A/N: Well, I'm using HTML for this entry, to see how it'll turn out. I
hope everything works right.. cause the whole ~ thought ~ system just sucks
arse. (Thought ya should know) Anyway, Here's this 'chapter' and I hope
that IF (and that's a very big If indeed) anyone is reading this, they are
enjoying it. After all, I am working my arse off on it –and I'm not good
at fanfic. I like my original stuff…. The Potterverse, however, is just to
much of a temptation to resist.
Also, for my fellow Snape fans, please check out this site me n my friend are working on.
a href="http://freewebz.com/pepperimps" The Snapex/a
1.1.1.1 ~*~ Plans & Mysteries ~*~
"Bloody hell, she gives me this notice now?" Severus hissed over the letter he had received with the owl post as they breakfasted in the dining hall. There were only a few weeks left for school, and the tests that would determine whether or not they continued onto be 2nd years were well on their way. In the past year, he had grown several more inches – and was the tallest first year in the school, and looked like he belonged in the 3rd year due to his height. Still, he was spindly, and though most kids called it a safe bet to say that he was easily knocked down with a single punch, no one would mess with him (unless their last names were Black and Potter). He'd hexed more than his share of individuals already, but not with anything serious – those hexes were best left for important things –when he'd really need them, not for little annoying prats who liked to bicker while he was trying to study in the library. Most of his evenings had been spent in detention –and most of those he'd had either Lark or Lucius with him, for their animate help in the 'games' as they were then terming their wicked fun – or he'd been in the company of Black or Potter for the pranks wars that had been raging since that very first day. He had also come out of his shell a bit, and was slightly more talkative than he had used to be –but only around a few certain people. However, his mind wasn't on all of that at the moment. Instead, he was wondering why the heartless bitch whom called herself his mother even bothered to owl him at all if she was going to wait this bloody long to tell him something so important.
"What's wrong now?" Lark asked, taking the letter from him. Had it been anyone else, she was sure, he would have torn the letter from them and stabbed their hand with his fork. I'm rubbing off on him, good, she smiles inwardly. She knew how his parents were – or rather, how they weren't. They gave him no real kindness, just acted though he didn't exist – unless of course, they had to dump him on someone for the weekend, the holidays or whenever the need for a baby sitter arose. They did however, feed his interest with education. They encouraged it, his scholarly nature - got him all the books his heart desired and sent him advice on spells, but they did even that in a half interested way –as though their only child was something there just to satiate their need to continue the family line, and continue it with a well educated offspring. All of this came back to her as she read over the note his mother had sent by their old, regal looking owl.
bSeverus,
I am sorry, my son for having to write this type of letter once more. However, your Father and myself find that we will be needing you to either stay at school for the summer holiday or find a friend willing to board you. We will be away on urgent business for the extent of your holiday. Again, I am sorry for this. Owl me back with your arrangements, and we will send money to suffice for your needs. Have a good holiday, my son.
~ Mother/b
"Well," Lark said, knowing that sugar coating anything wouldn't get by her best friend, "at least she's trying to sound like she has a soul and concern for you in this one."
"Only after the Headmaster had a little 'chat' with her about the letter both he and I got for Christmas, I'm sure." Then, a little sneer came to his thin mouth as he remembered the Christmas holiday and the reaction of the Headmaster to the owl post sent to him about how 'the boy needs to be sheltered for the winter, keep him at school. Thank you'. It had been something he'd probably never forget. "I bet that blew her for a loop on her broom. Still, everyone wonders where I get my cold formality from."
"Dumbledore has no question on it." Lark smirked. Then, she lowered her voice so their other friends –some of whom were getting up to start on their way to their first class of the day-couldn't hear her. Reverence for Dumbledore in their house was like a blasphemy. Still, that didn't keep Lark or Severus from respecting the man. "Who would've thought he could be so fierce –and with someone like your mother?"
"Audrey, the man is something mysterious. We'll leave it at that. Anyway, we need to get to Potions now." Just as he was standing up, Lark's hawk, Corbin, came flying through the hall, right to them. It dropped a folded up letter right into Lark's hands, then flew right back out again- scaring a few of the smaller owls that were still coming with late morning mail. "Seems your mother needs a word with you as well." Severus then recognized the rose covered parchment Mrs. Windsong adored to write on. Lark too, had stayed over the winter holidays (to his pleasure, for holiday life would have been hell without her as Potter Black and their group had also ended up staying for some reason) but her mother had been warm and sad about not being able to have her daughter with her on the holidays. Still, she had been mysterious about the whole ordeal too –but that was something Lark was used to as well. Both of her parents had always been secretive about their jobs –and all she knew of her father's death was that it had happened quickly, and it was because he'd walked into unseen danger. She knew that Severus had his ideas about what it was that could've happened – as she did herself – but it was a subject they would not breach –at least for the time being. Just like what his parents were always going off for, he kept that to himself –though she saw blazing pain, hatred and confusion in his obsidian eyes whenever they and whatever they did were mentioned. She keeps looking at him as she thinks of all this, and is only led to know it when he finally raised his eyebrow at her. "What, did the writing somehow appear on my forehead, Audrey?"
"Oh, yes, the letter . . ." She mumbles to herself, hearing him snort as she unfolded the parchment. She knew he thought she was strange, the way she would let her mind wander, the way she'd stare at someone while she thought about whatever had taken her fancy at the moment. Her mood swings were noted as odd by him as well, and so was her need to go around barefoot. The dare to walk barefoot in the snow had come out of that little argument, but she'd had the last laugh when she used a warming charm on herself and nearly froze him when he sat in front of the fire later that evening. Not that any of that mattered though, he also had his 'uniqueness'. Like his coldness, the way he had to know everything he could learn about, his vindictiveness . . . her list could go on, but then, she shared some of the traits he had. Letter unfolded, she began to read, and soon – smile was over taking her face. "I think I can solve your problem about summer."
"What do you mean?" He questioned, his eyes going to the letter in her hand.
"Read." She gave him the rose covered parchment. And read he did.
bMy Dearest Pixie, /b
(she saw his eyebrow raise as he read it, shaking his head at the nickname)
b
I have great news! This summer will find us together at the family manor house, and – I will be with you almost everyday until you go back to school! Also, though it might be too short of a notice to you or anyone else, I also think it would be pleasant for you to bring along a friend if you wish to. I don't care which one, or whether it's boy or girl, it doesn't matter – anyone you want to bring, who can come –but only one. The manor house is large, I know darling, but still – I'm only one person, and dealing with taking care of more than two pre-teens would surely be the end of me! Well, I will be at the station to pick you up. I miss you pixie! /b
(again his eyebrow raises)
bAll my love, darling,
Mother/b
"So, what will it be, Severus?" Lark asked, as he handed the letter back to her. "Me and my mother or this dreary, lonely old school all summer long?"
"Your house has a library, I hope." Was his reply, the humor in his eyes failing to make it to his face. She threw herself on him in a hug that nearly knocked him down. "Audrey, please – air . . . breathing is important to me."
"Oh, sorry." She detached herself from his thin body and just smiled up in his face as he shook his head slowly, his eyes still glittering with pleasure. "To potions then?"
"Yes." He nodded solemnly, leading the way. More than a few stares had not left them as they went, but neither of them cared. He'd gotten used to her little outbursts like that, and though they could bother him at times . . . they weren't as annoying as they had been at the beginning of the year. "Audrey . . .?"
"Hmm?"
"Your mother won't give me a ridiculous nickname will she?" He just scowled when she burst out laughing at that question.
~~
Potions went quietly that day, for the Marauders – as Black, Potter, Lupin and some boy they'd teamed up with lately named Pete Pettigrew were then calling themselves collectively –were worrying over one of their numbers. Remus Lupin was clearly suffering some sort of illness - he always looked worn, but there were days that were far worse than others and it seemed that small specks of silver were already beginning to show themselves in his hair –even if he was on the verge of turning 12. These facts had not only caught the eyes of his friends, but also of that of Lark, Snape and Malfoy.
~~
"What do you think it is? Something we can exploit?" Lucius asked. They were in the common room, and classes were over for that day. Severus and Lark were pouring over their Transfigurations notes together, Narcissa was painting her nails and reading her Astronomy notes, and Crabbe and Goyle were copying what Malfoy had of his notes for potions.
"You are mentioning what?" Snape asked coolly, not looking up from the terms. He was not the best person to bother with nonsense while he was trying to study.
"Lupin. He's got something wrong with him. I want to know what it is."
"He's in Gryffindor, of course there's something wrong with him." Narcissa said snidely, spreading her fingers out as she looked at her blood red nails.
"No, you have a point, Lucius – I've been wondering the same thing all year." Severus' eyes were on the blond youth then. "His friends, I think –have some major clues already, dunderheads though they are – but they are his friends, so it's only logical they know more than just the evidence we see."
"I think they know what it is already." Lark stated, her attention still on the terms she was then comparing with Snape's. "Their eyes . . . look at their eyes next time they are around him. Their concern, it's concentrated . . very plain in their looks at him."
"Rubbish, complete rubbish. How can you . . " Lucius was cut off though.
"I think Audrey knows what's she's talking about, Malfoy." Severus snapped at his other friend, not letting the youth finish.
"Then she'll be able to answer my first question won't she?" Malfoy sneered. His eyes narrowed at Lark. "Can we exploit it?"
"Oh, yes." She nodded, finally looking up. "We just have to figure it out first –and that could prove to be something difficult."
"Why? It's not like one of you two," he pointed at Severus and Lark, "couldn't hex the truth out of him."
"The whole point of spying and stealth just eludes you, doesn't it?" Snape asked him, a hint of a smirk on his face. "If one of us did hex it out of him, we'd be using something illegal or very, very strong. We'd be caught, and then expelled or even incriminated and sent to Azkaban, since something like that would count as outright torture. But, if it's so important you get the truth right now . . . why don't byou/b hex it out of him?" ISometimes, Malfoy /I–Severus thought to himself, trying not to shake his head - II wonder what clever brain cell the sorting hat found in you./I
"Well, you do have a point there." Lucius' lip twitched as he admitted the faulty thinking.
"It can wait. After all, we won't be around here to figure it out next year if we don't study." Lark reminded them.
"Agreed." Everyone was a bit shocked that came from Narcissa. "And I can care less what Lupin's going to die from – exploitable or not. If I don't pass this year, I will be the one dead."
1.1.1.2 ~*~ Going Home ~*~
Lark watched Lupin with narrowed eyes, her body against the door of the compartment where he was asleep. His friends were not with him, they went to chase down the witch with the goodie cart and Severus was back in their compartment talking with Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle – or trying to make them feel like idiots, though that was never difficult for either him or her to do successfully. Lupin moved in his sleep, just a bit, as though he sensed her. She went to his side, squatted down on the floor and looked him in the face, getting as close as she could. There was nothing note worthy of his face - other than it was really far too gentle, and even in sleep he looked far too trusting. Not a good face to have, even for a child. She thought, as she tilted her head so they were on the same plain. Her eyes then studied the strands of silver hair that were beginning to make themselves known upon his head. She gently touched the tresses, then pulled one strand out slowly, so he wouldn't feel the pinch of it. He didn't even twitch when her hand made contact and took it's prey. There was something about the boy that she knew was wrong – and it was no real sickness . . . it was something far, far worse. And she just couldn't figure out what it was. But, if her plans worked right, the hair she'd picked would tell her something later. She put it in the side pocket of her knife's sheath.
"What are you doing here?" A voice sounded sharp behind her then, as sharp and unfriendly as the moon was pearl and the night was pitch. The voice she recognized.
"Your friend was crying in his sleep." She said (in a total lie of course), turning to face the boy who then stood in the compartment. Lark stood as well, and found that she was shorter than this boy too. Not that height mattered though, he'd underestimate her due to her gender, and wouldn't care about the rumors that had flown about her all through the past year. She then noticed that he was looking at her with an odd gleam in his eyes, but it turned to hatred after a few seconds.
"Since when did something like that matter to a slimy little ice princess like you?"
"Slimy ice princess . . ." she nodded. "Good one Black, how long did it take you to make that one up?"
"Get out, you aren't wanted here." Sirius growled in return.
"It's a place like any other, what keeps me from staying?"
"Don't goad me, girl . . . you'll regret it."
"No, I won't, but you might. . ." Her eyes were narrowed, as were his, and they were looking daggers at one another.
"Sirius, back off now." Came a faint voice from their side. Lupin had woken up then, and he was watching them with a most . . . curious expression. He seemed concerned for Lark. It riled her a bit –concern for her? What did she need anyone's damned concern for? She could kill Sirius Black if she wanted to – he couldn't be much more difficult than that yap- yap dog.
"I'll be leaving now." Lark stated, her voice as silky as Severus' could get when he was in a venomous mood. With that, she swept out of the compartment unflustered and went to find her own friends. After all, the confrontation with Black was nothing – and she'd gotten what she'd gone to see the sleeping boy for.
"And I hope you walk right into hell!" Black yelled after her. It made her smile to herself, knowing then that she had some sort of affect on him, just her very presence made him angry –but for a reason she didn't understand –still, it was interesting to see his face turn that shade of… what had it been. . .yes, almost a purple shade of red! Behind her, she could hear Lupin's faint voice reprimanding his friend, and then the sound of them disappeared as she found her way to where she'd left Severus with Malfoy and his goons.
Severus was by himself when she entered the compartment they were once again sharing for their journey to the beginning of summer.
"Ah, there you are. What did you go off for?" He asked as she sat down across from him.
"Evidence on Lupin. I got a hair from him while he was sleeping, and then Black walked in and banished me." She smiled mischievously, pushing the look Sirius had first given her out of her head.
"And what can this hair tell you?" His smirk was sarcastic.
"You'll see when we get to my house. I have some things there that will help us to perhaps unlock his secrets. . . or not."
"You have my attention, Audrey. What do you mean by perhaps or not?"
"I'm going to use something that the ministry doesn't know about, so they can't detect it ." She began, withdrawing her treasure from her sheath's pocket. "However, it's mostly up to what this little hair will tell us. You see, the property will make the hair act like a part of the person's mind. It will show us something in the solution I'm going to make, if it wants to show us anything. But –there is one bonus to the whole operation. We will see –by the solution's coloration -what his 'illness' stems from, we will be able to gather if it's natural, magical, or . . . something else all together."
"Intriguing." He smirked, nodding. "And what solution are you going to use?"
"Something that is very volatile. You should know about it . . . after all, it was in that book you were reading the first time we met." She watched as he racked his brain, and soon another smirk fleeted across his face.
"Ah, yes . . . that." His eyes gleamed with what was pride. "Brilliant, Audrey. I just hope it works as it should."
"So do I." She nodded. Then, Lark decided it was best to change subject in case anyone else was hanging about. "Where did the merry trio go off too?"
"Crabbe and Goyle cornered that Pettigrew boy and Malfoy went off to hunt down that one sixth year . . . you know, the one who talks less than I do . . ."
"Lestrange. Yeah, he's interesting to watch. I wager you're a lot saner than he is. His type of silence isn't . . . well, he's a psychopath, pure and simple." Then, a thought came. "What's Malfoy got to do with him, wasn't he terrified of Lestrange at the beginning of the year?"
"Oh yes, he hid it so well, didn't he?" Severus snorted, rolling his eyes. Neither of them had really been bothered by Lestrange – in fact, he'd always been rather nice to them, silent or not. Malfoy, on the other hand . . . "Seems that changed. They've been talking a lot lately. Hushed tones and all, very dodgy."
"I'm sure that has your brain cranking out assumptions?"
"Of course. I'm also sure that sooner or later I'll be let into those conversations. I think you will be too. They keep watching us and nodding sometimes when they talk."
"Hmmm. . . now you have my interest peeked." She smiled.
"Don't get to interested, really." That was Narcissa coming in with them. She flopped down next to Lark, eating a chocolate frog as she did.
"Why not?" Severus asked, expecting some idiotic answer.
"It's nothing really, they're just whispering about mudbloods and wizard family purity. You know, same old, same old. They're probably just saying you're both prime examples of what pure blood can produce. Believe me, I've heard the whole conversation – I know lips movements well too. I don't need to hear what they are saying. Anyway, that's why you shouldn't look too far beyond the obvious –because that's all that there is concerning that." The blond explained. Lark knew well that Narcissa was far more clever than she really let on most of the time. However, it was coming as a shock to Snape. He was staring at the blond girl like she'd sprouted two or three extra heads. "Stop gawking, Severus. It's rude."
Just then, the train reached the station. "Well, I shall see you two later!" Narcissa looked at Lark. "Have a good summer."
"You too." Lark smiled in return.
"Severus, try to enjoy it." Narcissa left before he could snap an answer at it.
"I will." Was all he said –but he looked right at Lark as he spoke, forgetting that the other girl had ever been there.
"Good." Lark smiled back. Then, her eyes went to the baggage they'd carried with them. "Let's get the summer started then, shall we?"
"Gladly." He agreed, packing up his book.
1.1.1.3 ~*~ Toil & Trouble ~*~
Lark's mother had left for a few hours on business, and the house elves were scurrying about cleaning the manor when Severus suggested that they should use the time to whip up the concoction that would give them at least some clue as to what was beleaguering Lupin. It was their second week out of school, and so far, this was the first real chance that had presented itself. The potion they were going to make would not take long to prepare, and then whatever clues would come from the hair would be extracted in mere minutes after they put it into the finished product. So, with no hesitation in mind, the two children –who were both soon to turn 12 – made their way to a decrepit guest house where Lark hoarded supplies secretly, keeping them out of her mother's path.
"We need to start with dragon frog venom." Severus stated, his slim fingers trailing over the ingredient list found in the old book that was written in Latin. "Then, add two scarabs while the venom is simmering . . ."
"And the final ingredients are Jobberknoll feathers –added when the mix bubbles blue and purple, then wormwood and powdered bicorn horn –those are added after the cauldron has cooled for five minutes." Lark nodded. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Well, check to see if I'm right, if you must. But, I will promise you it's what it says."
"So, you have memorized it." He shut the book with a snap, then placed it on a dusty shelf.
"And you haven't?" She flashed a smile that went unseen as he silently searched the shelves for a the dragon frog venom. He placed the found container in her hands so she could begin their desired mix, then went back to the shelves to find the rest of the ingredients. Their work was done in silence, and it went quickly . . . the longest part of it was the impatience of the five minutes after they'd taken the small cauldron off the flames.
"Time for the moment of truth." Severus smirked after he watched Lark add the final to ingredients. She was then removing the silver hair from the knife sheath's side pocket.
"Or lack there of." She placed the strand into the slate gray, still liquid –and then they both stood over the cauldron as the potion they'd made began to quicken with the essence of Lupin's soul that the hair carried inside itself. The hair revealed no thoughts, no visible memories, no emotions. The slate gray merely turned to dirt brown, then brightened to purple –then to a bright, fiery red. "It's natural, yet" her eyebrows furrowed as she remembered the color symbolism from the book " . . .not?"
"Audrey . . ." Snape wasn't looking at the color of the potion, but at the color the cauldron was turning and at the violent bubbles the liquid was making. He grabbed her right elbow, even as she stood over it contemplating what it could be. However, he was not concerned with Lupin's secret at the moment – the cauldron was beginning to rattle, and for some reason, his friend was being blind to the fact that it was doing so. "AUDREY! TO HELL WITH IT! RUN!" He'd pulled her away from the cauldron then, and was dragging her along as he ran. He shoved her in front of him, pushing her along faster in front of him.
"What are you doing?" She was answered by an abrupt shove from him, that knocked her onto the ground, he followed, falling on top of her as they landed behind a fallen tree.
b***BAM!****/b Went the roof of the old guest house, and the debris of it rained down on them as Severus rolled with her to a cave like nook hollowed beneath the dead, fallen tree. When the last of the debris had fallen, the two children looked at one another, startled.
"Very protective of his . . . whatever he's hiding, wouldn't you say?" She asked, her face twitching a nervous smile at him. He just stared back at her for a few seconds, not saying a word as he nodded his head in agreement.
"Your mother's going to kill us, you know." Was his reply. Then, to her astonishment – not to mention his own – his lips formed an actual smile. Then, he began to laugh. Lark, of course, had to join in. After all, they'd nearly just gotten themselves killed –not by their own accords, of course. That reaction was never mentioned in the book.
~~
Lark's mother had been rather livid when she came home to find that half her grounds were covered in the tiles of an old roof, not to mention the remains of her daughter's secret laboratory stash. Their punishment, however, hadn't been death . . . though as they found themselves helping the house elves cleaning up their little mishap, they'd wished it had been. After that, there had been a long lecture about the dangers of strong magic in their still untrained hands –no matter how smart they happened to be . . . then, they were sent to bed without any dinner. At breakfast the next day however, the incident was basically forgotten. Well, at least in conversation with Lark's mom. When the two pre-teens were alone, they chatted about it. In fact, after lunch, they pulled out the book Lark had that contained what they'd used –as Severus' had been destroyed in the explosion – and read over it to see if there were any notes of what had actually happened.
"Oh, of course . . ." Severus rolled his eyes, pointing out the tiny, basically microscopic print at the bottom of the page. "It's in fine print! That explains everything!"
It read the following:
IIf the subject which said item belongs to has a particularly strong sense of self preservation and a great wish to keep the secret you are striving to reveal, then, reader – you may find yourself with dire consequences. /I
"How could we have possibly missed that?" Lark growled. Severus was smirking down at her, shaking his head. "Your assumption, sir?"
"We got ahead of ourselves . . .that's how we missed it." Then, avoiding her glare, he asked : "So, what color did it turn?"
"Earth brown, then to an almost violet shade." Was her reply, her mind turning back to what had kept her attention to the liquid and not the affects it was about to unleash on her favorite little hideaway. "And that means that its . . ."
"Natural . . . and yet, very, very, very . . . ." He followed her perfectly.
"Supernatural." They said at the same time.
"Which could mean a whole list of things. . . ." Severus finished with a frown and a furrow of his thin, black eyebrows.
How Time Can Fly When One is Young . . .
Their summer had flown by quickly, despite the fact that they were constantly under watch by either her mother or a very annoying tattle tale house elf named Corrine. And, much to Snape's dismay – Lark's mother did eventually come up with a nick name for him, and it was one Lark herself used with him if she felt like being particularly annoying. However, much to his relief –the pet name of 'Sevvie' didn't get used in front of their housemates when they went back to school the next year. Their fellow Slytherins did, however, notice that Severus had learned how to smile over the summer – even if it was something that he rarely did even then. But then, that was Snape for you –so they said. That year, like their third and fourth years to follow, past by with no real incidents. The prank wars with the Marauders – then going by the nicknames of Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs (as well as a colorful rendition of each name from the Slytherins) –stayed on their childish level, keeping to the use of simple curses, word & mind games from the Slytherins and physical bullying as well as wizard gags from the Marauders. Black's hatred of Lark increased with each year, and yet, by 4th year she found that his eyes lingered on her for long amounts of time – and there were moments when he wasn't glowering –until one of his friends mentioned it. The interest in Lupin's 'condition' continued, but was declining in Lucius, who was becoming more and more concerned with whatever the 7th year named Lestrange and his younger, new group of friends were talking about was doing. After Lestrange graduated, another took his place as head of that little crowd who whispered among themselves, giving side glances to other members of the house, as though they were pondering on whether or not to let them in this little circle. It seemed that there was more there than Narcissa had first assumed –to Severus' satisfaction, and the girl's silent annoyance. And so, life continued for them, bringing new friends and new enemies into their lives. Petty, childish alignments and squabbles dominated their hours when school work was finished – or plainly being ignored for the afternoon – and their lives seemed to have no hint of the shadows that would soon hang over them in times to come. . . .
Also, for my fellow Snape fans, please check out this site me n my friend are working on.
a href="http://freewebz.com/pepperimps" The Snapex/a
1.1.1.1 ~*~ Plans & Mysteries ~*~
"Bloody hell, she gives me this notice now?" Severus hissed over the letter he had received with the owl post as they breakfasted in the dining hall. There were only a few weeks left for school, and the tests that would determine whether or not they continued onto be 2nd years were well on their way. In the past year, he had grown several more inches – and was the tallest first year in the school, and looked like he belonged in the 3rd year due to his height. Still, he was spindly, and though most kids called it a safe bet to say that he was easily knocked down with a single punch, no one would mess with him (unless their last names were Black and Potter). He'd hexed more than his share of individuals already, but not with anything serious – those hexes were best left for important things –when he'd really need them, not for little annoying prats who liked to bicker while he was trying to study in the library. Most of his evenings had been spent in detention –and most of those he'd had either Lark or Lucius with him, for their animate help in the 'games' as they were then terming their wicked fun – or he'd been in the company of Black or Potter for the pranks wars that had been raging since that very first day. He had also come out of his shell a bit, and was slightly more talkative than he had used to be –but only around a few certain people. However, his mind wasn't on all of that at the moment. Instead, he was wondering why the heartless bitch whom called herself his mother even bothered to owl him at all if she was going to wait this bloody long to tell him something so important.
"What's wrong now?" Lark asked, taking the letter from him. Had it been anyone else, she was sure, he would have torn the letter from them and stabbed their hand with his fork. I'm rubbing off on him, good, she smiles inwardly. She knew how his parents were – or rather, how they weren't. They gave him no real kindness, just acted though he didn't exist – unless of course, they had to dump him on someone for the weekend, the holidays or whenever the need for a baby sitter arose. They did however, feed his interest with education. They encouraged it, his scholarly nature - got him all the books his heart desired and sent him advice on spells, but they did even that in a half interested way –as though their only child was something there just to satiate their need to continue the family line, and continue it with a well educated offspring. All of this came back to her as she read over the note his mother had sent by their old, regal looking owl.
bSeverus,
I am sorry, my son for having to write this type of letter once more. However, your Father and myself find that we will be needing you to either stay at school for the summer holiday or find a friend willing to board you. We will be away on urgent business for the extent of your holiday. Again, I am sorry for this. Owl me back with your arrangements, and we will send money to suffice for your needs. Have a good holiday, my son.
~ Mother/b
"Well," Lark said, knowing that sugar coating anything wouldn't get by her best friend, "at least she's trying to sound like she has a soul and concern for you in this one."
"Only after the Headmaster had a little 'chat' with her about the letter both he and I got for Christmas, I'm sure." Then, a little sneer came to his thin mouth as he remembered the Christmas holiday and the reaction of the Headmaster to the owl post sent to him about how 'the boy needs to be sheltered for the winter, keep him at school. Thank you'. It had been something he'd probably never forget. "I bet that blew her for a loop on her broom. Still, everyone wonders where I get my cold formality from."
"Dumbledore has no question on it." Lark smirked. Then, she lowered her voice so their other friends –some of whom were getting up to start on their way to their first class of the day-couldn't hear her. Reverence for Dumbledore in their house was like a blasphemy. Still, that didn't keep Lark or Severus from respecting the man. "Who would've thought he could be so fierce –and with someone like your mother?"
"Audrey, the man is something mysterious. We'll leave it at that. Anyway, we need to get to Potions now." Just as he was standing up, Lark's hawk, Corbin, came flying through the hall, right to them. It dropped a folded up letter right into Lark's hands, then flew right back out again- scaring a few of the smaller owls that were still coming with late morning mail. "Seems your mother needs a word with you as well." Severus then recognized the rose covered parchment Mrs. Windsong adored to write on. Lark too, had stayed over the winter holidays (to his pleasure, for holiday life would have been hell without her as Potter Black and their group had also ended up staying for some reason) but her mother had been warm and sad about not being able to have her daughter with her on the holidays. Still, she had been mysterious about the whole ordeal too –but that was something Lark was used to as well. Both of her parents had always been secretive about their jobs –and all she knew of her father's death was that it had happened quickly, and it was because he'd walked into unseen danger. She knew that Severus had his ideas about what it was that could've happened – as she did herself – but it was a subject they would not breach –at least for the time being. Just like what his parents were always going off for, he kept that to himself –though she saw blazing pain, hatred and confusion in his obsidian eyes whenever they and whatever they did were mentioned. She keeps looking at him as she thinks of all this, and is only led to know it when he finally raised his eyebrow at her. "What, did the writing somehow appear on my forehead, Audrey?"
"Oh, yes, the letter . . ." She mumbles to herself, hearing him snort as she unfolded the parchment. She knew he thought she was strange, the way she would let her mind wander, the way she'd stare at someone while she thought about whatever had taken her fancy at the moment. Her mood swings were noted as odd by him as well, and so was her need to go around barefoot. The dare to walk barefoot in the snow had come out of that little argument, but she'd had the last laugh when she used a warming charm on herself and nearly froze him when he sat in front of the fire later that evening. Not that any of that mattered though, he also had his 'uniqueness'. Like his coldness, the way he had to know everything he could learn about, his vindictiveness . . . her list could go on, but then, she shared some of the traits he had. Letter unfolded, she began to read, and soon – smile was over taking her face. "I think I can solve your problem about summer."
"What do you mean?" He questioned, his eyes going to the letter in her hand.
"Read." She gave him the rose covered parchment. And read he did.
bMy Dearest Pixie, /b
(she saw his eyebrow raise as he read it, shaking his head at the nickname)
b
I have great news! This summer will find us together at the family manor house, and – I will be with you almost everyday until you go back to school! Also, though it might be too short of a notice to you or anyone else, I also think it would be pleasant for you to bring along a friend if you wish to. I don't care which one, or whether it's boy or girl, it doesn't matter – anyone you want to bring, who can come –but only one. The manor house is large, I know darling, but still – I'm only one person, and dealing with taking care of more than two pre-teens would surely be the end of me! Well, I will be at the station to pick you up. I miss you pixie! /b
(again his eyebrow raises)
bAll my love, darling,
Mother/b
"So, what will it be, Severus?" Lark asked, as he handed the letter back to her. "Me and my mother or this dreary, lonely old school all summer long?"
"Your house has a library, I hope." Was his reply, the humor in his eyes failing to make it to his face. She threw herself on him in a hug that nearly knocked him down. "Audrey, please – air . . . breathing is important to me."
"Oh, sorry." She detached herself from his thin body and just smiled up in his face as he shook his head slowly, his eyes still glittering with pleasure. "To potions then?"
"Yes." He nodded solemnly, leading the way. More than a few stares had not left them as they went, but neither of them cared. He'd gotten used to her little outbursts like that, and though they could bother him at times . . . they weren't as annoying as they had been at the beginning of the year. "Audrey . . .?"
"Hmm?"
"Your mother won't give me a ridiculous nickname will she?" He just scowled when she burst out laughing at that question.
~~
Potions went quietly that day, for the Marauders – as Black, Potter, Lupin and some boy they'd teamed up with lately named Pete Pettigrew were then calling themselves collectively –were worrying over one of their numbers. Remus Lupin was clearly suffering some sort of illness - he always looked worn, but there were days that were far worse than others and it seemed that small specks of silver were already beginning to show themselves in his hair –even if he was on the verge of turning 12. These facts had not only caught the eyes of his friends, but also of that of Lark, Snape and Malfoy.
~~
"What do you think it is? Something we can exploit?" Lucius asked. They were in the common room, and classes were over for that day. Severus and Lark were pouring over their Transfigurations notes together, Narcissa was painting her nails and reading her Astronomy notes, and Crabbe and Goyle were copying what Malfoy had of his notes for potions.
"You are mentioning what?" Snape asked coolly, not looking up from the terms. He was not the best person to bother with nonsense while he was trying to study.
"Lupin. He's got something wrong with him. I want to know what it is."
"He's in Gryffindor, of course there's something wrong with him." Narcissa said snidely, spreading her fingers out as she looked at her blood red nails.
"No, you have a point, Lucius – I've been wondering the same thing all year." Severus' eyes were on the blond youth then. "His friends, I think –have some major clues already, dunderheads though they are – but they are his friends, so it's only logical they know more than just the evidence we see."
"I think they know what it is already." Lark stated, her attention still on the terms she was then comparing with Snape's. "Their eyes . . . look at their eyes next time they are around him. Their concern, it's concentrated . . very plain in their looks at him."
"Rubbish, complete rubbish. How can you . . " Lucius was cut off though.
"I think Audrey knows what's she's talking about, Malfoy." Severus snapped at his other friend, not letting the youth finish.
"Then she'll be able to answer my first question won't she?" Malfoy sneered. His eyes narrowed at Lark. "Can we exploit it?"
"Oh, yes." She nodded, finally looking up. "We just have to figure it out first –and that could prove to be something difficult."
"Why? It's not like one of you two," he pointed at Severus and Lark, "couldn't hex the truth out of him."
"The whole point of spying and stealth just eludes you, doesn't it?" Snape asked him, a hint of a smirk on his face. "If one of us did hex it out of him, we'd be using something illegal or very, very strong. We'd be caught, and then expelled or even incriminated and sent to Azkaban, since something like that would count as outright torture. But, if it's so important you get the truth right now . . . why don't byou/b hex it out of him?" ISometimes, Malfoy /I–Severus thought to himself, trying not to shake his head - II wonder what clever brain cell the sorting hat found in you./I
"Well, you do have a point there." Lucius' lip twitched as he admitted the faulty thinking.
"It can wait. After all, we won't be around here to figure it out next year if we don't study." Lark reminded them.
"Agreed." Everyone was a bit shocked that came from Narcissa. "And I can care less what Lupin's going to die from – exploitable or not. If I don't pass this year, I will be the one dead."
1.1.1.2 ~*~ Going Home ~*~
Lark watched Lupin with narrowed eyes, her body against the door of the compartment where he was asleep. His friends were not with him, they went to chase down the witch with the goodie cart and Severus was back in their compartment talking with Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle – or trying to make them feel like idiots, though that was never difficult for either him or her to do successfully. Lupin moved in his sleep, just a bit, as though he sensed her. She went to his side, squatted down on the floor and looked him in the face, getting as close as she could. There was nothing note worthy of his face - other than it was really far too gentle, and even in sleep he looked far too trusting. Not a good face to have, even for a child. She thought, as she tilted her head so they were on the same plain. Her eyes then studied the strands of silver hair that were beginning to make themselves known upon his head. She gently touched the tresses, then pulled one strand out slowly, so he wouldn't feel the pinch of it. He didn't even twitch when her hand made contact and took it's prey. There was something about the boy that she knew was wrong – and it was no real sickness . . . it was something far, far worse. And she just couldn't figure out what it was. But, if her plans worked right, the hair she'd picked would tell her something later. She put it in the side pocket of her knife's sheath.
"What are you doing here?" A voice sounded sharp behind her then, as sharp and unfriendly as the moon was pearl and the night was pitch. The voice she recognized.
"Your friend was crying in his sleep." She said (in a total lie of course), turning to face the boy who then stood in the compartment. Lark stood as well, and found that she was shorter than this boy too. Not that height mattered though, he'd underestimate her due to her gender, and wouldn't care about the rumors that had flown about her all through the past year. She then noticed that he was looking at her with an odd gleam in his eyes, but it turned to hatred after a few seconds.
"Since when did something like that matter to a slimy little ice princess like you?"
"Slimy ice princess . . ." she nodded. "Good one Black, how long did it take you to make that one up?"
"Get out, you aren't wanted here." Sirius growled in return.
"It's a place like any other, what keeps me from staying?"
"Don't goad me, girl . . . you'll regret it."
"No, I won't, but you might. . ." Her eyes were narrowed, as were his, and they were looking daggers at one another.
"Sirius, back off now." Came a faint voice from their side. Lupin had woken up then, and he was watching them with a most . . . curious expression. He seemed concerned for Lark. It riled her a bit –concern for her? What did she need anyone's damned concern for? She could kill Sirius Black if she wanted to – he couldn't be much more difficult than that yap- yap dog.
"I'll be leaving now." Lark stated, her voice as silky as Severus' could get when he was in a venomous mood. With that, she swept out of the compartment unflustered and went to find her own friends. After all, the confrontation with Black was nothing – and she'd gotten what she'd gone to see the sleeping boy for.
"And I hope you walk right into hell!" Black yelled after her. It made her smile to herself, knowing then that she had some sort of affect on him, just her very presence made him angry –but for a reason she didn't understand –still, it was interesting to see his face turn that shade of… what had it been. . .yes, almost a purple shade of red! Behind her, she could hear Lupin's faint voice reprimanding his friend, and then the sound of them disappeared as she found her way to where she'd left Severus with Malfoy and his goons.
Severus was by himself when she entered the compartment they were once again sharing for their journey to the beginning of summer.
"Ah, there you are. What did you go off for?" He asked as she sat down across from him.
"Evidence on Lupin. I got a hair from him while he was sleeping, and then Black walked in and banished me." She smiled mischievously, pushing the look Sirius had first given her out of her head.
"And what can this hair tell you?" His smirk was sarcastic.
"You'll see when we get to my house. I have some things there that will help us to perhaps unlock his secrets. . . or not."
"You have my attention, Audrey. What do you mean by perhaps or not?"
"I'm going to use something that the ministry doesn't know about, so they can't detect it ." She began, withdrawing her treasure from her sheath's pocket. "However, it's mostly up to what this little hair will tell us. You see, the property will make the hair act like a part of the person's mind. It will show us something in the solution I'm going to make, if it wants to show us anything. But –there is one bonus to the whole operation. We will see –by the solution's coloration -what his 'illness' stems from, we will be able to gather if it's natural, magical, or . . . something else all together."
"Intriguing." He smirked, nodding. "And what solution are you going to use?"
"Something that is very volatile. You should know about it . . . after all, it was in that book you were reading the first time we met." She watched as he racked his brain, and soon another smirk fleeted across his face.
"Ah, yes . . . that." His eyes gleamed with what was pride. "Brilliant, Audrey. I just hope it works as it should."
"So do I." She nodded. Then, Lark decided it was best to change subject in case anyone else was hanging about. "Where did the merry trio go off too?"
"Crabbe and Goyle cornered that Pettigrew boy and Malfoy went off to hunt down that one sixth year . . . you know, the one who talks less than I do . . ."
"Lestrange. Yeah, he's interesting to watch. I wager you're a lot saner than he is. His type of silence isn't . . . well, he's a psychopath, pure and simple." Then, a thought came. "What's Malfoy got to do with him, wasn't he terrified of Lestrange at the beginning of the year?"
"Oh yes, he hid it so well, didn't he?" Severus snorted, rolling his eyes. Neither of them had really been bothered by Lestrange – in fact, he'd always been rather nice to them, silent or not. Malfoy, on the other hand . . . "Seems that changed. They've been talking a lot lately. Hushed tones and all, very dodgy."
"I'm sure that has your brain cranking out assumptions?"
"Of course. I'm also sure that sooner or later I'll be let into those conversations. I think you will be too. They keep watching us and nodding sometimes when they talk."
"Hmmm. . . now you have my interest peeked." She smiled.
"Don't get to interested, really." That was Narcissa coming in with them. She flopped down next to Lark, eating a chocolate frog as she did.
"Why not?" Severus asked, expecting some idiotic answer.
"It's nothing really, they're just whispering about mudbloods and wizard family purity. You know, same old, same old. They're probably just saying you're both prime examples of what pure blood can produce. Believe me, I've heard the whole conversation – I know lips movements well too. I don't need to hear what they are saying. Anyway, that's why you shouldn't look too far beyond the obvious –because that's all that there is concerning that." The blond explained. Lark knew well that Narcissa was far more clever than she really let on most of the time. However, it was coming as a shock to Snape. He was staring at the blond girl like she'd sprouted two or three extra heads. "Stop gawking, Severus. It's rude."
Just then, the train reached the station. "Well, I shall see you two later!" Narcissa looked at Lark. "Have a good summer."
"You too." Lark smiled in return.
"Severus, try to enjoy it." Narcissa left before he could snap an answer at it.
"I will." Was all he said –but he looked right at Lark as he spoke, forgetting that the other girl had ever been there.
"Good." Lark smiled back. Then, her eyes went to the baggage they'd carried with them. "Let's get the summer started then, shall we?"
"Gladly." He agreed, packing up his book.
1.1.1.3 ~*~ Toil & Trouble ~*~
Lark's mother had left for a few hours on business, and the house elves were scurrying about cleaning the manor when Severus suggested that they should use the time to whip up the concoction that would give them at least some clue as to what was beleaguering Lupin. It was their second week out of school, and so far, this was the first real chance that had presented itself. The potion they were going to make would not take long to prepare, and then whatever clues would come from the hair would be extracted in mere minutes after they put it into the finished product. So, with no hesitation in mind, the two children –who were both soon to turn 12 – made their way to a decrepit guest house where Lark hoarded supplies secretly, keeping them out of her mother's path.
"We need to start with dragon frog venom." Severus stated, his slim fingers trailing over the ingredient list found in the old book that was written in Latin. "Then, add two scarabs while the venom is simmering . . ."
"And the final ingredients are Jobberknoll feathers –added when the mix bubbles blue and purple, then wormwood and powdered bicorn horn –those are added after the cauldron has cooled for five minutes." Lark nodded. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Well, check to see if I'm right, if you must. But, I will promise you it's what it says."
"So, you have memorized it." He shut the book with a snap, then placed it on a dusty shelf.
"And you haven't?" She flashed a smile that went unseen as he silently searched the shelves for a the dragon frog venom. He placed the found container in her hands so she could begin their desired mix, then went back to the shelves to find the rest of the ingredients. Their work was done in silence, and it went quickly . . . the longest part of it was the impatience of the five minutes after they'd taken the small cauldron off the flames.
"Time for the moment of truth." Severus smirked after he watched Lark add the final to ingredients. She was then removing the silver hair from the knife sheath's side pocket.
"Or lack there of." She placed the strand into the slate gray, still liquid –and then they both stood over the cauldron as the potion they'd made began to quicken with the essence of Lupin's soul that the hair carried inside itself. The hair revealed no thoughts, no visible memories, no emotions. The slate gray merely turned to dirt brown, then brightened to purple –then to a bright, fiery red. "It's natural, yet" her eyebrows furrowed as she remembered the color symbolism from the book " . . .not?"
"Audrey . . ." Snape wasn't looking at the color of the potion, but at the color the cauldron was turning and at the violent bubbles the liquid was making. He grabbed her right elbow, even as she stood over it contemplating what it could be. However, he was not concerned with Lupin's secret at the moment – the cauldron was beginning to rattle, and for some reason, his friend was being blind to the fact that it was doing so. "AUDREY! TO HELL WITH IT! RUN!" He'd pulled her away from the cauldron then, and was dragging her along as he ran. He shoved her in front of him, pushing her along faster in front of him.
"What are you doing?" She was answered by an abrupt shove from him, that knocked her onto the ground, he followed, falling on top of her as they landed behind a fallen tree.
b***BAM!****/b Went the roof of the old guest house, and the debris of it rained down on them as Severus rolled with her to a cave like nook hollowed beneath the dead, fallen tree. When the last of the debris had fallen, the two children looked at one another, startled.
"Very protective of his . . . whatever he's hiding, wouldn't you say?" She asked, her face twitching a nervous smile at him. He just stared back at her for a few seconds, not saying a word as he nodded his head in agreement.
"Your mother's going to kill us, you know." Was his reply. Then, to her astonishment – not to mention his own – his lips formed an actual smile. Then, he began to laugh. Lark, of course, had to join in. After all, they'd nearly just gotten themselves killed –not by their own accords, of course. That reaction was never mentioned in the book.
~~
Lark's mother had been rather livid when she came home to find that half her grounds were covered in the tiles of an old roof, not to mention the remains of her daughter's secret laboratory stash. Their punishment, however, hadn't been death . . . though as they found themselves helping the house elves cleaning up their little mishap, they'd wished it had been. After that, there had been a long lecture about the dangers of strong magic in their still untrained hands –no matter how smart they happened to be . . . then, they were sent to bed without any dinner. At breakfast the next day however, the incident was basically forgotten. Well, at least in conversation with Lark's mom. When the two pre-teens were alone, they chatted about it. In fact, after lunch, they pulled out the book Lark had that contained what they'd used –as Severus' had been destroyed in the explosion – and read over it to see if there were any notes of what had actually happened.
"Oh, of course . . ." Severus rolled his eyes, pointing out the tiny, basically microscopic print at the bottom of the page. "It's in fine print! That explains everything!"
It read the following:
IIf the subject which said item belongs to has a particularly strong sense of self preservation and a great wish to keep the secret you are striving to reveal, then, reader – you may find yourself with dire consequences. /I
"How could we have possibly missed that?" Lark growled. Severus was smirking down at her, shaking his head. "Your assumption, sir?"
"We got ahead of ourselves . . .that's how we missed it." Then, avoiding her glare, he asked : "So, what color did it turn?"
"Earth brown, then to an almost violet shade." Was her reply, her mind turning back to what had kept her attention to the liquid and not the affects it was about to unleash on her favorite little hideaway. "And that means that its . . ."
"Natural . . . and yet, very, very, very . . . ." He followed her perfectly.
"Supernatural." They said at the same time.
"Which could mean a whole list of things. . . ." Severus finished with a frown and a furrow of his thin, black eyebrows.
How Time Can Fly When One is Young . . .
Their summer had flown by quickly, despite the fact that they were constantly under watch by either her mother or a very annoying tattle tale house elf named Corrine. And, much to Snape's dismay – Lark's mother did eventually come up with a nick name for him, and it was one Lark herself used with him if she felt like being particularly annoying. However, much to his relief –the pet name of 'Sevvie' didn't get used in front of their housemates when they went back to school the next year. Their fellow Slytherins did, however, notice that Severus had learned how to smile over the summer – even if it was something that he rarely did even then. But then, that was Snape for you –so they said. That year, like their third and fourth years to follow, past by with no real incidents. The prank wars with the Marauders – then going by the nicknames of Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs (as well as a colorful rendition of each name from the Slytherins) –stayed on their childish level, keeping to the use of simple curses, word & mind games from the Slytherins and physical bullying as well as wizard gags from the Marauders. Black's hatred of Lark increased with each year, and yet, by 4th year she found that his eyes lingered on her for long amounts of time – and there were moments when he wasn't glowering –until one of his friends mentioned it. The interest in Lupin's 'condition' continued, but was declining in Lucius, who was becoming more and more concerned with whatever the 7th year named Lestrange and his younger, new group of friends were talking about was doing. After Lestrange graduated, another took his place as head of that little crowd who whispered among themselves, giving side glances to other members of the house, as though they were pondering on whether or not to let them in this little circle. It seemed that there was more there than Narcissa had first assumed –to Severus' satisfaction, and the girl's silent annoyance. And so, life continued for them, bringing new friends and new enemies into their lives. Petty, childish alignments and squabbles dominated their hours when school work was finished – or plainly being ignored for the afternoon – and their lives seemed to have no hint of the shadows that would soon hang over them in times to come. . . .