"So what name am I giving them?" he asked at the wizarding post office. It was the first place they stopped when they arrived in Diagon Alley. His luck he'd forget to send the letter to Lucius, so he figured best get it out of the way as soon as they got there.
That way, too, as soon as they were ready to leave they could do that without having to come here as a last stop.
He couldn't believe he was actually doing this.
Never mind his mother being right, which he knew she was. He knew magical rings like the one Hermione wore. He didn't know this specific one in particular, but he'd been around enough witches and wizards who courted and got married to know. She couldn't have stolen it or just put it on to further a lie.
It wouldn't have let her.
What were the odds that he would send her here, to this particular weekend, not intending for him to take her to Easter dinner at the Malfoys? He liked to think he was a pretty organized person, capable of forethought and planning (contrary to what those who thought he willingly took the Dark Mark might say), surely that would only improve with age. If he sent her to him now, it had to be for this reason. He would know, too, from firsthand experience that he'd never brought a witch to one of these things.
Some things were evidently different, but the lack of women in his life, and Lily, evidently remained the same. He wasn't sure if he was proud of that, or found it pathetic.
"What do you mean?"
He gave a huff. Had she not heard him? Was she playing dumb? She said she couldn't use her legal name. That was her idea, not his. "I'd like to tell them the name of my guest," he said, gesturing to the parchment. "You said you shouldn't use your true given name."
"Oh," she said. She was looking a little green again. He hoped she was okay. If she'd traveled here from seventeen years from now. Well, he supposed that could have some side effects.
"Bear in mind it may be one you're stuck with for a while."
"Right."
He watched her closely and he could almost see her mind working, as she was probably thinking through various names she wanted to take. Is that what he looked like? Is that the look so many saw on his face that they didn't understand? If she was planning on sitting ten NEWTs, she wasn't a stupid witch by any means.
"Did you study your apprenticeship here?" she asked.
His eyes narrowed a bit at the sudden change in subjects. What did his apprenticeship have to do with her name? He just wanted to write the note and send it along its way. "You mean you don't know?"
He was being sarcastic, he knew, which wasn't really called for. This situation wasn't her fault. It bothered him how much this witch knew about him. Things he himself didn't know! Like how he'd ended up teaching at Hogwarts for years. Was there a constant war for the next seventeen years as there had been with Grindelwald?
She rolled her eyes at him. Clearly, she didn't appreciate his sarcasm either.
"No, I guess that bit of information never came up almost twenty years later."
It was a fair point. He hoped he wasn't someone who waxed poetic about the master he apprenticed under when he was almost forty years-old.
"Down in Austria," he offered, feeling a little bad that she seemed legitimately miffed that she didn't know the answer. He thought he'd told her earlier, but he supposed he'd just said the continent, not specifically where. And they'd talked about a lot in his bedroom earlier, so she maybe forgot the part where he said he'd been away from the United Kingdom for the most part during his apprenticeship.
"Really?"
That surprised her for some reason evidently. Why? Had he told her he'd never been to the continent or something?
Dumbledore had helped him choose who he'd accept the apprenticeship from. They wanted someone who was not active with the Dark Lord but who was on his side. They wanted him to be far enough away where his absence from various activities would be acceptable and understood, forgiven. An apprenticeship in Ireland, as an example, would not provide him an excuse to be gone for months on end.
Maybe, too, even this part was different from his older self's path. If he'd taken the Dark Mark willingly, maybe he had apprenticed here.
He'd probably never know.
Yes, he wanted to spy, but he still wanted to be able to make a living and to at least think he had the possibility for something more than what his life up to the point of graduating Hogwarts had been.
"Why would I lie about such a thing?"
"I just didn't expect it. I don't know. For some reason, everyone seems to think you never left Britain."
He narrowed his eyes as he regarded her. She had something on her mind. He wasn't sure what it said that he was already familiar enough to know that much after mere hours with her. What she was thinking, of course, was a mystery.
"What does that have to do with your name?"
"Well, it makes sense now. And proves to me how clever and/or organized you were about this, even though you never told me about it more than in passing. I assume that's where we met? I can't be from here."
What made sense now? Had he missed something?
"Right," he said, nodding a bit as if that thought hadn't quite occurred to him yet. Truthfully, it hadn't. He hadn't been back home long enough to have met and courted someone to the point of betrothal.
She was quiet a moment longer, reaching into that bag that she seemed to have, literally, everything in. She smiled then, and he wondered what that was for.
"Um, Leandra Rossi."
He squinted a bit at her answer.
"You just pulled that name out of your head?"
"Well, no, my bag," she shrugged, with a gesture at said bag. "I sort of forgot about it actually. You had papers made for me already. Perhaps you suspected I should not have an English-sounding name. We, well your solicitor really, had to get some new ones made up with alternate dates of birth on them in case I have to present something here, but I've been told they'll pass scrutiny. Your name was going to be Matteo. I'll say that my parents met here, but moved to Italy where Father was originally from due to my father's work."
"Which was?" he prompted.
"Are they going to ask?"
"They will," he said confidently. There was no doubt the question, and many others, would most certainly come up.
Would they ask questions like it immediately upon meeting her? Likely not, but eventually, yes, it would come up. He was introducing her as his fiancee, not just someone who was casually accompanying him. They would ask. In this, she was a reflection on him, meeting his death eater contemporaries. They would look for any weakness on his part, including his choice in brides. She should be ready with an answer.
And so should he.
"He was a curse breaker and was presented with an opportunity back in Italy that he couldn't pass up, as England never agreed with him."
He thought about her answer and nodded, realizing that it would work. It was plausible, and he doubted many of the English purebloods would be too overly familiar with the Italian magical world.
"You'll have to work on an accent."
"Not a problem," she said with a more than sufficient Italian accent. Was he surprised that was the case? No, he was beginning to think there was little this witch couldn't do.
"And you were in Austria because? Because I assure you, I never made it to Italy."
"I was there on a job, and I met you."
"We'll have to work on that tonight and tomorrow, I suppose."
He finished penning the letter that would get them in the door of Malfoy Manor as a couple in less than two days' time. He didn't think Lucius or Narcissa would find it odd he wanted to show his fiancee their library. Both knew of his love for reading and books.
"We don't have to…"
"I know of no other time that I for sure am going to be invited to their home, Leandra," he said, mulling the name over as he said it. "If something you seek is in Lucius' library, why put it off? Unless I told you of another upcoming date that I would be their guest."
"No, you didn't. You didn't even tell me that you were going to be one this weekend! You're right," she said.
He sent the short missive on its way with a postal owl.
There'd been a time, around his second year when he wished he had his own owl instead of borrowing other' to send letters off to his parents. When he graduated from
Hogwarts, it was one of the first things he assumed he would do. Except he didn't really need one. He could use the regular postal service to communicate with his parents, and his master had an owl that Severus could use.
He never used that owl to send anything to his parents. Paranoid, perhaps, but it worked in his favor that people thought he disliked both of his parents. His father for being a muggle. His mum for turning her back on the magical world for the most part and marrying a muggle man. She was a blood traitor, and to people like his comrades, well, that was pretty unforgivable. Even if she loved the man. At least according to most of Voldemort's followers. Any who felt differently likely kept quiet, and wouldn't think to express such a sentiment to Severus. It was well known to most that he was on the cusp of being welcomed into the Dark Lord's inner circle. Only him being away prevented him from ascending faster. So, Severus didn't want anyone to know he communicated with his parents with any frequency.
Lucius would respond via owl to his parents' home if an unexpected guest was an issue. He doubted it would be. Lucius, in fact, would be quite ecstatic of the fact he'd finally taken a witch, and more than curious to see what kind of witch had captured Severus' attention since none normally did.
"Any idea why I chose those names?" He had no idea. They meant nothing to him. That didn't mean they didn't in 1998. He had to admit, he was a bit impressed with how thorough he'd been.
"No," she said. "I wasn't even aware he was, you were, doing it. Yours are still in the safety deposit box. He, you, told me to leave them there in case you actually survived. I do have ones for 1981 with me, though. They were made when my alternate ones were."
It sounded like something he would say, even today.
"You don't think I did? Survive, I mean?"
"I waited almost a month, Severus. I suppose there's a chance that you were taken somewhere and are being held, but I don't think so."
"Why not?"
"I felt you die, Severus. Our connection, I felt it sever. When you were close to me, I could always feel you. Not as if you were trying to collect information from my mind, but like," she shrugged and stammered, as if searching for the right word. "Like a whisper. Just something that's there. You know it's there but it's not in the way or intrusive, fluttering like butterfly wings once in a while to let you know it's there."
That sounded rather … nice actually. "Do you notice that now?"
"I'm trying very hard to stay out of your mind. When you use legilimency on me, it's like a piece of me is coming back home. Having you in my mind like that. I imagine also because the bond has not been accepted with you, this you, well that may have some effect as well."
He led her out of the post office, forgetting for a moment that she knew exactly where she was going when she started walking toward Gringotts without his guidance.
"You don't think I would have been captured?" He was back to that. He had to admit if she waited a month t before leaving, she was likely right.
"Who would have captured you?"
"Obviously I don't know as I was not there. Yet."
"The Order was in pieces, few were left standing. Honestly, I don't know who was left. I didn't stick around to find out, and I'm ashamed of that. But if we do this, they'll all be around! Even if they thought you could survive the killing curse, what could they hope to gain from you? Harry was dead. The Dark Lord believed you were his man to the end."
"Why kill me then?"
She sighed softly. She didn't seem to enjoy talking about it anymore than he wanted to hear about it.
"He thought you had control of Dumbledore's wand because you were the one to kill him, but you weren't the one who took his wand. So you weren't the master of it. I don't believe he would have killed you had he known that."
"I see. I suppose I cannot know who the master was?"
"I probably shouldn't say, no," she said. "If we're able to stop things from happening, Severus, I will tell you everything, all of it. Not that it will matter, but you read your letter to me. There are certain things that have to happen whether I think it's unfair or cruel to allow them to."
"I understand. Time travel, from my research mind you, is tricky. I will try not to push, verbally or mentally."
"Thank you for respecting that I have boundaries for a reason."
"You have been nothing but forthcoming and seemingly honest, Leandra. My mother would tan my hide if I did anything but."
She laughed softly.
His mother had cast the charm over her soul mark today as a test to see how long it would last, and what would be noticeable. Like if their left hands touched did their marks still glow (they did).
"While we're here, can we transfer some galleons into pounds so I have some that will work in case we go somewhere muggle again?"
"We can do that," he said with a nod. "You really have money?"
"Of course I do! You think I'd make a trip like this with no money?"
"Well, no, but you're nineteen."
"I had money from my parents as well as some investments, and well, from you. It's not doing me, or you, any good there right now."
"I presume you're here, in part, hoping I'll be there in the future."
"Yes," she said.
"I hope you left me some to spend."
She rolled her eyes. She did that a lot, he noticed. To him. He hadn't noticed her roll her eyes at his mother once. And what was with his mother being so nice to the witch? She was almost as suspicious of strangers as he was. She said she was her essentially daughter-in-law! Loaning her robes that she'd never shown him in his life.
"No, I cleaned out your bank account and ran away … to you! And if we change things, it won't be there anyway, because we won't be going back to the timeline I left. I left some in there, just in case, but he would have had me take all of it. Really, Severus, do I look like I'm living it up?"
Put that way. "No," he admitted.
"I made a few stops before coming to 1981 and finding you, and when I think it's acceptable I will tell you what I did and hope that you will consider it repayment for any monies I took in my, or this, time."
"You do not have to repay me, Leandra," he said.
"You sound like you when you say that. I took some potions ingredients from you before we left for our hunting and he, you, told me the same thing when I mentioned them."
"You are his, my, witch. Of course we would not expect repayment for potions ingredients." His eyes brightened a bit. "Are you a potioner?"
"I'm not as skilled as you are, but I can hold my own. It's not something I'd get my mastery in."
"Why not?"
"Unless you can teach me how to think differently, I'm a by the book person, which you have told me is not conducive to becoming a mistress in that field."
"Your previous potions instructor did not?"
She scoffed.
"It was you, and no. I think you were rather busy being a spy and trying to ensure those still loyal to the Dark Lord believed you were as well. Teaching the brainiac, muggleborn Gryffindor was not part of your plan. I suppose Slughorn could have my sixth year, but I was a little preoccupied myself by then with trying to prepare to survive. You helped, but there was a lot I researched on my own. I'd love to learn from you, Severus. Truly. Our private lessons, and I know you saw some of them in my memories. They meant the world to me, because you had no one to impress or think about how they thought. You truly just wanted to teach, to share your vast knowledge with me. Would the three of us have survived without those lessons? I like to think so. They were helpful, though. I was much more adept at identifying poisonous things, in particular. I wish everyone had the opportunity to see you that way, just wanting to impart knowledge, not having to play a role. You are so smart with so much knowledge to share."
"You survived, so you were obviously a more than capable student. I know the memories you shared were only a sliver of your life in hiding."
"They were," she said with a slight shiver.
"We can work on it, yes," he said, enjoying the challenge of someone who was skilled at potions and wanted to get better. If she truly was good and wanted to improve. He'd see. He doubted he would waste his time tutoring her, even in survival, if he thought she was incompetent.
"It's certainly a good thing it's 1981 and not my year," she said as they approached Gringotts.
"Oh?" he asked.
"Yes, if they have a Most Wanted list, I'm on it. You know how in muggle movies there's a poster of wanted people in post offices and banks."
He scoffed. "Right."
She stepped into an alley then, he followed. He didn't really have much choice, unless he was going to go to the bank without her. She was the one who needed money not him.
"What is it?"
"You think I'm lying to you."
"I think you might be exaggerating, yes."
"Let me show you."
He shook his head in disbelief, but did as she asked and dipped into her mind as he had earlier today. He understood what she meant when trying to describe what it was like having him in her mind moments ago. He'd never felt anything like this. Of course, he'd never really used legilimency on a willing participant either, but he doubted that would matter.
This was intimate, almost comforting, and she was so welcoming. He sensed she was a welcoming person in general and was, in fact, restraining herself where he was concerned, for his sake. Even her mind, though, welcomed and accepted him. He could tell that she had a few things occluded, but he suspected those were the things she could not tell him, not that she was trying to hide things or be deceitful.
This time, he only saw one memory. Hermione and two young wizards. One had to be Lily and James' son because he looked just like James. He'd seen the wizard earlier today in her memories, but there'd been so many that he hadn't really been able to focus on anything in particular. He, truthfully, had been focused on himself and his witch.
He'd looked so … old and incredibly scarred, as well as quite tired-seeming in those memories. And more than a little miserable. And, yet with her, the times it was just them, he seemed almost happy. He noticed a difference in him from before she knew and after he'd returned The Crucible to her, and with it her memories and started teaching her occlumency.
Now, though, he saw their excursion in Gringotts and their escape on… "A dragon?"
"Have I mentioned that I detest flying? Ten OWLs and touted as the brightest witch of my age, but I hate flying."
"I can fix that."
"I doubt it."
"Try me."
"So, that's how I know one of the items we're after is here."
"Assuming she has already moved it here."
"I believe she has, but yes, assuming. I'm going to assume that's the last one we're going to get as it entails a break-in again, and I don't think I'm going to have a goblin indebted to me this go-around to aid us."
He shook his head. She seemed to think he was a hero, but all he'd done apparently was try to right a wrong and spend years atoning for betraying his only friend. He wanted another witch to live. Knowing that, though, knowing about Lily, and the fact he'd loved her and, evidently, spent nearly twenty years working as a spy for her, she'd accepted their bond.
He wasn't stupid.
He'd asked, and she'd told him about his end. He had not asked about Lily's, because he noticed in none of the memories did she worry about the Potters or the son of Lily and James' family. She'd worried about the other wizard's family, the Weasleys. He knew Molly and Arthur Weasley. They had several children all with red hair, just like theirs. He was pretty sure she was pregnant with another one. He couldn't recall if this one would make seven or eight. One was close to Hogwarts age if he recalled correctly. Judging by the images in her memories, he assumed she was friends with one of their sons. He took that to mean somewhere along the way the young wizard, Harry, lost his parents.
He still hadn't processed that part yet. Lily died long before she should have.
This witch, though, did the things she did out of love, honor, and loyalty. She could have left and returned to the muggle world, never looking back after her first year at Hogwarts. She would have been safe. She would be unscarred. She would not have had to watch her soul mate, him, die. She'd have her parents if she'd done that. She could have run away after the Dark Lord's victory, taken his money, her new identity, and gone anywhere. She didn't have to come back here to try to fix anything. He certainly would never have known.
She promised him that she would, though, and this witch kept her word. She took rounds of the torture curse to protect their quest.
For once in his life, he felt truly humbled to have someone give him the time of day.
And she had been chosen for him!
"I shouldn't have doubted you."
She shrugged. "It was war. We did what we had to do."
She dropped her hand into his, squeezing.
"You did, too. You had a role in all of it, too, Severus. Before our lessons, before I knew of the soul mark, you'd been content to die. You assumed your end would come whenever the war ended. You weren't content any longer. It made me so happy that you wanted to live with me."
"Yet I still died."
"You planned on Nagini being the one to kill you, you prepared for that. You couldn't have realized that he was going to use another wizard to cast the killing curse on you and then use Nagini to kill that wizard. He believed, until the end, you were his man, and wanted your death to be quick and painless. Nagini would not have been that."
He gazed at their hands. He normally disliked being touched. Immensely. He found, surprisingly (or he supposed unsurprisingly, given who she was to him), that he did not want to let go.
"So, cash in some galleons, yeah?" she said, squeezing his hand again. "I show you these things, Severus, not to make you think you have to be like him. To walk the same path he did. You're already on the way to doing things different. I just want you to understand if I get jumpy unexpectedly that there's likely a reason."
She loosened her grip then as if to release it, but he tightened his hold and laced his fingers through hers. She gave an audible sound that, to his uneducated ears, sounded as if she was content. Happy even. They turned then, joining the crowd on the streets on their way to Gringotts.
"I understand. I shouldn't have doubted you."
"Well, I don't believe it. Look who's here. Snivellus. And is that a witch? I didn't think the girls from Knockturn Alley ever left their rooms."
"My fiancee, Leandra Rossi," Severus said simply.
He had no idea what else to say. He hadn't seen Black or Potter since, well, he couldn't even recall when. It was while he was on a brief visit home during his apprenticeship, but it was a while ago. Obviously, he wouldn't see Potter anytime soon. They were in hiding.
"I'd appreciate it if, regardless of your opinion of me, you treat her with the respect she deserves, Black."
"Fiancee? You?" Black laughed then, clearly taking Hermione in, though as he did it. Severus had no right to be … bothered, but he didn't like the way Black leered at her. At all. "Come on. Seriously. Is this a joke? Are you paying her? I mean you would almost have to be. Who would marry you? So she deserves no respect if that's the case."
"No, it most certainly is not a joke nor is he paying me. If you'll excuse us, we were about to take care of some business at the bank. Severus promised me a day of shopping, and you're interfering with that happening," Hermione said, resting her left hand against Severus' coat sleeve.
She wasn't wearing gloves so the ring she was wearing would be prominent and more than noticeable. The charm on her soul mark would be put to the test, too. He hadn't really mentioned or thought about how he was going to introduce her. Fiancee had slipped from his lips. For some reason, he wanted Black to know that he did indeed deserve this witch.
"Miss Rossi," Black said, bowing gallantly. The leer in his eyes, though, was not quite so polite as his bow tried to make him seem. He really didn't like the wizard looking at her that way. Soul marks or not, Black had a way with women. He always had, even as far back as when they were eleven. "You'll forgive me, but you're doing yourself a huge disservice associating with the likes of Snivellus."
"I suppose you think you would be the more viable choice than Master Snape?"
"Well, yes. You said it," he said.
"I happen to like my association with Severus very well to this point, thank you."
Suddenly, the hat Black was wearing flew from his head. Severus hadn't done it, but he sensed somehow the witch standing beside him had.
"Oh dear, it is quite windy today, isn't it. Best go fetch that before it gets trampled and ruined by someone."
"Right. Well, if you change your mind…"
"I will definitely not be looking in your direction. Good day," she said. "Severus, please, can we go now? I don't want to cut our shopping short. You never told me the people in magical London were so rude."
"I didn't need you…," he hissed.
"I know you didn't need me to do anything, Severus. However, I want to get through this day without having you hexed or arrested for assault. So, I took the liberty of removing Sirius' hat and sent him on his way. You think your fiancee would allow someone to insult you?"
"Well, I suppose not." He'd never really had someone before who cared if he was insulted. Lily did somewhat, but he saw her laughing with the Marauders a couple of times. As if he could help that he produced too much sebum?
"I might have an idea about how to get one of the other items," she said.
"Oh?"
"I'll have to think about it, but seeing Sirius actually made me think of it. I'd forgotten how flirtatious he can be."
"I guess he's good for something." He reached for her then, gripping her arm. "Just how well do you know him, that you're on a first name basis with him?"
"Not really that well. He is Harry's godfather."
"I suppose he would be," he said with a grimace.
"I'm not that familiar with him, Severus, nor am I truly that fond of him. Harry was," she said.
He shook his head at that. "Of course he was."
"It's not what you think," she said.
"It never is. Let's go get you some money."
"I appreciate you doing this for me."
"Well, you did offer me galleons."
"I did. I have them," she said, gesturing to her bag.
"I'm not taking them, by the way."
"Why not?" she asked with a frown.
"Because it's my money! I'm not going to take money from you that I meant for you to have."
"Well, some of it was my parents. I know you…"
"I can afford to get you some money. I'm still in my parents' home, and have a couple of potion patents that offer me a bit of income until I start at Hogwarts. I'm not able to afford a castle admittedly, however, nor am I destitute."
"Already?"
"I developed my first potion two months into my apprenticeship."
"It took you that long?"
He got defensive for a moment until he realized that she was … teasing him. She was genuinely surprised he hadn't had one done sooner?
"Cheeky witch, but it only took me that long because my master didn't believe I could have such an idea so soon into it."
"He obviously doesn't know you. You should have shown him your Advanced Potion-Making book."
"I showed you that, too? How? I left it at Hogwarts." He supposed he could have gained possession of it once again since he'd be back there this fall teaching.
She laughed. "Actually, no, you didn't, but I do have it. If you'd like it back, just tell me. I took it with me when I found it, and it's in my bag."
"You can keep it."
"Thank you. I admit, I like having it."
"Why?"
She shrugged. "I feel like it's a piece of you. I could touch it, look at it, and get a sense of you having touched those pages and what you were doing, what you looked like when you wrote those things down. I love watching you work, Severus. When you're truly working, not when you're teaching. It's different. Not that watching you teach is a hardship. Anyway, the book was lost for a while, but I found it while looking for something else and took it. It was very soothing when we were on the run."
"You're serious," he said, glancing at her for any indication of cheek or teasing.
"I am."
How odd. Flattering as hell, but odd just the same. Never had he imagined anything of his offering someone comfort.
They got her some muggle money at Gringotts. They then walked around the area some as, while Hermione had been here before, she'd never been here in 1981. They both seemed to have the same idea of saving Flourish and Blotts for last. Among her purchases there was the most recent edition of Hogwarts: A History .
"I thought I was being facetious in my letter to you about that book."
"No," she said. "When will I ever have an opportunity to own a new copy of this edition again? And be able to compare it to the one I have from my timeline as to what changes."
She had other purchases and he did as well. He bought her books for her, shrinking the bag down to fit into his pocket with their other purchases. He wasn't sure he'd ever been shopping with a witch, other than his mother. He had to admit she wasn't nearly as tedious as he'd heard other wizards talk about witches being while shopping. She wanted to see the stores, sure, but she didn't spend hours browsing. She told him which shops she'd like to return to, but she moved on just seeming to enjoy getting a feel for 1981.
"Ice cream or the Leaky Cauldron?" he asked as their day was drawing to an obvious close. There just were no more stores left for her to see. Other than the quidditch supply store, and that didn't seem to interest her at all, which he found interesting.
"Um, the Leaky today, yeah? We can do ice cream some other time when it's not April."
"Sure," he said with an agreeable nod. He found himself in no hurry to get back home. He wouldn't have believed that was true when they left for Diagon Alley.
"Severus," she asked softly as they left the bookstore.
"Yes, Leandra?"
"Would you hold my hand again?"
"Is there a reason you asked and didn't just hold mine?"
She shrugged. "I'm not sure of your limitations, and what you may perceive as being pushy by me. I don't want to be that, but I like your touch. Even if it's just your hand."
"I did give you the option to…"
"I'm not doing that, Severus."
"Ever?"
That didn't bode well if she had no plans on ever having sex with him again. Well, the other him. Him. Whatever. He'd sure like the experience of sex with his soul mate. Did she not want to again? Had he not made it good to where she enjoyed it? She didn't look at him as if she didn't want him to touch her. In fact, she looked at him as if she wanted to launch herself into his arms.
And there were parts of him that were equally curious and scared of that look.
"I didn't say that. I don't know you and you don't know me. I'm not going to shag you so your mum doesn't have to charm my soul mark."
"And if someone does see yours?"
"Are the soul marks always in the same place?" she asked.
"I have no idea. I assumed you did."
She scoffed. "I've researched. I have a friend from Bulgaria who lent me some darker texts he owns over the Christmas holidays after I'd first learned of the marks."
He vaguely remembered seeing obviously magical books in the memory she'd shared with him of watching movies together.
"I found nothing. So would it be possible to say yours isn't on your finger?"
"I suppose, but if it comes down to doubt, I could be punished or made to show it."
"Well, between the charm, which seems to be working, and the ring I think we'll be fine. Hopefully, we won't be attending too many formal dinners at Malfoy Manor."
"What are your plans?"
"To hunt the items down that I'm looking for, with you. I plan to destroy them and possibly celebrate with you the fact that we succeed without pain and hardship."
"Anymore."
"Yeah, that," she said.
He offered her his hand, which she took immediately, offering him a smile as she did. He hadn't realized she'd wanted him to until she asked. He could get used to it, the contact with another person he realized as they walked to the Leaky Cauldron.
He could also get used to being the reason she smiled.
x.x.x.
What exactly did you say to Lucius in your letter?
Why?
He's here, and it appears he has spotted us.
Just be Leandra and we'll be fine.
"Severus, I thought I might find you here before leaving wizarding London," the older wizard said once they'd greeted one another.
"You thought correct, Lucius." More likely, the wizard didn't believe Severus' letter was sincere, and came to see what game Severus was up to. "How fortunate to run into you before we head back to my parents'."
"Lucky timing, old friend," he said, patting Severus on the back.
"What brings you to London then?" Severus asked.
"Well, Narcissa told me of your owl and, of course, a guest is welcome. I hope you know that goes without saying. The notice was appreciated, but as she mentioned your guest is a fiancee. Well, your fiancee will always be welcome at our table. I was curious, though, as I hadn't heard the news."
"I hadn't had the opportunity to announce it to anyone yet, Lucius. First order, of course, was her meeting my parents."
"I didn't realize you even had a witch you were interested in enough to propose. But pray tell, instead of talking about and around her, please introduce me to the enchanting witch standing beside you."
"Leandra Rossi, my old friend, Lucius Malfoy."
Hermione offered her hand properly to Lucius who took it and kissed the air above her wrist as propriety deemed appropriate. She wondered how out of place Severus felt in circumstances like this. He didn't behave badly or anything, but she knew he wasn't raised like this. She smiled politely, pretending to be impressed and taken in by his eyes, as she was sure other witches fell victim to, when in reality she wanted to vomit.
Come to think of it, she'd been wanting to do a lot of that the past few days, which she attributed to time traveling first forty years into the past followed immediately by going forward another twenty-four. This, though, was not the queasiness of earlier. She'd vomited profusely after arriving in 1957, but hadn't so badly when arriving in 1981 as the jumps between 1957 and 1981 weren't quite so large. At least she presumed that was why. This she assumed was her survival instinct kicking in, telling her to get away from this wizard, and fast.
You will be fine, Witch.
Five little words, but they calmed her. He'd known she was panicking, or feeling something, and he'd reached out to assure her.
God she loved him.
"A pleasure, Miss Rossi," he said, releasing her hand.
"Likewise, Mr. Malfoy, but please if you're as good of a friend of Severus' as he's mentioned in his letters, then please call me Leandra."
"And you, my lovely, may call me Lucius. Do the two of you have time to join me for a drink before you must return home, Severus?"
"Of course."
"Great," he said. "I was able to get a table over here."
Severus held Hermione's hand as they followed Lucius to the table Hermione had seen him sitting at when they arrived. Hermione took the seat closest to the wall, leaving Severus on the outside of the table. He nodded his head slightly in approval.
She knew well enough that even this Severus would protect her, and would not want her sitting out in the open where someone could hurt her without going through him first. Another day, another time she might argue with him about the … need to protect her. However, the last battle she witnessed was still fresh in her mind. Seeing this wizard and her best friend dead.
She'd take his protection.
"So, how was your day? You must have enjoyed yourself if you're just arriving at the Leaky Cauldron now. Is this your first time in London, Leandra?"
"It was lovely, and it's my first time in many years, yes. It was like seeing it through new eyes, and Severus is a most capable tour guide," she said.
"Does your family live in Mirto then?"
"No. My father did as a child. Father moved here for an internship and met Mother. Eventually, they relocated back there when I was young, Mother wanted to be more secluded. We're not far, though, close to Palermo."
"I hear it's lovely, though I've never been."
"I love it there," she said sincerely.
In truth, her grandparents have a home near Palermo where she'd spent many summers while growing up. They were as muggle as can be, and had a house with a property full of nut and fruit trees. Grandma had a small but profitable business of jams, nut butters, and the like. Hermione loved summers at her grandparents'. They were still there, of course, but not as active as they used to be. She hadn't gone to see them since arriving in this time. Maybe one day she could convince Severus to go with her, even if she couldn't tell them who she was.
"And you, Severus, how did you meet this lovely witch?"
"I met her shopping for potion ingredients, actually. We haggled over which of us was going to take the last of the fresh chicken livers, as the store's other offerings were clearly not fresh, despite being advertised as such."
"And who won this haggling?" the older wizard queried, clearly intrigued.
"Why, I did of course, as she is now my fiancee. As to who got the ingredients, she allowed me to have them."
Lucius was clearly hanging on every word, and buying it, too. It had to help that she was sitting close to Severus, closer than necessary. The booths weren't overly roomy, but they weren't so small she had to be this close. She liked being next to him, though. She liked the feel of his heat against her. She missed it. She wasn't sure until them holding hands here in Diagon Alley how much she missed just being able to be near him.
"And you took them? Severus!"
He looked almost equally shocked and impressed. She took that to mean Severus' story was viable sounding. That was good. She should have made them talk about a story before he sent the letter, but honestly, she truly didn't think Lucius would come to Diagon Alley upon receipt of the owl he sent. Hopefully said fiance would continue to be happy with his off the cuff story he'd just committed them to. She was fine with it. It fit their personalities, she thought. If he'd told Lucius they met at a club or something, no doubt the older wizard would not believe that. That just wasn't Severus' style, even at this age she knew that was true.
"I did, but the shopkeeper clearly knew ‘dra well. So, I discreetly ensured he delivered the next fresh chicken livers to her employer as per her quantity requirement on my galleon. With it, I included a note with a way for her to contact me if she wanted to haggle over other potions ingredients. Obviously she did, and here we are."
Lucius laughed heartily at the tale Severus spontaneously weaved. She was surprised he came up with something off the cuff as convincing as this story was. She supposed he had been working as an apprentice. As she just thought, such a thing didn't lend itself to numerous nights out at bars or anything, so he had to come up with a plausible excuse for their paths to have crossed.
She also noticed Lucius' eyebrow had arched, intrigued at Severus' use of an apparent pet name when he called her ‘dra. She liked it. Lea would have been an obvious choice, but ‘dra made it seem more personal. A name between them, and not one anyone but him would call her. She almost told him so, but realized she had no idea what Lucius' legilimency or occlumency skills were and didn't want to chance him realizing they could communicate in such a manner.
She wasn't ashamed or embarrassed by it, but who knew if there'd come a time when they'd need to. They would surely do well to have the element of surprise and subterfuge on their side.
"Well done, Severus."
"I think so, yes, and thank you," he said.
The older wizard turned his focus on her then and she fought the urge to fidget, or draw away.
"Are you in England to stay then, Leandra?"
"Not yet, no. I wanted to visit Severus and, as he said, meet his parents, and see his world a bit. It's been years since I have been in Britain. Obviously, eventually though, yes, this will be my home."
"I was surprised he only told me today about bringing a guest."
Trying to find holes in their story. So, despite Severus' story being solid and believable, he was still unsure. Interesting. As if Severus would have reason to lie about such a thing. (Okay, they hadn't officially been engaged in 1998 or now, but that aside.)
"He'd mentioned Easter dinner at your home, of course, when we were discussing my coming. He's told me so much about you and your wife that I looked forward to meeting you. I wasn't sure I'd be able to get away before Easter, though."
He gave a barely noticeable nod, but she saw it and was pretty sure Severus had, too. She thought it sounded reasonable she wasn't sure when she'd be able to get away.
"What is it that you do?"
"I am studying to be a healer."
"A noble profession. The world needs healers."
"Always," she said with a nod. She couldn't help but picture Hogwarts' grounds May 1998, and all the dead witches and wizards that the healers would be hopeless to help. She set her hand over Severus'. "I consider myself most fortunate I was on duty when they discovered they needed those chicken livers."
"I hope no one suffered as a result of your not being able to get them?"
"I think Severus paid extra because we had them the very next morning."
"And again, Severus, well done."
He nodded simply.
"Do you study in Austria?"
"No. I study under a private healer, so we go where the patients need us. Sometimes it's homebound care, or just someone who cannot, or will not in some cases, go to their local healing facility. Some can be very particular, some don't want anyone to see them seeking medical treatment."
"We could use something like that here."
"Well," she said, squeezing Severus' hand. "Perhaps I can bring such an idea with me."
"You are staying then, Severus?"
"I have no intentions on leaving, Lucius. I just accepted a position at Hogwarts as you recall."
"I'd be a fool to ask him to walk away from such an opportunity. I've done my research, and am quite positive he's the youngest professor hired there in decades." She leaned in. "Well deserved," she said softly with a wink. "He's quite the potion master."
"And has Severus filled you in on the current political climate here, Leandra?"
"Of course, and while I'm sometimes away from the wizarding world, generally speaking, I manage to keep informed. I support Severus' endeavors completely. I wouldn't have agreed to marry him if I did not," she said.
Severus lifted her hand from his, taking hold of it, and bringing it to his lips. She took that to mean she answered correctly.
"I look forward to you meeting my wife, I am confident that you and Narcissa will become close friends."
"I hope that is true."
"And our new son, of course."
"Yes," Hermione said with a nod. "Severus mentioned your new addition in one of his letters last summer, was it?"
"You are quite right, my witch," he said, and her heart stopped for a moment at the term of endearment.
"He will be one in less than two months."
"Oh, what a precious age," she said. "You must be so proud."
"Absolutely I am."
"Does Draco have your eyes, Lucius?"
"Not quite, but very close."
"Pity, as you do have lovely eyes."
"You flatter me, Leandra, thank you."
"I only see what surely every other witch sees, but you are most welcome. Of course, I'm partial to eyes so dark they look black myself."
"Naturally," Lucius quipped.
"It's funny," she said, turning her attention to the wizard sitting next to her instead of across from her. "Most would tell you that Severus' eyes are difficult to read, but I don't. Even that first day, he didn't scare me as much as he tried initially. I love when he looks at me in a way that's meant only for me from across a room. I love it, because no one else sees it, and I feel like I snuck away with the grand prize."
"You are too kind, my witch."
"I speak the truth, Severus. Your eyes alone could be my undoing."
"I will bear that in mind the next time we have privacy, my love."
"You know," Lucius said. "We do have plenty of room at Malfoy Manor. If you wanted some time away from your parents', Severus, you'd be more than welcome to come tomorrow, and stay the night of Easter as well. I know Narcissa would welcome any opportunity to get to know Leandra better, and you'd have whatever privacy you want other than the formal dinner plans on Sunday."
"It is up to you, my witch," Severus said. "I know that you looked forward to getting to know my mum better."
He had to know exactly what she was thinking about, though she was trying to keep her thoughts very neutral. Her shields were up in full force right now. She hadn't felt anyone poking or prodding into her mind, but she was taking no chances. His mum knowing the truth was more than enough extra people being aware.
"That is an unexpectedly generous offer, Lucius. I'll admit, I'd planned for most of my time to be spent near Severus' home, other than the potential for dinner with you if we were able to attend at your home Sunday, so my attire may be somewhat lacking."
"Be as informal as you need to be, Leandra. For that matter, don't leave your rooms at all other than dinner Sunday. It has to have been some time since you two were able to be alone."
"It has indeed," Severus whispered, brushing his lips over the back of her hand.
"I see no reason we shouldn't unless, of course, it would offend your mother, Severus," Hermione said. "I'd hate to do that so soon after just meeting her."
"She would not be offended in the least, I am sure of it."
"Then you can accept your friend's offer for the both of us."
"As you heard, Lucius, we would be happy to take you up on the generous offer."
"I will have Narcissa prepare rooms for you. Come anytime after breakfast tomorrow."
"Perfect," Severus said.
From there the conversation turned lighter. Actually, Hermione listened intently as Lucius and Severus spoke of this and that from their time at Hogwarts. Lucius, being a little older, was in his seventh year when Severus was in his first year, but it sounded like her wizard had captured Lucius' attention even then. It was rather fascinating. So she used being a good fiancee and kept her mouth shut as would be expected when "the men" were talking to listen and gain more information.
Story ©Susan Falk/APCKRFAN/PhantomRoses.com