The Last Sanguimagus

Care of Magical Creatures was not going well at all, and it was only their first lesson.

Hagrid looked distinctly glum during the entire class. He seemed uninterested in the hinkypucks that were the subject of their lesson, and kept glancing in the direction of the Forbidden Forest as if hoping to see something. Harry, Hermione and Ron were perplexed by his dour appearance. "We should talk to him when class is over," whispered Hermione.

"We'll be late for dinner!" moaned Ron.

"Honestly, Ron, could you be--"

"Hermione's right," said Harry softly. "We need to find out what's bothering him."

"We could find out just as well after a bite," grumbled Ron, but he said nothing more.

Soon enough the class was finished, and the rest of the students made their way back up to the entrance hall.

Hagrid seemed to cheer up a little when he noticed that they had stayed. "Want a cuppa?" he asked.

"Certainly," said Hermione, giving Ron a glare. Hagrid turned and went into his cabin and they followed. Hermione gave a small gasp.

It was a mess. It looked as if nothing had been cleaned for a month. Dirty dishes were piled up. His giant bed, which had always been neatly made, was dishevelled. Dust coated the floor.

"So...er...how was your summer?" asked Harry.

Hagrid swung a battered tea kettle into the fire. "Fine, fine."

"How's Grawp?" asked Hermione.

Hagrid turned back to look at them, and his eyes filled with tears. Pulling out an oversized handkerchief, he morosely wiped his face. "He's gone. I've bin looking fer him fer the last month, an'--an'--" He blew his nose thunderously. The tea kettle began to whistle, and he turned and took it off the fire. He looked around, but there were no clean mugs nearby, and he started rummaging in cabinets, disturbing small clouds of dust.

"You've looked in the Forbidden Forest, then?" asked Hermione timidly.

Hagrid dabbed his eyes and nodded, finally retrieving a few mostly clean cups and pouring hot water into them. "But enough about tha'. How are yer classes?"

"Great," said Ron, attempting to be enthusiastic. "We've got a new class this year--and we just had our first Defence class with Professor Marten, he showed us a Tygrash."

"Gytrash," corrected Hermione.

Hagrid looked interested. "Really? Hard ter find, them."

"And Harry's got a special amulet now," continued Ron. "Professor Tanner made it."

"Tanner?" Hagrid looked aghast. "What do yeh mean...she's made a wha'?"

"An amulet," said Harry, wondering why Hagrid looked so upset.

"Listen, yeh need ter stay away from tha' one." He looked completely serious. "She's dangerous."

"But Dumbledore hired her," said Harry. "I'm sure he trusts her. Otherwise, he never would have let her come here to teach."

"Dumbledore is a great man," said Hagrid. "But tha' one...she's...er..." He fumbled with the cups he was handing them. "Jus' be careful, tha's all."

***

Sarah noticed Potter, Weasley and Granger coming into the Great Hall late for dinner. Her eyes followed them as they sat down at the Gryffindor table. Almost immediately afterwards Potter turned and looked directly at her. She returned his gaze and he suddenly became very interested in filling his plate.

"Something is different about that boy today," said Silas in an innocent tone.

"Really." She tried not to tense at his remark.

"Yes," he continued. "I noticed it today in class. He seems...to be lighter somehow."

"Perhaps you should speak to him about his eating habits," she said, attempting another spoonful of porridge.

"If anyone needs a lecture about their dining practices, it would be you," he said, staring at her with his watery blue eyes. "Porridge morning, noon and night. If you're not careful you'll get scurvy." He looked back at the Potter boy. "I thought I glimpsed some sort of stone around his neck that wasn't there yesterday."

She cursed inwardly. Of course he would notice. Any competent Defence teacher probably would. "And..."

"And I think it is related," he said, turning back to her. "And since it is an amulet, and since you are the Talismans instructor here, and since there is a change about the boy, I think it quite obviously follows that you are somehow involved."

She nearly dropped the spoon, but caught herself just in time. She wondered if any secret could last long at Hogwarts. "If you have some concern, take it to the Headmaster," she said finally.

"Perhaps I will do just that." He surveyed the children in the hall. "I must tell you that I find you highly suspect. If I find some evidence..."

"Then you must do what you must do," she answered curtly. "For now, however, I would appreciate it greatly if you'd let me enjoy my dinner in peace."

"As you wish," he replied with an odd smile.

***

Severus had only just finished dinner in the Great Hall when the Dark Mark began to burn. He could barely stop himself from cursing explosively. Dumbledore gave him a sad look, and Severus looked down to realise that he was clutching his left forearm. He stood up to leave.

"Going somewhere, Severus?" asked Silas smoothly.

Severus repressed the urge to snarl at the man. "Yes," he said curtly. "Good evening to you all." He swept out of the Great Hall. He had to Apparate as soon as possible.

***

Sarah watched as Severus left. Silas muttered something. "What?" she asked.

"Surely you must be aware of our Potions Master's dark past," he said smugly.

She almost forgot to breathe, and then realised that he couldn't possibly know the details of her past interaction with Severus. "I have heard...things," she said cautiously.

"While he was here at Hogwarts, he was a terrible nuisance," continued Silas. "Hexes...rumors of the Dark Arts...I have my suspicions about him."

"Really," said Sarah. "You seem to fancy yourself the school's own personal Auror. Perhaps you trained for it at one time?" His face took on an ugly expression. "Because isn't that where Defence teachers come from...failed Aurors?"

For a moment he looked as if he would strike her, and she knew that she had guessed correctly, and, worse, she had made an enemy. "I find my appetite quite diminished," he said waspishly, standing up. "Good evening to you all. And, Sarah, I hope you'll remember what I said." He left.

She really had been reckless to bait him like that, and she couldn't help but worry that she would regret it later.

***

There was no moon, and it was as black as pitch out. Severus reached the doors of Hogwarts and pulled one open with shaking hands. Torches blazed cheerily in the entrance hall. He closed the door and began to make his way across to the entrance to the dungeons and did not stop until he had closed and locked the door to his own room. He stumbled painfully as he went to pour himself a glass of firewhisky. His nerves were still jangling from the Cruciatus Curse. He sat down slowly. Certainly he had felt that particular Unforgivable before, but it had been when he was a younger man, able to withstand more. Since he had returned to the Death Eater fold it had been much more difficult to bear. His ankle began to burn, and he realised that he had sprained it slightly. His head pounded. The Dark Lord had been particularly displeased with this new complication. His new plan had "depended" on their bond, he had said. And now another scheme might have to be discarded. Severus winced as he took another large swallow of the firewhisky. He would report everything to Dumbledore in the morning, but inwardly he was disappointed in how little he had learned. There had been only more questions about Silas. More questions about Potter, and no answers.

He was too tired to think further. He needed to sleep. He could only hope that it was dreamless.

***