As I have said before all of this is relevant, and I think that point will hit home in the oncoming chapters. Keep reading, enjoying and reviewing. I do this for your pleasure as well as my own and I can tell you now that I am loving this
An unexpected surprise
"Can't use the same trick twice, Potter," Draco grinned wryly as Goyle cupped his face in agony behind him. "Granger did exactly the same thing in third year."
"Get in there Harry!" Ron cheered, although Harry looked absolutely horrified at the moment.
Harry had wanted to hit Malfoy and only Malfoy, staring at the palm of his now open hand he didn't feel any satisfaction at hitting someone else. He looked quite pale and felt an unbelievably strong sick sensation in the pit of his stomach as he turned his hand over; the feeling resulted from the little smudge of crimson blood brushed against his knuckles.
"What...is...going on...here?" Was a sudden low snarl from behind the three Gryffindor's, each syllable like a freezing knife piercing their nerves.
Each deadly pause in the question only contributed to their racing hearts and an effective sense of fear was brewed. It was an instant freezing effect, the tone causing the whole dungeon to suddenly feel explicitly colder. Shivers ran down their spines as both heart and mind froze at the icy tone. Even the torches seemed to nearly flicker out at the others presence. Everyone's muscles tensed as if petrified. Ron, Harry and Hermione didn't dare move. Only one person could have such an uncontrollable effect. There was a tense silence.
"We were just physically assaulted, by Saint Potter." Malfoy happily informed, a nasty smile gracing his handsome face as Harry glared daggers at him with his green eyes.
"OW! OW MY NOSE!" Goyle's voice was muffled by his hands but was still understandable.
Crabbe was beside him trying to calm him down and sort him out as Malfoy stood proudly in front of them, none of the Slytherin's were at all affected by their Head of House.
Harry slowly turned around, Hermione's eyes suddenly narrowing in concern at seeing how pale Harry looked. It was as if Hermione and Ron had just vanished from the picture and there was only him and Snape glowering at him hatefully. The look in those onyx orbs akin to disgust.
"Mr Potter," Snape addressed scornfully, his expression and posture showing just how much he purely loathed him. "Clearly...simple temper management control is way out of your league."
"So arrogant and insolent, do not assume that being the...Golden Boy," Snape continued as a hiss as he slowly approached him, like a predator stalking his prey. Like a snake stalking its prey, Harry thought as Snape towered over him. "That you can...assault...anyone you desire. You push your boundaries, Potter...just like your father."
A sudden twinge was felt in the back of his mind, and then a sudden feeling of boiling anger rushed through his veins. He immediately met the glare of Snape's with his own, flames of fury burning behind his green irises. When would he stop referring him to his father? Comparing him to his father? Seeing him as his father? When would he see him for Harry, just Harry?
"I'm not my father." Harry spat through gritted teeth, attempting to keep most of his anger bottled up. "You only see what you want to see and don't bother with anything else!"
"Silence Potter!" Snape sneered with distain as he lowered his head menacingly to make himself eyelevel with the seething young man. "Get...in...my office. Fifty points from Gryffindor for obviously being incapable of holding your tongue and your unmanageable temper."
Turning his head to the other two Gryffindor's his shoulder length black hair whipped around with the movement, "Ten more points deducted from Gryffindor for each of you unfavourable bystanders, your lack of ability to restrain him is undeniably insufferable."
It looked as if Hermione was about to retaliate with the fact that a full seventy points had been deducted from their House but one stern look from Snape's narrowed black eyes made her throat constrict instantly. Her throat froze up like cold ice, just like anything connected to the potions master did. Like his frozen heart, Hermione mentally considered as when he looked to Ron instead she felt instantly relieved.
"Slytherin's, take Goyle to the Hospital wing," Snape demanded as he looked at each Slytherin slowly in turn before turning his attention to the remaining Gryffindor's. "You two will accompany me and Mr Potter to my office; bystanders that fail to interfere in such atrocious circumstances are as much to blame as the individuals performing it. Get moving...now."
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The walk towards Snape's office was a chilling and unnerving one; Snape had followed behind them glaring at their backs with frosty onyx orbs for the whole short journey.
Now, however, the three found themselves shifting uncomfortably in Snape's dim lighted office with the professor perched in his seat on the opposite side of his desk. His long and tapered fingers of one hand tapped menacingly on the black wooden surface, seemingly contemplating how to punish the insolent trio. His onyx eyes seemed to be focused on something behind them rather than at them, for some reason this just made it more nerve-wracking than less. When his eyes did focus on them in a quick snap they mentally flinched at the sharp glowering stare.
"Do you have any idea how serious this is, Potter?" Snape suddenly spoke up his question, his low and silky tone reverberated through the silent room. It had come out as a sigh and Harry narrowed his eyes as he noticed just how tired the older man appeared to be. "Or are you so arrogant and insolent that it has made you as oblivious as always?"
"Regardless of your state of awareness, you need to be punished. Not just Mr Potter but all three of you. A simple detention of cleaning caldrons would not suffice considering the circumstances," Snape continued silkily and Harry noticed just how hard Snape was trying to rein in his obviously exhausted state. Harry also noticed that there were no deadly pauses as if Snape wanted this over with as quickly as possible. "You will lose your free time this Saturday afternoon; your punishment is that you will spend the time from one in the afternoon to nine in the evening assisting me in gathering potions ingredients from the Forbidden Forest to refill my stock. You three will meet me at the Gamekeeper's hut at one on the dot. Any later and I assure you I will make the punishment insufferably longer."
"Yes, sir," All three replied solemnly and Hermione secretly felt enraged that she couldn't spend the afternoon studying like she always did. Today was Thursday; they still had Friday in-between their inescapable fate.
"Potter, we will discuss the unnecessary term of events that provoked such an easily obtainable reaction from you during your punishment. For now, leave." Snape snarled as all three nodded and quickly turned to the door.
Harry definitely thought to himself that he had undoubtedly caught Snape tiredly pinching the bridge of his hooked nose in the corner of his eye when he had turned his back on the potions professor. Serves the git right, Harry mentally concluded with hardened eyes and was the last to leave the horribly familiar office, the office being the tormenting place last year where Snape had attempted Occulmency lessons with him under Dumbledore's strict orders.
As the door shut with an echoing clang Severus closed his eyes with an exhausted sigh, an event filled day added to his Insomnia was beginning to become difficult to cope with. He knew that the black bags under his eyes were becoming more prominent and he hoped he didn't bump into Albus anytime soon. Albus was as close to a father as anyone had ever gotten with the emotionless and heartless man and, for the life of Severus, he couldn't understand why. He knew that if the old bloke detected his sleeping distress he would become concerned like he was his own son, and yet again Severus tried to place why Albus did it. In Severus's eyes there were many others that deserved way more respect than what he, Severus, received...or that's what the low self-esteemed potions master kept telling himself.
Severus rested his pale chin tiredly on one propped up arm, his black robed sleeve hiding his white shirt one beneath. Resting his cheek against his thin wrist his long and slender fingers slid into his soft black hair. His black eyes were half shut, showing him to be ravelled up in his own thoughts as he released a long sigh. The depth of his sigh portrayed just how much he had bottled up inside him, bottled up and hidden from the world behind his snarling and emotionless disguise. Severus supposed that he had achieved such a stressing full bottle from being a trained spy as he tapped his tapered fingers of his other hand absentmindedly on the desk...in his mind emotions gave your true intentions away. They were weakness rather than strength.
Severus suddenly snapped his eyes open as he felt a magical change in the air. Sharply lifting his head up alerted his shoulder length hair fluttered gracefully with the harsh action. His hand had instinctively shot to his robe pocket for his wand, but he allowed it to be slowly withdrawn back when he found no other presence in the room. He narrowed his exhausted eyes at a small box that hadn't been on his desk before.
Reaching out for the white wrapped box he noted the yellow ribbon, he instantly rolled his eyes in realisation. Only one person used yellow ribbons like that-lemon yellow.
"How he knows when I am in inner turmoil when he has not even seen me all day is beyond me." Snape drawled and curiously pulled the lemon coloured ribbon off.
Even inside his enclosed personal space he suddenly realised that he always used proper English as the yellow ribbon landed softly on his desk, he realised that he never shortened his words to `I'm` or `hasn't`. It seemed that old habits died hard, he considered that it was his rather negative upbringing that had made him this way. This just made him freeze in his unwrapping.
A sudden flash of Harry James Potter flashed through his mind at this thought as he remembered his Occulmency lessons. Snarling at nothing he decided he would open the box later and placed it firmly down on his desk, the harsh thud breaking the deafening silence of his office.
I truly loathe that insolent boy! Snape thought angrily as he saw raven black hair and glistening green eyes. He found his thoughts revolved solely around the infuriating Potter lately, but he linked it to his pure distain of the young sixth year, never considering that it could be anything else.
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"What a day," Ron groaned as they finished ascending the moving staircases, heading towards the painting of the Fat Lady as he continued. "At first it was terrifying, then amazing, then it hit rock bottom again."
"Sorry guys, I really didn't mean to get you two dragged in." Harry stated apologetically and Hermione just smiled warmly at him.
"It doesn't matter; to be completely honest...I'm kind of excited," Hermione gushed out unexpectedly and all Ron and Harry could do was gape at her in disbelief. "Picture it like an Easter egg hunt, except we are looking for ingredients instead."
"Yeah but picturing that makes me picture Snape as the bloody Easter bunny!" Ron physically shivered in disgust at that horrifying prospect and Hermione couldn't help but crack a smile at that.
"It would be the Easter of nightmares wouldn't it? Children would scream and run away in fear of the Easter bunny instead of hugging him. Can you picture it?" Ron continued and Harry began to feel his mouth upturn with a threatening smirk. When Ron said the next part in a nearly identical Snape voice Harry broke and laughed at the pure image of Snape in a bunny suit. "Instead of the Easter bunny having open arms for hugs he will hiss, `touch me and I will break your arms`."
"Come on now dears, password?" The Fat Lady asked impatiently in a sing song voice, immediately snapping the three's attention back to their destination at hand.
Harry stated the password but before they could step inside when the painting swung open they were interrupted by her again, "Ron Weasley, there is someone waiting for you inside."
At that knowledge Ron whipped his head to both Hermione and Harry in confusion, both just looked as equally confused and shrugged at the ginger. All three entered the small and narrow corridor that lead to the warm and cosy Gryffindor common room, their approaching steps thudding softly on the laminate floor attracted some younger female Gryffindor's chatting on the red sofa near the fire. When they turned to look at the arrivals for a second they only turned back to continue their conversation at seeing it was the Golden Trio.
As soon as they fully entered the common room the familiar and comforting heat wave from the fire washed over them, that and they also noticed a crowd of younger Gryffindor's surrounding something-or someone. Collin, feeling someone staring from behind, spun around to meet eyes with Ron who was currently leading the trio.
"Oh! There you are, some really cool guy has come to see ya," Collin grinned joyfully at Ron's now overly curious expression as he stared at the crowd of people asking a flurry of questions to the visitor. "Come on everyone, move out the way!"
Ron quietly thanked the year younger student as the crowd of younger Gryffindor's all turned to face him in unison; they slowly began to move and part way to reveal the visitor. Ron's jaw nearly hit the floor and he grinned madly as he ran towards the man.
"CHARLIE MATE! How've you been? What's Romainia like? Have any stories to share?" Ron asked frantically in nearly hysterical happiness and Harry just crossed his arms with a smile, standing in his place away from the crowd with Hermione-secretly wishing he had that.
"Alright, alright...let us start from the beginning shall we? Yes I am fine, Romainia is amazing and yes I do indeed have stories to share." Charlie chuckled as he embraced his younger brother before letting go and ruffling Ron's ginger hair fondly-Harry felt a painful pang in his heart.
"Why didn't you come visit me in fourth year when you brought the dragons here for the first trial of the Twi-wizard tournament?" Was Ron's next question and at seeing Ron's slightly upset face Charlie's face softened with guilt.
"I am sorry about that Ron; I was really busy looking after the dragons. By the time I had sorted them out and got them ready for the trial they were instantly put into the ring, by the time I had sorted them out afterwards and helped them recover I had no more time left and had to return them to Romainia...along with myself." Charlie informed, hoping Ron would understand.
"I guess it is a demanding job looking after dragons." Ron added with an understanding smile and Charlie felt his heart become lighter with relief.
"Demanding, yes, but also exciting," Charlie corrected with his charming smile, he was always known for his extremely kind nature and charming smile in the Weasley family.
Strangely enough Charlie didn't have a girlfriend which always really surprised Ron, but he just assumed that his demanding job forced that sort of thing aside for a later date- a much later date. Grinning as happily as he had to begin with he pulled Charlie by his wrist to the now empty sofa by the fire.
Harry couldn't help but chuckle as the crowd of curious younger Gryffindor's followed like little lambs, it seemed obvious that Charlie had been telling them stories and that they expected their questions to be answered. Hermione nudged his shoulder with her elbow and signalled with a motion of her head that they should go sit in the two single sofas available. Harry happily obliged, he was getting tired of standing anyway after this exhilaratingly weird day.
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The trio spent the whole evening laughing and smiling away at Charlie's amazing stories of his adventures, his hands moving around in actions related to what he was telling. He always managed to make it sound so dramatic and tension building on the dangerous parts, but also managed to break the tension with something funny directly afterwards...only to build up more excitement again.
They were so engrossed in his tales that it had become very late into the night with the crescent moon shining brightly through the window without them even noticing. Charlie was now telling them the story of how he had come across the Horntail that had participated in the tournament, immediately grabbing Harry's full attention since he had faced that very same beast two years prior.
The happiness, however, was not present in his restless mind. Every time he tried to think of something a flash of frosty black eyes and elegant black hair would flash unrelentingly in his minds eye.
I truly loathe that heartless man! Harry thought exasperatedly as he glared into the flames of the fireplace in hopes of a distraction. It gave him no relief, since all he could depict was Snape's graceful billowing robes in the flickering embers. He discovered that his thoughts kept returning to the infuriating Snape lately, but he linked it to his pure hate of the potions professor, never considering that it could be anything else.