Hagrid left the clearing, knowing that he had to talk to Headmaster Dumbledore. The things he'd heard from Chiron's lips disturbed him. It was what he'd been specifically told to watch for.
Severus Snape was in mortal danger from an old foe without protection.
Headmaster Dumbledore was not going to be happy.
777
The next morning, Severus awoke earlier than was her wont. She left Sirius and the various animals sleeping in their places, undisturbed by her leaving. Though she knew that Mogget had peered at her as she left, that particular being never rested deeply.
And was more suspicious than Severus could manage any day.
The night had been restless and uncomfortable for the professor, her thoughts leaving her no amount of peace. There could only be one reason for Mogget to address her by that name. Abhorsen.
The calling and birthright of every Snape since the Potter family had called them into this world to handle a problem they had caused. Their abnormality had not been discovered because Saorise Potter had claimed them as family.
She snorted. Family? No, as Albus knew full well, the Snapes and Potters went far back into the past. They were not related, not by blood at least. But the story had worked, so they stuck to it. After all, who wanted to taint the family name with the black magic they employed to call them.
On a more facetious front, the couch was the most uncomfortable piece of furniture ever created.
She didn't know why she bothered to keep the thing, except for the fact that one of her possible grandmothers had left it to her. It always came back no matter how far she threw it. Merlyn knew, she had tried. There had been no other choice when they made the sleeping arrangements.
Though it vexed her to give up her bed to that cretin, anything less would inhuman. For he could not transform back into a dog, his injuries had been hard enough to surmount when he had done so the night before. Continuing to try almost undid all of her hard work.
Something that she would not tolerate, if it did mean that she was protecting her enemy from his rash behavior.
Black was right.
She shuddered as she thought those words. It was so wrong to think like that, that Black was right about something, even if it was reality.
Severus Snape was a born perfectionist. There really was no other excuse for the way she harbored that mutt under the circumstances. By rights, she should've turned him over to the dementors and been done with him.
Yet she couldn't, any more than she could stop protecting young Potter from his foibles.
Another thankless task indeed and one made more complicated by the fact that Dumbledore was asking her to teach him the older ways of magic.
Giving the Potter brat the secrets of ancient magic was just asking for trouble. Considering his father's past with enchantment, the past of the whole Potter family for that matter, it was not a good idea.
That whole family had a mindset that was too risky and hotheaded for handling such intoxicating magic. To potent for one with his temperament and judgment, the boy knew nothing of caution or prudence. He would do what he did now and trust in his luck to pull him through any trouble.
An incautious and stupid thing it would be to rely upon that providence alone, yet that boy did so repetitiously. He had a cat's own brand of fortune when it came to landing on his feet-as he had shown in his past adventures.
What else was the professor to do? Severus knew she owed her life-nay, her soul, to the interference of Dumbledore. If teaching the boy the old ways was the way to repay him, then that is what she would do.
And may Merlyn have mercy on them all.
777
Albus and Poppy looked at each other. "It isn't here, Albus. Severus is most likely right, he's maturing because of the Dark Lord chasing him."
"May be the both of you are correct and I am seeing shadows that don't exist. Unless," he trailed off, eyes fogging up as he thought. It couldn't be possible. James Potter wouldn't be so stupid as to invoke that.
Would he?
"Unless what?" she asked.
"Excuse me, Poppy. What was that you said?"
"I asked unless what," she answered.
"It's nothing," he stood up. "Just an old man's musings. Thank you, Poppy. Shall I help you replace these?"
Shaking her head, she watched him go, a curious look on her face. Once he was gone, she allowed herself the luxury of voicing her thoughts. "Severus, you devil. What have you gone and done now?"
Of course, there was no answer for her question. She hadn't been expecting one anyway, though hoping for on.
Stifling a yawn, Dumbledore headed to the Great Hall, shaking his head a bit. Knowing he was on to something. He had been right, there was a connection of blood between Harry and Severus. Just not the one he'd been thinking about and really, he should've been expecting it.
James Potter, you sly devil, he thought enviously. I couldn't have done better myself if I tried.
777
"Severus!" Minerva called out. "What have you done to Professor Lupin?"
"Absolutely nothing, besides what I am requested to," Severus stated blandly. Dark armed sleeves crossed as a contemptuous sneer crossed the professor's face. "Why? What have you been hearing? Besides the usual gossip and chicanery that encircles my life and all its nefarious doings?"
"This is no joking matter," she repressively said, staring into the dark eyes evenly. "Remus has called me and asked me to teach his class. He finds that he is unable to do so. If I had to wager a guess, I would say that the poor man is afraid to do so. What did you do?"
"I assure you, Minerva, that I have not seen Professor Lupin since I…" the words trailed off as the potions master became aware of the students listening avidly. "Do you mind? There are classes today, if I am not mistaken. Go before I start deducting points."
Both were silent, watching the kids scurry away as if the very hounds of Hell had been loosed upon them, before they walked away. "Severus, must you treat them like that?" she asked, shaking her head in dismay and good humor. "They are merely being curious."
"Serves the brats right," was the swift reply. "They should not have been eavesdropping on our conversation. Curiosity has its place, that I freely admit to. But this conversation was not for their ears and we should not forget that. As well as the fact that this is a house of learning, not one of spying."
"Something you have intimate knowledge in?" She asked, shutting the door behind them.
"Minerva," the reply was bit off. "I do not understand Professor Lupin's reluctance to rise from the hospital bed. I only saw him when I gave him the potion. I do not make a habit of visiting people in the Infirmary."
"What did you teach in his class?"
Sighing, Severus stared out the window. "We played a game of Wizard Trivial Pursuit, not that it is any concern of yours."
"Really? Who won?"
"The Granger/Zabini team," the reply was dry.
"You had mixed teams? Severus, are you feeling quite the thing?"
"I am fine," it was spoke through clenched teeth. "The charter that I signed binds me to obey the rules set down by each individual teacher. Thus, when I taught your class five years ago so that you could see your daughter give birth, I could not hex the students."
"Oh, that's right. The Board of Directors insisted on that, though no one has had to sign such a binding contract for several years."
"Since the last Snape taught here three hundred and twenty two years ago," Severus informed her. "It was something that Professor Potter argued had to be done."
"Will you at least go and see Remus? Find out what is wrong and reassure him that all is well with his class," she asked. When her companion's mouth opened to object, she smoothly added. "It could also be a problem with the potion. You wouldn't want to be accused of gross negligence, would you?"
"Very well, I shall see the Professor."
"Soon?"
"As soon as I leave your office and retrieve something from my quarters. If the potion is behind this illness, I will need to find out where it has gone wrong. He has been taking it for several months and has shown no signs of illness," Severus wandered off, thinking about the problem.
Minerva smiled smugly to herself. It was so easy to play Severus once you had the right key to how the professor worked. And that key was the notorious perfectionist in Snape. She wondered if he was aware of how many people knew it-and used it.
