Twiglefix

The next morn proved to be uneventful. Things were as they normally were; quiet and notorious for lie ins. At least for teenagers anyways. No matter how late Severus managed to crawl from his bed, he still beat the 'infamous' Harry Potter. It was rather sad, really.

Severus stood staring out his bay window, slowly drinking from his dollar store coffee mug. He never really liked windows. Other than letting in the light, what did they do? Personally, he'd rather one of two things- to be in his dungeon where no one, not even light, could annoy him- or two: outside in the outdoors.

He mentally laughed, amusing himself with the remembrances of the disbelief he'd gotten when he'd mentioned that to several people. Yes, he liked being outside. Or perhaps it was that he liked being alone? Was that so hard to believe?

'Why do you do that?'

Severus jumped as the mental link relayed Twiglefix's message. He looked for her in the room, finding her on the table behind him.

"Why do I do what?" he asked aloud, mildly wondering what she was going to pester him about this time.

She looked up at him, her wide yellow eyes glaring at him.

'Why do you humans laugh at oneself- or each other, for that matter? What is the purpose of that?'

He sighed.

"This is why I hate pets- talking pets, particularly cats- too curious for their own good."

He sighed again.

"There really is no purpose. It is merely to alleviate stress, feel joyous or perhaps, even coddle one's ego- you might say."

'Whoever said Cats were smart?' he mentally commented.

'I heard that.'

He threw his hands into the air, cursing; his temper getting the better of him.

"Why is it that I can never have a moments rest? I cannot even have a thought to myself without some ignorant little vixen asking me what I meant by something or why I thought it! Must there always be some test involved? Some unanswered question that only I can answer? Can I never have two words to myself?!"

He stood there breathing heavily, trying to cool his temper before he did something he would regret.

He marched to the entrance and put on his black jacket, still fighting for control. He opened the door, making sure to grab his wand from the table, and shut the door, magically locking it. Stomping down the stairs, he made it to the roof of the building he lived on. He walked to the edge of the roof, leaning on the railing, and looked out onto the horizon; loving the breeze that swept back his longish black hair.

He stretched backwards- away from the railing while clinging to it, breathing in the cool air. It took a few minutes, but he finally began to feel his temper receding. He looked up at his flat and chuckled to himself.

'If only the Muggles down there could see it.'

He laughed, looking at the way his large and cozy place situated itself on the top of two billboards connecting at a corner. The small staircase ran between the backs of the large metal frames, acting as an enclosed entrance. It almost appeared as a shack that was balanced on its last legs. And the looks of surprise that his house would get if he ever removed the invisibility shield - Oh, it was nice. It was quaint- to say the least.

He looked out at the streets of Canada and felt the familiar smile breaking out on his face. His thoughts strayed into the meaning of this particular smile- the contentment of being out in the wind, and how he could never keep a straight face when in it. It meant Freedom. Freedom from jobs- lives- people; it merely liberated everything.

'You've become a sap. Years ago you would have growled at the wind because it wasn't from home. You're weak' some part of him declared.

He frowned, his temper slightly returning.

'Perhaps a walk will do some good.'

He gathered himself up, leaving the soothing breeze behind. He left the rooftop, walking down 7 flights of stairs to the main floor of the "Cineplex Odeon" building, and stepped outside- only to be bustled along by people determined to finish their shopping early.

He walked along for a while, finally merging into the crowds to become one of the arrogant louts that busied in every direction. He walked for nearly 7 blocks before finally detaching himself from the mob in search of a coffee. He found a Tim Hortons a short ways away, and entered. He got his coffee and sat back into the hard chairs, smelling the liquid with new appreciation.

As he sipped his first taste of the strong brew, a pretty woman came up to him.

"Excuse me, sir. I was wondering... it's awfully crowded in here, and you're alone... would you mind?" she asked in a thick accent, motioning to the empty chair across from him.

Severus looked around, seeing that there was not one empty seat in the place and nodded briefly, going back to his cozy cup.

The woman smiled and sat down. She took off her gloves and sat back, looking around as though trying to occupy her mind elsewhere.

Severus glanced up, startled to see how beautiful the woman was. Her long red hair was straight and feathered, her bangs grown long to frame her pretty face and her eyes were a rich brown, something akin to garden soil. She was tall, slim, and had long shapely legs. Her skin looked soft- supple even, and though her nose was slightly off-center, her plush lips made up for it.

He smiled, lazily thinking to himself how long it had been since he'd been with anyone, in any way at all. Stirring his coffee dreamily, he didn't notice the look of awareness cross her face.

"Might I ask why do you stare at me?"

The question jarred his memory, waking him up with a slap. He focused on her and realized that while in his daydreaming world, he'd been staring directly at her. His mind sought for some plausible excuse.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. I was just thinking, and I'm afraid I forget that I stare at people without actually seeing them."

'Nice going' his brain told him. 'She'll think you a git for sure, now.'

But she didn't. In fact, she smiled at him.

"Yeah, I know how that feels. Been there. Often, actually."

He shook his head, a strand of hair falling into his face- which he quickly brushed back. He looked back up at her, startled to find her following his every gesture. He began to be very uncomfortable.

"Well, I must be off. Pleasure to meet you, miss."

With that he stood up, zipping up his jacket and taking his coffee with him. As he moved to pass her, however, she reached out a well-manicured hand and grasped his arm tightly.

"Please don't leave. I must speak with you."

He paused, if only for a second, and shook his head, heading for the door.

'What the hell was that about?'

He left the store immediately, not daring to turn around to give her a reason to follow him. But, in spite of his brush off, she did.

She nearly ran after him as he sped through the streets.

'If only I could Apparate...' he thought longingly. 'But no... the Muggles always have to be around to spoil any attempts at escape.'

He sighed deeply, rounding a corner with as much speed as he could muster, but still, it was not enough. As he turned another corner, he felt an arm on his shoulder, pulling him backwards and into a store. There, he was dragged through the store, through the lingerie silks; into the backroom, and seated on a crate.

The woman from the coffee shop stood before him, her hands on her hips; her lips pursed.

"I told you. I wanted to speak with you."

He felt his temper rise.

'How dare this woman attack me so? Who is she? What does she want? I should hex her into oblivion!'

He sneered up at her, forcing her see his dislike at being treated as he had.

"Well? What do you want, woman? What is so damned important that you must kidnap me in front of so many mug-err... people?!" he demanded. Mentally, he slapped himself for nearly divulging his magical secrets.

She laughed a deep, throaty laugh. Leaning forward, she reached out a hand and tentatively stroked his cheek.

"It's all right, Severus. You can say 'Muggle', you know."

Severus pulled away from the intimate touch, silently shocked at her words.

"I beg your pardon, but- what?"

She laughed again, clapping her hands childishly in amusement.

"Really Severus, I expected more from you," she spoke in a deep British voice. "Don't you know me?"

He stared at her for a few moments, trying to recall if he had met her before. Nothing clicked.

He shook his head silently, and she sighed.

"Honestly Severus, I thought you had better memory than that. You really cannot remember, at all?"

He shook his head again, begging his temper to calm enough to have a civil conversation with this woman. Obviously she didn't plan much if she hadn't confiscated his wand from his pocket...

She sighed again, clearly disappointed.

"Alright, I admit I've changed, but that should not stop you from remembering me."

He looked at her again, failing miserably at picturing her differently.

She continued.

"Severus! It's me! Anna Thomas!"

His eyes widened as he recognized one of his former star pupils, though his smile at her identification could not be shown as he was still quite peeved.

"Well, although it was a pleasure to meet you after so many years, Ms. Thomas, I am still unsure as to why you nearly broke my neck to throw me in here, and why you keep calling me 'Severus'!"

Her smile faltered and she began to stutter.

"Well... you see, sir... I wanted to talk to you... and considering you're not the easiest person to talk to on such matters, I had to find something to get your undivided attention... and well... I called you 'Severus' because... well... the matters on which I wish to speak of call for an informal approach."

She shrugged, her eyes flickering in what appeared to be a light nervousness.

'What has this damned girl got up her sleeve?'

She laughed, seemingly trying to lighten the tension between them but failing miserably. He could feel his temper rising above his limits. If she didn't speak now, who knew where he'd be led.

She caught the glare and sneer coming, and began quickly launching into her story.

"You see, sir... I admit this openly, now..." She took his hand between hers, and gently caressed. He looked down on his hand and back up at her, his face suddenly a mask. "Professor-err... Severus... I have had a crush on you since I can remember. And, I am no longer a child... so..." She blushed.

Severus bristled with fury. He knew where this was headed and despised it.

'All this? All this shoving me into a backroom- into a storage closet, and the stalking- all for a piddly crush? Merlin's beard! What folly!'

Before he knew what he was doing, he was on his feet, berating the girl for her ignorance of the Muggles, for her stupidity in telling him this, and for her foolishness in having the damned crush in the first place. He did not think about what he said- he never did. He merely let the words flow off his tongue- his mouth merely making the phrases coherent enough that the person who suffered his lashing got the point- and quickly. What he did not expect was the cool, calm, collected manner in which the girl picked up her purse and left the room.

Severus glared after her, his mouth finally at a loss of words as her retreating back left the 'Silk and Satin' shop.

It was several minutes of loathing for teenage girl crushes later, that he regained his composure enough to exit the store, amid the interested looks of shoppers, and stomped back to his flat in a fowl temper. He climbed the steps of the building- finding a complaint about anything in particular for every one.

"Muggles are too trusting."

"Teenage girls are too prissy and juvenile."

"Harry Potter has too many admirers."

"Teenagers drink too much."

"There's not enough beer in the flat to get pissed."

He managed to lower his temper enough by the time he got up the stairs to his invisible home, that he no longer felt the need to smash every little object he possessed. He stormed into the room, locking the door, taking off his jacket and throwing it on a hook, leaving his boots neatly tucked inside the closet, and promptly went to the liquor cupboard. He pulled out the only two bottles it contained and placed them on the table, grabbing a glass as he went. It was then, that he poured himself a glass of fine wine, and smiled bitterly as he thought of how he'd handled the situation with Anna.

He was pleased with his handling of the situation, ensuring that there would never be any romantic feelings between the two of them again.

It was at that moment that Twiglefix took a leisurely stroll into the room from the direction of his bedroom, and calmly hopped onto her favorite perch on the back of the chesterfield.

'You had a romantic interest in her' she passed on, after reading through his thoughts.

He snarled at her, wishing she'd leave him be- and yet, knowing that if he did not speak to her, she'd merely annoy him until he blurted everything, which, in all matters, did not really make much difference. He sighed wearily, and turned to his cat.

"You'd be well to leave me to my own thoughts."

She stared at him; her unblinking eyes boring holes into his.

'There's no shame in admitting that you liked her. She was a young woman- beautiful, sweet, a leader, and even intelligent- you know that. So why push her away?'

He growled angrily. He hated having to explain his thoughts.

He went and sat on the couch, resting his head back to talk sideways to the feline.

'Because, she's my former student- because she's not the smartest person in the world- because...'

'Because she's not your mate. You have a fancy for someone else, don't you?'

He glanced at her, his eyes wide as he explored what she said.

He stood up quickly, picking up his glass from the table and walking to his window. Staring down at the boy's apartment, he sighed heavily.

'Yes, perhaps I do have a bit of a fancy for someone.'

It was at that moment that a small paper in the corner of the boy's window caught his eye. He drew his wand from his back pocket, and conjured up a pair of binoculars. Looking down, he saw the message, and nearly spewed his drink. There, in neat capitalized scrawl, depicted in concise letters, said something that made his heart sink.

'SEVERUS, PLEASE COME OVER.'