Disclaimer: See previous chapters…it is getting to depressing to keep writing I don't own anything.
AN: Sorry for the delay….blasted work, how dare it interfere with my ability to write this story? Thanks to the few, the proud, the reviewers.
Chapter 38 Matchmaker, Matchmaker
Matchmaker,
Matchmaker,
Make me a match,
Find me a find,
Catch me a
catch,
Night after night in the dark I'm alone
So find me
match,
Of my own.
Fiddler on the Roof "Matchmaker Lyrics"
It was Friday morning and Alexis still had green hair and a tail, but her skin was back to normal. She was supposed to pick up Snape's present this afternoon, but there was no way she was leaving the castle until she was completely back to normal. She shuddered at the thought of the headline if Rita Skeeter were to see her.
She managed to catch Amber by Floo before she left for work at St. Mungos. After Amber stopped laughing at her hair and complaining that she had missed the blue skin, she agreed to pick up the portrait for Alexis and bring it to the school after she got off work. Before she removed her head from the fire, Alexis told Amber not to worry about eating; she would feed her as a thank you.
Amber's parting words were, "Ha! You owe me a lot more than dinner and don't think I'll forget either."
Alexis stared at the fireplace lost in thought. Finally reaching a decision she called Slinky and asked him to plan for dinner for four in Snape's quarters tonight. Snape wasn't going to be happy, but she'd make it up to him.
She dropped Harry and Ron off at the Gryffindor table for breakfast before heading up to the staff table. Snape rose to hold her chair out for her causing several of the girls to sigh at his gallantry. Alexis found it amusing and Snape annoying that since her tirade, Snape had gone from villain to romantic hero. She had stopped in a girl's bathroom yesterday and found that Snape's name had been added to the "Take Notice" graffiti on the stall wall. She was no longer the only one who appreciated what a fine ass he had. The drawing that went with the proclamation showed a great deal of artistic talent and, Alexis was happy to note, a good deal of imagination.
"Severus, Amber is coming by for dinner tonight. She is bringing a package for me so I thought it would only be nice to invite her to stay for dinner."
Snape was immersed in his paper, "As you wish."
"I'm going to invite Remus to join us. I think he and Amber would make a darling couple," Alexis hoped to slip that one by him.
"As you….what did you just say?" Snape put the paper down with a loud rustle.
"I said that Amber is coming by for dinner tonight."
Snape knew Alexis to well by now to fall for her innocent look, "What did you say after that?" anticipating her next response, "After the part about her bringing you a package?"
"I thought it would be nice if we invited Remus to join us as I believe he and Amber would make a nice couple."
"No," Snape said empathically and picked up his paper.
"Severus, please just consider it?" Alexis asked.
"As you wish," Snape paused for all of two seconds, "I have considered it and the answer is no. There is no way I am having that mangy animal in my personal quarters."
"So they are your quarters now? I was under the impression that they were our quarters? But now the truth comes out. Well, then that is fine. If I cannot invite my friends to visit me in YOUR quarters I will just have them come to MY quarters in Gryffindor Tower tonight and the three of us will have a nice dinner. If you would like to join us in MY quarters at 7:00 you are more than welcome," Alexis finished with a sniff.
"Why Lupin?"
"Because he is my friend and I also don't think Amber would be a good match for Hagrid or Filius and they are the only other two unattached males I know that are not members of the student body."
"I am not sure that I agree with you on that one. Hagrid is a very nice person and I am sure that he and Amber would get along famously," Snape tried hopefully. When that didn't work, "Isn't Remus supposed to be guarding Potter tonight?"
"I am going to make arrangements with Percy Weasley to stand in for him tonight," Alexis was studiously not looking at him. Snape noticed that she had stolen part of his paper.
"I thought Amber was your friend? Why would you want to fix her up with someone like Remus?"
"Let me think, why would I want to fix a friend up with a nice, handsome, fun, amusing man? Gee, what could I have been thinking?" Alexis asked sarcastically.
"Are you forgetting about his condition?"
"Nope, if Amber is narrow minded enough to hold his condition against him, she isn't half the person I think she is."
It has to be Remus?"
"Yes," Alexis turned a page.
"As you wish," Snape gritted out.
Alexis still didn't put the paper down but Snape felt a furry stroke on his hand under the table. He might just miss that tail when it was gone.
Percy Weasley had been happy to earn a few extra Galleons by agreeing to stay with Harry. It had only taken him a second to agree to handle the assignment: it had taken him fifteen minutes to go into excruciating detail about how he really was the only logical choice since he was The Head Boy. Ginny Weasley had finally rescued her by asking Percy for help with some homework.
Remus had expressed doubt when Alexis invited him to join her and Snape in their quarters for dinner but Alexis had managed to coax him into agreeing to come.
At five o'clock Alexis was waiting for Amber in the entry hall. She had to smile when she saw one of the Weasley twins carrying the heavily wrapped portrait while the other had offered Amber his arm and was acting as escort and tour guide.
The twins insisted upon carrying the package and escorting the ladies to Alexis' room. After the boys had left Amber collapsed on Alexis' bed, "Twins, I've always had a soft spot for twins. And those two look like they would be fun, if you know what I mean?" Amber wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.
"Ok," Alexis responded from her position on the floor where she was hiding the portrait under the bed, "you are now officially a pervert."
"Why?" Amber was indignant.
"Because they are only fifteen years old, you have to wait until they are of age to fantasize about them and not be a pervert."
"If they look that good at fifteen I can't wait to see them in a few years," Amber's eyes turned dreamy.
"Stop drooling on my bed."
"Guess what?" and without giving Alexis time to answer, "I am now a fully registered Animagus."
"That's great. Let's see it," Alexis said with a wave of her hand.
Amber grinned at her and then before Alexis could blink there was a full grown silver wolf lying on her bed. Of course she looked a little silly because she was lying on her back with all four paws in the air. Amber flipped over when she heard Alexis snicker, "So you can play dead, can you do any other tricks?"
Amber jumped from the bed and changed back, "There's no need to be jealous," she said with her nose in the air, then on a more serious note, "you want to learn how? It looks like you are already partly there," with a pointed look at the tail that was now lashing back and forth across the floor.
"I hear it's really hard to learn?" Alexis questioned.
"Nothing worth having is easy," Amber philosophized.
"Nothing ventured nothing gained," Alexis grinned as she clichéd in response, "when can we start?"
Amber explained the basics to Alexis and told her to practice them everyday until they became second nature. As she practiced the concentration necessary, she would begin to feel the animal she was going to change in to. Like a wand, the Animagus doesn't choose the animal, the animal chooses the Animagus.
Looking at her watch, Alexis saw that they had been working for over an hour, "We need to get going. If Remus gets there before we do I don't know if Severus will let him in."
Amber started to laugh until she realized that Alexis was serious.
Luckily they reached the stairs leading to the dungeons at the same time Remus did and were all able to go down together.
Alexis could see that Amber was attracted to Remus, but Remus didn't seem to share the attraction. Mentally shrugging her shoulders, if the spark wasn't there, no amount of wishing on her part would ignite it.
They were all laughing at something Remus had said as they entered Snape's quarters. Snape was sitting at his desk brooding while Slinky finished setting up for dinner.
Responding to the warning look in Alexis' eyes, Snape got to his feet, "Amber," he was surprised when she gave him a friendly peck on the cheek. Noticing Remus' look of shocked disbelief, Snape gave him a smug smirk deciding that the evening might not be a total waste of oxygen after all.
Alexis' noticed the byplay but decided to ignore it for now, "Severus, why don't you play bartender?"
"What will you have Amber?" Snape asked as he poured Alexis a glass of her usual wine.
"I'll have whatever you are fixing for Alexis," Amber settled onto the loveseat with an inviting look at Remus. She couldn't figure out why, but she was drawn to this man.
Remus ignored the silent invitation and went to stand next to Snape, "Severus."
"Lupin," with a look at Alexis who was sitting next to Amber, "what would you like to drink?"
"Wine would be fine," Remus gave him a small smile.
Snape handed him two glasses and then took his and Alexis' drinks. Alexis smiled up at Snape as she took her wine. Remus felt a pang of envy at the look Alexis was giving Snape. He had never thought he might envy the Potions Professor. Shaking himself from pointless regrets, he took Amber her drink.
Amber deliberately let her fingers brush Remus' when she took her glass. They were both surprised by the tingle that brief touch elicited. Amber decided she would have to find out more about this intriguing wizard. There was something about him that called to her.
Just then Slinky announced that dinner was served. Amber quickly got to her feet before Remus could move away. She was now standing very close to him, definitely invading his personal space. Remus drew in a deep breath in surprise: and found his werewolf heightened sense of smell flooded with her scent. He looked at her in shock which he quickly hid; she carried a strong scent of wolf.
Snape had already seated Alexis and was waiting politely for Amber to be seated before taking his own chair. Alexis looked at the couple in concern, "Remus, Amber, dinner is ready if you are?"
Remus took Amber's arm and escorted her to the table. Again, they both felt the tingle where their skin came in contact. After Amber was seated, Snape and Remus both took their places.
Amber and Alexis kept the conversation light during dinner. Remus was surprised to find that he was slightly jealous of the ease with which Amber interacted with Snape. Giving Alexis a questioning look when Amber reached over to touch Snape's hand, Remus found that she was laughing at Amber. Catching Remus' questioning look she gave him a quick wink.
Amber caught the wink and felt a momentary flash of anger. She was startled at the feeling of possessiveness she felt toward the man she had known for barely an hour.
Alexis grinned at Amber, "Can I tell them your news?"
"What news?"
"The news you shared with me earlier," Alexis said pointedly.
"You might as well since you've gone this far," Amber said with a smirk.
"Amber has just been registered as an Animagus," Alexis said as proudly as if it were her own accomplishment.
"Congratulations," Remus offered quietly, "what animal form do you take?"
"I'm a silver wolf," Amber explained.
Remus felt a sharp stab of desire at her words. Here was a woman who would not have to fear him in his other form. But would she want to have a relationship with a man like him?
Conversation soon turned to other subjects. Amber told stories about her school days at Beauxbatons. Remus countered with stories about the differences between Hogwarts and the French school. Snape remained quiet and Alexis would throw in a question every now and then.
The couples lingered over dessert and coffee. Snape would not have admitted it even under the Cruciatus Curse, but the evening had not been totally intolerable.
The clock on the mantle began to chime eleven and that seemed to be the signal that the evening should draw to a close.
Alexis looked at her friend, "Amber, thank you for running that errand for me. I'll walk you to the gates so you can apparate home."
"That's not necessary. I can see myself out. Thank you for dinner," Amber hugged Alexis and Snape before heading for the door.
When she got there she found Remus waiting on her, "I'll walk you out," he offered.
At her nod of agreement, Remus turned back to Alexis and Snape, "Thank you for a delightful evening."
After they had left, Alexis looked at Snape with a smirk, "I told you they would make a nice couple."
Scooping her up and throwing her over his shoulder he gave her ass a slap, "No one likes a smart ass," and headed into the bedroom to prove that while no one may like a smart ass, he without a doubt had a deep and fine appreciation for her ass.
