A/N: Ah! I really apologize that this chapter has taken me longer then normal. But with things being crazy at work, and with the holiday season, I just haven't had as much time as I would like. It also doesn't help that I got Kingdom Hearts for Christmas and that game is just so addictive... But here is the chapter! And try not to hate me for it being late :)

I hope everyone had a Happy Christmas! Or whatever you choose to celebrate. Not to mention that your New Year's Eve was fun, and that 2006 started off well. Cheers!

Chapter 37

Christmas vacation wasn't too bad once the problem with Severus had been settled. Though it was rather unsettling for a muggle such as myself to be in a castle as large as Hogwarts was with so few people living there. Though it didn't seem that bad, not with all the ghosts and the portraits still there. But only having six students to watch out after was interesting enough.

It was actually over the break that I finally gained entrance into the Slytherin common room. Being a teacher, I of course always had the right to go in, but I thought it was perhaps not the best idea in the world to just push my way into the rooms of people who perhaps weren't so overly fond of muggles. Not that any of them seemed to really hate me, but it was just good form to not push the issue.

I have to say my curiousity had been killing me, so I was rather overjoyed when an excuse did come up for me to go in, even if the excuse was one that some one should not have been happy about.

Christmas Eve of all nights something happened in the Slytherin rooms, where all the students were staying, that had the remaining teachers worried... Well most of us were worried, Sirius on the other hand was livid.

Little Kerstan had apparently met the wrong end of someone's fists. Or at least that was the obvious conclusion anyone would get just looking at him. The boy though maintained that it hadn't been fists that had hurt him, instead his own clumsy nature, he had supposedly tripped in the night going to the bathroom. Owing to the new surroundings it was certainly possible for a young boy to trip in the night...

The only problem with that excuse was that his face was a motley of blacks and purples, his lip cut, and his left eye swollen shut. It was rather quite a feat for a boy of eleven to cause that much damage to himself only tripping, not even falling down stairs. And apparently his body had next to no injuries.

Now the real problem with this issue was that there were few suspects to blame this on, and it became apparent rather quickly that it had to have been another student. The girls couldn't have done it, setting aside any stereotypes about women beating up a man, there were precautions set up making it impossible for boys to go in to the girl's dorm, and vice versa.

And that left only the three boys who were staying with Kerstan in one of the dormitories; a sixth year from Hufflepuff, a second year from Ravenclaw, and Cain Montgomery.

When all of us teachers arrived in the Slytherin common room it was to find Kerstan busy trying to reassure everyone that it had been an accident of his own making, and judging by everyone's looks it was an argument that was failing miserably. All of the students looked concerned for the young boy, with one exception. Cain looked moderately frightened. It was the most extreme emotion I had ever seen on the pale Slytherin's face.

I hadn't been the only one to notice it either. Sirius's anger was immediately turned away from the unnamed perpetrator of the crime against his favourite student, to the obvious criminal. Too bad it just happened to be a student in his least favourite house.

"Keep your assumptions to yourself... Professor." Severus had noticed the turn in Sirius's anger and was actually trying to stop him from doing something stupid. Though this had little to do with his fellow 'professor' so much as it did his own concerns for a student in his house. I was rather amused with the pause before Severus addressed Sirius as professor.

"Professor Snape." Headmistress McGonagall had finally made her way into the situation, and was regarding it all with a cold regard. In one glance she seemed to have assessed everything that she needed to know. "I am going to take young Mr. Faust here and assure he is alright, and I would like you to talk to each of the students."

I didn't miss the prolonged rest her eyes made on Cain. So even she thought he had something to do with the beating. Minds are made up in an instant, adults as well as children. And the wary looks the young Slytherin was receiving, from everyone really, had already judged him.

As far as I was concerned, I didn't know what was going on... but he certainly was acting a bit odd for him, which in itself was a bit incriminating.

I stayed for a little while, looking around a bit myself. What I expected to find, I had no idea... It's not like there was going to have a large footprint left by an unknown assailant, no tunnel to outside, no wallet dropped to lead to a suspect. It was sad, but it was true. The only person who could have gotten to Kerstan had to be inside the castle...

"So Sirius, there's no possible way... that perhaps someone could have gotten in?" I asked the question as we left the Slytherin areas, leaving Professor Sinistra to watch over the students until things had been worked out. McGonagall was still with Kerstan, and Severus was slowly taking each student aside to talk to them.

"It's a useless question since we know who did it." The statement was snorted out, his entire body radiating the fury he felt as he stalked up the stairs.

"Well humour me then?" There was no amused smile on my face at his own statement.

"Fine." He stopped at the top of the stairs suddenly, causing me to run into his back. He turned, his hands gripping my shoulder to steady me. "There is a very small chance it could have been someone from outside. But to get into the school without us teachers knowing it would have had to have been a powerful wizard. Are you suggesting that you know who crept into the school to attack a poor eleven year old boy?"

Well putting it like that made me sound stupid. The frown on my face suggested my own displeasure at this. So I like being right... There's nothing wrong with that.

"There's no need to be sarcastic about it." I huffed.

The two of us checked the school, despite the apparently small likelihood of someone getting in from the outside. It was just something that was better to get out of the way, since McGonagall would likely have suggested it herself. Best to get these things out of the way. Part of me hoped to find some clue to an outside intruder. Partly because I wanted to prove Sirius wrong since he had been rather an ass about it, and also because I wanted to show that it hadn't been Cain who had attacked Kerstan.

The boy was far too quiet for his own good. It was a mark against him. The fact that he had nothing to say about the matter, that he didn't look particularly concerned for Kerstan either was a problem. And taking into account that there was really no chance of someone getting in, he was the prime suspect.

After a fruitless search of the castle... at least it was fruitless for me, Sirius on the other hand was practically ecstatic. This proved he was right and that a Slytherin had hurt a Gryffindor, pretty much an obvious case for expelling the boy.

"You've talked to all the boys?"

Severus was either waiting for us outside the entrance to the Slytherin rooms, or he was lounging. Since it was really next to impossible to imagine him lounging, the former had to have been true.

It showed how important what Severus had to say since Sirius was actually quiet for once in Severus's presence. He had nothing sarcastic, obnoxious or pressuring to say. In fact he stayed completely quiet, appearing to be actually rather eager for whatever Severus had to say. Though I didn't doubt he was skeptical as well, after all he was expecting Severus to stick up for his house members. Exactly the same way Sirius did for his own... Strange that the two had something in common like that and neither of them would notice it or even admit it.

"There is no evidence that any of them so much as touched Mr. Faust."

I would like to say that I kept the triumphant grin off my face, but that would be an obvious lie.

"That... That's impossible!" Sirius was not pleased with that result. "We checked the castle, there is no indication that anyone else was in here. It had to have been someone here, which if not the students leaves the teachers. Are you suggesting it was one of us?"

I cut off Sirius before he could turn a problem into a catastrophe, especially since I could see where he was heading with that. Since I thought it highly unlikely that Severus would attack a student, I didn't see the point of Sirius accusing him and starting another fight between the two. And anyway there was the look on Severus's face to deal with. Something was confusing him.

One thing that man disliked was not knowing the answer to something.

"What's wrong?"

"There's no indication..." He paused, the confused look getting more pronounce, but he slipped back on the cool, confident look when he noticed the smirk on Sirius's face. "Most of the students are certainly not responsible, there is one though that is a problem..."

"Cain." I sighed out the young boy's name, knowing without it being said that if there ever was a problem, that he was at the center of it.

Severus just nodded, and beside me Sirius gave a grunt of accomplishment. I controlled the urge to stick my elbow in his side.

"There was no indication that he touched Kerstan. The problem though is that his mind is too perfectly controlled. The others were panicked, confused, scared... which came across in their thoughts. Montgomery though was perfectly at ease, and while I was given entry to his mind it seemed almost as if he was letting me in to see what I want."

My frown must have said it all. I didn't really understand any of this.

"That seems a little... surprising for someone his age. Right?"

"Extremely. Even Harry the Golden boy..." Sirius growled at the obvious sarcasm in Severus's voice, but Severus just ignored him. "Even Potter was impossible with controlling his thoughts until his seventh year. The idea of a first year having this much ability is beyond me. He would have had to have either been taught it at a very early age, or just have a innate talent for it."

"His father was a Death Eater right?" Sirius shrugged. "He was probably taught that along with all manners of curses from the moment he was born. They're all like that."

My eye started to twitch, and the movement was matched by one similar on Severus's forehead. Both of us were so close to just kicking the canine, though it was likely different ideas running through the Potions Master's head.

"Sirius... First off that's a rumour. Secondly, if it's true his father died when he was a child, who exactly do you expect would have taught him?"

There was a pause from him, making me think that he had rethought his argument, that perhaps he had accepted I was right, that perhaps not all Slytherins were automatically evil death eaters out to destroy the world and more importantly beat all the Gryffindors. My moment of triumph was quick though.

"He's a son of one of them, likely another one took him in and trained him right?" There was no arguing with Sirius when he was like this, his arms crossed and a determined look on his face. He had his ideas on things and there was no shaking them. Gryffindors good, Slytherins bad.

"We should go see McGonagall about all this then..."

"There's another thing." Severus stopped us before we could move. "When Kerstan was there... it was the same thing with him. His thoughts were a bit too controlled, especially from a boy who had obviously just been attacked."

This made all of us take a pause, including Sirius who looked like he's been hit on the head with an anvil. The idea of a connection between Kerstan and Cain was unfathomable to him.

"He was the one who was attacked, what possible reason would he have to hide his memories?" My question was a good one, one that neither of the men had an answer for.

"Maybe he was just covering for Cain..." Sirius shrugged, deciding that the entire situation was unimportant to him now.

"Still doesn't tell me how he knows how to do it. Think about it Black." Severus muttered, disgusted with the lack of attention he was getting from the canine.

"You're just trying to put a cloud over the boy to cover for the fact that it was one of your students that attacked him." Sirius growled, at his usual defense whenever Severus so much as opened his mouth.

"Boys." This was not exactly the time for a testosterone explosion. "I am going to go see the Headmistress. If you all want, you can have your tomcat fight and I'll just explain."

It wasn't surprising that they hurried to follow me after I started to walk away. After all any explanation I would have given to McGonagall about where the men were would not have been flattering, and likely would have ended with some severe words. And the woman was not someone you wanted angry with you.

Arriving at the Headmistress's office, she was alone and had just seen Kerstan off at the hospital wing. A very concerned Madam Pomfrey had been sure to stay with him just in case.

"Yes?" She had seated herself at her desk. I looked sidelong at the sorting hat on the corner of the desk still. It really did look rather out of place in her office. Everything was so neat and tidy. A ratty old hat just seemed wrong in the midst of such control.

Severus relayed everything he had learned, resulting in a matching expression on her face as had been on ours earlier. It wasn't too comforting that she had little idea of what was going on as we did. My idea of a headmaster was someone who knew everything and had an answer for it all. Granted I was going on my readings of Dumbledore back in his day, so it wasn't exactly fair to the woman. No one could be as amazing in the position as that man. It was just next to impossible.

"Aine."

I blinked out of my own thought processes since that was pretty much the first time that the woman had ever called me by my first name. Usually it was Professor Mackinnion. It seemed strangely intimate for her to use my given name.

"Yes?"

"I want you to keep an eye on the two boys."

I kept blinking my eyes at her, not really understanding what she was telling me.

"You can't want me to do it? There's nothing I can do in case anything happens."

If I thought it possible, I would have said she just rolled her eyes at me, but the strict looking woman would never do anything as crass as that.

"I didn't suggest you try and solve anything, or that in case anything happens that you jump right in. I just want you to watch them. Severus and Sirius will be the ones to deal with anything if things take a bad turn."

There was nothing to do but nod. Not that it was really such a big deal, after all I pretty much was already doing it, even though my own reasons were for concern for what Harry wanted me to do.

"You are going to listen to her aren't you?" Sirius and I were walking alone down the stairs. Severus had stayed after us to discuss things with McGonagall.

"I'm not stupid you know." I huffed at him. "A muggle versus a wizard? What exactly would I do?"

"Nothing, except sometimes you seem to forget that you're just a muggle."

"That comment was almost Sevvie like." I rolled my eyes. "Such disregard for muggles like we're some subspecies."

"I didn't mean... I like muggles!"

"Yes I know, you've slept with tons of them." I grinned at him, pushing into him gently since he looked worried that I was actually angry with him. "I shall keep an eye on the two. Harry and Draco already had me doing as much anyway, just to be on the safe side."

The dark haired Gryffindor had a little to say about that. Mainly that his godson should have had him doing the watching. I didn't say what I really felt about the matter. That it was obvious why I had been the one doing the watching. Out of the three people who knew what was going on, I was the only one who had any degree of neutrality. Sirius always took the side of a Gryffindor, and while Severus would deny it, he did the same thing with Slytherins. Personally I rather liked both of the boys.

"Did you want to come in?" We had stopped by Sirius's rooms, and the suggestion wasn't for a drink or to discuss the students more. I took a moment before shaking my head. Really when offering up something pleasant, versus what I had in mind, there should always be a pause.

"Not tonight Sirius. I want to talk to Cain." I ignored his annoyed snort. "I'll see you in the morning." I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek as a small compensation for leaving him.

Down in the Slytherin common area, Sinistra was still watching the children, and so obviously not enjoying herself at all. The company of students was not high on her list of social interaction. Though I doubted she ever had too much social interaction. For their part, the students seemed rather awkward in her presence as well. In fact I think they might have hugged me if I wasn't a teacher when I told the older woman that I was taking over for her.

"Where is Severus?"

The tick appeared over my eye again.

"Professor Snape is still in with the Headmistress. He's likely going to be for most of the night. Good night Professor."

I didn't really push her out, but my hand on her back gently directing her to the door, was just as good as. Really I wasn't trying to get rid of her, after all she didn't want to be with the kids anymore so I was just doing her a favor.

Calling him Severus... really. That was not why I was annoyed. And I certainly hadn't lied, it was entirely possible that he was going to be talking to McGonagall for a good portion of the night...

"Well... you can all relax now." I flopped down on a couch myself once Sinistra was gone. The students did what I said pretty much. They didn't really seem to count me too much as one of their teachers, only Chauncey had my class. I would still easily punish them though, hopefully they all remembered that part. While it was nice to have a certain buddy-buddy relationship with the students, I needed to make sure I had a certain amount of control over them.

"Is everything all right Professor?" Chauncey had perched herself on the edge of the couch. Judging from the looks of the remaining students, she had been elected as their little spokesperson for the question. I noticed that Cain wasn't in the room. Since he couldn't have left, he was most likely in the dormitory area. But then why would he stay in here, not with everyone obviously thinking the worst of him.

"Fine, fine."

"You're not going to tell us it was actually an accident?" An arrogant looking sixth year Slytherin girl bit out the comment. She had certainly gotten over her shyness around me, probably remembering that I was just a muggle and not worth the concern.

"Are you an idiot?"

My question threw her, and she scowled at me, snarling a negative answer at me, not particularly thrilled at my suggestion of her mental state.

"Right then, I didn't think you were. Of course it wasn't an accident. But just because we know that doesn't mean we know who did it."

At this statement immediately all four students started up, arguing with what I had said. It was rather hard to hear exactly what they were saying, not when they were all saying it at the same time. But the one thing that I did seem to get out of it, was that all of them were certain of one thing. Cain Montgomery was the one at fault here. Even a member of his own house had suggested it, showing that he really did not get along with a anyone in his house even.

"Is there a reason you think he did it, other then the fact that he doesn't speak to anyone?"

"They were fighting, Professor." Chauncey was the one to elect the information. "We all heard them."

This may not have seemed odd to anyone else, but to me it really was. Either one of them arguing loud enough for other people to hear was surprising. Cain barely even spoke, and Kerstan just didn't seem the type to yell at anyone. After all he wasn't even giving up the person who had pounded their fists in his face.

"They were in the dormitory, yelling. I think we all were just in shock that Cain even spoke, much less could yell. Didn't really hear Kerstan too much."

So that made at least a bit more sense.

"Did you hear what they were going on about?"

"Cain was mentioning his father..." The hufflepuff boy, whose name I think was Trevor, offered up the information. He had obviously heard the rumour about Cain's father since he seemed really nervous about it. Not that it was surprising. No one wanted to associate any death eaters with an attack like this, and it seemed like that was becoming the likely scenario.

"I want you all to go to bed now, and tell Cain to come down would you?"

They all looked a bit skeptical, but did what I agreed, so I was left in the common room. Soon though Cain came down the stairs, no real expression on his face.

"Can I help you Professor?"

I pursed my lips, sitting on the edge of the couch.

"You know before I told you that you could talk to me, right?" He nodded his head, but didn't seem to eager to share any information. "Strange things have been happening, haven't they?"

He didn't enter the conversation, just staying standing where he was making no move to sit down.

"You were fighting with Kerstan. Would you mind telling me what about?"

"Not really."

I wasn't surprised at this response. It would have been the end of the world if he had told me anything at all.

"It was about your father. And yes I remember that you don't like discussing him most of all. You know I don't care if he was a death eater or not. It's not even slightly important. And frankly I don't think you so much as touched Kerstan."

For once he looked rather surprised. Likely the idea of anyone believing him was right outside of his understanding.

"I really didn't."

"Knew that." I grinned at him. "The thing that I do think you know though, is who did. You know that Professor Snape has a rather skilled ability to read people's thoughts, right?"

The young boy didn't seem even slightly shocked or surprised at that piece of information. Any other student would be worried or outraged to know that of a student. After all it meant that he could read their minds whenever he wanted since they really had no ability to stop a Professor of his abilities. Cain though just stood there, waiting for me to finish what I had to say.

"You keep your thoughts too controlled. It means you're hiding something, and you know how to hide it. I don't make an accusation lightly, but I really want to help you since you don't seem to be trying to help yourself. Rather you seem intent on destroying yourself."

"There's nothing I can tell you."

And the conversation ended rather simply. There was no reason to push him, after all that would just result in him digging in deeper, and there was no real way for me to find anything out without him offering up the information.

"Professor... Thank you." He said this and then hurried off to bed. Well hurried for him, meaning walked off at a slightly quicker speed then normal.

I grinned to myself, amused at his gratitude. It just showed how everyone else seemed to be treating him. The simple act of accepting his refusal of what he had supposedly done, and understanding his reticence on certain issues, had opened him up a bit.

Not wanting to leave the students alone for an entire night, I stretched out on the couch, making ready to sleep there.

A few hours of some truly awful sleep, and strange dreams of cows dancing in a field, and I woke up to Severus entering the room.

"What are you doing here?" He seemed truly surprised to find me there.

I yawned, sitting up and stretching my arms. I wondered briefly how messed up my hair was, but there was no point in worrying since of all people Severus was the one to care the least.

"Making sure they're all okay of course." I pulled my arms forward, trying to get the kinks from the couch out of them. "Sinistra didn't seem too enthused to stay, so I offered." I grinned at him. "She really wanted to see you though..."

He slightly winced at his, taking a seat in the armchair.

"I had a talk with Cain. He didn't do anything, but he knows who did."

"He told you that?"

"Of course he didn't." I scoffed at the very idea of it. Even Severus had a slight smile on his lips.

"The couch can't be that comfortable..."

I eyed the piece of furniture I was sitting on with a rather large amount of dislike. For all they might say about Slytherins, I think I had found the root of some of their bad tempered behaviour. Their furniture was not the most comfortable.

"No, but I didn't want to invade the girls dormitory. It's rather awkward to have a teacher sleeping in the same room."

"If you want to stay close you could stay in my room..." Severus's voice trailed off as he said this, as if he had just realized that the words had come out of his mouth.I just stared at him, an amused tilt to my lips, waiting for him to explain that away. "It's nearer the students if you really want to stay and make sure they're all right."

"And where would you be sleeping?" The amusement had made it into my voice, and he had now noticed it, making his embarrassment grow by leaps and bounds.

"In my room of course!" He bit out, before calming down a bit. I should have taken his temper to mean I should stop being amused, but instead it just had the opposite effect. "I am not going to sacrifice my own sleep for you. The couch is perfectly suitable."

I snorted. If the couch was anything like this own it wasn't going to be too big of an improvement. But just the chance of getting to annoy Severus an entire night, was too good to ever pass up. And there was always the chance that I could sneak my way into a much comfier bed.

"Oh, Sevvie. How gallant of you." To tease him more, I jumped up and latched onto his arm, grinning up at him. "So... you won't mind me sleeping in my all together will you?"

His double take was priceless.