Protection In The Dungeons

Return To The Castle

    I looked around my room. There was a man standing at the end of my bed. He had messy hair, and a scruffy unkempt beard. He had tattoos on his hands. All in all he looked frightening to me. I didn't know what to do.

"So you're Katria." He said calmly. "It's been a long time." He laughed. His laugh sounded like a mix between a melancholy man, and a crazy psychopath. I didn't trust him one bit. "My, how much you've grown... last time I saw you..." he trailed off.

I looked at him. He looked like he was an escaped convict or something. He freaked me out. "Umm... who are you?" I asked.

"You'll know, when the time is right." He answered.

I woke up with a knot in my stomach. I looked at the clock. 4:17 A.M. August 15. I rubbed my eyes, tiredly, when suddenly, I heard some noise downstairs. I was immediately on guard. So I did what any other brave, courageous self preserving eleven year old would. That is to say I hid under my covers.

    Somehow I fell asleep. When I woke up again? The sun was shining through the curtains in my bedroom. I got up, and put on my favorite slippers. I went downstairs, and was shocked to find that nothing was broken, or missing. I saw Snape in the kitchen, making breakfast. He had a pot of tea brewing, and pancakes on the stove. "You're awake."

"Maybe... but... that doesn't explain you being able to cook pancakes." I answered, still a little groggy from my sleep, half believing that I was still asleep.

Snape just smirked, and kept cooking. "So, school is going to start up again soon. You need to prepare yourself."

    "It's not for another few months..."

    "I have to go in a month early, and I'm not letting you stay here alone." He explained. "Eat." He put a plate of pancakes, and a cup of my favorite earl grey tea in front of me.

    I started eating my pancakes, and drinking my tea. "So, why do you have to go in a month early?" I sipped my tea waiting for his answer.

    Snape sighed. "Normally the professors and faculty who don't live in Hogwarts full time go in a week early-excluding the defense against the dark arts professors-but there have been some complications..." He rubbed his temples with a hand. He looked annoyed.

    "What happened?" I put my cup down and put a bite size chunk of pancakes in my mouth.

    "I don't think you need to know. All you need to know is we need to take extra safety precautions this year." He sat down across from me. His onyx eyes looking right into my baby blues. "If I believe that the matter concerns you, I might tell you what's going on. But you have to trust me, and my judgment. No questions, and absolutely no snooping. Do you understand?"

    I nodded. I suddenly got a sense of deja vu I didn't know why though.  "Yes, sir... I understand."

    He nodded in satisfaction. "When you finish your breakfast you will go to your room, and pack your bags for Hogwarts. We will buy the things you absolutely need at Diagon alley. Oh and..." He pulled out a piece of parchment. It looked like some form, or document. "This is a pass to Hogsmead. If you behave well, and promise not to cause trouble I will sign your Hogsmead pass. This is a privilege, not a right. If you get grounded, or if you get detention I will take this privilege away for as long as you're in trouble."

    "What is a Hogsmead?" I asked, feeling quite ignorant, and stupid.

    He smirked. "You'll see soon enough..."

• • • • • •

We used the floor to go to Hogwarts. Snape went to ready his room, and tidy things up, and I went to my room to go do the same.

At dinner that night, I sat down at my usual seat down at the Hufflepuff table. It was empty, and felt extremely awkward. I looked at the professors, who didn't seem to notice me in my seat except for one... Snape was looking at me with intense concentration. He picked up his plate, and walked over to my table, sitting with me.

We ate in silence for a little bit. I heard one of the teachers talking with Professor McGonagall. I heard only a few words here and there, so the professor sounded quite ridiculous. Here is what it sounded like: "Professor McGonagall! lovely weather we're having. Supposedly what large. He who shall grass. Hagrid's Hogsmead Hogwarts curriculum. Owls huge. Whomping willows? Sirius Black, Muggles! Broom. Jeffory evil. Azkaban!"

I decided to stop eavesdropping because if I got caught Snape would definitely take away my Hogsmead privileges, and even though I have no clue what that is, it sounds exciting.