Angelica's Sorrow

A/N

Deb & appy lady - I\'m so glad you liked Severus\' storm. He is rather possessive of them.

Linsay - Wow!! Bet Severus wishes he had a computer!

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN


After he rose from the table, Severus approached the still seated Headmaster.

\"Albus, when you\'re finished there\'s something I\'d like to discuss with you. Do you have a few minutes?\"

\"Anything serious?\"

\"Yes and no.\"

\"Does it require the privacy of my office, or will the rose garden be sufficient in say, ten minutes? I was going to take a last stroll before the students arrive.\"

\"The rose garden will be adequate. I\'ll meet you there.\"

Severus turned and saw Hermione waiting for him outside the Great Hall. He tried to judge her expression from beside the table, but was too far away. Swallowing the small lump in his throat, he strode out to meet her, hoping his news would make her forget about the package.

\'What\'s that old saying about a snowball\'s chance in hell?\' he asked himself.

\"Hermione,\" he hoped speaking first would distract her, \"I\'m going to speak to Albus about your idea.\"

\"About Angelica?\"

\"Yes, there are several - details that need his approval.\"

\"I thought we could ask Minerva. She does have the lists, doesn\'t she?\"

\"I\'ll explain after I talk with Albus. I have just enough time to walk you to your quarters, if that\'s where you\'re going,\" he held out his arm.

\"Actually, I was going to visit with Poppy for a few minutes.\"

\"Where will you be later? I really need to visit my quarters.\"

\"Don\'t worry. I\'ll find you, we need to talk,\" she said, echoing his words of the night before.

Giving her a quick kiss and a raised eyebrow, he started down the steps to the dungeons. Once in his quarters, the package was removed and examined.

\'Don\'t have time to open it now. Where to place it in case she enters while I\'m gone? Could reset the wards so she can\'t - no, not a good idea. Would make her think I don\'t trust her - well, I don\'t as far as the package. The edge could pass for a book - a book she\'s already read,\' he mused silently, \'or one she\'d have no interest in - that\'s it.\'

Feeling very pleased with himself, he pulled his wand and on the edge of the package a title appeared, \'The Future Through Divination\' by Sibyll Trelawney. After removing the twine, it was placed in the section of his bookcases that held other works by past and current professors. It was moved several times until he was satisfied it would appear to be only a book, bending his knees to see it from her height.


Albus was again seated under his favorite tree, enjoying the bright, freshly scrubbed morning. The roses had suffered during the storm, but there were plenty of buds yet to bloom. He was feeling stronger again, since the castle was fully repaired and was amazed he had considered retiring. The day would come and he would miss this old pile of rocks, but not yet.

Severus strode out the door, finding him in the expected location.

\"Why do you always sit on the same bench, under the same tree? Don\'t you like variety?\" he asked, as he sat down.

\"Sometimes, old friends are the best. Minerva and I planted this tree together, fifty years ago. I have a bit of an attachment to it. Now, what is on your mind today?\"

\"Angelica.\"

\"I thought everything was fairly well settled.\"

\"You recall what I told you about her wanting to know how long she\'d been there?\"

\"Yes, and your very excellent reasons for evading the question.\"

\"Hermione has an idea that may help her adjust, without the consequences I fear.\"

\"Go on.\"

\"Her daughter, Margaret - Hermione suggested we might be able to find decendents through the school records.\"

\"There would be other considerations. You have thought of those, that\'s why you\'re here, isn\'t it?\"

\"Yes. If we were able to locate at least one, I would need your permission to take them to meet her.\"

\"Depending on who it was, it would require a considerable breach of \'security\'. Not to mention the damage done to the reputation of one of the founders. That would have to come out as well. Are you sure you want that? As current Head of Slytherin House, it might reflect poorly upon you as well. Is it worth it?\"

\"She has become my friend, Albus. A friend who exposed herself to help people who were unable to help themselves. Strangers.\"

\"I will discuss it with Minerva, it wouldn\'t require much. A slight tweak here and there should allow us to determine one line.\"

\"Thank you.\"

\"I haven\'t agreed to the meeting yet, Severus. A great deal depends on who it is.\"

\"I understand. Would Hermione be able to assist?\"

\"I think that could be arranged, but why?\"

\"It was her idea, a way to help Angelica.\"

\"Wouldn\'t have anything to do with getting you out of a sticky situation involving a package that arrived this morning, would it?\" he said, winking and managing to twinkle at the same time.

\"Headmaster!\"

\"Minerva and I were young once too, young man. I am quite familiar with brown paper wrapped parcels and so is Minerva. I\'m sure she knew as well as I what type of \'private\' package it was. We\'re not that old yet, thank Merlin. There is a way to have delivery made only if you\'re alone.\"

\"I - uh - I thought I did.\" Visions of Minerva and Albus danced through his head. \'No, stop it,\' he said to himself, shuddering.

\"In large print across the order itself?\" Albus was feeling generous and ignored the flush of color on Severus\' face.

\"No, the little box in the corner.\"

\"Never, ever use the little box. They always miss it.\"

Eyebrow met full twinkle, \"I\'ll remember that.\"

\"See that you do. It would not be - prudent to receive such a parcel in front of the students. I believe some of the older ones would know immediately what type of merchandise it contained. Anything new in the catalogs?\"

\"I\'ve only seen the one.\"

\"Really? Come with me to my office, I have several from different companies you can peruse. Some deal exclusively with men\'s fashions.\"

\"Albus, I really don\'t think I want to - to \" he sputtered and couldn\'t continue.

\"Merlin\'s robe, Severus! I don\'t expect to compare notes. I\'m loaning them to you, until you can send for your own copies. Some things are best read in private. For such a competent wizard, sometimes you need more assistance than I can provide,\" Albus said, shaking his head as he rose. \"Do you wish to borrow them or not?\"

Remembering her laughter at his bewildered first glimpse of her \'thong\', Severus smiled and replied, \"Yes, I believe I do. Lead on, Headmaster.\"


After secreting several new catalogs in his quarters, and checking to make sure his new book was untouched, he went in search of Hermione. He found her in the private lab set aside for the Potions Apprentice, stirring something in a cauldron that smelled - suspiciously like a certain balm he remembered.

\"What are you making? It smells familiar, but I can\'t place it.\"

\"Only a balm for Poppy.\"

\"Wouldn\'t be a massaging balm, would it?\"

\"Yes, she uses it a lot on students who need more than a liniment.\"

\"Interesting. How long have you been making this for her?\"

\"I don\'t really know, a couple of years. Ron - \" her voice grew thick for a moment, \"and Harry were always complaining about muscle aches from Quiddich practice and that they couldn\'t study properly because they hurt too much. So, I tried a few things until I found one that worked.\"

\"Where did you experiment?\"

\"In Poppy\'s lab.\"

\"That inadequate closet?\"

\"I couldn\'t very well ask you for lab space, now could I? Would have blown your cover for good, though I doubt you would have agreed.\"

\"I fear you are right. My cover wouldn\'t have been my only concern, however.\" He had moved closer while speaking and was standing next to her, watching the liquid slowly congeal to the balm he remembered. \"Have you applied for a patent?\"

\"No. I hadn\'t thought it out that far. Would it really be a good idea before I complete my apprenticeship?\"

\"Before the final battle, no. It would have drawn too much additional attention, now it\'s an excellent one. It will let Beauxbatons know they should have held your position and give Durmstrang something to think about as well.\"

\"Do you - regret Beauxbatons not holding the position for me?\" uncertainty colored her voice.

\"I will never regret the day I asked you to become my apprentice. I admit, it would be a form of bragging on my part, saying \'look what you missed, you fools.\' \"

\"You admit that do you?\" she said, laying the stirring rod to the side. \"Hand me those jars, please.\"

\"Yes.\"

\"What else are you willing to admit?\"

\"I have no idea what you\'re talking about, my dear,\" he said, placing a tray of jars near the cauldron and watching as she filled the first.

\"How about a certain evening that you couldn\'t wait to see me?\"

\"I\'m always anxious to see you.\"

\"I\'ll let that slide for now, but how about a certain \'magazine\' that was out of order in my stack?\"

\"You keep your bloody magazines in order? And to think Minerva calls me anal retentive.\"

\"It makes it easier to find the one I want without flipping through the whole stack. I\'m surprised you didn\'t notice.\"

\"Really, and what makes you think I\'ve looked at your magazines?\"

She stopped and thought for a moment. He really hadn\'t admitted anything, had he? \'Slippery little snake.\'

\"I really don\'t mind, if that\'s what worrying you. I was surprised you didn\'t tell them to deliver it when you were alone.\"

\"The Headmaster and I have already had this little conversation, thank you very much. I checked the bloody box in the corner!\"

\"Oh, but -\"

\"I know, they always miss it.\"

\"Albus and Minerva - he orders from -\" she up looked at him aghast.

\"I know, not a pretty picture is it?\"

\"I don\'t think I\'ll ever recover enough to look them in the eyes again,\" closing her own and shuddering much as he had done earlier.

\"Oh, I don\'t know. Still going strong at his age? That means I should have a good hundred years at least,\" he said, with a wicked smirk on his mouth.

Having filled and capped the last of the jars, she wiped her hands and encircled his waist, leaning on him.

\"So, when do I get to see what you ordered? I\'d like to help you fill that hundred years, starting now,\" she whispered against his neck, nibbling.

\"You have a delivery to make and a cauldron to clean first, young apprentice,\" he said, kissing her mouth briefly. \"I\'ll meet you in your quarters.\"



Severus waited after placing the package on her bed. The words on the side had been erased, after all you never knew when something else would need to be stashed. He was tempted to open it now, but wanted to see it on her for the first time. If it looked as good on her as it did in his imagination, they would definitely be missing lunch. The knob was turning and here she was - finally! He walked over and pulled her next to him, closing and warding the door behind her.

She pulled back a little, questioning with her eyes.

\"It\'s on your bed. I\'ll wait out here for my own private showing.\"

\"I get to be a model as well?\"

\"Only for me,\" he growled in mock threat against her throat.

\"Give me a few minutes, OK,\" she said, slipping out of his arms and heading for the bedroom.

This was so exciting, she couldn\'t wait to see what he had chosen! Closing the door behind her, she spied the package.

\"You didn\'t open it yet?\" she called through the door.

\"No. I wanted to wait and see it on you.\"

Hermione\'s fingers tried to open the package but anticipation made them clumsy. What could it be? There were quite a few things she wouldn\'t mind modeling, even if they did make her blush just thinking about them. She was ready to pull her wand and open the blasted thing when an edge finally gave way. Breaking open the end was enough to see the fabric and she started pulling rather than take the time to open the rest.

\'Merlin\'s robe, what is it?\' she asked herself as she continued to pull and pull, eyes opening wide at what was finally revealed. Frantically she dug through the box, finding the order form. Laughter welled out and couldn\'t be stopped as she fell back on the bed, garment in one hand, form in the other.

Severus had been pacing back and forth in front of the floo when he heard her laughter break out.

\'Why is she laughing? Surely my taste isn\'t that bad? At least it\'s not the crotch less underthings or the peek-a-boo bra,\' he thought as he strode to the door and opened it.

\"Hermione, where are you?\"

All he saw was a pile of awful fuchsia colored silk with bright orange flowers convulsing on her bed. She sat up, still laughing, tears streaming down her face.

\"They sent - Oh, my - they sent you the wrong order. They sent you a Mr. Gearling\'s order instead and I am so relieved.\"

\"Yes,\" he said sitting down beside her, fingering the monstrosity. \"I can readily understand your relief. It\'s dreadful.\"

\"The colors aren\'t the worst part.\"

\"They\'re not?\"

\"No, look at the size,\" she said as she held it up.

It obviously had been made for a much larger woman. His eyebrow rose as he said, \"Poor Mr. Gearling.\"

\"Why poor Mr. Gearling?\"

\"If his wife opens the package meant for you, he is indeed in trouble. Poor man,\" starting to laugh, glad it wasn\'t him.