After Party
More Loose Ends
Severus slowly reentered his own chambers, fingering the blue parchment of the letter, and the matching note card in the same hand. Sitting down into a comfortable wing chair, he opened the small note card first, lips twitching as he fought a smile at the deceptively delicate handwriting that had scrolled his name across the front.
Dear Severus:
I apologize for the delay in replenishing your jobberknoll feathers. I hope you find these measuring up to your rigorous standards. Natalie Marie Monterichelieu
He opened the book, reverently, scanning the Table of Contents, his free hand reaching for his glass.
Creare muros (Create defensive walls)
Corrobor Occlumens Ars (Strengthening Occlumens skills)
Propugnaculum abs Legilimens (Protection from Legilimens)
Vigilo (Awake)
Non Vigilo (Not awake)
Diluo muros (removing defensive walls)
Corrobor muros (strengthening defensive walls)
Creare Dolus memorias (Create fraudulent memories)
These could be very helpful, how fortuitous. Odd, though, she must have wrapped these before the final task. How could she have known? He flipped the pages, finding that the book fell open naturally to the page titled, Creare dolus memorias. He marveled as he closed the cover, then sat staring at the letter for a very long time. He slipped an elegant finger under the flap and opened the envelope.
Dear Severus,
I wanted to thank you for sharing your dungeons and your time this year. I have enjoyed working along side of you more than you will ever know.
The book is from my family’s library. I learned many things from these pages, the potion for which the jobberknoll feathers were required being only one of many. Enjoy.
I really wish I had the courage to tell you in person that I find you to be an amazing man, gifted in more than potions, incredibly powerful and attractive. I only regret we did not spend more time alone.
The Monterichelieu name is despised and feared universally. I hid that fact from you only to avoid being shunned or worse. Please forgive my foible.
Remember the pressure point between your thumb and index finger for those migraines.
Thank you,
Natalie.
Snape smiled, remembering how she dispatched his headache with ease. But, then the nagging question returned. Why on earth didn’t I engage that woman again?
Gently, he removed the amethyst bracelet from his pocket, laying on top of the book in his lap, watching the purple stones glittering in the dim light.
*****
Noah slipped quietly to his sister’s side, reaching under the mattress to slide her wand free and surreptitiously pocket it. Furtively, he scoured the infirmary for observers.
“Natalie, you shouldn’t have obliviated, Dad. He’s so suspicious now.”
Natalie opened her eyes before whispering to her younger brother.
“Good.” She smiled. “Now get me to Naunt Mairead’s.”
******
Snape waved his hand around his quarters before picking up his shrunken trunks. He tucked the gift tome into his coat. He walked out of Hogwart’s for the privacy of his own home without a backward glance. Had he turned round, he would have seen Natalie being moved on a gurney into a well appointed carriage. He stalked to the apparition point, and disappeared from view with a thundering crack.