Chapter six.
Amber walked through the small streets of Hogsmeade in a daze; it was just how she remembered it. The air of excitement that hung in the air was still there, the shrill laughter of the students was still audible, the smell of Honeydukes and The Three Broomsticks still pervaded the air and made her mouth water uncontrollably. It was not to these places that her feet were drawn however; she walked on almost as if she was in trance. Up the slope she went unaware of how the wind was whipping at her cloak and hair. There it was, the Shrieking Shack; the memories flooded back. Remus as a Werewolf: angry and violent tearing up the furniture and howling so terribly, a sound of pain and frustration. The picture in her mind's eye expanded and there was James in his stag form and Sirius as a great black dog and next to them she saw herself in the form she hadn't used in years; a great grey wolf with a silvery ruff. Tears welled in her eyes and the wind blew them away quickly, her heart sank the memories of Remus pained her, especially after what she had done to him. She turned to and came face to face with Severus:
"I'm sorry I should have made my presence known, but you looked like you didn't want disturbing." He said quietly.
Amber smiled:
"I thought you were too busy?"
"Couldn't concentrate thinking about the novelty of Zonko's and Honeydukes." He smiled whimsically. "Come on let's get a drink it's freezing up her."
Amber nodded and together they walked arm in arm down the slope to the Three Broomsticks. Amber paused slightly before the entrance to the pub:
"What's wrong?" Severus asked her.
"It's just I haven't been here since well since you know, what happened to Peter." She looked pale and worried; "and well everyone is going to look at me as the murderer's twin sister." She took a step back. "I don't know if I can do it; I've been bombarded by so many memories today."
"You can't avoid it forever." Severus whispered, "I'm here it will be okay."
He placed his arm around her waist and steered her gently towards the door opening it for her as she went.
The inside of the Three Broomsticks was just as she remembered it; warm and cosy. Her stomach lurched as a dozen memories hit her hard as she stood in the doorway. Severus still had his arm around her and it was comforting, a lifeline. There was a hushed silence as the gaze of the patrons fell upon her figure. Rosmerta stood at the bar a jug of butterbeer in her hand as if frozen to the spot. She shook her head and called across the pub:
"Well if it isn't little Amber Black! Get yourself over here my girl." Rosmerta swept across the floor in a blur of pink robes and sparkly heels and pulled Amber into a tight embrace.
"Where have you been my girl? You and you're troop of friends were always my favourite customers! How you made me laugh! Look at you girl you're all skin and bones what are they feeding you at that school" She gushed steering her to a table near the bar.
It was more than Amber could bear; she began to weep, Severus was there at her side a comforting hand laid over hers:
"Oh what's wrong my dear?" Rosmerta exclaimed "Did I say something wrong?"
"Oh No!" Amber sobbed "It's just I was so worried that everyone would judge me by what Sirius.by what.well you know." She smiled weakly through her tears.
"Of course not honey." Rosmerta said gently, "Silly girl."
"Would you like a drink Amber?" Severus asked from next to her. Amber turned to him still holding his hand.
"Just a butterbeer please." She smiled wiping her eyes with the other hand.
"Oh never mind that Severus, this one's on the house." Rosmerta grinned. "An incentive to make her come back and see me more."
"I'll come and get them." Severus said following her to the bar.
Severus leant on the bar watching Amber become more and more at ease with the hustle and bustle of the pub. Occasionally someone would approach her and they would talk to her; colour was gradually returning to her cheeks.
"She's even more beautiful than I remember Severus." Rosmerta said making Severus start suddenly.
"You thought that too?" He said smiling slightly. Rosmerta gave him a penetrating look and leant closer to him:
"Don't screw it up this time." She said in a half whisper. Severus looked back at her unblinking:
"Don't worry I don't intend too." He said taking the drinks from Rosmerta and turning to rejoin Amber.
Amber walked through the small streets of Hogsmeade in a daze; it was just how she remembered it. The air of excitement that hung in the air was still there, the shrill laughter of the students was still audible, the smell of Honeydukes and The Three Broomsticks still pervaded the air and made her mouth water uncontrollably. It was not to these places that her feet were drawn however; she walked on almost as if she was in trance. Up the slope she went unaware of how the wind was whipping at her cloak and hair. There it was, the Shrieking Shack; the memories flooded back. Remus as a Werewolf: angry and violent tearing up the furniture and howling so terribly, a sound of pain and frustration. The picture in her mind's eye expanded and there was James in his stag form and Sirius as a great black dog and next to them she saw herself in the form she hadn't used in years; a great grey wolf with a silvery ruff. Tears welled in her eyes and the wind blew them away quickly, her heart sank the memories of Remus pained her, especially after what she had done to him. She turned to and came face to face with Severus:
"I'm sorry I should have made my presence known, but you looked like you didn't want disturbing." He said quietly.
Amber smiled:
"I thought you were too busy?"
"Couldn't concentrate thinking about the novelty of Zonko's and Honeydukes." He smiled whimsically. "Come on let's get a drink it's freezing up her."
Amber nodded and together they walked arm in arm down the slope to the Three Broomsticks. Amber paused slightly before the entrance to the pub:
"What's wrong?" Severus asked her.
"It's just I haven't been here since well since you know, what happened to Peter." She looked pale and worried; "and well everyone is going to look at me as the murderer's twin sister." She took a step back. "I don't know if I can do it; I've been bombarded by so many memories today."
"You can't avoid it forever." Severus whispered, "I'm here it will be okay."
He placed his arm around her waist and steered her gently towards the door opening it for her as she went.
The inside of the Three Broomsticks was just as she remembered it; warm and cosy. Her stomach lurched as a dozen memories hit her hard as she stood in the doorway. Severus still had his arm around her and it was comforting, a lifeline. There was a hushed silence as the gaze of the patrons fell upon her figure. Rosmerta stood at the bar a jug of butterbeer in her hand as if frozen to the spot. She shook her head and called across the pub:
"Well if it isn't little Amber Black! Get yourself over here my girl." Rosmerta swept across the floor in a blur of pink robes and sparkly heels and pulled Amber into a tight embrace.
"Where have you been my girl? You and you're troop of friends were always my favourite customers! How you made me laugh! Look at you girl you're all skin and bones what are they feeding you at that school" She gushed steering her to a table near the bar.
It was more than Amber could bear; she began to weep, Severus was there at her side a comforting hand laid over hers:
"Oh what's wrong my dear?" Rosmerta exclaimed "Did I say something wrong?"
"Oh No!" Amber sobbed "It's just I was so worried that everyone would judge me by what Sirius.by what.well you know." She smiled weakly through her tears.
"Of course not honey." Rosmerta said gently, "Silly girl."
"Would you like a drink Amber?" Severus asked from next to her. Amber turned to him still holding his hand.
"Just a butterbeer please." She smiled wiping her eyes with the other hand.
"Oh never mind that Severus, this one's on the house." Rosmerta grinned. "An incentive to make her come back and see me more."
"I'll come and get them." Severus said following her to the bar.
Severus leant on the bar watching Amber become more and more at ease with the hustle and bustle of the pub. Occasionally someone would approach her and they would talk to her; colour was gradually returning to her cheeks.
"She's even more beautiful than I remember Severus." Rosmerta said making Severus start suddenly.
"You thought that too?" He said smiling slightly. Rosmerta gave him a penetrating look and leant closer to him:
"Don't screw it up this time." She said in a half whisper. Severus looked back at her unblinking:
"Don't worry I don't intend too." He said taking the drinks from Rosmerta and turning to rejoin Amber.