~ Chapter 31: Quandaries ~
Supper time…
Most of the teachers were absent from the Hall excluding the Headmaster who could not resist such splendid deserts that had been laid out for the students. The Hall was livened up by constant chatter and murmurs and now and then, raucous laughter emerged from all around the Hall. Students freely mingled among the houses except for the most senior of students from the Slytherin table who stayed within their circle of friends.
A couple of Hufflepuffs had been secretly making a present for the Slytherin senior, Dina Free, and was looking out for Alamanda Durz who was chatting easily with her fellow first years on a Gryffindor table. Malfoy was looking at the Slytherin juniors with hatred and Parkinson was constantly murmuring her discontentment about the new teachers when Malfoy suddenly burst out, telling his partner to shut up. Silence quickly descended down in the Hall and the Headmaster peered curiously at the Slytherin table. Everyone was looking at a glowering Malfoy and a pale Parkinson. Dina Free broke the silence by laughing at the two Prefects and choked on her pumpkin juice and her suitor, Justin Linklater frantically pounded on her back. The Hall erupted with conversations again, most of them ignoring Malfoy and his gang.
"Yo, Mike!" a fourth year Hufflepuff, Irvette MacRae, waved her hand to catch Michael Gregory's attention. Michael gracefully left the Gryffindor table and trotted up to his seniors, his angelic face etched in curiosity.
"What?"
"Would you mind asking Alamanda to give this to Dina Free?" she handed a parcel to the nonplussed boy. "Tell her it's from the Hufflepuffs."
"Oh, all right," Michael shrugged then went back to his friends and gave a quick whisper to Alamanda. She turned to look at the anxious, waiting Hufflepuffs and gave them a thumbs-up and dashed off towards the recipient.
Dina cocked her head towards Alamanda and jerked in surprise when Alamanda grabbed her down and gave a whisper as she thrust the gift to her senior. Dina nodded her head and looked quizzically at the parcel as Alamanda resumed her seat and smiled widely at the Hufflepuffs who grinned back.
Justin placed his arm lazily and stared curiously as Dina opened the parcel. There was a note inside the parcel and she picked it up. It read:
Especially to Dina Free,
Just a thank-you gift from us Hufflepuffs.
Hope you like our gift!
From the Hufflepuffs…
Dina handed the note to her boyfriend and opened the wrappings. It was a scarf of a brilliant emerald, well knitted and to her pleasure, a silver horned bull was sewn onto the scarf in perfect detail.
"Wow!" Evina Grierson stared at the scarf.
Dina searched the Hufflepuff table and finally caught the eyes of the maker. She held out the scarf in a salute and fingered it dreamily. The Hufflepuffs broke into a cheer.
"Traitor!" Malfoy hissed and Dina's group of friends stared defiantly at him. Dina herself looked archly at him.
They turned towards the entrance of the Hall when laughter echoed loudly from the corridor. Four Gryffindor students stumbled in, laughing uncontrollably and Malfoy glared at the cheerfully laughing Harry.
"Oh gods!" Hermione gasped, collapsing onto Ron who was struggling not to double up with laughter. He balanced his girlfriend, face reddened he began to laugh hoarsely. The Headmaster was filled with amusement as he watched the students, and wondered what had happened to them that they had been incapacitated with laughter. Snape and Sirius went in next, with the latter struggling to contain his mirth while the Potions Master walked about with a peculiar expression on his face. Harry walked towards an unoccupied Gryffindor table and sat so that he was facing Malfoy, his usually pale face was red with the exertion of laughter.
"Oh Merlin! Dear Merlin!" Ginny choked. "Somebody make us stop laughing!" she wailed helplessly.
Snape glanced down at the Weasley, his hand was already reaching out for his wand. "Why didn't you ask me sooner?"
"Not that way!" Ginny abruptly stopped laughing, looking at the Potions Master fearfully. Malfoy sneered at Ginny but gaped in shock when Snape casually sat himself beside Sirius at the Gryffindor table.
: Don't trust your students, Severus? : Sirius said mildly.
: I don't dare give my back, especially if it's Malfoy's son. : Snape stared lazily at the Slytherin Prefect who was fairly giving an imitation of a landed fish. The Potions Master tilted his head to a side and food miraculously appeared on the table. : I wonder when the both of them will get here… : Snape looked at the entrance of the Hall.
"Why didn't you knock on the door?" Sirius muttered under his breath as he helped himself to a piece of chocolate cake.
"And what made you think that I hadn't?" Snape argued softly. The peculiar expression on his face was still there and Sirius and the four Gryffindors collapsed into another bout of laughter. "They're lucky it wasn't Dumbledore or any other professors…" Snape's mouth quirked into a faint smile and busied himself with supper. Fenix came in with Remus; both looking flushed and the werewolf shot a disgruntled look at Sirius, who was still laughing. The couple parted and seated themselves on the opposite ends; Remus sat next to Snape as Fenix sat next to a red-faced Harry. She had changed from her splendid sorceress gown in favor for her plain Hunter gear. A glass of pumpkin juice appeared and she gulped it down thankfully. She accidentally looked at Hermione, and flushed even harder when the table erupted with giggles.
I wish I could sink down to the floor right now! Fenix thought to herself, covering her blushing face with her hands. : Guys, don't be cruel! : She moaned.
: You said that you knocked on the door, : Sirius looked slyly at Snape and the Potions Master nodded gravely. : Moony! : Sirius exclaimed and Remus gave him a hard stare.
"I wondered how long they had been at it…" Snape mumbled almost to himself.
"Sev!" Fenix yelped out, looking at the Potions Master with a horrific expression.
"Just thinking out loud, Fenix," Snape answered mildly and took a sudden interest in his food.
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Due to the implementation of the school rules, no students were allowed to be wandering about the school after nine and Fenix escorted Harry and his group back to the Gryffindor Tower. The hallways were punctuated by eerie laughter as it echoed up and down the corridors. The Fire Master was no longer feeling flustered thanks to the students who promised to stop laughing for the time being.
"Fenix, do you think it will rain tomorrow?" Ron asked wistfully as they came to the Fat Lady's portrait.
Fenix took a moment to commune with her Sylphs and she answered back. "Wouldn't rain in the morning but light showers in the late afternoon; if there's no sudden change in the air currents."
"Fabulous! Can we go flying tomorrow?" Ginny questioned.
"I don't see why not," Fenix said and wished them all goodnight before they gave the password to the Fat Lady and disappeared into their common room. She then walked slowly back to her own room and ignored the ghosts drifting in and out of the walls, serving as a patrol squad. Fenix squeezed her eyes shut when Peeves startled her, trying to her racing heart.
"Someone fetch the Bloody Baron," one ghost in a very medieval gown murmured to her partner. Fenix continued on her walk and her silent thoughts were broken when her oathbrother spoke up softly in her mind.
: Severus wants to see you in his office, : he reminded her and she smiled gently.
: All right. What about you and Remus? Going to bed now? : Fenix asked as she came into a familiar corridor and went up the stairs.
: Yeah, we are. So come on up and wish us a goodnight first before you head down over to Severus. : Sirius released his link and she smiled at her oathbrother's tact. She walked down the hallway silently, nearly surprising Professor Flitwick. Fenix apologized to him and smiled, passing Snape's office without a glance. She headed straight for Sirius's office.
"Where's Remus?" Fenix asked as she gave her oathbrother a hug.
"In his quarters," Sirius hugged her tightly and held her back, his eyes twinkling deviously at her.
"Sirius…" Fenix smiled at him helplessly and stood on tiptoes to give him a kiss. "It would be strange for me not to have you sleeping beside me."
"There's always a first for everything. Now go and give my friend his goodnight kiss and I'll see you in the morn." Sirius pushed her out of the office and positioned her towards Remus's door.
: Night, bro. : Fenix smiled fondly at him and Sirius winked at her.
: Night and sweet dreams. Don't take too long though, or you'll make Severus fume and he might decide to give a knock on the door again. : Sirius said slyly and chuckled at her embarrassment.
: All right, all right. Go to sleep. : Fenix then moved towards Remus's door. It opened suddenly and an arm pulled a very surprised Fenix into the room. The office was dark, dimly lighted by a candle at the far end of the room. Remus was looking at her in a peculiar manner and she looked back at him uncertainly. Then she closed her eyes as his lips found hers.
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Fenix walked out of Remus's office soon after, and she was shaking very badly. Okay… it's a good thing I'll be doing my patrols with Severus. If I'm alone with him, chances are that we won't get any patrolling done at all. Dear Phoebus! I haven't been left swooning after a kiss for years! She bit her lip and tried to stop her body from shaking with exhilaration. She went in to her office first; ignoring her bondmates' mischievous stares and looked into the mirror. Good, he didn't mess me up too much. Maybe I should wash up a bit.
She looked critically in the mirror and nodded in satisfaction before she stepped out of the corridor again and moved swiftly to Snape's office. She knocked on the door before entering. Snape was reading several manuscripts, and since she had arrived, he invited her to sit on a chair. Fenix lifted the chair and placed it so that she was facing the Potions Master.
"I thought I saw a second office down below in the dungeons," Fenix began, crossing her arms on her chest and leaned comfortably against the chair.
"That was generally for use when term starts," Snape answered, giving a thin smile at her.
"Logical I suppose," Fenix shrugged and gave him a curious look. "So what did you want to talk about?"
"A request," Snape said quietly and Fenix tilted her head in inquiry. "I wonder…" Snape faltered and Fenix gave an exasperated sigh.
"What is it?" Fenix asked impatiently.
Snape cleared his throat before answering her. "I wonder if you would work with me in a current project of mine."
Fenix calmly looked at the Potions Master and played with her dagger that she had concealed under her sleeve. "What project?"
"I'm in the process of making a batch of Veritaserum and an antiseptic potion for Madam Pomfrey. I don't trust the students to take care of making the antiseptic potion. God knows what fumbling pairs of hands they have," Snape explained, looking hopefully at her.
"And what makes you think I won't be clumsy myself?" Fenix asked archly.
"I have seen you work, Fenix," Snape leaned forward, gazing intensely at her face, while she looked back in amusement.
"What kind of work?"
"Baking. Methodical. And Dumbledore mentioned that you work as an environmentalist so there was one point of time you might have learned something about chemicals and drugs," Snape answered easily. Fenix nodded at him in approval and her face glowed with happiness.
"Yes, I do have some experience in being a chemist and a herbologist," Fenix admitted and rubbed her hands gleefully. "It's been quite a while since I've done lab work, but you do know Hermione would be able to do the job as well as I could."
Snape gave a small laugh and suddenly stopped as if he was reexamining himself. "Let's just say it's an instinct of a researcher."
Fenix sat and contemplated the Potions Master's request. Actually, I don't mind at all… "Okay, it's a deal. But when do I work with you?"
"The weekends… those are the only days the teachers get a break," Snape answered conjuring two cups of coffee for them. Fenix smiled sweetly to the Potions Master and cooled the hot mug of coffee just a wee bit, so that she could sip at the drink without burning herself. The peaceful silence was broken by a diffident knock on the door and Justin Linklater of Slytherin came in and looked at both staff members uneasily.
: Maybe, I should go Severus-- : Fenix looked at the Potions Master carefully and she knew by the slightest narrowing of his eyes, he was angry.
: Stay. : Snape glanced briefly at her before beckoning the student forward. "What is it that is so important that you have decided to break the rules by coming in after nine?" the Potions Master questioned him silkily.
"I've escorted him here, Severus," the Bloody Baron appeared.
Justin cleared his throat uneasily. "Professor Snape, I've decided to withdraw from the Quidditch team. You have to find another Chaser to replace me." Snape studied his student carefully and nodded much to his student's relief. Justin withdrew from the room, with the Slytherin ghost following. The student closed the door silently.
"You do know that you'll be overseeing Gryffindor's team?" the Potions Master asked as he drank his coffee.
"Yes, and I do know we have to divide the Quidditch Pitch," Fenix answered, looking out the window for a moment and sighed as the dances of lightning resumed its work in the sky. "I do hope it'll be dry tomorrow. I'm looking forward to see the Pitch and fly that broom I bought. He's feeling rather sulky ever since the wet weather and since the day we left The Burrow," she sighed gloomily, trailing her index finger on the rim of the cup.
"Well, I wouldn't keep you here much longer. Why don't you go to bed?" Snape suggested, as he gave a wave of his wand and her cup vanished from her hand. She smiled fondly at the Potions Master and got up from her chair to give him a tender kiss on his hair and headed out of the room in silence.
Snape stared stupidly at the closed door and took a deep breath. I wonder if she's gone mad after the train journey… The Potions Master refocused his attention on his formulas and to his horror, he felt himself blushing.
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Fenix was staring at the ceiling, feeling a little strange without the presence of her oathbrother beside her on the bed. How in hell did he manage to grow on me so fast? She turned to her left and stared at the window.
: Couldn't sleep sister? : Sirius asked tenderly and smiled at her uneasiness that resonated through their bond. : I know, I'm having trouble sleeping too. :
: Would you stay linked with me, brother-mine? : She asked softly.
: I don't know if it's a good idea that we're dependent on each other this way, : Sirius replied in concern.
: You couldn't sleep too? : Remus's mindvoice asked, his mindvoice sounding a little distressed.
: We're just like babies, aren't we? Couldn't go to sleep with our dear little mama, : Sirius joked in a half-hearted manner. Fenix shook her head, filled with amusement. The three of them linked solidly in each other's minds and sleep took them into a gentle slumber.
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Hedwig hooted softly outside Harry's window and the boy quickly got out from his bed to rescue her from the strong wind. The owl launched itself into the room and Harry shut the window quickly.
"Crazy owl," Harry gasped and Hedwig blinked curiously at her owner. He continued mumbling and lifted her up from her perch. "Why didn't you go up to the Owlery?" he whispered softly to his owl, scratching her neck and ears lightly. She pecked at Harry's sleeping clothes and Harry did not think it was coincidence that she had pecked on a green spot. "Malfoy's owl?" Hedwig hooted in answer and craned her neck at her perch. The young man obliged his pet and she soon settled down to doze. Harry gave a sigh and flopped on his bed. I wondered how Ron could easily fall asleep… I am as tired as he is… Phoebus… he's a god of the sun… I wonder why Fenix worshipped him. Not a lot of people pay attention to gods and deities anymore… Harry was contemplating on the subject of religion when Sleep finally took pity on him, and Harry slept peacefully, only dreaming about flying on his Firebolt and chasing a merry Snitch.
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