A/N: I don't like splitting up the journal entries, but this one turned out to be quite long so I have. I just want everyone to be aware that when you get to the end of this chapter it's not the end of the day. K? Well, let me know what you think…and as always…thanks for reading! ~Jo
Saturday October 9, 1976
I changed my mind. I went to Hogsmeade, just after I got out of the Hospital Wing with my hand bandaged. Severus made me go and see Madam Pomfrey. But I didn't tell Bell that I was going to Hogsmeade, on the contrary I told her I wasn't going. I'm a horrible person, I should have told her that I was going with Sev.
"It's just a dog bite." Bethany told Severus as they strolled through the main street of Hogsmeade.
"Dogs can have rabies." He said with a snide smile as if he were verbally attacking someone.
"They can." Bethany nodded. "But I don't think that dog did. He wasn't foaming at the mouth or anything, though he was acting strange. Very strange."
"That dog is very strange."
Bethany laughed. "You've seen that dog before?"
"Many times."
Bethany hummed. "I've never seen it."
"Bethany I never intended on letting that werewolf get you. I won't let that happen." Severus looked over to her and told her seriously.
Bethany looked at Severus and did her best to wave it off as no big deal. "Either way it doesn't matter…it's over and I'm glad it's over. Next time I decide to go out star gazing on the grounds I won't go alone."
"That would be wise." Severus puckered his lips.
Bethany watched him for a few moments. He was hiding his feelings behind a mask of anger that was very false, she could tell. "You're still angry with me." She said quickly. Then, changing the direction of the conversation, she danced around him cheerfully, "Did I tell you…I got an O on my Potions exam?"
"Bethany." Severus grabbed her by the arms and stopped her from circling him. "Did you really? An Outstanding?"
"Yes." She told him straight faced.
Severus let her go instantly. "You never needed my help. Did you?"
"Of course I did," Bethany said honestly. "I couldn't have done it alone Sev."
"I'm not mad at you." He said suddenly. "Not still angry, I mean."
Bethany eyed him. "You were angry?" She questioned.
"Yes." Severus nodded.
Bethany smiled. "Yet you still wanted to come to Hogsmeade with me?"
Severus was walking casually with his hands behind his back and peering in the stores they passed by. He did not look at her as he spoke. "Nothing would change that Bethany."
Bethany's demeanor went serious. "You were mad at me because I was out on the grounds last night?"
"Because you were out on the grounds alone." Severus corrected.
Bethany smiled, but Severus couldn't see her because he was still looking at the items in the shop windows.
It all came into focus. He was worried because he knew the werewolf was going to be there, so he followed me. I wish he just would have told me that. Sev is a strange person, I would like to understand him a bit better.
Bethany pulled Severus into a nearby shop avoiding Bellatrix who was off with a few other Slytherin girls that had huddled around a guy that graduated Hogwarts a few years back. Bethany remembered him, though she could not place his name, they had always called him by this surname: Lestrange.
Severus was staring at her when Bethany's attention brought her way from the window and back to Severus. He was no fool, and Bethany was sorry she'd acted so quickly. "You're avoiding your friends?" He covered the hurt sound in his voice with volume.
"Always." Bethany attempted to ease the blow with a half truth.
Severus looked around at the tea shop Bethany had pulled him into. "Then you meant to bring me here?"
Bethany looked around. Madam Puddifoot's place was a tea shop for couples. She froze. Several pairs had diverted their attention to the new arrivals, one pair of which was Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Black. Two tables over James Potter and Lily Evans peered up too.
Lucius cut the awkward moment for Bethany. "Severus, Bethany, please join Narcissa and I." He offered up two extra seats.
Bethany's eyes caught Lily's. Her pleading expression vanished when Lily turned back to James.
"Lucius, thank you." Severus nodded and accepted the offer.
Lucius continued to stand as Bethany eased over. He was a proud, handsome man, with broad shoulders and a haughty, arrogant look. He smiled at Bethany and pulled her chair out for her, "I've heard so much about you and your family Miss Spence."
"Likewise." Bethany did her best to smile, but she was certain it came out looking more like a grimace.
"Your family owns the Terra property right?"
Bethany nodded.
"A very old and prestigious landing. Is your father still a member of the Ministry?"
"Yes." Bethany smiled and nervously explained, "While I am at school he and my mother freelance for the Ministry of Magic's International Magic Cooperation and both sit on the International Confederation of Wizards, British Seats. But this year they've been tending to the Terra. It's taken them seven years, since it's come into their hands, to realize that it takes maintenance and upkeep. They're going to have to hire help."
"I'm glad to finally have met you." Lucius nodded properly. "Narcissa speaks of you often."
"You're friends with Severus dear?" Narcissa said taking Lucius's arm, like a good little lady.
"Oh yes." Lucius nodded to Narcissa then smiled at Severus. "We have been for some time."
Bethany frowned, she knew Narcissa and she knew what would happen. Narcissa wouldn't mention to Bellatrix that she had seen Severus and Bethany out together to spare her having to explain that Lucius and Severus were friends. But now it was going to be okay to associate with Severus because he was accepted by Lucius. Bethany's frown creased her face deeper, she didn't like this game.
Severus's face remained expressionless as he nodded and ordered up a cup of tea. Severus looked to Bethany, "What will you have?"
"Peppermint please," Bethany told the waitress.
"Ah, a fine choice." Lucius told her.
Bethany looked over to Lucius, she did her best to nod as proudly as he did. She found his behavior quite odd. Though it was expected, he was a proud pure blood and he was out of school so he took the nobility, and prestigious-ness of meeting other pure bloods as an art. He was trying to make political ties, Bethany knew the territory.
"Excuse me." Bethany finally found something to say. She didn't wait for them to approve that she was excused, she simply leapt up and dashed out the door. She scooted around the corner and behind Madam Puddifoot's where no one would see her, so that she could regain her composure. She needed strength to be able to address pure bloods properly, as she had to behave at home.
Bethany sighed as she rested her back against the building. As she took in a few deep breaths and the pounding in her head was soothed she heard a cry that sounded something like a moaning howl. Her eyes darted up a hill to the direction of the sound. She had never seen it, but she'd heard of it. A top the green knoll was a tiny broken down abode: the Shrieking Shack. If Bethany could have taken a step back she would have. It was a good distance away in a secluded patch of grass, but seeing it and hearing the cries (that all the locals talked about) startled her.
"Scared?"
Bethany nearly leapt out of her skin. "Sirius! I wasn't, but I am now." She gave the snickering boy a jab in the ribs.
"What are you doing back here?" He asked as his laughs subsided.
"I was just about to ask you the same question."
"I'm looking out for Remy." Sirius said casually.
Bethany raised her eyebrows. "Remus said he wasn't coming to Hogsmeade."
Sirius hummed and nodded as if lying were a common practice for Remus. Another raging howl came from the shack. Bethany jumped.
"Calm down Beth." Sirius told her. "I've never seen you like this."
"Have you ever met Lucius Malfoy?"
"Ah, now I know what's gotten into you. Do you like him or do you hate him?"
"What?" Bethany asked.
"Well every girl I've met (or anybody at all, for that matter), that's met Lucius is shaken up because they either love him or hate him…there's no happy medium with that guy."
"Well I'm pretty neutral toward him, so I may be a first. However, if I had to lean in a direction it would be the dislike side."
Sirius nodded casually. "I see."
Bethany, taking Sirius's body language as him disbelieving her, went on to say, "I'm interested in somebody else."
"Please don't tell me it's Snivellus." Sirius groaned.
"Oh no," Bethany shook her head. "He's my Potions tutor. We're friends."
"You're too
good for him Beth." Sirius said
casually.
"Remus?" Bethany
asked quickly, surprised that Sirius picked up on her 'interest'.
"You're too good for him too, but I meant Severus." Sirius smiled playfully and leaned back folding his arms over his chest.
"Sirius," Peter arrived at that moment out of breath. "Hey Beth," Peter smiled over to her. "What are you guys talking about?"
"Sky, clouds, you know…the usual." Sirius told Peter and discretely gave Bethany a wink.
"Oh," Peter didn't ask questions he simply turned to Sirius. "I need you to come with me."
Sirius nodded at Peter as if he telepathically understood Peter's problem. "I'll talk to you later," Sirius told Bethany.
Bethany watched the two head off together wondering how she would cover for her mistake of telling Sirius something she hadn't intended on telling anyone.