Tears and Sour Advice
The following Tuesday's, potions tutoring session, Severus had thought
twice about showing up. However he had promised, and he kept his word. He
arrived at the lab. Lenore was already there. She smiled at him.
"I'm glad you came." She told him.
"Of course I came. I promised that I would tutor you." He said sternly. "I was thinking that tonight. . ." He had walked over to her, and looked up at her. He noticed the tear streaks down her face. "Have you been crying? What happened?"
"I should've gone with you." She said quietly. He thought that she sounded close to more tears.
"Didn't you have a good time?" He was wary. Now knowing of a connection to the Marauders, he wasn't entirely sure this wasn't just a set-up.
"Ooh the ball was nice. It was so pretty, I loved the decorations." Lenore said wistfully. "It was after. The boy I went with was a real jerk. Oh you don't want to hear this. You were saying what tonight's project was?"
"Why was he a jerk?" Severus asked. Again cautious, but concerned for her.
"Ohh!" She huffed. "He just . . . just . . . he didn't like it when I told him to let go." She started to cry. "He kissed me more than I'd've liked. And . . . he. . . *sniff* . . . hands. . ." She was sobbing now.
Severus hugged her close to comfort her. It was pure instinct. He felt her tears soak his shirt. He stayed quiet, he didn't know what to say. If he'd stayed just a minute longer, he would have been able to have protected her, he told himself, he felt guilt twist in his gut. He may not be able to change that, however, he was plotting some particularly nasty thing for Black.
"I'm sorry. He didn't really hurt me or nothing. It just scared me." Lenore confided. "He stopped when he realized I really meant it."
"Was that before or after he touched you?" Severus asked calmly. His tried to hold his rage in check, but was losing.
"Ohh, please stop, Severus." She said wiping her eyes. "I shouldn't've told you."
"Yes, you should have." Severus corrected. "He shouldn't be allowed to do whatever he wants to with you of anyone else." The edge of bitterness clear.
"He just scared me. He didn't hurt me. Really!" Lenore corrected. "He was just a little over-zealous."
"That's no excuse." Severus sounded angry. -Not bad enough that Black took her to the ball, he had scared her too. I'm going to curse him something awful.-
He was so intent on his thoughts that he didn't notice how tight he was holding her. Until that is Lenore order, "Let me go!!! You're hurting me. Too tight!"
"Sorry." He instantly let her go. That was all she needed another guy forgetting himself around her. "I didn't mean to."
"That's exactly what I mean. Neither did he." Lenore told him. "I forgive you, because I know that you were thinking of protecting me, or something like that." She said softly. "Look, I don't want you to do anything. I just needed to talk to someone, and . . . well I trust you. Besides you don't know who took me."
"Sure I do. Sirius Black." Severus replied. Truth was even if he hadn't seen them, he'd have heard. "There aren't many secrets here."
"I want you to promise not to do anything to him." Lenore replied. Snape scowled. "You always keep you word. So please give me your word you will do nothing on my behalf in this matter. I want it to be considered closed."
"Alright. I promise that I won't do anything to Sirius for this." Severus replied. She smiled weakly at him.
"Oh great wise one," She tried to say in a very Buddhist-prayer tone. "Must we work tonight on potions?" He heard the laugh in her voice.
"I suppose not, if you don't want to." He replied.
"Thanks you're great." She smiled much more brightly at him. "Sorry about your shirt."
!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*! Lenore had avoided Sirius since their parting. Even when he tried to talk to her, Maia stepped in the way and told him to go away. Sirius was unaccustomed to having anyone actually avoiding him like this. He wanted to find out why Lenore was so mad (boys they just don't get it!).
He finally talked enough with Maia, to hear that Lenore was upset over the post-ball fiasco. This left Sirius feeling guilty, which was a new and different feeling for him. He also found that he wanted to say sorry, and mean it (again new to him). He thought about these things, which made him rather quiet (for Sirius). His friends plopped down beside him Tuesday night.
"What's up?" James asked.
"Hunh???" Sirius asked slightly confused. (Articulate isn't he??!!)
"You've been, quiet for the past few days." Remus replied. "You haven't suggested any pranks since the ball. You sick or something?"
"No." Sirius stated. Lily smiled and started to giggle.
"Man, guys are so dense." She said to herself. This of course got their full attention. She looked exasperation, then taking on the teacher/mommy voice said, "It's obvious that he's hung up on Lenore." They looked at her in disbelief. "He's being pining over her."
"What?" Sirius said as if about to argue Lily's, rather astute, claim.
"You've tried to talk to her everyday, at least three times a day since the ball. You've even pulled Maia aside to talk to her." Lily replied. "So Sirius, why's Lenore avoiding you?" There was a touch more amusement in Lily's voice than Sirius cared for. The other Marauders looked questioning at him.
He shrugged, then mumbled, "Maia said something about upsetting her."
"Sirius, what did you do?" Lily demanded. She had taken a liking to Lenore and Maia. She hung out with them in the courtyard regularly. He looked at her coldly.
"That's not your business." He snapped.
"Fine!" Lily stood up and headed for the portal hole. "I'll just go ask her."
"Good, then maybe you could tell me." Sirius snapped back.
"BOYS! You don't get it!" They heard Lily say as she left the tower.
Lily returned a short while later, looking rather annoyed. She walked straight over to them. They had started a game of Wizards chess. Peter was winning against Sirius.
"Sirius Black you jerk!" Where the first words out of her mouth.
"Nice to see you too Lily. Did you enjoy your walk?" Sirius asked casually. It was fortunate for Sirius that James had Seeker reflexes to grab hold of Lily, and restrain her before she had a chance to get to her wand.
"Is there something wrong, Lily?" James asked trying to decide if he should be amused or concerned. Lily stopped struggling, but continued to cast a very angry look at Sirius.
"All I have to say is that if you EVER did to me what Sirius did to her, you wouldn't wake up in the morning." Lily replied flatly. "I can't believe that you don't know why you're in trouble. Are you really that thick, Sirius?"
"What'd he do?" Remus asked stunned. Lily rarely lost her temper.
"Lily, what are you talking about?" Sirius demanded. Lily freaked at this and started to struggle in attempts to hex Sirius. James held her tight on his lap.
"James Potter, let go of me, NOW!!!" Lily ordered. Up until now most of the other Gryffindors in the common room were ignoring them. The Marauders regularly bickered in good fun with each other. However this was something different.
"Not unless you promise not to attack Sirius." He said calmly. Although from Lily's reaction, James was starting to believe that Sirius was in the wrong.
"Fine!" Lily replied. James let her go. She stood up and moved out of reach. She noticed the attention from the rest of the house. She bit back her reply so as not to cause the situation to get worse. "I'm going to bed." She left. The Marauders all looked at each other stunned.
"What was that?" Remus asked. "It looked like our Lily. It sounded like our Lily. But it sure didn't make sense like our Lily."
James shrugged, looking after her. "Not sure, but I'd rather never meet her again." The common room had returned to normal. However, none of them mentioned it until later, when they were alone in their dorm.
"So spill Sirius. What Happened?" James asked.
"Nothing." Sirius replied.
"I'm no expert on girls," Remus started. "But they don't get that pissed off over *nothing*."
"Don't know really. She just got huffy and ran off." Sirius said.
"But what were you doing before she ran off?" James asked.
"Nothing unusual." Sirius answered. "We were just kissing goodnight."
"Ummm, Sirius you do know that some girls don't like to kiss on the first date right?" Peter told him. Sirius cast him a sideways glance.
"Yeah, but she was no shrinking violet." Sirius replied. "She kissed back. Besides she's Ravenclaw. Let me tell you, she knew how to kiss."
"Sirius," James started, then paused in thought for a moment. "Okay, so you kissed. Then what happened?"
"Nothing, she like ran away." Sirius replied. "James, can't you just sweet- talk Lily into telling you? That normally works, and obviously she knows and agrees with Lenore."
"Ahhh, I'm not asking her anything until she calms down." James replied. "I like my limbs where they are, thank you."
"Why can't girls just come out and tell you why they're mad. It would make things simpler." Sirius huffed as he flopped down into bed.
"But then they wouldn't be near as much fun." Remus teased.
The next morning the Marauders went down to breakfast, and spotted Lily. She got up and walked towards them. "Sirius, have you figured it out yet?" She asked coldly.
"Lily? Can't you just tell me?" Sirius nearly begged. Lily groaned and walked away shaking her head.
Lily spent lunch with Maia and Lenore in the courtyard. They talked, and danced to Muggle music. At the end of the day, Lily spent time in the Library studying with them. She refused to sit near the Marauders at dinner. However they cornered her in the Gryffindor common room that night.
"Lily, you're acting childish. Can't you just tell us, what's up?" James asked in a reasonable voice.
"See, by my way of thinking," Lily started reasonably. "The reason Sirius doesn't know, is because he doesn't realize what he did was wrong. And if that's the way he thinks, I really don't want to be around him."
Sirius grumbled frustrated by the whole mess. James was getting fed up with this. Remus thought of another approach. "Lily you said that if James tried that with you, you'd well." Lily nodded. "James, what are you not allowed to do to Lily?"
"Ummm lots of stuff." James blushed slightly.
"Alright." Remus sighed, then the light went on. "And how do you know when you're about to do something you're not supposed to?"
"Ohhh!!!" James said, cluing in to Remus' thought. "I get asked to stop." James saw a small smile creep onto Lily's face. He thought about that for a second then realized what must have happened. "Sirius, while you were saying *goodnight* did Lenore ask you to stop?" Lily outright smiled at this. James had guessed right.
"Well . . ." Sirius tried to avoid answering. "I sort of got lost while kissing her."
"Man, you got to apologize!" The boys said as one. "Shit, no wonder she's pissed at you." James replied. "I can't believe that I didn't clue into that sooner. I'm a dolt."
"Yes." Lily agreed in her teacher/mother voice. "Now, Mr. Black do you realize what you did wrong?" Sirius looked sheepishly at her.
"Yeah, but I haven't a clue how to fix it." Sirius said. "I think this goes way beyond a *sorry*." He looked up at her. "Will you help me?"
"Ah, there is still hope for you." Lily replied. "You scared her, made her feel vulnerable. So, to properly apologize, you have to become vulnerable and give her some power over you. It's only fair."
"How's he do that?" Peter asked confessed.
"Simple." Lily smiled wickedly.
"Careful Lily. Or one could think that you're enjoying this." Remus teased.
"Oh, but I am." Lily replied. "Sirius, are you ready to hear this?"
"I'm glad you came." She told him.
"Of course I came. I promised that I would tutor you." He said sternly. "I was thinking that tonight. . ." He had walked over to her, and looked up at her. He noticed the tear streaks down her face. "Have you been crying? What happened?"
"I should've gone with you." She said quietly. He thought that she sounded close to more tears.
"Didn't you have a good time?" He was wary. Now knowing of a connection to the Marauders, he wasn't entirely sure this wasn't just a set-up.
"Ooh the ball was nice. It was so pretty, I loved the decorations." Lenore said wistfully. "It was after. The boy I went with was a real jerk. Oh you don't want to hear this. You were saying what tonight's project was?"
"Why was he a jerk?" Severus asked. Again cautious, but concerned for her.
"Ohh!" She huffed. "He just . . . just . . . he didn't like it when I told him to let go." She started to cry. "He kissed me more than I'd've liked. And . . . he. . . *sniff* . . . hands. . ." She was sobbing now.
Severus hugged her close to comfort her. It was pure instinct. He felt her tears soak his shirt. He stayed quiet, he didn't know what to say. If he'd stayed just a minute longer, he would have been able to have protected her, he told himself, he felt guilt twist in his gut. He may not be able to change that, however, he was plotting some particularly nasty thing for Black.
"I'm sorry. He didn't really hurt me or nothing. It just scared me." Lenore confided. "He stopped when he realized I really meant it."
"Was that before or after he touched you?" Severus asked calmly. His tried to hold his rage in check, but was losing.
"Ohh, please stop, Severus." She said wiping her eyes. "I shouldn't've told you."
"Yes, you should have." Severus corrected. "He shouldn't be allowed to do whatever he wants to with you of anyone else." The edge of bitterness clear.
"He just scared me. He didn't hurt me. Really!" Lenore corrected. "He was just a little over-zealous."
"That's no excuse." Severus sounded angry. -Not bad enough that Black took her to the ball, he had scared her too. I'm going to curse him something awful.-
He was so intent on his thoughts that he didn't notice how tight he was holding her. Until that is Lenore order, "Let me go!!! You're hurting me. Too tight!"
"Sorry." He instantly let her go. That was all she needed another guy forgetting himself around her. "I didn't mean to."
"That's exactly what I mean. Neither did he." Lenore told him. "I forgive you, because I know that you were thinking of protecting me, or something like that." She said softly. "Look, I don't want you to do anything. I just needed to talk to someone, and . . . well I trust you. Besides you don't know who took me."
"Sure I do. Sirius Black." Severus replied. Truth was even if he hadn't seen them, he'd have heard. "There aren't many secrets here."
"I want you to promise not to do anything to him." Lenore replied. Snape scowled. "You always keep you word. So please give me your word you will do nothing on my behalf in this matter. I want it to be considered closed."
"Alright. I promise that I won't do anything to Sirius for this." Severus replied. She smiled weakly at him.
"Oh great wise one," She tried to say in a very Buddhist-prayer tone. "Must we work tonight on potions?" He heard the laugh in her voice.
"I suppose not, if you don't want to." He replied.
"Thanks you're great." She smiled much more brightly at him. "Sorry about your shirt."
!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*! Lenore had avoided Sirius since their parting. Even when he tried to talk to her, Maia stepped in the way and told him to go away. Sirius was unaccustomed to having anyone actually avoiding him like this. He wanted to find out why Lenore was so mad (boys they just don't get it!).
He finally talked enough with Maia, to hear that Lenore was upset over the post-ball fiasco. This left Sirius feeling guilty, which was a new and different feeling for him. He also found that he wanted to say sorry, and mean it (again new to him). He thought about these things, which made him rather quiet (for Sirius). His friends plopped down beside him Tuesday night.
"What's up?" James asked.
"Hunh???" Sirius asked slightly confused. (Articulate isn't he??!!)
"You've been, quiet for the past few days." Remus replied. "You haven't suggested any pranks since the ball. You sick or something?"
"No." Sirius stated. Lily smiled and started to giggle.
"Man, guys are so dense." She said to herself. This of course got their full attention. She looked exasperation, then taking on the teacher/mommy voice said, "It's obvious that he's hung up on Lenore." They looked at her in disbelief. "He's being pining over her."
"What?" Sirius said as if about to argue Lily's, rather astute, claim.
"You've tried to talk to her everyday, at least three times a day since the ball. You've even pulled Maia aside to talk to her." Lily replied. "So Sirius, why's Lenore avoiding you?" There was a touch more amusement in Lily's voice than Sirius cared for. The other Marauders looked questioning at him.
He shrugged, then mumbled, "Maia said something about upsetting her."
"Sirius, what did you do?" Lily demanded. She had taken a liking to Lenore and Maia. She hung out with them in the courtyard regularly. He looked at her coldly.
"That's not your business." He snapped.
"Fine!" Lily stood up and headed for the portal hole. "I'll just go ask her."
"Good, then maybe you could tell me." Sirius snapped back.
"BOYS! You don't get it!" They heard Lily say as she left the tower.
Lily returned a short while later, looking rather annoyed. She walked straight over to them. They had started a game of Wizards chess. Peter was winning against Sirius.
"Sirius Black you jerk!" Where the first words out of her mouth.
"Nice to see you too Lily. Did you enjoy your walk?" Sirius asked casually. It was fortunate for Sirius that James had Seeker reflexes to grab hold of Lily, and restrain her before she had a chance to get to her wand.
"Is there something wrong, Lily?" James asked trying to decide if he should be amused or concerned. Lily stopped struggling, but continued to cast a very angry look at Sirius.
"All I have to say is that if you EVER did to me what Sirius did to her, you wouldn't wake up in the morning." Lily replied flatly. "I can't believe that you don't know why you're in trouble. Are you really that thick, Sirius?"
"What'd he do?" Remus asked stunned. Lily rarely lost her temper.
"Lily, what are you talking about?" Sirius demanded. Lily freaked at this and started to struggle in attempts to hex Sirius. James held her tight on his lap.
"James Potter, let go of me, NOW!!!" Lily ordered. Up until now most of the other Gryffindors in the common room were ignoring them. The Marauders regularly bickered in good fun with each other. However this was something different.
"Not unless you promise not to attack Sirius." He said calmly. Although from Lily's reaction, James was starting to believe that Sirius was in the wrong.
"Fine!" Lily replied. James let her go. She stood up and moved out of reach. She noticed the attention from the rest of the house. She bit back her reply so as not to cause the situation to get worse. "I'm going to bed." She left. The Marauders all looked at each other stunned.
"What was that?" Remus asked. "It looked like our Lily. It sounded like our Lily. But it sure didn't make sense like our Lily."
James shrugged, looking after her. "Not sure, but I'd rather never meet her again." The common room had returned to normal. However, none of them mentioned it until later, when they were alone in their dorm.
"So spill Sirius. What Happened?" James asked.
"Nothing." Sirius replied.
"I'm no expert on girls," Remus started. "But they don't get that pissed off over *nothing*."
"Don't know really. She just got huffy and ran off." Sirius said.
"But what were you doing before she ran off?" James asked.
"Nothing unusual." Sirius answered. "We were just kissing goodnight."
"Ummm, Sirius you do know that some girls don't like to kiss on the first date right?" Peter told him. Sirius cast him a sideways glance.
"Yeah, but she was no shrinking violet." Sirius replied. "She kissed back. Besides she's Ravenclaw. Let me tell you, she knew how to kiss."
"Sirius," James started, then paused in thought for a moment. "Okay, so you kissed. Then what happened?"
"Nothing, she like ran away." Sirius replied. "James, can't you just sweet- talk Lily into telling you? That normally works, and obviously she knows and agrees with Lenore."
"Ahhh, I'm not asking her anything until she calms down." James replied. "I like my limbs where they are, thank you."
"Why can't girls just come out and tell you why they're mad. It would make things simpler." Sirius huffed as he flopped down into bed.
"But then they wouldn't be near as much fun." Remus teased.
The next morning the Marauders went down to breakfast, and spotted Lily. She got up and walked towards them. "Sirius, have you figured it out yet?" She asked coldly.
"Lily? Can't you just tell me?" Sirius nearly begged. Lily groaned and walked away shaking her head.
Lily spent lunch with Maia and Lenore in the courtyard. They talked, and danced to Muggle music. At the end of the day, Lily spent time in the Library studying with them. She refused to sit near the Marauders at dinner. However they cornered her in the Gryffindor common room that night.
"Lily, you're acting childish. Can't you just tell us, what's up?" James asked in a reasonable voice.
"See, by my way of thinking," Lily started reasonably. "The reason Sirius doesn't know, is because he doesn't realize what he did was wrong. And if that's the way he thinks, I really don't want to be around him."
Sirius grumbled frustrated by the whole mess. James was getting fed up with this. Remus thought of another approach. "Lily you said that if James tried that with you, you'd well." Lily nodded. "James, what are you not allowed to do to Lily?"
"Ummm lots of stuff." James blushed slightly.
"Alright." Remus sighed, then the light went on. "And how do you know when you're about to do something you're not supposed to?"
"Ohhh!!!" James said, cluing in to Remus' thought. "I get asked to stop." James saw a small smile creep onto Lily's face. He thought about that for a second then realized what must have happened. "Sirius, while you were saying *goodnight* did Lenore ask you to stop?" Lily outright smiled at this. James had guessed right.
"Well . . ." Sirius tried to avoid answering. "I sort of got lost while kissing her."
"Man, you got to apologize!" The boys said as one. "Shit, no wonder she's pissed at you." James replied. "I can't believe that I didn't clue into that sooner. I'm a dolt."
"Yes." Lily agreed in her teacher/mother voice. "Now, Mr. Black do you realize what you did wrong?" Sirius looked sheepishly at her.
"Yeah, but I haven't a clue how to fix it." Sirius said. "I think this goes way beyond a *sorry*." He looked up at her. "Will you help me?"
"Ah, there is still hope for you." Lily replied. "You scared her, made her feel vulnerable. So, to properly apologize, you have to become vulnerable and give her some power over you. It's only fair."
"How's he do that?" Peter asked confessed.
"Simple." Lily smiled wickedly.
"Careful Lily. Or one could think that you're enjoying this." Remus teased.
"Oh, but I am." Lily replied. "Sirius, are you ready to hear this?"