Chapter 29

"I understand congratulations are in order," Minerva inquired at breakfast Tuesday.

"Yes, thank you," Lucy said, grinning and blushing. Word had quickly spread through the school about her impending nuptials.

"Congratulations? For what?" Slughorn asked sitting down in his seat.

Lucy sighed and rolled her eyes at Minerva. Apparently not everyone had heard.

Minerva smiled and filled her colleague in, "Lucy became engaged over the break."

"Engaged?" he began looking interested in the conversation, "In what?"

Lucy blushed and thought about replying 'in bed', which would technically be true, but she thought better of it. Tonks or Dinah might get a laugh out of such a response but Slughorn would just be confused. "Um, to Sirius actually. Not in an activity."

"Ah, well then congratulations are in order! Imagine…it must be wonderful to be part of such an illustrious family. Is that a family ring?" he asked, grabbing her left hand. "Rather plain, isn't it? One would think a family such as the Blacks would have more elaborate pieces of jewelry."

"Excuse me," Lucy said, tugging her hand back into her possession, "Thank you. Actually it isn't the family engagement ring. I don't know exactly which member of the family this came from but I'm guessing it wasn't Walburga. Sirius didn't like the traditional engagement ring and personally I think this is the best ring he could have picked for me."

"Oh, no offense meant of course. Regardless of the jewelry's design, it's lovely and an exciting time for you I'm sure. I assume this means Dumbledore will be looking for a new literature professor for next term?"

"Why in the world would he be doing such a thing Horace?" Minerva asked, looking a little offended.

"I plan on staying actually. There's no reason for me not to. I enjoy my work very much and Sirius is supportive of that. I already talked to Dumbledore this morning and we agreed that if anything should come up where I will have to take time off or am no longer able to do my job we will deal with it than. There is no point in worrying about something that isn't happening." Sometimes, she thought to herself, I should really take my own advice. Easier said than done though. She wasn't too worried about anything at the moment. Bella hadn't come back to haunt her since last term and she was taking that as a good sign. Perhaps it had been stress making her hear that voice.

"Good, good," Slughorn was saying, "We've had far too many changes in faculty over the past couple years. It will do the students good to have consistency."

Both Lucy and Minerva shook their heads at the strange potions professor.

"Well," Lucy said, standing, "I should be getting to class now. It's a whole new term and we've got a whole new book to start on." She walked away from the breakfast table smiling, even Professor Slughorn hadn't manage to dampen her good mood much.


Lucy yanked on her Ravenclaw hat and put her earmuffs over the top of it. "Now, Dora," she said, looking down at her cat, "Severus and Dinah are coming over. You are not to hide when you see him. After all you seemed to like him well enough when he was at the house."

In response Dora looked at her and meowed.

"Now what do I do with this?" She held up her engagement ring, "It won't fit under my gloves and the gloves are too thick to put it on over them. What do you suggest?"

Dora just stared at her.

"Well, you're not very helpful," she said, walking to the door when someone knocked. "That's probably Severus and Dinah. Maybe they'll be more helpful…well maybe Dinah will be." She pulled open the door to see the couple standing there together. Once again her eyes dropped down to the arm Severus had put around Dinah's waist. She'd noticed he'd been more touchy-feely lately. It was…different. "Hi! Sorry, I'm almost ready. Just got to figure out what to do with this," she held up the emerald ring.

"Um... I don't know. Polish it?" Dinah laughed, apparently she had no idea what Lucy was talking about. "Although it's beautiful and sparkly enough already – what?" she added, as Severus was giving her a funny look.

"Nothing," he turned back to Lucy. "I take it your gloves won't fit over it?"

Lucy laughed at Dinah's obliviousness and turned to Severus, "No, the stone sticks up too much and the gloves are too thick for it to go over them."

"I see. Well, can't you simply find a safe place for-" he growled and looked down at his feet, where Dora was now rubbing against his legs.

Dinah laughed. Unlike her cat, Godric, Dora wanted to cuddle more than she wanted to play. "That's so cute."

"Would you mind removing this problem?" Severus asked Lucy through gritted teeth.

"Sorry," she said, picking up her cat. "You missy are going to get yourself in trouble," she told Dora before putting her in the bedroom and shutting the door. "And, no I can't just find a safe place for it. I want to keep it with me."

"Well, that excludes most of your options then," Severus muttered.

"I have an idea!" Dinah was anxious to make up for her denseness earlier. "Could you get a chain or string and wear it around your neck?"

"Oh, yes! Thank you. I'll be right back," she opened her bedroom door to get a chain from her jewelry box and Dora raced out to cuddle with Severus again before Lucy could stop her. "Sorry, she's quick." She left the door open while she took a minute to slide her ring over the gold chain she grabbed and secure it around her neck. "There we go," she said coming back into the room, "all set."

"Nice," Dinah nodded at the piece of jewelry and then at Dora. "What would you like me to do with this one?"

"Take her down to the dungeons," Lucy laughed at the look on Severus's face at her comment, "No, really you can just stick her in the bedroom and close the door. Otherwise she'll be out here cuddling Severus again."

"Well, we can't have that, can we?" Dinah joked, causing Severus to roll his eyes. She placed that cat in the bedroom and closed the door. "All right; let's get going. I made sure to dress appropriately this time."

Lucy grinned, following the couple out of her rooms and closing the door behind her, "You know dressing inappropriately for the current weather conditions is sometimes beneficial."

Dinah laughed. "Not when your significant other is vehemently opposed to public displays of affection, it's not." As if to emphasize her comment, Severus began looking around, making sure no students had heard her say 'significant other'. "Oh please, stop, I have more discretion that that," she gave him a playful swat on the arm when she knew no students could see.

"I gave you a scarf last time; what more do you want?" he stared at her.

"Oh, I could think of a few things but I think I'd get in trouble if I said them out loud," Lucy grinned, ducking when Dinah swatted at her. "Well, if you want my opinion, an arm around the shoulders never goes amiss."

"Or sharing your robes. They're large and flowing enough, you know," she fingered the material of Severus's robes with what was a semi-flirtatious smile; her face red with embarrassment from Lucy's comment.

"You've made your point," Severus snatched his robe from her. "And you know that if the students found out it would be no end of humiliation for the both of us. Myself, especially."

"I thought you didn't care what they said about you?"

"Maybe I care more than I like to admit," he said quietly, "Now enough talk of this; we're approaching the Quidditch pitch," Severus said.

Lucy couldn't help but say, "Just one more thing. The students caught one of their new professors engaging in a pretty intense snogging session upon their arrival to Hogwarts last term. I've heard no teasing. Well, none that didn't come from Ginny or Hermione that is."

"Really?" Severus snorted as they climbed into the Quidditch stands. "As I understand it no one has ever called your boyfriend a greasy git. He has always been quite happily on the other end of the teasing spectrum, as I'm sure he will be pleased to tell you."

"He's right, Lucy," Dinah said softly as they slid into some seats. "We just won't overdo it for now."

"Well," Lucy said, feeling bad that she hadn't filtered her words, "there is that. I wasn't trying to say you should do something similar and I wasn't referring to him either."

"You weren't?" Dinah tried to lighten the mood. "Then who else were you snogging at the beginning of last term?"

Lucy laughed, "Oh, you know, his French cousin, Pierre."

Dinah giggled. "That's so funny, Lucy. It reminds me of something my aunt said at Christmas. Somewhere along the line she got the impression that my mysterious..." she looked at the Slytherin students surrounding them, some already glaring at Lucy's Ravenclaw robes; "friend's name was Seveurs."

"That's too funny! Well, I feel conspicuous. Nothing but my own fault I suppose. There goes the quaffle," she said, pointing out the start of the game.

"Excellent, Slytherin has taken it," Severus said, settling into his seat as the stands cheered.

"The weather is so nice today," Dinah said, looking up at where the sun beat down on them. "A nice contrast from the last two games, isn't it?"

"Yes. It makes things so much happier when the weather is nice like this, at least it seems like it. Oh!" she said, ignoring the pitch since Slytherin had just scored, "Did I tell you Professor Slughorn more or less asked if I was going to be quitting next year? And that was after he asked Minerva what I'd become engaged in over break."

Dinah had to laugh; and shook her head while Severus continued to be absorbed in the game. "That man can be very...oh, I don't even know sometimes. Imagine thinking that you would be quitting. I mean, certainly some women do but I don't think in this day and age that should be an instant assumption. If I was getting married and someone suggested that to me I would be pretty insulted."

"Eh," Lucy shrugged, "I've gotten kind of used to him saying things without thinking. Apparently I should be overjoyed at the thought of becoming a part of the illustrious Black family…even if the ring is not quite as elaborate as one would think. Sometimes he can be rather amusing. Especially when he realizes he's said something off-putting."

"Oh no, he's harmless really," Dinah agreed. "But he does often say things without thinking." She covered her ears as the Ravenclaws took the quaffle and scored, sending a loud groan through the surrounding stands at the same time as Lucy leapt from her seat, shrieking and clapping with joy.

The group of Slytherins around them all stopped groaning and turned to stare point-blank at Lucy. She looked around noticing all the attention and flushed, sitting down with a little cough of embarrassment.

"What the-?" a cocky student's voice complained. "Professor Ketteridge, you can't cheer for Ravenclaw if you're sitting in the Slytherin stands!"

Lucy wanted to respond but could do nothing before Severus stood abruptly in his seat and turned the most potent death glare she'd ever seen on Septimus Peaks

"Mr. Peaks, we do not speak that way to our professors for any reason," he snarled, causing the boy to shrink back in his seat.

"I didn't even say anything! She just can't come in here and-" the fox-abusing student began to protest.

"How dare you!" Severus was nearly shouting at the boy. "Do I not make myself clear? There is no excuse for your behavior and you have no authority to make judgments on anyone until you are an adult of age in the wizarding world. Your opinions are irrelevant and your behavior is, again, inexcusable. Five points from Slytherin!"

It was now time for the stands to turn their shocked glares on Severus. She turned around to stare at the head of Slytherin House like the others around them.

"Professor Snape!" Astoria Greengrass squealed. "You can't – you have never even once taken-"

"My comments apply to you as well, Miss Greengrass," he said, his quiet voice harsh; "Your petty student rivalries do not and shall not extend to your professors. We treat adults with respect no matter their house affiliation. Know your place!" He sat back down and no one could argue with him after that.

"Um, ah," Lucy didn't know what to say. She was glad Severus was gentlemanly enough to come to her defense, but his response had been so explosive. If she was honest with herself Septimus sometimes scared her. His comment this time though hadn't been that big of a deal. "Thank you," she said, looking at Severus.

"Hm," Severus's response was noncommittal and the anger still hadn't left his face. "That was not done for you. Those words were a long time coming for Peaks. After the incident you spoke of on Monday, I simply decided that now was the most opportune moment to do something about it."

"Still, I appreciate it. It's not often someone comes to my defense like that. Good catch!" she yelled, trying to bring the focus back to the game.

Dinah finally found her voice and looked up at the sky. "You know, it's getting so warm out with the sun beating down on me... I think I'm going to remove my outer robe," she tactfully took off the robe that functioned as a winter coat and placed it so it was lying across hers and Severus's laps, causing him to shoot a raised eyebrow at her. "Wait for it," she smiled, "How's that for incognito?"

"If you freeze to death I am not being held responsible," Severus muttered.

"I don't think that's possible," she smiled. "You were amazing back there, by the way."

He shrugged. "I did what I had to do."

Lucy grinned, "What are you two doing over there?" she asked quietly, hoping the students didn't overhear.

"Why nothing whatsoever, why do you ask?" Her friend flashed Lucy an innocent smile, but made sure the robe didn't fully cover Severus's lap anymore.

Lucy's face turned red. That hadn't been what she was implying. She shook her head at her friend, "Dinah, even I'm not that bold."

"Um," Dinah's face turned redder than Lucy's and she turned a glance on Severus, who was staring at her with that raised eyebrow again and a completely unreadable expression. She shrunk down in her seat a little and turned back to Lucy; "I know that's not what you meant but I still thought it might be safe... you never know what people might think..."

"In that case we shouldn't be doing this at all," Severus said under his breath, almost growling.

"Oh, fine," she let go of his hand and put the robe back around her shoulders with a shrug. "It was fun while it lasted."

"Sorry, didn't mean to put a damper on your fun," Lucy told her friend. "Oh! Come on! That wasn't fair!" she shouted at the pitch after two Slytherin chasers knocked one of the Ravenclaw beaters off his broom.

"Really? I didn't notice anything unfair about – ow!" Severus snarled, turning to Dinah after she swatted his upper arm.

"I didn't hit you that hard," she glared at him. "No cheating."

He sighed; "I have said that I am not responsible for what the players do."

"Well, stop turning a blind eye to it. Slytherin didn't cheat this much when Slughorn was Head of House."

Lucy bit her lip. She didn't know how true Dinah's statement was but she didn't want to be the cause of an argument between the two of them. "He looks like he's all right. Oh!" she said when the snitch flew in front of her face for a few seconds and fluttered away again.

"Wow," Dinah said, "I don't think I've ever seen one so close to the stands before – oh, Slytherin is after it!" she leaned forward in her seat just as Severus did the same. If Slytherin won this game it would put them at two winnings, giving them a good shot at the Quidditch Cup. But soon the Ravenclaw seeker dove in after him, making it an intense head-to-head race.

"I wonder if it would have counted if I caught it," Lucy said, watching the seekers race for the snitch. The two players went behind one of the towers and came back out the other side, one clearly happier than the other, "I think he got it! Ravenclaw won!" Once again she jumped up and down, cheering for her team and ignoring the glares and boos that came her way.

Severus growled and stood up. "Infernal seeker. Does he have any idea how much this will hurt our chances at the Quidditch Cup? I will not tolerate incompetency in my play... ers... um, let's just go back into Hogwarts," he trailed off as Dinah glared at him again.

She turned to Lucy. "Congratulations. Ravenclaw played an excellent game."

Lucy giggled. Severus's responses could be so amusing sometimes. In some ways she could see why Dinah liked him so much…not that she was going to let Sirius know that. Not with things like they were anyway. "Thanks. Slytherin played well too, for the most part. You two have any plans for this afternoon? I've just been banned from Hogsmeade until the evening. We're going on a date," she told Dinah, blushing.

"Would you like my robe?" Dinah teased, holding it out to Lucy.

"No, thanks," she could feel herself grinning again, "I don't think we're going out and even if we do, it won't be the first time he's had to walk close behind me."

"This is horrifying," Severus groaned. "Are we done yet?"

"Oh, all right. You know you secretly enjoy this conversation, right?"

He sighed. "Let's just go back."

"All right," she repeated as they made their way out of the stands. "In all seriousness Lucy, that sounds like it will be a lot of fun. Is it that romantic date you mentioned before Christmas? With the dancing and candlelight and such?"

She was sure she must be blushing again. Her face certainly felt hot. "I think so, but I don't know for sure. It's a secret. Mmmm," she sighed, "It's almost like being sixteen again or something. Does he like me? He touched my hand; did he mean to touch my hand? It's okay," Lucy said, seeing Dinah's expression, "You can laugh. I know I'm a nut."

"I'm not laughing, I'm smiling," Dinah said with a chuckle. "Okay, I laughed a little, but only because you mentioned it. No, I think that's nice. Sometimes those simple pleasures are just lovely. I mean..." she trailed off, looking up at the sunny sky and changing the subject. "It really is such a nice day. It was snowing in London, but here it's-"

"London?" Severus turned a confused look on Dinah. "What were you doing in London?"

"Oh!" she gasped and covered her mouth, flushing. "Nothing. I just meant... I heard it from somewhere..."

"Well, I'm curious now too. What's with the mentioning of London? Not raiding Grimmauld Place were you, hmmm?"

"No, I... just went to pick up a few things. It's not against the law. I'm an adult. I have an apparition license. I can do what I want whenever I want to. No more third degree," she marched ahead of both of them.

They were far enough behind the group of students that Severus was able to grab her hand when he caught up with her, forcing her to turn around. "What were you doing in London? Does this have something to do with..." he raised an eyebrow and left it hanging.

"No, it has nothing to do with that. I... went to Flourish and Blotts to look for more research materials, that's all. But I found nothing of use."

"I could have told you that, and how does that not have to do with-"

"In answer to your question, Lucy, we were just going to catch up on grading and lesson plans tonight so that we can spend the weekend together for Severus's birthday." She ignored Severus's audible groan at her mention of the birthday plans.

"Fun! Mine's in a week and a half. The twentieth. I'm not angling for anything, in case it sounded like it, by the way. Well, I suppose I could do some grading and plan a few lessons. Of course, if you'd rather be by yourselves that's fine too. I don't want to force myself on you."

"Oh, well Happy Early Birthday! You can join us tonight. Why don't we all do it in my place now – now what?" she demanded, as Severus was glaring at her again.

"Must you tell the whole world?"

"I hardly think Lucy constitutes the whole world," she rolled her eyes. "Do you think we could do it in my rooms this time? That way Lucy doesn't have to come all the way down to the dungeons."

"Whatever. But we are seriously grading – no girl chat and in the name of everything sacred would you please keep that stupid robe out of it?" He snatched the robe she was still holding in her hands and wrapped it around her shoulders for her.

Dinah flushed, clutching the robe around her, "Okay."

Lucy giggled, "I suppose we can lay off the girly talk if you insist. So, Severus, you're going to be, what, thirty-nine? I bet you two can't guess how old I'll be. Really, I'm practically an old lady," she said, teasingly, stepping into Hogwarts.

"Um," Dinah began, embarrassed as they all convened on the door to her rooms; "Well, I know I'm quite a few years older than you. What does that make me? Don't hold us in suspense;" Dinah laughed at that because Severus's look as she opened her door with the key suggested that he was in anything but suspense. "How old are you going to be?"

"Twenty-six. It's kind of funny because I received a letter from Aunt Molly a couple days ago telling me she always knew I'd end up with 'an older man'. I don't really think of him as older though, or any of you really."

"Wow..." Dinah stared at Lucy once they were inside, "You are... so young. I mean, well no offense. It's not that I think you're childish or anything and I do appreciate your thinking that we aren't old, but... honestly the truth of the matter..." she sighed, her gaze shifting to the sparkling ring around Lucy's neck for a moment. "I must really be an old lady."

"Don't be ridiculous," Severus's voice was quite strained next to Dinah. She looked over at him. He was glancing between her and the Lucy – or maybe her and the ring, and then wandered over to the couch and sat down, resting his head in his hands and shaking his head. "You still have time."

Dinah walked over to him, sitting down and curling into his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his. "Time for what?"

He pulled back so he could look at her as she lifted her head from his shoulder. His eyes almost looked a little sad as he traced her cheek with a finger and gave her a brief kiss. "Still time for... things."

Lucy carefully backed up, feeling a bit out of place now, "Um, I'm just going to go grab my grading and I'll be right back," before she exited the room she said, "Just so you know I've been calling myself an old lady since I was four…" and rushed out before they could respond.