13

Chapter 13: The Diary and the Room of Requirement

A drop of ink splattered on the yellow page and faded.

"Hello?" Tom wrote. "Hasan, is that you?".

Hasan's heart picked up. "Oui. Good evening, Tom."

"I suppose it's evening. I can't really see."

Well this was interesting. He could write but couldn't see. His whole existence relied on what was written in the book, so someone had to participate willingly.

"What can you do? What is your purpose?" Hasan scrawled.

"I can do many things." the diary replied cryptically. "And I have many purposes."

"That is impressive for a sixteen year old." Hasan wrote, stroking the book's ego.

"Not for the heir of Slytherin."

Ah! Amazing what a little praise could discover.

"The heir of Slytherin?" Hasan repeated on the page. "I am honored."

"So you are Slytherin? I'm glad to have a worthy owner."

Hasan bit his lip and waited. He had wanted to confront Voldemort himself about the blood book, after piecing together that Altair was probably hunted down because of it. It wasn't really that hard to do. But it begged the question: Did Lucius deny it? Or simply not remember it?

"What do you know of blood purity?" he finally asked, having pulled out the black book beside it.

"Blood purity is everything." Tom wrote quickly, as if excited. "The purer the blood, the more powerful the person. Muggle blood dilutes one's magical reservoir and leads to the ultimate dissolution of magic."

Hasan turned to his blood book and read the complete opposite. He copied the phrasing into the diary.

"And yet, it is the constant marriage within pureblood families that directly causes the birth of squibs. It is also noted that even the oldest and noblest family of Black has muggle roots, indicating that magic always sparks from a place where magic previously did not exist."

The diary ate the words, and poured forth more. "I do not deny the knowledge you have, but instead seek to guide you in the teachings of Salazar Slytherin."

"You knew Salazar?" Hasan replied in awe.

"I had talked with his familiar." Tom wrote back slowly. "He wished to purge the school of all but purebloods, you know. He has a means, an influence even now to carry out his task."

"Like a monster?" Hasan wondered. Silence. Hasan tried again.

"Why do you agree with Salazar? Why do you hate muggleborns and halfbloods, when it's proven they are equal in power and full of fresh magic?"

"Who carried out this study?" Tom enquired presently.

"I do not know." Hasan replied.

"Liar!"

"I can only guess." Hasan said.

"Then tell me!"

"But I don't know."

Hasan narrowed his eyes. This book was demanding, scary almost. What was it hiding? Could it force him to tell?

"Why do you wish to know?" Hasan asked. "Are you going to destroy it? Destroy them?"

"I will do no such thing. I won't even know them." Dammit, the book knew there was more than one.

"That sentence is full of loop-holes." Hasan pointed out. "But perhaps we can make a deal?" If Tom was going to be a pest about the authors, then Hasan might as well get something in return. It was one of the things about deals: both parties felt that they were richer once they left. It helped establish ties, and usually gave away more information during the process than a simple yes, no, or a name.

"What would you ask of me? I am simply but a fragment of a being. A book."

That sentence had given Hasan more information that he'd ever know. Fragment?

"I want answers."

"As do I."

"Shall we commit to a quid pro quo?"

"If I must." Tom scrawled less loopy and more sharply.

"Then I shall converse with you later."

.oOo.

Hasan quickly slammed the book shut, shaking for a reason he didn't know. He had felt, just for a second, that he would be trapped, writing to Tom for all eternity. His fingers felt over the ancient cover, wondering how it could be that a fragment of Lord Voldemort remained in this book to write to him. Perhaps he'd enlist Neville to use his invisibility cloak and sneak into the Restriction Section? Salazar knew he certainly wasn't going to arouse suspicion. But if Neville were found, the headmaster would probably let him look.

And that was probably the third-most reason he strongly and passionately disliked Albus Dumbledore. The first being leaving him with his muggle relatives (he had actually liked reading at Mrs. Haydn's). And the second was being a liar and forcing Neville into being the Boy-Who-Lived. But the third was being a bloody hypocrite! Talk about house unity and favor the Golden Boy. Talk about safety and have dementors and Quirrellmort and a three-headed dog!

Hasan hated hypocrites, and the headmaster was perhaps the largest one he had ever seen. Almost on par with Voldemort, whom had previously admitted to pureblood domination, while he was a bloody half-blood himself!

Yet, Hasan still needed answers from the man, er, diary, and so refrained from actually mentioning that part. If he wanted something from someone, he'd have to give them a way to give it to him. It was much easier to tell Hasan his secrets than it was to an enemy, and therefore, Hasan had no qualms with letting Tom continue his "Voldemort-is-Pureblood" charade.

He turned his attention to the Black Blood Book and wondered if Altair or Lucius would inadvertently suffer for his curiosity. Well, if Altair cared about his safety, he most certainly wouldn't have sent his son to Hogwarts (where the teachers would remember him) with the book!

He sighed, shoved both books deep within his trunk and fell into sleep.

.oOo.

"Yeah, the rough looking guy beside Lupin?"

"You think?"

"That's Sirius Black alright!"

It was lunch, and Snape had the inimitable pleasure of sitting beside Lupin, who sat beside the mutt. How the headmaster had looped him into this was inexplicable. Perhaps it was because he actually needed something from Lupin, such as up to date intel on the Castell boy, that he actually cooperated. But the mutt certainly wasn't part of the deal!

"Students!" Albus boomed. "As you may have noticed, we have a guest today!"

The man, up until the summer, thought to be a mass murderer grinned brilliantly with a wave. Most of the students had already met him when he filled in for Remus, but that didn't mean they all felt comfortable with him. In fact, most of the Hufflepuffs glimpsed up uneasily.

"Some of you have had the pleasure of having him as your substitute this year. For those who do not know, this is Sirius Black, and Mr. Black has been cleared of all false allegations against him! He is here for the remainder of the year to assist in reviving the Dueling Club in conjunction with Professor Lupin and Professor Snape. Anyone who wishes to participate may sign up outside of the library from now until tomorrow at sever, when the first session will begin in the Great Hall. Thank you."

Albus sat back down, eyes twinkling at Severus as Sirius not-so-politely reached over for the salt. Remus sat uneasily between them, no wanting to die in the crossfire, and quietly ate his meal.

"A Dueling Club!" Draco exclaimed with alacrity. "There hasn't been one since Father went to Hogwarts! Hasan, are you going to join?"

"Yeah, let's all go!" Tracey said brightly. The news was met with overall approbation from the entire hall and the volume suddenly multiplied.

"Alright then." Hasan said apathetically. He had met Mr. Black once in the past, for the September full moon, but Hasan had quickly grown bored of his stories about Azkaban. Black didn't seem to know what to do, preferring instead to entertain the class, and find things to teach on a whim. But in a duel, would this man excel? And what if he were pinned against Snape? Hasan was also curious to see Severus Snape in action, and Remus was certain to know a thing or two.

"Good...Ohh! Here comes the muggleborn!" Draco groaned, not meanly.

And right on time, Hermione had plopped herself down beside Theo (her new favorite seat), and proceeded to talk about ancient battle styles and techniques...

Hasan looked past her bushy brown hair and met eyes with Luna. She winked and gave a nod, before continuing to read her pamphlet on Animagi. (Luna was actually quite talented when it came to animals.) Perhaps he'd have their first Animagus session this weekend.

Presently, afternoon classes began, and Hasan trudged down to the greenhouses before he even got to sign up. He'd do it later, he decided, pulling up the mandrake root, just one thing at a time...

.oOo.

How had he met Narcissa? What type of nonsensical question was that?

Lucius glanced towards the door and calculated the chances of Narcissa walking in on him at this moment. They were slim; it was 1am and pitch black, not even Dobby was walking around at this time, though where he ended up these days, the Malfoy's didn't know. And they didn't talk to each other about house-elves enough to know that the other did not know...

Still, Lucius decided to ward the door before setting to work with his quill and parchment. Altair Castell's reply was unfolded before him, the answers examined, the questions read. A sigh escaped him as he scoured his memory.

So...how had he met Narcissa?

They were married in 1979 and Draco was born in 1980. Surely they'd known each other for some time before then? At Hogwarts?

The question was so abstract and yet so straightforward. How had he met his wife? Or how had they met at Hogwarts? Or how had they met before Hogwarts? All pureblood families knew each other from some marriage or other, so it wasn't so farfetched that they had met at a social gathering, and yet, Lucius could not recall a picnic or a ball, or any childhood memories with Narcissa in them.

He moved onto the next scenario: How had they met at Hogwarts? Well that was simple wasn't it? She was sorted into Slytherin and...had they met on the train? He assumed so...wasn't he with Bellatrix, three years ahead of them? It was all rather hazy now, life did that to people.

Well, he couldn't very well call the Minister and arrange for Castell to go Azkaban. That was about as graceful as tacking a target on your back saying 'Dark!' and the last thing he needed was suspicion flung on him and his family when he was so...in disarray. Not to mention his deranged sister-in-law would probably laugh at him.

Alright, so how had he met Narcissa Black, right before their marriage? Her mother, Druella Black née Rosier, had arranged a meeting with the Malfoy Lord. But why? If the numbers were correct, why not snap him up fresh out of Hogwarts? Why wait seven years? Unless...unless of course he was seeing someone else? He shuddered.

If he was embarrassed at his inability to recall anything with an ounce of detail, he was horrified at the thought that he probably couldn't at all. Seven years was a long chunk of time...very solid, very neat. So why was it that he could remember Bellatrix on the train and not her sister? Why was it that he remembered she was in Slytherin but not her sorting?

There were very specific details that had been tampered with in his memories. Only a Master Legilimens could have manipulated all of this inside his head. So not only was Altair Castell a memory thief, but a Legilimens as well.

Bloody brilliant.

Should he contact Severus, the only Legilimens he trusted, to poke around his mind? Or would that agitate his brain? Cause damage, make it worse? Lucius was all admittedly not that fond of people who knew more about him than himself. Why should Severus get to know more about his state of mind than him?

He brushed his hands through his hair, rereading the letter start to finish. If Altair was to be trusted, these memories were gone for his own benefit, but he couldn't trust Altair! The man was using his curiosity was leverage for whatever it was he wanted...and yet, what the man had wanted was to know how he met his wife.

A thought struck him then. What Altair had really wanted was for Lucius to realize, on his own, how much he truly needed Altair's aid in piecing together his life. A statement of dependence. How very...Slytherin of him.

"A. Castell,

I have attempted to recall how exactly I have met my wife, and yet I find my memories increasingly lacking. The clearest response that I hope will meet your standards is that her mother, Druella Black née Rosier had introduced us prior to my ultimate marriage to her in 1979.

I have three questions that I expect more satisfactory answers to: Why cannot I remember my wife? Were you aware that your son holds the Malfoy dagger? Are you Dark or Light?

L. Malfoy"

.oOo.

The Great Hall had been cleared of all house tables, leaving a wonderfully large space for dueling. There was a large turnout, all of the Slytherins in Hasan's year (including Crabbe and Goyle), and most of the Gryffindors, eager to see Lupin kick Snape's arse.

Snape was dressed in his usual menacing black robes, a scowl on his face more prominent than usual. He entered with Professor Lupin, who was wearing plain brown robes, with Black trailing behind them in a navy blue.

The students started at the doors, watching in awe as their teachers passed, looking more dangerous than ever. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that there was going to be a fight tonight. A bloody fantastic one at that.

Neville and the Gryffindors were oohing over Lupin, while the Slytherins watched their head of house appreciatively. No one seemed to know what to do with Black, for he was little known and a terrible substitute teacher. However, no one could deny the fierce and obvious hatred flaring between Black and Snape, and so the kids took sides respectively.

There was a platform erected in the center of the hall, which the three instructors stood on, overlooking the crowd.

"Wow! We managed to scrape up quite a crowd, didn't we?" Lupin smiled to no one in particular.

"Indeed." Snape sneered.

"Well, for those of you who do not know, I am Professor Lupin, that is Professor Snape, and this is Mr. Black."–he stifled a chuckle,-" Now, we thought it would be a good idea to start with a demonstration."

Everyone nodded appreciatively, knowing how hands-on Lupin liked to get.

"Professor Snape and I will duel, and then Mr. Black and Professor Snape will have a go. We'll start with a basic disarming charm, expelliarmus. After that we will each split you into pairs to practice."

Lupin smiled as he and Snape got into position. Black was reluctantly waiting on the sidelines, yet had a hungry look on his face indicating of excitement.

"Oh! I hope I'm not terribly late." Luna's voice piped up beside Hasan. He turned his head to find the girl with her head in another Animagus book. Hasan made a mental note to alert Neville and Luna of their first session this weekend.

"Um, not really." Neville said, holding hands comfortably with Ginny.

"Are they together?" Hasan asked in surprise.

"Love is wonderful, isn't it?" Luna remarked dreamily.

Their attention was soon recaptured by the dead silence that fell around the hall. Snape and Lupin had divested of their outer cloaks, revealing somewhat ordinary pants and shirts beneath. They strode to the center, bowed respectfully, and returned to their respective ends of the platform. They shared a nod and the first spell was fired,-

"Expelliarmus!" Lupin yelled with a lunge. A red light ensued, blasting Snape's wand into the air. "Accio!" The falling stick zoomed to Lupin's hand as the crowd broke out in applause. Lupin tossed it back, of course, but Snape's lip had curled distastefully. His Slytherins were looking dejected, staring enviously at the whooping Gryffindors. Well, except for Hasan and Luna. They didn't even appear to have processed anything.

"Remember, this is only a demonstration!" Lupin protested. "I assure you, if this had been a real duel, Professor Snape would have had my head in seconds."

"Aww, don't try to make Snivellus feel better." Black called obnoxiously as he stepped onto the platform. Snivellus? Had Hasan heard wrong? The fury rolling off Snape seemed to suggest otherwise.

"Then perhaps we should demonstrate a proper duel, Black?" Snape hissed venomously, striding forward to the middle again. Neville squeezed Ginny's hand, obviously quite nervous about an angry Snape shooting off potentially harmful spells. The Slytherins on the other hand seemed to draw forward in anticipation. Draco was smirking broadly, only knowing that Sirius had been burned off the Black tree. Other than that, he knew nothing but the palpable animosity between him and Sev. This would be interesting...

"Of course, Snape." Sirius mocked with a bow, "All spells go?"

Snape gave a terse nod and the two were off to opposite ends of the platform. Lupin still looked unsure about the whole let-Sirius-have-his-way thing, but he knew that Snape could hold his own...he was really just worried that he'd have to send Sirius to Poppy in a matchbox...

"Er, if we could just stick with Light spells please?" Lupin called out hopefully.

"Remus, surely you know that all spells can be made Dark, don't you?" Snape drawled before brandishing his wand at his opponent.

"Oh dear." Lupin muttered and quickly created wards around the platform, to catch any wayward spell.

"Confringo!" Sirius snarled, missing, but carving a chunk out of the platform stairs which went flying into the wards. Luckily, Remus' precautions shattered it upon contact.

"Incendio!" Snape countered. Hot, angry flames licked at Black, but he held his own and dowsed them with a muttered Aguamenti.

"Diffindo!" Sirius yelled, slashing the front of Snape's sleeve. "Expulso!" He was swinging his wand arm about wildly, missing the second my nearly a mile.

"Protego!" Snape roared. "Stupefy!" The shield charm blasted Sirius Black into the ward (which was spelled not to harm living things) where he hit his head and groaned. After the second spell landed, Black was stuck frozen in his helpless position as the Slytherins began to clap.

"Ennervate!" Remus shouted briskly, tearing down the wards with a swish.* "Well done!

Sirius got up with a hand to his head, while Snape smirked on with his glittering eyes.

"Now, I'd like you all to find a partner, and we'll be around presently to assist if the need arises." Lupin said.

There was a general chatting and moving around as everyone fought to find partners.

Ginny claimed the Boy-Who-Lived, Hermione partnered with Theo, Daphne and Tracey,...Luna looked longingly at Hasan with her wide silvery eyes, blonde hair around her pale skin...well that was ironic, because so was Draco!

Hasan shrugged. He didn't have a preference either way.

"I'll just go with Ron. He looks lonely." Luna said softly, sad and yet not sad, as she walked sympathetically up to the redhead. Hasan turned to Draco, jade eyes blinking innocently.

"Partners?" Draco queried.

"Okay."

The club practiced for a half an hour before they had to leave for curfew. Compared to the opening duel, their own spells were much tamer, especially since the main focus was the disarming charm. Hasan found that he liked the club, always having a great enthusiasm (which translates to apathy) for survival tools. Self preservation was possibly Hasan's top priority, and the club also reminded him of training with Altair, divided by three...and then three again... Draco wasn't half bad however, and even shot a jelly-legs jinx. Hasan had, of course, sidestepped the poorly aimed spell, but it had hit Millicent Bullstrode and she practically danced into Pansy, with her wobbly legs, and crushed her.

After the meeting, Hasan managed to get word to Luna, but Ginny was still too close to Neville. Sighing, Hasan wondered when he would next get to ask Neville to meet him for Animagus training, and also request for him to sneak into the Restricted Section.

He was still suspicious about the whole fragment of Voldemort in a book thing, but he supposed it wouldn't hurt if he talked to it tonight...

.oOo.

After Herbology, Hasan met Neville outside the greenhouse to talk about the Room of Requirement. Neville was overjoyed at the prospect of being an Animagus, and Hasan was eager to transform again. He hadn't dared inside Hogwarts...yet. For what if someone found him? Or reported him? Or worse, kept him?

Plus, it was good to use as leverage with Snape. Which reminded him, he had to go to Snape's office on Saturday.

"So you'll be there?" Hasan asked again.

Neville gave a nod. "'Course. I'll see you later, Hasan."

Later came soon enough, after classes and dinner, and Neville found himself pacing like an idiot in front of a clearly unmarked wall.

"I need a place to study in peace and where no time passes. I need a place to study in peace and where no time passes. I need a place to study in peace and where no time passes..." Neville muttered, eyes clenched tight. He pivoted for the last time before gazing at the wall in awe. For it wasn't unmarked, but held a very distinct and elegant sort of door. The Room of Requirement! Triumph rose in Neville's heart as he tugged it open.

Inside was a large, almost impossibly large to have fit in that wall, room, with comfy plum coloured couches, a cream rug, tables, stacks of Animagus books, and mirrors.

"Whoa." Neville gasped. This most certainly was not here before.

"I know, lovely, isn't it?" Luna murmured. She had just stepped into the room, but held the door open behind her. Neville raised a questioning eyebrow. "Oh! Yes, Hasan and Draco are coming in a moment."

It happened as she predicted, (the correct term would be sensed), and the two Slytherins came strolling into the Room of Requirement, nods of appreciation making Neville flush.

"Wow, whoever made this did a pretty good job." Draco said.

"Neville did. He also made time stand still!" Luna eagerly replied.

Hasan turned to Neville and gave a smile a reward. "I like it. So shall we see how far you are, and then Draco and I can run about here without a care."

"Sounds good to me." Draco said. "So just how far along are you, Longbottom?"

The four moved to the seats, Luna and Neville on one couch and Draco and Hasan on the other.

"Er, well thanks again for the present, Hasan." Neville began. "I can get myself to imagine me as an animal. But I don't have a preference to what I want to be. It's your soul animal, right, because 'animus' is soul and 'magi' is wizard?"

Hasan nodded. "Yes, though you could have come to the same conclusion if you had used 'animus' as animal. But basically, you still need to be able to envision yourself. You can't expect the magic to do all the work, can you? It needs to feed off of your wants as a guide."

"Alright." Neville said slowly. "So you're a fox because you are...discreet, and Draco is a lynx because-?"

"He wants to be majestic and beautiful." Hasan supplied blandly. "Think about what being an Animagus would mean to you. Would you use it to sneak around? Survive undercover? Or be able to kill?"

"Hasan?" Luna piped up. "If your Patronus and Animagus are the same, isn't your Animagus supposed to be protective?"

"Killing's protective." Draco muttered.

"That's a good observation, a nice correlation." Hasan said. "But I'm afraid that they aren't the same at all. You see, while your Patronus can change, your Animagus cannot. One is your protector, one is yourself. Most witches and wizards find that there is direct connection, however, most people are not Animagus, and only powerful witches and wizards can create a fully corporeal Patronus. Therefore, the hypothesis is inconclusive."

"Um, English, please?" Draco asked teasingly.

"Oh, alright." Luna said. "Will you teach us to cast a Patronus? I saw you try on the train, but I'm sure you'll improve with the right training."

Hasan bit his lip. So she had known, heard, or sensed what he was up to with Snape. But did she know what he was giving in return? It didn't appear so, and Luna had had these types of divine knowledge before.

"Really?" Neville gaped. "That would be...wonderful, if you could!"

"Of course." Hasan agreed airily. "As soon as I am able."

"So where are you, Luna?" Neville asked. "You've been reading books nonstop!"

"I quite like animals." Luna confessed. "My father's crazy about them and mythology. Sometimes I think he confuses himself and publishes odd things in his magazine...But I think I'd do well as something small, like Hasan."

"What? Is mine too big?" Draco joked.

"Yes." Luna responded seriously. "But very pretty."

The four continued to chat about where the two would go from here before Draco decided to transform on the spot.

"Sure, I'll continue to think." Neville said, drawing a book from the pile. "Whoa, Draco!" Their eyes snapped to the larger-than-they-remembered pure white lynx. There was admittedly some black points at the ears, but no one really paid any heed to them.

"Bonne chance, mes amis." Hasan bowed, changing into the fox with ease, and yet, he was different.

"Ooh! Hasan, you grew!" Luna gushed. "I think you aged. But now I won't be able to put you in my bag...perhaps in my robes?"

Draco gagged in an imitation of a hairball and Neville burst into a fit of laughs.

"Maybe not." Luna smiled.

Hasan's emerald eyes blinked up at her before Draco batted him playfully on the shoulder. Hasan whipped around and locked him with his gaze, then leapt onto his face. Draco easily tossed the fox off, but Hasan landed with all the reflexes of his training, his birth, and his transformation. They started at it again, wrestling and growling, until Neville decided to hide behind the couch to read.

Finally, the two were exhausted. They changed back silently, smiling at each other and shook hands. Hasan's grin didn't quite meet his dull jade eyes, but Draco's were molten silver. The adrenaline, it was exhilarating! It was just like quidditch, but better. Hasan much preferred to have both his feet, all his paws, firmly on the ground, especially when the dementors were flying about. Also, if Sirius Black's (boring filler) story was true, then the dementors wouldn't have such an effect on him.

As they dispersed, still right after dinner, Hasan's mind returned to the very first encounter he had had with the vile creatures...what had happened? Who was that voice? And how were they related to the diary?

He wondered if he should try and get close to a dementor again, but then thought that was an idiotic way to die. He didn't trust the headmaster's reassurances that they were perfectly safe and docile, with orders not to harm any of the students...So who could he talk to?

Altair had given him strict instructions not to contact him (unless he was dying), and Severus didn't really need to be concerned over his mind, right? Besides, he didn't even know if Severus was a Legilimens and he didn't exactly want someone else poking about in there. Not with what he knew. Not with what he hid. If Snape knew he was Harry Potter, not only would he probably run to the headmaster, but he'd hate him for being James Potter's offspring! Lupin and Black would also know, Hasan remembered with horror, and he certainly didn't want to be close to people just because they knew his dead father!

Then...perhaps the diary?

.oOo.

It was finally the weekend and Severus Snape couldn't have been happier. He had been in his chambers all morning, basking in his well-deserved break from all the dunderheads in the school. Hasan was set to arrive at 3 and Snape needed all the time he could get.

Altair was still missing. Dumbledore couldn't be budged on the issue of searching for Potter. Lucius was unresponsive. And to top it off, blasted Dumbledore and his epiphany of a Dueling Club. Well, last meeting hadn't been so bad; Sirius was still licking his wounds in the morning. Snape thought with a smirk. But even if he still hated Black, he hated it more that he was actually beginning to...be fond of Lupin. He had just finished brewing the Wolfsbane for the month of November, and hopefully he could relay some information gleaned from this meeting with Hasan, to receive more information from Lupin...on Hasan. How had his life come to this? He didn't even pay this much attention to his own godson, and that was saying much, because he practically analyzed Draco's every move.

A knock at the door came exactly as his clock struck 3.

"Well, well, Mr. Castell, eager to be here, are you?" Severus greeted as he flicked open the door with his wand. Hasan stepped into the office gracefully, brown braid thrown across his right shoulder, and jade green eyes flickering dully beneath his lashes.

"Not particularly." Hasan replied dryly. He shut the door behind him and sat down in his usual seat. Snape swallowed.

"I was actually hoping that we could move to be a little more comfortable." Snape strode over to where his chambers lay, tapped the wall while muttering the password, and a door appeared similar to the Room of Requirement. Snape raised an eyebrow; the boy didn't move. "Oh, for Merlin's sake, just get in here!"

The interior of the lodging was rather...nice. What with stone walls, hanging tapestries, bookshelves, a coffee table, red rug and brown leather couches. There was also a comfortable looking armchair to the side which Hasan immediately gravitated to. Severus settled himself on the end of one couch so as to better converse with the queer child.

"Do you live here all the time?" Hasan asked.

"Yes."

"You own no deeds to any other properties?"

"I do." Snape said. "But let us talk about you."

Hasan's eyes widened fractionally. "I'm not very interesting at all."

"That's to be determined." Snape replied smugly. "Now, what is your Animagus? And who are you planning to use all the doses on?"

"Shall I show you?" Hasan asked, and after barely receiving the beginning of a nod, a little black fox sat in the seat Hasan had just occupied.

Snape's eyebrows rose to his hairline. "An adolescent fox?"

Well, that was one way to put it. Hasan raised his head, and Snape had another heart attack. Those emerald eyes. He had seen them once in the chamber with the stone...and then when Hasan had asked, they were the exact shade as the Avada Kedavra. Compared to his normal jade, these were downright fatal. Hasan sensed his unease and shifted back fluidly.

"It appears the potion has worked." Snape said thickly.

"Thank you." Hasan said. "It was above my ability."

Well obviously it was above the boy's ability. It was a statement, not a compliment...and wait, the boy knew this. He wasn't flattering the man, just speaking.

"And the other question?" Snape pressed.

"And the Patronus?" Hasan countered. The boy was so damning methodical! It had been Snape's turn, now it was Hasan's, and Snape was positive the boy wasn't going to divert from this pattern.

"The incantation is 'Expecto Patronum.' Now, who are you-" but the boy was shaking his head. "What?" Snape growled.

"I asked to learn to make a fully corporeal Patronus." Hasan reminded him. "I can already cast a wisp. Snape started in surprise but quickly caught himself.

"Show me." he demanded.

Hasan slid his wand into his hand and muttered the incantation. A silvery mist came from his wand, but nothing remotely in the shape of an animal. And yet, Snape was looking for all the world as if he had.

"Impressive." he said finally. "What memory did you think of?"

"Is that your question, Professor?" Hasan asked.

"No, this is helping you to learn." Severus sighed. Hasan thought about it a minute, deemed it a stretch, but nodded.

"I don't." Hasan replied.

"You don't what?"

"I don't think of anything. Am I supposed to?"

Severus was full on gaping now. "Of course you're supposed to! How else would one make a Patronus?" Hasan arched a brow and Snape continued. "You must think of the happiest memory you can remember. Let the joy wash through you."

It was comical really, how Severus was talking of joy and yet his face was so stern and condemning.

"Happy?" Hasan murmured. "Like the mirror of Erised?"

"I-" Snape frowned. "The mirror shows your heart's desire. Not a memory."

Hasan bit his lip. "Right..." And yet, Hasan was positive that there was a memory somewhere with a bright emerald light...

"Now, if you could answer my initial question?" Snape asked impatiently.

Hasan tilted his head to the side. "The doses? That hardly seems fair. I'd be indicting my friends. And besides, you gave me what I needed."

Snape's glare stopped his thoughts in their tracks.

"You agreed, Mr. Castell."

"Oh, please do humor me, Professor. We're Slytherin after all." the boy smirked. "But as you wish: Draco Malfoy, Neville Longbottom, and Luna Lovegood."

"Why would you include the Longbottom boy?" Snape burst out appalled before he could help himself. Neville still managed to botch every other potion and that was with the muggleborn, Hermione's, help.

"Because he's the Boy-Who-Lived." Hasan answered nonchalantly, watched Snape's hardening demeanor. "Of course," Hasan continued, knowing he was treading in thin ice, "so is everyone else, when it comes down to it."

Snape exhaled slowly and Hasan knew, then and there, that Snape at least knew Neville was a farce. Did all the professors know? Or had Snape done some private investigating? Was Snape in Dumbledore's 'inner circle' or was Snape rogue?

"What are you suggesting, Mr. Castell?" Snape asked lightly.

"You know very well." Hasan said, and left it at that.

The two stared at each other, onyx against jade, before Hasan asked presently, "How are you supposed to deduce the happiest memory?"

Snape seemed to unfreeze himself. "Must I explain everything?" he sighed.

"But my memories aren't sorted into happy and unhappy." Hasan protested with wide eyes. "They are sorted into was and are, and me and others, and important and not important. Why would I have happy and unhappy?"

Snape stared; how hard was it to find a happy memory? It didn't even need to be remotely passionate if the boy managed to make a non-corporeal Patronus.

"Right now, what is the happiest memory you can possibly recall to mind?" Snape asked, deciding to walk Hasan through from the beginning. "Any memory!" cried Snape, growing desperate. "Getting Raven, perhaps?"

Hasan sighed. He really couldn't do this now in front of the professor. He would have to sit alone in a quiet place and search though his mind. It required absolute focus, and he didn't trust the professor enough to let his guard down one bit.

"May we resume next time? I need time to think." Hasan delivered the ultimatum. "By the by, your chambers are very nice...Au revoir, Professor!"

.oOo.

Severus was left in deep thought for hours after the jade eyes boy had left. No happy memories? What person had no happy memories? And what type of person could cast even a wisp of a Patronus without a memory, happy or otherwise?

It made sense though, that Hasan with his dull eyes, felt as little as he appeared to have felt. Yet as head of the Slytherin House, Severus knew better than most how a mask was designed and utilized. Hasan might not appear overjoyed, but that didn't mean he was a doll!

But Hasan had seemed so genuine. He had agreed to this exchange with Severus to learn how to make a corporeal Patronus. It didn't make sense for him to pretend he couldn't cast a Patronus...unless he wanted to hand Snape the information. But even that didn't make sense! Slytherins did things for their own benefit; what would Hasan gain from Snape's being well-informed? What power did Snape have that Hasan wished to use?

Severus Snape was inches away from summoning his firewhiskey, when a knock signaled Lupin's arrival. He was never so happy to see the wolf in his life! A wave of his hand opened both his office door and his chamber door, and Snape called out an invitation for Lupin to join him in the sitting room.

Lupin's mildly surprised face peaked into his chambers, before the rest of his body followed.

"Severus?" Remus asked, concern evident in his voice. He'd never been invited this far inside Severus' quarters before, as it was a privilege only given to friends, and Remus was definitely not what Severus Snape considered a friend.

"Your potion's on my desk." Snape informed expectantly.

"I saw...I'm sorry, I haven't noticed anything odd about Hasan lately. I am worried, but not as worried. It's been a while and he blends in with all the others. Although I did see him with Miss Lovegood at the Dueling Club. She's a first year, isn't she?"

"Yes." But this was nothing knew: If Hasan intended to give her a vial of the Animagus potion, then they must have been friends..."Lupin," he began again. "Are you positive that Hasan's boggart turned into a ring?"

Lupin nodded, then frowned. "That's what it appeared to be."

He wasn't sure where this was going, but Snape wasn't known to jump around topics. Obviously Snape knew something Lupin didn't. "What am I not seeing?"

Severus looked up at him and locked his gaze.

"Are you aware, Remus, of a popular muggle book series known as The Lord of the Rings?"

Lupin blinked in surprise. While shunned from Wizarding society, Lupin had immersed himself in muggle culture and had indeed learned of the book. Yet he hadn't had the time to actually read it.

"Yes. The premise if it. Wait a minute, Snape, do you mean to suggest that the ring Hasan conjured was the One ring?" Lupin asked in disbelief. "There are other possibil-"

"I'm sure," Snape interrupted snidely, "But pray, what is the One ring and what importance does it have to the series?"

"Well, it's the basis for all the books." Lupin started, never having imagined he'd be explaining the plot of a muggle book series to Severus Snape of all people! "The prelude, The Hobbit, er, a short man creature, is about Bilbo who finds the ring of power. The trilogy focusses on the journey to destroy the ring in Mordor, all in order to keep it from the evil wizard, Sauron."

Snape was still frowning. "And the reason everyone is bent on destroying it?"

"Well, it holds power, amazing power, but it's dark and seductive. It commands all of the lower rings too, and the nine dead human bearers called the Ringwraiths or the Nazguls. You see, people can't see these Nazguls unless..." It seemed Lupin had just realized something for he winced and looked away.

"Yes?" Severus pressed, reluctant to admit he sounded somewhat desperate. Remus had obviously had an epiphany, so what was it that was so alarming? Or so obvious?

"Well, you can't see them unless you wear the ring. But throughout the prelude and to all the others characters, the ring was only known to render the wearer invisible."