A/N: Again, I am sorry for the huge delay, but good news! I finished my huge research project and should have more time to write- Yea! I am also on Spring Break and should have a couple of chapters up this week. I have really missed writing this story and hope that I have not been away from it for too long. The action continues to build and I dropped in a few clues as to what happens in the upcoming chapters. As always, let me know what you think!
The large tawny owl soared through the Great Hall dropping the creamy envelope it was clutching in its talons in front of the youngest Professor Snape. Picking up the letter, Esme studied the family crest, her lips pursed and her eyes narrowing slightly.
"Love letter from a persistent suitor?" Harry teased as he settled into the chair on her left. He took his napkin and laid it across his lap. When no answer was forthcoming from Esme, he glanced up at her, his head tilted as he watched her chew her bottom lip, the letter still unopened.
"Esme?" he questioned. Her head lifted, green eyes clouded in thought. "Are you alright?"
She nodded, shoving the letter into her pocket. "Yes, just a letter from the parents of one of my students. I requested a conference with them." She picked up her fork and pushed the scrambled eggs aside, her stomach rebelling at the thought of putting the rubbery looking substance into her body.
"Calling in the parents already?" Harry asked as he shoved a forkful of the eggs into his mouth. "Must be quite the little trouble-maker," he remarked around the mouthful of food, swallowing before taking a swig of pumpkin juice, and completely missing the distressed look that flittered across her face.
"Yes, something like that," she answered faintly. She glanced to her right, noticing that her father had yet to join them for breakfast. Sighing, she balled her napkin in her hand, depositing on her plate, knowing that she would be unable to eat anything till she had the chance to read the letter from Feenick Cranston.
A shadow covered her and she glanced up, a smile lighting her face when she saw her brother.
"Good morning Sidney. Breakfast is still being served. Are you sick or something?" she teased. Her brother was not a morning person and rarely made it to the Great Hall for breakfast. More often than not, he would sneak into the kitchen during class and pester the house-elves for leftovers.
Sidney stuck his tongue out in annoyance before his eyes slid to Harry who was watching the exchange with great amusement. A blush colored his cheeks and he looked back at Esme mortified.
"Father wants to see you in his office after breakfast," Sidney replied stiffly, running a hand through his straggly mane and tucking it behind his ears.
"Why?" she asked, a momentary resentment creeping in. Her father never hesitated to summon her to his office when he wanted something.
Sidney shrugged and smoothed his robe and glanced up at her. "Have you done something, or someone, you shouldn't have?" he asked acidly, his gaze shifting suggestively to Potter. Harry choked on the biscuit he had been chewing.
"Sidney!" his sister hissed. "That is enough. Tell father I will come see him when I able."
"I wouldn't wait to long, Es. You know he doesn't like to be kept waiting," Sidney replied, one dark eyebrow raised.
"And I don't like to be summoned like a mischievous student," she responded. She leaned forward and said darkly, "I will be there when I can be there."
Sidney huffed and left, sauntering through the Great Hall to deliver the message, probably with his own twist, to her father. Esme sighed and sat back, the letter poking uncomfortably into her side. She had more important issues to concern herself with than her father's summons. Keeping her eyes glued firmly to her plate, she said softly, "I am sorry Harry, for Sidney's insinuation. He often says things to get a rise out of me. And he always knows exactly where to strike to get the biggest response."
She stood and pushed her chair in, pausing before she left. Her hands gripped the edge of the chair tightly, her knuckles turning white. "I don't believe that I will be able to see you tonight. It seems the other men in my life are making demands on my time. Perhaps tomorrow?" she suggested.
"Sure, I should probably use the time to catch up on grading that I have let slide."
She nodded and left quietly, not even bothering to say good-bye. Harry sat back, confused by all that had happened in such a short amount of time. The phrase 'other men in my life' kept replaying in his mind. Obviously, she considered him one of the men in her life, but in what context? Harry wasn't sure which bothered him more, that she thought of him as a loved one, or that she didn't.
Esme opened the door to her office and quickly shut it behind her. She waved her wand distractedly, murmuring a simple securing and silencing spell. She didn't want to be disturbed.
Pulling the letter out of her robe, she slid a finger under the wax seal, and pulled out a sheet of parchment.
Dear Professor Snape,
I am sorry that this letter is overdue. Business has delayed my ability to maintain my correspondence. I can be at the school at 3:00 P.M. today. If this is not acceptable, please let me know as soon as possible.
Feenick Cranston
Esme dropped the letter on her desk and glanced at the clock on the mantle: 7:45. In a few hours, she would have Mr. Cranston in front of her and maybe she could finally find the answers to the questions that had been haunting her since her mother's death.
Snape glanced at his son, irritated by what he had been told. "What do you mean she is not coming?"
Sidney picked up a glass container on the table and held it up to the light. He closed one eye and studied the contents. A satisfied grin spread across his face as he recognized the ingredient: bicorn horn powder. His father reached over and grabbed the vial out of his hands and scowled at him.
Sidney smiled, unruffled by his father's dark look. He had seen it enough that it had long since lost its effectiveness.
"I never said she wasn't coming," he emphasized. "I simply said that she would come when she was able." He ran his fingers over the silver tools lying on the table, stopping at the large dagger. Running a finger along the edge, he watched fascinated as a line of blood sprang to the surface of his skin, pooling into a drop that eventually splattered on the table. He looked up at his father, whose eyes were drawn to the drop of blood that now marred his perfect table. Sidney knew it was killing him not to reach over and remove the offending pollutant.
"But I think you may be waiting quite awhile for her grand appearance," Sidney said, relishing his father's complete attention, even if it was, once again, all about Esme. He was going to drag this out as long as he could.
Snape merely looked at him, waiting for him to continue. Sidney glanced around the lab, wondering how much time he had spent in this place.
"Sidney," his father growled when Sidney failed to elaborate on his previous comment.
He sighed knowing that he had waited long enough. "Considering how chummy she and Potter were acting, I would say that her visit will not come anytime soon."
Snape slammed the table with his fist and took a deep breath. A cloud of black anger threatened to overtake him. Breathing in deeply, he felt the rage begin to pass. Glancing at his son, he asked in a surprisingly calm voice, "Are you and Dominic still planning the little gift for Potter this evening?"
Sidney smirked. "It's all set. He won't know what hit him."
Severus nodded. "Good," he replied, straightening and walking toward his office. "I have a matter that I need to attend to. Let yourself out." He paused and turned around, "And Sidney, try not to get caught."
Sidney watched his father leave the room, wondering why he felt a sudden sense of dread. Perhaps he shouldn't have lied about Esme and Potter's closeness. If anything, his sister had seemed distant and barely able to hold a conversation with the man. Sidney pushed down the guilty feeling, telling himself that from the moment his sister became friends with Potter, she deserved whatever their father was planning. He ignored the voice that asked if his pain and anger was more important than his sister's happiness, a voice that sounded suspiciously like his mother.
Esme opened the door, plastering a smile on her face that was not quite genuine.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Cranston, please come in," she gestured toward the room, her smile faltering as she studied the man who passed by and sat in one of the nearby wingback chairs. Closing the door, she walked back to her desk, settling into the chair and trying to calm her racing heart.
Looking up, she narrowed her eyes and tilted her head in thought. Feenick Cranston was nothing like she pictured. He was a short, squat man with thinning hair and a pale complexion. His eyes nervously shifted around the room, their speed and changes of direction making Esme feel nauseous. A sheen of sweat began to bead on the man's forehead and she watched as the beads collected and rolled into the man's eyes, which only increased his blinking. Mr. Cranston reached into his robe and pulled out a large white handkerchief, mopping the sweat off his brow and smiling tightly at Esme.
"Thank you for coming, Mr. Cranston. The reason I contacted you, is that I am a little concerned about Loran's recent behavior."
If it were possible, Mr. Cranston's face paled even further and Esme briefly wondered what she would do if the man passed out in the chair.
"Whatever do you mean?" he asked faintly.
"He has said some inappropriate things to me regarding my mother's death," Esme answered honestly, foregoing her previous plan of not bringing her mother into this conversation. But after a few moments with Feenick Cranston, she knew there was no way he was involved, or even knew anything about, Serena's death. The man was practically falling apart.
"I apologize, Professor Snape, I-I will speak to Loran immediately about his conduct," Feenick Cranston mumbled, a look of terror crossing his face before he brought the handkerchief up to his forehead once again.
Esme bit her lip wondering how much information she should share with him. Glancing up, she decided she had nothing to lose. "Loran also mentioned that you knew something about my mother's death. That he overheard you and a business partner discussing it before he came to Hogwarts."
Cranston's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open in shock. A tremor ran through him and he leaned forward, glancing over his shoulder at the door. Turning back to Esme, he lowered his voice.
"I too, Professor Snape, am concerned about Loran's behavior. I mean he's not perfect, but until recently, he has never given me a moment's worry," he ran the handkerchief through his hands, pulling on a string that had unraveled from the edge.
"I sent him to see his grandfather, my wife's father, this summer. Loran has always expressed an interest in working for the Ministry and his grandfather, Ethan Rosier, had many contacts that I thought would be good for Loran to meet." He gave Esme a wry look. "You know how politically motivated the Ministry is. If you don't know somebody, who knows somebody, it is rather difficult to find a job."
Esme shook her head in understanding. She knew many qualified men and women who were unable to get a job, simply because of their 'lack of connections'.
"Loran spent two months with his grandfather. When he returned, he was…" Feenick Cranston paused and once again eyed the door. Turning his attention back to the handkerchief that was balled in his hands, he repeated quietly, "When he returned, he was different. He was defiant, cruel, and malicious. And his eyes were so cold and hard. They seemed to follow my every move, always demanding to know what I was doing and where I was going." He raised his eyes to meet hers and she was struck by the fear that was evident.
"I felt like a prisoner in my own home, Professor, and to be completely honest, I was so relieved when it was time for the term to begin." Feenick sat back and rubbed his chin wearily.
"What do you think happened to Loran?" Esme whispered, her mind reeling with the information that had been shared.
Cranston shook his head. "I have no idea. I just know that the boy who returned from his grandfather's is not the same boy that I sent."
"Have you contacted his grandfather to see if anything unusual happened over the summer?"
Cranston smiled ruefully. "Of course, Professor. I love my son and wanted to know what had happened. But every one of my letters to Ethan was returned unopened. I even showed up on his doorstep, only to be turned away and warned never to return. Loran was furious when he found out that I had attempted to see his grandfather."
Cranston sighed and shifted in his seat. "I have no idea what to do, and I am ashamed to admit that I am afraid of my own son."
Esme folded her hands in her lap and gazed thoughtfully at the man in front of her. "Perhaps we should speak to Dumbledore about this. He might be able to ascertain what happened to Loran."
Cranston licked his lips and shakily ran a hand through his sparse hair, the movement causing sections to stand on end. "I cannot see Dumbledore. Loran has already forbidden me to speak with the Headmaster. I am sure that he already knows that I have come to Hogwarts and he will be displeased." His voice dropped to a whisper. "You have no idea what he is capable of."
She leaned forward and gave him a sympathetic look. "I understand, Mr. Cranston. I thank you for telling me what you have. I will not ask for any further assistance from you. I, however, do not think I can keep quiet about what has happened to Loran."
Feenick Cranston stood and bowed slightly. "Thank you for understanding, Professor. I know you must think I am a foolish, weak old man, but you have not seen what I have seen."
Esme watched in silence as Cranston exited the room, the door clicking shut behind him, leaving her alone with her swirling thoughts. What had happened to Loran Cranston over the summer and how was it connected to her mother? Esme chewed her bottom lip and distractedly headed toward the Headmaster's office, not noticing the slight shimmer in the corner of her office as Loran Cranston pulled the Invisibility Cloak off his head, a furious expression on his face.
"Oh, Father, Father, Father," he sighed as he shook his head sadly. "I warned you, but you didn't listen. Now you will have to pay the price for such a betrayal. As for you, Professor Snape, I think you are too smart for your own good." A twisted smile marred his handsome face. "I shall enjoy tremendously bringing you down a notch."
He brought the cloak back up over his head and swept unnoticed down the hallway, his mind focused on what he had planned for little Mesmordia Snape.
I should have another chapter up in a couple of days. I am going to get as much writing in as I possibly can. Let me know what you think.