Chapter 22
The next morning at the table Luna and Sloan were all a glow. Severus color coordinated a schedule for them to study in cycles he even planned demonstrations during meal times to have them learn while they ate. All three barely were able to drag themselves to bed both days, but it was worth it. Severus said that they could fudge their way through the easy stuff. Some concepts were the same for similar spells. It was the once that needed relied on something extra from the wizard were the ones to worry about.
None of them notice the occasional visitor that neither dropped by the house, nor did Severus wish to disturb them. Dumbledore arranged for Luna's father to request her placement test just to get her away from the bullies in her year. Her owl scores being the top of her class, and him having proof of mistreatment by her peers went a long way into getting his request granted. Cassius was trying to get into sixth or seventh year, preferably sixth year so that he would have more time in magical school.
Monday morning Severus woke each child up around 7 am. They had a bit of a distance to travel that morning, and he wanted to get their early. Getting three teenagers up early, dressed, and fed was a challenge most cringe at. He was prepared he had a marauders help. Remus put itching powder into Cassius bed; the poor devil had to get showered in order for it to stop. Luna was already awake when they got to her room...sort of she was meditating and floating a good meter off her bed. They decided to just signal her to come down to... well...Earth by turning on the light in her room. Sloan on the other hand well they needed something truly spectacular. Snakes make excellent wake up calls especially when they are hungry or tired themselves. Luckily for Harry they were not poisonous, but the first bite before he could hiss them to back off hurt like hell.
Their jobs finished for the immediate future both headed downstairs to eat before all three landed. Dobby had out done himself this morning. He put a full English breakfast on the table, and then some. There were several types of meats, and some American dishes as well.
Luna and Sloan met up in the hallway upstairs coming out of their rooms at the same time. Seeing that they had a bit of privacy for the moment they started with a small kiss which turned into an early morning snogging session just at the top of the stairs. Cassius getting impatient and wanting to get down for breakfast broke the mood. "Bloody hell, why don't you two move to a room, there are plenty up here unoccupied right now." Luna and Sloan broke apart each blushing furiously at being caught. Fortunately for them it was not someone who would harass them unnecessarily. All three decided it was a good time as any to join their early morning tormentors.
They took the car into London. Why use magic and bring attention to them selves especially when Surrey seemed to be lacking in magical prowess. Once they made it into London their first stop was the Leaky Cauldron. A quick stop for Severus to pick up his potion supply order, and then a floo to the Ministry of Magic.
The ministry was surprisingly busy that early in the morning. Of course, people there for meetings and what not were arriving for the day. Severus led them to an out of the way queue and presented the letter the Headmaster had given him for Cassius and Sloan. Luna's father had given her a letter from the department of Magical Education as well. Their wands were handed over checked for spells, but not returned immediately. "New ministry policy, wands will be returned to the witch or wizard upon the destination. If it is not deemed necessary for you to have your wand during your visit we hold them for you until you are ready to leave." The ministry lackey explained. He placed all of the wands into a bag, Severus' not included his official clearance at the ministry as unspeakable level. He automatically was guaranteed the pleasure of keeping his after it was checked. "Follow me please to the testing site."
"Cassius remember you are just like every wizard your age. They have already done their O.W.L.'s and some you will do better than others. No matter what take your time, your learning disability has been explained and they have geared the test to work with you not against you." Luna was hovering over the boy trying to get him to relax. The closer they got to the examination rooms the paler he appeared.
Sloan just slapped him on the back, "You can do it man, I got faith in you."
"This way Mr. Snape," they were brought into a waiting area with 3 large mirrors on the each wall. "You will be able to see what each of them is doing through the mirrors."
Severus only response was to nod and sit in the chair provided at the desk in the middle of the room.
Cassius was escorted to the room in the middle, while Sloan and Luna were each escorted to the rooms on the left or right. The examiner was given each of the children's wands first to check for any spells that would allow them to cheat on the exam. When all wands were found clean they were handed to their owners and the test began.
Sloan looking so much like his father was started off with potions. He opted to do his practical first and then the written part of the exam. The practical always calmed him, and his father noticed that Sloan preformed better this way. Severus might change some of his testing rules the following school year.
Cassius was started on the written only exams first, because of his dyslexia he would have an extended time limit on these exams, and the ministry felt it best to get these exams out of the way. History of Magic, Arithmancy, Astronomy, and then Herbology were up first those being the classes that required the most writing. The first test was to see how much more time he would generally need, and the examiner would adjust to from there.
Luna on the other hand started off with Divination, and worked her way towards the harder subjects each. This seemed to work for her more than bouncing around, and her examiner was letting her pick the order. Severus was not alone in the room for long. He being the parent or guardian of at least two of the examinees was not allowed to be the Hogwarts representative for all of them. Minerva McGonagall joined him just thirty minutes later.
The day seemed to drag on, and as the students were moving along with the exams you could see the fatigue encroaching on them gradually. Cassius was surprising completed first, and came to join the adults in the observation room. Severus was watching Luna do her charms examination and making notes. Minerva was staring in awe at Sloan's Transfiguration exam. Giddily she was already planning on what the boy could do with a little more instruction in her field. His charms exam had gone well also, but the boy was far more advanced than many in their seventh year at Hogwarts. "Severus you son is going to make a great Transfiguration master."
Snort, "get in line. The boy is driven. He wants to master three or four subjects. Though I do believe Transfiguration is one of them. But if my son masters anything he will master Potions first. Nothing with that silly wand waving that you do."
Cassius chuckled alerting them to his presence. "Now you know Sloan wants to master dueling, transfiguration, potions, and defense against the dark arts. He might even through in Arithmancy later on when he gets bored in life."
Both Severus and Cassius burst into laughter, Minerva being the only one not clued in on the fact that Sloan couldn't decide the first four masteries he wanted to go after first. Being with Luna made Sloan's thirst for knowledge expand and enter the sphere of every Ravenclaw, and a certain bushy haired Gryffindor. While the men were still laughing Luna completed her exam and joined them. "What is it that you two find so funny?"
"Sloan and his masteries."
"I find him very ambitious, and he will succeed. I do not see the point of this humor. I believe that a Snapplofen got in her and attacked you two."
Cassius was about to ask what a Snapplofen was when he caught the headshakes of both professors. "I'll explain later son."
Cassius just nodded and proceeded to walk over to Sloan still taking his exam. Some of the transfigurations that Sloan was doing were amazing. He had just turned the desk in the room into a pig, the pig into podium, the podium into a horse, and then he turned it back to its original state as a desk. Minerva just happily made another check on her list, and said, "Severus, he might just be able to get his Potion mastery and Transfiguration mastery at the same time."
"Bully for him. It looks like they are winding down in there. I wonder if there is any point in bothering to wait n here. Let's just stand outside his door, and we can make our ways to dinner, before heading home."
"Great I'm starved."
"Cass, you're always starved."
"I know, but those test drained me, and we have at least two more days of this."
"Actually at the rate that all of you are moving you should only have one more full day, and a half day on the third. Or possibly not. It depends on how fast you move through the exams. Sloan was still in there because the boy had to show off in his potions exam and brew the most intricate and time consuming potion they offered. Yet he completed his exams in four subjects today as did you both."
The same ministry flunky from earlier was waiting on them outside the room. He had his bag with their wands inside, and went into Sloan's room to retrieve his. "Follow me, please."
The group left and Severus being extremely tired had the house temporarily connected to the floo system. He also sent word to Remus that they were too exhausted to drive back earlier in the day so the car was already at home. "I thought you said we were going out for dinner."
"I lied." Severus deadpanned and watched as Luna flooed out of sight. Cassius went next followed by Sloan, and finally Severus. Dobby had a nutritious dinner waiting for them, which was inhaled by the teenage boys. The conversation all throughout the meal consisted of how well they believe they did on their exams, and Severus' critique of what he saw.
After dinner Severus told them to unwind for about an hour. He did not want them to study at all they needed to do something fun, and then they needed to get ready for bed. The next day was going to be even harder just because they knew what was coming, and it is always harder to repeat a challenging activity.
Sloan and Luna asked if they could go for a short walk to the neighborhood park, and back. Severus deemed it safe, and teased them about the amount of snogging that they could get in that free hour. Cassius on the other hand called one of his school chums on his boxing team, and told him vaguely about the placement test he took that day for the private school that was recruiting him away from Smelting. Well at least it started out that way. It eventually ended up as a bragging session of his weight loss over the summer and girls.
The next day started much in the same way except. Sloan and Cassius used the muggle tools around them and set the alarm clock. They also rigged an old but classic bucket over the doorway so that whoever disturbed them would pay for the previous day. Luna was already warned to not enter their room, before she got the secret knock on her door or heard the commotion that the trick would likely cause.
They flooed to the ministry this day, and went over to the same ministry flunky form the day before. He checked the wands and escorted them to their respective rooms. "I'll see you around 4. The ministry would like me to apologize, and explain that today you will end at 4 in lieu of breaks. As we are short staffed today," he gave a short bow and walked away.
Minerva showed up right about then with Professor Flitwick. They greeted each other, and instead of one desk in the observation room there were three. "It was decided last night Severus that since none of the children are testing on the same subject at the same time that it would be conducive to have another Hogwarts instructor on hand. Filius will observe your son Sloan, I will take Cassius, and you will keep Miss Lovegood."
The day of testing went faster for all three. Luna was the only one to have a practical, written, and both exams. Cassius was all practical, and Sloan did mostly written he even took the exams he had no O.W.L.'s for. Cassius was hesitant at first with his spell casting, and the examiner had to give him a bit of a talk before he really let go, and let his magic speak for himself. Luna was once again moving randomly to her examiner, but to her it was the perfect mixture. She completed the rest of her exams that day. Sloan on the other hand was wishing that he left some of his fun exams for that day. Unfortunately for him his hand was cramping by the end of testing, but he had completed his exams also.
Cassius only had one exam the following day, and it was potions. The one he was most nervous about. Severus had told him that he was adequate, but he really needed the O so that he could continue to learn to be a healer. He wanted to eventually be able to help his mother, and being adequate would not cut it. They left that day and Luna and Sloan decided to help Dudley go through the fundamentals of potion making. Then setting up a mock testing situation found out if he did better with the written or practical first. After figuring that out they ate dinner, and Severus reassured Cassius that as the potion professor at Hogwarts if the boy made at least an Exceeds Expectations then he would allow him in the class. On the condition that he had a tutor until Severus deemed him up to par.
Luna and Sloan were left alone the next day while Severus escorted Cassius to his exam. The exam should not take longer than 2-3 hours, and the two teens made the most of it. Sloan made Luna breakfast in bed, and then they proceeded to get dressed. Being upstairs near beds was too much of an temptation for them and the living room was decided a good place to snog the daylights out of each other.
Meanwhile in a location unknown...
Lord Voldemort was planning his revenge on the traitor Severus Snape. If Harry Potter trusted Severus that much to publicly back him then there should have been numerous occasions for his minion to bring the boy to him. There was also the fact that Severus had a son. A son that any Death Eater should be proud to introduce and pledge to him just as Lucius has with his son Draco. The examiner of the boy reported that the boy was seventh year material all the way even surpassing already N.E.W.T. level scores in some areas.
Maybe he would have the young Malfoy approach him to see about joining the ranks. He knew that he definitely could not count on the boy's father. Things were not looking good for him. The Potter brat was still missing. No trace of where he went could be found. Voldemort while not afraid of the boy did not want to proceed with major plans until he knew that the Potter boy problem was neutralized.
Maybe Severus' son could be the key to his revenge. Yes, he would plan on that route.
Another chapter! I know you want to keel over in shock. I will try to keep this up as much as possible for the time being. You my lovely readers deserve it. Let me know what you think, and I have a plan to save Severus, but I need someone other than Draco to approach Sloan. Help!