Smoke-Novel

"I am, Severus." Russell was loading his largest briar pipe with the Cavendish-
Burley mixture he used when he wanted to stay awake. "I wonder why you
might be taking a break from your own mysterious business to come visit our
little aerie."
"Sarcasm does not become you, John."
Russell glared at his colleague. "Let me guess. He said to come and ask me
what I've done, because you are, after all, a good member of the Order of the
Phoenix."
"Almost word for word," Snape admitted.
"But if I tell you, I won't be able to stop the attacks," Russell pointed out.
"True," Snape said. "How about if you at least tell me how you're driving the
dementors off, as opposed to telling me how you know where the attack was
coming."
"Dementors cannot stand ultraviolet light," Russell answered. "Muggles have an
amazingly large number of ways to project it, even at the levels needed to drive
those demons off. Alas, I have not found a spell that does the same, yet."
Russell tossed Snape a pair of tinted glasses. "These charmed glasses allow
Muggles to see dementors under normal light. Scrimgeour has recruited some
squibs who can work with Muggle law enforcement. It will take some time, but
between the Ministry and the Muggle Government, they will figure out ways to
drive dementors away, if not destroy them, without the general Muggle
population learning of us."
"That isn't what you did to the dementors last night!"
"No, that was a nasty little ritual from West Africa. It destroys the physical
manifestations of demons, and it worked on dementors quite nicely. I have it
down to a three minute ritual."
"And Marcus Flint?"
"Your other Master should be gazing at his face by now."
Snape glared at Russell. "Is this a new vice?"
"No," Russell retorted. "I did not like having to kill that idiot. I got no pleasure
from it, and certainly didn't inflict pain on him, like your other master and his
followers would."
"That is so good to hear," Snape said, a bit sarcastically.