Chapter Eighteen
Under Advisement
Jennifer wandered around the castle, deciding that a security patrol was a good enough excuse to give her reason to walk over to the Quidditch Pitch. But on her way past the gate, she couldn't help notice Rhett Heron striding in; his tall, muscular build and tied back red hair unmistakable. She picked up the pace until she was close enough to the path that he noticed her.
"Good morning, Rhett! It's so good to see you again, especially with everyone so worried," Jennifer called out.
"Ah, Jennifer! Thank you, you are always so kind. You're out early for a Saturday! Is there a game?" he asked curiously.
"Not right now, the Auror Club is using the Pitch. I was just about to see how they were doing, but it really isn't that important. Do you need some help?" she asked.
"Actually, I'm looking for John Carnegie. I went to his house only to find he's working today," Rhett explained.
"Yes, Severus has him painting in the Scribes Quarter... the old rooms above the Service Room. Would you like me to show you the way?" Jennifer asked.
"It's no trouble. I still remember this castle like the back of my hand," Rhett reassured her. "I am certain I can find my way."
"Yes, alright, I suppose," Jennifer said with a sigh.
"Perhaps I should visit again when I'm not so pressed for time... the next Quidditch game... or Halloween perhaps?" he suggested.
"Oh! Sure, I'll make certain you get an invitation to the Spectral Ball," Jennifer decided.
"Thank you, I will be looking forward to it," Rhett said before hurrying up the stairs.
Jennifer frowned as she watched him go. His last comment seemed sincere, Jennifer thought, but it was quite obvious to her that he was seeking John's advice about the medallion he had brought back. Just why didn't he want her help, she wondered with annoyance. What makes him so certain that John might know something that she didn't? Still... perhaps he had a point... she could only offer him her expertise as an items specialist, where John's impressive knowledge of items came from the days when he stole them for profit. After all, they were friends on top of that, she reminded herself. Jennifer wandered over to the Pitch.
Rhett worked his way up the back stairs and into a narrow corridor that he had only been in once; when he was busy investigating the very man he now considered a friend. The last time he had searched the area, the corridor was neglected and filled with cobwebs. But now the paint had been scraped off, revealing plaster that needed repaired. A healthy breeze drifted through that mixed the brisk air off the mountains with the smell of fresh paint.
"Hello hello!" Rhett called out, peering down a three-way corridor.
"Hello, Sailor!" a voice called out in response. Rhett followed the voice into the Illuminaria where John was taping around the wood so that he could paint. "There you are, then! I thought you would have at least come by to tell me you were alive by now. Getting caught up with the ladies?" John taunted him, setting down the tape before sliding down the ladder.
"Been too busy doing my job to do anything else, thanks to the extended vacation. I suppose you wrote me off as dead," Rhett said.
"No, big man. I knew you wouldn't die without a good hairbrush and a razor."
"Halfway there... I actually had a razor... but no hair tonic," Rhett grumbled.
"That really is roughing it. Sure you don't want to change sides?" John teased.
"After being stuck for weeks on end with one of yours, if I haven't changed sides now, I never will," Rhett said dryly.
"It is good to see you in one piece, Rhett, but considering you haven't sent so much as a letter since you've been back, I suspect this isn't a social call," John said. "Pull up a stool."
"Thanks," Rhett said, making sure there wasn't any paint on it before sitting down. "I was wondering if you had any occasion to cross paths with Emil Nimbus Trench."
"Ah, the chap serving time in the Tower for smuggling," John recalled.
"He is due to get out at the end of October and I see no reason for them to keep him... he's the one who trapped us in that cave," Rhett explained. "I don't suppose you know him?"
"You say that as if you expect me to know every middle man in the country. I assure you that I only dealt with high end, privileged entities that wouldn't be worth the risk of ever divulging under any circumstances. The person you're referring to is nothing but a has-been Excavator gone astray, well beneath my level of expertise," John informed him.
"So you're saying you know about him," Rhett prompted.
"I may have taken a sudden interest when a friend of mine went missing, aye," John said. "I might even have done a bit of inappropriate digging while I was at it."
"Inappropriate?" Rhett asked.
"I am no longer associated with the Ministry in any way, Rhett, not as an Agent or anything else," John replied. "I might have considered going back at one point, but I lost any will to serve any but the Headmaster, especially after falling from that tightrope a few years back. My Mitch had his fill of my daring escapades, so when the last of my closet skeletons was put to bed, I decided to dedicate myself to the family life. We've a daughter now to think about, after all, and outside of family I desire little more than keeping this castle and its inhabitants safe. But I do reserve the right to look into things when a friend is missing, especially when I originally believed that Trench himself might have been responsible for your disappearance."
"As far as I am concerned, he was. I may not have been in the room when he told Lockhart of this cave and gave him the medallion, but I cannot believe he would leave out anything as important as how to keep that door open," Rhett said.
"Are you certain that Lockhart didn't simply didn't forget that part of the instruction? No offense, but he isn't exactly known for his reliability," John pointed out.
"No, I am not certain at all. He swears that Trench didn't say and that he probably just forgot to mention it. But Lockhart is so obsessed with making amends with everyone he wronged for his own personal closure that he is giving them the benefit of the doubt. Up until this point, everyone was grateful enough for the cure and lessons they learned about themselves during their loss of memory that they've agreed to let the matter go, especially since Lockhart served his time. But he is a fool to think everyone will be so understanding, and I am not convinced that Trench's offer to forgive Roy if he completes certain tasks is genuine. He is using Lockhart while he plots his vengeance... that is my belief, anyway... a belief where there's no evidence other than my gut feelings on the matter. Anything you can tell me to either prove or disprove that belief would be appreciated."
"I'll tell you what I know, but I doubt it's enough to make up your mind," John admitted, sitting on the step of his ladder. "Emil Trench grew up in Dover and went to school at Beauxbatons, becoming an expert in Mediterranean Wizard Archaeology. He had a long standing license as an Items Specialist for the Asia Minor Wizards council. Most of his early career was spent studying the differences between Ancient Roman and Greek mythos, as well as a general study of the development of magical cultures in the eastern Mediterranean. I believe he did the latter more for the grant money rather than interest, but at the same time, it was the work he was best known for. The excavations he signed on for were more revealing to me, however. They all concentrated on possible locations of mythological items that had power. He wrote many articles about how many were missing, complaining about the number of unlicensed and unscrupulous wizard excavators who were robbing ancient sites without documentation. He even spent several years campaigning for better protection of known magical Archaeology sites to decrease the high occurrence rate."
"Interesting. I suppose he switched sides because of his obsession with Pandora's Box," Rhett conjectured.
"No, but his obsession with it was well known, and he was well criticized for his belief that the vessel in question was a box and was foreign in origin," John went on, opening the paint can to stir it. "They were especially critical in articles after his Disappearance... when everyone thought he was dead."
"So by disappearance, you mean...'Disappearance'," Rhett said, adding air quotes.
"Trench Disappeared just before the Second Terrors, back before anyone knew that Voldemort had returned. As Voldemort's return became better known and Emil Trench remained unfound, his colleagues decided that Voldemort had something to do with his absence. I suspect his Disappearance had more to do with his adventure with Roy Lockhart, since the book with that medallion came out six months after Trench came up missing. Roy left him in a foreign country by himself with no idea who he was, and selling the items in his possession was simply a means to survive. I'm sure that Emil quickly discovered he had the functional memory of an items specialist, so it was only natural for him to seek out the best way to sell them for a profit. I conjecture that those sales were so lucrative that he began using his expertise to collect more artifacts to flip for greater profits."
"I see," Rhett mused, folding his arms. "So his career as a smuggler probably started because of his memory loss. If that were me... if I had become the very thing I had been fighting against before I lost my memory... would I have been so quick to forgive? I don't think I would be. I think I'd be quite angry," he conjectured. "Of course, I'm not Emil Trent. I became a smuggler after a very enticing offer came to me that I simply couldn't resist. Greed is my biggest vice and always has been... I know it well, and still I still struggle with it from time to time. The love of my job and the fear of getting entangled with the Flyers again keeps my vices at bay, and nothing else."
"It's always good to know one's vices, just as it's good to trust one's instincts when something tells you that something is wrong," John replied. "If you think this man means Roy harm and you by extension, I suggest you act within your best defense, as I know you are capable of doing."
"Right now it's telling me to find out more about the situation to convince Roy of the danger at hand. He is so sure of his charm and likability that he simply assumes the world will cater to his whims. It's quite insufferable. You have no idea how many days I wanted to strangle him in that cave, especially in dark moments when I wondered if we'd ever get out," Rhett confessed. John grinned knowingly at that. "Well, unless you have any more to add..."
"Not at the moment, but if you haven't spoken to Professor Craw yet, I believe she's on the grounds patrol this morning," John offered.
"Yes, I ran into her already, she was the one who told me where you were working. And as usual, she was being quite nosy," Rhett said.
"After all, Rhett, she is the country's leading items specialist. Perhaps you should ask her about Mr. Trench, and let her take a look at that medallion," John suggested.
"Thank you, but the last thing I need right now are those Snapes getting involved. They cause more problems for me than they solve," Rhett replied briskly.
"Didn't I hear that they were instrumental in getting the both of you out of that cave?" John reminded him.
"That doesn't mean I'm obligated to let them nose into my business, especially when I'm no longer teaching at this school. I can be grateful from a distance. In fact, that's what's called for right now to keep them away from my concerns, so if you have any more insights, I'd appreciate sending me an international post."
"Yes, I shall," John promised.
"Thank you, John. I'll keep you up to date," Rhett said sincerely, then swept back out of the room.
"Hum," John mused thoughtfully. Then he shrugged it off, setting up the paint tray so that he could start on the walls.
As he finished the first coat and paused for a sandwich, John heard young voices coming down the corridor. He looked over at the door just as Quintin looked in with the Sorting Hat on his head, followed close behind by Jeremy, who stepped inside.
"Wow! With that golden yellow paint on the walls, you can really tell this was that room we saw in the memory! This is the Illuminaria, right?" Jeremy said, impressed.
"Aye, but exactly what are the two of you doing here when these quarters have gone unused for decades on end?" John questioned them.
"What are we doing here? What are you doing here?" Quintin asked in return.
"I think the answer to that is quite obvious... mind the walls, please. I don't think the Headmaster would appreciate getting paint on that Hat," John warned.
"No, neither would I," the Sorting Hat agreed.
"I'll be careful," Quintin promised the Hat. "We came looking for some clues to where Bedivere's Silver Box might be... but considering the fact this room has been emptied, it's obvious it isn't here. Unless you might have found a Silver Box when you emptied the room?"
"There was little of value in here, other than a few scrolls and the paintings which have been removed to be cleaned," John replied. "There were some interesting items of some historical significance having to do with medieval techniques of parchment making and the like. I've put them in that room until Boulderdash can look them over."
"So the room on the other side of the door hasn't been finished yet?" Quintin asked.
"I've barely started on this project, and it's not likely to be done anytime soon," John protested. "This quarter is a great deal larger than it might seem. The Headmaster wanted me to start with this particular room and the main corridors in case I run into structural problems that a coat of paint won't fix. On that note, I'd be careful if you do any exploring in this quarter. Mr. Black has yet to come by to properly inspect this section of the castle for damage after being neglected for so long, and I'm certain there are some issues with the flooring. You risk falling through if you're not careful."
"I wonder why this area was left vacant for so long?" Quintin asked.
"Come back after lunch when the choir is practicing and you'll know why readily enough," John said dryly.
"Lunch is a good idea. Let's get something to eat in the Owl Room, Quintin," Jeremy coaxed.
"I'm surprised you're hungry at all after that triage class," Quintin teased him. "Thanks, Mr. Carnegie, we'll be going."
"Mind the Hat as you leave, now," John reminded them. Quintin took the Sorting Hat off until they got out of the room.
"So just why is Carnegie working on these rooms? I mean, I can believe that they need repairs due to neglect and all of that, but why now when nobody's bothered with it before?" Jeremy wondered.
"John didn't ask why it was on the maintenance list... apparently my father asked him to work on it as a side project whenever he found the time," Quintin replied.
"A good Headmaster is always thinking ahead. You never know when you might need a spare room... or perhaps it's preventative maintenance to keep other parts of the castle safe," the Hat added as an afterthought.
"Some of these rooms do sit above the Service Room," Jeremy noted as they descended the back stairs, making their way back to the Owl Room. "I'd hate to see what a bad leak would do to all of those instruments."
"I seriously doubt they're fixing up those rooms because the roof leaks. More than likely, Father just wants more classroom space," Quintin reasoned. They quieted down as they walked through the main library to the Owl Room.
"Hello, you two! We were wondering if you were going to show up for lunch after having to sit through that triage class," Olivia Potter said when they came in.
"It certainly wasn't my favorite thing to do," Jeremy admitted. "But I guess it's good to know what to do in case of an emergency."
"I bet it was tame compared to the real thing," Sissy commented. "Rus told me that his Healer's class went to a local hospital and they observed someone who got badly Splinched."
"That would be brutal to watch," Gloria agreed. "I can't stand the sight of blood, let alone body parts attached in the wrong places. I am glad that some people can handle that sort of thing, because I certainly can't."
"Pete's interested in medicine and things, aren't you, Pete?" Sissy said.
"Sort of," Pete said, feeling everyone's eyes on him and he blushed. "Well, it's good money after all, right?"
"It can be," Gloria agreed.
"I'm giving it some consideration, along with a bunch of other stuff. We still have a couple of years to decide, after all," Pete shrugged.
"Deciding comes easier to some than to others," Dawn agreed.
"Some of us have it decided for us," Gloria said dryly.
"Still, Dawn has a point. I even know some seventh years still struggling with it," Olivia hinted.
"Gee, I don't know who she could possibly be referring to," Jack said.
"So I may have changed my mind once or twice. My marks are high enough that it shouldn't matter," Joey protested. "There are some benefits to keeping my options open. Even my grandparents agree that has some merit, as long as I'm putting in the effort so I don't get pigeon holed into anything."
"Sure, your grandparents agree, but what do your parents think?" Olivia asked knowingly.
"You know that already. Mum thinks I should go to work with grandfather and learn how to manage real estate, while Father's offered to take me on as an assistant to learn how to exhume ghosts. The Ministry is looking for more help answering ghost complaints, and Father keeps getting called in when they get desperate," Joey explained. "While I'm not completely opposed to going into the Ministry, it doesn't excite me either."
"Jobs aren't meant to be fun. They're meant to pay the bills," Pete informed him.
"I'm just not ready to leave school yet. Maybe I should go to university too, Jack," Joey mused.
"If you're planning to go that route, you had better talk to gran as soon as you can about getting on the test list and picking up the study packet," Jack warned.
"But she'll make me add advanced Muggle Studies if I do!" Joey protested.
"Yes. Yes, she will," Jack agreed.
"So what's the advantage of going to a Muggle school other than our apprentice system for becoming a lawyer?" Gloria asked curiously.
"I guess we're going to find out, considering Jack and I are taking the opposite paths to do it," Olivia said. "Grandfather Draco got me in on the starting level at a law firm to work and study my way up... it's the same one he worked at when he was a Wizard Counselor. They run an after hours program... it's a cram school of sorts... for interns that plan to work their way through to their licenses."
"Is it faster than going to university?" Pete asked curiously.
"Typically, no, although some of it depends on how many extra hours you put in," Olivia said.
"I plan to take summer courses to speed the process up," Jack said.
"Muggles schools make you take a lot of subjects that have nothing to do with what job you're planning to do, though," Pete pointed out.
"That's true, but since I'm interested in joining Lunette's old firm, they want college credentials," Jack explained. "My grandmother helped me apply for a scholarship from the firm, though. There are a number of private schools in the States that cater to Wizards going into law, so I've applied to several of those."
"All of this talk about what we're going to do after school is starting to wear on me. Can't we simply enjoy being students while we're here?" Quintin protested.
"Still sore about your father not liking the fact that you want to become a Symbologist?" Pete wanted to know.
"It isn't that, it's that dwelling on the future is an absolute waste of time. Make your goals, plan your courses, make good marks, but use the rest of your time wisely. After all, we're only in Hogwarts for seven years... unless you want to come back and teach, of course," Quintin suggested.
"Are you kidding? After having two parents who are teachers, that is the last thing I want to be," Jeremy laughed at him in protest.
"Well, if you have any intention of being an investigator, you might want to get out of the C group in Auror Club," Olivia teased.
"I'll get there," Jeremy promised. "I'll be in A Group before you know it."
"I'm just in the club because Jeremy talked me into it. I really have no interest," Quintin admitted.
"Then you'll be stuck in C forever," Olivia decided.
"I doubt it. I'm probably not going to stay all that long..." Quintin protested.
"Oh, why not?" Jeremy whined. "I don't want to be there if you don't go."
"Well, that resolve just went straight out the window, didn't it?" Olivia said.
"Almost as fast as my brother's resolve," Jack agreed.
"Hey!" Joey said, looking between them in disbelief.
"I have better uses for my time... like putting the bookwork in on Bedivere O'Lauren," Quintin said.
"But we've already done that already! We did it as first years when we were looking for a name..."
"Exactly. I didn't understand half of his book on Symbology then, and not just because the translator charm was fuzzy. It was a bit over my head," Quintin admitted. "I'm more prepared to take it on now. I want to know more about his work. It might come in handy when we're trying to find that box."
"Box? What box?" Jack asked curiously.
"A box that O'Lauren owned. We're going to look for it," Jeremy explained.
"Oh, can I help this time?" Duncan wanted to know.
"I don't know... Father said not to include the whole house," Quintin explained.
"This isn't the whole house... there's only four of us in Owls. Maybe we can make it an Owl goal or something."
"Hey, guys... this is my last year, and it seems like we've done nothing but help your house get on its feet over the last few years," Olivia pointed out. "Let's do something this year that the whole school can benefit from."
"Mr. Carnegie is restoring the Scribe's Quarter. Maybe we can do something to help with that?" Jeremy suggested.
"And something that doesn't involve castle repairs," Joey suggested.
"Then what does that leave?" Quintin asked, but it was obvious from his expression that Joey didn't have anything specific in mind.
"We can think about it over lunch," Joey suggested.
"I second that," Jack said, and there was a scramble as they put their homework away and grabbed some sandwiches off the lunch cart.
A few minutes later, Jay strode in with Ella and Ian right behind.
"It looks like everyone is here except the Hufflepuffs," Jay ventured.
"Garnet and Elmira went to help out at the farm this morning, but I think they were planning to come for lunch," Dawn offered.
"I hope they have some ideas on who to replace Sean and Hector," Jay said.
"And what about Slytherin? Do you have any ideas?" Olivia wanted to know.
"I suppose inviting Douglas Maxen is out of the question?" Ian suggested and immediately got a resounding "yes" while Dawn got to her feet and began shouting just how much she protested the idea.
"Dawn! Cool it! Ian, while I don't mind the suggestion in general since he's been the only Maxen so far that's been more interested in his position with Slytherin than his family ties, you know as well as I do what happens when Douglas and Dawn are in the same room together. It'd be a constant war, and I don't think Boulderdash would appreciate it if we destroyed his back room," Jay informed him.
"I'd make it worth it," Dawn said darkly.
"Yeah, I don't think it's a great idea either," Mickey agreed. "Surely there's someone else worth inviting that would be less controversial."
"I was thinking it would be a good idea to invite a first year for a change. Since Ella and I are graduating this year, it would be nice to have someone younger who could represent as an Owl for longer than more than a year or two," Jay said.
"I'll admit that I don't mind that idea," Ian agreed. "Who did you have in mind?"
"Our cousin by marriage, Agatha Pince," Ella replied.
"Oh her! I guess I don't mind that, but is she going to be all right in here? You know she hates dealing with people she doesn't know. She'll just sit there and gaze critically at everyone without saying anything," Ian said.
"So she's unfriendly?" Dawn asked.
"She's just really reserved... an introvert to the extreme. She grew up an only child and doesn't get along with anyone straight away. It takes a while before she's even willing to talk to people she doesn't know. Oh, and she hates Truth Seekers. She thinks that mind reading is the ultimate invasion of privacy," Ian added. "It must have been pretty obvious in her thoughts, because Zelda took an extreme liking to her straight away and she and Douglas' older sisters treat her like gutter trash. Aggie goes to great lengths to avoid them now and keeps to herself for the most part. She even managed to talk Brittle into having her own room since there were a number of unfilled rooms this year."
"Our cousin is a bit strange, but if she pulls away any more than she already has at this school, she's bound to get even stranger," Ella said. "I am hoping that being in here will help her open up a bit."
"It's always worked before, after all. I was a bit shy myself when I first got here," Gloria agreed.
"We'll vote on it as soon as Garnet and Elmira get here then," Quintin suggested. "But is she going to be alright with my being in this club? Not to mention that Rus will be returning in January."
"Having her in here may help convince her that not all Truth Seekers are as bad as she thinks," Jay suggested. "But I would be very careful not to say anything if you do pick anything up from her."
"I understand," Quintin said.
"He's gotten a lot better about that, you know," Jeremy said in Quintin's defense. "Better than his mother, at any rate..."
"Watch it," Quintin warned him, squinting.
"When he's right, he's right," Jay said with a knowing smile, then glanced over as Ella raided the table. "Didn't we already have lunch?"
"I'm not opposed to a second lunch," Ella said unconcernedly, helping herself. It was not long after she began eating and everyone else filled their drinks that Garnet and Elmira finally arrived.
"There they are," Jay said.
"Sorry! We were out at the pumpkin patch! They're getting really big!" Elmira explained.
"We were hoping to get our last Owl member in here, a first year named Agatha Pince," Ella explained.
"Oh! Well, I don't know her, but I trust your judgment as far as that's concerned," Elmira said.
"Yes, I do too," Garnet said, sitting down so they could take a quick vote.
"So who do you have in mind for your two seats?" Quintin asked.
"Can we invite Antonio Villin?" Elmira asked brightly.
There was a resounding "No!" from all corners of the table.
"Oh, why not? He's so cute," Elmira whined.
"He is just a kid," Dawn scolded.
"I think there ought to be a better reason to invite someone other than how cute they are," Quintin protested.
"Then how did you get in?" Elmira retorted.
"Obvious," Jay intervened with a sigh. "Come now, girls, surely you have better options than that, don't you?"
"How about Mindy Lister? That is, if people outside of the house can offer suggestions," Jeremy suggested.
"It's been known to happen," Jay replied. "But you had better have a better reason than that you thinks she's cute, Jeremy."
"I was just thinking about how creative she is," Jeremy improved. "I mean... she's always knitting things, so maybe she's like to put up a booth for First Fall with mittens and scarves and the like."
"It'd take more than one person to make enough for the whole school, but I like the idea, since we both know that Whitebridge always has a mittens booth. Of course, they give those out for free," Quintin pointed out.
"Yes, but we're only students and we have to cover the expense of making them," Jeremy pointed out.
"We can always use help making extra booths. In fact, we should get started on the new ones as soon as we can just to be safe," Mickey advised.
"I think asking Mindy is a great idea," Garnet said. "How about a first year for the last spot?"
"Fine, but figure out someone to nominate other than Antonio, because I don't think he'd get enough votes," Jeremy said, and there was enough people agreeing with him that the two girls sighed and nodded.
After lunch, Jeremy and Quintin stepped out of the Owl Room, picking up some books in the library.
"So we've made some progress at least," Jeremy commented as they checked out and walked towards the door. "Two new members and one to fill."
"But we still don't have a clue as to what to do this year, especially since they didn't seem at all interested in helping with Carnegie's new project," Quintin pointed out.
"Something will come up. We have plenty of time," Jeremy said.
"Speaking of time, let's get these books upstairs so we can head to Tennis Club," Quintin reminded him.
But as they stepped out the door and turned to head up the back stairs, both of them jumped in surprise to find the Headmaster leaning against the wall as if he had been waiting for them.
"Going somewhere?" Snape asked testily.
"To drop off books and then to Tennis Club," Quintin said, frowning when he couldn't read his father.
"I think not, considering it is obvious that you have stretched yourself too thin," Severus told him evenly.
"What? No I haven't, my scheduling is perfect..."
"From now on you are on my schedule, not yours," Snape interrupted sternly. "I've had words with Professor Aurelius this morning and he indicated that neither of you seem to be taking Auror Club seriously. I am here to remind you that you didn't join a club scope out the witches or chat or whatever it is you do to try to fake your way through the conversation. You are in Auror Club to learn how to protect yourselves, one another, and the general public."
"I'm just there to learn about investigation, not how to save people," Jeremy protested.
"I have no intention of becoming an Auror," Quintin said in turn.
"This is no longer about what you want. The two of you are being quite flippant with your commitments which gives me pause, wondering if I may have hastily given permission for this extra project of yours when I have no evidence that either of you are planning to carry it out," Snape replied.
"What? After that project we did our first year uncovering what happened to the Founders? I think we've proven we can get things done," Quintin argued.
"The evidence from this morning's lack of effort tell me otherwise," Snape said evenly. "As such, I believe it is time that you focused your attention on Auror Club for a while. I don't want either of you participating in any extracurricular activities unless they are directly connected with Auror Club, including tennis and football. You will, however, continue with Sparring. Both of you."
"I have never been in the Sparring Club," Jeremy protested.
"Then now is the time," Snape replied. "Or would you like for me to send a message to your parents about that Letter to the Editor? As I recall, your parents said you could only continue working on the newspaper this year was if you didn't attract any more outside attention. Is that not so, Mr. Miller? I'm sorry, did you say something?"
"Yes, sir," Jeremy sighed. "What about Quidditch? Flying skills are a large part of Auror Club, so that counts, right?"
"Very well, you will both play Quidditch," Severus agreed.
"Wait, what? No! I'm not on the team!" Quintin protested in a panic.
"You are now. I'll arrange it with Professor Black and Mr. Jack Black myself," Snape said, ignoring Quintin's vigorous shaking of the head. "If the two of you would like to change the situation, I suggest a combined effort to get yours into the top of Professor Aurelius' A Team by Halloween."
"But that's only a month from now!" Jeremy complained, throwing up a hand so that Quintin wouldn't break it down into exact days and hours.
"Then you had better stop messing about and get the job done. If you do not make A Team before the first of November, you will be in your assigned activities until the end of the year. Also, if I do not hear from Professor Aurelius that you are not making a consorted effort and haven't improved before the Hogsmeade trip, neither of you will be going to that either. Have I made myself clear?" Snape asked, glancing between them. Jeremy glanced at Quintin and back.
"Yes, sir," they said at once.
Flicking a glance at each of them, Snape then past them and stepped into the library. The two boys peered back and then make tracks away from the open doorway.
"What the hell was that all about?" Jeremy asked once they were safely away from it.
"I don't know! He's never talked to me like that before," Quintin admitted. "The only thing I could pick up from him was that he was doing it for my own good, and that's it... his thoughts were all foggy."
"Doing it for your own good? Then how come I have to be dragged into it?" Jeremy complained.
"I guess because my parents are your sponsors while you're over here," Quintin replied. "You could try talking to my mother or your parents about it."
"If I go to my parents, your father will tell them about the Bagman thing. I'm going to talk to your mother. Think she'll be doing open lab this afternoon?" Jeremy asked.
"More than likely," Quintin decided.
"I'll meet you back up in the Common Rooms," he said, going down the back stairs while Quintin went on up to the fourth floor.
When Jennifer went up to the Headmaster's Study for dinner, she saw the cord of Seren's old walking harness dangling down and looked up to see her floating above them.
"Mummy look! I can fly!" Seren declared, bobbing up and down as she tried to wave.
"Is she still doing that? We really ought to find a gentle way of breaking her of it before she does it outside," Jennifer decided, staring up at her daughter.
"Yes, I agree. As it happens, Alexandria and Mage popped in a bit earlier and Mage said he believes he has a solution. They are coming to take her after breakfast tomorrow," Severus said.
"Yes, alright. Seren, it's dinner time! If you come down and eat it straight away, you may have sticky pudding after," Jennifer bribed, and the girl immediately began to sink. Jennifer hurriedly went to catch her, more than a little alarmed about the speed.
"You're the one that wanted to do this the hard way," Severus reminded Jennifer.
"I wonder if Molly ever had one of her children do this," Jennifer pondered with a frown. "I guess I'll have to put off going to Whitebridge tomorrow."
"Oh, were you planning to go tomorrow?" Severus frowned, glancing at his journal which quickly updated. "Is something going on over there I don't know about?"
"I want to go over there for my own selfish reasons, actually," Jennifer said briskly, setting up Seren's plate.
Severus was paying a great deal more attention now, since her agitation was unmistakable. He took his own plate off the desk and brought it over to the table to sit with them, but before he could ask, Jennifer changed the subject.
"I had a very strange visit from Jeremy today," Jennifer informed him. Severus squinted suspiciously. "He came to talk to me during open lab and asked my permission to drop Auror Club."
"Did he?" Severus replied evenly. "And what did you tell him?"
"The truth, of course, that his parents didn't give us instructions to restrict his extracurricular activities at Hogwarts in any way. They only asked us to make sure that he didn't get involved in affairs outside of the school like he did last year and to make sure he was properly chaperoned. Then he told me that you threatened to tell his parents about that anonymous article. I pointed out that I already handled the matter by asking the head Dusthorn house to speak with him, as was the proper course of action. Don't you agree, Severus?" Jennifer asked over the edge of her spectacles.
"Are you speaking as his sponsor or as the Head of Houses?" Severus asked in return.
"I'm not the one who blurred the lines between them, am I?" Jennifer pointed out sternly.
"That may be, but I was thinking it would insure that Quintin would take his obligations more seriously. He is heading for challenges that he's never faced before and needs to be better prepared," Severus explained evenly.
"That's an entirely different matter. As his parents, we do have the right to make sure he's prepared for his future whatever that entails. I can see how Quintin might have been more motivated if his friend was forced to participate, but it really isn't our place to insist that Jeremy participate unless his parents insisted," Jennifer said.
"Very well, you have a point, but I am more than a little concerned about the fact that Quintin takes his safety for granted. He has had a protected life compared to all of our children thus far, and it's high time he learned that life isn't as easy as he believes it to be. He has had a privileged life and it shows in his attitude. He is old enough to learn that we will not always be here to protect him. Learning how to spar is not enough; he has always done so without perceiving the threats that await in the real world. It is high time he learned his responsibilities as a Snape, preferably before that ego of his gets any larger and his cockiness brings him to ruin. Do you remember the trials we went through with Corey in his younger years?"
"Oh, yes, my goodness what a time, especially for new parents," Jennifer recalled with a smile and a soft chuckle.
"Corey spent a great deal of time in the hospital wing as a result as well... as did Aurelius when he faced similar struggles putting his life into perspective. I for one would like to take precautionary measures to make certain that Quintin doesn't make similar mistakes," Severus said.
"Really, Severus. You know better than anyone that making mistakes is going to be the best teacher, no matter how much you and I want to prevent those close calls the other two had. I'm quite sure they'll happen anyway, even before he leaves school," Jennifer replied.
"All the more reason to make sure his training is at an appropriate level to survive those mistakes than they come," Severus responded.
"Yes," Jennifer agreed. "And I know no one better to train him than you, Severus."
"I will do what I can, but I plan to rely on other resources as well since you know what my scheduling is like," Severus admitted. "Speaking of which, what is going on at Whitebridge that requires your presence, or is it still a matter of getting caught up from my absence?"
"I do still have catch-up work to do," Jennifer replied carefully, picking at her food. "But to be honest, that's not the real reason I wanted to go. I just feel the need to get away from the castle for a day."
"I see nothing wrong with that, nor do I think that taking care of your own needs is always a selfish act," Severus said. "Although I'm not certain I understand how going from one job to the other could be as refreshing as a day off."
"Then I don't think you understand the problem," Jennifer said, then notices a pair of green eyes gazing at her. "Yes, Serendipity, you can go play if you're done. Wash up before you touch anything!"
"Yes, Mummy!" Serendipity said.
"And keep your feet on the ground," Severus added for good measure as the girl ran to her room, shaking his head at the necessity to add that stipulation. Then he turned his attention back to the conversation at hand.
"Continue," he prompted. Jennifer sighed softly.
"When I'm in the States, regardless of what I'm doing, I'm not treated the same way that I am here," she explained. "Everyone respects me there... I can do my job without anyone questioning my decisions, and no one questions my authority. People come to me for advice without second guessing my opinions, nor did they ever try to dodge me when they have a question of something that's within my expertise. Here it's entirely different. I often get avoided instead of consulted, and even when someone asks me for advice, that advice is often discounted. There's almost always a counter argument to my concerns, and sometimes it's very obvious that I'm simply not getting heard at all. To be perfectly honest, it's quite frustrating."
"Yes, it can be at that," Severus acknowledged with a nod. "Your history, family connections, and familiarity are part of the reason for the discrepancy. A great many people believe they know you, and yet do not truly know you as you are now. Rather, they see you as who you were in the past, not for who you have become."
"Wind doesn't do that, and Wind has known me longer than anybody," Jennifer pointed out.
"Wind always judged you by your potential, so who you became comes as no surprise to him. I'm sure the Masons have a different opinion of you based on your past," Severus replied.
"Yes, but fortunately I don't have to deal with them all that much these days. Many of them have moved away, and the ones that remain approve of the teacher-led board system," Jennifer explained. "They wouldn't dare cause trouble now. Everything is running smoothly."
"You sound quite confident of that," Severus noted.
"It's simply the truth," Jennifer said, refusing to look at him by concentrating on her food. "So don't you dare argue that it's a confidence issue, Severus, because it isn't. I think your first idea makes a lot more sense... too many people here judge me for my past mistakes and don't see who I am now."
"Then confidence is exactly what is needed," Severus replied. "You know as well as I do that there are a fair number of people out there who still judge me for my past mistakes, and your mistakes pale in comparison to the lines I crossed in my youth. But there are no apologies strong enough to erase our past regrets, and they are part of the building blocks that created who we are now. The hardships we have endured added to our wisdom, and it is only natural as teachers and parents that we want to pass that along to prevent others from falling into the same traps. The trouble, of course, is that not everyone is going to listen to that advice. It is their choice to make, after all."
"I am well aware of it, but my frustration is with how many dismiss my advice without even considering it. They're so wrapped up on who they think I am that they don't even acknowledge me," Jennifer complained. Severus grew thoughtful and quiet. Jennifer looked up to see what he was thinking and sighed with exasperation. "Severus, your thoughts are clouded over again. Don't tell me you're ignoring me too!"
"Quite the contrary. I was puzzling over your problem when my thoughts wandered," Severus explained sincerely.
"Any ideas?" Jennifer prompted impatiently.
"I advise for you to go ahead and go to Pittsburgh tomorrow so that you can feel in control again," Severus decided. "Perhaps even stay the evening, since I know you always have meetings Monday afternoon. Once you've returned, you should probably start working on being a bit more assertive when it comes to clearing up misconceptions you feel that people have about you. It is high time that you begin standing up for yourself when you feel like you're being ignored," he advised. Jennifer sighed.
"Maybe, but I don't want to come off as being pushy..."
"If you truly want to be heard, you may have to be 'pushy'," Severus informed her. "In fact, learning to be heard is the easy part. The difficult part is when they hear your advice but choose to turn away from it. As frustrating as it can be at times, everyone must make their own decisions, and we need to respect it just as we would like to have our advice respected in turn."
"Yes," Jennifer said somberly. "But I don't have to like it."
"No, you certainly don't, but it is something you will need to get used to just as I have, since it comes up on a daily basis. Albus has always had a similar problem, especially when it comes to certain professors who insisted on learning everything the hard way," Severus pointed out. "Even Toby has his fair share of people who come into his shop and won't take his advice, and I've lost count of how many times that Viviane's advice has gone unheeded. I know I have gone against their advice many a time... and yes, there were times when I didn't even listen well enough to understand what that advice truly was. Have you not done the same on occasion?"
"Of course I have, although I don't see how you can compare what I'm going through to Albus Dumbledore, let alone compare it to Toby or Viviane since that's an entirely different scale," Jennifer protested.
"Fair enough, but you are getting there, and you are right that everyone should be giving your advice just as much consideration as mine. Perhaps you should speak to Hermione about it. I've noticed that she has little trouble making her concerns known, and without anyone second guessing her advice is," Severus suggested.
"That's true. I'll mention it when we get together for our weekly lunch," Jennifer decided.
"That isn't on Mondays, is it?"
"Oh no, it's on Tuesdays," Jennifer reminded him.
"Good. Armando, help me cover Jennifer's Monday classes, she'll be at Whitebridge for a couple of days," Severus requested.
"Already on it, Severus," Armando assured him.
"Thank you Severus, for being so supportive," Jennifer said appreciatively.
"Yes, well, I still owe you one for marrying me, after all," Severus said, earning a kiss for his reply.