10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The next morning, Harry felt much more rested. Since it was a Sunday, there were no classes and Harry could take his time getting ready. He started his day by getting breakfast with Snape.

"I heard you haven't been to any of the Quidditch practices yet," Snape commented out of the blue.

Harry scoffed. "How did you even hear about that? You're not one to take an interest in Quidditch."

"Have I not been to every one of your games thus far?" Snape countered.

"Sure," Harry said, "But I imagined you did that because you expect me to fall off my broom every match."

"I will admit to that being a primary concern of mine," Snape said as he calmly cut open his croissant. "I will never admit to wanting to watch you play simply because you are very talented and a joy to watch."

"That would seem a bit uncharacteristic," Harry agreed calmly, "We would need to check the skies for flying pigs."

"Perhaps you could do so during your next Quidditch practice," Snape suggested slickly.

"Oooooh," Harry exclaimed, "Very smooth indeed. And I thought I had you that time too."

Snape huffed indignantly. "It will be many years before you are able to distract me from my purposes. Now, why is Professor McGonagall complaining to me that I don't allow you enough time to practice?"

"Because she hasn't bothered to ask me, I suppose," Harry shrugged, "If she had, I would have told her that the choice is my own. I'll talk to her today."

"I am perfectly capable of dealing with your head of house by myself, Harry," Snape sneered, "What I want to know is why you're not flying."

"I'll still participate in the official matches," Harry assured him. He bit a piece off his toast and chewed thoughtfully before adding, "I know what I'm doing. I don't need practice."

"Don't talk with your mouth full, disgusting brat," Snape said jokingly, throwing a napkin Harry's way. "And don't you think it's somewhat selfish to not go to practice while your teammates are out there combating the elements?"

"I'd rather work on my potions," Harry argued, "And Ginny takes up a lot of my free time as well. She –" Harry stopped talking and groaned, banging his forehead against the table and leaving it there.

"Now what?" Snape asked.

"I told Ginny I'd meet up with her yesterday, remember?" Harry asked, "I totally forgot."

"You were indisposed," Snape pointed out, "Surely, Ms Weasley will understand."

Harry chuckled. "Have you met her?"

Snape sighed, not at all wishing to get himself mixed up in teenage drama or voice his concerns regarding the only daughter of the Weasley clan. Instead, he readdressed the issue at hand.

"All work and no play kills the potential of discovery, mastery, and openness to change and flexibility and it hinders innovation and invention," Snape said easily.

Harry blinked. "Are you actually telling me to focus less on my apprenticeship?" he asked, completely baffled.

"What an odd thing to say," Snape said easily, swishing his pumpkin juice as if it were fine wine. "I am merely sharing some wisdom with you. Make of that what you will."

"Just come out and say it," Harry teased, "You're worried that I'm working too hard. You want me to have fun."

"You're being quite insolent today," Snape remarked as he flipped a page of the Daily Prophet. "Somehow, I don't –"

Snape's expression darkened as he read the paper. Harry frowned but rather than ask Snape what was wrong, he moved to stand behind him and read the article over his shoulder.

Muggle Hunting Continues

Yesterday evening, another twenty bodies were discovered in Abernethy forest. They were all muggles who were out camping as a group the muggles refer to as 'scouts'. Most of the bodies were that of young children between the ages of twelve and fifteen.

These continuous attacks have rekindled the muggle's interest and fear of werewolves and large manhunts…

Snape closed the paper rapidly to keep Harry from reading more.

"Do you think it's Greyback?" Harry asked quietly.

"I'm almost positive it's him," Snape replied, "But I doubt he's alone."

With a great sigh, Snape got up from his seat and tucked the newspaper away in a desk drawer. "In any case, it is nothing you need to concern yourself with."

"What are you talking about?" Harry objected, "These attacks are obviously orchestrated by death eaters."

"And what makes you think that death eaters are your responsibility?" Snape urged, raising that one eyebrow.

"Well, since they're affiliated with Voldemort, I thought –"

"Just because you were prophesized to kill the Dark Lord – with which I still don't agree, mind you – doesn't mean you are responsible for wiping out each and every one of his followers as well," Snape said dangerously.

"But we can't just let them carry on like this," Harry protested.

"Actually, I think you'll find we can," Snape said evenly, "We've paid our dues. For once, we can leave this up to the ministry."

"But-"

"Enough, Harry!" Snape said sternly, his tone leaving no room for further arguments. "I don't even know what you would be planning and how you would even begin to go look for their whereabouts but I forbid you from attempting to engage them. For once, put that Gryffindor bravery out of your mind and keep yourself occupied with other things."

"Like Quidditch?" Harry said darkly, "while children are getting killed?"

"You are a child," Snape replied coldly, "And Quidditch seems like a fine alternative indeed."

"Fine," Harry sighed, getting up to leave.

"Harry," Snape warned, "I need you to promise me not to do anything rash."

"I promise," Harry said easily, "But that doesn't mean I have to like it."

"None of us do," Snape admitted quietly, "But after all, the best thing one can do when it is raining is to let it rain."

When Harry emerged from Snape's quarters, his outer robes folded neatly over his arm, he was so far gone in this thoughts that he didn't even notice a certain Professor stand in the doorway and nearly knocked her over.

He grabbed her arm as she faltered and quickly steadied her. "I'm sorry, Professor," Harry exclaimed, "I didn't see you there."

"That's alright, Harry," Bell said cheerfully, "Accidents happen."

"Are you lost again?" Harry asked, "Do you need me to take you somewhere?"

"You are too kind, Harry, but no," Bell replied, smiling fondly. "This time, I'm exactly where I need to be. This is Professor Snape's office, right?"

Harry chuckled. "Close, but not entirely. These are his private quarters."

Bell seemed slightly taken back by that. She gave Harry a searching look and frowned for a fraction of a second, so quickly that Harry almost missed it.

"Would you like me to get him for you?" Harry asked.

"If you would," Bell replied happily.

Harry opened the door and called out to Snape. "Professor!"

A grunt indicated that Snape was listening.

"Professor Bell is here to see you."

A few seconds later, Snape appeared next to Harry, raising an eyebrow when he saw the brunette stand there with a smile far too cheerful this early in the morning.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Good morning to you too, Severus!" Bell replied happily, not at all undeterred by Snape's dour attitude. Harry was unable to hide a small smirk. It would appear that Bell's hesitance earlier this year in regards to Snape had all but vanished.

"You told me that I could come and get the requested potions today, remember?" she asked.

Snape sighed. "Right," he said, "Though I also told you to meet me in my office rather than lurk in the vicinity of my quarters."

Bell actually chuckled at that. "You know me!" she replied, "I'm hopeless. I'm afraid I got –"

"- lost," Snape finished for her. "I gathered as much."

"Yup!" Bell nodded.

"If you'll follow me," Snape said evenly, pushing Harry lightly out of the way so he could close his door. "Run along now, Harry. You're not needed here any longer."

By now, Harry had known Snape long enough to know when the man was uncomfortable. And this was him, severely unnerved. It was best not to cross him, he knew, so he obeyed.

"See you later, Professor," Harry said, running off.

When Harry entered the common rooms, everyone's conversation halted. At least twenty different pairs of eyes landed on Harry, regarding him with a look that he could not quite place.

Suddenly, many of them made up excuses to leave in a hurry, effectively emptying out the common room until only Ron, Hermione and Ginny remained. Ron and Hermione looked embarrassed about something but Ginny just seemed angry.

Harry sighed. He really was not in the mood for this.

"Harry James Potter!" Ginny shouted, "Where have you been?"

Putting on a mask of indifference – at least he thought it was a mask – Harry looked Ginny in the eye, noting the anger and explosiveness that always seemed to be somewhat present in the redhead before him.

"I was indisposed because of my lesson," Harry replied truthfully. He had not expected the hex that was thrown his way a second later, narrowly dodging it. With a bang, it collided with the wall behind him.

"You promised!" Ginny accused him.

Incredulously, Harry looked at his girlfriend. "Did you just try to hex me?"

Another flick of her wand, and another. Harry was ready for it this time and sidestepped easily. When not in control of her emotions, Ginny's spellcasting left much to be desired.

"Control yourself," Harry said coolly.

"You never have time for me!" Ginny screeched, never lowering her wand.

"Ginny, stop!" Ron said, but his voice betrayed uncertainty.

"Stay out of this, before I put you in a body bind," Ginny snapped.

And then it hit Harry as a wave of understanding flooded him. The Occlumency lessons of the night before had made it all the more clearer to him. Behaviour such as Ginny's was not something he wanted to condone any longer. She was volatile and aggressive just like the Dursleys had been, even if in a lesser capacity. Just because she was a girl younger than him and used magic as her weapon did not make it okay. And he had suffered through enough violence and anger in his life. A girl like Ginny was not right for him and never would be.

"Expelliarmus," he said coolly. Ginny's wand flew straight into Harry's hand. He caught it with an icy glint in his eyes, not unlike the one that could often be seen in Snape's.

He thrust the wand into Hermione's hands, never taking his eyes off of Ginny. Disarmed as she was, the girl put her hands on her hips as if to signify that she was not afraid. There was a fire in her eyes that Harry had once deemed attractive but was now nothing more than a reminder of pain.

"It's over," he told her. His voice as steady as he could make it and his resolve clear even if his heart couldn't help but ache when he uttered those words.

Ginny's defiant glare vanished immediately, replaced by surprise.

"Harry," she whispered, glancing at Ron and Hermione as if she was looking for support. "You don't mean that."

"You clearly don't understand what I'm passionate about," Harry said coldly, "And I have very little patience left to deal with your childishness. Unfortunately for you, I am not shallow enough to be placated by a pretty face."

A sob resounded from Ginny's throat but Harry felt little want to comfort her. Instead, he felt relief. He cast an apologetic look Ron's way and left the common room again. He'd rather not be around for the next outburst that was sure to come.

Even though the heatwave had long passed, Hedwig had made herself quite comfortable in the dungeons. Even when Harry had told her she was free to move back into the astronomy tower, she had simply refused, turning her head indignantly.

So Harry had let her be with express permission from Slughorn who seemed more than willing to provide Harry with what he needed.

Sighing, Harry took a large cauldron from the storage room and placed it on the grate, filling it with water. As he watched the clear liquid swirl, just waiting to absorb ingredients and magic in the creation of something wonderful, Harry felt his shoulders quiver. He held onto the edge of the cauldron for support and stared into the water, meeting his green eyes as they were reflected back to him.

Had he been too harsh? Too quick to judge? Angrily, Harry swiped at this reflection. No, there was no reason for him to put up with that kind of behaviour. Even if a small voice in the back of his mind told him that he was used to it. That it was nothing. That maybe he deserved it.

Quickly banishing those thoughts from his mind, Harry walked over to the ingredients cupboard and got what he needed. Maybe creating a potion would relax him. He grabbed the carefully preserved liquid silver and the wolfsbane.

Back at his station he started angrily crushing the moonstone into tiny fragmented pieces, not stopping until the slivers he was supposed to get out of them turned to dust. He looked up when a soft hoot startled him.

Hedwig had flown over to him and was now sitting on the edge of the cauldron, her head slightly tilted as she looked at her master.

"I know Hedwig," Harry said quietly, "I ruined the moonstone."

Hedwig hooted softly and fluttered over to sit on the desk.

"It's really not that warm anymore, Hedwig," Harry said, trying to sound cheerful as he started cutting up the mistletoe. "You can go now."

Hedwig hooted indignantly and nipped at Harry's fingers.

"Ow! Careful, Hedwig. Mistletoe's poisonous," Harry argued, swiping the plant out of Hedwig's reach. Hedwig hooted again.

"No, I don't think she'll be coming here anymore," Harry replied to his familiar, "It's not like she ever cared about potions anyway."

Hedwig clicked her beak, hopping a bit closer.

"You're right. I didn't either, at first," Harry admitted, "But I had so many things to think of. Voldemort seemed a tad more important than potions at the time, you know?"

Hedwig screeched as she unfolded her wings a bit.

"No need to be angry, he's gone," Harry assured her, "Which is why I can now focus on my studies. I wish I realized potions was this interesting a long time ago."

Hedwig flew over to perch on Harry's shoulder and seemed to snuggle up to him, fluffing up her feathers in contentment.

"You're not going to tell me that you think I'm neglecting you too, are you?" Harry accused lightly. Hedwig rearranged his hair with her beak in response, hooting all the while as if she was fussing over her owlet.

"Is that why you're not leaving?"

Hedwig took flight and flew straight into the ingredients cupboard that Harry had forgotten to close again.

"Hedwig," Harry said sternly, "Get out of there."

Hedwig emerged a moment later, and landed back on Harry' desk, depositing a new moonstone.

Harry chuckled. "Quit babbling and get back to brewing, is it?" he said. Hedwig hooted contently in response, pecking at Harry's mortar.

"I will, you silly owl, no need to attack my instruments," Harry said, taking the mortar away from his owl. He eyed her appraisingly for a while, noticing that Hedwig almost seemed proud of herself.

"You're a very clever bird, aren't you?" he asked seriously, "Maybe one day I might invent a potion to talk to you."

Hedwig hooted in response and ruffled her feathers, preening them in contentment while Harry got back to work, brewing the wolfsbane potion to clear his head.

He was halfway through creating the base when the door to the lab opened.

"There you are," Snape commented as he strode inside.

"Where else would I be?" Harry greeted him heartily.

Snape eyed Hedwig for a moment as she sat half-snoozing near Harry before walking over to the cauldron and peering into its contents.

"Wolfsbane?" he said curiously, "Got any werewolf friends I don't know about?"

"Just the one," Harry chuckled, throwing in a dash of ground pepper.

"I heard about your altercation," Snape said.

"You are turning into quite the gossip, Severus," Harry growled as he stirred his potion. "What else have you heard through the grapevine?"

"Oh, you're just hilarious," Snape bit back, "Where do you think your little friends go when they think you're upset?"

"I would hope that they don't go crying to any teacher – guardian or not – for something stupid like a break-up," Harry said matter-of-factly. "Hedwig, would you hand me those cloves?"

Snape frowned as he watched Hedwig do exactly as Harry asked but made no comment about it.

"Apparently you were somewhat upset," Snape urged.

"I wasn't the one who started throwing hexes," Harry said coldly. He chopped up the cloves and threw them in the cauldron. "So if anyone was upset, it was Ginny. Why don't you go comfort her?"

Snape summoned a stool and set it next to Harry's desk, claiming it to watch Harry work. "Ginny is not my daughter," he said frankly, "And I care not for her. Not one bit."

"That's harsh," Harry commented, stirring his brew slowly, "Because she's a Gryffindor?"

Snape smirked. "That might be part of the problem yes," he admitted, "Though if the past has proven anything, Gryffindors tend to have a way to worm themselves into my heart."

Harry snorted, "Like parasites?"

"Exactly so," Snape agreed, "But Ms Weasley could never. She's far too…"

"Careful now," Harry warned, "It's best that you don't badmouth students in front of their peers."

"She was never right for you," Snape said simply, "She was probably suitable for soothing any teenage urges you might have had but –"

"No, stop!" Harry interrupted, "Not this again!"

Snape grinned. "But she was never on par with you intellectually. Not even when I still mistook you for a dunderhead."

Harry sighed. "You're probably right. But it still hurts."

Snape grabbed a few cloves of garlic and started mincing them. "Each time our heart is broken, we should learn a lesson and not repeat the same mistakes. However, often there is nothing we could have done to save the relationship."

"And what mistakes should I learn from," Harry asked.

"Don't judge a book by its cover," Snape said easily. "What lies beneath the surface of shallow waters? Nothing. It's only when you go deeper that the ocean comes alive. The deeper you go, the more mysteries and surprises await."

Harry sighed, seemingly getting tired from Snape's advice.

"It will get better, Harry," Snape insisted.

"Will it?" Harry asked, his emerald eyes fixed on Snape's. He seemed to be searching for something in the man.

"Careful," Snape warned Harry, "I know that you're not feeling particularly pleased right now, but I advise against voicing your current thoughts."

Harry threw in the splinters of the moonstone he had now carefully crushed.

"It's better this way, I guess," Harry shrugged, "I'll have more time to focus on my studies. And –" he grinned at Snape, "- to play Quidditch as well."

"Oh joy," Snape deadpanned, "Professor McGonagall will be ecstatic to hear and I, in turn, will be pleased to not have her turn up in my fireplace anymore."

"She's been doing that?" Harry chuckled.

"She's always been a competitive person," Snape shared with Harry, "And she needs you if she wants to stand a chance against the Slytherin team."

"Can you really handle losing again?" Harry asked, performing the very last intricate stirring pattern there was to the potion.

"The way I see it, I win either way," Snape said playfully, "Either my house wins or my son does."

"So you can be at the victory party no matter what," Harry said happily, "Unless Hufflepuff wins."

"If they win this year, I'll resign," Snape said seriously.

"A bit too late for the Defence against the Dark Arts curse to befall you, isn't it?" Harry asked.

"It's no longer in effect," Snape said, "Since the Dark Lord died."

"Good thing too or I would still need to teach the DA," Harry said, "And I don't have the time for it."

Harry hauled the cauldron off the fire, allowing it to cool. "What do you think?" he asked, "Is it acceptable?"

"Outstanding as always," Snape said, "Do you need it all for your werewolf friend or shall I give some to Lupin?"

Harry rolled his eyes as he bottled whatever portions he could get out of the potion. "Do with it as you please," he said, "My werewolf friend doesn't really need it anyway. He has a friend that is a Potions Master, you see."

"I see," Snape replied. He looked over at Harry who was now cleaning up his working space. Hedwig had flown back to her perch, allowing Harry the space.

"You're certain you're okay?" Snape asked one last time.

"I will be," Harry said, smiling honestly. "There's no need to worry."

The lack of the full moon did not make Greyback any less dangerous. He loved tearing people apart, even in his human form. And they really didn't need to be muggles or mudbloods for him to appreciate their anguished shrieks and panicked flailing. Licking his lips in anticipation, he released the girl he had captured before and watched her flee into the thick arboreal path. Exactly fifteen seconds later, he gave chase.

"Talk, Mr Pippin," Bellatrix said sweetly, "And I suggest you do it quickly before Greyback catches your daughter. He's not exactly what one would call… friendly."

A smirk that rivalled that of a Cheshire cat split her face in half as she laughed. The man beneath her grovelled and pleaded, his wand long snapped in half when he had tried to protect his family. His wife already lay still next to him, her throat clawed out and her limbs broken, displayed in an unnatural fashion as if she was a puppet that was dropped by her puppeteer.

"Please," he pleaded, "I told you all I know!"

"So you're telling me that there are no imminent orders from him?" Bellatrix asked snidely, "No potion ingredients? Nothing?"

"No!" Pippin said truthfully, "Nothing yet. Please. Please let my daughter go!"

At that moment, a high-pitched screech filled the air and Bellatrix laughed hysterically before shutting her mouth with a click and shouting; "Greyback! Return".

It couldn't have been more than a minute later that the werewolf returned with the girl. He was dragging her with him by holding on to her right foot while her left was kicking the air in a desperate attempt to break free.

"Oh dear," Bellatrix said sweetly as she approached the girl. She couldn't have been more than seven. "Are you scared of this big man?" she asked, "Did he hurt you?"

The girl sobbed uncontrollably, clearly overcome by terror.

"I'm sorry dear, but we had no choice," the former death eater said, kneeling next to the girl. "Your father simply does not want to cooperate."

"Mum," the girl cried, "I want my mum!"

"Certainly," Bellatrix said, smiling broadly. She snapped at Greyback who dragged the girl towards her parents and threw her to the ground right next to her mother's mangled body. She screamed and tried to get up but Bellatrix cast a body bind on her. She tutted as if she were reprimanding a young child. "Now now," she said, "You said you wanted your mother. Here she is."

"Let her go!" Came Pippin's furious exclamation. He tried to get to his feet, seemingly forgetting that his legs were broken.

"Should I?" Bellatrix asked as if she were contemplating it. "Give me one good reason."

"Painite," The man said, "I'm supposed to contact him once I've received Painite. He's been asking for it."

"Your point?" Bellatrix asked, tilting her head as if she was trying to understand. Tears were leaking from the petrified girls' eyes.

"I will tell him that I got some," Pippin said desperately, "He'll come for it. I know he will!"

Bellatrix clapped her hands together. "Excellent!" she said happily, "See, I knew we could make some sort of arrangement. You do that, and we shall return your daughter to you."

"But-" Pippin wanted to argue.

"Let us know the time and place," Bellatrix told him, "If anything goes wrong, like you tipping him off or him not showing up, your daughter will stay with us. My husband and brother in law will surely wish to have their way with her."

She gestured towards Rodolphus and Rabastan who sat away from the action, glancing at her when she mentioned them.

"But if you succeed in bringing him to us, we will release your precious daughter," Bellatrix continued. "But you'd best hurry," she added darkly, "Or she might not come back to you in one piece."

There you are dears. Ginny is gone. Told you all it wouldn't last! I hope you're not too mad at me for it either way. What do you reckon is going through Maya's mind right now and who is Bellatrix trying to capture? Please tell me what you think and what you liked/disliked. I welcome all reviews!