Squib Guardian
a Harry Potter fan-fic
by Ozma
Sequel to "Squib Summer"
Epilogue: Putting Out the Welcome Mat
Everything in this story really belongs to J.K. Rowling
Shortly after I had finished cleaning up the mess in the Potions
classroom, the Professor came to me with a small wooden chest in his
arms. The chest was locked. The protective spells that he'd placed on it
smelled like burnt rubber and left a taste of ashes in my mouth.
"Take this, Filch," he said, stiffly. "Hide it somewhere."
Severus did not have to tell me what was in the chest. I knew.
Salazar's letters to Helga. Along with the notes on the making of the
Alchemist's Door.
"Yes, Professor." I studied him with concern. There were dark
circles under his eyes. Guilt and anger (directed inward, not at me)
were evident in his face and in the tension of his body. Judging from
the way he moved, the wounds on his back were paining him.
I wanted to say something comforting, but nothing came to mind.
Kindness has never been my forte. Though perhaps no one could have
comforted Severus at that moment, not even the Headmaster.
"I'll take care of it. Try to rest," I told him, gruffly. Then I
turned away before he could snarl at me for telling him what to do.
Bearing the chest, I went through black-and-yellow to Helga's
Workroom. In a corner, beneath a pile of cheerfully embroidered
cushions, I concealed the chest.
As I stood up, a long bundle bound with a yellow cord slid from
the heap of cushions. It landed at my feet with a thump.
Unwrapping the bundle, I found a sturdy mat. It was woven of
grass, the golden color of ripe wheat. At first glance it was very plain
but the work was intricate and lovely.
Wrapped up inside the mat was another package. When I unwrapped
it, I found a small green and silver bell.
A Weaver's work is ever subtle, but I was beginning to know the
Lady's spells well enough to understand what needed to be done.
********
Black-and-yellow brought me to the Fat Friar, who was with Myrtle.
The two ghosts were in the corridor outside the ghost-girl's bathroom.
Myrtle sounded quite happy as she prattled on about rose-colored glass
blocks.
I was impressed by the Friar's ability to look genuinely
interested. (It did not occur to me to worry about what Myrtle wanted
the glass blocks for, until later.)
"Good afternoon, Mr. Filch. Is there something that Myrtle and I
can do for you?" the Friar asked me, smiling. He nodded towards the
bundle in my arms.
I'd been looking for him, but there was no reason why Myrtle
couldn't help me as well. In fact the more helpers I had, the better it
would be.
After asking Myrtle and the Friar to spread word of what I needed
to the house-elves and the other ghosts (and Peeves too, if he happened
to feel agreeable for a change), I summoned green-and-silver.
********
Carrying the mat, I stepped through Salazar's Door into his Study.
Despite the grey day outside, warm verdant sunlight filled the austere
little room.
The way to the inner Chamber had been closed.
No matter how long and hard I stared at the Serpent Tapestry all I
could see was jungle. Trees, vines, creepers. There wasn't a single
snake in sight. While the snakes were in hiding this tapestry was
nothing more than a decoration. Only a Parselmouth could command the
snakes to appear and demand entry, now that the Alchemist's Door was in
place.
Unrolling the mat, I put it on the stone floor right in front of
the Serpent Tapestry. As I watched, the mat seemed to blend itself with
the floor. Unless one knew it was there, it was difficult to see.
I stood on the mat and stepped off it again, several times. Then I
tapped my foot on it while humming a Celestina Warbeck ballad.
********
The little bell had been left on my desk.
Heading back through green-and-silver to my office, I waited. Soon
ghosts drifted in and house-elves appeared, bringing me the news I'd
requested. They'd been stationed all over the Castle, up in the
Astronomy Tower and the Owlery, down in the deepest dungeon storeroom.
In the library, the kitchens, the hospital wing, the trophy room, even
outside by the greenhouses and near Hagrid's hut.
I'd heard nothing in the Study. But everyone else had been able to
hear the little bell's shrill ringing no matter where they'd been. The
bell had pealed over and over again, every time that I'd stepped on the
mat. Sir Nicholas reported that the sound had even set Fluffy and Fang
barking madly.
"Filch! What in the name of Hecate are you playing at?" Severus
was stalking, wild-eyed, through the press of disappearing house-elves
and departing ghosts, all of whom had been thanked for their help.
"What was that infernal noise?" the Potions Master snarled. "I
thought that perhaps the Castle was under attack! Are you starting a
bell-ringers' society in your spare time?"
"We were testing the new Welcome Mat and Door Bell, Professor," I
said, apologetically. "Forgive me. I'd meant to let you sleep."
Snape looked dreadful. The noise had plainly done more than wake
him. The unexplained ringing must have made him fear the worst.
"Lally?" I said to one of the elves who had not yet gone. "Please
fetch the Professor a cup of tea."
"I *don't* want..." Snape began, but it was too late. Bobbing a
curtsey, the house-elf had smiled, nodded and vanished.
********
Severus's tea soon arrived, accompanied by a cup for me as well.
There was also a plate of little sandwiches. And a dish of cream for
Mrs. Norris and Azoth to share. The two cats greeted it with approval
when they padded into my office a short while later.
"Eat something," I suggested to the bleary-eyed Potions Master.
"The house-elves will be disappointed if you don't. Or they'll think
you're ill and start fussing at you."
It was an effective threat. Snape did not want to find himself at
the mercy of a horde of anxious elves, all of them eager for someone to
look after. He took a sandwich and sipped his tea.
"You're being terribly calm," he observed sourly.
"I've taken what steps I can. If the Dark Lord should happen to
learn of the Alchemist's Door, if he should happen to talk his way past
the Guardian, then open the Serpent Tapestry and emerge into the Study,
we will know. The Evil One won't be able to get any further. Green-and-
silver is still the only known way to enter or leave that room. Even if
Salazar's Door is there, he won't be able to get through it. Consider
what happened to you. You're merely the bearer of a Dark mark, not the
Dark wizard who created it."
I saw a shudder ripple through green-and-silver which still hung
on my office wall. Then the tapestry drooped in sorrow. Rising, I went
to it and gave the poor thing a comforting pat.
"It's not a trap," I said. "It's more of a cul de sac. But it will
serve, for now."
"Until September, at least." Snape's tone was bleak. "Then I can
bring Potter in there to see if he can control the Guardian."
He'd told me that he intended to start researching possible
alternate routes to the Study as soon as possible.
I shivered. "I don't think either Harry or the Evil One will be
able to control that Creature. But Potter's chances at surviving a
conversation with it are as good as the Dark Lord's."
"I won't let anything happen to the boy, Argus," Severus said,
stiffly. "The Guardian will have to kill me before it harms him."
Was that supposed to be reassuring, I wondered. But I kept that
thought to myself.
Snape scowled into his teacup. "If the beast tries to attack
Potter, the brat can always disappear," the Potions Master said. "I'll
have him bring that Invisibility Cloak of his along. It will improve his
chances."
He gave me a snide look. "I nearly forgot. You don't believe me
about that Cloak. Do you, Filch?"
I sighed. "As a matter of fact, Professor, I do. You were right.
Potter does have an Invisibility Cloak. I'm sorry. I should have
believed you."
Snape looked astonished for a moment. Then he raised an eyebrow.
"What convinced you?"
"It's a bit of a long story."
"Tell me. I've got time."
********
When I'd finished my account of the experience that Potter and I
had shared in Muggle London, Severus regarded me in silence for a while
before he spoke.
"The Headmaster really admitted that he might have made an ill
choice? That he'd been unfair? And that he would tell me so himself, if
he could? What did he mean by that last, Argus?"
"I don't know," I said very softly.
Severus frowned, sighed, then frowned again. He went quiet once
more.
"The Headmaster called the Cloak an extra form of protection," he
muttered after a while, scowling. "Usually it's Potter's own arrogance
and recklessness that gets him in situations where such protections are
necessary."
He spoke again before I could protest that Potter wasn't arrogant.
His tone was bitter and caustic. "This time, the arrogance was mine. I
don't begrudge the boy any potential advantage if it will help him
survive.
"Filch, if you ever tell Potter I said that, you'll regret it."
"You needn't worry, Professor. Even if I said anything to Potter,
he wouldn't believe me."
*******
That night on my way to bed, I went through green-and-silver to
Salazar's Study. I had no wish to disturb the entire Castle, so I was
careful not to step on the mat.
Soothing, green-tinted sunlight shone down on me as I sat on the
couch. Mrs. Norris, who had accompanied me, leaped up to settle herself
on my lap. She purred softly, kneading my breeches with her claws.
My cat had closed her eyes, but she flicked an ear at me to let me
know she was listening. I told her what I had surmised and said to
Severus, in the hope of offering him some comfort.
"Slytherin's leaving tore away a piece of the Castle's heart, you
know. The Alchemist's Door meant that he would have a swift way back if
he ever needed one. Allowing its creation was a risk. But, he's as much
a part of this place as any of the other Founders. And so, the Castle
chose to take the chance."
I could not tell if Severus had found any consolation in what I'd
said. But I hoped so.
"Come, my sweet," I sighed. "It's been a long day. And for now,
we've done all we can do."
The End
Author's Notes:
Silverfox: Thanks!! Azoth, the small black cat smooths his fur and
sniffs curiously at Greenie, the little green hedgehog. "Hmmm. A
potential minion/ally to aid me in my quest to take over the world from
the doorknobs down..." the Slytherin kitten thinks. :O)
Dudley is kind of cute, charging into battle with his Smelting stick.
Jelsemium: Thanks!! Poor Snape, feeling guilty isn't improving his
temper. But he's still more intelligent and reasonable than Minister
Fudge. "If you build it, they will come." LOL! Filch knows that he
shouldn't use that line about Slytherins and Gryffindors in front of
Snape and Harry, but he probably will anyway.
Jormungandr is the inspiration for the Guardian. He once appeared in a
nightmare of mine. I was on this vast, empty plain and this huge THING
was coming down to get me! It kept getting bigger and bigger and it was
still so far away, and its open mouth was as wide as the sky. It makes
my heart pound just thinking about it.
Hagrid and the Guardian would probably appreciate each other, if Harry
came along to act as translator, and Hagrid did NOT bring a big hammer
with him.
Snape won't say what he did with the first monster. And the new jars and
flasks in his office are completely beside the point.
Filch will try his best to tell Harry and Snape what they'll be facing.
He hopes that they won't think he's exaggerating.
SinhoBadaro: Thanks for your kind comments, and for waiting!! I feel
delighted every time someone cares about Filch. The poor old grump needs
all the care he can get.
ThePet: Thanks!! I've missed writing. Writer's block is the pits.
Quoth the Raven: Thanks!! Yes, having Secrets within Secrets is so
Slytherin. Poor Snape feels he has another mistake to atone for. He
knows that Harry is the only one who can help with this particular
problem. Filch isn't quite sure what will happen if he tries taking
Harry through Salazar's Door, but he has a very bad feeling about it.
Tasogare no hime: Thanks!! Filch and Snape talked about the Cloak in
this chapter. (Snape's calm reaction surprised me a bit, really.)
Alla: Thanks!! At first Argus thought that Snape meant to force Harry to
talk to the Guardian too. He was afraid for Harry and angry at Severus.
Then, when Severus said that he meant to go with Harry, Filch became
afraid for both of them. Thank you for the kind words about how well I
write Castle!
Bridgie: Thanks for your comments, both here and on livejournal!! I am
hoping to write a story where Harry gets to talk to the Guardian, 'Poor
Filch' is right; sometimes the Professors are as much trouble as the
students.
Shadowycat: Thanks!! Your compliments on my writing style and the way
that I handle the characters make me feel so good! Jelsemium and I are
in the planning stages of a story featuring Harry, Snape and Filch. Your
reviews brighten my day too!
Bob: Thanks!! Harry doesn't know yet that he has the power to command
red-and-gold. Filch can't tell him because he doesn't know either. But
Harry has a talent for finding things out, especially when he's got Ron
and Hermione to help.
That's a good point about the Basilisk harvesting! I really like your
thoughts about the other Founders and their storage spaces. And your
thoughts about Harry's status as Champion. Generally it takes the Castle
decades to Notice someone. But Harry is certainly being eminently
noticeable.
Aeryn Alexander: Thanks!! Scary was what I was trying for with the
Guardian. It's from a nightmare I had.
Toby Kincaid: Thanks!! Snape was too mad at himself to get very angry
with Filch.
Christy: Thanks!! Having writer's block for all those months was
depressing. I hope to start another story soon.
Andrea13: Thanks!! I enjoy hearing about which lines you liked!! The
Serpent Tapestry's function is to keep out anyone who's not a
Parselmouth. Unlike the Squib Doors which move all through the Castle
and the grounds, the Serpent Tapestry stays put in an a secret area.
Salazar didn't think such extensive protective spells were necessary.
MK: Thanks for the kind words on the Guardian!
a Harry Potter fan-fic
by Ozma
Sequel to "Squib Summer"
Epilogue: Putting Out the Welcome Mat
Everything in this story really belongs to J.K. Rowling
Shortly after I had finished cleaning up the mess in the Potions
classroom, the Professor came to me with a small wooden chest in his
arms. The chest was locked. The protective spells that he'd placed on it
smelled like burnt rubber and left a taste of ashes in my mouth.
"Take this, Filch," he said, stiffly. "Hide it somewhere."
Severus did not have to tell me what was in the chest. I knew.
Salazar's letters to Helga. Along with the notes on the making of the
Alchemist's Door.
"Yes, Professor." I studied him with concern. There were dark
circles under his eyes. Guilt and anger (directed inward, not at me)
were evident in his face and in the tension of his body. Judging from
the way he moved, the wounds on his back were paining him.
I wanted to say something comforting, but nothing came to mind.
Kindness has never been my forte. Though perhaps no one could have
comforted Severus at that moment, not even the Headmaster.
"I'll take care of it. Try to rest," I told him, gruffly. Then I
turned away before he could snarl at me for telling him what to do.
Bearing the chest, I went through black-and-yellow to Helga's
Workroom. In a corner, beneath a pile of cheerfully embroidered
cushions, I concealed the chest.
As I stood up, a long bundle bound with a yellow cord slid from
the heap of cushions. It landed at my feet with a thump.
Unwrapping the bundle, I found a sturdy mat. It was woven of
grass, the golden color of ripe wheat. At first glance it was very plain
but the work was intricate and lovely.
Wrapped up inside the mat was another package. When I unwrapped
it, I found a small green and silver bell.
A Weaver's work is ever subtle, but I was beginning to know the
Lady's spells well enough to understand what needed to be done.
********
Black-and-yellow brought me to the Fat Friar, who was with Myrtle.
The two ghosts were in the corridor outside the ghost-girl's bathroom.
Myrtle sounded quite happy as she prattled on about rose-colored glass
blocks.
I was impressed by the Friar's ability to look genuinely
interested. (It did not occur to me to worry about what Myrtle wanted
the glass blocks for, until later.)
"Good afternoon, Mr. Filch. Is there something that Myrtle and I
can do for you?" the Friar asked me, smiling. He nodded towards the
bundle in my arms.
I'd been looking for him, but there was no reason why Myrtle
couldn't help me as well. In fact the more helpers I had, the better it
would be.
After asking Myrtle and the Friar to spread word of what I needed
to the house-elves and the other ghosts (and Peeves too, if he happened
to feel agreeable for a change), I summoned green-and-silver.
********
Carrying the mat, I stepped through Salazar's Door into his Study.
Despite the grey day outside, warm verdant sunlight filled the austere
little room.
The way to the inner Chamber had been closed.
No matter how long and hard I stared at the Serpent Tapestry all I
could see was jungle. Trees, vines, creepers. There wasn't a single
snake in sight. While the snakes were in hiding this tapestry was
nothing more than a decoration. Only a Parselmouth could command the
snakes to appear and demand entry, now that the Alchemist's Door was in
place.
Unrolling the mat, I put it on the stone floor right in front of
the Serpent Tapestry. As I watched, the mat seemed to blend itself with
the floor. Unless one knew it was there, it was difficult to see.
I stood on the mat and stepped off it again, several times. Then I
tapped my foot on it while humming a Celestina Warbeck ballad.
********
The little bell had been left on my desk.
Heading back through green-and-silver to my office, I waited. Soon
ghosts drifted in and house-elves appeared, bringing me the news I'd
requested. They'd been stationed all over the Castle, up in the
Astronomy Tower and the Owlery, down in the deepest dungeon storeroom.
In the library, the kitchens, the hospital wing, the trophy room, even
outside by the greenhouses and near Hagrid's hut.
I'd heard nothing in the Study. But everyone else had been able to
hear the little bell's shrill ringing no matter where they'd been. The
bell had pealed over and over again, every time that I'd stepped on the
mat. Sir Nicholas reported that the sound had even set Fluffy and Fang
barking madly.
"Filch! What in the name of Hecate are you playing at?" Severus
was stalking, wild-eyed, through the press of disappearing house-elves
and departing ghosts, all of whom had been thanked for their help.
"What was that infernal noise?" the Potions Master snarled. "I
thought that perhaps the Castle was under attack! Are you starting a
bell-ringers' society in your spare time?"
"We were testing the new Welcome Mat and Door Bell, Professor," I
said, apologetically. "Forgive me. I'd meant to let you sleep."
Snape looked dreadful. The noise had plainly done more than wake
him. The unexplained ringing must have made him fear the worst.
"Lally?" I said to one of the elves who had not yet gone. "Please
fetch the Professor a cup of tea."
"I *don't* want..." Snape began, but it was too late. Bobbing a
curtsey, the house-elf had smiled, nodded and vanished.
********
Severus's tea soon arrived, accompanied by a cup for me as well.
There was also a plate of little sandwiches. And a dish of cream for
Mrs. Norris and Azoth to share. The two cats greeted it with approval
when they padded into my office a short while later.
"Eat something," I suggested to the bleary-eyed Potions Master.
"The house-elves will be disappointed if you don't. Or they'll think
you're ill and start fussing at you."
It was an effective threat. Snape did not want to find himself at
the mercy of a horde of anxious elves, all of them eager for someone to
look after. He took a sandwich and sipped his tea.
"You're being terribly calm," he observed sourly.
"I've taken what steps I can. If the Dark Lord should happen to
learn of the Alchemist's Door, if he should happen to talk his way past
the Guardian, then open the Serpent Tapestry and emerge into the Study,
we will know. The Evil One won't be able to get any further. Green-and-
silver is still the only known way to enter or leave that room. Even if
Salazar's Door is there, he won't be able to get through it. Consider
what happened to you. You're merely the bearer of a Dark mark, not the
Dark wizard who created it."
I saw a shudder ripple through green-and-silver which still hung
on my office wall. Then the tapestry drooped in sorrow. Rising, I went
to it and gave the poor thing a comforting pat.
"It's not a trap," I said. "It's more of a cul de sac. But it will
serve, for now."
"Until September, at least." Snape's tone was bleak. "Then I can
bring Potter in there to see if he can control the Guardian."
He'd told me that he intended to start researching possible
alternate routes to the Study as soon as possible.
I shivered. "I don't think either Harry or the Evil One will be
able to control that Creature. But Potter's chances at surviving a
conversation with it are as good as the Dark Lord's."
"I won't let anything happen to the boy, Argus," Severus said,
stiffly. "The Guardian will have to kill me before it harms him."
Was that supposed to be reassuring, I wondered. But I kept that
thought to myself.
Snape scowled into his teacup. "If the beast tries to attack
Potter, the brat can always disappear," the Potions Master said. "I'll
have him bring that Invisibility Cloak of his along. It will improve his
chances."
He gave me a snide look. "I nearly forgot. You don't believe me
about that Cloak. Do you, Filch?"
I sighed. "As a matter of fact, Professor, I do. You were right.
Potter does have an Invisibility Cloak. I'm sorry. I should have
believed you."
Snape looked astonished for a moment. Then he raised an eyebrow.
"What convinced you?"
"It's a bit of a long story."
"Tell me. I've got time."
********
When I'd finished my account of the experience that Potter and I
had shared in Muggle London, Severus regarded me in silence for a while
before he spoke.
"The Headmaster really admitted that he might have made an ill
choice? That he'd been unfair? And that he would tell me so himself, if
he could? What did he mean by that last, Argus?"
"I don't know," I said very softly.
Severus frowned, sighed, then frowned again. He went quiet once
more.
"The Headmaster called the Cloak an extra form of protection," he
muttered after a while, scowling. "Usually it's Potter's own arrogance
and recklessness that gets him in situations where such protections are
necessary."
He spoke again before I could protest that Potter wasn't arrogant.
His tone was bitter and caustic. "This time, the arrogance was mine. I
don't begrudge the boy any potential advantage if it will help him
survive.
"Filch, if you ever tell Potter I said that, you'll regret it."
"You needn't worry, Professor. Even if I said anything to Potter,
he wouldn't believe me."
*******
That night on my way to bed, I went through green-and-silver to
Salazar's Study. I had no wish to disturb the entire Castle, so I was
careful not to step on the mat.
Soothing, green-tinted sunlight shone down on me as I sat on the
couch. Mrs. Norris, who had accompanied me, leaped up to settle herself
on my lap. She purred softly, kneading my breeches with her claws.
My cat had closed her eyes, but she flicked an ear at me to let me
know she was listening. I told her what I had surmised and said to
Severus, in the hope of offering him some comfort.
"Slytherin's leaving tore away a piece of the Castle's heart, you
know. The Alchemist's Door meant that he would have a swift way back if
he ever needed one. Allowing its creation was a risk. But, he's as much
a part of this place as any of the other Founders. And so, the Castle
chose to take the chance."
I could not tell if Severus had found any consolation in what I'd
said. But I hoped so.
"Come, my sweet," I sighed. "It's been a long day. And for now,
we've done all we can do."
The End
Author's Notes:
Silverfox: Thanks!! Azoth, the small black cat smooths his fur and
sniffs curiously at Greenie, the little green hedgehog. "Hmmm. A
potential minion/ally to aid me in my quest to take over the world from
the doorknobs down..." the Slytherin kitten thinks. :O)
Dudley is kind of cute, charging into battle with his Smelting stick.
Jelsemium: Thanks!! Poor Snape, feeling guilty isn't improving his
temper. But he's still more intelligent and reasonable than Minister
Fudge. "If you build it, they will come." LOL! Filch knows that he
shouldn't use that line about Slytherins and Gryffindors in front of
Snape and Harry, but he probably will anyway.
Jormungandr is the inspiration for the Guardian. He once appeared in a
nightmare of mine. I was on this vast, empty plain and this huge THING
was coming down to get me! It kept getting bigger and bigger and it was
still so far away, and its open mouth was as wide as the sky. It makes
my heart pound just thinking about it.
Hagrid and the Guardian would probably appreciate each other, if Harry
came along to act as translator, and Hagrid did NOT bring a big hammer
with him.
Snape won't say what he did with the first monster. And the new jars and
flasks in his office are completely beside the point.
Filch will try his best to tell Harry and Snape what they'll be facing.
He hopes that they won't think he's exaggerating.
SinhoBadaro: Thanks for your kind comments, and for waiting!! I feel
delighted every time someone cares about Filch. The poor old grump needs
all the care he can get.
ThePet: Thanks!! I've missed writing. Writer's block is the pits.
Quoth the Raven: Thanks!! Yes, having Secrets within Secrets is so
Slytherin. Poor Snape feels he has another mistake to atone for. He
knows that Harry is the only one who can help with this particular
problem. Filch isn't quite sure what will happen if he tries taking
Harry through Salazar's Door, but he has a very bad feeling about it.
Tasogare no hime: Thanks!! Filch and Snape talked about the Cloak in
this chapter. (Snape's calm reaction surprised me a bit, really.)
Alla: Thanks!! At first Argus thought that Snape meant to force Harry to
talk to the Guardian too. He was afraid for Harry and angry at Severus.
Then, when Severus said that he meant to go with Harry, Filch became
afraid for both of them. Thank you for the kind words about how well I
write Castle!
Bridgie: Thanks for your comments, both here and on livejournal!! I am
hoping to write a story where Harry gets to talk to the Guardian, 'Poor
Filch' is right; sometimes the Professors are as much trouble as the
students.
Shadowycat: Thanks!! Your compliments on my writing style and the way
that I handle the characters make me feel so good! Jelsemium and I are
in the planning stages of a story featuring Harry, Snape and Filch. Your
reviews brighten my day too!
Bob: Thanks!! Harry doesn't know yet that he has the power to command
red-and-gold. Filch can't tell him because he doesn't know either. But
Harry has a talent for finding things out, especially when he's got Ron
and Hermione to help.
That's a good point about the Basilisk harvesting! I really like your
thoughts about the other Founders and their storage spaces. And your
thoughts about Harry's status as Champion. Generally it takes the Castle
decades to Notice someone. But Harry is certainly being eminently
noticeable.
Aeryn Alexander: Thanks!! Scary was what I was trying for with the
Guardian. It's from a nightmare I had.
Toby Kincaid: Thanks!! Snape was too mad at himself to get very angry
with Filch.
Christy: Thanks!! Having writer's block for all those months was
depressing. I hope to start another story soon.
Andrea13: Thanks!! I enjoy hearing about which lines you liked!! The
Serpent Tapestry's function is to keep out anyone who's not a
Parselmouth. Unlike the Squib Doors which move all through the Castle
and the grounds, the Serpent Tapestry stays put in an a secret area.
Salazar didn't think such extensive protective spells were necessary.
MK: Thanks for the kind words on the Guardian!