Somewhere

just because i'm not sure if i'll get on the PC tommorrow so this is just in case... if i do get on and i get the next one written up then you can have that aswell.

To anyone curious about the dagger you can see a sketch of it here -- http://isisfiredancer.deviantart.com/art/The-Dagger-94613002
It is by no means perfect (the snake isn't right) and the scabbard does NOT look like that!
Remember this dagger though it turns up later and it's importnat

REMEMBER MY CHALLENGE!! -- i want each person who reviews to pick something that you want me to try and work into the story. make it as random as you want (within reason of course, i actually need to be able to fit this in!)
i've already got a miniskirt weardy moldyshorts and a llama so you can see how random it can be! (funny thing is i thought of a way to put that in easily! the broken lightbulb caused me more trouble!!)

ok with that said.... on with the show!

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“Harry?”

“Hey Shale. How did you get in?”

“I let them in,” came a familiar deep voice.

“Thanks,” he said, stroking the kitten that had crawled into his lap, “hang on. Can you here me?”

“Yes. It would appear that the bond has not yet finished developing.”

“Oh. So can you hear my thoughts or just things that I say?”

“I’m not sure. Think of something.”

Unbidden and image of Severus sprawled on his bed, unconscious and snoring softly came to mind. With an almost audible gulp he finally looked up at the other man in the room. His eyes were red and puffy from where he’d been crying, the now dry tear tracks still visible on his cheeks.

“Anything?”

“No. what’s wrong Harry?”

“Nothing. I’m just overreacting.”

Moving from where he stood near the door Severus went to sit on the floor next to him. He’d just, finally, got his students sorted out and sat down when he thought he heard someone enter the training room. A minute or two later he heard scratching at his door. Thinking that it was either a new student or Harry he got up to open the door, surprised to see Shale and Blue sat there. When the kitten had run hurriedly back and forth between his door and the next he knew something was wrong.

“You don’t overreact Harry. What’s wrong?”

“Ron,” he spat, feeling his anger start to rise again.

“What did he do?” he asked, moving closer.

“He was jealous. He thinks that my life is so great. He’ll never understand Severus, never. He can’t begin to imagine what I’ve been through. I don’t want all this, I really don’t. All I want to do is finish school, get a good job, a house and a family who love me. Is that really too much to ask? He’s got Hermione but… I haven’t got anyone,” he whispered, his voice cracking, tears starting to flow again.

Wrapping an arm around the young man he pulled him to him and held him tight. How could one person go through much and still be sane. To experience all he’d been through and then be treated that way by his friend.

“You’ve got me Harry and your friends. We’ll always be there for you. I’m sure Mr Weasley didn’t mean what he said,” he murmured, rubbing a soothing hand up and down Harry’s arm.

“No, he didn’t, that’s why I’m overreacting. It’s just… I’m surrounded by people, yet I feel so alone.”

“It’ll be alright Harry, I promise,” he said, just before he was interrupted by a knock at the door.

Getting up he opened it to see Hermione stood there with a rather sheepish looking Ron behind her.

“How did you find this room?” he asked, quickly ushering them inside.

“The Marauders Map,” she said holding up a tatty bit of parchment that he recognised from Harry’s third year.

“Were you seen?”

“No, we stayed hidden. We were worried about you Harry,” she said, pulling the invisibility cloak out from under her jumper.

“It would seem that I now know how you sneak around the castle so well.”

“Yeah, I suppose you do,” he said with a slight smile.

“Harry are you ok?” Hermione asked, moving to sit down next to him.

“Yeah, I’m fine Hermione, I was just overreacting.”

“No you weren’t Harry,” she said, shooting a glare at Ron.

“Harry I… I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking. I was just being a jealous idiot. I can’t imagine ever having to go through what you have. I really am so sorry,” he said.

“So you should be. No one should ever treat another as you have done, let alone a friend,” said Severus, making Ron whip around to look at him, actually hanging his head, making Harry snort in amusement.

“It’s ok Ron. I forgive you, so you leave him alone,” he said pointing a finger at Severus.

Throwing his hands in the air in defeat, Severus walked back into his quarters, leaving the three friends in peace.

“That was… strange,” said Ron, looking at the door that the man had just left through.

“Yeah. Try living with him,” said Harry dryly.

They all looked at each other for a few seconds before bursting into hysterical laughter. Meanwhile, Shale had gone to investigate a pile of broken and unfinished arrows he’d been working with and Blue had perched himself on top of his cherry wood bow.

“Hey, you better not scratch that or I’ll use you to fletch my arrows!” he said to the bird.

“I wouldn’t! Although now I might make a mess on it just because you were mean.”

“Don’t you dare!” he shouted, springing to his feet and chasing the bird around the room. When he finally took up residence on the chandelier Harry changed into a starling and went to pester him.

“Make a mess on any of my weapons and you will be in serious trouble. I won’t give you any more Rice Crispies either.”

“Ok, I won’t touch them!”

Taking flight from the chandelier he changed back and landed in a crouch in front of Ron and Hermione with a grin.

“Cool!” said Ron.

“He threatened my bow!”

“I can see this year is going to be interesting,” sighed Hermione.

“You have no idea. I’m sure that between the two of us we can make you animagi by the end of the year. I need a new sparring partner as well. I’m starting to know his moves like the back of my hand. You up for the challenge Ron?”

“Sure thing. Once you’ve taught me I’ll kick your ass.”

“Yeah, sure, you just keep telling yourself that,” he grinned.

“We should be heading back really,” said Hermione.

“Ok. This is the training room by the way. No one else is to know about it though. The password is Veritas. The potions classroom is on the right and Severus’ quarters on the left,” he said pointing to the appropriate doors.

“Don’t worry, we won’t be using those,” mumbled Ron, getting a warning glance from Harry, “I said I’d be civil it’ll take me some time to get used to the idea is all,” he said quickly.

“Ok then. Come on, you two use the cloak and I’ll be back soon,” he said, changing into a beetle and crawling under Severus’ door before changing back and looking around.

“Are you there?” he called standing in the kitchen, Severus appearing a few seconds later in the door.

“How did you get in?” he asked with a raised brow.

“The door.”

“The door is password protected. There is no possible way that you could have opened it.”

“Who said anything about opening? I went under it,” he smiled.

“Well please refrain from doing so in the future unless you knock first.”

“Ok, noted. Now… didn’t you say something about a present?” he smiled, bouncing up and down slightly.

“Yes and if you’d refrain from bouncing and follow me you can have it,” he said with a sigh, moving back into the lounge, Harry on his heels.

Walking to the small desk near the door he moved a few parchments and picked something up before handing it to Harry. Looking down at what he now held in his hand he was surprised to see that it was a dagger, about a foot in length from tip of the bade to the beginning of the hilt. It was housed in an intricately tooled leather scabbard, decorated with celtic knotwork, a small row of rune along the top edge. Drawing the blade he found it perfectly balanced, blade equal to hilt, light as a feather yet warm and comfortable in his hand. The blade was honed to a razor edge and tilting it he saw it catch the light. On one side there was a single rune scratched into the metal. What fascinated him most however about the weapon was the hilt. Around it was coiled a fierce looking snake, in muted tones of silver, green and black, its tail just descending onto the blade to curl around the rune while the rest of its body was wrapped around the hilt. Testing it in his hand he was amazed at how good it felt in his hand, almost as though it had been made for him.

“It was my grandfather’s, the only thing of his that my father let me have. I’ve never found a use for it though so you might as well have it if you can use it,” he said, remembering what his father had done with it first and how he himself had used it later, unconsciously rubbing his wrist.

“Severus, it’s… it’s beautiful. I can’t take it, it’s too much,” he said, still stroking a thumb over the head of the snake.

“I insist. It brings back bad memories and besides you can use it in your training. It would be good if you could keep a weapon on you at all times and this one holds spells and enchantments well.”

“Ummm… ok. How can I thank you?” he asked, spelling straps onto the sheath and strapping around a firm thigh.

“There’s no need to thank me.”

“Well thank you anyway. I forgot to ask, who’s the new DADA tutor? I didn’t see anyone sat at the table.”

“You’ll see them tomorrow. I believe they were indisposed today,” he said.

“Oh, right. Thank you again Severus, it really is beautiful. I should go. Could you open the door for me?” he asked as he changed into a small bat and flew out of the door that Severus now held open for him.

Any of the students that were in the dungeons that night were sure they saw a bat fly out of the feared potions masters quarters, further fuelling rumours that he was in fact, a vampire.


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To my dear and wonderful reviewers..... have you ever seen a cantelope trying to eat an antelope?

severus: she has finally snapped
isis: nope i've always been like this! after all when i was born i was so shocked that i didn't speak for like.... a year and a half! i gotta make up for it now instead
severus: i give in *wanders off in defeat*
isis: HEY!! get back here! i expect to find you tied to my bed on thursday!
severus: dream on
isis: but she promised *pout*
severus: i do not care what she promised i am not your pet
isis: wanna bet? down boy!! hehe *pulls out large ringmasters whip*
severus: thursday it is then
isis: mwahahahahahaha... *cough hack* excuse me. now where were we...? oh yeah, reviewers!! squeeeeeeeeeeeee *glopms every reviewer within 100 miles* LOVE YOU ALL!

ladyroo88 -- *munches on a cookie* these are good! *dodges a tomatoe that goes flyin past* i thought ron might get this kind of reaction! he nearly didn't end up like this though... he was gonna be accepting and stuff... glad he isn't hehe. COMMENCE THE RON TORTURE!!

Nickie_Macht -- suprisingly i actually figured out where to put all of Vy's things... and karaoke could be the funniest one! i do like the idea of the hairsrapy though, that brought amusing images to mind

Kurai -- all fixed, with a little bit of not so gentle prodding from hermione i should think

kunitsu -- lol stupid ron. shale is just adorable isn't he? *huggles the little kitty*

Mie -- lol i still can't believe how well shale has gone down! as for the little girls i'm glad you like them, they crop up again in a chapter or two and when it comes to lack of sleep... it was 7:30am this morning before i finally succumbded... then i was up again at 10 i am officially nocturnal!

Dragonsnurse -- *catches a rather impressive looking whip* i am so desperate for a good whip! i really want one SO bad but i'm a dirt poor student bum and can't afford it! anyway yay for jeremy! *hugs you back* i'll hug Vy for you aswell next time i see her and sugar induced rants are always good! as for my e-mail feel free to contact me at anytime, it'll make a nice change from all the spam i get! other than that no one ever e-mails me... sniff *bottom lip wobbles dangerously* .... NO ONE LOVES ME!! *cries like a baby* sniff

Amanda Rose -- omg your boyfriend is called Llama! *hunts him down and steals him* hehe love it!! i'm going to add the moldyshorts in a miniskirt and a llama just for you *scribbles it on her notes page* yeah ron is a smeg *beats him round the head with a hungarian horntail* dumbass

Werewolf Mistress -- lol *shoves ron towards you* there you go, although he did make up with him... you'll really hate him later on though!

dominique -- i think i'd rather be poor than put up with what harry's had to go through. being poor but being loved is a lot better than being loaded and not being loved at all! (my words of wisdom for the day!) anyway thank you and i'm glad you liked it and ron did suffer... hermione beat him!


HELP ME!! only 2 days to go! meep
i am so incrediably worried... this is my last chance, if i don't pass i don't do my degree... full stop and my dreams of being a dirty, booze filled, cussin archaeologist all go out the window!
MEEP!!