Thankfully the weekend came, and although they had no
classes, Severus and Alexis had something new to deal with at dinner
the following evening. "If I may have your attention please," said
Dumbledore, standing up. "I have an announcement to make, or
rather, a toast." He turned to Severus and Alexis, and suddenly
they both knew what he was doing, and Severus slid about a foot
underneath the table. "I would like to congratulate Professor Snape
and Professor Zarinsky. They were both married just a few short
days ago!"
Stunned silence.
Severus opened his eyes and looked at the Great Hall;
he could almost hear the crickets outside the windows. Finally, one
of the Slytherin students clapped ever so slowly, and gradually
everyone else began to clap. Alexis's face burned bright red as
Dumbledore continued, "So I'd like to make a toast to the both of
them. May your marriage last long, and may you have many children!"
They both grimaced, and so did the rest of the Great Hall, although
some of them were stifling back laughter at the embarrassed looks on
the faces of their professors. Severus simply put his head in his
hands, wishing he wasn't sitting at the table, wishing he was
anywhere but there. Alexis, in the meantime, also slid down about
six inches in her seat, managing only a small wave at the students.
"That is all, thank you!" said Dumbledore, sitting
down. 'That was more than enough,' thought Severus, rubbing his
eyes irritably. Suddenly he realized that no one was yet moving; he
opened his eyes to see that one of the students, Seamus Finnigan of
Gryffindor, in fact, was raising his hand. "Yes Mr. Finnigan?" said
Dumbledore. "Sir," said Seamus, standing up, "should we refer to
them both as Professor Snape?" Half the Great Hall (mainly the
Gryffindors) erupted in laughter, but the other half (mainly the
Slytherins) knew better and kept quiet. As Finnigan sat down,
Severus noted his friends were patting him on the back; he had been
dared to ask that question.
Dumbledore turned to Alexis, "Well?" She shrugged then
nodded, "I guess." "Yes, well, there you have it then Mr. Finnigan,
now let's eat!" said Dumbledore. Seconds later, the food appeared,
although Severus and Alexis were a little slow on the up taking.
When dinner ended, Severus and Alexis got up quickly
and headed out of the Hall, hoping to beat the students, but to no
avail. Some of them also left alongside them, saying things like,
"Congratulations!" and "Way to go!" which only made them cringe.
Severus almost said "Twenty points from Hufflepuff!" to one first
year who looked overly happy, but Alexis grabbed his arm and said,
"She's just trying to be nice. Let her go." "Oh fine," he muttered
as they went down to the dungeons.
It was some time roughly an hour later when they
finally cracked the Project. "Alexis...I think this is it," said
Severus, looking at the potion and writing down a few equations on
some parchment. "We added the right amount of Woad Leaf and
Nettles; combined they produce exactly what we need." Alexis took a
look at the parchment, "Add the Freezing Charm and..." "Permanent
suspended animation," said Severus, suddenly aware of the key they
held right there in the dungeon. Alexis's face became excited,
"We'll finish the sonofabitch off for good this time!" she
whispered. He smiled, "The perfect wedding present, don't you think?"
Alexis chuckled, then said, "I wish we could celebrate,
but I don't think it's safe going off grounds." "True," said
Severus, locking up the potion and the equation quickly, "but we
could always go for a stroll across the grounds." She smiled,
"Sounds wonderful, let's go."
A few minutes later, they were walking past the lake
together, enjoying the moonlight. "Somehow the thought of a wedding
always struck a different image in my mind," said Alexis. "Somehow
the thought of a honeymoon always struck a different image in my
mind," said Severus with a slight hint in his eyes. She laughed, "I
didn't want to say it, but I was thinking the same thing. There's
too much work though. We can't just get up and go at a time like
this." "I know," said Severus, sitting down by a large beech tree
by the lake, "it's the unfortunate responsibility for those of us
who have seen this sort of a menace before."
Alexis sat down beside him, "There are some days where
I really wish I had never been Branded." "Some days?" said Severus,
"How about all days?" She was silent for a moment, "If I had never
been Branded, we never would have become so close." This time it
was his turn to fall silent, 'It might have been better for you,' he
thought, 'because I'll never be good enough for you.' "You're too
good to me," said Alexis, ironically enough, staring at her ring.
He looked at his own ring; for years he thought he would never wear
one of these things. Alexis looked at him suddenly, "I can't wait
till he's gone so we can live a normal life together."
"A normal life?" said Severus, "Who wants to do that?"
Alexis smiled, and she was almost stunned to see him smiling at her
fully in the moonlight. He never looked better.
* * *
Dumbledore was seated in his office when he heard an
intent knocking, "Headmaster! Sir!" said a muffled voice that
clearly belonged to Ron Weasley. "Come in Mr. Weasley," said
Dumbledore. Ron and Harry immediately rushed in, both looking quite
upset, "What's the matter?" said Dumbledore. "Headmaster, look!"
Ron shoved a pair of Omnioculars into his hand, "Press play and
watch! It's right before the smoke bomb went off in the stadium!"
he said frantically. Dumbledore held them to his eyes and watched;
he saw nothing except for the instant appearance of the smoke.
"What am I looking for?" said Dumbledore. Harry suddenly took the
Omnioculars and hit the SLOW button, "Now look again." Dumbledore
held them up and this time he saw it. He rewound it again and
again, then froze the picture. "I see..." said Dumbledore softly.
"That's how he got the bomb into the stadium! He
figured out a way to Apparate onto Hogwarts grounds! The problem is
that he did it so fast no one saw him!" said Harry. Dumbledore put
the Omnioculars down, "May I keep these for now?" Ron nodded, "Of
course sir!" He stood, "Thank you boys. Now quickly, off to bed
with you, and tell no one about what you saw. I have to speak to
the Ministry about this." Harry and Ron nodded, saying only a quick
"Goodnight!" before running off to their dorm.
Dumbledore stood and threw Floo Powder into the fire grate,
"Severus, I need to speak with you."
No response.
"Severus, this is urgent! Voldemort found a way to Apparate onto
school grounds! You're both in grave danger!"
* * *
Severus and Alexis had been sitting by the lake for ten
minutes or so when they finally decided it was time to go back
inside. They had started walking up the grassy hill when Alexis
stopped Severus, "Before we go inside...there's so many students and
I don't want to be caught by McGonagall...may I have one kiss?" He
smiled, "You needn't bother asking."
For one long moment, nothing else existed but them, and
then...
"Naughty naughty, you'll get caughty!" hissed a voice in their ears.
Suddenly Severus was struck across the forehead and he fell to the
ground; Alexis screamed, going for her wand, only to find that her
arms were restrained by...someone. Severus felt his head spin,
although he tried to stand and fumbled for his wand. When he
finally stood, he realized who it was.
Voldemort.
And he was holding Alexis.
Instantly his wand was out, "Let her go, Voldemort,"
snarled Severus, "or I'll hex you into oblivion." "Oh, at the risk
of hitting your own wife?" said Voldemort. Severus's blood froze,
"We're not married." "Yes you are, you filthy little liar," said
Voldemort, holding her tighter, "Dumbledore made a little
announcement in the Great Hall about you two." Severus's grip on
his wand grew tighter, "She's worth nothing to you. You want
something, take me." "Ah, Severus, still trying to be the hero
after all you did as a Death Eater?" said Voldemort, red eyes
glinting with malice, "How can you possibly even begin to pay back
what you did?" "I've paid my dues, goddamn you!" snapped Severus,
"Now let her go!"
"Tut tut, not a good negotiator, must control that
temper," said Voldemort, "you see she's worth a lot to me alive.
Mostly because she is the number one way to get through to you."
Severus felt his blood roiling as he continued, "And when I'm
finished with her, you'll find her rotting carcass on your front
doorstep. Goodbye, Snape."
Pop.
They were gone.
classes, Severus and Alexis had something new to deal with at dinner
the following evening. "If I may have your attention please," said
Dumbledore, standing up. "I have an announcement to make, or
rather, a toast." He turned to Severus and Alexis, and suddenly
they both knew what he was doing, and Severus slid about a foot
underneath the table. "I would like to congratulate Professor Snape
and Professor Zarinsky. They were both married just a few short
days ago!"
Stunned silence.
Severus opened his eyes and looked at the Great Hall;
he could almost hear the crickets outside the windows. Finally, one
of the Slytherin students clapped ever so slowly, and gradually
everyone else began to clap. Alexis's face burned bright red as
Dumbledore continued, "So I'd like to make a toast to the both of
them. May your marriage last long, and may you have many children!"
They both grimaced, and so did the rest of the Great Hall, although
some of them were stifling back laughter at the embarrassed looks on
the faces of their professors. Severus simply put his head in his
hands, wishing he wasn't sitting at the table, wishing he was
anywhere but there. Alexis, in the meantime, also slid down about
six inches in her seat, managing only a small wave at the students.
"That is all, thank you!" said Dumbledore, sitting
down. 'That was more than enough,' thought Severus, rubbing his
eyes irritably. Suddenly he realized that no one was yet moving; he
opened his eyes to see that one of the students, Seamus Finnigan of
Gryffindor, in fact, was raising his hand. "Yes Mr. Finnigan?" said
Dumbledore. "Sir," said Seamus, standing up, "should we refer to
them both as Professor Snape?" Half the Great Hall (mainly the
Gryffindors) erupted in laughter, but the other half (mainly the
Slytherins) knew better and kept quiet. As Finnigan sat down,
Severus noted his friends were patting him on the back; he had been
dared to ask that question.
Dumbledore turned to Alexis, "Well?" She shrugged then
nodded, "I guess." "Yes, well, there you have it then Mr. Finnigan,
now let's eat!" said Dumbledore. Seconds later, the food appeared,
although Severus and Alexis were a little slow on the up taking.
When dinner ended, Severus and Alexis got up quickly
and headed out of the Hall, hoping to beat the students, but to no
avail. Some of them also left alongside them, saying things like,
"Congratulations!" and "Way to go!" which only made them cringe.
Severus almost said "Twenty points from Hufflepuff!" to one first
year who looked overly happy, but Alexis grabbed his arm and said,
"She's just trying to be nice. Let her go." "Oh fine," he muttered
as they went down to the dungeons.
It was some time roughly an hour later when they
finally cracked the Project. "Alexis...I think this is it," said
Severus, looking at the potion and writing down a few equations on
some parchment. "We added the right amount of Woad Leaf and
Nettles; combined they produce exactly what we need." Alexis took a
look at the parchment, "Add the Freezing Charm and..." "Permanent
suspended animation," said Severus, suddenly aware of the key they
held right there in the dungeon. Alexis's face became excited,
"We'll finish the sonofabitch off for good this time!" she
whispered. He smiled, "The perfect wedding present, don't you think?"
Alexis chuckled, then said, "I wish we could celebrate,
but I don't think it's safe going off grounds." "True," said
Severus, locking up the potion and the equation quickly, "but we
could always go for a stroll across the grounds." She smiled,
"Sounds wonderful, let's go."
A few minutes later, they were walking past the lake
together, enjoying the moonlight. "Somehow the thought of a wedding
always struck a different image in my mind," said Alexis. "Somehow
the thought of a honeymoon always struck a different image in my
mind," said Severus with a slight hint in his eyes. She laughed, "I
didn't want to say it, but I was thinking the same thing. There's
too much work though. We can't just get up and go at a time like
this." "I know," said Severus, sitting down by a large beech tree
by the lake, "it's the unfortunate responsibility for those of us
who have seen this sort of a menace before."
Alexis sat down beside him, "There are some days where
I really wish I had never been Branded." "Some days?" said Severus,
"How about all days?" She was silent for a moment, "If I had never
been Branded, we never would have become so close." This time it
was his turn to fall silent, 'It might have been better for you,' he
thought, 'because I'll never be good enough for you.' "You're too
good to me," said Alexis, ironically enough, staring at her ring.
He looked at his own ring; for years he thought he would never wear
one of these things. Alexis looked at him suddenly, "I can't wait
till he's gone so we can live a normal life together."
"A normal life?" said Severus, "Who wants to do that?"
Alexis smiled, and she was almost stunned to see him smiling at her
fully in the moonlight. He never looked better.
* * *
Dumbledore was seated in his office when he heard an
intent knocking, "Headmaster! Sir!" said a muffled voice that
clearly belonged to Ron Weasley. "Come in Mr. Weasley," said
Dumbledore. Ron and Harry immediately rushed in, both looking quite
upset, "What's the matter?" said Dumbledore. "Headmaster, look!"
Ron shoved a pair of Omnioculars into his hand, "Press play and
watch! It's right before the smoke bomb went off in the stadium!"
he said frantically. Dumbledore held them to his eyes and watched;
he saw nothing except for the instant appearance of the smoke.
"What am I looking for?" said Dumbledore. Harry suddenly took the
Omnioculars and hit the SLOW button, "Now look again." Dumbledore
held them up and this time he saw it. He rewound it again and
again, then froze the picture. "I see..." said Dumbledore softly.
"That's how he got the bomb into the stadium! He
figured out a way to Apparate onto Hogwarts grounds! The problem is
that he did it so fast no one saw him!" said Harry. Dumbledore put
the Omnioculars down, "May I keep these for now?" Ron nodded, "Of
course sir!" He stood, "Thank you boys. Now quickly, off to bed
with you, and tell no one about what you saw. I have to speak to
the Ministry about this." Harry and Ron nodded, saying only a quick
"Goodnight!" before running off to their dorm.
Dumbledore stood and threw Floo Powder into the fire grate,
"Severus, I need to speak with you."
No response.
"Severus, this is urgent! Voldemort found a way to Apparate onto
school grounds! You're both in grave danger!"
* * *
Severus and Alexis had been sitting by the lake for ten
minutes or so when they finally decided it was time to go back
inside. They had started walking up the grassy hill when Alexis
stopped Severus, "Before we go inside...there's so many students and
I don't want to be caught by McGonagall...may I have one kiss?" He
smiled, "You needn't bother asking."
For one long moment, nothing else existed but them, and
then...
"Naughty naughty, you'll get caughty!" hissed a voice in their ears.
Suddenly Severus was struck across the forehead and he fell to the
ground; Alexis screamed, going for her wand, only to find that her
arms were restrained by...someone. Severus felt his head spin,
although he tried to stand and fumbled for his wand. When he
finally stood, he realized who it was.
Voldemort.
And he was holding Alexis.
Instantly his wand was out, "Let her go, Voldemort,"
snarled Severus, "or I'll hex you into oblivion." "Oh, at the risk
of hitting your own wife?" said Voldemort. Severus's blood froze,
"We're not married." "Yes you are, you filthy little liar," said
Voldemort, holding her tighter, "Dumbledore made a little
announcement in the Great Hall about you two." Severus's grip on
his wand grew tighter, "She's worth nothing to you. You want
something, take me." "Ah, Severus, still trying to be the hero
after all you did as a Death Eater?" said Voldemort, red eyes
glinting with malice, "How can you possibly even begin to pay back
what you did?" "I've paid my dues, goddamn you!" snapped Severus,
"Now let her go!"
"Tut tut, not a good negotiator, must control that
temper," said Voldemort, "you see she's worth a lot to me alive.
Mostly because she is the number one way to get through to you."
Severus felt his blood roiling as he continued, "And when I'm
finished with her, you'll find her rotting carcass on your front
doorstep. Goodbye, Snape."
Pop.
They were gone.
