Sasha Silverleaf, the ministries charms expert was not what Snape had expected. She was a slight creature, whose four fingered hands and pointed ears marked her as part elf. Her height- she could probably stand eye to eye with Hagrid- marked her heritage specifically as woodland elf. Currently, she was standing over Marian, eyes closed, her pointed ears moving slightly. He, Dumbledore, Flitwik, and Calafas were waiting patiently for her assessment.
"She is indeed cursed," the elf said before opening her large, apple-green eyes. "It is a variation of the Contatis charm that you believed it to be. A counter-curse for the same charm may be effective."
"May. Mrs. Silverleaf?" Dumbledore asked as they walked out of the infirmary.
She nodded, brushing her wispy, silver hair out of her face. "As I said, the charm is a variation of the curse. How effective the counter-curse will be depends on the skill of the person who cast it. And believe me, from the trace signature I can tell you it wasn't an amateur."
"Do you have any idea who might have cast the curse, Sasha," Flitwik asked.
She shook her head. "The signature does not match that of anyone I've studied. I can tell you right off that it wasn't You-Know-Who. The energy is too close to her own. My guess would be that the curse was cast by a parent or sibling."
Everyone released the breath they'd been holding. "How soon will you be able to perform the counter-curse?" Snape asked.
" Professor Flitwik's assessment is accurate. Tuesday at the latest. I will need a place to brew the necessary potions, somewhere where they wont be disturbed."
"I'm sure we can find somewhere in the infirmary where you will not be disturbed." Dumbledore assured her. "In the mean time Professor Snape advised me that his personal store will be open to you."
Snape nodded."Let me know what you need and I will see if I have it."
Sasha nodded, bending like a willow in a slight wind. "Then we will start immediately."
"Certainly. Professor Flitwick, if you would be so kind as to show Ms. Silverleaf to the room that was prepared for her. I believe your things are there, ready and waiting."
They had reached one of the colonnades open to the elements, this one facing the Dark Forest, before she spoke up again. "I believe I will walk your forest tonight, Professor Dumbledore. Some of the ingredients need to be fresh, and untouched by human hands."
Dumbledore nodded. "Of course. If you like, Hagrid could accompany you."
The elf smiled. "That will not be necessary, Professor. Your forest poses no threat to me, though I do appreciate the offer."
"I'm sure Madam Silverleaf would be more than capable of taking care of herself, Albus," Flitwick added.
She smiled. "I thank you for your confidence in me, professor. There will be a full moon tomorrow night, which works in our favor. The spell components must be at their absolute highest potency to aid Ms. Elvbow's chances of survival."
"Chances of survival?" Dumbledore asked.
Sasha nodded gravely. "The curse is an old one, Professor, and quite established. A simple counter-curse may not be sufficient, even with the properly brewed potions. I can detect no failsafe to harm her if someone attempts to remove the curse, but anything could happen. We must be prepared for that. Professor Flitwick, if you would?"
As the two walked off Snape and Dumbledore followed them with their eyes.Flitwick was chatting excitedly about a new theory on charming inanimate objects while Sasha listened intently. " If they weren't such a mismatched pair, I'd say it was love," Snape said sarcastically when they were out of earshot.
Dumbledore raised one eyebrow. "He did seem quite taken with her, didn't he? I was speaking with Professor Trelawney earlier today. She assures me that Venus is in the ninth house this month, and that romance is a definite possibility."
Snape snorted. He had yet to see that Trelawney woman give an actual prediction. "Are you sure she isn't slipping anything illegal into those tea's she's constantly brewing?" he asked, lacing his voice liberally with sarcasm.
Dumbledore thought for a moment, them smiled slyly. "Nothing that I don't know about, Severus. She says that you will have an especially rocky year, and that it involves our guest to some extent."
Snape snorted. "More like her pet. That python has been trying to kill me since it met me. Yesterday the thing lunged at me when Hagrid carried it past."
"Yes, Missyla does seem to bear you some ill will, Professor. Perhaps she is upset because she feels you are responsible for the state her mistress is in?"
Snape flushed. " No, she cornered me the moment I walked into Ms. Elvbow's apartment. I assumed at first it was the scent of rat entrails, but I'm beginning to believe I was mistaken."
"Hm," Dumbledore said thoughtfully. "Perhaps if you were to spend more time with her, you might be able to see eye to eye."
Snape sighed at Dumbledore's retreating back. There were times when he simply couldn't understand the man's sense of humor.
Hermione yawned. It was seven fifty, and she and Harry were hurrying down the long corridors of Hogwarts, trying to get to Snape's office before eight. Snape hated them. To be fair he hated everyone not in Slytherin, and there were times when she wondered if he hated them too, but he hated her, Harry, and Ron the most. He never missed an opportunity to take points away from them, insult them, or give them extra assignments that would be to their 'benefit'. It was a distinct possibility that he would try to do at least one of those things if the were so much as a minute late.
Finally, after eight minutes of weaving in and out of hallways, they reached the dungeons. Harry lifted his hand and knocked loudly.
Snape pulled open the door, and they both stared. He wasn't wearing robes. Quite the contrary, he was wearing a baggy black pullover and a pair of black slacks that were about two sizes too big. His hair was less greasy. He almost looked…normal.
"Well, are you two planning on standing there all morning, or are you going to come in?"
She and Harry hurried through the door and stood in front of Snape's desk. All their other professors kept extra chairs in their offices, just in case someone needed to sit down. Not Snape. His office consisted of a single desk pilled high with papers and books, and a large high backed chair. The rest of the office was dominated by several large glass-faced cabinets, whose contents she was certain only Professor Snape knew for sure. In fact, she was certain he was the only person who would want to know what they were.
"I've called you here today because I would like to enlist your assistance," Snape said, hands folded over his chest. " We need information on Ms. Elvbow, information that can only be attained in the Muggle world. As such, you two are the prime candidates to help. We will be going to the London Library at 9:30 this morning. You have until then to change clothes if you wish, and to have breakfast. We may spend the entire morning and early part of the afternoon there, so if you had any plans, I suggest you revise them."
"Yes Professor," Hermione and Harry said together.
"Well then, go on," Snape said, all but kicking them out of his office. They barely made it out the door before it was slammed behind them.
Harry and Hermione were silent until they were out of the dungeons. "What do you suppose all that was about?" Harry asked. "I mean, what are they hoping to find out about her?"
"I don't know," Hermione answered as they climbed the short flight of stairs that lead to the main staircases. "But I'm sure anything we find out will help."
As soon as they entered the main stairwell something landed on their right, splashing Hermione with a sour smelling liquid.
"Peeves!" She shouted. "You got sour milk on my robes!"
Peeves the Poltergeist stuck his head out of the wall behind them. "It was an accident, I swear," he said between giggles. "I thought you were Catherine."
At that moment a dark head peeked from behind one of the alcoves and darted across the stair case, heading towards the Great Hall. "Dang it, you made me miss her!" Peeves shouted. Catherine Gulliver was one of the first years that Peeves had taken a fancy to terrorize. It was only fear of the Bloody Baron that kept him from attacking her during classes since she was a member of Slytherin.
"Right," Hermione muttered. Come on, we need to change anyway."
"Change? Change!" Peeves bounced along in front of them. "What are you doing? Where are you going? Tell me!! Please please please!"
"Go away Peeves," Harry said as they reached the portrait hole.
Peeves smiled evilly. " Why would I do that? You cant go in with me here, I might slip the password to someone. I think Malfoy would be happy to learn how to get in there," he stared hard at the Fat Lady. "So, tell me or I'm not leaving."
"Oh, go bother someone else, Peeves," the Fat Lady scolded.
"Why? Besides, I always thought you needed a little more color in that old frame of yours." Suddenly he was wearing a beret and carrying a tray of paint.
The Fat Lady bristled. "You even think about it, and you'll find yourself in here with me…forever."
Peeves laughed. "I'd like to see you try it you old bat!"
Hermione was about to pull out her wand and try out the Spectramus spell she'd read about when she froze. The Bloody Baron was rising from the floor, looking even less pleased than normal.
"Peeves," the sound made her shiver. It was the first time she'd ever heard the Baron actually speak before. His voice was low and raspy.
The poltergeist froze, then turned around quickly. "Why Baron! How good to see you! How have you been? Still trying to get those stains out?"
The two students felt the Baron get angrier at that. No one asked about the Barons stains, not even the professors, to their knowledge.
No one.
Silently, the ghost pointed to the main stairwell, and Peeves moved slowly towards the door. For all his trouble, they doubted he deserved whatever punishment the mail-clad baron was going to give him. He gave them one last look before floating after Peeves.
"Password?" The Fat Lady asked once they were gone.
"Balar Paramus," Harry said.
The portrait swung open, revealing the Gryffindor common room.
"I'll meet you back here in ten minutes," Hermione said, running up the stairs.