Chapter 3 – Discovery
Disclaimer: We do not own anything that belongs to J K Rowling!
~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~
"Eeesh! How could I have fallen for the old 'tall, dark and handsome' trick again? You'd think I would learn!"
Heather slapped her palm to her forehead and carried on pacing the floor, stopping briefly to kick aside the dirty clothing that littered the small room.
"And Sirius, too! You'd think I'd have got over it by now, but no! He comes across my path for the first time in 25 years and I fall for the same old tricks; hook, line and sinker."
She stopped in front of the mirror and looked at herself critically. Her short hair was stuck up all over her head and she tried to smooth it down with shaking hands before covering her eyes.
"Please don't let me do it again. Please don't let me fall in love with the wrong kind of man."
Heather groaned as she heard the fireplace spark and knew someone wanted to speak to her. Who could it be? She wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone. She looked into the flames.
"Hello darling! How are you? I haven't heard from you in ages. Your dad was beginning to worry."
Translating the quickly spoken tones, Heather settled herself into a more comfortable position, preparing for the long chat she knew was coming.
"Mum? Hi! I've been a bit busy of late-"
"That's no excuse! I was... I mean your dad was beginning to think you'd been buried under someone's patio or something! And what's going on with your hair, darling? It's an absolute mess!"
Knowing that her calm and patient father would never think such a thing, Heather smiled but rubbed a hand over her head, trying to straighten her hair out again. "You've been watching those muggle soaps again, haven't you?"
"Yes. Ever since your cousin Hestia brought the tele-wotsit over, I've been... I mean, your dad's been addicted. You know Hestia is married now and has a child already on the way and she's over 10 years younger than you..."
Heather groaned inwardly at the speech she knew was coming. The fact she wasn't married and she didn't have 101 children all running around and she wasn't up to her ears in spoiled nappies and wet dogs.
"...and your cousin Erma is having twins in a couple of months..."
Not for the first time, Heather cursed the fact that she had so many cousins. She would be just as happy – probably happier! – if she didn't have to listen to each and everyone of their exploits.
"...and your nephew Eleazar is engaged to that awful girl, what's her name? The pale one who looked as if she had eaten too many pickled gherkins...?"
"Miriam?"
"Yes! That's it! Horrible girl... Never liked her!"
"But mum, you said she was adorable a couple of weeks ago..."
"No I didn't! Don't be so silly! I would never say such a thing..."
Heather grinned at her mother's discomfort and could see the small, grey-blonde-haired woman on the other side of the world bristling with indignation.
"So, have you met a new man recently? You should be getting a move on, my love. You've only got so many years ahead of you in which you can have babies and you're probably already beginning to sag and that won't attract men, you know..."
Sirius' face floated in front of Heather's mind and she thought of a new way to annoy her mum. Her "Yes, I did, actually" stopped Nolie Harris in her tracks.
"You did? Who?"
"You remember Sirius Black, don't you?"
"Sirius... Sirius Black... where have I heard that name before? Come on, love, you know I'm not good with names... Geoffrey?" Heather's mum called to her husband and Heather covered her ears to prevent a headache. "Have you heard of Sirius Black?"
Heather heard a mellow voice coming from afar and knew that it was her calm father. "Wasn't he that wizard that was put in Azkaban for 12 years for supporting You-Know-Who?"
"Azkaban?! YOU-KNOW-WHO?!" Nolie Harris screeched and started speaking even more quickly to Heather. "You don't want to be associating with him, my darling. I have it on good authority that Metis Menachin is looking for a girlfriend here in England. His sister was just telling me the other day-"
"Sirius was cleared, mum. He didn't do it."
"Says who?"
"The Ministry of Magic."
"Those lunatics? What do they know? Honestly, Heather..."
Heather smothered a giggle. "I work for the Ministry, mum."
"And you know I've always been against it, dearest-"
"Despite the fact you got me the plane ticket..."
"Yes, despite the fact I got you the... Heather Helonia Harris! We're getting off the subject here! Metis is a lovely young man, sprightly for his age..."
"And with no teeth or hair. Mum, I think you're getting desperate. Next thing I know, you'll be marrying me off to that ancient mummy who lives down the road."
"Don't be silly! You shouldn't talk about poor Roger that way! And Metis has got false teeth now and he's absolutely charming!"
"Believe me, mum, I don't want to kiss someone and find out that I have acquired an extra set of teeth in the process!"
Her mother gave a loud huff and Heather knew that she had irritated her. "Sorry, mum. It's just that I can pick my own bloke for myself!"
"You haven't done very well so far. That Irfon was absolutely boring! What was it that he waffled on about?"
"He was an Ancient Runes professor, mum. And you didn't complain when he was talking. In fact, you positively encouraged him!"
"Now Heather, you know I did no such thing! What's that, Geoffrey? 'Eastenders' is on? I've got to go, dear, something important has come up." Nolie Harris grinned sheepishly before waving and shuffling fast out of the room. Heather could hear a faint "Find a man before it's too late!" and grinned a little at her mum's persistence, before leaning back out of the fire.
~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~
Heather Harris. Sirius smiled a little, still surprised he had bumped into her. Well, that's a blast from the past! He could remember her vaguely from school: one of Florence's friends: short, blonde and ditsy. And she'd had a big crush on him!
But then, who didn't have? Sirius thought smugly, and then his smile faded a little. The only one who mattered at the time: Florence.
But that was all over now. He'd got over that years ago, after the Leaver's Ball when he had realised that she had fallen hopelessly in love with that rat, Severus Snape.
The ball hadn't been that bad – he'd had a couple of great dances with a lovely little blonde...Heather! Of course it was her! How had he forgotten?
He understood his feelings a little better now; they'd had a couple of dances, she had driven him wild with lust and then she had turned off like a cold tap and not spoken to him for the rest of the evening. He still had no idea why.
Sirius hoped she'd got over the immaturity of her youth and got better acquainted with the ways of the world by now, so he and she could get to know each other without playing games.
He smiled wolfishly at nothing in particular and startled Ginny Weasley as she entered the tent.
"Oh... ah... I was just gonna..." She blushed and the tips of her ears went pink, before she dashed out of the room.
Sirius ignored her and swaggered out of the tent and towards Florence's. He bumped into her on the way and got hit in the shins with a water bucket.
"Oh! Sirius! I'm so sorry!" Florence cried.
Sirius leaned over and rubbed his legs a little before straightening up again. "S'alright. Didn't hurt too much. Why are you carrying that thing around?"
"Oh, Severus and I needed some more water and he wanted us to look as much like Muggles as possible so I thought I'd go find a tap."
"And Snape couldn't get the water because...?"
"He's busy."
Sirius raised one eyebrow sardonically at her and she blushed.
"OK, OK. I volunteered and he didn't complain."
"That's more like it! Oh!" Sirius realised what he was searching for her for. "You don't happen to know Heather Harris' address by any chance?"
Florence grinned at him. "And you'd be wanting that because...?" She copied his earlier tone of voice and he looked sheepishly at her.
"Well, I thought I could pay her a visit, catch up on old times... That sort of thing. Got a problem with that, Findal?"
"No, no. No problem at all." Florence gave Sirius the address and he noted it down on the back of a business card he had in his pocket.
"Thanks, darlin'." He leant down and pecked her on her cheek and she slapped him lightly on his head.
"It's OK." Sirius turned to go but her words stopped him. "Do me a favour, OK? Get your hair cut, pal."
He stuck his tongue out at her and loped down the sand dune back to his tent.
Florence watched him go and shook her head. She hoped he knew what he was doing; after being hurt by him at school, she knew Heather wouldn't be so compliant a second time.
~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~
Heather was steaming. She really had better have a word with Florence about Severus – it just wasn't right that she hadn't told her about her and Severus. What did she think she'd do? Kill her?
Friends don't do that.
She chucked some dust at the fire and called down through the flue. "Florence? I think we need to talk."
A few seconds later, she saw Florence's head in the fire, spinning around a couple of times before she stepped out. She gestured for her to sit down on the bed.
Not giving her chance to speak, she started her carefully planned argument.
~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~
Florence sat in a huge armchair by the roaring fire, still unsure why they needed a roaring fire in the middle of Australia and, also, how the tent was not burning down this very second. She guessed it was just the health and safety rules her mother had drummed into her when she was little that were affecting her; but, then again, she didn't remember her mum telling her not to light a fire inside a tent...
Florence shook herself out of her very odd musings just in time to see some sparks light up blue in the fireplace. Now who could be wanting me at this time of the evening...
"Florence? I think we need to talk."
Uh oh! Florence cringed as she heard Heather's voice ring loud and clear through the flue. She got to her feet, knowing that she couldn't put the dreaded conversation off any longer.
"Just popping out to see Heather!" She called to Severus and stepped into the fire.
In no time, she had reached the other end and stood in a room that looked like it had caught the chintz-disease. Heather stood in front of her, looking halfway between worried and annoyed. She gestured silently for her to sit down and Florence brushed herself down before taking a seat on the flowery bedspread, waiting for the explosion she knew was coming.
Heather took a deep breath. "Why did you not tell me? How could you not tell me? I'm your best friend! I could have helped!"
Florence opened her mouth to speak but didn't get chance to reply. It was obvious Heather was just getting warmed up. Even now, she was pacing the floor in furious consternation.
"And this is Severus Snape we're talking about! Have you forgotten what he did to you? How he left you without a word? Don't tell me you've forgiven him because, if you have, that's one of the most stupid things you've done since you first got with him! I can't believe it! I really thought you had more sense! You know I didn't really like him in the first place!"
"Heather..." Florence finally got a word in edgeways and her friend turned to face her, forehead puckered in worry. "I haven't forgotten and I haven't forgiven. He hasn't even told me why he left. I-"
"But you trust him not to do it again." It wasn't a question.
"Oh, I don't know! I don't know! It's just..."
"You love him. I know that 'cos that's your 'I love him, Heather' face."
"I...yes."
"The bastard! He's done it again! Ooh... he's gonna get a piece of my mind..." Heather muttered, almost to herself.
"Heather! You haven't stopped to think that it takes two to tango."
"He's got you under some sort of curse, hasn't he? You wouldn't be with him otherwise. You have to fight it, Florence!"
The situation would have been hilarious if it hadn't been so tragic.
"I'm not under any curse, Heather. I'm a responsible adult-"
"That remains to be seen."
"Heather!"
"So, you love him, you trust him, you're not under any curse. Everything's rosy. So, why didn't you tell me, if there wasn't anything to hide?"
"I..." Florence paused as Heather raised one eyebrow sardonically. "Because I knew we would just end up like this. Fighting. I didn't want to do it, Heather; I don't want to do it!"
Heather sighed and sat down next to her on the bedspread. "Alright. OK. So I hate the guy. So he hurt you. So you love him and there's nothing either of us can do about it. But I'm not promising to like it or be your shoulder to cry on when it all goes wrong."
Florence looked into Heather's eyes and knew she wasn't telling the truth. She would be there no matter what happened, because she was a good friend, the very best. Florence leaned over and gave her friend a hug and Heather squeezed her tightly back.
"Oh, what would you do without me?" She sighed and grinned.
"Speaking of men," Florence wiggled her eyebrows, "Did I, or did I not, see you and Sirius Black hugging in the Quidditch queue earlier today?"
Heather groaned and her face became shuttered. "You did." She said, knowing that she couldn't deny it.
"And here you are going on about me taking Severus back and you and Sirius are back together."
"We are not back together!"
"Then why did he come and see me today and ask for your address?" Florence played her trump card and grinned as Heather's mouth fell open.
"He did? I mean... what are you talking about?!"
"He came and asked for your address. Of course, as he's such an old friend and I had just seen you hugging like randy teenagers, I didn't hesitate in giving it to him..."
"You didn't? But... WE WERE NOT HUGGING LIKE RANDY TEENAGERS! I tripped and fell on him, that's all!"
Florence laughed. "That's what they all say..."
"Ooh!" Heather was going bright pink with annoyance and Florence smiled, glad that her teasing was coming off for once.
"We. Are. Not. Together." Heather enunciated.
"Sure, sure."
"We aren't!" She squealed.
"OK! I believe you."
"No, you don't. I can see it in your eyes. You're laughing."
"That's because your reaction is so funny."
"No, it isn't."
"Yes, it is."
"No, it... Aarrghh!" Heather refrained from stomping her feet like a child having a tantrum. Only just.
Florence raised her eyebrows.
Heather gave in. "OK, so I like him. What's not to like? He's gorgeous, funny, single... He's single, right?"
Florence nodded.
"Single..." Heather carried on. "But that doesn't mean that I want to be with him."
"Then why did you ask whether he was single?" Florence grinned.
"Because... OH!"
Florence laughed.
Heather tried again. "OK, so I wouldn't mind being with him. Only, if we were the last two people on Earth, of course."
"Of course." Florence repeated, tongue in cheek.
Heather glared at her. "But that doesn't mean that I'm going to be with him."
"Well, I don't think you need to make that move. It's obvious by the fact that he asked for your address that he's going to do it."
"Really? I mean... Aarrghh! Florence, stop it!"
"Sorry."
"No, you're not."
"Yes, I am."
"No, you're... We are not going through this again!"
"Ok, whatever you say." Florence smiled sweetly and Heather glared at her suspiciously.
"I'm not with Sirius."
"I know."
"Then stop smiling at me!"
"Why? Does it make you feel guilty? Have you got anything to hide?"
"NO!" Heather yelled, causing the man from the room below to tap on the ceiling and yell, "keep it down!"
"Now, look what you've done! You can just go away now." Heather turned her back on Florence, folded her arms and looked out of the window.
Suddenly remorseful, Florence gave her friend a hug. "I really am sorry you know."
Heather sniffed.
"I really am." Florence assured her.
"Sure you are." Heather grumbled but turned back to look at her friend. "You louse!"
Florence grinned at the use of Heather's favourite phrase when they were at Hogwarts. She looked at her pocket watch. "I'd better go."
"Oh, so you're already tied to his apron strings!" Heather tried to keep a straight face but the thought of Severus in a frilly apron was just too funny a thought. The two women burst into laughter.
"No, really. I'd better go. It's getting late."
"Yeah, I guess I should have an early night. There's another Quidditch match on tomorrow and I might-"
"See Sirius?"
"No! That wasn't what I was thinking at all! I might get good seats if I go earlier!"
"Yeah, right..."
"You'd better go before I throttle you!" Heather threatened jokingly.
"OK. OK." Florence backed off towards the fireplace. "Have fun stalking Sirius tomorrow. With any luck, you'll be successful!" She quickly threw some Floo powder into the fire and jumped in before Heather actually did throttle her.
~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~
Authors' Notes:
Hey. Thanks for all your lovely reviews. Thanks especially to:
Natlie caracol, Drachenaugen, Mrs. Moony and Moka.
Hopeful Writer: Sorry that the story seems a bit similar. We have had to include some scenes from Wrongs because they help to tell the story, but we guarantee that, after this chapter, there will be no repeated scenes. We promise. Please keep reading!
Love,
Martha and Squirrel. xxx.