Into the Mouth of Hell

Into the Mouth of Hell: Chapter 10

Life-Debts

It is the star to every wandering bark,

Whose worth's unknown, though his height be taken.

After Ariadne, there was Beatrice. After Beatrice, there was Callista. And after Callista, Lucius and Narcissa quit trying. None of the skilled mediwizards at St. Mungo's could identify the problem. They had even discussed visiting a Muggle doctor, but Narcissa said she was too tired. Lucius' letters remained constant, but became cold and formal. He told Severus about the many attempts to procure an heir only in passing, in post-script, or as sidebars to discussions regarding Narcissa's charitable events, the social season in London, or the body politic.

And while the Malfoys were struggling with miscarriages and the wizarding world was curdling with fear, not a single parcel or piece of post arrived from Bella. Severus would not, however, write to her again. He had sent a card at her birthday in September, but she had not replied. It was now long into autumn. A hard frost had permeated the grounds. But still, he was proud. He would wait. However, in the meantime he decided to focus his malaise into an energy that he devoted to the long-standing rivalry between Slytherin and Gryffindor.

Since the scene during O.W.L.s last term, Sirius had been unceremoniously and officially removed from the Black family tree. Apparently, he had a few words with his mother, which she dared not repeat in her following letter to Severus, but told him he could rest assured that Sirius Black was a blood traitor and Severus Snape was welcome at Grimmauld Place at any time. So it had come to pass that Severus Snape had usurped Sirius Black's family. Which was all fine and dandy for Severus. But he had an itch for Potter, too.

So he had begun to spend a great deal of time watching them. He had even attempted to get in the good graces of Doris Purkis, the Hufflepuff who had seceded Bertha Jorkins as President of the Potter-Black Fan Club (or the Society for Tweens Unhinged by Potter's Immeasurable Debonair and Generally Idolizing and Rather in Love with Sirius, or the S.T.U.P.I.D.G.I.R.L.S.). But that had not ended happily, as Doris had refused to give Severus their class schedules if he didn't buy, and promise to wear, a badge with their faces on it. And so Severus had repaid her generosity with a Furnunculus hex, served his detention squeezing bubotuber pus with Sprout, and sought the help of Rosier.

"Severus, I hope this is important to you!" Rosier said angrily, slamming down a sheaf of pink frilly parchment with the list of Potter's and Black's class schedules, as well as their list of favorite study places, times of Quidditch games and practices, and even a map of Gryffindor tower.

"Thank you, Rosier," Severus said, looking intently at the parchment.

Wilkes was pointing his wand at Rosier, who was bracing the back of a chair and standing with his mouth wide open. "See if you can't make it peppermint," he said quickly. "I don't much care for teaberry."

Severus watched with interest as Wilkes Scourgified Rosier's mouth several times in a row. "You'd think the Hufflepuffs didn't have toothpaste! Don't laugh, Snape. Some of them kiss like dogs!" Rosier was spitting the suds onto the floor, and Regulus was vanishing them with waves of his wand.

"Rosier," Severus sneered, "I don't even care to know how you come by the knowledge to make that comparison."

"At least poor Barty got the brunt of it," Rosier said, turning green. "Best be off to the water closet before I get sick!" And he sprinted from the common room amid gales of laughter from Regulus and Wilkes.

With the help of the Hufflepuffs' well-documented reconnaissance, Severus began to notice patterns in the behavior of his Gryffindor marks. Once a month, they seemed to get generally hyper and rambunctious around the full moon, and then Lupin would be absent for a few days. Rumor had it that he was frequently sick and had to spend time in the infirmary.

A few days before the full moon, Severus was intently listening to a conversation the Gryffindor boys were having on the way back from Herbology. As they crossed the lawn, they were in their own little jumped-up world, laughing and slapping each other on the backs. Potter and Black were playing at howling at the moon, as if they were a couple of werewolves.

And then it clicked. Full moon. Absences. Infirmary. Lupin.

But what did Potter and the rest of them have to do with it? If they were sheltering a werewolf in Hogwarts, and then lying to cover their tracks, well, certainly that was grounds for expulsion. An evil smile twisted Severus' lips. All he needed was some proof.

That night, he snuck out of the dungeons to head up to Gryffindor tower for a little search-and-discover (Rosier had managed to get the password from a third-year somehow). But at the doorway to the Entrance Hall, he stopped. Two shadowy figures were slipping out the front door. He looked around quickly, but there was no one else in the hall. As soon as he stuck his head out the front doors, the figures were illuminated by the moonlight bathing the grounds: Madam Pomfrey and Remus Lupin, heading for the Whomping Willow.

"So, Black," Severus said the next day at lunch. Black had arrived later than his comrades, and was thus left behind, alone. Severus crossed his arms as he stared down at him, feeling rather triumphant. I've finally got them.

"What is it, Snivellus?" Black sighed. "Want an autograph?"

Severus sneered. "No, I was just noticing how you were wolfing down your sandwich there." Severus narrowed his eyes.

"What are you talking about?" he sighed again, still eating his lunch.

"Full moon tonight," Severus said casually, as if he was only talking about the weather. "Say, I was going to ask in Herbology, but has Lupin always liked trees so much, or just the Whomping Willow?"

Black slowly set down his fork and looked up at him. "You don't know what you're talking about, Snape."

"Don't I?" Severus lowered his voice threateningly. "If you're harboring half-breeds--"

"Do you want proof?" Black said in a low, angry voice, standing up. "Prod the knot with a long stick. Get your proof that way." And he stormed out of the hall.

Severus stood for a moment, trying to understand the euphemism. Prod the knot with a long stick? What the hell was that supposed to mean?

* * * * *

Severus and Potter sat in Dumbledore's office, covered in muck and what was probably blood. They both had their arms folded over their chests, taking turns glaring at each other. Severus was bouncing his knee out of nerves, and Potter was scuffing at a spot on the floor. Severus' head was throbbing where Potter had banged it on the tree roots as he pulled him out of the tunnel beneath the Whomping Willow.

"Think you're clever, don't you?" Severus hissed, glaring at Potter.

Potter slowly turned his hazel eyes to meet his gaze. Their eyes locked in mutual loathing. "I saved your life."

"Hardly noble, considering Black tried to murder me."

"Bet you're wishing you would have kept your slimy nose out of it then, huh?"

"I could have you all expelled in a heartbeat." Severus took no care to hide the venom in his voice.

Potter snorted. "I'd like to see you try."

Severus narrowed his eyes and returned his focus to his bouncing knee. His calf muscles were beginning to ache. Where the hell was Dumbledore?

As if on cue, the headmaster entered his office, with a swirl of robes and a gentle click of the closing door. "James, Severus." Dumbeldore's voice was calm as usual, but with a soft undercurrent of disappointment. "You are both aware of the penalties for being out-of-bounds past curfew?"

"Yes, Headmaster," they both muttered.

"Cocoa?" Dumbledore asked surprisingly. He flicked his wand and three mugs of steaming cocoa appeared in front of them. Potter slowly reached for a mug. Severus sneered.

"So, you've uncovered our little secret then, Severus?"

Severus looked incredulously at the headmaster. "You knew?" Severus sputtered, his anger rising. "You knew that Lupin -- that he's -- a werewolf?"

Dumbledore slowly nodded. "Remus no doubt told you already, James?"

Potter nodded. Severus could hardly believe it.

"I understand your shock, Severus, but I can assure you that every precaution has been put in place to ensure the safety of your fellow students." His blue eyes twinkled.

"Sir!" Severus was on his feet, nearly yelling. He pointed a long, shaking finger at Potter. "I saw Lupin at the end of the tunnel! He's a WEREWOLF! And Potter and Black tried to have me KILLED!"

Dumbledore calmly set down his mug. "As I understand it, Severus, James saved your life. It was a very brave and noble thing to do."

"NOBLE?" Severus yelled. "Harboring a half-breed is hardly NOBLE behavior! And Potter was in on Black's little prank. BRAVE, INDEED!" Severus shook from head to toe. He knew that the last tether of reason in his mind had snapped. He was yelling at the headmaster, for Merlin's sake!

"Sir, I swear, I had nothing to do with it!"

"I believe you, James," Dumbledore said gently, though his eyes remained fixed on Severus. "Severus, if you'll please sit down." He motioned to the chair.

Severus hesitated, then sat down with a loud, "Hmmph!" and crossed his arms.

"Thank you," Dumbledore said. Severus fixed his gaze at a point over the headmaster's shoulder. "Now, this situation has brought to light another issue which I think we need to discuss here tonight."

Severus began to bob his knee again.

Dumbledore continued. "I know that your two Houses have never quite seen eye-to-eye." There was that note of amusement in his voice. "But sometimes we find that certain -- differences -- must be tolerated so that we can continue on our own paths."

Severus and Potter glared at each other.

"What I am asking of you," Dumbledore said slowly, "is to set aside your differences. You are both very capable students, probably two of the most talented in your year. But I am afraid that your -- rivalry -- is prohibiting each of you from reaching your potential." Dumbledore paused.

Severus quit bouncing his knee. "He started it."

Dumbledore sighed. "I am not concerned with how it started. Only that it be ended here, in this office. Tonight." His voice was undercut with ice.

Severus and Potter glared at each other again.

"All right, but he has to promise to leave Sirius and Remus alone."

Dumbledore looked at Severus, who rolled his eyes. "Fine. As long as he quits hexing the rest of Slytherin House."

Dumbledore looked at Potter, who nodded.

"Excellent!" Dumbledore said, rising.

James looked curiously up at Dumbledore. "Headmaster, are we...?"

Dumbledore chuckled softly. "I am foregoing punishment in light of the arrangement between you and Mr. Snape. However," Dumbledore continued, his voice much more grave, "I expect better behavior from both of you after this." He tilted his chin down to his chest and peered at Severus over his half-moon spectacles. "And you should be aware of the powerful magical bond the two of you now share because of the events of this evening."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Sorry?"

"When one wizard saves another wizard's life, it creates a bond between them. A life debt, if you will."

"I don't want a connection with Potter!" Severus spat. This was ludicrous.

Potter sat anxiously on the edge of his chair. "What do you mean, a life debt?"

"The time may come when you both will be very grateful for the events of this evening." Dumbledore smiled. "You should be off to bed now, before your Heads of House have me." He corralled Severus and Potter to the door as they continued to look at each other apprehensively. "And Severus, not a word of this to anyone, understood?"

* * * * *

Severus kept his word, not telling anyone, not even Lucius, about Remus Lupin's "condition," although he was sure that Lucius would have both Lupin and Dumbledore ousted. Potter also kept his word, and for the next year, Severus' time at Hogwarts was considerably quieter. Severus busily prepared for N.E.W.T.s starting the spring term of his sixth year, and spent the entire summer in the library at Snape Hall. He had sent another letter to Bella, but she never responded. He figured that she and Roddy were still traveling, but Lucius would neither confirm nor deny this suspicion, and eventually, his letters quit coming as well. So Severus had taken to spending long stretches of time in his bedroom, flat on his back in bed, shooting down flies with a curse Bella had shown him before she left Hogwarts. It was such a small thing, but it somehow made him feel connected to them, to something outside of himself, something outside of the confines of Snape Hall.

Severus noticed a drastic difference in his father and mother that summer: they both seemed a lot older than Severus had remembered. He noted it especially in his father, who seemed now very much unlike the imposing man Severus remembered from his childhood. His mother, if it was possible, had become even more bothersome and coddling. She insisted that Severus read the paper aloud to her in the mornings because of her acute headaches. He supposed he had just not taken the time to notice how aged his parents were becoming, but then, he hadn't really been home a lot in the past six years. About a week into the summer holiday, he found himself counting down the days until he would return for his final year of school.

Potter was made Head Boy, much to the displeasure of Slytherin House, and even Head Girl came from Gryffindor: Lily Evans. The S.T.U.P.I.D.G.I.R.L.S. Club was still in full force, but since Potter and Evans had begun dating in the seventh year, their efforts were lacking the ambition they once had.

It was with apprehension that the entire student body and staff at Hogwarts watched the owls deliver the post every morning. Severus had taken out a subscription to the Daily Prophet so at least he had something to look forward to, as he no longer kept any correspondence. (His pen pal from Durmstrang, a boy named Igor Karkaroff, had quit writing shortly after he graduated four years ago.) The headlines told of darker and darker times for the wizarding world: an entire goblin family murdered near Nottingham, the giants revolting against the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures (Walden Macnair, whom Severus had met at Malfoy Manor, had successfully lobbied for their exile), and more disappearances of Ministry officials, upstanding members of the wizarding community, and normal witches and wizards were reported every day. The Prophet began to run a list on the back page of those who had gone missing. The black Ministry owls swooped in to Hogwarts more and more frequently, and those who received these unwelcome posts were likely to be gone for the rest of the day. The ambience at the Head Table had changed from relative relaxation to unease, especially on those days when Dumbledore was absent.

And so when an unfamiliar tawny owl arrived for Severus the first day of Christmas break (he was staying at school to take advantage of the quiet common room for studying), he was certain it had the wrong man. He tried to shoo it away, but to no avail. He hadn't received a letter in over a year. But the owl began hooting persistently and making quite a scene, so Severus sighed and took the parchment.

It was addressed to him. Cautiously, he opened it and began to read. Mother. Hemlock. Poison. Dead. December 18. He paled, and felt his body sag against the table. He heard Dumbledore's soft voice in his ear as he was swept from the Great Hall. And the rest was rather a blur of detached motion, as if Severus was observing rather than directing his life.