.
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
Austen entered the lab and cleared his throat, "Madam, you have a caller."
Hermione blinked, dispelling the academic haze she was in. With a flick of her wand, the ribbons flew to mark her place in the plethora of books, which then neatly stacked themselves. The quill, scratching away on its own, stilled and flew home to its inkwell.
"What? Oh yes. I'll be just a moment."
Austen shifted slightly and Hermione did a double take; her butler did not fidget.
"Austen?"
"If I may be so bold, Madam…" He trailed off.
She nodded.
"It might behoove Madam to dress—ah—to impress, as the Mistress of the Estate."
Hermione glanced down at her serviceable brown dress and voluminous forest green shawl. Neither were shabby in the least, but they were both unadorned.
"Who is it, Austen?"
"Lady Lily Potter."
The world shifted and realigned itself. Hermione nodded again, a jerky movement of the chin. "Put her in the grand parlor; I will come soon." As he turned to go, she added, "Thank you, Austen."
He nodded sharply once and then continued, "You should know, Madam Snape, that she came to speak with Master Snape on December twenty-fourth and was told not to return to Spinners End again."
Hermione stared at him. "Why was she here?"
"She asked the Master for money."
Hermione reached for the chair behind her as she remembered, stretching back over their acquaintance, all of the references to the elusive Lily Evans Potter. His Memory Chamber held a whole collection of memories surrounding the Lady. She recalled her impression of her from the Spinner's End dream, dressed in rags, lustrous red hair dull and Narcissa's hints that there had been a woman who had spurned him.
"Mistress?" Austen was by her side, he hand steading her. "Shall I send her away?"
"No," she whispered, "No. I will come."
He watched her closely, blue eyes serious. "Remember, Madam Snape, you are the Mistress here. Master Snape chose you above all others."
She gave him a smile and straightened her shoulders. "Of course, Austen; I will only be a moment. Please make her as comfortable as possible in my absence."
Austen proudly watched her glide from the room like a queen.
Ginny was in her dressing room, of course, and the Malfoys were dealing with the collecting and transporting of their treasures to Spinner's End. Ginny was more than happy to drape Hermione in a cream gown with long sleeves overlaid with the most delicate lace.
When her hair was dressed and tamed, she descended to the parlor alone.
The Lady was standing in the receiving parlor looking out the window when Hermione arrived, a great, shaggy, black dog at her side. She was tall and dressed in a rich-looking gown. As Hermione neared her, however, it became obvious that whatever jewels had been sewn into the bodice had been removed. Her bright red hair was piled ornately on the crown of her head, exposing the slender column of her throat.
Hearing Hermione's step, she turned. "Finally, Severus, I thought—" Only to trail off, open mouthed and staring. "Who are you?" Her tone was unexpectedly accusing.
"I might ask you the same question." Hermione frowned, but in the interest of good manners she offered a curtsy and motioned Lily to a seat.
Lady Potter did not reciprocate. "I am here to see Severus. I thought I told the other servant as much." She shot a glare at Austen, who hovered by the door.
"My husband is not receiving visitors at this time." Hermione nervously touched the modest pearl teardrop hanging at her throat from a slender gold chain.
The lady's green eyes snapped back to Hermione's face and her dog began to growl. "Your husband? So Severus has finally settled for someone? You don't look like much."
Hermione had no idea what to say in answer to that, although she couldn't say that the woman's reaction came as a complete surprise.
"Is it really necessary that the servants stay?" Lady Potter asked with a sniff in Austen's direction.
The unflappable butler's blank expression did not even flicker.
"Austen will remain." Hermione's voice was flat, her patience and politeness worn through.
The Lady sniffed and plopped down on the settee. They sized each other up across the room, like two lionesses over a slab of meat, although Hermione couldn't imagine what the other woman's prize was.
"I must insist that I speak with Severus."
Hermione sought to channel her husband as much as possible. With an imperiously raised eyebrow, she inquired, "And what business do you have with my husband?"
Lily's gaze narrowed as a servant laid a tray before Hermione.
"Thank you, Molly," the lady of the house murmured. "How do you take your tea, Lady Potter?"
The woman gritted her jaw and seethed. The dog stood between them, a low growl rumbling from between pointed teeth.
"Lady Potter, please. I have no quarrel with you. Let us be frank with each other." Hermione took a delicate sip of her own tea and gave the bristling mutt a hard look.
The Lady Potter's painted lips twisted in a mockery of a smile. "Frank? Severus has promised to help me. Instead he sent my son to the battlefield. I demand a reckoning from him."
"As I have already explained, Lady Potter, my husband is not receiving visitors and you are not welcome here." Hermione's voice rang with steel, but her hand curved protectively over her stomach.
Lily's eyes tracked the movement avidly and then flew to Hermione's face, "You—?"
When Hermione inclined her head in the positive, she was surprised to see the woman's eyes filled with the glimmer of tears, and her composure seemed to drain away. The dog leaned his shaggy head against her knee with a low whine. "What am I to do? I know he sent Colonel Lupin with an allowance to keep us solvent—but it's all gone now, James gambled it away," she ended with a sob. Hermione passed the woman an embroidered handkerchief. Lily dabbed her eyes and continued, "I had thought he could—that is—he might reconsider my earlier offer."
Hermione discarded the teacup and twisted her wedding band around her slender finger. "Earlier offer?"
Lily's cheeks turned a brilliant red. "Help in exchange for certain—privileges." Innuendo was heavy in her voice, but she wouldn't meet Hermione's eyes and looked positively ill.
Hermione bit her lip, stunned. "Lady Potter, I am very sorry for the difficult situation that you now find yourself in." Her voice was gentle. She knew the bitterness of a life owned by others.
Lily continued to look away, letting out a harsh laugh. "There was a time he would have done anything for me." She glanced back at Hermione, her glare accusing. "It seems now that he is quite beyond my reach." She stood abruptly and dropped a low curtsy. "I apologize, Madam Snape. My behavior has been reprehensible. I shan't bother you again. Give my regards and apologizes to Master Snape.
With a final curtsy, she swept from the room and towards the floo chamber.
Hermione sat in the parlor, pondering and drinking cooling tea for a long time.
Edited for grammar, capitalization & spelling on Febuary 17th, 2014 [courtesy of renaid, who knows the elusive differences between homophones].