said. I looked past Hagrid and saw that
Fang was resting alone in the shade next to the cabin.
"What have you done with Snuffles?!" I cried.
"Well, firs' we had a bit o' lunch. Then he fell asleep fer a
while. After that we talked. Had some catching up t'do."
Hagrid's voice softened. "Poor man. I only jus' found out that
he's innocent. A few days before the party, it was. Dumbledore and Harry
told me together. Took both of 'em ter convince me, too."
"Anyhow, after we'd talked and had a pint or two, Snuffles said
he'd best be getting back ter the Castle, so I took him there. That was
a while ago. After that Fang and I went fer a walk in the Forest. We've
only just gotten back."
I relaxed. Silly me.
Then I realized that I was still holding onto the hippogriff's
neck. Hagrid grinned at me.
"Yeh've gotten bolder, Filch. Never thought I'd ever see yeh try
ter talk ter a hippogriff! Having Callie here is good fer yeh, as well
as being good fer her. Would yeh like ter ride him, then?"
The thought made me tremble. I backed away from the hippogriff.
Just to be on the safe side, I bowed to him again, though.
Hagrid was chuckling softly. I realized that he'd been teasing me.
"So, did yeh have a nice visit with Minerva," he asked cheerfully.
I nodded.
He grinned.
Annoyed, I glared at him. "What did Poppy say when you brought
Snuffles back to her?" I asked.
"He didn't want me ter take him all the way upstairs," Hagrid told
me. "Said it'd be fine if I jus' brought him ter the entrance hall. He
seemed ter be feeling a bit stronger, so that's what I did."
"Are you telling me that you've left him alone for all this time?"
I cried. I had a sinking feeling that Black, who was `feeling a bit
stronger' had gone down to the dungeons.
"I told you to keep him out of mischief!" I wailed.
"Filch, yeh old git! Snuffles is barely more than an invalid!"
We were talking about the only prisoner ever to escape from
Azkaban! One quarter of the infamous Marauders!
"Do you think a little thing like *that* would stop him?" I
yelled.
Afraid for Severus, I did what I should have done in the first
place, if only I'd had enough sense. I summoned green-and-silver.
Never mind trying to find Black. I'd deal with him later! Better
see what I could do for his victim. Though it was probably already too
late...
"Take me to Professor Snape!" I said, and stepped into the Door.
*******
Of course I was too late.
Green-and-silver brought me into the hallway outside Snape's
classroom. I ran into the room to find it mercifully empty of students.
The door to Severus's office was open. I could see that his office was a
shambles.
Severus was kneeling in the middle of the mess, sorting through
his belongings. To my great relief, he did not appear to have been hurt.
But the shelves behind his desk looked as if they'd been rattled
by some sort of powerful explosion. His various jars and flasks were
lying all over the floor. None of them were broken, and few had actually
spilled. Severus is a firm believer in Unbreakable, Unspillable Charms.
What was that sound I heard? Pleasant, cheerful humming? Was
that... Severus?
"Professor...?" I said, hesitantly. "Are you all right? What
happened?"
"Isn't it obvious, Filch?" Snape asked me, mildly. "That
Gryffindor idiot happened."
He resumed his jaunty humming as he worked at setting his office
back to rights.
"P-Professor...?" I asked, wide eyed, as I went to help him. "Why
are you humming?"
He must not have realized what he was doing. He clenched his jaws
tightly shut.
"Filch," he said, through gritted teeth, still in that same mild
voice. "We've all been learning a great deal about what Squibs can do.
Can you tell me exactly what sort of spell was used in here?"
Staring at him with concern, I took a deep breath and "felt" for
the traces of strong magic that still lingered in the air around us.
"Er... it feels like a Cheering Charm, Professor. But I've never
felt such a powerful one before."
"Excellent. Aren't you a clever Squib. Yes, that Gryffindor lout
has apparently managed to create one of the most potent Cheering Charms
I've ever heard tell of. The effects may last for DAYS!!!"
Severus spoke in that same mild voice, though he'd nearly managed
a trace of a snarl on the last bit.
As if to make up for the near-snarl, he went back to humming
contentedly.
"But it *will* wear off..." I said, trying to comfort him.
"Eventually. At least you haven't been harmed."
He was smiling, but his dark eyes were full of despair.
"Not harmed, Filch? Why, I ought to be raging right now," he told
me, gently. "I *want* to be raging. Instead, my mind is full of happy
images of frolicking baby unicorns and pretty rainbows!"
I shuddered in sympathy.
"Dreadful, isn't it?" He said, still smiling. "I would rather be
imagining an extremely large, very shaggy black pelt hung up on my wall.
Or perhaps he'd make a better throw rug. Just the thing for in front of
my fire."
"It could be worse..." I offered weakly.
Severus wanted to glare at me. I could tell how hard the poor man
was trying. But he couldn't quite manage it.
I sighed, feeling dreadfully sorry for him.
Then I reached down to pick up one of his jars and something sharp
jabbed my hand.
"Ow!" I yelped.
There was a porcupine quill stuck in my thumb! I noticed that
there were a number of those quills scattered on the floor among the
bottles and jars.
I yanked the long, sharp thing out of my thumb and winced.
"I thought you weren't using this protective Curse any more..." I
said, around a mouthful of sore thumb.
"Am I to leave my personal belongings unprotected?" Severus asked,
gently. "I only removed my Curse of the Quills because I regretted
harming you. Once Flitwick had perfected his Unreachable Charm I knew
that you no longer had a reason to come into my office without
permission. So I put the Curse back."
"That flea-bitten fool got what he deserved," he continued,
mildly. "But I am unable to even enjoy a proper gloat! Instead, I am
glad simply because the sun is shining and the birds are singing!"
Snape's dark eyes were full of desperation.
"It's enough to drive me mad..." Severus murmured.
"I-I'd better go and check on Snuffles..." I said, nervously.
"Yes, Filch. Why don't you do that? And please, give that lout a
message. Tell that ...Gryffindor that a few quills puncturing his
miserable hide are only just the beginning of my revenge." Snape said.
His voice may have been gentle, but the look in his eyes was
definitely not.
And then Severus started humming again.
*******
"Take me to Sirius Black..." I told green-and-silver.
As sorry as I felt for poor happy Severus, I could not help
feeling sorry for the Animagus too. I knew how terribly those quills
hurt.
I was relieved when I stepped through the tapestry into the back
ward of the hospital wing. At least Black had been able to make it here
to have his wounds tended properly.
Poppy pounced the moment she saw me.
"Argus! What were you thinking!" She said, furiously. "I spent
half an hour digging quills out of his poor nose!!"
Black, in his dog form, lay sprawled on his bed. His pale eyes
were looking at me, mournfully, over a large poultice resting on his
swollen muzzle.
"You said that you'd keep him out of trouble. How could you let
him run off and stick his nose into some dangerous creature's den?"
Poppy demanded.
"I-I'm sorry..." I said, admiring her instinctive grasp of the
situation.
"It wasn't all my fault!" I protested. "It's true that I should
have kept a better eye on him, but he should have known enough to stay
away from ...certain places."
Poppy snorted angrily as she collected her ointments.
"You may visit with him for a little while," she said sternly.
"Let me have a look at your arm and hand before you go," she added as a
parting shot, as she left the room.
As soon as we were alone the Animagus shifted back to his human
form.
A bit woozy with pain-killing potion, Sirius sat up. He was
holding the poultice gingerly against his puffy nose. His jaw had also
clearly taken a lot of quill-damage. It was red, swollen and looked
painful.
"Thank you, Filch," the Animagus said in a muffled voice. "For not
telling her how this happened."
"I was thinking of Potter, not you. It's not fair to punish the
boy because his godfather is an idiot. Poppy wouldn't let you have
visitors if she knew what you'd done to Severus!"
"Well, you did say that Snape had given all the fifth year
Gryffindors detention because he was sore and cranky. So, I decided that
he really needed a bit of cheering up..."
Black smiled. Then he winced in pain and rubbed his jaw. "How is
my favorite greasy git, anyhow?"
"How do you think he is? Helplessly cheerful. And he really wants
your hide for a throw rug."
"Worth it..." Black's voice was even more muffled as he tried to
hold the poultice so it covered both his nose and his jaw. "It's better
than him being angry with Harry and the others. Let Snape pick on
someone his own size for a change..."
I sighed. I'd been worried about what Sirius was going to do to
Severus, and now I was equally worried about what Severus might do to
Sirius!
Merlin's Beard. Not a prank war! Both of them were old enough to
know better and had far more important concerns! I had to stop this
somehow, before it got any worse.
END OF CHAPTER FIVE:
*******
Author's Notes
Blue Moon: Thank you!! You anticipated what Filch decided to do about
the rare kitten!! One of the Creeveys will get to take him. "Tell your
parents that they don't have to have a Muggle vet cut anything off this
one! He's already sterile!"
Raven: Thank you!! I am very seriously considering giving Snape a
kitten. The idea is just too cute to resist.
UnrepentantReader: Thank you!!
RowanRhys: Thank you!!
Lizard of Fire: Thank you!! (I hope your hands are better!) Filch
definitely feels a kinship with Callandra. She's the only other Squib
he's ever been aware of meeting. She's so much younger, he can't help
but feel protective.
Jodel: Thank you!! Black and ginger males are rare? I didn't know
that... I based that kitten's coloring on a stray I've seen. (It's such
a beautiful cat. A female, I guess.) Filch thinks that the little
infertile tom might be a logical choice for either Colin or Dennis.
Melodie: Thank you!! Sirius couldn't wait until he was healed before he
started pranking Severus. (When you're already recuperating from
multiple injuries, what do a few more matter?) Severus has already
gotten Sirius back but he wants to do more, unless Argus can stop him.
Miche: Thank you!! Sirius doesn't think he did anything evil to Severus.
He just cheered him up. Filch agrees with your assessment of their
pranks. He thinks that they should just grow up and start setting a good
example for the younger wizards who look up to them.
Ariana Deralte: Thank you!! I did have an idea for a short story about
Filch's early days at the Castle. Maybe I'll write it eventually, though
it's kind of sad. I think poor Filch kept himself hidden as much as he
could in his early years there because he was afraid of almost everyone
and everything at Hogwarts. The "witch-brats and wizard-brats," the
Headmaster and the Professors who seemed like luminous, unapproachable
beings, his own "master" Pringle the caretaker, huge young Hagrid and
Gamekeeper Ogg, even the house-elves. And the Castle itself, which was
so big and confusing that he thought he'd never learn to find his way
around it.
Filch will eventually tell Callandra a little bit about his past, when
she reveals yet another magical talent that Squibs have.
The first moment that Sirius was unsupervised, and feeling up to it, he
took his chance and pulled a prank on Severus.
Yes, Callandra is going to miss Snape's strawberry-scent.
Demeter: Thank you!! But Sirius doesn't want to hurt Severus. He just
wants to make him into a happier person. And now Severus wants to make
Sirius into a throw rug. (Severus doesn't even care about all the quill-
punctures, they just add character.)
Oh, no... if Draco and Harry are never going to team up that makes me
scared for poor Draco too. I really want him to choose the Light!
WG: Thank you!! The idea of Snape with a Slytherin-kitten just makes me
go "awww!"
YES!! I haven't really covered the mechanics of a Squib's abilities, but
you've hit the nail precisely on the head. It's rather like a deaf
person's ability at lip-reading, or a blind person's acute hearing.
People who are not deaf or blind could presumably learn how to do those
things but it's harder for them, because they have more "distractions"
that they must learn to ignore.
A proper witch or wizard has a great deal of interference from their own
strong magic. It drowns out all the subtle cues that Squibs can feel
very plainly.
With training, very disciplined witches and wizards can learn to ignore
all their internal magical interference and do what Squibs do. Minerva
has learned how to "feel" for Transfigured objects. This is how she was
able to find Callandra when she was a stone, hidden under some leaves.
Serb: Thank you!! Snape is back in this chapter. I'm not planning to
write about Severus's past because I'm hopeful that Rowling will
eventually let us know a lot more about him, and I want to try to stay
as close to canon as I possibly can. I doubt if Rowling will write much
about Filch's past, so I consider him fair game.
Larania: Thank you!! Oh no! Not... the SPORK!!! Yes, Harry would be able
to understand the things that Filch went through, better than most. I
tend to think that there's not a lot of understanding for what Squibs
have to go through in the Wizarding world among the "regular" witches
and wizards.
Grindelwald is the name of the Dark wizard who was defeated by
Dumbledore in 1945. (The information is on the back of the card inside
the Chocolate Frog package that Harry gets on the train in the first
book.)
Gramarye: Thank you!! Yes, Neville is looking forward to showing
Callandra the Greenhouses. The Greenhouses are quite romantic... and of
course they can study Herbology there too.
Charms won't be impossible for Callandra, Flitwick can teach her how to
recognize Charms by "scent." Flitwick is as disciplined in his own area
of expertise as Minerva is in Transfiguration. He knows how to tell many
Charms by "scent." (It's not actually "scent," but some magical sense
that Muggles don't have.)
Sirius and Severus have started their prank war. Filch is determined to
finish it before it escalates any further.
Elspeth: Thank you!! It's safe to say that most of Hogwarts will know
about Filch and Minerva before they do.
Sirius didn't do anything mean... really. Severus doesn't agree. "Baby
Unicorns! Get Out Of My MIND!!!"
Yes, the hippogriff is Buckbeak, who arrived with Sirius and is enjoying
a visit with Hagrid.
Jelsemium: Thank you!! Yes, Hagrid did carry Snuffles up to the Castle.
Which left the Animagus with enough strength to trot down to the
dungeons, sneak into Severus's office, defeat several protective Curses
and leave a powerful Cheering Charm to ambush Severus, before the Curse
of the Quills finally got the poor Animagus in his sensitive doggy nose.
a Harry Potter fan-fic
by Ozma
a sequel to "To Save A Squib"
Chapter 5: Bad Dog
Everything in this story really belongs to J.K. Rowling
A very pleasant time spent with Minerva, concluding with lunch
together at the staff table in the Great Hall, had driven Sirius Black
completely from my mind.
It was not until Minerva had left to teach her next class that I
remembered the Animagus and my responsibility to him. Black, who had
plenty of healing left to do, tired easily. Could Hagrid be trusted to
make sure that Black did not overexert himself? Hagrid, whose idea of
"mild exercise" would be to wrestle with a troll?
Poppy had ordered me to spend the day relaxing. But she would be
angry with me if I had allowed Black to suffer a setback. I decided that
I'd relax much more efficiently once I knew that Sirius Black was back
in the hospital wing, where he belonged.
Hagrid, Fang and "Snuffles" were not in Hagrid's hut, nor were
they on the grounds nearby. Hagrid's garden was coming along nicely, but
the big man and the two dogs were not there either. The paddock behind
Hagrid's cabin was empty except for the pinkish-roan hippogriff.
Standing next to the paddock, with no one else in sight, I
summoned red-and-gold.
"Take me to Hagrid, please..." I told my Door. I stepped through,
only to emerge back in the same spot I'd entered.
This meant that Hagrid wasn't anywhere on the Castle grounds.
Where had he gone? Had he taken the dogs as far as Hogsmeade? Or, I
thought shivering, had he taken them for a romp in the Forbidden Forest?
Knowing Hagrid, that wouldn't come under the heading of "too much
exertion" either.
Sighing, I sent red-and-gold away. Then I stood, thinking, next to
the paddock. The hippogriff looked at me with fierce orange eyes as I
approached the fence.
How had Callandra found the courage to ride this monster, I
wondered. That sharp beak and those talons could have ripped her to
pieces easily! Even with the fence between us, I was frightened. At
least Hagrid did have the beast chained to a pole which was driven into
the ground. I hoped that Hagrid had driven it in deep enough.
I wanted to know where Hagrid was. And there was no other creature
around for me to ask.
Politeness, Hagrid had said. Respect. Those were the things that
allowed one to speak to a hippogriff and keep one's skin intact. Staying
safely on my own side of the fence, I bowed low.
"Excuse me?" I said, as soon as I straightened up. "I'm looking
for Hagrid. If you know where he's gotten himself off to, could you
just give a nod in that direction? Please?"
The hippogriff stared at me with a haughty expression.
"I need to find him and the dog..." I said, my voice trailing off,
nervously.
The hippogriff was approaching me. To my horror, I realized that
the chain was long enough to permit the monster to reach its giant
eagle-head over the fence!
Completely ignorant in the ways of hippogriffs, I still realized
that the beast did not seem too happy with me. What had I done wrong?
Too scared to run, I slid to the ground, meaning to stay out of
the creature's reach. Hadn't I been respectful enough? Kneeling, I fell
forward and pressed my forehead downwards against the grass.
I stayed that way for a while before I dared to look up, very
cautiously.
This time, when I met the creature's fierce orange eyes, he bent
his scaly knees and bowed!
"Oh!" I said, very softly.
"Please...?" I whispered, my throat very dry. "Where is Hagrid?"
Leaning on the fence for support, I pulled myself up, trembling.
My heart was pounding hard and my eyes never left those fiery orange
orbs.
"What are yeh waiting fer? Give him a pat!" Hagrid said, right
behind me.
Startled, I yelled and jumped what felt like a mile into the air.
Finding the hippogriff horrifyingly close to me, I backpedaled
frantically, tripped over my own feet and sat down, hard.
I'd startled the hippogriff. He was tossing his head in alarm, and
pulling at the chain with frightening strength.
"Don't let him hurt me..." I cried, cowering behind Hagrid.
"Sorry, Filch. Didn't mean to scare yeh! Look, yeh've startled him
too, yeh jumpy git!"
Taking the fence smoothly, Hagrid soothed the beast. "Easy, Beaky.
It's alrig' boy. There's a good boy! Filch. Come here! He won't hurt
yeh..."
When I proved reluctant to move, Hagrid sighed. He leaped back
over the fence, grabbed me and pulled me after him through the gate.
"He likes yeh. He bowed, didn't he?" The big man's voice was
exasperated.
"He jus' got a bit offended when yeh spoke ter him out o' turn.
Yeh should a' waited fer him ter bow, Filch. But then yeh made up fer
that mistake with some real groveling! The two o'yeh were gettin on all
righ'. Now, give him a pat."
Not giving me a chance to balk, Hagrid took my hand in his huge
one, moving it up to the hippogriff's beak.
With those fierce orange eyes locked with mine, I gave the
creature's beak a very cautious pat.
"Beau'iful, isn't he?" Hagrid said, beaming. He clapped me on the
shoulder and I staggered. My arm went around the hippogriff's neck for
support.
To my surprise, the creature didn't start tearing me to pieces
with that beak. Maybe he did actually like me, I thought in a whirl of
wonder and fear.
The beast smelled delicately of strawberries, with a faint hint of
orange or lemon.
"Hagrid?" I said, "why does your hippogriff have a glamour on
him?"
"Er... long story..." the big man said, evasively.
"Tell me... no, wait," I said. I looked past Hagrid and saw that
Fang was resting alone in the shade next to the cabin.
"What have you done with Snuffles?!" I cried.
"Well, firs' we had a bit o' lunch. Then he fell asleep fer a
while. After that we talked. Had some catching up t'do."
Hagrid's voice softened. "Poor man. I only jus' found out that
he's innocent. A few days before the party, it was. Dumbledore and Harry
told me together. Took both of 'em ter convince me, too."
"Anyhow, after we'd talked and had a pint or two, Snuffles said
he'd best be getting back ter the Castle, so I took him there. That was
a while ago. After that Fang and I went fer a walk in the Forest. We've
only just gotten back."
I relaxed. Silly me.
Then I realized that I was still holding onto the hippogriff's
neck. Hagrid grinned at me.
"Yeh've gotten bolder, Filch. Never thought I'd ever see yeh try
ter talk ter a hippogriff! Having Callie here is good fer yeh, as well
as being good fer her. Would yeh like ter ride him, then?"
The thought made me tremble. I backed away from the hippogriff.
Just to be on the safe side, I bowed to him again, though.
Hagrid was chuckling softly. I realized that he'd been teasing me.
"So, did yeh have a nice visit with Minerva," he asked cheerfully.
I nodded.
He grinned.
Annoyed, I glared at him. "What did Poppy say when you brought
Snuffles back to her?" I asked.
"He didn't want me ter take him all the way upstairs," Hagrid told
me. "Said it'd be fine if I jus' brought him ter the entrance hall. He
seemed ter be feeling a bit stronger, so that's what I did."
"Are you telling me that you've left him alone for all this time?"
I cried. I had a sinking feeling that Black, who was `feeling a bit
stronger' had gone down to the dungeons.
"I told you to keep him out of mischief!" I wailed.
"Filch, yeh old git! Snuffles is barely more than an invalid!"
We were talking about the only prisoner ever to escape from
Azkaban! One quarter of the infamous Marauders!
"Do you think a little thing like *that* would stop him?" I
yelled.
Afraid for Severus, I did what I should have done in the first
place, if only I'd had enough sense. I summoned green-and-silver.
Never mind trying to find Black. I'd deal with him later! Better
see what I could do for his victim. Though it was probably already too
late...
"Take me to Professor Snape!" I said, and stepped into the Door.
*******
Of course I was too late.
Green-and-silver brought me into the hallway outside Snape's
classroom. I ran into the room to find it mercifully empty of students.
The door to Severus's office was open. I could see that his office was a
shambles.
Severus was kneeling in the middle of the mess, sorting through
his belongings. To my great relief, he did not appear to have been hurt.
But the shelves behind his desk looked as if they'd been rattled
by some sort of powerful explosion. His various jars and flasks were
lying all over the floor. None of them were broken, and few had actually
spilled. Severus is a firm believer in Unbreakable, Unspillable Charms.
What was that sound I heard? Pleasant, cheerful humming? Was
that... Severus?
"Professor...?" I said, hesitantly. "Are you all right? What
happened?"
"Isn't it obvious, Filch?" Snape asked me, mildly. "That
Gryffindor idiot happened."
He resumed his jaunty humming as he worked at setting his office
back to rights.
"P-Professor...?" I asked, wide eyed, as I went to help him. "Why
are you humming?"
He must not have realized what he was doing. He clenched his jaws
tightly shut.
"Filch," he said, through gritted teeth, still in that same mild
voice. "We've all been learning a great deal about what Squibs can do.
Can you tell me exactly what sort of spell was used in here?"
Staring at him with concern, I took a deep breath and "felt" for
the traces of strong magic that still lingered in the air around us.
"Er... it feels like a Cheering Charm, Professor. But I've never
felt such a powerful one before."
"Excellent. Aren't you a clever Squib. Yes, that Gryffindor lout
has apparently managed to create one of the most potent Cheering Charms
I've ever heard tell of. The effects may last for DAYS!!!"
Severus spoke in that same mild voice, though he'd nearly managed
a trace of a snarl on the last bit.
As if to make up for the near-snarl, he went back to humming
contentedly.
"But it *will* wear off..." I said, trying to comfort him.
"Eventually. At least you haven't been harmed."
He was smiling, but his dark eyes were full of despair.
"Not harmed, Filch? Why, I ought to be raging right now," he told
me, gently. "I *want* to be raging. Instead, my mind is full of happy
images of frolicking baby unicorns and pretty rainbows!"
I shuddered in sympathy.
"Dreadful, isn't it?" He said, still smiling. "I would rather be
imagining an extremely large, very shaggy black pelt hung up on my wall.
Or perhaps he'd make a better throw rug. Just the thing for in front of
my fire."
"It could be worse..." I offered weakly.
Severus wanted to glare at me. I could tell how hard the poor man
was trying. But he couldn't quite manage it.
I sighed, feeling dreadfully sorry for him.
Then I reached down to pick up one of his jars and something sharp
jabbed my hand.
"Ow!" I yelped.
There was a porcupine quill stuck in my thumb! I noticed that
there were a number of those quills scattered on the floor among the
bottles and jars.
I yanked the long, sharp thing out of my thumb and winced.
"I thought you weren't using this protective Curse any more..." I
said, around a mouthful of sore thumb.
"Am I to leave my personal belongings unprotected?" Severus asked,
gently. "I only removed my Curse of the Quills because I regretted
harming you. Once Flitwick had perfected his Unreachable Charm I knew
that you no longer had a reason to come into my office without
permission. So I put the Curse back."
"That flea-bitten fool got what he deserved," he continued,
mildly. "But I am unable to even enjoy a proper gloat! Instead, I am
glad simply because the sun is shining and the birds are singing!"
Snape's dark eyes were full of desperation.
"It's enough to drive me mad..." Severus murmured.
"I-I'd better go and check on Snuffles..." I said, nervously.
"Yes, Filch. Why don't you do that? And please, give that lout a
message. Tell that ...Gryffindor that a few quills puncturing his
miserable hide are only just the beginning of my revenge." Snape said.
His voice may have been gentle, but the look in his eyes was
definitely not.
And then Severus started humming again.
*******
"Take me to Sirius Black..." I told green-and-silver.
As sorry as I felt for poor happy Severus, I could not help
feeling sorry for the Animagus too. I knew how terribly those quills
hurt.
I was relieved when I stepped through the tapestry into the back
ward of the hospital wing. At least Black had been able to make it here
to have his wounds tended properly.
Poppy pounced the moment she saw me.
"Argus! What were you thinking!" She said, furiously. "I spent
half an hour digging quills out of his poor nose!!"
Black, in his dog form, lay sprawled on his bed. His pale eyes
were looking at me, mournfully, over a large poultice resting on his
swollen muzzle.
"You said that you'd keep him out of trouble. How could you let
him run off and stick his nose into some dangerous creature's den?"
Poppy demanded.
"I-I'm sorry..." I said, admiring her instinctive grasp of the
situation.
"It wasn't all my fault!" I protested. "It's true that I should
have kept a better eye on him, but he should have known enough to stay
away from ...certain places."
Poppy snorted angrily as she collected her ointments.
"You may visit with him for a little while," she said sternly.
"Let me have a look at your arm and hand before you go," she added as a
parting shot, as she left the room.
As soon as we were alone the Animagus shifted back to his human
form.
A bit woozy with pain-killing potion, Sirius sat up. He was
holding the poultice gingerly against his puffy nose. His jaw had also
clearly taken a lot of quill-damage. It was red, swollen and looked
painful.
"Thank you, Filch," the Animagus said in a muffled voice. "For not
telling her how this happened."
"I was thinking of Potter, not you. It's not fair to punish the
boy because his godfather is an idiot. Poppy wouldn't let you have
visitors if she knew what you'd done to Severus!"
"Well, you did say that Snape had given all the fifth year
Gryffindors detention because he was sore and cranky. So, I decided that
he really needed a bit of cheering up..."
Black smiled. Then he winced in pain and rubbed his jaw. "How is
my favorite greasy git, anyhow?"
"How do you think he is? Helplessly cheerful. And he really wants
your hide for a throw rug."
"Worth it..." Black's voice was even more muffled as he tried to
hold the poultice so it covered both his nose and his jaw. "It's better
than him being angry with Harry and the others. Let Snape pick on
someone his own size for a change..."
I sighed. I'd been worried about what Sirius was going to do to
Severus, and now I was equally worried about what Severus might do to
Sirius!
Merlin's Beard. Not a prank war! Both of them were old enough to
know better and had far more important concerns! I had to stop this
somehow, before it got any worse.
END OF CHAPTER FIVE:
*******
Author's Notes
Blue Moon: Thank you!! You anticipated what Filch decided to do about
the rare kitten!! One of the Creeveys will get to take him. "Tell your
parents that they don't have to have a Muggle vet cut anything off this
one! He's already sterile!"
Raven: Thank you!! I am very seriously considering giving Snape a
kitten. The idea is just too cute to resist.
UnrepentantReader: Thank you!!
RowanRhys: Thank you!!
Lizard of Fire: Thank you!! (I hope your hands are better!) Filch
definitely feels a kinship with Callandra. She's the only other Squib
he's ever been aware of meeting. She's so much younger, he can't help
but feel protective.
Jodel: Thank you!! Black and ginger males are rare? I didn't know
that... I based that kitten's coloring on a stray I've seen. (It's such
a beautiful cat. A female, I guess.) Filch thinks that the little
infertile tom might be a logical choice for either Colin or Dennis.
Melodie: Thank you!! Sirius couldn't wait until he was healed before he
started pranking Severus. (When you're already recuperating from
multiple injuries, what do a few more matter?) Severus has already
gotten Sirius back but he wants to do more, unless Argus can stop him.
Miche: Thank you!! Sirius doesn't think he did anything evil to Severus.
He just cheered him up. Filch agrees with your assessment of their
pranks. He thinks that they should just grow up and start setting a good
example for the younger wizards who look up to them.
Ariana Deralte: Thank you!! I did have an idea for a short story about
Filch's early days at the Castle. Maybe I'll write it eventually, though
it's kind of sad. I think poor Filch kept himself hidden as much as he
could in his early years there because he was afraid of almost everyone
and everything at Hogwarts. The "witch-brats and wizard-brats," the
Headmaster and the Professors who seemed like luminous, unapproachable
beings, his own "master" Pringle the caretaker, huge young Hagrid and
Gamekeeper Ogg, even the house-elves. And the Castle itself, which was
so big and confusing that he thought he'd never learn to find his way
around it.
Filch will eventually tell Callandra a little bit about his past, when
she reveals yet another magical talent that Squibs have.
The first moment that Sirius was unsupervised, and feeling up to it, he
took his chance and pulled a prank on Severus.
Yes, Callandra is going to miss Snape's strawberry-scent.
Demeter: Thank you!! But Sirius doesn't want to hurt Severus. He just
wants to make him into a happier person. And now Severus wants to make
Sirius into a throw rug. (Severus doesn't even care about all the quill-
punctures, they just add character.)
Oh, no... if Draco and Harry are never going to team up that makes me
scared for poor Draco too. I really want him to choose the Light!
WG: Thank you!! The idea of Snape with a Slytherin-kitten just makes me
go "awww!"
YES!! I haven't really covered the mechanics of a Squib's abilities, but
you've hit the nail precisely on the head. It's rather like a deaf
person's ability at lip-reading, or a blind person's acute hearing.
People who are not deaf or blind could presumably learn how to do those
things but it's harder for them, because they have more "distractions"
that they must learn to ignore.
A proper witch or wizard has a great deal of interference from their own
strong magic. It drowns out all the subtle cues that Squibs can feel
very plainly.
With training, very disciplined witches and wizards can learn to ignore
all their internal magical interference and do what Squibs do. Minerva
has learned how to "feel" for Transfigured objects. This is how she was
able to find Callandra when she was a stone, hidden under some leaves.
Serb: Thank you!! Snape is back in this chapter. I'm not planning to
write about Severus's past because I'm hopeful that Rowling will
eventually let us know a lot more about him, and I want to try to stay
as close to canon as I possibly can. I doubt if Rowling will write much
about Filch's past, so I consider him fair game.
Larania: Thank you!! Oh no! Not... the SPORK!!! Yes, Harry would be able
to understand the things that Filch went through, better than most. I
tend to think that there's not a lot of understanding for what Squibs
have to go through in the Wizarding world among the "regular" witches
and wizards.
Grindelwald is the name of the Dark wizard who was defeated by
Dumbledore in 1945. (The information is on the back of the card inside
the Chocolate Frog package that Harry gets on the train in the first
book.)
Gramarye: Thank you!! Yes, Neville is looking forward to showing
Callandra the Greenhouses. The Greenhouses are quite romantic... and of
course they can study Herbology there too.
Charms won't be impossible for Callandra, Flitwick can teach her how to
recognize Charms by "scent." Flitwick is as disciplined in his own area
of expertise as Minerva is in Transfiguration. He knows how to tell many
Charms by "scent." (It's not actually "scent," but some magical sense
that Muggles don't have.)
Sirius and Severus have started their prank war. Filch is determined to
finish it before it escalates any further.
Elspeth: Thank you!! It's safe to say that most of Hogwarts will know
about Filch and Minerva before they do.
Sirius didn't do anything mean... really. Severus doesn't agree. "Baby
Unicorns! Get Out Of My MIND!!!"
Yes, the hippogriff is Buckbeak, who arrived with Sirius and is enjoying
a visit with Hagrid.
Jelsemium: Thank you!! Yes, Hagrid did carry Snuffles up to the Castle.
Which left the Animagus with enough strength to trot down to the
dungeons, sneak into Severus's office, defeat several protective Curses
and leave a powerful Cheering Charm to ambush Severus, before the Curse
of the Quills finally got the poor Animagus in his sensitive doggy nose.