Chapter Ten
Warning! Slightly out-of-character Snape ahead!
(this chapter hasn't been beta read yet)
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"But first I must ensure your.. discretion over the events of the evening." Snape said, wishing he sounded a bit surer of himself when he said that.
He had no doubt his student wouldn't react well to that statement but it had to be done. His job was at stake.
While, with some choice words and threats, he would probably be able to get Potter to agree to let him off the hook over the backfired punishment. He knew Malfoy, on the other hand, would be out for his blood and nearly impossible to turn.
And the last thing he wanted was a vengeful Malfoy after him.
As tempting as using a memory charm on the boys was he couldn't bring himself to do it. He didn't have much experience performing them (charms never had been his strongest ability) and it could too easily backfire. He could accidentally erase all the boys' memories. Then he'd be in even worse trouble.
So now he was about to resort to bribery.
Whatever these boys wanted, if it was in his power to deliver, they would get it. He just prayed they didn't ask for anything that would degrade him too much. The two of them had already given his ego quite a knock and he wasn't sure his poor injured pride could handle it.
That was the main cause of his discomfiture.
He was almost desperate to get his students to agree to this. And by the look on Malfoy's face, it was going to be as difficult as he thought.
"You want what?!" The blonde boy burst out, still sitting on the ground. Glaring off somewhere over Snape's right shoulder with his opaque eyes. A flabbergasted look on his face that Snape would have found amusing in different circumstances.
Potter, for his part, just sat there. Confused and completely oblivious to the proclamation his teacher had just made.
But the professor forgot all about Potter when Malfoy continued his tirade. Which was quickly escalating into a hissy fit.
"You expect me to keep quiet about this?!" Malfoy spat out in a voice that was rapidly increasing in volume and pitch.
Snape was glad the boy was temporarily blind. As it was surely only a matter of time until he would start throwing things. It was less likely, as the intended target, he'd get hit by whatever projectiles the sightless Malfoy chose to throw.
He could see Malfoy starting to clench his fists and his cheeks starting to flush with colour.
Pretty soon Malfoy's hissy fit would have to be upgraded into a full-blown temper tantrum.
Potter still looked confused (a look Snape recognized from his potions class). Eyes sweeping back and forth between his teacher and classmate, trying to grasp what was going on.
Realizing that Malfoy expected some kind of response to his question, Snape tried to explain himself.
"Well, not all of it of course." He said, struggling to regain the cool confidence his voice usually projected. "Just the..umm..specifics of your actual punishment."
Oh, how he wished that last part hadn't sounded so lame.
"You mean leave out the parts that will get you into trouble." Malfoy's voice was deadly quiet now, giving the semblance of composure. But Snape wasn't fooled. Just like Lucius this signaled the calm before the storm.
"You drag me out into the freezing cold where you cripple me. Then you force me, blind and helpless, into the same pen as violent and dangerous beasts. Beasts, which attack and nearly kill me. And you expect me to keep QUIET ABOUT IT?!" Malfoy was yelling now. Full of indignant rage.
Snape couldn't resist a sardonic grin as he listened to Malfoy bluster and storm.
Everything was always 'Me, me, me' with the boy. He seemed to forget that he hadn't been in alone in the whole thing.
"I'm going to have your job for this." Malfoy hissed. "And just wait until I tell my father."
Now that was not unexpected. The boy was nothing if not predictable.
As Malfoy ranted on, Snape felt his patience threaten to break. The night hadn't been particularly pleasant for him either. And most of the night's mishaps had been the boys' fault. They're the ones who had started the fight in his classroom.
But he held his temper in check, remembering that the two teens indeed held his job in their hands. He hated being spoken to so by a student, but he felt he had no choice.
As Malfoy went on about the horrors he'd endured that night, Snape tried to get a word in edgewise. Finally having to resort to raising his voice.
"Mr. Malfoy! Please cease your incessant whining and let me finish!"
As Malfoy finally shut his mouth and sunk into a sullen silence Snape suddenly remembered Potter. Who, for once was NOT the one making a nuisance of himself.
In fact the boy looked quite worse for wear. They both did actually. Their clothes torn and filthy. Faces pale and scratched under the dirt. Both so exhausted that they couldn't even bring themselves to their feet.
Snape did his best to remain expressionless as another wave of guilt swept over him. He mentally pushed the maddening feeling aside.
He carefully searched for the right words. He wanted to get this right. He didn't know if he could stop himself from muting Malfoy if the boy went on another rampage.
As an afterthought he cast the same spell he had earlier so that Potter could read his words.
"I would not ask for your silence without offering something in exchange of course." He started.
That piqued Malfoy's interest while Potter still looked puzzled.
"I'd be willing to offer whatever is in my power to give in exchange for your silence." Maybe he shouldn't have sounded so desperate when he said that.
He watched as realization dawned on Potter and Malfoy considered what he was offering.
It didn't surprise him that the Slytherin was the first to speak, still looking blindly through him.
"Anything?" The boy asked. A devious grin on his face that made Snape's skin crawl.
He began to feel a bit sick; he'd been dreading this question.
How he wished he didn't need to do this. But, he begrudgingly admitted, he had had a lapse in judgment when he came up with this punishment. And that lapse could very well cost him his job. And although he didn't particularly enjoy teaching obnoxious little brats it was sadly all he had. And there was great shame in being sacked from his job like a common Muggle.
And by doing this, while it meant keeping his job (and his pride) he knew he lost whatever control he had over these two.
He would be in their debt and he couldn't think of two worse people he could be indebted to.
He knew Draco, being the regular chip off the proverbial block he was, he would milk the situation for all it was worth. Snape would spend the rest of the boy's schooldays in his pocket. And he was certain a day wouldn't pass when he wouldn't be reminded of that fact.
But Potter on the other hand, he was the wild card. Snape had no idea how he'd react. He could either take advantage of his teacher's predicament and get revenge for all the years that the potions professor had given him a hard time. Or he could show some pity and actually take responsibility for his own actions. But he found the latter highly unlikely.
He braced himself for the worst before he answered.
"Yes", he said. Pleased to hear the confidence returning to his voice. But he quickly backpedaled when he saw Malfoy's grin grow more sinister.
"But within limits!!" He quickly said, a note a panic returning.
Malfoy just raised an eyebrow. He could almost hear wheels of the boy's conniving little mind working. No doubt coming up with the most unreasonable, embarrassing request he could think of. Fully intent on revenge.
But Potter remained quiet. A silence that Snape was starting to find unnerving.
As the silence grew he was hit by a wave of apprehension and he felt his patience finally break.
"Oh just get on with it!" He snapped.
Malfoy's eyebrow just went higher, threatening to disappear beneath his brow and his expression grew more amused.
Snape had to resist the almost overpowering urge to punch the little twit in the face.
"Well Professor," Malfoy began, his tone deceptively sweet. "My silence won't come cheap. And since I don't lack in riches you may find yourself making more..personal sacrifices."
Oh what could that wretched boy have in mind? There was something about the way the boy said that that sent a shiver down the professor's spine. He could tell Malfoy was enjoying tormenting him already.
He reluctantly resigned himself to his fate, bracing himself as Malfoy continued.
The boy was practically glowing with sadistic glee, Potter all but forgotten beside him.
"So, here's what I expect from you."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~
A/N: ARRRGGGHHH!! ~wipes sweat from brow~ That was the most frustrating chapter I've written yet. Sevvie was being such a bitch! No matter what I did he kept going so out of character. Is the whole bribery thing a bit redundant? I thought it would be an interesting twist but it didn't turn out as I wanted it to. I'm too lazy to change it though, lol. I just started college so I've been pretty busy with classes and stuff. And as of right now, I have no idea what "personal sacrifice" Draco is going to ask for, lol.
Wow! There were so many amazing reviews for Chapter nine! I didn't even realize I left you on such a cliffhanger, lol. Hope this chapter didn't come out too anticlimactic.
Big Thanks to: bthatcher2002, Creamy Mimi, Liza, A Big Sign That Says FLAME ME, Kanoi, nite3, Norvegica, Avada Kedavra (wow, I'm in someone's favourites! ~is flattered~), AshFarley (awww, I got a two year nephew as well, but he isn't as polite as yours, he'd just demand "More!" lol), simmysim (so, are you going to update your draco/Sirius fic soon? Hint, hint), eMJay, Jess Scefing (every day should be Draco day, shouldn't it? Hehe. Thanks for the many reviews :o), schism, Cerberis and those reviewers who didn't leave any name.
~Big Hugs~ I can't say thanks enough! The reviews were great, they really made my day.
Warning! Slightly out-of-character Snape ahead!
(this chapter hasn't been beta read yet)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~
"But first I must ensure your.. discretion over the events of the evening." Snape said, wishing he sounded a bit surer of himself when he said that.
He had no doubt his student wouldn't react well to that statement but it had to be done. His job was at stake.
While, with some choice words and threats, he would probably be able to get Potter to agree to let him off the hook over the backfired punishment. He knew Malfoy, on the other hand, would be out for his blood and nearly impossible to turn.
And the last thing he wanted was a vengeful Malfoy after him.
As tempting as using a memory charm on the boys was he couldn't bring himself to do it. He didn't have much experience performing them (charms never had been his strongest ability) and it could too easily backfire. He could accidentally erase all the boys' memories. Then he'd be in even worse trouble.
So now he was about to resort to bribery.
Whatever these boys wanted, if it was in his power to deliver, they would get it. He just prayed they didn't ask for anything that would degrade him too much. The two of them had already given his ego quite a knock and he wasn't sure his poor injured pride could handle it.
That was the main cause of his discomfiture.
He was almost desperate to get his students to agree to this. And by the look on Malfoy's face, it was going to be as difficult as he thought.
"You want what?!" The blonde boy burst out, still sitting on the ground. Glaring off somewhere over Snape's right shoulder with his opaque eyes. A flabbergasted look on his face that Snape would have found amusing in different circumstances.
Potter, for his part, just sat there. Confused and completely oblivious to the proclamation his teacher had just made.
But the professor forgot all about Potter when Malfoy continued his tirade. Which was quickly escalating into a hissy fit.
"You expect me to keep quiet about this?!" Malfoy spat out in a voice that was rapidly increasing in volume and pitch.
Snape was glad the boy was temporarily blind. As it was surely only a matter of time until he would start throwing things. It was less likely, as the intended target, he'd get hit by whatever projectiles the sightless Malfoy chose to throw.
He could see Malfoy starting to clench his fists and his cheeks starting to flush with colour.
Pretty soon Malfoy's hissy fit would have to be upgraded into a full-blown temper tantrum.
Potter still looked confused (a look Snape recognized from his potions class). Eyes sweeping back and forth between his teacher and classmate, trying to grasp what was going on.
Realizing that Malfoy expected some kind of response to his question, Snape tried to explain himself.
"Well, not all of it of course." He said, struggling to regain the cool confidence his voice usually projected. "Just the..umm..specifics of your actual punishment."
Oh, how he wished that last part hadn't sounded so lame.
"You mean leave out the parts that will get you into trouble." Malfoy's voice was deadly quiet now, giving the semblance of composure. But Snape wasn't fooled. Just like Lucius this signaled the calm before the storm.
"You drag me out into the freezing cold where you cripple me. Then you force me, blind and helpless, into the same pen as violent and dangerous beasts. Beasts, which attack and nearly kill me. And you expect me to keep QUIET ABOUT IT?!" Malfoy was yelling now. Full of indignant rage.
Snape couldn't resist a sardonic grin as he listened to Malfoy bluster and storm.
Everything was always 'Me, me, me' with the boy. He seemed to forget that he hadn't been in alone in the whole thing.
"I'm going to have your job for this." Malfoy hissed. "And just wait until I tell my father."
Now that was not unexpected. The boy was nothing if not predictable.
As Malfoy ranted on, Snape felt his patience threaten to break. The night hadn't been particularly pleasant for him either. And most of the night's mishaps had been the boys' fault. They're the ones who had started the fight in his classroom.
But he held his temper in check, remembering that the two teens indeed held his job in their hands. He hated being spoken to so by a student, but he felt he had no choice.
As Malfoy went on about the horrors he'd endured that night, Snape tried to get a word in edgewise. Finally having to resort to raising his voice.
"Mr. Malfoy! Please cease your incessant whining and let me finish!"
As Malfoy finally shut his mouth and sunk into a sullen silence Snape suddenly remembered Potter. Who, for once was NOT the one making a nuisance of himself.
In fact the boy looked quite worse for wear. They both did actually. Their clothes torn and filthy. Faces pale and scratched under the dirt. Both so exhausted that they couldn't even bring themselves to their feet.
Snape did his best to remain expressionless as another wave of guilt swept over him. He mentally pushed the maddening feeling aside.
He carefully searched for the right words. He wanted to get this right. He didn't know if he could stop himself from muting Malfoy if the boy went on another rampage.
As an afterthought he cast the same spell he had earlier so that Potter could read his words.
"I would not ask for your silence without offering something in exchange of course." He started.
That piqued Malfoy's interest while Potter still looked puzzled.
"I'd be willing to offer whatever is in my power to give in exchange for your silence." Maybe he shouldn't have sounded so desperate when he said that.
He watched as realization dawned on Potter and Malfoy considered what he was offering.
It didn't surprise him that the Slytherin was the first to speak, still looking blindly through him.
"Anything?" The boy asked. A devious grin on his face that made Snape's skin crawl.
He began to feel a bit sick; he'd been dreading this question.
How he wished he didn't need to do this. But, he begrudgingly admitted, he had had a lapse in judgment when he came up with this punishment. And that lapse could very well cost him his job. And although he didn't particularly enjoy teaching obnoxious little brats it was sadly all he had. And there was great shame in being sacked from his job like a common Muggle.
And by doing this, while it meant keeping his job (and his pride) he knew he lost whatever control he had over these two.
He would be in their debt and he couldn't think of two worse people he could be indebted to.
He knew Draco, being the regular chip off the proverbial block he was, he would milk the situation for all it was worth. Snape would spend the rest of the boy's schooldays in his pocket. And he was certain a day wouldn't pass when he wouldn't be reminded of that fact.
But Potter on the other hand, he was the wild card. Snape had no idea how he'd react. He could either take advantage of his teacher's predicament and get revenge for all the years that the potions professor had given him a hard time. Or he could show some pity and actually take responsibility for his own actions. But he found the latter highly unlikely.
He braced himself for the worst before he answered.
"Yes", he said. Pleased to hear the confidence returning to his voice. But he quickly backpedaled when he saw Malfoy's grin grow more sinister.
"But within limits!!" He quickly said, a note a panic returning.
Malfoy just raised an eyebrow. He could almost hear wheels of the boy's conniving little mind working. No doubt coming up with the most unreasonable, embarrassing request he could think of. Fully intent on revenge.
But Potter remained quiet. A silence that Snape was starting to find unnerving.
As the silence grew he was hit by a wave of apprehension and he felt his patience finally break.
"Oh just get on with it!" He snapped.
Malfoy's eyebrow just went higher, threatening to disappear beneath his brow and his expression grew more amused.
Snape had to resist the almost overpowering urge to punch the little twit in the face.
"Well Professor," Malfoy began, his tone deceptively sweet. "My silence won't come cheap. And since I don't lack in riches you may find yourself making more..personal sacrifices."
Oh what could that wretched boy have in mind? There was something about the way the boy said that that sent a shiver down the professor's spine. He could tell Malfoy was enjoying tormenting him already.
He reluctantly resigned himself to his fate, bracing himself as Malfoy continued.
The boy was practically glowing with sadistic glee, Potter all but forgotten beside him.
"So, here's what I expect from you."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~
A/N: ARRRGGGHHH!! ~wipes sweat from brow~ That was the most frustrating chapter I've written yet. Sevvie was being such a bitch! No matter what I did he kept going so out of character. Is the whole bribery thing a bit redundant? I thought it would be an interesting twist but it didn't turn out as I wanted it to. I'm too lazy to change it though, lol. I just started college so I've been pretty busy with classes and stuff. And as of right now, I have no idea what "personal sacrifice" Draco is going to ask for, lol.
Wow! There were so many amazing reviews for Chapter nine! I didn't even realize I left you on such a cliffhanger, lol. Hope this chapter didn't come out too anticlimactic.
Big Thanks to: bthatcher2002, Creamy Mimi, Liza, A Big Sign That Says FLAME ME, Kanoi, nite3, Norvegica, Avada Kedavra (wow, I'm in someone's favourites! ~is flattered~), AshFarley (awww, I got a two year nephew as well, but he isn't as polite as yours, he'd just demand "More!" lol), simmysim (so, are you going to update your draco/Sirius fic soon? Hint, hint), eMJay, Jess Scefing (every day should be Draco day, shouldn't it? Hehe. Thanks for the many reviews :o), schism, Cerberis and those reviewers who didn't leave any name.
~Big Hugs~ I can't say thanks enough! The reviews were great, they really made my day.