Secretly Slytherin

Chapter 15: Meet the Folks

Snape picked up his wand from where he had dropped it on the desk  and held it in his hands as he strode towards the door. He pointed it  at the knob, and was just about to murmur a spell to release the lock  when he saw Helena look back at him, frown slightly and shake her head  no.

He looked at her curiously, as she raised her hands to the front of  his robe.

"Let’s make sure that you look as presentable as possible," she  muttered, and he felt her hands move along the placket of his robe,  making sure all the buttons were tightly fastened and that the fabric  was pulled neatly and tightly across his chest. Then she raised her  hands to his neck and frowned slightly as she readjusted his collar.

She glanced up to see his own dark eyes staring down at her and she  paused for a moment, leaving her fingers lying still against the fabric  of his neckband.

"You know," she began, "if this meeting lives up to our worst  expectations, we may never see each other again?"

He nodded.

She brought her hands back down to lay lightly upon his chest and  drew in a deep breath. "So, I guess I better ask you this now. Because  I may not get another chance."

She hesitated and looked down for a moment.

He frowned and held his arms stiffly at this side, his wand tapping  against his leg while he waited to hear her question.

*** I suppose you are going to ask what I really feel for you. Lust,  obviously. Jealous possessiveness, clearly. And admiration, reluctantly  but certainly. But, are you hoping that there’s anything deeper than  that? You have never demanded that from me. In fact, you seemed rather  surprised that evening when I told you I liked you. Do you expect me to  soften the blow of this disgraceful humiliation by my telling you a  stupid, simple lie now? ***

She looked up, with a trace of worry on her face. "Do you have more  Contraceptive Potion to give me?"

He looked at her blankly for a moment. And then he shook his head  and laughed.

She looked at him as if he had lost his mind. "What’s so funny about  the fact that we just had unprotected sex?" she demanded.

He rubbed his forehead and composed himself. "No, I’m laughing at  me, not you."

She looked perplexed.

"Of course," he assured her, "I have another vial prepared already.  And as long as you take it before midnight, it will be completely  effective. However, I suggest that we not stop by my office right now.  After all," he continued. "If Dumbledore is about to toss us both out  of Hogwarts, I’m sure he will want to make sure the scandal is not  intensified by the disgrace of a pregnancy. If you mention your  concern, I’m sure he will be quite anxious to make sure you have a dose  before you leave. If, on the other hand, we are being unduly alarmed by  this whole situation and find ourselves free to continue our affair, I  will bring a vial with me to the Forbidden Forest tonight."

"You’re still planning on meeting me tonight?" She looked very  surprised.

"Of course. After all, we have only a short time to be together  before you graduate. And I don’t intend to waste any of it. Just be  sure you aren’t followed," he warned.

There was an unspoken tension and intensity underneath the light  tone in which he spoke, but he was glad to see Helena’s face and eyes  take on more relieved, confident expression. She nodded and patted her  hands playfully against his chest before dropping them back down to her  sides.

He pointed at the doorknob again with his wand, and then looked back  at her.

"Any last words of wisdom before we enter the lion’s den?" he  inquired.

She smiled. "Just remember that the best lies are the ones that  stick the nearest to the truth as possible."

"Ah, yes."

She shrugged. "And if he asks you first, I’ll follow your lead. And  vice versa."

He nodded, then turned back to the door and released the locking  spell from it.

They didn’t say another word to each other as they trudged through  the halls and up the staircases, winding their way through the passages  until Snape suddenly stopped before the figure of a stone gargoyle.  Lifting his eyebrows in disdain, he called out: "Toffee Toad Truffle!"  The gargoyle suddenly came to life and stepped aside.

Helena’s own eyebrows were raised in a gesture of surprise and  interest. "I’ll assume the password is changed frequently?" she asked.

He nodded and they passed through the opening that had appeared in  the wall. The doorway closed behind them and she saw that a spiral  staircase, with steps that moved upward like an escalator, was standing  in front of them.

They stepped unto the slowly moving steps, and Helena allowed her  eyes to drift upward. Snape saw her start in surprise, and he also  looked up. Professor Flitwick was on one of the uppermost steps, just  hopping off unto the landing. She gulped, and for the first time since  composing herself before leaving the Potions classroom, he saw the  anxious look return to her face.

Of course, the head of your house also has to be informed when  you’re about to be suspended or expelled, doesn’t he, she thought  despairingly.

She felt Snape press a reassuring hand against her shoulder for a  brief moment.

"It never pays to look guiltier than they already think you are," he  whispered.

***Rule number three: As difficult as they are to mange, sometimes  having a full-blooded Slytherin as your lover comes in handy. ***

She laughed nervously and took in a deep breath. And, as they  stepped off the stairs in front of the large oak door that led into  Dumbledore’s office, the only expression readable on her face was a  vague look of curiosity and anticipation.

Snape reached over her with his left hand to rap loudly upon the  door using the large brass doorknocker that hung upon it.

"Come in!" It was Dumbledore’s voice, sounding as bright and cheery  as ever.

Taking in one last, deep breath, she grasped the doorknob and  turned, pushing it open. As the door swung open, she immediately saw  that Dumbledore was standing by his desk and that in front of it were  three chairs, all of them occupied. By Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Harrison,  and the estimable Mrs. Constance Smythe- Forbush Ettington, to be  exact. The next thing she knew, a loud shout arose in the room.

"SURPRISE!"

She blinked. Flitwick was not the only other teacher in the room. In  fact, it looked like almost the entire faculty was present, and the  next minute she saw Madam Pomfrey rushing towards her, with Professors  Vector and Flitwick right behind her. She looked dumbly around the  room, and finally became aware that, written in the air above their  heads were the words, "Congratulations, Helena" and "Mediwitch School,  Here She Comes!"

The next thing she knew, the entire room had erupted into applause.  She looked around again, turning herself in a circle. She took in the  pleased expression on Dumbledore’s face as he bounced lightly up and  down on the heels of his feet, the look of absolute pride on Madam  Pomfrey’s face as she hooted and hollered with excitement, and the  slightly blank, but relieved look on Severus’ face as he joined in the  applause.

Their eyes met for only a fraction of a second, but it was enough  for them to telegraph to each other their absolute shock and relief as  they realized that their worst fears had been completely ungrounded in  reality.

Then she found herself being surrounded by the crowd of well  wishers. After Madam Pomfrey released her from an affectionate embrace,  she found her hand being eagerly shook and more than a few teachers  giving her an enthusiastic pat on her shoulders or back as she was  swept into the center of the room. Her mother appeared in front of her  and wrapped her arms around her in an excited hug.

"Oh, Helena, isn’t it grand?" she enthused.

Snape allowed himself a brief glance at the large, bluff man who was  now standing next to Dumbledore. He looked very similar to the yearbook  picture that Snape had managed to find of him, except that he now wore  a large, walrus-like mustache. And his body had the general beefiness  about it that you usually found when a former athlete had reached the  age where his appetite had just started to exceed his level of  exercise. He also looked extremely proud, smug and self-satisfied.  Severus looked at him critically. He appeared to have no doubt that  congratulations were due to him also. Apparently, the man believed  wholeheartedly that the woman receiving these honors was indeed his  offspring.

The woman standing on the other side of the headmaster also appeared  to be rather pleased, but it had not completely swept aside her usual  expression of slight condemnation and disapproval. The frosty, gray  stare of her eyes was matched by cold, silver color of the hair that  was wound into tightly coiled, carefully coifed curls that were stuck  stiffly into place beneath her large witch’s hat. She possessed an  austere, haughty beauty. But other than an extremely intelligent glint  in her eyes, Snape failed to fine a trace of similarity between her  face and Helena’s features. There was more than a hint of pride in own  smile. And Snape was sure that she was far more justified than Harrison  was in believing that she had contributed to Helena’s current triumph.

On the other hand, Helena’s mother seemed content to merely bask in  the reflected glory of her amazingly distinguished offspring. Snape  moved slightly to the back of the crowd to hug the wall as he compared  the faces of the mother and daughter.

When he had first managed to find a picture of Helena’s mother in  the yearbook, he had been amazed to realize that she had graduated only  two years ahead of him. Although, to be sure, he hadn’t paid much  attention to many of the students in the other houses, other than some  of his Gryffindor foes. So the fact that he had not been familiar with  a slightly older Ravenclaw with such a desultory scholastic history as  Elizabeth Ettington shouldn't have surprised him too much.

The second shock had been that Helena was practically her double.  Other than the fact that the woman in his yearbook had slightly darker  hair (a deep shade of ebony unlike Helena’s own dark brunette), and  brown rather than hazel eyes, it could have been a picture of Helena.  Oh, and perhaps Elizabeth’s face had been slightly fuller, and the lips  a tad thinner. But other than that, they could have passed as twins  rather than mother and daughter.

Some changes had occurred during the years, however. Elizabeth now  had her hair drawn back into a tight, elegant French twist. And the  color had been lightened to an extraordinary level, so that the strands  were a light, almost platinum blond. Snape noted critically that he did  not think it was as complimentary to her complexion as her natural  color, particularly since the treatment had rendered the hair as dry  and brittle as straw. She had also managed, somehow, to charm her eyes  into a deep shade of blue. But, rather than adding a piquant beauty to  her gaze, the shade was so startling that even those who had not known  her before would have concluded that it was an artificial contrivance.  Her face was also less full than it had been. She apparently had  starved herself into what she considered fashionable thinness. Her  cheekbones were jutting prominently, and not particularly prettily,  underneath her eyes, the skin seemingly stretched tight across them.

His eyes traveled down her body and he raised his eyebrows as he  took in the elaborate, unmistakably expensive set of dress robes that  she was wearing. She obviously thought she was being quite stylish, but  to Snape’s taste the clothing seemed merely to scream, "Look at how  much I spent on this!" On top of this, her wrists, neck and earlobes  sparkled with such an assortment of jewels that he wondered if he dared  to approach her without shading his eyes.

He glanced between this woman and her own overpowering mother and  wondered vaguely who Elizabeth’s father had been. A distinguished but  ineffectual Ravenclaw, no doubt, who had left his wife a quite  comfortable widow when he died.

Dumbledore had raised his hands and was calling for quiet now.  Within a few moments, the crowd had hushed itself and turned its  attention towards him.

"Thank you all for coming, and in particular, thanks for managing to  keep this little celebration such a big surprise for our guest of  honor," he began.

"Oh, and forgive me, Severus, for not informing you either," he  continued. "But, I knew I’d never get you willingly into my office for  a party."

There was a murmur of laughter at this comment.

Helena was smiling happily and she turned to give her mother an  affectionate squeeze on the arm.

"As if it is not already evident, my dear," continued the kindly  headmaster, "I am very pleased to inform you that the University had  reserved a place for you in next fall’s Mediwitch School."

The crowd clapped again, and Dumbledore waited for the sound to die  away before continuing. "Poppy, why don’t you take it from here?"

The school Mediwitch happily strode over to Helena’s side and  cleared her throat. "At the Staff Meeting last Monday, it was decided  that the entire faculty would sign a commendation recommending that you  be considered for immediate admission to the Mediwitch curriculum next  year. The Headmaster was able to get all our signatures gathered by  Thursday and he personally delivered the document to the Mediwitch  Education Council." She lifted up a document in her hand. "And here is  a copy of that document, for you, dear."

Helena smiled and took it.

"They were quite impressed, and by the next day, Professor  Dumbledore had received a letter indicating their approval." She handed  the girl another sheet of official-looking parchment.

Her grin widened, and she couldn’t keep a small ripple of laughter  from bursting out as she looked at it.

"Of course," added Dumbledore, his blue eyes twinkling brightly, and  his hands clutching another sheaf of papers. "It certainly didn’t hurt  that not less than five of your instructors also sent personal letters  of recommendation." He handed over the stack to Helena. She managed to  work all of the papers into one arm and extend her other hand to shake  the hand of her headmaster.

Again, there was a smattering of applause.

"But, you of course know that you are still expected to pass your  NEWTS with flying colors," admonished Professor Flitwick from the  crowd, in an excited, squeaky voice.

The crowd laughed as Helena playfully pulled a face and snapped her  fingers in a show of exaggerated disappointment.

"Oh, and the board did make one more stipulation, I’m afraid," added  Dumbledore.

Helena turned to regard him curiously.

"They are so impressed with you they are unwilling to wait until  next fall!" shouted Madam Pomfrey, unable to help yourself.

Helena looked mystified.

Dumbledore chuckled. "Yes, my dear, they would like you to start at  the university at the beginning of the spring semester. This will allow  you to take some transitional course, while you continue studying for  your NEWTS, of course. That way, you can plunge head-first into  Mediwitch program in the fall."

Snape found himself staring out above Dumbledore’s head into the  gray, darkening sky of the clouds that could be glimpsed through the  window located high on the wall behind him. That meant she would be  leaving shortly after classes recommenced after the winter break.

"But, if I’m not here for the spring semester, how will I graduate  from Hogwarts?" Helena asked, her tone hesitant and puzzled.

"Never fear, my dear, never fear. You will be back in June to accept  your diploma with the rest of your classmates," assured Dumbledore.  "You will just get your first taste of University life a little sooner  than most."

She nodded, still looking very surprised. A moment later she had  recovered, and had reached over to hug Madam Pomfrey again. Applause  rang throughout the room again.

She glanced for a moment at Snape, but he was still looking  determinedly out the window, and refused to meet her look.

"And now," pronounced Dumbledore, clapping his hands, "let us feast."

Immediately, tables filled with food and drink appeared throughout  the room.

***************

Helena was seated now, carefully looking over all of her copies of  the documents as she continued to receive the praise and  congratulations of the partygoers. She had excitedly turned the pages  to see who had sent the private letters of recommendations.

Flitwick, Vector and Pomfrey, no surprise there of course. And…..she  smiled. One from Severus Snape, Potion’s Master of Hogwarts School of  Witchcraft and Wizardry. Oh, dreadfully formal of course. One might  even say cold. But, she had no doubt, the few letters of recommendation  he had signed in the past had undoubtedly been exclusively for  Slytherins. It was still quite a coup for her. But, who had her other  supporter been?

She looked down at the last page and caught her breath. She glanced  up at the crowd, searching for someone. She carefully placed the pile  of papers down on the table and crossed the floor to where Professors  McGonagall and Sinistra were chatting away.

"Professor McGonagall?"

"Yes, Miss Harrison?"

She paused and extended her hand. "I just want to say that I am  rather surprised but very honored that you took the time to write a  personal letter of recommendation."

The older woman turned to give the younger one a piercing look as  she accepted her hand. "I’ll admit that I was not very enthusiastic  about the idea when Poppy first approached me. You and I have had our  differences over the years. And you have made some choices that I have  not approved of. But, I know that you have great potential. And I only  hope that you will use the opportunities you have been given wisely,  and well."

"I shall try to live up to your expectations," she replied.

McGonagall nodded, and gave Helena a short, quick smile.

Helena turned to return to her seat, but before she had taken a  step, she heard a voice calling out to her.

"Isn’t it about time that you at least acknowledged my presence,  Helena?"

She suppressed the desire to roll her eyes and plastered a smile  unto her face as she turned to face her grandmother.

"Grandmother," she cooed, raising up on her tiptoe to give that  cool, dry cheek a quick kiss. "How nice of you to come."

"Well, it’s about time that a Ravenclaw was acknowledged," she  muttered. "Some people would think from reading the papers that Harry  Potter was the only student attending this school," she complained,  loudly.

"Hmm," Helena agreed, her tone as noncommittal as possible.

"But, don’t think I don’t still want an explanation from you!" she  warned.

"An explanation?" Helena replied, blankly.

Her grandmother snorted. "Oh, don’t play coy with me, Helena. You  can hardly expect me to come to Hogwarts without demanding a look at  the Ravenclaw records. Eighty-five points and two detentions! Really,  the nerve!"

The next thing she knew, her grandmother had grabbed her hand, and  was pulling her along behind her as she made a beeline towards the  tall, dark, thin and unsuspecting head of Slytherin House. He had been  leaning back against the wall of the room, indulging in neither food  nor drink as he surveyed the partygoers, and to Helena’s delight she  detected a brief flicker of fear in his eyes as he realized that they  were headed straight for him.

"Professor Snape!" she called.

He uncrossed her arms, and stood stiffly erect as his head dipped in  a formal bow. "Yes, Mrs. Ettington?"

"What’s all this rubbish about Helena needing two detentions?"

He raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth, but the woman showed no  sign of allowing him time to make a reply.

"And don’t think that your little letter of recommendation makes up  for it!" she huffed.

"Of course not, Madam. And that was not the reason why I wrote it. I  assure you, I would have written that letter in any case," was his mild  reply. "For, I must admit, your granddaughter has performed beyond my  wildest expectations."

"But-"

"Oh, please, calm yourself, Mrs. Ettington. Unfortunately, it was a  very serious incident, and I would have been remiss not to inflict some  penalty upon her for her lack of judgment," he explained smoothly.  "But, I assure you I was very careful to make sure that my punishment  was a perfect fit for her."

Her grandmother stared at him angrily.

"And, I’m sure that Helena herself would tell you that the  experience was not quite as distasteful as you fear it was." His smile  was bland, but his eyes were mocking as he glanced at Helena.

"Yes, really, Grandmother, it really could have been a lot worse  than it was. The detentions actually seemed to fly by. In fact, we were  in and out in no time," she replied, giving a smile back to him.

"Be that as it may, it had better not happen again," she declared.

"I sincerely doubt that it will, Mrs. Ettington. Helena has been a  most enthusiastic pupil of late, eager to learn everything I can  possibly teach her. I swear, the more I pump into her lately, the more  she wants."

"Well-"

"Oh, come now, Constance, you mustn’t monopolize all of the good  Professor’s time!"

It was Dumbledore to the rescue. "Now, you had some other issues you  wished to discuss with me?"

The irate witch reluctantly allowed herself to be pulled away.  "Well, to begin with Albus-"

Helena allowed herself one quick, wicked grin at Snape before  turning away.

To her horror, Herbert Harrison was now approaching them. "I know  you!" he declared.

"I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure of meeting," was Snape’s  bland reply, as he offered him his hand.

"No, but I’ve seen you refereeing Quidditch matches," the older man  replied. "Always make a point of attending at least a few of them  during the year, you know? From the looks of you, you must have been a  player yourself?"

"Ah, yes," replied Snape. "I managed a spot as a Chaser during my  last two years at school."

"Must have been after my time?"

"I believe it was," he agreed. "As a matter of fact-"

His black eyes flickered on Helena’s face for a moment. "Your name  came up during the Staff Meeting last week and Professor Sprout  mentioned that you were an excellent Keeper."

Harrison threw back his head and laughed loudly. "Ah, yes, ah, yes,  can’t deny that," he admitted.

"Yes, and I happened to be going by the trophy case later that night  and saw your name was on no less than three of the Quidditch trophies."

The older man laughed again and tried, unsuccessfully, to look  modest.

"My, my. Three years of glory in a row for Hufflepuff," added Snape,  again glancing at Helena as he shook his head in admiration.

She nodded her head, a look of grudging respect and sudden  understanding in her eyes.

"Yes, we’ve never had a streak like that before or since!" said an  excited voice.

The trio turned to find Professor Sprout elbowing her way through  the crowd to join them. "Come, Bertie, you haven’t even said hello to  me!" she complained.

"Ah, Sproutie, how are you?" he asked enthusiastically. He planted  an arm around the Professors rather ample waist, and to her horror  Helena saw that a moment later it had dropped down to a lower spot. And  that her teacher appeared to be quite happy to have it remain there.

Blushing furiously, Helena turned and moved away from them.

"Leaving so soon, Professor Snape?"

It was Flitwick’s voice. Helena turned to see Severus standing with  his hand on the door.

"Yes, Professor. I have to pick up something from my office. And I  do have plans for the rest of the evening. In fact," he paused  considered the matter thoughtfully, " I’m beginning to think that I may  be up for most of the night."