Let's Have a Look at That Brain
One last thing before they left for Greece, and Hannah was dreading it. Professor Snape was going to have a look inside her head to make certain she was all right. It wasn’t ideal, but she was willing to cater to Blaise. Their old professor had even agreed to meet them at the Council in Hannah’s office. Currently they were waiting for him to arrive.
Blaise was nervous for two reasons. He was nervous about making sure that Willow hadn’t permanently damaged Hannah’s brain, even though when Willow had screwed up his eyesight, he had his eyes checked and they were fine once the spell wore off.
The second was Hannah would observe him around Snape and Snape would observe him around Hannah. True, Hannah saw the future and knew how he would act, but knowing and seeing were two different things.
He wanted to ask if she was sure she wanted to do this, but he wanted her to do it anyway, so that line of reasoning was out. So he paced, waiting for Snape to arrive. Hannah kept glaring at him over it, but he couldn’t help it.
As always, he got a lot of stares from the young slayers in the building, but they were becoming more accustomed to him now. Severus stepped to the door he had been informed belonged to Miss Hannah Abbott and knocked.
“Come in,” Hannah called.
Snape looked so severe when he walked in that Hannah became uncomfortable. He was giving Blaise a look that could have fried a person. Hannah had no idea why he would be so angry unless he somehow knew what Blaise had tried to do to himself. Hannah could see Professor Snape being very upset about that. Truth be told, she was still upset about it sometimes.
“Mr. Zabini. Miss Abbott.”
“Tea,” Hannah said nervously then proceeded to get up and make some.
It was one thing to accidentally refer to him as Severus. It was entirely another to be in the room with him and know what she now knew.
Normally, Blaise knew why Professor Snape wanted him to melt in the spot he stood, but this time, he was completely clueless. He sent his professor a curious look and held back the urge to help Hannah with the tea. Instead, he cleared his throat. “Hello, Professor.”
“Mmm hmm,” was Snape’s only response as he took a seat.
Hannah had already had the kettle warm. She handed Snape his tea with shaking hands. He peered at it before taking a sip.
“Tell me, Miss Abbott, how is it that you know exactly how I take my tea?”
“I... I...”
He set the cup and saucer down loudly. “I’ve never seen two people behave so ridiculously!”
Hannah gasped in surprise.
“Oh come on,” Blaise said in disbelief. “Half the shit Draco and I did in school tops this.”
“What makes you think that you do not deserve the things you want most, Mr. Zabini? Why would you walk away from them? What sits before you here is a man who was so guilty for certain things. Do not let your mistakes unmake you, and that is what you have nearly done here.” He looked at Hannah then. “You should never allow anyone to tamper with your memory, Miss Abbott. Not for any reason.”
He sighed loudly, tempted to throw a fit worthy of Draco. Blaise had heard this many, many times from many people. “Can I please get the lecture at a later date? I’m really not in the mood. Just look at her head, make sure Willow didn’t fuck anything up, so we can get on to our vacation.”
Snape very slowly raised one brow at him. “That sounded suspiciously not like a request, Mr. Zabini.”
“What he meant to say, sir, was that we have been through quite a lot of late, and if you would be so kind as to have a look in my mind for problems, it would be greatly appreciated.”
Severus gave Blaise a look. This dynamic with them was interesting.
He moved quickly and said the spell, catching Abbott off guard. She gasped and stumbled to her knees. He discovered two things while there - Hannah Abbott was stronger than she was given credit for and his former student was even more desperately stupid than he’d originally thought.
It didn’t matter that the man was his school mentor for years or that he really did trust him. All Blaise saw was a wand and Hannah dropping to her knees. He had a knife out and almost let the hilt leave his fingertips when he went to his knees to dodge the hex. Judging by the residual sting he felt on his right side, causing him to drop the knife, he had not been quick enough.
“It was a reflex, damn it!”
“If you ever go to your mother for a potion again, that little sting in your side will be the very least of your troubles,” Severus said with dead calm.
Hannah looked at Blaise in alarm. “I didn’t mean to. I tried not to think about it, but it’s been weighing on my mind since it happened.”
Blaise was panting, trying to breathe through the pain, but he was kicking himself for not even thinking about asking Hannah to remove that particular memory. Blaise thought he was mad about him drawing the knife, but no. He was angry about what he had seen in Hannah’s mind.
He knew Snape was not a gossip, but if word got out that he had almost willingly taken a potion he asked his mother to make him, he would have to go into hiding for fear of the reactions. “I believe I’ve done more stupid things and gotten less of a punishment before, sir.”
Snape just glared at him.
Hannah didn’t know what to do. The silence was very tense.
“I did not teach you to be so ignorant. Do not fail me again,” he said quietly. “I know Calanthe is your mother, but she has never wanted what is best for you. She did not help you to show you a kindness, Blaise. She did it to hurt those that care for you. Miss Abbott, your father, his family, Draco even. I regret to inform you that had she succeeded, a far greater potions master than she is would have found something tasteless and odorless to end her life with. I will not accept her meddling in your affairs in such a manner. Even if you invited her to do so.”
Hannah blinked and felt like asking what just happened.
“I knew her intentions and that is why I went to her. Do you think someone honorable would have even considered it?” Blaise asked, finally sitting up. Snape didn’t mess around with his hexes. “I was at the point where I didn’t care, although I’m almost surprised she agreed. She always did like to see me miserable.” He sighed and stood all the way. “Just...don’t tell Draco. Or Willow. They both already extremely dislike my mother, although I believe I’m at the top of her shit list now.”
“I rather think not,” he replied, looking at Hannah. “I do believe Miss Abbott holds that honor. After all, she did stop you and stand up to Calanthe. I have to wonder if your mother knows how close she came to being hexed.”
“That was all very private stuff,” Hannah snapped.
Severus gave her a glare, and the the Hufflepuff clamped her mouth shut and sat in a chair.
“It’s not very agreeable to have someone know so much about you that you wished they did not, is it?”
“But that’s not my fault.”
“And I shall be having a word with Miss Greengrass on her abuse of her gifts. Desperation will make us do unspeakable things, Miss Abbott. How desperate were you when you went to Miss Rosenberg? Do not be so quick to anger over Mr. Zabini’s rash actions. They were also born out of a desperate need to mend things.”
Blaise barely curbed the temptation to stick his tongue out at Hannah like a four year old and finish off the action by saying so there. Barely.
“It’s about time someone talked to Greengrass. She’s far too much of a show-and-tell type when people piss her off.”
“Well, you should not have kidnapped Daphne then taunted her with it. It was poorly done. Astoria is irrational about those she cares for. And what do you do when someone you care for is threatened, Zabini? You prove my point already by the drawing of your blade earlier.”
“She kidnapped someone first!” Blaise snapped. “Flint choked Hannah until she passed out! And no one explained to Hannah what it meant. The elder Greengrass at least got it. She even helped! Why is this whole thing my fault when Astoria did it just to get a photograph of me and a kneazle!”
His tantrum was slowly starting to come out. Draco would be proud. Snape would not.
Snape looked at Hannah and gestured to Blaise. “You’re certain about this?”
“Yes, but I’ll agree that it’s not his finest moment.”
“Please do not tell me you honestly thought that was about the kneazle,” Snape said. “It was about what you discovered when Miss Abbott had no memory of you. It was about that even then. Because while Astoria can be a dreadful pain and cause infinite amounts of trouble, she does want all of those people in her intimate sphere to have what they want even when they are not aware that they want it.”
Blaise threw his arms up in the air. “Whatever. I don’t give a shit any longer about Astoria Greengrass as long as she stays away from me. Is Hannah going to be all right? Because that’s the reason you’re here, you know, not to lecture me although I know you have many years to make up for.”
Severus sent another stinging hex into his side. “A little respect for the man who rose from the dead would not be amiss.”
He smirked then because Hannah Abbott was stabbing him in the ribs with her own wand. “Do not hex him again.”
“I’d say your Miss Abbott shall be quite fine, Mr. Zabini. She will do indeed.”
He groaned with the pain. Blaise was going to have to get a quick healing potion. He didn’t do well with pain.
When he saw where Hannah’s wand was, his eyes widened. “Oh, so she gets to put her wand in your side but if I simply draw a knife, I get threatened?”
Third time was the charm. He finally ducked the hex, although he was preparing for it even as he spoke. “I’m telling Draco and Pansy you went soft on a Hufflepuff.” Blaise’s smirk quickly turned to panic when he saw Hannah’s face. “Not that I’m saying I want him to hex you!”
Hannah shouted in alarm and slight pain when Snape grabbed her wrist and twisted her arm away. She got off one hex that hit the ceiling.
“If you would like to react to Miss Abbott as I would yourself or Draco, by all means, I can certainly appease you.”
Blaise sighed in irritation. “Let her go. You know I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Do I?”
Hannah nearly said please, but instead she started trying to take her arm back. She knew he would not appreciate that sort of weakness.
“We all have our pressure points, Zabini. Do consider that before you mouth off next time.”
As little as a month ago, this would have absolutely terrified Hannah.
“I hexed you because you should know better, and Miss Abbott, future memories or not, has not learned such a thing as of yet. I do believe she is learning presently, however. I never thought her particularly stupid while at Hogwarts.”
“Let’s talk about me like I’m not right here,” Hannah said through her teeth.
“Get used to it,” Blaise said dryly. “It happens quite a lot.” He addressed Snape again. “And don’t I get a bit of a grace period? I haven’t had to curb my mouth for years. Remember how long it took me to learn in the first place?”
Something happened to Snape’s mouth then. Hannah was watching, and she couldn’t be sure, but it looked like he was grinning.
“I had never come across a first year with such language in them.”
He finally released Hannah’s arm and she began rubbing her wrist.
“Do not draw you wand on me again, Miss Abbott. I do not take kindly to it.”
“Duly noted,” she snapped.
Severus started chuckling. Perhaps he would get to see that Zabini Malfoy child one day. He was very thankful now to have died and gotten out of teaching at Hogwarts before that time. Whomever had to teach that particular child would not only have their hands, but like their feet full as well. Snape decided to take his leave then. He’d seen enough. He was satisfied with the current state of the situation.
“Do not do anything particularly stupid while you are on your little sojourn... like get pregnant. I do imagine Mr. Giles would frown upon a pregnant watcher.”
Hannah sputtered. She could not believe he’d actually just said that.
Blaise almost, ALMOST, made a comment about how as many times as Snape had caught him having trysts he should know that Blaise was careful, but knew that would not go over well with Hannah.
“Thank you, Professor,” Blaise said dryly. “Thank you oh so much.”
Severus just nodded at them and exited. He knew nothing would happen before it was supposed to. He was the one brewing the potions for the Council whether they knew it or not. He might not have faith in his ability to be amongst the living again, but he did have it in his ability to brew.
Hannah looked at Blaise. “That was rather odd. I don’t know what to do with it.”
Blaise sighed. "I gave up long ago trying to figure out that man." He looked at Hannah with a pleading look on his face. "Can we finally get out of here?"
“Yes. Definitely.”
Blaise was nervous for two reasons. He was nervous about making sure that Willow hadn’t permanently damaged Hannah’s brain, even though when Willow had screwed up his eyesight, he had his eyes checked and they were fine once the spell wore off.
The second was Hannah would observe him around Snape and Snape would observe him around Hannah. True, Hannah saw the future and knew how he would act, but knowing and seeing were two different things.
He wanted to ask if she was sure she wanted to do this, but he wanted her to do it anyway, so that line of reasoning was out. So he paced, waiting for Snape to arrive. Hannah kept glaring at him over it, but he couldn’t help it.
As always, he got a lot of stares from the young slayers in the building, but they were becoming more accustomed to him now. Severus stepped to the door he had been informed belonged to Miss Hannah Abbott and knocked.
“Come in,” Hannah called.
Snape looked so severe when he walked in that Hannah became uncomfortable. He was giving Blaise a look that could have fried a person. Hannah had no idea why he would be so angry unless he somehow knew what Blaise had tried to do to himself. Hannah could see Professor Snape being very upset about that. Truth be told, she was still upset about it sometimes.
“Mr. Zabini. Miss Abbott.”
“Tea,” Hannah said nervously then proceeded to get up and make some.
It was one thing to accidentally refer to him as Severus. It was entirely another to be in the room with him and know what she now knew.
Normally, Blaise knew why Professor Snape wanted him to melt in the spot he stood, but this time, he was completely clueless. He sent his professor a curious look and held back the urge to help Hannah with the tea. Instead, he cleared his throat. “Hello, Professor.”
“Mmm hmm,” was Snape’s only response as he took a seat.
Hannah had already had the kettle warm. She handed Snape his tea with shaking hands. He peered at it before taking a sip.
“Tell me, Miss Abbott, how is it that you know exactly how I take my tea?”
“I... I...”
He set the cup and saucer down loudly. “I’ve never seen two people behave so ridiculously!”
Hannah gasped in surprise.
“Oh come on,” Blaise said in disbelief. “Half the shit Draco and I did in school tops this.”
“What makes you think that you do not deserve the things you want most, Mr. Zabini? Why would you walk away from them? What sits before you here is a man who was so guilty for certain things. Do not let your mistakes unmake you, and that is what you have nearly done here.” He looked at Hannah then. “You should never allow anyone to tamper with your memory, Miss Abbott. Not for any reason.”
He sighed loudly, tempted to throw a fit worthy of Draco. Blaise had heard this many, many times from many people. “Can I please get the lecture at a later date? I’m really not in the mood. Just look at her head, make sure Willow didn’t fuck anything up, so we can get on to our vacation.”
Snape very slowly raised one brow at him. “That sounded suspiciously not like a request, Mr. Zabini.”
“What he meant to say, sir, was that we have been through quite a lot of late, and if you would be so kind as to have a look in my mind for problems, it would be greatly appreciated.”
Severus gave Blaise a look. This dynamic with them was interesting.
He moved quickly and said the spell, catching Abbott off guard. She gasped and stumbled to her knees. He discovered two things while there - Hannah Abbott was stronger than she was given credit for and his former student was even more desperately stupid than he’d originally thought.
It didn’t matter that the man was his school mentor for years or that he really did trust him. All Blaise saw was a wand and Hannah dropping to her knees. He had a knife out and almost let the hilt leave his fingertips when he went to his knees to dodge the hex. Judging by the residual sting he felt on his right side, causing him to drop the knife, he had not been quick enough.
“It was a reflex, damn it!”
“If you ever go to your mother for a potion again, that little sting in your side will be the very least of your troubles,” Severus said with dead calm.
Hannah looked at Blaise in alarm. “I didn’t mean to. I tried not to think about it, but it’s been weighing on my mind since it happened.”
Blaise was panting, trying to breathe through the pain, but he was kicking himself for not even thinking about asking Hannah to remove that particular memory. Blaise thought he was mad about him drawing the knife, but no. He was angry about what he had seen in Hannah’s mind.
He knew Snape was not a gossip, but if word got out that he had almost willingly taken a potion he asked his mother to make him, he would have to go into hiding for fear of the reactions. “I believe I’ve done more stupid things and gotten less of a punishment before, sir.”
Snape just glared at him.
Hannah didn’t know what to do. The silence was very tense.
“I did not teach you to be so ignorant. Do not fail me again,” he said quietly. “I know Calanthe is your mother, but she has never wanted what is best for you. She did not help you to show you a kindness, Blaise. She did it to hurt those that care for you. Miss Abbott, your father, his family, Draco even. I regret to inform you that had she succeeded, a far greater potions master than she is would have found something tasteless and odorless to end her life with. I will not accept her meddling in your affairs in such a manner. Even if you invited her to do so.”
Hannah blinked and felt like asking what just happened.
“I knew her intentions and that is why I went to her. Do you think someone honorable would have even considered it?” Blaise asked, finally sitting up. Snape didn’t mess around with his hexes. “I was at the point where I didn’t care, although I’m almost surprised she agreed. She always did like to see me miserable.” He sighed and stood all the way. “Just...don’t tell Draco. Or Willow. They both already extremely dislike my mother, although I believe I’m at the top of her shit list now.”
“I rather think not,” he replied, looking at Hannah. “I do believe Miss Abbott holds that honor. After all, she did stop you and stand up to Calanthe. I have to wonder if your mother knows how close she came to being hexed.”
“That was all very private stuff,” Hannah snapped.
Severus gave her a glare, and the the Hufflepuff clamped her mouth shut and sat in a chair.
“It’s not very agreeable to have someone know so much about you that you wished they did not, is it?”
“But that’s not my fault.”
“And I shall be having a word with Miss Greengrass on her abuse of her gifts. Desperation will make us do unspeakable things, Miss Abbott. How desperate were you when you went to Miss Rosenberg? Do not be so quick to anger over Mr. Zabini’s rash actions. They were also born out of a desperate need to mend things.”
Blaise barely curbed the temptation to stick his tongue out at Hannah like a four year old and finish off the action by saying so there. Barely.
“It’s about time someone talked to Greengrass. She’s far too much of a show-and-tell type when people piss her off.”
“Well, you should not have kidnapped Daphne then taunted her with it. It was poorly done. Astoria is irrational about those she cares for. And what do you do when someone you care for is threatened, Zabini? You prove my point already by the drawing of your blade earlier.”
“She kidnapped someone first!” Blaise snapped. “Flint choked Hannah until she passed out! And no one explained to Hannah what it meant. The elder Greengrass at least got it. She even helped! Why is this whole thing my fault when Astoria did it just to get a photograph of me and a kneazle!”
His tantrum was slowly starting to come out. Draco would be proud. Snape would not.
Snape looked at Hannah and gestured to Blaise. “You’re certain about this?”
“Yes, but I’ll agree that it’s not his finest moment.”
“Please do not tell me you honestly thought that was about the kneazle,” Snape said. “It was about what you discovered when Miss Abbott had no memory of you. It was about that even then. Because while Astoria can be a dreadful pain and cause infinite amounts of trouble, she does want all of those people in her intimate sphere to have what they want even when they are not aware that they want it.”
Blaise threw his arms up in the air. “Whatever. I don’t give a shit any longer about Astoria Greengrass as long as she stays away from me. Is Hannah going to be all right? Because that’s the reason you’re here, you know, not to lecture me although I know you have many years to make up for.”
Severus sent another stinging hex into his side. “A little respect for the man who rose from the dead would not be amiss.”
He smirked then because Hannah Abbott was stabbing him in the ribs with her own wand. “Do not hex him again.”
“I’d say your Miss Abbott shall be quite fine, Mr. Zabini. She will do indeed.”
He groaned with the pain. Blaise was going to have to get a quick healing potion. He didn’t do well with pain.
When he saw where Hannah’s wand was, his eyes widened. “Oh, so she gets to put her wand in your side but if I simply draw a knife, I get threatened?”
Third time was the charm. He finally ducked the hex, although he was preparing for it even as he spoke. “I’m telling Draco and Pansy you went soft on a Hufflepuff.” Blaise’s smirk quickly turned to panic when he saw Hannah’s face. “Not that I’m saying I want him to hex you!”
Hannah shouted in alarm and slight pain when Snape grabbed her wrist and twisted her arm away. She got off one hex that hit the ceiling.
“If you would like to react to Miss Abbott as I would yourself or Draco, by all means, I can certainly appease you.”
Blaise sighed in irritation. “Let her go. You know I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Do I?”
Hannah nearly said please, but instead she started trying to take her arm back. She knew he would not appreciate that sort of weakness.
“We all have our pressure points, Zabini. Do consider that before you mouth off next time.”
As little as a month ago, this would have absolutely terrified Hannah.
“I hexed you because you should know better, and Miss Abbott, future memories or not, has not learned such a thing as of yet. I do believe she is learning presently, however. I never thought her particularly stupid while at Hogwarts.”
“Let’s talk about me like I’m not right here,” Hannah said through her teeth.
“Get used to it,” Blaise said dryly. “It happens quite a lot.” He addressed Snape again. “And don’t I get a bit of a grace period? I haven’t had to curb my mouth for years. Remember how long it took me to learn in the first place?”
Something happened to Snape’s mouth then. Hannah was watching, and she couldn’t be sure, but it looked like he was grinning.
“I had never come across a first year with such language in them.”
He finally released Hannah’s arm and she began rubbing her wrist.
“Do not draw you wand on me again, Miss Abbott. I do not take kindly to it.”
“Duly noted,” she snapped.
Severus started chuckling. Perhaps he would get to see that Zabini Malfoy child one day. He was very thankful now to have died and gotten out of teaching at Hogwarts before that time. Whomever had to teach that particular child would not only have their hands, but like their feet full as well. Snape decided to take his leave then. He’d seen enough. He was satisfied with the current state of the situation.
“Do not do anything particularly stupid while you are on your little sojourn... like get pregnant. I do imagine Mr. Giles would frown upon a pregnant watcher.”
Hannah sputtered. She could not believe he’d actually just said that.
Blaise almost, ALMOST, made a comment about how as many times as Snape had caught him having trysts he should know that Blaise was careful, but knew that would not go over well with Hannah.
“Thank you, Professor,” Blaise said dryly. “Thank you oh so much.”
Severus just nodded at them and exited. He knew nothing would happen before it was supposed to. He was the one brewing the potions for the Council whether they knew it or not. He might not have faith in his ability to be amongst the living again, but he did have it in his ability to brew.
Hannah looked at Blaise. “That was rather odd. I don’t know what to do with it.”
Blaise sighed. "I gave up long ago trying to figure out that man." He looked at Hannah with a pleading look on his face. "Can we finally get out of here?"
“Yes. Definitely.”