Author's Notes:
Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please accept my apologies for my apparent mental block regarding Barty Crouch's name. I keep on writing 'Couch' and I don't know why. I'll really try harder to catch those. Again, thanks for your patience.
Chapter 21: Aftereffects of a Misspent YouthSeverus bolted up in bed, grabbed his wand and pointed it at the offending noise. He stopped and tiled his head slightly, narrowing his eyes. Half asleep he wondered how one of his students could have made it into his room, but a split second later he recognized the girl.
"Ohhh… my… Severus," the girl said, as she absently pulled back a few wayward bushy strands of mousy-brown hair out of her eyes. "You… too…"
"What do you mea…" he began, but quickly pulled his hand to his mouth. His smooth, intimidating baritone was replaced by a higher pitched voice with an occasional crack – evidence that his hormones were busy in thickening his vocal chords. He hadn't talked that way since his third year. "Nox," he said, holding up his wand, cringing at his voice. Slowly he pulled the blankets away from him, looked down, and flinched.
"No grass on the Quidditch pitch?"
"More than you have, I'd wager," he said curtly. His eyes darted around the room, his head and neck jerked as he thought.
"Snivellus Spider is thinking again," Ruedella giggled. She too stopped regarding hearing her own voice, although the change was nowhere near as dramatic as Severus'.
"Potter!" he bellowed. He then looked directly at Ruedella. "Never," he cautioned, "call me that again or you will be permanently reliving your childhood."
"It wasn't so bad," she replied.
"Your brothers will not be around to bail you out," he said flatly. "Protect you when you do something stupid – and neither will I."
"But our contract is now bound," she said. "Now what would the good people say about a Professor having a child bride." She leaned over the bed, "They might say that you were exorcising repressed desires…"
"I am neither a pervert or a pedophile!" he yelled. "And you very well know it. Now we need to focus…"
Ruedella nodded agreeably and sat on the edge of the bed. "You were saying about Potter – I do hope this isn't one of your imagined transgressions. Like how you claimed he freed Sirius Black…"
"He did free Sirius Black!" Severus snarled. "Not only did the boy delay my long laid out plans, but he cost me an Order of Merlin to boot!" He continued as the young Ruedella rolled her eyes patronizingly, "I KNOW he was behind it! As if he were in two places at once… altered time…" He grabbed his night robe off of a nearby hook at put it on, snarling as he noticed it was significantly too big. "That is it… time… he must have switched…"
"Will you please focus on getting us back to normal!" Ruedella whined and pouted.
"I am… Potter and Weasley were in my office about a month ago when I was preparing the potion. I left, told them to not touch… Of course." He paused for a second. "Potter and Black could never listen to directions. Rule breakers they were…"
"You said Potter was with Weasley," Ruedella corrected. She then added, "I'm hungry. Breakfast won't be for awhile." She patted her robe. "My bezoar! Where can I get another bezoar!" She began to cry and the various objects in the room began to shake.
"You can get a bezoar from a goat, you ninny," Severus said annoyed. Seeing her cry even harder, he went over to her side. "Ok, I won't touch your drink… but make sure Rosier doesn't steal Quirrell's, okay?" He pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. "We're reverting to when we were young. About the age of thirteen for me and eleven or so for you. We must remember who we are. How old we are." He grabbed Ruedella by the shoulders and turned her to face him. "You are Ruedella Lestrange-Snape, my wife and Professor of Ancient Runes. You are thirty-six years old."
"Thirty-seven," she added. "You forgot my birthday."
"You forgot mine as well," Severus spat back.
"I don't believe we were talking on Halloween," Ruedella replied truthfully. "Besides, it must be horrible to have a birthday on Halloween. Your parents took the celebration of the Imbolc way too literally." She looked him up and down, "Although you do make a very typical Scorpio."
"Oh will you stop your blabbering!" Severus snarled. "We must get dressed and get to my office! I can then find the potion instructions, deduct what happened, and then research a cure!" He looked at her. "Chances are that the effects are temporary, but I have no idea the time frame."
"Why don't we ask Dumble…?"
"No!" Snape countered, interrupting her. "Not after my failed transfiguration attempt. The wizard all but humiliated me." He pointed his finger, which was almost comically long compared to the rest of his body, into her shoulder. "It was all your fault."
"Whatever," Ruedella huffed as she jerked away. She went around the bed and began picking up their clothes laying them out on the unmade sheets and blankets. "Obviously we will have to resize them…" She then looked at them for a moment, looked at Severus, and then back at the clothes. "You do realize that the students do not wear clothes like these. Even many of the Purebloods now wear Muggle-like clothes until they become full-fledged wizards…"
Severus sulked for a second and then walked over to his wardrobe. He dug through a few bottom drawers until he pulled out a stack of clothes and brought them over. "From my seventh year."
"Well, assuming that either of us can successfully resize them," Ruedella said, "they are out of style." She looked at Severus and said under her breath, "Even when you were a student…"
"Some of us didn't have the privilege of getting brand new robes every time we grew a half inch!" Severus barked. "My mother was treading on dangerous ground even purchasing second-hand robes!"
"Okay, sorry," Ruedella said. She cleared her throat, "Is that why you never made any comments about the Weasely children? I mean…" She chose her words carefully; "You are always making comments about someone, especially if misfortune befalls them. But I have never heard a word about their second-hand books or patched up robes… even Lupin's. Oh, you'll comment about him being a werewolf…" She stopped suddenly, purposely changing the subject as Severus' lip began to twitch uncontrollably. "Maybe we should go to the laundry. If we hurry, the laundry elves might still be asleep – it's only the kitchen ones that are awake early to prepare breakfast."
SECTION
The two crept through the dimly lit hallways keeping to the shadows. To an outside observer, they looked simply like two students. The first was a young first year girl with a stringy gait, large bushy hair, oversized front teeth and wearing a night robe which had been magically shortened (quite unevenly) at the arms and the legs and was tied tightly around the waist with an added pin at the top to help keep it closed. The second was a boy just slightly taller than girl with long, untidy black hair (which was far longer than Hogwart's regulation length), and a better sized night robe, although a few of the edges showed noticeable singe marks and one, in particular, left a small trail of smoke as he walked.
As they approached a large pillar that flanked the final corridor that led to the laundry, Severus grabbed Ruedella by the shoulder. As she was about to protest, he put his hand on her mouth and dragged her into dark shadows. "Filch comes by at this time," he whispered. "Wait…"
They held their breath and dared not move a muscle as the squib and his loyal companion, Mrs. Norris, walked down the hall. The cat stopped and mewed in their general direction. The Squib bent down and patted the cat, sneering as he squinted into the darkness. "Got something there, Mrs. Norris? Students out of bed? Bet that Potter…" he began to cackle. "Potter get out here… I always knew it was you! Blasted boy, arrogant git like your father…"
Severus slowly pulled out his wand and motioned for Ruedella to slowly step behind him. "Confuto caecus," he said and a purplish light sprang forth and enveloped both Filch and Mrs. Norris. "That should do for now," Severus said, grabbing Ruedella by the hand and pulling her forward. "Petrified, but unaware of their surroundings. When it wears off, they'll continue just as they were unaware that any time has passed."
"You… you… hexed them!" Ruedella squealed and was rewarded with a hand over her mouth to quiet her.
"Cursed," Severus corrected with a whisper. "But a minor curse…"
The two walked quickly, but silently under the still sleeping portraits until they reached the large oak and metal door that led to the laundry. Taking the lead, Severus opened it and walked inside. The room was large with a few enormous windows on the far side which were open a bit to allow cool air to enter. It was still quite dark outside, as the winter Scottish countryside would not see sunrise for a few more hours, but a handful of elves were starting to wake and prepare for the day. Severus grabbed Ruedella's arm and led her to a side room. In it were shelves and racks of robes of various sizes and adorned with house emblems.
"These are extra uniforms," Severus commented as he rummaged through a rack of boy's robes. "Students inevitably outgrow, lose, tear or otherwise ruin their own. Until their parents can send replacements, they can borrow from these."
Ruedella nodded and headed to the other side of the room where the girl's clothes were stored. To the side she spotted a tiny bed with a snoring female elf surrounded by a pile of empty butterbeer bottles. Although she thought the scene odd, she thought nothing more of it and began to help herself to some appropriately sized clothes.
"May Dobby be of assistance?" a squeaky voice came from behind her, causing her to scream. Instantly, the clothes next to her parted as Severus burst through the racks, wand in hand. The elf tilted his head and looked at the two, and then over to the female elf, who had begun to stir because of the noise. "Does Dobby know you? Dobby thinks you are, young miss, quite familiar."
"Err," Ruedella stuttered. "Probably have seen me around. Err… my friend and I were victims of a bit of a prank and need some clothes until we can locate ours." She looked at Severus, who had managed to find a decently sized robe and accessories with the appropriate Slytherin adornments. "Slytherin House," she said.
"Ah, of course," Dobby said dismissively. "Slytherins always wasting elves time. Dobby knows Slytherins too well. Dobby's former master's family was all Slytherin." He eyed her up and pulled a few items off the rack and handed them to her. "Dobby almost thought you were an associate of Dobby's former master. But perhaps Dobby is thinking of your mother…"
Ruedella simply nodded. The elf turned to attend to its companion. As she was about to take off her robe, the elf turned quickly, snapped his fingers, and plowed Severus into a nearby wall.
"Now, now, young wizard," the elf said in a corrective tone. "One must give the witch some privacy. Wait by the door." Dobby pointed a long finger to the other side of the room.
Ruedella began to snigger as Severus sulked off, not willing to risk getting into a confrontation with an adult House Elf. As she finished dressing, she heard a squeal behind her and she turned on heel. The female House Elf was now awake, but apparently not of full senses, as she was lunging towards Ruedella, her tiny arms flailing and her oversized eyes rolling crazily in their sockets. The other elf, fortunately, grabbed her and the female elf ended up simply laying on the ground, beating the floor with her hands and feet as Dobby sat on her.
"What is going on!" Severus barked as he ran back.
"Wicked girl!" the female elf bellowed. "Winky knows this girl. Lestrange girl. Friend of Winky's Barty…" The elf began to sob at the wizard's name. "Beloved Barty. Clever boy, smart boy… wicked girl got Barty in trouble. Barty knows this, but cannot prove it. Wicked girl… Barty had to drop classes and Barty could only earn 12 OWLS instead of 14. Wicked girl…"
Dobby waved his hand at the two young wizards dismissing them. "Dobby does apologize, but Winky is not quite herself." He looked down at Winky. "Barty graduated long ago. The Lestrange girl you speak is long gone as well… no…" His ears perked up. "Lestrange is a professor here. This witch is certainly not the one whom Winky thinks." He eyed up the girl. "Although… perhaps Winky is confused like Dobby was confused…"
"I look a lot like some people," Ruedella said stupidly. She turned to Severus who simply rolled his eyes.
"Young sir," Dobby added. "Your hair is not regulation length…"
"It does not matter," Severus snapped back. "If I cut it, it will grow back by the next morning, if not sooner."
"Dobby understands," the elf nodded. "Professor Snape provides boys with some tonic to assist. Dobby advises that young wizard sees to it lest young wizard intends to lose points for Slytherin." The elf mumbled something else to himself that neither could hear.
"Wicked girl…" Winky began again. But before she could finish her rant, both young wizards had fled the room.
SECTION
They crept past Filch and Mrs. Norris, moving silently and carefully as Severus calculated that the spell would wear off soon. Taking a few hidden passages and shortcuts that Ruedella never knew existed; they soon found themselves next to the entryway to the Slytherin Common room.
"We need to blend in," Severus commented. "We cannot walk the halls now, otherwise we will be discovered. We have to wait until it is closer to breakfast. Then we can do as we see fit."
Ruedella looked at Severus. "The elf is right," she said as she took a lock of Severus' hair in between her fingers. "If we are not trying to attract attention to ourselves…"
Severus turned to her. "We will find some scissors in the common room and attend to that… later…"
"Oh, I can shorten it pretty easily," Ruedella said as she pulled out her wand. "Hold still…"
"I hardly think so," Severus jerked away. "Seeing how you did such a fine job on your night robes."
"Oh really, here…" she waved her wand and said a quick incantation. Dark black hair flew around in a puff of white smoke, making both wizards choke and cough.
"What have you…" Severus said, enraged as he held clumps of his hair in his hands.
As the smoke cleared Ruedella studied her work. "The execution of the charm was a little sloppy, but the results are satisfactory. A little water…"
"What in Merlin name is that smell?" Severus sniffed the air. "Burning… Owww!!" He patted the back of his head a few times. "You caught me on fire!"
"You were singed, not on fire," Ruedella corrected. She conjured up some water and a cloth and dabbed it on his head. "That should do it."
"That spell," Severus said, pointing to the water and the cloth. "Perhaps this is reversing," he said with a slight air of hope.
"Mother taught me some basic conjuring when I was still on a training wand," Ruedella said with a sigh. "Things that one would need in an emergency." She nodded to the door. "I am afraid that I do not have the privilege of knowing the password."
"Pureblood," Severus said to the stone. A second later the wall began to rearrange forming a suitable entryway.
"Pureblood?" Ruedella scoffed. "Might want to use that less frequently than every other week…"
"We can't," Severus said tightly. "Otherwise some, including Crabbe and Goyle, would be sleeping in the dungeon corridors."
They walked into the large, but low ceiling common room. The room was still quite dark, but the lanterns were slowly starting to brighten, a sign that the new day was about to begin.
"To the books and study tables," Severus said. "We can sit there while the others start milling down."
"What if…" Ruedella shook her head. "I mean, certainly, some would recognize their own classmates."
"Just keep your head low and do not make eye contact. Everyone will assume that we belong in some other year class than their own. Just enough time to get out and do what we need to without being caught by Filch."
"You could always…" Ruedella flicked her wrists.
"For a squib I am fond of the man," Severus said. "Not a bright man, but he has his own uses… I would rather not issue too many spells and bring attention."
Ruedella nodded in agreement and they walked quietly to the back of the common room. They noticed some sound and movement on one of the couches. Stopping, they looked and saw a large mound covered with a green blanket with strange moaning and groaning sounds emitting from underneath.
She was about to giggle, but Severus caught her and pulled her behind a couch. Crouching, they sat there quietly as Severus cautiously peered over the side to evaluate the situation. Taking out his wand, he absently tapped his chin for a few seconds before he noticed the sleeping portrait of Elric the Eager. Flipping his wand, he sent a quick burst of light at the portrait, causing it to awaken.
"WHAT! WHO! I'LL DISEMBOWL!" the portrait howled, waking the other portraits. The startled occupants under the blanket, bolted up and fell onto the floor in a tangle of arms, legs and unclothed torsos. The boy quickly got to his feet and took the blanket, wrapping it around him as he ran down the hall towards the boy's dorm.
The girl shrieked and grabbed two pillows, trying to cover herself. "Draco! You cad!" she cried out as she stumbled around, grabbing her clothes off the floor before rushing towards the girl's dorm.
"Hmm," Severus said as he flung himself over the back of the couch and surveyed his work. "Seems that young Malfoy finally managed to catch the Snitch."
"Different girl," Ruedella noted as she stood up. "Doesn't he go with that Parkinson girl?" She shook her head, "Started the habit of mistresses at a young age, I see."
"You should ask Rodolphus about the photos he snagged of Lucius and some Ravenclaw Half-blood." Severus turned slightly, "Obtained well after he was courting Narcissa."
"Something like that could be handy," Ruedella considered. "Perhaps I should ask him if I may hold onto it for safekeeping." She then nodded towards the dorms. "I don't believe sexual exploits are within Hogwarts code…"
"Well, what would you have me do about it now?" Severus replied as he helped Ruedella up and they made their way over to the study tables and bookshelves. Once situated, he summoned over a few books, frustrated that he had to use his wand for even the most basic levitation. Thumping one in particular, he smiled contently. "Many fond memories with this. I must have read it a dozen times." He looked at Ruedella who had her arms folded. "Now WHAT!?"
"Care to tell me of your plan? Or are you just making this up as we go along? We DO have a plan, don't WE?" she sniveled.
"But of course…" Severus smirked. "I always do."
SECTION
"Professor Snape gave us the note this morning," Severus said smoothly as he handed the note to Madame Pince.
The stern librarian took the note and then looked at the two, one at a time in turn. "First, I am not pleased that he is allowing someone so young in the Restricted Section. Second, the handwriting…" She waved her wand over the parchment. Frowning, she tried it again.
"He did not look well," Ruedella piped up. "Perhaps working too much. Tired perhaps?"
"Well, it is his signature," Madame Pince noted. "Although…" She looked at the note and then at Severus. "Marvolo Borgin? Oh, yes," she shook her head. "Professor Snape's grandmother was a Borgin, I believe. Must explain the resemblance. Uncanny."
"I told you Marvolo that you might be Professor Snape's long lost love child!" Ruedella quipped and then held back a giggle as Severus' obsidian black eyes bore into her. Seeing Madame Pince visibly shudder, she added, "Just a joke."
"I should deduct points just for the very thought, not to mention disrespect," Madame Pince said tiredly. "However, just go and make sure you have time for breakfast. I do assume that Professor Snape told you how to disarm some of the books? Mr. Filch is tired of cleaning up the blood."
"I am quite adept, ma'am," Severus said with an air of respect. And with that he and Ruedella scurried to the Restricted Section.
Once they were past the doors, they found an isolated table away from prying eyes or ears.
"I thought we had to go to your offices first?" Ruedella asked.
Severus walked over to the books and looked over them. Taking one that had a heavy black chain, he recited a long incantation and then opened it. The book shook a little, but otherwise appeared to be harmless. Taking a nearby quill and some extra parchments, he quickly began taking notes. After a few minutes he looked up to Ruedella.
"We cannot enter my storage area without taking down the wards," he finally replied. "Unfortunately, most of the wards are more advanced and well…"
"You have no idea how to get through them without killing us, do you?" Ruedella sighed as he put her head in her hands.
"I can recall what I did – somewhat. I simply need a brief refresher."
"Why don't you goad Potter into breaking in," Ruedella taunted.
"Are you saying that he is a more capable wizard that I?" Severus slammed the book and stalked over to their table, placing his palms face down and leaning towards her.
"Given the current situation, yes…" Ruedella said. Using her wand she summoned over his notes and combined them. "Anything else?"
"Quit rushing me!" Severus said tersely and pinched the bridge of his nose. "This is very complicated and you are not helping. I doubt that you could have even… before…"
"You're being rather pig-headed," Ruedella said, holding her finger up to her nose and pushing it back. "Look at me, I'm pig-headed Snivelus and I'm a big know it all. Rabastan said that if you kept your hand up in the air anymore in class, owls would start nesting on it."
Severus' eyes narrowed and he quickly pulled out his wand. A light blue light emitted from his wand and encased her head. "Consider yourself fortunate that I didn't do you entire head!"
Ruedella squealed and touched her nose. "You DIDN'T!" She grabbed her wand and threw and light green light into Severus' stomach. He lurched. "Eat slugs!" she said with a wide satisfied smile under her pig-nose.
"What are you doing!" a voice called out behind Severus. He turned and Ruedella looked over as Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley walked over. "Are you not a little young to be in here… and…"
Severus looked at them, green in the face. "We had a note…" he began to explain and then threw up a giant slug onto Weasley's shoe.
"The Restricted Section is a privilege," Granger began, "and note or no note, you are expected to behave appropriately. Now five points from Slytherin for your little hexes."
"A mutilation is considered to be a curse, not a hex," Severus said and then burped up another slug.
"Very well then," Granger said, "then make it ten points." She met eyes with Severus as he glared at her. "Dare me to make it fifteen." Seeing him nod, she pulled out her wand and fixed Ruedella's nose. "As for you, you need to go to Madame Pomfrey's for some anti-slug tonic."
"Or wait it out," Weasley said sheepishly. "And find a bucket or something," he added as he pointed to the pile of slugs slithering on the floor. "Filch will have kittens if he sees this and he'll personally drag your bottoms to Snape. So, I'd be sure to clean this up before you leave."
"Evanesco," Ruedella said lazily as she pointed her wand at the mess. "Erm… what's the charm for conjuring up a bucket?"
"You missed one," Severus said in between burps and issued a flame from his wand catching the slug on fire. With another wave of his wand he conjured up a bucket and deposited another slug into it.
"Do you mind not catching the library on fire?" Weasley said looking at the boy horrified. "What is your name anyhow?"
"Marvolo… urp…" Severus said as he spat out another slug, "Borgin…" He turned and looked on as Ruedella collected the notes and put away the book he was reading.
"Is this clean enough?" Ruedella asked Granger who then nodded her approval. "Let's go and get you fixed up," she said as she pulled on Severus' arm.
"I just need some tincture of slug and extract of seaweed diluted in distilled water," Severus said. "Works better than the tonic." He looked at Ruedella and raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps we should go to the office now…"
"I never heard about tincture of slug…" Hermione began.
"Did it ever occur to you that perhaps you don't know everything about potions?" Severus sneered in between burping up more slugs. "Might want to listen and learn you silly Mu--…"
"Well, we better go," Ruedella said as she moved her hand from his arm to over his mouth. Giving his a sharp kick in the shins she then pulled him by the arm towards the exit.
As the two left the Restricted Section and headed out of the library, Ron turned to Hermione. "Did you get that girl's name?"
SECTION
"Well that was easy enough," Ruedella said as Severus opened the door to his office with just a few well-placed spells.
"Should be," Severus said, "the interesting wards are inside, as are the traps." He turned to her and grabbed her shoulder. "Touch nothing!" he warned sternly. "We will get what we need and get out."
"In time for breakfast?" Ruedella asked hopefully. She just sighed as Severus rolled her eyes and dragged her inside.
Severus quickly located a few items on the office shelf and mixed together a basic elixir. Adding one last slug to the bucket, he then sat down the bucket of large slimy slugs, held his nose and drank down the concoction. After he was finished, he took a deep breath and then burped loudly, producing a large green bubble that floated in the air and then popped.
"That was gross," Ruedella said, looking quite sick.
Severus simply shrugged his shoulders. Pulling a large glass jar off the shelf, he took off the top and put three of the slugs into it. "For future use," he said, "Waste not, want not." He looked at the bucket again and scratching his head, he smirked and grabbed another large jar and filled it too with slugs. "Professor Sprout refuses to grow a specific parasitic vine and instead is cultivating more Devil's Snare, which is easy to obtain. A few slugs to ruin the new patch of Devil's Snare and perhaps I can talk her into using the space for some more practical purposes." When he was finished, he caught the contents of the bucket on fire and quickly issued a charm to clear up the smoke.
"That's a practiced move," Ruedella said.
"When you had either Peter Pettigrew or Vincent Crabbe, Sr. as your constantly assigned potions partners, it was a necessity."
"Oh. Well then, now what?"
"I retrieve my notes from my desk and then obtain some supplies from my storage. Then, we find a quiet place for me to work." He walked over to his desk. "This part is relatively easy as it is mainly protected by an identity charm. Despite my outward appearance I am still who I always was. Now the storage area will be far more difficult." He stood off to the side and issued a few spells, the first two seemed to have worked, but the third caused the drawer he was working on to fly out of its place followed by several ice-blue spikes of energy that bounced harmlessly off the back wall. Nodding in satisfaction, Severus summoned over the drawer and dug through the contents pulling out a leather-bound notebook. Leafing through it, he marked a few pages and then returned to the drawer, pulling out another dog-eared book. Quickly moving to a nearby cupboard, he issued a few counter-spells and opened it up, and took out a dark black satchel. He returned to the drawer, satchel in hand and put the notes, book and the items Ruedella had in hand into it. He then picked up the drawer and replaced it into his desk.
As the two walked over to the door which led into the storeroom, they were interrupted by the sound of a shattering jar. They turned quickly to find Peeves floating in the doorway with a jar of beetle eyes in hand while eyeing up the shattered jar of dried Dragon Roses.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!" Severus yelled.
The poltergeist looked at the two and gave them a big smile. "Ohh… slimy Slytherins looking for Snivellus Snape? You'll be in big trouble breaking in – but I should thank you for letting me in… but I won't…" The poltergeist then swooped towards them; dropping more jars along the way. "Pfftt!!" he stuck his tongue out and spit toward them. "Breaking into Severely Snapped Snape's office and his storage room. Ohh… he'll break your wands and have you licking cauldrons clean." The poltergeist then leaned forward and winked. "However, if you let me in there, I won't tell…"
"No!" Severus barked.
"Oh well," Peeves replied and swooped towards the door, again breaking a few more jars along the way. "I saw Filch just down the hall and…"
Severus whipped out his wand and aimed a curse at the poltergeist. Peeves shrieked for just a split second and was then eerily silent. He floated head over heals, frozen, his ghostly arms and legs spread eagle and his face plastered with an expression of horror, like an grotesque translucent balloon.
Mortified, Ruedella backed into a shelf, spilling an odd-shaped blue vial. Severus grabbed her and pushed her to the door. "Silly fool…" he said as he grabbed her and they ran through the door past Peeves. "The fumes are poisonous. We'll return later…" Before he could finish, he heard Filch's voice yelling down the hall.
"Breaking into Professor Snape's office are ya?" the squib yelled as his footsteps echoed towards them. The two jumped and ran up the stairs, careful to avoid the trick step. As they neared the top, they heard Filch shriek, "What in bloody hell did you do to Peeves?" They didn't stop and continued into the main part of the castle.
"Do you think he saw us?" Ruedella asked as they stopped to rest. She grimaced as Severus nodded. The halls were starting to fill with students, mostly in casual clothes as it was a Saturday, and the voices chimed in excitement over the upcoming Quidditch game.
"There they are!" Filch's voice carried over the chatter and the hallway's din died to silence. Filch was flanked by several Slytherin prefects, all with their wands drawn. "Just take them down and I'll haul them off to Professor Snape," he said with a snaggled-tooth grin.
Severus and Ruedella bolted straight into the center of the crowd, hoping to lose the Prefects in the maze of students. A spell shot by Severus' head, causing him to jump. In a swift clean movement, he turned and issued a spell Ruedella never heard before, hitting the one Prefect, Draco Malfoy directly into the stomach and forcing him into a nearby wall. Ruedella turned and gasped as the young wizard did not bounce into the wall, but became part of it.
"Oh no you don't," another Prefect, this one a Ravenclaw, jumped out from behind a pillar. Severus aimed another spell, transfiguring the boy so that his arms were now where his legs were and vica-versa. The Prefect shrieked, not in pain, but in surprise.
"That will hold them," Severus said, nodding as the Prefects began to let off their chase to help their downed brethren. He grabbed Ruedella's arm and said, "I know where we can go, follow me…"
"No, I have a better idea," Ruedella replied, pulling away. She turned to go down another hall and motioned for Severus to follow. As she took a few steps, Ernie MacMillian, a Hufflepuff Prefect, stepped in front of them, his wand out.
"Don't try anything. I'm quite adept at Defense Against Dark Arts," Ernie pronounced with authority.
Severus laughed and replied, "Let's see…" He issued another spell and four brilliant white skulls, with sharpened fangs and breathed in fire, roared from the tip of his wand and flew towards MacMillian. Two broke off and began to chase other students, clearing a way for them to escape.
"What in Merlin's name!" Ruedella gasped and looked at Severus who was surveying the chaos caused by his spells with much satisfaction.
"You know where to go?" he asked. "We best make way while we can."
END CHAPTER
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