Fantasy fest ficlet: Invitation
Title: Invitation Rating: PG Challenge: DD53, Germany Word Count: 499 Summary: Severus receives an unwelcome invitation, from an unwelcome person. Note: this is a mini-sequel to my BLU fic, The Chemical Wedding of Albrecht Grindewald. I tried to use the prompt in other ways, but this plot would not be denied. It is set a few years later.
"Let's see. Greengrocer's bill." Remus flipped through the mail, piece by piece. "Ars Alchemica. Fishmonger's bill. Neville's bill for pruning the grape arbor - "
"He sent an elf." Severus did not look up from grading his NEWTS class's latest assignment. "By his lights, shouldn't Swishy or whatever its name was be sending out his own bills?"
"I don't think she's taken the finance workshop yet," said Remus. The last piece of mail was a large, cream-colored envelope addressed to "Herr Professor S. Snape." "Severus? This one's from Durmstrang. I thought you didn't know anyone on the faculty."
"I haven't, at least since Igor died." Severus carefully slit the thick, deckle-edged paper with a cutting charm. His lips tightened. Then, with a swift, sudden jerk of his wrist, he whipped it into the fire.
Remus gaped. His partner had gone unhealthily pale. "Severus? Are you all right?"
"Perfectly fine." The parchment in Severus' hand shook slightly. "What would make you assume otherwise?"
Remus eased into the chair next to him. He took the assignment from Severus and laid it back on the pile. "What did it say?"
"The apothecaries' convention is in Germany next year." Severus did not look at him. "In Karlsruhe."
Karlsruhe. Remus slipped an arm about the bony shoulders. The Wizarding Quarter of Karlsruhe had been destroyed on Kristallnacht in 1938, largely because the Zauberer-SS had gone after the synagogue. Severus' uncle had been martyred trying to defend the area. Remus was one of the very few people who had heard the whole story, and Severus' connection to it.
"Oh, love. They couldn't have known."
"Couldn't they?" Severus shoved the envelope at him. "Read the return address. Andreas Grindelwald, potions professor. He - "
The last traces of the invitation curled, flamed, and disappeared up the chimney in a stream of dark gray smoke.
"He replaced Iheronimous Bruckner this year. He's brilliant. Talented. Everything one would expect - "
" - of Albrecht Grindelwald's son?" Remus tried not shudder at the thought. They had deactivated the spells that Grindelwald had laid to produce a super child, but had they worked?
"Grandson. Close enough." Severus chewed his lower lip. "If he sympathizes with his grandfather's politics, he keeps it quiet, but his mother is the daughter of Rupert Maier. That means he'd know about the Sectumsempra I cast on Rupert, even though I wouldn't invent the sodding spell for forty more years."
He sighed. "I was supposed to lead a panel discussion this year."
"Then you should go, love." Remus began rubbing his back as a faint, involuntary shudder ran through him. "I'll go with you."
Severus turned to face him. "You're teaching that workshop at the werewolf rights conference."
"I'll portkey back and forth." Remus brought up his free hand to cup his partner's cheek. "Whether this particular Grindelwald is a threat or not, you don't have to go to Germany alone."
The dark eyes closed Severus leaned into the touch. "I will consider it."