Invisible (II)

SEVEN

HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS
chapter seven

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D E T E N T I O N

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"You kiss your mother with that mouth?"

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While walking down the dark and damp corridor, Lily feels a sense of shame. She shouldn't have gotten away with everything last year. It sometimes feels as though her brother resents her for it. Last year he and his friends had lost Gryffindor a hundred-and-fifty points in one night, whereas Lily had escaped with only slight scolding.

She is, of course, glad that Professor Snape hadn't made it exceptionally difficult for her during her first year, but sometimes he seems suspiciously sweet to her. He is not supposed to be a nice person.

She reaches his classroom and stands by the cold wooden door, listening. No sound comes from the other side and she releases a deep sigh, for a fraction of a second hoping that he's not inside. Then she knocks and his deep, tired voice tells her to enter.

"Good evening, Professor," Lily greets, although there is nothing good about this evening.

His black eyes meet her green ones for a brief moment but he doesn't say anything. She examines the mess of cauldrons on the table nearest to her. For about two minutes, the sound of his quill scribbling on parchment is the only thing she hears. Then, after a deep sigh, he puts the quill down and rubs his pale face with both of his hands.

"You may start by cleaning the cauldrons. Thoroughly."

Lily nods and gets to it. She grabs a rag he had prepared for her and looks into the closest cauldron, her face immediately screwing up in disgust. The black object is covered in chunky, yellowish-green goo that resembles vomit.

"I'm supposed to use only this?" She lifts the rag.

"I expect all cauldrons to shimmer once the hour is up."

"All right... But just so you know, that's impossible," she says, beginning to wipe the cauldron with a grimace.

"It might be if I add another hour to your suffering."

"You'd be suffering with me since you have to be here to supervise."

"I could always ask Mr Filch to replace me."

Lily gasps and turns her head to stare at him.

"You would not," she says fiercely.

"Oh, but I most definitely would," he replies and picks up his quill.

He dips it in ink and begins writing again.

"Now, work."

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Lily spends a lot of time over the next few days dodging out of sight whenever she sees Gilderoy Lockhart coming down a corridor. Her nights are spent cleaning up Professor Snape's classroom, washing cauldrons, rearranging books and vials, or helping prepare potion ingredients for his next lessons. It's supposed to be humbling and humiliating, yet Lily finds herself looking forward to detention.