Chapter 64: A Rose By Any Other Name

Snape's Quarters, Slytherin Dungeons, Hogwarts...

Morning had found Severus Snape asleep with his witch curled up with her head resting on his pale chest. Her bushy hair had been beneath his chin as she nuzzled her cheek against him. He slightly tightened the hold he had on her waist and shifted some as if to get more contact with her body. Light snoring had come from the both of them as they continued to sleep peacefully. The bliss of the morning had been shattered by sudden intense pounding on Snape's front door. The Potions Professor had been faintly aware of the pounding as it shook him out of his sleep. His obsidian eyes sprang open as he picked up the desperation in the voice of a prefect when they called his name.

"Professor Snape!" called the prefect. "Professor Snape...there's a fight...it's Austin."

Reluctantly, Snape forced himself out of bed. He had attempted not to wake Hermione but it had been to no avail. Missing the warmth of his body beneath hers, the witch sat up looking at him with sleepy amber eyes. He shuffled about the room locating his trousers and then his wand. The newly awakened witch looked at him puzzled.

"Severus?" she said concerned. "What's going on?"

"Apparently, Mr. Embers has gotten into some kind of trouble." replied Snape gruffly.

Hermione yawned and stretched.

"What are you going to do?" she asked.

"First I will see what brought this on." replied Snape. "If I find that he is responsible, then I will punish him accordingly."

Hermione considered this for a moment and then slid out of bed.

"Wait I'm going with you." she said.

"I can handle this Hermione." he said. "Besides we wouldn't want the whole school to start their tongues wagging."

"I coming too, Severus." said Hermione once more firmly.

Snape sighed.

"As you wish, witch" he replied "But there is really no need."

Before he could say anything more Hermione had been dressed and ready to go. She walked over and the stunned wizard into a good morning kiss. Snape remained stubborn up until the moment her lips crashed against his.

"Let's go see what's wrong with our boy." said Hermione.

Snape smirked at this.

"Our boy, Miss Granger?" he asked. "Don't tell me you are catching baby fever."

Hermione smacked him playfully across the arm.

"Greasy git." she said with a smile.

"That wasn't a no." said Snape.

"It wasn't a yes, either." replied Hermione.

With that she exited the his quarters via the floo and he made his way out the front door.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

The Corridors, Hogwarts...

Snape made his way down the corridors, his trademark ebony robes billowing behind him. It had been a cold morning but not so cold as to warrant a heavy coat to combat the chill. The Potions Professor had been in a bit of a foul mood since his rest was disturbed.

Students had made sure to seer clear of the irate Potions Professor as he came down the halls at a frightening pace.

His ebony robes billowing behind him as if in a refection of his apparent anger.

He made his way toward The Headmaster's office.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts...

It had not been a surprise to see Austin Embers in the Headmaster's office awaiting his punishment. He had known from the moment he made the decision to act without thinking that he would have to face the consequences of his actions. He just couldn't help himself when Gryffindor Eric Tanner started making fun of Snape. Austin had heard some of the names the other students called Snape the first few months at Hogwarts and even then he thought those students deserved to be punched in the face. Still none of them had been as bad as what Eric Tanner called him.

"You wanted to see me Headmaster?" said Snape making his way inside the office.

"Yes." replied Dumbledore. "Severus it appears that young Mr. Embers has been involved in a fight."

"I gathered as much." replied Snape looking over at the obsidian eyed red haired boy.

Austin looked down at his feet as shame crept over him. He had not liked disappointing Snape.

"What are the details?" asked Snape looking back n forth between the boys.

Hermione walked into the office not wanting to miss a moment more of the discussion. She had not known what Austin had done but she knew the boy would not act unless he had a good reason to.

"Professor Granger." said Dumbledore in a pleasant tone. "How nice of you to join us."

"Did I miss anything?" she asked.

"Not much." replied Snape turning his attention back to Dumbledore.

Austin Embers tried his best not to let the disappointment to Snape get to him.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The Corridors, Hogwarts...

After a round of lectures for both boys, Snape and Hermione walked Austin back toward the Slytherin dungeons.

"Are you going to punish him?" asked Hermione looking sympathetically at Austin.

Snape said nothing as he walked ahead of the both of them in long strides.

Hermione shook her head.

She felt for the boy.

Snape wasn't an easy person to get on with once he was angry.

"Professor Granger, I would like to speak to my ward alone if you do not mind." said Snape making a sudden stop as they caught up to him.

Hermione gave the boy one last look. She mouthed the words I'll see you later and went back to her office. Snape turned and faced Austin who had still been looking down at his feet.

"My office now." he instructed in an icy tone.

Snape lead him toward his office and swept inside his robes billowing behind him as he took his seat at the desk. Austin stepped inside and the door closed behind him.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Snape's office, Hogwarts...

Snape looked down at the parchments on his desk and shuffled them around. He straightened up the mess the piles had made and looked up at Austin who had taken a seat in front of him in one of the available chairs.

"What possessed you to physically assault another student?" asked Snape getting right down to it.

Austin was quiet.

"I asked you a question Mr. Embers." said Snape.

"He said some things sir." replied Austin in a quite voice. "Some things I do not care to repeat."

"And you couldn't let him get away with it?" asked Snape knowing where this was going.

Austin nodded.

Snape sighed.

"Alright Mr. Ember." he said. "You leave me no choice...legilimens."

{ Snape saw Austin on the grounds. He had been minding his own business when Eric Tanner and two other Gryffindors showed up and started making trouble for him. Austin tried to ignore them and go on his way but they pursued him taunting and picking at him because he had been a first year. Snape saw Austin not react at all when they called him names and ruffled his hair. He had not even spoken when they knocked his books from his arms and he had to scramble to pick them up. The image of a Slytherin being bullied by Gryffindors had been almost too much for Snape.

Then came the moment that landed the young wizard in trouble.

"Hey were you going Austin back to Snape?" taunted Eric.

Austin still said nothing.

"Everyone knows that he's Voldemort's little fuck buddy." said Eric.

Austin dropped his books and punched Eric square in the jaw sending him tumbling to the ground.

Snape chose that moment to pull out of the memory.}

"It appears Mr. Tanner has gotten what he deserves." said Snape.

Austin looked at him confused for a moment.

"You are free to go Mr. Embers and do keep out of trouble." said Snape.

"You mean I am not going to be punished?" asked Austin.

"If you are caught displaying that type of behavior again you will be no matter how justified the reason." replied Snape. "Do I make myself clear Mr. Embers?"

"Yes sir." replied Austin with a small smile.

"Run along." said Snape. "I've got parchments to get to."

With that Austin took his leave of Snape, puzzled as to why he had not been in more trouble.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Later...

Hermione had ventured down Snape's office. She was curious to know what he had done about Austin. Snape had been in the middle of grading parchments when she entered his office. He seemed to be quite busy but her curiosity got the better of her and she couldn't resist asking.

"Severus, what did you do to Austin?" she asked.

Snape looked up from his parchments.

"Normal witches say hello before they start badgering their significant others with incessant questions." he said.

"I'm sorry." said Hermione. "Hello, what did you do to Austin?"

Snape sighed pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Mr. Embers is quite well I assure you, Hermione." he said.

"That's not an answer." replied Hermione.

"If you must know I didn't do anything to him." replied Snape.

Hermione arched an eyebrow at this.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I did not punish Mr. Embers." replied Snape. "I had no valid reason to...given the circumstances."

"What circumstances?" asked Hermione.

Snape smirked as his obsidian eyes met her amber ones.

"Let's just say...our boy is a lot like you." he said. "Especially, when it comes to fighting for people he cares about."

Hermione thought for a moment.

"Draco and Buckbeak." she said already understanding.

"Only this time Mr. Tanner played the role of Draco and I suppose I was more like your accursed Hippogriff in this melodrama." he said.

Hermione chuckled at this.

"Austin is really a good kid isn't he?" she said.

"That he is Hermione." replied Snape seemingly content for the time being. "That he is."

Satisfied with the answer to her questions Hermione left Snape to continue his work. He did not doubt for one second that she wouldn't be badgering him with more incessant questions come night fall when they were back in the confines of his quarters.

Bloody Insufferable Gryffindor.