A/N: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. Gaineewop and I are having so much fun with this story and we love sharing it with you. Here's chapter four. Remember, if you read, please take a moment and tell us what you think. Compliments and Constructive Critizism are welcome. Please don't flame, give us comments we can work with and we'll be grateful and nice.
REVIEW!!!! We love you all-Isis
Chapter 4
Dumbledore sat in his office, deep in thought when his early morning visitor arrived. Snape entered without knocking and came to stand in front of the grand desk, hands clasped behind his back, waiting to be noticed. "I was wondering when you were going to show up." The older wizard finally addressed him, looking at a spot on the wall some feet to his right. There was another moment of silence and then the headmaster smiled and turned his gaze to his guest. "Sherbert Lemon Severus?"
"No…thank you."
"Very well then. What do you know about the Lestrange sisters' charms?"
"Not very much Headmaster." Came the quiet admission. "Malfoy and Nott have said nothing and are pleading innocent, of course. But I do know that the other night they met the Dark Lord in the Forest, just beyond the boundaries of the school and he ordered them to take the charms."
For a bit, Dumbledore didn't respond and Snape briefly wondered if he should repeat himself, even though he was certain that Albus had heard. "Well that won't do." He heard the headmaster mutter.
Before Severus could ask what wouldn't do, a door opened somewhere to the right and Minerva McGonagall appeared in the doorway smiling tiredly, but dressed for teaching. "Good morning Professor Snape, Professor Dumbledore." She greeted them as she tried to stifle one last yawn.
"Good morning my dear." Dumbledore positively beamed at her entrance and floated a cup of strong tea over to her hands. She sent him a grateful smile as she curled into one of the chairs and took a sip. "It seems Voldemort is after those little trinkets of Dauphina and Pagan's. We were discussing how to keep them safe."
Minerva nodded and turned to Snape. "How far has the discussion come?"
A thin black brow raised in response. "He's had the conversation only with himself so far."
McGonagall nodded. "Albus, what do you plan to do? Hide them in the castle?"
Dumbledore shook his head. "They'd have to be confined to the rooms we hid them in so the wouldn't be spotted. Can you honestly see Pagan staying confined anywhere. Dauphina maybe…." He trailed off, a strange sparkle coming into his gaze. "Now there's an idea."
In Gryffindor tower the rooms reserved for the head girl had been empty and so that was where Dauphina and Pagan had slept. Now however, Pagan was long since left, and Dauphina finally rolled out of bed. Her night had been riddled with nightmares and only one good dream that she couldn't quite remember. But not wanting Pagan to know and certainly not wanting to talk about it, she had waited for her sister to leave the room before arising. If she planned her day right, she knew, she could avoid all awkward questions until at least late in the evening.
The mirror gave her a good hard look at her haunted face. Her skin had paled even more, making her dark eyes stand out far too much and highlighting the purple that was beginning to appear beneath them. With a muttered sigh, Dauphina waved her wand and placed a simple concealment spell on her face. Her eyes looked rested, her cheeks rosy and there were no signs of sleep depravation anywhere.
She was finishing her morning routine and was about to leave the room when the door flung open and Pagan reentered with Dumbledore and Snape. "Fina, are you up?"
"Yes of course." With a swish of her pink skirts, Dauphina came to stand in front of them. "I'm not quite that much of a lay about."
The two girls banter continued, but it seemed far away as the Potions Master watched them. Pagan was neat and prim already in an emerald gown, having been at the library for hours already, suddenly on a quest to find out about her necklace. On the other hand, they had clearly interrupted Dauphina's dressing time. While she looked refreshed from her night of sleep and her gown was on and done up, she clearly hadn't had any time to make herself pretty and her black hair was falling in wild curls about her-not yet pulled up. The picture was enchanting and for a moment Snape expected to see glittering fairy wings peek out from her back and to hear her declare herself Titania, queen of the fairies.
With a disgusted sneer he pulled himself out of his unexpected daydream and turned back to the conversation. Dumbledore was explaining the plan to the girls. Pagan and Dauphina would leave with Snape this morning, and go to the Order of the Phoenix's headquarters in London. Pagan was to stay there until further notice. Then Dauphina and Snape would return to Hogwarts after the students had gone to bed and she would be relocated to one of the rarely used chambers in the dungeons, where she would remain. The house elves would bring her food, and of course, they would all (Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape) stop by as often as they could to help keep her entertained.
The girls agreed to the proposal, although a bit reluctantly, and within the hour they had set out for London.
The headquarters was a house in a quiet unsuspecting neighborhood, where, Pagan had no doubt, no one had ever realized they'd lived near a wizard family for centuries. But they had. 12 Grimmauld Place had stood for years, once the home of the Noble line of Black, which the whispers said had ended last year with Sirius's death at the hands of her Aunt Bellatrix.
They rang the bell and waited for an answer; they received it moments later in the form of shrieking. A voice came from inside the house, shouting as well and then all went quiet and the door was opened by the most handsome man Pagan had ever seen. He smiled a bit at the two girls, and nodded coolly to Snape. Then his gaze turned back to Pagan.
Pagan knew who he was after only a moments glance. Hair that red, and she'd never met him before, she knew he was a Weasley. Which one, on the other hand, she didn't know. But he was very attractive. His dark red hair was pulled into a low ponytail and his nicely toned, nicely tanned body was encased in black. Black shirt, black jeans, and black boots. The rakish grin he gave her nearly sent her quivering.
"Weasley, are you going to let us in? Or are you and Ms. Lestrange going to stand her making googly eyes at each other all damn day?"
Bill Weasley sent an exaggerated grin to his former professor. "Not at all Severus. Come right on in." He stepped to the side and bowed at the waist as first Dauphina, the Pagan entered and then he nearly shut the door in Snape's face. "Welcome fine ladies to the Headquarters for the order of the Phoenix, otherwise known as the bachelor pad. I am Bill Weasley and at present your only host."
"It's a pleasure." Pagan told him breathlessly. She cleared her throat to try and put some power back into her voice. Her sister caught her eye and smirked knowingly. "I am Pagan, and this is my sister Dauphina." Dauphina dropped into deep curtsy, determined to get her sisters goat. Her efforts were rewarded. The curtsy showed off a scandalous bit of her ample chest and the tips of Bill's ears turned beet red. Both of her companions scowled at her.
"Um…yeah….uh…hi." He finally managed to stutter.
A slight noise only heard because of the silence that had descended in the foyer caused everyone to turn their gaze to Dauphina. She bit her lip to hold back a giggle. "Oops. I guess that means I shouldn't have skipped breakfast." She placed a delicate hand on her stomach. "I'll go make lunch." She grabbed Snape's sleeve and pulled her along with her toward the kitchen, announcing that he would help. He protested but she still managed to drag him away through one of the doors and throw a wink over her shoulder to Pagan.
After they'd left Pagan and Bill turned back from the doorway to each other and blushed. "Um.. Can you show me where I'll be sleeping, I'd really like to get out of this gown." Bill raised his eyebrows in amusement and she blushed even harder. "Into pants. I'd like to change out of my robes into pants." She corrected herself quickly.
"Sure, follow me." The walked up the stairs together and Bill turned to walk backwards so they could talk. "So, have you even been in Muggle London for any length of time?"
"No, my father isn't fond of the city; or anything muggle."
"Ah right." He spoke, feeling stupid. Her voice had gone chilly when she spoke of her father, and now he was beating himself up for mentioning it. "Well, then you should be able to see London properly. I offer myself as tour guide extraordinaire." He told her with another bow. He remained bent at the waist, but lifted his head. "For a price of course."
"What price?" Pagan had paused in the doorway of the room he'd indicated to ask.
Bill's ears turned bright red again. "Dinner? With me? Tonight?"
"Okay." Pagan agreed softly. "Until Later then." She slipped behind the door and shut it, not catching the goofy grin that had spread over his face.
Bill practically floated back down the stairs and into the kitchen where Dauphina was making sandwiches. "The other members of the order won't be back until morning." Bill informed Snape. "And as of two minutes ago, I have a date and will not be here tonight. You and Ms. Dauphina are welcome to enjoy the hospitality of the late Mrs. Black until whenever you go back, but I thought you should know."
"I don't like being in this house any more than necessary." The older man informed him coldly. "We'll stay long enough for Pagan to get settled and the two of them to say their goodbyes. Then we'll leave and find something to do until we can go home."
"You two could talk to me rather than about me." Dauphina scolded them as she set a plate by each and went back to get her plate and Pagan's. "Besides, we can't be seen in Diagon Alley so what will we do."
Severus was about to retort, but thought the better of it when he realized that she was right. "I'll think of something." He muttered darkly.