December 31, 1992
Theda's arms snaked around Severus' neck as she fiddled with the maroon-colored tie she'd chosen specifically for the occasion.
"I'm not sure how your friends will feel about me,"He muttered apprehensively."I don't typically make the best first impressions."
"I don't think you have to worry about that. They're eager to get to know you!"She assured him before letting out a grunt of frustration, flicking her wand in his direction as she gave up her clumsy attempt at tying his tie without magic.
"What if they don't approve of me?"He asked, examining the now immaculate tie in the mirror, loosening it slightly.
"Then I'll tell them that they're judging too hastily and that they need to give you more of a chance. But I really don't think that will be necessary. At the end of the day, all they want is for me to be happy, and I am."
The corners of his mouth began to curl slightly, but he caught a glimpse of his reflection and once again assumed his usual stony expression.
Theda gestured for Severus to help her zip up her dress, which was emerald green and made up of several tiers, each covered in hundreds of little beaded tassels that twinkled in the light.
"What in god's name are you wearing?"He asked as he struggled with the zipper."You look like a Christmas tree. All you need is a string of lights and a big star on your head."
Theda rolled her eyes, waving her wand in a circle around herself, instantly turning the dress maroon, perfectly matching the color of his tie.
"Better?"She asked in an unamused tone.
"Slightly,"he japed.
"And for your information, it's not a Christmas tree dress, it'sLa Garçonne. This shape was all the rage in the 20s."
"Just because we're in Paris doesn't mean you have to sprinkle pretentious little French words into every conversation, you know."
"Oh, let me have my fun,"She teased."By the way, I actually will be stealing your idea for my outfit next Christmas, so thanks for that."
"Ridiculous woman."He muttered under his breath, a flicker of amusement in his eyes.
He held the door open as Theda wrapped her shawl around her shoulders and slipped into her heels. They made their way out of the hotel and into the darkened alley, heading in the direction of the muffled laughter and music a few streets over.
Theda led the way, taking his hand in hers as she navigated the winding cobblestone roads with ease as if she'd walked them a hundred times.
"Have you ever been to Paris prior to this trip?"She asked curiously.
"Never,"He said, shaking his head."It's not exactly the type of city a grown man would usually visit alone."
"That's fair,"She laughed softly."I suppose that would be a bit depressing, considering the notoriously romantic atmosphere."
He gave her hand a slight squeeze.
"This is the place,"She eventually spoke, pointing straight ahead.
"La Feé Verte?"He asked, butchering the pronunciation as he attempted to read the sign.
"La Feé Verte,"Theda confirmed with a slight nod."It means 'the Green Fairy.'"
"An absinthe bar?"He asked, his curiosity suddenly piqued.
"I knew that would grab your attention,"She smiled.
They crossed the empty street before entering the smoky, dimly lit bar, barely able to hear each other over the lively hum of the other patrons. Severus took in his surroundings with apprehension, his eyes searching the room for Theda's friends amidst the sea of people, all of whom appeared to be muggles. Theda led the way to a tiny alcove in the back of the establishment near the bathrooms.
The domed ceiling of the alcove was adorned with gilded roses and ivy branches, the wall beautifully painted in the Rococo style depicting a whimsical forest scene. Severus studied the imagery with interest, his eyes settling on a curious-looking fish sticking its head out of a small pond to get a better look at the focal point of the painting, a fairy all dressed in green. Theda discreetly gave her wand a quick flick, at which point the fairy, who had been gazing at the moon's reflection in the water, pulled a bottle out from under her dress and began to pour the cloudy green contents into the fish's mouth. As the fish drank, the alcove began to rotate into the wall, revealing a secret passage.
They descended the spiraling staircase until they reached a beautiful room concealed within a cave. Beyond all the tables and chairs they could see the moon reflecting on the calm ocean waves through the natural archway of the cave's mouth. The ceiling was charmed to mimic the night sky, with a different constellation hovering above each of the small round tables.
"There they are!"Theda gestured to a table tucked along the wall of the cave, the stars of Capricorn twinkling overhead.
Marius and Hugh stood as they saw them approaching, each reaching for Theda's hand and exchanging a small peck on the cheek. Severus stood a few feet back, trying to mask his discomfort.
"This is Severus,"Theda announced, taking his hand and pulling him closer to her.
Severus did not offer his hand but gave a subtle nod of acknowledgment. He half-expected to see the discomfort he felt mirrored on the faces of Marius and Hugh, but to his surprise, Hugh gestured for him to sit and Marius just smiled as they all took their seats.
Theda and the boys spent a few minutes making small talk while Severus took in their surroundings. The gentle sound of the sea lapping up against the rocks along the edge of the cave helped to somewhat calm his nerves, as did the enchanted band of instruments playing soft jazz beside the bar. He looked around the room, taking note of the antique absinthe decanters in the center of every table and the beadlets of condensation forming along the glass.
"So, Severus,"Marius began as Hugh poured a small amount of absinthe into each of their glasses."Hugh and I have been keen on learning more about you but Theda here has been quite withholding."
Severus offered Theda a grateful nod, gently squeezing her hand.
"I'm quite a private person."He spoke.
"That's no fun,"Marius teased, at which Hugh shot him an annoyed glance and lightly hit him over the head with a folded-up newspaper.
"I don't think I've been that withholding,"Theda interjected."I feel like I kept you both up to speed with the letters I sent."
"Well, you mentioned that the two of you had been getting closer,"Hugh spoke,"But it seems that was a bit of an understatement."He gestured knowingly at their clasped hands.
"Well, this is a recent development,"Theda explained as she grabbed a sugar cube from the dish in the center of the table, placing it atop the silver skull-shaped spoon that was laid across the mouth of her glass.
"Did you two spend Christmas together?"Hugh asked as he did the same.
"We did,"Theda nodded,"We've actually been on a little holiday for about... ten days now?"
Severus nodded, placing his sugar cube atop his spoon as well.
"Really?"Marius asked with some interest."And what have you been doing for those ten days?"
Theda looked to Severus, waiting expectantly for him to answer.
"...We went to Godric's Hollow,"He spoke,"And then to some muggle village near Leeds."
Theda smiled as she waved her wand, making sure everyone's glasses were positioned perfectly beneath each of the decanter's four spouts before carefully turning the handles and allowing the water to begin dripping onto the sugar cubes.
"What took you to Godric's Hollow?"Hugh asked.
"We paid a visit to the cemetery,"Severus answered.
"Blimey,"Marius laughed,"Another cemetery buff? Hold onto this one, Theda."
"I'm glad you found someone who shares your interests,"Hugh agreed.
Theda smiled encouragingly at Severus as his hand began to relax in hers.
"It... was never a particular interest of mine, but Miss Desmond's love of cemeteries managed to spark a certain fascination for me as well,"Severus continued, not wanting to open up too much about the real reason for their visit.
"Miss Desmond?"Marius repeated."Does he always call you that?"
"Mhm,"Theda nodded, smiling."I think it's cute. He says it's because it's 'more respectful.'"
Hugh and Marius gave each other a knowing smile.
They continued making small talk for a few minutes, the water from the decanter slowly trickling down, dissolving the sugar into the absinthe. Marius and Hugh spoke a bit about themselves, briefly summarizing their line of work, how they met Theda, and how they like living in Paris.
Severus couldn't help but observe that Marius, in some ways, was like a stunted child - immature, even inappropriate at times, and yet, when he spoke about his line of work it was like he became a completely different person, suddenly so knowledgeable and eloquent.
Hugh, on the other hand, seemed much more in line with Severus' temperament. He was stoic, concise in his speech, and somewhat irritable, yet not unfriendly or dismissive. Severus found himself wondering how someone as straight-laced as Hugh became involved with a pair as odd as Theda and Marius, but he soon began to notice that Hugh was not without his quirks. As Marius was reminiscing on his schooldays with Theda, a group of four fairies flew to their table carrying a covered tray which they placed in front of Hugh. When Hugh lifted the lid, Severus could see that Hugh had ordered a serving of escargot. That alone was notable to Severus, who had, of course, heard that the French sometimes ate snails, but had never witnessed it firsthand. The truly staggering part, however, was that after Hugh finished eating, he began closely examining the now empty shells, tuning out the conversation as he polished them with his napkin before slipping all 12 shells into his pockets.
"You never finished telling us about your holiday,"Hugh eventually spoke when there was a lull in the conversation.
"That's right!"Marius agreed."Besides disturbing the dead, what else did this getaway entail?"
"Well, let's see..."Theda began,"That night we rented a little cottage in Godric's Hollow, and then the next day we left for the little town Severus mentioned. We visited shops, restaurants, museums... We saw a play, we made snowmen, we went to look at Christmas lights... And on Christmas Day, we just stayed in and played games, mostly."
"That sounds lovely,"Hugh spoke,"I've always been partial to an intimate Christmas, myself, but Marius always drags me to some party or get-together. Did you not take Theda to visit any family, Severus?"
Severus reached for his glass, removing the spoon from across the top and taking a sip of the exceptionally strong liqueur. His lips parted but he made no sound, his eyes focused on his drink in a somehow distant expression. He inhaled sharply, savoring the licorice-like aftertaste before finally speaking.
"I took her to my home, but..."
"He's like me,"Theda chimed in, saving him the trouble of an explanation."He hasn't got any family either."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that,"Hugh responded sheepishly.
"Good thing they found each other then, eh?"Marius suggested, clinking his glass with Hugh's before downing its contents.
They each took turns awkwardly sipping from their glasses, their eyes roaming around the cave as they pretended to pay attention to the music.
"I have an idea,"Theda eventually spoke."Let's playNever Have I Ever!"
Hugh and Severus both groaned, though neither of them were heard over Marius' emphatic,"Yes, I'll go first!"
"Just a moment, just a moment,"Severus interrupted, holding his hand up in a dismissive gesture."What exactly are the rules to this game of yours?"
"Forgive me, Severus, I forgot you wouldn't have played it before,"Theda said."It's very simple. We each take turns saying something we haven't ever done. If someone else at the table has done the thing you mentioned, they have to take a drink."
Theda gave her wand a swish, refilling all four of their glasses. Her head swiveled from Severus to Hugh, then back to Severus, making sure there were no additional questions before nodding to Marius for him to begin.
"Never have I ever..."He paused a moment,"Kissed Theda on the mouth."
"Very mature,"Theda scoffed, rolling her eyes as Severus took a sip, a tiny, almost imperceptible smirk on his lips.
"That's what you get for letting him go first,"Hugh interjected, folding his arms across his chest."I suppose that makes it my turn... I never once served detention in school."
Theda, Severus, and Marius all took a sip as Hugh shook his head in a show of mock disapproval.
"I've never broken a bone,"Theda contributed, smiling smugly as they all took a sip."What bone did you break?"Theda asked Severus with a sudden interest.
"My collarbone,"He revealed.
"How'd you manage that?" Hugh asked.
"Quidditch tryout in my first year."
Theda was taken aback.
"I never imagined you as a particularly athletic child."
"I wasn't, hence the injury."He corrected.
Severus swirled his drink around in his hand before speaking again.
"Never have I ever... Been so drunk that I couldn't remember the previous night."
"I find that very hard to believe,"Theda said as she and the boys each took another sip.
"Not that I haven't come close... But for whatever reason, I've always held my liquor well. Certainly more so than you,"He jokingly spat.
"How dare you," She retorted,"I handle my liquor just fine."
"Now, Theda, why would you go and say a thing like that when you know Hugh and I have an abundance of stories that suggest otherwise?"asked Marius.
"Do tell,"Severus encouraged.
"Donottell,"Theda interjected."I was a model student! I never partook in any underage drinking of any kind."
All four of them took another incriminating sip of their drinks, Theda using her glass to conceal a mischievous smile.
"While we're on the subject of our school years, I'm curious to hear about yours,"Hugh spoke.
"What would you like to know?"Severus asked, his voice betraying a hint of discomfort.
"Well, I was wondering what year you graduated."
"Seventy-eight,"Severus answered."Slytherin."
"I was almost sorted into Slytherin,"said Hugh.
"Me too,"Theda added.
Severus raised an eyebrow.
"You never mentioned that before."
"There's still lots you don't know about me,"she said coyly."Plus, when would I have worked that into conversation?"
"Did you always plan to become a teacher?"Marius asked.
"Certainly not,"said Severus, sounding slightly offended."Though I suppose it hasn't been a complete waste of time,"He continued, his eyes lingering on Theda's bare neck.
"Hey, weren't we meant to be playing a game? I believe it's my turn,"Marius said.
"Go on, then,"Theda urged.
Marius assessed Theda and Severus from across the table before speaking.
"I've never seen Theda naked."
"Are you just going to keep trying to guess how far we've gone!?"Theda demanded as Hugh gave Marius another irritated whack with the rolled-up newspaper.
"Ignore him, Severus,"Hugh pleaded."He's an idiot."
Theda crossed her arms, shaking her head in disapproval as if he were one of her misbehaving students.
"Well, you may as well drink, seeing as you're the only one at this table who actually has seen me naked,"She challenged.
Marius chuckled mischievously before he finished off the contents of his glass.
"I don't know that story,"Hugh said in a surprised tone.
"It's not as interesting as it sounds,"Theda began."I was an insecure teenager, I wanted feedback on my appearance."
"So you asked your gayest friend?"Hugh joked.
"Well, yeah! I needed someone who could be objective!"
This went on for several hours, taking turns exchanging stories, laughing, and enjoying the bottomless libations. Severus was surprised to find that he was actually rather enjoying himself. The more time he spent with Marius and Hugh, the more he began to lower his guard. He usually felt out of place in situations like this, but Theda and her friends were such a strange bunch that he actually fit in quite effortlessly. Occasionally, as the drinks began to catch up with him, his mind would wander and he'd find himself thinking about James, Remus, Sirius, and Peter, or Harry, Ron, and Hermione. He couldn't help but imagine how different his school years would have been if he'd been accepted into a group like this. How much, he wondered, would his life have changed if there had been friends like this to share in his burdens? His sorrows? His victories?
He was eventually roused from his daydreaming as Theda rested a possessive hand on his knee before slowly caressing the length of his thigh under the table. His breath hitched and his whole body tensed as he tried to fight off the sudden rush of arousal coursing through him, though Theda didn't seem to notice. He could tell from the flush in her cheeks and the slight glassiness of her eyes that the absinthe had taken effect.
Hugh, however, did notice, suppressing a knowing grin as he took Marius' hand.
"Come, my love,"Hugh spoke as he rose from the table."We're going to go close our tab,"He continued, dragging Marius along with him.
"What, already?"Marius pouted.
"It's almost midnight. You don't want to wait until after the countdown because then there will be a mob of people all trying to close out at once."Hugh said.
"I'll come with you,"Theda sighed, though she made no effort to stand, her body suddenly feeling too weighed down to move.
"No, no, you stay with Severus,"Hugh insisted."It's on us,"He said as he reached into Marius' pocket, apprehending his wallet, though Marius was clearly too inebriated to notice.
"Are you sure?"Theda asked, but they'd already walked off.
As the boys scurried over to the bar, Theda rested her head in Severus' lap, her eyes closed and her smile peaceful.
"You're in an amorous mood,"He observed nervously, his body tensing up again.
"That's what happens when I drink,"She laughed softly."Best if you learn that now."
"Noted,"He mumbled, feigning annoyance as he gently tucked a loose curl behind her ear."Should we get going?"
"What? No!"She insisted, lifting her head from his lap."We can't go yet! Hugh said it's almost midnight! We can't miss the countdown!"
"Alright, alright, I just thought you might be too, umm... tired."
"I am not drunk!"She shouted.
"I didn't say you were,"He chuckled.
"I'm still sober enough to know what you're implying,"She huffed.
He gently pulled her back down, easing her head back into his lap.
"What do you think of Hugh and Marius?"She asked, looking up at him as he tidied her hair with his fingers.
"Well, Marius is a bit of a buffoon..."He began, causing Theda to let out a small laugh."But I like them."
"Good,"She said, closing her eyes."They like you too."
"How do you know?"
"I can tell. You fit right in, just as I knew you would."
Severus' heart felt like it might burst. In all his life, he'd never felt this accepted, this wanted. He gently traced the outline of Theda's neck with his fingertips, enjoying this moment of complete contentment.
This contented feeling didn't last long, though, as they were soon interrupted by the sound of chairs abruptly screeching across the floor as everyone began to stand.
"Come on,"Marius urged, gently squeezing Severus' shoulder from behind as he and Hugh returned."It's time!"
Severus reluctantly stood, lifting Theda along with him as he did so.
With everyone gathered around, Theda could hardly see what they were all looking at, careening to get a look over the tops of their heads. Severus kept her steady as she climbed on top of the table in order to get a good look at the half-moon outside the cave and the large sparkling numbers that were now hovering over the water.
"30, 29, 28..."
A swarm of beautiful blonde fairies all dressed in shimmering green gowns suddenly appeared overhead, waving their tiny wands, filling everyone's glasses with champagne.
"20, 19, 18..."
Theda lightly tugged Severus' arm. He gave a quick glance around the room before cautiously climbing up on the table to stand alongside her.
"10, 9, 8..."
"We have to kiss when it gets to zero!"Theda shouted over the crowd.
"What?"He shouted in response."I can't hear you, I—"
"Happy New Year!"
Everyone began to clap, whistle, and cheer as a series of fireworks were launched over the illuminated sea. Hugh, Marius, and all the lovers, young and old, enjoyed their first kiss of the year.
Severus, however, was completely unaware of this, his heart stopping as Theda grabbed him by the collar, her lips ensnaring his own before he could process any of it. Time seemed to freeze all around them as his mind went completely blank, unable to register anything but the taste of her tongue as it danced around his own.
"I have a confession to make,"Theda softly spoke as they made their way back up the spiraling stairs.
"This is what I've been waiting for all night,"Marius said, nudging Severus with his elbow."She's always confessing things when she drinks. Have you noticed?"
"Shut up and let her talk!"Hugh interjected, gesturing for Theda to continue.
She took a small bottle from her bag as they stepped out into the cobblestone street, taking a swig of it which seemed to instantly sober her up, much to Marius' disappointment.
"I want to start by saying that I care very much for each of you and it means the world to have you all in one place... Thank you for being here to ring in the new year with me. This could not be a more stark contrast to my last New Year's Eve... It's so strange to think that just a year ago, none of you were in my life, and now... Now my heart is so full. I'll remember this night for a long, long time."
"We're happy to have you back,"Marius spoke, his tone suddenly serious as he wrapped his arms around Theda.
"And we're happy to have met Severus as well,"Hugh added, offering his hand, which Severus met with a firm handshake."It felt just like old times,"He continued."Like when Callum was with us."
Theda and Marius both nodded as they all shared in an impromptu moment of silence.
"Cal would have been just as happy as we are to see our girl with someone who treats her as well as you do,"Marius eventually said, gently wiping a tear from Theda's cheek."Cal never did take to that prick, Donald."
"Douglas,"Theda corrected as she released Marius.
Severus gave Marius an astonished glance.
"I never much liked him either, what with the way he strung Theda along for so long,"Marius continued.
"That's enough,"Hugh interjected cooly.
"I'm sorry,"Marius continued,"But he was a right git."
"Well... Git or not, he was my first love... We can't all be fortunate enough to get it right the first time,"She lightheartedly jabbed.
"I'm surprised you'd speak so callously of the dead, Marius"Severus admitted.
Marius' face was incredulous.
"Did I say something about Cal that I shouldn't have?"
"I meant Douglas,"Severus clarified.
"Hang on,"Hugh interjected."Douglas is dead?"
Severus gave Theda a mortified look, which only deepened when he saw the discomfort on Theda's face.
"I'm sorry,"Severus muttered."I thought you would have told them."
"Well now I feel like an arse,"Marius said apologetically.
"No, no,"Theda began,"It's not your fault... I know you guys never liked Douglas. That's part of the reason I didn't really want to get into... everything."
"Do you not trust us?"Hugh asked, a bit hurt.
"No! No, it's not that I don't trust you. I do, really. I just... I'm finally in a place where I feel I have my life back, so... I just didn't feel like digging up the past."
Hugh gave an understanding nod, processing her words for a moment before wrapping his arms around her in a comforting manner.
"I believe you were prefacing a confession... Was it about this?"Marius asked gently.
Theda shook her head, which was still buried in Hugh's shoulder.
"Will you tell us what it was?"Hugh said softly.
"Yes, of course..."Theda mumbled, pulling away from Hugh as she rubbed her eyes."What I was trying to say was that it means the world to me to have all three of you with me tonight. As much as I wanted us all to have a night out together, I confess that I did have an ulterior motive for our impromptu trip to Paris."
Severus raised an eyebrow but remained silent.
"Does it have something to do with the Altiers?"Marius asked, his eyes lighting up.
"Well, yes, sort of. I've actually been in correspondence with Nicolas Flamel for the last few days... He wants to meet me tonight. In 15 minutes, to be exact. And, well, since you've all helped me uncover more about my family history, I was hoping you'd come with me."
"Are you kidding?"Marius chimed in."As a French historian, meeting Nicolas Flamel would be a dream come true!"
"I can think of no better way to ring in the New Year,"Hugh confirmed.
Theda's eyes welled with tears as she kissed them all on the cheek, first Marius, then Hugh, then Severus.
"We'd better get going, then."