Chapter 17 - Hail and Farewell
The other students had no idea what had occurred in the cave or with Draco Malfoy. The concensus was that the crash from earlier had scrambled his brains. Oliver gladly helped move Draco's trunks out of their room and into the sick room while Draco recovered. The rest of the students went to the feast that night in high spirits, offering toasts to the Boingie that attacked his face.
Saphira Vox had sent for one of her sons, a healer of the psyche, to determine to what extent her mind had been touched.
It took well into the night to explore over seventy years of memory passages and layers of time. At last Klemendis sent for Britomartis, and she entered her mother's rooms, expecting nothing.
Saphira lay quietly on the bed, her eyes closed, but quite awake. "What have you found, my son?"
The man brushed back his brown sugar-colored hair. "Well, Mother, I've explored your mind and discovered there had indeed been a block put in almost thirty-four years ago. Rather ingenious block, actually, surrounded by layers of indifference and 'social blindness'."
"Social blindness?" Britomartis repeated.
"Sure. The ability to not notice something that doesn't affect you. It has some long, boring, stuffy, polysyllable name that nobody's interested in knowing, so that's the short of it. Anyway, Mother's 'blindness' was directed toward you, and had only been penetrated around six years ago when ... you know ... "
"When my family was killed," Britomartis supplied.
"Those outside of my 'block' were affected, and since you were connected to them, I noticed what had happened," Saphira said softly from her bed.
"I suspect the trauma broke down the spell."
"Spell?" Britomartis repeated.
Klemendis blinked. "Of course, baby sister. From what I can gather it's a Wizard's spell, something powerful enough to ensnare itself into the psyche and suggest that you were a minor detail in Mother's mind."
"An Imperius Curse." Britomartis gazed at her mother. "And if what Lucius Malfoy said was true, then I really was being recruited by Voldemort." An expression of horror crossed her face. "Great Mother - all of us at Slytherin - we were all - "
Her elder brother's brows knotted. "Slytherin? But, Martis, all of us Vox kids were put in Ravenclaw - "
"Yes! Adonia mentioned it was odd the Sorting Hat had put me in Slytherin ... but now it makes sense ... from what Severus told me, the group that we had run around with was connected with Death Eaters one way or another, mostly suspected, but nonetheless ... " Britomartis embraced her brother in a tight hug. "Thank the Mother you and the rest of the kids raised me - I would have been a servant of Voldemort if I had been left to Mother's curse-influence." She pulled away, her hands shaking. "Great Mother, Severus was right - I proved to be useless and was removed because of my influence on him ... "
"Sis?" Klemendis ventured.
She looked up. "Everything's making sense for the first time in my life and I'm quite relieved, that's all." She knelt next to her Mother's bed and caressed the old woman's wrinkled dark cheek. "It wasn't your fault. It wasn't my fault."
Saphira opened her blue eyes, reaching a gnarled hand over to touch her daughter's cheek. "I've carried a hate for myself for years, once the block had been punctured, that I had somehow convinced myself that my youngest - my baby - simply did not matter." Her mouth became a neutral line, her old eyes drooping at the sides. "Nothing can change the past, my daughter, I have no excuse." Tears streamed down the crow's feet of her eyes. "Great Mother, if I ever come across a Death Eater or Voldemort himself, I will tear their heads off for what they made me do to you and for what they did to the children!"
"Same here," Klemendis added. "Once the entire family hears about this, there won't be a Death Eater that could get within a hundred miles of Crete without one of us calling upon the Furies."
Saphira began sobbing. "Oh, my child, I'm so, so sorry ... "
"Put Mother on suicide watch," Britomartis told her brother quietly. "She's unstable right now, and the guilt may push her over the edge."
"I know." Klemendis leaned over the Matriarch's bed. "Mother, I'm going to do a brain scanning of Father to see how he had been affected. I'll send in one of the girls to look after you." He nodded to his youngest sister and left the room.
"Mother, please stop," Britomartis said. "I know how much this hurts. Hell, it eats me up now, knowing - intellectually - that it wasn't your fault. There's still a huge chunk that isn't expecting anything to come of this."
Saphira turned her head, sitting up and pulling her daughter closer. "If you've the patience and the willingness, I want to start over again. Now that the spell had been broken up completely, I can say without hesitation that I am fiercely proud of you, that I admire your strength, and that I love you with all my heart, my Britomartis. You're my baby, always will be my baby, and I want nothing more than to be able to love you as my baby. I love you, my child, please let me be in your life."
Despite the back of her mind screaming for her to walk out, Britomartis found herself shedding tears while her mother held her as both cried for the loss of thirty-four years of life. Eventually, Saphira fell asleep from emotional exhaustion and Britomartis left her mother's room as Ophelia came in to look after the Vox Matriarch.
Britomartis shut the door and wandered down the hall and to one of the balconies looking out over the ocean. Finding Severus leaning against the stone railing, she joined him.
"How is she?"
Britomartis told him.
He brushed his hair from his face. "And you?"
"I don't know yet. To be suddenly presented with a real mother after thirty-three years is confusing."
Severus drew an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, his lips resting against her temple. "Be with her, Martis. You've wanted this ever since I've known you."
"Yes." She snaked her arms around his waist and lay her head against his shoulder, watching the dolphins play in the moonlight.
* * *
Elizabeth Humphries noted her roommate was missing the next morning.
She had expected this, actually, since it seems Glynis and Oliver were getting more and more involved in other's doings to the point in which they were checking each other's teeth with their tongues.
Elizabeth sighed as she picked up her towel and bath supplies. True, she was fourteen, but sometimes people's hormones really mystified her. All this time, Glynis had been bickering with and bad-mouthing the Gryffies' Quidditch Captain, and then she goes off and sucks face with him. Really, really weird. It should be her instead.
A loud 'ZARK!' noise exploded in the hall.
She opened up the door to the hallway and noted Glynis' smoking form laying stiffly in front of Oliver's door. Her face was covered with soot and her hair was standing on end.
"Tch, tch," Elizabeth commented. "Found out that the same spells between the boys and the girls dorms still work out here?"
Glynis growled. "Help me up, Lizard, before the Professors find me like this."
Elizabeth giggled and helped the graduate up. "Geez, you smell like fried bacon."
"Oh, shut up, or I'll tell Fred you've got the hots for him."
Oliver poked his head out, surveyed the damage, then whispered, "Damn! Snape's got our number!"
Elizabeth smirked. "Well, since she's out of commission, stud-monkey, is it my turn?"
"In your dreams, Humphries!"
"Indeed it is," she answered. Oliver slammed the door and she giggled as she dragged Glynis into the bathing room.
"Mine, Lizard-breath," Glynis snarled.
* * *
Britomartis was dabbing a washcloth over Draco's forehead when his eyes fluttered open in the bright morning light in the sick room.
"Welcome back, Mr. Malfoy," she said. "Do you remember what happened last?"
Draco squeezed his eyes shut, yawned, opened his eyes again, then grimaced. "Feels like something died in my mouth, ma'am. Did those Weasley whelps have anything to do with it?"
"No, they haven't touched you. What do you remember last?"
"Someone throwing a snake in my face. I think I crashed."
Britomartis sliently breathed a sigh of relief. The boy's father evidently had him some place else during the possession, completely unaware of what was going on. "You did indeed have a nasty crash. Fortunately, it was only a concussion which knocked you out for the night."
"I missed the feast? Bugger!"
"There's another one tonight, young sir," she assured him. "However, you're still pretty weak from your injuries, so I suggest you take it easy today."
"Nonsense, old woman, I can handle it!"
He struggled to sit up until she pushed him backward with her fingertip to his forehead. "You are getting sleepy."
"Cut the hypno-trancer-wannabe act, Vox."
Britomartis smiled. "Good to have you back, Mr. Malfoy."
* * *
The last week of the trip went by quietly as the students continued their studies of the island for their research papers. Hermione was now fluent in both ancient and modern Minoan and was frequenting the temples with Elizabeth on a daily basis.
In fact, a scandal had almost blown up in the Professor's face when Hermione and Elizabeth showed up at the Vox villa wearing the Priestess costumes ... from the Bronze Age.
Elizabeth proudly paraded around in the ancient Minoan Snake Priestess costume of the ochre red mutli-tiered skirt with half-moon gold apron and tight-fitting open bodice, her blue-streaked blonde hair plaited in the traditional braids and wearing the wide-brim cap of a High Priestess. Hermione was more subdued with her own displays, instead holding one of Ophelia's snakes and reciting the Snake Goddess Charge in ancient Minoan.
Britomartis was the first to object: "GET OUT OF THOSE COSTUMES - NOW!"
Elizabeth ignored the Weasley males falling over themselves and Harry Potter discreetly turning around and politely burying his nose in a corner. "But Professor, I thought you would appreciate us immersing ourselves in the culture - "
"THAT'S NOT THE POINT - OUT OF THOSE!"
Hermione elbowed Elizabeth's forearm and pointed to her own chest. The Slytherin girl held up her female assets and added, "Oh, I get it, it's because our - "
"NO - IT'S BECAUSE YOU AREN'T PRIESTESSES!" She turned on the Weasley boys. "All of you - close your mouths, you're drooling on your shoes! Fred - George - if you two say a word, I will send you home faster than a Cornish Pixie on amphetamines!"
Draco, witnessing the whole thing, remarked, "Father would be interested to know - "
She turned on him with, "And you, young Malfoy, will not say a word, either, or you will have an increase of ten-thousand words on your paper." She turned back around, seeing Hermione and Elizabeth giggling hysterically to themselves like the miscreants they were as they ran up the stairs to the rooms.
Britomartis exhaled loudly, rubbing her temples. And here she was worried if Ophelia was going to do this sort of thing at her British students; she never expected serious and proper Hermione Granger of all people to walk around without her chest covered!
First time for everything.
* * *
The last day of the Crete trip was upon the students and Professors of Hogwarts.
Britomartis and Severus were having a quiet breakfast on the patio as the students loaded their luggage onto the boat back to England.
"Any word from Malfoy?" he asked.
"One owled message - something to the effect of he'll be watching us."
Severus chuckled. "Hope he's entertained. We're rather boring people."
"Speak for yourself, darling." She slathered honey all over a chunk of bread. "Mother is getting better." She nibbled at the bread as a stream of honey dribbled down her fingers.
"Yes, I noticed you didn't wallop her during dinner last night," he remarked as he stared at her honey-covered hand. "Of course, having one's meat cut at your age by their mother is rather humiliating."
She made a face at him. "Seperation anxiety's already kicked in, though. I told her I'd owl her everyday, so that should placate her for a little while." More honey dripped down her hand as she ate. "The Priestess Council finally decided on what to do with the Labrys."
"What?"
"Damned if they tell me. I don't want anything more to do with it." She put the bread down.
Severus reached across the table and picked her hand up, darting his tongue out to lick the honey from her fingers. His black eyes gazed steadily at her face as the sunglasses slipped down one ear and exposed her wide green eyes.
"Snips ... " she squealed.
He released her hand, smirking in a smarmy manner. "Don't squeal, it's undignified."
Britomartis broke into giggles. "Don't do it unless you mean it, sweets." Her face became solemn, then she got up and grabbed his arm. "Come along."
"Where are we going?" he asked as he grabbed a handful of olives.
After a few moments both entered the Vox family shrine, Britomartis pulling Severus up to her family's nook.
"Dion, children ... I'm joining the human race again," she stated. "I've held onto you too tightly, hiding behind what happened to not have to live on." She squeezed Severus' hand. "I want to live now - "
Severus leaned close to her. "Don't make it a rant, Spirals."
She chucked his large nose. "You ruined the moment!" She turned back to the shrine. "Dion, Alia, Sybil, Eneas, Vasilis - I love you, darlings. I always have and always will. Don't worry, Mama's not going to be alone now - remember I told you about my friend Snips? We're back together again. I'll be all right now. He's a good man, despite all the crude he's been through. I think you would have liked him, Dion. Children, I love you."
Severus drew an arm around her shoulders. "Martis, you're crying - "
"Happiness, Snips. Come on, we have to get back."
* * *
The sail and train rides were uneventuful, the group finally making their way to the London station to be received by parents.
Molly and Arthur Weasley happily enclosing all four Weasley children in their arms, immediately asking if there were any mercenaries or enraged fathers after them (the boys quietly telling their father that Ophelia broke their hearts when she informed them she preferred much older men with long dark hair).
Narcissa Malfoy came to pick up Draco, the aristocratic mother exchanging a look with Britomartis - not threatening, yet not gratitude. Very likely miffed that she could not see Vox's eyes even after twenty years. She doted on her son, not saying a word to the Professors and leaving as soon as his luggage had been gathered.
The Grangers picked up Hermione - slightly surprised by the double-axe shirt she wore and spiral earrings dangling from her ears. They checked her teeth, then spoke with Professor Vox a little about Hermione's behavior on the trip. Britomartis conveniently did not mention the fact their daughter paraded around with her chest exposed - British Muggles really would not understand old Minoan culture.
The Woods and Rypers came to pick up their teenagers - the mothers of Oliver and Glynis exchanging fretful looks as the two teenagers kissed each other in a most indecent manner. Mrs. Wood did ask what had happened, and Professor Vox answered that Mediterranean islands have that effect on people. Mrs. Ryper seemed to understand after the vague explanation.
The Humphries also gathered up Elizabeth - Mr. Humphries a well-mannered and manicured man with white hair and a gap in his teeth, and Mrs. Humphries a younger lady with a large smile and a thick Somerset accent. Both invited the Professors over for tea at their home Millstone Manor, of which Britomartis and Severus accepted politely.
Harry Potter called a car to pick him up to take him to his aunt's home in Surrey, then the Weasleys offered him a ride ... their conversations died in the distance, leaving Professors Britomartis Vox and Severus Snape between platforms nine and ten.
Both held a suitcase, their other hands gripped together.
"Need a vacation from the vacation," Britomartis sighed. "I'm exhausted."
"Then back to the school, Martis," Severus assured her. "And we'll have the rest of the summer to forget about students, schoolwork, and - "
They paused just before the column. She released his hand and placed it on his cheek, leaning close and touching her lips to his, just brushing against his lips as she spoke. "And just us in the dungeons the whole summer."
He smirked with a flirtatious chuckle. "Whatever shall we do?"
Britomartis pulled away, sliding her sunglasses down to wink at him. "We'll find something."
She backed up and Severus gave her a strong slap against her backend, sending her into a dash through the portal.
Severus Snape grinned, then entered the portal, walking into her arms and into a very passionate kiss on the other side.
"Come on," she breathed. "We'll practice our Tango moves."
-End-
The other students had no idea what had occurred in the cave or with Draco Malfoy. The concensus was that the crash from earlier had scrambled his brains. Oliver gladly helped move Draco's trunks out of their room and into the sick room while Draco recovered. The rest of the students went to the feast that night in high spirits, offering toasts to the Boingie that attacked his face.
Saphira Vox had sent for one of her sons, a healer of the psyche, to determine to what extent her mind had been touched.
It took well into the night to explore over seventy years of memory passages and layers of time. At last Klemendis sent for Britomartis, and she entered her mother's rooms, expecting nothing.
Saphira lay quietly on the bed, her eyes closed, but quite awake. "What have you found, my son?"
The man brushed back his brown sugar-colored hair. "Well, Mother, I've explored your mind and discovered there had indeed been a block put in almost thirty-four years ago. Rather ingenious block, actually, surrounded by layers of indifference and 'social blindness'."
"Social blindness?" Britomartis repeated.
"Sure. The ability to not notice something that doesn't affect you. It has some long, boring, stuffy, polysyllable name that nobody's interested in knowing, so that's the short of it. Anyway, Mother's 'blindness' was directed toward you, and had only been penetrated around six years ago when ... you know ... "
"When my family was killed," Britomartis supplied.
"Those outside of my 'block' were affected, and since you were connected to them, I noticed what had happened," Saphira said softly from her bed.
"I suspect the trauma broke down the spell."
"Spell?" Britomartis repeated.
Klemendis blinked. "Of course, baby sister. From what I can gather it's a Wizard's spell, something powerful enough to ensnare itself into the psyche and suggest that you were a minor detail in Mother's mind."
"An Imperius Curse." Britomartis gazed at her mother. "And if what Lucius Malfoy said was true, then I really was being recruited by Voldemort." An expression of horror crossed her face. "Great Mother - all of us at Slytherin - we were all - "
Her elder brother's brows knotted. "Slytherin? But, Martis, all of us Vox kids were put in Ravenclaw - "
"Yes! Adonia mentioned it was odd the Sorting Hat had put me in Slytherin ... but now it makes sense ... from what Severus told me, the group that we had run around with was connected with Death Eaters one way or another, mostly suspected, but nonetheless ... " Britomartis embraced her brother in a tight hug. "Thank the Mother you and the rest of the kids raised me - I would have been a servant of Voldemort if I had been left to Mother's curse-influence." She pulled away, her hands shaking. "Great Mother, Severus was right - I proved to be useless and was removed because of my influence on him ... "
"Sis?" Klemendis ventured.
She looked up. "Everything's making sense for the first time in my life and I'm quite relieved, that's all." She knelt next to her Mother's bed and caressed the old woman's wrinkled dark cheek. "It wasn't your fault. It wasn't my fault."
Saphira opened her blue eyes, reaching a gnarled hand over to touch her daughter's cheek. "I've carried a hate for myself for years, once the block had been punctured, that I had somehow convinced myself that my youngest - my baby - simply did not matter." Her mouth became a neutral line, her old eyes drooping at the sides. "Nothing can change the past, my daughter, I have no excuse." Tears streamed down the crow's feet of her eyes. "Great Mother, if I ever come across a Death Eater or Voldemort himself, I will tear their heads off for what they made me do to you and for what they did to the children!"
"Same here," Klemendis added. "Once the entire family hears about this, there won't be a Death Eater that could get within a hundred miles of Crete without one of us calling upon the Furies."
Saphira began sobbing. "Oh, my child, I'm so, so sorry ... "
"Put Mother on suicide watch," Britomartis told her brother quietly. "She's unstable right now, and the guilt may push her over the edge."
"I know." Klemendis leaned over the Matriarch's bed. "Mother, I'm going to do a brain scanning of Father to see how he had been affected. I'll send in one of the girls to look after you." He nodded to his youngest sister and left the room.
"Mother, please stop," Britomartis said. "I know how much this hurts. Hell, it eats me up now, knowing - intellectually - that it wasn't your fault. There's still a huge chunk that isn't expecting anything to come of this."
Saphira turned her head, sitting up and pulling her daughter closer. "If you've the patience and the willingness, I want to start over again. Now that the spell had been broken up completely, I can say without hesitation that I am fiercely proud of you, that I admire your strength, and that I love you with all my heart, my Britomartis. You're my baby, always will be my baby, and I want nothing more than to be able to love you as my baby. I love you, my child, please let me be in your life."
Despite the back of her mind screaming for her to walk out, Britomartis found herself shedding tears while her mother held her as both cried for the loss of thirty-four years of life. Eventually, Saphira fell asleep from emotional exhaustion and Britomartis left her mother's room as Ophelia came in to look after the Vox Matriarch.
Britomartis shut the door and wandered down the hall and to one of the balconies looking out over the ocean. Finding Severus leaning against the stone railing, she joined him.
"How is she?"
Britomartis told him.
He brushed his hair from his face. "And you?"
"I don't know yet. To be suddenly presented with a real mother after thirty-three years is confusing."
Severus drew an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, his lips resting against her temple. "Be with her, Martis. You've wanted this ever since I've known you."
"Yes." She snaked her arms around his waist and lay her head against his shoulder, watching the dolphins play in the moonlight.
* * *
Elizabeth Humphries noted her roommate was missing the next morning.
She had expected this, actually, since it seems Glynis and Oliver were getting more and more involved in other's doings to the point in which they were checking each other's teeth with their tongues.
Elizabeth sighed as she picked up her towel and bath supplies. True, she was fourteen, but sometimes people's hormones really mystified her. All this time, Glynis had been bickering with and bad-mouthing the Gryffies' Quidditch Captain, and then she goes off and sucks face with him. Really, really weird. It should be her instead.
A loud 'ZARK!' noise exploded in the hall.
She opened up the door to the hallway and noted Glynis' smoking form laying stiffly in front of Oliver's door. Her face was covered with soot and her hair was standing on end.
"Tch, tch," Elizabeth commented. "Found out that the same spells between the boys and the girls dorms still work out here?"
Glynis growled. "Help me up, Lizard, before the Professors find me like this."
Elizabeth giggled and helped the graduate up. "Geez, you smell like fried bacon."
"Oh, shut up, or I'll tell Fred you've got the hots for him."
Oliver poked his head out, surveyed the damage, then whispered, "Damn! Snape's got our number!"
Elizabeth smirked. "Well, since she's out of commission, stud-monkey, is it my turn?"
"In your dreams, Humphries!"
"Indeed it is," she answered. Oliver slammed the door and she giggled as she dragged Glynis into the bathing room.
"Mine, Lizard-breath," Glynis snarled.
* * *
Britomartis was dabbing a washcloth over Draco's forehead when his eyes fluttered open in the bright morning light in the sick room.
"Welcome back, Mr. Malfoy," she said. "Do you remember what happened last?"
Draco squeezed his eyes shut, yawned, opened his eyes again, then grimaced. "Feels like something died in my mouth, ma'am. Did those Weasley whelps have anything to do with it?"
"No, they haven't touched you. What do you remember last?"
"Someone throwing a snake in my face. I think I crashed."
Britomartis sliently breathed a sigh of relief. The boy's father evidently had him some place else during the possession, completely unaware of what was going on. "You did indeed have a nasty crash. Fortunately, it was only a concussion which knocked you out for the night."
"I missed the feast? Bugger!"
"There's another one tonight, young sir," she assured him. "However, you're still pretty weak from your injuries, so I suggest you take it easy today."
"Nonsense, old woman, I can handle it!"
He struggled to sit up until she pushed him backward with her fingertip to his forehead. "You are getting sleepy."
"Cut the hypno-trancer-wannabe act, Vox."
Britomartis smiled. "Good to have you back, Mr. Malfoy."
* * *
The last week of the trip went by quietly as the students continued their studies of the island for their research papers. Hermione was now fluent in both ancient and modern Minoan and was frequenting the temples with Elizabeth on a daily basis.
In fact, a scandal had almost blown up in the Professor's face when Hermione and Elizabeth showed up at the Vox villa wearing the Priestess costumes ... from the Bronze Age.
Elizabeth proudly paraded around in the ancient Minoan Snake Priestess costume of the ochre red mutli-tiered skirt with half-moon gold apron and tight-fitting open bodice, her blue-streaked blonde hair plaited in the traditional braids and wearing the wide-brim cap of a High Priestess. Hermione was more subdued with her own displays, instead holding one of Ophelia's snakes and reciting the Snake Goddess Charge in ancient Minoan.
Britomartis was the first to object: "GET OUT OF THOSE COSTUMES - NOW!"
Elizabeth ignored the Weasley males falling over themselves and Harry Potter discreetly turning around and politely burying his nose in a corner. "But Professor, I thought you would appreciate us immersing ourselves in the culture - "
"THAT'S NOT THE POINT - OUT OF THOSE!"
Hermione elbowed Elizabeth's forearm and pointed to her own chest. The Slytherin girl held up her female assets and added, "Oh, I get it, it's because our - "
"NO - IT'S BECAUSE YOU AREN'T PRIESTESSES!" She turned on the Weasley boys. "All of you - close your mouths, you're drooling on your shoes! Fred - George - if you two say a word, I will send you home faster than a Cornish Pixie on amphetamines!"
Draco, witnessing the whole thing, remarked, "Father would be interested to know - "
She turned on him with, "And you, young Malfoy, will not say a word, either, or you will have an increase of ten-thousand words on your paper." She turned back around, seeing Hermione and Elizabeth giggling hysterically to themselves like the miscreants they were as they ran up the stairs to the rooms.
Britomartis exhaled loudly, rubbing her temples. And here she was worried if Ophelia was going to do this sort of thing at her British students; she never expected serious and proper Hermione Granger of all people to walk around without her chest covered!
First time for everything.
* * *
The last day of the Crete trip was upon the students and Professors of Hogwarts.
Britomartis and Severus were having a quiet breakfast on the patio as the students loaded their luggage onto the boat back to England.
"Any word from Malfoy?" he asked.
"One owled message - something to the effect of he'll be watching us."
Severus chuckled. "Hope he's entertained. We're rather boring people."
"Speak for yourself, darling." She slathered honey all over a chunk of bread. "Mother is getting better." She nibbled at the bread as a stream of honey dribbled down her fingers.
"Yes, I noticed you didn't wallop her during dinner last night," he remarked as he stared at her honey-covered hand. "Of course, having one's meat cut at your age by their mother is rather humiliating."
She made a face at him. "Seperation anxiety's already kicked in, though. I told her I'd owl her everyday, so that should placate her for a little while." More honey dripped down her hand as she ate. "The Priestess Council finally decided on what to do with the Labrys."
"What?"
"Damned if they tell me. I don't want anything more to do with it." She put the bread down.
Severus reached across the table and picked her hand up, darting his tongue out to lick the honey from her fingers. His black eyes gazed steadily at her face as the sunglasses slipped down one ear and exposed her wide green eyes.
"Snips ... " she squealed.
He released her hand, smirking in a smarmy manner. "Don't squeal, it's undignified."
Britomartis broke into giggles. "Don't do it unless you mean it, sweets." Her face became solemn, then she got up and grabbed his arm. "Come along."
"Where are we going?" he asked as he grabbed a handful of olives.
After a few moments both entered the Vox family shrine, Britomartis pulling Severus up to her family's nook.
"Dion, children ... I'm joining the human race again," she stated. "I've held onto you too tightly, hiding behind what happened to not have to live on." She squeezed Severus' hand. "I want to live now - "
Severus leaned close to her. "Don't make it a rant, Spirals."
She chucked his large nose. "You ruined the moment!" She turned back to the shrine. "Dion, Alia, Sybil, Eneas, Vasilis - I love you, darlings. I always have and always will. Don't worry, Mama's not going to be alone now - remember I told you about my friend Snips? We're back together again. I'll be all right now. He's a good man, despite all the crude he's been through. I think you would have liked him, Dion. Children, I love you."
Severus drew an arm around her shoulders. "Martis, you're crying - "
"Happiness, Snips. Come on, we have to get back."
* * *
The sail and train rides were uneventuful, the group finally making their way to the London station to be received by parents.
Molly and Arthur Weasley happily enclosing all four Weasley children in their arms, immediately asking if there were any mercenaries or enraged fathers after them (the boys quietly telling their father that Ophelia broke their hearts when she informed them she preferred much older men with long dark hair).
Narcissa Malfoy came to pick up Draco, the aristocratic mother exchanging a look with Britomartis - not threatening, yet not gratitude. Very likely miffed that she could not see Vox's eyes even after twenty years. She doted on her son, not saying a word to the Professors and leaving as soon as his luggage had been gathered.
The Grangers picked up Hermione - slightly surprised by the double-axe shirt she wore and spiral earrings dangling from her ears. They checked her teeth, then spoke with Professor Vox a little about Hermione's behavior on the trip. Britomartis conveniently did not mention the fact their daughter paraded around with her chest exposed - British Muggles really would not understand old Minoan culture.
The Woods and Rypers came to pick up their teenagers - the mothers of Oliver and Glynis exchanging fretful looks as the two teenagers kissed each other in a most indecent manner. Mrs. Wood did ask what had happened, and Professor Vox answered that Mediterranean islands have that effect on people. Mrs. Ryper seemed to understand after the vague explanation.
The Humphries also gathered up Elizabeth - Mr. Humphries a well-mannered and manicured man with white hair and a gap in his teeth, and Mrs. Humphries a younger lady with a large smile and a thick Somerset accent. Both invited the Professors over for tea at their home Millstone Manor, of which Britomartis and Severus accepted politely.
Harry Potter called a car to pick him up to take him to his aunt's home in Surrey, then the Weasleys offered him a ride ... their conversations died in the distance, leaving Professors Britomartis Vox and Severus Snape between platforms nine and ten.
Both held a suitcase, their other hands gripped together.
"Need a vacation from the vacation," Britomartis sighed. "I'm exhausted."
"Then back to the school, Martis," Severus assured her. "And we'll have the rest of the summer to forget about students, schoolwork, and - "
They paused just before the column. She released his hand and placed it on his cheek, leaning close and touching her lips to his, just brushing against his lips as she spoke. "And just us in the dungeons the whole summer."
He smirked with a flirtatious chuckle. "Whatever shall we do?"
Britomartis pulled away, sliding her sunglasses down to wink at him. "We'll find something."
She backed up and Severus gave her a strong slap against her backend, sending her into a dash through the portal.
Severus Snape grinned, then entered the portal, walking into her arms and into a very passionate kiss on the other side.
"Come on," she breathed. "We'll practice our Tango moves."
-End-