Chapter Twenty Three -- Visitor
The weeks passed in a blur and Georgie slowly resolved to her fate at not being perfect at every subject--not that she was perfect, it was just how Severus put it. Herbology would forever be the thorn in her side and if she did pass it would be a miracle. And even she could no longer blame the language--it was just the gardening bit. She was cursed, she groaned as yet another of the plants died under her painstaking touch. She felt horrid as Professor Sprout was a friend and tried hard to help the younger witch when she struggled.
"You can't best them all." Severus murmured disinterestedly for the umpteenth time from his seat. "Besides, you may never need it in future."
"Just my luck there'll be some stupid trap or task making me put my life on the line for it."
He looked up unsmiling, "How so?"
"Well, if we go by the records here at Hogwarts, I'm bound to come across some Chamber of Secrets or some crazy 'grow this or you don't get to move on' puzzle and I'll be down in that Chamber for forever."
"You're ranting."
"Yes, and my logic's impaired, I know." She growled. "I get this way when I fail at something."
"In a year's time you'll have forgotten the rest of it all and you'll have forgotten you ever had problems in the first place."
"If that's your attempt at being comforting then let me just tell you it sucks."
"I quit."
"You fail." She collapsed in a heap on her couch, her face obscured from his view, though he wasn't looking at her.
Georgie had taken Severus out at last just that week for a belated Birthday present. She'd taken him to the Opera where Severus had caused heads to turn to stare. He had absolutely refused to not wear Wizarding robes, so he looked a bit out of place to say the least, but they enjoyed the evening nonetheless. Severus had been once before many years ago and had remembered the building and the auditorium from back then.
Georgie was still a bit uneasy about that night though. Not the staring problem--but the going out again in public part. It felt foreign to her, though she never let on. She was glad she was with Severus. If she felt safe with anyone it was with him. Why, he probably could take on a robber single-handedly, like a hero in those miserable romances. The ones she hid behind her regular books in the bookcase. Anyhow, she reminded herself that lethal friends were always safer so she should find more of those types.
And, to be honest, yes Severus' insistence on not conforming pissed her off! She didn't mind that he was greasy and pale and his hair was stringy and uneven, no--he was a man and men had peculiar.habits. She could put up with his hygiene. She knew he bathed, so at least he tried! But his teeth! Good Lord, man, she hadn't the patience for this!
She lay and pondered all of this over once again in her mind, growing more and more incensed, but she couldn't very well say anything. He had mercifully held back his scathing remarks for quite sometime now and to bring these up would make her look so shallow..Damn, the politics of friendships. If when a friend is asked if the other looked ridiculous in an outfit, should one tell them truthfully or lie to save their feelings? Georgie thought she'd probably tell the truth if asked, but as Severus never asked for her opinion on his appearance she just couldn't volunteer it.
She rolled over onto her stomach and propped herself up on her elbows. "Penny for your thoughts?"
He looked up at her, "I was reading therefore I haven't any thoughts that would interest you in the way you'd hoped."
"Try me." She dryly retorted.
Half of his mouth betrayed him by turning up at the side, "I need to buy Dragon's blood next time I'm out, I need Flitwick to cast a stronger spell on the castle gate and.."
"And what?"
"And..I'm getting too old for this." He dropped his book down into his lap.
She blinked at him. "For me, or this?" She indicated widely with her arms.
"For this." He assured her and shrugged.
"Oh." She didn't know what to say.
"You're not saying anything." Severus pointed out uneasily.
"And you think I'm blatantly obvious? I said nothing because I wouldn't have said anything of worth, so I stopped myself from blabbing on like a fool before I even started." She ran on quickly. "Before I gave you further evidence of my foolishness."
"Good enough reason. Potion for your thoughts?"
"Do you think I only ask you so you in turn can turn it all back on me?" She chortled heartily at him.
"No, but answer the question."
"Yes, Professor Snape," She barked insolently. "My thoughts? Oh, well I'm hungry and it's cold in here and I'm glad the snow's melting at last and I wonder where Orris is." She held her breath so she could calculate his response.
"I believe she must be quite a way off by now, and if she's mad as Siobhan and The Prophet say on top of the memory charms performed on her, then she's most likely walked off into the sea."
"Yick."
"Happens." He explained matter-of-factly.
"Not in my sphere of life."
"That's because your sphere of life up until now has been only happy and peaceful and sheltered, with dancing and prancing dunderheads at the Institute."
"That's not fair," Georgie felt hurt.
"No, it wasn't. But it didn't help you to acquaint yourself with the ways of the world and all it's darkness and how it really is."
"And you think it's better to destroy all innocence and hope? What a bleak world you must see through your eyes." She shook her head mournfully. "I think the world's a great place with heaps of fun and jokes and knowledge and conversations and I wouldn't miss these for the world. Regardless of a few isolated incidents."
"You are allowed your opinion."
She raised her eyebrows at him, but didn't argue further. It was queer how sometimes she thought Severus was breaking out of his old shell, then all of the sudden he'd revert back to his nasty and dark old bitter self.
"Do you ever wish for things to be different than they are? Do you ever get lonely I mean? Wish you'd had the normal life: wife, kids, dragon in the yard and all that?"
"Normal never suited me. And women have caused me more trouble than I'd care to admit-yourself included." He grinned evilly. "No that life's not for me, I'm resigned to the fact and am content."
"I'm thinking that way too lately, isn't it a bit of a cop-out to settle down? When there's so much one could accomplish without the burdens of someone else to harping on your every move and motive. I've got so much I'd like to accomplish first."
Females always linger on the emotional and romantic aspects of life-whether they see it to admit it or not. "Minerva would argue that unfortunately our lives, even our futures aren't organized or predictable. That's why I never bet on Oracles." He tossed his head in indignation.
Georgie saw that her conversation was taking an al too familiar turn, which would predictably put her friend's back up by the end of it. "So if Orris is mad and wandering the cliffs of Dover about to jump like a lemming why haven't the Ministry officials caught up with her yet?"
"A good question. Hence asking Flitwick once again to strengthen Hogwarts' protections." That the Ministry is useless, was the first thought to jump to his mind..
"Scaredy cat."
"Not fearful of her per se." He spoke slowly and drawn out, "I'm not fond of unpredictable psychotic-escapees. Whether they recognize me or no; it just doesn't sit well with me regardless." Georgie silently agreed that this was wise reasoning.
So all he can do is sit back and wait to see if they come for him. "Oh well, it's still pretty exciting to know about someone written up in the papers."
"You haven't been here long enough." Severus grimaced. Just wait...
Severus Snape, Potions Master and self-proclaimed embittered shell of a man, had finally gotten to sleep--though not a naturally occurring one-- he'd had help. Days came and went and he still struggled with his insomnia.
Out in the common room no one was awake, save one girl sitting close to the dying fire and struggling under the added assistance of a single candle to study from an enormous Potions book spread open in front of her. She was determined to pass that blasted class or else..
A noise startled her and she hopped o her feet instinctively and fingered her wand in deep her pocket. It had come from outside the common room's secret entrance, perhaps someone was trying to break in? She tiptoed over to the wall where the door opened out, listening. No, she mustn't jump to conclusions. It was probably just another Slytherin out to the Astronomy tower and sneaking back in--couldn't blame anyone for that now could she?
She nearly screamed as a silvery figure passed through the wall inches from her face. She growled, "Bloody hell, couldn't you at least knock or warn me or something! I thought you were a burglar out to kill us in our beds as we slept, making all that noise out there." Her heart was thumping in her chest and her eyes flashed at the Bloody Baron. Usually she showed him more respect, but tonight she was at her nerves' ends anyway and couldn't handle this.
His eyes widened at her tone, then started. "It's not I making the racket outside, and none of Slytherin House as well."
She blinked at the information allowing a split second to sink in. "So who is it?"
"No other student I'm afraid. This is an outsider, an intruder and I fear she's up to no good." He pronounced. "I think we should go wake up Professor Snape so he can straighten this whole thing out." But before the words were even all of the way out of his mouth, the door in the stone swung open and a tall woman walked through.
"Ah!" Siobhan screamed in shock, and the woman smiled funnily at her and raised her wand. "Hello," She croaked as she stepped into the room and closer to the light. She was covered with scratches and smudges of blood on her hands and her face and with that disturbed look in her eye, she looked like the devil himself had sent her for Siobhan. Siobhan raised her wand in defense and sent the woman a stunner, causing the woman to be knocked off of her feet and landing her up against the stone wall, but not very forcefully.
Seconds later voices were heard coming towards her and lights were lit as a handful of people come out to hear the commotion. Siobhan was beyond sense and reason now. It felt like a very strange and hazy dream almost, like she hadn't been the one to do it. She saw through a mist the Bloody Baron conversing with the Professor, pointing over at her every few seconds. Sounds came as a dull roar, like being underwater. She hardly even realized as someone tugged at her elbow and led her out of the room. She tried to tell them that she forgot her books and had to retrieve them, but the person wouldn't listen--and she was too tired to argue. Strange sensation, strange evening, strange woman..She mumbled as she settled down on her bed and the lights went out.
Georgie sat up with Severus as he menaced and stomped around the lounge and was in all ways unpleasant. She just watched him over her Diet Coke can. This was ridiculous really. There wasn't anything they could do tonight so why did he feel the need to do this?
Georgie interrupted Severus' monologue on safety in the castle, "Um, Severus is that really necessary?" She pointed at the figure of Orris McDade propped up against the wall with ties around the arms and legs--or at least it resembled Orris in a vague sort of way. The figure was gaunt and disheveled and dirty.
"Yes. Wait, do you mean her being over there in the first place, or the ties?"
"Her being there at all."
"Wait an hour, then we'll move her." Dumbledore had been called after the breech of security, Georgie couldn't bring herself to call it an attack. He had suggested they watch for an hour or two to make very sure that it was indeed Miss McDade and not another using Polyjuice. Georgie had told Severus that if that figure changed to some stranger tied up on their floor she would flee, to which he said coldly that she would be free to do so.
She drank her soda; damn she needed the caffeine. She wanted to point out that they did have lessons in the morning, so couldn't they just call it a night? Severus, not surprisingly, was obstinate. She really hadn't expected him to. He was ranting, almost in true Georgie style about the many possible ways Orris may have gained access to the castle unobserved. Filch was on the lookout and Hagrid would be informed to do as much in the morning.
At a lull in Severus' conversation, Georgie tiredly broke in. "Isn't it odd how just a few days ago we were talking of her." She sighed and closed her eyes momentarily.
"Perhaps, but I doubt it has any bearing on her appearance here now."
"I know." She yawned and pulled her dressing robe tighter around her neck. "So, is she dead?"
"Yes."
"How? Siobhan?"
"No. She's been dying ever since she left Azkaban. Starving and running herself ragged. Siobhan didn't kill her."
"Her spell didn't kill her then?"
"I think not. Or at least not entirely. She most likely died in here."
Georgie shivered. "I think Siobhan will be glad to know that."
"And you'd tell her if it had been otherwise?" Snape eyed her disdainfully.
"Truth is always better than fiction, Snape. 'Sides I don't have to tell her otherwise, now do I?"
"I suppose."
"Creepy, she died in here. If she haunts this room and makes life a living hell, I'll blame you for dragging her on in here."
"Well, where else would you have me put her? Besides who first made contact with the wretch?" He snapped. "We have to watch her and if sitting in the corridors outside were more to your liking comfort-wise, you should only have spoken up."
She raised her bushy brows at him and sent him a look as if he were mad and a laughable creature. "Whatever you say. She's your girlfriend."
Georgie sat down next to the body and propped her up before her. Georgie flopped the arms around in grandiose and eerie gestures as she struggled to keep the head from rolling to the side. Orris' arm gestured at the pacing gaunt man, "If you'd only had married me then none of this would have happened, " she pronounced for the body in a singsong lilting voice.
Severus stopped mid-step and glared at her. "You're sick, you know that." To which she snorted and extricated herself from the body.
"She's not coming back as a ghost I guarantee you." He crossed his thin arms across his chest.
"Guarantees.ach..."
"What, don't believe me?"
"Yes, I believe you. I just think it a funny word from you."
"What? Guarantee?"
"Yes." She answered smugly.
He ignored her and continued his infuriating pacing of the room. She recognized this in him as a nervous habit, but it didn't help to calm her nerves any.
"You worrying about why she even came back here, aren't you?"
Severus shot her an odd look, "Yes that is what I was thinking, of course, you imbecile. I gather that not all of her memory was erased. It was fortunate that she made it here first before she died."
"You have no idea if she met up with anyone else--any Death Eaters." Georgie pointed out and curled up on the couch.
"True, but Voldemort wouldn't bother with a lunatic and if he had heard about me I would either have been called up to be tested.." He didn't elaborate on what testing entailed and Georgie in her fatigue was thankful for the courtesy. "Either that or I'd be dead already. You may find it amazing that one was able to get into the castle, but I'm not surprised. Expected it even one day. I am quite sure that a whole army couldn't get through, but it would be simple enough for a few to--"
"Please stop it." Georgie interrupted. "Sorry, but I'm really very tired and I can't handle any more bad news. I know I'm unsupportive and rude, but oh who the hell cares?" She waved her arms wildly about. "Your girlfriend gives me gooseflesh. I can offer you any number of suggestions and helpful things. 'Sides, if you know they can get in, why don't you fix it so they can't?"
"I could in an instant, whether I can or not isn't the issue," He sneered at her. "The Dark Lord knows of the 'holes' in our defenses and so long as they stand, he believes that I'm keeping up my duty here at Hogwarts."
"Yea, score one for the dark side." She said sarcastically. "Could've killed us all tonight, or Siobhan. That doesn't sit well with me, Snape." She threw his own words back at him.
"Miss McDade was just a loon, she wasn't here to hurt a soul."
But she could have, Georgie mulled. "Then what was she here for?"
"I don't know." He scratched his cheek unaware that she was still staring at him.
"Then don't speculate about that which you don't know." She grumbled. "Speak only of what you do know."
He turned around and looked at her surprised, "You should be an investigator with the ministry. What a good, clear mind you have."
"Only when I'm tired and my friends are threatened."
"Oh, well then if that's all it takes.."
Georgie couldn't help but laughing. "Yes, I can picture you as the one assigned to threaten!"
He bowed, "Anything for the good of the populace."
"Over the moors, take me to the moors
dig a shallow grave
and I'll lay me down
Lesley-Anne, with your pretty white beads
oh John, you'll never be a man
and you'll never see your home again
oh Manchester, so much to answer for
Edward, see those alluring lights?
tonight will be your very last night
a woman said "I know my son is dead
I'll never rest my hands on his sacred head."
Hindley wakes and Hindley says:
"Wherever he has gone, I have gone."
But fresh lilac-ed moorland fields
cannot hide the stolid stench of death
Hindley wakes and Hindley says:
"Whatever he has done, I have done."
But this is no easy ride
for a child cries,
"find me...find me, nothing more
we're on a sullen misty moor
we may be dead and we may be gone
but we will be right by your side
until the day you die.
this is no easy ride
we will haunt you when you laugh
yes, you could say we're a team
you might sleep
BUT YOU WILL NEVER DREAM!"
Oh Manchester, so much to answer for
Oh Manchester, so much to answer for
Over the moor, I'm on the moor
the child is on the moor.
"Who's Hindley?"
"Eh?" Her head snapped up to see Severus gliding into the room.
"Hindley?"
"Dunno. Does it matter? Just a song after all."
He deposited himself onto the couch. "If you follow that logic, it's no large wonder that Muggles sing about such ridiculous topics then." He snorted in disgust.
"Gawd, give me an inch here." She shook her head and looked away from him.
"You have a song for every occasion it seems." He held his own books in his lap and fingered the covers absently.
"Not really. I mean, haven't you noticed that they all have the same sort of.well, tone to them?"
He smiled wily. "I have noticed."
"Dunno why.."
"Oh don't you?"
She couldn't be bothered to gratify his attempts at being mysterious with an answer. "So, you failing Potter?" She smiled at him.
"No." He huffed out forcedly. "His friend, Weasley may just do so on his own merit."
"Ronald's getting bad marks in Potions?" Severus occasionally brought up the progress of specific younger students, almost as one would examine case studies.
"Just not his 'thing', is that it?" He snarled back her own sort of an explanation before she got the chance to voice it.
"No, I was just thinking about going over and scaring the ever-loving shit out of the boy, Put the fear of Gaw--Snape in him. Rant on about how if he doesn't do well, he'll never get to be head boy or Prefect or whatever the devil he strives for."
"I don't think he strives for much. Look at how his older siblings fared."
"I would if I knew them or who they were." Georgie simpered, delighting in catching him up. "I think I met the girl Weasley, Virginia. Younger, yeah?"
Severus held his pointed face in his palm over his chest, "Yes, I sometimes forget you are here only one year. Yes, well the older boys are irresponsible--oldest two run amok abroad and at home--very wild. Their parents should never have had such a large litter--beyond control almost."
Georgie missed the last part of his speech as she had doubled over her guitar in raucous laughter. "Litter!" That's awful, you know!" She howled and came up for air at last, wiping at her eyes with her sleeve.
"My point is that they are undisciplined and allowed too much freedom, and look what it's gotten any of them." Georgie bit her tongue. She was sure that Severus was being biased now--they couldn't all be such horrible children. She reminded herself to ask Ron Weasley when she saw him next to share about his siblings. If her mere presence didn't make him wet himself first.
Lately the strain between Potter, Weasley, Granger and Georgie had loosened. She guessed it owed to Hermione's intervention, which Georgie wasn't pleased about--but what could one do now that it was done? So Potter's gang and Georgie were civil and 'got along' and on occasion had fun with Hagrid. But it was all very forced. Georgie was sure that if she were a Gryffindor and left to her own devices, she probably wouldn't have become such friends with them. But she really had wanted to prove to Severus that Potter wasn't so very bad, that it was possible to 'get along' and on top of everything, she just wanted to piss Snape off. To walk in and to see his face cloud over when he asked where she'd gotten off to. True it was childish and petty. But any small victory for her in their silly little war, was still a victory.
The weeks passed in a blur and Georgie slowly resolved to her fate at not being perfect at every subject--not that she was perfect, it was just how Severus put it. Herbology would forever be the thorn in her side and if she did pass it would be a miracle. And even she could no longer blame the language--it was just the gardening bit. She was cursed, she groaned as yet another of the plants died under her painstaking touch. She felt horrid as Professor Sprout was a friend and tried hard to help the younger witch when she struggled.
"You can't best them all." Severus murmured disinterestedly for the umpteenth time from his seat. "Besides, you may never need it in future."
"Just my luck there'll be some stupid trap or task making me put my life on the line for it."
He looked up unsmiling, "How so?"
"Well, if we go by the records here at Hogwarts, I'm bound to come across some Chamber of Secrets or some crazy 'grow this or you don't get to move on' puzzle and I'll be down in that Chamber for forever."
"You're ranting."
"Yes, and my logic's impaired, I know." She growled. "I get this way when I fail at something."
"In a year's time you'll have forgotten the rest of it all and you'll have forgotten you ever had problems in the first place."
"If that's your attempt at being comforting then let me just tell you it sucks."
"I quit."
"You fail." She collapsed in a heap on her couch, her face obscured from his view, though he wasn't looking at her.
Georgie had taken Severus out at last just that week for a belated Birthday present. She'd taken him to the Opera where Severus had caused heads to turn to stare. He had absolutely refused to not wear Wizarding robes, so he looked a bit out of place to say the least, but they enjoyed the evening nonetheless. Severus had been once before many years ago and had remembered the building and the auditorium from back then.
Georgie was still a bit uneasy about that night though. Not the staring problem--but the going out again in public part. It felt foreign to her, though she never let on. She was glad she was with Severus. If she felt safe with anyone it was with him. Why, he probably could take on a robber single-handedly, like a hero in those miserable romances. The ones she hid behind her regular books in the bookcase. Anyhow, she reminded herself that lethal friends were always safer so she should find more of those types.
And, to be honest, yes Severus' insistence on not conforming pissed her off! She didn't mind that he was greasy and pale and his hair was stringy and uneven, no--he was a man and men had peculiar.habits. She could put up with his hygiene. She knew he bathed, so at least he tried! But his teeth! Good Lord, man, she hadn't the patience for this!
She lay and pondered all of this over once again in her mind, growing more and more incensed, but she couldn't very well say anything. He had mercifully held back his scathing remarks for quite sometime now and to bring these up would make her look so shallow..Damn, the politics of friendships. If when a friend is asked if the other looked ridiculous in an outfit, should one tell them truthfully or lie to save their feelings? Georgie thought she'd probably tell the truth if asked, but as Severus never asked for her opinion on his appearance she just couldn't volunteer it.
She rolled over onto her stomach and propped herself up on her elbows. "Penny for your thoughts?"
He looked up at her, "I was reading therefore I haven't any thoughts that would interest you in the way you'd hoped."
"Try me." She dryly retorted.
Half of his mouth betrayed him by turning up at the side, "I need to buy Dragon's blood next time I'm out, I need Flitwick to cast a stronger spell on the castle gate and.."
"And what?"
"And..I'm getting too old for this." He dropped his book down into his lap.
She blinked at him. "For me, or this?" She indicated widely with her arms.
"For this." He assured her and shrugged.
"Oh." She didn't know what to say.
"You're not saying anything." Severus pointed out uneasily.
"And you think I'm blatantly obvious? I said nothing because I wouldn't have said anything of worth, so I stopped myself from blabbing on like a fool before I even started." She ran on quickly. "Before I gave you further evidence of my foolishness."
"Good enough reason. Potion for your thoughts?"
"Do you think I only ask you so you in turn can turn it all back on me?" She chortled heartily at him.
"No, but answer the question."
"Yes, Professor Snape," She barked insolently. "My thoughts? Oh, well I'm hungry and it's cold in here and I'm glad the snow's melting at last and I wonder where Orris is." She held her breath so she could calculate his response.
"I believe she must be quite a way off by now, and if she's mad as Siobhan and The Prophet say on top of the memory charms performed on her, then she's most likely walked off into the sea."
"Yick."
"Happens." He explained matter-of-factly.
"Not in my sphere of life."
"That's because your sphere of life up until now has been only happy and peaceful and sheltered, with dancing and prancing dunderheads at the Institute."
"That's not fair," Georgie felt hurt.
"No, it wasn't. But it didn't help you to acquaint yourself with the ways of the world and all it's darkness and how it really is."
"And you think it's better to destroy all innocence and hope? What a bleak world you must see through your eyes." She shook her head mournfully. "I think the world's a great place with heaps of fun and jokes and knowledge and conversations and I wouldn't miss these for the world. Regardless of a few isolated incidents."
"You are allowed your opinion."
She raised her eyebrows at him, but didn't argue further. It was queer how sometimes she thought Severus was breaking out of his old shell, then all of the sudden he'd revert back to his nasty and dark old bitter self.
"Do you ever wish for things to be different than they are? Do you ever get lonely I mean? Wish you'd had the normal life: wife, kids, dragon in the yard and all that?"
"Normal never suited me. And women have caused me more trouble than I'd care to admit-yourself included." He grinned evilly. "No that life's not for me, I'm resigned to the fact and am content."
"I'm thinking that way too lately, isn't it a bit of a cop-out to settle down? When there's so much one could accomplish without the burdens of someone else to harping on your every move and motive. I've got so much I'd like to accomplish first."
Females always linger on the emotional and romantic aspects of life-whether they see it to admit it or not. "Minerva would argue that unfortunately our lives, even our futures aren't organized or predictable. That's why I never bet on Oracles." He tossed his head in indignation.
Georgie saw that her conversation was taking an al too familiar turn, which would predictably put her friend's back up by the end of it. "So if Orris is mad and wandering the cliffs of Dover about to jump like a lemming why haven't the Ministry officials caught up with her yet?"
"A good question. Hence asking Flitwick once again to strengthen Hogwarts' protections." That the Ministry is useless, was the first thought to jump to his mind..
"Scaredy cat."
"Not fearful of her per se." He spoke slowly and drawn out, "I'm not fond of unpredictable psychotic-escapees. Whether they recognize me or no; it just doesn't sit well with me regardless." Georgie silently agreed that this was wise reasoning.
So all he can do is sit back and wait to see if they come for him. "Oh well, it's still pretty exciting to know about someone written up in the papers."
"You haven't been here long enough." Severus grimaced. Just wait...
Severus Snape, Potions Master and self-proclaimed embittered shell of a man, had finally gotten to sleep--though not a naturally occurring one-- he'd had help. Days came and went and he still struggled with his insomnia.
Out in the common room no one was awake, save one girl sitting close to the dying fire and struggling under the added assistance of a single candle to study from an enormous Potions book spread open in front of her. She was determined to pass that blasted class or else..
A noise startled her and she hopped o her feet instinctively and fingered her wand in deep her pocket. It had come from outside the common room's secret entrance, perhaps someone was trying to break in? She tiptoed over to the wall where the door opened out, listening. No, she mustn't jump to conclusions. It was probably just another Slytherin out to the Astronomy tower and sneaking back in--couldn't blame anyone for that now could she?
She nearly screamed as a silvery figure passed through the wall inches from her face. She growled, "Bloody hell, couldn't you at least knock or warn me or something! I thought you were a burglar out to kill us in our beds as we slept, making all that noise out there." Her heart was thumping in her chest and her eyes flashed at the Bloody Baron. Usually she showed him more respect, but tonight she was at her nerves' ends anyway and couldn't handle this.
His eyes widened at her tone, then started. "It's not I making the racket outside, and none of Slytherin House as well."
She blinked at the information allowing a split second to sink in. "So who is it?"
"No other student I'm afraid. This is an outsider, an intruder and I fear she's up to no good." He pronounced. "I think we should go wake up Professor Snape so he can straighten this whole thing out." But before the words were even all of the way out of his mouth, the door in the stone swung open and a tall woman walked through.
"Ah!" Siobhan screamed in shock, and the woman smiled funnily at her and raised her wand. "Hello," She croaked as she stepped into the room and closer to the light. She was covered with scratches and smudges of blood on her hands and her face and with that disturbed look in her eye, she looked like the devil himself had sent her for Siobhan. Siobhan raised her wand in defense and sent the woman a stunner, causing the woman to be knocked off of her feet and landing her up against the stone wall, but not very forcefully.
Seconds later voices were heard coming towards her and lights were lit as a handful of people come out to hear the commotion. Siobhan was beyond sense and reason now. It felt like a very strange and hazy dream almost, like she hadn't been the one to do it. She saw through a mist the Bloody Baron conversing with the Professor, pointing over at her every few seconds. Sounds came as a dull roar, like being underwater. She hardly even realized as someone tugged at her elbow and led her out of the room. She tried to tell them that she forgot her books and had to retrieve them, but the person wouldn't listen--and she was too tired to argue. Strange sensation, strange evening, strange woman..She mumbled as she settled down on her bed and the lights went out.
Georgie sat up with Severus as he menaced and stomped around the lounge and was in all ways unpleasant. She just watched him over her Diet Coke can. This was ridiculous really. There wasn't anything they could do tonight so why did he feel the need to do this?
Georgie interrupted Severus' monologue on safety in the castle, "Um, Severus is that really necessary?" She pointed at the figure of Orris McDade propped up against the wall with ties around the arms and legs--or at least it resembled Orris in a vague sort of way. The figure was gaunt and disheveled and dirty.
"Yes. Wait, do you mean her being over there in the first place, or the ties?"
"Her being there at all."
"Wait an hour, then we'll move her." Dumbledore had been called after the breech of security, Georgie couldn't bring herself to call it an attack. He had suggested they watch for an hour or two to make very sure that it was indeed Miss McDade and not another using Polyjuice. Georgie had told Severus that if that figure changed to some stranger tied up on their floor she would flee, to which he said coldly that she would be free to do so.
She drank her soda; damn she needed the caffeine. She wanted to point out that they did have lessons in the morning, so couldn't they just call it a night? Severus, not surprisingly, was obstinate. She really hadn't expected him to. He was ranting, almost in true Georgie style about the many possible ways Orris may have gained access to the castle unobserved. Filch was on the lookout and Hagrid would be informed to do as much in the morning.
At a lull in Severus' conversation, Georgie tiredly broke in. "Isn't it odd how just a few days ago we were talking of her." She sighed and closed her eyes momentarily.
"Perhaps, but I doubt it has any bearing on her appearance here now."
"I know." She yawned and pulled her dressing robe tighter around her neck. "So, is she dead?"
"Yes."
"How? Siobhan?"
"No. She's been dying ever since she left Azkaban. Starving and running herself ragged. Siobhan didn't kill her."
"Her spell didn't kill her then?"
"I think not. Or at least not entirely. She most likely died in here."
Georgie shivered. "I think Siobhan will be glad to know that."
"And you'd tell her if it had been otherwise?" Snape eyed her disdainfully.
"Truth is always better than fiction, Snape. 'Sides I don't have to tell her otherwise, now do I?"
"I suppose."
"Creepy, she died in here. If she haunts this room and makes life a living hell, I'll blame you for dragging her on in here."
"Well, where else would you have me put her? Besides who first made contact with the wretch?" He snapped. "We have to watch her and if sitting in the corridors outside were more to your liking comfort-wise, you should only have spoken up."
She raised her bushy brows at him and sent him a look as if he were mad and a laughable creature. "Whatever you say. She's your girlfriend."
Georgie sat down next to the body and propped her up before her. Georgie flopped the arms around in grandiose and eerie gestures as she struggled to keep the head from rolling to the side. Orris' arm gestured at the pacing gaunt man, "If you'd only had married me then none of this would have happened, " she pronounced for the body in a singsong lilting voice.
Severus stopped mid-step and glared at her. "You're sick, you know that." To which she snorted and extricated herself from the body.
"She's not coming back as a ghost I guarantee you." He crossed his thin arms across his chest.
"Guarantees.ach..."
"What, don't believe me?"
"Yes, I believe you. I just think it a funny word from you."
"What? Guarantee?"
"Yes." She answered smugly.
He ignored her and continued his infuriating pacing of the room. She recognized this in him as a nervous habit, but it didn't help to calm her nerves any.
"You worrying about why she even came back here, aren't you?"
Severus shot her an odd look, "Yes that is what I was thinking, of course, you imbecile. I gather that not all of her memory was erased. It was fortunate that she made it here first before she died."
"You have no idea if she met up with anyone else--any Death Eaters." Georgie pointed out and curled up on the couch.
"True, but Voldemort wouldn't bother with a lunatic and if he had heard about me I would either have been called up to be tested.." He didn't elaborate on what testing entailed and Georgie in her fatigue was thankful for the courtesy. "Either that or I'd be dead already. You may find it amazing that one was able to get into the castle, but I'm not surprised. Expected it even one day. I am quite sure that a whole army couldn't get through, but it would be simple enough for a few to--"
"Please stop it." Georgie interrupted. "Sorry, but I'm really very tired and I can't handle any more bad news. I know I'm unsupportive and rude, but oh who the hell cares?" She waved her arms wildly about. "Your girlfriend gives me gooseflesh. I can offer you any number of suggestions and helpful things. 'Sides, if you know they can get in, why don't you fix it so they can't?"
"I could in an instant, whether I can or not isn't the issue," He sneered at her. "The Dark Lord knows of the 'holes' in our defenses and so long as they stand, he believes that I'm keeping up my duty here at Hogwarts."
"Yea, score one for the dark side." She said sarcastically. "Could've killed us all tonight, or Siobhan. That doesn't sit well with me, Snape." She threw his own words back at him.
"Miss McDade was just a loon, she wasn't here to hurt a soul."
But she could have, Georgie mulled. "Then what was she here for?"
"I don't know." He scratched his cheek unaware that she was still staring at him.
"Then don't speculate about that which you don't know." She grumbled. "Speak only of what you do know."
He turned around and looked at her surprised, "You should be an investigator with the ministry. What a good, clear mind you have."
"Only when I'm tired and my friends are threatened."
"Oh, well then if that's all it takes.."
Georgie couldn't help but laughing. "Yes, I can picture you as the one assigned to threaten!"
He bowed, "Anything for the good of the populace."
"Over the moors, take me to the moors
dig a shallow grave
and I'll lay me down
Lesley-Anne, with your pretty white beads
oh John, you'll never be a man
and you'll never see your home again
oh Manchester, so much to answer for
Edward, see those alluring lights?
tonight will be your very last night
a woman said "I know my son is dead
I'll never rest my hands on his sacred head."
Hindley wakes and Hindley says:
"Wherever he has gone, I have gone."
But fresh lilac-ed moorland fields
cannot hide the stolid stench of death
Hindley wakes and Hindley says:
"Whatever he has done, I have done."
But this is no easy ride
for a child cries,
"find me...find me, nothing more
we're on a sullen misty moor
we may be dead and we may be gone
but we will be right by your side
until the day you die.
this is no easy ride
we will haunt you when you laugh
yes, you could say we're a team
you might sleep
BUT YOU WILL NEVER DREAM!"
Oh Manchester, so much to answer for
Oh Manchester, so much to answer for
Over the moor, I'm on the moor
the child is on the moor.
"Who's Hindley?"
"Eh?" Her head snapped up to see Severus gliding into the room.
"Hindley?"
"Dunno. Does it matter? Just a song after all."
He deposited himself onto the couch. "If you follow that logic, it's no large wonder that Muggles sing about such ridiculous topics then." He snorted in disgust.
"Gawd, give me an inch here." She shook her head and looked away from him.
"You have a song for every occasion it seems." He held his own books in his lap and fingered the covers absently.
"Not really. I mean, haven't you noticed that they all have the same sort of.well, tone to them?"
He smiled wily. "I have noticed."
"Dunno why.."
"Oh don't you?"
She couldn't be bothered to gratify his attempts at being mysterious with an answer. "So, you failing Potter?" She smiled at him.
"No." He huffed out forcedly. "His friend, Weasley may just do so on his own merit."
"Ronald's getting bad marks in Potions?" Severus occasionally brought up the progress of specific younger students, almost as one would examine case studies.
"Just not his 'thing', is that it?" He snarled back her own sort of an explanation before she got the chance to voice it.
"No, I was just thinking about going over and scaring the ever-loving shit out of the boy, Put the fear of Gaw--Snape in him. Rant on about how if he doesn't do well, he'll never get to be head boy or Prefect or whatever the devil he strives for."
"I don't think he strives for much. Look at how his older siblings fared."
"I would if I knew them or who they were." Georgie simpered, delighting in catching him up. "I think I met the girl Weasley, Virginia. Younger, yeah?"
Severus held his pointed face in his palm over his chest, "Yes, I sometimes forget you are here only one year. Yes, well the older boys are irresponsible--oldest two run amok abroad and at home--very wild. Their parents should never have had such a large litter--beyond control almost."
Georgie missed the last part of his speech as she had doubled over her guitar in raucous laughter. "Litter!" That's awful, you know!" She howled and came up for air at last, wiping at her eyes with her sleeve.
"My point is that they are undisciplined and allowed too much freedom, and look what it's gotten any of them." Georgie bit her tongue. She was sure that Severus was being biased now--they couldn't all be such horrible children. She reminded herself to ask Ron Weasley when she saw him next to share about his siblings. If her mere presence didn't make him wet himself first.
Lately the strain between Potter, Weasley, Granger and Georgie had loosened. She guessed it owed to Hermione's intervention, which Georgie wasn't pleased about--but what could one do now that it was done? So Potter's gang and Georgie were civil and 'got along' and on occasion had fun with Hagrid. But it was all very forced. Georgie was sure that if she were a Gryffindor and left to her own devices, she probably wouldn't have become such friends with them. But she really had wanted to prove to Severus that Potter wasn't so very bad, that it was possible to 'get along' and on top of everything, she just wanted to piss Snape off. To walk in and to see his face cloud over when he asked where she'd gotten off to. True it was childish and petty. But any small victory for her in their silly little war, was still a victory.