Chapter Eighteen

Turn Around

With a boxful of Dustbunny Bopper cloths and a small stepladder, Zacchius began to carefully dust Snape's book collection in his office. Why the Elves hadn't been doing the job, Zack wasn't quite sure, although Zack suspected that Snape was keenly suspicious of random House Elves around his precious tomes. An audience of two; Descartes on his perch and Rasputin in his box, eyed his work suspiciously, while Snape was at his desk, completely absorbed in four different daily papers; two wizard and two Muggle, critically reading every word of each to make sure he didn't miss anything.

"I don't suppose reading the papers searching for clues to what Malfoy might be up to counts as 'research,'" Zacchius said casually. Severus looked up, squinting at him.

"One of the two reasons you are here in detention is that you didn't know when to keep your mouth shut. I suggest you use this opportunity to practice," Severus said critically. Zack stared at him. Did that mean that he was going to let him get away with it if he had denied helping her?

"Well, what's the other reason I'm in detention then?" Zack asked instead, deciding it was a safer question.

"Not knowing when to open it," Severus said. Zack stared at him. "If you had gotten a conscience a little sooner maybe we could have stopped Zoë from annihilating her chances of getting that scholarship of hers through peacefully. As it is, I have quite a problem on my hands cleaning up this Durmstrang matter. Now, if you don't mind? More work, less talk."

Zacchius got the next book down, gently dusting it off.

"She's not going to do it, you know," Zack said.

"Do what?" Severus said distractedly, still reading.

"Follow the rules. She thinks you're just ordering us around again," Zack said. "And she doesn't tell us where she's going unless Andrew insists."

"Well, keep insisting then. Follow her if she refuses," Severus advised. "I'll not have her jeopardizing all of us just because she wants to get even with me. But don't put yourself in harm's way to do it. If she leaves the castle, you stay. I will deal with it myself."

"All right," Zacchius said, putting away another book before he said. "I'd watch her Thursday afternoon, if I were you."

"I had already intended to," Severus said with a nod. "Dust."

Zack relaxed a little then, feeling a bit better knowing that Snape had already figured out what he knew… he could hardly be accused of snitching on his sister when their uncle already knew about it. Of course, that didn't mean his sister wasn't planning on pulling something. He only hoped that the fact that he knew wasn't going to get him dragged into it again.


If Zacchius' detention with Professor Snape seemed light, Zoë's detention with Professor Craw was anything but, for she was assigned to clean up all the mouse cages in the lab, scrubbing each one down in turn so not to get any of the mice confused. It was very grueling, smelly work, and it didn't help that some of the potions the mice had been given made them extra strong or hyper, making them a lot more violent than the average mouse. Pulling her hand out of one of the cages as one of them lunged for her, Zoë jumped back a bit, causing Jennifer who sat at her desk in the classroom working to look up curiously.

"I'm beginning to see where the idea of the rabbit of Caerbannog came from," Zoë said.

"The what?" Jennifer asked. Zoë sighed, remembering then whom she was talking to.

"Never mind. Would it be all right if I zap these to sleep?" Zoë asked.

"I'm sorry, Zoë, but we can't risk anything that would harm the test results," Jennifer said. "Why don't you try a different cage and come back to that one when it's not so excited." Zoë frowned at the leaping mouse wondering if it would ever not be excited, going to the next one.

"At least this one's not going to be a problem. Looks like it's almost dead," Zoë mused. Jennifer looked back up in alarm.

"Which one?"

"Mr. Ache-Be-Gone," Zoë said.

"Oh, no, no, no!" Jennifer said in surprise, getting up and coming over to look at it worriedly. "Damn, I was counting on that one!"

"It's just a stupid mouse," Zoë said, staring at her. "Considering you've ignored any cruelty to animals charges so far, it's a bit too late to get all watery eyed now."

"Let's not go there, Zoë," Jennifer said, poking at the lethargic mouse before leaning against the cage in resignation.

"Besides, if you've been listening to the class at all when we've been working on the lab you'd have known this was coming anyhow. This is Morfinn's cage, he's been predicting that mouse wouldn't make it until the holidays since we first started the experiment. Guess we won't be living it down any time soon," Zoë glowered. Jennifer looked at her thoughtfully, and then back at the cage again.

"Well, back to work then, can't be at this all day," Jennifer said, glancing in the other cages curiously before going back over to her letter writing, taking a moment to wax her fingers again before starting.


But as the next week began, Zoë soon forgot about the incident with the cages as her thoughts turned towards what was going to be the fourth Thursday of the month. Strangely enough, every single teacher that Zoë and Zack had that day decided to schedule a test…something Zoë highly suspected was no mere coincidence. To make matters worse, on Tuesday, Zoë got an answer to a plea to their grandmother in California a few days before, stating that their parents had already informed her that they wouldn't be able to make it that year. Zack, upon hearing the news, neither seemed surprised or upset, suggesting that she merely give it up instead of risking losing their privilege for going home for Christmas. That, in many ways, was the last straw for Zoë.

After the last of their tests, the two of them were walking down the main corridor when they ran into Halbert and Andrew.

"Hey, Zoë! Zack! You'll never guess where we've just been," Andrew said, Zoë staring at him.

"Considering the smug look on your face, I would guess you've been scrounging in the kitchen again," Zoë said starkly.

"Oh. Good guess," Andrew admitted. "Anyhow, I thought you'd like to know we're having turkey tonight, all the trimmings, just like Christmas!"

"And tons of pies! Well, there might be a couple less of them," Halbert admitted, Andrew giving him a sly grin.

"Great! Well, it's definitely better than nothing at any rate," Zack said.

"You are all missing the point!" Zoë snapped.

"Well, I think Alex got one of those funny looking balls if you wanna play…"

"Forget it!" Zoë said, storming off.

"Wait, now where are you going? Aren't you coming to dinner?" Zack asked.

"I'm not hungry. I'm going to my room," Zoë declared, and stomped off in that direction. Zack, Andrew and Halbert gazed at each other.

"Well at least she told us where she was going for a change," Zack said.

"Yes, I wondered about that myself," Andrew said. "I think I'm going to shadow her to make sure she gets to the rooms. I'll be right in."

"I will save you a seat," Halbert nodded to him as Andrew headed down the hall.

A few moments later, as Halbert drummed his fingers waiting impatiently for the main course, Andrew arrived from the back door, taking a moment to say something to his parents before coming back.

"All done! She went to her room as she said," Andrew said.

"Well, that's a relief. I really thought she was going to pull something today," Zack admitted.

"Maybe she's finally come into her senses," Andrew said. But then he saw a flash out of the corner of his eye and realized he spoke too soon, for Snape had suddenly leapt out of his chair and stormed out of room. Beside where he was sitting, Jennifer let out a long sigh.


The moment Zoë got to her grandmother's she knew something was wrong, for there were no cars parked out front. Feeling a bit eerie, she knocked, but no one answered. Had they gone to Aunt Tony's this year, she wondered, angry that no one mentioned it. How could they have done this to her? Had they been planning for both of them to stay at Hogwarts all along? No, Zoë mused, they wouldn't have done that…but she wouldn't put it past her uncle not to say where they were just to discourage her from disobeying him. A wave of anger hit her then, furious to be caught in such a position. There was no way to plead to her grandparents or parents, and going back to Hogwarts would be to risk embarrassment at being out-thought.

She wondered what the possibilities were that Chunk had gone to his Mom's house for Thanksgiving. Slim at best, Zoë frowned. And there was no way after what had happened a few months ago that should could go to Mike's… assuming the trailer hadn't finally been moved by now. But Zoë wasn't about to go back yet, not without doing something. That was when she decided to head to the Pool and Paint Club.

There was little doubt that the teen hangout would be packed as disgruntled parents got rid of their incorrigible offspring by bribing them with spending cash while they pretended to the rest of their family that they didn't exist. Sure enough, even the Paintball target rooms were full, and the poolroom was standing room only. But Zoë, although having been known to hang out at either as the mood suited her chose the third and less known option, waiting until the tired looking man in the rental cage had no other customers before walking up to him.

"Pool or Paints?" he droned.

"Poison," Zoë said. The bored attendant looked at her critically until she slid some money under the bar.

"Suit yourself," the attendant shrugged, "But it's a bit rough back there today." He jerked his head towards a metal door behind him and she went over, waiting to hear the click of the electric lock as he pushed the button before trying to go in.

Rancid smoke encapsulated several small connecting rooms, dulling the flashy brick red on the walls and blotchy dark green carpet. Poison Rock blasted in several of the rooms farther in the back, the strange wizard instrumentation adding another dimension to the speed-metal, but also seemed to make the sounds clash more as the different rooms played different songs as if it were a battle of bands.

Zoë scanned the entry room, not a bit surprised to find Doorman in his normal position in the ratty broken recliner near the door, burnt and baked with a weed in his mouth. He had earned the title not out of any real attempt in watching who came in to the place, but rather because he never left that spot. He also never got into some of the heavier mixes of Muggle drugs or illegal potions that were passed around the back room, quite content to sit there and relish the fact that everyone walking into the place knew him enough to wave.

"Hey, Doorman! How about a puff?" Zoë said, waiting a minute to give him time to focus in on her.

"Hey, it's Blackie! Haven't seen you here in awhile… have I?" Doorman said, passing it over. "I want that back."

"I had trouble with the Robes," Zoë said, taking a puff and handing it back.

"Yeah, everybody has been these days. You hear Mike got busted?"

"Yeah," Zoë said.

"People should just stay here where it's safe, it's too hot right now out there," Doorman said.

"You just don't want to have to pay the entry fee too often," Zoë said.

"Too right," Doorman agreed, leaning back. "Better things to spend it on."

"Cook working, or is he stoned somewhere?"

"In the back brewing something new, I hear."

"Another new mud?"

"Nah, some potion thing," Doorman shrugged. "I hope you're not into muds, Blackie. Mixing potions and fixes like that. Ain't safe, you know," he said, inhaling the rest of his joint.

Deciding not to comment, Zoë headed to the back, carefully stepping over a guy she only knew as Razor who was passed out in the hall next to the bathroom, then past one of the rooms where the music was blaring out any noises coming from inside. The further back she got, the worse the smoke got, and Zoë couldn't help but wonder at that, for usually that sort of thing usually hovered in the front. But soon, Zoë realized it was concentrated on the lab itself, the smell so powerful that Zoë coughed and held her nose a bit before she could even walk in.

"Damn, Cook, what are you burning?" Zoë scowled, glancing at a row of large bulbous flute-necked glass containers. Each pair of different liquids were joined together with a glass tube shaped like a backwards V that ended in a large foggy container made to entrap the fumes (and apparently not doing that good of a job of it) with a long flexible breather like an oxygen mask attached to each one.

"Oh, hey, it's you," Cook said, not even attempting to remember who it was. He wore a lab coat that might have been white had it not been so heavily stained with so many different things that Zoë didn't want to take a guess what all of them were and would probably be grossed out if she had. "These are my new potion huffers. I'm putting different ones together to see which makes the best fumes. Wanna try one? Give ya a freebie, only takes one inhale to get you set."

"I think I could probably get it just from being in this room," Zoë said.

"Nah, it's much quicker this way. This is strong stuff in here. This one's coming off of Erumpent and Instant-slim Solution, and that one is a wart remover and that new super hair toner Bently's put out, and that last one is my most popular mix; Woe-Be-Gone and Crystal Cauldron Cleaner," he said.

"What? Wait a minute, Cook, those two potions have opposing chemicals in it, we talked about it in Potions Class. Mixing them would be explosive…"

"Duh, which is why they're in two separate containers…"

"And the resulting fumes would be highly toxic. More amateur Alchemists have been killed by inhaling them than by the explosion itself!"

"Sure, but that's not controlled, and they kept breathing the stuff. This way, you can get the benefits without having to worry about it. Come on, just try it once, and when you come out of it in a few hours, you'll change your mind," Cook said, but Zoë frowned at it unsurely. "What's wrong with you, Robes been splitting your brain with all that private school crap? You used to be more fun. Chunk's new girlfriend's tried it, I'd think you'd jump on it…"

"What do you mean his new girlfriend?" Zoë said, turning on him with alarm.

"Ya know, the girl that kinda looks like you... actually she's been on so much serious shit I'm not sure even she realized who she's been sleeping with lately. Didn't trip on her on the way in? I know she's here, cuz she bought some dried mud from me and took a huff like an hour ago. She ain't goin' nowhere for awhile. Chunk may be here too, come to think of it."

Turning around, Zoë walked out of the lab, opening every door she came to and ignoring shouts and invitations as she scanned the rooms, having to cut back through the main room to get to another corridor, holding her nose as she passed the second bathroom on her way and careful not to step on any of the debris in the hall as she made her way to the last two rooms.

It was in the corner room that she finally found Chunk, sitting with one of his friends while his new apparent girlfriend lay passed out on the floor.

"It's Blackie!" Pixel said, apparently a bit more coherent than Chunk who had trouble standing up. "You've got some nerve comin' in here after sending the Robes after Mike like that!"

"I didn't send the Robes after Mike, they followed me!" Zoë snapped. "Who's your new playmate, Chunk? Didn't take you long, did it?"

"Hey, don't start that, chic, blame your Robe parents! You and me ended the moment they shipped you off. You didn't expect me to go lonely, did you?"

"You just wanted someone else to buy your fixes for you," Zoë snapped at him, her fists whitening as she contemplated what to turn him into.

"That too," Chunk said. "Not bad looking, either, is she? Even got her to bleach her hair the same color as yours."

"Why you son a…" Zoë suddenly paused then, for her eyes had followed his to the girl before she had turned on him again and a strange sensation came over her that something wasn't quite right. Turning back to her, she rolled her over and instantly felt a large lump of fear inside her as she touched the young girl's clammy skin. "Her lips are blue," Zoë said, kneeling down to her. "God, Chunk, she's barely breathing! How long as she been laying here?"

"Hell, I dunno. Just relax, she'll come out of it in hour or two like she always does…"

"No, she's not all right, Chunk! We've got to get her to a hospital!"

"Oh, no you don't! You're not gonna bring Robes down on us too," Pixel said, grabbing her arm and pulling Zoë back to take a look. "Let's put her in the ally and call the Robes from there. That'll keep the owner from getting pissed off if she dies."

The shock of his words turned into action as Zoë suddenly raised her hands and blasted him back against the wall away from the girl, crashing into a side table and lamp and landing him on a pile on the floor. As Chunk reached for his wand, the bed between them came smacking up against him, pinning him to the wall and giving Zoë a bit more room as she hurried to prop the girl.

"Doorman! Cook! Anybody!" Zoë shouted in a panic, not even sure she could be heard over the blaring music. "Somebody help me!"

She heard a thunder of footsteps behind her and looked up in time to see a dark robed figure coming to kneel on the other side of them. Never in her life had she been more relieved than to see her uncle or the WIAB agents that filed in behind him.

"Her pulse is very weak, we need to get her to your closest Wizard facility at once," Severus said, getting out his wand and putting the girl into stasis. "What is she on, Zoë?"

"Cook said something about dried mud. Muds are mixed drugs… it's made out of cocaine and a magic based sedative or muscle relaxant," Zoë said quickly, Severus' expression betraying his horror at the combination. "And she was huffing an experimental drug Cook was working on." Severus glanced up as one of the officers brought in a stretcher, getting up and taking Zoë by the sleeve to coax her out of their way.

"Show me," Severus said. Without a word, Zoë turned and led him through, finding out very quickly why nobody had come when she had called, for the bureau had been very busy rounding everyone up in the room, even Doorman, who was standing wizard-bound looking forlornly at his chair a few feet away. Several other men were already in the lab, staring at the contraption grimly while Cook, who had apparently put up a fight, was on the floor bound and petrified. Quickly and without prompting, Zoë explained what was in each one as her uncle's face grew graver and graver. He turned then and looked at Zoë, a long steady look that made her feel like cowering, wondering if he was going to blow up on her. Finally he turned to one of the agents. "Where has the girl been taken to?"

"Sunset Institution, Professor. They specialize in this sort of thing," the agent said.

"I would like to speak to one of their resident alchemists," Severus said.

"Very well, I'll arrange the transport… and the girl?"

"She is coming," Severus said without bothering to look at her.

"They don't usually allow minors in that section…"

"Then get me Vallid's private line and I'm sure we can find a way to clear the matter up," Severus said firmly. "Follow," he added, barely glancing at Zoë before heading out of the room. Silently but not without reluctance, Zoë followed him out of the room.


Not long after they arrived, Severus saw Zoë settled in the waiting room and disappeared for a while, then returned and sat beside her. He didn't say a word as they waited, making Zoë feel all the more uncomfortable sitting there, with the clock on the wall moving maddeningly slow. She resisted the urge to pick up the magazine beside her since her uncle made no move towards them himself, seemingly lost in thought. She wondered at first if sheer boredom was making her tired, but realized just how late the hour was at Hogwarts, glancing around distractedly wondering if a water fountain was nearby but really not feeling like asking to get up.

Finally the sound of light sobbing caught her attention. It had obviously not escaped Severus' as well; for he was staring intently as a middle aged couple appeared with an escort, walking up to reception. They stood there for quite some time until a doctor joined them and they walked down the corridor, one of the agents glancing at Severus and nodding before disappearing with them. Again everything grew quiet, as if nothing had happened at all, and only the fact that Severus looked more alert had been different than the half an hour before. At last, the guard reappeared accompanied by only the man, pale and tired. As they turned to walk over to them, Severus stood.

"This is Professor Severus Snape, the man who gave us the tip that led us to finding your daughter," the agent said quietly as they shook hands. "Professor, Mr. Matthew Cohen."

"We are grateful that you were there, Professor," Cohen said softly. "The doctors have all said that had she arrived any later than she did…"

"I was there merely by chance, Mr. Cohen, to find my wayward niece," Severus admitted. "However, I am glad to have been of service. How is she?" Cohen glanced at Zoë, still sitting quietly behind him. "I would prefer she heard it as well, that is if you're so inclined to tell me at all." Cohen nodded at that, looking back at Severus.

"She is in a magic induced coma, to prevent her from falling into one involuntarily," Cohen said quietly. "And she's on a breathing apparatus. They do not know yet how much permanent damage she has done to herself…" his voiced faltered, looking away a moment before turning back. "We hadn't seen her in weeks. Of course, we knew she had run away again. Reported it. It was even in all the papers," he said then sighed.

"We're just a regular average blue collar family, Professor. We couldn't have been more surprised that Melissa had real magic powers… well, not all that surprised, actually, some really odd things happened when she was growing up. She was such a good kid, and then… I'm not sure when it happened exactly, but her power became a curse. All the sudden she was above us and everyone else she ever cared about and had taken up with a new group of friends. They were a bit strange, but then who were we to judge what magic kind are like? We didn't realize it was a rotten bunch until it was too late. By then, we'd lost all control over her. The nights we'd stay up, wishing she'd come home and hoping we wouldn't end up finding her like this. Now that it's happened, I just feel numb, and a bit guilty, for part of me is truly afraid that she will recover fully only to be shipped back in a box the next time she runs away. And yet how can I even hope that she won't?"

"There are options, Mr. Cohen," Severus said in a low voice. "And I would be happy to offer some to you. But right now, I think it's best to merely concentrate on her making the best recovery she can. And you have very little reason to feel guilty about caring about your own daughter. But now, perhaps, I was wondering if you would be against the idea of my niece and I seeing Melissa before I take her home."

"Professor, I doubt the doctors would let you," the agent said.

"I'll take care of that," Severus said evenly, gazing at Cohen, who glanced at Zoë.

"She looks a great deal like my daughter," Cohen murmured, and then nodded with a sigh. "Please go ahead. Perhaps in this small way, it won't be all for nothing."

Severus nodded in understanding, the three of them walking to the reception desk for a few moments before one of the doctors returned, turning to give Zoë a long hard look before looking at Severus again, nodding. Severus then gestured to her, and reluctantly Zoë got up, the doctor walking them down the corridor while surprised nurses and other doctors looked questioningly between them and the Head Resident leading them, stopping in front of a mirrored room. Severus took Zoë gently but firmly by the shoulder, standing her by the window to see the girl hooked up to a strange mix of Muggle and magical devices in so many ways that she was hardly recognizable, while beside her sat her mother, holding her hand and still sobbing softly as she spoke words they couldn't hear behind the glass. Severus did not speak the words Zoë was sure he was going to say; that could have been you. He didn't speak at all for a long moment.

"Thank you," he finally said to the doctor, who then walked them back to the reception area. Severus then walked them over to a couple of the agents still lingering there. "I am going to return Zoë to the school, then I will be back at headquarters to make a statement."

"We'll let the Judge know you're on the way," the agent said.

Zoë could have easily gotten back on her own, but said nothing when they took the Portkey stations back, finally arriving at the train station and walking along the lake, her uncle still maddeningly silent. Perhaps now that they were back, Zoë mused, he would probably give her a long lecture, wondering how many points she lost and how many detentions she was up to. But once inside, Severus turned to the staircase instead of towards his office, and Zoë frowned puzzledly as she found herself standing in front of the Fat Lady.

"Well, go in," Severus said expressionlessly, Zoë pausing to stare at him. "What are you waiting for?"

"Aren't you going to say anything to me?" Zoë asked. He pondered it for a moment.

"Goodnight, Zoë," Severus said simply, and then turned to walk down the stairs. Zoë stared after him in total confusion, finally giving the Lady the password and stepping in. Immediately a full range of students were around her, not in the least Zack and Andrew, who were asking many more questions than she was prepared to answer. Finally she waved them off.

"Just leave me alone!" Zoë barked at them so forcefully that even Zack stared at her unsurely as ran up to her room. Zack sighed then resignedly.

"Think we'll ever know what happened?" Andrew asked. Zack merely shrugged at him in response.