The Summer following Rubida Luna A House Call

Severa was home alone. She loved it when her parents were gone and she could crank up the music, traipse around in her favourite casual wear (a pair of jean shorts, two basketball socks pulled all the way up to the knees, and a denim shirt left open over a T-shirt), and basically have the run of the place. Though normally she enjoyed classical and Celtic music, she was more in the mood for something a tad bit rambunctious. She put Orgy into the CD player and let "Blue Monday" blare through the house.

She decided today would be a good day for dusting. Although both her parents were wizards, her mother was muggle-born and held up doing some things, like cleaning, to be done without magical assistance. Grabbing a rag and cleaner, she started in the living room, bouncing to the music. Above the loud noise a knock came from the front door. Severa frowned. She wasn't expecting any company. If it was some sort of salesman she was going to be right cheezed. She went to the door without the mind to turn the music down. Tell me how does it feel when your heart grows cold... Just as she opened the door. "Professor Snape!"

"Miss Rimmer..."

Remembering her state of dress, and remembering that she was facing her former teacher and man she admired dearly, she turned a violent shade of violet.

"I do not think that is a natural colour for skin to turn," he drolled.

Her confusion quickly outweighed her embarrassment, and she just stood, gaping at him, not sure what to do. After all, it wasn't every day Severus Snape, Hades mortalised, took leave to make an unscheduled house call.

Snape sighed irritably. "Miss Rimmer, it is 30 degrees outside, black absorbs heat, and this," he held up a cubed shaped object covered in a cloth he was carrying, "is getting rather heavy. "I would have assumed that a girl such as yourself was taught the proper manners of inviting some one in when they come to call."

The usual classroom voice snapped it out of her daze. "Yes of course, Professor, come in please." She stepped back to allow his entrance. He flinched as he got the full force of the speakers. "Oh, sorry." Severa ran off into another room and turned the music off. When she came back, Snape had set his burden on the coffee table (the one she had just cleaned, she thought irritably), and he stood examining something on a wall with his hands clasped behind his back.

She stood in a doorway for a moment to take full advantage of her position to admire him. His posture was always straight; chin slightly raised in his superior manner. His sweeping, black robes hung majestically on his slim frame. That angular nose, those intelligent black eyes, the pale skin; there was not an inch of him she did not relish in viewing. Of course she had to cut her relishment short when she realised what it was Snape was examining on the wall: Family portraits, including the not so flattering one of herself when she had ridiculously short hair, and missing teeth when she was younger. "You need something, professor?" She asked to quickly draw his attention to something else.

He turned and raised an eyebrow. "Pardon?"

She shrugged. "Why are you here? Do you need something or...something?"

"Well, he said, placing a hand on the still encloaked object, "I have something for you." With that he pulled the off the sheet to reveal a cage.

"  Judas!"  Severa immediately opened the cage, grabbed the iguana, and cradled him in her arms.

"He's yours now."

She stared at him, wide eyed for a while. Her open mouth turned into a sly smile. "Don't give me that look, Miss Rimmer."

"What look?" She asked innocently.

"This is not a romantic gesture. I am giving you a responsibility."

She sighed. "You can just suck the fun out of everything can't you?"

"It's a gift."

She placed Judas back into his cage. "Thank Professor Quirrell for me, his trust-"

Snape coughed, cutting her off. "There's another reason for my visit." Seeing his graver than normal expression on his face, she decided to sit down to hear whatever bad news he was about to give her. Though she could guess what it had to be, piecing together finally the significance of her gift. Tears were already stinging her eyes.

"Miss Rimmer, Professor Quirrell has...  What would be the correct word? He's gone, Severa, he's crossed over as it were."

He saw the young lady's chest heave and braced himself for the impending torrent. He was never comfortable around crying women, much less when that crying woman was a recently former student. "But not all is loss and grievous," he quickly added, sitting next to her on the sofa. He immediately regretted that decision. She took the initiative to use his shoulder to cry on even though he wasn't offering it. He gritted his teeth, not sure how to handle this. As gently as he could, he pushed her away and forced her to look at him.

"Now, if you'd just listen to me and stop sniveling," She glared at him for the use of the word "sniveling".  She would hardly call herself doing that. "I have one more piece of news for you. Though Wilton has finally left this world, his memory indeed continues on, in more ways than one."  She looked at him through her tears to give him a 'I know that, you dolt' look. "In his friends, Judas, I dare say, and now in his children...."

He waited for her reaction. She sniffed and coughed as she took in that last one. She looked at him very surprised. "You mean...."

"Sinsistra is pregnant, with twins."

Severa's entire countenance transformed. Her eyes widened and a huge smile broke across her face. Before he could prevent it, Severus found himself bowled over with Severa's arms around his neck. "Oh, Professor, that's wonderful!" Then noticing their current position, she scrambled off of him, her face turning that unhealthy colour again. Wiping the final tears off her face, she knew Snape was more than ready to be absent. "Thank you, Professor, for everything. And give Sinistra my best regards. I hope I'll be informed when they're born?"

Snape smiled at her a little. "I'm sure that can be arranged." He bowed and left the Rimmer residence.

Severa took Judas out of the cage again. She smiled with a couple tears dropping again. This time she wasn't sure if they were of grief or joy.