"You mean you want to humiliate him in front of every house and form," said Draco.
Again with the innocent voice. "Would I do that?"
"Well, this'll make Defence a lot more interesting," said Harry.
"Entertaining, one might even say--"
"Enough of that," interrupted Snape in a more normal tone of voice. "I actually didn't intend to explain in advance what I had in mind for Aran. You two really are quite persistent. Rather, what we really need to discuss is what sort of story will circulate to explain the events of last Thursday."
Harry nodded. He'd been thinking about that too. "Right. We can't let Voldemort learn that Lucius Malfoy snatched us. He'd take it out on Remus."
"In excruciating fashion," said Snape in the tone of one who knows from firsthand experience. His voice became brisk as he continued. "I've been in touch with Albus and we have developed what we feel is an acceptable story. I must say, Harry, it simplified matters considerably that when I spoke with him I already knew of your troubles with Aran."
Harry felt himself colouring.
His father didn't let him dwell on it. "Your classmates noticed you were missing from lunch onwards. They assumed that Aran had extended your detention into his free period following Thursday lunch. We will build on that and say that at the close of your detention, Draco requested the return of his confiscated amulet. Aran refused to yield it on the grounds that coming as it did from the hazardous Parselmouth . . ." Snape's lips twitched. "It was most likely dark and would harm Draco."
"That sounds like something he'd say," murmured Draco, reaching beneath his shirt to finger his amulet. He hadn't taken it off since he'd retrieved it from Lucius in France. "Actually, he more or less did say that in class."
Snape's eyes looked angry, but his voice was calm enough. "When Aran refused to return your property, Harry demanded to use the Floo to contact me, but Aran refused that as well. In a burst of Gryffindor obstinacy, Harry cast a silver message to summon me. This will explain the Patronus to anyone who might have seen it galloping through the halls."
"Good thinking," said Harry, ignoring the way Draco was grinning at the slight to Gryffindor.
"Aran, of course, could not understand Harry's Parseltongue," Snape went on. "He panicked and cast Petrificus on Harry just as the silver message was launched. Draco was quite understandably alarmed by this, and attempted to Petrificus Aran before the man could do additional harm to Harry--"
"Attempted!" exclaimed Draco.
"Yes. You missed."
"I did not!"
Harry laughed. "It's a story, Draco."
"It makes me look inept!"
Harry slanted him a glance. "Welcome to my life."
Draco sighed theatrically. "Very well. If you can put up with it then so can I."
Snape waited until his sons had quieted. "To continue, by then Aran had recognised the silver message. He knew I would soon be coming. Rather than Petrificus you as well, Draco, and have twice as much to explain, he then attempted to memory charm you. However, because he still had the amulet in his possession, an amulet designed to protect you, the spell backfired on him and knocked him out."
"Would turquoise normally do that?"
Snape shrugged. "No, but as Draco has worn it for some months it's credible that it could have bonded to his magic. Particularly considering the burn it once induced."
Harry nodded. "All right, then. I think people could believe the bit about the spell rebounding. It is just like what happened to Lockhart. Well, almost."
"Now, to explain your and Draco's disappearance. As soon as Aran posed no more threat, Draco realised that there might be an investigation and his wand as well as Aran's would reveal a Petrificus. Understandably, he lacked faith that the Governors would listen to his side of the story. Remember, at this point Draco did not know that Aran's memory had been affected; he knew only that the man was unconscious. In panic, then, Draco retrieved his amulet and summoned some Floo powder."
"Impulse control," said Draco dryly.
"Exactly. You flooed away with Harry to Diagon Alley and immediately Apparated him to a secure location I had provided you in case of emergency. However, once there you had no way to contact me, as it is so very secure. In the confusion of the Patronus and finding Aran unconscious, Albus and I suspected foul play and it took some time for us to realise what really happened."
"Wait, back up a bit. There's a problem. Aran's wand won't show a memory charm. I'm pretty sure Lucius must have hexed Aran using Draco's, or maybe mine, because his own had been destroyed at that point. But I know a priori wouldn't show it on Aran's."
Snape favoured the boys with a feral grin. "It will now."
Draco quirked an eyebrow at his father. "But we only just now came up with the story."
"Ah, but Albus has had Aran's wand all this time and will not be returning it until the investigation is complete."
Draco wasn't satisfied yet. "How can he possibly keep teaching? Don't get me wrong, I'm all for public humiliation." He rubbed his hands together in gleeful anticipation. "But memory charms aren't exactly sanctioned by the Board, you know."
Severus gave Draco a condescending glare. "Clearly the Headmaster doesn't always report things to the Board or I'd have been sacked for Obliviating Nott. Furthermore, Aran's hardly going to insist the Board hear of his abysmal judgment."
"And even if he did," Harry added. "Lucius Malfoy has suddenly become a very cooperative board member."
"Precisely," his father answered.
"Hmm." Harry sighed. "So, all that works, I guess. Did Draco Finite my body bind before we flooed away?"
"I think not. He knew you would have insisted on waiting for me to arrive. Considering he'd already been unfairly expelled once this year, he felt a strong urge to leave the scene so he could claim he'd never been there at all."
"And the reason we were both in hospital?"
"Flooing while under Petrificus drained you."
"Yeah, me being so fragile."
Snape nodded, though the look in his eyes was apologetic.
"And just why did I need medical treatment?" asked Draco.
"Performing side-along was too much exertion for you."
"Pomfrey knows I was snake-bit all over."
"Albus has instructed her to say nothing of that."
Draco sighed. "All right, fine. I'm going to get in trouble for Apparating without a license, though."
Snape waved that matter away. "Nothing will come of that. The Aurors have already agreed that there were extenuating circumstances."
"Order Aurors, in on the plot." Draco nodded. "Nothing like having well-placed friends. Am I to be excused for obviously having practised Apparition prior, though? Or are you going to claim that on my very first attempt, I not only made it without splinching myself, but also managed to bring Harry along?"
"You were learning Apparition from me. There's nothing wrong with that."
Harry grimaced. "And the reason you didn't teach me as well was my once-more fragile magic, I suppose?"
"Yes." Snape shrugged. "I know it is hurtful, Harry, but the more we can lull the enemy into thinking you helpless, the better our advantage of surprise."
Harry was well used to it all by then, so he nodded.
"Are we all agreed, then? This is the story you will circulate when asked for any details."
"Ron and Hermione included?"
Snape shook his head. "They may be privately told the truth, since they are so intimately acquainted with your true magical state and all the rest."
Harry smiled in relief. "Good. Thanks, Dad."
"I wonder if she really helped Greg at all," said Draco, his head tilted to one side.
"Hermione wouldn't say she would and then not do it."