Bound in Leather

well, well, my dears. here we are once more. lost in a world of music and magic. i hope you've all brought along some popcorn and some tissues. we've got some mushiness and angst ahead of us. as you all know, i own nothing you see here other than al, her mother and the band. the rest of the lovely characters come from the oh so talented mind of one j.k. rowling. she owns them, she makes all the money off them. i get nothing. no money, no fame, no glory. just a sense of satisfaction. i promise to put them back where they belong when i finish. i swear it.

also, if you like this, please feel free to leave me a little note letting me know.

Chapter Twenty Five: A Disastrous Affair
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus stared at the suit and robes laying spread across his bed and frowned. They were some of the finest garments he'd ever owned. The ensemble had been bought for a small affair that had been held at the Ministry to celebrate the end of both the war and of the Dark Lord. Seeing as the party was supposed to have been for all members of the Order of Phoenix, he'd planned on attending. Not because he'd felt obligated to go, but because Dumbledore had asked him to go. The old man had said that, because of Severus' tireless efforts and dangerous days spent working as a spy, he was just as entitled to attend any function held for the Order as anyone else.

What a blind fool Dumbledore had been. All the Ministry saw when they looked at Severus Snape was a convicted Death Eater. They didn't see a man who had risked life and limb, time and time again, so that those in the magical world who were innocent of the taint of darkness could live in peace and safety. The hypocrites who governed the world he came from cared for him about as much as they cared to muck out the stall of a dragon with stomach troubles.

With only hours to spare before the beginning of the event, he'd been disturbed from his books by a loud tapping at his door. Opening it, he'd found a plain brown owl on the other side. The bird had flown in, landed on his favorite arm chair and held out his leg. Immediately upon his retrieval of the message, the foul beast had shit upon his arm rest and flown back out the door. It hadn't been a good sign at all.

With a sinking feeling and a sneer twisting his lips, he'd opened the letter and read. He'd been asked, in a rather politely worded message, not to attend. It had been felt by the Ministry that his presence at the event would be distracting and detrimental to their purposes. They'd gone on to thank him for his support during trying times, in a single sentence that had been hidden in all of the political red tape. He'd thrown the message in the fire, then gone off to enjoy a night of private celebration at the nearest pub he could find. Somehow, he'd ended up in Dublin. That was just about the only event of that evening that he could recall.

And now, he was going to put said garments on for a wedding. For the wedding of Remus Lupin to a Muggle woman. Part of him was secretly happy for Lupin. The man had become some kind of friend over the course of the last few months and Snape had learned a few things about him that he'd never known previously. He hid his feelings for the other man behind his mask of disdain and never ending surliness that had seen him through some of the worst times of his life. He was pleased that, after so many years of solitude and persecution, Remus had found someone to love the man he was. Despite that part of him that he had no control over.

The majority of him wanted nothing to do with the sentimentality of a wedding and the trappings of love. He'd sworn a very long time ago that he'd never allow emotions to rule his head. But that had been when he'd been very young and very stupid. For years, he'd thought he was safe. And then he'd met a Muggle girl who was as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside. A girl who was smart, who had a quiet dignity about her and a way of seeing what he needed and when. Alasdair had been a refreshing change from all of the jaded women he'd known. And she'd managed to steal her way into his black heart and show him that it was alright to live.

Alasdair had been everything he'd never known he'd needed or wanted. And she had left him. He knew he'd see her at the wedding. And he was counting on that fact. He had to talk to her, to tell her how he felt. In what ever way he could, he had to let her know that he couldn't go on without her in his life. It was that reason that had decided him to dress carefully and in his finest.

Just as he reached for the white linen shirt that went under the coat, a very frightened looking House Elf appeared at his feet. He was about to snarl out a few harsh words about just disturbing him when he heard footsteps coming up the hall. Given that no one but himself lived in the manor house, he had a few nasty ideas about just who it was that would be knocking upon his door momentarily. A flick of his wand saw the wooden panel swinging open just as his unwanted guest raised a gloved hand to knock.

'What the bloody hell do you want, Lucius? I thought it was made perfectly clear to you that you were no longer welcome in my home,' Severus glared at the tall blonde, arms crossed over his chest.

'No need to be snide, Severus,' Lucius drawled as he strolled into the room. He glanced around the chamber, taking note of the large bed behind the man glowering at him. A knowing gleam came into his eye, along with a smirk that Severus didn't like at all. 'I merely dropped by to pay a harmless visit.'

'Nothing you ever do is harmless, Lucius,' Severus remarked. 'Kindly state your business and then bugger off. I have things I must attend to and your untimely and unwanted visit is interfering with those things.'

Lucius' lips twitched and then spread even further. If he revealed teeth, Severus was going to hit him. His hand already itched to do so. Again, his gaze went to the large bed and something sounding like a wistful sigh escaped his lips. Lucius glanced back at Snape and studied him for a long moment before finally speaking. 'I imagine she looked heavenly sprawled over the plain cotton sheets.'

'Those plain cotton sheets are quite serviceable for my needs. And how Alasdair looked or did not look is of no concern to you,' Snape replied in barely civil tones 'I find no reason why it should concern you how anyone would look if they were found laying on my bed.'

Lucius ignored his words and moved over to the bed, trailing his hands over the bedding that covered the thick mattress. 'Did she moan for you? Did she make little sounds of pleasure in her throat?'

Severus refused to answer, his jaw clenching tightly with his anger. 'Was she hot and tight around you?' Lucius continued, ignoring the warning look on the other man's face. 'Did she wrap those deliciously long legs of hers about you and beg you to fuck her longer? Harder? Did she mutter dirty words and suggestions with that sweet mouth of hers? Or did you put it to work doing other, more pleasant things?'

'Anything I did or did not do with Alasdair is none of your affair, Lucius. And it would behoove you to mind what shite tumbles from your mouth. You do not wish for me to mind it for you,' Severus drawled slowly.

'Well, old friend,' Lucius looked up at him, something wicked and rotten sparkling in his eyes like glittering, tainted diamonds. 'I only ask these questions because I have it on good authority that your lovely little Muggle has been sharing her ample charms with a whole host of individuals. She's apparently made quite the name for herself.'

'She knows no one in England, Lucius. I find it hard to believe that she would be so popular amongst men she is not acquainted with,' Severus returned, his tone just short of a snarl. He was really starting to dislike having the bastard in his home and the urge to hex Malfoy kept growing stronger.

'A pretty girl like that, Severus. She can get to know people quite quickly. I was shocked to learn you'd let her go. I mean, after all, I was under the impression that you hadn't finished with her yet,' Lucius drawled, managing his best poker face. Severus scowled at him and forced his hand away from his wand.

'Alasdair chose to leave me,' he replied tightly. 'So now that you know all the latest in juicy gossip, bugger off!'

'Why, old friend,' Lucius feigned a hurt look. 'It pains me to know that you think so lowly of me. I only have your best interests at heart, you know. The Muggle world and a Muggle girl are beneath you. You're a Wizard, for gods' sakes. You are infinitely better than that which you are pretending to be. You're better off without the little tart pulling you down.'

Severus had never drawn his wand so fast in all of his life. One moment, he'd been staring at Malfoy, the next his wand was pointed in the self-important arse's face. A face that now wore a completely amused look upon it. 'Well, well,' Lucius chuckled as he moved for the door. 'It would appear that there is some truth to that old fairy tale nonsense. The beast has fallen in love with the beauty. A pity she walked out on you. Perhaps she realized just what kind of worthless loser you are, Severus. You had great power in your grasp once and you gave it up. And for what? The respect and adoration of those filthy Muggles?'

'Get out, Malfoy. Before I find a reason not to stay my hand,' Severus growled out the warning. Lucius stopped in the opened doorway and turned to look at him one last time.

'Go back to your Muggles, Severus. It appears I was wrong and you have no place in this world anymore. You've gone soft and are a piteous creature.'

Severus didn't lower his wand until he was sure Lucius was gone. When he did, it was with a deep sigh of defeat. There was more truth to Malfoy's words than he dared admit. So he shoved them into a locked corner of his brain and forgot about them. Turning to his bed, he began pulling his finery on for the wedding. Maybe he'd get lucky and Alasdair would be far more intelligent than he'd been and forgive him his raging stupidity.

He snorted. Right. And maybe pigs would fly out his arse....

~*~*~*~*~

'This get up looks stupid on me,' Al sighed as she took in her reflection. The mirror snorted indignantly and made a tsking sound. Al stared at the reflective glass with deep skepticism. She was decked out in the outfit her mother had convinced her to get for the wedding. When the two of them had first stepped foot inside of Gladrags in Hogsmeade, they'd been met by a very effusive sales lady with pins and tape in hand. She hadn't seemed put off by the fact that both of her clients were what the magical folks called Muggles. In fact, she'd seemed to know them both before they stepped foot inside the shop and Al could only imagine how fast the gossip had spread.

'My dear child,' the mirror said in her most dignified tones. 'You look breath taking. After your mother, you'll be the belle of the ball.' Al smiled at the mirror weakly, still not quite used to hearing such a soothing voice coming from a piece of glass. The first time the mirror had spoken to her, she'd nearly keeled over in shock. It had taken her some time to get used to the disembodied voice floating out of the mirror and she'd had to, more than once, remind herself not to talk out loud while near the thing because it appeared that Silva, the mirror, had an opinion on everything.

Al looked down at herself and frowned. The gown she'd chosen was of a deep, royal blue satin. It had long sleeves that were fitted to just past the elbow, then they belled out to hang in deep folds around her hands. The neckline was scooped low enough to show a faint hint of cleavage, but not low enough to appear too slutty for such a solemn occasion. The bodice was just tight enough to emphasize her petite frame without being too form fitting. The waist was long, so that the skirt of the piece started just below her hips. Material belled out around her legs until she felt as if they were lost in a forest of material. The skirt hung in deep folds all the way around and Al could only guess at how many yards of fabric went into the making of it. The neckline, hem and wrists were all accented with silver embroidery. Little moons and stars that sparkled like diamonds decorated the edges of the gown to give it a slightly upscale look without being too fancy.

Over it was the matched set of robes. Made of more satin, it was of a silvery blue color. There were no sleeves on it and one single clasp in the front to close it with. The clasp was of pewter, a pair of Celtic knots that locked into one another. The edges of the robes were embroidered with blue stars and moons to match the designs on the gown. A pair of satin slippers in the same blue as the gown adorned her feet. A laurel of flowers was woven into her hair, which had been worked into an elegant style with the help of a rather talented House Elf.

A pair of braids started from her temples and worked back. Each one was in the French style so that the hair on the sides of her head was pulled up into the plait. They met behind her head and were secured by an intricate silver piece done with more Celtic knot work. This left the back of her hair and the tails of the braids to hang down her back, long loose sausage curls giving it body and bounce. Tendrils hung near her ears and around her face to frame it, all of them done in tighter curls than the back. There was a very light dusting of make up upon her face, mostly her eyelids and cheeks with a small dab of lipstick, to give her a softer and more feminine look.

'Missy Alasdair is breathtaking,' Bindy said before gasping and immediately moving to smash her head into the wall. Al turned and stopped her, having learned over the past few months that the little creatures thought that they should punish themselves if they crossed some sort of imagined line. Crouching down to look her helper in the eye, she smiled.

'Thank you, Bindy. You're too kind. You did a wonderful job,' she told the Elf gently, a great deal of conviction in her tone. Bindy stared up at her for a bit, blinking at Al. Then a tentative smile spread across her face and Bindy reached up with one hand and touched Al's cheek.

'You is beautiful, Missy Alasdair,' Bindy told her, then disappeared. A moment later, the door knocked and Al sighed. Her escort had arrived to collect her.

~*~*~*~*~

Severus frowned and pulled at the collar of his coat. He'd chosen black, as usual. However, he wore dress robes and a long frock coat reminiscent of his days as a teacher in the stone building behind him. He'd decided, after a quick glance into his wardrobe, that he would wear a linen suit that looked almost exactly like the woolen ones he'd worn when teaching. The biggest difference was that this coat was piped with silver and green at the cuffs and collar, the buttons of a bright silver that caught the light and flashed it back. The trousers matched, his shoes highly polished so that they shone even in the shadows. His robes were of linen, as well. They were plain black but did nothing to detract from the dressy look of his clothes beneath.

Sighing, he glanced at the watch on his wrist and frowned. He wished they'd bloody get on with it, because he had to be in Tokyo for a photo shoot. He had hoped that they'd have at least had the blasted thing somewhere besides the place where he was going to end up spending the rest of his miserable, lonely years. But it wasn't to be. The wedding was taking place in a small garden behind the school. It was already in bloom with so many different kinds of flowers that the air was almost sickening with their co-mingled scents. He would have liked to have skipped the entire ceremony and gone straight to the drinking. Better yet, he'd rather have not come at all. But Dumbledore had threatened him with not only Potter, but Weasley and Granger as well. He didn't think any man should be taunted with that kind of torture.

There was another reason he'd come. He wanted a few heavy words with Lupin. Since he'd returned home to find Alasdair gone, he'd been unable to get ahold of the bloody werewolf and it was pissing him off royally. He'd decided that he'd come, be part of the wedding, confront Lupin and then bugger off. He had thought for a while that he could come and confront Alasdair, ask her why she'd just disappeared on him. However, Malfoy's words ate at him, no matter how much he tried to prevent just that from happening. Now all he wanted was to take Lupin's head off and ask him if one woman wasn't enough for him that he had to steal another. Snape's woman. A bitter curse left his lips and caught the attention of some of the other guests.

Most of the people waiting for the ceremony to start steered clear of him, obviously put off by the very dark look on his face. Then again, most of them were staff members and they knew just when he was in a righteously foul mood. McGonagall was speaking with Dumbledore, her eyes flitting to where he stood by himself every so often. There was always such a look of deep dislike in them that he had to wonder what the old battle axe was thinking.

Not that he cared, he reminded himself.

Glancing around, Severus decided that the day was at least being cooperative. It was sunny out, though not too warm. A cool, crisp spring breeze wafted through the trees and into the garden, happily pushing the scents of the open blossoms around so that the entire area was awash in sight, sound and smell. Memories would be made today, buried deep within the subconscious of each attending individual. The memories would surface with strong smells, bright laughter or golden sunshine. It was the kind of thing that he'd tried to avoid being part of all his life.

'Sulking in the sun?' Lupin's voice asked from behind. Severus didn't bother to turn and look. He knew that soon enough, the man would be standing even with him. Instead, he snorted and watched as a harried looking man with graying hair and dark blue robes approached Dumbledore and began speaking in his ear. 'Chin up, old man. It'll be over soon and you can go back to your decadent, lonely life.'

'A life that I quite enjoy, thank you,' he snarled, finally turning to pin Lupin with a glare that had been known to make Death Eaters cringe away in fear. Remus simply smirked at him. 'I believe that you and I have a bit of unfinished business to attend to, Lupin.'

'And what business would that be, Severus?' his smirk grew broader.

'I think you bloody well know,' he snapped, but kept his voice down so that no one could hear him. Lupin gave a slight shake of his head, an innocent look upon his face. Severus stepped closer so that he could stare directly into the other man's eyes. 'Alas....'

His words were broken off by the sounds of a string quartet beginning the first strains of something soft and sweet. Severus turned to find that those who'd been milling about were being led to their seats. Remus clapped him on the shoulder and motioned toward the small gazebo where the previously harried looking man was now standing with a very placid look on his face. 'Our cue, old man. Let's be off so that we can get this over with. I know how much you want to go back to sulking in private.'

Severus glared daggers at Lupin's back the entire time they made their way over to stand on the steps of the gazebo. Remus was on the top, near the magical equivalent of a Muggle priest or minister. Severus was on the step beneath him. He turned to glance back over the crowd and could only just stop himself from snarling out a vicious curse. At the end of the aisle between the benches stood Alasdair, resplendent in fine gown and robes. A small bouquet of roses and carnations was clasped loosely in one hand. The other was hooked about the arm of one Neville Longbottom and the smile upon her face was enough to warrant many nasty hexes being thrown at the man receiving said smile.

Unwanted, Malfoy's words of earlier rose to taunt and eat at him. Severus had always thought that Alasdair would never cheat on him. But now, looking at the soft expression she was bestowing upon Longbottom, he had to wonder. Perhaps he truly didn't know her as well as he thought he did.
It wasn't that he wanted to believe what that slippery, silvery snake had said, but he wasn't in the most rational of moods and so his emotions were completely out of control. Whether he knew it or not, he was far more inclined to listen to anything Malfoy had told him

Severus thought he heard a faint chuckle from behind him when his hands involuntarily curled into fists, the knuckles cracking ominously. Before he could make any kind of response or stupid move, the quartet broke out into the melodic strains of 'Here Comes the Bride' and all heads turned to look to the opening of the garden.

~*~

With slow movements full of dignity and grace, Alasdair started forward. The smile was frozen to her face, much as her heart was frozen in her chest. Standing at the end of the aisle, next to Remus, was the one man she hadn't thought to ever see again. And he was glaring at her with what she knew to be hatred in his eyes. She'd known a moment of panic when Neville had told her that Remus and Severus were waiting for her and had almost turned and run away. But she'd heard the rustle of her mother's skirts and she'd known there was no escape. She was trapped and she didn't know how she would survive. It was amazing to her that she could still move fluidly and think beyond the paralyzing fear she felt.

She could hear her mother following behind her and she was sure that there was a smile on Aletha's face that would be nearly impossible to remove. It made Al feel as if she were alone in a world full of happy people. And she was moving ever closer toward the source of her sorrow. Severus stood there, glowering at her as if she were the cause of all the world's ills. She wished she'd known that he was going to be there. She wouldn't have shown up. She could have faked a case of the measles or malaria.

The walk up the aisle was short. And it was also the longest walk of her life. As she went, she noticed that most of the people sitting in the seats for the service were those she'd met within the walls of the castle. Someone had considerately arranged the benches so that the attending crowd was forced to sit on both sides. To Al, it looked as if there were friends of both the bride and groom there. She suspected that either Albus or Minerva had arranged things that way and it was enough for her to want to run over and throw her arms around them, to hug them and kiss them in thanks for making her mother feel as if, for only a moment, she belonged there. Al knew how out of place she felt and she was living in the castle. She could only imagine what it made her mother feel like to be around so many people who were capable of doing just about anything.

She came to a stop with only a handful of feet separating herself from Severus. She could feel the weight of his stare and did her best to hold back the shudder that wanted to roll up her spine. Remus was beaming with happiness as her mother took a step up and came to a stop next to him. In honor of today's happy event, the sales person at Gladrags had found the perfect dress for Aletha to wear. It was the same silvery blue that Al's robes had been made of, but the dress was much more intricate than her own.

Al had to admit that the silvery blue satin looked very good on her mother. The sales witch at the shop had picked it out and personally made all of the alterations to it. The dress sported a sweetheart bust that fit tightly. It gradually sloped downward until it rested low on the middle of her back. A matching lace had been stitched to the top hem of the bodice. It flowed gracefully up to her neck in both front and back and down her arms, ending in gentle points of the tops of her hands. Small sapphire chips formed uniform patterns that caught the light and sparkled in it. The skirts belled out around her waist, so full that she appeared to be walking on air with each step she took. The hem there was embroidered with silver thread and diamonds that swirled and danced along the bottom of her skirts as if they heard the sounds of a faerie orchestra playing in the background.

In place of a veil, Aletha's hair had been swept up on to the top of her head in lose curls. They formed a riotous halo of honey brown that shone golden in the shafts of sunlight infiltrating the small garden's covering of tree branches and leaves. Pins had been used to secure the hairdo, each one topped with perfectly shaped pearls and dark blue sapphires that twinkled in the shifting sunbeams. A small line of more pearls crawled down her back, securing the dress closed. Her mother was a vision of loveliness and joy that made the entire ordeal worth while.

Aletha took her place next to Remus and smiled softly up at him. Al had to admit that Remus cut a fine figure in his dress clothes. He'd picked a tailored suit of dark, charcoal gray that looked to be a mix of both worlds. The coat was longer than usual. It wasn't quite like the frock coat style that Severus was partial to, but it came very close. The trousers were like any other she'd seen, with a thin stripe of royal blue running down the sides of the legs. His shoes were brightly polished, the tops of his trousers sitting on the top of them in front and on the ground in the back. His robes, which she'd come to understand was something nearly everyone in the magical world wore, were of the same royal blue as her gown and her mother's robes. His hair had been brushed back and caught at the nape of his neck by a pewter piece decorated with more Celtic knot work.

Side by side, the two of them made a very handsome couple. Al felt a pang of jealousy that she immediately quashed. It wasn't her mother's fault that she'd given her heart to a man with none of his own.

~*~

The old Wizard was droning. He'd been doing so for the last ten minutes and Severus had had about as much as he could stand. If he didn't get out of there soon, he was going to shift from heartless bastard to righteous git and go mental. Hexes would fly and he damn well wouldn't be held responsible for the damage inflicted. All this nonsense about love and honor was upsetting the balance of his delicate digestive system. If things didn't move along, and soon, he was going to hurl all over the bride and groom.

He stifled a sigh and glanced around at the gathered crowd. Remus was smiling, a dopey expression as he stared at Aletha. The woman was a completely different one from the one he'd met all those months ago. Gone was the unhealthy pallor. It was replaced with glowing skin and a radiant smile that showed just how happy she truly was to be marrying the werewolf at her side. Clearly the woman was delusional. His gaze shifted to Alasdair. She was staring stonily ahead and there was such a saddened expression on her face that he wondered for a moment what she was so unhappy about.

A quick glance to the crowd behind them showed that nearly everyone present was blubbering softly like a silly woman with a case of emotions. Even Hagrid was tearing up. The half giant was dabbing at his eyes with a white cloth square as if he were the proud father of the bride. It was laughable, to say the least. Even stoic McGonagall was dribbling like some besotted girl. Holding back the sigh, Severus returned his attention to the trio before him. Why in Merlin's name was he forced to be part of this flood of over active hormones? One would think that a man and woman had never before been so stupid as to marry one another.

The droning was still filling the garden and he did the only thing he could think of to distract himself. He gave his attention to Alasdair. She stood rigidly only a few feet from him, her eyes faced forward. The gown suited her. In fact, it looked stunning on her. Much as the dress she'd worn the night of their date had looked stunning on her. The memory of her soft woman's flesh wrapped so eagerly around him sent a surge of something glorious and painful coursing through his veins. Despite what he knew to be truth, he still wanted her.

His mind, evil organ that it was, imagined her as she had been many times in his deepest and most secret dreams. The way he wished things had been, despite himself. He could clearly envision her in his mind's eye, her belly swollen with their child. To this day, he still wondered at the odd moment if he'd have had a son to pass his knowledge on to. Or would it have been a daughter that he could be overbearing and overprotective with. He wouldn't admit such thoughts and feelings to anyone, but they plagued him none the less.

And there she stood, the heartless and cold bitch who had destroyed every ounce of pleasant emotion he'd ever felt. She was cruel and wretched and he was better off rid of her. Even though he told himself this, some small part of him... well, not so small part of him still yearned and ached for her. He was determined to find a large bottle of alcohol to drown his sorrows and thoughts in as soon as he was able. Preferably somewhere far away from her and her lies.

The droning ended and he heaved an inaudible sigh of relief. 'I now pronounce you man and wife! May I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Remus Lupin?' the old Wizard proclaimed loudly as Remus and Aletha turned to face the crowd.

'Where the hell is the bloody bar?' he asked loudly, spoiling the climactic and generally joyous moment, then moved off from the two love birds and went in search of some alcoholic cheer.

~*~*~*~*~

The reception was in full swing and had been for some time. Al had spent as much of it as possible away from the crowd and on her own. It had hurt to see Severus standing there, staring at her with obvious hate in his eyes. She had barely been able to keep from crying as she realized that everything Malfoy had said to her was the truth. Oh, Albus and Minerva both had assured her that Malfoy's word was not to be trusted. But the evidence had been put before her and she could see for herself just how wrong the man had been.

Her mother and Remus had danced almost exclusively with one another as the quartet played one sweet song after another. They looked so wonderful together and it was a day of mixed emotions for Al. She was glad to see her mother so happy, but it hurt at the same time. Almost before the ceremony had ended, Severus had stalked off to some place and had been absent since. He'd looked smashing in his dress attire. His hair had been pulled back into a braid and away from his face. Her heart kept telling her to go to him while her mind told her she was better off without him.

For the first time since she'd arrived at Hogwarts, Al felt very much the outsider. But today, it was for entirely different reasons. So she stayed on the edge of the crowd, away from everyone and their happiness. She didn't want to bring anyone down and she didn't want her mother or Remus worried about her on their special day. Soon enough, they'd be leaving and she could go back to her rooms and cry in solitude. It was all she really wanted to do anyway. Severus' presence today had brought home just how easily she'd been able to hide her sorrow from everyone.

When she was working, she didn't have to think upon why she was there and what had happened to bring that about. At night, though, when she was alone in her rooms and in her bed, she felt the loneliness and the emptiness that had settled inside of her over the past few months. She often times caught herself wondering what kind of child she would have had if things had worked out. She also wondered what kind of mother she'd have been. Her pillow had seen so many tears, she was surprised that it wasn't permanently wet.

This was part of the reason she'd stopped speaking to herself in front of Silva. The first time Al had mentioned anything about Severus, the mirror had gone off in a staunch, maternal tone of voice as to just what kind of man Severus Snape was. Silva had proclaimed loudly that Al was well rid of him. When she was in her rooms and alone, she made sure to leave the door to the bathroom shut. It was the only mirror in her chambers and she didn't wish to hear soft sounds of sympathy from the reflective surface on the nights that she allowed herself to cry.

'Care for some punch?' the gentle voice startled her. Al took a moment to plaster the fake smile she used on to her face, then turned to find her escort standing there beside her. Neville Longbottom was a very mild mannered young man who had befriended her almost as soon as she'd been brought to the castle. They'd spoken many times and, most nights, she sat beside him at the evening meal. He was a sweet friend and he was one of the few people who made her time at Hogwarts pleasant.

Her smile became something more real.

'Thank you. That would be lovely,' she commented. Neville handed her the second crystal cup he held and Al took a grateful sip of the red liquid. His gaze moved to look at where the happy couple stood. Both were smiling and caught up in the center of a circle of well wishers. 'Mother looks so happy.'

'Yes, she does. So does Remus. I don't know when I've ever seen him look so happy,' Neville replied.

'He always did strike me as being a little melancholy,' Al said, ignoring the sound of her stomach as it rumbled. She'd been too busy to eat and she didn't dare move toward the buffet tables. Not with Severus around somewhere. She'd wait until she made it back to her rooms before she had something to eat. Neville glanced at her with a frown.

'Remus hasn't had it easy. He's been shunned by the magical community since he was a small boy. The last time he was truly happy was the year he taught Defence Against the Dark Arts here. That was my third year,' Neville told her. When she looked at him, he could see the confusion in her eyes. He kept forgetting that she really knew nothing about his world and he offered her a gentle smile. 'DADA is a course of study that we all took. It was to teach us how to protect ourselves from the really bad spells.'

'I know that. I mean,' she flustered and took a breath. 'Professor Dumbledore told me about the courses and what was taught when I took on the position of secretary to him. He thought it would make things easier if I knew what was what before it came across my desk and startled me.'

'So what are you confused about?' Neville asked gently, seeing the frown form.

'You said Remus had been shunned. Why? He strikes me as a very likeable person,' she glanced to her mother and Remus once more, noting the genuine joy on his face.

'He is a very likeable person. But most people don't see that. They only see that he's a werewolf and they run from him in fear. He's lucky that your mother doesn't care. Several of us never thought he'd find his own happiness. I'll always be a friend to your mother for accepting him as he is,' Neville told her, his gaze resting on the happy couple. He missed the shocked look on her face as she processed that bit of news.

'He's not dangerous, is he?' she got out, trying very hard not to panic.

'Only when he changes,' Neville supplied easily, completely unaware of the sudden fear she was feeling. 'That's why Professor Snape has been brewing the Wolfsbane potion for him. So that he doesn't get so crazy when he changes.'

Al felt the color drain from her face. Her mother had married someone who could kill her with his bare hands. She thought she might be ill and she had to clasp the crystal cup in both hands to keep them from shaking. Things were going from bad to worse. 'Remus thought I should come talk to you. He thought you looked lonely and sad. I can't imagine why that is,' Neville went on, unaware of Al's distress. 'A pretty girl like you shouldn't be by herself and I'm surprised that no one else has come to talk to you. Say, would you care to dance?' he asked her suddenly, turning to finally look at her.

'No, thank you,' she whispered.

'Alasdair, are you alright? You look pale. Aren't you feeling well?' his tone was soft and gentle. She shook her head and pushed the remains of her punch into his hands.

'No, I'm not. I think I'm going to go lay down. Please give my apologies to everyone,' she offered him a weak smile. 'I'm going to slip out so no one notices me. I'd hate to spoil the day.'

'Do you want me to escort you?' his words were full of concern and worry. Al shook her head and gave him her weak smile. Before he could say any more, she slipped away and began walking along the edges of the small garden, keeping to the shadows and avoiding the main press of people. Neville watched her go, wondering just what had happened to make her look so ill.

~*~

Severus watched as Alasdair slipped away from Neville Longbottom. She looked pale and shaky while he looked confused. An eternal state with that one, so that was no help. But his curiosity was peaked when she stopped at the bar and ordered a drink. Filch was manning the bar and he handed her a glass filled with what Severus recognized as firewhisky, even from where he was hiding in the shadows. A smile curled his lip as she drank the entire glass down, then stopped and coughed violently when the alcohol burned its way down her throat. She looked even more distressed, but she set the glass back on the surface of the bar, smiled at Filch and hurried toward the exit.

A slow, evil smile spread his face and he left his spot to follow her. It was time to have it out with the deceitful little bitch and let her know what he thought of her. Precisely what he thought of her. He was going to take this last chance to get her completely out of his system and then he was going to go on with his life as if he'd never met her. He didn't need anyone. Not a single soul. He was perfectly content with his life as it was. A small part of him spoke up about how much he'd missed her the past few months and how much he wanted to be with her. The rest of him ruthlessly crushed that small bit and told it to mind its own bloody business.

No one enjoying the reception seemed to notice Alasdair's flight. Nor did they notice Snape's dark figure as he followed her past the ivy covered archway and out onto the grounds proper. He stepped out of the archway in time to see Alasdair look to both her left and her right. To her left lay the Quidditch Pitch. To the right was the lake. She hesitated a moment, then turned to the left and started for the Pitch. Severus grinned and followed after her.

When he stepped onto the green grass of the Pitch, he caught sight of her slipping into the entrance to one of the towers. He hurried after her, slipping through the same entrance only moments after her. She was one level ahead of him and he was glad to have such long legs. He took the steps two at a time and caught her as she was setting foot on the third level of stairs 'Running off again, are we?' he drawled at the same moment his hand captured her arm. Al turned, startled, and stared down at him.

'What I do isn't any of your business,' she told him softly, trying to keep the hurt out of her voice. His eyes narrowed and he moved to stand right before her. She had to tilt her head back to keep his stare. She was scared as hell, he could see it in her eyes. As well as pain, though he wasn't sure what she had to be so upset over. She was the one who'd left him. She was the one who was off running about with what ever man caught her fancy. He'd seen the way she'd been with Neville, the way he'd looked at her. The little tart.

'No, I would imagine not. You were, after all, the one who picked up everything and left me without so much as a word,' he snarled at her, taking a step closer. The fear flared and she inched back.

'I didn't...' she began, but he interrupted.

'You took every last article of clothing and walked out of my life. With a man who claimed to be my friend. Tell me, Alasdair,' his tone deepened with the sudden burning pain that consumed his heart. 'Did you at least wait until your mother was sleeping before you took Remus into your bed?'

She gasped, her face flushing. She opened her mouth to protest, but he beat her to speech once more. 'Was he not good enough for you? Did you toss him aside like a used cloth? How many other men have there been, Alasdair?' he demanded. He was enraged now, his face showing his anger in each line. In the darkness that glittered in his eyes. In the tightness around his mouth. Never in all of his life had he ever felt so betrayed. He'd actually started to love her. She'd made him care when he hadn't wanted more than a night of release that would drive the loneliness and the barren thoughts from him. But she'd wormed her way into his life. Into his body, mind and soul. Into his very heart. She'd made him care and then had walked away from him without a thought to him.

He hated her for doing that to him. He wanted to wrap his hands around her throat and choke the lying breath from her. He wanted to show her that no one ever tread upon him like he was nothing more than a carpet set before the door. He wanted to hold her to him and show her how much he needed her. He wanted to love her for the rest of his days. He wanted to take her and make her his, to show her that no one could ever touch her but him.

Malfoy's words ate at his heart and his brain and made him see red. She was his and no one else's. He'd be damned if he'd let her get away from him again so easily. He stepped forward again, driving her back against the support post behind her. When she could move no further, he pressed the advantage and pinned her between the hardness of the wooden beam and the immovable planes of his body.

Fear rolled off her in waves and woke something ancient and primal in him. Some of what had made him a damned good Death Eater roared to life, recognizing the scent of fear that came with the hunt and the cornering of prey. Slowly, that which was all male perked up at the soft feel of her pliant flesh so still against him. He was hungry and she was there. She was the only one who could sate his desires and passions. She was his and his alone.

'Severus, please,' she said, her voice firm despite its softness. She was looking up at him with such fear and such hope.

'Please? Is that what you said to the others, my sweet?' he asked, his voice a low hiss of silk and danger. 'Did you beg them to take you? Did you beg them to stop? How many times did you ask for this, pet?' he pressed his growing erection into her. He stared down at her and watched as her eyes closed. Her body quivered slightly and, for a moment, her hands reached for him as if she were going to pull him close. 'Oh no, my sweet. It will not be that easy to draw me back under your spell.'

Her eyes, a deeply troubled blue, continued to look up at him. 'I didn't....' she began again.

'Did not what, Alasdair? You did not whore yourself out to other men? You did not go from one bed to the next, selling your charms to any who would have you? Did you really think you could use me and not pay for it?' he asked her, inching even closer.

'I didn't use you,' she whispered. He could see the faint shimmer of tears in her eyes and steeled himself against it. He didn't want to see her cry. He knew if he allowed her to do so, he would cave and give her whatever she wanted. Again, he heard Malfoy's drawling tones proclaiming her loose. His temper flared again and he found himself shoving her back into the post.

'You did not use me? And I am to believe this when you have played the whore for whomever you met!' he snapped.

Her eyes blazed with defiance and her hands came up once again. This time, she shoved against him and drove him back so that she could slip out from between the post and his body. 'No, you stupid bastard! I didn't whore myself out. Not to anyone but you!' she snarled out and stepped toward the edge of the platform. 'Go to hell, Snape! I don't ever want to see you again. I never betrayed you. Ever. But you're too stupid and self involved to see that. Just go away and let me be.'

She stared at him a moment, then turned and fled down the stairs. Severus stared after her a moment. Some part of him smirked at her show of utter contempt. The rest of him was furious at her disregard and it prodded him into chasing after her.

He was going to show her just who she was talking to. He was going to show her, once and for all, that she belonged to him and him alone.

end chapter twenty five.
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a hearty thanks to my wonderful support group. they all know who they are and they're the ones who keep me going when i can't seem to find it in myself to do so. i love you all very much and appreciate you all. *group huggle* and special thanks to my kitty cat for being a great sounding board. couldn't do it without you.

again, if you like this, please feel free to let me know with a note or something.

finally, my thanks. i seem to have missed these last time around, so i'll add them in to make amends.

to Echo: glad to see you're still here. hope you like this one

to SnapesPet30: i'm so glad you've enjoyed it so far. i hope this one is as good for you as the others have been.

to Cyndi: thanks, hon. its nice to know you're reading.

to star: i'm still working on it, but its soon coming to a close. keep reading to find out what happens next. sheesh, its like a soap opera, isn't it?

to SvS: i'm sorry you didn't care for Lucius' intervention, but i write what the Muses give me. more often than not, the characters decide what happens next. not me. as for Remus and Aletha. i believe he would be as open and honest with her as he possibly could. and, frankly, he deserves some happiness. Aletha is a smart woman and knows that the man he is isn't changed by things beyond his control. she loves him for him. love knows no boundaries. she's also old enough to be a mother and have been married twice for several years at a time. at least in her forties.....

to Empress: i'm so glad you enjoyed that chapter. i hope this one meets with your approval, too.

to star: i love repeat readers and i'm so glad that you're still enjoying this. i hope this chapter works for you.