Title: Why Me?

Chapter 10: The Dawn of Realization

Rating: T

Disclaimer: None of it belongs to me but you all know that anyway.

A/N: Okay took me a few days to get back to this but only because of school and a trips to the doctors office. Thank you of course to all my reviewers, you are the reason I continue to write. Also again great thanks to Kyra Invictus Black for being my Beta reader.

Chapter 10: The Dawn of Realization.

Callie sat with hands poised delicately over the white and black keys of a pipe organ. She had never been a very proficient player of this instrument and it would be interesting to see how much she actually remembered. She didn't have the long skinny fingers for playing the piano or organ, as snooty teachers constantly reminded her. She had had to learn to trust her quick reflexes and emotion for the piece to get her through and even then there were certain things she couldn't do with ease.

She began running through the scale. She heard Severus enter but didn't turn to greet him. She continued to warm up. Finally after she was sure she was completely ready she turned to him. She was surprised by his punctuality. She had expected him to drag his feet the entire way.

"I think we should begin with a warm up. Just to reacquaint our vocal chords with the act of singing as I am sure you have not been keeping up with your practicing." Snape didn't answer, but he didn't have to. "Then we can move on to the piece I have selected." Callie handed him the sheets of music she had dug out of storage that morning. "It used to be one of our best." She watched as his eyes scanned the title and for a moment she saw a true smile. It disappeared in the blink of an eye.

"Are you sure you can still hit these notes?" He asked in a challenging tone.

"Should we find out?" She answered with a grin. His initial quietness had made her nervous but as soon as he challenged her all nerves disappeared. It was like old times—almost.

She took a seat at the organ. "I'll do my best on this thing but I'm not making any promises." She gave him a smile, which he unthinkingly returned. She hit the first note and their voices rang out and coalesced in a way that made Callie shiver. They both looked at each other in surprise. "This may not be as hard as I thought it was going to be."

Callie couldn't believe how easily it was coming back to them. She had expected herself to be shaky at first, let alone Severus, but it was almost like they had taken a leap back in time and they were simply sitting in the Snapes' home practicing. Severus certainly hadn't lost any of the power behind his voice. It was the same deep, smooth voice that had once joined in song with her often. He was obviously just as pleased as she was, though he was trying to hide it.

Finally, after running through the scale, as low and as high as they could reach comfortably, Callie placed the music in front of her. "This is going to be interesting." She stated under her breath.

"Worried?"

She turned to him with a devilish smile. "Not about singing it. I'm just not sure if I can play this. It's not exactly a simple piece."

"Well –"

Suddenly out of nowhere a young man dressed in black appeared. Callie stood in alarm and the young man sat himself in front of the organ. "Would the Mademoiselle and Monsieur like me to begin at the beginning?" He asked in a French accent.

"I didn't know the Room of Requirement could create people." Callie mused.

"Neither did I but this school and the people in it never cease to surprise me, unfortunately." Severus answered.

"Monsieur?" The young man sat patiently.

"Yes at the beginning please." Callie finally answered.

Severus had not been looking forward to his appointment with Callie, but now that he was there he couldn't remember why. He couldn't believe that his voice had not suffered the effects of disuse. After that last year with Callie he hadn't so much as hummed another tune and yet all these years later it was as though he had never stopped. Some of his best memories were of sitting in the drawing room of his parents' home practicing with Callie. He would never admit it openly but he missed those days.

Callie's voice hadn't changed a bit, except for, perhaps, growing stronger. Severus was almost certain, however, that she had kept up with practicing. She would have been foolish not to, of course he supposed the same could be said of him.

Callie's voice was amazingly adaptive. She could hit high soprano and low alto, depending on what was needed. Severus had always been amazed at her versatility. His vocal range was far more restricted. He was a baritone. He was however more versatile than most and had been working on extending his range when he had quit.

He turned to Callie as the young man began to play. This whole idea of them being in the talent show might not be quite as excruciating as he had thought. Taking a deep breath he sang the first lines of the song feeling the music flow around him as though it were something he could physically touch. "Insolent boy! This slave of fashion basking in your glory! Ignorant fool! This brave young suitor, sharing in my triumph!"

Two hours had past since they had first started singing and they were both quite sure it was time to call it quits. They had sung through the song about a dozen times and had gone over trouble spots. Now they sat drinking Callie's favorite wintertime drink, chai tea. Severus had been unsure about it but he had become very fond of the drink.

He had become quite relaxed during the last few hours. He wasn't sure if it was Callie or the music that calmed him so deeply. As he thought about it his mood became quickly sour. He had completely forgotten about his mothers comment until just now and it made his blood boil. He was certain Callie had a hand in whatever his mother was up to and with the comment she had made the previous evening he wasn't sure he really wanted to know.

"So Miss Darcy are you enjoying stay at Hogwarts?"

Callie's brow furrowed at his sudden coldness. "Are you back to calling me by that title again? Can't you address me by my real name?"

"I don't use informal titles with people who are conspiring against me."

"What in Merlin's name are you talking about?"

"Oh please. I am not stupid Callie. My parents turn up at the school and not long after you are appointed as DA professor. I'm sure my mother is busy planning a wedding."

"Excuse me?!" Callie burst out in anger. "I was not invited here by your parents. Dumbledore wrote and asked me to come and teach. And as far as your mother is concerned I have no idea what she is planning. If it is a wedding then we're both going to be in for a nasty shock."

Severus was surprised at the sincerity in her voice. "You actually have no part in any of this."

"Of course not!" Callie had crossed her arms over her chest like a stubborn child. "How could you think such a thing?"

"Oh I wonder how. You weren't exactly a saint in your younger years Callie."

"True." Callie's anger disappeared and it was replaced by an apologetic smile. "You don't actually think she meant anything by that remark the other night do you?"

"Knowing my mother she's probably choosing caterers as we speak."

"I'm being serious."

"So am I."

Callie smiled but inwardly she was worried. Aimee was the take-charge type but she wouldn't go so far as planning an entire wedding would she? "I'm sure it was just to scare you although she should have thought about how terrified I would be." Callie joked.

"Hah hah. You're lucky. You haven't been the brunt of her jokes lately."

"That's true but I'm sure she has good reason behind everything she's doing."

"Oh I'm sure." Severus' sarcasm was not lost on Callie. "And what would that reason be?"

"I don't know but the way you're trying to stop her is evidently not working. Have you ever considered switching tactics?"

"What do you mean?" Severus had caught the devilish glint in her eyes and knew she was up to something, and whatever it was wasn't good.

"Well have you ever considered fighting with the very weapon she's been using?"

"You mean pull pranks on her?" Severus liked this idea.

"Why not? If she feels inclined to use these little jokes against you why shouldn't you return the favor? I used to pull some particularly nasty pranks on people here at school and may be willing to give you a hand."

Severus couldn't believe his ears. It was like he was sitting across from a teenage Callie instead of the grown woman he saw. "What did you have in mind?"

A/N: Okay I know this was kind of a short chapter but oh well. Please read and review you know it makes me happy. I can't wait to get started on the next chapter.