Chapter 39: The one with the Good cop and the Bad cop

Disclaimer: I am just a mere visitor in the sublime world constructed by J.K Rowling. Anything that rings a bell is hers.

Chapter 38

I knocked once and opened the door. I smiled at Nonno who was seated at his desk, and he returned it in kind. I skipped over to him but was stopped when I was thrown up into the air.

"How many times must I have this discussion with you Len, she is not a rag doll. You could hurt her like that."

I landed softly, bridal style in big arms, which cradled me gently and looked up into warm hazel eyes. I wrapped my arms around Len tightly as I felt his chest move with laughter, "You're just jealous that I got to her first."

I looked over to Linus who hovered around us, and I hopped to the floor. I was barely on the ground when he pulled me into his arms and kissed my forehead. I hugged him just as fiercely. I missed them so much; I didn't mind standing like this forever. Or until my legs went numb. He let go and held me at arm's length assessing the damage that four months without him did.

"Your hairs gone longer, and you've gotten taller."

"How disrespectful of her to grow in your absence Li, we should punish her."

I laughed at Len and Li gave him an exasperated look. I looked at him expectantly and he smiled down at me.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a gold wrapped chocolate bar. I unwrapped it and dug in. Christmas, my birthday, and palindrome dates were days that I was allowed to have chocolate for breakfast. And not just any chocolate, Midsummer's bars. It wasn't expensive or foreign, it was actually quite cheap, but I liked it, and it became tradition ever since my third birthday.

I walked over to Nonno who was quietly observing us and gave him a chocolatey kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks for the surprise."

"Thank you, Kyrianna."

"For?"

"Everything."

He kissed me on the forehead as he stood. There was a knock on the door and moments later I was seated in a small round table in between Len and Li with Nonno opposite me. He was in the middle of Mona and Minnie. In between Len and Mona sat Fil. There was a noticeably empty place in between Minnie and Li. I tried to ignore it.

I started making my Coco Pops. I poured it into the bowl and heaped sugar on to it. Minnie magicked half of it out and Nonno handed me the warm milk. Back home I would heat the milk for one minute in the microwave, but Nonno always knew how to get the temperature right. I poured it over and then mixed and heated it for a few moments.

I caught Li's eye, who was observing me. He forced a smile when he saw me looking. I guess he was still getting used to not doing everything for me.

"So how goes business Linus?" Minnie asked politely.

"I can't complain. Len and I have been keeping ourselves busy with a few investments, but I hear the fun is at Hogwarts this year. You must not be too pleased with the addition of a certain Mr Potter to the tournament."

Len laughed, "I think Harry's a genius. I wouldn't let a little rule stop me from entering. A dragon! That was amazing! My money would be on him."

Mona dabbed at her mouth with a napkin, "Oh well, you don't know our Cedric, he is a stellar student. Top of his year in transfiguration and charms and he is captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, and he is a prefect and he's absolutely charming."

"He sounds like a true champion." Li replied, "Don't get me wrong, I like Harry. I just think he looks for trouble too often. I think you should get him out of this tournament; it's obviously not for children. I mean a dragon!"

He said it with the complete opposite expression and tone that Len had when he said it, staring at Nonno.

Nonno put his spoon down and smiled, "Believe me Quilinus, if I had it in my power to do so it would be done, but the magic dictating the rules of the tournament are far more complicated to undo and dire to ignore. Harry, who might be quite disadvantaged in age, more than makes up for it in experience. He has come out victorious in his fair share of unfortunate circumstances."

"Still, he's only fourteen-"

"Oh Li, calm yourself. He's only flipping out because he thinks that if Harry snuck his name in, Ky could have too. He's like one of those helicopter parents on the PTA that try to ban every kid they deem as a bad influence from school, 'My Tiffany was nothing like this, and then Claire came around and forced her to party and smoke and take drugs!'"

I laughed with Len at his impression of Li clutching imaginary pearls. That's probably what Li was thinking, and he stared coldly at us both, sipping his coffee.

"It's only natural for a brother to worry about his sister's well-being." Nonno smiled genially at Li, and he nodded stiffly back.

Minnie looked down at me, "Stop guffawing, you sound like a hyena."

Len laughed at me for being chastised, "You too Mr Thornton."

Linus' chest puffed out in pride at being the only one of us that didn't get a scolding from the stern deputy headmistress. I pouted at him, and he smiled, "It's strange, you haven't sniffed around for your present yet."

"I thought you coming here for the morning was my present."

We three stayed silent for a few seconds and then burst out in laughter at the ridiculous statement. Len went to the fireplace and brought back a thin long package. "It's from both of us."

That was strange; they almost never gave me joint gifts, getting me a gift was something of a competition between them. I grabbed the package and ripped it open. I let out a gasp. It was magnificent; I swapped it between my hands, feeling the weight.

"It's based on a classic but don't worry, it isn't slow. Fil hooked me up with a good guy for the adjustment charms. It can go as fast as a Firebolt but it's better to just float using cruise control, that's an option."

Len's words floated through the air but failed to enter my ears as I was mesmerized by the broom's beauty. It had a shiny black handle with twigs of a lighter shade. It wasn't as big as Harry's firebolt, more slender, almost feminine. Across the base of the handle were words that spelt out, 'Kyrianna's Thunder'.

I ran my hand up and down the handle; it was as if the broom was made just for me. Was it made just for me? I looked questioningly up at Li, and he smiled, "There was only one way I was going to let you fly and that was if I ensured that the broom was perfectly trustworthy. I dare you to try and fall with that thing…on second thoughts I don't. I'm sure only you could find a loophole in the amount of protective spells the Old Man and I put on that thing."

I gave them both a hug and they patted my back. I absolutely loved the gift, it was brilliant. I pulled out a small sack from my pocket and dug into it a bit, finding what I was looking for. I enlarged it and handed it to Len and Li.

"Mine's bigger than yours," Len teased, opening the light green wrapping in haste. "OH KY! It's awesome!"

He shoved it on his head, and I laughed at his superhero pose. It was a helmet like Iron Man's, our favourite superhero. I put a lot of protective spells on it, something I was meaning to do for a long time. Len was quite the daredevil and even though it was one of the qualities I adored it was also the one I worried most about.

"It would have been better if it was Batman," I rolled my eyes at Li. It was a constant DC Comics versus Marvel Comics debate with these two. Before Len could retaliate, Li opened his bright blue wrapped gift. He opened the box and took out an envelope. He looked at me curiously and then flipped the envelope open,

"Ky…. I don't know what to say…. how….?"

He was absolutely gobsmacked, and I shared a smile with Nonno. It was reservations to one of the most romantic and exclusive restaurants in the world, Ambrosia in Greece. They had a three-year waiting list and I heard Nessie going on about it before. Luckily the owner of the restaurant, Abeiron Santorini, was an old student of Nonno's and he managed to squeeze them in next month.

"Thank you, Ky.,"

He looked down at me in shocked sincerity. I knew it would mean a lot to him. He didn't want to go to this fancy shmancy restaurant, Nessie did. And the fact that I was giving him a gift for her was a gift to him. Well, it's about time that I start accepting my fate; I would have a monster as a sister-in-law. I should learn how to tame it.

I walked down the stairs annoyed, Li and Len following me. I cannot believe they are doing this. They could be such overprotective prats. I tossed them a glare as we descended into the dungeons, and they smiled innocently back at me. I spotted a green tie and called out to him,

"Hey. Slytherin"

The boy looked behind him and then looked at me with an eyebrow raised, I recognised him. He was in our year, and he was more of a loner. I saw him in the library a few times when Mi dragged me in there.

"I'm sorry; the person you are looking for is long since dead." I smirked back at him,

"Apologies, what I meant to say is, prat from Slytherin."

"That's better." He said with a lazy smile. He didn't even glance at Linus and Lenzo, "Now, how can I be of assistance Miss Thornton?"

"I need you to get Malfoy for me…please."

He nodded with a sly smile and walked back down the corridor.

"Who was that?" I looked at Li,

"I don't know."

"He knew you though."

"Yeah, he's in my potions class."

"And you don't know him."

"I don't think it's nice to pry into other's business."

"Knowing someone's name is not prying into their business."

Lens voice cut through, "Lenzo Thornton, you can call me Mr Thornton. This is my brother Linus, you can call him the Other Mr Thornton, or the Less Handsome Mr Thornton."

Linus grumbled and stepped forward, regaining his composure as he saw Malfoy standing there, with a bored look on his face. They both were sizing him up and he caught my eye and I shrugged.

"So…you're escorting Ky to this Ball tonight."

"Yes."

"Yes Mr Thornton."

"I thought you were the Other Mr Thornton."

Li glared at Len and then turned it back on Malfoy, "How do you know Ky?"

"We served detention together."

They exchanged knowing looks, and then Len asked, "What were you in for?"

Did Malfoy just admit to being in detention or jail? "Was caught breaking curfew."

"Oh, so you think you're above the laws of time set in this school."

"Yes."

Li looked shocked at that and then Malfoy continued, "Let me explain. I think I'm above most of everything in this school."

"Aren't you a cocky little bastard?"

"Yes."

I laughed at that, but I was ignored. I knew Len wanted to laugh as well but decided to use his energy to threaten,

"Well, you will walk her back to the common room at midnight and not a second later. Don't think we won't know if you're late."

"And you will keep those well-manicured little fingers to yourself. Is that clear?"

Malfoy glanced at me and then looked back at the two, "Yes."

"I don't like you Malfoy. I honestly don't know what game Ky is playing at taking you to this thing, but you seem to at least be honest." I don't think Malfoy had ever been accused of such a thing before. "Just remember what we said. And nobody has to get hurt."

Li said this with a stern look on his face and Len actually menacingly cracked his knuckles. Malfoy looked at me as if to ask, 'are they serious ' but I was too busy biting my lip, preventing laughter, to respond.

I hugged myself and made my way back up to the castle; Nonno's whistling competing with that of the wind. I fiddle with the thin black band of metal on my wrist that Nonno had given to me. He said that it was Dragonstone. I knew this was quite rare and people almost never see it, he said he had been collecting them for ages and thought it only prudent that it be put to use. He had it melted down and forged into a bracelet for me. It was shaped like a Chinese dragon, the body wrapping around my wrist and the mouth clasping its tail. Dragonstone had a lot of protective magical properties, and I really loved it.

I frowned looking at the very badly knitted scarf around Nonno's neck. It was an epic fail, and I didn't want to give it to him, but Minnie brought it up and then I was forced to give it to him, I could deny those gentle eyes nothing. I had given him a photo album of myself, and the boys and I asked Fil to help with bottling a few memories. It was incredibly hard getting Nonno a gift, what do you give a man that has everything?

I had given Minnie a Montrose Magpie skipper signed by Alasdair Maddock, the club's keeper, courtesy of Krum. Mi was a wreck of nerves asking him, she felt it was too soon for that sort of favour, and technically they didn't even have their first date yet, but two days after asking him I found the skipper folded neatly on my bed.

Minnie and Mona, on top of the dress they had bought, purchased jewellery to match and shoes. I guess I needed it, I didn't own heels, and they insisted that my hi-tops wouldn't go with the dress.

I gave Mona dragon hide gloves and boots in proud yellow and placed a self-cleaning charm on it. A very complicated bit of magic I was only capable of achieving with Zio Fil's help.

Zio Fil had given me an enthralling book, 'Jinxes and Charms, and some that Harm', which was ancient and was his own personal annotated copy, as well as a basket fill of sweets.

Not many people knew of Zio Fil penchant for bow ties and Celestina Warbeck, it was something of an obsession and I had ordered a bow tie from Madam Malkin's which I charmed to tie itself and to sing phrases from songs from Celestina Warbeck. Quietly of course, nobody needs to hear that.

I looked at the yellow spots on the scarf, which was supposed to be 'sherbet lemons' and sighed, I guess knitting wasn't my thing. Nonno saw me looking and smiled down at me,

"Admiring my scarf?"

"You don't have to wear it."

"You couldn't take it off me. I do believe Miss Granger is trying to get your attention without using her voice…am I that intimidating?"

I followed his gaze and saw Mi staring at me. She was with all the Weasleys and Harry. I turned back to Nonno, nudging a bit of snow, not saying what I was thinking. We had bade goodbye to Linus and Lenzo at the gates. Nonno had given them both ancient tomes containing instructions to complex magic, the kind he wouldn't let me even touch. They hadn't got him anything, but I didn't expect them to. Christmas breakfast was pleasant though, and Li actually conversed with Nonno, that was gift enough I suppose.

We stopped at Hagrid's hut, and I gave him the book on animals I bought him, 'Strangely beautiful and Beautifully strange: A guide to the Beasts mind.' And he had given me a box of chocolates and rock cakes that I shrunk and carried in my pocket.

I was grateful for so much today and felt loved beyond words…with a few exceptions. One not so far away, another probably making out with Miss StraightHair HoBag and the other…I didn't even know where the other was. He didn't even show up for breakfast and I didn't go down for Lunch, choosing to spend it showing Li and Len around Hogwarts.

Nonno touched my forehead with the tips of his fingers, and I stopped frowning.

"Time is strange, isn't it? At times we feel like our problems are as wide as the horizon, growing and blocking all light but just like the sunrises, so too does it set. All things come to pass. It's just that some people are like an Alaskan Summer, and some are like an Alaskan Winter."

I looked up at him and smiled. Only Nonno would say something so weird. I get what he was saying though; sometimes it takes the sun longer to set. Eventually they all will come around…. I still wasn't convinced.

"Now I do believe I am depriving your friends of their target. Remember, swing hard and aim, people always forget the basics under siege. Toodles."

He kissed me on my forehead and walked off to the castle. I barely moved an inch before I had to dodge my first snowball.

Mi chattered away as we walked into the Entrance Hall. We had left the fun early, or at least Mi had dragged me away from stuffing snow down Ron's shirt whilst Fred and George held him down. Harry and I were politely indifferent, just as we were all week.

"He only wants to know because he's curious, he doesn't care. It's almost as if he thinks I'm making this whole thing up. I mean really-"

"Bane."

I snapped around at the voice that floated up the stairs. I looked to the dungeons and there he was, his oily hair hanging on his face like a veil.

"A moment please."

Mi smiled and told me she will meet me upstairs and took off. I reigned in my features and schooled my face into one of nonchalance.

"Follow me."

I walked after him. After our little argument I hadn't spoken to Sev. Going as far as asking Nonno to help me with the adjustments I made to Mi's Sleekeazy potion instead of him.

I was well aware that he was right. I was a student, and I shouldn't have spoken to him in that manner, especially about his precious Slytherins'. I guess it was hard filtering myself because I felt so comfortable with him, sometimes I forget that we're student and teacher and not…well father-figure and daughter-figure.

What hurt the most is that he didn't feel the same. Harry and Cedric, they were boys. Boys come and go right? Family though, family sticks together. I need to learn boundaries, learn that even if I think of him in such a way, it does not automatically make the feelings mutual. I was right about one thing though; he didn't treat Mi fairly. I didn't care that he was biased towards his own students; however, I did care if he discriminated against Mi because of her blood status.

"Well don't just stare at it, open it."

I snapped out of my inner monologue; I was so preoccupied I hadn't realised we had walked quite a long way. I looked at the familiar door, glanced at Sev's blank face and pushed it open. I walked into the room that Malfoy and I had cleaned up, but now it looked nothing like that room. It was beautiful. The tiles shorn black like sparkly diamonds, and I ran to the cauldron that was silver, unlike our usual black.

"It's That's goblin made, and there are not many like it. They're not too fond of potion making so this one was probably lying here for centuries. It's too fancy for my liking and unnecessary; you on the other hand need all the help that you can get."

I ignored the quip and ran my hands across the long oak table, which had a matching bench. I looked at the pestle and mortar with the runes on it and the matching silver scales. There was a splash of colour in the corner in the form of a bright red armchair with eye catching green silk scatter cushions.

Was he saying what I think he was saying?

On the wall behind me were two shelves ladened with books, with a drawer below it, all in matching oak. The opposite wall was decorated with frames. I rushed over to it, there was a picture of myself and Linus and Lenzo, one of Mi and myself, another of Harry, Ron, Mi, and I at the World Cup. The wall was full of them, Minnie, Mona, Fil, Nonno, Hagrid and even one with Sev. He wasn't smiling in the picture, but who could blame him, it was the day he lost the competition to Mona.

There were two other doors except the one I entered. I went to the nearest one, which was on the frame wall and pushed it open and found a stairs.

"You aren't allowed there. Remember the rule. You aren't allowed to occupy your personal quarters during school time."

"The stairs lead to my room?"

"Yes, the other door opens to my personal lab." I opened the door, and he was right, it was his lab. I hadn't realized that this room was situated adjacent to his lab.

"Whatever ingredients you may need can be found in my personal stores. You know the rules though, whenever-"

"Something is running low I must tell you so you can place an order and always put stuff back into its original place and never rearrange anything, not even the dust on the jars because you know where they go."

I spun around taking it all in. My own potions lab! He must have done all this in a matter of hours, seeing as Malfoy and I only completed cleaning two days ago. I ran up to him and gave him a fierce hug. This was incredible.

"Don't get too excited. It's not easy having your own lab. You will have to ensure that it is neat and tidy at all times, and I did this for you to use, not to leave it lying here gathering dust. You need to ensure that the temperature and the pressure are right when brewing and you will-"

"I love it Sensei! I really do." I let go of him and looked at him in the eyes, my eyes shining with emotion, "I know I don't deserve it. I know I was disrespectful and horrid, and I am so sorry. I know that you are my Professor, and I didn't forget who you are."

"It seems I did though." He sat down on the bench and looked me in the eye, "Bane. I am your teacher. And you are my student." He sighed heavily, "But you're also not my student…you're also…more. I'm not a man to watch words and I forget sometimes that you are a child." He was quiet and it looked like he was searching for the correct words.

"Sensei you don't have-"

"No, I do. Listen carefully because I won't say this twice. Bane, you are rude. And obnoxious and you grate on my nerves, and you don't listen when I speak, and you keep getting detention because you're too hot tempered and you think like a Gryffindor, and you are never on time! Ever…. but you're also not stupid. You are not ignorant. You understand the science of brewing like very few your age do, and you have a kind heart. Sometimes I worry too kind. You're…you're not just a student to me."

He stood and cleared his throat and turned his back to me, "Not that I owe you some form of explanation but one day you will learn that I do certain things, and I treat the students the way I do for a reason. I hope that day never comes Bane, but Slytherins' are different from Gryffindors', and it's more than just house rivalry I am talking about. It is necessary for the families belonging to Slytherin to have faith in me, and if I must put aside…certain beliefs to do so, I shall. If I must favour students, I shall. That is not up for discussion, and I won't have it brought up again. Is that clear?"

"As clear as Veritaserum."

He turned around and smirked at me, "One should not talk about things that they cannot brew."

"Is that so? Well best we rectify that. I'll get the ingredients and you can start the fire. I know it takes twenty-eight days to brew so we best get started."

"Isn't there a Ball you have to get ready for?"

"It only starts at eight. We'll be done at seven with the mixing of ingredients and then we can just leave it to brew. You know it really shouldn't take a whole lunar phase, we should try and fix that."

"I think it has less to do the moon and more to do the reactivity of Longhorn dust and Billirurun extract. Speaking of Ball, Minerva says she and Sprout bought you a dress so that's nothing to worry about, but they don't seem to know who you're going with. A reason for such secrecy Bane?"

"Always. There." I pulled out the box and placed it in his palm quickly. We both had far surpassed our emotional thresholds today, so best give him the gift and be done with it. "Now should I slice the Alderwood or mash it?"

He clicked the box closed and sighed, looking down at me awkwardly. It was a pair of black snake cufflinks with emerald eyes.

It was the gift that I spent the last three months saving up for. I also asked Nonno for help with protective spells, as well as a spell to magic them onto the cuff without manually doing so. I knew Sev hated doing this, complaining that the holes were too small and not even an infant could painlessly button shirt cuffs. He cleared his throat of the gruffness, and nodded at me, "Slice. Perfect lines. I'll just go get the Alihotsy."

A/N: I know Snape is a highly complex character and I know it isn't in his nature to show that much (even though it really isn't a lot) of emotion but we've thrown Ky into the mix, and she really has made an effort with him. I know he also couldn't buy a room in Hogwarts; though I think Dumbledore would have allowed him permission to use these quarters and he could furnish it the way he wished. Anyway, please let me know what you guys think!

Kalina