Rose Among the Thorns: The Third Evans Sister
By Jedi Blu, Lady at Large
Standard Disclaimer Found In Previous Chapters
Italics are thoughts, emphasized words, or letters.
NOTE: This is a chapter that's only here to move the story along a bit faster. Enjoy it! And I apologize for the lack of updates. The semester just started back up and I got a new job and things are just STRESSFUL right now. :-( Cut me some slack and I promise I'll do what I can to keep these stories coming.
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CHAPTER THIRTY: Another Year Gone, 1977
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Rose sat next to Severus on the train, heading back to King's Cross at the end of term. She was exhausted from exams and from the school year, but the real reason her eyes had problems staying open was because of the night before. She and Severus had stayed in the Requirement Room until dawn, trying to finish potions and projects they had started before Rose had to go home. It was incredible, the amount of work they had done. They practically had their own store of healing potions and powders, everything from a bottle of bone-growth solution to a powder that would rid the person who used it of warts...but had the terrible side effect of causing dandruff. That one needed work.
When they had finally finished their work, they had rested on the cushions the room provided as chairs, going over a list of what they would plan for the next year...Severus's last year at Hogwarts. They also knew that with her O.W.L.'s and his N.E.W.T.'s they would have a lot of studying to do. There were a lot of things to prepare for, of course.
And he had kissed her again. Oh, there had been pecks on the cheek here and there through-out the year but nothing like what had happened that day in the forest. Not until that morning.
Rose had been filled with pleasure, warmth, and a strong feeling of need when he kissed her. She knew she would miss him a great deal over the summer, and it broke her heart to know he would, once again, be all alone in the castle.
She wished she could stay with him, rather than go home.
Lily had run into her sister that morning as everyone hurried for the carriages which would take them to the station. There had been an awkward moment between them, and they only barely managed to utter 'see you at home' to each other.
For just days ago Rose had happened upon a confusing sight...Lily Evans had been kissing James Potter in the gardens. Lily had seen her sister when Rose let out a gasp of shock, and James had stared at the younger Evans in somber silence.
An argument had followed. How could Lily kiss the arrogant bully? Why couldn't Rose understand? And so forth. Very petty, actually, but it had left the sisters distant from each other.
It was agonizing, to say the least, and Rose had told Severus everything. To her surprise, he was indifferent, and told her it really was none of her business. "After all," he had muttered, "Lily stays out of your love life." And that statement from him alone was enough to make Rose feel as if she walked on air. It continued to amaze her that Severus Snape was acknowledging their relationship so fully. He held her hand in public, allowed her to hug him if they came upon each other in the halls unexpectedly, and confided incredible things to her about his past.
It turned out his mother, Evelina Heathersforde Snape, had been half-and-half blood. Her father was a muggle, while her mother was from a prestigious line of wizards and witches. Sarpedon Snape had blamed every failure of his on his wife's mixed blood, and so that was one thing Severus truly hated to hear anyone say about his mother.
So when she rested her head on his shoulder that day in the train, cuddling up to him a bit, he merely put his arm around her and kept his eyes trained on the scenery passing by his window. Personally, he was glad he had the young witch beside him as a friend and...well...he wasn't sure what to term their relationship. There wasn't a spoken understanding between them, but they both seemed fairly comfortable with how everything was proceeding.
Rose fell asleep on his shoulder, with one arm wrapped across him and around his waist, her breathing quiet and soothing. He found himself thinking about the way she smelled again...like a rainy day. He liked it and wondered how she managed it. She didn't smell of flowery, sickly sweet perfume like other girls, or of soapy shampoo; just clean, fresh rain hitting the earth. It was wonderful.
Severus wondered why he was so attached to her, this young muggle-born witch with her fiery spirit and flashing eyes. Truth be told, she could ask anything of him and he would try to accomplish it for her. The only other people he had ever felt so towards was his mother, whose body had eventually been found in a muggle dumpster (Rose had held him when he found out, he had asked her to come with him to Dumbledore's office when he received urgent word to go there...he had guessed what was coming).
He would also do a great deal for Albus Dumbledore...or he would have in the past. Since the incident after the Shrieking Shack, when Dumbledore had rebuked Severus for his words about Remus Lupin being a monster and sworn him to silence, barely slapping the wrist of Sirius Black, Severus had grown distant from the wizened old man.
He didn't know how Albus Dumbledore agonized over that loss.
As they neared London Severus found himself dreading the long, empty summer. He liked the way Rose felt in his arms, he didn't want to give her up for the long weeks ahead. He would be seventeen very soon, and so would need to leave the school to get a place of his own and a job. He didn't have much money stored away, but could hopefully afford something livable until he became steadily employed. He was tempted to work in Hogsmeade, but realized he would run into Albus Dumbledore fairly often, as the wizard seemed to live in the vicinity.
Rose stirred as the train came to a stop, and found that she didn't want to move. She felt safe with Severus, and she knew the world was anything but safe outside the train. Rumor had it that students would soon be targets of the Dark Lord, especially those muggle-born or of mixed blood. She was very worried about the safety of herself and Lily, students who notably succeeded in almost everything they did. Especially Lily, though. Rose had some protection by being a Slytherin, and a help to many of the sons and daughters of those who followed the Dark Lord. She did, after all, tutor the brats a great deal.
Severus sighed and she looked up to see his bottomless black eyes staring down at her. "I'll help you with your things," he offered. Rose was on her feet in a few moments, carrying Oberon's cage out into the London air with Severus carting her trunk behind them. He used a levitation spell, of course, and Rose was again happy that magic wasn't restricted to being used at school. Rumor had it that they were trying to pass a law to that effect, but so far nothing had come of it.
They met up with Lily as they came to the barrier, and the girl offered them both a smile. "Hello, Severus," she greeted him, as she always did even though he had lashed out at her the year before. Lily could forgive anyone anyway. She was, Rose thought, perfect like that.
"Evans," he greeted her, allowing a brief smile in her direction. He looked back at Rose. "The train will be going soon, so I'll leave you here. Have a good summer, Rose."
Rose nodded and stepped quickly into his arms to give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek, Lily politely looked away until Rose said, "I'll write, Severus. Don't do anything too dangerous without me."
Severus nodded, returning her hug, then released her. "I'll try not to. See you around, Evans," he said with a wave to Lily. "'Bye, Rose." He turned and went back to the train, and the Evans girls exchanged an amused glance before stepping through the barrier.
They went home in good spirits, their father had come to pick them up and had showered them with praise and hugs. But when they entered their bedroom, the one that all three Evans girls had shared for so long, they realized that something would be very different this summer.
Petunia Evans was on her bed, reading one of her beauty magazines. She glanced up when they entered and immediately looked disgusted. "The freaks have returned," she said by way of greeting. She stood up and left the room without another word.
Lily bit her lip, appearing worried. "You think she's still mad at me?"
"It's Petunia we're talking about," Rose remarked, putting Oberon's cage down and opening it to give the bird some freedom. "She holds grudges."
"Do you hold grudges?" Lily asked quickly, quietly.
Rose sighed and turned to look her sister in the eye, smiling slightly to take some of the sting out of her words. "Only when someone betrays me." Lily was about to say something, her eyes wide with surprise, but Rose continued. "I love you, Lily. You're my big sister and I know you're a good person. I just don't get how you could even touch James Potter after all he's done." Lily had been told about the incident in the Shrieking Shack, and at the time she had completely been on Rose's side of the matter. Both sisters had also, reluctantly, admired James Potter for stepping in.
"He's different, Rose. And I'm not even sure I like him, if you'll remember correctly it was just a kiss on the cheek I gave him." She blushed. "And I asked him to keep it a secret for a while, even from his friends. I...I'm testing him. Because if I don't mean anything to him he'll go blabbing off to the others that he got Lily Evans to kiss him, but if he really does like me...."
"He'll keep his trap shut," Rose agreed, shaking her head. "Devious, sister. Simply devious."
Lily laughed and soon they both sat on Rose's bed, talking and giggling about boys in general and two boys in particular. Lily, of course, promised not to tell their parents about Severus (Rose was too young to have a 'boyfriend,' for lack of a better term) so long as Rose didn't tell anyone about she and James yet.
The older sister was surprised that Severus had come such a long way, and was so openly affectionate towards her youngest sister. It was so odd to her, to picture the dark-haired, pale-skinned, lanky boy giving so much attention to anyone. Least of all a girl.
It was a very long summer, but a pleasant one, for the two girls. They wrote to their young gentlemen and pretended they didn't notice Petunia ignoring them. They talked to her as usual, even though she never said a single word directly to either of them. Personally, Rose wanted to hex her with pimples or something equally horrible but Lily remained firm that they must forgive their sister and show her some compassion. She was, after all, struggling constantly with their parents over her boyfriend Vernon Dursley.
"And if they think Dursley is a problem, we'd better not say a word about James or Severus," Rose had said, rolling her eyes.
Personally, the two sisters couldn't stand Vernon Dursley when he came around...and he didn't seem to like them one bit either. But he made Petunia happy, which was a rarity, so they left it alone.
Meanwhile, Severus Snape came of age and began looking for a job, no longer wanting to rely on Albus Dumbledore's good graces. He still admired the man, but he felt betrayed. How could a werewolf and a near murderer take precedence over the one nearly murdered? He couldn't understand it.
He got a job, but it wasn't one he liked much. The Apothecary in Knockturn Alley was looking for someone who could be trusted with running the shop-front while he dealt with the 'special' customers in the back, selling them illegalities. Severus did the work, pretending he didn't know what went on in the rear of the shop. He was paid very well.
It was through this job that he began meeting people.
Such as the young, talented, and wealthy Lucious Malfoy.
Lucious Malfoy noticed Severus's talent with potions and his expertise with all the materials in the apothecary, and he began asking the boy questions. He even arranged for Severus to brew a few specialized (illegal) potions for him at a very high price. Severus needed the money, so he did as asked with no questions posed. Soon other wizards and witches came to Severus for potions, surprised at his knowledge and glad Malfoy had referred them to him.
This was how Severus Snape was introduced to the Death Eaters, though he did not know them as that yet. But they alluded to their allegiances and Dark dealings, and he listened though he feigned indifference.
One day a strange wizard, calling himself Thomas Marvalo, entered the apothecary and spoke to the boy all his followers were talking about. Of course, Severus didn't know who this man was, but he got a strange feeling when he looked into his eerie, red eyes.
This man held a great deal of power, power like that of Albus Dumbledore. He frequented the shop, coming and going through a secret entrance in the back, and always he would stop to speak a word or two to Severus. Always looking directly into the boy's eyes.
Severus didn't realize it until the man's third visit, but then he began to recognize the signs of the man using Legilimency to gage his own reaction to Marvalo's words. Of course, Severus quietly began to combat the intrusiveness without the stranger knowing, thankfully, that he was well-taught in Occlumency.
Lord Voldemort found himself amused at the potions knowledge of the young man, and knew he could use such a talent in his pool of followers. He would wait, he would bait the boy, and he would soon have him for his own.
The Dark drew many with false and flattering words. It wouldn't take much.
Besides, after Sarpedon's betrayal of their group (and subsequent murder, by Voldemort's own hands) his son owed them something.
And Severus would more than pay his father's debt, of that Lord Voldemort was certain.
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Rose had never fealt more confident in her life than she did entering her fifth year of Hogwarts. She was fifteen years old, which in her opinion meant she was no longer a child. She looked lovely as well, with her delicate frame and pretty face. She was ready to take her O.W.L.'s and prove herself worthy of an apprenticeship in Healing. More than anything, though, Rose knew that she and Severus had become inseparable friends at school.
He was in their compartment at the very back of the train, with his nose in some book of potions, when she stepped through with her things. He didn't even look up as she levitated her belongings into the cargo area, including her owl, before she sat down next to him and peered at the book he was reading. "Antidotes," she murmured, reading a few of the paragraphs. "Is this to be our specialty this year?"
Severus smirked and glanced up at her, but there was warmth in his eyes and the familiar way in which they took her in. He was pleased with how she looked, this she knew though he never said a word to her about it. "We're to have several specialties this year now that I've got complete access to the Restricted Section." It was true, all his teachers allowed him inside to get whatever book he wanted, and they had since the last month of his sixth year. Pince didn't even bat an eye at him anymore when he made a request.
"Good. And still time to study, I hope?" she asked, mentally going over a list of things she hoped to accomplish that year.
"Yes." He sat up a bit straighter and rolled his shoulders, trying to ease some of the tenseness out of his back. He was still a thin boy, and his height made him seem even more so, but he had done a great deal of heavy-lifting of late and so looked a bit sturdier. "How was summer?"
Rose shrugged, rolling her eyes slightly. "Not bad, not good, just long. I wrote you enough of the complaints all ready."
"Ah, yes," he murmured, a slight grin appearing on his pale face—he hadn't seen the sun much that summer, his work kept him indoors. "Petunia did this, Petunia did that, Petunia is evil, et cetera. Yes, I remember."
Laughing, Rose could only punch him lightly in the shoulder before leaning over to plant a kiss on his cheek. "I suppose that's what comes of having muggles in the family who think they're the center of the universe."
Severus chuckled and rolled one shoulder again, wincing slightly as he did so. Perhaps he should have levitated that load of dragon hide rather than allow himself to perform manual labor. Granted, it kept him in some sort of shape but being sore.... No matter, a potion easily brewed at the school would set him to rights.
Rose, however, had caught on to the uncomfortable movements he made. "Lean forward," she suddenly ordered, and after giving her an imperious look she added, "Please." He complied. Her hands went to his left shoulder blade and she began to prod him gently with her fingers until she found the hard, tight knot of muscles. She began to kneed said muscles, causing him to wince in momentary pain as she worked out the kinks.
"Where," he asked, gritting his teeth, "did you learn the art of torture?"
"My dad, when he tries to move the furniture around at home, often pulls or knots a muscle. We take turns relieving the pain."
"Oh, is that—" he grunted as she pushed harder "—what you're doing?"
"Shut up." She worked for a minute more, then took her hands away. He sat up, rolling his shoulders once more, and looked pleasantly surprised.
"It worked."
Rose merely picked up his book and began flipping through it, trying not to look too smug.
"That's my book," he pointed out.
"So? Want to fight over it?" The look she cast him dared him to try anything and she would be ready for it.
"Not really," he admitted, running a hand through his hair, suppressing a smile at her ability to counter him so quickly.
"Good. Shut up and enjoy the ride then." She went back to reading.
To say Severus was hen-picked would be to ask for death at his hands. He let her get away with certain things, though, because he knew it wouldn't hurt anything for her to win once in a while. Besides, studying something so advanced would greatly benefit her, and so benefit him. She would actually know what he was talking about when it came to certain experiments.
They arrived at school at the usual time, it was late and foggy, most of the students wanted to skip the feast and go to bed. As Rose and Severus entered the castle through the main doors they noted that even fewer students had come back this year, and so things would once again be very odd. The Slytherin table was only half full, the other tables were missing a fourth to a third of their housemates, and so Rose could only sit there and wonder what would happen with class schedules and combining classes.
The welcome speech was given by the newly appointed deputy headmistress, the long-time Transfiguration teacher, Minerva McGonagall. The Headmaster wasn't there, she excused him for being away on a brief business trip for the benefit of the school's protection. The students had no way of knowing, of course, that Headmaster Albus Dumbledore was at that moment visiting a few old friends in hopes of gaining their assistance protecting the school...among other things. He had a wonderful idea...and thanks to Fawkes, his familiar, he had a name for that idea.
But the students began the feast without knowing this, and so were quiet and pleased with their return.
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"This isn't the best idea you've ever had," Sirius remarked as he watched James fasten on his Head Boy badge. "You've been trying for years to get Lily Evans to notice you and for some reason you think this year will be the one for you to succeed in."
James shrugged and confidently gave himself a once-over in the mirror. "Just call it a hunch," James said, "but I'm betting Evans will see me in a whole new light now." He winked at his best friend before popping out of the dormitory for a meeting with the prefects, McGonagall, and the Head Girl...Lily Evans.
Remus would be there, as a seventh year prefect, which left Sirius to hang around with Peter (who was currently torturing his frog) or find something else of amusement. Briefly he regretted the loss of the magnificent map they had made. Peter had taken it one day, trying to use it to find a Hufflepuff girl he was stalking obsessively, and had been caught before he could say 'mischief managed.' The caretaker had now had the map tucked back into one of his musty filing cabinets. They hadn't spoken to Wormtail for a week because of that one, but Remus at last convinced them it was for the best.
So Sirius stepped out, ignoring the frog's distressed noises, briefly wondering if Pettigrew needed to see a head shrink. The boy seemed demented at times, but there was no use for it. There wasn't anything going on in the common room, people were playing chess and preparing for tests, writing essays...typical of the first month of school.
He wandered out into the corridors of the school, narrowly missing Peeves barreling around a corner with one of the ghosts, the Friar, chasing right behind him.
"I'll miss this place," he muttered, smiling to himself as he passed a statue he distinctly knew to be hiding a secret passage to Honeydukes.
"Will you?" a voice asked, and he whirled around to see Rose Evans standing exactly behind him. Her eyes were narrowed, her tone was dangerous. A prefect badge reflected the torchlight in the hall.
Sirius tilted his head up, an arrogant twist to his lips, as he replied, "It's the only real home I've got."
"You?" She stepped closer, her green eyes dark and serious. "Of the Noble House of Black? Surely you jest."
He actually chuckled. "Not at all. My pureblood, Dark family wants nothing to do with me anymore. I've been living with the Potters, and I plan to get a place of my own soon. I've come into some money."
"Isn't that nice." She stepped around him, her eyes seemingly taking him in. Rose hadn't forgotten what had happened the previous school year, and though she hadn't spoken of it—or to Sirius—since the incident in the Shrieking Shack there was still the desire to pay him back for what he'd tried to do. But how?
Sirius, for his part, merely folded his arms and watched her circle him. "Are you done yet? I have better things to do than be admired by a Slytherin chit."
"A chit who you've been chasing after for the past few years," she reminded him, stopping before him. "Or have you finally given up?"
"I don't give up," Sirius replied, leaning forward slightly. "I do, however, get smarter. If you prefer an obviously inferior Slytherin to myself, that is your choice and your loss. I admit my pride is stung, but I'll get over it. You're not the only witch in Hogwarts, much less the world at large."
Rose grinned up at him, shaking her head. "So what you're saying is you're not interested anymore."
That wasn't what he was saying at all. Standing before him was a charming, mysterious young witch that he couldn't have and it was driving him crazy. Why he wanted her at all he wasn't sure, there were girls prettier than she, girls who threw themselves at him and had been doing so for years. But not Rose. She was aloof, distant, she was dark and he had the feeling she could be as dangerous as her older sister. He had shocked his family by becoming a Gryffindor, she had shocked everyone who knew Lily by going into Slytherin. They were at opposite ends of the magical world, but there were some small threads of similarity making their characters up.
"No. What I'm saying is, I'll get over it," he repeated. He squared his shoulders and sighed. "Can I go now?"
"I wasn't aware I was keeping you," was her tart answer. "But do you want to know something?"
He rolled his eyes. "What?"
"Your eyes are the exact color of the summer sky." With that said she turned on her heel and left, going the opposite direction in which he had been going.
When she was out of his sight, Sirius Black shuddered and rubbed at the gooseflesh which had appeared on his arms. She was a strange girl, and she hated his guts, that much was obvious. But what had that entire interaction been about?
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Rose fell onto the couch in the Slytherin common room, then promptly put her head in the lap of the person all ready sitting there. Severus Snape didn't even look up from his book, but one of his hands fell to remove the pencil she had stuck in her hair to hold up a bun—it was jabbing him in the thigh.
A few others in the room glanced up with some surprise, but for the most part the now-acknowledged Slytherin couple were ignored unless someone wanted something from them. That was how it was in Slytherin.
"How was your meeting?" he asked after a few moments.
"Stupid. I understand why you turned down the Head Boy badge this year. I have enough to worry about without keeping a house full of rule-breakers under control. Maybe I should resign now and get it over with." She yawned and smiled up at him, noting his eyes were still on the book. "I ran into a friend of ours in the hallway, coming from Bane's place."
He raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
"Sirius Black."
Severus snapped the book shut and gave her his undivided attention. "And?"
Rose groaned and put a hand to her head. "I'm suddenly having problems remembering...."
For a moment all he could do was glower at her, then he sighed and realized he would have to give in. "What do you want?"
Grinning cheekily, Rose began, "Well, if you must know, there's a Hogsmeade weekend coming up and I'll be going because I need some new clothes—especially after that stupid Hufflepuff spilt acid all over me. Anyway, I'll need your opinion on a few things since Lily can't seem to be bothered...."
He frowned. "I have to go shopping with you?"
"Yes."
"No."
"Fine."
Silence.
Well, that was just fine with him. He really didn't even care what interaction Rose had with the pompous, arrogant idiot Gyrffindor. He didn't care at all.
Almost.
"How long?"
"Three hours," she responded, eyes closed with her head still resting in his lap.
"One," he haggled.
"Two, and that's my final offer." Rose opened her eyes and offered him a charming smile. "And I promise to go easy on you."
He shook his head and tried to hide his smile. "Fine, fine. Now...Black?"
"Oh yes." She sat up and her long, curly auburn hair fell down her back. Almost against his will, Severus's hand came up to move a strand that had fallen into her face behind her ear, and then he quickly ran it through his own hair, glancing away almost sheepishly. Rose didn't comment, but her smile grew. "Anyway, I had a conversation with him, and it sounds like he's given up the chase."
"Really? That doesn't seem like him." Severus mused quietly for a moment, shaking his head. "I'm not sure if I believe it."
"I'm not so vein as to think he'll always be after me, Severus, but I think our last encounter was a bit more humiliating than he liked. I'm surprised I didn't scar the idiot." She shrugged and put her hands behind her head. "Still intent on getting him back?"
Severus frowned, his eyes thoughtful. "I'm not going to look for a way to get revenge, but if the chance comes up...."
Rose nodded. "I know."
Really the two Slytherins barely understood their own motives. Perhaps that was something about the House of Slytherin...the students there thirsted to prove themselves better than all those surrounding them, to prove themselves as stronger, smarter, and more powerful. It wouldn't take much to—
"And Lily's dating James," Rose added, bouncing off the couch. "So unless he gets involved, leave him out of this." She gave Severus a kiss on the cheek and then went to her dormitory to help Catalina study for a Transfiguration essay.
Thank you, one and all, for reading!
SNEAK PREVIEW: Next we have False Sense of Security (title subject to change), which I'm not at all happy with at the moment. No one will cooperate with me, Severus is decidedly against such a mild form of revenge on Black…but I've said too much. ;-) Then comes Time Stands Still for No Wizard, when Rose and Severus are separated for a while before their paths cross again. Following that is some light-hearted fluff with The Proposal, Retold. We're moving much faster now.
To my reviewers: There's too many of you now for me to give ALL of you individual responses. So to a group of you:
Thank you so much for your encouragement and enjoyment of this story StrawberryBunny, Writer Chica, Katie, Jade Anne Merlin, Illume, Katherine0619, Evil Duckie of the Black Lagoon (love the name), Your Worshipfulness, Black Sheep Alone, Ms. Blue, emikae, Al, Elz, and nabenabe!
Moriann: What am I going to do with you? You're never hard on me! Severus wasn't very fond of Barney but remained firm in his decision not to cooperate. But now I'm threatening the telli-tubbies and he at least seems marginally afraid.
Lysaandi: Rose finally gave in and had hysterics. It's the one and only time I think I've taken her out of character. But that incident in the last chapter HAS changed her somewhat.
Rinny Z: It is reviewers like you who both disturb and amuse me. :-) Hehe. Just kidding, your reviews always make me smile. Glad you liked the Fruzzle.
ParvisSira: The meeting with the Headmaster is still a mystery, but you may see it make an appearance in reference or flashback later on. We are quickly approaching the REASON for Rose leaving and I hope I can keep you interested that long. OC's are hard to write and I appreciate that you're enjoying this one.
Sona Camdyn: Lurker! Lurker! EEK! Sirius and Rose? Nah, they'd kill each other. I've got someone picked out for the dog of a man anyway. I'm glad you finally reviewed. :-)
Elvesmagic101: Does that mean you did or didn't like Rose's outburst? I believe that every heroine deserves to have hysterics at least once, and that was Rose's once. Anyway, I know this chapter isn't much, but I'll be hoping for your take on the next one very much.
Loraliant Angelisa Snape: Yes, that was when Rose promised to kill Sirius. However, the incident Sirius referred to earlier in the story isn't coming for a few chapters. Yes, I think I'd read something about Regulas…we all know so little about him. That summary is eerily familiar…. Hehe. They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. So thank you, I'm flattered.
m-of-alcantara: You're welcome. :-) I'm grateful for your praise, and your tip-o'-the-hat to the Princess Bride. I love that book/movie. You'll see another reference to it sneakily added later on. Dialogue is my favorite thing to write, which is why I devote my stories to it sometimes. And…well, I love the character JKR has given to all of us, I would never want to 'change' them. See you soon!
To RAE ROBERTS, Despite her lack of review: I used 'rather' in this chapter! AND CORRECTLY! HA! But I was reading this novel the other day and I noticed the author used the word 'rather' incorrectly and often. I'm afraid you've taken your pet-peeve and passed it along to me. That book was much less enjoyable after that. :-P See ya!
Thank you all! R&R!
-JB-