A/N: I know its been like eight months, but with school, my computer being evil, and writer's block it's taken me this long to get another chapter written. I sincerely apologize for such a long wait for this chapter and I don't know how long it will be before the next update on this story because I'm going to attempt another chapter on most of my other stories. As Shakespeare wrote: "Brevity is the soul of wit", so enjoy the chapter and PLEASE R&R!
Chapter 7 Snape's Squabble
"Remus, exactly how much longer is this tunnel? It is ungodly long and walking like this fashion is making my back hurt."
"Don't worry; the tunnel ceiling will get higher eventually." No sooner was this comment made than Lupin was able to straighten up and help Aithne through the rough tunnel and into the wider space.
"It's not much farther from here."
"Let's just hope nobody sees us appear from a hole in the ground, shall we?"
"After you, Aithne." Aithne scrambled up the tiny bank that led to the tunnels exit. She peered out, and, seeing no one, pressed the knot at the base of the tree and climbed out with Lupin following close behind.
"Oh! It's quite cold out here," Aithne exclaimed as she pulled her robes closer around her.
"Yes, it is," Lupin agreed mildly. "Let's get up to the castle and inside where it's warm."
The pair hurried along the shoveled pathways up to the front doors, pushed one open, went in, and shoved it closed behind them.
"Your office?"
"Certainly. We can send down to the kitchens for some food while I make some tea."
The two reached the third floor without incident, until of course they ran into Harry on the way down the corridor.
"Harry! What are you doing up here? Shouldn't you be outside having a snowball fight or something like that?"
"We had to cancel, Ron and the other Weasley's all have the flu. Hermione is looking up potions that might help, so I'm on my own, unless of course I run into Peeves. I was just checking to see if you were back yet."
"We were going to send down for some food and make some tea if you'd like to join us."
Harry seemed to brighten at the prospect of someone besides an irate Hermione or extremely stuffed-up Ron. Harry turned and led the way back down the corridor to Lupin's room, where Lupin unlocked the door and let Aithne and Harry precede him into the room. Lupin moved about in the process of making tea after sending a house elf down to the kitchens for food, leaving Harry and Aithne to make conversation.
"I hope you're feeling better, Aithne."
"I'm feeling much better, thank you, Harry. What's happened while Remus and I have been gone?"
"I can about sum it up with one word . . . chaos. I think Professor Snape suspects something about you and Professor Lupin."
"He is a very observant man, it isn't surprising. It doesn't matter, as long as my secrets are safe - as I'm sure they are - everything is fine. I'll need to dispel any rumors as quickly as possible and find time to talk with Dumbledore and Snape as soon as possible."
Lupin came in with the tea in time to hear Aithne's last comment and stopped where he was in the doorway. "What do you mean, talk with Snape?"
"Snape is the only other person I need to convince of my innocence. The rest of the teachers will believe Dumbledore if he tells them it's nothing. Snape knows some thing is going on, and he is neither lazy nor stupid. I can't avoid him forever, so it's better to confront him and get it over with."
Aithne took her cup of tea from Lupin as Harry got up to open the door for Dobby, who was bearing a large tray of food. Dobby handed the tray to Lupin before leaving to finish getting the castle ready for the return of the majority of Hogwarts' students. The three ate the food and drank their tea in relative silence and when everyone was finished they all stood of mutual accord and headed out to the corridor.
"I'll accompany the two of you up to the common room," Lupin said as they walked down the corridor.
"You just don't want to be in your office if Snape comes by, admit it, Remus," Aithne commented jokingly as they started up the stairs.
"That's only part of the reason," Lupin muttered under his breath, quietly enough that no one could hear him.
The traveled the rest of the way in silence, the evening's gloom giving them an atmosphere of dreariness. They reached the portrait hole, gained entrance to the common room, and then found comfortable places near the fire to sit; Aithne and Lupin on a couch and Harry in one of the many wing-back chairs.
After sitting in companionable silence for over half an hour, Hermione came through the portrait hole carrying a large stack of books looking extremely grumpy. Spotting the three by the fire, she walked over and set the books on a vacant chair before turning to address them.
"If I have to spend ONE more day with Ron in the condition he's in, I'm going to kill him. I'm sorry, Harry, but he's driving me crazy, and if it doesn't stop, I'm going to strangle him. Add on to that the fact I spent all day in the library and found absolutely nothing! I still have to look through these books before going to bed tonight."
"Don't worry, I'll help you look. Why don't you hand me one of those books and we'll get started, okay?" Hermione nodded and handed Aithne a book.
Aithne flipped to the V section of the index and skimmed through it quickly. Not finding what she was looking for, Aithne handed the book back to Hermione and accepted another. Harry, assuming that the search would take some time, made his excuses and headed upstairs to bed.
Aithne went through several more books along with Lupin, who was helping a bit reluctantly, and Hermione, before finally finding the potion she was looking for. Aithne stood, walked over to Hermione, and handed her the open book.
"This potion is called Virulion Evaporatus or more commonly referred to as 'Flu-B-Gone'. It will take about six hours to brew, but if you give it to the Weasleys in the morning, they'll be right as rain by the end of breakfast."
Hermione looked over the potion, and, seeing that it wasn't difficult, merely tedious, went to gather the needed ingredients while Aithne escorted Lupin over to the portrait hole and bid him goodnight. Aithne walked back over to the fire and helped Hermione set up the cauldron and start the potion before heading up to the dormitories to retire at nearly midnight. Sleep, however, as it did most nights, was to elude her. Also as in nights, her thoughts began to drift toward her newest assignment from Voldemort.
Voldemort would not accept failure, and Aithne couldn't afford it. Merlin's chest, unfortunately, was proving more elusive than she wished to admit.
'Well,' she thought to herself, 'I'll just have to call in a few of the favors Trey owes me.'
Aithne pondered on her mission for a bit more before finally drifting off into a relaxed and dreamless sleep.
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"I ab NOT tabing that! It sbells disbustbing!"
"Ronald Weasley, you WILL take it even if I have to shove it down your throat!"
Aithne groaned as she was pulled from her sleep by the conflict resounding from the boy's dormitories. Aithne, her jet-black hair falling to rest on her pale-complected skin, rose to shut the drapes on the east wall to block the rising sun's rays from the room before starting to dress.
"What a wonderful way to start the day," she muttered sarcastically to herself as she walked down the stairs to meet Harry, who was wincing as violent-sounding noises drifted down from his dorm.
"I'm sure Hermione will be down soon," Harry said uncertainly.
"Well, I'm sure she can meet us in the entryway and I'm sure Ron will be close behind. Let's go."
The two had walked down the stairs and into the entry hall and had started toward the Great Hall when Aithne paused.
"Aithne, what's wrong?"
"I can't go in there, Harry. The rest of the students haven't returned from break yet and most of the teachers already know that that isn't where I've been all this while. If I go in there, Harry, most of the people are probably going to start asking me questions of where I've been and how I got back early. It will just be easier for me to avoid most of the students and teachers until after the rest of the students return and I've talked with Dumbledore. You go have breakfast, Harry; I'll go for a walk or something."
"All right, I'll save you some toast."
Aithne nodded her head in thanks before heading down a side hall that would lead out to the gardens. As she approached the exit, the handle began to turn and the door opened to reveal none other than Professor Severus Snape.
"Professor," Aithne practically bit the word off as she stepped back in surprise as Snape's eyes landed on her.
"Miss Vanora. So nice to see you again. Won't you join me in my office for a moment?"
"Do I have a choice, Professor?"
"No, because there are some questions that I need you to answer for me. This way," Snape moved past Aithne and started down towards the dungeons where his office was located. When they entered his office, Snape silently offered Aithne a seat before walking around the desk and sitting adjacent to her.
"Miss Vanora," he began in smooth tones.
"I have a first name, Professor; I would appreciate it if you would use it."
"I want you to know, that what students do on their own time is none of my concern. However, when a student's personal ideas, experiments, and/or issues tamper with my classroom and disrupt my teaching, it is my concern."
"And I'd like you to know, Professor, that it was your teaching that tampered with my personal issues, not the other way around."
"What did you say?" Snape's almost whispered tone implied danger, but Aithne wasn't overly worried.
"I believe you heard what I said, Professor."
"Fine, we'll move on. Where have you been during this past vacation?"
"I was at a friends house, sir," Aithne added emphasis on the last word.
"I have truth potions not five feet from me. Do not lie to me, girl," Snape snarled at her, momentarily losing his temper.
"I'm not lying. I was with a friend, recovering from the incident in your potions class, which, I might add, made me quite ill."
"An incident you caused!"
"An incident in which I prevented a fatality!" Aithne said forcefully, standing. "I told you I'm not lying. I was with a friend after becoming ill because of an accident caused because you intimidate your students to such a point of panic, they are no longer capable of reasonable thought and are robbed of their ability to learn. I did not cause that explosion, you did. And so you know, this is a student-teacher discussion, not an interrogation or criminal trial, so, if you want answers, Severus, talk with Dumbledore after I'm done!" With that, Aithne stormed from the room, leaving Snape alone to ponder over the conversation and the disrespectful way Aithne had used his first name.
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Thanks for reading! PLEASE review. I don't want this story to die, and reviews are really encouraging to me. So please R&R, I'm begging you to!