Chapter 80
Lady Tanya smiled broadly and then leaned over the desk. With a smacking sound she placed a kiss on the headmistress' cheek.
Minerva's mouth formed a perfect 'O' as she watched the other witch storming out of her office.
In the door, Lady Tanya turned around and said "You don't need to find a room for me. Sirius can put up my painting in his room."
Then the door closed and she was gone.
Lady Tanya hopped down the steps and decided to first pay Severus a visit.
When she reached the next flight of stairs, she sat on the handrail and slid down, whooping with joy.
At the end of the rail, she jumped on the floor and almost fell over. Before she hit the floor, she held on to a suit of armour and sighed with relief.
"I need to practice more" she laughed and proceeded to the next flight of stairs, which led into the entrance hall.
Using the handrail again, this time her landing was a bit more graceful.
""Who's causing all this noise?" she heard a hard voice coming from the broom closet in the corner.
Filch, the caretaker, walked towards her, accompanied by Mrs Norris. The lamp-like eyes of the cat glared at her as Filch approached the witch.
"Stop that nonsense. I will not tolerate such foolishness, so you better behave or I will report you to the headmistress"
"Sod off! I'm Professor Tanya now, so you better show me some respect" she snapped and glared back at Filch and his cat.
The caretaker, however reluctantly moved away and mumbled profanities under his breath, determined to interrogate McGonagall about this woman.
Just when Filch and Mrs Norris made their way towards the classrooms on the ground floor, Lady Tanya kicked the cat before she skipped down the staircase to the dungeons.
She snickered as she heard the howling of pain from the cat and the roars of fury from Filch ringing down the stairs.
It was terribly cold down here and the witch wrapped her cloak around her more tightly.
She reached the potions classroom in no time and knocked carefully.
When nobody answered, she knocked again, more urgent this time. "Severus, open that bloody door" she then shouted and banged her fist against it.
Seconds later Snape pulled the door open with such force that it banged against the stone wall.
"What is it? Is it impossible to have a little bit of peace and quiet in here?" he growled. "If you don't have any important business to handle with me, then I want you to leave immediately"
"Delighted to see you too" Lady Tanya said, totally ignoring his outburst. She pushed the potion master aside and proceeded to his private chambers.
"Did I invite you in?" Snape snarled while he tried to get past her and block her from entering.
Lady Tanya however was faster and reached his sitting room first. She had been here before, but last time she had been occupied with finding the best way to break the news about Zara's abduction that she didn't pay attention to her surroundings.
This time, her eyes scanned the room and immediately fell on a portrait next to the fireplace.
She stopped short and called out "Salazar!"
Severus raised his eyebrows and walked up to her, but she just stared at the painting.
"Oh my god, I had no idea there are still paintings of him existing"
Snape just frowned and said "As far as I know there are a few out there. One for example is in the Museum of Wizardry in London, but only few people can identify Slytherin on one of them."
"I would recognize him everywhere. He was a very good friend of my uncle"
"You know Salazar Slytherin?" Severus said disbelief edged into his voice as he looked at her curiously.
"Are you deaf, boy? I thought you heard loud and clear that I was a friend of her uncle." Salazar snorted. "I didn't know that you're still roaming this earth, my dear"
Lady Tanya stepped closer to the picture and put her hand on the old canvas.
"My precious husband banned me into a picture until someone destroys it but fortunately one of my descendants discovered a way for me to leave my portrait. I never actually died, so I am still sort of alive, but I can't exist outside my portrait for too long." Lady Tanya explained quickly.
"I knew that bastard, Geoffrey sold you to, wouldn't be good news, but I should stop talking here... just look at my own offspring" Slytherin said gloomily.
During the whole conversation he hadn't looked up; now he raised his head slightly and chanced a glance at Severus "Any news from my murderous descendant?"
Snape just shook his head. "Since he has abducted my daughter, he is unusually quiet"
Slytherin just nodded and returned to his previous position, his chin resting on his chest.
Half an hour later, Lady Tanya left Severus' quarters again. Their conversation had been anything but entertaining, so she had decided to take a little tour to see a bit more of the castle.
She turned right and walked briskly down the corridor as she all of a sudden heard footsteps behind her.
The witch spun around and spotted a group of three students. "Hey Crabbe, look at that pretty bird right there. What do you think has she been doing in Snape's quarters?"
Curiously she waited for them to come closer to see who they were. She looked at the blonde boy who seemed to lead the group and the expression on his face really annoyed her. She heard him drawl in a very arrogant way and what she heard displeased her very much.
"Snape got himself a little girlfriend" the blonde snickered. "Though I thought he had a better taste in women. This bird here looks like a typical mudblood, no charisma, no style and look at the posture"
The two boys that were with him just grunted in agreement.
Lady Tanya just opened and closed her hands in raising anger. They most definitely were Slytherin and she wondered what Salazar would say if he would have heard them.
The blonde then stood right in front of her. He was slightly taller than her and not for the first time, Lady Tanya cursed the fact that she was short. She just hated it to have to look up to him.
"Well, pretty girl, you better tell me who you are and what you are doing here, or I will tell the headmistress about it."
Lady Tanya was appalled by such arrogance.
"First of all it is none of your business what I'm doing here, second, you better watch your mouth when you speak with me or you'll get to know the taste of ivory soap sooner than you'd like. And last, I can retrace my family lines back to long, long before this school was founded. Can you say the same about your family?" she said with the same arrogant voice, beating him with his own weapons.
The blonde gasped and turned a pretty shade of pink, though Lady Tanya had no idea if it was because of embarrassment or anger.
"YOU better watch your mouth when you speak to ME" the boy spat. "I'm Draco Malfoy and if I tell my father that you've threatened me, you wish you'd never been born"
"Well, little Malfoy. I doubt that very much. I can kick your daddy's butt every day of the week and twice on Sundays. If you don't believe me, try my but I wouldn't recommend it" the witch snarled and al of a sudden it seemed to Malfoy that she had grown several inches.
The small frame of her was almost towering over him and for the first time in his life, he regretted being so forward.
"Now you better get out of my way and leave me alone"
Malfoy regained his confidence quickly; he most definitely had a reputation to uphold and wouldn't let an unknown witch intimidate him.
Nudging his friends to follow him, he walked past her and towards the stairs. A few steps away, he looked at Goyle and said "Most definitely a mudblood, she can't fool anybody"
This last statement made the fury inside of the witch erupt. This little snot-nose just had no manners whatsoever.
She balled her fists and a growl emerged from the depths of her throat.
Then all of a sudden Malfoy was driven forward from an invisible force. The corridor just flew by and with a sickening thud he crashed against the stone wall next to the flight of stairs that led to the entrance hall.
Lady Tanya heard a muffled groan when Malfoy tried to get on his feet again.
She had no idea how she did it, but she was sure that her anger had something to do with it.
Since she had been banned in the portrait, she had not done any real magic. Her wand had been taken from her and she had no idea that she could do wandless magic.
Maybe someone could get her a wand from Ollivander's; she didn't feel comfortable with the fact that she couldn't control the magic within her.
When she continued to walk down the corridor again, she heard her stomach growling.
It had to be time for dinner already, so she decided to stop in the Great Hall and see if she could get something to eat there.
When she entered, she found the hall already filled with students. Harry and the other waved at her from the Gryffindor table and she waved back before her eyes scanned the room for a sign of Sirius.
She found him sitting at the high table next to Severus, who was wearing his scariest scowl. The potion master was obviously not too pleased with the seating arrangement.
When she passed the Slytherin table, she received an evil glare from Malfoy and she, in return flashed him her most charming smile.
It is so much fun to tick people off, she thought while she stepped up to where the staff sat.
Professor Flitwick, helpfully as always drew a chair for her and she placed it in between Sirius and Severus. In her point of view it would ease the tension at the high table, though everybody who knew her at least a little would doubt that just this noble motive was the reason why she decided to sit just there.
She thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful meal but at the end she started to feel quite weak.
"Sirius, it's time for me to return to my portrait. I feel like I'm fading"
The black-haired wizard looked at her inquisitively and recognized that indeed she looked a bit transparent.
She had never imagined that the way to their room would be so long and whiles he walked next to Sirius, she had to hold on to him for support more and more often.
The black-haired wizard recognized that Lady Tanya had terrible problems. Her knees gave away every few steps and he had to almost drag her through the corridors.
He was afraid that might not make it there in time when he recognized her body flickering like a muggle light bulb before it broke.
Sirius wondered how this could have happened so fast. He had seen her out of her portrait for over 12 hours before and this time it had been barely 3.
Maybe the spell that was allowing her to leave her portrait was wearing off or she was getting immune to it, or maybe she was just aging faster now and her lifespan would end soon.
He had no idea and he only knew one person who could have an answer for that.
They just turned the last corner and the door to Sirius room was already in sight when he suddenly felt her leaning heavy against him and her eyes closed.
She merely was a slight shadow and continued to fade.
Sirius swept her up in his arms and ran the remaining distance. He dashed into his room and placed her on the bed, padding her cheeks to get her attention.
"Tanya, look at me! What do I have to do? I don't know how to get you back into this bloody painting" he shouted and slapped her fiercely on her left cheek.
"You need to help me" he yelled hysterically when she didn't react.
Sirius looked at the still form in front of him when the shallow breathing subsided and finally stopped.
Tears started to form in his eyes when he took her cool hand into his.
"No it can't be" he sobbed and laid his head on her shoulder. "I've failed. I was responsible for you and I failed. How can I ever live with that on my conscience?"
"You have nothing on your conscience just yet"
Sirius jumped off the bed in horror and glared at the witch in disbelief.
"But I thought..."
"I know what you thought and when you don't help me up so that I can get in my painting it will not only a thought but a fact in a few minutes." Lady Tanya said weakly.
He stretched his hand out and pulled her up, but instead of releasing her, he held her closely and said.
"So you've just been playing with me?"
"Oh well, I could have walked to the room, but you can't blame a girl for trying, can you?" she smiled and winked at him.
She couldn't detect if fury, fear or relief was the strongest emotion in him right now, because his face showed all of them very strongly.
"You deserve a spanking for that evil trick you played on me and you have no idea how much you scared me. Trust me, you will get the proper punishment when you are rested enough to receive it, but until then I'm just glad that you're ok"
Then she saw something else in his eyes, something that hasn't been there before, or at least she hadn't recognized it.
"I hope you will make my punishment an enjoyable one" she said and grinned at him.
"Oh I can't guarantee it will be enjoyable for you, but it most definitely will be for me" he said slyly and kissed her forehead before he released her.
With a disappointed look on her face the witch walked up to her portrait and touched the stone in her pocket.
She vanished into thin air and just moments later made herself comfortable in her picture.
Sirius shook his hand at her playfully, before he left the room and walked towards Gryffindor tower.
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Severus woke up with a strong headache the next morning. He had to supervise the detention with Dursley himself because Filch had taken the afternoon off to take his cat to the vet.
It had been a living nightmare to watch the boy tripping over the bucket, spilling the soapy water all over the floor, not to mention his own shoes, which were still in front of the fireplace for drying. Not even his strongest drying spell had managed to get all the water out of them.
This morning he would have to tutor this little dunderhead again, in transfiguration this time, but first of all he had 1st years from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff to handle.
He most definitely didn't envy the witch, who had to tutor the boy in history of magic.
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Dudley was already waiting in the classroom as the door opened and he curiously looked what teacher would torture him today.
He was pleasantly surprised when a young witch entered and smiled at him happily. She didn't look too strict, so he wasn't afraid at all.
The witch strode quickly to the desk and sat down.
"My name is Lady Tanya and this is how you will address me. Don't try any silly stuff and we should get along splendidly. As you know, I will teach you history of magic and I think we should start right away."
Dudley nodded not very enthusiastically. He had always hated history classes; all the dates and names made his head spin and he just couldn't help but yawn.
Lady Tanya, however who could not understand his lack of enthusiasm for her most favorite subject, scowled slightly and felt her good mood, that she had been in after all the fun she had yesterday, vanish.
She narrowed her eyes and glared at the boy in front of her, who expanded the black robes he was wearing to the maximum, angrily.
"I expect that you pay attention at all times. I might not look as intimidating as Professor Snape, but I sure as hell can be just as nasty when you irritate me"
Dudley raised his eyebrows at her and smirked about her foolish try to intimidate him.
"Well, then... let's start" Lady Tanya said and ordered him to open his textbook A History of Magic
"Today I will tell you a little bit about the magic in Ancient Egypt and then we will advance quickly to the foundation of Hogwarts. That should keep us occupied for a double period."
Dudley groaned and slammed the book on the table.
"Why the heck do I have to learn all that crap? You freaks just go along and show me how to wave that stupid stick. Best, you show me how to blow up things and to make stuff disappear. And why do you not have any white tigers here. I thought every good magician had tigers"
"We don't make white tigers vanish. This is some muggle nonsense." Tanya said testily. This boy was getting on her nerves already and she regretted that she agreed to waste her time with the dunderhead.
"You will do as I tell you and won't talk back anymore or I will have to punish you
Dudley just sneered at her and drawled "What are you going to do to me then? I know you wouldn't hit me... you don't look like someone you would hit a student"
Just try me, little bugger, she thought and glared at him angrily.
"Well I could give you detention, my little friend. On the other side I can take house-points and trust me, when you lose a whole bunch of points then your fellow Gryffindors will not be pleased"
"Who cares about stupid Gryffindor? I have said it before and I say it again... Gryffindor sucks! They are little sissies and I have no idea why they are known for bravery"
That was enough for the witch then.
"Oh well, when you think you have no problem with detention, then we will schedule one for tonight" she said with a smirk. "You will make sure that the owlery is spotless tonight. I don't care how long it takes you but be sure I will check on you and see if you do it correctly."
Dudley glared at her in shock.
"You c-can't"
"I can and I just did!" Lady Tanya said coolly. "Now let's continue with the lesson."
Dudley growled and glared daggers at her while she asked him what he knew about Ancient Egypt.
For the witch the double period stretched endlessly. She had never thought that one student could be so slow.
After she had repeated certain facts of Egyptian magic for the 5th time, she gave up.
"That's it for today. Write me an essay about how Magic was involved into every day's life in Ancient Egypt."
Dudley and the witch both sighed in relief when Lady Tanya grabbed her bag and rushed out of the classroom.
Although she never drank, she now had the sudden urge of drowning in a bucket of firewhiskey.
Snape dreaded even to think about that he would have to tutor that cheeky Gryffindor when he left the classroom after a group of crying Hufflepuffs.
The first years had cost him a lot of nerves today and one actually managed to melt his cauldron.
I thought this would be Longbottom's talent only, but I guess I was wrong.
He swept down the corridor and up the stairs. In the entrance hall he scared the living daylight out of some Gryffindors who were on their way to potions as he deducted 15 points for being too noisy.
When he reached the classroom, his headache was killing him. He had decided to give Dudley a simple assignment so he could wait until the headache potion he had taken before he left could kick in.