Disclaimer: J.K.R. owns Harry Potter and co., not me (I wouldn't mind owning Sev though).  This story is slightly (basically bits of the plot ideas; just technical stuff) inspired by Minnionette's A Gutter Rat's Tale and Dauphin's Let History Repeat Itself.  Niamh O'Feir, Jardin, Mika Davids, Darcorn's, and anything you don't recognize belong to me.

Not Myself by Saerry Snape

Chapter 135 – A Few Explanations

When Harry showed up in Transfiguration fifteen minutes late, McGonagall had a long tirade at him.  The dark-haired boy just gave her the sullen look of someone who didn't really care.  When she was finished, he walked over to the table where Mika sat and slumped into the chair beside the white-haired boy.

Mika frowned at him and leaned over towards him.

"How's Niamh?" he whispered.

Harry started to say something but he got choked up.  He swallowed hard and said, "Ah'll tell ye later."

Mika's frown deepened as he noticed the lump in his friend's throat.

"Harry…"

"Mister Davids!"

Mika winced and looked up at McGonagall, who was scowling at him.

"Sorry, professor."

McGonagall snorted and returned to their lesson.

Harry attempted to take notes but gave up after a few minutes.  The vision Niamh had showed him kept flashing through his mind.

She would die if he didn't do something.

And where was his father when he really needed him?

Mika gave his friend a sidelong look and made a mental note to make sure Ginny, Ron, and Hermione met up with them.  Whatever Harry had to say about Niamh, it would be dealt with by all of them.

That was what friends were for, after all.

* * * *

"What's wrong with Niamh?" asked Hermione as Ginny let them into the room where they were meeting.  "And why are we in Professor Snape's office?"

"I's tha mos' warded room i' tha school," replied Harry, who was sitting in his father's chair.  "As 'e's na 'ere, 'e woan mind us usin' i'."

"He'll kill you if he finds out," pointed out Ginny.

Harry just shrugged.

"We all die someday…"

Mika and Ginny exchanged a worried glance.  Ron blinked.

"Harry, what are you talking about?"

"Ni."

Hermione blinked now.

"I beg your pardon?"

Harry sighed and said, "Si' down.  If ye 'ear this standin', yer likely ter keel over."

Ron looked around the room.

"There aren't any chairs," he said."

Harry pointed at a closed door to his right.  Ginny, who was closest, opened the door and blinked at the sight of four chairs sitting there.  She turned to gape at Harry.

"How'd it do that?"

"I' knows wha' ye want.  Now ge' 'em out."

Ginny looked at Mika, who shrugged and gently moved her aside.  He lifted one chair out of the closet and handed it to Ron, who sat it down and gestured Hermione towards it.

When all four chairs were set up and they were seated, Harry began.

"Ni's dying."

"WHAT?" exclaimed Hermione.

"By that weird gauntlet?" asked Ginny.

Ron blinked and snapped, "What gauntlet?  Harry, what's going on?"

Harry lifted a hand for silence and said, "Ah'll explain.  I's called tha Gaun'let o' Aerilsed and i' was created by tha High Elves."

"Malfoy said that," said Mika.  "Though why I've never heard of it…"

"I's considered a Dark Artifac'."

"That might be the reason."

"Go on, Harry," said Hermione.

Harry took a deep, shuddery breath and the entire tale rolled off his tongue.  His conversation with Dumbledore, his meeting with Niamh, her vision - everything.  Most of all, his own Elven ancestry.

Mika just stared numbly at the dark-haired teen when he was finished.

"I'd have never pegged the Snape family to have Elven blood.  Not after what my Dad told me."

"Heh," agreed Ron.

Ginny just blinked back tears and asked, "How can we stop this?  Niamh can't die."

"She woan," insisted Harry.  "Ah woan le' her."

"Harry," said Hermione, "what if we can't find a way…"

"There'll be a way, damnit!"

The four teenagers blinked as Harry's accent completely dissipated in the wake of his anger.

All of a sudden, the door to the office door opened.  Severus stepped inside and blinked at the sight of the five teenagers.

They all looked like deer trapped in the headlights of a car.

"Ah," he said.  Looking at his son, he continued, "Harry, would you mind explaining why the five of you are having a meeting in my office?"

"I's abou' Ni," came the reply.

"Ah," said Severus again.  "What has happened?"

"The Gauntlet of Aerilsed, sir," replied Ginny.

Severus' eyes widened and he stared at his son.

"The Gauntlet?  HERE?"

When five heads nodded solemnly, the Potions Master closed his eyes.

"Lai Istveil," breathed Severus, pinching the bridge of his nose.   "And the Gauntlet has attached itself to Niamh?"

Harry nodded and asked, "Wha' are we goin' ter do?"

Severus shook his head and replied, "We only have one choice.  Allow the Gauntlet to drain her to near death.  It will release itself from her and we can capture it."

"She could still die!" gasped Hermione.

"There has to be another way," insisted Mika.

Severus sighed.

"There isn't.  We have but one choice in this, children.  And that is to allow Miss O'Feir to succumb to the Gauntlet."

"Heartless bastard," growled Ron.

"RON!" snapped Harry and Ginny at once.

Ginny punched her brother's shoulder and hissed, "I can't believe you!"

Severus, who did hear the comment, turned a piercing gaze on the Gryffindor.

"Mister Weasley," he purred, "despite the opinions of most of the students and staff, I am not a heartless bastard.  Niamh is like a daughter to me.  I hate this situation as much as you all do."

"Now," he added, eying his son, "leave us.  Harry and I have something to discuss."

Hermione glanced nervously at Harry, who nodded.  She smiled slightly then gave Ron a gentle prod towards the door.  Mika and Ginny followed them out.

When they were gone, Severus closed and locked the door before he turned to face his son.

Translations

Lai Istveil – Elven for "By Heaven"