Blackbird Fly
Two
Professor Dumbledore was waiting for Severus and Isolde at the base of his staircase, which was easier than waiting while the two shouted random sweets at the gargoyle guarding the office. He smiled at them, eyes ever twinkling, and followed them up the revolving staircase.
He strode easily to the desk, his garish robes trailing behind him, and took a seat, folding his hands on top of the desk and smiling pleasantly.
"I received your Patronus, Miss Chase, and I will meet the young lady you found as soon as she is well. After that, she and I will determine what happens. Now, could you tell me what happened?"
Isolde and Severus looked at one another, each daring the other to start talking. Isolde took a deep breath and began to tell her side of the story after shooting Severus a quick glare.
"Well, I was climbing trees down by the lake when Severus found me and told me someone at the castle was looking for me. I headed back and all of a sudden, I heard a weird noise. I ran into Severus again and we decided to investigate."
Severus gave her a grateful glance for skimming over the confrontation under the tree before he began to speak. "I was looking for Isolde to tell her that someone was looking for her—like she said—and she headed back up to the castle. I was skipping rocks across the surface of the lake when I heard the popping sound. I saw Isolde walking back up to the castle and caught up to her. Then we went to investigate the sound."
"I used the Point-Me spell, and it led us to the Quidditch Pitch, where we saw the girl lying on the ground. We each sent our Patronus; mine went to you while Severus sent his to Madam Pomfrey. We cared for the girl until you arrived, and you know what happened after that," Isolde finished, ending their lie with finesse. Both Slytherins wore stony, blank-slate faces; Dumbledore would learn nothing more from them.
"Mr. Snape, Miss Chase, thank you both for telling me what happened. I will investigate this incident immediately. You may return to your dormitory; I will give you a note as it is past curfew."
Dumbledore gave the note to Snape and nodded to Isolde. "Stay together, or I do believe Mr. Filch will be only too willing to put you in detention for breaking curfew."
Severus and Isolde left together, still quiet, each one trying to find a way to break the semi-awkward silence. Neither was really willing to begin a conversation, as their imaginations had supplied several awkward, stilted situations, each worse than the one before.
"Do you think she'll be in school with us?" Severus asked suddenly.
"I don't know. I mean, there's always a chance, right?" she replied uncomfortably. Isolde wasn't very good at dealing with people her own age, preferring to keep to herself or talk to adults. She was, however, open-minded enough to know that Severus was the same way.
"I guess."
Severus gave the wall guarding the Slytherin common room the password once they got there, waiting chivalrously for Isolde to pass through before following. The two stood awkwardly in the center of the common room, grateful that the rest of their house had already retired.
"Erm . . . thanks for your help," she said, still feeling a bit awkward. It wasn't easy to forget the years of neglect and occasional torment Severus and the gang of Slytherins had put her through, but maybe he was just as lonely. She bit her lower lip, something she hadn't done since she was a child.
"Severus!" she called as he reached the tunnel to the boys' rooms. When he turned back, she continued, saying, "Sit with me tomorrow at breakfast?"
His impassive facade faded for a moment, the shock registering on his face. The two hadn't spoken before now except to exchange taunts in the corridors, but now she was asking for a cease-fire, really; maybe she was asking for his friendship.
Severus responded with a curt nod, leaving Isolde to wind her way back to her dormitory; both anxious and confused about what tomorrow would bring.