Chapter 4
"So, Tonks" Molly inquired as she ladled chicken pot pie, various sides and homemade yeast rolls with honey butter (you drooling yet? Well you should be.) onto a plate and passed it down the table " how are things going with you?"
"Mmmph-mph-hphmhpm-mmm"
It never fails! Whenever your mouth is full, either Molly or the wait staff asks you questions.
" Sorry, dear. Didn't catch that"
"Everything is up to par, Molly. Nothing really new or interesting. Mainly questioning Death Eaters we already have in custody and filling out paper work for various outlays. I haven't gotten to hex anyone in almost a month!"
Merlin, that sounded bloodthirsty, didn't it?
"Not that hexing people is something I look forward to. I mean, I uh, I only do it in the most dire situations and…."
"That's all the BLACK coming out in you, I suppose"
O HELL NO! Who would dare bring that up….
I whipped my head around to see HIM standing in the doorway. Our local malcontent. Our bitter buttery-haired boy in black. Our piqued punk of putrid potions. Ok, Ok, I'll stop.
It was Snape.
Snape, who's mood had not gotten any brighter in the past months. He seemed to be caving in on himself, lurking in the dark recesses and concentrating on something that must have been very tedious and very dangerous, because if any of us disturbed him out of his slimy revelry, he would explode all over us. By explode I mean that the offender of would be covered in insults as well as a goodly amount of Snape spit.
I had heard it from 'Mione, Harry and Ron that his mood had gotten much worse in the classroom as well. He would introduce the assignment and then sulk behind his desk. If anyone, including the Slytherin crowd tried to ask a question, he would simply deduct points and go back to sulking. No grandiose billowing robes or sneers that could stop a clock. He was just, well, distracted.
Perhaps I can shake him back to reality a bit"At least my inner BLACK stays hidden. You seem to wear yours on your sleeve."
Launch in 3, 2, 1…"DON'T YOU DARE COMPARE ME TO THAT FLEA BITTEN WRETCH!" Snape shouted, as he banged on the table, causing plates to jump and my cup of pumpkin juice to crash unceremoniously into my lap.
Great.
"All this yelling and screeching for a bad pun? Severus, you really should be introduced to humor more often." Remus quipped. Most of the table snickered. Severus was still fuming and I had gone under the table to retrieve the cup.
"Very bad indeed" Severus mumbled " I need to discuss something with…with….NYMPHADORA"
The shock of hearing my hated surname, plus the volume caused me to jump while searching for my cup under the large table in the kitchen, knocking my head very hard against the ancient wood and causing the basket of rolls to go flying.
"Tonks!" Yelled Ron " come out of there before we all end up wearing our supper!"
I crawled out from under the table, pants stained in Pumpkin Juice and a nasty red welt on the side of my head.
"Please Ron, don't shout! I have the beginning of a horrible headache and I don't want it made worse."
"Believe me, Nymphadora" Snape said as he casts a Scourgify spell for my clothes " what I have to tell you will be causing us both headaches for a while to come." Then he turned and walked out of the kitchen.
Grabbing my plate, I hurried to catch up to the gliding potions master, but not without hearing Harry ask Ron "Did Snape just make a joke?"
