Chapter 1.17
I was once again reminded that little Selena Wentforth was a marvelous find. The midget managed to fight off three third years, even after I've taught them better spells, by sheer athletic ability. She bobbed, weaved and jumped around every assault on her and had enough stamina to keep it up.
Perhaps I should be instituting some physical training? I queried the path but the answer came back I should give it out as 'homework' for the summer. The clever ones would see the use immediately while being thoroughly trashed by a first year was enough to drive the point home for the holdouts.
In their own way the third years were impressive for their ability to work together. When I set them up to go against two fourth years who joined up, Bartemius Crouch and Regulus Black, by themselves their higher skill and proficiency took the day. Stefan Nott especially showed some remarkable aptitude when he managed to trash the two older students by himself.
Regulus was still pouting.
"Alright, break!"
I gave the entire group a few minutes to recover from their brawls and path directed me to sit with the fourth years time. Selena was holding court with the third years who had by now, seemingly, accepted her casual dominance over them.
A simple question was apparently called for, "Crouch and Black. What do you think?"
Regulus immediately took the lead, "You're raising little monsters! And why didn't you include me before today? Really, Severus, I thought we were friends."
Yup, still pouting. I just smiled at him and afterward looked over at Crouch.
The lad had a curious glint in eyes when he stared me down, "I didn't think you could have taught them all so much in but three lessons."
I was instructed to only raise a singular eyebrow. The boy continued frowning, "My father had me tutored since my second year and Nott knows more spells than I do."
The boy in question seemed to pick up his name being mentioned and simply grinned cockily. I moved into their line of sight and said, "Everyone's been working exceptionally hard here. I expect you to conform to that, Crouch."
He looked vaguely hesitant so I hammered through, "Your father, and Regulus', have been helping me and might even continue doing so in the future. Absolutely none of that will keep you in my classes if I don't see you sweat."
Regulus gave a little snort which prompted me to say, "Stefan, you and Regulus are up next."
I ignored the young Black's blathering and focused on Crouch, "Nobody here will be coasting on their parents names do you understand?"
Crouch kept up his curious gaze, as if he was searching for an answer to question only he knew in my expression, before finally nodding firmly, "I do. You won't be disappointed, Snape."
I smiled widely at the lad and simply said, "Good. Now get up. It's time for a little battle Transfiguration."
This was unfortunately one of the parts that Selena couldn't participate in. As a first year, no matter how skilled she is, she lacks the precision and 'muscle memory' to use Transfiguration in a timely manner. In a real fight she wouldn't get fifteen seconds to slowly picture the changes she wanted to make but I couldn't do much about it. She'd get it with age and practice.
The others however had no such excuse. While Regulus was getting the ego slapped out of him by Stefan I had the others try to rapidly Transfigure rocks I set in front of them into arrow heads. Selena was under orders to banish the rocks one by one to work on her fine control. The winner would be whoever ended the round with a bigger collection. Rocks or arrows.
Frankly, I was betting on Selena.
Eventually I called an end to the days session. While the third years, as usual, walked Selena back to her dorms the others decided to walk with me.
"Can I ask you something, Snape?"
The young Crouch heir had such a earnest expression on his face I had to clamp down on the urge to smile. This wasn't a time to bruise their fragile little ego's. Not outside of combat at least.
"Of course, but feel free to call me Severus."
He smiled a little brittle grin but said, "Why did you fight the Death Eaters?"
Oh, we were going through this again. I would have thought that last nights performance had gotten the message out but clearly there was still doubters. When I woke up this morning I cringed about my rather impulsive decision but I couldn't find any reasons to walk it back. I didn't want to bow before some Dark Lord. I didn't want to bow to Dumbledore or the Ministry either. That meant I had to throw myself up as a fourth faction. A credible attempt at, not exactly neutral, but quite loudly uninterested in the wider conflict.
I sighed and replied softly, "I like the way the way the world is, now. I like being able to do what I want, where I want, when I want. I'm not going to be dissuaded just because there's a Dark Lord out there."
Black asked me, "Yesterday you said you were just ardently supporting your independence."
Was he making a point?
"Indeed."
Crouch picked it up, "Can you? Against everyone I mean?"
Curious. They were clearly driving for something. What was it though?
I smiled widely and projected an air of utmost confidence, "Yes. While I doubt Dumbledore wouldn't accept a loudly proclaimed 'No' I have no issue enforcing the issue with him and others."
The Crouch heir looked a touch nervous when he responded, "They'll test you. I mean-."
Regulus was rapidly becoming pale, "Barty! Don't, you know what my cousin-."
Crouch bitterly interrupted the interruption, "I don't care. He's the only one teaching us to defend ourselves isn't he?" He turned to me and whispered furiously, "When we come back to the common room they will test you. I don't know how many of them or who exactly but Bellatrix Black is leading the charge."
I was surprised. Not because Bella seemed to need a little convincing, that part was to be expected, but because they'd do it this year. I thought it would have taken them all summer to muster up the courage to assault my new position in Slytherin.
The path however didn't change so I assumed it was aware of the brewing situation. Just to be safe I added a clause, 'No permanently hurting students. Ever.'
I smiled a broad and winning smile at the two boys and said, "That's alright." I fell silent for a beat before continuing, "Here's hoping it's all of them."
Their eyes bugged out widely and I took advantage of their confusion to tie them up.
"Plausible deniability, boys. I'll send someone for you once I'm done with them."
I walked the last few corridors to the Slytherin dungeon's adding a specific path for the encounter. I included all manner of clauses on top of the earlier one I added. I touched up it up with a 'no traps, no getting hit on my part, make it memorable' .
I didn't really feel like doing this again before the next school year. Not with only three more schooldays to go. I briefly considered waiting for my gaggle of third years to arrive but quickly discarded the notion. I needed to do this alone.
I whispered the password, 'Perveniens excelsum'
As I confidently strode into the common Slytherin halls with a winning smile I noticed that a lot of students were floating nearby. There was a nervous energy in the air that even a first year could have read but I played dumb. I knew this was the first indication to the cleverer Slytherins something was up. I noted three sixth years, Narcissa among them, retreating all the way back.
I kept walking towards the heart of the commons, which the gathered students seemed to not mind, and assumed that had I gone anywhere else they would have pounced already. If I however was going to make it 'easy' on them by allowing myself to be surrounded...well, why stop me? This got another two or three students, fifth years, worried enough to retreat. Not very far, granted, but still a respectable distance.
I couldn't find a single Seventh year in the assembled lot but with the confirmation that Bella was somewhat involved in this I doubted they would strike first. No, it's far easier to let the rest distract me and only afterward throw their most skilled fighters at me. I was almost unreasonably excited about this. I remembered the heady feeling of fighting Bellatrix and looked forward to crossing wands with her.
Just before I reached my seat I loudly said, "I have spells to create and potions to invent. If you lot could hurry this along?"
And all hell broke loose.
