Macho

Just on the perifery of her mind...

Did she miss something? She must have. Somewhere along the line, she must have. Who was the first to disappear? Lucius. Then Greyback vanished. Then these three, and she's heard the Carrows whispering that Draco is missing.

That's six.

But...Severus couldn't have killed them all. Could he have?

She passes empty rooms as she goes down the long, dimly-lit hallway to the bedroom she shared with Lucius, trying to fit things together in her mind. She reaches the bedroom and something occures to her.

Dumbledore, and the Unbreakable Vow.

She has to sit down. She runs...

In this darker frame of mind, he ponders how things might have been if Dumbledore had simply never put on that damned cursed ring. Ah, but then, there was the equally damned and cursed Unbreakable Vow...if it had just been 'orders from the Dark Lord', he would have found a way...a way to fake Dumbledore's death...but for that Vow. There was the potion the Silhouettes had được trao him, the potion he never got the chance to try, which he still had. But for that Vow, he thinks. But what about the other Vow? The one he gave that locked him into this life was not to Dumbledore, but to Lily, though...

Malfoy looks up on the tường at Elsbet's odd Muggle timepiece and sighs. He knows Snape will be leaving soon. Everyone's finished their sandwiches, though they're still munching on biscuits...he doesn't wait. There's so much he wants to do before Snape departs for Hogwarts.

"Ellie, let's have a look at the other things," he says, rising, and Elsbet does the same. Carefully, she takes out the other items, looking at each one as she hands them to Malfoy, who looks at them, then passes them to Therion, and so they go around the table. Remus and Snape pay the most attention to them, checking each...

As Snape approaches Perdurabo's grand house, he sees that several Silhouettes are awaiting him. Cappadocius and her group embrace him and tell him that their outpost in the Southfarthing is finished and occupied, and that the rookery is already being settled. Cappadocius tells him that they took the liberty of crafting a lake between the rookery and the outpost, and that their Picadors have seeded the lake with roe from different fish, and shoots of compatable aquatic plants. In a week hoặc so, the lake will be full of life. Snape asks, "what have bạn named it?" Shiver says, "well, we've planted...

With breakfast ready, the wizards carry their trays into the living room, and through the door Elsbet created. Once outside, they find themselves in a masterpiece in progress. She's creating a little park, a park just for them, complete with shady trees, fragrant flowers, soft cỏ and even a little pond. Snape's tim, trái tim skips a beat. A pond...she must know, somehow, that her pond, with all her beloved fish, is gone. He will make it up to her, he will make it right...

There's even a picnic table, and they lay out the trays on it, then look around the little park. "Ellie," Therion smiles, "did...

The little group reaches the happy trang chủ and as they pass through the doorway last, Snape catches Elsbet up and asks her quietly, "please, promise me bạn will not go back there without me. That place makes me...uncomfortable. Will bạn promise me?" She looks at him for just a moment, her brows knitting, then stands up on her tiptoes to Kiss him. There is a giggle in her heart, but she will not make light of his feelings; her Kiss is like the brush of butterfly's wings on his lips, then she looks deeply into his glinting black eyes. "I promise you." As he hugs her to him, he hears Malfoy say,...

The fall was frightening, but they did not let her get hurt; two of them caught her on their sturdy backs, and once she got her bearings, she laughed and giggled like a child. Nibbling her toes and fingers with their velvety lips, they give her comfort and express their joy with little squeals. Slowly, carefully, she rights herself on the bigger one's back, and checks to make sure her stick is still in her hair.

It's gone.

She gives a little cry of alarm, for she loves her stick and does not wish to be without it. She calls out and the stick returns, but carried in the mouth of one of the young...

Snape takes his afternoon meal alone, as is his custom while here. Ham BLT, nấm súp and spiced cider. He has the feeling that his loved ones are having the same, and while that feeling gives him some comfort, the thực phẩm never tastes the same. It's never as good here, and lately, that difference is even thêm evident. The House-elves are unhappy. He can't blame them. For a moment, he wonders what the House-elves will do when the time comes, but knowing Dobby, he thinks, they'll be right out there fighting with the rest of us. He stops in mid-sip and contemplates that thought. With the rest...

It's a deep kiss, and Remus can't help but watch them. He's never had any doubt that Snape loves her, but he's never seen them Kiss before. He's thinking that it's a beautiful thing when he feels a hand on his back, and he knows it's Therion. This is the moment, he thinks, the moment he tests himself...He turns and finds the curly-maned wizard smiling at him nervously, and relaxes immediately. Remus laughs softly and pulls Therion into his arms, then kisses him, lightly at first, then thêm strongly as he gives in to his excitement. Tonks watches her husband kissing another wizard and as Elsbet...

When Layne turns around he sees everyone is up and preparing for a very early breakfast. Andromeda and Ted are quietly saying goodbye; they had only come to make sure Elsbet was alright, and they don't want to be a bother. "If there is anything Ted and I can do, Severus," Andromeda says, "please just let us know." Snape thanks them as they leave, glances at Layne, then returns his attention to the breakfast at hand. Layne watches how well Snape and Malfoy work together in the kitchen. No words are necessary; they seem to anticipate each others' needs, their actions are smooth and graceful,...