Okay, I finally finished HBP! I put Slughorn in the story now. He's not that important for the plot or anything, but I was intrigued by his character. Don't worry, NO spoilers or anything. You'll just find out who Slughorn is, but that's all!
And before we begin the chapter, I'd like to show my gratitude to JKR for what she had happen with our favorite werewolf toward the end of the book: (WARNING: SPOILER)
HOW COULD YOU! .:GROWL:.:ROAR:.
Mina says, "He's mine, back off, Tonks! God, you're like… 15 years younger than him! Go out with freaking Harry Potter instead!"
OKAY, the rest is SPOILER-FREE. Enjoy.
Chapter 14It was Thursday, November 16th, the day before the trip, and Mina had just gotten out of her last class of the day. She walked down the hall with Lily, who was talking about James.
"I mean, God! He saved my life, and I thought he'd changed, but no! He's still the little prankster he's always been! Just yesterday I saw him and Sirius hexing one of the Slytherins and I had to give them a detention and- Mina, are you paying attention to me?" she said.
"Huh? Oh, yes. Potter's an asshole, right," Mina replied. Lily sighed.
"You seem a little distracted. Look, I'm gonna go back to my common room. I'll see you later," she said. Mina nodded at her and she left.
"Mina! Just the witch I was looking for!" shouted Professor Slughorn, the potions teacher and head of Slytherin House.
Mina sighed and turned around, faking a smile to her teacher, and silently praying this wasn't about her poor test grade last Wednesday.
"Hello Professor," she said brightly. Slughorn returned her smile.
"You know, from the moment you were sorted into my house, I knew there was something special about you," he said.
"Sir, you weren't at my sorting that year…" Slughorn ignored this.
"And how true I turned out to be! Only daughter of Dr. Julian Gray, one of the greatest potion makers in the entire wizarding world!" he went on.
"But sir, you never even acknowledged me when I started going to Hogwarts," Mina explained.
"Oh…" Slughorn said, as if this was news to him, "Yes, well, back then of course I had no idea what a promising student you'd become!" he said cheerfully.
"…Of course…" Mina said unenthusiastically.
"It's a pity your father didn't go to Hogwarts… he would've had me as a potions teacher, and I'm sure he would have indeed become even greater than he is now!"
"Indeed?" Mina added, trying to sound interested.
"Indeed!" Slughorn repeated, "I'm telling you, Mina, your father is a great man! Genius, if I may say so. Is it true he invented the Tallypat potion?"
Mina nodded.
"Marvelous! Simply spectacular!"
"…You don't say…" Mina muttered.
"…You're sure to follow in his footsteps, I know it!" And with that, Slughorn gave Mina a pat on the back and headed off.
Finally, the Slug's left me alone! She thought to herself, heading back to the Slytherin common room.
Snape was sitting by himself, deep in thought it seemed, when Mina sat down on the forest-green sofa next to him. She thought to herself about what was about to take place just the next day. Snape kept an eye on her, waiting for her to say something. She hadn't spoken to him all week, and it was the first time in the week they had been alone.
"Well, what is it?" he asked finally.
"What is what?" Mina said, looking at him.
"What is troubling you, Mina?"
"What's troubling me? I'll tell you what's troubling me, Sev! We're going to Hogsmeade tomorrow, there's going to be an attack, and you won't do anything about it!" Mina shouted, unaware and not caring that somebody else might've been in the common room to hear her. Snape hesitated.
"I said I'd protect you, didn't I?" He said.
"Well… yes, but you wanted to tell Dumbledore, didn't you? You didn't want us to go to Hogsmeade in the first place!"
"Mina, don't you think I've thought about that? I didn't tell Dumbledore because he already knows. He's not stupid," Snape explained.
"What? But you told me he hadn't figured it out… and even if he did without our knowing, why hasn't he postponed the trip?" Mina asked, bemused.
"Because he doesn't trust me," said Snape.
"Sev, I don't think I'm fully understanding you. Did you say Dumbledore doesn't trust you?"
"He doesn't think I'm telling the truth… I mean, would you trust somebody who has been branded with the Dark Mark?" Snape asked. She didn't answer.
"I thought you were on Dumbledore's side," Mina said.
"Am I? Or did I just say that to gain your trust?" Snape glared at Mina. Something about the way he was looking at her just bothered her.
"Sev, don't play games with me! I know you're on Dumbledore's side!" Mina cried, backing away from him. He grabbed her by the wrist.
"Mina, do you truly think Dumbledore can outsmart the Dark Lord with a 16-year-old spy?" Snape asked her. Mina squirmed. His grip was not painful, but it was tight.
"You can't side with the Dark Lord, Severus! I trusted you!" Mina said.
"I give you no reason to lose that trust," he said.
"You're no worse than my mother, joining with the rest of the arrogant, pureblood, power-hungry leeches!" Mina screamed at him. He tightened his grip on her wrist.
"What?"
"You heard me! I said you're a bloodsucking bat! You just want the glory and trust of the purebloods, so you're tagging along with Voldemort's lackeys!" Snape released Mina's arm as if she had the plague. He was stunned that she had just used the Dark Lord's name.
"You wouldn't dare speak that name again!" he said. Mina shook her head.
"I don't care anymore! He's ruining my life! He stole my family from me, and he's trying to take my friend!"
"Friend? So you admit it, then?" he said. Mina nodded silently. "That's right," he continued, "I am your bloody friend! So treat me with some respect!" And with that, he stormed out of the common room.
Mina sat there, unsure of what just happened. She'd never seen Snape so angry before in her life, let alone angry with her. She had been so understanding of him, and she had stood by his side even when it seemed he was risking his life. But it turned out he wasn't on the side she thought he was on. He wanted her to treat him with respect? Treat Voldemort with respect is what he really wanted her to do. It's something her mother would tell her. It was something that repulsed her.
The next morning Mina got ready for the day very hastily. She slipped on a pair of tight jeans and a Slytherin-green tee and threw her robe over that. She then tied her hair up into a messy bun and grabbed her wand, muttering a charm to do her make up. The charm wasn't very effective, as Charms isn't Mina's best subject, and the only thing that happened was a dark shade of orange blush appearing on her cheeks.
"No, no, that's not the right color!" she shouted at her wand as if it were the wand's fault.
She tried again and this time with better results. A light shade of green eyeshadow appeared above her eyes to match with her sweater, and just a hint of pink blush showed up on her cheeks.
"Better, although I did want some eyeliner. Oh, Merlin, who cares? It'll only last for a few hours anyway!"
Satisfied enough, Mina swept down to the common room to find Snape waiting for her.
"I wanted to apologize about last night. I don't know what came over me, allowing myself to shout at you so," he said.
"Apology not accepted," Mina said smartly.
"Why?" Snape asked, annoyed with her behavior towards him.
"I can't forgive you for betraying Dumbledore," she said.
"You- you won't tell, will you?" he asked. Mina stared at him for a while, deciding what would be best to do.
"No, I won't," she said.
"Good, because nobody would believe you anyway!" he said, smirking.
"That's probably true," she replied. Snape didn't know what to say to this. Had she just agreed with him?
"Well… of course it's true!" he said, walking away.
"Where are you going?" Mina called after him.
"To try and convince Dumbledore to postpone the trip," he called over his shoulder.
"Why?" Mina ran to catch up with him, "I mean, I thought you wanted the Dark Lord's plan to ensue."
"That's the thing, Mina, I do," he said, snickering.
"What? Wait!" But Snape had already walked away form her, ignoring her.
And then Mina realized what was going on, and it made her want to scream. Why hadn't she realized it before? Why?
There was no attack on Hogsmeade after all. Snape had given Dumbledore false information. The attack was at Hogwarts! That's why Snape wanted Dumbledore to postpone the trip; so all the students would be at Hogwarts! And this meant that Mina's father had nothing to do with the attack and the trip being on the same day.
And Severus Snape… he knew about this all along! He was simply evil! But there was nothing to worry about; Dumbledore would not postpone the trip simply due to Snape's warnings. Snape himself had said that Dumbledore didn't trust him. But there was one thing to worry about- the rest of the students who would be at Hogwarts. Sure, the ones in Mina's potions class would be safe at her father's factory, and the others who were visiting Hogsmeade for the weekend would be equally safe, but that still left half of Hogwarts in danger.
Mina secretly wanted to stay behind and face the death eaters by herself. She wanted to face Voldemort, and her quite insane mother as well. Her quite insane mother, who still thought she was dating Snape, a death eater.
But Mina could not stay behind. Certainly Slughorn would not allow it.
And so, Mina met up with the rest of her class, ready to go on their "trip."
Snape joined them later, a disappointed look on his face. Mina smirked. So he wasn't able to convince Dumbledore.
"Why are you looking so happy?" he asked.
"You know why," she said.
"No, I don't. Hogwarts will still be attacked, Mina," he said.
"Dumbledore will have everything taken care of! He has to! There's no way Hogwarts will be taken!" Mina shouted, unaware of the looks people were giving her.
"Come now, you know that's not true. But it's always nice to hope," Snape sneered. Mina turned away from him, upset. She did not want this to happen. Not while she could do something about it!
"Now, now, don't fret," Snape said. But he was not trying to comfort her. He didn't have the ability to do so. Few did.
On the way to Hogsmeade, Mina ignored Snape and talked to Lily, who seemed excited to be going. Mina was able to rest easier, knowing that her best friend would be safe.
They entered Hogsmeade and saw a rather small building titled Belby and Gray's potions factory.
"Here we are," Slughorn said.
"Isn't it a bit small to be a factory?" one of the students asked.
"Nonsense! It's just enchanted to appear smaller. It's much larger on the inside. Now, the entrance to the factory is the shop where the potions are sold. When we go into the back room, we'll see where the potions are made. Oh, this is so exciting!" Slughorn exclaimed.
"Mina," Lily whispered, "Who's Belby?"
"My father's coworker. They founded the factory together. His two sons go to Hogwarts with us, didn't you know? They're in your house!" Mina said.
"You mean Damocles and Ares Belby? Yes, I know them! Damocles is in the 'Slug Club,'" Lily said. The Slug Club was a group of Slughorn's favorite students, Lily being one of them. They were usually all smart and talented, or well connected; in Lily's case it was 'smart and talented.' She was good in practically every subject.
The class entered the shop now, where they were greeted by a rather clean looking, middle-aged man with brown hair, wearing a shiny emerald tie over a black button down shirt.
"Good morning, ladies and gentleman," he said, looking pleasantly at the group of teenagers standing before him. "My name is Dr. Julian Gray, and I'm the owner of Belby and Gray's," he continued without too much enthusiasm.
Mina sighed. This would be a long trip. Too long.
"I believe all of you know my daughter, Mina," he said. Mina shrank back as everyone stared at her.
"There are a few chains of Belby and Gray's around Britain. Yes, Mina is one of the reasons I chose to oversee the shop here in Hogsmeade. It's nice to be so close to my daughter while I'm working and she's away at school," he went on.
"You see what I mean?" Mina whispered to Lily, "Embarrassing!" Lily laughed.
"Now, if all of you will step into this room over here, I will be in with you shortly," Dr. Gray said. He ushered Slughorn and his class into the back room, but Mina lingered.
"Father…" she said when they were alone, "I know what's happening – or going to happen, rather – at Hogwarts." He sighed.
"I supposed Severus had informed you as much. Yes, Hogwarts will be under attack in any minute now. Well, as soon as the Dark Lord gives his orders," Dr. Gray said.
"And what, exactly, are his orders?" Mina asked, giving her father an inquisitive look.
"Mina, dear, you know I'm not supposed to be discussing this! It's lucky I'm able to be here with you right now! The Dark Lord has excused me from this mission, and allowed me to stay at my shop, as I am expecting some customers," he said.
"Customers?"
"Yes, your class. The Dark Lord does not know that this class will not be at Hogwarts when he attacks. You see, Mina, I arranged this trip with Slughorn so that you'd be away from Hogwarts and you'd be safe," he said.
"Dad! If Vol- If the Dark Lord new about this, he'd have you killed!" Mina cried.
"Shh!" Dr. Gray put his hands on Mina's shoulders in an attempt to keep her quiet.
"Father… Severus told Dumbledore and me that the death eaters would be attacking at Hogsmeade, not Hogwarts! He lied to me… he lied to Dumbledore! Did you know Dumbledore thinks he's working for him?" Mina asked.
"Yes, I do. Severus is, in fact, on our side, not Dumbledore's. This was the Dark Lord's plan," said Dr. Gray.
"But that's crazy!"
"I know. The Dark Lord was planning for an under-aged wizard attending Hogwarts to become a death eater so that he would have someone on the inside at Hogwarts. Severus gladly volunteered for this," Dr. Gray explained.
"But why?"
"Because he heard the Dark Lord wanted you for the job. Yes, you, Mina," he said, ignoring Mina's gasps, "You were the first choice. He asked your mum and I about it. Your mum seemed to think it was a good idea, but I protested. When Severus heard about this, he volunteered, so that you wouldn't have to be brought into all of this."
"I-I… can't believe… Severus, all this time… he'd done it for me?" Dr. Gray nodded.
"I… had no idea… But, father, please. What does the Dark Lord have planned?" Mina asked.
"He…" Dr. Gray hesitated for a moment, "he wants Dumbledore killed. And he instructed the death eaters to kill anyone who got in their way."
"Oh my…"
"Dear, don't let it bother you… Come now, let us catch up with the group. They'll wonder what's taking so long," Dr. Gray said, leading Mina into the back room with the other students.
"Oh, Julian! I was wondering where you'd gotten off to! The children are waiting. I was starting to worry. And Mina's with you too… thought we'd lost her… Good thing you're both back now. What's taken you so long? Anyway, on with the tour, I suppose…" Slughorn went on, not waiting for, or expecting, an answer from Dr. Gray.
"Of course," Dr. Gray said, and, without hesitation, led the group over towards several great black cauldrons. "These are where we brew the potions, if you intelligent lot haven't figured that out already."
As the group moved forwards, Mina stayed by the entrance, gesturing for Lily to do the same.
"What is it, Mina?" Lily asked.
"Something… Something's going to happen at Hogwarts, Lil. Dumbledore might be in danger. We need to go back, to warn him…" Mina said as calmly as she could.
"How do you know this?"
"My father. We have to go back, Lily!"
"Okay… we'll go right now. Come on, no one's looking…"
They separated from the group and headed out of the shop to go back to Hogwarts, but somebody had been following them…
"Petrificus Totalus!" The spell hit Lily square in the back and she froze, falling over onto her back. Mina turned around to face their predator.
It was Snape. Mina raised her wand to defend herself, but he didn't attack.
"Well? What are you waiting for?" she asked.
"You. Go on. Attack me, Mina."
She raised her wand and said, "Expelliar-" but with a flick of his wand, Snape blocked her attack.
"How did you…?"
"I am a master at Legilimency and Occlumency," he explained. Mina laughed.
"Yeah, right," she said, still laughing.
"Shut up! I've been practicing for the past month! I can tell what you're thinking…" he said.
Mina concentrated hard. You're an idiot, you're an idiot, you're an idiot, you're an idiot, she thought.
"No I'm not!" he shouted, "Imperio!" A flash of light hit Mina and she felt she was unable to control herself. She heard Snape's voice in her head, telling her what to do. She fought off the curse with all her might, trying to gain control of her own actions.
Put a memory spell on Lily so she forgets what happened this morning. We don't want her to worry about you, now, he instructed. Mina couldn't do it to Lily… She had to stop herself… but she couldn't. She put a spell on Lily's limp body to erase her memories of that morning.
Walk forward, he said. Mina found herself walking towards him, unable to stop herself.
Now follow me, he continued, turning and walking without looking back. Mina had no choice. She struggled, but she'd never been put under an unforgivable curse before, so it was difficult.
Snape kept walking and eventually stopped in front of the Hog's Head. There weren't too many people in there, and he walked inside, Mina following him.
He sat down in a booth and Mina sat across from him. She stared at him, blankly.
"Why did you bring me here?" she asked, "Why not erase my memories like Lily?"
"Your memories are far more valuable than a mudblood's," he said.
"Don't call her that!" Mina shouted at him.
"Well, it's what she is. And you, a pureblood, consider yourself her friend? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were a blood-traitor!"
"Oh, you should talk, Mr. Half-blood-and-proud-of-it!"
"Proud of it? Proud that I have a mudblood for a father? Please!" He laughed.
"There you go. And just because I'm not as proud of being pureblood as the rest are, doesn't make me a blood-traitor!" He stared at her.
"I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to accuse you of anything," he said sincerely. She looked at him. She was sorry he had to go through all of this. She pitied him, and yet, she still could not believe he did everything for her, so she didn't have to. She wondered whether or not she should tell him that she knew what he did for her, but she decided not to.
"So… why are we in here?" she asked finally.
"I have to keep you out of trouble, of course," Snape said.
"I see. And how long will that take?"
"Until I get orders from one of the death eaters," he said.
"So you brought me here on orders?"
"I was ordered to stop anyone who might get in the way," he said.
"Oh. Well, in that case, you can let me go. I won't get in the way," she said.
"Legilimens," he reminded her.
"Fuck."
"I'm doing this for your own good, Mina. You really don't want to get in the way. You don't know what'll happen to you," he warned.
"I don't care what'll happen to me," she said.
"I think it's best right now you do not go against the Dark Lord. He has his eyes on you, Mina!"
"What?"
"He is intent on recruiting you as his newest death eater," Snape explained.
"But why me?" Mina asked.
"Your cousins, Narcissa and Bellatrix, have joined his side. He could not get Andromeda, the youngest sister. Crazy girl! Only 17 years old, and she's running off to be married to some muggle," Snape said.
"He couldn't get Andromeda so he wants me instead?" Mina asked.
"Precisely. But I think he wants to wait until you're a bit older. I'm not sure. But he'll certainly have you and your family killed if you defy him now," Snape said.
"No! He can't… I… alright. I won't go back to Hogwarts," she said. Snape raised his wand and suddenly Mina felt an air of freedom flowing through her body; he had lifted the curse.
"Thanks," she said.
"No problem."
Suddenly a man in black whom Mina did not recognize right away rushed into the Hog's Head. He had blond hair and silver eyes- Lucius Malfoy.
"Severus, the death eaters are retreating! Dumbledore's men showed up… we couldn't stop them… we have to go, now!" Lucius called.
"Lucius, dear, you too?" Mina said.
"Ah, Mina. It's good to see you… can't talk now… Severus! Let's go!"
Severus got up and nodded do Mina, and the two death eaters left the bar. Mina sighed. Things were not going how she wanted them to be going. She got up and left the bar, heading back towards her father's shop.
When she got there, she saw Lily back with the rest of the group again. She hurried over towards her.
"Mina! Where have you been?" she asked.
Mina really didn't feel like explaining to her friend everything that had happened, nor did she know how to bring back her memories, so she just said, "I got delayed."
"Oh. Well, it's a wonder Slughorn hasn't noticed you were gone! You'd be in trouble!"
"Yeah."
"Miss Gray, so nice of you to join us! Where have you been the past half hour?" Slughorn was mad. Dr. Gray looked at his daughter and sighed.
"Professor, I…"
"You were just going out for a stroll? That'll be a detention in my office next Friday at 4!" Mina sighed. That meant no tutoring next week.
"Yes, sir."
Dr. Gray resumed telling a story of how he invented the Tallypat potion, which caught Slughorn's attention once again.
When they all went back to the castle that afternoon, Snape rejoined them. Slughorn noticed this and gave him detention as well. When everyone else entered the castle, Mina cornered Snape.
"Where did you go?" she asked.
"I… I had to go back, but then the Dark Lord told me he had no more use for me, and let me go…"
"Really?" Mina said hopefully.
"Well, at least that's what I'm supposed to tell Dumbledore," Snape said.
"Sev!"
"What? He doesn't want Dumbledore to get too suspicious, which he already has. So I'm not playing that role anymore. For now, I'm a loyal death eater," he explained. Mina held her face in her hands.
"I hate you…" she said, sobbing.
"Wha… What did I do?" he asked.
"Nothing. You're just… such an idiot! Getting yourself into all of this for me!"
"Y-you know?" Mina nodded.
"My father told me you volunteered in my place. You didn't have to do that. I could've taken on the responsibility," Mina said.
"No, you couldn't have!" said Snape. Mina sighed.
"You're right. I'd just wind up dead. How can you be so good at all of this, Sev? You're only 15… and such an accomplished wizard already. Better than I ever could have dreamed to be," she sobbed. Snape put his arm around her comfortingly. But she just pushed him away.
"I'm sorry," he said, "I don't want you to worry about me." Mina let out a small laugh.
"What?" he asked.
"Nothing. You just reminded me of Remus for a second. He's always telling me not to worry about him," she replied.
"Ugh! Don't make me gag, Mina!" he said.
"I'm sorry. I can't help it," she said, grinning. He laughed.
"Mina, I've wanted to say this… I don't think our friendship has been going that well for the past few weeks…. I want to rebuild it; turn over a new leaf. What do you say?"
"Okay." She smiled at him. He returned the smile.
And so, Snape decided he'd rather just be friends with Mina, although he still loved her deep down. But they got along a lot better than ever.
Well, that's it for 14. I can't believe I wrote such a long chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. Next chapter will be more Mina/Remus bonding.
See ya! And don't forget to review!