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A Place to Hide the Horn


Severus Snape was on the staircase when he heard the sound of quick-moving footsteps echoing through the well. He ducked quickly off onto the third floor and rushed down the corridor, hiding behind one of the suits of armor, pressing himself as far back into the darkness as he could go. He held his breath. The last thing he needed was to be caught sneaking about the castle on Lord Voldemort’s business. He was waiting for something - anything - to happen when he heard the sound of running feet, and panting breath - three ragged sets of lungs gasping and sputtering what seemed mere inches from him... yet there was nobody there to see. The sounds approached and passed by without ever a sign of a person. Severus’s eyebrows stitched together and he leaned out from about the suit of armor to investigate, following after the noise as silently as he could, sticking close to the wall.

Suddenly before him appeared the back of Sirius Black, his shaggy hair flying wildly behind him. He seemed to have emerged from something that Severus could not see, and he was carrying a huge horn of some sort, clutching it to his chest as he bolted further down the corridor. A sound on the stairwell behind him made Severus turn, afraid he was being followed, and when he had turned back around to find Sirius, he’d disappeared once again.

“What in the world --?” muttered Severus and he trotted the remaining length of the hall, looking ‘round the corner to be sure there were no signs of Sirius Black down the corridor there. He glanced back over his shoulder. “Where could he have gone?”

Severus didn’t have long to ponder the mystery, though, as he heard voices from the stairwell. He moved to hide as best he could in a shadow and covered his face with his robes. McGonagall’s voice was annoyed and clipped, though he couldn’t make out the words he recognized the accent and the tone of it, and it was accompanied by Slughorn’s low rumbling. He stayed low until their voices had faded off completely as they moved down the stairs.

Once he was sure the coast was clear, he made his way down the corridor, carefully listening for any approaching footfalls. He wasn’t sure where to go… He couldn’t very well go back to his room in the dungeons - it seemed that something had gone on downstairs since he’d left, though he wasn’t sure what exactly, since the coast had been quite clear when he’d come up the stairs.

Whatever it was that was going on down there must have something to do with Sirius - and probably the other second year Gryffindors, too. He scowled. He would have to be quite careful not to get caught or else whatever it was they’d been doing would be blamed on him. That horn that Sirius had been holding when he’d spotted him in the hall had seemed quite ominous. Whatever it was that they’d been into - Severus wanted nothing to do with it.

A thought occurred to him - had Sirius Black seen Severus going upstairs? Would he tell Dumbledore? Severus gnawed his lower lip, looking back the direction he’d seen Sirius Black disappear in… Maybe, he’d better keep looking for him, just in case. There was no way Sirius wouldn’t throw him, Severus, to the fire, should he be caught for roaming the halls… So Severus turned back and snuck along the corridor, searching by the lighted tip of his wand for one of his deemed nemesis...




The Gryffindors meanwhile had made their way back to the sixth floor via the passageway, Sirius still carrying that blasted bicorn horn. “It’s heavier than it looks,” he complained for about the hundredth time as they neared the back of Scrimgeour’s portrait in the trophy room.

“Well, don’t go getting too tired, we’ve got to figure out where the bloody hell we’re hiding the thing,” James said, “It isn’t as if we can go trooping through the common room with it!” He pushed the portrait open and they stepped out into the trophy room, which was doused in pale blue moonlight. The portrait frame was empty, as usual. James went to the door and pushed it open, peeking each way down the hall before ducking back in. “Alright, I don’t see anyone around out there. Where should we go?”

Sirius put the horn down to give his arms a rest. “I dunno. Where do you think?”

“I think we should hide it in one of the passageways we haven’t explored yet,” James said, “Like we thought of earlier.”

Peter nodded his agreement.

“Alright,” said Sirius, “Get out the list, then.”

“I don’t have the list. I thought you had it,” James said.

“I don’t have it, why would I have it?” Sirius demanded.

James retorted, “Because you’re the ruddy brains of this operation. Of most of the operations, actually.”

“So you want me to be in charge of everything?” Sirius snapped. “Ideas to paperwork and back again?”

James frowned, “Well, I mean, if you’ve got the vision you’ve got the job, yeah?”

Peter held up his palms, stepping between them. “Does anybody have the bloody list?” he asked.

“I already said I don’t,” snapped Sirius.

James sighed, “Remus’s probably got it with the map.”

“Okay so. No list. What do we do with the horn?” Peter asked, being diplomatic for once in his life. It was starting to get closer and closer to dawn and Peter was eager to get back to the common room before breakfast. He would’ve liked to have more than a few minutes’ sleep for the duration of the night, but he’d take what he could get and the longer they stood arguing about it, the more likely that amount was to be zero.

James rubbed his forehead, “I think there was one some place on the seventh floor.”

“Some place on the seventh floor?” Peter asked, looking uncertain.

James shrugged, “At least I remembered that much.”

Sirius suggested, “Why don’t one of us go get the list from the dormitory?” They both looked at Peter.

“Oh,” groaned Peter, “Why’s it always got to be me?”

“Because we took a vote and you lost,” James replied.

Peter sighed. “You lot can’t agree on bloody thing for ten minutes of conversation straight and the instant it’s a matter of who’s going off on a chore and you’re the pictures of peace.” He rolled his eyes.

“We’ll go up to the seventh floor and have a look about, see if we can’t find it without the list. Meet us up down there by Barnabus the Barmy - you know, that painting with the ballet dancing tolls?” Sirius said, “We’ll take the invisibility cloak, seeing as we’ve got this blasted horn. So you be careful going that you don’t get caught - though you’ll only have a little ways further to go from the seventh floor.”

Peter looked nervous. “Alright.”

They ducked back beneath the invisibility cloak with the horn and climbed a flight of stairs to the seventh floor, where they turned a corner from the stairwell and Peter scurried out from under the cloak. “Remember,” whispered Sirius, “Barnabus the Barmy.”

Peter nodded and hurried away.

“C’mon, let’s go,” Sirius said, turning back to James.

It proved much easier to look without the invisibility cloak on, and so they swaddled the bicorn horn in the cloak and Sirius carried the invisible horn about as they moved quickly down the hallway, James muttering to himself, trying to figure out where it was the list had said there was a passageway. Something would jump out at him, something would trigger the memory…Sirius followed along behind him, looking rather odd with his arms wrapped around what appeared to be empty air, and pausing now and then to poke about if he suspected something to look a bit as though it could be a door to a secret passageway.

James was getting frustrated as he walked and saw nothing that he remembered from the list. Sirius was tired from carrying the horn and had sat down on the floor before the painting of the ballet dancing trolls, waiting for Peter, while James paced, muttering to himself. “I know there was something on that list here,” he was saying. “It was here, I know it was.”

“Peter will be back in a moment with the list and then we’ll find it,” Sirius said.

“What if Peter got caught trying to get to the tower?” James asked.

“Then McGonagall or Filch or whoever caught him would probably be here looking for us,” Sirius said, “You know Peter would rat us out if he was under pressure. He’ll be along, he’s probably just looking for the list. You know Remus hides the map under his mattress when he goes out to the Shrieking Shack.”

“One of us should’ve gone to the dorms to get the list,” muttered James, shaking his head. He sighed, “Bloody hell… we just need a place to get the potion started is all,” he said, running his hand through his hair as he turned on his heel. “Any place would do, just a place that’s safe from prying eyes and we can brew it without Remus finding out too soon.”

“I know, mate,” Sirius said, “But pacing’s not going to help any and you’re making me nervous.”

“Well I’m nervous too,” answered James, turning, “What if we don’t find the place we need? What then? Sirius - we need a place to hide that horn and --”

Suddenly Sirius sat up. “What in the name of Merlin…?”

“What?” James turned, following Sirius’s eyes.

On the wall, a ribbon of gold light had cut its way across the wallpaper, scrolling and swirling - bright and shining. James’s eyes went wide and he hurried to Sirius’s side, his heart galloping wildly. Sirius clutched the bicorn horn even tighter. “Draw your wand,” he hissed to James, not wanting to be unarmed, but also not wanting to drop the horn.

“Oh right,” James said, reaching for the wand in his pocket.

They stood, watching as the little spark of light wove it’s way about the intricate pattern, slowly outlining the shape of a door... a glowing golden handle seemed to melt in reverse - appearing out of the wall. The door seemed to glow for several seconds, and then slowly the light faded and they stood, staring at a regular door.

Neither dared to move. They waited, expecting something to come out of that door. Sirius’s stomach coiled and knotted. Part of him expected something terrible to come out of the door - Voldemort, or his friends, perhaps. He asked in a low whisper, “Was this door on the list?”

“Oh blimey, no,” breathed James, shaking his head, “I’d have remembered big shiney secret door.”

“Where did it come from?” Sirius wondered.

“Dunno,” whispered James.

They stood there, waiting for something to happen. And then there were voices down the hall and Sirius panicked. He ran forward and grabbed the handle of the door and yanked it open. “What’re you doing?!” James choked, “There could be anything in there, there could be --”

“Stop being Peter and get in here!” Sirius snapped, “Before you’re caught.”

James leaped forward into the room and they slammed the door behind them.




Meanwhile, Severus Snape was staring up at Professor McGonagall’s cool eyes as the light of her fireplace flickered across her high cheekbones. The first light of dawn was visible through her office window. She stared down at him, one eyebrow slightly cocked, waiting. Severus shifted in his seat. He’d been caught by McGonagall as he stalked about the third floor, searching for Sirius Black. He’d been so intent on finding him that he hadn’t even heard her coming up behind him until it was too late to hide. She had brought him to her office to wait until Horace Slughorn could come - he was dealing with a melted lock on his storeroom.

“And what do you know about the melted lock on Professor Slughorn’s store?” McGonagall asked.

He didn’t know anything about a melted lock on the storeroom door… but he had a feeling he knew who did, he just had no evidence. “It was Sirius Black,” Severus said.

“Sirius Black?” repeated McGonagall, her eyes narrowing. “You’re levels away from where you ought to be tucked up into bed, poking about the castle in the dead of night, and you are telling me that you happen to have seen Sirius Black melt the lock from Professor Slughorn’s store?”

“I didn’t see it,” Sirius replied.

“Then how do you know?” she challenged.

“Because I saw Sirius carrying about a giant horn!” Severus answered.

“A giant horn?” McGonagall echoed doubtfully.

“Huge,” Sirius confirmed. “Almost as big as he was and he was here, on the third floor, running with it, and then he disappeared and I was trying to find him, to bring him to you or to Filch or Slughorn, because he shouldn’t have been out of bed.”

McGonagall’s lips pursed, “And exactly why were you out of bed to see Mr. Black carrying the giant horn, Mr. Snape?”

For that, Severus had no answer. He stared up at her defiantly.

After several long moments without a response, McGonagall said, “It is one thing to be up and out of bed and to get in trouble for that - but to lie and try to blame another, innocent boy --”

“I’m not just trying to blame him!” Severus snapped, “And he is anything but innocent. Go and check his bed, it’ll be empty.”

McGonagall stood up. “Alright. That is precisely what we shall do. Come.” She grabbed hold on Severus Snape’s arm and frogmarched him along, out of her office and to the stairwell. Severus’s heart boomed in his chest as she pulled him along, up to Gryffindor Tower, where the portrait of the Fat Lady hung.

“Minerva,” shuddered the Fat Lady, seeing her approach, “It isn’t more bad news, is it?” she asked, eyes wide.

“No,” said McGonagall, “I have a student out of bed and I must check his stories. If you please?”

The Fat Lady saw Severus. “But he’s a Slytherin, Minerva!”

“He is in my care,” McGonagall replied.

“Very well,” the Fat Lady swung open and McGonagall brought Severus through into the Gryffindor common room.

In spite of himself, Severus couldn’t help but feel a bit of triumph as he went through… and then a lot of awe as his eyes feasted on the richness of the room. The Slytherin common room was dark and rather dreary, with the green glow from the orb of the lake-view ceiling, but this room was filled with golden morning light as the sun rose, filling it with it’s glow. The walls were rich maroon and the painting of Godric Gryffindor over the mantel seemed much more friendly, even armed with a sword, than the mustachioed Salazar Slytherin that hung in their common room. He caught himself with a sudden feeling that perhaps Slytherin was somehow lesser than Gryffindor - something that he’d never, ever thought before in all his life. Something he’d never expected to feel. Jealousy.

“Severus?” He looked up. Coming down the stairs from the girls dorms was Lily Evans and she stared at him in shock. “What’re you doing here?” she asked.

Severus started to reply, but McGonagall cut him off before he could get so much as a single word out, “It is none of your concern, Miss. Evans. You can talk to Mr. Snape in the Great Hall at breakfast.”

“Yes m’am,” Lily said, and she hurried to go about her business, averting her eyes from Severus Snape.

McGonagall led him up the stairs to the boys’ dorms, dragging him behind, and she raised her hand and knocked on the very last door they came to, still clutching Severus’s arm. It took several long moments before the door opened, and Severus was certain she would have to break it down and that she would find the dorm beyond empty and his point would be proven. Perhaps he would see the end of more than just Sirius Black from this ordeal - perhaps it would be the end of all four of the nasty Gryffindor Second Years. He would like to see Jame Potter and Remus Lupin kicked out as well. He didn’t particularly care about Peter Pettigrew, but if he was part and parcel of the deal then so be it. But no sooner had he gotten excited than the door was opened by none other than Sirius Black himself.

“Professor?” Sirius asked, confused, looking up at her. And then he saw Severus. “And… you, what’re you doing here?” he demanded.

McGonagall looked down at Severus.

“The horn,” Severus stammered. “He has the horn in the room. Look for it in there, you’ll find it. Then you’ll know --”

“Mr. Black,” McGonagall said, voice clipped, “Are you hiding any giant horns in your dormitory?”

Sirius blinked several times, “Giant horns? What? No.”

“Of course he’s going to say no!” Severus snapped, angrily. “But I saw him. Down on the third floor - with a great big horn! He was invisible and --”

Sirius rolled his eyes, “If I was invisible, then how did you see me, you prat?”

“Enough.” McGonagall’s Scottish accent was particularly clipped. “Mr. Black, do you mind if we look in the dormitory for any great big horns you may have laying about?”

Sirius eagerly backed away, opening the door wide for her to enter, “Sure,” he said, “Go on!” He had a big grin on his face and just the twinkling in his eyes told Severus that they were not going to find any great big horns there in the dorm. Severus fumed, all his innards boiling with anger long before Professor McGonagall requested he come right this way, back to her office.