The Talisman of Monguk

Chapter 12: Some Enchanted Evening

The next Saturday couldn't arrive soon enough for Angela. She was so concerned for Lupin's safety that she could think of little else for the rest of the week. She wasn't sure what she would find when she arrived at Grimmauld Place for her dueling lesson. When Lupin answered the door, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hello, Angela," he said with a smile.

"Hi! You made it back. How was the mission?"

"I'll tell you all about it later. Let's have that dueling lesson first."

As promised, Lupin began the session with a lesson on advanced shielding spells and their uses. They practiced the new spells for a while and then finished with a few rounds of sparring. The time passed quickly and, before she knew it, the lesson was over.

"I'd like to freshen up and change before dinner, if you don't mind," Angela said as they left the drawing room.

"Sure," he replied. "You can use the first bedroom. Just up the stairs. First door on the left."

Angela grabbed the Harrod's bag that she had left in the hallway beside her coat and mounted the stairs. She had decided to take Ravena's advice after all. Her cousin had selected an outfit for her to wear and had given it to Angela just prior to her dueling lesson. Once in the room, Angela opened the bag and took out the garment, inspecting it for the first time. It was a dowdy black Muggle dress. She frowned. Usually, Ravena had such good taste in clothing. This wasn't at all what Angela had expected, but what harm would there be in trying it on.

Angela shrugged, took off her jumper and trousers, and slipped the dress on over her head. As the pulled the zipper closed, the dress began to morph around her body. The homely garment had transformed into a very short, tight-fitting, black leather, strapless dress. To complete the ensemble, her shoes had been transformed into a pair of black leather pumps with four inch stiletto heels.

She gasped and ran to check her appearance in the mirror. Angela just stared at her reflection, mortified. She tugged on the bottom of the skirt, hoping for more coverage. Then she tugged on the top of the dress.

"Oh, Ravena, how could you?" she muttered. "I can't possibly wear this."

She began a frenzied search of the room for the jumper and trousers that she had been wearing, but they had vanished. Muttering under her breath, she picked up her wand and tried several spells to alter the dress. Ravena must have put an Anti-Tailoring Charm on it. No matter what she tried, the dress remained unchanged. Next, Angela pulled on the zipper of the dress, but it wouldn't budge either. Finally, she peered back into the Harrod's sack, hoping to find something else to wear inside it. There on the bottom of the bag was a note in Ravena's handwriting.

Dearest Cousin,

Here's a little black dress that's sure to get you noticed. By the way, sorry for the spells, but I knew that you would need a little extra encouragement to get into this.

Good luck with Remus!

Ravena

"I'll see that you pay for this, Ravena," Angela fumed, throwing the letter back into the bag.

There was a knock on the door. "Are you all right in there?" said Lupin, through the door. "May I come in?"

"Remus! Just a minute. I'm not decent," Angela answered with panic in her voice.

She looked frantically around the room for something to hide the dress. She spotted the bed and pulled the white linen sheet from it. She wrapped it around herself like a toga and struck a casual pose.

"Come in," she said, trying to appear nonchalant.

Lupin opened the door. His jaw dropped open with surprise and then closed in a bemused grin. "What's all this?"

"Well...er...it's just...I thought we'd go Greek tonight."

"I've had a peek in the picnic hamper. I wasn't aware that roast beef and Yorkshire pudding were Greek fare?"

Her face fell. She stared down at the floor. "I might as well come clean," she muttered. "You see, I...er...This is all Ravena's doing. A practical joke. Apparently, she thought that I should try a different look to get your attention." She peered over at him sheepishly.

He chuckled. "So you thought a bed sheet would do the trick?"

She blushed with embarrassment. "No! The sheet is just a cover. You see, Ravena gave me a dress. Only she tricked me. When I put it on, it changed into an altogether different dress. And my old clothes have disappeared, so I have nothing else to wear."

Lupin laughed and remarked, "That's a prank worthy of my old mates!"

Angela smiled wanly and stared back down at the floor. "Now that I've made a complete fool of myself, I guess I should just collect my things and go."

Lupin stepped toward her and took her hand in his. "No, please stay," he urged, gazing into her eyes as she looked up. "I...well...I can't very well let you leave in a bed sheet, can I?"

"I was going to wear my coat, unless Ravena made that vanish too," she replied crossly.

"Come on. The dress can't be that bad. Let me have a look at it," he coaxed.

"Not on your life!" Angela answered, backing away and clutching the sheet tightly around her.

"Right then. I guess we need to find you something else to wear." Lupin ran his fingers through his hair absently, thinking hard. "I could loan you one of my shirts and a pair of trousers, if that helps."

Angela sighed with relief. "Thanks. That would be wonderful."

Lupin left the room, returning a few minutes later with a white Oxford shirt and an old pair of tan trousers. He handed them to Angela and prepared to leave the room, when she stopped him.

"Thanks, Remus," she said. "And will you please help me with this zipper? It won't budge."

Still covering herself with the sheet modestly, she turned her back to him. He tried to unzip the dress, but it stuck for him too. After a couple of pulls, he took out his wand and uttered an incantation. As the zipper finally gave way, he caught a glimpse of her bare back and the black leather dress. He exited the room and closed the door behind him. He leaned against the door, noticing how warm it had suddenly become. Then he grinned, imagining what Sirius would have done in that situation.

Minutes later, Angela emerged from the room. Although Lupin was slim, his clothes fit very loosely on her petite frame. She wore the shirt out over the trousers and had rolled up the sleeves. She had rolled up the pant legs too, revealing the high-heeled pumps. All in all, it was a very sexy look. Lupin thought that his clothes had never looked better.

"I hope you don't mind. I had to use a Tailoring Charm on the trousers to keep them up. I'll reverse it, when I return them," she said.

"Not a problem," he answered.

He glanced over her shoulder into the room. He caught sight of the little black leather dress, cast away on the floor. He smirked. Then he watched Angela descend the stairs, tottering unsteadily on the high heels. Within seconds, he bounded down the stairs to her side and took her arm. He escorted her to the kitchen.

Angela had Lupin set the table, while she prepared their dinner. As he worked, Lupin watched her navigate the kitchen in those heels, like a physicist studying the change in her motion. He was so mesmerized that he fumbled the silverware twice and nearly missed the table altogether while setting down the plates.

Instead of sitting across the table from her in his usual spot, Lupin sat next to Angela for dinner tonight. He claimed that he just wanted to see things from this side of the room for a change. For her part, Angela could not recall their dinner conversation or if they'd even spoken at all. She was too busy noticing the goofy grin permanently arranged on Lupin's face. She wondered if it matched the one on her own.

Over dessert, she pressed him for the details of his latest mission. While relating the tale, he settled into his customary ease. She leaned forward, hanging on his every word.

"Did you get the map?" she prompted.

"It's not exactly a map. At least, not a traditional one," he replied. "I'll have to tell this from the beginning. Kingsley, Mad-Eye, and I went to Gringotts this time. Fortunately, we didn't encounter any Death Eaters, but the goblins gave us plenty of trouble. They were very suspicious when we presented Snogblod's letter. I didn't think that they were going to let us in at all. After keeping us waiting for more than an hour, they took us into a back room and questioned us further. I've never seen Moody so angry.

"Finally, they took us down to the vaults. Kingsley stayed in the lobby, while Mad-Eye and I went down on those blasted carts. You'd think they could make those things go at a more reasonable speed." He grimaced.

"And then what?" Angela prompted.

"When we arrived at the vault, it was empty, just the way it had been when Tonks and I left it. We were lucky that we had Snogblod's scroll. The markings on the wall were hard to find. We never would have found them without it. We could tell where the map was hidden by the hairline cracks in the wall near the markings, but we had difficulty getting it open. We must have been in there for an hour, trying spells.

"Eventually, we succeeded. It was Snogblod's clue that did it. I had to point my wand on the markings and say 'Monguk'. A brick shook loose from the wall. We pried it out the rest of the way and found a small hollow behind it. There was only one thing inside - a velvet pouch containing a small gold ball. The ball was covered with strange markings, runes, I think. They were very odd."

"Could they be Goblin, like the ones on the scroll?" Angela asked.

"No, these were different, unlike anything I've ever seen. They were ancient, but I'm quite certain that they're not Goblin." Lupin replied.

He continued, "Since we knew that we'd never be allowed back down there again, Mad-Eye and I took a good look around. We didn't see any other markings or signs, so we replaced the brick and left. We came back here, notified Dumbledore, and took a look at the globe.

"If it's a map, it's the strangest one I've ever seen. We tried several spells on it, but couldn't get it to work. We both suspect that those runes on it are instructions of some kind, but until we know what they mean, the map is useless to us. It's just another dead end. We're no nearer to that talisman than when we started," he said hopelessly.

"What does the writing look like?" Angela asked.

"Here." Lupin took out a small piece of parchment and handed it to her. "I copied them down before I turned in the map."

Angela examined the parchment. It was covered with mysterious symbols. She was just as puzzled as Lupin. She handed the paper back to him.

"They are strange. I wouldn't even know where to begin," she replied sympathetically.

Lupin folded the parchment and put it back into his pocket.

"At least we managed to get the map before Voldemort. That's some consolation," he added.

Angela cringed at the mention of the name. Lupin noticed and commented, "Come on. You really ought to get used to hearing it."

"I suppose," she said uncertainly.

"Let's get these dishes cleaned up. Shall we?" he said.

As they began clearing the dishes from the table, Angela reached for the nearest goblet. Lupin reached for it at the same time. Their hands met. Abruptly, Lupin withdrew his, apologizing and looking more than a little uncomfortable. They hesitated for a brief moment and then they both reached for the other goblet. Lupin's hand got there first. Angela's met his, but she didn't pull away. They both froze, staring at their hands on the goblet for what seemed like an eternity. Then Angela stepped back from the table, self-consciously brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes.

"Perhaps, I'll...I'll just start with the washing," she stammered, blushing.

She moved over to the sink and started to wash the dishes, choosing to do it manually rather than using magic. A shy smile appeared on her face. Had she turned around, she would have seen a mischievous grin on Lupin's.

While she filled the sink and started washing, he continued clearing the table. He brushed by her repeatedly, dumping the dishes into the sink. She felt his left hand stroke the small of her back, while his right hand reached around her to put a dirty plate in the sink. He leaned over her shoulder, pointing out a spot that she'd missed, his lip brushing against her ear as he pulled away. With a sharp intake of breath, she fumbled the dish that she was washing. It slid back into the soapy water. She washed the dishes slowly, taking her time. She was thoroughly enjoying this flirtatious game, not wishing it to end.

Meanwhile, Lupin had finished clearing the table and took his place by her side, drying and putting away the dishes. He also chose to do this task manually. Hovering near her, he took advantage of every opportunity for contact - a playful jostle, a gentle touch, a furtive glance. It ended all too soon.

While Lupin put away the last of the pots, Angela went upstairs to gather her things. She tottered back down the stairs a few minutes later, alight with excitement.

"Remus, come. You've got to see. It's snowing outside. The first of the season."

She grabbed his arm and pulled him up the stairs and into the drawing room. Sure enough the snow was coming down, transforming the view outside the window.

"Come. Let's go for a walk, shall we?" she pleaded.

Lupin smiled and answered, "Why not?"

Angela pointed her wand at the high heels and uttered a Restoring Charm. Fortunately, Ravena's spell had started to weaken. Angela was relieved to be back in a pair of sensible shoes. They grabbed their coats and walked out into the evening air.

The normally dismal square was blanketed with snow, like a fresh coating of powdered sugar. As the snow did not stick to the sidewalks and street, they were still bare, forming an ebony frame around the glittering white. Snowflakes fluttered playfully in the light of the street lamps. Even the red and green traffic lights seemed to lend a festive touch. Angela spread her arms wide and whirled around in delight, catching snowflakes on her tongue. Lupin watched her with a bemused expression and laughed.

"Oh, I suppose you've never done that," retorted Angela.

"Done what?"

"Catch snowflakes on your tongue."

"Not since I was a kid," he replied, smiling. "Come on," he said with a nod of his head.

He stuffed his hands in the pockets of his coat and they started walking side by side down the street away from Grimmauld Place. But seconds later, he removed his hand from his pocket and started fishing for hers. They strolled hand in hand for quite a while, past houses and shops. Occasionally, they stopped to admire a Christmas display in a shop window or a nicely decorated house. All the while, the snowflakes kept falling and swirling around them. By the time they returned to Grimmauld Place, Angela was leaning on his shoulder and holding onto his arm. His hand was resting on hers.

They entered the house and Lupin closed the door against the night. They stood just inside the hallway, speaking in hushed whispers to avoid disturbing the portrait of Mrs. Black. They stood very close together. Angela absently brushed the snowflakes off of his shoulder.

"Next Saturday then?" Lupin asked hopefully.

Angela nodded and looked up at him. "Good night, Remus," she whispered.

Her green eyes danced in the flickering light of the hallway lamps. Her cheeks were pink, kissed by the cool night air. She smiled at him sweetly. He swallowed hard. His hands trembled slightly, as he took her face in them. Then he leaned in and kissed her tenderly.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Back at Hogwarts, the tensions that had existed between Ravena and Snape had eased considerably. In the wake of their duel, anger had given way to strained civility. By the month of December, their relationship had settled into an awkward politeness.

The last Hogsmeade weekend before the Christmas holiday was fast approaching, when both faculty and students were allowed an off-campus visit to the nearby wizard village of Hogsmeade. It was with this in mind, that Snape knocked on Ravena's office door on one December afternoon. Ravena was sitting at her desk, working on her lesson plans.

"Yes," she said, looking up from her work.

"Good afternoon, Professor Hawkins...Ravena," Snape began.

"Good afternoon, Severus. Please, have a seat, won't you?" she replied, motioning to a comfortable chair.

"No, thank you. I won't be staying long." Snape stood before her desk. He put his hands in his pockets and then abruptly took them out again. He fidgeted with his sleeve. "I assume that you are aware that this coming Saturday is a Hogsmeade weekend?"

"Yes, so I had heard."

"I was wondering if you would be so kind as to join me for a drink at the Three Broomsticks?"

"Er...why, yes...that would be lovely," she answered with obvious surprise.

"Good," said Snape. "I have some business to take care of beforehand, so could I meet you there at about three o'clock?"

"That would be fine. Three o'clock then," she replied with a quizzical look.

"I'll leave you to your work. Good day!"

"And to you," Ravena replied.

Then Snape turned and left the room. Ravena watched him with a puzzled expression etched on her face.

On the next Saturday, Ravena made her way to the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade Village. It was a cozy tavern in the heart of the village, a favorite with both students and faculty alike. Many of the tables were already taken when she arrived. She spotted Rubeus Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper, sitting at the bar and waved a greeting. Then she crossed to an empty booth at the back of the pub to wait for Severus Snape. It was exactly three o'clock, but he was not yet there. She summoned the innkeeper, a plump witch called Madam Rosmerta. She ordered a Firewhisky and sat alone, waiting for Snape.

After about ten minutes, three surly-looking warlocks entered and surveyed the bar. One of them spotted Ravena, nudged the others, and nodded in her direction with an unpleasant leer. The three of them sauntered across the crowded bar to her table.

"What a pretty little dish we have here, eh, Mates," said a large blond-haired one to his companions with a look that Ravena didn't like at all.

Before she could utter a protest, the other two men sat down at the table on either side of her, barring her escape. The blond one sat down across from her.

"I'm sorry, but those seats are taken," Ravena said, her blue eyes flashing.

"They don't look taken to me. Do they look taken to you, Bruce?" asked the blond man.

"I don't see no one," replied the second man.

"I am expecting someone and I would like you all to leave now," she said with forced civility.

It was at this moment, while Ravena was trying to persuade her table companions to leave, that Snape entered the Three Broomsticks. When he saw Ravena at a table surrounded by what he assumed to be three attentive admirers, his face fell. A wave of anger surged through him at this apparent betrayal. His eyes narrowed and his lips closed very tightly. He turned and stormed out of the tavern without so much as a word.

Ravena was so preoccupied with her unwelcome visitors that she had not noticed Snape's arrival or equally abrupt departure. When her polite rebuffs failed to persuade the men to leave, Ravena rose to her feet and attempted to leave herself. One of the men stood up and barred her way.

"What's the hurry, love?" he said, grabbing her shoulder and pushing her back down into the chair.

Ravena, now truly alarmed, pulled her wand out and kept it hidden under the table. She was thinking quickly. The three warlocks were large men. She couldn't take on all three at once. Anyway, she couldn't duel them in here. She couldn't risk hitting other patrons with a stray hex in the crowded tavern. Then she had an idea.

She pointed her wand at the second warlock's feet. While pretending to take a drink from her glass, she uttered an incantation. He squirmed uncomfortably in his chair. Then he hopped out of his seat with a yelp of pain. At that moment, Ravena tossed the remains of her Firewhisky into the face of the third man. She jumped up and squeezed past them. The blond man got up and grabbed her roughly with both hands, his face contorted with rage. But the disturbance had done its work and everyone in the room was now staring at them. Rubeus Hagrid rose to his feet and came to her rescue.

"Take yer hands offa her," Hagrid commanded threateningly.

Hagrid was a very large, bearish man, about twice the size of a normal person. He had unkempt hair and a beard and wore animal skin clothing. He was not the sort of man to be trifled with. Seeing him, the blond man reluctantly released his grip on Ravena. She stepped away from him and moved behind Hagrid for protection.

"Off wit' yeh, now!" Hagrid commanded the three, pounding his fist on the table.

The three didn't need to be asked a second time. They took off running for the exit as fast as they could. Ravena turned to Hagrid.

"Thank you, Rubeus," she said with a grateful smile.

"Oh, weren' nothin', miss," he replied modestly, blushing behind the great scruffy beard.

"I was supposed to meet Professor Snape here today, but he must've been delayed. Would you be so kind as to escort me back to the castle?" she asked.

"Of course," he answered, extending his arm to her.

Ravena took his arm and they started off toward Hogwarts. As they walked, a few snowflakes started falling from the sky. By the time they reach the castle, the snow was coming down fast, covering the castle grounds in a blanket of white.