snape and skull

63

Black Wings
H

arry yawned as he made his way down to the Great Hall for breakfast the next morning. Loki rode on his shoulder, eyeing his Housemates alertly. Fred grinned at the sight of the saucy fledgling and said, "Looks like you got a feathered escort this morning, Harry. Loki, isn't it?"
"

That's me!" sang the raven happily.
"You mean a feathered menace," growled Craven, glaring at the pair as he rushed down the stairs, his shoulder jostling Harry as he went past.
Loki flapped to keep his balance, then hissed at the offending student, "Clumsy ox! Watch where you're going!"
Craven sneered at the bird. "Mind your own business, before you end up as the main course at lunch!"
Harry felt his temper flare. "Touch my raven, and you won't be here to have lunch, Craven."
"You threatening me, baby Snape?" growled the older boy.
"It's not a threat," Harry snarled. "If you hurt Skull's fledgling you'll be expelled so fast your head will still be facing towards your arse."
"Really?" Craven blustered.
Just then Fred and George gestured with their wands.
Suddenly Craven shrieked as a long scaly tail emerged from under his robes. "Ahhh! What's that?!"
Several students snickered. "Looks like a lizard tail to me!" Ron giggled.
"Oohh! Creepy!" shrieked Lavender Brown.
"Got that right, girl!" agreed Oliver.
"Hey! Look at his skin! It's all scaly!" blurted a first year Ravenclaw, pointing.
"Stop it!" bawled Craven, clapping his hands to his face. "Snape, you're dead, you little dungeon bat!"
"Me?" Harry cried. "I didn't do anything to you."
"Creepy Craven!" howled another Ravenclaw as they entered the hall and soon the other students seated at their House tables began repeating the nickname when they caught sight of the Gryffindor.
Behind him, the twins slapped palms and Ron whispered, "Good one, guys!"
"That'll teach the little crybaby to mess with our brother. And Harry too!"
Percy just shook his head. "I really ought to take points form you—"
"What? For defending the Weasley brotherly honor?" objected George.
"Percy, don't be a prat!" cried Fred.
"—but I won't," sighed the prefect. "Because if I wasn't a prefect, I'd have hexed him too," Percy coughed behind his hand.
"Wow! Looks like you grew a heart!" cheered Ginny.
Percy rolled his eyes.
Harry made his way over to his usual table and found it already occupied by Draco, Blaise, Daphne, and Dante. Dante was feeding Callie some bacon off his plate.
"I think we should visit Colin after class this morning," Hermione was saying to Neville as she slid into her space across from Ron. "I wonder how he liked our cards?"
"I'm sure he liked them fine," Neville said quietly.
"Cards?" Dante asked arching an eyebrow.
"We all sent him get well cards," Hermione said. "Like we did Professor Snape when Skull was poisoned."
"What?" squawked Callie. "Someone poisoned my papa?!"
"Who would do such a thing?" cried Loki angrily.
"Uh . . . it was an accident," Harry told them. He explained what had happened to the raven.
By the time he had done so, breakfast had appeared on all the tables. Today there was bacon, oatmeal with brown sugar and cinnamon, bowls of fresh fruit, scones with butter and jam, and eggs with cheese and chopped tomatoes.
Harry took a bowl of fruit, some eggs, and bacon and reached for the pitcher of milk. He used to drink juice with breakfast until Severus told him that the sugar was what made him sleepy an hour or two afterwards in class and milk or tea was a better choice.
He was midway through his eggs when Dumbledore suddenly stood up at the staff table and tapped his water goblet.
Severus paused in sipping his tea to gaze at the Headmaster, frowning quietly.
Skull snitched bacon from the Potions Master's plate and hissed, "What's the Old Man of the Mountain have to say that can't wait until after breakfast?"
"Hush and you'll find out," reprimanded Snape.
Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Attention, please. I know that you are all aware of the attack on Colin Creevy that happened last night. Luckily, Mr. Creevy will recover from his wounds. However, because we do not yet know what kind of creature attacked him, it is in your best interests to stay close to the castle for the time being. If you do need to be outside, stick together in a group, and make sure you have your wands where you can get at them. Whatever attacked Mr. Creevy is dangerous and quick, so be prepared. If you need to be outside for longer than a few minutes, ask a professor to escort you to wherever you are going or coming from. For those of you playing Quidditch, Madam Hooch and Professor Vector shall be on hand to make certain no harm befalls you. Do not disregard this warning . . . unless you wish to die a horrible death. That is all."
The Headmaster sat down and resumed eating his pancakes and bangers.
The hall erupted with students discussing the new rules.
"I think it was a chimera that attacked Creevy," one Ravenclaw said.
"Yeah, there was one that escaped from the Magical Creatures Reserve," added his Housemate.
"I think it was a troll," argued a Gryffindor.
"Could have been a griffin," remarked a Slytherin.
"Or a dragon," said another.
"Is the school safe?" asked a Hufflepuff worriedly.
"Can't we just skip Herbology?" muttered another. "I don't feel safe in the greenhouse."
"My parents are going to have Kneazles once they find out what goes on here," hissed Tracy Davis.
"Someone should call in some Magical Creatures Squad," remarked Alyce.
"Tell that to Dumbledore," snorted Marcus.
Harry kept quiet, only exchanging glances with Dante over his breakfast. Severus had been right to urge him to silence. The way the other students were reacting just speculating about the creature, even if it was incorrect, showed him that if they ever knew the truth, it would start a panic.
"You all set for the Transfiguration test, Snape?" asked Malfoy.
Harry nodded. "I think so."
"We could do a quick review," offered Daphne.
"That would be good." Hermione agreed.
They began to quiz each other.
Up at the staff table, the professors were eating breakfast and quietly discussing what had occurred.
"It was sheer luck that you happened to come by when you did, Severus," McGonagall was saying. "Otherwise poor Colin would have died."
"Not luck, Minerva," Severus corrected softly. "Lena and I heard the students screaming and came to investigate."
"At first we thought it might have been a prank," Lena added.
"But when we arrived, we saw that it most definitely was not," Severus replied.
"How did you know what spell would halt the bleeding?" asked Filius. "If a standard Blood Halt charm didn't work . . .?"
"I gambled on a countercharm to a combat spell I had invented," Severus answered, slightly evasive.
"The reason why the standard charm wasn't working was because there was venom in the wounds," Lena said quietly.
"I would have known that, if I had been there," bragged Lockhart, his voice still hoarse. "I could have fixed the poor boy in a flash."
Irma's eyes narrowed. "Really, Gilderoy? I wasn't aware you had medical certification."
"Well, you see, Madam, I learned healing from an old African shaman in Kenya . . ." Gilderoy began.
Severus rolled his eyes. "Who was probably as fake as a Silver Knut."
Skull fluttered over to Lockhart and began warbling, "I told the witch doctor I was in love with you . . . he said ooh eehh oohh ahhha ting tang walla bing bang!"
Lena nearly choked on her cappuccino, she muffled her laughter in her napkin. Oh, merciful Merlin, Severus! I nearly asphyxiated! She sent to the Potions Master.
Severus concealed a smirk behind his hand. Like Lena, he was familiar with Muggle songs, and the look on Lockhart's face was priceless. Just look at the fraud's face! One would think he just got hit over the head with a Beater's bat!
Lockhart's handsome face bore an expression of utter confusion and he cocked his head and said, "Are you talking about me? Because I'll admit all the ladies love me and my charming smile! I won Best Smile Award in Witch Weekly . . ."
Sinistra, Burbage, and Vector all made grimaces and Charity hissed, "I sure as hell didn't vote for him!"
"Who would?" snorted Aurora.
"Silly teenage girls with air between their ears," huffed Septima.
Oblivious to the disdain of his colleagues, Lockhart blathered on while Skull ate half his breakfast.
Severus saw but didn't bother reprimanding the familiar, instead sipping his coffee.
Lena nudged his knee and sent, Sev, do you have a spare cauldron?
What for?
Because I might borrow it to vomit into if I have to listen to that much longer, the library witch sent in disgust.
I might join you, the professor agreed, sending a sneer across the table. It was a pity the Laryngitis Elixir had worn off so soon, he thought.
Just then Minerva asked, "Albus, where are Silvanus and Hagrid?"
"They are off trying to track down the creature," the Headmaster answered.
Whereupon Lockhart declared, "You should have asked me along, Albus. Why do you know that I once tracked a demiguise across the Himalayas? And a banshee too? I'm sure I could find whatever this creature is."
Snape arched an eyebrow. "If you hurry, Lockhart, you might catch up with them."
Maybe you'll get lost in the forest and the dragonelle will find you before Hagrid or Kettleburn do, the professor thought snidely.
Lockhart coughed. "Err . . . I'm afraid I can't do that. I have too much fan mail to answer. All those depressed ladies wondering how I've been since I lost my voice, you know."
Severus arched an eyebrow. "Wonderful," he drawled sarcastically. "Never mind that your colleagues might be walking into the jaws of death. It's more important to appease your legion of adolescent girls, right?"
"Exactly!" Lockhart chortled.
Merlin give me strength! Severus thought sourly. Death take him away please. Before I commit murder.
"Here's a song written just for you, Lockhart," his raven announced. Skull suddenly started singing, "You're So Vain," making Severus nearly choked to death on his scone. Skull, you brilliant annoying bird! Are you trying to kill me? He took a sip of his tea, muffling his snickering behind a napkin.
Gilderoy's eyes grew wider and wider.
Half of the staff was giggling and laughing, sounding rather like a cross between a herd of pigs and hyenas as they tried unsuccessfully to maintain a modicum of dignity.
Lena and Irma were laughing so much they had tears rolling down their cheeks.
Skull paraded up and down in front of Lockhart's place, warbling, " . . .you had one eye in the mirror as you watched yourself . . . and all the girls dreamed they'd be your partner . . . I'll bet you think this song is about you . . ."
Lockhart was frowning. "Well, isn't it?"
This caused Severus to nearly spit his tea all over. Minerva looked like she was going to pass out from laughing so hard.
"Oh . . . oh . . . merciful Merlin . . .!" gasped Flitwick, nearly toppling from his chair.
Skull bowed and spread his wings with a flourish. "Thank you! I'll be here all night!" he cawed.
"I say, sing it again!" Lockhart urged, tapping out the rhythm with a spoon on the table.
"Sorry, old boy! I might cause my wizard to asphyxiate from too much laughter," the raven smirked and then he flew onto Snape's shoulder.
Snape composed himself hastily. "You're exaggerating, Skull."
"Ri-i-i-ght!" snorted the bird.
"Hush," ordered his wizard. "I'll give you extra sunflower seeds and honey with ground beef later."
"It's a deal, Sevvy!" Skull purred into his ear.
Some of the students were staring up at the staff table and Blaise muttered, "What the heck is so funny?"
Dante shrugged. "It's Skull. God knows what he said. Probably something totally outrageous."
"But true!" chimed in Callie.
"Definitely!" agreed her brother.
"Whatever it was, it made all the teachers laugh," observed Hermione. "Even your dad, Harry."
"Where?" Neville gaped.
"Umm . . . well he smiled a little," Daphne chuckled.
"I'll bet you it was about Lockhart," murmured Harry. He knew quite well that Skull loathed the dandy as much as Severus.
"Obviously," drawled Draco. "Nothing could make the professors all laugh like that except deflating that idiot's ego."
Ron nodded. "And nobody does that better than old Skull!"
The rest of the friends nodded in agreement.
Harry nudged Dante. "Want to go see Colin after our morning class?"
The older boy nodded. "Yeah. If they let us. I'd like to see what he says about what happened."
"Me too," Harry said. He pulled out his History of Magic text, and began studying the passages Daphne had underlined for him.
Beside him, Dante practiced an incantation out of his Charms text, moving his wand in an "S" shape.
The Hospital Wing:
Harry and Dante entered the Hospital Wing as quietly as Snape stalking misbehaving students at midnight. Madam Pomfrey was in her office, speaking with someone from St. Mungos, and so did not hear or see them come in.
Harry glanced around, spotting Colin lying in a bed close by the door. The young Gryffindor was pale but otherwise looked worlds better than he had the previous night. He was sipping some pumpkin juice with a straw and looking at some magazines. Harry thought he looked bored out of his mind.
I know what that's like, he mused sympathetically, recalling his own stay in the Hospital Wing last year as well as St. Mungos.
He walked over to the bed, followed by Dante. "Hey, Colin," he greeted his Housemate.
Colin jerked up and stared at Harry as if he were some sort of angel come down on high. "Blimey! It's really you! Harry Potter!"
"Umm . . .yeah," Harry coughed uncomfortably. "But it's Potter-Snape now," he corrected. "Remember, Professor Snape adopted me at the end of last term."
"Right! Sorry!" Colin flushed. "What—what are you doing here? I wish I had my camera . . ." He rummaged about and came up with a crumpled napkin and a goose quill. "Uh . . . would you mind signing this?"
Harry frowned. "You want me to sign a napkin?"
Colin nodded so hard Harry feared his head might come off.
"But . . ." Harry sighed.
"Here, kid," Dante fished a piece of parchment out of his bag. He also pulled out his potions text so Harry could use it to prop up the parchment.
Harry took the parchment and quill and wrote quickly Get well soon, your friend Harry Potter-Snape.
"Here," he handed Colin the parchment.
Colin looked as if he had just been given a million Galleons. "Thanks, Harry!"
Harry shrugged, embarrassed. "Uh . . . I was wondering how you're feeling?"
"Better. Madam Pomfrey says I was lucky. She said thanks to Professor Snape and some Slytherin girl named Randi Cummings I'm still here." Colin suddenly shivered.
"That's right, kid. My cousin saved your life," Dante said. "But what do you remember about the creature that attacked you?"
"Uh . . . it was fast," murmured Colin. "I was taking pictures of a fwooper that was in a tree nearby when . . . I heard the most beautiful voice . . ."
"A voice?" Harry repeated, feeling cold chills race down his spine. Uh oh! Not good, Harry!
Colin nodded, swallowing abruptly. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down. "Yeah . . . it was . . . so soft and sweet . . . like spun sugar. It asked me to come and help it. So I went into the trees a bit . . . and then . . . that was when it happened . . ."
"Did you happen to see what it was?" pressed Dante, his heart gone cold in his chest.
"Not really . . . except it was big . . . it had a weird head, with horns, at least I think so . . . and teeth like razors, kind of like a dragon or crocodile. It had claws, like a lion's . . . and it growled but even that sounded kind of . . . musical . . .I fell down, I couldn't move even though I tried . . .and then I saw the eyes . . ." He shivered again.
"The eyes?" Harry whispered. "What did they look like?"
"Like burning gold," whispered Colin. "I couldn't look away . . . and then it . . ." He shook his head sharply. " . . .I can't . . . I don't want to remember any more, please . . ."
"Sorry," Harry apologized. "I didn't mean to . . . I just needed to know . . ."
"Hey. It's okay," Dante murmured. "Or it will be."
Colin looked down at his hands, clutching the sheet. "Sometimes . . . I dream about the eyes . . . they scare me but . . . they're beautiful too. If that makes any sense." Then he sighed gustily. "But the worst thing wasn't me getting hurt. The stupid thing broke my camera!"
"That really sucks!" Harry murmured. But a part of him whispered, Now maybe I can get some peace from him snapping photos of me. May Merlin forgive me!
"Can't you get a new one?" asked Dante.
"It was expensive," sighed Colin unhappily. "And if I tried to ask my parents for the money they would want to know how the other one got broken. And I can't tell them . . . they'd absolutely freak out . . . they probably make me leave Hogwarts . . ."
"You're Muggleborn, right?" Dante clarified.
"Yup," Colin said. "My parents would never understand. They just about accepted that magic is real and not . . . tricks and illusions."
"That's tough," sighed Harry. "My relatives never liked magic either."
"What are you two doing here?" demanded Madam Pomfrey. "Mr. Creevy needs rest."
Harry turned about to see Madam Pomfrey. "Hello, Madam Pomfrey," he greeted politely. "We were just checking up on Colin."
"It's okay. I don't mind," Colin said, smiling shyly.
"Very well. But you can only stay another five minutes," relented the mediwitch.
"Okay," Dante agreed, rolling his eyes behind her back.
"So anything else interesting happen while I've been stuck in here?" Colin asked, his face wistful.
Harry and Dante told him about Dumbledore's announcement and the new rules they had to follow. By the time they had done so, the five minutes had passed.
"Gentlemen, it's time to leave," called Pomfrey. "Mr. Creevy needs his rest."
"I've been resting all day," Colin protested.
"We'll come back later," Harry said.
"Hey, do you think you could tell Professor Snape thank you for me?" the younger Gryffindor said.
"Sure. But you could tell him yourself if he stops by," Harry pointed out.
"You think he would?" Colin squeaked in surprise. "I thought . . . err . . . I mean . . .before last night . . . I thought he hated Gryffindors . . ."
Harry shook his head. "That's not true. I'm a Gryffindor and his adopted son."
"And he saved your life," Dante reminded. "Who told you that nonsense anyway?"
Colin flushed and looked down at the blanket. "Steven did."
Harry scowled. "As in Craven?"
Colin nodded miserably. "Don't be mad, Harry. I . . . I don't really believe it . . . not anymore . . ."
Harry gritted his teeth. "That rotten . . ." he bit off the rest of what he wanted to say.
"Never trust anything that little worm says," Dante spoke up, his eyes stormy. "He lies worse than used car salesman."
"Yeah and he hates my dad for giving him a week's worth of detention for insulting him and me," Harry added. "And he thinks I'm a traitor since I had Dad as my guardian and now my father. You can't trust what he says—especially if it concerns me or my father or any Slytherin."
Colin's eyes were as big as saucers. "Really?"
Harry nodded emphatically.
"Okay, Harry." Colin agreed.
They left the Hospital Wing before Madam Pomfrey could scold them, Harry muttering darkly about "Craven the Cowardly Lion" as he did so.
Snape's office:
Randi entered the Potion Master's office at ten o'clock, just after her morning Transfiguration class. Snape had scheduled her inbetween periods, so he would have time to discuss the Creevy incident with her and not have her feel rushed or nervous. The small Slytherin discovered that her Head's office was not bleak and cold, but elegant and rather inviting, with its certificates and the green leather wingback chairs, plus the mahogany desk with its neat stacks of parchments and quills and photos of Harry and Skull as well as another of the study group in Snape's quarters. A cheery fire crackled in the fireplace, and on a low teak table was a tea service and a plate of blueberry scones.
To the girl's shock, the professor was not seated behind his desk, but in the other chair next to the table. He looked a good deal less intimidating sitting there than he usually did, and Randi gave him a slight smile as she entered. "Good morning, Professor Snape."
"Good morning, Miss Cummings," he greeted. "Do sit down." He gestured to the other chair opposite him. "Help yourself to tea and scones."
"Thank you, sir," Randi murmured, and sat down. She fixed a cup of tea and took a scone and a napkin.
Severus allowed her to drink some tea and take a few bites of her scones before he said, "How are you finding your classes so far?"
The girl set the remainder of her treat in her lap and replied softly, "I like most of them, sir. Only . . . I wish we could learn some healing magic as a class. Then I might have been able to . . . help Colin some more."
"Many of the healing spells are too advanced for you right now, Miss Cummings. However, I shall teach you how to brew a Wiggenweld potion in a few weeks." Snape informed her. "Speaking of Mr. Creevy, would you like to talk about what happened last night? You seem troubled." He folded his hands in his lap and waited for her response.
Randi bit her lip and looked down at the half of scone in her lap. It was a minute or two before she had gathered enough courage to say, "I used to treat hurt animals sometimes when I was at home . . . just wild birds and once a hurt rabbit and a cat with a thorn in his paw. I liked helping them get better and when my mum suggested I would do well as a Healer, I started trying to study some on it. I knew it would take a lot of hard work and determination, but I'm not afraid of that."
Snape nodded. "Go on."
"When . . . when I saw Colin come into the castle . . . I knew there was something really wrong with him. Then he . . . collapsed and there was blood all over . . .I knew I had to stop the bleeding or else he'd die . . . but Professor . . .I never saw anybody bleed like that . . . it was like a river . . . and even though I was pressing down as hard as I could . . . I knew it wouldn't be enough . . . and I was scared . . ."
"Anyone would have been, child," he soothed. "You have nothing to be ashamed of, Miss Cummings. Students older than you were screaming in horror and unable to do anything else. But you remained calm enough to try and treat your classmate. That shows amazing fortitude, Cummings."
Randi blushed. Then she said, very quietly, "But sir . . . it wasn't enough . . . if you hadn't come when you did . . . he would have died . . ." She sniffled and Severus gave her a handkerchief.
"Miss Cummings, no one expected you to do what you did. Most eleven-year-olds would not have known how to even attempt to stop the bleeding, much less actually do so. You ought to be proud that you did not panic the way so many others did. Your swift response saved Mr. Creevy as much as my own spells did."
"It did?"
"Yes. That was why I awarded you points, child. You should not feel guilty that you couldn't do more to help Creevy, Miss Cummings. You have the potential to be a great Healer, if you continue to apply yourself to your studies, never doubt it." He hoped his encouragement would bolster her confidence, for he did not want the girl to drown in guilt and let her brilliant instinctive gift to be smothered by self-doubt.
Randi gazed up at her Head, her eyes shining at the unexpected praise. "You . . . really mean that, sir?"
"Yes. You ought to know that I never give praise unless it is earned," he replied, sipping his own tea.
"Thank you, professor," Randi smiled. Then she looked down at her hands again, sighing.
Snape leaned forward, sensing there was something more troubling her. "Is there something else you need to discuss, Miss Cummings?"
She twisted her hands nervously in her robes. "It's just . . . the sight of all that blood . . . made me feel sick . . .how can I Heal people like that?"
"Miss Cummings, I would be worried if you didn't feel sick after witnessing what you did," Severus told her. "Seeing someone almost at death's door that way . . . it would unsettle an adult, never mind a child like you. I've seen grown men vomit after seeing what you did."
"I . . . almost did . . ." she admitted. "But . . . I knew I had to do something to help . . . there wasn't time for me to get sick . . ."
"Did you do so afterwards?" he queried gently, though he was sure he knew the answer.
At her nod, he reached out a hand and clasped hers. "Miss Cummings, there's no shame in that. It's a normal reaction. It doesn't mean you can't be a good Healer."
"How do you know, sir?" she asked, lifting her eyes to meet his.
Severus drew in a breath. "Because . . .I reacted the very same way the first time I had to treat a victim of the Cutting Curse."
Randi gasped, her eyes widening in shock. "You, professor?"
Severus nodded. Then he said, "I trust you will keep your silence about that, Miss Cummings."
"I'll never tell, sir," Randi promised. Then she asked, "Does it ever get any easier, sir?"
"Mostly. You stop reacting that way and learn to focus on the patient," Severus explained. "But if you go to study at St. Mungos you will learn how to do that along with healing magic."
"It must be hard."
"Mmm . . . it is. But in order to heal you have to be able to think clearly, not be overwhelmed by emotions. You learn how to place your emotions inside a box so you can focus on saving the one under your care. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Professor Snape," Randi replied, her admiration for the tall professor increasing a notch. They're wrong, all those students who say he had no heart, or an icicle in his chest. He does have one . . . one that feels too much so he hides it away . . .
"Good. Was there anything else you wish to discuss?" he queried. It was nearly ten thirty.
Randi thought for a moment. Then she slowly shook her head. "No. I'm all right now."
"If you do need to talk again, come by during my office hours on Wednesdays," her teacher said. "Finish your tea, Miss Cummings. I believe you have Charms next, correct?"
"Yes, sir. How did you remember that?"
"I make out the first-year schedules," Snape explained.
Randi concealed a secret smirk. I almost thought he was reading my mind.
Severus waited until she had finished her tea, then sent her off to Charms. He glanced at the parchment atop his desk, he had another appointment scheduled for eleven, then he was free until lunch. After that I shall go down to the training grounds and practice some defensive spells. I can't afford to let myself become sloppy, not with a dragonelle on the loose . . . That in turn made him wonder how Hagrid and Kettleburn were faring.
The Forbidden Forest:
Twigs snapped beneath Hagrid's boots as he trod through the undergrowth, trying to follow the trail left by the dragonelle. Kettleburn stumped along beside him, quiet for all of his prosthetic limbs. The gamekeeper had his crossbow in his hand, a quarrel loaded and ready. This particular quarrel was tipped with a nerve potion that would freeze a creature if it struck, and Hagrid hoped it was strong enough to immobilize the dragonelle.
As the half-giant paused, Kettleburn examined the trail and muttered a tracking charm. The ground in front of them glowed a silvery color to his eye. "I believe it went this way," the Magical Creatures professor murmured.
"Aye, the blood trail it was leaving goes that way," Hagrid agreed, pointing off to the east, deeper into the forest.
They resumed their pursuit, following the glowing pathway.
Overhead, a raven flew silently on black wings, his uncanny perception urging him to follow the two intrepid hunters.
Hogwarts training grounds:
A red bolt of magic struck the ground just before Snape's boots, making the ground tremble slightly.
Snape swirled his cloak and vanished, using his concealment magic to blend into the air, of no more substance than a specter.
The training dummies he had activated for this session circled about, five of them with wands and five with other types of weapons.
Snape circled about and then swept his cloak down, canceling his charm, for no offensive magic could be cast with a Concealment Charm. Then he pointed his wand and uttered a Blasting Curse. "Confringo!"
Three of the metal dummies exploded everywhere.
Severus ducked as shards splattered the earth like hail.
Five of them converged upon him, shooting spells at him. He twirled his wand in a complex pattern and non-verbally cast a spell of his own invention. A glowing iridescent shield arced over him and all the spells aimed at him dissolved into it and then it flared electric green and reflected them back at his attackers.
The dummies were blasted halfway across the training grounds.
Several students, including Harry, Ron, and Daphne were crossing the grounds at that moment and froze upon hearing the sharp staccato booms and the shrill shriek of metal torn apart.
"What was that?" gasped a Slytherin girl.
"Sounded like something blew up," answered a Hufflepuff boy next to her.
"It came from the training grounds," cried another and a knot of half-curious and half-fearful students crept through the archway to see what was going on.
"Maybe it's the creature!" Ron cried and then he and his friends followed the older students.
They stood with their mouths agape as they saw their potions professor cast another combat spell and watched the remaining two practice dummies become torches.
"Time?" Snape called as the dummies reformed themselves.
A disembodied voice called out "Four minutes, ten seconds, professor."
Severus scowled. Not good enough. "Attack pattern alpha zero," he ordered the dummies.
The original ten were joined by five more, and the students gasped as they all attacked the black robed professor at the same time.
Or what they assumed was the professor.
In reality they attacked an illusion while the real Snape gestured and his cloak suddenly transformed into great black dragon wings. With two gigantic thrusts, Severus leaped into the air and flew above the horde of battling practice dummies trying to kill his double.
"Holy Merlin!"
"He's flying! Without a broom!"
"I didn't think that was even possible!" cried a sixth year in envy.
The astonished audience watched as Snape circled like a dragon that spots prey and then drew his wand and chanted something.
A storm of fire and frost projectiles exploded from his wand and rained down upon the dummies, their concussive force knocking them all down like ninepins.
"Bloody hell!" Ron screamed.
Daphne lifted an arm to protect her face from any stray projectiles.
"Wicked, Dad!" Harry called. "I wish I knew how to do that!"
"So do we all!" Percy said enviously. "Why in hell isn't Snape teaching us Defense instead of that useless twit Lockhart?"
"Because the old man in the office has gone bonkers," snorted Tarrant.
Unaware he had an audience, Snape called softly, "Time?"
"Three minutes, professor."
"Hmm . . ."
He called out another attack sequence. In this one he flew down to the ground and proceeded to play a game of cat and mouse, using a frost knife to take some of his opponents down and the rest of the time he used incendiary potions as well as charms.
At the end of the session all the dummies resembled scrap metal, and Severus was panting. As he dashed his hair from his eyes, and mopped his face with a handkerchief pulled from a pocket, he heard Skull's voice through the mental bond he shared with the familiar.
Severus, come quickly! Hagrid and Silvanus need you! It's the dragonelle!
"Bloody blazes!" hissed Snape, then the black wings reappeared upon him and he soared into the air once more.
Lena! Tell the Headmaster I've gone to help Hagrid and Kettleburn! He sent to the library witch before he beat his wings hard, and used an updraft to soar into the forest. Skull, I'm coming! He just hoped he was in time. And that Albus followed.