Chapter 64: When Goading Goes Too Far
{A/N: Here's Another Update...sorry for any mistakes...}
My Thanks To All My Readers And Reviewers...Enjoy-S.S.
The Grounds, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...
The following weeks marked the beginning of a change in the young raven haired Slytherin Phaeron. He had spent a good deal of time viewing his father's earliest memories in the pensive and had become moody as a result. He began to become openly hostile to anyone from Gryffindor house which had been strange considering he had proved to be quite civil with them even when some attempted to attack him. He excelled at his classes so much so that time sitting in them passed when he completed his work only served to make him even more restless. Ursula had thought the change proved to show little difference in the younger Snape's personality. Ziare had not been so sure but said as little about his friend's onset of mood swings as possible. They all still seemed to get on well enough well that was until A foolish Professor Sprout decided to pair Phaeron Snape with James Potter II in a class assignment.
The Greenhouse, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...
Phaeron glared murderously at James Potter II, who glared at him with the same second the plump Herbology Professor decided to foolishly pair the two warring boys together for the class assignment, she had doomed the rest of the lesson with little to no warning. James II had been bitter about the beating he received at Phaeron's hands and that his actions caused his father, the great Harry Potter, hero of the wizarding world to be disappointed in him. Desperately needing to earn his father's approval once more, James II remained on his best behavior at least for the time being.
"Mr. Potter." said Professor Sprout thinking nothing of what she had done "You and Mr. Snape will be partners for today's assignment."
"Whatever you say, Professor." replied James II with a smug little smirk as he looked over at Phaeron.
She went on assigning other partners for the first year Slytherin-Gryffindor Herbology class.
Phaeron remained silent as he moved his things and made his way over to the table he would be sharing with Potter. The fury already stirring deep within the raven haired wizard's core as he thought to simply get through the assignment presented to them.
Professor Sprout stared the lesson out simple enough. The students were to examine what was told to them to be a Canis Root plant. Phaeron had been confident that not even Potter could screw up dissection of a simple root. Phaeron had been overly familiar with the plant considering his potion's work and weekly drills with his mother as a younger child.
Of course he was not about to do all the work and give the likes of Potter an easy "O" just for lazing about.
The assignment was rather clear, each student was to dissect their respective roots and take their own individual notes with the help of a partner. The assignment could be done easily enough with one person but there had been a rather unforeseen shortage which was why Professor Sprout ordered everyone to do the assignment as partners.
Phaeron had been first up with the root. He made no incisions and simply scanned the surface of the plant. It had been a rather large and simple appearing plant, much like a miniature dead tree with numerous branches and no leaves. Phaeron made a quick sketch of the Canis Root recalling it's properties from potions class and Master Phaeron's detailed instruction.
He had recalled it exactly and began making notes. It had been a trait of his mother that he inherited, the ability to have total recall with certain facts and images. Though he had more imagination, a likely trait of his father never really explored or spoken of.
James Potter II glared at Phaeron murderously. He didn't seem to like being ignored, no doubt a grievous insult for a boy that always sought the attention of others wither it be negative or positive.
"Aren't you suppose to be cutting this thing Snape?" he asked annoyance clear in his tone.
Phaeron shrugged and returned to his notes.
"Snape." said James further annoyed.
"What do you want Potter, I am trying to work." replied Phaeron.
"Aren't you suppose to be cutting this thing?" he asked.
"The term is dissect and your hands work as good as mine. Potter." replied Phaeron still scribbling away as if he had not a care in the world. "You can began at any time."
"I'm not doing the cutting." said James II. "That's your job."
Phaeron arched an eyebrow at him in annoyance of his own.
"And just what is your "job" suppose to be Potter?" he asked.
"It sure isn't cutting this what ever it is." replied James II. "All this cutting and chopping seems like woman's work in the kitchen."
Phaeron rolled his eyes.
"I see." he said. "So out of this little unstable alliance I am suppose to do all the work while you copy my notes and look good in front of your friends."
James II said nothing as he looked at all the Gryffindor students that had taken to staring at him expecting him to do something.
"Look we have to get this assignment over with." said James II. "Everyone knows that you're the Potions Master's kid so this type of stuff is your area of expertise."
Phaeron considered this. As the son of a Potions Master it was quite easy to identify and work with plants of various types. Potter for all he was worth had only been the athletic type, much as his grandfather before him, a clear sign that without Quidditch the boy would have little to no future in the wizarding world.
"Fine." said Phaeron still annoyed. "Hand me the knife, I'll make the first few incisions but after that Potter you'd better pick up the slack."
James II rolled his eyes and they set to work.
The two of them survived a surprising thirty minutes without killing each other. They completed the assignment and had ample time for other things. Phaeron continued his note work and James II turned his attention to the other Gryffindor students who seemed disappointed in his civilized behavior toward an enemy Slytherin.
The dark eyed boy glared at Phaeron who continued to scribble away in his note book. The clock was ticking away on the wall and the silence was almost deafening as James II looked back n forth between Professor Sprout, who had been busily instructing a few lagging students and the younger Snape boy who had been seemingly engrossed in his written work.
"You seem to be pretty good with knives, must come from being the son of a known death eater." said James II almost casually.
Phaeron's quill stopped.
"Just between us, how many innocent people do you think he got away with murdering under Voldemort's rule before he came crying to Dumbledore and switching sides at the last minute?" continued James.
Phaeron ignored the comments as best he could but his mind was flooded with images of James Potter I, the father of the so-called hero Harry Potter and Grandfather as well as namesake of James Potter II. The more the asinine Potter boy spoke the more the two seemed to blend together in a spitting image of arrogance, ignorance, and rudeness.
"I believe this concludes our forced partnership Potter." said Phaeron trying to keep a lid on his already burning temper.
"That's really too bad." said James II now playing for the Gryffindor students who were now watching him intently. "Too bad your murderer father managed to get himself killed long before he could be brought up on charges and sentenced to life in Azkaban."
Ursula began making her way toward Phaeron as did Ziare. They knew that the younger Snape could only take so much before his volatile temperament got the better of him. The last thing the raven haired wizard need was to be expelled for killing James Potter II. Much to their surprise, Phaeron did not raise a wand to Potter.
"Whatever my father did or didn't do still made it possible for your circus freak of a father to play hero in front of the wizarding world despite the real wizards who battled Voldemort playing second fiddle to his hero worship." replied Phaeron turning James II own bullying tactic against him. "The last time my mother was here she had your precious Potter father pinned to a wall in three seconds flat with no viable defense...that doesn't sound like something a hero would let happen to them, especially one that killed the dark lord."
James II turned red with rage at the younger Snape's words.
"He was caught off guard." said the enraged Gryffindor.
"Right." replied Phaeron triumphantly. "And he just so happened to "accidentally" drop his wand into my mother's hands during the subsequent scuffle."
"At least my mother isn't a death eater's whore!" shouted James II.
That did it. There was no holding back this time as Phaeron launched at James II and began beating his face in with his pale fist.
The boys broke into an all out fight and despite Professor Sprout's attempts to get order in her classroom it was to no avail.
"BOY'S!" she shouted beside herself. "STOP THIS AT ONCE...I'LL CALL THE HEADMASTER!"
Neither Phaeron Snape nor James Potter II had been listening at the time much too busy hurling insults about each other's respective families. The Slytherin and Gryffindor students simply looked on as the chaos issued.
"Death eater scum!" shouted James struggling against Phaeron's iron grip.
His words only served to further agitate the raven haired Slytherin.
In a matter of seconds, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore had been in the class room and grabbing both boys by the scruff of their necks. Phaeron glared murderously at James Potter II.
"What had gotten into you two?" asked Dumbledore with concealed rage and disappointment in his tone.
He put them each back onto the ground and Phaeron fixed his attire, dusting himself off as if Dumbledore's touch would damage it somehow. He remained silent as the rage continued to dance behind his obsidian eyes when he focused his attention on James Potter II.
"Snape attacked me first, headmaster." said James II trying to garner sympathy. "I was simply doing my assignment...ask anyone here they all saw it."
"We saw you goading Phaeron." said Ursula, her dark eyes holding nothing back in the way of fury as she glared at James II.
"All I did was try and make small talk, we were finished with our assignment early and waiting for the rest of the class to catch up." said James II in his defense. "Phaeron didn't seem to like having to be partners with me...I had to nag him into doing his work."
Phaeron said nothing as he glared at James II murderously.
"That's a lie." said Ursula coming to Phaeron's defense.
Dumbledore turned his attention to the younger Snape.
"That's enough." he said waving his hand. "The rest of you go back to your seats and finish your work...Mr. Snape...you come with me."
"Are you kidding me...Potter's not going to get punished?" asked Ursula clearly not afraid to be vocal about the apparent favoritism toward Gryffindor house.
"That will be all Miss Black." said Dumbledore sternly.
Phaeron still said nothing as he turned his attention to Ursula. He had known it was a lost cause to plead his case to the Headmaster the moment the old sod stepped into the room. He knew all too well how the older wizard favored Gryffindor house above all the others and how Slytherin house always seemed to fall below his attention until there was need to place blame and administer punishment.
He saw how Dumbledore let Sirius Black get away with nearly killing Severus Snape on numerous occasions and Dumbledore simply acted as if the golden Gryffindors could do no wrong. Whenever charges were brought up against Snape, it was a pretty safe bet that the dour wizard was getting the short end of the stick.
"Come along Mr. Snape." said Dumbledore in the same tone.
Phaeron did as he was told and left the classroom with the Headmaster. As he left it did not escape his notice that James Potter II was smirking rather arrogantly. The raven haired Slytherin rolled his eyes as he made his way onto the grounds with Dumbledore. The tall older wizard had been making great strides as he made his way toward the castle.
Neither of them said a word as Phaeron struggled to keep up with the elder wizard's vast steps. The raven haired wizard was caught off guard when the elder wizard suddenly stopped. He turned around swirling his light blue robes behind him and for the first time in quite a long time blue eyes met those of defiant obsidian.
"Ianuae." said the elder wizard suddenly waving his rather strange looking wand. "Caelum enim ambulant."
Suddenly, Phaeron found himself floating in mid-air high above the school grounds and Dumbledore walking about as if he had not a care in the world. It didn't take the boy long to figure that the headmaster cast some sort of spell that enables one to walk in the sky as if they were on the ground. Not exactly floating but, as if they were grounded on an invisible earth that happened to be transparent enough to see what the Hogwarts grounds looked like in mid-air.
Dumbledore gave Phaeron a small smirk, his blue eyes twinkling as he did.
"Do you know where you are, Mr. Snape?" he asked as if they were simply out and about having casual conversation.
Phaeron sighed.
"Above the grounds of Hogwarts, obviously." he replied not at all hiding the bitterness in his tone.
Dumbledore simply smiled noting how much like his father the younger Snape sounded.
"That's right." he replied in an off-handed pleasant tone. "You're father had reacted much the same when I first brought him here...of course that was during his first year of teaching."
Phaeron looked at Dumbledore more or less bored with his attempts at small-talk.
"Headmaster, I fail to see what mentioning old stories about my father has to do with my subsequent punishment." he said not at all changing his bitter tone.
Dumbledore couldn't help but smile at that.
"It is quite an amazing thing to note, how like him you are Phaeron." he said. "As to the matter of your punishment, you are to serve two weeks detention with Filch for starting the fight with young Mr. Potter in Professor Sprout's classroom, no matter the reason behind it."
"I didn't have any illusions to the contrary." replied Phaeron.
Dumbledore continued to smirk.
"As for why you are here with me at the moment..." started the Headmaster, his blue eyes twinkling like never before. "I am simply giving you a chance to as me whatever it is that seems to be brewing in that keen little mind of yours...It has not escaped my notice that you harbor some apparent fury with me for one reason or another."
"Wasn't my intention to keep it from you." replied Phaeron still bitter.
"Might I have the courtesy of knowing why you are indeed so upset with me Mr. Snape, this incident not withstanding." said Dumbledore.
"With all due respect, you already know the answer as to why." replied Phaeron. "I do not believe getting into sorted details will make any difference."
"Just the same..." said Dumbledore. "I would like to know how best to make amends."
"Sure you do." replied Phaeron. "I'm not some naive Gryffindor...nothing you say will ever excuse your actions."
Dumbledore sighed.
"I didn't think that it would." said the elder wizard. "You have your father's capacity to hold a grudge and your mother's sense of justice."
Phaeron had not been impressed with the comparison to his parents.
"If there is nothing else." he said.
"Of course." replied Dumbledore. "Do take care when viewing your father's memories Mr. Snape...sometimes in our pursuit of knowledge and understanding we forget that each of us is human and despite our magical abilities we are often quite fallible...your father was not immune to this as you will do well to note."
Phaeron kept his temper in check despite his annoyance at Dumbledore's off-handed remark about him possibly being naive.
"I know what kind of man my father was." replied the raven haired Slytherin. "Unlike your precious Potter, I do not need to make up ridiculous notions to make myself feel better about not knowing him...I've know he was a death eater since before I could walk and that his time under the dark lord's rule meant that he had taken innocent lives as well."
It was Dumbledore who seemed surprised by this. He didn't think that Hermione would allow her son to know about his father's death eater past, let alone discuss it so openly.
"Very well Mr. Snape." said Dumbledore returning them back to the grounds. "You may go."
Phaeron said nothing further as he made his way toward The Slytherin Dungeons. He had an hour before his detention was to start and he wanted to view some more of his father's memories from the pensive. Dumbledore watched the younger Snape disappear into the confines of the castle. He had been so much like his father and yet so vastly different. His intellect was like that of a elder man, much as his mother's had been like that of a grown woman's by the time she was twelve. He was young but not given to foolish notions despite his apparent innocence, which he kept closely guarded.
Dumbledore wondered to himself at a manner that seemed to exhaust even him, just what the younger Snape would be capable of once he found out that James Potter II's father, Harry Potter, had been the one to kill Severus Snape and that it was not an "accident" as everyone was lead to believe that had been within the Order of Phoenix.
The elder wizard pushed the thought to the back of his mind. First year was nearly over soon the students would be with their respective families over the course of the summer. So far things had been quite as interesting as he imaged they would be once the son of both Severus Snape and Hermione Granger-Snape attended Hogwarts.