Chapter Thirteen
Adventures in Research
By the time the four Snapes had finished their forms and mental training on Saturday morning, all of their friends had already found themselves something else to do. But that suited the four of them just as well; Saturdays had for years been their family days, and after their separation of interest over the last couple of years, the four of them jointly decided to renew that old tradition. For in the last couple of years they had learned that despite the fact that they had become much closer to their mates than their siblings, not one of their friends truly understood what it was like to be a Snape in a time of crisis…only another Snape could. And with that realization also came the looming fact that time was not on their side. As much as Alex wanted to be in the outside world now to seek her own life, it was not without the constant, tugging reminder of the three she would have to leave behind to do so.
The weather was unseasonably warm, and they had decided to spend their lunch together near the lake. But when Fluke dropped off a copy of the Daily Prophet, they quickly decided to head to the library, intrigued by the front page story. The four of them scrambled for books; Alicia being the first one settled at the table with a copy of Hogwarts, a History. Alex and Andrew then appeared with Dark Wizards Vol. 8 and a Divination Book called Falling Stars, Falling Skies, immediately beginning to scour through them. Aurelius then appeared, the book in his hand already open as he reached the table, huddling over it.
"You see, I told you it was a Death Spell," Aurelius sighed at Alex who merely eyed him in response.
"Seems like it'd to be more like an all-purpose destruction curse to me," Andrew said.
"As common as all that," Alex whispered sarcastically to him.
"Apparently, it was first used as an assassination tool," Aurelius explained. "What it does is summons tiny chunks of debris out of the Earth's thermosphere…basically the same thing that falling stars are made of, and directs them to hit a particular target, obliterating everything within a radius dependent upon the size. It had been first used centuries ago to get rid of 'unpopular' Muggle leaders of warring clans, but fell out of popularity because many found the debris hard to control, often falling on less desirable targets. Here it says it was then rediscovered in the late nineteen thirties by a German wizard bent on world domination…yes, well, then was the time, I suppose. Grindelwald, that's the same name that's in the paper right?"
"Right, I have it here," Alex said excitedly. "S. Grindelwald. Dark Wizard who was responsible for countless attacks upon Wizards in Great Britain during World War II. A part of the Nazi movement, Grindelwald had noted that the Blitzkrieg, though devastating to the country, could not get through the magic barricades of the defending wizard forces and redeveloped a spell known as Comet Strike to cause damage to the Allied magic kind. When tables turned against the Germans, Grindelwald disappeared to avoid capture only to reappear in Britain to exact revenge upon those he deemed enemies of the 'true order' until he was finally defeated by Albus Dumbledore in 1945! Just how old is Dumbledore, anyhow?"
"Never mind that," Andrew said quickly. "Is there anything else?"
"Um, yes, there is one side note mentioning that the devastation this wizard caused with the spell is why the mention of 'craters' or turning anyone into a crater is considered…"
"Grounds to burp up soap bubbles for a week?"
The four of them nearly jumped out of their seats when they saw Albus Dumbledore standing beside their table. Alex immediately covered her mouth as the rest of them stared at him wide-eyed.
"Oh, I'm sorry, did I startle you? I happened to come in for a bit of reading and found my ears tingling. Studying history, I see?" Dumbledore inquired politely.
"Just a bit of self-study, Professor," Alex said quickly, glancing at Aurelius as the other two began to nod in agreement.
"A splendid way to satisfy one's natural curiosity. Even better to do so as a team effort…best way to get things done, really. Helps the perspective if you have differing points of view contributing. I can't wait to read your report. I'm sure it'll prove quite interesting. Well, I shouldn't bother you any longer. Have a good day," Dumbledore said with a smile as he went up to have a word with Librarian Boulderdash.
"We were going to write a report?" Alicia murmured in a low voice.
"Guess we are now, aren't we?" Aurelius said tersely and turned back to his book.
Even by the end of September and into October, the weather was still unseasonably warm. The Quidditch teams were quick to take advantage of it; practicing every weekend and free afternoon up to the first game. When Alicia wasn't there, she was often found in the library. So often, in fact, that her siblings were getting more than a little curious about what she was up to. After a sudden rainstorm one Thursday afternoon unnerved Snape into calling Hufflepuff off the pitch, Alicia retreated there again, immediately going over to a particular shelf and pulling over the same books she had been studying lately while pulling out a sketchpad.
As she attempted to sketch a series of pictures inside, she felt the hairs on the back of the neck prickling. Glancing at the clock to see it was nearly time for dinner, she suddenly picked up the book and swung it behind her, unsurprised to hear a yelp and the sound of someone falling over.
"You know, you really are getting predictable," Alicia said with a sigh, reopening her book again. "If you want to know what I'm doing, you could try asking." She didn't hear anything for a moment. Andrew then walked up visible, pretending as if nothing happened.
"That's rather interesting," he said, pulling one of the sketches over as he sat down. "I've never seen you sketch coins before. What are they?"
"These are called obol…they're ancient Greek coins," Alicia said. "They're actually very significant in their mythology…they would put one of these in the mouths of their dead, because Charon charged one obol to cross the river Styx so they could go to the underworld after death. But the problem is…they're all so different. Every area must have had one…even the ones that are similar all have striking errors…"
"Why would that be a problem?" Andrew asked curiously.
"Well, apparently, Helga Hufflepuff always used to carry one in her pocket for luck…an enchanted one… although no one really knew exactly what sort of enchantment. Anyhow, it disappeared a long time ago. We think it's in the castle, although we don't know for sure…"
"We?" Andrew prompted.
"Yes, well, Professor Dusthorn and I, see she's the one who mentioned it…"
"Oh, no! Alicia, don't you think we have enough to do without going on treasure hunts for a painting?" Andrew sighed.
"No, not really. We're not supposed to be researching anything having to do with Ciardoth… well, unless you count the fact that Rel thinks that whole bit in the paper had something to do with her. All we're supposed to do is learn how to clear our minds and put up walls. Even Rel could teach us that. He could do that since before all of us could walk. And I feel like…like we should be doing something, and Dusthorn seemed to think it was important to find it."
"All right, all right, Alicia. I suppose we can't get into too much trouble with this considering we'd be staying in the castle. I'll go along with it on two conditions. And I think you know what they are," Andrew said, looking thoughtfully at the coins once again. Alicia nodded slowly, looking at her book a moment.
"Think she'll get along with Rel?" she asked. Andrew merely grinned at her.
Aurelius stared at the painting in front of him warily. Caprica matched the scrutiny, but with an amused smile on her face.
"Nice eyes," she commented after a moment. "Doesn't really look like any of you though, does he? Although there's little doubt his looks are from the Craw side of the family."
"You've been spending the last four years talking to this thing?" Aurelius said, glancing at his sister.
"Well, three, really, starting on four," Alicia said.
"I don't get it," Aurelius said flatly.
"I thought all of the Headmaster paintings sleep unless there's some sort of security issue," Alex said curiously.
"I'm a portrait of a half-Pooka dear," Caprica said with amusement. "There hasn't been a Headmaster since that could control me, no not even Albus Dumbledore can do that!"
"I don't like the sound of that. Does Father know about this?" Aurelius asked.
"No, of course not," Alicia said.
"Yes, of course he does," Andrew said at the same time. Alicia turned and glared at him.
"What do you mean of course he does? You mean you told him?" Alicia said furiously. "Why you big nosed big mouthed…" Andrew immediately ducked behind Aurelius.
"I was worried! Don't get mad, Alicia, I was only making sure you weren't in any danger! Besides, he hasn't really tried to stop you, has he?" Andrew protested, moving with Aurelius who had tried to step out of the way.
"Of course not, he knows he can't," Caprica laughed again. "Not as long as you're under this roof, he can't! Now, Alicia, I'm sure he really only did it because he cared about you…"
"Well I'm quite done up with both his spying and snitching!" Alicia said hotly. "I swear, if I catch you doing either to me again, I am going to drag you through a painting to the most hostile climate I can think of and leave you there!"
"All right, do it. I have passed my Apparation test after all…"
"Students, students, students!" Caprica said in a loud, firm tone. "Goodness, what's done is done! Do you always go at each other like this? But Alicia, you always told me you were so close! And here you are acting about as I expected for Snapes!" Four sets of eyes suddenly turned and gave her a dirty look. "Well, I see that got your attention," Caprica said cheerfully. "I really think we can get more done by working together. So, have you found anything out, Alicia?"
"Half a moment," Aurelius said, putting a hand out in front of his younger sister. "I want to know why it is exactly you want our help. Why don't you just ask Dumbledore, or a member of the staff to play fetch for you?"
"Well, the good professor has his hands more than full running this school," Caprica said with amusement. "And the faculty have their hands full trying to keep certain students out of trouble."
"I am a Slytherin Prefect. I don't get into trouble," Aurelius said firmly. The other three looked away to keep from betraying their expressions. But Caprica looked amused.
"If that's true, you're even less like Corey than I thought you were," she said.
"Thanks, but flattery doesn't get anywhere with me," Aurelius said.
"Rel, please, don't badger Professor Dusthorn like this," Alicia said. "The truth of the matter is I was the one looking for something to do, so when she mentioned this story about the missing coin, I couldn't help but be curious about it."
"To be perfectly honest, I'm rather curious about it as well," Alex put in. "Have you tried using a painting?" Aurelius threw up his hands.
"None of the pictures I've found seem to work…I think the coins are much too unique," Alicia explained. "I'd have to have an exact image of it."
"Wait a minute, you said she always carried it around, right?" Andrew said, and Caprica nodded. "Are there any paintings of her that have it?"
"Not in the castle that I know of," Caprica said. "But that is a good idea."
"We should check history, perhaps even statues and the like," Alex suggested. "Maybe we'll get lucky."
"Instead of wasting time doing that, why don't you just look for the coin?" Aurelius said with irritation. "It's probably in a dusty curio cabinet or something somewhere. It might be in Dumbledore's study even."
"It's not in Dumbledore's study, I assure you," Caprica said. "Nor is it in the Trophy Room."
"Wonderful, that leaves us only several hundred rooms to check, doesn't it?" Aurelius said dryly.
"That mean you're in, then?" Alicia asked.
"Why not, we don't have anything better to do at the moment…short of finishing that report, that is," Aurelius scowled. "And even if I said no, the three of you would do it behind my back anyhow. Well? Back to the library." Alicia waited for the others to file out of the abandoned classroom before sharing a private smile with Caprica.
Alicia awoke to find her head still resting on a pile of books and someone tugging on her sleeve.
"Have you been up all night? What a mess! What have you been doing? Don't forget we have an early class," Morfinn scolded her. "Need some smelling salts?"
"No, no, don't you dare," Alicia said, sitting up and looking around the common room before stretching as Morfinn peered at the books curiously.
"Hogwarts, A History, Tales from Hufflepuff, and the Life and Times of the Founders of Hogwarts? Trying to win some brownie points with Professor Sprout?"
"No, no, it's a long story. I'll tell you about it at breakfast," Alicia said, looking at her robes. "I need to change."
"Well, make up your mind, breakfast or change. You don't have time for both. We've Muggle Studies, you know," Morfinn reminded her.
Alicia groaned at the reminder. Bad enough she had to take the class at all, but Zoë and Zack were taking it this year too, and the situation in the classroom under their mother's instruction was anything but relaxed.
From the very first day, Zoë and Zack tested the waters every chance they got, and also spent quite a bit of time criticizing the book since the first time they had read the title of the first chapter; Plugs and Why Muggles Need Them. As much as Anna wanted to, she couldn't really tell them that she was no happier with the material than they were, but she did attempt to avoid any rebuttals. Zoë and Zack, however, were not so easy to avoid. In fact, after finally falling into line by the end of last year, Gryffindors soon found out that that one class was costing them substantial point losses from the very first session.
That day she found her attention taken by her niece as she shuffled in the door with a yawn. Morfinn helped her to her seat with a sigh, but even after breakfast, Alicia didn't look any more awake as she propped up her head in her hand and turned to the book. Squinting momentarily at the state of Alicia's robes, Anna shrugged it off momentarily as the rest of the class came in.
"All right, everyone, let's go ahead and quickly go through what topics you came up with for your research paper so I can approve them and we can get to the lesson," Anna said. As she walked to the first row, Anna couldn't help but notice the look of surprise and horror on Alicia's face, who then quickly grabbed a piece of paper and wrote something down. "I hope you put a lot of thought into it," she added dryly, glancing them over one by one then stopped as she stared at one. "You know, Gail, instead of explaining 'The Explosive Nature of Microwaves,' I think it'd be more beneficial to the class to explain how not to blow them up," Anna said. Zack snickered. "And just what did you come up with?" Anna asked testily, grabbing his. She blinked in surprise. "Differences and Similarities in the Political Circus; Parliament vs. the Ministry of Magic," she said, half tempted to take his temperature. "Trying to make up for all the point losses?"
"Trying to make up for the 'how to use a toaster without electrocuting yourself' mentality of this book," Zack said.
"I know you're not happy with the book," Anna said carefully. "But I think the majority of the class will be glad to have had those lessons when you see what our first field trip is this year."
"Which is?" Zack prompted as she tried to move on to Zoë.
"All my classes are going to the mansion the last weekend before the holidays to cook dinner for everyone in the Great Hall… without using any magic," Anna said.
"What?" Zack said, the sentiment repeated by several horrified students. Morfinn blew his nose, and Zack did a double take towards him. "Please don't tell me he's going to cook too!" Morfinn stuck his tongue out at him.
"Don't look at me, I'm not going to be here. Guess that means you'll have to make due without me," Morfinn explained.
"Thank God," Zack said.
"Something like that," Morfinn said dryly.
"All right, all right, we'll talk about the details later. Zoë, let's see what you have…" Anna's face darkened. "'Why this book sucks.' Well, that's an interesting topic, Zoë, but I suggest you expound that to; 'A study on approved educational materials for Muggle Studies with particular emphasis upon how the material could better represent the non-magic community and more effectively encourage tolerance among the differing societies,'" Zoë's jaw dropped as Anna wrote it down for her.
"How did you get all of that out of, 'Why this book sucks?'" Zoë asked, but didn't get an answer as Anna went on to the next student. It was pretty obvious from the choices in topic who the wizard born were versus those with mixed or non-magic families, for Anna hardly ever added to their topics of 'what are batteries', 'how to dial the operator on a telephone' or even 'what's with all the wires anyhow'. Despite the eye-rolls from some of the others in the class, she knew that was going to be a hard enough subject for them without adding an extra twist. Morfinn, unsurprisingly, picked to compare differences in medicine, which Anna knew was going to end up more challenging than he realized. But she frowned at Alicia's, sighing at her.
"Why non-magic photos and pictures don't move? Alicia, tell me why they don't move?" Anna said.
"Well, because they're not magic?" Alicia said slowly.
"And how are you going to write a ten page paper or have a ten minute oral on that?" Anna asked. Alicia thought about it.
"Maybe they have different painting techniques or something…"
"Alicia, you didn't really spend much time this week thinking up a subject, did you?" Anna said.
"Actually, I have been rather distracted," Alicia admitted.
"I think you've all been spending too much time enjoying the summery weather," Anna chided her. "I'll give you until Monday morning before my first class to come up with something. But it had better be good," she warned before having them all turn to that week's lesson.
But Anna was very glad when lunch finally came around, tossing the books on her desk with no respect for them whatsoever as she plopped into her chair with a sigh.
"That bad eh?" said a voice above her. Anna looked up thoughtfully, not expecting Caprica but not altogether surprised either.
"There you are," Anna said, reluctantly straightening her desk. "I wondered when you'd be back."
"Why, that almost sounds as if you missed me," Caprica said amused.
"As a matter of fact, there are some occasions I find you're the sanest thing about this school," Anna said, and Caprica laughed. "To be perfectly honest, I really hate having my kids in my classroom."
"Especially when they have a good reason to argue with the instructor?" Caprica said with amusement. Anna blew a strand of hair out of her face.
"Well, I can hardly deny it," Anna said, shaking her head. "This class has gone down hill ever since I left it. But I really hope they don't act like that in everyone's class when they have a problem with the material!"
"Oh, they do," Caprica assured her amusedly. Anna sighed again in annoyance.
"No doubt who their father is, is there?"
"They didn't get that bluntness just from their father, dear," Caprica grinned at her. "The boldness, perhaps. Still, they've come a long way from the two I observed after I first woke up. Especially that Zoë, she's been a real handful…but all in all, they've turned out very well," she added quickly when she saw the expression on Anna's face. "But really, what I'm interested in is how you feel about the course. Do you feel like you don't have enough leeway?"
"No, of course not, Dumbledore gives me plenty of leeway, obviously, considering what field trips I have planned this year," Anna said. "It's just that I wish I would have accepted the job earlier so I could have planned better books. It's like…well, how many books on women psychology are written by men…popular ones too. It's ridiculous to have a wizardborn author attempt to write this stuff, and every Muggle born in the class can't help but know it."
"Well, why don't you write them, then?" Caprica suggested.
"Don't tempt me," Anna chuckled, shaking her head. "But there are times when I wonder if things really are getting better."
"Of course they are, Anna," Caprica said with a smile. "But goodness, you of all people surely understand that tolerance is hardly a lesson learned overnight…it takes generations of working at it. You know it wasn't that long ago that Muggle Studies was even added as a course, and then it met quite a bit of controversy."
"Yes, I know, Dumbledore told me about it," Anna said. "It was something he himself began not long after Voldemort had been thwarted by Harry…over the board's voting it down. He said he had Fudge and the Ministry press for it after the Death Eater inquiries."
"That was only thirty years ago," Caprica said. "Pardon, but from my perspective as a painting hundreds of years old, I'd say the society has been making record-breaking progress."
"It's had a few backslides too. Everything that happened with Malfoy last year comes to mind," Anna said dryly. "What happened to the Haveners…"
"Setbacks, to be sure," Caprica agreed, then shook her head. "But after all I've seen, I've got to say it has come a long way. You know, when I was an apprentice, those who didn't accept Muggleborns were actually a majority…back when mobs and attempted witch burnings were quite fresh on everyone's mind and being stoned for being 'servants of the devil' were very common occurrences. No, Anna, this fight has never been one sided, and back then there were a lot of reasons to be fearful or hateful. The only thing worse, I suppose, was being something that fell in between… like being an Aethermage for example." Anna looked up at the portrait, pursing her lips questioningly, and Caprica nodded. "Perhaps I never mentioned that before I became Headmaster we had an Aethermage on staff… good man, actually, a very good friend of Icarus. I would have liked to have gotten to know him better."
"What happened to him?" Anna said, curious in spite of herself.
"Depends on who you ask," Caprica said softly. "According to history, the staff, and students at the time, he simply disappeared, much like Janus and Salazar himself did later that year. But Janus or Icarus might tell you what truly happened; what at the time, the real Caprica Dusthorn simply suspected… that he was detained and tortured to death by Salazar Slytherin." Caprica began to walk out of the frame and Anna stood up.
"Wait a minute! Don't you dare leave now! I want you to tell me more about this!" Anna said. "At least give me a name!"
"I'm sorry, Professor Dumbledore is calling. Besides, it wasn't as if I saw it myself. I wasn't painted then, and I didn't even know for certain that is what happened until a few short years ago. You'll have to ask someone who was there," Caprica said solemnly, the rushes of the golden fields seeming to bow in her direction as she left.
Fully aware that she was being manipulated by a painting, Anna couldn't help but push her books aside. With absolutely no appetite for food, she still forced herself to head for the staff room, wondering what the chances were that Hermione was there.
Alicia was having her own problems with distractions. For Friday night was the night of her art lessons, which meant rushing from dinner to their hour of drills with their father only then to hurry over the studio.
"Did everyone remember we were going to work on animals?" Francis Pyther asked with a smile.
"Ugh! Just give me one second, I need to hop over and get Marion," Alicia said apologetically, stepping up into the nearest frame.
"Marion?" Pyther said in stunned surprise as Alicia disappeared from view, frowning at the painting.
"You know, her Chameleander," Andrew said as he went over to the window to open it.
"I knew I shouldn't have told her my middle name," Pyther said, then chuckled to himself. Alex suddenly frowned, glancing at the painting with a worried look on her face.
"Francis Marion?" Aurelius said in a disbelieving tone.
"My father told me that my mother picked it so she didn't have to chose two different names," Francis admitted, smiling at some of the other students as they came in.
"Your mother didn't tell you?" Morfinn asked curiously as he got out his watercolors.
"No, I never knew her, she died bearing me," Francis said. "Everyone have an animal?"
"No, I'm allergic," Morfinn explained. "Come to think of it, I'd better get nearer to the window."
Andrew was about to advise against it when a finch and several owls flew in to find their owners and Morfinn began sneezing miserably. The finch, Darwin, made himself comfortable on Andrew's finger while many of the owls found themselves a spot on easels, including a snowy white owl who received a gentle pat from Jamie as she took her place.
A moment later several of the students, especially Jamie and Joanie, watched with interest as Alicia climbed out of one the paintings with an aquarium in hand, setting it carefully on a stool. Inside the sleek white amphibian changed from white to a curious purple as it climbed out of the water onto a branch to survey its surroundings.
"Now that is going to be a tricky subject," Pyther decided. "You'll be hard pressed to get the colors right. You may want to just concentrate on form for now, Alicia. Morfinn, perhaps we ought to stick you in a corner. Hm, but what will you paint?"
"I suppose he can borrow Achilles. I was thinking of painting Pali," Aurelius said. Suddenly he noticed an owl still on the window sill ruffling his feathers as if offended and Aurelius immediately regretted his words.
"Splendid! Then perhaps I'll paint this handsome fellow," Francis said cheerfully, offering a polite arm to Fluke. But Fluke merely eyed him a moment, flying off again.
"He's still very touchy," Aurelius explained, as he attempted to make Achilles look comfortable on an end table near Morfinn.
"Well, perhaps if we ignore the window, he'll come back. I dare think he's mainly just looking for the company," Pyther said, then glanced at Aurelius. "Are you certain you want to try this by memory? It's really difficult to get the ghost paint to respond correctly if you're not looking at your subject."
"Not unless you want to authorize a trip out to the Glen," Aurelius said. Pyther stared at him, his face growing even greyer than usual at the thought.
"Well, let's just see how you do," Pyther said meekly, and Aurelius rolled his eyes.
"How old do you have to be to go into the forest?" Jamie asked curiously.
"Mainly you just need a subject that might require it and a Professor willing to stick his neck out," Alexandria said. "Doctor Sagittari takes students out sometimes for Magical Creatures. Snape does too, but definitely not first years."
"Yeah, you'll probably be in third year at least before you get to go," Andrew agreed then glanced at Aurelius. "Still, I wouldn't mind getting out there once before it starts to cool down. Want me to ask about it?"
"Yes, maybe I can bring some sketch books, Rel, so you can have something for reference," Alicia offered, and Aurelius nodded thoughtfully at that. "Although honestly, I'm really not all that good at painting animals. Not like you are, Mr. Pyther." Alex glanced at her sister, but then had to react to Tes trying to jump off the stool, giving the lightning kitten some treats out of her pocket.
"You're coming along splendidly," Pyther assured her with a smile. "The rules for painting animals are really not that much different than painting people, Alicia. You have to study them, observe them, watch their lines as they move…what makes them startle…light up…catches their interest…and the more you observe, the more you'll improve. But don't get too caught up in your subject, of course. Art can be very intimate. Ah, here…here is the proof," Pyther said as he paused behind Aurelius' starting sketch, several of the students peering over at the rough lines of the Unicorn curiously. "He's barely begun, but already there's soul in the eyes of the steed that only someone who truly is bonded to one can really capture."
"Do you mind?" Aurelius said irritably, but his three siblings smiled knowingly at their brother.
"Sorry. What I mean to say is, you have all come a long way since we first started doing this, especially when it comes to developing your own personal flares… Alex's intuitiveness and Aurelius' vivid color…Andrew's structure…Morfinn's impressionism…even Halbert's figures are becoming less stiff," Pyther teased, Halbert grinning in response as his flying frog familiar leapt all around his painting. "And the twins have come a long way too…wherever they are tonight."
"We have come a long way," Alicia agreed, "but none of us will ever be the master you are." But Pyther merely smiled modestly at her. Aurelius rolled his eyes.
"It's true I have over six hundred years of experience as far as painting is concerned," Pyther said. "But I can tell you there's already one branch of painting that all of you can do better than I can."
"And what's that?" Alicia asked.
"Self portraits," the vampire grinned, going back to his own painting as the class broke out in a chuckle.