Fate Set Right

Chapter 26

Severus opened the door and found it empty, ransacked, and the door to his stores ajar.

The abrupt end of the shrieking caught Severus' attention. Shutting the door, he moved to continue his investigation, now assuming the two incidents were linked.

He climbed the stairs from the dungeons and rounded the corner to find Filch shouting about something Peeves had been up to.

"Filch, what is going on?"

"It's Peeves, Professor," Argus said in a whisper, a hint of glee in his eyes that negated his tone. "He threw this egg down the stairs."

Severus slowly climbed the stairs, examining the golden egg in Argus' hands. It was the clue for the Triwizard Tournament; it was wet.

A flutter caught his eye, and Severus saw the piece of parchment on the stairs. Without a doubt, he knew exactly what it was, who the egg belonged to, and who was listening to every word in this corridor.

Silently summoning the Marauder's Map to himself, he snatched it out of the air and peered down at what was displayed before him.

Peeves was nowhere near him and Argus, but a mere five feet away was a huddled clump of Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, and Draco Malfoy.

Arching his brow at the parchment, Severus folded it and tucked it into his pocket. He then turned his attention to Argus, who looked longingly in the general direction the trio was hiding in.

"Peeves could not have gotten into my office," he said, getting the old caretaker's attention.

"This egg was in your office, Professor?" Argus asked.

"No, but it will be," Severus said as he took the egg from Argus. "And I'm sure its owner would like to reclaim it, lest they are too cowardly to admit they lost such a precious item. In the meantime, there is a miscreant who broke into my office. We need to find them."

"But Professor, you see, the headmaster will have to listen to me this time. If Peeves is stealing from students—"

"Then he will need to be reported, yes. However, finding the one breaking into a professor's office is far more important, don't you agree?" Severus said through clenched teeth, losing his patience. When Argus still looked unsure, Severus pointed down the corridor. "Go. Search that way," he commanded, leaving no room for argument.

Reluctantly, Argus sauntered away.

When he was gone, Severus said in a low, but clear voice, "Twenty points from Gryffindor, and ten points from Slytherin for being out of bed well past curfew. You will be in my office tomorrow promptly after dinner, the three of you. You will get your egg, then, Pott—"

Severus was cut off by the distinct sound of a clunk, clunk, clunk coming down the stairs.

He hoped that the three idiots on the stairs did not move or breathe the wrong way as the not-Moody appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Out in your pajamas, Snape?" Moody asked gruffly. He seemed to have spotted the trio of miscreants; his frown of confusion would have been comical if Moody were actually Alastor.

"A noise near my chambers disturbed me, I came to investigate. Argus Filch was here with this," –Severus gestured with the egg—"I sent him on his way in an attempt to find the little blighter that attempted to steal from a champion, or a champion that thought themselves above the rules."

Moody narowed his good eye. "Is that so?"

"It would appear so, no? Unless, of course, said blighter has already made it back to their common room. Or maybe, though unlikely, they left their precious egg where it could be easily stolen. Regardless, I will be holding on to it for safekeeping in my office. Though it is hardly safe with so ... many ... break-ins."