Author's Note: Sorry it's been so long since my last update. My 4GB flashdrive, Holmes, totally spazzed out and I lost a lot of the work that was on there. Luckily, most of it was backed up stuff, but I did lose quite a few pictures. A bit depressing really. BUT my replacement is in the mail and on it's way here from like Illinois or some craziness like that, so all is well, AND it's like an 8 gig or 16 gig I can't remember. Anyway, hope you all had a Merry Christmas. Hope Santa was good to ya'll- he brought me $400 for a Nikon d60. I am most excited. Anywho, here's an update- be excited, it is very very good.
Olivia's POV
I went back to my room feeling slightly huffy but also a little pleased that I had discovered he did like me. I had climbed out of bed early this morning right after the sun had risen. I'd been completely exhausted from the party and had barely enough energy to change into my pajamas before I made my way to Snape's room. I'd crawled ito his bed without waking him and I'd slept better curled up next to him than I had my entire life.
But he didn't want me. He wanted to be a "good guy". I sat on my bed with a heavy sigh, then cheered up slightly. After all, it couldn't be that hard to make him want me.
I spent the rest of the morning plotting. I planned to dress sluttier and flirt more with Thomas and Matthew- things that would drive Snape crazy. I went down to lunch dressed in short jean shorts and a scoopy green shirt that showed off my boobs and made the boys stare. Unfortunately, Snape wasn't there, nor did he appear throughout lunch. No one had seen him so I figured he was upstairs in his room, avoiding me.
After lunch, I took a plate of food upstairs and knocked on his door. I received no reply, which irked me slightly. I tried the door and found it locked, not only with the lock, but also with magic. I pulled out my wand and after a series of spells, the door opened. Snape wasn't there. Annoyed, I left the plate on the desk and began to walk around the house, the yard, looking for him, but he was nowhere to be found.
After abandoning my Snape search, I went for a ride on Moonstar. I saw Matt and Thomas pushing a wheelbarrow filled with hay towards the stables when I was going to put Moonstar up. I trotted over to them.
"Have either of you seen Snape?" I asked, trying not to sound concerned.
"No since we brought you home last night," Thomas said.
"I thought he was going to kill us," Matt added, "He looked livid."
"Yeah. What's with him anyway? He's always watching you and if one of us so much as looks at you he shoots us a death glare."
"I dunno what his problem is," I said with a sigh.
"I think he loves you," Thomas said.
"Apparently not. He's vanished."
"A person can't just vanish," Matt said.
"Actually he can," I said, "If he's Disapparated I can't follow him. I'm not old enough. Dammit."
"Why would you want to follow him?" Thomas asked, "Just stay here and have fun."
"Yeah. Don't worry about that old bat," added Matt.
"Snape isn't an old bat," I quickly defended.
"Well either way he left you, so screw him. How'd you like to come camping with us tonight?" he inquired. I considered this a moment. If Snape came back and found me gone…he'd be pissed.
"Sure," I told the boys brightly, "That sounds like an excellent idea."
Snape's POV
I'd Disapparated almost immediately after my heated conversation with Olivia. After some debate on whether I should go home or to Hogwarts, the castle won out. I didn't want to be in the house where so many things would remind me of her. I also didn't want to see Albus so I immediately decided not to let him know I was in the castle…although he probably knew I was there anyway, being the great wizard that he was.
The Apparation took longer than usual because of the distance and when I appeared I was off balance and had a headache. I leaned against the gate a moment to steady myself, then started towards the castle.
I went down to my office, locked the door, and sat down at my desk. I tried to occupy my mind with mindless work- taking stock of ingredients…a job I usually allowed Olivia to do. After five minutes, I gave up trying to keep my mind off of her. Everything reminded me of her. Some of the ingredients we had picked together. Others I recalled her using when she worked on her animals potions- some ingredients I wouldn't normally keep in stock if Olivia hadn't found their medicinal uses for animals.
I went and sat back down at my desk with a heavy sigh, wondering if I had done the right thing this morning. Of course I wanted her. I had been trying to resist it for ages. …But now she wanted me too, which only made it so much harder to resist. That's why I had left the farm. Also, I didn't like the way she was throwing herself at me.
I stayed in my office all day. I summoned my supper from the kitchens and ate alone, in silence. I found myself thinking that food here at the castle wasn't as good as the food at the farm- most likely because the vegetables there were homegrown. I didn't particularly like the farm itself, but the food there was unbeatable.
A brilliant idea struck me suddenly- an idea that would get me off the farm a lot faster. I finished eating, then headed upstairs to talk to Albus. As I left the dungeons, I saw Filch in the Entrance Hall.
"Professor," Filch aid, approaching me, "There's a boggart that's moved into a trunk in my office. Do you think you could-?"
"I suppose. I'll see to it after I speak with the headmaster."
"Thank you."
I headed upstairs and knocked on Albus' office door.
"Come in," he said pleasantly. I opened the door.
"Severus. I didn't know you were here," he said, "I thought you and Olivia went to Ireland?"
"We did. She's still there. I Apparated back," I replied.
"Why?"
I frowned.
"I don't like it there as much as she does."
"You don't like it anywhere."
"Not true. I like…here. Hogwarts."
"Right. So you left Olivia in Ireland. Alone?"
The way he said it caused a surge of guilt.
"She's not alone. She has friends there," I muttered, "Jeez. …I have a question for you. A proposition…I'd consider it a favor."
"Ask away."
"The farm we own in Ireland is going through rough times. I would've sold it- the Ministry man recommended it- but Olivia loves the place, she spent a lot of time there when she was little."
"You want to save the farm for her," Albus said with a smile.
"I want to save the stupid farm so I don't have to stay there anymore. …If I would get them to agree to plant a lot of vegetables, could you- would you - supply the Hogwarts kitchens with their food?"
Albus was still smiling, his blue eyes twinkling.
"I don't see why not. After all, it's for a good cause."
I stayed and talked technicalities with him for a while- how much food they would need to supply and how much he would pay them- then headed back down to the dungeons. I remembered at the last minute my promise to remove the boggart for Filch, so I headed to his office. He wasn't in his office, but the trunk in the corner was rattling violently. I went into his office and shut the door behind me.
I pulled out my wand and turned to face the rattling trunk. With a wave of my wand, the lid opened. A moment passed, then-
Olivia climbed out, deep gashes on her arms, legs, face, and one particularly nasty one on her stomach that was pouring blood. She took a few steps forward and collapsed. Her body convulsed violently, then lay still. She was dead in a puddle of her own blood, her emerald eyes clouded and unseeing.
I was thoroughly shaken. I couldn't move. I couldn't think. I couldn't breathe. I guess a part of me knew it was a boggart, but I still traumatized. I fled the room, slamming the door shut behind me. I sank to my knees, shaking. I felt nauseous and had to will myself not to vomit.
Once I had regained my composure, I headed up out of the dungeons. I needed some fresh air. I made my way out onto the grounds, where I saw Minerva coming up the path from Hogsmeade. When she reached me she nodded to me.
"Good evening Severus," she said, "I thought you were out of the country?"
"I was. I returned to speak with Albus. …Filch told me there was a boggart in his office. I am somewhat in a hurry…do you think you could handle it for me?"
"Certainly, I can handle one little boggart," she replied lightly.
"…Thank you."
Once she had gone into the castle, I walked out to the lake and sat on the shore, looking out over the water. The boggart had really shaken me and I was sorely tempted to return to the farm tonight. I considered it a moment, but eventually decided against it. I only hoped that Olivia wouldn't go and do anything stupid. Hopefully she had learned her lesson from her experience last night.
Olivia's POV
I spent the night camping by the river with Matt and Thomas, although we didn't do much sleeping. They had beer and the three of us got drunk and had a good time. I fooled around with Thomas in the river, but didn't do anything serious. I kept my mind off Snape for the most part. When we went back up to the house the next morning, he still had not returned. Tired and annoyed I went into his room rather than mine. His bed had not been slept in. With a heavy sigh I flopped onto his bed and buried my face in his pillow, which smelled of him, even though he'd only slept there one night. I hugged the other pillow to me and fell asleep wishing he was there with me.
I only slept a few hours and when I awoke it was almost noon and Snape still wasn't back. I was starting to think maybe he wasn't going to come back at all. What if he just left me in Ireland for good?
He had left his suitcase, however, which seemed like a good incentive for him to come back…possibly. I was overcome with curiosity suddenly and a desire to some something mischievous.
I locked the door and sat down on the floor beside his trunk. I opened it and began to rummage through his things. He had a few sets of clothes, a toothbrush, some parchment and quills, and even a special compartment for Potions ingredients.
Hidden in the bottom of his trunk was a framed photograph of Lily Evans, which I carefully put back exactly how I had found it after staring at her a moment. I felt a stab of jealousy. She was dead and Snape wanted her more than he wanted me. She sort of looked like me too. I contemplates dyeing my hair black or letting the blonde0 which I hated- grow back out. It wasn't fair- I looked so much like her and he didn't want me.
Then I felt guilty. It wasn't fair to Snape. I imagined it wasn't easy for him- I was practically a clone of his dead girlfriend.
I closed the lid of the trunk and stood up. I made my way to the window absently and looked outside. My heart jumped when I saw Snape standing outside, deep in conversation with Don. I watched him a moment, then hurried downstairs and outside before he could disappear again.
He saw me coming and finished his conversation with Don, then headed for the house. I felt annoyed with him still and shot him my bitch look.
"Are you mad at me?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Good."
He continued inside and I followed.
"You could've left a note," I said irritably, "Told me you were leaving. Something."
"I don't report everything I do to you," he replied coolly, "By the way- I saved your stupid farm."
"It's not a stupid farm!" I flared, then paused, "…You did what now?"
"I've arranged for the farm to be used to grow the food for Hogwarts. Albus already agreed and he offered to pay a lot more than I would have asked for. I've just finished talking to Don and he thinks it's a brilliant idea. I've put him in charge of arranging it all. Do you think he is capable of it?"
"Yeah," I said, surprised, "…Thanks."
"I just want to get off this farm. …What did you do while I was gone?"
"I went camping."
"With who?"
"Thomas and Matt," I replied, a faint blush creeping into my cheeks. He just shook his head.
"…How much longer do you want to stay here?" he asked me.
"We can leave whenever you want to leave," I said amiably.
That evening after dinner I went for a walk around the farm, thinking that Snape was probably going to want to leave tomorrow. Don and Thomas were out in the pasture, deciding which parts could be sectioned off for growing purposes. I wandered around the empty stables. When I was little they'd been filled with horses and cows. Now all that was left were empty stalls, dust, and spider webs. There was a loft where hay was usually kept with a ladder leading up to it. I heard movement from up in the loft. Curious, I began to climb the ladder, thinking it was probably a rat or a bat. I poked my head up over the ledge and looked around. There were a few bales of hay against the wall and in the shadows- several pairs of gleaming eyes.
"Here mouse, mouse," I said. There was a fast movement in the shadows and a hissing noise. Disconcerted, I scrambled down the ladder. The bottom step broke under my weight and I fell the last two feet and landed on my butt. I looked up in time to see four kittens of varying colors bounding down the ladder. A little black one with light blue eyes ran up and sat right in my lap.
"Well! You're not a mouse at all, are you?" I said, tickling the kitten's ears. The other kittens darted in and out of my reach, not allowing me to touch them. Eventually they went outside, but the little black kitten stayed with me. I played with her a while, then stood and went outside. The kitten followed and when I went inside, she followed me there, too. I wandered into the living room, the kitten following, to find Snape sitting on one of the couches.
The kitten immediately jumped into his lap and meowed loudly.
"It's you again, is it?" Snape said, looking at the cat and smiling. He scratched her ears and I could hear her purring from across the room. I went and sat beside him on the couch, my leg touching his.
"You know this kitten?" I asked him.
"I saw her the first day we were here. She was outside by one of the barn-things."
"Stables," I corrected with a faint smile, "She followed me inside."
The cat curled up in Snape's lap, purring still. I reached over to stroke her soft head.
"Hey Snape?" I asked quietly.
"Hm?"
"I don't suppose…well…Ellen never let me have a pet and…"
"You want to keep the cat?"
"Yes."
He was silent a moment, then inclined his head.
"Fine. You may keep the cat."
"Really?" I asked excitedly.
"Yeah, sure. Why not."
"Yes! Snape, you're awesome!" I said, hugging him. He frowned and moved the kitten from his lap to mine, then stood and left the room. I grinned and kissed the kitten on top of her fluffy black head.
Snape's POV
I waited three days before telling Olivia I was ready to leave, since I knew she liked it so much on the farm. She didn't seem too upset. In fact she barely looked up from playing with her kitten- who she had named Mouse- when I told her to be packed and ready to leave the next morning.
"Okay Snape," was all she said.
She disappeared after dinner that night, along with Thomas and Matt. I found Mouse cured up on my pillow when I went to bed at eleven, which I took to mean Olivia had not returned. I shoo'd the cat off my pillow. She went to the foot of the bed and curled up there.
I awoke at almost 2 a.m. to Mouse mewing loudly in my ear.
"Go away, Mouse," I groaned tiredly, pushing her away.
She meowed again and jumped to the floor. I was almost asleep again when she began to scratch at the door.
"Jesus," I breathed and heaved myself out of bed, "Okay kitty."
I opened the door and Mouse raced out. I peered into the darkness and saw Olivia trudging upstairs.
"Are you just now getting home?" I asked, frowning, "Where have you been?"
"Don't worry- I haven't been out with a boy or anything," she said, kneeling to greet Mouse.
"Wh-I…Why would I care?" I spluttered, "I just wanted to make sure you weren't doing anything stupid. Again."
"Well that's nice," she huffed, "For you information Mr. 'I don't care', I was out in the woods."
"Doing what?"
"Running," she said with emphasis, then morphed into her Animagus wolf form. I hated that her Animagus form was a wolf. It only served to remind me of her affair with Lupin. I had hoped that since they weren't together anymore, it might change, along with her Patronus, but apparently it had not. Did that mean she still loved him?
"That's nice. You had better be ready to leave in the morning- sleep or no sleep," I said bluntly. She morphed back into human.
"I will be. I'm already packed," she said lightly, "Only…How are we going to take Mouse with us?"
"You'll have to figure that one out on your own," I said, heading back into my room.
Early the next morning, before anyone on the farm was awake, I got Olivia up.
"Meet me outside in five minutes," I said as she and the kitten both yawned.
"Okay."
Five minutes later I was outside with my suitcase waiting for her. When she finally came out- about ten minutes later- she was dressed in shorts and a hooded sweatshirt. Sticking out of the neck of her sweatshirt was the little black kitten.
"You sure that's going to work?" I asked, nodding to the kitten as we mounted our broomsticks.
"Sure it will. Mouse in my Familiar," she said simply. I looked at her as we ascended into the air.
"Your what?"
"My Familiar… Muggles believe that every with has a creature to assist her with magic and it's usually a cat."
"You know a lot about Muggles."
"Well I do take Muggle Studies, you know?"
"Yes, I know. You're the only Slytherin who takes Muggle Studies."
"Is that bad?"
"No, of course not. You're just…different."
In the amount of time it took us to fly home, the kitten went from inside her short, to her parked, to her arms, and eventually it sat on the front of her on the broomstick.
It grew hotter as the day wore on and Olivia took off the sweatshirt. The shirt she was wearing was cut so low it should hardly be considered a shirt. I noticed she was watching for me to react to the shirt. I just rolled my eyes and flew faster.
We reached home a little after dark. We could have stopped for the night at a hotel, but I decided against it. I highly doubted Olivia would stay in her own bed this time. So we arrived home at a little past eleven, exhausted from the long journey. We landed in the backyard and went in through the back door, which led into the kitchen. Olivia put the cat down on the floor and it began to explore the house.
"If it uses the bathroom in the house, you're cleaning it up," I warned her.
"I know. And Mouse is a she not an it."
"Sure," I said indifferently, "And she better not get pregnant."
"She's just a baby, Snape."
"I mean in the future."
"Okay. …Hey- maybe I can create a potion that stops animals from getting pregnant. They have those for witches and Muggle woman have something similar, right?"
"I'm not discussing contraceptives with you right now, Olivia," I said, shaking my head, "I'm exhausted."
Then I headed upstairs to get some sleep, glad that everything was back to normal.