Chapter 6: Hating Snape, a Family Affiar
"It's a toaster, Ron. We warm bread in it," Hermione said exasperated.
Since Uncle Rupert and Professor Lupin had retired to the living room to discuss the arrival of Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape, Ron had contented himself with asking the function of every kitchen appliance he could spot. At first Harry had found his awe humorous but the novelty had long lost its luster, for both Harry and Hermione had to at least explain those same appliance numerous times. And even then, Ron displayed a great sense of doubt and fascination.
"Come finish your coffee, Ron," Harry said, hoping to distract his best friend for another few moments. "It's getting cold."
It was a physical effort, but Ron eventually sat at the bar next to Hermione and pulled his coffee to his lips. The three young wizards fell silent, each taking the time to enjoy their coffee. There was a tension hanging around them now, one that Harry knew was his own doing. Ever since he'd learned of the prophecy he could not seem to reach out to his friends as he once had. A barrier of destiny made known now separated them and he did not know how to break through to those that had always been his support. He would die or he would kill and there was no other way around it.
Hedwig sat in her cage on the counter and Harry intermittently and between sips, feed her some hamburger Uncle Rupert had pulled from the fridge. How simple it must be to be an owl? Delivering letters from place to place, your owner stroking your feathers lovingly. Never having to worry about the fate of an entire world. Flying was the only time Harry truly felt free.
He wondered if his father and Sirius had felt the same way. If there animagus form hadn't only allowed them to show their support of a friend with a terrible curse but also to break away from the complexities of human life. After all it had been in his animagus form that Sirius had been able to not only survive but break out from Azkaban; where the torrid emotions of humans, the fuel that Dementors fed upon, could not be found.
A dog, a stag, or an owl, never had to deal with lost uncle's, telling prophecies or shattered hopes. The more he thought about it, working to become an animagus appealed to him in ways that the magical world had not in a long time.
"He seems nice," a voice interrupted his reverie.
"Hmm?" Harry said, sitting up straighter in his stool, pushing away dark thoughts and attempts to escape them. It was Hermione and she was scrutinizing him with the look that she usually gave to her school books.
"I said, he seems nice," she repeated, tilting her mane of frizzy hair towards Uncle Rupert.
Harry shrugged. "Yeah, I suppose."
"Don't you like him?" Ron mumbled while crunching a biscuit he'd stolen off the plate Uncle Rupert had set out for them. Harry could have sworn that Ron had grown another hand span since he'd seen him last and was currently trying to make up the difference by stuffing himself to the gill.
"I don't rightly know him do I?" Harry snapped. "He's a complete stranger." He certainly didn't want to talk about this.
Hermione tossed her hair with a flick of her hand. "It'll just take time, Harry," she announced in a matter-of-fact tone, which only increased as the days grew. "You can't expect a perfect relationship."
"No," he drew out the word sarcastically. "Can't have one of those?"
"He seems to care for you," Hermione attempted to stave off one of Harry's rants. He was well aware that his friends had suffered a great many of them of late.
"Well that's the thing. He's either mollycoddling me or he denies my existence," Harry hissed. "We haven't spoken once about why he's been separated from the family. At least Sirius wanted to tell me the truth. Here I feel even more in the dark then I did the whole of last year."
Ron glanced at the two older men. "He's probably nervous, mate. I'd know how I'd feel if Bill suddenly told me he had a son."
Harry and Hermione looked at him completely aghast at his astute observation.
A deep red color flushed Ron's cheeks. "Hermione's not the only one who can be perceptive you know."
"Let's talk about something different. What's going on with the Order?" Harry asked.
Ron shrugged. "A bunch of homework, that's what it is. Every time someone comes in we're supposed to put a check by their name and when they arrived. Every time they leave, we're supposed to erase the check and put their departure. I tried to convince Hermione to enchant the parchment so it would know when they came in, but..." he dragged off glaring at their clever witch.
"You know we can't use magic out of school," Hermione admonished. "Besides I think Harry wanted something a little more interesting then our tracking assignment."
Thus began the one of the ill-fated and famous rows that Ron and Hermione could not live without. Despite that morbid bridge between them, Harry was glad to see that not everything about Ron and Hermione had changed. Ron's build was definitely beginning to bulk up and he was a good head taller then Harry now, his freckles seeming to disappear into a maturing face. Where Hermione seemed to be as slim while blossoming into womanhood. Harry couldn't remember seeing her looking so confidant and sophisticated. He, himself, felt as though he had been frozen in time unchanging as the sun rose and set.
Aunt Petunia's death seemed ages ago and at the same time just yesterday. He had never felt overly fond of his aunt and he knew that the feeling had been reciprocated but to see her as he had; lifeless and unyielding it had been a blow that he had not expected. In a twisted sort of way he felt responsible for her death. If he hadn't ran away from the Dursley's to go to the Shrieking Shack, he could have kept that burglar from shooting his aunt. Each decision he made whether altruistic or selfish seemed to get someone killed; from his parents to Sirius to Aunt Petunia.
He was walking on a tightrope where he knew where his destination would lie but the way there was clouded. How many more people would die before the final confrontation with Voldemort? And then whose death would be the last? His or the Dark Wizards?
It always came back to that lately. The rising worry of Voldemort. To have learned of the prophecy and to see how he still was treated as though he could not climb his own broom was irritating at best. At least that was one point in Uncle Rupert's favor. He seemed to think that Harry was well capable of handling the tasks that lay before him and wanted him to know what was coming in the future.
Harry supposed it had to do with Buffy and her own quest laid before her. The young wizard had lost his dislike of her the moment he'd seen her in action but he was still wary of her off beat manner. Did she not ever fear that the next fight might be her last? How could she stand the pressure of her destiny?
As though his very thoughts had conjured her out of the air, Buffy walked into Uncle Rupert's flat, followed by Willow and Xander.
"Buffy I do wish you'd knock," Uncle Rupert said, pushing the books he'd been going over with Professor Lupin.
"Keeps you on your toes," Buffy quipped cheerfully.
"Who're they?" Ron whispered, breaking out of his argument with Hermione.
"The Slayer," Harry answered. "There's a long speech, but to get to the point; she's the one girl in all the world to fight the forces of Darkness."
Ron's mouth dropped open and Hermione's expression was clearly scandalized. "You don't mean to tell me that tiny girl is going to fight You-Know-Who?" Ron hissed.
Harry shook his head. "No, she's got her own problems to deal with."
"Hey Harry-Carry," Xander said, waving form his spot next to Willow.
Ron was now doing his best not to break out in loud and repeated guffaws. 'Harry-Carry,' Hermione mouthed.
Harry groaned. "Xander, please don't call me that."
"Hey, he sounded just like you, G-Man," Xander taunted.
Uncle Rupert just rolled his eyes, but Harry caught the ghost of a smile twitch the edge of his uncle's lips. "Xander do be quiet."
"Shutting up, sir," Xander chirped happily as though Uncle Rupert has asked him to tea.
"So anything knew on the Master's I-Want-to-Bring-Hell-on-Earth plan?" Buffy asked, gazing at Uncle Rupert with that huntress expression.
Uncle Rupert's gaze flickered to Ron and Hermione. "Perhaps we ought to make introduction and explanations first."
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The two wizards arrived with a compressed pop, like the sound of opening a liter of soda. One was very aged, though by the boyish twinkle in his eye it was difficult to estimate his true age. He wore a very long beard that looked as though winter had taken roost on his chin. Over age dimpled cheeks and behind square panes of glass were clear blue eyes that seemed to draw you in with their constant amusement. He was dressed in midnight robes that shimmered with the light of stars.
By comparison his companion was the night to the aged wizards day. A constant gloom seemed to have drooped the features of a face that should have looked not much younger then Giles. Black hair hung limply to his shoulders and his eyes were a deep brown that expressed a constant dislike of the world around him. Lines around his thin lips told of a man who rarely smiled and found little pleasure.
It was easy to tell from Harry's description which was Albus Dumbledore and who was Severus Snape. Both Lupin and Harry had described the wizards to the Scooby gang, also explaining the danger to Harry's life and the threat of Lord Voldemort. Giles had given the famous Slayer speech that Buffy had heard far too many times and Harry excitedly told his friends of seeing Buffy dust a vampire.
Willow and Xander took the news of an evil wizard without much surprise, considering their recent experiences on the Hellmouth, but the wizard youth found Giles and Harry's descriptions riveting.
Upon the two wizards arrival, Buffy cocked an eyebrow at Giles. "That's new," she commented.
Lupin stood up to make introduction. "Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape, may I present Rupert Giles, Buffy Summers, Xander Harris, and Willow Rosenberg."
Buffy felt a shudder as she scrutinized Lupin. There was something about that guy that gave her the creeps, though he seemed nice enough. Snape, the dark-haired wizard, frowned at the Scooby Gang. "Lupin what are these children doing here?"
"They are here at my request," Giles said coldly. He turned to Dumbledore and offered a genteel smile. "Shall we sit down?"
Willow took one of the few single seats in the living room, Xander sitting on the floor between her legs. Giles took the other comfort chair, Buffy choosing to stand with arms crossed behind him. The three elder wizards took the couch and Harry, Ron, and Hermione brought it chairs from the kitchen.
The elderly wizard spoke first. "Mr. Giles, Remus tells me you have some concerns about Aurors being positioned inside Sunnydale. I assure you, I wouldn't intrust just anyone with Harry's safety."
"I don't have the time or the inclination to beat around the bush, Mr. Dumbledore. From what Remus has told me and from veiled insinuations from Harry, I believe that you haven't been incredibly successful in divulging the character of certain members of your staff," Giles said very diplomatically. "Now, I can understand the confusion in the midst of a war, but I also want to make sure that my nephew isn't going to suffer the same fate as my brother."
"What would you suggest, Muggle?" Snape ground out between closed teeth.
"What are you twelve?" Buffy blurted out before she could stop herself.
The dark-haired wizard looked at her surprised. "Excuse me?" he asked, trying to sound imposing.
"Aren't you a little old for name calling," Buffy chided. Form his chair, Ron snickered. While Snape glared at Buffy as though he could melt her with his eye-beams. "You might want to try that glare on someone who cares and can't kick your ass back to England."
"Buffy calm down," Giles soothed. "There's no need to threaten Mr. Snape."
"And it would be untoward to provoke Ms. Summers any further, Severus," Dumbledore warned. "We are after all, guests of Mr. Giles."
The aged wizard was endearing himself to the Slayer at that moment. "Call me Buffy. My mother is Ms. Summers."
"What I propose is simply that I meet with any of the Aurors before they are established here in Sunnydale and that Harry has the same opportunity. Keeping him in the dark is only going to get him killed," Giles answered Snape as though the insulting incident had never occurred. "I will not ask to be a member of your secret Order because it's not really my place. However, it is Harry's place."
Out of the corner of her eye, Buffy saw Harry and his friends lean forward in their seats. It was only blindingly obvious that they had voiced this same concern before to the adults before them. Snape turned his menacing stare to the young wizards. Where Hermione and Ron recoiled, Harry only seemed to mimic the loathing in his green eyes.
Dumbledore gazed at Giles with a mixture of emotion. "I understand that you have a certain prejudice opinion of young men and women, Mr. Giles." This time his eyes flickered to Buffy. "However, the Slayer is trained to face the forces of darkness from an early age. Harry has only known his true calling for a few months."
"That's where you're wrong Dumbledore," Buffy interjected before Giles could answer. "I wasn't discovered by the Council until after I was called. I grew up thinking I was as normal as any other girl. The super hero gig is way overestimated. I faced my first big bad vampire just months after I was called."
Xander looked up at Willow questioning and the redhead could only shrug her shoulders. Buffy had never explained much of her life before coming to Sunnydale and this was the first that anyone had heard of her exploits. Except Giles, who had read Merrick's diaries from his time as her Watcher. It had been such a frightening time for her, that she liked to think that it had never happened at all. Destiny had screwed her over and had placed her on the Hellmouth so it had become harder to believe she could just put that past behind her.
"I can't be protected any longer, Professor," Harry interrupted quietly. "There is too much at stake."
Buffy wondered at the emotion inside his voice. It seemed that Harry felt everything was the end of the world and his appreciation of the world was on par with Snape's, the Snyder-wanna-be. Having Xander and Willow at her side and trying to catch of spark of life was the only thing that kept her sane through the terrible nights. If Harry was going to survive Voldemort and his Death Eaters, he'd have to start to realize what he was trying to save.
Buffy smiled at the redheaded wizard and the girl sitting next to him. "And Ron and Hermione too."
"Oh could we Professor?" Hermione asked.
Ron and Hermione looked to Lupin and Dumbledore hopefully.
"They do tend to insert themselves into dangerous situations regardless, Albus," Lupin said tentatively. "This way, we'd know what they are concocting."
"Headmaster, to allow children, especially Potter into the Order would be catastrophic," Snape protested. "You can't possibly consider taking this girl's comments seriously."
"Why is he here again?" Buffy asked, indicating Snape. "Cause not much with the helpfulness."
"Professor Snape is a key member inside the Order. He provides information from inside Voldemort's ring of Death Eaters," Professor Dumbledore explained.
"Need I remind you the last time Potter thought himself able to take on a project that should have been left to the Order. The Dark Lord almost obtained his desires," Snape was not about to let up. "He is too driven by emotion and has his father's impertinence." Harry's jaw clenched and he grew noticeably paler.
If Buffy had ever a doubt as to Harry being Giles' nephew it was erased by the Watcher's avid response to the dark-haired wizards comment. "Do not speak of James as though you knew him," Giles snapped, a threatening edge to what had always seemed such a warm tone.
"I daresay I knew him better then you," Snape shot back.
Lupin seemed to have taken notice to the different tone in Giles' voice. "Severus I would not go down this road if I were you."
Willow, ever the peacemaker, spoke up. "Shouldn't we get back to the dark wizard and what we need to do to help Harry?"
Giles' thunderous look softened at Willow's words. "Quite right. I think I've said everything that needs to be said. I agree with Buffy that Ron and Hermione should be able to join the Order as well. But again, it's not for me to say. I've found that someone with such a large weight on their shoulders does better when there are people to hold them up."
Xander and Willow beamed at this statement. "Darn tuttin'," Willow chimed.
"I will have to discuss this with the other members of the Order," Professor Dumbledore said sagaciously. "I will send word through Remus when we have come to a decision."
Giles accepted this with a brief nod. "Ron, Hermione, you are welcome to spend as much time here as you'd like. There's a prophecy that I have yet to translate and Buffy you should make an appearance at home."
"Mother detail before Slayer detail," Buffy taking Giles' hint that it was time to end this little meeting. "I'll check in after patrol. Wills? Xand?"
"Right with you Buff."
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Giles breathed a sigh of relief as Buffy, Xander, and Willow walked out. For a moment as he had gazed at Snape he had felt Ripper return in mass. He had never wanted to show them that side of him, least of all Harry and his friends.
Professor Dumbledore and Snape stood up from the couch. "It was a pleasure to met you Mr. Giles. I appreciate that you care so much for young Harry. I hope we can come to an agreement concerning his safety."
"That is my hope as well," Giles said, shaking the aged wizards hand.
Moments later Dumbledore popped out of existence.
"Your brother was no saint," Snape hissed.
"Few of us are. I'd wager a guess that you haven't been gifted a halo and wings," Giles said hotly. "Like I said before and apparently your tiny mind needs reminding; don't speak of my brother." Giles was inching toward Snape and the potion master had little choice but to back up. "If I hear word one about James, you'll find that my disposition can become quite disagreeable."
Snape didn't pull his wand, much to Giles' relief but he looked as though he might with any more provocation. Not that Giles' minded much. You didn't grow up with James Potter and not learn how to dodge a curse or two.
"Are you threatening me, Squib?" Snape hissed.
Giles smiled, a merging of amusement and a feral edge. "Oh, you'd know if I was threatening you."
"Rupert," Remus muttered a warning. "This isn't the place."
"Stay out of this, werewolf," the potion master snapped, his voice dripping with disdain.
That did it. Giles balled up his fist and smashed it into Snape's pale features sending the wizard the few remaining feet towards the walls. Part of him just starred at his fist as Snape struggled to his feet, unsure if it had truly been his that had struck the wizard. The other part, the part that used to be known as Ripper, couldn't help but grin.
"You want to call him that again?" Giles asked.
Snape had snatched his wand out of his robes, but he did not use it. Giles turned around to see that Remus, Harry, Hermione, and Ron all had snatched their own up and had them pointed at the Professor.
"Stand down, Severus," Remus said evenly, somehow managing to keep a diplomatic calm.
"Just like your brother," Snape said before he too, popped out of existence.
"Pillock," Giles cursed as he swung around to face Remus.
The werewolf was shaking his head with winsome air. "I thought you had put away Ripper?"
"I despise that bloody prejudice. Did you ask to get bit? I think not. You're still a human being save for the full moon. You should be treated with respect," Giles railed. "Besides he is too old to be using insults like that," he added, remembering Buffy's outrage when Snape had called him a muggle.
Remus smiled broadly. "James and Snape could never get on, I guess it runs in the family."
Giles turned to Harry about to ask if that ruddy prat had given him a hard time, when Harry suddenly doubled over, clutching his forehead in pain.