Sub Rosa

A/N - Sorry about the cliffhanger last time. I am keeping about two chapters ahead of my posting and Kate has agreed to Beta for me (Thank you, Kate) so there should be less errors.

Kate - Thank you again and again I apologize for the cliffie
Droxie - Thank you for the kind words, nice to knoe you are still hanging in there.
Ventrue66 - Glad to hear that an aristocratic, elegant vampire like yourself is enjoying the story, welcome.


Chapter 46 – Alarums and Confusion

Severus was standing in the courtyard, conversing with Lupin when it happened. He had been having a rather pointed discussion on why one should be careful not to misplace one’s dose of Wolfsbane potion and then there was this sudden popping sound and one white haired elf maiden fell out of the air, to be deftly caught by one very startled werewolf.

A moment later it started raining students. Severus caught Draco and noticed that a nimble Harry Potter plucked Minuet out of mid-air and twisting, saw to it that she landed on him, rather than the hard cobblestones.

“Hello.” Lupin’s gentle voice was addressed to the group in general, but he still hadn’t put the elf girl down. A chorus of groans and sighs were his response.

“Where is Professor Leblanc?” Severus asked the blonde boy in his arms, as he swung him to his feet.

“She made us leave, said there were too many of them.” Draco had a petulant tone. Severus looked around for Tali, only to find her gazing into Lupin’s soft brown eyes with a dreamy expression. He seemed absolutely mesmerized in return by her huge azure orbs and pure white eyelashes.

“Tali, what happened?” His voice was sharper than he meant it to be and she flinched in Lupin’s embrace. He set her down gently, still staring at her with wonderment in his eyes.

“Master of Potions, she gave me charge of the squires’ safety and then the knights went into battle.” Her soft voice was barely audible and Severus gave her a small smile in apology for his earlier brusqueness.

“Get them up to Madame Pomfrey and then to the Great Hall for lunch.” He dismissed them and soon there remained only himself, Draco, Potter and Minuet in the icy courtyard.

“We tried to stay with her, Professor.” Draco was somber and sad. Minuet, he noticed, stood awfully close to Potter. They both nodded in agreement with Draco, a moment that he would remember for the rest of his life with a mixture of annoyance and amusement.

“She’s very stubborn, Professor.” Potter added with an affectionate smile for the departed Defense teacher.
“Noted, Mr. Potter.” He waved them off and headed to Albus’ office. Worry gnawed at his innards as he climbed. He imagined her dying in a million terrible ways. He had visions of dismemberment and pain. Damn the woman anyway!

His report to Albus had been brief and he had found himself settled into lunch very quickly, He was disgusted by Lupin’s fawning attentions to the elf girl and even more appalled by her shy glances and blushes as she received them. It was utterly nauseating.

Harry was sitting next to Ron and Hermione far down the table from where Minuet sat with Draco and he did a good job of hiding the fact that he kept glancing at the younger girl from under his eyelashes. Was this a school or a dating service? His thoughts were tinged with anger and annoyance.

An hour passed and he found himself pacing the front hall, snapping at any student unlucky enough to cross his path. Ravenclaw lost thirty points, Hufflepuff twenty and Gryffindor forty-five as he paced. Three hours later, his nerves were shot, his fingernails chewed and Poppy was eyeing him warily, considering a sedative.
There was a jingling of harnesses from the front courtyard and Severus was out the door like a shot. Blood-spattered and grinning like loons, the elves came riding up the hill towards the courtyard, singing.

Kathryn sat on the Minstrel’s white horse, covered in blood and singing with the elves. Her voice was as sweet as theirs and she had her head thrown back as the ancient words poured out. The Minstrel was mounted behind her, rm arm around her waist and their voices drifted over the snow like the pealing of church bells on Christmas morning.

Their breath steaming in the cold, the soft muffled clopping of hooves and the horses, which looked as smug as the elves, drew nearer. Kathryn caught sight of him and abruptly slid from the horse’s back and ran at him.
Severus braced himself and opened his arms as the woman he loved flung herself on him. He crushed her against him.

“How much of the blood is yours?” He asked fiercely in her ear.

“Haven’t a clue, the elves used battle magic and I can’t feel a thing.” Her voice was drunken and wild, her eyes alight with unholy glee.

“Madam Pomfrey?” He enquired.

“Hell, yes!” She agreed and he led the elves, still singing loudly, to the Hospital Wing. About halfway there, something left her and she slumped against him. He swept her up in his arms and carried her the rest of the way.

Her voice in his ear was still murmuring the song and he could feel the strength in it, the power that overcame flesh and blood and allowed the elves to fight with berserker rage and fierce joy. It was intoxicating and the ancient tales of elvish fury in battle made far more sense to him.

They trouped into Madame Pomfrey’s domain and she began to tend to the elves. A quick cleaning charm removed enough blood for him to see that Kathryn had a series of long gashes across her chest and legs, her leg was twitching spasmodically as she lay on the iron bed, and bruises were blooming across her flesh.
She reached up a hand and caressed his face with tender fingers.

“Hi honey, I’m home.” She whispered andn pan passed out. Severus looked down at her supine form and wondered how his heart would survive being in love with this woman. She scared the hell out of him on a regular basis.

“She fought valiantly, she must have taken down at least a hundred of the filthy le cle creatures!” The Minstrel announced, clapping Severus on the back.

“I had no doubts she would acquit herself well, Elder.” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “So, I take it that we won?” He glanced at the Minstrel who gave him a green-eyed stare of amusement in return.

“Indeed. The kobolds have been dispatched either to death or banishment to our realm again. The elemental has been protected once more and your wards are safe until the next incursion by the Dark.” The elf grinned at him.

“Thank you Elder, for all you have done.” Severus gave him a little half bow and the Minstrel grinned still broader.

“You are a strange raven, Snape, but you have great honor” Severus raised an eyebrow wondering whether he was being complemented or insulted. His expression must have been comic, for the elf laughed. “I like you, Storm Raven.” He clapped Severus on the shoulder and went to check on the others.

Severus was baffled by the elves, but simply shrugged and went to inform the Headmaster that all their guests were back safe and sound.