Severus returned to the Three Broomsticks, slipping into a sheltered table toward the back of the pub and after a long moment's deliberation, held up two fingers to Madame Rosmerta for whatever the specialty was that particular day. It turned out to be the cool gillywater, and Severus nodded in vague approval as the good Madame went to retrieve the drinks.
Severus checked his pocketwatch. Going by Sabine's usual punctuality, she would be returning any moment...
"I am never, ever going to look at confetti the same way again," a voice moaned in lamentation from behind Severus. Only seconds later Sabine traveled around to seat herself next to him, sliding one of the glasses over her way. "How did you make out? And... was this recommended?"
Waiting for a reply, Sabine resigned herself to eyeing the drink skeptically.
Severus chuckled at the tone in Sabine's voice as she rounded the table and took a seat next to him. "Yes," he replied, gesturing at the glasses, "Though I confess I am not pleased with the selection." He waved Madame Rosmerta over again, and the woman took two fresh drink orders (Severus favoring the red wine) and vanished behind the bar again.
"I have discovered - through desperate measures of bribery, flirtation and intimidation," he added, "That there have been many robes purchased in this area recently of protectively spelled cloth. There have also been bands of Slytherin students wandering about, gossiping about an apparently important event that will take place in three weeks from last Thursday; and residents of the village have heard a not quite human roaring from the forest at night."
As their drinks were placed before them, Severus saw his companion reach for her purse. On impulse, he reached across the table, covering her hand with his, and offered a genuine, if small smile.
"Please," He said softly, lowering his voice to avoid drawing attention to himself. "Let me... I have a rather large inheritance that I cannot seem to get rid of."
Only then did he realize where his hand had fallen, and removed it with all due haste, looking down at his drink and, of course, clearing his throat. But he could not help but notice how very keen his hand was to remain exactly where he had placed it, and how naturally the gesture had come to him... Perhaps he was taking the masquerade a little too seriously.
He hazarded a glance in Sabine's direction, swallowed, and finally raised the drink to his lips. "So, dare I ask-" Though it seemed he dared to do just about anything today... "What did you find out?"
Sabine reflected Severus' order of red wine and folded her hands in her lap, leaning forward slightly as she listened to Severus' story. One thing irked her momentarily- flirtation? After a nanosecond of spinning visions regarding blonde trollops in inappropriate clerking uniforms, Sabine gave a shake of her head (that appeared more a nervous twitch than anything) to clear her mind.
After having listened to the information shared with her, Sabine found herself very quickly surprised by a large, rough pale hand upon fishing for the small velvet pouch hanging by a cord from her belt. "Oh!" came the small noise when originally stopped, shortly followed by a smile when her imaginary spouse explained the situation and withdrew his hand (though it came as a startling surprise that Sabine would not have objected to its loitering for a while). "I see. Well, although I still think you dote upon me for little reason, I've found that steering you from your ideas is usually fruitless."
Having taken a casual sip of wine, if only to prolong the suspense, Sabine took a cue from Mrs. Flume and raised her eyebrows conspiratorially. "These Slytherins of yours have fairly divided amongst themselves, from what I understand, into two or three large groups, and have taken to clustering themselves together. Quite odd, considering that most I have met from your House seem to be very independent indeed. Students talking about areas of the forest near the school being cleared of vegetation- or rather, that the vegetation has been destroyed, as if crushed. And...well, really, that's all, except that someone seems to have been very eager to purchase an Invisibility Cloak from Dervish and Banges without raising a fuss."
Severus withdrew his hand, resting it upon the arm of his chair under the table, and folded his fingertips into his palm, trying to quiet his protesting nerves. It seemed individual parts of his skin had taken it upon themselves to complain at the absence of touch, and that would never do.
At Sabine's comment of doting he laughed, sitting back in his chair and studying her from under half-closed eyelids. He'd been watching her expression as he told what he had found, and thought he saw a flicker of some imperceptible emotion pass across her features at the word "flirtation," in the form of the slightest furrowing of brow, the barest tightening of the lips... But perhaps he was wrong.
After she had delivered her story - during which he had consumed the last of his wine - he pondered for a moment before replying. "My Slytherins divided, eh? Hmm. Protective cloth, Invisibility Cloak, and crushed masses of vegetation..." He tapped his long fingers on the table, his black eyes distant, before he shook himself to alertness again and looked at her.
"Shall we leave this place, then, before Rosmerta persuades us both to drink too deeply of the fruit of the vine?" He suggested in a soft, amused tone.
He was really very intriguing when he was deep in thought, she reflected absently, nursing at her wine while he attempted to sort out the puzzle. She herself turned the information over in her mind, setting the wine aside when she had ingested enough to inspire a slight euphoria before it clouded her mind.
"Yes," she agreed with a nod, placing her hands eagerly on the table. "In fact, there is one place that I meant to take a look at before leaving, if my dear husband will allow me the pleasure. Have you ever been to the Shrieking Shack?"
His face, which had begun to show amusement when she referred to him as "dear husband," registered a moment later with a look of incredulity, and then he began to laugh. Not a chuckle, or a snicker, but a full laugh that lasted for more than a moment. He held up a hand at her puzzled expression and finally stifled his amusement.
"Oh," he commented, after taking a breath. "I have almost lost my life there once or twice." He chuckled again at the subsequent response, and added, "Oh, you have no reason to fear. It merely seems that in that place I have an unfortunate habit of meeting people who dislike me severely."
Rising and setting a handful of coins upon the table, he did not even think before holding out his hand to her. "Come. I shall tell you all as we journey toward the grim edifice itself."
Less puzzled than shocked, actually: her eyes were wide, and if she had not been raised otherwise, she would have let herself gape. "...Are you alright?" she asked timidly after the initial outburst (I didn't know he could laugh), to be replied to with his explanation. "I see. Well, I can assure you that you'll be with at least one person that doesn't dislike you severely," she replied, setting a gentle, teasing stress on the final word as she accepted his hand (equally without thought) and brought herself to her feet.
"This is so exciting," she confessed in a low voice as she led the way to the door. "Abigail and Tarla were going to drag me along around Halloween, but I would like to view it before then. I can hardly tell Abby that her unintelligible shrieks are ridiculous if I'm echoing them, can I?"
Severus chuckled at the idea as he followed his eager companion, removing his hand from hers, though not as abruptly as he had before, as he was not entirely aware of the gesture.
Yes, he thought it would be very amusing indeed for Sabine's friends to scream in horror at the imagined ghosts while his false wife knew that the shack's reputation came from a werewolf long gone from the premises.