They Didn't Know We Were Seeds
Priscilla picks at a scab on her arm and doesn't speak. Instead, she distracts herself by looking out the window that faces out on Hogsmeade's bustling street. When the door to the pub opens, her eyes snap to the new face entering. Each time, her expression turns tauter and regretful. It is clear to Severus she's having second thoughts about being here to explain their plan to Demitri herself.
Severus lifts his mug of butterbeer to his lips and downs a large gulp. He wishes it was something stronger. He is never sure how a meeting with his grandfather will go. So far, their time together has been a mixed bag. Sometimes, the man acts almost paternal and affable. Other times, Demitri has been short and tries to be an authoritative figure to Severus. Severus never really knows what to do with the first, but he certainly doesn't care for the second. He worries with the way Priscilla is emitting her nervousness for all to see Demitri will try to take charge and this meeting will take a turn toward the second scenario.
While Severus wishes he could tell Priscilla to stop her fidgeting, he knows it will only make her behavior worse. She's scared. As any clever person should be. She's not used to this kind of deadly danger. She'd been a wife, mother, and homemaker. Never one to be on the frontlines of fighting like her father or uncle or husband. But she's proven herself before, with the basilisk. Severus is certain she can rise to this occasion as well, afraid as she is.
Priscilla comes to an abrupt stop in her fidgeting— Thank Merlin for that, maybe this meeting won't end in disaster after all. Severus then watches her eyes fix on someone behind him. Severus looks over his shoulder to see his grandfather. The man appears a little shocked by his company. Severus doesn't know why. He told the old man he'd be bringing another time-traveler with him. In so many words, anyhow, one could never be too careful in a letter. Even so, Demitri never falters in his stride and walks right over to them. Priscilla pushes herself to one end of her bench and says, "You can sit beside me, Mr. Prince."
Severus watches with interest as his grandfather's face takes on a peculiar softness. He declines Priscilla's offer in a gentle tone, "Thank you, Ms. Rookwood. I think I shall take a seat next to Severus, however." He turns a pointed look on Severus, all tenderness gone. "If that's agreeable to you?"
He snorts and scoots over, taking his glass of butterbeer with him. He takes another sip. Severus wonders if he couldn't flag a barmaid down and order a glass of ale now that his grandfather's here. Surely they'd bring it without much fuss assuming it's for Demitri? He doesn't get the chance to test his theory, however. The old man soon puts both hands on the tabletop and looks at him with an intense stare. Then over at the Hufflepuff with the same look in his eye. "I wasn't expecting the other you'd bring to be Ms. Rookwood." Hastily, Severus waves his wand around them and puts up silencing charms to keep away any idle (or less idle) eavesdroppers. "What's this latest plot you've come up with? I assume you have a large part in it Ms. Rookwood?"
"It's her family's home that will be the place of exchange for a Horcrux in just a month's time," Severus explains.
His grandfather blinks and turns to Priscilla to ask, "Really now?"
The younger nods. "Yes. The Lord will bring Helga's cup to my family's manor over Christmas hols and gift it to Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange."
The old man's eyes widen a fraction. "Merlin," he mutters.
"I know you visit Grandfather and Grandma often," Priscilla starts, tone warbling slightly on 'Grandma'. She reaches into her robe and pulls out the little red diary she's scribbled down all her old memories. She flips through it with deft fingers to the page she showed Severus earlier that holds her memory of the Lestranges' receiving the cup. In addition to the memory was a short, rather precise, timeline of her whole Christmas holidays from their first lifetime. She points at the moment on her timeline and tells Severus's grandfather, "I can't— It was simply too long ago— I know it happened one of these two days." She looks up from her diary and at the old man with dark, begging eyes. "Can you be there? I need help."
Severus watches his grandfather's hands steeple together as his eyes go to the window behind Severus. "It's been quite some time since I've spent a night at your grandparents' home. Not since—" He stops. Demitri looks at Severus, then at her. He sighs in defeat. "I'll see what I can arrange," he tells them. "I won't promise you anything. But since I am agreeing to the possibility, what exactly is your plan for me during this time?"
Priscilla's brow smoothes and Severus feels the muscles in his shoulders loosen. He hadn't realized he'd become just as invested in the answer as Priscilla. The Hufflepuff glances at him. "I can explain it," she says, "but the way Severus tells it is better."
He resists the urge to scowl at her. This is her operation and it's time she starts acting like it. He crosses his arms and shakes his head at Priscilla. "Perhaps," he agrees. "However, I think you ought to describe it. You and Demitri will be the ones doing it, not I."
She puckers her lip into a pout briefly, but relents to Severus's logic soon enough. "Alright." Flipping through a couple of pages in her diary, she points at the first line in a list of bullet points and begins, "We will have just finished dinner." She pauses, idly dragging her finger across the line. "Or maybe it's pudding, I don't recall. After the floo will flare and grandfather will go to answer it…"
-o-O-o-
Since Sage is still keeping his distance from Severus as of late, he has to find other company to occupy his time and today's consists of Sirius. Only Sirius. Really, he doesn't hate the other or even dislike him anymore, but spending an extended amount alone with the other is trying. He doesn't know how James, Remus, or Peter do it regularly. He's always talking. And, mostly, about himself.
In the early afternoon, Severus has it. He gets in enough words edge-wise to convince Sirius they should race each other on their brooms around Hogwarts grounds. His friend agrees enthusiastically to the idea and Severus gets a much-needed break from his prattle for a little while. After an hour so of racing, Sirius suggests they take a more leisure-like flight around the castle. Severus doesn't want to agree, since he knows it will mean listening to more teenage dribble, but relents. His back is damp with sweat and his arms shake ever so slightly. Pushing oneself too hard on a broom is a piss-poor idea. If you pass out from exhaustion, the fall's typically several hundred feet and ends with death.
However, much to his surprise, Sirius is quiet for most of their flight around Hogwarts. It's as they come into their last fourth of the circle he tells Severus, "Narcissa invited me to her and Malfoy's manor for the Christmas holidays. Lucius's father's going to be away for most of the holidays too, so, the only prick I'll have to deal with is him."
"Sounds like a dream," Severus replies.
Sirius snorts. "Compared to a Christmas at home, it sure does," he agrees.
Severus looks out of the corner of his eye at the friend. Even with hair blowing in and out of his face, Severus sees what looks to be trepidation on the other's features. "I'm getting the impression you're not sure about this visit for some reason, however?"
"They aren't that much different from Mother and Father," Sirius tells him. "I know they think he's got the right sort of idea," he mutters, glancing around. Severus needs no clarification. There's only one "he" people speak of with such emphasis and furtive looks. "And I'd bet the Black fortune Lucius even works for him."
He nods. Sirius isn't wrong. "They—" He stops and tilts his head. "Well, Narcissa, still loves you. That's why they invited you into their home. This may be one of the last Christmases you can spend with her before you have to draw lines in the name of your beliefs." Unbidden, his thoughts go to Clara. Her memories of her sister's wedding, the last big celebration she was a part of for the Parkinsons, must be quite bitter now. Her sister's union had united her family and the Montagues. Yet her own… He shakes his head to himself. Severus knows even now she wouldn't give up being there for anything. It's her last pleasant memory of her family being whole.
"You think so? I'm afraid they'll corner me and ask who's side I'm on while I'm there." His expression turns dark. "Maybe murder me if they don't get an answer they like from me."
"Narcissa wouldn't allow that," Severus refutes with a roll of his eyes.
Sirius sighs. "James says his parents will take me in when I can't go home anymore."
Severus tightens his grip on his broom. "Good."
"What about you?"
He turns his head, brows furrowing together. "Me?" asks Severus.
"Yes, you're not on his side. So what will the Montagues do when you don't join up with the Death Eaters like Sage's older brother?"
He gives a terse shrug of his shoulders. "Not much, I imagine," he mutters. "Vesta's rather intent on keeping us all one big family."
Sirius frowns. "You're lucky," he says with a wistfulness.
Severus laughs in an entirely unamused way. "I'm not." He points at him in a grand gesture. "You, on the other hand, will get a clean cut from your family and their poison in another year or so. Me? I imagine someone will end up dead. It's just a matter of waiting to see who it will be."
His friend stares at him a long moment. Finally, he suggests, "Want to race around one last time before we head in for dinner?"
He dips his chin in answer. Severus is more than happy to end this uncomfortable conversation. He hopes he'll now be able to tuck his fears away in the back of his mind once more. Yet even that is little consolation to him. Severus knows they'll all rush to the forefront of his mind again in a couple of weeks when they leave Hogwarts for Christmas. Sage's only growing more distant as time goes on instead of returning to him little by little. Severus dreads what that means for his brother's future.
How did you all enjoy the chapter? We got to see some Sirus! It's been a while since we last had a chapter with him, hasn't it?
Like usual as of late, if you are a reader of the "Family Branches" series, a companion piece to Black Eyes called A Tiny Miracle has been uploaded and a new chapter added to Always Gold.
Thanks for reading everyone!
Edited: 1/9/20