Twelve of the Table

Twelve of the Table

Part VI

Starr woke the next morning in Severus' arms. Wow, that was...different. She looked around the familiar room as she remembered how she had gotten there. That wasn't how I wanted to get back here, but...It will do! She smiled as she looked at Severus, his are was protectively wrapped around her. He slowly started to wake and stir as Starr tried to wriggle out of his crushing grasp.

'Hello there.' Severus smiled up at Starr, startling her when he spoke. 'How are you this morning?' His grin was wide as she had ever seen it.

'Well, all considering that I was expecting to wake up alone in my bed at home, I think this is a nice turn of events.' Starr kissed him quickly on the check and then slid out of bed. 'Only problem is that I really need a shower. Do you mind if I use yours?'

'Only if I may join you.' He slid out of bed, grabbed Starr around the waist and hauled her into the bathroom to have a very fun bath.

They spent the rest of the day, not talking as they had intended, but in bed...and the dining room...and the gardens...and the library...

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That around five in the afternoon, Starr pulled away from Severus. They were currently in the study. 'Severus, what time is it?'

Severus tried to pull her back down, but after failing he muttered that it was around five.

'We have to get ready!' Starr shoved herself off the desk and began to rush about, gathering their scattered clothing. Severus fell off the desk as Starr rocketed around the room grabbing at their clothing.

'Starr, we could be a little bit late for this dinner..." Severus looked at Starr.

'No, we can't. The Dark Lord wouldn't like that and you know it.' She tossed him his clothes and ran out the room calling behind her, 'Be ready to leave in ten minutes!'

'Damn it.' Severus muttered as he apparated to his rooms and changed into new dress robes. 'Damn.'

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Lucius was pacing around his study. So, even the Dark Lord wants them to be together. Well, I know how to end their plans. All I need is the right time, the right place, and the right way of trapping Starr forever! Lucius laughed out loud, but was cut off as Narcissa entered the room. She looked at him quizzically, but decided not to make any comment.

'Lucius, the Dark Lord would like to see you in the dungeons. He has a prisoner that he would like you to take care of. You don't seem quite right, are you feeling alright?' She walked towards him and reached out to feel his forehead.

'Don't!' He yelled as he slapped away her arm.

Narcissa bent protectively over her arm and walked away. 'You didn't have to slap my arm!'

'Sit down.' Lucius didn't yell, but Narcissa immediately sat down in the nearest chair. 'You will never talk to me that way again. Don't ever tell me what I should or should not do, unless I ask you to!' By the time he was done yelling Narcissa was a small ball of cloth huddled on the settee.

'I'm sorry Lucius.' She was sobbing, as she always did after he yelled at her.

'I am leaving now to go to the dungeons. You will plan the meal for tonight and after dinner meet me in my rooms.' Lucius left the room and walked down to the dungeons.

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'I have something special planned for tonight.' Severus and Starr were taking a walk before going to Malfoy Mansion. 'Just try to leave as soon as you can after dinner.'

'What do you have planned?' Starr was looking up at Severus' face with interest. But from Severus' view she looked like a cute little girl. He leaned down and kissed her. They kissed for a few minutes when a house-elf, as was pre-arranged, came out and told them it was time to leave.

'To bad we have to go, now you won't know until after dinner!' The grin on Severus' face right before he apparated warranted the smack he received from Starr's purse after she apparated.

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The dinner was wonderful. Severus had led Starr to her chair and pulled it out for her. Some people who hadn't seen them before their tif had stared, but neither cared. The whole dinner was like the first one Starr had ever been to. Lucius tried to have a go at her again, but she just had to kick over at him(as he was situated next to Severus) and he stopped immediately. He probably didn't want to risk her getting any closer to her target than she had the first time. The Dark Lord stood and spoke after dinner, but neither Starr nor Severus heard very much of his unusually long speech until their names were mentioned. 'Starr and Severus will need to accompany me to the dungeons after dinner to meet the new prisoner.' After that He only spoke for a few more minutes which, after making sure they didn't need to listen any more, they spent looking into the others eyes and playing the childish game of Footsie.

After they had made their good-byes and thank yous to every that warranted one they made their way to the Malfoy Dungeons.

'You don't by any chance have dungeons at Snape Estate also, do you?' Starr asked Severus as they walked down a hallway.

'Actually, I do.' He smiled at her questioningly.

'Amazing. A place where we haven't made love!'

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The dungeons were unending. Severus and Starr waited at the entrance for Lord Voldemort to arrive. Starr was amazed by the dungeons. Just standing where they were seven halls lead in opposite directions. 'There must be miles of tunnels under here!'

'There are several miles on this level alone. There are three dungeon levels here. Snape Estate has five.'

'Wow' was all Starr could manage to get out at the moment. Just imaging that many tunnels was like trying to imagine how large space is.

After five or ten minutes of waiting, the Dark Lord swept down the stairs to where they awaited him. 'Let us go meet our new prisoner.' As they walked down the tunnel He explained everything to Starr and Severus. 'You both and Lucius are the only ones who are to know about this man.' They had already passed many cells, but all had been empty. After a few minutes of walking, they stopped in front of one with a huddled mass of cloth in a corner.

'Here is Peter Pettigrew.' He waved his arm in the direction of the huddled mass of cloth. 'Your job is to get him to tell you where the Potters are. Lily Potter has conceived, so your time is short.

The Dark Lord allowed Starr and Severus to kiss his hand, then swept out of the dungeons and was gone.

'Well, I know him. But do you?' Severus leaned over and whispered into Starr's ear.

'No...Wait, how do you know him?'

'We went to school together. He was always the little tag along in the Potter/Black gang. Lupin was there also, always trying to keep things calm...always trying to keep the others out of trouble...'

'Well, then he should know where the Potters are. Come and help me get him to talk.' Starr pulled open the door and Severus followed her through.

Severus shook Pettigrew until he started to wake. Starr and Severus stood back and watched as Pettigrew realized where he was and who he was with. 'Oh no...not now...oh-'

'Shut up Pettigrew!' Severus yelled. 'Tell us where the Potters are, or we will use force.'

'I can't...I won't..They-'

'Have you finally gained a backbone, Pettigrew? Or are you just thinking that the Potters can hurt you more than we can?'

'I..They wouldn't...I can't...Oh no...Perfect-'

'Stop with the babbling!' Severus yelled. 'Just tell us where they are!'

'You can't get them right now, but I can help you get them...if I get a little respect around here in return.'

'That isn't what it is about. You just want to be on the side of the biggest bully, now don't you?' Pettigrew didn't answer so Severus continued. 'Well, we are the strongest, so accept it and tell us what you know.'

'As long as you won't-'

'I'll do whatever I want to and you will still tell me where they are!' Severus was positively roaring by now.

'They are going to perform a charm so that You-Know-Who can't get them.' Pettigrew was shaking uncontrollably.

'Good. You will become their secret-keeper and tell us where they are. I know that charm well, and you need to make sure that you are their secret keeper. Or else.'

At this Severus transported Pettigrew back to where ever he had been when he had been abducted. 'That went rather well, now didn't it Starr.'

'I think he will comply. I certainly would have.' Starr and Severus left the dungeons, planning how they could attack the Potters once Pettigrew told them where they were.

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Later that night, after Starr and Severus had reported to Lord Voldemort, Starr sat in a chair, blindfolded. 'Severus? Where are you?' she called out. 'Severus?'

'He will be right back, miss. He has gone to help get your surprise.' A house elf answered.

'Alright. Thank You. Oh, and will you tell him that once he removes this blindfold, I don't care what my surprise is, he is going to get a smack for keeping me tied up for over ten minutes!'

'Yes, ma'am. I will tell him.' Starr heard little feet go scuttling to tell their master the message.

After another ten minutes Starr was rejoined by Severus, who removed the ropes around her arms, but not the blindfold. 'Severus! I can't see! And why didn't you send the house elf back? I was starting to think you had forgotten about me!'

'Well, I could leave a poor, defenseless house elf in the presence of a lady who has threatened to smack me, now could I? And I know when you see your surprise you won't want to smack me, so I can't risk you seeing where I am until you have seen your surprise.' Severus began leading her out of the room, but she stopped him.

'I'm not leaving until you take this thing off me!' She practically screeched.

'And I'm not taking it off until you follow me.' Severus was steadfast and eventually Starr gave up and allowed herself to be steered around the house.

'Severus, There is no way that you are bringing me right to where ever my surprise is! It's been a long time, and my legs are tired!'

'You're right. We've gone down this same hall three times already.' After her outburst at this comment he continued. 'I only did it so you would not know where you are until we are there. I will take you directly there now.'

They turned in the opposite direction and began walking again. Eventually, after, or so it seemed to Starr, they had walked the whole length of Snape Estate, Severus stopped walking.

'Here we are.' He removed her blindfold and Starr looked around.

They were standing in a hallway, in front of some doors Starr had never noticed before. Nothing of interest to Starr, so she turned back to Severus, who was smiling. She slapped him. 'That, my dear, is what you get for restraining me for over and hour!'

'Is that the best you can do?' Severus smiled at her, almost challengingly.

'No!' Starr cried indignantly and rushed toward Severus, her arms waving everywhere.

Severus laughed as the two of the ended up on the floor, with Starr trying to get in one or two good hits.

Starr was indignant! 'Stop laughing at me! You're always so mean.' She rolled off him and sat cross-legged on the floor, her full-circle dress around her like a light-purple cloud, pouting.

'Darling, I highly doubt you will think that after you see your surprise. Besides, It was my own fault for taking your blindfold off before you had a chance to see it.'

Severus picked her up and carried her to the door. 'I can walk, ya know.' Starr mumbled.

'My dear, I don't think I have ever heard you say "ya" before.' After seeing her face, he back peddled as fast as he could. 'But it sounded very cute.'

'I'm sure. Now put me down!'

'I don't feel like it.' Starr shrieked about how undignified it was, but Severus just laughed.

He opened the door and carried Starr over the threshold. Pink rose petals fell from the ceiling. Pink draperies covered the wrought-iron four-poster bed in the center of the room. A small table was set to the side with champagne of all sorts on it. 'Wow' once again Starr had acquired a limited vocabulary. 'Severus...It's...So...' Starr looked around the room in astonishment.

'Do you like it?' Severus was looking down at Starr with a worried look on his face.

'Let us put it this way. Severus, after all you have put me through, I realize that this was worth it!'

'Truly?'

'Would I lie?'

The rest of the night Starr spent proving again and again just how much she loved the room, and Severus.

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