Robertson's Flaw

Dumbledore lowered his head and slowly took off his half-moon spectacles, cleaning them, but continued to survey Sirius very closely, wearing a worried expression on his weary face.

'Is that all?' he asked after a short while. 'What happened to your head?'

'Just a little accident,' said Sirius abruptly, not wanting to discuss his little encounter with Snape on the second-floor. 'Nothing serious. Although I do consider myself serious every once in a while.' He grinned at the headmaster, who gave him a weak smile.

'But apart from that…?'

'That is all,' said Sirius simply. 'Apart from the bits, which I am bound to keep secret by the oath. Apart from all names.'

'We shall see about that when the year is over,' said Dumbledore thoughtfully. 'And when every bit of the matter is solved. I shall have to talk to Mr. Snape to fill the gaps and to confirm your statement, or course. Have you any idea where he could be at the moment?'

Sirius checked his watch. 'I don't know,' he said. 'I haven't seen him all day. Then again, I was un-… was… busy. In the library. But he is due to meet Professor Robertson in the evening. In his office.'

Dumbledore frowned slightly. 'Again?' he muttered. 'What has he done this time?'

Sirius hesitated, slightly surprised about the headmasters reaction, then shrugged. 'Been interrupting prep time.'

Dumbledore sighed. He did not comment, but took out his wand and placed it squarely on the palm of his outstretched hand.

'Severus Snape,' he said. 'Point me.'

Sirius watched, with some surprise, how the wand started shivering and suddenly rose slightly from the headmaster's palm, turning down towards the floor of the office. Dumbledore nodded.

'A simple army move,' he told Sirius with a side-glance. 'Appropriate, don't you think? And it seems Mr. Snape is currently somewhere in the dungeons.'

'Probably met Robertson on his way back to the dormitory,' said Sirius grinning, remembering that Snape had been skiving off Potions.'

'Do you think that possible?' enquired the headmaster with some surprise. Sirius shrugged.

'I told you that I believe they have know each other for more than just a year. They have to keep themselves from calling each other by their first names all the time.'

Dumbledore nodded. 'Indeed,' he muttered. 'It isa difficult situation. Maybe I should have foreseen that…'

Sirius frowned. Not wanting to admit that he had no idea what the headmaster was talking about he grinned slightly again and pointed at the wand on Dumbledore's hand.

'Are we going to have a look?' he said, fighting his curiosity.

The headmaster hesitated, then nodded.

'Very well,' he said quietly. 'But I must ask you not to comment on the situation we are very likely about to observe. I am afraid it will not be a pleasant one.'

Minutes later, both, Dumbledore and Sirius, were heading towards Professor Robertson's office near the Potions classroom in the dungeons. The old man seemed upset, Sirius noticed. Personally though, he was just curious to see how much basis in fact his theory on Snape's and Robertson's special friendship actually had. He was surprised to see that Dumbledore pulled a small gadget from his pocket while walking, glanced at it briefly and then, without knocking, opened the door of his Potions master's study.

The scene that opened before them was unlike any Sirius had expected. The room's only chair had been turned to stand away from the desk. On top of it, Robertson had seated himself – his left hand holding a hair-brush, the right one busy pushing his left sleeve over his elbow. Sirius also needed a moment to realise that the person lying squarely on Robertson's lap, both hands curled into his teacher's robes, wearing nothing but a shirt and a pair of pulled-down, dirty underpants was Severus Snape. His robes were lying in a heap on the floor next to the desk, his face was covered with the usual dirt, sweat and tears. Trying to bury his face in Robertson's dark robes, but shaking all over and mostly not managing to suppress his sobs, Snape did not even look up when the head-master entered.

'Rodney,' said Dumbledore as calmly as ever, 'we have been discussing this, have we not?'

Robertson stared at him, slowly lowered the brush, and eventually pushed Snape from his lap, who scrambled up quickly and backed away into a corner, the look on his face being one of pure horror. Dumbledore stepped forward and took the hairbrush out of the surprised-looking Potions professor's hand.

'You will not need this,' he said calmly. 'I told you that if you continued this, I would have no other choice but to let you go.'

'You misunderstand my intentions, headmaster,' said Robertson, suddenly controlled again, his voice as smooth as ever. 'Please rest assured that I have had very good reasons to resort to these methods.'

'Rodney,' said Dumbledore again, his voice lowered, 'I will not have corporal punishment at Hogwarts unless absolutely necessary. Is that clear? If someone blew up their fellow students – repeatedly, I am not sure I could deny you the pleasure, but…'

'What do you meanthe PLEASURE?' snarled Robertson, getting up heatedly. 'What are you implying?'

'Not implying. Just remembering Viminal Snape's words at his trial,' said Dumbledore, as calmly. Robertson went pale. Sirius noticed his hands disappearing in the pockets of his robes, not sure whether he was hiding them or reaching for his wand. Several seconds passed in silence and Sirius realised that Robertson was actually glaring at the headmaster, his gaze displaying a slight uneasiness, as well as reproach.

'I have been going through the old files after my visit to General Lance Snape,' said Dumbledore as quietly, with a side-glance at the two boys, both of whom were following the conversation with interest. 'And Lance had to say one or two words about the matter. But I am sure you will not want to discuss it here.'

Robertson's shoulders sagged slightly. He suddenly looked very worn and, after a moment's consideration, nodded sullenly.

'You win,' he said, throwing an almost warning side-glance at Sirius – and eventually at Snape. 'But I had my reasons for this.'

'And I have reason now to abduct your… student of choice,' said Dumbledore, appearing unmoved. 'If you will excuse us…' He gave Snape a small nod, indicating to follow him, and the boy came, after some more hesitation. Sirius noted that he had not taken up his robes again and was still wearing the same expression of horror he had set up only a minute ago.

'Mr. Snape,' said Dumbledore, 'please get dressed again and follow me outside. Snape did as he was told.

Without another word of explanation, Dumbledore led the way down the dungeon corridor and to the very door Sirius knew was the entrance to the abandoned laboratory. The headmaster halted in front of it and gave the small Slytherin a piercing look.

'Mr. Snape, after I parted you and Professor Robertson last time, what did you do?'

Snape frowned.

'Went to the commons…' he muttered, his hands deeply buried in the pockets of his school robes.

'And during the following days?' said the headmaster as quietly, never taking his gaze off Snape, who went slightly pale again.

'Nothing,' he mumbled uneasily. 'What do you mean?'

Dumbledore opened the door to the laboratory and peered in. 'Interesting location to brew poisons in,' he said and Sirius realised that his voice now had an edge to it. 'Especially for a second-year student. Mr. Snape, I expect you to tell me the truth for a change, about your role in the establishment of this laboratory, because then I shall tell you why Professor Robertson did not die from the poison you slipped him.'

Snape's face had lost all remaining colour. He did not reply for some time, then managed to pull himself together just enough to utter a small sound of protest.

'I didn't…'

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows. Just slightly, Sirius noted, giving the Slytherin time to reconsider his strategy. After another short moment's silence the boy lowered his head. Stared at the floor in front of his small feet and eventually said, his voice toneless and slightly choked, 'H-how… how d'you know 'bout it?'

'The poison you used,' said Dumbledore calmly, 'has given a lot of trained medi-wizards and –witches quite a headache. Partly because, if used on the female body, it seems to show effects that have never been tested before and are thus unknown. And you diduse it on a witch rather than your intended target,' he added, noting that Snape's expression was bordering a blankness never before achieved. 'Did you not?'

Snape seemed to be getting smaller by the minute.

'McGonagall…' he whispered, but fell silent the same instant.

'I see that you realise what I am talking about,' said the headmaster calmly, maintaining a very stern expression nevertheless.

'But I put it inhis mug!' Snape burst out. 'How come she drank it? And… and why didn't she make out the potion in the first place? It's an easy draught just anyone would recognise. You'd have to be a downright idiot to -…'

He broke off, obviously thinking that he had given away too much already.

Sirius observed, with some surprise, that a brief twinkle caught the headmaster's eye before he quickly assumed a serious expression again.

'I have to admit that it is probably my fault that your idea did not work out as intended,' he said quietly. 'Unfortunately, I have not yet had time to investigate on the matter, but it seems that there was a quite heated discussion on wizarding law involving Professors McGonagall and Robertson during the meal. I just could not interrupt my listening to their conversation, which is why I seem to have confused Professor Robertson's mug with my own. It is the only possible explanation.

Incidentally, this tiny little detail is what left me in doubt about the culprit until now. I did not believe for a minute that anyone would want to kill Minerva McGonagall, but assumed that the assault had been directed at myself. Quite arrogantly, perhaps. It did not even occur to me that the mug, which was confiscated by Potter and Moody the day after, might not be the one I should have been drinking from. You intended to poison Robertson. Not me.'

Sirius watched Snape blush under Dumbledore's thoughtful look and then shake his head, desperately, horror returning to his eyes.

'Not poison… not kill…'

'There is no need to lie,' said Dumbledore sternly. 'There is not much, overall, which the healers could find out about the potion, but so much is certain – it was clearly designed to kill. Still, I have no doubt that, although you put some effort into the production of the liquid, and although you doubtless thought you had reason to get rid of Professor Robertson, that, in fact, you only meant to draw attention to your situation and actually expected – even I hoped /I that he would discover the poison, proving himself the competent teacher you longed for. Is that not correct?'

Sirius stared at Dumbledore in disbelief.

So did Snape.

'Mr. Snape,' said Dumbledore, raising his eyebrows meaningfully. 'This is the version I will be conveying to the Ministry of Magic and the general staff of the wizarding army, who are in charge of the Aurors' investigations. They have no reason to doubt me, due to circumstances that would take too long to explain now, but I need your confirmation for my version of the matter. In addition to your full support in reviving my deputy headmistress, of course.'

'Even Legilimences have to offer proof for their discoveries,' said Snape flatly, making Sirius give him a rare puzzled look.

'Legili-… what?'

Even Professor Dumbledore seemed slightly astounded.

Commendable,' he said, smiling, ignoring Sirius's thirst for knowledge. 'You are the first second-year I am to encounter who has come across this slightly obscure branch of magic. Still, I can assure you that my word will be enough to keep you out of trouble. Which is what you would like, I trust?'

Snape hesitated, just for a second, then nodded timidly, slightly awkward. Then, suddenly, as if feeling that he should be commenting on the matter, whispered, 'But I do not know how to reverse the effect of the potion.'

Sirius frowned. 'What the bloody… why not? You brewed it!'

Dumbledore placed a hand on Sirius's shoulder, without looking at him. Sirius looked up, but the headmaster's gaze was fixed on Snape, who was staring at the floor again, determinedly, actually looking as though he was sulking now.

'I believe I can be of assistance there,' he said, looking completely unimpressed. 'Far more important for me at the moment is the question of your motivation. So I can determine your punishment.' He went for a meaningful look once more and Snape blinked, drawing his shoulders to his ears, looking a bit sheepish as he did.

'I won't do it again,' he stammered, not seeming to know what he was expected to say. 'I didn't do it on purpose. I… I'm sorry, sir. I really am.'

There was a short silence in which Dumbledore seemed to be considering this. Then, suddenly, he raised his head, an idea appearing to strike him, which he believed a satisfying solution to the matter.

'Very well, Mr. Snape,' he said, smiling just for a second. 'With your help I am sure we will be able to revive Professor McGonagall. All I ask of you is assistance in that and an apology. To her. Including anything she might ask of you. As a recompense, one might say. In turn, I will speak for you and take responsibility for everything that happened this year. It was partly my fault, after all.'

Sirius frowned. He was not sure he understood half of what was being said, but suspected it had something to do with Robertson and said events, which he, Sirius, did not have an insight in. Including Snape's "motivation". He could not believe Dumbledore was going to let the Slytherin off practically unpunished. He had intended to kill a teacher, after all.

Snape nodded, his black eyes glittering strangely as he did, displaying no emotion, but confusion. Sirius shot him a look of pure venom, watching Snape glancing back at him rather timidly. He then found that he would not be able tokeep his objections for himself.

'Sir,' he began, a hundred voices rebelling inside him against this injustice, but Dumbledore cut him off.

'In the end, I believe it will be the best solution if we all seriously reflect on what happened this year – each for ourselves. Without the Ministry or the wizarding army interfering. We have been lucky in the outcome, after all. If nothing goes wrong now, Professor McGonagall will be with us again by the beginning of next week, and Professor Binns has agreed to continue teaching in spite of his renewed state. I trust that all of us have some interest in letting the matter rest. Is that not right, Mr. Black?'

Sirius hesitated. 'But McGonagall…'

'I daresay you are far better off doing the greenhouse inventory than having a conversation about what is right or wrong with Professor McGonagall,' said Dumbledore quickly, a twinkle in his eye. 'Or do you wish to discuss the matter with Professor Binns in person?'

Sirius scowled and shook his head, sullenly. There was a short silence.

'Concerning the names of those involved in the affair of Professor Binns's death, however…'

Sirius flinched. He had feared the headmaster would mention the matter in front of Snape.

'I told you all I can!' he insisted, hoping that this would end the questioning. It had been painful enough as it was. But breaking a magical oath? Frankly impossible.

'I was hoping you could tell your cousin about it whilst I'll be conspicuous by my absence…'

'Not working,' said Sirius tiredly. 'I cannot tell anyone except… well… the people in question. And no, he is not one of them,' he added, seeing Snape's expression change to positive puzzlement with some satisfaction.

The headmaster stroked his beard quietly. 'I see,' he said quietly. 'That I have been mistaken about the pair of you once again.' He turned to Snape. 'And about you in particular.' He folded his hands, looking from one to the other rather thoughtfully.

'Well then,' he said after a small while, 'I shall have to think about the oath for some time. Everything else, however, I believe settled. Mr. Snape, if you would follow me to the hospital wing – Mr. Black, your friends, I believe, are looking for you quite desperately.'

And with this, he and Snape strode out of Sirius's eyesight.