Hey guys, sorry for the short chapter. Considering I had a long weekend, you'd think I'd have time to write more, but I've been surprisingly busy! It seems that I might just have a life outside of school and fanfiction! What'd ya know?
To make things even, I'll make sure next week's chapter is more up to scratch. (and yes, they will be coming weekly. Every now and then I might have a burst of brilliance when extra time and story ideas intersect the universe, but for now, just look forward to the weekend.)
Another thank you to all those who have reviewed, and a special thanks to reviewers GryfffindorGreaser, lauren, Velika Silvertounge, Arina-Peachy for your fantastic and faithful reviews, and also thanks to SupaCrazee, pinksox55, blockheadwriter, ChasingHope19, Dreamingmydaysaway, Greenluvr14, RoseMyrtle, and werewolfrunner for either reviewing or favoriting. Thank you to anyone else that I missed that either reviewed, favorited or alerted, but honestly there are too many of you and I am too tired. Enjoy your chapter, and see ya next week!
After dinner in the Great Hall, Amelia hightailed it to the library. After the mass confusion of Arithmancy there had been the brief break . After that, there had been the satisfyingly understandable class of Care of Magical Creatures (where she had tried to ignore the evil glares of a certain Slytherin posse) and then Herbology. Then had come the last two slightly more brain-numbing classes of the day: Astronomy and Divination. Astronomy was actually quite interesting to her, she had to admit, but she knew it would take a lot of discipline and dedication to learn how to decipher the stars in the actual night sky. As of yet, the class was still being taught during the day, with students studying constellations from maps. Even with the stars written out plainly before her, the fact that ancient peoples had seen pictures in these clusters of light still boggled her mind. Fortunately, that class was with Ravenclaws, so she hoped that she'd be able to find someone smart and nice enough that would be willing to help her.
Divination was closely related to Astronomy in this sense. Though their professor could be a little eccentric at times, what with his love for aromatic incense and trinkets from all around the world, he was also very down-to-earth and in touch with the realistic side of his profession. He still taught a little of the traditional, crystal-ball-and-tea-leaves techniques, but his Divination went deeper than that. Apparently, in his youth (Professor Crimsworth was a man in or nearing his fifties) the professor had been initiated into a group of Centaurs after a chain of events that "might be told later", and the experience had changed the way he viewed the world. The centaurs had taught him how the entire world was mapped out amongst the stars, and how only the wisest of the wise could accurately heed their signs. He also taught how he had discovered that there are certain alignments and times of the year when magic could become more potent. This was partially why many potions were affected by the stage of the moon or the season of the year.
And while Amelia found all of this to be fascinating and she was constantly writing notes, she couldn't help but be distracted by the annoying groups of girls who only giggled and pointed at pictures in their Divination texts. Equally provoking were the boys who just lounged around and pretended as if they knew everything there was to know. It was in this class when Amelia sorely missed the brief encounter with Remus, who was so far the only nice, intelligent person who had spoken to her (other than her professors, of course). She had the feeling that the two of them could engage in long conversations just on the one subject.
After Astronomy was the much-longed for dinner in the Great Hall. Unfortunately, Amelia made the meal as quick as possible (only made easier by the lack of people trying to talk to her) and nipped it down to the library. It felt as though she had more homework than should be legal, and she wanted to get a head start on it. Hopefully, with the help of some educated writings, she'd make it through alive.
Shuffling into the vacant library, Amelia immediately headed off to a hidden little corner that she'd become quite acquainted with. Unloading her insanely heavy school bag, she went through the checklist of all that she needed to do. She skipped over D.A.D.A. and Charms in her head, for she knew she didn't have any written assignments in those classes and also knew that she wouldn't need to practice anything. Thus she decided to focus on her most challenging homework: her assignment in Arithmancy, a research paper on the nine planets in Astronomy, and the written assignment in Potions she had to complete. Everything else was really just review or reading, so she figure she'd try tackling the monster first.
Forty-five minutes later saw Amelia surrounded by books and papers trying to tell her how to riddle out Arithmancy, while she herself was pounding her head on the table in frustration. Amelia felt close to tears. She couldn't understand a thing of this and she didn't know anyone well enough to ask for help. Perhaps if Remus were there…
Amelia sighed and rested her head on her forearms in defeat. She had been thinking a little too much for comfort of the kind Gryffindor. The poor guy lent her an hour of companionship and she became all but obsessed about him. No, she would have to do this on her own… somehow…
Or perhaps she could just take the Poor in Arithmancy and move on with her life?
No, that wouldn't do either. What would people think of her? They already doubted the American witch simply because of her odd background. It would only make matters worse if she proved them right.
She should probably just go to Professor Tanbul for help, she knew. She was simply reluctant to do so because she had taken that route before. The professor was kind and well meaning, but she spoke a language that just went completely over Amelia's head. She knew that to ask for her help would only mean confusing her more. Basically, she was doomed.
About to resign herself to her fate, Amelia had already started getting out her Astronomy homework when she felt the sensation of no longer being alone. Pausing with her hand poised just above her bag, she looked around her, squinting into the dimly-lit corners of the ever-darkening library. A corner to her right seemed to be too dark to her, and she gazed at it suspiciously for a few moments before she became certain that she saw movement.
"Hello?" she called softly, so as to not disturb the cozy silence of the sanctuary too greatly. "Who is that?"
After a second, the unnatural shadow seemed to realize that it had been discovered. Out of the gloom emerged a familiar shape with long black locks and a sullen face.
"Severus!" said Amelia in surprise. The Slytherin boy looked at his feet and shuffled awkwardly.
Amelia immediately felt a pang for him. Even though he appeared to have been helping Lucius Malfoy and his terrorizers, she knew that he was just trying to protect himself. He had told her when they first met – it was here, in fact, in the library that she had stumbled across him – about how he was often tormented by boys who claimed to be 'braver' than he. It sickened Amelia to no end, especially now that she knew his position.
At the same time, it was his 'protection' that was tormenting her: and so the circle of arguments chased around in her head. She teetered on the edge of indecision. Should she invite him back into her good graces and act as if nothing had happened (and, in the process, gaining so help on her assignments)? Or should she stick to her pride and shove him off like he probably deserved.
The next moment decided for her.
"Er, Amelia…" Severus mumbled. "I… apologize about the other day. I… I should have stood up for you." His expression seemed to be pained as he apologized to his shoes, as if he couldn't have done something more out of his comfort zone. He probably couldn't.
Amelia blinked in surprise as this apology sunk in.
"Oh…" she didn't know what else to say. Severus seemed to not mind as he ploughed on.
"I also said some things in the past… to another friend of mine…" he seemed to be trying to form his words carefully. "… And now I haven't seen or spoken to that friend ever since. I just… didn't want the same thing to happen to you. I am sorry."
Now Amelia really didn't know what to say. Though she had only known Severus for a short time when she first came here (and had been struggling with a Potions assignment that the shy boy couldn't resist helping her with) she had immediately understood that he didn't go out of his way to be kind. He wasn't the kind of person who had it easy. He was the boy that spent his life walking around with a naturally brilliant mind but dull people-skills in comparison. He was the guy who spent his time walking around on two left feet, and who was a natural target for bad fortune.
This was what Amelia understood now better than she could have ever understood a few months ago, when she was living happily with her uncle.
It was also why he was immediately forgiven in her eyes.
Amelia smiled and pushed out a chair opposite her. She laughed when Severus looked up at her with startled eyes. He looked as if he didn't know what to do.
"Go on. Take a seat."
Amelia began to tidy up her studying area as he situated himself obediently.
"I'll tell you what," she began. "I'll act as if nothing ever happened in exchange for help with my homework… namely, Arithmancy homework. Sound like a fair trade, amigo?"
Looking puzzled (most likely by her slang) and eager all at once, Severus nodded. He had a light in his eye that made it seem to Amelia as if he was determined not to break this second chance. She had the hunch that he didn't get second chances often.
Severus had already scooted closer so that he was at an angle where he could see her Arithmancy paper. Looking intently at the complicated chart in How To Decipher Arithmancy and Numerology for Wizards and Witches in Training by Eliza Ruthben and the clumsy attempts at chart-solving that Amelia had made on a different sheet, Severus seemed to be calculating everything with stoic preciseness. It was as though the awkward, anti-social boy that had apologized to her only moments before had been transformed into a confident, brilliant scholar. Amelia could only hope that his apparent lack of communication skills wouldn't hinder him in transmitting some of his brilliance to her.
At least enough of it to help her get through Arithmancy with an Acceptable grade or above.
"What do you seem to be having trouble with? The codes? The layout of the charts? The number relationships?" Severus brought her attention back to the task at hand with the teacherly questions.
Amelia considered a moment before answering. What was it about Arithmancy that boggled her mind so completely and utterly? She found she couldn't put a finger on it. Thus there was only one true answer.
"Yes." She decided.
Severus cocked an eyebrow at her and gave her a considering look for a moment. He was probably trying to decide if she was serious or not. She stared straight back at him, conveying without a doubt that she was most definitely, pathetically, and completely serious. The only reason why she hadn't dropped the class yet was because she was so stubborn.
Finally breaking out of their brief staring contest, Severus sighed and sifted some papers towards her.
"Then there is much work to be done. I will not allow anyone learning from me to get any less than an Exceeds Expectations. But you," he gave her a pointed look. "I expect to get to an Outstanding."
Amelia smiled bashfully and bent her head to pay attention to what he was trying to help her with.
If he could get her grade to an Outstanding, he could work miracles.
A few hours later, Amelia and Severus were walking back together to the Slytherin dorms. Amelia tried not to look as dead-tired as she was, seeing that Severus seemed quite unaffected by their late-hour studying of impossible subjects. Her feet ached from hurrying around all day and she mentally berated herself for forgetting to stop by the Infirmary for a headache-relieving tonic. She would ask Severus for one (considering how much he loved and excelled at brewing potions) but she didn't want him to know how much of a pampered American she was. Better to just grin and bear it until she passed out in the comfort of her own bed…
Out of her peripheral vision she saw Severus stop, causing her to copy him. Looking around her at the nondescript dungeon hallway they had stopped in, she was about to ask him where they were until he murmured:
"Silver Snakes."
And the wall before them began to shift and change in order to let them into the Slytherin Common Room.
Amelia closed her mouth quickly and pretended as if she had expected him to do that. She wasn't sure if she'd ever get used to all these moving things…
Stepping in behind Severus, she automatically headed towards the girls' dorms, completely unaware of anything going on around her. Lucius Malfoy himself could have asked her to marry him, and she wouldn't have noticed. The throbbing ache that resounded in her head was only dulled by the thick fog of fatigue that threatened to make her lose consciousness any second. She only hoped she didn't trip on something and make a fool of herself.
No sooner had she finished this thought that she reached the stairs leading to her room… and slipped on the smooth stone, reeling backwards.
Crying out in shock, her arms did circles as she fought in vain to keep her balance. Knowing that gravity would definitely win this battle, she shut her eyes, preparing for the jarring impact of stone… only to be surprised when she stopped falling. A nervous peek ascertained that she wasn't on her back on the floor. In fact, she was nearly up right, leaning back on… something warm…
Craning her head to look behind her, she met the startled eyes of Severus Snape with her own bewildered ones. Immediately she took her weight off from him and took a step backward, keeping her eyes on his face.
Was he… blushing?
No. She probably just knocked the wind of him.
Which reminds me…
"Um, thank you." She said, trying to figure out why she felt so bashful all of a sudden. She continued when Severus' face made no change. "It seems that the gravity is still in tip-top shape, so no worries about that."
This statement seemed to snap him out of it. He raised his eyebrows inquisitively.
"Was the state of gravity ever in question?"
Not with you, it isn't.
Amelia chuckled nervously, wishing he could laugh at a joke when he heard one. Then again, it wasn't exactly a very good joke.
Severus suddenly looked down at his shoes shuffling awkwardly. He looked like he wanted to say something, but wasn't sure about it now. Amelia recognized the facial expression from her encounter with Remus.
What is it with me today? I'm just making people awkward no matter what House I talk to.
"Well… good night." She said slowly. She gathered up her fallen bag with care, taking time enough that Severus could still say whatever he wanted to say if he chose to. But he didn't. Instead, she watched from knee-level as his shoes seemed to become disinterested with the spot they were standing on, and walked away.
I wonder what all that was about?
Amelia sighed as she began to ascend the dorm staircase (with considerable care the second time around). She wanted to analyze her friend's behavior, but honestly she was too dog-tired. He could have been trying to tell her that she had a magical talking mushroom sprouting from her head, and she probably wouldn't have cared. Maybe she'd think about it in the morning.
As for the present, Amelia barely even had time to kick her shoes off before her head hit the pillow and her mind stopped working. Whatever problems or curiosities that wanted her attention would have to wait.
