[A/N. I am surprised, and flattered, that some people are still reading
this story, so thank you! Also I am sorry this chapter has been so long
coming, but I'm on uni holidays so I'm not spending much of my time sitting
at my computer.]
Chapter thirty-seven: New York, New York, what a wonderful town.
"At least the hotel is decent." Emma said as they stood in the foyer of the hotel that had been reserved for them. She was still annoyed about having been forced to go on a subway. Snape had to admit, for a muggle place, it was pretty nice. Still he wished he'd been allowed to stay somewhere on his own. One of the teachers at Hogwarts would surely have been able to recommend somewhere to stay that was not run by muggles.
Adam finished checking them in and then came back over with room keys. "Someone is going to take our luggage up for us." He said. "I've got a bit of work to do so I think I might go to my room and do that. I'll see you at dinner."
"So what do you say we go and see the town?" The bodyguard asked Snape and Emma. "Do the tourist thing since tomorrow you two are going to be busy with interviews all day, and then the television show at night, and then the premiere the next night.."
Snape sighed and shrugged. He wasn't happy about all the interacting with muggles he was going to be forced to do on this trip. He hadn't been told about the radio and newspaper interviews- presumably Adam hadn't told him in case he kicked up a fuss.
"Okay, let me just get my camera out of a bag.." The bodyguard said and he fumbled through his bag until he came up with a small box shaped object with a string which he put around his neck. Emma had her handbag and Snape had a wallet with some muggle money in it (he'd organised it with Gringotts before leaving for the trip). The trio traipsed out of the hotel.
"So, what do you want to see specifically?" The bodyguard asked as they stood on the corner of the road with a map.
"I was hoping to see the Statue of Liberty." Emma said. "A friend of mine who has been here before said it's really rather amazing."
"How about you?" The bodyguard addressed himself to Snape who shrugged nonchalantly. He didn't really care.
"Well I wouldn't mind seeing the view from the Empire State." The bodyguard continued as they started walking down the street.
A few teenage kids walked past smoking and Snape shot them a dirty look. They couldn't be more than fourteen and they were smoking. What was the world coming to? If he caught anyone smoking at Hogwarts he had a special potion sitting ready for them which when they drank it, would make them smoke at the mouth for ten hours. It was a pity he didn't have it with him or he'd force these kids to drink it.
"What are you looking at you silly old fart?" One of the boys asked, and his mates laughed.
Snape raised an eyebrow. "Old fart?" He repeated.
"Yeah, that means a silly old man you silly pom." One of the boys who hadn't called him the name in the first place asked.
"A pom?" Snape demanded.
"English." The boy explained.
Snape's wand felt very heavy in his pocket and his fingers literally itched to take it out and curse these stupid muggle kids. Not only for being smart mouthed, but also for smoking. Instead he ignored them, and hurried after the bodyguard and Emma who were walking down the street oblivious to Snape's slower pace. He'd seen how big New York was from the plane, but even so he didn't realise the extent of it until they were down there on the ground.
"So, Severus, are you going to make an idiot of us on any interviews tomorrow?" Emma asked.
Snape glared at her. "I might." He said casually. He didn't care about the interview, nor the movie. He didn't even want to be here for Merlin's sake.
Her eyes widened. "I was just kidding, you can't make an idiot of us. This trip is very important for the movie you know.."
Snape smiled slightly, enjoying the pleading tone in her voice. "I just don't know..I suppose it depends on what I think of the interviewer doesn't it?"
Emma swore loudly, causing other people in the street to glance over at them. She lowered her voice. "Wait until I tell Adam this." She snapped.
Snape wasn't concerned.
The bodyguard laughed. "Emma he's just pulling your leg." He told her.
She looked relieved, but still shot Snape a dirty look and Snape decided that this trip might provide some amusement after all in the form of teasing Emma. As they walked down the streets Snape drifted behind them a bit- he didn't want anyone to think that he was friends with Emma!
The bodyguard and Emma took what they called a "short cut" through an alley and Snape followed them. He wondered whether they'd notice if he just apparated back to England. But then he thought about the threats of a muggle prison and decided he had no choice but to be here. Of course that didn't mean he had to enjoy it, did it?
"Hey there sailor, looking for a good time?" Someone asked and Snape jumped realizing that he was the intended recipient of the question. He stopped and turned around.
A woman was leaning against a building, one hand on her hip, the other holding a cigarette. To Snape's shock she was dressed in a tiny little skirt which left nothing to the imagination, and a see through top. Her hair was bleached blonde, but he could see bits of black still in it and her makeup was caked on. He took a step back revolted. "I'm not a sailor." He said, hoping that would make her leave him alone.
"That's okay, it's just a saying. What are you then?" The woman asked taking a long drag on her cigarette. Snape wondered briefly whether everyone in this town smoked those vile muggle cigarettes.
"I'm a teacher." Snape said. "A science teacher."
"Really? I've never much liked kids, I couldn't stand working with them." The woman said making a face.
"I don't much like them either." Snape admitted. "Especially this one kid, Harry Potter his name is, his father was pretty mean to me at school thinking he was better than everyone, and this Potter kid is exactly the same as his father."
The woman nodded knowingly. "Do you give him detention?"
"Of course." Snape said.
The woman flicked her cigarette away. "So what do you say science teacher, can I show you a good time?"
Snape's eyes narrowed slightly. Was this woman like a tourist guide? She was a muggle yes, but she was probably someone better to spend time with than Emma. And she did know the town. "How much is it going to cost me?" He asked slowly. He'd learnt pretty quickly that in the muggle world, everything revolved around money.
"That depends. For you- I'd say twenty bucks an hour." She said.
Snape nodded. "Okay, fine, let's just go catch up with my..with the others, and let them know." He said as he handed her a twenty-dollar note.
The two of them hurried after the bodyguard and Emma who were waiting out on the street. Strange looks crossed their faces when Snape and his companion hurried up.
"This is my new tour guide." Snape explained, gesturing to the woman.
"Tour guide?" Both Emma and the woman echoed in surprise. The bodyguard wasn't speaking, but he was smiling slightly.
"This woman is not a tour guide Severus." Emma said trying not to laugh.
"She's not?" Snape asked, and he looked at her. "Well what are you then?"
"A hooker." The woman said. "I asked you if you wanted a good time, didn't that alert you to what I am?"
Snape's jaw dropped. He'd just paid a prostitute!
"Still," Emma was barely able to contain her laughter now. "You might not mind that, the paying for sex thing?"
Snape was too annoyed to respond.
"Can he have his money back?" The bodyguard asked.
The woman looked shocked. "Nope, he can't. He's given it to me, and if he doesn't want my services anymore then that's fine, but he's not getting his money back." And before anyone could say anything she took off back down the street.
"Nevermind." The bodyguard tried to console Snape. "It probably happens to people all the time."
Snape didn't reply. He was still too annoyed and shocked at what had just happened. He sneaked a look at Emma out of the corner of his eye- she looked as though all her Christmases had come at once. He wasn't going to put up with that all day.
"I'm actually rather tired. I'm going to go back to the hotel and have a sleep. I've got that thing people get when they travel from one country to another on a plane." Snape muttered, avoiding both their eyes.
"Jet lag." The bodyguard supplied. "I've got it a bit too, but then I'm not going to be so busy tomorrow like you two. I can just sleep then."
"Can we get going? Now we've finished buying prostitutes I want to see the statue." Emma said.
Snape felt sick. He wanted so badly to curse this woman, but he determined right then and there that somehow, sometime, on this trip he was going to get his revenge and teach her one heck of a lesson. "See you later." He muttered and he hurried back to his hotel.
Chapter thirty-seven: New York, New York, what a wonderful town.
"At least the hotel is decent." Emma said as they stood in the foyer of the hotel that had been reserved for them. She was still annoyed about having been forced to go on a subway. Snape had to admit, for a muggle place, it was pretty nice. Still he wished he'd been allowed to stay somewhere on his own. One of the teachers at Hogwarts would surely have been able to recommend somewhere to stay that was not run by muggles.
Adam finished checking them in and then came back over with room keys. "Someone is going to take our luggage up for us." He said. "I've got a bit of work to do so I think I might go to my room and do that. I'll see you at dinner."
"So what do you say we go and see the town?" The bodyguard asked Snape and Emma. "Do the tourist thing since tomorrow you two are going to be busy with interviews all day, and then the television show at night, and then the premiere the next night.."
Snape sighed and shrugged. He wasn't happy about all the interacting with muggles he was going to be forced to do on this trip. He hadn't been told about the radio and newspaper interviews- presumably Adam hadn't told him in case he kicked up a fuss.
"Okay, let me just get my camera out of a bag.." The bodyguard said and he fumbled through his bag until he came up with a small box shaped object with a string which he put around his neck. Emma had her handbag and Snape had a wallet with some muggle money in it (he'd organised it with Gringotts before leaving for the trip). The trio traipsed out of the hotel.
"So, what do you want to see specifically?" The bodyguard asked as they stood on the corner of the road with a map.
"I was hoping to see the Statue of Liberty." Emma said. "A friend of mine who has been here before said it's really rather amazing."
"How about you?" The bodyguard addressed himself to Snape who shrugged nonchalantly. He didn't really care.
"Well I wouldn't mind seeing the view from the Empire State." The bodyguard continued as they started walking down the street.
A few teenage kids walked past smoking and Snape shot them a dirty look. They couldn't be more than fourteen and they were smoking. What was the world coming to? If he caught anyone smoking at Hogwarts he had a special potion sitting ready for them which when they drank it, would make them smoke at the mouth for ten hours. It was a pity he didn't have it with him or he'd force these kids to drink it.
"What are you looking at you silly old fart?" One of the boys asked, and his mates laughed.
Snape raised an eyebrow. "Old fart?" He repeated.
"Yeah, that means a silly old man you silly pom." One of the boys who hadn't called him the name in the first place asked.
"A pom?" Snape demanded.
"English." The boy explained.
Snape's wand felt very heavy in his pocket and his fingers literally itched to take it out and curse these stupid muggle kids. Not only for being smart mouthed, but also for smoking. Instead he ignored them, and hurried after the bodyguard and Emma who were walking down the street oblivious to Snape's slower pace. He'd seen how big New York was from the plane, but even so he didn't realise the extent of it until they were down there on the ground.
"So, Severus, are you going to make an idiot of us on any interviews tomorrow?" Emma asked.
Snape glared at her. "I might." He said casually. He didn't care about the interview, nor the movie. He didn't even want to be here for Merlin's sake.
Her eyes widened. "I was just kidding, you can't make an idiot of us. This trip is very important for the movie you know.."
Snape smiled slightly, enjoying the pleading tone in her voice. "I just don't know..I suppose it depends on what I think of the interviewer doesn't it?"
Emma swore loudly, causing other people in the street to glance over at them. She lowered her voice. "Wait until I tell Adam this." She snapped.
Snape wasn't concerned.
The bodyguard laughed. "Emma he's just pulling your leg." He told her.
She looked relieved, but still shot Snape a dirty look and Snape decided that this trip might provide some amusement after all in the form of teasing Emma. As they walked down the streets Snape drifted behind them a bit- he didn't want anyone to think that he was friends with Emma!
The bodyguard and Emma took what they called a "short cut" through an alley and Snape followed them. He wondered whether they'd notice if he just apparated back to England. But then he thought about the threats of a muggle prison and decided he had no choice but to be here. Of course that didn't mean he had to enjoy it, did it?
"Hey there sailor, looking for a good time?" Someone asked and Snape jumped realizing that he was the intended recipient of the question. He stopped and turned around.
A woman was leaning against a building, one hand on her hip, the other holding a cigarette. To Snape's shock she was dressed in a tiny little skirt which left nothing to the imagination, and a see through top. Her hair was bleached blonde, but he could see bits of black still in it and her makeup was caked on. He took a step back revolted. "I'm not a sailor." He said, hoping that would make her leave him alone.
"That's okay, it's just a saying. What are you then?" The woman asked taking a long drag on her cigarette. Snape wondered briefly whether everyone in this town smoked those vile muggle cigarettes.
"I'm a teacher." Snape said. "A science teacher."
"Really? I've never much liked kids, I couldn't stand working with them." The woman said making a face.
"I don't much like them either." Snape admitted. "Especially this one kid, Harry Potter his name is, his father was pretty mean to me at school thinking he was better than everyone, and this Potter kid is exactly the same as his father."
The woman nodded knowingly. "Do you give him detention?"
"Of course." Snape said.
The woman flicked her cigarette away. "So what do you say science teacher, can I show you a good time?"
Snape's eyes narrowed slightly. Was this woman like a tourist guide? She was a muggle yes, but she was probably someone better to spend time with than Emma. And she did know the town. "How much is it going to cost me?" He asked slowly. He'd learnt pretty quickly that in the muggle world, everything revolved around money.
"That depends. For you- I'd say twenty bucks an hour." She said.
Snape nodded. "Okay, fine, let's just go catch up with my..with the others, and let them know." He said as he handed her a twenty-dollar note.
The two of them hurried after the bodyguard and Emma who were waiting out on the street. Strange looks crossed their faces when Snape and his companion hurried up.
"This is my new tour guide." Snape explained, gesturing to the woman.
"Tour guide?" Both Emma and the woman echoed in surprise. The bodyguard wasn't speaking, but he was smiling slightly.
"This woman is not a tour guide Severus." Emma said trying not to laugh.
"She's not?" Snape asked, and he looked at her. "Well what are you then?"
"A hooker." The woman said. "I asked you if you wanted a good time, didn't that alert you to what I am?"
Snape's jaw dropped. He'd just paid a prostitute!
"Still," Emma was barely able to contain her laughter now. "You might not mind that, the paying for sex thing?"
Snape was too annoyed to respond.
"Can he have his money back?" The bodyguard asked.
The woman looked shocked. "Nope, he can't. He's given it to me, and if he doesn't want my services anymore then that's fine, but he's not getting his money back." And before anyone could say anything she took off back down the street.
"Nevermind." The bodyguard tried to console Snape. "It probably happens to people all the time."
Snape didn't reply. He was still too annoyed and shocked at what had just happened. He sneaked a look at Emma out of the corner of his eye- she looked as though all her Christmases had come at once. He wasn't going to put up with that all day.
"I'm actually rather tired. I'm going to go back to the hotel and have a sleep. I've got that thing people get when they travel from one country to another on a plane." Snape muttered, avoiding both their eyes.
"Jet lag." The bodyguard supplied. "I've got it a bit too, but then I'm not going to be so busy tomorrow like you two. I can just sleep then."
"Can we get going? Now we've finished buying prostitutes I want to see the statue." Emma said.
Snape felt sick. He wanted so badly to curse this woman, but he determined right then and there that somehow, sometime, on this trip he was going to get his revenge and teach her one heck of a lesson. "See you later." He muttered and he hurried back to his hotel.