Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own any of J.K. Rowling's characters, places, items...nothing.
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Chapter 22 – No Kissing
Harry woke up from a knock on his door.
"Up, Harry," Lupin called.
Why is he waking me up this morning? Harry wondered as he fumbled for his glasses. Then he remembered. Oh yeah...today we're visiting Silver. He wondered what the mansion was going to be like. As he wandered downstairs, he wondered a lot of things, mostly about Silver. He walked into the living room and sat sleepily on the couch. The Christmas tree began to jump up and down, nearly falling over with excitement. Lupin looked up from The Daily Prophet.
"Think it wants to say good morning," he commented.
"Morning, tree," Harry yawned.
The tree gave its signature quiver and then stood still.
"Too tired to go?" Lupin asked teasingly.
"Definitely not," Harry replied, "But I think I would have slept in this morning if you hadn't waken me."
"If I was up all night playing with a certain torch, I'd be tired too," Lupin replied, smiling.
Harry frowned. How had Lupin known?
"Are we taking Floo Powder?" he asked, glancing at the fireplace.
"Nah, I thought we'd give it a break," Lupin replied, "We're gonna take the Knight Bus."
"Good," Harry said. He watched as Lupin turned the page of the newspaper. "So what are we waiting for?" he asked eagerly.
Lupin looked up and grinned. "Well, it's not like I'm going to be able to read it on the bus," he said.
"But don't you like a challenge?" Harry teased.
"I don't ever seem to remember saying that," Lupin countered.
"Aha, that's why you and your unregistered Animagi friends snuck off to the Shrieking Shack every full moon," Harry shot back.
Lupin looked highly amused. "Alright," he agreed, folding up the paper, "Let's go."
He and Harry went out to the curb and Lupin summoned the bus. They found, to their disappointment, that regular chairs were all that stood in the interior. They each took a seat on one, and when the bus took off, both they and all the other passengers went flying backwards. After they righted themselves, they decided that holding on to the sides of the bus was a good way to go – at the most, their chairs flew out from under them.
Finally, Stan called out, "Snape Manor!"
"Manor, is it?" Lupin asked as they stepped out of the bus, "Makes it sound a bit creepy, doesn't it?"
"If Snape lives there, it's gotta be creepy," Harry answered.
Lupin chuckled and they both surveyed the mansion in front of them. It was huge, made out of gray stone. The windows all looked dark and forbidden, and the door itself was scary. It looked like it was made out of steel. Lupin pushed a button to ring the doorbell, and they heard chimes echo throughout the house.
After a few seconds, Snape opened the door. For a moment Harry thought he was going to close it in their faces, but he didn't. Instead, he surveyed them distastefully.
"Good morning, Severus," Lupin said dutifully.
"Good morning," Snape replied stiffly, "Follow me."
He turned and began to walk away, and Lupin and Harry followed. Harry heard the door thud shut behind them. The mansion was huge – stone walls lined the interior, and it was a bit cold, like the dungeons at the school. They finally came to a big room with a huge wooden table that could sit fourteen people.
"Please, have a seat," Snape said, sounding as if it was killing him to be polite.
Harry's stomach rumbled loudly, and Snape looked at him as if he had committed a criminal offense.
"Where's Silver?" he asked, hoping it sounded as if it were merely a polite question.
"She should be downstairs soon," Snape replied coolly.
As if on cue, Silver's voice rang through the house. "Are they here? Was that them?"
Harry smiled at the anticipation in her voice.
"In the dining room!" Snape called back up to her.
"Um, I slept in – I'll be down in a second," she called down.
Snape snapped his fingers and a house elf appeared instantly at his feet.
"We have two guests for breakfast today," he said brusquely, "Please make accommodations."
"Yes, master," the elf squeaked, and then it vanished.
Snape looked up at them with a mixture of loathing and something else that Harry couldn't quite figure out. Although it was his own house, he looked a bit out of place, as if he were missing something. Harry heard footsteps and within seconds, Silver came bursting into the room, a smile lighting her face. She was slightly flushed from what seemed to be a run downstairs, and Harry thought she looked beautiful. She threw her arms around Snape with an exuberant, "Good morning!" and then proceeded to give both him and Lupin good-morning hugs.
Finally, she sat down across from Harry, and Snape sat down at the head of the table. The house-elves soon appeared with what Harry had to admit was a wonderful breakfast. Silver, Lupin, and Harry chatted throughout breakfast, and occasionally tried to get a non-interested Snape involved.
"I heard a rumor they're coming out with a new broomstick," Silver announced, "And that they're going to call it a Second Edition Firebolt."
"Where'd you hear this?" Lupin asked.
"Fred and George – they said they're friends with the person who owns the broomstick shop near their joke shop."
"Really?" Harry asked excitedly, wondering why they hadn't told him, "When?"
"Well, I don't know, they just told me yesterday," she replied.
"When did you talk to them yesterday?" Snape inquired suspiciously.
"Well, we've been in touch a bit for a few weeks," Silver replied.
Harry set down his fork. Silver was writing letters to Fred and George?
"In touch about what?" he accused.
Snape looked at him approvingly, as if he were about to ask the same thing.
"Well, just normal things," Silver replied evasively.
"Such as?" Snape inquired.
"Stuff," Silver answered defiantly.
Harry and Snape both sent her accusing glares, and she blushed.
"Stop it, you two, it's not like we're writing love letters or anything," she exclaimed, returning their accusing stares.
Harry and Snape both relaxed in their chairs a bit. Harry felt only slightly relieved.
"Why are you writing them letters?" he asked, "You haven't written me any!"
Lupin and Snape both looked surprised at this fact, and Harry chose to ignore that.
"W...well, I don't know how to write your letters," she replied, flustered.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
She only blushed.
"Nothing. I'll send you a letter tomorrow," she muttered, taking great interest in her bacon.
Harry looked at Lupin, who was smiling but looking pointedly away from Harry. He chanced a glance at Snape, who looked very happy at the fact that Silver hadn't written him any letters yet. For a moment there was silence at the table, during which Snape, Harry, and Silver began to take great interest in their food.
"So, ah..." Lupin said, "How are you doing at Hogwarts, Silver?"
She smiled. "Great," she replied, "I'm having a lot of fun."
"That's good," Lupin said approvingly, "And your grades?"
"I think they're good," she ventured.
"They are," Harry assured both her and Lupin, "She gets top marks in every class, like Hermione."
"Even Divination?" Lupin asked.
Silver smiled. "Yes, as a matter of fact," she replied, "Even though Harry tries to kill me every time he predicts my future!"
"Well, you do the same to me!" Harry protested.
"If I predicted anything else, she would fail me!" Silver countered.
"Oh, so you'll kill me for good grades?" Harry replied in a mock hurt tone.
She laughed. "Okay, sorry Harry," she said, still giggling, "I'll give you better futures from now on, promise!"
He smiled satisfactorily. "So, have you read your horoscope that she made for today?" he asked, "I've already evaded death four times. I think today I'm supposed to get trampled by a raging centaur."
She giggled. "I haven't even looked at mine, but I'll go get it!"
She dashed off somewhere, and Harry heard her yell, "Shut up, will you?" as she traveled upstairs.
"The pictures talk," Snape explained.
In no time, she arrived downstairs with a horoscope chart. "Hmm, what's today?" she mused, "Oh yeah!"
She traced downwards with a finger, and then began to giggle and blush.
"What?" Harry asked.
Silver stole a glance at Snape before replying. "Well, today I am going to share a passionate kiss with a handsome young man," she answered in a theatrical tone.
Harry grinned and blushed, and Lupin chuckled.
"Is that really what it says?" Lupin asked.
"Word for word," she replied, handing the chart over to him.
"Rubbish," Snape declared, not looking the least bit amused. He glared at Harry, who immediately tried to look innocent.
"Oh, come on, it is funny," Silver coaxed.
Snape still looked as if it were a proclamation of death for Silver.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Snape snapped to attention.
"Damn," he muttered under his breath. He turned on Harry and Lupin.
"You two – in there," he pointed to a cupboard in the corner of the room. "And don't you dare so much as breathe."
Harry and Lupin obeyed quickly, both of them seeing the look in Snape's eye. He turned to Silver.
"Up in your room, close and lock the door and window, and put as many charms on them as you can to keep anyone from getting in," he directed.
"But I'm not of age," Silver protested.
"You will go up there and do as I say, and not worry about petty laws designed to keep children from hexing each other," Snape replied.
Silver nodded and scurried off in toward the staircase.
Snape snapped his fingers and a house-elf appeared.
"You will leave no evidence that anyone was here except for me. You will act as if nobody but myself has been in this house for years. You will not give any clues as to the fact that we have had guests recently," he directed, "And above all, you will prevent anybody from getting into the bedroom upstairs where she is staying. I don't care what you have to do, just keep everybody away."
"Yes, master," the elf squeaked immediately as he disappeared.
Snape swept off toward the doorway. Harry and Lupin exchanged glances from within the cupboard, and opened the doors just a crack so they could hear.
"Ah, to what do I owe this pleasure?" Snape asked.
"Well, we just thought you might be lonely," a voice responded. It only took Harry a second to recognize that voice. It was Lestrange. He made to burst out of the cupboard, but Lupin held him back forcefully. Harry successfully succeeded in making a lot of racket as Lupin struggled for his wand and pointed it at him "Petrificus Totalus," he whispered. Harry's arms snapped to his side and he went rigid. Lupin propped him up against a corner.
"Sorry, Harry, but at least I didn't stun you," Lupin whispered.
Harry decided to personally murder Lupin once he was able to move freely once more.
"Goodness, Severus, what was all that racket?" asked a second woman. Harry recognized her as Narcissa.
"Incompetent house-elf," Snape answered smoothly.
Harry tried to move, to do anything to get out of the cupboard, but he could not so much as move a muscle. He was also in a very uncomfortable position, with his right shoulder supporting most of his weight. He heard them entering the room and began to get desperate. He tried to make his body sway...that way, if he hit the doors of the cupboard, they would open, and then he would...well, he would know what he would do when he got out of there!
"Don't do anything stupid, Harry," Lupin whispered.
Like kill you? Harry thought back angrily, Because that's exactly what I intend to do.
"Are you ladies hungry?" Snape inquired politely.
"Oh, no, not much," Narcissa replied.
"And what about you, young Mr. Malfoy?" Snape inquired.
Harry tipped forward dangerously, still trying to get out, and Lupin put a hand on his chest to hold him back. Malfoy's here? Harry thought, If it wasn't for dratted Lupin I could kill him and Lestrange!
"No thanks, sir," Malfoy replied carelessly.
"So, what brings you here?" Snape asked.
"Well, we were wondering if the Dark Lord has summoned you yet," Lestrange replied, "The Potter boy is gone from Hogwarts, and so are you!"
"I left on Dumbledore's orders, and there was nothing I could do to find Potter without getting fired," Snape replied, anger lacing his voice.
"Yes, yes, but do you really think the Dark Lord will find that an excuse?" Narcissa replied, almost laughingly.
Snape made a noise somewhat like a growl.
"Do you have business here or not?" he snapped.
"Goodness, Snape, don't get so aggravated," Lestrange teased, "You'll raise your blood pressure."
"Bellatrix," Narcissa snapped, "Stop it. We need his help, remember?"
"Yes, yes, I'm sorry," Lestrange said in a very non-convincing voice.
"Anyway, Snape," Narcissa said in a sugary voice, "We need your help. We're still on the lookout for that girl – you know the one I'm talking about?"
Harry knew Snape had nodded.
"Well, yes, she's managed to hide very well, and we really need to find her, or we'll..." Narcissa's voice became teary, "Well, poor Draco might become an orphan. The Dark Lord is very upset."
Harry would have laughed if he could have managed it. He doubted Draco depended on his mother much, anyway.
"I don't see a search party going out for Potter," Snape replied, sounding aggravated, "I do believe the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord is more important than a fifteen year old girl?"
"She knows things she should never have known," Lestrange said, her voice harsh, "And she will be punished."
"I'll keep a lookout," Snape said, not sounding very promising, "And if I see any suspicious girls, I'll let you know. Her name?"
"Silver," Lestrange supplied, "She won't be using her surname...trust me."
"Well, may I escort you lovely ladies to the door?" Snape asked, "I have many potions to brew."
"Yes, yes, come along, Draco," Narcissa beckoned. Harry was unable to move, and Lupin simply didn't, until they heard the front door closed. Lupin pushed open the cabinet doors and dragged a petrified Harry out.
Harry struggled to break free from the invisible force binding him. He could still catch up – he could still make her pay for what she did to Sirius...what she wanted to do to Silver...
Snape walked back in and looked from Lupin to the petrified Harry with amusement. He pointed his wand at Harry and muttered something under his breath, and Harry was free. He ran for the exit, but Snape caught him by the shoulders and forced him down into a chair. Harry flailed his legs and arms wildly, trying to get away.
"Potter," Snape demanded.
"LET ME GO!"
"Potter," he hissed, bringing his face close to Harry's.
Harry had half a mind to spit in his face and go after Lestrange. After a few more minutes of screaming at the top of his lungs and attempting to hurt Snape in any way possible, he sank into a sullen silence.
"Do you really have that little self-control, Potter?" Snape asked, his tone menacing.
"She deserves to die," Harry replied hotly, "She deserves to..."
"You think I don't know what she deserves?" Snape asked, his voice a notch louder than usual.
Harry stopped and stared at Snape, not comprehending what he was saying. Snape had hated Sirius...why would he be upset with Lestrange?
"I have watched that woman torture countless innocent people," Snape said, his voice harsh and his fingers digging into Harry's shoulder, "Including Silver. Do you really think that I don't want to kill her as much as you do?"
Harry considered Snape carefully for a moment.
"She hurt Silver?" he choked.
"Many times," Snape replied.
Harry knew that Snape cared for Silver immensely, however much he tried to hide it. He also knew that losing Silver would come as a blow to Snape – but would it hurt him as much as it had hurt Harry to lose Sirius? Harry doubted it.
"Potter, listen to me," Snape said, catching his attention once more, "You need desperately to learn self-control. Has Occlumency not taught you anything? From what Dumbledore has told me of your accomplishments, one would think you would be able to refrain from doing something rash at least once in a while."
"Why would I want to?" Harry argued, "She deserves to die, now."
"Yes," Snape agreed, "She does. But do you think you, a sixteen year old wizard could defeat two seasoned Death Eaters on your own? Come now, surely you are not that foolish."
"You and Lupin would have helped me," Harry replied, "We could have killed her, she could be dead right now!"
"Stop it!" Snape snapped, shaking him slightly, "Stop being so rash and thoughtless. Think about the consequences of your actions. Think about how Silver would feel if she came downstairs and saw you, dead or injured, at the hand of Lestrange."
Harry felt rage bubbling up inside of him. Who was Snape to tell him these things? Who cared how Lestrange was killed, as long as she was dead?
"Let go of me," he said.
"I will not let go of you, because you still have not managed to gain control of yourself," Snape answered firmly.
Harry glared at him. For what seemed like hours, but was really only minutes, they sat there, Snape not relinquishing his hold on him one bit. Harry felt his anger simmer down only slightly in those minutes. Maybe Snape was right about Silver. If he had just burst out of the cupboard, there was a chance he would have gotten hurt, and Silver would have been beside herself. He suddenly felt heat rise to his face as he remembered that he had been trying to break out of the cupboard while he was petrified. That would not have gone over well at all.
"Are you ready to go get Silver?" Snape asked.
Harry looked up into Snape's eyes, which blinked back at him with evident hatred. He doubted his own eyes were much friendlier.
"Yes," he said, rather defiantly.
Snape released him and stood back, watching him for a moment as if afraid he might make a dash to the door. Then he nodded curtly.
"Follow me, both of you," he directed.
Lupin and Harry fell into step behind him, and Lupin placed a much friendlier hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry glared at him and pulled away from his hand. He was still mad at him, although he knew that Lupin had made the right decision.
They stopped in front of a white door, and Snape knocked.
"Potter is here to see you. Remus and I will be in my lab," he announced.
Without another word, he strode off, Lupin following him. Harry heard the click of a lock being opened, and then a flash of blue light, and then Silver opened the door.
"Hi, Harry," she said, her features traced over with worry, "What happened?"
Harry explained to her who had come and what they had said, leaving out the part about having to be petrified. When he finished, he looked up at an ashen Silver.
"S...she came here?" she asked, looking horrified.
"Yeah," Harry replied.
Silver looked as if she were about to faint.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"Y...yes, I just c...can't believe she c...came here," Silver replied.
They were sitting on the edge of her bed, and suddenly Silver scooted closer to him and leaned against him. Surprised, he put an arm around her.
"I'm glad you're safe, Harry," she whispered.
"Course I am," he replied, surprised.
"Well, it's just that I thought you might do something...hasty...when you saw Lestrange. But I'm proud of you, you didn't."
He felt a guilty blush rising to his cheeks. "Well, maybe I left something out," he admitted.
"Such as?" she asked, taking her head off of his chest.
"Uh, Lupin had to petrify me?" he tried.
She burst into giggles as she laid her head against him once more.
"Oh, Harry," she laughed, "You're so funny."
He grinned and pulled her closer. She turned to look up at him, smiling. He bent towards her, and suddenly they heard a screech from the hallway.
"MASTER! MASTER!"
They both looked out the open door in the hallway, where a lady in a picture was jumping up and down and pointing at them, screaming for Snape at the top of her lungs. Silver rolled her eyes, got up, and shut the door. If Harry wasn't mistaken, he heard a lock click into place as well.
"Those pictures are so annoying," she said, sitting on the bed, "I don't know why they're always trying to act like something bad is happening."
Harry began to pull her closer, but she hardly noticed.
"You'd think after having me for almost a week, they'd..."
She paused as Harry put his hand under her chin and turned her towards him.
"get...used to me," she finished quietly as Harry lowered his lips to hers.
To Harry's surprise, Silver kissed him back with more...gusto...than usual. He nearly jumped from shock, but instead decided that it was a good thing. She ran a hand through his hair, surprising but pleasing him, and her other arm took up its usual hold around his neck. He only barely heard Snape's voice outside.
"What in the name of Merlin? Alohomora!"
He didn't hear the door swing open, and apparently Silver didn't either, because her hand was still in his hair, and her arm around his neck.
"POTTER!"
That, he heard. Silver didn't appear to, however. He pulled away from her, and she opened her eyes, puzzled.
"Harry," she said quietly, beginning to lean towards him once more.
"What are you doing?" Snape demanded.
She jumped away from him as if he had electrocuted her, her face becoming a brilliant crimson. The lady in the picture outside answered.
"He rough-handed, her, sir, and she had no choice but to give in to somebody so much stronger than she!"
He glared at the lady, and so did Silver. Snape looked about ready to throw him out the closed window.
"No, he didn't," Silver answered.
Harry thought it strange that Snape would actually believe the picture. He chanced a glance at Lupin, who was failing horribly to hide a grin. He winked at Harry and then put on a straight face as he talked to Snape.
"Severus, surely you could...erm...see...that Harry wasn't forcing her to do anything," Lupin commented.
Snape looked insulted, and then angry as he looked at Silver, who cringed under his glare.
"Come," he said gruffly, turning and walking away.
The remaining three immediately followed him through the hallways that he seemed to know quite well. All the while, he muttered things under his breath like, "Can't leave you alone for five minutes...don't know what you were thinking...kissing..." Harry thought he sounded a bit like Mrs. Weasley, but didn't think Snape would appreciate the comment, so he kept it to himself.
They finally arrived in what looked like a very dangerous potions lab. Snape turned on Silver and Harry.
"You two...sit on couch...touch nothing..." he seemed too angry to speak in full sentences.
Lupin winked at Harry as they sat down, and Harry grinned, but they only earned themselves an eye-roll from Silver.
"As I was saying," Snape said to Lupin, having recovered himself successfully, "I may be able to make you at least half a year's worth of supply, and by that time I will have more ready for you."
Snape was stirring a thick gray potion, carefully adding ingredients to it every few seconds.
"Thank you, Severus," Lupin replied, "What do you charge?"
Snape's head snapped up and he looked at Lupin as if he had just slapped him.
"I don't charge," he answered.
"Oh, come now," Lupin protested, rather boldly in Harry's opinion, "That potion requires great effort, and an even greater cost for the supplies! You want no pay?"
"No," Snape answered firmly, "And if you insist on paying me, I will simply quit making it for you."
Harry and Lupin exchanged shocked glances, but Silver smiled.
"See?" she whispered, "He's not a git!"
Harry smiled.
"Well," Lupin commented suddenly, "I believe your horoscope came true, didn't it?"
Silver giggled and blushed. "Yep," she replied.
They all chanced a glance at Snape, who commented, "I thought it said a handsome boy."
They burst into laughter, even Harry. Snape's tone of voice was priceless.
"Harry is handsome," Silver defended, putting her arms around him.
Harry grinned a bit cheekily up at Snape, who gave him a withering look.
"Like James..." Lupin said quietly.
Unfortunately, however, Snape heard him.
"And that is something to be proud of?" he asked cuttingly.
Harry could almost see Lupin's temper rise. "Yes, it is," Lupin replied.
"Why would he want to be anything like that arrogant, conceited..."
"James wasn't arrogant! Or conceited!"
"Well you never would have guessed from the way he strutted around like he owned the place, putting people's lives in danger..."
"HE SAVED YOUR LIFE!"
"Only because he was a COWARD!"
"HE WAS A MAN OF MORALS, AND HE SAVED YOUR PATHETIC HIDE EVEN THOUGH YOU WERE A COMPLETE SLIMEBALL –"
"I AM NOT – WAS NOT – A SLIMEBALL!"
"Stop it, both of you!" Silver's voice somehow managed to silence the two fuming men, who were now shooting each other looks of pure hatred.
"Remus," Silver said calmly, "You have to understand that he doesn't know James the way you do. He only knows the way he was treated by James when James was a teenager. And please refrain from name-calling."
Lupin looked a bit stunned that a teenage girl was talking to him as if he were a very small child who had just gotten in a fight with his friends.
She then turned to Snape. "And you must understand that James did, indeed, save your life. He showed courage and compassion for his enemies, which is something that not all people possess, and that Harry should be proud to have inherited," she paused and shot a smile at Harry, "And also, the James you knew was a teenager, a prankster, who had very different ideals than the man he became later on."
She looked from Lupin to Snape, who both looked much calmer.
"Now, I believe apologies are in order," she said.
The two men looked at each other with a glare that was a bit less hateful than the ones they had been previously shooting each other.
"I'm sorry for insulting you," Lupin grumbled.
"Sorry for insulting James," Snape muttered back, pouring the gray potion into a large jar and holding it out to Lupin as a kind of peace offering.
"Thank you," Lupin said, looking at the potion, "Very much."
The two men surveyed each other for a moment, and then Snape abruptly spoke, looking at Silver.
"I'm sure Potter would like to be shown around the mansion while we discuss some things for the Order," he said.
Silver nodded and stood up.
They had barely walked out the door when Snape shouted behind them.
"And no kissing!"