Chapter Nine
Authors note, they are not mine, except for the bogents.
When the expedition had returned to Hogwarts and the injuries treated, Dumbledore called a staff meeting to discuss the matter. Professor Sprout and Hagrid both recounted what they had seen and done. McGonagall had arrived at the scene after the bogent had been stopped. When they were done, Madame Pomfrey reported on Harry's' condition.
"He will need to stay in the infirmary for at least a day, perhaps two. His leg muscles and tendons were badly damaged, but nothing that can't be fixed. What bothers me more is why he tried to take on a bogent by himself." She sighed and shook her head. "We may want to reconsider the danger this spring fever presents. I can't tell you all of what Harry told me, but it's enough to say that he was trying to impress a student. This student told him that being the boy who lived wasn't impressive because everything he did was reacting and trying to survive, not genuine courage." All the teacher shook their heads at that, and even Snape snorted in disgust. "Well, Harry didn't entirely believe that, but what happened today hasn't helped his self confidence. I think he'll recover in a few days, but some students aren't as strong as Harry. What will the next one try?" Madame Pomfrey sat down again, and the others considered her words.
Dumbledore spoke up when no one said anything for a minuet. "We cannot predict what the students will do under this pressure. All we can do is watch and take every precaution. And Neville has earned fifty points for Gryffindor."
No one argued with Dumbledore's' statement. Hagrid had another matter in mind, however. "I'd like to know what injured the bogent, sir. There ain't nothin' in that part o' the forest that would be able to hurt a big un' like that was."
Sprout seconded Hagrids opinion. "If I knew of anything that would send an adult bogent on a rampage, I would never have taken the students out there. That bogent was seeding. It wouldn't have left its own grounds without an extreme threat. It's lost this years seeds because it did that."
"I could go back and follow its trail. Whatever did it must have left signs an' footprints." Hagrid volunteered eagerly.
"Tomorrow, Hagrid. It's nearly past suppertime already." Dumbledore smiled fondly at Hagrid for a moment, and then continued. "In fact I believe we should all make an appearance in the great hall to reassure the students." He rose to leave and the teachers followed him.
After dinner, Professor Sprout went to greenhouse four to check on the newly installed young bogent. Hagrid and Severus both accompanied her. Neville was already there, having bolted his supper and then fled from his inquisitive housemates. The other Gryffindors were having difficulty believing that Neville, of all people, had stopped the furious bogent. Neville understood that of course. He was having some difficulty in that area himself. Seeing the younger bogent dispelled the sense of unreality that had crept over him, and made him examine his memories to try to understand how he had done what he had to the older creature. He was examining the new wand again when the teachers arrived.
Hagrid grinned at him and went over to coo at the bogent. Sprout noticed the wand for the first time. "What kind of wand is that, Neville, and where did you get it?" She asked with a frown.
Neville handed it to her so she could examine it herself. "I don't know what it is. Se- Professor Snape loaned it to me." He blushed, and hoped no one had noticed his slip. He had called the professor by his first name during their late night talks during the winter holidays. Neville glanced over at Severus and caught him looking at back at Neville with hunger in his eyes.
Severus looked away quickly, silently cursing himself for his weakness. Stupid perverted freak his father's voice echoed in his head. Sprout brought him back to the present asking him about the wand. "I don't know what it is. I found it in my fathers vault after his death." She was looking at him rather oddly, so he added, "I examined it thoroughly. It isn't a standard wand, but it has no traces of dark magic in it."
Professor Sprout continued to look at him strangely, and when she spoke her voice was uncertain but excited. "Where was your father from, Severus? He had an accent, if I remember correctly from that parent-teacher conference."
Severus winced internally at the memory of that conference, and what had followed, then pushed the memory away. He frowned slightly, trying to recall the details of his father's occasional rants about his childhood and family. "A small wizarding community in Belarus, I believe, near Poland. I don't recall the name of the place, however."
Sprout bit her lip and forced herself to be calm as her thoughts raced. "What was his surname?" She knew Snape was his mothers' name. The Snape family was old and proud. They insisted their name be taken by both male and female spouses.
The Snape being questioned raised an eyebrow. "Do you know something about the wand, or have you suddenly acquired a passion for genealogy? His name was Zaleski." Severus frowned as Professor Sprout stared at him as though he had just told her he was Merlin reincarnated and she wasn't sure weather fall at his feet or laugh. He didn't see how anything about the sadistic lout that was his late unmourned father could inspire this kind of reaction.
"Um, do you know something about the wand, Professor?" Neville asked when Sprout continued to stare at Severus, who stared back with mounting annoyance.
Sprout blinked and looked down at the wand, then handed it back to Neville with a hint of reluctance. "I'm not sure, Neville. I am not an expert on wands, but it looks like. I think I need to consult with an expert, actually. Do you mind if I invite a colleague to come look at it?" She smiled absently at him, looking slightly dazed.
"Um, ok," Neville replied, glancing at Severus to see if he had any objections. The potions master looked annoyed but didn't protest the decision.
Professor Sprout smiled vaguely and hurried away, leaving Severus and Neville to exchange puzzled glances. Severus looked away when puzzlement became something else. He strode over to where Hagrid was tickling the bogent which was trying to eat his fingers. "What time are we leaving tomorrow?" Severus demanded to the half-giant.
"Huh?" Hagrid looked up in confusion. "Ouch," He pulled his fingers away from the bogent and smiled fondly at it.
"I will accompany you tomorrow on your investigation in the forest," Severus explained with exaggerated patience.
"But yeh hate th' forest!" Hagrid exclaimed, absently giving his fingers back to the plant to be gnawed on. "Ouch."
"I do not!" Severus snapped, then took a breath and calmed himself. "I would like to collect some leaves from the mature bogent and your presence will ensure that I am unmolested while I do so." He crossed his arms and glared at the small creature that was reaching again towards Hagrids' unguarded hand. It abruptly retracted its reaching branch and became the picture of an innocent shrub. Severus looked away from it hoping no one had noticed. Fortunately Hagrid was still looking at him in puzzlement. Snape turned away irritably and headed toward the door. "I will meet you at dawn in front of your cabin."
"Okay," Hagrid replied, and then shrugged and turned back to the innocent looking plant. "I wonder what he really wants? He knows I'd get leaves for 'im if 'e asked."
Neville watched Severus hurry away. If he hadn't been drained by the day's experiences, he would have followed the professor and tried to talk to him. Instead he went back to staring at his wand. Neville couldn't easily describe the difference between the new wand and all the other wands he had tried. All wands before this one had what he could only call a vibration, or a rough texture to their auras. Whenever he cast a spell the vibration made him feel that it was unstable and would fall apart the moment he was done casting it. Neville had always assumed it was due to his weakness as a wizard. This new wand was different. Using it felt like finding the eye of a hurricane, or standing on the center of a see-saw, at the point about which things moved but where he could stand firm. It was like nothing he had ever felt before. Neville couldn't help wondering if even a wand from Ollivanders would be as perfect. With a sigh, Neville pocketed the wand and said goodnight to Hagrid. Hopefully, things would make more sense in the morning.
Authors note, they are not mine, except for the bogents.
When the expedition had returned to Hogwarts and the injuries treated, Dumbledore called a staff meeting to discuss the matter. Professor Sprout and Hagrid both recounted what they had seen and done. McGonagall had arrived at the scene after the bogent had been stopped. When they were done, Madame Pomfrey reported on Harry's' condition.
"He will need to stay in the infirmary for at least a day, perhaps two. His leg muscles and tendons were badly damaged, but nothing that can't be fixed. What bothers me more is why he tried to take on a bogent by himself." She sighed and shook her head. "We may want to reconsider the danger this spring fever presents. I can't tell you all of what Harry told me, but it's enough to say that he was trying to impress a student. This student told him that being the boy who lived wasn't impressive because everything he did was reacting and trying to survive, not genuine courage." All the teacher shook their heads at that, and even Snape snorted in disgust. "Well, Harry didn't entirely believe that, but what happened today hasn't helped his self confidence. I think he'll recover in a few days, but some students aren't as strong as Harry. What will the next one try?" Madame Pomfrey sat down again, and the others considered her words.
Dumbledore spoke up when no one said anything for a minuet. "We cannot predict what the students will do under this pressure. All we can do is watch and take every precaution. And Neville has earned fifty points for Gryffindor."
No one argued with Dumbledore's' statement. Hagrid had another matter in mind, however. "I'd like to know what injured the bogent, sir. There ain't nothin' in that part o' the forest that would be able to hurt a big un' like that was."
Sprout seconded Hagrids opinion. "If I knew of anything that would send an adult bogent on a rampage, I would never have taken the students out there. That bogent was seeding. It wouldn't have left its own grounds without an extreme threat. It's lost this years seeds because it did that."
"I could go back and follow its trail. Whatever did it must have left signs an' footprints." Hagrid volunteered eagerly.
"Tomorrow, Hagrid. It's nearly past suppertime already." Dumbledore smiled fondly at Hagrid for a moment, and then continued. "In fact I believe we should all make an appearance in the great hall to reassure the students." He rose to leave and the teachers followed him.
After dinner, Professor Sprout went to greenhouse four to check on the newly installed young bogent. Hagrid and Severus both accompanied her. Neville was already there, having bolted his supper and then fled from his inquisitive housemates. The other Gryffindors were having difficulty believing that Neville, of all people, had stopped the furious bogent. Neville understood that of course. He was having some difficulty in that area himself. Seeing the younger bogent dispelled the sense of unreality that had crept over him, and made him examine his memories to try to understand how he had done what he had to the older creature. He was examining the new wand again when the teachers arrived.
Hagrid grinned at him and went over to coo at the bogent. Sprout noticed the wand for the first time. "What kind of wand is that, Neville, and where did you get it?" She asked with a frown.
Neville handed it to her so she could examine it herself. "I don't know what it is. Se- Professor Snape loaned it to me." He blushed, and hoped no one had noticed his slip. He had called the professor by his first name during their late night talks during the winter holidays. Neville glanced over at Severus and caught him looking at back at Neville with hunger in his eyes.
Severus looked away quickly, silently cursing himself for his weakness. Stupid perverted freak his father's voice echoed in his head. Sprout brought him back to the present asking him about the wand. "I don't know what it is. I found it in my fathers vault after his death." She was looking at him rather oddly, so he added, "I examined it thoroughly. It isn't a standard wand, but it has no traces of dark magic in it."
Professor Sprout continued to look at him strangely, and when she spoke her voice was uncertain but excited. "Where was your father from, Severus? He had an accent, if I remember correctly from that parent-teacher conference."
Severus winced internally at the memory of that conference, and what had followed, then pushed the memory away. He frowned slightly, trying to recall the details of his father's occasional rants about his childhood and family. "A small wizarding community in Belarus, I believe, near Poland. I don't recall the name of the place, however."
Sprout bit her lip and forced herself to be calm as her thoughts raced. "What was his surname?" She knew Snape was his mothers' name. The Snape family was old and proud. They insisted their name be taken by both male and female spouses.
The Snape being questioned raised an eyebrow. "Do you know something about the wand, or have you suddenly acquired a passion for genealogy? His name was Zaleski." Severus frowned as Professor Sprout stared at him as though he had just told her he was Merlin reincarnated and she wasn't sure weather fall at his feet or laugh. He didn't see how anything about the sadistic lout that was his late unmourned father could inspire this kind of reaction.
"Um, do you know something about the wand, Professor?" Neville asked when Sprout continued to stare at Severus, who stared back with mounting annoyance.
Sprout blinked and looked down at the wand, then handed it back to Neville with a hint of reluctance. "I'm not sure, Neville. I am not an expert on wands, but it looks like. I think I need to consult with an expert, actually. Do you mind if I invite a colleague to come look at it?" She smiled absently at him, looking slightly dazed.
"Um, ok," Neville replied, glancing at Severus to see if he had any objections. The potions master looked annoyed but didn't protest the decision.
Professor Sprout smiled vaguely and hurried away, leaving Severus and Neville to exchange puzzled glances. Severus looked away when puzzlement became something else. He strode over to where Hagrid was tickling the bogent which was trying to eat his fingers. "What time are we leaving tomorrow?" Severus demanded to the half-giant.
"Huh?" Hagrid looked up in confusion. "Ouch," He pulled his fingers away from the bogent and smiled fondly at it.
"I will accompany you tomorrow on your investigation in the forest," Severus explained with exaggerated patience.
"But yeh hate th' forest!" Hagrid exclaimed, absently giving his fingers back to the plant to be gnawed on. "Ouch."
"I do not!" Severus snapped, then took a breath and calmed himself. "I would like to collect some leaves from the mature bogent and your presence will ensure that I am unmolested while I do so." He crossed his arms and glared at the small creature that was reaching again towards Hagrids' unguarded hand. It abruptly retracted its reaching branch and became the picture of an innocent shrub. Severus looked away from it hoping no one had noticed. Fortunately Hagrid was still looking at him in puzzlement. Snape turned away irritably and headed toward the door. "I will meet you at dawn in front of your cabin."
"Okay," Hagrid replied, and then shrugged and turned back to the innocent looking plant. "I wonder what he really wants? He knows I'd get leaves for 'im if 'e asked."
Neville watched Severus hurry away. If he hadn't been drained by the day's experiences, he would have followed the professor and tried to talk to him. Instead he went back to staring at his wand. Neville couldn't easily describe the difference between the new wand and all the other wands he had tried. All wands before this one had what he could only call a vibration, or a rough texture to their auras. Whenever he cast a spell the vibration made him feel that it was unstable and would fall apart the moment he was done casting it. Neville had always assumed it was due to his weakness as a wizard. This new wand was different. Using it felt like finding the eye of a hurricane, or standing on the center of a see-saw, at the point about which things moved but where he could stand firm. It was like nothing he had ever felt before. Neville couldn't help wondering if even a wand from Ollivanders would be as perfect. With a sigh, Neville pocketed the wand and said goodnight to Hagrid. Hopefully, things would make more sense in the morning.