Chapter 18
The New Caretaker
It was Thursday morning.
Taya was already sat at the table in the school staff room, unconsciously thrumming her fingers down on the dark polished surface. There were four other people in the room who had smiled at her but she didn't seemed to notice. She was lost in thought, lost in Severus. Of last night... the way he kissed her...
"After this morning I found myself hardly able to concentrate all day," he had said moments before he pulled her into his bedroom then into his bed. She seemed to merely exist on his adoration alone and he gave her so many reasons to be happy.
The door opened and a few other teachers and staff entered the room including the potions master. Taya's eyes lit up when she saw him and she practically sprung out of her seat to greet him. Not that she would overtly fondle, kiss or pet him in public that would be humiliating.
Furthermore their relationship was no longer a secret with the staff and they were pleased for them especially for the potions master who they felt had mellowed to a certain degree much to his disgust. Certainly the children were never told, whether they were aware that had to be said. Severus positively didn't want the whispering, the hurt comments or the backlash if any of them did know. He knew rumours would fly at a speed faster than a Nimbus 3001. Undoubtedly some would speculate how he had done it. Had he cast a spell on their DATDA teacher or poisoned her with a potion?
Nobody in their right mind would ever want to be with me let alone consider sleeping with me. He felt his heart fall and a heavy depression settle on his shoulders. Then he remembered that someone had and she was smiling at him that very minute. Severus chastised himself for his stupidity. It was still taking him time to get used to the fact that he had a companion now and having a lover still seemed the most absurd thing in the world.
One girl did know, but that wasn't by any fault of her own. She was a born telepath and had sworn her allegiance to Taya not tell.
He let a small smile touch his lips when he saw her and stood up in greeting. She whispered something in ear, a term of endearment and they sat down side by side.
The meeting had been called to introduce the new member of staff.
It had been a sizeable number of weeks since Filch had left. The school being without a caretaker, tasks were left to the services of Hagrid for the time being.
When everyone was settled Dumbledore finally joined the expectant group. With him was a man.
Severus flinched awkwardly. Taya heard the sudden gasp he made and looked at him directly. He tensed, his eyes were wide and he had to physically and mentally stop himself from lunging towards the door or the man's throat.
"Severus?" He didn't hear her words but clutched her hand with fierce determination under the table. "You're hurting me," she whispered. He immediately withdrew and she pulled her reddening hand away, shaking it slightly to alleviate the pressure caused by his un-expectant grasping. Professor Snape stared, his dark eyes were narrowed and rage was clearly showing on his face. He seemed drawn to the stranger like a moth to a flame. Ultimately but with great reluctance he pulled his vision from the man standing only a few steps away from Dumbledore and arrested Taya's bewildered expression.
"Forgive me. I..." He stood up paused for a short strangled moment, struggling to capture the words that had been sucked from him, to say something to the assemblage of people. "I must go..." then dashed out of the room.
Nobody noticed the thick stare that was thrust upon him by the new caretaker and certainly no one noticed the Potions Master's deathly cold eyes, glazed slightly and the obvious tension in his jaw.
Dumbledore cast an expression of surprise in Severus' direction as did the others, that is before the man clad in sweeping black robes literally ran out of the room, carelessly nearly tripping over his cloak in his haste to exit the chamber and nearly knocking Minerva McGonagall off her feet as he lurched past her.
The headmaster leant forward and said in a voice that only Taya could hear, "You better go after him." She nodded and made her leave of them.
She found him struggling for breath outside the door of the Potions laboratory, clinging almost desperately to the door. He turned as if his nerves were on fire and if someone from his past were about to attack. He almost cowered when she stopped at his side then she saw his eyes.
He was trembling not from running but from genuine terror and a cold rage.
"Severus?"
He pulled around some what dramatically, wand at hand ready to strike if necessary. Taya reached out but pulled away when he lifted his arm aiming the wand directly at her head. Suddenly with relief he lowered it.
"Thank Merlin it's you. I thought..." His voice trailed off into empty space leaving nothing but the silence between them. Taya gently touched his arm.
"What is it?"
"That man-" he began.
"Sylvester Cloppe?"
"It's not Cloppe at all."
"I don't understand," she said in a puzzled voice.