Here is the next chapter. For future reference Tom Senior is Tom Riddle and Tom Junior is Harry Potter. Please read and review thanks, love Angel x
Severus entered Albus' office to see him panicking but as usual Albus was panicking about the wrong thing entirely. He whirled around wand raised and immediately lowered it when he saw it was only Severus. Severus watched as he cast a spell on the portraits making them all sleep and conjuring a comfortable chair for him to sit in. He really did look like he was panicking a bit too much if Severus could say. "Severus please sit down. I'm not a thief! I swear I'm not!" he called out anxiously as Severus raised his eyebrows in surprise. Surely Albus couldn't be seriously thinking he himself was being accused of stealing a tea set from Lord Addlemore. The idea itself was preposterous. I mean surely he wouldn't assume people would think he did right? This was crazy for sure.
"Albus I wasn't aware someone had called you a thief and what may I ask are you supposed to have stolen their lemon drops?" he asked sarcastically. Albus looked up horrified at that. Now was certainly not the time for jokes at all. Severus couldn't be serious. Albus looked very guilty then as he had actually stolen some lemon drops from Aberforth not that Aberforth knew about that. He realised quickly Severus was attempting to be sarcastic something he had never once appreciated in any form and scowled deeply. Severus was a damn mess. The man couldn't take a damn joke and then tried sarcasm at the worst possible moment.
"I assure you this is no joke. I did not steal that tea set from Lord Addlemore even if I do love having fabulous things. Severus you must understand me I only saw Addlemore to ask him something I swear. I didn't steal those chests. If anyone knows I saw him they will think it was me. I know I am like a kniffler hell everyone knows it. If it's shiny I want it and I can't help who I am I assure you!" he said as Severus looked at him with a very straight face even if he was secretly cackling with laughter on the inside. Seeing Albus flap like a panicked chicken was hilarious after all as the man usually did look so composed.
"Albus I did not assume you did such a thing although I can't speak for others. May I know what you spoke to him about? I mean you don't normally make house calls like that!" he inquired as Albus bit his lip. Should he tell Severus the truth or not? Could Severus even be trusted with information such as this? He'd warned him about Quirrel and he'd not listened and suffered for it later on. That blasted stone was still missing and what's more it hadn't been registered that it had been used to make the elixir of life as it does each time the substance in question is made. So whoever had it now likely Voldemort was not using it and probably only cause he didn't know how to use it. This bought them more time only. The more he thought about it the more he realised it might not be safe to do so, so a half truth was in order. He'd gotten off track in his thoughts and realised so as Severus looked at him impatiently. He'd tell him a half truth and what's more he'd never know it wasn't the full truth so it all worked out in the end.
"I went there to ask him to give me something and when he refused things got out of hand and suddenly we were duelling. I can't even remember who let off the first spell. He eventually relented and gave me what I wanted however one of my spells which had gotten out just as the duel ended hit him at that same moment and did more damage than intended. Severus it was awful. Now he doesn't remember a thing and won't remember that he allowed me to have what I asked him for. It doesn't matter what it was right now it only matters that he won't remember he gave it to me. Do you like tea sets Severus?" he asked rather suddenly throwing Severus who hadn't seen the utterly random question coming. He thought about it and thought about whether he liked them or not. It was not something which he usually thought of though so he didn't rightly know.
"To be honest Albus I've never given it much thought. I only care that the cup and saucer I take my tea in is clean and not chipped in any way. As long as it does what it is supposed to do it doesn't really matter!" he said sounding bored as Albus gasped.
"Severus now that just won't do. You should care about things like that. As head of Slytherin I expect you to care deeply about things like that. I mean we all know how pureblood Slytherin is. Tell you what I'll lend you a fancy set and you may use it this week and then you can let me know if your mind changes. There is something to be said about having your tea in fine bone china. Don't look at me like that there just is!" he said summoning a stunned Severus a tea set from his personal rooms which was in a fancy silk lined box. If Severus had thought this meeting would go anywhere it certainly wasn't here. Albus always did focus on the wrong things didn't he? Severus minimized the box and placed it on the inside pocket of his robes which he'd charmed with an undetectably extended storage capacity.
"What spell did you use on Lord Addlemore Albus? It must have really befuddled him if he openly told people about the Order of the Phoenix. I was not even aware he was a member!" he said sounding slightly outraged as Dumbledore reeled physically almost as though he'd been slapped. Not even the discussion on tea sets could derail Severus it would seem. He wanted to know about what had happened and would not relent no matter what until he was told. Damn stupid Slytherin!
"He is without a doubt most certainly not a member. I would like him as a member because it would make getting what I want from him much easier but he refused to see reason. It was a befuddlement charm I sent his way accidentally. I didn't truly intend to harm him but the spell was gone before I realised what I'd done. Obviously it was highly overpowered a bit like me so much so that he didn't remember what happened except that someone mentioned The Order of the Phoenix to him. Luckily for me everyone thinks he's mental so it works in my favour!" he explained as Severus who actually knew the truth couldn't believe the outright lies he was currently being fed. Was Albus for real? Did he truly think he was in any way believable?
"What of the other order members? Surely they will wonder how he found about it and will likely ask you. I mean I know that's what I might think to do if I'd read that article myself and I wasn't near you at the time" he said as Albus paled.
"Fucking hell I didn't even think of that. Excuse the expletive Severus I don't usually lose control like that. I guess I will have to tell them he doesn't know what he's talking about and hope they believe me. I can't really think of anything else to say to that right now. Asides from which as I explained he's not a member so there's no way he could possibly know about it!" he said sounding panicked and angry.
"Speaking of which by the way did you ever find us a headquarters for it?" Severus asked as Albus rounded on him looking highly put out.
"Get off my bloody back Severus! I'm doing the best I can do! As of now I have found nowhere secure enough and secret enough that Lord Voldemort or some of his old followers wouldn't be able to find it. I would need wherever it is to be put under the fidelious with me as the secret keeper and no one is willing to allow me to have that kind of control over anywhere they live. It really is outrageous that a stand up citizen such as myself could not have control over someone's home or specifically one room in it for my organisation which is for the greater good. We will make sure we get all of his old errant followers. None shall escape once I'm finished finding a place for our headquarters. If you know of any place please let me know Severus. It must be beautiful and comfortable. I'll not house my order in an ugly building. That just won't do. How is Tom Potter getting on? Is he being bullied?" he asked as Severus looked confused. He was like a humming bird today flitting from topic to topic without any rhyme or reason to anything he did or said. He was very scatter brained. It was a hot mess.
"Why would you think he was being bullied and by whom?" Severus asked seriously.
"Well by those in his house obviously. I mean he is friends with several muggleborn people and half-bloods alike as well as the odd pureblood. Surely people in your house would wish someone who befriends a muggleborn harm. We all know Voldemort would curse him stupid if he ever found out about it. Severus you are to test Tom Potter's occlumency and if he has any insure it is weakened. If he is to defeat Lord Voldemort I am to know his every move!" he commanded. He'd not seen Severus taking the recording crystal into his hand and recording the conversation to show to Tom later on. He'd so regret that. He left and headed back to his rooms to relax as he had no classes right now. A good cup of was needed and he'd check out that new tea set as well. He took it out not one bit surprised to find it laced with a fine layer of truth serum and some compulsion charms which he quickly removed from them placing them onto something else so Albus wouldn't know he'd been found out. What an idiot! No one ever gets the one up on Severus Snape ever!