A New Story

Chapter 26

A month has passed, just like every morning, Severus woke up and threw up in the bucket he now kept next to his bed. He vanished the throw-up and got up to the bathroom to tidy himself up. He brushed his teeth to remove any stench of vomit and took a long cold shower to start the day. After he got dressed in his usual black teaching robes, he checked himself in the mirror. He noticed something that he hadn't before, a tiny little bump on his stomach. He smiled a bit to himself before going out the door to breakfast with Regulus.

He sat down next to the younger but much taller man. Again, they were the first teachers to arrive.

'Hi, Severus. Lovely day, isn't it?' Regulus said.

'Quite.' he replied. 

Then, they spotted Lockhart walking towards the table.

'Who do you think will be the victim today?' Regulus joked.

'Damn, he's coming over here. Do something, Ben.' Severus whispered.

It was too late, the blonde planted himself on the seat next to Severus. 

'Good morning, Severus and Ben.' he greeted.

'That's Alden for you, Lockhart.' Regulus corrected. 

'And it's Snape.' Severus told him, not wanting to be on first-name basis with him.

'Look, I know we started off on the wrong foot and I came here to apologize.' 

'For what, exactly?' Regulus asked to make sure he knew what he did wrong and was not just trying to get them to forgive him.

'For making you feel worthless.' Lockhart started which made Severus want to slap him, 'I should have realized that my being here would make the other new teacher, Benjamin-' 

'Alden.' Regulus cut him off, not bothering to stop him from what he was going to say.

'Yes, yes, as I was saying, you must have got so jealous that I was taking all the attention away from you. And Severus, with your new arrival, don't try to deny it,' he made sure to say the last part loud enough for the students eating lunch there hear him clearly, 'I am sure it is just because of the hormones making you all mad and grumpy.' 

Regulus saw Severus slip something into Lockhart's drink and he hoped desperately that it was poison. 

'You know what? It probably is.' Severus said through gritted teeth, 'Let's drink to our new found understanding.' he pushed the poisoned cup towards Lockhart.

'Let's.' he gulped down the entire goblet.

Severus smirked while Regulus waited expectantly for the result. Lockhart began choking. Not really choking but more like - clucking. Feathers started to burst out from his face and body and his arms turned into wings and soon, he began shrinking. At last, he turned into a chicken. 

'What has happened to Lockhart?' she asked Regulus and Severus trying not to laugh.

'No idea.' Regulus shrugged.

McGonagall shot them a dirty but amused look, 'We must take him to the hospital wing.'

Flitwick carried the chicken Lockhart to the hospital and returned with the news that he was fed some sort of potion and the effects last a week. 

'Who shall teach Defence this week?' McGonagall asked. 

'I can do it.' Severus volunteered, 'My assistant, Summer Addison, has been very capable of teaching and has always wanted to teach a class. So why not let me substitute for Lockhart.'

Dumbledore, at that moment, walked into the Hall and saw all the commotion in the Hall, with some students rushing towards the hospital wing and some pretending to be chickens. He sat down in his usual seat and asked his staff, 'Severus, my boy, what has gone on?' 

'Headmaster, Lockhart was poisoned with a potion and it turned him into a chicken. He is in the hospital wing now and Madame Pomfrey has announced that he will stay in that state for a week. May I substitute for him for the time being?'

'If you feel up to it and have someone managing potions, you may.'

'Thank you, Headmaster.'