A Ball at the Manor
Rating: PG
Warnings: none, for a change.
Summary: An old friend visits Severus. And then another.
"Jas."
"Severus."
"What can I do for you?" Their meetings always begun as such: slightly awkward, with Severus never knowing exactly what to say. James had been a year below him, and although they had been close while they were at school, times had changed. Severus was a potions Master now, and James—James haunted the dreams of small children for a living. And in another world, to boot. Severus had read up on the potential side-effects of long-term exposure to a purely magical environment, and it was a risk he wasn't willing to take. Jas knew them—Severus doubted that he didn't—but seemed not to care. He had always been a reckless one.
"I thought I'd return that book," Jason held out a small red book, and Severus frowned slightly.
"I said you could keep it," he reminded, and the pirate looked confused for a moment before smiling.
"Excellent," he declared, shrugging and pocketing the book. "May I borrow another, then?"
"What's mine is yours," Severus replied. "Tea?"
"Thank you." James perused the bookcase while Severus heated the water with his wand. He scooped some leaves into the fine china pot, and had just summoned milk when the fire roared with green flames. He looked up to see Lucius Malfoy step out from the floo.
"Lucius," he greeted, managing to sound nonplussed. Behind him, James looked curious.
"Am I interrupting?" Lucius asked casually, glancing about the room.
"Not at all," James assured him blithely. He stood straight. "Captain James Hook."
"Lucius Malfoy."
"It's a pleasure," James muttered, and Lucius inclined his head. They obviously didn't recognise each other, Severus realised, as both men transparently appraised the other.
"Tea, Lucius?" Conjuring another teacup would be easy enough.
"No, thank you, Severus. I was simply stopping by to invite you to a ball at the Manor, this coming Friday."
Severus inclined his head gracefully. Lucius lacked his normal poise, and Severus raised an eyebrow.
"Your guest is welcome, of course."
"Of course." Behind Severus, James nodded his assent. A minute later, after politely excusing himself, Lucius disappeared into the floo.
Severus returned to pouring the tea, hiding a smile.
Lucius would have a great deal of work to do, to organise a ball in little under a week.
Warnings: none, for a change.
Summary: An old friend visits Severus. And then another.
"Jas."
"Severus."
"What can I do for you?" Their meetings always begun as such: slightly awkward, with Severus never knowing exactly what to say. James had been a year below him, and although they had been close while they were at school, times had changed. Severus was a potions Master now, and James—James haunted the dreams of small children for a living. And in another world, to boot. Severus had read up on the potential side-effects of long-term exposure to a purely magical environment, and it was a risk he wasn't willing to take. Jas knew them—Severus doubted that he didn't—but seemed not to care. He had always been a reckless one.
"I thought I'd return that book," Jason held out a small red book, and Severus frowned slightly.
"I said you could keep it," he reminded, and the pirate looked confused for a moment before smiling.
"Excellent," he declared, shrugging and pocketing the book. "May I borrow another, then?"
"What's mine is yours," Severus replied. "Tea?"
"Thank you." James perused the bookcase while Severus heated the water with his wand. He scooped some leaves into the fine china pot, and had just summoned milk when the fire roared with green flames. He looked up to see Lucius Malfoy step out from the floo.
"Lucius," he greeted, managing to sound nonplussed. Behind him, James looked curious.
"Am I interrupting?" Lucius asked casually, glancing about the room.
"Not at all," James assured him blithely. He stood straight. "Captain James Hook."
"Lucius Malfoy."
"It's a pleasure," James muttered, and Lucius inclined his head. They obviously didn't recognise each other, Severus realised, as both men transparently appraised the other.
"Tea, Lucius?" Conjuring another teacup would be easy enough.
"No, thank you, Severus. I was simply stopping by to invite you to a ball at the Manor, this coming Friday."
Severus inclined his head gracefully. Lucius lacked his normal poise, and Severus raised an eyebrow.
"Your guest is welcome, of course."
"Of course." Behind Severus, James nodded his assent. A minute later, after politely excusing himself, Lucius disappeared into the floo.
Severus returned to pouring the tea, hiding a smile.
Lucius would have a great deal of work to do, to organise a ball in little under a week.