What's Said, Is Said
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Reviews are welcomed, flames aren't.
Chapter 40
Severus Snape swept down the hall leading to the dungeons. As he descended the stairs, he noted the change right away. It had taken both he and Garion over a week to clear all of the stagnant, ambient magic out of the dungeons. The dank, cold darkness that had permeated the stale air for centuries was missing and the light of the torches now burned bright..
Severus took a deep breath and wondered if anyone else had noticed and what, if any, rumors were flying around about the change.
Garion had been at the castle for a month now. It was now October, and as the days grew shorter and colder, both of them knew that Halloween was fast approaching. The Dark Lord's time was nearing an end. Garion had plans set in motion to end everything on the same night that had started it all.
Rubbing his left arm, Severus smirked. He thought about the night Garion showed him how to remove the Dark Mark. It had been so simple! Garion showed him how to recognize the threads of the Mark and see how they had woven their way into his magic and life force. Once he was aware of them, all Severus had to do was untangle them with a bit of Bardic Magic, then snap them free and cast them out.
Easy, nothing to it according to Garion. It was, after all, his body and he had the right to accept, or deny any unwelcome presences within it. A simple tattoo removing potion got rid of the ugly stain that remained branded into his arm.
"A piece of cake," Garion had said with a laugh.
"Severus? Do you have a moment?" Albus asked, breaking into the man's thoughts.
"Yes, Albus?"
0o0o0o0
Garion was sitting precariously on a banister, leaning against the corner where it met the wall. He was on the seventh floor and one slip, or a simple push, would send him hurtling down to the ground floor and his death. That, however, didn't seem to faze the young bard.
He was watching the students hurrying through the halls and on the stairs of the floors below him as they went from class to class. He smiled. If things hadn't changed he would have been one of those students still.
"Mr. Williams!"
Garion turned to see the stern figure of Minerva McGonagall standing behind him, her hands planted firmly on her hips. "Just what do you think you are doing? And shouldn't you be in class?"
"Ah, sweet lady," Garion said, hopping off the banister. "I am but a humble minstrel watching the world go by. As for classes, there is no learning offered here," Garion replied with a sweeping wave of his free arm, " at this fine school, that I would profit from."
"Well, I never. . . !" The stern professor sputtered. "Hogwarts is the. . . "
Garion waved her off. "Yes, yes, I know, the premiere school of magic, etcetera. . . Well, sorry to say this madam, but my father made sure I was well trained in magic, language, deportment, sword skills, and culture. What need do I have for simple charms, transfiguration and divination? I am here for the moment, because I am needed. Professor Snape has graciously accepted me as his apprentice, among other things. He is a very astute man, our Professor Snape."
"Hmph! Well! We shall see," she turned to leave. "Come along, Mr. Williams. There is no reason for you to lollygag in the halls during class hours."
Garion snorted with an amused look on his face. Yep. Same ol' stick in the mud McGonagall.
0o0o0o0
Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood watched as Professor McGonagall lead Williams through the halls to Professor Snape's office.
"That doesn't look good," Neville commented.
"She's letting the Wrackspurts get to her," Luna agreed.
They continued on to their class, wondering if they'd see the interesting apprentice at dinner tonight.
0o0o0o0
Severus looked up from his desk when Garion and Minerva entered.
Garion had a smug look on his face while Minerva looked like she was ready to choke up a hair ball.
"Severus. I found Mr. Williams at the top of the seventh floor baluster, dangling precariously over its edge," she informed him.
"I see." Severus raised an eyebrow as Garion plopped into a chair in front of him.
"I was watching the world go by," was all Garion would say about the matter.
"Hmph! Skiving off is more like it," Minerva huffed, "and the idea of telling me that there is nothing Hogwarts has to offer him. . .!"
"I'm afraid that's true, Minerva," Severus interrupted before she could go into a full rant. "Garion's life-path is very different from the average wizard that comes through these doors. Potions is the only area he needs a bit of training in, and even then he is far beyond what is taught here."
Garion adjusted himself on his chair, draping one leg over the arm as he started to strum his guitar. Severus stood, walked over and took the instrument. "Not now."
"Aw Severus! Now is the prefect time. It's not fair!"
Minerva sit primly in the other chair watching the interaction. Mr. Williams certainly didn't act like a proper apprentice in her opinion.
Laying the offending instrument on his desk, Severus turned. "Minerva, have you been wondering about the change in the castle the past few weeks? How some of the areas seem fresher, cleaner than others? Especially here in the dungeon?"
"Why yes I have, now that you mentioned it," she said, a little confused on the change of subject. "But I don't see how . . . "
Severus held up his hand. "Let me finish Minerva. Mr. Williams is the reason for it. He and I have been practicing a magic that hasn't been seen since the Druids and Merlin himself."
"Good heavens, Severus!" she looked skeptically at the pair. "You can't be serious!"
Garion laughed. "Told ya Severus. Normal wizards and witches. . . " he looked over at the professor. ". . don't respect any kind of magic but their own. How did you say it? Ah, yes,'Foolish wand waving.' They have developed serious superiority and control issues. It's their way or the highway."
Minerva huffed, her face turning red with anger at his disrespect. She was winding up, ready to start in on the arrogant little snot when Severus snorted. "Why don't you show her?"
Garion thought for a moment. "Not here. Got a better place in mind? I really don't want ol' lemon-puss finding out just yet. Father is still upset with him."
"Albus is away for the day," Severus said, holding up a hand to stop Minerva from commenting on Garion's disrespect of the headmaster. "As well as you know."
"Well, give me back my guitar and how about the professor's classroom? It's empty at this time of day."
0o0o0o0
They trooped up to Minerva's classroom. Garion set his guitar case down on her desk as he hopped up to sit on the corner of it. Minerva started to protest but Severus stopped her, yet again.
Garion paused to check and tune his guitar pondering what song to play. He looked over the classroom. It brought back many of Harry's early memories of sitting in class with his friends and classmates and the weight of that past life. He began the opening chords:
Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away
Now it look as though they're here to stay
Oh, I believe in yesterday
Suddenly, I'm not half the man I used to be
There's a shadow hanging over me
oh, yesterday came suddenly
A whirling mass of color started to form in front of Garion, spitting sparks and pulsating rainbows of color.
Why she had to go I don't know, she wouldn't say
I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday
Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play
Now I need a place to hide away
oh, I believe in yesterday
Minerva gasped, placing a hand over her mouth as the cyclonic mass of magic rose upwards to the ceiling before plunging down and out the window towards the ground outside.
Garion brought the song to an end. He bowed his head over his guitar in thought.
Severus reached out, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. ""Come, let's away to prison; We two alone will sing like birds I' th' cage."
Garion laughed. "Very good my fine apprentice. I see you've been studying."
Severus smiled. "I always did like King Lear."
Garion chuckled. "And here I thought Hamlet would be the first you would memorize."
"I think we could use a bit of an upbeat song, don't you?"
Garion grinned. Hopping up on the desk, he looked over at a confused Professor McGonagall. "Got it!"
He thumped his case as he leaned over and spoke into it. The case started to emit an upbeat Jazz tune. Garion stretched out one hand and a black bowler appeared. Placing it at a roguish tilt on his head, he stretched out the other hand and a black walking cane with a gold tip appeared in it.
Hopping off the desk he started, leaning against the cane while flexing his knees in time to the music.
What good is sitting alone In your room?
Come hear the music play.
Life is a Cabaret, old chum,
Come to the Cabaret.
Put down the knitting, The book and the broom.
It's time for a holiday.
Life is a Cabaret, old chum
Come to the Cabaret.
He twirled the cane before tucking it under his arm and started to strut in front of the desk. Swirls of magic formed on either side of him, pulsating to the beat.
Start by admitting, From cradle to tomb
It isn't that a long a stay.
Life is a Cabaret, old chum,
It's only a Cabaret, old chum
And I love a Cabaret.
Garion banged his cane on the floor of the classroom, looking at both swirls that had been his dance partners. The duo rose into the air and burst into a shower of sparkles and glitter which floated out the window and into the late afternoon air.
Minerva watched the whole show, not knowing what to think. However, she did notice that her classroom didn't have the old musty smell that she was so use to.
Garion gave a stage bow before vanishing the bowler and cane. "And that is just a sample of what I can do. Do you think now that there is anything this school can teach me?"
"No Mr. Williams," Minerva conceded. "There isn't. However, I can't think of one reason for you to be here."
Garion smiled. "Baby, you ain't seen nothing yet!" He smirked, waggling his eyebrows at the stunned Professor.
"I beg your pardon!" Minerva snapped.
Garion laughed, as he put away his guitar. "Sorry Professor, calling on the stagnant magic can do weird things to me. Severus, Professor." He bowed again and left whistling.
"Let him go Minerva," Severus stopped her.
"But Severus. We can't let him get away with that disrespect!"
Severus shook his head. "Minerva. It's alright. Mr. Williams tends to quote the oddest things. Magic makes him a bit hyper. He's harmless, but you just never know what is going to come out of that mouth at any given time. Most of his comments are not disrespect, but rather his hyper-activity speaking."
"But still. . . Severus, how can you take his, 'mouth' so calmly?"
Severus sighed pinching the bridge of his nose. "Believe me Minerva, it is not easy. Garion Williams is highly susceptible to magic in that it makes him hyper-sensitive. His acting out is his way of coping. He would not understand why he's being punished for being himself."
"He really needs to take classes with the other students."
"No Minerva. He doesn't. He's only here until Halloween then he has to return to his family."
"But his apprenticeship? The contracts?"
"All taken care of."
"Albus isn't going to like this."
"He has no control over this," Severus reassured her. "Albus has managed to irritate some very powerful magical beings. He, along with the Dark Lord, is going down and there is nothing you or I can do about it. It is out of our hands and that young man is the key to it all. He is all that stands between total destruction of the Wizarding World by Voldemort, or the Realm of Magic recalling all magic from this world should Voldemort win."
0o0o0o0
We are getting down to the final stretch of this story. We can't believe we started this four years ago.
Severus' quote is from King Lear Act 5, scene 3. We could see Alan Rickman saying that line, can't you?
Until next time. -GF and the Frau