Another Chance
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JKR, various publishers of the HP series. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Chapter 13 – Death by Chocolate (uploaded 2/25/04)
Tonks woke up under a heavy comforter on Snape's couch with the feeling she was being watched. Still half-asleep, she didn't notice him until he hovered like a black cloud over her prone position. "What are you doing here?" he asked softly when she stirred.
"You invited me in," she said drowsily.
"You know that is not what I meant. Why did you sleep on the couch?"
Tonks snorted, "You snore and you're a bed hog."
"I do not snore. But I didn't thrash you too badly, did I? Sometimes I act out violent dreams."
She sat up. "You shoved me off the bed before the fight started. And, excuse me, you do snore."
He sighed heavily as he looked seriously into the auror's eyes, searching for the words to express his thoughts. Normally not one to be at a loss for words, it was because he didn't usually care how the other person took his meaning.
"Don't worry, Severus. I'll just floo to my quarters. This is nobody's business but ours." She hugged him, he hesitated his return hug but closed his eyes, inwardly thankful that she understood what it meant to be a spy and the isolation one was often forced into maintaining. As he saw her to the fireplace, he elegantly kissed the back each hand. "Thank you," he whispered.
~ ~ ~
At breakfast, Filius Flitwick looked up and down the teacher's table and shook his head with amusement. Remus Lupin had been tied to his bed all night but was tired because his hiccups kept him from reaching a deep restful sleep. He sat with his head hanging over his plate and concentrated on sipping tea between hiccups. Madam Pomfrey sat next to him, having a clearly one sided conversation. Dumbledore chewed slowly and gazed over the great hall over his teacup. He peeked occasionally to the end of the table where Minerva and Tonks whispered with their heads together, occasionally breaking out into giggles.
Snape was back to being Snape, except that instead of scowling at anyone his face was a mask unreadable neutrality. Even when he glanced over at Tonks and Minerva. Not even his patented "glare of loathing," which was reserved for Marauders and their offspring, was up to its normal intensity.
A rustle of wings preceded the entrance of morning owls. Two large tawny owls dropped a big brown box into Harry's waiting arms. Snape's eyes narrowed suspiciously at the wide grins that broke out over the faces of the Gryffindor trio, but his eyes widened again as a school owl dropped a roll of parchment in front of his plate. He recognized the hair ribbon around the scroll from the day he, as Alan, braided Hermione's hair. Taking another glance toward the trio, he was inwardly relieved to see Hermione's focus was on Harry's parcel rather than his own. Snape slipped it into an inner pocket in his robe.
While Harry and Ron inhaled their third helpings of breakfast, the Ginny and two of her Griffindor girl friends squealed in delight at the assortment of lipsticks and lip gloss which accompanied boxes of chocolate. The chocolates came in flat rectangular boxes with silver wrapping paper and gold ribbon. When Remus bit his lip and started shaking at the sight of the candy, Poppy Pomfrey, Professors Snape and Tonks discretely put their hands on the handle of their wands and traded glances of concern between each other.
Footwork lessons must have helped Crabbe and Goyle in learning to move stealthily because in as quick as a blink, the two candy boxes were in their hands and they were running out the door to the entrance hall, which Draco Malfoy happened to be walking through. Shouting from the Gryffindor table caught the attentions of the teachers. Remus was already running toward the commotion, followed by Snape, and then by young Albus Dumbledore.
Out on the front lawn, Ron and Harry were poised to fight the two big Slytherins. A circle of students was forming around the showdown. Standing at the top of the steps which lead to the school's main entrance doors, Hermione held Draco at bay with her wand poking his ribs from behind as she held onto his right elbow.
"Give me the boxes!" Harry demanded.
Goyle only smirked, holding a defensive posture. "Or what?" Crabbe retorted.
Ron huffed silently, his red freckles disappearing as the shade of his cheeks colored to match his hair. "They're ours, we want them back. NOW!"
Standing behind Goyle, Crabbe opened his box and started pointing at each chocolate morsel as if he were going to pick it. Slytherins egged them on and shouted insults to the two Gryffindors in the center of the circle. While Remus circled the crowd, Snape reached the top of the stairs. When Dumbledore caught up, Snape said to him, "Watch out for Lupin, he may hurt someone trying to get to the chocolate." Dumbledore nodded and moved down the stairs toward the lawn. Remus's hiccups couldn't be heard over the jeers and cheers.
"STOP THIS AT ONCE!" Snape commanded. "Goyle, give me the box. ACCIO CANDY!"
Hermione squeezed Draco's arm in anger. As chocolate crème was about to drop into his mouth. "VINCENT, don't eat that!", she cried out and stomped her foot. Draco's mouth opened in a silent scream, or was it laughter, and his knees buckled at her strength, but he only tried to loosen her grip. With an odd sneer, Snape, standing next to him, grabbed him by the back of his robes and pulled him back to standing. Only then, did Hermione realize what she was doing and let go.
As everyone watched as one box of confections flew into Snape's hands. Harry took this momentary lapse in attention to rush at Crabbe. Ron followed his lead and tackled him from above, while Harry went low (and out of Goyle's reach) to try to grab the candy. By then, Professor Lupin was within arm's reach and had Goyle by the collar. That was quite an odd sight, because Goyle had grown taller than Remus by a head and was easily four times his girth. Yet the thin, DADA professor had the strength to hold him back. The candies went flying out of its open box in the scuffle. Harry had the box and managed to rescue over half the chocolates before they hit the ground. With a wave of his wand, he evanesco'd the rest away. Sitting on the grass, he counted the remaining chocolates before flashing a "thumbs up" to Hermione.
Snape looked at the box in his hands. On the top, "Death by Chocolate" was embossed in with raised lettering. On the bottom, there was a little sticker which read "Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, London England."
"Potter, Weasley, bring the candies to me. Crabbe, Goyle, get over here." Snape ordered. The four students involved in the altercation were lead into the entrance hall, where McGonagall, Tonks, and Flitwick were waiting. Dumbledore followed behind Goyle, and Remus directed the students outside to another entrance. Hermione and Draco managed to talk their way in by claiming Head Boy/Head Girl status. All other students were ushered out of the room.
Snape cleared his throat and addressed the two Slytherins, "I want you two to apologize to Misters Weasley and Potter for taking the gifts obviously meant for their sweethearts."
"Um, sorry Potter," Goyle offered.
"Yeh, sorry." Crabbe looked down at Ron.
When Hermione let out a huff of disgust, Snape turned briefly in her direction to look down his nose at her. His lip curled slightly with a smirk.
"You do understand that we cannot have anything brought into this school so dangerous that it might cause death," Snape said smoothly. "Can you honestly tell me that this candy is safe?"
Not too confidently, Harry stammered, "Y-y-yes sir." Ron gulped air and managed to nod a couple times.
"Then you will each eat a piece of candy." The snarky potions git held out the opened box of chocolates.
"If you die," Snape continued, "you will be expelled from Hogwarts before graduation." Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle busted into laughter but were quickly silenced when Miss Stewart cleared her throat.
If glares could burn, Snape would have been ashes even a phoenix couldn't rise from. The black robed professor quickly added, "And if you live, consider it detention served." He raised an eyebrow at his colleagues as if to say 'happy now?'
Harry and Ron reached out for a chocolate. Taking a big breath, Harry made a toast, "Ron, mate, I am the-boy-who-lived. Now you will be too." Ron gathered up his courage and replied, "Cheers, mate." They touched chocolates and simultaneously put it in their mouths and chewed. Swallowing together, they sat down against the wall and slumped to the floor.
Dumbledore had opened the door to the Great Hall and summoned Madam Pomfrey. Professor Lupin took the opportunity to slip in.
"SEVERUS!" McGonagall and Tonks gasped.
"Me?" Snape said in a quiet voice, "They said it was safe, they ate it voluntarily." "Potter and Weasley are expelled then," he smirked.
Remus saw Harry on the floor and ran to him. "HARRY! NOOOO!" the werewolf howled and cradled Harry's head.
"Excuse me," Hermione pipped, "you haven't yet determined if they are dead."
Remus sniffed and put his ear to Harry's heart, then checked for a breath. Shaking his head, he stated softly, "No breath, no heartbeat. No, Harry, don't go." Lupin sobbed.
Dumbledore answered the knock on the door. Ginny was allowed in, as the mediwitch ran directly to Ron. Ginny carried Harry's parcel, as she calmly surveyed the situation and looked at Hermione.
"Odd reaction, isn't it?" Snape observed the female Weasley.
"It certainly is," Dumbledore agreed, as he leaned back against the closed door.
Looking between Ron and Harry, Pomfrey shook her head, "They are most definitely dead."
But all eyes were on Hermione and Ginny, who were going through Harry's box and reading the names on each lipstick and lip gloss as if they were shopping together for makeup at an Avon party. Ginny was the first to speak, "I have it, Strawberry Parfait."
"Well, unless you want to kiss your big brother on the lips, I suggest you do Harry. I guess I'll take Ron." Hermione said, as-a-matter-of-factly.
"Snape made them eat the chocolates, he should kiss both of them," Ginny giggled, as they both turned to look at their potions professor. He sneered back, his face blanched to the color of sour cream.
Lupin, still kneeling on the floor with Harry's head in his lap, was clearly confused at the girls reactions and attempts at humor. Hermione kneeled down next to Remus and hugged him around the neck. "Sorry, Remus. Harry just wanted to scare the hiccups out of you." Ginny bent over Harry to hug Remus, too, "Yeah, sorry Remus. But you sound all better now."
Ginny put on the strawberry lip gloss and handed it to Hermione. She kissed Harry on the lips as the head girl put on the lip gloss. "Mmmpppffhhh, RON!" Hermione pushed off, flustered and as red as Ron's freckles.
"I knew it would be you, Hermione," Ron smiled, pulling her back down. Madam Pomfrey hovered over them and cleared her throat.
Harry just looked up from Remus's lap and smiled up at both Ginny and Remus. "Snape wouldn't kiss me, then?"
"Detention served!" Flitwick declared.
Snape swooped out of the room in disgust, followed by the three Slytherins at his heels. He stopped and turned for a moment to listen for laughter behind the door, but the noise in the Great Hall was too loud.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JKR, various publishers of the HP series. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Chapter 13 – Death by Chocolate (uploaded 2/25/04)
Tonks woke up under a heavy comforter on Snape's couch with the feeling she was being watched. Still half-asleep, she didn't notice him until he hovered like a black cloud over her prone position. "What are you doing here?" he asked softly when she stirred.
"You invited me in," she said drowsily.
"You know that is not what I meant. Why did you sleep on the couch?"
Tonks snorted, "You snore and you're a bed hog."
"I do not snore. But I didn't thrash you too badly, did I? Sometimes I act out violent dreams."
She sat up. "You shoved me off the bed before the fight started. And, excuse me, you do snore."
He sighed heavily as he looked seriously into the auror's eyes, searching for the words to express his thoughts. Normally not one to be at a loss for words, it was because he didn't usually care how the other person took his meaning.
"Don't worry, Severus. I'll just floo to my quarters. This is nobody's business but ours." She hugged him, he hesitated his return hug but closed his eyes, inwardly thankful that she understood what it meant to be a spy and the isolation one was often forced into maintaining. As he saw her to the fireplace, he elegantly kissed the back each hand. "Thank you," he whispered.
~ ~ ~
At breakfast, Filius Flitwick looked up and down the teacher's table and shook his head with amusement. Remus Lupin had been tied to his bed all night but was tired because his hiccups kept him from reaching a deep restful sleep. He sat with his head hanging over his plate and concentrated on sipping tea between hiccups. Madam Pomfrey sat next to him, having a clearly one sided conversation. Dumbledore chewed slowly and gazed over the great hall over his teacup. He peeked occasionally to the end of the table where Minerva and Tonks whispered with their heads together, occasionally breaking out into giggles.
Snape was back to being Snape, except that instead of scowling at anyone his face was a mask unreadable neutrality. Even when he glanced over at Tonks and Minerva. Not even his patented "glare of loathing," which was reserved for Marauders and their offspring, was up to its normal intensity.
A rustle of wings preceded the entrance of morning owls. Two large tawny owls dropped a big brown box into Harry's waiting arms. Snape's eyes narrowed suspiciously at the wide grins that broke out over the faces of the Gryffindor trio, but his eyes widened again as a school owl dropped a roll of parchment in front of his plate. He recognized the hair ribbon around the scroll from the day he, as Alan, braided Hermione's hair. Taking another glance toward the trio, he was inwardly relieved to see Hermione's focus was on Harry's parcel rather than his own. Snape slipped it into an inner pocket in his robe.
While Harry and Ron inhaled their third helpings of breakfast, the Ginny and two of her Griffindor girl friends squealed in delight at the assortment of lipsticks and lip gloss which accompanied boxes of chocolate. The chocolates came in flat rectangular boxes with silver wrapping paper and gold ribbon. When Remus bit his lip and started shaking at the sight of the candy, Poppy Pomfrey, Professors Snape and Tonks discretely put their hands on the handle of their wands and traded glances of concern between each other.
Footwork lessons must have helped Crabbe and Goyle in learning to move stealthily because in as quick as a blink, the two candy boxes were in their hands and they were running out the door to the entrance hall, which Draco Malfoy happened to be walking through. Shouting from the Gryffindor table caught the attentions of the teachers. Remus was already running toward the commotion, followed by Snape, and then by young Albus Dumbledore.
Out on the front lawn, Ron and Harry were poised to fight the two big Slytherins. A circle of students was forming around the showdown. Standing at the top of the steps which lead to the school's main entrance doors, Hermione held Draco at bay with her wand poking his ribs from behind as she held onto his right elbow.
"Give me the boxes!" Harry demanded.
Goyle only smirked, holding a defensive posture. "Or what?" Crabbe retorted.
Ron huffed silently, his red freckles disappearing as the shade of his cheeks colored to match his hair. "They're ours, we want them back. NOW!"
Standing behind Goyle, Crabbe opened his box and started pointing at each chocolate morsel as if he were going to pick it. Slytherins egged them on and shouted insults to the two Gryffindors in the center of the circle. While Remus circled the crowd, Snape reached the top of the stairs. When Dumbledore caught up, Snape said to him, "Watch out for Lupin, he may hurt someone trying to get to the chocolate." Dumbledore nodded and moved down the stairs toward the lawn. Remus's hiccups couldn't be heard over the jeers and cheers.
"STOP THIS AT ONCE!" Snape commanded. "Goyle, give me the box. ACCIO CANDY!"
Hermione squeezed Draco's arm in anger. As chocolate crème was about to drop into his mouth. "VINCENT, don't eat that!", she cried out and stomped her foot. Draco's mouth opened in a silent scream, or was it laughter, and his knees buckled at her strength, but he only tried to loosen her grip. With an odd sneer, Snape, standing next to him, grabbed him by the back of his robes and pulled him back to standing. Only then, did Hermione realize what she was doing and let go.
As everyone watched as one box of confections flew into Snape's hands. Harry took this momentary lapse in attention to rush at Crabbe. Ron followed his lead and tackled him from above, while Harry went low (and out of Goyle's reach) to try to grab the candy. By then, Professor Lupin was within arm's reach and had Goyle by the collar. That was quite an odd sight, because Goyle had grown taller than Remus by a head and was easily four times his girth. Yet the thin, DADA professor had the strength to hold him back. The candies went flying out of its open box in the scuffle. Harry had the box and managed to rescue over half the chocolates before they hit the ground. With a wave of his wand, he evanesco'd the rest away. Sitting on the grass, he counted the remaining chocolates before flashing a "thumbs up" to Hermione.
Snape looked at the box in his hands. On the top, "Death by Chocolate" was embossed in with raised lettering. On the bottom, there was a little sticker which read "Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, London England."
"Potter, Weasley, bring the candies to me. Crabbe, Goyle, get over here." Snape ordered. The four students involved in the altercation were lead into the entrance hall, where McGonagall, Tonks, and Flitwick were waiting. Dumbledore followed behind Goyle, and Remus directed the students outside to another entrance. Hermione and Draco managed to talk their way in by claiming Head Boy/Head Girl status. All other students were ushered out of the room.
Snape cleared his throat and addressed the two Slytherins, "I want you two to apologize to Misters Weasley and Potter for taking the gifts obviously meant for their sweethearts."
"Um, sorry Potter," Goyle offered.
"Yeh, sorry." Crabbe looked down at Ron.
When Hermione let out a huff of disgust, Snape turned briefly in her direction to look down his nose at her. His lip curled slightly with a smirk.
"You do understand that we cannot have anything brought into this school so dangerous that it might cause death," Snape said smoothly. "Can you honestly tell me that this candy is safe?"
Not too confidently, Harry stammered, "Y-y-yes sir." Ron gulped air and managed to nod a couple times.
"Then you will each eat a piece of candy." The snarky potions git held out the opened box of chocolates.
"If you die," Snape continued, "you will be expelled from Hogwarts before graduation." Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle busted into laughter but were quickly silenced when Miss Stewart cleared her throat.
If glares could burn, Snape would have been ashes even a phoenix couldn't rise from. The black robed professor quickly added, "And if you live, consider it detention served." He raised an eyebrow at his colleagues as if to say 'happy now?'
Harry and Ron reached out for a chocolate. Taking a big breath, Harry made a toast, "Ron, mate, I am the-boy-who-lived. Now you will be too." Ron gathered up his courage and replied, "Cheers, mate." They touched chocolates and simultaneously put it in their mouths and chewed. Swallowing together, they sat down against the wall and slumped to the floor.
Dumbledore had opened the door to the Great Hall and summoned Madam Pomfrey. Professor Lupin took the opportunity to slip in.
"SEVERUS!" McGonagall and Tonks gasped.
"Me?" Snape said in a quiet voice, "They said it was safe, they ate it voluntarily." "Potter and Weasley are expelled then," he smirked.
Remus saw Harry on the floor and ran to him. "HARRY! NOOOO!" the werewolf howled and cradled Harry's head.
"Excuse me," Hermione pipped, "you haven't yet determined if they are dead."
Remus sniffed and put his ear to Harry's heart, then checked for a breath. Shaking his head, he stated softly, "No breath, no heartbeat. No, Harry, don't go." Lupin sobbed.
Dumbledore answered the knock on the door. Ginny was allowed in, as the mediwitch ran directly to Ron. Ginny carried Harry's parcel, as she calmly surveyed the situation and looked at Hermione.
"Odd reaction, isn't it?" Snape observed the female Weasley.
"It certainly is," Dumbledore agreed, as he leaned back against the closed door.
Looking between Ron and Harry, Pomfrey shook her head, "They are most definitely dead."
But all eyes were on Hermione and Ginny, who were going through Harry's box and reading the names on each lipstick and lip gloss as if they were shopping together for makeup at an Avon party. Ginny was the first to speak, "I have it, Strawberry Parfait."
"Well, unless you want to kiss your big brother on the lips, I suggest you do Harry. I guess I'll take Ron." Hermione said, as-a-matter-of-factly.
"Snape made them eat the chocolates, he should kiss both of them," Ginny giggled, as they both turned to look at their potions professor. He sneered back, his face blanched to the color of sour cream.
Lupin, still kneeling on the floor with Harry's head in his lap, was clearly confused at the girls reactions and attempts at humor. Hermione kneeled down next to Remus and hugged him around the neck. "Sorry, Remus. Harry just wanted to scare the hiccups out of you." Ginny bent over Harry to hug Remus, too, "Yeah, sorry Remus. But you sound all better now."
Ginny put on the strawberry lip gloss and handed it to Hermione. She kissed Harry on the lips as the head girl put on the lip gloss. "Mmmpppffhhh, RON!" Hermione pushed off, flustered and as red as Ron's freckles.
"I knew it would be you, Hermione," Ron smiled, pulling her back down. Madam Pomfrey hovered over them and cleared her throat.
Harry just looked up from Remus's lap and smiled up at both Ginny and Remus. "Snape wouldn't kiss me, then?"
"Detention served!" Flitwick declared.
Snape swooped out of the room in disgust, followed by the three Slytherins at his heels. He stopped and turned for a moment to listen for laughter behind the door, but the noise in the Great Hall was too loud.