Author notes:
'pinkchubbymonkey" – thanks for your kind words! Hope you like this chapter. ;)
'corazon' – thanks for the review – it means more than you can know! My Snape is getting quite a bit out of character in this chapter, so I hope you still dig it. J I'm beginning to think that this story is really supposed to be about Lupin…
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Snape stood gracefully and turned towards the back of the pub, Lupin slowly brought himself to his feet. Hermione and Harry twisted in their seats to look.
Two women strode purposely out of the back room, smiling at one another. A man's voice shouted from the shadows, "Tziganne, will ye dance for us, then?" The taller, darker of the two women shouted back to him over her shoulder. "I'll have to ask Severus first, McBride." A loud round of good-natured guffaws followed. The woman turned back to the front of the pub and quickly spied Snape. A slow smile pulled itself across the strong features of her face, taking her companion's arm, she indicated the two men.
As she moved through the crowded pub, eyes were naturally drawn to her. She carried herself with a regal air that went unmatched by anyone else present with the exception of her long-time lover who now stood watching her approach. She was tall, with a sleek wave of black hair falling down past her waist. Her skin was a clear, light olive, her figure seeming to be perfectly proportioned beneath the open robes of a scholar. Her robes were a dark, mossy green color reflected by the same tint in her eyes. She held out her hands to Snape, he took them and brought them up to his mouth, kissing one, then the other. With a deft movement he brought her hands down around his waist, pulling her into his body and kissed her fully on the mouth.
Harry's eyes were nearly bulging out of their sockets and Hermione's face had gone from a sickly white to an unflattering red. But Lupin's role, responsibilities and interest in the drama had flown through one of the open, smudged windows of the building; he could only stare unabashedly at Tziganne's female companion.
The other woman stood answering his gaze, her dark blue eyes fastened upon his golden brown ones, a kind smile tugging at her lips. Her dark blonde hair was caught up in two thick braids that crisscrossed over the top of her head, revealing her small, perfectly formed ears, a dozen gold loops running along the edges of each. Her robes were a dusky blue with an overlay of a swirling Nordic pattern embroidered in heavy gold thread. They hung open revealing a lithe build. She could be younger than him, but not by much he surmised. He stood enthralled.
Snape and Tziganne separated and he gave a quick glance over to Lupin who appeared to be completely overcome by something, he followed the man's gaze to the other woman. The two were eye-locked.
Tziganne had already noticed and she was stepping around Snape towards Lupin, "Remus," she said softly and the wolf wrenched his gaze away and turned to her, "it's been too long." She held out a slim hand and he took it. She leaned into him and kissed him softly on the cheek, whispering into his ear, "I am sorry about Sirius."
He nodded at this, "Me too." He looked at her, "You look great, Tziganne. Just didn't feel like getting old and ugly like the rest of us, eh?" he grinned and was rewarded with her brilliant smile.
"Speak for yourself, Lupin," Snape growled playfully.
Tziganne motioned the other woman to join her and Lupin. "This, Remus, is friend of mine. Bera Eriksson, Remus Lupin. Remus and Severus and I went to school together here, many, many years ago. Bera teaches at Durmstrang with me."
Bera inclined her head and Lupin mumbled something incoherent. Snape pulled out a chair for his lady and Lupin quickly did the same for Bera. Both women sat. Snape motioned to a barkeep across the crowded pub and then resumed his seat.
"Who are your young associates, Severus?" Tziganne asked him, taking in the sight of the flustered Hermione and the flummoxed Harry.
He lowered his brows menacingly, Snape had clearly forgotten about them. He cleared his throat, "Of course. Miss Hermione Granger and Mr. Harry Potter, I introduce Madame Varga, potions-mistress at Durmstrang. And Mistress Eriksson, professor of Literature, Durmstrang. These are two of our more, illustrious, Hogwarts sixth years."
"The honuor is mine," Tziganne said, "Your names are not unknown to me."
Harry was dumbstruck, but not Hermione, "Did I hear you correctly? You attended Hogwarts?"
Snape glowered. Tziganne smiled, "Yes, I did actually. But only for my seventh year. It was Headmaster Dumbledore's idea, a student exchange program."
"Which house?" Snape rolled his eyes at the question, but Hermione was intent on only Tziganne.
The woman cocked her head, taking in the earnestness of the young girl, her intelligent eyes, and the flustered look that was currently being brought under control. "Ravenclaw. But I don't put much stock in," she looked apologetically at Snape, "houses."
Lupin laughed. "Didn't spend much time actually in the Ravenclaw 'house,' though. That might have something to do with it."
Tziganne threw her head back and laughed, a clear sound that brought smiles to the faces of nearly everyone at their table. "Yes. I suppose that might have a bit to do with it, Remus." She leaned over and nuzzled her face into Snape's neck, a guarded look washed over his eyes, but his mouth still held a smile.
"You met Professor Snape in school?" Hermione choked this out.
The older woman nodded, closely watching the girl now. "And never looked back, I might add."
The answer didn't seem to suit the girl, who couldn't keep a disappointed look from crossing her face.
"Ooh, Tziganne, it is you" a womanly squeal caused them all to turn as Rosmerta bustled her way towards their table. Tziganne rose and allowed herself to be folded into the woman's open arms.
"I rather thought you'd forgotten us all, dear. Oh you keep yourself scarce, you do." Rosmerta stepped back and let her eyes wander over the other's form. "Let's have a look at you then."
Tziganne lifted her arms elegantly over her head and twirled in place. Rosmerta huffed, but was clearly pleased. "Now, you know I no longer stock that, that bull's blood."
Again, the melodic laughter, "I think I may have moved on to other indulgences, Rosmerta. But I'm flattered you remember."
"How could I not, dear? With the amount you lot went through," at this the barkeep looked over at the table, "Still keeping the same company, I see." But she was smiling. "Now that one, he's become one of my best customers." She inclined her head at Snape who bowed his head in return. "But he's teaching this one some bad habits." She reached out and tousled Lupin's hair.
The good-natured commotion at their table had brought the usual chatter of the pub to a lulled quiet as the occupants of most of the other tables strained to eavesdrop. Suddenly the back room erupted into roars again and several rather drunk wizards stumbled out into the main room. They were dressed in kilts, with long beards of differing shades hues of red, heads shaved to stubble. "There she is! There she is!" one shouted. "Tziganne Varga, will ye dance then?" he called this across the room.
Hermione shot a horrified look at Tziganne and then at Snape, but their faces only reflected a content amusement. Tziganne looked at Snape and he raised a lazy eyebrow. "Have I ever been able to discourage you from it?" She smiled, leaned in for a quick kiss on the mouth and then stood.
"No you don't!" Rosmerta shouted over the wild applause coming from the back room now, "It's a student's weekend! We can't be having that behavior in here, Dumbledore will have my head!"
"All Hogwarts children – out!" commanded another one of the Scottish wizards.
"Those are paying customers, Crawford!" Rosmerta scolded at the top of her lungs as several tables full of young patrons stood, scraping their chairs back, clearly intimidated.
She waved her arms in clear defeat, "Dance then, dance!" and she fell heavily into the chair that Tziganne had just vacated.