Lifting of the DADA curse
The same day that Dream and Reggie met Isis and visited StoneHenge, a certain Potions master was a nervous wreck. Severus was going to his rooms with the scrutiny of a new parent. Everything needed to be perfect, for Reggie would spend quite some time here. His classroom had been looked over to. Everything remotely dangerous was removed and put under lock and key. He had placed several wards around certain items and he had mentally prepared himself to be even more strict with his students than he was on a good day. Heaven forbid the bird would be harmed. He would never forgive himself and he shuddered at the thought of Dream…if something were to happen.
‘It will be fine, you know.’ An amused female voice sounded behind him and Severus drew his wand in alarm. He turned around and swallowed thickly upon seeing Death sitting cross-legged on one of the desks. She smiled at him and he quickly put his wand away.
‘Apologies.’
Death waved him off and looked around. ‘Love what you have done with the place,’ she smirked. Severus was momentarily put off his game, before he shrugged. ‘It needed an upgrade anyway.’ Does Death drink tea? He did not want to insult her, but not to offer anything seemed unkind.
‘I would love to get some tea,’ Death smirked again as Severus paled. She could read minds…sure, why not? Add that to the pile of mysteries that surrounded this…woman…being?
Death chuckled. ‘I have many forms, Severus. I just prefer this one. Sometimes I am an older man, who prefers pizza. Sometimes I am a child with a teddy bear, and sometimes I prefer the form of an animal. Right now, tea is fine.’
Severus nodded, walked into the small kitchenette and prepared tea. Well, here goes nothing…’Would you like some biscuits?’
‘Please.’
Severus walked back and placed the cup of tea and a small plate of biscuits near Death and sat down behind his desk. He looked at the woman. And fell silent. What does someone talk about with Death?
‘I came because there has been a development regarding a certain wraith. I am sure you know of whom I speak.’ Severus paled again and gently placed his cup of tea down. He nodded and Death continued. ‘He has found an ally. Bartemius Crouch Jr.’
Death saw how Severus processed the information given. ‘Damn it.’
‘That is one way to put it. They left the country together. Killed the House Elf that was watching Barty. It was quite sad.’
‘You…you did not stop him?’ Severus hesitated briefly but asked the question anyway. It seemed a bit rude to ask this.
Death smiled. ‘Relax Severus. Lily was right. You think too much. No, I did not stop them. I can not interfere. What I did for Regina, let’s call that a one-time thing. My purpose in this universe? Collect souls. Stopping evil wizards who elude me…well, it pissed me off, so I can help a bit, but I cannot directly interfere. There are rules, even for me.’
‘Do you know where they are now?’
‘I do. But for the moment there is nothing to be done.’
Death drained her cup, grabbed a biscuit, and waved goodbye, before disappearing. And left Severus alone with his thoughts.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
In another part of the castle Filius and Minerva had met with a cursebreaker from Gringotts. It was a man, in his fifties, with a small beard and a very purple cloak. He spoke with a heavy Spanish accent and was quite the charmer.
Time to end that nasty curse on the DADA position. The cursebreaker, Alonzo Diaz, was informed of the particulars and asked to see the ward stone. He asked some questions, wrote some things down in a muggle notebook with a ballpoint pen, and flirted with Minerva.
After that he left, leaving Minerva and Filius alone in the office of the Headmaster. Filius teased Minerva about the advances the other wizard had made, while Minerva kept telling him to shut it. It took quite some time, but in the early hours of the evening, the man came back, telling them the curse was gone.
‘I don’t know how he did it exactly, but the curse was embedded in the ward stone. The ward stone was led to believe that only one person was suitable for the position…How a student could have placed it there…it is beyond me.’
‘Well, he was no longer a student when he cursed the position. He came back, asking for the job and Albus turned him down. It was only after that that we kept losing professors.’ Minerva spoke. ‘Well, the problem is solved, so I bit you a good evening!’
Alonzo left and Filius informed the other staff members that the curse was lifted.