Knowledge is Power

Chapter 61

The next morning Kereston Boxwood showed up to breakfast with a baby acromantula...which she proceeded to feed cereal.
"Why," Severus asked.
"Because he gets bored at home all day while I'm here," Kereston crooned in an overly sweet baby talk tone that promptly turned Severus's stomach.
"His name is Reynaldo."
"Why do you have him," Severus clarified.

"Because he's so cute," Kereston cooed.
"He's really smart and he's going to grow up and learn to talk to me."
"Won't that be too much talking," Mag snarked, lips twitching.
"I mean what with you taking your turn, when will he get his?"
Severus chuckled and Kereston glared.
"You're mean."

Ignoring her friend she turned back to Severus.
"I went with Millie, Blaise and Wolfgang to a darker pet shop in Knockturn a few weeks ago. Of course Blaise got nothing because he has no soul. They got a parrot and I got Reynaldo. Their parrot screams hexes. He's really funny," she said, punctuating her statement with a chuckle.

"Don't call me Millie, fuck-tard."
Millicent Bulstrode announced her arrival in her usually sunny way, Severus noted.
Wolfgang smiled.
"Good morning everyone. Our parrot's name is Darkspell," he added to Severus.
"He really has character."

"I can imagine," Severus said, picturing a bird screaming hexes all day and getting a small headache at the very idea.
//Were I so inclined, I could teach them a few fuckin' things about character,// Nightshade thought, snatching a sausage from Severus's plate and swallowing down half of it in a single gulp.
//Don't bother with the chewing,// Severus snarked.
//Right,// Nightshade agreed, intentionally missing the point.

Blaise Zabini sauntered in then and joined everyone else at the staff table. They took to gathering there as it was silly to spread out among all five tables, especially if they planned to converse, which they obviously did. Granted Severus could live without conversing with most people, but these days it was unfortunately necessary.
"Guess what I did last night," Blaise asked, smirking around at Kereston, Millie and Wolfgang like the cat who'd just swallowed the canary without chewing.
"What," Millicent asked.
"GRINDELWALD," Blaise crowed, and Severus choked on a mouthful of egg.

He could feel his face growing red. He.had.not.just.heard.that!
//I think you did,// Nightshade insisted.
//and Eu. I'm not humping any dude owls. Even if it wasn't a tard baby. It's just not my thing.//

Sabra and Geo Zabini took their seats then, and Severus wondered if they'd heard what their son had done with his night and how they would feel about it. Whatever else was said on the matter, Severus managed to tune it out. He didn't look up from his plate until Gellert Grindelwald entered, joining them at the table and seating himself beside Blaise. Millicent presented him with a dossier on Voldemort which he promised to look over. Severus was admittedly interested in the man's impressions of the dark lord.

//Why do you fuckin' call him that,// Nightshade complained.
//I must call him that when I am around him or any of his followers, so referring to him too frequently as anything else could create a bad habit that could get me killed,// Severus explained.
//Oh. I get it.//
The owl nodded his head before snatching up a beak full of egg.

//So I wonder when Aladdin and Grindelfuck had time to shag if they were supposed to be working on crafting magical items to save our asses,// Nightshade wondered.
//I mean like where is the transition?//
When Severus didn't answer, Nightshade persisted.
//I mean like between enchanting a medallion to going into someone's bum or whatever they do?//
//No. I can't.// Severus shook his head.

Sabra Zabini stood up then and asked Grindelwald to go outside with her. Severus kept his face stoic and impassive.
//Guess she heard,// Nightshade said.
//I'd love to be a fly on the wall. What do you think she's saying to him?//
//Don't know and don't care. Zabini is legal and if you ask me, it's no one's business, and something I'd rather not think about,// Severus replied.
He didn't like thinking about anyone's personal life.