Chapter 14: Moving Back

Severus arose early, despite it being the weekend. He went to his desk and scribbled a letter on a parchment. Leaving his room, he went to the Owlery and sent his note. It was a letter to Draco. He hoped he could coerce the man to help him flush out his father. His hopes weren’t high, but he had to try something.

oooOOOooo

Sybill also awoke early, too excited to sleep anymore. She had just had the most wonderful dream. Just the memory of it made her insides tingle. In it, Severus held her as they sat on the lawn at Hogwarts, looking out toward the lake. He whispered sweet nothings in her ear, and she giggled and kissed him. He returned her kiss affectionately, running his hand through her hair as his mouth covered hers with devotion. She had awakened just as his tongue had entered her mouth. Disappointing as it had been to find that the dream was not reality, she still felt fulfilled. Her lips burned, as if Severus had really been there, showering her with his affection. The man was amazing.

As she lay there, reality slowly set in. She had much to do today. She needed to go through her things and decide what she would need back at Hogwarts. Pulling herself from her bed, she headed for the shower. Ten minutes later, she had emerged and got ready for her day. She fashioned her hair into a ponytail so it would be out of her way as she poked through her things. Heading to the kitchen, she grabbed some bread and butter and headed back into her sitting area. There was a knock at her door. She smiled. There was only one person who could get to her door, and that was Severus.

She raced to the door and flung it open, throwing herself into his arms.

“I wasn’t expecting you so early,” she told him as she hugged him tightly.

“I forced myself to get up early. I didn’t want you starting for the castle without me.”

Sybill frowned at him. “I told you I would wait.”

“I know, but you don’t always keep your word.” He bent in toward her head and nuzzled her nose with his.

“Oh, get in here, you prat!” she said as she grabbed him by the robes and dragged him into her home.

As soon as the door was closed behind them, Severus pulled her to him and planted his lips on hers. Oh, yeah, that’s what she wanted. She fell into his kisses and gave a slight moan. She had thought her dream had been intense, but it couldn’t compare to having the real Severus Snape in her arms, kissing her wantonly. Eventually he pulled back.

“You’re delicious,” he murmured, eliciting a smile from her.

“So are you,” Sybill admitted.

“Shall we get you packed?”

Sybill gave him a little grimace. “I was hoping for more kisses.” She pouted at him.

Severus smirked at her. “There will be plenty of time for kisses when you are safe in the castle.”

Sybill sighed. “Very well. Let’s start with the books.”

“You need books for Divination?” Severus joked.

Sybill slapped his chest lightly. “Very funny!” she cried and turned to her bookshelf.

oooOOOooo

It took them an hour to organize all that Sybill wanted to take with her. Everything had been easily miniaturized and placed into a box. Severus and Sybill were now at the door, ready to depart. Sybill turned and looked over the home she was about to abandon. Tears formed in her eyes.

Severus’ arms went around her comfortingly. “You’ll be back,” he consoled.

“Yes, but when?”

“Hopefully soon. I have owled Draco. I hope he can help us track his father down.”

“Why would he ever do such a thing?”

“I don’t believe he was happy with what I had explained to him when we spoke last,” Severus explained. “If I can convince him that this will keep his father safe and alive, he may help.”

“I hope he can help us, Severus.”

“If he won’t, we’ll find another way to find Lucius. This will be over soon. I promise.”

Sybill nodded to him. He released her from his embrace, and she opened the door, letting Severus pass by her to exit. She gave a single look behind her and closed the door, locking it with a wand wave. They proceeded down the walkway and Disapparated to the castle.

oooOOOooo

Sybill opened the door to her old room at Hogwarts. She was blasted by a loud shout of “Surprise!” Luckily, Severus was holding her belongings, for she would have certainly dropped them. As it was, she jumped into the air, her arms jerking up wildly as she shrieked. Gathering her wits about her, she saw Rolanda, Pomona, and Minerva standing in her room with raised glasses of pumpkin juice, saluting her. Sybill heaved a sigh and gave the three witches a look that could melt steel.

“You are all in grave danger,” she cried, “for I am going to kill each of you slowly!”

The three witches laughed as Severus rolled his eyes. Sybill smiled as she went over to her three friends and gave them all hugs.

“You really didn’t need to do this,” Sybill complained.

“Oh, yes, we did!” Minerva retorted.

“We want you to know that we’re excited that you’re back!” Rolanda said as she hugged Sybill again.

“I’m only here temporarily,” she warned the overly excited women.

“We know, but we want you to feel at home in any case,” Pomona explained.

Sybill smiled as she was offered a glass of pumpkin juice. “Thank you,” she told them as she saluted them with her drink.

“All right, Sybill, you are not to leave the castle without an escort,” Minerva said.

Sybill furrowed her brow. “I didn’t know I was going to jail, Minerva.”

“It’s only for your protection. You could have been killed when Lucius abducted you.”

“Fine, fine. I’m sure I can find a companion to go with me,” Sybill said as she glanced at Severus. He gave her a quick nod.

Sybill, Pomona, and Rolanda chatted as Minerva made her way over to Severus.

“I spoke with the Ministry this morning, Severus. No charges will be filed against you.”

Severus raised an eyebrow at that. “I killed a man and am a former Death Eater, but the Ministry isn’t going to slaughter me?”

Minerva gave Severus a conspiratorial look. “Kingsley told me that after all you have done for our world, you deserve a break. He’s looking at the whole incident as an exercise in self-defense. As far as I’m concerned, Kingsley is absolutely right.”

Severus was quiet as he studied Minerva’s face. Finally, he spoke. “I’m glad nothing will come of it. We have enough to worry about with Lucius still on the loose.”

“Indeed we do! I trust you will keep our Sybill safe, Severus.”

Severus gave a slight bow. “That is my intent.”

Minerva smiled at him before she turned to join the other women who were gabbing at lightning speed.

The witches were planning to head into Hogsmeade that next weekend for lunch and shopping. Severus watched them in a bored way. All of their excited talk turned into a background chatter. He marveled at how women could become excited by the most mundane things. Why anyone would be excited to go shopping was beyond him.

They were talking about shoe shopping now. Pomona needed to buy some dress shoes for a date she was going on the following week. Severus pictured her with her green witch hat and robes. Suddenly, Severus imagined a pair of shoes appearing on her feet. They were green to match her robes. The tips were curled in on themselves. He stifled a laugh as he thought of Pomona Sprout dressed like some Christmas elf, hopping around a man who was turning every which way to look at her as she made wild circles around him. How Pomona had turned into a Jack-in-the-box was beyond Severus, but there was the image, stuck in his brain for all eternity.

Pushing the image from his mind, he concentrated on the prattle going on before him. Would these three ever shut up? Sybill couldn’t even get a word in edgewise. She just nodded in all of the appropriate places as the other three yapped away. Severus noted that Sybill didn’t seem to mind, so he just watched the others monopolize the conversation. The group chatted for a while, but soon the hen party was over, and the three women excused themselves and left en masse. Sybill closed the door and looked to Severus. He quickly forgot that there had been an entire brood of chickens clucking away for what had seemed to be an eternity. He came up to Sybill and gave her a hug.

oooOOOooo

“Welcome back,” he told her as he pulled away.

Sybill smiled up at him. “Thank you.”

“Are you sure I can’t talk you into moving back permanently? I rather like having you so close.”

“Yes, it’s so very far away to Apparate over to my house.”

“You don’t know the hassle I have to go through to get to you.”

“You’ll be all right, Severus. A good swift walk never hurt anyone.”

“It’s not the exercise… It’s the time it takes. I’d rather just walk up a few flights of stairs and be in your arms.”

“There you go, making me feel all giddy inside again.”

Severus pulled her closer. “You deserve to feel giddy. You have been miserable for far too long in your life.”

He found her lips and kissed her sultrily. Sybill fell into him and let him sweep her into his sweet lips. What an awesome man! Who would have guessed that the dour Potions master was a passionate, fiery man with lips that could make Sybill’s heart stop beating? Did they ever have to break this off? Sybill was content to spend the rest of the day locked in an embrace with Severus Snape as the world marched along without them. Alas, her wish could not come true because they both had things to do. Severus pulled away and looked deeply into her eyes.

“I’m glad you are here,” he whispered.

“Me too,” Sybill told him.

“I have some things to attend to, Sybill. Are you all right being alone for a while?”

“I’ve been alone for years, Severus, a few hours more is not going to kill me.”

Severus gave her a caustic look, but there was only mock annoyance in his gaze.

“If I return and find that you have shriveled up into a ball of loneliness in my absence, I will be very put out,” he jibed.

“I have enough to do to keep me from pining away in that amount of time. I need to arrange my things.”

“Do you want to wait, so I can help you?”

Sybill shook her head. “No, it has to be done, and I’d rather do it myself. That way when I forget where something is, I have no one to blame but me.”

Severus smoothed back her hair and gave her another quick kiss.

“I shall see you at dinner then?”

Sybill smiled and raised her eyebrows. “It’s a date.”

Severus turned and left her room. Sybill walked over to the box Severus had set by the door and began to unpack.

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A/N: Next up: Draco pays a visit to Severus.

That was a bit of fluff before the storm. I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks to Lilith Kayden for her beta work.