The Potion Master's Apprentice (A Severus Snape love story)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Six

Dumbledore smiled softly as the pair embraced. The superior officer, laughed incredulously, causing everyone to stare at him with alarm. His usually immaculate and pristine appearance had deteriorated rapidly, hair beginning to stick up of it's own accord as he ran his fingers through it and his neatly ironed shirt stained with sweat caused by anxiety.

"I don't believe this!" He laughed, face distorting almost inhumanly as his eyes darted from Florence and Severus to Dumbledore who was peering intently at him over the top of his half-moon spectacles. The man began pacing irritably back and forth, tugging aggrievedly at the cuffs of his shirt. "How can you believe that he," He pointed accusingly at Severus "Is innocent?"

"I have my reasons." Dumbledore said quietly and the man scowled furiously.

"What reasons? WHAT REASONS?" He yelled, losing his breath and clutching the desk for support as he panted breathlessly. "This man is scum, SCUM! Yet you still seem to think he is innocent! I mean, it's absolutely laughable actually, that you - one of the greatest wizards of all time - can be taken in by him!"

"I suggest you think before you speak, Percival. I will not tolerate people bad mouthing my staff." Dumbledore said in a somewhat cheery voice laced with what seemed to be a substantial amount of menace and warning.

"Bad mouthing? I wish it were that simple Dumbledore, I really do."

"That's headmaster to you." Severus snarled and the man laughed sarcastically, turned to Dumbledore and bowed so low that his nose was practically touching the floor.

"My apologies, Headmaster." He growled before coming upright and slamming his palms onto the desk so that they were face to face. "You know what? I think you're deluded!" He laughed in Dumbledore's strangely calm face. "Can you really not see what is happening right under your nose? What he's been doing to that poor, helpless girl?"

"I'd like to know exactly what I've been doing to this poor, helpless girl, as you put her." Severus growled and Dumbledore nodded.

"Yes, I was going to ask the same question." The man shook his head incredulously and sank into his chair, supporting his head with his hands as he spoke to his feet.

"For starters, you've held her under the Imperius curse for goodness knows how long." The man muttered and Severus laughed.

"Right, and you're evidence for this?" He sneered whilst Florence narrowed her eyes and frowned at the man. Something was wrong with him, and she knew it.

"Vat do you mean? You vere a death-eater, vat more evidence do you need?" And it finally clicked. Florence held her breath as the man's tight black ponytail began to shrink rapidly, hair seeming to be dragged back into his skull. His skin bubbled and twitched as his bones began to creak and move, building him a much more bulky frame. His once glowing brown eyes began to crackle and splinter with a deep, piercing blue and within a matter of seconds the man was gone, to be replaced with Gellert.

"Hello Gellert, nice of you to join us." Dumbledore smiled gently from behind the desk, a knowing beam on his face as Florence gasped and would have fallen to the floor had Severus not grabbed her tightly to his chest.

"G-Gellert? Why would you do this?" She choked and Gellert scowled furiously at Severus who was giving just as dirty a look back. If anything he clutched even more protectively at Florence.

"Vy vould I do this? I should be asking you that! Vy vould you sleep with him," His lip curled with disgust as Severus delicately stroked Florence's hair. "Ven you vere with me? Ven you hated him?"Gellert stood up and was abruptly seated again with a rough flick of Dumbledore's wand.