Chapter Five: A Semblance of Normality
"You fail to see the logic in all this, Professor."
"Please, enlighten me," he told her with a voice of aggravation and disinterest.
She was quiet for a moment, and at first it seemed she had no more to say, but just as a cruel smirk came to Snape's mouth and he was about to speak, she answered him. "You may call me naive if you like, or even stupid, but it won't change the way I see the situation. We have an opportunity to make a difference. Not only in the structure of this building, but also in the morale of those within the school. As I told Albus, if we act as though what's happened has no effect on us, then it's unlikely that Voldemort and his forces will want to attack again immediately." She nodded once, curtly, when she finished and patiently awaited a sharp response from the Potions Master.
None was forthcoming. Instead, it surprised Blythe to hear the words that did flow from his mouth. "Perhaps you have grown somewhat, Miss Farrah. However, I refuse to believe you've changed all that much in only three years. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have important matters to attend to." With that, he rose from his seat, and without a backwards glance, made his way out of the Great Hall.
She let out a soft sigh and pondered to herself whether or not he even considered the meaning of her words. She would not be discouraged, though. Rather, she was more determined than ever to prove herself to him. He was, by far, her worst critic, and she had every intention of changing his views of her.
She finished eating in silence, then made her way back outside to assist in clearing away the rubble from the destroyed tower only to find the job was already done and they had no more need of her.
Remus made his way to her side and draped an arm over her shoulders. His face was slightly pink and he was a bit winded, but seemed no worse for wear. "It's all finished, m'dear. Now we just need to concentrate on putting it back together."
"That will come later. This particular tower isn't really necessary at this time. The most important task for this area of the castle is over with, now we're able to move on to other aspects," Dumbledore informed them with a cheerful smile.
"I'm glad to see there's already a positive change in the atmosphere around here, Albus. It's a very uplifting thing indeed," commented Blythe.
The Headmaster of Hogwarts nodded to her statement. "I couldn't agree more."
"Hmm ..." Blythe seemed to be in thought again. Albus and Remus waited patiently to hear what was on her mind this time. "Perhaps cleaning is in order as well. I haven't the magic to help with the reconstruction of the castle, but I do have the necessary skills to get rid of the inches of dust within. Those poor paintings have to be absolutely miserable looking the way they do. Would you mind if I got started on that, Albus, or do you have something else in mind for me to do?"
"Not at all, Blythe. Feel free to locate Mr. Filch for assistance." He glanced briefly at Remus with unveiled concern. "And perhaps you've done enough of this kind of work for the time being. You should do something less taxing, Remus, by helping Blythe as well."
"Of course, Professor. I'll be only too happy to be of service, even in a small way."
"In that case, it's time to roll up your tattered sleeves and get ready to use some elbow grease." Blythe giggled as she looked up at the man she adored.
"Why do I have the nagging feeling that you're going to enjoy every second of this?"
"Likely because I will, Remus dear," she responded sweetly.
The two of them ventured back into the castle and proceeded to search for the caretaker Mr. Filch. Most considered him to be a horrible man to associate with, and generally went out of their way to avoid him, but Blythe never seemed to feel that way. While he was certainly grungy and ill-tempered, he was no more dangerous than a puppy compared to someone like Severus Snape. When it came right down to the bare wire, Blythe far preferred the company of Argus to Severus. It took them about an hour of searching, but they eventually managed to find Filch's cat, Mrs. Norris. She gave a baleful meow when they approached her and her lamp-like eyes watched them carefully, almost calculating exactly what their intentions might be.
"Hallo, Mrs. Norris," chirped Blythe pleasantly. "Do you know where Mr. Filch is?"
The cat let out another sound and began making her way down the corridor. After a short walk, she led them to her master.
"Thank you. I'd give you a treat for your help, but I don't have anything with me right now. I promise I'll find something for you later, though."
Mr. Filch stood in the doorway of his small office, which was little more than a broom closet, and watched Blythe chatting with his cat. "You want somethin'?" His gruff voice made Blythe start.
"If it wouldn't be too much trouble, I was wondering if you'd be able to loan Remus and I a few cleaning supplies, and perhaps give us a hand tidying things up around the castle."
The caretaker let out a grunt and disappeared into his office again, then returned with two buckets and various other objects. He handed them over to Remus and Blythe's waiting hands before turning away again. The next time he appeared, he had his own bucket. Filch nodded at Blythe, then began walking down the hallway with Mrs. Norris at his heels.
"He never fails to unnerve me," Remus mentioned under his breath.
"Yes, I can see how that's possible. I think he just wants to be treated with respect, that's all. The poor man is left to clean up this entire building by himself and scarcely a soul offers him any help at all, or even a thank you for the work he does. It must be a tireless job."
"You always manage to sympathize, Blythe. I think it's one of your best qualities," complimented Remus as he put his free arm around her waist and rested his hand on her hip with a smile.
"Are you flirting with me, Mr. Lupin?"
"I believe I am." He winked.
Blythe laughed softly. "I think you've already won the girl. I can't imagine what's next on your agenda."
Remus chuckled as they made their way along the corridor to find a place to clean, not that it was hard to do.
"Perhaps we could start in the Entrance Hall, dear? It's the first place anyone sees when they come into the castle, so I think it's best to keep up appearances there."
"An excellent idea."
The rest of the day was spent cleaning. It took quite some time to finish with the Entrance Hall, but once they got the knack of how to go about things, the job was quicker and easier. The paintings throughout the castle seemed uplifted by the efforts of Blythe, Remus and Filch. By midday, there was a murmur throughout the halls from paintings eagerly awaiting their turn to have their frames and canvases tidied. Any repairs that needed to be done were left to Mr. Filch. He seemed more familiar with that work than either Blythe or Remus were.
The day was long and the work difficult at times, especially when they came across an area or two that seemed to prefer the filth, but eventually half of the school was finished. Filch retired to his office after collecting the buckets from his helpers, and almost seemed in better spirits himself by the end of the day. Once that chore was complete, Blythe and Remus made their way to the Great Hall for something to eat before going to their room.
The pair of them were so exhausted from their efforts that they weren't even able to stay up and talk as they usually did. Remus fell asleep almost the instant his head touched the pillow, but despite Blythe's aching body, she was unable to find the same rest so quickly. She lay on her side, propped up on one elbow, and watched Remus as he slept. Slowly a motherly smile touched her lips. She lifted her hand and lightly traced her fingers over the lines of his face. Her touch was so light and delicate that Remus didn't even stir. Instead, only the faintest grin on his face was any indication that he felt her hand at all.
"I wish I had the power to protect you, my love. Then perhaps we would still be at home, watching the telly and chatting away merrily as though there wasn't a care in the world. However, such is not the case and I fear so much for you." A tear stood in her eye as she whispered. "If only I knew what the future holds for you ... and for us." She let out a soft sigh, leaned over to kiss his forehead, then laid down and found her own peace for the night.
A week passed and the castle seemed almost new again. It was decided and announced that once the work was finished, there would be a celebration. A sort of congratulations on the efforts of staff and student alike, but most knew the true purpose behind the festivities. It was a show of courage. A devil-may-care attitude toward the dark forces on the horizon. And a morale booster. All of these things would be the hidden reasons for a party.
"You are a continuing source of inspiration and encouragement to those of Hogwarts, Blythe," Albus was saying one day in his office when he had invited Remus and Blythe there for tea. "I'm certain your efforts will not go unrewarded."
Blythe shook her head and raised her free hand. "It isn't necessary, Albus. I shouldn't have to say again what I really want, and I'll consider it payment enough. Seeing the progress already being made has shown me that the winds of change are blowing in."
Albus gave a gentle, knowing smile of approval. "I know, m'dear. All you desire is to see joy in the faces around you again."
Remus lightly placed a hand on Blythe's knee and gave a little squeeze as he smiled proudly at her. "I doubt if there's another woman like you in the world."
A faint blush came to her cheeks. It was a rare occurrence, but not impossible. "Oh stop, Remus. I'm sure there are plenty of women out there like me ... perhaps they're just more difficult to find, or better at keeping their mouths shut."
"I believe you are both correct. While Blythe is unique in many ways, there are many more good people in the world who genuinely wish to help those going through dark times," interjected Albus.
"As well as knowing how to 'keep their mouths shut'?" inquired Remus jokingly. He received a light jab in his arm from Blythe's elbow, but a bright smile was on her face.
"Tease all you like, both of you. The fact remains that this little Muggle is still pulling her own weight in the Wizarding World," she told them with a carefree wink.
By the end of the day it was becoming more and more apparent that things would soon be nearly back to normal. Normal, that is, for a Wizard school.
"You fail to see the logic in all this, Professor."
"Please, enlighten me," he told her with a voice of aggravation and disinterest.
She was quiet for a moment, and at first it seemed she had no more to say, but just as a cruel smirk came to Snape's mouth and he was about to speak, she answered him. "You may call me naive if you like, or even stupid, but it won't change the way I see the situation. We have an opportunity to make a difference. Not only in the structure of this building, but also in the morale of those within the school. As I told Albus, if we act as though what's happened has no effect on us, then it's unlikely that Voldemort and his forces will want to attack again immediately." She nodded once, curtly, when she finished and patiently awaited a sharp response from the Potions Master.
None was forthcoming. Instead, it surprised Blythe to hear the words that did flow from his mouth. "Perhaps you have grown somewhat, Miss Farrah. However, I refuse to believe you've changed all that much in only three years. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have important matters to attend to." With that, he rose from his seat, and without a backwards glance, made his way out of the Great Hall.
She let out a soft sigh and pondered to herself whether or not he even considered the meaning of her words. She would not be discouraged, though. Rather, she was more determined than ever to prove herself to him. He was, by far, her worst critic, and she had every intention of changing his views of her.
She finished eating in silence, then made her way back outside to assist in clearing away the rubble from the destroyed tower only to find the job was already done and they had no more need of her.
Remus made his way to her side and draped an arm over her shoulders. His face was slightly pink and he was a bit winded, but seemed no worse for wear. "It's all finished, m'dear. Now we just need to concentrate on putting it back together."
"That will come later. This particular tower isn't really necessary at this time. The most important task for this area of the castle is over with, now we're able to move on to other aspects," Dumbledore informed them with a cheerful smile.
"I'm glad to see there's already a positive change in the atmosphere around here, Albus. It's a very uplifting thing indeed," commented Blythe.
The Headmaster of Hogwarts nodded to her statement. "I couldn't agree more."
"Hmm ..." Blythe seemed to be in thought again. Albus and Remus waited patiently to hear what was on her mind this time. "Perhaps cleaning is in order as well. I haven't the magic to help with the reconstruction of the castle, but I do have the necessary skills to get rid of the inches of dust within. Those poor paintings have to be absolutely miserable looking the way they do. Would you mind if I got started on that, Albus, or do you have something else in mind for me to do?"
"Not at all, Blythe. Feel free to locate Mr. Filch for assistance." He glanced briefly at Remus with unveiled concern. "And perhaps you've done enough of this kind of work for the time being. You should do something less taxing, Remus, by helping Blythe as well."
"Of course, Professor. I'll be only too happy to be of service, even in a small way."
"In that case, it's time to roll up your tattered sleeves and get ready to use some elbow grease." Blythe giggled as she looked up at the man she adored.
"Why do I have the nagging feeling that you're going to enjoy every second of this?"
"Likely because I will, Remus dear," she responded sweetly.
The two of them ventured back into the castle and proceeded to search for the caretaker Mr. Filch. Most considered him to be a horrible man to associate with, and generally went out of their way to avoid him, but Blythe never seemed to feel that way. While he was certainly grungy and ill-tempered, he was no more dangerous than a puppy compared to someone like Severus Snape. When it came right down to the bare wire, Blythe far preferred the company of Argus to Severus. It took them about an hour of searching, but they eventually managed to find Filch's cat, Mrs. Norris. She gave a baleful meow when they approached her and her lamp-like eyes watched them carefully, almost calculating exactly what their intentions might be.
"Hallo, Mrs. Norris," chirped Blythe pleasantly. "Do you know where Mr. Filch is?"
The cat let out another sound and began making her way down the corridor. After a short walk, she led them to her master.
"Thank you. I'd give you a treat for your help, but I don't have anything with me right now. I promise I'll find something for you later, though."
Mr. Filch stood in the doorway of his small office, which was little more than a broom closet, and watched Blythe chatting with his cat. "You want somethin'?" His gruff voice made Blythe start.
"If it wouldn't be too much trouble, I was wondering if you'd be able to loan Remus and I a few cleaning supplies, and perhaps give us a hand tidying things up around the castle."
The caretaker let out a grunt and disappeared into his office again, then returned with two buckets and various other objects. He handed them over to Remus and Blythe's waiting hands before turning away again. The next time he appeared, he had his own bucket. Filch nodded at Blythe, then began walking down the hallway with Mrs. Norris at his heels.
"He never fails to unnerve me," Remus mentioned under his breath.
"Yes, I can see how that's possible. I think he just wants to be treated with respect, that's all. The poor man is left to clean up this entire building by himself and scarcely a soul offers him any help at all, or even a thank you for the work he does. It must be a tireless job."
"You always manage to sympathize, Blythe. I think it's one of your best qualities," complimented Remus as he put his free arm around her waist and rested his hand on her hip with a smile.
"Are you flirting with me, Mr. Lupin?"
"I believe I am." He winked.
Blythe laughed softly. "I think you've already won the girl. I can't imagine what's next on your agenda."
Remus chuckled as they made their way along the corridor to find a place to clean, not that it was hard to do.
"Perhaps we could start in the Entrance Hall, dear? It's the first place anyone sees when they come into the castle, so I think it's best to keep up appearances there."
"An excellent idea."
The rest of the day was spent cleaning. It took quite some time to finish with the Entrance Hall, but once they got the knack of how to go about things, the job was quicker and easier. The paintings throughout the castle seemed uplifted by the efforts of Blythe, Remus and Filch. By midday, there was a murmur throughout the halls from paintings eagerly awaiting their turn to have their frames and canvases tidied. Any repairs that needed to be done were left to Mr. Filch. He seemed more familiar with that work than either Blythe or Remus were.
The day was long and the work difficult at times, especially when they came across an area or two that seemed to prefer the filth, but eventually half of the school was finished. Filch retired to his office after collecting the buckets from his helpers, and almost seemed in better spirits himself by the end of the day. Once that chore was complete, Blythe and Remus made their way to the Great Hall for something to eat before going to their room.
The pair of them were so exhausted from their efforts that they weren't even able to stay up and talk as they usually did. Remus fell asleep almost the instant his head touched the pillow, but despite Blythe's aching body, she was unable to find the same rest so quickly. She lay on her side, propped up on one elbow, and watched Remus as he slept. Slowly a motherly smile touched her lips. She lifted her hand and lightly traced her fingers over the lines of his face. Her touch was so light and delicate that Remus didn't even stir. Instead, only the faintest grin on his face was any indication that he felt her hand at all.
"I wish I had the power to protect you, my love. Then perhaps we would still be at home, watching the telly and chatting away merrily as though there wasn't a care in the world. However, such is not the case and I fear so much for you." A tear stood in her eye as she whispered. "If only I knew what the future holds for you ... and for us." She let out a soft sigh, leaned over to kiss his forehead, then laid down and found her own peace for the night.
A week passed and the castle seemed almost new again. It was decided and announced that once the work was finished, there would be a celebration. A sort of congratulations on the efforts of staff and student alike, but most knew the true purpose behind the festivities. It was a show of courage. A devil-may-care attitude toward the dark forces on the horizon. And a morale booster. All of these things would be the hidden reasons for a party.
"You are a continuing source of inspiration and encouragement to those of Hogwarts, Blythe," Albus was saying one day in his office when he had invited Remus and Blythe there for tea. "I'm certain your efforts will not go unrewarded."
Blythe shook her head and raised her free hand. "It isn't necessary, Albus. I shouldn't have to say again what I really want, and I'll consider it payment enough. Seeing the progress already being made has shown me that the winds of change are blowing in."
Albus gave a gentle, knowing smile of approval. "I know, m'dear. All you desire is to see joy in the faces around you again."
Remus lightly placed a hand on Blythe's knee and gave a little squeeze as he smiled proudly at her. "I doubt if there's another woman like you in the world."
A faint blush came to her cheeks. It was a rare occurrence, but not impossible. "Oh stop, Remus. I'm sure there are plenty of women out there like me ... perhaps they're just more difficult to find, or better at keeping their mouths shut."
"I believe you are both correct. While Blythe is unique in many ways, there are many more good people in the world who genuinely wish to help those going through dark times," interjected Albus.
"As well as knowing how to 'keep their mouths shut'?" inquired Remus jokingly. He received a light jab in his arm from Blythe's elbow, but a bright smile was on her face.
"Tease all you like, both of you. The fact remains that this little Muggle is still pulling her own weight in the Wizarding World," she told them with a carefree wink.
By the end of the day it was becoming more and more apparent that things would soon be nearly back to normal. Normal, that is, for a Wizard school.