Chapter 9: A Misunderstanding

Snape answered the door to his Quarters, he was still dressed in his robes. Lucy was certain he never got out of them. Summer? Black robes. Winter? Black robes. Casual wear? Black r —

"Lucy," he prompted.

Her face must've pales considerably, thoughts still tinged with what Fred had suggested to her. "Just wanted to see how you were, you weren't at the feast."

He opened the door wider and led her in. "I simply decided to patrol the corridors. Potter and Weasley set me in a mood to ensure there were no misbehaving students. As it happens many had decided it was the perfect night for rule breaking." He slammed the door violently and it made Lucy jump in her nervous state. "Now plenty have a well deserved detention."

Lucy sat down in one of the plush chairs and responded numbly. "Goodness, I wonder when Shona will get hers."

"She already has too many to serve," Snape sat opposite her. "What's wrong with you? You've paled considerably."

"I've been asked about those creatures who visited our house in the summer. It was in the paper you see." Lucy spied her trunk sitting not so far away from her, there must've been some confusion as to where she was sleeping. She popped it open and took out the issue of the Daily Prophet she'd saved for Snape the night he went into St. Mungo's. She hadn't been able to pluck up the courage to give it to him since that night, she was hoping that all had been forgotten. Unfortunately, all the wizarding population read the Prophet so it was no longer their secret to keep. She handed it to Snape and his eyes skimmed over the article.

Snape was astonished that this matter had been made public.

"Fred asked me about it just now — "

"Weren't you in your dormitory?" Snape looked ready to destroy him after the previous day of handing out detentions like sweets.

"I was in the common room, I fell asleep reading," she waved the comment away. "He wondered whether those creatures were anything to do with that monster last year that simply had to be something to do with the Tale of the Kn— "

"Lucy," he raised his hand and she fell silent, she must've been rambling. "I have told you that it was all a misunderstanding that those creatures were after us. They were looking for someone else. As for the monster last year I am absolutely certain that Professor Quirrel let it in, he was up to no good and if he was capable of letting a troll in he was capable of letting almost anything in. Finally I'm glad you still have an interest in the Tale of the Knights but you need to focus on your second year work now, you've already studied that."

"Yes, of course," she breathed and then stood up. "I'll be off then, I've got to get ready for the school day."

"If anybody else asks you about what happened you tell them it was a mistake," Snape said to her as she put her hand on the door.

She gave him her best smile. "I will."

*

"Shona," Lucy hissed at her sleeping friend.

She'd arrived back in the girls dormitories with Angus now in her arms. She was ready for the school day and the other girls they shared their door with were yawning as they slipped their uniforms on. Shona, however, was still in bed.

"And then I went — " the sleep talking Shona karate chopped the air. "And that stupid beast didn't know what hit him."

"SHONA!" Lucy barked.

Shona's eyes opened and she yelled at Lucy before karate chopping her too. Angus hissed and sashayed off in a mood. The other girls looked up and laughed at Lucy clutching her arm while Shona was on full alert, ready to attack anyone.

"We need to talk," Lucy growled.

"About what? You trying to mother me and get me up at the crack of dawn?"

"It's seven o'clock, I'm waking you up for breakfast," she lied.

Shona considered this before hopping out of bed. "You're a good friend, you know that?"

Lucy shook her head at her friend's fickle mood and then folded her arms. "We need to talk."

"Mothering Lucy is back," Shona glowered as she grabbed a pair of black trousers. "What do you want?"

"I've spoken to dad about — " she turned over her shoulder and saw the other girls were listening in and so lowered her voice. "What happened over the summer — and we're not to tell anyone. If anyone asks we are to say it was all a misunderstanding."

Shona made a sound like a magpie's cackle before throwing on her shirt and then her school tie. "As if, they need to know how cool McGuire really is."

"No! You can't!"

"But why?"

"We need to forget about this. We're not celebrities and we don't need to be riding on the back of the Prophet's words, we just need to...focus on school work."

"Fine. But if I find out Snapeadoodle and you are denying my chance at celebrity status, I'll - I'll — " Shona took out her wand. "Ill hex you."

"And dad will put you in detention," Lucy sassed.

"Not the cape! Not the cape!" Shona whined and they headed down to the Great Hall.

They found their timetables waiting for them.

"Defence Against the Dark Arts first, woo-hoo!" Shona cheered.

"Oh no..." Lucy whined and snatched up some toast.

"Say, where are the twins?" Shona wondered.

Just then the Great Hall doors burst open to reveal Snape dragging Fred and George by their ears:

"IF I EVER FIND ANOTHER STINK BOMB UNDER MY DESK YOU TWO ARE GOING TO BE EXPELLED!" Snape roared at Fred and George, both boys were wincing in pain. "IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?"

"Yes Snape..." They both said.

"YES SIR!"

"Honestly you don't have to call me sir!" Fred smirked.

Snape let go of Fred's ear and whacked him on the cheek. George laughed and got a whack on his cheek as well.

Shona tried to suppress her laughing in her bowl of cereal as Lucy watched on. Finally, the twins were released and they headed over to the Gryffindor table.

"Damn, wish I'd thought of using a stink bomb first," Shona chuckled.

"Was worth the clip round the ear for that," Fred high fived George happily.

"Say, Shona, tell us about what happened over the summer," George grabbed himself some toast as he spoke.

"Well — " Shona began.

Lucy gave her a look as if to say she'd personally kill her if she dare spoke about the monsters.

"It was — "

Shona looked up and saw Snape had paused in his tracks to the teachers table. He could clearly overhear the conversation.

A sickly smile appeared on Shona's face. "It was all a big misunderstanding."

Both Snape's breathed a sigh of relief.

"I totally didn't bury them in the back garden," Shona added for good measure.

Lucy groaned and Snape stormed off to the teachers table, this hadn't improved his mood in the slightest.