NOVEL NEXT Chapter 16: Chapter 16. Heir.
"Professor Snape. Do you have something to say?", the director's blue eyes were tired. Deprived of their usual shine.
The potions professor fell silent. He was ashamed of having given in to his impulses. He casted a lethal spell on a student.
He was a Slytherin, the Head of the house. He should have waited. The boy would return to the Malfoys, where it would be easy to access him.
"It is unacceptable that he continue being a professor!" Professor Flitwick was furious. He received the news that one of his eagles was being bullied by a group of Slytherins and ran to help him.
When he arrived, he saw his student bleeding on the floor, knife cuts all over the left side of his body. On the other side of the hallway, the potions professor had his wand raised with a furious expression on his face. The tip of his wand glowed with a disgusting orange.
Professor Flitwick cast a bone-breaking spell at Professor Snape's wrist. Whoever moved it, let the curse hit the wall behind him.
The students left the hallway while the two professors engaged in a high-profile duel. The half-goblin was at a disadvantage. Normally, he took advantage of his small size to dodge, but with his injured student behind him, he wouldn't move even if Merlin were in front of him. It was his job as a teacher to protect his student.
The duel ended when the castle's headmaster disarmed both of them in a demonstration of incredible power and skill. Without any movement or charm, his wand cast two scarlet spells at once. He confiscated both wands while casting an ecstasy spell and took the injured young man to the infirmary.
"Professor Flitwick, put down the axe," he said to the little charms master. Reluctantly, he lowered the weapon and returned it to the statue from which he had taken it. "Both of you to my office, now!" The professor left with a speed that even the youngest would envy.
"The boy provoked him, considering who his mother is. It's not unexpected. Maybe they got together and started to... bond," back to the present, Lucius Malfoy's voice increased Professor Dumbledore's budding headache. He had slipped in at some point, probably his son called him on his W-phone.
"And a professor simply gave in to a student's provocations?" Professor Evans was as blunt with her former best friend as ever. Snape looked like a deer caught in headlights as he listened to her speak.
"There are dark spells to confuse", Lucius looked down at her, with practiced arrogance.
"There was only one dark spell in that corridor", Flitwick replies. "And it put my student in the infirmary wing."
"My son is also in the medical wing. Because he was beaten like a filthy Muggle by that—"
"Rudeboy. I remind you, Mr. Malfoy, that you raised the boy", the goblin blood in his veins urged him to rip the heads off both men.
"Yes. I'm ashamed to say it. I did my best to raise him, but his mother's madness is legendary," Lucius made an incredible effort to sound powerless and remorseful.
"A mother he never knew", said Lily. "Altair is a thousand times better than what your son could ever be".
"Enough!" The headmaster's voice was filled with magic. "Professor Snape will be suspended as the potions master for the rest of the year. He will be reevaluated before the next year and it will be seen if his self-control capacity remains the same. If he receives an insufficient evaluation, he will be permanently removed from his position. Professor Snape, you are permitted to collect your belongings. You are expected to leave the castle before nightfall. Mr. Malfoy, I expect you to leave the castle immediately. You are neither a student nor a teacher. You don't even belong to the board of governors anymore, you are not allowed to be here", Dumbledore pointed to the door with one hand. One by one, they began to leave. More than one wanted to say something, but no words came out of their mouths.
Dumbledore took a few minutes to calm down. Snape's negligence was a grave mistake. He had allowed verbal harassment, but cursing a student to the point of hospitalization was too much. If the curse had hit him fully...
The green fire in the fireplace pulled him out of his mind. From the flames emerged a tall, thin figure. An older man if his gray hair was any indication. His features were graceful and marked the ancient beauty he once had.
Dumbledore allowed himself to be surprised upon seeing him, before leaning back in his chair while thinking about how the day could get worse.
"Today my office is treated like a museum on display", he said calmly.
"Many idiots would pay to see this place. I didn't come for a stroll. I heard that a member of my house was attacked today", Arcturus Black said as he seemed to search the room. He found a small drawer hidden on a shelf and took out a small bottle of Firewhisky. "You keep it where you always do", the two old men were not strangers, both fought against a dark lord.
"I haven't tasted a drop in almost seventy years", said Dumbledore. "The young Draco Malfoy is in the hospital wing. He only broke his nose, he'll be as good as new in no time", he didn't want to prolong the meeting. Their last meeting was... bitter.
"I'm not interested in that boy. More Malfoy than Black. My blood is wasted on that abomination. No, I'm talking about Bellatrix's boy", Albus raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Why was he attacked?" he conjured two glasses as he emptied the bottle. He extended a glass towards the director, who didn't lift a finger to take it.
"He provoked a teacher". That professor was suspended from his duties.
"Snape, that idiot boy," Arcturus took a sip of Whisky while nodding. "Wasn't he a master in mental arts? Voldemort taught him if I remember correctly."
"Everyone has a point that, if pressed hard enough, their mental shields will crumble like paper".
"And, what was the topic?"
"Love". Arcturus let out a derisive snort.
"I remember another idiot who would do stupid things for love," Albus smiled slightly with distant eyes.
"Love is the most powerful magic".
"And the most beautiful poison". Arcturus emptied the glass. "Why did he provoke him?"
"Altair attacked Malfoy first. The boy gave in to his provocations first. When attacked by a professor, his punishment would be less severe". Among old acquaintances, he saw no need to hold back. Albus suspected the sudden interest of Lord Black, who had been in seclusion for several years, in his lineage.
"Idiot. Intelligent. Sly. Ignorant," Arcturus said as he poured himself another glass.
"You have contradictory words there".
"Are they?" he asked rhetorically. "The boy was an idiot for being provoked. He was smart to look for a way out. Cunning in knowing which buttons to push and ignorant in not measuring the consequences".
"You are looking for a successor," Dumbledore stroked his beard as he said.
"Don't you do it too?"
"I would prefer the magical world to carry its own weight rather than placing it on the shoulders of a single person", Arcturus rolled his eyes as he stood up. He downed the last of the whisky and put the bottle away.
Barely had the fireplace glowed again when Albus poured the glass of Firewhisky down his throat. He let out a weary sigh as he contemplated the scene.
"Altair", he thought, worried and somewhat relieved. He found out about the altercation by questioning the domestic elves. The young man was... complicated. He had virtues and flaws. His anger was evident today, just as his love for his girlfriend was.
Albus decided to watch from afar. His daughter would take care of him. His granddaughter worried him a little, but he trusted her ability to choose.
Severus was necessary. He would prefer not to have to send someone innocent to infiltrate when the time came.
If Snape is discovered in the future, Dumbledore will find no remorse in his death.
Peter Pettigrew's escape seemed like a prelude to something, and the upcoming Triwizard Tournament left him with a bad feeling.
The 132 years weighed heavily on his bones.
"Heir", the word sent him images of green, blue, and purple eyes.