Disclaimer: All Harry Potter people, places, things, or ideas (all Harry Potter nouns) belong to J. K. Rowlings. Mood paper is my idea.
Chapter 8: More questions than answers.
It was after breakfast when Minerva caught up to the flying instructor, Rolanda Hooch. "Ro, I need your help," she began, leading the other woman to her office.
Minerva closed her office door and noticed Rolanda's befuddled expression. "If you had to drag me all the way to your office, this must be important," she assessed.
The Transfiguration Professor handed her the notes as the flying instructor flopped down in a chair. Rolanda raised an eyebrow as she read them. "Well, what do you think, Ro?" Minerva pursued.
"It's either a harmless prank by a student or," she paused and smirked, "perhaps you have a genuine secret admirer."
Minerva sighed. "Ro, this is not funny. I cannot think of one person who would have any interest in me whatsoever to send me these. Therefore, if this is a student's prank, I want it stopped," she said in the same stern manner that she applied to the classroom.
Rolanda stood and walked over to her friend. "I know that you brought me here to hear my honest opinion. First of all, the message is more important than the sender. Secondly, have you ever considered that Dumbledore may have sent these? I mean, the man is known for doing peculiar things," Rolanda pointed out.
The other witch shook her head. "I know it is not from him because the term 'Black Knight' is not what he would sign it with. Of the plethora of code names he uses for himself, that is not one of them."
"In that case, you should be asking what the significance of 'Black Knight' means. Is it a knight in shining armour?" Rolanda suggested.
"I'm not certain," the Transfiguration professor stated.
"Do you know if Dumbledore has mood paper then?" the flying instructor continued.
"No, and I know that because he asked me to help him clean his office during the winter holiday. What's that got to do with anything?" Minerva responded.
Rolanda handed the notes back to her. "These were composed on mood paper. It really is a poor term for it, considering that it has very little to do with those colour-changing muggle mood rings I've had to confiscate every once in a while. Mood paper is attuned to the person who unwraps it. It comes in a plastic-like material with a round seal bearing the picture of Gemini to represent two minds, or two actions from the same mind. The person who unwraps it holds the seal in his or her hand and thinks what he or she wants written on the paper. In that way the paper can be sent to someone and look blank, and then writing can appear later. It's the latest trick I've seen students try for passing notes."
"Which means that these are most likely from a student. I suppose the next step is to check the owlry," Minerva remarked.
Rolanda eyed her curiously. "Are you telling me that these notes were delivered by an owl? You should be about to identify the one using your feline abilities."
"It's not quite that simple. The owl is unusually small and I don't think that it will be with the regular owls. If it does indeed belong to a student, then it is most likely with the student," she assessed.
Rolanda headed for the door. "I still think that you should check the owlry anyway. Who knows what you might find?"
"I'm going, thanks Ro," the Transfiguration Professor stated.
"Any time," Rolanda said. She opened the door to leave, but then turned back, as if having remembered something. "Min, You-Know-Who is drawing more followers. I'm mentioning this because he is probably who the Slytherins with run to after they graduate. I've noticed that you're working with Mr. Snape. I suggest that you see if he knows anything about what is going on."
Minerva stared at her friend for a moment, attempting to formulate a response. "I meet with him to council him, not to wring information from him. If I find a way to tactfully introduce the topic, I might. However, in this situation if I can maintain his trust, he is more likely to stay on our side."
"I still think you should question him. He just might have some answers," the flying instructor mentioned as she left.
The following day Minerva found herself in her animagus form after her classes, wandering through the owlry. An hour and a half later she returned to her office, having found nothing of importance and narrowly missing death by a few particularly large owls that nearly mistook her for some sort of a large rodent. She looked toward her desk and noticed something at the window. The little owl sat there, waiting to be let it.
"Good grief! I looked for you for quite a while and here you are, waiting for me. I suppose I'll just have to see who owns you in time," she told the bird as she untied the parchment. As usual the bird dashed out of the office as soon as its leg was free and she read the note:
Dear Aphrodite,
Compassion and reason are intertwined in you, and in how you advise others. Be well.
Your Black Knight
The entire style was like nothing she had ever seen. Whoever sent these notes, the person knew how to disguise the content of what was said so as not to match anything she had read from her students. There was something oddly familiar about the entire situation. However, it eluded her as if she could not bring herself to see the whole picture.
By her next Thursday meeting with Severus, she had received one more note and was still no closer to any answers. Rolanda had told her to ask a few students if they knew of anything. Minerva decided to use her advice. After hearing the familiar knock, she allowed Severus to come in and take a seat as she set up the chess board.
She took the white side and moved first. The game continued in silence until Severus moved his knight a few turns later. "Professor, you seem tense this afternoon," he mentioned.
I don't want to ask him if he knows anything about You-Know-Who, so I will ask him about my other problem. Looking up at him she sighed. "I suppose I am. I have a mystery to solve. Do you know anything about these 'Dear Aphrodite' notes?" the Transfiguration Professor inquired, bringing the notes to the table and handing them to him.
Severus read them quickly before facing her again. "Why would it matter whether I did or not? Judging by what I can see, whoever wrote these was only attempting to give you compliments. After all, the first note says 'I mean you no harm.' The importance is not the sender, but the message," he relayed.
Though he had made sense, she noticed that he had also dodged the question. "I suppose you are correct. However, I am attempting to discover whether or not these notes are a practical joke. What do you think?"
He turned his attention back to the board, watching as she moved her queen, carefully keeping his face emotionless. He moved his bishop out of her way before replying. "What has my opinion got to do with any of this? Do you think I would have time to sit down and think up messages like that?" he stated sardonically. "This is too long to be a prank. And if it were a practical joke, there would be a way for someone to gage a reaction from you. Therefore, I think that your notes are genuine," he concluded rationally.
She chuckled. "It sounds as though one of us would make a good detective. Have you been having any more problems with Mr. Potter or Mr. Black?"
He snorted. "I suppose there are worse things than being levitated upside down over your potion that you are brewing for a grade," he said with sarcasm.
Why can't those two just leave him alone? I shall have a word with them later. At least he was not injured this time, she thought to herself. "How has your Potions class been lately?"
His eyes were focused solely on the chess board as he made his next move. She noticed him shift in his seat, disgruntled. "I should have known by now that you would ask that. The class is fine and I continue to achieve high marks, in spite of Professor Eygore. Ever since you were cured, he's despised me for knowing what I know. If I raise my hand to answer a question, I am 'out of line.' And if I sit there and do not attempt to answer anything, I lose house points for not assisting the other Slytherins. That man is the worst dunderhead I have ever had the displeasure of getting a grade from," he stated acidly.
As much as I agree with you, I can't let you speak of your professors in such a manner, she thought to herself. "You're too harsh. Granted he is quite rude, but there is a line between what should be said about others and what should not be said," Minerva reminded him.
"I'm only saying what you would say if the were not a colleague that you had to respect. Check," Severus volleyed.
She cleared her throat. "Be careful, Mr. Snape, the path you walk on is not very wide at the moment. Do not pretend to know what I'm thinking. And as for respect, no matter how much of an ignoramus or a brute someone is, if that someone is your teacher, you owe the person the respect that you give to all of your other professors."
"Touche' professor," he acquiesced, waiting for her to make another move, deciding not to tell her that he had not pretended.
Pausing for her next move as she looked at the board, she realized that an opportunity had emerged. "The staff has become aware that You-Know-Who is gathering forces. I am not asking you to tell me anything that could pit you against your peers: I only want to know if you were aware of this and had any thoughts on the matter. You have told me concerns that you have, this is one of mine."
He took a deep breath and focused on the chessboard, as if trying to find a different strategy. She knew there was something that he was not telling her because he paused too long before responding. Finally he faced her again. "There are things that take place in my house that even I am not entirely aware of. In the instance that you are referring to, I can neither confirm, nor deny anything because I know very little. I do know that some have gone over to the other side, but I do not know which ones. The want of some to have only pure-bloods is not a new idea to the house of Slytherin. I just wish that they would change their direction and find a way to get rid of Professor Eygore."
She sighed, knowing that he had again dodged her question and brought her back to a safer plane of discussion for him. "Honestly Mr. Snape, Professor Eygore is not a monster. He is merely a man whose arrogance has gotten in the way of his conduct. Checkmate," she relayed.
He nodded and stood. "Thank you for the game, and the chat."
"You're welcome. Just please try to keep yourself out of trouble, with students and professors who annoy you," she stressed.
"I will make an honest effort, but I cannot promise miracles," he answered wryly before closing the door.
Sometimes his answers are cryptic and vague, but there is something about him that is reachable, though it hinges on dark humour. However, I shall try to keep an eye out for trouble as Ro suggested. She rolled her eyes and began sorting out quizzes to be distributed the following Monday. Then as she reached Sirius' quiz, she remembered that she wanted to have a word with him and James.
After having finished the quizzes, she made her way to the Gryffindor Common Room and found the two of the playing chess on the floor. She cleared her throat and they immediately looked up at her. "Professor McGonagall, did you need something?" James inquired.
She sat down in the nearest chair. "I am merely here to inform you gentlemen that I heard about the incident with Mr. Snape in Potions class. All I ask is that the two of you leave him alone, or I shall find a new punishment that I am certain Mr. Filch would relish taking charge of."
Both young men sighed in defeat. "Alright professor, if Sniv- I mean Snape stays away from us, we'll try to stay away from him," James acquiesced.
She stood. "In that case, I shall see all of you in class on Monday."
As she left, the other two whispered behind her back, "Why is she defending him? He's a Slytherin," Sirius pointed out.
"Who knows? Maybe she's tired of chasing us down with all the pranks we've pulled," James joked.
The little own returned during Friday afternoon. As before, the bird left in a hurry as she began to read the note.
Dear Aphrodite,
If you try too hard to find out my identity, you'll end up spilling oil on me as did Psyche to Cupid. Your wit and intellect hold me captive; my identity is of no consequence.
Your Black Knight
She ran her hands through her hair, frustrated at the vague conclusions she had drawn about the notes. Then a different idea occurred to her. Whoever wrote this is using Greek mythology and knows what I have been doing. It would make sense if 'Black Knight' referred to a chess piece. But would he actually… why would he… I don't want to believe it. What possible reason would Mr. Snape have to send me notes like this? It probably is just a prank by someone, she concluded.
As the weeks went on, she noticed a pattern on when she received the notes. They would either come every other week or every third week. As June and final exams drew closer, Dumbledore had requested a meeting with her on the year's events and progress. She decided to see if he knew anything about the notes.
Minerva sat in Dumbledore's office sipping tea later that afternoon as he looked over her students' latest test scores. "As usual Minerva, our school has done better in Transfiguration than both Beauxbatons and Durmstrang."
She smiled. "Thank you, Albus. I'm very glad that I am able to teach again."
"Yes, my dear, you had us all quite worried. You are feeling like your old self, I assume?" he asked.
"I've been quite well," she replied, finishing her tea.
Albus set the paperwork he had been reading down on his desk. "And how has Mr. Snape been fairing? Have your meetings been helpful to him?"
She answered thoughtfully. "I believe they have been. He listens to my advice, and using chess as a medium makes him feel comfortable enough to share what is on his mind."
The headmaster nodded. "I urge you to continue your meetings with him. Now was there anything else that you wanted to bring up?"
She handed him the notes she had been receiving. "I do not know whether I have an admirer or some sort of prankster, but as of late someone has been sending these to me."
He raised an eyebrow in curiosity as he read them. "I suspect that these are from an admirer. This, as I am sure you're aware of, is mood paper. I have heard gossip among the staff. They tell me it is a new way to pass notes," he said with a chuckle, handing the notes back to her. "In fact, I wish that they had this in my day."
"In that case, I shall be going," she told him as she stood.
Just before she reached the door, he spoke again. "I do not think that you have much to worry about regarding those notes, as long as you keep the context and the author separate. The author may cause complications, whether he means to or not."
He says such cryptic things sometimes, she mused as she walked toward her office. She continued playing chess with Severus as planned, giving him advice to avoid James Potter and Sirius Black. It was on a Thursday in mid-November when she learned another facet of their feud. Severus entered her office in a black mood.
They began the game in silence, as she gave him time to speak his mind if he chose to. She moved her bishop and decided to begin the conversation. "Mr. Snape, something is bothering you. Is there anything you would like to say?"
He seemed to grumble incoherently before replying, as if what he had to say needed to be dragged to the surface. "James bloody Potter is dating Lily Evans! Granted, she never showed any interest in me, but of all the people, she has to date that horse's arse!"
Minerva held back a smirk at his tirade. She had to continue being the teacher. "Mr. Snape, I understand that you are annoyed to say the least, but I will advise you to watch your language," she reminded him.
He nodded and sighed. "The bottom line is that he does not deserve her."
"Are he and Mr. Black still bothering you?" Minerva asked, attempting to change the subject.
"Actually Lily seems to have been a sufficient distraction. As of late they've left me alone," he muttered.
The Transfiguration professor sighed. "I am sorry that life pulls such cruel tricks. You'll find someone else more suited to you."
He looked away and glared at the chess board, capturing her bishop with his rook. She raised an eyebrow, surprised that she had not seen the move. "Professor, if you are attempting to make me feel better, I am not in the mood. I don't wish to discuss this any further," he admitted darkly.
She nodded and decided to use a new strategy to beat him, involving a trap with her pawns. "I see. How has Professor Eygore's class been?"
He snorted. "That man is doing his best, waiting for me to make a mistake. Fortunately I am competent enough to know how to fix mistakes when I do make them. Perhaps if he suddenly had a girlfriend, he would leave me alone as well."
At that Minerva let a chuckle escape and he smiled wryly at her. "You could be right about that. The other thing he needs, and I say this in the most polite way, is a good dose of humility. He does nothing but rub everyone else's shortcomings in their faces," she mentioned.
He sat back in his chair and raised an eyebrow at her sudden admission of dislike for her colleague. "And I thought you told me that I ought to respect him regardless."
"I did! Leave it to a Slytherin to find a loophole in anything. I was only pointing out something that he needed," she protested.
"Leave it to a Gryffindor to cover a verbal misstep with an excuse," he volleyed smirking at her defensiveness.
"Recovering one's honour is not an excuse," she responded, leaning across the desk slightly.
He snorted. "I don't see why honour is in question. You only said what you should have said a long time ago, check."
"Still, the fact that I said it in front of you after telling you that you should speak better of others is the reason that my honour requires defending, but not my dignity," she relayed, sitting up straight and moving her king out of check.
Standing to gain a better look at the board, he moved his knight. "What does honour matter if you use it to gage other people's opinions of you? And what is the difference between honour and dignity?"
Staring at the chessboard in thought, she moved a pawn. "You have asked some very intelligent questions. I suppose honour is your standing in a community, as well as a code of behavior that is acceptable, or a motive behind an action that would be otherwise dangerous. I believe dignity is the part of yourself that you must remain true to, the part of yourself that makes you who you are when you have nothing else."
"Basically honour is a safeguard that keeps things in control while dignity is what remains when the damage has been done and things require rebuilding? I suppose that in a way dignity is the core of who we are and what we stand for?" he probed.
Something in his eyes told her that he was trying to convey something more. She understood that he was attempting to bring out a deeper point to the conversation, but she did not know why. "I see your point, though I am curious as to where you are leading this conversation."
"If dignity relates to who we are but honour relates to what society expects of us, isn't it more important to appease dignity over honour?" he inquired, leaning toward her.
She knew that he had bested her, at least verbally. Deciding to put her pride aside, she answered him with clarity. "You are correct. It would seem that as the years go by, I have forgotten a few things of importance that you have reminded me of. I would say that we have had a fair exchange of ideas today, wouldn't you? Checkmate."
"Good day, professor," he stated as he stood.
Putting away the chess pieces, she nodded. "Good day, Mr. Snape." There is much more to that young man than anyone has ever given him credit for, she realizes after he had gone.
(My thanks to GraciesMom (), duj, Leta McGotor, excessivelyperky, and toohappytocare for reviewing :D)