Severus Snape descended the stairs of the Astronomy Tower, his face like a
thundercloud. He knew he had seen too much, too much of something he had
gone looking for, but hadn't actually wanted to find. He sat down on the
bottom step and folded his hands, resting his chin on them.
Narcissa Black.and Remus Lupin! The werewolf.Snape closed his eyes. He personally had nothing against Lupin - of the four of them, he thought darkly, Lupin was by far the one he held the least grudge against. He didn't like Sirius Black at all, Narcissa's cousin. Black was the one who was always egging James on to pick on him, always trying to be cruel to him. And James - well, Snape hated James more than anyone in the world. Peter Pettigrew, stupid thing that he was, didn't pose much of a threat. No, it was James that Severus hated the most, the one he most wanted to see in pain.
He brushed a lock of his hair away from his face. It was too long, always hanging in his eyes, but since his mother had died and his father had sent him to school, he hadn't really taken care of himself. He spent most of his days in his room, reading Dark Arts books and thinking about what he was going to do with his future. Things had changed since Lucius Malfoy had left.
Snape thought for a minute.
Life with Lucius Malfoy at school had been different. Lucius had been four years older than Severus, but had commanded an entire legion of friends with him. Antonin Dolohov had been Lucius' best friend; he had been the one to catch Snape shooting a curse at Sirius Black and had mentioned Snape's talent to Lucius. And so Severus had been invited to join Lucius' little gang. Lucius had taught him several extraordinary curses, most of which were banned at school, and Severus had done well in his little fights with James Potter.
But then Malfoy graduated, shortly after Snape turned thirteen. And life had been hell at Hogwarts ever since.
Snape's eyes narrowed. He remembered what Lucius had said to him on his last day of school.
"Keep in touch with me. If anything happens," Lucius had said, "Anything.interesting, especially."
Snape recalled his eyes drifting through the crowd, to rest on a tiny blonde girl, only thirteen, like Snape, with her hair pulled back in a green headband, looking very tiny and lost and forlorn. Narcissa Black.
Everyone knew that Narcissa Black and Lucius Malfoy were engaged. The Black family frequently did that: betroth its girls to pure-blood boys in order to keep the line pure. Narcissa's oldest sister Bellatrix, who had graduated with Lucius Malfoy, had married Rodolphus Lestrange only two months later. Her other sister, Andromeda, who had graduated only last spring, was engaged to marry Evan Rosier.
No. Snape frowned. He remembered hearing Lucas Rosier, Evan's younger brother, complaining in Potions class the other day.
"I told Evan not to worry, Black girls are a dime a dozen anyway, and they're not worth their blood," Lucas had told some of his friends viciously, "Look at the other one, Narcissa, I think her name is? She's running around with slime like that Lupin character. No respect for bloodlines. None at all."
Narcissa Black! Remus Lupin! Suddenly it all made sense to Snape. He stood to his feet.
Narcissa Black had arranged it so that James Potter and Lily Evans would soon be dating. And now she was seeing Remus Lupin.
Snape knew what he had to do.
The thought of Narcissa's beautiful, constantly-sad face crossed his mind. He squashed the thought completely. Here was a way to make things better - or worse. If not for James Potter, then for his best friend. And it would put him in perfect graces with Lucius Malfoy.
* * *
Narcissa giggled as she ran with Remus towards the post office, brushing by shoppers and students, and other passerby as they did so. It was an absolutely beautiful day in Hogsmeade, the sort of day that made Narcissa glad that she was alive - and in love.
"Are you expecting a letter?" Remus laughed, stopping to catch his breath at the door.
"No," she replied, "I'm sending one."
Although she had been instructed not to, Narcissa had drafted a letter to her sister Andromeda, telling her about Remus. She didn't want to send it by her regular owl; she was sure that would attract too much attention, especially because of the tiny sapphire charm it had around its neck. No, she would send one of the Hogsmeade owls, and hope that Andromeda thought to send her letter the same way.
As she filled out an envelope, the man behind the counter watched her closely.
"You're Narcissa Black!" he said, "Fancy that!"
Narcissa jumped. Remus frowned.
"What of it?" she asked the wizard shakily.
"Why, a letter came for you just this morning," he said, pulling an ornate cream-colored envelope from a letterbox and handing it to her. "Came express." He winked, "Nice girl like you, got a boyfriend, eh?"
"Yes," Remus said through clenched teeth, taking her arm protectively, "She does."
"Remus," Narcissa whispered as a warning. She took the letter, "Thank you," she said. She took her own letter and put it in her pocket, "I don't think I'm going to send this yet," she told the man. "Come on, Remus." She took his hand and led him away.
Once outside, she pulled a hairpin from her head and slit open the envelope. She pulled out a sheet of expensive embossed parchment. Lips moving faintly, she began to read, her face turning pale.
"What is it?" Remus asked concernedly.
"It's a letter from Lucius," she told him, lowering the parchment, "He wants me to meet him Monday night, at his manor."
Remus snatched the letter from her hand and began to read it.
My dear Narcissa, (it said)
It seems an eternity since I have seen you. I have been speaking with our parents lately, and it is all of our decision that you and I must meet soon in order to draw up plans for our coming marriage.
I request the honor of your presence at dinner Monday night, at the Malfoy Manor, just you and I. I have arranged it with Dumbledore that you will travel by Floo, through his fireplace, and will be back later that night in time for bed before classes Tuesday. I shall be very disappointed if you don't come.
Yours,
Lucius Malfoy.
"Don't go," Remus suggested darkly, "Burn the damn thing. Who does he think he is, giving you orders?"
"It's not that," she replied, taking the letter back, "I must go, Remus."
"But why?" he asked.
Narcissa folded the letter and sighed, "Because I have to tell him, face to face. He won't hurt me," she said quickly, when Remus started, "I have to tell him, Remus. It's the only way. And I'll be back that night, and everything will be fine."
Remus looked upset, "I don't want to think of you there with him, where he can hurt you."
"He won't hurt me," Narcissa persisted, "Please, Remus."
Remus stared at her for a minute. Then he put his arms around her and kissed her lightly, "All right, if it means that much to you. Just promise me you won't get hurt."
"I won't," Narcissa replied.
"I can't bear to think of ever losing you," Remus whispered, hugging her tighter.
"You won't," she promised. "Just wait and see. When I come back, everything will be fine." She let go of him, "Come on now. Let's head back to the carriages."
"Not until we find Sirius and James," Remus said, "And Peter." He laughed, "And if I know Peter, they're at Honeyduke's, buying candy by the truckload."
Sirius and Peter were at the candy shop, like Remus said, but neither had seen a sign of James and Lily. "They probably killed each other," Sirius joked as he paid for his Chocolate Frogs.
"We last saw them.you know where," Peter whispered.
"You know where" could only mean one thing - the Shrieking Shack, as citizens liked to call it. Nobody went there because it was haunted. Only James, Sirius, Peter, and Remus knew what was making those noises - Remus himself, during the full moon.
The Shrieking Shack was located on a hill. Remus and Narcissa approached it quietly, waiting to hear some sign of fighting. But they didn't hear anything.
"Maybe they aren't up here," Narcissa fretted, "I hope Sirius isn't right, and they're not fighting."
Remus slowly pushed open the door to the Shack, and the two of them peered inside.
James and Lily were there. But they weren't fighting, far from it. They were locked in each other's arms, kissing passionately.
Remus burst out laughing. James swore, and Lily shrieked. The two of them turned to see Remus and Narcissa standing in the doorway.
"Narcissa!" Lily gasped. She covered her mouth with her hand, face blushing furiously. Narcissa felt a giggle rising in her chest.
"Nice work, mate," Remus said confidentially to James, who was adjusting his glasses as if he was trying hard to act cool and failing miserably.
"It's not what you think," James said quickly, "I was just showing, uh, Evans here how to, uh."
Narcissa looked at James trying to act cool, to Remus, trying hard not to laugh, to Lily, who was blushing red as a tomato, and it was all too much. She burst out laughing hysterically, and Remus joined in. Lily began to giggle behind her hand. And James looked furiously from one friend to the other, until he too, smiled and then began to laugh.
"Enough of this," Remus said suddenly, wiping his eyes, "The carriages are about to leave. Come on, Narcissa.and you two." He winked at James, who tried to kick him.
As the foursome ran down the hill towards the carriages, Narcissa felt light and free and airy. With Remus clutching her hand protectively, nothing was holding her down - not even that mysterious letter from Lucius Malfoy.
Narcissa Black.and Remus Lupin! The werewolf.Snape closed his eyes. He personally had nothing against Lupin - of the four of them, he thought darkly, Lupin was by far the one he held the least grudge against. He didn't like Sirius Black at all, Narcissa's cousin. Black was the one who was always egging James on to pick on him, always trying to be cruel to him. And James - well, Snape hated James more than anyone in the world. Peter Pettigrew, stupid thing that he was, didn't pose much of a threat. No, it was James that Severus hated the most, the one he most wanted to see in pain.
He brushed a lock of his hair away from his face. It was too long, always hanging in his eyes, but since his mother had died and his father had sent him to school, he hadn't really taken care of himself. He spent most of his days in his room, reading Dark Arts books and thinking about what he was going to do with his future. Things had changed since Lucius Malfoy had left.
Snape thought for a minute.
Life with Lucius Malfoy at school had been different. Lucius had been four years older than Severus, but had commanded an entire legion of friends with him. Antonin Dolohov had been Lucius' best friend; he had been the one to catch Snape shooting a curse at Sirius Black and had mentioned Snape's talent to Lucius. And so Severus had been invited to join Lucius' little gang. Lucius had taught him several extraordinary curses, most of which were banned at school, and Severus had done well in his little fights with James Potter.
But then Malfoy graduated, shortly after Snape turned thirteen. And life had been hell at Hogwarts ever since.
Snape's eyes narrowed. He remembered what Lucius had said to him on his last day of school.
"Keep in touch with me. If anything happens," Lucius had said, "Anything.interesting, especially."
Snape recalled his eyes drifting through the crowd, to rest on a tiny blonde girl, only thirteen, like Snape, with her hair pulled back in a green headband, looking very tiny and lost and forlorn. Narcissa Black.
Everyone knew that Narcissa Black and Lucius Malfoy were engaged. The Black family frequently did that: betroth its girls to pure-blood boys in order to keep the line pure. Narcissa's oldest sister Bellatrix, who had graduated with Lucius Malfoy, had married Rodolphus Lestrange only two months later. Her other sister, Andromeda, who had graduated only last spring, was engaged to marry Evan Rosier.
No. Snape frowned. He remembered hearing Lucas Rosier, Evan's younger brother, complaining in Potions class the other day.
"I told Evan not to worry, Black girls are a dime a dozen anyway, and they're not worth their blood," Lucas had told some of his friends viciously, "Look at the other one, Narcissa, I think her name is? She's running around with slime like that Lupin character. No respect for bloodlines. None at all."
Narcissa Black! Remus Lupin! Suddenly it all made sense to Snape. He stood to his feet.
Narcissa Black had arranged it so that James Potter and Lily Evans would soon be dating. And now she was seeing Remus Lupin.
Snape knew what he had to do.
The thought of Narcissa's beautiful, constantly-sad face crossed his mind. He squashed the thought completely. Here was a way to make things better - or worse. If not for James Potter, then for his best friend. And it would put him in perfect graces with Lucius Malfoy.
* * *
Narcissa giggled as she ran with Remus towards the post office, brushing by shoppers and students, and other passerby as they did so. It was an absolutely beautiful day in Hogsmeade, the sort of day that made Narcissa glad that she was alive - and in love.
"Are you expecting a letter?" Remus laughed, stopping to catch his breath at the door.
"No," she replied, "I'm sending one."
Although she had been instructed not to, Narcissa had drafted a letter to her sister Andromeda, telling her about Remus. She didn't want to send it by her regular owl; she was sure that would attract too much attention, especially because of the tiny sapphire charm it had around its neck. No, she would send one of the Hogsmeade owls, and hope that Andromeda thought to send her letter the same way.
As she filled out an envelope, the man behind the counter watched her closely.
"You're Narcissa Black!" he said, "Fancy that!"
Narcissa jumped. Remus frowned.
"What of it?" she asked the wizard shakily.
"Why, a letter came for you just this morning," he said, pulling an ornate cream-colored envelope from a letterbox and handing it to her. "Came express." He winked, "Nice girl like you, got a boyfriend, eh?"
"Yes," Remus said through clenched teeth, taking her arm protectively, "She does."
"Remus," Narcissa whispered as a warning. She took the letter, "Thank you," she said. She took her own letter and put it in her pocket, "I don't think I'm going to send this yet," she told the man. "Come on, Remus." She took his hand and led him away.
Once outside, she pulled a hairpin from her head and slit open the envelope. She pulled out a sheet of expensive embossed parchment. Lips moving faintly, she began to read, her face turning pale.
"What is it?" Remus asked concernedly.
"It's a letter from Lucius," she told him, lowering the parchment, "He wants me to meet him Monday night, at his manor."
Remus snatched the letter from her hand and began to read it.
My dear Narcissa, (it said)
It seems an eternity since I have seen you. I have been speaking with our parents lately, and it is all of our decision that you and I must meet soon in order to draw up plans for our coming marriage.
I request the honor of your presence at dinner Monday night, at the Malfoy Manor, just you and I. I have arranged it with Dumbledore that you will travel by Floo, through his fireplace, and will be back later that night in time for bed before classes Tuesday. I shall be very disappointed if you don't come.
Yours,
Lucius Malfoy.
"Don't go," Remus suggested darkly, "Burn the damn thing. Who does he think he is, giving you orders?"
"It's not that," she replied, taking the letter back, "I must go, Remus."
"But why?" he asked.
Narcissa folded the letter and sighed, "Because I have to tell him, face to face. He won't hurt me," she said quickly, when Remus started, "I have to tell him, Remus. It's the only way. And I'll be back that night, and everything will be fine."
Remus looked upset, "I don't want to think of you there with him, where he can hurt you."
"He won't hurt me," Narcissa persisted, "Please, Remus."
Remus stared at her for a minute. Then he put his arms around her and kissed her lightly, "All right, if it means that much to you. Just promise me you won't get hurt."
"I won't," Narcissa replied.
"I can't bear to think of ever losing you," Remus whispered, hugging her tighter.
"You won't," she promised. "Just wait and see. When I come back, everything will be fine." She let go of him, "Come on now. Let's head back to the carriages."
"Not until we find Sirius and James," Remus said, "And Peter." He laughed, "And if I know Peter, they're at Honeyduke's, buying candy by the truckload."
Sirius and Peter were at the candy shop, like Remus said, but neither had seen a sign of James and Lily. "They probably killed each other," Sirius joked as he paid for his Chocolate Frogs.
"We last saw them.you know where," Peter whispered.
"You know where" could only mean one thing - the Shrieking Shack, as citizens liked to call it. Nobody went there because it was haunted. Only James, Sirius, Peter, and Remus knew what was making those noises - Remus himself, during the full moon.
The Shrieking Shack was located on a hill. Remus and Narcissa approached it quietly, waiting to hear some sign of fighting. But they didn't hear anything.
"Maybe they aren't up here," Narcissa fretted, "I hope Sirius isn't right, and they're not fighting."
Remus slowly pushed open the door to the Shack, and the two of them peered inside.
James and Lily were there. But they weren't fighting, far from it. They were locked in each other's arms, kissing passionately.
Remus burst out laughing. James swore, and Lily shrieked. The two of them turned to see Remus and Narcissa standing in the doorway.
"Narcissa!" Lily gasped. She covered her mouth with her hand, face blushing furiously. Narcissa felt a giggle rising in her chest.
"Nice work, mate," Remus said confidentially to James, who was adjusting his glasses as if he was trying hard to act cool and failing miserably.
"It's not what you think," James said quickly, "I was just showing, uh, Evans here how to, uh."
Narcissa looked at James trying to act cool, to Remus, trying hard not to laugh, to Lily, who was blushing red as a tomato, and it was all too much. She burst out laughing hysterically, and Remus joined in. Lily began to giggle behind her hand. And James looked furiously from one friend to the other, until he too, smiled and then began to laugh.
"Enough of this," Remus said suddenly, wiping his eyes, "The carriages are about to leave. Come on, Narcissa.and you two." He winked at James, who tried to kick him.
As the foursome ran down the hill towards the carriages, Narcissa felt light and free and airy. With Remus clutching her hand protectively, nothing was holding her down - not even that mysterious letter from Lucius Malfoy.