One Only Understands The Things That One Tames

~ Disclaimer: I own nothing but what springs from my imagination. Severus Snape, Hogwarts, and the rest of the Potterverse are the property and the children of JK Rowling. I halso lso used some of the words of Antoine de Sainte-Exupery in various places and in the title of this fiction ~

One Only Understands the Things That One Tames
Chapter 6


Ariah sat in her old place at breakfast, a rose in the table in front of her, smiling slightly. She glanced up as Severus took his seat beside her, mumbling a brief and curt “good morning” to her. She returned his greeting and looked around the Great Hall at the students. So much was the same. The same faces on the students; the wide open faces of the Hufflepuffs, the studious faces of the Ravenclaws, the friendly laughing faces of the Gryffindors, and the haughty sneers of most of the Slytherins. She still couldn’t believe that the Sorting Hat would have placed her in Slytherin had she been a student. The door to the Great Hall opened and Remus Lupin strolled in. Ariah had never formally met the man, but she had seen his pictures and heard some stories about “Moony the werewolf”. The students whispered and pointed at him, primarily Slytherins. Albus stood up.

“Just a few announcements before we eat,” he stated, “First off, we have some new faces at the Head Table, although some of you may indeed recognize both of them. Returning to Hogwarts are Professor Morrigan, who will be teaching Tactical Magic, and Professor Lupin, who will once again be teaching Defense against the Dark Arts. And yes, before anyone gets their britches in a knot, all your parents are aware that Professor Lupin is a werewolf, and they are aware that our Potions Master, Professor Snape, has agreed to brew the Wolfsbane Potion. However, this is one more reason to steer clear of the Forbidden Forest unless you are with a staff member. Now, tuck in.”

The students ceased their staring at Remus, who had taken the vacant seat next to Ariah, and began eating breakfast.

“That was awkward,” he whispered to Ariah.

“Werewolf, huh?” she replied.

“Goddess, huh?” he queried.

“Ex-Goddess. Word travels fast.”

“Sorry. Secondhand information.”

“Uh huh.”

Remus smiled at her, “Nice rose. Had no idea Snape was capable of the grand romantic gesture.”

Ariah merely smiled. Severus glared, having heard the last comment. Remus looked at him, meeting his glare head on.

“Shut up, Lupin,” said Snape with a surly look.

“Testy, Snape?”

“You two done with your pissing contest?” asked Ariah, picking up her rose and standing up, “I have classes to get ready for. Enjoy your day.” Without a look behind her, Ariah left the Great Hall.

“Sure, drive her away,” commented Remus.

“You are indeed a complete ass, Lupin,” said Severus as he stood up and left the Great Hall as well.

Remus shrugged and went back to his breakfast, a small self-satisfied smile on his face. Snape-baiting could be so much fun. In all honesty, though, Remus had to admit that the thouof Sof Severus Snape in love with someone as beautiful as Ariah Morrigan was an interesting one. He wondered if she returned his feelings, and if she did, why? Snape certainly wasn’t the best looking man at Hogwarts, he didn’t have the greatest personality, and his temper left a lot to be desired. But the way she held the rose, the way she made sure to take it with her when she left…it was as though she held it dear, it was as though she held him dear. Oh well, he thought, I’ve long since given up trying to figure out how the heart works anyway.

Ariah got through her classes with only a little nervousness. She found it easy to get back into the swing of teaching. In fact, she quite enjoyed it. And even more so now that she was mortal. She found the lessons she gave to be helpful in channeling her thinking from that of an immortal goddess to that of a ‘disposable’ mortal. She had to stifle a chuckle each time she had students whose previous class was potions. Severus was in rare form, apparently. His little exchange with Remus Lupin had done nothing to brighten his disposition. Anyway, she thought, Severus and Remus are both grownups. They can deal with it.

Following her last class for the day, Ariah discovered that there were some books she needed from Hogsmeade. She thought of waiting for Severus to finish his day, but realized that he probably had 10 Gryffindors and twice as many Hufflepuffs lined up for detentions, judging from the long faces she had seen exiting the dungeons. Oh well, she thought, it’s a lovely crisp day and I might as well just go and get these errands finished with. She grabbed a cloak from her quarters and headed to Hogsmeade alone.

“Professor Morrigan!” she heard a voice call out behind her, “are you headed to town?”

She looked around and saw Remus Lupin walking quickly to join her, “Yes, I have some books to get. Why? You want to tag along?”

“I’d love it,” he replied, smiling, “I promised Professor Dumbledore I’d do a run to Honeydukes for some of those lemon drops he loves so much and I was thinking I would have to go it alone.”

Ariah smiled at Remus, “Now you don’t.”

They walked in companionable silence for a few minutes until Remus broke it with a question.

“So, what’s the deal with you and Snape?”

“What do you mean?”

“Are you two togethe som something?”

“Um…” she began, a little unsure of what to say. Would Severus mind if she discussed their tiontionship? Ariah decided that it didn’t matter to her, she was going to need to talk to someone eventually, and if she was to pursue a friendship with Remus, he had the right to know where she stood romantically, “actually, yes.”

“HA!” said Remus with a triumphant grin, “I knew I was right. Can I ask you one more question?”

“Might as well.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why are you with Snape?”

“It’s hard to put into words other than to say that he’s the most amazing man I have ever known. He’s brilliant, fierce, intense, sarcastic, cranky…he’s unlike anyone I have ever known. He’s not black or white, he’s all shades of gray, some shades still very dark, but others lightening up…he makes my heart beat faster when I’m with him, and he can make that same heart skip a beat when I see him across a room. “

Remus let that sink in, “Good answer,” he said quietly as they turned onto the High Street, “I’ll meet you back here in say, a half hour?”“Wor“Works for me,” she replied, heading to Dervish and Banges, where she hoped she might find the books she was looking for amidst their wizarding supplies. She hated the idea of having to go to Diagon Alley, but it was her next option. As she neared the end of the High Street, she heard a familiar voice, one that sent shivers down her spine. She ducked into a small alleyway between Dervish and Banges and a tea shop and looked for the source of the voice. There, in the doorway of her destination, stood Lucius Malfoy. He looked older, and much worse for wear, but it was clearly Lucius. Ariah held her breath. It would be so easy to hurl an Unforgivable at him. Just end his miserable excuse for an existence and move on. But common sense prevailed. Damn Ariah, she thought, don’t sink to his level. There are other ways of getting revenge. Other ways of taking from him what he almost took from Severus. As she crouched in the alleyway, she noticed that he didn’t seem as cocksure as he had been the last time she saw him. In fact, there was something clearly wrong with him. His eyes didn’t focus, and he was talking, but the more closely Ariah watched, the more she realized that he wasn’t talking to anyone. Could it be true? Could Lucius oy aoy actually be unhinged? She decided to get a closer look and throwing on a glamour (she was starting to like this whole witch thing), she approached him.

“Damn my son,” Lucius mumbled, “Damn that Draco. One simple favor and he can’t even do it. All I needed was one simple thing and he refused. Imagine, refusing your father…I can’t do this without him. I can’t resurrect my Lord without his help…”

Ariah blanched and looked around for Remus. Malfoy was going to try to resurrect Voldemort? She quickly turned around and headed back to Honeydukes, where she found Remus.

“Remus,” she said, breathlessly.

“Do I know you?” he asked.

“What do you mean, of course you know me, it’s me, Ariah? Have you gone mad too?”

“You seem to have someone else’s face on…”

“Shit, right. Themourmour…”

“I’m not even going to ask, but if this is part of some kinky game between you and Snape…”

Ariah removed the glamour and hit Remus in the arm.

“Ouch,” he said, rubbing his arm, “OK, so why the glamour, why the out of breath, why the…HOLY SHIT!”

Ariah followed his eyes down the Higreetreet, where Lucius was standing, carrying on an even more in depth conversation with himself.

“That’s what I was trying to tell you. Lucius Malfoy.”

“What is he doing in Hogsmeade?” mused Remus.

“I heard him talking…to himself…he’s quite the loon, if you ask me,” said Ariah, “anyway, he mentioned something about resurrecting his Lord, and I really don’t think he was talking Christianity here…”

“We have to let Dumbledore know.”

“And Severus. The last time w Luw Lucius Malfoy, he was attempting to kill Severus. I kind of went ballistic and threw the Killing Curse back at the Death Eaters. It wasn’t a very pleasant scene. There was much carnage.”

“You’re the goddess who opened up the earth and weakened Voldemort?”

“Severus weakened Voldemort. I merely used my influence to create a big gaping hole for the lizard man to fall into.”

“So you think that…”

“Severus is in danger.”

“Not to mention that evil could be back in town.”

“Well, yeah, that too,” conceded Ariah.

They apparated back to the gates of Hogwarts and hurried up the path to the castle.