Nataly - Thanks very much and welcome to the house of Slytherin!
Queenie - Thanks a bunch. Hope this little fic has made the wait for CoS a little easier.
MandaB - Hello again and welcome to AHN!
DotKnight - e-hugs for both of your reviews. Please don't apologize for the outburst about the decision - I take it as a compliment if my writing evokes a strong emotional response!
Speaking of which -
After two long stories, two vignettes, 190,000 words, 53 chapters, over 540 reviews, and almost seven months of fanfiction writing...I have finally been flamed. *grins and throws head back to laugh* Thank you so much for the experience, and that charming, eloquent commentary.
A/N: We shall dedicate THIS chapter to the marvelous Jason Isaacs, who I agree was the perfect Lucius Malfoy.
And one last thing - if you have not seen the latest people magazine, (you know, the sexiest man of 2002 edition) skip the cover story and go to the section on surprisingly sexy men of 2002. This picture of Alan Rickman is absolutely marvelous. *purrs* (Don't know who would be surprised that the man was sexy, though.) Even easier -check this out! http://www.rickmanistareview.com/people.html
Hope everyone is having a good weekend, and I hope all my American counterparts had a peaceful and relaxing Thanksgiving holiday.
I wanted to tell you all that if ever you decide to brave the madness in the malls the day after Thanksgiving to go Christmas shopping, I highly recommend that you take at least one wizard along with you. I took two with me. (Three guesses as to who the Scrooge was that bowed out of going with me, Remus and Sirius in our Santa hats.)
Parking was a nightmare until Remus intervened with a charm that convinced the gentleman that had just taken the spot I'd been waiting patiently for that he'd forgotten something important, and he pulled out quickly and left the mall, and the space to me.
It was much easier to find everything I wanted in the right size and color this year too - it helps to have a master of transfiguration like Sirius along. ;)
The guys were amused at seeing so many muggles at one time, and even though I wanted to have lunch at one of the restaurants, they insisted on the food court. We hit Mickey D's and Cinnabon. (Sirius actually ate two of those things!)
Remus loved the local nature store, and spent a lot of time wandering through it, but it was really the electronics store that had him captivated. Well, not so much the electronics, as the video games. I believe he's probably the first wizard addicted to Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. The kids in the store weren't happy when Remus started to beat them all, and we left with him the top martial arts combatant of the day. ( BTW, in case you're wondering - he likes Raiden.)
We were worried we had lost Sirius at one point in the crowded mall, but should have known better when we found him sitting in Macy's playing Santa with his hat on. Well, sort of. No kids, but there were two blonde cuties from the Clinique counter sitting on his lap. We were able to persuade him to get back to shopping, but only after I promised to show him how to actually use the phone numbers he acquired.
All in all it was a productive day, and we had a lot of fun. We actually managed to convince Severus (ok harass until he gave in) and my brother (the only one that knows I hang with wizards) to go out to the local watering hole with us when we got back. We still couldn't get him to wear a Santa hat,(big surprise) but it proved to be an interesting evening, as somehow he struck up a rapport with the bartender and we ended up drinking all night for free.
I think it was his appreciation of the barkeep's skill, and I can assure you that the Potions master now has now also mastered quite a repertoire of muggle alcoholic concotions. Remus and Sirius now both reluctantly agree that he might be useful at a Christmas party after all.
The Slytherins ~*~
Marlina faced a problem with Noah the morning after she spent the evening having dinner with Remus. He had decided that he was upset that he had been left out of their evening together and wanted to know why Remus didn't want to have dinner with him too. It was a difficult thing to explain to a six year old.
She was in the middle of an attempt at it when the knock came at her door. It was Remus. Noah just pouted and turned his back.
"Good morning, Marlie. Is Noah here?" Remus asked with a wink.
She looked a bit puzzled at his question. "Why yes, Remus. He is." She answered, unsure how to tell him that Noah was out of sorts.
Remus smiled as he looked in at the young boy's turned back. "Do you think he might be available this morning for a while?"
Marlina suddenly caught on. "I'm not sure, Remus. I don't think he is." She said so Noah could hear.
"So you don't think he'd be able to see the Gryffindor tower with me?" Remus sounded a little hurt.
Marlina smiled at Remus since her back was turned to Noah. "No, I'm afraid....."
"Can I go, Mom?" Noah was at the door before she could say anything else.
"Just go put your shoes on first."
The little boy ran to get his shoes.
Marlina sighed and looked at Remus gratefully. 'Thank you." She said quietly. "He was feeling a little left out."
Remus nodded understandingly. "I thought he might."
"So what would you say if I went with you men?" Marlina asked suddenly.
"To the Gryffindor tower? Seriously?" Remus asked, sounding genuinely surprised.
Marlina nodded. "Yes. I've never actually seen it."
"Well. Looks like your turn to feel left out." Remus teased as Noah ran back to where they were talking. "Gryffindors only, right Noah?"
"Right." Noah agreed cheerfully.
"And what am I supposed to do while you two are off together?" She demanded playfully.
"Whatever it is that you Slytherins do when you're pouting about not being allowed into the very cool Gryffindor tower." Remus had Noah laughing at his mother as the two of them went off together.
Marlina shut the door and leaned her back against it, thinking for a moment how lucky she was to have met Remus Lupin. She thought on his words as he teased her from the hallway and decided that she would indeed take advantage of the fact that the Gryffindor men were gone for a while. She went to a locked chest in the bedroom and took out the things she needed and headed for the courtyard.
In all her time working as a member of the WCU and as a member of the staff at the Wyandotte Zoo of Magical Creatures, Marlina had become proficient in many techniques of animal capture and restraint. She had occasion to demonstrate and practice many of them in class, but not all and she liked to keep herself sharp at all times. With wild animals one never knew just exactly when something unexpected might happen, and she didn't want to takes chances with any of the creatures that she presented in class.
Today she decided that in her free time a little target practice might be a good thing, and she knelt in the courtyard and opened the box of darts she used for practice with the crossbow. These were harmless, but the other box she kept with her where ever she traveled contained another set. There were those with blue feathers that were treated with a very potent tranquilizing potion, and those with black feathers that were for emergencies only. They were treated with a deadly poison, and it had been a rare occasion indeed when she had need of them.
Of course the darts were charmed to improve accuracy, but Marlina believed firmly in the safety measures she preached, and never left anything to chance. She still practiced shooting whenever she got the opportunity.
She loaded the first harmless white dart and released the charmed practice target that leaped away from her quickly and shot across the courtyard. She traced it's rapid movement with a trained eye through the sights on the crossbow and let fly a tiny bit ahead of where the target was. A resounding 'thwack' sounded as the dart struck, and Marlina smiled to herself.
"You've still got your touch, Marlie." She said aloud to herself, and she loaded the next dart.
The enormous eagle owl swooped low and barely cleared the edges of the window as it folded its great wings for an instant and shot into the Slytherin dormitory, where it spread them once again to break and land on the back of a chair. It sat calmly regarding Draco Malfoy with large luminous eyes.
"Hello, Acheron." Draco said as he ran his hand down the feathered back. "Do you have good news or bad for me tonight?" He smiled as he spoke to the bird and took the message it carried for him. The bird regarded him quietly and blinked once or twice slowly as it waited.
Malfoy spoke the countercurse and broke the seal and read the note inscribed on the parchment before him. A slow smile spread across his face as he read and he found that it was indeed good news the owl delivered. Evidently his information had been deemed 'useful' and he was now to await further instructions.
Draco was definitely pleased. It looked like he would get to play an even larger part in this than he had hoped.
He quickly tossed the parchment into the fire and picked up a quill to send a return. He had new information to pass along. Perhaps this was not as helpful, but he never missed the opportunity to pass along anything that seemed even remotely useful.
What Pansy had told him she had seen in the hallway with the rest of the group of Slytherin girls seemed like it might be such, at least to his father. She had seen Snape leading the Mistress of the Healing Arts to his chambers.
"Idiot." He said aloud as he wrote.
It wasn't the fact that the man had taken her to his rooms, Draco didn't blame him for.....indulging. Most of the older Slytherin males had themselves confessed (in most vulgar ways) to having considered what the prospect of bedding several of the attractive older witches would be like. No, it was the fact that he 'escorted' her so blatantly that gave away the fact that she was more than a plaything to him. Perhaps much more than a plaything.
"Huh!" Draco snorted at the thought of Snape taking a liking to the witch. Maybe the news wouldn't be needed now, but Draco knew that the elder Malfoy would at least tuck the information away for later. Just in case.
Not only did Ariel Sinistra dislike Lorien, but she now very much disliked Marlina Perkins. She was in her tower that night under the stars when she saw the red haired witch and her young son walking together with Lupin to escort them around the grounds near the castle.
At first she found herself wondering how she could do something to disrupt the relationship that was obviously quickly taking the place of his last one, but then the realization that it just wouldn't matter hit her. He didn't think of her that way and he never would. It didn't matter if he was with the blonde healer or the red haired professor, Remus Lupin just wasn't attracted to her.
Her eyes narrowed and she thought about the fact that he had come to threaten her in her own tower.
"How dare he." She spoke quietly to herself, but in an angry manner. She decided at that moment that she would show him that he never should have threatened her; never should have rejected her in the first place.
"Alright, Professor. How about a lesson you won't soon forget?" Sinistra turned and walked determinedly out of the Astronomy tower.
Remus brought a very excited Noah back to Marlina a few hours after they left her, and he ended up spending most of the day with them. They had finished the evening with a walk outside as a threesome.
Remus waited in the sitting room while Marlina put Noah to bed. He smiled to himself as he could tell there was some protest being raised by the boy in the next room, and he was surprised when they re-emerged together again.
Marlina looked at him. "Remus, Noah doesn't want to go to bed unless he gets to say goodnight to you." She seemed a little frustrated.
Remus got up and went to Noah and knelt on one knee. "How about a goodnight hug?" He asked the boy tentatively.
Noah nodded vigorously and grabbed Remus in a bear hug, as Remus found himself suddenly hugging the child back. He stayed there for a moment and then looked at Marlina over Noah's shoulder and smiled.
"Come on, Noah. I'll come in to say goodnight." Remus rose and went to tuck the auburn haired boy into bed. "Now get some sleep, ok?"
Noah merely smiled and nodded.
"Nox." Remus put out the light and went back to the sitting room to join Marlina on the couch.
He smiled as he sat beside her but his smiled quickly faded as he saw that she appeared to be crying. He quickly took her hands in his. "Marlie, what is it?" He asked.
It took her a moment to decide what to say, and then she spoke. "Remus, I just don't know how to tell you how much I appreciate everything you do for me and for Noah."
"I think you just did." He answered softly.
"You mean a great deal to him. To both of us." She said, looking steadily inot his soft gray eyes.
Remus pulled her closer. "You've come to mean a great deal to me as well. Both of you."
"Really?" She asked.
"Yes." He kissed her gently when she looked up at him.
She snuggled in against him as he sat back on the couch and spoke softly. "Remus, you've made it so easy to be open with you, for me and my son. I've found it difficult to trust a lot of people the same way I did before my husband died. I guess I was always afraid of Noah getting hurt."
"Just Noah?" He asked quietly, pulling her a little tighter against him.
"No." She said, and they were quiet for a moment.
"Marlie?"
"Yes?"
"Do you trust me?" He asked in a very concerned way.
She sat up a little and looked into the gray eyes again. "Absolutely." She said softly, and then she was kissing him.
Remus was feeling extremely guilty as Marlina finally pulled away. She was placing her utmost trust in him and he didn't feel he deserved it. What was she ever going to think? He couldn't bear the thought, but he knew he had to tell her. Just not tonight. He was being selfish and wanted to have tonight with the two of them. He wanted to stay here with her near him just a little bit longer.
The thought that it was only a matter of time before she found out some other way crossed his mind, and he decided that before the next full moon he would tell her.
Remus held Marlie tightly as he realized the next full moon was not far away.
On the afternoon of the staff meeting, Snape had taught his last class for the day and decided to go to the staff room early and read for a while. That way he could be sure to grab one of the chairs that he could make a quick getaway from after the meeting.
He walked into the room to find it nearly deserted except for Forsythia Sprout and the boy. Marlina Perkin's son. What was his name? Noah. That was it.
Snape looked at Sprout as he entered and nodded in acknowledgment. He settled himself into a chair with the latest volume of the Alchemy Society Review and began to read.
" Are you going to be here until the staff meeting?" Sprout was addressing him.
"Yes." He answered her without looking up.
"Oh good. Would you mind?" She asked. "I have one or two things I need to do before Minerva gets here."
"Mind?" He looked up distractedly.
Sprout indicated the boy playing on the floor. "Keep an eye on him? I'm sure you can handle half an hour." She threw it out as a challenge so he couldn't say no.
Snape had a sharp retort poised but then thought better of saying what he was going to in front of the child. "Fine." He said stiffly.
Sprout left him alone with the child, and he went back to reading.
After a few minutes he became aware of the fact that someone was watching him as he read. Very slowly he lowered the journal to peer over the top at the small boy standing before him.
"Hi, Severus." Noah said cheerfully.
Snape raised an eyebrow at being addressed in such a manner by the six year old and lowered the journal further to look at the auburn haired lad.
"Good afternoon, Master Noah." He replied coolly.
Noah, of course never noticed the tone of voice the wizard used and stepped closer to look at the publication Snape had in his hands. "What are you reading?"
Snape stared at the boy for a long moment and then forced himself to answer patiently. "A journal on potion brewing."
"Why?" Noah asked.
"That is what I teach here at Hogwarts, Noah." Snape was trying not to grit his teeth as he answered.
"Potions?" Noah sounded impressed. "You're a teacher?"
"Yes." Snape could feel himself becoming tense.
"What house are you?" Noah sat himself in the chair next to the dark robed mage and waited for an answer as he swung his legs back and forth.
Snape leaned his elbow on the arm of his chair and his forehead against his fingers. "Slytherin." He replied, fighting to keep his voice under control.
"Really? You're a Slytherin like my mom?" Noah asked.
"I am the HEAD of Slytherin House here at Hogwarts." He snapped a little at the boy. Noah didn't notice.
"Cool." Noah paused for a moment or two, still swinging his legs. "I got to pick my own house." He added finally.
"Did you now?" Snape had crumpled a large part of the parchment in his other hand.
"Know what house I am?" Noah asked, obviously eager to tell the man he was sitting with.
Snape had buried his face in his hand. "No." He said without looking up. "But I suppose you're going to tell me?"
"Gryffindor." Noah announced with a smile.
Snape looked up and let his hand drop. "Why am I not surprised?" He asked. His sarcasm was lost on the six year old.
"Yup, same house as Remus and Sirius." Noah said as if he were telling Snape something new.
"No kidding." Snape said caustically as he began to desperately wonder where the hell Sprout or McGonagall or just about anyone else was.
"Know what else?" Noah asked.
Snape didn't trust himself to speak at this point and merely looked back at the boy.
"Same house as Harry Potter!" Noah stated proudly.
Snape was sure he was going to lose it.
"Good afternoon, gentlemen."
Snape's head snapped up and he glanced around desperately to see who might have come as his savior. His expression darkened rapidly as he saw the look of amusement on McGonagall's face.
She walked into the room and sat in her customary chair at the head of the table.
"Hi, Minerva!" Noah hopped out of his chair to change it for the one next to the Transfiguration professor.
McGonagall spoke to Noah but she was looking still at Severus with a gleam in her eye. "So I heard you say you're a Gryffindor, Noah?"
"Yup." He said from where he sat now, banging both feet together repeatedly.
She smiled sweetly at Snape. "You mean you didn't pick Slytherin like your mother?"
"Nope." Noah shook his head.
"Why is that, Noah?" McGonagall asked, a smirk twitching at the corners of her mouth.
"Gryffindor is cooler." He stated simply.
Minerva looked away from Severus and turned to the small boy as she laughed. "Oh, you couldn't be more correct, young man."
Professor McGonagall kept herself entertained through the entire staff meeting watching the way Snape glared at her.
Marlina got up to leave when the staff meeting was over. She caught Remus's eye from across the room, and returned the smile he gave her. She realized as she stood there that someone else was standing near her. She turned back to meet the glare being given her by Snape, as he waited impatiently for her to realize she was blocking the way.
"Oops. Sorry, Severus." She said apologetically.
He huffed at her and glanced across the room to see what was so darn fascinating that she found herself rooted to the spot in his way like a tree stump. It obviously was Remus Lupin. One more way that the man managed to annoy... It suddenly dawned on him that there must be something going on between them and Snape suddenly found himself speaking cordially to Marlina. "That's quite alright, Marlina. Now, if you'll excuse me." He walked past her and out into the hall.
Snape walked quickly down the hallway and realized that he was actually in a good mood after the staff meeting. Not that he would ever admit it. It had occasionally nagged at him that there was a possibility that Lupin still lingered in the wings after Lorien had ended their relationship, and the thought that he might at some point attempt to vie for Lorien's affections again periodically made him cringe.
Of course, there was little doubt in his mind as to how she felt about each of them now, and he smiled when he thought that Lupin wouldn't stand much of a chance. It still didn't hurt, however, in Snape's mind, that Lupin probably was focusing his energies on another witch.
Marlina collected Noah from where he sat next to Professor McGonagall and they walked back to her rooms together. "Did you have a good lesson today with Hermione?" She asked him as they walked.
"Yup." He answered.
"And you spent time with Professor Sprout?" She asked.
"Yup, and Severus." Noah informed her.
"Sev.....Professor Snape?" Marlina was surprised that the irritable Head of Slytherin would take the time to deal with the boy. "What did you talk about.?" She asked curiously.
"Potions, and how Gryffindor is cooler than Slytherin." Noah answered innocently, unaware that it was him that caused his mother to laugh all the way back to their rooms.
Kitty Nicoe has done a cool drawing of her version of Lorien for me. Check out http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/943801
CHALLNGE UPDATE: The latest entry is from Zephyre, and it's called 'Prelude to a Dance War'. The title alone should get you giggling. Go check it out. Unique potion, Black and Snape at each other's throats in an IC and amusing way, and an ....um....interesting undercover mission coming up. http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=1088147
Queenie - Thanks a bunch. Hope this little fic has made the wait for CoS a little easier.
MandaB - Hello again and welcome to AHN!
DotKnight - e-hugs for both of your reviews. Please don't apologize for the outburst about the decision - I take it as a compliment if my writing evokes a strong emotional response!
Speaking of which -
After two long stories, two vignettes, 190,000 words, 53 chapters, over 540 reviews, and almost seven months of fanfiction writing...I have finally been flamed. *grins and throws head back to laugh* Thank you so much for the experience, and that charming, eloquent commentary.
A/N: We shall dedicate THIS chapter to the marvelous Jason Isaacs, who I agree was the perfect Lucius Malfoy.
And one last thing - if you have not seen the latest people magazine, (you know, the sexiest man of 2002 edition) skip the cover story and go to the section on surprisingly sexy men of 2002. This picture of Alan Rickman is absolutely marvelous. *purrs* (Don't know who would be surprised that the man was sexy, though.) Even easier -check this out! http://www.rickmanistareview.com/people.html
Hope everyone is having a good weekend, and I hope all my American counterparts had a peaceful and relaxing Thanksgiving holiday.
I wanted to tell you all that if ever you decide to brave the madness in the malls the day after Thanksgiving to go Christmas shopping, I highly recommend that you take at least one wizard along with you. I took two with me. (Three guesses as to who the Scrooge was that bowed out of going with me, Remus and Sirius in our Santa hats.)
Parking was a nightmare until Remus intervened with a charm that convinced the gentleman that had just taken the spot I'd been waiting patiently for that he'd forgotten something important, and he pulled out quickly and left the mall, and the space to me.
It was much easier to find everything I wanted in the right size and color this year too - it helps to have a master of transfiguration like Sirius along. ;)
The guys were amused at seeing so many muggles at one time, and even though I wanted to have lunch at one of the restaurants, they insisted on the food court. We hit Mickey D's and Cinnabon. (Sirius actually ate two of those things!)
Remus loved the local nature store, and spent a lot of time wandering through it, but it was really the electronics store that had him captivated. Well, not so much the electronics, as the video games. I believe he's probably the first wizard addicted to Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. The kids in the store weren't happy when Remus started to beat them all, and we left with him the top martial arts combatant of the day. ( BTW, in case you're wondering - he likes Raiden.)
We were worried we had lost Sirius at one point in the crowded mall, but should have known better when we found him sitting in Macy's playing Santa with his hat on. Well, sort of. No kids, but there were two blonde cuties from the Clinique counter sitting on his lap. We were able to persuade him to get back to shopping, but only after I promised to show him how to actually use the phone numbers he acquired.
All in all it was a productive day, and we had a lot of fun. We actually managed to convince Severus (ok harass until he gave in) and my brother (the only one that knows I hang with wizards) to go out to the local watering hole with us when we got back. We still couldn't get him to wear a Santa hat,(big surprise) but it proved to be an interesting evening, as somehow he struck up a rapport with the bartender and we ended up drinking all night for free.
I think it was his appreciation of the barkeep's skill, and I can assure you that the Potions master now has now also mastered quite a repertoire of muggle alcoholic concotions. Remus and Sirius now both reluctantly agree that he might be useful at a Christmas party after all.
The Slytherins ~*~
Marlina faced a problem with Noah the morning after she spent the evening having dinner with Remus. He had decided that he was upset that he had been left out of their evening together and wanted to know why Remus didn't want to have dinner with him too. It was a difficult thing to explain to a six year old.
She was in the middle of an attempt at it when the knock came at her door. It was Remus. Noah just pouted and turned his back.
"Good morning, Marlie. Is Noah here?" Remus asked with a wink.
She looked a bit puzzled at his question. "Why yes, Remus. He is." She answered, unsure how to tell him that Noah was out of sorts.
Remus smiled as he looked in at the young boy's turned back. "Do you think he might be available this morning for a while?"
Marlina suddenly caught on. "I'm not sure, Remus. I don't think he is." She said so Noah could hear.
"So you don't think he'd be able to see the Gryffindor tower with me?" Remus sounded a little hurt.
Marlina smiled at Remus since her back was turned to Noah. "No, I'm afraid....."
"Can I go, Mom?" Noah was at the door before she could say anything else.
"Just go put your shoes on first."
The little boy ran to get his shoes.
Marlina sighed and looked at Remus gratefully. 'Thank you." She said quietly. "He was feeling a little left out."
Remus nodded understandingly. "I thought he might."
"So what would you say if I went with you men?" Marlina asked suddenly.
"To the Gryffindor tower? Seriously?" Remus asked, sounding genuinely surprised.
Marlina nodded. "Yes. I've never actually seen it."
"Well. Looks like your turn to feel left out." Remus teased as Noah ran back to where they were talking. "Gryffindors only, right Noah?"
"Right." Noah agreed cheerfully.
"And what am I supposed to do while you two are off together?" She demanded playfully.
"Whatever it is that you Slytherins do when you're pouting about not being allowed into the very cool Gryffindor tower." Remus had Noah laughing at his mother as the two of them went off together.
Marlina shut the door and leaned her back against it, thinking for a moment how lucky she was to have met Remus Lupin. She thought on his words as he teased her from the hallway and decided that she would indeed take advantage of the fact that the Gryffindor men were gone for a while. She went to a locked chest in the bedroom and took out the things she needed and headed for the courtyard.
In all her time working as a member of the WCU and as a member of the staff at the Wyandotte Zoo of Magical Creatures, Marlina had become proficient in many techniques of animal capture and restraint. She had occasion to demonstrate and practice many of them in class, but not all and she liked to keep herself sharp at all times. With wild animals one never knew just exactly when something unexpected might happen, and she didn't want to takes chances with any of the creatures that she presented in class.
Today she decided that in her free time a little target practice might be a good thing, and she knelt in the courtyard and opened the box of darts she used for practice with the crossbow. These were harmless, but the other box she kept with her where ever she traveled contained another set. There were those with blue feathers that were treated with a very potent tranquilizing potion, and those with black feathers that were for emergencies only. They were treated with a deadly poison, and it had been a rare occasion indeed when she had need of them.
Of course the darts were charmed to improve accuracy, but Marlina believed firmly in the safety measures she preached, and never left anything to chance. She still practiced shooting whenever she got the opportunity.
She loaded the first harmless white dart and released the charmed practice target that leaped away from her quickly and shot across the courtyard. She traced it's rapid movement with a trained eye through the sights on the crossbow and let fly a tiny bit ahead of where the target was. A resounding 'thwack' sounded as the dart struck, and Marlina smiled to herself.
"You've still got your touch, Marlie." She said aloud to herself, and she loaded the next dart.
The enormous eagle owl swooped low and barely cleared the edges of the window as it folded its great wings for an instant and shot into the Slytherin dormitory, where it spread them once again to break and land on the back of a chair. It sat calmly regarding Draco Malfoy with large luminous eyes.
"Hello, Acheron." Draco said as he ran his hand down the feathered back. "Do you have good news or bad for me tonight?" He smiled as he spoke to the bird and took the message it carried for him. The bird regarded him quietly and blinked once or twice slowly as it waited.
Malfoy spoke the countercurse and broke the seal and read the note inscribed on the parchment before him. A slow smile spread across his face as he read and he found that it was indeed good news the owl delivered. Evidently his information had been deemed 'useful' and he was now to await further instructions.
Draco was definitely pleased. It looked like he would get to play an even larger part in this than he had hoped.
He quickly tossed the parchment into the fire and picked up a quill to send a return. He had new information to pass along. Perhaps this was not as helpful, but he never missed the opportunity to pass along anything that seemed even remotely useful.
What Pansy had told him she had seen in the hallway with the rest of the group of Slytherin girls seemed like it might be such, at least to his father. She had seen Snape leading the Mistress of the Healing Arts to his chambers.
"Idiot." He said aloud as he wrote.
It wasn't the fact that the man had taken her to his rooms, Draco didn't blame him for.....indulging. Most of the older Slytherin males had themselves confessed (in most vulgar ways) to having considered what the prospect of bedding several of the attractive older witches would be like. No, it was the fact that he 'escorted' her so blatantly that gave away the fact that she was more than a plaything to him. Perhaps much more than a plaything.
"Huh!" Draco snorted at the thought of Snape taking a liking to the witch. Maybe the news wouldn't be needed now, but Draco knew that the elder Malfoy would at least tuck the information away for later. Just in case.
Not only did Ariel Sinistra dislike Lorien, but she now very much disliked Marlina Perkins. She was in her tower that night under the stars when she saw the red haired witch and her young son walking together with Lupin to escort them around the grounds near the castle.
At first she found herself wondering how she could do something to disrupt the relationship that was obviously quickly taking the place of his last one, but then the realization that it just wouldn't matter hit her. He didn't think of her that way and he never would. It didn't matter if he was with the blonde healer or the red haired professor, Remus Lupin just wasn't attracted to her.
Her eyes narrowed and she thought about the fact that he had come to threaten her in her own tower.
"How dare he." She spoke quietly to herself, but in an angry manner. She decided at that moment that she would show him that he never should have threatened her; never should have rejected her in the first place.
"Alright, Professor. How about a lesson you won't soon forget?" Sinistra turned and walked determinedly out of the Astronomy tower.
Remus brought a very excited Noah back to Marlina a few hours after they left her, and he ended up spending most of the day with them. They had finished the evening with a walk outside as a threesome.
Remus waited in the sitting room while Marlina put Noah to bed. He smiled to himself as he could tell there was some protest being raised by the boy in the next room, and he was surprised when they re-emerged together again.
Marlina looked at him. "Remus, Noah doesn't want to go to bed unless he gets to say goodnight to you." She seemed a little frustrated.
Remus got up and went to Noah and knelt on one knee. "How about a goodnight hug?" He asked the boy tentatively.
Noah nodded vigorously and grabbed Remus in a bear hug, as Remus found himself suddenly hugging the child back. He stayed there for a moment and then looked at Marlina over Noah's shoulder and smiled.
"Come on, Noah. I'll come in to say goodnight." Remus rose and went to tuck the auburn haired boy into bed. "Now get some sleep, ok?"
Noah merely smiled and nodded.
"Nox." Remus put out the light and went back to the sitting room to join Marlina on the couch.
He smiled as he sat beside her but his smiled quickly faded as he saw that she appeared to be crying. He quickly took her hands in his. "Marlie, what is it?" He asked.
It took her a moment to decide what to say, and then she spoke. "Remus, I just don't know how to tell you how much I appreciate everything you do for me and for Noah."
"I think you just did." He answered softly.
"You mean a great deal to him. To both of us." She said, looking steadily inot his soft gray eyes.
Remus pulled her closer. "You've come to mean a great deal to me as well. Both of you."
"Really?" She asked.
"Yes." He kissed her gently when she looked up at him.
She snuggled in against him as he sat back on the couch and spoke softly. "Remus, you've made it so easy to be open with you, for me and my son. I've found it difficult to trust a lot of people the same way I did before my husband died. I guess I was always afraid of Noah getting hurt."
"Just Noah?" He asked quietly, pulling her a little tighter against him.
"No." She said, and they were quiet for a moment.
"Marlie?"
"Yes?"
"Do you trust me?" He asked in a very concerned way.
She sat up a little and looked into the gray eyes again. "Absolutely." She said softly, and then she was kissing him.
Remus was feeling extremely guilty as Marlina finally pulled away. She was placing her utmost trust in him and he didn't feel he deserved it. What was she ever going to think? He couldn't bear the thought, but he knew he had to tell her. Just not tonight. He was being selfish and wanted to have tonight with the two of them. He wanted to stay here with her near him just a little bit longer.
The thought that it was only a matter of time before she found out some other way crossed his mind, and he decided that before the next full moon he would tell her.
Remus held Marlie tightly as he realized the next full moon was not far away.
On the afternoon of the staff meeting, Snape had taught his last class for the day and decided to go to the staff room early and read for a while. That way he could be sure to grab one of the chairs that he could make a quick getaway from after the meeting.
He walked into the room to find it nearly deserted except for Forsythia Sprout and the boy. Marlina Perkin's son. What was his name? Noah. That was it.
Snape looked at Sprout as he entered and nodded in acknowledgment. He settled himself into a chair with the latest volume of the Alchemy Society Review and began to read.
" Are you going to be here until the staff meeting?" Sprout was addressing him.
"Yes." He answered her without looking up.
"Oh good. Would you mind?" She asked. "I have one or two things I need to do before Minerva gets here."
"Mind?" He looked up distractedly.
Sprout indicated the boy playing on the floor. "Keep an eye on him? I'm sure you can handle half an hour." She threw it out as a challenge so he couldn't say no.
Snape had a sharp retort poised but then thought better of saying what he was going to in front of the child. "Fine." He said stiffly.
Sprout left him alone with the child, and he went back to reading.
After a few minutes he became aware of the fact that someone was watching him as he read. Very slowly he lowered the journal to peer over the top at the small boy standing before him.
"Hi, Severus." Noah said cheerfully.
Snape raised an eyebrow at being addressed in such a manner by the six year old and lowered the journal further to look at the auburn haired lad.
"Good afternoon, Master Noah." He replied coolly.
Noah, of course never noticed the tone of voice the wizard used and stepped closer to look at the publication Snape had in his hands. "What are you reading?"
Snape stared at the boy for a long moment and then forced himself to answer patiently. "A journal on potion brewing."
"Why?" Noah asked.
"That is what I teach here at Hogwarts, Noah." Snape was trying not to grit his teeth as he answered.
"Potions?" Noah sounded impressed. "You're a teacher?"
"Yes." Snape could feel himself becoming tense.
"What house are you?" Noah sat himself in the chair next to the dark robed mage and waited for an answer as he swung his legs back and forth.
Snape leaned his elbow on the arm of his chair and his forehead against his fingers. "Slytherin." He replied, fighting to keep his voice under control.
"Really? You're a Slytherin like my mom?" Noah asked.
"I am the HEAD of Slytherin House here at Hogwarts." He snapped a little at the boy. Noah didn't notice.
"Cool." Noah paused for a moment or two, still swinging his legs. "I got to pick my own house." He added finally.
"Did you now?" Snape had crumpled a large part of the parchment in his other hand.
"Know what house I am?" Noah asked, obviously eager to tell the man he was sitting with.
Snape had buried his face in his hand. "No." He said without looking up. "But I suppose you're going to tell me?"
"Gryffindor." Noah announced with a smile.
Snape looked up and let his hand drop. "Why am I not surprised?" He asked. His sarcasm was lost on the six year old.
"Yup, same house as Remus and Sirius." Noah said as if he were telling Snape something new.
"No kidding." Snape said caustically as he began to desperately wonder where the hell Sprout or McGonagall or just about anyone else was.
"Know what else?" Noah asked.
Snape didn't trust himself to speak at this point and merely looked back at the boy.
"Same house as Harry Potter!" Noah stated proudly.
Snape was sure he was going to lose it.
"Good afternoon, gentlemen."
Snape's head snapped up and he glanced around desperately to see who might have come as his savior. His expression darkened rapidly as he saw the look of amusement on McGonagall's face.
She walked into the room and sat in her customary chair at the head of the table.
"Hi, Minerva!" Noah hopped out of his chair to change it for the one next to the Transfiguration professor.
McGonagall spoke to Noah but she was looking still at Severus with a gleam in her eye. "So I heard you say you're a Gryffindor, Noah?"
"Yup." He said from where he sat now, banging both feet together repeatedly.
She smiled sweetly at Snape. "You mean you didn't pick Slytherin like your mother?"
"Nope." Noah shook his head.
"Why is that, Noah?" McGonagall asked, a smirk twitching at the corners of her mouth.
"Gryffindor is cooler." He stated simply.
Minerva looked away from Severus and turned to the small boy as she laughed. "Oh, you couldn't be more correct, young man."
Professor McGonagall kept herself entertained through the entire staff meeting watching the way Snape glared at her.
Marlina got up to leave when the staff meeting was over. She caught Remus's eye from across the room, and returned the smile he gave her. She realized as she stood there that someone else was standing near her. She turned back to meet the glare being given her by Snape, as he waited impatiently for her to realize she was blocking the way.
"Oops. Sorry, Severus." She said apologetically.
He huffed at her and glanced across the room to see what was so darn fascinating that she found herself rooted to the spot in his way like a tree stump. It obviously was Remus Lupin. One more way that the man managed to annoy... It suddenly dawned on him that there must be something going on between them and Snape suddenly found himself speaking cordially to Marlina. "That's quite alright, Marlina. Now, if you'll excuse me." He walked past her and out into the hall.
Snape walked quickly down the hallway and realized that he was actually in a good mood after the staff meeting. Not that he would ever admit it. It had occasionally nagged at him that there was a possibility that Lupin still lingered in the wings after Lorien had ended their relationship, and the thought that he might at some point attempt to vie for Lorien's affections again periodically made him cringe.
Of course, there was little doubt in his mind as to how she felt about each of them now, and he smiled when he thought that Lupin wouldn't stand much of a chance. It still didn't hurt, however, in Snape's mind, that Lupin probably was focusing his energies on another witch.
Marlina collected Noah from where he sat next to Professor McGonagall and they walked back to her rooms together. "Did you have a good lesson today with Hermione?" She asked him as they walked.
"Yup." He answered.
"And you spent time with Professor Sprout?" She asked.
"Yup, and Severus." Noah informed her.
"Sev.....Professor Snape?" Marlina was surprised that the irritable Head of Slytherin would take the time to deal with the boy. "What did you talk about.?" She asked curiously.
"Potions, and how Gryffindor is cooler than Slytherin." Noah answered innocently, unaware that it was him that caused his mother to laugh all the way back to their rooms.
Kitty Nicoe has done a cool drawing of her version of Lorien for me. Check out http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/943801
CHALLNGE UPDATE: The latest entry is from Zephyre, and it's called 'Prelude to a Dance War'. The title alone should get you giggling. Go check it out. Unique potion, Black and Snape at each other's throats in an IC and amusing way, and an ....um....interesting undercover mission coming up. http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=1088147
