Heaven Sent
Silver Waterfalls
clouds roll by overhead
like giant rays coast a dried up ocean bed
dancing winds blow a parody
of swirling currents in a long forgotten sea
Shimmer glimmer
shimmer on me
the sparkling souls of dreaming children call
shimmer glimmer
shimmer on me
in streets that shine like silver waterfalls
In your eyes in the skies
in the blood burning Indian sunrise
shimmer on me (in sleep we grow)
We were here long ago
and now we roam like ghostly buffalo
first two lies then two tears
subtle curves, now glistening souvenirs
In your eyes in the skies
in the blood burning Indian sunrise
shimmer on me (awake and glow)
Shivering in silver waterfalls
anoint me in silver waterfalls
Silver Waterfalls- Siouxsie and the Banshees
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Lydia shivered as she entered the bleak dungeons, the temperature having dropped profoundly as she had gotten further underground. Upon entering the old classroom, she saw Morrie sitting next to an open seat and waving her over. Lydia smiled gratefully as she plopped herself down, taking a glance around the room.
Almost all the sixth year Ravenclaws were there, greatly overriding the few Hufflepuffs. This was an advanced class for students who had done well on their O.W.L.S. The Hufflepuffs who were there weren't genuinely smart, just hard workers and Lydia was almost alright with that, just as long as they didn't keep the class behind.
Professor Cluny was already something up on the clean start black board.
"Paracelsus," Morrie read matter-of-factly, "What the hell is that?"
Lydia sighed in irritation, "Morrie, the mentioned Paracelsus in that book we used last year for our essay on Wit- Sharpening potions… or did you even read that?
"I assure you I did! Maybe not as carefully as I should have-"
"Ah, everybody here? Yes, good then. Welcome back, everyone," Professor Cluny began, cutting off Morrie, and causing her to fall silent. Lydia wasn't sure if she minded or not, "Well, I'm sure you all know the drill, so I won't have to explain the safety issues and such to you? Yes, good then. Let's get started right away, a fair lot to cover this year. Obviously, we won't be making any potions on the first day back-" There were scattered groans from some students, "So, if you'd just take out a piece of parchment for notes… everybody ready? Yes, good then. Alright, can anybody tell me who Paracelsus was?"
And silence…
Lydia put her hand to her face.
"Nobody? Come on, people. It's not a hard question. I would expect you all to know it now with all the research and information you've accumulated over the past few years. This isn't good… not good at all." Professor Cluny frowned looking around the room at all the guilty faces. He sighed, "Anybody want to take a guess?"
Again, no one made a move. Lydia bit her lip. She hated answering questions.
Slowly, she raised her hand, trying as hard as she could not to look nervous.
"Yes, Miss Lachlan?"
"Paracelsus was a fifteenth century alchemist who worked in medical magic." She answered.
"Yes, very good. Five points to Ravenclaw. Yes, good then. Paracelsus also known as-" he began writing furiously on the board and the students followed his lead, "Auroleus Phillipus Theostratus Bombastus von Hohenheim set a new precedent in medicinal magics. He developed numerous potions and spells, his most notable probably Skele-Grow. We will be looking at a few of his potions this term, even creating some of them. No- not Skele-Grow, it's just too hard to get the right ingredients with the measly budget the ministry sets us on, and plus it's a dreadful mess when done wrong. However, we will be developing a weak blood replenishing potion Paracelsus introduced. Be prepared to start your work on that for next class which is… two days from now. Yes, good then. Paracelsus was born in 1493 to-"
Professor Cluny continued to lecture as he wrote important excerpts up on the board to be copied down. Ever time the board got too full, he would clear it with the flick of his wand only to fill it up again. Lydia took her notes diligently, her parchment soon covered with her messy, spidery writing. Occasionally, she would look over to Morrie's paper to see the round cursive in perfect set lines, bordered by elaborate doodles that Morrie drew with no effort. Lydia would not be able to draw something like the dragon that now wrapped around Morrie's page in a thousand years.
Lydia could tell Morrie was getting bored with the class. True, notes were not the most exciting thing to do in the world, but Lydia didn't mind. It was almost relaxing to her. She didn't really half to think to take notes, just copy things down. Therefore the class went by almost too quickly, and passed a lot easier than she had thought it would be. Soon enough, she was leaving the room, bag slung over her shoulder, and heading back up to Ravenclaw Tower with Morrie to pick up her things for the next class.
-----
She couldn't say it had been bad, nor could she say it was great. It was simply being back at school, and though she was glad to be out of the bookshop, she was happy her classes had already passed and she had some time to be alone. Lydia had planned on doing some reading in the common room, but after arriving to find Morrie and Elle in a dreadful row, she expertly turned on her heal and went straight to the library- her haven.
She entered the little cove that held her favorite table only to find someone else occupying it. As soon as she saw the shadowy figure, she quickly made a move to find another table, but a dark voice stopped her.
"Now, it's all right. I'll go,"
Lydia spun around, taking a step closer to find it was only Severus or Snape. Yes, Snape, now gathering his things together, and stacking a mean pile of books for take out.
"No, really, you don't have to leave. You were here first. I didn't mean to intrude." Lydia said, stepping farther into the bitter torch light. Severus- Snape looked up at her from his greasy veil of black hair, before sitting back down again contented. She stood for a moment, before making to leave again, but once more, his voice prevented her from doing so.
"You're perfectly welcome to sit here if you'd like," he said. She looked back to him, questioning his invitation, if it even was that. The look on his face didn't seem to mind her, only a quiet waiting for her decision. There was certainly enough room at the table, and who said she had to always read alone. But this morning, he had made her nervous, and she couldn't concentrate. Maybe it would be-
She cut that thought off, mentally scowling for her stupidity. She had been standing there for quite a while trying to make a decision, and he was still looking at her expectantly. He must think weirdly of her now, if he did not before. If there was one thing she was not, it was decisive. Sighing, she took a seat across from him.
Looking over at him, she saw that he had returned to his book, and she did the same, taking out her own book.
And she was right. He was distracting.
She couldn't concentrate with him there. It wasn't even like he wasn't doing anything, but she just couldn't focus. She kept looking back to him, his eyes moving across the small print in his own book. Groaning, she threw down her book and put her head in her hands.
Snape looked startled, "Is something wrong?"
"Oh- um…no, I just- this book is a tad boring." She stammered. He nodded.
"Sorry to hear it."
"Eh… yeah."
He looked at her a moment, "Can you help me with something?"
"Um… sure."
"I'm looking for some information on the Giants. I thought you'd might know something on the subject."
Immediately Lydia was drawn in, "Yes, actually, I know quite a lot. What did you need to know?"
"I'm looking for some migrating patterns of the, perhaps, and a list of colonies they've had over the past two hundred years. Do you know of any resources like that?"
She thought for a moment, "Well, if there was something like that, it would be rare. Giants aren't the sort of creatures most choose to research, and their hostile nature makes it practically impossible for observation, so references are few and far between. I'm afraid you'd need to get all the sources together and derive a list yourself. I'm not sure its worth all the trouble though…"
"It is worth it."
"Then, I would start by getting a permission note for the restricted section. That's were all the reliable sources are."
"Would you be willing to help me? It's going to be a long project, and I need your expertise."
Though he said it with his cold tinge, she was a bit flattered. She could here no sarcasm, no mocking, and she was pleased. She gave him a tight lipped smile.
"Of course, I'll help. It would be good for me to be concentrating on some project know that O.W.L.s are over and done with."
"Good," he nodded, briskly, "but I'm afraid I must be on my way though. I wanted to get some things done before dinner. Perhaps, if I get that note, we can get to work this weekend."
"That sounds fine to me… Saturday?"
"I'll meet you after breakfast here. Don't be late."
"I won't, don't worry."
He nodded again, and without another word, turned on his heel and left, his black school robes billowing behind him. Lydia watched him go shaking her head. He was so odd, yet somewhat interesting to be around with his intelligence. She didn't have a lot of friends who were interested in the migrating patterns of Giants over the past two hundred years. She wondered what it was for, but if he was anything like her; it was probably just that curiosity that distracted you from anything else.
-----
Morrie plopped herself beside Lydia at dinner, taking a large glop of mash potatoes and dumping on her plate. Lydia watched her with raised eyebrows.
"Hungry, are we?"
"Starving," Morrie replied, mouth stuffed, "I missed lunch."
"Why?"
"Hospital Wing- I stepped on a bottle of nail polish- a broken bottle of nail polish." She said grimly.
"Are you okay?" Lydia asked, concerned.
"Oh, yeah, but Elle's not."
"What did you do to each other?!"
"Nothing much… just a bit of a row in the dormitory." Morrie said nonchalantly.
"Is she in the Infirmary?"
"Well, yes, but you wound too if you got a potions book to the head."
"You threw the potions book at her? That thing is huge?!" Lydia was shocked. This whole thing with Elle and Morrie had just gone too far.
"I thought she had sense enough to duck!" the other girl said defensively.
"That's your excuse?!"
"…yes…"
"Morrie! This is getting out of hand! You could have really hurt her!"
"And she really hurt me! The glass went through my foot entirely! I was in the Hospital Wing all afternoon getting drugged up with this and that just so Madame Pomfrey could close the Merlin damned wound!"
"And she'll be the Hospital Wing all night, if not more! Really, what were you thinking?!"
"What it would be like to be Minister of Magic?"
"This is not the time to joke around with me, Morrie! I'll tell you, I've had enough of you, the both of you! Would you just try to grow the bloody hell up!?" Lydia hissed, jumping up and grabbing her things before storming out of the Great Hall. She just did not the time to deal with this sort of thing anymore, nor did she want to. Sighing, she trucked up the numerous stairs, just beginning her long journey to Ravenclaw Tower.
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A/N- Ahhh! I'm a horrible person! I am so sorry! Things just got insane, I was in a play, I had writer's block, all honors classes and those really aren't good excuses! I promise you, I've found my muse again, and I will be getting updates out sooner! So, sorry!
Hey, I need a beta reader if anyone is interested, so just contact me in some way through reviewing or my live journal, or even email. Whatever.
Thanks to all my reviewers and please keep reviewing, tell me if you like it or if you hate it or if you or a vegetarian or whatever. I love long, random rambles for reviews. They are so entertaining!
So PLEASE GIVE ME SOME LONG RAMBLY REVIEWS!