Reprisal

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Chapter Eight: Reprisal

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“Snape,” the dunderhead grumbled in greeting when the clock struck eight.

“If we are to exchange pleasantries, Weasley, I believe you are to refer to me as ‘sir.'”

“Sir, then. Happy?” The boy walked angrily over the desk cattycorner to Severus’ regal dark wooded one.

Severus smirked. “Not yet.” He looked out the window to see the sun already long gone. “We are collecting ingredients tonight, Mr. Weasley.”

“... We are.” It was not a question, but Severus could see the dumb look of apprehension and curiosity dawn on his freckled face.

“We are.” In a whirl of billowing robes, Severus took off, exiting the classroom and marching swiftly down the corridor. “PLEASE, LOITER AS LONG AS IT FANCIES YOU!”

Weasley heard his booming voice from a hallway away. If Severus had seen his face, it would have been one of incredulity and exasperation. How does the greasy git do that?

When he could feel the cool air of outside, Severus stopped, allowing only for the dolt to catch up—not catch his breath—and moved off into the night. He held a lantern high above his head to light their way and could see Weasley twitch as they passed the edge of the forest. “Oh, no, Mr. Weasley. We are not looking for common land ingredients.”

“Wha—?” he looked at him, confused.

“I should think that your friend Mr. Longbottom has told you the properties of marine plants by now. He never stops chattering on about them.”

“No.”

“Then, I hope you brought an extra change of clothing. And, perhaps, your brain. Those sort of things come in handy at the bottom of a lake.”

The boy cursed fluently under his breath. “Do you have some… gillyweed or something? Help me out a little?” Weasley pleaded.

Severus barked an evil laugh and said silkily, “There are other ways to survive under water. Gillyweed is among the less sophisticated of the few.” Demonstrating a Bubble-Head Charm, Severus proceeded to recite a list of freshwater plants to collect at the bottom of the lake. “Ever had the pleasure of bathing in the lake, Mr. Weasley?”

The boy shuddered.

“Of course, but you wouldn’t remember that.” Severus paused for effect. “At night it is much worse.”

Weasley glared death at his Potions professor and then waded out into the frigid water. Severus could hear the sweet sounds of curses and threats, quickly warped by the gurgle of the Bubble-Head Charm. He waved dramatically at the boy as he sunk into the depths and prepared for a nice, long wait.

“What the fuck am I s’posed to do for light?” Weasley emerged almost immediately.

“What is your bloody wand for, you blundering idiot?”

“Merlin’s pants!” Weasley exclaimed, shaking out his hair and then lighting his wand. The boy dove under again and did not emerge for quite some time.

“Quite brave for the sidekick. That must be the unbearable Gryffindor in him.”

“Whom are you talking to, Severus?” A crisp voice interrupted his thoughts. Severus stood up immediately, having been caught lounging on the wet grass like a carefree adolescent.

“Myself, Minerva.”

“And who is this Gryffindor? Potter? Surely he hasn’t gotten himself into more—”

“No, no. His sidekick.” Severus waved a hand in dismissal.

“I’m sure you mean Mr. Weasley.” She pursed her lips.

A noncommittal grunt was all that followed. After a moment of her staring at him staring at the sky, he became uncomfortable. “As much as I enjoy being scrutinized, Minerva, you are encroaching on a rather enjoyable detention.”

“Weasley? Where is he then?” Her voice became a bit tighter, and Severus could not help but think of shattering glass. “Not in the lake, surely?”

No answer.

“Severus?”

“At the bottom of it, yes.”

“And what is he doing there? Hopefully staying quite alive?”

“Unfortunately.”

“Professor Snape! That is a dangerous task and unfair punishment for any crime he has committed.”

“By all means, go in after him!” Severus snapped at her.

“What did he do to receive such a detention?”

“Am I not known for my cruel and unusual punishments, Minerva?”

“What did he do?” She narrowed her eyes, determined to get an answer.

“Disrespected a war hero and humiliated them in front of nearly a hundred people.”

“I would’ve thought you were above such things, Severus. Besides, they torture you all the time.”

“I—what?” She obviously had not understood. He had meant for ambiguity... but had prepared to defend himself had she protected her cub. She frowned at him, for he was usually so quick to the punch. “I’d… had enough of it. This will teach him not to bellow offensive slurs as he customarily does.”

“Well, I should wait for him to reappear.”

“You can fetch him if you like.”

“Don’t be a fool, I’d likely catch cold—it’s so frigid out here.”

“Perhaps you should retreat to the warmth of the castle, then.”

Slightly offended, but glad to get inside, she pursed her lips and offered him a curt goodbye.

“Minerva.” He nodded.

-0-

It had been fifteen minutes since she had gone, and a light could be seen in the depths of the lake, ever brighter as the seconds passed. Finally, a spluttering Ron emerged, holding some ingredients in his pockets, slimy invertebrates in his left hand, a jellyfrog attached to his pant leg. He stormed to shore, throwing the ingredients at the professor’s feet and standing as tall as he could without collapsing in the cold air.

“I had some time to think in the dreadful hour I was down there.” Angrily, Weasley pointed a pruned finger to the water again and then cast a drying spell on his clothing.

“Decided to grace me with an apology, Mr. Weasley? Took you long enough.”

“No, this isn’t about me disrupting your class.”

“No?” Snape cocked an eyebrow, but his calm collectedness was short-lived.

“This,” he spat, pointing between them, “is about me hurting Hermione.”

Severus chuckled, fighting for the nervous laughter not to bubble out. “You disrespected her, yes. But the petty melodramas of schoolchildren do not interest me, specifically the ‘boy-who-refused-to-go-away’ and his precious subordinates.”

“Then why eight detentions for a row by ‘schoolchildren’? Why protect her in the first place—she’s HERMIONE BLOODY GRANGER! You know, the insufferable know-it-all? Besides, you don’t even know the full story.” Weasley hissed as the jellyfrog bit the spot of ankle that showed from his second-hand trousers.

“I believe you revealed it to the entire class with your bickering, Weasley.”

“Why, suddenly, do you treat her as if she’s a precious piece of china—like she’ll break any moment?” Severus couldn’t retrieve an answer. “Why has she suddenly changed her academic interests, her leisure time, her career into things that all involve YOU?”

“Why don’t you ask her?” Snape bit out reflexively.

But Weasley was not at all dissatisfied. The dolt walked off with an air of accomplishment, as if he had just made a discovery.

Severus couldn’t help but ask why, as well.

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