Evelyn's p.o.v.
Three weeks have passed since our conversation with Albus and him agreeing that Loki stays. S.H.I.E.L.D. is working intensely, trying to dig out some information about the time gem but are unsuccessful for now. Loki shared everything he knew so keeping him here is rather useless and dangerous but a promise is a promise. We hope that eventually, when we have more pieces of this messed up puzzle, his skills will come in handy. Snape is back from the hospital but our communication is cut to a minimum: "Good morning" and "Good evening."...which is not desirable since we do need to work together. He's supposed to be gathering clues for us but since we're not exactly speaking, I don't have any idea what's going on in that part. Thor overtook Loki so it's logical that I'm the one communicating with Snape. I can't believe I'm going to say this but I would switch places with Thor in a minute.
It's mid October and Fall fully took over Hogwarts. Rain is pouring down for three days now, making me unable to run or do any activities outside. Right now, students are handing over their first papers as I start to grade them. Soon enough, I went from teacher to Thor's assistant ...and I get it. It's more interesting to listen to battle stories, Asgard history and all their Gods and worlds than learn about circuit or politics. Or I just don't know how to make a subject interesting. Maybe if I persuade Tony to send me one of his old suits they would be more interested ...but since it's raining, that idea has to be put on hold.
"Your papers will be graded by the end of this week and results will be pinned up the info board. We'll see each other next week, have a good day.", Thor tells the class all professional.
Most girls are still drooling over him and most boys are looking at him with high admiration ...and I have to say he loves all the attention.
"I'm going to check on Loki. Can you do this by yourself?", he asks as kids start to leave the classroom.
"Sure."
"I was thinking about inviting Loki to our training session.", he tells me and I raise my head from Ron's paper to him, "How come?"
"He has some good moves and I think you could learn a few of them from him.", he tells me with a smile and I raise my eyebrow, "You're really considering giving him a weapon?"
"He won't hurt you."
"In this few weeks he threatened to kill me several times.", I say, narrowing my eyes.
Thor laughs, "It's a joke, he's joking."
"Sure he is.", I mumble, returning to reading Ron's paper.
"Then it's a deal! See you in two hours, don't be late.", he tells me and rushes out of the classroom.
I sigh, knowing that arguing with Thor won't take me anywhere. As I continue my work, I sense presence in the room so I look up.
Hermione, Ron and Harry are sitting a few feet away from the desk, looking at me.
I raise my eyebrows and smile, "Do you three need something?"
"Are you coming to the game?", Harry asks.
"What game?", I ask.
"Quidditch. Gryffindor versus Slytherin.", Ron informs me.
"Oh! Well, when is it?", I ask.
"It starts at five.", Hermione tells me.
I frown, looking out the window, "Wait, you're playing in rain?"
"Yes, that's not a problem for us.", Harry tells me.
"If you come, we can give you some Gryffindor themed cheering equipment.", Rom tells me with a smile.
"Since I'm a professor, I would like to stay unbiased and just enjoy the game."
Ron frowns, "Where's the fun in that? You can freely cheer for us, everyone does that. Snape always cheers for Slytherin."
"Ten points from Gryffindor. Each.", We hear a dull voice coming from the door.
Severus is standing at the entrance, looking at the three teenagers with annoyance.
Ron rolls his eyes and looks at me, "I guess our conversation is over. Have a good day professor Stark."
I nod, "You too."
They leave the classroom and Severus keeps standing by the door, looking at me so I frown, "Do you need something?"
He walks in, closing the door. My heartbeat fastens as he walks towards me. Honestly, I thought this feeling I always have around him has passed, but now that we're alone in a room my mind starts to build up memories from a few weeks ago. I take my pen and nervously start to play with it while he drags a char closer to my desk. I clear my throat and scratch the back of my neck, waiting for him to start speaking. I swear you could cut the tension in the air with a blade.
"Albus wanted me to inform you that I will be talking to ...one of the death eaters next week.", he tells me, hesitating about the last part of his sentence.
Clearly, he's uncomfortable using the word death eater.
"Who?", I ask and he just stares at me.
I smile, looking down at the desk then up at him again, "You're not going to tell me."
"It's complicated.", he states carefully.
"Yea, didn't think differently.", I say, looking back down.
"There are tings ...that happened ...that you wouldn't understand.", he tells me and I look at him, "That's what you think."
"No, I don't think that, I know that."
I sigh, picking up another paper and placing it in front of me, "I'm glad you're full of knowledge."
"Don't be mad.", he tells me softly.
"Have you ever worked in a team? This is not how things go. If we want to resolve this, we should be working together, meaning you tell me everything regarding the mission. Trust is crucial here, Severus. I'm not mad, I'm ...frustrated. I feel like there's always something that I don't know yet everyone expects me to wave a magic wand and make everything that's happening disappear. I can't do that, not like this.", I say, venting out.
"I wasn't talking about the mission.", he tells me and I frown, "I don't understand."
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you everything before ...and that you had to find out the way you did. I never meant no harm, the opposite actually."
"It's okay. I've learned not to judge people by their worst mistakes.", I say, looking at him.
He stands up and walks towards the desk, placing his hands on it, leaning towards me. I'm taken back by his action and don't know how to react so naturally, I don't do anything.
"It's not that I don't trust you, it's that I don't trust myself.", he tells, looking me in the eyes.
"With what?", I ask.
"With you. With my feelings."
"I don't-", my words are interrupted my something hard hitting the wall next to the window. He backs away as we both look at the impact direction. I see students flying around on brooms.
"Quidditch practice.", Severus tells me after a few moments.
"Yea, perfect timing.", I say sarcastically.
By the time I look towards him, he's already on his way out. Opening the door, he takes one more look towards me, "You didn't answer the question."
I frown, "What question?"
"Are you attending the game today?", he asks in his usual, uninterested tone.
I nod, "I am."
"Good. I hope we'll see each other.", and with that he leaves.
I blink a few times, trying to make sense of everything that just happened. I decide to finish grading papers but my struggle of keeping a smile from my face is too hard. Finally I let it go and trow the pen across the table, "Fucking shit!"
X X X
"Why are we missing knifing each other again?", Thor asks as we walk across the water soaked Hogwarts grounds.
"Because there's a game and we are going to see it.", I explain for the third time.
"Is there going to be knifing?", he asks and I frown, shaking my head, "Seriously, you miss Asgard too much."
He smiles nostalgically, "Yes, the smell of blood can be contagious."
I pad him on his back, "You'll get your dose tomorrow. We can break a bone or two in your brothers body, I wouldn't mind that."
He makes a face, "He did pull a lot of tricks on me when we where kids. He deserves a broken arm."
I smile, "See? I'm already exited."
When we arrive, the stadium is filled with people. In the distance, I see Ron running towards us.
"I was getting worried you two weren't coming.", he tells us, catching his breath.
I smile, "We wouldn't miss it."
Ron straightens up and wraps scarfs around Thor's and mine's neck, "Here. Because you can't be unbiased."
I take the wool fabric in my hand, realizing it's a scarf in Gryffindor colors.
"This feels nice. Can I keep it?", Thor asks and Ron smiles, "Of course, it's all yours."
We find empty seats and sit down. I look around the stadium, trying to find Snape but can't see him anywhere. The game starts and, I have to say it's interesting to watch. Slytherin scores the first ten points and the crowd cheers. I stand on my toes, looking around for Snape but no luck.
"Looking for someone special?", a well known voice asks and I look at Severus who's now standing beside me.
I try not to smile, "No ...just looking around."
He smirks, "Sure. Whatever makes you feel better."
"It's really difficult to find someone in this crown. You have to be really persistent. Weird that you found me.", I say.
"Well, it took me my whole life to do that so a few minutes of searching now don't seem like a big deal.", he tells casually and I look at him.
What is he doing?
My staring is interrupted my a slap on my back from Thor, "This is nice! I like it.", he tells smiling, handing me a beer.
I look at it, "Where did you find this?"
"They're selling it all over the stadium."
"Nice.", I say, taking a sip.
By now, the game is intense. They have the same amount of points and you can see them getting more rough. Draco's flying alongside with Harry, pushing him constantly. Everyone's yelling something so I decide to pitch in.
"Kick his ass!", I yell and a few people look at me.
"What?", I ask.
Severus has a playful smile on his face that he's desperately trying to hide.
"Did I say something wrong?, I ask him and he looks at me, "They are kids. Kicking someones ass is against the rules and not ethical."
"In Asgard, kids do that all the time. It's part of our culture.", Thor tells him.
"Same in America.", I say.
"But you're in England now.", Severus tells us.
"Oh, I understand. You sip tea and eat biscuits.", I say.
Severus looks at me, "We have Wizarding dueling."
I frown, "What the hell is that?"
"Two or more engage in combat under the condition that only magical means can be used.", he explains.
"So no knifing?", I ask.
"No knifing."
I take another sip, "Well that sounds boring."
"Would you like to see one?", Suddenly, I hear Albus speak behind us.
We all turn around and see him smiling.
"I guess.", I say.
"But only if you show us how your duels look.", he tells me and I look at Thor.
"Our duels are violent. I don't think your children should see it.", Thor tells him.
"I agree with him. I saw how she looks after them.", Severus tells Albus, looking at me.
"They should learn about other cultures. I'm happy to arrange a lesson in both.", he tells us.
X X X
Unfortunately, Slytherin won this time. We're walking towards Hogwarts and I see the disappointed Gryffindor faces, mumbling and discussing that the game was not fair.
"I'm going to see Loki. Wanna come with me?", Thor asks as rain starts to slightly fall once again.
"No, I'm going to take a walk." I say, needing to clear my mind.
"Okay. See you at dinner.", he tells me and I nod.
I took my gun with me so walking around the Forbidden forest doesn't make me feel edgy. I think about what Severus said today. I just don't understand him. Does he like me? I guess. I tell myself that I'm on a mission and any romantic feelings are not desirable ...does it help? Of course not. I can't fight it. There's something about him that just makes me feel all bubbly and nice. I have a lot of unanswered questions that I'm afraid to ask. He's not an open book, he's troubled, probably still in love with Lili. Am I just someone that he feels he can heal with? I don't want to be that. I don't need that! I have a mission and I should concentrate on that, not on some guy who's ...weird, in the less.
"You're going to catch a cold walking around like that.", my thoughts are one again interrupted by him.
"I'm okay, don't worry.", I say.
"It's almost dinner time.", he tells, walking towards me.
"I know dad, I was about to go back.", I say as he stands in front of me.
He takes his coat and wraps it around my shoulders.
"Now you're going to catch a cold.", I say, tugging on the coats collar.
"I'm fine, don't worry.", he tells me.
"What happened today?", I ask, looking at him.
"A lot of things.", he tells me.
"Explain please."
He runs his fingers trough my wet hair, "I made a decision not to run anymore."
"From what?", I ask.
"From my feelings."
"And what do you feel?", I ask.
"What do you feel?", he asks.
"I asked first.", I say, smiling a little.
"You make me feel a certain way. I've been running from it but I'm done doing that. I was afraid of feeling again, thinking it will end the same way but then I realized that there's a big difference now and then."
"What is the difference?"
"You feel the same way. And that makes me feel ...strong. Stronger. It makes me feel secure. Less afraid of what's going to happen.", he tells me, wrapping his arms around me.
"You're weird.", I say with a smile, returning the hug that makes me feel like I'm on the top of the world. Just a hug. So stupid.
"This is what I want to hear right now.", he tells me sarcastically.
"I like your arms. They make me feel like home.", I say, closing my eyes.
"I'm glad you feel this way.", he tells me as we separate.
I shiver, "I think it's time we go to someplace warm."
He cups my face and gives me a kiss. It's simple, it's nice ...it makes me feel like Christmas with my parents did. Warm, cosy, fluffy, safe. No fireworks, no rush ...just peace. Like there's not a care in the world. Not even the raindrops falling on my face bother me.
We start walking and he wraps his arm around my shoulders, just like Steve did three weeks ago. But this is different. This is real.
