Tel\' Lindar (The Bard)

SSDD - none of it\'s mine. Nope! Nada!

Many thanks to bbatmyte for the Welsh.

Chapter 16

All wrapped up in something of yours or You\'re one of my kind... I think...

***
Head like a hole
Black as your soul
I\'d rather die
Than give you control

Head like a hole
Nine inch nails
***

Bronwyn woke up to a slender beam of sunshine, which, along with Michael Flately, was performing Riverdance on her face. Her mouth was stuffed with cotton and her stomach was rolling. With a groan, she shifted, only to feel a heavy weight move and disappear. A unwieldy thud hit the floor and her ears were assaulted with a dog whining and yowling.

Not a dog...

Amadeus.

She opened one eye and looked for the white beast.

Nothing.

Wait, he was on the... other side...

With a groan, she rolled over and squinted.

Amadeus propped both front paws on the bed, peering at her. His long nose prodded her and when he went to lick her face reassuringly...

Bronwyn bolted out the bed, stumbling across the floor. She threw her door open and made a beeline for the bathroom.

For several gut wrenching minutes she paid homage to the great white throne; praised the coolness of the Porcelain Prince.

\"Nice loo.\" she stroked the rounded curve, made to fit her face so well. \"Sweet loo.\" Vaguely, she heard a sound behind her.

Amadeus sat in the doorway, head cocked to the side. He snorted in derision, his look obvious to her.

The things you get yourself into.

She crawled across the floor on hands and knees, coming to rest in front of the great beast.

\"Don\'t say a woof. I\'m stupid. I was stupid for doing it and I\'ll be stupid again tonight for repeating this performance. I know I\'m being stupid, but I don\'t know what else to do.\" With great effort, she used the door jam pul pull herself to her feet. She stared, bleary - eyed, down at the canine. \"I smell, don\'t I?\"

Amadeus immediately lay down, pulling his paws over his nose.

\"Thank you. I will remember that next time you go roll in dead shit out in the forest.\" She made her way back to her room and dug out her bathrobe.

She stood in the steamy shower, trying to will away the headache and the nausea. No such luck. Downing two aspirin before throwing on an old t-shirt and a pair of loose sweat pants, she made her way into the hall.

‘Maybe Severus has a hangover potion.\' she thought hopefully, standing outside the master bedroom door. It was slightly ajar and she peeked shyly as she pushed it open. She took in the unmade bed, but no cranky Wizard. \"Well, I guess he\'s up already.\" She turned and glanced down at Amadeus. \"Maybe he made a really strong pot of coffee, eh?\"

In your dreams.

Slowly, she made her way down the stairs, pressing her palms firmly to the walls for support. There was no one sitting in the gloom of the living room, no welcome smell of coffee or tea lingering on the air. She made her way into the kitchen and pulling coffee from the refrigerator, she started up the Mr. Coffee machine.

\"I wonder where Snape is?\" she wondered aloud to Amadeus.

The wolf chuffed, his nose pointing towards the kitchen table. Bronwyn turned around...

\"What the...\" TherThere under the kitchen table, with one solitary pillow, lay Severus, rolled in a blanket.

The coffee maker was making reassuring spitting sounds as Bronwyn made her way to the table and squatted down. Tentatively, she reached out and touched his shoulder. \"Severus?\"

The Wizard sat up with a jerk, reaching for his wand...

... his head connecting sharply with the underside of the table.

WHAM!

\"Ow!\" His hand, with his wand firmly clutched, went to his forehead. His face contorted in pain and he glared at the woman stooped down, gaping at him as he crouched under the table.

\"Severus Snape! What are you doing sleeping under my kitchen table?\" Bronwyn\'s head pounded with each consonant. She backed up and away as the bedraggled Potions Master crawled forward, the blanket dragging behind him like a ragged cloak. He stood up in aching stages hair laying at odd angles, chin darkly stubbled, eyes sunken in sleepless pits.

Bronwyn decided that if she hadn\'t been so hung over and had he not had dark circles and not looked so angry, he would have been considered almost adorable.

Key word, that. Almost.

The aroma of strong coffee permeated the air and Bronwyn felt her addiction stir; heard her caffeine - starved cells moan. She turned and grabbed two ceramic coffee mugs from the cabinet. She poured coffee for them both and handed him one. \"You look as bad as I feel.\"

She stood there with her hand outstretched; Severus was ramrod straight with the blanket - a rather ragged thing stamped ‘Barnie\'s Breakfast Inn\' - clutched to him.

\"I assure you, madam,\" she winced... okay, we are back to that, \"that as the hangover you are no doubt feeling is severe, then I must look quite the sight and woulightighten even my own mother.\" He snatched the coffee mug, almost spilling it. As he lifted it to his mouth, he growled. \"Why do you stare?\"

She blushed sheepishly. \"Your pajamas.\" She gestured to the black cotton sleep pants, with the matching buttoned top. \"I sort of expected, ooh, I dunno... little green ‘s\'s or snakes embroidered on them.\" She gratefully sank her nose into her own steaming mug. After several sips, she repeated her earlier question. \"Why were you sleeping under my table?\"

Severus turned and walked into the living room, trails of blanket flowing after him. She followed after him, quiet footfalls on the cold tile. Damn, the man even made ratty bedclothes go ‘whoosh\'! After a moment\'s hesitation, he finally sat down on the couch, not seeming to relax. After another sip of coffee, he answered her. \"It seemed to be the only place in this house you and that Elf did not shag each other senseless!\"

\"What?\" Bronwyn was not quite seated next to him, and her own screech pained her.

\"You heard me!\" Snape banged his almost empty mug onto the coffee table, causing Bronwyn to jump again. \"Just as I was falling asleep, I saw you happily tied up, with your legs thrown over the shoulders of that rutting Elf. I know it was not a dream as I could feel the bed rocking! I tried the chair in the room, only to see you bent over the back, naked as the day you were born, cheering him on.\"

Bronwyn turned beet red.

Snape was just getting started. \"I tried the couch, the area in front of the fireplace, the living room chairs, the bed in the nanny\'s room or the cook\'s room, whomever the hell\'s room it is. You two are the most...\"

Bronwyn\'s look turned from embarrassed to mutinous and Snape stopped himself.

Just for a moment.

\" I sat on the steps, to think...only to be assaulted by the images of you, on your knees, once more servicing that elf! I tried the back seat of the car...\"

\"Oh no.\" she whispered, both hands covering her mouth.

\"Oh! Yes! I even tried the bathtub!\" Severus inhaled sharply and pinched his nose. \"If that dimwit from the Daily Prophet ever asked me, I could tell her for certain, without a shadow of a doubt, your breasts are like melons.\" He drew slight satisfaction at her sharp gasp. \"Ripe, pliable, large melons. Don\'t you dare cry!\" He picked up her coffee mug and shoved it at her. \"Drink this!\"

\"I was convinced you and that Elf had done this on purpose to inflame me, infuriate me, to goad me. But then I sat somewhere where I didn\'t get sexual vibrations. The kitchen table.\"

\"What?\"

\"The first time I leaned on the table, I saw a row of white pills and a copious amount of water. I would like to hear that story but not right now! The second time I leaned on the table, you were wrapped in the embrace of Celeborn, crying more than I have seen you and that is saying a bit.\" Bronwyn caught her breath. \"In all honesty, that... curmudgeon did not look very well either.\" Severus drained the bottom of his coffee mug. \"The third time I leaned on it, you were holding on to an Elf I have not seen before. Both of you were sobbing and one could not tell who was trying to comfort who.\" He stood up and took her mug. \"He had the look of that Elf you were married to and his brother. I suppose he was a relative.\" Severus carried both mugs into the kitchen and refilled them.

When he came back, Bronwyn was sitting in the middle of the couch, with her head between her hands. Severus could feel her head pounding within his. Despite his deepest desire to make her as miserable as possible, he set the mug very gently in front of her. He did not wait for her to acknowledge the steaming container.

\"You got drunk on purpose last night. You entered this house with every intention of tying one on before you went to bed. You wanted to drink until you passed out. I felt your fear when we were at dinner, it increased as we stepped onto the grounds.\" She opened her mouth, but he put up his hand. \"Do not deny it. You lied to me; you know you lied to me and I know you lied to me. You were frightened; frightened of this house.\" He dropped a hand on her head and draping his fingers under her chin, gently pulled it back to force her to look him in the eye. \"You knew this house was alive and you feared it.\"

She opened her mouth to answer, but no sound issued forth.

\"I am waiting, madam.\"

When she finally spoke, it was a strained whisper. \"I know this house holds many memories, and is home to several ghosts. I was not aware you would be... sensitive to it.\"

There. It was out. He allowed her head to drop.

\"Would you care to elaborate?\"

Slowly, her eyes moved back up. \"Would you happen to have a potion or spell to help with this headache?\"

He arched a sardonic eyebrow. \"Can you tell me one comfortable place in this house where I can lay down and sleep?\"

She raised one finger painfully. \"You want me to elaborate AND tell you somewhere Haldir and I did not make love in exchange for getting rid of my hangover?\"

\"I do not have to help at all,\" he reminded her snidely.

\"This is true. Deal.\" she nodded. \"Duncan\'s bed. You can have Duncan\'s bed.\"

\"You did not have relations in the child\'s bed?\"

\"NO!\" Bronwyn immediately winced. \"No.\" she said quieter. \"Duncan is... unique and would know. Endless questions we would get from him.\" Her face turned down in pain. \"Severus, could you please do something for my headache now? I\'ll tell you anything you want and then you can sleep while I search the family tree.\" She lifted her eyes, imploring; begging. \"Please. I have never had one this bad.\"

Severus snorted through his nose. \"You have not had one this bad, because the Elf dealt with them before they got to this level.\" He crossed his arms over his chest. \"For your information, I put something in your coffee. By the time you finish it, you should feel noticeably better.\" His smile was insincere and he sat down in the chair across from her. \"Now, tell me about this house and why you were frightened.\"

\"I am afraid you will be disappointed.\"

\"Most likely. Go ahead. Drink up and disappoint me.\"

Bronwyn took several sips of her coffee before speaking. \"It is not just the house that is alive, but the land, the property. This is not ‘family\' property. It belonged to my Nanna; my nanny. For all intents and purposes, she raised me.\" Bronwyn finished her coffee and then scooted back into the couch, tucking her feet under her body. \"Nanna was a wise woman, last of a long line of what the area called ‘witchy.\' She was versed in healing arts and lore. She knew herbs and all sorts of folk tales and music. All of this,\" she gestured to the entire home, \"had been in her family for hundreds of years, she didn\'t know how far back. When I had down time, when I was in forced hiding, I tried to research back, but records only go so far. Legend has it this was a sacred place for the Druids. According to Nanna, it was handed down through the women of her family and she was the last, so she gave it to me at her death.\"

Bronwyn again sipped at her coffee. She could not taste what Severus had put in it, but she was feeling better. \"The house is haunted; I know that. At times I hear footsteps in the hall, whispers in the dining room. There is a full basement under the cottage, but I have never been able to find the entrance and Nanna claimed to have no idea what I was talking about.\" Another sip. \"Sometimes, I could feel a very gentle hand stroking my forehead when I fell asleep. Whoever roams these rooms is a gentle spirit, not a restless one.\"

Severus allowed her to drain her coffee mug before saying anything. \"That does not explain what I saw last night.\"

Her grin was impish. \"No, I suppose it doesn\'t. This house holds many memories. I don\'t mean that lots of things happened here; they did. But encased in the walls, the paneling, the timbers, a lot has happened. And it holds memories for me.\" The woman stared off, far away beyond anywhere that Severus could reach. \"This was where I ran when my parents were so cold, I almost died of emotional frostbite. This is where I came when I was troubled. When my parents disowned me, this was where I ranted and raved and when they died, I sold the family estate and moved what few things I decided to keep here.\" Bronwyn stood up and stretched her back, fingers reaching to the ceiling. \"Here is where I came when my first husband left me and where I raised Duncan the first time. Yes, I said the first time. There is much about Duncan you do not know, but you need to. Come here.\" She motioned to him to follow her to the front window. She pulled the curtain to the side and pointed. \"See that tree just there near the fence?\" He followed her finger to a crooked tree, green and leafy, somewhere a young child would imagine great things. \"That was where he died.\" She caught his look. \"Yes, died. Duncan died once. He was very young and very ill. He was taken from me for a reason. Granted, he was given back to me several hundred years later, but regardless, at the time, I did not know.\"

She let the curtain drop and she slowly made her way back to her chair. With deliberate calmness, she pulled her legs up under her, tucking in her feet. \"The house holds many memories for me. Happy, warm memories of love.\" Her smile faded. \"I don\'t expect you to understand, but I miss my children. I miss the ones gone on, I miss Duncan, I miss Faeowynne. I miss my grandsons. I miss my Nanna. Mostly, I miss Haldir.\" She gestured around the room. \"Although we spent little time here, we were safe here. The memories are more recent; they burn very bright for me. Last night, I drank myself into a stupor not because I was afraid of you, but because I was afraid of the happy memories here.\" Bronwyn picked up her coffee mug and finished the last of the hot beverage. \"I had no idea you would be sensitive to the vibrations within the house. Nanna talked of seeing things on occasion, but I thought it was the ramblings of an elderly woman. I suppose I was wrong.\" She reached over and touched his wrist gently. \"I\'m sorry, Severus. I truly am. It was cruel for you to have to witness that.\"

For several minutes, there was no sound, save that of her hand softly stroking the knob of his wrist. Taking a risk, Severus slowly moved his hand, to cover hers gently.

\"Bronwyn...\"

Whatever he was going to say was interrupted by loud whining by Amadeus. The wolf was standing in front of the door, circling impatiently. Bronwyn released Snape, breaking the spell, the calm, and darted to the door.

\"Oh, Amadeus, I\'m so sorry. I should have let you out the moment I got up...\"

Severus was jolted by her sudden movement, angered by the canine\'s well-timed distraction. Visions of a white furry rug in front of his fireplace back in his rooms at Hogwarts...

\"Severus!\" Snape jolted from his daydreamings at her insistent call. \"It\'s daytime. I forgot. What if someone sees him?\"

\"They will not.\" Severus scowled. He looked down at the beast. \"I know you understand me well. Stay within ten feet of the house. Do not venture further.\" The wolf nodded his head as if in acceptance and understanding and as Bronwyn opened the door, he darted out.

Severus grinned sardonically. Alone at last! A cool, gentle hand was at his jawline, rubbing roughened stubble.

\"You are so tired. If you want, I\'ll change the sheets on Duncan\'s bed.\"

Severus narrowed his eyes. \"No need. I am up. I might as well...\"

\"You are exhausted. You have had one hell of a wretched night and you need some sleep. You need real sleep and,\" she waved her hand at his armpits, and scrunched up her nose, \"you will need a shower. I need to boot up the computer and get started. Much work to be done!\" She turned him and shoved him towards the stairs.

Severus gave in, admitting to himself he did stink. He shook his head, thinking he should have brought some Pepper Up potion. He was mounting the stairs, when the thought struck him. He stopped and leaned backwards, watching her press buttons and turn the computer on.

\"Bronwyn.\"

\"Yes?\" She did not look up; rather, she continued to move things, prepare things...

\"Baraer.\" Her head jerked up. \"Baraer. I know what that means.\" Haunted eyes bored through him. \"What is ‘amin\'? What does ‘amin\' mean?\"

For several seconds there was no sound but that of the machine whirring, fans spinning...

\"It means mine. Amin means mine.\"

\"Ah.\" Severus went up the stairs. When he reached the top, he tapped his lip thoughtfully.

\"Amin.\" He glanced down at the floor, as if to see through the floorboards to her dark head. \"Amin. Mine.\" He smiled, as he pushed the door open to the smaller bedroom and sank gratefully to the bed.

***

The headache Bronwyn was now experiencing was not a hanger on from the previous night\'s activities. No, for many hours, she had sat in front of the computer, mouse clicking, moving, fingers flying as she searched records, ancestry charts. The printer whirred as she printed out charts, trees, her highlighter marking through names, things to research further. Many times, she was grateful for the online banking service she used, where money could be transferred freely, without tracing her whereabouts. She pulled up information on the objectives she was being forced to teach, contacting teacher websites, history sites, getting ideas for worksheets, lesson plans. The more she could stick in their hands, already there for them, the less notes they would have to take, the less time they would spend on that and the more time they could spend on the things she felt was really important. Things about Muggles her students would find interesting.

Sports. Technology. Space exploration.

MTV!

She had let Amadeus back in and he was sleeping peacefully at her feet. Quietly surfing sites, she was not paying attention to the restless Wizard attempting to sleep upstairs.

***

Floating.

Peaceful... clouds... no Elf!

Floating...

Poke!

\"Pssst. Boy!\"

Go away.

Down down down into the quilts, the comfort of the bed, lingering scents of her, raspberries, whiskey...

Poke poke poke!

\"Boy! Boy! Are you listening? Damn you, wake up!\"

A most ancient voice...

Severus did not open his eyes. \"Go away! I am sleeping!\"

\"Bah! Children these days...\"

POKE!

Severus jumped up with a yelp, his head barely clearing the low ceiling. He grabbed his side, rubbing gingerly where he had been poked by...

He squinted in the semi-darkness, taking in the furniture, the chair...

... the old rocking chair with the wizened old crone and cane laid across her lap.

\"You are up. Good.\"

Severus strained to see through the gloom, the shadows in the room. He reached for his wand, only to see it fly across the room and onto the dresser behind the translucent woman.

\"You will not need this, boy.\"

Although unarmed, Severus was not without other defenses. Time spent in Dumbledore and Voldemort\'s company had taught him that. He stood up, straight, hands automatically going into the crook of his elbows.

\"I do not know who you are, madam...\"

\"Do NOT take that tone with me, boy!\"

The old woman slowly stood, straightening, hand firmly clasped on the cane. A hooked nose pointed skyward and Severus was regarded with crow-like eyes glaring from behind a weathered face.

\"You have a problem the size of hell on your hands and you had best be listening to me if you intend to succeed!\"

The hag\'s voice reverberated through Snape\'s head.

\"What do you want with me, you old harpy?\"

Beady eyes widened in fury. With a screech, she lifted her cane to strike him. Reflexes born and bred in war; Severus made a grab for the weapon.

His hands snatched empty air.

\"Boy! Do you think I need to actually use this to strike?\"

Severus was soundly whacked on the side of his arm by air.

Rather than grab his injured limb, he had his opening. \"Accio wand!\" The slender rod of wood flew across the room into his waiting hand. Quickly, the hex came to his lips...

\"What are you going to do? Hex a ghost to death?\"

Her chuckle was dry as she turned her back to him. \"Severus Snape, you have much of your great great great great great grandmother in you. She was a stubborn witch.\"

Severus\' eyes narrowed. He had realized her mouth did not move and he heard her voice in his head. \"Who are you?\" He did not lower his wand. \"What do you want?\"

Slowly, she lowered herself back in the spectral rocking chair. \"Sit down, boy. You make my neck hurt! Who am I, you ask? I am Octavia Dafydd, Bronwyn\'s Nanna. More important, I am your fifth or sixth great-aunt. I lose count and I do not right care! As for what I want, it isn\'t what I want, but what you need to do!\"

Snape was still standing and he looked imperiously down at the old ghost. \"You are as irritating as that poncy Elf.\"

\"That poncy Elf has you runnin cin circles boy! There is much you need to know and I am going to tell you where to find it. In the attic, behind the old wardrobe is a trunk. You should find everything in it of interest.\"

Severus resheathed his wand and matched the old bat glare for glare. \"What on earth, would I find in your old trunks, that would be of any inter...OW!\" He sat down suddenly, rubbing his shin where, seemingly, her cane had struck him. \"Stop hitting me with your walking stick!\"

\"Then stop being such a prat!\" The cane settled back crossways in her lap and the old woman regarded him again. \"Gwaedlyd Wyzard!\" she spat. \"It is beyond me why the Valar chose you for that charge of mine!\" she nodded angrily. \"Save that you are as stubborn as she!\" Again, small, glittering eyes narrowed. \"Your family history is in that trunk! That is why it is in important.\"

Carefully, so as not to take another hit across the legs, the tall Wizard spoke up. \"Madam, I sincerely doubt your trunk of relics, of family mementos,\" he said derisively, \" will tell me anything. I am a Wizard, from a long line of Wizards...\"

\"And just where do you think most of your wizarding skills came from, Mr. - Know - it - all? How far back have you traced your blood lines?\" The old woman settled back in the chair, the rasping of the wood strangely reassuring. \"Bah! Purebloods!\" she shoved the vowels through her nose. \"None of you are. You go look in that trunk. Find Solomae. Solomae and Sairye. Twins.\" Slowly, the old woman stood up, creaking in death as she had apparently done in later life. \"Sairye was the eldest. Solomae, was beautiful, hair like a raven. Much like yours.\" Severus felt the chill air ruffle through his lank mane. \"Of course, she kept it in better shape than you keep yours!\" She cackled at her joke.

Severus felt the hint of a scratch of dried, leathery skin stroke him under his chin, causing him to gaze up into a weathered face. \"Listen boy, listen well. The magic of this home, this wood, this land\" she punctuated each ‘this\' with a rap of her cane, \"is older than your books, than our memories. This land is steeped and rich with the blood of Druids, of wise women, of magics more ancient than any Wizard today can boast of. You come from venerable, earthly magic, magic born in the mists, raised and forged in fire and persecution. Strong magics!\" Her hand became a shaking, tight fist. \"Bronwyn\'s blood runs thin within the earth. It must be renewed, replenished. The Vessel will crack and all that is left will spill and be lost unless she finds her bow. All that has been kept and kept hidden will be unleashed and all that has been saved and used for the good of the Races will be lost!\"

The woman, becoming more spectral as she spoke, turned slowly and went back to her chair. \"That Elf cares about one thing and one thing only; that his love finds what is lost. Only then, will his soul be complete. He could care less about the blood, the land, the future of man. He would just as soon that you do not help her find it, that she find it on her own.\" She settled slowly into the rocker. \"I mean to see him fail.\"

Severus\' head jerked. \"Fail? You mean...\"

\"No!\" She rapped her cane on the floor, effectively cutting him off. \"Not fail in her finding the bow. I want him to fail at keeping the two of you apart! I want him to fail at his ability to keep the two of you at each other\'s throats. He wins if she finds that bow, whether you help her or not. But the blood must be replenished, must be renewed in order for the magic to continue and not die out!\" The cane came back across her lap. \"You must be one with her to be on equal footing with him! She needs your strength, your knowledge of the Wizarding worlse tse this to your advantage!\"

Severus pinched the bridge of his nose, eyes closed against the fading visage. \"And I suppose you in your great wisdom and knowledge of this exemplary embodiment of womanhood...\"

The cane hit the floor with a mighty ‘whack\'. \"Do NOT patronize me, you irascible jackass!\" A thin, arthritic finger wagged at him. \"She might not be of my blood, but I am fond of her. More fond of her than I am of you!\" She replaced her hand in her lap and shook her head. \"Damned stubborn, the both of you! The Creator help us all if the two of you do not take down those walls!\"

Her outline along with the chair, began to fade, along with her voice. \"Find the trunk, discover your past, and discover hers. She has much to teach you and you have much to teach her.\" The woman faded to nothingness, nothing left but the whisper of her voice. \"Do not be afraid to care just a little for her.\"

Severus watched until there was nothing left of the ghost. Pulling his throbbing leg onto the bed, he crawled back under the blanket, hoping to salvage a little bit of sleep.

***

Feels like I\'m walking on Holy Water
Feels like I\'m walking on Sacred Ground
Every time you come ‘round...

Holy Water
Bad Company

***

By the time he finally crawled out of the bed and made himself as presentable as he cared to, Bronwyn had abandoned the computer for carnivore sustenance. He stood in the computer room, taking in the random piles of paper. He reached over to one and bent to pick up a sheet.

\"You\'re up! Do you feel...\" Severus turned towards her, dropping the piece of paper back from where he had picked it up. \"... Good Lord! Look at... Severus! Didn\'t you bring any grubbies?\"

Bronwyn stood in the doorway, a sandwich in one hand and a glass in the other. She gazed in horror at the tall Wizard in front of her. He stood there, in his full Edwardian regalia, frock coat buttoned clear to his throat, white pristine collar and cuffs...

\"Grubbies?\" he sneered. \"What are ‘grubbies\'?\"

She held her sandwich and glass out away from her body, to show off her fine sweats, her long-sleeved T shirt proudly proclaiming (in Latin) ‘If you can read this, you are over-educated\'. \"Grubbies. Stuff to lounge around in!\"

\"I do not lounge.\"

\"Obviously!\" Bronwyn gingerly made her way around the stacks of paper. As she passed him, he grabbed the glass from her hand. He took a sniff, scowled and then took a sip.

\"You may not drink this.\"

\"It\'s late afternoon! Why not?\"

Severus stepped around her and went to the kitchen, Bronwyn following behind, sputtering angrily. He started to pour the drink down the sink, but then thought better of it. He smiled at her wickedly while taking a sip. \"I locked the liquor cabinet. Where is the rest?\"

Bronwyn was making strange noises. \"Look, buster! I\'m a grown woman and you aren\'t going to tell me what I am going to do in...\" She found herself being back up into a wall.

\"I asked you a question. I expect an answer. Do not make me repeat it.\"

Bronwyn took a vicious bite of her sandwich. \"Cahn ah ‘af sum wahtah?\"

\"The liquor!\"

\"Ah cahn stahn hear-ah awl dah!\"

Snape whipped out his wand.

(Whoosh!)

\"Very well. Stand there all day!\" He turned with the wand, tip up. \"Expiscor
Defrutum.\" The cabinet door beneath the sink flew open and after eyeing Bronwyn disdainfully, Snape retrieved a large bottle of Jack Daniel\'s from the cabinet. Toasting her with the bottle and the glass, he took them into the livroomroom and warded the bottle into the liquor cabinet as well. \"Any more?\" he asked cheerfully.

\"No.\" she grumbled.

\"Are you sure?\" The wand was back up. \"I can easily find it, if I must.\"

Bronwyn jumped over the back of the sofa, her half - eaten sandwich in hand. \"Knock yourself out!\"

Instead, Severus went back into the computer area, and began to look through the printed sheets.

A family tree... names highlighted, circled, letters and numbers written next to them. As he perused through the sheets, he saw letters and numbers at the top, corresponding with other sheets...

And occasionally, he would find a name, notated and highlighted in blue...

...depw...

Snape thought for a moment. He compared several of the blue highlighted names. No notation, no corresponding sheets.

Dead End. Possible Wizard?

She had been quite busy while he slept. \"I see you have laid down groundwork for me to follow up on.\" He laid the sheets back down and settled himself across from her. Bronwyn had finished her sandwich and glared at him through slitted eyes.

\"You? You mean us!\"

Snape shrugged noncommittally.

\"Would you mind telling me why you object to my enjoying a relaxing drink?\"

Snape\'s eyes glittered in the moderate light of the room. He was acutely aware that her beast got up from the rug where he rested and came to sit by him.

\"A relaxing drink, madam? It was hardly that and you well know it!\" Snape leaned back, one leg propped on his knee. \"No. This place haunts you and we might as well be miserable together.\" Again, he toasted her with the drink she had made. \"Besides, I do not want you passing out on me again when I decide to kiss you!\"

Bronwyn\'s eyes grew wide in astonished anger. \"You kissed me?\"

The high ball glass was still at his lips. \"Yesss.\" he purred. \"It was nasty!\"

She launched herself at the reclining Wizard, screaming like a banshee from hell. Snape barely had time to set the drink down; in fact, it went flying across the floor, whiskey spilling across the worn rug, when she landed on him, knocking the chair he sat in over backwards. Amadeus had backed up, ducking the flying glass and watched her flail at the temporarily disarmed Wizard.

\"You... sorry... son... of ...a.. Aaaaaaiiii....\"

Bronwyn felt herself tossed, flying over the Wizard\'s head and both scrambled to their feet, breathing heavily. She balled up her fist, but before she could rear back, she found herself neatly pinned to the wall. Snape had her by the wrists, secured above her head, his lean body was pressed to hers. He grinned sardonically down at her, before ducking in, his breath on her face.

\"Yes. I kissed you.\" He bent down, flicking her open mouth with his tongue. She snapped it shut. Chuckling deeply, he moved to her ear. \"You kissed me back and I think you rather enjoyed it.\" Now his tongue snaked around the outer rim of the delicate shell of flesh, causing shudders to rake her body.

His mouth slid around to hers, sucking in her bottom lip, nipping at the swollen rim. He turned lose of her hands, palms sliding down her arms, over her sides to cup her, pull her against him.

Bronwyn was trying her damnedest to have second thoughts. She smacked ineffectually at his shoulders, his arms, but eventually gave into the insistence of his mouth. Her tongue fought back, her hands clenched tightly on his jacket. Snape pulled backwards, bringing her with him, pulling her into him, grinding her into his...

Growling.

Deep, wicked growling...

Bronwyn jerked back, her face flushed, mouth swollen. Suddenly, as if she were touching a hot iron, she turned loose.

Snape felt her confusion... fear...

***Patience, Severus. You have time...***

Wide eyes, dilated, in shock...

\"Severus.\"

\"Bronwyn.\"

Bronwyn\'s chest heaved, heavy, laboring breaths and she stepped backwards, fingertips to her lips. As if in great pain, she closed her eyes and pressed one palm to Snape\'s chest.

\"I can\'t. Not yet. I\'m not ready.\" She was backing up, moving away from him. Severus held his ground, watching her, feeling her mentally grapple with old feelings, guilt...

...desire...

\"Uhm... I... am going to... go... take a bath...\" Her hand spasmed as if to grasp empty air, when she turned and ran up the stair well. He heard her slam into the front bedroom, where her things had been moved and shortly she went into the bathroom, the tub water running.

Amadeus gave the snarky Potions Master a wide berth as he slithered towards the stairs, lip curled, growling low.

Severus could not help it. He discovered what he wanted to know. He crossed his arms in front of him and stared at the wolf.

\"Go to her. But listen carefully, Beast.\" He spat the last word with a hard ‘b\'. \" She will not be able to deny her desire for long and I intend on taking every advantage of it when she crosses that bridge.\"

Amadeus\' growling intensified as he slowly slunk up the stairwell, his eyes staring through the poles in the banister. \" I will be there, I will take her and she will willingly submit to me. There is nothing you can do about it.\" Amadeus was now at the top of the stairs, ruff bristled, fangs showing. Snape stood at the bottom of the stairwell, one hand on the banister knob. \"Go to her. I daresay she will really need you now. Enjoy it while you can.\" With a whisper, Snape made his way back to the living area to clean up the mess caused by the flying glass.

He heard Amadeus pad into the bathroom, heard the door slam and thought he heard it lock. He levitated the glass to him and grasped the cold, hard glass in his hand.

Damn, he was as hard as the glass.

Damn her...

Patience or no patience, willing to wait, not push her, allow HER to welcome HIM to her bed... it did not matter! He needed relief now.

Severus set down the glass and smiled wickedly. At the Dark Revels, he had gotten out of participating at most activities by being the Voyeur. He watched. And many thought he got his jollies watching. In some cases, he did, when both parties were willing. Silently, he made his way up the stairs, recalling a full length mirror on the wall, opposite of the tub. He quietly made his way into Duncan\'s bedroom, shutting the door softly. He unbuttoned and threw off his jacket. Pulling his shirt out from the waist of his trousers with one hand, he drew his wand and aimed at the wall where the full-length mirror hung on the other side. \"Specularis,\" he whispered.

The long mirror in the bathroom, opened, Severus seeing into it, showing the goings on in the room. Amadeus lay on a rug, listening to Bronwyn. She was in the tub, bubbles frothing. Her hair was haphazardly pinned to the top of her head. She was facing the mirror, but could only see her reflection.

‘Good.\' Severus thought to himself. ‘When she stands, I will see all. If she moves at all, I will see...\" He had unbuttoned the bottom of his shirt, was now working on the fastenings of his trousers. His wand was back in its casing and he reached for a tissue from the box on the night stand.

She had a CD player, sitting on the toilet, within arms reach. Bronwyn\'s head was thrown back, a pad behind her neck. Her arms were thrown high above her head.

\"So, Amadeus.\" Her voice echoed through the bathroom, the catch in it magnified. \"What do you want to listen to?\"

The white wolf stood up and nosed through the flat square boxes scattered about the floor. He finally chose one and brought it to her, clamped gently in his mouth. Bronwyn took it from him and looked at it. \"Glenn Miller. You silly Wolf! Sometimes, I swear you are Haldir sent to watch over me. He loved Glenn Miller.\" Carefully, so as to not get the covering wet, she removed a silver disc from the case. Turning, she reached over the tub, to the CD player and inserted the CD.

His trousers were fully loosened and he lowered them to his knees.

Froth covered her, but Severus caught a glimpse of a heavy breast, firm and full as she leaned over...

...why does Tel\' Lindar need a contraption to play music? Why can she not conjure it on her own?...

...his hand grasped his member, still erect from the forceful activity of a few minutes before...

... and inserted the disc. He caught another glimpse of heavy breasts, nipples delightfully perky, as she turned back and sat down, a soulful tune quietly rising from the player.

Again, Bronwyn relaxed, head thrown back, feet propped up on the rim of the tub.

His fingers slid across the head of his penis, rock hard velvet...

Her hands rested on the sides of the tub.

\"Amadeus. What am I going to do?\"

The wolf sat up, moved to sit next to her as if to converse.

\"I miss him. I love him and I miss him. But I have this hole and Severus is filling it in his own way.\"

Amadeus chuffed and laid his head on the tub\'s edge. Bronwyn lolled her head over, eyes opening to address the large beast. \"He\'s crabby, snarky, damned presumptuous, and I hate having to rely on anyone, but I need him and I... \" her head lolled back, staring at the ceiling, \"Damn bully! I want him. I feel so damned guilty! I feel like I\'m betraying Haldir. I am betraying Haldir. How can I love one and feel this for another?\" Her head rotated back towards the wolf. \"Why do I need him? Why do I want to need him? What the hell are the Valar thinking?\"

...callouses playing ridges, stroking slowly... come on, Bronwyn, move up, do something.... show meeeeee...

\"It hurts, dammit, it hurts.\" Bronwyn\'s hands moved down, criss-crossing over her waist, sliding into the suds of foam, toes curling...

\'Yesss, Bronwyn.\' Snape could feel it, feel her. It was almost orgasmic on its own, the knowledge of the both of them, fantasizing together, hand griping tighter, rhythm slightly faster. His thumb teased the head...

Amadeus had lain back down, eyes shut as if in pain, facing the mirror.

Her arms were moving, moving down, slowly caressing her soap slickened body and her head had rolled back, breath catching...

\'Come on, Bronwyn... say my name...\'

\"Sssssss....\"

\'Say it....\'

\"saaaaaaaaaaaeeeeeeesssss.....\"

Severus\' hand grew tighter, the motion, faster... his balls tightening in reply...

Amadeus sat straight up, ears perked. He walked over and sniffed angrily at the mirror.

\'Say my name, Bronny. You want me... you need meeee...\'

In a haze, Severus glanced at the wolf who then returned to the tub. Dark blue eyes were black with fury and growling low, the animal grabbed the bottom of the shower curtain and began to pull it around, effectively camouflaging Severus from seeing the moaning woman. A nervous giggle erupted behind the shower curtain...

\"Amadeus! What are you doing? Preserving my modesty?\"

The wolf gave a triumphant look at the mirror.

The Wizard\'s hand did not miss a stroke. Slick clear liquid coated the head as he fondled, caressed.

‘You can hide her, but I can still hear her, you damnable mutt!\' His hand twisted, pulled in a familiar way. ‘Come on, Bronwyn. Let me hear you, I need to hear you...\'

Over the soft sounds of the jazz playing, her breathing quickened, her heart rate sped up.

He matched her, breath for breath, unseen stroke for stroke.

Amadeus had lain back down, facing the mirror, eyes slitted, darkened in wrath.

And when her breath caught, parts of words, syllables, a name, names fell, from her lips...

...Severus came with her.

***
I need you tonight. \'cause I\'m not sleeping
There\'s something about you girl, that makes me sweat
How do you feel? (I\'m lonely)
What do you think? (Can\'t think at all)
Whatcha gonna do? (Gonna live my life)
I\'ve got to let you know, you\'re one of my kind...


Need you tonight
Inxs
***

While Bronwyn\'s breathing returned to normal, Snape quietly resealed the mirror and used a cleansing charm to clean himself and to incinerate the incriminating tissue. His grin was wolfish, predatory, as he stared at the wall.

She was consumed with guilt, but the conflicting images... everything going on... she was moving finally in the right direction.

His direction.

Right where he wanted her.

***
TBC
***

Saes - please
Gwaedlyd Wyzard - Bloody wizard