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Chapter 15: Clash of Great Minds
JBE. Jello Brain Effect. Night time and mushiness of the mind causes me to become exhausted even before bed time. Friday, eight p.m, lying in bed with all the lights out. I find myself laughing at nothing. My humor expectations had dropped to the bottom since Snape gave me my own lavender incense. I laugh and chuckle and snort at everything when these thin candle-like-things are lit. But I am not drugged. Unless Snape added an illegal substance to my glass of water.
Can I be considered insane if I hang off of my bed upside-down? It's amusing seeing the world like that.
So, Bianca was removed from Snape's class. What a relief. She was such a brat! Dumbledore had banned her from taking potions with Snape any longer. Lucky for her there was a different class she could take. However, I don't find arithmancy very fun. The rest of today hadn't been very exciting. Sit, sit, sit, read, sit, sit, sit, bathroom break, sit, read, eat supper, and here I am. Even Snakey Snape seemed slightly satisfied with classes. Of course, this was because no student would smack his butt anymore, or harass him, or flirt with him. Why would that stupid Bianca chick flirt with Snape anyways? He was a greasy git who couldn't keep his temper down if he tried. Wait, what am I thinking? He kept his temper down all the time with me.. Except for a few times, but that's pretty normal.
I suppose Sevvie isn't all that bad. And no, he's not very greasy or git-like. Over the course of time I had been here, serving as a teacher's aid, I had grown very fond of Snake the Oxymoron. Nothing was wrong with him.
Excluding when he took it upon himself to enter my room while I was hanging upside-down.
"Miss Maguire," He stood tall in the doorway, "Are you alright?"
I was stuck in the upside-down position, blood rushing to my head. My mouth didn't want to open, so I blankly stared at the Snake.
Placing his hands by his side, Snape began to walk towards me. He stated, "You have used too much incense. I knew I shouldn't have given this to you. Not without instructions, anyway. That's why I'm in here; The smell is overpowering the scents I'm using, which is not a good sign."
If I played dumb, how long would it take before he became annoyed?
"I'm stuck," I didn't want to see him annoyed tonight.
In a moment, Snape grasped both of my shoulders, sending my nerves on a crazy-spree, for I hated being touched. He pulled me up and helped me find balance. My head urgently fell to the pillow below it. Blood rushed back into its original form of flow. I took a deep breath and opened closed my eyes. When opened, I realized Snape was sitting on the edge of my bed. He quickly got up, walking over to my incense, and putting the flame out.
"No more tonight," He warned, and then added, "I don't want you to overdose on lavender."
A smile played around my lips, "It's your fault. You gave me this stuff. But I'll be careful. I guess I shouldn't have let it stay lit for so long."
Glancing at the clock, I noticed it was just turning nine p.m. Time for sleep. Snape thought so too, showing this by going back to the doorway. He said goodnight, and listened for me to return the statement. Instead of a normal goodnight, I cheerfully said farewell.
Climbing into my bed sheets, I used my wand as a light source as I wrote in my journal/diary/thing-to-rant-in. Lockhart was wrong; I did express myself...To inanimate objects like journals.
0o0o0o0o
Early in the morning, I awake feeling pieces of a headache form in my brain. The incense had been too much for me to handle, as was hanging upside-down. Saturday morning, another weekend to stay in my comfortable bed.
Bursting through my door was Gwenny, panting and heaving. "Ma-Ma-Ma... Maranda!"
Sitting up in bed, I questioned, "What's going on?"
"Nothing.. You're up too late. We're supposed to visit Hogsmeade today. I ran to tell you to get your butt out of bed and change into some clothing. I'll wait for you outside. We'll be late but it's better than not going." Without giving me a chance to copmprehend her verbal attack, Gwen slammed my door shut on her way out.
I hastened to put on some blue jeans and a green long-sleeve top on. Opening my door, I raised my eyebrows as I spotted Gwen hopping near Snape's room, with her lizard on top of her head.
"Snape drove me hopping mad.." She frowned and pointed to the potion's classroom door.
My uninterested reply was, "And..."
Gwen stopped hopping, "He won't let me in. I wanted to show him Ringo, but he said he wasn't interested in seeing a beatle right now. Doesn't he know Ringo's a lizard?"
The Snake listened to the Beatles?
I broke out in a short fit of giggles, but soon haulted my immaturity. Gwen and I began to walk out of the school and into Hogsmeade.
Herrmione and Ron were snogging outside of a candy store. Draco was a few feet away, looking in a bag of purchased things. Gwen and I approached them quickly, relieved that we finally made it.
"Oh!" Hermione pulled away from Ron. I had almost forgot they were in a relationship.
Ron sighed and wrapped his arm around Hermione, "You interrupted us!"
"So sorry," My sarcasm caused me to blurt, "But we know you were fantasizing Snape. Don't deny it either. You say I love him, but you're really projecting the lust and adoration that you feel." Finally, a decent insult. Hoorah!
"Umm...No." Ron put his hands in his pocket and stepped closer to me, "You're just in bloody denial. You love Snape, but are too afraid to admit it to anyone, even yourself."
Holding back the urge to punch his face in, my attention turned to the road in front of me. I pushed past everyone, hearing Hermione yell at Ron, and power walked towards the Leaky Cauldron. I knew they would leave me alone if I secretly wanted them to.
Entering the Leaky Cauldron, I was surprised to see how desolate it was. A few unknown people were scattered, but no crowds. Lockhart was by himself at a table, sipping on butterbeer and reading the newspaper. I felt bad at his lonliness, but not enough to accompany him. I laughed to myself, however, thinking why anyone would be all over the fruit. ...Ok...I had to remember not to start thinking mean thoughts or else I would act mean too. I didn't want that today.
"Miss Maguire!" Gilderoy called. It was a perfect time to turn invisible.
My ignoring the man did not work, for he called again, "Maranda Maguire!"
Cornered.. Not really, but I had nowhere to run or hide. I was forced to turn around, face him, and sit at his table. I was obligated to stay for a chat.
"So how are you, Maranda?" I hated when Lockhart used my first name.
No friend of mine was around, so I lied, "Perfect. How are you?"
"Great." He adjusted his shirt and continued, "I am sorry for Wednesday in the teachers' lounge. Severus wouldn't appologize after I asked him to. Then again, he doesn't get along with me very well. He doesn't really get along wit anyone, now, does he?"
"He gets along with me," I sounded a bit defensive. I hated the defensive side of me, for it always got into trouble.
Taken aback, Poptart mumbled, "I've been proven wrong. He hasn't brainwashed you, has he?" A grin appeared on Lockhart's face.
"No. Not that I know of. I trust Severus-" The name slipped, "I mean, Professor Snape. He is interesting to work with. No problems except for our occasional disagreements."
"You probably would've had more fun working with me, Maranda. I would never fight with you. Sure, you had a few days last year where I wondered if you even liked my class, but no terrible quarrels were held between us. I guess that's why I've always liked you as an individual. You know, Severus talks about you a lot. Quite confuses me. He never directly says anything to me, but I hear from other sources what he says, and sometimes I come across him during a conversation between him and another colleague." Gilderoy's eyes became inflamed with seriousness.
My voice was fading, "What...What does he say about me?"
"Nothing bad." He hung the words in the air for a moment before pressing on, "Mostly about you both working together. I guess he enjoys your company, that's all, really. I can't remember everything else."
Was it that he didn't remember, or couldn't say? "Oh. Oh!" I recalled Lockhart's lecture to me, "By the way, thanks for the little lecture. I'm actually planning on sharing my theory with someone soon. I know holding in my thoughts are bad, but I think they are pretty safe in there. Protected from being criticized and chastized. I don't fear what people feel towards me, but most of my ideas and such are better of in my mind, locked away from publicity."
"I know what you mean. Sometimes I feel the same way; That there's no one who would really understand what I'm imagining, so why bother express it? I didn't mean to snap at you in my lecture, but just wanted you to see that holding everything back is not good." Lockhart was actually somewhat intellectual.
Ok, he was downright smart, but covered all of his brainpower with stupidity and perkiness.
As I was going to speak some more, Snape walzted into the Leaky Cauldron, looking strangely angry.
"I wonder what he wants.." I blurbed on accident.
Gazing at me, Lockhart whispered, "I'm afraid to ask. Last time he saw me, he gave me his famous death glare. You know which one I'm talking about?"
"Believe me," I smiled with discomfort, "I know exactly which one you're talking about. But you should know," I decided to help Poptart a bit, "Never let him put you down. It only makes him more superior, and creates this undefeated better-than-you emotion surge through his body. That's when the yelling starts."
Have I cracked the puzzle of Snape's bad side? I think so! Woohoo!
Snape spotted Gilderoy and I, and sneered as he strolled over to us. I didn't want to be in the middle of whatever mess they were prepared to make, so I pushed my seat back a foot or two. The way Snape folded his arms automatically portrayed the enraged mood ready to explode onto poor Lockhart. Just as Snape glared down at me, Hermione and Gwen entered the Leaky Cauldron.
"Excuse me, Miss Maguire, but I need a word with this man." Snape sounded awfully distraught, so I nervously got out of my seat and practically jogged to my two friends.
Hermione tried to ask me what was going on, but I shook my head as we all watched Snape and Lockhart like deer about to get hit by a head on collision.
Lockhart quaked with paranoia and stammered, "Severus... What's wrong?" Lockhart stood up, trying to gain balance.
"Oh nothing huge, except that I hear you snuck into my private study.. Why on earth would you do that?" Snape held his temper, but we could all sense it ticking away like a bomb.
"Please," Lockhart was extremely nervous, "I actually didn't go in your study. One of the ghosts did, and took some flasks of potion out, hiding them near my room. I simply took the potions and placed them back in your cupboards. I did not step one foot in your study. Check the cupboards, three flasks of potion are inside. You can see for yourself."
Narrowing his icy eyes onto Lockhart's, Snake the venomous killer raised his voice, "If I were to believe you, I would be a fool. I checked my cupboards, and nothing was inside except for the normal student-made-potions. You lied to me, and I will give you one more chance to tell me the truth. Go ahead, Lockhart."
The ol' Poptart glanced in my direction, as if I were to comfort him, and then he cleared his throat. His eyes were fixed again on Snape, "You know, Severus, every incident where you lose something, you come and blame me. I always end up being innocent. Why, in Merlin's sacred name, do you suppose I would take something from you after dozens of threats and warnings? Do you think I am that dumb? Dim-witted? Why don't you..." He took a breath and spoke loudly, "Take your head out of your arse and interrogate someone else for once? How about the floggin' ghosts? Peeves, I believe? He is the one who did it!"
That was it... The Clash of Great Minds. A verbal battle in which Snape lost. He held his icy glare, but turned on his heel to leave. Hermione, Gwen, and I moved away from the door in case an overflow of bad mood spilled from Snape onto us. Lockhart also turned to leave, but smiled at me before leaving.
"What was that?" Gwen asked, eyes wider than ever.
I sighed, realizing Ron's torment wasn't nearly as bad as Lockhart's troubles. "That," I faced Hermione and Gwen, "Was our former teacher finally standing up for himself."
