Spinner's End

Chapter 33



The Christmas Holiday came and went with too much speed for both Raven and Severus. The indeed had spent as much of the holiday period as both could spare hidden away at the small house in the Alps. The snuggled by the fire drinking hot chocolate at sometimes and mulled wine others.



To Severus the time was so very special to him. He had told Raven he wished he could freeze time and that they could stay there forever. Raven had told him to abandon the magic world and run away with her and they could hide forevermore as mere Muggles.



Severus ran his hands over her hair, smiling sadly at her and told her that he certainly wished that he could do that. “But the Dark Lord would eventually find me.” He sighed.



During the short holiday Severus had to slip back to the magic world only a couple of times. This made Raven very nervous. She could feel a palatable tension emanating from Severus’ skin for the past few weeks at the least. She could feel when he relaxed and feel when he tensed. She tried to do everything she could to get him to be relaxed.



After he had come back from one of his trips back to his world, he had some sort of vivid dream. He had awoken Raven mumbling in his sleep, something about the wand not working because the rightful owner was not in possession. She didn’t wake him or mention anything about the dream to him either. Something in the simple fact that Severus was sleeping and woke her, instead of the other way around was disquieting.





The holiday past, Raven was once again slightly bored with work. She smiled to herself thinking of the holiday now past and the wonderful time she had spent with Severus. The February day outside the store was bleak and cold. Raven kept looking towards the front window hoping for a glimmer of sunshine but none came.



Kevin decided that since the day was so terribly cold and bleak and that the store was so void of customers that he would send some of the employees home. Raven hoped that he would choose her, even though missing work would cut into her pay check, she knew that she would much rather be at home snuggled under her soft cashmere blanket sipping tea than be at work. He sent home other employees instead. It was only Raven, Elvira and Kevin working until 7 PM at which time Kevin told Elvira to go home early too.



Raven and Kevin were the only ones left working in the empty store until nine. Raven stayed at the front of the store at the cash register, which also was near the door. The sun had set long ago and the rain could be heard pounding the pavement outside the door, the chill from outside crept in and engulfed Raven. Kevin seemed to be in the office in the back of the store for most of the evening. Which suited Raven fine. She certainly wasn’t in the mood to try to make conversation with him.



At about ten till nine, Raven had been organizing the front register area; she turned to put the bottle of glass cleaner back into the drawer.

Kevin was standing directly behind her when she turned.

She started and gasped out loud.



“Oh Heavens! Did I startle little Raven?” Kevin questioned in a mocking tone. “Our resident little witch? Couldn’t your inner eye see me approaching? And anyway, couldn’t you just perform some magic spell on a would be wrong-doer?” He chortled to himself.



“Probably.” Raven said abruptly, suddenly wishing she hadn’t taken his bait. Arguing with the boss is never helpful she thought suddenly.



“Yes,” Kevin said drawing the word out. He looked Raven up and down. “Yes,” He said again. “I have been meaning to speak to you regarding your attire.” Again he drew out the words. “ I’m sure the Goth look or fortune teller look or whatever you call this.” He flourished his hand in her direction. “I’m sure that is great with your coffee house friends but it lacks the look that we’d like to see in the book-store.” Again he looked her up and down.

“Would there be any possible way that you could, you know, spruce up a bit?”



Raven could feel her temper rising. She was running a list of retorts through her mind that she wanted to spit back into Kevin’s smug face. She managed to hold her tongue.



“Like what would be better?” She managed to ask in a relatively normal tone.



Kevin stepped towards her, “I think maybe something that would enhance your looks, maybe something that would let me see what you’re hiding under all that cloth.” He reached out and grasped her upper arm.



Suddenly the bell on the door buzzed as someone entered the store.



‘Saved by the bell.’ Raven thought giddily.



Kevin stepped away from Raven. They both looked at the man that had entered the store. He wore a heavy black linen type raincoat and a wide brimmed black hat. He stopped briefly inside the door and shook the rain from himself.



“ Sir we are closing in only a few moments.” Kevin said suddenly.



“Perfectly fine.” The man said, his voice low and melodious.



Raven smiled, as Severus tipped his head upwards having finished shaking off the rain.



“If I may? I’ll wait right here until Raven is through, at which time I’ll escort her home.” Severus looked at Kevin. His eyes flashed, daring Kevin to make any sort of retort or action. Raven could feel Kevin shrinking From Severus’ hard stare. Severus had malice in his eyes that made the normally obnoxious Kevin turn sullen and quite.



Raven smiled. She wanted to turn to Kevin and dare him to put his hands on her now.



Raven finished up quickly, her and Severus left.



Walking quickly through the driving rain the pair turned down the crooked alleyway, Severus apparrated them into Raven’s living room, whereupon he was livid.



He had been across the street waiting for Raven to leave work when he had observed Kevin sneaking up behind her. He had seen the exchange between the two and using a toy he had modified a bit, he was able to hear the exchange too.



Severus angrily paced back and forth across the room, ignoring Raven’s attempts to calm him. He kept muttering under his breath curses, curses he could inflict on the offending boss.



“Severus, honestly, you are too upset about this.” Raven pleaded, holding his arm she tried unsuccessfully to stop his pacing. “Don’t you think I have had this type of thing happen before?”



Severus stopped and looked at her. His forehead wrinkled at her as an angry look ensconced his face.



Severus regarded Raven’s face. He could feel a pain like no other rip into his chest, he felt as though his breath had been stolen from him.



Turning, he walked to the sofa. He sat abruptly, his face in his hands.



“Severus? Severus?” Raven ran to him “What’s wrong? What’s wrong?” She pleaded. Grasping his arm she fell next to him on the sofa.



Severus didn’t respond. He could taste a sort of ammonia taste in the back of his throat as it constricted. The pain in his chest loosened and he felt as though he could breath again but he still held his face in his palms. He felt a weakness he hadn’t felt since he was a child. He felt ill that he couldn’t protect Raven from a lecherous creep in the Muggle world. If he hadn’t just by chance chosen to show up he could only guess what might have happened. And Raven, always his little champion, acted as though to was simply a normal course of life. He felt a stabbing pain as he thought of his inability to help her at something so simple and here he was dragging her into his horribly ill-fated life. He rubbed at his face feeling his evening stubble rough on his palms, knowing that there was no way for him to explain all of this to Raven.



He opened his eyes, looking through his fingers he focused on the floor between his knees. His eyes grew hard. He decided that he needed to utilize some ancient charms to protect Raven. It was a simple matter for him to protect her against the Muggle boss touching her again. But he wanted to protect her even further. He wanted to protect her against anyone from his world harming her too. Severus chewed at his lower lip as he thought of how and where to research such magic.



“Severus?” A timid voice broke through his deep concentration.



“Yes, my love?” Severus responded, dropping his hands from his face he turned toward Raven and placed his hand against her cheek. “ I just don’t want to think of anything bad happening to you. What if I hadn’t been there tonight?” Severus asked, his voice gravelly.



“But you did. Call it fate. Call it intuition, I don’t know. But now stupid Kevin won’t know when you’ll be there or not. I don’t think he’ll be trying anything with me again. I think you scared him half to death.” Raven smiled at Severus. She wrapped her hand around his wrist at her cheek. “Isn’t there a spell you can do like when you did the one to protect my house? Can’t you make it so if Kevin touches me again with that sort of intent, he’ll, I don’t know, break out in horrible warts all across his face?” Raven asked smiling.



Severus moved his wrist from Raven’s grasp, turning his hand he grasped her hand, bringing it to his mouth, he kissed the back of it.



“What colour of warts would you like him to break out in dearest?” He said smiling at her.



Raven laughed.



Abruptly she stopped laughing and grew serious.

Severus looked at her with concern.

Raven looked at him, said in a grave tone, “Purple.”



Severus for the briefest moment had no idea what she was talking about. Then it was his turn to laugh.



He pulled her against himself. Her hair smelled of apples, he could feel it wrapping itself around his neck and chin. He softly kissed the top of her head.



“Purple it is my love.” He said still grinning.