Chapter 216: Old Wounds

The holidays passed like a breeze and soon the day of going back to Hogwarts came near. Chris wasn't that much happy to leave these happy people and face that Umbridge, again but she had to, so she started to prepare herself.

It was the very last day of the holidays, Chris was sitting near the window holding Crookshanks, while Harry and Ron played chess and Colin, Luna, Hermione and Ginny watched them playing. Crookshanks was trying to leap on the chessboard and chase the pieces but Chris ordered him not to and scratched his head, and he stretched himself on Chris's lap like a ginger cushion.

"Harry dear," said Mrs. Weasley, suddenly poking her head into the room, "could you come down to the kitchen? Professor Snape would like a word with you."

Chris, with the rest, stared at Mrs. Weasley but Harry was too busy with a violent tussle with a pawn of Ron's, and he was egging it on enthusiastically.

"Squash him — squash him, he's only a pawn, you idiot — sorry, Mrs. Weasley, what did you say?" He said.

"Professor Snape, dear. In the kitchen. He'd like a word." Mrs. Weasley repeated.

Harry's mouth fell open in horror. He looked around at them clearly confused and panicked.

"Snape?" said Harry blankly.

"Professor Snape, dear," said Mrs. Weasley reprovingly. "Now come on, quickly, he says he can't stay long."

"What's he want with you?" said Ron, looking unnerved as Mrs. Weasley withdrew from the room.

"It must be something important if Snape wants to talk to you," said Chris. "Or something very nasty."

"Not helping, Chris," Colin shook her head.

Harry gulped and walked out of the room.

"What do you think it is?" Luna asked Chris.

"No idea," Chris shrugged.

"Do you think it's Dumbledore?" Ginny said looking rather excited. "Maybe he sent Snape to give Harry an important message or something."

"Yeah, that could be it, you know," Hermione agreed.

Barely five minutes had passed when Lupin poked his head in the room.

"Chris, could you come down for a minute?" He said.

Chris looked surprised but nodded. Hermione, Ron, Colin, Luna and Ginny gave her questioning looks, she gave them a confused look and followed Lupin.

"What's going on?" Chris asked as they went towards the kitchen.

"You will see," Lupin said. "But before we go, I want to know something and please don't lie."

"Alright."

Lupin stopped in front of the kitchen door.

"Are you practicing Occlumency and Legilemency?" He asked seriously.

"I — you — how?" But instantly Chris knew the answer and knew there was no point lying. "Yes."

Lupin looked thoughtful for a moment then nodded and pushed open the kitchen door. Chris entered and saw Snape, Aurelia, Sirius and Harry sitting there. Lupin went and sat next to Sirius and Harry, while Aurelia was sitting a little far from Snape facing them. They all looked at Chris who was trying to decide she should sit or keep standing while glaring at Harry. 

"Miss Norton, are you practising Occlumency?" Snape asked, his face framed between curtains of greasy black hair.

"Kind of, why?" Chris replied with as much confident she could master under Snape's gaze.

"See, I told you," Harry said triumphantly. "She can teach me."

"Teach you? What're you — " Chris began but realized what was going on. "Do Professor Dumbledore wants you to learn Occlumency?"

"Yes," said Harry. "You can teach me, right?"

"Dumbledore wants Snape to teach Harry Occlumency," said Aurelia.

"Yeah, but that's because he doesn't know Chris can do it," Harry told her.

"He does, Harry," Chris said. "Professor Dumbledore knows, I'm practicing Occlumency and Legilemency."

"But he doesn't think you're capable of this job, I guess then," Snape sneered.

Chris bit her lip before she could say Snape something harsh.

"I suppose because it is a headmaster's privilege to delegate less enjoyable tasks," said Snape silkily. "I assure you I did not beg for the job."

"Of course, you didn't," Sirius barked. "But listen, if I hear you're using these Occlumency lessons to give Harry a hard time, you'll have me to answer to."

"How touching," Snape sneered. "But surely you have noticed that Potter is very like his father?"

"Yes, I have," said Sirius proudly.

"Well then, you'll know he's so arrogant that criticism simply bounces off him," Snape said sleekly.

Sirius stood up and pushed his chair roughly aside. Snape stood up as well and had balled his fist in the pocket of his cloak over what Chris was sure was the handle of his wand.

"Sirius!" Lupin, Aurelia and Harry leapt to their feet very fast. 

Lupin grabbed Sirius' arm but that didn't stop him from shouting at Snape.

"I've warned you, Snivellus," said Sirius. "I don't care if Dumbledore thinks you've reformed, I know better —"

"Oh, but why don't you tell him so?" hissed Snape.

"That's enough," Aurelia said so viciously that Harry flinched. Lupin, Sirius and Snape stared at her as she glared at them. "I hate to remind you that we are not in school anymore and this is not just a Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry. We are almost on the verge of a wizarding war. And I think you two forgot we are on the same side."

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Sirius shrugged and Lupin let go of his arm but Snape turned to her with a smirk on his face.

"How insightful of you, Cromwell," Snape scoffed. "Are you sure, you don't have any ulterior motives behind it?"

Aurelia's eyes burned with a glare.

"No Severus, I don't need any ulterior motives to say the right thing. And I must say Dumbledore is mistaken," she said coldly. "I don't think you can be trusted with Harry's memories, especially when you think Harry is like his father."

"He is mediocre, arrogant as his father, a determined rule-breaker, delighted to find himself famous, attention-seeking —" Snape burst out looking so spiteful that Sirius almost reached for his wand. 

Snape flinched and Aurelia gave a cruel smile.

"If you still hold a grudge against all the Gryffindors just because few of them had given you a hard time in school then trust me, you are no better than them." Aurelia continued. "I'll talk to Dumbledore, he can trust you with anything he wants but not Harry. Not James and Lily's son."

And Snape pocketed his wand and swept out of the kitchen without another word.

There was a tense silence. No one moved from their places. Finally, Aurelia sank down on a chair and broke the silence.

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To be continued. . .