Darkly Bound

17.

The door opened before I could even answer the knock.

"How soon can you be ready to leave?"

I was dragging a comb through my hair and deciding what to do about the ruined mess that used to be my robes.

"Soon, I suppose. Are you expecting another woman?"

"Yes, actually. I just found this." He showed me an opened letter. "My youngest sister is coming. Today. She's on her way. Right now."

"Your sister! Why do we have to rush out? Aren't you supposed to be here?"

"She has fourteen children."

"She couldn't!"

"You haven't been in the same room with them."

"Well there's my hair to do, and this robe problem--"

"Just do the best you can, and please hurry." He shut the door and I heard him stalking off through the halls. I laughed and wondered just how long I could drag this out. Not long, it appeared as he met me halfway down the stairs. "What took so long?"

"Oh, Severus, cut it out! It's early. Can I at least have a cup of coffee before we go back? If I have to go back to that school first thing in the morning with no coffee--" My request was punctuated by a loud bang of the front doors being slammed open and shrieks coming from the front hall.

Four little bodies streaked past us up the staircase towards the nursery.

"That was only four," I turned back and said. "And the first two looked like twins--so that doesn't count."

"Wait." He started walking toward the front door himself. Just then a tall, flustered woman came in clutching a screaming baby.

"Five. That's not fourteen. Not even close." The woman noticed us.

"Severus? What are you doing here? Have they finally kicked you out of that place?"

He turned to me. "My sister, Olivia."

"Oh! Sorry," Olivia shifted the baby on her hip. "I thought the house would be empty. Just sent word to the house-elves we'd be coming in. Well, Severus? Who's your friend?"

"This is Melpomone Claros. She's working with me at Hogwarts."

"Mel what? Bloody hell, that's a mouthful. How old were you when you could finally spell all that?"

I would have laughed, but was distracted by a loud bang and scream from somewhere upstairs. Olivia turned towards the racket and counted off the seconds before the inevitable wail started up.

"There they go. Julia, don't touch anything!" She looked at me. "Would you mind?" she held out the squalling baby. "I'd ask his uncle to take him but he holds babies like he would a boiling cauldron."

"Yes, well they do tend to behave like boiling cauldrons, don't they? Spewing their contents--"

She shut him up with a look, dropped the baby into my arms and rushed off in the direction of the scuffle.

Snape watched her go. "I'd hoped we'd be long gone before she got here. Livie!" he shouted up the stairs.

I looked in the same direction in astonishment. "She's your sister? You two have the same parents?

Oh this is priceless."

"Yes, well she was always the excitable one."

The baby seemed to be settling down a little and I was able to get a good look at him. Thick black hair was matted to his sweaty little head but it was his bright blue eyes that really caught my attention. I looked up towards the portrait of Renata at the top of the stairs. They were her eyes. "Oh look at you!"

"Livia!" Snape shouted. The baby startled and started crying again.

Olivia had straightened out whatever had gone wrong and was on her way back with a little girl of about four years of age tagging along behind her. "Well you can stand about in the hall all morning, but I'm going in the drawing room and having a cuppa! Mel-thingy, would you like to join me? You look like you'd like some coffee."

I started after her, grinning, but Snape grabbed my arm. "Have you forgotten? We're supposed to be going back to Hogwarts."

"No I haven't! They can do without us for one more hour. Don't be so rude. Are you ashamed of me?"

"Not you, her!"

"Well I think she's wonderful. You can go on ahead if you like but I'm having that coffee I asked you for!"

He followed, scowling and I could feel waves of exasperation flowing from him.

Olivia was already pouring from an elaborate service. The little girl had a handful of sweets and looked quite happy sitting under the piano. She had the same piercing blue eyes as her baby brother although her hair was fairer. Snape took up position next to the fireplace, standing stiffly like a gargoyle. Olivia was going to have none of that. "Severus come over here. I haven't seen you in months. Tell me why you're here in the middle of term."

"We were on our way back, actually. Just leaving," he said not moving.

Olivia handed me a cup. "Well then I'm glad we didn't miss you. Has my dreary big brother been keeping you cooped up here long?"

I shifted the baby to one side and took the cup. "We just came in last night from business in London."

I saw a glint in Olivia's eye and she looked over at her brother. "Really Sevs? Can't one get directly from London to Hogwarts anymore?"

That got him moving. He left his perch by the fire and stalked over, glaring at Olivia. "Yes, Olivia. One might still travel to Hogwarts directly from London," he sneered. "Tell me, sister, are my travel plans really of interest to you? Shall I write out an itinerary for you?"

Olivia sighed, "No, that won't be necessary." She turned to me and reached for her baby who was chewing on his fist and getting dozy. "He's falling asleep. I'll take him back."

I handed her the baby, more reluctantly than I expected, and watched her conjure a little cot for him.

"There now. He'll be quiet for now." Instead of sitting where she had been previously, she sat on the settee quite close to me.

"If I were you dear, I'd start running now. I know my brother. He's an absolute goner."

I nearly dropped my cup. "You know, it is later than I thought. Perhaps we should be going."

But once again, a noise from the stairs grabbed everyone's attention. A loud thunk, thunking sound was making its way down as the twins, boys aged about seven were dragging a large toy cauldron down the stairs while arguing quite noisily.

"He won't!" Thunk.

"He will, he said he would!" Thunk.

"He said he would at Christmas! It's not Christmas!" This was accompanied by a scraping sound that set everyone's teeth on edge. They made it to the door and stood gaping for a moment before launching into their request at full speed.

"Uncle Severus!"

"You said you'd do the potion!"

Olivia interrupted them. "Boys! Where are your manners? There is a guest in this house. Please calm down and say hello to Uncle Severus' friend from Hogwarts. She might be teaching you one day and you don't want her to think you're little horrors now would you?"

"No, Mum. Sorry, Mum."

"That's better. Now say hello to Miss Claros like gentlemen."

"Hello, Miss," they said in unison.

Before I had a chance to return their greeting, they'd turned on their uncle again. "Will you do the potion?"

"We know it's not Christmas, you said you'd do it at Christmas--"

"But you're here now, and--"

Snape hadn't said a word through this whole event. He had a look on his face like he'd painted himself into a corner and hadn't the faintest idea how to get out of it save sit back and wait for the paint to dry.

He drew himself up to his full height and stared down at the twins. "Do you remember your lessons? I told you, no potions until you remembered your lessons."

"Yes sir!"

"Alright then," he narrowed his eyes at one of the boys. "You first."

The victim bit his lip and swallowed hard before reciting:

"Artemisia, Asphodel;
asleep or dead but who can tell?
dragon's horn may ennervate four drops,

no more or it's too late."

A trace of a smile crossed Snape's face. The boy looked at him expectantly. "And you," he looked at the other twin, "have you practiced as well as your brother? Let's hear it."

This one was the stronger boy, the leader of the two. There was no bit lip here, he took a step forward and began:

"Daisy roots and shrivel fig,

is what you'll need if you're too big.

add caterpillar, leech, and one rat's spleen,

You'll shrink right down, and won't be seen"

"Better than most of my third years can do right now at Hogwarts."

The boys' faces lit up like Christmas trees.

"So you'll do the potion?"

"Ah yes, 'the potion'. First let's see what you've brought me in here." He tipped the cauldron over spilling it's contents over the floor. It looked like they'd made a clean sweep of the nursery and tossed in whatever would fit. The boys righted the cauldron and Snape leant down to their level and started sorting through the toys.

I watched in utter astonishment until I felt a near choking grasp on my neck. One word about this at Hogwarts and you'll be in Azkaban before the end of the day!

Olivia laughed out loud.

"Right then, boys. What do you think?"

"Let's put this in!"

"And this!"

"What about that?"

"No, that won't do at all!"

This consultation went on for several minutes when finally Snape straightened up holding a toy frog between two fingers.

The boys were so excited they couldn't stand still.

He took out his wand and held it out to one of the boys. "You hold that--just hold it now, and--" he looked over at me, "Doctor, would you mind?"

I looked at him, dumbstruck. "Pardon?"

"Your wand. May we borrow your wand?" He indicated the wandless twin.

"Oh, um...sure." I handed my wand to the boy. "Careful."

"Thank you, Miss," he whispered.

The boys stood at attention, over the toy cauldron full of junk holding the wands like they might explode at any moment. Their eyes were fixed on their uncle who towered above them dangling the toy frog by one leg. He dropped the frog. The boys gasped.

Nothing.

They looked into the cauldron.

Nothing.

They leaned forward into the cauldron.

Just as their heads came together over the top, Snape snapped his fingers and a plume of pink smoke came billowing out of the cauldron followed by a swarm of tiny rainbow colored frogs.

Shrieks of laughter filled the room, even the shy little girl under the piano came out and darted about the room trying to catch the little colored frogs which disappeared nearly as quickly as they appeared, like soap bubbles.

Snape had managed to grasp our wands before the frog hunt took off in earnest and I took mine back absently while examining the tiny pink frog that had settled on my knee. I touched it with one finger and laughed when it vanished.

"They never get tired of that trick!" said Olivia beaming.

I looked at Snape aghast. "You've done this--you do this--"

"They make him do it every time they see him. Snakes, last time wasn't it? Just don't do bats again!"

"Bats?"

"They didn't like the bats," he said balefully. "Well, Olivia it's been lovely as usual but I'm afraid I must break this party up. The Headmaster is expecting us and I have a N.E.W.T. class this afternoon that I don't trust anyone else to handle. Are you ready to go, Doctor?"

I felt like I was sitting next to myself and need to buy time while reality shifted back to its regular place. "Why didn't they like the bats?"

"They couldn't reach them, could they?" he answered.

"No, it wasn't that and you know it!" snapped Olivia. "Damned things squealing and swooping all over the place! He had all four of the older ones under the piano. Even the baby was screaming!"

I was staring intently into the coffee cup on the table trying to block out their voices but it was not working.

"Don't you start that!" I heard Snape and knew that was clearly directed at me. "Don't go gazing off somewhere, we have to get going."

"I wasn't!" I looked at him while praying I wouldn't laugh. "Really, I wasn't."

Stop it, then!

But imagine the Leaving Feast! You could do your bats and frogs, I could spit fire; we'd be the hit of the evening.

He looked indignant and said in a dangerous voice, "I asked if you were ready to go."

I was still holding my wand. As I lifted it to put it away, Olivia noticed it. "Oh that's unusual. What is that on the end?"

"It's an Auror's tool."

"You're an Auror?" She looked at her brother in shock. "Did you know she's an Auror?

"Yes, I know she's an Auror."

She looked back and forth between us "Isn't that a bit.....well....doesn't it make things...?"

"She thinks I'm going to kill you," I said to Snape. "Don't worry, Olivia, I'd have to have a very good reason to do that. One that would make all the paperwork worthwhile."

"I'll give you a list," she laughed. "I'm sure you'll be able to find something. So, what is it on your wand anyway, it looks reddish."

I hadn't looked at it before twisting it back in my hair but pulled it back out quickly now. The black end of the handle was not usually noticeable and it certainly shouldn't look 'reddish'. But she was right, it did. The black crystal was glowing a dull red. It was faint, but it was there. I looked over at Snape. He'd been the last to hold it, but he'd held it before and this hadn't happened.

When did this start?

A day or two ago, I thought you knew.

I've been distracted.

"Is something wrong?" asked Olivia.

I turned to her, "No, nothing. It must be the way the light is hitting it."

She gave me a look of understanding and I knew she wouldn't press for an answer. I suddenly had an idea. "Olivia, I was wondering,"

Oh no!

I ignored him. "Do you get to London often?"

"Of course! That's where we live. We come down here to get away. To give the children some room to play. Why? Didn't Severus show you around properly?"

"There wasn't really time. We did get to some interesting establishments. But, you see, I've only been here for a couple of months, and I really don't know anyone beyond the staff at Hogwarts, and I don't know anything about where one would go--"

Snape moved to the door with a very audible sigh and stood there, impatiently rocking on his heels.

"As I was saying," I continued, glancing up at him briefly, "I am in need of dress robes, and I haven't the faintest idea where to go to find some."

"Oh what fun!" Olivia was thrilled at the thought of a shopping expedition. "You send an owl when you're ready to go. I know just the shops, perfect for you. You just have to promise me one thing," she leaned in conspiratorially, "No black!"

"Claros!" came a shout from the front hall.

"You've got a deal," I said on the way out.

**

We reapparated jut outside the school grounds. It was absolutely freezing cold. There was frost on the ground. Snape started walking towards the school at once.

"Stop!" I shouted after him.

He walked a few more paces then turned and waited. When I caught up, he looked resigned.

"How bad is it?"

"It's been worse."

"Let me see it."

"You've seen it. You should have looked closer when you had the chance."

I could feel my temper rising. "When would have been a good time?"

He pulled his left arm out of his cloak and pulled up his sleeve. I winced when I saw it. What had been no more than a shadow now had a distinct shape with clear boundaries. There was no mistaking it's shape now, anyone seeing this would immediately recognized the Dark Mark.

"It didn't look like this yesterday! I'd have noticed this." I put my hand over it. "It doesn't hurt."

"Not now, but it will." He moved my hand away, pulled his sleeve down and fastened his cloak.

We walked towards the school in silence. As we got closer, we could hear quite a bit of noise, which meant we were about to arrive at the main entrance of Hogwarts during a class-change.

"So," I asked, "do we use the cover of the crowd or should we wait a few minutes and sneak in when they're all in class?"

"We'll wait," he said. "I have to ask you about last night. I didn't get a chance, with Olivia's sudden arrival."

"I like her!"

"Yes....well...just tell me what happened last night."

"Nothing. Why? You told me what happened to your mother. Then you sort of dozed off. That's about it."

"Sort of? What's that mean? 'Sort of'? I had the most extraordinary dream."

"You remember it?

"Vividly."

"Good. Now you're in my territory. Make an appointment. I'll walk you through it."

He took my hands and pulled me up closer to him. "I'll do that."

I looked up into his eyes. They were smouldering. I felt a shudder run through me.

The sounds from the school were quieting down. Most of the students would be well on their way to their classrooms now.

"Do it soon, dreams are slippery. If you forget it I won't be able to help you figure it out."

"Alright then," he said, "time to take our chances, let's go. Dumbledore will be waiting."

18

He was waiting. Just inside the main doors. "Ah Professors, right on time. Excellent. Won't you join me in my office? I trust your journey was a productive one. The reports from the Ministry on the Azkaban recovery were most favorable." He continued on in this manner all the way to his office. "Please come in, and sit down, both of you."

I sat down with a vague sense of foreboding, but Snape walked across the room towards a large window and leaned against the wall.

"Severus? You won't join us?"

"I'd prefer to stand, if that's alright with you, sir." he said, his voice flat. He was determined to make good on his promise in Tilbury's office.

Dumbledore was regarding Snape with a thoughtful gaze. "You have questions about my involvement in Professor Claros' offer from the Ministry. That's perfectly understandable given the nature of the conversations we had before her arrival here."

"Tilbury's offer was nonsense," Snape said. "Why would an offer like that come from that office? What has crystal gazing got to do with Dark Arts Authorization? And why was it so vital, according to your letter, that I attend that charade of an appointment?"

"Fair enough," Dumbledore turned to me. "Tell me, Miss Claros, do you share these questions?"

"I did. At first. Until last night." I looked at the floor. I knew this was not going to go over well.

"I see," said Dumbledore. "Do you know, I'm in the mood for a snack. Anyone else?" he got up and walked away from where I was sitting. Probably to get away from the wave of ire that was headed towards me. I tried to head off the worst of it.

Now wait, it's nothing to do with you! Or what we just talked about.

Dumbledore was back and as he sat back down next to me his familiar laden tea tray appeared. "What happened last night?"

"I had some time to think," I started. "The offer itself really didn't make any sense at all the way Tilbury presented it. So I decided to concentrate on the file. He placed a lot of emphasis on the contents of that folder. Most of it seemed to center on the Binding. Which would be the only way to explain the need for Professor Snape's presence at the meeting. I had the distinct feeling we were being tested during that interview. Tilbury is a telepath. An empath as well. A good one. It was no secret that he was listening to everything, spoken and unspoken. I assume he is also a psi-chologist? He was testing the bond, I'm sure of it. I certainly do not approve of his methods. Having done a bit of that myself, I prefer a more direct approach."

Snape hadn't moved from the window ledge, but appeared interested in the theory of what had happened at the Ministry. "What conclusion could he possibly have come to from that ridiculous meeting?" he sneered.

"Well, Severus," said Dumbledore firmly, "if you'd come over here and join in this conversation properly I might be able to help you there. I've had an owl from Mr. Tilbury this morning outlining that very thing."

"Excuse me Headmaster, but there can only be one reason why the Ministry would be interested in testing the strength of that bond."

Snape had decided this would be worth hearing and found a chair to slump in.

"You're absolutely correct about that, I'm afraid. I would imagine Severus has made you aware that certain events are developing rather more quickly than we had thought they would."

"And this ministry report is of some importance? I would doubt that. It certainly won't change anything. Our plans have always been the same."

"That's true, Severus, but you know how important it is to maintain a relationship with certain ministry departments. Tilbury's support could be very helpful."

Snape leaned forward. "That's as maybe, but what you're saying is that this whole thing has been a ruse. There was no position being offered."

"No, you're wrong there. There is a position, and this letter requests me to inform Professor Claros that it is hers if she chooses to take it. There are some concerns, but they appear to be minor." He looked at me expectantly.

"Under the present circumstances, it is clear that I can be of far more use here."

Dumbledore smiled. "I quite agree. I think we're nearly done here, Miss Claros, I believe you have a class shortly?"

I had been dismissed. I stood and walked towards the door.

"Severus, you will stay a moment longer." It was spoken softly but was meant as an order.

As I reached out for the door handle I got a sudden flash of the remaining contents of the report. I doubted Dumbledore had let his guard down accidentally, he had to have wanted me to see it. I gripped the handle tightly. What, exactly, did he want me to do? Tilbury's harsh words swirled through my mind until I couldn't stand anymore. I turned back. "Headmaster, may I speak freely?"

"Of course."

"I have already said that I don't approve of Tilbury's methods. What is written in that report about Professor Snape's demeanor during that meeting can not be given any credence. Tilbury had information so sensitive, so inflammatory, that his tactics can only be called baiting. He was fishing for a violent reaction from one of us, he was lucky to get one early. I shudder to think what he would have moved on to if that hadn't worked. Perhaps he would have offered Professor Snape a job counseling abandoned children. Playing on a past trauma to ambush a vulnerable subject is nothing less than cruel, and if those are the tactics the ministry chooses to use in its business, then I choose to have no part in them!"

Dumbledore was watching me carefully and Snape looked like he was about to slide right off his chair and through the floor. I yanked the door opened, rushed out, slammed the door behind me and kicked it once for good measure.

**

The first class I got to that morning was a disaster. They were supposed to have drawn simple natal star charts. It turned out to be a combination remedial astronomy and basic geometry class. I collected their copybooks at the end of the class period to review. I'd have liked to have seen their astronomy notes as well as I had serious questions as to what they were being taught in that subject. At the midday break, I brought the whole stack of notebooks into the staff room, poured a large cup of very strong coffee and started work. There would be safety in numbers in case Snape was planning on coming looking for me after the rest of his meeting with Dumbledore. Several teachers straggled in. I tried to participate in their small-talk, but trouble was coming, I could feel it on its way down the corridor.

Snape blustered into the room. I put my head down into the stack of books and pretended not to notice. He walked behind where I was sitting and sank into a chair.

I went to your office.

I'm not there.

He picked up a copy of the Daily Prophet that someone had left on a table. I glanced at him, cringing, but was surprised to see he seemed to be verging on laughter.

Did you really have to kick the door? Slamming it wasn't enough?

Well, looking back on it, I wondered just how red I was blushing. What did he say?

He let the rest of the meeting play out for me. Dumbledore had stared at his slammed door for a moment, then turned back grinning broadly and for some reason said 'Congratulations.' He then took Tilbury's letter and ignited it, burning it away to ash saying, 'That's all I needed to know about the rest of that, you may go now, Severus, but please be careful of the door.'

I laughed out loud and one or two of the others in the room turned to stare. I looked down at the copybook I had been grading. "The things students come up with, really, you wouldn't believe it," I mumbled to try to cover my outburst.

I looked up at him again 'Congratulations' what?

He shrugged and said most unhelpfully, "Fail the lot of them and make them start over."

I sighed and leaned back in my seat. "Maybe. I'm beginning to see benefits in your draconian teaching style."

When's your next class?

Not for an hour, why?

I thought I might make an appointment.

I looked up at him, blank. My mind was so full of mis-measured angles and impossibly aspected planets that it took several moments for me to figure out what he meant.

Oh! I suddenly felt flushed. Give me a few minutes. I dispatched the books back to my office and left the staff room.

Counting off the minutes, I watched in my mind's eye as he swept through the school corridors. I laughed as terrified first years scattered in front of him and wondered if he'd even seen them. As he got closer I noticed something. I tried to focus but wasn't sure what to focus on. There was a shadow, maybe nothing more but it was disturbing and I struggled to define just what I was seeing. I was still standing rooted to the spot when he reached the door throwing off his robe and tugging at his collar. His abrupt entrance distracted me from the shadow, but when he touched me I reacted unconsciously with a sharp intake of breath. "You're freezing!"

"What? You must be joking. It's like a furnace in here how can you stand it?"

Warnings were blaring in the back of my head like a clarion. Something was very, very wrong.

He looked into my eyes. "Surely it's not that bad."

"No, nothing's wrong," I lied, knowing he'd sense it. "I'm just overwhelmed, that's all. I need some time."

"Something I don't have."