A/N:
It took a while for me to get time to do this chapter… but it's here now. Lol. So enjoy. =)
Disclaimer: I know I have been forgetting these, but just to clarify, I DON'T OWN THE HARRY POTTER WORLD OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS… I just own the OC's. =)
EHP- Ch7.
Lucius's mind replayed the scenes as if he were looking at photographs from
that evening. As he continued to walk they played over again in his mind, Barty Crouch Jr. had asked Emily to dance, and they had departed from the group. Barty was leading her by the hand out across the room and to the dance floor where many couples were already swaying. The music had played on and on through the night. More wine was consumed and new dance partners were acquired at some point Lucius remembered having briefly and accidentally danced with old Mrs. Rosa Grande from the Department of Magical Transportation and wondered why she was out so late, how on earth she had been invited and how many mojitos she had drank. He had also danced with Emily Holland, just once, before Gabrielle had come to collect her and she had left with her family around 2:30 that morning. She hadn't even been a very amiable dance partner; in fact she was nearly rude, nonetheless he hadn't been able to get her off of his mind.
After Emily had left the rest of the night began to blur in his head… The glow of the candles adorning the Crouch home slowly transformed into the lamps lining the cobble stone street; he had walked all through the old town and was now faced with the harbor once more. Dark clouds now obscured the once clear night sky. The light of the stars was now hidden and the water no longer held its romantic shimmer. It was simply a matt black. The magic of his memories was no more and then, slowly, it began to rain, washing away the night.
Xxx
"Would Miss Holland like a cinnamon bun…?" The house elf timidly questioned as it eyed the vampire from a relatively safe distance. "Dacky just made them Miss and they are oh so warm…" The house elf known as Dacky wasn't so sure about Emily Holland. His insides were screaming at him to run away! Scatter! Disappear! Hide! Anything… but there he stood holding a tray of warm cinnamon buns in his little hands, shaking and offering them to the lady.
The vampire looked up, her lips were red, stained by the tomato soup she had been busy drinking from a mug. Her eyes widened a bit and she smiled at the little elf, only causing it to shake even more uncontrollably than before at the sight of the red liquid covering her smiling lips. "Yes, please, those smell lovely!" She replied and lightly leapt down from her perch on the kitchen counter. Dacky instinctively let out a wild shrieked and jumped back, the warm tray flying from his hands as he did. For Holland things happened fast, one moment she stood by the counter, the next she was crouched where the house elf had been and was balancing the tray on her hand. She blinked and remained frozen for a moment, then turned her attention to the tray and inhaled the sweet smell of the cinnamon buns. Merlin I'm so fucking hungry… She frowned a bit, she felt hollow, no matter what she ate, how much she ate, her insides still throbbed and it wasn't going away. It was getting worse.
Another terrified yelp from Dacky snapped her from her thoughts of unquenchable hunger; she looked up to observe the scene. In the house elf's haste to escape the girl the poor thing had turned and run straight into the knees of a man standing in the doorway. Holland's eyes traveled up the tall dark figure as she slowly stood, still balancing the tray on her palm. Dacky became so frustrated and afraid of both the vampire woman and the dark looming figure of Professor Snape that he simply dissolved into tears and ran from the kitchen in his embarrassment sobbing and sniffling as he went. Emily let her gaze shift momentarily to the fleeing house elf and frowned a little, feeling sorry that she had frightened it so terribly.
Professor Snape watched her closely, and in the moment that she briefly turned to see the distraught little elf run from the kitchen he let his eyes search her face and study her appearance. 'She's nearly just as she was' he thought, as he looked his former student over, 'but different… of course', he took in the white pallor of her face, it looked as if her features were carved from marble or ice, so still and white. 'How could it have come to this?' He skillfully averted his eyes as she returned her gaze to him. He had avoided her all week long, not that it was any sort of particular feat for him, but he had done it nonetheless, he had put this off… all week.
"Professor…" She began; her was voice soft like velvet. Emily wasn't moving at all; she stood like some sort of statue that had somehow spoken, with an unnatural silence to her presence, not even the sound of a breath pervaded upon the hush. Her crimson eyes shamelessly took in his appearance, and ran over him coolly and methodically with no trace of thought or intent, she simply studied him.
Snape felt himself straighten a bit at her scrutiny; he had to remind himself she really wasn't Emily Holland anymore. That's right, she wasn't Holland, not anymore. He could hear Dumbledore's voice in his mind, 'Ah Severus, that's where you come in, she may not be the same Miss Holland today and most likely not tomorrow either, but, overtime, you have to show her how to be.' The old mans blue eyes had glittered mischievously as he had spoken.
"I apologize Professor, but I don't believe we've met…" He was snapped from his thoughts of Albus's words. Emily took a small step forward after she spoke. She looked rather timid now; breakable, and a bit unnerved… this gave Severus the bit of confidence he needed.
"I am Professor Snape" He began; introducing himself curtly he turned on his heel beckoning for her to follow him as he strode out of the kitchen. That was going to be the only way to get this whole thing going, to just walk. "If you will follow me please, the Headmaster has requested that I collect you and deposit you in his office." Once he had turned from her he just kept walking, no pausing, no turning back and although he couldn't hear her footfalls he took a brief glance to his right and there she was. 'No more footsteps…' the thought invaded his conscious mind as they walked on in silence. His scowl deepened at this and he quickened his already brisk pace.
Emily walked beside him mechanically, as if she had done this a hundred times. He had looked over at her for a split second as if to make sure she was really there. She felt something familiar with this man; something about all of this was familiar. Something similar to what she had felt with Minerva McGonagall, Hagrid, Dumbledore, Flitwick, and Tonks… she knew this man, but he didn't bother to really introduce himself, he just kept walking in silence. All she knew for now was that he was Professor Snape and he felt quite familiar…
Xxx
They walked the corridors in silence until they came to a large gargoyle in front of which Snape stopped abruptly. "Peppermint Pinwheels" he drawled. And the gargoyle seemed to wake up from its stony sleep and then lithely sprung aside. Without further notice or indication of their destination, Severus Snape swept past the gargoyle and up the winding stairs, his black robes trailing behind him. Holland followed him up the spiraling stairwell, upon reaching the top Snape knocked once on the large door before entering without a real invitation.
"Come i-" Dumbledore was cut off as Snape entered the room briskly and walked towards the large desk where the older wizard was seated. Dumbledore smiled softly at his colleague, his blue eyes sparkling as he eyed the Professor and gave one of his reprimanding 'looks'. Nevertheless he greeted the pair jovially, "Ah, Severus, thank you for delivering Miss Holland." He spoke kindly and his glittering gaze shifted from the man in black to the woman who still stood politely in the doorway. "Please Miss Holland do come in." Dumbledore said and beckoned to her as he stood behind hid desk.
Snape looked over his shoulder and shot Emily a bit of a nasty look as she walked to join him in front of Dumbledore. She smiled nervously, her unearthly teeth showing, Holland had seen very little if the headmaster since she had woken up on the sofa in this very office nearly a week ago. Since then the professors had been quite busy with the start of term. "Good evening Professor." She began lamely yet held the old wizards gaze with grace.
Dumbledore smiled softly at her and motioned to a glass bowl on his desk, "red liquorish dear?" he said softly, "I've been in a very liquorish mood as of late" he continued nonchalantly as he picked up one of the candies from the bowl and grinned at it. "I've been keeping the black liquorish snaps about, but they can be a bit to much over time…" he popped the red candy into his mouth. "One never knows when they're going to 'snap' and I don't fancy being bitten by something I'm supposed to be eating." He chuckled and offered the bowl to she and Snape. Severus merely shook his head but Emily took a candy and received a smile from Dumbledore. "Anyhow, I'm going on and on about sweets, and, that is not quite what it is I wanted to see you about Emily."
He had used her first name and the vampire felt her failing heart swell a bit with pride. There was a feeling towards this man that she couldn't quite put her finger on, a since of responsibility and a…. trust. Loyalty? Perhaps?
"Yes, yes, now to business my dear;" he paused "Professor." He turned his gaze to Snape then back to Emily for a moment before he continued. "I have come to the conclusion that since you have been sent here… on Ministry business… still as a guard, we shall retain you as such. Times being what they are, men like Sirius Black running loose…" Dumbledore paused and shook hid head before beginning once more. "The Dementors will remain in your charge, as the minister has dictated, but please, consider yourself a guest here. I have yet to speak to Fudge on the matter, though I am sure he will see things in the proper light." At this his eyes flashed darkly for a moment. "You are a welcome guest in this castle as long as you choose to stay, you have my word." Emily stole a questioning glance towards Snape, but the Professors face was void. "However, aside from matters of the ministry" Dumbledore continued. "I have for you, a gift, that should prove most useful…" With that he turned and retreated into the back of the room.
Again Emily looked to Professor Snape for appropriate guidance… but he remained mostly impassive, his black eyes merely darted towards her as he clasped his hands lazily behind his back. Holland returned her gaze to Dumbledore who now walked back towards the desk from where ever he had been in that messy closet and was carrying a large… bowl? 'A present for…her?'
Severus stood silently at her side, he knew Dumbledore could read him like an open book, no matter how much he hated to admit it, from the moment he had burst in the door the old man had sensed his emotional upset. Severus Snape wasn't himself, or perhaps, he wasn't the self that he had been these years of Holland's absence. She stood now by his side and looked to him for direction. Severus felt as if he was going to be sick. Her dead and risen body stood here on the stone floor as if she had never been gone at all. He couldn't do this; he wouldn't do this, at least not without making it hell for all of them. As soon as he saw the old wizard returning with the silver basin he knew his fate, and he would not go quietly. He stole another glance down to Holland who looked at the bowl with questioning eyes; she remembered so little of the world, of who she was… He was quite thankful for that… but it was all about to change now.
Dumbledore's little grin broadened into a large smile as he observed the look of mild confusion present on the young woman's face. "For you." He said handing her the silver basin.
"Thank you…" Holland took the bowl in her hands and looked into it, studying its shape and luster. Her crimson eyes taking in the once familiar object, recognition and understanding swam just beneath the ruby surface of her irises as she ran a white finger over the silver. "A… a Pensive… sir?"
Severus raised an eyebrow. 'She remembers the Pensive… or just a lucky guess…'
"Yes." The old wizard replied walking around his desk towards Holland. "A Pensive. Do you remember what it does?" He stopped in front of his former student and placed his hands on the opposite rim of the basin, then looked deep into its empty bottom.
Emily looked too, following his example but saw nothing, she knew what this basin was, a Pensive, wasn't it? Dumbledore had said she was correct. But what was it for? Think… she just starred into its silvery depths and wracked her brain for some sort of answer… inside she felt something stir… her heart flip-flopped and she winced at the sharp pain it caused. Her stomach churned and she felt… warm… and queasy. Her head felt light as she continued to look into the Pensive.
Thoughts began to fill her brain. Running down the stairs in a large old home, in her nightgown… it was white and she grabbed the wooden banister to turn the corner and saw… a beautiful large green Christmas tree… then she was getting on the train to Hogwarts… sitting in a compartment in her school robes… Professor Snape? Giving her a small grin as he moved his king out of check, firelight illuminated the stonewalls behind him. These thoughts, memories faded, and there was a little boy… a toddler with soft curling blonde hair and crystal blue eyes… Holland felt her hands grip the rim of the basin tightly and her knees locked. The child was fully visible now… she wasn't standing with him, but she could see him in her mind… he laughed and clapped his little hands together. She felt herself breathe and the air stung inside of her. As she exhaled lacerations and dark bruising became apparent on the child's beautiful face, arms, and chest… Holland let the air out in a scream and wretched her hands away from the rim of the Pensive.
Suddenly the world came back to her in a cold rush and she was falling backwards towards the stone floor. Her hands instinctively caught her and she fell lightly. Looking up, her red eyes wide with shock, she saw the faces of her professors. She looked between them, Dumbledore still held onto the Pensive. She leapt to her feet in one smooth motion and squared them on the floor under her for balance. She could feel her sharp white teeth growing in her mouth, pressing against her lower lip; she let her mouth hang open instinctively to accommodate them. Her skin was on fire as if it was freezing on the spot she could feel everything, every breath, every twitch. Blood stirred in her dead veins and she could hear heartbeats, consciously around her, rhythmically pushing life through living flesh. She took in another breath that stung and shook her. "What was that…?" she hissed.
XxxXxxXxxXxxXxx
All right; now we're going somewhere. Haha. Little bit of a cliffhanger there. So… what was going on inside the pensive? Any guesses?
And what does Snape have to do with it? All of her memories are coming in really unsteady waves right now, but next chapter we may get to see a bit more. =)
Please review… right now I have ONE person reviewing this story… so your feedback would really make my day, if you're a writer I know you understand… I really like this story but I need a bit of encouragement sometimes!