DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Many thanks to Niamh, my beta reader. Her own fic, To the Honour of the Mother is well worth reading.
Minerva III cannot believe the audacity of that man. All I did was offer him some comfort, some words of advice. Surely that isn't a crime…and he repaid me by using his grubby mouth without engaging his grey matter first. He really should be thankful I thought to slap him and not some of the more creative ideas I have now.
But to look on the bright side, he now has to explain to Ollivander just how he managed to damage his fourth wand in seven years. I'd love to be a fly on the wall for that conversation. Severus did tell me at one stage that Ollivander had threatened to charge him triple rates, simply for the angst and bother of keeping track of a reasonable supply of red cedar and phoenix ash.
Oh well, no mind. If he dares to try the same stunt again…my creativity will prevail.
Slytherins have, as a general rule, a very dark outlook on life. Severus unfortunately takes that black comedy and adds his own personal twist of the knife. Had life been kinder to him, I wonder if his gentler side would have outweighed his attraction to the lure of dark knowledge.
On a selfish note, I am glad of his assistance in the current hostilities, which for so long was a phoney war, devoid of battlelines, but vicious nonetheless.
I grow evermore tired of comforting students grieving for loved ones lost to Riddle. It is a pervasive sickness flooding our world and the true survivors are few and far between. It is my fervent hope that Miss Granger will soon regain her equilibrium. Her denial of some of the more recent events is disturbing, but I see no way of sponsoring her to face the reality of the brutality she has had to shoulder.
I wonder if I should send her to Albus, if indeed Albus could find a chink in her armour. Of all those on the staff whom I would trust with my life, Severus would be the most suitable to tear down her illusions, but I'm not sure Severus has the compassion to realise when enough is enough.
I will have to watch her more closely. I will have to watch all of them more closely.
I have a meeting now, for which my attendance is required. I will consider my growing list of obligations…later.
The early hours of the next morning…I cannot sleep. Our latest intelligence is so disturbing that I find myself quite unable to sleep, through sheer terror of the implications.
If the information, Severus has gathered, along with Remus' correlations is even half correct, then I fear the ultimate confrontation will arrive very shortly.
We are not ready…we are nowhere near ready.
Severus' confirmation that four students left to take the Dark Mark is distressing and depressing, but I fear they are four out of how many others we don't know about. Severus has promised the Order a list, as complete as he can afford to be, of those who have taken the final step towards pledging allegiance to Riddle. He has also promised to catalogue some of the activities of the four newest recruits.
I hope he treads carefully. Despite his faults, I would miss his friendship and acerbic wit.
The next day, late in the morning…Severus arrived back just in time for breakfast. I had to hide my relief and mask my features with a staged scowl. His slight nod alerted me to that his steps had been successful and despite the fact that his flight from the Great Hall was staged, I cannot help but feel it hurt him to be ignored…again.
Miss Granger saw the whole exchange. I only hope her curiosity and inquisitive nature will not be furthered by my stony look.
Mother always told me I was too optimistic.
As always, comments and constructive reviews are most welcome.