snape and skull

67

Truth and Talismans
H

eadmaster's office:
T

he last time Harry could recall being in Dumbledore's office was for the hearing after he had punched out Draco for breaking the pocket watch Severus had given him with Lily's picture in it. Then he had been both angry and nervous. Now he was hoping to see Dumbledore mete out some long overdue justice.
He followed Lena as she led him, Randi, and Daphne to the gargoyle guarded staircase that led to the Headmaster's office. The library witch stopped and whispered the password, "Licorice whips." Then the gargoyle slid to the side and Lena and the students stepped onto the spiral moving stairs that took them to the door leading to the office. Lena knocked once for admittance.
"Enter, Lena," came Albus' voice.
Lena opened the door and walked in, the students trailing after like ducklings. She found that besides Severus and the two bullying students, there were also a stern Minerva and a frowning Pomona seated in a semi-circle before Dumbledore's desk.
Harry, Daphne, and Randi all went and took the seats inbetween Severus and Pomona, while Lena took the chair on Snape's other side.
"Now that we are all here, let us begin this hearing," Dumbledore began gravely. "Professor Snape has brought to my attention that you, Mr. Craven, and you, Mr. Smith were caught bullying Miss Cummings by Harry and Daphne on their way to lunch. Is this true?"
He looked at Craven sharply.
The boy glared sulkily at the odd gadgets upon the desk and muttered, "So what if it was? It wasn't like we were going to poison her."
Severus gritted his teeth, controlling a rising desire to shake the Gryffindor till his teeth rattled.
"Answer the question, Craven!" McGonagall snapped. "Yes or no?"
The Gryffindor gulped. "Yes," he muttered. Then he added spitefully, "But it was Zach's idea!"
The Hufflepuff scowled at his friend. "Just throw me under the Knight Bus why don't you?" he growled. "Nice one, Craven!"
"Mr. Smith, is what Craven says true?" demanded Sprout.
Zacharias hesitated. Then he coughed. "Kind of. See, Stephen and I had a bet going that he couldn't find anyone to test his potion . . ."
The Hufflepuff explained that he had bet his friend two Galleons that he wouldn't find anyone willing to try his experimental potion, which he had brewed over the summer in his basement lab. And after an hour of asking everyone they knew if they would volunteer, Craven had spotted Randi returning from the library and got a very wicked idea.
"Mr. Craven," Severus interjected, his voice like hoarfrost. "Are you telling me that you deliberately stalked and attacked a first year just so you didn't lose face and two Galleons with your best friend?"
Craven glanced once at Snape, whose eyes burned with black fury, and then looked away, unable to bear the way the potions professor was glaring at him. His trainer dug into the carpet. "Umm . . . err . . ."
"Yes or no?" Snape hissed, leaning forward, like a serpent striking.
Craven shivered. "Yes, sir."
"Stephen," Dumbledore called the boy's attention back to him. "Why did you pick Miss Cummings to test your potion on? Because she happened to be walking across the corridor?"
Zacharias snorted. "If he says yes, then he's as fake as a Silver Knut, sir. Everybody knows Craven hates Slytherins like the plague."
"You don't like them either, Smith you babbling baby!" Craven cried angrily. "When I said let's go hex that viper, you said okay."
"Mr. Smith!" reproved Pomona. "I am very disappointed in you! Did I not tell you all at my Welcome Speech that you are to set an example to the other Houses and treat others as you would like to be treated?"
Zacharias hung his head, a red flush spreading across his cheekbones. "Yes, Professor Sprout."
"And do you call bullying another student—a first year girl no less—setting a good example?" Pomona scolded.
Zacharias just shook his head, cursing his foolish impulse in agreeing with Craven.
"I'd say not," Snape interjected coldly. "But then, this isn't the first time I've caught Mr. Craven starting trouble. He's been in detention with me before for trying to instigate a fight in the Great Hall between my son and my cousin and himself."
Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, I do seem to recall such an incident. Mr. Craven, why did you attempt to force feed Randi your potion? Why not simply ask her to participate in your experiment?"
Because he's a nasty prat! Harry thought angrily, glaring at the older boy. But watch, he'll never admit it, the coward!
Craven lifted his head and met the Headmaster's eyes. "You want the truth, sir? Okay, I'll tell you the truth." A sneer twisted his features, turning them from good-looking into grotesque. "I didn't ask because why should I ask a slimy snake like her? Everyone knows Slytherins are bred to serve You-Know-Who, even the ones who pretend they don't." Here he turned and looked pointedly at Snape and Randi.
"The only one pretending anything here is you, Craven!" snapped Harry, unable to keep silent.
"Hush, Mr. Potter," Minerva ordered.
"Pretending, am I?" Craven snapped back. "At least I don't pretend to belong to Gryffindor when it's obvious the Hat should have put you in Slytherin with all the other dungeon bats!"
"Mr. Craven!" McGonagall cried.
"Don't call us bats!" Daphne spoke up, giving the other boy a fierce glare.
"Why not? Everyone knows that's what you're all like," said Craven heatedly. "Backstabbing cowards who would sell your own mother to You-Know-Who and then kiss his robes! Pureblood scum!"
Daphne's eyes flashed. "Pureblood scum? You calling yourself that too? Because you're the same, Craven, pureblood just like me. No, wait, I stand corrected. You're nothing like me. Because I'd sooner hex my tongue out than disgrace my House and my Name like you've done."
"Miss Greengrass, Mr. Craven—" Dumbledore began, trying to head off another quarrel.
But Craven was not minded to let that pass. "Then do it, you viperess! Then I won't need to hear your mouth. At least I don't follow a dead wizard in hopes of getting some glory and a chance to kill some Muggles."
"I've never killed anyone!" Randi objected.
"Give it time," sneered Craven. "You're a snake, you're all poison, like your Head. Ask Snape how many students he's poisoned since he got out of Azkaban!"
Zacharias's mouth dropped open.
Before any of the professors could respond, Skull did. "Rotten little brat! Severus has never been in Azkaban! But you're heading that way unless you clean up your act, you pathetic little hyena!"
"My dad 's never poisoned anyone either, you prat!" Harry snapped. "Unlike you, Craven the Cowardly Lion."
"But if he did, he could start with the little snot," Loki shrilled.
"Loki, shush!" Skull muttered.
Severus leveled a deadly Snape glare at the offensive boy. "Excuse me, Mr. Craven? What proof do you have that I have poisoned students?"
"Well . . . I . .. " sputtered Craven. "Everyone knows Slytherins are assassins, and the Head of Slytherin is the best one of all."
"That's crazy!" Daphne objected.
"Mr. Craven, stop spouting utter nonsense!" Minerva cried. "You have no right to go around accusing anyone of crimes they never committed."
"But professor, they're all evil!" Craven insisted.
"Who told you that, boy?" demanded Severus. "Your parents?"
"Everyone knows that," Craven snorted.
"Perhaps you need to stop listening to rumors," Lena said angrily.
"It's not a rumor if it's true!" Stephen shot back.
"Why do you say it's true?" Dumbledore queried.
"All the Death Eaters come from that House," argued Craven. "Everyone says so. He did too, and everyone knows the way he turned out!" He pointed at Randi. "She'll go dark too, they all do! Just wait!"
"Guess you'll be waiting till the Second Coming then!" Randi said angrily, giving the boy a hard look. As she did so, she noticed something.
"Liar! Everyone—"
Randi rolled her eyes. "Everyone knows your fly's open but you, and frankly, I'm not impressed!" She gestured pointedly at the Gryffindor's crotch.
Craven glanced down and went red.
Zacharias' eyes went wide, then he snickered.
Albus nearly choked on a sherbet lemon.
Severus bit the inside of his cheek hard to keep from totally losing his composure and laughing like a lunatic..
"Excuse us!" Minerva coughed, and then she ran from the inner office into the alcove of portraits followed by Lena and Pomona, muffling their laughter in their sleeves.
Harry, Daphne, Randi, and the ravens had no such compunction, however, and they nearly busted a gut howling.
The humiliated boy frantically went to cover himself, spitting in rage, "Just wait, you filthy half-Mudblood! I'll make you sorry you ever came to this school—" He lifted a hand to Randi, who shrank back in her chair, one arm covering her face.
"You dare-?" Severus snarled, moving like lightning unleashed.
Craven's blow landed upon the professor's upper arm, as Snape interposed his body inbetween the girl and her tormentor.
Too late, Craven realized what he had done and went fishbelly white.
"Nobody hurts my wizard!" Skull shrieked and dove at the boy, making Craven stumble backwards and nearly fall in a heap on the floor.
"Skullduggery!" Snape called. He was still standing in front of Randi.
"Enough!" Dumbledore snapped. "Mr. Craven, how dare you strike a professor?" His blue eyes were stormy.
The other students were all wearing various expressions of shock and anger, and Daphne needed to grab Harry to keep him from going after the older boy. "Stop, Snape!" she hissed in his ear. "Calm down and let the adults handle it!"
Reluctantly, Harry subsided.
"Headmaster, it was an accident," Stephen whined. "He got in the way!"
"Your attitude is despicable!" Snape growled. "Both towards me and Miss Cummings!"
"Stephen, apologize to Professor Snape and Randi," ordered Minerva, who had returned just in time to see the boy hit Severus. "Both for hitting a teacher and for using that derogatory name! You are a disgrace to my House! Fifty points for your disrespect and foul mouth!"
"You ought to wash out his mouth, O Queen of Cats!" warbled Skull, now perched upon Snape's shoulder. "Sev, give her your lemon juice."
"Professor, she started it-" protested the Gryffindor.
"Apologize!" McGonagall snapped. "You are already suspended for your cruel bullying, do not make it worse!"
Sullenly, Craven muttered an apology. But no one in the office believed he was truly sorry.
Dumbledore cleared his throat and they all sat down again.
Randi gave Severus a grateful look and murmured, "Thanks, Professor Snape."
"You are welcome, child, however next time do try and restrain yourself," he scolded gently, smirking. Then he whispered into her ear, "Even if he did have it coming."
"Yes, sir," Randi said, flushing slightly.
Dumbledore crossed his arms over his chest, reminding Harry of Severus, though the stern pose was spoiled by Albus' beard waggling slightly.
"Misters Craven and Smith, you seem to have developed a most awful habit of bullying your fellow classmates with magic." The Headmaster shook his head. "As well as insulting them in a most degrading manner and thinking you are right to do so. That is most disturbing. I would like to know where you learned such an attitude."
"Stephen kept telling me that Slytherins couldn't be trusted since all the dark ones were in that House," Zacharias said quietly.
Dumbledore shook his head. "Then he was very mistaken. Because there were and are those who follow the dark path in every House."
"Even Hufflepuff?" Smith whispered.
"Yes, Zacharias, even my House," Professor Sprout asserted. "To our shame, we have had a few members go dark, who pledged their loyalty to the wrong cause, and believed that supporting pureblood doctrine meant a better life and softer one since part of that doctrine stated that Muggleborns were the ones causing all the unrest in society and it was they who first brought the witch finders down on us centuries ago."
"Well, your House is a bunch of duffers," sneered Craven.
"Hey!" scowled Zacharias. "You watch your mouth! At least my House doesn't brag about having Potter in it and then treat him like dung 'cause he has a proper family now."
Craven stiffened. "My mother says Potter should have gone begging in the road before accepting the likes of a Slytherin for his adopted father."
"Indeed?" Snape spoke up then. "And who is your mother, boy, to make such a declaration about something that doesn't concern her?"
Craven spun on the black-robed professor. "My mum says she went to school with you . . . and you were friends with kids who became Death Eaters . . . sir . . . and Merlin only know what dark curses you knew!"
Snape's eyes narrowed. "Your mother was a Gryffindor, I take it?"
"Of course!" Craven declared proudly.
"Humph! Figures. Then she knew nothing about what truly was going on in Slytherin at the time. What is her name?"
"Mary. She used to be Mary MacDonald before she married my dad."
"Ah. That explains a great deal. At one time, your mother was the victim of two of my crueler Housemates, and because of that I can assume that she believed that every Slytherin was evil."
"She was right!" insisted the boy.
"Wrong, maggot-for-brains!" shrilled Loki. "Anyone with half a brain knows that a raven's chosen is never a dark wizard. And Severus has been my papa's chosen for years!"
"Loki is correct," Lena spoke up. "The bond cannot form with any dark practitioner. They are anathema. Therefore, Mr. Craven, both you and your mother are quite mistaken. Furthermore, just because You-Know-Who came from Slytherin, does not mean that you should judge others by his example, because Merlin also came from that House. Or didn't your mother ever tell you that?"
Craven sputtered, clearly unaware of that little fact. "But—Merlin—that's—Mum always said Merlin was a Gryffindor!"
"No. Merlin was a Slytherin who put his cunning and resourcefulness to good use to help King Arthur save Britain," Dumbledore informed him. "You can read about it in the library."
The boy seemed flabbergasted, and turned to glare at Daphne and Randi, who were smirking proudly. "I don't believe it!"
Snape ground his back teeth together. "Whether you do or not, you don't argue facts. And it is fact that this is so. Even if it were not, trying to tar and feather all Slytherins for the crimes of You-Know-Who is narrowminded and unreasonable. But then, I am not surprised given that your mother was forever projecting her own half-baked theories on anyone she disliked, and ignoring the facts when they didn't suit her. It would seem you have inherited that trait, Craven."
Craven stiffened. "You calling my mum a liar?"
"No, I am saying she is misinformed and ignorant," corrected Snape.
"And allowing old prejudices to be passed down," Minerva frowned. "Resulting in bullying and intolerance."
"She sounds like my crazy godmother," Harry remarked.
"Be quiet, baby Snape!" ordered Craven. "Just because your father's a professor, you think—" he broke off as Harry was giving him a glare worthy of a basilisk.
Harry stared him down. "I think what?"
"Nothing," mumbled the other boy.
"Thought so," Harry sniffed.
"It is a shame that such divisiveness is encouraged nowadays, when we all need to unite against a common foe," Dumbledore lectured.
"We were doing that, sir!" Craven objected. "Me and Zach against the vipers!"
"Oh, for Merlin's sake, Craven, get a clue!" snapped Daphne. "The Headmaster was speaking about all the Houses uniting to stop old Ugly Moldy."
Harry nodded. "It's like Dante always says, united we stand, divided we fall."
"Mr. Prince is very astute for his age." Dumbledore praised. "He is also correct. Nothing allows evil a foothold so much as quarrels between allies. You are all Hogwarts students, and you have more in common than you think, no matter what House you are Sorted into." The old wizard tapped his beard thoughtfully. "I believe we need to revive an old custom."
Severus arched an eyebrow. What is the old fox up to now? He has that gleam in his eye.
"What custom, Albus?" asked Pomona.
"A Round Robin Dueling Club. With the prize being a gold cup and one hundred House points to the team that wins," declared Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling madly.
"The team?" Zacharias was puzzled. "But sir, dueling is always one on one."
"Normal duels, yes." Dumbledore nodded. "However, in a Round Robin you are four on a team, and have to duel other teams to win. Furthermore—the teams are comprised of one member from each House."
"Oh my! Has that ever been done before?" Pomona asked, frowning.
"Yes, but not for a long time." Albus said. He looked straight at Snape. "Severus will you be the Dueling instructor? I know you will make sure the students are safe."
"Good choice, Al!" squawked Skull. "This way no kid goes home in a matchbox, which is what would happen if good old Gilderoy were teaching!"
Severus nodded. "I shall, Headmaster."
"Wonderful!" Albus looked delighted. "I hope this will encourage more inter-House cooperation. I shall meet with you all later and discuss this further. But first . . . there is the matter of Mr. Smith and Mr. Craven." His eyes lost their twinkle. "It is my judgement that both of you serve a two week suspension in House—meaning that you are forbidden to leave your common rooms without the escort of a professor—and you shall not attend class, but be brought each class' assignments and expected to complete them and homework on time. In addition to that you shall also serve some time in the kitchens, helping the house elves scrub pots and pans and whatever else the Head Elf tells you to do. You will not attempt to approach Miss Cummings or speak with her, and you will write me a three foot essay on respecting your fellow students, no matter what House they are in, and treating them as you would wish to be treated."
"What—what about the tournament?" Smith queried. "Can we participate?"
"If you accept your punishment and learn from it, then I will see," Dumbledore answered. "This is the only warning you shall get, gentlemen. If you continue to hex and bully other students, you will find yourself expelled."
About time, old man! Severus thought. I guess all those late-night chats in front of your fire were worth something after all. In the past, Snape had often suggested to Albus that he needed to implement a sterner consequence policy when it came to bullies who preyed on younger students and those who were loners. He had mentioned often the so-called "pranks" the gang known as "the Marauders" had pulled on himself and others, and stressed that they were not funny, but humiliating and cruel, and because they had not been stopped early on, they had progressed to almost committing murder using their buddy Lupin as a dupe. He had also pointed out that such relentless bullying destroyed the victim's self-esteem, making them easy prey for dark influences, or resulting in becoming so depressed they committed suicide, and he had shown the Headmaster several examples of such cases in the Muggle newspapers. It had been a real eye opener, and Severus was relieved that Albus still recalled them and they had impacted him enough to make him change his disciplinary policy.
He eyed the two miscreants, noting that Smith looked ashamed and upset, while Craven was pouting, no doubt trying to figure out if he ought to write home to mummy about how unfairly he was being treated. Now we shall see if this works . . . and if it doesn't there will be two less troublemakers to worry about.
"You are dismissed. Mr. Craven and Mr. Smith, your Heads shall escort you to your common rooms for lunch. Harry, Daphne, and Randi, go and have lunch, I know you are probably starving," Dumbledore said, waving them off with an indulgent smile.
As his son and his friends departed, Severus prepared to leave also with Lena, to search for possible ways to make amulets to protect the children against the dragonelle's mind magic, but before he did so, he turned back to the Headmaster and murmured, "Albus, are you sure it's wise to hold this tournament now? With all the unrest from the dragonelle? Shouldn't we focus on getting rid of it before we introduce this tournament?".
"Hmm . . . well, Severus, I thought the tournament might be a kind of distraction from fear and anxiety, as well as promoting school unity. We can hold the tournament in the Great Hall, not outside, so there is no chance of anyone getting harmed by the dragonelle."
Severus sighed, sensing the Headmaster was not to be dissuaded. "Very well. I shall teach them how to duel and in so doing also how to defend themselves against the dragonelle." He lowered his voice an octave. "Harry has discovered from a house elf that there maybe a potion that can remove the dragonelle's magic resistance, but doesn't know where it can be found. However, I do have the rare dragon's tear it requires. I was hoping that the Society had some books on the matter."
"Severus, that's wonderful! Hopefully, you can recreate it. I never knew something like that existed. The last time the dragonelles roamed, we used Weakening Spells to bring down their magic resistance, but sometimes that was not enough. They are wickedly fast and vicious, even using salamander blood tipped weapons, they took several wizards down with them."
"Did you know how to block its sendings?" queried the Occlumens.
Albus shook his head. "No. You of all people know how difficult the mind magics are. The average wizard cannot master them without weeks of study, if that. And a dragonelle's telepathic suggestions are almost akin to an Imperius curse. Only the strongest and most independent wizards could even resist its call, and even if that happened, it could strike like lightning."
"Didn't you contact the Society?" Severus probed.
Albus sighed. "This was right in the middle of the war with Grindelwald. The Ministry had its hands full trying to defeat him and his followers, and they believed the Society was nothing more than a bunch of eccentric witches and wizards who studied dead branches of magic. It was not respected the way it is now."
Severus frowned. "So then you never consulted the Codex."
"No," Dumbledore sighed.
"I see. Well, I am off to do just that. The book is an ancient tome of much magic, things which most wizards today have forgotten or never bothered to learn. Hopefully it can help us create some kind of talisman to ward the children with. Otherwise, I think you may need to close the school down again."
Albus heaved a sigh. "The Board will not be pleased if that happens."
"Humph! I'd wager they'd be even more displeased if one of their children get mauled or killed by the dragonelle," Severus pointed out chillingly.
Dumbledore nodded unhappily. Then he said, with the kind of determined overconfidence that sent chills down the Potion Master's spine, "Find a way to block the dragonelle's sendings, Severus. You are my premiere mind magus and have one of the best innovative minds I have ever known. If anyone can find a way to circumvent this creature it's you."
"Albus, I can't guarantee—" Snape began, horrified that the old wizard would put the burden of saving the children once again on his shoulders. "—even with the Codex and Lena helping—"
"Severus, dear boy, your guesses are better than most other people's facts. I shall leave you to it."
"Very well," Snape huffed. Then he left the office with a swirl of his black cloak.
While Severus and Lena were researching ways to make protective amulets with the Codex, Harry, Daphne, and Randi entered the hall for lunch. To the children's surprise, the whole meeting had taken only about fifteen minutes, though it had seemed much longer.
Harry and Daphne made their way over to the table where their friends sat, equally distant from the Slytherin and Gryffindor tables.
"Hey, mate, what kept you?" asked Ron, eating a large sandwich of chicken with melted cheese and bacon, along with crisps and chocolate cake.
"He was saving me from Craven and Smith," Randi told him. "They were trying to force feed me an experimental potion."
"Say what?" Blaise cried.
"Those prats!" Draco snarled. "What happened, Cummings?"
Harry sat down with Daphne, allowing Randi to tell the story while he began eating.
There were gasps of outrage when the Slytherins learned Craven had hit their Head of House.
"That rotten little slimeball!" spat one of them. "Oughta teach him a lesson in manners!"
"He needs one, that's for sure!" agreed Percy, who was also horrified.
"Like three with Snape's paddle," Draco hissed angrily.
"And no Hogsmeade visits," added Dante.
"He's on in-House suspension for two weeks," Harry told them. "And detention in the kitchens."
"What about Smith?" inquired a Gryffindor.
"Same thing," Daphne said, biting into her sandwich.
"Next time you leave class, make sure you stay with another Slytherin, Cummings," Alyce told the small first-year. "That way nobody can jump you like that again."
Randi nodded and began to eat also.
Then Harry brought up the Round Robin Dueling Event and everyone began talking excitedly about it.
Meanwhile, in the Restricted Section, Severus and Lena were researching how to make amulets using the Codex and some other old texts the library witch had found. After some fifteen minutes of reading through a section on mind-magics, Severus found a section that mentioned how to block unwanted mental intrusions if you were not an Occlumens or a mind-magus.
"Lena, listen to this," he said, his voice low but excited. He read. " . . .of the following, these stones are best for protecting your mind from unwanted mental intrusion or attempted possession. Onyx and carnelian, both used frequently back in ancient Egypt to decorate sarcophagi. The jet onyx stone can also protect against harmful auras and has healing properties. When combined with carnelian, this can provide a defense against attempts to invade one's mind, creating a barrier to any who seek to control another using mind magics."
He showed her an illustration of a tear-drop shaped stone that was formed of both onyx and carnelian suspended upon a silver chain. "That's what we need to make."
Lena nodded eagerly. "And this passage here tells about the ways to make a Runestone to repel evil influences." She indicated a passage that showed how to combine the runes of protection and spirituality. "We could etch this on the pendant and it could work with the stone properties to repel the telepathic urgings of the dragonelle."
"True. You seem to have studied Runelore in depth, so can you do the etching?"
"I can. But where will we find onyx and carnelian to make a pendant? And how will we find enough to make all the students an amulet?"
"That's easy. We can replicate it once we make the first one," Severus replied. He thought for a moment. "I have some of both stones in my potions cabinet."
He Summoned them and set to work trying to combine them into an amulet. He cast various charms at the two stones, until he finally recalled one that melted them together. He used it, shaping it into a large tear drop. "There! Now you can make this into a Runestone."
Lena summoned her set of silver and gold etching tools, and began to painstakingly carve the rune for protection and the second one for spirituality into the teardrop pendant. It took the better part of an hour to do so.
While the librarian worked, Severus looked through many of the potion books, trying to find the recipe for the Dragon's Tear potion. He went through ten volumes and found nothing of interest. Frustrated, he shut the last book and looked up to see Lena placing her tools away.
There, on a bed of soft velvet, was the newly completed amulet.
"Well? What do you think?"
He picked it up. He could feel the magic within it. "The spells seem to be holding. But now we need to test it."
"Yes. Why don't we ask Aunt Irma? She's not a mind witch like I am, so I can sense her thoughts. If the amulet works, I won't be able to."
Severus carefully reshelved the books he had looked through, and then they departed the Restricted Section. They found Irma shelving some books students had left out on a table.
"Aunt Irma, I was wondering if you would participate in a small experiment," Lena began. She told the older witch what she needed her to do and why.
"Of course I shall help you," Irma said graciously. "We all must work together to protect the students." She took the amulet that Lena handed her and put it on.
It sparkled slightly as the magic within it activated.
Lena concentrated hard, trying to penetrate her aunt's mind. But she kept slamming into a blank wall that shunted her telepathy away. Frowning, she tried again.
"Is it working?" Severus queried.
"I can't feel you in my mind, dear," Irma answered.
Lena withdrew. "I was trying to suggest you come with me for a walk. If you didn't hear me, then it works."
She grinned. Then she turned to Severus. "You try, Sev."
"All right." He drew his wand and intoned, "Legilimens."
He could feel his magic surge forward and try and slip into the librarian's mind.
But the pendant spun his mental probe away, and it bounced off a shield that glittered darkly and was hard as diamond.
After a few more moments, Snape withdrew, satisfied the pendant would block even the most determined telepath.
"Lena is correct. The pendant blocks even an accomplished Legilimens. Which means it should also block the dragonelle's telepathic suggestion."
Irma smiled in triumph. "Now all we have to do is make more of them. Should we use Geminio—the Doubling Charm?"
But Severus shook his head slowly. "No, because that will only duplicate a replica of an object—but not the magical properties of it. We need a spell that will not only double it, but replicate it completely."
Irma frowned. "I'm afraid I don't know of any charm like that. Perhaps you could ask Filius?"
But Lena said quietly, "I do, Aunt Irma. In fact, I invented it. It's called The Magic Replicating Charm. But I've only cast it on small magical objects." She took the pendant in her hand. "Although this isn't very big."
"That's most impressive," Severus praised. "I also have a potion that can duplicate items, magical and non-magical. I call it a Doppleganger Draught."
"Really, Severus?" Lena looked as excited as kid in a candy store. "How much do you need to duplicate something?"
"A drop, no more." The Potions Master replied. "I have three vials made. We should have enough to duplicate pendants for at least half the students here. Then I will have to brew more."
"May I watch?" Lena queried, her curiosity raging.
"Yes, if you will teach me your charm," he bargained.
"It's a deal!" she laughed.
"Let's go down to my lab. We can replicate at least fifty before I have to teach my third period class."
He led the way down to his private lab, and removed from his cabinet a small vial of cut crystal with a double green diamond stopper. The potion within was a scintillating blue with golden flecks. He removed a small medicine dropper from his drawer and then placed a drop of the potion onto the amulet.
It glowed and then an exact replica appeared beside it.
Lena picked it up and nodded. "I can feel the magic within it." Then she chanted, "Replica magica! And twirled her wand about.
The pendant glowed again and this time a third one appeared beside the other two.
Severus nodded as he observed keenly, memorizing the wand movement and incantation. "Let us begin." He put another drop of solution onto a pendant and it replicated.
Lena did the same, until the lab table was full of pendants.
Only then did they pause and Severus conjured a moke-skin bag to put the finished amulets in.
They continued replicating.
Ten minutes had gone by, and they were almost finished with the fifty pendants when Skull flew into the lab. "Severus! You need to go to Hagrid's hut immediately! Callie was with him and she says suddenly he just collapsed and is lying on the floor, whimpering and seeming to be in great pain."
Severus froze. "What in Merlin's name?"
"Oh, Sev! Do you think it could be a heart condition?" Lena speculated.
"That's impossible for me to say without seeing him." Severus said, grabbing up a satchel with his emergency potions. "Skull, fly on to tell Poppy I'm bringing Hagrid over."
"On my way!" the raven cawed and flew from the room.
Snape used the secret passage out of the dungeon, which brought him out by the three rocks on the path to the gamekeeper's cottage. From there he raced down the path and burst into the cottage.
"Hagrid! Merlin have mercy, what happened to you?"
The big man was lying on the floor, gasping. "Sev . . . help . . ."
Severus drew his wand and cast a diagnostic. "Not your heart . . ."He frowned and looked closer at the gamekeeper.
It was then he saw the scratches on Hagrid's forearm, inflamed and weeping what looked like some kind of black fluid.
"Bloody hell! That's venom of some kind." Severus swore, then pulled out a vial of Extra Strength Antidote.
The dragonelle! It must have scratched him.
Severus knelt and poured the potion directly on the scratches.
There was a silver flash and then the black venom vanished. The scratches bled sluggishly and Snape healed them with a simple spell. "There now, Hagrid. You should be fine . . ."
He trailed off in horror as he realized the gamekeeper was no longer breathing.
"No, dammit!" Severus cried. "Don't you dare die on me!" He placed an ear to the big man's chest, and heard the echo of his heart beating. "It must be the venom causing this." He pulled a bezoar out of his kit and pressed down on the half-giant's jaw. "Open! That's good!"
Quickly, Snape shoved the bezoar into Hagrid's mouth.