Updated: Friday 4th March 2005
Disclaimer: See Chapter One
Chapter Forty One: Making PeaceWhen Estella had returned to their dungeon quarters early in the New Year, Severus felt more at ease than he had the time they'd been apart. Though the resilient child had pretty much continued to ignore him by throwing herself into the new term at school and hiding behind her books, only conversing with him when prompted, she could at least stand to be in the same room as him again. Upon her return Severus had sat her down for a heart to heart and apologised again, asking what he could do to make it up to her.
"If it happens again, I won't bother coming back." Was what she had said in a cold, impersonal tone. "Can we just get on with it for now?"
With a small measure of relief, Severus was glad that Estella appeared to just want to put the incident behind them and move on – much like she did the circumstances with Lupin and herself after that night at the Shrieking Shack. He didn't doubt, for one minute, that Estella would ever forget what had happened, however, and so he held her at her word and vowed to himself that he would do everything within his power to ensure that his niece didn't see reason to leave him. With Lupin's lycanthropy under control thanks to the Wolfsbane Potion and Estella becoming more and more independent as she got older, he wasn't sure where he would stand in court if she or Lupin ever tried to have him relinquish his guardianship. Of course he held the trump card in that he was the only one who could provide Lupin with his potion, but he didn't want to draw that card unless it was entirely necessary. Estella would likely never forgive him if he was that spiteful.
Estella, meanwhile, was thoroughly enjoying her last semester at school – the academic side of it anyway. She didn't quite know if it was because this was her last term before she would go off to Hogwarts and she wanted to be as prepared for the transition as possible, or if it was because certain extra-curricular issues were driving her to use study as a distraction, but she couldn't get enough of her schoolwork; and was steadfastly on her way to graduating the top of her class.
As the days wore into weeks, Estella had even gotten her library privileges restored. She had been discussing elements of her extra-credit assignment with Professor Dumbledore at the head table one night and had conversationally mentioned that given the nature of the assignment (being extra credit and all) the Hogsmeade School did not contain all of the supplementary readings and her teacher must have evidently presumed that she had ample access to the Hogwarts resources because there was no way any student could get the research done without them. When Professor Dumbledore had assured her she as welcome to take full advantage of any of the books in the library because he didn't believe in people taking advantage at what was at their fingertips and he wanted to encourage conscientiousness amongst his past, present and future students, Estella had raised an eyebrow at her Uncle sceptically as though to say 'shall I tell Professor Dumbledore just why I don't feel like I can use the Hogwarts Library?' and that was all it took for her Uncle to renege.
Even thinking about it weeks later brought a look of smug satisfaction to Estella's face. It wasn't very often that her Uncle was 'out-Slytherined' at his own game.
Now she was free to use the library whenever she wanted, Estella embraced the place as a sanctuary away from her Uncle – who while she had forgiven him in her mind's eye, she wasn't done making him feel bad about it. While she had been staying with Remus in London, he had given her a book by Dr Suess called "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas". After that, she spent the first week back at the school calling her Uncle, 'Uncle Grinch'; much to the mirth of the muggleborn students. It was a rather confused and befuddled potions master that fumbled through the days, unable to put his finger on why his niece was calling him that or why it made the muggleborn students laugh and snigger behind his back. It was not until a sympathetic (and extremely courageous) seventh year muggleborn student explained the concept of the Grinch after a rather colourful animated drawing finding its way to his desk that it all fell into place for Severus. He couldn't help but feel slightly humiliated, but it compensated him that his niece had begun to forgive him enough to play the joke on him in the first place… even if the prank was such a Black thing to do.
It was while in the library one day after the Grinch debacle while Estella was reminiscing, flipping through a copy of Dr Suess' now infamous tome (that Professor Dumbledore had rather merrily insisted the school now stock for its 'Muggle' section), that she encountered Harry, Ron and Hermione again. At first they did not see her, for she was seated on the floor in the casual reading area and rather camouflaged with large cushions on her flank; and so Estella just sat and listened.
"Nicholas Flamel invented the Philosopher's Stone!" Hermione said. "Do you suppose that is what Fluffy is guarding?"
"If it's not the stone under that trapdoor, I'll feed Scabbers to Fluffy!" Ron's voice filtered indignantly through the shelf of books between her and the Gryffindor golden trio.
"But who would go to such lengths to secure the elixir of life for themselves?" Harry said worriedly.
"Oh Harry, who wouldn't!" Ron snorted. "Could you imagine being immortal? Why you'd be just about indestructible."
A sense of dread pooled in Estella's gut. She knew from her Uncle's tutelage that anyone who was after that much power was generally up to no good. The idea of obtaining immortality by undeservedly stealing the invention of another, had darkness written all over it. Quelling her fears, she listened on.
"Do you suppose it is Professor Snape who is after immortality?" Hermione asked.
"Of course it bloody well is! Though Merlin knows why a git like him would want to live forever. I heard even his niece got sick of him over the Christmas break and ran away to London." Ron said gluttonously. "I bet the greasy bat just wants to live forever so he can torture students until the end of time."
Estella had to bite her tongue and physically hold herself back from leaping up and over the shelves she was hidden behind and throttle the whiny little redhead until his face was redder than his hair! It seemed, however, that Harry had similar ideas.
"Ron!" Harry snapped. "Don't be so ridiculous. Even Professor Snape would have more ambition in life than to spend his entire life teaching. If you haven't noticed already, half the reason he's such a git to us students is because he would much rather be somewhere else."
'Spot on!' Estella thought to herself, smiling.
"Yeah Ron," Hermione added. "Professor Snape really has no need for the stone."
"How can you say that, Hermione?" The redhead spat. "He's Snape! He probably wants it as some whacked potion ingredient."
"I don't think so, Ron." Harry said quietly. "I think Snape is one of the teachers protecting the stone. Why would he show the bite Fluffy gave him to Mr Filch?"
Estella frowned. She never did ask after her Uncle's leg after she'd seen him limp. And that happened before he went and became the biggest dunderhead… no Grinch… Hogwarts had ever seen.
"Because they're in it together!" Ron's voice continued. "Snape and Filch are both sadistic, cruel, mean, greasy, evil…"
"RON!" Both Hermione and Harry interrupted, cutting Ron off. "I'm not saying you're wrong entirely, Ron, but I spoke with Estella over the holidays and I don't think her Uncle would…"
"You spoke with the mini-bat?" Ron snorted derisively. "And the future Slytherin Princess is just oh-so-trustworthy I bet! Wait a minute, I was at School over the holidays, when did you…"
"It's none of your concern, Ron." Harry said shortly. "And I don't appreciate you taking that tone about Estella. She's done nothing to deserve…"
"She's related to Snape!" Ron cried.
"Oh shut up Ron!" Hermione snapped. "You are as bad as Malfoy with his pureblood superiorities."
"That's not the same thing!" Ron said heatedly. "I'm nothing like Malfoy."
Estella had had enough. She stood and rounded the bookshelf with inhuman speed. "What, so you're not small minded and judgemental and pig headed and stubborn then?" She hissed at a surprised Ron.
"You were listening to us!" Ron accused. "She was listening to us! Guys! See, I told you! She's Slytherin scum!"
"Oh so you mean by overhearing obnoxiously loud voices in a otherwise quiet room while I am minding my own business trying to read a book is being Slytherin by design, then I suppose overhearing the conversation between two staff and manipulating it to suit your own perverted crusade is what exactly?" She retorted. "Just who do you think you are, Weasely? How dare you go around slandering my family, accusing them of things you know nothing about!"
"Oh and I suppose you know everything, then?" Ron sneered. "I bet you're spying for your Uncle and you're really conspiring with him! You may think you can fool Harry and even Hermione so easily, but I'm not buying."
"Ron!" Hermione and Harry cried out again. Harry pulled Ron away from Estella. "There's more to her than you think, Ron. Lay off."
"Or what, Harry?" Ron shrilled, becoming manic. "You'll leap to her defence? Choose her over me?"
"That question doesn't even merit an answer, Ron." Harry said. "Estella has done nothing to me that suggests we all shouldn't at least be civil to her, and I would like it if you would pull your head out of your arse and trust me on this, else I may just have to reconsider the nature of our friendship. I won't have you dictate who is and is not worthy of my time, Ron. I know you mean well, and I appreciate you looking out for me, but some things I have to learn on my own!"
Ron exhaled slowly and glared at Estella. "Fine, Harry. I'll let you avoid your own bludgers. Don't mean I have to like it." He said breezily as he walked off. "I'm going to the Great Hall for Lunch. They always put extra stuff out early on Saturdays."
Harry, Hermione and Estella stood in awkward silence, staring after Ron's retreating back.
"You'd better go with him." Estella said finally. "He'll probably think I've bewitched you both and turned you against the noble house of Gryffindor otherwise. You'll never hear the end of it."
Harry looked at Estella apologetically. "You know his type then?" He asked.
"I'm related to both Snape and Malfoy, aren't I?" Estella smirked, lightening the mood.
"Maybe we can come good on that promise to study together." Hermione suggested. "Ron and Harry hate the library, and I don't really have any female friends at this place."
"I'd like that." Estella said earnestly, before giving Harry a sidelong look.
"Yeah, um, well I am sure we'll bump into each other when we least expect it too." Harry said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. As much as he wanted to welcome Estella to the fold, he didn't want her to come between he and Ron; nor did he want to choose.
"Yeah." Estella said, absently flicking hair out of her eyes, a knowing look on her face. "Don't sweat it."
With that, the three parted and went their separate ways. Estella back into the depths of the library to find a book, Hermione back to the Gryffindor Tower to deposit the books she had borrowed from the library in her dorm and Harry to the Great Hall to deal with a temperamental Ron Weasley.
End Chapter: Making Peace