Disclaimer: All Harry Potter people, places, things, and ideas (all Harry Potter nouns) belong to J. K. Rowlings. Mordecai and Elisabeth are mine.
Chapter 26: From knowledge borrow understanding.
She had come to see Severus, bringing her Wizards' Chess set as they had planned. As the game progressed, she noticed how distracted he seemed. She won, too easily in her opinion, and decided that the time had come to get to the bottom of the problem.
"Something is bothering you," Minerva observed, sitting next to him on the couch after having the chess set put itself back into its box.
He did not face her, but looked into the fireplace, watching the flames lick the wood. "Woman, I am in no mood to discuss matters at the moment."
"Oh no, you'll not get off that easily. I know you talked to Albus again; therefore you either have Order business, or something a bit darker. The question is whether or not you will tell me about it."
"I might not be able to return after I do what must be done," he relayed quietly.
She raised an eyebrow. "And why does it have to be you?"
He stood and began pacing. "Because I am the one everyone gives the dirty work to. I am supposed to work for both sides and finally it will get me into trouble. I'm tired of it all, but no one else has the capacity to do what I do!" he growled.
She left the couch and walked over to him. "I wish you were not so self-sacrificing."
"Do you wish that I was a normal wizard, smoking a pipe in front of the fireplace, watching the years slowly drift by?" he said cynically.
She frowned at his sharpness, but understood. "No, but I wish you wouldn't take such risks."
They resumed their seats on the couch and he put an arm around her shoulders. "Would we even know how to exist in a world without such risks?"
Giving him a weary smile, she kissed his cheek. "I should like to think that we can learn. Peace is hiding out there somewhere," she paused and moved closer to him, placing one arm around his waist and the other on his shoulder. "I would offer you some inner peace if I knew how to."
He pulled her closer and looked into her lively green eyes that seemed to draw from the fire. "You are my sense of peace," he said before kissing her passionately.
As he took the hairpins out of her hair and was running his fingers through the dark-brown mass, she was kissing him back. When they stopped for oxygen she looked at the clock. They rested their foreheads together. "Severus, I have to go," she whispered.
"Why? One of us always has to dash off. Couldn't you postpone whatever it is that you find the necessity to attend?" he questioned. Before she could answer he kissed her deeply.
She pulled away regretfully. "As much as I would rather stay, I have to meet with some of my Gryffindors to discuss a few pranks that they pulled and see to it that they don't repeat their actions. After all the mess last year, I've had to stop so many practical jokes."
He let her go and sighed. "I suppose you're right. One of these days you and I will have an evening without interruptions," he mentioned with a smirk.
She chuckled and added, "Agreed," as she left. After she had gone, Severus decided to try searching for the Potions book again, wondering what Mordecai would think of it.
"Cyrus, I know what you should do this year. You know who your mother is, so why not try to learn about your father?" Elisabeth pestered. She had come to find him to study together in the library and had seated herself on his bed. On commenting she stood.
"Regarding my mother I actually had tangible clues," he countered.
She sat back down on his bed. "Just pretend you're the great muggle detective, Sherlock Holmes."
He laughed. "I used to do just that when I was younger," he paused and walked back and forth through his room. "The only thing I know about him is that he is still alive."
She glanced at the cuckoo clock in the room. "We need to get to the library so we can study for our Charms quiz," she insisted.
Grabbing his books he nodded and they set off, continuing their conversation as they walked. "In trying to learn more about my father, all I ever find are dead ends," he admitted.
"If your mum won't tell you, what about your aunt?" she pursued.
He shook his head. "The last time that I asked her about him, she said that she did not know anything."
"Well then try again. Perhaps she's learned something of him over the years," the girl suggested. "I wonder if the Headmaster knows."
"I don't think that he would tell me anything either. Lisa, I'm just out of ideas for who to ask," he replied.
They reached the library and opened the doors, whispering. "You could ask Professor Snape. Have you ever wondered why he is actually nice to you? Despite his gruff manner, he teaches you advanced potions and from what you've told me, you've known the man since you were nearly two years old, if not younger," she pointed out.
Mordecai stopped walking so abruptly that Elisabeth nearly tripped over him. "You're right. I've known him as far back as I can remember. He has to know something. I'll ask him about it the next time I see him for a potion lesson."
A week later Severus and Mordecai stood over a new potion in his private lab. He had just explained the properties as Mordecai was putting in the ingredients when the young man asked his question. "Sir, do you know my father?"
Severus' face became ashen, not having expected anything like this. Dear Merlin, why did he have to ask me that? I suppose I can tell him something so that he will not ask me anymore questions. "I would prefer to tell you that you are better off knowing as little as possible, but at your current age, I doubt if that would work anymore," he said sardonically. "Your father wishes to keep his identity a secret because he doesn't want you to get into trouble because of him. He has done things of the disreputable sort that he regrets, and that could cause you harm if you know too much."
Severus could almost see the wheels turning in Mordecai's mind as he tried to understand the need for secrecy once again. "That is understandable. Could you at least tell me what he is or was like?"
The older man sighed. "I suppose you deserve that much. He was always very good at Potions. His school days were not the easiest and he had few friends, partly because of the cynicism he carried. Then he met your mother and for the first time in many years he was happy again. Not long after you were born, both of your parents decided to leave you with relatives for your own safety. To this day, he still cares about your mother, but he has remained a cynical, sarcastic man. You should be stirring by now."
Mordecai nodded and returned his attention to the potion. "Thank you, sir. If I may ask one more question, how do you factor into my life? I've known you since as far back as I can remember, but I don't understand why."
Severus was taken aback by his question, but this one was easier to answer. "I have been a friend of your mother's for quite a while. Seeing you was something that occurred as I was passing through to gather more ingredients for other potions from the continent."
Having received at least an adequate answer, Mordecai let the issue rest. He left when he had finished his potion and found Elisabeth to tell her what he had learned. She stared at him incredulously. "You should have asked him how he knew, or knows your father."
"I have this peculiar feeling that I am not putting something together, but I'm not sure as to what. I should have asked him if my father went to Hogwarts, since I know that my mother did," Mordecai realized.
"Or you could just ask your mother again," Elisabeth added as she continued to read her text book.
Minerva had been called to the Headmaster's study and was not certain as to the reason. On her way she ran into Severus. "Where are you off to in such a hurry?" he inquired.
"I'm heading to Albus' study. Are you?" she watched as he nodded. "Do you know what this is about?"
"It might have something to do with the Horcrux he and Potter were studying," Severus suggested.
After saying the password they were in Dumbledore's study waiting for the explanation. "It's good that you both could make it," the Headmaster said, slightly out of breath.
"Albus, what is this all about? I am tired of being kept in the dark!" Minerva exclaimed.
The old wizard sighed heavily and locked his gaze with Severus before facing her again. "My dear, Tom Riddle is gaining power, as you well know. Things have been set in motion to stop him, but a great many dangers will shortly be coming our way. In case anything should happen to me, I want you to be prepared to take the role of Headmistress for the sake of the school," he told her solemnly.
"Of course I would take that role, but it isn't necessary at the moment," she protested, as if trying to out-chance the half prediction he had given her.
He set a paper before her and in inspection, she found it to be a will of sorts, making her Headmistress at the event of his death. She had signed it years ago. "But it may be soon. Severus, there are other matters we need to discuss. Minerva, you may leave now if you wish."
She stood and moved between both of them, crossing her arms and scolding them with her eyes. "I cannot believe you two! I am the Deputy Headmistress of this school, as well as a member of the Order and the two of you are treating me as if I am of no help to you!"
Severus stepped over to her. "Minerva, you were hurt last year and do not need to be put in that kind of danger again. Forgive our vagueness, but this is all for safety-"
"All these years and you don't trust me! There was a time when I was the only one you could trust," she ended by slapping him across the face and storming out with the exclamation of "Men!"
Dumbledore watched her go and then turned back to Severus. "What is the current situation with Mr. Malfoy?"
"His mother keeps wanting me to do the Unbreakable Vow. I have been trying to devise other ways to help him," Severus mentioned.
The old man sighed heavily. "Either way, I still understand what my fate in all this will be. Tom Riddle knows that Harry draws strength from me because the boy thinks that I can defeat Riddle if he cannot. I'm dying, Severus, I've told you this before. Some wizards start to slip away a little bit at a time, others succumb to muggle diseases that they cannot cure even in the magic world. Riddle found a way to activate an old curse that Grindewald had hit me with, a certain kind of draining curse. You well know that I cannot stop it."
"But why go along with the fate that You-Know-Who has set?" Severus questioned. What neither wizard noticed at the moment was the presence of someone coming up the stairs into the study.
"Because it will give Harry what he needs to fight Riddle and eventually win," the guest did not hear that segment, only what followed. "I know what my end in this will be. The question is whether or not you know yours."
He turned back to Dumbledore. "Minerva's right, you know. If we tell her, she might have a few plans of her own."
"Would you really risk it though?" Dumbledore demanded.
Severus paused in thought for a long minute. "I wish there was an easier way to solve this. The last thing I want to do is put her at risk, but if she knows nothing, the possible outcomes could hurt her worse than any injury could," he argued.
"You will not tell her," it was one of the few times Dumbledore had given him a direct order.
It was then that they noticed Harry. "How much did you hear, Potter?" Severus demanded.
"Not much, only that you two are arguing and not telling Professor McGonagall something," he said quickly.
Severus snorted and left shortly, leaving Dumbledore to meet with Harry. Figuring that Minerva would be in no mood to speak with him, he headed back to his rooms. However, as he walked he thought of Dumbledore's adamant refusal to bring her into their situation. Could he have feelings for her that neither one of us realized? He didn't seem upset when he found us the other day, or he could have been very good at hiding it, Severus pondered.
In April Mordecai and Elisabeth sat in the library, working on a history assignment for Professor Binns. The assignment was to select a teaching position other than History of Magic or Defense Against the Dark Arts and write a report about how the teaching styles have changed over the years, comparing three professors who have held the job in the last century. The two were examining old yearbooks once again, this time for information concerning past Potions professors.
Mordecai turned one of the yearbooks to Professor Vincent Eygore. "From what I've noticed, this man was only here for approximately four years. Something happened to him and then Professor Snape enters the picture."
Elisabeth glanced at the picture of Severus that was in the yearbook the first year he was teaching. "He looks so young in this photo. I wonder how old he was when he started teaching here, and why they would hire him if he was so young."
"He knows more about potions and how to use them than an encyclopedia. I suspect that because of his extensive knowledge he was given the position," Mordecai hypothesized.
She stared at the picture, deep in thought. "I can't help thinking that there was some other reason that he was hired."
"Sometimes there isn't anything extraordinary," Mordecai reminded.
Elisabeth continued to stare at the picture in confusion. "I still think that there are connections that we aren't seeing."
He turned back to one of the other yearbooks. "I wish we knew more about Professor Eygore."
The answer came from the librarian, Madame Pince, who was curious as to what the students were looking for. She walked over to Mordecai's right and looked at the picture. "Eygore was like Lockhart, full of himself and pitifully ignorant. Poor Professor Snape, he was a student at that time you know, he couldn't stand Eygore. Snape has always had a brilliant mind for potions and Eygore didn't give him an inch."
"Where was Professor McGonagall at this time?" Elisabeth inquired.
"She was where she always is, teaching Transfiguration," the librarian answered.
She walked away as Elisabeth and Mordecai looked at each other incredulously. "You should as Professor Snape about him."
Mordecai nodded in agreement and turned back to the yearbook that covered the year the Marauders graduated. Flipping through a few pages, he found a picture of his mother. "I wonder if they new each other during his school days, aside from working in the classroom. He has been a Potions Master her for nearly as long as I've been born."
They continued their project, Mordecai pondering all that they had learned of Severus. As the weeks wore on, he was still no closer to discovering the identity of his father. Meanwhile Severus was still looking for the book. He received his answer to its whereabouts one day as he encountered Harry and Draco fighting in the hall.
Severus knew that aside from notes about potions, he had invented a few spells. One of which he observed Harry inflicting on Draco. Seeing his godson bleeding on the floor, he quickly rushed over and uttered the counter spell. Then he glared at Harry mercilessly.
"Potter, do you have any idea how dangerous that spell is? Where, by the way, did you happen to find it?" Severus interrogated with a mixture of anger and sarcasm.
The Gryffindor eyed Severus curiously, but with a respectable level of discomfort. "I found it in a book that Professor Slughorn gave to me at the beginning of the school year because I needed a Potions book," he explained.
Acting as civil as he could manage, Severus responded, "You have detention with me for the remainder of the school year. Now bring that book by my office before dinner!"
Harry complied and Severus breathed a sigh of relief to finally have the book back. As he walked back to his quarters, he wished that Minerva was on speaking terms with him again. After their disagreement in Dumbledore's study she had said little to him. Minerva was on her way to dinner when she encountered Elisabeth, without Mordecai, pacing in the hall.
"What seems to be the matter, Miss Wellington?" she asked the young lady.
Elisabeth stopped and sighed, putting her hands up to her hair. Usually her waist-length blonde hair was pulled back, in a braid, or occasionally just down. Today it was in a messy ball held together by muggle hair pins. "I was trying something different and now it's all stuck together," she admitted.
Minerva smiled politely and took out her wand. The spell she used put Elisabeth's hair in a nice bun, with loops and small wavy tendrils hanging down. "Was this more what you had in mind?" the Transfiguration Mistress inquired. Elisabeth smiled and nodded. "You were trying to impress Mr. Maddock again, weren't you?"
Elisabeth nodded as she blushed. "I just wish that I could somehow catch his eye."
"You will in time," the older which said, patting the younger one on the shoulder.
They headed to the Great Hall for dinner, Elisabeth to the Ravenclaw table and Minerva to the professors' table. As Elisabeth sat down next to Mordecai, he glanced at her. "Where were you?"
"I was trying to fix a few things," she remarked, gesturing to her hair.
He looked at it and raised an eyebrow. "Your hair looks nice, but why did you do that?"
One of these days I'm just going to have to draw him a picture of what I mean, she thought with a sigh. "I wanted to try something different."
She's cute when she's perturbed. "You had better be careful. If you do that too often, you might attract someone's attention," he conveyed with a wry grin.
What makes you think that I would be doing otherwise? She laughed. "Maybe I am, and maybe I'm not. Let's finish dinner."
Though to her it appeared that he did not pay much attention to her efforts, occasionally as they joked he would finger one of her tendrils. Minerva watched the two and smiled, wondering when her son would realize his feelings. At the professors' table, Minerva refused to look at Severus and both left the hall after the meal from different directions.
It was the middle of May when Minerva was playing chess with Dumbledore. As with Severus, she had not spoken much with the Headmaster either. Halfway through their second game, he broke the silence. "My dear, I wish you would not be cross with me. I have only been looking after your best interests."
She had noticed how tired he looked lately, as if he was loosing a battle to an enemy of time itself. "I would only like to know what is going on. If I know what the plans are, then I can coordinate efforts where they are needed, as is my job," she argued.
"Severus tells me that you've been avoiding him lately," the old wizard mentioned.
Minerva snorted in frustration. "Neither of you will tell me what I want to know and I have, in fact, been avoiding both of you."
"Don't be cross with him, he has enough trouble. All will make sense in time," Dumbledore tried to reassure her.
She stood and sighed heavily. "I truly do not appreciate this one bit! I will discover what is-" she was cut off by tapping of an owl at the window.
Dumbledore rose and let the bird in. After retrieving the parchment he gave the bird a treat and sent it on his way. Minerva noticed his grave expression as he read it. He faced her and relayed what the contents were. "Moody writes that Severus was almost caught while on a mission for the Order. He was injured and then headed off to a meeting for the other side. He told Moody what had transpired at that meeting and should be back here, but Moody writes that he suspects Severus has internal injuries."
Minerva's face was ashen. "I'll go check on him," she remarked, leaving the study and coming to see Severus by floo. As she entered the living room, she found it in total darkness. "Severus?" she called out into the darkness.
The only response she received from him was a familiar grumble, but that was enough. She lit her one of his lamps and found him sitting on the couch. "Severus, are you alright? Is anything broken? Albus received Moody's letter."
Shortly before her arrival, he had taken care of his wounds himself. He turned to her and looked into her pensive green eyes. "I am relieved that we are once again on speaking terms. I may be a sight for sore eyes, but at least nothing is broken. Moody tends to be a bit paranoid when I come back and the robe I'm wearing has blood in various places. He probably told you I had internal injuries. I took care of everything, so stop staring at me as if I've come from death's doorstep."
She sat next to him and smiled. "I've missed you."
He reached out and touched her face. "I have missed you as well." As he continued to caress her cheek, she began to purr. "It would seem that your animagus self has rubbed off on your human form," he mentioned wryly.
She nodded but then moved away and stood up slowly. "I still need some answers. Do you still trust me?" she questioned.
Standing, he walked over to her and they watched the fireplace as small sparks flew in the air. "I have always trusted you. The issue was not about trust; it was about keeping you safe."
"Then both you and Albus should trust me enough to be able to handle whatever may come myself!" she retorted.
He took her by the shoulders. "I wanted to bloody tell you! Dumbledore ordered me not to, and that is why I haven't."
She broke away from him. "I understand that, but it doesn't mean that I have to agree with it."
Sighing heavily, he realized that the best option was to tell her part of it. "Minerva, Dumbledore is dying. How long he has left is unknown, which is why he wanted to make sure that you were ready to be Headmistress when the time came," he relayed quietly.
Mortified, she stared at him curiously. "And what role must you play in this?"
"That, I cannot tell you. What I can tell you, however, is that I might not be able to come back after it," he admitted.
They stood closer to each other. "What can I do?" she asked.
He wrapped his arms around her. "No matter what happens, look after Mordecai and his friend, the blonde girl. Keep them out of danger and see that their lives can be as normal as possible," he requested.
They embraced and held each other tightly. "I feel as though all that we have known is slipping away. Our world is changing and I'm going to lose you," she stated.
"Minerva, I will always find you, no matter what happens. The future seems dark an ominous, but as long as I love you it does not seem quite so bleak," he told her.
It was one of the few times that he had said those three little words and she could not stop a few tears from springing to her eyes. "I will always love you," she whispered.
He kissed her fiercely and she responded, pulling him closer to her. She found herself pressed against the kitchen counter as he kissed her deeply. Suddenly he broke away, reaching over to retrieve two small vials from a cabinet. They contained a clear liquid. "If you are staying," he began as their foreheads met, "then it would be advisable to take these so that we do not have the consequences of the previous time."
She understood and agreed, both of them downing the vials. "No interruptions this time," he commented as he trailed kisses down her jaw line and neck causing her to shiver.
"I have nowhere else to be," she reaffirmed. They kissed passionately and he proceeded to pick her up.
"That is good to know," he said with a smirk.
"You're a scoundrel," she added affectionately as they moved toward his bedroom.
"So it would seem," he agreed before kissing her hungrily and closing the door.
(My thanks to Annette-Rose, artemissan09, Isabelle (), Leta McGotor, Ali, and excessivelyperky for reviewing :D)