Letters By Night

Chapter 7: Somewhere Between the Death Eaters and the Frenchmen

Alanna hated being in Snape's debt. It seemed to make him more smug and condescending than usual. Andrew, on the other hand, only chanced glances at her as she skirted around him in the corridor. Even so, she didn't want to be wandering the halls at night any time soon; she would have to think of some way to explain this to Nox.

She needed a way to get everything off her mind, and class seemed the only outlet. She'd come up with a brilliant idea, one that seemed to intrigue her fifth-years the most: the Forbidden Forest. Apparently there were centaurs there, who were notorious stargazers, and they would most likely be happy to oblige an astronomy class. Of course, Alanna first had to get Dumbledore's permission to bring a bunch of kids into a place like that at night.

So that was how she found herself standing outside Dumbledore's office, staring blankly at the gargoyle and wondering what to do.

"His password's usually some kind of sweet, Professor," said a voice behind her. She spun around.

It was Harry Potter. She smiled. "Here to see Dumbledore, too?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I bet he's changed the password since last year." Harry walked around the gargoyle. "Cockroach cluster!" Nothing happened. "Yeah, he has."

Harry and Alanna yelled various sweets at the gargoyle for nearly a quarter of an hour before they decided to just wait for Dumbledore. Five minutes later, someone emerged - but it wasn't Dumbledore.

"Having trouble?" scoffed Snape, deliberately blocking them from entering as the staircase closed.

"Sod off, Snape," spat Alanna, forcing him out of the way. But the passage was already closed.

Snape's face became twisted with wrath. "I will not have you speak to me that way in front of a student!" Harry smirked.

"I'll speak to you however I want," Alanna said, elated that she was finally telling Snape what she had been wanting to tell him for years. "And it doesn't matter, as I'm sure Potter would have said the same thing had you not the authority to give him detention."

"Fine. But watch yourself in the halls, Professor, as I won't be around next time to save you," he hissed, and walked off.

Harry looked at Alanna, impressed. "Good one, Professor."

"Vampires," she muttered, and the gargoyle leapt aside and the passage opened. "Wow, what a peculiar password." Both she and Harry stepped onto the staircase.

Dumbledore was staring at the ceiling placidly as they entered. He smiled at Harry, but looked surprised to see Alanna. "Professor Reid? May I help you?"

"Yes, Professor, I need your permission to take my fifth-year class into the forest. A field trip, so to speak."

"Hmm..." He tapped the ends of his long fingers together. "You have my permission, but I must send someone with you."

Alanna was flustered. "Sir, again, I can take care of myself, if you'll forgive my tone."

He stared warningly at her. "But can you protect the students? Their lives are in your hands, Professor, and these are dangerous times. I must insist."

Alanna sighed. He was right. "Yes, Headmaster," she mumbled meekly.

"Good. Now, Harry, what did you need to speak to me about?" she heard him say as she exited.

Well, he has a point, thought Alanna.

A day or two later, Alanna sat down tiredly at the staff table, glancing around the Hall. Suddenly, an unfamiliar man entered, talking animatedly to Professor McGonagall. He was a handsome blonde man with light blue eyes and a bright smile. As he drew nearer to the staff table, he suddenly said loudly, "Ah, une très belle mademoiselle!" and left Professor McGonagall glaring after him to finish her sentence to the empty air.

He strode over to Alanna, and said in a heavy French accent, "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Henri Le Manns." He seized her hand and kissed it. "And 'oo might you be?"

She grinned. "Alanna Reid."

"What a lovely name," breathed Henri. "I am 'ere to teach to teach Défense Against ze Dark Arts. Professor Vei...Vei...he 'as fallen ill." He smiled amiably, and looked over at Snape, who was eyeing him with intense dislike. "And 'oo is zis gentleman?"

"Professor Snape," he muttered.

"I 'ave 'eard of you," said Henri. "Eet eez a pleasure to meet you," he continued, holding out his hand.

Snape scowled and shook it, as Alanna coughed to disguise her laughter.

Henri glanced down the table and spotted Phoebe. "Oh, une autrjolie dame!" He sauntered off and conducted a conversation with Phoebe as she blushed madly.

"Smarmy," said Snape disdainfully, eating his breakfast. "There's no other word for him."

Alanna,

Next time, I'll meet you. Wait for me, I'll let you know.

Nox

Nox is thinking logically? Quelle surprise! thought Alanna, folding up the letter and locking her classroom. Tonight was the night of her "field trip".

At the designated time, she found the class grouped around the foot of the Tower stairs, looking expectantly at her and talking amongst themselves. She beckoned them toward the door, and they followed. As they drew closer to the door, Alanna saw Snape standing there, waiting.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," she grumbled. "What are you doing here?" she called out sardonically.

"Escort service for a helpless teacher," he called back, looking both smug and angry at having to do it in the first place.

She glared at him and guided the class out the door in front of him. He followed, the wind blowing his cloak out and making him look like -

A bat, thought Alanna, and she couldn't suppress a grin.

"Why did Dumbledore send you?" she muttered at him.

"You're defenceless, that's why."

She frowned at him, and shivered as the cold wind penetrated the thin fabric of her sleeves. "Should've brought my cloak."

Snape looked frustrated, and he began, "Before you even start complaining," and to Alanna's very great surprise, actually removed his own cloak and put it around her, his hands lingering on her shoulders for a moment; she shivered again. A pleasant scent caught the chill air, and she drew the cloak closer around her as she led the class across the grounds.

They reached the edge of the forest, where the trees began. Snape stopped and leaned boredly against a tree. "Send up red sparks if you need something," he said in an unconcerned tone.

She rolled her eyes at him as she and the class entered the woods. "My knight in shining armour."

They walked deep into the forest, the trees darkening the night sky overhead. A loud noise startled them, and the class as one gasped and backed up.

It was a centaur. How convenient. He stood staring at them, his chestnut body vaguely discernable in the dark.

"We're the Astronomy class, from up at the school," spluttered Alanna.

His eyes lit up. "Oh!" He leaned over and peered around at Harry. "Hello."

"Hi, Firenze," said Harry.

"We wondered if you could share a bit of your knowledge," Alanna continued.

He smiled mysteriously and nodded. The students gathered around him nervously as he began to point out things and explain.

He talked continuously for at least twenty minutes. Then he stopped mid-sentence and stood completely still; his eyes went back and forth quickly, listening.

"There's someone here," the centaur whispered.

Alanna was alarmed. "Who? What is it?"

"Someone...the forest isn't safe, you must go!" And he galloped off without another word.

"Professor," whispered Neville worriedly, tugging on Snape's cloak.

Alanna looked at Neville, fear prickling inside. "What is it?"

He pointed soundlessly over her shoulder, and the class backed further away.

It was them. At least six of them, anyway, black hooded figures drawing nearer, wands out...

Alanna panicked and sent up red sparks.

Snape was there in an instant. "What happened?" His eyes fell upon the Death Eaters and he froze.

A low hiss was coming from the approaching black mass. "Potter," one of them muttered.

Harry's eyes grew wide but he pulled out his wand. "Professor," he said to Alanna. "Go back with the rest of the class. Get Dumbledore." She and the students ran as quickly as possible out of the forest, but Alanna wasn't about to leave the other two behind.

"Go get Dumbledore," she repeated to them, and all of them dashed off across the grounds.

She made her way back into the forest, her mind racing, no time to think.

As she burst into the clearing, the Death Eaters were closing in upon Snape and Harry, but they were fighting back.

"Impedimenta!" Harry shouted, knocking one of them backward onto the forest floor. The others made a collective noise of anger, and shouted in reply, "Expelliarmus!"

Harry's wand flew out of his hand and he flew back, hitting a tree heavily as Snape shot back, "Stupefy!" Two of them fell over.

One of the Death Eaters separated from the others, as Alanna grabbed Harry's wand and hurried over to Harry, yelling, "Impedimenta!" over her shoulder, scattering the remaining Death Eaters.

Harry blinked dazedly as she put his wand back in his hand. The lone Death Eater raised his arm...

"Move!" Snape shouted, and he shoved Harry and Alanna away.

"Crucio!" said the Death Eater at that exact moment - and the spell hit Snape.

It was the most horrible thing Alanna had ever seen. Snape's face was distorted with agony as he lay on the ground, screaming into the cold night air -

"Stupefy!" Alanna cried furiously, and the Death Eater flew twenty feet and landed hard, knocked unconscious.

Panting, Snape stood up, his wand pointing at the other dark figures. Dumbledore appeared at Alanna's elbow, radiating anger, his wand at the ready. The other Death Eaters split up, disappearing into the forest; there was no way they were going to try to fight him.

Alanna helped Harry up, and Dumbledore, without another word, beckoned the three of them to follow him back to the castle.

"I don't know how they managed to get onto the grounds!" Snape said bitterly as the four of them walked down the corridor, Snape hobbling with as much dignity as he could muster.

"We can only guess, Severus," said Dumbledore grimly, "and it is little consolation that they have not figured out how to get into the castle." He sighed. "I must go inform Minerva. The students must be cautioned. I suggest, Harry, that you and Professor Snape go to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey will fix you up."

Harry nodded and left, but Snape grimaced and said, "I'm fine." He limped off.

"Professor Reid?" Dumbledore inquired.

"I - I'm not hurt, sir. I think I just need a good night's sleep."

A tension settled over the school; there was hardly a smile to be found, and everyone seemed nervous. Valentine's Day was thus a welcome release, though small, from the sadness.

Alanna was now twice in Snape's debt. Though he was tense like the rest of Hogwarts, he somehow managed to lord this over her. So that was how she found herself the morning of Valentine's Day, bickering with Snape over breakfast. A brown barn owl interrupted the argument, soaring over and dropping a violently pink envelope onto Snape's toast.

Alanna stared. "Someone sent you a card?"

He frowned and opened it dubiously, the card inside the same horrid pink as the envelope. An enormous cloud of purple smoke burst from the card, and lingered for a few moments. When the air around Snape cleared...

All Alanna saw was pink, shocking pink. The card had changed the colour of Snape's hair and robes - he looked like a chrysanthemum.

All four house tables burst into riotous laughter. He quickly vacated the staff table and strode with great purpose beside the Gryffindor table, stopping in front of the Weasley twins. He seized the neck of George's robes and snarled in his face, "Detention, Weasleys. Both of you."

Fred was still laughing.

"And fifty points!" he spat at Fred. The twins stared in horror as he went back up to the staff table, the other students trying desperately to hold in their laughter.

Alanna grinned. "Happy Valentine's Day."

Henri came up, brandishing a white rose, and bowed deeply to Alanna. "Bon matin, and 'appy Valentine's Day, Alanna." He put the rose on the table in front of her.

"Thanks, Henri," she said, sniffing it.

He smiled sadly. "You are welcome, ma cherie, but I fear my efforts are...'ow you say, futile."

She raised her eyebrows and looked over the rose. "What d'you mean?"

"You have ze..." He waved his hands, trying to come up with the words. "...l'amour pour Professor Snape."

Alanna dropped the rose and erupted into laughter. "What?! That's ludicrous!"

Beside her, the vibrantly pink, seething Snape said, "I've had enough," and left the table.

"Ah, non!" said Henri, stamping his foot impatiently. "I am a Frenchman, I know zese things!" And he went back to his seat at the other end of the table.

Alanna surveyed Snape, half-disgusted, half-amused, as he stalked out of the Great Hall. What a ridiculous idea.