Potions and Snitches
Snape and Harry Gen Fanfiction Archive

Chapter 40 The Ball

The following Saturday, the castle received a caravan of carriages pulled by Thestrals right up to the Grand Portal. Dusk was setting in after a warm, radiant day that had left a prickling feeling of sun-burn on the pupils’ skins, who had spent their day on the lawns around Hogwarts, but who had now changed into their finest dress robes. The number of people who poured into Hogwarts, consisting of selected employees at the Ministry and members of the School Board, were almost as great as the number of expectant students waiting in the Entrance Hall. 

As a special treat from Kingsley, the former members of the Order of the Phoenix had been invited. This meant that Mr and Mrs Weasley were coming, along with Bill and Fleur while Charlie had had to decline the invitation. Elphias Doge, Dedalus Diggle, Emmeline Vance and Hestia Jones rode together in one of the first carriages to arrive. They shyly greeted Headmaster Snape and Professor McGonagall who were standing by the portal receiving the guests, before stepping right up to Harry Potter, surrounding him with timid exclamations and questions.

Harry had not seen them for a considerable amount of time, but he still felt an almost painful tenderness towards them. They were part of that half of the Order of the Phoenix who had little battle experience, but who had still risked their lives on many occasions and played important roles in the fight against Voldemort. To Harry’s knowledge, several of them had been personal friends of Dumbledore’s. He took upon himself to show them around as the Entrance Hall continued to fill up with people. He brought them upstairs to show them a painting in the corridor outside the teachers’ offices where Dumbledore was portrayed among several other wizards, slumbering just like in the portrait in the headmaster’s office. They lingered in front of the old wizard with longing gazes.

“He’s mostly asleep... He’s not supposed to influence...” They knew.

They came back to the Entrance Hall at the opposite end through another passage. Harry encountered Mr and Mrs Weasley and greeted them with warmth. He left the members of the Order with the couple, only to join Ginny and Hermione who stood a little bit on the side in beautiful dress robes. Just as he was about to offer each of them an arm to walk them over to the staircase and meet up with Ron who was coming down, a flash from the side made him recoil.

“Harry Potter! Look this way Harry Potter!” Another flash. In an instant, Harry had drawn his wand and Disapparated on the spot, reappearing by Mrs Steadfast’s side, who was positioned near the portal. He gave her a fright and nearly received a curse right in his stomach when he turned up so close to her that he touched her shoulder. He did not want to be seen and hid behind her.

“Merlin’s beard, Harry! How do you do those Apparitions, despite the high amount of magical magma? It’s rude of you to come so close up. I could’ve stunned you so badly you wouldn’t be able to take a dancing step all evening. What’s the matter?” Harry drew a Muffliato spell around them before he started to speak to her furiously.

“There are journalists in here! Photographers!”

“Why, yes, Harry. This is part of Kingsley’s campaign for Severus Snape coming into favour again. There’s no stopping him,” said Mrs Steadfast drily.

They stood right behind Snape who had noticed that something was going on, and turned around. When he spotted Harry red in the face and gesticulating wildly, he approached them.  Snape glared with exhortation at Harry who reluctantly included him in the Muffliato zone and drew up a disillusionment shield around them as well.

“What’s that for? I must stay visible,” said Snape with irritation.

“Journalists! How can you allow reporters inside Hogwarts?” barked Harry. “They throw themselves at me, flashing their stupid cameras to catch me... With everything the Daily Prophet has written about you and me, how can you?” Snape lifted a hand to his forehead and turned with a dark look at Mrs Steadfast.

“You haven’t prepared Potter for this? You’ve been at me for hours to make sure that I won’t murder the creepy scum, but you haven’t warned off the journalists’ alternate favourite target?”

Mrs Steadfast looked confused.

“But Harry... you seemed to bear everything so calmly this winter. You were reasonable. I didn’t think this would be a problem. You’re used to it,” she said.

“Not having them close up my nose, I’m not! Not here, inside Hogwarts! This is my home, for Heaven’s sake! I hate them! I still don’t understand. How could you go along with this? After what they’ve done to you? If you tell me that Rita Skeeter is coming, I will... I will...” Harry was so upset he could barely find his words. “...I’ll Apparate... not to Paris... but far enough...” he stuttered with fury.

Snape made a grimace and a reluctant sympathising gesture.

“Rita Skeeter isn’t coming. I’ve spoken to her personally,” Mrs Steadfast replied. “There was no way Professor Snape would have allowed it. I’m so sorry, Harry. I should have prepared you. It’s all according to Kingsley’s wishes. This is supposed to be a great social event and show the unison of different parts, picture the reconciliation of....of... whatever he said to convince me...”

“This,” said Harry grimly, “is supposed to be a School Ball for the students who leave Hogwarts after seven years, and who want to have happy memories from their time here.” Snape and Mrs Steadfast exchanged a look.

“I agree with you, Harry. Kingsley has crossed a line, he’s overdoing it. He’s blinded by his higher aims and has forgotten the individuals. But still, it’s for a good cause. You, too, want Professor Snape to be cleared at the trial, don’t you?”

“He won’t fail his trial because the Daily Prophet doesn’t have twenty pictures of him dancing, will he?” spat Harry. “You’re incredible, both of you. Why don’t you stop Kingsley when he goes too far? Why don’t you tell him this is madness? This is a private party and not an official reception. The people from the Ministry may be official persons used to having the media around, but the students are not. You must stand up to Kingsley. You’re in positions to do that.”

“He is the Minister of Magic, Mr Potter,” Snape objected haughtily.

“Have you never stood up to an authority face to face, either of you? Have you never had the guts to protest against anyone in higher rank?” Harry hissed at them. Snape and Mrs Steadfast stared at him speechless. “You’re too used to it, going along and pretending...” Harry turned accusingly to Snape. “There is a time for being clever, calculating and dissembling... Or Occluding to people... But sometimes you just have to tell people to their faces! Ministries of Magic might be wrong, you know. We’ve had some before who have been! Dumbledore stood up to them! You must do what is right even if it means contradicting someone important. You tried to oppose judge Tempatino when he was going too far interrogating me. At least you tried,” Harry finished a bit milder than he had begun.

Snape collected his wits to retort, slowly.

“I’m tied up. I owe Kingsley too much. If he hadn’t supported me, I would’ve spent the entire year in Azkaban. To question him at the moment would...”

Harry interrupted him.

“All right, I’ll help you,” he said impatiently. “You tell Kingsley that that wilful, insolent boy Harry Potter is making difficulties about the journalists. That’s your opinion about me anyway so it won’t be so difficult to say, will it?”

Snape started to flare up, but Harry went on.

“You tell him that if he wants the Boy-who-lived to make an appearance at the ball – which I’m sure he’s keen I do - because I kind of count as an inventory here at Hogwarts  - and it almost being the anniversary of my killing Voldemort and everything – so, if he wants me to stay, Kingsley must tell the journalists that they have fifteen minutes left to take their shots. When the doors to the Great Hall open, they’re no longer welcome. They can go back to Hogsmeade and interview people when the ball is over. They’ll probably have a better time at the Three Broomsticks than we will have with all these ministry people... If Kingsley complies with that, I’ll agree to stick around and allow one single photographing session. Otherwise... otherwise, I’ll just disappear from here and not participate at all.” Harry held Snape’s gaze steadily.

Snape’s eyes shifted to Mrs Steadfast who nodded at him. Without a word and without another glance at Harry, Snape strode out of the disillusionment charm and appeared at Kingsley’s side next to Professor McGonagall. He bent over to whisper in the minister’s ear. Meanwhile, Harry turned to Mrs Steadfast.

“I take it that you have searched every witch and wizard for beetles?”

“What?” said Mrs Steadfast. “Why?”

“You do know, don’t you, that Rita Skeeter is an Animagus and has used the illicit tactics before to hide as a beetle in people’s hair or pockets to gather information and listen in on private conversations?” Harry looked at Mrs Steadfast with narrowed eyes.

“Harry, how do you know this?” she said faintly.

“She’s officially listed as an Animagus since this autumn. She wasn’t registered four years ago when the Triwizard Tournament took place and she wrote a lot of skrewt-slime articles about me. Don’t you check that list of Animaguses from time to time? She turned herself in and got away with it because everyone was so busy cleaning up after Voldemort that they didn’t have time to care about an illicit Animagus.”

“I’ve warned her of coming here,” stated Mrs Steadfast. She was thinking hard. “Good of you not to mention it in front of Severus at any rate. Now, what’s that in Kingsley’s hair?” Mrs Steadfast peered intensely.

“You have a look. I must go and fetch something before I surrender myself to the photographers,” said Harry. “I bet Rita Skeeter is here, somewhere. Ask Hermione if you have trouble finding her - she has caught her once before. And if you catch her, promise me to keep her in a very small box for the rest of her life!” Harry cut a slit in the magma and Apparated on the landing to the Gryffindor tower.

When he came back down the stairs, Harry was wearing his invisibility cloak, in order to avoid getting assaulted by the photographers. Kingsley had gathered the journalists around himself and announced the restrictions, all according to Harry’s conditions. A loud, discontented buzz followed, but Kingsley stifled the protests effectively. He had to be given credit for being so quick to grasp the situation, because he spoke very artfully, arguing the privacy of the students, which he only a short moment ago had disregarded completely.

Harry watched Kingsley perform the volte-face with serene calm and self-possession as he steeled himself against what was to come. He weaved his way, invisible, through the crowd, startling a few people on the way. He ended up behind Kingsley where he took off his coat and put on his glasses, before stepping up at Kingsley’s side.

“Therefore, ladies and gentlemen, I ask you to round up your interviews and take your last pictures before we part with each other.” Kingsley turned to the now clearly visible hero of the wizard world. ”There you are, my dear Mr Potter, I haven’t had the opportunity to greet you, yet.”

“Welcome to Hogwarts, Minister.”

Kingsley and Harry shook hands under a squall of flashes. After a short time, Kingsley backed away and Harry found himself shoved together with Snape. Apparently, this was what the photographers wanted, because the clicking and flashing doubled in intensity.

“Professor Snape, Mr Potter, will you look at each other, will you shake hands, please?”

Snape and Harry answered, in unison, a short: “No!”

 The reporters laughed at the well-synchronised retort. Harry smiled within: at least you could count on some of Snape’s boundaries.

“This is what you’ll get,” added Snape calmly to the journalists. “Please, help yourselves.”

Snape and Harry faced their former tormentors with inscrutable countenances, taking turns to answer or repel the questions. Had they rehearsed the entire day, they could not have put up a smoother performance. At last, the journalists were escorted out of the hall by a couple of Mrs Steadfast’s Aurors. Snape and Harry turned their backs to each other and joined different companies. Harry removed his glasses and the doors to the Great Hall opened.

***

Harry was standing at Ron’s side, looking out over the dancing crowd. He had danced several times with Ginny and once with Luna, and was having a rest to catch his breath. It was so crowded that he had been doing gliding and floating spells when he lead Ginny out, in order to be able to dance in a tolerably enjoyable way without getting trampled upon. Prior to the dancing, they had endured an eternal dinner - palatable, but interrupted by incessant speeches, the one more boring than the other.

Every single employee of importance at the Ministry seemed to believe they had the obligation to give their view on the Voldemort era and to comment on the battle that had taken place on the very ground where the banquet was now held. After three hours, most students were jumping on their chairs of impatience to get the dancing started. They did after all have dinner in the Great Hall every evening of the term and did not enjoy the prolonged session as much as the adults who savoured the beauty of the hall more seldom seemed to do.

At last Snape had risen to reply to all the speeches which had addressed the headmaster in a more or less direct fashion, since he was the host of the evening. Snape’s speech had been brief and to the point and, to everybody’s relief, it had ended with the command to let the dance begin. The students had been more than willing to help out with clearing the hall of the banquet, and once the longed-for dancing begun it was with so much more enthusiasm, even if it was old-fashioned dancing and not club dancing.

Snape was a much sought-after dancing-partner among the guests. Harry remembered the Yule Ball in fourth year at Hogwarts on which occasion he could not recall having seen Snape dance a single step, but then Snape had only been a simple, bad-tempered teacher who begrudged everybody else a little merriment. Now, on the contrary, the headmaster had no rest.

Although Snape carried himself a bit stiffly, it seemed to Harry that the wizard appeared to know how to dance. Snape was clad in black as usual, but the dress robe was elegant and had elements of velvet that softened his sharp features somewhat. He bestowed his partners all his polite attention and was rather skilful at guiding them free from pushes and shocks, but he never seemed to laugh and rarely smiled. Snape had opened the ball dancing with Kingsley’s wife, a beautiful, slender-limbed and gracious witch. Mrs Spingelfitz and a succession of female heads of the departments and offices at the Ministry followed, except Mrs Steadfast who was working, guarding the doors to the Entrance Hall.

Mrs Streadfast had caught Harry’s attention during the banquet and shaken a box in the air over her head with a content smile on her face. Harry deduced that she must have managed to catch Rita Skeeter in her Animagus form. Now, as the ball approached its climax, Mrs Steadfast seemed on the contrary to become gloomier. Snape danced for the second time with a tall, fair witch with eccentric appearance and alluring movements. They seemed to know each other from before. Mr Weasely, who stopped by Ron and Harry, made a comment about the couple.

“That’s Mme Womberry at the Obliviator Headquarters. She and Severus might have been the same year at Hogwarts, but she’s Ravenclaw if I’m not mistaken. An intelligent and capable woman, although eccentric. Unmarried, you know, despite her beauty. Whatever that stands for... She’s got a reputation of taking what she wants and is not used to meet with resistance. Spiteful tongues say that... But it’s probably just jealousy. Her reputation of having rows of young men courting her is undoubtedly exaggerated…” Arthur Weasley’s face flushed.

Harry looked at the dancing couple with curiosity, but was approached by and invited to dance with Mrs Spingelfitz whom he led out, slightly nervous. He was a nimble and flexible dancer, though, not afraid to use a little magic to smooth things up and he did not need to worry. Mrs Spingelfitz gave him high praise and engaged him in conversation. In passing, he noticed that Ginny was dancing with Dean Thomas and that Narcissa Malfoy had laid hands on Snape with a triumphant expression on her face and a loathing gaze at Mme Womberry.

Harry realised, as he let go of Mrs Spingelfitz, that he was nearly as coveted as Snape among the mature ladies and that they did not hesitate to proclaim him for a dance. He was passed from one important lady to the other for several rounds and started to feel desperate to find someone his own age to dance with for a change when he decided that if he was going to get some rest he would have to take things in hands and do something drastic to escape the attention. He rose discreetly in the air, cut a slit in the magma and disappeared right under the nose of Mme Womberry who had set her eyes on him. He landed near Mrs Steadfast who frowned ill-natured at him.

“Stop making those Apparating dodges, Mr Potter. I told you, it’s rude to Apparate indoors and it shouldn’t be possible anyway – this is after all a NAZ. I hope no one else mimics you, or it’ll be impossible to keep track of people.”

“Things are going well, aren’t they?” said Harry in a light tone.

Mrs Steadfast muttered something in reply as she watched Healer Schufflert dance with Snape. The elegant black-haired witch matched Snape well. The floor was slightly less crowded and Snape seemed to enjoy swinging around more vigorously. When they stopped, Mrs Schufflert was flushed and a little breathless as she thanked Snape who bowed to her, impassive as usual.

“Did you really catch Rita Skeeter?” Harry asked Mrs Steadfast who reluctantly told him that she had had one of her Aurors discretely search the pockets of all the reporters who left the castle and that it had resulted in the capture of a beetle.

“So she had an accomplice,” said Harry. “What will happen to her?”

“I’ll interrogate her tomorrow. I’ll have a word with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to see if we can charge her with something. But she needed to go to St Mungo’s first, because her hind legs seemed squashed. Her accomplice had forgotten she was in his pocket and accidentally crushed her. You could say that we saved her...” But not even the successful capture of the journalist seemed to cheer Mrs Steadfast up.

“Oh, there’s Hermione,” Harry muttered partly to himself and left the sullen Mrs Steadfast. Hermione had been dancing with David Burbage and they were waiting for Ron to come back with drinks. Harry wondered where Ginny had disappeared to, but his friends did not know so he asked Hermione to dance with him instead.

“If you don’t mind, Ron? It’d be nice to have a partner who’s not going to ask me what I’m going to do when I grow up, if you know what I mean.”

Ron grinned and gestured magnanimously for them to go ahead, and Harry and Hermione set out on the floor.

“What are you going to do in the future, my young friend?” Hermione teased Harry. He smiled tenderly at her and led her around in large circles, flying through the hall. As the piece of music stopped and they halted their dance, Harry turned to make his excuses to the person he had just brushed against and found that it was Professor McGonagall who had been dancing with Snape.

“Oh, Harry, you must allow me a dance with you,” said Professor McGonagall, a little flushed on her cheeks.

“With pleasure, Professor!” Harry turned to her.

“I’ll take the opportunity to dance with my lawyer then, if she consents,” said Snape and offered Hermione his arm. She blushed deeply, glanced at Harry and acquiesced. They set out as the music started anew.

“What a pleasant evening!” Professor McGonagall exclaimed animatedly. “You do lead well, Harry. Subtle but firm, just like Professor Snape. He surprised me with his dancing qualities. For eighteen years he’s been working here, and I’ve never seen him dance until tonight! And yet he behaves like he’s never done anything but. What do you say about that? Now, you do gliding elements as well! Very pleasant, Mr Potter, very elegant!”

Harry and Hermione reunited by Ron and David when the dance ended.

“Ginny’s upstairs in the Transfiguration classroom,” said Ron. ”Neville just told us. They’re transforming it into a club. Seamus Finnigan has managed a really good sound transmission spell and Ginny has done the decorations, so they’re dancing there instead, which is why it’s thinning out in the hall. Students only. We’ll just leave the ball-room to the grown-ups. Let’s have some fun!” They set off.

“So you were swept away by Snape?” Ron asked Hermione.

“He behaved very chivalrous,” Hermione replied shortly.

“Must give you the creeps to have his large nose hovering over you close up like that,” Ron continued disapprovingly. “And I’m surprised he didn’t trip over and land on his back, because he’s as stiff as a log.” Hermione sighed.

“He’s not, Ron. He might be a little stiff in the way he carries his head, which is not surprising considering how Nagini massacred his neck, but he’s quite a nimble dancer you know...”

“Oh, he’s very strong, no doubt, powerful and all that...” Ron sneered at her.

“Well he is. He’s got very steady, guiding hands, a bit like Harry’s. It was rather pleasant to dance with him, if you care to know.”

“So you think that Harry’s a better dancer than me? You’d rather dance with him, no doubt?” Ron hissed angrily.

“I’d rather dance with you, Ron, as long as you’re not being stupid and jealous and you know it. Harry’s the better dancer, why deny it? But it’s only technique, Ron, and you needn’t be jealous! Stop being a fool!” They continued quarrelling with each other until they reached Professor McGonagall’s classroom.

Simmings was posted in the corridor and smiled when they approached. Not a sound was heard through the door - the students had soundproofed it thoroughly. When they opened it, however, the music welled forth like a physical wave that hit their chests. The beating was fast, the lights flashing, bodies moving and people sweating. Harry spotted Ginny straight away in the middle of the room, dancing with supple voluptuousness. Dean Thomas was still dancing close to her.

Harry frowned the least little bit and made his way up to her. As soon as she spotted him, Ginny flung her arms around him and included him in her sensual moves. Several people whistled at them. They broke apart, smiled at each other in secret understanding and continued to dance face to face.

After a while, Harry felt his chest tighten increasingly, but he tried to disregard the sensation. He danced with Ginny for as long as he could endure, but when he started to get the impression that the walls and the ceiling were narrowing in on him, he Apparated to the wall to support himself. What was the matter with him? He felt unnaturally breathless and had started to see blinking stars in front of his eyes. Finally he could not stand it anymore and fled into the corridor. He leaned against the wall, panted with eyes shut and let his heart calm down.

“Harry?” asked Simmings, cautiously putting a hand on his back. Harry shook his head.

“Too small in there. Reminds me of Paris. Kind of panicked,” he said in a muffled tone.

Simmings eyed him pityingly whereas Harry sighed and looked at the closed door.

“I’m okay. I cannot go back inside, though. I need some air. Or a large glass of Firewhiskey... but Mrs Steadfast wants me to keep my head tonight and she doesn’t want me to move on my own. I promised her to behave. Will you come with me downstairs?”

Simmings nodded.

“I’d better let them know I’m going, though. Could you...?” Harry gestured towards the door. He didn’t have the courage to step inside even for a short while.

Simmings nodded again.

“Just tell any of them, they’ll pass the message on.”

Simmings went inside and came back with Hermione who approached Harry with concern. Harry felt embarrassed and glanced reproachfully at Simmings.

“She wanted to speak to you,” the Auror said.

“I’m okay, Hermione - really I am. It’s just that I cannot stay inside. You go back to Ron, otherwise he’ll get another of those fits of jealousy. Funny, I thought he had realised that...“

“He knows I love him, he’s just being...  an idiot,” said Hermione. “Sure, you’ll be fine?”

“Look at me, I’ve recovered. I’m going down with Simmings, have a stroll around the inner court or something. Join the old and sensible folk,” said Harry.

“Okay, see you later then. We’ll join you in a while. No one can stand it for very long in there. But I must acknowledge I’m enjoying myself. The feeling of just letting go of all inhibitions, moving around until you’re completely exhausted…“ She smiled and darted back inside. Simmings had called a co-worker, and another Auror stationed himself by the door.

Mrs Steadfast met them at the bottom of the stairs. She looked darker than ever and only glanced crossly at Harry.

“I’m okay,” he hastened to say. He noticed that Snape once again danced with Mme Womberry. Mrs Steadfast went back to pacing back and fro in front of the door leading to the Entrance Hall. She had her wand drawn and amused herself with hitting a tiny pearl that someone had dropped on the floor and made it race over the large flat stones. Simmings stopped to watch her in puzzlement, but Harry tucked at his sleeve.

“Come on. She’s in a terrible mood.”

Simmings and Harry let themselves out through the doors to the inner court. Despite the warmth of the preceding day the night air was fresh.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with Mrs Steadfast. She’s been grumpy all evening. Despite the fact that everything’s going smoothly,” said Harry. “Perhaps she resents not being able to join the festivities.”

“Maybe,” said Simmings. “Although she confessed to me that she’s a terrible dancer, so she wasn’t going to miss anything as she had not wanted to dance even if she had been allowed to. We actually considered having dressed up Aurors mixing with the guests, but decided against it at the last minute.” Harry stepped out on the lawn and looked up on the stars.

“Listen, Simmings, why not try and do the Double Knight’s move? Someone taught me, so I know how to do it. What do you think?”

Simmings hesitated.

“Your task is to guard me. No better way than to do combat movements together, don’t you think? We’ll be more than prepared if we were attacked,” said Harry convincingly. “And it’s a bit like dancing, anyway.”

Simmings gave in to Harry’s winsome smile and they started off carefully with an invisible pole between them, but soon grew more daring. Simmings asserted Harry that he was an ideal partner to train with. Harry found it easy to adjust to Simmings’ movements, but he did not quite achieve the right speed. The spinning force only gripped them for short periods of time. Harry suspected that it had to do with Simmings being too careful and restrained. He was scared to fall - it was as simple as that. But as he gained confidence in Harry’s capacity to maintain the equilibrium, they managed to do more complicated movements even if they did not reach the speed Harry longed for.

He suddenly spotted Mrs Steadfast coming from the entrance of the castle. She was blasting away some ill-placed plants that nearly made her stumble. Harry glided over to her in the air, panting slightly from the previous exercise.

“Good evening, Mrs Steadfast,” he said, landing on the ground and walking backwards in front of her on the gravelled path.  “Would you grant me this dance?” The music from the Great Hall could be heard through a couple of open windows. Mrs Steadfast stopped dead and stared at Harry.

“Not as long as Neptune has fourteen moons,” she said shortly and turned.

“Hmm...” said Harry and went after her. “I believe Neptune might have fifteen moons, actually, so you would be free to dance with me right now, if it’s only that.” Mrs Steadfast stopped and turned to him with irritation.

“I know my astronomy, Mr Potter. Neptune does only have fourteen moons, don’t contradict me, Harry, I’m not in the mood.”

“I noticed, Mrs Steadfast. But still, my inner eye tells me there is a fifteenth moon they’ve not yet discovered and therefore your refusal cannot be entirely fixed. I could teach you a flying waltz that Ginny enjoys very much. You only need to conjure up some air support and do a light-weight spell and I’ll guide you to some air-dancing.”

“I’m working, Potter,” she spat at him, but he thought he saw her features soften the least little bit.

“Well, one of your tasks is to guard me and I’d consider it an honour if you’d be my personal Auror for a short while,” he insisted. Mrs Steadfast turned exasperated to Simmings.

“What impudence! He’s bold, admit it Simmings! Cheeky and shameless... Why, I’m starting to think that Severus is right about you, Potter. It’s your father’s side of you, I guess. James could be very persuading with the ladies...”

It was the third or the fourth time that someone alluded to Harry’s father’s ways with women, and in combination with the engravings he had found in the love nest dungeons, Harry did not like it at all. What had James Potter been up to? At first Harry had chosen to ignore the hints that his father had been a ruthless Casanova, but now he started to get seriously annoyed about the amassing proof, and for a second he considered leaving Mrs Steadfast and just walking back into the castle. Mrs Steadfast looked mildly pleased to have thrown him off his balance.

“I’ll guard the entrance if you’re with Harry for a while, Mrs Steadfast. He has quite finished me off. We’ve been doing the Double Knight’s Move,” said Simmings.

“Yes, I watched you. I’ve never seen you perform it so well before, Simmings. But it depends on your motivation and your partner, no doubt,” Mrs Steadfast said teasingly.

It was too dark so see if Simmings blushed, but he seemed to grin at her.

“Oh, let’s have a try then. It cannot be more boring than it already is,” Mrs Steadfast said with ill humour and stepped out on the lawn. Harry followed after a slight hesitation. “Wait, I’d better put on my exercise dress. None of those stupid dress robes - I always look dreadful in those.” She directed her wand at herself and transformed her long robe into a kind of combat dress in black leather with a broad belt around her waist. Harry was slightly taken aback, but endeavoured to keep an impassive face. Mrs Steadfast looked well-trained and youthful in her outfit. Simmings whistled from the side.

“Oh, quiet, you!” Mrs Steadfast hissed threateningly. She positioned herself with ill-will opposite Harry.

“Light-weight and air-support, what then?”

Mrs Steadfast showed so much resistance that Harry thought she was intent on proving it impossible for him to dance with her.

“A few warm up exercises first,” he said candidly, taking her hand and putting his other hand on her waist. They were up in the air, swaying only a few inches above the ground. He did a sudden swirl around. She kept her balance and gazed steadily at him. He must get her to loosen up a bit, if they were not to perform a military march in the air instead of a dance, so he let go of her again.

“Okay, let’s race to that rose bush and back, see if you can follow me,” he said. She raised her eye-brows in incredulity. “Only warm-up,” Harry added.

“If I can follow you?” she snorted. They raced in the air and it was a dead heat. Harry pointed to another rose bush and he was slightly ahead. Mrs Steadfast’s mouth started to twitch. Another race and Harry let her win over him.

“Ha, got you,” she exclaimed, contented.

Harry narrowed his eyes, grabbed her and did a sudden series of pirouettes up and down very quickly. When they came down, Mrs Steadfast burst out laughing.

“Are we done with the warm-up soon?” she asked in a mocking tone that was more like herself, and Harry smiled at her in response. A new piece of music started to play in the Great Hall, he rose higher in the air and started to dance. She was a little stiff to start with, but Harry enticed her to let go and follow his nimble and rhythmic swirling in the air. Mrs Steadfast seemed more relaxed and satisfied with herself as they landed. She immediately made to go back to Simmings, however, but Harry did not let go of her hand.

“This is a little faster. Are you up to more acrobatic dancing?” She hesitated. “You’re good at air gliding, Mrs Steadfast, and steady, like your name, even in the air. You won’t lose your balance. Here we go.”

They lifted from the ground and Harry moved skilfully in the air, spinning and rotating in a furious tempo, letting go of her and catching her, revolving around her and gripping her again to change direction and accelerate. It was obvious that he enjoyed using his air gliding talent to his utmost. As they landed in the middle of a pirouette, she burst out in a clear, rippling laugh and staggered away from him.

“My head’s in a whirl. You’re crazy, Potter! By all flapping flying bats, I’m too old for air-dancing. You reserve this treatment for Miss Ginny in the future.” She stopped dead as she had nearly bumped into a couple who was walking along the path towards the rose garden. It was Snape and Mme Womberry.

Mrs Steadfast straightened up and grew sombre in her face, but could not entirely wipe off the smile on her lips. Her hair was a bit untidy and her eyes glittered. She looked rather girlish despite her tough outfit.

“Good evening Severus... Helen,” she said in an attempt to collect herself. “I’ve been dancing with Mr Potter,” she continued as they stared at her. “I’m his guarding Auror tonight.” She cleared her throat and repressed another smile. Snape managed to stay inscrutable.

“He escaped me, that one,” said Helen Womberry and looked over at Harry. Harry remained at a distance, but inclined his head respectfully in her direction. “Good to see you keeping in form, Audrey.” Mme Wombery contemplated Mrs Steadfast from top to toe, making Mrs Steadfast blush. “Severus is going to show me the Fountainmaids in the rose garden. They used to be my best friends when I was at Hogwarts. Good night to you.” They continued along the path. Harry stepped up beside Mrs Steadfast who stared foolishly after the couple.

“The worst thing is that I believe her. She’s on to all sorts of oddities, Helen is. Best friend with Fountainmaids... I don’t dislike her at all... really,” she said and frowned at herself.

“Mrs Steadfast?” Harry tried to tear her away from her thoughts. ”Mr Simmings and I did the Double Knight’s Move before. You don’t think that...”

“I think this is enough for tonight, Mr Potter.”

“Let’s have a try. Please! It’s the perfect place. And what if I go to St Mungo’s instead of joining the Aurors, then you’ll never have the opportunity to...”

“Who taught you?”

“I can’t say. Someone good.”

“Not Simmings. Not that he’s not good at some things, but not particularly at this. Who then? Mr Sachs? But surely he’s been busy with Mr Malfoy all the time. Mr Burgess is not well and he’s not advanced enough, anyhow. Another Auror, or one of the teachers? It can't be Severus at any rate, the relationsship between you two is far too volatile and explosive - you'd never remain on friendly terms long enough for you to learn the Knight's Move,.”

“Try me out and we’ll see if you can guess,” Harry tried to lure her into the game. “Help me tease Professor Snape. He was so condescending at first when I started to learn the Move. We’ll show them on their way back. If we have mastered it by then.”

“Okay, Mr Potter, let’s have a go. We’re already warmed up, so by all swirling ghosts, why not?”

Harry gave her a radiant smile. At the same time, Ginny, Ron and Hermione showed up.

“Wait, I’m just doing the Double Knight with Mrs Steadfast,” Harry called out to them.

They started slowly, but could proceed rather quickly to the more advanced stages of the Move. Harry’s eyes shone. Finally he had a worthy partner, since Mrs Steadfast was daring and much quicker than the cautious Simmings. Still not quite the same as with Snape, though. Harry noticed that the spinning force was not nearly as tight and stable as it had been when he learnt to do the Double Knight’s Move the first time. Harry also noticed that it was he who adjusted to Mrs Steadfast more than the other way around. When he had performed the battle move with Snape that winter day in the clearing, he supposed Snape had done the adjustment to him and led him, because Harry had not been aware of it at all towards the end. Harry got the impression that he had the initiative with Mrs Steadfast, even if they reached equilibrium between their powers.

More people had come out on the inner court and a small audience assembled to watch them. They did more advanced and faster moves. Harry noticed that Snape and Mme Womberry, too, had stopped to watch on their way back to the castle. When Harry and Mrs Steadfast landed they received applauses from the students.

“Great, Potter, I can’t remember when I did this Move so swiftly and fast. You’re a natural. Isn’t it magnificent?” Harry nodded enthusiastically, but must still have looked slightly self-conscious because Mrs Steadfast approached him. “You don’t think so? You’ve done better than this? Really? Who did you do it with before, then?”

“Oh, maybe the experience is a bit different when you’re a beginner,” Harry said negligently, because Snape was within earshot, and he did not want to boost the wizard’s self-conceit. “Let’s do a last move. I love it!” They mounted in the air again. An even larger crowd had gathered below.

Suddenly, as they were in a descent spin, a green light flashed in the periphery of Harry’s visual field and without thinking, without hesitating, he fired an Expelliarmus in the direction from where the light came from.

“Down,” roared Mrs Steadfast who started to sprint with her wand brandished in front of her as soon as she set one foot on the ground. She ran towards a dark corner of the court where several cases were piled on each other.

Harry landed with confusion and anger written on his face. He was quite sure it had not been an Avada Kedavra that had been fired, but the light had been very similar and he had acted on instinct.

In the shadows by the wall, Mrs Steadfast pointed her wand at someone who was cursing and struggling to get up from a bunch of broken boards. The perpetrator must have been sent off a good fifty yards when he was hit by Harry’s spell.

“That was not a particularly wise curse to use these days, Mr Malfoy, and I think you know it, so the question is why did you try to provoke Mr Potter?” Mrs Steadfast said sternly. Snape had taken a few steps forward, but stayed behind when he realised who Mrs Steadfast had in front of her. “What was the point of that little demonstration? Didn’t you realise the risks after what Potter went through in Paris? Are you suicidal, or what?”

“Potter’s a dangerous lunatic!” hissed Malfoy and pointed at Harry with a trembling finger as he stood up with difficulty, grimacing of pain. “I was only playing with my wand.”

“That green light was directed at us, Mr Malfoy. I want you to explain your intentions. Where’s you Auror?”

“Draco!” a woman’s voice exclaimed from the stairs leading down into the inner court. Narcissa Malfoy advanced towards them in long strides. “What happened to you? Were you attacked? Why did you run away from me? You’re not supposed to be on your own.”

But before she reached her son, one of the broken cases behind Malfoy exploded and sent him headlong forwards. More explosions were heard and bright fireworks started to whiz in all directions. Mrs Steadfast had kept on her feet and raised an arm to protect her face. She drew up a shield to hold the fireworks off as she stepped forward to grab Malfoy and drag him away from the uncontrollable chain reaction of fireworks. Snape assisted her by pushing the cases further away by magic and Ron rushed forth to help him.

“There’s no way of stopping the fireworks once they’ve got started,” Ron said to Mrs Steadfast. “The broken case must have set them off. They’re all connected to one another by magic – it’ll fire along until the last piece.” Ron had been charged to set up a show of the latest Filibuster fireworks, donated to the school by George Weasley. It was supposed to finish the School Ball with grandeur.

“Well, as it’s two o’clock at night, the guests might as well get a hint that it’s time to start thinking about returning home,” said Mrs Steadfast drily.

People were pouring out of the castle to watch the fireworks that had now organised beautifully according to Ron’s programming. Ron and Harry lifted the block of cases even further away, on top of the wall where it had been planned to take place originally. Fortunately, not many guests realised what had preceded the onset of the fireworks. There was no panic, only heads turned upwards and cries of delight and admiration.

Mrs Steadfast ran about speaking to her Aurors, organising the surveillance of the termination of the ball and the retreat of the guests to Hogsmeade, predicted as soon as the fireworks were to end. Harry stood with one arm around Ginny to keep her warm and with Hermione on the other side of him, whereas Ron was busy checking on the progress of the fireworks. Harry noticed that Mrs Steadfast had been hit by a projectile and was bleeding from a wound on her cheek. She seemed completely unaware of the fact, as she gave orders to her Aurors with authority. Harry further observed Draco Malfoy tear away from his mother with fury and walk inside the castle with Miss Cork hurrying after him.

The guests were seen off successfully without further incidents and most of the students returned inside the castle as they started to freeze. Mr and Mrs Weasley lingered on by Ron, Ginny, Harry and Hermione as they wanted to know about the mishap with the fireworks and the venture of Draco Malfoy. Close by, Snape caught up with Mrs Steadfast.

“I had better heal that wound for you, Audrey,” he said.

“What? Oh, it’s nothing, don’t bother. I’ll put on a healing plaster.”

“Don’t touch it!”

“Miss Swan, go inside and check the Great Hall and report back to me, will you?” Mrs Steadfast turned her head and sharp eyes in every direction, continuously in a state of alert. Snape put his left hand on the upper part of her arm to turn her towards him and Mrs Steadfast suddenly clamped her jaws and stilled as if she did not dare to move. She watched his hand on her arm with a puzzled look.

“The wound is quite deep. It’s a pity to let it distort a handsome face, as it will if you let it heal with a scar. Now, stay still.” Snape was too occupied by performing his healing incantation to take notice of the gaze Mrs Steadfast riveted on him. It held a curious mixture of ardour and resignation, thought Harry, before his eye was caught by something in the air.

“What are you doing, Potter?” said Snape as he finished the healing incantation and let go of Mrs Steadfast. Harry was indeed busy with his wand directed at something over the head of Snape.

“I figured it best to keep that owl away from you until you were finished with Mrs Steadfast. The bird looks rather aggressive and it wants you.”

“Right, well, release it now,” said Snape without raising his head, frowning at Harry.

“Are you sure? It seems...”

“Let it go!”

Harry lowered his wand, arching an eye-brow defiantly, and a large eagle owl dived right at Snape, aiming its claws at his eyes. Snape ducked and raised an elbow to protect his face, at the same time as he directed a stunning spell blindly with his wand hand at the bird. He hit it close up and the owl sank to the ground. Snape turned furiously to Harry.

“That owl was not aggressive, it was murderous!” he exclaimed.

“I tried to tell you...”

“Using Muggle vocabulary as usual! Haven’t you learnt the five categories of charms you can put on an owl, depending on the message you want to convey to the receiver? Amicable, Insisting, Indifferent, Aggressive and Murderous? Those are very well-defined entities. Murderous means exactly what it says. There is Dark Art involved and you really put your owl up to murder the receiver. Not that it happens very often that the owl succeeds, but it can cause considerable damage when it aims for the eyes.”

Mrs Weasley put a hand on Harry’s arm because he flared up and was ready to fire a sharp retort, advancing him.

“Please, Professor. Harry has had no family to teach him those things and my husband and I have had no reason to tell him about the murderous charm. In the middle of everyday life, you don’t give the children sort of theoretical lessons, you teach them by and by and it’s easy to miss out on things that way. I’ve given it much thought recently and I...”

“Severus, it’s a black letter!” exclaimed Mrs Steadfast as she untied the parchment rolled up at one of the owl’s legs. Harry peered inquiringly at Mrs Weasley. Another appellation he did not know of.

“A letter meant to threaten or to warn a person off. It might contain words or sounds like a howler, a ghost image, or even an odour save the text itself,” Mrs Weasley whispered to Harry as Snape opened the letter. Terrible screams were heard, as from a person who was in terrible pain and everyone drew their breaths.

“What’s that?” exclaimed Ron.

“Someone being Crucioed,” Harry stated grimly. “Who is it?”

Snape and Mrs Steadfast who had read the short text had horror and disgust written on their faces.

“Please, will you tell us - is it someone we know?” Harry pleaded with Mrs Steadfast, a wave of angst gripping him. The head Auror cleared her throat.

“They have abducted Healer Frankiss,” she said. “They threaten to kill him if we use his testimony at Professor Snape’s trial.”

Hermione let out a strangled cry and Harry glanced at Snape, discerning a flicker of anger and despair in his teacher’s black eyes.


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