Twelve of the Table

Twelve of the Table

Part V

Starr woke to pounding on her front door. Her head was spinning and she couldn't think straight. Throwing off her comforter, she walked to the door and yanked it open. Before her were five house elves.

'Miss!' One with a big pink towel around her rushed forward, dropping the boxes she had been carrying, and hugged Starr.

'Hello Dinky! How are you?' Starr hugged the house elf, and then turned to the others. 'Blinky, Binky! What are all of you doing here?'

'Master told us to bring you your boxes!' Dinky handed Starr one of the large boxes. Dinky, Blinky, Binky and the other were some of Severus' house elves.

'Oh, well...come right in. You can put them over there.' She motioned towards the sofa, and all the boxes were piled onto it. When they were done Dinky came back over to hug Starr.

'You didn't come home with master last night. Why?' Dinky looked up at Starr with worry on her face.

'I don't think I will be seeing your master any more, Dinky.' Starr looked away from the house elves huge eyes. 'But let's talk about you. I have some tea ready, and I heard that you are expecting a little house elf any time now!'

Dinky was grinning from ear to big ear. 'Yes, miss, I am. Tobby, over at Mister Malfoy's house, and me are going to have a little elf.' The elf had brought over the tea and sat down next to Starr. 'If it is a boy, we will be naming it Dobby. If it is a girl, we shall name it Tinky.'

'I like those names.' Starr smiled. She and Severus had never talked about children...But Severus doesn't matter anymore. Another thought was gaining entrance though, practically blocking out all her hatred towards Severus. But if I was to just explain everything, we could be together, again...

Dinky was rattling on about how house elf names were very important, and how the wrong name could effect the little one severely. Finally, it was time for them to leave. Dinky hugged Starr for over a minute, then Blinky rushed over and hugged her. 'Miss, if yous ever needs anything, just ask us!' And then they were gone.

Starr gave a sigh of relief. As much as she like the little things, they couldn't help but get on her nerves. And after last night...Well, she wasn't prepared to deal with anything.

Filling her bathtub with a flick of her wand she sat down, and decided to scrub her skin raw. She could still feel Lucius' hands on her...But he got the worst of the deal! She smiled to herself, wondering how he explained that to Narcissa!

She sat in the tub until she looked like a pink prune, then got out and towel dried herself. Her skin was raw after that, she had used a loofa and a scrub brush to try to peel away all the skin he had touched.

She had her plan that Narcissa had helped her make, but would it just be easier for her to tell him how she felt? Starr was pondering this while she got dressed. She needed some supplies and living in the City let her go to Diagon Alley whenever she wanted to.

She apparated to The Leaky Cauldron and rushed through it, not even noticing when someone called out her name.

She tapped the bricks and walked into the lane. Madam Malkin was surprised to see her again, but didn't object at letting her try on some very provocative robes.

'Those look very nice on you!' Madam Malkin tightened the waist on the current robe and Starr twirled around, letting the full skirt make a circle around her.

This is just what I need today! Starr thought happily. Madame Malkin was talking and Starr just caught the last of what she was saying. '..Very nice, but I don't see him with you today. What would that be my dear?'

Starr turned to look at the older woman. She had asked what she thought was an uncontroversial question, but it really ruined Starr's shopping high. 'He and I aren't seeing each other anymore.' Starr turned around and with a flick of her wand was back in her original robes. 'I'll take the robes I just had on and the lavender ones too.'

Madam Malkin didn't ask anymore questions, and quickly put the robes into a bag. 'Here you go, my dear. Have a good day, and remember, the next shipment from Paris comes in three days!'

Starr was already out of the store by the time the old lady had finished talking. She walked into the Apothecary. Powdered Unicorn Horn, Half Price...Hmmm, I wonder how I'm doing on that... Starr read all the discounts and signs and then bought lots of items, many that she didn't need.

She left the store, digging around for her candied mint leaves when she ran into Avery, literally. Her bags flew into the air, and she landed with a thump on the hard cobblestones. 'Starr, I'm sorry.' Avery helped her stand up and gather her bags.

'Hello, umm...' Starr recognized him, but couldn't place a name.

'Avery. I was at the dinner last night.' He smiled greasily and handed her bags to her.

'Ah, yes. You were the one who told the story of the old muggle man. Highly entertaining.' Starr took the bags and started to step away. 'Thank you.' Starr started to walk away, but he grabbed her arm.

'Would you like to go get some Ice Cream? There is a place right over there.' He pointed to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. Avery kept hold of her arm, and without waiting for an answer began steering her towards the shop.

'I really must be going...' Starr gave up as she entered the store. 'Well, I guess I could stay for a little while...'

'Good.' Avery smiled again, giving Starr the shivers. Florean Fortescue walked over and asked what they wanted.

'A banana split with vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream. What would you like Starr?' Avery looked over at Starr, who was wishing more and more each moment that she had found a way to get out of here.

'I will have a small vanilla cone please.' She smiled at Florean whom she had idolized when she was younger. Starr, for a brief period of time when she had been younger, had wanted to own an ice cream parlor just like Florean's. Florean smiled back at her and left the table, returning a few moments later with the ice cream.

'Thank you.' Starr said to Avery as he paid for both.

'It is truly no problem.' His smile was becoming more greasy, making Starr want to back away. But, of course, she couldn't.

Starr quickly finished her cone and was about to excuse herself when she felt his hand on her thigh. 'I really must be going, Avery. I have so much shopping to do...'

'I saw you in the Leaky Cauldron, but you must have missed me. I could always help you with your shopping.' Avery's hand was beginning to explore her upper thigh, and Starr knew she didn't want any of his type of help.

'That's all right, Avery. I just have one more store to go to and then I have to go home and clean. Maybe next time...' She started to leave her chair, but Avery pulled her back down.

Leaning over to hiss in her ear, Avery made his thoughts very clear. 'You will sit down right now.' Starr was stunned.

How dare he! She was seething. 'Don't you dare touch me ever again!' She had used her Strega voice without even thinking about it, and, thank god, his hand was removed.

Starr stood up and walked away. She was seething. She apparated home, and didn't accept any owls for the rest of the day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus woke to find all of Starr's things had been delivered. He felt satisfied, and yet he was also sad. I won't think about it! He would repeat this phrase many times over that day.

He spent most of the day walking about his house and its grounds. He went through the large maze, and into the topiary garden. Around the lake, and through the rose gardens. He sat on a bench for over an hour, just recalling the time he and Starr had made love on the grass in front of the bench.

The tears came, after a while. He started to regret things. Not just from yesterday, but other times, when he could have been nicer, could have been calmer, could have been more gentle. But 'could haves' aren't about to get Starr back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The dinner that night at Malfoy Mansion was very uneventful. Lucius was up to his usual tricks, and because he was seated right next to Starr, he tried to go farther than ever. Starr just had to reach over and grab his pants to remind him not to do that. He winced in pain, and withdrew his hand.

Severus spent the meal talking to Avery and his wife. They seemed very excited about Avery's appointment to Head of Ministry Relations and didn't mind telling Severus all about what he planned to do, if, of course, the Dark Lord allowed him to.

Neither looked at the other throughout the whole meal.

When the meal was over the Dark Lord made an announcement. 'Would Severus and Starr please meet me in the office. When they leave I would like to see Lucius and Flouren. Thank you.' He strode out of the room, once again with Starr on his arm.

As everyone left, Severus made sure he spent as much time as possible giving his thanks to the hosts and talking to the others. Eventually he made his way to the study. He almost cursed himself for not thinking that Starr and the Dark Lord had been left alone for all that time.

He opened the door and walked into the room. Starr was seated on the chaise lounge. The Dark Lord was dictating to a Quick Notes Pad the letter he was to send to a Death Eater in Kent.

Severus choose to stand as he waited for the Dark Lord to finish his letter. After a few minutes of tense silence the Dark Lord turned around to address the two.

'Severus, as Head of Wizard relations and Starr, as Second to the Head of Muggle Relations, I want you to work together on the Potter problem. The Potters have been very elusive, and while I am working on getting a close friend to join our side, I also want a back-up plan. You will need to find a weakness in their system and try to lure them to our side, or kill them.' The Dark Lord assessed both of their expressions with amusement, then continued. 'If you cannot find any weakness you will need to be quick and decisive in how you handle them and kill them before their child is born.'

'I didn't know Lily Potter was pregnant.' Severus had withdrawn from his darkness at the Dark Lord's last comment.

'She isn't, but she will be soon.' The Dark Lord enjoyed the look of surprise on both Starr's and Severus' faces.

'It shall be done, My Lord.' Starr and Severus both murmured as Lord Voldemort turned his back on them and dismissed them with a wave of his hand.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He knows about Severus and me and wants us to be uncomfortable! Starr was practically raging when she left the study. After all the dinners I am going to have to sit through, He wants to make it worse!

Severus was have mutinous thoughts that almost mirrored Starr's. We are going to have to work together! Merlin's Beard! How does he expect anything to get done when we will be so uncomfortable around each other! Severus and Starr were walking towards the gardens.

'Well,' Severus was the first to break the uncomfortable silence. 'Do you have any ideas on how were could get the Potters?'

Starr didn't even look at Severus. 'We could always find out where their true loyalties lay, because it would do no good in trying to change them if they didn't want to be changed.'

Severus was taken aback by how cold and sharp her words were. 'Or we could simply not even bother and kill them. If they are to have a baby we should kill them before it is even conceived.'

Starr realized what was happening and continued it. 'Yes,' She looked straight into his eyes. 'But if they could come to an agreement with our side we would be even stronger with them.'

Severus almost smiled, but wasn't sure enough if Starr was just talking about the Potter's or if she, like him, was talking with a double meaning. 'I always thought our side could use the Potter team. We really need to come to an agreement, though.'

'Yes, we do.' Starr smiled this time, hoping against hope that Severus was understanding her message even while she was trying to keep the Potter's as the main topic.

'Well, we will need to talk this over then, and find out how strongly they feel.' Severus saw her smile and knew then exactly what he wanted, no, needed to do.

They had been walking around the Malfoy grounds for most of their conversation. The moonlight made Starr's dress seem almost transparent, a thought that had been running through Severus' mind for most of the conversation, making it hard for him to find a way to make his words have two meanings.

They were approaching the greenhouses, and Starr decided that they would be the best place to continue this conversation, minus the Potters. She led the way into the first greenhouse and closed the door after Severus was inside. 'If I understand correctly, we have not been speaking of the Potters only, but of our relationship also.' Starr knew she needed to come right out and make it known to Severus that that was what she had been doing.

'Yes, or at least, I was speaking of our relationship. I wasn't sure if you were.' Severus let a small smile come onto his face as he looked at Starr standing in the moonlight, looking every inch of the part of a goddess.

Without even realizing what was happening, Severus bent down and kissed Starr. Softly at first, but when she pulled herself against his body, he began to be more insistent. Starr had wanted this, but she had planned to have the upper hand. Now Severus was in control.

Starr pulled away after a few blissful minutes. 'Severus, we need to talk about this before-' She was cut off by Severus pulling her in for another kiss.

After more heavenly minutes it was Severus who pulled away. 'You're right. We really need to talk this over. How about at my place. In the morning.' With a wink at Starr he apparated them both to Snape Estate where he carried Starr up the staircase and into his room. They spent a blissful evening and early morning before falling asleep at the break of dawn.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~