Nocturne Grim - Chapter 7

Notes: Apologies for the delay on this, but sometimes, life decides to take over and I've been shunted onto computer restrictions in a nasty way. Muses shut down and went into hibernation until I found time to do anything with them. They are terribly practical that way. Then, add to that full time education. Needless to say, I have been busy.

"Does it always rain so damn much?"

Walking alongside the dark-haired girl, Snape nodded. "It is one of the unfortunate effects of residing in the British isles," he said, glancing at her.

Clad in an oversized cloak with a hood to shield her from the drizzling evening rain, she could have been a senior student. The only thing to suggest she wasn't was the massive pair of boots that she insisted on wearing.

Those same boots were the ones happily squelching across the lawn, the late-spring twilight giving them just enough light as they wandered the grounds, the rest of the school occupied with studying, exams and staying dry within the castle walls.

"Even in summer?"

Severus hastily smothered an almost diabolical chuckle. "Especially in summer," he said. "I believe nature has a wonderful malignity when given the chance to cause annoyance to school children on their holidays."

Peeking out from beneath the hood, Faith smirked at him. "You sound way to pleased about that," she said.

Severus sniffed dismissively. "I have yet to find a student who gives me adequate reason to wish him well and pleasant weather," he replied. "The majority are prone towards blind ignorance and mundanity."

"And you were just such a perfect student in your days," Faith snorted.

"I had my moments," Severus replied, slowing his pace as they descended the low curve of the grass down towards the Quidditch field.

A week earlier, the girl had expressed a curiosity in the stadium after seeing a House in training for Quidditch from her distant, charmed window, though she had balked at the idea of joining the crowd for the final, which would take place in several days.

So, Snape had made discreet arrangements that would allow her to slip out of the castle and into the grounds with him, unnoticed. Knowing the hidden corridors that most people were unaware of had proved a great advantage, leading them out through one of the outer walls of the castle and directly onto the vast lawn.

As they neared the stadium, Faith fell silent, her head tilted back as she stared up at the huge Quidditch goalposts, which seemed to stretch upwards indefinitely. The heads of the three unmatched poles was topped with a broad ring, which served the same purpose - he had explained - as a basketball hoop would in American basketball.

"They certainly look bigger from this angle," he observed wryly.

"Hell, yeah..." The Slayer looked from one end of the stadium to the other, the spectator stands and barriers the only thing blocking the sight of the full ground from her, awe apparent on her face. "You seriously tellin' me this is just a kid-size one?"

Snape chuckled. "Indeed," he replied, immeasurably pleased by the wonder this new world had on the girl. So curious, so eager, so ready to ask and learn, so awe-struck by everything she saw. "With the skill and manoeuvres the adult players utilise, such a small ground would be a deadly hazard."

"Wicked cool," Faith murmured, hopping down the flight of steps that lead to the entrance. "You ever play?"

Snape almost snorted. "Hardly," he replied. "Quidditch was certainly not my forte. I have served as referee on occasion, but I have neither the speed nor skill to prove more than an adequate player."

"Whoa," The girl threw a smirk back at him. "Somethin' you suck at? This has gotta be a first."

Snape arched a brow at her, descending the steps at a more leisurely pace. "You truly have no fear, do you?" he noted, unlocking the heavy doors with a tap of his wand. "I know no other who would dare be so impertinent."

Faith grinned at the commendation, ducking through the door after him. "You'd be scared if I started bein' all sweetness and light, Sev," she said amiably and he gave her a look, which was met with raised brows and a smirk.

In the fortnight since she had come under his protection, he had not yet been able to instil in her a need to call him by either his full name or title. Her choice of moniker had been lasting, thus far, despite his best efforts.

Shaking his head, he pushed through the vast doors and indicated for her to follow, smothering a small smile at her gasp of awe, as the playing field unrolled before them, the grass bright and lush, the hoops gleaming atop their poles. Even the house banners seemed to be brighter than usual, flapping in the wind.

"I only wish you were able to fly, to experience the sheer scale from above," he said, standing behind her as she walked forwards, staring up, turning to stare around at the gleaming wood and wind-whipped banners.

"I guess only wizards and witches can, huh?" she said, hooking her thumbs into the belt of her pants, beneath her cloak. Abruptly, she shrank back into the shadowy arch of the entrance. "Sev, I thought you said no-one'd be around."

The accusation in her tone made his brows loft and he stepped alongside her, peered up at the stadium, which could not have been accessed by any student without the wrath of the Head Mistress.

Indeed, high above them, circling the hoops in a lazy fashion, a single figure was visible on a broom.

"Ah," Snape murmured with an acknowledging nod. "I'm afraid we are here with his permission alone. That is our flying teacher and former professional Quidditch player, Oliver Wood."

"Another teacher, huh?" Faith seemed to hesitate, then stepped out from the shadows again. "Guess he already knows I'm here, if he gave you permission to bring me in here."

"Of course," Snape started out onto the middle of the field, only pausing to glance back at her with a raised brow. "Do you mind his presence?"

Shrugging, the Slayer caught up with him, trotting down the grassy verge to stand beside him. "So far, I've met the chief Witch and the werewolf-teacher-guy, so I guess one more teacher ain't gonna be a big deal."

Snape's body went a little colder at that. "You did not mention that you had encountered Lupin," he said quietly, a trace stiffly.

She didn't look at him, that he noticed acutely. He saw the way her cheek tensed, as if she were gritting her teeth against reprimand, could tell from the tensing of her shoulders that she was disconcerted by his tone.

"He ain't a bad guy, right?" she said carefully, turning her eyes to him. "Got a werewolf back in sunny C wasn't all bad."

Severus exhaled slowly, controlled, then shook his head. "No," he said softly. "He's a good man. He and I have... some measure of history."

She glanced at him. "You were screwin'?"

He stared at her, speechless, then managed to force his eyelids to acquiesce to a blink. "I beg your pardon?"

Faith shifted on her feet, examining her boots. "You said you had history and he didn't tell me, so I guess you screwed and had a bad break-up, huh?" She looked up at him, then grimaced, "Or I totally don't understand your meaning of history."

Unable to do much beside splutter in indignant incoherence at her, Snape forced that rather unpleasant image away with something akin to a shudder. Truly, the girl had a gift with explicit imagery.

"I guess that's a no, huh?" He opened one eye that he hadn't even noticed was shut and found her grinning at him. "So, you were just not-friends like the wolf-teacher said, right?"

Severus' nostrils flared, lips pursing. "You are the most insufferable child I have ever met," he said slowly. "If I had not sworn to protect you, I do honestly believe I might strangle you."

"Yeah, yeah…" she said with a grin, rocking on her feet and watching as the figure on the broomstick performed a quick circuit of the Quidditch field and came into land, alighting in the middle of the grass gracefully.

Shouldering his broom, the man turned and wandered towards them, an amiable smile on his face. "Afternoon Snape," he said cheerfully, then glanced at Faith, brown eyes glinting. "And you, Miss."

"Faith," she corrected. "Ain't got a reason to be called Miss."

Severus glanced at her and noticed she was examining Wood with the same interest he was showing her. Her arms were crossed, chin jutted up, almost challenging, while Wood leaned on his broom and grinned.

As he recalled, Wood was several years older than Faith was, but he was still full of the ridiculous boyish energy that had made him such a good Quidditch Player, even years on.

"I heard that old Snape had got a guest," Wood said, giving Snape that annoyingly infectious grin. "Nice to see you finally out of the basement."

Faith shrugged with a lazy roll of her shoulders. "Had to get settled," she replied, almost casually, but Severus could see – out of the corner of his eye – the way she had defensively folded her arms over her torso. "Kinda a change of climate."

Wood glanced up at the turbulent grey sky, then chuckled. "Oh, this is nothing," he said. "Wait until we hit winter and you see the blizzards… they're a nightmare for flying in." He hesitated, then looked between Snape and Faith. "How long are you staying, then? We didn't get many details."

Faith glanced up at Severus, who moved closer and smoothly cut in. "We have not yet decided how long Faith will remain here," he said with the kind of smile that Wood would understand, a nudge to drop the subject. "But for the moment, she is staying indefinitely, until she feels she must leave."

Wood, clearly, took the hint. He gave Faith a more careful, gentle smile. "Well, it's nice to have someone new around anyway," he said. He shifted his weight against the broom, the bristles of which were sinking into the ground at his feet. "You ever seen a game of Quidditch?"

"Only from the window of my room," Faith replied. "Never even heard of it before I came here."

"Never heard…" Wood looked like she had uttered a blasphemy. "But Quidditch…" He turned a horrified look on Snape, who could not help but chuckle. "How can she not have heard of Quidditch?"

"Because, Wood," Snape sighed, as if talking to a stupid child. While Wood was a fellow member of staff, he was still one of the most aggravatingly single-minded people Snape had ever encountered. "She is that Muggle with special dispensation that McGonagall mentioned to you."

"Mug-what?"

"Muggle, Faith," Snape replied, turning to gaze at her. "Non-witch."

"Oh. Right," Faith's mouth turned up at one side. "Yeah. I'm one of them."

Wood was staring at her, a wicked gleam of mischief in his eyes that immediately put Severus on edge. "So you've never been on a broom?" he said, tugging his out of the soft ground.

"Never even been on a sail boat," Faith replied, shrugging.

Wood's grin looked like it might potentially split his face. "Want to?"

Faith's surprise was palpable, much to Snape's amusement. "But I'm not a witch," she said.

"You don't have to be," Wood replied, indicating to his elegant, expensive broom, which had been recently updated. "I would do the flying. All you have to do is get on the back and hold on."

Even before she looked askance at him, Severus gestured with his hand that she was quite free to do what she liked and if she wished to fly, then she was quite permitted to do so.

"Wicked cool!" she darted forward, eyes alight and eager. "I wanna!"

Oliver laughed, looking as enthused as the girl did. "Not often we get someone so willing to trust me," he said, swinging one leg over the broom and indicating for her to mimic his position.

"Way to make me trust you," Faith snorted, placing her feet several inches behind his and looking his back up and down carefully. "Uh... where do I gotta hold on so I don't fall off?"

Without even looking around, Wood reached back and lifted one of her hands to his waist. "Wrap your arms around and hold on," he instructed. "But you're not allowed to close your eyes."

Again, the girl snorted. "How much of a wuss do you think I am?" she demanded, gripping him securely around the waist.

"Well, you look like the sort who screams like a girl..."

"Only one place I scream, Wood, and it sure as hell ain't on a broom."

In front of her, the flying instructor looked like he'd choked, his face going a deep shade of puce, his expression one Severus was sure he had begun to wear a lot since Faith's arrival.

"Faith," Snape chastised mildly, though he couldn't keep the amusement from his voice.

She threw a mischievous smirk at him. "You want I should break him in gently?"

If anything, the unfortunate Mister Wood attained a new level of crimson. However, before Snape could reply, the younger man kicked off from the ground, forcing Faith to wrap her arms more tightly around him as the broom shot skywards.

Much to Snape's amusement, he heard Faith's quickly-stifled shriek of surprise before they were out of range of his hearing.

It was, in part, a relief to see that she was once more willing to allow others close to her. Part of him had feared that she would close herself away in grim solitude for as long as he would permit, yet there she was, mounted on a broom, flying at Wood's back and laughing, although he could only see and not hear her mirth.

Whizzing from one end of the pitch to the other, Wood's movements were less acrobatic than usual, but even after several circuits of the ground, he couldn't seem to resist the urge to bring Faith back to the ground in a steep dive.

Staggering off the broom as her feet touched the ground, still laughing, damp hair whipped every way, cheeks bright with colour, Faith clutched at Wood's shoulder to regain her balance. Her hand leapt back, though, when he glanced back at her.

"So?"

"That was wicked cool!" She spun to face Severus who raised a brow. "You shoulda seen what this place looks like from up there! The castle is huge!" Behind her, Wood leaned on his upright broom, chuckling. "And you looked like a real grumpy ant from way up there."

"Charmed," Severus said sourly.

"You enjoyed yourself, then?" Wood inquired, eyes twinkling.

The Slayer threw a half-grin back at him, turning to face him fully. "Gotta say I liked the way you handled yourself up there, Wood," she said, to which the Quidditch player laughed aloud.

"Is she always...?" he asked of Severus, who was trying his utmost to suppress a chuckle of his own.

"Oh yes," Snape replied flatly. "Always."

"That a problem?" Faith arched her brow.

Wood shook his head, grinning broadly at her. "Wouldn't have minded an advanced warning, but nah," he said amiably. "Not a problem at all." He swung his broom up onto his shoulder. "You sure you don't want to come down to the final? Ravenclaw against Slytherin. Should be a good game."

As abruptly as she had been laughing, Faith seemed to recoil into herself, moving back closer to Severus who could see the nervous stiffening of her narrow shoulders and the uncertain expression on her face.

Apparently, Wood noticed the change too and raised his free hand in a dismissive gesture, his smile unwavering. "No, you're right. I'm too pushy," he said cheerfully, as if she had actually voiced her thoughts. "Mum always said I needed to learn some manners. Don't worry about it. Always was too forward."

"It's... I... I'm still getting set up," Faith mumbled, apology clear in her tone. "And I'm not good with a lot of people."

Wood studied her for a minute, then looked at Severus who raised his brows in silent challenge. "How about this, then," he said, "I watch the whole game for you and nick a pensieve somewhere and bring it down for you to watch?"

"A what?"

"A pensieve," Wood replied cheerfully. "I can remember the game."

"And be utterly biased," Severus murmured, both surprised and pleased by Wood's generous offer. He had not expected the girl to be so readily accepted. Then again, he had not expected the same for himself.

Faith looked from one to the other, confused. "Again with the what?"

"A pensieve allows a wizard to store his memories outwith his mind," Severus replied. "And to look through them, even experience them again, at will. Consider it a video recorder for the memory."

The Slayer's mouth dropped open. "You can do that?"

Severus was hard-pressed not to smile at her wonderful innocence once more. "We can indeed, although I would warn you that if you do, indeed, accept Wood's offer, then you would have to tolerate seeing the game with him in his element."

"In other words," Wood said with a grin, "I'd be screaming abuse at the kids who are playing and throwing things at them."

"Sounds like the NFL," Faith replied, still staring curiously at Wood. "You sure you wouldn't mind me diggin' into your memories?"

"Ha!"

Ignoring Snape's sound of disbelief in a dignified manner, Wood smiled. "I don't mind re-watching the games," he said amiably. "Normally, I can't find anyone daft enough to join me, though."

"You gonna watch with us, Sev?" Anxious brown eyes turned his way, then flicked nervously back to Wood. "D'you mind if Sev watches?"

Wood glanced at Snape, then shook his head. "As long as I get to scream abuse and throw things, I think I'll be fine," he said, a subtle nod indicating to Severus that it would honestly be accepted.

"If you would wish for me to be present," he said acknowledging Wood's nod with a cant of his head. "I am certain I could find a little time."

The Slayer looked both pleased and a little awe-struck. "Wicked cool," she said. "I guess we'll be seeing the game with you, then, huh?"

"Great!" Wood beamed. "You bring the popcorn and I'll bring the butterbeer." He glanced at his watch. "But now, we have to clear out. The grounds are getting spruced up for the game."

As he started for the exit, Faith trotted after him. "Hold up, buddy," she said, quickening her pace to match his longer strides. "You mean you can actually take stuff into your memories?"

"You'd get a bit peckish if you didn't, especially knowing how long games can sometimes go on for," Wood replied looking down at her. "Do you have anything you'd want me to bring along? Any sweets or things?"

"Whatcha got?"

"Cockroach clusters?"

"Ew! Are you serious?"

"Occasionally."

Behind them, Severus walked at a more leisurely pace, even when they were beyond the stadium gates. The rain was getting heavier, but neither of them seemed to have noticed, as Wood filled Faith in on all the sweets he could get hold of, should she have the inclination to try them.

They seemed an odd pair, Severus mused, as he watched Wood slipping on the muddy slope and get hauled upright by the smaller girl, who made a face at him, before splashing onwards.

Strangely, he didn't feel any anger at seeing the two of them verbally nudging one another, nor the way they occasionally risked a glance at each other's face when they thought the other wasn't looking.

There was no grief in knowing that she had, perhaps, found someone who might become something of a friend to her.