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Two Sides Against the Middle by Rose of the West [Reviews - 1]

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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.



The day of the return to Hogwarts arrived and as usual, Emily left Hope off at King's Cross Station. She would have waved to Neville and Augusta Longbottom, but Hope snatched her mother's hand down. She hissed between her teeth, “We barely know each other at school, Mum. We have to exchange notes just to talk. Don't ruin everything.”

Emily looked at her now-teenaged daughter with a sigh and kissed her goodbye, another taboo action. Hope tossed her mother off and got onto the train, waving goodbye dismissively as she went. At least it wasn't goodbye like most of the families here, Emily considered. She would see her daughter at meals and the occasional tea in the family's apartment at the school.

Nine hours later, Emily Flooed into that apartment and ran through the halls of the dungeons and up toward the Great Hall, reaching the door just as the Start-of-Term Feast ended. She worked her way through the students who were coming out and when she reached her daughter, seized her in a big hug. The wave of students washed them into the hallway and Hope—Margo, that is—struggled, but Emily held on for dear life.

“Madam, I believe that will be quite enough. Please let that student get to her dormitory.” Severus's tone of voice was much softer than his words as he gently put his hands on her arms to get her to release her daughter.

“It's no big deal, Mum. See you.” Margo disappeared into the mass of black-robed bodies going down the stairs.

Emily was looking up at her husband who was looking down a bit sternly. “They said there were Dementors on the train and that students were attacked.” It sounded weak as she said it.

Severus gave her a smirk and guided her toward the stairs behind the last of the students. “They were only as correct as they usually are when such rumors start. The Dementors got on the train shortly before it reached Hogsmeade, and none of the students were attacked. I have heard that Harry Potter may have fainted, but no students were attacked or injured.”

“They said students were attacked. I just panicked. I had to be sure.”

“And now I have a much longer evening with my wife, or do you have to go back to St. Mungo's?”

“I'm done for the night.” She wouldn't tell Severus about how she had heard about the Dementors from MLE personnel passing through the Emergency Ward and had then run to her mother's office and finally straight for the Floo.

“That's fine, then. How about coming to the sitting room and relaxing, and after I make sure everyone is where they should be, we can enjoy the rest of the evening?




Dear Lucky,

I am so glad to be back at school. The summer started OK. We went to the beach, and we were staying with Grandma, as you know, and that was great. It was a lot of fun to be able to actually talk to you at the hospital. Your family is really nice to me.

As soon as that guy escaped from Azkaban, my mother went completely loopy and my father went into a complete rage. I think, from the way they've been talking, that he was at Hogwarts when my parents were and that Daddy didn't get along with him. The weird part is I think Mum dated him. That's just so strange. Why would Mum date a criminal like that?

The whole time we stayed at Daddy's house, Mum wouldn't let me out of her sight. It was all, “Where are you going? Who are you going to be with? Don't talk to strangers!” Fortunately, she had to go to the hospital to work a lot, so it was mostly Daddy and me. He kept a pretty close eye out, too, and made me work on dueling spells and stances, but at least he wasn't completely freaked out half the time. Either Daddy is more worried than he admits about this Sirius Black guy or Mum made him promise to teach me to defend myself. That stuff Lockhart tried to show us was completely lame, by the way.

I don't have a lot of free time this year. I'm taking almost as many classes as that Granger show off and it's going to keep me hopping. Anything to avoid the common room, I guess. What did you think of Care of Magical Creatures this week? I thought the Hippogriff was fascinating. I don't know what to think of certain people getting injured, but somehow I don't think it was the creature's fault.

I need to work hard on Arithmancy already. My parents both got high grades and O's on their N.E.W.T.s in it, so Vector says there are “certain expectations” about me. See? You aren't the only one who has to live up to their parents.

Sincerely,
Hope





Neville recalled the note and looked around Potions class as Malfoy wandered in, late. He was making much of his Hippogriff injury, and his Slytherin friends made much of him. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were rolling their eyes as Draco suddenly acted as though he had a twinge of pain. No one in the room, except perhaps Pansy Parkinson, thought Malfoy was still injured.

Then he complained that he couldn't properly prepare his potions ingredients and Snape (somewhat unfairly) made Harry and Ron trade and help. Malfoy smirked and then suddenly squeaked with pain in a way that made Neville think it was genuine. As he turned to look, he saw Margo put her wand down, her mouth set in an odd smirk. Malfoy was holding his arm and looking surprised.

Neville sensed a presence in front of his desk and turned nervously. He barely got back around before Snape started yelling. Neville had been so distracted by what was going on in the back of the room that he had added too much rat spleen and leech juice. Except Snape never actually yelled. His voice was quiet and well-modulated in a way that screamed much more than another professor could do at great volume.

Margo fretted at the back of the room. She had wanted to just give Malfoy a taste of reality, but it had backfired on Neville. She hated to hurt the innocent. Neville got so distracted sometimes, and he had been doing so well, today. She didn't understand why her Daddy was so mean to him. It didn't make any sense at all. She listened to him threaten Trevor, knowing Daddy wouldn't poison the toad outright. Besides, Granger would tell Neville what to do.




Dear Hope,

I bet your father will never forgive me as long as I live. I had no idea our Defense class would be like that. I have to admit it was pretty cool while it lasted, but afterwards I realized that now I'm in for it. Your House mates hate my guts now like they only used to hate my one dorm mate. I shudder to go to the one class now.

Do you hate me too? Are we still friends or not? If you don't hate me, I wouldn't mind going over some class notes.

Feeling more like Sir Luckless today,
Lucky





Dear Lucky,

We're still friends, but we'll have to be even more careful about it than usual, if that's possible. Daddy keeps glaring at me, as if I put you up to it or something. It's not like we can help what we fear, and maybe your fears would be different if certain people were nicer to you. So in some ways, maybe it's his own fault.

They had me in for tea last weekend. I talked to Mum alone and she says there are so many things going on right now and that no one thing is what makes Daddy mad these days. Maybe she's trying to explain why she's so jumpy, too. Then they both told me that this Christmas they want me to stay at Hogwarts with them. I know it's that Sirius Black thing. I don't know what's wrong with them. Everyone knows he's only after Harry Potter. It's Mum being loopy again.

Here's what I got for the problem you wanted to know about...

Sincerely,
Hope





Professor and Mrs. Snape found an afternoon to spend in Hogsmeade, doing some shopping and enjoying some time together. Emily had worked her way into enough seniority at the hospital that she was called upon to work odd rotations less often, so she was able to spend more time with her husband when he could spend it with her. They ran into several acquaintances around town. Former students and patients greeted them warmly.

They stopped to have a drink at the Three Broomsticks. Severus sat his wife in a booth near a window and enjoyed looking at her face as they chatted together. Suddenly Emily had a curious look in her eye.

“Do you see that dog out there?” She was pointing to a rather large black dog outside the window.

“I don't think I've seen that dog before. I wonder who owns him.”

“I could swear he frowned at me.”

“Emily, I don't think dogs can frown.”

“It's the oddest thing. I'm sure he frowned, and it reminds me of something.”

“Why don't we remind each other of something.” Severus leaned over and whispered into Emily's ear. A look of surprise came over her face, followed by shock and eventually mischief. She turned and looked into her husband's eyes.

“Well then, we'd better get back to the castle.”

********


Two Sides Against the Middle by Rose of the West [Reviews - 1]

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