When the day is filled with shadows
that stretch into the night,
I am filled with your sweet comfort,
Like morning fills with light.
I will never leave you
I will never go away
We were meant to share each moment
Beside you is where I will stay.
Evermore and always
We'll be one though we are two.
For I will never leave you.
"Something" from the West End Show "Witches of Eastwick":
The thick packet dropped onto Snape's plate, making the knife that had been resting there clatter to the table.
Snape snarled and snatched at the packet with one hand, even as his other hand gently scratched the head of his owl as it perched on his shoulder, hooting softly into his ear.
Snape looked over at Meg's plate and stopped stroking the owl long enough to take the last piece of toast from her plate and offer it to the bird.
"Hey!" Meg frowned at him. "I was saving that!"
"After travelling from my sister's, I'm sure Excelsior needs it far more than you do," he replied, watching the owl as she fluttered her wings softly against his hand and then flew upwards.
"How do you know it's from Odile?" asked Meg, peering at the very formal script writing on the front.
"Her hand writing is unique," he snapped with distaste as he looked down at the packet.
"Well….." drawled Meg, slowly pulling a face.
"Well what?" he snapped, glaring at her.
"I thought it was a 'return to sender,'" She shrugged and avoided his dark eyes as she instead stared at the packet.
"My writing bears no resemblance to Odile's," he said coldly, annoyed that she should even think such a thing.
"Oh, I think it does." She said and used her knife to point to the 'S' in Hogwarts. "Look, she even tails her S's like you do…." Meg faded out as she became aware of his thunderous gaze. He reached forward and removed the knife from her fingers and placed it on her plate.
"Um… what's it about then?" she asked, sitting up straight, pretending she hadn't just got marmalade on the front of the packet.
He wiped it with his napkin and snorted.
"Having not opened it yet, I can't say. Obviously my powers of divination aren't what they ought to be," he drawled sarcastically.
"Now," Meg grinned at him, "don't get all snotty. Half the front row of Slytherin are acutely aware that the teacher 'who never gets post' has just got post!"
Snape glared down at them, and they quickly looked back at their breakfasts under his dark, angry stare.
"Nosy…."
"Yeah, well, mine is itching as well, come on, open up!" Meg interrupted him as she scraped her chair closer to him to peer over his arm.
"Do you mind," he snapped. "I will not open it here; if you've finished…" He eyed her still sticky fingers
"Oh, dry up, Severus," she snapped and sucked her fingers clean.
He smirked at her and stood up, leaning down so that his mouth was close to her ear.
"You should have left me to do that for you." His breath was hot on her ear, and his abrupt change of mood rendered her speechless as his long, cool fingers closed around her upper arm.
"What seems to be the problem, Professor Snape?" he drawled lazily in her ear as he helped her to stand up. He let go of her arm and, placing his hand on the small of her back, propelled her towards to the door leading out into the corridors.
She watched him close the door behind him and then, when he turned to her, she grinned at him.
"Have you ever thought of learning to be an Animagus?" she inquired silkily as they began to make their way to the dungeons. "A Chameleon would be good as you're already extremely changeable."
He smirked down at her, the packet still clutched in his hand.
"What makes you think I haven't already?"
Meg stopped short and stared up at him
"You're kidding me," she gasped.
"Indeed I am," he replied silkily.
"Oh, you." She slapped at his arm and carried on walking.
"You're surprisingly light-hearted considering you're holding the venom of a snake in your hand," Meg said softly as they took the stairs that led to their private quarters.
"I do not fear Odile," he said as they stopped in front of the door to their rooms. He opened it for her and stood back to let her in.
"I thought it was only a fool that doesn't get frightened," she returned, as she kicked off her boots and crossed to light the fire in the fireplace before curling up on the chair.
"I didn't say I am never frightened, just that Odile is not one of the things that can frighten me," he said smoothly as he sat behind his desk and placed the packet in front of him.
"And just what does frighten, Severus Snape?" she asked curiously, regarding him closely.
He looked up from the letter and a smirk formed around his lips.
"That one day you will succeed in your mission and Hogwarts will run out of food before lunchtime." He raised an eyebrow. "Or worse, that Longbottom will be given his own class to teach."
He picked up a heavy pewter letter opener shaped as a unicorn and slit the packet open.
"Should I take cover?" asked Meg as she saw him take out what looked like a legal document and a cover letter.
Severus didn't reply as he read the letter, but Meg watched his face get blacker and blacker with each passing moment until he slammed the letter down with a snarl and picked up the documents.
"What is it?" Meg felt a shiver of true fear slice through her heart as she stood up to pad over to pick up the letter.
He threw the documents down with an angry growl and sat back in his chair, his eyes closed.
Meg was really scared now; she perched on the edge of the desk beside him and opened the letter to read it aloud.
Severus
I enclose the documents forwarded to me by "Slye, Gamble and Racket Solicitors."
I am sure that you are aware that these documents are legal and binding and the wishes of our father.
Of course, while the documents are indeed binding, this only remains true while you remain in your current circumstances. If certain things were to change, as I'm sure you are aware, then obviously you may disregard these documents.
I know we may not have always seen eye to eye but our blood flows the same. I hope, for your sake, that you consider matters seriously and come to the conclusion that we both know is the true and right course for you to take.
I remain your sister
Odile Malfoy.
Meg looked up at Snape, but his eyes were still closed.
"I don't get it. What is she saying?" Meg's voice was little more than a whisper and the fear in her heart had become a huge cloud hanging over her.
"Ever heard of the Sword of Damocles, Megan?" he asked slowly, his eyes opening to look into hers. He watched her nod at him, her face pale and drawn with fear.
"Well it's over my head and Odile has the knife to cut the string," he said bitterly. "Or should I say that father has the knife. He controls long after he died!" He scraped the chair back from the desk and stood up swiftly.
"Severus, please, you're scaring me, what's up?" she begged.
"I have lost everything, or at least I will," he replied and placed his hands over the documents on the table and pushed them gently towards her.
"No." She shook her head and stood up. "You tell me! I won't understand a word of therefores and therearts," she demanded.
"There is a clause written into father's will," he said quietly, all emotion gone from his face and eyes, "the long and the short of it, Megan, is that if either myself or Odile were to produce legal heirs that were not pure blooded, then we would loose our inheritance."
"Huh?" Meg heard the words, but they refused to make sense in her mind.
"In other words, if I were to marry a Muggle born witch and procreate with her, then the inheritance I received from my father's estate would be taken from me and given to Odile." His wording changed, spelling out to Meg exactly what had, or rather would happen, when their baby was born.
"Sweet Merlin!" She blinked at him. "You mean because our baby will have Muggle blood in its veins then you are disinherited."
"Correct," he replied and crossed to his chair by the fire. He sat down and crossed his legs.
"So, what exactly is Odile saying here? I mean…" Meg ran a hand through her hair, mussing it badly, "I mean it looks as if she's saying if we don't have the baby…"
"Divorce actually," he said, his voice as blank as his face.
"Divorce?" Meg squealed at the top of her lungs. "Divorce me?"
"Now, now, don't get all riled," he snapped impatiently. "I have no intentions of ever divorcing you or letting go of the baby." He shook his head and stared into the flames.
"The bitch!" Meg stared back down at the letter. "She's basically telling you to get rid of us and then you won't lose… what will you lose anyway?" She crossed to stand in front of him, her hands on her hips.
"The manor house in Wales, all the money that is kept in the family vault in Gringotts, the entire estate around the manor and of course, being disinherited means I can no longer use the name Snape."
"You're joking," she gasped.
"I will still be Severus Snape, that is my legal name, but the name Snape will no longer open any doors for me, so to speak."
Meg blinked as his words sank in. She backed up to sink into her armchair.
"We will, of course, be penniless. I am unsure when exactly it will take effect though," he snorted dryly. "Had he still been alive, it would have taken effect the moment he found out I had married you. He would have cut me off without a penny straight away. I greatly underestimated him indeed."
Severus swore, stood up quickly, and swept towards the door.
"Where are you going?" cried Meg, panic sounding clear in her voice.
He hesitated by the door, one hand on the handle. He let go and turned slowly to face her.
"Megan, I need to be alone for a while, to think this through, I know it's Sunday, but I trust you'll be okay on your own." He went back to her quickly and bent to drop a kiss on her forehead as she looked up at him, concern etched on her face.
"It will be okay," he whispered into her hair and stood up. "I will never leave you, Megan, you are my future."
He went out shutting the door quietly behind him.
Meg stared at the door and sank back against the chair. He needed space to think, peace and quiet. She understood that about him.
She was unsure of the extent to which this disinheritance would affect them, but obviously it had affected him badly already.
Sighing, she got up and decided to start on the pile of scrolls waiting in her classroom. She knew it was going to play on her until he was able to explain it properly to her, but until then she needed a way to distract herself.
Whether it would work or not was another matter.
She was halfway through marking when a thought struck her.
Yesterday, Severus had taken her down to Hogsmede to look at the house that he had found.
They had discussed at length the house, as Severus had made it quite to clear to her that as Head of Slytherin House he was unable to leave Hogwarts during term time. At first he had suggested that Meg stay in the house on her own and at weekends stay in Hogwarts with him. Meg didn't want that though, as it would mean they would be apart for five out of seven days and it would be too much upheaval every weekend, especially when the baby was small. In the end they had come to the decision that the house would be bought and used during holidays instead of going to his manor in Wales. Money at that time hadn't been an issue and although it seemed extravagant, Meg was relieved that they wouldn't be using the manor in Wales. She found it hard enough to stay there, but she was convinced it was no place for children.
Money was something that had only been discussed once. Snape paid for everything.
Meg wasn't grasping, nor was she ignorant. She had arranged for her teaching salary to go into his vault at Gringotts soon after they were married. It was when he found out that they had talked about money. He had insisted she change it back to her account; he had called it a 'savings fund' as he was quite adamant that anything she required he was to pay for.
She had refused at first, but he had been insistent: she was his wife, his responsibility and therefore he would carefor her financially.
She realised it was a question of breeding and pride, and she had let it go. She didn't require much anyway. She had never been one for hitting the shops frequently or for trivial shopping, but she had no doubt that even if she had he wouldn't have stopped her.
Meg slapped her hand to her forehead, not noticing the ink that splattered her forehead from the quill still in her hand. How stupid had she been?
The savings fund. They would have at least three years worth of money in there. She only touched it for things like birthdays, anniversaries and the like. There was bound to be a sizeable amount in there, or at least she hoped there was.
She stood up, intent on finding him and letting him know.
"Do you know you have ink across your forehead?" asked Remus, grinning at her.
"Huh?" She blinked vaguely at him before looking back around the staff room. There was still no sign of Snape.
"Ink… across your forehead," he said, smiling openly now.
"Oh!" Meg wiped her fingers across her skin and managed to make it worse. "Have you seen Severus?"
Remus stood up and, taking out his handkerchief, ran it under the tap before handing it to her.
"What?" She stared at it, so intent to talk to Snape that she had no idea what Remus was doing.
He sighed, took it back, and carefully wiped at the ink.
"There, now it doesn't look as if you're impersonating Harry," he grinned. "Now, you're looking for Severus? You just missed him; I would imagine he'd be on his way now."
"What?" Meg frowned at him. "On his way?"
"Yes, he was here about ten minutes ago with Albus. He left almost immediately. Has he forgotten to take something with him?"
Meg stepped back, confusion evident on her face.
"Hold on, I have no idea what you are talking about!"
Remus' grin faded as he realised she really did have no idea.
"I thought…. but surely you know."
"Know what?" She all but screamed.
"He's gone up to Diagon Alley for some reason," Remus spoke quietly, almost as if he didn't want to say the words. "He told Albus he would be back Monday evening. I'm taking his classes for him… I take it he did forget something," he said quietly, watching Meg's face carefully.
She closed her eyes as a whirl of emotions raced through her to leave her numb.
"He's probably looking for you now," he said softly, wincing at the look on her face.
"Probably," she whispered and left the staff room unable to truly believe that he would leave without even telling her what he was planning.
She made her way down to the entrance hall and felt totally defeated when she only saw a handful of students and no teachers at all.
She headed out onto the grounds but didn't see any sign of him there either.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She still didn't believe that he would have gone. Not even Severus could be that unfeeling.
She hugged her arms around her; it was definitely getting colder and she wore no cloak over her robes.
She headed down into the walled gardens that Neville and Sally loved to cluck over, but they were empty too. Neville would probably still be in the hall eating and Sally was… wherever Sally was on Sundays.
She stopped by a stone wall that looked down over a formal terrace. It still surprised her to see formal gardens in a school, but she knew that Albus loved his gardens too.
She could see where some beds had been overturned, ready for winter. It was starting to look dead, the life and colour starting to fade from sight.
"You will get cold here," came a dark voice from behind her just as she felt strong hands wrapping a cloak around her shoulders.
She stayed perfectly still as arms crept around her under the guise of doing up the cloak.
"I knew you wouldn't go without telling me," she half laughed, the relief evident in her voice.
"You have heard what I am planning?" Snape drew her back to lean against him.
"I just saw Remus in the staff room," she replied, her hands covering his on her folded arms.
"Ah, and you half suspected I had left without telling you," he replied and she could hear the edge to his voice.
"I couldn't find you," she shrugged.
"I have been looking for you actually." He rested his chin on the top of her head, his eyes wandering over the gardens.
"So, I take it you're going to go and see the solicitors and find out what's what."
"Yes," he nodded, his arms tightening around her.
"I was trying to find you because I remembered my account in Gringotts. It's hardly been touched for three years now; it should hold enough for us to work around things."
"I had wanted to buy you what you wanted myself," he replied softly, his voice now carefully blanked against his emotions.
"Yes I know, but money is only money after all. My dad said you can't take it with you and, as far as I know, he was correct." She drew one of his hands to her lips and kissed his knuckles. "What matters is that we're together," she said quietly.
"Of course." He turned her in his arms and drew her in tight to him. "I can't let this go though. There are things that I have been thinking of since the beginning of term; but I must wait till I return tomorrow night before I talk more about them."
"All right," she nodded, laying her cheek against the stiff material of his waistcoat, "but don't get disappointed, I really doubt if there's anything you can do. You would need to contest the will… prove he wasn't of sound mind… it would be very hard if he died a while back."
"I have no plans to contest the will, just to make sure that Odile doesn't get her hands on any of it," he said, hatred clear in his voice.
Meg sighed again; so much enmity between siblings was completely foreign to her.
"There must be something about her that you care for. She can't be completely bad, surely," she said quietly; although, she had her doubts herself.
Snape was silent for a few minutes before he replied.
"I thought at one time had she have married Holland then maybe things might have been different."
"Is he aware of Senga?"
"No, he's dead."
"Oh."
"I do think that Odile was caught between the two of them; Tobias and Lucifer. I don't believe that either of them knew about the other. I was working my way up Voldemort's ranks; but I made sure that I kept a close eye on what was happening with Odile. I found out everything there was to know aboutHolland and his family. She was seventeen and seeing both him and Malfoy. She was already a Black Witch and to this day I wonder what on earth a Holland was doing getting involved with Odile. But then…" he trailed off and kissed the top of her head, "we do not pick who we fall in love with."
Meg smiled as she thought back to their own beginnings, goodness how she had hated him, or at least how she had thought she hated him.
"No, we don't do we?" A thought struck her that had her lifting her head. "If you had known then what you know now…"
He cut her off quickly by placing his hand across her mouth.
"I would still have married you. I have no choice in my love for you, and I want no choice. I am happy with you, I love you, and all I want to do is spend the rest of my life with you."
Her eyes brimmed with tears over his hand and a few slipped out and over his fingers.
"Although having said that, I would have taken time to inspect your store cupboard for out of date ingredients," he smirked.
"That's not a nice thing to say…" she mumbled beneath his palm. He moved his hand to cup her cheek.
"Promise me you won't tell our child things like that," she frowned at him.
"I promise," he replied and bent slightly to kiss the tip of her nose. "Now come with me to the gates where I can say goodbye to you properly without the fear of nosy little brats wandering past."
She stepped back from him and felt happier than she had for a long time as he slipped his hand into hers and they walked down the grounds towards the main gates.
To don the robes of Torquemada, to resurrect the Inquisition,
And in that tortured subtle manner inflict questions within questions,
within questions.
Looking in shades of green through shades of blue;
I trust you trusting me to mistrust you.
"Emerald Lies" Marillion
Severus smiled and it was not a pleasant sight at all.
The man behind the desk who had bid him goodbye was glad that it hadn't been him that this man had just done business with.
Severus was highly satisfied with his morning's work. He had but one more stop and then he would head back to Hogwarts and the one thing that had remained constant to him. Megan.
He stepped out onto the main street of Diagon Alley and looked around him with interest. He was sorry he hadn't been able to bring Megan. She liked looking around the bustling shops, and she certainly liked stopping for ice-cream. A half smile formed on his lips as he pictured her sitting at one of the outside tables, battling her way valiantly through a strawberry and chocolate sundae.
He was aware that things would never be the same again for them. He had nothing, nothing but his name, for what it was now worth, and what he had on him.
But he had made certain that while he may fall, Odile would fall with him.
Perhaps he should have felt guilty for his actions. Perhaps he should be feeling remorse, maybe even concern. But he had made sure that no harm would come to those he cared for. And that was all that concerned him.
Odile held no concern for him, and he certainly wasn't about to start feeling regret over her, not even guilt at actions he had taken years ago. Severus Snape had always been one to guard his back. He had failed with his father, but his mistrust of his sister even when she was just a child had stood him in good stead now that his mistrust was so obviously well placed.
He had almost laughed at Mr Slye as he had sat behind his desk, 'hemming and haaing' his way through Severus' proposal, the tangled questions within questions that he had been in no way able to avoid and had to act upon. He had been tied against changing anything. Everything that Severus had questioned and then demanded was now legal and binding.
Odile may not trust Severus anymore than she could throw him, and he certainly had known she would not trust him, but while Odile might be extremely clever, she was no match for a Severus Snape that was riled and ready for battle.
She had underestimated him and it was to his advantage. She may have assumed him weak for loving a Muggle born, or she may hoped he would 'come to his senses' before it was too late; either way, she had gambled and they had both lost.
He had no qualms as he walked across the streets of Diagon Alley and into the small shop that was almost secluded from sight. It would be his last purchase with money that had came directly from his father, and it was certainly not on what he had imagined spending the last few galleons he held in his pocket, but it was justice in a way. Poetic justice that the money his father had been so careful to keep from going into Muggle hands would be spent on just such a thing.
A/N: A big thank you to Camille, who has worked hard and pointed out to me a mistake I almost made J
Okay so there you go. I think things are definitely going to pick up speed a bit now. The time will pass quicker so the next chapters may jump weeks ahead. But I will give you warning first and hopefully it'll make sense as well! (well, we can but hope!)
I know I've said this loads of times before, but I have to say it again. I love getting your thoughts on this story. Your reviews really do make all the difference.
Thank you very much!
My nephew is just… gorgeous! And I had a great week away. Thanks for being patient with me.
Moldanubikum: I was so sorry to hear about your town. I hope that things will soon get as back to normal as possible in those sort of circumstances. I hope also that you haven't been too affected by it.
Thanks to:
CheroAngel, Gumlick the Rickmaniac, Elvensorceress, rechan, Angare, Kitten, Frini, Chary, Rugi, MCMish, Lan,
I hope that you all have a great day wherever you are!