Hermione had just finished giving her new husband the run-down on Gypsy
culture when there was a knock at the door.
"The Gypsy King orders you to be ready tomorrow at dawn!" recited the little girl, who often relayed messages for the King. "We're going to travel. To France!" Hermione smiled down at the child, closed the door, then turned to Severus. They'd have to get some sleep sometime, and frankly, Hermione wasn't too afraid of sharing a bed with him. Severus was shockingly honorable for a Slytherin, and was far too noble to be a threat to her. Besides, she'd have to get used to it sometime. She tried to communicate as much.
"I suppose we should get some sleep before tomorrow, then. I was expecting this, so I'm packed. As for you..." she grinned. "We'll have to steal you something later, or transfigure some clothing of mine. But now--bed." Hermione magically changed her clothing from skirt and loose blouse to shorts and a T-shirt. She didn't address Severus until she had already crawled into bed. He hadn't moved.
"Well?" she asked, grinning slightly. "It's not like I'm asking you to do anything improper. In fact, if you try it, you'll wish I had let you hang. But believe me, you don't want to sleep in that chair." Severus noted that she was right, and reluctantly stripped to his boxers. It felt strange for him to climb into bed next to another person, but he tried not to show it. How could she be so relaxed around him?
Hermione extinguished the candle and soon he heard her breathing slow. But Severus couldn't sleep--he just stayed well away from her side of the bed and stared into the darkness.
~~
Roux was furious. In fact, he was so terrifyingly livid he couldn't even see straight. How could that woman do this to him? He was no fool--he had no doubt she'd only saved that man to save herself from him.
One of the Gypsy women, Pita, was cleaning the area around him. Roux noted with a smile that she still observed the old custom of never passing in front of a man. She was trying to catch his eye, though, and he knew it. Every time he looked at her, she would blush. Why couldn't Hermione behave that way? But he knew that he only wanted her because she wouldn't pander to him.
He needed to get her away from this place, from her home. Roux wanted to take Hermione to Paris, to Rome, everywhere! Anywhere that would make her forget where she came from. Gypsies didn't come from any particular place-- home was anywhere the Kumpania was. He wanted Hermione to become a true Gypsy, instead of the student she was.
"Goodnight, Rom Baro," Pita blushed, and left Roux alone with his thoughts. He'd have to get rid of that nasty traveler he'd married her to--to touch her while she was bound to him would make him unclean. Some boundaries could not be crossed, even by a king. Of course, he couldn't just kill the man outright, but if the outsider put so much as one toe out of line....
"Nanosh, Atani!" he called. The young men immediately came to him--they were always nearby. "I need to talk to you about the outsider...."
~~
It was still dark when Hermione shook Severus awake and told him it was time to leave. He was practically hanging off the edge of the bed--which went unmentioned by Hermione but not unnoticed.
"I hope you're ready to walk today," she yawned as she threw on a heavy cloak over her robes. It was getting colder now that Samhain had passed, and before long the Kumpania would be trudging through snow and battling the elements. She had Severus transfigure some of her clothes into whatever he would, hoping he would heed her warning about the bitter cold.
Long before sunrise, a small band of Gypsies ended their short and unusual stay in Hogsmeade, and headed for the mainland of Europe.
~~
A few days later, Albus Dumbledore still had not heard from his Potions Master. Madam Pomfrey had taken over his classes, much to the students' pleasure, but to the staff things just weren't the same.
Days had passed without so much as a sign of Severus, and the Headmaster knew that while he could never stop hoping, it was time to give in and adjust to life without Professor Snape. He called an emergency staff meeting.
When all had gathered in his office, Albus felt his throat constrict and his eyes shine with something other than amusement.
"My dear friends," he sighed, "I believe it is time for us to begin to preserve the memory of our dear Severus..."
~~
"Is it true you're married to Miss Mione?" a small girl all but yelled at Severus. Donka had the largest eyes Severus had ever seen. He smiled slightly, and nodded. "I thought she was going to marry Roux!" the girl squawked, and suddenly wasn't so cute anymore.
"Hush, Donka," Hermione whispered. "Some things are not meant to be talked about. Now, let me tell you the story about...." Before long, Donka was enraptured by Hermione's tale, and had completely forgotten about her taboo former topic.
Severus didn't mind trudging along with the others, carrying more than his share of their communal possessions because there was nothing to keep track of that belonged exclusively to him. Nanosh had ordered that he carry extra, and looked as though he hoped Severus would be angry. Apparently Gypsies had forgotten that charms could be used to lighten heavy loads. Severus definitely wasn't going to tell them.
He wondered what was going on back at Hogwarts. Severus desperately wanted to owl Dumbledore, but apparently the Gypsies didn't use owls, either. Much to his dismay, Severus had also discovered that he couldn't apparate. Apparently he truly was bound to the Kumpania until his year was up. He mentally resigned himself to his fate and decided to concentrate on keeping himself alive. Roux had constantly been watching him, and when the Gypsy King himself was not present, Nanosh and Atani were. For Gypsies, their motives were painfully obvious.
"When we get to France, we're going to have a carnival!" chattered another one of the children, a skinny little boy with large ears. "I'm going to show everyone my magic tricks!"
"Are you?" asked Severus. "What kinds of tricks?" The little boy seized the topic immediately, and was soon deeply involved in a one-sided conversation.
"I can do lots of things! I can make stuff disappear, and move things without touching them, and--"
"Be quiet, Vesh," Nanosh snapped. "He wouldn't understand. He is not one of us." The boy looked apologetically at Severus, but made no move to speak to him again. Hermione sent Severus a sidelong glance, and nodded at him solemnly. She had told him to expect this until he'd found some way to "prove" himself.
Severus pretended to adjust his load and stood just a little straighter, making the ease with which he carried the belongings much more apparent. He could feel Nanosh's annoyance, and relished every bit of it.
"The Gypsy King orders you to be ready tomorrow at dawn!" recited the little girl, who often relayed messages for the King. "We're going to travel. To France!" Hermione smiled down at the child, closed the door, then turned to Severus. They'd have to get some sleep sometime, and frankly, Hermione wasn't too afraid of sharing a bed with him. Severus was shockingly honorable for a Slytherin, and was far too noble to be a threat to her. Besides, she'd have to get used to it sometime. She tried to communicate as much.
"I suppose we should get some sleep before tomorrow, then. I was expecting this, so I'm packed. As for you..." she grinned. "We'll have to steal you something later, or transfigure some clothing of mine. But now--bed." Hermione magically changed her clothing from skirt and loose blouse to shorts and a T-shirt. She didn't address Severus until she had already crawled into bed. He hadn't moved.
"Well?" she asked, grinning slightly. "It's not like I'm asking you to do anything improper. In fact, if you try it, you'll wish I had let you hang. But believe me, you don't want to sleep in that chair." Severus noted that she was right, and reluctantly stripped to his boxers. It felt strange for him to climb into bed next to another person, but he tried not to show it. How could she be so relaxed around him?
Hermione extinguished the candle and soon he heard her breathing slow. But Severus couldn't sleep--he just stayed well away from her side of the bed and stared into the darkness.
~~
Roux was furious. In fact, he was so terrifyingly livid he couldn't even see straight. How could that woman do this to him? He was no fool--he had no doubt she'd only saved that man to save herself from him.
One of the Gypsy women, Pita, was cleaning the area around him. Roux noted with a smile that she still observed the old custom of never passing in front of a man. She was trying to catch his eye, though, and he knew it. Every time he looked at her, she would blush. Why couldn't Hermione behave that way? But he knew that he only wanted her because she wouldn't pander to him.
He needed to get her away from this place, from her home. Roux wanted to take Hermione to Paris, to Rome, everywhere! Anywhere that would make her forget where she came from. Gypsies didn't come from any particular place-- home was anywhere the Kumpania was. He wanted Hermione to become a true Gypsy, instead of the student she was.
"Goodnight, Rom Baro," Pita blushed, and left Roux alone with his thoughts. He'd have to get rid of that nasty traveler he'd married her to--to touch her while she was bound to him would make him unclean. Some boundaries could not be crossed, even by a king. Of course, he couldn't just kill the man outright, but if the outsider put so much as one toe out of line....
"Nanosh, Atani!" he called. The young men immediately came to him--they were always nearby. "I need to talk to you about the outsider...."
~~
It was still dark when Hermione shook Severus awake and told him it was time to leave. He was practically hanging off the edge of the bed--which went unmentioned by Hermione but not unnoticed.
"I hope you're ready to walk today," she yawned as she threw on a heavy cloak over her robes. It was getting colder now that Samhain had passed, and before long the Kumpania would be trudging through snow and battling the elements. She had Severus transfigure some of her clothes into whatever he would, hoping he would heed her warning about the bitter cold.
Long before sunrise, a small band of Gypsies ended their short and unusual stay in Hogsmeade, and headed for the mainland of Europe.
~~
A few days later, Albus Dumbledore still had not heard from his Potions Master. Madam Pomfrey had taken over his classes, much to the students' pleasure, but to the staff things just weren't the same.
Days had passed without so much as a sign of Severus, and the Headmaster knew that while he could never stop hoping, it was time to give in and adjust to life without Professor Snape. He called an emergency staff meeting.
When all had gathered in his office, Albus felt his throat constrict and his eyes shine with something other than amusement.
"My dear friends," he sighed, "I believe it is time for us to begin to preserve the memory of our dear Severus..."
~~
"Is it true you're married to Miss Mione?" a small girl all but yelled at Severus. Donka had the largest eyes Severus had ever seen. He smiled slightly, and nodded. "I thought she was going to marry Roux!" the girl squawked, and suddenly wasn't so cute anymore.
"Hush, Donka," Hermione whispered. "Some things are not meant to be talked about. Now, let me tell you the story about...." Before long, Donka was enraptured by Hermione's tale, and had completely forgotten about her taboo former topic.
Severus didn't mind trudging along with the others, carrying more than his share of their communal possessions because there was nothing to keep track of that belonged exclusively to him. Nanosh had ordered that he carry extra, and looked as though he hoped Severus would be angry. Apparently Gypsies had forgotten that charms could be used to lighten heavy loads. Severus definitely wasn't going to tell them.
He wondered what was going on back at Hogwarts. Severus desperately wanted to owl Dumbledore, but apparently the Gypsies didn't use owls, either. Much to his dismay, Severus had also discovered that he couldn't apparate. Apparently he truly was bound to the Kumpania until his year was up. He mentally resigned himself to his fate and decided to concentrate on keeping himself alive. Roux had constantly been watching him, and when the Gypsy King himself was not present, Nanosh and Atani were. For Gypsies, their motives were painfully obvious.
"When we get to France, we're going to have a carnival!" chattered another one of the children, a skinny little boy with large ears. "I'm going to show everyone my magic tricks!"
"Are you?" asked Severus. "What kinds of tricks?" The little boy seized the topic immediately, and was soon deeply involved in a one-sided conversation.
"I can do lots of things! I can make stuff disappear, and move things without touching them, and--"
"Be quiet, Vesh," Nanosh snapped. "He wouldn't understand. He is not one of us." The boy looked apologetically at Severus, but made no move to speak to him again. Hermione sent Severus a sidelong glance, and nodded at him solemnly. She had told him to expect this until he'd found some way to "prove" himself.
Severus pretended to adjust his load and stood just a little straighter, making the ease with which he carried the belongings much more apparent. He could feel Nanosh's annoyance, and relished every bit of it.