Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything what you can recognize from the books. I do however own the plot of this story but I don't have profits because of it unless you count improving my English as a profit.
Prewiev: Sevie spends a lot of time with Mirzam. Sirius has second thoughts. The family finds out that Orion didn't kept the bird in his robes. Mirzam hears the story about the Callahan family.
Read, enjoy and review (because I love to read your criticism and as long as you are logged in or I have your email I'm answering to your questions).
Chapter thirteen: Moving the Goalposts.
Severus woke up with a start and groaned. The nightmare came back, again. No matter how long or how short he slept he was always graced with Voldemort attacking him and Lily. Sometimes the nightmares included Black and Mirzam and a kid on their own, but only sometimes.
"There is no use in dwelling on dreams," he muttered to himself and pulled the covers over his head. "I should start drinking Dreamless Sleep Potion before going to bed."
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he heard feminine voice coming from the doorway of his bedroom.
Severus pulled the covers down just enough to send a glare at McGonagall turned Mirzam.
"Seriously," she stated calmly. "This stuff is addictive as hell. Take it from an addict."
"You are an addict?" Severus asked in shock.
She didn't seemed as one, not even for a moment.
"Since I was twelve," she sighed. "Till I was eighteen. It took Sirius and Occlumency training to persuade me that I don't need this stuff."
"Logan's Blueberry?" Severus asked as he sat up.
"Allergic," she nodded. "I used opiates."
"That's why you were addicted," Severus pointed out.
"You and I know very well that Dreamless Sleep Potion is based on opiates but as long as Logan's Blueberry is in the potion the amount of opium is minimal. You will get addicted to DSP anyway it will just take you much more time," she snorted.
"Is it me or did just Saint Mirzam admitted to being drug-addict?" Severus asked curiously.
"Former drug-addict, thank you very much," she muttered. "I haven't touched anything related to opiates in last four years and I don't plan to start. Detoxing is a hell even with the help of potions, I don't want to repeat it."
"Your husband knows?" Severus asked sceptically.
"I tried to bite his hand off during the detox, of course he does," she snorted. "We always made quite a pair, drug-addict and alcoholic."
"He is alcoholic?" Severus asked in shock.
Great. He left poor kid under the care of a former drug-addict and an alcoholic.
"Former alcoholic. Sober since I made him promise that I won't end under the bus as long as he will stop drinking," she said.
"I'm starting to regret leaving the kid under your care," Severus mumbled.
"Don't worry," she snickered. "We watch each other hands and there is always the rest of the family to put us straight if we start."
"How did you get Dreamless Sleep Potion? If you were addicted you needed a huge vial every night," Severus asked curiously.
"I didn't get Outstanding in N.E.W.T.S Potions just because I batted my eyelids at examiner, Severus," she snorted. "I'm not as skilled as you are but I will give the Potion Master at St Mungo a run for his money, especially with my Sleeping Potions."
Sleeping Potions, good that she reminded him that he needed to chose a Sleeping Potion for tomorrow third year Slytherin/Hufflepuff class.
"What time is it?" he asked.
"Six o'clock in the morning," she answered. "I had a meeting with Sirius in Hogsmead at five. I got your map that's why I came here."
"You just happen to be an early bird, aren't you?" he mumbled.
"Have problems with it, nightly owl?" she snickered.
"I will tell you after breakfast," he replied. "Now go bother someone else while I will catch another nap," he groaned and draw the covers back over his head.
He closed his eyes and managed to fell asleep.
He woke up sometime later to the clinking of the bottles in his office. He quickly stood up from his bed, grabbed his dressing-gown and managed to put it on as he made his way to the door. He opened the door and peeked into his office. There in the corner of the office was standing Mirzam, in front of her was a bubbling cauldron.
"What are you doing?" he asked as he walked into the room.
"If I wanted to piss you off I would say a mess," she replied without looking at him. "But since I prefer you calm, I will say Essence of Calmness. You will drink a glass of it before going to sleep. This cauldron should last for two weeks. It's not a Dreamless Sleep Potion but it keeps nightmares at bay."
"As far as I remember Essence of Calmness contains opiates," he pointed out as he got closer to her.
"Not when I'm making the potion," she chipped. "Melissa is not an opiate as far as I remember."
"Then it's not an Essence of Calmness," he pointed out.
"It is if you add four glasses of Melissa leaves instead of a glass of poppy seeds," she replied.
"I'm First Class Potion Master here and I'm saying that without poppy seeds Essence of Calmness is not an Essence of Calmness," he said firmly.
"I'm a former drug-addict Auror who can kick your sorry bum before you can say 'Quidditch'. I'm saying that it is Essence of Calmness and it is Essence of Calmness that's final," she stated firmly as she turned to face him. "Now you can either act as a bastard and argue with me or say 'thank you Mirzam for spending your time at making a potion for me, it's very kind of you'. Your choice?"
That stunned him. Not the fact that she prepared him the potion, she was kind creature, he knew it. But the fact that she talked him back and didn't even flinch wasn't something he saw every day.
"Thank you, Mirzam," he mumbled and he almost berated himself for sounding sheepish. "I'm not used to someone taking care of me."
"Neither am I," she sighed. "Shitty childhood."
"Join the club," he mumbled.
"Now I will go upstairs and scare Dumbledore while you will make yourself decent and we will eat breakfast before we will have a go at Room of Requirement before classes," she said as she whipped her hands into the cloth which lied nearby.
"Thank you again," he mumbled as she approached the door.
She opened the door and smiled at him, "You're welcomed."
The door closed after her and he was left alone with a bubbling potion in the cauldron.
It took him fifteen minutes to take a quick shower and dress up for the day. He came back to his bedroom and picked up the blank piece of parchment which lied on his bedside table. On his way to the Great Hall he caught his Slytherin fifth year prefect snogging his fellow fifth year prefect from Ravenclaw. After taking away five points each he told them to find better hiding place next time and he went to Great Hall.
Staff table was relatively empty, except Lockhart who was talking animatedly to Professor Sprout and Mirzam who was barely containing a grin no one else was there. There were few students from each house at each table. Abandoning his usual sit at the right end of the table next to Lockhart he went to empty seat next to Mirzam.
"Stop grinning," he hissed at her. "It will give us away."
"Not really," she flashed him a quick smile. "Lockhart is telling Sprout that he can pat a werewolf on the head with an aconite and that it will change back."
"Would it make us bad to encourage him to do so?" he whispered. "Where is Dumbledore?"
"Remember what I told you that I would do to Lockhart?" she asked quietly.
She … She hexed Dumbledore with that curse?
"No kidding," he mumbled in shock.
"I'm not," she snickered. "I meet him in the hall. Don't worry it was empty. Currently he should be chasing them around the castle. So Severus how do you think the Saturday match between Slytherin and Gryffindor will end?"
"Gryffindor will be smeared into Quidditch Pitch my dear Professor McGonagall. Tess Bell is a lousy seeker but the best you have," he replied in his normal voice.
"Your Tarrington is not better. If you had Regulus Black on the team I say that you will win the match but sadly Black is graduated and deceased," she replied. "My Gryffindors are going to win this match, mark my words."
"Unless you will knock out Bell and Polyjuice into her it won't happen," he hissed at her.
"Better knock out Tarrington and Polyjuice Reggie into him," she hissed back. "And I may let you win then out of decency."
She was really planning to do it. Merlin, she was really going to knock out her seeker and switch places with her.
"What about Professor Kitty?" he hissed at her. "She is obsessed with Quidditch and if she doesn't shows up on the match…"
"She won't show up on the match because she is going to have a hell of a migraine and because of Professor Snape's absence she isn't going to get her Migraine Potion," she winked at him.
"What makes you think that I will leave Hogwarts when my house plays?" he asked her quietly.
"The fact that you will try your best to stop me from cheating," she replied quietly. "You will try to find a way to stop me from playing but since you don't have any and you have a hidden bottle of Polyjuice you will knock out Tarrington and play in his place."
"You should have ended in Slytherin," he hissed at her.
"Why everybody keep telling me that?" she snickered.
By Saturday morning he didn't had a plan of stopping Mirzam from playing without revealing her true identity. Neither did they find the Horcrux in the Room of Requirement. So after he made a show of leaving the grounds knowing that 'McGonagall' was about to retire to her quarters with a splitting migraine he came back into the castle under Invisibility Cloak he got from Mr Black for the durance of their mission.
He quickly located Tarrington with his map and after stunning the kid for a good measure he locked him up in one of the rooms in the dungeons. Then he feed the kid with a sleeping potion and took his hair and broom. Tarrington would be dead to the world for next three hours. He quickly came back to his office where he drunk the first gulp of Polyjuice and after putting on Tarrington's Quidditch robes and pocketing the small vial of Polyjuice he went in the direction of Quidditch Pitch.
He listened to the talk Robertson give them half-heartedly thinking that he would need to change Quidditch Captain next year because Robertson really sucked at being Captain. When the time had came he went to the pitch where the Gryffindors were awaiting, amongst them a grinning Tess Bell alias Mirzam Black.
'I'm going to run you into the ground,' she mouthed at him.
'You wish,' he mouthed back.
At Hooch's whistle they took off. Mirzam sprung upwards and he flew after her. He had to handle her that she was extremely fast even if they brooms were evenly matched. Fifty feet above the stands she stopped and snickered when he flew past her.
"You think that you are smart Bell," he yelled at her.
"I have been told that I should be in Slytherin," she laughed at him. "Prepare to die," she called at him and dived on the top speed.
He dived after her and that's when he spotted the Snitch near Gryffindor goalpost. He levelled his broom and rushed in this direction barely avoiding being hit by a bludger. He was about a feet away from the Snitch when the broom appeared in front of him.
"Looser," he heard her calling him as she dove after the Snitch.
"Damn you!" he called after her and he urged the broom to move faster.
He levelled with her just in the same time he realised that they were about to crush into the ground. He slowed the broom and pulled the handle up to not crush into the ground. He managed to turn around just to see that Mirzam instead of pulling the handle up she pushed it down and now she was flying after the Snitch upside down.
He leapt after her and nearly slammed into her as she levelled with his broom.
"Don't think that I will spare you," he hissed at her.
"You won't," she snickered. "Careful. Stand," she called and she pulled the broom handle up.
He barely managed to not slam into the stand as he pulled the handle up with such a force that he made a wheel in the air.
"If you are done with playing like a kid let's play a game for real men," he heard her snicker about ten feet away from him.
He grunted and as the broom turned once again he pushed it down hard and managed to straighten it. He flew up the stand and twenty feet above the level of the highest stand he stopped and levelled his broom in the air. He looked around and spotted the Snitch next to about thirty feet above the highest goalpost. He leapt after it and was very surprised that Mirzam didn't appeared immediately by his sight. He was only three feet away from the Snitch when something zoomed in front of him and suddenly he felt that something fell on his broom.
"Home, James, and don't spare the horses," he heard Mirzam's snicker next to his right ear and quickly an arm dressed in red appeared in front of his face, the hand was holding the Snitch. "Told you so."
"Are you sitting on my broom?" he asked stupidly.
"Sure, you didn't knew that Nimbus 1700 can carry two people?" she asked.
"Let me guess you and your husband…" he started.
"Long story," she snickered. "Now down boy."
He was tempted to dive down to the ground thought that temptation had passed as soon as it appeared and he landed on the ground gently.
After he landed he hurried away from his team as quickly he could. He lost them when he ran into the closet next to Entrance Hall. Then he made a dash to his office where he quickly dressed himself into his robes again.
Two hours later, after the Polycuice wore off and Tarrington with fresh altered memory of the Quidditch match was gone Severus made his way to the Great Hall.
Mirzam was there, again she was McGonagall and she was chatting with Flitwick who as Severus guessed was telling her the details of the match she technically missed. After lunch he went to seventh floor and waited for Mirzam in front of the tapestry of Barnabass the Barmy.
She joined him fifteen minutes later. She was grinning widely. She passed next to him three times and when the door appeared she entered the room. He went after her.
"Before we start searching again I want to know that story about Nimbus 1700," he told her.
"18 January 1981, Fulham. Ask Sirius about the details because I was knocked out by the flying frying pan," she snickered. "Got a really nasty bump and a concussion."
"How he is taking it?" he asked more from decency than actual curiosity. "Everything which had happened."
Mirzam cringed, "Better, a bit. But I think that he came back to work too soon after Azkaban. The Longbottoms case is driving him mad and he works on double shifts. There is also something else, he is awfully silent lately."
"It's not a bad thing," Severus pointed out.
"As far as Sirius is concerned it is, Severus," Mirzam sighed and she leaned against the wall. "Not this kind of silence. Something is bothering him."
"Do you know what?" he asked before he could stop himself.
Since when he started caring about Black?
"I don't know what," Mirzam muttered. "But I know why."
"Why?" he asked letting himself satisfy his curiosity.
Mirzam slid down the wall and sat down on the floor before she answered, "It's something about his father. Something he did, which bothers Sirius very much. He seems to take it as a personal insult."
"Care to clarify?" Severus asked. "One Dumbledore and his veiled replies in the castle is enough."
Mirzam grimaced before she muttered, "It's not my place to tell you, Severus. I have been told what it is but I whole-heartedly agree with Sirius on this matter. It's something you should learn by yourself from Sirius's father."
He let it go, for now. He was really enjoying himself today, in company of a woman on that. He found most women intimidating besides Lily of course, and lately Mirzam. No, there weren't any similarities and thank Merlin for Mirzam's tact which prevented her from changing her hair to red or her eyes to green in his presence. But one of the things these two shared was that Severus truly enjoyed himself in their company.
"Why you didn't go home today?" he asked curiously. "I thought that you might wanted to see them."
"I do want to see them, Severus," Mirzam sighed. "But I know for sure that Sirius is on double duty today and when he comes back home he will go straight to bed. Besides sooner we find the Horcrux and switch the swords sooner I will be able to come back home. And you looked like you needed good cheering up."
Did he?
"My house lost the match," he pointed out.
"I saw you smiling," she snickered. "Now let's find the piece of soul of a soulless bastard."
They entered the labyrinth for what felt like a hundred time. They walked for a longer while until suddenly Severus stopped and looked expectantly at Mirzam as he asked, "This time we are looking for…"
She didn't answered. She was standing in front of him and was looking at him … Not at him, something behind him.
"Mirzam," he asked tentatively and he snapped his fingers in front of her face.
That seemed to snap her out and she looked at him. Suddenly her eyes flashed from her own violet which she had every time they entered the Room of Requirement to green, Lily's green. But as soon as it appeared it passed.
"What?" she mumbled as her eyes turned violet again.
"I should be asking this question," he pointed out.
She raised her right arm and pointed at something behind him. He turned around and stared at blistered old cupboard. On the top of it stood the pock-marked stone warlock wearing a dusty, old wig and what looked like an ancient, discoloured …
Tiara. The lost Diadem of Ravenclaw. The possible Horcrux.
He didn't felt Mirzam lying her left hand on his right shoulder but he felt her fingers digging into his skin almost painfully.
"Diadem," she whispered.
"Diadem," he repeated.
It was … a miracle. From all possible Horcruxes this was the most troublesome one and there it was, lying innocently on the top of old warlock's head.
"I'll take it off," they said at the same time.
His eyes meet her violet ones.
"My house," she whispered as she conjured a cloth.
Her hand left his shoulder and through the cloth she took the diadem off from warlock's head. He stared at the diadem and then at her.
It seemed that ages had passed before either of them dared to move.
Sirius glared at his stew. He had no desire to look at the rest of the family. Since they found out about Homam being Harry Potter they hardly left the house at 12 Grimmauld Place. Most of the time they spent locked up in the library to Horcruxes Slayers' Club utmost annoyance. Thankfully Sirius's father performed Fidelius Charm on everything Horcruxes related there and as long as he kept his mouth shut the only people aware of the Horcruxes were Sirius's grandfathers.
With everything which had happened Sirius felt emotionally drained, like something which a Kneazel vomited, as Regulus liked to say. Mirzam wasn't home and wasn't supposed to be home for another week, maybe even more. Then there was Severus Snape's issue, Sirius confided his knowledge in Mirzam but told her that it would be better if their father passed him the news. But Sirius feared Severus's reaction to the news and he had very good reasons to be afraid. His reaction could be just as bad as Sirius's, if not worse,
No, he definitely didn't wanted to eat now, maybe later, when the family will leave and they will have to leave, eventually.
"I'm going upstairs," he mumbled and stood up from the table.
He left the kitchen without looking back and was about to step on the first stair upstairs when he heard a crack of apportation behind. He whirled around and saw Mirzam. She was grinning like mad.
"We found it," she whispered before she threw herself into his arms.
"What?" he mumbled as he wound his arms behind her back.
"Ravenclaw," she whispered. "In my bag."
He pulled away from her and stared at her in shock. It took him a moment to mumble, "Are you sure?"
"One hundred percent," she nodded. "We even confirmed that this is IT."
"That's great," he whispered back feeling relief washing over him.
First part of the plan was done. Now they only needed to switch swords and Mirzam will be home for good.
"Where is … my brother?" he asked quietly.
"Decided to go to bed early," Mirzam mumbled. "Upstairs if you want to know more."
He quickly pulled her by the hand to one of the rooms on the first floor and made her sit on the bed.
"Why he went to bed early?" he asked out of pure curiosity.
"Nightmares as far as I know. I managed to talk him out of using Dreamless Sleep Potion. Besides his pride needs healing, he lost a Quidditch match today," Mirzam replied.
"He is a Professor, Mirzam," Sirius pointed out. "Professors don't play Quidditch."
"If they don't polyjuice into their Seekers they don't," Mirzam snickered.
Snape sabotaged the match?
"Why?" Sirius mumbled.
Mirzam grinned before she answered, "Because McGonagall told him that she was going to sabotage the match."
"You sabotaged the match?" he mumbled in shock.
"Do you remember what Delano told us?" Mirzam asked impishly.
He remembered, very well.
"If you feel like you can't figure something out, find something else to do and come back to it when you are rested," he replied.
"Exactly," Mirzam nodded. "I needed a distraction, Sirius. I could bet on everything that the Horcrux was in Room of Requirement. The match served its purpose, plus I won it."
"Sure you did," Sirius grinned at her. "You were the best Seeker any team could have."
"Not really," Mirzam snickered. "I was driven Seeker, Regulus is equally matched but I always had more determination to win our matches than he did, especially since our Chasers were lousy."
"So he played Seeker?" Sirius asked curiously. "He was quite a Beater as far as I remember."
"He did and he played well," Mirzam nodded. "Not as well as Regulus would but far more better than current Slytherin's Seeker does."
"But he had no chance against you," Sirius chuckled.
"He had," Mirzam shook her head. "He almost caught the snitch but my Seeker reflex kicked again. Though it served the purpose, he seemed happy despite losing the match. Are you still thinking that it would be better if your father told him personally?"
No, he didn't. It would be actually better if he didn't. On the other hand his father deserved a little scare but for their own good it would be better if between being told and confronting their father was a long enough period of time for Severus to calm down.
"Dad deserves the scare," Sirius sighed. "But if I was in Severus's place the Unforgivable in use wouldn't be Cruciatus Curse."
"Same here," Mirzam nodded. "I had an idea how to help him with being a teacher."
"What kind of idea?" Sirius asked curiously.
"In my bag," Mirzam patted her bag before she reached inside it and pulled out few sheets of parchment. "Dormitories. Plus both maps. How long it will take you to add all dormitories into them?" she asked as she handed them to him.
"Without Remus around who is currently suffering bonding session with his father somewhere in France?" he sighed as he examined the pictures of Ravenclaw's dormitories. "Three days, in worst case four. Hopefully I will give it back to you by Wednesday evening, eventually Thursday morning," he replied as he put the maps aside. "Will you tell him or do you want me to do this?"
"I will tell him," Mirzam replied.
"You have more tact than I do anyway," he said quietly.
"It's not a question about tact, Sirius," Mirzam sighed. "It's about opportune moment."
"So what about the Horcrux?" he asked curiously.
Mirzam reached into her bag and pulled out discoloured tiara from it, "We found it purely by accident but we are sure that it is a Horcrux. You may give it to your father."
"You don't want to be seen here, do you?" he sighed.
"I need to come back before Dumbledore decides to start looking for me. I hate it Sirius. I wonder why just can't remove Dumbledore from Hogwarts and … why not put Severus in his place?" she mumbled.
"He is a bit too young for Headmaster of Hogwarts," Sirius replied. "Besides we need to reclaim the seats in Hogwarts' Board of Governors. It will take some time."
"So you have more than one seat in the Board of Governors?" Mirzam asked curiously.
"There is Black family seat in the Board of Governors, currently unoccupied. There is also the Malfoys seat, Lestranges seat, the Prewetts one and the McMillans. That's all to which we can have a claim. I will need to persuade grandma to take the McMillans with her uncle's recent death. Aunt Lucy or uncle Iggy would gladly pull the place from Marge Prewett's nose. All members of Lestrange family are either dead or imprisoned so I guess the seat is ours. There will be a problem with the Malfoys but I think that mum will find a way to ensure that neither her brother or her niece would be using this one," Sirius explained.
"So who will fill the Blacks and the Lestranges seats?" asked Mirzam curiously. "Assuming that your grandmother will take the McMillans and either your aunt or uncle will take the Prewetts and what about the Malfoys?"
"Generally the head of the family fills them so I guess that both grandfathers will fill the Blacks and the Lestranges seats or they will …" he hesitated for a moment thinking about the seats at Wizengamot. As an Auror he couldn't claim one there but being an Auror wouldn't be a problem for the Board of Governors. "I have a great idea. Come with me to the kitchen."
Mirzam laid the tiara on the bed and covered it with her bag before she stood up. Together they rushed into the kitchen where the rest of the family was talking.
"I married a genius!" Sirius announced.
That statement made them look at them and various, 'Hello Mirzam' was heard. Sirius quickly shushed them down.
"Mirzam reminded me about something," he said as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
"And that would be?" Pollux asked curiously.
"Hogwarts' Board of Governors and Wizengamot," Sirius answered quickly. "We still have seats there, don't we?"
"We have Black family seat in both," Pollux said pensively. "Plus we can claim the Lestranges seeing that they are either dead or in prison. There is McMillan seat in the Board of Governors and I think that Mel can claim it, if she wants of course, with a proper amount of persuading from her part. Same with the Prewetts, I think that Iggy may try to persuade Robert into appointing Lucretia as a governor. The Malfoys are an issue in both but if we play well we can claim both seats."
"Neither Mirzam nor I can take the Wizengamot seats," Sirius said quickly. "Downside of being an Auror."
"Then after Mirzam comes back we will appoint both of you as members of the Board of Governor," his grandfather replied quickly. "Archie and I will try to take the seats in Wizengamot, ours and the Malfoys, I can easily overpower Cygnus. But Cissy will be an issue, she will probably want to keep the seat in the Board."
"Mental illness," Sirius's father supplied suddenly. "Wally told me that she isn't in very good shape after Lucius ended in Azkaban. We can threaten Ciggy that we will exposure it to the press, he would do everything to avoid the scandal. Then Wally will be able to take Cissy's place in the Board."
"Why won't you?" asked his grandmother.
"Mum!" his father groaned. "I'm technically dead. I can't claim any seat for Merlin's sake."
"Out of pure curiosity," said Mirzam quickly. "Who is the head of the family?"
"Now?" asked Pollux as he scratched his head. "This family always had two heads plus two additional, just in case former two happened to die. According to Black family decree the two heads are respectively, the oldest male relative with surname Black and the oldest male heir with surname Black. Additional heads of the family follow the same way, the second oldest male relative and the second oldest male heir, both with surname Black. So according to the law oldest male Black in the family is my dear cousin, in case of his death I'm stepping into his shoes. The oldest male heir of the family is your husband and in case of his death Regulus, as the second male heir is stepping into his shoes as the second head of the family," he explained.
"Is not," Regulus muttered.
"But you and Sirius are the only male heirs old enough to fill in the head of the family position. For Merlin's sake, you are Orion's second son," his grandmother explained.
"I'm not," Regulus sighed.
"Pardon?" came collective gasp from everybody else besides Sirius, Mirzam, Regulus and their parents.
"Of course that you are Orion's son, kid," said his grandmother quickly. "You have Gamp's fingers like Orion."
Regulus rolled his eyes at that before he huffed, "I didn't denied being his son, grandma. I denied being his second son. That makes a difference."
"But…" his grandmother mumbled as she looked between Regulus and her own son. "Who? How?"
"Orion," Arcturus glared at Orion who immediately shrunk in his seat. "Whom Regulus is talking about?"
His father hissed something quietly and he shrunk even more in his seat.
"I heard a hiss, care to say it a bit louder and clearer?" Arcturus asked calmly.
"Severus Snape," Sirius snickered.
"Actually Severus Tobias Orionis Snape," his mother snickered. "Born at 9th January 1960 to Eileen Snape, nee Prince. Nearly seven weeks younger than Sirius."
"You had a child out of wedlock, Orion?" Sirius's grandmother bellowed.
At that Sirius's father ended under the table which made everyone who was aware of Severus being Orion's son a bit earlier than the rest of the family laugh.
"So short after Sirius was born!" Pollux bellowed.
"Did you knew about it Wally?" Arcturus asked grimly as Orion managed to climb up to his chair.
"I was aware of it since Orion returned. He tried to deny it for a while but we settled it down last week," his mother replied calmly. "And you better stay away from the kid, he doesn't needs another trauma right now. He doesn't know that he is Orion's son, yet."
"Yet," Mirzam muttered. "Imagine how he is going to take it, dad."
"I think that an Unforgivable is going to be in use and I'm not thinking about my own choice," Sirius muttered, he really wanted to scare his father.
"But he needs to be told," Melania mumbled. "It changes everything."
"It changes nothing," Sirius shook his head. "Let them deal with on their own grandma."
Arcturus couldn't help but feel shaken by the new information about his only son. Orion had a bastard son, a bastard son whom he hid from the family, another son, another heir.
"I can't believe that Wally is okay with it," Pollux muttered. "Hello, he cheated on her and when?" he huffed. "Shortly after Walburga discovered that she was pregnant with Sirius. That…"
"Stupid idiot," Arcturus supplied.
"Backstabbing git," muttered Melania. "I can't believe it, seriously."
"You better do," Cassiopeia mumbled before she took a sip of her wine.
They moved their gathering from 12 Grimmauld Place to 7 Park Road shortly after new announcement. Orion made a hasty exit from the kitchen and Walburga followed him. The only ones to bid goodbyes to the family were Sirius, Mirzam and Regulus. They grave faces said enough about that matter, the message was clear, 'Stay away from him'.
"I don't get it," Lucretia huffed. "Why they are trying to protect the kid? Sirius and Regulus should be pissed off beyond human comprehending capacity and they are not."
"Maybe they know something we don't," Ignatius sighed. "Remember that Sirius is the oldest kid in the family, he was the oldest amongst his friends too and he is older than Mirzam."
"Auror too," Lucretia nodded.
"Protector," Pollux mumbled. "Oldest child complex if I ever saw one."
"You are one," Arcturus snorted. "So am I."
"Natural leader, high achiever, bossy , organised, always on-time, know-it-all, responsible," Lucretia muttered.
"Risk taker, outgoing, creative, competitive, sometimes self-centred prat with specific sense of humour," Cassiopeia muttered. "Perfect youngest child complex."
"He is the oldest, Cassie," Lucretia muttered. "Everybody can see it, you saw Regulus around him, who is in control? Sirius is in control."
"Dragon dung," Cassiopeia muttered. "Regulus recognises Sirius's authority over him that's a difference."
"How about we leave you to quarrel here while we are going to go to the kitchen?" asked Pollux suddenly as he stood up. "Mel, stay with them and act as a mediator."
Arcturus stood up with a heavy sigh, he knew Pollux too well to know what the discussion between them and Ignatius was going to be about. Orion's kid. He followed Pollux and Ignatius to the kitchen where they sat down at the kitchen table.
Pollux scratched his head before he said, "What about Severus's rights, Arcturus, Ignatius?"
"Same as Sirius's and Regulus's I guess," Arcturus replied. "He is a Black, even if he doesn't have the surname. Besides the more heirs the better for the family, Polly. Extinction of the family is less possible with three heirs instead of two."
"I'm with dad on this one," Ignatius sighed. "I don't know the kid very well, besides what we have been told about him. But if Sirius and Regulus are okay with him then I have nothing against him."
"Death Eater," Pollux muttered.
"Reggie is one too," Arcturus replied.
"But why he aids them?" Pollux asked pensively. "I mean animosity between him and Sirius and James Potter was legendary. Why he helped Wally with concealing the kid and why Sirius trusted him enough to make him Har… Homam's godfather?"
"Sirius knows something we don't," Ignatius mumbled and he rubbed his eyes.
"Tired?" asked Pollux.
"The Longbottoms inheritance is supposed to be split tomorrow morning. Crouch already wrote me that he won't take the claim of anything," Ignatius mumbled.
"So that leaves the family who has more children than money to bring them up," Pollux muttered.
"Don't worry about it," Ignatius snorted. "The Longbottoms were quite wealth and I mean whole family, even split in three ways the money and houses are something. Arthur, Alexander and Alphred already contacted me and confirmed the date."
"Knowing you Iggy, you have the first draft of the split," Pollux said pensively.
"I did," Ignatius sighed. "Augusta's and Henry's home will go to Alexander since he is the oldest as well as ten thousands Galleons. Alphred will get Algie's and Enid's house plus ten thousands Galleons. Arthur as the youngest will get Callidora's and Harfang's house and ten thousands Galleons."
"That house?" Arcturus mumbled and he pointed through the kitchen window at the house under the number six. "I will have Molly 'Callahan descent' Weasley nee Prewett as a neighbour? Iggy, how could you!"
"Well it's either her or Geraldine," Ignatius sighed. "You can pick which one."
"If I had to pick one of them as a neighbour I will pick Daisy," Arcturus snorted. "At least Alexander can keep her in the house and if Molly or Geraldine will move to Park Road we are going to get a permanent nosy neighbour."
"Fidelius Charm?" asked Pollux sympathetically.
"I'm not going to hide my house because of Molly or Geraldine, Polly," Arcturus huffed. "This house belonged to my father and he was very proud of it, that's why Muggles can see it."
"Confundus Charm on the gates to the front garden?" asked Pollux. "The one meant for certain people only?"
"Rather a very good poison," Arcturus muttered. "Or a basilisk. Gets rid of all our problems if you get what I mean."
"Sabotage?" suggested Ignatius.
"Now you've got to be kidding me," Arcturus groaned. "There is no way of getting rid of Molly once she settles down inside it."
"Try Confundus Charm before you will do something stupid, dad," Ignatius muttered.
"I never thought that I'm going to be a neighbour to a Callahan descent. I hate you Iggy," Arcturus muttered.
Severus checked for the map everywhere in his bedroom and office. It wasn't in the place he put it and he would remember if he moved it. He checked his bedside drawer once again and slammed it shut.
"Mirzam," he huffed.
"At your services," he heard from behind.
"The map?" he asked without turning back.
"Sirius has both," Mirzam replied. "They need a little adjusting of the knowledge I gained, we will get them back in worst case at Thursday morning."
"What kind of adjusting?" he asked as he finally turned around to look at her.
"Dormitories and common rooms of all houses, plus Room of Requirement," she replied as she approached him and sat down on his bed.
"I could use a little warning before you took it," he muttered. "At least I wouldn't spend better part of the morning at looking for it."
"Nightmares again?" she asked calmly.
Yes, he had another nightmare despite Essence of Calmness.
"You can say so," he mumbled and he sat down next to her. "So what brought you here?" he changed the subject."
"Curiosity," she replied.
"Killed the cat," he snorted.
"Then it's a good thing that I'm a dog too," she mumbled and she fell on his bed backwards. "You know pureblood families, don't you?"
"Which one interests you?" he asked as he scooted away from her and leaned his back against the headboard.
"The Callahans," she replied and she propped herself on her elbows. "Regulus mentioned them once or twice in the past but he refuses to tell me more."
Good, for her. At least Regulus had a sense of decency to spare her the history of the Callahans. But then again curiosity was about to kill the cat if she continued pressing for information.
"He does it for a very good reason, Mirzam," he sighed.
"First him, now you," she snorted. "Sirius won't breath a word and I didn't had a chance to ask the rest about them."
"They are trying to protect your sanity," he pointed out.
"Now you picked my interest," she mumbled as she sat up on the bed and quickly arranged herself into cross-legged position. "Come on, spill, it can be that bad."
"On your own head, Mirzam," he sighed.
She nodded eagerly. If he didn't knew that she was a Ravenclaw that eagerness would give her away.
"The Callahans were one of the most ancient families in Great Britain, hell, whole Europe," he started and quickly paused. "Their family motto was 'Toujours Pur Sang'."
"Always Pure Blood," she translated quickly. "Black family motto consist from the first two.
"Indeed," he nodded. "The Callahans prided themselves as the most purest wizards and witches in the world. The Blacks pissed them immensely when they took 'Toujours Pur' as their own motto, though for the reasons of taking it you will need to ask a Black, preferably someone other than your hubby. Back to Callahans, they were really ancient family, their heritage could be traced back to ancient times, ages before the Black family came into being, again how, where and when are the questions which you need to ask a Black about. Nevertheless the Callahans had the most pure bloodline for ages. They prided themselves for being first full-bloods and one of the first pure-bloods. The Blacks for them where nothing but a scum on their feet."
"So that's why the Black family isn't fond of their descents?" she asked curiously.
"Not really," Severus shook his head. "Seeing that the Blacks were a scum for them the Callahans didn't cared for them. They had their noses so high in the air that it lead into their extinction in the end."
"How?" Mirzam asked as she leaned her head on her hands.
"Are you familiar with the word, incest?" he asked calmly.
She nodded slowly as she grimaced slightly.
"The Callahans brought new meaning to this word," he muttered. "There was no one worthy enough marrying one of them so sometime before Hogwarts was founded the family started inbreeding and I really mean it. Brothers had children with their sisters. Fathers raped their daughters, mothers raped their sons. It was madness and in the end it destroyed them. By the time Hogwarts was founded the Callahans through mad inbreeding were reduced into squibs. The Blacks loved to rub it into their faces and as far as I got into Black family history that's when the word pure-blood came into being as an insult. Pure-blood, too pure in blood for its own good," he sighed heavily.
"The Black family is pure-blood," she pointed out.
"At the beginning, they weren't. They were Great Britain's most famous blood traitors. Too pure blood is going to finish the family off, they said. Look at the Callahans, they said. The Callahans of course loathed the Blacks with a passion of a woman scorned. The Blacks grew in power when the Callahans were falling down the downwards spiral of their own destruction. The Blacks were so powerful that they quickly stepped into the Callahans place. That hurt the most."
"There is more," said Mirzam, her eyes were boring through his scull as he looked at her.
"There is," he nodded. "One day, I can't remember the year of it but it was shortly after first students graduated from Hogwarts something had happened. Something terrible. The Blacks as liberated as they were with their views at blood purity back then were very close family and they all lived very close to each other. That day in Lair, in Scotland, all men in Black family were slaughtered. There was no old man, no adult man, no teenagers, no children, no toddlers, nor a male newborn which lived through the slaughter. By some freakish miracle the wives and daughters of Black family had lived. But the fate which awaited the girls … it was the fate worse than death," he paused.
"What kind of fate it was?" Mirzam asked quietly.
"They were separated. Mothers were thrown into the dungeons, daughters were taken to the Callahan men who … who raped them, repeatedly till they give birth to Callahan's sons, any girl born from that 'union' was killed before she even managed to drew her first breath," he whispered.
"It's horrible," Mirzam mumbled timidly.
"But the Blacks name still meant something in wizarding world, far more than the Callahans. According to the legend Salazar Slytherin himself came to help those poor women. His men slaughtered any man with surname of Callahan, they killed sons born from the rapes and set all women free. The Callahans women suffered even worse, every Callahan woman who looked like she was in family way was killed on sight. Slytherin offered Black women shelter at his own home in return they were supposed to ensure that the sons of their deceased husbands were destined as members of his own house. Out of fifteen Black women who were in the family way by the time of their capture twelve gave birth to the boys. After that Salazar found them respective, pureblood husbands with whom they managed to have other kids. Sons of Blacks were supposed to keep their name and bring back the power to their name. And so they did, otherwise you wouldn't be Mrs Black today," he explained.
"That's…" Mirzam started.
"Horrible?" he supplied quickly. "Yeah, it was horrible. But the worst thing of all is that one of the Callahans had lived, his mother wasn't visibly pregnant by the time their family was slaughtered. She poured into his head the plan of bringing down the Black family. But she didn't succeed, her precious son was a squib, like the rest of the family before him. It took three centuries before first Callahan male attended Hogwarts. Slytherin banned them from his house, for safety measure, so did Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, Gryffindor was the only one who agreed to take a Callahan, if any survived Slytherin's slaughter they needed a house to end in and in the eyes of the founders the Callahans didn't deserved a separate house, just for them. Gryffindor made it clear, any descent of Callahan family was supposed to end in his house, the tiara was supposed to take care of it," he said grimly.
"So they ended in Gryffindor even if they didn't deserve it," Mirzam mumbled.
"Indeed," Severus nodded. "But the Callahans became wiser knowing their past even if the Callahan women vowed to themselves to destroy all Black men but the Blacks were wiser than that, even if their choosing of pureblood partners started to get very limited there wasn't a Black who ever married a Callahan. It pissed the Callahans to no end and finally few years after Phineas Niggelus was born Manfred Callahan got enough of it. He wanted to have a Black as a son-in-law to destroy the Black family. He had seven daughters so the Blacks could chose which one of their sons could marry."
"Let me guess," Mirzam mumbled. "They sent him on a merry way."
"Yep," Severus nodded. "And for this Regulus Black's oldest son paid the highest price, Manfred kidnapped young, barely eight years old Sirius and told Regulus that unless he would allow this unholy union with one of his daughters Regulus would never see his oldest son again. He kept that word, Sirius was brutally murdered, Regulus killed Manfred year later in the same way Manfred killed his son. Then he killed Callahan' s daughters and wife, he spent the rest of his life in Azkaban for it. But once again by some freakish miracle son of Callahan had lived, under false name of Sarconis he attended Hogwarts then later he married three women, in a row with whom he managed to produce nine daughters respectively. Patricia and Margaret Callahan were his last living daughters."
"Married to Patrick Pettigrew and Sebastian Prewett," Mirzam mumbled. "So Molly Weasley is a…"
"Descent of the Callahans, yes," Severus nodded. "By some kind of miracle Marge and Patricia were born after Sarconis had died and his wife died in childbirth. They possessed no memory of the Callahan family even if the Fudge family made sure that they got their surname back. But Blacks remembered and they watched them closely, according to the old diary I found over at my mother's house their tried their best to stop Sebastian from marrying Margaret but they failed. Even now I bet on everything that nothing a descent of the Callahan family would do won't get unnoticed by the Black family. They learned ages ago to trust a descent of Callahans as far as their can throw them which isn't very far."
"That's why Regulus was so pissed off about the Longbottoms inheritance going to the Weasleys," Mirzam mumbled.
"That's why," Severus nodded. "He was really into history, one of the few who never fell asleep in Binns class."
"But I don't get few things, why Sirius doesn't knows it and why you do?" she asked.
"The Callahans versus the Blacks history is a knowledge which every Black descent, especially male receives on the eve of becoming of age, that's what Regulus told me. Your husband doesn't knows about it because he hadn't been told, yet. As for me, when I was a kid I discovered some old diaries lying around at my mother's place, I read them, that's how I found out," Severus explained.
"And you are telling me that curiosity killed the cat," Mirzam muttered. "So Sirius is blissfully uniformed about the Callahans, to a certain extent at least."
"They will probably inform him as soon as Molly's daughter will start to make a move on one of your sons, had he been told sooner a murder will probably occur and this time you won't get him out of Azkaban," Severus said grimly.
"That's why Regulus told him to tell Molly to show any betrothal proposition where the sun doesn't shine. You think that she will do it?" she asked grimly.
"Born to Prewett, married to Weasley but Molly is still a descent of Callahan family, Mirzam. The Callahans, especially females, yearn for power, money and respect. Molly will get money tomorrow if my memory serves me right and she will probably think that if her precious daughter will marry a Black she will get another two. Of course that she will try it and as Homam's and Remus's mother you need to make sure that it will never happen. Watch out for love potions when the kids get older, I have a feeling that they are going to be used against your sons," he said fiercely and he meant every word.
"I have a plan," Mirzam grinned and suddenly her eyes flashed from violet to green.
"What kind of a plan, oh witty one?" he asked curiously.
"Devious plan, oh cunning one," she snickered. "Respect she wants, respect she gets."
He tried his best to get more out of her but after three hours of pestering her and getting no answer he gave up.
Next morning he woke up with a splitting headache and a feeling that something was amiss. One glance at the clock proved to him that, yes something was amiss. The clock for example, it showed that it was noon but it couldn't be noon since he had classes to teach since nine o'clock. There was no way that early bird called Mirzam Black would let him get late for his classes, she was persistent enough to kick him out from his room at least half of hour before the first classes were starting.
He closed his eyes and told himself that if he will look at the clock again it would show eight o'clock and in next fifteen minutes Mirzam will come to get him out from the dungeon for breakfast. He opened his eyes and glared at the clock. Both hands of the clock were showing noon. Oh fuck, he was so screwed up.
He nearly fell out of the bed but in the last moment he caught the edge of bedside table. That move made him spot something parchment alike lying on the top of it. Next to the note was a cup of tea and a pretty impressive pile of toasts. He grabbed the note and read:
Good morning Sleeping Beauty (are you familiar with Muggle children's stories?),
I took the liberty of not waking you up since you looked like you really needed rest.
Don't worry about your classes, I found proper replacement for the day – perks of being Deputy Headmistress – don't worry about him too, he won't wreck anything I warrant for him.
Just enjoy your day off, grade few essays, read a book, finish that poison which you are hiding in the bath… Just stay away from the classes or at least use Invisibility Cloak which dad gave you if you are planning to sneak into the dungeon but eat breakfast first.
I'll be either in my classroom or my office.
Bye,
Mi
P.S. You recently ran out of Polyjuice Potion – I took liberty of preparing all ingredients you are going to need today.
Take care of yourself,
Mi
P.P.S. Be a dear and burn this letter after you read it. I put Imperturbable Charm on the door but better safe than sorry.
He stared at the letter in shock not really comprehending what he just read. He read the letter again when the information it contained reached to his brain. That evil witch let him sleep and apparently brought a replacement for his place today, if Dumbledore found out Severus was going to be dead. And that poison comment… oh fuck, she was in the bathroom and he didn't cleaned it out after he managed to blow up the cauldron with altered Wolfsbane Potion. Eat breakfast, who was she to tell him this? His mother? And Polyjuice. He was really going to strangle her today.
His stomach grumbled loudly and he grudgingly admitted to himself that he should eat first before he tried to attempt a murder on her. He chewed on the first sandwich angrily. For Merlin's sake she wasn't a relative of his to bossy him around, and even his relatives, few remaining Prince's aunts weren't that bold to order him around like a house-elf.
What exactly she was planning to achieve with it? His help? No, she had it, due to this whole Homam/Harry thing. Another information which she wanted? No, she would ask him straightforwardly, she wasn't a type who danced around the subject. What she wanted from him for Merlin's sake?
'Perhaps she just wanted to be nice,' said the voice from the back of his mind which sounded suspiciously like his dearest Lily.
"I don't do nice," he muttered.
'No, you don't,' the voice agreed. 'She does.'
"If you start insinuating that I'm developing any feelings towards her I'm going to Avada myself," he muttered.
'I didn't said that,' the voice replied. 'You did. Besides who says that you are developing them, you already have them.'
Great, that was all he needed. Falling in love with another taken woman. Maybe he should just jump from Astronomy Tower to spare himself another heartache.
He chewed on the last bite of sandwich and swallowed it before he fell back on his bed.
What in the name of Meriln's lousy underwear he felt for her? Did one look from her warmed his heart like Lily's did? No, certainly not, one look from her always made him think with what she was going to come this time. Did he enjoyed being near her? No, yes, no, yes. Fuck, Quidditch Match. Was he worried about her? Definitely, hence that cursed wedding ring. Did she make him smile? Quidditch Match again. Did he thought about her in the same way as he thought of Lily? Certainly not or he was too scared of what Black could do to him if he found out? Did he trusted her? He did, back in Malfoy Manor, he trusted her that she will get the kid out of that damned house, then later he believed in her story about Black.
Oh, Merlin it was so bloody frustrating. He really needed counsellor but since he drove Lily away he had no one to confide in. He was so screwed.
'Wallowing in self-pity for the rest of the day would do but maybe I should check what she came up with this time,' he told himself and he sat up on the bed.
He pocketed the note in his robes and fetched Invisibility Cloak before he left his bedroom. After he put the cloak on and checked if he was covered by it completely before he entered the corridor and made his way to his classroom.
The door to it was locked but through the keyhole he managed to catch a glimpse of himself sitting at his table and glaring at his students. Well, that explained Polyjuice. Seeing that he had no chances of getting inside without raising suspicions he sighed softly and directed his footsteps to Transfiguration classroom.
To his surprise he found the door wide open. He peeked inside and saw that Mirzam, as McGonagall was standing in the middle of the classroom and was giving a speech. He quickly manoeuvred himself between the desks and student's bags and went to sit down at the table, thankfully the chair was far enough of the table for him to slip into the seat unnoticed.
He listened to her speech intently, coming exams, as McGonagall usually did at this time of the year. He let her voice wash over him as he started examining various student. Gryffindors all of them, first years judging by Bill Weasley's presence in the first row on the left. He was so busy with watching the kids that he almost got a heart-attack when they vanished from his view and he found himself staring at McGonagall's back.
'Don't sit down,' he pleaded her mentally. 'Do not sit down.'
Fuck! She sat down. Her back stiffened and suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his right ankle.
"Copy your homework from the blackboard," she said calmly.
For next few minutes she didn't even twitch, she was sitting on his knees docile.
"Professor," one of the boys said, judging by the voice it was the Weasley kid.
"Yes, Bill," Mirzam said calmly.
"We are done," said the kid.
Mirzam touched her left temple with her left hand and said tiredly, "Class dismissed. You may go now but don't forget to study for your test next week."
"Fifteen minutes before the bell?" a girl piped out, judging by the voice little Norah Monk.
"I have terrible migraine Norah," Mirzam replied. "I need to lie down for a while. Besides you all done well today so I don't think that you are going to need another try. Go now."
He heard rustle of footsteps and bags being picked out and then suddenly.
"Yes, Bill," Mirzam said quietly.
"I'm worried about Professor Snape, Professor McGonagall," said the kid.
"Why?" Mirzam asked calmly.
"He has been acting weird today," the kid mumbled.
"Well, it's a season for migraines Bill. Perhaps Professor Snape is just developing one," Mirzam replied. "Maybe now he will be compassionate soul and prepare me a bottle of Migraine Potion."
"I rather doubt that it is a migraine, Professor," said the kid. "He was almost nice today."
"Well, everybody experiences different symptoms with migraine, Bill. Perhaps this is Professor Snape's syptom," Mirzam said cautiously.
"He seemed too happy for a migraine Professor," the kid said. "He told us that we may try to prepare the potion of our choosing as long as it is in first year curriculum then he went to grade essays."
"If that's so then maybe he hit his head this morning and currently he is suffering lingering effects of brain concussion," Mirzam replied and she kicked him forcefully.
He barely managed to suppress a hiss of pain.
"Professor why you are sitting in the air?" the kid suddenly changed the subject.
"Invisible Cushioning Charm," Mirzam replied quickly. "Seventh year material. It produces very soft invisible cushions."
'Soft indeed,' he thought to himself. 'No one mentioned kicking young Hippogriff though.'
"Anything else?" Mirzam asked calmly.
"That would be everything Professor," said the kid. "Good day to you and good luck in persuading Professor Snape."
"Thank you Bill and good day to you too," Mirzam replied.
He heard the kid getting away and as soon as he left the classroom the door slammed shut behind him. As soon as the door slammed shut Mirzam jumped out from his knees and whirled around to face him.
"You are sitting in my chair," she said firmly.
"Unoccupied," he mumbled as he pulled off the cloak from his head.
"You scared me," she snorted. "I nearly got a heart-attack when I realised that the chair developed scrawny knees."
"Sorry," he mumbled.
Did he just apologised to her? Yep, he was definitely screwed up.
"So who is my more charming self?" he asked quickly.
"Regulus," she replied as she leaned against her desk. "He might be a near squib but his potion making skills are untouched and as far as I remember he got an Outstanding on N.E.W.T.S Potions. If you want you may switch with him during lunch break. He should be at your office by the time you reach it."
He nodded and he quickly covered himself with the cloak. Maybe he could explain to him what was going with him now. Hopefully the git won't see a fit to alarm his older brother.
He reached his office shortly after he saw his own back disappearing behind the door. He quickly muttered the password and entered the room.
Regulus was sitting at his desk and was looking as his twin, thanks to Polyjuice.
"Got enough of teaching dunderheads?" Severus asked as he pulled off the cloak from his head and dropped it on the other chair.
"Severus, charming as always," Regulus snorted. "Don't worry everything is still intact."
"Actually there is something else I want to talk with you," Severus mumbled nervously.
He told him about his inner discussion with himself and waited for the git to say that he was going to tell his older brother. He glared at Regulus, who was still under the effects of Polyjuice. For a moment after Severus was done with talking Regulus looked stunned. Merlin did he really had this stupid look on his face when he was surprised? But suddenly something really surprising had happened. The git started to snicker and quickly the snicker turned into a wholehearted laugh. That looked even worse on him.
"Can you please tell me what's so funny or do I have to hex you into next century, Black?" Severus huffed thinking that the git had enough of laughing at his expense.
"You," Black managed to breath out between coughs of laugh, "are an idiot Severus."
"I know. Now would you stop laughing or do I really have to hex you into next century," Severus muttered.
"I can't," Black breathed out and he doubled over with laugh.
He started considering obliviating the git when he heard a thump and saw that Regulus fell under the table. He was still laughing hysterically.
"I'm glad that someone finds my fucked up life amusing, Black," he muttered not really meaning this words.
"I'm not laughing from you," Black snickered from under the table.
"Then what's so funny?" Severus asked as he watched Black trying to climb back into the chair.
"Okay," Black breathed out. "Maybe a little from you. I can't help but find your terror amusing."
"You know that I can kick your sorry ass easily now," Severus grunted.
"I know," Black snickered and he collapsed with his head on the desk, his shoulders were shaking violently. "Seriously."
"In case you calmed down be so kind and alarm Headmaster that his Potion Master jumped out from Astronomy Tower. One fall for taken woman if my life is enough," Severus said grimly as he stood up and went in the direction of the door.
"Wait for me because if you are in love with Mirzam then so am I," Black managed to breath out one sentence without laughing.
Severus whirled around just to see Black falling under the table once again.
Awaiting criticism - like always. I'm replying as long as you leave me your email or you log in while reviewing.
(hides behind the couch) Yeah, I know... I'm evil, I'm cruel, I'm heartless, I'm (insert here any adjective you want). But before you shot me let me repeat what I said in the notes of last chapter: Severus Snape is not in love with Mirzam Black - he just thinks that he is in love with her and that's it. This whole confusion has a reason, quite good one.
The Callahans, the Callahans. Yeah, Black family 'loves' the Callahan family for a very good reason. The whole story might be dark and gore, I agree, and even far fetched if someone wants to call it far fetched but do you think that if someone from Callahan family killed someone from the Black family ages ago would be a reason for a cauldron of hate? Not really. There had to be a very good reason for the Black family to hate the Callahan family so much and a slaughter of nearly whole family is a very good reason for hating someone. Then again Mrs Weasley isn't aware of this part of the story, she is pretty much ignorant to that part. Therefore she isn't evil, too full of herself and too proud of the family she comes from (the Prewetts - check everywhere you want Molly's maiden name is Prewett, not Prewitt nor Priwitt nor Priwett) maybe, but not evil. And to clear, once again, whole Callahan thing. Molly isn't Callahan, she is a Prewett but her mother was Callahan - at least in my story - this makes Molly the Callahan family descent.
Next chapter: Regulus sets Severus straight on few things. Someone is an inch away from comitting a murder. Narcissa makes an appearance - hopefully because I'm still thinking how it will fit with the whole story.