Professor Black: A Reader Insert

34. Being Reasonable

Severus paced the length and breadth of his office in worry. Not only did those inheritance tests show his greatest fear, but a multitude of things were gleaned from them. Among them, his now destroyed trust in Albus Dumbledore. How dare that man do that to his mate, his seco- no she is his only chance at happiness what he felt for Lily was knuts to what he feels for (y/n), and Harry, the poor boy. Severus made the decision to ask the makers of the Goblet a question. He first sent a note to the Charms Professor to see if his hunch would be in the right line of thinking, then he sat down to write out the inquiry to the goblins in Gringotts.

Filius Flitwick was polishing the wand that, had he been full goblin, he never would've been able to hold when a paper bird flew right up to him and unfolded itself, allowing the diminutive professor to read it. A grin that every goblin knows well made its way to his face as he read over the contents. Of course, Mr. Potter can't be magically bound to participate in the Tournament if he never put his name in the Goblet himself. Frankly, the fact no one thought to ask a goblin that particular question when Potter's name was flung out of the fire like it was garbage, was disconcerting in regard to the boy's safety. He paused in his musings before a thought broke through the calm of his mind. Ms. Black was against this whole thing since the very beginning, if that sneer during the announcement of the Tournament in September was anything to go by. He hopped down from his chair and as calmly as one might he made his way to Severus's office. 

Severus was penning the inquiry to Gringotts when Filius walked into his office.

"I suggest asking for a solicitor on behalf of Mr. Potter, a goblin with a history of dealing with cases of goblin-made artifacts being used improperly by wizards would be preferable." Filius said as he hopped into the chair across from the potion master's desk.

"It's a good thing I haven't begun writing, isn't it?" the dour man sighed as he looked over the simple greeting he had started with before finding it adequate and continuing to write the request.

"What possessed you to ask?" the charms professor asked as he quirked his brow at the taller man.

"If you read that file there, you'll see." Severus waved his hand at the file that sat nonthreateningly on the desk closest to his fellow professor. 

There was a moment where neither of them spoke as Severus finished the letter and Filius absorbed the contents in the file. Severus had placed the parchment he as writing on in an envelope when Filius smacked the file on the desk with a growl.

"How dare he." The pint-sized professor with a punch needed to do something, the goblin in him was furious with the headmaster.

"Indeed." Severus held the envelope in his hand as he steeled himself for the effort it would take to not take a detour to the headmaster's office and demand compensation for his crimes.

"If they've done the tests and the removal of all of these, then they have done what they can do. Our job as those who know is to be on their side." Filius sighed, his brows still furrowed with anger.

"Know what?" Minerva and Pomona were at the door to Severus's office looking between the two men in the room.

The pair sent each other a look before wordlessly motioning the two women  into the office and setting up privacy wards out the wazoo before handing the files over to the women. The two, Pomona especially, had to be physically restrained so they wouldn't hunt down Albus too-many-names-and-titles Dumbledore and make him pay, with interest. It took a while of debating just why that's a bad idea given everything that is happening before they calmed down enough to discuss the situation moving forward.

"She can't stay here." Pomona was the first to speak up on this point.

"At the end of the school year we'll figure out just what we can do to help her and the twins be removed from under his thumb." Minerva huffed in frustration.

"There's also Joan to consider." Severus amended.

"He'll try to use them against her." Filius hissed out a swear after he finished speaking.

A knock on the door made them pause. Taking a chance, Severus opened his office door to find two Ravenclaws.

"Miss Lovegood, Rawlings, what are you doing here?"

"Joanie, is willing to do whatever is in their power to help Miss Black best. Just thought you should know, their head is clear of Nargles." Luna hummed with a small smile before dazedly looking past them into a distance that only she could see.

"What she means is that if you are looking to help Mum, even if I have to emancipate myself, I'll do it. But you should worry about what she's willing to do to keep Harry safe as well." Joan was told everything by Luna, once they pulled through the expanse of her seemingly nonsensical ramblings of course and had gathered the important bits and stitching them together so they can put their best foot forward as a prefect.

"We can transfer him quietly over to Ilvermorny under a different name." Minerva hummed in thought. "It would have to happen over the summer."

"Make sure the boy is taken to (y/n)'s home, and then have the goblins make appropriate muggle papers for the pair of them." Pomona added with a glint in her eyes that was suspiciously not very Hufflepuff.

"Then send them over before anyone's the wiser. Have the twins send her a letter stating that they can't come and 'boom', as the muggleborns say, both will be safer and Mr. Potter will have a more diverse education out of it." Filius's goblin like returned to his features as he further refined the plan in his mind.

"I'll let Reg know. I hope this works, for their sake." Joan said before grabbing Luna's arm gently and turning to go back to the tower.

"Professor Snape, I hope you don't blame the wrackspurts for taking one of your sons. There is a good reason that you are given an abundance of daughters, the nargles won't be too nice to you then but don't worry." Luna said her eyes, undoubtedly zeroed in on Severus's.

"Thank you Miss Lovegood. I'll do well to remember that." Severus for a brief moment saw what she meant before the girl turned away rambled on out of his office then further out of his classroom.

First order of business was to get Harry out of the Tournament. Then get Harry out of Hogwarts. Only after all that will he worry about what Miss Lovegood said.

'Don't worry Puff, we'll keep you safe.' He thought, his eyes leveling the gazes of each head of house in his office before nodding and fully lifting the privacy wards as each left off to their own offices to do their part of the plan.