Disclaimer: All Harry Potter people, places, things, and ideas (all Harry Potter nouns) belong to J. K. Rowlings. Mordecai and Elisabeth are mine.
Chapter 19: Fool me twice, shame on me.
"I'm going to talk to her today," Mordecai told Elisabeth as they headed for class after the Christmas break.
She rolled her eyes. "I still do not see what the big deal is. She's just a girl."
"She's a girl whom I would like to know better," he stated as he looked for the red-haired Gryffindor across the hall.
I wonder if he would listen to me more if my hair was red too, Elisabeth thought as she took her wand out of her pocket and charmed her hair.
Mordecai walked up to the Gryffindor and put out a hand as she turned to face him. She looked around the hall, as if distracted, but he decided to try anyway. "Hello, I'm Mordecai Maddock, second-year Ravenclaw."
She suddenly turned as she heard his voice. "Oh, I didn't see you there. Hello, I'm Ginny Weasley, from Gryffindor. I'm a second-year too. You haven't seen my brother, Ron, or Harry Potter, have you?" she questioned, looking past him.
"I'm sorry, no," he admitted. She shrugged and walked off as Mordecai watched her go.
"I suspect that she barely noticed you," Elisabeth remarked.
He spoke as he turned. "Lisa, there are times when you can be rather blunt and- what in the name of Merlin did you do to your hair?"
She began giggling. "It's nice to see that I finally have your attention. I figured that if I changed my hair to this colour, you might actually listen to me. Now come on, or we'll be late to class."
He shook his head and chuckled as he followed her. "You have made your point, but I think that your hair looks better blonde." She changed her hair back as they entered their first class of the day.
For Potions that week, the class was making an anti-allergy potion. It was supposed to be as orange as the fruit, but Mordecai's was more of a burnt-orange. Elisabeth glanced over at him with concern. "For all the studying you do for this class, I would think you'd noticed that your colour is a bit off."
He glanced at the ingredients and then faced her. "I was trying something that will make it better. Trust me."
The class was permitted to leave as soon as they completed their assignments. As the students placed the bottled potions on their desks, Severus spotted Mordecai's assignment. "Mr. Maddock, please stay after class," he instructed with his usual authority.
Elisabeth looked back at her friend. "If you don't show up by dinner time, I'll come and rescue you myself," she whispered with a smirk.
He shot her a wry smile. "You won't have to resort to that."
"And you think I am the one with the crazy ideas," she added as she left.
Mordecai turned back and walked over to the disgruntled professor's desk. Severus was standing, holding the boy's potion. He spoke irritation. "Mr. Maddock, I expected better out of you than this. Why is this not the appropriate colour?"
"Sir, the colour is different because I added porcupine quills to increase the stability. It should last longer," Mordecai explained.
Deep in thought, Severus' face was unreadable. He did what I tried to do when I was a student. I should have recognized what he added because he's right. I need to appear strict as usual, but I am genuinely impressed with him. "You are correct, Mr. Maddock. However, in the future you are to consult me before you invent your own recipes," he said gruffly.
The boy nodded. "May I go, sir?"
"Dismissed," Severus responded. But just before Mordecai left the room, he heard the Potions Master say, "Ten points to Ravenclaw for improving a potion."
While Potions and most of their other classes had gone well, Mordecai noticed that Elisabeth was still slightly apprehensive about Defense Against the Dark Arts. It did not help that a few of the students still teased her about the boggart incident. They stopped just outside of the door. "Lisa, I don't think we will be doing any more demonstrations. Let's go," he tried to persuade her.
"What did Professor Snape say about your potion?" she asked, trying to distract him.
He scowled at her, but more with irritation than scolding. "I know what you are trying to do and it won't work. As I told you, everything with the potion was fine and I am not in trouble. As for this class," he paused and smirked, "if you're just going to stand out here, then I will levitate you inside and you'll attend class anyway."
She glared at him and rolled her eyes. "You do a good imitation of a professor. I suppose since my choice is to go in or be dragged in, I choose to walk in on my own two feet," she remarked.
"Honestly, it won't be that bad. They'll eventually forget all about the boggart when something more interesting comes up," he reassured her.
She sighed and took her seat next to his. "I suppose you're right."
Lupin walked in behind them, having watched their exchange with interest. Something about the boy stood out to him, but he was not certain as to what. After his classes, he was turning a corner in the hall and almost walked into Minerva. "Oh, I'm sorry," he commented, stopping suddenly.
She brushed it off. "It's alright. Just don't rush around so much."
He was about to continue on his way when the incident with Mordecai and Elisabeth flashed in his mind. "Minerva, what do you know about Mr. Maddock?" he inquired.
The Transfiguration Professor inwardly froze. "What do you mean?"
"There is something familiar about him. I watched him talk to Miss Wellington and something in his expressions looked familiar. I haven't heard of the Maddock family. Who are they?" Lupin questioned.
Minerva gave him the answer that came to mind. "They are actually cousins of mine. He may look familiar because of the general family resemblance."
Lupin raised an eyebrow. "I suppose that's one explanation for it. Now that I think of it, his eyes in particular look familiar."
She did not want to find out if he had anymore questions. "Remus, I really must be going. I was retrieving some grading ink that I left in the staff room," she paused, showing him the inkwell, "and I have essays to finish grading."
"Of course, see you at dinner Minerva," he said as he headed in the opposite direction. She breathed a sigh of relief and transfigured the inkwell back into the marble that she had confiscated from a student.
The following week she met Severus for an evening game of chess. As the game began, she said little and fiddled with her hands in a distracted gesture. She even seemed to forget that the chess pieces were enchanted until the rook yelled at her when she attempted to move it.
"Minerva, you seem pensive this evening. Were the students transfiguring ordinary things into sharp objects today?" he asked sarcastically.
She was in a serious mood, but his comment did produce a smirk. "That only happened once, in all the years that I've been teaching, and it was a dart. No, my worrying has nothing to do with my classes. Lupin asked me about Mordecai today."
He raised an eyebrow as he told his bishop where to go. "He shouldn't put his muzzle into other peoples' business."
"Lupin wasn't prying; he just thought something about the boy's facial features looked familiar, particularly the eyes," she explained.
Severus snorted. "Still, I can't see why he would be so curious, nor do I see why he asked you."
"He ran into me in the hall, quite literally," she paused and put a hand up, noticing that he was about to retort. "And we both were not watching where we were going."
They both turned their attention back to the game and the only sound for a while was the crackling fireplace. Severus spoke after putting Minerva's king in check. "What did you tell him?"
She moved her piece and looked up. "I told him that the boy was a cousin of mine and that all the family members resembled each other. Severus," she paused and they locked gazes, "as he grows older, the resemblance will be more noticeable between the two of you."
"We will all just have to be careful then. As long as the two of us are not standing side by side with the same expression, there is no reason why anyone should suspect that the boy and I are related," he pointed out. "He is doing well in his studies. Do you remember how much trouble I got into in Potions class toward the end?"
"Yes. Eygore was not willing to let you add things or take suggestions," she recalled.
"The boy turned in a potion the other day that he had added ingredients to for stability. As young as he is, he understands how ingredients interact with each other," Severus remarked with what Minerva perceived to be a hint of pride.
"He is doing quite well in his studies. By the way, checkmate," she stated. He looked down and sighed at his defeat.
"Woman, that was sneaky. You actually succeeded in distracting me. I demand a rematch," he requested.
She laughed as the game put itself away and she glanced over at the clock. "Goodness, it's late."
He nodded and stood. "You're right; I should be going."
As they walked to the door, his hand found hers. "Goodnight Minerva," he commented as he kissed her hand.
She blushed, but kissed him on the cheek before he left. "Goodnight Severus."
It was late in the spring when Mordecai and Elisabeth had agreed to meet to study for their end of the term exams. He sat in the library, waiting and staring at the door. Where could she be? I shouldn't expect her to be early, but she usually isn't detained this long. I'd better go look for her, he resolved. As he headed down the hall, he stopped to see a group of Slytherins standing in a circle.
"I don't know what on earth you want from me, but you had better let me pass!" said a voice Mordecai recognized.
"We're only looking for mudbloods and halfbloods. Today is your day to pay us a toll," one sneered. Mordecai noiselessly crept closer.
"Over my dead body," she retorted.
"As you wish," another one retaliated. He cast the spell to petrify her, but found the Slytherin across from him petrified. "What the bloody hell happened? Where is she?"
Mordecai had quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her past them before the spell hit her. She was able to move far enough away from him, but one was able to take hold of him. "Who do we have here, another mudblood?"
Lupin was walking to his office when he noticed he exchange. He moved over to them quietly and watched the events unfold. The Ravenclaw glared at them darkly. "You have no right to be doing this. I suggest that we all go our separate ways before all of you find yourselves in much more trouble," glowered in the most authoritative voice that he could muster.
"And just how do you intend to back that up?" another Slytherin questioned.
"By having several detentions," Lupin responded, making his presence known. All six Slytherins turned white. "With Filch," he added. Then he turned toward Mordecai and Elisabeth. "You two had best get to wherever it was that you were headed before any more trouble finds you."
They left quickly, heading off to the library. Lupin paused on his way to his office, thinking about what he had just seen. That glare looked familiar. The speech he gave them reminds me of someone too. But who does- no, it can't be. Can it? While he was pondering the peculiar idea that had just occurred to him, he was not watching where he was going again and ploughed directly into the staff member whom he wanted to avoid most.
"Snape, I'm sorry. Excuse me," Lupin mumbled, not facing him.
"You seem to be making a habit of not watching where you are going. Perhaps you would be better off with a pair of spectacles instead of a certain potion," Severus said snidely.
At that moment they locked stares and Lupin's expression changed from one of irritation to one of recognition. I don't know how, nor do I particularly want to know how, but that boy looks like Snape, Lupin realized. "As I said before, excuse me."
Severus was able to read the look, as well as the man's surface thoughts as he moved past him. The Potions Master continued on his way, brooding now more than ever. That bloody werewolf figured it out. I'll have to come up with something drastic before he goes to anything else with what he thinks he knows, Severus resolved.
Minerva found out through Dumbledore what Severus had planned. Sirius Black had escaped and she was sitting in the staff room with a cup of herbal tea, considering the ramifications of it all. The Headmaster found his Deputy and spoke. "Minerva I'm glad I found you."
She turned to him and gave him a small smile. "So many strange things have transpired lately. Do you have good news?"
He sighed and shook his head. "I'm afraid not, my dear. It would seem that someone has distributed letters to parents, telling them of Remus' condition."
"Oh dear, what will happen to him?" she inquired, her voice hinged with worry.
Dumbledore took a seat in the chair next to him. "He has submitted his resignation and I have offered to find him something."
"It's too bad that he feels he has to resign. The students thought he was a good teacher…," she trailed off, thinking back to when Lupin had needed a substitute during his transformation. "Albus, you said that someone sent out letters to parents? Whom do you suspect would do something like this?"
"I have my suspicions but-" she cut him off.
"The person responsible may have had a past to consider, as well as a grudge. Excuse me, Albus. I have some business to attend to," she said civilly. Dumbledore quickly moved aside, noticing her Scottish temper rising.
She marched down to the dungeons and knocked sharply on Severus' office door. He magically unlocked the door and she entered. He knew instantly why she had stormed into his office and he stood. "Now Minerva, before you go on a tirade, I'll tell you why I had to do it. He-"
The woman in front of him was seething. "You just could not let it rest! You had to keep holding your blasted grudge against the only accessible person associated with James Potter and Sirius Black. Well, you have your revenge and I hope-"
Severus grabbed her by the shoulders, trying to get a word in edge-wise. "Minerva, you weren't there that night. If he doesn't take the potion, he turns into something deadly. I did what I thought was best. And as for any other motives, I had only one: he bloody found out and I was not about to let it be disclosed."
She raised an eyebrow. "What did he find out?"
"Somehow he realized that the boy and I could be related. Do you realize what kind of trouble a rumor like that would do at this school?" he explained.
"That still doesn't make it right," she pointed out, crossing her arms after he had released it.
He walked over to his kitchen to retrieve a bottle of brand. After pouring himself a drink he returned to her. "You could be right, but I have done what I thought was necessary."
As he took a drink she headed for the door. "You took a grudge out on a man who was as much a victim as you were," she added quietly before she left.
Taking another drink, he sighed heavily and paced through the room. She doesn't understand. She simply does not- I only did what I thought was best. I hope that I'm not a fool for wishing that she'll forgive me for this some day, he thought before going to bed and drifted off into a fitful slumber.
(My thanks to Underground (), excessivelyperky, DD2, Isabelle (), Leta McGotor, and fan-rei for reviewing :D)