Don't own, J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury Publishers do.
Don't make money from this, they do.
Own not a penny, so don't sue.
But please, beloved reader, please do review.
Andolyn
Shards
Ari just drove, literally going nowhere fast. She had to focus- get a grip on herself. If only for Harry. The boy just sat and stared. Shivering in his pyjama's, his feet bleeding from multiple lacerations caused by the shards he had trod on. The shards from the glass of the window of the front room of the house of the Dursley's. The dead Dursley's. A bloody head rolling over the pavement.
Get a grip girl! You're near to hysterics- get a grip!
Snape had slumped in his chair quite uncomfortably, coughing from time to time, seemingly unaware of his surroundings. Only barely conscious now the immediate danger had passed, eyes unfocussed glimmering dark slits.
Something had to be done, and quickly, or she'd be driving around the outskirts of London all night. Since no-one was following them, she just stopped somewhere in another deserted street.
In a drawling whisper, barely audible yet with a silken quality that made Ari listen and hear whether she liked it or not, the man beside her gave an order.
"Don't stop, keep driving."
Ari shivered. She wanted to obey. Both her heart and mind screamed at her to simply obey. Everything would by nice and dandy, if she'd just wise up and obey.
These people had little sticks they used as wands. These people threw bolts of energy around that were deadly. She would not listen. She would -not- allow it! Ari took a deep breath, unclasped her hands from the wheel and got out, trembling. She left the door open and went to the back of the car. She noticed Snape straitening up, giving her a penetrating cold stare.
Harry did not move.
Almost cheerfully she answered.
"In a minute- I've got a blanket and a first aid kit in the trunk. I take it you still do not wish to go to a hospital? Although the both of you surely could use a doctor- Harry is in a bad shape and I trust you are not much better-"
"Woman- you are ranting. Please be quiet and drive!"
Ari stood in the dark, hands above her head on the opened lid. She shivered, controlled herself with great difficulty, went over to Snape's side and opened the door forcefully. Then she grabbed the hapless man by the front of his shirt, pulled him up a little and bent down towards him, coming virtually nose to considerable nose. Snape gasped and gave her a startled wide eyed stare, while gripping the sides of his seat.
"Will you shut the fuck up! I've had it up to here with your mystery and that -callous- attitude of yours! I want to know right here and right now what the hell is going on, who the hell you two are, who the hell and what the hell those bastards who murdered the Dursley's are and what the fuck I'm supposed to do with the both of you!"
Snape took a careful, rather wheezing breath, coughed again, put his left hand over Ari's and gently tried to pry her fingers lose.
"Madam-", he whispered almost apologetically.
Ari shoved him back rather harder than necessary.
"And who are you calling here a 'madam'!
Again Snape coughed and brought his hand to his stomach. Ari's anger immediately evaporated and worriedly she asked: "And how badly hurt are -you-!"
Snape gave Ari a rather sheepish look. "It's nothing, really. Look- that blanket is a good idea. You get it, I'll see to Potter. And than just ride north- I'll try to explain what I can."
Ari folded her arms over her chest defiantly.
"That won't do mister, you are going to explain yourself completely. Because what you so called 'can' won't be enough. Not enough for the risks I've been taking tonight and not enough for turning my world upside down, losing me my home and probably my job!"
"Losing you your home? What sort of nonsense is that!" Snape snorted.
"Well, those guys who are after you certainly don't look like the forgiving kind. And I have no interest in becoming a sitting duck!"
"Oh don't blather- They do not even know -who- you are."
"Yes they do-" Harry finally spoke in a timid and almost toneless voice.
"Ah- Mr. Potter, so glad you've decided to join the conversation. And -how- exactly do you come to this far fetched conclusion?"
Harry pulled himself up and forwards to hang over the back of the driver's seat so he could see Ari as well as Snape.
"If they have not been watching my house or the neighbourhood, then they have probably identified Ari's licence plate. So she can't go back."
"Licence -what-?" asked Snape, rather frustrated.
"You don't even know what a licence plate is? In what kind of cave have you lived for the last one hundred years!" Ari, exasperated, threw up her hands and went to retrieve the blanket. Harry chuckled at the remark, in spite of himself. She heard the boy explain that a licence plate was a piece of metal with numbers and letters on it, attached both to the front and back of a car, and was used to identify said car and link it to it's owner. Snape sighed and glanced quickly at the back and Ari.
"So," he said slowly to the boy, "I'd wager 'obliviate' is out of the question." He crossed his arms in front of his chest, furrowed his brow and then shook his head as if presented with an unsolvable problem.
"Are we going to Hogwarts, Sir? She'd be safe there."
Snape shrugged. "I suppose so…"
With difficulty, Snape clambered out of the vehicle, opened Harry's door and motioned the boy to put his feet up the couch.
"Potter, I have to remove those shards and splinters from your feet. I'm no madam Pomfry and it will probably hurt. But for now, I will have to do."
"Wait." Ari cautioned him. "Use this."
Ari gave Snape her first aide kit, a plastic yellow box with a big red-on-white cross on top. He took the thing in both hands, eying it curiously. He put his wand into one of the pockets of his jacket, opened the kit carefully and peered inside.
"Bandages?"
Meanwhile, Ari had walked to the other side of the car and was wrapping Harry in a thick chequered blanket, holding the boy and supporting him. Harry slumped back at her and shivered.
"Just get on with it!"
"What's this?" Snape asked, holding a small bottle with dark brown liquid to the light.
Ari shook her head. "Iodine."
"What?"
"Iodine- first he doesn't know what a licence plate is, now he wonders about iodine. Great kind of saviour you've gotten yourself, Harry. It's a disinfectant."
Harry chuckled and shrugged. "It's a potion." the boy said, as if giving a clear explanation for Snape's interest. Then he craned his neck towards Ari. "Saviour?" He turned to Snape with large questioning eyes.
Snape knelt on the street, pocketing the iodine and taking out his wand.
"It would be a rather stretched coincidence, would it not? Me 'visiting' you on a night like this."
Snape took one of the boys ankles in his pale hand. A well formed elegant hand with slender fingers and a strong grip. Ari could not take her eyes of that hand.
"Now why," she muttered in Harry's ear to distract the boy, "do I have the feeling it would be rather stretched if your 'friend' here would be visiting you period."
Harry chuckled, Snape glanced up at Ari with a dour expression but looked back again at Harry's foot and concentrated.
And performed a small miracle.
Snape waved his wand (definitely a wand now in Ari's mind) over the boy's foot, muttering something that sounded like Latin. While Harry hissed in pain, the embedded tiny shards and splinters of glass, wiggled themselves free, reopening the wounds. The shards hovered over the couch, moved toward Snape and he waved them away like a swarm of irritating mosquito's. Snape's soft voice whispered another spell and the wounds closed, leaving Harry's foot with tender reddened new skin. Apparently still painful, but whole.
"Good Lord." whispered Ari.
Again Snape glanced up at her, and for the tiniest of moments the ghost of a smile played on his lips. With somewhat more flourish he proceeded to treat Harry's other foot. Harry by now had his eyes closed, his shoulders hunched and was biting his bottom lip. Ari intently watched the proceedings and suddenly realised three things very clearly. Firstly, Snape, and apparently Harry too, was a creature of magic. Secondly, he had to be a -powerful- mage. And thirdly, he was showing off to her.
"So glad you've decided to join the conversation" is a quote from the film 'Dogma', uttered by the Metatron aka Voice of God; a grumpy angel played by the wonderful actor Mr. Alan Rickman. Who also happens to play the movie-Snape, as most of you undoubtedly know (big grin and hug to every Rickman and/or Snape fan out there).
Favila, thanks for your support! You to, Helen. Why a black turtle-neck and a white bow-tie? Well, I'd -like- to see Snape in a black turtleneck. I think he'd look quite sharp in one. But wizards don't know Muggle dress-codes very well, now do they. Hence the white bow-tie. Besides, the thing wasn't Snape's idea either…..
Don't make money from this, they do.
Own not a penny, so don't sue.
But please, beloved reader, please do review.
Andolyn
Shards
Ari just drove, literally going nowhere fast. She had to focus- get a grip on herself. If only for Harry. The boy just sat and stared. Shivering in his pyjama's, his feet bleeding from multiple lacerations caused by the shards he had trod on. The shards from the glass of the window of the front room of the house of the Dursley's. The dead Dursley's. A bloody head rolling over the pavement.
Get a grip girl! You're near to hysterics- get a grip!
Snape had slumped in his chair quite uncomfortably, coughing from time to time, seemingly unaware of his surroundings. Only barely conscious now the immediate danger had passed, eyes unfocussed glimmering dark slits.
Something had to be done, and quickly, or she'd be driving around the outskirts of London all night. Since no-one was following them, she just stopped somewhere in another deserted street.
In a drawling whisper, barely audible yet with a silken quality that made Ari listen and hear whether she liked it or not, the man beside her gave an order.
"Don't stop, keep driving."
Ari shivered. She wanted to obey. Both her heart and mind screamed at her to simply obey. Everything would by nice and dandy, if she'd just wise up and obey.
These people had little sticks they used as wands. These people threw bolts of energy around that were deadly. She would not listen. She would -not- allow it! Ari took a deep breath, unclasped her hands from the wheel and got out, trembling. She left the door open and went to the back of the car. She noticed Snape straitening up, giving her a penetrating cold stare.
Harry did not move.
Almost cheerfully she answered.
"In a minute- I've got a blanket and a first aid kit in the trunk. I take it you still do not wish to go to a hospital? Although the both of you surely could use a doctor- Harry is in a bad shape and I trust you are not much better-"
"Woman- you are ranting. Please be quiet and drive!"
Ari stood in the dark, hands above her head on the opened lid. She shivered, controlled herself with great difficulty, went over to Snape's side and opened the door forcefully. Then she grabbed the hapless man by the front of his shirt, pulled him up a little and bent down towards him, coming virtually nose to considerable nose. Snape gasped and gave her a startled wide eyed stare, while gripping the sides of his seat.
"Will you shut the fuck up! I've had it up to here with your mystery and that -callous- attitude of yours! I want to know right here and right now what the hell is going on, who the hell you two are, who the hell and what the hell those bastards who murdered the Dursley's are and what the fuck I'm supposed to do with the both of you!"
Snape took a careful, rather wheezing breath, coughed again, put his left hand over Ari's and gently tried to pry her fingers lose.
"Madam-", he whispered almost apologetically.
Ari shoved him back rather harder than necessary.
"And who are you calling here a 'madam'!
Again Snape coughed and brought his hand to his stomach. Ari's anger immediately evaporated and worriedly she asked: "And how badly hurt are -you-!"
Snape gave Ari a rather sheepish look. "It's nothing, really. Look- that blanket is a good idea. You get it, I'll see to Potter. And than just ride north- I'll try to explain what I can."
Ari folded her arms over her chest defiantly.
"That won't do mister, you are going to explain yourself completely. Because what you so called 'can' won't be enough. Not enough for the risks I've been taking tonight and not enough for turning my world upside down, losing me my home and probably my job!"
"Losing you your home? What sort of nonsense is that!" Snape snorted.
"Well, those guys who are after you certainly don't look like the forgiving kind. And I have no interest in becoming a sitting duck!"
"Oh don't blather- They do not even know -who- you are."
"Yes they do-" Harry finally spoke in a timid and almost toneless voice.
"Ah- Mr. Potter, so glad you've decided to join the conversation. And -how- exactly do you come to this far fetched conclusion?"
Harry pulled himself up and forwards to hang over the back of the driver's seat so he could see Ari as well as Snape.
"If they have not been watching my house or the neighbourhood, then they have probably identified Ari's licence plate. So she can't go back."
"Licence -what-?" asked Snape, rather frustrated.
"You don't even know what a licence plate is? In what kind of cave have you lived for the last one hundred years!" Ari, exasperated, threw up her hands and went to retrieve the blanket. Harry chuckled at the remark, in spite of himself. She heard the boy explain that a licence plate was a piece of metal with numbers and letters on it, attached both to the front and back of a car, and was used to identify said car and link it to it's owner. Snape sighed and glanced quickly at the back and Ari.
"So," he said slowly to the boy, "I'd wager 'obliviate' is out of the question." He crossed his arms in front of his chest, furrowed his brow and then shook his head as if presented with an unsolvable problem.
"Are we going to Hogwarts, Sir? She'd be safe there."
Snape shrugged. "I suppose so…"
With difficulty, Snape clambered out of the vehicle, opened Harry's door and motioned the boy to put his feet up the couch.
"Potter, I have to remove those shards and splinters from your feet. I'm no madam Pomfry and it will probably hurt. But for now, I will have to do."
"Wait." Ari cautioned him. "Use this."
Ari gave Snape her first aide kit, a plastic yellow box with a big red-on-white cross on top. He took the thing in both hands, eying it curiously. He put his wand into one of the pockets of his jacket, opened the kit carefully and peered inside.
"Bandages?"
Meanwhile, Ari had walked to the other side of the car and was wrapping Harry in a thick chequered blanket, holding the boy and supporting him. Harry slumped back at her and shivered.
"Just get on with it!"
"What's this?" Snape asked, holding a small bottle with dark brown liquid to the light.
Ari shook her head. "Iodine."
"What?"
"Iodine- first he doesn't know what a licence plate is, now he wonders about iodine. Great kind of saviour you've gotten yourself, Harry. It's a disinfectant."
Harry chuckled and shrugged. "It's a potion." the boy said, as if giving a clear explanation for Snape's interest. Then he craned his neck towards Ari. "Saviour?" He turned to Snape with large questioning eyes.
Snape knelt on the street, pocketing the iodine and taking out his wand.
"It would be a rather stretched coincidence, would it not? Me 'visiting' you on a night like this."
Snape took one of the boys ankles in his pale hand. A well formed elegant hand with slender fingers and a strong grip. Ari could not take her eyes of that hand.
"Now why," she muttered in Harry's ear to distract the boy, "do I have the feeling it would be rather stretched if your 'friend' here would be visiting you period."
Harry chuckled, Snape glanced up at Ari with a dour expression but looked back again at Harry's foot and concentrated.
And performed a small miracle.
Snape waved his wand (definitely a wand now in Ari's mind) over the boy's foot, muttering something that sounded like Latin. While Harry hissed in pain, the embedded tiny shards and splinters of glass, wiggled themselves free, reopening the wounds. The shards hovered over the couch, moved toward Snape and he waved them away like a swarm of irritating mosquito's. Snape's soft voice whispered another spell and the wounds closed, leaving Harry's foot with tender reddened new skin. Apparently still painful, but whole.
"Good Lord." whispered Ari.
Again Snape glanced up at her, and for the tiniest of moments the ghost of a smile played on his lips. With somewhat more flourish he proceeded to treat Harry's other foot. Harry by now had his eyes closed, his shoulders hunched and was biting his bottom lip. Ari intently watched the proceedings and suddenly realised three things very clearly. Firstly, Snape, and apparently Harry too, was a creature of magic. Secondly, he had to be a -powerful- mage. And thirdly, he was showing off to her.
"So glad you've decided to join the conversation" is a quote from the film 'Dogma', uttered by the Metatron aka Voice of God; a grumpy angel played by the wonderful actor Mr. Alan Rickman. Who also happens to play the movie-Snape, as most of you undoubtedly know (big grin and hug to every Rickman and/or Snape fan out there).
Favila, thanks for your support! You to, Helen. Why a black turtle-neck and a white bow-tie? Well, I'd -like- to see Snape in a black turtleneck. I think he'd look quite sharp in one. But wizards don't know Muggle dress-codes very well, now do they. Hence the white bow-tie. Besides, the thing wasn't Snape's idea either…..