Chapter 2 - The Other Side
The silence which followed this speech seemed earsplitting.
Minerva didn't believe her ears. Increduosly she looked at the man opposite her. He looked as if his last revelation had caused him much pain.
Tentatively she asked "I. I didn't get that, did you say you were married? You must be joking, Severus. If you were married I would know that!"
"No, I'm not joking, I'm far from that. We kept it secret, for various reasons. I am only telling you, because I want to help two people who deserve it." "But who Severus, and when and how do you live and why do you keep it quiet. And since when do you consider me a friend of yours?"
For the first time since she knew Severus, a true smile lightened up his features.
With much warmth he told her "I married Elly Carriock seven years ago. We decided to keep our marriage secret because of my past as a Death Eater for one thing. The Dark Lord could use her against me. Secondly because of her position as an auror at the Ministry. It wouldn't fit an auror to be married to an ex-Death Eater. Elly lives in London. I visit her every weekend, as well as during holidays. Almost every evening we talk via an illegal Floo-Line. This arrangement is not exactly perfect, we aren't happy about it but it's the only possibility."
The smile still lingered his face as he looked at her.
"That's completely weird, you could have told Albus, it would have been much easier for you without that secrecy here at Hogwarts. I know Elly, she is one of the most gifted aurors and a friend of Nymphadora Tonks. I still can't believe it, I have to admitt, I never thought you capable of even a nice word. No. But you still didn't answer my question, since when and why do you consider me a friend? You never showed me. You should have though."
Severus's smile faded and his voice sounded weary this time "I considered you a friend ever since I turned spy for Albus. You knew about my past, but unlike many others you never made my life hell. You were polite as ever and you never dropped any snide remarks. You didn't even show me loathing after so many years of being just. well, my old miserable self, meaning being rude to you on every possible occasion. You acted nearly as Dumbledore did. I couldn't show you, because I feared that you just hated me but restrained yourself from showing it. A friend in one's mind is better than no friend at all. The same with Albus. It's exactly what you two did over all those years, isn't it?"
Minerva sighed and nodded. "I still can't believe all this. But why."
He interrupted her. "No, this conversation isn't about me. It's about you and Albus. I only told you all this about me to make you believe my word. Albus loves you, be sure of that. With that knowledge you should be able to solve your problems."
Minerva again had tears in her eyes, but this time not from despair. She looked at the Grandfather Clock and smiled
"Well, I think I shall follow your proposition. I don't know how, but I will."
With that she rose from her armchair. Severus stood up, too.
Again smiling he said "I'm exeptionally glad to hear that Minerva. All the best for you. And please, don't tell anybody."
She returned the smile "Of course not. I can only thank you for your trust."
She went forward and kissed him on the cheek. Then she turned and headed for the door. Suddely she stopped, turned round and said "And sorry for the things I said earlier, I guess it was all due to the shock you gave me. Sorry."
He gazed at her. "Don't you apologize, you were right in everything you said. But that's another topic. Now, you've got something to do, haven't you?"
She grinned awkwardly and went out into the cold corridor.
Author's Note: Please keep reviewing. (
The silence which followed this speech seemed earsplitting.
Minerva didn't believe her ears. Increduosly she looked at the man opposite her. He looked as if his last revelation had caused him much pain.
Tentatively she asked "I. I didn't get that, did you say you were married? You must be joking, Severus. If you were married I would know that!"
"No, I'm not joking, I'm far from that. We kept it secret, for various reasons. I am only telling you, because I want to help two people who deserve it." "But who Severus, and when and how do you live and why do you keep it quiet. And since when do you consider me a friend of yours?"
For the first time since she knew Severus, a true smile lightened up his features.
With much warmth he told her "I married Elly Carriock seven years ago. We decided to keep our marriage secret because of my past as a Death Eater for one thing. The Dark Lord could use her against me. Secondly because of her position as an auror at the Ministry. It wouldn't fit an auror to be married to an ex-Death Eater. Elly lives in London. I visit her every weekend, as well as during holidays. Almost every evening we talk via an illegal Floo-Line. This arrangement is not exactly perfect, we aren't happy about it but it's the only possibility."
The smile still lingered his face as he looked at her.
"That's completely weird, you could have told Albus, it would have been much easier for you without that secrecy here at Hogwarts. I know Elly, she is one of the most gifted aurors and a friend of Nymphadora Tonks. I still can't believe it, I have to admitt, I never thought you capable of even a nice word. No. But you still didn't answer my question, since when and why do you consider me a friend? You never showed me. You should have though."
Severus's smile faded and his voice sounded weary this time "I considered you a friend ever since I turned spy for Albus. You knew about my past, but unlike many others you never made my life hell. You were polite as ever and you never dropped any snide remarks. You didn't even show me loathing after so many years of being just. well, my old miserable self, meaning being rude to you on every possible occasion. You acted nearly as Dumbledore did. I couldn't show you, because I feared that you just hated me but restrained yourself from showing it. A friend in one's mind is better than no friend at all. The same with Albus. It's exactly what you two did over all those years, isn't it?"
Minerva sighed and nodded. "I still can't believe all this. But why."
He interrupted her. "No, this conversation isn't about me. It's about you and Albus. I only told you all this about me to make you believe my word. Albus loves you, be sure of that. With that knowledge you should be able to solve your problems."
Minerva again had tears in her eyes, but this time not from despair. She looked at the Grandfather Clock and smiled
"Well, I think I shall follow your proposition. I don't know how, but I will."
With that she rose from her armchair. Severus stood up, too.
Again smiling he said "I'm exeptionally glad to hear that Minerva. All the best for you. And please, don't tell anybody."
She returned the smile "Of course not. I can only thank you for your trust."
She went forward and kissed him on the cheek. Then she turned and headed for the door. Suddely she stopped, turned round and said "And sorry for the things I said earlier, I guess it was all due to the shock you gave me. Sorry."
He gazed at her. "Don't you apologize, you were right in everything you said. But that's another topic. Now, you've got something to do, haven't you?"
She grinned awkwardly and went out into the cold corridor.
Author's Note: Please keep reviewing. (