Chapter 41
(I'd do anything for you Severus! Don't you see that?) Those were the first words that filtered through Severus's mind when he returned to wakefulness in the large four poster bed beside Mag. The words were jarring still, and a bit frightening, and caused a huge lump to rise from his heart and lodge itself in his throat. He supposed everyone wanted to be cared about, but he simply wasn't used to trusting that for one reason or other. He trusted her though. That was why he'd hate himself were anything to ever happen to her because she cared about him. Yet she didn't seem to be bothered enough over how much pressure that put on him. Did he love her? Of course he was aware that he cared for her, but that was a bit different. Gods forgive him, but he obviously lusted for her, and again that was different. The thought of anything happening to her, though, that was what showed him that he loved her. That and the rage he could reach in zero point zero seconds at the idea of her caring for his enemy as in his pretend Dumbledore created love triangle or whatever it was supposed to be.
Suddenly Mag shifted against him as her green eyes slowly opened.
"Good morning."
Gods help him he smiled. "Good morning." Such odd words, because...Were any mornings good? This one wasn't particularly bad.
Eventually they made it down to breakfast, which Nightshade was already enjoying.
/I thought about waiting for you, but then...well it didn't get past the thought./ Nightshade paused briefly to peer up at Mag and Severus. /Just so you both know, it's convenient for me that you got together. Otherwise this splitting my schedule shit now that Mags is out of school would get annoying and complicated./
/Yes, it's most definitely all about you,/ Severus thought back dryly as he settled down at the breakfast table beside Mag.
/Damn right it is,/ Nightshade agreed, intentionally missing the point.
At least Severus very much hoped the point missing was intentional. The owl sat on the table across from them, hunched over a plate of sausage and eggs.
/It's always amusing to me that you eat eggs,/ Severus told him randomly as he reached for the coffee pot.
/Why? Survival of the fittest, motherfucker, and these guys are all cooked up,/ Nightshade retorted, filling his beak with another bite of fluffy eggs.
Raislen and Heather sat flipping through the morning newspaper, dressed for their job at the Department of Mysteries.
"I'd ask if you slept well, but then considering where you slept and with whom, I'd quickly grow disturbed so I'll just say good morning instead," Raislen announced, lowering his part of the paper to peer over it at Mag and Severus. "So good morning."
Mag smiled. "Good morning, Daddy...Mum."
"Morning," Severus replied, filling his cup at least a third of the way with vanilla creamer before applying a stirring charm.
"We won't be able to see you off on the cruise, so have fun, both of you," Heather said. "And we'll see you in a few weeks."
Apparently the cruise was two weeks long. If a Death Eater meeting was called, he could easily leave, as the Dark Mark was set up to Portkey anyone who sported it directly to the Dark Lord. Getting back to the ship would be more challenging, so hopefully no meeting would be called.
/Are you coming along,/ Severus asked Nightshade.
/Yep. Maybe I'll try to nab myself some fresh ocean fish like a fucking seagull./
Mira entered then with plates of breakfast for Severus and Mag. The brightly colored scarves in which the elf attired herself nearly hurt Severus's eyes.
"Good morning, you two," she said cheerfully.
Severus nodded and thanked her for the food, digging in while Mag exchanged pleasantries with the elf.
"I think I'm stealing some things from work," Raislen said, refilling his coffee cup. "Things Voldemort really doesn't need to get his hands on. I'll replace them with substitution charms and no one will think to check. Eventually I'll bring them back to the department of course. You know, when he's dead."
"Not a bad idea," Severus replied, assuming the comment was directed at him.
It almost felt nice talking with Raislen again. Like old times revisited. He'd not eaten breakfast in this dining room for around fifteen years, but he remembered it well. He and Raislen had often talked about books at this very table while Raislen's parents read the paper. Before long, Heather and Raislen departed for work.
"What time must we leave to board the ship," Severus asked, turning to Mag.
"It leaves at noon, so I figure we should get there an hour early to arrange things without rushing. I need to stop off in Diagon Alley, though, for a potion."
"What sort," Severus asked, wondering why she didn't just have him make it up for her.
'Well...I thought we should have something for birth control," she said calmly and his eyes widened. How could he have overlooked that? The last thing they needed right now was a child...Literally it was the very last thing they needed right now!
"Lets hurry so we have plenty of time to get that," he said, shoveling down his last bite of eggs. "Here, Nightshade. Finish this sausage," he said, hastily rising from the table.
"Why don't you let me get it for you, while the two of you finish getting yourselves ready," Mira suggested.
"Oh would you, Mira? Thanks so much! I'll just get you the money," Mag said. Springing up from the table she embraced the elf then dashed upstairs. Severus glanced at the elf, oddly embarrassed, but Mira smiled and he relaxed enough to pour another cup of coffee.
/I still get the sausage, though, right,/ Nightshade asked.
/Yes, have at it. I'm full./
Mag was back downstairs by the time Severus had added vast amounts of vanilla creamer to his coffee. She gave Mira a hand full of coins then settled back down beside Severus.
"I still can't believe you're here," she marveled. "This is going to be the best vacation ever!"
Severus couldn't remember the last vacation he'd had, but he was perfectly willing for this to be the best one ever. Later that day, the two stood together at the ship's rail with nightshade perched beside them as they watched land getting smaller and smaller as they sailed away. The atmosphere was so relaxing, and Severus found himself liking it quite a lot. Until, that was, the odd Egyptian girl approached them. She greeted Mag and shot him a dark glare as though he'd offended her somehow. Of course Severus was accustomed to being glared at but usually he had to speak first!
"You're wanting to study Egyptian magic, then," she asked Mag. "British Wizards usually want to study the magic when they come to Egypt. That's a spectacular owl you have there."
Mag nodded. "Well yes...We do wish to study the magic, and visit Set's temple in particular. And Ra's."
"I can take you to the real ones, not those rubbish ones they show tourists these days." Ah so that was it, Severus reasoned. She'd approached them to offer herself as a tour guide for money. She was probably a walking scam. "And don't you look at me like that. I don't usually offer my help to people and I don't want money," she said, turning her glare on him again. This time he glared right back.
"The owl's name is Nightshade," Mag interjected, probably to keep an argument from breaking out.
"Hello, Nightshade. I am Sekhmet. It is good to see that you remained as smart as you were when I knew you thousands of years ago." Turning back to Severus she added, "Don't feel left out. I knew you too, though I wish I hadn't."That was it. She was stark raving mad. Now it all added up. "We disagreed on certain applications of dark magic, you and I," the insane Egyptian girl calling herself Sekhmet went on factually. Her tone was as reasonable as if she spoke of the weather. "She was a princess of Egypt," she said, nodding at Mag.
"I was her adviser. You were a wizard of the Pharaoh and you were going to marry her. You were very much in love and she hated the fact you and I could never get along. When at last you struck at me with a powerful death curse during one of our arguments, she leapt in front of me so you accidentally killed her because you were unable to stop the spell. You couldn't live with that, and you killed yourself."
/Sweet story,/ Nightshade commented.
"It is entirely true," Sekhmet said, not at all surprised that the owl had spoken into all three of their minds...because crazy people...
Severus was still struggling for a reasonable way to react to all of this that would quickly and forever end the conversation and thus the interaction with this particular individual.
"Your ghost wandered for centuries trying to kill mine," Sekhmet added to Severus. "I was relieved when you were born this time and I had a little peace...Until now, of course. You aren't going to try killing me again, are you," she asked warily.
"What? No!"
Sekhmet sighed. "Well that's a relief."
/So how do you remember all this shit from so long ago if you were reborn,/ Nightshade asked.
/Don't humor her,/ Severus thought desperately to the owl. /This is not funny! she is obviously unstable./
/OR she could remember her past lives for real. We learned all about that shit from the Native Americans that year we went on summer vacation to study with the shamans. When Mags learned about stones, remember?/
"It is the magic of my family. My bloodlines. I always remember my lives," Sekhmet replied to Nightshade's question.
/Cool./ The owl said. /What was I back then?/
"You were their friend. You had the head of an owl and the body of a human. You were a wizard who applied magic in some unique ways and you used animal magic to gain certain abilities. You amassed a great deal of power."
/As I said before, Sweet,/ Nightshade said, fluffing his feathers with pleasure at the supposed past life description of himself.
Severus didn't bother to avoid looking skeptical but he remained silent because interacting with someone who was stark raving mad was a lose lose situation...Though somehow Nightshade seemed to be fairing well enough. That was likely because Sekhmet liked him...for now.
"What's your name this time," Sekhmet asked, turning to Mag.
"Mag," she answered.
"Great. It's good to see you again, Mag. May he not kill you this incarnation."
Severus scowled. He opened his mouth to say he'd never kill Mag, but what if he got her killed because of his entanglement with Voldemort? Would that not be as accidental as her story of the killing spell aimed at her that Mag got in front of? He really didn't like this Sekhmet at all.