Knowledge is Power

Chapter 17

Severus stared at the owl. He blinked, then settled on probably the most pointless thing that was said.
//Tard Baby? What is a tard baby?//

//You know...Dumb...slow witted...Retarded...Like always a baby mentality. Tard baby. Rather like most of your students.//

Severus Snape found himself laughing outloud quite against his better judgment.
//Understood,// he thought back
//Very well. Let us assume that you are telling the truth. Why are you here right now with me having this conversation?//

The owl opened his beak and clacked it shut with an annoyed snap.
//I guess you'd not want to let me out of these fuckin' bindings would you? So both of us can be comfortable during this conversation?//

//Not quite yet. Eventually if all goes well,// Severus replied.

//I'm here because Mags asked me to hang out with you.//

//To....What?//

//Oh for fuck's sake! You don't know what hanging out means?//

//If I did, I would not have asked...obviously.// Severus frowned.
//If you plan to waste my day, I'll just...//

//No, no,// the owl interrupted.
//Look, hanging out means to socialize...She wanted me to socialize and spend time with you. So that we could get to know one another because she wants me to help.//

//Well as neither of us are bats, I hardly see how hanging out means to socialize or get to know one another,// Severus complained.
//That and I don't do the social thing.//
Not since it had hurt him. Socializing meant friendship and having friends meant caring, and coming to depend on people to be there...to socialize. It meant having a place to fit and belong...until it was yanked out from under one like a faulty magic carpet simply because one's former friends, in the end, when it came down to it, truly didn't care at all. And that hurt and he didn't like hurting. He'd had quite enough of that in his childhood and wasn't about to ask for more.

//It's just slang, man,// the owl replied, sounding oddly tired and exasperated.

To his surprise, Severus found himself having to put forth a slight effort not to smile in amusement.
//And pray tell, what does Miss WestCraven believe you can possibly help me with,// he asked, getting to the heart of this most strange of situations.

//Spying I guess. Helping you to know what the other Death Eaters are thinking about or anyone else for that matter. The way my mind reading works has no spell behind it as yours does so mine goes undetected. I can't dig super deep, though,// the owl added, a mildly apologetic tone in his mind voice.
//I can read whatever someone is thinking about at the time, but I can't delve deeper into the shit they have stored in their mind that they aren't directly thinking about at the moment. No sifting as it were.//

Severus nodded. //Understood. But how does Miss WestCraven know about...//

//Your dealings involving Voldemort,// the owl supplied helpfully.

Severus hesitated, unwilling to admit too much in case this was a trick. Then he realized if it was, the potion he planned to give the owl very soon would reveal as much. If the owl wasn't truly an owl, but instead a Death Eater in disguise, he or she would never leave this room. Severus certainly was not above or below killing Death Eater scum to protect himself.
//Precisely.//

//Well I sort of looked in Potter's mind at Magi's request after the shit started smacking into the fan in the little brat's first year. We're smart like that,// he bragged of himself and Magritte.
//Then after you warned us and all, she tried to get more info from her parents but they wouldn't talk for years. She only just got it out of them this past summer. They really do miss you a lot. Heather cried and Raislen got all sad and weird.//

Severus scowled, annoyed by that for some reason he couldn't fully explain.
//They certainly have an interesting way of showing it,// he said tightly.

//Yeah me and Mags are cooler about trying to help, but I guess we do have safer ways,// the owl said.

//She expects you to go to meetings with me?//

//Yeah I guess so, though she didn't work out how you'd manage that. I guess she figured you'd have it covered if you were down with the idea.//

Severus hesitated, then blinked.
//Down with...//

//Oh hell no,// the owl interrupted firmly.

//We're not doing this shit again. Down with means okay with and don't ask me why the fuck it's down because I do not fucking know. It just is. Like probably it's for the same reason what's up happens to be up instead of across or around and I don't know why that is either so don't fucking ask.//

Severus chuckled, shaking his head.
//Why do you feel the need to swear so much?//

//I don't feel the need to swear. I just fuckin' swear. It's punctuation.//

Severus wished he'd stop smiling. It was annoying for his face.
//Does Magritte swear like that? If so I'm surprised she hasn't slipped up in my hearing.//

Nightshade shook his head. //No. She doesn't use nearly as much punctuation in her self expression,// he said disapprovingly.

//Why is she doing this,// Severus asked, face serious once more as his thoughts returned to the true issue at hand.
//This could indirectly endanger both of you.//

//She doesn't want you to die, I guess.//

Severus sighed and shook his head as that didn't really answer his question...at all.

//I'm Nightshade, by the way,// the owl added.

Severus stood. //Well, Nightshade. Are you thirsty?//

//Yeah. I could use something to drink, actually...Wait! You're gonna give me some nasty fuckin' potion, aren't you,// the owl concluded in open suspicion.

//I doubt it will taste pleasant, no,// Severus concurred.
//Some things can't be helped. If you don't die, I will give you some water to drink and release the binding. I give you my word.//

//WOW, normality and a bit of decency is the only reward I get for this shit? And why would it kill me again?//

//Only if you aren't an owl. Otherwise you're safe.//

//What if I'm not a normal owl? Will it kill me if I'm not a normal owl, cause we both know I'm fuckin' not,// Nightshade said, panic beginning to filter into his mind voice.

//You should be safe no matter what manner of owl you happen to be,// Severus assured as he began to gather the ingredients he'd need to mix the potion of revealing.
Neither spoke while he worked and in around half an hour, the potion was ready.