Ha-ha! I'm back! Evil laugh Just kidding. But I bring an offering of peace, a new chapter! I'm sorry I've just been SSSSOOOOO busy with my senior year. My Senior Project is driving me to drink (Cherry Coke that is) my homework is making me wish that I could burn it, and now my play, the one where I was the leading female, has been canceled because we couldn't get the freaking rights. We've replaced it with the Crucible and I'm not playing Elizabeth Proctor, which is a good part. : P But I liked my old part better, she was funny. This part is just ironic because my boyfriend plays John Proctor, my husband. Lol. Anyway!
Laragirl007-Hey, thanks for reviewing, it means a lot to me when people review. : P And yeah, I love making cliffhangers because it keeps the reader interested. And if they are interested they will continue to read and review. : D I'm glad you 'love' my story. There is a lot of stuff that is going to happen between Severus and Leo, unfortunately not all of it is good. And yeah, Sev does care and worry about her, no matter what Leo thinks. : p Thanks for reviews...REVIEW THIS CHAPTER TOO PLEASE: D
Mrriddler-Thank you for saying I have talent and, how did you put it, 'a decent grasp on how to write emotional pieces' as for 'where's Harry?' I DO have interest in him but he just hasn't come in yet. Trust me he WILL become one of the main characters when Leo gets to the Weasleys. I needed to write the 'background' in a way of Sev and Leo's anger at each other and her hatred towards him and that stuff before I introduce the next main character, Harry. You see, this story is going to incorperate the sixth book into it so...yeah...meow. Tell me what you think of this chapter. I promise that Harry will be showing up SOON. (But not within the next five chapters, there are still things I need to have happen without Harry gumming it up)
A.S. Leif-I loved how you said 'as always'. Lol. That just tickled my funny bone. Remus...ah, the loverly werewolf friend. No, Severus is defenately NOT happy about the werewolf being closer to Leo than he himself. I loved how you as this question though, it's like you're hinting 'please make them fight?' without saying it. Lol. Unfortunately, no, there will not be an arguement between Remus and Severus because Remus has now gone on the job that Albus sent him on in the sixth book (the werewolf thing. :(Poor Remus/) The updates will be getting even more sketchy though because I have to write a play for my senior project...: ( Too much work to do right now. I need more Me's. I need like five of them. One to do the Senior Project, one to do normal homework, one to fill my movie obession, one to write my fanfictions and post them, and one to write my REAL stories (the ones I hope to publish some day. Lol) As for the play, I answered than in another response but, as you read above, it changed... : ( I liked the other one better but anyway. Here's a chapter!Your Ever-Waiting-For-A-Review-From-My-Most-Loyal-And-Favorite-Reviewer author.Daughter of Darkness. Lol. : D
Lost in a Sea of Faces-I suppose it's a good thing that you have nothing to ask. Lol. Since I see you almost every day I've talked to you in extent about your reviews so yeah...love you, see you at school on Monday. Have fun memorizing your lines, Mr. Proctor. Lol.
Chapter Fourteen
Friends and the Cost of Pride
Lenore drummed her fingers on the table in front of her. She had been stuck in this bed for too long and she was waiting for Poppy to come back to allow her to leave. The faces around her were still slightly fuzzy and the light still seemed overly bright but happily Lenore had regained most of her sight. But, unfortunately, even she had to admit the brief moments in the wheelchair and moving it around had exhausted her to no end. Three days ago she attempted to get into the wheelchair on her own, knowing that when she moved back to her room that she would have to do it without aid and wanted to try. Apparently, though, her mistake was not to have an adult around and the wheelchair went toppling over and she was left on the ground. She could barely move and passed out because of the pain and exhaustion of moving to the chair.
She had woke up when she heard someone give a shout and race towards her. She had assumed it was either Remus or Adem (her rational mind wasn't working every much at that moment) and latched onto the person, refusing to let the person leave her. He hadn't said anything and simply remained by her side as she held onto him, a spicy scent filling her senses. It was another unfortunate mishap because when she woke up it wasn't Adem or Remus she had grasped onto, it wasn't even Poppy, Dumbledore, or any of the new teachers she had met. It was Snape.
Repulsed by it she moved away from him, not really recoiling but wanting to get as far away from him as possible but also inadvertently waking the man up. He had stared at her for a moment before he exploded. He was still shouting at her when Dumbledore and Poppy came running in. He called her idiotic and stupid for attempting to get into the chair on her own. He shouted at her about all the things it could have done to injure her and by the time Albus and Poppy arrived and assessed the situation, Lenore had a rare moment were she was in tears over someone shouting at her.
Her head had already been pounding because of the fall and his shouting wasn't making it any better, not to mention she simply hated being shouted at. Albus had managed to get Snape out of the room and Poppy, in a strange moment of motherly affection, held Lenore as she cried. The moment Lenore had calmed down the motherly Poppy was gone and she was back to the Hitler of the Sick Ward Poppy and scolded her, but just briefly about her attempt. The attempt cost Lenore another day in the infirmary.
Poppy came into the room, a slightly dower expression on her face a she made her determined walked towards Lenore's bedside. Lenore moaned. "Please tell me I'm getting out of here, I'm going crazy!"
The older woman smiled but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Yes you are getting out of here."
"Yippy!" she shouted clapping her hands and pushing the bedside table away. "I can't wait to get back into my own bed. No offence but it smells too clean in here."
She chuckled weakly. "Lenore, here, let me get you into the chair first. I don't want you walking too much on your own." Lenore frowned; something was bothering the woman and couldn't quite place what. Lenore flung her covers off and slowly, with help from Poppy, eased out of the bed. Her legs were still sore and her back throbbed whenever she stood but she was glad to be out of bed. "Lean on me, don't over exert your legs." Poppy ordered.
Lenore, though she hated to admit it, was glad for Poppy's help. Slowly they eased her down into the chair. Dumbledore had made some modifications after Lenore's fall, there was holding a spell that would prevent it from going off balance when Lenore tried to get into it and made it much more comfortable for her to sit in. She settled herself and smiled up at Poppy.
"All right, in the bag behind you are potions and a list of what you need to take and when. Don't skip and if you do ask your—" Lenore gave her a challenging look, as if telling her to continue the sentence. "Ask Severus what to do to adjust it,"
Lenore sneered at the thought. "I'll be perfectly capable of adjusting it myself; I have taken a class on magical medical training." She snapped.
Poppy looked at her in surprise. "You have?"
"It was a requirement second year. It was our health class of sorts. I liked it because a lot of it has to do with potions." Admitted Lenore with a half grin. "Anyway, why would I purposely go seek out that man if I'm staying in my rooms and could just as easily go to the library here or my own library in my room and find a book that will tell me what to do?"
"That is what I need to talk to you about." She looked at the mediwitch sharply. "You are not staying in your room."
"What?"
"You need to have someone close by in case something happens. I am getting ready to leave for a training camp that will teach me how to keep my head in a battle field if I'm needed." Lenore shifted uncomfortably, she had almost forgotten about the war. "And after that week training I'm visiting my family. Albus cannot be here, he has too much to do and the other teachers come and go,"
The realization dawned on the teenager. "No."
"He is the only one that is staying permanently on the castle grounds for the rest of the summer."
"What about Hagrid? When he and I met we got along!"
"Lenore I wouldn't trust Hagrid with my sick cat let alone a child. He'd care yes but he doesn't know how to be a guardian or protect and aid a child!" the mediwitch said fervently.
"The house elves will help!"
"It's too dangerous for you to rely on them completely. What if you fall ill or fall out of your chair and get a concussion! They wouldn't know what to do! They would think you were just asleep and put you into bed. You need an adult."
"I won't stay with him."
"Lenore,"
"He's not a parent; he doesn't know how to be!"
"There is no one else,"
"I won't stay with him."
A cold voice came from behind them. "You have no choice, I am afraid."
Both women looked sharply towards the door, the very man they had been talking about stood there. "Shut up, you don't like this arrangement any more than I do."
"Your intellect astounds me." He said coldly. "Is she ready?"
"Severus, please, remember what Albus talked to you about."
"Have no fear, Poppy. I am not one to forget." His cold eyes looked at the teenager. "Is she ready?" he repeated.
"Why don't you ask me instead of pretending that I'm not here?" she retorted with a glare.
"Very well, are you ready to leave?"
"Not with you."
"Leo, please." Lenore looked at the mediwitch. She sighed in defeat. "Do you want me to stay?"
Any Slytherin would have said yes, glad to get their way, but, though the slyness of Slytherin ran in her veins she could not ask another person to cancel plans because of her. "Yes I want you to stay but I'm not going to get in the way of your life. Go on, have fun. If you get an owl from me that means I've gone insane and either killed him or burnt down Hogwarts."
Poppy laughed. "Very well. Take care of yourself." Poppy shot a cold look at Snape before Lenore began to wheel herself out. "Severus, help her on that."
Lenore's head snapped around and looked at the woman. "No."
The Mediwtich sighed. "If you get tired please ask for help, Leo. You'll make yourself sick if you exhaust yourself."
Lenore gave her a half smile before pushing by the man in the black robes and out the door. She was loathed to admit it but Poppy was right. She wasn't even halfway down the hall when he caught up to her. "I'm going by my room to pick up a few things," she rolled past the Great Hall, her arms burning with the exertion. She rolled to a stop outside the door. "You can wait out here." She spoke in a chilled tone and sent the password mentally to her portrait.
"What happened to you?" Cassandra gasped.
"I got pushed down the stairs," she retorted before wheeling herself in. She glanced at the 'door' and then cast a silencing charm on the room before letting out an irritated but loud scream. "Why! Why! Why of all people do I have to stay with him!" she moaned rolling towards the middle of the room and stopping. There was a tawny owl sitting on her desk. "Who are you?" she asked it as she wheeled towards it.
She held out her arm and the bird flew towards her and held out its leg, where a letter was attached. "Um…thank you?" she said before examining the letter. She let out a squeak, she recognized the writing immediately. The same writing that had been written on her potions essays in the past. "Professor Bent!" she tore open the letter with excitement.
Dear Leo,
Either England got so exciting in the last few days that you haven't found a spare moment to write or you've been killed by your 'evil' father. What happened to you? You never told me how he reacted to your practical jokes. You haven't written me in a while and I'm getting lonely without your annoying jokes.
"Hey!" she said with a faint smile.
I miss you a lot, though Lenore. Erika doesn't know if she completely agrees with Dumbledore when he took you to England. I'd have to say I agree with her, I think that it was the worst idea possible. Have you blown anything up yet? Knowing you, you are pulling practical jokes on that man left and right.
Leo, you know me well enough to know that I don't agree with what you are doing. You have to accept him in some area as your father. Please don't get mad at me, but you have to understand he's more than the person who had sex with your mother.
No I haven't taken any drugs before writing this but you refuse to accept him at all. Your idea of who and what he is, is so concrete that you will not accept him no matter how hard he tries. Now, I'm not there so I don't know if he's trying to be a father or not but the fact that he wanted you is something.
Lenore, please, don't get mad at me for saying this but, try to get to know him, try to understand why he left you and your mother before you judge him. You may think you know but not everything can ever be as it appears. Please promise me that you will stay safe. I miss you greatly and try not to blow up too many cauldrons with experimental potions.
I Miss You,
Laura
Lenore smiled weakly at the last part but then sighed glancing towards the door. She didn't know whether to be mad that Laura was taking his side or happy to hear from her old teacher. With another sigh, she folded the letter up and slid it into a shoulder-bag. "Will you follow me, I can't write a letter now but I will later?" she asked the owl. It hoo'ed and settled itself on the back of her chair.
With a faint smile she rolled around the room and collected her things. She was getting ready to leave when a voice came from her fireplace. "Yoo-hoo, Leo!" came a familiar voice.
She turned around awkwardly and saw George's head floating in the fireplace. "George!"
"Leo?" he gasped, pure shock on his face.
"Hey," she said smiling.
"I'm coming through," his head disappeared for a moment and then he stepped through (having the ability to stay on his feet when he floo'ed.) "Sweet Merlin, what happened?"
"Long story, what's up?"
"I've been trying to get you for the last few days and no one has been here,"
"Hospital wing," she said softly, watching his reaction.
He looked as if he was going to curse the first person that he would see. Hm…maybe I should take him out to see Snape. She thought. "What happened?" he asked.
"I got pushed off the sixth floor stairs." She said quietly. "Broke my back, shattered my leg, broke my wrist, cracked my ribs, and was blind for a few days."
She watched his face get paler and paler with each injury. "Who?" He ground out in a controlled voice.
She swallowed hard. "No one you'd know, I think. His name, at least according to Albus, is Peter Pettigrew," If possible she saw George's face go positively sallow. "You know him?"
"Rat animagus," he said softly shaking his head. "He lived as a rat for the past twelve years, in my family known as Scabbers. He…he betrayed the Potters and led to their death as well as helped the Dark Lord come back to life."
"Damn," she said softly.
"Now he's taken to throwing teenagers off staircases?"
She shrugged. "I don't know."
They were silent for a moment before his soft hazel eyes focused on her. "Would you like us to come check on you until you're on your feet again?"
She giggled and was about to say yes when she remembered where she was staying and who with. "Damn…I'd say yes but…" she sighed shaking her head. "I now have to stay with my ass of a father because Poppy's worried about me injuring myself more until my back and legs are completely healed. He's probably going to keep me under room-arrest or something."
George's eyebrows shot towards his hairline. "You're staying with Snape?"
She nodded. "Poppy wants to make sure I don't hurt myself further so I need 'parental observation'." She made a face.
George frowned. "Is anyone else in the castle with you?"
"Well I think Professor McGonagall is in her office and will be there for most of the night. She's going to be leaving some time tomorrow. She's still weak apparently from something that happened last year."
She watched his face change from a series of emotions before he smiled. "All right, don't be surprised if we drop by for a visit every now and then…like tonight."
She giggled, her eyes lighting up. "The greasy bat won't like it," she teased.
He smiled "I know."
She looked down shyly and then back up. "Thanks." She said softly.
"No problem. If you're going to live in hell, we might as well join you and bring a portable swimming pool, or swamp…"
She laughed. "Will you be able to find where—"
"Leo, I think there are very few people who know Hogwarts better than the Weasley twins do."
She smiled again. "Well I have to go before Snape gives himself a kidney stone or something."
George laughed and said goodbye before stepping through the fire. She stared after him, trying to figure out how she got such a great friend. Shaking her head, she summoned a pain potion and downed it before drinking a normal pepper up potion. It wasn't one of Her 'special' ones but it would give her the energy and strength she needed to make it to Snape's rooms. She shuttered and wheeled herself towards the door. This nightmare of her life never seemed to end did it?
She pushed herself out of the room and her brow arched. Snape hadn't moved since she had gone into the room nearly ten minutes ago. His position was tense and his expression dower. She thought momentarily about saying something about it but the echoes of Professor Bent's letter was in her head. She shook her head and rolled up beside him and then past him, completely ignoring the man. She didn't want to talk to him, hell she didn't want to stay with him. Snape's long strides caught up to her in no time and soon he was either walking beside her or several steps ahead.
She hadn't realized how far the Hall of Stairs was until she had to wheel herself there. Her arms were burning and she felt like she wanted to do nothing more than curl up and go to sleep, for a good long while. Her wrist, the one that had been broken, was throbbing in a rhythmic way that was beginning to annoy her. Almost as much as having to go around in the wheel chair.
Biting her lip to keep back the pain, she forced herself on. She was breathing harder but Snape didn't seem to notice (why would he if he had taken to walking nearly ten feet ahead of her.) She stopped, unable to move the chair anymore. She had to get to Snape's rooms or else he'll be pissed but she couldn't do it by herself. No one else was in the castle to help her and she wasn't allowed to use her magic for anything other than necessities and even Lenore had to admit no one would qualify this as a necessity.
She let out a sigh, trying to figure out what to do. The only person who could help her was getting farther ahead and he was also the last person she wanted to ask. Swallowing her pride (a large step as you may imagine) she called out. "Snape!" He stopped and looked back at her, his black eyes piercing her with a cold gaze. "You could freeze water with that glare," she said with a smirk.
His brow arched, the corner of his lips twitching as if he was fighting a smile. "What do you want?"
She swallowed hard. Here it goes. Squishing pride….now. "Ikneedabitwadyurelpbeczeimttird." She spoke quickly, her eyes anywhere but on him.
"Try that once more, this time slowly and coherently."
Her face burned. "I need help." She said softly. She picked at her nails. "The distance is too far and Poppy was right. I can't take another potion or two hours either,"
She could feel him glare at her for what seemed like forever before walking back and then behind her. His hands were beside each of her shoulders as he pushed the chair. She never felt more humiliated in her entire life, but a small though nagged at her as she felt relief at not having to push. He didn't have to help.
The 'walk' from her room to his was more of a blur after that as Lenore went over in her head what she might do in his rooms. She wasn't going to prank him till she could run again; you have to be able to run away from the person if you're a prankster (all pranksters know that.) She couldn't do very many things other than read. She made a face, she loved books but this was going to drive her nuts.
They reached the stairs and stopped. Suddenly her chair lifted and floated down. She let out a startled yelp but didn't comment after that. Snape had come down the stairs smirking and she fought the glare that tried to form. He was helping her; there was no need to glare at him. Once inside his rooms he pushed her to the middle of the living room. Fatigue was beginning to set in and she fought sleep.
"Your room is the first door down that hall," he pointed towards an area that last time had a wall but now held a short hallway with two doors. "That room and the other door, a duplication of your library and part Hogwarts," Her eyes widened. How did he know? "Those are the only rooms you are allowed in other than the sitting room and the dining room. Do not wonder. My room is through there," he pointed to one of the doors she had seen last time. Lenore fought the shiver that wanted desperately to creep its way down her spine. "If you need anything knock BEFORE entering. When I'm in my lab," he pointed towards the door on the far right. "Do not interrupt me." And with that he turned and walked into his lab, robes flapping behind him in a sort of billow.
She let out a small giggle. His robes always did that and she thought it was funny; it reminded her of bad guys in older movies with their capes flowing behind them. She shook her head and rolled towards the room. The door opened for her, which she was grateful because her energy was quickly depleting. The room caught her by surprise causing her to stop in the doorway, her jaw dropping slightly.
The bed was a large, almost queen-size bed with a beautiful flowing canopy coming from the top and spreading around the bed. The covers were a rich but dark blue green and looked elegant. The floors were hardwood and there was a balance bar floating next to the bed, behind held steady by magic though. A large dresser sat against one wall, the designs on the front intricate and not something she could have imagined a person like Snape having. A large, full-length mirror was next to it and another door was beside that. A couch that was a rich green sat in a corner with a table in front of it and a desk was in the other corner of the room. A second door sat in the corner along the wall with the desk. A faint smile traced her lips. The room was actually quite nice.
There was a small space between the desk and the second door and instantly an idea popped into her head that she would have to check with later. She could fit a small potions lab there, which would keep her entertained for a while. She rolled forward and stopped by the bed. Now how was she going to get in bed. The balance bar floated towards her and stopped within arm's reach. She stared at it for a moment before grasping it with one hand and slowly rising. Pain shot through her and she nearly collapsed but she kept a firm hold on the broom, picturing it was her friend's Quidditch game where her broom started bucking (all part of the not-so-friendly rules they made up.)
She swallowed hard moving one foot towards the bed. The next one, left foot, right foot. She, not wanting to climb into bed, levitated herself there and as soon as her head hit the pillows sleep started to over come her. It occurred to her only when she was half asleep that she could have simply tried to levitate herself from the chair.
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