MUGGLE MAGIC

Author’s Note: To my wonderful readers… your high praise fuels me more than you could know; thank you for your support over the past 6 chapters; I do hope the story entices you to stick around for the rest; this is where it gets very steamy! To Jen the very best of betas, thank you for all the hard work you’ve been putting into this fic. To Jess, my real life friend, this fic wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for you.

Now, about the shower scene, maybe it’s just me but I like dancing sexy in my shower while singing – especially when I’m really happy, so Cassidy sort of crossed wires with me there. Again a slightly softer Severus than we are accustomed to so be warned.

Of course, anything that you may recognize from the world of Harry Potter is property of JKR, everything else is mine. Read, review and recommend; hope you enjoy it and thanks again.




Chapter 7


You remind me I live in a shell
Safe from the past and doing okay but not very well
No jolts, no surprises, no crisis arises
My life goes along as it should
It\'s all very nice, but not very good

And I\'m ready to take a chance again
Ready to put my love on the line with you
Been living with nothing to show for it
You get what you get when you go for it
And I\'m ready to take a chance again with you

When she left me, in all my despair
I just held on, my hopes were all gone
Then I found you there.


Ready to take a chance – Barry Manilow


I was still grinning like an idiot that evening as I sat down to dinner. The score was now 2 all, and it felt great. I could hardly wait to see what tactic Severus would come up with next. He would be here any minute, and I began to wonder if rubbing salt in the wound would be too much. As I surveyed the gathering students, I was met by broad smiles and enthusiastic waves from all around. My little demonstration in the dueling club had become the talk of the entire school. Finally, I was being looked at as more that a mere Muggle.

Sipping at my goblet of water, I kept my eyes trained on the entrance to the Great Hall. The Potions Master arrived at last, and I sucked in my breath at the sight of him. He took his time coming up to the table, and I took mine looking at him. But something was different - entirely different about him.

He was glowing, like he… no! Shocked to my core, I sat open-mouthed as he approached, wondering at the colors that radiated from him. As he approached the High Table, I studied the iridescent pink that seemed to overshadow his usual colors. And the concentrate of silvery zinc in the area of his groin; that can only mean…

He sat down and glanced at me and… what the hell! Was that a blush? I looked away and blinked, positive my hypothetical rose colored glasses were making me see things. I chanced a peek again; his generally pale contour now held the barest hint of rose. He took another transient look my way and our eyes met.

I almost jumped out of my skin. His usually rock hard glare, had softened. His eyes looked tepid just now, and I was dumbfounded. What is going on here? Is this another of his tricks? Well I’m ready for anything, I thought confidently.

Just then the meal appeared. I was just about to tuck in when I stopped and looked at my food suspiciously. Then I looked at Snape suspiciously. Damn, so much for confidence. Maybe if I eat this I’ll turn into a frog or something. Alarmed now, I pushed back the plate.

“Its fine,” he murmured softly as he continued with his meal.

I look at my plate again, “Not going to turn me into a frog are you?”

His lips curled for a moment, enjoying my apprehension,

“No.”

I still did not like the sound of that “no”.

“Surely you trust me,” his voice caressed.

Like Hell! I wanted to shout. Mind games Cassidy, that’s all it is. Just mind games. I looked at him again and this time held his eyes as I whispered,

“With my life.”

Those tepid pools flared and slowly I reached for my plate and started on my dinner.



**********


Hogsmeade weekend, at last. A day of fun and shopping with Jessica was just the thing I needed. Traditional witches garb was the uniform of the day, but I opted to go without the witch’s hat. Otherwise my ensemble was simple.

Jessica had come by floo, and convinced me that was the way to go. She went first, then I stepped into the fireplace saying loudly, “Diagon Alley” and was swept away by the green flames.

Our day was spent trying new robes at Madame Malkin’s, finding the latest reads at Flourish & Blotts and just a lot of idle window shopping. Lunch at the Leaky Cauldron and a well-placed ice at Florean Fortescue’s completed the day perfectly.

It was an hour to sunset when we stumbled out of the fireplace back in my rooms at Hogwarts. Jessica wanted to visit the astronomy tower as this was an old haunt of hers during her school days. I was hesitant,

“Oh come on Jess, I don’t think I can handle those stairs” I wailed

“Come on, you silly girl – it’s not hard,” she laughed as she tugged me by my arm up the first flight.

“So, who is he?” Jessica asked assertively.

The shock of the question made me stop instantly. “Who?” I thought I kept my voice level but, my stricken eyes must have given me away.

She smirked, “I knew it! Well, come on then – who is he?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I answered quickly, and began to run up the stairs. But she was quicker and I was cornered.

“I’m your best friend. You know you can tell me anything, and besides, if you don’t, I’m going to leave you on the staircase, and you’ll have to find your own way back down.” She grinned wickedly and began to run further up the stairs making good on her threat.

“Ok! Alright,” I yelled after her. “I’ll come clean. Just don’t leave me here. These stairs give me the creeps.”

Jessica walked back down and plopped onto the steps. Sighing, I sat next to her.

Cautiously I began, ”I’m seriously – attracted – to a member of staff”

Jessica whooped, “I knew it! I knew it! Is it Gilderoy? It has to be Gilderoy. Oh he is such a babe.”

“It’s not Gilderoy,” I said softly.

A confused Jessica studied me, “It’s not Dumbledore is it?”

“WHAT!” I squawked. “No!”

Jessica laughed heartily at my indignation. Then, catching her breath, she prompted, “Well come on then, let’s have it. I want to see my sunset from the tower and then it’s back home for me.”

I sighed, “It’s hard for me to explain Jess. You know I’ve never had much luck with the male of the species. And for the longest time, I’ve kept my heart hidden; because when I don’t I always get hurt.”

Jessica nodded encouragingly.

“This person Jess, the very moment I saw him I went gaga. I mean I’m staring and mumbling incoherently. I’m breathless, I can’t think. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt. And Jess, I feel him. He’s in my blood, in my body. He makes me weak every time he’s around.”

“Sounds like love,” Jessica stated seriously.

“But Jess, we fight! All the time! We are constantly at each other’s throats. We agree on nothing.”

“Opposites attract,” she argued, smiling.

“No Jess, you don’t understand. It feels like I need a good stiff drink - you know those really strong ones that numb you - to brace myself, each time I have to face him.”

“Well, if it helps!” Jessica laughed at my shocked expression

“Are you kidding me? His classroom is opposite my office; his rooms are next door. I see him at least five times a day. If I had a drink before I faced him everyday I’d be sloshed mindless! I’d need a fresh bottle…”

“Whoa, whoa… whoa.” Jessica was deadly serious now, “Say his name Cassidy. Because there is only one person you could possibly mean and I’m hoping against hope right now that I’m wrong”

I lifted hopeless eyes to my best friend and said quietly, “Severus Snape.”

Jessica looked at me, her expression vacant. She quietly rose and began to walk up the staircase. I could only follow her. We made the rest of the trek up to the Astronomy Tower in silence.

We stood there and looked out over the lake and the grounds and watched the evening sun sinking into the trees just beyond. Jessica broke the silence,

“Why Snape?”

I looked forlornly at her, “I don’t know. It’s just there, I can’t explain it.”

Jessica took a deep fortifying breath, “Cass, you know that I love you like my own sister, and that I have your best interest at heart. And because of that I will always be honest with you.” At my nod she continued, “I don’t understand how you could be attracted to someone like Snape. He’s hateful at best, and that’s not your style.”

“There is a part of him that’s like that. I can’t deny it but it’s because of his past. Dumbledore told me that Severus has had a hard life with many hurts. What you see and hear are the results of that; but deep down – on the inside, I know that he wants normalcy. He’s just too afraid to let down his walls.”

“No Cass, you’re not in love with him. You pity him. You want to soothe his damaged soul. I’ve seen you try it with so many children before, but he’s not a child and you’re talking physical attraction here. You know that you’ll only hurt yourself in the process.”

“I know Jess, but I can’t help it.”

I had never seen Jessica look so worried over me before and I hated to burden her with my problems.

“Does Dumbledore know?” she asked.

“I don’t think so.”

Jess scoffed, “That means he knows.” She grew serious again, “Look it’s obvious that this is something you feel like you need to do; but I want to warn you. Please be careful around him. He’s a Death Eater. I’m sure you know this and you know that that means he’s connected to You-Know-Who, which means trouble. You also know that as a Muggle you are in extreme danger if you get mixed up with Snape - especially if he is true to You-Know-Who. They do horrible things to Muggles Cass. Your life would be at risk and I couldn’t bear to see you endangered so.”

Jessica was on the verge of tears. I was too for that matter so I didn’t think twice when she held open arms to me and we stood there sniffling. “I promise to be careful Jess.”

“You’d better. And you’d better keep me posted, I want to know what’s going on or I’ll worry sick. Then you’ll have Charlie to deal with.” I managed a laugh at that.
It was almost dark when my best friend left me at the top of the Astronomy Tower. I had decided to stay a while and think in the quiet. I’m falling in love with Severus Snape and as mad as that sounded, it was true. My heart was lost the moment I saw him.

The night sky is spectacular from up here I thought. The moon, the stars… It was also becoming increasingly cold, and I was without a coat. And slowly it was dawning on me that I was too much of a coward to go back down the way I came up. How long have I been up here anyway? This will not be a fun place to spend the night.

“Miss Melrose,” came the soft greeting from the shadows.

I gasped not only in fright but also from pleasure. His voice always seems to do unexplainable things to my senses.

“Professor Snape.”

He strode closer, “Considering your so called fear of the staircases here at Hogwarts, might I ask how you got up here?”

“A friend brought me up.”

“But didn’t take you down?”

“I didn’t want to go down just then.” I looked at him, “Do you usually come up here, professor?”

He didn’t answer my question only looked at me a moment and began to unbutton his teachers robes. My eyes were mesmerized by his long fingers as they quickly and efficiently undid each button. Then without another word he draped the still warm garment about my shoulders. There was no resisting my next move as I pulled it closer and inhaled the lingering scent of him in the folds.

“Thank you, Professor.” I breathed, savoring the heat that soaked into me.

“Severus,” he said quietly.

I made no reply though my tongue itched to recite his name. We stood there in silence and I looked down at the lake now glittering like a giant pool of black ink in the twilight.

“I… I didn’t hurt you yesterday, at the dueling club did I?” he asked softly. “With the stunner that is?” His eyes were still trained on the dark horizon.

I smiled wryly in remembrance, “No, not really. At first it just really knocked the wind right out of me. Then I felt like all my strength was being drained, but your counter spell brought me to rights.”

He looked as though he was weighing this before he replied, “I’m glad you were not harmed then.”

“I hope I didn’t hurt you though,” I said quickly looking down at his shins, “with the kick?”

He looked uncomfortable. “No… no damage done.”

He turned his attention back to the ever darkening horizon as the last wisps of light faded into the surrounding mountains. I couldn’t help but study his profile and the expression on his face. He wanted to ask me something else and I looked at him now – waiting.

“Why are you really here at Hogwarts?” He still was not looking at me.

“For the children,” I replied simply. Only that was not what he really wanted to ask.

I pulled his voluminous robes tighter around me and I kept looking at him, allowing the sight and the warmth and the smell of him to help me decipher his mystery, though, I had a pretty good idea from the colors I’ve been getting from him of late.

The dark of the night made it difficult to pick up much but there was a change in him – a physical and mental change in the way he considered me. One word flashed in my head. Desire, white-hot desire emanated from him, desire for me. My mind froze. That evening at dinner when he was actually civil, when his aura glowed; it was because he realized – no accepted - his feelings for me. He allowed it to go beyond the walls.

My heart began to soar as I read the flashes coming from him. He had fought against it, retaliated against my presence and every feeling and emotion that followed. The encounter at the dueling club was the last straw. After that, he had stopped looking at me as a Muggle. He started to see me as an equal and then he saw me naked.

Naked? I stopped and considered. Well of course he saw me naked, in his bed that night.

He turned then and caught me with his eyes. In that moment, I threw away all my fears, all my doubts and allowed my own desire to show through. All the passion, all the fervor, all the yearning I could hold back no longer. There could be no doubts now. I waited.

Softly… tentatively, he asked, “Will you come with me to my rooms?”

And without hesitation gave him my, “Yes.”

******************************************************

Author’s note: I’ve heard many theories surrounding the possible aura color schemes that may surround our dear Severus were he real. Here are my own based on the psychological, emotional and mental Snape of this fic as taken from my notes:

The colors I usually see surrounding Snape are hints of vermillion which indicates innate talents and abilities and amber denoting strength and courage. Viridian shows that he is under mental and emotional stress. Black suggests abuse, torture and unspeakable traumas while the hint of grey leads one to believe him feeling trapped.

Of course all these equate with his present condition the vermillion for his obvious talents as the potions master, the green for the stresses he face daily both in the classroom and juggling his life between the Ministry – Dumbledore and Voldemort. The black most evident, symbolizes his personal hurts over the years and the horrifying situations he had found himself facing in the presence of the Dark Lord. Though he shows strength and courage in the job he has to perform, deep down he feels trapped by it, the amber and grey. All those dark colors, portends an overall negativity that surrounds him, that’s one of the reasons why most people stay out of his way.

As for the pink (and we all know how he loathes pink! LOL!) signifies sexual desire and the silver zinc can be seen around about ones sex organs especially when in a state of arousal or just after an act of sex as a residual glow in the aura itself. One wonders now what did he do in that shower after seeing Cassidy do her little striptease! *wink wink!*