Time Passages

Chapter 13

Storming into the staff room Severus slammed the door in yet another owl's face.

"What calamitous hell is this?!"

The feathered mail carriers flew in through every window dropping letters in the already enormous pile stacked in the corner. Rolanda Hooch hooted,

"From your adoring fans!"

Laughter, cheers and applause greeted Severus. Flitwick began to read aloud from the front page of the Daily Prophet.

The Daily Prophet

Chivalry Thy Name is Snape?

Dear Readers,

I'm sure all are familiar with my recent article of the possible reason behind the separation and divorce between one Hermione Granger and her Quidditch player ex Ron Weasley.

Well, loyal subscribers, yours truly was witness to a main event of epic proportion today, or yesterday by the time you read this.

Wizarding Britain's notorious double agent, Severus Snape, openly challenged a drunken Ron Weasley as the latter stumbled from the Leaky Cauldron this afternoon.

The challenge, my friends, was not an outlawed magical duel with wands blazing but rather a very lively bout of muggle fisticuffs. While this reporter is not well versed in the pugilistic arts I can tell you that Severus Snape is quite fit and most capable.

Atypically dressed in a white shirt and dark gray trousers that seemed to cling to lean taut musculature, Dumbledore's infamous spy was unexpectedly principled. In the spirit of fair play, the tall dark and mysterious Snape tossed the shamefully inebriated Weasley a Sober-up potion before thrashing the living daylights out of the lesser-third of the Golden Trio.

It was obvious to all observers present that such a confrontation was wholly and gallantly in defense of the lady's honour . The fact confirmed to me by the man himself.

Your intrepid reporter stood face to face with the formidable Deputy Headmaster of Hogwarts and posed that very question. The man did not deny it.

If you remember, dear readers, in our previous edition this reporter broke the news of the discontent in the young Weasley household. The subsequent divorce and public violence upon Mrs. Weasley's person was also exclusively reported by yours truly. Funnily enough, the two altercations took place in the exact spot outside the public house.

View the fab photos of the battle royal in our special insert.

Rita Skeeter

Cheers rang out again inside the staff room as more owls delivered more letters. A howler was dropped in front of the Potions Master only to burst into flame thanks to Minerva. The old girl hadn't lost her touch.

"We'll have none of that today."

The owls had started at breakfast causing Severus to storm from the Great Hall. Letters mixed with the occasional howler plagued him until Severus had to place an enhanced Notice-Me-Not ward around himself.

"What is wrong with these people?! Do they not have lives?"

Minerva laughed. The man deserved some positive recognition whether he wished to acknowledge it or not.

"Well, tall dark and mysterious, I always said you were a beast, as this letter clearly states."

Minerva waved an opened parchment in the air before reading it to the amused room,