A Promise to be Better 10

Author: Raven Dancer

disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K. Rowling except for the Drs. Barnes and Beryl. I receive no monetary compensation for these works.

Summary: Painting by charms and elves' experiments.

Professor Snape balked at eating in the great hall. It took all of Dumbledore's persuasive powers to convince the wizard to at least come up and sit at the table. Not leaving anything to chance, the Headmaster waited while Hermione stored her jars in the office cupboard and both children gathered their work.

"We'll drop the fever potion off with Madame Pomfrey," she said, helping Neville pack the bottles in another carton. As they were leaving the wall burst into song. The timed charm animated a wonderful conifer forest scene complete with stag and birds. It was fortunate neither child dropped their things.

"Wonderful, Headmaster," Snape snarled. "A regular Bavarian Alps."

"I forgot the chalet, now didn't I," the older man teased, lifting a wand he added a small house with a cheerful facade of flowers. Snape just sighed.

"Uh, um, Headmaster?" Neville began rather startled. Hermione leaned her things against a convenient desk while she stared open mouthed at the scene.

"Just a little present for Professor Snape. I felt the dungeon needed a little sprucing up," Dumbledore replied cheerfully.

"Oh, ha ha ha. Sprucing up," Snape muttered at the pun. The Headmaster turned to the students.

"He didn't really like the summer beach scene, either," he confided in them. Hermione giggled.

"Well, I seem to recall you didn't care much for the chains and restraints" Snape retorted. Neville was now looking back and forth between both wizards in wonder. They were playing!

"I favored the desert, remember Severus?" and with a wand's stroke sand dunes complete with camels, pyramid and grand courtyard adorned the wall.

"You forgot the mummy," the younger man groused, waving his wand added one dragging it's feet across the sand.

"And the Nile," the river snaked its way across the scene sparkling wet.

"Crocodiles."

"Scorpions."

"Pharaoh."

"Servants," and a smile finally curved on Snape's mouth as several scantily-clad women carrying plates of food appeared as well as handsome bare-chested men waving palm fronds. Neville clapped his hands, delighted in the creation.

"Oh, this is fun! Teach me how to do that!" he begged both men. Hermione echoed "Yes! Teach us! This is wonderful!"

Dumbledore glanced over at Snape and smiled broadly. "Tell you what, we'll teach you the charms but they require a lot of practice to master. Professor Snape will set aside a little 'tutoring' time for you," the Headmaster smirked. "I'll even come when I can. I like creating pictures and this is such a wonderful wall!"

Seeing that the children were happy and Dumbledore was excited about teaching them, the Potions Master agreed with no complaints. The wall was 'erased' and wands were brought out. In less than thirty minutes both children could 'paint' flowers and grass.

"I think that's enough to practice on," Snape said, sitting down in a chair. "I, for one, am rather tired and maintaining the charms is draining."

"Spoilsport," Dumbledore flicked his wand, sending flowers all over Snape's robes.

"Brat!" the colorful professor retorted, waved his wand and the Headmaster's robes were animated with flying birds chirping raucously. Both children quickly hit one another with flowers.

"It wears off eventually," Snape said. "But 'finitum incantantum' works too." He cleared his robes and leaned back with a sneering smile.

"Can we show our friends?" asked Neville. Snape raised an eyebrow at Dumbledore.

"I don't see why not," the Headmaster encouraged. "Just remember that there's a time and place for it. Definitely not in the library or class!"

"Thank you!" the two chorused and left the dungeons quickly for their tower and friends.

"This will be interesting," Snape mused.

"It's just fun, Severus. We all need some fun in our lives," Dumbledore moved his wand dispatching the birds. He moved to the Potions Master and smiled warmly. Snape regarded him thoughtfully.

"I suppose we all need to eat, too," he said softly.

"Oh, yes! Let's go wash up and see what the elves have cooked for tonight!" Dumbledore held out his hand and pulled the younger wizard to his feet.

They entered the Great Hall together, moving sedately passed clusters of smiling children. There was a knot of students at the Gryffindor's table talking animatedly. Many looked up at the Potions Master as he sat down next to the Headmaster with a variety of expressions. Incredulity prime among them.

Dumbledore kept up a soothing conversation relating his teaching experiences in potions that week. He hadn't taught for many years and found he missed the work. Seeing the students through the Headmaster's eyes helped Snape. It put them in perspective with the rest of his life.

A few professors began wandering in. Saturday night was rather open, especially since so many went into Hogsmeade. Dinner was almost casual and the elves took the opportunity to try out new dishes. Tonight was an interesting casserole of rice, barley, corn and beans. Shredded cheese was on the table to sprinkle on top. Tinned fruit salad full of peaches, pears and walnuts also appeared.

"Well, this is interesting," Snape ventured. He put a couple scoops on his plate adding some cheese. Dumbledore followed suit. Water was poured before either man tried the dish. Each pushed it about a bit.

"Oh, for heaven's sake, it's just a new dish!" Dumbledore exclaimed.

"Yes, but I still remember the jalapeno-tuna surprise," Snape grumbled. Tentatively he raised the fork to his nose and sniffed. Not spicy. Sighing he took a bite. Dumbledore followed his lead and also tried a bite. Each chewed tentatively.

"Not bad," the younger wizard decided. He continued to eat. Professor Lupin slipped into the hall and sat down by Snape. He quickly began filling his plate.

"Oh joy, the house elves are experimenting again," he groaned.

"Put some cheese on top," suggested the Headmaster, "it tastes better that way."

Snape continued to eat quietly, although he was suddenly nervous with Lupin by his side. He looked back towards the student tables. The Slytherin table was rather empty although he noticed Crabbe was eating with a few of the younger students. Gryffindor seemed to have more students, he noted quite a few clustered around Hermione and Neville chatting amiably.

"Good to see you up for dinner, Severus," Lupin said quietly. Snape nearly dropped his fork. He set it down and twisted his hands into his napkin for a moment.

"The Headmaster requested I come," he managed. He felt a brush of warmth at his side as Dumbledore nudged him supportively.

"I also would like to thank you, Remus, for, uh, finding those chairs for my room," Snape got out in a normal tone. Lupin sipped at his juice and smiled slightly.

"I'm glad you liked them, Severus. You've helped me in the past and I wanted to reciprocate when I could."

Deciding talking to Lupin wasn't too stressful, Snape picked up his fork and began to eat again. He actually liked tinned peaches. You'd think after nearly subsisting on them for long stretches of time he'd hate them. Comforting was more like it. Snape pushed the set of memories back down. No need to relive that particular time in his life.

Seeing that the Potions Master was once more eating, Dumbledore picked up the teaching story. Lupin joined in, describing his third years' first meeting with a bogart. The beginning of the year was always fun, especially before the students actually got used to being surprised.

Tea came up. Pushing his mostly finished plate away Snape poured out three cups, putting one by each of his companions before settling back into his chair to sip. He was no longer listening to Dumbledore or Lupin but was watching the ceiling as the stars came out.

Lupin glanced at the Headmaster wondering what was going on. Snape was certainly distant. Dumbledore shrugged slightly and pushed his empty plate aside. He noted McGonagall had come in with Vector and were tentatively eating the elves' latest offering.

"Severus?" Dumbledore gently broke into his introspection.

"Hmmm?" Snape somewhat responded. Lupin tried.

"What are you looking at?" the DADA professor asked.

"Waiting for Orion," he answered. Both of his companions looked across the room.

"Orion?" Dumbledore asked confused. Still engrossed in the sky Snape answered,

"When I was a child I used to watch the stars come out. I always greeted Orion; he protected me." Now both wizards looked up enough to see the night sky settling on the ceiling. Major constellations were falling into place. The belt of Orion was growing brighter.

"Protected you?" Lupin encouraged, never seeing this side of the Potions Master before.

Transfixed by the stars, Snape responded, "He's always there. He never leaves me. I hated to be left alone until I discovered the night sky." Lupin glanced at Dumbledore. The older wizard looked slightly concerned, but not overly so.

"What other stars do you see, Severus?" the Headmaster prodded. Snape, comforted with his friend beside him and his friends above, began pointing out a few more clusters, oblivious to the rest of the people around him. Unfortunately, McGonagall and Vector noticed his preoccupation and glancing about quickly figured out what he was doing.

"So, Severus, want the astronomy job next?" McGonagall's bemused voice drifted over. Vector chuckled as she took another bite of her dinner.

Whatever spell the gathering night sky had held over the wizard, it was totally shattered by that voice. Even Lupin noticed the sharp jerk as he was wrenched back into reality.

"No, just a childhood hobby," Snape said dismissively and pulled himself upright.

"You didn't get into astrology, too? What do you see for me, Severus? I'm a Virgo," Vector took up the teasing. Snape squirmed uncomfortably, feeling more exposed than when he woke in Barnes' arms.

"I'm sure Sybil would be the best witch to ask," Snape managed to say. He started to push back, but Dumbledore stuck a foot under his chair, securing him in place. He poured more tea into Snape's mug and added a healthy scoop of sugar before handing it to him. Snape reluctantly accepted.

"Don't doubt your talents, Professor Snape," a wispy voice sounded from the other side of Dumbledore. Sybil Trelawny had settled in a chair and was poking through the dinner choices.

"As a third level Piscine you should be particularly gifted in seeing," she spooned the casserole on her plate and reached for the cheese.

"I was crystal-gazing and saw that the house elves had surpassed themselves with dessert tonight. I suppose one must suffer through the experiment to get to the sweets," she murmured. Lupin snorted. It was common knowledge dessert was usually superb when the elves subjected the humans with new dishes. The mint-chip ice cream whipped up after the jalapeno-tuna surprise had been particularly memorable. Rich ribbon of fudge, smooth vanilla, little chocolate cups filled with mint. It had more than made up for the 'surprise' and soothed the burning stomachs.

Trelawney effectively dissuaded Vector and McGonagall from continuing their teasing by discussing the placement of the planets and constellations, offering to do detailed readings for both witches. Dumbledore kept a straight face as he reported with sincerity the reading she had written out for him. The Divination's Professor was very pleased he remembered so much of it.

Discussing the importance of the planets' position at the moment of birth Dumbledore kept a secure hold on Snape's chair. He was not going to let the Potions Master sneak away before dessert! Especially since it was the Headmaster's favorite part of the meal.

When Trelawney finally set her fork down and reached for the tea serving dishes disappeared and the diners waited expectantly. Slowly fresh pots of tea appeared followed by plates of cookies and dishes of baked custard. Snape perked up appreciatively.

"A little custard, Severus?" Lupin asked as he pulled a warm dish towards him.

"Thank you, Remus," he replied, accepting the dessert. Sampling the dishes they quickly discovered there were several flavors.

"Pumpkin," Lupin reported.

"Lemon," Snape added.

"I have caramel," Trelawney said.

"I want the lemon," Dumbledore quickly switched his pumpkin custard with Snape. The Potions Master glared at the older man and tried to decide if it were worth it trying to get it back. He took a small taste of the custard now in front of him and decided it was just fine. Anyway, the Headmaster would more than likely best him at this point so Snape let him have his way.

The entire hall quieted as every bit of custard was consumed. Second servings actually came up and were shared by the tables. A final round of tea was poured and people began to drift back to their common rooms.

"Well, that was good," Lupin commented as he pushed back from the table. "If you'll excuse me, I need to see to my grindly-low. He was a bit upset earlier this afternoon."

Trelawney followed, wanting to return to her crystals. Snape stifled a yawn. With a small smile Dumbledore stood, finally releasing the trapped man. The Headmaster led him out of the hall.