Chapter 37

The rest of the school year passed relatively uneventfully for Mag, considering Umbridge was there turning things up side down. None of that effected her, though, so she didn't worry over it much. Umbridge left Severus alone and that was all Mag cared about. She knew how to ensure she was left alone herself. She kept her head down, did her prefect duties and didn't make waves because there was no reason to. Once a week or so she used the diamond scrying stone to check on Areecen, who she'd begun to call Reece for short. The dragon only stayed with his friend for a few weeks before finding a new cave of his own, and now lived in Switzerland. He planned to relocate to Wales again some day but not until Voldemort was dead. For his part, Severus didn't like the fact Dumbledore was ousted.

Nightshade had to hear about that at length, so Mag had to hear it from Nightshade. She told Nightshade to remind Severus that Dumbledore could take care of himself. She was pleasantly gratified when the owl said that had actually helped to mollify him. Even better, Nightshade even told Severus that the message was from Mag rather than the wise owl himself. On June eighteenth, Nightshade spent the day with Severus while Mag crammed for her next N.E.W.T, about which she wasn't particularly concerned. For some reason, the O.W.L.s had terrified her far more. On the morning of June nineteenth Nightshade approached Mag with a letter as she ate breakfast at the Slytherin table, quietly talking with the Bloody Baron. He was flying far faster than usual, and Mag felt a spike of concern as the owl approached. /Is everything alright,/ she asked at once as she took the blank parchment from him and put it into the pocket of her school robe.

Nightshade landed on the table beside her plate, but rather than snatching a sausage as he usually did, he did a little jig of excitement. Something in the way he moved put Mag in mind of a chicken and for an instant she had to struggle not to laugh. /Well...Yeah. The bad news is Voldemort attacked the Ministry for a prophecy in your parents department. The good news is your parents are fine. The other good news is the Ministry now was forced to acknowledge lizard brain is back. The bad news is they're still being tard fucks about it. AND THE VERY BEST NEWS OF ALL IS THAT SIRIUS FUCK TARD ASSHOLE BLACK IS DEAD!/

Mag put down her fork with a clatter. Of course Nightshade had told her about Sirius Black when he met him at the first Order of the Phoenix meeting he attended. Of course Mag disliked him without even having to meet him because of his treatment of Severus. Hearing about his death made her smile. /It's good when someone actually gets what they deserve,/ she observed. /How did Severus take the news?/

/As can be expected he was happy as a clam at fucking high tide,/ Nightshade crowed. /We both were!/

/He wasn't in danger yesterday, was he?/

Nightshade tilted his head to peer at Mag as though she'd lost her mind. /Obviously he fucking was! He's dead./

She sighed. /Not Sirius, obviously! Severus! Was he in danger?/

/Oh...No he was chillin'./

Mag felt her shoulders slumping slightly in relief. Now she could allow herself to be happy about the good news without worrying about Severus at the same time. All too soon, though, she had to return most of her focus to her N.E.W.T.s. Mag's final school days passed swiftly. As her graduation drew near, she began to seriously plan out the conversation she would have with Severus. Excitement warred with nervousness in her mind any time she envisioned the various possible outcomes. Still she knew there was only one that should come to pass and she was fully prepared to fight for it.

Initially Mag planned to get Severus alone for a private word after her graduation. Then she began to worry that something would come up that would call him away. Then she'd have to wait who knew how long to speak to him again. For that reason, she chose to have the conversation the day before graduation. She spent time preparing herself. Removing her school attire, she put on a flowing green summer dress. Brushing back her long red hair, she tied it back in the customary silver silk scarf she always used to keep it back from her face. Peering into the mirror she surveyed her reflection. Tall, willowy, large green eyes, long slightly wavy red hair. She was pretty, wasn't she? Of course she was!

One hand came up to touch the quartz crystal wand that hung about her neck. Pretty and talented too. Silent pep talk over she turned away from the mirror. She was ready. It was time. Gathering up her courage, she knocked on the door of his office a few hours before dinner. When he opened the door, the look he gave her was curious.

"What can I do for you, Miss WestCraven?"

"I'd like a private word," she said, and he stepped back to allow her to come inside. Nightshade sat on the desk cramming his beak full of thinly sliced deli turkey. Mag widened her eyes slightly and gave a small sigh. "You'll get him fat."

Severus shrugged, lips twitching slightly. "It's turkey, not bread."

It occurred to Mag that she seemed to make Severus smile more than anyone else other than perhaps Nightshade.

/I definitely make him smile the most,/ Nightshade told her firmly. /Sometimes he even fuckin' laughs!/

"What can I do for you," Severus asked.

Mag drew in a deep breath. "Well...First I wanted to congratulate you on Sirius Black's much deserved death. May the git not rest in peace."

Severus smiled in appreciation. "Thank you. I like that. A pity we can't put it on his tombstone."

Mag grinned back. "I also came to invite you on a cruise. My parents got me a cruise for two to Egypt for my graduation present. I would very much like it if you came along. I think we'd have a wonderful time together...and as of tomorrow I won't be your student any longer."

Severus smiled again, but this time the expression didn't touch his dark eyes. "I appreciate the offer, but you should take Miss Boxwood or even Bulstrode. They're safer travel companions."

"What do you mean safer," Mag demanded, feeling the color draining from her face. He should've been more interested in going to Egypt with her considering their mutual interests! "I thought you'd like to celebrate Sirius's death, and we could have a nice vacation. You deserve a summer vacation as much as anyone."

"I appreciate the thought and that would be nice, but I could be called away at any time, and...It probably isn't safe to be my friend right now, Mag. At least not until after he's dead."

"I don't want to be your friend," Mag exclaimed, frustrated. "I love you! I've loved you for years!" She couldn't believe his jaw dropped in shock at her words! Could he truly not have even suspected?

"Well if I can't risk putting my friends in danger I certainly can't risk...whatever it is that you're suggesting, Magritte. I won't risk anything happening to you. I owe you more than that, and hell I even owe your parents more when it comes to that."

"No! You owe me the right to make my own choices, and I choose to be with you and to do all I can to help you. We have so much in common and we enjoy the same things!"

"That is beside the point," Severus said. "I'm afraid the matter is closed for your own good. Please try to understand."

Gods she was crying! Tears were spilling uncontrolled down her face and she didn't care! She couldn't care. "No. You don't get to do this! It isn't fair!" Stepping forward she threw her arms around him and pressed her lips to his almost desperately. For a moment, his body was stiff with shock, then he responded, arms coming around her as he kissed her back. Mag clung to him, reveling in the moment and the heat that spread through her body at his touch. Kissing him was as wonderful as she'd known it would be. One kiss turned into two and three and...he pushed her firmly away, hands on her shoulders.

"I won't do this! Not in Albus Dumbledore's school! You are still a student until you graduate tomorrow."

"Rubbish," Mag groaned, frustrated and glaring.

Severus sighed, lifting one hand to run it through his shoulder length black hair while the other remained wisely on her shoulder to hold her back. Wisely because she certainly would've moved in for another kiss had he released her with both hands. "I'll go on vacation with you," he said quietly, tone tired and defeated.

"You'll come home with me tomorrow then," she asked eagerly. "Because the ship leaves the day after graduation, so you may as well just come home with me tomorrow night so we can leave early in the morning."

"Fine," Severus said. His lips twitched. "Your parents are going to kill me for this so I may not be going anywhere, but better them than Voldemort, I suppose."

"They will not," Mag said firmly. "I'll Tel them the truth. That I gave you no choice." She winked and Severus sighed then chuckled.

"I think you're quite insane, you know," he told her thoughtfully and she laughed.

"Perhaps, but probably not." Silently he moved to the door of his office and held it open for her. Smiling happily at him, she passed through and hurried back to her dorm to pack. For the last time she put her clothes, books and random accessories into the three trunks she brought to school each year. She knew that some seventh years were sad to be leaving Hogwarts for ever, but she was overjoyed. It meant her life could finally begin! That life would involve Severus and a dragon and a vacation to Egypt! Humming as she neatly folded clothes and used them to pad rare books, she basked in the excitement she felt over the summer to come. Once her packing was complete, she picked up her fiddle case and practically skipped to the Slytherin common room to terrorize the younger students with several renditions of Bedlam Boys. If they complained, well she was graduating tomorrow!

Author's note:

Dear Reader,

We understand how much that Mag, Severus conversation puts one in mind of Tonks and Lupin, but we assure you, we aren't that unoriginal. Believe it or not, paranormal universal weirdness seems to stalk us, and we had that bit written between Mag and Severus a year before Half Blood Prince came out. A friend from NZ even called us to freak out when Half Blood Prince came out because of how similar the conversation was. And no, we're in no way saying JKR copied us or knew about our play by email RPG in which we wrote this, because of course she didn't. Just that Mag and Severus make universal waves that are apparently even heard by her. In other words, it's magic. LOL.