Chapter 41
The Daily Profit
I t was late evening, bordering on night.
Since it was still early autumn, the darkening of the skies were still dilatory, but the feeling of closing in was rapidly progressing.
When she last looked at her watch it had been half past seven, now it was nearly ten o'clock.
Dusk was rapidly turning to night as the sun gradually dropped down below the horizon creating an array of spectacular colours. From the deepest purple hues fading to pale wisps of white, laced with the scarlet ribbons and golden orange blooms in vibrancy and heat. They too all gradually faded into velvet black.
Taya was sat in the empty staff room sipping sweet tea. Without taking her eyes away from the tattered daily newspaper that appeared to have seen better days she dunked one of 'Madam Batterburg's - sweet homemade cookies' into her drink.
She gazed out of the window watching the magnificent pallet of colour as it washed together to perform the most amazing sunset she had ever seen.
Barely visible, but apparent neither the less, a pin prick of white light punctured through the scenery. Tiny as it was, but as significant as any satellite, this spectre glowed and twinkled.
Jupiter was soon joined by it's neighbouring stars that quickly wiped out any remaining spectres of the day.
Bugger, Taya thought plucking the soggy remnants of the biscuit out of the teacup and draping the slop onto the saucer. She hated it when it did that and peered at the remainder of the swirling mess in her tea and the remnants of it on the table top.
Quickly she waved her wand over the entire mess and everything vanished including the cup and saucer. She sighed as she got up. She would have to make a fresh one now.
She turned to leave for the small kitchenette situated at the right of the staff lounge when something printed on the ragged newspaper caught her eye.
Tucking the copy of today's Daily Profit under her arm she swiftly made it to the door. Her tea and biscuits were forgotten. At that present moment in time there were more important matters pressing her.
By the time she reached the dungeons she had thought that Severus had already locked up and left. Not to be to disheartened she stopped outside the potions room anyway. Even if he wasn't inside she could reach his private suite of rooms by another route. It was close to a small spiralling passage well hidden behind a painting of a hanged man down just a few feet away from his classroom itself.
No student would venture down there alone, except for a Slythern perhaps or their own house ghost, 'The Bloody Baron,' so he was called. Severus Snape's room were at the opposite end of the dungeons to the Slytherin common room and dormitories. Long ago he had expressed his wishes that he wanted to be as far removed from the children when not dealing with them.
Dumbledore recommended a tower in the west wing of the school. It was large, warm, bright and spacious. Despite his attempts to brighten up Severus Snape's life, No. Severus wanted to dwell 'like a creature of the night' somewhere dark and silent where he could spend his free time 'thinking' and wouldn't be disturbed.
Noticing a very subtle orange light coming from inside she crept in. Most of the candles had been extinguished. The room was silent and placid. Hidden in the shadows, cloaked by darkness was Severus Snape. Books and books were laid out around him, some piled so tall that they nearly reached the high arched ceiling.
He was sitting in his leather armchair. An assemblage of books rested on the arm. In his hand he was clasping a large pheasant quill and was furiously writing. On a table near by was a flickering candle. Enough light to see by. His desk a little further away also carried a lit candle, almost depleted of wax by now. It's flame however, was still burning brightly, casting spooky shadows on the opposite irregular textured wall.
Taya smiled to herself. He was so engrossed in what he was doing he didn't notice her approach and nearly flung the ruled book and his quill onto the floor. He moved his leg narrowly missing the full bottle of ink standing tucked away next to his right ankle.
Heart pumping madly he looked up raged. Severus had never been caught off guard like that before in his life.
"Stop creeping up on me like that," he fumed. Madness was evident in his eyes, burning like coals in the darkness. Taya saw the reflection of the flame in them and couldn't help but smile slightly. Had the room been brighter she would have imagined smoke billowing from his ears.
"I'm so sorry, love. I didn't mean to make you jump nearly out of your skin."
The sour expression on his face could have written a thousand words.
Quickly Taya retrieved the newspaper from under her arm and put it in front of him. He lent over to his desk near by and dropped the quill down onto blotting paper, straightened then roughly grabbed the tatty parchment.
Despite his shock and the sudden onset of a bad mood and a headache, he couldn't resist a small grin upon seeing the animated photograph embellished on the front page of the newspaper.
A rowdy crowd of witches and wizards hustled around the creature, a strange looking toad silently croaking, with blood red lips and nail varnish to match.
The headline read as thus.
SKEETA HEXED BY POTIONS MASTER
A Mr John Tadpole was quoted in saying, "Silly witch deserved everything she got. Good on him, Professor Snape!"
Rita, apparently 34!! who was last transfigured into a cockroach in the year nineteen hundred and ninety four appears not to have learned her previous lessons when commencing with Hogwarts matters.
Early on last Friday morning at the Ministry Of Magic, she was metamorphosed into the form of a toad and is a currently a sight to beheld.
Onlookers, Ministry officials said that it was coming to her. Now is the problem of turning her back.
Apparently Severus Snape used a very complex spell. Under normal circumstances the charm would have worn off in a day or two, but apparently this one may take several years.
And does anyone feel sorry for her?
A Mrs Mildred Catapult said, "As much as I feel for the poor dear, I could not help but think she deserved it. Hurrah to the professor."
"But look at this." Taya turned a few pages over. Severus' mouth set into a thin grim line. Frowning he read the headline,
MISSING DEATH EATER, LORSEKRUKER FINALLY MEETS HIS CUNUPPENCE!
His arms went rigid for a moment then his fingers squeezed the parchment with deathening force, rendering the already limp paper into nothing but crumpled fragments.
He retrieved the bottle of ink still standing on the floor and stood up. Slowly Severus stepped behind his desk and put the ink and newspaper down facing him.
Severus forced himself to relax and folded his tense arms on the desk before him, clutching his biceps perhaps a little too tightly for comfort.
"Relax," Taya said stepping over. The professor looked at her for reassurance. "It's good news." She smiled sweetly. He managed to un-clamp his jaw just enough to express to her that he felt at least a little easier.
"I know it's silly, but I'm almost afraid to read it," he said. Taya nodded.
"It's okay. I'll read it out loud for you." She moved the newspaper around so she could see it and picked it up. For a moment she studied Severus then cast her eyes down at the creamy yellowing parchment in her hands.
"Well? Go on then."
"Okay, okay, just finding the article again." Her index finger scanned the printed surface then stopped. "Here it is." She cast another quick glance at him then read.
"Lorsekruker was finally sentenced Monday at half past seven in the evening. One of the most dangerous men since Voldemort's rein is awaiting his punishment, scheduled today at half past nine this morning,
"The tyrant is due to receive a kiss from a Dementor,
"Azkaban officials are to be present as witnesses..." She didn't read the rest. The information already received was enough and Severus probably didn't want to hear the rest of the article.
There was quite between them that spanned several minutes. When she still didn't get a reply Taya called his name with concern. "Severus?"
"Hum?"
"He's probably near dead now," she commented.