FOREWORDS
Hmm, I seem to be around 200 reviews. That's really good to know. And since this is nearly an 18,.000 hit story that let's me know that a lot of people really live Pensieve. I hope you guys like this chapter.
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~ Bittersweet Selene ~
By: Oy! Angelina
* * *
The melody of gentle string music playing lulled Lily awake on Valentine's Day morning.
Lifting her head from her pillow, she groggily scanned the room for the origin of the music. Her green eyes squinted against a softly illuminated source of light near her headboard. Unable to focus in on where the light was coming from, Lily abandoned her bed and noticed a hand harp floating near her side.
A smile crept on Lily's face as she recognized James's handiwork.
Turning toward her vanity to brush out her auburn hair, Lily spotted a shimmering halo crowning her head. Chuckling at James's romanticized image of her, Lily gathered her uniform and bath supplies to get herself freshened up for the day. Scattered rose petals of red, pink, and white across the floor caught Lily's eye as placed her hands to her waist with a quizzical expression.
"Now don't tell me he snuck in here and threw petals about!" Lily asked no one in particular.
Taking a tentative step, Lily was taken by slight surprise when a spray of fresh petals materialized to carpet the ground she walked on by way of enchantment. A few more steps revealed that this occurred with each new step.
"So he'd have me walk on rose petals, would he?" Lily marveled with a chuckle, completely flattered by the sentiment.
Gathering up her things, Lily strode towards the girls' bathrooms feeling completely enraptured by the romantic gestures of her loving boyfriend.
~ Forty-Five Minutes Later ~
Meeting in the common room to head off to breakfast as a group, James, Remus, Sirius, Peter, and Arabella waited for Lily to join them. The echoing song of a harp vibrated against the stone of the stairwell earned more than one quizzical exchange of looks from the five 6th Years and anyone else passing through the commons.
James simply smiled to himself as he leaned against the couch Sirius and Peter were seated on.
Emerging from the stairs in a shower of petals with a harp and halo bobbing along with her, everyone gawked at Lily with a few expressions that were envious or amused. Most were just surprised. Lily didn't seem to acknowledge the rest of the Gryffindors present as her eyes immediately fixed on James.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Lily." James greeted brightly, looking a little too impressed with himself.
"Don't you 'Happy Valentine's Day, Lily' me you little prank monkey." Lily crossed her arms in evident agitation. "All of this - this magical hullabaloo, how do you dispel it? Nothing I've tried has worked at all."
"What's wrong with them?" James demanded defensively, but still appeared more than entertained.
"Well the words 'gaudy' and 'irritating' pop into my head." Remus observed casually.
"Did I ask the peanut gallery?" James questioned with a smirk before returning to Lily. "Well, what's the problem?"
"They follow me everywhere I go!" Lily reported in a huff. "Even into the bath! I clogged the drain twice with rose petals in the shower and the harp made the most awful noise when wet!"
Sirius and Peter had long since collapsed into fits of laughter at this point and were attempting to smother out the noise by turning their faces into cushions. Arabella chuckled as Remus could only shake his head in sympathy for Lily's plight.
James was biting his lip desperately to keep from joining Sirius and Peter.
"Well go on then!" Lily urged impatiently. "You cast them on me James, now get rid of them."
"I forgot how." James attempted to shrug casually but his grin betrayed him.
"You forg - " Lily's expression puckered into a sour one. "Well then I STRONGLY suggest you attempt to remember before you find yourself suddenly single."
Striding past her friends in a spray of petals with her haloed head held high, the rhapsody of her harp announced her departure.
All the eyes in the room turned to James who gave up on containing his laughter.
"Pranking your own girlfriend? That's simply low James." Arabella chided with a smile.
"Oh it's all done with affection!" James protested.
"Well I thought it was brilliant!" Sirius defended his friend. "And it was informative. I, for one, always wondered what a thoroughly pissed angel would come off looking like"
James, Peter, and Sirius all returned to laughing again as Remus took it upon himself to be the voice of reason.
"The point of it is, James, as funny as it might be, Valentine's isn't about annoying the people you love." Remus noted.
"Yeah, it's about mountains of sweets and desperate bids at finding love under the command of the almighty calendar." Peter nodded along with Remus.
"Precisely." Remus rolled his eyes to the jaded regard.
"Oh don't come down on me like that." James insisted. "I would dispel it for her if I didn't think she was loving every moment of it."
"Well, if you suspect otherwise, I'd recommend taking it off." Arabella offered up helpfully. "I don't want to spend my Valentine's smoothing over Lily's foul mood because you had to be a prat."
"Not an issue." James assured as he started toward the portrait exit of the dormitories. "Now let's hurry along so I can see the Great Hall's reaction to Lily!"
* * *
Valentine's Day almost always had a cruel subtext in Slytherin
It was always an open invitation to toy with the emotions of others, whether it was misplaced affections towards a member of the House or the sadistic humor of pretending to care for someone only to humiliate them later on. Valentine's Day was possibly the biggest joke inside of the Slytherin.
And the other Prefects and Head students had questioned Severus Snape's lack of enthusiasm over the holiday.
Severus couldn't recall which of his brilliant counterparts had come up with the idea to have hundreds of white doves flying about at breakfast on Valentine's day, delivering posts from supposed lovers and admires, but they wear all eager enough to support it.
All save for Severus.
Severus had voiced his protests for making a grand spectacle out of a simple morning meal to which Lily Evans performed a heartfelt end entirely naïve sentiment about how it was an opportunity for people to let their feelings be known without it being so intimidating. Tired of talking to himself and the doe-eyed masses, Severus was consent to sit back and wonder how his House would shoot the other student representative's good intentions to Hell.
Odd harp playing from the Gryffindor end of the Hall drew Severus's attention as he entered the vast room. He might have questioned the function of the halo and instrument hovering about her or the trail of rose petals leading to Lily Evans if Severus wasn't almost entirely assured that Lily was a victim of Potter's adoration. Choosing to head directly to his table, Severus decided he'd refrain from talking to Lily until the enchantments were dispelled since he suspected he'd be unable to restrain himself from commenting on her festive look for the holiday.
Still, she impressed him by being able to hold her head up high and pretend that the entire room wasn't staring and snickering at her.
Severus claimed a seat just as the flocks of doves made their entrance into the room with decorated posts clutched in their talons. Helios was amongst them, leaving a letter from Aurora Black with before fluttering off. It was unlikely anyone would notice him amidst the chaos of the mass deliveries and Helios's uniformic appearance with the rest of the doves.
Having anticipating Aurora's reply for over a week, Severus refrained from reading it at the table since he didn't care for the other members of his House to misinterpret the implications of the letter in hand.
Couldn't the woman have sent it out the day before or after?
Severus was almost startled as a half dozen other doves swooped down to drop a post next to him. Suspiciously glaring at the envelops, Severus could only assume that some students at Hogwarts thought they could have a little sport with him without incurring horrifically scaring damage as a consequence. He swiftly pulled the letters into his robes and was relieved to find his Housemates were too preoccupied with their own deliveries to notice his.
Aaron Lestrange and Mary Tudor exchanged the posts they had received for the other to read. This was a tradition between the Slytherin couple whenever someone sent written confessions of affection to either. Mary would screen Aaron's posts and deal with his suitors and he would do the same. Although they lacked anything resembling a conventional relationship, Tudor and Lestrange were protective and faithful to one another.
Unless they had permission to be otherwise on occasion.
Severus didn't understand how an "open relationship" was capable of working for possessive and obsessive creatures like Aaron and Mary but it wasn't his place to criticize since this was their fourth Valentine's day as a couple.
Still, he doubted he's meticulous and controlling lifestyle would function well in a partnership under such a non-committal pretense.
Severus liked his affairs in order.
Ergo; he hated anonymous posts.
His attention was jarred to Mary as she stared citing some of Aaron's posts.
"Oh, you're girlfriend here advices you to 'ditch that homicidal cow with the horse-like overbite' in favor of her." Mary reported to her boyfriend with an unturned lip. "She'll be forced to look at a horse-like overbite in the mirror for the rest of her days once I'm through with her."
"Apparently I have 'inadequacy issues that I seek to compensate through my wand'." Aaron glowered hotly at the parchment in his own hand.
"Who wrote that?" Tudor demanded; half offended that someone insulted her lover like that and half impressed they had the nerve to do so.
"Black, the sodding git he is." Lestrange spoke through his teeth while glaring at the Gryffindors. "It's less of a Valentine as it is a comment on our entire relationship."
Tudor pulled the parchment from Lestrange's hand as she scanned the print, her expression darkening more with each sentence.
". . . In conclusion, on behalf of Hogwarts, I would like to thank you for proving that the insane and morally degenerate still have a hope of finding love with anatomically incorrect puppets that they can work their fingers into. However, since I am a fan of the more traditional notion of romance (i.e. not perverse and/or emotionally-deadening) I shall look to Lily Evans and James Potter as a positive counterpoint to your walking cautionary tale."
Mary seethed the words as she read them. Her knuckles went white as she gripped the letter, threatening to shred through it.
"I'll. Kill. Him." Mary vowed in a hiss.
Lestrange stole a glance at Severus, before putting a comforting arm around her shoulder and nuzzling against her ear.
"Don't let him rattle you, darling." Aaron soothed in a cool, hollow voice that suggested his mind was far off working on something else. "You'd be playing on his terms and that's just what he wants. We'll show up Black and make him very sorry he decided to be so comparative."
"Of course." Mary pulled her poise back to her as she crumpled the letter up.
Severus knew whatever retribution Mary and Aaron had in mind would be brutal and devastating. But since it was falling on Black's head, Severus really didn't care in the least to prevent it.
Turning to Winifred, he saw she was inspecting her own holiday posts with an amused expression.
"Please tell me you don't have some malicious repercussions for those who have confessed their feelings to you." Severus eyed his cousin for her reaction.
He'd hope she wouldn't be taking the same route as the bulk of their House. Winifred threw up a childish pout as she folded her letters into her robes.
"Not at all." Winifred insisted. "The worst I intended to do is ignore the ones I don't fancy until they lose interest or press the issue."
"And if that occurs?" Severus raised his eyebrow.
"Well, I always hate looking at the expression of someone after a polite rejection." Winifred frowned, before raising her long finger to gesture for Severus's attention. "Observe."
Leaning across the table slightly, Winifred peered down the length towards the other members of their Year.
"Serpen?" Winifred called for Nott's attention, who turned away from his conversation with Regius Avery and Walden Macnair to acknowledge her. "I'm sorry, but I simply don't share your feelings. The Asphodel was sent to you out of pity for your condition and meant nothing deeper. It's nothing personal, naturally, so I trust you'll understand."
Nott's jaw dropped slightly as his faced reddened in either anger or embarrassment as Avery and Macnair broke up into fits of laughter. Severus felt his head pivot sharply as he glared at Nott unappreciatively. He didn't like the idea of sub-par wizards creeping into his family line through the few members he could readily tolerate. Winifred shrugged to herself as she sipped her morning tea.
"Why so riled, Severus?" Winifred inquired with a teasing smile. "Plotting to keep me all to yourself?"
"More appropriately, I'm of the opinion that you could suit yourself with someone better than a lummox like Serpen Nott." Severus turned back to Winifred. "Also, I feel you and I have differing notions of what a polite rejection of a love letter entails."
"Love letter?" Winifred repeated quizzically before following along with Severus's conversation. "Oh no, Serpen didn't write me anything."
Severus stared at his cousin.
"So you humiliated the boy for no reason." Severus affirmed.
"Not at all." Winifred objected. "Just because he hasn't commit his feelings to paper doesn't mean I'm not aware that they're there. I figured it would be a generous gesture to clear the air and discourage him from embarking on such a potentially embarrassing route as composing a love letter or something of the like."
Privy to yet another glimpse of Winifred's detached logic of things, Severus was again forced to consider just how deeply his cousin's sociopathic tendencies ran. He was rapidly beginning to suspect she cared about little, possibly not even her own well being in light of her reckless concern for it, and hinged on amoral with every action.
Little appeared to be taboo to Winifred and less sacred.
How concerning and liberating all in the same thin stroke.
"Did you notice what Potter did to Evans?" Winifred questioned, moving the conversation along.
"Everyone's noticed the spectacle he's made of her, Winifred." Severus replied as though his response was completely superfluous. After all, the melody was chiming behind their words that very moment.
"It's ostentatious, granted, but it's a sweet gesture." Winifred countered.
"I fail to see the affection in turning one's respective other into a shining testimony of how desperately attention-seeking and inconsiderate someone can be." Severus argued.
"So YOU would go about things differently in such a situation?" Winifred prompted, shifting her gaze to Lily.
"Save your bait, Winifred, I won't bite." Severus advised curtly as he started his breakfast.
* * *
On the Gryffindors end of the Great Hall, many of the tables occupants received their own valentines from admirers, partners, and friends. Lily and James had a more modest collection of such as many at Hogwarts were well aware of their relationship but a few were compelled to write regardless. For his part, James had Wifflesnip bring Lily a beautiful arrangement of red roses and white lilies which made her smile.
For his part, Wifflesnip robbed the bacon off James's plate and screeched at his efforts to get the meat back before taking off which made Lily laugh.
Sirius had a grand assortment of sweets and cards from girls of all Years and was beginning to make a list of those to thank for the kind offerings. Arabella and Remus received a package of cookies that his younger brother Romulus had made as well as a few tokens from one another. Like most couples though, any significant gestures from either of them would be saved for later on.
Gwen McGinnis sent Peter a small painting of the lake outside the school shimmering at sunset which he seemed more than impressed by. Peter was considerate enough to send Valentine's to Gwen, Cassidy Kinkade, and Millicent Meeks just in case no one else thought of them. What caused a stir at the table was when an Owl brought Cassidy a bouquet of red and yellow roses and a small card.
"Looks like you have an admirer, Cass." Sirius grinned. "I'll be sure to tell them how light you are on your feet."
"Ye sent them to me, didn't ye, ye git?" Cassidy smirked as she eyed Sirius whom smiled stupidly at her.
"I'd like to think if I did, you'd say thank you in place of insulting me." Sirius replied vaguely.
"What's the card say?" Gwen attempted to peer over Cassidy's tall shoulder until she was elbowed back.
"Sod off before I punt ye, ye peeping pigmy." Cassidy ordered as she inspected the card. "Hmm, the post is short and simple. Reminds me of Gwen."
"I bet whoever sent you this would take it back if they knew what a mean cow you were!" Gwen pinched Cassidy in retaliation, causing the tall girl to laugh. Snatching the card, Gwen read the message aloud.
"'To the most brilliant star on and off the pitch'."
"That's very sweet." Millicent smiled. "I wonder who he is."
Half the table turned to Sirius with a knowing look.
Sirius met them with an innocent one.
"What?" He demanded. "You all should know I fancy taking credit for my work. Have I EVER done ANYTHING subtly in my life?"
Ignoring Sirius, Cassidy placed the roses down next to her and did an impressive job of not appearing to be flattered by the gift. Lily stole a glance at James, who had said nothing on Cassidy's delivery, and wondered if he might have had a hand in the roses.
More so, she wondered what he meant by them if James was the sender.
Turning to her own posts, Lily had a less pleasant surprise than the one Cassidy had received.
"Oh how thick do these people think I am?" Lily groaned in annoyance as she poured over the posts in her hand. She felt herself growing livid over the content and her cheeks flush in response. "They expect me to believe these - these counter-fit love letters are from Severus Snape! Some of them are positively vulgar!"
With that, Sirius and James started snatching at the posts to read for themselves: Sirius out of amusement and James for wanting to figure out who he would be hexing later for addressing his girlfriend in such a coarse manner. Lily didn't put up much of a fight against this since she was too disgusted by the prank to care what happened to the letters.
"Oh GOD!" James spat as he read one of the letters he had snatched. "If I believed Snape actually wrote HALF of these things to you, I'd murder him on the spot and serve out my sentence in Azkaban with a smile!"
"Well at least we can be sure they're not from Snape." Sirius snorted a chuckle over whatever he was reading. "First and foremost, his actual handwriting is so fine and pretty I could ask him to go steady. And second, I don't really give him the credit of requesting to 'eat his lunch of your arse' but you know him better than I do Lily."
"Oh that's QUITE enough!" Lily seethed as the wrenched the posts out of James and Sirius's hands. Cassidy and Gwen stifled their laughter while Millicent, Peter, and Arabella had the decency to grow embarrassed on behalf of Lily. Remus won out with the most dramatic response as he spit out his fresh sip of tea.
"That is outright obscene!" Remus growled as he wiped the tea from his mouth with a napkin. "If any of you find out who wrote these horrible letters, let me know. I'll curse them myself."
Arabella nodded in agreement with his plan as she smiled at Remus's chivalry.
"Well I'll give yeh one guess as to which House the authors most likely are from." Cassidy sneered as she nodded to the Slytherin's table.
"Good to know once they're run out for being the roots of all evil they'll have a future in erotic fiction." Peter muttered, eyeing the Slytherin unappreciatively.
* * *
Valentine's is such a ladies' holiday." Sirius decided as him and the rest of the Marauders made their way to Charms from the dormitories. The girls had gone off ahead to giggle about the holiday or whatever five girls talked about on Valentine's day. "They make out like bandits since the whole things panders to a cutesy appeal."
"Why don't you try to sell us on this Padfoot when we didn't just get done watching you receive your weight in chocolate?" Peter advised. "Honestly, Sirius, did you send Cassidy the roses?"
"Nope." Sirius answered.
"As in 'Nope, I didn't' or 'Nope, I'm Sirius Black the fibbing git'?" Remus attempted to clarify.
"Yeah, ARE you bold-faced lying to us on this?" Peter demanded.
"Well that's a distinct risk you run in any conversation with me, now isn't it mates?" Sirius grinned.
"Be serious!" Peter insisted.
"Now who else you reckon would I be?" Sirius punned off the pronunciation of his name.
Giving up on talking with Sirius, Remus turned to James.
"James, I have a thought." Remus introduced. "How about you NOT be a prat like Sirius is right not and lift those enchantments off Lily? She's been a good sport about it so far but I doubt she'll be able to keep it up the entire day."
"As I said, Moony, I suspect she's touched by it." James grinned. "That and it sends a message out loud and clear to anyone who might be still fuzzy on the nature of my and Lily's relationship."
"Love has made you the possessive, paranoid sort, hasn't it Prongs?" Peter interjected.
"Just wait until I have her barefoot and pregnant while chained to a cauldron." James sarcastically replied. "After all, don't want her running about unattended when she's baring all my male heirs."
James stopped chatting when he noticed Sirius pointing to something off to his side with an amused expression.
"You have a visitor, Mate." Sirius informed.
James nearly jumped out of his skin, certain he'd turn to find Lily right next to him and taking his joke entirely out of context. Ready to launch into his explanation/apology, James turned not to find Lily but a small stuffed bear with dark scruffy hair and spectacles ridding a broom with their House Color robes. It was flying and bobbing alongside the boys under its own power with a letter folded over the handle.
"That's bloody adorable." Remus grinned.
"Looks like Lily's handiwork to me." Sirius nodded in agreement.
James pulled the post from the hovering toy, scanning Lily's scrawl quickly before reading it aloud.
~
Just following in suit with your Valentine's Day gestures, James.
Love,
Lily
~
"Great so it will probably be exploding any moment now." Peter groaned.
"It looks harmless enough." James scoffed as he eyed the bear with an amused and flattered smile. "Handsome little thing too."
Reaching out to grab the bear and give it a closer look, James only grasped a fist of air as the broom-ridding bear dodged his hand off to the side. Chuckling, James attempted to take hold of the toy again but met with the same results.
"Looks like he has no intention of giving himself up quietly." Sirius smirked, deciding to laugh along with Remus and Peter rather than lend a hand.
"Yeah, well it wouldn't be the first cute thing to play hard to get with me now would it." James muttered, entertained by the challenge.
Handing his charms supplies off to Remus, James lunged at the bear with both hands but missed as it darted out of his way. Snatching futilely at the elusive toy a couple more times, the bear zipped down the corridor at an impressive speed.
"GET BACK HERE YOU SWIFT LITTLE BUGGER!" Fixated on catching Lily's gift, James gave chase after the bear, abandoning his friends as he headed in the completely opposite direction of Charms class.
Peter, Remus and Sirius were beside themselves with laughter.
"Oh it serves him bloody right!" Peter gasped for breath.
"He'll be late for class I imagine." Remus grinned. "You don't suppose he'll catch it?"
"It will probably menace the school until it has a battle to the death with Peeves." Sirius guessed as he watched James almost barrel into Snape, Wilkes, and a few other Slytherin on their way to Herbology and erupted into more pointing and laughing. The Slytherin's that weren't yelling things at James were scowling at them now.
Remus grabbed Sirius by the back of his robes and began pulling him off to class.
No sense in them all being late with James.
Entering Professor Flitwick's classroom, Remus took a free seat by Arabella while Sirius and Peter partnered up. He handed James's bag off to Lily as he sat down.
"What happened to your entourage?" Remus noted the absence of Lily's halo, harp, and petal trail.
"They vanished once I stepped into class. I guess James was considerate enough not to get us both in trouble with his affections." Lily shrugged. "Speaking of which, where is my mischievous love?"
"Running down your gift." Remus reported. "I imagine he might be detained for a bit.
Lily chuckled to herself as she turned her attention over to Professor Flitwick.
Nearly ten minutes into class, James arrived sweating and looking completely without breath. He apologized to Professor Flitwick, winced as two points were taken off Gryffindor for his tardiness, and sat next to Lily as Professor Flitwick went on with his lesson.
"I see you haven't caught your present yet." Lily observed under her breath with a grin.
"You did that on purpose?" James hissed, panting for air. "I thought the bloody thing was defective!"
"Oh far from it!" Lily assured. "I put the same type of Charm they use on Snitches to make them so mindfully elusive. Shouldn't be too much of a challenge for a hot-shot Quidditch Captain like you. Of course, I can't recall the last time you played at being Seeker. . . "
James gapped at Lily.
"You just threw that charm on before class?" James questioned.
"After breakfast, yes." Lily nodded.
"Clever girl." James smiled, thoroughly impressed as how easily she managed a typically involved spell.
"I thought you'd appreciate that." Lily returned the smile as she slipped her hand into James beneath their desks.
"Just another reason to be hopelessly in love you." James whispered, wondering if kissing her would be worth having all of the 6th Year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws as spectators and a few more points off Gryffindor. Deciding against it, he settled back into his chair, squeezing Lily's hand as he stole a glance at her.
"I wonder how you'll get back at me after you see what else I've got planned." James mused happily, causing Lily to turn toward him with an exasperated expression.
"Pardon?"
* * *
Eating lunch in the Great Hall had quickly lost its appeal to Severus Snape as he grew nauseated by the hormone crazed, affection starved teenagers encompassing him. The novelty has officially worn off when a stuffed bear piloting a broom did a lap around the Hall and prompted Potter to leap from his seat and give a dramatic chase after it.
While the rest of Hogwarts appeared to be thoroughly amused, Severus had only lost his appetite.
Making his way back to his room, Severus decided to use the free hour before Potions class to inspect the mail he had received that morning. He intended to read Aurora's letter first since it was likely his other posts would have a great effect in souring his mood after he was finished with them. He would also be certain not to write back to her until the next day so as not to taint the content of his reply with an even more bitter that usual mood.
Locking himself in his dorm, Sevuers removed the posts from his robes and thumbed through them until he found the one from Aurora. Setting the other envelopes on the nearest surface that wasn't overrun by his potion projects, Severus sat in his chair and read what Black's eldest sister had to say this time around.
* ~ *
1977, Feb. 13th,
Dear Severus;
My apologies for taking so long to reply to your post. I haven't had all that much time to myself recently as I have been entirely preoccupied with my work in the Ministry. I'm not certain if you've heard about this since you're at Hogwarts but there was an incident in Northern Ireland. It is suspected that a cabal of Death Eaters terrorized a populated township of Muggles simply to get at a family of Wizards. I've been there to represent the interests of the Ministry and council those in need of it.
Needless to say, writing this letter is a welcomed change to my previous week.
Well I'm glad things are sticking to the ordinary by you. At times tedium can be a favorable considering the possible alternatives. I believe you asked some questions of me that you were hoping I would reply to. If you were worried about offending me with them, please don't trouble yourself. If you were hoping to get a rise out of me, you'll have to do better than this I'm afraid. Sixteen years of enduring Sirius has left me with an incredibly thick layer of skin to a great many matters of privacy and humiliation.
Still, it's unfortunate that you think I'm only attempting to draw out the darkest details of your life while offering no perspective of my own. I suppose my profession does make me something of a suspicious individual. I blame myself for this misunderstanding. Not as large a portion as I blame on your being reared in Slytherin during your formative years, mind you, but I still blame myself.
I believe I shall press on then.
Regarding things between myself and Lucius, I'm afraid that's not only an old story to tell but an all too common one. We dated once upon a time when we were too young to notice the horizon of our relationship. Things ended not long before we both graduated Hogwarts and fell out of one another's social circles for a time. When I started working with the Ministry about six years ago we began casually interacting a bit while avoiding old habits which appears to work more often than not. Lucius and I bear no ill-will over our thoroughly dissolved union as we share enough interests to be acquainted but lack what is required of something more. Oh and I don't consider this prying. I'm well aware of how Lucius and I share a more than ambiguous relationship in the eyes of others.
I suppose your second question is asking why I dote on my younger brother when he insists on being such a handful? I find this to be a challenging answer to attempt, not because I'm without my reasons but I'm not sure if you would be able to understand them being an only child. For all his faults, acquired and inherent, I have found Sirius to possess an infinite amount of qualities to admire and treasure. Of all the people in my life, Sirius has never failed me. Not because I pretend my brother is perfect by any means or innocent of his offences, but because I know he is never purposefully malicious in any of his deeds. For that, the affections and obligation I feel for Sirius runs as deep as the blood in my veins.
In response to your third question, don't trouble yourself with worrying about whether I have people closer to my own near-ancient age to speak with. I have friends from my days at Hogwarts I still speak with from time to time and colleagues at the Ministry that I share a pleasant work environment with. I don't find ageism to be a prudent practice since we are all a part of the same community and will all play our part in it one day. You're on the cusp of entering the real world, Severus, no sense in babying you now.
As for why I speak to you in particular, I suppose that is largely attributed to my fondness of frank conversation. I cannot honestly admit that I entirely agree with everything you say; however I can be certain that it is in the very least sincere and substantiated; two qualities the politics of words in the Wizarding World are often lacking. I'm sure surviving Slytherin has given you an appreciation for the value of duplicitous words, what I find impressive is that it has failed to infect you as it has the other Slytherin I've known.
I find afternoon tea with Lucius Malfoy every Thursday to be particularly affirming of this.
It has just come to my attention as I had found my calendar beneath the disarray of my desk that Valentine's Day is tomorrow. Good thing I'm soaring solo these days otherwise I'd have to postpone the remainder of this letter to race out and make last minute arrangement to keep from jilting my lover on the holiday. Since I don't have to do that and I have an affection for wasting parchment I will mark the occasion regardless by reciting my favorite romantic tale which happens to be a myth of the Ancient Greeks about the Moon Goddess, Selene, and a mortal named Endymion.
Selene, who was the sister of Helios (the Sun) and Eos (the Dawn), traveled across the sky one night until she fell upon a sleeping mortal named Endymion whom she instantly fell in love with and fell in love with her in return. She visited him every night and the two were happy and in love for a time until Selene grew sad by the thought of Endymion's mortality which would force him to age and die while she, a Goddess would remain young and eternal. She approached Zeus, the King of the Gods, for a means to keep Endymion with her for all time. Zeus refused to exalt the mortal and sent the broken-hearted Selene away.
Returning to Endymion to find him fast asleep after waiting for her, Selene bent over her sleeping lover and kissed each of his eyelids as it was the only thing she could do. This act placed Endymion in an immortal sleep that he would never awaken from, preserved for eternity in the same youth and manner as when Selene had first laid eyes upon him. And with Endymion, Selene had fifty daughters who became the nymphs of the sea.
And each night, Selene flies to Endymion to be with her sleeping love.
And each night, Endymion dreams of Selene.
Or at least that's the version I like to tell.
This is why I named by Morning Dove Helios so as to complete the circle of sorts. My namesake is that of the Dawn, or Eos, whose herald is the sun all the while I chase after the romantic beauty of a distant moon.
I assure you it all seemed very clever when I was thirteen.
In any case, I'll do what I can in committing myself to replying to you within a few days of any posts you send me from now on. It's only fair since you take the time to write me in the first place.
Happy Valentine's Day,
~ Aurora Black
* ~ *
Finishing the letter, Severus became aware that he had unconsciously placed him hand over the forearm of his left arm as he read. Severus quickly retracted his hand as he studied the post contemplatively. He should have assumed Aurora would have dealing with Death Eaters. On some level, all Ministry personal did, as Severus thought more about it.
Severus was aware of the contemptuous mentality most followers of the Dark Lord had for Muggles and the Muggle-Born and thought little of them falling in the path of danger, but their agenda was not genocidal. Merely revolutionary. An outcry against an unsatisfactory social order where knowledge and power was seen as capriciously as good or evil. How could any system of order be satisfactory when its rulers were terrified of the unknown and obscure while making no effort at all to understand it, let alone utilize it?
In any rebellion, battles were fought and blood was spilled. It was a natural prerequisite of a coup, the need for a death rattle before there could be a fresh gasp of life. All change was brutal and passionate as it struggles for its voice, but once the dust had settles, once the opposition submitted to the new philosophy the violence would taper than fade and life would begin its new definition of normal. In the meantime, those who were seen as instrumental in opposing Voldemort's insurrection would dealt with for the security of the movement. And since the majority of Aurora's work seemed to be with victims and their families as well as being born a Pureblooded Witch there was little chance of her earning their ire.
Severus found this rationality oddly comforting.
Glossing over to her response about Lucius, Severus found it interesting that Aurora and Malfoy had two entirely different interpretations of their relationship. He wondered if she was ignorant of Lucius's intentions but doubted it considering the remarkably astute nature of the woman. Aurora had to be aware of Lucius's efforts to manipulate her into some comfortable corner of his life. She's known him too long to expect anything less.
Then again, people are often blind to that which if close to them.
Rereading the passage about her protectiveness of Sirius Black, Severus decided she was wrong to assume he couldn't appreciate the altruistic nature of their relationship. He tasted this marginally through Winifred. Not to the relentless extent the Black sibling shared, but there was still an unwavering quality. If anything, he and Winifred hindered themselves and allowed for unnecessary vulnerabilities with their invested efforts on one another's behalf, but it would probably be more trying to alter this behavior rather than embrace it.
As for why she wrote him, Severus had greatly underestimated the amusement he appeared to bring Aurora. He didn't find himself particularly entertaining however she apparently found something to appreciate in corresponding with him. For her part, Aurora was filling the void left by Lily Evans in regards to meaningful conversation ever since she became so distracted by Potter and lacked the duplicitous, scrutinizing undertones of his dialogues with Winifred.
The tale of Selene and Endymion was lost on Severus slightly. Unless it was necessary of some assignment, Severus had never had much of an inclination to read fairytales and myths and his parents had neglected in reciting any to him in his youth. He found the appeal in the story for a young girl and how it could possess a nostalgic value to a young woman, although he regarded Selene to be exceptionally selfish in her preference to reducing Endymion to a comatose state as opposed to abandoning their love.
Perhaps he had missed the point.
Folding Aurora's letter up and returning it to the inner pocket of his robes, Severus went over to his desk and removed an object that looked like a magnifying glass and returned to his other letters.
As he had anticipated, each post Severus read was fraudulent "love letters from Lily Evans." Inspecting the text with his Manifesting Glass, an instrument used for revealing falsehoods and deceitful intentions in written documents, Severus literally read between the lines of the letters and saw what the intentions of the author had been. If the forging party was careless enough to impersonate someone's signature, the Manifesting Glass would read the writer's true name instead.
Amidst the fakes was a letter from Florence Copia; a Slytherin girl in his Year who kept close company with Winifred.
Severus didn't bother to even open it.
Making a mental list of those who would be brutally hexed for his inconvenience with this nonsense, the last letter proved to be the most troubling of the lot.
* ~ *
You must consider me a coward to hide behind my quill. I am too intimidated by you for anything more.
You have that effect on people.
Your presence is so commanding. Everything you do is precise. I notice these things about you. Everyone else only sees the obvious. They never look past the image you project for their benefit. They do not understand that all they see you as is only what they invented for you to be.
I see the small gestures of consideration that everyone else has overlooked. The integrity they would pretend is not there. I ignore their conversations and gossip. I want to be above it all like you always appear to be.
Or perhaps that is just what you would have me believe . . .
* ~ *
Severus was surprised to find what whomever wrote the neatly scribed, anonymous letter was sincere in their words. Uncertain as to how to react or what he should do next, Severus was quickly growing agitated with all the mysteries orbiting his life that were too elusive for him to solve. Folding up the letter and locking it in his desk draw, Severus burnt Florence's post along with the letters from "Lily" and gathered his supplies for Potions Class while lost in his thoughts.
* * *
By the afternoon, Lily had figured out that James's charms only bothered to expel themselves whenever she entered a classroom. This was most likely a precaution against landing the both of them in trouble with their Professors for the day; however, James evidently had no reservations in making her prance about with them through the corridors and Great Hall.
Potions moved at a sluggish pace as Lily and James found their project for the day to be far beneath their level of expertise. Severus Snape appeared to be bored as well while Millicent was too polite to even be discontent. Lily was about to stifle a yawn when she heard Gwen comment from behind her:
"Well would you look at that!"
Glancing over her shoulder, Lily noticed that Gwen was pointing towards the ceiling. Following the girls motions, Lily noticed that the steam from the cauldrons had written out a message in lavender words.
~ * ~
I would not allow the world to turn another second
With out it knowing how better your presence makes it be
A dream for the awaken and a truth for those who sleep
The seasons could change lifetimes over
But I would always see you the same
Ever elegant
Ever brilliant
And everything to me
Love James
~ * ~
Surprised and flattered, Lily turned to James who was offering up the goofiest grin.
"How - " Lily breathed.
"I swapped out the water beetles we were using for our draughts today with some ones I enchanted. Each Cauldron is meant to give off a different verse." James explained.
Leaning in, Lily kissed him for his trouble. The Gryffindors and Professor Brewsteem appeared to find the gesture cute while most of the Slytherin were glaring or feigning nausea. Winifred Wilkes offered up a mild applause for the effort before she and Florence held up their wands. Each had a ribbon appear out of the tip offering up a number as their judgment.
"I give it a nine." Winifred announced.
"Looks like an eight effort to me." Florence disagreed.
"Perfect ten." Sirius jumped in with his own rating. "But for the kiss only, I'm going with the nine otherwise. It could have stood for a bit more panache in my opinion."
This earned a few chuckles in the class, save for Snape who was rotating his glare between the two Slytherin judges and Sirius as well as Lestrange and Tudor who were whispering darkly between themselves.
Those who caught this knew little good would probably amount from the couple's heated plotting.
Class progressed relatively uneventfully until Brewsteem dismissed them for the day. Ushering Millicent off as he finished reorganizing their station, Severus noticed Winifred walk off with the other Slytherin girls from the corner of his eye however Florence Copia lingered.
"Did you receive my valentine?" Florence inquired, her dark curls bobbing as she spoke.
"Yes." Severus admitted glaring at Florence. "I didn't bother to strain my eyes on the content and went straight to incinerating it."
Florence crossed her arms, glowering.
"That's very rude." Florence curtly informed. "I actually put thought into the wording of it."
"I'm far past caring about anything you do, Copia." Severus replied with venom.
"I'd think you could AT LEAST refer to me by my first name." Florence sneered. "All things considering."
"You're lucky if Copia is the only thing I call you, All. Things. Considering." Severus insisted harshly. "Now quite badgering me with your school-girl games and make yourself scarce before I inform Winifred of your thoughtful gesture."
Florence stole a glance at Winifred who was still talking with Mary and Hekate Undercross. A flicker of fear entered her eyes at the prospects of her friend becoming suddenly involved in the conversation, before she stormed off. Catching sight of Nott, Severus made sure Brewsteem was nowhere in sight as he hexed Nott with a blistering curse on his quill hand. Cringing over the sudden pain, Nott seemed as though he was about to question Severus's motives.
Severus spared him the mystery.
"Winifred's not the only member of my line you should spare any declarations of affection for, Nott." Severus insisted dryly before walking off to the Library with a satisfied expression.
Catching sight of this, Winifred broke away from the Slytherin girls to approach Nott.
"Don't take it to heart, Serpen." Winifred cooed in a falsely sympathetic voice. "You're really just not Severus's type."
"Same could be said for you." Nott snapped back as he examined his hand. "Though I very much suspect that the lot of your line would die out entirely if you didn't look inward every so often."
"I don't appreciate the implications of that." Winifred stared hard at Nott, chewing on some extra words.
"What's the matter, luv?" Nott sneered. "You think you and your cousin are the only ones with a wicked tongues lashing about?"
"Take. It. Back." Winifred spoke through her teeth.
"Which part: The jibe at your thin-skinned banter or the crack about incest?" Nott demanded, undaunted by Winifred in the least. He saw her as nothing more impressive than a spoiled, little pureblooded witch who was far too accustom to her creepy cousin doting on her. "I think you're worlds scarier when you're cowering behind your cousin, Winifred."
"Don't play games with me." Winifred warned in a cold tone. "I always play by my own terms, Nott, and I always play to win."
"Did I hit a sore spot with you, Winifred?" Nott inquired. "Or just an itch Severus won't scratch?"
Winifred's eyes flared as the quivered in rage. She wanted to draw her wand. She wanted to shout a dozen dark hexes at Nott. Ones that would wound, cripple, blind, deafen, but above all mute Nott.
She did none of these things.
Instead she only said.
"Watch those loose steps, Serpen. A clumsy boy like yourself might just trip over his own words." Winifred advised before swiftly striding in the opposite direction.
* * *
A romantic sunset illuminated the enchanted ceiling in the Great Hall as the students seated themselves to dinner. Deciding that his gesture of love had gone on long enough, James dispelled the enchantments he had placed on Lily much to her relief and found her to be a lot more affectionate towards him without their presence. And even after an entire day of their company, Lily still didn't seem to be all that bothered by them.
Witnessing such tolerance and fortitude attracted him to Lily all the more.
The chime of a glass goblet being tapped from the Head Table of the Hall drew the attention of the students as Professor Dumbledore rose to address them. Everyone fell silent as a courtesy to the powerful, elderly Wizard.
"I would like to begin with saying that I hope all of you have experienced a satisfying Valentine's Day even if it is in the most remote of fashions. In regards to the scheduled visit to Hogsmeade for this weekend, all students are expected to meet with their House Prefect at the time they specified on Saturday morning after breakfast if they plan to attend the outing."
Hushed whispers of formulating plans for the Hogsmeade visit buzzed along the tables as the Headmaster continued.
"Additionally, the faculty had requested I insist that the flying stuffed bear that has been terrorizing the hallways be claimed before someone is either harmed or annoyed enough to debroom it."
Professor Dumbledore appeared to be speaking directly to the Gryffindor table on this point of order and it certainly didn't help as the 6th Year section started to stifle their laughter.
"Finally, for those of you whom care to convene in the school courtyard after dinner, a casual setting has been prepared in honor of the holiday with warm beverages and baked sweets that I can assure are quite delicious. Otherwise, I wish you a Happy Valentines day on behalf of myself and the Hogwarts faculty."
As Professor Dumbledore took his seat, the respectful silence was broken in the Great Hall as the students returned to chatting. The over all consensuses in the room appeared to be a majority of the school deciding to meet in the courtyard after they had finished with their meal.
* * *
After dinner, James and the other 6th Year Gryffindors returned to the dormitories to grab a couple spare blankets to spread out beneath them on the grass. Offering to grab them from their room, the boys ventured up to their dorm while the girls waited in the commons for them. Peter raided the spare closet while Remus and Sirius, by their description "supervised", James went over to his corner of the room and began strapping on his Quiddtich boots and gloves.
"Don't tell me you scheduled Quidditch practice on Valentine's day, you heartless, soon-to-be-single, slave driving bastard you!" Sirius gasped, earning a dirty look from James.
"Not at all, you accusing git." James replied as he continued applying his equipment.
"We all know Lily fancies you in your Quidditch robes James, but I'm sure you'll manage just fine without." Remus teased as James jumped to his feet with his broom in hand. "Seriously, what are you doing?"
"I'm about to see if I have any skill at being a Seeker." James announced with a manic grin as he head off towards the door. Remus, Sirius, and a blanket-laden Peter followed after him, curious to see how this would turn out.
Hopping down the stairs, the girls gave quizzical looks at James and his broom.
"I'm not playing a match of Quidditch with ye, ye unsentimental wanker!" Cassidy demanded. "Is nothing sacred to ye, Potter?"
"I'M NOT CALLING A PRACTICE!" James assured irritably.
"Seriously, you two: Date." Remus insisted as he gestured between Sirius and Cassidy.
"Then what are you doing?" Lily questioned.
"I was going to - " James started for thinking better of sharing his plan with Lily. "That is to say, I'll be right along I just need to drop off my broom. I need to have Madam Hooch give it the once over to make sure everything's working fine before our team has practice again."
James and Lily stared at one another, before Lily crossed her arms over her chest.
"How can you be THIS horrible at lying to me?" Lily marveled.
"I'm not lying." James lied.
"Oh, and I suppose you need to wear your safety gear when you suddenly have to drop your cherished broom off to Madam Hooch at seven o'clock at night?" Lily scoffed. "If something WAS wrong with your broom, you'd have been whining about it all day and brought it in the first chance you got!"
"Shame on you, James Potter!" Arabella chided as she petted her kitten Bast. "Lies makes baby kittens cry."
"You tell him, Pet." Remus nodded approvingly, as he put an arm around Arabella.
"Kittens, James, really!" Sirius shook his head in disbelief before grinning.
James started chuckling without humor as the shot a glare at Sirius.
"Sirius, I know you think you're helping, I don't know WHY you think that but I may have to hurt you a bit if you keep it up, Mate." James warned.
"You're not planning on chasing down my bear are you?" Lily's green eyes were suddenly very intrusive.
"Possibly." James tightened his grip on his broom handle.
"No." Lily said sternly.
"Why?' James's tone hit that of a whining child's.
"Aside from the countless violations of school rules, these castle corridors can be narrow and turns sharp!" Lily pointed out crossly. "You'll get yourself killed and I think I deserve better than a corpse as my date for Valentines!"
"Yeah, she did choose you over Snape after all!" Sirius contributed in his usual unhelpful manner.
Lily turned to Sirius with a dark look.
"Sirius, if James doesn't pummel you for your commentary I will." Lily promised.
Sirius took this as his cue to back off from the conversation.
"Lily. Luv. Are you going to break things off with me or stop speaking to me all together over this?" James pressed seriously. "I'd like to know up front if that's the case."
James felt like testing the boundaries of their relationship on this matter. He had been doing it all day with his enchantments, trying to figure out how much Lily could take of his personality. It wasn't that he wanted to deliberately irritate her or contradict her every request, but he had to know his limits.
Especially now that they were in love with one another.
More than willing to taper back his usually wild and reckless personality on occasion, James had to know Lily could be a good sport about his usual brand of humor and wasn't plotting to cut him off at the knees every time he felt a little bit daring. He was willing to compromise a lot to appease Lily, but he still needed to be himself.
And flying his broom at breakneck speeds through confined spaces in pursuit of a possessed toy happened to be all in a days work for James Potter.
Lily gapped at James, before she sucked in a breath.
"I'll take off points." Lily threw out.
This was the best she had to use against James since there was no way she was going to break up with James over something as petty as this. She loved him. You don't give up something like that for this sort of thing, although she till wished he wouldn't attempt it regardless. Mostly, she was just worried about James hurting himself, but considering his skill with a broom Lily had to hope this would be unlikely.
James seemed approving of this response.
"Well just so long as its House points I'm winning back rather than you." James grinned as he kissed Lily on the check quickly and sprinted out the portrait entrance. "See you in the court!"
"So I imagine you and James will be communicating non-verbally this Valentines?" Gwen raised her eyebrow.
"Are you kidding? I want to hear how he pulls this stunt off." Lily smiled, before clearing her throat and stiffening her composure. "And ten points from Gryffindor."
"You are a most formidable Prefect, Lily." Arabella shook her head amused. "Why don't the lot of you go on ahead, Remus and I will be right along."
The rest of the 6th Years shrugged and didn't bother to question Arabella's request too much considering she and Remus were seeing one another. Leading Remus off to an open table in the Commons, Arabella listened as their friends filed out along with a few other Gryffindor stragglers on their ways to the Valentine's social. Placing Bast on the table top, Arabella was content to let her sniff about her surroundings as she turned to Remus.
"We exchanging our gifts now?" Remus inquired.
"Probably a good idea since I don't much feel like having Sirius's commentary through every moment of it." Arabella nodded.
"Smart plan that." Remus nodded approvingly as he began rifling through his robes until he found a thin, rectangular box and passed it off to Arabella. "Here you are then."
Arabella accepted the box with a smile and opened it, finding a pretty gold bracelet with a charm in the shape of a cat that was animated under closer expectation.
"A Charmed Bracelet." Arabella sighed.
"Figured it would be an easy gift for people to keep up with." Remus shrugged. "You know, in case they were at a loss of what to get you."
"It's grand." Arabella assured quietly. Taking a deep breath, Arabella reached into her own robes and produced a square shape box. "Now I feel positively bad for getting you this."
"I'm sure it will be exceptional." Remus soothed with a smile as he gently removed the box from her hand and opened the lid.
It as an oval stone about as large as a fingernail. It was opaque and white with a blue tint where the light caught it. The stone was fastened onto a pale chain. Remus felt his throat tighten as he stared at the jewelry, in specific the chain.
"What is it?" He asked softly.
"Moonstone on a silver chain." Arabella kept her pale eyes glued on Remus.
He couldn't tell this as he was transfixed on the contents of the box.
"It's wonderful." Remus stated in a wooden voice.
"Are you going to put it on?" Arabella asked quietly.
Remus knew what to expect. It would be like a horrible allergic reaction. First, the presence of the silver resting against his skin would be irritating and give him an ill feeling all over. Soon after that, it would cause his flesh to redden then blister as he'd begin to experience the symptoms of a harsh fever. If kept on for too long past that . . .
"Yes." Remus consented.
A little while wouldn't be unbearable.
Just a little bit for Arabella's sake.
Reaching for the necklace, Arabella placed her hand over the mouth of the box to cover it. Staring deliberately at Remus, Arabella bit her lip.
"Remus." Arabella began gently. "When are you going to simply tell me that you're a werewolf?"
Remus felt his jaw drop slightly as his eyes adverted from Arabella's.
"I didn't want to hurt you." Was the first thing that came to Remus's mind.
"And you don't think this did?" Arabella replied. "Having to add up so many splintered clues: your clock work absences, Romulus's chatter, Snape's comment about a lunar calendar - "
"Snape told you." Remus interrupted, not sounding very surprised but bitter nonetheless.
"No, I pieced it together on my own, I just had to be sure so I told you the chain was silver, but it's not. I just need to see your reaction to the thought." Arabella admitted softly. "It's nice that you saw fit to tell that nightmare Snape before me."
"That's not how it happened." Remus corrected urgently. He wanted to put his arm around her, to comfort her, but he wasn't sure how she would react at the moment so he didn't dare risk it.
"So does everyone but me know?" Arabella asked straight out. "I'm I just so thick that I didn't get the post?"
"No, not at all." Remus insisted. "Arabella, the only people whom my family ever told about my . . . situation was the faculty because they had to know. The few, and I stress FEW parties outside of that only know what I am by accident or because they managed to sort out the facts like you did. The reason I never told you about my predicament was because I've never told anyone about it."
Remus sighed as he leaned against the table for support.
"I guess I just didn't know how to tell it to anybody. And saying it to you . . . it just seemed so impossible anytime I tried."
"Because you don't trust me with your secret?" Arabella wandered.
"No." Remus denied this. "I just . . . it's all just so complicated for me to explain . . ."
Remus felt tears welling up in his eyes, threatening to fall if his emotions rose anymore than where they were already at. It was so rare for him to cry that he almost forgot what it was like and when he did it was different from this occasion. He had cried for his family, for James, Sirius, Peter, Lily, and even Snape. He cried for Arabella.
Remus never cried for himself.
Remus never felt sorry for himself because he knew if he started to the feeling would consume him eventually and he would never stop feeling sorry for himself.
In a single motion that she had mimicked countless times before this, Arabella slid her arms around the length of Remus's body and rested her head against him.
It had never felt as comforting as it did just now.
"Could you just try to explain it?" Arabella pleaded.
Looking down at Arabella, Remus could only see the top of her golden head. He pulled his arms around her and gripped Arabella close to him.
"Yes I will." Remus promised, closing his eyes breathing deeply. He felt his high cheeks become damp with his fresh tears. "You must hate me a bit now."
Arabella turned her face up to Remus and ran her hand across his face, catching the tears on her fingertips. She smiled at him.
"I do just a bit, but not for the reason you'd think. I love you, even if you are a secret keeping brooding git." Arabella reassured. "And even if you don't really want me to say that."
"I love you too." Remus responded suddenly, more so to himself than Arabella. Arabella smiled at him and he smiled back in the first sincere smile he'd felt in the longest time.
"It's alright if we say that now." Remus decided. "I just wanted to make sure you knew who you were saying it to. Those three words are so hard to take back."
"Well, you'll have to do worse than being a werewolf for that to happen." Arabella hugged him tighter. "Especially considering all girls can expect to be a bit of a terror once or twice a month."
Remus could always leave it to Arabella to make him laugh even when he was most down.
It was one of the things to love about the funny, quirky girl.
* * *
"Wonder what's keeping Arabella and Remus." Gwen mused as she sipped her hot chocolate. They had said they'd be right along but it was over half an hour since they last saw them.
"I imagine he's probably giving her more than a gift, but that's just the optimist in me." Sirius took it upon himself to field that question. Cassidy, Peter, and Lily all rolled their eyes; Gwen snickered a bit, as Millicent went bright red over the innuendo.
"Sirius, you really shouldn't start rumors like that." Millicent chided modestly on behalf of Remus and Arabella. "I mean, what exactly will people think?"
"That they're damn lucky to have one another." Sirius tried with a smile that showed he was happy for the two, before stealing a glance at Lily. "Same goes for you and James."
"So did you find anyone promising amidst your tokens from admires?" Lily teased in a friendly way to Sirius. Sirius laughed broadly as he seemed to be debating how the best reply.
"I'm exploring my options presently." Sirius informed before nodding off past Lily's shoulder. "And look who's here."
James swaggered up to his friends triumphantly as he held out the struggling stuffed bear as his trophy. A round of laughter and clapping erupted from the Gryfffindors as James sat down with fussing toy as it attempted to wiggle free.
"So you actually caught him?" Lily observed, impressed.
"Yeah, but he made me work for it!" James laughed. "Isn't that right, James Jr.?"
"'James Jr.'?" Half the Gryffindor's repeated.
"Well what else am I supposed to call him?" James shrugged. "Harry?"
"Yer going to be one of those prats who has to name his first born after him aren't ye?" Cassidy inquired, rolling her eyes.
"Well, I suppose I could name him Jim." James teased.
Raising her wand toward the bear, Lily dispelled the Evasive Charm from the bear, leaving it dormant under James's grip. Setting the toy off to the side, James put his arm around Lily and drew her closer to him on the blanket.
"Not cross with me are you?" James murmured in her ear.
"No." Lily decided as she kissed his cheek. Lingering there for a moment, Lily added in a whisper so as to be discrete in front of the rest of their friends. "If you'd like, you could come over this evening and stay over. I somewhat miss sleeping with you at my side."
"Sure." He agreed with a smile. James thought about how it had been over a month since he and Lily last shared a bed and thought that would be a grand way to cap off his first Valentine's with her. James leaned in to kiss Lily but stopped when he felt a presence looming over head. Glancing up he found a very unhappy looking Professor McGonagall staring down at him.
"You're not going to bust us for snogging are you?" James protested. "Because first off, I'd like to say you only have me on intent at the moment and secondly all the other kids are doing it."
"No Mr. Potter, I would like to discuss your fancy flying through the school halls for a bit." Professor McGonagall corrected, eyeing James's broom and Quidditch gear. James threw up an awkward smile as he lifted himself off the ground.
"Saw that, did you?" James asked softly.
"Oh yes." McGonagall nodded as she started to lead James off towards her office. "Come along this instant! I cannot believe you could be so careless as to pilot your broom in the school halls! Do you realize how many people could have been hurt by this thoughtless stunt? Honestly I would think by now you would have sense enough to. . .to not wink and mouth things to Miss Evans while I'm speaking to you!"
* * *
"And what did you do with your Valentine's day?" Winifred inquired politely as she approached where he was seated in the courtyard. It was a on a short ledge that ran in the court in a location that was far too bright and in the open for most couples and not particularly attractive for casual groupings. Winifred was a little surprised to find him amongst the other students, but didn't bother to question it.
"I read." Severus reported unimpressively as he glanced up only briefly from the book in his lap.
"I hope it was at least for pleasure." Winifred frowned. "If you spent all day studying I would feel quite sad for you."
"Well thankfully I shall be spared your pity, Winifred." Severus replied as he passed his cousin the book.
Inspecting the cover, Winifred raised an eyebrow to Severus.
"Greek Mythology?" Winifred observed as she paged through the book. This certainly wasn't her cousin's usual choice in literature as she was far more accustom to finding him with a potions tome or book on the Dark Arts. Assuming he was either seeking out some reference for a purpose she wasn't aware of or merely enjoying the oft-times savage and taboo legends, Winifred handed the book back. "Anything worth mentioning?"
"They have their memorable moments." Severus admitted as he reopened his book and resumed reading.
"I hear they typically end tragically." Winifred commented.
"Most are." Severus nodded. He then thought of Selene and Endymion.
"A few manage to be bitter-sweet though."
* * *
* * * * * *
* * *
So no more secrets between Remus and Arabella huh? Happy freaking day! Lots and lots of stuff in the chapter huh? Well I guess well just have to see how it turns out, which, typical Oy! Angie style, might take a while for me to get around to but you all know it'll be worth the wait.
* * *
Bring Me to Life
By: Evanescense
* * *
How can you see into my eyes
Like open doors.
Leading you down into my core
Where I've become so numb.
Without a soul
My spirit's sleeping somewhere cold
Until you find it there and lead it back
Home.
(Wake me up)Wake me up inside.
(Can't Wake Up)Wake me up inside.
(Save me)Call my name and save me from the dark.
(Wake Me up)Bid my blood to run.
(Can't Wake up)Before I come undone.
(Save me)Save me from the nothing I've become.
Bring me to life.
Now that I know what I'm without
you can't just leave me.
Breathe into me and make me real
Bring me to life.
Wake me up inside.
Wake me up inside.
Call my name and save me from the dark.
Bid my blood to run.
Before I come undone.
Save me from the nothing I've become.
Bring me to life.
Frozen inside without your touch,
without your love, darling.
Only you are the life among the dead.
Bring me to life
Wake me up inside.
Wake me up inside.
Call my name and save me from the dark.
Bid my blood to run.
Before I come undone.
Save me from the nothing I've become.
Bring me to life.
Bring me to life.