Yup, still here! And in Japan now! I had to get this one out now, as I'm sure I'll be a bit miffed at Severus for a few weeks after wednesday...enjoy some minor familial fluff!
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One by one,
the days fall beside us
like yellow leaves
~ Gregory & The Hawk
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Season Poem
By May
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If he were to be honest with the general populace (which he would not be), Severus Snape would admit that there were few things that truly and utterly annoyed him these days. Certainly, he put on a good show of being put off by everyone and everything. But in reality, rarely did situations come along that could genuinely put him in a dark mood for the rest of the day, or night, as it were. And tonight, he was finding himself in one of those situations. Nearly thirty years of teaching had made him immune to most student antics, but being awoken in the middle of the night due to some child's suicidal whim to go romping in the Forbidden Forest was another matter completely. Especially when that child was apparently from his own house.
Severus had been awoken in his chambers by a summons from Selune, and with much cursing and carrying on, enough to wake his usually deep-sleeping wife, he'd thrown on a robe and hurried off toward the Headmistress' office. He hissed the password through his teeth, waiting impatiently for the statue to turn before sweeping up the steps. The heavy wooden door swung open quickly to admit him, and he went straight for Selune's desk, hardly noticing the cluster of glum-looking school children seated in the corner.
"This had better be important. Someone best be missing a limb, having been trampled by a centaur. Or there had better at least be a secret underground cult of first-year-sacrificing Dark Lord remnants living right under my nose, in my very house." He grumbled, taking note of the barely-contained amusement on Selune's face. Her blue eyes were twinkling under her mane of curly, slightly graying red hair, but her expression quickly smoothed and turned stern when she nodded toward the students in question. Severus finally glanced their way, expecting to see the usual handful of green and silver clad trouble-makers from his house. He was not to be quite so lucky.
First there was Charlie Podmore, fifth year Hufflepuff, hardly able to meet his Professor's eyes, instead staring at the floor, his mop of brown hair hiding most of his face in that position. Beside Charlie, Rodrigue Nott staring up at the ceiling, his serious face glum, his Ravenclaw tie askew and his fair cheeks splattered with mud. The two best friends were such opposites in form, Charlie broad and tan and built like a brick wall, Rodrigue sinewy and slender, tall and pale, the Beater and the Seeker, respectively, but both wore twin expressions of gloom.
Sitting cross-legged on the floor by Rod's knees was, of course, Oubliette Lestrange, fifth year Slytherin, clearly having been dragged out in her pajamas, her long brown hair tangled with twigs and leaves, her face also worried. Charisse Zabini was next, the only one looking unconcerned, studying her nails and playing with her hair. She was the only usual trouble-maker of the whole lot of them, one Severus would have expected to see. Merlin knew she'd lost their house enough points that school year alone. But she didn't seem to be the ring-leader of this particular operation. No, that title apparently belonged to the calm blonde girl sitting at the end of the line, meeting his eye steadily. Fourth year Ravenclaw, Rodmilla Nott.
"…And not a Gryffindor among you for me to shout at." Severus said at last, currently at a loss for anything else. Ever the cheeky one, Charisse Zabini shot her Head of House a simpering little smirk.
"Apparently, Ronald Weasley could not be reached, as he's already serving detention for that incident with the toads. Ouch!" The girl grumbled, rubbing her side where Oubliette had jabbed her with her elbow. The eldest Lestrange was not amused, glaring at her housemate fiercely.
"Enough." Severus said sternly, fixing both girls with a harsh glare. "As you two are the only ones present from my house, you will enjoy the singular pleasure of official owls to your parents, along with whatever other punishment the Headmistress and I see fit." Groans from both. Severus smirked. That was one of the many perks of teaching while no longer under the guise of double agent: he could punish the children of his former peers again, instead of being forced to coddle the brats. But this pleasure was short-lived. His gaze returned to Rodmilla, and his voice dropped lower. "What. Happened?"
"It's my fault," Rodrigue piped up, as usual. Severus shut his eyes, reaching up to rub the bridge of his nose. "I shouldn't have gone along with it, I should have told her it was a bad idea…"
"Yes, you should have, but that is not what I asked." Severus cut him short, sharply. Of course Rodrigue had not talked his twin sister out of whatever mad scheme she'd gotten into her head, though he was always more than willing to take the blame. Once her best friend Oubliette was involved, Rod would go along with anything, hair-brained or life-threatening though it be. "I asked your sister. What happened?"
"…I needed specimens." Milla responded, calmly. Her stepfather opened his eyes, fixed them upon her, eyebrows furrowing. Rodmilla went on, hands folded in her lap, the picture of composure despite the leaves in her long hair, "For my Herbology project. I required live skeever slugs, and they only come out after dark."
There was a long pause, full of nervously shifting children and Selune's half-contained snickering. Severus stared at his stepdaughter long and hard. Lesser students had melted into puddles of shame and fear under that stare. As for Rodmilla, she'd been privy to it since before she could speak, and was thus mostly immune. This did not stop her from feeling intensely ashamed, of course. Finally, Severus spoke. "Your Herbology project?" Milla nodded, "Tell me, Ms. Nott, since when did Professor Longbottom begin assigning his students projects which required them to break curfew?"
Rodmilla had to look down then, her cheeks reddening. "Never," She whispered, but went on quickly, her voice gathering momentum as she did and her brave face dropping, "We have dried skeever slugs in the greenhouses, but my research shows that live ones produce such better results in the dittany plants I am growing, in turn yielding a far better essence, which in turn will benefit all of us when we go to brew our final potions projects and oh father I'm sorry!"
Her outburst gave Severus yet another reason to pause in astonishment. Certainly, such reckless ventures for the good of her and her friends' marks was nothing new from Rodmilla, though this was the first time she'd actually broken curfew. This was also the first time in her life that she'd ever called him 'Father'.
To others, he was introduced as her stepfather. In school, he was Sir, or Professor. At home, he was also Sir. It was not because they feared his reaction to a more personal title, they had grown up with his chilly façade and were unaffected by it, at least at home. Indeed, their sister Claudette, a year younger and possessing much more of her mother's ethereal spirit, called him every form of title there was, from Father to Padre. The twins had always been more reserved, though. Severus knew it was because, dim though the memories were, both of them could just barely remember the man who'd been their biological father, while their younger sister could not.
Presently, Rodmilla cleared her throat and looked back down at her lap, hands folded tightly. Severus took a deep breath, not daring to glance behind him because he knew that if he did, the headmistress would not be able to contain her delight. Instead he surveyed the lot of them again, "And I take it you were all roped in to this plot as well?"
"Milla needed the extra eyes," Charlie nodded, his voice quiet, chastised. Severus fixed the young man with a sharp, withering glare. The boy was almost as much of a fool for his stepdaughter as Rodrigue was for Oubliette Lestrange. That much had stayed the same throughout the years, at least.
"Well then." Severus grumbled, "Fifty points from each of you. Detention for Ms. Lestrange and Ms. Zabini will be served this Saturday, cleaning out my first year cauldrons." The girls both groaned, loudly. "As for you three," He looked at Charlie, Rodrigue, and Rodmilla in turn, "I leave detention up to your heads of house. Also," He spoke to the twins directly, "Pending a conversation with your mother, you are denied the upcoming trip to Hogsmeade." He did not miss the rather disappointed glance that Oubliette and Rodrigue shared. Rodmilla only nodded, accepting this with nothing more than a glum demeanor.
Selune finally spoke then, clearing her throat loudly beforehand, "I'll inform both Professor Longbottom and Professor Flitwick at breakfast in the morning," She told the lot of them, nodding toward the door. "You may all return to your respective common rooms." There was a chorus of 'yes professor' as the five teenagers shuffled out the door, Rodmilla glancing back at her stepfather once, before following the rest. He saw in that glance all that she wanted him to. She was sorry. She had only meant to up her marks, and help her friends do the same. He nodded to her once, before the door shut behind her. He understood. He still had to punish her. He was actually rather proud of her.
"Is that a smile I see, Severus Snape?" Headmistress Sinistra inquired, the delighted grin she'd kept in check all evening now free to dance all over her face. Severus frowned, turning back to her.
"Absolutely not." He said sharply, sneering. A pause. And then he sighed, reaching up to rub his eyes, one corner of his mouth turning upwards. "She is terribly bright, isn't she?"
"Terribly," Selune agreed, resting her hands on her desk, "Her brother is as well, but he's not quite so reckless about it, now is he?"
"Nope, very careful, thoughtful, that boy," Severus rubbed his chin, "She called me father."
"I take it this is a new development?" Selune's grin widened. Severus would not give her the satisfaction of seeing the same event going on upon his own face, and thus kept his eyes on the closed door.
"Indeed."
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Author's Notes: Reviews make Amy happy :D