All-righty, then. I've had this beta-ed by the wonderful totallycrazed,
whose plot bunny founded this idea. Thanks so much for the idea and the
help. Umm, only had one review for last chapter, but that's okay, since it
was a nice review. Thank you, Briana Rose. I'm glad you like it. Well,
that's all for now. Please Read and Review.
Own nuthin' now, never will.
Ch 3- Wisdom in Hardship
"The pine stays green in winter...Wisdom in hardship."
~Chinese Proverb
Severus's 6th Year, Sarah's 5th Year
Sarah's summer holidays had seemed interminable. Severus had been distant for most of it, often visiting Lucius Malfoy at his manor. Somewhere in there, though, she had managed to convince him that she was over Remus and in fact no longer liked the boy at all. Alas, however, for Fortune had cast her die, and it was obvious that they would never be as close as before.
She was thrilled to back at the castle, though not at the prospect of being near Dumbledore again. She still had nearly five months of detention to go and she didn't believe she would ever forgive the old man for his decision. It had cost her the chance to be a Prefect, something she had wanted very much.
Mostly, she just wanted to see Remus again. Hopefully they could find some place private to meet. She wanted to hear about his summer and what he had received on his OWLs. She had missed him dreadfully.
Barely 15 and her heart already belonged to someone else. Kind of scary, really, but she knew that it wasn't just puppy love or something like that. She genuinely loved him.
The time finally presented itself one day after dinner in the Great Hall. Remus left the Hall early to go study, so he was alone. Sarah had recently left also, and was loitering in the Entrance Hall to get a glimpse of him when he left.
She saw that he was alone and decided that she just had to talk to him again. So, as he walked by a niche in the wall, she grabbed his arm and pulled him in there with her. Somehow, they were kissing before either realized what was happening.
"I've missed you," Sarah told him when they finally parted.
"Missed you, too," Remus said, trying to collect his thoughts. That kiss had been . . . incredible. "How was your summer then?"
She laughed, not taking her arms from around his neck. "Terrible. Yours?"
"Lonely. Why was yours terrible?"
"My parents' pureblood views, for one, and trying to reconcile with Severus. We're not quite back to normal yet, but we were getting there before we got back here."
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
"Not your fault," she replied. "But I think it would still be best if we kept every hint of any type of relationship secret."
Remus sighed, nodding. "I hate to say I agree. My friends wouldn't like it either."
They both jumped when they heard a good portion of those eating dinner come into the Entrance Hall. "We have got to find a better place to meet," she giggled softly into his shoulder as he pulled her further into the shadows.
He nodded, a little saddened about having to lie, especially to his friends.
**************************************************************************** **
Severus's 7th Year, Sarah's 6th Year
Severus lay on his bed, staring at the canopy. This was his last year here at Hogwarts. He would miss it, he thought, despite some of his experiences here. This castle had been his true home for the past 6 ½ years.
He wasn't without regrets, however, the foremost being his relationship with his sister. It had started changing when Lucius had befriended him, and then the Whomping Willow Situation. It had never quite been fixed. He knew that she was keeping some things from him now, but could never figure them out. Before, it hadn't been like that.
Yes, he regretted losing his close friendship with his sister.
He also regretted losing Lily Evans' friendship. She had been a light in his darkened life. He didn't love her, not romantically, but had prized her friendship and wished he hadn't been so rash with his words those years ago.
He wasn't sure if he regretted his choice of company through the past several years. Some of the things they did and wanted to do were a little extreme for his tastes. For now, however, he would stick with them.
No matter that the cost was so high. He had already lost the most important people in his life; he would cling to whatever he had left, and damn the consequences.
He didn't know how much he would regret that attitude a few years down the road.
**************************************************************************** **
Sarah watched as her brother and her lover, respectively, were called up to receive their diplomas. She clapped enthusiastically for the former, and politely for the latter, since hers and Remus's relationship was still secret. Only Lily knew, and she would never tell.
She reined back her tears as Severus sat back down. //His pride will be his downfall// she thought. //He will not admit when he's at fault.// When everything was over and the reception opened she walked over to him, her eyes full of only her pride and joy in him.
"I am so happy for you, Sev, and so proud. My brother's finally graduated." She hugged him hard.
"As if there was any doubt," the sarcasm was present, but she could hear the amusement underneath it. She smiled bigger; today, at least, old grievances would be set aside. For today, they would be as they once were.
She stayed by his side for most of the time, only once slipping discretely away to congratulate a few others. She approached Potter's group with a little trepidation. She tapped James on the shoulder. He turned and sneered at her half-heartedly. She kept her face pleasant. "What do you want, Princess?" he asked.
"To wish you all good luck," she replied, holding out her hand. Potter reluctantly clasped it, as did Remus, though more enthusiastically. Next came Peter Pettigrew, his little rat-like eyes glued to her bosom. She resisted the urge to punch him- she had never like him.
Sirius was next. He looked her up and down but never extended his hand. "I swear, Sirius, you are such a prick sometimes," Lily said, joining the group. She and Sarah hugged.
Sirius just glared at them. Sarah didn't want to cause trouble, but she did have something she wanted to say. She leaned in close so only he could hear her. "Black, maybe you should take a good look here," she touched his chest just over his heart, "and check for those prejudices you accuse so many others of having."
Before he could reply, she stepped back, smiled at everyone, and made her way back to Severus's side.
James glanced after her and back to his best friend, whose face was flushed and eyes glittered with anger. "Well, what did she say to you, mate?" he asked, curious.
"Nothing that means a thing," Sirius replied. //Who is she, a Slytherin, to lecture me about prejudices?// he inwardly seethed, ignoring the twinge in his conscience that said that was precisely what she was talking about.
Sarah sighed later that night when she was alone in bed. //Why couldn't everyone see that to stop the trouble that's brewing, they'll have to let go of their petty rivalries and squabbles?// At that moment she felt older than Dumbledore.
Perhaps at that moment, she was even the wiser of the two.
**************************************************************************** **
Sorry for such a short chapter, but the next one will be longer, I promise. Please Review!
Own nuthin' now, never will.
Ch 3- Wisdom in Hardship
"The pine stays green in winter...Wisdom in hardship."
~Chinese Proverb
Severus's 6th Year, Sarah's 5th Year
Sarah's summer holidays had seemed interminable. Severus had been distant for most of it, often visiting Lucius Malfoy at his manor. Somewhere in there, though, she had managed to convince him that she was over Remus and in fact no longer liked the boy at all. Alas, however, for Fortune had cast her die, and it was obvious that they would never be as close as before.
She was thrilled to back at the castle, though not at the prospect of being near Dumbledore again. She still had nearly five months of detention to go and she didn't believe she would ever forgive the old man for his decision. It had cost her the chance to be a Prefect, something she had wanted very much.
Mostly, she just wanted to see Remus again. Hopefully they could find some place private to meet. She wanted to hear about his summer and what he had received on his OWLs. She had missed him dreadfully.
Barely 15 and her heart already belonged to someone else. Kind of scary, really, but she knew that it wasn't just puppy love or something like that. She genuinely loved him.
The time finally presented itself one day after dinner in the Great Hall. Remus left the Hall early to go study, so he was alone. Sarah had recently left also, and was loitering in the Entrance Hall to get a glimpse of him when he left.
She saw that he was alone and decided that she just had to talk to him again. So, as he walked by a niche in the wall, she grabbed his arm and pulled him in there with her. Somehow, they were kissing before either realized what was happening.
"I've missed you," Sarah told him when they finally parted.
"Missed you, too," Remus said, trying to collect his thoughts. That kiss had been . . . incredible. "How was your summer then?"
She laughed, not taking her arms from around his neck. "Terrible. Yours?"
"Lonely. Why was yours terrible?"
"My parents' pureblood views, for one, and trying to reconcile with Severus. We're not quite back to normal yet, but we were getting there before we got back here."
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
"Not your fault," she replied. "But I think it would still be best if we kept every hint of any type of relationship secret."
Remus sighed, nodding. "I hate to say I agree. My friends wouldn't like it either."
They both jumped when they heard a good portion of those eating dinner come into the Entrance Hall. "We have got to find a better place to meet," she giggled softly into his shoulder as he pulled her further into the shadows.
He nodded, a little saddened about having to lie, especially to his friends.
**************************************************************************** **
Severus's 7th Year, Sarah's 6th Year
Severus lay on his bed, staring at the canopy. This was his last year here at Hogwarts. He would miss it, he thought, despite some of his experiences here. This castle had been his true home for the past 6 ½ years.
He wasn't without regrets, however, the foremost being his relationship with his sister. It had started changing when Lucius had befriended him, and then the Whomping Willow Situation. It had never quite been fixed. He knew that she was keeping some things from him now, but could never figure them out. Before, it hadn't been like that.
Yes, he regretted losing his close friendship with his sister.
He also regretted losing Lily Evans' friendship. She had been a light in his darkened life. He didn't love her, not romantically, but had prized her friendship and wished he hadn't been so rash with his words those years ago.
He wasn't sure if he regretted his choice of company through the past several years. Some of the things they did and wanted to do were a little extreme for his tastes. For now, however, he would stick with them.
No matter that the cost was so high. He had already lost the most important people in his life; he would cling to whatever he had left, and damn the consequences.
He didn't know how much he would regret that attitude a few years down the road.
**************************************************************************** **
Sarah watched as her brother and her lover, respectively, were called up to receive their diplomas. She clapped enthusiastically for the former, and politely for the latter, since hers and Remus's relationship was still secret. Only Lily knew, and she would never tell.
She reined back her tears as Severus sat back down. //His pride will be his downfall// she thought. //He will not admit when he's at fault.// When everything was over and the reception opened she walked over to him, her eyes full of only her pride and joy in him.
"I am so happy for you, Sev, and so proud. My brother's finally graduated." She hugged him hard.
"As if there was any doubt," the sarcasm was present, but she could hear the amusement underneath it. She smiled bigger; today, at least, old grievances would be set aside. For today, they would be as they once were.
She stayed by his side for most of the time, only once slipping discretely away to congratulate a few others. She approached Potter's group with a little trepidation. She tapped James on the shoulder. He turned and sneered at her half-heartedly. She kept her face pleasant. "What do you want, Princess?" he asked.
"To wish you all good luck," she replied, holding out her hand. Potter reluctantly clasped it, as did Remus, though more enthusiastically. Next came Peter Pettigrew, his little rat-like eyes glued to her bosom. She resisted the urge to punch him- she had never like him.
Sirius was next. He looked her up and down but never extended his hand. "I swear, Sirius, you are such a prick sometimes," Lily said, joining the group. She and Sarah hugged.
Sirius just glared at them. Sarah didn't want to cause trouble, but she did have something she wanted to say. She leaned in close so only he could hear her. "Black, maybe you should take a good look here," she touched his chest just over his heart, "and check for those prejudices you accuse so many others of having."
Before he could reply, she stepped back, smiled at everyone, and made her way back to Severus's side.
James glanced after her and back to his best friend, whose face was flushed and eyes glittered with anger. "Well, what did she say to you, mate?" he asked, curious.
"Nothing that means a thing," Sirius replied. //Who is she, a Slytherin, to lecture me about prejudices?// he inwardly seethed, ignoring the twinge in his conscience that said that was precisely what she was talking about.
Sarah sighed later that night when she was alone in bed. //Why couldn't everyone see that to stop the trouble that's brewing, they'll have to let go of their petty rivalries and squabbles?// At that moment she felt older than Dumbledore.
Perhaps at that moment, she was even the wiser of the two.
**************************************************************************** **
Sorry for such a short chapter, but the next one will be longer, I promise. Please Review!