Chapter 10: Promises and presents
For Ginny that was it. Covering her mouth with a trembling hand she clambered to her feet, large eyes flashing at the others ruefully, slid out from under the cloak and sped up the stairs as quietly as she could. Harry had no doubt she would do now as Snape had done a little less than 30 years ago.
Luckily there was a similar commotion downstairs. A witch that Harry recognised as Emmeline Vance had fainted and her stout body hit the floor with a thundering thud. Kingsley Shacklebolt and Dedalus Diggle hurried to help her, picked her up with combined efforts and carried her off towards the nearby sofa, their faces red from the struggle. We should be thankful for her weak nerves, Harry thought. Her collapse had effectively covered up for Ginny's frantic flight.
As he looked over to Hermione on his right side he saw that she was biting her fingernails. The index finger of her right hand was in a pathetic condition already and she was just working her way over to the middle finger. Gently he took her hand in his and directed his attention back towards the bubble.
In McGonagall's office four boys were standing in front of the Professor's desk, two of them looking down onto the floor, the other two glaring at each other spitefully.
"Gentlemen, I can only say I'm appalled", McGonagall said while she leaned onto the tabletop and looked at her students with narrowed eyes.
"What on earth made you think hexing each other –"
"But he started –"
"-in the middle of a corridor –"
"You cheating liar, I never – "
"-filled with other students –"
"I'll get you on the train, Snivelly!"
"- just before leaving towards the station would be a good idea?" she finished, unimpressed by the boys' shouting. Unimpressed, but clearly annoyed.
"Do you realise that Mr. Filch's first day of the summer holidays will be spent cleaning the corridor down to the dungeons, trying to get the burning marks and various yet unidentified liquids off the walls and floors?"
Her mouth was a thin line and her voice had risen to a painful volume. Finally she had their full attention as obviously their punishment was about to be announced.
"I will not make you stay and help him clean now; there's no use in making you miss the train. The new term, however, will include cleaning services for all four of you, in addition to your regular duties. Whenever our respected caretaker asks you to be of assistance, you will comply with that request without hesitation or protest. Is that clear?"
Four heads nodded in agreement. Only the boy furthest to the right dared to ask:
"But that surely doesn't go for all the term, does it, Professor?"
He risked throwing her a normally captivating smile, which bounced off the still angry Professor without any effect.
"Of course this arrangement will last for the whole coming term, Mr. Black."
She waved an impatient hand towards the door.
"And now off you go. Hagrid will already be waiting for you."
The boys shuffled out of the room, the smallest and skinniest of them bringing up the rear. As he was just about to close the door McGonagall called after him:
"Mr. Snape?"
He turned around and looked at her anxiously.
"I will inform neither your parents nor the headmaster of this incident. But do try to keep out of trouble on the train. I suggest you try to find a compartment as far away as possible from the Gentlemen Potter, Black and Lupin."
He nodded and smiled at her.
"Thank you, Professor. Have a nice holiday."
"The same to you, Mr. Snape."
Gladly following his teacher's suggestion Snape hurried to find his fifth year friends. He let out a relieved sigh as he found them waiting for him outside the train, throwing angry glares at Black and his gang. Crabbe seemed about to hold out a leg to make the younger boys trip, but Lucius held him back.
"Everything sorted out?" he asked his slightly breathless friend when they entered the train together and headed towards the compartments the older ones had already reserved.
"Yes, don't worry. Next term I'll have detention until I'm blue in the face, but at least she won't tell Dumbledore. Or my father."
The boy threw himself into a window seat, a gloomy expression suddenly settling on his face like a dark cloud.
"Don't make a face like you ate a bogey-flavoured bean, eagle nose. I told you I would take care of things, didn't I?"
The dark-haired boy glanced up doubtfully at his older friend who had a mischievous smile on his attractive face.
"We'll be taking you from the station to your place this time, so you won't have to endure the presence of that Black-git again."
Malfoy gracefully ignored the angry kick against the shin that Narcissa gave him and went on.
"And you'll spend the last two weeks of the holidays at Malfoy Manor. Your father seemed delighted by the idea of not having to take you to the station himself this time. And now get out off my seat. Who says you get to sit next to the window every time?"
With a triumphant grin he grabbed the broadly smiling Snape around the waist, pulled him over to the aisle-seat and made himself comfortable in the thus attainted place.
"How did you …? When did …? He is really ok with that?" the younger one stuttered happily, obviously still doubting his luck but honestly trying to believe in it.
"It is very hard, practically impossible, to deny the polite request of Lord Malfoy", explained Lucius in a mock-aristocratic voice.
"And it is even harder, therefore totally impossible, for Lady Malfoy to refuse a request of her most favourite son. It was easier than I thought", he went on in his normal voice.
"Mother has obviously taken a liking to you and she didn't really need to be persuaded. The rest was just writing a few letters and waiting for a positive reply. I thought I'll show you a few interesting places during those last two weeks and in exchange you help me with my essays. Does that sound like a good deal?"
Snape was grinning from ear to ear.
"Sounds like a perfect deal."
The elegant limousine stopped outside the Snapes' residence just as the entrance door opened. This time both father and mother welcomed their son, who was accompanied by Lord and Lady Malfoy, at the gate and both wore a proud smile.
"Thank you so much for dropping him off", the older Snape said in his silkiest voice while kissing the Lady's hand.
"It was our pleasure", she replied, retreating said hand and resting it on the boy's head, playing with a few strands of his dark hair thoughtfully.
"He is a delightful child, your Severus. Lucius is really fond of him and I trust my son's judgement. He has an eye for people."
With that she leaned down to face the boy, giving him an unexpected view into the cleavage of her impressive bosom. She placed a finger under his chin and redirected his gaze from her chest to her eyes, smiling. He blushed.
"I'll be seeing you in a couple of weeks then, little one. Don't forget to write. Lucius will be missing you thoroughly."
The blond teenager leaning on the stone garden fence blushed as well, throwing his mother an embarrassed scowl. Quickly he regained his nonchalant composure, though, and waved at the smaller boy.
"See you, Severus."
The car made its way out of the yard again noiselessly and the boy was still standing in the doorframe, waving.
"Come inside, Severus, it is getting cold", his mother whispered into his ear and pulled him inside gently. As he glanced at the hand resting on his shoulder he noticed that the index finger was missing and drew a sharp little breath.
"I'm so sorry, mother", he whispered back, stroking her hand and the scarred piece of skin tenderly.
"Don't worry, my dear. Your father told me I would help to teach you a valuable lesson. He knows what he is doing. I never question him. And neither should you."
With that she closed the door behind them and walked up the stairs slowly, throwing a smile over her shoulder at her confused and slightly shaken child.
"He probably took your trunk into your room already. Just go and check. When you are ready come into the living room, we'll be eating in about an hour."
The boy stood in the dark hallway for a few more seconds, glancing around at the well-known walls and pieces of furniture, breathing in familiar scents and half-buried memories. Then he skipped up the stairs, taking two steps at a time and dashed into his room. He found his trunk at the end of his bed and his father waiting for him by the window, his back to the door.
"I do not appreciate receiving letters from muggle-loving headmasters implying that I mistreat you or your mother", said the shadowy figure without turning around.
"Not even if the same letter tells me that you are head of your class and exceed the staff's highest expectations. I think I made that clear with my late Christmas present to you and am confident that we will not have to discuss this matter any further."
He turned around slowly and looked at his trembling son with cold eyes.
"I do, however, appreciate letters coming from influential pure-blood wizards telling me that my son has obviously been well educated and gives me reason to show pride in my abilities as teacher. I compliment you on your choice of friends, my son."
A thin smile spread across the man's face. Nevertheless, when he reached towards something large and slender leaning next to him against the windowsill his son immediately retreated a few steps towards the door, obviously expecting punishment in spite of those complimentary words.
"Now, now, Severus. There's no need to be afraid. Would I punish you without a reason?" his father asked silkily, holding out what turned out to be a broomstick.
His son took a few hesitant steps towards him, reaching out for the offered broom cautiously.
"For me?" he asked.
"Of course it is for you", the man in front of him replied as he handed the present over with a content smile.
"You did really well and deserve a reward. Your mother informed me that from the next term on you will be allowed to have your own broomstick and to apply for your house's Quidditch team."
His voice sounded a little uncertain like he didn't really know what to make of this information but was proud of the conclusion he had drawn nevertheless.
"Thank you, father" the boy replied, still staring in wonder at the unexpected gift.
Leaving the room the older Snape laid a casual hand on the boy's shoulder and said:
"Supper is almost ready. I suggest you get yourself cleaned up and change before joining your mother and me at the table."
The boy nodded as he placed the broom carefully on his bed, stroking the twigs gently.
"Afterwards" his father continued "we'll head down towards the vault to resume your studies. I don't want you to spoil the good impression you have made on Lord Malfoy. There are still some curses you need to practice. I will ask your mother to join us."
With that he disappeared down the stairs, lost in thought, obviously already structuring his coming lesson. He didn't even hear his soon kicking his trunk fiercely and flinging his new broom against the wall with a mangled scream of frustration.
A/N: Actually this chapter was supposed to be longer, but with the necessity of earning money cutting down on my writing time this is all that I could manage today. Since I left you waiting in vain yesterday I thought this would be better than nothing. *grin*
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