Common Interests by Snapegirl

It was not often that Lena was woken from a sound sleep by someone screaming inside her own head. She nearly slammed face first into the wall when she was jerked from a deep sleep by her aunt screaming loudly. Her body was up and running before he conscious mind even recognized she had gotten out of bed. End result, she almost crashed into the wall of her bedroom. She caught herself in time, putting out a hand and leaning on the wall. Lena had a limited rapport with those of her blood, she could sometimes sense danger or distress with her telepathy. Shaking her head, trying to clear it of sleep, the young librarian took several deep breaths and tried to analyze the terrible nightmare that had woken her.

She had been dreaming peacefully when suddenly she had heard Aunt Irma screaming. A wail of grief and denial, abruptly cut off. Tentatively, she lowered her Occlumency shields, something she rarely did, for in a school the size of Hogwarts, her shields kept the press of so many minds at bay, preventing her from going insane by hearing too many thoughts at once. She sent out a gentle probe, with most of the staff and students asleep, she could risk it. She didn't go far, searching for her aunt's thread of subconscious, which should have been asleep and dreaming.

Only she could not find it. It was gone, absent from the web of thoughts nearby. Panicked, Lena slammed up her shields and stuffed her feet into her slippers. Grabbing her wand, she bolted from her room and raced next door to her aunt's quarters. When her frantic knocking failed to elicit a response, she used magic to unlock the door and go inside.

There was a cheery fire in the grate, and lamps lip, but the room was empty. "Aunt Irma?" she called softly, not wishing to wake the older woman over what could have been a garden variety nightmare.

Lena crept over to the bedroom, discovering it too was empty, in fact the bed was made neatly and looked as if it hadn't been slept in yet. "She's not here!" the young woman muttered to herself. She checked in the bathroom, but Irma was nowhere to be found.

"It's half past twelve. Could she still be awake in the library?" Lena spun about and half-ran out the door, her wand clutched in her hand.

Upon reaching the library and seeing what lay upon the floor and the table, Lena gave a soft cry of distress and sank down next to the still form of Irma Pince. Two fingers probed the older witch's pulse, it was still there. The bloody lump on the back of Irma's head told a grim tale. Clearly she had been attacked from behind. Lena gently turned her over.

Irma's eyes were closed, she was pale and unresponsive.

Lena's heart began racing. Who could have done this and why? Irma had never done anyone harm. Who would have wanted to hurt her? The librarian quickly conjured a stretcher and levitated her aunt upon it. She then prepared to use the fireplace to get to the Hospital Wing. But as she walked past the table, she caught sight of poor Pippin, gruesomely displayed amid shredded books and a puddle of blood and feathers.

It was too much. Her stomach heaving, Lena darted over to the wastepaper bin and threw up. Finally, after five minutes of purging, she managed to bring her queasy stomach back under control. Then she called for the Headmaster and Severus using her talent, not trusting herself to speak at the moment.

Some seven minutes later, Lena had been joined by Dumbledore, Severus, Poppy, and Minerva. Poppy bent over to examine the unconscious Irma with her diagnostic spells while a parchment pale Lena explained how she had discovered her aunt lying face down in a pool of her own blood, and also the poor mutilated owl.

"I just don't understand . . . why would anyone harm my aunt? Or her poor owl?" Lena asked, her eyes bright with fear and shimmering with grief.

Dumbledore had gone to peer at the owl, and found the note. "A warning. Whoever harmed Irma intended the death of her familiar to be a warning to her."

"A warning of what? Not to levy an overdue book fine?" Lena asked, giving a high-pitched little giggle, though there was nothing amusing about the situation.

"I'd say it was much more serious than that," said Dumbledore gravely.

"Forgive me, I'm not myself. Is my aunt going to be all right?" Lena asked then.

Poppy looked up from her ministrations. "I'm afraid that Irma has a very bad concussion, Lena. It has caused her to have an internal bleed upon her brain. I cannot treat her here, I haven't the skill or the staff to monitor her. I must send her to St. Mungos, to the Trauma Unit. They can treat her better there." She looked sorrowfully at Lena. "May I have your permission?"

"Yes, of course." Lena said swiftly.

Poppy Flooed Irma to St. Mungos, disappearing with the stretcher into the fire.

When Lena made to follow, Severus gently laid a hand on her arm. "Lena, please accept my condolences. If you need anything—"

She pulled away from his hold, gulping hard. She looked as if she were about to burst into tears. She firmed her mouth into a stern line, her lips quivering. "Forgive me, Severus. I don't mean to be rude, but if you touch me I shall . . . that is, I might . . . fall apart right here. And I cannot afford to fall apart now. Aunt Irma needs me. But I thank you for your offer and maybe later I'll . . . take you up on it."

"I understand. If you need me, I'll be here." Severus offered.

"Again, thank you. One more thing, please bury Pippin. I can't bear to . . . see him like that. He was Aunt Irma's familiar for almost her whole life." Then she tossed down some Floo Powder and disappeared into the green flames.

Minerva looked over at the remains of the poor owl and whispered, "Albus, whoever did this is obviously . . . insane. We must protect the children."

Albus nodded. "I shall wake Filius and Pomona, and we shall search for the culprit."

"I rather doubt you'll fine whoever did this lingering about the castle," Severus pointed out. "This clearly was a warning against learning something the culprit didn't want us to know." He indicated the shredded volumes. "All of these pertain to some kind of alchemical study. Save for the book on augury. Although that could be a ploy to misdirect us. Obviously someone fears what is contained within the library. We need to set stronger wards about the library, and monitor those who come and go closely. As well as the reading material they borrow. We should also make certain no student is left without adult supervision while studying."

"Speaking of the students, what shall we tell them?" asked Minerva. "If we reveal too much, we could start a panic."

"Hmmm, yes, you're right. We should tell the students that Irma was injured and was rushed to St. Mungos, and the library was vandalized. Might I also suggest that you keep an eye on your students in your House? I would hate to think that any of them were responsible, but we cannot afford to overlook any suspects."

Both House Heads nodded grimly.

Then Severus conjured a shroud and draped it over the poor elf owl. "I shall see to the burial of this poor creature tomorrow." He quickly placed the owl into a small coffin Minerva Transfigured from a paperweight. "Trying to perform any kind of burial tonight is asking for trouble. Perhaps, Headmaster, we should inform Mrs. Norris and Argus about this incident? That way we can have an extra pair of eyes."

"That makes sense, Severus." Dumbledore waved his wand and the library was coured clean of blood and shredded parchment. "Poor Irma! She has been through so much this past year. One can only hope she recovers. Severus, you go and tell Argus what's happened and the other professors. Start trying to look for the one responsible." He eyed Minerva and said, "Minerva, I think we need to strengthen the wards again about the castle. Will you assist me?"

"Of course, Albus." The Gryffindor followed him from the room.

Severus picked up the small coffin and carefully locked and cast several more protective wards about the library. He could not help but think that strengthening the wards around the castle wouldn't do much good if the one who had caused the destruction was inside of it. He returned to his quarters briefly to put the coffin in a safe spot and rouse Skull.

The raven was his eyes and ears and would help search. Once Skull was awake, he sent the raven to speak with the school owls, who were all too eager to help find the owl killer, and the avians mounted a hunt of their own through the castle and the grounds.

Filch and the other House Heads were alerted and began to search quickly but efficiently through the school. Their efforts were fruitless, and turned up nothing, but at least they had tried.

Severus hoped that Irma would recover, it would be a great blow if they lost a member of the Society, there were so few of them. He had a strong suspicion that Quirrell was involved in this game of cat and mouse. If not directly, then he probably knew who was. Severus made a mental note to interrogate the Defense teacher as soon as he had a free moment. As he returned to his quarters for the second time, he recalled that he still had Harry's misbehavior to deal with, and all of this had occurred before five o'clock in the morning.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

Dawn broke and the first rays of the rising sun struck the top of the Astronomy Tower. Severus, despite his lack of sleep, was awake and digging a small grave at the foot of a fir tree close beside a small clearing near Hagrid's. He could have asked the gamekeeper for help, the big man would have been happy to assist him with the task, and been done with it in a few minutes, but the professor felt this was something he had to do alone. The death of Irma's familiar hit close to home, as it was only too easy for Severus to imagine Skull in Pippin's place. Severus felt responsible for the owl's burial, and did not mind giving the bird a proper send off; besides in doing so he was helping Lena, and removing one more burden from her shoulders. After all, that was what friends were for, and Severus counted her among the very few friends he had ever had.

As Severus dug the grave, using a shovel enchanted with a Sharpness Charm, Skullduggery glided overhead, his ebony wings shining iridescently in the sunlight. He was accompanied by several owls from the Owlery, all of whom mourned the loss of their cheery little comrade. Many of the owls were also very angry at the manner of Pippin's death, and vowed vengeance upon the culprit.

Skull could not blame them, and hoped whoever had done the heinous deed was found and thrown in Azkaban, or Kissed, though not before his feathered brothers had pecked out the offender's eyes or worse. He circled lazily, watching his wizard closely. Severus seemed none the worse for wear after his late night, digging the grave with smooth efficiency.

When the hole was wide enough and around five feet deep, Severus knelt and levitated the box down into the earth. He then used a simple Reversal Charm to put the dirt back and fill in the grave. Once the earth had been tamped down, Severus waved his wand and a small headstone popped up. Upon the headstone was inscribed:

Here lies Pippin

Faithful friend and Companion

Of Irma Pince

May he fly forever in

The embrace of the Lord of Winds

Rest in peace

"There! How's that, Skull?" asked Severus.

The raven cawed, "That looks very nice, Sev. Irma would be pleased." He perched upon Severus's shoulder and murmured, "But the owls wish to honor their fallen comrade also." He indicated the twenty or so circling owls of all shapes and sizes. "Step back, Sev. Some of them don't see very well in the daytime."

Severus obeyed as the owls began a slow promenade, each one clutching a stone in their talons. One by one they dropped the stones upon the mound of earth, until the grave was covered with a pile of stones, like a cairn.

Skull bobbed his head and then spoke in a soft sepulcheral tone, "Poor Pippin! He was not ready to cross over and now his spirit lingers, lost and confused."

Severus turned to stare at his familiar. "How do you know that?"

Skull made the feathers on his head stand up like a war bonnet. "I'm a raven, I can sense restless spirits. I can feel Pippin hovering. He is confused and frightened. He needs a guide to the Realm of the Dead."

"Can you do it?"

"No. I am not old enough to make the journey safely. But I can summon another of my kind who can help him move on." Skullduggery told him. He drew in a large breath then gave a mighty caw, that echoed in the air like an alarm.

Severus winced and clutched his ears, and the owls too hooted in annoyance.

"Ah, keep your feathers on!" Skull yelled. He ruffled his feathers warningly and hunched upon Severus' shoulder. "She should be here in a few more moments."

"She?"

"Lorelei, the raven guide." Skull answered, preening.

Sure enough, when Severus squinted a few minutes later, he could see a large raven winging its way towards them.

She paused in her flight to caw something at the owls, and greet Skull, before she settled upon the headstone and vanished.

Severus blinked. "Where did she go? Ravens just don't . . . disappear."

"Those who travel the Road of the Dead do," Skull informed his wizard. "She is speaking to Pippin's shade and convincing him to follow her."

"How long will it take them to journey to the Otherworld?"

"It can take as little as a few hours or as long as two days. It all depends upon the strength of the guide and Pippin's willingness to move on." Skull replied. He flicked his tail.

"Can you see them still?"

"No, they have moved beyond my sight," said the raven regretfully. "But if anyone can help Pippin reach the Otherworld, it's Lorelei. She's an experienced traveler on the Gray Road."

Severus sent the shovel back to the gardening shed and dusted off his palms. "I shall hope he reaches his destination safely." He examined the cairn one last time before striding back to the castle to shower and shave before Harry woke.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

Harry yawned and sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and reaching over to put on his glasses. Once the room came into focus, he slid out of bed and made his way to the bathroom. As he was washing his face and brushing his teeth, he recalled how he had behaved towards Severus the previous night. He immediately felt a rush of shame and fear flow through him. Shame because he had allowed his temper to direct his actions and behaved like a smartass towards his guardian in front of his friends, and fear because now he was in real trouble with his guardian.

Up until now, Harry had been careful to behave, after getting in hot water with Draco, but now his temper had ruined his streak of good behavior. Merlin, but I'm so dead! I'm going to end up walloped from here to Australia. Or locked in my room until the term ends. Now that he looked back, he could see that he had overreacted to Severus' request to lower his voice and be quiet. He had behaved rather like Dudley, and that made him feel guilty and ashamed. He knew he should never have spoken to Severus that way. Now his guardian was probably furious and Harry would suffer for it.

Shivering a little, he finished brushing his teeth and then went to get dressed in his uniform.

He wondered why he had not seen his guardian yet, normally Severus was always awake before him.

Until he heard the door to the apartment open and shut and Severus' footsteps in the den.

Harry quivered, waiting for them to come to his room, but instead he heard them go into the bathroom. He heard the water begin running. He felt himself heave a sigh of relief. He thought about bolting out of Snape's quarters, and so avoiding the lecture he was sure to get, but some vestige of common sense told him that would be a bad idea. It would only make Severus angrier, and perhaps drive the professor to give Harry a scolding in public. Harry couldn't bear if his friends saw him getting his arse reamed out, it would be the ultimate in embarrassment.

He quickly ran a brush through his hair, then bit his lip and walked out of his room, taking a seat upon the couch in the den.

"Hello, bran-boy!" Skull greeted. "Why the long face? Are you mourning Pippin or worried about Madam Pince?"

Harry's brow wrinkled. "Huh? I don't know what you're talking about, Skull. Who's Pippin and why would I be worried about Madam Pince?"

"Pippin was her familiar, an elf owl, a right jolly little chap. But now he's dead, Irma found him killed in a grisly fashion upon the library table."

"That's terrible! Who would want to do such a thing?" Harry cried.

"Someone with a very sick and twisted mind," Skull cawed, shaking his head. "Even worse, Madam Pince was—"

"—so distressed when she saw her familiar lying there dead that she fell and accidentally hit her head," Severus interjected swiftly. He shot Skull a warning look. "Lena has taken her to St. Mungos for treatment and currently we are without our librarians. The Headmaster has instructed all the professors to tell every student that they are not permitted in the library alone, but must always be accompanied by a friend or acquaintance, and a professor must know you are there."

"I hope she's all right," murmured Harry. "Do we need a pass to use the library, then?"

"No, simply inform a professor when you are going there. It is believed that an act of vandalism was committed, as several books were found shredded on the floor."

"Someone destroyed books?" Harry cried, dismay written all over his face. "Why would someone do things like this?"

"I do not know. But I am certain there is some ulterior motive here, even one as obvious as to cause fear and anxiety among the staff and students here at school." Severus said seriously. "Therefore I am insisting you continue to remain with your friends going to and from class and to my quarters. There is safety in numbers, young man, and your safety is paramount." He fixed Harry with a stern gaze. "Am I clear, Mr. Potter? If you refuse to abide by my rules, then I shall be forced to escort you to and from class myself, where you shall hold my hand like a toddler."

Harry blanched. "No, sir! Please, don't do that. I promise I'll do what you say. Anything but that."

"Very well." The professor eyed him up and down. "You and I still need to have a discussion about your behavior last night. However, there is no time now to spare. So I shall postpone it until this evening. Then we shall have plenty of time to discuss what prompted your incorrigible behavior and the consequences of it."

Harry hung his head. "I'm sorry, sir."

"Humph!" he checked his watch. "It's almost seven-thirty. Wait here until I finish shaving, then I shall escort you to breakfast." Severus then turned and headed back into the bathroom, his hair was still wet from his shower. It was a good thing he had heard that conversation before Skull had a chance to tell Harry the true reason why Irma was in St. Mungos. He would have to inform the raven to keep mum, as the Headmaster wished to keep a low profile about the attack.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

At breakfast, all anyone could talk about was Madam Pince's accident and her dead familiar. Rumors were rampant about how it could have occurred, some speculated the bird had panicked and flown into a window, killing itself, for none of the students knew the manner of the bird's death, except that it had distressed Madam Pince so much she had fallen and hit her head.

"Maybe it died of heart failure," Neville mused. "My gran had a canary once that just dropped dead in its water dish one morning."

"That's not what I heard," said Dean Thomas. "I heard Filch tell McGonagall that he was glad he didn't have to scrub the blood out of the carpet and off the wood. So that sounds like the owl was killed or something, how else could it be bleeding that badly?"

"What if it flew and impaled itself on glass?" Hermione speculated.

"That wouldn't be enough to make it bleed that badly. Filch made it sound like there was a big mess." Thomas pointed out.

"What if . . . somebody really did kill the owl?" Ron asked.

"Ron, why would anyone want to kill an owl? They are harmless and innocent." Hermione said.

"There are a lot of crazies that don't like animals. A dark wizard will stop at nothing to experiment on a subject."

"Ron, there are no dark wizards in the castle. The wards prevent them from entering," Hermione said, somewhat superciliously.

"Oh, yeah? Well, there's someone here who gets their jollies killing off our owls and maybe he's not going to stop there."

"Who do you suppose . . .?"

Ron shrugged. "I don't know. Could be anyone, a student, a professor, a stranger."

"A professor?" Hermione sounded as if Ron had insulted her firstborn. "That's impossible! Dumbledore screens all his applicants."

Ron glared at her. "Fine! If you're so smart, you tell me who could have done it."

"Well . . . it might have been a student. He or she might have been trying to make the owl sick and it died by mistake. Or it could have been Filch. He's always roaming the castle in the middle of the night with that creepy cat of his. Mrs. Norris could have attacked the bird and killed it and then Filch would try and cover it up so Mrs. Norris wouldn't get in trouble."

"That's possible," Ron admitted reluctantly. "Who else?"

"Well . . . I think Quirrell's creepy enough to have done it, with all his twitching and stammering and sometimes . . . sometimes I get a strange feeling when he looks at me," Harry offered. He picked at his breakfast, his appetite was decreased because of his nervousness.

"Harry, Quirrell has a nervous disorder," Hermione began.

"I agree with Harry, he's still creepy," Ron said. Then he added, "But even though he makes my skin crawl, I don't know if he'd have the guts to kill anything. He seems like the type who'd faint at the sight of blood."

"It must have been someone who really has a grudge against Madam Pince or the hates books," Hermione speculated while eating her banana. "Poor Madam Pince! It must have been a dreadful shock, to come upon her familiar, and worse, her books, destroyed! I'm not surprised she fainted."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Hermione, only you would think it okay to faint over books being destroyed."

Hermione gave him a glare. "Ron, to a bibliophile, the destruction of a book is like . . . like having a friend die suddenly. It hurts just as much as losing her familiar. Look at all the time she put into restoring the library and obtaining all those volumes. I really hope they catch whoever did it and . . . and break all their fingers and rip all their teeth out by the roots without anesthesia!"

"Whoa! I think she's gone batty!" Ron cried, his eyes bulging with horror at the brown-haired girl.

"No, she's just upset," Harry said. He gave Hermione a commiserating look. He understood what she meant, and the wanton destruction of the books made him angry also. Priceless knowledge was now gone and unless there had been copies, the books could never be replaced. He drank several swallows of his apple juice, and nibbled on a piece of toast.

"See, Harry understands what I mean," Hermione said.

Finally breakfast was over and Harry hurried outside to the greenhouse for Herbology. On the way, Malfoy passed by him and queried, "So, did Snape take the paddle to you for answering him back last night?"

Harry felt himself start to turn red at the other boy's assumption. He was about to tell the Slytherin to mind his own business when Hermione spoke up.

"What are you talking about, Malfoy? Hogwarts doesn't allow teachers to use canes or paddles any more. Not since Dumbledore became Headmaster."

Draco snorted. "Shows how much you know, Granger."

"You're . . . you're putting me on," Hermione insisted, though there was a note of uncertainty in her voice. "Right, Harry? Professor Snape would never use a paddle on you. I'll bet he doesn't even own one."

"No? Next time take a peek in the bottom lefthand drawer of his desk," Draco said, then he hurried down the path.

"Don't listen to him, mate. If the professors were allowed to use paddles on the students, Fred and George would have permanent blisters on their bums and still not be able to sit down for all the trouble they've got into." Ron said. "Malfoy's just trying to scare you, the git."

Your brothers were never in Slytherin, Harry thought in consternation. Or had Uncle Severus for a guardian. He tried to still the butterflies in his stomach, which was threatening to heave up his breakfast. But Uncle Severus promised never to spank me unless I deliberately put my life in danger, Harry reminded himself.

"So, what did he do to you?" Ron whispered.

"Nothing. Yet. See, I fell asleep in my room and this morning, he . . . told me he didn't have time to deal with me, so it'd have to wait till tonight." Harry answered.

"Oh. That really sucks. I hate waiting for punishments. It's always best to get them over with." Ron said sympathetically.

Harry couldn't have agreed more.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

Severus spent the morning brewing several drafts for Madam Pomfrey, Decongestion Elixirs, Pepperup Potion and other drafts to combat the chills, sniffles, and coughs that always accompanied the winter term. He then taught a class of third-years how to make a Clarifying Draught. When he finally had a free period, just before lunch, he fire-called St. Mungos and inquired about Irma. The Healer assigned to her case told Severus that she was still unconscious and in a bad way, though they had stabilized the bleed. But it remained to be seen when she would wake or even if she would wake.

Severus cursed roundly in his head, then withdrew from the fire. "Bloody damn hell!"

"How is she, Sev?" queried Skull, his voice concerned.

"Not good," the Potions Master explained what the Healer had said. "I believe it's time to have another little talk with Quirinius," he said ominously.

Skull chuckled evilly. "Can I come and watch? I do so love a good interrogation scene, where you scare the bastard so bad he fouls himself."

"Skullduggery, you are evil."

"No, Sev. I'm a raven."

"Come, my friend. Let us see what Quirrell has to say about this incident."

Snape led the way from the dungeon, heading up to the Defense office. But it was empty, Quirrell was nowhere in sight. "That's odd. This is his prep period, and usually any Defense professor worth his salt would be grading homework."

"Faa! He's no Defense professor, he's a joke!" sneered Skull.

Just then, they heard footsteps coming down the hall towards the office. Severus cocked his head, then crossed his arms over his chest and waited.

Quirrell limped into the room, dragging his left leg. His turban was askew slightly and he looked even more nervous and twitchy than usual. He jumped like a hare when he caught sight of the Potions Master. "S-Severus! What are you d-doing here?"

"I came to speak with you about the recent incident in the library," Severus replied silkily, his eyes narrowing. "Quirnius, are you injured? You're limping."

"Injured? W-Why n-no . . . not really . . ."

Severus peered down at the other wizard's left foot. "Then why are you limping?"

"I . . . I turned my ankle on the stairs," Quirrell gave him a weak grin. "Silly of me, right?"

"I wasn't aware sprains made you bleed," Severus pointed out icily, having seen the tell-tale splotches of blood upon Quirrell's robes.

"Oh, w-w-well, you see . . . it's nothing, really . . ."

Skull moved then, flying down and twitching aside Quirrell's gray robes to reveal a swollen ankle that sported a deep gash. "Oohh! Looks like a nasty bite!"

"Indeed." Severus was scowling, his obsidian eyes burning with anger. "Where did you get that bite, Quirrell? From a dog? You've been down the third floor corridor, haven't you?"

"I . . . I . . . just went to . . . to make sure all was well and . . . I . . . scared the dog and it . . . bit me. Vicious brute!" Quirrell admitted, quivering.

"You pathetic lump of lard!" hissed Severus, lunging at the other wizard, and picking him up by his collar. "Now, you listen to me good! What do you know about Irma's accident and her owl's death? Tell me, or by God I'll have you wishing the dog ripped out your throat. Where were you last night?"

Quirrell shrank back in his chair. "I . . . I was in my chambers . . . trying to sleep . . . I don't know why you think I . . . w-would ever harm Irma . . ."

"I believe you capable of anything if your life is at stake. What did he promise you, Quirinius? Magic? Power? Courage? What price for you to betray your oath as a teacher?" Severus queried coldly. "Save yourself pain, Quirinius and confess. Otherwise it will go hard with you." He pulled his wand and tapped the other wizard with it on the throat.

Quirrell whimpered. "I know nothing, Severus! Not about Irma or her owl. Please, I know nothing about Irma's owl."

"Stop lying, you pathetic milksop!" Skull ordered, flying down to assist. "Do you know what we do to owl killers, you cringing coward? Vengeance is mine, quoth the raven!" Skull made a terrible hissing growl and flew right in the other's face, his sword-sharp beak pointed directly at Quirrell's eyes. "We peck out their eyes! Fancy being blind, professor? You'd be a real eyesore, now wouldn't you? Ha! Get it? Do you know that eyeballs taste delicious? My uncle always ate them first when we feasted on roadkill. The eyes are the tenderest, juiciest part of carrion." The raven said with relish.

Quirrell cringed against the wall, one hand coming up to cover his eyes. "Please, don't hurt me! Don't let him hurt me!" he pleaded frantically to Severus.

Severus shrugged. "You know, Quirinius, ravens aren't ordinary familiars. If he decides to peck out your eyes because you killed Irma's owl, there's not much I can do to stop him. Why are you so afraid if you have done nothing wrong? You're trembling and twitching as if you have an ague. Are you ill? Or perhaps you merely have a guilty conscience, eh?"

"No! I've done nothing!" yelped Quirrell.

"Answer this then. Why were you down in the third floor corridor? What need could you have of being there at this time?"

"I . . . I was m-making sure that . . . it w-was safe. Checking on things, you know," he gave a weak chuckle.

Severus' eyes narrowed. "Why would you assume the protections needed checking on? Has someone been tampering with them?"

Quirrell gulped hard. "No . . . I . . . d-d-on't believe so! I j-just . . . w-wanted . . ."

"Wanted to what? What did you want, Quirinius? To gloat over how stupid we all were? Did you go to the library last night seeking information? Did Irma discover you there, looking for forbidden knowledge? Is that why you struck her down? To keep her quiet? Is it?" Severus growled, practically spitting on the other wizard in his fury.

Quirrell dissolved into a quivering puddle of goo, unable to face Severus' antipathy and knowing black eyes. For there was a secret he was concealing, a terrible one, and his only defense was to collapse to avoid revealing it. His eyes rolled back in his head and he promptly fainted.

Severus made a sound of extreme disgust, and nudged the professor with the toe of his boot.

"Bloody coward!" Skull sneered. "I didn't even poke out one eye before he passed out cold."

"He is hiding something, Skullduggery. I don't trust him. I'll need you to keep an eye on him, old friend. Watch where he goes, who he talks to. Report back to me any unusual behaviors, especially with his students. There is something . . . sinister about him."

"He's rotten to the core, the gutless shit-for-brains," Skull cawed. "I'll follow and be glad of it."

"Skullduggery, would Pippin's shade know his murderer?" Severus asked, getting a flash of insight.

"Well, that would depend on the manner of his death," the raven mused.

"Could you ask the she-raven if she could find out? It would help a great deal."

"I shall ask when she returns. Sometimes those who have been yanked from life untimely speak of their death as they move to the Otherworld."

"How long will this journey take, do you know?"

"Time runs differently there. I shall wait outside, Sev. This quivering lump of jelly won't be waking anytime soon."

"You do that, Skull. Thank you for your assistance."

"It was nothing, Sev. The killer must be caught and brought to justice."

Severus sighed. "Now I must go and deal with Harry."

Skull looked at him curiously. "What has he done now, Severus?"

Severus told him.

"Ah, well, we once were all insolent brats in our lives. Don't be too hard on him. He's a good lad."

"Except when he's being incorrigible," snorted the wizard. "I'll see you later."

Skullduggery flew away from the comatose Quirrell, whom Severus left propped against the wall of the classroom, soaring up towards the open window of the Owlery.

Severus headed down to his quarters for lunch, he tried as much as possible to avoid eating every meal in the hall. While he ate his tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwich, he pondered on the discussion he would have with his ward later on that evening and what consequences to give the boy for his behavior. Though he knew Harry had been on edge for several days, that did not excuse the disrespect shown his guardian. Severus knew he had to be fair yet firm also. By the time he was done with lunch he had figured out an appropriate punishment.

Then he only had one more class of Double Potions to teach his fourth years before dinner, and afterwards he would take Harry in hand.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

St. Mungo's Hospital:

Lena sat beside her aunt's hospital bed, feeling three quarters numb to one part terrified out of her wits. She wanted to burst into tears like a distraught teenager and at the same time run screaming from the room. She felt unaccountably guilty that someone had attacked Irma, she couldn't help feeling that it should have been her lying in the hospital bed rather than the elderly witch. At least Lena might have had a better chance of coming out of the coma, she was younger, stronger, and healed quicker.

She reached out a hand and clasped Irma's limp one in her own. "Aunt Irma, I'm here. You're not alone. But I really wish . . . you'd wake up. Please? I need you. I'm sorry I didn't hear you sooner." A single tear, all that she would permit herself, flowed down her cheek.

There was no response from the woman in the bed. Irma Pince still breathed, but other than that she might as well have been a wax effigy for all the life she showed. There were Monitoring Charms cast all over her and the bed. The Healers had managed to halt the bleed, but couldn't tell if there was any additional damage to her brain as yet.

They would need to wait twenty-four hours before they could cast a neurological diagnostic again.

In the meantime, Irma was in limbo, and Lena was waiting, waiting like a faithful dog at the grave of her mistress, praying in swift bursts, her fingernails scoring her palms with crescent marks.

Page~*~*~*~*~*~Break

Harry barely choked down his Nutrient Potion and ate a few bites of turkey, gravy, and mashed potatoes before pushing his plate away. He just couldn't eat another bite with the confrontation still to come looming over his head. He darted a quick glance up to the staff table, and saw his guardian talking with Professor McGonagall. The man's face was calm, and Harry hoped that much of the anger from last night had been drained away.

"I . . . I'm going to go and study," he murmured to Ron and Hermione. He stood up and made his way out of the hall before his two friends could comment on his sudden urge to hit the books. He figured if he went down to the dungeons and Severus saw him engaged in something academic, he would be more willing to be lenient. Harry knew how much emphasis the professor put on homework.

He entered Snape's quarters and pulled out his Herbology text. The assignment tonight consisted of drawing the three plants they had studied and listing their properties and uses. Harry went over to Severus' desk and took out a small case, which contained a set of colored pencils. Severus kept a set of them in his drawer to sketch out new types of herbs for his potions ingredients because it was faster than drawing with a quill and ink. Now Harry borrowed them to add some color to his project.

When Severus entered his apartment an hour or so later, he found his ward industriously coloring in the drawings he had made upon the coffee table. The Potions Master watched silently for several moments, not wishing to disturb the boy lest he cause Harry to mess up his assignment. When it appeared that Harry was finished, Severus cleared his throat, announcing his presence.

Harry jumped, scattering pencils all over the floor. Severus had been so quiet that Harry had not heard him come in. "Oh! Hi, Uncle Severus. I was just finishing up my Herbology homework." He flushed and knelt to pick up the pencils, some of which had rolled beneath the table.

"I can see that." The professor's tone was neutral. "If you are finished, we need to have a long talk."

Harry felt his stomach do a flipflop. He slowly gathered up the pencils and set them on the table. Then he sat back down on the couch, placing his assignment down. "Uh, how's Madam Pince? Is she better?"

Severus shook his head. "I'm afraid not. Her condition is still serious. She hasn't woken since it happened, though her vitals are stable now. Lena is with her, waiting to see if she will wake."

Harry's face fell. "But . . . I thought you could fix almost anything with magic."

"I only wish that were so. But the brain is a complex organ and sometimes even magic cannot mend what has gone wrong. Though the surgeons and neuro-Healers at St. Mungos are very good, they will try their best. The rest, as they say, is in the hands of the Creator."

"I really hope she gets well. She's not so bad, once you get to know her and I . . . like having her as my librarian."

"As do I. You may send her a get well package if you wish." Severus cleared his throat and stood with his arms crossed. "Now, let us stop stalling, young man, and discuss your behavior last night. What came over you, that you felt the need to both shout at me and treat me so disrespectfully? Did you think because your friends were there that you would be allowed to test my authority?"

Harry immediately dropped his eyes to the carpet. "No, sir."

"Excuse me? Look at me when I'm talking to you. Repeat what you just said, I could hardly hear you."

Harry's eyes slowly came up to meet Severus' obsidian ones. "I said, no, sir."

"Then why do it? You must have had a reason."

Harry swallowed, his throat was dry. He thought back to how angry he had been the previous night. Now it seemed silly, the way he had acted, like a spoiled little boy. "I . . . it was . . . I was angry . . . not at you, but I was angry at Ron, for treating me like a sodding baby that needed his hand held everywhere I went . . ."

"Mr. Potter, watch your language!" Severus reprimanded automatically.

"Sorry. But it really makes me nuts, being followed around like that. It reminds me of Dudley, he used to follow me everywhere when I was doing chores or whatever, just so he could make me mess up and get into trouble with Aunt Petunia."

"I see. However, I asked Ronald to follow you, because whoever this Fifth Marauder is, it's obvious that he or she bears a grudge both against me and you for choosing me as your guardian. Such a person is not rational and may eventually try and harm you when you least expect it. There is safety in numbers, Harry, as well as witnesses should something untoward occur. That is why I asked Ronald and Draco to shadow you. I was not aware you had issues with it, as it's for your own good."

"I can't help it!" Harry said defensively.

"That is something we ought to work on, since I cannot be beside you every minute. Perhaps Skull would be more inconspicuous and cause less embarrassment?"

"Yes. Skull would be okay."

Too late Severus recalled he had already asked the raven to spy upon Quirrell. Scowling at himself for the oversight, the professor decided he would speak to the raven later and see if he could observe Harry during school and Quirrell at night, which seemed the most likely time for the Defense teacher to commit crimes.

He continued, fixing Harry with a stern look. "However, that still does not excuse your childish attitude towards me. You showed a total disregard for me as both a teacher and guardian, not to mention being noisy enough to disrupt my own research. How do you think that made me feel?"

"Angry and annoyed." Harry said in a small voice.

"How would you feel if I treated you that way?"

"I'd be angry and annoyed too. But I didn't mean to slam the door . . . well, not really . . . and it wasn't really you I was mad at either."

"Nevertheless, you let your temper dictate your actions, which is never a good thing. When you are angry, you say things you might regret later, hurt people without meaning to. Do things you know you shouldn't. As you did last night."

"I know, sir. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to talk back like that." He ducked his head again, feeling terribly guilty and ashamed. "Are you going to . . . paddle me?"

Severus' eyebrow shot up. "No. Why would you think so?"

"Draco said you might."

"Draco is not your guardian, nor does he dictate discipline to me. What did I tell you would earn you a spanking from me?"

"If I . . . deliberately put myself in danger."

"Yes. Disrespect, while something I do not tolerate, is not life-threatening. Therefore, your backside is safe from my hand. However, since it seems you feel uncomfortable around your friends during your study time, I shall restrict them from my quarters for two days, which will give you time to learn to control your temper and also appreciate the beauty of silence. Furthermore, you will go to bed by nine, as rest will also sweeten your temper and curb your impatience with my rules. You shall also forgo dessert for the next two days, as too much sugar tends to make you hyper and less inclined to sit and study. Last but not least, you shall spend Saturday scrubbing out the fireplace here, in the library, and in Madam Pince's chambers. While you scrub you can meditate on the value of holding your tongue and treating others as you would like to be treated."

Harry groaned. No friends, no dessert, early bedtime, and chores. It was very like being grounded, though Severus didn't use that term. Harry had never been grounded before, only locked up in his cupboard, and he knew he would hate it, matter of fact he already did. But he couldn't really protest, as he deserved it. "Yes, sir. Next time I'll try and control myself better."

"See that you do, or else you shall get double the punishment next time." Severus warned. "Have you completed all of your assignments for tomorrow?"

"No, just Herbology."

"Finish what you have due, then get ready for bed. You might as well start getting used to going to sleep early." Then Severus removed his robes and hung them upon a hook on the wall. He carefully unbuttoned his coat and hung it next to them, rolled up his shirt sleeves, and put on his slippers. He made himself some Black Diamond coffee and settled down in his recliner to await Skull's return. He had expected the raven to be back before this, but perhaps the bird had gone hunting.

He sipped his coffee and read from a potions periodical while Harry completed his homework. There was an odd feeling of relief in his chest at having settled the matter of his ward's disrespect. He just hoped Harry had learned his lesson and he didn't need to repeat it anytime soon.

Harry found that not being with his friends studying was rather boring. Time seemed to creep by, but at last he had finished all of his homework and went to get ready for bed. He felt a little tired, but also relieved that he had survived Severus' wrath.

He quickly scrubbed his face, brushed his teeth, and pulled on his pajamas. On the way to his room, he called out, "Good night, Uncle Severus."

Severus lifted his gaze from his magazine. "Good night, Harry."

Harry crawled into bed, the sheets were chilly, and he used his wand to perform a basic warming Charm on them so he didn't spend seven minutes shivering under the covers. Once he was toasty, he snuggled down beneath the duvet, placed his glasses on the nightstand, and fell asleep in moments.

In the den, Severus finished his cup of coffee and made another one, before hearing a familiar rapping upon his chamber door. He gestured and the door swung open to admit Skullduggery.

"What have you discovered?" he asked once the door was shut and his wards were activated.

Skull flew over and perched upon the chair arm. "I asked Lorelei if Pippin had revealed anything about his attacker, but she said all he kept saying was a burning red light hit him, and then he found himself in the Beyond."

"He never saw who killed him?"

"I'm afraid not. He was perched upon the table, eating a mouse he had caught running across the floor, so his back was to the door. He never expected to be attacked or murdered."

"No more than Irma did. Whoever did this planned it carefully."

"Do you think it was Quirrell?"

"It's possible, though I am beginning to doubt it. Quirinius is a coward at heart, if he were responsible he would have spilled his guts to me earlier. But he is hiding something, perhaps he knows the identity of the attacker. He must be watched."

"Have no fear. I'm on it." Skull reassured his wizard.

"Could you also manage to keep an eye on Harry during the day?" Severus requested. He informed the raven about Harry's dislike of people following him, as well as the punishment meted out for his misbehavior. "Do you think that was an appropriate punishment, Skull?"

"It was harsh, yet fair." The raven said. "My mother used to peck me on the head when I was insolent with her."

Severus' mouth twitched into a crooked smile. "I'm surprised you don't have several holes in your head by now."

"Very funny, Sev. Don't quit your day job, professor." Then the raven walked up to Snape's shoulder and began to groom his wizard's long silky hair.

The motion was very soothing, and Severus began to doze, the warmth of the fire and the coffee serving to lull him into Morpheus' realm.

Until he was woken by a very loud scream.

He jerked awake instantly, his wand flying into his hand. The scream had come from Harry's room.

A moment later he was on his feet and headed across the den.