Squib Guardian
a Harry Potter fan-fic
by Ozma
a sequel to "Squib Summer"
Chapter Two (of Two): Fixing a Hole
Everything in this story really belongs to J.K. Rowling
Shivering, I moved carefully across the icy floor of the corridor
towards the closed door of Snape's classroom.
"Professor!" I shouted, banging on the door. The wood was cold
against my fist. Closing my eyes, I focused on Snape's protective Wards.
There was the expected *Excutio* spell, accompanied by a *Duro* Charm.
But no hexes or curses, thank Merlin. "Let me in!"
The door opened.
"Of course, Filch. If only to save you the bother of breaking my
door down," Snape said, sardonically.
The Potions Master was pale and weary. He looked as cold as I
felt. But the aura of controlled excitement in him was palpable. And
there was a glow of fierce, joyous satisfaction in his eyes. He moved
back so I could enter.
My eyes swept anxiously around the classroom. The few remaining
student tables and chairs had been moved back against the walls. A small
empty white cauldron was in the middle of the floor, resting on a metal
stand. The Bloody Baron floated near the white cauldron. His staring
eyes held an expression both proud and triumphant.
I saw Azoth. The small black tomcat was enclosed within a heavily
Warded protective circle. Despite his wizard's obvious efforts to keep
him safe and comfortable, Azoth was agitated. His eyes glowed like
cobalt lamps and his tail bristled with anxiety as he lashed it back and
forth.
Severus had placed Azoth as far from a second Warded circle as he
possibly could. The chill of a thousand winters seemed to be emanating
from within its center. Resting on the floor inside it was a full-length
oval mirror.
The Alchemist's Door.
I moved slowly past Severus to study his handiwork. I could feel
the power radiating from the mirror. Focusing my senses on both Door and
Wards, I stepped to the very edge of the circle.
The Baron was an icy presence at my side. "Caretaker," the ghost
intoned. "Our task is complete."
"This mirror will be stable, at any temperature," Severus said
with justifiable pride. "My error lay in trying to create a Door that
was not bound to the Castle. In my first experiment the spell's
parameters were too broad. *This* Door..."
"...has been made to open within the Castle's boundaries," I
finished for him. I was filled with foreboding.
"Professor," I murmured, my throat so dry that I could barely
speak. "Surely you must realize what you've done. You've created a
portal leading into Hogwarts."
Snape's voice managed to be the coldest thing in the room, which
was quite an accomplishment. "My Door is heavily Warded, Filch."
Though I couldn't see him, I felt his angry gaze boring into my
back. It was sharp as an icy knife. And I could hear the sneer in his
tone as plain as day.
No one could say that Severus Snape didn't know how to cast
protective Wards. The spells that sustained the circle were formidable.
But the mirror was subtly draining the circle's power. Perhaps only a
Squib would have been able to detect the flow of magic and the steady
depletion of the Wards.
I turned to look at Severus. He'd succeeded where everyone since
Salazar Slytherin and Helga Hufflepuff had failed. And I had come to
take his creation away from him, in the very moment of his triumph. My
heart ached for the proud Potions Master.
"Your circle is strong," I agreed. "But it won't hold
indefinitely, and then anything will be able to get in. This Door will
become a breach in our defenses. Your mirror cannot stay where it is."
"Do you intend to confiscate my Door?" Severus snarled at me. "You
would DARE? I'm not a student who you've caught with some forbidden
trinket from your wretched List!"
No, he was certainly not a student. He was a grown wizard. And if
I could avoid provoking him, he would remember that. I bit my tongue.
The Bloody Baron came to my aid. "I had hoped it would be
otherwise," the Slytherin spectre said, grimly. "But your warning must
be heeded." The ghost fixed me with his disconcerting stare. "Do what
you must," he added. Then he vanished.
Poor Snape. He looked as if he'd been expecting the Baron to
either support him or stay neutral. His expression was livid.
The Potions Master said nothing. And the silence stretched between
us until it felt unbearable.
Severus could not feel his Wards getting thinner as the moments
passed. But I knew that time was slipping away, time that we couldn't
afford to lose. One of us had to speak. If he wouldn't, then it would
have to be me.
"Professor," I murmured. "Believe me, I understand what I'm asking
of you. I would not do this if it wasn't necessary."
The Potions Master's pale hands were clenched.
I sighed. "Moving your Door out of here is going to be difficult.
And dangerous as well. I will need your help if I am to succeed."
As I watched, Snape slowly mastered his fury.
"Very well, Filch. What would you have me do?"
No one could have called his tone gracious. But he would do what
had to be done. He always did.
"Professor Flitwick has Warded your classroom against the
Founders' Doors. I cannot summon green-and-silver to come to me here.
And I must take the Alchemist's Door through Salazar's Tapestry. We need
to bring the mirror to the tapestry somehow."
"You're going to take a Door through another Door?" Snape looked
at me sharply. "Can you do that?"
I had been told to 'put the thing away in its proper place.' And
the Tapestry could be depended on to take me to wherever that was. My
faith in the Castle was absolute. It would not to ask me to do the
impossible.
"Yes, Professor."
Severus frowned, considering. "Well, attempting to remove
Flitwick's Unreachable Charm would not be my first choice. That Charm is
one of his more intricate spells. It would be safer for me to move the
mirror out into the corridor. And my circle with it.'Safer' being a
relative term, of course." His tone was dry.
"I trust that my circle has enough strength remaining to be
moved?" he asked.
"Yes, Professor," I said, focusing on the Warded circle. "But,
please don't be too long about it."
To my dismay, I could sense the presence of something Dark and
nasty already probing at the Alchemist's Door. Apparently Azoth could
sense it too. The little tom's fur was bristling. He looked like a
small, black hedgehog.
Murmuring a sibilant spell under his breath, Severus walked around
the edges of the mirror's circle, tracing a complex pattern in the air
with his wand.
Glowing bluish-white, the circle began to stretch and elongate.
Undulating in a rather slug-like way, it flowed towards the open
classroom door. The mirror moved with it, staying within the circle.
Even if I had not sensed the power needed to move both Door and
circle together, I would have seen the toll that working the spell was
taking on Severus. Despite the frigid temperatures in the room, the
Potions Master's thin face was shiny with sweat.
Hurrying ahead of the slowly moving mirror, I went to the
classroom door. Green-and-silver still waited for me in the corridor.
"Let me float the mirror over to you, Filch. Do not reach for it,
no matter what happens," Snape said, tightly. It appeared that he was
becoming aware of the danger as well.
Did he take me for a Gryffindor or a Slytherin? Biting back an
indignant reply, I simply nodded.
The Alchemist's Door had nearly reached the corridor when our luck
ran out. The surface of the mirror tossed and rippled like the lake in a
windstorm. Then a ghastly creature burst through the mirror into the
weakened circle.
It was a monster that not even Hagrid could have loved, an
abomination. It vaguely resembled a headless bear. Except for the fact
that it had too many arms and a gaping, sharp-toothed vertical mouth
bisecting its belly.
I would have screamed but Azoth did it for me. The little cat's
heart-rending yowl was followed by a slavering roar from the bear-
creature.
"Oh, Bloody HELL," Severus snarled, glowering at the beast.
Before I could stop him, Snape proved once again that Slytherins
are just as reckless as Gryffindors. Growling a harsh shielding spell,
Severus darted into the fading circle.
"*Petrificus Totalis*!" he snarled, aiming his wand at the thing,
even as he ducked under its slashing claws.
His spells slowed the creature down quite a bit, but did not stop
it. I saw blood drawn as the creature's claws raked across the Potions
Master's back.
Teeth gritted in pain, Severus stayed between the monster and me.
He floated the Alchemist's Door out of the circle. "Take the mirror and
RUN!" he snapped. "This creature is nothing I can't handle on my own.
Don't just stand there, you fool! GO!"
My arms wrapped tightly around the icy Alchemist's Door, I obeyed
Severus. I was sick with fear for him, but I had my own job to do.
The mingled sounds of the beast's muffled roars and Severus's
snarled spells followed me as I stumbled out of the Potions classroom.
My slippered feet skidded on the frozen corridor floor as I stepped into
green-and-silver.
"Take me to wherever this wretched thing needs to be!" I gasped.
"Please!"
Holding the mirror, I vanished into the Tapestry.
********
When the Alchemist's Door passed through the Tapestry, the
mingling of their power rang through my bones and made my hair stand on
end. Though my journey lasted no more than a heartbeat, it somehow felt
endless. I could feel a deep bass chord throbbing all around me, echoing
away into an unimaginable void.
Breathing hard as I emerged from the Tapestry, I half-expected to
find myself in the gloom of Salazar's vast Chamber of Secrets. But
Salazar's Door had brought me to another place entirely. An old place.
As ancient as Rowena's Library, Helga's Workroom and Godric's Keep.
"Slytherins have more Secrets than anyone," Severus had told me,
once. Now I understood what he must have meant.
Salazar Slytherin's other secret chamber was a small study. Simple
and austere, rather like a monk's cell. Directly in front of me was a
low couch. There were bookshelves on either side of it, forlorn and
empty now.
After the terrible cold of the Potions classroom, the Study felt
pleasantly warm. The sunlight filling the room had a greenish tinge to
it, as though the light shone through a verdant skylight somewhere
above. Anxiously, I looked around, searching for the place that the
Alchemist's Door belonged.
There was a tapestry on the wall opposite me. It was a jungle
scene woven in deep, rich colors.
At first I saw only trees, vines and creepers. Then I noticed the
snakes. Every type imaginable, all different sizes. Some were plain,
others gleamed like jewels. They twined together sinuously, weaving in
and out of sight in a hypnotic swaying dance. Their eyes were bright
with wisdom and mischief.
The Lady had not neglected Salazar Slytherin when she'd woven her
decorations for the other Founders' secret rooms. But I knew that this
was no mere adornment.
And somehow, I knew what I had to do. Taking a deep breath, I
stepped through the Serpent Tapestry. The mirror reacted to this passage
with a clear, ringing sound. The sweet purity of it made my heart ache.
For a moment the place that I found myself in seemed no bigger
than a broom cupboard. Then I felt the walls rushing away from me as the
area within them seemed to expand.
Breathing hard, I kept my grip on the mirror. This was the place
that Salazar Slytherin and Helga Hufflepuff had made to safely hold the
Alchemist's Door. A secret place filled with great and terrible power.
Ahead of me in the gloom I could see a plain wooden stand that
appeared to have been made to hold the mirror. I couldn't tell if the
stand was only a few steps away or much further off than that. But I had
to reach it.
My attention fixed firmly on my goal, I stepped forward. Then, to
my horror, I felt the mirror begin quiver and vibrate. Oh, no. Another
creature was coming through...
The monster that emerged was the size of a bull-walrus, and
segmented like a Skrewt. It had a multitude of legs, undulating beneath
it like a fringed curtain.
The thing turned to strike, rearing above me. Three long beak-like
protrusions extended from its head. These opened as the beast raised its
head towards the sky. It emitted an earsplitting roar.
I cowered down, holding the mirror above me like a shield.
But the creature didn't attack. Its attention seemed fixed on
something above us. I heard the roar became a shrill, wailing scream.
Shrieking in fear, the monster dove straight down at me. But I
wasn't its target. It went through the mirror, back to wherever it had
come from.
What had terrified the beast? With a sinking feeling in the pit of
my stomach, I looked up, peeking nervously around the Alchemist's Door.
The space above me was limitless. Stars wheeled overhead. And
something vast moved towards me, blotting the stars out as It came.
A swaying, sinuous shape... a monstrous Serpent. Blacker than
night, a creature out of nightmare and myth. Maybe huge enough to curl
itself around the Earth and grasp its own tail in its mouth.
It was still unimaginably far away, but coming closer. The jeweled
eyes glowed, huge and pale as great silvery moons.
My heart nearly stopped beating. Weak with terror, I wrenched my
eyes downwards. Then I shut them tightly.
Blessed Merlin! Please don't let that thing eat me. I promise I'll
be kind to Myrtle. I'll fetch her every pink and purple tile her ghostly
heart desires...
Hugging the mirror, I grovelled on the ground.
I thought of Hagrid, channeling the Castle's power for an entire
night. He'd been given a task that only he could do and he'd kept right
on going. Could I do any less?
I opened my eyes though I stubbornly refused to look up again.
Whether It chose to eat me or ignore me, the Serpent would do as It
willed. There was nothing I could do except try to go about my business.
Tottering to my feet, I staggered forward with the mirror. The
mirror stand was much closer now, almost within reach.
A reverberating, thunderous hiss like the grating sound of whole
mountains falling down filled the air. I imagined the vast Serpent so
far above me, its maw gaping as wide as the sky.
Merlin, protect me. Let me do what I've come here to do.
Whimpering, I longed to cover my ears. But it would have meant
letting go of the mirror.
At last I reached the stand. My hands shook as I settled the
Alchemist's Door onto it. There. The job was done.
I longed to run back to the Serpent Tapestry. But I didn't have
the strength. Anyhow, I suspected that running wouldn't be the wisest
thing for me to do.
Trembling from head to foot, I moved at a walk. Though I did not
look up, I felt the dreadful, pressing weight of the Serpent's gaze on
me.
Just as I reached the Serpent Tapestry, the Creature hissed at me
again. The sound turned my legs to jelly and my blood to water. But then
I was safe, back in Salazar's Study.
The couch looked so inviting. I wanted to curl up and sleep for
days. But I had to find out what had happened to Severus. I stumbled
towards green-and-silver.
********
The Potions Classroom was warmer than it had been. The bear-
creature was gone. Severus had got rid of it though he'd destroyed the
remainder of the student desks in the process. The room was a total
shambles.
Severus was sitting cross-legged on the floor, slumped against the
wall. Azoth, released from his protective circle now that the danger was
passed, was curled in his wizard's lap. The little cat purred softly as
Severus stroked him.
Silently, I stumbled over to sit on the floor near them. I rested
my head on my drawn-up knees. It was a while before Snape broke the
silence.
"Are you all right, Filch?"
"I'm not hurt, Professor. How are you?" My voice was muffled.
"I've been better."
When Severus spoke again, his voice was harsh. "If you're going to
tell me that I shouldn't have made the accursed thing, you needn't
bother. You were right all along. I should have listened to you."
Hmmph. I would have got around to saying 'I told you so'
eventually. But the guilt and self-loathing in poor Severus's voice had
killed any satisfaction that I might have got out of it.
"At first I only meant to read Slytherin's notes," he said,
miserably. "Purely as an intellectual exercise, since the Alchemist's
Door has been a legend for centuries. But then the work seemed so...
possible."
He sighed. "Once I began, I had to persevere. Every difficulty,
every setback only made me more determined to succeed."
Despite the situation, I smiled. He hadn't changed in all the
years I'd known him. Too inquisitive, determined and stubborn for his
own good... that was Severus. I put my hand on his shoulder.
"It's Salazar's Slytherin's fault as much as yours," I said,
gruffly. "Now at least we know why he wanted his Door hidden away."
*******
At my insistence, we went up to the hospital wing. I wanted to
clean and bandage his wounds.
Azoth stayed near Severus as the young wizard removed his torn
robes and the shirt beneath. The gashes on his back were nasty-looking,
but at least they weren't too deep.
Snape did not go into detail concerning his defeat of the bear-
creature. The battle had been swift and to the point, he told me,
grimly. All that mattered was that the Alchemist's Door had been put
away somewhere safe and well guarded.
"I can venture a guess as to where you must have taken it. There
were references to another Chamber in Salazar's letters," he murmured.
"And a Chamber within a Chamber."
He paused, but I said nothing.
"A guardian was mentioned briefly, but there were no details given
as to its nature. Did you see it? What was it, Filch? A serpent of some
sort, I'd imagine. Another Basilisk?"
My hands shook. The bandages seemed to knot themselves around my
fingers. I realized that I was trembling all over.
One of Snape's dark eyebrows rose as he twisted to look at me.
"That bad? *Worse* than a Basilisk?"
Closing my eyes tightly, I nodded.
A guardian, was it? Doubtless I had been permitted to enter the
inner Chamber only because the Serpent had recognized me as a fellow-
guardian. Would It have spared me otherwise? I hadn't been able to
answer when It spoke. Only a Parselmouth could possibly...
I felt sick.
"No one could pass that terrible creature on any business save the
Castle's... except a Parselmouth," I choked. "Do you realize what that
means? The Alchemist's Door is barred to all, except The Dark Lord
himself! Oh, Sweet Merlin in a cloven pine, we're doomed."
"Pull yourself together, Filch," Snape said, sharply. His eyes
glittered. "The Dark Lord isn't the only Parselmouth in the wizarding
world, is he?"
"Wh-what?" I wheezed.
Snape's tone was bitter as bile. "Don't be stupid. You know
perfectly well who I'm talking about."
My mouth fell open.
"Don't *look* at me like that," he said. "Potter can talk to the
guardian, can't he? He can tell the thing to stop any other Parselmouth
from getting through."
"No! We can't send him in there. That thing is much too
dangerous!"
"Since when has that ever discouraged Potter?" Severus demanded.
"And what do you suggest we do instead? Parselmouths are rather thin on
the ground."
"I can't bring the boy to the Alchemist's Door," I said, stiffly.
"The path I used is closed to him."
Harry could certainly talk his way through the Serpent Tapestry,
but only green-and-silver could reach the Study. I would not take a
Gryffindor through Salazar's tapestry.
"I expected as much," Snape said, grimly. "But Potter and I should
be able to find an alternate route to this guardian. Don't shake your
head at me, Argus. Of course I intend to accompany Potter! Did you
really think I'd allow the boy to go on his own?"
"Professor, if you had seen that Creature you'd never...!" My
voice trailed off. Describing the vast Serpent to Severus would probably
only serve to encourage him. Where rushing into danger was concerned, he
was every bit as bad as Potter.
"We can't ask Harry," I protested instead. "He has too many
burdens on him as it is. He mustn't find out anything about the
Alchemist's Door, the other Chambers and the Guardian!"
Snape's eyes glittered. "What a splendid suggestion, Filch," he
said, sarcastically. "We'll attempt to conceal everything from the boy
and his little friends."
He scowled. "You know as well as I do that if Potter, Weasley and
Granger remain true to form, they'll have found the inner Chamber by
Christmas."
Severus glowered at me. "Potter eludes those who try to protect
him as handily as he eludes his enemies. We might as well use that to
our advantage, for once."
Numbly, I sat on the bed next to his. Azoth settled onto my lap. I
stroked the little tom, too upset to speak.
"With Potter's assistance, we may even be able to use the
Alchemist's Door to trap the Dark Lord," Snape murmured. "Ensnare a
Parselmouth with a Parselmouth."
He closed his eyes, wearily. "I'd do it all on my own, if only I
could. Believe me, I don't like the idea of using the boy any better
than you do."
I believed him. He looked completely wretched.
"At least if Potter accompanies me I can protect him, foolhardy
brat that he is," Snape said. He massaged his temples.
"He's not a brat, Professor." The words were out before I could
stop them. "He has a good heart."
Snape looked as if he didn't know whether to laugh or sneer.
"Joined Potter's fan-club, have you?"
"You know me better than that," I said, crossly. "It's not because
he's famous. I can't help but feel for him. He's too inquisitive for his
own good. Not to mention stubborn. Trouble seems to follow him, no
matter what he does. But he always tries to do the right thing.
"Puts me in mind of another student I knew, and cared about." I
gave him a pointed stare.
Severus glowered at me. 'You can't possibly mean what I think you
mean,' his expression said plainly. After a moment, he looked away.
"We needn't rush off to fetch the boy to Hogwarts just yet," he
said, changing the subject. "Voldemort knows nothing about the remaking
of the Alchemist's Door. I never spoke about it to anyone, except for
Minerva and you. That should buy us some time."
********
To think that I had begged Dumbledore to bring Harry back to
Hogwarts for the summer.
How glad I was now that I'd failed! Let the boy enjoy his time
with Sirius and Minerva. Let him look forward to a visit with Ron
Weasley's family in a few weeks. I hoped that Harry Potter would not
come anywhere near Hogwarts until the start of the September term.
End of Chapter Two
Epilogue coming soon....
Author's Notes:
Jelsemium: Thanks!! Yes, the Thing in the Forest wasn't expecting any
opposition. Hagrid wasn't even supposed to be there.
Neville's a sweet kid. He keeps his promises. Ginny's going to write to
Filch too.
I love the idea of Myrtle going to classes! If Binns can teach, she can
learn! I also love the idea of Sirius getting enlisted in the renovating
effort.
Yep, poor Filch does a lot of running around in his nightshirt.
(Sometimes he thinks he should just sleep in his clothes, poor old
grump.)
minnowgirl: Thanks!! I enjoy stories where the characters learn from
their mistakes. Filch knew that Sirius was right, and he was determined
to be fair to Fluffy next time.
Jodel: Thanks!! Yes, Salazar has another Chamber (or actually, a
Chamber-within-another-Chamber) and a different serpent guardian. Filch
was fortunate that he didn't have to try to talk his way past the
Serpent. It is quite intelligent, and recognized the nature of his
errand.
I love the idea of Dudley researching magic on the internet. The notion
of Harry using the computer as a potential research tool intrigues me...
surely there are Muggle-born witches and wizards who use computers.
Maybe Dudley can show him things when Vernon and Petunia aren't around.
Myrtle's bathroom should look quite nice when it's all finished. She's
trying to find shades that go together, and frustrated that Filch
doesn't share her artistic 'vision.'
Quoth the Raven: Thanks! Yes, Severus had to try again. He's just like a
curious kitten when it comes to finding trouble. Your take on Dudley is
great! "He's not sure how, and he doesn't know from what" but, yes, he's
going to protect his cousin from all the freaky things that seem to be
out to get him. If Vernon or Petunia notice Dudley's research he'll tell
them that he's "looking something up for a game."
Azoth is not humbled by the fact that he is a very small cat in a very
large world. He does his best to protect his wizard. (In his spare
moments he's slowly claiming the world, one object at a time.)
Only someone with Hagrid's stamina could have survived being the
Castle's focus for that long. The way I see it, both Hagrid and Filch
are uniquely suited for their positions as Groundskeeper and Caretaker.
Zahri Seb Melitor: Thanks!! Myrtle thinks her choice of colors look
quite nice together. Eventually she's going to ask for rose-pink hand
towels to match the floor, sinks and ceiling. And little pink and purple
fancy soaps! The replacment for the sink with the Serpent tap will also
have a Serpent tap, in rose-pink. (Or maybe lilac or plum. Myrtle keeps
chaging her mind.)
Christy: Thanks!!
Bob: Thanks!! Filch is rather in awe of the Sorting Hat. He would only
use it with Dumbledore's permission, but it certainly could be a
painless way to communicate with the Castle.
Poor Severus. He's successfully created something that hasn't existed
for a thousand years, and now he feels really guilty about it. His luck
is running true to form.
The Castle was using Filch's subconscious to communicate with him. The
emotion behind the "wake up, there's work to be done" message translated
itself into Pringle in Filch's mind.
(Pringle was a caretaker, not a Caretaker. Dippet was a headmaster, not
a Headmaster. But Ogg was a Groundskeeper. Unless things are especialy
'interesting' in the wizarding world, the Castle usually only Notices
one person at a time. It's rare to have a Headmaster, Groundskeeper and
Caretaker all at once. And it's not a good sign. It means troubled times
ahead.)
snapefan51: Thanks!! Filch isn't enjoying the redecorating much, but
he's got even bigger problems too! Poor Snape always has to learn things
the hard way.
Aeryn Alexander: Thanks!! I loved the idea of Dudley doing magical
research on the internet.
Falco: Thanks!! I'm hoping that Rowling herself will show more sides to
Dudley. Even if she doesn't, I feel a lot of sympathy for him.
Barbara: Thanks!! It makes me feel really good to know that you kept
checking for new stories! This story is short, but I hope to begin
another one soon.
I'd guess that Moody has some prior arrangements in place for the
printing of top-secret, sensitive documents.
The Amazing Maurice: Thanks!! I'm so glad to be back. When I can't write
anything I feel like something's missing from my life.
Emma: Thanks!! All these kind welcomes make me feel very warm and fuzzy!
Alchemine: Thanks!! I think that Hagrid and Filch have a long-term
friendship, though neither would admit to it. Dudley was being pretty
brave, wasn't he? Considering how badly he's come off in just about
every encounter he's had with magic. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that
Rowling will show more sides to him. I loved your obervation about
Myrtle!
Andrea13: Thanks!! Yes, Severus loves to play with trouble. When it
comes to curiosity, he's rather cat-like.
Jumperlass: Thanks!! You are exactly right about Snape's motivations. He
couldn't resist a challenge. Filch's new attitude towards Harry
irritates Snape. (He hopes it's just a stage that Filch is going
through.)
Bridgie: Thanks!! I've got a soft spot for Dudley. Writing Hagrid's
dialogue is challenge, but I like the big guy so much that I've got to
try. I'm glad to know that I get him to sound right.
Alla: Thanks!!
Tina: Thanks!! You've been keeping track? That makes me feel so good!
Gksharer: Thanks!!
Enfleurage: Thanks!! Filch and Snape are so much fun to write together.
MK: Thanks!!
Gramarye: Thanks!! Myrtle is of the opinion that her bathroom will look
lovely when it's all finished.
Darklady: Thanks!! Giants are often referred to as being older than
humans, so pureblooded wizards have nothing on Hagrid when it comes to
ancient lineage. Is Hagrid considered 'pureblooded?' Considering what
most of the wizarding world seems to think of giants, I'd have to guess
no. I like the idea of Hagrid being the object of student crushes. He's
a sweetie.
Snape will confess his responsibility for the creation of the
Alchemist's Door. The poor man is beating himself up over it. Accepting
help from none other than Harry Potter is part of his self-imposed
penance.
Toby Kincaid: Thanks!! I hope that you enjoyed the story... sorry, no
Moody, though he was mentioned.
a Harry Potter fan-fic
by Ozma
a sequel to "Squib Summer"
Chapter Two (of Two): Fixing a Hole
Everything in this story really belongs to J.K. Rowling
Shivering, I moved carefully across the icy floor of the corridor
towards the closed door of Snape's classroom.
"Professor!" I shouted, banging on the door. The wood was cold
against my fist. Closing my eyes, I focused on Snape's protective Wards.
There was the expected *Excutio* spell, accompanied by a *Duro* Charm.
But no hexes or curses, thank Merlin. "Let me in!"
The door opened.
"Of course, Filch. If only to save you the bother of breaking my
door down," Snape said, sardonically.
The Potions Master was pale and weary. He looked as cold as I
felt. But the aura of controlled excitement in him was palpable. And
there was a glow of fierce, joyous satisfaction in his eyes. He moved
back so I could enter.
My eyes swept anxiously around the classroom. The few remaining
student tables and chairs had been moved back against the walls. A small
empty white cauldron was in the middle of the floor, resting on a metal
stand. The Bloody Baron floated near the white cauldron. His staring
eyes held an expression both proud and triumphant.
I saw Azoth. The small black tomcat was enclosed within a heavily
Warded protective circle. Despite his wizard's obvious efforts to keep
him safe and comfortable, Azoth was agitated. His eyes glowed like
cobalt lamps and his tail bristled with anxiety as he lashed it back and
forth.
Severus had placed Azoth as far from a second Warded circle as he
possibly could. The chill of a thousand winters seemed to be emanating
from within its center. Resting on the floor inside it was a full-length
oval mirror.
The Alchemist's Door.
I moved slowly past Severus to study his handiwork. I could feel
the power radiating from the mirror. Focusing my senses on both Door and
Wards, I stepped to the very edge of the circle.
The Baron was an icy presence at my side. "Caretaker," the ghost
intoned. "Our task is complete."
"This mirror will be stable, at any temperature," Severus said
with justifiable pride. "My error lay in trying to create a Door that
was not bound to the Castle. In my first experiment the spell's
parameters were too broad. *This* Door..."
"...has been made to open within the Castle's boundaries," I
finished for him. I was filled with foreboding.
"Professor," I murmured, my throat so dry that I could barely
speak. "Surely you must realize what you've done. You've created a
portal leading into Hogwarts."
Snape's voice managed to be the coldest thing in the room, which
was quite an accomplishment. "My Door is heavily Warded, Filch."
Though I couldn't see him, I felt his angry gaze boring into my
back. It was sharp as an icy knife. And I could hear the sneer in his
tone as plain as day.
No one could say that Severus Snape didn't know how to cast
protective Wards. The spells that sustained the circle were formidable.
But the mirror was subtly draining the circle's power. Perhaps only a
Squib would have been able to detect the flow of magic and the steady
depletion of the Wards.
I turned to look at Severus. He'd succeeded where everyone since
Salazar Slytherin and Helga Hufflepuff had failed. And I had come to
take his creation away from him, in the very moment of his triumph. My
heart ached for the proud Potions Master.
"Your circle is strong," I agreed. "But it won't hold
indefinitely, and then anything will be able to get in. This Door will
become a breach in our defenses. Your mirror cannot stay where it is."
"Do you intend to confiscate my Door?" Severus snarled at me. "You
would DARE? I'm not a student who you've caught with some forbidden
trinket from your wretched List!"
No, he was certainly not a student. He was a grown wizard. And if
I could avoid provoking him, he would remember that. I bit my tongue.
The Bloody Baron came to my aid. "I had hoped it would be
otherwise," the Slytherin spectre said, grimly. "But your warning must
be heeded." The ghost fixed me with his disconcerting stare. "Do what
you must," he added. Then he vanished.
Poor Snape. He looked as if he'd been expecting the Baron to
either support him or stay neutral. His expression was livid.
The Potions Master said nothing. And the silence stretched between
us until it felt unbearable.
Severus could not feel his Wards getting thinner as the moments
passed. But I knew that time was slipping away, time that we couldn't
afford to lose. One of us had to speak. If he wouldn't, then it would
have to be me.
"Professor," I murmured. "Believe me, I understand what I'm asking
of you. I would not do this if it wasn't necessary."
The Potions Master's pale hands were clenched.
I sighed. "Moving your Door out of here is going to be difficult.
And dangerous as well. I will need your help if I am to succeed."
As I watched, Snape slowly mastered his fury.
"Very well, Filch. What would you have me do?"
No one could have called his tone gracious. But he would do what
had to be done. He always did.
"Professor Flitwick has Warded your classroom against the
Founders' Doors. I cannot summon green-and-silver to come to me here.
And I must take the Alchemist's Door through Salazar's Tapestry. We need
to bring the mirror to the tapestry somehow."
"You're going to take a Door through another Door?" Snape looked
at me sharply. "Can you do that?"
I had been told to 'put the thing away in its proper place.' And
the Tapestry could be depended on to take me to wherever that was. My
faith in the Castle was absolute. It would not to ask me to do the
impossible.
"Yes, Professor."
Severus frowned, considering. "Well, attempting to remove
Flitwick's Unreachable Charm would not be my first choice. That Charm is
one of his more intricate spells. It would be safer for me to move the
mirror out into the corridor. And my circle with it.'Safer' being a
relative term, of course." His tone was dry.
"I trust that my circle has enough strength remaining to be
moved?" he asked.
"Yes, Professor," I said, focusing on the Warded circle. "But,
please don't be too long about it."
To my dismay, I could sense the presence of something Dark and
nasty already probing at the Alchemist's Door. Apparently Azoth could
sense it too. The little tom's fur was bristling. He looked like a
small, black hedgehog.
Murmuring a sibilant spell under his breath, Severus walked around
the edges of the mirror's circle, tracing a complex pattern in the air
with his wand.
Glowing bluish-white, the circle began to stretch and elongate.
Undulating in a rather slug-like way, it flowed towards the open
classroom door. The mirror moved with it, staying within the circle.
Even if I had not sensed the power needed to move both Door and
circle together, I would have seen the toll that working the spell was
taking on Severus. Despite the frigid temperatures in the room, the
Potions Master's thin face was shiny with sweat.
Hurrying ahead of the slowly moving mirror, I went to the
classroom door. Green-and-silver still waited for me in the corridor.
"Let me float the mirror over to you, Filch. Do not reach for it,
no matter what happens," Snape said, tightly. It appeared that he was
becoming aware of the danger as well.
Did he take me for a Gryffindor or a Slytherin? Biting back an
indignant reply, I simply nodded.
The Alchemist's Door had nearly reached the corridor when our luck
ran out. The surface of the mirror tossed and rippled like the lake in a
windstorm. Then a ghastly creature burst through the mirror into the
weakened circle.
It was a monster that not even Hagrid could have loved, an
abomination. It vaguely resembled a headless bear. Except for the fact
that it had too many arms and a gaping, sharp-toothed vertical mouth
bisecting its belly.
I would have screamed but Azoth did it for me. The little cat's
heart-rending yowl was followed by a slavering roar from the bear-
creature.
"Oh, Bloody HELL," Severus snarled, glowering at the beast.
Before I could stop him, Snape proved once again that Slytherins
are just as reckless as Gryffindors. Growling a harsh shielding spell,
Severus darted into the fading circle.
"*Petrificus Totalis*!" he snarled, aiming his wand at the thing,
even as he ducked under its slashing claws.
His spells slowed the creature down quite a bit, but did not stop
it. I saw blood drawn as the creature's claws raked across the Potions
Master's back.
Teeth gritted in pain, Severus stayed between the monster and me.
He floated the Alchemist's Door out of the circle. "Take the mirror and
RUN!" he snapped. "This creature is nothing I can't handle on my own.
Don't just stand there, you fool! GO!"
My arms wrapped tightly around the icy Alchemist's Door, I obeyed
Severus. I was sick with fear for him, but I had my own job to do.
The mingled sounds of the beast's muffled roars and Severus's
snarled spells followed me as I stumbled out of the Potions classroom.
My slippered feet skidded on the frozen corridor floor as I stepped into
green-and-silver.
"Take me to wherever this wretched thing needs to be!" I gasped.
"Please!"
Holding the mirror, I vanished into the Tapestry.
********
When the Alchemist's Door passed through the Tapestry, the
mingling of their power rang through my bones and made my hair stand on
end. Though my journey lasted no more than a heartbeat, it somehow felt
endless. I could feel a deep bass chord throbbing all around me, echoing
away into an unimaginable void.
Breathing hard as I emerged from the Tapestry, I half-expected to
find myself in the gloom of Salazar's vast Chamber of Secrets. But
Salazar's Door had brought me to another place entirely. An old place.
As ancient as Rowena's Library, Helga's Workroom and Godric's Keep.
"Slytherins have more Secrets than anyone," Severus had told me,
once. Now I understood what he must have meant.
Salazar Slytherin's other secret chamber was a small study. Simple
and austere, rather like a monk's cell. Directly in front of me was a
low couch. There were bookshelves on either side of it, forlorn and
empty now.
After the terrible cold of the Potions classroom, the Study felt
pleasantly warm. The sunlight filling the room had a greenish tinge to
it, as though the light shone through a verdant skylight somewhere
above. Anxiously, I looked around, searching for the place that the
Alchemist's Door belonged.
There was a tapestry on the wall opposite me. It was a jungle
scene woven in deep, rich colors.
At first I saw only trees, vines and creepers. Then I noticed the
snakes. Every type imaginable, all different sizes. Some were plain,
others gleamed like jewels. They twined together sinuously, weaving in
and out of sight in a hypnotic swaying dance. Their eyes were bright
with wisdom and mischief.
The Lady had not neglected Salazar Slytherin when she'd woven her
decorations for the other Founders' secret rooms. But I knew that this
was no mere adornment.
And somehow, I knew what I had to do. Taking a deep breath, I
stepped through the Serpent Tapestry. The mirror reacted to this passage
with a clear, ringing sound. The sweet purity of it made my heart ache.
For a moment the place that I found myself in seemed no bigger
than a broom cupboard. Then I felt the walls rushing away from me as the
area within them seemed to expand.
Breathing hard, I kept my grip on the mirror. This was the place
that Salazar Slytherin and Helga Hufflepuff had made to safely hold the
Alchemist's Door. A secret place filled with great and terrible power.
Ahead of me in the gloom I could see a plain wooden stand that
appeared to have been made to hold the mirror. I couldn't tell if the
stand was only a few steps away or much further off than that. But I had
to reach it.
My attention fixed firmly on my goal, I stepped forward. Then, to
my horror, I felt the mirror begin quiver and vibrate. Oh, no. Another
creature was coming through...
The monster that emerged was the size of a bull-walrus, and
segmented like a Skrewt. It had a multitude of legs, undulating beneath
it like a fringed curtain.
The thing turned to strike, rearing above me. Three long beak-like
protrusions extended from its head. These opened as the beast raised its
head towards the sky. It emitted an earsplitting roar.
I cowered down, holding the mirror above me like a shield.
But the creature didn't attack. Its attention seemed fixed on
something above us. I heard the roar became a shrill, wailing scream.
Shrieking in fear, the monster dove straight down at me. But I
wasn't its target. It went through the mirror, back to wherever it had
come from.
What had terrified the beast? With a sinking feeling in the pit of
my stomach, I looked up, peeking nervously around the Alchemist's Door.
The space above me was limitless. Stars wheeled overhead. And
something vast moved towards me, blotting the stars out as It came.
A swaying, sinuous shape... a monstrous Serpent. Blacker than
night, a creature out of nightmare and myth. Maybe huge enough to curl
itself around the Earth and grasp its own tail in its mouth.
It was still unimaginably far away, but coming closer. The jeweled
eyes glowed, huge and pale as great silvery moons.
My heart nearly stopped beating. Weak with terror, I wrenched my
eyes downwards. Then I shut them tightly.
Blessed Merlin! Please don't let that thing eat me. I promise I'll
be kind to Myrtle. I'll fetch her every pink and purple tile her ghostly
heart desires...
Hugging the mirror, I grovelled on the ground.
I thought of Hagrid, channeling the Castle's power for an entire
night. He'd been given a task that only he could do and he'd kept right
on going. Could I do any less?
I opened my eyes though I stubbornly refused to look up again.
Whether It chose to eat me or ignore me, the Serpent would do as It
willed. There was nothing I could do except try to go about my business.
Tottering to my feet, I staggered forward with the mirror. The
mirror stand was much closer now, almost within reach.
A reverberating, thunderous hiss like the grating sound of whole
mountains falling down filled the air. I imagined the vast Serpent so
far above me, its maw gaping as wide as the sky.
Merlin, protect me. Let me do what I've come here to do.
Whimpering, I longed to cover my ears. But it would have meant
letting go of the mirror.
At last I reached the stand. My hands shook as I settled the
Alchemist's Door onto it. There. The job was done.
I longed to run back to the Serpent Tapestry. But I didn't have
the strength. Anyhow, I suspected that running wouldn't be the wisest
thing for me to do.
Trembling from head to foot, I moved at a walk. Though I did not
look up, I felt the dreadful, pressing weight of the Serpent's gaze on
me.
Just as I reached the Serpent Tapestry, the Creature hissed at me
again. The sound turned my legs to jelly and my blood to water. But then
I was safe, back in Salazar's Study.
The couch looked so inviting. I wanted to curl up and sleep for
days. But I had to find out what had happened to Severus. I stumbled
towards green-and-silver.
********
The Potions Classroom was warmer than it had been. The bear-
creature was gone. Severus had got rid of it though he'd destroyed the
remainder of the student desks in the process. The room was a total
shambles.
Severus was sitting cross-legged on the floor, slumped against the
wall. Azoth, released from his protective circle now that the danger was
passed, was curled in his wizard's lap. The little cat purred softly as
Severus stroked him.
Silently, I stumbled over to sit on the floor near them. I rested
my head on my drawn-up knees. It was a while before Snape broke the
silence.
"Are you all right, Filch?"
"I'm not hurt, Professor. How are you?" My voice was muffled.
"I've been better."
When Severus spoke again, his voice was harsh. "If you're going to
tell me that I shouldn't have made the accursed thing, you needn't
bother. You were right all along. I should have listened to you."
Hmmph. I would have got around to saying 'I told you so'
eventually. But the guilt and self-loathing in poor Severus's voice had
killed any satisfaction that I might have got out of it.
"At first I only meant to read Slytherin's notes," he said,
miserably. "Purely as an intellectual exercise, since the Alchemist's
Door has been a legend for centuries. But then the work seemed so...
possible."
He sighed. "Once I began, I had to persevere. Every difficulty,
every setback only made me more determined to succeed."
Despite the situation, I smiled. He hadn't changed in all the
years I'd known him. Too inquisitive, determined and stubborn for his
own good... that was Severus. I put my hand on his shoulder.
"It's Salazar's Slytherin's fault as much as yours," I said,
gruffly. "Now at least we know why he wanted his Door hidden away."
*******
At my insistence, we went up to the hospital wing. I wanted to
clean and bandage his wounds.
Azoth stayed near Severus as the young wizard removed his torn
robes and the shirt beneath. The gashes on his back were nasty-looking,
but at least they weren't too deep.
Snape did not go into detail concerning his defeat of the bear-
creature. The battle had been swift and to the point, he told me,
grimly. All that mattered was that the Alchemist's Door had been put
away somewhere safe and well guarded.
"I can venture a guess as to where you must have taken it. There
were references to another Chamber in Salazar's letters," he murmured.
"And a Chamber within a Chamber."
He paused, but I said nothing.
"A guardian was mentioned briefly, but there were no details given
as to its nature. Did you see it? What was it, Filch? A serpent of some
sort, I'd imagine. Another Basilisk?"
My hands shook. The bandages seemed to knot themselves around my
fingers. I realized that I was trembling all over.
One of Snape's dark eyebrows rose as he twisted to look at me.
"That bad? *Worse* than a Basilisk?"
Closing my eyes tightly, I nodded.
A guardian, was it? Doubtless I had been permitted to enter the
inner Chamber only because the Serpent had recognized me as a fellow-
guardian. Would It have spared me otherwise? I hadn't been able to
answer when It spoke. Only a Parselmouth could possibly...
I felt sick.
"No one could pass that terrible creature on any business save the
Castle's... except a Parselmouth," I choked. "Do you realize what that
means? The Alchemist's Door is barred to all, except The Dark Lord
himself! Oh, Sweet Merlin in a cloven pine, we're doomed."
"Pull yourself together, Filch," Snape said, sharply. His eyes
glittered. "The Dark Lord isn't the only Parselmouth in the wizarding
world, is he?"
"Wh-what?" I wheezed.
Snape's tone was bitter as bile. "Don't be stupid. You know
perfectly well who I'm talking about."
My mouth fell open.
"Don't *look* at me like that," he said. "Potter can talk to the
guardian, can't he? He can tell the thing to stop any other Parselmouth
from getting through."
"No! We can't send him in there. That thing is much too
dangerous!"
"Since when has that ever discouraged Potter?" Severus demanded.
"And what do you suggest we do instead? Parselmouths are rather thin on
the ground."
"I can't bring the boy to the Alchemist's Door," I said, stiffly.
"The path I used is closed to him."
Harry could certainly talk his way through the Serpent Tapestry,
but only green-and-silver could reach the Study. I would not take a
Gryffindor through Salazar's tapestry.
"I expected as much," Snape said, grimly. "But Potter and I should
be able to find an alternate route to this guardian. Don't shake your
head at me, Argus. Of course I intend to accompany Potter! Did you
really think I'd allow the boy to go on his own?"
"Professor, if you had seen that Creature you'd never...!" My
voice trailed off. Describing the vast Serpent to Severus would probably
only serve to encourage him. Where rushing into danger was concerned, he
was every bit as bad as Potter.
"We can't ask Harry," I protested instead. "He has too many
burdens on him as it is. He mustn't find out anything about the
Alchemist's Door, the other Chambers and the Guardian!"
Snape's eyes glittered. "What a splendid suggestion, Filch," he
said, sarcastically. "We'll attempt to conceal everything from the boy
and his little friends."
He scowled. "You know as well as I do that if Potter, Weasley and
Granger remain true to form, they'll have found the inner Chamber by
Christmas."
Severus glowered at me. "Potter eludes those who try to protect
him as handily as he eludes his enemies. We might as well use that to
our advantage, for once."
Numbly, I sat on the bed next to his. Azoth settled onto my lap. I
stroked the little tom, too upset to speak.
"With Potter's assistance, we may even be able to use the
Alchemist's Door to trap the Dark Lord," Snape murmured. "Ensnare a
Parselmouth with a Parselmouth."
He closed his eyes, wearily. "I'd do it all on my own, if only I
could. Believe me, I don't like the idea of using the boy any better
than you do."
I believed him. He looked completely wretched.
"At least if Potter accompanies me I can protect him, foolhardy
brat that he is," Snape said. He massaged his temples.
"He's not a brat, Professor." The words were out before I could
stop them. "He has a good heart."
Snape looked as if he didn't know whether to laugh or sneer.
"Joined Potter's fan-club, have you?"
"You know me better than that," I said, crossly. "It's not because
he's famous. I can't help but feel for him. He's too inquisitive for his
own good. Not to mention stubborn. Trouble seems to follow him, no
matter what he does. But he always tries to do the right thing.
"Puts me in mind of another student I knew, and cared about." I
gave him a pointed stare.
Severus glowered at me. 'You can't possibly mean what I think you
mean,' his expression said plainly. After a moment, he looked away.
"We needn't rush off to fetch the boy to Hogwarts just yet," he
said, changing the subject. "Voldemort knows nothing about the remaking
of the Alchemist's Door. I never spoke about it to anyone, except for
Minerva and you. That should buy us some time."
********
To think that I had begged Dumbledore to bring Harry back to
Hogwarts for the summer.
How glad I was now that I'd failed! Let the boy enjoy his time
with Sirius and Minerva. Let him look forward to a visit with Ron
Weasley's family in a few weeks. I hoped that Harry Potter would not
come anywhere near Hogwarts until the start of the September term.
End of Chapter Two
Epilogue coming soon....
Author's Notes:
Jelsemium: Thanks!! Yes, the Thing in the Forest wasn't expecting any
opposition. Hagrid wasn't even supposed to be there.
Neville's a sweet kid. He keeps his promises. Ginny's going to write to
Filch too.
I love the idea of Myrtle going to classes! If Binns can teach, she can
learn! I also love the idea of Sirius getting enlisted in the renovating
effort.
Yep, poor Filch does a lot of running around in his nightshirt.
(Sometimes he thinks he should just sleep in his clothes, poor old
grump.)
minnowgirl: Thanks!! I enjoy stories where the characters learn from
their mistakes. Filch knew that Sirius was right, and he was determined
to be fair to Fluffy next time.
Jodel: Thanks!! Yes, Salazar has another Chamber (or actually, a
Chamber-within-another-Chamber) and a different serpent guardian. Filch
was fortunate that he didn't have to try to talk his way past the
Serpent. It is quite intelligent, and recognized the nature of his
errand.
I love the idea of Dudley researching magic on the internet. The notion
of Harry using the computer as a potential research tool intrigues me...
surely there are Muggle-born witches and wizards who use computers.
Maybe Dudley can show him things when Vernon and Petunia aren't around.
Myrtle's bathroom should look quite nice when it's all finished. She's
trying to find shades that go together, and frustrated that Filch
doesn't share her artistic 'vision.'
Quoth the Raven: Thanks! Yes, Severus had to try again. He's just like a
curious kitten when it comes to finding trouble. Your take on Dudley is
great! "He's not sure how, and he doesn't know from what" but, yes, he's
going to protect his cousin from all the freaky things that seem to be
out to get him. If Vernon or Petunia notice Dudley's research he'll tell
them that he's "looking something up for a game."
Azoth is not humbled by the fact that he is a very small cat in a very
large world. He does his best to protect his wizard. (In his spare
moments he's slowly claiming the world, one object at a time.)
Only someone with Hagrid's stamina could have survived being the
Castle's focus for that long. The way I see it, both Hagrid and Filch
are uniquely suited for their positions as Groundskeeper and Caretaker.
Zahri Seb Melitor: Thanks!! Myrtle thinks her choice of colors look
quite nice together. Eventually she's going to ask for rose-pink hand
towels to match the floor, sinks and ceiling. And little pink and purple
fancy soaps! The replacment for the sink with the Serpent tap will also
have a Serpent tap, in rose-pink. (Or maybe lilac or plum. Myrtle keeps
chaging her mind.)
Christy: Thanks!!
Bob: Thanks!! Filch is rather in awe of the Sorting Hat. He would only
use it with Dumbledore's permission, but it certainly could be a
painless way to communicate with the Castle.
Poor Severus. He's successfully created something that hasn't existed
for a thousand years, and now he feels really guilty about it. His luck
is running true to form.
The Castle was using Filch's subconscious to communicate with him. The
emotion behind the "wake up, there's work to be done" message translated
itself into Pringle in Filch's mind.
(Pringle was a caretaker, not a Caretaker. Dippet was a headmaster, not
a Headmaster. But Ogg was a Groundskeeper. Unless things are especialy
'interesting' in the wizarding world, the Castle usually only Notices
one person at a time. It's rare to have a Headmaster, Groundskeeper and
Caretaker all at once. And it's not a good sign. It means troubled times
ahead.)
snapefan51: Thanks!! Filch isn't enjoying the redecorating much, but
he's got even bigger problems too! Poor Snape always has to learn things
the hard way.
Aeryn Alexander: Thanks!! I loved the idea of Dudley doing magical
research on the internet.
Falco: Thanks!! I'm hoping that Rowling herself will show more sides to
Dudley. Even if she doesn't, I feel a lot of sympathy for him.
Barbara: Thanks!! It makes me feel really good to know that you kept
checking for new stories! This story is short, but I hope to begin
another one soon.
I'd guess that Moody has some prior arrangements in place for the
printing of top-secret, sensitive documents.
The Amazing Maurice: Thanks!! I'm so glad to be back. When I can't write
anything I feel like something's missing from my life.
Emma: Thanks!! All these kind welcomes make me feel very warm and fuzzy!
Alchemine: Thanks!! I think that Hagrid and Filch have a long-term
friendship, though neither would admit to it. Dudley was being pretty
brave, wasn't he? Considering how badly he's come off in just about
every encounter he's had with magic. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that
Rowling will show more sides to him. I loved your obervation about
Myrtle!
Andrea13: Thanks!! Yes, Severus loves to play with trouble. When it
comes to curiosity, he's rather cat-like.
Jumperlass: Thanks!! You are exactly right about Snape's motivations. He
couldn't resist a challenge. Filch's new attitude towards Harry
irritates Snape. (He hopes it's just a stage that Filch is going
through.)
Bridgie: Thanks!! I've got a soft spot for Dudley. Writing Hagrid's
dialogue is challenge, but I like the big guy so much that I've got to
try. I'm glad to know that I get him to sound right.
Alla: Thanks!!
Tina: Thanks!! You've been keeping track? That makes me feel so good!
Gksharer: Thanks!!
Enfleurage: Thanks!! Filch and Snape are so much fun to write together.
MK: Thanks!!
Gramarye: Thanks!! Myrtle is of the opinion that her bathroom will look
lovely when it's all finished.
Darklady: Thanks!! Giants are often referred to as being older than
humans, so pureblooded wizards have nothing on Hagrid when it comes to
ancient lineage. Is Hagrid considered 'pureblooded?' Considering what
most of the wizarding world seems to think of giants, I'd have to guess
no. I like the idea of Hagrid being the object of student crushes. He's
a sweetie.
Snape will confess his responsibility for the creation of the
Alchemist's Door. The poor man is beating himself up over it. Accepting
help from none other than Harry Potter is part of his self-imposed
penance.
Toby Kincaid: Thanks!! I hope that you enjoyed the story... sorry, no
Moody, though he was mentioned.