Chapter 11: London Still Swings
The three Magic folk apparated to the Leaky Cauldron and hailed a taxi. After procuring a mobile phone and instructing their dear Uncle Russ on its operation, Harry and Hermione went their separate ways, and Severus proceeded to his first ballroom dance class.
The taxi took him to a rather shabby hall in the vicinity of Kent. Severus paid off the cab, and even included a tip. He was feeling rather debonair, a man of the world. This Muggle business was beginning to grow on him. He climbed the steps and entered a brightly lit ballroom. A score of Muggles stood about: some in chattering clumps, others in solitary silence; and most of them seemed several decades older than he.
An officious woman with a list took his name and greeted him, gave him a sticky name tag that said, "Hi, my name is Russ!" and pointed out the instructors for the evening. Severus drifted to one side of the room, where the quieter people stood. He was almost directly approached by a lady with a grand manner, easily twice his age.
"So nice to see a younger face!" Her manner was both warm and regal, and she held out a well-cared-for hand to Severus. "You remind me of one of my grandsons. His name is Russell, too. How do you do? I am Francesca Oldham, but everyone calls me Fanny. Have you danced before?"
"Only as a youth at family gatherings. But you are far too young to be my grandmother, madam, too young to be my mother, in fact," and Severus kissed her hand in his best courtly manner. A surrogate mother would be even better than a girlfriend for his purposes. Fanny resembled the managing Hermione in many aspects. His one grandmother had all the warmth of the Greenland icepack; he had never met his other grandmother, but her reputation as a shrew was legendary. Fanny might make a nice change.
"You shameless flatterer! Well, if we are nearly contemporaneous in age, you simply must call me Fanny." Francesca wasn't one to pass up an opportunity when one was handed to her. "And I expect you to partner me for this lesson. After all, I have some experience in the waltz. Unless you have a partner already?"
"No, Fanny, I am solo tonight. I didn't wish to inflict my inexperience on a date," Severus was practically swimming in the butter now.
"How lucky for both of us! But here we go. The accompanist is here at last."
Fortunately Severus was familiar with the basics of the waltz, and quickly developed some dash and technique as his memory was refreshed. Fanny was an excellent dancer, and she complimented him on his quick learning after the hour was up. "You should stay for the next class, Russ, it is for Intermediate students. You should have no trouble keeping up."
"I will if you will, Fanny. May I fetch you a cold drink?" As Severus and she turned towards the refreshment table, a woman in a forest green dress designed for the waltz entered the ballroom. Neither young nor old, she seemed about of an age with the Potions Master, a fact that didn't escape Fanny's attention. A gentleman of Fanny's generation greeted her with a hearty, "Well met, Rose! How are you this evening?"
"I think I should like to introduce you to my husband, Russ." Fanny was either adept at concealing jealousy, or more devious than Severus at his best. "Aidan, come meet young Russell."
The gentleman came over, with Rose on his arm. "Fanny, look who is here!"
"Good evening, Rose. I wondered where you were, Aidan. I would like to present Russ, who came for the beginners class, but he is much too advanced for it." The men shook hands. "I have pressed him to stay, but he requires a partner, and Aidan and I have a prior engagement. Perhaps you could take over for me, Rose?"
Rose regarded Fanny with a half smile. "I am willing, if Russ is able to survive two classes in a row." She held out her hand to Severus, who gently clasped it and let go.
Severus was feeling outmaneuvered. He had forgotten the tendency of mothers, surrogate or otherwise, to set about like Noah, pairing off young people two by two. Well, he had successfully evaded all previous attempts. He could do the pretty for an hour. After all, she had excellent color sense, having dressed in Slytherin green; she was not repulsive to look at and she spoke in a melodious voice, although her accent was a bit unusual. The night was young, his blood rushing with unaccustomed exercise, the lights sparkling in the mirrors and the crowd congenial. "The pleasure is mine, Miss Rose."
The three Magic folk apparated to the Leaky Cauldron and hailed a taxi. After procuring a mobile phone and instructing their dear Uncle Russ on its operation, Harry and Hermione went their separate ways, and Severus proceeded to his first ballroom dance class.
The taxi took him to a rather shabby hall in the vicinity of Kent. Severus paid off the cab, and even included a tip. He was feeling rather debonair, a man of the world. This Muggle business was beginning to grow on him. He climbed the steps and entered a brightly lit ballroom. A score of Muggles stood about: some in chattering clumps, others in solitary silence; and most of them seemed several decades older than he.
An officious woman with a list took his name and greeted him, gave him a sticky name tag that said, "Hi, my name is Russ!" and pointed out the instructors for the evening. Severus drifted to one side of the room, where the quieter people stood. He was almost directly approached by a lady with a grand manner, easily twice his age.
"So nice to see a younger face!" Her manner was both warm and regal, and she held out a well-cared-for hand to Severus. "You remind me of one of my grandsons. His name is Russell, too. How do you do? I am Francesca Oldham, but everyone calls me Fanny. Have you danced before?"
"Only as a youth at family gatherings. But you are far too young to be my grandmother, madam, too young to be my mother, in fact," and Severus kissed her hand in his best courtly manner. A surrogate mother would be even better than a girlfriend for his purposes. Fanny resembled the managing Hermione in many aspects. His one grandmother had all the warmth of the Greenland icepack; he had never met his other grandmother, but her reputation as a shrew was legendary. Fanny might make a nice change.
"You shameless flatterer! Well, if we are nearly contemporaneous in age, you simply must call me Fanny." Francesca wasn't one to pass up an opportunity when one was handed to her. "And I expect you to partner me for this lesson. After all, I have some experience in the waltz. Unless you have a partner already?"
"No, Fanny, I am solo tonight. I didn't wish to inflict my inexperience on a date," Severus was practically swimming in the butter now.
"How lucky for both of us! But here we go. The accompanist is here at last."
Fortunately Severus was familiar with the basics of the waltz, and quickly developed some dash and technique as his memory was refreshed. Fanny was an excellent dancer, and she complimented him on his quick learning after the hour was up. "You should stay for the next class, Russ, it is for Intermediate students. You should have no trouble keeping up."
"I will if you will, Fanny. May I fetch you a cold drink?" As Severus and she turned towards the refreshment table, a woman in a forest green dress designed for the waltz entered the ballroom. Neither young nor old, she seemed about of an age with the Potions Master, a fact that didn't escape Fanny's attention. A gentleman of Fanny's generation greeted her with a hearty, "Well met, Rose! How are you this evening?"
"I think I should like to introduce you to my husband, Russ." Fanny was either adept at concealing jealousy, or more devious than Severus at his best. "Aidan, come meet young Russell."
The gentleman came over, with Rose on his arm. "Fanny, look who is here!"
"Good evening, Rose. I wondered where you were, Aidan. I would like to present Russ, who came for the beginners class, but he is much too advanced for it." The men shook hands. "I have pressed him to stay, but he requires a partner, and Aidan and I have a prior engagement. Perhaps you could take over for me, Rose?"
Rose regarded Fanny with a half smile. "I am willing, if Russ is able to survive two classes in a row." She held out her hand to Severus, who gently clasped it and let go.
Severus was feeling outmaneuvered. He had forgotten the tendency of mothers, surrogate or otherwise, to set about like Noah, pairing off young people two by two. Well, he had successfully evaded all previous attempts. He could do the pretty for an hour. After all, she had excellent color sense, having dressed in Slytherin green; she was not repulsive to look at and she spoke in a melodious voice, although her accent was a bit unusual. The night was young, his blood rushing with unaccustomed exercise, the lights sparkling in the mirrors and the crowd congenial. "The pleasure is mine, Miss Rose."