Knowledge is Power

Chapter 49

Somehow the rest of the summer passed with, as Nightshade said, no more shit hitting the fan. As enough had already clogged the fan blades, Severus still had plenty to brood and worry himself over until the school year began.

All the staff returned to Hogwarts the night before the students arrived. After dinner, Severus sat in Albus's sitting room holding a cup of honey laced tea, recalling the last time he'd had tea with Albus. He'd come to tell him about the unbreakable vow. Tea was intended to soothe one during times of stress and he supposed it worked well enough.

Right now, as he sat sipping the tea, the stresses he knew were going to fill the next school year seemed a little distant.
//Hot tea relaxes my belly too much and gives me the runny shits,// Nightshade shared from where he was perched on the arm of Severus's chair.
//So I won't be having any.//
//Thanks for that,// Severus replied dryly.

"Tell me a story," he requested, turning to Albus.
Even before the old man spoke, Severus felt a serge of eagerness. All of Albus's stories held some tidbit of rare magical information.

The tradition of Severus sitting with hot tea and asking Albus for a story began around the time he started working at Hogwarts. He'd been glum about some frustration or other, what he'd perceived as a bump in the road with his under cover work with Voldemort, and Albus had distracted him with a story. That particular story spoke of a wizard who happened to be a vampire as well. His animagus form was a bat, and that was where the legend began among Muggles that vampires could turn into bats.

As Severus's Patronus was a bat, somehow that story made him feel a bit more invincible...As if he could tap into that immortal vampiric energy somehow when dealing with the dark lord. It sounded silly but it made him feel better at the time. After that, any time Severus felt like giving up, or just too emotionally tired to go on, especially during the past few years, Albus's stories always held the gem of wisdom or strength he needed to hear.

Albus took a thoughtful sip of his tea before he began. Severus was already leaning forward in anticipation.
"This one is very old. Around the time of the first recorded Greek myths. There was a very powerful wizard named Biblio. It was said that the gods wanted him dead for some slight or other. So he turned himself into a book and hid on a shelf among many other similar books until the gods who wanted his death grew bored as gods are apparently wont to do. At this time, he transfigured himself back into a human, and he hadn't aged a day thanks to the preservations he'd placed on himself as a book. He was always an inspiration to me as he was also said to be the truest master of Transfiguration. I like to fancy myself his equal I suppose," Albus concluded with a slightly embarrassed smile.

"His story has been on my mind a lot lately. What with the plans to assassinate me, I've felt the need to start thinking creatively."
Severus nodded.
"I liked that one quite a lot. Thank you."
Albus smiled.
"I'm glad."

The story resonated with Severus on many levels and he could feel ideas beginning to percolate in the back of his mind. The way the wizard had hidden himself from the gods and perhaps pretended to be dead spoke of hiding in plain sight, fooling one's enemies and many other things Severus felt would be quite useful to keep in mind during the next few years.

"So are you planning to turn into a book to fake your death," he asked.
"I think I'd grow too bored just sitting on a shelf," Albus said with a slow shake of his head.
"I was thinking something more along the lines of a phoenix! But who knows? There should be plenty of time to change my mind."

"Speaking of that, I've been thinking," Severus said.
"Draco wasn't at all thrilled at the prospect of killing you, so if I pretend to help him by offering to kill you myself, I think he will be quite grateful."
Albus nodded.
"I never thought the boy was Death Eater material even if he was always a prat."

Severus shrugged. He'd never liked Draco, even if he had to pretend otherwise for obvious reasons. The kid reminded him of all the adults he had to stand beside in a black robe and slit eyed mask who really did want to be there unlike him. Albus did always have a way of seeing into people so if he thought Draco wasn't that bad, Severus would take his word for it.

"I'll obviously use another spell on you that will do no harm, but we'll have to make it look as if it killed you."
Albus nodded again.
"I think we can arrange that. I've transfigured more than a few spells in mid cast before so I think we can manage something. We've plenty of time to plan and get it perfect. Right now, though, I have a bit of good news for you," he said, blue eyes twinkling.
"A surprise if you will!"

"What's that," Severus asked.
"Well as you are aware, you have always wanted to teach defense and I have always refused you due to the fact the job is cursed and I don't want anything happening to you."
Severus nodded.
"Well...Now that we know a goblin curse breaker, I had him find and break the curse! I also have a plan for dragging Slughorn out of retirement tomorrow, so the job is yours!"
"Tomorrow? You're doing this last minute?"
Albus grinned almost like a little boy as he reached for a bag of twizzlers on the table beside him.
"Trust me."

Severus shrugged. If anyone could pull it off, it was Albus.
"Twizzler," he offered, extending the bag invitingly and Severus shook his head.
"As it happens, I have a surprise for you as well. I hope you like it, because I really do. I feel it solves a problem all round."
Albus's gaze was sharp with interest as he nodded.
"I'm listening."

Severus took a deep breath, hoping that Albus would accept his plan because he really really wanted him to.
"I have decided to plant my potions journal for Potter to find. It has notes on other spells I came up with during my school years, and it's got everything in it that he can use to make himself a far better wizard. I thought of it after your Lily Potter plan," he said, unable to say the name without making a face.
"The fact that you said Potter would never trust me due to our history is true and I know it. So I thought if he found a book full of useful spells and potions tips, he would take the education from some unknown former student where he wouldn't take it from me. It gives him what you wanted and keeps me from dealing with him at the same time. Because you know I'm likely to hurt him if we continue those bloody lessons," he concluded darkly.

Albus nodded.
"That's actually a very good idea, Severus. I think it'll work."
Severus let out a relieved sigh.
"Good. And now that I can finally teach defense, I have an opportunity to give the children what they will need to protect themselves against Voldemort."
"Indeed," Albus agreed.
"I am certain that you'll do a wonderful job."

The year passed...if not smoothly, at least as planned. Severus taught defense and Mag joined him at night after dinner, leaving in the morning before breakfast. She spent her days studying with the dragon. While Severus hated not even sharing meals with her, he didn't want anyone seeing them together that would get back to Voldemort. That went for Malfoy and his lot, and even Potter considering his unwanted connection with the dark lord.

By the time the fateful events unfolded on the astronomy tower, Albus and Severus had concocted the perfect plan.

(Author's note. The song, storyteller by Heather Alexander, can be found on youtube and elsewhere if googled. It serves as a perfect sound track for Severus's feelings for Albus as a mentor and inspiration. He asked us to share, and no, none of us are the artist in question and no, we don't get paid for mentioning the music. Not even Nightshade. LOL.)