Bound in Leather

here we find ourselves again, wondering if the hero and his heroine will finally find a way to get back into one another's arms. ~insert evil laughter here~ wouldn't you like to know? to find out, you're going to have to read on. before moving on though, let me tell you that only a few characters and some of the ideas contained within this fic are of my own creation. the rest i'm borrowing from j.k. rowling until such time as i grow bored and weary of them. i use her creations only for entertainment purposes and i make no money off them.

there may or may not be smut ahead. we'll see. just be warned. better to be safe than sorry, you know. and, if you find you like this, please feel free to leave me a review. it isn't necessary, but it is a lovely surprise.

Chapter Twenty Four: Like A Load Of Bricks
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Heathrow Airport was crowded as Severus and the rest of the band stepped off the plane. He hated having to rely on Muggle transport, but he'd invited the band back to his place to relax after the tour was fnished and there was no way he was going to Apparate the lot of them there. It would mean too many questions that he couldn't, or wouldn't, answer. So he was forced to deal with the crowds at the airport, the crowds of London and the long ride to his familial home The only thing he looked forward to was being able to fall asleep in Alasdair's arms.

Much as he was loathe to admit it, he truly had missed her during the last part of the band's tour. It had far been too long since he'd seen her or spoken to her. He'd tried calling, using the cell phones he and Remus had gotten all that time ago, and had only gotten either voice mail or Remus. And he'd always been told that Alasdair was out shopping with her mother. The cynical side of Severus frowned upon that, the natural tendency he had for not believing people always jumping to the fore to insist that Remus was lying. He was inclined to listen to such mental warnings, as they'd kept him alive in his role as a spy.

Something was wrong and he could feel it. It made him anxious to get home to see for himself just what it was. It also made him short with the people around him. He was trying to get to the exit and the vehicle waiting there for them. He was trying to get to Alasdair. He didn't want anything getting in his way. Which was why the gathering crowd of screaming fans, demanding autographs and his time, was serving to only make him that much more angry. The few body guards that were there could see this, as could the band, and so they tried their hardest to disperse the crowd and allow Severus to go his way.

By the time the group had made it into the bus hired to take them to the Snape estates, Severus was in so foul a mood that no one dared talk to him. Even Clarette, who had become very adept at reading his moods and knowing just how to help talk him out of them, didn't dare speak to him. The general fear was that he would literally bite their heads off if they so much as suggested anything to him. None of them were far from the truth.

The ride was made in virtual silence, only a few whispers between the actual band and Clarette to break the painful quiet that infused the bus. Severus was completely silent, staring broodingly out the window at the scenery passing them by. He sat by himself and no one dared approach him. The look on his face was the most uninviting they'd ever seen it, and they'd seen him act completely unapproachable a time or two. The closer they got to the estate, the worse it seemed his mood got. Everyone was of the opinion that if they didn't get to Snape's home soon, the man would positively explode with pent up anger.

Finally, just as the sun was riding along the edge of the world before day gave up it's hold to night, the bus turned onto the long drive that led up to the large house. By then, Severus sat stiff and unrelenting in his seat. Almost as if he expected to come over a hill and find his place ablaze with fire. Clarette cast a worried glance at Deek, who could only shake his head. The blonde drummer had no clue as to what it was that was bothering their singer. Something told him that it wasn't pleasant, no matter what it was.

Even before the large touring bus came to a halt, Severus was standing by the door, waiting to be let out. The moment the driver put the bus into park, Severus had the door open and was stalking anxiously to the house's main doors. The group came behind him at a much slower pace, knowing that if he was going to blow up, it would be in their best interests to be far behind him. He disappeared into the building, the doors closing tight behind him. Turlough frowned and looked at Fallon. The other man shrugged and they went about collecting their carry on bags.

The house was silent as Severus strode through the halls. He wasn't going to be crass and call out for Alasdair. That would make it appear that he truly had some kind of deeper emotions other than physical need for her. No, he would simply seek her out, then spend several hours locked in his room with her for some much needed shagging. He didn't give a hippogriff's arse what the band thought about it, either. He'd missed her and he deserved time alone with her.

The living area looked untouched, as did the dining room and the kitchen. The door to his study was locked, as were several other rooms on the first floor that he'd not wanted Alasdair or her mother wandering into. Taking to the stairs, Severus climbed to the second floor to check out the rooms alloted to his guests. He was very unhappy to find that they were both empty, the beds freshly made. A quick check of Alasdair's rooms showed him that her clothes were gone. He was not happy.

Severus moved to his room, making sure to shut the door and ward it behind him. He frowned and stared at the interior for a moment, recalling the last time he'd been in here. It had been with her. After their date. They had spent the night sleeping and shagging in his bed. The memory was still strong after all this time and it pained him to stare at the bed and see her laying there, naked and wanton. For him. He had to get to the bottom of her disappearance quickly. Pushing his disgust aside, he settled on the edge of the bed. 'Mipsy!' he called out.

The Elf popped into his room, looking up at him with large, sorrow-filled eyes. The Elf's behavior set him on edge. 'Master Snape is calling for me?' the Elf asked hesitantly.

'Where is Alasdair?' he demanded in a less than friendly tone. The small creature wrung it's hands together in what appeared to be a painful manner, obviously stalling on giving him an answer. 'Mipsy, my patience is at an all time low. Simply tell me what it is I wish to know without my having to hex you.'

'Missy Alasdair be's gone,' the Elf squeaked out quickly after having nearly jumped out of her skin at his tone.

'Gone? Gone where?' he snarled.

'She be's leaving with Master Remus,' the Elf told him, repeating what she'd been told to say. She wrung her hands again, afraid that her Master would find out that she was lying to him. But Master Remus had told her that she had to do this if she ever wanted to see Master Severus happy. He'd told her that Master had found the one person in his life he could love, but that he needed to realize that he loved Missy Alasdair. Mipsy wanted her Master to be happy, so she was doing what Master Remus had told her to do.

'She left with Lupin, did she? Was there any reason given as to the why of it?' he asked her, pinning her with his black gaze. Mipsy shook her head in a negative. 'She just ran off with him, did she? Ungreatful witch! Leave me! I have words for Remus Lupin. Go!'

Mipsy shuddered at the hateful look in her Master's eyes, then promptly disappeared from the room. Severus snapped out a few unpleasant curses relating to the nature of Lupin's birth, then stood and began pacing. He needed to find her and tell her what he thought of her. He needed to speak to her, tell her that she'd wounded what was left of his blackened heart. Then he planned on sending her on her way with a warning to her about what would happen if he ever chanced to cross her cursed path again. Remus fucking Lupin would know where she was. He needed to call the bloody werewolf and give him what for, then demand that he turn the heartless witch over to him.

Pulling out the cell phone, he flipped it open and pushed a button that was programmed to ring the phone that Remus carried. It rang four times, then went straight to the voice mail message. In the most unhappy tones he could muster, Severus snarled an order into the phone for Remus to call him when he got the message. Snapping the silver case closed, he shoved it back into his pocket and stormed from the room. When he finally emerged into the living area down stairs, the rest of the band was off the bus and inside.

'Where's Al?' Deek asked softly when he didn't see the woman at his singer's side. The scowl on Severus' face only got darker. Clarette took Deek's hand and squeezed it gently.

'Sev? What is it?' Jesse asked, knowing that if the other man didn't blow his top now, it would be only that much worse when he finally did. If Severus was forced to talk about it, his anger might not billow up out of proportion with the situation. They'd seen it happen once or twice before, while on tour, and the police had only just been stopped from arresting him and taking him away to jail.

'Alasdair is gone,' he growled, his black gaze pinning each of them with a look that dared them to say anything about it.

'She's gone? As in, she just left?' Clarette asked, her voice full of skepticism. The way his lips tightened up was all the answer they needed. 'But why? Did she leave a note? Did she take her clothes?'

'She has left me no note to explain her hasty departure. Aletha is no longer here, either. And yes. She took all of her clothes. I attempted to contact Remus and was unsuccessful. Alasdair has gone and left me, it would seem,' he told them grumpily. His eyes darkened with the unexplainable anger he felt. Crossing his arms over his chest, he glared at them in general. 'It appears that Alasdair has found me lacking in some manner. And she has run like a thief in the night. Deceitful little bitch. Should any of you mention even just her name in my presence again, I will be more than willing to cut your tongues from your head. Have I made myself clear?'

'But, Sev,' Fallon began, only to stop short when that black gaze turned on him. The man shrank back and nodded his head. 'Clear as crystal, dude.'

'Good. I have a few phone calls to make. Have a seat and do not touch anything. I shall return momentarily,' he growled, then turned and left the room. The five of them were left staring at him in complete shock.

'I haven't seen that bastard since the tour began,' Turlough commented sadly. The others nodded at the statement, staring up the hall toward where the dark man had gone. 'I thought, when Al wormed her way past his armor, we'd seen the last of him.'

'Get used to it, dudes. Something tells me we'll be seeing alot of him from now on,' Deek frowned.

~*~*~*~*~

Neither Deek nor Turlough, who'd been around the rock scene pretty much all their lives, had seen a party like the one they were currently attending. Shortly after making his announcement about never wanting to speak of Al again, Severus had returned from his private phone calls to let them know that the band was going to throw a massive end of tour party. He'd told them in a terse tone that he'd been too long away from that which was the life blood of the rock group. Mindless sex with groupies galore. And so, in the matter of a few hours, the party had begun. Two trucks had arrived early the next morning with a shipment of alcohol that made the stock carried in liquor stores seem small in comparison.

Before noon, a bus full of people had pulled up in front of the large house and soon, there was music, laughter and chatter filling the silence. It was a silence that had felt sad and oppressive and, despite the people filling the lower floor of the grand estate, still seemed to hang in the air. All of the band, and Clarette too, felt that it felt so sad because of Al's leaving. While Severus had been on the phone with whomever, the five of them had engaged in a discussion about the missing woman. And none of them believed that she'd simply up and left. Clarette had put it to them without much argument that Alasdair was in love with Severus and women who were that much in love didn't just up and leave without a reason.

Now, two days later, the party showed no signs of stopping. There was a small army of fans and groupies milling around. Stale cigarette smoke hung heavily in the air, while the smell of spilt beer and liquor clung to the floor and furniture. To their knowledge, despite his claims that he planned on shagging every woman who looked at him, Severus had yet to actually indulge in the large quantity of women there. Jesse had bluntly and crassly called it pussy on the hoof. His little comparison wasn't far off, from what they saw.

Clarette came up to stand next to her husband and Turlough, watching the two of them as they watched their lead singer down the last of a bottle of scotch, his face no more relaxed than it had been when they'd first arrived at his house. Severus hadn't moved far from the same spot, a single chair in the corner near the hearth. His mood hadn't begun to lighten, despite the amount of liquor they'd seen him personally consume. And the last girl who'd approached him had soon after left with tears in her eyes and her cheeks so red, they'd had to wonder what he'd said to her.

'He can't go on like this, Deek. He's going to make himself ill. You know all that alcohol isn't good for him,' Clarette said, leaning against the blonde to press a kiss to his neck. He sighed and half turned, pulling her into his arms. 'Go talk to him. Something. I hate seeing him like this.'

'You know if I mention her to him, he'll go fucking postal on me. That man has the sharpest tongue I've ever encountered. No fucking thank you,' Deek shook his head. He sighed and hugged his wife to him tightly. 'I know you're worried about him. I know you care about him. Hell, everyone of us does. But this is something he's going to have to work out himself.'

'He won't do that if he won't talk about her or think about her,' Clarette stared at Severus, her face painted with worry.

'Babe, I doubt he's thinking of anything but her,' Turlough said gruffly. 'Give him some time to realize that he loves her. The man is so far into denial that it would take more than a pair of oars and a boat to get him out. He'll come to the right conclusion. Just you wait and see.'

Almost as soon as the words were out of his mouth, Severus stood. They watched him extract the silver phone from his pocket, then flip it open an look at the screen. The scowl said it obviously wasn't someone he wanted to speak to, but he pushed the button to connect and lifted the phone to his ear. His mouth moved, obviously to say hello or whatever, then he turned and walked from the room. He was gone for several long minutes and they were about to go find him when he returned to the living area. He moved over to the stereo and the music went silent. Turning, he gave everyone a look. 'Last call. The party is officially over now. Get your things and get out. Deek. Jesse. Fallon. Turlough. Gather your equipment together. We will be leaving in one our for the airport.'

'Dude, what the hell is going on?' Fallon asked, a petite blonde clinging to his arm.

'We are launching another tour,' he informed them curtly, then stalked from the room. Jesse looked at Fallon and frowned.

'He's going to fucking kill himself,' Jesse commented.

'And us along with him, the son of a bitch,' Fallon sighed.

~*~*~*~*~

Madam Rosemerta moved with both grace and assurance behind the bar, tending to all of the students' needs while still managing to help her other customers. The Three Broomsticks was cosy, a fire burning in the large hearth. Outside, a light snow was falling. Winter's last attempt at holding on to the season. It was still damn cold out, but the temperatures were starting to climb past the point where the snow would stay. Spring had a foot in the door and it was rapidly pushing winter off. In all her months at Hogwarts, it never ceased to amaze Al when she saw magic at work. Even as she watched, a pair of mugs containing pumpkin juice floated through the air to a pair of young girls who were eyeing a table full of handsome boys.

'You're terribly quiet today, Alasdair. Is something the matter?' Minerva asked the younger woman softly. She had a feeling she knew what was troubling Alasdair, but she felt that the girl should get it off her chest. Minerva had been shocked when Albus had called her to his office to introduce her to the young woman he claimed had captivated Severus. It had been even more of a shock to find that the woman in question was a shell-shocked Muggle who looked as if she'd fall over at any moment.

'I'm alright, I suppose,' she shrugged, lifting her glass to sip at her own glass of pumpkin juice. Minerva would have reached out to cover her hand had they not been in a public place. As it was, she didn't. She managed a tight smile. At first, she'd been against having the girl stay at Hogwarts to act as Dumbledore's secretary. Many of the previous Headmasters and mistresses had agreed with her on that. But then she'd taken a few moments to get to know the girl and had seen that she'd needed someone to look after her. There'd been a deep sorrow in her eyes that had plagued Minerva for several days until she'd had tea with Poppy. She'd mentioned the girl and Poppy had gone into a short monologue about how the girl had been brought to England by Severus and all about the child she'd lost.

Minerva had found herself intrigued by that. When, only a day or so later, Albus asked her to escort Alasdair into Hogsmeade to buy her some clothing for work, it hadn't taken very long for Minerva to decide she liked the girl. As they'd talked, she'd come to understand why it was that Albus had brought her to Hogwarts with him. To her knowledge, there hadn't been another Muggle on the school's grounds in any capacity other than that of concerned parent. But Alasdair was deeply in love with Severus and deeply hurt by what Lucius Malfoy had done. She needed to heal and discover her heart and that wouldn't happen at Severus' estate.

'You're sure? Would you like to talk about it?' Minerva asked. Albus had only told her the basics. She'd hated not knowing it all, but he'd pointed out gently that it wasn't his story to tell. She'd nodded, understanding that. All she knew was that Alasdair loved Severus and that Lucius Malfoy had done something to split them apart. Over the course of the past few months, she'd come to look upon Alasdair as a friend, as some kind of long lost child, and disliked seeing the girl so downhearted.

'I don't know that it really matters anymore,' Al sighed, her hands playing with the mug that sat before her. This time, Minerva did reach out and cover her hand briefly, giving it a gentle squeeze before drawing her own hand back to her side.

'I've found over the years that the best way to deal with a problem is to confront it head on. Talking sometimes helps, dear,' she told the girl softly.

Al stared at her, her eyes full of sorrow, and remained silent for a long time. A pair of boys shouted and laughed, bringing forth a cry of frustration from a girl at the next table. Minerva turned and gave them a hard glare, settling them down. When she turned back, Alasdair was wiping at her eyes. 'He doesn't love me,' she whispered, reaching out to play with her mug. 'I'd hoped that staying here would make him realize that he cared. But he doesn't. He would have come for me by now if he did. That Malfoy person was right and he's glad I'm gone. Glad I lost the baby.'

'Now, now, child. You mustn't take what Lucius Malfoy said for anything other than the load of steaming troll shite that it is,' Minerva said in a less than friendly tone. Al stared at her, wondering why the other woman sounded so angry. 'You also must understand. Severus isn't like other men. His emotions are very much his own and he keeps them under lock and key. It will take him time to come to realize that he cares for you. When he does, there isn't anything on this earth that will stand in his way of finding you and making you his own.'

'I don't know,' she shook her head, not entirely certain she wanted to let herself hope that what Minerva was telling her was truth.

'Alasdair, its obvious to Albus, Poppy and myself that he cares about you. He wouldn't have brought you to his home if he didn't. He wouldn't have sought you out more than once. After he'd had his fill of shagging you, he'd have tossed you over and gone on to the next poor girl. All I ask is that you give him time to consider what it is he feels. If I had a cauldron I wouldn't worry about denting and completely ruining, I'd hit him right over the head with it for you,' McGonagall said, then turned and snatched a wand from a third year who was trying to turn the girl across from him into a toad. 'You may pick this up after your detention tonight, Mr. Bellinger,' she told the boy sharply.

The boy in question turned four shades of red. Al had to stifle her giggle behind the pretence of taking another drink of her pumpkin juice. When he and his friends, who were outright laughing at Mr. Bellinger's expense, had exited the place in favor of the snow outside, Minerva turned back to Al and smiled. 'We have to take a firm hand with them. They seem to think that, because they can do magic, they're allowed to act as they chose. Severus used to maintain the best control over his students out of any of the teachers at Hogwarts.'

'But he doesn't like children. He told me so,' Al pointed out.

'He never did care for them, true,' Minerva nodded in agreement. She noted the look on Alasdair's face and continued. 'I think that was because he never did understand children. Even when he was one. I don't think that means that he wouldn't have loved a child you'd made with him. Its more than likely that he was just as devestated with the loss as you were. He would just probably never tell you, as it isn't in his nature to do so.'

Al shrugged, not sure she could believe what the woman was telling her. As she mulled over what Minerva had said, she heard the whispering behind her and knew that the students were talking about her again. She knew that they'd all been speculating about her reasons for being at Hogwarts. And many were curious about her accent, which only made them speculate all the more about her. It had started that first night, when she'd had dinner at the same table with the other staff, seated between Minerva and a giant of a man with a bushy beard and the kindest smile Al had ever been gifted with. She'd found out his name was Hagrid and that he looked after all kinds of amazing creatures. Al had taken an immediate liking to him and had even, on weekend days, visited with him occasionally in his large hut.

'Mr. Pivens!' Minerva said sharply. 'Kindly cease all that hissing or I shall assume you have sprung a leak and will stopper you accordingly.'

The whispering stopped, only to be replaced by soft giggles. Minerva gave Al a pained smile by way of apology. Al waved it off with a weak gesture of her hand and an even weaker smile. She finished her pumpkin juice and stood. 'I really need to go. I have to get to Gladrags for my fitting. I can't believe you talked me into buying that silly thing.'

'Nonsense, girl. It'll look smashing on you and it is, after all, a special occasion,' Minerva gave her a teasing smile.

'I"m going to feel as if I'm over dressed,' Al replied, lifting her cloak up off the back of the chair.

'Alasdair, its your mother's wedding. She and Remus are getting married in a magical ceremony, in the magical world. Your mother plans on dressing accordingly. As you've been asked to be her Maid of Honor, its only right that you dress to match. The gown and robes you and she picked will look lovely on you,' Minerva smiled at her gently. 'Your mother is a wonderful woman and I've never seen Remus happier, though I still think that he needs his hair cut.'

Alasdair couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up her throat. Her mother and Remus had come to visit for the Christmas holidays and the first thing that had come out of Minerva's mouth was that Remus had adopted Severus' bad habit and let his hair get far too long. She'd suggested a haircut. Remus had only smiled and allowed her to go on as she'd wanted to. For Al, it had been a wonderful Christmas, though she'd secretly missed Severus. She'd hoped, even if only briefly, that he would have come to the castle in search of her. It had been more than difficult to hide the disappointment that had flooded her at his lack of appearance.

She had enjoyed their visit, though. On one particularly chilly day, Remus had suggested a walk while Aletha was busy speaking with both Minerva and Poppy. They'd bundled up in their warmest cloaks and headed out into the courtyard to walk and talk. He'd asked point blank how she was holding up. She'd told him honestly that she missed Severus deeply and it still hurt her to think that he didn't care for her. Remus had said nothing, but there'd been a look in his eye that she hadn't immediately been able to place, though she knew she'd seen it before.

It hadn't been until much later that night, when she'd been crawling into the large, four poster bed that reminded her of something out of a historical romance novel, that she'd realized just when and where she'd seen that look before. It had been that one night when he'd helped her make Severus jealous. It had been the kind of look that could only mean that the man was plotting something. Sadly, she didn't know what. She'd lain awake for hours, wondering what the hell he'd been thinking. Something had told her it had to do with Severus, but she knew that he'd never say a word if she asked him.

Christmas morning had seen the two of them announcing their wedding date. For Al, it had been a bittersweet event. She'd been so happy for her mother, but she'd also felt left out. She'd done her very best to smile and look happy, which she had been. They'd had a little get together in her rooms to open gifts. Remus had told stories of his days at Hogwarts and Aletha had asked Al question after question about her job and what it was like at the school. Their meal had been served by a happier than normal House Elf who'd been in awe of the idea of having two Muggle women in the castle at once. After the same Elf had come and cleared away the dirty dishes, the three of them had simply sat and talked. They'd gotten around to opening gifts in due time.

Al was proud to say she'd bought hers with one of her first paychecks. Minerva had taken her to a place in London called Diagon Alley and let her shop to her heart's content. Though she really hadn't known what to get anyone, she'd bought gifts for all of the people at Hogwarts who had befriended her. When she'd come to Dumbledore, Minerva had pointed out that a good pair of wool socks would keep the old codger happy. Al was still trying to understand that one.

'It was good to see them at Christmas, wasn't it?' she asked, staring down at Minerva. The older woman nodded and took a sip of her drink.

'Yes, it was. I was very happy to meet your mother. She's a lovely person and she's the perfect companion for Remus,' the older woman nodded, her voice colored with unhappy memories. Al knew that there was something in Remus' past that was bad, but he'd had yet to tell her what it was. 'I know she'll make him very happy. And he deserves that.'

'So does my mother,' Al whispered quietly.

'Best get going, girl. We won't be in Hogsmeade much longer. The day is getting shorter and I swear the wind is getting colder. I want to get back to the castle before the storm breaks. Its on the wind and in the gray of the clouds. We're in for one last snow storm before spring comes,' Minerva told her, eyes fixed on the sky beyond the pub's windows.

'Alright. I'll meet you back here?' Al draped the cloak over her shoulders, snuggling into it. She had to agree with Minerva. The weather was getting colder. Tonight would be another night spent cuddled under the thick blankets that were piled on top of her bed, a low fire burning down to embers in the hearth. She'd gotten used to doing that over the winter, falling asleep with a book in her hands and a candle burning next to her bed.

'If I don't come down to join you. Hagrid will be along any time now to start rounding the students up. He's more than capable of getting them back to the school without help. I'll likely wait around for you to finish at Gladrags,' Minerva replied, turning to pin a pair of boys in a tiff with one of her stares. They quieted immediately and she returned her attention to Alasdair. 'We can't have you wandering about on your own.'

'I know my way back to the castle,' Al protested gently.

'Of course you do. I simply happen to enjoy your company,' she said with a hint of hurt coloring her words. Al had the grace to blush.

'Then I'd enjoy the company,' she said softly. Minerva nodded and made a shoo-ing motion toward the door. 'Go. Get going or you'll be late.'

'I'm going,' Al laughed and moved for the door. There were times, like now, when she felt that Minerva was more a motherly figure than a friend. The wind gusted across her face as she stepped out into it and hurried up the street to Gladrags. She'd be glad to get back to the castle. She planned on a hot bath and a steaming cup of hot chocolate. There were some things she truly liked about living in a magical castle and having House Elves was one of them.

~*~*~*~*~

Severus frowned up at the stone ediface and contemplated turning around and leaving. He actually turned to get back into the carriage, only to find that it had already rolled off away from the main doors of the school. He'd gotten a message from Dumbledore at his hotel in Munich in the form of one Harry 'Born to be a Pain in the Arse' Potter. Harry had been about as happy to be there as Severus was to see him. But he'd been polite and stepped back to allow Potter in. And the boy had sauntered into his hotel room to smirk and politely tell his former teacher, a laugh in his voice, that Albus Dumbledore requested his presence for an afternoon of tea and talk. When Severus had gone to decline in less than polite words, Potter had only grinned wider and told him that he wouldn't leave if no was the answer.

And so it was that Severus found himself standing before the great wooden doors, staring at what he knew was going to be his doom. He hadn't wanted to come, as he was fairly positive he knew what it was Dumbledore wanted to see him for. But he also hadn't wanted Potter to follow him about Europe, Asia and every where else for the rest of the tour. The idea of seeing Potter's face first thing in the morning and last thing at night made him feel a more than a bit queasy. Just as Severus was squaring himself away to push the doors open and step inside, one of the wooden panels slid back and showed him the face of the one person he least wanted to see.

'Longbottom,' he inclined his head in greeting.

'Professor Snape,' Neville managed without stuttering. Severus gave him points for that. Longbottom stepped back from the door and allowed him to enter. He made his way into the darkened hall, waiting while Neville shut the door behind him. The younger man indicated the direction, despite Severus' already knowing the way, then started off. Severus fell into place behind him, chosing to remain silent instead of talking with his former student. About anything. 'Professor Dumbledore asked me to show you the way up. I can't imagine why, seeing as you've been there hundreds of times. How is the rock world treating you?'

'Like a god,' he drawled lazily, biting off the urge to snap at the nosey git that it was none of his bloody business. 'Women throw themselves at me hourly. It is entirely too amazing for words.'

Apparently, it wasn't quite the answer that Neville was looking for. A sort of pained look crossed his face as if he were deeply considering what he'd been told then he managed a weak smile and simply nodded his head, not bothering with any sort of verbal reply. Snape was completely amenable to that and gave the halls a glance as he followed in Longbottom's footsteps. It was Saturday, for which he was greatful. There were few students to bother him. The majority of them were already gone to Hogsmeade and he was almost certain that those left would be doing something other than hurrying along the halls on their way somewhere.

The gargoyle was already turned to the side in anticipation of Severus' arrival. Neville stopped and offered him a rather timid smile. 'I trust you can find your way from here,' he said, no small amount of happiness in his voice. Severus gave him a good glare for old time's sake, then stepped up onto the stairs to ascend them to Dumbledore's office.

The door at the top stood open wide, telling him that Albus was no doubt busy with his nose buried in some stack of paperwork. Without announcing his presence, Severus stepped into the room and pushed the door closed behind him. Dumbledore was, as he'd expected, busy scribbling across some old parchment. Severus took a seat after discarding his cloak over the back of the other chair before his desk. Today, he had decided to show up at Hogwarts in another pair of leather trousers, a black t-shirt and a leather jacket under his cloak. His hair, caught back in a braid, hung over his shoulder to pool in his lap.

'Good afternoon, Severus. Thank you for agreeing to meet me,' Albus' voice broke the silence. Severus glanced up from the toes of his boots to stare at the smiling face of his former employer. How he detested that bloody smile.

'I believe I was not given much of a choice on that, Albus,' he sneered. 'The threat of having Mr. Potter following me through out my day was enough to put me off my lunch. I still shudder to think that I would have been forced to stare at him whilst I showered or used the toilet. So I felt it necessary to come and see what it was you wanted to speak about. To save myself, as it were.'

'Of course. I thought that a threat from the one person who served to make your life so miserable would be incentive enough to get you here,' Albus nodded, chuckling softly. Severus frowned at him and crossed his arms over his chest. 'Its good to see you, Severus. How is the music business treating you?'

'Fair enough,' Severus told him, his face blank of expression. 'I am, as always, a god among men. It is a terribly hedonistic lifestyle and I enjoy it immensely.'

'And this life has given you everything you've ever wanted or desired?' Albus asked him casually, shifting a piece of parchment aside to glance at the one below it.

'Everything and more,' he replied without thought.

'And does Alasdair Wyndham fall into that category of everything and more?' Dumbledore questioned softly.

'Of course she does!' Severus snapped nastily. The words were out of his mouth before he could stop himself and he didn't bother to hide the look of shock that came to his face. Albus lifted cornflower blue eyes to his former student and Potions Master, his gaze steady and, for once, not twinkling. There was a knowing look on his face as he peered curiously at Severus.

'Where does she fit, Severus? Or haven't you found that out yet?' he asked the man, his voice deep with the feelings he had for him. He watched as Severus glared at him and Albus could see the urge to snarl out some snarky comment working toward the surface. Before those words could be spoken, though, Albus pressed on. 'Are you truly happy out there, my boy? Is it truly what you want?'

Severus stared at him, the urge to tell him to sod off almost stronger than the urge to breathe. But the look in Dumbledore's eyes stopped the hasty words and prompted him to think. He wasn't happy and hadn't been for a very long time. He'd thought at first that he'd done the right thing in leaving the magical world for the musical world. And, at first, he had been immensely happy. Women at his beck and call. Never having to deal with stupid, ignorant children. A life in the public eye. It had been a dream come true for a man who'd lived so much in the shadows. He who had never had many friends and even fewer dates. He who had squandered his talents teaching the unteachable to the unwilling.

He'd easily traded one cursed existence for another. Happily done so. And now, he found that the grass he'd seen over the fence that had looked so green was nothing more than a lie. Or, it had been until a certain woman had entered his life and showed him just what a miserable sod he was. How had a single female slipped so deep past his defenses? How had she managed to make him see how shallow those women who followed his band were. That they were little more than bitches in heat who didn't care about him personally. All they wanted was his name under their suspender belt.

And then Alasdair had come into his life and shown him just how hollow that kind of existence was. She'd offered him a small oasis of solace and peace in the hectic nothingness that had become his world. His life. And he was bloody tired of nothing. He wanted something to show for a short lifetime on this wretched planet. He wanted, after a fashion, the white picket fence and the cosy little cottage. He wanted..... Alasdair. And she was gone.

He'd lost so much because of his arrogance. He'd never once told Alasdair how he felt about her. Much in the same way he'd never told Albus how much he'd appreciated the man's staunch support and friendship through the darker periods of his life. He'd tossed the Headmaster aside in almost exactly the same way as he'd thrown Alasdair away. She was gone and he couldn't repair the damage he'd done there. But he could repair the tears in his friendship with Albus Dumbledore. He could return to a life that, while not quite as profitable, was far more rewarding than his career as a lead singer.

If Neville Longbottom had become a competant and capable Potions Master, he must have done something right.

Severus spent a great deal of time thinking about how his life had gone. He wasn't aware of Dumbledore's piercing gaze watching for the smallest flicker of emotion or thought that passed over his face like the shadows of a cloud. The smallest bit of understanding in his eyes that meant he knew and realized. After quite some time, he saw what he was looking for. The knowledge that the man before him knew he didn't have to go it alone. When he knew that Severus knew what he wanted, he relaxed back into his seat, steepling his hands before him in his most thoughtful pose.

'What is it you wanted, Albus? Did you ask me here to show me how pathetic and miserable a person I am?' Severus asked in a low voice. Dumbledore shook his head.

'I wanted you to come back to us. I still do. I need a strong hand in Potions. Neville does his best, but he isn't the Potions Master you are. No one is. You are needed here,' Albus made an all encompassing gesture with one hand. Severus grit his teeth and glared daggers at the old man. 'Surely you can't tell me that your life as a rock star has been as fulfilling as you wished it to be? At least here, there are people who truly care for you, my boy. We all miss you and want you to come home.'

'I cannot. I am still on tour,' Severus sighed. Albus frowned at the refusal. This wasn't working as he had hoped it would. 'However. Once the tour ends, I will be free to come back. This will not be for several months, though. We are doing an extensive tour of Europe, Asia and several other places I have never heard of before. My tour manager is almost more money hungry than Malfoy.'

'How does this sound? I'll have Neville finish out the year and then you can return to your post at the beginning of next term. That way, there will be no transition to deal with. And you will have time to get back into the swing of things, as it were,' Albus smiled at him. Severus made sure to scowl at him, just to let him know that things weren't as simple as that.

'That seems to be the best course of action,' Severus gave a curt nod and stood. As far as he was concerned, business was concluded and he was due to be on stage very soon. He scooped up his cloak and tossed it over his shoulders, securing it at the neck with an intricate clasp. 'Albus,' he said by way of parting. Albus nodded and smiled, watching him as he went.

Severus had just gotten to the door, his hand on the knob, when Dumbledore spoke again. 'Oh, Severus. One more thing?'

With a sigh, Snape turned to face the old man, who was now grinning with that evil twinkle in his eyes that meant nothing good was about to come out of his mouth. 'Yes?' he asked, though he didn't think he wanted to know what it was.

'Can you clear a day on your busy schedule? April twentieth? Remus and Aletha are getting married that day and he would like you to be his best man. You are, after all, one of his closest friends now,' Albus told him, grinning mischievously.

'A wedding? Bloody hell!' Severus snarled, then jerked the door open and stalked from the room. The old man's chortling followed him tauntingly down the stairs and he swore he could still hear it hours later as he lay in his lonely hotel bed. Just what he bloody needed to do. Attend a wedding.

Somewhere deep in the halls of some mythical palace, the gods were laughing their arses off at him.

end chapter twenty four.
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as usual, my thanks go to all the wenches (and Michael, too!) for always believing in me and letting me know that i'm better than i think i am. even if i think they're wrong. special thanks to Onyx and Kitty Cat for previewing and letting me know how it is and what they think. where i might need to work on it. my unconditional love to all of you for your undying support and unconditional love. you guys are the greatest!

for the most part, this chapter is beta'd by myself, so if you find any errors in it, please don't hurt me. i'm only human after all. that call in to the gods hasn't gone through yet, it would seem. bugger.

please, if you find that you like this, feel free to let me know. while it isn't necessary, i do like to get a review every now and again. keeps the bunnies hopping.

to Samantha: the whole thing in one sitting? was it worth the numb ass? i do hope so and i do hope you find this last chapter a worth offering.

to Laura: thank you so much for reviewing. i do appreciate knowing that there are people who enjoy my attempts at entertainment. i hope you find this next chapter as enjoyable as the previous ones.