Chapter Twenty-Five
A Tale of Two Families
Even before the sun was up, Janus Craw got to work moving the gargoyles around the castle. Snow was already beginning to drift down, glistening as the sky began to lighten and the sun began to peek through the trees. Andrew strode out onto the Quidditch Pitch and walked over to him, his breath visible and his cloak pulled close against the frigid morning air.
"Good morning, Andrew. How are the girls?" Janus inquired.
"Back to normal at last, thanks," Andrew said with a smile. "I take it you got volunteered for this last minute fest as well?"
"Jennifer wanted to see if I could get one of the gargoyles to detect whether or not a guest was an actual alumnus or not, because she and Hermione needed to be over here instead of stuck at the gates all day," Janus explained.
"Oh? Did you manage it?" Andrew asked with interest.
"Yes, I used the snake gargoyle that used to guard the entryway to Slytherin's Inner Chamber of Secrets, the one that detected pure bloods," Janus said so casually that Andrew raised an eyebrow at him. "It was a fairly easy adjustment, all things considering, and it wasn't as if it was going to be used with its old charms on it."
"Just how do you feel about that?" Andrew wondered.
"About what? Repurposing a broken gargoyle?" Janus asked.
"No, I meant... well, about the fact that times have changed, so has views on wizard purity and all of that," Andrew said.
"I've noticed," Janus said flatly in response to the obvious.
"You don't seem all that bothered by that," Andrew observed bluntly.
"You're attempting to ask me if I'm a racist," Janus decided.
"I'm asking if you felt differently now than you did back then," Andrew quickly explained.
"Why don't you go work on those booths, and I'll follow you," Janus suggested. Andrew walked over to the Quidditch gate to pull out the tents.
"I don't know if your mother's ever mentioned any of this or not, but before I left Ireland, I grew up the youngest in a large family, all boys," Janus began. "My father was a firm believer in what these days is known as survival of the fittest. Once we were old enough to talk, walk, and learn some basic charms and hexes, we were expected to take care of ourselves; we would do a list of chores and then go out into the hills until sundown, and then sat with father at the dinner table. That's when he took the opportunity to use his magic to play tricks on us... partially for a laugh, and partially to expose us to magic so that we could learn from him. My oldest brothers, sitting right next to him at the table, got the most instruction, and they would turn around and teach the next youngest, and so on down the pecking order until they got to me," Janus explained.
"But the instruction hardly ever got down to me. My older brothers found it much more enjoyable to subject me to their tricks rather than let me in on how the spells were done. So, for self preservation, I started teaching myself magic, creating my own spells rather than relying on what they were using. I became the strongest of them all, and when my father finally decided to acknowledge it, I was so disgusted by the turn around in his opinion that I left to make my own way in the world, with an idea in my head on how not to raise a family rather than any clear idea on how to raise one.
"Once I got here, I sought out the most renowned wizards in hopes of taking my magic to the next level. It was Slytherin who noticed me, quite impressed with the arsenal of dark spells I had developed. That was when, after formal instruction, he noticed that I had a knack for items and elemental magic, and tasked me with making some gargoyles for the castle. That's when I really felt I had found my true passion, successfully designing the prototype gargoyle, and then sculpting the others one at a time. I took up teaching, and I started a family under the name of Craw, a shortened version of my original name, but mine and only mine. A fresh start," he explained. Andrew nodded with a smile, having heard that part before.
"I wanted a family that stuck together and didn't turn against on another, and supported each other even when the rest of the world had turned against us. I instilled those ideals in my two boys, and while I never witnessed it myself, I know that my oldest instilled it in his son, and so on throughout the line, as evident in your own upbringing," Janus continued. "You are the product of that dream; the dream I fought for, the dream I became Sentinel of Dark Magic for; and who I created the Keeper of Dark magic for. That dream is also the reason that I instilled in my children the rule to never marry anyone not of pure birth, or let their children do so."
"But isn't that a direct contradiction?" Andrew immediately challenged him. "You wanted our family to stand together no matter what, but you made this rule that was followed so rigidly that the Craw I was named after was ostracized from the family for being Half-Muggle. Had my nephews been born at any other time, they'd have followed the same fate," he snapped.
"You say that because you do not understand," Janus said sternly. "You have no idea just how poorly children of mixed birth were treated during the years I was alive. Many pure-blood wizards often treated those children worse than the Muggles themselves. They were filthy mongrels who, in Slytherin's opinion, would have been better off if they had been drowned the moment they were born. Even students who were spared from that fate risked being killed if any of them crossed paths with Slytherin outside the castle gates. They soon learned to stay well out of his spell range even within the castle boundaries, and even then they didn't escape his tongue. We apprentices heard it the most of his criticism, and yes, we often repeated it," Janus said seriously.
"In fact, I never questioned it until I became friends with his bastard son, whom he had begun to counsel, And through him... through Icarus, I became acquainted with his friends, Bedivere and Caprica. All three of them fit into Slytherin's definition of a mongrel, to be perfectly blunt, so I surprised and appalled when Slytherin decided to let Icarus into his chamber. Of course, after I witnessed just as Slytherin had the power of his visions, I changed my mind about Icarus as well," Janus admitted. "I saw an echo of myself in that moment, and how my father didn't take interest in me until after I had powers enough to suit him. When I allowed myself to befriend that blighted wizard, it cracked the door open for me. I realized that, like Icarus, none of those students had any control over their heritage. I began to feel quite sorry for them, to be perfectly honest. I swore then that no Craw would ever face the torture and humiliation of being born into a similar circumstance. No child should be born into such a situation!" he said fervently. "I made that rule to spare our family from the persecution those children went through because their parents made poor decisions."
"I understand," Andrew admitted expressionlessly. "I understand, and I don't know how to feel about that."
"Of course you don't," Janus said. "You don't know how you feel because we now live in a time where most people believe that such cruelties towards children are wrong. In my time, it was simply a fact; children not born of pure wizard families were treated badly. Whether you believed they should be trained in magic or allowed into Hogwarts or not was inconsequential; it still didn't change the facts. Outside of the classrooms of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and their apprentices, those children had to fight an uphill battle their entire lives. And while I came to respect and understand them, that didn't mean that I wanted anyone in my family condemned to such a horrible fate. It is ironic, is it not?" he added, floating some of the tables into place for Andrew.
"What is?" Andrew asked.
"Lady Viviane went to a lot of trouble keeping my family's bloodline free of Merlin blood, while tolerating our family's desire to stay away from other impurities. In a way, our manipulator and sometimes enemy also ended up leading the Craws to a kinder fate, seeing this family through to a time where such concerns have diminished. It was rather like she was threading our family through a needle, with plenty of thread to work with once we were out the other side. I am content with that," Janus decided, following Andrew back to Quidditch gate to get another booth set up.
Pretty soon others came out to help them set up, including Jennifer, Eben, and Jay. Not long afterwards, Anna, Sirius, and Hermione came in the main gates. A half an hour later, the outside vendors began showing up, along with Aurelius and Harry, who had volunteered to watch the gates while Ginger and Ginny both hurried over to help at the booths.
By the time Severus had gotten Serendipity to the daycare and came out to see what sort of fundraiser they were doing, the Quidditch Pitch had been transformed into a mix of booths and games, and the ground was covered with a powdery dusting of snow that blanketed the grassy areas not protected by awnings. Severus suddenly remembered what Jennifer had told him when she had awoken him the morning before, and he put his hands on his hips in disbelief.
"Good morning, Professor Snape. Doesn't it look splendid?" TJ declared, carrying a very large bag of powdered cocoa. "This is going to be the best fundraiser yet!"
"Yes, I suppose, although it is a great deal larger than I was expecting," Severus replied.
"I know, I'm quite relieved!" TJ admitted with a smile. "When I suggested it, I really didn't think we'd have time to do more than a hot chocolate booth and a game or two. I am so glad that we got so much help putting it together!"
"It was your idea?" Severus asked with obvious surprise.
"Well, when we were at Hogsmeade yesterday, Eben was telling me that Jay and the rest of your family had gone to the First Fall Festival at Whitebridge, and when he mentioned they used it as a fundraising event, I thought it'd be a fun thing to do here too! Professors Weasley, Andrew, and Black have been running themselves crazy getting everything together, and of course, I know perfectly well that Professor Craw must have gone through quite some lengths to get security together so quickly. I hope we do well today!" TJ said.
"Yes, I'm sure you will. Weren't you taking that somewhere?" Severus inquired.
"Oh, yes! The hot cocoa booth," TJ agreed. "Good morning!"
"Stay warm," Severus said, watching her go before searching the grounds.
He finally saw Jennifer and Anna standing near a tent and walked over. Jennifer was shaking her head disapprovingly at Anna.
"I see we've been quite busy," he observed.
"Very, but Jennifer doesn't like one of my ideas for a game," Anna said with amusement, and Jennifer sighed in exasperation. Severus peered inside the tent, blinking when he saw it was the Rowena Ravenclaw statue. "I thought we could have a riddle contest. Two sickles an entry, and the person who answers the most riddles wins a prize. What do you think?"
"I think it's a good idea, but Jennifer should save her money," Severus advised, Jennifer glowering at that. Anna grinned. "When are you planning to let the regular students out?"
"Laura is releasing them after breakfast," Jennifer said.
"Very well, then perhaps you had best give me a tour," Severus suggested.
"You two go on. I need to check with Sirius to see if he got that Color Wheel working," Anna said. "See you later!"
"A Color Wheel as well?" Severus inquired knowingly, fixing his gaze on Jennifer as Anna made a quick retreat.
"Before you start in, Severus, this festival wasn't my idea and I did warn you about a fundraiser," Jennifer reminded him defensively.
"Warning me that you were planning something, yes. Warning me that you were planning something of this scale, no. And are we expecting guests other than vendors?" Severus asked.
"Yes, but Hermione made this event for 'school alumni only', and since they only received twelve hours notice, who knows how many will come?" Jennifer pointed out.
"Interesting tactic," Severus decided. "However, I wouldn't be at all surprised if Worley Maxen doesn't suspect that stipulation is an intentional ploy to keep him off the property."
"I won't deny it, Severus, but after what happened at Halloween, I certainly didn't want a repeat of it. It was the most tactful solution Hermione and I could come up with to keep him out," Jennifer replied. "And Janus was able to set up one of the gargoyles so that it could detect who is an alumnus at the gates to speed up the process."
"Thorough as always," Severus said. Jennifer smiled, seeing that he wasn't in the slightest bit angry about the impromptu festival. "But if you think we're going to do this again next year, you've another thing coming. I'm not about to let students out of a day of class every year just because it snows."
"Perhaps a small festival on the weekend after it snows?" Jennifer suggested.
"How about we see how this festival goes before you start plotting anything else?" Severus suggested firmly.
"Yes, alright," Jennifer acquiesced, and then led him about to show him what booths they had set up.
Mari Maxen stepped inside the gate, adjusting her gloves before following a path staked off with ropes decorated with the colors of the five houses. Pondering the purple one thoughtfully, Mari followed the path over to the Quidditch Pitch, stopping just inside so that she could reach out and find where her siblings were...
"Mari!" Eben called out, and Mari looked up as he came over to her. "I was hoping you'd come! Happy birthday! Did you get my present?"
"Yes," Mari said with a thin smile, and Eben immediately sensed that she really didn't want to find the others just yet.
"I have an idea... we're not using these towers for the festival at all. How about you go up in the box and I'll get us some cocoa so we can talk before we go over there?" Eben suggested.
"Good idea. I'll meet you up there," Mari suggested.
"I'll only be a minute," Eben promised.
Mari climbed the stairs, dusting the snow off of a couple of them and drying them off so she could sit on one and put her feet on the other. Eben came up the stairs, handing her a warm cup.
"Thanks, I needed a moment," Mari admitted.
"You didn't come because you wanted to, did you?" Eben asked slowly.
"I did want to come," Mari replied. "But you're right that it wasn't my idea."
"I understand," Eben said.
They sat quietly for a moment, the two of them taking in the scene downstairs, watching as the other students race around and visit the booths. Other guests arrived, and the two of them couldn't help but notice when Minister Craw and his wife arrived with their young children next to them. Suddenly, the two children raced excitedly across the Pitch, and Professor Craw knelt just in time as the twins hugged their sister.
"Have you ever noticed there's something strikingly odd about those Craws and Snapes?" Mari asked.
"You mean the age differences?" Eben asked.
"No, we've already unraveled that, considering we know that Snape once owned the Stone," Mari said, still gazing at them. "I mean about how dedicated they are to each other, and how they help each other out. They all work together to do what's best for their family, and yet they all behave like they want to do it. They're just as obligated to help their family as we are, and yet that obligation is very different than ours. They accept it and are at peace with it... they live with the family code of putting family first, and yet they're happy about it. It's very strange. It's like looking in a joke mirror, and finding out that the image that's distorted is me."
"Father is really putting pressure on you to marry someone of influence, isn't he?" Eben asked bluntly.
"Not just him," Mari admitted. "Grandfather and Aunt Blair have both introduced me to people and told me to be 'enchanting', and I've hated them all. Father always points out it doesn't matter what they look like and how old they are if I keep up my mental control. Wouldn't you know the most vile of them is too strong willed to fall to my suggestion. I'm not Zelda... I'm not even a Truth-Seeker... he's asking me to do the impossible. The only way I'd be able to do it is to cast the Imperius Curse on him. Then again, maybe that has merit," she brightened. "If I'm in Azkaban, I know I won't have to marry him, right?"
"It's like living in the Dark Ages, isn't it? Not even having a choice on who we date?" Eben agreed.
"Who does father want you to go after?" Mari asked.
"Olivia Potter," Eben said and Mari laughed.
"Fat chance of that! You do have the benefit of getting out of school before she does, though, and then he'll probably pick someone even more out of reach," Mari said, only partially joking. "Thanks, by the way, for sending me someone to talk to."
"The paintings are more than that," Eben said, becoming even more serious. "They are there to be your lifeline if you get in trouble," he explained. "I know it isn't safe to run, Mari, but if there comes a time when you feel like it's safer to run than to stay, please let them know. I'm certain they'll find a way to get you out of there."
"They're just paintings, at least I hope they are. You haven't told the Pythers about us, have you?" Mari asked sternly.
"No, of course not," Eben said. "But I still have faith that the paintings will do as they promised and get you out if there's an emergency."
"Have faith in paintings," Mari repeated with a dubious smile.
"At least you know that Father can't read them," Eben pointed out.
"Yes, I suppose that's true," Mari said with a sigh. "I'll try to send you a message through the paintings if I get into trouble. At least then, if I disappear, you'll know why."
"Don't do that, Mari, things aren't hopeless unless you feel that they are," Eben said. Mari rolled her eyes.
"I think the years you've spent in this school has finally gone to your head. You're starting to sound like a Hufflepuff," she warned. "Anyway, we'd best get down there. I sense our half-siblings looking for you."
"Alright," Eben said, glancing over the edge before following her down the stairs.
As Jennifer and Fleur took her young siblings to the bakery tent for some biscuits, Severus stepped over to Thomas.
"This is well put together, considering it felt very last minute when I got the invitation," Thomas commented. "Another fundraiser for Quintin's house, I take it?"
"It isn't 'Quintin's house,' it is simply a new house the Sorting Hat formed," Severus said defensively.
"Really. If you believe that, you need a bit of reality check," Thomas said bluntly. "We may go out of our way to protect our kids, but that doesn't mean we lie to each other. Even if that Sorting Hat was his enabler, Quintin was in no way a victim of manipulation. Your son brilliantly managed to disrupt the entire system with a single advance, charging in with his army of friends and taking over the school so fast that no one could even find a white flag to wave. God, I wish I could have seen it," he added for good measure. "I've been telling everyone I know that it was Quintin's brilliant plan," he said almost as an afterthought, ignoring the fact that Severus' jaw dropped. "Draco, Percy, Peter, Delia... everyone. It's all over the Ministry, so you may as well as accept the fact that everyone knows that this was all Quintin's doing. They won't even believe you if you say otherwise," he warned. Severus squinted slightly, wondering why Thomas had included Bagman's son in his list of names and if there had been a significance to it. "I mean, look at him over there with all of his disciples," Thomas smirked.
Severus followed his gaze over to where Quintin was wandering the festival with all of his friends. They hovered around him, listening to him talk and gesture towards the different booths as he explained the entire concept of First Fall to them. They laughed, and Jeremy whipped out his journal to write down whatever it was that Quintin had just said.
"Dear lord, how am I going to survive the next seven years?" Severus bemoaned under his breath. Thomas let out a soft chuckle at that. "When he's unsure of himself, he's so much like his mother that it is easy to find the cause of it, but when he's like this, I really don't know how to get a handle on him... I don't even know where this comes from..."
"What do you mean, you don't know where it comes from?" Thomas said with such open surprise that Severus looked back over at him. "He's the spitting image of me at that age, both in looks and in attitude. All of the other Slytherin students in my year did the exact same thing with me," Thomas said unabashedly. "Didn't it happen with Maurice?" Severus blinked and turned to stare at his son again, seeing him in a completely different light.
"Perhaps you have a point, but Maurice's influence was more subtle than this," Severus replied.
"Only because of a firm hand when his efforts to take over his primary school went a bit too far on occasion," Thomas replied. Severus groaned.
"I should have been talking to you about this problem the entire time," Severus realized, exasperated with himself.
"It wouldn't have mattered much. Children never listen, no matter how old they are. They have to figure it out themselves," Thomas said unconcernedly. "The Craw charisma has been there from the beginning, I even see it in Janus the First. I have a theory that it's what's kept the family alive all these years, despite the fact that some of us were egregiously evil bastards," he chuckled. "To be honest, I'm shocked that Quintin was the first of your children to end up with that level of charisma, considering how strong it is in Jennifer these days. That's what you get for not quitting while you were ahead," he joked. "Although I'd watch Serendipity too, if I were you," he added for good measure.
"Oh, no," Severus said, realizing he had a point. "These last two are going to be the death of me."
"I know the feeling," Thomas said dryly, jerking his head over towards the bakery stand and leading Severus over. Jennifer and the twins were sitting with Albus, who currently had little Autumn on his lap, getting to know her better.
"Severus, I really don't think it's altogether fair for Serendipity to be left out of this," Jennifer complained when they came closer.
"I wouldn't mind seeing her myself, Severus," Thomas immediately added.
"Yes, you're right. I would have brought her down with me had I known, but I had no idea what I was walking into. I've been very ill-informed about what's been going on in my school this year," Severus admitted.
"It was high time you learned that particular lesson about being a headmaster anyway, Severus," Albus said with smile. "Now that you truly have learned to trust your staff and your friends, you'll be able to reap the benefits when you're called to bear witness to some of their activities. It is very satisfying to have occasions where you can reply honestly and decisively that you had absolutely no idea what they were up to."
"As it so happens, I am actively attempting to learn that lesson this year," Severus admitted.
"Good, good," Albus said with a smile. "You'll find it's quite the blessing."
"I think I'm jealous of both of you," Thomas said flatly. "Since I have the curse of always knowing what's going on." Albus chuckled at him. "Anyway, Jen-girl, how about you show me around this place while Severus goes upstairs to get Seren-girl? I know bloody well that Severus had nothing to do with this impromptu festival."
"There, you see?" Albus pointed out mischievously.
"I'll just leave you to it then," Severus replied and turned to go back inside, while Jennifer began showing her father around.
Jennifer was actually enjoying spending time with her father. She was quite proud of helping Hermione and Anna pull of that festival so quickly, explaining First Fall to him before pointing out the different booths and games. It was when Jennifer attempted to skip one of the covered booths that Thomas truly became interested, slowing and then stopping altogether. Much to Jennifer's dismay, Thomas stepped over to where a large group of students had gathered. They were mostly older Ravenclaw and Slytherin students who were going head to head against the Ravenclaw statue's riddles. Icarus himself was running the booth at the moment, quite entertained by the students sometimes clever and sometimes wild guesses at the riddles that the statue was throwing at them.
"Oh, right. The riddle game. Perhaps we should move on?" Jennifer suggested desperately as her father was reading the current record of right guesses in a row.
"Can anyone get in on this, Ick?" Thomas asked with interest.
"Of course, Thomas, anyone with two sickles," Icarus said.
"Perhaps we should finish the tour and come back?" Jennifer suggested, but Thomas put two sickles in the jar.
"Too late, I already paid. What's the prize for winning a round?" he asked.
"A commemorative flag and ribbon in your house's colors," Ick said.
"Fine. Jen-girl, how about getting in on this with me? That way you don't have to just stand out there in the snow like that," Thomas suggested.
"No thanks, I'll just watch," Jen-girl said.
"It's going to be a while," he warned.
"That's quite some boast, Thomas," Ick ventured.
"Boast, nothing. I own this game... remind me to tell you how many times I snuck into Ravenclaw to harass your mother sometime," Thomas told Jennifer. "Do you want for me to pay for you?"
"It's alright, I'll just watch you be good at it," Jennifer replied.
"I've never met a Ravenclaw who didn't like to play the riddle game before..." Thomas said, distractedly listening to the riddle that Culver Maxen was attempting to figure out, sighing with exasperation when it took him a while. "I don't think it'll be long before it's my turn," he observed.
"Good luck, Dad!" Jennifer offered warmly.
"Ah! Now I understand why there's a crowd!" Albus said as he stepped over with interest. "What a brilliant idea for a game!"
"I'm up next," Thomas said. "I've been trying to get Jen-girl to compete for the prize, but I can't talk her into it."
"Well, Thomas, I happen to recall just how good you are at this, so I can't blame anyone for not wanting to go toe to toe with you," Albus said. "But Jennifer, your father is likely going to be a while, and you will be standing out in the snow for quite some time if you decide to wait. What you really need right now is a nice hat," he suggested. Jennifer blinked. Then she got a wicked idea.
"You're right, Albus, I do need a Hat. Let me go grab one real quick. I'll be right back, Dad," Jennifer said, and hurried towards the Quidditch gates.
"Great job, Albus. You gave her an excuse to run, now she'll find another reason not to come back over here," Thomas complained.
"Oh, she'll be back," Albus reassured him.
Jennifer dashed into the Headmaster's Study and straight over the Sorting Hat.
"I need you to help me pull one over on my father. You will, won't you?" Jennifer asked. "I need help with a riddle game."
"A riddle game, is it?" Godric inquired. "Well, I might be a bit rusty, but I suppose I can do you a favor. I'm sure you'll be happy to return it down the line..."
"Yes, alright, I owe you one," Jennifer said, taking out her wand and using the same disguise spell as she used before to make it look like a plain black witches hat that matched her cloak. She put it on, taking a quick glance in the mirror to make sure that nothing looked off.
"Now, please don't forget yourself and speak out loud, or we'll be caught in a minute," Jennifer warned.
"Don't worry, Jennifer, I know how to keep it under my hat," Godric said.
"Yes, that's very funny," Jennifer said, hurrying back out through the Doorlift.
A crowd was already forming around the booth when Jennifer got back, for the Minister of Law Enforcement was already on his way to the highest score and was waiting for the last two students to be eliminated that round.
"I thought you bailed on me," Thomas said as Jennifer stepped up and paid her money.
"No, I just went up to get a hat, just like I said I would," Jennifer said.
"Good. You go against me next round," Thomas said, stepping up and answering a riddle that Jennifer wouldn't have guessed in a million years. Everyone clapped as Thomas Craw's name went up the board for winning the round.
"Did anyone else want to get on this? Albus, how about you?" Thomas asked.
"No no, I think I am going to be quite entertained just watching this round, but thank you," Albus replied.
"Anyone else?" Thomas asked, but after the round before, not even the students seemed very interested in participating. "Alright Jen-girl. You go first."
"Very well," Jennifer sighed, stepping up to the statue. "Alright, Rowena, let's hear your riddle."
"You? You want a riddle?" Rowena asked in surprise.
"And without your normal lip, thank you very much, there are students present," she warned the statue dangerously. Icarus sniggered softly. Jennifer threw him a threatening look, and he forced a polite smile.
"As you wish!" the Rowena statue replied with exasperation. "To and fro, I swing high and low, but if side to side I never swap, you will find that time will stop," she rhymed.
"A pendulum," Jennifer replied.
"That was too easy!" Thomas immediately shouted in complaint.
"She needs the easy ones," Rowena tittered, while Jennifer glowered at her.
"Give her the same level as mine from now on!" Thomas demanded.
Jennifer tried her best to follow the riddle that Rowena gave her father, but considering it was four stanzas long, she quickly got lost somewhere in the middle.
"The moon cycle," Thomas said easily, stepping aside.
"Sword and spear, driven by blood; stone and brew, the precursors of war, symbols of the ancient mariners who first crossed the perilous sea," Rowena said.
Jennifer, who was attempting to remember every famous Viking raid she could think of, found herself replying, "Callum's Seal."
"Better, but still much too easy!" Thomas snapped at the statue before Rowena even had time to confirm that Jennifer was correct.
"I was just getting warmed up," Rowena said defensively.
Don't worry. We've got this, thought the Hat when he noticed how nervous she was.
Jennifer raised her chin, deciding that simply concentrating on looking as if she knew what she was doing was probably the best way she could help at that point. She listened as best as she could, but accepting the fact that there were some things other could do that she couldn't.
That's always a good thing to learn to accept, the Hat said encouragingly, then turned his attention to the next riddle.
Serendipity's eyes grew the moment she saw the snow, stopping to study at the ground with interest. Severus paused with a sigh, attempting to curb his impatience so that she could investigate this unexpected change in her environment. He waited until her footprints were getting to the point where she was intentionally making mud before finally cleaning her shoes and putting the Footprint spell on her. Then he led her over to the festival, only to be delayed again after she stopped to stare at all of the people. Finally she spotted Lucky, Dale, and her niece and nephew standing in a queue and ran over to join them. Robert gave Serendipity a big hug, while Susan squirmed futilely in her father's arms in an attempt to get down.
"Hey, Dad! Hey, little sis! Hey, can we get her a snow cone?" Lucky asked when Severus caught up to her.
"A snow cone? In such weather? Something warm would be more appropriate," Severus said critically.
"But it's made from real snow! And there's all sorts of Bertibotts flavors to choose from," Lucky said.
"Yes, alright... it's better than her trying to eat snow off the Spacelawn," Severus said, stopping Seren from doing just that. Boulderdash and Xavier had teamed up to run the booth, using the opportunity to spend time together. They also took turns throwing jibes at Lucky for not showing up to practice knife skills with Xavier and Balderdash.
"I know, sue me, but look at these guys! I've been busy!" Lucky protested.
"You know, I heard a rumor that Dale was the music director at this school," Xavier told Boulderdash, getting another paper cone out.
"Yes, it's true," Boulderdash agreed.
"And I also heard a rumor that there's a daycare in this school that all employees can use when they need to," Xavier pointed out.
"Also true," Boulderdash confirmed.
"Yeah, yeah, okay, I get it," Lucky said, handing Robert his cone.
"After all, you keeping up your defense is for your children's defense as well," Severus added for good measure. "And I'm certain that Serendipity would always welcome more at her tea party."
"Come play with me!" Seren confirmed, but then grew wide-eyed when a snow cone was handed to her.
"Try it!" Robert insisted, showing her how it was done. Seren took a bite, looking happy despite having snow on her face and cheeks.
"Yes, well, we really should go find your mother so that we can sit down with a nice warm drink after this," Severus decided.
"We'll come along to say hi. She's gotta be around here somewhere, it's not that big," Lucky said.
"Oh, hey, there's my mom in the back of that crowd over there," Dale pointed out, seeing her watching with her arms folded. "What's that booth about? I can't tell from here because of that small tent over half of it."
"That is to protect the Ravenclaw statue; they are currently having a riddle contest," Severus explained.
"Well, your mom might be over there, Dale, but Jackie sure as hell isn't. She stinks at those riddles," Lucky said.
"It is far from her best skill, I'll admit," Severus replied.
"You can't call it a skill when she has none," Lucky said, and they walked over to Myrine.
"Hey! Look at you! Great fest, let me unload your arms," Myrine suggested, taking the six-month old Susan from Dale. "I've been standing here watching your wife and father-in-law go at it, Severus, they sure are competitive!"
"Jackie's no competition in this game," Lucky said, but then a double-take, staring inside.
"It seems she's gotten better," Dale observed.
They stood and watched as Jennifer and Thomas took turns answering riddles so complicated that Dale didn't have the time needed to work them out before someone responded and they had moved on. Severus tilted his head with a confused expression, trying to make sense of what he was seeing.
"You stay here, I'm going to take Susan for a change," Myrine offered, carrying the baby away.
"I'm seeing it, but I'm not sure I believe what I'm seeing," Dale said, picking Robert up so that he could see over the crowd.
"She's gotta be cheating," Lucky decided. "Maybe she's reading her father's mind or something."
"I'm pretty sure Thomas knows how to hide his thoughts," Dale said.
"Maybe Ick's helping her then," Lucky suggested.
Severus was as certain as Lucky was that Jennifer must have been cheating, but he was also certain that Icarus wouldn't have helped her pull off such a stunt. He studied Jennifer carefully, noting her complete lack of hesitation, and wondered if she wasn't reading someone after all... that was when he finally noticed that she was wearing a hat and squinted at it suspiciously.
"Lucky, mind your sister," Severus said evenly.
"Yeah, sure," Lucky said, picking Seren up as her father began to move in. "I hope Jackie's payin' attention, because it looks like he's moving in for the kill," she commented to Dale.
Standing to one side, Albus Dumbledore also noticed Severus moving in. Checking his watch, he decided that now might be a good time to see if his sister needed help getting ready for lunch.
Thomas and Jennifer were both watching the statue and didn't see the movement to the side, nor did they notice when the audience's gaze shifted over to the headmaster, who was stalking behind Jennifer with a gaze that would cause most students to run or confess their guilt. Just as the statue finished reciting Jennifer's riddle, the headmaster plucked the Hat off of Jennifer's head. Jennifer looked back in surprise, gasping.
"Don't look at him! That's cheating!" Thomas immediately complained.
"Oh, yes, turn your head around, Jennifer. You wouldn't want anyone to accuse you of cheating," Severus said smoothly. Jennifer chuckled nervously and turned back around, but now she could feel Severus' breath on her neck.
"Um... I forgot the riddle because the interruption. Can I hear it again?" Jennifer asked hopefully.
"Oh, come on, Jen-girl, it wasn't that hard, work it out," Thomas said with a sigh.
"Be a good sport and let her hear it again, Thomas. Let's be fair," Severus suggested in a dry tone.
"Fine!" Thomas said, impatient for his turn and folding his arms with exasperation.
"Could you repeat that please, Rowena?" Ick inquired.
"With a spear at my prow, I charge the sea! I am the king of ice! Leading the way over the waves, charging my prey with my unmatched sword," Rowena said.
"Oh yes, that's right, spear... prow sword... Oh, I know! A Viking longship!" Jennifer said brightly. In fact, she was quite proud of herself for coming up with that answer, considering that it fit all of the criteria. But her father lifted up one side of his nose and his lip soon followed, trying to make sense of her answer.
"Incorrect," Rowena said.
"It's a narwhal, Jennifer," Thomas said with exasperation, as if it had been obvious from the start.
"Oh! I get it now! I think," Jennifer said in such a manner that her father began frowning at her suspiciously. "Well, that was fun, but I'm out! You win, Dad! I think I had better check on my security team..."
"Fine, but before you go," Severus said, firmly holding onto her shoulder. "Icarus, why don't you tell Thomas why the Rowena Ravenclaw statue, which stood as Ravenclaw's door guard for hundreds of years, was moved from that position?"
"Because crafty devils like me always managed to get in?" Thomas suggested unabashedly.
"No, it was because the headmaster at the time, Albus Dumbledore, appointed a witch to be the head of Ravenclaw who couldn't answer even the simplest of Rowena's riddles," Icarus explained to him. Jennifer grimaced. That's when Thomas noticed that Severus had her Hat in his other hand.
"You cheated!" Thomas accused her.
"Put the Hat back on your way, Jennifer," Severus said, handing it to her as she attempted to beat a hasty retreat.
"You're not too old to be spanked, you know!" Thomas shouted after her. The crowd chuckled as she ran by, and Icarus dutifully held up Thomas' prize.
