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Two Sides Against the Middle by Rose of the West [Reviews - 1]

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Disclaimer: Except for some OCs, the characters here and the world they inhabit are the creation and property of JK Rowling. This chapter takes place within the timeline of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Neville Longbottom and Margo Snape were helping the head gardener at St. Mungo's transplant some herbs. They had started spending more and more time in the greenhouses, since their grandmothers let them do so and they could be mostly alone to talk. Margo was worried about her parents.

“Daddy's not quite himself lately. He's more like when he's teaching, a bit colder and angrier. He goes out a lot to some sort of meeting, too. Mum says everything is fine and she smiles and is really cheerful around him, but she watches him every minute. I wish I knew what was going on, but sometimes, right after he leaves, I see Mum's face and I'm glad I don't know.”

“They just don't want you to worry. I know the Healers keep trying to help my parents. Gran gets a look in her face when she talks to them—the Healers, that is—and I know she doesn't want me to get my hopes up.”

Margo put down her spade and looked up suddenly. “I think it has to do with You-Know-Who, what Daddy's been doing. I think he goes and does something dangerous. I know they're talking about it.”

Neville looked at her seriously. “We believe Dumbledore and Harry. We believe that he's come back, just like Harry said. Gran says that if Cornelius Fudge is trying to hide it, then it proves it's true. She says Fudge doesn't have the sense that fate gives a garden gnome.”

“So if it comes to it, will you fight, Neville?” Margo looked worried.

“Won't you?” Neville's voice was challenging.

“I'll do anything to help my family,” Margo said, “and friends,” she added.

Neville finished tapping down the peat moss around the plant he had just potted. “So you know how it is, then.”

They worked quietly for a while. Neville watched Margo on the sly. She wasn't a natural at working with plants, but she learned quickly and her fingers were careful. She had the same economy of movement that she had in everything. It wasn't exactly graceful, but it gave the impression of grace. Her face was charming and her form, if a bit youthful, was interesting. It was a shame that she wasn't his type.

Margo watched Neville from time to time, too. He had started growing taller and didn't seem chubby any more, and there was something about him that wasn't there before. Maybe when she was older she would know how to put it. He was starting to feel comfortable in his skin was the best way to describe it. He knew who he was and what he was good at and wasn't quite so worried about what he wasn't.

It was too bad that she wasn't his type. She had seen him when Hannah Abbott was around. Anyone could see that those pink cheeks and blond hair were exactly what boys like Neville wanted, not to mention a more womanly silhouette. Watching the boys around Fleur Delacour certainly sold the point at school last year.

The hospital chime for the changing shift rang. “I'd better get going,” said Margo. “Grandma will want to get me home soon, and I want to see my parents tonight before they have to do whatever it is they've been doing, lately. See you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, see you,” answered Neville as they hung up their smocks and washed their hands. They went down different stairs, he toward the guest entrance and she toward the one the staff used.

Hope was met at the employee entrance not by her grandmother but by her mother, who explained that Grandma had a scheduling conflict. The family would be moving to the Spinner's End house sooner than usual. They Flooed there to find that dinner was ready. Hope would need to go with her parents to that meeting they went to, tonight. She sat at the table with some excitement. Perhaps she would finally find out what was going on.

Mum practically timed Hope as she ate her dinner and then told her to wear her cloak that covered her face. Daddy held her hand to Apparate as Mum Apparated with Brendon. Before she knew it, Hope was in a dingy sort of neighborhood in London that had clearly seen grander times. It was hard to tell for sure, though, since all the streetlights were out.

Headmaster Dumbledore was there. “Ah, Hope. Welcome to our headquarters. Come quietly, all of you.” They walked into one of the dingy houses and he spoke again. “Potter made it here, after his rather eventful week. Severus, based on what we've discussed, your report tonight is extremely important. We've gathered all of the Order that can be spared from their other duties. I want them all to hear it from you. Emily, it may be a while.”

Mum nodded her head and led Hope to a small sitting room. There was a fire in the fireplace and several chilled drinks on an end table near an overstuffed chair. Mum chuckled. “That Sirius, still trying to be charming. Well, would you like some juice? If I understand what Albus just said, Harry Potter is now here. That means he has joined the Weasley children and Hermione Granger. I'm sure you're welcome to join them in the larger drawing room.”

“Mum, you're such a Ravenclaw.” Hope rolled her eyes and then turned to look hungrily at the bookcases. “They're all Gryffindors. Don't you know what that means? If I hung out with them and it ever got around, they would string me up in the common room.”

Mum calmly took out her knitting. “Isn't Neville a Gryffindor?”

“No one is ever going to find out we're friends.”

“Couldn't it be the same way with these other kids?”

“Mum, you don't get anything, do you?” Hope found a copy of Advanced Astronomical Calculations and sat in a corner of the sofa, signaling an end to the conversation.

Mum knitted, a pleasant look on her face. She always said that she did a better job if she thought nice things about the person she was knitting for. Brendon played for a while on the carpet. Hope read and glanced at the bookcase. Some of the books on the top shelf had interesting-sounding titles.

“Mistress Blood Traitor has returned, and brought a young blood traitor with her.”

Mum looked up and smiled. “Good evening, Kreacher. Thank you for bringing me refreshments tonight. This is my daughter, Margo.”

“Ungrateful son of a Master insisted. Does Mistress Blood Traitor need anything else?”

Mum smiled. “No, Kreacher, we're quite comfortable. You are most kind.”

This seemed to set off the house-elf, as he exploded into odd and derogatory comments and left the room.

After a while, Brendon worked his way toward Mum and started fussing. She smiled and picked him up and settled him to nurse. Mum was very careful to make sure she was well covered and then dozed off while the baby ate and Hope paged through her book.

“Ah, the entire Snape family graces my humble sitting room. What an honor! I take it you are Margo? The last time I saw this young lady, Emily, she was almost in the same position that her brother holds now, was she not?”

Mum blushed. “Sirius...”

Hope looked up. She saw a skinny man about Daddy's age but looking older and more worn. She knew from pictures she had seen that this was Sirius Black.

“This is your sitting room?” asked Hope. “So it's your house, then?”

“Yes to both questions, but where are our manners? I am the infamous Sirius Black, and may I assume that you are the charming Margo Snape?” The wizard held out his hand. “I'm pleased to meet you, Miss Snape. How do you do?”

“I do very well, thank you, Mr. Black. So are these all your books?” Margo gestured to the bookcase.

“Yes, they are, except for some that belong to Remus Lupin, Professor Lupin to you, I believe.”

“Even the books on the top shelves?”

Mr. Black gave Emily a sidelong glance and cleared his throat. “Yes, those are mine.”

“Could you tell me then, what exactly is cyoon, no, cunnil--”

He cleared his throat again. “Ah, if I were eighteen or twenty years younger, I would offer to show you. I could explain it to you...” His hopeful voice trailed off. He realized that the look in the eye of the girl's mother would have frozen Fiendfyre. He suddenly looked like the tired older man he was. “Perhaps not. Let's leave those books on the top shelf alone. They're for naughty older men, not for charming young ladies like yourself.”

There was an uncomfortable silence, which Mum broke gently. “Is Severus speaking with the Headmaster, then?”

“Yes, and Kingsley. They are preparing for the enemy to make a serious attempt.”

She held up her hand. “If I haven't been given such details by now, perhaps I shouldn't hear them.”

“Emily, why won't you join the Order?”

“I've told you, and I've told Dumbledore. I need to maintain at least a semblance of neutrality as a Healer.”

“Other Healers have succeeded. Em, there's something else, isn't there?”

Mum glanced at Margo, who was trying to look occupied in her book. “I'm in a somewhat precarious position. There are plans that involve me. I don't wish to do anything that could make them worse. You can't possibly know—“

“It's true then, the rumor that I heard?”

“It depends upon where you heard it.”

“From my dear cousin Bella, back before it all happened. She was furious at me for somehow not preventing its possibility.”

“You have probably heard correctly, then.”

“Em, how do you stand the idea? Why don't you just run away?”

Hope chanced looking up from the book. Mr. Black was kneeling in front of the chair and his voice was serious, completely lacking the humor of just a few minutes before. Mum's eyes were a steely shade of blue-gray that Hope rarely saw. Every line in Mum's face was intense. “What happens to my loved ones if I run away? My husband can't come with me and what would happen to him? Sirius, I will do whatever is necessary to protect my family from harm. Even if it involves that.”

The baby stirred. Mum's face softened as she modestly sorted herself out and patted a bubble out of Brendon. Mr. Black stood and sat in a nearby chair before he started again.

“Have I told you, Emily Smith, er, Snape, how very natural you look as a mother, caring for your children? Say the word, Em, and whatever means the Black family fortune commands will be at your disposal. You could run away and hide for decades.”

“Ah, Black, you are incorrigible. You cannot spend five minutes with my wife without propositioning her.” Hope looked up and saw that Daddy was in the doorway, now.

“I was merely—”

“For once, Black, I almost agree with you. At least I appreciate your sentiment of wanting my wife to be some place safe.”

“If I might be permitted to have an opinion, as the wife in question, I do not need to hide anywhere at this time, and it's rather late for young people.”

Daddy gave her a funny smile. “Quite right, my dear. It's time to get home.” He turned and looked at Hope. “Well, Little Girl, are you ready to leave this noble and distinguished house?”

She saw that Mum had already risen from her chair and was fastening her cloak over the baby, so she got her own cloak and followed her father. Mum stayed behind a moment to speak with Mr. Black. “I know you lost twelve years, Sirius, and you're now surrounded by people and things that remind you of Hogwarts years, but you are no longer a teenager. You need to remember that. You also need to watch what you say around our daughter. My husband will give you neither a detention nor a warning if he thinks you have tampered with her. He will act, decisively and quickly.”

“I'm sorry, Em. I spoke without thinking. For a moment there, I was with the young Emily and none of this had happened...”

“With Harry Potter in your home, you feel like you're with James again, don't you?”

He looked chagrined.

She changed her tone. “Thank you, Sirius, for the refreshments. I might request that you modify your library a bit in case my daughter comes with me again, just as a precaution.”

“I live to please you, Em.”

“In that case you can cut out the excessive charm, too.”

“Now that's just cruel. You might as well send me back to Azkaban.”

“Now, Sirius, you know that joke is in bad taste. No one wants that.”

“Except Cornelius Fudge and most of the Ministry staff, you mean, Emily, except them.”




Back at Spinner's End, Hope listened as her parents prepared for bed.

“So he's calling you 'Em' again? When did you get so chummy?”

“Just this evening. I think having his godson in his home has boosted his mood toward manic.”

“What were you discussing with him as we left?”

“I was telling him to keep his distance from our daughter, and perhaps to adjust his library.”

“And exactly what book was troubling you? What has our precocious child been looking into, now?”

There was a long silence.

“Emily, I really wish to know.”

“Okay, okay, it was called A Wizard's Guide to Cunnilingus. She didn't even touch it; she just read the title from the cover.”

There was some sort of burst of air from Daddy's throat. “He had that in his sitting room?”

“Well, it's a private sitting room except when I use it, and it was on the top shelf. Someone has inherited her father's sharp eyes.”

No sounds came from the parents' bedroom. Hope took a step closer to her door and strained her ears. Then Daddy spoke again, but his voice was different.

“Did you read it? Is it a book we should have?”

There was a giggle. “No, and I can't imagine what you could learn from it.”

“Oh?”

“I cannot imagine what is missing from your abilities in those lines....Severus...” This last was a bit squeaky.

“Muffliato.”

Hope sighed and doused her lights. She was hoping to hear more about what Daddy was doing and what the sinister-sounding plans for Mum were, but it seemed all they cared about was each other. Parents who were all over each other were sometimes useless. If the world was kind to her, she would never learn that her parents' behavior together was the best way they had of comforting each other through the sometimes horrible tasks they faced.

Two Sides Against the Middle by Rose of the West [Reviews - 1]

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