Snape's Match

The next day was not encouraging for Snape. Despite Dumbledore’s attempts to keep it quiet, the news of Lia’s attack had reached every corner of the Castle by the end of breakfast. Many of the students were not as trusting of him as Dumbledore, and he could tell they believed he’d done it. Someone, (probably the Potter boy, he thought irritably), had even managed to gain access to the hospital wing and reported back that Lia was weak but awake, and that her back was covered in bandages. Sns has hands twisted guiltily as he heard two Ravenclaw pupils discuss it in the back of his second class.


He should have been there to sooth Lia’s worries… Snape’s breath caught as he thought of something else. What if she didn’t want to see him? He’d certainly treated her badly enough last night for her to want to go to Dumbledore and get him fired, much less talk to him. Snape sat and worried, unaware that he was being discussed out in the Herbology greenhouses.


“It was him. ‘Course it was him! Who else?”


“Shut up, Ron,” snapped Hermione. “What on earth makes you think it was him?”


Ron rolled his eyes expressively at Harry, who was staying out of the argument.


“Let us think, Hermione,” Ron began. “Remember how we heard Dumbledore saying this Improbable Curse or whatever –“


“Improbus Curse, Ron,” interrupted Hermione.


“Right, right, well he said Death Eaters use it!”


Ron paused for Hermione to agree with him. Hermione uttered an impatient noise.


“Not enough for you? Fine. What about his little demonstration yesterday about how much he hates her? Did you see how he looked at dinner? Murderous, that’s what I’d call it.”


Hermione fixed Ron with a glare. “Come on Ron, think about what you’re saying!”


“I am!” he yelled.


“Mr. Weasley! Miss Granger! Please keep it down.” Professor Sprout had heard them.


“Sorry Professor!” apologized Hermione hastily. “Look Ron, we’ve been through this a million times – Snape’s not a Death Eater anymore! And besides, she was in the corridor, not his office when she was attacked.”


“Maybe,” said Ron doubtfully, “but he was the one who found her. What does that say to you?”


Hermione looked worried. “I’m sure it doesn’t mean anything. I mean, Dumbledore would have said something, or done something…”


Ron snorted. Obviously his belief in Dumbledore’s infallibility was not as extensive as Hermione’s.


“And anyway –“


“Look, shut up about it, ok? Both of you?” Harry had at last entered the conversation. Ron and Hermione looked at him in surprise.


“When I was at the hospital wing, Lia looked alright. I’m sure she’s not going to be attacked again – she was probably in the wrong place at the wrong time. And no,” Harry shot a repressive look at Ron, “I don’t think Snape did it. Hermione’s right, he wout dat dare.”


“Of course!” said Hermione excitedly, “Did Lia say who did it while you were there? Did you ask her?”


“Well, no, I had barely any time to speak to her, Madam Pomfrey was on her way back,” replied Harry, “but we’ll get to ask her soon, I bet she’ll be out tonight.”


“Yeah, hope so,” agreed Ron. “Ow!”


“Oh Ron, for Merlin’s sake,” sighed Hermione as she slapped away a fanged plant frond from his shoulder.

A/N: I know this is rather short, but think of it as a bridge chapter instead of evidence of my inadequacy as a writer ;-)