Owl Eyes

Owl Eyes

Chapter Sixteen

The Hatching

Break free

From all the walls

That bind you

Come forth

From the shell that hides you

Slither and soar

Your emotions

Must not confine you

In the empty Charms' classroom we worked on the patronis charm. Harry was charged with teaching the rest of us. A small group of older Gryffindors had flocked to the empty room to learn what we could. Harry was a competent enough teacher but it was clear that things came easier to him than to the rest of us.

I tried time and time again but produced no animal, no mist, nothing at all. Hermione had worked hard and on our second night she had come up with a badger which seemed an odd animal to have. Ron was swearing occasionally because even Neville was having more success than Ron was. Fred and George were probably off pulling pranks on the Slytherins because they hadn't had success the first night we had been practicing so had apparently given up for the time being.

"I wonder if you have to be able to see the mist for it to work?" Harry asked no one in particular.

"I don't know," I said with a frustrated sigh.

"That might be true," Hermione thought.

"Maybe you should go to the library and research it," Ron said. "You've mastered it anyway."

"We need her to help everyone else," Harry told Ron.

"Maybe I'll ask Dumbledore about it," I said.

"You can't just march right up there," Ron said.

"Why not?"

"He's the Headmaster. He's busy."

"Not too busy to help a student," Hermione pointed out. "Besides, Lucinda is an Order member."

"Who else would we ask?" Harry said. "No one but the Order knows we're working on this. That's why we aren't teaching all the students just yet."

"They all deserve to learn though," I said.

"What about the Slytherins?" Ron asked.

"Them too. Anyway, I'm gonna ask Dumbledore."

"Slytherins wouldn't use it for anything good."

"Well, they can't use it to fight against us," Hermione said.

"True," Ron replied resignedly.

Just then there was a whoop from Seamus. He had produced a white bear apparently, and it was loping laps around the perimeter of the classroom.

"It's big," Hermione said appraisingly.

"Bloody brilliant!" Ron said.

"Well," I said, "I have to get going to Wiggins' office for detention."

"I don't envy you at all," Harry said.

"Good luck," Hermione encouraged.

I knocked on Professor Wiggins' door just in time. I was nearly late for my detention with the evil woman.

"You may enter," she growled from the other side of the door.

I opened the door and slipped in. Once I had stepped clear of it, I clicked the door shut behind me.

Good evening, Miss Lee," she hissed without any tone of pleasantness in her voice.

"Same, Professor," I replied bitterly.

"Are you prepared to write? Or better yet, did you bring me a sample of your writing?"

"I did not bring a sample, but I am prepared to write for you."

"Good,."

A piece of parchment and a quill were shoved roughly into my hands.

"Go to the classroom and write. When I feel you have practiced enough I will come for you. Don't forget this bottle of ink either," she said.

I reached out my left hand, while holding quill and parchment in my right, to receive the ink.

"Why ever are you standing there with your hand in midair looking entirely incompetent?" she barked.

I, I,"

"I am waiting for an explanation, Miss Lee, and it had better be a good one because you are wasting precious time, mine and yours!"

She was nearly shouting now but she had not produced the bottle of ink she had mentioned.

"I was waiting for you to hand me the bottle of ink," I said in a rush.

Now that I had gotten up the courage to deal with this woman I wouldn't let it slip away again. This school had been intimidating me. I had feared the mean professor and been scared while interacting with so many students in one place, but it was time to let all of that go. I had to start standing my ground and keep my feet firmly planted. I had, at times since I had arrived, skirted around like a mouse, but that had to end now.

"Is that how you assume the world works?" Wiggins asked. "I should just hand things to you? The world should bow to the needs and desires of the poor little disabled child?"

"No, I,"

"Because, things don't work like that here at Hogwarts. At least not so far as I'm concerned."

"I just thought-"

"Apparently you thought wrongly. You had thought that because of your malformation the world should kiss your feet but that isn't how things really work. I know Dumbledore has an affection for you, but that does not carry through to the rest of the staff, or all of your fellow students. As far as the students are concerned, I might be watching my back if I were you."

"Can I Please have the ink?"

"Not even niceties will always advance you in life," Wiggins replied as she tapped on the desk.

"Just as every request for something to be done isn't granted." I said as I dropped quill and parchment on the floor where I stood and turned to leave the room.

"What do you think you are doing?!"

"I'm leaving."

"You can't leave. You have detention!"

"You wouldn't want Dumbledore to hear about our little conversation would you? After all, he does favor me. Certainly I won't say anything to him as long as you leave me alone."

Before she had a chance to reply I had left the room and slammed the door behind me. That was the last detention I would be serving with Wiggins. If she wanted anything else from me, she could ask me during class. If she didn't watch herself I'd go straight to the headmaster. I had had quite enough of her taunting and torture to last a lifetime.

***

The following day I found myself making my way to the Great Hall with Hermione, Ron, Harry, Ginny, and Neville. The castle had a buzzing atmosphere about it. It was as if even the air and the walls were alive. Everyone was anticipating the excitement of the the Halloween feast.

"The feasts are always great," Ron said.

"That's because all you think of is food," Hermione said.

"Better than only books and classes."

"The food is good though," Neville commented. "The decorations are usually also overdone. Flitwick always helps with those."

"In our first year a troll got let in to the dungeons," Ron explained.

"I missed that one," Ginny said. "I hadn't started at Hogwarts yet."

"I hope no other trolls show up," I said honestly.

"Ron and Harry defeated it," Hermione said proudly.

"It was nothing," Harry said. "There's Malfoy," he warned and effectively changed the subject.

"If it isn't potty, the weasel, the mud blood, the blind bat, and their two side kicks," Malfoy said loudly.

The volume of the hall quieted considerably. Everyone was waiting to hear if there would be a fight. I could imagine their mouths hanging open mid sentence and could hear their feet stopping mid step. Robes swished as the gathered students turned to face the argument.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry asked.

"Nothing that concerns your lot," Malfoy shot back.

"Good, cause we're not interested in talking to someone as worthless as yourself either," Ron said.

"Is that so. I should think I'm a lot more worthy than you and your red mopped sister, at least my father has a job that pays well."

"Who cares about that?" Hermione said.

"Most respectable people in the wizarding world do, mudblood," Malfoy responded.

"Why don't you just shut up, Malfoy?" I yelled. "Nobody cares what you think and don't call her a mudblood."

"What do you know" You're just a worthless-" Malfoy began but stopped midsentence.

"What may I ask is going on here?" Professor McGonagall asked. "I can't imagine why any of you would be fighting on the way to the feast. I would certainly expect better of any student at this school, especially on a holiday."

Most of us shuffled our feet but no one spoke.

"Go on then," she said, "the feast is waiting."

We moved down the corridor in silence. Since there had just been a fight and McGonagall was still in our midst there was no longer a hum of excitement. I walked with my head lowered and my thoughts to myself. I didn't even risk a whisper to Hermione, who I was sure was walking beside me, until I was seated at the Gryffindor table. Once again I had stood up for myself and my friends. I just had to keep on doing it. It made me feel better knowing I was making my opinions clear and not letting others walk all over me if I had anything to say about it. So far this tactic had not gotten me into trouble but I wasn't sure how long my luck would hold out.

"I wonder what Malfoy's problem is?" I finally said when we sat down.

"Prejudice pureblood," Ron replied his mouth already full of food.

"At least not all purebloods are," Hermione said.

"You can say that again," said Neville.

"There's peas, pork roast, boiled potatoes, steak and kidney pie-" Hermione described the food choices.

My mind disengaged as soon as she said steak and kidney pie. My stomach knotted up. I wanted a bacon cheeseburger and a coke. I missed American food. In this part of Europe the food was bland and in need of major help. Why couldn't Hogwarts be in Italy?

I agreed to some bland options that did not include organ meats.

"That's all you're gonna eat?" Ron asked.

"Steak and kidney pie turned off my stomach."

"Sorry, shouldn't have mentioned it," Hermione said.

"It's good," Harry said.

"No thanks," I said.

"What sort of things do people eat in America," Ginny asked.

I explained to her the different dishes that were considered to be American favorites and how there were some foods that were popular in certain regions as opposed to others. Everyone was amazed at the variety, and the clinking of forks slowed as I spoke.

"hay! Look at Malfoy!" Harry said.

"Oh wow," Ron responded.

"What's going on?"

"His fire lizard has hatched," Harry told me.

"It doesn't look happy," Ginny put in.

"It's bitten him," Harry said excitedly. "Now it's flying away.

"What's it doing by professor Snape?"

"I don't know," Hermione said, her voice coming from what had previously been behind her. She had turned completely around in her seat to get a better look.

The hall had broken out into murmurs. From the volume and the pattern of the noise I could tell that everyone had parted from their original private conversations and was now watching the drama of Malfoy's fire lizard unfold. My friends gave me a detailed account of what was going on. Malfoy had risen from his chair and tried to retrieve the small blue animal but it had bitten him twice and he had given up. The fire lizard ate a small amount off of professor Snape's plate before curling up beside it. Most people were trying to suppress laughter.

Professor Snape finished his meal in a hurry and tried to make a speedy exit from the Great Hall. The blue beast would have none of that though and flew clumsily to his shoulder where it dug its talons in and refused to budge. Apparently he had a pained expression on his face, though no one could assure me that it was solely because of the sharp talons. As he approached the doors he spun around, gave Malfoy a murderous look, then retreated probably to his private chambers.

"I guess Malfoy will get a failing grade now," I said once the drama had completely unfolded.

"He might try to steal an egg," Harry said.

"I'm keeping mine hidden then."

"The rest of them should hatch soon," Hermione said.

"Wonder what color mine will be?" Ron said.

"I think Lucinda's is green," Hermione thought out loud.

Just then Neville's egg, which had been sitting on the table in its pot, began shaking back and fourth.

"Look at your egg, Neville!" Ginny said excitedly. "It's about to hatch.

Everyone began crowding around our end of the table and leaning over to watch. I started to feel claustrophobic because of the number of bodies pressed so near. Everyone was excited to see the egg hatch up close and personal and wanted to see it imprint on Neville. I was worried, that because of so many people, the fire lizard would get confused as to who its owner was supposed to be.

"Make sure it imprints on you, Neville," I said. "Otherwise you'll fail too."

"Oh, good point, Lucinda," Hermione said. Everyone back up. Give Neville some space!"

People shuffled and some rose from the bench.

"Wonder if we should get our eggs out of here?" Harry said.

"I dug in my pocket for my egg. I had kept it in my robes even though it was large and heavy in its pot. It felt warm in the sand but nothing was happening to it.

"Look at it rocking back and fourth," Ron commented on Neville's egg.

"That there is a lively one," Fred said.

"Bet Neville has fed it something special," said George.

"I haven't," Neville admitted.

"You can't possibly feed an egg," Hermione said.

"Oh look, there it is," Lavender Brown said.

"You'll scare it, ssshhhh," Hermione said bossily.

"It's sort of goldish," Harry said.

"No, I think it's a bronze," said Hermione. "Hagrid will know. Or, if a gold hatches we will be able to compare the two, but it looks bronze to me."

"Whatever it is, it's cute," Neville said and he began talking to it and trying to feed it.

"Maybe we should go back to the common room and spread out on a table where it's less crowded," Hermione suggested.

"Yeah," Ron said, "I wouldn't want to end up like Malfoy."

"He still looks mad," Harry reported.

"You'd be mad too," I said.

"Wonder what happened?" Hermione asked.

"Don't know, but it wasn't good." Ron replied.

Just then I heard a clanking sound from within my robes. I put my hand to my pocket. I could feel, through my robes, that something was tapping against the side of the pot contained there.

"I think mine is going to hatch!" I exclaimed.

"We'd better get it to the common room," Hermione said. "Hurry, take my arm."

I did just that and we rushed through the castle halls to get somewhere quiet.

"Wait, we forgot food!" Hermione's tone was worried.

"I'll get it," Harry said and turned to run back to the Great Hall.

"Get extra," Ron yelled over his shoulder.

When we made it to the common room I quickly removed the pot from my pocket and set it on an empty table so that I could gently remove the egg. This I set beside the pot. Ron and Hermione stood behind me.

"It has a crack in it," Hermione announced.

"Wonder if I can touch it?"

"Not sure. You don't want to interfere with its hatching."

I wanted to feel the crack. Was it small? Vertical? Did it extend around the entire circumference of the egg? I did not know, but Hermione was right, I didn't want to ruin the hatching process. I wanted a strong healthy fire lizard.

The egg trembled as it made the rocking sound of something thrown on a table that wobbles until it is able to settle after the sudden motion. I waited.

"Here it comes," Hermione said.

"It's green!" Ron said.

Just then Harry came in panting and bringing whatever food he had grabbed.

"Wow, that was fast," he said between breaths.

"It's kind of ugly," Ron said.

"Be quiet, you might upset it!" Hermione scolded.

"Hello," I said putting out my hand. "Hello little lizard. Do you have a name?"

"If you expect it to answer you you're nutters," Ron said.

"You never know," I said.

I inched my hand along the table carefully, my fingers extended. Finally the tip of my index and middle fingers reached a mass of slime. I withdrew abruptly. Then, thinking I might disappoint the lizard, I reached out for her again. I cringed at the texture but took her into my hand.

"Are you hungry?" I asked, I was, even though I had just been eating.

"Here," Harry said, "I found a bit of chicken.

He pressed the meat into my left hand, the one that was not holding the green hatchling. I held up my palm so that she could eat. She was ravenous and divowered the food with great gusto.

"They come out awful hungry," Ron commented.

"Sort of like you at every meal," Hermione said.

"I think even Ron has better manners than that," Harry said.

"It's quite an interesting creature," Hermione said.

I then began examining her. She was tiny and her little wings seemed so fragile. She felt warm and slippery. I could hardly stand the feel of her.

"I wonder if I can wash her off," I mused aloud.

"I don't see why not," Hermione said. "You might not want to use water though."

"Right."

I used the sleeve of my robe to wipe her clean. The garment had to be washed anyway.

Then it was Ron's turn to have an egg hatch. The process started all over again. His was a brown and he complained about its dull color but somehow it didn't upset his fire lizard who was quite attached to him from the moment its head popped out of the egg shell. Hermione hatched a gold and Harry a bronze. All over the room eggs hatched but we kept to our little table. Ron quickly named his Twig because he claimed it looked like one brown, long, and wet, like a twig in the rain. Harry called his kiz for no reason at all. Ron said that Hermione's was the prettiest of all. She looked like the light of a flame or a polished galleon. Hermione named her Cressida, a woman from some Greek legend she knew. I thought it was a pretty enough name.

"I don't know what to name mine," I said. She was now perched on my forearm and would occasionally lift and lower her wings.

"Well, name her something that is green," Harry said.

"Moss?" I asked.

"What kind of name is that?" Ron asked.

"Well it does go with Twig," Harry commented.

"I don't know a lot of green things. Emerald? Apple? Grass? Clover?"

"Emerald and Clover aren't bad," Hermione said.

"She needs a better name though," I said stroking along her back and neck with my index finger.

"Well, she is the color of moss," Ron decided.

"Yeah," Harry agreed.

"All green and fresh looking."

"Yeah."

"How about Kale?"

"What's a Kale?" Ron asked.

"It's a plant," Hermione informed him.

"You eat it," I said.

"Well," Ron began, "I usually avoid most green vegetables, but I'm suddenly hungry enough to eat anything."

"What's new about that?" I asked.

"It's the fire lizards maybe?" Hermione suggested. "If they're anything like dragons that is."

"Dragons?" Harry asked.

"Yes, dragons and humans can share special bonds. Well, some literature says that. Some Muggle literature that is."

"What do Muggles know about dragons?" Ron asked.

"I don't know," Hermione said. "Perhaps they are wizards writing Muggle stuff. Anyway, they're just stories but some say that the dragons and the humans have empathy for what the other one is feeling."

"So it's like a link between them?" I asked.

"Exactly."

"Well, I'm not hungry." I yawned dramatically.

"Your lizard has gone to sleep, that's why," Harry said.

"Good excuse to go to bed then," I said.

***

The following evening I found myself in Snape's classroom with the vials of potion Harry and I had made, before me on the desk. I had known Snape would have us test them. His footsteps slid along the floor in the front of the room. He talked as he walked but it was difficult to catch his strides because they were so light and his voice held my full attention.

"As I have found the potions you brewed somewhat adequate we shall test them tonight. We will start with the veritaserum. If we don't run out of time due to foolishness and incompetence, we will go to the Charms' classroom to test the liquishield. Drink, both of you."

I immediately did as we were told. I didn't like wasting Snape's time. He didn't like it to be wasted either. I suddenly felt light headed. The potion only took a few moments to begin working. I wondered if I should report my findings to Snape, but decided against it. He would be the one to decide if we had brewed it correctly. He probably wouldn't appreciate my commentary.

"You're just going to ask us questions?"

"In what other way could I test the potion, Mr. Potter?"

"Well-"

"Do you think I would be foolish enough to let you interrogate me? Drink!"

"Yes, sir."

Harry gulped the contents of the vial before returning it to the table with a clink.

I began to get nervous. What would he ask us? Would they be personal questions or would it be more like a pop quiz based on potions class or other subjects?

"Now we start with basic questions. We'll start with you, Miss Lee. What is your full name?"

"Lucinda Lina Lee."

The questions weren't so bad.

"Do you have brothers or sisters?"

"No, none."

"Is it true that Hogwarts is the first school you have attended?"

"No."

"You were not home schooled?"

"Yes, I was."

What was he getting at?

"But you attended other schools?" Snape sounded irritated.

"Yes, a school for blind children."

"Why did you attend such a school? Why hadn't your parents enrolled you in a proper school for young witches and wizards?

"They tried many times. None would accept me."

I was ashamed at having to tell Snape my life history. I didn't want everyone knowing that I couldn't get accepted anywhere but Hogwarts. Maybe Snape already knew though. Perhaps the headmaster had told him. If so, why was he trying to drag it out of me? Why was he making me spill my guts in front of Harry? Of all the things he could have asked, this was one I was quite sensitive about.

"I see. Was this school in America?"

"Yes"

"Well then, now that we have the basic information covered I will ask some more complicated questions. What do you think of your housemates?"

"Mostly they are nice but some of them are overly emotional and lean toward being arrogant. They make me feel at home though."

"It is interesting that a Gryffindor would admit that her fellow Gryffindors could sometimes be arrogant."

Of course I'd admit it. I couldn't actually lie with the potion moving through my blood stream like waters in a river bed. There was no confining the potion, no separating it from my thoughts by holding it outside my brain. Was it possible to learn to fight the potion like one might fight a curse?

He paused for a moment and took a step forward.

"Have you kissed any boys?"

"Yes"

"At Hogwarts?"

What did it matter to him?

"No"

"Anyone at Hogwarts you want to be snogging? Shagging?"

"no"

"No, no one? How do you explain this?"

How humiliating. What would he think of me now? Harry would probably think I was abnormal. I hoped he wouldn't bring up the subject with anyone.

"I don't know. I just don't feel close to any of the boys here. There isn't anyone I really like," I said trying to hide a blush.

"Not even Mr. Potter?"

Harry squirmed in his seat beside me.

"No, not even him," I said firmly.

"Well then, Mr. Potter, while we're on the subject of you we may as well begin questioning you. What is your full name?"

"Harry James Potter."

"Where do you reside?"

"At Hogwarts."

"During holidays?"

"Hogwarts, except summers when I live with my aunt and uncle."

"What do you think of your housemates?"

"They're great. It's the first place I've made real friends. We stick up for one another."

"Typical Gryffindor," Snape turned away, took a few strides and turned back."

"What do you dream of at night?"

"Voldemort, Cedrick dying, girls, living with Sirius."

"Does Black write you?"

"Sometimes."

I tried to withdraw while Harry was being questioned. After all, it was his personal life. We were friends, but not close ones, and I tried not to make his life my business. I would have to be invited to do so. We would have to be much closer.

"I see. What girls do you dream of?"

"Ginny Weasley and Cho Chang."

Cho Chang? Wasn't she a Ravenclaw? I supposed it didn't matter who she was, but did Ron know he dreamed of Ginny?

"Do you shag them in your dreams?"

I couldn't believe Snape was being so cruel.

"Yes," Harry said in a small voice.

"Interesting, even the school celebrity has wet dreams."

Harry shifted in his chair again, shuffling his feet under the desk.

"So, how does it feel to be pampered by your aunt and uncle?"

"I'm not."

"Well, that is most interesting Mr. Potter. After all, you are the boy who lived. I should think that they would want to demonstrate their affection for you. Do they not parade you around on display?"

"No, sir."

"I see," Snape was silent for a moment. "Do you enjoy living with your aunt and uncle?"

"No,"

"I suppose you wouldn't. You'd rather be with Black. He wouldn't have many rules to follow as reckless as he is."

"He's my godfather and he-"

"I am well aware of your affection for the man. I need not hear you speak further on the subject."

Snape then lifted a vial from off of the desk.

"I must say that this potion is authentic. I believe the ministry will put it to some use, though I cannot say whether it will be a good one."

"Can we go now?" Harry asked. He sounded miserable.

"Yes, Mr. Potter, I do not wish to hear any more of your private life this evening. You are excused. We will test the liquishield at a later time. That is in reference to you also, Miss Lee."

Snape made it sound like Harry was forcing him to hear about his personal life. Like Harry had just offered his embarrassing information on girls for Snape's examination. The professor made his way to the front of the room and began scrolling on a parchment, forcefully, for I could hear the quill from where I stood even over the sound of Harry rushing to leave.

"I'll catch up with you," I whispered. "I need to ask him a question."

Harry said nothing but left the room. I had no idea why I had whispered to Harry because Snape had probably overheard me anyway. I approached his desk shyly.

"Professor," I said.

"Miss lee?"

"I was wondering...well...I wondered if you had time to help me practice my control and use of the elements and my wandless magic?"

"You can practice the wandless magic in your lessons with Mr. Potter. I can't have you about the dungeons at all hours of the day and night. As for the fire, wind, and such, we can discuss that at another time. I would like to see how competent you are before agreeing to teach you, or even be around to observe you."

"Okay."

"I have an appointment with one of my Slytherins now. Come back tomorrow night at seven."

"Thank you."

He did not reply as I made my way out of the Potions' classroom and back to the common room.

***

Severus made his way into his office. He had felt somewhat bad about questioning Potter and Lee, but it had to be done. Besides, their embarrassment was nothing compared to the horror they might face before Voldemort. It was just another way to prepare them. He hadn't learned anything interesting really, though he did wonder why Miss Lee didn't have a love interest. She had seemed to him, so far, to be different than the other children in one way or another, and her lack of desire for her fellow students proved that.

When he entered the office the first thing he noticed was the blue fire lizard perched on the corner of his desk. It was preening itself, as if anyone cared what it looked like, and it stopped to look at him.

"I see you have made yourself at home, though you won't be staying long. Mr. Malfoy is coming to claim you. He is your rightful owner and you would do well to obey him."

The little animal disappeared at once. Could fire lizards apparate? No, that couldn't be possible, Severus mused, there was no apparating within the castle walls. Most unfortunate too, because if there was, it would be most convenient to apparate directly to his chambers after a death eater meeting. Where had the little beast gone? They seemed to be temperamental little animals.

Severus sank into his chair, his tall frame adjusting itself behind the desk so that he would still appear intimidating when Mr. Malfoy entered. He promptly began grading papers. There were always stacks of papers to grade. He even graded papers in his sleep. He would dribble red ink all over a parchment submitted by Mr. Longbottom and groan at the site of anything submitted by Ms. Granger on multiple scrolls. The dreams were nearly nightmares except for a few smiles while grading the works of a few select students. Sometimes, if he was having an exceptionally horrendous day, he would seek out the essays from these students in an attempt to cheer himself slightly. Though this tactic often backfired, for even the few best students could disappoint him on a regular basis. His standards were very high. He hadn't become a potions master by scribbling nonsense or copying off a classmate.

There was a knock at the door. Mr. Malfoy had saved him from the mundane task of filling his quill with red ink repeatedly, unless that was the headmaster? No, the headmaster never knocked, and the tapping was to firm and confident to be anything but the fist of a Slytherin.

"Enter," he said.

Mr. Malfoy stepped in and closed the door behind him abruptly.

"Your lizard has disappeared Mr. Malfoy."

"Disappeared? How?"

"Well, he or she, simply vanished when I notified it...well, the animal has left the premises."

"He," Malfoy clarified. "The blue ones are always male."

"That is none of my concern," Severus said impatiently. "I want to know how to get rid of him. Have you not learned such a procedure in your Care of Magical Creatures class?"

"No, you know how Hagrid is. He nearly got me killed. He's worthless! May as well be a mudblood, though I am sure there is some question as to his breeding."

"The breeding, as you call it, of your professors, is none of your concern. Furthermore, exaggeration will not get you far in life. Though perhaps killed at the feet of the Dark Lord if you might consider that to be getting somewhere."

Severus slowed his last words and leaned forward with a glare. Malfoy took a small step backward. He had not sat down as of yet. The boy was always so intimidated. A complete contrast to his father. His quarreling with the Gryffindors was all a facade. He did it because he could get away with it, but he would never kill anyone in a back alley, least of all Potter.

"Since you seem to know something of these creatures," Severus began, "can you explain how it disappeared and where we might locate it?"

"No, I'm not sure...Well, I may have missed that part of the lecture."

"Not paying attention in class? Splendid. Simply splendid."

Malfoy lowered his head in shame, something he wouldn't have done in the presence of others.

"What did you say or do to upset the hatchling?"

"I told it it was ugly."

"You dolt! You expected it to imprint on you after insulting it? You ignorant, imbeselic boy! I don't know why I am attempting to assist you with the salvaging of your pathetic grade. I only want rid of the little blue thing. Leave my presence now. I have no further use for your company. You have been of little use to me in getting rid of the nuisance that is supposed to be your class project not my shadow."

Malfoy turned to leave. With his hand on the door knob he glanced over his shoulder and spoke.

"Hagrid did say that once imprinted the fire lizards don't transfer to others."

"How could that be possible?!"

Severus was on his feet now, his chair pushed backward behind him.

"I, I don't know, Sir," Malfoy whined, his back now pressed to the door.

"I will find a way to get rid of it. It's a nuisance. I can't go about my day with a little animal clinging to my robes. It never stops wanting food, and when it eats, I eat because it's convenient, but the way things are going I won't get any potions research done. All this eating, and swatting the creature away and getting bit," Severus held out his hands before him, on which bite marks were visible, "is making me mad. Very mad, Mr. Malfoy."

"I'm sorry, sir," Malfoy said, lowering his head.

"Go," Severus growled.

This time the boy did leave. There was no stopping at the door for last remarks. No hesitation.

Severus stocked behind the desk once more and sat forcefully in his chair. He pressed his palm to his forehead his fingers spread in an attempt to smooth away the wrinkles of frustration, though he was unsuccessful.