Chapter 14: The Sweetest Thing
Chapter 14: The Stranger
Severus had always valued discretion above all else. He preferred to slip through the world beneath a veil of anonymity—a feat rarely attempted and even more rarely accomplished by any peer. Victoria, however, relished the attention of the glittering masses, and it seemed her wishes prevailed. Given his recent connection with the notorious Madame Delacour, Severus was not about to give the gossipmongers any more reason to whisper behind their fans. For that reason, he decided it best to make his visit during the acceptable hours and arrive in his own marked coach. Though a few of the most dedicated matrons would raise a brow at the notion of an honorable and wealthy baron making a call upon an utterly obscure "widow," it would require less attention than if he were to arrive at midnight in a hired hack. How he hated London!
Upon arrival, he had been told that both "Mrs. Figg" and "Master Harry" were in their lessons and not to be disturbed. Sitting in the drawing room like some uninvited guest in a house that he secretly owned was somewhat irksome. Being asked to wait by a butler that he had stationed there was even more so. Severus endured the tedium while he stared at the silk lined walls. He began to pace in front of the French windows that overlooked the courtyard. What he spied through them certainly did not look like lessons to him.
Miss Granger was strolling idly alongside a red haired gentleman—Mr. Weasley, he presumed. Though still not a beauty, she looked quite charming as she laughed aloud at something her escort said. It was then that he noticed it. Miss Granger's hands were fluttering about in front of her, and she had a look of concentration on her face. Every so often, she would pause and wait for the man to supply her with the word she was looking for. He frowned. He had truly thought that a woman as intelligent as Miss Granger would be able to master a few gestures in two weeks. After a couple of moments of being watched, Miss Granger spotted him and blushed. She waved and said something to the man beside her before hurrying inside.
"My lord," she said quite formally as she curtsied. She held herself ramrod straight and had the look of a lioness whose cub had been tormented. "We received no word that you would see fit to call on us."
Severus' lips quirked up slightly. "I didn't know that I would be censured by a nursemaid."
Miss Granger frowned. "'T was not censure, my lord."
"Enough of this. I am here to see the boy," he said, taking a seat on the elegant settee. "Is that permissible?"
"Harry is almost through for the day. Would you mind waiting just half an hour?" she asked earnestly.
Severus nodded. "What has Harry told you about the Dursleys? Does he understand the legal situation?"
Miss Granger shook her head. "Harry is no where near able to understand such things. As for the Dursleys, he managed to tell me that he used to sleep in the 'horse house,'" she told him, making the appropriate motions. "Do not take Harry's progress for granted. He has made huge strides. He is now able to communicate simply—in a word or two at a time. Signs like 'hungry,' 'tired,' 'happy,' and 'lonely' he knows quite well. With patience, we are able to come to understandings about each other and the things around us. Conversing as educated adults, however, is something neither of us can manage in sign."
"How is it then that he asked for me?" Severus asked skeptically.
"Lonely," Miss Granger said making the sign for the emotion. "Harry told me he was lonely. When he couldn't be appeased by my presence nor anyone else's, he made the sign for your name and then repeated that he was lonely."
The lord nodded. "I had not considered that he would miss me," he confessed.
"I knew he would. Despite your attempts to stay at arm's reach, I know that he has already taken to you," she told him. Glancing at the clock, Miss Granger stood. "I don't believe it could hurt too much for Harry to miss a moment or two of his lesson today. Would you follow me, please, my lord?"
Severus did as Miss Granger asked. He was actually quite surprised by the nervousness that bubbled up in his stomach. Though Harry was learning to communicate, Severus still had no real way to reach him on his own. He supposed Miss Granger would be the link between them now—a firm barrier separating Severus from acting on his foolish desires. The thought should have brought him a modicum of relief, but it did not. Instead, he felt as though he was being strangled by his cravat.
Miss Granger led him to a room on the second floor. "I had this room set up as a classroom for Harry," she commented before opening the door.
The teacher, Miss McGonagall, looked up at him with mild surprise. Her hands stilled, and she gestured for Harry to look toward them.
Until that very moment Severus hadn't realized that he had expectations for this meeting. In the back of his mind, he had pictured an exuberant Harry rushing to greet him. He thought that the boy would simply forgive his absence—act as though nothing had happened between them. No, he hadn't realized that he had expectations until they were not met. Harry simply sat at his desk. Wary green eyes showed no hint of the reverence that had once been there. His smile was forced and polite, as though he had been schooled by the great deceivers of the ton. He looked to Miss Granger with an expression that begged for some sort of intervention. Severus didn't doubt that Harry realized how ill prepared they were to talk.
Oddly enough, Miss Granger did not step in as Severus had expected. Miss McGonagall did. The matron stood up from her desk. "You must be Lord Snape," she said forthrightly.
"Miss McGonagall," he said with a tiny bow. "I have heard nothing but your praises from Mrs. Figg."
Miss McGonagall gave him a knowing smile. "Praise is quite unnecessary, my lord. My work is its own reward."
Harry did not seem to take well to being ignored. He moved his hands quite emphatically—though Severus hadn't any clue what he said.
Miss Granger let out a strangled giggle. "Harry wants to know where you have been."
Severus sighed. "Tell him that I have been with my wife."
His statement was followed by a great deal more fluttering gestures than Severus would have thought necessary. More than anything, Harry seemed confused. Eventually, Miss Granger saw fit to enlighten him. "Harry has yet to learn the sign for wife."
"I see," Severus replied limply.
He took a moment to examine his surroundings. His solicitor had sent over a bill for the improvements and yesterday for his perusal. Miss Granger was—to his relief—quite frugal. Still, he was impressed by the sensible schoolroom she had created. Complete with a full bookcase and chalkboard, she had left nothing out. In fact, Severus considered hiring Miss Granger one of the few intelligent things he had done since finding Harry.
After finally receiving enough clarification to be satisfied that Severus had not merely abandoned him, Harry became somewhat more relaxed—though still not the free spirit that Severus had come to expect. It was as if Harry had turned from small child to young man in the mere weeks Severus had been gone. Severus found himself missing the way the boy had looked at him before—even though he knew he bloody well didn't have the right to miss it.
"My lord, what do you think?" Miss Granger inquired with her brow knit in frustration.
"I am terribly sorry. My mind drifted. You were saying?" Severus asked, feeling the sting of embarrassment.
Miss McGonagall cocked a brow at Severus. The matron's eyes seemed to miss nothing from behind her spectacles. "We were simply saying that Harry might benefit from more frequent visits from you, my lord. He seems quite amazingly attentive when you are here," she added with an unreadable expression. Severus could have sworn he saw the woman smirk for just a second.
"I cannot make promises," he answered stoically. "I have a great deal of obligations to keep."
A look passed between the two women, but Severus did not notice. He was presently gazing across the room to the boy who had abandoned their boring discussion to look through his prized kaleidoscope. Would the obsession stop now? Would he finally begin to be free of his constant desire? And better yet: would he miss it when it had passed? Severus did not know, but he did know that he had other matters to attend to as well—matters that were currently back in Richmond.
Vernon Dursley paced before the fire anxiously. It had been nearly two full months since Harry had been gone, and the horror he'd been awaiting had yet to arrive. In the back of his mind, he dared to hope that Lord Snape would simply let the matter be. After all, he now had the boy and apparently knew nothing of Harry's true identity…or at least, Vernon was left to assume he knew nothing. Snape did not strike him as man to sit upon such information idly. The only true assurance that Vernon had in this debacle was his association with Cornelius Fudge. The magistrate had been ever so compliant after Vernon handed him a bank draft for twenty-thousand pounds. Snape would find no help from Fudge, that much was certain.
"Mr. Dursley," the maid said from the doorway. "A young woman is here to see you."
"I told you that I did not wish to be disturbed," Vernon bellowed as his face turned red.
The girl paled visibly. She knew what kind of a beast Dursley could be when he was riled. "She said it was urgent and that you'd want to know what she has to tell you."
Vernon sneered. "Send her in. For you sake and hers, it had better be bloody well worth it!"
He did not recognize the sickly, young woman who entered not a moment later. Her shabby clothes marked her as one of those sad urchins that he had no desire to deal with. Perhaps, she sought to beg coin from him through some deception. "Just who the devil do you think you are barging into my home like this?" he demanded roughly.
"Someone who knows all about young Harry Potter," she replied shakily.
Vernon stilled at the name. His eyes began to widen in horror and rage as he felt a certain familiarity take him. "What is your name, child?"
"Lavender Brown."