Chapter 11 – And… cut
"And what might the reason of you requesting this meeting be?"
"Well it might be lusting after you but it's not. It's… this."
"Ten points for a comeback least expected Miss Granger and isn't this the day you supposedly accept presents instead of giving them?"
"It's not a present and I'm not giving it to you. I just want you to take a look at it."
"Looks nice. Here."
"Don't give it back! Much as I appreciate your artistic evaluation, this locket holds more than… Just take a look."
After a quick spin and some non-verbals, an eyebrow rose. Couple of muttered charms later second eyebrow felt the urgent need to meet the first. The situation cried for a wand and some louder pronounced spells. Eyebrows on the other hand cried for a forehead extension as they were threatening to jump out of Snape's face.
"…I see… I guess it's none of my business to ask how you ended up owning it. You do own it, don't you?"
"Would that knowledge be of any actual help?"
"Depends on what your quest is?"
"Destroy it?"
"Oh, no, no, no."
"No as in you can't or no as in you don't want to?"
"What difference does it make?"
"Well it does to me. Can't you at least tell me why you won't do it?"
"It's so heavily warded that I can't even tell what's its use is. And you want me to blast it out of existence? Anyone going into so much effort to protect whatever this locket holds, has definitely some pretty nasty curses prepared for the one that pries it open. Not to mention tries destroying it."
"You're actually telling me that you're incapable of taking down some wards? And you taught DADA?"
"Two words Miss Granger: Lockhart, Quirell. And I'm not saying I'm incapable. I just performed 8 successive long distance apparitions and if not in dire danger I'd rather refrain from using any strength-straining magic for a while."
"What took you so long? I managed it in 3. And how comes and you're allowed 8?"
"Hogwarts' privileges. Since no one at the MoM took the time to retract them, I'm abusing them."
"Yes, but still, why use them all at once?"
"Lesson five out of a hundred: When arranging secret meetings don't take your stalker along. It kind of nullifies the whole prospect of it being secret."
"You were being followed?"
"I think they lost track of me in Bujumbura."
"Are you making up names?"
"The whole population of Burundi is applauding your ignorance right now."
"Are you meaning to tell me that you reached Zurich via Africa?"
"I actually flew in from Alexandria."
"I thought flying carpets were banned in Europe."
"Muggle planes on the other hand are not. Plus the added advantage of not being monitored by the Ministry."
"You used an airplane to escape the… Ministry? What makes you believe the Ministry is hot on your heels in the first place?"
"What makes you not? Being spared the public pelting doesn't subsequently mean they forgot all about me."
"It means they don't have strong evidence against you."
"Of course. Because any Ministry in the world, fortunate to have entrusted a killer to educate their children, would proudly announce it, while unable to locate and take the man down."
"Couldn't you just make yourself unreachable as well?"
"And pick everyone's attention as to my whereabouts?"
"How many different stalkers do you have exactly?"
"Quite enough to boost my ego. For I recently became important, stalker-wise. Let's count them, shall we? The Unspeakables, the Dark Lord, an old foe or two, Moody and his cohorts, and to add insult to injury special guest for today a rival house ex-prefect. I might be forgetting one or two."
"Given time to rest could you actually open the locket?"
"Of course I could… give it a try. Why is this so significant to you?"
"What's your time limit?"
"Beg your pardon?"
"What time are you expected back? When will they start noticing you missing?"
"I'm not some peer of yours limited by curfew Miss Granger."
"Extreme lengths arranging this meeting might indicate the exact opposite."
"You're not having tea with your long lost uncle Miss Granger. You're harboring a fugitive on the run. People actually get charged with that."
"You took time to make sure I'm not prosecuted?"
"While bracing myself for the other way round as well."
"You thought I arranged this meeting to turn you in?"
"Don't blame a wizard for being cautious. Constant vigilance is your lesson six out of a hundred."
"I can't believe you thought I would come here to bait you."
"Whereas it was awfully obvious that you would seek out my ward-breaking expertise?"
"Dark Arts expertise."
"So it isn't your great-grandmother's picture, the secret this locket holds?"
"You could tell that much on your own. So what do we do until you regain your strength?"
"You actually insist? What's in for you Miss Granger? And while we are at it, what is actually in for me?"
"Let's say Dumbledore died trying to retrieve it."
"He died out of my… oh that's why he was… oh."
"I can actually see the Slytherin mind's cogwheels spinning."
"Let's have lunch. Are you hungry? Can't risk being seen with you outside or I'd take you to some place better than this. So what do you say?"
A/N: Sorry, it took me so long to update but had to rush to pre-school to learn proper addressing, marital status etc. At least this way people reading after you, won't have their retinas shredded to pieces like you had. Though it's too late to issue a warning: those of you hating walking sticks or guide-dogs, please don't read any further. I can't guarantee a Walntemart won't make an appearance at some future chapter.