Chapter Six--Morning After
Later, in the hospital ward, Snape wasn't sleeping. The lights were out and it was nearly black except for the moonlight drifting in through the large widows. Georgie was in the next bed over, still knocked out. But a few hours ago he'd heard her breathing become deeper and then turn to her light snores, so at least she was sleeping.
Snape felt…. Bad. Horrible. Nauseatingly so. He'd never cast a spell like that on someone he considered a friend. He thought hard. Yes, he supposed that she was his friend-she should be a friend if they were to be spending the year down there. And goodness knows he had few enough friends in his life. He logically realized that he had taken the best course of action in that situation, but he still felt nasty thinking about it. He'd slammed an innocent young girl into a wall and knocked her out. He turned his blank face to the ceiling, trying to rack his brain for a different spell-one that would have ended this in a better way. But, he couldn't think of anything. It had been the most effective and expedient spell. So why did he feel like this…?
His entire body stiffened as he heard Georgie shift in her bed. Eyes open and alert he watched as she slowly, and from the looks of her strained movements, painfully, dragged herself to the bathroom and in a few minutes dragged herself back. He heard her pull the covers back over herself. He wondered if she hadn't realized that he was there. Perhaps if she knew, she would've started back in on him again. Snape had asked for her wand to be kept from her, but Madam Pomfrey insisted she have access to it, so it lay on her night table. She wasn't informed of all of the details yet, so that made sense.
But by tomorrow morning all of the staff would know. Somehow everyone knew everything about everyone here, he remembered bitterly. He wasn't looking forward to their questions.
His thinking ceased as he held his breath to hear a sound coming from across the room. His stomach fell out from under him as he realized that she was quietly whimpering. He wondered if she were in pain, or if she were just overwhelmed by the evening's revelations. Snape had heard many people cry--he'd even made a fair lot of people cry. But he'd never felt more directly responsible than he did right then. He hardened his face and tried to block the sound and the worry.
The morning came quickly. Snape hadn't slept a wink of sleep, but had waited for the dawn so he could return to his own bedchamber. When Georgie awoke, it took a moment for eyes to adjust to the light and she immediately grabbed her head as sharp pains shot through forehead.
"Here," She didn't jump for surprise for once, but groggily, looked over to see Dumbledore extending to her a small cup. "Painkillers." He explained simply.
She accepted it with a half-smile and a nod of thanks, before swallowing the bitter stuff. "Yeack…"She gagged. "Good stuff…"
Dumbledore was seated on the bed that Snape slept in last night, but it was empty now. Without breaking her gaze with Dumbledore, she queried, "Where's Snape?"
"He wanted to sleep in his own bed, and thought it'd be best to leave you alone for awhile." Georgie nodded agreeing with the decision to stay out of her way.
Might as well jump in: "So did he tell you what happened?" She asked, expressionless.
The headmaster nodded. So now what? She asked herself bitterly. She knew what was going to happen. They'd probably both get in trouble, and now Dumbledore was probably here to defend his friend or his actions, or some other such crap. She saw the he was about to share something of importance with her, he seemed to be testing the air between them for the right time.
"So what did you want to tell me about Severus?" She prompted, might as well get it over with.
It was obvious when she examined it now. Dumbledore and the rest of the staff had to have known what he was-what he used to be. And if there were any question of his involvement he wouldn't be there. And he had tried to explain, but really? What had he expected her to act like? Most of the known world would piss themselves just at the name of Voldemort, and she got to find out her friend that she was sharing rooms with was a follower? Rather, had been a follower. She was beyond bitter.
Dumbledore grinned at her assumption, confirming that that was indeed why he was there.
The old gray wizard spoke in fond tones about the young man that showed up one rainy night begging to be shown into his old headmaster's office. Snape spilled everything about how he'd been a fool for joining the ranks of Voldemort, citing the desire to be part of something and to have power. Snape had then admitted that he just couldn't do it, he wasn't that cold and ruthless, and that they would kill him if he tried to leave. The headmaster had made him take Veritaserum, a strong truth potion to confirm his loyalties. Snape later had been offered a job at Hogwarts partly as a way to keep him alive, but also partly as a way for Snape to do good works for the Ministry without the fellow Death Eaters finding out. Later that year, Snape turned spy for the Ministry and for Dumbledore-and he was a cunning and useful spy at that. The old man acknowledged Snape made potions for the Dark Lord that sometimes weren't as potent as they could have been. At first he was reckless--he seemed to have a death-wish, but the more Dumbledore and Severus got to know each other, they developed a friendship and soon Snape realized he owed it to the man who saved his life to stay alive and finish this work.
Snape hates Voldemort more than anyone else on this earth-more than himself, which is a large hate. He blames himself for being so swept away and blind-for not being on the right side from the beginning. He saw too many good witches and wizards swept down during those days, his conscience is very heavy indeed--potions he'd made that had been used, times he'd been forced to turn his back. Still, He won't rest until Voldemort has fallen for good.
George listened in silence trying to take all this in. "Is he still a spy now?" She whispered.
Dumbledore considered for a moment, then answered in the affirmative. That explained a lot: His coming back late at night with that gash on his head. She even realized that the blindfolded flight made sense now. Her heart felt for him. Poor dude, she pitied as only she could.
"What could have made him become a Death Eater though?" She demanded, her anger returning.
Dumbledore, sighed. "So many reasons for it as there are against it. In Severus' case he wanted to belong. He had some rough edges in school, and being in Slytherin, there were a lot of pressures on him. That and he hasn't the strong family and friend support that would have kept him from joining something as terrible as that." She looked down at her hands.
"What am I supposed to do now? I can't just waltz in give him a hug and say, 'no problem,' and act as if none of this ever happened." She shook her head violently. She felt hopelessly sad. Was this the end?
"Headmaster, can I tell you something? It has to be just between you and me. I know you and Severus are friends and all, but don't tell him." Her eyes took on a far off look. "I had a brother when I was younger. He was almost 12 years older than I was, yet I idolized everything he did--he could do no wrong in my eyes. The year before I was to go to a wizarding school he was killed by a Death Eater--tortured for hours before that, and he wasn't even the one they were after in the first place. He didn't even do anything wrong…" She sniffled. "I hate Death Eaters so much." She growled through clenched teeth with eyes flashing.
"A natural and wise sentiment. But Severus isn't a Death Eater. In fact I believe he may hate them just as much or more than you. He also has his reasons for this hatred." She bit her lip at this comment and turned to look out the window.
"So what do I do now?" She asked the window.
"He's a good man. And you are a good woman. What you had will return to you, I have no doubt of that, " she looked at him unbelievingly. "You're both on the same side. It'll hurt you both if you hold grudges too long. Give it time. You'll both come around." He smiled and patted her knee.
When he had left, Georgie turned over on her side and whispered, "You idiot Severus…" and began to weep silently all over again.
Snape would have scoffed at the thought of him 'hiding' from anything, least of all a mere girl. Snape was avoiding her purposely, so he was hiding out in the staff room--a room completely lacking in comfort and privacy.
He'd gone to breakfast that morning and arrived to many compassionate looks sent his way. He glared at them coldly narrowing his eyes. What business was it of theirs? He stiffly marched to his chair by Dumbledore's side and slammed down into it.
"Good morning Severus." The old man welcomed him. "How are you doing?"
Snape just growled "Good morning Albus," and chose to ignore the question. Dumbledore cautiously didn't persist. And so Snape ate his food in silence and wasn't approached by the other staff.
The students were arriving that Sunday night--just two more days-by the Hogwarts Express. The house-elves were busy stocking the kitchens for the hundreds of students and Hagrid was out in his garden most mornings feeding something which was kept covered, though it seemed to be a man-sized gilded cage.
That afternoon, when she was allowed to return to her room, she dreaded seeing Snape. But she needn't have worried as she sneaked inside and discovered that he was nowhere to be found.
Snape was avoiding Georgie, and she was avoiding him. Georgie hadn't realized how much time she'd been spending with him--almost every evening and a lot of time during the day. She found she didn't know what to do to fill all her spare time. But perhaps this was good-it showed her how she was falling into a habit of dependency, and she hated to think that she depended on anyone else for anything-especially for her amusement.
She took to visiting Hagrid, Minerva and even Professor Lupin--the reclusive teacher of Defense Against the Dark Arts--a class she would be attending fully this year. Lupin was a quiet and gentlemanly man, and her conversations with him were delightful. He had a sort of dreamy way about him--he seemed almost delicate or frail, but he was in truth he was quite strong. She was surprised to find that he was the same age as Snape--they'd been in the same year actually. That and he looked rather worn out.
She was sitting across the fire from him before dinner in a large, overstuffed armchair in the lounge room he shared with Professor Sprout and Madam Hooch. Funny, she thought glancing around, she hardly ever saw Hooch--wonder where she's always getting off to?
Lupin was recounting a story about a practical joke his childhood friend Sirius Black (yes, THE Sirius Black) had pulled on the caretaker back when they were in school. It involved casting a spell that made flowers grow out of a person's ears every time they were in the presence of a person they had a crush on. The caretaker apparently was secretly pinning for the new young Professor McGonagall, the whole school had been buzzing with that one for simply months.
Georgie looked, up absently and asked, "Did you know Snape back then?" Lupin's smile vanished.
"Yes. He and James Potter were vicious enemies. He was a greasy, gangly, nosy child. Hardly ever smiled. Felt kind of bad for him for awhile. But he could defend himself and certainly didn't need my pity." He laughed bitterly.
She looked down into her hands, "Yeah, I've seen the bastard defend himself."
Lupin went on. "Sirius played a joke on him one year--a nasty one too, that would have killed Severus, if it weren't for James' stepping in. I think the life-debt sat uneasily with Snape. It changed him from then on, though…"
"Georgie," He changed his tone. "I don't want you to think that I'm not being supportive of you, or defending anyone's actions. I just want you to consider your anger carefully. I don't blame you in the least for your reaction last night. We sometimes forget that he still has that ugly thing on his arm. We've known for years, and Snape's given us reasons and proof enough to prove his loyalty."
"But, as school will start on Monday, it will be awkward and tedious to try and avoid each other and ever attend a class with him when you're not speaking. Not to mention having to see each other every evening."
"I spent the morning talking with him about this among other things, but he's stubborn. He's not used to friends, or sharing his secrets with anyone. He thinks he's lost his chance and sees no reason to hold out hope that you two can make amends. He's a sort of glass-is-half-empty sort of man. I however," he grinned lightly, "Believe that you can patch things up. He's got secrets, and you've got secrets too. We all do. That's where friends are useful-for the sharing of secrets and trusting in them."
"Talk to him. It'll work out. I promise." He rolled up his sleeves on his fine new robes. He'd come into some money from the death of a rich aunt and he wore somber, but nice robes. They sort of reflected him in a way.
"You know," Georgie eyed him. "You're like the third person in like two days who's tried to get me to make up with Snape. He's pathetic, can't he make up with me? I mean Geesh, get some guts, Potion Master. Do I have to do everything here?!" She rolled her eyes with a smile to match his own.
Lupin rolled his eyes too. "I apologize that you've heard it so many times. As you no doubt have realized secrets don't stay secrets here for long and everyone's interested in the business of everyone else--be that good or bad. I think everyone just wants both of you to hurry up, and be friends again, and wants to help in anyway that they can. PLUS…we're all so horribly sick of Snape haunting the teacher's lounge at night and stalking about slamming doors and being fifty-times nastier than he ever was. He's my friend, but he's also so tragic…" He said melodramatically. Making Georgie laugh despite herself
"I hate doing the instigating in these sort of things," she nearly whined to Lupin. "But if he's as far lost as you say he is, he's not going to bother to make himself uncomfortable…."
Lupin leaned forward and confided, "I think you both are good for each other. He mellows you and you humanize him. The best friendships are those when they don't try and change each other purposely for the better, but ones in which it happens naturally." She nodded at this.
"Aw, can't you go down and tell Snape for me?! I don't wannnaaaaaa…" She mocked weeping. Pouting and sticking her lower lip out until she looked like a baby monkey.
"You can do it. I'd venture to guess this isn't the nuttiest thing you've ever done. If you've somehow managed to survive through your childhood unscathed, you can do this without getting singed."
"-However, maybe I should retract that. If that was a typical example of how you and Severus are going to fight, maybe I should stock up on burn salve before you attempt anything big. Alert Madam Pomrey perhaps…"
"Ha. Funny." She said flatly and growled.
"You even sound like him." He pointed out.
"Remus, I'm going to leave…" She threatened.
"Actually, after the shock wore off when we all heard about your, er, a-hem, argument, I sort of laughed at your situation." Georgie started at him like he was insane.
"No really, I thought it was cute. My parents used to fight like that. My mum'd magic plates at my dad's head while my dad would try and stun her with a freeze spell. It wasn't really that awful. They never hurt each other, just liked to put up a little bit of an energetic fight every now and then," He chuckled to himself.
"Remus, I'm insulted. I'm leaving…" She said sarcastically and stood up feigning anger.
"Georgie-" He tried to stop her.
She turned around grinning. "I'm joking! But I really do have to go. Maybe I'll catch up with ya at dinner." And with that she let herself out.
She let herself into the lounge looking for Snape. Her heart was beating wildly, like when she was about to do something illegal. She glanced around but he wasn't there. She even knocked on his door, it was a foreign sensation for her to be hanging around outside his door. "Snape?" She called through the door. No answer.
Oh well, she'd try later. But no hurry, she thought a bit wickedly to herself. She liked knowing that she had the power to ease his mind, but also liked knowing that he didn't know that she was going to do it. She could put it off for a while more--let him suffer. And with that she hurried back out the door and up to the Great Hall even though the meal wouldn't start for 20 more minutes.
Dumbledore ambled slowly down the front staircase and made a beeline for the open doors into the Great Hall. He was about to reach the towering doors, when a door burst open at his right hand and Georgie jumped out from a closet with her arms above her head and her fangs barred.
"I vant to suck your blood!" She gushed in a false accent.
"Oh! You gave me a fright--oh, so you're a vampire now. When did this all come about?"
"Snape bit me." She said matter-of-factly, then she removed her plastic fangs. "See? Nifty fun things." She grinned broadly as they both advanced into the Great Hall.
"Oh, what fun. I wish I had a pair--well maybe even two. One for staying in, and one for going out. Night on the town and all that….Discos…." He murmured happily.
What an odd man, Georgie's mind raced. "I'll get you a pair or two," Georgie offered. "They're fun and they don't cost much at all. These're Muggle things. I love toys…"
"You look better." He smiled a knowing sort of smile--obviously not referring to her teeth.
"I can't stay angry for very long, I try and try, it just doesn't seem to last--no backbone at all in matters like these…" She laughed heartily.
"Good to hear it."
"Don't tell anyone else I have them in okay?" She said as she popped them back into her mouth and jammed her thumb up into her mouth to secure the piece. She hopped over to where Sprout and Professor Vector were sitting, arms out--stretched before her.
"I think she's confused between a zombie or a mummy rather than a vampire. I guess I should be glad she's never met a real vampire to compare movements with, but still…." He sniggered as McGonagall sat down beside him.
"Perhaps she hit her head harder than we thought…." Offered up the matronly lady. "But she seems much happier tonight. I don't think we needed to worry so about her and their holding grudges. They'll be friends again by the end of the night."
Looking around the table at the staff who were now all gathered, she leaned close to Dumbledore, "Albus? Where's Snape?"
Without returning her gaze, he responded simply, "Out."
But she seemed to understand some hidden meaning because she nodded and accosted a basket of dinner rolls.
Georgie noticed that he didn't show up for dinner. She thought amusedly that if he were all locked up in his room ignoring her, she'd kick his door in and then kick his ass, she thought with satisfaction. That's what Snape really needed-a good whooping. She felt like fighting.
Hagrid was poking her and she started poking him, "Hagrid, I wonder what'd happen if you put skele-grow in someone's food?"
"Dunno, maybe grow an arm bone outta their stomach."
"Here, shake hands with me…no wait, my hand's down here you nut!" She pantomimed.
Suddenly a crash of thunder and a bolt of lightning lit up the great hall and everyone present stopped their conversation and looked up to the enchanted ceiling.
Flitwick squeaked, "My, I wouldn't want to be out in a night like tonight." The rest of the table silently agreed. It was like an ominous sign, thought Georgie and shuddered, hoping she wasn't turning superstitious.
After dinner, Georgie headed directly back for the dungeons and their study-lounge room. She knocked at Snape's door calling out threats and swearing profusely. If he were there she was pretty sure he would've come out and smacked her up side the head for being that annoying. Where was he? She left their rooms and even walked to his classroom and only to find he wasn't there either. That room gave her the creeps, so she hurried back to her own comfortable rooms.
She sat on the couch and lit a roaring magical fire, and tapped her foot as she watched the seconds tick by on her watch. She ran to her room and came back with a book in hand, it was light fare, but she couldn't concentrate. The thunder and lightning had indeed been the signal for the start of a terrible storm. It was churning and blowing up something awful outside. She kept wandering over to press her nose against the glass. She was acting all worried, but she shouldn't worry. He was more than capable of taking care of himself, she thought with a shudder of remembrance.
She turned on her music but played it rather quietly and chose songs that fit the stormy mood of the weather and of her moodiness. She didn't sing along. She sat by the fire on the floor and stared off into space before rising to her feet. "If I don't do something I'm going to go mad." She spoke to herself out-loud as she burst out the door and through the Slytherin Common room to the hallway outside.
Georgie stood in the middle of the doorway after the wall slid back into place, and she looked around as if searching for inspiration on how to waste time. She took a few steps forward and saw a few feet in front of her the semi-transparent unsmiling ghost of a man, The Bloody Baron. He was watching her. She stepped forward bravely and spoke, "Good Evening, Baron. How are you doing today?"
"Same as yesterday," he informed her unfeelingly.
"Oh." She said. Unsure what to say next. "Have you seen Professor Snape tonight?" It stood to reason that if he had been camped out in front of this door, as it seems he might have been, that he would have had to see something.
"No. How could I?" He asked her. Uh, she thought, is he being hypothetical or something? Is he blind during storms or something, and I'm being insensitive to his ghostly feelings. "Seeing as he left at lunchtime-used the fireplace." He finished. Their fireplace was one of only two in all of Hogwarts that could--at times--be connected and disconnected to the Floo Network.
He looked to be enjoying her confused look, but in no way helped to alleviate the bewilderment. After a moment, he excused himself and glided away.
Georgie could have hit herself. Here she was, worrying over him all day--well, alternating between being pissed and worrying--and he's not even here! I'm such a sap, a complete idiot. He's probably off buying crap in Diagon Alley or something, I'm such a dork! She wondered if she could hit herself well-enough. Maybe she'd ask a house-elf to do it for her--they're always doing it to themselves, maybe they'd whack her if she asked nicely. She headed off to the kitchens, thinking punishment and junk food awaits me down there. Boredom's all that's up here.
The house-elves as it turned out would not lay a hand on Georgie, but she wasn't surprised, she hadn't really expected them to and she would've been highly amused if they'd conceded to do it.
A/N--Ha! Georgie's a bag of fun. R/R still. Thanks all. Ch. Seven's my fave so far--so read on!
Later, in the hospital ward, Snape wasn't sleeping. The lights were out and it was nearly black except for the moonlight drifting in through the large widows. Georgie was in the next bed over, still knocked out. But a few hours ago he'd heard her breathing become deeper and then turn to her light snores, so at least she was sleeping.
Snape felt…. Bad. Horrible. Nauseatingly so. He'd never cast a spell like that on someone he considered a friend. He thought hard. Yes, he supposed that she was his friend-she should be a friend if they were to be spending the year down there. And goodness knows he had few enough friends in his life. He logically realized that he had taken the best course of action in that situation, but he still felt nasty thinking about it. He'd slammed an innocent young girl into a wall and knocked her out. He turned his blank face to the ceiling, trying to rack his brain for a different spell-one that would have ended this in a better way. But, he couldn't think of anything. It had been the most effective and expedient spell. So why did he feel like this…?
His entire body stiffened as he heard Georgie shift in her bed. Eyes open and alert he watched as she slowly, and from the looks of her strained movements, painfully, dragged herself to the bathroom and in a few minutes dragged herself back. He heard her pull the covers back over herself. He wondered if she hadn't realized that he was there. Perhaps if she knew, she would've started back in on him again. Snape had asked for her wand to be kept from her, but Madam Pomfrey insisted she have access to it, so it lay on her night table. She wasn't informed of all of the details yet, so that made sense.
But by tomorrow morning all of the staff would know. Somehow everyone knew everything about everyone here, he remembered bitterly. He wasn't looking forward to their questions.
His thinking ceased as he held his breath to hear a sound coming from across the room. His stomach fell out from under him as he realized that she was quietly whimpering. He wondered if she were in pain, or if she were just overwhelmed by the evening's revelations. Snape had heard many people cry--he'd even made a fair lot of people cry. But he'd never felt more directly responsible than he did right then. He hardened his face and tried to block the sound and the worry.
The morning came quickly. Snape hadn't slept a wink of sleep, but had waited for the dawn so he could return to his own bedchamber. When Georgie awoke, it took a moment for eyes to adjust to the light and she immediately grabbed her head as sharp pains shot through forehead.
"Here," She didn't jump for surprise for once, but groggily, looked over to see Dumbledore extending to her a small cup. "Painkillers." He explained simply.
She accepted it with a half-smile and a nod of thanks, before swallowing the bitter stuff. "Yeack…"She gagged. "Good stuff…"
Dumbledore was seated on the bed that Snape slept in last night, but it was empty now. Without breaking her gaze with Dumbledore, she queried, "Where's Snape?"
"He wanted to sleep in his own bed, and thought it'd be best to leave you alone for awhile." Georgie nodded agreeing with the decision to stay out of her way.
Might as well jump in: "So did he tell you what happened?" She asked, expressionless.
The headmaster nodded. So now what? She asked herself bitterly. She knew what was going to happen. They'd probably both get in trouble, and now Dumbledore was probably here to defend his friend or his actions, or some other such crap. She saw the he was about to share something of importance with her, he seemed to be testing the air between them for the right time.
"So what did you want to tell me about Severus?" She prompted, might as well get it over with.
It was obvious when she examined it now. Dumbledore and the rest of the staff had to have known what he was-what he used to be. And if there were any question of his involvement he wouldn't be there. And he had tried to explain, but really? What had he expected her to act like? Most of the known world would piss themselves just at the name of Voldemort, and she got to find out her friend that she was sharing rooms with was a follower? Rather, had been a follower. She was beyond bitter.
Dumbledore grinned at her assumption, confirming that that was indeed why he was there.
The old gray wizard spoke in fond tones about the young man that showed up one rainy night begging to be shown into his old headmaster's office. Snape spilled everything about how he'd been a fool for joining the ranks of Voldemort, citing the desire to be part of something and to have power. Snape had then admitted that he just couldn't do it, he wasn't that cold and ruthless, and that they would kill him if he tried to leave. The headmaster had made him take Veritaserum, a strong truth potion to confirm his loyalties. Snape later had been offered a job at Hogwarts partly as a way to keep him alive, but also partly as a way for Snape to do good works for the Ministry without the fellow Death Eaters finding out. Later that year, Snape turned spy for the Ministry and for Dumbledore-and he was a cunning and useful spy at that. The old man acknowledged Snape made potions for the Dark Lord that sometimes weren't as potent as they could have been. At first he was reckless--he seemed to have a death-wish, but the more Dumbledore and Severus got to know each other, they developed a friendship and soon Snape realized he owed it to the man who saved his life to stay alive and finish this work.
Snape hates Voldemort more than anyone else on this earth-more than himself, which is a large hate. He blames himself for being so swept away and blind-for not being on the right side from the beginning. He saw too many good witches and wizards swept down during those days, his conscience is very heavy indeed--potions he'd made that had been used, times he'd been forced to turn his back. Still, He won't rest until Voldemort has fallen for good.
George listened in silence trying to take all this in. "Is he still a spy now?" She whispered.
Dumbledore considered for a moment, then answered in the affirmative. That explained a lot: His coming back late at night with that gash on his head. She even realized that the blindfolded flight made sense now. Her heart felt for him. Poor dude, she pitied as only she could.
"What could have made him become a Death Eater though?" She demanded, her anger returning.
Dumbledore, sighed. "So many reasons for it as there are against it. In Severus' case he wanted to belong. He had some rough edges in school, and being in Slytherin, there were a lot of pressures on him. That and he hasn't the strong family and friend support that would have kept him from joining something as terrible as that." She looked down at her hands.
"What am I supposed to do now? I can't just waltz in give him a hug and say, 'no problem,' and act as if none of this ever happened." She shook her head violently. She felt hopelessly sad. Was this the end?
"Headmaster, can I tell you something? It has to be just between you and me. I know you and Severus are friends and all, but don't tell him." Her eyes took on a far off look. "I had a brother when I was younger. He was almost 12 years older than I was, yet I idolized everything he did--he could do no wrong in my eyes. The year before I was to go to a wizarding school he was killed by a Death Eater--tortured for hours before that, and he wasn't even the one they were after in the first place. He didn't even do anything wrong…" She sniffled. "I hate Death Eaters so much." She growled through clenched teeth with eyes flashing.
"A natural and wise sentiment. But Severus isn't a Death Eater. In fact I believe he may hate them just as much or more than you. He also has his reasons for this hatred." She bit her lip at this comment and turned to look out the window.
"So what do I do now?" She asked the window.
"He's a good man. And you are a good woman. What you had will return to you, I have no doubt of that, " she looked at him unbelievingly. "You're both on the same side. It'll hurt you both if you hold grudges too long. Give it time. You'll both come around." He smiled and patted her knee.
When he had left, Georgie turned over on her side and whispered, "You idiot Severus…" and began to weep silently all over again.
Snape would have scoffed at the thought of him 'hiding' from anything, least of all a mere girl. Snape was avoiding her purposely, so he was hiding out in the staff room--a room completely lacking in comfort and privacy.
He'd gone to breakfast that morning and arrived to many compassionate looks sent his way. He glared at them coldly narrowing his eyes. What business was it of theirs? He stiffly marched to his chair by Dumbledore's side and slammed down into it.
"Good morning Severus." The old man welcomed him. "How are you doing?"
Snape just growled "Good morning Albus," and chose to ignore the question. Dumbledore cautiously didn't persist. And so Snape ate his food in silence and wasn't approached by the other staff.
The students were arriving that Sunday night--just two more days-by the Hogwarts Express. The house-elves were busy stocking the kitchens for the hundreds of students and Hagrid was out in his garden most mornings feeding something which was kept covered, though it seemed to be a man-sized gilded cage.
That afternoon, when she was allowed to return to her room, she dreaded seeing Snape. But she needn't have worried as she sneaked inside and discovered that he was nowhere to be found.
Snape was avoiding Georgie, and she was avoiding him. Georgie hadn't realized how much time she'd been spending with him--almost every evening and a lot of time during the day. She found she didn't know what to do to fill all her spare time. But perhaps this was good-it showed her how she was falling into a habit of dependency, and she hated to think that she depended on anyone else for anything-especially for her amusement.
She took to visiting Hagrid, Minerva and even Professor Lupin--the reclusive teacher of Defense Against the Dark Arts--a class she would be attending fully this year. Lupin was a quiet and gentlemanly man, and her conversations with him were delightful. He had a sort of dreamy way about him--he seemed almost delicate or frail, but he was in truth he was quite strong. She was surprised to find that he was the same age as Snape--they'd been in the same year actually. That and he looked rather worn out.
She was sitting across the fire from him before dinner in a large, overstuffed armchair in the lounge room he shared with Professor Sprout and Madam Hooch. Funny, she thought glancing around, she hardly ever saw Hooch--wonder where she's always getting off to?
Lupin was recounting a story about a practical joke his childhood friend Sirius Black (yes, THE Sirius Black) had pulled on the caretaker back when they were in school. It involved casting a spell that made flowers grow out of a person's ears every time they were in the presence of a person they had a crush on. The caretaker apparently was secretly pinning for the new young Professor McGonagall, the whole school had been buzzing with that one for simply months.
Georgie looked, up absently and asked, "Did you know Snape back then?" Lupin's smile vanished.
"Yes. He and James Potter were vicious enemies. He was a greasy, gangly, nosy child. Hardly ever smiled. Felt kind of bad for him for awhile. But he could defend himself and certainly didn't need my pity." He laughed bitterly.
She looked down into her hands, "Yeah, I've seen the bastard defend himself."
Lupin went on. "Sirius played a joke on him one year--a nasty one too, that would have killed Severus, if it weren't for James' stepping in. I think the life-debt sat uneasily with Snape. It changed him from then on, though…"
"Georgie," He changed his tone. "I don't want you to think that I'm not being supportive of you, or defending anyone's actions. I just want you to consider your anger carefully. I don't blame you in the least for your reaction last night. We sometimes forget that he still has that ugly thing on his arm. We've known for years, and Snape's given us reasons and proof enough to prove his loyalty."
"But, as school will start on Monday, it will be awkward and tedious to try and avoid each other and ever attend a class with him when you're not speaking. Not to mention having to see each other every evening."
"I spent the morning talking with him about this among other things, but he's stubborn. He's not used to friends, or sharing his secrets with anyone. He thinks he's lost his chance and sees no reason to hold out hope that you two can make amends. He's a sort of glass-is-half-empty sort of man. I however," he grinned lightly, "Believe that you can patch things up. He's got secrets, and you've got secrets too. We all do. That's where friends are useful-for the sharing of secrets and trusting in them."
"Talk to him. It'll work out. I promise." He rolled up his sleeves on his fine new robes. He'd come into some money from the death of a rich aunt and he wore somber, but nice robes. They sort of reflected him in a way.
"You know," Georgie eyed him. "You're like the third person in like two days who's tried to get me to make up with Snape. He's pathetic, can't he make up with me? I mean Geesh, get some guts, Potion Master. Do I have to do everything here?!" She rolled her eyes with a smile to match his own.
Lupin rolled his eyes too. "I apologize that you've heard it so many times. As you no doubt have realized secrets don't stay secrets here for long and everyone's interested in the business of everyone else--be that good or bad. I think everyone just wants both of you to hurry up, and be friends again, and wants to help in anyway that they can. PLUS…we're all so horribly sick of Snape haunting the teacher's lounge at night and stalking about slamming doors and being fifty-times nastier than he ever was. He's my friend, but he's also so tragic…" He said melodramatically. Making Georgie laugh despite herself
"I hate doing the instigating in these sort of things," she nearly whined to Lupin. "But if he's as far lost as you say he is, he's not going to bother to make himself uncomfortable…."
Lupin leaned forward and confided, "I think you both are good for each other. He mellows you and you humanize him. The best friendships are those when they don't try and change each other purposely for the better, but ones in which it happens naturally." She nodded at this.
"Aw, can't you go down and tell Snape for me?! I don't wannnaaaaaa…" She mocked weeping. Pouting and sticking her lower lip out until she looked like a baby monkey.
"You can do it. I'd venture to guess this isn't the nuttiest thing you've ever done. If you've somehow managed to survive through your childhood unscathed, you can do this without getting singed."
"-However, maybe I should retract that. If that was a typical example of how you and Severus are going to fight, maybe I should stock up on burn salve before you attempt anything big. Alert Madam Pomrey perhaps…"
"Ha. Funny." She said flatly and growled.
"You even sound like him." He pointed out.
"Remus, I'm going to leave…" She threatened.
"Actually, after the shock wore off when we all heard about your, er, a-hem, argument, I sort of laughed at your situation." Georgie started at him like he was insane.
"No really, I thought it was cute. My parents used to fight like that. My mum'd magic plates at my dad's head while my dad would try and stun her with a freeze spell. It wasn't really that awful. They never hurt each other, just liked to put up a little bit of an energetic fight every now and then," He chuckled to himself.
"Remus, I'm insulted. I'm leaving…" She said sarcastically and stood up feigning anger.
"Georgie-" He tried to stop her.
She turned around grinning. "I'm joking! But I really do have to go. Maybe I'll catch up with ya at dinner." And with that she let herself out.
She let herself into the lounge looking for Snape. Her heart was beating wildly, like when she was about to do something illegal. She glanced around but he wasn't there. She even knocked on his door, it was a foreign sensation for her to be hanging around outside his door. "Snape?" She called through the door. No answer.
Oh well, she'd try later. But no hurry, she thought a bit wickedly to herself. She liked knowing that she had the power to ease his mind, but also liked knowing that he didn't know that she was going to do it. She could put it off for a while more--let him suffer. And with that she hurried back out the door and up to the Great Hall even though the meal wouldn't start for 20 more minutes.
Dumbledore ambled slowly down the front staircase and made a beeline for the open doors into the Great Hall. He was about to reach the towering doors, when a door burst open at his right hand and Georgie jumped out from a closet with her arms above her head and her fangs barred.
"I vant to suck your blood!" She gushed in a false accent.
"Oh! You gave me a fright--oh, so you're a vampire now. When did this all come about?"
"Snape bit me." She said matter-of-factly, then she removed her plastic fangs. "See? Nifty fun things." She grinned broadly as they both advanced into the Great Hall.
"Oh, what fun. I wish I had a pair--well maybe even two. One for staying in, and one for going out. Night on the town and all that….Discos…." He murmured happily.
What an odd man, Georgie's mind raced. "I'll get you a pair or two," Georgie offered. "They're fun and they don't cost much at all. These're Muggle things. I love toys…"
"You look better." He smiled a knowing sort of smile--obviously not referring to her teeth.
"I can't stay angry for very long, I try and try, it just doesn't seem to last--no backbone at all in matters like these…" She laughed heartily.
"Good to hear it."
"Don't tell anyone else I have them in okay?" She said as she popped them back into her mouth and jammed her thumb up into her mouth to secure the piece. She hopped over to where Sprout and Professor Vector were sitting, arms out--stretched before her.
"I think she's confused between a zombie or a mummy rather than a vampire. I guess I should be glad she's never met a real vampire to compare movements with, but still…." He sniggered as McGonagall sat down beside him.
"Perhaps she hit her head harder than we thought…." Offered up the matronly lady. "But she seems much happier tonight. I don't think we needed to worry so about her and their holding grudges. They'll be friends again by the end of the night."
Looking around the table at the staff who were now all gathered, she leaned close to Dumbledore, "Albus? Where's Snape?"
Without returning her gaze, he responded simply, "Out."
But she seemed to understand some hidden meaning because she nodded and accosted a basket of dinner rolls.
Georgie noticed that he didn't show up for dinner. She thought amusedly that if he were all locked up in his room ignoring her, she'd kick his door in and then kick his ass, she thought with satisfaction. That's what Snape really needed-a good whooping. She felt like fighting.
Hagrid was poking her and she started poking him, "Hagrid, I wonder what'd happen if you put skele-grow in someone's food?"
"Dunno, maybe grow an arm bone outta their stomach."
"Here, shake hands with me…no wait, my hand's down here you nut!" She pantomimed.
Suddenly a crash of thunder and a bolt of lightning lit up the great hall and everyone present stopped their conversation and looked up to the enchanted ceiling.
Flitwick squeaked, "My, I wouldn't want to be out in a night like tonight." The rest of the table silently agreed. It was like an ominous sign, thought Georgie and shuddered, hoping she wasn't turning superstitious.
After dinner, Georgie headed directly back for the dungeons and their study-lounge room. She knocked at Snape's door calling out threats and swearing profusely. If he were there she was pretty sure he would've come out and smacked her up side the head for being that annoying. Where was he? She left their rooms and even walked to his classroom and only to find he wasn't there either. That room gave her the creeps, so she hurried back to her own comfortable rooms.
She sat on the couch and lit a roaring magical fire, and tapped her foot as she watched the seconds tick by on her watch. She ran to her room and came back with a book in hand, it was light fare, but she couldn't concentrate. The thunder and lightning had indeed been the signal for the start of a terrible storm. It was churning and blowing up something awful outside. She kept wandering over to press her nose against the glass. She was acting all worried, but she shouldn't worry. He was more than capable of taking care of himself, she thought with a shudder of remembrance.
She turned on her music but played it rather quietly and chose songs that fit the stormy mood of the weather and of her moodiness. She didn't sing along. She sat by the fire on the floor and stared off into space before rising to her feet. "If I don't do something I'm going to go mad." She spoke to herself out-loud as she burst out the door and through the Slytherin Common room to the hallway outside.
Georgie stood in the middle of the doorway after the wall slid back into place, and she looked around as if searching for inspiration on how to waste time. She took a few steps forward and saw a few feet in front of her the semi-transparent unsmiling ghost of a man, The Bloody Baron. He was watching her. She stepped forward bravely and spoke, "Good Evening, Baron. How are you doing today?"
"Same as yesterday," he informed her unfeelingly.
"Oh." She said. Unsure what to say next. "Have you seen Professor Snape tonight?" It stood to reason that if he had been camped out in front of this door, as it seems he might have been, that he would have had to see something.
"No. How could I?" He asked her. Uh, she thought, is he being hypothetical or something? Is he blind during storms or something, and I'm being insensitive to his ghostly feelings. "Seeing as he left at lunchtime-used the fireplace." He finished. Their fireplace was one of only two in all of Hogwarts that could--at times--be connected and disconnected to the Floo Network.
He looked to be enjoying her confused look, but in no way helped to alleviate the bewilderment. After a moment, he excused himself and glided away.
Georgie could have hit herself. Here she was, worrying over him all day--well, alternating between being pissed and worrying--and he's not even here! I'm such a sap, a complete idiot. He's probably off buying crap in Diagon Alley or something, I'm such a dork! She wondered if she could hit herself well-enough. Maybe she'd ask a house-elf to do it for her--they're always doing it to themselves, maybe they'd whack her if she asked nicely. She headed off to the kitchens, thinking punishment and junk food awaits me down there. Boredom's all that's up here.
The house-elves as it turned out would not lay a hand on Georgie, but she wasn't surprised, she hadn't really expected them to and she would've been highly amused if they'd conceded to do it.
A/N--Ha! Georgie's a bag of fun. R/R still. Thanks all. Ch. Seven's my fave so far--so read on!