Title: Blue October, Volume One – Chapter Thirty-Six.
Author: Woodland Goddess.
Rated: M
Author's Notes: Thanks to everyone who's read or reviewed the story so far; I appreciate it. I love to know what you guys think. We'll see some familiar characters in this chapter, some pleasant...some not so pleasant.
Chapter Thirty-Six: Diagon Alley
The months passed by at a good pace in the wake of Severus' birthday and June was soon drawing to a close. He and Lily had received their train tickets in the post not long after they had accepted their places at Hogwarts. Mr and Mrs Evans had been so proud when they discovered Lily's Hogwarts letter amid the Muggle post; Petunia had looked at the envelope as though it had, personally, betrayed her. Severus supposed he could understand the sentiment, though he would never admit it aloud.
True to Severus' speculation, a representative had followed the letter to the Evans' household. He had not been there for it but Lily spoke well of the woman. The representative had been prim and proper, her black hair drawn up in a tight bun that looked as though it had not been taken down in years. Her accent had been thick and Scottish and Mr Evans had been completely taken with her, mystified when she caused a fire to erupt in the hearth. When Lily had spoken of that it had been with quiet reverence. The following days had been filled with Lily's unbridled excitement, speaking of her eagerness to visit Diagon Alley and buy all of her school supplies.
One morning in particular found Severus in the kitchen with his mother, whose shoulders were set in a rigid line as she braced her hands against the sink where she had been washing the morning ware. Her knuckles whitened under the pressure. "No," said Eileen sharply, shaking her head in a jerky manner. Though she hung her head, her jaw was clenched tightly with determination. "I won't...we won't accompany the Evans family. We can't be seen with them, Severus – not in Diagon Alley, of all places. I won't risk it."
"There's nothing wrong with the Evans family," replied Severus, his hands curling in to fists at his sides. The anger on his face was plain, unfettered by a need for restraint; his Magic itched to be released but he kept a tight lid on it. "They're good people, Mum; I don't see why you're so against being seen with them. Are you going to pretend you don't know them if, one day, you bump in to them on the street? What's the matter with you? They're new to our world; they need our guidance and we ought to give it to them."
Eileen released the sink and turned, her dull, frayed skirts whirling around her legs during the motion. Dark eyes glittered with emotion, burning at him across the kitchen. Her mouth tightened in a displeased moue. "The Wizarding World is unstable, Severus," she explained quietly, the soft words reaching his ears though they were hardly more than a whisper. "You have no idea what you speak of, what you risk by associating with the Evans. There are things – people – at work in our world that would seek its undoing – that would bring harm to you for your friendship with that girl."
Severus gaped. "Mum –"
"I'm trying to protect you!"
"And you've been doing such a splendid job of it." The sneered words were out before he could stop them. Eileen's jaw clenched in pain and she looked off to the side, a shadow falling across her face, obscuring her eyes. Face pale, Severus drew backwards, his anger forgotten. "That wasn't...I didn't mean that," he uttered quietly, dropping his gaze to the floor.
"No," Eileen corrected, her voice thick with emotion. "It...the remark was well-deserved." Severus looked up, not daring to breathe. His mother looked at him, dark eyes indecipherable, for a long moment. Pale lips parted and hesitated, deliberating. Finally, she said softly, earnestly, "I know it doesn't seem like it, but the man who fathered you is not the man who walks in that door every night. Your father loved you, Severus, so much." The boy's lip curled in derision. "He would have died for you, for both of us."
Bristling, Severus turned away from Eileen, his hands curling in to fists once more. His jaw clenched, teeth grinding against each other roughly. "You're wrong," he answered, words little more than a whisper. "There's always a choice, Mum. He chose to hit you...to hit me, chose to throw barbed words at us at every waking moment. An alcoholic or not, there is a man in that body, there is a mind that still functions. All the alcohol does is take away the moral code instilled in all of us; his base desires and thoughts still exist. Inebriation shouldn't be used as an excuse."
"Severus –"
"Stop it," Severus hissed, whirling around to face her, his face flushed with his temper. Eileen wrung one hand with the other in a white-knuckled grip. Her bottom lip disappeared between her teeth even as her dark eyes quivered in their sockets. "Just stop it. I'm not here to talk about Tobias." The name was uttered as though it were something foul, something that did not even deserve proper mention. He pursed his lips together and forced himself to take a calming breath through his nose.
Turning his face away, he tilted his head, unable to look at her for fear of saying something hurtful. Severus ran a hand across his face and pinched the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut. "I'm not...I don't want to fight with you. I don't...I don't blame you." Liar, whispered a traitorous voice at the back of his mind; she made her choice, too. He squashed the voice down with a violent mental kick and continued to take calming breaths. "You said you're trying to protect me; if what you say is true, who's going to protect Lily? Who's going to protect Mr Evans? I can't...I can't just leave them unprepared."
"Alright." The word broke as it escaped Eileen's lip, catching Severus' attention, drawing his gaze towards her. The muscles in her throat worked visibly as she swallowed, the muted sound audible despite the distance between them. "I...yes, alright." Her hands brushed imaginary lint from her skirts. "Diagon Alley, it is, then." She lowered her head, a shadow falling across her jaw. "You may inform them of my decision. Just...promise me you'll remember this moment, that I tried."
For a long moment mother and son eyed each other, their eyes glittering with unvoiced emotion that seemed to burn the air between them. Swallowing thickly, Severus inclined his head in acceptance of the terms, making his silent vow to remember. Eileen tore her gaze away and turned from him, unable to face him any longer. The boy hesitated, anger ebbing, feeling more like a monster with every passing second. His lips pressing in to a thin line, Severus turned and hastened away.
Mr Evans was delighted to learn Eileen had agreed to accompany them to Diagon Alley. It was not long at all before the Jaguar MK 2was parked outside the house on Spinner's End, an enthusiastic Lily, Petunia and Severus seated in the backseat. Eileen, her frayed coat wrapped around her narrow frame, exited the house and strode towards the car with her head bowed, her dark eyes glancing in every direction, the corners tight with suspicion and wariness. Her hand was in her pocket, tensed for action; Severus knew her fingers were curled around her wand.
The woman slipped in to the car with more grace than Severus had expected. The door was pulled shut with a sharp snap and she strapped herself in without any difficulty, quite unlike his first experience with a car. Eileen remained relatively silent during the drive down to London, speaking only when directly spoken to; otherwise, her hand remained upon her wand and her gaze watched the passing scenery with constant vigilance. It was as though she expected someone to pop out at them at any moment and brandish a wand.
If Mr Evans noticed her reticence he made no comment on it; instead, he nattered away with surprising cheer though, understandably, a touch of his grief still remained with him throughout, lingering in the corners of his mouth and eyes, in the weight of his gaze. His voice filled the silence without much effort. At times, Eileen's eyes would flick in the man's direction, the hint of a smile ghosting across her mouth before vanishing as she realised she had lost focus. With Lily and Petunia on either side of him, Severus watched his mother carefully.
He did not like knowing he was to blame for Eileen's demeanour, but nor did he like the idea of Mr Evans and the girls going off in to the Wizarding World on their own. They could get lost or mugged; neither scenario appealed to Severus very much. No, it was best that he and his mother were there to accompany them for their first visit. As soon as Mr Evans parked the car, the five of them made their way along Charing Cross Road; Eileen had to grab Mr Evans by the elbow and tug him backwards he was so intent on finding where they were going.
The man frowned in confusion at what appeared to be a broken-down shop, nestled between a bookshop and a record store. "It's an illusion," Severus explained quietly for him and Petunia, knowing Lily could see its true facade, "to keep Muggles away, especially the unsavoury kind of people." His mother glanced around nervously and ushered Mr Evans and his daughters towards the door, her hand still on her wand in her pocket. When they stepped inside, revealing the Leaky Cauldron pub, Mr Evans released a breath of surprise.
Petunia wrinkled her nose in distaste and, with disdain dripping from every word, she said, "What a dump. Don't you Wizards have any class?" The pub, which had been filled with a quiet chatter, fell silent almost immediately. The girl flushed scarlet; to be frank, Severus could not blame her. There were a group of ageing women, who seemed more like the establishment's furniture than patrons, in the far corner, drinking Elderflower Wine; a gentleman with short white hair, wearing finer robes than Severus had ever seen in his life, stood conversing with the barman – a rather bald fellow that looked as though he were trying his best to impersonate a walnut – and his seventeen year old son stood at his side, platinum-blond hair tied back with a black silk ribbon.
As one, the patrons of the pub turned to look at Petunia, their eyes accusing. The gentleman half-turned in her direction, leaning upon his cane. Grey eyes narrowed icily within an ageing but still handsome face and a cruel mouth twisted in a dangerous smile as his gaze flicked from Petunia to the others in the group, one by one. When those eyes fell upon him it took all of Severus' willpower not to shudder as a chill raced down his spine; it felt as though he had been doused with a bucket of cold water. Eileen ducked her head, her face paler than usual, unable to meet the man's gaze. Her hand twitched in her pocket, tightening immeasurably around her wand.
"Come, Lucius," said the man, his tone a commanding barb, his words clipped in an almost aristocratic fashion. "Our time is better spent elsewhere." A sneer marred his sharp-featured face. "Present company no longer seems satisfactory." Without a further word to anyone in the establishment, the man strode towards the back door with a clink, clink, clink of his cane against the floor. His son, back straight and head held high, followed after him, casting a brief look at Severus and his mother on his way.
"That...that...that condescending prat," said Mr Evans indignantly, green eyes dark with anger.
"Welcome to my world," Eileen uttered cattily. Severus, Lily and Petunia exchanged significant glances but remained silent on the matter. Slipping her hand around Mr Evans' elbow, gripping tightly, Eileen continued in a hushed voice, "There are dozens of men and women just like him in our world, your daughter's world; you'd best get used to it."
"I don't believe anyone ought to get used to that sort of behaviour, madam."
Shaking her head in quiet amusement, Eileen snorted. "Liberalist." Mr Evans glanced sideways at her, seeming to take offence at that remark. "Don't misunderstand me, Mr Evans," the woman explained, her words calm and steady in spite of the recent interaction with that supercilious man. "I believe in equality as much as the next Muggle or Blood Traitor, but one must learn how to hold one's tongue. These are dark and dangerous times we live in. Now, come along; the sooner we're finished here, the sooner we can leave."
Severus' mother quickly guided them through the back door, in to the small courtyard. "Where'd they go?" asked Lily, blinking in confusion as her green eyes took in the lack of escape routes.
"You'll see," said Severus and Eileen in unison, their tone one of conspiracy. Their surprise mirrored, the two glanced at each other and their earlier quarrel was forgotten as a soft smile graced her mouth briefly. The young Wizard smiled tentatively in return, not daring to hope for true forgiveness. She reached out to him, her hand brushing his arm lightly, a wealth of emotions conveyed in that one fleeting touch. Severus' smile broadened and he caught her hand in his for a moment, squeezing lightly before releasing the appendage.
"Miss Evans –"
"Lily," the girl interjected firmly.
"Lily," said Eileen, a hint more emphasis present. "Stand there." She pointed to the ground in front of the wall facing them; Lily did as directed, shooting the Witch a nervous glance. Severus watched as his mother moved to stand beside her. "Watch closely; you'll need to remember this for next year." Eileen whipped out her wand in a fluid, graceful motion. Mr Evans, Lily and Petunia gazed intently as she began tapping bricks in an anti-clockwise fashion, the three of them gasping in surprise as the wall began moving, forming the shape of arch before their very eyes.
Mr Evans exhaled in wonder. "I love Magic," he breathed. It was as though Christmas had come early for him, judging by his expression. A wave of warm affection settled over Severus' heart as he watched the man lose himself in pure excitement. As soon as he was across the threshold he was hurrying to this window and that window, his green eyes drinking in everything before him, a bright grin stretching from ear to ear. When he spotted a Sneakoscope whirring demonstratively in a window, he released a noise filled with disbelief and delight.
It was endearing, though Severus internally grimaced at the word. After a long, almost tender moment Eileen caught Mr Evans' arm once more and gently herded him towards Gringotts, past the gaggles of gossiping Witches and Wizards. The boy had to whisper to Petunia not to stare at the Goblins as they entered the bank; the elder girl looked at him as though he had grown an extra head and subconsciously took a step towards him, as if Severus might offer some protection from the short, ugly creatures whose eyes tracked their every movement.
Time trickled passed as Mr Evans had the Goblins exchange his pounds for galleons, sickles and knuts. Meanwhile, Lily bounced up and down on the balls of her feet, her hands clasped behind her back. It was obvious that she would rather be out in the street, exploring the shops. Severus could sympathise with that sentiment. Most especially, he wanted to show her and her father Flourish and Blotts; he knew they would appreciate it more than any other shop in the street, considering their mutual love of books.
The first shop they visited was Ollivanders, of course, where the proprietor unnerved the customers as much as he had disconcerted Severus the previous year. In the end Lily left the wand shop with a brand new ten and one quarter inch swishy willow wand with a Unicorn hair as its core; Petunia eyed it jealously, her mood darkening with every passing moment. He reached out to touch her arm lightly in commiseration but Petunia wrenched her arm away from him, her brown eyes narrowed in a glare.
Lips pressed in a thin line, Severus tore his gaze away. Two could, after all, play that game. The group progressed through Diagon Alley, entering the requisite shops, though they left Flourish and Blotts and Madam Malkin's for third and second last, respectively. They spent quite some time in both establishments, though Mr Evans went spend-crazy in the bookshop – not that Severus could blame him, of course. The man purchased copies of several books for himself; Hogwarts: A History by Bathilda Bagshot; The Tales of Beedle the Bard; Ancient Runes Made Easy by Laurenzoo; Quidditch Through The Ages by Kennilworthy Whisp; Ancient Law: A Study of Moral Codes by Akiyama Nori, whose name was written in the traditional eastern manner; Pagan Magic: Fact Versus Fiction by Adalwulf Muldoon; Merlin: The Rise of a Golden Age by Percival DeGuerre.
Clutching the last book in his hands as Severus and Lily were fitted for robes, Mr Evans stared down at the illustrated cover, which continued to move since he was in the presence of Wizards. The elderly man on the cover stood atop a hill, his dark green robes billowing in a ferocious wind, his lips moving soundlessly as he weaved a spell in the midst of a lightning storm. He looked very impressive but that was no surprise; Merlin was one of the greatest Wizards to have ever walked the earth. Mr Evans' hands tightened around the book and his teeth sank into his bottom lip as he attempted to hide the sheer bliss threatening to consume him.
Eileen glanced sideways at Mr Evans, her arms clutching two textbooks, which Severus would need that she did not have at home from her own school days, second-hand, to her chest. Expression soft if mischievous, she leaned in to say something that none of the children could hear. Mr Evans let out a bark of surprised laughter and grinned at her. The corners of Eileen's mouth quirked upwards in a hesitant smile. Watching them interact while Madam Malkin shifted around him, Severus was suddenly glad he had managed to convince her to come with them; he had never seen her like this, looking so comfortable and happy. He had never seen her with a friend.
Once they were finished at Madam Malkin's, their pockets filled with bags that Eileen had shrunken, the five of them made their way back out into the bustle of Diagon Alley. They had hardly crossed more than five feet of cobbled path when a wave of Magic flew past Severus, colliding with his mother's legs, tripping her. A sound of surprise escaping her, Eileen fell in to a dip in the path, filled with mud that had formed from the dust and earth that had mingled with rain, which had fallen whilst they were inside.
Two teenagers, seventeen years old or thereabouts, hurried over to her even as Severus and Lily whipped around. The boy flushed red with anger as he spotted the white-haired man from the Leaky Cauldron standing outside of Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment with his son and a few others, an amused smirk on his mouth, a dark glint in his eyes. Severus whipped his wand out in an instant, the tingle of Magic racing through him as Eileen, having been helped up by the teenagers, latched onto Mr Evans as the man attempted to barrel forwards. "Let me at him," growled the green-eyed man, struggling against Eileen's vice-grip. "Let me at him! A man shouldn't treat ladies like that."
"Just leave it," said Eileen, her tone quietly pleading, though she kept her head down to hide her shamed expression. A spell exploded violently from the end of Severus' wand just as the offender dared to turn his back on them, adding insult to injury. The spell collided with his back with more force than Severus expected, sending the man flying, crashing into the ground some feet away, startling a gaggle of Witches. His cane was sent skittering across the cobbled path. The son, Lucius, looked directly at Severus, grey eyes surprised and calculating and darkly amused, the hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Severus, what have you done?"
Surprised by the dismay in Eileen's tone, the young Wizard glanced over his shoulder at her. "I defended your honour, Mum, as any son ought." Dark eyes flicked back towards the white-haired man being helped up from the ground by a, now, expressionless Lucius, though he seemed none too pleased about it. Face dark with rage, the man turned to face them, leaning heavily upon his newly returned cane. His frame trembled as his grey eyes promised retribution. Taking a moment to right his robes with a frustrated gesture, the man stalked away, his son following after him, the amusement dancing once more in his eyes.
As Severus and Mr Evans started calming down, the two of them turned to face the two teenagers who lingered beside Eileen, their gazes concerned. The girl had waist-length honey blonde hair that had been braided in the French fashion and silvery eyes that seemed a tad too large for her face, which was rather pretty. The boy, whose hair was dirty blond and fell to his shoulders, had blue eyes; the robes he wore were a horrid shade of yellow. An odd necklace rested over his sternum. "Thank you so much for your help," said Lily's father, withdrawing his wallet from his trouser-pocket. "May I ask your names?"
"Athena Catchlove," answered the girl, a pleasant smile lighting up her face. She gestured to her companion with a delicate but confident hand, "This is my friend, Xenophilius Lovegood."
"Well, Athena," continued Mr Evans, "take this and buy yourselves some sundaes." He pressed a few galleons into her hand. Surprise flitted across her face and she glanced nervously at Xenophilius before beaming at Mr Evans with a smile that was full-wattage, almost blinding. Athena thanked the man profusely but he waved it away in all seriousness, though the hint of a smile did touch his mouth in that moment. Catching Xenophilius' hand in hers, Athena dashed down the path, startling a laugh out of the boy.
Watching them go, Eileen muttered a spell to rid herself of mud and another to dry her clothes, her face dark and her eyes glittering. Mr Evans touched her arm lightly, his face soft with concern, "are you alright?"
"I'm fine," the woman snapped through a clenched jaw. She squeezed her eyes shut and let out a breath. "Sorry." Eileen shook her head sharply. "Let's just get this outing over and done with." The five of them set off for the Magical Menagerie, where they would take care of the last order of business...
To Be Continued.
Grrr, I want to punch Abraxas Malfoy in the face really badly. Just gah. Like father, like son, eh?
But yay, the Lovegoods!
Feel free to let me know what you think, guys; I'd really love to hear your thoughts.