I am back! Mostly because I am sick at home (not Corona) and so have more time on my hands than I usually do.
In case you have forgotten all about this story over the last… 5 months, this is the one in which Draco travelled back in time to his 3rd year. He befriended Neville, helped Sirius get a fair trial, befriended a whole lot of other people (Theo, Daphne, Astoria, Harry and Co, the twins,…), helped heal Neville's parents, fought Voldemort… and recently had his memories erased, so we're back to square one.
As always, read, enjoy and review :)
"In this class, yeh'll all learn somethin' 'bout muggles," Alecto Carrow started her lesson the next morning. She handed out some pamphlets. Without further introduction or any preview of what would be covered in class, she barked, "Start readin'!"
Astoria was sitting at the back of the classroom. She took a look at her pamphlet and gulped. Muggles and Mudbloods – A Threat to Our Society.
"You must be joking?" Romilda Vane, a Gryffindor girl in the row in front of Astoria, asked.
"Do I look like I'm jokin'?" Alecto barked, walking over to her.
"I don't think you want to know what you look like."
Alecto had her wand drawn and pointed at Romilda within seconds. "Yeh better shut yeh mouth if yeh know what's good for yeh, filthy Gryffindor!"
"Or wha-" Romilda was cut off by Alecto growling "Mimble Wimble."
"For yeh disrespect yeh'll serve detention for the rest of the week!" Alecto barked. Romilda seemed to want to object, but with her tongue tied it was hard to make out what she was trying to say. "20 points from Gryffindor," Alecto continued. Then she turned towards the class. "Read!"
No one else dared object. Astoria, her heart racing, started reading the text in front of her.
Muggles and Mudbloods – A Threat to Our Society
Nature strives towards perfection. The strong rule over the weak, eliminating them. The same is true for humans. The strongest here are clearly wizards, which are superior to muggles in every way, and among them those of pure blood. As such, they are obliged to protect their society from the negative influence of the weak…
Astoria sincerely hoped that none of her classmates believed the illogical drivel presented to them. But who knew, it was only the first day and Alecto had already silenced a student by casting a curse on them. If their side grew silent, it was only a matter of time before the public would believe the only thing they did still hear.
Their "study group" could not meet soon enough. Maybe Romilda would be a good candidate to join them, she'd have to ask the Gryffindor faction of their group about that.
Hopefully, her friends had a better first day than she did.
"Ah, good, most of yeh have done as I told," Amycus said, walking through the classroom. Most of the students had their pets on their desks in front of them. "The rest of yeh'll lose points for not followin' orders."
"But Professor," Seamus started, "I don't have a-"
"Quiet!" roared Amycus. "Detention tonight for backtalkin'. If yeh haven't got a pet, go get a mouse!" He motioned towards his desk at the front, which had a box on it.
No one dared oppose Amycus any further. The students without a pet trudged towards the front of the class.
Neville was not sure if he was supposed to be glad that he had a pet. Trevor was sitting on the table in front of him, but Neville had a bad feeling about this.
On his right, Daphne was gently petting her Bengal cat, but her posture was rigid and alert, her eyes focused on Amycus. On his left, Theo had just returned with a white mouse in his hands.
"Unforgivables," Amycus started. "What can yeh lot tell me 'bout em?"
Neville swallowed heavily, his hands tightening around Trevor. "They are illegal."
Amycus smiled wickedly. "Used ter be."
"I know one," drawled Draco, who Neville had so far avoided looking at. "The Cruciatus Curse. It's also known as the Torture Curse. It causes excruciating pain and," he turned and looked at Neville then, an evil grin on his pale, gaunt face, "sometimes insanity."
It felt as if someone had punched him in the gut. Neville could barely breathe until he felt Daphne's hand slipping into his free one, and it lessened the pain of that barb a little. It felt like bitter betrayal from someone he had considered his best friend, but he had to remind himself that he had never been friends with this person.
Crabbe and Goyle snickered.
"10 points ter Slytherin," announced Amycus. He lifted a mouse out of the box with one hand, in the other he had his wand.
Neville closed his eyes and squeezed Daphne's hand as Amycus cast the blasted curse that had stolen more than a decade of his parents' lives. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do to drown out the sound of the tortured little creature.
When he opened his eyes again, Daphne had grown rather pale and had slung her free arm protectively around her cat.
"Any others?" Amycus asked.
"The Imperius Curse," Daphne said. "You can use it to force your will on others. Strong-willed people can resist it." Then she glowered at Draco, "And weak-willed wimps can claim it as a get-out-of-jail free card."
"Watch your mouth, Greengrass," hissed Pansy, as a few other students, mostly Gryffindors, started to laugh. Draco just glowered daggers at her and Neville.
"Detention, Greengrass," barked Amycus, then went on to demonstrate the curse on the same mouse he had tortured just minutes ago. "What about the last one?"
Seamus raised his hand but spoke without waiting for Amycus to notice him. "The Killing Curse. Avada Kedavra. No one has ever survived it. No one but Harry, of course. As a baby. Perhaps your Dark Lord isn't all he is cracked up to be if a baby can-"
All hell broke loose before Seamus had even finished his sentence. Crabbe and Goyle both threw curses at Seamus. Seamus threw up a shield and the curses hit Thomas and Pansy. Several owls took flight. Insults and hexes were thrown through the room, growing more vicious by the second.
Neville could feel Daphne preparing to join in, but he squeezed her hand. "Don't. No good will come from this. You'll only end up with more detention."
The commotion came to a sudden halt when a loud scream filled the room. Seamus was on the ground, wailing and twitching.
"And that," Amycus growled, "is what the Cruciatus looks like on humans. And what yeh all are gonna look like if yeh don't stop this nonsense."
Neville could feel his wand-hand twitching as white-hot rage started burning inside of him. But before he could act on it, Amycus pointed his wand at his mouse and yelled, "Avada Kedavra."
Absolute silence followed. The shock of such pointless cruelty overpowered Neville's anger for a second, before it returned, simmering but controllable. He could not win a fight against Amycus. He was not willing to go as far as that bastard did. But win they would. He would do whatever it took to bring that man and everyone like him down.
Slowly, students returned to their seats. Pets returned to their owners.
"Now," Amycus continued, ignoring Seamus who was still on the ground, "yeh will practice the Curses. We'll start easy, using animals."
Parvati inhaled sharply. "What- what will we practice on after that?"
Amycus just smiled crookedly at her, not answering the question.
Neville looked at Trevor. No way. There was absolutely no way he would practice any of these curses on Trevor.
He glanced at Daphne who looked absolutely horrified, then at Theo. "Where's your mouse?"
"That thing," Theo replied, motioning towards Daphne's cat, "has eaten it."
Great. Things were going great. "All things considered, I think that mouse was lucky. I wanted to check on Seamus anyway; I'll get you a new one." And himself as well. He would release Trevor into the wild if Amycus had a problem with that.
On his way to the front, he stopped next to Seamus. He looked around and found Amycus with his back turned towards them, so he kneeled down and whispered, "You okay?"
"What do you think?" growled Seamus.
Neville reached out and helped him stand up. "He won this fight, but he's not going to win this war."
He walked to the teacher's desk, observing his classmates as he did so. Crabbe and Goyle were already eagerly but unsuccessfully practicing on their pets. But the rest of the students all looked various shades of appalled, even the Slytherins. Pansy was nervously petting her cat, giggling although no one had said anything, and Draco was staring blankly at his eagle owl. He looked rather sick, but Neville could not tell if it was because of the lesson or because he had been tortured all summer long.
He returned with three mice, giving one to Theo and one to Daphne. But once they had them in front of them, neither one of them seemed motivated to start.
The lesson went on excruciatingly long. By the end, Theo had gotten into several arguments with Amycus. He had not been convinced when Theo had claimed that he had truly believed the incantation was Emperios. Daphne had told Amycus that she was practicing casting nonverbally, which surprisingly enough, he had bought. And Neville had decided that he might as well try the incantations. He knew that intent was important and thus his attempts would fail anyway, which they did.
As they left the classroom, Neville only had one thought on his mind: This had only been the first day of classes; how were they supposed to survive a whole year?
"Not that we're not happy to see you," Fred said.
"But you are at the wrong table," finished George, glancing up at the Head Table, where the Carrows were glaring at them. Some people were sitting next to them who Astoria had never seen before.
"I don't care," replied Astoria, who had slumped down at the Gryffindor table right between them. "Have you two had the pleasure of being taught by our two wonderful new teachers yet?"
"Fortunately, we have not. But we have heard stories. Terrible stories."
"Oh, believe me – whatever people have told you - it is much worse. So much worse. They have to go."
The twins looked at each other, grinning. "What did you have in mind?" they asked at the same time.
"I don't know, you two are the pranking geniuses of the school. Make Peeves follow them around. Turn them 500 years old. Turn their rooms into swamps. Set their wardrobe on fire. I don't care. I just want them to be so miserable here that they leave again. I want my school back."
"We'll see what we can do," they said in unison.
"And I'll help where I can-"
Astoria was interrupted by Snape's voice. "Attention, students." She turned around to look up at the Head Table. "As you may have already noticed, we have guests at Hogwarts tonight. They are Aurors, sent by the Ministry to investigate the high number of absent students this year. They will search your rooms and interrogate a random selection of students. If you have any information on the whereabouts of aforementioned students, I kindly urge you to step forward now. Should you remain silent, and it is discovered that you know something of value, the consequences will be dire."
Snape returned to his place at the Head Table, leaving the hall in stunned silence. Then, hushed whispering broke out everywhere.
"Search our rooms?" asked Fred. "Didn't the Carrows already do that? What do they hope to find? Do they think we've got all those students hidden underneath our beds?"
"I think it's more about scaring us and showing us that we have nothing to say in this new world… That we can't even turn to law enforcement to protect us. And, of course, they're looking for Harry. I doubt their random selection of students will be very random. They'll probably interrogate you two. And Ginny. If anyone knows where Ron, Hermione and Harry are, it's you."
"They are welcome to interrogate us," George replied. "We honestly don't know where they are. We don't even know why they left and what they are doing… but I guess no news is good news in this case, right?"
"I suppose," agreed Astoria. If He Who Must Not Be Named had found Harry, they would have heard about it.
Fred leaned in closer to her and mumbled, "They are coming."
"What?" She turned around. Two Aurors and Snape were standing right in front of her. "Uhm- may I help you?"
"You seem to be at the wrong table, Ms Greengrass," said Snape instead of a reply.
"Oh really?" Astoria looked around her. "My bad. I'll just walk back to my own-"
"You'll be coming with us, young lady."
Astoria gulped.
"Could you help me, headmaster," spat George, "I don't seem to know the meaning of the word random."
"Hmm… I am a teacher, after all. Perhaps I can explain it to you… during detention. Tonight, at eight." With that he turned around and left.
George muttered something under his breath which fortunately neither Astoria nor Snape were able to make out, or he would have ended up with even more detention.
The two Aurors waited next to Astoria. She mouthed "Sorry" in the twins' direction and stood up, leaving the hall with them.
Neville jumped up when he saw Astoria being led out of the hall. He hurried through the hall, trying to follow them. He had not even considered what he was going to do, but halfway through the hall, he was stopped by a jeering voice.
"Eww, what's that smell?" It was Pansy. She had turned around on her bench to face Neville with a disgusted expression on her face.
"It's only a blood traitor walking past us, dear," replied Draco, who was sitting on the opposite side of the table, breaking into laughter. He was soon followed by Crabbe and Goyle laughing and jeering. "I really don't know why they let people like him into the school."
Neville forced his attention away from them, but it was too late. He had lost sight of Astoria.
"People like him? If there's anything different about him, then it is that he has courage and integrity. Something you lot wouldn't recognize if it bit you in the-"
"Manners, Greengrass, or I'll have to give you a detention," drawled Malfoy. "You see, I, unlike you, have been made a prefect, which means that I, unlike you, have the power to hand out punishments."
"Yeah," said Daphne, "but you, unlike me, are a git, so get lost."
"My, my," Pansy shook her head. "The terrible company you're keeping really seems to be rubbing off on you."
Daphne jumped up from where she was sitting at the Slytherin table. "Talking like someone from the last century isn't going to fool anyone into believing you got anything close to class."
"Who are you trying to lecture us about class?" laughed Pansy. Then she turned towards Draco, "I think a detention might help them learn how to properly speak to their superiors, don't you think?"
"I am a prefect as well and I don't think this is necessary. How about we all just take a deep breath?" asked Neville. The barbs out of Draco's mouth did not elicit the response Draco was hoping for. Instead of angry, they just made him mourn for the friend he had lost. "We got along fine over the last two years. I don't see why this has to change."
"Us? Getting along?" Draco laughed. "In your dreams maybe."
"It's true, Draco," said Daphne. "We were friends last year. We studied together. We spent our free time together. We fought Dementors together. I know you don't remember. But you can ask anyone. The teachers. Snape. Your friends. If they truly are your friends, they are not going to lie to you."
Draco's aloof façade crumbled as he looked at Pansy, but she only glared at Daphne. "You're lying," he finally spat, turning back towards Daphne.
"Why would we lie to you?" asked Neville. Then he had an idea. One of which he really hoped that it would help and not further break Draco. "You must have noticed some strange things going on this year. What have your friends told you about that?"
"They've told me everything I need to know," hissed Draco.
"Really? What have they told you of last year? What have they told you of Cassius Warrington? You must have noticed that your housemates are mourning him. Do you remember what happened?"
Draco's eyes widened and quickly scanned the Slytherin table. Neville could see his posture stiffening.
"Don't you dare speak his name," hissed Pansy. "One of Dumbledore's lackeys murdered him! My poor Draco is still traumatized because he had to watch it."
"Oh, come on!" scoffed Daphne. "Don't tell me you actually believe this crap?"
"As if I am going to believe that stupid pamphlet you sent everyone. Why would our Dark Lord kill one of his own? A devoted Slytherin? Utter nonsense."
"Why?" asked Neville. "Because he does not care about you! He does not care about anyone but himself. He kills everyone who dares oppose him. He tortures his own followers, and he loves every minute of it!" He turned towards Draco. "Ask your father, Draco."
"Shut up," growled Draco, his breathing growing erratic, sweat forming on his forehead.
"Ask your father about the night your precious Dark Lord returned. How he used Crucio on every single one of them!"
"Shut up!" screamed Draco, drawing his wand. "Shut. Up."
Neville raised his hands in surrender. Perhaps he had been pushing Draco a little too hard. "Let's go," he said in Daphne's direction and left the Slytherin table behind.
Daphne had soon caught up with him. "I can't believe he talked to you like that! And you just let him!"
"He wants to get a rise out of us. You're just giving him what he wants."
"Perhaps. But we can't let him think, not even for a second, that he is right."
Neville stopped and turned towards her. "But insulting him does make him think that he is right!"
"So does ignoring him!"
"I know!" Neville threw his head back in frustration, his hands balled into fists. Then he let out a deep breath and looked at Daphne. "I know. And I'm not angry with you, Daphne." He unclenched his hands and took her hands in his. "I don't want to fight. Ignoring him does not make the situation any better, I know that. But neither does fighting. And that's what's so damn frustrating. He is a git, but he is also suffering. He used to be our friend and now he is not. And I don't know what to do, okay?"
Daphne let go of his hands and wrapped her arms around him instead. "I know," she sighed into his shoulder. "I miss our Draco, too. But I'm not going to stay silent when he insults the people I love."
She looked up at him and he placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
She smiled and that already made everything so much better.
"So, what do we do?" asked Daphne. "When Astoria said that Draco was back to his old self, I thought we could just ignore him. But that's pretty much impossible when he does not ignore us. You don't have to live with him, but I do. He and his friends can't just let me walk past them without a stupid comment. In potions today, they kept on throwing stuff in my cauldron. That nearly blew up the whole classroom!"
Neville closed his eyes, trying to quell the frustration he felt through taking a few deep breaths. He remembered this behavior from the time before he and Draco had become friends. That thought reminded him of a conversation he once had had with Draco before the Yule Ball. "He doesn't really think of them as his friends," he said, remembering how they had been sitting in the library during their weekly study session, discussing who they would go to the Ball with. He had to chuckle at the memory. "He once called Crabbe and Goyle two lunks who wouldn't know one end of a broom from another."
Daphne laughed. "Sounds about right."
"He said that part of the reason why he was such a prick was that he felt lonely. I guess it's hard to form real friendships when your parents have taught you that you're the best of the best. Because how can you be friends with someone you think is below you? Someone who you won't ever show your weaknesses, or share your fears with?"
"I guess you can't," Daphne mused. "You know, this did not really answer my question, but it did explain a lot."
"I can't answer your question because I don't have any answers myself. I wish that I had." The situation felt so hopeless. He'd lain awake all night long, thinking about how to best deal with it and how to think of Draco now.
In his most rational moments, he thought that he should treat him no differently than he would Crabbe or Goyle. This was the Draco he used to be. The behavior, the insults, the bullying – it wasn't new. And he owed this Draco nothing.
But at the same time… he owed Draco everything. His friends. His girlfriend. His parents.
Neville and his grandmother had never stopped visiting his parents, even when nothing of the people they used to be remained. When the situation felt similarly hopeless. In so many ways, what had happened to Draco was similar. He had been captured by Death Eaters and tortured until nothing of his personality was recognizable anymore. But the situations were also completely different.
What further complicated matters was that he knew so much about Draco and about what motivated him – had motivated him even before he had changed – that it was difficult to feel anything but pity. He knew Draco's behavior was no different than that of his Death Eater buddies, but it was hard to muster the same anger, the same disgust and revulsion.
It was such a complicated entanglement of thoughts and feelings… but at least he was not alone in this. Even if his friends did not all know as much as he did, at least about Draco they all felt similarly.
"I won't raise to their bait," he eventually continued. "Even if it does not work, I'll try to understand them and reason with them. I don't know what else to do. I don't want to be his enemy. Even if he treats me the way he does, I can't hate him for it."
Daphne pulled him closer again, resting her head on his shoulder. "I understand. I'll try to do the same. No promises, though."
He inhaled her scent, enjoying the comfort it brought. A few more minutes of respite, then he would tell her about Astoria. Hopefully, the Aurors would be done with their interrogation before Daphne had to leave for detention.
They were standing close to the stairwell; Astoria would pass by them once the Aurors let her leave. They'd wait for her. There was little else they could do.
"Do you know what this is, Ms Greengrass?" asked Snape, his eyes glittering dangerously. He had a small crystal bottle of a completely clear potion in his right hand.
"No, sir," replied Astoria. It was technically true, although she had a pretty good idea of what it could be.
"It is Veritaserum — a Truth Potion so powerful that three drops would have you spilling your innermost secrets for the whole school to hear," said Snape viciously. "Now, the use of this potion used to be controlled by very strict Ministry guidelines. However, this has recently changed. As the Ministry is very… concerned with the whereabouts of your missing friends, the Ministry are allowing Aurors to use it in aide of their search."
Astoria gulped. Her eyes moved from Snape, who was sitting behind his desk in his office, to the two Aurors, who were sitting on the other side of the desk and facing Astoria, to the Carrows who were standing behind Snape, grinning as if they were the only ones in on a particularly stupid joke. She was alone in this. The Aurors were probably working for You-Know-Who. The Carrows definitely were. And Snape? Her gaze finally settled on him again. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes still held that vicious glint that made her wonder if Draco and Dumbledore had put their trust in the wrong person. "Ehm – how very thoughtful of them," she finally replied.
A house elf appeared in the room, serving each occupant a cup of tea, before it disappeared again.
"I hope you understand," Snape said, as he opened the vial, "why this is necessary." He let three drops fall into her cup and then pushed it toward her.
"I can't help you. I don't know anything." Anger rose in Astoria's stomach, together with fear. She could not drink that. "And I'm not thirsty, thank you."
Snape smiled at her and wasn't that the most terrifying thing she had ever seen? "Drink up," he said.
She could not drink it. She could not. She could pretend to drink it, but that would only work for so long. She could not pour it away, too many eyes were watching her. She could only drink it, and spill all of her, all of Draco's secrets, or she could refuse to drink it and suffer the consequences.
She'd just about made up her mind that she would throw the cup's content into Snape's face, when Snape said, "Drink up," again. Her fear and her anger disappeared, leaving behind the most wonderful feeling. She felt a floating sensation as every thought and worry in her head was wiped gently away, leaving nothing but a vague, untraceable happiness. She stood there feeling immensely relaxed, only dimly aware of everyone watching her. She reached for the cup and drank it all up in one go.
The Aurors' grim faces lightened up. "Good," said one of them. "Very good, Ms Greengrass. We only have a few questions for you, then you can leave again and play with your friends."
"I'm 14, not 4, sir."
The other Auror snickered while the first glared at him. Then he said, "Please state your full name."
"Astoria Greengrass," she replied without a second thought. Then the wonderful feeling that she had had disappeared again and she realized what she had done. That she had drunk the potion. And insulted one of the Aurors by speaking her mind. With an open mouth she gaped at Snape, who merely looked at her with mild disinterest.
"Which house are you in?" he asked, while the other noted down her answer.
"Ravenclaw," she bit out, now glaring at Snape. All she could hope for now was that they would only ask about Harry's whereabouts. Such questions she could answer honestly without risking anyone's life.
The Auror nodded. "We've been told you have made quite a few friends outside of your own house. Quite unusual."
"My sister is a Slytherin," she gritted through her teeth, barely managing to keep her anger at bay. "Most of my friends were her friends first."
"Your boyfriend as well?"
How did they know? Had Snape told them? "I don't have a boyfriend."
The Auror gave her an unimpressed look. "Your ex-boyfriend, then."
"Daphne never dated my ex-boyfriend."
"Ms Greengrass," admonished Snape.
"Yes, Draco was friends with Daphne first," Astoria finally groaned. She could not let them ask her more about Draco. "He never told me what was going on in his life, which is why I broke up with him before the summer holidays." Not untrue, and hopefully they would now consider her a dead end on anything regarding him.
"So, you do not know why Albus Dumbledore attacked him during the summer?"
"I have no idea."
The Auror nodded, as if he had expected no other answer. "Your sister explains some of your friends, not others."
"I was not aware that there are rules against befriending people from other houses," she replied, relaxing a little. They seemed to be done with Draco, and she knew nothing of Harry's whereabouts, so the truth could hurt no one.
The Auror grinned at her. "There are not. So, you are friends with Harry Potter."
"Yes." No point in even trying to deny something that everyone knew to be true.
"He is one of the students who has not returned this school year. Do you know where he is?"
"I don't know."
The two Aurors looked at each other, then the one wrote down her answer, and the other looked back at her. "When was the last time you have seen him?"
"Sometime during the summer holidays."
"Could you be a bit more precise?"
Astoria groaned. "I saw him the night an arrest warrant was issued for Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore disapparated with Harry. I haven't seen either since."
She glared at Snape again. He had been there, too. Maybe they should interrogate him as well.
"So, you do not know where Albus Dumbledore is?"
Astoria's brow furrowed and she looked at the Aurors. "In Azkaban?"
The Aurors just looked at each other again, but neither of them said anything.
"So, he is not in Azkaban?" asked Astoria. "I thought he was arrested. Why don't you know where he is?"
"This is none of your concern, young lady. Do you know where Mr Potter and Mr Dumbledore went? What they were doing?"
Remember the diadem? Astoria could hear Draco's voice in her head. There's two more objects like it and we're going to retrieve one of them. "No, I don't."
Her eyes widened when she realized what she had just said. She had lied. Was there something wrong with Snape's potion? He had been there, surely he had noticed her lie. She glanced in his direction again, but he seemed as indifferent as he had before. As if none of this was of any interest at all.
"Where were you?"
Astoria looked back at the Auror. "Huh?"
"When you last saw Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore. Where was this?"
At the Order's headquarters? Grimmauld Place? Not particularly good answers. But she could not make up a completely different place, either. It would only lead to questions she could not answer or endanger others. And Snape knew. Would he tell them? "Uhm… at Mr Black's house. But I don't know where it is. Somewhere in London." And at least the location of that would stay a secret even if the Veritaserum were to work properly, as no one could break through a Fidelius Charm.
"Do you know the current whereabouts of Sirius Black?"
"I haven't heard from him or seen him since then."
The Auror stared at her for a long time, but Astoria did not waver. Eventually, he nodded.
Several more questions followed. About what she had been doing at Sirius' house. About the missing students. About everyone who was currently in hiding or on the run. Personally, she was rather content with the half-truths that she provided.
"Very well," said the Auror who had interrogated her at the end. "That would be all, Ms Greengrass."
Astoria could feel some of the tension leave her body. She had survived the interrogation without revealing any big secrets.
Snape stood up then. "You may fetch the next student who you want to interrogate. Alecto, Amycus, please help these gentlemen find who they are looking for."
Once the four had left, it was only Snape and Astoria in the room. "Should any of your friends contact you, I would advise you not to hesitate and inform me directly. Should we discover that you did obtain such information and did not inform us, the consequences will be dire. And believe me, we will find out. All channels of communication in and out of this school are being monitored. A Floo Network Regulator is keeping watch over every fire in Hogwarts — except my own, of course. They are opening and reading all owl post entering and leaving the castle. All known secret passages in and out of the castle are sealed off." Astoria could do nothing but stare at him, her mouth agape. That level of surveillance was insane. But was he trying to threaten her? Or warn her? "You may leave as well now, Ms Greengrass."
But she did not move. They stared at each other, neither of them saying a word. She tried to figure him out. His loyalties. Why the Veritaserum had not worked. Why he had threatened her with it and why he- "You used an Unforgiveable on me!" The rage she had felt earlier returned, pushing away the fear and the uncertainty.
Something tucked at the corners of Snape's mouth. "You will find that these days the Ministry deems them less unforgivable than it used to."
Astoria glared at him. "Just because it apparently is not illegal anymore does not mean you have to use them."
"You were about to throw hot tea in my face."
"You were- wait a second, how do you know that?"
He did not reply.
"Oh my god! You read my mind? Not only did you use the Imperius Curse on me, you also used Legilimancy?"
Snape's face showed a hint of amusement and Astoria wished for her hot tea back so she could throw it in his face. "Good evening, Ms Greengrass."
"What? You can't throw me out! Why did you force me to drink a fake potion? Why did you duel Dumbledore? Where is Dumbledore?"
"I have many more interrogations to attend, Ms Greengrass, and I am not here to satisfy your curiosity. Now, run along." He had walked over to the door and had opened it by now, waiting for Astoria to leave.
Astoria glared at him but did as she was told. Evil bastard, she thought. "Good night, headmaster," she said.
As she walked back towards her dorm, her anger was soon replaced by gratitude. Draco was safe. Harry was safe. The Carrows had not tortured her. The Aurors had not arrested her. She had learned more than they had. Snape was less of an enigma than he had been at the beginning of the day, although no less frustrating.
She could not wait to discuss the events with Neville.
TBC
A.N. I hope you enjoyed this extra-long chapter. I'd love to hear your thoughts in a review. Also, do you have any suggestions for what they could call their little study group? Dumbledore's Army does not really work in these circumstances…