Arwen Black - Welcome O lover of Tolkien and Rowling!

A/N: A little bit of RJL for you, and another lesson for Harry.

Quote of the week: "Now, if you don't mind, and even if you do, please take your quivering little snout out of my affairs." Snape to Lupin in "Seeing Grey" by Iggie, a fine roller coaster ride of a fic that chronicles the life and angst of RJL through his school years.*****

~*~At approximately four in the afternoon, Snape apparates outside the familiar little brown house near the coast of Maine that he has come to know well, and hesitates for a moment before climbing the steps. A quick glance at the house across the street confirms that Nytd's elderly neighbor, Mrs. McEwan is, as usual, peering out between her curtains to spy on the odd happenings at number 11.

He waives briefly at the woman who utters a shriek muffled by the window pane and disappears into the depths of the house. Snape shakes his head and mutters something to himself about 'daft old muggles'.

He knows that poor Mrs. McEwan is considered daft by the local authorities as well for all the reports that she has filed about the things she allegedly has witnessed happening at number 11. Flying motorcycles, disappearing people, and small blue-green dragons have all been called in to the local police.

Of course, each time the police arrive at the house, the door is only answered by the young studious-looking veterinarian that lives there or occasionally her grandfather (with the long white beard) or one of her cousins (distinguished teachers visiting from Oxford University). Nothing could appear to be more normal, and so Mrs. McEwan, who is perfectly sane and has excellent eyesight, has been labeled as a batty old nearsighted coot.

Snape knocks once as a courtesy, and then lets himself in, wondering if Nytd will be happy to see him. His busy schedule at Hogwarts and many meetings with J K Rowling have left him little time for his muggle ladyfriend as of late, and he hopes that she's the understanding type. (Most likely she is since she doesn't have any hang-ups about spending time in the company of a werewolf and an escaped convict.)

He heads down the hallway toward the kitchen, hearing Nytd talking to someone in an animated fashion. He frowns to himself when he realizes that the voice that answers her is male, and quickens his pace when he hears her laughing. It certainly can't be Lupin or Black since they're not due back for another day or so, and Snape finds that the thought that she might actually be spending time with some (boring) muggle bothers him more than he'd care to admit.

Snape sweeps into the kitchen and stops short as Nytd looks up from where she's seated at the kitchen table with her guest.

"Oh hello, Severus." She says brightly. "Care to join us?" she offers from where she is having afternoon tea with none other than Lucius Malfoy.*******

Harry's Request ~*~

Things had returned to some degree of normalcy, and Lorien waited patiently for Harry to arrive for their next lesson a week after the mangabey attacks, but after a while she began to wonder if he had forgotten. She didn't think that was likely, since he was progressing so well, and he was usually quite enthusiastic and punctual. She began to worry that something was wrong until she poked her head into the hallway. She smiled to herself and understood why the boy was late, now that she had seen him strolling along engaged in conversation with Ginny Weasley. She stepped back into the classroom so he wouldn't see her, and waited for him to finally arrive.

When Harry at last came rushing into the room full of apologies, Lorien found that she just couldn't help herself, and she folded her arms across her chest, drumming her fingers on her elbow, and gave Harry her best impersonation of her paramicaan. "I assume, Mr. Potter, that you have a reasonable explanation for why I have been standing here wasting my time?" She wanted to scare him a little to see if he would mention the girl.

Harry grinned at her, knowing that she wasn't really mad. "That was pretty good, Sylvani." He said. "You sounded just like him."

"Really?" She asked, dropping all pretense of being annoyed.

"Yeah, it's a little scary how well you do him." Harry said. "All you have to do now is get down the part about 'the subtle science and exact art' and you'll have the first years running for cover."

Lorien smiled. She knew that Snape's first year speeches were legendary. "So, Harry," she asked, "was that Ginny Weasley that made you late for your lesson?" She was teasing him, and she saw Harry's face turn a fairly bright shade of red as he nodded.

Harry smiled shyly. "She was telling me how Sirius saved her from being attacked by one of those mangabeys."

"Is that how he was wounded?" Lorien asked, unaware of the story.

"Yes." Said Harry. "He jumped between them in canine form."

"Your godfather is a very brave man, Harry." She said. "A bit stubborn about some things, but there's no question about his devotion to those he's close to or his courage."

Harry smiled at her assessment of Sirius.

Lorien changed the subject finally. "Shall we do some work?"

Harry nodded, relived that she wasn't going to ask him any more questions about Ginny.

"How about trying some offensive spells?" Lorien asked. Most of what she had taught him so far were defensive and summoning spells, and she was beginning to think that Harry might need something more aggressive in his wandless arsenal.

"Let's try a fire blast." She looked around the room for a moment until she saw the old cloak hanging near the door. Quickly she gabbed the coat rack and draped the cloak over it, and tansfigured it into a sort of scarecrow. "There, that ought to make a suitable target." She said.

She demonstrated the way to summon a small ball of fire and hurl it at one's opponent, and then stepped forward to extinguish the flaming dummy.

"That was so cool!" Harry exclaimed.

"Try it." She encouraged, and Harry moved to stand in front of the target.

Lorien frowned at Harry's repeated attempts that resulted in him tossing a handful of sparks at the vaguely human form. He definitely wasn't getting this one. She needed to explain it better. Or maybe... She had an idea. "Harry, I think this calls for a different approach. Instead of calming yourself and focusing all your energy, I want you to think of something that really makes you angry, and then channel that anger into the spell."

Harry thought for a minute. The fact that Ginny had almost been hurt by one of those monsters made him angry. He threw a larger handful of sparks.

"Keep going." Lorien encouraged.

Harry thought about it. The fact that so many people had been hurt by something the Death Eaters were responsible for made him madder. He threw a small handful of flame at the target.

"What else?" Lorien asked, prodding him to dig deeper for something that angered him.

Harry continued. The Death Eaters made him mad, but it was really all due to Voldemort. He flamed the arm of the makeshift dummy.

"Good! Keep going." Lorien said.

Harry held onto his hate of Voldemort. Everything in his life had been affected by that monster. His scar plagued him frequently, quidditch had been canceled, the school was no longer completely safe, people had almost died. Well, MORE people had almost died. Cedric had died because of Voldemort. Harry flamed the second arm of the scarecrow.

His parents had died because of Voldemort.

Harry once again felt the rage that always accompanied that thought, and when he hurled the spell it was accompanied by a cry of anguish, and the target dummy blew apart in shower of flaming bits.

Lorien stepped out of the way of the shower of wood shards that were on fire, and looked with great surprise at Harry. She extinguished the nearby desk that had caught fire in the blast and then spoke. "Care to share what prompted that?"

Harry was still breathing rapidly when he looked back at her with great intensity in the green eyes. "Voldemort." Was all he said. It was all he needed to say for Lorien to understand.

"Funny thing, that," she said, not amused in the least, "but I feel the same way when I think about him." She whirled around, and a second later the damaged desk in front of them evaporated when she blasted it into flaming oblivion.

Harry waited for a minute and then spoke to her again. "There's something else I want you to teach me." He said.

"What is it, Harry?" She asked softly.

"Lightning." He said, and her eyes went wide. "I want to learn to summon lightning."

She could see he was actually quite serious. "Harry, I don't think..."

"Please, Sylvani. I really think I'm ready." Harry pleaded.

She wasn't as certain that he was, but she smiled to herself as she listened to him go on with his attempts to persuade her. He sounded like her when she had requested the same thing from Perth all those years ago.

"Really. I've been practicing all the time. You know I summoned the rains the night of the party?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Remus told me about how you drenched the area around the tower." She said proudly.

"You know how much I've improved. I can do a lot of spells that I use everyday without a wand now." Harry continued.

Lorien wasn't swayed. She shook her head and could see the disappointment in Harry's eyes.

"You don't think I can do it?" He asked, sounding hurt.

"I think you probably could, but it's a very dangerous spell, Harry. I'm just not sure that...."

"I'm ready!" He said, interrupting her. "Really, I am. I just know it!"

"Harry! Let me finish," she scolded and then smiled. "I was about to say that I don't know if I'm ready. I've never taught anyone that summoning before, and although I can do it myself to some small degree, I'm not really sure that I feel confident enough to show you."

Harry looked devastated.

"I'm sorry, Harry," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You really need to learn it from someone that has mastered it better than I have, and can teach it to you safely. Someone like Perth." She said. " The next time he visits me at Hogwarts I'll ask him, ok?"

Harry nodded, still obviously very disappointed. "Ok." He said sullenly.

"Why don't we call it a night?" She asked gently. "You'll practice what you've learned so far over the break?"

Harry looked puzzled. "You won't be around to help me?" he asked. He had hoped to get in some extra lessons during the week long holiday.

She smiled. "No, I'm going to be off visiting Perth and some of the other Nemorosi elders."

Harry's eyes opened wider. "Really?"

Lorien already knew what he was thinking.

"I could go with you!" Harry suggested enthusiastically.

"I don't think that's such a good idea, Harry." Lorien began. "It might not be safe."

"Sure it would. You'll be there." Harry said. "Not only that, but where else could be safer than with a bunch of Nemorosi elders around?"

He had a point there, but there was more to it than that. "Harry, you'll have school work."

"I'll finish it before break." He promised.

"I don't think Sirius will approve." Lorien tried.

"Oh, come on." Harry pleaded. "You know we can talk him into it! Then I can meet your mentor! We can ask him about the lightning!"

Harry was probably right, but Lorien hesitated to tell Harry the main reason she didn't think he should go.

Harry got quiet. "You don't want me to go with you, do you?" The teenager sounded hurt again.

"Harry, it's not that at all. Normally, I'd love for you to go with me. I think it would be good for you."

"Then why won't you let me go?" He asked.

She sighed and told him. "Harry, I'm not going to the Council alone."

"So?" He asked. "What does...." It finally occurred to him what she meant and he frowned. "HE's going with you?"

She nodded. "So, now you understand why I don't think you should go. It might prove to be unpleasant for you if you did."

Harry weigh this over in his mind, considering how much he wanted to go and possibly learn the lightning spell, and how little he wanted to spend any of his free time with the irritable Potions master. He finally set his jaw and looked her in the eye. "If you'd agree to allow me to accompany you, Sylvani, I would very much like to go," he said. "I can handle it if he can," he added determinedly.

Lorien finally laughed at the boy's steely show of determination. Harry was a true Gryffindor. "Well, if you want to learn the spell so badly that you're considering spending your holiday with Professor Snape, I'd say that you deserve the chance."

"Wicked!" Harry cried.

"Now, hold on." Lorien said. "Two conditions. First, you can only go if Sirius agrees."

Harry grinned. "I'll talk him into it, you'll see."

"And second," Lorien began, "only if I can persuade Professor Snape."

Harry nodded. "Fair enough."

"Harry, those are two pretty big 'ifs'." She said.

"You can do it." He said with a smile.

"I'll do my best," she sighed, "but.."

"I have confidence in you, Sylvani atora. It's practically a done deal." Harry said.

"You're absolutely charming when you want something, Harry Potter." She teased him.

Harry walked to the door and teased his mentor back. "I think you'll do fine. I hear he has a thing for blondes." He scooted out the doorway.

Lorien ran to the door and called after the laughing teenager. "And I hear your father wasn't the only Potter with a thing for redheads!"

She laughed at her exchange with the student, and then sobered, wondering how she was ever going to convince Severus to agree to what she now needed to propose.**

Marlina just couldn't concentrate on what she was saying any longer, and she decided that after she answered the next few questions, she would let class out a little early.

There were no complaints from her students, of course, and she watched them cheerfully pour out of the classroom early.

She, herself, left the classroom right behind them and hurried to Remus's rooms. Once again, Lorien was just leaving when she arrived, and she eyed the blonde woman coolly as they faced each other in the hall. "Hello, Lorien," she said in an icy voice. She didn't care to have the attractive healer close to Remus so much.

"Good afternoon, Professor." Lorien returned politely, but with just as little warmth. She hadn't gotten past the woman calling her a bitch the night of the werewolf hunt. Lorien continued down the hall as Marlina went into Remus's rooms.

"Hi, Marlie." He said, and got up from the couch to greet her.

Marlina kissed him hello, but he could tell that something was distracting her. "What's up?" He asked as she glanced back at the door.

"Nothing." She said, and then smiled at him. "It's nothing."

"If it's nothing, then it should be no big deal for you to tell me what it is, right?" He teased.

She sighed. "This is going to sound so petty, Remus."

"What?"

"It's about Lorien." She said.

"Lorien?" Remus asked.

Marlina nodded. "I can't believe I'm going to tell you this." She hesitated and then answered his questioning look. "I don't like her being around you so much."

"What?"

"You heard me. I guess I might be the jealous type." She said quietly.

"Marlie, I assure you that you have no reason to be jealous of Lorien." Remus said. "She's a good friend and she goes out of her way to help with my migraines. That's all"

"I know that you're probably right, but I just can't help this feeling that she has a thing for you." She pouted a little. "I don't like it."

Remus groaned inwardly. It was time Marlina knew. It hadn't ever come up in conversation before, and it wasn't very well the type of thing you just announced one day out of the blue.

"Marlie, there's something I have to tell you." He said.

"I knew it! You have a thing for her too, don't you?" Marlina accused him angrily.

"Marlina." Remus tried to get her attention.

"Well, and why not? Cute little blonde thing like that with her hands all over you whenever you get a headache.."

"Marlina!"

She stopped and looked at him.

"I don't have a thing for Lorien," he said.

"No?" She asked, relieved to hear what he was saying.

"No, but I did."

Marlina frowned again. "You did?"

"Yes, and you were right about her. She did have a thing for me as well."

"You mean you two were..."

"Yes, all last fall." He admitted. "It was over by the first of the year."

Marlina felt a mix of emotions at his announcement. "How did it end?" She asked.

He sighed aloud. "She ended it." He said quietly. "She left to be with Severus."

Marlina was relieved that Lorien was no longer interested in Remus, and then suddenly mad that she must have done something to hurt him. "She what?"

Remus gave her a very condensed version of what had transpired between the three of them.

"That bitch." Remus's story had done nothing to warm up Marlina's attitude toward the Nemorosi healer.

"Please, Marlie. There's nothing left of that part of our relationship, but she and I will always be good friends. I don't want you to feel so hostile toward her." He said.

"I'm sorry." She said. "I guess I was jealous at first and now I feel a bit protective about you. I can't help it."

Remus put his arms around her. "You can feel protective of me all you want. I have to admit that I like it." He teased. "Just don't condemn Lorien yet, ok?"

"I guess." She said, pouting a little again.

"Will you at least try and give her a chance?" Remus asked, pulling her closer.

Marlina nodded. "I'll try."

"Thank you." Remus said, and kissed her for a long moment. "Now," he said as he pulled away, "just so there are no other issues.. I still love her, but now it's only as a dear friend, and you, Marlie, are not just a rebound relationship for me. I have very strong feelings for you, and I hope that you feel the same way about me."

Marlina blinked at him in amazement for spilling his guts. She finally smiled at him. "I do feel the same way, Remus. You know that."

"Good. Then everything's settled, right? No loose ends?" he asked.

She shrugged. She hoped there wasn't anything else.

"Questions?" he asked, looking expectant.

"No." She said. He'd explained what she needed to know.

"Comments?" he asked once more.

"No." She laughed.

"Good. Now get out." He said softly.

Marlina laughed at him.

"No, really. Marlie, you need to go," he said seriously.

"So soon?" She asked, alarmed.

He pointed out the window at the setting sun.

"Remus, I..." She didn't finish and flung her arms around his neck, crushing him in a protective embrace. She didn't let go when Sirius knocked and then entered.

Remus extracted himself reluctantly from her arms and led her to the door.

"It's ok, Marlina. "I'll take good care of him." Sirius said reassuringly.

Marlina nodded and then allowed Remus to gently guide her through the door.

"Oh, Marlie? I guess there is one thing I haven't told you." He said as she stepped into the hall.

She looked back at him. "What's that?"

"It's about Sirius," he said with a wink. "I still have a thing for him.".

"That's right," called Sirius from behind Remus. "You might get him the rest of the time, but come the full moon, and for one night he's all mine, love." He grabbed Remus from behind and planted a big kiss on his cheek.

"Get off me!" Remus laughed and swatted at Sirius and then turned back to Marlina who was laughing at their antics. "I'll see you in the morning." He kissed her once more and then shut and locked the door.**

The headmaster stood in his office, gazing out the window and stroking the crimson feathers of the bird next to him distractedly as he was lost in thought. He didn't like the news that had been brought to him by the last owl.

Evidently several of Cornelius Fudges' own staff had been taken by Death Eaters two days before in London, and the most concerning part was that no ultimatum had yet been issued. Fudge seemed convinced that he was dealing with a hostage situation, and still waited for demands. Dumbledore knew better than to be that hopeful.

He'd asked Snape's opinion on the likelihood that the three men were still alive, and Severus had echoed his own feelings of dread when he'd simply shaken his head in silence.

Dumbledore sighed and spoke to the phoenix. "It's happening all over again, Fawkes." He sat at his desk to send a response to Fudge, and his eyes went to yet another letter that sat there as well. Another parent had called their student home, concerned about the safety of their daughter while she was at Hogwarts with everything that was beginning to manifest in the news.

He didn't blame them after the mangabeys infiltrated the castle, but he knew it was a mistake. There was still no place safer for a student to be than this very spot, but how did he convince worried parents of that?

He knew that after the Easter holiday, that there would probably be a number of students that remained at home as well, and it grieved him to think that they would miss out on the education that they need now more than ever. He sighed again. All he could do was see to it that he and his staff did everything they could to carry on and teach the remaining students everything they could with the time they had left.

He hoped it would be enough.
.