Updated: Wednesday 16th February 2005
Disclaimer: See Chapter One.
Chapter Twenty Seven: Baby Did a Bad, Bad, Thing!
"Albus," Severus called for the man's attention as he sat aside him at the table in the great hall one night. "I have a favour to ask, if I may?"
The wizard in question cast Severus a questioning look and smiled. "Yes of course, Severus, do continue."
"As you are well aware, Remus Lupin and myself have, since Christmas, been introducing Estella to the rudimentary skills of practical magic." Severus explained, casting a quick glance at the chair next to him where a thoroughly dressed-down Estella sat slumped over her food. "However, my ever industrious niece took it upon herself to do some extra-curricular reading and try out one of the spells she found on Argus Filch's cat!"
Albus chuckled softly, his eye twinkling. "Ah, another mystery solved! I was wondering who had caused Mrs Norris' fur to glow in the dark like so!" He said, then looking past Severus to address Estella. "I assure you, young lady, that many a student cavorting around the school after curfew have been silently thanking you for preventing Mrs Norris' sneak attacks!"
Estella looked up at the venerable old man with a bewildered look of confusion on her face while Severus cleared his throat agitatedly. "As I was saying, Headmaster, Estella's misconduct warrants disciplinary measures but yet short of sending her to her room where she willing spends a lot of her time anyway or enlisting her to assist me in preparing potions ingredients – a task that she also enjoys immensely – I am at a loss as to what steps to take to deter Estella from overstepping those boundaries again."
Albus gave Severus and Estella a thoughtful look, his hand stroking his beard in contemplation. "I see," he said. "Well as it was Mr Filch's cat that was victimised, perhaps Mr Filch would be better served to avenge Mrs Norris' integrity."
Eyes as wide as a centaur caught in the path of a bludger threatened to pop out of Estella's head at the suggestion. Severus looked down at his niece knowingly and came to her rescue. "Well you see, Albus, I wish to punish my niece, not scar her for life!" He said. "I was thinking that since she exhibits such a bookish regard for authority she would be demonstrably better deterred by a evening in the headmaster's office; if you would be so inclined."
Albus looked between the two kin, an uncharacteristic smirk on his lips. "Why of course, Severus! I am sure I can find something appropriately boorish for young Estella to do." He said mischievously. "Bring her to my office after dinner."
Estella paled. Her uncle nodded in appreciation and conducted himself throughout the rest of the meal with an air of smug satisfaction. She tried to draw out the meal as long as possible… but to her misfortune they had hot butterscotch pudding with ice cream for dessert and there was just no eating that slowly, save for ending up with cold, gooey mush!
As soon as the last dishes had been cleared away (and the headmaster had left the table) Severus was leading his remorseful niece to the frightening looking stone gargoyle and up the escalating stairs faster than you could say "Curly Wurly"; the unusual password guarding the headmaster's office.
Estella stood close to her Uncle as the stairs winded around the tower steadily, moving closer and closer to her doom with each rising foot. A nervous fist formed in the pit of her stomach, and as the stairs lurched and revolved she regretted that second helping of pudding more and more. Estella could not remember being inside the Headmaster's office before. Contrary to popular belief, the Hogwarts staff – while altogether polite and mindful of Estella on her birthday and at Christmas – conducted themselves rather aloofly around the child. It would not do, Severus had explained to her countless times – for her to regard the staff as extended family, just as it would be detrimental to her academic development for the staff, in turn, to develop a bond with her in her youth that would impair their judgement of her during her future time as their student. Therefore, asides from Hagrid's position as her escort through Hogsmeade everyday after school, Estella hardly consorted with any of the Hogwarts staff outside of mealtimes and the occasional staff meeting she infrequently accompanied her Uncle to.
Professor Dumbledore, therefore, was a figure of reverence to the young child. Attending school in Hogsmeade she had heard the talk about the town regarding the wizard's most notable achievements. Albus Dumbledore was indeed a extremely powerful wizard – even Voldemort feared him – so the idea of spending time alone with the man in order to be punished absolutely mortified her. Her spirit was dismayed, also, at the prospect of spending time in the headmaster's office before she had even started at the school. Following her uncle through the unassuming doors, Estella could only hope that the incident would not go on her future school record.
After the two men exchanged a few quiet words, Severus turned and left the office without warning. Caught off guard, Estella was at a loss as to what to do, and so she stood, frozen, in the middle of the floor where her Uncle had left her. Peering at her amusedly from his vantage point behind his desk, Albus Dumbledore produced a tiny bag from his robes and held it out to her in offering. "Lemon drop?" He asked serenely, breaking the ice.
Estella's jaw dropped as she approached the desk curiously to see just what a lemon drop was. Willing to try anything once, she accepted one of the innocent looking sweets, muttering her thanks, before popping it into her mouth. She was quick to discover, however, that she had a severe aversion to its foreign, sour taste.
Smiling knowingly at the child's look of discomfort, Albus chuckled warmly and magically removed the sweet from her mouth with a subtle wave of his hand. "Ah I should have known – your Uncle doesn't particularly favour Lemon Drops either." He said conversationally. "Perhaps I would have more luck in asking you to join me for a spot of tea?"
Estella wiped the residual stickiness of the offensive sweet from her lips with a quick swipe of her hand and looked at the Headmaster oddly. "With all due respect Headmaster, but I was under the impression I was here to be punished."
Albus waved his hand again languidly and conjured a peculiar looking tea set that poured itself. "Why yes of course, child." He said simply. "Yet I am sure you can understand that for me to stray from my usual evening routine in order to somehow deprive you would unjustifiably deprive me also. After all it wouldn't be very hospitable for me to indulge myself while ignoring my guest"
Staring at the old man with wide eyes, Estella gingerly picked up her cup of tea and, settling into a chair opposite the headmaster, sipped from it softly. If this is how Hogwarts students were disciplined she was amazed how they weren't running amok. Then again, she supposed the truly troublesome were subjected to detentions with the likes of her Uncle or Mr Filch. It was strange all the same, in her preconceived expectation of order, to find the headmaster of the school the least stern and authoritarian of the staff.
"So," the man in question said, rousing Estella from her musings. "Which book did you source the spell from, child?"
"Oh, um, 'Lumos and Other Light Remedies'" Estella answered, surprised at the particular line of questioning.
"Ah, by one Newton Isaac if I am not mistaken." Albus replied thoughtfully. "So tell me, what drew you to that book? It's rather advanced reading for a child your age."
Estella shifted in her seat uneasily and stared at the floor. "I um, have a problem in dark places." She admitted. "I was looking for something a little more stronger than a simple Lumos."
Albus nodded, already familiar with the situation on account of his frequent meetings with Severus. "Yes, yes, of course." He said understandingly. "Yet I am still curious to learn what part Mrs Norris plays in all of this."
"Well…" Estella stated, looking the headmaster square in the eye. "I was walking back to the dungeons from the library late one afternoon and it was dark in the hallway and Mrs Norris jumped out of the shadows and scared me half to death!"
"Go on…" The headmaster nodded encouragingly as the child before him faltered.
"Well ever… ever since that night I kind of freak out when something like that happens." Estella said softly. "So I thought if Mrs Norris glowed in the dark, I would be able to see her coming next time and I wouldn't be frightened like that. I didn't think I was hurting anyone."
Albus nodded his head. "So it is my understanding that you didn't act out of a desire to play a joke?" He asked, marvelled at how a trademark marauder act could be driven by such converse motivation.
Estella nodded her head gravely. "I am truly sorry if it offended anyone." She said humbly.
"Of course, dear. I see no error in your ways." Albus said congenially. "In fact I find your resourcefulness rather commendable. They are good skills to develop. You may wish to re-evaluate your application, however."
The child nodded agreeably, relieved she was not in any serious trouble. "Yes sir." She said. "But if I may ask, what is my punishment going to be?"
"Oh, given the circumstances I am sure you would heed well to a warning this time." Albus said. "Though I am intrigued how you got caught in the first place."
"When I saw Mrs Norris the next morning in the daylight she was still glowing and I didn't know how to reverse the spell…" Estella explained. "So I asked my Uncle for help."
"I see." Albus said. "If I can make a suggestion, my dear?" Estella nodded. "Next time, ask your Godfather."
At this, Estella cast the headmaster a puzzled look; the wheels in her mind spinning out of control. However, before she could question the old man on his suggestion, the office door opened to reveal the angularly stern form of the Gryffindor housemistress and deputy headmistress.
"Ah, Minerva!" The headmaster called in greeting. "What a pleasant surprise!"
The woman in question glanced between her colleague and the small child and set her face into a frown. "I do apologise for my unannounced entry, Albus, but I was not aware that you would have company." She said shortly, referring to Estella with barely hidden contempt.
Even though Estella had little experience in dealing with the stern looking woman, they held no amount of love for each other. She couldn't quite put her finger on the reason, but for as long as she could remember, the matriarchal housemistress had exhibited a rather off-putting cool exterior whenever she was in the room. Estella had heard that her father had been one of the students in her house that she had most favoured. She then supposed, that the older woman felt betrayed by his later, criminal actions, and somehow held it against her. In the absence of a history of anything personal transpiring between them, it was the only conclusion Estella could draw. That said, however, she had no desire to investigate the validity of her assumptions and chose instead just to accept the slight animosity. It was not as though the Sorting Hat would ever put her in Gryffindor.
"Good evening, Professor." Estella said politely, rising from her seat and nodding at the deputy headmistress as a mark of respect.
Albus gestured his arms open in welcome. "Ladies, ladies, do take your seats." He beckoned. "Minerva, Miss Black and I were just discussing the finer arts of spell application, weren't we Estella?"
Estella nodded while Minerva snorted derisively. "Really Albus," She said exasperatedly. "Babysitting now are we? I thought that was what you had Sprout part with one of their House Elves for!"
The younger child narrowed her eyes contemptuously at her adversary, offended at the implications the woman was making. Estella could sense a history of discontentment in the woman in regards to her existence at Hogwarts and apparent exhaustive use of school resources. Honestly, where would the woman rather Estella live? Surely the guarded transfiguration teacher did not wish for her to return to the horrible Asylum – a place she could thankfully no longer remember, but had heard enough about. Even at his maddest, her Uncle had never, ever, threatened to send her back there.
Sensing the myriad of emotions passing through Estella's expressive eyes, Albus decided to intervene. "Minerva, we have discussed this." He said firmly. "Need I not remind you that Severus Snape is an asset to this school and I have merely done everything I could do to accommodate…"
"I will not condone such special treatment!" The by-the-book deputy head interrupted.
"Special treatment?" Albus asked, surprised. "I treat Severus no differently than I would any other member of my staff. When Professor Sprout's husband was ill did he not receive treatment in the infirmary so that Irma could be close to him? And what of the time your own sister had lost her husband and she stayed in your quarters for a month? This institution is amenable to the needs of all its staff, Minerva. However small or great they may be."
Minerva drew breath exasperatedly and exhaled sharply through clenched teeth, opening her mouth to speak.
"No, Minerva, I won't hear of it." Albus said, holding up his hand. "Just because Gryffindor House has a instilled rivalry with Slytherin House, it doesn't excuse its respective staff of behaving with childish jealousy and petty foolhardiness."
The chastised woman merely glared at her superior with her lips pressed in a thin line. Estella, meanwhile, was feeling increasingly uncomfortable, and wished that her chair would just swallow her whole. Sensing this, Albus turned his attentions to the child with a warm smile on his face.
"Thankyou dear, for our enlightening conversation." He said sincerely. "If you wish to return to your Uncle now I shall permit you use of my floo."
"Yes thankyou Headmaster!" Estella said, relieved to stand from her seat and move away from the stern old woman beside her with barely a nod of farewell. "Thankyou for your advice."
"Ah, such a polite little thing," the headmaster cooed in a grandfatherly fashion as he rose from his chair and led Estella to the fireplace, a bag of floo powder appearing from one of his robes' many pockets. "Do try to visit again soon, child. You have yet to meet Fawkes."
Estella nodded slowly and gingerly accepted a pinch of powder from the headmaster's bag. She wasn't quite sure who Fawkes was, but as she threw the powder into the fire and stepped into the flames she knew she would not be returning of her own volition. Not only was there something about the man and his twinkling eyes that slightly unnerved her, but should her Uncle come to think that she actually enjoyed her punishment with the headmaster, the next time she misbehaved he would most certainly have her slaving away at some ghastly detail under the watchful supervision of Mr Filch!
Tumbling through the fireplace and out into the living room of her and Uncle Sev's quarters, Estella found herself sprawled at her uncle's feet as he sat in his armchair. Peering over the edge of the essay he was reading to cast her an amused look, he raised his eyebrow expectantly.
"How was your meeting with the headmaster?" He asked.
Estella climbed to her feet with no amount of grace and carried her body heavily to her own seat, where she collapsed with a dramatic exhale of breath. "Professor Dumbledore lectured me on having poor judgement in my application of magic." She answered, not quite telling the truth, and yet not actually lying. A true Slytherin answer if there ever was one. "He only let me leave because the Deputy Headmistress arrived to discuss important school business with him."
Severus narrowed his eyes at his niece, his mind filing away her response for later perusal. "Did you learn your lesson?"
"Yes Uncle Sev." She answered, nodding her head furiously.
'Next time I will ask Uncle Remus for help!'
End Chapter: Baby Did a Bad, Bad, Thing.