Chapter 9 ~ A Real Date and O.W.L.s
Muriel took Severus' hand as they walked to Hogsmeade on Valentine's Day, feeling a little queasy. She was sure that Sev suspected her of helping the marauders make up, and she was more than a little worried about how he would react. She was praying they wouldn't pass the boys, who were closer and happier than they'd ever been. If Remus so much as smiled at her, Sev would probably throw a tantrum in the middle of the street.
But Severus wasn't thinking about the marauders at all. Instead, he was trying to remember how to change muggle money. He didn't want to run the risk of meeting anyone they knew, so he was planning to apparate to the Leaky Cauldron and get into muggle London just as fast as he could.
He led her behind the Hogs Head, smirking. How many times had he seen Malfoy snogging Narcissa in this alley in the last few years? Pity that they'd finished school the year before. "Ready?" he asked.
Muriel nodded, still nervous, and they both disappeared with a resounding crack.
Muggle London looked very rigid to Muriel, who was used to the leaning and creaking shops of Diagon Alley. She couldn't help but be impressed by the buildings that looked like they were made entirely of glass. They took off their robes as they walked, not wanting to attract attention. Muriel had worn a simple black dress and earrings borrowed from Marisa. She wondered if there was a shop somewhere here that sold them, so she could get a pair of her own.
"How's Papa?" Severus asked finally. He didn't want her to realize that he got owls from her father almost as often as she did.
"He's afraid, but he doesn't say so. Riddle's got him running all over."
"I still can't believe you cast the Legilimens spell on him in his sleep and it didn't wake him."
"I wasn't trying to be intrusive. He was having a nightmare, and I suspected it was about the initiation ritual, because he was clutching his arm. I just sat in on the reenactment, that's all."
Severus was shaking his head, wondering if one day she'd do the same thing to him. They reached the restaurant he'd found on his last trip, and he held the door for her to go in ahead of him. "I still think you should have left him be. If he'd wanted you to know – "
"Sev, Papa was worried that I wouldn't love him or respect him anymore if I knew he'd taken the mark. You know that could never happen. I'm afraid for him, and disappointed that he wasn't strong enough to resist Riddle, but he's still Papa, no matter what. I'll always love him."
Severus turned his eyes to the ground as they sat. He desperately hoped she really meant that.
"But he should have trusted me enough to tell me himself. I couldn't stay in the dark, wondering. It's torturous, just like – "She stopped, suddenly. In the last year, she'd asked Severus if he was all right more times than she could count. And every time he had either gotten angry or changed the subject. Now, on their first-ever, real date, she didn't want to ruin the night by mentioning whatever was wrong between them.
Severus didn't answer. A few moments later they were both thankful when the waitress came back and took their orders.
"It's really nice here, Sev. Thanks for inviting me." Muriel said quietly, sipping her drink. She was rewarded with the first real smile she'd seen on him since Wood had failed to invite her to Hogsmeade in November. She smiled back. It really was a nice restaurant, very quiet. Every booth seemed removed from the others, so you could pretend you were by yourselves. There was a small dance floor, and a brass band playing muggle music that Muriel had never heard before. It was pretty. She wondered if Sev would be willing to dance here. At least none of his Slytherin goons would be able to tease him for it later.
For his part, Severus was anxious to finish eating so he could ask her to dance. He remembered all too well how nice it had felt to hold her last Christmas. And this time, he wouldn't have to think of potion ingredients.
Muriel was thrilled when he asked. Sev thought he might never have seen her quite so happy, which pleased him to no end. It had begun to occur to him that she might have trouble loving him back if he kept his mind closed to her. But tonight, she didn't seem to mind at all.
He folded his arms around her and kept her close to him as they danced. He'd thought his mind would wander again to the things he'd been so afraid to have her know. But instead, when he rested his cheek on the top of her head and smelled her hair, all he could think of was how he was going to ask her. He knew he would have to, in spite of all their parents' coaching, and her own expectations. He would still have to find the courage to ask her to marry him someday.
'But not yet,' he reminded himself, closing his eyes. They were still young. It could wait a few more years. He wouldn't have noticed when the song ended if everyone hadn't started clapping. He opened his eyes as Muriel pulled away, smiling shyly.
"What about some ice cream?" he asked, as they headed back to their table.
It was long after curfew when they got back to the castle. Muriel went with Severus down to the Slytherin dungeons, keeping her invisibility spell on them until he was safely behind the portrait.
The spell always drained her, and she decided to risk the trip to Ravenclaw tower without it. She hardly noticed when Filch caught her and gave her detention again.
She'd had a wonderful time, but something was bothering her about Severus. He still seemed so distant. Even as he'd held her, she had felt nothing from him. She could see in his eyes that he was feeling something, and it hurt her not to know what it was. She sighed softly as she climbed into bed. Maybe someday he would tell her.
* * * * * * *
The O.W.L.s were upon them faster than anyone could have imagined, with barely time to think up new hexes for the marauders. Mur had to take Marisa to Madam Pomfrey three days before the first exam. She'd been talking calmly about Defense Against The Dark Arts one minute, and the next minute she was hyperventilating!
The Ravenclaw common room looked like a paper factory had exploded. The 7th years, studying for their N.E.W.T.s, had taken over every available inch of table AND floor space, covering it with books and notes. This meant that the 5th years were forced out of Ravenclaw tower to find their own space in the library.
Mur plopped down hard at the last empty table in the library, and began hoisting books out of her bag. She wasn't worried about History of Magic or Defense Against The Dark Arts, but Charms and Potions were a huge concern. Her eyes saw nothing but words and pencil drawings of potion ingredients for the next half an hour. When she finally looked up, it was because Remus was standing in front of her.
"Mind if I join you?" he asked quietly. She almost said no. If Severus came up here and saw her sitting with the only person in the world that he hated worse than James Potter, there was going to be a duel right here in the library. She looked around. There were no other empty chairs.
She gestured sharply toward the chair and he grinned and plopped himself down as she went back to her book. She could at least pretend she didn't know who'd sat down.
"Mur? You were right about Sirius," he whispered. She lowered her book half an inch to peer at him. "He really was sorry, even if he didn't say it."
She nodded, then lowered her book a bit more. "Do you understand that if Severus comes in here, we are both likely to spend the night with Madam Pomfrey?" Remus looked shocked. Apparently this had not been a concern for him. He almost apologized, but thought better of it. Since she responded better to Sirius' behavior, he decided to try that.
"You don't think I can handle Snape?" he whispered. He was a little hurt when she laughed. She knew who he was trying to sound like. And he did a good job, except that he was definitely not Sirius Black.
"Black, maybe. You? No. You don't have it in you to be cruel enough. Even Potter wouldn't be a match for him if he ever really tried."
Remus didn't believe this for a second. Snape was nothing but a snivelling git. James always got the best of him.
Muriel stood up abruptly, and Remus started, wondering if his disbelief had registered on his face. Normally Remus was the only marauder whose company she could stomach for more than a few minutes, but obviously that was not the case today.
She snapped her book closed loudly, fury written all over her face. He thought SEVERUS was a snivelling git?
"Just because he HASN'T caused Potter any real damage doesn't mean he can't," she hissed angrily, throwing her books back into her bag. "Sev knows spells it would make you wretch just to hear about. You're lucky that he isn't just a little more like Malfoy, or all four of you would be in St. Mungos by now muttering to yourselves and screaming in your sleep." She threw the last book into her bag and headed out the door. Remus looked down at the desk as the entire library stared at him. Being friends with Muriel Deesia was a difficult thing.
Muriel tried to work through her Dark Arts exam slowly. She was furious with Remus, and the werewolf questions were thoroughly distracting. Still, she wasn't going to let him be the reason for losing an Outstanding grade. When the professor summoned the scrolls, she gathered her things. O.W.L.s were finally over. She looked around for Severus, but he must have headed outside. She knew where he'd be. Since last year, when they'd wanted to wait for each other, they'd always chosen the clump of bushes near the beech tree by the lake. She shouldered her bag as she headed to the castle doors, only to drop it again at the sight that was before her.
****Insert memory from Snape's Pensieve, Order of the Phoenix****
Muriel took Severus' hand as they walked to Hogsmeade on Valentine's Day, feeling a little queasy. She was sure that Sev suspected her of helping the marauders make up, and she was more than a little worried about how he would react. She was praying they wouldn't pass the boys, who were closer and happier than they'd ever been. If Remus so much as smiled at her, Sev would probably throw a tantrum in the middle of the street.
But Severus wasn't thinking about the marauders at all. Instead, he was trying to remember how to change muggle money. He didn't want to run the risk of meeting anyone they knew, so he was planning to apparate to the Leaky Cauldron and get into muggle London just as fast as he could.
He led her behind the Hogs Head, smirking. How many times had he seen Malfoy snogging Narcissa in this alley in the last few years? Pity that they'd finished school the year before. "Ready?" he asked.
Muriel nodded, still nervous, and they both disappeared with a resounding crack.
Muggle London looked very rigid to Muriel, who was used to the leaning and creaking shops of Diagon Alley. She couldn't help but be impressed by the buildings that looked like they were made entirely of glass. They took off their robes as they walked, not wanting to attract attention. Muriel had worn a simple black dress and earrings borrowed from Marisa. She wondered if there was a shop somewhere here that sold them, so she could get a pair of her own.
"How's Papa?" Severus asked finally. He didn't want her to realize that he got owls from her father almost as often as she did.
"He's afraid, but he doesn't say so. Riddle's got him running all over."
"I still can't believe you cast the Legilimens spell on him in his sleep and it didn't wake him."
"I wasn't trying to be intrusive. He was having a nightmare, and I suspected it was about the initiation ritual, because he was clutching his arm. I just sat in on the reenactment, that's all."
Severus was shaking his head, wondering if one day she'd do the same thing to him. They reached the restaurant he'd found on his last trip, and he held the door for her to go in ahead of him. "I still think you should have left him be. If he'd wanted you to know – "
"Sev, Papa was worried that I wouldn't love him or respect him anymore if I knew he'd taken the mark. You know that could never happen. I'm afraid for him, and disappointed that he wasn't strong enough to resist Riddle, but he's still Papa, no matter what. I'll always love him."
Severus turned his eyes to the ground as they sat. He desperately hoped she really meant that.
"But he should have trusted me enough to tell me himself. I couldn't stay in the dark, wondering. It's torturous, just like – "She stopped, suddenly. In the last year, she'd asked Severus if he was all right more times than she could count. And every time he had either gotten angry or changed the subject. Now, on their first-ever, real date, she didn't want to ruin the night by mentioning whatever was wrong between them.
Severus didn't answer. A few moments later they were both thankful when the waitress came back and took their orders.
"It's really nice here, Sev. Thanks for inviting me." Muriel said quietly, sipping her drink. She was rewarded with the first real smile she'd seen on him since Wood had failed to invite her to Hogsmeade in November. She smiled back. It really was a nice restaurant, very quiet. Every booth seemed removed from the others, so you could pretend you were by yourselves. There was a small dance floor, and a brass band playing muggle music that Muriel had never heard before. It was pretty. She wondered if Sev would be willing to dance here. At least none of his Slytherin goons would be able to tease him for it later.
For his part, Severus was anxious to finish eating so he could ask her to dance. He remembered all too well how nice it had felt to hold her last Christmas. And this time, he wouldn't have to think of potion ingredients.
Muriel was thrilled when he asked. Sev thought he might never have seen her quite so happy, which pleased him to no end. It had begun to occur to him that she might have trouble loving him back if he kept his mind closed to her. But tonight, she didn't seem to mind at all.
He folded his arms around her and kept her close to him as they danced. He'd thought his mind would wander again to the things he'd been so afraid to have her know. But instead, when he rested his cheek on the top of her head and smelled her hair, all he could think of was how he was going to ask her. He knew he would have to, in spite of all their parents' coaching, and her own expectations. He would still have to find the courage to ask her to marry him someday.
'But not yet,' he reminded himself, closing his eyes. They were still young. It could wait a few more years. He wouldn't have noticed when the song ended if everyone hadn't started clapping. He opened his eyes as Muriel pulled away, smiling shyly.
"What about some ice cream?" he asked, as they headed back to their table.
It was long after curfew when they got back to the castle. Muriel went with Severus down to the Slytherin dungeons, keeping her invisibility spell on them until he was safely behind the portrait.
The spell always drained her, and she decided to risk the trip to Ravenclaw tower without it. She hardly noticed when Filch caught her and gave her detention again.
She'd had a wonderful time, but something was bothering her about Severus. He still seemed so distant. Even as he'd held her, she had felt nothing from him. She could see in his eyes that he was feeling something, and it hurt her not to know what it was. She sighed softly as she climbed into bed. Maybe someday he would tell her.
* * * * * * *
The O.W.L.s were upon them faster than anyone could have imagined, with barely time to think up new hexes for the marauders. Mur had to take Marisa to Madam Pomfrey three days before the first exam. She'd been talking calmly about Defense Against The Dark Arts one minute, and the next minute she was hyperventilating!
The Ravenclaw common room looked like a paper factory had exploded. The 7th years, studying for their N.E.W.T.s, had taken over every available inch of table AND floor space, covering it with books and notes. This meant that the 5th years were forced out of Ravenclaw tower to find their own space in the library.
Mur plopped down hard at the last empty table in the library, and began hoisting books out of her bag. She wasn't worried about History of Magic or Defense Against The Dark Arts, but Charms and Potions were a huge concern. Her eyes saw nothing but words and pencil drawings of potion ingredients for the next half an hour. When she finally looked up, it was because Remus was standing in front of her.
"Mind if I join you?" he asked quietly. She almost said no. If Severus came up here and saw her sitting with the only person in the world that he hated worse than James Potter, there was going to be a duel right here in the library. She looked around. There were no other empty chairs.
She gestured sharply toward the chair and he grinned and plopped himself down as she went back to her book. She could at least pretend she didn't know who'd sat down.
"Mur? You were right about Sirius," he whispered. She lowered her book half an inch to peer at him. "He really was sorry, even if he didn't say it."
She nodded, then lowered her book a bit more. "Do you understand that if Severus comes in here, we are both likely to spend the night with Madam Pomfrey?" Remus looked shocked. Apparently this had not been a concern for him. He almost apologized, but thought better of it. Since she responded better to Sirius' behavior, he decided to try that.
"You don't think I can handle Snape?" he whispered. He was a little hurt when she laughed. She knew who he was trying to sound like. And he did a good job, except that he was definitely not Sirius Black.
"Black, maybe. You? No. You don't have it in you to be cruel enough. Even Potter wouldn't be a match for him if he ever really tried."
Remus didn't believe this for a second. Snape was nothing but a snivelling git. James always got the best of him.
Muriel stood up abruptly, and Remus started, wondering if his disbelief had registered on his face. Normally Remus was the only marauder whose company she could stomach for more than a few minutes, but obviously that was not the case today.
She snapped her book closed loudly, fury written all over her face. He thought SEVERUS was a snivelling git?
"Just because he HASN'T caused Potter any real damage doesn't mean he can't," she hissed angrily, throwing her books back into her bag. "Sev knows spells it would make you wretch just to hear about. You're lucky that he isn't just a little more like Malfoy, or all four of you would be in St. Mungos by now muttering to yourselves and screaming in your sleep." She threw the last book into her bag and headed out the door. Remus looked down at the desk as the entire library stared at him. Being friends with Muriel Deesia was a difficult thing.
Muriel tried to work through her Dark Arts exam slowly. She was furious with Remus, and the werewolf questions were thoroughly distracting. Still, she wasn't going to let him be the reason for losing an Outstanding grade. When the professor summoned the scrolls, she gathered her things. O.W.L.s were finally over. She looked around for Severus, but he must have headed outside. She knew where he'd be. Since last year, when they'd wanted to wait for each other, they'd always chosen the clump of bushes near the beech tree by the lake. She shouldered her bag as she headed to the castle doors, only to drop it again at the sight that was before her.
****Insert memory from Snape's Pensieve, Order of the Phoenix****
