Disclaimer: Not the way Jo would have them spend the Holiday, but you know my opinion on that:D
Chapter 38- The Long and Winding Road
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry stood quiet in the Monday afternoon sunlight. Students remaining there over Easter Holiday were busy completing assignments or spending their time in quiet pursuits. A game of wizard chess, reading a good book, or having a snog behind one of the many statues edifying the campus on many levels preoccupied most. A few strolled by the lake. One young man with fiery red hair waved to another couple walking toward Hagrid's Hut before scooping up his girlfriend and pretending to carry her to the water to toss her in. The brunette's hair shook wildly. Snatches of laughing protests could be heard by the pair on the way to feed a Jabberwocky.
"It's been fun, hanging with your friends."
Glancing down at the girl by his side, Harry smiled,
"You sound as though you didn't expect to enjoy it."
Pushing long, black hair over a shoulder, Morrigan admitted,
"I didn't." A grin transformed delicate features from fae to pixie, "Blaise always said that Mr. Freckles was cool, but you and Granger were another story."
Harry wasn't surprised. He and Zabini had never got on. She was too much like her best mate Malfoy. Curious, he asked,
"What's so different about Ron?"
A slight blush on porcelain cheekbones made him wonder. That day over Christmas holiday when the Slytherin had visited Ginny, and she and his mate had been absent…at the same time… Merlin, surely Ronald hadn't… Deciding grimly that he didn't want to know, ever, the boy changed the subject.
"Wonder if Jiminy's missed us?"
Morrigan was relieved that he'd steered the conversation away from their mutual friends'…friendliness… Humorously, she said,
"He misses the food, but I can tell that our little monster enjoys talking to you, too."
He looked shyly pleased. That expression crossing the face of the most amazing boy made her want to hug Harry and tell him how great he was, but she knew that he'd shrug it off. The Gryffindor was funny that way. He was so complex; the boy gave Draco a run for his title of 'Hottest boy most likely to drive a girl spare with his emotional baggage'. Not that she had any intention of slipping that she and her roommates had even come up with such a list. Or that Potter was number 2 on it. Catching him staring at the curves her clingy jumper set off, Morrigan decided that she might share that he was number one on her list of 'Hottest boys at school'.
Once inside the Hut, Harry grinned at the sight of Morrigan averting her gaze from his pulling dead rabbits from a stasis sack and feeding them to the Jabberwocky. The girl looked out the back window.
"In the fall, the pumpkin patch is like something from a fairytale…"
He agreed, while inwardly vowing to find some way to beat Slytherin at the pumpkin carving contest next fall. In his cage, 'Jiminy' hissed,
"Ssoon I will be freed. If ever you travel the foresst, I will remember your kindnesss…"
Thanking the Jabberwocky in parseltongue that was spoken without thought, Harry moved to stand behind the slender girl. His hands rested briefly on her hips before moving to slip under the sapphire blue jumper. He loved the feel of her abdominal muscles flexing in reaction to his gliding fingertips. Gently, he pulled her back toward the huge bed taking up a corner of the one room home.
Was she crazy for getting caught up this way? Harry had never promised anything. Each time they kissed, it was hard to remember that this wasn't love. Morrigan loved the way his body pressed into hers on the soft, wide mattress. She loved the way he kissed as if he couldn't get enough of her mouth and the way his fingers shook when they caressed her skin. More dangerously, she loved just sitting with him, doing assignments, or listening to music, watching expressions play across the boy's intense features.
He lay on the bed after she'd pulled away, pushed down her jumper and gone to open the door. The chilled air was just what Harry needed to cool down. Something about kissing Morrigan on a bed made his hormones go mental. Only the knowledge that she'd hex him, or worse, not go with him any longer, if he tried anything more physical, kept the boy in line. Harry was surprised by how quickly he'd grown to look forward to seeing her smile, become used to just being with her, in between what Ron termed their 'snog fests'. Maybe he getting in too deep- should cool things a bit. At the thought, his stomach clenched. He didn't want to, and why should he?
Approaching the girl looking out over the ground that would be covered in wildflowers soon, Harry offered, "Would you like to take a ride on a motorbike?"
She spun around, a wide smile lighting her pretty face,
"You've got a motorcycle?"
Taking her hand while they shut and locked the back door, Harry led her over to a lean-to that blended so seamlessly with the hut that she would never have noticed it on her own. Morrigan thought the look of little boy glee on the Gryffindor's face adorable. He grinned.
"My godfather left it to me. I've been sneaking rides on it, so you don't have to worry about my crashing us- much."
"My godfather was an accountant who never gave me anything except financial tips. Yours was…" She remembered what little he'd told her about the man, "Siriusly cool…"
For a moment, she thought he might not appreciate her pun, but then he returned her smile with one that tugged at her heart. Rolling the motorbike out of its place of concealment, the Harry asked,
"Do you want to go flying, or for a ride in the Forbidden Forest?"
Remembering Zabini's tales of a fairy ring, she said eagerly, "The forest…but…how…is there a road though there?"
"There's a Forest Road."
She felt her heart leap.
"The Faerie Road…? Have you actually traveled it?"
He shook his head and winked, "But I've always wanted to."
"Then let's go."
Never one to look before he leapt, Harry straddled the seat. Immediately, it expanded to fit two. He activated the ignition spell once the girl sat behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him in enthusiasm. The bike surged forward, toward the forest. Approaching the tree line, Morrigan shouted above the roar for him to stop. He braked. She hopped off, told him she'd be right back, and walked into the woods. Snatches of a lilting, incomprehensible song were heard. After a few minutes, she returned. Curious, he asked,
"What did you do?"
Swinging a leg over the bike, dark eyes sparkled.
"Blaise told me that the faeries in this forest are part of the Seelie Court. They're friendly, if petitioners offer silver, stones, and song." Lifting a slender hand, the siren wiggled a bare finger, "A silver ring with an emerald stone and a Gaelic tune should be sufficient. Back up several meters and then move forward. If I did things right, the enchanted path will appear."
Speeding toward the woods, Potter thought irrepressibly that if the Slytherin girl was barmy, he'd at least have a hell of a story to tell in the infirmary. Moments before they crashed, the underbrush parted and a slim, luminous road unfolded into the forest. In the dark interior, under an ancient canopy, the incandescent path led them past trees so tall and broad, the boy felt insignificant beside them. Glowing eyes appeared from time to time in the foliage on either side of the narrow road, watching their progress.
The ride was surreal. Time seemed suspended. The Forest was dark and yet filled with shimmering lights. The wind rushing past his face seemed balmy, and scented with flowers. Once, he'd turned his head for an instant to see Morrigan laughing. The warm pressure of her chest against his back and her hands clutching his sides made the experience more magical. Eventually, the winding road curved around until it led them out of the forest. The sunlight had begun to fade. Hours had obviously passed although the ride had seemed… It was hard to explain how something felt short and unending at the same time.
Arriving back at Hagrid's, the girl hopped off, looking dazed as he felt. Placing the motorcycle back under the lean-to, Harry turned when Morrigan mused,
"That ride was almost as incredible as kissing you."
The second the words escaped her lips, her eyes shut tight in mortification. Oh Merlin, why had she said that? So much for keeping things light and uncomplicated… A warm hand cupped her cheek.
"It's good to know my girlfriend thinks that kissing me is incredible. Especially since I feel the same way…"
She stared. He'd called her his girlfriend! Almost in shock, she giggled, gazing into eyes so unbelievably green,
"Kissing you is incredible?"
He pressed a swift kiss to a smiling mouth.
"I meant that kissing you feels incredible to me."
Her lips moved over his in a kiss that lingered until his stomach rumbled and they broke apart, laughing. Morrigan grabbed his hand,
"Come on, let's go in to dinner. Can't have my boyfriend starving…you need your energy."
"Oh really…energy for what…?"
She giggled again. He liked hearing the happy sound almost as much as the words that followed.
"For snogging behind the statue of Daniel the Daft later…something about that wizard's spiky hair turns me on…I think he reminds me of somebody really hot…"
Harry pulled the girl into a run. All of a sudden, he was absolutely starving.
-
-
Colin Creevey was bored. Not just which-video-game-to-play-next bored, but totally uninterested in everything that used to make him content. Video games: telly: music: photography: they were all utterly boring. Lying on the sofa of his London town home wearing a Weird Sisters concert tee and boxers, the blond did the one thing that had made this bloody holiday bearable. Daydream…
He was on a beach in southern Spain, smoothing oil over skin so golden, it made his caressing hands look even paler. The contrast was dramatic and stirring. His fingers played with the thin strings at the girl's neck and back. A husky voice that he'd heard countless times in his dreams urged, "Untie me."
Slowly, the bows were loosened until the ties fell away, leaving the smooth expanse of slender back bare to his gaze, and touch. Kneeling over her, Colin could see sides of the beautiful curves hidden by a towel. He trailed his fingertips from below short, dark curls, down an elegant back, along the edges of bikini bottoms and down long, graceful legs.
He smiled at the shiver traveling down the girl's spine, whispering, "Turn over."
His breath caught when Blaise shifted from her stomach to her back. Big brown eyes gave him a look that scorched. He bent toward the red lips saying the words that he'd longed to hear.
"Kiss me, Colin."
"Colin, are you all right? Colin!"
Surging off the sofa, red-faced and cursing, Creevey punched his annoying little brother in the arm. Dennis, the little snotrag, started to snivel. Rolling his eyes, the older brother slung an arm around the nuisance and said, "Sorry, er…I was just…startled, okay? No real harm, eh?"
Wiping his nose with the back of a hand, the sniffing pest nodded. "Yeah, it's all good. I'm sorry I had to interrupt your nap, but an owl came for you."
Colin bolted for the kitchen. A tawny owl sat on the table. He took the message and opened it quickly.
Colin,
Your last charming note asked when exactly was I was going to drag my arse over to your place to go swimming with Muggles. I'm bored today, so I'll floo to Bindy's folks' restaurant and take a Squire cab over after lunch. I can't wait to swim in water filled with foul chemicals and other, nastier things.
See you,
Mindy
Shaking his head in amusement over the Ravenclaw's snarky tone, Colin thanked the owl with a treat and absently watched it fly off again. He and MacDougal had been owling each other since they'd left school. They were hardly love letters. The very evening he returned home, the girl had sent a waspish note.
Colin,
Don't even think about asking me to snog in the broom cupboard on the return trip. My mother saw the hickie, you prat. I had to tell her Lovegood accidentally hit me with a remembrall.
Mindy
He had chuckled in a way that had his father going on about 'how I met your mother' before scratching out a reply.
Mindy,
Sorry I took your moaning, 'oh my gods, that's fantastic' the wrong way. I apologize and promise not to snog you in the broom cupboard ever again. We'll meet in the storage room instead.
Colin
The next morning, the girl had sent her owl with another message.
Creevey,
The Prophet has an article on Spanish beaches in the travel section today. Perhaps you'd like to read it and imagine Malfoy oiling Zabini up. Try not to drool- might be hard to explain a ruined paper to your father.
ps. If I am still inclined to acquiesce to your request, the storage room will be acceptable.
Mindy
Immediately, he had responded.
MacDougal,
Thanks for telling me about the Prophet article. I read it and imagined myself oiling Zabini up. I didn't drool, but the experience was uplifting. If you're inclined to acquiesce to my request to come swimming with Muggles, when are you going to drag your arse over here?
Colin
Last night, an OWL had beat its wings against the kitchen window, prompting his brother to chant, 'Colin's got a girlfriend, Colin's got a girlfriend' until given a wedgie. He opened the missive in another room away from nosy family members.
Colin,
You are a complete and utter perv. I'll visit when I'm bored enough to think that spending time with you is more exciting than watching my painted nails dry.
Mindy
He hadn't bothered to respond to the last owl. It was obvious that the girl was only jealous of Blaise because she was crazy about him. She would break down and come see him. He just hadn't thought she'd cave so soon. Colin didn't mind, though. He wanted to see Mindy in a bikini.
Checking the time, he realized he only had a couple of hours until she arrived. Colin shouted for Dennis to get his wand out and started 'scourgifying' the kitchen. The moment that he'd learned cleaning spells back in first year, he had used them at home. Not once had anyone come down on him for using magic outside school. He figured that the Ministry was like Pince the librarian. Vague threats were enough to deter almost all students from extra curricular spell casting. While the space around him became clean once more, the Gryffindor thought smugly that it was a good thing he was better than most.
After a nice lunch with Bindy at the restaurant, Mindy waved goodbye to her friend and climbed into the Squire Cab. The hair-raising speed and maneuvers the vehicle made to careen through traffic and squeeze by Muggle vehicles didn't faze her a bit. Only the thought of spending time with Colin made her nervous. Not that she'd let the little manipulator see her sweat. To him, she'd be the epitome of reserved cool.
"Colin, Mrs. Cravitz is staring out her front door at you!"
Unlocking her lips from the ones belonging to the boy that she'd pressed against his front door the minute he'd opened it, Mindy gave the nosy neighbor the V- not for victory- and swept inside. Creevey, the perv, pinched her arse. She slapped his hand away and said hello to Dennis, who smiled at her and asked, "Are you coming swimming with us?"
"Yes."
"Cool!"
Uh huh, she'd see about that.
Colin was eyeing her short black sundress appreciatively. "You wearing a bikini under that?"
"MmHmm."
Following the Creevey brothers into the lounge, the girl looked around. The non-magical home wasn't much different from a wizard one. It was really tidy. They must've cleaned. A slight smile played across pink lips. Not that she needed more proof that Colin was crazy about her after that kiss on the doorstep, but it was still nice to see that he cared about what she thought. Unlike some boys.
Last Easter, she'd visited her then boyfriend Tad Hamilton. The conceited Ravenclaw actually thought that she'd want to make out on a bed strewn with dirty clothes, old pizza, and things she hadn't even wanted to contemplate.
She'd told Tad what he could do with his stinky socks and left- blessedly free to find someone else.
The large square box was instantly recognizable. It was a Muggle telly. The box was centered in the middle of the room, like an altar or something. The illuminations of the home were harsher than magical ones, but interesting. The boy that stayed on her mind more than she'd admit picked up a bag, put on sunglasses and asked,
"Ready?"
"I am!"
Dennis' enthusiastic reply made the fifth years grin. Together, the trio left the house and walked down a street where no children flew on training brooms. The community center and pool was only a few blocks away. A strange, harsh aroma arose from the water. Muggle children splashed and shrieked. Placing her towel on a lounge chair, Mindy drew her sundress up and off. Colin's eyes were riveted by the expanse of pale, toned skin exposed. Her satisfied smile faded when Creevey pulled his own tee off. He looked way too good. She wasn't the only one who noticed, either. The entire time at the pool, giggly girls were constantly running over to say 'hi'. Granted, not many of them were over the age of fourteen, but still. It was irritating in the extreme.
"So…what did you think?"
Sparing a glance at the smirking teen that'd opened his front door on their return, a reddish-blond eyebrow rose.
"I think that you'd flirt with a hobgoblin as long as it was female."
Dennis snickered. She smiled at him, the lovely boy.
Colin chuckled. "Hey, I only rubbed lotion on you. That's got to count for something."
Considering the fact that they had all used sun-block spells and didn't need Muggle sunscreen, it meant that the boy had just wanted an excuse to lay hands on her- and that did indeed count for something. Not that she was going to actually say so. He was hard enough to keep in line as it was.
Mindy followed the boys into the kitchen to get a cool drink. Butterbeer really hit the spot. They'd just taken a seat in the kitchen when a popping noise sounded, and a large basket of fruit materialized on the center of the table. Dennis grabbed the note perched on top and read it aloud.
Colin,
Went to the farmers' market and thought of you when I saw these…hope your holiday is more fun than you thought it would be.
Behave, so at least one of us will,
Blaise
The grin on Colin's face made her see red. Picking up a round piece of fruit, Mindy asked in a dangerously quiet voice, "Why do oranges remind Zabini of you?"
Falsely innocent blue eyes gazed at her bewilderedly.
Across from the bald-faced liar, Dennis chirped, "I know! I heard Colin talking to himself getting a snack one day. He said, 'Zabini might call Malfoy a perfect apple, but she thinks you're an adorable orange, Creevey'!" The younger boy realized that he was in for it when his brother stood, wand in hand. Darting for the door, he gasped, "Sorry, Colin, I didn't realize…OW! You hexed me!"
Rubbing his hand and pleading for mercy, the boy ran upstairs to his room. The teens remaining in the kitchen stared at each other. The girl's hand clutched the fruit tight. "Adorable? When did Blaise Zabini say that you were adorable?"
He smirked at her irate tone. She threw the orange at his head. It hit the wall with a splat. The lothario laughed. Mindy lunged for the basket. His eyes opened wide. "Hold on…don't go mental…"
She hurled another orange. The missile hit the kitchen clock, knocking it off the wall.
"Reparo! Why are you acting like this?"
Colin ducked- barely in time to avoid being hit in the head. She started throwing wildly. Oranges bounced off his shoulder, chest, and leg.
He grabbed her arms. "You're acting like a jealous girlfriend!"
She leaned forward and kissed him, hard.
"I am a jealous girlfriend. Yours. When are you going to get a clue?"
Colin gaped. Did Mindy just say that she was his girlfriend? The Ravenclaw started devouring his mouth in one kiss after another, so he guessed that she had. Automatically, he responded, tasting her lips while she strained to get nearer. The boy released arms that had been used to pelt him with fruit. They lifted to pull him closer. He deepened the embrace, kissing the girl until she sagged against him. Reddish-blonde eyelashes fluttered open. Blue-green eyes looked shy and hopeful at the same time.
He smiled. "You're not going to try and make me one of those hen-pecked blokes, are you?"
Her lips curved. "Like that could happen. How about being a well-snogged boyfriend?"
The remains of oranges lay splattered around the kitchen. He didn't show it, but Colin felt warmed that Blaise had thought about him while on holiday. That didn't mean he wasn't going to take Mindy up on her offer, though. She seemed to think they were perfect for each other. His mouth met hers. Right then, while her tongue touched his, he started wanting to believe it.
-
Across Britain, on an isle populated by seal-people as well as the descendents of Celts and Norsemen, Severus assembled the ingredients for a Draught of Peace. The laboratory in the third cellar of Bag End- the first was filled with beer, the second, wine- was adequate for his needs. Enchanted windows were an irritant with the incessant cheery lighting, but otherwise the space was plain and functional. The storage cupboard contained an extensive array of ingredients, some of which the Potions Master had campaigned to add to Hogwarts' student stores for years. Wool of bat and salamander along with powdered horn of bicorn would enable several new potions to be incorporated into curriculum that was serviceable but stagnant.
Measuring powdered moonstone, the lean man pondered on the strange new facet to his life. Leisure time…what was he supposed to do with it? It was unsettling, being on holiday, with no mission for The Order to plan or carry out. There were no classes to teach, potions to test, or essays to grade. Sleeping in each morning was the one thing that required no getting used to. It was rewarding in several emotional and physical ways.
In the three days since they'd arrived at Tynan's home on the Orkney island of Hoy, he'd taken walks, read several interesting texts, defeated Kieran, and Tynan each evening in wizard chess, and even been dragged to view the only rock cut tomb in Britain. A frown creased his brow while Snape remembered the disturbing incident which had taken place only hours ago...
He was bending over to read an inscription carved into the stone in Persian calligraphy.
I have sat two nights and so learnt patience
A Muggle couple- American by the accents- chatted nearby. The young woman told her partner,
"Did you see the name carved backwards in Latin? A British spy did that. He carved the Arabic-looking stuff too. Isn't that cool?"
"Icy"
Severus gave an involuntary snort of amusement over the man's sarcasm. He wasn't very impressed with the tomb either. Beside him, Lorelei teased,
"Did you know that Sir Walter Scott claimed that 'Dwarfie Stone' was created by the famous Norse dwarf 'Trolld'?"
He scoffed at the Muggle author's ignorance.
"One look at the simplistic workmanship is enough to disprove that fanciful notion. Dwarf craftsmanship is far superior."
"Hear that, Kelly? I told you they were gamers, with those hooded cloaks." Raising his voice, not that it was necessary, the Yank grinned, "Hi! Are you two LOTR fans like us? Those boots and cloaks are sweet!"
Severus glanced at Lorelei for translation. She smiled at the tourists.
"Yes, we are, although 'The Hobbit' is still my favorite. Are you enjoying your visit?"
"Yeah! Oh, hey, I'm Justin, she's Kelly. We're staying on the mainland and island hopping. We're going to see The Old Man of Hoy next. Tight name for a stack of rocks jutting up from the sea…Do people really climb that- it must be five hundred feet tall!"
"Yes they do, and…450 feet…to be precise. Nice to meet you…this is Severus, and I'm Lorelei. I climbed the stack myself, years ago. It's not hard with the right charms…I mean equipment."
The brunette shot a look toward her curly-haired blond boyfriend and asked excitedly,
"Who are you guys…I mean in the game…role playing…ya' know? We're hobbits, Sam and Rosie."
WhyLorelei persisted in conversing with the Muggles, he didn't know…perhaps she missed the inane blathering of students.
"No one you'd recognize…he's a…Potions Master…and I'm a…siren…"
A huff of laughter escaped. Lorelei looked pleased to have amused him. The American female gushed,
"Wow, that's great, although I would've sworn that you were Arwyn, or another elf. I told Justin the minute we saw you 'she looks like somebody out of one of those stories they tell down at the pub, where the mortal woman…'."
Interrupting, all color leaving his partner's face, Lorelei rushed into speech,
"Thanks…I hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday…mara mesta…"
Her bloodless lips were curved into a facsimile of a smile. The young couple didn't notice, beaming at the 'goodbye' in Elvish. Waving they called their farewell,
"Namaarie!"
The memory caused the frown creasing the clever face to deepen. His partner had tried to cover her extreme reaction by babbling about the time, and getting back for lunch before hurriedly Apparating. She'd only confirmed the suspicion that had grown from the day they'd arrived. Another secret was weighing heavily on Lorelei's mind. The woman had tried her best to pretend that everything was fine, but the preponderance of evidence said otherwise. The fleeting haunted looks, the broken sleep, gazing at him searchingly, as if wondering how to begin a confession that he needed to hear, but would not care to…
Most telling of all, his sociable lover had avoided the pub in the nearby muggle village of Rackwick. Each night, her brother Kieran and the boy's odd girlfriend Cassandra invited them along for a pint at the local, and every time the siren declined. Not that he would lower himself to socializing with students, but they wouldn't have to sit together. The entire situation was more than passing strange- it was worrying.
"You're not about to add an extra drop of Hellebore are you?"
Damn. He had almost added a third drop. Double checking to make sure the flame level was low enough- thank Merlin it was- Snape stirred anti-clockwise and impassively watched ghostly silver vapors arise from the cauldron. A soft, warm body pressed against his back. Slender arms encircled his waist. Lorelei whispered,
"Who's the Draught for?"
"The person who most needs anxiety calmed and agitation soothed. You…" Snape felt her body tense before relaxing.
"Thank you…for having patience…the potion…for everything…"
Although her face was buried against his back, he knew that she could hear the tenderness in his voice.
"My pleasure."
Filling flagons, Severus set one aside. The vial only one quarter full he lifted meaningfully. Arms unwrapped. Lorelei moved beside him and took the potion, smiling gamely before drinking it down. Together, they stored the extra solution in the laboratory stasis chamber and cleaned the implements used in potion making. Climbing the cellar stairway, the man became intrigued. He'd never heard that one of the Draught's side effects was an urge to hum. Opening the door to the main passageway, Snape asked,
"What are you humming?"
Low, silky laughter raised the hairs on the nape of his neck, amongst other things. Turning, she sang, The Long and Winding Road. He rather liked the sentiment.
They approached the door to their rooms. Donn, the Brownie, materialized before them. The small man epitomized his name. Everything about him was brown. Face, shaggy hair and beard, deceptively ragged clothes. Devoted to Tynan, and the selkie's children in lesser extent, the brownie ran the house and unobtrusively saw to everyone's needs. Now, he bobbed his head and informed,
"The master be wantin' to remind ye that th' clan will be visitin' fer tea this afternoon."
His partner looked thrilled. By the smirk on the small face, his visage appeared considerably less so. Inclining his head in dismissal, Severus opened the door to their chamber. The bedroom adjacent had been speedily incorporated into the space the moment he'd mentioned that having a private place to read would be more ideal than sharing a library with an unending line of selkies flitting in and out borrowing books. The professor had envisioned a pair of comfortable chairs and an illumination orb, not a miniature library of his own.
Changing the room back wasn't something Severus was going to suggest, however.
The sound of humming diverted his attention- that and the sight of a tunic sailing through the air to land at his feet. Corners of his mouth twitching, he asked,
"What are you humming now?"
Two sets of clothing starting dropping while Lorelei approached. It wasn't a race to see who could get undressed quicker, but he caught the urgency that his lover was projecting, even while she sang playfully, I'm in the Mood for Love...
Severus didn't hesitate to give the physical reassurance that Lorelei needed. He wanted more, would have preferred to be confided in first, but decided to wait. Even while his mouth explored hers, he determined that this evening, they were going into the village. The pub would be visited, the locals braved, and whatever weighed so heavily on his love's mind would finally be revealed. The woman clinging to him sighed, and the time for thinking was over.
The sign hanging above the pub depicted a Viking hammer. 'Thor's Hammer' wasn't an imaginative name for a tavern on an island where a variation of Norse was still spoken, but the fishermen and crofters who lived in the stone cottages dotting the hills of Rackwick Valley were proud of the pub and their heritage. Entering the low gray stone building, Lorelei smelled the peat fire and smiled. Nothing ever changed. She saw the storyteller at the bar. The white-bearded gaffer was receiving a pint in payment for the tale he must have just finished. The woman froze. If she'd known that 'Auld Durin' would be stopping in on a Wednesday night instead of the weekend like he had in the past…
"We'll be sitting over there, in the corner near Durin if you need us."
Nodding stiffly to Kieran, she watched her little brother and his girlfriend walk across the room to order a carbonated beverage. When she'd first arrived at Tynan's, the sight of Cassandra was rather a shock. No matter what the young couple said, Lorelei knew that the likelihood of Mr. and Mrs. Priam approving their daughter visiting a boy over holiday was slim to none. Unwilling to OWL and have her suspicions confirmed, she'd extracted a vow from each teen to keep the romance innocent, and concentrated on her own relationship. Severus had been so patient with her. Tonight, that forbearance had ended. After Tynan conceded a second match of chess in a row to the other man, Severus had looked steadily over at her and stated,
"Let's go down to the village for a drink."
Her brother had looked up from the dominoes he and Cassandra were playing and said eagerly,
"We'll go too!"
Lorelei had wanted to object, to find an excuse to stay home, but her mouth was too dry for speech. Implacable stygian eyes told her that resistance was futile. She'd tried to stall, wanting to exchange her green cloak for a black one, but her lover had brusquely informed her that green was fine and everyone was waiting. Walking the path that wound along heathery, treeless hills to the village, Kieran had teased,
"Legends say that faeries love the color green…afraid you'd attract their notice and be snatched away, were you?"
For a single, horrible moment, she'd almost become violently ill. Thankfully, Cass had smacked her boyfriend's arm and told him not to be such an ickle bratty brother. The boy had laughed and tugged his girl by the hand until they were walking ahead of the older pair. Long black strands had blown across Severus' watchful face. She'd taken his hand in hers with a feeble smile. Lorelei was uncomfortably aware that she'd clung to it like a lifeline until they reached the village. He hadn't complained or pulled away, but she'd felt the shrewd dark gaze assessing her features and known that an explanation had better be forthcoming.
Peering now through the haze of peat and Muggle tobacco smoke, the tense woman relaxed when no one stared or whispered. Blessed be.
"That couple on the barstools raises goats."
Smiling at the man setting a couple of foaming brown beers down upon the table, she exclaimed,
"You're right, they do. How'd you guess?"
He smirked.
"They smell like them."
She laughed. Severus' beautiful lips curved. Observing her grimace after tasting the brew, he asked,
"Why did you order beer if you don't care for the taste…?"
Lorelei admitted sheepishly,
"It's a Lord of the Rings thing." Lifting her tankard to clink against his, she sang in an undertone,
The only brew for the brave and true is the one from The Green Dragon!
Levelly, Snape queried,
"Are you in need of bottled courage?"
Tears welled, and were blinked back. Silently, she nodded. One corner of his mouth quirked.
"Cheers."
A brief smile rewarded her huge gulp that was followed by a 'Yuck!' The large mug was half empty when one of the locals called out for Durin to tell another story. Lorelei started winding a spiral around her finger. An impassive gaze evaluated her involuntary nervous gesture. In a deliberate, lilting tone that captivated his small audience, the old man asked what story the folks wanted to hear. The barkeep looked her way before shouting,
"The Maiden and the Fae!"
Heart thudding in a chest that couldn't seem to breathe in enough air to keep the world from spinning, the woman sat, transfixed. Next to her, Severus' hawk like gaze narrowed while he looked from her face to the old man whose words held listeners spellbound,
"The Good Neighbors be what folks hereabouts call the Fae. The Blessed Ones ride upon the night wind. At times of their choosing, the Seelie court in human form troops the earth in a long, solemn procession. Few have seen the Faery Rade, but one Lady's Day many years ago, a boy coming home in twilight saw a sight so rare 'tis still told round the fire today."
She wanted to bolt from the room. Her lover's hand atop hers kept the woman frozen in her chair. Green eyes shone like emeralds in the old man's weathered face,
"On the day of the Vernal Equinox, when the light and the darkness balance, the lad saw a young maiden sitting beside a burn. Her green dress was muddied at the hem. The Lady's Day wreath upon the maid's long, black hair tilted to the side. Silent tears fell while the girl sang a plaintive song. Before the boy could step out from the bush he hid behind, a chiming filled the air…"
Murmurs of 'should'a neffer worn green', 'puir lass, nae sing by water!', and 'ruddy piss-puir Da to let his daughter out at twilight on Lady's Day!' spread throughout the room. Masculine fingers tightened around hers. Lorelei closed her eyes when Durin spoke again,
"The bells on the harnesses o' the faery horses be not like ours. They chime like music. Many have heard faint echoes o' fae bells, but scant few ever see the sight our laddie witnessed. A fair and wondrous procession appeared as if out o' the mist, playing music and talking quietly. One white horse stopped beside the wide-eyed maid. A faery knight with hair silver as starlight leaned down and held out his hand to the lass."
The canny spinner of tales paused, allowing the expectant silence to lengthen until all his listeners save two were leaning forward in eagerness to hear the end of the story. Peripherally, Lorelei watched Severus remain sitting rigidly upright. Her gaze stayed fixed on the hand covering hers. Durin lowered his voice,
"The lad watched the fae lift the maid onto his horse, sat like stone while the procession moved past and disappeared into the mist wi' nothin' but the faint sound of laughter and music left behind to prove his tale back in the village…until…"
The masculine hand lifted. Out of the corner of her eye, the woman saw her love's arms cross. She bit her lip while the end of the tale was told,
"In the wee hours o' the mornin', the maiden's father came runnin' into the village, shoutin' the lass' name. The lad pushed his way through the folk gathered aboot the frantic man and relayed what he ha' seen. It broke the Da's heart to hear tha' his only daughter had ridden into the West wi' the fair folk."
An air of melancholy filled the quiet room. Lorelei heard her brother ask,
"Did she never return?"
Smiling, pleased with the rapt attention, 'Auld Durin' nodded,
"Aye. The very next Lady's Day, the lad felt an urge to go again to the burn at twilight. The mist rose and out of it walked that very same maiden wearing the exact green dress she'd worn a year ago. The boy stood. The lass saw him and asked if her father was well. He stammered 'aye' and heard in amazement the maid's next words,
"Twelve days gone…I pray my family does not grieve for me."
Without thought, the youngster blurted,
"Ye've not gone missing twelve days…it's been twelve months!"
A look of horror crossed the lass' face. She ran home while the lad sadly watched her go. He'd wanted to ask where she'd gone, and what the fae were like, but the boy lost his chance wi' his careless words. The maiden nae came again to the village, and the story became just another yarn to spin around the fire on a cold, dark night."
He would have thought nothing of the tale had his lover not reacted to it in such an extreme manner. The fleeting anguished expressions added to her behavior of the last few days made Snape realize that the story was based on fact. Automatically, he'd crossed his arms defensively while trying to come to turns with the disturbing truth. Lorelei took his action as rejection, staring forlornly at her solitary hand. When the story ended, and he remained silent, she ran. He followed.
She knew that her rash flight would make gossip start in the village once more, but the woman didn't care. All that mattered was getting away from the pub before she broke down and really gave the locals something to talk about. Lorelei quickened her pace; hurrying along the same path she'd taken long ago. Beside a familiar stretch of burn, a hand encircled her wrist and halted her steps. Looking down to her hair to fall forward and obscure her tear-streaked face, she said thickly,
"I'd just turned seventeen. My father caught Diarmid trying to kiss me at the Lady's Day festival and sent me home. I was humiliated, and sang some pitiful song beside this burn. The mist arose, and out of it rode beings that glowed with beauty. I was enchanted. One faerie knight stopped and urged me to come with them. I didn't accept the offer blindly. I asked if they would allow me to return whenever I asked, and if one day in the West lasted one year of mortal time. He assured me I was free to go at will and that a day there did not equal a year on this plane."
Severus smoothed back her hair, lifted the sorrowful face.
"You went into the West."
A bitter smile crossed her features.
"The land of the Seelie Court is eternal summer, and anything that I desired was mine for the asking. Days passed before I realized the true reason my faery knight had brought me there."
In the light cast by his wand, tears sparkled, "I was entertainment…a plaything. The emotions of the fae are as ephemeral as the winds they ride. They 'felt' mine…and it amused them. I asked to leave, but my lover was not bored with me yet. He laughed and said that I would be free to go…at his will…one day."
Cold anger toward the fae burned in Snape's heart. He thought of a spell that imprisoned the victim in iron manacles. Iron burned faery skin. If ever the opportunity arose... Touching her cheek, he asked,
"How did you…?"
"…return? I used Slytherin like cunning. I begged audience with Titania, the Queen of the Summer Court, and offered her a vial filled with deepest sorrow. Each tear was shed while I despaired of ever seeing my family again, or finding love, and one day holding a child conceived in that love." Lorelei's smile wobbled, "I even gave her a loophole- the creed of the Fae. 'Do as ye will and harme none'… Ragus was harming me, emotionally. The Summer Lady wanted to taste mourning. She sent me home."
Ragus…Gaelic for urge, desire… Severus didn't need Legilimency to 'see' Lorelei as a seventeen year old girl, lonely and vulnerable to faerie whim. Harder to imagine was someone so young realizing that the glittering world of enchantment was a fool's paradise. Cupping her face in his palms, the man was grateful that she had. He lowered his mouth.
She met his lips with open passion and love. This was what she'd longed for from the one whose shining beauty concealed a dark emptiness. The soul-deep feeling of light, and warmth, of home as well as pleasure… Everything she'd grieved for long ago was found in the arms of a man whose dark façade masked a heart that was more than she'd dreamt of. Heroic…flawed…human…loving…
He'd spent most of his life learning to be content with solitude. Then an illogical, fanciful, loving woman had slipped beneath his skin and into his heart. Now, Snape wanted more. His mouth left hers. Lorelei murmured,
"Hold me."
Severus whispered,
"Marry me."
Her eyes searched his. He raised an eyebrow. She nodded, smiling through happy tears, and threw herself into his arms. They walked home with several lingering stops on the way. In the far distance, the faint sound of musical chimes rang out across the heather.
A/N: I've been in a Beatles mode…the remaining chaps have Fab Four song titles as well. Next week is 'All Together Now', and thanks to Ophelia, Piper finally gets a pov!
