The Mirror of Erised
Chapter Nineteen
By Jewel Little Bird
Now that most of the students had left for a Hogsmeade visit, Filch and Snape were once again able to play another Muggle board game together in the caretaker's office. They were on their sixth round of, believe it or not, CandyLand, the only game that Snape had any luck with (not that it helped him much since Filch was, once again, winning).
Snape glowered at the board. "You'd think I'd be an expert at a Muggle game meant for six-year-olds, but NO, I have to be losing miserably in this, too!"
Filch shrugged. "Maybe you just have rotten luck when it comes to board games. Maybe I should teach you a couple of simple card games."
Snape snorted. "I'd probably be terrible at that, too. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you bewitched all your games."
"Now where's the fun in that? It's much more satisfying to beat you by playing fairly."
"You would think that."
Filch rolled the die, got six, and won the game. Since Snape was looking murserous, Filch put the game away and pulled out a deck of Muggle cards. "Maybe I should teach you Rummy. It's easy enough to understand."
Snape sighed. "Since I'm probably going to lose anyway, why not?"
Filch quickly explained the rules while he shuffled and dealt the cards. Snape got the hang of it after a few rounds (despite the fact that he was losing yet again), allowing the two if them to converse about something other than the game.
"I think she knows," Snape said, arranging his cards. He didn't need to say who "she" was. "She's been looking at me in a funny way lately. I tense every time she passes by, just waiting for her to screech out, 'Why do you have the Dark Mark on your arm'?"
Filch shrugged. "It was bound to happen sooner or later. Potter knows, and so don't his two friends."
"Yes, but Potter and his friends know how to keep their mouths shut. That's the only thing I admire about them."
"Hmm, true. They're quiet about your mark as well as Black and Pettigrew." He noticed Snape's look darken. "Why is it you don't like Black?"
Filch asked this question at least once every two months; Snape, getting sick of it, finally decided to answer. "I hate him because if it wasn't for his stupidity in talking Potter into making Pettigrew the Secret Keeper, Lily would still be alive." His nostrils flared. "It's something I'll never be able to forgive him for."
"I see. Just like I'll never be able to forgive Lucius Malfoy for being the one to kill my sister and her husband."
Everything was silent for a while. "Was Geoffrey a good Auror?" Snape asked quietly, knowing that Filch was touchy about the subject of his sister and brother-in-law.
"The only Auror that topped Geoffrey Norris was Mad-Eye Moody." Filch was quiet for a bit. "I just wish I hadn't told her to stay home because I was sick. Maybe then she wouldn't have been with her husband when Malfoy and his two cronies attacked, and at least she and my nephew would still be alive."
@
End of Chapter Nineteen
Forgive me for the inconvenience, but I shall not be uploading the next two chapters tomorrow. [hides behind bulletproof glass] The reason is that my aunt is coming over and I want to be able to spend some time with her, especially considering that I haven't seen her since June. Again, forgive me. I will be sure to upload them on Monday.
Now that most of the students had left for a Hogsmeade visit, Filch and Snape were once again able to play another Muggle board game together in the caretaker's office. They were on their sixth round of, believe it or not, CandyLand, the only game that Snape had any luck with (not that it helped him much since Filch was, once again, winning).
Snape glowered at the board. "You'd think I'd be an expert at a Muggle game meant for six-year-olds, but NO, I have to be losing miserably in this, too!"
Filch shrugged. "Maybe you just have rotten luck when it comes to board games. Maybe I should teach you a couple of simple card games."
Snape snorted. "I'd probably be terrible at that, too. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you bewitched all your games."
"Now where's the fun in that? It's much more satisfying to beat you by playing fairly."
"You would think that."
Filch rolled the die, got six, and won the game. Since Snape was looking murserous, Filch put the game away and pulled out a deck of Muggle cards. "Maybe I should teach you Rummy. It's easy enough to understand."
Snape sighed. "Since I'm probably going to lose anyway, why not?"
Filch quickly explained the rules while he shuffled and dealt the cards. Snape got the hang of it after a few rounds (despite the fact that he was losing yet again), allowing the two if them to converse about something other than the game.
"I think she knows," Snape said, arranging his cards. He didn't need to say who "she" was. "She's been looking at me in a funny way lately. I tense every time she passes by, just waiting for her to screech out, 'Why do you have the Dark Mark on your arm'?"
Filch shrugged. "It was bound to happen sooner or later. Potter knows, and so don't his two friends."
"Yes, but Potter and his friends know how to keep their mouths shut. That's the only thing I admire about them."
"Hmm, true. They're quiet about your mark as well as Black and Pettigrew." He noticed Snape's look darken. "Why is it you don't like Black?"
Filch asked this question at least once every two months; Snape, getting sick of it, finally decided to answer. "I hate him because if it wasn't for his stupidity in talking Potter into making Pettigrew the Secret Keeper, Lily would still be alive." His nostrils flared. "It's something I'll never be able to forgive him for."
"I see. Just like I'll never be able to forgive Lucius Malfoy for being the one to kill my sister and her husband."
Everything was silent for a while. "Was Geoffrey a good Auror?" Snape asked quietly, knowing that Filch was touchy about the subject of his sister and brother-in-law.
"The only Auror that topped Geoffrey Norris was Mad-Eye Moody." Filch was quiet for a bit. "I just wish I hadn't told her to stay home because I was sick. Maybe then she wouldn't have been with her husband when Malfoy and his two cronies attacked, and at least she and my nephew would still be alive."
@
End of Chapter Nineteen
Forgive me for the inconvenience, but I shall not be uploading the next two chapters tomorrow. [hides behind bulletproof glass] The reason is that my aunt is coming over and I want to be able to spend some time with her, especially considering that I haven't seen her since June. Again, forgive me. I will be sure to upload them on Monday.