Hopefully all chapters are where they're supposed to be so, yeah! okay dokay! Remember if you like it let me know, cuz-a that would be rockin'
Again I own nothing, so it must be time in the story to go -
...BACK TO THE FUTURE!!! –D
Awakening
It was Halloween and a month had passed since the occurrence of what the students fondly called the "roof incident." Maylin only missed a day of classes, her body had fully healed but her mind was troubled. There had been no such attacks or even presences on campus since that night.
The being that took her was found on the edge of campus and destroyed by an unknown force before it could be captured. It worried Maylin because the creature was one that she had never encountered before. Hagrid's guess was that it some sort of crossbreed.
Whatever it was, Maylin was convinced that it was the same creature that forced the disappearance of Professor Squire. However, the motive for his taking was still completely hidden.
Friday classes ended early to make time for the Halloween gala in the Main Hall that evening. While "cutting a rug" with a gaggle of pubescent wizards wasn't exactly her idea of a good time, Maylin promised she would attend at the request of the Weasley twins and make more things blow up.
Maylin looked up at the ceiling hall and sighed with a giggle, Kids.
She made her way to her quarters and changed into her costume. Her black leather jacket was replaced with a white flowing dress. She hadn't worn it since her last Hogwart's Halloween dance and she laughed at the idea that, after a few magical alterations, it still fit. The corset top tied itself as she braided the front of her hair and pulled it into a loose knot behind her head. She opted out of the fairy wings figuring the color change in her wardrobe would be enough to turn a few heads. Satisfied, Maylin put her necessities: lipstick, handkerchief, 22 automatic, into a small matching bag and left her room.
The Main Hall was decorated with floating candles and pumpkins. It glowed with red and gold. The ceiling echoed the starry night sky. It was pleasant and Maylin smiled.
"Maylin," called Professor McGonagall. Maylin turned to see the elderly woman dressed in a khaki skirt and a wool sweater. Instead of her pointed hat she was a knitted buckled bouclé.
"Good evening, Minerva, you look lovely." She said with a grin.
"Do you like it dear?" McGonagall inquired. "I'm a Muggle, when I went to London over the last long weekend I bought it at the Gap, do you know of it?" Her eyes grew wide with pride.
Maylin laughed, "Yes, actually, I bought my jacket there in New York. Lovely store it is."
McGonagall agreed, "And those young men with the devices on their heads, I rather fancy them. I would've bought the whole collection had they asked. Darling lads, they kept calling me 'mum.' Delightful, just delightful. Have a drink, dear, the students will be here soon." McGonagall handed her a glass of "magic punch" from the teacher table, and left to speak with the other professors.
The punch was strong. Perhaps the night wouldn't be as drab as she once feared.
Maylin walked around the room with her drink admiring the scenery, when she was approached by Professor Hooch. It was apparent that she had begun with the punch long before any of the other professors. Her accent was thick with twelve year old scotch.
"Pr'fessor Hunter," Hooch put her hand on Maylin's shoulder."Yes, dear?"
Hooch paused and stared for a moment before regaining her thought.
"How's yer back that was a nasty fall?"
Maylin suppressed a laugh. "It's fine, love, I'm doing well."
"Good to hear, we were all so worried Sev'rus's potion wouldn't work. Ann Sinistra said it was really a love potion, but then I set her straight…" Hooch paused to rebalance. "I say to her, Professor Snape needed you ta be health-ih before any of that…Am I wrong? No. I'm not. Where is that ole Bastard anyway…"
Hooch's words trailed off.
"You're drunk, dear, Madame Hooch."
"Hardl-ih, I'm just feelin' heathl-ih. Now if you'll 'scuse meh I need another drink…"
Hooch hobbled off to the table and threw her arms around a very confused Albus Dumbledore.
Scottish People…
Maylin scoped out the room. Madame Hooch was right, Snape was no where to be found.
Students began to file into the hall and invisible music began to fill the room. Maylin finished her drink and slipped out the back door and headed toward the dungeons.
Since the "roof incident" Maylin's relationship with Snape had been a surprisingly cool one. In a way it made things easier. She saw him at meals and meetings. One night she invited him out with the other professors to an evening of Hogsmeade, but he declined. They made small talk. When she thanked him for saving her life, he merely remarked that he was only, "doing his job." Still she was grateful. She knew that he had waited by her bedside until she stabilized. She didn't tell him.
When she entered the dungeon, Snape sat at his desk, grading quill in hand. His eyes focused intently on the papers before him. But he knew she was there.
"I'm not going" he said coldly.
"Why not, Severus?" Maylin stepped into the room and approached the desk.
"I didn't invite you in, Professor." His eyes still set on the paper.
"You know that I don't care, and I know that your grading can wait til later." Maylin crouched in front of the desk and tried to steal his gaze. "Please come up…for me?" She gave him the face. It said, "Severus, stop being a jackass and have fun for the sake of the universe." He hated the face.
"You're face won't work…"
"It used to work all the time."
"Well, Professor, it won't work now. I have a lot of work and a lot on my mind. I do not have time to go gally-vamping around with a gaggle of pubescent wizards."Maylin laughed aloud.
"What's so damn funny?"
Maylin shook her head, "That's what I said. I should charge you with a royalty fee."
"You should reward me with peace, quiet and less of you!"
Maylin stopped. Snape stared at her. His face was stone serious. She stared back.
"What happened to you?"
"What do you mean?"
"You know exactly what I mean…you used to be so much fun. You used to drag me out, but now…now there's nothing." Maylin's words hit hard and sank deep.
Snape didn't respond.
"If you hate me so goddamned much you should've just let me die, instead pulling me through a damnable hell every time we meet. Do you think this is easy for me!?"
"I don't hate you."
"Well you have an interesting way of showing it!" She was yelling, and Snape fought back.
"I never said this was easy for you May, just that it was our responsibility to be professional! We can't change what happened and regardless of what we once were, I intend to stick to that!" Snape stood from his desk and continued.
"I'm dealing with a lot right now, May, and the last thing I need is for someone to come in and destroy everything I've tried to rebuild, - especially you."
Her voice lowered.
"Would you at least let me help?"
No."
"Why not, Severus?!'"
He paused and looked into her eyes.
"Because it hurts to damn much." Maylin shrank inside. Snape cicled around the desk and stood in front of her.
"Because when I see you, everything falls apart and think to myself, 'Well, Severus, there's one more thing you can never have again.' Because when you smile, my heart breaks. Because when you look in my eyes, I feel everything and I can do nothing. And to that, remember Maylin: You left me."
Maylin stepped back from the desk. She could not respond to the truth.
"In fact, you made it quite clear you never wanted anything to do with me, I'm simply returning the favor. I beg of you, and I never beg, please leave me alone."
Maylin's heart dropped. Snape's face went from stone to desperation.
"Severus…"
"No."
"Please?"
"Why?
"Because I'm asking you."
"I'm not going."
"For old times?"
"They're gone."
Snape sat back down and picked up quill. Seeing that he would not give in, she turned and walked toward the door. She opened it and looked back one last time.
"You were so much more fun when you were younger, Severus." She bowed her head and left the room for the Main Hall.
Snape put his quill on his desk. A part of him wanted to reach out and apologize. Another part of him wanted to shrivel up and die. He leaned his head into his hands. Why does this have to be so damn hard? He looked at the papers and he looked at the clock on the wall.
He wanted to touch her. He recognized the dress. He remember fondly the night he touched her in that dress. What the hell is she doing to me?
"Dammit all," he said to know one. "You win."
Snape opened his potions cabinet and searched for the right ingredients. The potion would only take moments.