A/N: Sorry about the delay in posting! Thank you as always to all of my readers and to my amazing Beta! Enjoy! And we'll have a little chat at the bottom!
A/N2 (30.11.11): Thank you to my new amazing Beta MysteryTears who went over this chapter and picked out the flaws that was previously in this.
Chapter 8 – One of the Pack
Rose woke up to the late morning light. She couldn't remember where she was or how she got there. She blinked a few times trying to adjust to the bright lights and when her eyes had finally adjusted, the outside world was crystal clear rather than the blurry image that she had woken up to.
"You sure that waking up this late isn't the worst of your abilities?" Ethan teased as he saw that Rose was finally awake. Rose turned her head and saw that Coxly was sitting in the single chair beside her bed. She let out a laugh at his little joke and felt better almost instantly, knowing that he had been here watching over her.
"Yes, I'm quite positive that waking up late isn't the worst of my abilities. What are you doing here, Coxly?" Rose asked sitting up in the hospital bed that she occupied.
"I had to make sure that you were okay, you've been out for the past three days. Your friends are going mad with worry. Especially Mister Lupin." Ethan said, his eyes twinkling at the memory of finding the boys fretting over his 'little sister'.
"What's the time?" Rose asked, hoping that it wasn't too late. Ethan looked down at his muggle watch on his left wrist and then back up at Rose with a goofy smile on his lips.
"Why it's half past twelve, honestly Rose that's bad even for you." Ethan teased. Rose gave a little scoff and pulled down the covers.
"So how has the pack been?" Rose asked by way of conversation as she stepped behind the changing frame and got herself dressed into some proper clothes.
"They're alright," Ethan replied twisting his wand between his fingers, "Holloway's getting married next year to Helen Nixon, Myers is the potions master in New York and Blackburn hasn't been keeping in contact with me, Holloway or Myers. The latest that I've heard about him was that he had joined up with Voldemort." Ethan said listing his pack's achievements. Rose emerged out from behind the changing frame. There wasn't any emotion on her face as she said, "You know I never liked Blackburn, there was always something amiss with him."
Rose picked up her wand and her school bag from the bedside table and then turned to Coxly and smile softly. "It was nice catching up with you Coxly but I'm going to go and get some lunch, because I am starving. I'll see you around." With that said, she left the infirmary and made her way down to the great hall, hoping that there was still some lunch left.
Remus, Sirius, James, Peter, Lily, Mary, Alice and Frank sat in a group together at the Gryffindor table. Remus's mood was extremely grouchy as the full moon was in three nights time and also because he was getting constantly distracted as his thoughts kept returning to Rose who – to his knowledge – was still asleep in one of the infirmary beds. None of the group paid Remus' behaviour any mind. Although, truth be told, they were all worried for Rose. It was a solemn group that Rose found sitting at the Gryffindor table, most of them picking at their lunches as they talked quietly amongst themselves. Rose approached the group. It wasn't until she had actually sat down next to Remus that they noticed her at all.
Remus stiffened as he smelt the scent of roses, rain and old books. He turned his head and found that Rose was now sitting beside him. He felt a low growl ripple inside of him that he couldn't stop from escaping him.
Rose turned and looked at Remus for a moment, an incredulous look on her face. Had he just growled at her? Rose shook it off and simply gave the boy next to her a soft smile, and then she turned and met the gazes of the rest of their group.
"Hey guys," Rose said before she started piling her plate high with food. She hadn't been kidding when she told Coxly that she was starving. The group continued talking softly as Rose ate her food. Remus' grouchy mood had lifted slightly as Rose was now sitting next to him, and things were back to the new normality that had found their group.
On the table across, a certain Slytherin had noticed the new addition to the group of Gryffindor's that he absolutely loathed. He let out a sigh of relief that he simply couldn't suppress. Rose was okay and he felt infinitely stupid for being so worried about her. They were barely acquaintances and he had been worried about her as if they had been best friends for years.
"So when did you wake up?" Remus asked, trying to start a conversation between himself and the girl that he had been worried sick over. Rose's green eyes met his topaz ones and Remus let out a sigh seeing that she was perfectly fine.
"Just now, I had a run in with Professor Cox on my way down here. He told me that you had been very worried over me," Rose said softly, her eyes never leaving Remus'. She wondered when he had started caring for her so much. At the mention of Professor Cox another low growl rippled from Remus' chest and Rose's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Now Rose was sure that she hadn't just imagined it as James gave Remus a questioning look but he didn't seem surprised at all to hear Remus growling.
"Hey are you okay?" Rose asked Remus, trying to comprehend why he had just growled at the mention of their Professor. She didn't miss the flash of emotion in his eyes before he turned to her with a soft smile playing on his lips.
"I'm fine Rose, just my stomach." Remus gave a slight chuckle and started munching on a piece of fruit. "Come on we've got Charms next. Let's go," Remus said getting up wanting to spend some time alone with the girl. Rose looked up into Remus eyes and could feel her lips pulling up into a soft smile. She obliged his request by standing up and saying goodbye to her other friends before making her way out of the great hall with Remus. They walked slowly towards their next class together.
"So what exactly happened the other day? James seemed to know what had happened in some sense but he wouldn't tell the rest of us," Remus said, making his fears known to Rose. Rose contemplated how to answer his question. What exactly had happened the other day?
"I was already emotionally drained, and then trying to connect all six of our minds at once just simply zapped the rest of the energy that I had left over. Those two factors plus the fact that I had almost lost it earlier on just made the situation worse. So, in order for myself to recover and heal from the strain I put myself under, I simply rested for the past few days," Rose said softly. Remus' hand found hers and gave a soft, understanding squeeze before letting go.
"The most I've ever done before was connecting Coxly and his pack's minds up. They wanted me to leave a permanent connection between their minds. There were only four of us, - Coxly, myself and two other people - but still they wanted a permanent connection between their minds. I had been asleep for a week and a half after I did it. My mind was sore and lagging for weeks afterwards." Rose gave up on holding a soft laugh back at the memory that poured over her. She could remember the strain she had been under during the month that had passed after that physical strain on her mind, she could remember Coxly's, Holloway's and Myer's jubilation at the ability to read each other's minds and send silent messages between the group. The memory was a fond one to her and she wouldn't have traded it for anything in the world. Remus was pleasantly surprised at Rose's mirth at the memory and he wanted to laugh along with her but he had to ask her the question that was on his mind.
"You mean Professor Cox don't you?" Remus asked surprised at the gentleness of his voice although he had been seethingly jealous ever since the first night that Professor Cox had relieved him from watching over Rose. Rose's eyes found Remus' again and she searched his eyes, – for what she didn't know – and she answered him when she had found it. "Yes Remus. I mean Professor Cox. We went to W.I.C.C.A together, although he had been a few good years ahead of me. He was like a big brother to me, and I a little sister to him. Nothing more and nothing less, but I suppose you already know that don't you," Rose stated, already knowing the answer. She received a soft, "yes," anyways.
"What do you mean by his pack?" Remus asked though already knowing the answer; he simply wanted to hear it from her. He wanted to gauge her reaction to werewolves as much as he had at the welcoming feast.
"Professor Cox suffers from Lycanthropy. He does not completely embrace the wolf, but he knows what he is and he is comfortable with who he is. He's a good man, and a decent brother. He wouldn't ever hurt anyone. You need to believe me when I say that you can trust him Remus! Please, please don't go giving away his secret," Rose implored Remus to understand, to trust her, and his hands landed down on her shoulders not only keeping her still but keeping her with him.
"I trust your judgement Rose and I will never give away his secret," Remus swore knowing that his Professor's secret was just as discriminating as his own. Remus gave Rose a soft smile. "Come on. Let's go inside before we get caught hanging out here." They both made their way into the classroom and found seats next to each other as they waited for their Professor and the rest of their class to arrive.
James and Sirius had joined up with Rose and Remus after Charms had finished. They had had the class together but James and Sirius had been sitting at the table behind them since they had not been able to get to either of the tables besides Rose's and Remus'. Sirius's bark-like laughter was filling up the hallway and the rest of the group couldn't help but laugh along with him.
"Did you see the look on Professor Flitwick's face when I made Helga Penfold's ink bottle explode in her face! It was priceless!" Sirius exclaimed and another howl of laughter went through the three boys and Rose let out a soft groan. Yes, the prank in and of itself was harmless but Rose felt the poor girls mortification and she wondered if the three Marauders even knew how Helga had felt?
The class room was almost full when they entered into the room, there was one empty table and two half empty tables. Sirius and James made a mad dash for the single empty table and Rose and Remus shared exasperated looks at their friend's behaviours. Rose saw an empty seat next to Severus and made her way towards him as Remus took a seat next to another Gryffindor that Rose did not know.
"Hey," Rose said when she had sat down next to Severus. He looked her way, wondering who would sit next to him. Rose smiled as she saw Severus' look turn from one of scorn to one of delight.
"I need to get used to you sneaking up on me," He replied by way of greeting and Rose's smile only widened.
"Well I hope it takes a while," Rose replied. When she saw his confusion she simply stated, "I like seeing your delight whenever I come to talk to you," Rose teased. It was true. She did like seeing the happiness that overcame him when she sought him out rather than the scornful, shutoff blank expression that he gave the rest of the world.
"Good Afternoon class and Welcome to your first lesson of Advanced Potions. I am Professor Slughorn though you should all know that by know." Professor Slughorn's tease was as obvious as his round belly. He looked like a young Santa Clause except he had dirty blonde hair and he had no snowy white beard. Plus the man was dressed in simple brown robes rather than the exalting red outfit one usually applied with Father Christmas!
"Now, for a little test, I have placed out these five potions. I wonder, Mister Snape, if you can tell us what is in this first potion?" Professor Slughorn said and Severus stood up from his chair and came to the first potion that Professor Slughorn had pointed out.
Severus looked down into the crystal clear potion, and he knew instantly from the texture, colour and odourless smell exactly what the potion was. "This is Vertiserum, sir. It is the most powerful truth serum in the world," He stated blandly and made his way back to his seat.
"That is correct, Mister Snape. Ten points to Slytherin. Now, who would like to tell me what the next one is?" Slughorn asked and a couple of hands shot up, including Rose's, Lily's, Remus's and two other Slytherin's that Rose didn't know.
"Ah how about you Miss…" Slughorn said, seeing Rose for the first time. Rose smiled brightly at her new Professor. "Miss Ashmore, Sir," Rose said getting up from her seat beside Severus; she moved towards the second potion.
"That is Amortentia, sir. It's the strongest love potion in the world. It's different for everybody. For example: I smell, fresh parchment, peppermint and… chocolate." Rose replied lying on the last example, in truth she had smelt that woodsy smell that she associated with werewolves, Coxly and his pack in particular.
"Thank you for your example Miss Ashmore and you are absolutely correct. Ten points for Gryffindor," Slughorn replied as Rose made her way over to her seat beside Severus.
Professor Slughorn called up on Lily, Remus and another Slytherin boy that, Rose had now learnt, was called Lestrange.
"Today you will be brewing the Draught of Living Death," Slughorn said putting emphasis on the title for dramatic effect. Rose could barely control the bubbling giggles that threatening to burst from her. "The one who can brew it correctly will win this tiny vial of Felix Felicis or, more commonly known as, liquid luck. You have just under an hour and a half. Good luck!" Professor Slughorn cried and there was a rush of movement as people went searching for the correct page.
Everyone rushed, trying to organize themselves and get their potions done first. As Rose blocked out the noise around her and focused her mind on the task at hand, she found herself going at a slow but steady pace, going through the steps and motions as if this was simply just another dance. Although Severus' mind was focused on the potion at hand he was still overly aware of the girl beside him, her body heat rolling off of her in waves – unknown on her part – towards him. He blocked out her particular scent – which smelled of roses, rain and old books – and sent his entire focus onto brewing the potion to perfection.
There was hardly a moment when Rose was unaware of what was going on around her – except for perhaps while she was asleep – and so Rose knew instantly that someone was planning on causing mischief. The actual perpetrators thoughts were unusually quiet and with the mass of chaotic thoughts from the other students in the room Rose could not determine where the mischief was coming from, or who was causing it or even what type of mischief was waiting to be caused. It wasn't until she heard a whirling sound coming closer towards her did she realize that the mischief she had sensed was being sent in her direction. She had a few seconds to quickly cast a shield charm over herself and her potion before the fore-sensed mischief had reached her table. She watched in horror as Severus's potion exploded before them and she had a split second to throw a shielding charm over him as well. She was fortunately lucky to be in time as none of Severus's clearly perfect potion had landed on him – or her for that matter – but it had eaten away at his half of table and his cauldron. Rose already had a sneaking suspicion as to who was the maker of this almost disastrous mischief. Slughorn gave a yelp of surprise at the sound of the explosion and Rose was grateful that nobody had been hit by Severus's potion.
"Oh my, are you quiet alright Mister Snape?" Slughorn asked, rushing over to their table. Severus simply nodded his head still in shock that his cauldron had exploded right before him. "What happened?" Slughorn turned to Rose and she only gave a slight shrug of her shoulders. "I don't know, sir. I think someone put something into Severus' cauldron." She stated simply. Slughorn gave her a suspicious look and Severus shouted out "No! It wasn't her, sir. She'd never do something like that." Rose was surprised by his outcry of defence in her name and she could feel her cheeks redden slightly.
"Alright, as long as neither of you were hurt." Slughorn said nodding his head slowly and then – almost as an afterthought – added "Would you mind terribly if you shared your cauldron with Mister Snape for the rest of the lesson?" Rose didn't mind sharing at all and she made that perfectly clear to the Professor before he walked away.
Severus moved closer towards the girl, strangely thankful for another chance to talk to her again. They were so close now that their knees were slightly brushing against each other's.
"So I heard that you were in the infirmary for the past three days," Severus said as a conversation starter. "What happened?" he asked, his black eyes looking up into her dark forest green ones.
"I was an idiot. I thought I'd be able to connect a few minds together, you know to show the others what I can do but I overexerted myself and kind of passed out, hence, why I've been sleeping in the infirmary for the past three days." There was a soft smile tugging at Rose's lips as she relayed to Severus what had happened. Severus gave a slight chuckle and then his expression turned serious.
"Thank you by the way," He said. Rose was surprised by his words and not knowing why he was thanking her asked "Whatever for?"
Severus lifted an eyebrow at her "For putting up that shielding charm over me." he lowered his voice softly and continued, "Not a lot of people would have done that for me. To be quite frank, nobody would have done that for me." Rose was – quite admittedly – not surprised by this. She could tell that Severus didn't have very many friends, and that if he had any before he simply did not have them anymore. She placed a gentle hand on his arm, making sure that he was paying attention to her as she lowered her voice as well and said "That's what friends are for," whilst smiling softly at him. Severus smiled softly at her too, before they got started on Rose's half completed potion. She reached out for James's mind and sent to him We'll talk about this later, before turning her attention completely towards Severus and the potion at hand.
The class continued and five minutes before the bell rang, Professor Slughorn pulled them to a finish and captured their attention once more. Slughorn went over the twenty student's cauldrons, testing the draughts quality by placing a single leaf into each cauldron. Rose was happy with the reaction that she received from Slughorn when he had finally gotten to her cauldron.
"Wow, absolutely marvellous, the two of you have brewed this to perfection. I'd say one drop and it'd kill us all. I'll let the two of you decide who should have the small vial of Felix Felicis" Slughorn said handing over the small vial between the Gryffindor and Slytherin.
"I want you to have it Rose. I was lucky enough in this past week to have met you," Severus said, there was no doubt in Rose's mind of his honesty. It was absolutely clear in his voice.
"No, Severus. You have it. You'll need it more than I will," Rose said, refusing to take the vial from him. Severus reluctantly pocketed the vial before standing up and picking up his book bag. Rose didn't try to stop him from leaving, although she had to admit that she was sad to see him go.
James and Sirius came rushing over to Rose, and they were begging her desperately to forgive them, that they didn't think their prank was going to make the cauldron explode and that they hadn't realized how strong "Snivellus'" potion was. Rose simply ignored their pleading and told them that it was okay and that thankfully nobody had been hurt. She made her way out the door and the group made their way down to the great hall for dinner, Rose holding onto both James' and Remus' arms. She was one of them now and she wouldn't let them forget it.
A/N: Last week's chapter title was from the song "Strange" by Tokio Hotel ft. Kerli and it was off of the album Almost Alice (which for those of you who don't know is the music inspired by the 2010 movie Alice in Wonderland, which I absoluetly adore because it has the always sensual Alan Rickman in it!). If you review (and I can't stress enough how much your thoughts in the form of reviews means to me) you will get a preview of next weeks chapter. I have decided to post once a week, due to the fact that I'm trying to find a job and my attention needs to be focused on finding one as my mother constantly reminds me ^_^ So I will be posting once a week from now on, it will either be on a Friday/Saturday. Please review because I'd love to hear from you. And if possible check out my other Harry Potter fanfic's (all one-shot's for now). Thanks Guys and I'll see you next week ^_^
For those of you who are curious this is the playlist thus far; At the moment I have roughly 30 something songs on the playlist for this novel, hopefully by the time that I've finished writing this I will have used all those song's as title's in some way or another ^_^
- "Lion" by Rebecca St James
- "Strange" by Tokio Hotel ft. Kerli