Hi,

I apologize for the wait, I hope this party will make up for it.

Welcome Darkinfinity 2020, good you joined :)

Please review, I am starving for feedback.

Oh, of course, HP is still Rowling's, and

This is a warning that the story is rated M adult content ahead!

Enjoy

Chapter 10. Same old junk

The storm blew with full force around them, the stones and rocks of the near seashore magnified its roars. Although said seashore was no more than a vague sense of a smell of salt in the air as in the pitch darkness, none could see even their own hands if they tried. The heavy, cold rain mercilessly milled on them, soaked through their robes and drenched their skin. No one dared to seem whiny; thus, most were as relieved as Severus was when Leroy shouted.

"Where the hell have you taken us, Malfoy?"

"Orkneys," – Lucius shouted back against the roar of the storm. "We are near Scara Brae. Here's a house less than five steps away! Grab each other and come!"

They stumbled through the darkness, grabbing on each other as they were told until a door opened right in front of Lucius, who led the party. Welcoming warmth and orange lights shone at them, and as they entered, the witty chant on the door dried all their clothes, cutting any complaints.

Avery welcomed them, holding a nearby door, and Severus saw Knott descending the stairs. Behind Avery, all the elegance of a classic manor welded with a surprisingly modern living room. Newly acquired furniture and bottles and bottles of expensive champagne and crystal goblets promised luxury and daze all over the place.

Stepping past Lucius, Janine Roux patted his face contentedly. "I knew I could trust you; you never disappoint."

Hearing her tone changed to a soft sing-song murmur, Severus reflexively held back and let all others enter before him, putting as much place between himself and the purring French witch as he could. Lucius was not that fortunate. He weathered all her advances as the company listened to Knott talking about the planned entertainments.

"As you know by now, we are close to Scara Brae, but I don't encourage anyone to venture out in this weather. We have a small Muggle village nearby. If there's anything you wish for, we made sure their communications have been cut in the storm. We also have two Muggle families in the house, and all to ensnare the senses as Severus loved to put it in the past. First floor rooms are for playing, second floor, your bedrooms. The Muggles we provide has no idea what they signed up for; I'm sure you'll find their naïveté endearing," -he smiled at Janine. "I would appreciate if you were to spare the roof, though" – Nott sent here a warning stare against Morvel and Leroy. – "This house belonged to Avery's grandfather; thus, the beams hold some sentimental value, and it would be a shame to cut the fun short again..."

"Here, here!" – Morvel lifted his glass of champagne – "Cheers on your grandfather's precious roof, Avery, remember, sharing is divine!"

Avery looked dubious. Leroy only laughed.

"Everything else as usual," – Knott finished with a strained smile, "I welcome you all. Thank you for coming!"

"This one is for Avery for sharing what he has!" – Luisa toasted, and while the others drank, she energetically kissed their host.

With that, the so-called fun began. Severus knew the script as one of an over-played drama. The first hour passed with mostly drinking, indulging in the provided potions and mocking each other with nostalgic sentimentality. Iris had always been the first to get a kick out of champagne, the only variable her choice of prey. This time Tomas Morvel was the lucky one.

As time flew uncounted, Luisa first gifted her delights to Avery, then switched to Nott. Dupont and Bertrand sat safely barricaded under a window, deep in conversation with Jamie Roux. Severus suspected Lucius would have liked to join them, but Janine did her utmost to hold his reluctant attention. It was funny to watch him struggle to retreat without avail.

Later, Crabbe and Goyle were the first to ascend the first floor. The sounds of their fun livened up the party downstairs to a point where Leroy and Martin Lefevre demanded Knott drag down the Muggle women to entertain. Janine finally shifted her attention to the intended amusements, and Lucius fled in battered robes only he knew where.

After Jules and Martin broke down the Muggle women's reluctance with sufficient curses and minor portions of potions, Crabbe and Goyle levitated the Muggle men down the stairs.

The third hour into the night passed, and Severus leaned heavily onto the mantelpiece, watching the drama unfold before him. No one gave a second thought about him holding the same glass of champagne, at least not yet, for taking the role of an observer had always been his way.

Lucius's monkeys decided to refresh their old favourite game, "the Muggle-jig," and the others made room for them. Luisa provided music by winding up an old record by the Daughters of Walpurg and they set the Muggle-men on their feet. The rival wizards took their places on opposite sides of the room, sending jinxes and hexes to make the men jump and cry, the rhythm of the hits matching the music.

It was a spectacular light-show, also a contest of initially choosing the right Muggle, the winner being the one whose dancer fell last. Their inaccurate aim was now an advantage protracting the pleasure while the Muggles screamed louder with every impact. Luisa practically rolled with laughter, and Janine displayed wantonness rarely seen in her eyes.

By the time the jig was over, because the dancers passed out, Martin Lefevre was busy raping one of the Muggle women on the sofa, and Tomas Morvel drifted into unconscious sleep under a standard lamp's slid-aside canopy.

Crabbe proposed aim practice on the pilled-up crystal glasses, and Bertrand happily agreed to be a judge. With Goyle, the three of them played the evergreen game of blasting the piles, and the one with the most glasses ruined had to drink all the others' champagne. They called it the odds balancing drinking game, for the one aiming the better had to drink the more, and Severus knew it would hold their attention until all of them passed out.

Meanwhile, Janine bowed to temptation and revived one of the Muggle men. Aroused by his previous screams, she now prepared to have her way with him. Somehow Lucius showed up just minutes later and got to the small company's safety, seated by the windows.

From the first floor, Alexis Dupont already returned after probably harassing one of the Muggle couples' teenage sons, while Jamie Roux seemed just returning to earth after his first fill of the Lucid Dream Potion.

Severus had the impression that Nott and Luisa used a significant amount of the same LDP by their way of scampering around the room, shrieking and howling the most improbable notions. However, they could not disturb Nott or Leroy the slightest, as the former overindulged in the mead propped up with retarder and seemed to be pleasantly surprised by everything around him, while the latter lay beside the ruined Muggle woman, wearing a seraphic smile, and dead to this world.

That was the moment Avery chose to have his revenge. He stepped up to Severus with a glass in his hand and a friendly smile. "The evening turned out all right, would you agree?"

"Everyone seems sufficiently entertained," – Severus cautiously replied, eying Luisa, who just climbed under the sofa.

"All but you, Snape, are you having your fun?"

"You know me. I need no such… stimulation."

"Aye, you always loved to watch… Why would I coerce you?" – Something curious flashed in Avery's eye. Was it that he was tipsy? Severus decided it must have been about more than that. "Cause we're friends, aren't we all?" – Avery pushed on.

"Of course,"- Severus turned to look him right in the face.

"We have no hard feelings, now do we?"

"Not on my part…"

Avery looked satisfied. "You made my life interesting last time… you know you did." –He went on. "For your information, it was not me. But as neither of us has hard feelings," – his eyes shone up with malice – "Iris! Hey, Iris! You cunning little wench, come here you!"

Severus's blood ran cold as she crossed the room, flashing a disarming grin on them both. He knew without a shadow of a doubt this whole scene was premeditated. No way in hell could Avery improvise like this. Either he or somebody else devised a trap or an elaborate prank to punish his dare.

"Tell me what you wish for" – Iris sang with quaking lips.

"Nothing for me, darling, but I could never allow Snape to have a party go dull."

For a split second, Iris looked wary, but a breathtaking smile soon spread on her face, she touched her ring and turned around with something akin to a dance-move, and Severus realized he would have never seen her touching her poisoned finger to her lips if he didn't know what to look for. Before he could comprehend her tactics' actual dangers, Iris finished her dance with a twirl and threw herself into his arms. Her lips perched beneath wanton eyes and her fingers reached for Severus's lips even before she tried to entice him into a kiss.

He jerked his head back, and stepping aside, he grabbed the temptress by the wrists before she could get him under her spell.

"If I wish to lick poison, I'll sample some in my lab." His calm voice filled the room, and he averted the witch's attention to Avery, shoving her onto him with force.

The sudden roaring laugh from the window subdued Iris's shriek and covered Avery's horrified yelp when her poisonous fingers slammed on his face. Lucius and Alex Dupont watched them through the room; both found their short match amusing.

"Snape, Snape, come on over here!" – Lucius cried between spasms of laughter. "Licking poison indeed! Now, come, join those who respect your celibacy!"

Dupont greeted him with a pat on his shoulder. "So is that what you're doing in your shady dungeons I keep hearing stories about?"

"You called the witch's wrath," – Jamie Roux warned in a lazy voice.

"Or the wind is blowing." He answered with his enigmatic snarl.

Lucius chuckled, but he also joined the warning. "You cannot be cross with Avery. You were the one who played it low on him; what did you expect?"

Severus pulled a shoulder. "I never passed well on testing my patience."

"That you never did," – Lucius agreed now smile-less – "but this time you took it against me too. Have you not thought about he was under my command? None of us sent Dementors. You should have asked."

"He's telling me the same." –Severus measured his words carefully – "Although whoever did it, he crossed my plans, and it wasn't the first time, was it? Before I lose my patience, I would suggest we coordinate."

Lucius looked around with a fleer. "Coordinate? I have my orders from the Dark Lord himself. It's not my fault, my friend, if he trusts you less than me…"

He might have been right a month prior. Iris's sniffing after him at the Order was more than enough proof. Severus thought he realised the game here and changed tactics.

"Sending a ridiculous witch after me… what could she possibly achieve? Your place is well secured if mine is pending, is it? Who else would challenge you? Tell me, Lucius, my friend," - he overemphasized – "were you the one who tried to entrap me?"

Lucius's confusion was enough to nullify his deny. "Trap you? Sev, you must not think…" – he shot an apprehensive look at Dupont – "Iris is of no consequence."

"She is not indeed," – Severus agreed. "However, a trap is. And I am in no mood to let this go. The Dark Lord trusts you, you claim, so how come he offered me his private guidance?"

Lucius gaped at him. "He didn't…"

"Your work at the Department of Mysteries is obviously too slow." – Severus slowly weaved his net – "Someone should step up to the task."

"And are you the one?" – The tension radiated from Lucius. Dupont thought it better to intervene.

"Did the Dark Lord offer you his private guidance?" – He asked with apparent appreciation, even Jamie Roux glanced up at him.

Snape leaned back on his chair and slowly crossed his long legs before him. "I work for my keep." – He asserted with smug calmness.

Lucius could not escape from the consequential looks both his French friends shot at him. "I am not jealous of your place, Sev," – he hurried to point out – "why should I be? Like I am sure you recognize mine. We are happy for each other as old friends should be."

"Sure." – Severus allowed with a smile.

"Thus, it is only natural if we coordinate,"- Lucius swallowed before he went on - "for the benefit of the Dark Lord."

"For the benefit of the Dark Lord!" – Severus raised his glass, and all the four of them drank to the toast.

"You've grown up, Snape." Jamie Roux, who sat mostly in silence near them, now realised. "Lucius, you're wise to keep peace with him. We need no rivalry at this level. Dupont?"

"I agree," – Alex nodded. "It might be even time to let him in."

Lucius took a glance at their faces and wasted no time. "As you know, Sev, we are recruiting. On the Dark Lord's orders and with his approval. Although we should never forget, he gave no specifics when it came to the methods. Now, you know how it goes – ordinarily. However, those rare times when it comes to real finance, old pure-blood families' dutiful heirs should risk their heritage, their most precious possessions, and all they could adhere to their children. Of course all of us would do it happily, it is an honour, but this issue goes beyond power in a sense a footman could grab. Last time you were considered too young and too close to Karkaroff to know about this difference. We cooperate with the Russians but don't want them to take the lead."

"Were all the talk about the Poultrons part of your game?"

Roux chuckled. "She is a great tool, but a pity alliance. We have our own interests in the backdrop, as you might call it, and those don't compromise your goals here. The Dark Lord focuses on your Ministry and the Boy-Who-Lived, and we line up behind him and his cause from farther. We are also preparing to establish his rule throughout the Continent in the long run. But until He is ready to step up, you'll still need the background…"

Severus's focus shifted from his words sometimes while he spoke. Jamie's thoughts and desires were almost begging for understanding, so much that it needed no true Legilimency to perceive them. Jamie Roux talked about a means of escape, and his ideas were in perfect harmony with those of Lucius Malfoy's. An escape if the Dark Lord's rule collapsed again in a day. A flight to safeguard the fortunes He required.

Self-preservation. A real trait of Slytherin most liked to condemn forgetting its effectiveness in keeping up tradition and society.

"Sounds most sensible,"- he agreed aloud.

"Iris is a tool to crack up the Coquinnes," – Dupont intimated. "Lennier is one of us, three leaders in agreement. He consented to our plan and offered her services. She visits with her cousin. You already heard about her tonight, the heiress of half the Coquinne fortune and estates if dear Polla would suddenly decease."

"Sev, her cousin is Mad-Eye Moody's daughter. Would you have ever guessed?" Lucius giggled, and Severus remembered he also thought of the old Auror's possible love-life as a ridiculous notion. "Now we may get close to the Order without disturbing your cover, and she's also a useful link to our French allies. All we have to do is let Iris convince her during the Rouxs to smooth things out with the French Ministry."

Severus translated this as if the conspirators decided to spend the Coquinne fortune instead of their own, but he could not care less momentarily. He wanted to push the three further and learn about their plans. He asked on.

"What about Leroy?"

"He's a good footman. He will do as he's told." – Jamie Roux assured.

Severus kept his polite curiosity and conversed on the French finance, the Dark Lord's needs and the endless superiority of anyone rich and pure-blooded compared to the pawns like himself. Curiously none of his collocutors seemed to realize his lineage. Lucius even hinted he might have grown out of his less-than-exceptional parentage. He wondered what else might change around him if the Dark Lord truly begins to train him. It all gave the impression his devotion had already made up for a Muggle father. Unfortunately he had no reason to believe this rubbish at all.

By the time the first lull came to their discussion, the Muggles had passed out beyond the possibility of reviving them with magic. Truthfully, it did not seem to matter anymore. Morvel still lay under the canopy, now snoring. Sasha Bertrand levitated Crabbe and Goyle to the second floor about an hour ago, with apparent struggle navigating through the room, and he never returned. Iris slept with an open mouth under the unconscious and half-naked Avery. Luisa Durand had disappeared long ago with Nott. With his glass standing still in hand, Martin Lefevre slept on the floor between the knocked-out Muggle women.

Jules Leroy was the last man standing, although he also staggered as he tried to feed a half-dazed teenaged Muggle girl the lust potion from Iris's ring. In his clumsiness, the reluctant girl somehow tore his already untidy robe, thus uncovering his chest, and her horrified shriek was enough to send Jamie Roux upstairs, saying he had had enough of the amusements for a day.

The scene was disgusting on more than one level, and Severus instinctively raised his wand, sending the girl out of consciousness with a Stupefy to spare her what he could. Of course, Leroy was outraged.

"What d'you want fomme'?" – He cried and took some wobbly steps towards his imagined attacker.

"Probably nothing. Snape's aim was always good." –Lucius tried to soothe him in vain.

Alex Dupont said his hasty goodnights. Meanwhile, Leroy managed to approach his opponent.

"What the hell did you want with that?" – He shouted into Snape's face from way too close.

Recognizing his hazy eyes and uncertain stance, Severus sought to explain his thoughts in the easiest of terms: "You. Leave. The girl."

Lucius chuckled behind him.

"You want her for yourself?" – Leroy demanded, but Severus shook his head with disgust. "So, what's on your mind?"

Seeing and – for worse – smelling the pustules on Leroy's still bare chest, it was easy to understand that earlier shriek of horror. The only wish at the moment on Severus's tired mind was to never see those filths again.

"Suspendisse mundaret. In lotion. Double measure bubotuber pus, and I would putrefy the pus before use." – That said, he turned for the door.

"What?!" – Severus heard from behind, but fortuitously Lucius replied.

"Jules, you will never understand a man like Snape. He answered your question. That was on his mind. Now come…"

Severus stepped outside the house before he encountered anyone else. The storm was over, and the day proceeded well into the morning, two things none of them had registered in the last hours. The cold breeze from the sea not too far felt wonderfully calming against his skin and senses. The earth under his feet emanated the scent of rain and ground… he closed his eyes and let these sensations wash through him, clean his mind.

An uncalled memory arose and prompted his eyes open. He will not think of earth, rain, and herbs even if he could still hear the echo of a faint humming if he did so. Not at all. Even less on seemingly truthful eyes in an improbable shade of light chocolate brown. Those eyes lied. They must have been lying.

He took a long walk around the old house, contemplating the information he had gathered throughout the night. Without missing the shortest time, he had to process and order all his thoughts, putting all details and intelligence in tidy packs of knowledge, systematically building the stores in his mind, dividing what to protect and what to use as soon as could be.

He realized he was not free to choose the modus operandi. Dumbledore had to decide upon the next steps, no matter what his view was. Freedom indeed – he sighed but contented himself with the small success of his primal goal achieved: not one of the Death Eaters was in a state to go after Potter today. He knew his potions well enough, and even using artificial means to sober up, this filthy gang inside the house would merely be a bunch of detached limbs and slurry minds for about the next twenty hours.

Thus his day proceeded in the calmest manner; Severus never let himself drift away in slumber until he felt safe ground under his feet again. Still, fortunately, the others had no reservations against resting. Twilight came upon the land when Nott offered light meals and sobering potions, different tonics to kill off pain and poison-antidotes for the worst cases of severe overindulging.

After the repast, the Roux, Dupont and Bertrand were the first to portkey away, sharing overly friendly words with Malfoy, but – surprising the others – remembering to take their leave also from Snape. He gave no much mind to the curious stares, instead offered his help to Nott in Obliviating the Muggles. The most he could do for them was to do it properly. So he took his time and gave extra attention to clear and order the two kids' memories, whom Avery and Nott held captive in the house. Also, he administered healing potions and mithridates to the Muggle women. No need for any of them to ever realize how extraordinary lucky they all have been; they could keep their lives.

By the time he finished, the house was empty, but Avery directed the Malfoy- and Nott- house elves in the cleaning up. Having no desire to talk to that twat, Severus slid out of the door and Apparated to London.

It was late enough for the Order to be at Potter's now. He walked the streets in the uncomfortable Muggle clothes he transfigured again from his robe and tried to reassure himself that a night's rest was not for long. A short meeting to know the brat was all right. A couple of words with Dumbledore, and he might lie down somewhere relatively safe. When he made sure no one kept an eye on him, he walked to Grimmauld.

As luck would have it, the first he saw in the kitchen was Black, but small mercy, Arthur Weasley kept him company. He even heard their spirited conversation from the dim-lit entrance, and the dog was beside himself with anxiety. Knowing how unnecessary his concerns were, Severus was ready to get all the entertainment from Black's apprehension he possibly could, and entered the kitchen with a poorly hidden smirk.

"Oh, come, sit down," – was the first he heard for his greatest astonishment, until… "I can't watch you are pacing around; you make me feel dizzy!"

"Then don't watch!" – Black snapped back – "Snivellus, how early, aren't you into having fun with your peers?"

Severus found his choice of words so misguided after last night he could only raise an eyebrow.

"Sirius, let him be," – Arthur – "remember, he's on our side."

"At least that's what we were led to believe, isn't it? Snivellus, the good Death Eater, I imagine how hard you must all laugh when you tell them. Where did you leave your mask tonight?"

Merlin, the dog didn't have a clue! As far as Severus remembered, his Death Eater mask must have been somewhere under the bathroom cabinet, for the Dark Lord has not required it since the first call upon his return. He kicked it there by accident while puking - most had no idea just how hard it could get to make a lucky hit into the john, vomiting while having Cruciatus-induced spasms in all the limbs. Also, if there was one word to describe the Death Eater's last forty-eight hours, unmasked could be a good shot. Severus knew by this time his patience would usually began to wear off, but now Black was more ridiculous than anything else.

"You've got the nerve to roll your eyes!" – Now the dog moved to jump on him, and the hilarity faded too. Severus eased his wand from his robe-sleeve, but Arthur quickly grabbed Black by the shoulders and shoved him on a chair with unforeseen energy.

"Sit down!" – He commanded the dog somewhat tautologically – "That was enough. Snape is here to help, aren't you?" – He turned to see Severus's face.

He reluctantly nodded.

"Is there reason to worry? Have you seen anything?"

"No." He replied only to Arthur. "Else, I wouldn't have come already. They are busy - recuperating. If the Dark Lord has not appeared himself, there's no one out to cause trouble."

"The… the Dark Lord himself…" – Arthur began, and he only realized the intended joke when Severus turned away, rolling his eyes.

Black's mind stuck on another part. "Recuperating? So something did happen, I knew it!" – He looked at Arthur with triumph – "I felt it like I could hear it in the silence, I –"

"You may only hear your mother's agonizing screeches in the silence," – Severus could not help answering – "everything else, were crickets, I assure you."

Black tried to launch again, but Arthur's grip was firm. He began to ask Snape to wait instead in the living room when the heroes triumphantly returned and giving the Boy-Who-Kept-Living into Molly's expert care; they flooded the kitchen to have their short celebration.

"That's what I call a job well-done" –Moody leaned back on a chair straightening his wooden leg under the table.

"Well, if it was up to you, we'd still be on the way," – Tonks replied while Lupin helped her dry her robe with a smile on his face, which Severus found unctuous and repulsive, but the witch seemed to delight in it.

"Finally." Mundungus breathed, sliding down on his usual chair in the corner and reaching in his pocket to light a smoke; Hestia conjured a teapot.

Molly appeared with Albus, and all enthusiastically launched into discussing the transport after Molly assured everyone she warded the door with an imperturbable charm against extendable ears, whatever those were… Severus shrugged. He had no intention of taking part in the endless self-praising even as an audience.

"Anything new?" – Dumbledore turned as he passed him to leave.

"Nothing urgent," –Severus assured and on his Headmaster's nod, he thought he could escape. However, Mad-Eye had a different idea and followed him to the entrance.

"Iris was away and back." He began without a prologue. "Sage wanted me to tell you, so here it is, don't think it's a pleasure."

"I don't."

The ex-Auror looked satisfied. "So did she report on you?"

Nosy bastard! "Hasn't your precious daughter enlighten you?"

"Sage probes her mind tonight; it's not a horserace!" – Moody dismissed his question with a wave of his hand – "She hates you wickedly, do you know that?"

Severus lifted an eyebrow, somewhat taken aback. His daughter could have no possible reason to hate him, on the reverse, though…

"That Iris, that is. Not that I don't understand…" – Mad-Eye went on – "But she hates you violently, especially since she returned. I don't ask what you've done, it could not be noble, but I warn you, you don't know her kin. Albus wants you safe as it may be, so whatever I think you should know this."

Forcing himself against his suspicious and distrustful nature, Severus replied. "She may do as she sees fit; she could not harm me."

"YET!" – Mad-Eye barked – "I don't care what comes down on you, but Albus wants Sage to work together. I will not see you drag her down with you, you understand? I forbid it!" Moody grabbed his robe-sleeve in his fury, and Snape touched his wand.

"I have no intention of dragging her into anything. Your precious daughter volunteered to whatever she undertook. Ask your friend or talk to her, but unhand me!"

Mad-Eye missed the threat in his deceptive calm. "You don't understand!" – He shook him by the robe – "She is not like them, she's never been! Albus wants her to redeem herself, building up her guilt, but she has never been what they wanted her to become!"

"Unhand me!" – Snape warned again without regard for his words. He held his wand higher so the Auror could see. Surprisingly Mad-Eye stepped back.

"Prove you changed!" – He hissed – "You claim you did, now prove it! Prove you're not the selfish, dark bastard I've always thought you to be! Leave Sage out! She wasn't raised for that." His voice was not without desperation, but somehow that only spurred Snape's awakening anger.

He looked into the old man's eyes, magical and ordinary and the rage he felt surging surprised even him. It carried the bile up his throat with such force, it was hard to keep a sober mind.

"Not that you had a hand in raising her, now did you?" – He began in venomous silkiness in his tone – "Are you pushing the blame on me in advance, knowing she will act in the manner her aunt taught her? Are you looking for a scapegoat?" He stepped closer. "Don't you dare to question me before you made your daughter prove herself! You let her roam about here, flirting with Dumbledore and everyone within her reach, well I do know her kin! As it happens, I know well enough. So don't ever believe I take her for better than what she is because she is what she was raised to be, whether you like it or not."

Mad-Eye shook his head bewildered. "Snape, you don't understand…" –he began, but it was too late. He was too consumed in anger, and Mad-Eye too long an enemy to listen.

"Let me go or pull your wand!"- He hissed, but to his astonishment, the ex-Auror stepped aside.

"Idiot." – Mad-Eye summed up his thoughts as Snape passed him by the door, but when he turned to ask him out on it, the entrance already closed behind him, and Severus found himself on the stairs leading up the house.

He left Grimmauld place in a fury he could not account for. Foolish goddamned Mad-Eye Moody deprived him of the short comfort of a job well done, a moment of peace that all others could enjoy. But that was not enough! He also-

Severus halted mid-step. Also what? He had no idea why the tale of the Poultron nieces bothered him so much, besides the obvious, but he couldn't help that. The small comfort was gone. He walked behind the fast-food restaurant and Disapparated.

"Disturbing little wench of a witch" – the cats heard mumbled before a loud pop, then the streets were quiet.