Riley gave their flat one last fleeting look as she stepped through the doorway. It was nice while it lasted. Riley would have liked more solitary time with Severus, but due to the increasing terrors of the world, this would have to do. She would still get time alone with Severus, they'd make sure of that, already checking the distance between their living quarters in the Scottish castle. Professors (or in their case, potential professors) were not allowed to cohabitate unless they were legally married, but their living spaces were conveniently tucked close together. Riley smiled to herself; no they wouldn't be spending much time apart at all.
"You can always change your mind." Severus said in his warm, rumble of a voice.
Riley raised her left eyebrow and rolled her eyes at him, knowing full well that nothing could be changed.
An explosion of emerald flames leapt from Severus' fireplace. The green glow illuminated his jaded expression as he watched Riley emerge from the flames.
"Really?" He murmured, setting down a stack of books that he was carrying.
"Another way I can reach you in mere seconds!" Riley cried happily, clapping her hands together in childish delight.
"A bit dusty, but still…" She mumbled, looking down and dusting herself off.
"Riley." Severus said in a stern tone, as he watched her expel soot upon the stone floor.
Riley peered up at him, raising her eyes from her jeans and took a sheepish step back into the fireplace. She continued her grooming over the grate and then walked towards the young man.
"You know we'll just be living in one of these rooms most of the time. There's no way I'm sleeping by myself." She said matter of factly.
Severus raised his head from the spines of the books that he was organizing and smirked softly at her.
"Unmarried couples are not allowed to reside together, Miss Brannigan." Severus said with a sarcastic undertone.
"Well, you know, Mr. Snape," She paused to annunciate the 's' in Snape, "I'm not very good at following rules. Besides, who snuck me into his room during Christmas break?"
Severus' smirk grew and Riley's eyes glittered evilly as they stepped closer together.
"Snogged anyone in a classroom recently?" He said with a lifted brow.
"How about in a professor's quarters?" Riley said, pulling on the front of Severus' button up shirt and bringing his head down to meet hers.
Severus' head was tilted down and his raven locks trailed along Riley's cheekbones. His lips were warmer than the room and his internal fire, heated her up inside. She kissed him back, hungrily reacting as if she were claiming him before invisible fiends. His hands drifted to her waist and he stepped back, lifting her up and carrying her in his arms until she was against the wall. Pressed against the wall with no where left to go, she melted into him. Their lips were one and their hands roamed over each other, as if eager to discover on their quest.
"How about we christen the place?" Riley whispered wickedly in Severus' ear.
"What a religious way to describe what I'm about to do to you." Severus rumbled gruffly, taking Riley by her hips and flinging her upon the bed causing giggles to erupt from her lips.
A group of fifth year boys sat outside on the courtyard gob struck with the image in front of them. Their eyes looked hungry as Severus approached them, unbeknownst to them. He stood behind them in his dark, bat-like manner with his hands drawn behind his back. He was about to ask them what they were doing staring off into the distance when the love of his life ran by a couple hundred feet away. She ran with gusto and was oblivious to the stares she was receiving as she pounded her feet away at the grass of the campus. Despite Severus' lack of enthusiasm for athletics, she was adamant about her fitness routine now that she was playing with Tutshill. Her short ponytail whipped behind her as she elongated her stride, one foot in front of the other. She looked like she was flying, or at least, it looked like her feet were. Her body glowed with the soft dew of moisture and her skin was tinged pink at the increased rate of her heart. It was ridiculous how good she looked, sweating and galloping around the Hogwarts campus. Severus did not blame the boys for staring at this moment. He had a hard time peeling his eyes away as he watched her run in those short shorts that barely grazed her mid-thigh. Her tank top shirt clung to herself in a very appealing away, as if it wanted to show off each of her curves. Severus grew hot under his collared robes just thinking about her in that outfit. He wondered if a bath might be in her future and whether or not she'd like some company. Severus shook his head of these thoughts for now and set his eyes on glare for the students in front of him.
"Gentlemen, were you planning on closing your mouths and moving on to class or were you planning on catching flies with the frogs this afternoon?" The venom that dripped from his voice isolated each word, showing disdain for each student in front of him. The five boys in front of him whipped their heads around in surprise. They jumped up from their spots on the ground and gathered their materials as quickly as they could manage. Severus swore as they moved away from him that he heard the words ugly bat distinctly mumbled aloud.
With that, Severus sauntered up to the grass and in the path of the object of his affection. A grin lit up Riley's face as she slowed down her pace and walked up to Severus. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand and gazed up at him.
"Hey you." Riley said, in an enticing tone as he drew closer, closing the gap between them.
Severus encircled his arms around her tiny waist, damp as she was, and pulled her to him in a swift movement. Riley barely had time to react as he dipped his head down and encased his lips with hers. His warm mouth moved softly over hers and his tongue darted over her bottom lip, causing her to wiggle in enjoyment. He deepened the kiss to the point where she became breathless when he released her.
"Severus, did you know that there are a bunch of boys behind us? They're just staring…" Riley said quietly in a winded manner.
"I had no idea." Severus said smoothly as he glanced over her shoulder at the gawking teenagers.
"James and Lily are getting married!" Riley said, raising a piece of parchment up in her hand to show Severus.
"They're so young." She added, flipping the paper around to reread it with a furrowed brow.
"I'm glad you think so." Severus said shortly, as he continued to scratch his quill on the parchment in front of him.
Riley and Severus had begun their apprenticeships with their prospective professors as intended and the work load was beginning to pile on. Severus was studying potions under Professor Slughorn. It was not his first choice, for he was fascinated with defense against the dark arts, but it was a job and it provided the protection they needed. Riley, on the other hand, was under the guidance of Professor Despoine, the Muggle Studies teacher. This suited Riley, given her ancestral background and her love of muggle music and fashion. Her work appeared to be less labor intensive than Severus' but proved to be thought provoking and philosophical in manner. Discussion was the fore front of the subject and essays would be long and tedious to read and grade. Muggle Studies was needed more than ever due to the dark times that seem to lie ahead.
Both tenured professors were eager of the procurement of their pupils with retirement arriving soon and the gratified feeling of doling out all of their acquired knowledge. The summer would be a good start before the commencement of the next school year.
"It's not just an announcement though, Severus. It's an invitation." Riley said, laying down the pearly white parchment next to Severus' meticulous script.
Her blue eyes searched his as she watched him lower his quill without a word and glance at the irksome paper in front of him. His eyebrows drew together in thought as he read swiftly.
"I see." He said, picking up his quill again with his long, lithe fingers and continuing his task.
"We should go." She said quietly in a calculated tone.
"Should we?" Severus said in a deeply sarcastic voice.
"They are our friends."
"Our friends?"
"Well, kinda…"
Severus dropped his quill with an annoyed and perturbed expression and swiveled in his chair at the wooden desk to face her. Riley smiled in a way someone would if they had just poked an angry bear. It was meant to look placid, but just looked slightly demented as she waited for the dispensing of his frustration.
"Riley…" Severus started, his voice a proverbial warning for his upcoming thoughts.
"They are in the Order with us." Riley said pragmatically.
"Yes, an Order that has not yet included us." Severus said.
"But they will soon. And it will be uncomfortable each time we see them because they'll recall that we did not attend the most important occasion of their lives."
He sighed and looked at the hopeful expression that glimmered in those ocean blue eyes.
"I won't here the end of it if we don't go, will I?" He asked pointedly, his hands folded in his lap.
A sheepish grin crossed Riley's face, causing her face to light up with the whiteness of her teeth.
"Does that mean we're going?" She asked patiently.
"If that is what you want." He said.
"Thank you, Severus!" Riley cried, bouncing from one foot to another and wrapping her hands around his slender frame. She pressed her cheek tightly against his solid chest, trying to fill him with the love she felt inside. "We'll get you some cake or something! Though you don't care for sweets—but I'll repay you somehow!"
Severus looked down evilly at Riley and tilted her head up gently with his index finger.
"I know something that you can do. You can sit next to Professor Binns during dinner tonight." His said with a voice smooth as molasses.
Riley discontinued her crushing grip by releasing Severus, groaning in reply, staring up at him.
"Ugh, I can't stand when he rambles on about Uric or Emeric or whoever it is!" She mumbled grumpily.
"Perhaps you can find out who it is tonight." Severus said with a small smirk sliding upon his pale face. "You are forcing me to be in a social setting with my former tormentors."
"Severus…" Riley moaned.
"Also, if I have to wear dress robes, I get two nights of peace." Severus said thoughtfully, tapping Riley on the chin.
"Why do I feel like I'm making a deal with the devil?" Riley asked, her expression no longer joyful.
"The devil would never have so much fun." Severus said as his smirk turned into a satisfied grin.
Severus dawdled the entire way that afternoon as they apperated with their assigned portkey outside giant wooden doors. For someone who received so much for his mere attendance, you would have thought his toenails were being pulled out by a mediwitch one nail at a time. At first, one might suspect his disdain for the event was due to his former love wedding his former adversary, but Riley knew the socialization of the event was much more painful to the Slytherin than that. He looked so handsome in his white buttoned up starched shirt and thin black silk tie. The buttons ran up that slender, pale throat which made Riley's fingers itch with the desire to un-button them and press her fingers to the cool, pale flesh beneath. He looked sleek and slim and rather dashing. His boot-leg black pants were creased and pressed to complement his long legs. He opted out of a jacket or a robe due to the casualness of the wedding.
Riley took him by the arm of his button-down and encircled her hand in the nook of his elbow. She smoothed down the sky blue silk of her backless, halter dress, careful not to trip on the floor length hem. She lifted her round sunglasses to the top of her tussled, wavy hair and turned to Severus with a glittering smile.
"You look so handsome, Severus." She said softly, appreciating the view before her.
Severus turned a tinge pink, though used to her flattery and whispered gently down into her ear.
"We could go back and make use of our living quarters." He said in sly tone.
"Ah, Severus, you should know when you've been beaten." Riley said humbly with a soft smile upon her face.
She patted him sweetly upon his arm and stood upon her tip toes.
"Don't worry, Snape, I have means of getting what I want after the wedding." Riley said dangerously, tilting her head back and letting her fingers trace the exposed deep v of her décolletage.
Severus' breath caught in his throat as his dark eyes surveyed the exposed area of flesh and his face deepened to a beet red when she caught his eye. They stilled, with gazes lingering as something stirred deep within them.
"Are you sure...?" Severus muttered again, staring at the figure next to him, the hunger lingering in his eyes.
"Soon enough, darling, soon enough." Riley said, pressing her cherry lips to his soft cheek.
Riley turned with Severus pulled close beside her and they entered the doors that opened wide to accept them into the old, quaint chapel. The click of their shoes could be heard upon the stone floors and before them sat rows of wooden pews facing an altar decorated with colorful and various lilies. A few hands were extended as they were waved inside the venue as the doors quietly shut behind them.
The ceremony was brief and magical. Although James was from a prominent wizarding family, Lily came from a muggle one. The ceremony mixed both traditions to amuse both families as the couple exchanged vows and stars trickled down over their heads at the end of the ritual. The bride wore a simple, though elegant, strappy white sundress and the groom wore black dress robes that complimented his black framed glasses. Sirius stood happily at the front, beaming at his two friends as he looked on.
The formality soon gave way at the end of the couple's kiss when the guests ventured out into the English gardens accompanied by the reception tent. Severus encased Riley's fingers in his as they walked through the gardens together towards the tent. Music played loudly through the roses as they drew closer to the party. Riley grinned in delight when she noted the band playing in the corner. Harried and furiously engaged in their instruments was the band from the Yule Ball.
Sirius extended his hand out to Riley as he bowed to her deeply at the same time. His wavy locks were brushed until they were lush and shiny and his handsome face held a full grin.
"Would you care to dance, my lady?" He asked in his marauder-like jovial manner.
Riley looked across the room and saw that Severus was engaged in a conversation with the Evans' that appeared quite intimate. She could not capture his eyes, so she turned back to the boyish man in front of her.
"Get up, you big oaf. Of course I'll dance with you." She teased, pulling him up to his feet from his lowered state.
Sirius took the opportunity as he rose, to twirl Riley around on her toes, examining the floor-length dress she wore in all its glory. His gray eyes grew wide with both comic and sincere effect.
"My, my, Miss Brannigan. That is quite the dress you have on." His tone saucy and admiring. "It has been too long since we left Hogwarts. Why haven't I seen you more? I like what I'm seeing now."
Riley swatted at him and placed her free hand on a slender hip.
"Are you going to dance with me or flatter me to death?" She asked in a mockingly annoyed tone.
"Oh, I'm going to dance with you, Miss Brannigan, and real close. Where's Snivelly at so he can watch me steal his girl?"
"Stop it, Sirius. Or I'm giving my dance card to someone else, Mr. Black."
"I'm just playing, Ry." He dipped her low, pressing his chest into her, "Or am I?"
He raised and lowered his eyebrows suggestively as he swiftly pulled her back up into a full stance. A tango-like number sounded from the band and Sirius assumed the dance's position. He pulled her right arm up and flung his alternate arm around her waist, guiding her across the wooden impermanent floor. Riley laughed at the hilarity of the situation as others also turned around and chuckled in merriment. Everyone present seemed to be used to the marauder sense of humor. A single stemmed rose was even thrown in their direction and Sirius received a round of applause as he attempted to catch it with his teeth. At that moment, Severus looked at from his current conversation and his face darkened at the commotion at the center of the room. Knowing full well that Riley only had eyes for him, did not wipe away his former insecurities, especially when it came to Sirius Black. One glance around the room and one could see that the Gryffindor could charm the pants off of anyone.
Severus was still mulling at the sight when a loud explosion dampened the rest of the sound in the room and blood curdling screams followed soon after.
