The next weekend was designated a Hogsmeade weekend. Dumbledore strongly
urged Snape to go; to get out of the castle. For the last week, he rarely
came out of the dungeons, and he didn't have the normal "Snape manner"
about him. He even *awarded* points to Hermione for getting something
right.
I hate when Albus is right, he thought as he roamed the streets. He spotted Caribe flying high above the throng, and he soon found Draco. He sat at a table, not with Crabbe and Goyle, but with a couple Ravenclaw boys. This of course was the only house with which Slytherin didn't have an open hostility, but it was still something quite new for Draco. He walked by the table and continued to gaze absentmindedly at the crowd.
Then he saw them, laughing with each other like they weren't hated and despised by nearly everyone around them. Avery, Flint, and Toman were sitting at a back table, not really being discreet, but no one seemed to care. Anger boiled up in him as the realization struck him; they were taunting him. He knew that attacking them was exactly what they wanted. It also happened to be exactly what they were going to get.
A few people dodged him as he overturned chairs, tables, and people. When they saw him, mock terror played on their faces. Snape, being a wizard, really should not have been as strong as he was, a fact which Flint found out too late. He flew backwards into the building and crumpled into unconsciousness. Snape then turned on Avery. He was the leader of the trio, or at least higher on Voldemort's food chain. In keeping with their Muggle disguise, their wands had been confiscated. Avery watched as Snape found his and used a Banishing Spell, sending him to the same fate as young Flint.
But Toman definitely drew the short stick, and he knew one of them had to die to seal Snape's fate. He had to fight back. Of course, this only proceeded to anger Snape more. Toman punched Snape, and pain shot through his jaw. They grappled until Snape came to his senses and pushed the man off. He was about to walk away when Toman called out, just loud enough for Snape to hear him.
"How's your daughter Severus?" Snape's black eyes shone with a new fire of rage. In one move, he summoned a knife from one of the upset plates and plunged it into Toman's chest. Instead of fear and pain, as Snape had hoped to see, Toman simply smiled triumphantly.
Screams brought him back to reality. Toman lay dead on the ground, and Flint and Avery were trying to pick themselves up.
"He killed him! Snape killed the Muggle!" What were they talking about? This wasn't a Muggle; one look would tell them that. A Security Squad came blasting down the street, pushing people back out of the way. Three of them tackled Snape, taking his wand.
Students were gathering around, and Ron and Hermione pushed their way to the front. Ginny was in hysterics and Ron went over to comfort her. Coming from the wizarding world, Hermione guessed they'd rarely heard about violent murders, other than You-Know-Who. But they were done with spells and curses, not knives and guns.
The squad was hauling Snape off, surprisingly with some difficulty. All students were instructed to return to Hogwarts and everyone else was urged to go home. Ron led Ginny away, and Hermione followed, offering help where she could. Once back at Hogwarts, they were taken straight to the Great Hall.
Ron couldn't find Harry anywhere, not that it was particularly easy to spot anyone in the mayhem. It took a mass Silence Spell cast by Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Flitwick to finally get everyone quiet.
He lifted the spell when everyone appeared calm. "Please take your seats quietly. I understand your hysteria, but we must remain calm. I have talked with Cornelius Fudge, and Professor Snape is being held for questioning. They will be allowing him a trial, after much diplomacy, and I imagine a few of you will be contacted as witnesses for the Ministry." Food appeared on the table, "Please eat quickly, and return to your dormitories. Classes are not cancelled." A few groans were heard, but most of them were too shocked to even contemplate half of what he'd said.
Ron still didn't see Harry at or after dinner, and he began to worry. He wanted to go see Dumbledore, but the entrances to the dorms had been sealed to keep the students in. The teachers roamed the halls on the lookout for stray students as Dumbledore took a leave of absence to the Ministry.
In 6 hours, they had questioned Snape and put him in a cell. They had his trial date set for the next day, but Dumbledore had a sick feeling they had his execution date set as well.
I hate when Albus is right, he thought as he roamed the streets. He spotted Caribe flying high above the throng, and he soon found Draco. He sat at a table, not with Crabbe and Goyle, but with a couple Ravenclaw boys. This of course was the only house with which Slytherin didn't have an open hostility, but it was still something quite new for Draco. He walked by the table and continued to gaze absentmindedly at the crowd.
Then he saw them, laughing with each other like they weren't hated and despised by nearly everyone around them. Avery, Flint, and Toman were sitting at a back table, not really being discreet, but no one seemed to care. Anger boiled up in him as the realization struck him; they were taunting him. He knew that attacking them was exactly what they wanted. It also happened to be exactly what they were going to get.
A few people dodged him as he overturned chairs, tables, and people. When they saw him, mock terror played on their faces. Snape, being a wizard, really should not have been as strong as he was, a fact which Flint found out too late. He flew backwards into the building and crumpled into unconsciousness. Snape then turned on Avery. He was the leader of the trio, or at least higher on Voldemort's food chain. In keeping with their Muggle disguise, their wands had been confiscated. Avery watched as Snape found his and used a Banishing Spell, sending him to the same fate as young Flint.
But Toman definitely drew the short stick, and he knew one of them had to die to seal Snape's fate. He had to fight back. Of course, this only proceeded to anger Snape more. Toman punched Snape, and pain shot through his jaw. They grappled until Snape came to his senses and pushed the man off. He was about to walk away when Toman called out, just loud enough for Snape to hear him.
"How's your daughter Severus?" Snape's black eyes shone with a new fire of rage. In one move, he summoned a knife from one of the upset plates and plunged it into Toman's chest. Instead of fear and pain, as Snape had hoped to see, Toman simply smiled triumphantly.
Screams brought him back to reality. Toman lay dead on the ground, and Flint and Avery were trying to pick themselves up.
"He killed him! Snape killed the Muggle!" What were they talking about? This wasn't a Muggle; one look would tell them that. A Security Squad came blasting down the street, pushing people back out of the way. Three of them tackled Snape, taking his wand.
Students were gathering around, and Ron and Hermione pushed their way to the front. Ginny was in hysterics and Ron went over to comfort her. Coming from the wizarding world, Hermione guessed they'd rarely heard about violent murders, other than You-Know-Who. But they were done with spells and curses, not knives and guns.
The squad was hauling Snape off, surprisingly with some difficulty. All students were instructed to return to Hogwarts and everyone else was urged to go home. Ron led Ginny away, and Hermione followed, offering help where she could. Once back at Hogwarts, they were taken straight to the Great Hall.
Ron couldn't find Harry anywhere, not that it was particularly easy to spot anyone in the mayhem. It took a mass Silence Spell cast by Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Flitwick to finally get everyone quiet.
He lifted the spell when everyone appeared calm. "Please take your seats quietly. I understand your hysteria, but we must remain calm. I have talked with Cornelius Fudge, and Professor Snape is being held for questioning. They will be allowing him a trial, after much diplomacy, and I imagine a few of you will be contacted as witnesses for the Ministry." Food appeared on the table, "Please eat quickly, and return to your dormitories. Classes are not cancelled." A few groans were heard, but most of them were too shocked to even contemplate half of what he'd said.
Ron still didn't see Harry at or after dinner, and he began to worry. He wanted to go see Dumbledore, but the entrances to the dorms had been sealed to keep the students in. The teachers roamed the halls on the lookout for stray students as Dumbledore took a leave of absence to the Ministry.
In 6 hours, they had questioned Snape and put him in a cell. They had his trial date set for the next day, but Dumbledore had a sick feeling they had his execution date set as well.