Forever there are Tears of Silver
By,
Aya of the ACLT
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling does. Yet I do own the character Pandora.
AN: Okay, I'm apologizing now. It took forever for me to get this up, sorry. And also it's probably not the best seeing as . . . stuff and my editor refusing to edit it. But I promise to be better about ever thing. I'm very very sorry. And I hope some one will review.
-1975-
Pandora and Severus sat in potions making a diluted version of the veritaserum. It was their fifth year and technically Professor Slughorn wasn't supposed to be teaching the class to do this yet, but he had decided that it was okay as long as it wasn't the full out veritaserum.
Pandora and Severus had finished theirs and were waiting for orders from the Professor. "Okay class now try out your potion on your partner." He said, sitting back down on his chair and plopping a pineapple into his mouth.
"I guess I'll drink it first." Pandora said, taking a smile vile and putting some of the potion in it, then she drank it and looked at Severus, waiting.
"Okay. . . Um, what are you completely obsessed with?" Severus asked after searching for something that he would know the answer of and that she wouldn't just tell anyone.
"Muggle musicals." Pandora said quietly looking at the ground.
"And what's you're most embarrassing secret?" He asked, muttering, "which isn't really embarrassing."
"I can't sing very well." Pandora blushed and glared at Severus playfully, "No abusing your power that's all you're allowed to ask. Now you drink it!" She handed him over the vile and Severus drank some.
"Why do you hate your dad?" She asked.
Severus got a look of fear in his face and lowered his voice. "You can't ask that here . . ." He sighed as the potion took charge. "Because he be . . ." The rest of the answer was too quiet for Pandora to hear.
"But Severus, I really want to know!" Pandora pleaded.
Severus shrugged and waited for the class to be over. Soon Professor Slughorn dismissed the class and everyone started to file out to dinner. Pandora stayed behind to collect her stuff.
"Pandora?" Remus asked, walking over to her once everyone but Professor Slughorn was gone.
"Yes?" Pandora asked, turning to face him.
"I was wondering if, um, you'd help me with, uh well, Potions. You're pretty good, and well, I kind of need help . . ." Remus stammered.
"Um . . . why me? You know I'm not that good at potions, ask Lily. I mean anyway, you're Gryffindor and I'm Slytherin so we're enemies anyway." Pandora said, continuing to pack up the books as she looked away from Remus.
"Well I can't ask Lily because . . . because of complications. So I was hoping that maybe I could give you voice lessons and you could do potion lessons." Remus smiled a bit with a hopeful tone in his voice.
"How'd you know?" Pandora exclaimed, looking at Professor Slughorn, who was watching them with a bemused smile then back to Remus and crossed her arms.
"I over heard Severus and You talking. It wasn't that hard. . . Sorry. But I could! Please!" Remus begged. "I need to pass my potion OWLS. And I can sing well enough to teach some one!"
Professor Slughorn caught Pandora's eyes for a moment and winked at her. Pandora pouted and looked back at Remus. "Fine, just don't tell anyone and it'll be okay. We'll meet in the night so no one can catch us together. After dinner for the two free hours we've got until we have to get to the common rooms. Got it?"
"Yeah. Thank you Pandora." Remus smiled and walked out of the classroom to catch up with his friends.
Pandora sighed and walked out of the room to get to dinner. She was just turning a corner when she saw Severus and Narcissa flirting in the hallway. "You'd better hide, people are coming." She mentioned while walking by with out even looking at them.
Severus grabbed Narcissa once Pandora was gone and hid behind a case of armor. "I've missed you Narcissa, where've you been?" He muttered, lightly kissing her.
"I've been busy. Severus! We have to go, I can't do this right now." Narcissa said, still her voice betrayed her and she started to kiss him back.
"I don't want to let you go again." Severus muttered.
"You're such a romantic, who knew." She laughed and hugged him. "Tonight Severus, I promise you tonight we'll meet and we can snog for as long as you want." She was teasing him at this point and was backing out of the small place. Once she got out of Severus's hold she started to run. Severus smirked and followed her in a quick walk.
They got to the great hall and Severus sat down next to Pandora, while Narcissa sat next to her friends on the other end. "What are you doing tonight Pandora?" Severus asked as he got food onto his plate.
"I'm busy, sorry." Pandora said, simply and sadly. She would much rather hang out around Severus then tutor some ears-dropping Gryffindor in potions.
"Oh, okay." Severus sighed. Pandora nodded and finished up her small portion of dinner, then walked out of the room and headed down to the Slytherin common room.
When she got up the dorm room there were a few girls sitting there chatting and gossiping about something. "Hey, Pandora, there's a letter for you." One the girls said, pointing to a small piece of folded parchment on Pandora's bed. Pandora nodded and picked up the paper. This simply had directions to an empty classroom. "Is it a love note?" The girl asked. Pandora laughed and shook her head, then headed back to the common room.
That night Pandora and Severus walked out of the common room and headed their separate ways. Severus to the Room of Requirement and Pandora to an empty classroom that she was to meet Remus in.
When Severus got to the room the door was propped open and he walked in and made sure it shut behind him. He looked around at the room that looked to be a grassy hill with a clear night sky above. Narcissa was sitting on the hill and looking up at the sky.
"It's very romantic." Severus joked, sitting down beside Narcissa and putting his arm around her shoulder. He turned and kissed her ear.
Narcissa groaned and smiled. "Stop it Severus." She said, pushing back. "Look up and enjoy the beauty, then go back to seducing me."
"No, I've waited for two days Narcissa, I want you now." Severus smirked and went back to nibbling on her ear. Narcissa giggled and fell back, pulling Severus down beside her.
Pandora walked into the classroom and smiled at the array. It was a music room of types, with mirrored walls and a piano sitting on a small stage. Remus sat in the middle of the floor with a potion set in front of him and the book open. He had been reading it, then the door opened and he looked alert.
"Okay, let's get started." Pandora said after she had shut the door and looked around even more. Sitting down next to Remus she picked out a potion from the book and read through it. "This is simple enough. It will most likely be at least mentioned on the OWLS and so it's appropriate."
Remus nodded and pulled out the ingredients. "We did this one last year."
"You failed."
"Why do you remember that?" Remus asked defensively.
"Because you're potion was the farthest away from this one that most people remember it." Pandora shrugged. "Okay, first things first, you must know the potion before you make it. Got that?"
"Okay. And what do you mean by that?"
"What's the name of the potion?"
"Ahnovin ayatin." He said, trying to figure out what the point of this was.
"Okay, what's it mean, what does it do, and where was it made?"
"Um. . . It mean's True Love, I think. It's a variation of the love potion made in Greece. Right?"
"Bingo!" She smiled and put the book back in front of Remus. "Okay, you can go back to making it; I promise that I won't let you mess up this time." Remus nodded and started to work, letting Pandora instruct him and make sure he wouldn't mess up.
It took them about an hour to finish the potion and then a couple of minutes to congratulate Remus. Then Pandora pulled out a bottle and put the potion in it. "It will last for two years, have fun." She smiled handing him the potion.
"Thank you." Remus smiled and stood up to stretch, then walk over to the piano and sit down. "Okay, well, can you read music?"
"Yes, perfectly well, I just can't sing." Pandora said with a pout as she positioned herself against the piano. "I'm not completely helpless."
Remus laughed. "I never said you were." He played a few notes. "Okay, we're going to go through the Do-Re-Mi song, not the one from The Sound of Music mind you." Pandora nodded with a little smiled.
He played a note and Pandora tried to copy it with a do, which she did horribly. Remus laughed and stood up walking over to her and then putting his hands on her shoulders. "Relax, put your shoulders down." He said calmly, moving his hands down to her back and stomach, forcing her to stand up straight. "You don't want to sing from your throat, it's from your gut." He put his hands over her stomach to show her, completely caught up in what he was saying to notice that Pandora was blushing deep red. "Okay, now let's try that again." He let go and sat down at the piano again, giving Pandora enough time to catch her breath and try the note again.
They took another hour on that, just on the one note, Do. And by the end of the night Pandora had gotten pretty good at it. Quickly and completely professionally they said good bye and left back to their own respective common rooms, each with an assignment in hand from the other and both happy that their problems might finally be solved by the end of the year.
-1997-
Peter timidly stepped into the "throne room" of The Dark Lord's and bowed in front of the looming figure that was elegantly sitting on the large chair which had been dubbed the Throne. Bellatrix Stood at the side of the throne looking over a piece of parchment and scribbling on it every once in a while with her quill, when Peter walked in she looked at him with a grimace and then returned to the task at hind.
"What is so important that you must say it to my face, Pettigrew?" The Dark Lord asked with a bit of amusement in his voice. Bellatrix paused in her writing and waited to see if Peter had the guts to answer.
"S . . . sir, I Th . . . think that Sev. . . erus has run." Peter managed to stammer out as he fiddled with his thumbs and stared at the floor.
Bellatrix scoffed and looked at the Dark Lord. "I told you he couldn't be trusted. To run from you after doing a deed that should be praised, he's a coward and doesn't deserve to be in cahoots with you!" She nodded defiantly.
"Bellatrix, be quiet." The Dark Lord scolded her and then turned back to Peter. "And what proof do you have that he had run?"
Peter took a deep breath and held back a shiver. "He, he hasn't been home since the Funeral." He muttered, sending a quick glance to Bellatrix before turning back to the spot on the floor that seemed to be much more interesting then anyone else in the room.
There was a laugh from the back of the room and out of the shadow's came Fenrir Greyback. He walked to the side of Peter and looked up at the Dark Lord. "My lord," He said these words in a mocking tone that managed to get him a glare from Bellatrix and a death look from the Dark Lord, "I have reason to believe that Severus is protecting those kids that have fled from death."
"Kids?" The Dark Lord asked, crossing his arms.
"Yes, the three children that were there when we killed that Ministry family. They got away and we believe that they are on a train headed to France." Bellatrix explained, still glaring at Greyback. "Greyback, why do you believe Severus would be helping them?"
"One of my werewolves saw him getting onto the same train." Greyback smirked as Bellatrix's expression turned to one of resentment.
The Dark Lord nodded and turned to look out the window in thought. "Severus has reasons for what he is doing. Yet we must not let those children get away. Bellatrix will join one of your werewolves and Antonin to kill them." He said. Bellatrix nodded and bowed, forgetting completely about the parchment that she had been working on. "Peter, get Antonin, Greyback will choose a werewolf, and then the three will meet the children in France to kill them. Do not make a ruckus of the train unless you have to."
"Sir, they are only kids. Only one of us needs to go." Bellatrix said.
The Dark Lord nodded. "I want Severus to think that these kinds are more important then they are. Let him know that we're keeping an eye on him. But we want the train to keep taking him to where ever he's headed, thus don't cause a ruckus." The three nodded and Bellatrix and Peter hurried out of the room, while Greyback just slowly strutted out.
Severus awoke the next morning to the light of the sun shinning through the window. He slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes, letting himself get used to the light and the movement of the train before thinking of anything. The three children were sleeping, cuddled up together with their jackets as blankets.
It was about noon, which seemed very unlikely to Severus since he never really slept so much, but after checking the sun the time was confirmed and Severus sighed and sat up, looking around the room for something to do while he waited for day two of the train ride to be over.
It was a dull rest of the day, as Severus went in and out of sleep. At some point the three kids woke up and left the compartment, probably to get food, although Severus didn't care much. He had no communication with anyone that whole day, which was the way he liked it. Around 5-o-clock, the sun was covered with clouds and it started to rain softly. The train turned cold and Severus was forced to grab a few blankets and pillows from the baggage holder. After that he just started out at window and thought about life, soon his thoughts turned to Pandora.
He hadn't heard from her for 19 years, when they were both 20. The last he had seen her was during a Order meeting, it was there that he had ruined any relationship that Pandora might have had with himself and with Remus, the latter of course being what he had been trying to do. Then the letter arrived at Severus's house and that was the end of Pandora, or so Severus had thought.
Severus slept again after reminiscing. He woke up the next day to the sound of rain pounding against the train. Yawning Severus sat up and let himself readjust once again.
After a moment Severus finally awoke all the way and he stood up and walked out of the compartment. Quickly, as to not run into anyone and be stuck in a conversation, he walked into the dinning cart and sat at and empty table. It was the type of train that would be found in any European Muggle station. People, mostly older couples, sat at the tables eating and chatting about life, as happy as they could be. Some younger couples were mixed in, and there where children who were as hyper as ever, running around and grabbing food off their plates as they passed, at the parents tried to settle them down.
"Sir, would you like some breakfast?" A woman in her 30's asked, walking over to Severus with a plate of the standard breakfast in her hands. Severus nodded and the woman put down the plate.
"Ma'am, could you tell me the time?" Severus asked and he looked down at the plate full of pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon, and other treats.
"It's 8:05." The woman answered, and then moved to another table. Severus sighed and picked up a fork, starting to nibble on the food. Day three of the long train ride had started and Severus had to wish that he could apparate across country with out being so drained of energy that by all means he'd die. Sadly no one could do that and so the train was the only answer. A long and boring Train ride this would be, like the ride to Hogwarts, but then again that was only a day and this was a week.
"Sir, some guy came into the room and told us to give this to you." The boy said to Severus, handing over a Daily Profit. Severus nodded and took the paper, placing it down beside his plate, expecting the boy to leave. When he didn't Severus put down the plate and turned to look at him.
"Yes?"
"Are you a . . . wizard?" The boy said the last word in a whisper.
Severus raised an eyebrow and nodded his head a bit. "Are you?" He asked suspiciously.
"Yes Sir. I am." He nodded.
"What's your name kid?"
"Conner, Sir." The boy looked at the seat opposite Severus, and then decided to sit down there.
"And the two girls?"
"The little one is my sister Sophie. And the older one is Terra."
"How are you related to the older one?"
"She's my girlfriend, Sir."
Severus nodded and took another bite of the pancakes; he chewed and then looked back at Conner. "What are you three running from?"
"We're not running." Conner said guiltily. Severus took this chance to look the boy over. He was tall and proud looking but when this comment arose he looked ashamed and fiddled his fingers as he looked pointedly at the table.
"Yes you are." He answered bluntly. Conner sighed and looked back up at Severus, he didn't answer the original question, just stared into Severus's eyes, as if saying that he was afraid.
After moments of silence Conner finally opened his mouth and spoke. "Can you help me sir? I don't want Terra or Sophie to be harmed."
Ah, yes of course, he was a man of honor and probably wasn't at all selfish. More and more this Conner was reminding Severus of James Potter. "I can not help you if I don't know what is happening."
"It's . . . complicated, I just . . . at least Sophie, she can't be killed, she's too young. I don't think that Terra will allow me to go out alone or at least with out her, but Sophie is too young to be hurt, and you look like some one who could help." Conner explained.
Severus laughed. "You are mistaken; I am not some one who can help. I am too running from something, and your sister would be in more danger with me then with you."
"Sir, you don't understand. We are being hunted, we will die soon." Conner said hopelessly. Severus shrugged and continued on with the food. The boy way nice and he seemed to care a lot for this girl, but Severus could not help but feel that the boy was making what ever it was more dramatic then in needed to be, after all, Severus would going to do at some point too.
"I'm sorry." Severus sighed and took the paper, then stood up and walked out of the dinning cart. Conner followed him, making no noise other then that of his footsteps.
When Severus got back to the cart he saw that the girls were still asleep and he figured that is why Conner talked to him then. Yet those thoughts left his mind as soon as they got there and he just sat down and started to read the profit. Conner had followed him in and sat down in his spot, looking out the window.
The rest of that day was very dull, just getting food, reading through the paper, and regretting turning down the poor boy. Around 7 the rain finally stopped, yet clouds continued to cover the sky. Conner and Sophie were both sleeping, but the girl, Terra, was up, looking at the paper sadly.
"Would you like to look at it?" Severus asked, picking up the paper and looking at Terra.
"Yes please." Terra said, reaching over and taking the paper softly. She opened it and looked at the obituary. "Don't you just hate war, every one dies." She muttered, more to herself then to Severus.
"People die anyway. War just gives them a good reason to kill." Severus answered as he turned to look out the window.
Terra looked shocked by this and looked up at him blankly. "I suppose, but do they really have a good reason? Do people really know what their fighting for?"
"Some do, some don't. In the war that's going on now most people know what their fighting for, and the other's just want protection from the stronger side."
"What side are you on?"
Severus turned and looked at Terra suspiciously. "Why does that matter?"
"Well I figured that since we are discussing the war, and you seem so educated about it, that you must think strongly of the side that you are on." Terra explained, handing back the paper. "You don't have to answer."
"You're an intelligent girl. What side are you on?" Severus asked, putting the paper back beside him.
"I'm not smart enough to know what side to be on. I haven't decided because I don't know everything about the war. Although at the moment I think I'm on the side that isn't trying to kill me."
Severus smirked and looked down at the ground. "I have no side either, although I believe I'm on the side that isn't trying to kill me also."
"Seriously?" Terra smiled and looked at Conner, then back at Severus. "So, what side is that?"
Severus shrugged, guessing that Terra and Conner were probably running from the death eaters not from the Phoenix members. As Severus was. "That's not important. So, are you three running to France?"
"Yes sir. We're going to France and then . . . well I don't really know what's after that." She smiled sadly and looked out the window. "Too many innocent people die in war, like Professor Dumbledore."
Severus blinked back a bit of tears and looked out the window with her. "He wasn't innocent. Not that he should have died, but he was in the war and he knew what was happening. Did you go to Hogwarts?"
"No, but my father knew Dumbledore." Terra sighed. "He was a nice guy, or so I could tell from the times I met him. They say the guy who killed him is on the death list for a lot of people."
"Yes, well that's what happens when you kill a wise man." Severus said in a tone of voice that told Terra that he was done with talking. The rest of the night they sat in silence looking out the window at the scenery.
Day three Severus woke up to an empty compartment. Again with the lazy day, he stood up and walked out of the compartment to grab some food. Nothing more happened that day, nothing interesting at least. Severus had another conversation with Conner, and continued to refuse to help, no matter how Conner would beg and plead.
It was day five that brought something interesting. It was about noon when the whole compartment was awake, the kids were plying some card game and Severus was watching them.
"I'm going to get some food." Conner announced, standing up. "I'll be back." He walked out the door and shut it tightly.
"Mister, would you like to play?" Sophie asked, for the first time talking to him.
Severus looked down at the small innocent face of the child and shrugged. "Sure. What is it?"
"War!" Sophie exclaimed. She smiled and then Terra explained the game. Severus mused over the irony of the name, but continued to listen.
"Avada Kedavra!" Came a woman's voice from some where in the front of the train. Severus dropped his card and stood up. "Ah, I love doing that!" The same woman exclaimed. Letting Severus easily mark her as Bellatrix.
"Shut up and let's find the other two." A man said angrily.
Severus sighed and looked around. "You two need to hide, I think Conner was just killed"? He said loosely.
There was a small cry from Terra as she picked up Sophie. "Where? If they have been to the dinning cart then they are probably heading down this isle and we won't be able to leave without being seen!"
Severus nodded and looked around the compartment. "Can you fit under the seat?" He asked. Terra looked at the hallow bottoms of the seats and nodded. "Get under there." He ordered, as Terra and Sophie crawled under the seat Severus had been on. Once they got there Severus pulled out his wand and blocked off the bottoms with some wood, with a crack so the two could breathe. Also he added a spell to the two kids hiding space so they wouldn't be ale to hear a word that was said.
Once he was sure they were hidden he stashed the wand and sat down calmly, opening that day's Daily Profit. Soon the door was flung open and Bellatrix, some female werewolf, and Antonin walked through the door.
"Well, well, well. Severus, nice to see you." Bellatrix said in a sickening fake sweet voice. She looked around the compartment to only find Severus and his luggage, then sat down on the opposite seat. "Where are they Severus?"
"Where are who Bellatrix?" Severus asked, saying her name in a sickingly sweet tone..
"The kids! You know!"
"I have no clue who you are talking about Bellatrix."
"Then where are you going?" Bellatrix stood up and pointed her wand straight at her chest. Her other hand on her waist.
"I'm going to see an old friend, seeing that The Dark Lord hasn't ordered me to do anything lately, and he said he wouldn't be needing me, I decided that as long as he invited me I should go see him." Severus explained, letting the lie easily tip off his tongue.
"Sure, and this friend lives in France?"
"Yes, he does, seeing as I'm on a train to France I thought that part would be easy to figure out. Bellatrix, please, I have nothing to hide, let me be and go find the kids that you are looking for. Just don't blow up the train please" He said with a smile. Bellatrix grumbled some curses and left the compartment, followed by the other two. She slammed the door and continued to go down the compartments.
For the next couple of hours Severus waited patiently. Once he was sure that the three were off the train he let Terra and Sophie out. "You two should get off soon."
"Sir, I know that you have denied Conner this many times, but now that you have seen the people and know that they are going to kill us, will you please reconsider helping out Sophie. We really need this, and I can't stand that thought of her dieing for something that she has nothing to do with." Terra pleaded, folding her hands together and getting onto her knee's for effect. At this point Sophie was on the other seat crying.
Severus sighed and shook his head. "No. I can not help you anymore. She would be in more trouble with me. Please, don't ask again, I can't do anything."
"But Sir! If you are going somewhere safe just leave her there, then at least I will be able to know that she is somewhere safe. Where ever I go she will be in danger. You aren't going to France, please!"
Severus shook his head, unable to look into her eyes he sat down on the seat and looked out the window at the sunny day. "When are you two leaving the train?"
"Tomorrow." Terra said plainly, she also sat down and tried to comfort Sophie. For the rest of that day and half of day six Severus tried to convince himself that he was doing the right thing. That either he would be dead in Pandora's hands or live happily there, but either way the girl wouldn't be safe. It was harder then he thought it would be and so Severus soon had to close his eyes and just think about something else.
"Good bye Sir. Thank you for helping us." Terra said halfway through the day. Tears in her eyes she picked up Sophie and walked off the train. Severus watched out the window, as the two walked out to the station and continued to walk, and in the side of his eyes he saw Bellatrix walked out of the shadow's and following those two to where ever they were going. He knew that on day seven of this train ride when he picked up the paper in the obituary section it would list the three children, and Severus couldn't help but let a tear fall from his cold black eyes.
The whole next day passed as a dream and Severus didn't remember any of it. It was day eight that the dream ended and Severus stumbled off the train and walked into the small adorable town of Grevenmacher. The people were busy with the day's work, and Severus just stopped at the entrance of the town and looked around. There was a light bit of haze that fell romantically over the town and only added to the beauty. The houses were small one or two story houses made of rock or brick, and there were stores but not the type that you would see in a larger town. It seemed to be living in the past, just with a few exceptions of the clothing and there were a few buildings that were recent. What really shocked Severus was that it was like the Muggles and Wizards lived together with knowledge of each other. As, right beside the muggle bank was a Gringotts, and beside the muggle ministry was a small ministry of magic building. It was like that with the other ones also. Potions store, wand store, and the lot.
After admiring the wonder of this, Severus walked into the town and straight up to an old man that was walking to a store. He was hunched over and walking with a stick and had a smile on his face as he looked up at the day and then back down to the place, saying Hi to people passing by.
"Sir, could you tell me where Pandora Keeper lives?" Severus asked, walking over to him.
"Keeper? There is no Pandora Keeper here. Maybe you Mean Pandora Satir?" The man replied.
"Satir? I suppose that could be her." Severus sighed. Te letter was 18 years old so she could have moved, or gotten married with in those 18 years, although the image of Pandora getting married to any one but for him seemed unlikely.
"Yes, then, I know where she lives. Just follow the dirt path until you get to the end of it. And don't bother about getting lost, as long as you aren't going in circles you'll get there." The man said kindly. Severus nodded simply and started to follow the dirt road, letting his bag hit the side of his leg. He walked down the hazy dirt road, continuing to walk until he got a little bit out of the town and stopped. He dropped the suitcase and looked around in awe, Pandora sure did live richly.
Large fluffy lavender gray clouds rolled out over the turquoise sky. Right below were the valleys, which were scattered with colored flowers and aspen tree's, with hedges and other bushes. On either side of the valley were lakes of sparkling deep blue water. The dirt road soon branched off to the front door of a large two story mansion like house. It looked to be modeled of a British manor. The house stood between the lakes but not in the middle. Hedges and rose bushes bordered the rock made house, letting it have the feeling of being hidden. Along with this, flourishing vines climbed up the walls. The rest of the road turned to the side of the house to what could be guessed as the kitchen door. Across from the valleys and the house stood a forest that was filled with lushly leaved trees. The whole image looked to be a large painting that wouldn't be ruined by rain or wind.
Severus sighed and picked up his suitcase. It had been a tough couple of days and he was hoping beyond hope that this would be easy. As he approached the front door blasting music could be heard in the background. After a moment of listening he would tell the music to be from the musical Beauty and the Beast, the song being 'Human Again'. A quick smile came and went from Severus's lips; it had to be his Pandora by this. So then he'd have to ask her about the marriage, or whatever.
The door of the house was painted a rich violet with intricate designs in ivory, which matched with the cream colored house. Severus dropped the suitcase at his feet and confidently knocked on the door as loud as he could.
There were cheerful footsteps and the door was swung open to reveal Pandora. She was very much unchanged in terms of features, which was the way when you did not have the pressures of war. What were changed were the main details people looked for. Her once black hair was back to its natural honey brown color. She was taller and slim, not from malnourishment but from exercise and healthy eating. (Who knew it worked?) Once pale skin, that all Slytherin's had, was now tanned and a sort of bronzy color. She didn't wear any make up and had on muggle clothes, meaning tight fitting jean shorts and a clinging tank top. This made Severus realize that she had matured a lot in the chest, also. Yet the thing that really made Severus shocked was her eyes. They were still the same beautiful blue eyes, but they were more so now. There was a sparkle in them that Severus could not help but feel a bit of envy for the thing or person that put that sparkle there.
"H . . ." Pandora started, when she saw Severus her mouth stayed open and she stared at him. Pandora's eyes flashed to the suitcase and she quickly stepped back and slammed the door shut.
Severus stood there patiently. The music was still playing, so Severus got to hold onto the hope that she was still at the door, or at least wasn't too pissed to have to turn off everything and start to plot his death. In any case, a moment later he knocked on the door again.
"What do you want Severus?" Pandora asked as she opened the door again, her voice cold. All the cheer was gone from her face and her eyes were slanted, she also hand her wand pointed at his chest.
"The years have been good to you, even with the paint." Severus said lightly, noticing that her hands, arms, and shirt were all splattered with paint.
"What do you want Severus?" Pandora repeating, her voice getting colder every time she spoke.
"I need your help." Severus said, getting serious.
"You knew that the only thing I wouldn't do that you did was betray Dumbledore, I loved him. And now you expect me to help you after you killed him? Severus, you must be insane." Pandora shot, the clutch on her wand getting tighter as she took a step forward, making Severus take a step back.
"You said in the letter that if I ever wanted to see you, you would let me come."
"Are you that naive? I was talking about if you ever wanted to realize that you should love me you should come back!" Pandora sighed and shook her head. "Severus, you have damned yourself by killing Dumbledore. If you aren't killed by Harry Potter, then some random person on the street will kill you, or some ministry person. You're going to die but not by my hand."
"Why not?" Severus asked timidly, not wanting to get her angry again.
"Because I still love you and I can't kill you. I'm guessing you want a place to stay and hide out while you think it all over?" She sighed and looked down at her bare feet for a moment in hopes that he would say no to this question.
"Yes."
"I don't know if this is the best place, but Severus you may stay here. Give me your wand." Pandora put away her own wand and then held out her hand for him to give her his.
"Why?" He asked, pulling out his wand.
"Because I don't want you using magic." She said, snatching the wand from his hands and placing it in her pocket. "Follow Me." She turned on her heel and walked into the house, pausing as Severus grabbed his suitcase and looked around. There was a long winding stair case right in the middle, and then a hall way leading to the front room and another one leading to the dinning room. The room was pained light blue on one side and a bright yellow on the other side. There were two vases with beautiful lilac follows, and a few paintings of scenery.
"Nice place. What do you do to be so rich?" Severus asked. The song had changed to one from Jesus Christ Superstar and another smile flashed over Severus's face.
"That's not important just now." Pandora said, leading him through the dinning room, which was set up nicely with a color scheme of dark blues. From there she got to the kitchen and sighed. The kitchen was brighter and painted that way, with many windows facing out to the back yard, where there were three large canvas's and paint cans with paint brushes stuck in them.
Also there were two kids out there. One little girl, looking about 5 or 6, with brown hair and wide brown eyes, she was splattering paint everywhere, making the other kid, a boy about 9, hide behind one of the canvas's.
"Are they you're kids?" Severus asked, jealous creeping into his voice.
Pandora smiled at the jealousy. "You were always jealous when you thought that I'd abandon you to someone else. You could never stand the though of your 'loyal servant' Leaving you." She sighed and looked at the two kids. "I adopted the little girl, and the boy is just a kid from the town that comes here a lot."
Severus ignored the first comments and looked out at the children. "What's her name?"
"Cassandra."
"So, what do you do for a living?" He asked, walking over to beside Pandora.
"I help out Werewolves mostly. Give them places to live, jobs, money, and stuff like that. Every once in a while I run into some other half-breed that needs help, and I do help them but mainly werewolves."
"Really? Why?"
"Because when I left I went around learning magic and the history of Half-breeds. Actually I have to thank you for that. And well, I really wanted to do It. It's like my repentance."
"Oh. . ." Severus shrugged. "Is she a half-breed?"
"Cassie? Yeah." Pandora sighed and lifted herself up to the counter. "Severus, I know this is going to sound silly, but will you touch me?"
Severus shrugged, while giving her an odd look, and put his hand on her bare shoulder. Pandora closed her eyes and let out a small groan, one little touch could send her that much pleasure still after 19 years.
"Thank you." Pandora muttered, pulling away from him. "I'll be back." With that she left through the kitchen door and went out to the back.
Soon Pandora, Cassandra, and the boy walked into the kitchen. Cassandra went straight to the sink and started to wash her hands. The boy stood behind her waiting. As soon as the two of them were done Cassandra and the boy looked at Severus. "Hello Mister." Cassandra said with a little smile.
She was wearing a little Victorian looking dress, that seemed to come right off of a little doll, and was now splattered with paints of all colors. Her hair was up in a pony tail, tied back with a ribbon. Severus smiled, she was innocent, with large brown eyes, nails that were chewed down to the skin, and pink lips that looked patched by having the skin bitten off in some areas.
Severus nodded a hello. And then Pandora started the introductions. "Cassie, this is Severus, my old friend. Severus this is Cassandra, and the boy is Isaac."
The boy, who was tall, blonde, and healthy, shook Severus's hand.
Pandora smiled and looked at Severus. "Let me go get changed and help these two to clean up. You can just make yourself at home, just don't break any thing." She picked up Cassandra, then walked out of the room with Isaac right behind her.
Severus sighed and sat down.
-1976-
At 4:30 AM, Pandora jumped out of bed and quickly put on a pair of sweatpants and a sweater, she then ran out of the dorm room and common room as quietly as she could. Once out of there she quickly walked out of the dungeons and to Professor McGonagall's office. With a light knock on the door the sleepy Professor answered the door, still in her nightgown.
"Do you know the time Ms. Keeper?" Professor McGonagall asked as a greeting.
"Yes. I'm sorry to wake you but I forgot to come to you last time. Um, Professor could me and a friend run in the morning around the school, just from 5 to 6?" Pandora asked, her words coming out quickly from all the hyper-ness she had.
"What friend?" McGonagall asked, rubbing her eyes and blinking a bit.
?Um, well a friend from Gryffindor." Pandora answered, looking down the halls to make sure no one was there. "Remus Lupin." She said quietly when she saw no one.
This woke McGonagall up enough to look utterly confused and she just blinked at Pandora for a few minutes until finally she nodded slightly. "Yes, you may. If anyone stops you today tell them that I told you it was okay, later today I'll tell the teachers." Pandora smiled and mouthed a thank you, then ran to the Hospital to wait for Remus.
"It's too early!" Remus complained as he walked up in his pajamas.
"Yes it is!" Pandora smiled and looked Remus over. "Are you running in that?"
"I don't have anything thing else. Sorry." Remus answered.
"Oh, don't worry. So, a question, then let's go!" Pandora jumped into the air, then got ready to run. Remus nodded and not in next to her. "So, what's your furry little problem?"
"Huh?"
"James said that you have to get over your furry little problem complex. And I thought it might be a bunny that's dieing, but that doesn't explain the complex thing."
"Oh, it's nothing, James just likes joking around."
"Okay." Pandora sighed and then got ready once again. She counted down and then they started to run slowly, as they were both not used to running.
It was a long run, not in length, but in time. Really they just ran on floor of the hospital wing and the one above it that day. At about 5:45 they stopped and Remus leaned again the wall panting. "Well, I hope this gets easier." He panted.
Pandora nodded and then lay on to the floor and looked up at the ceiling.
"I'm hungry; you want to get breakfast with me?" Remus asked once he caught his breath.
Pandora shook her head quickly. "No. No. I'm okay. I'll be getting food later; I want to take a shower now."
"Are you sure? I'm starving." Remus said, and on cue his stomach rumbled.
Pandora laughed and nodded, keeping her stomach from grumbling as best as she could. "I'm sure. So I guess I'll see you in classes and tomorrow morning."
"Yep. Happy classes which, because of you, I'll be falling asleep in." Remus grumbled. Pandora shrugged and stood up, then hugged Remus and started to slowly walk back to the Slytherin common room.
When she got there she quickly went back up to the dorm and jumped in to the shower before anyone else could do so. A quick shower for about 30 minutes, then Pandora jumped out and quickly dried off and got dressed. That whole day was spent following around Severus, going to classes, talking to a few of her friends, and then guarding Severus and Narcissa as they made out in the Room of Requirement.
The next day was much the same as Pandora and Remus went for another run and then chatted a bit before going their separate ways, Pandora finding Remus much better company then she though he would be. It was the same way for the next three days, and nothing interesting rarely happened at Hogwarts that didn't include some one playing a prank on someone else. It was on the fourth morning that something did happen that didn't include a prank.
Pandora and Remus finished up their run and were standing on the floor above the hospital wing. Remus was saying something about the runs getting easier, but Pandora didn't hear him. Her vision was getting bleared and she was swaying where she stood. After a moment, she opened her mouth to say something, but only a squeak came out as Pandora closed her eyes and fell to the ground.
Remus quickly ran to her side and picked her up. He took her to the hospital wing and placed Pandora on a bed then knock on Madame Pomfrey. "Do you know the time Remus?" She said in greetings.
"Yes. Pandora, she just collapsed after our run." Remus explained, pointing to Pandora.
"Oh." Pomfrey nodded and rushed past Remus right to Pandora, starting to look her over and check the pulse, and that sort of stuff. "She's malnourished." She muttered. Remus had moved to Pandora's other side and took her hand. "Remus go run to the kitchens and get as much food as you can get, this girl needs food."
Remus nodded, deciding not to ask any questions. He sighed and ran out of there to grab some food.
Moments later he came back and handing a tray that was tipping over with food to Madame Pomfrey.
"Thank you boy. Now you'd better get ready for class. Come and visit her afterwards, and you two have the same classes right?"
"Yes Ma'am." Remus nodded.
"Okay good, then bring her homework too. So then she won't fall behind because of this. And will you alert the teacher's that she's here, please."
Remus nodded again, he took one more look at Pandora and then left the room. Hurried Remus ran to the common room, got cleaned up and dressed, went to breakfast, then quickly got back to the common room in time to see James, Sirius, and Peter walk down.
That morning Severus woke up and got dressed. He had decided not to eat breakfast that day, so he slept in a bit, and then got his books together and headed off to Transfiguration. He sat down at the regular desk that he shared with Pandora and waited for her to come.
Remus and the other Marauder's walked in and Remus walked up to Professor McGonagall and told her something, then sat down also. Severus sighed, and soon all the student's were there and there was still no sign of Pandora.
"Well, seeing as Pandora has gotten herself in the Hospital wing today we need Severus to partner up with a group of two." The Professor explained first. Severus sighed and joined two other Slytherin's, then they started their work of the day.
The rest of the school day Severus was wondering on how Pandora got her self to the hospital wing, but soon forgot completely about it and just tuned everything out. It was after classes that he walked to the hospital wing and sat down on the chair beside Pandora's bed.
Pandora was sitting up and nibbling on some strawberries. Her face brightened up when she saw Severus and she completely forgot that she was waiting for Remus. "Hello Severus."
"How'd you get in here?" Severus asked.
"Oh I passed out or something like that. Nothing much. So, what's up?"
"Nothing. . ." Severus sighed and looked her over. "Are you okay?"
Remus had opened the door at this point and was about to walk over when he spotted Severus. Deciding to let Severus and Pandora have a moment Remus sat down in a chair in the shadow's completely unnoticed as he watched with a bit of envy.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Pandora smiled sweetly and put down the strawberry.
"Good." Severus shrugged and stood up, putting a hand on Pandora's. She closed her eyes and held back a shiver from the pleasure. "Will you be out tonight?"
"No, Madame Pomfrey isn't letting me out until tomorrow. Why?"
"I wanted you to keep guard again. . ." At this Pandora's cheerful face vanished and she sighed. "Well I guess I'll see you tomorrow." Severus ended. He sighed and left the room.
Pandora kept her eyes closed and sighed, trying to hold back tears. For a moment there she actually thought that Severus cared for her and about how she felt, but of course he only cared that she could keep guard for him and Narcissa, while he completely ignored her love she had to live in the torture of him loving Narcissa and throwing her love down the drain.
"You love him, don't you?" Remus said, stepping out of the shadows and sitting down on the chair Severus had just been in. He left the envy completely out of his voice and just let it in the little monster that for some reason was in his stomach. Remus couldn't explain it, he had only known Pandora since the fifth year, and that only started because they were tutoring each other, and then this year they had only been friends for a week, but Remus couldn't help but feel that little envy. Maybe it wasn't because he liked Pandora, no, it was because she managed to love some one and no matter how hard Remus tried he couldn't actually love some one out of fear of hurting them. And then he felt the pity for Pandora because Severus felt nothing for her.
Pandora nodded, clinging onto Remiss hand and biting her lip to keep away the tears.
"I don't see why, but Pandora, don't be so sad. You'll be okay." Remus said quietly, pulling out a box of chocolates. "I brought these for you."
Pandora opened her eyes and timidly took a chocolate from the box and started to nibble on it.
"May I ask you something?" Remus waited for her nod, then continued. "Did you dye your hair, and start wearing make-up, and go anorexic so that he would maybe love you?"
"You knew about that?" Pandora asked quietly.
"Well I remember that you had really nice brown hair then you dyed it black, and you started wearing make-up while we were tutoring each other, and well you're in here because of being anorexic."
"Yeah, that's why. I wanted him to at least notice me over . . . well the woman that he loves. It hasn't worked." A tear fell from Pandora's hazy aquamarine eyes. "I'm sorry about this, you should go hang out with your friends or whatever."
Remus shook his head. "Sirius had got a date tonight and James is stuck helping Peter with homework. I'll stay here."
"May I ask you something?" Pandora asked after a moment of silence.
"Yes, what is it?"
"Do you love anyone?"
"I have a crush, but nothing more." Remus answered truthfully, but his tone said that he didn't want to say anything more about it. Pandora nodded and closed her eyes.
"I think love's over rated."
"You would." Remus smiled and laid his head on her arm. "Have you ever been kissed?"
"No. Have you?"
"No." He laughed. "We're two of a kind."
"Yeah but you're not in love with anyone." She shrugged and turned her head to face him. "I like your eyes, their so cool. A beautiful gray."
Remus laughed again. "Thank you." Pandora nodded and closed her eyes again, Remus doing the same.
An hour or so later Pandora woke up to see Remus sitting in the bed across from her, finishing up an assignment. "Why are you still here?" She asked rubbing her eyes.
"Madame Pomfrey stuck me into watching you, not that I'm complaining. . ." Remus smiled and put down the paper. "How are you?"
"Oh I'm fine. A bit tired, but that's what happens when you just wake up." Pandora shrugged.
"So, are we still running?"
"Hell yea! I'm not giving up on account of my passing out." Pandora laughed and sat up. "Anyway, now that I'm being forced to eat I have to stay thin some how."
"Sure. So, you hungry or thirsty? Madame said that I have to obey your every whim."
"Oh did she now?" Pandora said mischievously.
Remus rolled his eyes and threw a pillow at her. "It's midnight, you should go back to sleep."
"Why aren't you asleep?"
"I couldn't."
Pandora laughed and threw back the pillow. "I've got a question for you as long as we are both up."
"Okay. . ." Remus sighed and turned onto his stomach, facing Pandora.
Pandora did the same. "Are you jealous of James because he likes Lily and you have a crush on her too?"
"That's a very specific question." Remus said, trying to avoid answering the question on hand.
"Remus I command you to answer the question! It's my whim." She said, doing her best to cross her arms.
He shrugged and looked down at the white blankets below him. "It's not something I feel like talking about."
"Okay, I understand, but one of these days you will tell me." Pandora smiled and went back to lying on the bed normally. "You will." Remus nodded and closed his eyes, laying his head on his arms.
AN: So, some how this story has come to be known as FST to me and my editor. No clue how, and I know there's nothing really important in my saying this. So I promise to get the next chapter out sooner, seeing as next week is finals, meaning half days, meaning more time to write. Although first you all must review, Please and thank you.