Title: Strange Events
Author name: PeriwinkleBlue
Author email: PeriwinkleBlue25@aol.com
DISCLAIMER: Buffy and Co. belong to Joss Whedon etc., Harry and friends belong to J.K. Rowling.
(this is internal thought)
Chapter 9
Rounding a corner, she was brought up short, landing on her but with gasp. Standing before her was Severus Snape. She just stared at him as scenes from the night's dream assailed her. (Snape, he's gonna kill me.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Severus and Buffy just stared at one another for a full minute. Snape was shocked at her appearance. She was still in her clothes from the previous evening, her shirt torn and dirty, pants torn and stained with what he knew had to be blood. Her hair was falling out of a knot and into her face, obscuring her wide staring eyes.
"Bloody hell woman! What in god's name happened to you!?"
"Uh, slight emergency, I was on my way to see Dumbledore." Buffy ignored the now full on throbbing of her ankle, as she tried to pull herself to her feet. (Duh, he's not gonna kill me in a hallway in the middle of the school. It probably didn't even mean that. Slayer dreams are never that simple. Hey! He washed his hair! Mucho improvement.)
Manners kicking in, Snape moved to help the small girl up, but she made it to her feet on her own power. Only to have to have the injured limb collapse again He instinctively grabbed and steadied her, throwing one of her arms over his shoulder.
She hesitantly gave him a grateful smile. Realizing what he'd done, the potions master tried to pull away, but she was already heading down the hall, using him as a crutch. He had no choice but to follow and give his assistance.
They both hobbled down the hall in silence, the slayer deep in thought, Snape trying to block out the thoughts that occurred when her body pressed against him with every other step.
(Sod it all, if I didn't know she was hurt, I'd swear she was teasing me on purpose! NO! No, bad thoughts Severus. Let's see, scowl and alphabetize the ingredient cupboards, aconite, armadillo bile, asphodel, belladonna....um, belladonna....uh....bezoar, um....uh, oh drat.")
As luck would have it that was the moment they reached the entrance to Dumbledore's office.
"Mint Mittens," said Snape. The gargoyle moved to reveal the stairs, and Snape's heart sunk, he was going to have to carry the slayer, her wound had opened and was leaking through the bandages. "Here." Before the slayer could protest, but more importantly, before he could think about his actions too much, he swept the girl into his arms and carried her up the stairs. Without knocking, he entered and moved immediately to the couch. He laid Buffy down, and quickly stepped back.
"Buffy, Severus, I don't believe this is a social call, what has happened?" (Sev, carrying her? Ah, she's injured, that explains it. Though I'm almost surprised he didn't make her struggle up here.)
"I'm sure I do not know what is going on, I too would greatly like to know what has possessed M... Elizabeth," he corrected himself, seeing the warning look the small slayer gave him. The headmaster fought the urge to raise an eyebrow at the use of the Buffy's first name, but it was only a century of practice that let him keep an impassive face.
"I'm not possessed. I had a dream...." She began to explain.
"You had a nightmare, and that's what caused you to come up from the dungeons like a bat out of hell?"
"Yes and no, if you'd be quiet long enough for me to tell you, you'll understand, now sit down and shush." Snape was quite taken aback at her words, not many people dared to tell off the feared potions master. He sat down and shushed.
"Now, I had a slayer dream, they warn me of things, people in trouble, things I have to fight. General impending doom. There was a bunch of stuff I didn't understand in the beginning...."She faltered. (It'd probably not be polite to tell someone that you know they're gonna stab you in the back. I'll just tell that part when Snape's not here.)
"Well, how about you start where you did understand?" Albus prompted kindly.
"Yeah, right, well, I ended up in this house, there were people arguing. I, um, followed the voices. There was a large, fat man, yelling, he was beating up a boy, looked like twelve, maybe thirteen, black hair and lots of bruises. The man, his name was Vernon, I think, that's what the boy called him, anyway, Vernon kicked him, broke some of his ribs, I went to help him, but the boy got up, he spoke to me, told me that the fat man wouldn't kill him, it was someone else's job, said he killed people, and deserved the beatings, he said someone was waiting for him, Atropos, I think it was. And...and then the man hit him again, and he said something else, but it wasn't like before, I think he actually saw me, he asked if I was an angel."
Both men sat silently while she described her dream, now they both looked absorbed in their thoughts. Albus stroked his beard. (It has to be Harry. Minerva warned me, I never should have left him with those Muggles. He must be rescued from that abuse.)
Severus sat in silence, scratching at the stubble on his chin, wheels were churning in his head, long held convictions were falling away. (Potter, everything revolves around him, but abuse? I would think his relatives would put him on a pedestal with the rest of the world. How could anyone hurt him? I hate the boy, but beat him, even I wouldn't do that.)
Buffy broke the quiet, "So, um, what are we gonna do? I mean, we gotta find him, get him away from his uncle, right?"
Albus heard her words and formed a course of action. "Yes, you're quite right Buffy. The boy you saw, I believe to be Harry Potter, the one I informed you of when you came here. I will need you and another professor to fetch him from his relatives' house. Severus, you will accompany Buffy. Please go to your potions lab and retrieve some healing potions, I believe Harry will need them if he is leave with you. Also, bring an extra one for Buffy, she will need to be in better shape for this mission."
"Me, headmaster? But surely McGonagall or..or Flitwick would be a better choice for this..."
"Nonsense Severus, you are perfectly adequate for this, and both Minerva and Filius are away at the moment. I do not want to waste time in waiting for them, Harry shouldn't have to spend one more minute in that place."
"As you wish, Albus." Snape left, assumable to get the aforementioned potions.
When the other man had left, Buffy spoke up. "Um, sir, there was another part of my dream, but I didn't want to say with Severus in the room."
"Do tell."
Buffy again recounted the dream, this time telling of her encounter with Snape and the army of demons. She finished with the knife in her back and the mark on the man's arm.
"Hmmm, this is something to ponder indeed. I will think on it, and let you know, but know this, I trust Severus completely. He may seem rather stand-offish, but I know in him lurks a heart, and he is truly devoted to our side. He is a spy, against Voldemort, and the only one who has managed to gain the inner circle of Death Eaters. He has helped immensely and saved countless lives with his information."
"I see."
Before any more could be said, the man in question returned, shoving a bottle of lavender fluid under Buffy's nose.
"Drink this, it will heal your leg." She complied, and instantly felt better, removing the bandage, she saw her leg whole and only dried blood attested to there being any injury at all.
The old wizard stood and clasped her hand warmly. "Good luck, both of you, be safe, and bring Harry home. And remember Buffy these people are human, try not to hurt them too much."
"Will do." Buffy moved to leave, trying in vain to get her hair under control. She started down the stairs.
"Oh, Severus," Albus called, "I'm serious, make sure she doesn't hurt them too much, she knows her own strength, but I'm afraid she might forget in the case of Harry's uncle."
"Yes, Albus, I will keep a tight leash on her."
The headmaster allowed himself to raise an eyebrow at that comment, making the younger man scowl.
"Oh, and Severus, your hair looks nice today." Albus smiled genially, eyes twinkling. The other wizard just scowled even more and left down the stairs.
At the bottom, he found the slayer trying to brush vampire dust from her ripped top. Her hair had been somewhat tamed, but pieces had again escaped and were sticking out wildly.
"Elizabeth, I do believe that were you to walk around in the Muggle world as such, we would attract some undue attention, if you'll allow me?"
She nodded, and stood very still as he pulled out his wand. He muttered an incantation, and tapped her smartly on the head. Buffy's eyes widened as she looked down at herself. Her clothes had become whole again, and there was no blood to be seen.
"Wow," she said, "Where were you all through high-school? This woulda saved me millions." They started down toward the entrance hall.
"I am to assume that you ruin quite a number of clothes in that manner?"
"You have no idea, Maytags, er, Muggle clothes washers aren't meant to get vamp dust, blood, and demon goo outta silk."
"No, I can imagine they wouldn't. You know, you could have Flitwick put an Impervious Charm on your clothes, they wouldn't rip, and it would be quite like wearing armor."
"Really? I never bothered with armor cause, you know, too stiff, no room to maneuver. But actually that sounds like a good thing." She went off into a tale Faith had told her about wrestling a vampire and losing her shirt, literally.
Both almost forgot the task at hand as they made their way to Hogsmeade, and Snape found himself smiling at the antics of the other slayer, even had to suppress a laugh a few times.
Buffy noticed, and commented, "It's a sign of the apocalypse! Severus Snape, cracked a smile!"
Snape's wide smile curved into a wry grin, almost friendly, "Sod off, you American bint."
End Chapter 9
Author name: PeriwinkleBlue
Author email: PeriwinkleBlue25@aol.com
DISCLAIMER: Buffy and Co. belong to Joss Whedon etc., Harry and friends belong to J.K. Rowling.
(this is internal thought)
Chapter 9
Rounding a corner, she was brought up short, landing on her but with gasp. Standing before her was Severus Snape. She just stared at him as scenes from the night's dream assailed her. (Snape, he's gonna kill me.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Severus and Buffy just stared at one another for a full minute. Snape was shocked at her appearance. She was still in her clothes from the previous evening, her shirt torn and dirty, pants torn and stained with what he knew had to be blood. Her hair was falling out of a knot and into her face, obscuring her wide staring eyes.
"Bloody hell woman! What in god's name happened to you!?"
"Uh, slight emergency, I was on my way to see Dumbledore." Buffy ignored the now full on throbbing of her ankle, as she tried to pull herself to her feet. (Duh, he's not gonna kill me in a hallway in the middle of the school. It probably didn't even mean that. Slayer dreams are never that simple. Hey! He washed his hair! Mucho improvement.)
Manners kicking in, Snape moved to help the small girl up, but she made it to her feet on her own power. Only to have to have the injured limb collapse again He instinctively grabbed and steadied her, throwing one of her arms over his shoulder.
She hesitantly gave him a grateful smile. Realizing what he'd done, the potions master tried to pull away, but she was already heading down the hall, using him as a crutch. He had no choice but to follow and give his assistance.
They both hobbled down the hall in silence, the slayer deep in thought, Snape trying to block out the thoughts that occurred when her body pressed against him with every other step.
(Sod it all, if I didn't know she was hurt, I'd swear she was teasing me on purpose! NO! No, bad thoughts Severus. Let's see, scowl and alphabetize the ingredient cupboards, aconite, armadillo bile, asphodel, belladonna....um, belladonna....uh....bezoar, um....uh, oh drat.")
As luck would have it that was the moment they reached the entrance to Dumbledore's office.
"Mint Mittens," said Snape. The gargoyle moved to reveal the stairs, and Snape's heart sunk, he was going to have to carry the slayer, her wound had opened and was leaking through the bandages. "Here." Before the slayer could protest, but more importantly, before he could think about his actions too much, he swept the girl into his arms and carried her up the stairs. Without knocking, he entered and moved immediately to the couch. He laid Buffy down, and quickly stepped back.
"Buffy, Severus, I don't believe this is a social call, what has happened?" (Sev, carrying her? Ah, she's injured, that explains it. Though I'm almost surprised he didn't make her struggle up here.)
"I'm sure I do not know what is going on, I too would greatly like to know what has possessed M... Elizabeth," he corrected himself, seeing the warning look the small slayer gave him. The headmaster fought the urge to raise an eyebrow at the use of the Buffy's first name, but it was only a century of practice that let him keep an impassive face.
"I'm not possessed. I had a dream...." She began to explain.
"You had a nightmare, and that's what caused you to come up from the dungeons like a bat out of hell?"
"Yes and no, if you'd be quiet long enough for me to tell you, you'll understand, now sit down and shush." Snape was quite taken aback at her words, not many people dared to tell off the feared potions master. He sat down and shushed.
"Now, I had a slayer dream, they warn me of things, people in trouble, things I have to fight. General impending doom. There was a bunch of stuff I didn't understand in the beginning...."She faltered. (It'd probably not be polite to tell someone that you know they're gonna stab you in the back. I'll just tell that part when Snape's not here.)
"Well, how about you start where you did understand?" Albus prompted kindly.
"Yeah, right, well, I ended up in this house, there were people arguing. I, um, followed the voices. There was a large, fat man, yelling, he was beating up a boy, looked like twelve, maybe thirteen, black hair and lots of bruises. The man, his name was Vernon, I think, that's what the boy called him, anyway, Vernon kicked him, broke some of his ribs, I went to help him, but the boy got up, he spoke to me, told me that the fat man wouldn't kill him, it was someone else's job, said he killed people, and deserved the beatings, he said someone was waiting for him, Atropos, I think it was. And...and then the man hit him again, and he said something else, but it wasn't like before, I think he actually saw me, he asked if I was an angel."
Both men sat silently while she described her dream, now they both looked absorbed in their thoughts. Albus stroked his beard. (It has to be Harry. Minerva warned me, I never should have left him with those Muggles. He must be rescued from that abuse.)
Severus sat in silence, scratching at the stubble on his chin, wheels were churning in his head, long held convictions were falling away. (Potter, everything revolves around him, but abuse? I would think his relatives would put him on a pedestal with the rest of the world. How could anyone hurt him? I hate the boy, but beat him, even I wouldn't do that.)
Buffy broke the quiet, "So, um, what are we gonna do? I mean, we gotta find him, get him away from his uncle, right?"
Albus heard her words and formed a course of action. "Yes, you're quite right Buffy. The boy you saw, I believe to be Harry Potter, the one I informed you of when you came here. I will need you and another professor to fetch him from his relatives' house. Severus, you will accompany Buffy. Please go to your potions lab and retrieve some healing potions, I believe Harry will need them if he is leave with you. Also, bring an extra one for Buffy, she will need to be in better shape for this mission."
"Me, headmaster? But surely McGonagall or..or Flitwick would be a better choice for this..."
"Nonsense Severus, you are perfectly adequate for this, and both Minerva and Filius are away at the moment. I do not want to waste time in waiting for them, Harry shouldn't have to spend one more minute in that place."
"As you wish, Albus." Snape left, assumable to get the aforementioned potions.
When the other man had left, Buffy spoke up. "Um, sir, there was another part of my dream, but I didn't want to say with Severus in the room."
"Do tell."
Buffy again recounted the dream, this time telling of her encounter with Snape and the army of demons. She finished with the knife in her back and the mark on the man's arm.
"Hmmm, this is something to ponder indeed. I will think on it, and let you know, but know this, I trust Severus completely. He may seem rather stand-offish, but I know in him lurks a heart, and he is truly devoted to our side. He is a spy, against Voldemort, and the only one who has managed to gain the inner circle of Death Eaters. He has helped immensely and saved countless lives with his information."
"I see."
Before any more could be said, the man in question returned, shoving a bottle of lavender fluid under Buffy's nose.
"Drink this, it will heal your leg." She complied, and instantly felt better, removing the bandage, she saw her leg whole and only dried blood attested to there being any injury at all.
The old wizard stood and clasped her hand warmly. "Good luck, both of you, be safe, and bring Harry home. And remember Buffy these people are human, try not to hurt them too much."
"Will do." Buffy moved to leave, trying in vain to get her hair under control. She started down the stairs.
"Oh, Severus," Albus called, "I'm serious, make sure she doesn't hurt them too much, she knows her own strength, but I'm afraid she might forget in the case of Harry's uncle."
"Yes, Albus, I will keep a tight leash on her."
The headmaster allowed himself to raise an eyebrow at that comment, making the younger man scowl.
"Oh, and Severus, your hair looks nice today." Albus smiled genially, eyes twinkling. The other wizard just scowled even more and left down the stairs.
At the bottom, he found the slayer trying to brush vampire dust from her ripped top. Her hair had been somewhat tamed, but pieces had again escaped and were sticking out wildly.
"Elizabeth, I do believe that were you to walk around in the Muggle world as such, we would attract some undue attention, if you'll allow me?"
She nodded, and stood very still as he pulled out his wand. He muttered an incantation, and tapped her smartly on the head. Buffy's eyes widened as she looked down at herself. Her clothes had become whole again, and there was no blood to be seen.
"Wow," she said, "Where were you all through high-school? This woulda saved me millions." They started down toward the entrance hall.
"I am to assume that you ruin quite a number of clothes in that manner?"
"You have no idea, Maytags, er, Muggle clothes washers aren't meant to get vamp dust, blood, and demon goo outta silk."
"No, I can imagine they wouldn't. You know, you could have Flitwick put an Impervious Charm on your clothes, they wouldn't rip, and it would be quite like wearing armor."
"Really? I never bothered with armor cause, you know, too stiff, no room to maneuver. But actually that sounds like a good thing." She went off into a tale Faith had told her about wrestling a vampire and losing her shirt, literally.
Both almost forgot the task at hand as they made their way to Hogsmeade, and Snape found himself smiling at the antics of the other slayer, even had to suppress a laugh a few times.
Buffy noticed, and commented, "It's a sign of the apocalypse! Severus Snape, cracked a smile!"
Snape's wide smile curved into a wry grin, almost friendly, "Sod off, you American bint."
End Chapter 9