Assessments

When Deborah and Sev finished their snack, he went upstairs to his bedroom. "What's up Ariel? Have you finished the book yet?" he asked the boy.

"I'm almost, Sev. Don't interrupt me now, I have very little left."

It must be very interesting, how nice.

"Okay, okay… Sorry."

I'll sit on the bed and pet the kitten. If he is about to finish it, it is not worth taking the science one. I want to start this one right away, there are still two hours until dinner, I can read a good chunk and know if I like it. What an illusion, my first novel.

He waited ten minutes for Ariel to finish reading. "That's it, Sev."

"Did you like the ending?"

"I can't tell you, otherwise you won't be surprised."

"It's true," Sev admitted.

"Do you want to start it now?"

"Of course."

"So in the meantime I'm going to the Library to look for Shelley so she can tell Fence about the party," said Ariel.

"Wait, I'll see if they're there and I'll tell you if you can tell them now."

"Okay, Sev."

Sev took out the Map and folded it to look at the Library. It's the first time Ariel has seen the Map and he doesn't tell me anything. Very discreet, no need to tell him that he must also occlude this. "Yes, they are all there, the four bad guys together, the first-year, the two second-years and your classmate. Wait, I don't want you to tell them anything." Lest they read them in the summer and associate Ariel and Shelley with me. I'll talk to them when they get back home or in the Great Hall.

"We can, Sev, we already know her."

"No, honey, it's better not. The bad guys on their side can read them, and I don't want them to know you're my friend. It must be a secret for now."

"Sure, Sev."

He understands perfectly.

"Then I don't need to go to the Library anymore," Ariel said.

"No. If you want, go to your bedroom for your other book and we'll read together here, so I'll tell you what I think of this one."

"Brilliant. Shall we leave the kitten here?"

"Of course, don't bother her, she's very comfortable," Sev said.

"I'll be right back."

Ariel went to his bedroom while Sev kicked off his shoes to lie on the bed. He came back. How fast.

"What are you going to read now?" Sev asked.

"Another novel, 'Gulliver's Travels'."

"About travels, how interesting."

They were each engrossed in their books. As soon as he started reading, Sev realized that 'Oliver Twist' was not appropriate for Ariel at all. Buah… how awful, and he has read this as if nothing had happened, it has not affected him in the slightest. I hope it ends well, it's interesting, but it's not a reading for a thirteen-year-old boy who grew up in an orphanage. I'm going to have to watch what he reads, since Jack doesn't. I'll wait for him to read the one that just started a little more and ask him.

Sev waited a few more minutes. "Ariel, what is that book about?"

"Of a sailor who is shipwrecked and arrives at a place where very small men live."

Ugh… a shipwreck. Why have I waited? "Are there more bad things happening to him?"

"They try to catch him with tiny ropes," the boy answered.

Well, it looks funny. "And they do something bad to him?"

"They throw tiny arrows at him that stick like needles, but they don't hurt him."

Well, this one seems more appropriate and he seems interested, but let him tell me if they do anything bad to him. From now on I'm going to look for the books in the Library, that Remus and Cecile advise me, they read a lot, on Monday I'll ask them. I'll read the first chapter and recommend it to him, I'm sure he'll listen to me. "If they do something bad to him, tell me, okay?"

"Okay, Sev."

He continued reading. From time to time he looked at the Map to see if the malefic kids were still in the Library. At seven he saw that they were gone. He unfolded the ground floor and the dungeons. They're going down the spiral stairs, and there's no one else in the Common Room. I'm going there. Barefoot.

He jumped up, ran out of the bedroom and down the stairs. He waited for them leaning on the chair with its back to the door. They come earlier than the others so as not to encounter the bustle of the Common Room. I'm sure they haven't been home all day, because at noon Ariel and his friends have arrived before them. They live in fear, poor. The right mood to reach out to them. I hope I don't scare them.

They entered through the door. "Hey guys, what's up?"

(No one answers me, and everyone except Lauren's brother, who does it defiant, look at me fearfully, which I was telling you. To see how I overcome their distrust, I should have thought of it before. I hope they don't go where they came from or directly to their bedrooms. No, they have hesitated but pass, and stop at a safe distance. They are going to listen to me.) "I would like to introduce myself," Sev began. "I know you all by sight and your last names but not your first names. I'm Prince, but you can also call me Sev, which is what my best friends call me."

"Don't tease us," said one of the boys rudely. "You're Snape."

(Lauren's brother, my future brother-in-law, rebel to the top. It seems to me that if we don't start taming him now, his parents are going to get out of hand. Of course, he hasn't been left alone, he has his older sister, he is not afraid. I'll tell him off, now I am his head too, that he does not turn the others against me.) "No, sorry, Parkinson," bluntly. "My name is no longer Snape, but Prince. Since two weeks ago, when I kicked the vipers out of school."

"We are not vipers, we are snakes, and you did not manage to throw us out," replied the boy.

(I am going to make peace, otherwise all the others will rebel. This one does not allow himself to be dominated, he is insubmissive to the fullest. If we win him over to the cause, he will also be a good warrior.) "I don't mean to, I've only waited for you here to invite you to tonight's party. Don't come if you don't want to, but at least let me invite your friends." And to the others, "Do you want to come?" (A true snake never turns down a party.)

"Is there a party tonight?" asked Fence, the third-year girl.

(She is the most willing to get closer, because of Ariel's influence, and because she is the oldest, she wants to party more.) "Yes, Fence, you can see the table full of bottles, and I would love for you all to come and chat with me for a while, right after dinner, in my corner. I've already cleared it up for you. You can drink some butterbeers, since you couldn't go to Hogsmeade this morning."

"How do you know I haven't gone to the village this morning?"

(Distrustful, like a good snake. But the other boy has at least kept quiet, he already seems somewhat more interested.) "Because I find out everything, and because you have run out of people to go," Sev answered. "Your first and second year friends can't go to the village. You have to make friends your age."

(I'm already convincing her. If Lauren's brother is reading me, he must be detecting that I'm occluding. Ugh, I hadn't thought of that. I'm not going to push them anymore, that's enough for today. A first approach.) "Well, think about it from now to eight, I'll wait for you in the corner," Sev continued. "Don't be afraid of the others, no one is going to do anything bad to you, or they will have to deal with me. Is it clear to you?"

"Yes Prince."

(Okay, one won over, the oldest.) "See you later."

He hurried off on his way to the stairs and into his bedroom. (I'll leave space for them to talk about it among themselves, and at dinner I plan to warn Lauren about her brother, I'm surprised that until now she hasn't told me anything. It's a real danger, if he doesn't change sides when it's his turn he could screwhis familycompletely.)

He put away the Map and returned to his book. Jack arrived at twenty past seven, but he didn't come near his bed. As far as possible from me, he is not over it at all. How I've gone overboard this afternoon. He put down the book and began to put on his shoes.

Sev spoke to him from afar, "How about in the clearing with Valerie and Andrew, Jack?"

"Sailing wind, Prince. Both occlude more than half the time."

It is not necessary to take them on Monday to the fir tree. "Wonderful, they have the talent. Have you spent the whole afternoon there?"

"Yeah," his friend replied.

"Ugh… thank you very much, Jack. What a sacrifice."

"No sacrifice, Prince, we have been at ease."

Yes it is a sacrifice to teach Occlumency, it is very boring. But Lauren did it with me and I did it with him. Now is his turn, if he wants to be at the level of us.

"And what about you?" Jack asked.

"First making friends with Deborah, and then reading." I'm not going to blame him for neglecting Ariel's readings, I'll take care of watching him. We've had enough of a fight for today. "Have you thought about Monday?"

"I've told you before that I prefer not to, Prince."

What I tell you, entrenched, well that's how you're going to stay. "Okay, then don't think about it anymore. Do not come."

Anthony also arrived and Ariel left. It's good that today there is a party and Jack will relax, I'm sure that tomorrow the resentment has passed and he'll be the same as always with me, although he has not solved it with himself. The three of them went down to the Common Room. The rest of the escort is already waiting for us.

"Deborah, organize," Sev ordered.

"Line up one by one to let people through to the corridor on the ground floor," Deborah said. "As when returning from the Great Hall. Wands out."

(No. I don't want Jack watching Deborah's back.)

"No," Sev said. "We traded Andrew for Jack. Valerie, Jack, me, Anthony, Deborah, and Andrew bringing up the rear. When we get to the top, yes, like when we come back from the Great Hall. Let's go."

They formed, left, went up and formed again. Sev checked the time just before entering the Great Hall. (Half past seven o'clock, perfect, everything is back to normal.) As he entered, he studied the grounds. (Albus is sitting down. Lily is there, Lauren and the malefics aren't.)

As soon as Sev sat down in his seat, Dumbledore projected to him, "Prince, you have escaped this afternoon," reproachful.

(Ugh… he has me controlled, and no one controls me.) "Yes, Albus, what's up?" in bad manners.

"You have gone to the seventh floor without an escort, to the Room of Requirement, only with Deborah, the worst duelist."

"Albus, I'm going to do whatever I want," Sev replied. "I have the Map, I have not put myself in danger at any time. I was making friends with my new head escort."

"Yes. I've already seen you both in Sly's Room, too."

(Booah… I don't like this at all. He has controlled all my movements. What a ruin.) "Albus," authoritarian. "Control the malefics, not me. You are invading my privacy."

"But Prince... you can't take risks like that," worried. "You went up to the seventh floor the same day that they almost ambushed you and you spent more than half an hour stuck in the Room of Requirement, right where the Gryffs caught you a fortnight ago."

(He has had a hard time for me, poor old man. He has controlled me up to that point because he was working on the Map and was looking at it all the time. Poor man, I am going to loosen up.) "Albus," patient. "I have the Map thanks to you. I can go where I want, when I want and with whom I want. I am safe, I know how to take care of myself."

"You're right, Prince, I'm sorry. But I don't think Deborah is a very good choice for head escort."

"Albus, she's the best of them," very sure of himself. "I've been talking to her about everything that happened in the morning and she's the one who had the best judgment on how things should be done. In addition, we have managed to Bond. If she were a better warrior, I would make her second in training too. She is an exceptional person."

"I don't know," skeptical. "You'll see what you do. With Jack you were completely wrong."

"Yeah, I know, you don't need to tell me. I have already thought about it, that is why I have dismissed him immediately, you must have also seen on the Map that it was the first thing I did when I got home. You must understand that I am very new to this, I will learn. By the way, do you have a problem with Deborah coming to the fir tree on Monday too? I'd like her to spend some time with the Gryffs."

"Of course not. Let her come if she wants," the Headmaster agreed.

"Great, Albus. And now, if there's nothing more urgent, I'd like to talk to my girlfriend. We have had a very tense lunch, as you already noticed."

"Of course, Prince, we left it. Know that I have already appointed one of the Raves."

"Whom?"

"One of the seventh years."

(Better, the sixth-grader can be read by Jack in class.) "Thank you, Albus. Tell me tomorrow, we'll break up."

"See you tomorrow, Prince."

(Lauren and the malefics have already arrived. I'm going to ask her to read about the Raves' Potions class.)

He projected to Lauren, "Hi gorgeous. Are you reading?"

"Yes, Severus."

"Can I ask you to read something?"

"Of course."

"If the Raves have a Potions class and when. The two seventh-years," Sev said.

"Right away."

"I'm going to say hello to Lily and then you and I will talk in private. You have a lot to tell me."

"Of course."

Sev projected to Lily, "Hello, honey, how did you spend the afternoon?"

"Hi, Sev. Good. Chatting with Lauren most of the time."

(Ugh… Lily is worried, I'm sure Lauren hasn't told her any of the bad news about me yet, and Lauren has wasted most of the day today. She's not going to get Defense at this rate. I have to take her to the cave to do the ritual before exams.) "What have you talked about, honey?"

"Ah… girly secrets."

(Wow… so they've been entertaining. About me, they've already gained confidence on that subject. Better, this way Lauren gives Lily expert tricks. I think this summer is going to be spectacular.) "Then you don't have much to tell me," Sev said.

"I don't, Sev."

"Well, I'll find out when we make the Union. I do have a lot to tell you."

He told her about the afternoon he had spent with Deborah, without revealing his friend's secrets.

"Wow, Sev. And to think that because of her you almost didn't get into the Guard."

"Well yes, you see. There are people who are more difficult to know and appreciate, and in the end they turn out to be the best. You'll find out everything when we do the Union, but it has been great, a magnificent exchange. Tonight we are going to get drunk together and I am going to invite her to come to the fir tree on Monday."

"It seems very good to me, Sev. Do it."

"I'm going to chat for a while alone with Lauren. Let's see if she has finished reading."

Lily thought, He doesn't want to tell me everything he knows about himself from what Lauren has read in the malefics so as not to make me suffer, but I am suffering all the same. I won't tell him, otherwise he's going to suffer for me too. "Okay, Sev. We cut."

Sev projected to Lauren, "Lauren, have you finished?"

"Yes, Severus."

"Tell me everything."

Lauren told him in detail how they had decided to ambush him in the morning and their plans after leaving Hogwarts. Among them, the most serious, revealing all the information they could find out about the training of the Army and all of Sev's movements, including the people with whom he was associated.

"So, Voldemort is going to realize how important I am," he deduced.

"Yes, Severus."

"And we are all in danger."

"Yeah. Everyone who gets close to you," she confirmed.

"How do they plan to contact the Death Eaters?"

"Very easy, going to Knockturn. That's how I get to London."

"Sure. So we're going to have them on us as soon as we get out of school," said Sev.

"Yes, Severus."

"Will I ever live peacefully, Lauren?"

"Of course. I plan to dedicate my life to achieving it."

"Do you think it is appropriate that we give them a punishment before they leave Hogwarts?"

"Of course, and as soon as possible, too," she agreed. "They're going to do as much damage as they can. You have nothing to lose."

"When do the seventh-grade Raves have their next Potions class?"

"Monday afternoon at second hour. Both."

"Perfect, tonight we'll plan it at the party," he said. "I'm going to scar the handsome guy's face with a good Sectumsempra, to take revenge for Cecile and for trying to pick you up."

"Wonderful, he deserves it. This morning I read in the deeps that he was planning to rape Cecile when he attacked her at the beginning of term."

"Booaah…"

"He is the worst of the five," Lauren said.

"Don't tell Lily anything yet, we'll tell her little by little these days. And about Cecile, not even remotely, I'll explain it to her in the summer."

"Of course not, I shouldn't have told you, but she is worried. This afternoon I tried to distract her. Something will have to be said."

"Okay, then let me do it myself," Sev said.

"Okay."

"Now I want to talk to you about another topic."He told her of his exchange with the little malefics, including concern about her brother.

"Ugh, Severus... You shouldn't have done it, it wasn't worth it. Luckily, they will never read my brother, because my parents won't let Bellatrix near him."

"Lauren, we must ensure his loyalty. He will put your family in danger in the future."

"Yes, my brother is very troublesome. You know, the middle one, the least pampered. He admired you a lot when he believed you were on the evil side and you have fallen from his pedestal."

"Oh. Well, that can play in my favor. If he admired me so much, there will still be something left. I will keep trying to get closer to him."

"I will try to subtly put him in your favor, let's see if he listens to me," she suggested.

(I'm going to look for things we have in common,) Sev thought. "Tell me about him. How are his studies going?"

"He is quite a good wizard, like everyone in my family, but he doesn't take much interest, because he knows that he has his life resolved and he already plans to become a Death Eater when he grows up."

"Ugh, Lauren… what a problem, we have to tackle it now. Can you think of something we have in common, to make friends with him?"

"I don't know, Severus, you are diametrically opposed. Maybe that he likes the girl from his year who has also stayed."

(An early love. Something in common, good.) "And her? Is she as malefic as he is?"

"Not at all, and besides, she is a good friend of Fence, the third-year."

"Wow… great. Then they will come to the party together," said Sev. "If I win over the second-year, she will influence your brother." (To also play matchmaker among the malefics. Great, I love it.)

"Sure. I think so."

"Politics, Lauren. Step by step, delicately, because it deals with matters of the heart and very young kids. Does the girl like him?"

"She doesn't. Because he does not apply and is too malefic. She is a good student."

"Oh… then those are good reasons to make him change. I hope he gives me the chance to talk to him."

"If you become friends with the girl, sure you will," she said.

"Brilliant. And the first-year?"

"He will do what my brother does."

(She reads them all except his brother, who she coaxes out of him, because he would know she was reading him,) Sev thought. "Great, I am already forming the whole plan in my head. Before the end of the term I have won them all."

"Perfect, Severus. I will continue reading them and informing you. If you get my brother to change, you will repay my family for the favor we have done you."

"I'm looking forward to doing it. What a great team, Lauren. One last question."

"Tell me."

"I have appointed Deborah head escort."

"My, Severus, she's the one you get along with the worst."

"Not anymore. We've spent the afternoon together and she's great, you were so wrong about her. I can't tell you much because I had to promise her that I would keep the secrets that she has entrusted to me, but with time you will find out about her and you will know how to appreciate her as well. I'm just telling you this, the main characteristic of her in the Celtic horoscope is nobleness."

"Oh…"

"She is a much better personthan Jack," he said. "Extremely intelligent and attentive. We have managed to bond and tonight we are going to get drunk together, the first time for both of us."

"Yeah. Yes, perhaps I misjudged her, influenced by what Jack told me about her."

(Jack, criticizing each of them behind their back when he was talking to the other. The complete opposite of nobleness. How badly I judge people, how much I still have to learn.) "Yes, Lauren, and now he will speak to you even worse, because they have had several fights this morning, because of everything Jack has done wrong. Do not let yourself be influenced by him again, because you were completely wrong. Deborah is absolutely loyal to me and she is the one who has the best judgment to command. If she were a better warrior, she would already be my second, starting today. In fact, I'm going to put her to command fifth year. I'll stay in sixth with Jack, to control him. She was willing to be degraded as long as she wasn't near him, she even moved her seat at the table, to be in front of me. This morning she has been the only one who has faced him at all times, with the proper criteria that she should have. If she had been the head of the escort from the beginning, nothing would have happened."

"Well, basically it was lucky, so we were able to find out the intentions of the malefics," she said.

"Is there anything else about Lily or about you?"

"No, Severus, and they don't plan to attack you at school either, they have completely given up. Your escort is impressive, especially with Valerie and Andrew leading the way. They will not dare with you, in that aspect you are safe."

"Brilliant. In the end I didn't tell you everything I wanted to about Deborah," said Sev.

"Tell me."

"By taking more confidence in me, I have found out that she mistrusts you."

"Of course, like me her, it was mutual," Lauren said.

(A new faux pas from Jack.) "But she herself has given me the solution to stop doing it. I already told you that she is extremely intelligent and observant, she does not miss one. I will be in the best hands."

"And what is that solution?"

"This week the Patronus is due in Defense class," he replied.

"Yeah, I already know."

"When Anthony sees you do it, he will tell her, and it's done."

"Of course. Very well thought," she agreed.

"Check your happy memories."

"I do it constantly, Severus. Today I have been at the pond after lunch."

(To check the one about the kiss this morning. I'm going to ask her, it's the first time she's told me about it.) "And has it changed?" Sev asked.

"It hasn't."

(Ugh… I won't ask her what it is then, maybe it's with Jack. Change of subject.) "It occurs to me that you could also spend some time at the party tonight. Nobody except Deborah distrusts you, they're going to leave you alone. Even if you don't talk to anyone so as not to commit yourself, stop by, have a drink and we'll project to each other."

"Okay, Severus, surely I will."

"Sure, Lauren. The whole House is your family even if they don't know it yet, but one day they will. Shall we chat with Lily for the while that's left?"

"Sure, Severus. She must be worried."

They talked to Lily, and for the moment, they only told her that the three of them were safe at the school. She was much calmer.