Beginning of the End
Authors: Starchild and Saavik Chapter Twenty: He Who Choseth Me Shall Get All That He Deserves
***Disclaimer*** See Chapter Seven.
When you see // ..// it means the person is thinking and not talking.
*********
Severus stormed down to his dungeons and grabbed his cloak. //It may be summer, but I will not be seen in public without it.// There were several defensive and extra-sensory perception spells imbedded into the cloth. It was as much armor against hexes as it was an intimidation tactic. Gathering the spelled-cloth around himself, Snape took up his task of finding THE CAT.
Meanwhile Cat was investigating the library. She was reading Hogwarts: A History when Snape found her. "Finding that educational?"
"Not in the slightest. I find it rather disturbing. Bloody history for a school." Cat smiled at the Potion's Master only to be met with a glare. "I assume we are going to Olivander's now?"
"Dumbledore has informed you of his....plan."
"Yes. I told him this won't work. It's too dangerous. But once he gets set on something." Cat shrugged.
Snape nodded his agreement and vowed to give the woman slightly more credit in the future. Cat put her book down and walked behind him towards the school gates.
"Uhm. Are you apparating us?" Cat asked nervously.
"That would be a problem I take it." Snape raised the classic eyebrow and Cat swallowed.
"No, No. But Albus frightened the life out of me when we appeared three feet above the lake earlier." Snape looked surprised.
"He miscalculated?"
"No, he said he was testing the wards. We got bounced into the water after he tried for the Great Hall. While the sight of a bunch of Deatheaters being dropped into a lake would highly amusing, I can't help but think that dropping them into a spike filled pit might be more appropriate."
Severus once again nodded his terse agreement. Once they reached the gates, Severus took Cat's hand, reluctantly on both parts, and apparated to just outside of Diagon Alley. They quickly made their way towards the wand shop. Cat and Snape ducked inside quickly so no one would see them enter. It was not safe for the ex-spy to be outside of Hogwarts. This trip was made even more dangerous by the knowledge that if Voldermort were to call, Severus would not be able to resist the pull without the wards.
Olivander poked his head out of the back room and ushered them into his private office. "Now Prof. Snape, how did Albus convince ..nevermind." Snape's glare rather promised violence if the question was to be completed.
"Now, lets see. We need to find a wand that matches both of you. Something powerful, has to be to channel Severus here. Yet it must be fit for the young lady. Magical or not the wand must suit the wielder.." Olivander continued to mutter to himself while a tape measure swirled around Cat. Suddenly Olivander turned. "Muggle? Is Albus sure?"
"Of course he is you dottering imbecile!" Cat snickered into her hand at the indignant look Olivander threw Snape. Remembering whom he was talking to, Snape sat back down and kept sneering half-heartedly as Olivander returned to searching his unorganized shelves.
Suddenly the tape measure stopped and Olivander returned. "Willow, 13 inches, dragon heart string. Well put your hand around hers and give it a wave." Snape stood up and walked behind Cat. Placing his hand over hers they waved the wand. As soon as the tip cut the air the office was plunged into darkness and then light as every lamp died than flared.
"No, not quite right."
Snape quickly backed away from Cat. He was not comfortable with physical contact. Cat shivered. //His hand was cold, like his dungeons. But not like his eyes. They seem cold, at first, than you see a spark. They burn with fire, just behind the ice. You can hardly see it if he doesn't want you too. He was unguarded when the lights came back. I wonder if I will ever catch that fire again?//
"Maple, 11 inches, unicorn hair." The office suddenly lost all glass objects.
"Apple, 12 1/2 inches, phoenix feather." Drawers flew.
"Maybe. Yes. Ash, 9 ¾ inches, faery wing."
As soon as both hands touched the wand a soft glow and wind blew around the small cluttered office, mingling strands of black hair with red. "Interesting. Let's get that linked then." Snape blinked. //Faery wing? They stopped using that a 100 years ago. How old are these wands!// Snape handed Olivander his wand, willow, 13 inches, Erumpent horn. Rare and expensive, Erumpent horn was hardly ever used in wand making. Olivander lovingly began to inspect the wand.
"I remember when you got this. Your father almost needed a medi- wizard. Luckily your family is old and had the galleons. I would have had to work out quite a payment plan if Arthur had matched it. He almost did you know." Snape cringed at the thought of a Weasley with his wand.
Olivander chuckled. Cat looked confused. "Never mind dear." Olivander took the two wands and held them together. He closed his eyes and whispered an incantation. The wands glowed for a moment than calmed. Olivander handed them to their owners and took his payment from Severus. Severus grabbed Cat's arm and began to usher them out of the shop.
As they neared the door Olivander began to speak in what sounded like small wind chimes tinkling, Cat turned back towards him and smiled. She answered with the same small musical sounds. Olivander patted her hand and gave her a warm smile then turned back to his work. Once outside Snape hurried them towards the diapparation point and returned to Hogwarts. Safely inside the wards once more, Snape asked the question that had been plaguing him for the last few minutes. "What did Olivander say?"
"He told me to be careful."
"And you said?"
"I would and nice to meet you. Do you need your hearing checked? You were right next to me."
"I heard you. If you had spoken in English, Goblin, Latin, French or Mer I would have understood."
"What do you mean, I only speak English, that was English."
"That was Elven."
"I don't know Elven. Wait, elves are real? Like real elves and not house-elves."
Snape gave her a puzzled look and they both re-entered the castle.
A/N:
The core of Snape's wand comes from an animal described in Fantastic Beasts. I am including here a description from the Harry Potter Lexicon of the animal:
Erumpent -This huge African magical beast resembles a rhinoceros. Its horn, which can pierce almost anything, contains a fluid which explodes, destroying what it has hit. Because male Erumpents frequently blow each other up during mating season, the species is somewhat endangered. (FB) http://www.i2k.com/%7Esvderark/lexicon/index-2.html
I think the horn is a symbol for Severus' piercing wit and sarcasm. The image works for me.
Confused yet? If you ask, we will clarify. Thank you and good night.
LL&P Saavik
Authors: Starchild and Saavik Chapter Twenty: He Who Choseth Me Shall Get All That He Deserves
***Disclaimer*** See Chapter Seven.
When you see // ..// it means the person is thinking and not talking.
*********
Severus stormed down to his dungeons and grabbed his cloak. //It may be summer, but I will not be seen in public without it.// There were several defensive and extra-sensory perception spells imbedded into the cloth. It was as much armor against hexes as it was an intimidation tactic. Gathering the spelled-cloth around himself, Snape took up his task of finding THE CAT.
Meanwhile Cat was investigating the library. She was reading Hogwarts: A History when Snape found her. "Finding that educational?"
"Not in the slightest. I find it rather disturbing. Bloody history for a school." Cat smiled at the Potion's Master only to be met with a glare. "I assume we are going to Olivander's now?"
"Dumbledore has informed you of his....plan."
"Yes. I told him this won't work. It's too dangerous. But once he gets set on something." Cat shrugged.
Snape nodded his agreement and vowed to give the woman slightly more credit in the future. Cat put her book down and walked behind him towards the school gates.
"Uhm. Are you apparating us?" Cat asked nervously.
"That would be a problem I take it." Snape raised the classic eyebrow and Cat swallowed.
"No, No. But Albus frightened the life out of me when we appeared three feet above the lake earlier." Snape looked surprised.
"He miscalculated?"
"No, he said he was testing the wards. We got bounced into the water after he tried for the Great Hall. While the sight of a bunch of Deatheaters being dropped into a lake would highly amusing, I can't help but think that dropping them into a spike filled pit might be more appropriate."
Severus once again nodded his terse agreement. Once they reached the gates, Severus took Cat's hand, reluctantly on both parts, and apparated to just outside of Diagon Alley. They quickly made their way towards the wand shop. Cat and Snape ducked inside quickly so no one would see them enter. It was not safe for the ex-spy to be outside of Hogwarts. This trip was made even more dangerous by the knowledge that if Voldermort were to call, Severus would not be able to resist the pull without the wards.
Olivander poked his head out of the back room and ushered them into his private office. "Now Prof. Snape, how did Albus convince ..nevermind." Snape's glare rather promised violence if the question was to be completed.
"Now, lets see. We need to find a wand that matches both of you. Something powerful, has to be to channel Severus here. Yet it must be fit for the young lady. Magical or not the wand must suit the wielder.." Olivander continued to mutter to himself while a tape measure swirled around Cat. Suddenly Olivander turned. "Muggle? Is Albus sure?"
"Of course he is you dottering imbecile!" Cat snickered into her hand at the indignant look Olivander threw Snape. Remembering whom he was talking to, Snape sat back down and kept sneering half-heartedly as Olivander returned to searching his unorganized shelves.
Suddenly the tape measure stopped and Olivander returned. "Willow, 13 inches, dragon heart string. Well put your hand around hers and give it a wave." Snape stood up and walked behind Cat. Placing his hand over hers they waved the wand. As soon as the tip cut the air the office was plunged into darkness and then light as every lamp died than flared.
"No, not quite right."
Snape quickly backed away from Cat. He was not comfortable with physical contact. Cat shivered. //His hand was cold, like his dungeons. But not like his eyes. They seem cold, at first, than you see a spark. They burn with fire, just behind the ice. You can hardly see it if he doesn't want you too. He was unguarded when the lights came back. I wonder if I will ever catch that fire again?//
"Maple, 11 inches, unicorn hair." The office suddenly lost all glass objects.
"Apple, 12 1/2 inches, phoenix feather." Drawers flew.
"Maybe. Yes. Ash, 9 ¾ inches, faery wing."
As soon as both hands touched the wand a soft glow and wind blew around the small cluttered office, mingling strands of black hair with red. "Interesting. Let's get that linked then." Snape blinked. //Faery wing? They stopped using that a 100 years ago. How old are these wands!// Snape handed Olivander his wand, willow, 13 inches, Erumpent horn. Rare and expensive, Erumpent horn was hardly ever used in wand making. Olivander lovingly began to inspect the wand.
"I remember when you got this. Your father almost needed a medi- wizard. Luckily your family is old and had the galleons. I would have had to work out quite a payment plan if Arthur had matched it. He almost did you know." Snape cringed at the thought of a Weasley with his wand.
Olivander chuckled. Cat looked confused. "Never mind dear." Olivander took the two wands and held them together. He closed his eyes and whispered an incantation. The wands glowed for a moment than calmed. Olivander handed them to their owners and took his payment from Severus. Severus grabbed Cat's arm and began to usher them out of the shop.
As they neared the door Olivander began to speak in what sounded like small wind chimes tinkling, Cat turned back towards him and smiled. She answered with the same small musical sounds. Olivander patted her hand and gave her a warm smile then turned back to his work. Once outside Snape hurried them towards the diapparation point and returned to Hogwarts. Safely inside the wards once more, Snape asked the question that had been plaguing him for the last few minutes. "What did Olivander say?"
"He told me to be careful."
"And you said?"
"I would and nice to meet you. Do you need your hearing checked? You were right next to me."
"I heard you. If you had spoken in English, Goblin, Latin, French or Mer I would have understood."
"What do you mean, I only speak English, that was English."
"That was Elven."
"I don't know Elven. Wait, elves are real? Like real elves and not house-elves."
Snape gave her a puzzled look and they both re-entered the castle.
A/N:
The core of Snape's wand comes from an animal described in Fantastic Beasts. I am including here a description from the Harry Potter Lexicon of the animal:
Erumpent -This huge African magical beast resembles a rhinoceros. Its horn, which can pierce almost anything, contains a fluid which explodes, destroying what it has hit. Because male Erumpents frequently blow each other up during mating season, the species is somewhat endangered. (FB) http://www.i2k.com/%7Esvderark/lexicon/index-2.html
I think the horn is a symbol for Severus' piercing wit and sarcasm. The image works for me.
Confused yet? If you ask, we will clarify. Thank you and good night.
LL&P Saavik