Chapter 15 - Mystery
A moment later, after he had composed himself, the soft padding of Britomartis' sandals announced her arrival. "How you feeling, Severus?"
He turned to look at her - her olive skin slightly darker due to the sun, her ash blonde hair even brighter, her turquoise sundress outlining her mature figure. Her sunglasses were poised low on her nose, exposing her moss gree eyes. "Almost better," he replied. "Remind me never to accept Ambrosia from your family."
She smiled grimly, settling down in one of the chairs, placing a file on the table. "Got tanked on that stuff at my wedding feast - my relatives won't tell me what I did except say that the Ministry of Magic declared it classified. Although I understand the UN dropped the charges eventually."
He chuckled. "That's my Spirals. By the way, any goat milk around? Have a bizarre craving for it."
"Result of an Ambrosia hangover. Don't worry, the craving will subside in a few hours."
He sat back down and became serious again. "I remember somewhere in the haze that your mother claimed she never sent you to Beauxbatons."
"Yes," she confirmed. "I'm surprised they kept any type of file on me, but since money was involved, I suppose it had to be done - seven years' tuition paid to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - incidentally, the money was somehow sent to Beauxbatons - and my grade reports from Beauxbatons forwarded home with the Hogwarts letterhead."
Severus looked over the report cards. "I see you did try to flunk out like you promised."
"Yes - unfortunately, they decided to put me in the 'gifted' program because they figured out I was using different learning methods. Finally decided to give up." She looked up. "I did owl you everyday for the rest of the semester."
"I did, too, especially after all that crap I went through with the Marauders and my father."
"I never got a note from you."
"Same here. Someone's been intercepting the owls."
She snorted, leaning back in her chair and folding her arms behind her head. "Great Mother, who would go to the trouble to break up a couple of friends and create a huge conspiracy to keep them apart? Who'd be interested?"
Severus hung his head, his black hair curtaining his face. "I think I know who."
Britomartis leaned forward, parting his hair. "Severus ... who?"
"The Dark Lord."
She pulled back. "Why?" After a second, she added. "Oh." She thought a little more. "Snips, did I really have that kind of power to change your life?"
He continued to look at the limestone patio floor. "I was being groomed - literally groomed - to take my father's place. You didn't know that the reason I knew the Dark Arts was because I had been studying by my father's side all my young life, that I had unlimited access to the Restricted Section of the library to continue my studies at school, that the darkness had been part of my soul since before I was born so I could be Maledictis Snape's acolyte and servant of the Dark Lord. You offered me rebellion - salvation - against their wishes. They offered abuse and coldness - you offered love and warmth ... and I wanted to choose the warmth." He bared his teeth. "It would not be beyond them to take the obstacles of their wishes out of my way, including sending you somewhere else. I'm surprised they allowed you to live."
"Then Voldemort made his mistake," Britomartis stated clinically. "In getting my family out of the way because I refused to surrender, I was brought back to you."
He looked up. "Martis, the price was too much - "
"We're not talking about checks and balances, Severus, we're talking about a twisted megalomaniac that wanted you in his stable of evil." She paused, looking at the file. "All of a sudden, my own problems seem quite petty."
"No, still important," he insisted.
"It leads back to him - " she stated, slamming a finger down on the file. "Voldemort's greed for power had screwed both of us! He pulled us apart, he used you, he had my family killed!"
Her mouth opened and closed, overwhelmed with such thick waves of emotion she could not say anything. Severus got up, rounding the table and picking her up from her seat, holding her close against his chest with her head on his shoulder. He stroked her hair, giving her his strength by squeezing her fiercely.
"He won't anymore, Martis," he said quietly. "It's just us now. Just us."
They held each other as the morning sun sparkled off the ocean waves.
* * *
The Hogwarts students were asked to stage a Quidditch demonstration match in the arena. With two Seekers (Harry and Draco), two Beaters (the Weasley twins), and one Keeper (Oliver), the Chasers ended up being Elizabeth, Ron, Glynis, and Ginny (Hermione passed, explaining that she was allergic to having her face smashed in).
The Seekers gave a demonstration of their tracking and flying prowess by chasing after enchanted balls of clay while helpful youths launched iron cannon balls at them to imitate the Bludgers. Next, the Weasley twins showed off for their Lady Ophelia by hitting back these same cannon balls with their practice clubs.
The game was pulled together by having the Seekers compete against each other and the Chasers attempting to get past the Keeper's defenses with a leather Quaffle ball, all the while the Beaters keeping everyone safe from the random cannon ball Bludgers.
One 'Bludger' was hit out of the way by a Weasley, shooting straight for the section where the Vox family was located - Britomartis stood up and slammed the 'Bludger' out of the stands with one of the Weasleys' spare clubs in a backhand hit. The cannon ball sailed right through a hoop and slammed into the sandy arena, digging a crater three feet across.
Oliver, Fred, and George paused long enough to shriek a cheer toward their teacher, whom had never seen her perform her famous Bludger Backbeat play.
"Haven't seen that in twenty years, Spirals," Severus commented as she sat back down.
"Amazing how automatically it came back to me," she replied. She linked her hand in his discreetly. "The children all asked for memory charms concerning your activities from last night."
Severus groaned. "What did I do?"
"When did you ever hear the song 'I'm Too Sexy'?"
"Never heard of it."
"Interesting."
Draco Malfoy soared across the arena, chasing after the imitation Snitch, when one of the children he had offended recently (still called the natives 'Cretin') tossed a furry snake in his flight path. The snake wrapped itself like a coil around his head, cutting off his sight and hearing.
Draco lost control of his broom and began to zigzag toward the ground as one hand went to attempting to peel the snake from his head.
Britomartis was already up and going down to the arena just as he hit the ground.
Incensed more than hurt, he began to try to pull the snake off, which only responded with a loud 'BOING' with every tug he gave.
"Mr. Malfoy, calm down - it's only a Boingie."
His mouth came free of a coil of snake flesh: "GET THIS BLOODY STUPID THING OFF ME!"
"Stuggling like that will only make them cling longer, Draco," Britomartis stated as she tried to catch him in her arms. "They're more terrified than you are, that's why they're wrapped around you."
"THEY'RE terrified? What about ME?? I'm the one with the hairy serpent around my head!"
He swung around and rammed the snake headfirst into a wall - he only succeeded in bouncing back with a booming 'BOING'.
Britomartis suppressed the smile as she finally landed him in a tackle and held him still. "Ophelia! Help peel the Boingie off Mr. Malfoy's head, dear."
Draco stopped struggling long enough for Ophelia to slowly uncoil the furry snake from around his head; incidently, it also gave him opportunity to feel his teacher's body pressed into his.
"Tch, tch," the niece commented. "Like most young men his age, he's getting in trouble with a hairy snake - "
"Ophelia," Britomartis warned her.
"Sorry, Auntie," she replied. "There, you're free from the poor, scared, helpless Boingie." She nuzzled her nose against the snake's nose as she held it up to her face and made cooing noises. "Aw, it's only a baby one, too!"
"Bloody thing tried to kill me," Draco muttered, brushing his hair back. "I need to go lie down, Professor Vox."
"As well you should," she agreed as she released him. "Ophelia? Could you escort Mr. Malfoy back to the villa?"
"Of course." She released the Boingie as Britomartis got up and went back to the stands. "Well, Malfoy, just you and me, brother."
He sneered slightly, then a cool smile crossed his face. "Miss Ophelia, my classmates Harry and Ron mentioned that you three explored a ruin the other day."
"Yes," she replied as she reached for his hand and escorted him. "What about it?"
"I'd like to see it myself, if you don't mind. I'm still gathering information for my own research paper."
"Oh, no problem at all. Are you well enough to go climbing into caves, though?"
"The fall wasn't that bad." He held up his broom. "We can go by air."
Ophelia released his hand and grinned. "All right. Let me get Gaea ready."
Draco watched the older teenage girl trot off, and smirked to himself.
A moment later, after he had composed himself, the soft padding of Britomartis' sandals announced her arrival. "How you feeling, Severus?"
He turned to look at her - her olive skin slightly darker due to the sun, her ash blonde hair even brighter, her turquoise sundress outlining her mature figure. Her sunglasses were poised low on her nose, exposing her moss gree eyes. "Almost better," he replied. "Remind me never to accept Ambrosia from your family."
She smiled grimly, settling down in one of the chairs, placing a file on the table. "Got tanked on that stuff at my wedding feast - my relatives won't tell me what I did except say that the Ministry of Magic declared it classified. Although I understand the UN dropped the charges eventually."
He chuckled. "That's my Spirals. By the way, any goat milk around? Have a bizarre craving for it."
"Result of an Ambrosia hangover. Don't worry, the craving will subside in a few hours."
He sat back down and became serious again. "I remember somewhere in the haze that your mother claimed she never sent you to Beauxbatons."
"Yes," she confirmed. "I'm surprised they kept any type of file on me, but since money was involved, I suppose it had to be done - seven years' tuition paid to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - incidentally, the money was somehow sent to Beauxbatons - and my grade reports from Beauxbatons forwarded home with the Hogwarts letterhead."
Severus looked over the report cards. "I see you did try to flunk out like you promised."
"Yes - unfortunately, they decided to put me in the 'gifted' program because they figured out I was using different learning methods. Finally decided to give up." She looked up. "I did owl you everyday for the rest of the semester."
"I did, too, especially after all that crap I went through with the Marauders and my father."
"I never got a note from you."
"Same here. Someone's been intercepting the owls."
She snorted, leaning back in her chair and folding her arms behind her head. "Great Mother, who would go to the trouble to break up a couple of friends and create a huge conspiracy to keep them apart? Who'd be interested?"
Severus hung his head, his black hair curtaining his face. "I think I know who."
Britomartis leaned forward, parting his hair. "Severus ... who?"
"The Dark Lord."
She pulled back. "Why?" After a second, she added. "Oh." She thought a little more. "Snips, did I really have that kind of power to change your life?"
He continued to look at the limestone patio floor. "I was being groomed - literally groomed - to take my father's place. You didn't know that the reason I knew the Dark Arts was because I had been studying by my father's side all my young life, that I had unlimited access to the Restricted Section of the library to continue my studies at school, that the darkness had been part of my soul since before I was born so I could be Maledictis Snape's acolyte and servant of the Dark Lord. You offered me rebellion - salvation - against their wishes. They offered abuse and coldness - you offered love and warmth ... and I wanted to choose the warmth." He bared his teeth. "It would not be beyond them to take the obstacles of their wishes out of my way, including sending you somewhere else. I'm surprised they allowed you to live."
"Then Voldemort made his mistake," Britomartis stated clinically. "In getting my family out of the way because I refused to surrender, I was brought back to you."
He looked up. "Martis, the price was too much - "
"We're not talking about checks and balances, Severus, we're talking about a twisted megalomaniac that wanted you in his stable of evil." She paused, looking at the file. "All of a sudden, my own problems seem quite petty."
"No, still important," he insisted.
"It leads back to him - " she stated, slamming a finger down on the file. "Voldemort's greed for power had screwed both of us! He pulled us apart, he used you, he had my family killed!"
Her mouth opened and closed, overwhelmed with such thick waves of emotion she could not say anything. Severus got up, rounding the table and picking her up from her seat, holding her close against his chest with her head on his shoulder. He stroked her hair, giving her his strength by squeezing her fiercely.
"He won't anymore, Martis," he said quietly. "It's just us now. Just us."
They held each other as the morning sun sparkled off the ocean waves.
* * *
The Hogwarts students were asked to stage a Quidditch demonstration match in the arena. With two Seekers (Harry and Draco), two Beaters (the Weasley twins), and one Keeper (Oliver), the Chasers ended up being Elizabeth, Ron, Glynis, and Ginny (Hermione passed, explaining that she was allergic to having her face smashed in).
The Seekers gave a demonstration of their tracking and flying prowess by chasing after enchanted balls of clay while helpful youths launched iron cannon balls at them to imitate the Bludgers. Next, the Weasley twins showed off for their Lady Ophelia by hitting back these same cannon balls with their practice clubs.
The game was pulled together by having the Seekers compete against each other and the Chasers attempting to get past the Keeper's defenses with a leather Quaffle ball, all the while the Beaters keeping everyone safe from the random cannon ball Bludgers.
One 'Bludger' was hit out of the way by a Weasley, shooting straight for the section where the Vox family was located - Britomartis stood up and slammed the 'Bludger' out of the stands with one of the Weasleys' spare clubs in a backhand hit. The cannon ball sailed right through a hoop and slammed into the sandy arena, digging a crater three feet across.
Oliver, Fred, and George paused long enough to shriek a cheer toward their teacher, whom had never seen her perform her famous Bludger Backbeat play.
"Haven't seen that in twenty years, Spirals," Severus commented as she sat back down.
"Amazing how automatically it came back to me," she replied. She linked her hand in his discreetly. "The children all asked for memory charms concerning your activities from last night."
Severus groaned. "What did I do?"
"When did you ever hear the song 'I'm Too Sexy'?"
"Never heard of it."
"Interesting."
Draco Malfoy soared across the arena, chasing after the imitation Snitch, when one of the children he had offended recently (still called the natives 'Cretin') tossed a furry snake in his flight path. The snake wrapped itself like a coil around his head, cutting off his sight and hearing.
Draco lost control of his broom and began to zigzag toward the ground as one hand went to attempting to peel the snake from his head.
Britomartis was already up and going down to the arena just as he hit the ground.
Incensed more than hurt, he began to try to pull the snake off, which only responded with a loud 'BOING' with every tug he gave.
"Mr. Malfoy, calm down - it's only a Boingie."
His mouth came free of a coil of snake flesh: "GET THIS BLOODY STUPID THING OFF ME!"
"Stuggling like that will only make them cling longer, Draco," Britomartis stated as she tried to catch him in her arms. "They're more terrified than you are, that's why they're wrapped around you."
"THEY'RE terrified? What about ME?? I'm the one with the hairy serpent around my head!"
He swung around and rammed the snake headfirst into a wall - he only succeeded in bouncing back with a booming 'BOING'.
Britomartis suppressed the smile as she finally landed him in a tackle and held him still. "Ophelia! Help peel the Boingie off Mr. Malfoy's head, dear."
Draco stopped struggling long enough for Ophelia to slowly uncoil the furry snake from around his head; incidently, it also gave him opportunity to feel his teacher's body pressed into his.
"Tch, tch," the niece commented. "Like most young men his age, he's getting in trouble with a hairy snake - "
"Ophelia," Britomartis warned her.
"Sorry, Auntie," she replied. "There, you're free from the poor, scared, helpless Boingie." She nuzzled her nose against the snake's nose as she held it up to her face and made cooing noises. "Aw, it's only a baby one, too!"
"Bloody thing tried to kill me," Draco muttered, brushing his hair back. "I need to go lie down, Professor Vox."
"As well you should," she agreed as she released him. "Ophelia? Could you escort Mr. Malfoy back to the villa?"
"Of course." She released the Boingie as Britomartis got up and went back to the stands. "Well, Malfoy, just you and me, brother."
He sneered slightly, then a cool smile crossed his face. "Miss Ophelia, my classmates Harry and Ron mentioned that you three explored a ruin the other day."
"Yes," she replied as she reached for his hand and escorted him. "What about it?"
"I'd like to see it myself, if you don't mind. I'm still gathering information for my own research paper."
"Oh, no problem at all. Are you well enough to go climbing into caves, though?"
"The fall wasn't that bad." He held up his broom. "We can go by air."
Ophelia released his hand and grinned. "All right. Let me get Gaea ready."
Draco watched the older teenage girl trot off, and smirked to himself.