Disclaimer: I don't own Hogwarts or anything else out of the HP universe.
If you spot anything else in this chapter which is borrowed, I'd like to
say here that it is, indeed, not mine at all.
Damien
by Sarah Black
chapter twenty-five
A clamor of voices could be heard from the Great Hall, everyone was having breakfast she supposed. She wasn't very hungry, so she decided to go to her room. She was a bit lost at first, it had been a while since she had walked these corridors, but she found her way to her room at last. Although, by that time, her arms were aching with the strain of holding Louis up. He was one year old now, and not a small as he had been when she first gave birth to him. Her room was unlocked and she was a bit surprised to see that none of her things were in there. They must think I'm dead. She thought to herself. They'll be ever so surprised when they see her... with a child. Her Louis. She put him down on her former bed and looked him over. He had managed not to drool all over himself. And he had one of those plastic chewy things in his mouth... what had Zara called them again? She wasn't sure if Louis was Severus's too, but she suspected it strongly. Well, she'd know for sure if he showed any signs of magical talent. Now, most importantly, where were all of her things? How terribly rude to just move them somewhere else! Or maybe they had destroyed them? Some sort of silly wizard thing. Girl dies, destroy her stuff. She hoped not. Her favorite dress had been here. And she had been dying to try it on and see if it still fit her. She was a tad resentful towards Louis, still, for he had ruined her figure. It was completely unfair. She had to have her body destroyed, go through an unbelievable amount of pain, and now her stuff was all gone too? And she was stuck with a drooling baby. Well, it was her baby boy. And of course she loved him. But was he really worth losing everything that ever meant anything to her? She sighed and sat down on the bed and prevented Louis from stupidly crawling off the edge. Honestly, did he never think? Had she ever been like that? She found herself wishing Zara was here to watch Louis while she did other things. Like take a shower. Or something. The bell rang, signaling the beginning of the first class. What day was it? Oh, it wouldn't matter anyway, Severus would most likely have a different teaching schedule now, so even if he had been on a break at this time on this day last year, he wouldn't now. And she was tied to Louis. She felt like such a prisoner. She would have to devote everything to this boy. Her whole life. She felt her heart start to beat a little faster. She would be a prisoner. She wished fervently that she had killed him, killed him while he was still inside her. Her father's voice suddenly echoed through her mind. You can't change happened things. How annoyed she had gotten every time he told her that.
Finally, after about ten minutes of being idle, she gave up and went to wait in Severus's office. She had to find answers, and if they all though she was dead, Severus would probably handle it best if she returned. She didn't really want to be the one responsible for Albus's heart attack. But maybe she should go see Minerva, she doubted anyone would be sad if she had a heart attack. But she really wanted to see Severus. And he had a right to be the first person at Hogwarts to see Louis. If he was indeed Lois' father. How this not knowing was annoying. Maybe she could get Severus to take one of those DMA tests... or was it DNA? She could never remember properly. She didn't even know what it stood for so that didn't make it any easier. It might be Dangerous Mammal is Angry or Dweeb Nostril Alert or something... She set Louis down on Severus' desk and but herself in one of the two chairs situated in front of the desk. Louis giggled insanely and tried to attack his own nose.
"Quit it Louis." She reprimanded him sharply. The boy thrust his tongue out at her. She rolled her eyes at him.
"If that's how you're going to get yourself on dates when you grow up, I don't know you. All right?" She spoke distractedly, her full attention averted to the glass jars all around. Disgusting potion ingredients floating around aimlessly. How could Severus work here? Her mind would keep wondering over to these horrid jars all the time. Like it was now. Louis gave a loud squeal and she could here that he was about to fall of the desk. She caught him safely in her arms. He giggled and reached out his hand for her necklace. She allowed his small fingers to fiddle with the small piece of jewelry and begged Severus in her mind to come soon. Her wish was granted not too long after when the bell rang, signaling a small break. It couldn't have been a double class then...
The door opened and Severus strode in, he was carrying a pile of parchment in his arms. Probably homework due today. When he had finished closing the door behind him, he looked up and realized her. He stared for a good moment. Then he dropped the pile of homework.
"Christine?" He blinked several times and didn't seem to believe his own eyes. "But, but, you died!" He exclaimed, amazement in his voice.
"Who told you that?" She asked curiously. But Severus wasn't listening. He was staring at Louis, who was back on Severus' desk.
"Who, what, how, when?" He asked staring at Louis, then at her. He managed to sit down at his desk, his face was ashen.
"I asked you first." She simply said, feeling quite happy to be in control of the conversation... for once in her life. The last time had been... oh lets see, when she was fifteen.
"Albus. He, said that your room was deserted and the window was open, he thought you must have jumped." Severus seemed to be gaining some of his composure back. He sat up straight in his chair and stopped staring at her like she was a ghost... except that saying didn't work with wizards. They were sort of used to ghosts. Maybe like she had just returned from the dead? Well, to him that was exactly what she had done. Oh, never mind...
"What is the boy doing here?" Severus questioned, his own self once again. He looked even more irritated than usual. Well, maybe she'd still be able to shock him...
"He came with me to see his father." She told him coolly, he stared at her, and then at Louis. Then he stared at her again.
"What?" He finally exclaimed. He looked a bit uncomfortable, but not many would have been able to spot that.
"You heard me." She told him calmly. Hmm, Geirmund had had his uses after all. She was a bit calmer then she had been before. How nice. She resisted the urge to giggle. Okay, so maybe this was a once in a life time coolness. She had better enjoy it then.
"You mean to say, that boy, is mine?" Severus asked coldly. His voice sent shivers down her spine and she felt her skin prickle. She held Louis close to her and felt the controls of the conversation slip from her hands.
"I think so. I'm not sure though. But do you remember, I was in your room. And neither of us remembered what we were doing there. Or, at least I didn't, where we slept." She felt her heart rate speed up again. She hoped she wouldn't die because of high blood pressure...
"Yes, I remember." Severus admitted snappishly.
"You behaved like a complete jerk after that." She found herself saying before she thought about it. Severus looked livid for a moment. But he looked at Louis and seemed to calm down a bit.
"Don't call me names. You can't afford it." He spat, after seemingly a very long time.
"Oh, can't I?" She answered back, she was shivering on the inside, but trying to put on a brave face, most likely failing, judging by the sneer on Severus' face. She wished she had a morsel of bravery in her bones. She couldn't even argue with people anymore. How she despised Damien for making her so meek. If she were sixteen right now, Severus wouldn't be dominating her like this...
"Christine. What happened. Can you tell me that?" Severus obviously didn't want to fight with her in front of Louis. So the boy had his uses after all.
"Lysander came to my room. He didn't harm me or anything. On the contrary, he just wanted to take care of me and Louis. I'm quite all right. I've been living like a princess with four servants for nearly two years now." She allowed herself a smirk. Severus looked very doubtful.
"There has to be a catch." He said finally. She had been thinking the very same thing, nearly constantly. But she hadn't found a trace of any such thing so she felt confident enough to tell Severus that there was indeed, no catch.
How wrong she was... she'd know only when it was too late.
Severus had to go teach within a moment, but he told her to wait in his office.
"Under no circumstances are you to open that door. Understand?" He ordered harshly. She nodded her consent and Severus left with much flurry of his robes.
"I suppose we wait then." She told Louis. He mumbled something and yawned cutely. Everything about that boy was disgustingly cute. How come babies had to be like that? She held Louis close to her and her son fell into a slumber within minutes. She stroked his mop of raven black hair absentmindedly. She wondered if he would grow up to be like Severus. To quote one of the students: 'A greasy git.' She hoped not. She'd just have to teach Louis the value of clean and tidiness or something... but if Louis started brewing potions, she supposed it couldn't be helped. She listened hard and found herself hearing Severus' voice, he was lecturing about some potion or other.
"You have your NEWTs this spring, as you are all, no doubt, aware of. We have revised a large variety of the things I have tried to stuff into your skulls this winter. I hope you are up to keeping the information in there until the potion tests are over. If not, you'll fail. It's that simple. But now I am going to start teaching you the final potion you will learn at Hogwarts. I suggest you pay attention... Potter, Weasley. What did I just say?" She strained to hear the answer, but couldn't.
"No, I was not talking about the weather you insolent boy. Fifteen points form Gryffindor! Now. As I was saying..." She gave up listening and shook her head. It was odd, when she had been at school herself she hadn't given the teachers a second though. Except of course Mr. Johnson, the P.E. Teacher. He had kept hitting on her. At the time it had been hysterically funny to her. Anyway, she hadn't thought of what the teachers went through. All she had thought about was exposing enough cleavage as she could to the male teachers so her grades would go up a notch or two and trying to look as though she was reading the assigned book, but not a teen magazine in classes where female teachers ruled the room. Well, now she knew better. Oh well, at least she always had top marks in P.E....
Finally the bell rang and she knew lunch was ready in the Great Hall. She felt her stomach rumble and Louis stirred awake. Severus opened the office door soon enough and sat down at his desk. Then he whipped out his wand and said a few Latin words, two plates and two goblets appeared in front of her very eyes. She held back a gasp. She had nearly forgotten how amazing magic could be at times.
"What about Louis?" She asked, realizing that this food was hardly fit for her son.
"What do you need?" Severus asked, his voice sounded irritated. She asked him for a banana a fork and a plate. Another wave of his wand and the items she had asked for lay in front of her on the table. She proceeded to peel the banana lose on to the plate, then she used to fork to turn into mush she could easily feed to Louis. She had seen Zara do this a few times, and Louis seemed to enjoy it. After she had fed Louis happy, she started picking at her own food. Once the three were all fed and happy (with the exception of the two adults, who were most likely never very happy) she put Louis down on the floor so he could crawl around and (hopefully) annoy Severus.
Suddenly, just after Severus had made the plates and goblets disappear there was a timid knock at the door. Severus stood up and opened a small crack to see who was there.
"Granger?" He spat irritably. She sensed trouble and put Louis under Severus' desk, hopefully, if the girl came inside, she wouldn't notice him.
"Excuse me Professor. But I've been to the library, I was trying to research that new project we started in class, but one of the books I want to read is in the Restricted section, and Madam Pince says that you're the only one who's allowed to permit students to read it. So I was wondering..." Granger spoke so fast that Severus was hardly able to get in a word, but he cut her off there.
"No. That book is in the restricted section for a good reason Miss Granger. You can research the books I named in class just like everyone else. Good day." He spoke so sharply that she nearly expected the girl to cry out and start bleeding or something.
"But you don't understand, I really need to read that book. I'm sure it will help me understand the theory so much better..." Severus cut her off again.
"I know why you want it Miss Granger. You want it for some illegal potion you need to brew to help Potter break yet another rule. I'm not Lockhart, I'm not that easy to fool. I happen to know for a fact, that all the information on this particular potion in that particular book, is also in another book, which I named in class. Now get to your common room and quit pestering me." She wondered why the girl hadn't run away yet. Well, the girl was in Gryffindor, and those people had enough of foolish bravery to go around.
"I knew I wouldn't be able to fool you anyway. But, unless you want me to tell the whole school about that woman you've got in your office, I suggest you give me permission. Now." There was a tense silence.
"Miss Granger. Why don't you come inside." Severus' voice was cold. Even when it wasn't directed at her, it made her shiver.
"Thank you Professor." The girl said victoriously. She stared at one of the jars, it seemed to be a frog turned inside out which was in there.
"Miss Granger, I trust you recall Miss Luan." Severus said cuttingly and sat down yet again, behind his desk.
"How do you do?" Miss Granger held out a hand for her to take, she just looked at it. Then she looked at Severus.
"Be polite Christine." He snapped and started looking for something in his desk drawers. She followed Severus' orders and took Granger's extended hand.
"Hello." She said as she let go of the girl's hand.
"Miss Granger, do you know how much trouble I could get you in for trying to blackmail a teacher?" Severus asked coolly.
"I am aware." Granger answered, a completely straight face. God she envied that girl. If she had even 1/100 of Granger's character in her she'd probably be a lot braver.
"I'll tell you what Miss Granger. I'll give you permission to get that book, if you answer one question for me." Severus had a sinister smirk on his face. She didn't know what Granger had coming, but it was going to be very twisted.
"All right." Granger seemed to be losing her resolve, but seemed confident none the less that she'd be able to answer any question her asked her correctly.
"When the sorting hat offered you Slytherin, what did you say in return?" He asked calmly, and very seriously.
"I said I'd rather be in Hufflepuff." Granger answered, looking baffled. She realized the girls mistake a second before Granger did. She had admitted that the hat had offered her Slytherin house.
"I mean, I didn't... the hat didn't say... oops." Granger blushed and started to fiddle with the edge of her robe.
"You would have made a fine Slytherin." Severus said and handed her a piece of parchment. "Now, if I catch you, using any of the recipes in that book, by Merlin you will find yourself expelled and banished to the Muggle world. Same goes if I find any of your minions with that book. And I will be watching you. Know that." Granger nodded once and left, fighting hard to suppress a smile.
She raised an eyebrow at Severus. "Minions?" She repeated.
"Weasley and Potter." Severus muttered. "They'd be lost without that girl." He smirked. "I always did wonder if she had any Slytherin in her."
Louis, who had been absolutely quiet while the girl was in the office, giggled softly, mirroring her emotion. She figured it was safe to smile, so she did, and she figured it was safe for Louis to be off the floor, so she picked him up.
Severus looked at the boy and rubbed his left for arm.
"What will become of him?" He asked, she knew the question wasn't directed towards her, so she kept quiet.
"What indeed." He muttered and kept searching through his drawers.
"Ah! Here it is." He lifted a necklace up. It was the necklace he gave her for a Christmas present, her first year at Hogwarts. It seemed like that was ages ago.
"I think you still need it." He told her calmly. She took the necklace she was wearing already off, and allowed Severus to put her old one on. It's familiar texture against her skin comforted her and she felt a strange feeling of dread fill her.
"What do you feel?" Severus asked studiously.
"I feel... dread, it's such a morbid sensation. Like after your place burns down. You're somewhere else and you suddenly remember that you left on a candle..." She spoke quietly and felt the sensation float away, like the tide. But she had a feeling it would return. Like the tide.
Severus was absently rubbing his arm. Looking at Louis again.
"What did you say his name was?" He asked suddenly.
"Louis." She answered softly. "I thought it was fitting. Louis Luan. It sounds pretty don't you think. I bit French." She felt that if she spoke in another tone, the spell of the moment would shatter. So her words were spoken carefully, softly.
"Christine, I must tell you what's been happening in the magical community." His voice was the one to make the moment shatter, and she didn't know if she was angry at him, or glad that he did it and not her. This necklace was making her see things she hadn't seen before. Like moments... they hung in the air, nearly visible, but somehow, out of reach. Louis mumbled something incoherent.
"The Dark Lord has gained much power. Draco Malfoy is our only useful spy, there is a lot of pressure on him, I still don't know how to trust him completely, I was discovered this summer, I only just got away with my life. I can't step off these grounds without endangering my life, not to mention the whole Order. If the Death Eaters get me, they'll most likely be able to discover where Draco Malfoy's loyalties lie, and we'll lose out most valuable spy." Severus took a deep breath. "Draco is away right now. And I'm expecting him to come back soon, hopefully with news. He didn't come to class, usually The Dark Lord is careful to summon the Death Eaters, when it isn't suspicious. So, I think I am right to assume that this is a matter of great importance." Severus was quiet for a while. The only sound that broke the silence was Louis occasional fussing and giggling. With her necklace in place she felt like she could almost reach out and touch the silence. The strange thing was. She couldn't remember feeling this way before, when she first got the necklace. Well, maybe she had, but she had been so deeply involved in herself that she hadn't taken the time to realize the air around her.
"You've come back in dangerous times, Christine." Severus finally sighed.
"I suppose I have." She answered. That morbid feeling returned to her and she shivered involuntarily.
"I suppose I have." She repeated more to herself than to anyone else. Louis gave a small giggle, which quickly turned into a whine of complaint.
Author note: Here's another chapter at last. Who would have thought? I actually write more when school is on. I guess it has some bad consequences that my soccer obsessed father and brother are also on Easter holidays. They do insist on taking the computer away from me... well, no more excuses. Thanks go to Mephisto my alpha reader, and all my wonderful reviewers. Specially Kelly, (Jocelyn Magus) you keep me writing!
Damien
by Sarah Black
chapter twenty-five
A clamor of voices could be heard from the Great Hall, everyone was having breakfast she supposed. She wasn't very hungry, so she decided to go to her room. She was a bit lost at first, it had been a while since she had walked these corridors, but she found her way to her room at last. Although, by that time, her arms were aching with the strain of holding Louis up. He was one year old now, and not a small as he had been when she first gave birth to him. Her room was unlocked and she was a bit surprised to see that none of her things were in there. They must think I'm dead. She thought to herself. They'll be ever so surprised when they see her... with a child. Her Louis. She put him down on her former bed and looked him over. He had managed not to drool all over himself. And he had one of those plastic chewy things in his mouth... what had Zara called them again? She wasn't sure if Louis was Severus's too, but she suspected it strongly. Well, she'd know for sure if he showed any signs of magical talent. Now, most importantly, where were all of her things? How terribly rude to just move them somewhere else! Or maybe they had destroyed them? Some sort of silly wizard thing. Girl dies, destroy her stuff. She hoped not. Her favorite dress had been here. And she had been dying to try it on and see if it still fit her. She was a tad resentful towards Louis, still, for he had ruined her figure. It was completely unfair. She had to have her body destroyed, go through an unbelievable amount of pain, and now her stuff was all gone too? And she was stuck with a drooling baby. Well, it was her baby boy. And of course she loved him. But was he really worth losing everything that ever meant anything to her? She sighed and sat down on the bed and prevented Louis from stupidly crawling off the edge. Honestly, did he never think? Had she ever been like that? She found herself wishing Zara was here to watch Louis while she did other things. Like take a shower. Or something. The bell rang, signaling the beginning of the first class. What day was it? Oh, it wouldn't matter anyway, Severus would most likely have a different teaching schedule now, so even if he had been on a break at this time on this day last year, he wouldn't now. And she was tied to Louis. She felt like such a prisoner. She would have to devote everything to this boy. Her whole life. She felt her heart start to beat a little faster. She would be a prisoner. She wished fervently that she had killed him, killed him while he was still inside her. Her father's voice suddenly echoed through her mind. You can't change happened things. How annoyed she had gotten every time he told her that.
Finally, after about ten minutes of being idle, she gave up and went to wait in Severus's office. She had to find answers, and if they all though she was dead, Severus would probably handle it best if she returned. She didn't really want to be the one responsible for Albus's heart attack. But maybe she should go see Minerva, she doubted anyone would be sad if she had a heart attack. But she really wanted to see Severus. And he had a right to be the first person at Hogwarts to see Louis. If he was indeed Lois' father. How this not knowing was annoying. Maybe she could get Severus to take one of those DMA tests... or was it DNA? She could never remember properly. She didn't even know what it stood for so that didn't make it any easier. It might be Dangerous Mammal is Angry or Dweeb Nostril Alert or something... She set Louis down on Severus' desk and but herself in one of the two chairs situated in front of the desk. Louis giggled insanely and tried to attack his own nose.
"Quit it Louis." She reprimanded him sharply. The boy thrust his tongue out at her. She rolled her eyes at him.
"If that's how you're going to get yourself on dates when you grow up, I don't know you. All right?" She spoke distractedly, her full attention averted to the glass jars all around. Disgusting potion ingredients floating around aimlessly. How could Severus work here? Her mind would keep wondering over to these horrid jars all the time. Like it was now. Louis gave a loud squeal and she could here that he was about to fall of the desk. She caught him safely in her arms. He giggled and reached out his hand for her necklace. She allowed his small fingers to fiddle with the small piece of jewelry and begged Severus in her mind to come soon. Her wish was granted not too long after when the bell rang, signaling a small break. It couldn't have been a double class then...
The door opened and Severus strode in, he was carrying a pile of parchment in his arms. Probably homework due today. When he had finished closing the door behind him, he looked up and realized her. He stared for a good moment. Then he dropped the pile of homework.
"Christine?" He blinked several times and didn't seem to believe his own eyes. "But, but, you died!" He exclaimed, amazement in his voice.
"Who told you that?" She asked curiously. But Severus wasn't listening. He was staring at Louis, who was back on Severus' desk.
"Who, what, how, when?" He asked staring at Louis, then at her. He managed to sit down at his desk, his face was ashen.
"I asked you first." She simply said, feeling quite happy to be in control of the conversation... for once in her life. The last time had been... oh lets see, when she was fifteen.
"Albus. He, said that your room was deserted and the window was open, he thought you must have jumped." Severus seemed to be gaining some of his composure back. He sat up straight in his chair and stopped staring at her like she was a ghost... except that saying didn't work with wizards. They were sort of used to ghosts. Maybe like she had just returned from the dead? Well, to him that was exactly what she had done. Oh, never mind...
"What is the boy doing here?" Severus questioned, his own self once again. He looked even more irritated than usual. Well, maybe she'd still be able to shock him...
"He came with me to see his father." She told him coolly, he stared at her, and then at Louis. Then he stared at her again.
"What?" He finally exclaimed. He looked a bit uncomfortable, but not many would have been able to spot that.
"You heard me." She told him calmly. Hmm, Geirmund had had his uses after all. She was a bit calmer then she had been before. How nice. She resisted the urge to giggle. Okay, so maybe this was a once in a life time coolness. She had better enjoy it then.
"You mean to say, that boy, is mine?" Severus asked coldly. His voice sent shivers down her spine and she felt her skin prickle. She held Louis close to her and felt the controls of the conversation slip from her hands.
"I think so. I'm not sure though. But do you remember, I was in your room. And neither of us remembered what we were doing there. Or, at least I didn't, where we slept." She felt her heart rate speed up again. She hoped she wouldn't die because of high blood pressure...
"Yes, I remember." Severus admitted snappishly.
"You behaved like a complete jerk after that." She found herself saying before she thought about it. Severus looked livid for a moment. But he looked at Louis and seemed to calm down a bit.
"Don't call me names. You can't afford it." He spat, after seemingly a very long time.
"Oh, can't I?" She answered back, she was shivering on the inside, but trying to put on a brave face, most likely failing, judging by the sneer on Severus' face. She wished she had a morsel of bravery in her bones. She couldn't even argue with people anymore. How she despised Damien for making her so meek. If she were sixteen right now, Severus wouldn't be dominating her like this...
"Christine. What happened. Can you tell me that?" Severus obviously didn't want to fight with her in front of Louis. So the boy had his uses after all.
"Lysander came to my room. He didn't harm me or anything. On the contrary, he just wanted to take care of me and Louis. I'm quite all right. I've been living like a princess with four servants for nearly two years now." She allowed herself a smirk. Severus looked very doubtful.
"There has to be a catch." He said finally. She had been thinking the very same thing, nearly constantly. But she hadn't found a trace of any such thing so she felt confident enough to tell Severus that there was indeed, no catch.
How wrong she was... she'd know only when it was too late.
Severus had to go teach within a moment, but he told her to wait in his office.
"Under no circumstances are you to open that door. Understand?" He ordered harshly. She nodded her consent and Severus left with much flurry of his robes.
"I suppose we wait then." She told Louis. He mumbled something and yawned cutely. Everything about that boy was disgustingly cute. How come babies had to be like that? She held Louis close to her and her son fell into a slumber within minutes. She stroked his mop of raven black hair absentmindedly. She wondered if he would grow up to be like Severus. To quote one of the students: 'A greasy git.' She hoped not. She'd just have to teach Louis the value of clean and tidiness or something... but if Louis started brewing potions, she supposed it couldn't be helped. She listened hard and found herself hearing Severus' voice, he was lecturing about some potion or other.
"You have your NEWTs this spring, as you are all, no doubt, aware of. We have revised a large variety of the things I have tried to stuff into your skulls this winter. I hope you are up to keeping the information in there until the potion tests are over. If not, you'll fail. It's that simple. But now I am going to start teaching you the final potion you will learn at Hogwarts. I suggest you pay attention... Potter, Weasley. What did I just say?" She strained to hear the answer, but couldn't.
"No, I was not talking about the weather you insolent boy. Fifteen points form Gryffindor! Now. As I was saying..." She gave up listening and shook her head. It was odd, when she had been at school herself she hadn't given the teachers a second though. Except of course Mr. Johnson, the P.E. Teacher. He had kept hitting on her. At the time it had been hysterically funny to her. Anyway, she hadn't thought of what the teachers went through. All she had thought about was exposing enough cleavage as she could to the male teachers so her grades would go up a notch or two and trying to look as though she was reading the assigned book, but not a teen magazine in classes where female teachers ruled the room. Well, now she knew better. Oh well, at least she always had top marks in P.E....
Finally the bell rang and she knew lunch was ready in the Great Hall. She felt her stomach rumble and Louis stirred awake. Severus opened the office door soon enough and sat down at his desk. Then he whipped out his wand and said a few Latin words, two plates and two goblets appeared in front of her very eyes. She held back a gasp. She had nearly forgotten how amazing magic could be at times.
"What about Louis?" She asked, realizing that this food was hardly fit for her son.
"What do you need?" Severus asked, his voice sounded irritated. She asked him for a banana a fork and a plate. Another wave of his wand and the items she had asked for lay in front of her on the table. She proceeded to peel the banana lose on to the plate, then she used to fork to turn into mush she could easily feed to Louis. She had seen Zara do this a few times, and Louis seemed to enjoy it. After she had fed Louis happy, she started picking at her own food. Once the three were all fed and happy (with the exception of the two adults, who were most likely never very happy) she put Louis down on the floor so he could crawl around and (hopefully) annoy Severus.
Suddenly, just after Severus had made the plates and goblets disappear there was a timid knock at the door. Severus stood up and opened a small crack to see who was there.
"Granger?" He spat irritably. She sensed trouble and put Louis under Severus' desk, hopefully, if the girl came inside, she wouldn't notice him.
"Excuse me Professor. But I've been to the library, I was trying to research that new project we started in class, but one of the books I want to read is in the Restricted section, and Madam Pince says that you're the only one who's allowed to permit students to read it. So I was wondering..." Granger spoke so fast that Severus was hardly able to get in a word, but he cut her off there.
"No. That book is in the restricted section for a good reason Miss Granger. You can research the books I named in class just like everyone else. Good day." He spoke so sharply that she nearly expected the girl to cry out and start bleeding or something.
"But you don't understand, I really need to read that book. I'm sure it will help me understand the theory so much better..." Severus cut her off again.
"I know why you want it Miss Granger. You want it for some illegal potion you need to brew to help Potter break yet another rule. I'm not Lockhart, I'm not that easy to fool. I happen to know for a fact, that all the information on this particular potion in that particular book, is also in another book, which I named in class. Now get to your common room and quit pestering me." She wondered why the girl hadn't run away yet. Well, the girl was in Gryffindor, and those people had enough of foolish bravery to go around.
"I knew I wouldn't be able to fool you anyway. But, unless you want me to tell the whole school about that woman you've got in your office, I suggest you give me permission. Now." There was a tense silence.
"Miss Granger. Why don't you come inside." Severus' voice was cold. Even when it wasn't directed at her, it made her shiver.
"Thank you Professor." The girl said victoriously. She stared at one of the jars, it seemed to be a frog turned inside out which was in there.
"Miss Granger, I trust you recall Miss Luan." Severus said cuttingly and sat down yet again, behind his desk.
"How do you do?" Miss Granger held out a hand for her to take, she just looked at it. Then she looked at Severus.
"Be polite Christine." He snapped and started looking for something in his desk drawers. She followed Severus' orders and took Granger's extended hand.
"Hello." She said as she let go of the girl's hand.
"Miss Granger, do you know how much trouble I could get you in for trying to blackmail a teacher?" Severus asked coolly.
"I am aware." Granger answered, a completely straight face. God she envied that girl. If she had even 1/100 of Granger's character in her she'd probably be a lot braver.
"I'll tell you what Miss Granger. I'll give you permission to get that book, if you answer one question for me." Severus had a sinister smirk on his face. She didn't know what Granger had coming, but it was going to be very twisted.
"All right." Granger seemed to be losing her resolve, but seemed confident none the less that she'd be able to answer any question her asked her correctly.
"When the sorting hat offered you Slytherin, what did you say in return?" He asked calmly, and very seriously.
"I said I'd rather be in Hufflepuff." Granger answered, looking baffled. She realized the girls mistake a second before Granger did. She had admitted that the hat had offered her Slytherin house.
"I mean, I didn't... the hat didn't say... oops." Granger blushed and started to fiddle with the edge of her robe.
"You would have made a fine Slytherin." Severus said and handed her a piece of parchment. "Now, if I catch you, using any of the recipes in that book, by Merlin you will find yourself expelled and banished to the Muggle world. Same goes if I find any of your minions with that book. And I will be watching you. Know that." Granger nodded once and left, fighting hard to suppress a smile.
She raised an eyebrow at Severus. "Minions?" She repeated.
"Weasley and Potter." Severus muttered. "They'd be lost without that girl." He smirked. "I always did wonder if she had any Slytherin in her."
Louis, who had been absolutely quiet while the girl was in the office, giggled softly, mirroring her emotion. She figured it was safe to smile, so she did, and she figured it was safe for Louis to be off the floor, so she picked him up.
Severus looked at the boy and rubbed his left for arm.
"What will become of him?" He asked, she knew the question wasn't directed towards her, so she kept quiet.
"What indeed." He muttered and kept searching through his drawers.
"Ah! Here it is." He lifted a necklace up. It was the necklace he gave her for a Christmas present, her first year at Hogwarts. It seemed like that was ages ago.
"I think you still need it." He told her calmly. She took the necklace she was wearing already off, and allowed Severus to put her old one on. It's familiar texture against her skin comforted her and she felt a strange feeling of dread fill her.
"What do you feel?" Severus asked studiously.
"I feel... dread, it's such a morbid sensation. Like after your place burns down. You're somewhere else and you suddenly remember that you left on a candle..." She spoke quietly and felt the sensation float away, like the tide. But she had a feeling it would return. Like the tide.
Severus was absently rubbing his arm. Looking at Louis again.
"What did you say his name was?" He asked suddenly.
"Louis." She answered softly. "I thought it was fitting. Louis Luan. It sounds pretty don't you think. I bit French." She felt that if she spoke in another tone, the spell of the moment would shatter. So her words were spoken carefully, softly.
"Christine, I must tell you what's been happening in the magical community." His voice was the one to make the moment shatter, and she didn't know if she was angry at him, or glad that he did it and not her. This necklace was making her see things she hadn't seen before. Like moments... they hung in the air, nearly visible, but somehow, out of reach. Louis mumbled something incoherent.
"The Dark Lord has gained much power. Draco Malfoy is our only useful spy, there is a lot of pressure on him, I still don't know how to trust him completely, I was discovered this summer, I only just got away with my life. I can't step off these grounds without endangering my life, not to mention the whole Order. If the Death Eaters get me, they'll most likely be able to discover where Draco Malfoy's loyalties lie, and we'll lose out most valuable spy." Severus took a deep breath. "Draco is away right now. And I'm expecting him to come back soon, hopefully with news. He didn't come to class, usually The Dark Lord is careful to summon the Death Eaters, when it isn't suspicious. So, I think I am right to assume that this is a matter of great importance." Severus was quiet for a while. The only sound that broke the silence was Louis occasional fussing and giggling. With her necklace in place she felt like she could almost reach out and touch the silence. The strange thing was. She couldn't remember feeling this way before, when she first got the necklace. Well, maybe she had, but she had been so deeply involved in herself that she hadn't taken the time to realize the air around her.
"You've come back in dangerous times, Christine." Severus finally sighed.
"I suppose I have." She answered. That morbid feeling returned to her and she shivered involuntarily.
"I suppose I have." She repeated more to herself than to anyone else. Louis gave a small giggle, which quickly turned into a whine of complaint.
Author note: Here's another chapter at last. Who would have thought? I actually write more when school is on. I guess it has some bad consequences that my soccer obsessed father and brother are also on Easter holidays. They do insist on taking the computer away from me... well, no more excuses. Thanks go to Mephisto my alpha reader, and all my wonderful reviewers. Specially Kelly, (Jocelyn Magus) you keep me writing!