So the weeks continued on as they had been. I attended a few more Order meetings made friends among the members. I stayed away from Lupin and kept up the same snide attitude Snape had with Black. I was finally allowed to make my own potions at work and was no longer under the constant supervision of Healer Mycroft.

One evening I was working late, brewing potions with a team of young healers. None of them were as talented as Snape and my work with them wasn't as flawless. It was ten o'clock and I was just getting ready to leave when Mycroft came and found me.

"Cain, Lenton, you're with me," he said. Lenton was a young Healer who had only recently graduated from being an intern. He was nice enough and rather brilliant- a former Ravenclaw. The two of us followed Mycroft out of the room and down the hall.

"Come," Mycroft said. "A baby down in Dartford has been stricken with dragon pox. He's too weak to move so we have to fly down to help him. I've already got the potion and there are brooms on the roof waiting for us. I'm assuming you are both decent flyers?"

Lenton and I both nodded.

The three of us headed upstairs and stepped out onto the roof. The wind was blowing harshly and it was considerably cold for Summer. We mounted our brooms and looked at Mycroft.

"Ascend quickly. Don't let yourselves be seen and stick close," he instructed.

"I don't think too many Muggles will be out and about in this," Lenton muttered to me. I nodded in agreement.

We ascended into the air and followed Mycroft through the storm. The rain stung as it pelted my face and hands. The journey took less than half an hour and I was grateful when it was over and we landed in front of house. There was a candle burning in the window. Mycroft knocked and the door was opened by an exhausted-looking man in his 30's. He had bags under his eyes and the fronts of his robes were singed.

"Mr. Land?" Mycroft asked.

"You must be the Healers. Come in, please. And thank you for coming out in this weather."

"Not a problem," Mycroft said as we followed Land inside. "My name is Healer Mycroft. This is Lenton and Cain."

"Pleased to meet you," the man said. "Little David is this way."

He led us into a nursery- the walls were painted a pale blue and puffy white clouds were bewitched to float along the wall paper. An exhausted-looking woman sat in a chair by a crib, wand in hand. Part of her hair was singed and smoking.

"His skin is all green and sparks shoot out of his nose when he sneezes," she said wearily. "He keeps setting the blankets on fire."

"That's definitely dragon pox," said Mycroft. "Lenton, you administer the potion."

Lenton took the bottle and approached the crib. I peered in curiously. The baby seemed impossibly tiny. He was sleeping heavily but he was pale and his skin had a green tinge to it. He had a few pock marks. You could tell where his sneezing had set the blankets on fire. There was even a teddy bear whose face was half-charred.

"Do you have a bottle I can put the potion in?" Lenton asked Mrs. Davis.

"Yes. One moment," she said. She left the room and returned a moment later with an empty baby bottle.

"He just fell asleep. I hate to wake him up…" she said softly as Lenton filled the bottle.

"It will help him get better," Mycroft assured her.

Lenton looked rather nervous at the prospect of waking the sleeping infant and hesitated beside the crib, bottle in hand. I raised an eyebrow at him, somewhat amused. He set the bottle aside and carefully lifted the baby using both hands. The child opened his bright blue eyes sleepily and immediately began to wail. Lenton looked alarmed and desperate.

I have to give Lenton credit- he didn't drop the baby when sparks began to shoot out of his nose and lit his robes on fire. He did holler loudly and I took the crying baby from him. I cradled the infant in my arms and sat down in an unoccupied chair. Mycroft handed me the bottle and I popped it into the open mouth of the wailing child. He was instantly silent and began to suck on the bottle passively.

He looked up at me with his bright blue eyes as he sucked down the potion. I couldn't help but think he was a cute baby…even if he did look like the creature from the black lagoon. Maybe they weren't so bad, babies…

Midway through the bottle, David began to cry again. I looked at Mycroft for an explanation.

"He's a baby. You have to burp him," he said, as if this should be obvious. I scowled at him, but really I didn't mind. I positioned the baby over my shoulder and began to pat his back tentatively.

"A little harder than that, Olivia," Mycroft said to me.

I obeyed and the baby let out a belch, along with a jet of flame that set Lenton's robes on fire again. I laughed as Lenton hopped around, then used a jet of water from his wand to put it out. The baby, who had been watching him as well, giggled weakly.

"Very amusing," Lenton said sardonically, but he was smiling, no doubt relieved that the baby was well enough to laugh.

The baby drank down the potion, then we applied a topical cream that would help rid him of his rash and his greenish tinge.

"If he continues to get worse, send for us or bring him to the hospital. If the sparks don't subside within three days, let us know. He should sleep through the night," Mycroft told the parents as we were about to leave.

"Than you so much Healer Mycroft. And Healer Cain."

"You're welcome," I said, blushing. "but I'm not a Healer. I'm just an intern."

"Well you are going to make an excellent Healer," Mrs. Land said.

"Thanks."

We stepped out into the rain which was now pouring down and we were all three instantaneously soaked.

"Ugh. I'm just going to Disapparate home, if it's all the same to you, Healer Mycroft," I said.

"Go right ahead. You performed exceptionally well tonight, Olivia. I will be sure and tell Dumbledore," he said with a smile.

"Thank you sir."

I nodded farewell to Lenton, then Disapparated with a pop.

When I appeared in the sitting room Snape jerked awake. He had obviously been dozing in his chair, waiting for me to come home. He looked at me sleepily.

"Where've you been?" he asked- not angry or distrustful, just weary and a touch concerned.

"We traveled to Dartford to heal a baby sick with dragon pox," I explained, going to stand by the fire in an attempt to warm and dry myself.

"Just you and Mycroft?"

"And a Healer named Lenton, though he was hardly of any help."

"Is he cute, this Lenton fellow?"

I scoffed.

"Not as cute as the baby I healed- David. He was only a few months old and he has the cutest blue eyes…"

"I didn't think you liked babies."

"I didn't either, but this one was cute. …Do you like babies?" I asked curiously.

"Not really, no. I never know what to do with babies…that's why I gave you to Ellen."

"Was I a cute baby?"

"You cried a lot," he replied, looking uncomfortable. "…Though that may have been my fault."

"Why's that?"

"Well I Disapparated with you several times. I brought you back here, then realized I had no idea what I was doing, so I took you to…to Ellen."

I looked at him curiously. He'd been about to say something else and now he was holding back. He had his mind shut to me. I scowled lightly.

"…You could have given me brain damage, Apparating with me so young," I said finally. He looked relieved that I hadn't questioned him.

"Who's to say I didn't?" he teased lightly.

Snape's POV

As August approached I realized that I really needed a break. As did Olivia. We both worked too much and we barely had time for each other anymore. So I asked Albus for some time off and got the Dark Lord's permission to go abroad, in search of giants. This was just an excuse, of course. I had no intention of looking for giants.

I talked to Mycroft one afternoon and secured some time off for Olivia. I surprised her by waiting for her in the lobby after work one evening.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, smiling slightly.

"I was talking to Mycroft. …We're going on vacation."

"You and I?"

"Of course."

"Awesome! …Where are we going?"

"I thought maybe we'd go back to the farm," I said casually. "See how things are going."

"But you hate the farm."

"I did before…now it might not be so bad," I said casually. "Besides…you like the farm. That's what really matters."

She smiled.

"How long are we staying?"

"Well, I've secured you two weeks off."

"And when are we leaving?"

"…Tomorrow morning."

"Why not tonight?" she said.

I chuckled quietly.

"I think tomorrow morning will suffice. We want to be well-rested for our journey."

She got a faraway look in her eye and smiled. It wasn't hard to guess she was thinking about our last journey to the farm…the night we had stayed at the inn together… I chuckled again.

"Are you hungry?" I asked her.

"Huh? I guess so."

"Would you like to eat before we go home?"

"Sure. Just let me go change into Muggle clothes," she said and motioned for me to follow her.

I followed her down several hallways, past rooms filled with people with magical illnesses. I paused briefly to watch a man belching flames who kept setting an annoyed-looking Healer on fire.

"Come on, Severus," Olivia said and I continued on.

Finally we came to a door. Olivia tried the handle and, finding it unlocked, pushed it open. The room contained several lockers, one of which she opened with a tap of her wand. She removed some Muggle clothes, shut the locker, and motioned again for me to follow her. Further back there was another door. This room contained several unoccupied bunk beds. Olivia locked the door behind us and began to undress.

"This is where the Healers come to rest when they are on call…or to have sex with Interns," she said, pulling her light blue robes off.

"Olivia," I chastised.

"Well it's true."

"Have you ever…?"

"No, of course not."

"…Do you want to?"

She grinned mischievously.

"Do you want to?" she asked.

"Only if we can do it quickly. I'd hate to get caught."

"Oh that won't be a problem."

Olivia and I left the hospital a short while later and went to eat at a little Muggle dinner not far from the hospital. Olivia told me she had eaten lunch there a few times with the other interns. She told me she was the youngest of the interns and the only one to still be in school.

When we left the diner we went home. Olivia went to her room to pack her suitcase and I did the same.

The next morning we awoke early, before the sun was up. I went downstairs and summoned breakfast from the Hogwarts kitchens while she took a shower and changed. She came down a short while later. She was dressed in jeans and a blue tank top.

I watched as she walked over to the window where there was an owl carrying the Daily Prophet. I hadn't even noticed the owl, I was too busy watching her.

"Knut?" she asked me.

"Huh?"

"Money. For the owl."

"Oh. Here."

She took the money and handed me the paper. Then she snagged a piece of toast off my plate, took a bite, and walked back over to the window. She gave the owl the money and a bit of toast, then came and sat down.

After breakfast we cleared away the dishes, then brought our suitcases downstairs. When Olivia came downstairs she had her broomstick with her.

"Actually, I have an idea…if you don't mind doing something mildly illegal," I said, smiling.

"Ooh, sounds fun," she said with a naughty grin. I pulled something out of my suitcase and held it out proudly.

"Is that…a magic carpet?" she asked in awe.

"It is. Once we're in the air, we can make it invisible. Less chance of getting caught."

"That's brilliant," she said.

"Thanks."

Of course I didn't tell her that it was actually the Dark Lord's idea. He was importing carpets form Egypt and India and he had generously lent me one. It had been his idea to make invisible flying carpets, giving his victims and some of his servants the illusion that he was flying without the use of a broomstick.

Olivia and I went out to the backyard with all of our stuff. It was still dark outside. I looked around the yard at the grass and the weeds. Along one side of the fenced in back yard were several rose bushes that had become overgrown since my mother died. I closed my eyes, recalling the times I had come home from Muggle school when I was younger, before my Hogwarts days. Most of the time my father would be at work and Mother would be in the backyard, pruning or watering the bushes, using her wand. It was the only time she ever smiled.

"Severus are you okay?" Olivia asked me quietly.

"Fine," I replied absently.

I shook my head to clear it, then spread the carpet out on the ground.

"Put your suitcase in the middle," I told her as I put mine down. She nodded and obeyed. I motioned for her to sit towards the back and she sat, cross-legged. I sat at the front of the carpet and tapped it with my wand. Slowly we ascended into the air.

Olivia's POV

The rug was soft, plush and beautiful. It was a rich blue color with ornate star and moon designs. I was somewhat regretful when Snape Disillusioned the carpet and a little freaked out to suddenly fin myself apparently soaring over clouds in midair.

"You okay?" Snape asked, looking back over his shoulder at me, smiling slightly.

"Lovely," I called back.

It remained dark for another hour, then the sky burst into color as the sun peeked over the horizon and rose slowly into the sky. We couldn't fly any lower than the clouds because the Muggles would be up and about now.

After several hours of sitting, my back started to hurt and I lay down on the invisible carpet. I moved slowly and carefully, making sure I could still feel something solid beneath me with my hands before laying my body down. Snape glanced back at me and smiled.

I rested my head on my arms and looked face down at the sea of clouds beneath us.

"Wow. Trippy," I sad aloud. Snape chuckled.

I was even more pleased when we finally reached the ocean. Snape directed the carpet to swoop low over the water, low enough for me to reach my hand over the side and let my fingers run through the water.

We flew over the ocean for quite a while, zipping back up in the clouds if we saw a ship on the horizon. It started to drizzle rain long before we reached the coast of Ireland. Snape cast a charm over the carpet so that the rain didn't get on us or our luggage. Either way, we touched down on the beach as soon as we reached the shore.

"We may as well camp here," Snape said. "I hate flying in the rain."

"Really?" I said, surprised that he would suggest camping.

He merely shrugged and pulled something out of his suitcase. A flick of his wand later and there was a waterproof tent erected on the sand.

"After you," he said, holding open the tent flap for me.

The tent was a lot bigger on the inside than the outside. It had a musty old smell to it. It was also styled with stuff that had probably been popular thirty years ago: blue shag carpet, a floral rug, a bright yellow sofa and a large bed with a floral bedspread. There was also a little 70s styled kitchenette.

I looked at Snape and raised an eyebrow.

"I borrowed it from Albus," he said defensively.

"Ha! I always knew Dumbledore was a hippie, with all that long hair."

He smiled a little and shook his head.

"I don't think it's been used for quite some time," he said, walking around and looking at things.

"Obviously. Would you like for me to make some tea?" I asked. "It's gotten a bit chilly."

He nodded and I went into the little kitchenette.

The rain had stopped by the time it started to get dark but neither of us suggested leaving. He did leave the tent and after a moment I followed him to find he had started a small bonfire on the sand. He used his wand to draw up two chairs and sat.

"I'm hungry," I said as I sat down.

"I could summon food from Hogwarts?" he offered.

"Yeah, but that's so normal…why not do what Muggles do on the beach?"

"What do Muggle do on the beach?" he asked.

I grinned mischievously.

"Besides that," he said, also smiling.

"Roast hotdogs, marshmallows, that sort of thing."

"We can do that," he said and with a wave of his wand made a package of hotdgos and a bag of marshmallows appear.

"You can't make food out of nothing."

"No, but you can summon it if you know where it is already," he said. "…Even if it's a Muggle grocery store."

"That's stealing," I pointed out and grinned. "I like it."

Snape found a stick and we roasted hotdogs. After that he put two marshmallows on the stick. He stuck them inside the flames a moment, then pulled them out. He blew out the flame and offered me a slightly burnt marshmallow.

"You've done this before, haven't you?" I asked, taking one of the marshmallows. He shrugged and I took a bite of the marshmallow.

"I am a man of many talents," he said mysteriously.

Once I'd had my fill of marshmallows, I stood up.

"I want to go swim," I said.

"In the ocean?"

"Yeah."

"What about jellyfish…and sharks?"

"If you're so worried," I said, stripping of my shorts and tank top. "Why not come with me?"

"And get eaten myself?" he scoffed. "No thanks."

"Suit yourself," I said, then tossed aside my clothes and ran into the water.

The moon was near full and I had good visibility. Not that I was all that worried about sharks. They had sense enough to avoid the shore, most of the time.

I dove under a few times and was floating on my back when I heard something in the water. I turned my head to see Snape wading out towards me, shirtless.

"-can't believe you made me come out here," he was muttering.

"You made you come out here," I said, grinning.

Then I ducked underwater, swam up to him, came up and squirted a mouthful of water at him.

"That's disgusting Olivia," he said, wiping his face. "Fish pee in that."

I laughed loudly and grabbed him, pulling him down into the water. He came up coughing and sputtering. I laughed again and pushed his wet hair out of his face to kiss him. He put his arms around me and held me close.

"I'm surprised you came out here," I murmured. "You don't seem to like water all that much."

"I don't like water…but I do like you. I wanted to make sure you were okay."

I smiled and kissed him again. I tried to lead him into the deeper water, but he resisted.

"I can't," he said reluctantly.

"Why not?"

"…I can't swim," he admitted.

"Severus…it's not difficult. I could teach you."

"You could… or we could go back to the shore and do something more fun than swimming."

"I'm up for that," I said, following him back towards the shore.

We didn't quite make it to the sand. He lay me down in the shallows where the waves lapped the sand and kissed me hungrily. I chuckled quietly as he slid down my panties.

"Eager, aren't we?"

He said nothing but smiled as he slid one finger inside of me.

"You're one to talk," he murmured in my ear.

"What can I say-" I said with a ragged gasp. "-You have that effect on me."

Snape's POV

I don't know what drove me to camp on the beach with Olivia, even after the rain had stopped, but we both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We left the next morning before the sun rose and had reached the farm before noon. We flew over it at first, looking down at the oblivious workers. It certainly looked different than last time. Most of the pasture had been turned into a garden- there were acres of corn, tomatoes, potatoes and other plants I couldn't readily identify. There was still a bit of land that had been saved as a pasture which held several horses and two cows.

"It looks like it's doing really well," Olivia said. "There are so many more workers now."

"Albus pays them generously for the produce they supply Hogwarts with," I said.

We touched down behind the barn where no one could see us and I rolled up the magic carpet and stowed it in my suitcase. We started towards the main house but were stopped before we got there by several workers, including Olivia's friend Thomas.

"Well I'll be- if it ain't little Livvy and her guardian," he said, embracing her. I tried to ignore the pang of jealousy I felt- it was just a friendly hug. They'd been childhood friends, after all.

"I didn't think we'd be seeing y'all this year," said a tall, tan man wearing a cowboy hat. It took me a minute to recall his name- Don. He was the horse trainer who ended up plotting out the whole supplying the kitchens idea when I first suggested it. He was smart for a Muggle and had did the math and put a lot into what went where, at least according to Albus.

"How have things been?" Olivia asked Don.

"Good. It's been real profitable, what your friend here suggested," he replied, nodding to me. Olivia smiled at me and I just stood there, feeling sort of awkward.

"And we got a new horse when the O'Malley's moved. She's a beautiful filly with a gorgeous grey speckled coat and black stockings. And fast, too. But she won't take a rider."

"What do you mean? You've trained hundreds of horses," Olivia said.

"I've never encountered a horse as feisty and spirited as Titri. She will not be broken. You'll have to meet her yourself. Would you like to see her now?"

"I'd love to. Severus, will you come?" she asked me.

"Perhaps you can show me later. I'll take our things up to the house, alright?"

"If you're sure…"

I nodded and took her suitcase from her. I watched Olivia walk off with Don and Thomas, then headed into the house by myself.

I was met in the living room by Ms. Hudson, a Squib who was the housekeeper/cook.

"Bless me- is Livvy with you, dearie?" the woman asked me.

"She's out in the barn with Don. I thought I'd bring our things in."

"I wish you two had given us a bit of notice. I could have dusted- changed the sheets in the guest bedroom," she fretted.

"I'm sure the sheets are fine," I assured her.

"Would you like some help? I could take Olivia's things up, if you like?" she offered.

"No thank you. I can handle it. Besides, it smells as if you have something wonderful in the works in the kitchen," I said.

It was the truth- the whole house smelled delectably of baked ham.

"Go on then," she said, giggling and blushing slightly. As she headed back into the kitchen, I made my way quickly upstairs to the rooms where Olivia and I had stayed last time we were here.

I put my suitcase in the room that had been mine, then walked next door to the room that was Olivia's. I smiled as I looked around the room. It was filled with stuff from her childhood- even the bed sheets had horses on them. I tossed her suitcase on her bed, though I doubted she would adhere to sleeping in her own room. I went to stand and look out the window when I noticed a drawing on the wall. It was a sketch of a horse racing. It was rather good, considering she had probably been around seven when she drew it. She was a good artist. Before now I had only ever seen her put her talent into doodling on her parchment in class if she got bored. She often told me it helped her think, so I always let her get away with it.

I looked out the window, down to where I could see the red gleam of Olivia's hair in the pasture. She was standing with Don and the two were looking at the three grazing horses. One was a very white mare who I recognized as Moonstar, Olivia's favorite horse. Even from the window I could tell that the horse was very pregnant. I watched as Olivia patted her muzzle gently, then carefully felt the horse's swollen stomach and listened at her side.

I headed downstairs but the lunch bell rang before I could go outside. I stepped aside as a slew of workers came in and headed for the dining room. I waited for Olivia just inside the door and when she came in I was at her side in an instant. We sat together at the table and she pressed her leg gently against mine beneath the table. She talked to me about the horses and despite my best efforts, I didn't really listen. Mostly I was thinking about how beautiful she looked and how I loved the gleam she got in her eye when she talked about something she loved.

"-thinking we could go out and see them after lunch, if you want," she said to me. "Just you and me."

"We could do that," I said with a nod.

Olivia's friend Thomas sat across from us, but I was pleased to see that he seemed to have a girlfriend.

"Where's Matthew?" Olivia asked him curiously.

"With Dad. But he's due to come out next week and he'll be staying until school starts back," he replied.

"And what have you been up to?" she asked.

"Work mostly. I've been giving riding lessons to kids from town to earn some extra money. That's how I met Cassie. Fifteen years old and she'd never been on a horse."

"You're only fifteen?" Olivia asked the blonde girl who was sitting beside Thomas, possessively clutching his arm. To me, Olivia sounded a bit amused but I didn't think anyone else noticed.

"Yep. Now I've been coming out Tuesdays and Thursdays for lessons and helping out when I can," said the girl, Cassie, with a giggle.

When Olivia finished eating she led me outside before most of the workers had finished eating.

"How old is your little friend again?" I murmured in her ear as we walked. "The boy?"

"20."

"And he's dating a fifteen year old?"

"I know," she said with an amused smile. "But it's not as if we really have room to talk."

"Good point."

Moonstar was mildly grazing some grass, her sides heaving. Olivia petted her gently.

"She's likely to have the foal within a week. Isn't that great? We'll be here for it."

"That's great, I guess. For you. I'm not being anywhere near that when that goes down," I said seriously. Olivia laughed.

The grey speckled horse they had mentioned earlier was grazing by the fence, but she perked up when Olivia laughed. The horse and Olivia looked at each other for the longest time. She held out her hand and made a come here noise. The horse just looked at her, let out a snort, and took off running. We watched her run around the entire pasture, never slowing down or getting tired. She looked as if she loved to run.

"God that horse is fast," Olivia said, watching her with dreamy eyes.

"But Don said she can't be ridden?" I asked, feeling somewhat glad. I wasn't so sure I would want Olivia on the back of that thing.

"Nope. She's thrown every potential rider and always manages to get rid of the saddle and halters. He used to tell me every horse can be broken…but Titri has spirit," she said, watching the horse. "Even Don has admitted defeat."

We saddled up two of the other horses: Napoleon, a thoroughbred stallion who I had ridden before- the only horse I'd ever ridden before- and a brown gelding named Morrow.

"How do you know what to call a horse?" I asked curiously as we started down a trail.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, like you said Morrow is a gelding…and Don called Titri a filly. And I know there's more, like a stallion and a mare and colt foal."

"Oh, it's not that difficult. Let's see…every baby horse is called a foal. A colt is a boy and a filly is a girl, less than three of four years of age. Then a mare is a female horse of riding or breeding age and a stallion is an adult male horse," she explained.

"And what's a gander?"

"A castrated male horse."

"Oh," I said and grimaced. "Poor Morrow."

Olivia just looked at me and smiled.

Olivia's POV

After dinner that evening Snape went to his room and I went to mine. I waited impatiently for the house to quiet down and everyone to go to bed. I read books while I waited. At first I was studying some textbooks from St. Mungo's or Hogwarts. Then I found myself reading some of the books on my shelf from when I was a kid. Muggle books on horses, most of them fiction.

Toward midnight I crept out of my room and knocked lightly on Snape's door, wearing noting but pajama bottoms and a tank top.

"Come in," he said softly from within.

I opened the door and slipped inside quickly, sealing the door behind me. Snape was already in bed and he motioned for me to join him. I crawled under the covers and snuggled up next to him. I giggled softly as he put an arm around me and kissed me gently, right below my ear, his breath warm on my skin.

"Are you happy to be here?" he murmured.

"Yes."

"Even though it means missing work?"

"Yes. I am very happy here."

"Good," he said and kissed me again.

"Are you happy here?" I inquired.

"It is good to get away," was all he said.

Snape and I spent the next morning walking around the farm. We watched the workers who were pulling weeds from between pea plants or harvesting ears of corn. A few of them were discreetly using magic- rather poorly- to aid in their work. Snape stiffened and grabbed my arm when a flock of chickens crossed our path. I laughed at him.

"It's only chickens, Severus. Don't be so jumpy. You act like the Dark Lord's going to pop out of the corn," I said.

Then we both looked towards the rows and rows of corn and laughed uneasily. I heard a quite peeping noise and looked down to see a fluffy black chick who had gotten separated from the others.

"Aw, poor baby," I said, picking it up and stroking its soft feathers.

"Don't ask me to let you keep it," Snape said warningly. "I'll say no."

"Of course not. I wouldn't be able to take care of a chicken back home," I aid. "But I am going to help him find his mommy chicken."

He snorted and shook his head, but followed me anyway as I walked in the direction the flock had gone.

"They're really cute, Severus. Don't you want to hold him?"

"Pass," he said dryly.

"Come on, Severus, touch my chicken."

He gave me a pained expression and touched the baby chick with one finger.

"…It is very soft," he admitted, stroking its feathers. I gently transferred the chick to his hands. It began to peep wildly and flap its small wings.

I heard a loud squawk and looked up to see the mother chicken running towards us angrily.

"Severus- put the chick down," I said quickly.

"Why, what-?"

And the mother chicken collided with him, furiously pecking his shoes. He looked rather alarmed.

"Okay, okay- here," he said, bending over to put the chick down. "It's fine, see- Ow!"

Despite having its baby back, the mother chicken was pecking his hands furiously.

"Hey! Go on, shoo!" I said loudly to the chickens. The mother chicken shot me a contemptuous look before squawking angrily and stalking away, the black chick following her and peeping in a seemingly amused way.

"Are you okay?" I asked Snape, trying not to laugh.

"No. I was attacked by a rabid chicken! I'm bleeding."

"I don't think chickens can get rabies, love. Let me see," I said. He reluctantly showed me his hands, which were covered in peck marks, a few of which were bleeding.

"You'll be fine. That's nowhere near the damage an owl can do. You want to go back up to the house and get some Dittany?"

"No. No, I'll be fine," he said, looking as if he felt a bit foolish. I chuckled quietly.

"It's not funny," he said sullenly.

"You're so cute," I said and kissed his hand.

He scowled slightly, but smiled in spite of himself.

That evening after dinner, I felt restless. Snape told me he was going to go shower.

"I think I'll go out for a walk," I told him.

"You want me to go with you?"

"No. I'd like to go alone."

"Okay…Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"I'll be fine, Severus," I said with a smile. "Don't wait up, okay?"

"If you say so."

I kissed his lips and headed downstairs.

It was dark outside and the half-full moon hadn't risen all the way. I could hear crickets chirping and owls stirring. As I walked past the barn, a horse whinnied. I considered saddling up Napoleon and going for a ride, but decided I felt more like walking. I passed the barn, the chicken coop, the rows and rows of tomatoes and peas. I felt like I was looking for something, but I wasn't sure what. My heart started pounding as I got closer to the cornfield.

The stalks loomed over me, some of them pushing eight feet tall. A gust of wind caught the tops of the stalks and mad them bend eerily. With a chill I remembered wha tI had said to Snape earlier when he had been acting so jumpy- like he expected the Dark Lord to jump out of the corn. And at that moment, something leapt out of the stalks at me.

Fast as lightning I whipped out my wand, though I also uttered a high-pitched scream. The light from my wand showed my 'attacker' was only a fat gray and orange cat.

"Jesus, kitty. You scared me," I said aloud, trying to calm my nerves. I let out a shaky laugh and the cat started to wrap herself around my legs, purring very loudly. I reached down to pet her and she trotted back into the corn. She looked back at me as if she wanted me to follow her. I got an eerie feeling again…but this time it was the feeling that the cat was trying to tell me something important. So of course I walked into the cornfield, following the cat down rows and rows of corn, until I felt certain I would be lost if she didn't lead me out.

"Where are we going, kitty?" I asked aloud, starting to feel anxious. She meowed loudly and glanced back at me with glowing orb eyes. She stopped suddenly and sat down, just looking at me.

"What?" I asked the cat. "Why'd you bring me out here."

I got the sudden feeling that the cat might be an Animagus.

"…Who are you?" I asked.

"The cat is not an Animagus," said an amused voice from behind me. I recognized the voice immediately. I whipped around and blasted him off his feet.

Author's Note: Sorry to leave you guys for so long. Hope this update makes up for not posting in a while. I've been super busy- starting college and moving out of my mom's house this week (FINALLY!). AAAND I am getting a place that will have Wi-Fi! Very important, as this means you guys will get updates more often. Hoorah for internet.

Hopefully I will be posting again soon.

Until then, read and review! Who do you think Olivia has found in the corn?

~LilReporterGirl