Disclaimer: I am too lazy to write another one. Please refer to previous chapters.
Felis – I am not planning to link Gwylan's world to the Severitus fic world. I imagine I will go back to Gwylan when this story is finished.
Phoenix Flight – Sorry. As for changes, I distinctly remember how shocked I was to come back from the summer and discover I was no longer on eye to eye level with my best friend. Not that we changed drastically, just that a month or two can mean quite a lot.
Darth Stitch - (snickersnickersnicker) I like long hair on a guy. *Drools, thinking of Bill* Can you recommend any anime/manga sites where I could see Severus? I get a bunch of book sale sites when I try to search. Do remember the snakie will be a baby. Malfoy would likely scare it. lol.
Kateri – Yes. Just sarcastic enough. Remember, dramatic irony. It is fun to watch the characters grope around in the dark while you have night vision goggles. *grins and hums in an annoying fasion* The Conversation is coming up. Patience please.
Sela – Thanks.
Vivian Marie – yes, it is a Severitus challenge. Heheehee. Plenty of people might have sent it to her, the question is… Oh, never mind. Harry will find out next chapter anyway.
jliles – Here you go…more.
A/N – Thank you to all my reviewers, and shame on you who are back for more without reviewing. This part was fun to write.
*****
Severus Snape watched impassively as the students filed into the Great Hall. They took their places at their house tables, chattering noisily the whole time.
He shifted in his seat; trying in vain to ignore the werewolf at his side.
"Sort of exciting to start out another year, isn't it?" Lupin chatted cheerfully.
Snape snorted wordlessly.
"They sure grow up quickly. Look, there's Harry."
Much to his annoyance, Snape's eyes shot to the Gryffindor table. He scanned the crowd for the boy's mop of unruly black hair, but he did not find it. He looked at Lupin who was waving merrily. He followed the werewolf's gaze and saw a tall boy waving back.
He was startled into speaking. "That is Potter?" He gaped. "He looks…"
"Different?" Lupin offered. "I almost didn't recognize him myself yesterday. Dumbledore sent me to help him with his shopping."
Snape refused to let his mouth drop open, but he was acutely aware that he was not glaring at the boy as he usually did.
"Doesn't it take years for hair to grow like that?" Snape asked.
"Usually, I suppose." Lupin shrugged. "Harry said that it had been growing inches at a time all summer. Up close, he hardly looks like James at all, anymore."
"No." Snape agreed vaguely. "That hair…" Della, his mind supplied, unbidden. He looks like Della. Her hair was just like that. Streaked with sunlight, he used to tell her.
Snape scowled darkly and tried to force the thoughts out of his mind. The boy was related to Della. He had always known that. They had many common ancestors to inherit traits from.
The beginning of the sorting provided a welcome distraction.
*****
"I hope they hurry with the sorting." Harry said, looking down to escape Snape's malevolent gaze. "I'm starving."
"Honestly, Harry." Said Hermione in exasperation. "You gorged yourself on the train!"
Harry grinned at her. "That was fully half an hour ago."
Hermione shook her head.
"Don't think on it, Hermione." Ginny Weasely advised serenely from across the table. "They are always like that at this age."
"Look" Said Ron. "The first years. It won't be long now."
While the hat was singing, Harry heard a dull clang from inside the pocket of his robes. Surprised, he pulled out the little box with the snake egg. It was hatching. Harry could see the snake's egg tooth making a horizontal slit in the material of the shell.
He pulled out the larger box that he had ready. This one had a mesh lid. Harry placed the smaller box inside the bigger one and removed its walls. He was careful not to disturb the egg, which was still wrapped in protective spells.
Harry watched, fascinated, as the egg tooth made another, parallel cut and then linked them. The tiny snake's head protruded from the side of the egg, and sat there, breathing for the first time. By that time, the sorting was over and Dumbledore was announcing that the Forbidden Forest was still forbidden this year.
Slowly, very slowly, the snake slithered out of its egg, hissing incoherently. It was hard to make out its color or markings, as it was glistening wet with egg fluids.
"Is he saying anything?" Ron asked.
"Not that I can tell." Harry replied, still watching the box. "He's still a baby. Give him some time."
"You sound like Hagrid with Norbert." Hermione scowled.
Harry and Ron just laughed.
"And I thought you were hungry." Ginny said, grinning at Hermione.
"Oh, right." The boys said together.
*****
Snape swept out of the great hall by the back way before the last of the students had crowded out the main doors. He entered the dungeons through deserted and little used hallways and made his way to his private, ground floor, rooms.
He rang the little bell on the mantle and a decrepit old house elf popped into existence beside him.
"Yes, Master Severus, sir?" The old elf squeaked.
"Ah, Humby, just who I wanted to see." Snape said, sinking into an armchair near the fire.
"Humby is honored, sir." The elf attempted to bow, but seized his back, gasping, before he had bent forward even an inch.
"Are you all right, Humby?" Snape asked, startled.
"Yes, sir, master, sir." Humby gasped. "Humby is merely old, sir. The old must expect pain, sir. Humby is sorry, sir."
"No." Snape countered quickly. "No need to be sorry. Just sit down and rest for a while. That is an order." Snape rose and crossed to a cabinet at one side of the room.
Humby gasped. "Oh, but sir…"
"An order, Humby. Sit." Snape repeated, firmly pointing to the footstool that matched his armchair.
Humby sat.
Snape rummaged in the cabinet and eventually found what he was looking for. He held the bottle up to the light and gently flicked it with one finger to stir the contents.
Satisfied, he crossed the room to where Humby was reluctantly sitting on the footstool.
"Drink this, Humby." Snape ordered, unstopping the bottle.
Humby took the vessel, sniffed at it and grimaced in distaste.
"Drink it all." Snape repeated, watching the elf carefully.
Humby closed his eyes, held his nose and drained the bottle. He swallowed painfully and handed the bottle back to Snape.
"Good. Now, I want you to rest…" Snape began.
"But there is work to do, sir!" The elf squeaked in agitation.
"We wouldn't want the potion to have any nasty side effects, would we?" Snape threatened.
"Oh, no sir!" His eyes widened, and he grew very pale indeed.
"Then rest." Snape suddenly remembered the reason he had summoned the elf to begin with. "There is one thing you can do."
"Yes, sir?" asked Humby, subdued.
"I have several albums of photographs. Do you know where they are?"
"Why, yes, sir. Humby was instructed to take them from your sight, sir. They are in a box at Alde Crag Castle, sir."
"I see. Have Plovy bring them to me, please."
"At once, sir." The elf snapped his fingers and disappeared.
Half an hour later, another, younger, house elf appeared. This one had the Snape Family crest embroidered on his toga like napkin. He was carrying a large stack of books.
"Over here on the table, Plovy." Snape instructed, from his chair.
Plovy staggered over to the low table and laid down his burden.
"Is there anything else that Plovy can do for you, Master Severus, sir?" The elf asked, bowing repeatedly.
"Is my father well?" Snape asked.
"Some days better than others, sir." The elf squeaked, obviously agitated.
"Does he give you a lot of trouble?" He persisted.
"Not since you replaced his wand with a plain wooden rod, sir. Now he is not cursing the drapes and hexing his food before he eats it." Plovy said.
Snape sighed. "I suppose we must count that as an improvement." He shook his head. "Has he tried to leave recently?"
"No, sir. Not since the last time he got away, sir. It grieves us to see him this way, sir."
Severus nodded. His father was senile, out of his mind and out of control. Unfortunately, age and dementia had not mellowed his personality in the slightest.
"Thank you, Plovy, you may go."
The elf bowed and popped out. Snape cast the most restricting privacy charms he knew. Nothing short of total disaster, or Humby, could disturb him now.
Snape spread the photo albums out on the table. He arranged them chronologically and opened the last one.
Tears filled his eyes as the images took him back in time.
*****
A/N - Well, another odd insight into the Gusha version of Snape's mind. Interesting.
La la la la La
(Gusha would like to draw attention to the apparent multiple personalities evident in her author notes. Don't worry, we're not crazy. Usually.)
Must I really beg for reviews at the end of each chapter in order to get large amounts of them? Sigh.
Felis – I am not planning to link Gwylan's world to the Severitus fic world. I imagine I will go back to Gwylan when this story is finished.
Phoenix Flight – Sorry. As for changes, I distinctly remember how shocked I was to come back from the summer and discover I was no longer on eye to eye level with my best friend. Not that we changed drastically, just that a month or two can mean quite a lot.
Darth Stitch - (snickersnickersnicker) I like long hair on a guy. *Drools, thinking of Bill* Can you recommend any anime/manga sites where I could see Severus? I get a bunch of book sale sites when I try to search. Do remember the snakie will be a baby. Malfoy would likely scare it. lol.
Kateri – Yes. Just sarcastic enough. Remember, dramatic irony. It is fun to watch the characters grope around in the dark while you have night vision goggles. *grins and hums in an annoying fasion* The Conversation is coming up. Patience please.
Sela – Thanks.
Vivian Marie – yes, it is a Severitus challenge. Heheehee. Plenty of people might have sent it to her, the question is… Oh, never mind. Harry will find out next chapter anyway.
jliles – Here you go…more.
A/N – Thank you to all my reviewers, and shame on you who are back for more without reviewing. This part was fun to write.
*****
Severus Snape watched impassively as the students filed into the Great Hall. They took their places at their house tables, chattering noisily the whole time.
He shifted in his seat; trying in vain to ignore the werewolf at his side.
"Sort of exciting to start out another year, isn't it?" Lupin chatted cheerfully.
Snape snorted wordlessly.
"They sure grow up quickly. Look, there's Harry."
Much to his annoyance, Snape's eyes shot to the Gryffindor table. He scanned the crowd for the boy's mop of unruly black hair, but he did not find it. He looked at Lupin who was waving merrily. He followed the werewolf's gaze and saw a tall boy waving back.
He was startled into speaking. "That is Potter?" He gaped. "He looks…"
"Different?" Lupin offered. "I almost didn't recognize him myself yesterday. Dumbledore sent me to help him with his shopping."
Snape refused to let his mouth drop open, but he was acutely aware that he was not glaring at the boy as he usually did.
"Doesn't it take years for hair to grow like that?" Snape asked.
"Usually, I suppose." Lupin shrugged. "Harry said that it had been growing inches at a time all summer. Up close, he hardly looks like James at all, anymore."
"No." Snape agreed vaguely. "That hair…" Della, his mind supplied, unbidden. He looks like Della. Her hair was just like that. Streaked with sunlight, he used to tell her.
Snape scowled darkly and tried to force the thoughts out of his mind. The boy was related to Della. He had always known that. They had many common ancestors to inherit traits from.
The beginning of the sorting provided a welcome distraction.
*****
"I hope they hurry with the sorting." Harry said, looking down to escape Snape's malevolent gaze. "I'm starving."
"Honestly, Harry." Said Hermione in exasperation. "You gorged yourself on the train!"
Harry grinned at her. "That was fully half an hour ago."
Hermione shook her head.
"Don't think on it, Hermione." Ginny Weasely advised serenely from across the table. "They are always like that at this age."
"Look" Said Ron. "The first years. It won't be long now."
While the hat was singing, Harry heard a dull clang from inside the pocket of his robes. Surprised, he pulled out the little box with the snake egg. It was hatching. Harry could see the snake's egg tooth making a horizontal slit in the material of the shell.
He pulled out the larger box that he had ready. This one had a mesh lid. Harry placed the smaller box inside the bigger one and removed its walls. He was careful not to disturb the egg, which was still wrapped in protective spells.
Harry watched, fascinated, as the egg tooth made another, parallel cut and then linked them. The tiny snake's head protruded from the side of the egg, and sat there, breathing for the first time. By that time, the sorting was over and Dumbledore was announcing that the Forbidden Forest was still forbidden this year.
Slowly, very slowly, the snake slithered out of its egg, hissing incoherently. It was hard to make out its color or markings, as it was glistening wet with egg fluids.
"Is he saying anything?" Ron asked.
"Not that I can tell." Harry replied, still watching the box. "He's still a baby. Give him some time."
"You sound like Hagrid with Norbert." Hermione scowled.
Harry and Ron just laughed.
"And I thought you were hungry." Ginny said, grinning at Hermione.
"Oh, right." The boys said together.
*****
Snape swept out of the great hall by the back way before the last of the students had crowded out the main doors. He entered the dungeons through deserted and little used hallways and made his way to his private, ground floor, rooms.
He rang the little bell on the mantle and a decrepit old house elf popped into existence beside him.
"Yes, Master Severus, sir?" The old elf squeaked.
"Ah, Humby, just who I wanted to see." Snape said, sinking into an armchair near the fire.
"Humby is honored, sir." The elf attempted to bow, but seized his back, gasping, before he had bent forward even an inch.
"Are you all right, Humby?" Snape asked, startled.
"Yes, sir, master, sir." Humby gasped. "Humby is merely old, sir. The old must expect pain, sir. Humby is sorry, sir."
"No." Snape countered quickly. "No need to be sorry. Just sit down and rest for a while. That is an order." Snape rose and crossed to a cabinet at one side of the room.
Humby gasped. "Oh, but sir…"
"An order, Humby. Sit." Snape repeated, firmly pointing to the footstool that matched his armchair.
Humby sat.
Snape rummaged in the cabinet and eventually found what he was looking for. He held the bottle up to the light and gently flicked it with one finger to stir the contents.
Satisfied, he crossed the room to where Humby was reluctantly sitting on the footstool.
"Drink this, Humby." Snape ordered, unstopping the bottle.
Humby took the vessel, sniffed at it and grimaced in distaste.
"Drink it all." Snape repeated, watching the elf carefully.
Humby closed his eyes, held his nose and drained the bottle. He swallowed painfully and handed the bottle back to Snape.
"Good. Now, I want you to rest…" Snape began.
"But there is work to do, sir!" The elf squeaked in agitation.
"We wouldn't want the potion to have any nasty side effects, would we?" Snape threatened.
"Oh, no sir!" His eyes widened, and he grew very pale indeed.
"Then rest." Snape suddenly remembered the reason he had summoned the elf to begin with. "There is one thing you can do."
"Yes, sir?" asked Humby, subdued.
"I have several albums of photographs. Do you know where they are?"
"Why, yes, sir. Humby was instructed to take them from your sight, sir. They are in a box at Alde Crag Castle, sir."
"I see. Have Plovy bring them to me, please."
"At once, sir." The elf snapped his fingers and disappeared.
Half an hour later, another, younger, house elf appeared. This one had the Snape Family crest embroidered on his toga like napkin. He was carrying a large stack of books.
"Over here on the table, Plovy." Snape instructed, from his chair.
Plovy staggered over to the low table and laid down his burden.
"Is there anything else that Plovy can do for you, Master Severus, sir?" The elf asked, bowing repeatedly.
"Is my father well?" Snape asked.
"Some days better than others, sir." The elf squeaked, obviously agitated.
"Does he give you a lot of trouble?" He persisted.
"Not since you replaced his wand with a plain wooden rod, sir. Now he is not cursing the drapes and hexing his food before he eats it." Plovy said.
Snape sighed. "I suppose we must count that as an improvement." He shook his head. "Has he tried to leave recently?"
"No, sir. Not since the last time he got away, sir. It grieves us to see him this way, sir."
Severus nodded. His father was senile, out of his mind and out of control. Unfortunately, age and dementia had not mellowed his personality in the slightest.
"Thank you, Plovy, you may go."
The elf bowed and popped out. Snape cast the most restricting privacy charms he knew. Nothing short of total disaster, or Humby, could disturb him now.
Snape spread the photo albums out on the table. He arranged them chronologically and opened the last one.
Tears filled his eyes as the images took him back in time.
*****
A/N - Well, another odd insight into the Gusha version of Snape's mind. Interesting.
La la la la La
(Gusha would like to draw attention to the apparent multiple personalities evident in her author notes. Don't worry, we're not crazy. Usually.)
Must I really beg for reviews at the end of each chapter in order to get large amounts of them? Sigh.