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Hope you enjoy this next chapter.

Chapter Two

COMMITMENTS

She knew she'd played well.

This was her last engagement in the Muggle world - a concert performance of Rachmaninov's second piano concerto. Tonight she was off to Hogwarts - to live.

As she stood, taking her second bow, she cast her eyes over the few faces she could see in the front row of the audience. Her best friend, Liz, lifted her hands to clap higher as their eyes met, and they grinned at each other. Her eyes swept over the rest, into the darkness, right at the back of the auditorium until she saw him standing in the shadows, tucked away from the public.

Backstage, people began to gather, congratulating her, each other and themselves on a great performance. She felt on a high, all conquering, sparkling.

Someone pushed a glass of champagne in her hand. She took a sip, but all she could think about was reaching Severus. She knew he felt awkward in a Muggle environment, but someone had to accompany her, and once again, it had to be him. Where was he? Wouldn't he come back stage to collect her? No, she thought. He probably wouldn't.

She pushed her way gently through the beaming throng, her eyes scanning the room, looking for him.

"Andrea, darling. Superb. Simply superb..."

"Miss Carver, would you be interested in playing...?"

"Andi! Andi!"

Andi followed the sound of the familiar voice with her eyes and then screamed as she spotted the short, flame-red hair of Liz. They flew into each others arms, hugging tight.

"Oh, Andi, where have you been? I've been ringing and ringing, but you switched your mobile off."

"I've been on holiday. You look great. Are they Quicksilver jeans?"

"Yeah, couldn't resist. But you've been gone weeks. I've been so worried. What have you been doing? Where have you been? You know, I thought it might be something to do with John-"

"No, no," said Andi. "It's nothing to do with John. I'm over John. I was before the holiday if I'm truthful. Oh, Liz, I'm so glad you came tonight, I've got so much to tell you."

She hugged her friend again, and then spotted Snape hovering just inside the door. It amazed her how very efficient he was at camouflaging himself. People seemed totally oblivious to his presence, only her eyes homed in on him - and she knew why that was. She gave a discreet wave. He gave a little nod in acknowledgement, but continued to wait by the door.

She looked back at her friend. Liz looked into her face in wonderment.

"Wow! What has happened to you? I've never seen you like this before. Have you won the lottery or something?"

"I've got a new job. I'm going to be a teacher - can you believe that? I've found my grandfather, I'm moving out of the flat and I've met someone. He's here - come and meet him."

"Whoa! Whoa!" said Liz, pulling her back by the arm. "Wha...I mean, you're going to teach? You're moving out of the flat? Where are you going?"

"Scotland."

"Scotland?"

"Yeah, brilliant, huh?"

"With this new guy? So soon?"

"Well it's not quite how it sounds but...oh, don't look so worried. Come and meet him, come on."

She took Liz by the arm and began working her way through the crowd until they got to a clearing and began heading towards the door. Then she felt Liz stiffen and stop beside her.

"What's wrong?" Andi asked as her friend turned towards her.

Liz held her hands up, palms towards Andi. "OK, I hope I'm being totally off the wall here, but..." Liz was looking away in the opposite direction. "Please tell me we're not heading for the weirdo by the door."

Andi glanced over at Snape standing alone in the shadows. She looked back at Liz.

Liz's elfin face fell in horror. "You're joking, right?"

"No," she said, trying not to feel offended. "I'm serious. Come on."

Liz caught her arm again. "Andi, this isn't funny. I'm sorry, but no way I am going to meet that man anywhere but in my nightmares, and I want you to tell me you're joking, right now."

Andi looked at her friend, astounded by this reaction. Her voice hardened as she replied, "No, Liz, I'm not joking. I'm moving to Scotland to teach music at the boarding school where he also teaches."

"He is a teacher?! That man is allowed near kids?"

Andi's face fell and her heart began to skip with mortification. Liz had been her best friend all her life - since they were at nursery school together. What they didn't know about each other wasn't worth knowing. She had expressed her doubts about one or two of Andi's boyfriends in the past, but never, ever had she reacted as strongly as this.

"Liz, I'm very happy. Life is suddenly being good to me at last. You should be pleased."

Liz caught hold of Andi's wrist and held it tight as she said in a heated whisper, "The man looks as though he could murder you in your bed. I'm begging you - don't make any drastic decisions yet. Think about it."

"I have thought about it and I've decided to go with the happiness. God! I've had little of it just recently. I thought you might have appreciated that, Liz." Tears were springing to Andi's eyes as she realised she was about to walk away from her best friend, leaving on bad terms, but she felt defensive of, and offended for, her man.

"Andi..." Andi turned to face Liz. "Promise you'll keep your mobile switched on all the time."

"There's no reception where we are." She saw Liz's stricken face and went back to hug her. "Don't worry about me. I'm fine. I have to go. I'll be in touch."

"Would you like a glass of water? You're looking a bit funny. Are you OK?"

They were now back at Andi's flat to pack her things and return to Hogwarts. They had both been given a twenty-four hour wizard protection in order to complete Andi's commitments in the Muggle world.

"I have to admit to feeling a little..."

"It was the taxi, wasn't it? You looked ready to throw up the moment we got in it. Well, now you know how I felt using floo powder. Come on, sit down."

"No. We only have a short time left. Gather your things."

"Now, the biggest and most important thing is this," she said, moving to the side of her bed and taking an alarm clock and box of tissues off a white embroidered table cloth. Lifting the cloth revealed a very large, old travelling trunk. Snape moved forward and grasped the leather handle on the end and pulled.

"What the devil is in here?" he said, as the trunk shifted with great reluctance.

"My music. See?" She lifted the lid to reveal the inside packed with music manuscripts. "I have to take it."

"In that case, would you mind...?" He pointed his wand. "Reducto!" The contents shrank to the size of a paperback book.

"Hey, that's really handy. We can fit the rest of my stuff in the same trunk."

Andi began going through her things, only packing necessities and a few sentimental items she couldn't bear to part with.

She wouldn't put her clarinet or saxophone in the trunk - she didn't think she had a strong enough heart to watch them being shrunk to the size of toys.

After about ten minutes, she suddenly became aware of the absence of movement from Snape, who was crouching at her wardrobe. Mindful of his earlier queasiness - she knew coming into the Muggle world was more than a strain for him - she turned to him, just his backside visible beyond the door.

"Are you OK?"

He jumped and brought his head out of the wardrobe, her gift of clarity allowing her to see a brief shadow of guilt. "Yes. I was merely..."

"Merely what?" said Andi, with an inquisitive smile and wandered over to him.

"Gathering your shoes together."

Andi reached the wardrobe, looked down and laughed. The floor of the wardrobe was covered in open shoe boxes and tissue paper. Crouching beside him, she picked up a shoe. It was a black strappy sandal with a three and a half inch stiletto heel. The next one was a pink peep-toe with a three inch silver stiletto heel. Her black knee-length boots, heavy on the buckles, four inch stiletto heel were also out.

"Um," she said, not being able to keep the smile from her voice. "We don't seem to be packing any flat heels then? Just the 'fuck-me' shoes?"

"I was searching for flat ones," he said, not looking at her.

"Rubbish! You've thrown all the flatties aside. Oh! My Jimmy Choos..." She grabbed a pair of silver shoes with a four inch heel, kicked off the ones she was wearing and replaced them with the silver ones. "Oh, I love these shoes. I got them off ebay. They cost a bomb but...oh, they're so gorgeous." She looked at Snape and was amused to see him staring at her feet in a most distracted way. "Does the Professor like what he sees?"

She began wriggling one foot up the inside of his thigh until she reached the top and then began rubbing the sole of the shoe over the very obvious bulge in his trousers. He swivelled to face her. They looked at each other and she gave him a foxy smile as she parted his thighs with her feet, sliding her body between them to sit over him as he lay back on the floor.

Her dressed feet were planted either side of his face and he turned his head to look, fascinated, at her foot; his hands caressing and stroking over the heel, toes and ankle.

The excitement in his eyes was arousing her. She began panting as the heat began to rise, and licked her lips as she felt her body responding in anticipation; she wasn't sure how it was going to work in this position, but she had to have him inside her very soon.

She was leaning back against his raised knees. She put her hands behind her back, found the bulge and began massaging him through his trousers. Very nimbly, her fingers found the buttons of his fly and pushed them open.

He was kissing her foot. His eyes closed as her fingers slipped in through his fly and curled around his hardness. A deep moan of approval escaped him as she began stroking him with her fingers, teasing him with her thumb...

There was a loud, frantic buzzing.

He sat up fast. "What...?"

"It's OK. It's the doorbell. Fuck! Who the hell...?"

Annoyed, she got off him and went out of the room, adjusting her dress as she went. She pushed the button on the intercom.

"Andi, it's Liz. Look, I'm so sorry - I followed you home. I'm so worried. Please, can I come up?"

Andi was surprised to say the least. "Severus is here." she warned.

"Who?"

"Severus. Push the door if you still want to come up." She buzzed Liz in, opened her front door and then went back to the bedroom.

"It's my friend, Liz," she told him. "She's worried about me. I haven't explained things to her properly yet, and she thinks I'm out of my tree."

"I shall remain here and finish your packing. Remember, we only have a few hours."

"And you try and force yourself to pack some flat shoes! Oh, she's here - I'll close the door."

Liz came through the front door and looked around apprehensively.

"It's OK - Severus is in the bedroom," Andi told her.

Liz's voice was reduced to a whisper and her face soured with distaste. "You mean, you...? With him?"

"He's helping me pack my things," Andi told her, curtly. "But yes, I do! With him!"

Liz grabbed her arms and drew her across the room to the kitchen area. "Tell me straight. Is this a religious cult or something? Have you been brainwashed into a mass marriage?"

Andi burst out laughing, looked at her friend, but couldn't answer.

"Well, I mean, look at your dress for a start."

Andi looked down at the black jacquard robe she was wearing. She'd got it from the wardrobe in her room back at Hogwarts. "It was for the concert. What's wrong with it?"

"Well, it's unconventional to say the least. Lots of people were commenting on it at the party tonight. You look like a witch or something."

Andi looked at her, straight. "I am a witch."

There was a moments silence.

"I knew it! I knew it! You've been drawn into a cult. Oh, Andi, I know you can be a bit flaky sometimes, but please, please come to your senses before you do something stupid."

"Liz. Please hear me out. It's not a cult. You know my family history, right? You know my gran got pregnant during a holiday romance. Well, it turns out my grandfather is a wizard. I met him. I had to stay at this school for magic and that's where I met Severus - he's a wizard too."

"OK. OK. Andi, you're a witch. I believe you, OK? You're a witch and he's a wizard, and you're both going off to live in a gingerbread house. But this is too much, too soon. You're giving up your whole life to go off with someone you've only just met? I'm begging you - come and stay with me for a few days and think this over before you go running off to God knows what. I'm your best friend. I can't let you do this without..."

Andi sighed. She could see it from Liz's point of view, she really could. Had the tables been turned, she would be doing just what Liz was doing now. She knew she wouldn't be able to explain clearly to Liz, whether she had two hours or seventy-two.

She went to her bag and took out her wand.

"Right. Now, I've only just learnt this, so I may not do it very well, but..." She raised her wand and pointed it to an Indian take-away menu lying on the work surface next to the telephone. "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Slowly, the menu rose in the air and fluttered up near the light like a moth until Andi's concentration weakened, and it fell to the floor. She looked at Liz, who was standing, open-mouthed.

"How...how did you do that?"

"Magic."

Both women jumped at the voice and turned towards the bedroom.

"Ohhh shit!" whispered Liz, and backed off to the cooker as Snape stepped into the room.

"Liz! For God's sake!" Andi went over to Snape and took his arm, leading him into the living room. "Severus, this is my best friend, Liz Murrone; Liz, this is Professor Severus Snape."

Snape gave Liz a little bow. "Miss Murrone."

"Severus look, I have a problem. I can't leave while Liz is in this frame of mind. She's my dearest friend. She's the closest thing I have to a sister and I love her. She's worried about me, but I can't see anyway of explaining things to her without having to stay here all weekend."

"We have less than two hours."

"I know."

Snape thought. "Bring me parchment."

"Will Muggle paper do?"

"It will suffice"

Andi put a large refill pad down on the coffee table and Snape put the tip of his wand to it.

"Perscribo Liqueo!"

Immediately, black ink began appearing across the paper, writing at speed, three, four, five pages, until at last it stopped with a flourish.

"Give this to Miss Murrone," he said.

Andi picked it up and handed it to Liz who was still cowering against the cooker. Reluctantly she took it.

"Oooh!" Liz stared down at the paper and then looked up at them both. "What's happened?"

"It is a deliquo letter. When you have read it, you will know in your mind whether the contents speak true or false and you will realise there is no reason for concern about Andrea. Just holding it has given you a sense of calm about the whole affair."

"Yes. Yes. Oh, it feels soothing. I can't wait to read it. You two go, I'll see myself out."

"Liz," Andi went over and kissed her friend. "I'll be in touch. Oh, will I be able to send letters to Liz?"

"By owl? Yes, as long as she remembers to keep the owl for her reply, or you will never hear from her. Come, we must go."