Chapter 55

"Thank you," Lucy said, going back to where she'd been sitting earlier. "You didn't have to let me stay. I get that I might be intruding." Part of her was afraid of imposing on the couple but mostly she was just trying to do what Sirius had told her to and accept help when she needed it.

"Yes, well," he began gruffly, taking the potions from the table and beginning to put them away; "Better you stay here than return to your rooms and risk another episode."

"Yes, that's true." Lucy looked down at her feet for a moment before turning to watch Severus's back. "Look, I think I know the answer, but Dinah doesn't…know does she? She said you told her everything but you couldn't have told her that. You don't hate me anymore."

Severus stopped what he was doing and then after a moment sighed heavily, placing the bottle he was holding back down on the table with a thump and staring down at it for a moment before speaking. His voice came out quiet and perhaps a bit sad; "Lucy, I never hated you. I do not hate anyone, save perhaps The Dark Lord. I dislike many people and I have a low tolerance for many...activities. But I do not hate you."

"Oh," Lucy said. She hadn't really realized that. Somehow she'd assumed his…intense dislike of the man he'd caught her making out with a number of times extended to her. It was good to know it hadn't, even then. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made assumptions about you. That was unfair. It's just the way you used to look…glare at me back then. Though I suppose now that I think back on it those looks were generally gotten when I was on Sirius's lap or some such."

"Yes. Well. You should be pleased to know that I have told Dinah nothing about your predicament, although clearly you expected that I had," he still sounded bitter.

"I'm sorry," Lucy whispered, curling up and hiding as if she were a small child again. "I should know better. I should but I-I can't seem to be rational about this. I don't know why."

Once again, Severus sighed, but his voice was less irritated when he spoke again; "I love Dinah and I have told her many things. But when she says I told her everything it means that I told her everything that she needed to know and that which was mine to tell. Your predicament is not mine to tell. I only know that I was quite disturbed, even then, upon seeing it. Do you think I could have felt that way if I hated you?"

She shook her head, uncurling a bit at his oddly gentle tone. She saw that he had turned to face her, his face not nearly as irritated as she expected it to be. "No, I suppose not. Thank you. Is there…would you like some help with the potions or something?"

"There is not much left to do. You may read," he gestured to a row of bookshelves on the opposite wall, "if you wish. I do not have a large fiction section as I only purchased books with a close tie-in to my research in either potions or the dark arts, but you may find something in there or in the non-fiction which is to your liking. I intend to read more on some of the ingredients I found in my analysis," he grabbed a thick book and walked over, sitting next to Lucy on the couch and opening it to a marked page.

Lucy stared at Severus, surprised he picked up a book and sat next to her as if nothing unusual had occurred. If she was a little more daring she might be willing to tease the man by patting his arm or brushing his leg with her foot, but she thought the poor guy had been taxed enough for the day.

Getting up she went to peruse his shelves. He hadn't been kidding when he said he didn't have a large fiction section, but she managed to find a very Severus type mystery novel and went back to her spot on the couch to read until Dinah returned.

They both looked up when Dinah entered a short time later. Severus smiled and put his book down on the coffee table; "How did it go?"

"Okay. Good, I think," she walked forward and sat on his lap, resting her head on his shoulder as he put his arms around her.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes, just a little sad, that's all. But I'll be fine." She closed her eyes.

Lucy sighed, thinking she could use someone to cuddle with right now, even Charlie or Bill would do. "Did…did he seem okay?" Lucy asked. She didn't really know what else to say.

"I think so," Dinah nodded. "Better than he's been before. I might be getting through to him. My new strategy...might work. I'm trying to make him strong so he can fight off the flayed baby. I want to heal him."

Lucy nodded, "I'm glad. I suppose even he deserves to rest peacefully. It's good. What you're trying to do."

Dinah lifted her head from Severus's shoulder to smile more directly at her. "Thanks. That means a lot."

"You're welcome." Thunder crashed overhead again and she ducked, heart pounding, her eyes darting around as if looking for Bellatrix, which was ridiculous. She knew very well she would hear the wretched woman before she saw her. In fact she'd yet to see her, so really it was just her voice Lucy was looking for. "Sorry," she apologized, seeing Dinah's concerned look.

"It's okay," Dinah stood. "Why don't we do something distracting? I know! We can play two-on-one wizards' chess. Maybe you can help me beat Severus for once!"

Lucy laughed, "Maybe, though I can't guarantee it. We didn't play much wizards' chess before because the set at Grimmauld Place bites and Ron sort of monopolized the new one while they were visiting."

"Well, we can't do any worse," Dinah teased, holding her hand out to Severus with a smile. He laughed, rolling his eyes and taking her hand before standing from the couch.

"We shall see about that," he levitated the chess set over to the table, put away a final potion bottle, and they settled down for the game.

Of course, they were unable to defeat Dinah's smug genius boyfriend. "Checkmate," he said for the third time an hour or so later, moving his untouched queen into a position where their single remaining pawn could do nothing to protect their king from his vicious attack. The king dropped his sword and the game was over.

"I tried to warn you," Lucy said, laughing with Dinah. "I used to play fairly well in school but once I left there wasn't much time to practice with Auror training and everything."

"Oh, it's not you, it's him," Dinah grumbled, gesturing to Severus's mildly amused expression. "But at least we got closer this time. Or at least it took us longer to lose. I appreciate it."

"You're welcome. Well," she said, looking over towards a clock nervously, "I suppose I should be going. It's getting late."

"Yes...it is probably time to turn in," Severus agreed, flicking his wand and making the chess set put itself away. "Perhaps the storm will blow over by morning."

"I have a feeling it won't," Dinah murmured.

Lucy wrung her hands, not looking forward to going back to her rooms with only Dora to protect her. She was forcefully reminded that this was the first storm she'd faced since pounding her hand to bits on Dumbledore's gargoyle. "I'll be okay," she whispered to herself, "It's just a voice and voices can't hurt you. There's nothing to be afraid of. This is just a regular storm."

"Look, maybe you should stay here tonight, Lucy. She could sleep on the couch, couldn't she, Severus?"

He sighed; "I suppose that would be fine. Perhaps safer."

Lucy looked up, hopeful, "Are you sure? I wasn't angling for an invite. I'd be okay on my own I'm sure." She tried to sound confident when she said that but she wasn't so sure she succeeded.

Dinah shook her head. "No. Stay. It's fine. Here, I'll go find some blankets for you. Did you need to get a change of clothes?"

"Um, probably. If you don't mind. I didn't come down here with intentions of moving in," she joked, "I could sleep sans robes but I don't think that's exactly appropriate on someone else's couch."

"No. Not," Severus frowned, looking a bit agitated and causing Dinah to smile. "Go and get them, then. Do you need Dinah to go with you?"

"If she wants to come she can. I've been okay so far. I think I'm just psyching myself out anticipating things," she stood uncertainly in the middle of the room, "I assume you have a 'no cats' policy down here?"

Dinah grinned; "Definitely. Severus actually likes Godric but what with all of the potion bottles and things on the many shelves cats are too much of a risk. You can go on your own, I'm sure. If you think you can handle it I don't want to seem like I don't respect you for that. But if you need me I'll come."

Lucy nodded, "Makes sense. Dora does like to find things to roll around and potions shouldn't be one of them. Don't worry though. I'm sure I'll be fine for a few minutes."

She rushed off to her rooms, not wanting to be stuck between one place and the next if Bella chose to speak to her. In her rooms she found Dora curled up in a chair fast asleep, apparently not counting on Lucy coming back that night. In her bedroom she grabbed nightrobes, a change of clothes, the pillow off her bed and her Snuffles blanket. It didn't smell like Snuffles anymore but now it was starting to take on the scent of Sirius, a scent which she liked better.

Stuffing everything into an overnight bag Lucy hurried back to the dungeons, opening the door without knocking, only to find Dinah making up the couch for her to sleep on. "Severus in bed already?"

Dinah nodded; "Do you need anything else? Some water or extra blankets or anything? Although I think there are quite enough in this pile," she grinned, gesturing to the four folded blankets on the end of the couch.

"Oh, no. I think I'll be fine," she grinned as she pulled out her blanket and pillow. "Was he afraid I'd come into the bedroom and interrupt something looking for blankets?"

She laughed; "We didn't start anything for that very reason. I guess we're better at controlling ourselves than you two. Granted, we used to be older..."

"Sure blame it all on me," Lucy teased, "I am twenty-six you know. That time in the quidditch stands was a one off experience that I certainly wasn't planning on. That was only intended for a bit of kissing to sort of live out a teenage fantasy."

"Well, you got more than you were bargaining for then," Dinah teased her right back.

She blushed and shook out her blanket, "That I did. He got yelled at later though for forgetting a certain spell."

"Oh! Lucy, you need to be careful! I mean...well, I guess you're both old enough and you're engaged, but since you said you forgot it I assume that means that you intended to use it."

"I know," Lucy said, embarrassed, "It's not something that happens often but it's not something I'm looking to repeat. I don't imagine I'd have my job much longer if we slipped up and something happened."

"Well, I don't know about that..." Dinah murmured, "It's possible you could keep it but it would certainly be awkward if you were unmarried...to the students and their parents, anyway. Well, you can't go on saying it's something that 'doesn't happen often', it should be something that 'doesn't happen ever'. Can you imagine if Severus and I forgot? What would happen if the youthening was suddenly reversed in such a situation? And even were it not, I'm only six..." she flushed, "well, when I think about it that way I'm almost ashamed for doing anything at all. Almost."

"Yes, you're right," Lucy murmured, feeling thoroughly chastised, "We really do intend to use it every time."

"Try to change the way you say it. Say you will use it every time, not just you intend to. You'd be surprised how the language you use can affect things like your mindset and consequently your actions. But, well, I can only lecture you so much. Feels kind of funny since I'm currently younger than you. I only want to make sure you don't do something that you regret later."

Lucy smiled, "I appreciate it, really, and you're right about the words affecting actions. Which is why I say I'm trying to let go of Bella. I'm not there yet but I'm working it. I'll get there. I'm determined and stubborn."

"Good," Dinah smiled, "And you should be safe down here for the night. Now, we should both really get some sleep. Sure you're all set and comfortable here before I turn in?"

"Um," Lucy looked around, "Bathroom's right through there, right? Other than that I think I'm good."

"Yes, right through there. Good night."

"Night," Lucy told her friend before heading to the bathroom to change and complete her night time ritual. The Slytherin theme continued into his bathroom, Lucy noticed, as she brushed her teeth, stealing some of Severus's toothpaste and taking in the mirror lined with small silver snakes. Moments later she snuggled down into the blankets, assured she'd be warm despite the chill of the dungeons.


Lucy woke with a start, gasping for breath. It was pitch black in the room and she could hear the sounds of the storm in the distance. Without giving it much thought, she jumped up off the couch and raced for the bedroom, crawling onto the bed and hiding her head under a pillow. If she couldn't see it or hear it, it couldn't hurt her.

She heard a muffled, "Dinah, how many times have I told you that the middle of the night is time for sleep?" come from Severus and she kept her mouth shut, hoping they would fall back into a deep sleep and she wouldn't be noticed. She might, if she calmed down, even sneak back out to the couch.

"It's not me," Dinah responded, she shuffled around for a moment before she discovered who was in their bed, "Lucy!"

"Lucy!" Severus shouted, thrashing around and making the bed bounce. She could almost feel him glaring at her. "What the hell is she doing here?"

She hunched up a little more, trying to make herself smaller and scrunched her eyes closed before muttering, "Sorry. I got scared."

"Who do you think we are? Your parents?" Severus growled. "Get out!"

"Please don't yell," Lucy sniffed, holding the pillow tighter over her head, "I know you're not my parents. My father used to lock my door."

Dinah sighed, rubbing Lucy's back in a comforting manner; "Lucy, it's all right. Don't mind him. He just gets irritable like that in the middle of the night. He didn't mean anything by it."

"Yes. Sorry," Severus's muffled voice grumbled; "I guess this doesn't do much to convince you of the truth of my words earlier this evening. It's nothing personal; I am simply not used to random people invading my bed in the middle of the night."

Lucy loosened her hold on the pillow, returning to the earlier death grip she'd had on it. "That's okay; I'm not used to invading random people's beds either."

"So... what comes next here, then?" Dinah asked, still rubbing her back. "What happened to scare you? The storm?"

"No," Lucy shook her head, "A nightmare."

"Oh...Are you okay? Do you need to tell us or do you just need to stay here for awhile? I suppose it's all right, since you're already here. Severus?"

"At this point, who cares?" he grumbled.

Lucy rolled over, lifting the pillow to look at Dinah's face, "Bella was pissed…at-at me. I don't know why," she said, blinking back tears, "It wasn't the same as the voice though. This was something different. A dream. I know it, but it was still scary."

"I understand. And during a dark storm, too," Dinah nodded sympathetically. "I can't say for certain that it means nothing, but it probably was just a dream. You've been thinking about it a lot, trying to forgive her, trying to let go. That's hard to do. Subconsciously, maybe your fears that you won't be able to do that are expressing themselves in the dream as an angry Bella. But you're still trying. You said so last night. That's the main thing."

Lucy finally let go of the pillow, "I hope you're right. I could use my guard dog right about now but in lieu of that do you mind if I stay? I think I know a way for it to not be weird."

"Switch with Dinah," Severus mumbled, half-asleep but apparently having followed the conversation thus far.

Lucy giggled, "That's not exactly what I was thinking." She winked at Dinah before transfiguring into her fox self.

Dinah squealed at the adorable creature that had magically appeared between her and Severus.

"Dinah!" Severus hissed, covering his ears as his eyes popped open again to glare between her and Lucy; "If this is going to continue all night I'd just as soon have her stay human."

Dinah covered her mouth to stifle a giggle; "Sorry. I'll stop, I promise. Just...so...cute."

"Don't mess with my potions, fox," Severus ordered, slamming his face back into his pillow again.

"And give me back my pillow," Dinah snatched her pillow back over to herself.

Lucy simply stared and climbed on top of the covers, curling up and wrapping her tail around her, before closing her eyes.