AN: 7 years later ... aaaand here's an update. These stories of mine have been roaming around in my head for years, since I last updated. However I was always so annoyed that my computer died and I lost all my drafts and notes, so I never really bothered starting up again. Until now. I hope you'll still continue with me on this journey.

~ Chapter Three ~

In the Cupboard

Monday August 20th, 1990

Penelope had been at Hogwarts for three days. In that time, she had decorated her chambers to her liking, making it feel rather homely. She'd been preparing lesson plans, timetables, ordered supplies for her classes, and she almost felt ready for the students to arrive … but only almost. She wasn't sure if she'd set the standard too high or possibly too low with some of her chosen subjects. She'd remembered that Albus had told her, she could always ask himself or Severus for help with her planning and seeing as Dumbledore was not at Hogwarts today, she was on her way to the dungeons to ask Severus for his help. She'd barely seen him since he'd shown her to her chambers three days ago. She wondered if he was avoiding her or if it was just a coincidence - then again, she hadn't exactly attempted to cross paths with him either. Not that she didn't want to see him, but thinking back on their shared history, she was afraid it would be awkward for the both of them. Yet here she was, on her way to see him.

She entered the Potions classroom only to find it empty. On Severus' desk was a lid candle and some parchment scattered around. Unless Severus had changed a lot since they had last spent time together, she deduced that he must be close by. She looked around the room and noticed the door to the supply cupboard was open. "Severus?" she called out.

"In here," came the reply from the supply cupboard.

Penelope walked over to the open door. Inside the room stood Severus on a ladder with his back turned. He was going over the inventory to make sure he had enough supplies before the students returned - and to know exactly how much he had of each item in case something should end up mysteriously disappearing during the coming year.

"What can I do for you, Alisdair?" he asked, still not turning around to look at her. Alisdair? So, we're on last name basis now? Fine, if that's what he wants, she thought.

"Professor Alisdair, you mean," was her response.

Severus turned and looked at her with a risen brow, "indeed … Professor." He stepped down from the ladder. "What was it that you wanted?" He asked, looking back down at the list in his hand.

"Oh, right, yeah." She stepped into the room. "I was hoping you'd look over my lesson plans. I just want to make sure I haven't made the subjects too easy or too difficult."

"Surely you're able to judge that yourself?" He wondered aloud, not lifting his eyes from the list in his hand.

Penelope felt her cheeks flushing, "well, I…" she looked down, suddenly feeling embarrassed, "I think they're suitable, but I just wanted to make absolutely sure by having someone else look them over." She looked up at him, "if it's too much trouble, I can just wait for Albus to return."

Severus rolled his eyes, "hand them over."

She smiled shyly, "thank you, Severus."

"Professor," he corrected.

"Indeed … professor," she said with a slight smirk, which she wasn't sure if he saw or not.

They stood in complete silence as Severus looked over her plans. Suddenly the door to the room slammed shut behind Penelope and she jumped in surprise holding her hand over her heart.

"Eheheheh, now professor Pee-Pee-Penelopee and Snapey can do a bit of kissy!" Sang the voice of Peeves from the other side of the door.

Severus rolled his eyes, "every year I pray that that retched poltergeist will have been banished, and sadly my prayers are never answered," he said through somewhat gritted teeth.

"Yes, I can imagine that would be a welcome change," Penelope replied.

"I don't see anything wrong with it," Severus said.

"Pardon?" Penelope replied in confusion.

"The lesson plans," he clarified, handing them back to her, "they look good."

"Oh. Thanks," Penelope answered, taking the papers and holding them close to her chest, "I'll … I'll leave you to your counting then," she said and turned towards the door before grabbing the handle, "it's locked."

"I could have sworn you were a witch not five minutes ago," Severus muttered sarcastically.

"Right," she said, reaching for her wand only to find it gone. "Peeves! Did you take my wand?" She called into the wooden door but didn't get a reply.

Severus scoffed, "how did you not notice him taking your wand?"

Penelope blushed again but didn't reply. Severus reached for his own wand. His mocking smile faded as he found is own wand missing too. "What?" Penelope asked but didn't get a response. "No," she said in mock surprise, "don't tell me; the mighty Potions Master had his wand stolen by the resident poltergeist as well? How on earth did that happen?"

"PEEVES!" Yelled Severus. "If you don't unlock the door and return my wand this instant I swear I will find a spell to banish you myself!"

Nothing.

A minute or so passed in complete silence, "so …" Penelope started out, "what do we do now?"

Severus looked up at her, "I suppose we'll have to wait until he comes back, or someone comes looking for either of us."

"Well, then … do you need any help with the counting?" She asked.

Severus sighed, "I had nearly finished. I only need to count the gillyweed and the aconite."

"I'll take the aconite. I hate the smell the gillyweed leaves on my fingers," Penelope stated and went to the shelf containing the ingredient.

It took them all of three minutes to count the last two ingredients. Then Penelope sat down on the floor with Severus following suit a few seconds later. They sat with their backs against the walls, facing each other. They were silent for a while before Severus said something that he had been wondering about since he saw her in Dumbledore's office three days ago, "I noticed you haven't changed your surname."

Penelope's brows wrinkled slightly, "no, I haven't … why would I?"

Severus looked down, "well, I just thought … it's been eight years. Maybe you'd gotten married and had some offspring."

Penelope snorted in amusement, "offspring … honestly, Severus." She looked back at him and sighed, "no, no husband and no offspring. Not as much as a single illegitimate heir to my vast fortune." She paused for a moment before asking, "and yourself?"

Severus lifted an eyebrow, "do you think I would be living here if I had a wife and children at home?"

She pretended to think it over, "well … you were never really fond of children," she said with a hint of a smile.

Severus chuckled. They sat in silence for a bit before Penelope spoke in a quiet voice, "I've missed this."

"What? Being locked in a cupboard?" Severus asked sarcastically.

"No, this. Us," she clarified, "talking to you." She looked down, cheeks flushing slightly.

"As have I," Severus said quietly after a moment of silence.

"Truly?" Penelope asked, the doubt evident in her voice.

"Yes," he confirmed, looking straight into Penelope's eyes and she felt as if he was staring straight into her soul.

She sighed, "I don't get it."

"What don't you get?" He asked.

"This," she said, pointing between them, "you."

"You must know, I always valued your friendship very much," Severus said.

"Until you decided that you didn't," Penelope said, a hint of venom suddenly tinting her voice.

Severus looked down feeling ashamed, "that's not what happened-" he started but was cut off my Penelope:

"Well, that's what it seemed like to me!" Eight years later and the pain felt just as raw to her now.

"I apologize," Severus said in a low voice, "truly. I'm not proud of how I behaved towards you all those years ago and I am sorry."

"I suppose I should try to find it in my heart to forgive you," Penelope said.

Severus sighed, "that is entirely up to you. Personally, I don't think that I could forgive my own behavior."

"Well, between the two of us, I was always the bigger person," she said, looking up at him with the tiniest hint of a smile.

"I can't argue with that," he agreed, one corner of his mouth lifting into half a smile.

For a moment they just sat there, content, looking at one another. Then suddenly: POP! A house elf stood between them, looking at Penelope.

"Bindy wants to know if Professor Alisdair would like to eat dinner in her chambers again tonight?" The house elf inquired.

"Bindy! Of course, why didn't I think to call a house elf?!" Penelope asked herself rhetorically. "Bindy, would you be so kind and open this door for us? We appear to have been locked in."

"Bindy would love to help the professors," said the house elf enthusiastically and snapped her fingers, making the door open instantly.

"Thank you, Bindy," said Penelope, "and yes, I would like to have dinner in my chambers tonight, if it's not too much trouble."

"Of course, professor," said the house elf and bowed her head before she disappeared again.

"Well, that was …" Severus started out.

"very embarrassing for the both of us, I should say," finished Penelope. "The good thing is that now it will be our first thought, the next time either of us gets locked in a cupboard."

"Indeed," said Severus.

They walked over to Severus' desk and found both their wand laying neatly next to one another, "well, at least he didn't hide them in the owlery or something," Penelope chuckled.

"If he had, I swear I would not rest before I found a spell to banish him for good," said Severus.

Penelope looked around, "well, then … I suppose I'd best be off again and leave you to it."

"Of course," Severus replied, "I need to get this done as well so I can send it to the apothecary in Hogsmeade before he closes for the night."

Penelope nodded, "right. Goodnight then, Severus," she said and headed towards to door.

"Goodnight, Penelope," came his voice from behind her.

As she walked back to her chambers, Penelope couldn't help but smile; at least it seemed her and Severus would be able to be around one another now, without it being the most uncomfortable thing imaginable.

AN: Thanks for reading. I promise it won't be 7 years until my next update. Feel free to leave a review.

x Karina