Harry Potter and The Time Keeper

Severus Snape's Friend

After a lovely dinner, the six unlikely allies headed down to the dungeons. Draco leading the way to Snape's office. Secretly the Gryffindor's dreaded meeting their old professor again. Their finale moments together seemed a lovely way to end their relationship but it seemed that Harry's life was not done with the infamous Professor Snape. Draco did not step in first, he was worried that his Godfather would embarrass him and ask if his plan to win over the affections of a certain muggle-born of whom was with him. He opened door and nodded to Harry who took a step inside, nausea feelings bursting in his stomach, the very smell of the room brought him back to the awful nights he spent here trying to learn and failing by every second.

The room dark, cob-webs filled the corners and the smell of out-of-date ingredients resonated in the air like a thick cloud.

"Who's there?" They heard.

"Sir, it's-he sighed- Harry Potter" A stillness followed and it took a time before the professor could answer. By this time all of which were inside the office. "And company" Harry added, glancing back to the five staring at him.

"Well this is most , unusual" Snape answered.

"Sir, we would not disturb your peace if it was not a matter of most importance" Blaise stated quickly.

"How interesting, proceed" Snape lowered his scrutinizing black eyes down upon the teenagers, making them feel like they were first years again. Hermione cleared her throat and began.

"We have a theory Sir, about oblivation and we hope you can be of assistance, do you recall the name Horatia McGonagal?" They clung to hope, feeling like the seconds their Professor did not answer were hours.

"Yes" Was all he said. Their eyes widened and soon their questions began.

"What do you remember?, anything really, no detail too small Sir" Pansy said eagerly. They all grabbed seats and waited for his answer.

"She was in the same age as me, the only girl to be placed In Slytherin that year, we were friends I suppose. She tried, I didn't"-There's a surprise- Harry thought.-"We, talked mostly during our first few years, but during our 4th we left each other's company" He paused and thought for a second, proceeding with caution "She was, very beautiful and grabbed too much attention, unwanted attention, she had befriended Narcissa Black who was of course infatuated with Lucius and she soon befriended him. But it was not to be. Lucius asked her to marry him but she refused and told him that she couldn't, she could never do that to Narcissa, after such things, Lucius left school and headed for a new life, a year later Narcissa left also and married Lucius. But they were no protection to her"

"What do you mean sir?" Ron asked.

"Bellatrix-"He looked to Hermione and then proceeded" She loved bulling her, torture is a better for it, such things, when Horatia had then become terribly close with Lupin and .."

"My mother" Harry finished, Snape gave slow nod.

"When I found out, I was.. cruel, I told Bellatrix and she revelled in the information and Horatia became her new punching bag" Snape cleared his throat "-But it was when she stood up to me, for Black"

"Sirius?" Hermione suggested. Snape nodded once more.

"Yes, I was inches away from killing him, at least I thought I was, till Horatia had her wand pointed at me and told me if so much as remove a hair from his head, I would be the one with the early demise" He stated, almost scoffed. "I knew her well enough to know, she could kill me. But she was no killer, she was not like the rest of us, she knew how to spare a life."

"Bellatrix, why did she.. do the things she did?" Hermione asked cautiously looking to Draco who made no objection to the question.

"Because she was effortless, her magic came from her core, her beauty was not just of her face but had a heart, she was smart ,cunning and all of which were not forced, she never learned it, she just was, she was not a coward, she was Slytherin but not like anyone we've known" He answered. " Bellatrix's blood ran thick with jealously; her veins were as black as her name and well when Horatia won Best In House ...beating me" He ended sourly. "Bellatrix was certainly not happy, it was good thing she was a great witch, she covered the bruises and scars perfectly"