The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix - Part Two

LXXIV: 23 June, 1994

In the hospital wing, Severus Snape was being highly praised for his heroics. Madam Pomfrey was healing the wound at the back of his head and had given him tonic to clear the effects of a terrible concussion. Severus lay in the hospital bed, listening with his eyes closed, as Albus Dumbledore and Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic, stood, discussing what accolades Severus ought to receive for his contributions to the capture and subsequent execution of Sirius Black.

Severus felt a thrill arise in him.

"Speaking of which, Minister, we ought to be going up to the turret and taking care of our business as is needed there, we can return here to the hospital wing once the patients are awake and --"

Severus opened his eyes. "You haven't done it yet?"

"Oh and look at this, what splendid timing," Dumbledore said merrily. "Severus, you're awake."

"Or should we say, Severus - Order of Merlin, Second Class?" Cornelius Fudge said, "First class, if I can wrangle it!" He patted Severus on the shoulder, making Severus wince, then said, "We're very proud of you and are grateful for your contributions!"

"Thank you very much indeed, Minister," Severus said, dipping his voice with what he hoped rang as humility.

"Nasty, nasty injuries you've got there, Mr. Snape, terribly nasty - I suppose they are inflicted by Black? A wound in the fight! You'll be touted a hero - front page of the Daily Prophet, I expect! You'll be wanting to take a shower before they take the photographs, get the filth of the fight off you, 'ey?"

"Yes I am sure that the entire wizarding world will be waiting to hear your story, Mr. Snape," said Dumbledore, a slight smirk playing upon his mouth as he rolled to his toes and back to his heels, staring into Snape's dark black eyes.

Severus struggled to keep his voice even. "It was Potter, Weasley, and Granger, as a matter of fact, Minister..."

"No!"

"Yes," Snape said slowly, formulating as he went, "Black bewitched them, clearly... a confundus charm, judging by their... regrettable... behavior... They seemed to think there was some possibility that he was innocent! Best to be on your wits, Minister, when questioning Black. He's extremely good at feigning his innocence... and apparently can be quite convincing for the unprepared mind."

The Minister nodded distractedly, "Yes, yes, indeed... indeed..."

"They obviously thought they might capture Black single-handed. The Potter boy, especially, is always gotten away with a great deal before now..." Severus snuck a sly look at Dumbledore at this and Dumbledore smiled benignly, "I'm afraid it has given him - them all, in fact - a rather high opinion of themselves...  of course Potters have always been allowed an... extraordinary... amount of license... at Hogwarts...."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.

"Ah well, Snape -- Harry Potter, you know! We've all got a bit of a blind spot where he's concerned, haven't we?" Cornelius Fudge looked from Snape to Dumbledore with an amused expression upon his face.

"And yet - is it good for him to be given so much special treatment? Personally, I am sure to treat him just like any other student," Snape said lowly, "And any other student would be suspended - at the very least - for leading his friends into such danger. Consider, Minister - against all school rules, after all the precautions put in place for his protection - and he is out of bounds, at night, consorting with a werewolf and a murderer --"

"A werewolf?" Cornelius Fudge chuckled. He paused. "Black's werewolf? I've heard the aurors speaking of it downstairs. Is it true, then?"

Dumbledore was glaring at Snape, but Snape was too delighted with the expression of shock and interest on the Minister's face to stop.