Chapter 4

Severus was down in the dungeons preparing for the school year. This mainly meant that he was preparing healing potions for Madame Pomfrey. MacLeod was with Minerva, drowning themselves in scotch. Remus and Sirius were in their rooms, a "do not disturb" sign hanging on the door. Percy and Oliver had disappeared earlier around the Astronomy tower, muttering something about cloud patterns. Methos chuckled when he thought of that. 'Is that what they're calling it these days?' He was wandering the hallways looking for something to do.

He walked outside, looking for a place to sit and think and not be disturbed. Looking up the side of the castle his eyes came to rest the supports, and the perfect seat.

Now.how to get up there.

With a little magic (on the castle's part) and a lot of climbing (on Methos' part) he finally sat down on the buttress. Below his seat and to the left was an open window. He really paid it no mind. He fell asleep.

When he woke almost an hour later he was hard pressed not to fall off his seat. The bloody baron was seated not four inches from his feet.

"You're grace! You startled me." The Baron sneered.

"Pay more attention then." Methos chuckled.

"One certainly knows not to expect pity from you."

"Why should I pity you? You killed me."

"I didn't hear you complain."

"I couldn't complain, I was too busy cursing you."

"Ah yes,.some of those things aren't physically possible, you know."

"I'm dead. How am I supposed to know these things?" The Baron leaned against the other end of the support and pulled a cloud-like pipe out of his pocket. An even lighter shade of grey smoke curled up from it.

"One good thing about being dead." Methos raised his eyebrows at the Baron. " I never run out of pipeweed." Methos laughed. They sat in silence for a moment.

"Do you miss the old days? When you ran the castle?" The ghost snorted.

"I still run the castle."

"True, but I meant officially." Do you miss when this castle was Inverness? Do you miss your Lady? Do you miss being called Thane of Cowdor and Thane of Glamis? Do you miss Macbeth?" The baron snorted again.

"Don't be so dramatic. There's very little from those days that I miss. Though, my Lady is one of them. I do still love her."

"You know the world is under the impression that you two plotted to kill Duncan." The Baron almost choked on his pipe.

"Her? Plot Duncan's death? Preposterous. You did, then killed me too while my back was turned."

"I know that, but it was never recorded. They think Macduff killed you. I cannot be on record. That, and the play by that Englishman, Shakespeare, did a lot to confuse the past. He made you into a play. You and your wife conspire to kill, and actually kill Duncan, after you hear a prophesy by three harpies. Macduff kills you to save Scotland from your rule and to avenge the slaughter of his wife and children." Macbeth grunted. "Of course, they did paint you as a hero at the beginning of the play. You defeat the Norwegians for Duncan."

"Aye, that I did. Bathed in the blood of those bastards." He looked down at his silver-blood stained clothes. "you'd never guess that most of this blood was from the murders I had committed, eh? Everybody thinks I died some bloody horrible death. Nobody would consider the poisoned blade." He shook his pipe at Methos. "Very tricky that was. Barely nicked me and I was dead." There came a loud crash from inside. "There's that blasted peeves again. I must take my leave now." He floated away and back inside the castle. Methos shook his head ruefully. There came and even louder crash from inside.

"PEEVES!"

"AHHHHHH!"

Methos laughed.

A few hours later

Methos landed in the ground with a thump, and came up from his crouch with cat-like grace. His stomach growled.

"I know. Food now. The feast is about to begin!" he dramatically said to himself, and giggled as he ascended the front stairs to Hogwarts. He met Severus with a kiss just inside the main doors. The Great Hall doors opened and out favorite Slytherin Teachers entered talking and laughing. They sat down at their normal seats, only this time next to Methos as Cassandra, then Remus, then Mac.

"Hello Cassie."

"'Lo Adam. Have a good summer?" Methos grinned.

"Oh you know it. I'm still tired."

"Getting old, Adam, getting old." Severus snickered.

"Brat," Methos said affectionately, and smacked his arm. Cassandra smiled at their antics. She was glad she had made her peace with Methos. He could be funny at times.

"And you my dear?" Asked Methos, pointedly ignoring Mac's rapidly rising eyebrows. Last Mac new Cassandra was still out for Methos' head. Now, they were talking like old friends.

"I spent a wonderful summer in Madrid. Saw the bullfights, Dos Torros.it was wonderful." Now Mac's eyebrows were furrowed in confusion.

"Excellent! I'm glad to hear you had such a good time.so what's his name?"

Cassandra snickered.

"Who said it was a he?" Methos laughed.

"Ha ha! Welcome back to the other side, Cassie. What are you doing, Macleod?" Mac had stood and grabbed Methos' arm, and was now dragging him outside the Great Hall. Severus stood to follow but was restrained by Cassandra.

"My connection to Methos and Methos' former life has been a sore wound between the two of them for some time now. And, if I know Methos, he didn't mention to MacLeod that we were friendly. Let them work it out between them. That's the only way anything will get settled." Severus nodded and sat down reluctantly.

In the hallway

"Wha was that about in there?"

"What was what?"

"That display in there with Cassandra.?" Methos looked confused.

"But I thought you'd be happy that we're getting along now." MacLeod blinked.

"Well, yes, but."

"There is no but, MacLeod. We're buried out hatches. We're not very good friends, but we're working on it. We can be civil and even friendly. It's good."

"But what happened?" Methos sighed.

"Mac, I don't really want to get into this now. I'll tell you later, I promise, but right now is not a good time. It's a long story to tell and I cannot do it by myself. It's not entirely my story." Mac reguarded him silently for a moment before nodding.

"Alright. I want to know what happened, but I can wait. I trust that you'll tell me when you're ready."

"Thank you," Methos said, not entirely dryly. "now, I think that's enough excitement for this evening. Shall we get back to dinner?" Mac nodded and the two returned to the feast.

Severus raised a questioning eyebrow as Methos sat down.

"Everything ok?" Severus asked quietly. Methos nodded.

"Yeah. We'll have to tell the story later, though." Severus raised his eyebrow again but Methos didn't see. He had already turned back to his meal. On the other side Cassandra also raised an eyebrow to MacLeod as Remus and Snuffles watched.

"Satisfied?" She asked. He paused, then grinned at her.

"No, but I'm willing to let it be for now." Cassandra smiled at him.

"Congratulations, MacLeod. You're growing up." Remus smirked and Snuffled whuffel softly, a doggie laugh. Mac slowly turned to look at him.

"What're you laughing at Mutt?" Snuffles replied by resting his head on Mac's lap. Mac smiled and scratched Snuffle's head. The rest of the meal occurred without incident, and later that night, they would go on their yearly trek to the 3 Broomsticks.

TBC

Two at once, whoo hooo! I keep forgetting to update, not because I'm not thinking of this story, but because I have, like, ten chapters written, and I forget that I don't have all 10 posted.it was easier with the other one, cause when I finished a chapter, I posted it. I'm working on it, though.

CyanideQueen - oh yeah!

Kaoru - sorry to disprove the updating fast thing.heh heh.no, the Dursleys are not killed of (I don't think.maybe later.) As for the other part, I will neither confirm nor deny anything.

Tea - why thank you. I'm glad to be back. AS you all know I took a break inbetween this story and the last one.I will NOT be doing that between this and the next. I loose the groove I get in and I hate that.the third in the trilogy will be out as soon as this story (all 40-something chapter of it) is finished. Ok.um.thanks again.

Vampire Child - I could never forget about this universe. It's the only Harry Potter/Highlander crossover that has any weight to the piece. The only other two are "Fire in the Blood" which has stopped about chapter 5 for the past few months (maybe even a year.it's been a long time.) and "a matter of time" by Sundaysinaugust.it's another Severus/Methos (or will be I think. I love that story it's stuck at about chapter 7 for a few weeks, though.*pout*) um.yeah.

Lady Cinnibar - Whoo hoo! Roller coaster!!! Huzzah! I love that metaphor.it makes me feel very proud of this piece. The funny thing about my writing, however, is that I see it as just written down, it just is. There was no special effort, no conscious thought, I just sit and write. Everybody who has read this say, "You're so good! It's so good! You have such talent." I'll tell you the truth right now. I don't see it. I don't know what people are going on about. I write what I write because it's what first comes to me, and it seems as if the only thing that would work. Apparently that's really good, so I'll keep doing that.I hope the publishers like it if I ever get off my lazy patootie and wtire something original.anyway.I like ghosts.keep it up. You're pooka's very excited.

Arulumpi - whoa whoa whoa.who said anything about killing them off.I didn't mean it to sound sinister, really. NO ONE IS DYING, especially not the main characters. None of them are immmies, so why kill them. No. no deaths, you'll have to stay tuned to find out what does happen.

RJZ - I'm glad.

I was, am, and will always be, Immortaljedi

Ps.GO SEE THE TWO TOWERS!!!!!! LEGOLAS ROCKS MY WORLD!!!!!!!!! Gimli is great The battle is awesome Treebeard rocks (Ents rule) Pippin finds his courage Theoden is king And if nothing else.LEGOLAS. I LOVE THAT ELF!!! The horse thing. "You're Late." Him on the battlements, Shield surfing.go see it. Now. I command thee.

Toodles