A Squib's Proper Place
A Harry Potter fan-fic
By Ozma
A sequel to "To Save A Squib"
Chapter 6: Responsibility and Honor
Everything in this story really belongs to J.K. Rowling
I did not have to tell Sirius Black that he had far more important things to worry about than a
prank war with Severus Snape. One look at the anxious face of his godson made that point very well.
It was only a matter of time before Harry found out about Snuffles' painful encounter with the
porcupine quills. The huge black dog's limping progress through the Castle corridors had not gone
unnoticed.
Concerned students had seen the wounded dog attempting to make his way up the main staircase.
The Animagus had attracted a group of worried onlookers. Among them were Fred and George Weasley.
The twins had used a levitation charm to bring the injured animal to Poppy as quickly as possible.
Some members of the Weasley family knew that Snuffles was really Sirius Black. The twins did
not seem to be among those who were in on the secret. However, everyone was aware that Harry Potter
was especially fond of the big, black "stray." Once they'd completed their mission of mercy, Fred and
George had gone to find Harry.
Groggily, Sirius had resumed his dog form before the pain-killing potion could put him to sleep.
He was barely awake when Harry came into the ward to see him, accompanied by the twins and Ginny, as
well as Ron and Hermione.
The sight of the huge black dog's bandaged, swollen muzzle clearly upset the boy. The Animagus
had already been badly hurt and this additional injury had complicated and delayed his recovery.
"Snuffles…" Harry said, concerned. "What have you been up to? You should have been more
careful. Those quills could have hit your eyes!"
Harry didn't say any more, just stroked the dog's back gently. His green eyes were shadowed and
anxious. Harry had already come very close to losing Sirius. He'd witnessed the Dark Lord's brutal attack
against the Animagus less than a week earlier, in a nightmarish vision. After Minerva had rescued Black,
Potter had barely left his side until Poppy had said that Sirius was out of danger.
No one who knew Potter's mysterious Muggle relations appeared to think very much of them. It
was obvious how much the boy cared for Sirius and needed him.
The battered Animagus rested his head against his godson's knee as he fell asleep. He
whimpered softly, an apology without words. Harry knew and understood that the wounds Black had
sustained during his rescue of Callandra had been for a good cause. But, Black's snout-full of quills had
been the result of a foolish prank!
"That's right…" I thought, annoyed with Black. "You have responsibilities! You should be
thinking of the boy, not behaving like a child and giving him another reason to worry about you!"
Harry had not even told Black that it was Snape who had given the Gryffindors detention. The
Boy Who Had More Sense Than A Pair Of Grown Wizards I Could Name hadn't wanted to stir up
trouble.
When Harry eventually found out the whole story behind what had happened, I hoped that he
would give Sirius a proper telling off.
Once Sirius was asleep, Poppy shooed the children out of the ward. She did not even let
Hermione or Ginny question me about the kittens, though the girls were clearly eager to do so.
"Mr. Filch is my patient too. He's supposed to be resting today. I'm going to have a look at his
hand now. Don't bother him!"
She did, however, reassure Harry that "Snuffles" would heal, eventually, from this newest injury
too. As long as he was carefully watched, and not allowed to do anything else foolish.
*******
After Poppy had checked my arm and hand, and sentenced me to another day of rest, despite my
protests, I was allowed to leave the hospital wing. I summoned green-and-silver and went to look in on
Mrs. Norris and her kittens.
The eight kittens were nestled against their mother, sleeping with the same single-minded
intensity that they used when they nursed.
Mrs. Norris blinked sleepily at me when I stroked her head. I missed having her at my side. She
would belong to her kittens for the next few weeks. Still, she listened to me patiently when I told her about
Black and Snape.
"Some things never change…" I told her, sighing. "The two of them are worse than children!
I've got to nip this in the bud somehow. Potter might be able to keep Black in line..."
(The irony in those words wasn't apparent until I'd already said them. The task of keeping Black
in line had been passed to a new Potter. Somehow, I didn't think that was what Harry's parents had in
mind.)
"What can I do about Severus?" I muttered.
Mrs. Norris's golden eyes blinked at me, inscrutably. My cat nuzzled one of her small, grey
daughters affectionately, reminding me that she had her own brood to take care of now. The children of
Hogwarts, past and present, were mine to deal with.
"Well, my sweet," I said, "I've already befriended a hippogriff today. What's one more
impossible job on my list?"
Thinking matters over, I refilled her food and water. Then I stepped through green-and-silver
again. Emerging into the dungeon corridor outside Severus's classroom, I went to speak to the Potions
Master.
*******
Snape had managed to get through his last class, somehow. He was managing to resist the effects
of the Cheering Charm to the point where he was no longer humming merrily. But he was moving about
his office with a happy efficiency that could only be described as "bustling."
"Ah, Filch!" he said, beaming. "How is that reprehensible flea-feast doing? Please tell me that
he's in agony."
"He is," I said solemnly. I described Black's wounded face.
A wicked glitter appeared in Severus's eyes that had nothing to do with the effects of the
Cheering Charm.
"Good," he purred, silkily. "That's some consolation, at least. Those quill wounds of yours were
painful, weren't they? You limped around for quite a while. Couldn't sit down for a week?"
I nodded, ruefully.
"Then Black should be in utter misery for at least that long. Serves him right."
"I'd say that you're the winner in this round, Professor. The Cheering Charm isn't going to last
for a week." I pointed out.
"Even if it wore off this very second, it has already lasted for an eternity, Filch…" Snape said,
the smile on his face at odds with the misery in his eyes. "Do you know what I was doing during my class
with the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw first years? I was *whistling!*"
I sighed. "Charms can be removed, you know. Or counteracted. I'd imagine that Professor
Flitwick would be more than up to the task."
Severus shook his head, smiling gently. "No. I'd rather handle this myself. Perhaps, a potion…"
His eyes glittered wickedly again. "Ah, yes! I can see several possibilities. Why, I could be my
usual self again by dinner! Wouldn't that be one in the eye for Black?"
He laughed, merrily, then clapped his hands over his mouth in horror. Then, rubbing his hands
together, he grinned. The grin had, perhaps, a touch more wickedness in it than Charm-induced cheer.
"The face-full of quills I gave Black, and my own potion to counteract his Cheering Charm will
do for a start on my revenge, I suppose."
"It will also do for a finish!" I pointed out. "Why don't you just let it go?"
"Let it go?" Snape's voice was mild, but his eyes flashed. "Who are *you* to tell me…"
"Just a Squib. With a great many empty file drawers in my office."
It took him a moment to realize what I meant. Then, his dark eyes narrowed.
"Filch," Severus said, smiling gently. "You couldn't possibly understand…"
"Many years of hoarding grudges, indignities and slights and insults?" I said, in a voice as gentle
and mild as his.
"I beg to differ, Professor. I understand those things very well indeed."
"There is no comparison…" Snape said, softly, still with a slight smile on his face.
"None at all," I agreed. "I'm an old man with no proper magic, who mops floors. You are a
powerful wizard, a Master of your Art. Letting things go should be much easier for you."
His eyes, desperately angry, despite his smile, were locked on mine.
"You don't know all the things that Black, and those friends of his have done. This is only the
latest in a long line of..."
"You forgave me when I nearly killed you," I said. "Did they ever do anything as bad as that?"
Snape began to laugh, helplessly.
It was not a cheerful sound, despite the powerful Charm.
"Ah. Filch. You have no idea…" he gasped, wretchedly, "you don't know..."
Severus wrapped his arms around himself, trembling, his face a mask of forced joy and very real
anguish.
His laughter sounded more like desperate sobs.
"…what you are asking of me."
Snape was trembling hard, too distracted to maintain his glamour. His tormented expression was
even more frightening on his poor bruised face.
The terrible, sobbing laughter subsided. The Potions Master buried his face in his hands.
"Leave me alone, Filch…" he whispered.
I didn't. At least not yet.
Instead I put my hand on his shoulder.
"Professor," I said. "You are one of the most honorable men that I have ever known. And you do
whatever must be done, even when it is very painful. You and Black can work together when the reasons
are good enough. You are both servants of the Light. The Headmaster needs both of you. And your
children need you."
I sighed. "Do you really wish to waste your precious time and energy on childish revenge? You
can let this go. I know you can."
*******
Not sure if I'd succeeded or not, I left him pondering ingredients for an anti-Cheering potion. I
didn't use a Door when I left the dungeons. The walk through the Castle would do me good.
Poppy had ordered me to spend today relaxing. But, except for the time I'd spent with Minerva, I
hadn't been following her orders very well.
I was walking slowly up the main staircase when I was ambushed by Ginny and Hermione.
"Eight kittens!!" Hermione said, quite excited.
"Three queens, five toms." I said. "Two of the toms look just like Crookshanks. Mother and
kittens are doing fine. I've been looking in on them on and off, all day."
"Were you able to write everything down? With your hand, and all?" Hermione asked me
anxiously.
I nodded. "My writing's a bit messy. If you like, you may copy it over neater."
The small ledger that Hermione had given me was in my pocket. I handed it to her and watched
her read.
"It must have hurt, writing this down," she said, sympathetically. "I'll copy it over, and you can
tell me some more details!"
The two girls and I went out and sat on the front steps of the Castle. Hermione dug a quill out of
her bag and prepared to write. The births of Mrs. Norris's kittens were relived, for a very interested
audience.
Ginny, who everyone knew was Mrs. Norris's favorite, and would be allowed to pick a kitten
first, was wondering if it would be more fun to have a queen or a tom.
"It would be nice to have a little grey Miss Norris..." she said, thoughtfully. "But there are only
three. Lil and Henna Morgan both really wanted queens. Did anyone else say that they'd definitely prefer
a queen?"
Trust Ginny to be considering other people's wishes, even when she had first choice.
"No one else has asked for a queen. Hannah wanted a tom. Dennis and Colin didn't care which
they got, as long as they're two of the same. The third queen is yours, Ginny."
She grinned. "How does `Nimue Norris' sound? Or maybe something Classical? Andromache
Norris? Ariadne Norris? Hmm. Gerda Norris? Skadi Norris?"
"Those last two are Norse, aren't they?" Hermione murmured, nibbling thoughtfully on her quill.
"Norse is all right, too." Ginny said. "Freyja Norris? Idunn Norris? Sigyn Norris?"
"Why not Egyptian?" Hermione suggested. "Bast Norris? Isis Norris?"
"Bast is rather appropriate..." Ginny murmured. "I'll think about that one."
I relaxed for a while, listening to them discussing names. Leaning back against the step above me
I flexed my right hand cautiously. It hurt. Still, maybe if I rested enough before dinner, Poppy would
relent and let me go back to work tomorrow. This "relaxing" business could get very strenuous.
It was nearly dinner time, when Colin and Dennis came rushing out of the Castle.
"We heard from Lil Morgan that Mrs. Norris had five little toms!!!" Dennis cried. " Colin and I
will have toms then!! I'm going to call mine Paladin!"
"Mine's going to be Pellinore," Colin said. He gave me a beseeching look. "Must we wait two
weeks before we can see them?"
"Two weeks..." I said. "You can't play with them yet. All they're capable of at the moment is
sleeping and eating."
Dennis and Colin looked like they still had other news to impart. Both small Creeveys seemed to
be fairly bursting.
"What is it?" Hermione asked them.
"You'd all better come in," Colin said, hopping around in excitement. "Haven't you heard yet?
Callie's going to be Sorted before dinner!"
END OF CHAPTER SIX
Author's Notes:
A few stories back, (after "Squib Wizard,") one reviewer asked when Snape would have a chance to
respond to the gauntlet that Filch had thrown down, when the caretaker forgave the "brats" and burned
many years worth of his own grudges.
I looked through my reviews, but I couldn't find the review I'm thinking of. But, whoever you are, thank
you! You helped this chapter take shape.
Melodie: Thank you!! A "friendly" prank war can be fun. But a prank war between Sirius and Severus
would not be "friendly." It would rapidly become ugly and dangerous, as well as disruptive to the whole
school. Both Black and Snape are grown men who should know better.
RowanRhys: Thank you!!! Those pretty, pastel unicorns from Fantasia are the ones I had in mind! Yes,
Sirius didn't intend his prank to be "mean." Sirius actually thought that he was being mature and
restrained about it. Severus, of course, viewed it as an act of violation.
Filch agrees that someone ought to take a rolled-up newspaper to the poor pup's already aching nose.
Elspeth: Thank you!! Yes, with Voldemort risen, Death Eaters about, a Minister who is living in a state of
denial, and much of the wizarding world living in fear the very *last* thing that Hogwarts needs is a
practical joke war, between an ex-convict and a former Death Eater. (It would not be a light-hearted
distraction, it would be all out war.)
Sirius managed to avoid the quills almost until he was ready to leave.
Severus is trying very hard to create a Depressing Potion. He's already taught one class under the
influence of the Cheering Charm, and he doesn't want to do that again.
The destruction in Snape's office was caused by a combination of the protective curses, and Sirius
avoiding the protective curses.
Emma: Thank you!!
Blue Moon: Thank you!!
Danalas the lady Chaos: Thank you!! Filch did his best to try and stop the prank war while both Snape
and Sirius could both feel like they'd won.
Larania: Thank you!! Filch and Callandra will both be learning from each other.
Tina: Thank you!! Severus is working on a potion to corral the baby unicorns and dim the rainbows.
Gramarye: Thank you!! Severus is hoping to mute the effects of the Cheering Charm to the point where he
merely doesn't seem as harsh as usual. He knows that he won't be good for anything if he's skipping
about giddily strewing flower petals everywhere.
Lataradk: Thank you!! Yes, a Snape who is forced to be happy is even more dangerous than a Snape
who's his usual self. Your image of the baby unicorns trying to escape from Snape's mind made me laugh.
Filch is determined to put a stopper on the war. It's part of what he tries to do. (When looked at from the
students' point of view, the caretaker seems determined to stop their fun, but Filch thinks of it as stopping
trouble.)
Filch and Minerva are fun. Neither one realizes what's going on yet. Filch and Mrs. Norris would give
Minerva a kitten if she asked, but she hasn't.
Yes, Filch would have been absolutely terrified if he knew that "Beaky" was the infamous hippogriff who
had "mauled" a student.
Jelsemium: Thank you!! I've always liked Hagrid a great deal. He's a unique combination of shrewdness
and innocence.
Both Sirius and Severus can feel like they've won. Black's face will still be swollen and sore when Snape
is back to his old self. Snape thinks that Sirius minds the quills much more than he actually does.
(The damage to Black's face pleases Snape. He's always thought that handsome Black was conceited
about his looks. He doesn't realize that twelve years in Azkaban has knocked all the youthful vanity right
out of poor Sirius. Poor Severus is actually quite insecure about his own appearance, which feeds his
jealousy of the Animagus.)
Callandra's Sorting will be in the next chapter.
Quoth the Raven: Thank you!! "Snape, why are you humming the theme to the Smurfs?" Oh, did that
make me LAUGH!!
Yes, Filch does feel sad that no one ever gave him the chance that Callandra is getting. But he also
knows, that Callandra is getting her chance, partly because of him. Before he came to the Castle Squibs
weren't even allowed in to clean the toilets.
Yes, Hagrid is very perceptive! (It bothers me to see him often portrayed in fan stories as slow-witted.)
The three "Miss Norrises" are already spoken for, but the black tom-kitten is going to insist on Snape for
his "pet wizard."
Ariana Deralte: Thank you!! Hanging a hippo? (Sorry, I had to ask ;-) ) Prank wars can be fun, as long as
the participants keep things friendly. Severus and Sirius would have a Prank Apocalypse.
Harry, Ron and Hermione saw Minerva holding Filch's hand while he slept in the hospital wing. Harry
was distracted by his worry for Sirius, and Ron may not have thought anything about it, since most
teenagers don't seem aware of the love-lives of people who are so much older than they are. But Hermione
definitely picked up on it.
Fluffy duckies!!! Oh, that's great!!! I wish I'd thought of fluffy duckies!!
Odyssey: Thank you!!
UnrepentantReader: Thank you!! Buckbeak will be around until Sirius is well enough to travel. At the
rate Sirius is healing, it may take a while.
Besnaped: Thank you!! You have many good ideas. The pranks were meant to be a stop along the way,
not the story's destination. Snape is going to be the little black tom's pet wizard. He just doesn't know it
yet.
Lizard of Fire: Thank you!! Snape is working on a potion that will tone down the Cheering Charm, until
the effects are muted. (He will still seem happier than usual, but he won't be giddy.) The Charm affects
only Severus, since he was the one it "hit." The students who come in to his classroom won't be affected
by it at all.
A Harry Potter fan-fic
By Ozma
A sequel to "To Save A Squib"
Chapter 6: Responsibility and Honor
Everything in this story really belongs to J.K. Rowling
I did not have to tell Sirius Black that he had far more important things to worry about than a
prank war with Severus Snape. One look at the anxious face of his godson made that point very well.
It was only a matter of time before Harry found out about Snuffles' painful encounter with the
porcupine quills. The huge black dog's limping progress through the Castle corridors had not gone
unnoticed.
Concerned students had seen the wounded dog attempting to make his way up the main staircase.
The Animagus had attracted a group of worried onlookers. Among them were Fred and George Weasley.
The twins had used a levitation charm to bring the injured animal to Poppy as quickly as possible.
Some members of the Weasley family knew that Snuffles was really Sirius Black. The twins did
not seem to be among those who were in on the secret. However, everyone was aware that Harry Potter
was especially fond of the big, black "stray." Once they'd completed their mission of mercy, Fred and
George had gone to find Harry.
Groggily, Sirius had resumed his dog form before the pain-killing potion could put him to sleep.
He was barely awake when Harry came into the ward to see him, accompanied by the twins and Ginny, as
well as Ron and Hermione.
The sight of the huge black dog's bandaged, swollen muzzle clearly upset the boy. The Animagus
had already been badly hurt and this additional injury had complicated and delayed his recovery.
"Snuffles…" Harry said, concerned. "What have you been up to? You should have been more
careful. Those quills could have hit your eyes!"
Harry didn't say any more, just stroked the dog's back gently. His green eyes were shadowed and
anxious. Harry had already come very close to losing Sirius. He'd witnessed the Dark Lord's brutal attack
against the Animagus less than a week earlier, in a nightmarish vision. After Minerva had rescued Black,
Potter had barely left his side until Poppy had said that Sirius was out of danger.
No one who knew Potter's mysterious Muggle relations appeared to think very much of them. It
was obvious how much the boy cared for Sirius and needed him.
The battered Animagus rested his head against his godson's knee as he fell asleep. He
whimpered softly, an apology without words. Harry knew and understood that the wounds Black had
sustained during his rescue of Callandra had been for a good cause. But, Black's snout-full of quills had
been the result of a foolish prank!
"That's right…" I thought, annoyed with Black. "You have responsibilities! You should be
thinking of the boy, not behaving like a child and giving him another reason to worry about you!"
Harry had not even told Black that it was Snape who had given the Gryffindors detention. The
Boy Who Had More Sense Than A Pair Of Grown Wizards I Could Name hadn't wanted to stir up
trouble.
When Harry eventually found out the whole story behind what had happened, I hoped that he
would give Sirius a proper telling off.
Once Sirius was asleep, Poppy shooed the children out of the ward. She did not even let
Hermione or Ginny question me about the kittens, though the girls were clearly eager to do so.
"Mr. Filch is my patient too. He's supposed to be resting today. I'm going to have a look at his
hand now. Don't bother him!"
She did, however, reassure Harry that "Snuffles" would heal, eventually, from this newest injury
too. As long as he was carefully watched, and not allowed to do anything else foolish.
*******
After Poppy had checked my arm and hand, and sentenced me to another day of rest, despite my
protests, I was allowed to leave the hospital wing. I summoned green-and-silver and went to look in on
Mrs. Norris and her kittens.
The eight kittens were nestled against their mother, sleeping with the same single-minded
intensity that they used when they nursed.
Mrs. Norris blinked sleepily at me when I stroked her head. I missed having her at my side. She
would belong to her kittens for the next few weeks. Still, she listened to me patiently when I told her about
Black and Snape.
"Some things never change…" I told her, sighing. "The two of them are worse than children!
I've got to nip this in the bud somehow. Potter might be able to keep Black in line..."
(The irony in those words wasn't apparent until I'd already said them. The task of keeping Black
in line had been passed to a new Potter. Somehow, I didn't think that was what Harry's parents had in
mind.)
"What can I do about Severus?" I muttered.
Mrs. Norris's golden eyes blinked at me, inscrutably. My cat nuzzled one of her small, grey
daughters affectionately, reminding me that she had her own brood to take care of now. The children of
Hogwarts, past and present, were mine to deal with.
"Well, my sweet," I said, "I've already befriended a hippogriff today. What's one more
impossible job on my list?"
Thinking matters over, I refilled her food and water. Then I stepped through green-and-silver
again. Emerging into the dungeon corridor outside Severus's classroom, I went to speak to the Potions
Master.
*******
Snape had managed to get through his last class, somehow. He was managing to resist the effects
of the Cheering Charm to the point where he was no longer humming merrily. But he was moving about
his office with a happy efficiency that could only be described as "bustling."
"Ah, Filch!" he said, beaming. "How is that reprehensible flea-feast doing? Please tell me that
he's in agony."
"He is," I said solemnly. I described Black's wounded face.
A wicked glitter appeared in Severus's eyes that had nothing to do with the effects of the
Cheering Charm.
"Good," he purred, silkily. "That's some consolation, at least. Those quill wounds of yours were
painful, weren't they? You limped around for quite a while. Couldn't sit down for a week?"
I nodded, ruefully.
"Then Black should be in utter misery for at least that long. Serves him right."
"I'd say that you're the winner in this round, Professor. The Cheering Charm isn't going to last
for a week." I pointed out.
"Even if it wore off this very second, it has already lasted for an eternity, Filch…" Snape said,
the smile on his face at odds with the misery in his eyes. "Do you know what I was doing during my class
with the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw first years? I was *whistling!*"
I sighed. "Charms can be removed, you know. Or counteracted. I'd imagine that Professor
Flitwick would be more than up to the task."
Severus shook his head, smiling gently. "No. I'd rather handle this myself. Perhaps, a potion…"
His eyes glittered wickedly again. "Ah, yes! I can see several possibilities. Why, I could be my
usual self again by dinner! Wouldn't that be one in the eye for Black?"
He laughed, merrily, then clapped his hands over his mouth in horror. Then, rubbing his hands
together, he grinned. The grin had, perhaps, a touch more wickedness in it than Charm-induced cheer.
"The face-full of quills I gave Black, and my own potion to counteract his Cheering Charm will
do for a start on my revenge, I suppose."
"It will also do for a finish!" I pointed out. "Why don't you just let it go?"
"Let it go?" Snape's voice was mild, but his eyes flashed. "Who are *you* to tell me…"
"Just a Squib. With a great many empty file drawers in my office."
It took him a moment to realize what I meant. Then, his dark eyes narrowed.
"Filch," Severus said, smiling gently. "You couldn't possibly understand…"
"Many years of hoarding grudges, indignities and slights and insults?" I said, in a voice as gentle
and mild as his.
"I beg to differ, Professor. I understand those things very well indeed."
"There is no comparison…" Snape said, softly, still with a slight smile on his face.
"None at all," I agreed. "I'm an old man with no proper magic, who mops floors. You are a
powerful wizard, a Master of your Art. Letting things go should be much easier for you."
His eyes, desperately angry, despite his smile, were locked on mine.
"You don't know all the things that Black, and those friends of his have done. This is only the
latest in a long line of..."
"You forgave me when I nearly killed you," I said. "Did they ever do anything as bad as that?"
Snape began to laugh, helplessly.
It was not a cheerful sound, despite the powerful Charm.
"Ah. Filch. You have no idea…" he gasped, wretchedly, "you don't know..."
Severus wrapped his arms around himself, trembling, his face a mask of forced joy and very real
anguish.
His laughter sounded more like desperate sobs.
"…what you are asking of me."
Snape was trembling hard, too distracted to maintain his glamour. His tormented expression was
even more frightening on his poor bruised face.
The terrible, sobbing laughter subsided. The Potions Master buried his face in his hands.
"Leave me alone, Filch…" he whispered.
I didn't. At least not yet.
Instead I put my hand on his shoulder.
"Professor," I said. "You are one of the most honorable men that I have ever known. And you do
whatever must be done, even when it is very painful. You and Black can work together when the reasons
are good enough. You are both servants of the Light. The Headmaster needs both of you. And your
children need you."
I sighed. "Do you really wish to waste your precious time and energy on childish revenge? You
can let this go. I know you can."
*******
Not sure if I'd succeeded or not, I left him pondering ingredients for an anti-Cheering potion. I
didn't use a Door when I left the dungeons. The walk through the Castle would do me good.
Poppy had ordered me to spend today relaxing. But, except for the time I'd spent with Minerva, I
hadn't been following her orders very well.
I was walking slowly up the main staircase when I was ambushed by Ginny and Hermione.
"Eight kittens!!" Hermione said, quite excited.
"Three queens, five toms." I said. "Two of the toms look just like Crookshanks. Mother and
kittens are doing fine. I've been looking in on them on and off, all day."
"Were you able to write everything down? With your hand, and all?" Hermione asked me
anxiously.
I nodded. "My writing's a bit messy. If you like, you may copy it over neater."
The small ledger that Hermione had given me was in my pocket. I handed it to her and watched
her read.
"It must have hurt, writing this down," she said, sympathetically. "I'll copy it over, and you can
tell me some more details!"
The two girls and I went out and sat on the front steps of the Castle. Hermione dug a quill out of
her bag and prepared to write. The births of Mrs. Norris's kittens were relived, for a very interested
audience.
Ginny, who everyone knew was Mrs. Norris's favorite, and would be allowed to pick a kitten
first, was wondering if it would be more fun to have a queen or a tom.
"It would be nice to have a little grey Miss Norris..." she said, thoughtfully. "But there are only
three. Lil and Henna Morgan both really wanted queens. Did anyone else say that they'd definitely prefer
a queen?"
Trust Ginny to be considering other people's wishes, even when she had first choice.
"No one else has asked for a queen. Hannah wanted a tom. Dennis and Colin didn't care which
they got, as long as they're two of the same. The third queen is yours, Ginny."
She grinned. "How does `Nimue Norris' sound? Or maybe something Classical? Andromache
Norris? Ariadne Norris? Hmm. Gerda Norris? Skadi Norris?"
"Those last two are Norse, aren't they?" Hermione murmured, nibbling thoughtfully on her quill.
"Norse is all right, too." Ginny said. "Freyja Norris? Idunn Norris? Sigyn Norris?"
"Why not Egyptian?" Hermione suggested. "Bast Norris? Isis Norris?"
"Bast is rather appropriate..." Ginny murmured. "I'll think about that one."
I relaxed for a while, listening to them discussing names. Leaning back against the step above me
I flexed my right hand cautiously. It hurt. Still, maybe if I rested enough before dinner, Poppy would
relent and let me go back to work tomorrow. This "relaxing" business could get very strenuous.
It was nearly dinner time, when Colin and Dennis came rushing out of the Castle.
"We heard from Lil Morgan that Mrs. Norris had five little toms!!!" Dennis cried. " Colin and I
will have toms then!! I'm going to call mine Paladin!"
"Mine's going to be Pellinore," Colin said. He gave me a beseeching look. "Must we wait two
weeks before we can see them?"
"Two weeks..." I said. "You can't play with them yet. All they're capable of at the moment is
sleeping and eating."
Dennis and Colin looked like they still had other news to impart. Both small Creeveys seemed to
be fairly bursting.
"What is it?" Hermione asked them.
"You'd all better come in," Colin said, hopping around in excitement. "Haven't you heard yet?
Callie's going to be Sorted before dinner!"
END OF CHAPTER SIX
Author's Notes:
A few stories back, (after "Squib Wizard,") one reviewer asked when Snape would have a chance to
respond to the gauntlet that Filch had thrown down, when the caretaker forgave the "brats" and burned
many years worth of his own grudges.
I looked through my reviews, but I couldn't find the review I'm thinking of. But, whoever you are, thank
you! You helped this chapter take shape.
Melodie: Thank you!! A "friendly" prank war can be fun. But a prank war between Sirius and Severus
would not be "friendly." It would rapidly become ugly and dangerous, as well as disruptive to the whole
school. Both Black and Snape are grown men who should know better.
RowanRhys: Thank you!!! Those pretty, pastel unicorns from Fantasia are the ones I had in mind! Yes,
Sirius didn't intend his prank to be "mean." Sirius actually thought that he was being mature and
restrained about it. Severus, of course, viewed it as an act of violation.
Filch agrees that someone ought to take a rolled-up newspaper to the poor pup's already aching nose.
Elspeth: Thank you!! Yes, with Voldemort risen, Death Eaters about, a Minister who is living in a state of
denial, and much of the wizarding world living in fear the very *last* thing that Hogwarts needs is a
practical joke war, between an ex-convict and a former Death Eater. (It would not be a light-hearted
distraction, it would be all out war.)
Sirius managed to avoid the quills almost until he was ready to leave.
Severus is trying very hard to create a Depressing Potion. He's already taught one class under the
influence of the Cheering Charm, and he doesn't want to do that again.
The destruction in Snape's office was caused by a combination of the protective curses, and Sirius
avoiding the protective curses.
Emma: Thank you!!
Blue Moon: Thank you!!
Danalas the lady Chaos: Thank you!! Filch did his best to try and stop the prank war while both Snape
and Sirius could both feel like they'd won.
Larania: Thank you!! Filch and Callandra will both be learning from each other.
Tina: Thank you!! Severus is working on a potion to corral the baby unicorns and dim the rainbows.
Gramarye: Thank you!! Severus is hoping to mute the effects of the Cheering Charm to the point where he
merely doesn't seem as harsh as usual. He knows that he won't be good for anything if he's skipping
about giddily strewing flower petals everywhere.
Lataradk: Thank you!! Yes, a Snape who is forced to be happy is even more dangerous than a Snape
who's his usual self. Your image of the baby unicorns trying to escape from Snape's mind made me laugh.
Filch is determined to put a stopper on the war. It's part of what he tries to do. (When looked at from the
students' point of view, the caretaker seems determined to stop their fun, but Filch thinks of it as stopping
trouble.)
Filch and Minerva are fun. Neither one realizes what's going on yet. Filch and Mrs. Norris would give
Minerva a kitten if she asked, but she hasn't.
Yes, Filch would have been absolutely terrified if he knew that "Beaky" was the infamous hippogriff who
had "mauled" a student.
Jelsemium: Thank you!! I've always liked Hagrid a great deal. He's a unique combination of shrewdness
and innocence.
Both Sirius and Severus can feel like they've won. Black's face will still be swollen and sore when Snape
is back to his old self. Snape thinks that Sirius minds the quills much more than he actually does.
(The damage to Black's face pleases Snape. He's always thought that handsome Black was conceited
about his looks. He doesn't realize that twelve years in Azkaban has knocked all the youthful vanity right
out of poor Sirius. Poor Severus is actually quite insecure about his own appearance, which feeds his
jealousy of the Animagus.)
Callandra's Sorting will be in the next chapter.
Quoth the Raven: Thank you!! "Snape, why are you humming the theme to the Smurfs?" Oh, did that
make me LAUGH!!
Yes, Filch does feel sad that no one ever gave him the chance that Callandra is getting. But he also
knows, that Callandra is getting her chance, partly because of him. Before he came to the Castle Squibs
weren't even allowed in to clean the toilets.
Yes, Hagrid is very perceptive! (It bothers me to see him often portrayed in fan stories as slow-witted.)
The three "Miss Norrises" are already spoken for, but the black tom-kitten is going to insist on Snape for
his "pet wizard."
Ariana Deralte: Thank you!! Hanging a hippo? (Sorry, I had to ask ;-) ) Prank wars can be fun, as long as
the participants keep things friendly. Severus and Sirius would have a Prank Apocalypse.
Harry, Ron and Hermione saw Minerva holding Filch's hand while he slept in the hospital wing. Harry
was distracted by his worry for Sirius, and Ron may not have thought anything about it, since most
teenagers don't seem aware of the love-lives of people who are so much older than they are. But Hermione
definitely picked up on it.
Fluffy duckies!!! Oh, that's great!!! I wish I'd thought of fluffy duckies!!
Odyssey: Thank you!!
UnrepentantReader: Thank you!! Buckbeak will be around until Sirius is well enough to travel. At the
rate Sirius is healing, it may take a while.
Besnaped: Thank you!! You have many good ideas. The pranks were meant to be a stop along the way,
not the story's destination. Snape is going to be the little black tom's pet wizard. He just doesn't know it
yet.
Lizard of Fire: Thank you!! Snape is working on a potion that will tone down the Cheering Charm, until
the effects are muted. (He will still seem happier than usual, but he won't be giddy.) The Charm affects
only Severus, since he was the one it "hit." The students who come in to his classroom won't be affected
by it at all.