Chapter 4- Meetings

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Severus followed Greyback out of the library, hard pressed to restrain a mocking smile. The prat was glaring and sneering at anyone who dared call out a greeting. One Slytherin girl said huffily in response to being snubbed, "Merlin, Erik, what bug crawled up your nose?"

Behind the seventh year, Lane Jugson pondered, "D'you think a snape could be a kind of bug?"

Laurence Keane snorted. "Yeah, the kind that gets squashed if they step out of line."

"Like an arachnid, maybe?"

Severus didn't have to look behind him to know that the 'Oomph' was Jugson's reaction to being hit for his literal thinking. He smirked at the dolt's unexpected insight. The Prince home was named 'Spinner's End', and his grandfather had taught him that success lay in emulating the spider. Feeling as though his intricate web had just snagged a juicy fly, Snape's mouth turned up at the corners.

"Do you find something amusing?"

Erik's surly demand received a thin-lipped response. "No."

The sixth year looked away from his impassive stare, muttering, "Well, keep it that way." Turning on his heel, he stalked out of the library and headed left, the opposite direction of other students. At what looked to be a dead end, Erik pushed a stone in the side wall. The entrance to a narrow corridor opened. "There are loads of secret passages and corridors in this place."

"So I see."

The unimpressed reaction to his boasting caused the younger boy to glare. "I would've thought somebody like you would have a bit more respect for your betters, Snape."

The lanky Jugson, who seemed to have a curiosity unaffected by abuse, piped up, "Somebody like him? What's that? Unpopular?"

"No, dunderhead, a pure-blood nobody what has no family money, connections or anything else that would make him somebody," Keane said, clouting his fellow Slytherin after a curt nod from Erik.

Severus reconsidered his former impressions of the trio. He noted that the followers were more clever than he'd expected, and their leader considerably less so. Keane, especially, had a street-smart 'keenness' of wit that should never be underestimated. Savouring the thought of calling Potter 'dunderhead' at the first possible opportunity, he traversed the dim passageway in silence.

The corridor, illumined by magical torches that barely lightened the darkness, wound downward until Severus noted the change in the texture of the walls. They had become granite, part of the bedrock that the castle was built upon. All four boys squinted when they reached a doorway and stepped into a pool of light.

"Hold out your hand."

Since none of the other three moved, Severus deduced that whoever spoke referred to him. He complied and didn't flinch when he felt a blade's cool sting slide across his palm. Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, and quip 'Hippocrates wants his oath back', he repeated solemnly, "Whatever I shall see or hear, this I will hold in silence." Keane shoved him forward. Inside the room, his eyes adjusted and focused on the small circle of Slytherin boys…and the man regarding him with a cool smile.

"Hello, Snape." Lucius Malfoy's icy gaze warmed slightly. "I told you ambition would open the door to opportunity one day."

"Malfoy." Severus inclined his head respectfully. He evaluated the changes time had wrought in the Slytherin who had invited him into his set when at school. Lucius' white-blond hair was longer, but he was still dressed and groomed impeccably. He'd been a sixth year when the other boy was a first year eager to learn and excel. Impressed by the 'firstie's' extensive repertoire of hexes, the upperclassman had given him an approval that had alienated most younger Slytherin and gained the enmity of four Gryffindors who labelled Snape a future Death Eater.

Lucius healed the shallow cut with a spell, drawling, "As you may have guessed, The Knights of Walpurgis are a select group with the united goal of restoring pure-blood supremacy to the Wizarding world." Gaze flickering disparagingly over the others, the wizard continued, "It is my...pleasure...to preside over the Hogwarts cadre, who train in preparation of one day joining their brethren, either in covert support of ongoing efforts, or more directly."

"Why were you bestowed such an...honour?" Severus saw the man's eyes gleam with appreciation of the dry humour. The almost unnoticeable pauses each had used communicated the underlying irony.

Lucius responded formally, "I am a member of the board of governors for this school and therefore given unrestricted access. However that may be, whatever my Lord commands is my duty to obey."

An electric silence filled the chamber. Severus gauged the eager expressions of Slytherin who he knew full well came from pure-blooded families—except for Tom…and him. Each face glowed with determination to serve the one who they believed would eventually rule the Wizarding world and reward his followers generously.

Severus made no further inquiry, realising this was neither the time nor the place to ask probing questions. He listened as the wizard instructed the group to duel each other in pairs. Tom Wilkes called, "You with me, Snape?"

"I'd be a fool to go against you."

Tom chuckled. "And you're no fool." The boy surveyed the group. "Not much challenge, but we'll make do. Care to choose the victims?"

Severus nodded. "Kendrick and Sutton."

His roommate raised his eyebrows. "I heard you finally got a Potions partner. Sizing up the competition, eh?"

Repressively, he returned, "Hardly."

"Yeah, Sutton's been trying to score for years without success. We'll trounce him anyway, just for practise."

He was not competing with Sutton for anything as puerile as a girl's attention, but arguing would only convince Tom otherwise. Severus shrugged and pulled out his wand, saying, "Shield, or attack?"

"I'll attack."

If he could feel pity for anyone as self-aggrandising as Sutton, Severus would've pitied him the moment Tom Wilkes hit the larger boy's hand with a palsy spell. After stealing the wand with an Accio, Tom began demonstrating his impressive knowledge of hexes. While Severus had used a rapid fire succession of Protego charms to deflect hexes from them both before quickly stunning and disarming John Kendrick, Tom drew out his victory over Clive Sutton. The Slytherin's legs were locked, and then made to wobble, and then to dance uncontrollably. Horns appeared on the boy's forehead, nose, and tongue.

"Finite Incantatem," said Lucius, ending the spells. He congratulated the winners of the duels and tersely advised the losers to study their Dark Arts more assiduously. He strolled over to Severus, lauding, "Subtle, yet effective. We'll talk soon about how those traits can be used in other beneficial ways."

Tom muttered as they returned to the library corridor via the dark passageway, "Subtle, yet effective…what a pretentious arse our sponsor can be. He reminds me of my dad, trying to cover up the smell of new money with a lord of the manor air."

Severus, who had effectively hidden common roots with uncommon determination, understood Tom's amused derision, but did not share it. His roommate would never ascend to a position greater than that of a soldier for the cause. He shrugged. Tom likely wanted nothing more. Unseen in the dim light, his smile flashed. Severus Snape aspired to greater heights.

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At the end of the second week of school, a seventh year Care of Magical Creatures class assembled outside the castle's side entrance leading to the lake. In small groups of twos and threes, they stood talking quietly. Claire Forbes, Eris' roommate, tossed back her dark hair and demanded, "How did you convince me to take this class again?"

"You said I shouldn't be the only Slytherin, and I bribed you with my Egyptian arm band."

Claire smiled, and then frowned. "I asked a jeweller to appraise the band over holiday. He said there was no way it could've belonged to Cleopatra."

Eris smirked. "There are bound to be loads of girls named Cleopatra in Egypt. If you thought I meant the original Queen, then you're the Hufflepuff."

They snickered over their favourite insult, waiting along with the rest of the class for the professor to show. The other students were all Gryffindors. Eris' gaze was drawn to a boy listening to a couple of girls chatter about something. Remus Lupin looked pale and ill- the effect of the approaching full moon, she'd guess.

"Stars and stones, are you staring at Lupin?"

Claire's incredulous tone was also carrying. Hearing his name, the Gryffindor looked over with raised eyebrows. The girls who had been chattering appeared surprised as well. Eris snapped, "Why don't you speak a little louder, Claire? I don't think Professor Kettleburn heard you, wherever he is..."

"I'm right here, Miss Greyback, and I heard just fine, thank you for wanting to include me in your conversation."

Eris whirled around to smile nervously at the wizard who was known for being easygoing in temperament and grading.

He smiled amiably and continued past her to address the rest of the class. "Today, we will be studying up close, a race of bird that inhabits only a few parts of the world." In a bright, cheery voice that was in direct contrast to the overcast day, Professor Kettleburn informed, "Scotland is one of those places." The tall wizard lifted his robes to expose stork like legs encased in rubber boots. "Everyone will need to transfigure their shoes into Wellingtons."

"Sir?"

A girl's hesitant query caused the man who was already striding toward the lake to halt and ask with a jovial smile, "Yes, Miss Parsley?"

Titters and smothered laughter made the girl flush as she corrected, "It's Parsons, Sir, and…won't our robes get wet?"

Tapping his long nose with an equally lengthy finger, Kettleburn nodded, "Yes, yes, of course…" Taking off his robes, the professor instructed, "Use a Shrinking charm and place them in your pockets, class." Smiling delightedly at the girl who'd spoken, he praised, "Excellent thinking, Parsnip, ten points to Slytherin!"

The girl stuttered, "But…Sir…its Gryffindor."

Kettleburn waved his hand and resumed walking while saying airily, "If you wish them to have ten points as well, then, by all means, ten points to Gryffindor, too!"

Claire bumped her shoulder into Eris'. "I take it back, I love this class."

The girls giggled all the way to the lakeshore, where the professor paused and licked a finger that he lifted aloft. Briskly marching around the lake to reach a thick patch of grasses and weeds several metres high, he silently raised his hand for the class to halt. In a carrying whisper, he directed, "We will approach as quietly as possible. Although rather like an over-large pheasant in appearance, our subject has hearing commensurate with other predatory animals."

The students exchanged looks of alarm waiting for their teacher to explain all at the last moment, which was his custom. Face alight with enthusiasm, Kettleburn said, "Boobries prefer fish, but also lie in wait for unwary prey like mice, beavers, even the odd groundhog, using the large nostrils built into their beak to smell out food, and then kicking with their thick legs and clawing with their razor-sharp talons or gouging with their hooked beaks."

"Won't they…er…smell us?" asked a boy at the front of the group.

The professor shook his head and assured, "Not to worry. We are not their food source, and Boobries are peaceable creatures, as a rule. Follow me, single file, and please, remember that we are entering the habitat of magical creatures, and treat it accordingly."

Due to the fickle whims of chance, Eris walked behind Lupin on the narrow path through the swaying grass. Claire nudged her in the back. "Hey, how do you think Kettleburn will manage to hurt himself this time?"

She threw over her shoulder, "I don't know, but he's got as much luck with creatures as I do with plants."

"Maybe one day, persistence will pay off."

Staring wide-eyed at the boy who had spoken, Eris said faintly, "Do you really believe that?"

Lupin gave a small smile, but his light brown gaze was weary. "If you don't have any hope that things will get better, what do you have?"

Professor Kettleburn's yelp of surprise brought their attention to the head of the line. It rapidly turned into a screech of shock and pain. In a thin, high voice, the teacher shouted, "Retreat! Retreat!"

Immediately, every student did an about-face and ran back through the grass to reach the rocky, safe, lakeshore. Huddled together in a tight group, they craned their necks to see the professor, supported by Gryffindor Beaters, hop out of the grass. He called apologetically, "I say, I hope no one was unduly frightened by my…er…cautionary directive."

The shredded rubber of his right boot was bloody. He made a rueful face. "I unfortunately did not take into account the fact that Boobrie eggs hatch at this time of year. The females are vicious fighters when protecting their young. Fortunately for humans, like me, they cannot lift their legs too high. So do not worry about my wounds being life-threatening." He sighed heavily. "I suppose a quarter scroll essay on Boobries will have to substitute for first hand learning. You may spend the rest of the class period in the library." Smiling in a pained fashion, Kettleburn added, "Twenty points to Slytherin for your timely assistance, lads."

One of the husky boys corrected, "Gryffindor."

The man's smile turned beatific. "And they say Slytherin are never generous. Good show, twenty points to Gryffindor as well!"

While the rest of the class muttered or groaned heavily, Eris and Claire said in unison, "I love this class."

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When the moon became full, Severus prepared to take a walk.

"Off to prowl the grounds again? If I didn't know better, I'd think you a werewolf, Snape."

"If I was a werewolf, you'd be dead, Wilkes."

Tom held up his tome of hexes. "Not if I cursed you first."

"If you find one for use against werewolves, let me know," said Severus, as he fastened his cloak and headed out the door.

No one noticed him leave the common room. Swiftly travelling the corridors up to the entrance hall, the teen stood in the shadows to ensure Filch or a patrolling prefect was nowhere in the vicinity. After several moments, Severus crossed the entry and opened the front doors. Outside, he sneered at the moon. "There's nothing bella about you, luna."

He covered his head with the cloak's hood and made his way toward the Whomping Willow. Severus had been drawn back to the dangerous tree ever since fifth year. The lure of one day proving Dumbledore's pets weren't the harmless pranksters the Headmaster blindly thought them to be was irresistible. Although he had never caught them leaving the tunnel to cause mayhem, he was sure that one night he would.

On this evening, Severus discovered that he was not the only one headed for the willow. The moonlight revealed a feline stealthily creeping forward. It had almost reached the tree. His brow furrowed to note a club-sized branch rose in preparation to attack the animal.

"Stupefy!"

The cat froze mid-stride. Severus hurriedly scooped up the Siamese and swiftly backed away, cradling the foolish feline against his chest. In the side courtyard he'd first encountered the animal in, the boy set the female down and backed away to rescind the spell.

Forward angled ears and a stiff tail with a twitching tip were classic signs of feline irritation and aggression. Severus had learnt about cats when he'd chanced upon a book during the previous day's visit to the library. The fact that he'd wandered into the rarely perused section was merely happenstance. Absurdly, he felt defensive and snapped, "Don't even think about taking out your ill humour on me, Elpis. I just saved you from the grisly fate your curiosity was leading you toward."

How irrational to be addressing a cat. His voice seemed to calm the animal, though. Whiskers that had been pulled back tightly became fully extended. The tail relaxed and triangular ears perked up. Daintily making her way toward him, the feline rubbed against his leg with the side of her body. He said with a faint smile, "Marking territory, are you? Importuning female…"

He reached down to pick the cat up, pausing when Elpis rubbed her forehead against his palm. The sign of affection was unexpectedly welcome. Severus held the warm feline securely against his chest, giving a huff of amusement when he heard a Meow-purr that signalled the encroaching creature wanted more attention. He sat down on a bench, petting the downy-soft body while he looked up at the night sky. Deciding that catching Gryffindors at mischief was much less important than contemplating his future, he listened to 'Hope's' contented purring while the corners of his mouth lifted in an anticipatory smile.

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A/N: I 'hope' you enjoyed the chap and find reviewing 'irresistible'! ; ) The feedback and encouragement readers give always makes me smile! Those who made me grin last week were ♥ 40/16 ♥ Camillia Vincent ♥ cupcakeswirl ♥ ElspethBates ♥ Embellished ♥ FNP♥ GraceRichie ♥ kathaania ♥ Loverofallthingsliterary ♥ NazgulGirl ♥ Slipknot-3113 ♥ Slytherin Love Goddess ♥ sunny9847 ♥