Chapter Twenty-two: A Meeting with Snape

The crackling fire was mesmerizing.  Stephen liked fire.  He especially liked fire when he was soaked to the bone with cold rain water.  No, that wasn’t true, he liked to play with fire more, but right now just being near to fire was sufficient. 

He focused on the dancing flames, trying to block out the events of the day from his mind.  So much had happened that it was hard to believe that it had all happened in one day.  His head began to throb again just thinking about it so for the thousandth time he decided not to.

“Eeek a cheek  squeeek squeek!”  Bunnymort, who was still perturbed about something, landed on his perch beside SB. 

Stephen jumped and clutched the blanket around his shoulders tighter at the sight of the creature.   What the crap is that?  Stephen thought to himself, pressing himself deeper into the chair cushions.  Suddenly, the large door to the room opened with a loud WHACK!  Stephen turned away from the strange creature, peaking over the back of the chair.

Severus Snape strode into the room, his black robes still soaked with water, clinging to his sallow frame, his boots squeaking loudly with each step.  The headmaster glanced up at Bobbett and slammed the door behind him with a simple flick of his wrist.  Striding silently across the room, he then plunked himself down into the large chair behind his desk. 

An awkward silence soon followed.  Snape remained in his chair, his black hair hanging over his eyes like a wet curtain, head bowed.  Stephen remained in his chair, frozen, peaking over the back of the chair, afraid to move, his head still throbbing inside.  After awhile Stephen began to think that Snape had forgotten that he was there or fallen asleep or both. 

“Ummmm excuse me…headmaster?” Stephen had finally mustered up enough courage to say.  

Snape did not look up.  His voice sneered through his teeth. “What?”

Stephen wasn’t quite sure how to respond.  “Well you told me to stay here until you got back and now you’re back, so…can I go?”  This was Stephen’s first encounter with Snape.  Since he had first started school he had heard a few rumors about the headmaster and how much he hated children so Stephen was really hoping that this encounter would be brief.

“No,” was all Snape said and then the awful silence returned. 

Stephen rolled his eyes, mouthed a silent “okay” and returned his gaze to the fire.

A few moments passed.  Suddenly, a spell shot past Stephen’s shoulder and put out the fire that had becomes SB’s only comfort.  “Come over here.”  Snape hissed evenly.

SB stood up slowly still startled by the spell and approached the headmaster’s desk. 

Stephen sat down in the oversized green leather chair opposite Snape.  “Okay,” Snape began, his voice deep and his eyes narrowed “so here’s the thing… a dark wizard heard a prophecy about you. And so he decided to kill your parents, and he tried to kill you but couldn’t and that’s how you got that mark on your forehead.” Stephen instinctively looked upwards towards the mole on his forehead that he had had all his life.  Snape continued, “And now the Dark Lord…er… wizard is wanting to finish you off so you are being kept here for your own safety.”  Snape finished in a sort of rehearsed drone.

Brief silence.  Then…

“Ummm…  isn’t that the plot for the Harry Potter books?” 

Snape shrugged his shoulders expectantly.  “You’ve read the books then.”

“Actually, no.  I’m American.  But I’ve seen the movies.”

The headmaster rolled his eyes and stood up.  “Listen, Bobbett,” Stephen hated being called by his last name. “Don’t leave this castle again, or you will have to deal with me.”

“But...” Stephen began to protest when the door behind him opened and Kimberly Smith strode in flushed with anger.  Snape’s head lifted slightly in surprise, but he didn’t even have a moment to respond before Kim was standing in front of his desk.

“Headmaster Snape, I want to change houses.”  She stated matter-of-factly.  She glared at the headmaster with deep determination.

Snape breathed in deeply.  “What house are you in now?”

“Gryffindor, and I hate everything about it, from the gigantic statue of Harry Potter in the common room to that git of a boy Thomas Malfoy.”

For the first time Snape seemed to relax a bit and said, “Yes, dreadful house isn’t it?  Very well, you will move your things to the Slytherin quarters.” 

“Great,” smiled Kim.  “Thank you.”

“Can I be in Slytherin too?” Stephen chimed in hopefully.

“No!”  Snape snapped violently then turned on Kim, “Now get out, and tell whoever let you in that I would like to speak with them later about my privacy!”  He dismissed her with a wave of his hand.  Then he turned on SB, “You, get out as well.”

“Wait a minute!”  Stephen protested, his nerve finally returning.  “I demand an explanation for all the crap that has happened to me tonight.  Why am I being kept here against my will?  Who the crap were those people chasing me down in the woods?  And why the hell won’t you make me a Slytherin?!” 

It could have been his imagination but Stephen could swear that he saw the corner of Snape’s lip curl up in a smile.

“I like you Bobbett.  Now get out!”  Snape swept around his desk, grabbed the neck of Stephen’s robes, lifted him up out of his chair and threw him out the door.

The last thing that Stephen heard before the door slammed was Snape’s voice saying, “Don’t forget what I told you Bobbett.  Leave the castle and answer to me.”

Stephen stood silently for a moment outside of Snape’s office.  Once more his head swirled with muddled memories of the previous rainy night.  What had happened out there?  What was it about him that was keeping him kept here?  Had he really done magic last night or was it his imagination?  He looked up at the open window before him.  Warm light streamed over him.  It was a new day.  A new adventure.  A new-

“Hey!” grunted a small man in a big pointy hat standing next to him.  “Are you done then?  Can I go in?”

Stephen awoke from his daydreaming.  To his left was a long line, it seemed, of people waiting to see the Headmaster.  He followed it down the hall to see a few professors along with some odd characters who seemed to want a word with Severus Snape.  Stephen felt a hint of sympathy of the professor.  It seemed that he had a lot on his plate.

“Hello, Mr. Bobbett.”

Stephen paused as he began down one of the steps.  It was the elf he had met on the Hogwarts Express.

“Hello, er…”

“Buddy,” the elf finished, his large eyes looked up at him between large bat-like ears.  He held a briefcase under his arm.  Apparently, the elf was at the back of the line to visit Snape.

“What are you doing here?” Stephen asked.

“Ah, well, I’m here on business for the coalition,” he replied, patting his briefcase.  “We’d like the Headmaster to make an appearance at our rally in the spring.  There’s lots of preparation for it.”

Stephen remembered the class he didn’t attend about House Elf Rights.  It all seemed very political to him.

“Didn’t you used to work for, uh, Carol’s dad?” Stephen asked.

The elf smiled.  “Yes, I still work for Mr. Weasley, but I’ve been given a reprieve.  I’ll be settled down in Hogsmeade for the rest of the year.”

“Ah,” said Stephen, not really taking it in.  He was still absorbing the events of last night and didn’t really seem to have much energy.  “Well, I’d better get going.”

“Yes, well, I’ll be here for awhile from the looks of it,” said Buddy, glancing down the hall.

“I, um, forgot to… thank you for saving my life…” Stephen muttered quietly.  “Back at the lake… I nearly drowned.”

Buddy’s eyes twinkled.  “Of course, I was glad to help.”

Stephen considered this for a moment.  He had never actually thought over the events of that night, mysterious as they were.  The boat had malfunctioned, he had nearly died, Professor Shore was there…

“What were you doing there, anyways?” asked Stephen, now alert.

Buddy ducked low all of a sudden.  Quickly, he ushered Stephen a few steps down the stairs and motioned for him to come closer.