The curious conversations

There was a gentle knock on the door. ‘Come in’, a voice growled from somewhere inside. A student stepped inside and Professor Snape’s expression warmed, ‘Piova, have a seat.’ ‘What can I do for you?’ he asked after she had sat. ‘Sir, I was wondering, if you would give me detention at your dungeon, on Wednesday evenings.’ The incoherent mutterings matched her unusual awkwardness. He watched her with a curious expression for a few moments before uttering each word separately, ‘Please, do, explain.’ Someone with wild imaginations might have suspected that he was suppressing a chuckle.

She was back her usual self when the clear, soft, voice rang; ‘Well Sir, Mr. Suruj works at your dungeon and he can do with some spare time given it’s his NEWT year.’ She took a short break before continuing, ‘He is a proud man and I don’t think he will accept help from someone, anyone.’ As she finished her composure left and she was back to the unusual awkwardness. The posture and expression of Professor Snape didn’t change as he continued to watch her for a few moments. ‘It is a rather curious observation’, he muttered, before adding ‘I will think about it.’

‘May I!’ Izarra was standing next to Piova. ‘Oh, please do’ Piova sounded delighted. They sat silently on the stairs of the Castle’s main entrance. It was a wonderful October evening. ‘I will miss Hogwarts’ Izarra said with a little sigh, ‘and I will miss you’ she gave Piova a little smile. Piova looked overwhelmed, ‘I will miss you too’, she took a pause, ‘I wish I was like you,’ she said quietly. ‘Like me?’ Izarra laughed softly. ‘Yes, like you’ Piova said firmly, ‘you smile at everyone, and everyone smiles at you.’ Izarra laughed merrily, then she spoke in mock disappointment ‘Now why don’t they have laughter instead of one of those nasty NEWT subjects.’

After some minutes of cozy silence, Izarra spoke ‘It was really nice of you to help Suruj out’. Piova turned a violent shade of pink. Izarra smiled softly at her, then added ‘Don’t worry, it will be our secret’. Piova exhaled deeply. ‘What do you plan to do after finishing school?’ She asked, shrugging off the moments of awkwardness. ‘I’m going to spend some time with my family, in the Muggle world.’ Izarra continued, ‘It’s been so hard for them all these years, telling people stories about some school that doesn’t exist,’ she said a bit bitterly. But she brightened up, ‘I think I will work at Pop’s garage for some time.’ ‘You will be fixing cars!’ Piova sounded thoroughly impressed. ‘Aha, I have been doing it since I was a little girl’ Izarra sounded cheerful.

The dungeon door burst open as Professor Snape marched in with Piova tagging along. ‘She will be doing the chores this evening’, he announced in his cold, sneering voice. ‘She has detention’ he added. The rapturous laughter was cut short by Professor Snape’s cold stare, but Suruj kept chuckling as he said ‘Piova! Detention! What did she do, got only 98%!’ Piova seemed to be trying to melt into the wall behind her. ‘I will be the custodian of her transgression if you don’t mind’, Professor Snape snapped. Suruj sobered up somewhat, ‘Do you think she can manage?’ he asked the professor. ‘I’m leaving you to supervise her’, came the cold, sneering reply.

‘You are going to tell everyone, aren’t you?’ Piova said in a small, scandalized voice after Professor Snape had left. Suruj made a dismissive gesture, ‘Naah, no one will believe me anyway’. This seemed to cheer up Piova and she went about with the chores like someone who knows what’s expected of her. Suruj leaned back on a chair and started to drum his fingers softly on the table. He had a curious look on his face, and after a while, he pulled out a book from his rucksack and started to read.

It was a good couple of hours before Professor Snape returned, surveyed the work, and locked up the room. ‘So, same time next week?’ Suruj said as they reached a crossing where they will go their separate ways. Piova’s face seemed like one chiseled out of stone. Suruj chuckled merrily, ‘Thank you kiddo’ he added in a deep, warm voice. Piova smiled brightly, ‘See you at dinner’, she said and started on her way.

‘Can’t believe you made it through’, ‘that wasn’t too hard, was it?’ It was a glorious summer afternoon. Izarra was sitting in the grounds, basking in the delicious weather; beside her, Suruj lay spread-eagle, a shabby flat-cap on his face, and intently chewing a stick. He spat out the stick and mumbled from under the cap ‘Things I do for my friend’. Then he removed the cap and pulled himself into a sitting position. He stared at her for a moment and added in a deep, warm voice ‘Couldn’t have done it without you Izzy’. Izarra gave an oh it was nothing shrug, though she looked absolutely delighted.

‘Oi Hagrid’ Suruj yelled as he beckoned the games-keeper towards them. The ground shook a little as the giant man sat down heavily. ‘I’m going to miss you two’ he said in a heavy voice. ‘Now don’t start crying you little fellow’ Suruj said in a crackling voice. ‘Just keep your nose clean and you will be fine’ he chuckled merrily. Hagrid and Izarra chuckled too. ‘Yeah, and you take care of yourself’ Hagrid said, ‘you too’ he added to Izarra earnestly.

‘May I!’ the soft, clear voice rang. ‘That would be one Galleon’ Suruj mumbled from under the cap, he was back to spread-eagle. Izarra smiled warmly and patted the ground beside her. Piova sat down lightly, cross-legged and her skirt spread around neatly. ‘Have you thought about your career?’ Piova said. Although it was addressed in general, it was clearly meant for Suruj. Who laboriously got up and said ‘Presently it’s a toss-up between Minister for Magic and Headmaster of Hogwarts.’ ‘Though’ he continued ‘Dumbledore…’ ‘Professor’ the young ladies hissed with varying degrees of exasperation and contempt. He merely gave a dismissive shrug and went on ‘kinda warms my heart.’ There were mild eye-rolls and gentle chuckles from his audience.

‘Watch it you weasels’ Suruj yelled in mock rage. Fred & George had almost rammed into him in the corridor. ‘Sorry, Sir’ yelled George, the twins were standing like soldiers in front of a drill sergeant. ‘Any last advice, Sir’ piped Fred. ‘Raise hell’, ‘Make Percy miserable’ Suruj suggested casually. ‘Yes, Sir’ the twins said in unison before running off to their mischiefs. ‘Keep an eye on those two, will you’ Suruj softly said to Piova who was a few steps behind him. ‘I will’ she replied earnestly.

‘Do I have to?’ Suruj said pleadingly. ‘Yes,’ Izarra hissed and knocked on the door. ‘Please come in’ an austere voice replied. Izarra stepped in, ‘Professor, we wanted to say goodbye.’ ‘Please, have a seat’ Professor McGonagall sounded genial. ‘Still can’t believe the Sorting Hat didn’t put you in Gryffindor’ an unusual teasing tone addressed Izarra. ‘Thank you Professor’ mumbled an overwhelmed Head Girl. ‘You’ the professor turned to Suruj who was scratching his back with the wand, froze in a comical posture before slowly assuming a more respectable position, ‘have been a challenge’ Professor McGonagall continued as if nothing had happened and added ‘and a delightful one.’ ‘I wish nothing but the best for both of you’, she concluded.

‘Professor, it’s been an honor learning from you’ Izarra said humbly to Professor Snape. ‘And it’s been a pleasure to teach you’ his cold, curt, voice had an obvious tinge of warmth. ‘And thank you...’ Suruj started, ‘for what’ the potions master barked. For a moment it seemed Suruj would break into an outburst but he composed himself in a moment and said ‘I’m the only NEWT student in your class who doesn’t have an O in his OWL’ in a matter of fact tone. ‘Do not doubt that I had lowered the bar for you’ the professor continued in his rasping voice, ‘you simply rose to the challenge’ he finished. After a moment of silence, he said ‘Well, then, goodnight and goodbye’ he extended his hand to Suruj and then to Izarra.

‘Move, you peasants’ the booming voice scattered the Huffelpuffs in the common room. Suruj majestically walked to a seat next to Izarra and sat with an expression of extreme smugness. ‘Is that’ Izarra asked, ‘Yes, it’s my crowning glory’ he replied gleefully. He was wearing the well-worn and well-known hat of Professor Sprout. He then leaned over and whispered, ‘Seriously, that lady should take a shower, my head is itching’. Izarra chuckled softly and gave an affectionate punch in his arm. ‘Yo, Digsy’ he said after a while, then tossed his Perfect’s badge to a second-year, who caught it expertly. ‘Keep it, you are going to need one soon enough’ he said to Cedric Diggory.