A Study in Magic
by Books of Change
Warning/Notes: This is a BBC Sherlock and Harry Potter crossover AU. The HP timeline and BBC Sherlock's timeline has been shifted forwards and backwards to match up. One major BBC Sherlock character's gender has changed for the sake of the plot. The story was planned and written before season 2 (but incorporating elements of thereof as much as possible). Readers beware!
Chapter Twenty Seven: A Scandal in Hogwarts
The morning after Boxing Day, Severus found himself once again ensconced in 221B Baker Street. Holmes said that they should get a chair just for him, seeing as he kept coming back, and Watson provided the hot beverages.
"So what's up?" asked Watson, taking a seat.
"Grandmaster Shin has taken personal interest in the attacks," Severus started sombrely. "It was only a matter of time, of course, seeing as his daughter was the last victim. While his involvement is by no means unwelcome, it does put a wedge in your involvement."
"A rather important figure, I take it?"
"Quite," said Severus. "Shin June Hu is the current head of the Department of Mysteries, and—"
There was an interruption in the form of a small boy, barefoot and pyjama-clad, who appeared in the kitchen and let out a small squeak. Severus savoured the look of outright horror on his face until he turned around and went back into the hallway, muttering he was clearly having a nightmare and needed to go back to bed.
"We had a conversation about this, Snape," Watson sighed.
"Did you hear me say anything?" drawled Severus.
"You didn't have to," Watson retorted. "That was textbook reaction of a kid who had too many bad experiences with you."
Severus smirked at the (accurate) accusation.
"As I was saying, Shin June Hu is the current head of the Department of Mysteries, and a prominent man amongst our kind. Personally, I believe his magical talent outstrips even Dumbledore, and would've been acknowledged as such had he not been such a reclusive figure."
Holmes whistled, "Better than even Dumbledore, you say? Why do you think so?"
"Three points," said Severus. "First, their education: Dumbledore followed the traditional route, excelling in everything he did and winning every academic award available during his seven years at Hogwarts. As for Shin June Hu, the story goes that he showed up in Hogwarts forty years ago requesting distance education. Dumbledore was headmaster at the time, and after learning Shin was raised in a country that didn't have a formal magic education system, he granted his request. Shin then proceeded to make a mockery of the seven year curriculum by mastering the entire course load in two years—taking his OWLs after a year, and his NEWTs in the next. He achieved Outstandings for all the subjects he took for both exams."
"How old was he when this happened?" asked Watson, amazed.
"I don't know. In his thirties, perhaps? Anyway, my head of house loved to brag how he gave Shin a leg up into the Ministry after he sat through his NEWTs—as if ever needed it. He started in Magical Law Enforcement before moving to the Department of Mysteries, where he rose through the ranks until he was named department head. This leads me my second point: Rumour has it the Dark Lord tried to recruit him, and Shin's response was: 'Begone, or I will take away the magic of your follower's children and then take away yours.' Clearly he wasn't breathing hot air, because the Dark Lord placed a flee-on-sight command on Shin to his followers shortly afterwards."
"And he did all this while he was a lecturer at Queens' College," muttered Watson.
"Excuse me?" said Severus, frowning.
"Jack is my friend," said Watson simply. "Until this year, I thought her Dad was just a professor at Cambridge."
Severus stared at Watson. "I see. But that only reinforces the fact he is a profoundly brilliant man."
"Never doubted that," sniffed Holmes. "Your third point?"
"He can do most spells without a wand, a feat hitherto thought as impossible for a witch or a wizard," said Severus. "Hence, he is called the Grandmaster."
Watson briefly held a slightly dazed look.
"Sorry, just had a random thought. When Dr. Shin has breakfast in the dining hall with his fellows in Cambridge, what is he thinking when they warble on about how the world consists of nothing but matter, with the laws of nature and evolution to arrange them? Is he thinking he can instantly break every natural law known to man and devolve them into amoebas?"
Both Severus and Holmes snorted into their cups.
"No wonder he perfected his poker face!" Watson chortled. "Do you think he gives into temptation sometimes, turning them into Galapagos Finches and locking them up in their offices?"
Holmes laughed outright. Severus dropped his face into his hand and snickered.
"Okay, now I am seriously fighting an urge to shadow him to see if he does," said Watson, grinning.
"…Enough, Watson," said Severus, trying to sound serious. "The point is: if Grandmaster Shin gets involved, there's no way the Ministry of Magic wouldn't."
"We are a security risk to you," Holmes deduced correctly. "Whether we are helpful or not doesn't matter. The mere fact that we are non-magical means the Ministry is more inclined to erase our memories than risk disclosure."
Severus nodded. "I would not be surprised if the Minister of Magic is meeting Dumbledore even as I speak."
Holmes ran his fingers over this lower lip thoughtfully.
"This can't be the only reason why you're here. A brief text exchange would've been enough to relay all this information."
"Maybe he wanted to hang out a bit afterwards?" said Watson.
Both Severus and Holmes scoffed at the suggestion.
"As it happens, Holmes you're quite correct," said Severus. "Ron and Ginny Weasley were found petrified nearby the wall the Heir of Slytherin left his message yesterday evening. Mr. Weasley was found holding Mr. Watson's phone."
Severus placed the device on the table. Holmes took it wordlessly. Watson's knuckles were white around the mug.
"Be glad you're even getting it back," said Severus. "Lucius Malfoy has more than once complained we are not as strict about enforcing the no mobile phone rule in Hogwarts as we ought. This is your final warning. Do not give Mr. Watson a phone, or he may be expelled for gross violations against the Statute of Secrecy."
There was the most disquieting silence.
"Lucius Malfoy is one of the school governors," said Holmes. It was not a question.
"Yes," Severus confirmed.
"And his son is staying at school for Christmas."
"Correct."
Silence.
Then Holmes slowly put up the most brutal-looking smile on his face.
"He feels threatened. The Weasleys are a pure-blood family; eccentric and controversial because Arthur Weasley is fascinated by non-magical people, but pure-blood nevertheless. This last attack betrays the fact the agent is no longer acting strictly according to the pure-blood supremacy agenda. In fact—" the brutal smile grew wider "—it's clear the agent is acting erratically. The last attack is a blind lashing out. Why? Because it knows it is a matter of time before it is caught. The Howler we sent would've been made our close involvement in Harry's school affairs and the fact I'm not a brainless Muggle clear. Banning mobile phones in Hogwarts is Malfoy's attempt to placate the agent. He might even feel audacious enough to use the last attack to remove Dumbledore from his post, but unless the beast is captured, this is doubtful; after all, there is no guarantee his manoeuvre will actually calm down the agent. Better keep Dumbledore around in case the agent goes into rampage and ensure his son is protected."
Holmes nailed Severus with his pale eyes.
"And which side would you be?"
"My own," Severus said without blinking or missing a beat.
"That's half the truth," said Holmes. "You have your own agenda, and it requires you to maintain working relations to both the pure-blood supremacy camp and the more the 'enlightened' blood-agnostic camp. All things being equal, you would favour those who advocate magical supremacy, which is more in line with the pure-blood agenda, but you're not above using the likes of us."
Severus merely raised an eyebrow. Holmes smirked in return.
"What a waste," he said. Then Holmes picked up his violin and started playing Wagner by the window.
"Thank you for the tea," said Severus, rising.
"You're welcome," Watson replied, picking up the empty mugs.
Severus opened the sitting room door. He suppressed a start at the sight of Potter sitting on the middle step of the stairway leading to the second floor, still in his pyjamas and wearing a pale green bathrobe and slippers.
"Eavesdropping?" Severus sneered.
Potter just looked at him through glassy eyes uncovered by glasses. Severus was the one to turn away first.
"Stop it, Snape, seriously," Watson growled behind him. Then passing by Severus, Watson walked over to Potter, sat next to the boy and wrapped an arm around him.
The last thing Severus saw before he Apparated was Watson planting a kiss on the top of Potter's head, who buried his face in Watson's bosom, clutching at the jumper like a frightened child.
-oo00oo-
The remaining three Weasley children in Hogwarts were very subdued over the last stretch of Christmas holidays. Even Fred and George Weasley remained in their state of stunned silence since they'd learned their youngest brother and only sister had been petrified. Severus tried not to make his (admittedly perverse) enjoyment of their misery-induced quiet show, and he'd succeeded to an extent. Nevertheless, he received several glares from a thin-lipped and pale McGonagall and one (terrifying) disappointed look from Dumbledore.
Grandmaster Shin paid a second visit after the New Years. He informed Dumbledore that his son Jason Shin had ten Mandrakes that were expected to start to try to move into each other pots by the end of January. That made Sprout and Pomfrey very happy and relieved.
"We'll be able to revive those poor people in the hospital wing two months earlier than expected," said Sprout. "Thank goodness for your son, sir."
Mr. Shin didn't share her joy, and closed his eyes as if in pain when Dumbledore informed him of the double attack.
"Forgive me," he said. "My sentries have failed to prevent the attack from happening. Will you let me see where the children were found, so I may understand how they failed?"
"Please," Dumbledore said, nodding sombrely.
Dumbledore, Severus and McGonagall lead him to the perennially out-of-order girls' toilet Ron and Ginny Weasley had been discovered. The door had a multitude of gouge marks Mr. Shin's glass falcon sentries had made in their effort to penetrate the door. Several falcons were still there, deeply embedded in the wood. Mr. Shin studied the mutilated door silently for a moment, before he held out a hand. A glass falcon removed itself from the door, glided over to the hand and landed on top of the outstretched palm.
Mr. Shin brought the falcon close to his face and stared at it intently for a full minute.
"The door was locked magically," said Mr. Shin at length. "It was done so after the children entered the toilet. Neither they nor my sentries were unable to undo the lock."
He entered the toilet. The Moaning Myrtle was crying, as usual, in her stall. Mr. Shin picked up a blood-soaked glass shard from the wet floor and studied it under the dim lights, facing the grimy and cracked mirrors.
"Only two sentries to fight for them," said Mr. Shin mournfully. "Who discovered the children?"
"Professor Lockhart," answered Dumbledore.
"Is he the blond-haired one I saw before?"
"Yes."
Mr. Shin frowned. "Where is he?"
"In the Hospital wing," McGonagall answered. "He was injured in his attempt to capture the Monster of Slytherin, which he claims to have discovered in the Forbidden Forest last night."
Mr. Shin's frown deepened. "Did he find the beast?"
"He brought back an Acromantula," said Dumbledore. "He left the body on the grounds for our examination."
"Why would Professor Lockhart think the Monster of Slytherin is a spider?" asked Mr. Shin.
"He has brought to our attention that a student was expelled years ago for raising an Acromantula in Hogwarts, around the same time students were being attacked in the same fashion as they are now," said Dumbledore calmly. "He did not reveal his source of information, but it is true as far as the student's expulsion for the aforementioned charges are concerned."
"I see," said Mr. Shin, his expression completely unreadable. "May I see the beast?"
Dumbledore took him to the grounds immediate to the castle's main entrance door. Next to the stone steps was a huge black spider lying on its back, its eight hairy legs curled stiffly up in the air and eight eyes blank and staring. Mr. Shin unflinchingly touched the corpse and examined it.
"No marks," he said quietly.
"No indeed," agreed Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling again.
Mr. Shin clasped his hands behind his back.
"Quite a feat, to kill an Acromantula without leaving a single mark on its body," he said dryly. "I hope Professor Lockhart's injuries were not serious."
"Just cuts he presumably received from the terrific battle."
Mr. Shin sniffed. "Jason will deliver the Mandrakes as soon as they are ready for cutting. Have you informed Arthur Weasley?"
"Yes. His son Percy has also written to his mother."
Mr. Shin nodded.
"Thank you for everything, Headmaster. If any of the school governors raise issue over your leadership, I, for one, will put my word against it."
Dumbledore bowed. "Thank you."
That evening, Dumbledore, Severus and Hagrid were discussing the spider, when a portly man wearing a pinstriped suit, a scarlet tie, a long black cloak, and pointed purple boots entered the Headmaster's office. Under his arm he carried a lime-green bowler.
"Minister Fudge!" said Severus. "What brings you here?"
Dumbledore frowned. Hagrid went pale and sweaty. He dropped into one of chairs and looked from Dumbledore to Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic.
"Bad business," said Fudge in rather clipped tones, "Very bad business. Had to come. Four attacks, two of them not even Muggle-borns. Things've gone too far. Ministry's got to act."
"I never," said Hagrid, looking imploringly at Dumbledore. "You know I never, Professor Dumbledore, sir—"
"I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence," said Dumbledore, frowning at Fudge.
"Look, Albus," said Fudge, uncomfortably. "Hagrid's record's against him. Ministry's got to do something. The school governors have been in touch—"
"Yet again, Cornelius, I tell you that taking Hagrid away will not help in the slightest," said Dumbledore, his blue eyes burning. "In fact, to act on his past record alone would be injustice; we now have evidence that indicate he had been wrongly accused the first time."
"Look at it from my point of view," said Fudge, fidgeting with his bowler. "I'm under a lot of pressure. Got to be seen to be doing something, and this evidence you told me about isn't panning out. We have to go by the record. If it turns out it wasn't Hagrid, he'll be back and no more said. But I've got to take him. Got to. Wouldn't be doing my duty—"
"Take me?" said Hagrid, who was trembling. "Take me where?"
"For a short stretch only," said Fudge, not meeting Hagrid's eyes. "Not a punishment, Hagrid, more a precaution. If someone else is caught, you'll be let out with a full apology—"
"Not Azkaban?" croaked Hagrid.
Before Fudge could answer, there was a loud rap on the door. On the next moment, Lucius Malfoy strode inside the office, swathed in a long black travelling cloak, smiling a cold and satisfied smile.
"Already here, Fudge," he said approvingly. "Good, good…"
"What're you doin' here?" said Hagrid furiously, rising to his feet.
"Surely it isn't unusual for a governor to visit the school when there is such a crisis at hand?" Lucius sneered. "I'm here to speak to Dumbledore."
"And what exactly did you want with me, Lucius?" said Dumbledore. He spoke politely, but the fire was still blazing in his blue eyes.
"Dreadful thing, Dumbledore," said Malfoy lazily, taking out a long roll of parchment, "but the governors feel it's time for you to step aside. This is an Order of Suspension – you'll find all twelve signatures on it. I'm afraid we feel you're losing your touch. How many attacks have there been now? Four in total, isn't it? At this rate, there'll be no students left at Hogwarts – completely unacceptable."
"Oh, now, see here, Lucius," said Fudge, looking alarmed, "Dumbledore suspended – no, no – last thing we want just now."
"The appointment— or suspension— of the headmaster is a matter for the governors, Fudge," said Lucius Malfoy smoothly. "And as Dumbledore has failed to stop these attacks—"
Someone knocked on the door a second time. After a polite moment, Mr. Shin noiselessly walked in, looking saturnine and odd in his Muggle tweed suit and knitted waistcoat. Both Malfoy and Fudge started at the sight of him.
"Shin June Hu!" Fudge breathed, looking equal parts bewildered and shocked.
The only sign of Mr. Shin's acknowledgement was a short, morose look.
"Is this a bad time?" he asked in a mild tone. "I just wanted to speak to Headmaster Dumbledore about the sentries I left behind in the school. I can wait."
The victorious look on Malfoy completely vanished, leaving a bloodless countenance.
"You left sentries?" he asked.
"Yes," said Mr. Shin in tone milder still. "I wanted to help."
Malfoy said nothing. Fudge, on the other hand, looked very excited.
"Why didn't you tell me this earlier? Could've saved me so much trouble—"
"No point giving you false hope," replied Mr. Shin. "For now, they are just keeping watch. They know what to look for. Once they find it, they will trace it back to the person who planted it or is using it."
He slowly looked up to the ceiling, his dark eyes seemingly swallowing up all light in its vicinity.
"And don't worry about delays," Mr. Shin murmured. "I've given them orders to remove the perpetrator's magic and remain on standby until the Ministry is ready to collect."
A terrifying silence descended upon the office as Mr. Shin's words sank in.
"Now, now, Shin, don't be hasty," said Fudge, whose upper lip was sweating, "I know this is upsetting, but we don't want another repeat of the incident of 1962."
"Mmn," hummed Mr. Shin, nodding absently.
"I'm serious," said Fudge, getting more agitated. "We can't have a scandal like that again. Not when we have one brewing already. I know you had no direct hand in it, but—"
"I will do nothing Dumbledore disapproves," said Mr. Shin brusquely. "I trust his judgment as the Headmaster of Hogwarts."
"Oh. Well, um," Fudge stuttered. "That's good, that's very good, except—well, Malfoy here …"
"Yes?" said Mr. Shin politely, turning his gaze at Malfoy.
"I'm here to give an ultimatum," muttered Lucius, his voice not quite steady. "Dumbledore, you must put an end to these attacks soon or the order of suspension will be put in effect. You have a month."
"How very generous of you," Dumbledore said, not taking his bright blue eyes off Lucius's cold grey ones.
Malfoy quickly bowed himself out after this. Fudge, fiddling with his bowler, waited for Hagrid to go ahead of him, but Hagrid stood his ground. So Fudge went ahead, reluctantly, holding the door open and only then did Hagrid pull on his moleskin overcoat to follow after him.
"Fine, I'm comin'," he growled. "Someone'll need ter feed Fang while I'm away."
The door banged shut. Severus wouldn't stake his life on it, as he had been staring at the door, but he could've sworn he'd seen in his peripheral vision Dumbledore and Mr. Shin do a little fist bump.
-oo00oo-
The students returned as scheduled. The head of houses had the unhappy duty of informing their students of the new rules in place: All students will return to their House common rooms by six o'clock in the evening. No student is to leave the dormitories after that time. The students will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No student is to use the bathroom unaccompanied by a teacher. All further Quidditch training and matches are to be postponed. There will be no more evening activities.
Severus noticed quite a few of his own Slytherin students were perturbed that two Weasleys were petrified.
"They must have found out something," speculated Theodore Nott at the first potions lessons of the term. "I mean, they're pureblood. There can be no other reason."
"They're blood-traitors," said Draco scathingly. "That's as bad as being a Mudblood as far as I'm concerned."
Potter, who sitting behind Draco, bit the inside of his mouth but said nothing. His partner Hermione Granger, who exhibited all the signs and symptoms of crying herself to sleep on a daily basis, started tearing up.
"Dumbledore's not going to last as Headmaster after all this," said Draco, not bothering to keep his voice down. "Father thinks he's the worst headmaster the school's ever had, and I quite agree. Just you wait. Father's going to get rid of him and we'll get a decent headmaster. Someone who won't want the Chamber of Secrets closed…"
Severus swept towards Draco's workbench to quell the talking. The boy shut his mouth as he passed.
"I'm quite surprised the Mudbloods and blood-traitors haven't all packed their bags when they heard the news," Malfoy went on as soon as Severus reached the other side. "Bet you five Galleons the next one dies. Pity it wasn't Weasley—it's not like the lot doesn't have the children to spare."
Potter went white. Neville Longbottom and Granger grabbed hold of his arms before he could do anything. Potter remained in his seat until the end of the class, even when Granger and Longbottom let go of their grips on him, but he was shaking so badly it was a wonder he managed to brew a passable solution. No doubt Granger was to blame for this anomaly.
"Five points from Gryffindor," said Severus, sneering at the vial Potter submitted. "Potter, I told you this should be an individual effort. And another five points for helping him, Miss Granger."
Potter's eyes flashed as he started to open his mouth, but Granger and Longbottom pulled him away forcefully before he could actually articulate anything, much to Severus' disappointment. So Severus just herded the second-years to Herbology after the bell.
The days went by like this. Nothing alarming happened to the students or the roosters during the interim, which made the more gullible/desperate part of the student body to believe in Lockhart's incessant boasting that he had vanquished Slytherin's monster over the holidays as a Christmas present to the school. The students who still had functioning brains inside their skulls remained sceptical as they rightfully should.
"But an Acromantula can't be the monster that's been carrying out the attacks," Granger argued loudly from the Gryffindor table one evening. "Acromantulas have deadly venom, but they don't have the power to petrify, and Colin, Miss Jackie, Ron and Ginny were petrified, not poisoned."
The more cunning students went beyond Granger's pedestrian reasoning and figured out all the victims were associated with Potter. Once this bit of reasoning got out, many students started to avoid Potter like a disease carrier. Oddly enough, this triggered several Hufflepuffs to publically announce their support of Harry Potter, Ernie Macmillan and Justin Finch-Fletchley among the first. Potter didn't comment on either of these movements. In fact, Potter rarely spoke since the end of Christmas Holidays. Severus knew Potter's silence had little to do with feeling distraught over his petrified friends, as his more sentimental and soft-hearted colleagues thought, but because he was scheming. Staffroom gossip, Potter and his lackeys' behaviour made this blatantly obvious.
The problem was Severus has no idea what he was up to.
Severus could see no reason why Longbottom would want to study the properties of Floo powder and learn how to raise a Floo plant, but that was precisely what he was doing, according to Sprout. Nor could he see why Potter was questioning McGonagall over sculpturing and glass-shaping spells. Flitwick mentioned one afternoon he had his brains picked clean by Hermione Granger and Julia Lestrade on how to dynamically alter the target of a Holography charm. Finally, Lockhart brought forth the most bewildering piece of information regarding their activities.
"Harry Potter wanted a blow-by-blow account on how I defeated Slytherin's Monster!" Lockhart gloated as soon as he entered the staff room. "I'm sorry to say I couldn't tell him much. I'm writing the whole account for my newest book and I'm under contract to keep all the details secret until it's published. No title yet, but it promises to be my best selling book yet! I promised him a pre-release copy and that seem to make him happy … I can send signed copies to anyone else who's interested!"
Everyone turned their face determinately away. Unperturbed or simply unaware, Lockhart chuckled to himself.
"I'll make a fine wizard out of him yet!" Lockhart went on. "He was so eager to learn the full extent of my expertise in fighting the Dark Arts. He was completely struck dumb when I told him my mastery in memory charms. Useful things, memory charms." Another hearty chuckle, "Harry, you little scallywag! Took him a long time to warm up to me, but he did pay his respects in the end."
Clearly Potter had used a hitherto unheard of bit of cunning to glean info out of Lockhart without him noticing. Not that it was difficult, Severus thought waspishly. Lockhart would autograph anything that stood still long enough and blather at the slightest hint of an audience. But Lockhart's account of the exchange didn't help Severus figure out what Potter was scheming. The collective body of evidence had no apparent coherent story. Usually this meant Severus would have to resort to Legilimency, but therein lay the most troubling problem of them all: whenever Severus attempted to delve into Potter's (simpleton) mind, all he saw were sluggish grey swirls and images so distorted, interpretation was impossible.
And that, simply, was unacceptable.
A wizard skilled in Occlumency would've simply left his mind clear or place a partial truth for a Legilimens to view, but it was extremely unlikely Potter knew existence of Occlumency. Even if he did (very doubtful), what Severus witnessed every time he delved into Potter's mind was unlike anything he'd seen or read. A natural Occlumens was an oxymoron—it was the same as saying there exists people who naturally didn't have emotions or thoughts—but what he saw inside Potter's (plebeian) brain made him wonder…
At last, unable to take it anymore, Severus raised the question to Dumbledore.
"Have you ever attempted to use Legilimency on Dr. Watson?" asked Dumbledore in return.
"No," said Severus, "Is this significant?"
"Quite," said Dumbledore. "As you know, I asked Sherlock and John how Harry ended in their care on the day of their Hogwarts interview. After providing a brief summary of Sherlock's fight against Jim Moriarty, John told me, I quote: 'Sherlock finally got the upper hand on Moriarty. We had to do mad crazy things to get there. You don't want to know what we had to do. But getting married was one of them.'"
Dumbledore laughed quietly at Severus' sputtering disbelief.
"Naturally, I wanted to know the details of the 'mad crazy things' they had done," Dumbledore continued. "Seeing as neither John nor Sherlock were inclined to go over them, I attempted to view their memories. Sherlock, as you no doubt experienced, thought too much too quickly for me to follow. John I could glean nothing for there was nothing at all for me to see."
"Nothing?"
"Nothing," confirmed Dumbledore. "It was as if I was seeing a person without the benefit of mind-reading spells at all."
Severus wet his lips. "And you are certain—absolutely certain—Watson is a Muggle."
"As sure as the Headmaster of Hogwarts can ever be," Dumbledore replied. "I have not completely removed the possibility of late-blooming magic talent, but even a cursory examination of John's ability to repel magic and impart that ability to objects long kept strongly suggests John is neither ordinary Muggle nor ordinary witch."
Dumbledore laced his fingers and regarded the spot above Severus thoughtfully.
"The only hint towards an explanation is this: Last year when Quirrell stunned Harry and petrified Neville, then left them to die in the chamber that held Hagrid's – ahem – three-headed pet dog, both regained their consciousness and mobility after a few minutes." Dumbledore looked Severus piercingly. "You know as well as I do that spells of this sort remain in effect until a counter is performed or the caster dies."
"So Watson not only has the ability to repel magic, but drain it out?" asked Severus sharply.
"It would seem so. One can image the kind of interference we face when we attempt Legilimens, which is a fragile spell to begin with, on a person who can repel magic and drain out its effects."
"But if this is the case, why is Potter not drained of his magic to the point of turning into a Squib?" Severus argued. "No one in the wizard world is more exposed to John Watson than him—he is literally surrounded and clothed with Watson's touch! You and I meet Watson on a near weekly basis, and neither of us experienced any ill effects."
"Yes, that's the problem, isn't it?" said Dumbledore. "Perhaps we should cease to think in terms of draining and repelling, but think, as Jacqueline once speculated, 'John makes Magic bow down and submit'."
"You've been discussing this with Ms. Shin?" demanded Severus, feeling insulted.
"It came up when Jacqueline brought me her proposal to create an electric generator," said Dumbledore, blue eyes twinkling. "Repelling stray magic is a vital part of the design."
"…I suppose," said Severus stiffly, still miffed at Dumbledore for discussing such important matters to a talentless witch like Ms. Shin. "So you suggested she use Watson's influence?"
"She actually came up with the idea herself. Lack of Hogwarts education and feeble magic aside, she is very bright."
Severus sneered at the idea.
"By the by," said Dumbledore. "Why are you so intent on delving into Harry's mind? He has not, as far as I know, done anything to warrant your suspicion."
Severus didn't say Potter had a special reservation of his suspicion over all things going wrong for perpetuity, because Dumbledore already knew it to be the case.
"You could just ask, you know," Dumbledore chided.
"You think I haven't?" Severus hissed.
"Severus, breathing down a poor student's neck and accusing him of arrogance and presumption for even thinking he has the power to solve our current situation is not what I call 'asking'."
Severus quickly turned away to glower at Armando Dippet's portrait. Just because he had to hear Dumbledore sighing in exasperation didn't mean he had to see the look that accompanied it.
"Since it is bothering you so, I'll take the liberty of informing you what I suspect Harry is doing. He and his friends are in the process of developing the first Magical Mobile Phone."
Severus turned to stare at Dumbledore. Dumbledore looked calmly back.
"In case you have forgotten, Headmaster," said Severus slowly, as though he was speaking to a very dim-witted child or an infantile madman, "All attempts of replicating mobile phones have been spectacularly unsuccessful. Potter has barely over-average talent and knowledge. Granger may have the brains, but not the knowledge. Including Longbottom and Lestrade into the mix is just asking for failure."
"You're too hard on them," said Dumbledore. "Miss Granger is the brightest student we've seen in years. Filius and Minerva are one accord when it comes to Harry's spell-casting ability. Neville is the best Herbologist of his year and you yourself acknowledged Miss Lestrade is the best potioneer you've seen in decades."
"That doesn't translate to them knowing what they're doing!" Severus hissed. "I can't believe you're just leaving them without the benefit of guidance and mentorship!"
"Oh, they do have guidance."
"Yours?"
"Not mine," Dumbledore smiled, "Jacqueline's."
Severus would've sat down had he not been seated already.
"Ms. Jacqueline is currently in the Hospital Wing, petrified."
"So she is."
"Then why are you saying she is guiding them?"
"She left notes," said Dumbledore, "quite a lot of them, in fact. From what I can tell, Jacqueline had finished laying out the magical mobile network's infrastructure and only needed to make the phone equivalent by the time she was petrified."
"Which is challenging enough as it is!" said Severus furiously. "How can you be sure Ms. Shin created something that actually works, when wizards and witches far more learned and talented than her almost got themselves killed trying to replicate those wretched things without any success?"
"Why, Severus, are you implying that you care?" asked Dumbledore seriously.
"I refuse to be held accountable if and when Grandmaster Shin learns first and second year brats have stolen his daughter's notes of idle speculation and made a mess out of them!" Severus snarled. "The man has the temper of a sleeping Dragon, you know that!"
"I know enough about it to know not tickle it. But again, you overestimate the danger. Miss Lestrade is Grandmaster Shin's granddaughter; as such, she has his favour. Also, unlike the witches and wizards who attempted it before, Jacqueline actually knows the inner workings of Muggle mobile phones and mobile networks. That gives her an edge over her magic-only counterparts."
"How can that knowledge help when she doesn't have the magic to do anything about it?" Severus scoffed.
Dumbledore sighed, "So determined to disbelieve. Severus, how can you be so, when you complained ever so often how others constantly overlook you because you lacked the palatable trappings of talent?"
Severus opened his mouth to retort when the door to the office banged open, and McGonagall appeared.
"It has happened," she told them. "A student has been taken by the monster. Right into the Chamber itself."
Dumbledore stood up, his eyes blazing. Severus gripped his armrest very hard and said, "How can you be sure?"
"The Heir of Slytherin," said McGonagall, who was very white, "left another message. Right underneath the first one. Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever."
"Who is it?" asked Dumbledore, "Which student?"
"Hermione Granger," said McGonagall.
Dumbledore quickly navigated around his desk and started running. McGonagall and Severus followed after him.
"Have you announced to the students to return to their House dormitories?" asked Dumbledore.
"Yes," said McGonagall, puffing after him. "Everyone else should be waiting at the staff room."
"Excellent, now—"
"Professor Dumbledore!"
The three of them skidded to a halt at the sound of Potter's shout. Potter and Julia Lestrade came running to their direction from an empty corridor.
"Harry and Julia, I do believe we told you to return to your House dormitories," said Dumbledore.
"It's okay, we're just copies," said Potter breathlessly.
"Copies?" McGonagall blurted, saving Severus the reflex of repeating that last word. "Mr. Potter, are you saying you've mastered the replication spell?"
"Well, yes," said Lestrade, sounding as if McGonagall was overreacting. "It's pretty easy when you do it Grandpa's way. Even Neville managed to get it right after three weeks. But that's not important! Sir, we found the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets! Harry knows how to get in!"
Severus was so unsettled at rapid turn of events he forgot turn on his suspicions before it was too late.
"This is excellent news," said Dumbledore. "Please show me the way. Severus, Minerva, alert me if anyone besides Harry, Julia and Neville are missing."
And with that he took off, running alongside Lestrade and Potter. Severus and Minerva stared at their rapidly distancing backs stupidly.
At length, Minerva let out a long breath.
"Let's do what he says."
They headed downstairs. On their way, they were accosted by Lockhart on the second floor. He beamed at them.
"So sorry – dozed off – what's going on?"
He didn't seem to notice that McGonagall looking at him with something remarkably like hatred. Severus stepped forward.
"Just the man," he said. "The very man we've been looking for. A girl has been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Taken into the Chamber of Secrets itself. Seems like you've caught the wrong monster."
Lockhart blanched.
"That's right, Gilderoy," said McGonagall, her eyes glinting. "Hard to image how you made such a mistake. But it shouldn't be too hard to do it a second time. You know where the Chamber of Secrets is and you know how to take down the monster. You're even writing a book about it."
"Am I? I don't recall –"
"What is this? Why the fear?" Severus mocked. "Or could it be Mr. Holmes was right about you after all? Isn't that a thought, Gilderoy Lockhart, nothing but a fraud…"
"No, I really – you misunderstand—"
"Then prove it," said McGonagall. "Tonight will be an excellent time for you to rectify your mistake. We'll make sure everyone's out of your way. Free-reign, just the way you always wanted. You'll be able to tackle the monster all by yourself."
Lockhart gazed desperately around him, but there was no one to come for his rescue. His pale lips were trembling, and in the absence of his toothy grin, he looked weak-chinned and feeble. Severus curled his lip at the pathetic sight.
"V-very well," Lockhart said. "I'll – I'll be in my office, getting – getting ready."
And he left.
"Right," said Professor McGonagall, whose nostrils were flared, "that's got him out from under our feet. We'll alert Albus just in case. In the meantime, we search through the school as he instructed."
The teachers reconvened in the staffroom an hour later. The sun had already set at that point.
"Just Miss Lestrade missing in my House," said Sprout anxiously.
"Mr. Potter and Mr. Longbottom in mine," said McGonagall, trembling slightly, "Miss Granger, of course, presumably still in the Chamber…"
Flitwick burst into tears.
"How could this have happened?" asked Sinistra, who had sunk, weak-kneed, into a chair, "When could this have happened?"
"You know the Gryffindor second year class schedules, Professor McGonagall," said Severus quietly.
"It's Friday, so they would've had Herbology and Charms," said McGonagall. "Pomona, Filius, you must've seen Miss Granger in your classes, or you would've alerted us…"
Flitwick and Sprout nodded; the former whilst wiping his overflowing tears with a handkerchief.
"My first years would've had Transfigurations and History of Magic," said Sprout. "Minerva, did you…?"
"I saw her in class, yes. I distinctly remember complimenting her rapid progress."
"I escorted Mr. Potter, Mr. Longbottom, and Miss Granger to the music room after their class," squeaked Flitwick. "They said Mr. Potter was having trouble sleeping, and needed to recharge his music player to help him sleep. I escorted all three of them back to the Great Hall after he was done."
Something about this tickled Severus' mind. "And Miss Lestrade?"
"I took her the hospital wing," said McGonagall in a strange croaky voice. "She wanted to see Ms. Shin, and tell her Uncle Jason was taking care of the Mandrakes … and, and she'd be better in no time…"
Sometimes he really wished McGonagall wasn't such a secret softie.
"You informed Binns' of her absence."
"Yes," said McGonagall thickly after blowing her nose. "Poppy can confirm if she was there."
Madam Pomfrey quickly confirmed Miss Lestrade stayed by Ms. Shin's bed for a full hour, talking to her Petrified Aunt. The tickle in Severus' mind turned into a persistent knocking.
"Did she draw the screens around?" Severus asked.
"Now that you mention it, yes, she did," said Pomfrey.
Suddenly, Severus had an idea of what had happened.
"I have a theory I want to confirm. Please excuse me."
He swept to the Defence Corridor, leaving bewildered colleagues in the wake. He knocked on Lockhart's office. No one responded. He hexed the door to open. The wooden door was blasted off from its hinges.
The office had been striped. The retina-burning photographs of Lockhart had been pulled down from the walls. The desk was bare except for one lonely inkwell. The bedroom door was partially open, but he didn't enter. No doubt it was cleared out of more horrors.
Severus drew in a deep breath. He pictured the afternoon as it would've happened: Longbottom, Potter and Granger convened in the music room. Lestrade escaped McGonagall's clutches by first detouring to the Hospital Wing, left a clone there, and snuck off to the music room to join them. He remembered Jason and Jeremy being a terror to catch in the act, what with their arsenal of unorthodox spells. It was entirely possible Lestrade had picked up an invisibility charm from them and used it reach the music room undetected. Anyway, the four students convened in the music room — for what? Only one reason: to speak to Sherlock Holmes. Potter and Lestrade told Dumbledore they'd found the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets. No doubt they'd verified their findings with Holmes, which meant they were likely correct. Lockhart was a fool, somehow convinced no one could figure his secret, as if his everyday behaviour didn't broadcast it. Supposing Lockhart feared, rightly, if anyone could and would expose his secret it was Potter and his gang, then he would've kept close tabs on Potter. If Lockhart overhead them speaking to Holmes — and Severus distinctly remembered there was a fireplace in the Music Room, and 221B was connected to the Floo-network — then Lockhart would've known the game was over, hence the flight. End of story. And only one way to verify.
Severus threw Floo-powder into the nearest open fire, shouting:
"221B!"
-oo00oo-
Final Notes: Nasty Snape is nasty. It's going to take a lot more than just budding camaraderie with John and Sherlock to make Snape even consider treating Harry with a degree of decency. I know his behavior bothers a lot of readers, but I don't see Snape as the kind of person who tries to be kind in behalf of the people he likes. If anything, he would divorce the two concepts without a second thought and sneer at the suggestion that he should.
Had a bit of a block while writing this thing; intermittent chapters are always so complicated. Resolution to CS in the next chapter! (I hope…)