I knew that staying still would work with dinosaurs, but unfortunately professor Snape wasn't a dinosaur, as much as a bundle of concentrated spite and hate. Thus, it clearly didn't work. He saw me, his eyes fuming with the anger of countless suns ready to burst into a supernova of concentrated evil, and then he smoothly spoke a few words that would have made even the darkest of hearts weep in fear.
"Mister Umbrus," he said silkily, "Do you have any idea what better things I could be doing right now?"
"Sleeping?" I hazarded.
Professor Snape chuckled, "Oh no," he answered. "I could be putting a stopper to death, brew glory and fame, prepare delicate and dangerous potions," his eyes narrowed. "Instead I am stuck overseeing a dunderhead."
"In my defense, I did tell the headmaster to bring more people along," I quietly whispered back.
"The headmaster is a great wizard," Snape answered politely, "Greatness and wisdom, however, do not always go hand in hand. Next time, warn me yourself."
I gave a quiet nod. "Uhm..." I hazarded, "How long was I out?"
Snape rolled his eyes. "No more than half a day once it was understood that it was a combination of a strength-sapping poison and a muscle deteriorating curse." He felt oddly satisfied. "You should rest up well, because tomorrow you have a train to catch, Mister Umbrus."
I nearly choked on my spit. "Wait. What. I still had at least a good week of holidays left-"
"I said half a day once they understood what ailed you, Mister Umbrus," Snape's eyes gleamed, thus revealing why he was so furious. "I have spent a week doing a personal favor to the Headmaster, in watching and overseeing what healing was delivered. I have had the misfortune of having to tolerate the presence of people I utterly loath, and the impossibility to finish wrapping up my summer research and brewing because of this."
I swallowed. "P-Professor, concerning the OWLs...did I?"
"An Outstanding in Potions, as was expected," Professor Snape said curtly. "Though I will have you bring me, as a show of forgiveness for your dunderhead-like behavior, a ten foot parchment on the most commonly known poisons that are used in the protection of one's home, both lawful and unlawful, a week from now."
I winced. "Do I get an extension on the delivery for having been sick?"
"No," he said, quite curtly. "Do take heed that Potions from this year onward will be quite the strenuous thing." His eyes narrowed. "There will be no needless foolishness involved in my lessons. Thankfully, the wheat has been separated from the chaff already."
There was pleasure in his voice as he spoke.
Yet, he didn't make it a point of leaving. I dreaded asking, but it appeared that indeed, having been tasked with keeping an eye on me meant exactly that. He wasn't going to move. Much to his annoyance, and my ever-increasing worries, I was dismissed the next morning and accompanied to the train station by none other than him.
"Your luggage already awaits you at Hogwarts," he remarked dryly and stiffly, probably after a full week of cranky guarding, I too would have sought out to murder the whole world, or at least a good chunk of it.
"Thank you, professor," I said.
I could see the usual masses of people, but none of my friends seemed present. Even so, as I was about to leave Professor Snape's side, someone intercepted us both. If the blond hair and the fancy walking stick hadn't been enough to identify him, it was pretty clear by the way that Draco hovered behind him that it was Lucius Malfoy in the flesh.
"Severus," he said with a pleasant smile, "Doing business for the Headmaster as always?"
"When certain dunderheads nearly miss the train," Snape replied with a tone of arrogance and spite, glaring down at me, "It's up to the skilled ones to ensure they arrive on time." He sounded honestly annoyed, and the full week of guarding probably gave credit to that.
Lucius smiled, coldly, in my direction. "I suppose one who got away from a most vicious murder would think themselves above the laws."
I chuckled, and then smiled. "You are quite right, Mister Malfoy. One shouldn't believe themselves above the law," I gave a wise nod. "Truly, it grieves me deeply when people escape the full grasp of it. Why, I say we should do something about it."
Malfoy's lips curled in a displeased grimace. "I suppose you would volunteer to be the first then?" he asked with a sneer.
"I suppose you know what I meant, Mister Malfoy. Now don't make me be crass and go about airing it again," I retorted, gently. "Draco's a good friend of mine. When he's not parroting your words on blood superiority, he's got quick wits and is quite the charming conversationalist. His dry sense of humor is to die for too," I smiled. "Aren't you getting tired of being dragged into the mud by your acquaintances, Mister Malfoy?"
"You cheeky little orphan," he hissed. "You think you can tell me what to do?"
"Then, Mister Malfoy, you cheeky little Pureblood," I answered back, keeping my voice low and my eyes narrow in turn, "Do you think you have that very same right?"
Malfoy Senior barely, ever so, bared his teeth. Then, he controlled himself. "Severus, I can understand your annoyance far more greatly now than I ever did in the past," he eyed me next, "you would do best to learn how to speak to your betters while you are still in time, blood traitor."
"You would do best to take a page out of your ancestor's book, Mister Malfoy. They, at least, knew when to change ship before it sunk," I replied, giving him a mocking bow. "See you in the Prefect car, Draco," I added next, much to the stupefied expression on Draco's face.
I then made my way to the Prefect Car after boarding the train. As I walked, more than a few students waved at me, some cheering and others instead simply staring, wide-eyed. Yet, I walked forward.
A cross-looking witch barred my path to the Prefect car holding on to a beater's bat, however, and another equally cross-looking witch prevented my escape by appearing right behind me, arms crossed and a terrifying glare in her normally understanding and gentle eyes. A slightly terrified wizard instead looked at me from the side of the carriage, giving a hesitant and awkward military salute.
"Shade!" "Shade!" the two witches said in unison, both looking visibly displeased, both incredibly annoyed.
"Wayne," I looked at the young man. The young man looked back at me.
Then, he closed the door of the car compartment with a silent, and extremely damning, click.
"Curse you," I mouthed, "traitor of all bros."
What had I done to deserve this?
It's not my fault that I'm this forgetful!
Please, Amanda, Megan, have mercy!
I'm just a poor boy from a poor family...
...because I'm easy come, easy...RUN!