My Name's Severus!

Chapter 17: A Big Decision

Severus was staring angrily at his frog. The animal simply refused to turn into a rose and there were less then two month left before the OWLS.

McGonnagal had walked past him several times already, but had not commented on his as of yet still unchanged frog. He wondered what she was thinking.

The only plus side was that the frog hadn't turned green yet. Then again it had been green to start with so maybe it had turned green, but the change wasn't visible.

"Come on, try!" Draco encouraged him. "Roses are just as alive as frogs. You're not killing him."

"Roses don't look very alive to me. I bet he likes being a frog much better. At least he can hop around and isn't rooted to the ground."

Draco sighed. Severus and transfigurations was never going to work. Even Professor McGonnagal seemed to have given up on him.

Severus gently poked the frog with his wand.

"Quack!" croaked the frog in response.

"Do you want to be a rose?"

"Quack!"

"See! He likes being a frog."

"Severus, that frog has no idea what you just said. He doesn't speak English."

Suddenly there was a knock on the door and Albus Dumbledore burst in radiating happiness in a way even Severus had hardly ever seen before.

"Is Voldemort dead?" he wondered. "What else could make him this happy?"

"Maybe Mary Sue just told him she's leaving." Draco suggested hopefully.

"He wouldn't be happy about that. He still doesn't have a replacement."

Draco didn't respond. Replacing Mary Sue was a sore spot ever since Lucius had actually nearly accepted the job. It had been his own letter about Hermione that had triggered that. Lucius had been so shocked by the thought that his son was in love with a mudblood that he had considered taking the lowly job of a teacher to keep an eye on him. Luckily the news of Draco kissing Ginny had gotten to him in time and he had decided that it wasn't worth the humiliation of actually working after all.

"Severus, could you come to my office for a moment? We need to talk." said Dumbledore still beaming.

Now Severus was really confused. What did it all have to do with him? What was big enough to make Dumbledore take him out of a transfigurations lesson.

He got up, picked up his bag and books and followed the headmaster.

"Albus? What did I do wrong this time?" he asked cautiously. "I don't remember any particularly bad pranks this week. Well, there was one, but I'm sure Mary Sue has no idea that that was me."

"You didn't do anything wrong, Severus." smiled Dumbledore. "I've got some news for you. Good news."

"Mary Sue's committed suicide?"

"No, even better news than that."

"What can be better than that?"

"I got a letter from Durmstrang. A very complicated and detailed letter I don't fully understand, but I'm sure you'd find most fascinating."

"You want me to explain a letter to you?" Severus asked confused as they entered Albus' office.

"Oh no, I'm quite satisfied with the part that I understood and the package that came with it." smiled Dumbledore.

"Package? Why? What's in that package?"

"Your antidote. They assure me that it is perfectly safe, though they aren't sure about the exact dose required as we have no way of knowing how concentrated Neville's potion was. You might wind up slightly younger than you originally were, but that's not gonna make much of a difference."

Severus stared at Dumbledore. This was supposed to make him happy. It was what he had wanted all the time. He had been close to despair when he'd had to give up his own experiments, because he had been unable to get the necessary ingredients.

But all he felt was shock and confusion. Severus sat down on the chair opposite from Albus' desk trying to find a coherent thought.

"Severus?" Dumbledore asked gently.

He had obviously not expected this kind of reaction. Severus however had no time to deal with what Albus had expected of him right now. He had to sort out his own thoughts and feelings.

"Severus?" Dumbledore asked again now sounding a little worried.

"How did they do it? You said it was impossible and what I found out about it didn't look good."

He needed time to sort this out. Maybe the technical information would help.

"That's the part of the letter I don't understand." confessed the headmaster. "Here, read for yourself."

Severus reread the letter several times. Albus watched him worriedly.

"If I take this potion I'll return to exactly the way I was before?"

"Well, as I said before and you've also read in that letter our friends at Durmstrang aren't sure about the exact concentration required. They assure us however that this can not make you any older than you ought to be." Albus said still wondering what that was all about.

Severus sat staring at the potion for a while. He still hadn't touched it as if he was afraid that it might harm him.

"What about the dark mark?" he asked suddenly.

"The dark mark?"

"Will that mark return as well? Because if it does I'm not sure I want to do this."

Was that the truth? Granted, he didn't want the dark mark back and he also wasn't sure if he wanted to take that potion. But were those two feelings really connected? What was it that he didn't want? Severus needed more time to sort this out.

"Severus, that mark is just a picture. It's rather ugly, but not a reason to give up your life. You have the chance to go back to what you ought to be. Take it."

"It's not just a picture, Albus. It stands for evil, for the worst things I've done and seen in my life. It's a constant reminder of the terrible mistakes I've made. I always wanted to get rid of it and now I've got my wish. I can't just throw that away."

"But it also works the other way around. Don't you see? It also stands for our fight against these things. It stands for everything you've done against Voldemort and his minions. And it is also supposed to serve as a reminder of where you truly belong. A reminder of the things you've overcome. You were stronger than that. See it like this and it turns into a mark of honour. Everything it stands for is just in the way you see it. Like all symbols it only takes on meaning in our minds."

"Give me some time to think this over. I need to talk to Draco."

That was it! Draco. He couldn't just walk out on the boy, but then again they had agreed that he had to be turned back to get rid of Mary Sue.

"I'll tell you later, Albus. It's not an easy choice."

Dumbledore nodded. Maybe Severus had been a boy for too long. He'd adapted too much to this other life, had made plans and friends. Albus understood that it wasn't easy to let all of that go. He just hoped that Severus understood where he really belonged.

Severus left the headmaster's office, but didn't return to class. He went to his dorm and sat on his bed staring at some of the pictures he and Draco had hung on the walls much to Blaise's disgust.

This wasn't just a choice between being an adult teacher and being a pupil. It was also a choice between being with his old friend or his new friend.

Albus, he had come to understand, couldn't relate to the boy the way he could to the adult. He was unsure about how to treat Severus and missed his friend. As much as the headmaster liked being around children he also needed his adult friends whose strength he could rely on. Dumbledore might like the boy Severus, but he couldn't rely on him and he felt pushed out of his life. And he needed his help to fight Voldemort.

Draco might respect Snape the teacher, but he wouldn't confide in him as he did in his friend Severus. A friend was what Draco needed most in his life. He'd seen how much it had changed the boy already. If Draco unlike Severus grew up having a real friend to rely on, someone to turn to and confess his true feelings to he might not grow up to be death eater. Draco too needed Severus to fight Voldemort. Only in a different way.

What was more important? To help save the entire word or to save one single soul? It wasn't a mathematical problem. Mathematical problems could be solved easily.

Which one of his friends needed him more?

They both did and he couldn't leave either of them, but Albus needed him as an adult, Draco as a boy.

Severus got up and went to get Greenie. The hedgehog looked at him with little dark green eyes.

"Sniff?"

Severus held him up with both hands to face him.

"What do I do Greenie?" he asked the little animal. "Who do I choose when I can't choose at all?"

"Sniff!" said Greenie. 'When I get to choose between a potato and a bug I always eat both.'

Severus returned to his bed with the hedgehog on his arm. He sat Greenie down on the bed beside him and watched him snuffle around on the blanket looking for food that wasn't there.

Greenie was definitely not the right person to ask for advice. What did a hedgehog know about human friendships and dark lords? How should Greenie understand? And how should Greenie give him an answer? All he could say was 'Sniff'.

But who else could he turn to? Who would listen and give him advice?

Normally he'd go to Albus, but this time he knew what Albus wanted and he certainly wouldn't take Draco's needs into consideration.

He needed an adult who had nothing to lose or gain from either decision. Someone who understood him and wouldn't mind either way.

Where could he find someone who was friend enough to lend him an ear and some well thought over advice yet not friend enough to be dependant on his decision?

Severus jumped up and grabbed the hedgehog.

"Come on Greenie. We're going to see Remus."

"Sniff?" Greenie wasn't used to getting put down and then picked up again this quickly.

Severus didn't care about the hedgehog's confusion however. He had more important problems on his mind.

Remus had finished his morning classes and was about to go down to the great hall for lunch when Severus showed up in his office.

"Hello partner!" he greeted him happily.

"Hi." mumbled Severus.

Remus looked at the boy more closely. He seemed rather unhappy.

"What's wrong? I heard some rumours that they've found a way to turn you back. Not true?"

"Oh yes, they are."

"Then what's the problem?"

"Remus, I ... I'm not sure I want it.

"Want what? To be turned back?"

Severus nodded glumly cuddling Greenie. The way he held the little hedgehog it had to hurt.

"First of all: Come in and sit down." Remus ordered deciding that lunch would have to wait. 'Maybe about till dinnertime?'

Severus trudged in and sat down still holding his hedgehog tightly to his chest.

"Why don't you put Greenie on my desk." suggested Remus. "I've got a book on vampires there that he hasn't tasted yet. He might like to gnaw at it a little."

Again Severus complied without a word. Greenie sniffed at him still a little confused, then sat off to explore his new surroundings. He had been here before. He remembered the place. A lot of interestingly smelling objects, but hardly ever any food. Greenie felt hungry. Wasn't it about lunchtime? When did Severus plan to feed him?

"Sniff!" 'I want my potatoes!'

Both Severus and Remus ignored the hedgehog however.

"So what's the problem?" Remus asked. "Do you like being a child again? I thought you hated it the first time around."

"I did, but this time it's different. I've got Draco. We've had so much fun together. I hate the idea of leaving him."

"But you're not going anywhere, are you? You'll still be here?"

"But not in the way I'm here now. Draco needs me Remus. He's just as lonely as I was back then. And you know where that led me to. I don't want Draco ending up making the same mistakes I did. He's suffered enough from his father already. I think I could help him if I'm just there for him."

"So you want to stay a boy. Then why don't you go and tell that to Albus? I'm sure he'll understand. Nobody wants to force you back into being an adult. We all, just thought that it was what you wanted and we were trying to help. If you're sure that you don't want it, just don't do it. It's your choice."

"I'm not sure what want. I want to be Draco's friend, but I also want to be Albus'."

"Albus? What has Albus' friendship to do with your age?"

"Everything, We haven't been getting along too well ever since I've been a boy again. He doesn't seem to know how to handle the situation. I know he wants me back the way I was, the way he understands me. And he needs me too, Remus. He needs me and he's giving me a chance to make up for my mistakes. I owe him so much."

Remus regarded the boy thoughtfully.

"You know, you're telling me what Draco wants and what Albus wants, but what is it that you want Severus? Everybody else's wishes aside. What would you want if this concerned only you? What is it that you really need?"

Severus thought about this hard. It wasn't really hard to answer the question, but he didn't really want to admit the answer to anyone. Especially not to Remus. It was kind of personal. But then again he had come here hoping to solve a personal problem. Remus couldn't help him with that if he wasn't willing to answer personal questions. Severus stared at the floor.

"Friends." he whispered.

"What?"

"What I really need are my friends. And I can't choose between them. I need them both. Albus gives me strength. He makes me feel safe and protected. Draco makes me laugh. He makes me feel understood and accepted. I need them, Remus. I need them both."

Remus sighed. That wasn't going the way he'd expected. Severus wasn't choosing between his old life and his chance to make a new start. He was trying to choose between the mentor he owed his life to and the boy whose life he might have a chance to save.

"One can't choose between friends, Severus. It's not right. Morally I mean. You have to find out which life you want to live. Don't take other people's feelings into account for this choice."

Severus continued to stare at the floor. Which life did he want to live? He didn't know. One offered a chance to be free of the dark mark, the other to use it to save others from it.

One chance to live his whole life again differently and one chance to get rid of Mary Sue.

"It's not so easy not to think of them. They're very important to me."

"I know. Take some time to think about it, though. I'm sure you'll find a way."

Severus sighed when he left Remus' office. That hadn't helped much. 'Think about it.' That was what he'd been doing before.

Now where should he go? It was lunchtime, but he didn't really feel hungry. If he went to the great hall he'd meet Draco there and he'd have to tell him about the antidote. Draco would want to know his decision and so would Albus. And he couldn't tell them yet.

No, talking to Draco would have to wait. He'd better stay out of sight until classes had started again. But where was a place Draco wasn't likely to look for him?

Severus knocked on the door to Filch's office.

No reaction. Of course not. He finally remembered that the caretaker was most likely at lunch in the great hall with everybody else.

Now what? Leave? No.

"Alohomora."

The door opened easily and Severus walked in. Corvus looked up and cocked his head at him. He'd been playing with some confiscated items he'd found in a drawer that for some reason had been left open and was reluctant to give up his game.

Severus walked over and offered his arm to the bird. Corvus hopped on his shoulder and started tussling his hair affectionately.

Severus smiled. That was how it always should be. Raven on one arm, hedgehog on the other.

Corvus had at first not been too sure what to make of Greenie, but he'd soon discovered that hedgehogs weren't edible. Greenie had simply curled into a tight spiky ball whenever he'd tried. A raven's beak might not be sensitive to a hedgehogs spikes, but his feet sure were. Corvus had soon given up on the idea of playing with Greenie and was now generally ignoring him except for the occasional jealous glance. Why could the hedgehog go with Severus while he was expected to stay in Filch's stuffy office all the time?

Filch arrived with Mrs Norris on his heels to find his office door open and Severus inside playing with his bird.

Mrs Norris gave an angry huff at that sight and turned to walk off tail held high.

"Oh, come on my dear." Filch tried to convince her. "Severus won't harm you."

Mrs Norris ignored him and stalked away. As if this was about getting hurt. Severus was invading her home. Filch's office belonged to her, after all. She tolerated Filch, because she needed someone to feed her and Corvus was acceptable too, but boys were supposed to stay out. Why couldn't Severus and that blonde friend of his remember that properly?

Filch was used to his cat's ways by now. He watched her go shaking his head then closed the door behind him and turned his attention towards Severus.

"You weren't at lunch." he stated pretending that he didn't really care.

"I didn't feel like it."

"Oh?" Filch walked over to one of the boards and picked a file at random.

"Albus has the antidote."

Filch sat down at his desk and opened the file. He leaved through it for a moment.

"So why are you still a boy? Don't you have better things to do?"

"I'm not sure."

Filch turned another page.

"Not sure about what?"

"I'm not sure which I should be boy or adult."

"Adult, of course. It's way better. You get to scare all the little brats and you don't have to be in bed at ten. No OWLs either." he added.

Severus scowled. Had he complained about having to do the OWLs again this much?

"But I'd have to leave Draco. He's my friend and he'd be lonely without me."

Filch pushed the file into a more comfortable position on his desk.

"Why? Are you planning to go anywhere? I thought you worked here and the boy lives here. So how'd you be leaving him?"

"I wouldn't be his age anymore. He needs someone to confide in. Else he'll end up a death eater like his Dad."

Filch turned another page.

"Why shouldn't he confide in an adult? Seems much more sensible to me."

"Kids aren't sensible. They need their friends to be their own age."

"Do they?"

Severus sighed. Do kids need their friends to be their own age? That question didn't make sense. ... Or did it?

Filch finally looked up from his file.

"Severus, an adult is what you're supposed to be. It's where you belong. This whole thing was an unfortunate accident that should never have happened and now it's time to right the mistake."

Severus sighed again and gently pushed Corvus off his shoulder.

"I'll think about it." he promised.

"Talk to Draco. Tell him you have to return to what you really are. I think he'll understand." advised Filch returning to his file.

"Okay, I will." promised Severus.

Filch did not respond and Severus quietly left the caretaker's office to look for his friend.

Once the door had closed behind him Filch picked up his file and gave it a closer look. 'The Weasley twins. I should have known.' After all half of the files in his office were on the Weasley twins.

Lunch was over and there were only a few stragglers left in the great hall. Draco was not among them.

Severus decided to look in the Slytherin common room, then their dorm and finally even checked the bathroom. No Draco.

"Where could he be?" he asked Greenie.

"Sniff?" answered the hedgehog. 'What are we looking for? I didn't get any lunch.'

Severus decided that Greenie was probably not the right person to ask and turned to Vincent and Gregory on his way back out. They were playing chess in the common room. A difficult task. Vincent was one of the worst players Severus had ever met, but against Gregory he usually won hands down.

"Do you guys have any idea where Draco is?"

Vincent moved a pawn to exactly the wrong field and looked up.

"Looking for you."

Gregory was puzzling helplessly over the board. He should have taken the pawn Vincent had just moved, but obviously that hadn't occurred to him.

"Any idea where he's looking?"

"I think he muttered something about asking McGonnagal." said Vincent. "Come on Gregory, make your move."

Gregory however still hadn't decided what to do. Severus left the common room shaking his head. Whatever had possessed those two to play chess of all things? Well, maybe they'd had a lot of time on their hands with nothing to do. That game would certainly take up lots and lots of time.

When he reached McGonnagal's office he found it locked. Minerva was obviously not here. He considered waiting for her to return, but he wasn't here to see her and Draco would most likely have gone to look somewhere else.

Severus decided to try the library. He usually spent a lot of time there after all so that might be where Draco had gone.

He turned and walked down the hallway leading towards the library. Turning the next corner he ran into Professor McGonnagal who stared at him in surprise.

"Severus? What are you still doing here? I thought Albus finally had found the antidote.

"No Albus didn't FIND anything, but yes, he does have the antidote."

"So why are you still here?"

"I'm looking for Draco. You don't happen to have seen him?"

"No, but that's not what I meant. Why are you still a boy?"

"Because I need to talk to Draco and because I'm not even sure I want to be turned back."

"Why not? I thought you hated being a child."

"I don't know." Severus shrugged. "I can't just walk out on Draco like this, I guess. And it wasn't all bad. I had a lot of fun too. It was much better then the first time around at least."

Minerva sighed as she realised what Severus' problem was.

"Because of Draco?" she asked gently. "Because this time you had a friend?"

Severus nodded not looking her in the eyes. It was hard to confess this, but she was right of course. Having a friend had changed everything.

"And now you think you're deserting your friend by going back to being an adult."

Severus nodded again. How did Minerva know all these things? How could she tell him so clearly everything he couldn't put into words?

"Severus, Draco doesn't need you. He's a very popular boy. He has lots of friends. Of course he'll miss you, but you're not leaving him lonely."

"He doesn't." Severus shook his head. "He's never had any real friends and he broke up with all his false friends because of me."

"False friends? Crabbe and Goyle ..."

"Crabbe and Goyle needed someone with some brains to lead them so they didn't have to make their own choices. And an alliance with the Malfoys can be rather profitable.

"But they'd still want that wouldn't they?"

"Gregory maybe, but Crabbe has discovered his own brain and Gregory will most likely continue to follow him. They might not actually fight Draco, but they wont follow him the way they used to either."

"Still he has other friends."

"And I repeat: No real ones."

Minerva shook her head smiling.

"Severus, I think you're overestimating your importance to Mr. Malfoy. I know you needed him and it's amazing how well you two get along, but he got by fine without you before. He will do so again."

"But ...

"You're projecting your own feelings for Draco to him. You were lonely and desperately needed a friend. Now you're thinking about how you'd feel if you lost that friend again, but you'll no longer need him once you are an adult again. You'll have your old friends back. Everything will go back to normal. ... And you wont have to take the OWLs. "

Severus scowled. What made her think she could predict the future? Have his old friends back? What friends? Well, Albus, but who else? There were no others. Well, Remus and Filch maybe, but he had only come close to them since he'd been a child again. Maybe they just pitied him and would go back to normal once he was an adult again.

Back to normal. Normal hadn't been all that great for him. He'd always been unhappy with his life. Maybe he was even happier now. He wasn't sure.

"I still need to talk to Draco. Any idea where he might be?"

"In your common room?" Minerva suggested.

"No, I've already looked there."

"The quiddich field?"

Now that was a possibility. Severus checked the library first anyway, but Draco wasn't there. So he went out to the quiddich field as Minerva had suggested and indeed he found Draco in the broom shed.

"Severus! There you are. I've been looking for you all through lunch break. Where were you all this time?" Draco greeted him.

"Well, Albus called me to his office."

"But you can't have been talking to Dumbledore all this time. He was at lunch, you know. And I don't think he has mastered the art of being in two places at once."

"I wouldn't put it beyond him."

Draco looked at Severus doubtfully.

"You have no idea how powerful Albus really is Draco. There's a reason Voldemort is afraid of him."

"But my father says that being in two places at once is absolutely impossible. Even with the strongest magic. "

"Your father doesn't know everything, Draco. He might be powerful, but he'll never reach up to Albus. No one does."

"Then ... then it is possible to be in two places at once?" asked Draco excitedly.

"As far as I know it isn't, but Albus might think differently about that."

Draco pondered that for a while and did come up with one conclusion.

"You were not with Dumbledore all this time."

"No."

"So where were you?" insisted Daco.

He was a little worried. Severus was obviously avoiding answering his question and that couldn't be good. He usually told Draco everything. Even his most daring pranks.

"Well, first I talked with Albus then I went back to the dorm to get Greenie, here." Severus said cuddling his little hedgehog.

"Sniff!" confirmed Greenie.

"Then I had a little talk with Remus, went to see Corvus and after that I went looking for you, but ran into McGonnagal instead."

Draco thought that answer over for a moment. It seemed like Severus had indeed answered his question, but he felt like he had evaded him once again. Just where exactly was that evasion hidden? What had Severus not told him?

"You went to see Corvus without me?" he pouted to buy some time to think.

"Sorry, Rascal." Severus smiled. "But you were still at lunch and I didn't feel like eating."

That's when Draco realised what Severus had never said.

"Why? What did Dumbledore want with you?"

"He ... he told me that ... that they'd found an antidote."

Draco stood staring at Severus for nearly a minute trying to fully comprehend what his friend had just said.

"So you've come to say good bye." he said finally, tonelessly. "I'll miss you."

"Draco ... I ... I'm not sure what I'm gonna do yet. I don't want to just walk out and leave you. You are the best friend I've ever had and we had such a great time together. I'd never want to hurt you."

"But it's what you wanted all the time. We tried so much to find that antidote and it's the only way to get rid of Mary Sue. You'll save everyone with that. I bet even the other teachers will be grateful if you relieve them of her presence."

"So you want me to do it?"

"Want it? No I don't want it, but it's the right thing to do, I suppose. But I'll miss you. I'll be terribly lonely without you. You'll have all your old friends back, but I can't go back to pretending to be someone else. They wont believe it anymore and even if they would, I now know what it's like to have a real friend. I'll never feel comfortable with them again. Not that I ever really did."

"Old friends? The only real friend I ever had before you is Albus. I miss him right now, but if I do take that antidote I'll miss you just the same. I don't know how to choose, Draco. I want both of you, but it seems I can never have that."

"You'll remember me? As your childhood friend?" asked Draco hopefully. "And maybe someday when I grow up ... "

"I could never forget you and I haven't even made my choice yet. But no matter what my decision will be, I'll always be there for you. I always did like you and I always will. Even if I decide to be a teacher again. "

"You'll have to be an adult for your revenge against my father." said Draco suddenly. "You'll have to change back."

"Maybe you are better than revenge. Voldemort and Lucius think they own you like they once owned me. If I can keep you save from them maybe that is better payback than anything I could ever do to Lucius."

"But to do that you have to be an adult." mumbled Draco unhappily.

"Do I?" Severus asked in surprise.

He'd never even considered having any chance to save Draco as an adult. That Draco saw it exactly the opposite way was a mild shock.

"Of course. How could a boy ever protect me from my father? Whatever way you look at it the best thing for you is to return to being an adult."

Severus thought about that. From the logical point of view it was all clear, but his heart told him to stay a boy, stay with Draco.

"I have to talk with Albus. Maybe he can clear all this up. He has the antidote anyway. I guess I'll just have to let his arguments decide this.

Severus turned to return to the castle.

"No wait!" shouted Draco suddenly. "Wait here for a moment. There's something I want you to have, before you go.

Draco raced back into the school nearly knocking over a couple of third years on their way to Hagrid's hut for their care for magical creatures lesson. He ran into the dungeons and through the common room past housemates getting ready for their next lessons.

"Draco! We already thought you would be late." Gregory said as he rushed into the dorm and to his trunk.

"I will be." Draco answered as he threw it open.

"What? Why?"

"Severus might be leaving. I've got to say good bye." Draco said digging through the contents of his trunk.

"Leaving? What do you mean leaving? Where's he going?" asked Vincent, but Draco didn't seem to have heard him.

He'd finally found what he'd been looking for. The picture of the dragon bard and his ballad. It was his best work so far and the one thing he had never shown Severus. He'd done this one on his own and he was terribly proud of it.

Without another word Draco turned and ran back out. When he got back to where Severus was waiting he was panting so badly he had to sit down in the grass unable to speak to catch his breath.

He just held out the parchment to his friend. Severus looked at him quizzically.

"To ... re ... remember me by." Draco panted.

Severus slowly sat down beside him.

"Thanks, but I'm still not sure I'm leaving."

"I... I want you to ... have it ... anyway."

Severus nodded quietly. They sat there for a while until Draco had recovered. Than Severus finally got up to go talk to Dumbledore and make his choice.

Draco remained behind. He knew he should go to class, but he didn't feel up to it. He walked over to the lake and sat on a rock staring out over the water, waiting.

Still to come: What will Severus' decision be? Draco and a bunch of Gryffindors have a surprise for Severus, and another prank