Chapter 4 Telling Him
She would have to give him lessons now, that much was evident. Once a Mage got their medallion or mage certificate from Winding Circle they swore too abide by the laws of Margery. The section on new mages states all to clearly that the discovering mage must train the new mage if there is no other available mage with the students same magic. Sarah new that she was the only certified mage at Hogwarts. She would have to teach Snape, but would he even be willing to learn?
Sarah now realized how much she misted her friends. Back home in Winding Circle there were a few potion mages. One of them would definitely take on Severus as a student, and even if she had gotten stuck with him her friends and their teachers would have all took part in his training. With their help Severus would have probably been the best, most well rounded mage there was. However, she was not home which ment she was on her own. 'That settles it then,' she thought, 'tomorrow I will go talk to Severus.' Sarah awoke the next morning an hour before dawn. Once she had finished her morning exercises and meditating she went to the small shrine in the corner of her bedroom. The shrine was occupied by statues of the gods of the living circle; Mila of the Grain, Green Man, Asaia, Tuhengri Stormlord, Shurri Firesword, Hakkoi the Smith, Yanna Healtouch, Runog of the Deep. Also upon it were some candles and incense. She lit incense for both of her parents, as well as the candle under each god's statue. She was well aware that not many people at Hogwarts were very religious. When she was younger Sunday was just like any other day to her. However, once she had moved to Winding Circle she had picked up their religion, as well as their gods. Now every Sunday or what the people at temple called it 'Waters Day' she prayed.
When she had finished, she blew out the candles. Then headed down toward the great hall for an early breakfast. Once she arrived at the great hall she realized that there were only two other people there. A lone student half asleep over a plate of toast, as well as Severus Snape who was sitting at the end of the staff table grading papers. 'he's not a morning person.' She reminded herself. Although if she wasn't going to tell him now, then when? I'll catch him on his way out. He's bound to be in at least a slitley better mood after he has eaten something.
She ate very slowly not wanting to finish before him. Snape hardly moved, keen eyes on his papers. After helping herself to several stakes of Belgium Waffles she put down her fork and pulled out a book from her mage bag. If he was planning on sitting their till dinner she might as well make herself comfortable.
About an hour later the students started to trickle in. When the hall started to get noise Snape scooped up his papers and headed towards the doors.
When he was out of sight Sarah stood up as well. 'Where would he be headed?' she thought to herself. 'Well he will probably want to put the papers back in his office right?' And with that though she started to head toward the dungeons.
I wonder how he will react. Hopefully he won't be too angry. I mean after all have magic can be a real blessing...or it could also be your undoing...
'NO!' she told herself. She was not going to think of them now. She had work to be done here. This was no time to start remembering things like that.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a bang on the head and the crash of papers. "Oh, Severus, I'm so sorry. I didn't see you there."
"Well apparently." Came his hot reply.
As he bent to gather his papers she said, "No, wait, let me. It my fault anyway, after all."
Severus looked up just in time to see all of the scattered papers sore up into her hand. After she handed them back to him, he began to flip though them. He was suprized to notice not one paper had even been slitly bent or crinkled from the fall. But instead of saying 'thank you' he gave her a piercing glare and replied, "There out of order...all have to sort them all over again."
She stared at him puzzled for a moment. Eyes transfixed on his now expressionless face. "Sorry," and with that all of the papers in Snape's hands flew into the air once again making in slitly breezy. The papers then began to fly around the two of them. Trapping them in a sort of frereus caccon. Just as Severus was about to yell at her to stop this madness the papers once again flew into the women's hands. This time when she handed them over they were all in the correct order. Ones graded, ones not, then by house, and then by year. But how did she now how he sorted them?
As if reading his mind she replied, "The papers new how they had been sorted and in turn my magic did as well. It's a rather useful thing, magic. Aculy it is also the reason I need to ask of just a moment of your time. I need to speak with you."
Severus was befuddled. 'What in the world was she bloody talking about?' To her he gave a slight smirk and a nod as the door to his office opened voluntarily. As he stepped inside he noticed that Sarah still stood on the threshold. "Do come in professor. I don't have all day." She nodded curtly and stepped inside, the door swinging shut behind her.
Once she had taken her seat in front of his desk Severus took the apposeing chair behind it. Severus noticed that she was staring into his eyes heavily, her face showing no emotion. "Professor." He said boldly snapping her out of a trance, "You said you wish to speak with me."
"Yes I wanted to talk to you about what happened yesterday-"
Severus cut her off. "This has to do with Malfoy doesn't it?! I already told you how humiliating and unprofessional that was. What you did was embarrassing not only to the student to the inteir Slitheren house! And I swear if you ever mishandle one of my students again you will regret the day you ever exepted this job." Sarah looked at him anger mounting on her face, but Snape didn't care. "So tell me what happened, humm. Did Draco send an owl to his father?... What, dose he want you fired?... I don't think you need to worry about that with the way you are with the headmaster, with him being your grandfather and all. I don't think he would even care if Malfoy threaten every student in the school!"
Sarah looked at him fully enraged. "First off this has nothing to do with Draco Malofy. Nor, dose it have anything to do with his father. Secondly, my grandfather would DIE, before he let anything happen to one of the students! And next off, the only reason I even dropped by was to tell you to make shore you in my classroom by five tomorrow because from now on you will be attending all of my classes - and I don't exeped back talk from my students!"
"Good day Professor!" As she tired to open the door the knob shocked her, sending and electrical zing though out her intire right arm. "Open It!" she commanded without even looking at Severus.
"Not before you tell me what you ment by that."
"No. Now let me out."
"Not before you tell me what you ment, and I suggest you do it before I get even angrier."
"Angrier! Oh, so you mean like yesterday when you made that bottle of healing cream explode in my class room."
"I can ashore you I did no such thing."
"Yes you did we both heard it. You got angry and your mage potions magic made it explode. Just like the other day when you had that caldron full of boiling liquid freeze right before your very eyes!"
Severus stared at her, "But how did you know about that"
"I think all be the one asking the questions here professor"
"You have no proof that I'm a mage."
"I think what I do and do not have is none of your concern. And since you refuse to release me from this filth hole you call and office I guess it is up to me to liberate myself." Then, with one mighty kick of her heavily booted foot, the door to his office burst off its hinges. "That professor is just a small taste of what my magic is capable of. And I suggest you think twice before you threaten me again."
"GOOD DAY PROFESSOR!"
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Snape sat in his office chair just minutes after Sarah had left.
"She couldn't possibly have been she?"
"No of course not." another part of his mind replied. It was probably all a trick to get back at him for yesterday...right?"
"Then again she had been completely calm and rational until he had insulted her grandfather."
"She is probably just a really good actress."
'But what if she wasn't acting. What if she was telling the truth. Why had his powers not been discovered before? Had Dumbledore known? After all he kept refusing to give Snape the Defense against the Arts job for years without telling him why. GODS! This was just to much for him to handle just now, but what could he do? She can't really expect him to take classes with his own STUDENTS! Whatever the cost he would not do that. I need to talk to Dumbledore he thought. 'I need to get him to get her to bloody talk to me about this. After all why is she so upset? It's not as if all this was her problem too.' He had learned traditional magic on his own, so he would learn this by himself as well. 'But first, I need to speak to Dumbledore...I need him to help me set that monstrosity he calls his granddaughter straight.'
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Sarah immediately headed toward Dumbledores office hoping he was there. She had started heading their so that she could scream out her frustration at him. 'Severs him right,' she thought, 'making me come here and teach students like Draco. As soon as I get there I'll give him a piece of my mind...and if I have it my way, a piece of my boot as well.'
However, now she was slitly more level headed she knew blaming her poor grandfather would not solve anything. 'I need to talk to him though. I need to tell him about Severus. Hopefully he will have some suggestions on what the hell I'm supposed to do now.'
She now found herself at the stone gargoyle that hid the winding staircase. "Frizzing-Wisbees" she said to the statue. Upon reaching the heavy wooden door at the top of the stairs she knocked.
"Come in Sarahantifany." called her grandfathers deep, drawing voice.
Sarah opened the door her grandfather was passing his study. When he saw her come in he stopped, setting down a large scroll of parchment he had been reading. Once seeing her face his eyes became somber and his voice was soft, "My dear child...their is no use trying to hid your emotions from me with that blank stair, I know you all to well. Please, come tell me what is troubling you."
Sarah looked into his powerful, searching, blue eyes so much like her own, only lighter. "I have a matter on which I need your advice. It concerns both you and the staff as well as the safety of everyone in this castle." She had managed to say this a lot stronger that she would have thought possible.
Dumbledores masked expression never changed in the sliest, but she new he was now much more concerned. "Please, have a seat. I have a felling the story of which you wish to tell me is a rather long one."
She did not even nod, as she began the long tale of Severus the mage. She had told him about the bottle, the caldron, the dream, and his reaction. When she had stopped Dumbeldore tolled her that Professor Snape would surly be on his way here by now and that if she would just wait they could get this all sorted out. Sarah's first instinked was to decline the offer but upon hearing a loud threating knock on the door she realized that option was now gone.
"Ah, Severus, please do join us."
"Us?" The door opened to reveal a very serious and disgruntle Snape. He looked straight into the eyes of Dumbledore, although Sarah new he was aware of her presents. "Headmaster I must speak with you immediately..." he paused agnologing Sarah for the first time with a less then friendly glare. "In private."
"Now Severus I am under the impression that this matter includes the two of you, is there any reason Professor Merloom should not be present."
Snape glare was now on Dumbledore but he said nothing. "Very well then if you would both please sit, would either of you like tea?" They both declined as Dumbledore took a sip from his own mug. "Severus, I shall like to hear you side of the story and then Sarah perhaps you could clarify things as you see fit." The two nodded, both feeling as if they were getting shame scolded by a parent for doing something wrong. Dumbeldore then set his bewitcheing eyes upon Severus, "You may begin."
Snape preceded to tell Dumbledore about what Sarah had said and to his own dislike about the strange things that had been happening to him lightly. He finished by saying that this was impossible of this stuff had never happened before and that he was a grown man not just some first year without a clue to what magic truly was. Dumbledore than looked to Sarah, "I think you know some things that should be said."
"Yes headmaster." She then forced herself to look at Severus although she found it rather hard to tell this man so set in his ways that she was about to turn his world upside-down. "Severus, you do have magery magic- and before you interrupt please, hear me out. A teacher of mine, named Lark, was over thirty before she found out about her powers. She is now the best sowing mage at Winding Circle and for hundreds of miles around it. Magic can lie undiscovered for quiet so time as long as their is something to shield it from breaking lose."
"But I work with potions EVERY BLOODY DAY! How come this never happened before?"
Dumbledore was now looking at her seeing just as keen on getting an answer as Snape. "I have thought of this actually... and the only conclusion I can come up with is that it HAS happened before." She was now receiving a queer look from both her male companions, but they said nothing. "Severus, you have always exeled in potions... it was because of you magic. As for the major breakout that have just started happening lightly, that I'm afraid is my own fault. You see you are so very good at controlling you emotions. Your magic only broke out in small porsions. Anger or lack of control over your feeling is the number one cause for happaserd magic. This includes both the mage and the wisarding worlds. Have you ever been angry at someone then when you tried to make a potion soon after is turn out wrong?... That was not just a lack of concentration, but your magic once again."
"I'm sorry of interrupting professor," said Dumbledore, "but you said that the reason for the magic's sudden outburst was your fault?..."
"Yes headmaster I'm afraid it is. "You see Severus has always been very good at masking his emotions. When I was in his office just earlier this morning I tried to access his power somewhat hoping that I had mistaken, although I assure you that is not the case. Upon trying to access his magic I was bombarded with very strong and powerful shields. Mind shield mostly, for everything from occlumency, to daily emotions, to emotions of... Anyhow all of these barriers keep his magic under control... at least until other magic started to mess with them."
"You!" shouted Snape, "You tampered with my mind. You are the reason for all of this. You-"
"Severus." said the headmaster, "You will not speak to Professor Merloom that way without even letting her finish." He then looked at Sarahantifany, "There is more is their not."
"Yes Headmaster, there is... Severus you are both right and wrong by blaming be. I did not do it intentionally but my magery power is very great. The barriers in your mind could no longer control your magic with so much of the same in me. You had been introduced to a full fledged mage for the first time the power that had been hidden now decided that it wanted released. Severus, your magic linked to mine. Almost like a cry for help it helped me see the dream I had of you and that peculiar cauldron. Severus you must be trained. For the safety of every one that comes in contact with you, you must learn control. Please if you master this you could become a great source of help for the light in the oncoming war. If you master this you could do much better things than just being some Hogwarts teacher- no disrespect intended Headmaster. Severus, please just thing about what I said. If you would be capable of leaving the school for a few years you could possible be train by someone else than me. If not though I'm afraid I am your only option- just think." Without another word Sarah got up and left, leaving the two gentlemen alone to chat.
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The door had no sooner closed behind Sarah that Severus began his rant. "Headmaster, you can't really be thinking of me taking lessons from HER! She's cant be more than two thirds my age and-and are magics aren't the same I could learn myself. I can't leave the school because Voldimort might call upon me. Sir many people will be endanger if Voldimort finds out about this, and what about her. Surly you use some sort of magic to shield her from him."
Severus stopped to take a breath and that was all Dumbledore needed to intervene. "Severus, I realize the position you find yourself in, but the fact stands that you have this power and you cannot deal with it alone." Snape opened his mouth to speak, but Dumbledore put a hand up to stop him. "This is different that ordinary magic Severus. In is more dangerous untamed that Sirius Black is believed to be. You cannot do this alone and since you are write in saying you cannot leave Hogwarts for any longer that the occasional day out, you must learn from Sarahantifany."
"I will not allow myself to be tutored and corrected in front of my own students."
"Now Severus, I am sure that between the three of us we can work out some sort of compromise. I believe that it will not be to much to ask of Sarah to give you private lessons. Considering you are her responsibility now."
"I'm her responsibility! I am not some child in need of looking after."
"No, I agree you are not but, according to the laws of magery as I understand it. The discovering mage must train the new one if no other teacher is available. If this task is not completed Sarah could have her Mage medallion or license taken away form her permanently. As for Sarah's protection from Voldimort, all I can say is see doesn't have any."
"What do you mean she doesn't have any? She is your 'granddaughter' and a mage what more of a target could their possibly be."
Dumbledore looked into Severus' eyes, but his gaze was far off and distant. "I am hoping that Voldimorts fear for me is enough to keep his slimy hands for her! However if it is not, I believe Sarah capable of holding her own. She is very powerful Severus... very, very powerful. And if he dose come near her I SHALL be waiting..." Dumbledore blinked as the venomous look drew off his face. In a more lively town he said, "As for you Severus, the best I can do is tell you not to let him find out. I shall ask Sarahantifany if there are any precautions that may be taken. Although she absolutely refuses to let anyone try and protect her, I am hopeful there is something that can be done."
"Thank you Headmaster."
"Oh Severus, before you go their is something I would like to ask you."
Severus turned around from his position at the door. "Yes?"
"...Oh... nothing really just meet me hear after dinner today. I think Sarah and you need to sort a few things out."
Snape gave the Head master an odd look, then nodded and left, his black robes billowing behind him.
After Dumbledore heard the door slam he dropped his head into his hands then began to talk to himself. "Those two... maybe they are not the right pair for the job after all of this... Their talents just seem to fit the need perfectly. Oh GODS Katherine, I just wish you were hear.
-----------------------------------End of Chapter Four-------------------------------------
For those who are wondering Katherine is Dumbledore's dead wife.
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Listen I want feed back, please, I need to know what I'm doing wrong. Except for grammar I already know I suck at that.
Christmas List:
1.) A million dollars
2.) The third HP movie
3.) A beta reader
:)Any of these would be helpful.:)