Wow four and a half pages… about 2,900 words… don't know how I continued on and on actually, it just kind of came… hopefully you like it!
Reactions and a Favorable Clock
He hadn't spoken to anyone for the longest time. It was a point of denial in every step, not looking at anyone even if they were right in front of him. The bright light in his eyes had disappeared as well; all spirit left since he read that name above his. Not even the news of Slytherin House loosing one hundred points for running around after hours in order to sabotage the Gryffindor Quidditch team brought a laugh or even a smile. Such a depression could only rival that of Sirius' death and everyone knew it. Many times Ron and Hermione were approached by students asking what had happened. Rumors of everything imaginable swept through the halls to the point everyone truly believed one or another. Students who had known Harry for several years had the gall to believe this depression was caused by his guilt of killing someone. All they could do was stand by him during his time of pain, giving him their support. They knew that if they saw the professor, Harry would have a major relapse.
The only time a joyful feeling surrounded him was when they were practicing their animagi transformations. They had prospered in the transformations, limbs were starting to form. They had passed since the original date for reviving Sirius but they knew they had to finish this first. As much as they wanted to get Sirius out, getting into the Ministry would be a problem for them. And that's if Sirius was even in the book… They haven't even looked at the book since the devastating discovery. It was proof of a time he wanted to believe was just a dream, a fantasy however cruel it was.
The next day they truly dreaded. Passing through the halls, ignoring all the questioning whispers of rumors, the trio, along with their close friends, got ready for the battle ahead. They had their next Potion's class to do. There wasn't really anything they could have done to prepare for it though. Right off the bat the Slytherins made snide remarks used to create a reaction and a reaction was what they got. By the time the Potions Master came through the door, Draco Malfoy was up against the wall with Harry's wand up against his throat. It wasn't the fact that he dropped his own wand that scared Draco so much… it was the blank look on Harry's face as he threatened him. The aura around him was causing shivers down the backs of them all and they didn't even see the half of it. His eyes, oh his eyes! Their usually bright light which was a clear window to the man's soul usually was not dark and dead. Even the day before, just after he heard the horrible truth, at least his eyes didn't look dead. It was as if he had come back as a zombie to haunt the class for their bad deeds.
"Expelliarmus!" Snape's deep voice called out. But instead of Potter turning in outrage of the professor's actions or even from embarrassment of being caught, he just stood their unblinking. For the time being, time stood still. Students on both sides stood as still as a statue until the Boy-Who-Lived shrugged, picked up his wand from the floor, and walked to his seat. Harry could hear dim whisperings of his actions and some yelling from the teacher, but he couldn't care. Malfoy had it coming to him, calling his mother a Mudblood and all. He had no right saying whatever he pleased when his father was wanted for murder. And Snape was one to talk, he was a Death Eater and he denied his son.
He remembered hearing Remus and the Potions Master, he couldn't think of him as his father, talking about a Sansona, Sancini… whatever he was called. Remus was trying to make Snape tell the poor kid of his parentage. What would Snape do if he found out he really had two children that he hadn't known about? The man would have a heart attack! Being the father of the Boy-Who-Lived, the dread Harry Potter!
Who would want to be such a thing…?
Tick…
Tock…
Why is it that when you want something to go by quickly, the time just goes on and on? It is as if the fates were calling out to them to slow their lives and take it easy, but how could you do that with so much going on? There was so much work to do! Everything was a priority having to be done, nothing was low enough to warrant being pushed aside even for a few minutes. How is it that all those calm people were able to set aside time to relax? It would be considered a miracle if he was able to do such a thing.
Tick…
Tock…
Maybe he should just kill that clock. He didn't really like it in the first place; it just kind of sat there. He wasn't even quite sure where he had gotten it anyways. Was it from the dreaded family vault, or from the previous occupant of the classrooms? All he knew is that the clock would sound loudly in the strangest of times for no apparent reason just to drive him mad!
Tick…
Tock…
At the rate that this was going, the detention wouldn't be for another eternity. It drove him mad that he had to put up with Potter during class time, so did he really have to deal with him afterwards. He couldn't reason why he had to deal with the little twerp. Of course, he couldn't listen to logic and just send the kid over to another teacher, or even Filch, but that would be the reasonable thing to do.
Tick…
Tock…
But why did he even give the guy detention? Yeah, he had another student up against the wall at wand point, but did that truly matter?
Wait a minute… yes it did… What was he thinking? It did matter, especially given who the other student was. He picked up a piece of parchment from his end table which generated a little smile, or at least how much of a smile he could make. No one would know how much turmoil he went through to get it signed, but he didn't care. No longer would Draco Malfoy be in danger of his own father and his dastardly deeds.
Flashback
"Do you know what you are asking of me?" Lucius yelled into his face. "This will destroy the Malfoy line, I will not allow it!"
"But you would rather your son go through the pain of interrogation? What would happen if it were known that Draco was in contact with you?" Severus demanded. He would not back down in this fight, too much depended on it. "He would be brought into custody, no matter how old he is. Do you know what Veritaserum does to a minor's body? Draco would not be able to handle the breaking strength on his mind that would force the answers from him. But not only that, the acid in the potion will destroy part of the lining in his stomach. Adults have hardened their stomachs with the use of liquor, but Draco hasn't had that defense yet. Or at least I hope he hasn't."
"What do you take me for, an idiot? Of course Draco hasn't had that crap yet, can't have him running around drunk for him to make a fool of the Malfoy line! You are coming too close, Snape, and I don't like it. You meddled in things that shouldn't be meddled in. Why Our Lord keeps you, I don't have a clue as you are clearly destroying us from the inside."
"What are you accusing me of?" Severus asked dangerously. A far wiser man than Lucius Malfoy would have run for his life once having such a glare directed at him. It was true that he was a spy and hated his job, but it did not mean that he wanted to end it so soon. There was too much to do before that could happen. It was his destiny to continue in such a role, though hated as it was, just as it was his son's (didn't quite know when he started referring to him as that, even in his thoughts) to finish the job many man twice his age started. To be defeated in such a stage would be devastating to the cause, and he would not be that reason.
Lucius just continued as if there was not malicious threat aimed at his head, "Well we all know that you're suspected for treachery, and what you are asking me of isn't helping you in the matter."
"Don't see much wrong with it."
"Of the suspicion or of the request?"
"Why don't you make it both?"
It took Lucius a while to fully understand the question. The Death Eaters weren't known for their brains, especially considering that they had joined the Dark Lord in the first place. But then again, with stupid enemies, it might be easier for them to be defeated. He blinked a couple times before finally answering with, "Why would you want to be suspected for disloyalty?"
"Well once I am suspected, he will test for the truth and I will rise once he sees the truth. You are just afraid that I will rise above you, but that is not what I set out to do this evening. It might not come to you know, but one day you will understand that this is the best for all of us."
"The Malfoy line will not end! It will take more than the likes of you to change my mind."
"Why are you so sure that it will end?" The Malfoy elder stopped his retreat in confusion. He did not turn around, but Severus could tell that he had hook, line and sinker in just that one question. Why is it that a question could answer another but convey so much? "I am just asking for the custody to be transferred to me, the name doesn't need to change. We are trying to take the attention away from Draco, not add to it. No one would have to know about the custody change, we just need the Ministry to think that he is denying you."
"Why would you want that?" he demanded, getting right up in Severus' face.
He was always so easy to rile up when behind closed doors. If this were to happen out in the public, the patron would just look down his nose and demand the conversation be taken to another place. "Easy now, we are just wanting the Ministry to think this, it's not really true. Otherwise our plans with Our Lord will be foiled. And you don't want to be the reason for that, now do you, especially when he's been in such a bad mood lately." The shudder running down Lucius' body told him that he had made the mark. Yep, hook, line and sinker indeed.
End Flashback
He had gotten what he had set out for. The adoption papers shined cheerfully in the dim lighting of the dungeon apartment room. What the man didn't know is that he signed his son over to the Snape line no matter what he thought. Draco had already made it known that he would never change back to the Malfoy heritage no matter what happened. Even if the Malfoy patron didn't sign him over to Severus' care, he would still deny the name. At least this way he would still inherit everything he would have as the Malfoy heir, and that would give him a pretty penny.
Tick…
Tock…
Damn that clock! He was going to use it for target practice and then it wouldn't bug him again! It would make a very handy paperweight with each mangled part bringing so much joy. Ah… that would be very nice to see…
Knock, knock, knock…
Merlin's bane! He looked to the clock and saw that he had missed in his attack spell. Him, missing? Unheard of. But it was right in front of him, mocking him greatly. Before he could stand up to destroy the demon clock, the sound heard previously repeated. Finally, Potter called from his classroom door!
Passing into the doorway connected him to the hallway he could not suppress the urge to glare at the clock one last time. Pushing all of his anger into his being, he went through a hidden classroom door and through the isles to answer the knocking door which he threw open with a terrible force. Usually Potter would jump at such an action or even act indigent about it, but his depression once more shone through as he just stood there unchanged. He seemed to be getting better, just a little bit as the dead look was replaced with a slightly glossy look.
"Well it's good to see the famous Harry Potter wouldn't get out of his rightful punishment." How could he say that? "But if he tried he could get a teacher to change it." Wasn't he trying to seem better to Sansone for if he decided to tell the truth? "Maybe I underestimated you." Oh like that will mean anything! Try something! Just look at him!
Though he looked better than that morning during class, it was clear the boy before him was paining in so many ways. In all, his clothes were un-kept, hair in even more disarray, shoes not even bothered to be tied. And all through his small lecture, he didn't move, not even a twitch of an eye. It made him wonder what caused such a transformation. What could crust the young man's soul if he was able to withhold attacks from the Dark Lord face to face so many times?
"You are to scrub out all of the cauldrons without magic and organize the ingredient cabinet by the time I get back." The Gryffindor stood there mutely, not caring about the workload. The ingredient cabinet would probably cause him three hours alone, yet he didn't argue against' it. He didn't even ask how long he was given to complete the task. Slowly, he nodded and walked over to the cabinet filled with cleaning solutions he knew he would be able to use and got to work. It just wasn't right, the kid was supposed to argue and complain, not give in so easily in certain incidents?
He left back to his rooms. He wouldn't be able to take it for much longer. Cradling a newly filled Gin glass, he began to sleep drifting into a world where life didn't demand much of him or that of his son's…
He did not wake up for three hours. It amazed him actually that he fell asleep in his first place let alone in all the bright lighting around him. Or maybe he woke up because of the light as he could bet anything that it wasn't like that in the first place. Placing his overturned glass on the table, he felt another person in the room. Of course, Albus couldn't leave him alone for long.
"How are you doing this fine evening?" the old man asked, taking out another lemon drop to eat. "From what I understand, young Sansone has finished with is punishment and is awaiting your arrival."
Severus regarded Albus without emotion showing though confusion riddled his mind. No, the clock was right, so he was only gone for at the most three hours and the pest was already done with four to five hours worth of work? Impossible!
Without warning Albus of his sudden departure, Severus ran to the classroom where sure enough, Potter was sitting silently at a desk. The cauldrons were immaculate, and from where he was standing the cabinet was as well. Even all the tables were scourer down even though that wasn't part of the instructions. All in all, the place was perfect in such a small time.
"You should know not to use magic during your tasks," he called out, hoping to get a reaction from the silent student. But instead of the expected jump, he just stood and turned to address him. Really, he didn't know why he expected argument or anything of the sort, considering the guy's actions lately. Maybe he was just hoping it was just his crazy imagination betraying him, but sadly it was not. "Get out of here, but do not think I am not watching you!" He couldn't bear to see the dead look in his eyes again, so he passed by him to his room again. No magic was present in the room, other than the protection spells in all classrooms. How could he do so much but in so little time? And even doing stuff not even asked? What caused so much change?
Albus was gone by the time he got back, but a box of lemon drops showed him it wasn't just his imagination. There was no reason for the headmaster in his room actually. But then again nothing was going as usual. Ever since Her letter, his life had been turned upside down, but was it something he would rather change?
Tick…
Tock…
That clock is going down!
It was very fun to write the clock, don't know how it started, but it was just so funny. The next chapter is where the fun comes, just warning you!
athenakitty: My IM buddy! Hi waves crazily wow, I didn't know that was actually a word… anyway, like I said, the fun really starts next chapter as that is when Severus and Harry finally confront the truth (though it isn't really on their own free will laughs manically) You'll just have to wait and see!
rlmess: well, hopefully your nails are still in tact because, though I didn't make a cliffhanger this time, next chapter's will be a doozy (well, when I finally get to the cliffhanger, I'm just planning it to be)!