11. The Question of Authority
Children are like cement. Whatever falls on them makes an impression.
~ Dr. Haim Ginott
Several days later, Potter still nursed his offence and refused to talk to anybody, even to Black. Everybody else was simply ignored, pointedly and ostentatiously.
So once again after the usual night gathering with the Dark Lord, Severus found all the inhabitants of the small camp in the clearing, except for the Boy Who Pouted. However, this time, instead of being busy with their usual affairs, the entire crowd surrounded something near the fire, looking attentively at this something.
"What have you done now?" Severus asked suspiciously.
"Seems like Cissy has invented a new recipe," Black smirked and moved away to avoid being smacked by any of the Malfoys.
Feeling interested against his will, the Potions master came closer. On the grass, there was a cauldron with some white concoction in it, very thick and cloggy. Ronald Weasley tried to pull a ladle out of it — without any luck. One more unsuccessful attempt later, the boy flew off and fell hard on his backside, gawking stupidly at the ladle's handle in his hands.
"Brawn instead of brain?" Draco smirked. He felt quite safe, as his mother obviously lacked her usual means of education at the moment.
Narcissa did not mind him, however; she was busy examining the cauldron and its contents.
"I haven't the slightest idea how I could make that," she said contritely. "I always thought that semolina porridge was the simplest thing to cook."
"I think it is perfect, my darling," Lucius said courteously, putting his arm round his wife's waist.
"Yes, we just have to understand what exactly this 'it' is!" Narcissa laughed. "And how to wash the cauldron clean."
"If you need a clean cauldron, there is always Potter," Severus smirked. "At least, this is the thing he does well."
"I hear you, you know," Potter shouted from his hut. "And I won't wash anything. Anyway, I ignore all of you."
"Yeah, we got that all right, thanks," Weasley grumbled, still sitting on the grass.
"So, what are we going to do with this... thing?" Narcissa asked with a sigh, pointing at the cauldron with the mysterious concoction.
"Miss Granger," Lucius began with interest, "I don't suppose in your copious bundle of knowledge you have some information on the possible ways of using rubbery semolina?"
"Well, I don't think I have, actually," Granger said with some doubt. "But I can always look it up..." And she began rummaging in her beaded handbag.
"No, no, thank you, it is not really necessary," Lucius said hurriedly. "Do not take the trouble, please. We'll think of something."
"It's nothing to think about," Weasley said suddenly. "Let's go fishing."
For a moment, there was silence, and then Black slapped his knee and grinned.
"Bravo, Ron! I know a small lake nearby, full of trout. We just have to make the fishing rods... Anybody wants to keep us company?"
Before Severus could bat an eyelash, the camp was empty. As soon as Weasley and Black thought of fishing, Lucius got very curious about using semolina in this process. Draco went with them just to be sociable. Narcissa looked like she was afraid of leaving her men alone with such dangerous and unpredictable things as fishhooks. Miss Granger, obviously, simply could not miss the pleasure of taking over another mass-scale silliness... a flash mob, that is. Anyway, Severus was left to himself.
Sighing, he started looking for some food. The fishing team took with them all the bread leftovers, so he had to settle with tea, hardtacks and beacon. He was about to make his second mug of tea, when Harry Potter came out of his hut, dishevelled and sulky.
"Abandoned me, all of them," he complained to himself, still pointedly not looking at the Potions master. "Didn't even ask me if I want to go with them..."
Had Severus been a poet, he would felt his temper flaring as a white-hot incinerating flame. However, he was not a poet, so he felt only usual annoyance.
"I can certainly see why," he sneered venomously. "What would they need you there for, pray tell?"
Startled, Potter dropped a hardtack he had in his hands and stared at the Potions master, his mouth opened in surprise.
"What?!" the boy wailed, looking offended.
"You are ignoring everybody, aren't you?" Severus inquired coldly. "Judging by your behaviour in the last three days, you are quite content with your own company."
"You... you!.."
Potter seemed to be speechless.
"Do not worry, I will not continue to burden you with my cumbersome presence." Severus got up. Taking his mug and a couple of hardtacks with him, he was going to disappear in his hut when Potter suddenly jumped up too.
"Wait!"
"What is the matter, Mr. Potter?"
The boy's chin went up stubbornly, and Severus saw with surprise that Potter had grown up and was now not much smaller than the Potions master.
"I... I am sorry. Please, don't go. It's... it's so boring to be alone."
It was now Severus's time to stare.
"You cannot possibly think that I am going to entertain you, can you, Mr. Potter?"
"N-no," the boy stammered. "Just talk to me, all right? Please."
'Sweet Merlin', Severus thought as he sat down again, 'I am becoming popular with kids and dogs. What a farce!'
"Well, what do you want to talk about then?" he asked sourly aloud.
ss SS ss
"Do not let yourself be carried away, boys," Narcissa said worriedly, as her husband poured firewhiskey into their mugs. "We still have to go back to the camp."
"And do not forget to clean the cauldron, somebody," Sirius added. "We were supposed to use that mess as bait."
"We are all lucky that Sev does not like fishing," Lucius smirked. "I hope he does not know what really is used as bait for the trout."
"If he knew, I would think of something else," Narcissa smiled a bit evilly. "Too bad the ladle was too week, I didn't think it would break."
"Wait a minute," Hermione said slowly, looking at the others, "you have planned all of this, haven't you? But what for?"
"For a very good reason, Miss Granger," answered Lucius. "I can bet half of my family fortune that when we return, Severus would have already forced your stubborn friend to talk. He is the only one able to accomplish such a feat."
"But why this supposed fishing trip?"
"Just think, Hermione," answered Ron. "What other reason we could have to go to the forest for a whole day, all of us? And we needed Snape to stay at the camp too!"
"Mushrooms were out of the question," Draco added. "The professor is really mad about gathering anything wild that grows. It's halfway to potions, you know, and all that rot. So, we could only go fishing."
"And what about this?" Hermione pointed at the cauldron. "What about this entire 'porridge gone wrong' story?"
"My dear," Narcissa smiled, "in a good plot everything must look natural. Can you imagine all of us going fishing just like that, with no story behind it?"
