Chapter 5: An Accusation and A Mudblood

It was on this day that Aeowyn was to accompany Farus to Hogsmeade. She dressed in a long sleeve orange shirt and jeans, pulling on her old, Utility sneakers. "No need to dress up for this buffoon!" She opened her trunk, which was hidden under her bed, and pulled out a drawstring bag. After half emptying the bag, she shoved the Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts into her pocket and hid the bag in the trunk. She kicked the trunk under her bed and put her wand in her other pocket. "Red-headed Irish buffoon!" she shouted as she descended the stairs. Aeowyn kissed Sanguis on the head, told him to be good, and left her room, heading for the spot she and Farus had agreed to met at.

He was there, waiting for her already. He wore vibrant purple robes and had an equally attractive pointed hat on his head. Aeowyn forced a smile to return the one he had given her when she had approached. "Ready to go then? Got your Galleons and all?" Farus stroked his thin mustache as he looked at her.

"Yes," she replied. "Why would I go to Hogsmeade without money?"

"Good question," he answered, his Irish accent painfully obvious. "Shall we be off, then?" Aeowyn nodded and they began their walk to Hogsmeade. On the way, Farus continued to rattle on, much to Aeowyn's dismay. "Now when you get there, there are two pubs. One is called 'The Three Broomsticks'. The students fancy that one. I certainly did when I was here only a few years ago," he chuckled, looking at Aeowyn. "I am only twenty two," he pointed out, eyeing Aeowyn up and down. "Did you know that?"

Aeowyn kept walking. "I'm thirty. A bit old for you, don't you think?" she looked at him with a smile.

Farus stopped, dejected. "Thirty…, did you say? You don't look… I mean… you look twenty-two. Thirty?!" he repeated.

Aeowyn halted, too, and turned around to look at him. "Yes. I believe I said it clear enough. The rumors aren't true: I don't have a stutter!" She continued on her way, not caring whether or nor Farus was following.

Unfortunately, he caught back up with her and continued prattling. "You can buy Butterbeer at 'The Three Broomsticks'. But as an adult, I prefer 'The Hog's Head'. The crowd is a bit rowdier, but it is a better place for alcoholic beverages."

"I don't drink alcohol," Aeowyn pointed out harshly. Merlin! Why doesn't this loser go bury himself in his own shit?! He certainly is full of enough of it!

"Ah, I see," Farus replied. "Well, other than that, there's not really anything else of interest. Some of the students love to visit Zonko's Joke Shop…"

Aeowyn stopped and grabbed Farus by the front of his robes. "They have a joke shop?!" she screamed excitedly.

Farus grabbed his hat to keep it from falling off his head. "Yes… And a candy shop called 'Honeydukes'…"

"A joke shop and a candy shop?!" she asked with a big smile on her face. She let go of him and ran outside, calling behind her, "Well, what are we waiting for!? Come on!"

Farus straightened his robes. "Severus was right… She's nothing but an overgrown child, unprotected and naive…" He smirked and followed after her, at a slightly slower speed.

Aeowyn found herself at the gate to Hogwarts. She turned around to Farus and shouted. "Well?! Where is it from here?!"

Farus slowly walked up beside her and said, "Just follow the path. Eventually, you will be able to see the Hogwarts Express train tracks. They will lead us straight into Hogsmeade."

Aeowyn was grinning like a first-year Gryffindor. "Well, what are we waiting for?!" she shouted as she sprinted off down the path. Farus, shaking his head disapprovingly, ran after her. After a long while of running, and just when she thought she was going to pass out from lack of oxygen, Aeowyn spotted the train tracks. With a triumphant laugh, she put on an extra boost of speed to reach it. Giggling madly and out of breath, she stopped at the Hogsmeade station, her hands on her knees, doubled over. She straightened up and looked down the road, expecting Farus to arrive at any minute. Aeowyn began jumping up and down, waiting for him anxiously.

When he appeared, he was bent forward, breathing hard and jogging slowly. He stopped running and walked up to Aeowyn, huffing out, "You… childish… not… thirty…"

"Oh! Come on, Farus! Don't tell me that little jaunt of ours was enough to get you winded?" Aeowyn stood with her hands on her hips. "Look, if you want to go back, you just apparate out of here."

Farus put his hand to his chest and stood up, smiling at Aeowyn. "No, I believe I will be fine. Shall we?" he asked, extending his arm to her. Aeowyn raised an eyebrow at him, then continued walking into Hogsmeade. Farus followed her with a snarl. He immediately went up to the entrance of 'The Three Broomsticks' and stopped when he noticed Aeowyn wasn't following him. "What are you waiting for, Miss Sevor? Come on in."

Aeowyn wrinkled her nose in disgust. "No, thanks, Farus. I'm going to Honeydukes!" she proclaimed with a smile. "See you in a bit, then!"

Farus watched her sprint down the street. He descended the steps of the pub and followed her, his purple robes fluttering in the wind. He caught up with her and grabbed her hand, pulling her into the alley between the post office and an herb shop on high street. "Careful! I think there's someone following us!" He peeked around the corner, watching Aeowyn out of the corner of his eye.

"Are you mad?" she asked, looking at him and deciding that he was even stupider than Severus was.

Without warning, Farus grabbed Aeowyn by the throat and forced her up against the wall. "Stop playing around with me, Aeowyn! I know your game…"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "What do you mean? The only game I play is Quidditch!"

Farus growled at her mockery and squeezed her windpipe. "Stop mocking me, you filthy wench! Your little acting routine may fool the Headmaster of Hogwarts, but it does not fool a member of the Ministry!"

Aeowyn's eyes widened in realization. She smiled shiftily and said, "Oh… so that's what you're about!" She laughed. "Your Ministry wizards don't know what they're dealing with!" Aeowyn snarled dangerously. "Leave well enough alone and let the Ministry of America handle this!"

"Ah," Farus replied. "So, you, too, are a Ministry employee?"

"Ha!" she declared. "Nothing but pig feed compared to my title!"

Farus lifted her off her feet with one hand still at her throat. "And what is your title, might I ask, Miss Sevor?" he seethed.

Aeowyn smiled gingerly. "Professor of Charms, Head of Ravenclaw House at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"How did you get into Hogwarts?" he asked heatedly.

"Floo powder," she snapped back. "McGonagall's chimney was…" Aeowyn halted. Damn! I said way too much there! "… broken!"

"You lie!" he growled.

"You stink!" she retorted quickly.

Farus' eyes burned with hatred. "You filthy-!"

"Farus!"

Aeowyn and Farus both turned their heads as Severus joined them in the dark alley. Farus dropped Aeowyn and she stepped forward to meet the Potions Master. The sniped nose man was fuming, his eyes throwing daggers at Farus. "Severus! You're just in time! Farus was showing me how to take care of a muggle thug, physically, in case I drop my wand! Weren't you, Farus?" she looked at him with warning in her eyes.

Farus nodded, his usual façade returning. "Quite right. One can never be under prepared. I thought someone was following us and I was warning Miss Aeowyn of some of the dangers at Hogsmeade. Lots of danger around, particularly when the students aren't here and security is low."

Severus pushed Aeowyn aside lightly, stepping up to Farus. "And you were about to call her… what? A filthy… what?!"

Farus puffed his Hufflepuff chest out at Severus. "A filthy girl! Really, Severus, I was just acting! I am only trying to help the girl!" Farus pointed to where Aeowyn had been standing a second ago. Severus and Farus looked at each other, then where Aeowyn should have been. They both rushed out of the alleyway together, searching the streets frantically.

"I should not have let her out of my sight! Oh, dear me! Dumbledore will never forgive me!" Farus cried out dramatically.

"Silence!" Severus barked. "You think someone would have taken her?"

"Who knows? She is a mysteriously beautiful girl, no doubt," Farus said to Severus as he stared at the Potions Professor challengingly. "Or perhaps she is in a shop. She is carefree and strong spirited."

Severus grabbed Farus by his robes. "What shop would she be in?!" When Farus didn't answer, Severus screamed, "Tell me or, by Merlin, I shall have your tongue to pass out to my first year students for use in a potion!"

"Try Honeydukes," Farus said lazily, dropping his façade. "She's bound to be there if she's not kidnapped."

Severus pushed Farus away from him and sprinted across the road to Honeydukes. He entered the unfamiliar shop and searched it quickly, trying not to make a big scene. "Aeowyn?! Aeowyn?!" He rounded a corner to see her giggling in front of a wall of candy. Her arms were loaded with sweets. Severus felt his heart fall out of his throat back to its proper place. "Where have you been?"

Aeowyn looked at him. "Are you all right? I came shopping. Look at all of this stuff, Severus!" She showed him her armful. "Look, look! Pepper Imps! They make you breathe fire or smoke… or something!" She rummaged through what she was holding. "And check this out!" She held up a pentagon shaped blue and gold box. "Chocolate Frogs! Each pack comes with a famous witch or wizard card! I've heard of these, but never seen them in my life!" She had a huge smile on her face, her perfect pearly teeth shining with her happiness. Her smile faded as she looked at his expression. "Something wrong, Severus?"

Severus caught himself staring at her. I was right… She is she naïve… she is so childish… so quick to find amusement in the simplest things in life… she is so beautiful… Look at that smile, that hair, those eyes, that body frame… that laugh! Merlin, that laugh! …I want to laugh with her…

Aeowyn whistled and nudged Severus with her elbow. "Hey, Severus! You listening?"

Severus snapped back to reality and said, "Yes, quite all right… You just disappeared in the alley… I thought," he started, but find he couldn't say the words. "I thought… you… I thought you had been…"

"What?" Aeowyn asked. "Kidnapped? Who wants to kidnap an eleven year old girl trapped in a thiry year old's body?"

"I do not understand," Severus pointed out, his usually confused attitude slipping into his expressions.

Aeowyn scoffed. "Forget it. Come on! I've still got to pay for all of this, then I want to go to Zonko's!" Severus followed her closely to the cash register, where she paid nine knuts and fifty-two sickles for what she had bought. With her bag in hand, Severus and Aeowyn exited Honeydukes. "Wow! That place was great!" She looked at Severus with a smile on her face. "What do you normally do when you come to Hogsmeade, Severus?"

He looked at her quizzically, wondering why she was so interested. "I buy supplies for my potions class."

Aeowyn stared at him in disbelief. "You don't go to Honeydukes and buy candy?"

Severus shook his head, a slight smile playing on his lips. "I do not like candy."

Aeowyn put her right hand on her left arm and started choking. "Severus! Heart… attack!" She gagged and fell over in the street.

Severus immediately knelt down beside her. Her eyes were closed and she wasn't breathing. "Aeowyn! Aeowyn, speak to me! What is wrong?! Aeowyn!!"

Aeowyn opened her eyes and stuck her tongue out her fellow Professor. She reached up and pinched his nose. "Gotcha!" She laughed and stood up, dusting herself off. He stood, as well, giving her a menacing look. Aeowyn noticed this and said, "Oh come on! That was funny! Admit it!"

"Hardly," he replied, reverting back to his somber state. "I hardly believe that pretending you were dying was funny. Made me believe you were-"

"What?"

"Almost made me believe you were dead," he corrected himself, not willing to give himself away. "I saw straight through your joke. You are a terrible actress," he provoked.

"And you are a terrible liar," she pointed out as she walked past him. "Come on! Zonko's is this way… I think!" She continued down high street with Severus at her heels until she came to the shop one past Honeydukes. "Wicked!" she declared as she hurried into Zonko's.

Severus looked up to the sky. "Give me a sign. Any sign that this girl is really a horrible nightmare." He sighed and followed her into the shop. She was staring at some jokes in the corner when he spotted the last person he wanted to see:

Lucius Malfoy was standing at the register, prattling on about his son. "Draco… Seeker… Draco this… Draco did… …and Draco said…"

Severus walked up behind Aeowyn and tapped her on the back. "Miss Sevor?"

"Merlin, Severus!" she snapped, turning around. "You can call me Aeowyn, you know!"

"Perhaps I might ask if you would like to return to Zonko's at another time. Only, there is a fellow at the-"

"Severus?" came the slick voice of Lucius Malfoy from behind them. Aeowyn looked at him, observing every odd thing about him. He had long blonde hair, which seemed like it had been bleached, tied up in a ponytail. His eyes were a burning ice blue and he wore expensive green robes, making a mockery of Aeowyn's robes, which lay on her bed back at Hogwarts. In his left hand he held a cane which was topped by a silver snake's head. "I hardly expected to see you in Zonko's…"

Severus returned Lucius' assessment with one of his own. "Not exactly your type of shop, either, is it, Lucius?"

Lucius laughed lightly. "Draco is going into his sixth year, you know. He had such high marks on his exams. He wanted some things for Hogwarts. It just so happens that he has a few nasty tricks in mind for Potter this year. I had to have Zonko's special order them for me…" He eyes trailed to Aeowyn, his lip sneering in disgust. "And… who is this, Severus?"

Before Severus could answer, Aeowyn stood up to Lucius. "Aeowyn Sevor: Professor of Charms and Head of Ravenclaw House at Hogwarts. And you are?" she asked, threateningly.

"Lucius Malfoy. I serve on the Committee for the Disposal of… " He narrowed his eyes at her and continued suavely, "…Dangerous Creatures at the Ministry of Magic. I have heard of you, of course, but never had the," he almost choked on the word, "… pleasure of meeting you." He looked at the bag in her hand. "Honeydukes?" His eyes trailed back up to her. "I take it you have a very sweet tooth."

Aeowyn nodded at his cane. "I take it you like snakes. You were in Slytherin?"

"Oh yes," Lucius replied with much pride in his soft voice. "The best house of them all. Wouldn't you agree, Severus?" he asked, casting a glance at Snape. Severus remained silent. "Dumbledore has Severus' tongue, I'm afraid. You'll have to forgive him. And forgive me, as well, for I must be returning home." He turned to Severus. "It was good seeing you again, Severus." Lucius looked back at Aeowyn. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Aeowyn," he said as he reached for her hand. He bowed at the waist, kissed her hand, and then whispered to her under his breath, "Mudblood. We will meet again." With an evil smile, he walked out of Zonko's, leaving Aeowyn behind with anger furrowed on her face.

Severus made sure he left, then watched Aeowyn carefully. "What did he say to you?" Aeowyn's mouth was pinched tight in anger, looking as if she were ready to explode. "Aeowyn…?"

"Oh, look!" Aeowyn declared, running over to the other side of the store. "They've got Nose-Biting Teacups! I could really catch Farus with these!" she laughed as she picked one up.

Severus stared at her from where he stood, his feet rooted into the floor with shock. Did the talk she had with Lucius Malfoy not register with her brain? What is she, insane?! All she cares about are these stupid jokes! … Or maybe… she does not care what Lucius thinks… Huh! She has better sense than a lot of witches do… When his thoughts had left him, he noticed that Aeowyn had disappeared again. "Aeowyn?" he asked.

"Over here!" she called. "By the Filibuster Fireworks!" Severus rounded the corner and saw Aeowyn piling a couple into her arms. "These are great! I've heard of them, but never seen them! Dr. Filibuster's Fabulous Wet-Start, No-Heat Fireworks! They would never sell these in America!" she declared, turning with a smile to Severus. Aeowyn's smile faded when she looked at him. "What's wrong?" she asked, genuinely concerned.

"Aeowyn," Severus started faultily. "Lucius… he just…"

"What?" Aeowyn questioned, not understanding what he was trying to say.

Severus put his hands on her shoulders, locking his black eyes with hers. "Lucius Malfoy called you a mudblood."

Hey, guys! Sorry it took so long to update! Mum's been in the hospital and we just had Christmas today! :D (January 1st). If you read, PLEASE do me the favor of reviewing. Its hard to keep writing a story when people don't give feedback. If you want me to read any of your stories and review, I gladly will! Just send me an email! Later! ^_^