Squib Wizard
a Harry Potter fan-fic
by Ozma
a sequel to "Squib Doors"
Chapter 1: Points for Gryffindor, and A Life Saved for Slytherin
Everything in this story really belongs to J.K. Rowling.
I stepped out of the faded, nondescript green and silver tapestry into the gloom of Professor
Severus Snape's office. Severus has his office sealed with a protective spell that only a wizard could break.
But, the spell had not even slowed the Squib Door down.
Snape's office had been cleaned up a great deal over the past few days. All the debris left over
from the battle with the vine-monster had been cleared away. The Professor's remaining belongings, the
few things that had escaped destruction, had been placed on new shelves, surrounding a new desk.
Everything in the office seemed to be bristling with dangerous protective curses and hexes. Severus knew
that his office was now vulnerable to invasion, and he was taking no chances.
The collective prickly "push" of all the protective spells made me want to press back against the
tapestry. Instead, I made myself walk forward to the Professor's new desk.
There was a clean piece of parchment on the blotter, with a quill and an inkwell beside it. These
were the only items on the desk that were not protected by some spell or other. I dipped the quill into the
ink.
"I can still get in," I wrote. "Sorry." I dipped the quill again and made a note of the time.
Twirling the quill in my hands, I debated the wisdom of adding an encouraging word or two.
"Keep trying? Carry on? Chin up?" No, the professor would find probably find that condescending,
coming from me.
I also pondered the wisdom of mentioning that the protective charm Professor Flitwick had
placed on his own office had succeeded in making the Squib Door pause. The journey into the diminutive
Charms Professor's domain had been slower than usual. I'd still been able to gain entry, but it seemed
that, whatever Flitwick was working on, it was a step in the right direction.
Professor Flitwick had been given the task of finding a charm that would prevent me from using
the Squib Doors to gain entry into any room in the Castle. He'd given me permission to enter his office at
random intervals to try out the effectiveness of the Charms he was using.
Over the past few days, Headmaster Dumbledore had changed his mind about not telling anyone
else about the Squib Doors. After careful consideration, he'd decided that additional people would be
informed about this new potential risk to the Castle's defenses, on a "need to know" basis. Flitwick had
been the first additional person who "needed to know."
(Professor Snape had decided that he couldn't wait for Flitwick to come up with something. He
was trying, on his own, to find a spell that would block the Squib Doors, and he'd also given me
permission to enter his office at random intervals to test his spells.)
Losing my nerve on the matter of mentioning Flitwick's greater measure of success, I simply
wrote my name underneath my brief message: "Argus Filch."
I was just stepping away from his desk, when the locked door to Snape's office opened. I didn't
have time to jump through the tapestry to safety.
A tall, burly Slytherin fifth year girl stood there, staring at me in horror.
"Professor Snape!" Millicent Bulstrode shouted. "Come quickly!"
"Wait! It's not what you're thinking!" I said, desperately. "Don't ..."
"PROFESSOR SNAPE!!!!" she bellowed, even louder.
Behind Millicent, out in Snape's classroom, were several other Slytherin girls. I recognized
blonde Pansy Parkinson, another fifth year, and the tiny Morgan sisters, Lilith and Gehenna; a second and
first year, respectively. All the girls stared at me, wide-eyed as Severus Snape entered from the corridor.
He caught sight of me and his eyes narrowed to cold, black slits.
"He was in your office, Professor!" And it was locked!" Pansy Parkinson reported, breathlessly.
"Thank you, children. Now, please step out into the hallway. I want to have a little ...chat with
Mr. Filch. In private."
"Go!" He ordered them, when the girls lingered for a moment, obviously curious about what he
was going to do to me.
Knowing that he would be obeyed, Severus stepped into his office and shut the door behind him
with a slam.
"IDIOT!" he hissed.
"How could I have known that you would be sending students in here?" I demanded.
"You knew full well that we're cleaning the corridor out there!" Severus snapped. "Since you are
the one who organized the work schedules!"
"Well, I expected the children to stay out in the corridor! If you needed something from in here,
why didn't you fetch it for yourself?"
"How could I have known you would choose such an inopportune time to test my wards?" Snape
demanded. His voice dripped acid and his eyes burned darkly in his pale face.
I had clearly made him angry. Nervously, I retreated.
"You did say `random intervals!'" I reminded him, defensively.
"I assumed that you would have the sense to wait until no one was nearby! Perhaps at night, or
during a meal! Not when I have the corridor all full of children, scrubbing down the walls and the floor!
There are Gryffindors out there with my Slytherins. I sent Millicent in here to fetch more lye because I
preferred to keep an eye on things!"
His tone changed, suddenly. "Filch. Stop. Don't back up any further...!"
Snape was reaching out to grab me. His expression was so fierce that, despite his words, I took
another involuntary step backwards.
Right into a protective curse in front of one of his shelves.
I was told later that my howl of anguish was heard by the house elves, all the way over in the
kitchens.
******
"Please tell me that these porcupine quills don't have poison on them!" I moaned.
"No, there's no poison," Snape was making an attempt to sound soothing, but I could hear
amusement in his silky voice. "I considered them enough of a deterrent without added enhancements.
Hold still, Argus. This is going to hurt. You may want to grab the desk."
"Y-you sent the Bulstrode girl in here to fetch lye...? Was she supposed to get her bum shot all
full of quills too?"
"Don't be absurd. Miss Bulstrode knows the countercurses. Filch, hold still. I won't tell you
again...."
Both of us heard voices out in his classroom. A moment later, someone was pounding on the
office door.
"Professor Snape?" That was Millicent. "The Gryffindors won't stay out! I tried..."
"Mr. Filch?" I recognized Neville Longbottom's voice. "Answer me! Are you all right?"
Snape chose this moment to murmur "Tracto!" His spell yanked the all the sharp quills
embedded up and down my back out, simultaneously.
I shrieked in pain.
"Mr. Filch!" That was Neville again, sounding worried.
"He'll be quite all right, Longbottom!" Snape said, with a sneer in his voice. The sneer didn't
match his expression, which was quite definitely amused. "In a day or two..." he added.
I rubbed my wounds, gingerly, glowering at him.
It was the first time in ages that I had seen Severus looking anything other than haunted and
bone-weary. If I'd been in a more charitable mood, I would have been pleased. Unfortunately, I was not
feeling particularly charitable at the moment.
"You should get yourself to the hospital wing, Filch. In case I didn't quite get all of them. Take
the long way, don't use your Door. Otherwise the children are likely to think that I've done away with you
completely. Can you walk?"
"Oh, I can walk. Just don't ask me to sit down..." I growled. Taking a step, I winced.
"It's your own fault." Snape replied, seeing my pained expression. "The next time you test the
wards on my door, remember to steer clear of the curses by the shelves."
"There won't be a next time!" I said, sullenly. "I'm going to be working strictly with Professor
Flitwick from now on. He's making some progress..." I added, snippily.
I had the satisfaction of seeing his expression change from amusement to chagrin as he opened
his office door to drag me out into a knot of milling young Gryffindors and Slytherins.
The expression of concern on Neville's face surprised me. I knew that Neville was fond of me. I
was fond of both him and Ginny Weasley too.
But, really, I hadn't expected either child to continue to show it so openly. Liking the foul, old
caretaker would hardly increase their standing with their fellow students, after all. Gryffindor courage
comes in many forms, however. Neville and Ginny always smiled at me when they saw me in the corridor,
and said cheerful "Good Mornings" to me in the Great Hall at breakfast. It took some getting used to. I
always returned their greetings gruffly, wondering how long their friendliness towards me would last.
"Longbottom!" Snape said, scowling. "Mr. Filch requires assistance. He needs to be helped up to
Madam Pomfrey, in the hospital wing. Can you manage that?"
Neville nodded, giving Professor Snape the angriest look I had ever seen on the gentle boy's face.
He came forward to support me with his left arm. His burned right arm was still in a sling.
To my surprise, I saw that Neville's fellow Gryffindor fifth years; Parvati Patil and Dean
Thomas, were also directing looks of concern at me, and dark looks at Snape.
"You poor man!" Parvati said. "What has he done to you, now?"
I knew that I had Peeves to thank for this. The miserable poltergeist had been telling people that
the Headmaster had allowed Professor Snape to beat me for the part I'd played in awakening the magic-
eating vine-creature that had left "his" dungeons in such a shambles.
In truth, Severus hadn't laid a finger on me. Though it had amused both him and Dumbledore to
allow Peeves to think he had. It had certainly shut the poltergeist up for a few days. No one seemed to
believe my protests that it hadn't happened. And this little incident was not going to help matters any.
"He hasn't done anything to me," I muttered, blushing with embarrassment. "It was the
protective curses on his cleaning supplies..."
"He should have asked you for your permission, before he went skulking around in there! Right,
Professor Snape?" Pansy said, giving me an angry look.
"I believe that is a mistake Mr. Filch will not make again, any time soon, Miss Parkinson."
Severus said, amusement in his voice once more.
"You were busy..." I muttered. "I didn't want to bother..."
At the same time, Neville spoke up. "He didn't mean to do anything wrong, Professor!" The boy
said, hotly. "You know he didn't."
Neville looked Snape right in the eye. Unlike the other children, he knew exactly how I'd gotten
into Snape's locked office. He could probably make a fair guess at "why" too. Neville understood the
necessity of keeping the secret, but he didn't like to see me being treated like a common thief.
The whole room went silent. Neville Longbottom had been bullied by Professor Snape ever since
his very first potions lesson back in his very first year. Everyone knew how frightened the boy was of
Severus. He'd never talked back to him before, never defended himself against the sarcastic taunts and the
harsh criticism. Neville was gentle and self effacing. He found it difficult to stand up for himself. But I
had recently seen how very bravely Neville could stand up for other people.
Severus's eyes narrowed. This was an attack from a completely unexpected quarter. In his all too
recently violated dungeons. In front of his precious, all too recently threatened, Slytherins. Oh, my. It
seemed that gentle Neville could choose his battles as recklessly as any of the more hot tempered young
Gryffindors.
"Well, now..." Snape's voice was an icy whisper, that nevertheless carried to every corner of the
very quiet dungeon. "Mr. Longbottom..."
The temperature in the dungeon appeared to be dropping. Neville kept his eyes locked on
Professor Snape's and didn't look away. Parvati and Dean had moved up on either side of him to offer
him support, but Severus didn't spare either of them a glance. Poor Neville had sown the wind and he was
about to reap the whirlwind.
This could be very bad. I had to do something.
"You should have remained silent, idiot boy!" Snape hissed. "You've just earned yourself..."
"Twenty-five points for Gryffindor!" I spoke up, hastily.
Everyone was staring at me now. Snape's dark eyes went wide. Another attack from an
unexpected quarter!
"F-for what happened... with the... the vines. Neville saved me, then. And Ginny did too. So
another twenty five points to Gryffindor, for her as well..."
My face white, I locked eyes with Severus. If you're going to be angry with anyone, I pleaded
with him silently, let it be with me. Not the boy.
"Professor...? C-can he DO that?" Pansy asked in a small, indignant voice. "Can he actually
*give* points?"
"Of course I can!" I said. "I've just never done it before. I am well within my rights, and
Professor Snape knows it."
Severus took a deep breath. "Get this wretch out of my sight. Now!" he snarled at Neville. "And
yourself too!"
Neville took me by the arm and pulled me out of the dungeon as fast as I could limp. Parvati and
Dean stared after us with incredulous delight, while the Slytherins stood around in shocked silence.
Neither of us spoke a word until we'd turned a corner away from the area where other children
were scrubbing the floors and walls of the corridor.
"Neville, you shouldn't have..."
"He had no right to treat you like that! What did his curse do to you?"
"Oh, nothing much, really. Just shot me full of porcupine quills..."
The boy looked at my back. "You're bleeding! He doesn't need to have such vicious spells
guarding his things! He knows that you're the only one who can use the tapestries. It's not as if anyone in
the Castle can just walk in there. He should trust you." His voice was as indignant as Pansy's had been.
"He does trust me. But Professor Snape doesn't like to feel ...vulnerable. He's under a great deal
of pressure."
"I can't believe you're actually sticking up for him!" Neville said. Then he sighed. "I can't
believe I'm arguing with you. I know you can get to the hospital wing much more quickly without me, Mr.
Filch. Call one of your Doors."
"Neville... do you realize that Professor Snape sent you with me, precisely because he knows that
I can call a Door in front of you?" I asked, leaning against the stone wall. My attempts at summoning the
Doors were not always successful, but the tapestries nearly always responded quickly when I was in some
sort of distress. The faded yellow-and-black Door was there in an instant.
"I'll know it's difficult, but try to be patient with him." I said, not yet stepping into it. "Don't
argue with him on my account. Maybe it would be best if you stayed out of his way for a while." I thought
about the various jobs being done all over the Castle and its grounds.
"Professor Sprout and her seventh years are outside, in front of the greenhouses, dissecting the
dead vine-creature's main root. I know that she wouldn't mind if you wanted to observe." I added.
Neville nodded. "All right, I will." But he stood and watched me, sternly until I stepped into the
tapestry.
"Take me to the hospital wing... please," I moaned to my Door. Those porcupine quills really did
hurt.
******
Poppy would not let me return to work. She removed some deeply embedded quills that Professor
Snape's spell had missed. It was a painful process. Then she put me to bed, with soothing poultices all
down my back, and a potion that made me too sleepy to argue with her.
I woke up, several hours later, lifting my face out of my pillow to find myself being stared at by a
pair of angry golden eyes.
"It wasn't my fault!" I told Mrs. Norris, who was sitting on the bed beside me, in a rather
Sphinx-like pose. "Don't look at me like that."
She flicked an ear and continued to give me the same glare.
"Thank you for giving me twenty five points, Mr. Filch."
Bleary-eyed, I turned to look at Ginny Weasley, who'd come into the hospital ward with my cat.
"You're welcome, Ginny."
"Neville, Parvati and Dean told me what happened! How do you feel?"
"Well, I've always wondered what it would be like to have to eat off the kitchen mantelpiece..." I
groaned, but I managed to smile at her. "I suppose the Unicorn and the Maiden were glad to have their
painting back again?"
She nodded. "Yes, they were. And those men were glad to be back at their banquet. And the old
woman was glad to be back at her distaff..."
"You were very clever to have put an unbreakable charm on those crates. I didn't even realize
you'd done it." I said.
"I wasn't sure it would hold," she confessed. "But we did such good work, Neville, you and I. It
would have been terrible to have lost those paintings."
She stayed with me for a while, chattering away comfortably enough, until I felt too weary to
keep my eyes open. Evidently, the potion hadn't worn off yet.
Drifting back to sleep again, I heard Ginny talking, but it wasn't to me.
"Poor Mr. Filch. He always looks so frail now. Will he ever be completely well again?" Her voice
sounded sad.
"I don't know, child." Madam Pomfrey answered quietly.
I knew they weren't just talking about my little mishap with the porcupine quills.
Brave Ginny was asking Poppy a question that I hadn't dared to ask. Not since I'd awakened for
the first time, after the Death Eaters had gotten through with me.
I was afraid of her answer. Or perhaps I already knew it.
"He needs more time, and rest and he needs to stop doing foolish things. Even so, he may never
again be as strong as he was," Poppy said. I felt her gentle hands adujsting fresh poultices on my back.
"She knows, doesn't she?" Ginny asked. "Don't you, Mrs. Norris?" I heard the answering purr of
a sleepy cat. "That's why she doesn't ever like to leave him alone."
Don't be sad, Ginny...
I think, maybe, this old man may still have a few years left.
******
When I woke again, the ward was dark. I heard frantic voices.
"Severus! What's happened to the poor child!?"
Professor Snape's voice was harsh with fear. "The girls were working in the corridor by my
office. One of those cursed vines had gotten caught in a crack in the flagstones! We thought they were all
dead!! But a piece of creeper still had some life left in it!"
His voice changed, softening. "Oh, it's all right, Gehenna, child. Don't cry!"
I lifted my head from the pillow. I saw Severus, cradling mousy little Slytherin first year,
Gehenna Morgan. Barely conscious, and dazed, the child clung to him, weeping silently.
"It wrapped around her throat, a piece as thin as a wire. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't cry
out for help," Snape said, raggedly. "If her sister, Lilith, and Pansy hadn't seen and screamed for me..."
"Look at your hands, Severus. You've burned them..."
"I had to rip the cursed vine off her throat! Damn my hands! Help the child..."
Poppy took Gehenna into her arms and rocked her, murmuring cooling charms, healing charms.
Her wand was held gently over the child's heart.
"I won't allow them, any of my Slytherins, back into the corridor where my office is, until
Sprout and her Badgers have gone over it, inch by inch!" Snape was snarling. "I thought it was safe or I
never would have..."
I slid myself gingerly out of bed, leaving the poultices behind me, not even disturbing Mrs.
Norris.
Severus sat, rocking slightly, as if to help Poppy soothe Gehenna. His burned hands were held
away from his body, face white with shock and pain, dark eyes huge.
If Neville and Ginny, or any of the Gryffindors could have seen him now, they wouldn't have
recognized him. But, if they were to see him now, he would never have forgiven them.
"It would have taken them, Argus..." He said, looking up at me. "The littlest ones. Just like that.
Swiftly, silently. No chance even to scream. None of us knew that the parts could keep twitching for so
long after the brain was destroyed. None of us knew! Well, Albus knows now. And Sprout. And it will be
dead, every last bit of it!"
He took a deep breath, slowly winning his battle for control.
Poppy stood up, cradling Gehenna. She carried the child over to an empty bed and tucked her in.
Then she fetched salve and bandages for the child's burned throat.
Afterwards, I helped her bandage Snape's hands.
As soon as we were finished, he stood up to leave. "Don't say a word!" He hissed at Poppy.
"Lilith is awake, waiting for me to bring news of her sister! I'm going back to my children."
Poppy smiled, and didn't argue with him.
"Argus?" Snape said, a little more calmly. "It may be that the protective curses in my office are a
bit... unnecessarily... harsh. If I were to ask Flitwick's advice, would you consider resuming your efforts
on my behalf?"
"Of course, Professor," I told him.
END OF CHAPTER ONE.
Author's Notes:
I had to write another story, just to thank all the nice people who reviewed "Squib Doors."
Jorsen: Thank you!!!
Gramarye: Thank you!!!
Lataradk: Thank you!!! I thought I was all finished for a couple of days and then some new story ideas
just came and grabbed me by the throat.
Enfleurage: Thank you!!! Yes, I agree that Snape is every bit as protective of his children as McGonagall
is of hers. Writing Severus in when he's in protective "Papa Snake" mode is so much fun , I couldn't
resist doing some more of it.
RioRaptor & Shadow: Thank you!!! I wish I'd seen "Prince of Egypt." The music is lovely. I think I know
what you mean, and that was exactly the effect that I was trying for. Yes, Argus's new talent has a lot of
possibilities...
Elspeth: Thank you!!! Yes, that's exactly why Barty Crouch, junior, wanted to attack the Slytherin
children... revenge against their fathers and mothers, who escaped Azkaban. Snape gets quite emotional
when his baby snakes are threatened.
Quoth the Raven: Thank you!!! Imagining Severus, Sirius, Remus and Argus's reactions to being
compared to each other makes me laugh. It's enough to make me want to try to fit it into a story
sometime.
Ariana Deralte: Thank you!!! Yes, I am planning more stories with Filch. The old grump won't leave me
alone.
Tatiana: Thank you!!!
10
a Harry Potter fan-fic
by Ozma
a sequel to "Squib Doors"
Chapter 1: Points for Gryffindor, and A Life Saved for Slytherin
Everything in this story really belongs to J.K. Rowling.
I stepped out of the faded, nondescript green and silver tapestry into the gloom of Professor
Severus Snape's office. Severus has his office sealed with a protective spell that only a wizard could break.
But, the spell had not even slowed the Squib Door down.
Snape's office had been cleaned up a great deal over the past few days. All the debris left over
from the battle with the vine-monster had been cleared away. The Professor's remaining belongings, the
few things that had escaped destruction, had been placed on new shelves, surrounding a new desk.
Everything in the office seemed to be bristling with dangerous protective curses and hexes. Severus knew
that his office was now vulnerable to invasion, and he was taking no chances.
The collective prickly "push" of all the protective spells made me want to press back against the
tapestry. Instead, I made myself walk forward to the Professor's new desk.
There was a clean piece of parchment on the blotter, with a quill and an inkwell beside it. These
were the only items on the desk that were not protected by some spell or other. I dipped the quill into the
ink.
"I can still get in," I wrote. "Sorry." I dipped the quill again and made a note of the time.
Twirling the quill in my hands, I debated the wisdom of adding an encouraging word or two.
"Keep trying? Carry on? Chin up?" No, the professor would find probably find that condescending,
coming from me.
I also pondered the wisdom of mentioning that the protective charm Professor Flitwick had
placed on his own office had succeeded in making the Squib Door pause. The journey into the diminutive
Charms Professor's domain had been slower than usual. I'd still been able to gain entry, but it seemed
that, whatever Flitwick was working on, it was a step in the right direction.
Professor Flitwick had been given the task of finding a charm that would prevent me from using
the Squib Doors to gain entry into any room in the Castle. He'd given me permission to enter his office at
random intervals to try out the effectiveness of the Charms he was using.
Over the past few days, Headmaster Dumbledore had changed his mind about not telling anyone
else about the Squib Doors. After careful consideration, he'd decided that additional people would be
informed about this new potential risk to the Castle's defenses, on a "need to know" basis. Flitwick had
been the first additional person who "needed to know."
(Professor Snape had decided that he couldn't wait for Flitwick to come up with something. He
was trying, on his own, to find a spell that would block the Squib Doors, and he'd also given me
permission to enter his office at random intervals to test his spells.)
Losing my nerve on the matter of mentioning Flitwick's greater measure of success, I simply
wrote my name underneath my brief message: "Argus Filch."
I was just stepping away from his desk, when the locked door to Snape's office opened. I didn't
have time to jump through the tapestry to safety.
A tall, burly Slytherin fifth year girl stood there, staring at me in horror.
"Professor Snape!" Millicent Bulstrode shouted. "Come quickly!"
"Wait! It's not what you're thinking!" I said, desperately. "Don't ..."
"PROFESSOR SNAPE!!!!" she bellowed, even louder.
Behind Millicent, out in Snape's classroom, were several other Slytherin girls. I recognized
blonde Pansy Parkinson, another fifth year, and the tiny Morgan sisters, Lilith and Gehenna; a second and
first year, respectively. All the girls stared at me, wide-eyed as Severus Snape entered from the corridor.
He caught sight of me and his eyes narrowed to cold, black slits.
"He was in your office, Professor!" And it was locked!" Pansy Parkinson reported, breathlessly.
"Thank you, children. Now, please step out into the hallway. I want to have a little ...chat with
Mr. Filch. In private."
"Go!" He ordered them, when the girls lingered for a moment, obviously curious about what he
was going to do to me.
Knowing that he would be obeyed, Severus stepped into his office and shut the door behind him
with a slam.
"IDIOT!" he hissed.
"How could I have known that you would be sending students in here?" I demanded.
"You knew full well that we're cleaning the corridor out there!" Severus snapped. "Since you are
the one who organized the work schedules!"
"Well, I expected the children to stay out in the corridor! If you needed something from in here,
why didn't you fetch it for yourself?"
"How could I have known you would choose such an inopportune time to test my wards?" Snape
demanded. His voice dripped acid and his eyes burned darkly in his pale face.
I had clearly made him angry. Nervously, I retreated.
"You did say `random intervals!'" I reminded him, defensively.
"I assumed that you would have the sense to wait until no one was nearby! Perhaps at night, or
during a meal! Not when I have the corridor all full of children, scrubbing down the walls and the floor!
There are Gryffindors out there with my Slytherins. I sent Millicent in here to fetch more lye because I
preferred to keep an eye on things!"
His tone changed, suddenly. "Filch. Stop. Don't back up any further...!"
Snape was reaching out to grab me. His expression was so fierce that, despite his words, I took
another involuntary step backwards.
Right into a protective curse in front of one of his shelves.
I was told later that my howl of anguish was heard by the house elves, all the way over in the
kitchens.
******
"Please tell me that these porcupine quills don't have poison on them!" I moaned.
"No, there's no poison," Snape was making an attempt to sound soothing, but I could hear
amusement in his silky voice. "I considered them enough of a deterrent without added enhancements.
Hold still, Argus. This is going to hurt. You may want to grab the desk."
"Y-you sent the Bulstrode girl in here to fetch lye...? Was she supposed to get her bum shot all
full of quills too?"
"Don't be absurd. Miss Bulstrode knows the countercurses. Filch, hold still. I won't tell you
again...."
Both of us heard voices out in his classroom. A moment later, someone was pounding on the
office door.
"Professor Snape?" That was Millicent. "The Gryffindors won't stay out! I tried..."
"Mr. Filch?" I recognized Neville Longbottom's voice. "Answer me! Are you all right?"
Snape chose this moment to murmur "Tracto!" His spell yanked the all the sharp quills
embedded up and down my back out, simultaneously.
I shrieked in pain.
"Mr. Filch!" That was Neville again, sounding worried.
"He'll be quite all right, Longbottom!" Snape said, with a sneer in his voice. The sneer didn't
match his expression, which was quite definitely amused. "In a day or two..." he added.
I rubbed my wounds, gingerly, glowering at him.
It was the first time in ages that I had seen Severus looking anything other than haunted and
bone-weary. If I'd been in a more charitable mood, I would have been pleased. Unfortunately, I was not
feeling particularly charitable at the moment.
"You should get yourself to the hospital wing, Filch. In case I didn't quite get all of them. Take
the long way, don't use your Door. Otherwise the children are likely to think that I've done away with you
completely. Can you walk?"
"Oh, I can walk. Just don't ask me to sit down..." I growled. Taking a step, I winced.
"It's your own fault." Snape replied, seeing my pained expression. "The next time you test the
wards on my door, remember to steer clear of the curses by the shelves."
"There won't be a next time!" I said, sullenly. "I'm going to be working strictly with Professor
Flitwick from now on. He's making some progress..." I added, snippily.
I had the satisfaction of seeing his expression change from amusement to chagrin as he opened
his office door to drag me out into a knot of milling young Gryffindors and Slytherins.
The expression of concern on Neville's face surprised me. I knew that Neville was fond of me. I
was fond of both him and Ginny Weasley too.
But, really, I hadn't expected either child to continue to show it so openly. Liking the foul, old
caretaker would hardly increase their standing with their fellow students, after all. Gryffindor courage
comes in many forms, however. Neville and Ginny always smiled at me when they saw me in the corridor,
and said cheerful "Good Mornings" to me in the Great Hall at breakfast. It took some getting used to. I
always returned their greetings gruffly, wondering how long their friendliness towards me would last.
"Longbottom!" Snape said, scowling. "Mr. Filch requires assistance. He needs to be helped up to
Madam Pomfrey, in the hospital wing. Can you manage that?"
Neville nodded, giving Professor Snape the angriest look I had ever seen on the gentle boy's face.
He came forward to support me with his left arm. His burned right arm was still in a sling.
To my surprise, I saw that Neville's fellow Gryffindor fifth years; Parvati Patil and Dean
Thomas, were also directing looks of concern at me, and dark looks at Snape.
"You poor man!" Parvati said. "What has he done to you, now?"
I knew that I had Peeves to thank for this. The miserable poltergeist had been telling people that
the Headmaster had allowed Professor Snape to beat me for the part I'd played in awakening the magic-
eating vine-creature that had left "his" dungeons in such a shambles.
In truth, Severus hadn't laid a finger on me. Though it had amused both him and Dumbledore to
allow Peeves to think he had. It had certainly shut the poltergeist up for a few days. No one seemed to
believe my protests that it hadn't happened. And this little incident was not going to help matters any.
"He hasn't done anything to me," I muttered, blushing with embarrassment. "It was the
protective curses on his cleaning supplies..."
"He should have asked you for your permission, before he went skulking around in there! Right,
Professor Snape?" Pansy said, giving me an angry look.
"I believe that is a mistake Mr. Filch will not make again, any time soon, Miss Parkinson."
Severus said, amusement in his voice once more.
"You were busy..." I muttered. "I didn't want to bother..."
At the same time, Neville spoke up. "He didn't mean to do anything wrong, Professor!" The boy
said, hotly. "You know he didn't."
Neville looked Snape right in the eye. Unlike the other children, he knew exactly how I'd gotten
into Snape's locked office. He could probably make a fair guess at "why" too. Neville understood the
necessity of keeping the secret, but he didn't like to see me being treated like a common thief.
The whole room went silent. Neville Longbottom had been bullied by Professor Snape ever since
his very first potions lesson back in his very first year. Everyone knew how frightened the boy was of
Severus. He'd never talked back to him before, never defended himself against the sarcastic taunts and the
harsh criticism. Neville was gentle and self effacing. He found it difficult to stand up for himself. But I
had recently seen how very bravely Neville could stand up for other people.
Severus's eyes narrowed. This was an attack from a completely unexpected quarter. In his all too
recently violated dungeons. In front of his precious, all too recently threatened, Slytherins. Oh, my. It
seemed that gentle Neville could choose his battles as recklessly as any of the more hot tempered young
Gryffindors.
"Well, now..." Snape's voice was an icy whisper, that nevertheless carried to every corner of the
very quiet dungeon. "Mr. Longbottom..."
The temperature in the dungeon appeared to be dropping. Neville kept his eyes locked on
Professor Snape's and didn't look away. Parvati and Dean had moved up on either side of him to offer
him support, but Severus didn't spare either of them a glance. Poor Neville had sown the wind and he was
about to reap the whirlwind.
This could be very bad. I had to do something.
"You should have remained silent, idiot boy!" Snape hissed. "You've just earned yourself..."
"Twenty-five points for Gryffindor!" I spoke up, hastily.
Everyone was staring at me now. Snape's dark eyes went wide. Another attack from an
unexpected quarter!
"F-for what happened... with the... the vines. Neville saved me, then. And Ginny did too. So
another twenty five points to Gryffindor, for her as well..."
My face white, I locked eyes with Severus. If you're going to be angry with anyone, I pleaded
with him silently, let it be with me. Not the boy.
"Professor...? C-can he DO that?" Pansy asked in a small, indignant voice. "Can he actually
*give* points?"
"Of course I can!" I said. "I've just never done it before. I am well within my rights, and
Professor Snape knows it."
Severus took a deep breath. "Get this wretch out of my sight. Now!" he snarled at Neville. "And
yourself too!"
Neville took me by the arm and pulled me out of the dungeon as fast as I could limp. Parvati and
Dean stared after us with incredulous delight, while the Slytherins stood around in shocked silence.
Neither of us spoke a word until we'd turned a corner away from the area where other children
were scrubbing the floors and walls of the corridor.
"Neville, you shouldn't have..."
"He had no right to treat you like that! What did his curse do to you?"
"Oh, nothing much, really. Just shot me full of porcupine quills..."
The boy looked at my back. "You're bleeding! He doesn't need to have such vicious spells
guarding his things! He knows that you're the only one who can use the tapestries. It's not as if anyone in
the Castle can just walk in there. He should trust you." His voice was as indignant as Pansy's had been.
"He does trust me. But Professor Snape doesn't like to feel ...vulnerable. He's under a great deal
of pressure."
"I can't believe you're actually sticking up for him!" Neville said. Then he sighed. "I can't
believe I'm arguing with you. I know you can get to the hospital wing much more quickly without me, Mr.
Filch. Call one of your Doors."
"Neville... do you realize that Professor Snape sent you with me, precisely because he knows that
I can call a Door in front of you?" I asked, leaning against the stone wall. My attempts at summoning the
Doors were not always successful, but the tapestries nearly always responded quickly when I was in some
sort of distress. The faded yellow-and-black Door was there in an instant.
"I'll know it's difficult, but try to be patient with him." I said, not yet stepping into it. "Don't
argue with him on my account. Maybe it would be best if you stayed out of his way for a while." I thought
about the various jobs being done all over the Castle and its grounds.
"Professor Sprout and her seventh years are outside, in front of the greenhouses, dissecting the
dead vine-creature's main root. I know that she wouldn't mind if you wanted to observe." I added.
Neville nodded. "All right, I will." But he stood and watched me, sternly until I stepped into the
tapestry.
"Take me to the hospital wing... please," I moaned to my Door. Those porcupine quills really did
hurt.
******
Poppy would not let me return to work. She removed some deeply embedded quills that Professor
Snape's spell had missed. It was a painful process. Then she put me to bed, with soothing poultices all
down my back, and a potion that made me too sleepy to argue with her.
I woke up, several hours later, lifting my face out of my pillow to find myself being stared at by a
pair of angry golden eyes.
"It wasn't my fault!" I told Mrs. Norris, who was sitting on the bed beside me, in a rather
Sphinx-like pose. "Don't look at me like that."
She flicked an ear and continued to give me the same glare.
"Thank you for giving me twenty five points, Mr. Filch."
Bleary-eyed, I turned to look at Ginny Weasley, who'd come into the hospital ward with my cat.
"You're welcome, Ginny."
"Neville, Parvati and Dean told me what happened! How do you feel?"
"Well, I've always wondered what it would be like to have to eat off the kitchen mantelpiece..." I
groaned, but I managed to smile at her. "I suppose the Unicorn and the Maiden were glad to have their
painting back again?"
She nodded. "Yes, they were. And those men were glad to be back at their banquet. And the old
woman was glad to be back at her distaff..."
"You were very clever to have put an unbreakable charm on those crates. I didn't even realize
you'd done it." I said.
"I wasn't sure it would hold," she confessed. "But we did such good work, Neville, you and I. It
would have been terrible to have lost those paintings."
She stayed with me for a while, chattering away comfortably enough, until I felt too weary to
keep my eyes open. Evidently, the potion hadn't worn off yet.
Drifting back to sleep again, I heard Ginny talking, but it wasn't to me.
"Poor Mr. Filch. He always looks so frail now. Will he ever be completely well again?" Her voice
sounded sad.
"I don't know, child." Madam Pomfrey answered quietly.
I knew they weren't just talking about my little mishap with the porcupine quills.
Brave Ginny was asking Poppy a question that I hadn't dared to ask. Not since I'd awakened for
the first time, after the Death Eaters had gotten through with me.
I was afraid of her answer. Or perhaps I already knew it.
"He needs more time, and rest and he needs to stop doing foolish things. Even so, he may never
again be as strong as he was," Poppy said. I felt her gentle hands adujsting fresh poultices on my back.
"She knows, doesn't she?" Ginny asked. "Don't you, Mrs. Norris?" I heard the answering purr of
a sleepy cat. "That's why she doesn't ever like to leave him alone."
Don't be sad, Ginny...
I think, maybe, this old man may still have a few years left.
******
When I woke again, the ward was dark. I heard frantic voices.
"Severus! What's happened to the poor child!?"
Professor Snape's voice was harsh with fear. "The girls were working in the corridor by my
office. One of those cursed vines had gotten caught in a crack in the flagstones! We thought they were all
dead!! But a piece of creeper still had some life left in it!"
His voice changed, softening. "Oh, it's all right, Gehenna, child. Don't cry!"
I lifted my head from the pillow. I saw Severus, cradling mousy little Slytherin first year,
Gehenna Morgan. Barely conscious, and dazed, the child clung to him, weeping silently.
"It wrapped around her throat, a piece as thin as a wire. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't cry
out for help," Snape said, raggedly. "If her sister, Lilith, and Pansy hadn't seen and screamed for me..."
"Look at your hands, Severus. You've burned them..."
"I had to rip the cursed vine off her throat! Damn my hands! Help the child..."
Poppy took Gehenna into her arms and rocked her, murmuring cooling charms, healing charms.
Her wand was held gently over the child's heart.
"I won't allow them, any of my Slytherins, back into the corridor where my office is, until
Sprout and her Badgers have gone over it, inch by inch!" Snape was snarling. "I thought it was safe or I
never would have..."
I slid myself gingerly out of bed, leaving the poultices behind me, not even disturbing Mrs.
Norris.
Severus sat, rocking slightly, as if to help Poppy soothe Gehenna. His burned hands were held
away from his body, face white with shock and pain, dark eyes huge.
If Neville and Ginny, or any of the Gryffindors could have seen him now, they wouldn't have
recognized him. But, if they were to see him now, he would never have forgiven them.
"It would have taken them, Argus..." He said, looking up at me. "The littlest ones. Just like that.
Swiftly, silently. No chance even to scream. None of us knew that the parts could keep twitching for so
long after the brain was destroyed. None of us knew! Well, Albus knows now. And Sprout. And it will be
dead, every last bit of it!"
He took a deep breath, slowly winning his battle for control.
Poppy stood up, cradling Gehenna. She carried the child over to an empty bed and tucked her in.
Then she fetched salve and bandages for the child's burned throat.
Afterwards, I helped her bandage Snape's hands.
As soon as we were finished, he stood up to leave. "Don't say a word!" He hissed at Poppy.
"Lilith is awake, waiting for me to bring news of her sister! I'm going back to my children."
Poppy smiled, and didn't argue with him.
"Argus?" Snape said, a little more calmly. "It may be that the protective curses in my office are a
bit... unnecessarily... harsh. If I were to ask Flitwick's advice, would you consider resuming your efforts
on my behalf?"
"Of course, Professor," I told him.
END OF CHAPTER ONE.
Author's Notes:
I had to write another story, just to thank all the nice people who reviewed "Squib Doors."
Jorsen: Thank you!!!
Gramarye: Thank you!!!
Lataradk: Thank you!!! I thought I was all finished for a couple of days and then some new story ideas
just came and grabbed me by the throat.
Enfleurage: Thank you!!! Yes, I agree that Snape is every bit as protective of his children as McGonagall
is of hers. Writing Severus in when he's in protective "Papa Snake" mode is so much fun , I couldn't
resist doing some more of it.
RioRaptor & Shadow: Thank you!!! I wish I'd seen "Prince of Egypt." The music is lovely. I think I know
what you mean, and that was exactly the effect that I was trying for. Yes, Argus's new talent has a lot of
possibilities...
Elspeth: Thank you!!! Yes, that's exactly why Barty Crouch, junior, wanted to attack the Slytherin
children... revenge against their fathers and mothers, who escaped Azkaban. Snape gets quite emotional
when his baby snakes are threatened.
Quoth the Raven: Thank you!!! Imagining Severus, Sirius, Remus and Argus's reactions to being
compared to each other makes me laugh. It's enough to make me want to try to fit it into a story
sometime.
Ariana Deralte: Thank you!!! Yes, I am planning more stories with Filch. The old grump won't leave me
alone.
Tatiana: Thank you!!!
10