Later that evening, Sarah wrote a short thank you note to Severus, with her opening line being, "How did you know?" She gave profuse thanks for the furry creature. She finished it up with inquires to his research and sent it off.

Looking up from the writing desk, she watched the kitten play with a stray chicken feather, pouncing and clawing at it. She pursed her lips in thought. They would need to get supplies soon- a litterbox, food, toys- the little girl would need her own bedding. She doubted that Jareth would want her in bed with them. And spaying, in the next few weeks… she'd have to venture to the Above to get that done. Sarah figured that she could use her parents's address when filling out the forms for the procedure. Toby would be sure to enjoy playing with the kitten whenever they would visit.

Meanwhile, Jareth was reading in their chamber, allowing Sarah privacy to put her thoughts to paper. He turned a page in his book and tried to focus on it. What Sarah had told him earlier about always wanting a cat like the one Severus gave her, but never telling anybody about her yearning for it, wouldn't leave his mind. He didn't want to alarm her so he played it off as a coincidence, but it worried him. He knew Severus was an extremely powerful Wizard and had at one point dabbled in… Legilimency… is that what they called it? He never bothered to keep up much on what Severus could and couldn't do magically since he was busy running a kingdom and dealing with wished away children. But now, now he wished he had. How much of Sarah's mind had he read? What did he know?

Lying had never been an issue for Severus. In fact, he'd lied on a daily basis when he'd been a double agent while Voldemort had worked his way toward power. So, lying to Sarah didn't even make him bat an eye. What was ironic, was that his response to her inquiry was close to what Jareth had told her:

I saw a copy of the book in your library during my visit and was roughly familiar with the story. I didn't realize that she was something you had coveted for so long.

But, of course, he did know. Now was the time to enact the next part of his plan. He had been sending Sarah Wizarding texts for her to practice her budding Fae magic with, but he also knew that some of them wouldn't work properly without a wand.

Knowing that you are still new to your magic, Sarah, I wonder if it might benefit you to obtain a wand? It might help you channel your budding powers until you become more accustomed to them. It so happens that I have business in Diagon Alley, and would be happy to escort you to Olivander's…

If she accepted his offer, it would be the perfect opportunity to gain the upper hand in her affections. He could show her his world and condition her more to his presence and all the freedoms she would have with him. Take her on a tour of the Alley, Hogwarts, his personal accommodations. Show her just how lonely she was and how willing he was to remedy that.

More than just being a present, the kitten served a greater purpose to drive a wedge between Sarah and her overly busy husband. A companion for her, something that would constantly remind her of him. In fact, the research she had asked about in her last letter served that same purpose.

A few correspondences before, Sarah had asked Severus if witches or wizards that came from Muggle families had played any Muggle music while at Hogwarts. It was something that she greatly missed being in the Underground, and knowing that electronics didn't work in either world, she wondered if anybody had thought to accommodate them.

She confided in him that it was something her and Jareth had started to work on together, but as of late, it was just her trying to reproduce the music that she missed so much. And this was due to him being occupied by royal duties. She had her own, of course, but until she was properly seasoned in running a kingdom, Jareth performed the bulk of them.

In addition to his own research, Severus started studying how Muggles carried their music with them. The majority of it came from those cell phone things, and over the airwaves. He knew neither option would work for Sarah, so he focused on modifying a speech recording spell that the older students used whenever the professors lectured. The students who wished to participate were given a metal disc at the beginning of term. It was embossed with their house's symbol that was enchanted to record an unlimited amount of dialogue.

As far as he knew, that was it. The spell only recorded dialogue said by the professors themselves. At the beginning of the term, samples of their speech were taken and the spell embed would only recognize them. The students also couldn't transfer the lectures to another object- they stayed on their own personal coin, as they called them, and at the end of the year, the coins automatically erased all content and were returned to the Hogwarts staff at the end of term.

He could work with this.

Finishing up his reply and addressing it, he watched it slowly fade from sight.

Sarah padded into their chamber with the kitten peeking out of her dress pocket, looking wide-eyed at everything around it. Jareth was seated in a chair near the unlit fireplace, brooding. He didn't even greet her with his customary smile. His gaze was distant- he was lost in thought.

"Darling? Is everything alright?"

"What?" His eyes snapped to hers. "Yes, I was just thinking." He watched as Sarah put the kitten down to investigate the new room.

"Oh?" She asked, coming to take the seat next to him. "So have I."

He smiled. "You go first."

"I need to go to the Above soon. She," she nodded toward the kitten who was attacking the fringe on the carpet, "needs supplies. Food, a litter box, and to eventually get fixed."

"Fixed?"

"Make it so she can't reproduce- it's an Above surgery and is healthier for the cat over all. Oh, and shots- she'll need those. The Underground doesn't have rabies, does it?" Sarah had never thought to ask before.

Jareth winced a little. Messing with anybody's reproduction sounded painful. "No, we don't have rabies here. If you show the goblins what to get, I'm sure they could procure it. And yes, we can go Above to handle the surgery."

She smiled in thanks. "What about you, what were you brooding about?"

He took a deep breath. He wasn't going to tell her what he really was thinking about- his concerns about that cat and what Severus was up to. He handed her a letter. "I received this today. I'm afraid I'll be away for at least a week in the Southern Kingdom. Something about an overpopulation of trolls down there. New breeding policies need to be investigated and then implemented."

"Oh, I see," Sarah said softly, keeping her eyes downcast. Gone again on business. It was happening more and more.

Jareth could see that his wife wasn't happy. He came over to kneel before her, taking her hands into his. "It's not always like this, you know," he said, just as softly as she had spoken. She refused to look at him. "Sarah," he said a little louder.

She looked into his eyes. That was one of the first things she loved about him- his eyes. Even if they weren't mismatched, they could pull one into their depths. Not unlike someone else she knew…

"I promise, after this, you'll have me at your side for a solid month," he vowed. "Besides, it's not like you'll be completely alone." He gestured at the cat who was fighting his chair leg. "You have her, and your friends."

"I know- it's just not the same. Being alone, especially at night."

"And you don't think I feel the same?"

She tore her hands from his, suddenly irritated. "And how can you promise a month? A kingdom is a living, breathing thing, Jareth, I know that. You can't stop issues from happening."

He put his hands on her thighs and started rubbing them soothingly. "I'll find someone to delegate to-"

She cut him off. "And who's going to be in charge while you're gone, hmm? I barely know what I'm doing now."

"Sarah, you're doing excellently with the duties you have. And my advisors will help along with anything out of the ordinary. You'll be an excellent Queen without me. You know that."

"But," she protested.

He stood up and laid a finger on her lips. "Trust me. It'll work out."

In the dark study where Sarah had written her letter to Severus, a new letter appeared in its place.

AN: I do not own any of these characters- they are the property of their respective owners.

Betaed by AnonyMissJ. I wouldn't be able to do this without you.