Chapter 12 - Vesti La Giubba
Vesti la giubba e la faccia infarina.
(Put on your costume, powder your face.)
La gente paga, e rider vuole qua.
(the people pay, and they want to laugh.)
E se Arlecchin t'invola Colombina,
(And if Harlequin steals your Columbina,)
ridi, Pagliaccio, e ognun applaudirà!
(laugh, clown, and everyone will applaud!)
Leoncavallos (Pagliacci) - Vesti La Giubba
The flight seemed to drag on for so long that Lafayette felt like dropping to his knees and kissing the tarmac when they finally touched down in London. He had been warned about English weather, but he definitely felt under prepared as he donned his fur coat, realising half of his outfits were going to need a revamp if he was going to survive this arctic freeze. The grass around the airfield was glistening in the sultry moonlight, the luminescence of the large airport making the frost appear to dance to the moon's celestial rhythm. He watched as all the passengers disembarked, awaiting his companions who had inconveniently been seated miles away from him, not that he was complaining as he simply threw on his eye mask and some headphones and slept for as long a she possibly could before cracking open an eye over Dublin. Of course, being so high he saw only blurred greens and browns, but the thought of the closeness to Scotland made him tingle with anticipation.
Sookie and Sam, who had been more practical in their attire, had chosen to ensure they were already swathed in wool and warmth before disembarking, and stretched out their limbs as they all stood, together with Lafayette, at the conveyor belt, awaiting their luggage. The vampires had travelled ahead of them to throw off any nefarious persons who may have followed the coffins, ever vigilant of their enemies. Upon collecting their luggage, the jet lagged friends exited the small jet centre into the cold night, spying a large, sleek Mercedes awaiting their transit to their lodgings. Sam bristled as he noted the driver's board read 'Stackhouse', but chose to simply sigh, this was going to be a long trip.
Eric and Pam had arranged to stay in the premier vampire hotel in Edinburgh as a lay by before making tracks towards the Highlands, however Sam, Sookie and Lafayette felt that being in the proximity of a hotel full of vampires brought back too many memories of a past they had all wanted to leave behind. To nullify their concerns, Pam had organised for them to stay in a "more appropriate" hotel, which so happened to be called "The Witchery". As the car pulled up in the shadow of the Gothic and foreboding hotel, all three looked at the sign and burst into laughter at the irony. The looming Gothic splendour of Edinburgh castle loomed over them, it's dark spires and ancient stones humming with magic that Lafayette had never encountered before. It was as old as the earth itself, and called to him in a language he could not understand, but somehow made him feel at peace in a way he couldn't even remember feeling.
Upon being arranged in their respective rooms, Lafayette took the opportunity to check out the lay of the land. The large suite was draped in sumptuous reds and mahogany's, with large windows opening up to the beautiful city. Lafayette was fascinated, only ever seeing the American Gothic resurgence in the South, and was drawn to the cobbled streets heaving with wanted to immerse himself in this new experience, but knew his time was short. He reviewed his options, turned on Grindr, and set to work before they would all be forced to move on.
Sam and Sookie sheepishly entered their oversized, tartan cad suite, feeling overwhelmed by the decadence. For the last five years they had lived a comfortable but very much American lifestyle, and the introduction of such ancient marvels was something of a culture shock. For Sam, it was just another example of how vampires like to show off their money but putting them up in something bigger than his older trailer and Sookie's parlour combined. For Sookie, however, there was something much more mystical calling to her. It had begun as a tiny whisper as the plane finally flew into Scottish air space, a whisper that had grown upon touch down, and continued to do so as they drove through a city that seemed to be blended in time, somewhere between the ancient and the modern. The sweeping mountainside and the view of Arthur's seat from their window seemed to wash a cooling balm over Sookie's agitated soul, and for an inexplicable reason, Sookie felt that she had returned to a place that her soul may once have called home. She blamed it on the Fae within her, knowing the origins to be more Celtic than Creole, but it did not help to quiet her spinning thoughts. She knew herself, she knew her past and her home, she knew she was being swayed by something she only relatively recently had any idea was part of her. Being the all American sweetheart in high school, with an added disadvantaged as she had thought of it then, she had never felt any call from the homeland of her people. But now here she was, and the land itself was calling to her.
Sam watched his beloved as she leaned on the windowsill, breathing in deeply and closing her eyes whilst slightly shaking. He suspected she was feeling conflicted, as this was new territory for all of them, so he simply stalked towards her and drew her back against his chest, kissing her hair and wrapping his arms around her like an anchor keeping her from flying away from him. He could feel the faery magic reverberating from her very core, and knew the Fae were calling, but he could not let her go, he would not let them take her from him after all this time. Sam glanced at the clock, 11pm, soon it would be the witching hour, followed by the morning; he just needed to keep her close until then, bide their time, keep her anchored to stop her flight, and he knew just how to distract her. He nuzzled her neck and her the hum vibrate deep in her throat, her skin tingling against his as her magic refocused on the tangible, the physical presence of love. Sookie turned into his embrace and captured his mouth in a passionate kiss, exploring Sam's mouth with her tongue as her hands explored everything else. When had he stripped? Had she been standing at the window for so long?
Sam lifted Sookie mid kiss and carried her over to the queen sized four poster bed, laying her amongst the stack of pillows as delicately as a shimmering crystal made of lightning sand. Her skin was radiating an ethereal glow, and Sam could not help but marvel at the beauty before him, lust darkening her warm eyes to a smouldering heat that drew him in and hitched his breathing. He covered her with his body, his lips lightly brushing feathery kisses down her throat. He seamlessly pulled her clothing over her head and laid siege to his exposed skin, kissing, licking and nipping his way to her navel, his hot breath raising more tantalising goosebumps to prickle the creamy softness. Removing her lower invading clothing, he nestled between her thighs, intoxicated by the heady musk of her sex as he lowered his head to gently tease the slickened lips and folds. Sookie gasped, her hand grasping Sam's head in an attempt to guide and regulate that was a fruitless exercise, he knew what he was doing, but she felt she needed to contribute somehow, and had no other power to do anything other than run her fingers across his scalp and moan deeply with the twisting sensation building in her, pushing her closer to the brink as she felt his tongue explore her chasm. Fingers appeared, and Sookie let out a scream of pleasure as the found her sweetest spot, with Sam's strong tongue circling and swirling around her clit, sometimes drawing it into his mouth and lightly running his teeth over the sensitive bundle of nerves. As his ministrations increased, Sookie felt herself tumbling over the edge, her entire body absorbed with the warmth and explosive sensation of his love. As she came down from the climactic high, she felt him position himself against her entrance and, in one fluid movement, enter her to the hilt, growling low as her tight wetness invited him in with zeal. For the first time since their love making had began, Sookie looked into Sam's eyes as he hovered above her, awaiting her adjustments. He was staring at her with a hunger and lust that was all encompassing, totally focused on her. He seemed awestruck, so in attempt to wake him from his clear daze she wrapped her legs around his waist and squeezed her thighs, smiling at him and nodding to signal his return to the mission at hand. Sam shook his head and closed his eyes, kissing her once more as he slowly began to move inside her. Pulling himself to the very tip, he drove hard and slow into her molten core, repeating the motion as the weight of his ardour pressed upon him. Sookie urged him to speed up, and he of course obliged, feeling his growing climax on the horizon.
As if she knew he was holding back, Sookie tightened her grip on him and lent up slightly to reach his ear. Nipping the lobe, she huskily whispered her love for him, and how much she wanted him, which seemed to light a fire under Sam, who was now ploughing into Sookie as if he were trying to break her apart. Reaching his own orgasm he shouted her name, and sank spent onto the soft sheets beside her. She smiled and cupped his face, drawing him into a much softer and more innocent kiss, which he tried to return with little success. Looking at the clock, it was 2am, and they had to be up in the morning for the journey to Hogwarts. She shook her head at the thought of how preposterous that even sounded, and let out a small chuckle as she nestled into Sam's outstretched arms, breathing in his manly scent and wrapping her arms and legs around him, lulling them both into a glorious and well deserved sleep.
_o0o_
As you know, magic is not necessarily a corporeal construct, however that did not make it any less sentient. Outside the window of the suite, the ancient magic swirled and careened, it had sensed one of it's children returning home and had been trying to call out to it, like a mother bird calling it's chicks, but had been denied. Prowling around the hotel like a tiger, the magic knew it would be appeased, it needed to bide it's time. There had been a breach, a break, something was wrong. It knew that whatever was here, it would help to fix what was broken. The magic yearned to be whole once more, but it also needed to be patient. It knew of the darkness that was to come, and for the first time in so many millennia it had felt fear. Something was coming, leeching off the damage done by the world around it, bleeding the earth of it's very essence, and that amount of power was enough to trap and manipulate, to harm and destroy, and the magic did not want to ever be beholden to it. Feeling reassurance at the return of an old soul, the magic passed the message along to it's kin. Severus Snape, who had been in the middle of an intense chess match with Sirius Black, suddenly shuddered and felt the need to vomit, sprinting across his chamber to the bathroom, reaching it just in time to slam the door behind him and fall to his knees before the porcelain.
"I mean I know that was a really good move, but Severus was it worth you chucking up some perfectly good firewhiskey?" Sirius called after him jovially. He had found that being friendly with Severus wasn't as difficult in adulthood as it was when he was a teenager. He had fully admitted to being, as he had artfully put it, a complete bell-end to Severus when they had been growing up, and he felt truly ashamed of himself and his actions, especially after speaking with Lupin in limbo and realising how much he had not only put Severus in danger, but the cost on Lupin's life he may have brought about through his reckless and hurtful behaviour. Severus was still prickly towards him, however Sirius was a determined sort and was not going to let a few acidic barbs stand in the way of him making a true and concerted effort.
Sirius knew that Severus had been on edge about returning to Hogwarts, and was very much aware of his views on sharing a role with Sirius, whether he was "Potion Master" or not. However, they actually seemed to maintain a positive professional rapport that was bleeding into their personal lives, and this was being observed by both staff and the student body whose attendance and participation had improved greatly with the dynamic in the classroom. Severus was still the bat of the dungeons, his cutting critiques still bringing his students to tears, and in the case of one student to the point of wetting themselves in fear of his wrath. Sirius was the counterweight, providing laughter and good nature to the stoic style previously dominating the classroom, and this definitely was reflecting in the students grades. Although they were clearly petrified of screwing up, they were more attentive and easier to deal with. In particular, Severus had found that those students who were particularly...hormonal...would gravitate away from him and towards Sirius. Even some of his snakes had taken solace in speaking with Sirius, and this was resulting in a wonderful blending of houses in his classes that was now spreading across the castle.
Severus wretched and pulled Sirius from his ruminations, however a second later he heard the water running and splashing, and Severus emerged from the bathroom, looking even more gaunt and frail than he usually did.
"What was that all about, you alright mate?"
Sirius looked at Severus with something that threw Severus completely, genuine concern. Severus chuckled and nodded, looking back to the game before clearing his throat.
"The castle had something to tell me, I'm still not used to being back here and picking up on these things I suppose…"
He trailed off, moving a pawn into play and then leaning back in his chair, crossing his legs and templing his fingertips in a clear challenge. Sirius knew this was all he was going to get, so he huffed his hair from his eyes and returned to the game, contemplating speaking with Minerva as soon as he had a spare moment, even if Severus didn't like his business being gossiped over.
"I assure you, Black, if it was something I needed to discuss with Minerva I would do without hesitation. The castle simply wanted to let me know that the Americans are coming and we should prepare."
"I hate when you do that!" Sirius angrily growled, and moved his knight. Severus simply chuckled.
"You know the rules, Sevvie, no Legilimens when we are mid-game, you know I hate occluding and I'm not back to my old self just yet!" Sirius looked at Severus, pouting in a childish way that made his bottom lip swell to a comical size and his eyes almost glisten as they widened.
"Fine...and don't call me Sevvie!"
"But you don't like being called Snivellus so…"
"So call me Severus, you are lucky I even let you call me by my first name!"
Sirius grinned, and the infectious mirth crept around Severus, making him smirk. Severus could not help but notice how youthful and, dare he say it, attractive Sirius seemed when in this sort of playful mood. He could see why Sirius, in his day and even now, could charm any witch he wanted. Underneath his musings, Severus was disturbed to note his attraction, but pushed it deep, deep within himself and, letting out a gruff cough to signal a changing of subject, he motioned to the board.
"It's your move…"