A Different Kind of Magic--UNDERGOING EDIT

Thanks goes out to my great beta VIVAvivacious for all her hard work! JK Rowling owns it all and makes the $$ on it, I do not. Thank you to my devoted readers for coming back for each update!

Chapter 18 – Engaging Encounters

Sunday morning caught Ava Longbottom rushing toward the Great Hall. She had overslept from the stress of doing double-duty the previous night. An unexpected injury caused her to rise in the middle of the night to attend the infirmary, and this morning, she had yet to check on her charges in the dungeon. If there is a silver lining for being late to breakfast, it’s that I won’t run into that awful Rabastan in the halls.

Just when she thought the coast was clear, with the Great Hall just around the corner, who should appear, but the very loathsome boor she had been hoping to avoid.

Ava tried to get around him, but her way was blocked.

“Going somewhere, miss?” he drawled, pleased at her discomfort.

“Do you mind, Professor Lestrange? I am late for breakfast, and I have duties to attend to this morning. Now, if you don’t mind, I’ll just – ”

He stepped in front of her again when she tried to get around him. “You’re not trying to avoid me, are you, Miss Ava? Because it seems like you are. I might even go so far to think you don’t like me. That’s not true, is it?”

“Quit tormenting me, you brute! Being Deputy Headmaster doesn’t give you the right to harass me! Leave me alone or, or…” she faltered, unwilling to mention Remus.

“Or what, Ava? You’ll tell the Headmistress, or perhaps you’ll run to my friend, the werewolf? Oh, yes, don’t look so naive. I’ve seen the way you lust after him, with those pretty eyes of yours. I’ve also seen the way you look at me. It wasn’t all that long ago, you were sending those special looks my way. What happened, hmm?” He leaned in closed, catching a bit of her hair, making a show of bending to inhale her scent.

She jerked back voluntarily. “That was before I heard about your reputation with women,” she replied, unable to keep the quavering from her voice. “Remus is a gentleman; he’s not after the one thing you obviously have in mind!”

Rabastan frowned then, not enjoying the Defense professor being chosen over him. “You just steer clear of ’im, Miss. Remus is nothing but trouble.”

“Am I, Rabastan? It seems, just last night, you were the one who took the blame for dragging me into town to get pissed,” interrupted a very cool Professor Lupin.

He looked at Rabastan blocking the way to the Great Hall.

“Now, if you don’t mind, Professor Lestrange, I do believe the young lady was trying to get by, when you so rudely blocked her way.”

Rabastan sent him an irritated glare, but he finally stalked away.

“Thanks, Professor, you’re a lifesaver!”

“Think nothing of it. A great brute like Rabastan has little to occupy his Sundays with, but accosting poor damsels and drinking himself stupid. Brawn does not equal brains, my dear.”

She giggled at that and continued on to her breakfast.


--

“Blast it, Albus!” Minerva fretted at the serene portrait of the late Headmaster. “He is so bloody stubborn, and he absolutely refuses to even discuss access to his memories. I threatened him with Azkaban, but it does not faze him in the slightest.”

Dumbledore stroked his painted beard. “What do you think is the right course of action then, Minerva? Surely you won’t send him away. Even I would not do something so drastic.”

“Oh yes you would, Albus, and you have, if I recall. Don’t you patronize me, you old fool.”

Dumbledore chuckled. “No ill intended, Minerva. I just do not believe that end is justified due to a lack of concordance on his part. Perhaps he could be persuaded another way.”

“You mean manipulated.”

“I am not going to mince words with you. You will do what you have to do to get the information you require. If there is no other way, you take it from him.”

They locked gazes. “Very well. As much as it pains me, I agree with you. I’ll summon Harry to come by when he is able to break away from his duties.”

“Isn’t Rabastan a Legilimens?”

“You can’t possibly be serious. Can you imagine the disaster that would be, Rabastan Lestrange, forcing Legilimency on Severus Snape? The scene that would cause would be positively cataclysmic. Out of the question.”

“Yes, I suppose Harry is the wiser choice. Our Severus will still put up a fight.”

“That is to be expected. It is simply for his own good. The git wouldn’t know what is best for him if you hit him with it. He’s going to be a complete scoundrel when we get through with him. I dread the fallout, but what is to be done, is done, I suppose.”

“Good luck, Minerva. You’re going to need it.”


--


The Floo in the dungeon lit up as Remus Lupin came through and dusted himself off.

“Ah, Severus, how are you, my friend?”

A scowling Severus regarded the entrance of the Defense teacher with disdain. “What could possibly give you the idea we were ever friends, Remus?”

“Oh, don’t be such a hard-ass, Severus. Minerva told me she lit a fire under your arse yesterday. Wouldn’t care to talk about it with me, would you?”

“No.”

“You can begin by telling me what it is about her request that rubs you the wrong way.”

“There is nothing to discuss, Professor Lupin. She wants to pry into my private thoughts, and has no respect for my past service to the Order. It is not up for inspection.”

Remus went over to where Snape was reclined a bit in his air chair next to Hermione’s bed.

“Nice ride. Hey hun, long time no see! How’s our star pupil been after all this time?”

Hermione grinned and gave him a weak wave.

“She can’t speak, you simpleton, and Hermione does not want you to speak with her.”

Lupin’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh? How would you know, been reading her mind?”

Snape pulled a face. “Because any intelligent young woman would have enough sense to steer clear of the missing link of Great Britain.”

“We are full of piss today, aren’t we, Severus? I will be the judge of whether Hermione wants to see me or not.” He turned to Hermione. “How are you today?” he asked after shoving Snape’s chair out of the way to sit on the bed.

Hermione’s face glowed as she took his hand and squeezed.

“So, we heard you were stuck suffering one-sided diatribes with Professor Snape. I have a little charm for you, from Professor Flitwick. He said to consider it a late Christmas present,” he winked.

Hermione’s eyes flicked to Lupin’s hand that was stuck in his pocket.

Severus snorted in disgust. “What could that miserable goblin possibly have, that would be of benefit to Miss Granger? If I recall, he’s about as talented as Trelawney, and that’s stretching it a bit.”

Hermione shot an annoyed look at Severus.

“Would you shut your gob for five seconds, Snape? I see you’re still the git we love to hate, but give it a rest!”

“Why, you impudent, filthy, foul-mouthed fiend. Your head is so far up your arse, if you farted, you’d have a concussion. Stay away from me you, flea-ridden mongrel,” Snape growled, busying himself on the other side of the room.

Lupin ignored his outburst, leaning in close to Hermione. “Oh my, you’ve had quite the tussle, haven’t you?” He ran the back of one hand over her brow where the wound was starting to scar over and down her cheek. She closed her eyes, turning into his touch.

“You have no idea how frightened we were, your injuries would render you worse off than what you are. Thank the stars you’re here safe with us back home.”

Her look was one of sadness and gratitude.

“Well then, here you are. It’s called a Sententia Reddo, Latin for Thought Translator.”

“How very original,” came the reply from across the room.

“Can it, Snape!” Remus rolled his eyes and shook his head, before continuing on with his explanation. “Anyway, you simply hold it in your hand, and have the other person place their palm over your own. In this manner, you both concentrate on the stone, and the other person is able to hear what you are thinking. It cannot read your mind like a Legilimens. It only transmits the thoughts you wish the other person to know, just like you were speaking aloud. Shall we give it a try?”

She nodded. Remus placed the small, ordinary-looking blue stone in her palm. He put his hand over the top of the stone, and it lit up with a brilliant hue of aquamarine.

Oh Remus, it’s beautiful! Please thank Professor Flitwick for me!

“Of course, my dear. I will extend your warmest regards.”

Thank you.

“You are very welcome. Now, I want you to rest. I need to speak with Professor Snape.”

Okay. Professor Lupin?

“Yes?”

I missed you. Please come visit me again.

“I will, Hermione. We missed you too. Very much. Now, you rest.” He patted her hand and turned to look for Snape. He had moved over to the fire, where he was studiously ignoring Lupin.

Remus took a seat in an old wingback chair next to him.

“Why are you so opposed to Minerva looking at your memories, Severus? Do you have something to hide?” he inquired softly.

“I told you before, it’s none of your fucking business, Lupin,” he snarled with a low growl.

“You don’t scare me. The great bat of the dungeons… trying to live up to your old reputation isn’t going to put one over on me. I’ve known you for too long, and I know when you are putting up a wall to shut us out. You’re not afraid of anything.”

Yes I am.

“Lupin.” Snape turned an ugly eye to Remus. “I am only going to say this once, and I don’t care if I am confined to a chair. Get. Out. Now. Sod off back to your fucking lair, and leave me alone.”

Remus put up his hands in mock defeat. “All right, all right. You don’t need to tell me twice. I was just trying to save you from grief later on. You don’t know Minerva. These days, she’s simply ruthless. Have fun dealing with her wrath.”

With a final shove that set Snape’s chair spinning in circles, Remus Floo’ed out of the dungeon in a swirl of smoke.

“I’m going to kill that hairy sonofabitch!”