Amulet of Time 3: The Wolf and The Pelican

Chapter 23: Severus Snoop

Severus had a distinct spring in his step as the Slytherin quidditch team made their way back up to the castle. Harry walked next to him, sending his friend the occasional amused glance. When the group reached the main doors, Sev grabbed the older boy's arm and pulled him off to one side and waited for the rest of the team to go inside the school. When he was sure they were alone, he released his grip and turned to Harry.

" Why did you do that to my father?"

Harry had expected something like this.

" You were distracted by his presence. I had to do something or we could have lost the game."

" True, but did you have to put him in the hospital wing?"

" Yes! What else could I have done?"

" Hexed him, maybe."

" I couldn't use a spell. That would have made it obviously deliberate. At least this way, I can claim I was simply trying to out maneuver a bludger, and he happened to be in the way."

" You're incorrigible!"

" I know!"

" But Harry, surely you could have thought of a less painful way…"

" Sev, do you like your father?"

" No…"

" What did he do to you at Christmas?"

Sev just hung his head.

" You see," Harry continued, " You don't even like him. In fact, I know that you hate him with a vengeance. So why are you defending him?"

" Because he's my father, and if he ever suspects you did it on purpose to help me, then I'll be the one that suffers for it. And don't tell me it was all for my benefit. Surely your intense dislike for him comes into it somewhere."

Harry gave Sev a sheepish grin.

" Well, that may be part of the reason."

" Uhuh, I thought so."

" But I couldn't help it! He's such a dislikeable fellow!"

Sev just gave his friend a knowing smile and strode back into the school.

Down in the Slytherin common room that night, an intense party took place. It was nothing like the Gryffindor parties Harry had experienced, even the ones organised by the Weasley twins. To say it was wild was an understatement. The lights had been dimmed considerably, making the already gloomy dungeon common room seem more than a little forbidding. The music was dark and erotic, nothing like what Harry had been expecting. If anything, the Boy-Who Lived thought the pureblood Slytherins would play opera or chamber music, but never something so risqué. He watched the proceedings from a corner at first, entranced by the forms gyrating on the dance floor. However, he soon got into the spirit of things and found himself dancing suggestively with the future Bellatrix Lestrange, something he thought he would never find himself doing. The beat of the music pulsed in his head and he felt himself letting go slightly of his inhibitions and enjoying himself.

It was several hours later when Harry met up with Sev at the drinks table. Grabbing a small bottle of Ogden's Firewhiskey, he sidled up to where his friend was chatting up Angelica Nott and rested his hand on the younger boy's shoulder.

" Having fun, Sev?"

" Sure am," he slurred, holding up a bottle of ale, " How 'bout you?"

" Never better. This wasn't anything like I was expecting from a group of Slytherins…"

" Why? This suits us, don't you think?"

" Well….yes, but it wasn't what I was expecting. I thought purebloods would be more….stodgy."