Chapter 10- A Wedding and a Funeral
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"Master Snape, a customer is requesting your assistance."
Severus looked up from the solution he was stirring anti-clockwise. He never got tired of hearing his new title, but he was heartily sick of his position. Brewing potions was not the problem. It was the customer service expected of him. Unlike the clerk waiting with an expectant smile, he was not a people person. Grudgingly, he nodded and left the cauldron to ascend the stairs to the apothecary shop.
A portly middle-aged wizard in tailored robes stood by the back counter, glancing around nervously. Severus' lip curled. Had the man never seen the inside of a Knockturn Alley shop before? The younger wizard asked, "How may I assist you?"
"I want the Potions Master."
"I am the Potions Master," said Severus.
The customer's eyes bulged. "You're barely out of Hogwarts! How could you be an apothecary, much less…"
"Master Snape is the youngest Potions Master in Britain, and Dante's is very fortunate to have acquired his services," said the goblin clerk, Mr. Wilytongue.
"I'm sure," said the man, in a tone that suggested the opposite.
Severus, in his six long weeks of employment, had become used to the prejudice of the ignorant. He waited with barely concealed irritation for the customer to ask the question deemed important enough for him to leave his potions to answer. When the man began to stammer, he snapped, "State your question. My time is valuable."
The customer acted more like a first year than a fifty-something. "I…I…"
"I cannot render aid if you are not coherent," said Severus.
"I-need-a-love-potion," the man said in a rush.
Tight lipped, Severus informed coldly, "Such a thing does not exist. A semblance may be evoked, but no true emotional attachment will take place."
"We do, however, carry a wide selection of entrancing elixirs," said the goblin, flashing sharp teeth in a persuasive smile. "Bottled, powdered, or inserted into chocolates, you are sure to entrance the object of your affection." Waving a hand toward the left side of the shop, the salesclerk asked in a low, deferential tone, "Were you looking to inspire mild infatuation or full-blown passion?"
After shooting Severus a wary glance, the wizard said, "Er…I mean…passion."
"Right this way, sir."
Wilytongue's ability to ingratiate himself to customers was nauseating. Eris had laughed when he had said the goblin was likely to suggest draughts that were fatal if overdosed if someone asked for an Undetectable Poison, but Severus had been only half-jesting. The clerk's joy in life seemed to consist of making sales.
When the goblin walked away, Severus told the man, "If you need anything else—hesitate to ask," and stalked back down to his laboratory.
A half hour later, his co-worker clomped down the stairs again. "Master Snape."
"What dunderhead is in need of assistance now?" he cut in, extremely vexed. His potions were almost ready to be decanted. If another fat solicitor desired a potion to facilitate the seduction of his assistant, he would substitute a Detestation Draft instead.
Beady goblin eyes widened. Wilytongue jerked his head back slightly and said meaningfully, "You have such a dark humour, Master Snape."
"To go along with my dark mood," retorted Severus.
"How fortuitous I have an affinity for the Dark," a man's voice drawled. Lucius Malfoy, in elaborate robes, carrying an ivory-topped walking stick, made his way down the stairs. He raised a white-blond brow at the clerk. "Your presence is no longer required. Run along."
"Yes, sir."
Smirking at his protégé once the goblin had returned to the shop, Lucius said, "Did I hear you refer to a potential customer as a dunderhead? What would your employer say about that?"
"I am sure you will tell me."
Lucius smiled. "As long as profits remain steady, and your real work is done, I couldn't care less about customer satisfaction." Striding forward, he asked, "Is my order complete?"
"Yes, it is wrapped in brown paper on the back table."
"Like a present under the Weasley Christmas tree, how droll." Lucius picked up the box and answered Severus' questioning look. "My fiancée ran into Molly Weasley at Fortesque's yesterday. The woman's some sort of cousin, and had the effrontery to thank Narcissa for not inviting her to the ceremony, since it saved her the bother of sending an owl to decline." He laughed shortly. "Someone whose husband works for the Ministry really shouldn't offend anyone in a position to impede promotion, should they?"
"No," said Severus. While Lucius stared off with a malicious smile, no doubt envisioning revenging the slight, he siphoned the potions into flagons. After storing them, he said, "I have never attended a wedding. Is there any special attire required?"
"Dress robes are de rigueur, and I prefer joining ceremony to wedding, which sounds so Muggle."
Severus said politely, "I will look forward to the joining ceremony."
"No you won't. No man does, except the groom." Lucius added, "I would look forward to the ceremony even more if Eris was standing beside my bride instead of Bella. Wouldn't you?"
"Not particularly."
Lucius' gaze was one of faint pity. "I suppose not." He shrugged and headed toward the stairs. At the bottom step, he lifted the package slightly. "Is there a potion to…relax maidenly inhibitions?"
"Yes."
"Send it to me for a joining gift."
Concealing amusement, Severus inclined his head in agreement.
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At the end of the day, He bid Mr. Wilytongue a civil farewell and headed toward Diagon Alley. Eris had requested several items from McGregor's market. To Severus' dismay, shoppers thronged the popular grocer's and impeded his progress at every turn. Grimly, he consulted his list and gathered fruit and vegetables as quickly as possible.
"I didn't know vampires liked garlic," said a voice Severus had hoped never to hear again.
He placed the bulb in his basket. "Is that your idea of a conversational gambit, Potter? Maladroit as ever, I see."
The wizard attired in a Muggle-looking tee and denims shrugged. "It was a joke, but you didn't get a sense of humour along with your Potions Master status, I see."
Severus walked over to a mound of lemons. James followed. "Look, Snape, I saw you and just thought you should know…." He looked around to make sure no one was nearby. In an undertone, he continued, "People who have contacts inside the Auror Offices say Eris Greyback is about to be officially considered a cold case."
Cold cases were low priority, shunted off into overcrowded files that, although not technically closed, rarely opened for re-investigation. Severus kept his gaze on the yellow fruit in his hand. "I cannot think why that information should be of any interest to me."
"Really? Do you have a cat? Maybe she'd be interested."
Was Potter implying he knew Eris was an Animagus? Before Severus could demand an answer, a woman's voice called, "James? Did you get the lemons?" Lily Evans, dressed in similar fashion to Potter, walked over, stopping abruptly when she saw him.
He nodded. "Evans."
She smiled hesitantly, lifting her left hand. "It's Potter, now."
Severus looked from the man shifting uncomfortably to the woman who did not seem to know what to make of their conversation. He murmured, "My condolences," and walked to the opposite side of the shop.
On the way home, he replayed the encounter in his mind. Severus determined that Potter had kept Eris' secret…even from his wife. How interesting. Inside the once-dreary flat Eris had transformed into a comfortable, pleasing home, he put away the groceries and picked up a note.
I'm in the back garden.
He snorted over her flattering description of a patch of weed-infested grass. Downstairs, the couple who resided in a flat on the ground floor sat at a picnic table watching their ten-year-old play ball with a Siamese. The mother said, "Good evening, Mr. Snape. Our Harry's wild about your cat. If you ever decide you can't keep her, we'd love to give Epis a home."
Severus nodded curtly, while inwardly thinking, I am certainly not wild about Harry…horrid name for a horrid boy. Eris felt sorry for the child whose parents often left him home alone while they worked, but he had no pity for a would-be cat thief. He called, "Epis, come."
She ran straight to him. He picked her up and met the child's scowl with a narrow-eyed look of warning before turning on his heel to leave the so-called garden.
Back upstairs, his partner transformed and kissed him 'hello.' It was one of her quirks, the need to bestow kisses upon greeting and parting, but he did not mind. Severus eventually pulled back from the kiss to say, "I saw an old friend of yours today at the market."
Dark blue eye lit up. "Who? Claire? Diana? Emma?" She laughed. "I know Cissy would never lower herself to do that sort of shopping."
Pleased his old enemy hadn't made the list, he said, "James Potter."
She asked, "How are he and Lily doing? Did you speak or just…."
"You knew they were married," he said levelly. How had she known?
Her eyes scanned his face. "Yes. Didn't you? The announcement was in the Prophet."
He relaxed, shaking his head. "No."
"Did it…upset you, to find out?"
Was she worried he might hold some secret tendre for Lily? Women were such jealous creatures. Severus could not prevent a smile. "No, although I did offer Mrs. Potter my condolences." Her smile faded when he shared, "Potter told me your disappearance is soon to be declared a cold case."
"That's good, right?" she asked. "Tom was reassigned months ago, so no one is looking for me anymore."
He hated to remind her, but he said, "Fenrir will never stop hunting you. I believe he honestly considers you his daughter."
Eris buried her face against his shoulder. "In a way, that's sweet, and yet it's…."
"Frightening?"
"MmHmm…"
He stroked her hair. "You would be safe with Rhys and Catrin."
Eris looked up. "I don't want to be safe. I want to be with you." Her eyes began to shimmer. "I walked by a Muggle church earlier. They were rehearsing a wedding, so I stopped to listen." She paused to swallow. "The bride said something I want to say to you." Soft fingers caressed his face. "I will never leave you nor forsake you, Severus."
He bent to kiss her, repeating the vow. Over dinner, he told her about his day and mentioned the upcoming ceremony. "Do you still wish to attend?"
She shook her head regretfully. "I think an extra guest, even if temporarily invisible, would trigger wards somehow. It's too risky."
He said, "What about an invisible cat?"
Her smile was wide and mischievous. "Purr-fect."
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The joining ceremony of Narcissa Black and Lucius Malfoy was held on the lawn of Malfoy Manor. While security trolls kept the rabble from the Quibbler and European papers at a distance, the couple allowed a photographer from the Prophet a single press photo. Beneath the enormous white tent erected to house the reception after the ceremony, Severus sat with an assortment of distant female relatives, unsure whether to regard the seating as a compliment or not.
"Wasn't the ceremony beautiful!" gushed a fourth cousin of the Blacks, a reed thin spinster with a voice to match. She smiled hopefully at the only male in the vicinity.
Severus felt invisible claws dig into his shoulder and had to look away to keep his composure. His gaze fell upon the head table. At the centre, Lucius and Narcissa talked quietly while sipping champagne. The bride and groom, both in white, matched the flowers, linens, and china. During the ceremony, an old crone had whispered audibly, "Whoever heard of a white wedding?"
Tom, sitting beside Claire, caught his friend's eye and grinned, cutting his eyes over at the forty-something spinster before giving a thumb's up. Severus pointed his thumb down, causing Tom to laugh and whisper in his partner's ear. Claire giggled.
Severus' unseen companion licked his cheek. His lips twitched. He appreciated the comforting gesture, but the laughter at his expense bothered him not at all.
"Hello, Snape."
Fenrir Greyback stood beside the table, whisky tumbler in hand. He used it to gesture toward the head table. "I should be toasting m'little girl." After drinking the contents, Fenrir set the glass onto the table with a thud. "But she won't be marryin' Rabastan now. He's betrothed to one of those Carrows girls." He said dully, "And she won't see him…or her grandfather again."
"Is Tyr ill?" asked Severus.
"On his deathbed," said Fenrir. He gave the guests around him a contemptuous look. "My position required I attend, but I'll not stay one minute longer than I have to."
When the man started to walk on, Severus asked, "Might I be allowed to pay my respects?" In his lap, 'Epis', who had jumped down upon hearing Fenrir's voice, trembled violently.
"Meet me in the library after the toasts. We'll Floo to see him. Healer doesn't think he'll last much longer."
"Thank you," said Severus. Fenrir nodded and moved on.
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Tyr Greyback lay asleep on the bed, his drawn features already cadaverous. Danica sat in a chair beside her father-in-law, an album of photographs on her lap. At the window, Erik stood with his arms crossed. When he saw Severus standing in the doorway, he said, "What are you doing here?"
"He came to pay his respects," growled Fenrir, pushing into the room to face his nephew. "Thinking of your sister, no doubt, which is more than can be said of the rest of you."
Erik rolled his eyes and turned away. Danica, looking thin and tired, said quietly, "Ulrik made the decision to cease the investigation and go on with our lives. We must abide by it."
Severus noted the woman's fingertips stroking her daughter's picture. Fenrir prowled over to place his hand over hers. "Will you forget?"
A silent communication took place. Danica smiled faintly. "Never."
"You won't allow us to forget, constantly bringing up our family's shame, reminding everyone what incompetent fools we are, ruining my future," Eric said bitterly. He shook his head. "I won't stay here if you're going to bring her up again, Uncle. I'll return later."
Danica watched her son leave and said, "Eris'…disappearance…has been hard on…."
"On us all," Fenrir interjected.
Her lips turned down. "Not all of us."
Fenrir's hand clasped Danica's. "Ulrik's a fool."
She did not disagree, or pull her hand away.
Being witness to such an exchange made Severus highly uncomfortable. He cleared his throat. Fenrir stepped back and said, "Let Snape sit with Tyr while we take a walk. You haven't tended your garden in weeks. Flowers need dead-ing."
"Dead-heading," corrected Danica, with a faint smile. She looked at Severus and held out the album. When he took it, she said, "I wish we had met again under pleasanter circumstances, Mr. Snape."
"As do I, Mrs. Greyback."
Severus waited until Danica and Fenrir had left to take off his cloak and place it on the floor. He saw the fabric rise and fall as his invisible companion wriggled out of the enlarged inside pocket. Draping the cloak over the chair, he sat and leafed through the album. Eris had been a remarkably attractive child.
The hand of the wizard lying on the bed made a jerking movement, drawing Severus' gaze. He glanced at Tyr's face. The old man's eyes were open. "W…wards," he rasped. "Not safe."
"Meow…"
The cat became visible. Tyr stared in awe at the Siamese who nudged his hand with her head. Shaky fingers lifted and touched downy hair. He whispered, "Clever…Kettling."
Kettling, Old Norse for kitten, was Tyr's pet name for his granddaughter. Severus rose and walked to the window, to give them privacy. He returned only when Tyr's breath rattled ominously. After several tries, he said, "Do not…return." and closed his eyes.
Severus watched the feline continue to nudge the man's hand. He said quietly, "We must leave."
She mewed pitifully and sprang off the bed.
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Three days later, Severus returned for a funeral. Ulrik spoke words that described his father's life. He did not relate the important aspects of Tyr Greyback. His love of family, and that he carried out his duty…even when his duty became onerous. In a detached manner, Severus watched flames engulf the miniature Viking ship floating upon the lake and wondered if there was a Valhalla beyond the veil.
While mourners returned the house for the reception afterwards, he remained behind. Fenrir approached. Eyes bloodshot and swollen, the werewolf held out his hand. "Before he died, my father wanted you to have this."
Severus was taken aback to find a stone pressed into his hand. He said, "I am honoured."
Fenrir's gaze was fixed upon his nephew and sister-in-law walking toward the house. Nodding abruptly, he moved to trail after them.
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Back at their flat, Severus held Eris close while she cried. Eventually, her breath became less shuddery.
She said, "I'm ready to see it now."
He stroked her hair once more and then reached into his pocket to draw out the stone worn smooth by sand and time. It was a rune. Upon the black surface was a carving that looked like one X stacked upon another.
"Ing, from the aett, or tier, named for Tyr, the Norse god of battle," Eris said shakily. She took a deep breath and continued, "It means victory, although we have to face hard times and difficulties. Afi is telling us to stop dwelling in the past, to embrace new opportunities."
"I need no stone to know as long as I embrace you, the future will be bright," he said gruffly.
She smiled through tears. "I love you."
He echoed the sentiment bold idiots like Potter no doubt shouted from rooftops, and kissed Eris softly. Slowly and tenderly, Severus comforted her in ways that reaffirmed life and love more than words.
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A/N: When I found out the poet Dante was a member of a Florentine apothecary guild, I had to name the shop in his honour, although in those days men joined guilds to participate in city politics, and he probably didn't brew potions or sell tooth powder. :D Anyone who recognises Mr. Wilytongue or the 'White Wedding' reference from other stories- I heart you for that! Special thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed. If you read Into the Dark, I'll be a happy writer!
Those who reviews made me happy last week were……...♥ 40/16 ♥ centaursaremyfriends ♥ cupcakeswirl ♥ die Loreley♥ Dipper ♥ Elspeth Bates ♥ FNP ♥ GraceRichie ♥ MollyCoddles♥ petiteloupegarou ♥ Slipknot-3113 ♥ sunny9847 ♥ and ♥ The Ravishing Enchantress ♥