37- The Prince's Ring

We had a house-elf now but I felt I had paid a high price for it. Severus actually laughed out loud when he heard how Minerva had literally tricked- pressed- me into service. I tried to see the bright side of my assignment, telling myself that at least I wouldn't have to deal with young kids, that my summer term students were young adults who had chosen to do the NEWTs preparation course because they wanted to learn something in order to do well in their exams; they would be motivated. Of course Severus begged to differ since he knew my future students all too well, most of them had been in his class when he taught Defence against the Dark Arts in their sixth year. He could tell me stories about each of them I didn't want to hear because I preferred to meet them without prejudices, but I was willing to accept his help should there be problems. Fortunately, I still had two weeks to prepare myself for this special summer term, to study the curriculum and find out what was expected in NEWT exams these days, while all the same I was still busy making our house a home.

Pinkie was a great help. I wanted to buy her a fancy dress like the ones Tweety loved so much but apparently house-elves were as different as humans when it came to style. She preferred plain and black, just like Severus. When I looked at her now she reminded me of that little girl in The Adams Family. Alright, the girl had plaited braids where Pinkie had big, bat-like ears but you get the point?

I thought it a good idea to ask Mum if I could borrow Tweety for a few days so that Pinkie wouldn't have to do all the cleaning on her onesies, I also thought it would be nice for her to have a companion. But I was wrong. The minute the two house-elves laid eyes on each other the dislike was mutual and that was only the beginning. They started a bitter competition, rivals in their effort of proving which of them was the better house-elf. When I turned my back on them they were bitching at each other.

"Tweety's dress is much prettier. Pinkie looks like an ugly hag!"

"Tweety is a vain, lazy puppet, not working hard like Pinkie does!"

"But Mistress Raven likes Tweety more. Mistress Raven likes Pinkie only because she feels sorry for her."

"Not! You Tweety is a sob!"

"Pinkie only says that because she is jealous that Tweety is so much prettier. You is a sob!"

"You is a lazy git!"

"Tweety is not lazy, you scum!"

"Filth!"

Whoever started it, but next they were pulling at their opponent's ears, trying to bite each other, and when I jerked them apart, scolding them, they turned to different sides of the corridor and banged their heads against the walls. Stupid house-elves! They were supposed to help me instead of turning against each other in the process, and they weren't of any help if I had to constantly keep an eye on them. With a frustrated sigh I sent Tweety back to Majorca and told Pinkie that I wanted the ground floor impeccable clean by the time I returned home, then I went shopping.

I discovered a small furniture store called Woodworm's Paradise- admittedly, the name reminded of maggoty wood and didn't sound promising to someone who liked intact furniture- but it was much bigger inside than it looked from outside, and the selection was just great. I noticed that it seemed to be mainly frequented by wizarding customers although I also spotted a few Muggle antique collectors there.

In the end I purchased two big, comfortable armchairs for the library; they were made of dark wood and upholstered with dark green velvet. When then employees of Woodworm's Paradise figured out I was a witch in spite of my Muggle attire, they promised prompt delivery, meaning the armchairs dissolved into thin air and would be at home a mere instant later. I could have bought a few more things but since tomorrow was Saturday I decided to visit again with Severus; he should have his say in it too instead of leaving it all up to me.

But he wouldn't have his say in something I had wanted for a long time now. One might debate on whether it made sense to spend so much money on a machine when all you needed was some talent in Transfiguration and wand movement, but I simply had to buy a professional coffee machine that matched those in good coffee shops. Yes, I was still a bit posh and there were certain luxuries in life that I simply needed even if I was willing to make compromises.

As expected, Severus rolled his eyes when he saw my newest acquisition. He was a bit suspicious when it came to all the Muggle things I was bringing back into his life for he had always hated that part of his parentage due to his truly horrible father. Nevertheless he had to admit that the coffee tasted better when it was professionally brewed and not transfigured. Just like me he was willing to make compromises.

Saturday morning we first went to Gringotts to check on his vault. To Severus surprise, quite a nice pile of galleons had gathered throughout the years even if the salary at Hogwarts hadn't made him a rich man. On the other hand he had never spent much money on himself, so it didn't come as a surprise to me since board and lodging had been for free, while all he'd ever bought were books and occasionally a new set of robes. Severus was clearly not a shopping maniac like I was.

When we Apparated to Woodworm's Paradise, I sincerely hoped it wouldn't bore him too much, or be beneath his intellectual mind, to go rummaging for things we could use to make our house a home. He wasn't overly excited about it but he endured it with patience as long as it wouldn't take too long. Fortunately I had already put some items on my short-list yesterday so he only had to make a few choices now, like picking the chairs he liked best. Surprisingly he also agreed on the sofa I favoured although it was of dark red velvet.

I arched a perplexed brow at him. "Oh, and I thought the colour would be too offending for your Slytherin eyes, reminding you of Gryffindor…"

"No, it's fine. Is there anything else we need?"

I could have listed many things- carpets, lamps, all the decoration stuff that made a house a home- but I shook my head because I didn't want to overstrain his patience. It wasn't possible to get it all done in one week; it would take many weeks or even months until everything was just the way I wanted it.

He looked around, apparently feeling ill-at-ease. The shop was crowded and people were staring at us. First I thought it was because we were such an odd couple, he in his black robes and I in jeans and t-shirt, but then I noticed that people were recognizing him. They were staring and gossiping behind our backs.

"Isn't that Severus Snape?"

"Who's that woman at his side?"

"Why is there a woman at his side? I thought he would always love Lily Potter…"

It felt like a stab in the heart to hear them talking like that, maybe it would always sting, and I only wanted to leave. I knew that our relationship would probably be frowned upon but I could do without the reminder that I wasn't Lily. And it was just bloody unfair of them to expect Severus to pine after her forever, not granting him the chance for happiness. It was irrational but in moment like this I felt insecure, wondering if he was truly happy with me or if I was merely a substitute for a happiness he could never have.

"Stop thinking such nonsense," he chided me grumpily as he paid for our furniture and we Disapparated from Woodworm's Paradise. Still muttering under his breath about the impertinence of prattling old hags we returned to our house where Pinkie was already waiting for us with lunch.

I wasn't very hungry and Severus wasn't in his best mood either. Although it was sad to let some gossiping witches ruin our first weekend in our own house, we spent the afternoon separated. Severus retreated to his private potions lab in the basement where he would take inventory of all the jars the previous owners had left him, while I busied myself in the living room, rearranging our new furniture. I had bought shelves for my CD collection that needed to be sorted and I wanted to decorate the mantelpiece with a few pictures.

There was one I would always treasure, it was the last photograph of me and my dad. He would be so happy to see me sitting here, finally settled in a place I shared with the man I loved. The picture of my parents would also find a place on the mantelpiece as well as the one Mum had taken of Severus and me in Majorca. She had managed to take us by surprise, clever witch that she was, a snapshot that showed us cuddled up close together under the pergola. Severus looked really handsome in this one, a smile on his face, his black eyes sparkling… I rummaged through my box of old photographs until I found the one of him and Lily where he had that rapt expression on his face, and compared them.

Oh, I was such a fool for ever having been jealous of a girl that was long dead. Yes, he had adored her, had raised her on a pedestal, and I had always been second best only- but that was over now, the look on his face proved it; I should have never questioned it.

Suddenly I felt arms come snaking around my waist, his lips kissing my neck, nuzzling my hair… I hadn't heard him approaching me because of the music that sounded from the speakers of my new stereo.

Metal Guru could it be

you're gonna bring my baby to me

She'll be wild

you know a rock'n roll child, oh yeah…

"We really shouldn't bother about all the gossip," he whispered into my ear, then he chuckled. "I remember this song. You insisted on playing it to me the day your parents took me home with you lot, end of fifth year..."

"I had to change that ignorant attitude of yours," I said as I turned around and hugged him. "You know, you were my age, we were friends, and yet you've never listened to T-Rex before!" I heaved a sigh. "Probably I'll never understand the ignorance of the wizarding world when it comes to music- hope you don't mind that I put the stereo in our living room?"

"No, not at all."

Though he was still suspicious of Muggle technology that apparently didn't go for music, I thought, remembering that old cassette player in his room at Spinner's End and the tape it had played. The Cure, Severus? One day he would tell me how he had come by that tape but today I only wanted to snuggle up to him and forget about gossiping witches.

I decided that it couldn't harm to have the picture of Lily and him on the mantelpiece, next to the one of us in Majorca.

-

Sunday morning came and Pinkie served breakfast on our little balcony. Though it was much too early for my liking (I really liked to sleep in late on Sundays) I nevertheless got up when Severus did, joining him sleepily. I knew he wanted to go to Spinner's End today in order to pack his belongings before his childhood house would be sold to the highest bidder. The ad in the Naughty Quill had been quite successful so far, and the price was constantly rising, but I feared it might drop again when our relationship would make the Daily Prophet's headline; I could almost feel the infamous Rita Skeeter breathing down my neck, lusting for sensation. I shivered slightly.

After breakfast we Apparated to Spinner's End. The street looked as desolated as it had on my previous visits, the neighbouring houses were rundown, the streetlamps broken, and the whiff that came from the nearby river smelled foul.

"I won't miss this place," Severus commented dryly as he opened the door and glanced around the living room. With a flick of his wands the books on the shelves hovered one by one through the air and disappeared in an open trunk standing on the floor. Packing could be fun when it was done by magic.

We then proceeded to the upper floor, his old room. Apparently there wasn't much he considered worth keeping for he burned most of it in a controlled, magical fire, saving only a few things.

Then he hesitantly opened the door to his parent's bedroom, probably not having entered it for years. The atmosphere of the room gave us the creeps, it was still full of Tobias Snape's negative energy. I was merely beginning to fathom how Severus' childhood must have been if the ghosts of his past were still haunting him. I knew he had used the Killing Curse on his father and I failed to blame him for that; in my opinion he had deserved it for all the pain he had caused Severus, physically or mentally. Sometimes the end justifies the means.

Severus opened a cupboard and rummaged through the highest shelf. There, in the most far corner, hidden behind clothes and blankets, was a box. He took it and we left the room again, not wanting to linger.

In the kitchen he drank a glass of water before opening the box; it contained papers, his birth certificate and stuff like that. Also, there was a small jewel case. Of course I was curious.

"What's that?"

"An old family heirloom…" Tentatively he opened the little box. Inside, on a bed of green velvet was a ring, two silver serpents, their heads entwined, eyes sparkling emeralds. Apparently his family had a long tradition with the house of Slytherin

"It's beautiful," I breathed.

He shrugged, faking indifference while all the same he was suddenly very nervous, his hair covering his face as he took my hand and slipped the ring on my finger. "Now it's beautiful."

I was rendered speechless, and it wasn't very helpful either that he avoided meeting my eyes, both of us fidgeting, looking for words.

"Sev… I…"

"You… um, you like it, don't you?"

"Why, of course. But…" While I still wondered if that was meant as proposal, someone knocked loudly on the door and the question was postponed. Severus hurried to answer the door. I stared at the ring on my finger, listening to the voices in the living room.

"Narcissa. What a pleasant surprise." The tone of his voice betrayed his words; he was decidedly not pleased.

"Severus, so good to see you. I've been looking for you for days… oh, so is it true then? You're moving out? I never understood how you could live here in the first place…"

"Narcissa, I trust you have not been looking for me to talk about my place of residence so could you please get to the point. What can I do for you?"

"I really must speak to you," she stifled a sob.

"Well, we are speaking."

"It's about Lucius, Severus. I… I cannot lose him again. The year he spent in Azkaban- I barely recognized him when he came back and it's still haunting him. It will break him if they send him there again. You are the only one who can help him now."

"I don't think so. I'm surprised through- has he not managed to weasel himself out of trouble by donating generously in an attempt to bribe the Ministry?"

"You know Lucius, he was indeed very generous and yet the Ministry insist on putting him to trial. I beg you urgently, Severus. You are the main witness for the prosecution, you could tell them that Lucius did nothing wrong. He was mislead, yes, and he may have made poor choices but it simply wasn't possible to disobey the Dark Lord."

"I'm sorry, Narcissa, but I really can't help you. I will not lie for Lucius. He was responsible for the fiasco at the Ministry, he…"

"But you're his friend! Does that old friendship of yours mean nothing to you anymore?"

"Friend?" Severus spat. "How naïve are you, Narcissa? I kept up a façade for years, spying for the Order while everyone but your dear sister Bellatrix believed I was absolutely loyal to the course. Lucius envied me my position as the Dark Lord's favourite, his most trusted advisor." He laughed bitterly. "And all the time I was fooling him, fooling all of you. Now ask yourself, Narcissa, would Lucius even want to accept the help of a traitor? Provided that I would chose to help him, which I do not."

She sobbed loudly now. "But I have only him and Draco. Please, Severus, do it for me if you feel disinclined to support Lucius. You do still care about me, don't you?"

"I do, Narcissa, but my priorities have shifted and I cannot forgive Lucius for what he did to…"

"Hello, Narcissa!" Sometimes I just had a knack for perfect timing. As if I had only been waiting for my keyword I had left the kitchen, tired of merely listening to their conversation when I could as well join in.

Severus' eyes lit up at the sight of me while all the same they begged desperately for help since Narcissa Malfoy was cowering at his feet, wetting the hem of his robes with her tears. In her fancy pale blue silk dress she looked strangely out of place here at Spinner's End, but maybe so did I in my plain summer dress. We were worlds apart, as completely different as possible.

When she looked up and saw me, realisation seemed to struck her. Hastily wiping the tears of her face she staggered to her feet, trying to regain her composure. It was one thing to break down and cry in the presence of a gallant man but another to show weakness in the face of a rival. Soon her usual haughty expression was back on her features.

"Raven Lestrange," she gasped, glancing from me to Severus and back. She knew that hers was a lost case

"You will understand now, Narcissa, why I can't possibly help Lucius. Though I might feel inclined to ignore many of his faults, I can't and I won't forget what he did to Raven. He didn't hesitate to bring her face to face with the Dark Lord, for his own benefit, because he…"

"He wouldn't have done that if only he had known what she means to you," Narcissa interjected stubbornly. Either she was blind with love for her husband or she was just incredibly stupid to believe that Lucius would have actually spared me because of Severus.

"Narcissa, you are truly naïve. Lucius would have done anything to get back in the Dark Lord's good graces and you know that."

Although she tried hard not to she couldn't help but starting to sob again. "I…I just don't want to lose him… he's my husband, the father of my child… I only have him and Draco. Our old friends are shunning us because they believe we didn't fight hard enough for the cause in that last battle- I betrayed the Dark Lord when I lied to him about Harry Potter- and yet the rest of the wizarding world detests us. If… if Lucius ends up in Azkaban, what am I to do?"

"See where all your pureblood supremacy got you- you come whining for the help of half-bloods." I never met a more pathetic woman and yet- damned be my soft streak- I suddenly felt sorry for her. I helped her up and pushed her not all too gently towards the sofa, where she crumbled down like a heap of misery. "Listen, Narcissa, if you'd climb off your high horse and get your pretty nose out of the stratosphere you might remember that Lucius and Draco aren't the only ones you've got. You still have family- it just got blasted off the family tree. You have a sister and a cousin, a baby nephew..."

"Andromeda won't want to see me," Narcissa insisted, her voice weak.

"Try her." And most of all, leave now.

She glanced at Severus again but the expression on his face was inscrutable. I knew he felt sorry for Narcissa, and he was fond of her, but it had shocked him so thoroughly having to see me exposed to the Dark Lord's whims, because of Lucius Malfoy. And Severus Snape was not a very forgiving man. He would not try to gloss over Lucius' deeds for the sake of what Narcissa believed friendship.

The scent of her heavy, expensive perfume was still lingering in the air long after she had left. Severus was grumbling, looking irritated. I walked up to him and hugged him, feeling some of his anger leaving him.

"She's asking too much of me," he growled.

"Can't we forget the Malfoys for today? I believe there was something you wanted to ask me."

"Oh, um…" I loved the way his earlobes turned pinkish when he was embarrassed. He cupped my face in his hands, gently caressing my cheekbones with his thumbs while struggling at the verge of speech. At long last he managed to rasp, "Not here."

An instant later we were back in London. I opened a bottle of wine and lit a few candles, then we sat down on our small balcony, under a moonlit sky. Severus looked at our garden.

"We could grow a few useful plants down there…"

I was growling inwardly. Not paying attention to the plants he listed I raised my hand and glanced at the ring I was wearing on my ring finger. "You know, Sev, this is a truly beautiful ring. The ring of a Prince… for his princess?"

"Raven…" His voice sounded hoarse, full of emotions, and yet he couldn't find the right words to say. Sometimes the adept Potions Master was very shy and insecure. Maybe he feared I would run away when confronted with that question although he should know me better. My heart was beating so fast, so loud- he should be able to hear it. "I love you, and…"

He was at a loss again.

"I love you too, Sev." And then I didn't want to wait any longer. He hadn't given me that ring, probably the only heirloom he's got from his mother's side of family, for no reason. If he was too shy I had to be bold. I took his hands in mine. "Severus Snape, do you want to marry me?"

a/n: This was short but I liked the ending- let me know if you liked it too. Please review, it's really not that hard. Just press the little button and write a few words.