Standing Against the Tides

Last time I looked at my driver’s license, it did not say J. K. Rowling. Yep, it’s just me, an unpaid and unknown aspiring writer. The characters of the Potterverse do not belong to me and I am making no money from this endeavor.

A/N: Spoilers through OotP. As I am still in denial, I refuse to acknowledge the events of HBP or DH at this point.

Unbeta’d as BabyGurl is busy with her own life.





Chapter 26 An Interlude

Remus returned to the kitchen at Grimmauld Place and took a seat at the large scrubbed wood table. The werewolf couldn’t help but shake his head and smile as he poured himself a cuppa. The witches had truly outdone themselves with their spell work. After he took a sip of the warm liquid he looked over to the dark Auror who was seated across from him.

“Well, I tried every incantation I know, but I can’t undo the spells Miss Granger wove into the wards.” Remus wryly acknowledged. “I did find out something interesting though.”

Kingsley waited patiently for the other man to continue. He knew that Remus had taken great care in inspecting the wards and that the man would take equal care in revealing what he had learned.

Fighting back a chuckle, Remus continued as he reached for the plate of biscuits, “When someone other than Albus enters the cell, the spell is temporarily disabled.”

The bald Auror chuckled before responding in his rich baritone, “Well then, that may just give us some leverage over the old man.”

Remus bit into his biscuit while he eyed his companion. “Are you sure you weren’t a Slytherin?”

“Basic Auror training,” Kingsley answered simply before sipping his own tea.


Hermione took advantage of their time at Grimmauld Place by scouring the library for any useful books in their fight against Voldemort. Ron had grudgingly agreed to help her, although he was getting tired of being bitten by the worm-ridden things. It hadn’t taken the young Weasley male long to realize why the library was largely intact. Who would want to brave the rabid things long enough to even borrow them?

Casting a glance towards the empty doorway, Ron decided that it was time to investigate more than these old bewitched books. “Hermione,” the young redhead said as he slipped up behind his girlfriend. “I am sure Harry will let you borrow a couple of books if you ask, but I think there is something else you need to be doing right now.”

Whirling around, Hermione raised her eyebrow in a perfect imitation of the formidable Potions master. Smiling at the reaction her expression had invoked, the brown-haired girl waited for her boyfriend to speak. She already had an idea of what Ron had in mind; she just wanted to hear him say it.

Waggling his own eyebrows suggestively, Ron reached out a hand to stroke his girlfriend’s soft cheek. Seeing no resistance, he boldly leaned forward to kiss the bright witch. As he felt Hermione melt into the embrace, he congratulated himself for distracting the young woman from her books.

As she eagerly returned the kiss, Hermione was glad that her rather obtuse boyfriend had finally made his move. The truth was that she had earlier secured Harry’s permission to borrow some books and had already picked those out. In addition, Remus had offered his help in neutralizing the spells protecting the ancient tomes. The young bookworm had hoped that by leading Ron into an empty room away from the others that the young man would take the hint and assert himself. As his hands roamed over her body, the witch acknowledged slyly that while Ron may be a bit slow to pick up on her clues, he certainly made up for that once he got going.


Minerva used this bit of free time to torment, er, observe her former employer. Said man was pacing agitatedly around the small cell, trying to drown out the incessant sounds emanating from all around him. The witch had transfigured an old tin cup into a comfortable chair just outside of the room for herself and she sat sipping a hot cup of tea while she watched the entertainment before her.

“Really, Albus,” the witch reprimanded the unrepentant old wizard. “One would think you didn’t like children the way you are carrying on about the programming Miss Granger so thoughtfully provided for you.”

A strangled cry was the only answer the witch received as the frustrated prisoner returned to his pacing. Oh, if only he had thought to torment Voldemort like this, the former Leader of the Light morosely considered as the annoying pictures and sounds continued on in a never-ending loop.


Harry followed Severus back down a remote corner of the sub-basement where the Potions master had previously set up a makeshift potions lab. Severus had long ago decided that if he were to be occasionally forced to stay in this depressing mansion, then he might as well make profitable use of that time. As any true Potions master, the man had a nearly unquenchable thirst for experimentation and brewing. All that aside, brewing potions simply relaxed him.

The younger man watched silently as the Potions master gracefully moved around the room, cataloguing the inventory and making note of which ingredients he would need to replace. Severus was meticulous in the care and upkeep of his lab, equipment and ingredients. As he jotted down the names of ingredients that he was either nearly out of or that had passed their prime, the Potions master wondered yet again how to get across to his classes the importance of paying attention to these details.

Finally satisfied that he had done as much as he could here, Severus turned to see his new employer watching him from his seat near the door. Raising an eyebrow, the older wizard silently signaled that he was willing to listen now.

Understanding the gesture for what it was, Harry took a deep breath and spoke. “Professor, I have been wondering,” he broke off, not really knowing how to continue.

Sighing, the Potions master interjected, “Severus.” Upon seeing the confused look on the younger man’s face, he explained. “While in private, you may call me Severus. Given our recent activities together, it would appear that some informality between us is in order.”

Once Harry had translated the ‘Severus-speak’ he smiled. “Thanks, Pro-Severus,” he shyly said. Gathering up his courage again, Harry continued, “Fawkes and Hogwarts seem to agree with my suspicions that Professor Dumbledore was changed when he fought and defeated Grindelwald. Is that what will happen to me too? Will I become a monster? Will I turn around and hurt those who trust me? Will I let you all down?” Concerned green eyes glistened while he waited for the older wizard to think on this.

Severus was taken aback by this insight. Was it true that in order to defeat evil, good must necessarily be tainted? Pinching the bridge of his nose tiredly, Severus decided that the matter deserved more thought and consideration than they could give it at the moment. “Harry,” he said softly as he went over to the distraught young man, “I promise you that we will research the matter and then do all that we can to avoid a repeat. But until then, I want you to try to forget about it for now.”

Bright green eyes met serious black ones as the young Headmaster slowly nodded. “I promise, Severus. I trust you.”

As his hand held firmly on the thin man’s shoulder, Severus realized that he had never before felt such honest trust directed his way before. And as the knowledge sank in, the Potions master decided that he liked the feeling. He liked the feeling very much.