Snakes

The little group reaches the happy home and as they pass through the doorway last, Snape catches Elsbet up and asks her quietly, "please, promise me you will not go back there without me. That place makes me...uncomfortable. Will you 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,...

Snape sleeps for several hours, waking only when the room has gotten a bit chilly. He looks up at the hole in the ceiling and marvels at the stars for some time, then closes the hole. He sits up and turns slightly, his gaze falling on the three people sharing the bed with him. He marvels at them, at the wonder of the four of them here in this room, in this house, in this city. Elsbet sleeps soundly, wrapped tightly and securely in Malfoy's arms, Therion sleeps with his arms around them. Dumbledore always said Love is the most powerful Magic there is, and Snape has always known the truth of...

But nothing comes. She stands in the center of what she doesn't realize is a very large square chamber, waiting. "Hello? Aiya!" She takes a few steps forward, then becomes aware that she is not alone. "You greet me in Quenya! Little Ellie," the soft voice says, "you are such a precious child." She looks all around her but can not see the speaker. "I'm not a child." The Grand Inquisitor laughs and says, "you are to me, and I am considerably older than you." She struggles to see the speaker in the gloom, but just can't find her. "How old are you?" The Grand Inquisitor laughs again, then tells...

The voice cuts him as he glides silently toward his private room. "Do you know what time it is, Lucius? It is two thirty in the morning. Where have you been?" He's defensive immediately, but keeps his tone civil as he turns to face her. "I've been out, Narcissa. Personal business." She takes a step forward, face impassive. "With Severus, again?" He steps closer as well. "Yes." She steps to the right, but he does not move. "You disappear suddenly without a word to me and return well into the morning hours, and the only explanation you give me is 'personal business'. I'm your wife, Lucius..."...

Snape pulls off his nightrobe and lays it over a chair, then takes Therion's from him and does the same. He notices something on Therion's arm, or rather, something missing...Therion doesn't meet his gaze, but shows him his left arm. Where there was once a Dark Mark is a terrible scar. Snape asks him quietly who did it for him, but he doesn't say. "I swore an oath that I'd never tell. That's why they agreed. The process was absolutely excrutiating, but I was desperate--" Snape leads him over to the bed and they sit down carefully, so as not to wake Malfoy and Elsbet. "You didn't have it done...

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, mushroom soup and spiced cider. He has the feeling that his loved ones are having the same, and while that feeling gives him some comfort, the food never tastes the same. It's never as good here, and lately, that difference is even more 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 more 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,...

Malfoy does as she asks and a window opens above them, revealing the beautiful starfilled night sky. She is warm in Snape's arms, warm, soft and beautiful, and as he looks down into her face, into her bright, blue eyes he knows how empty he would be without her. He could hold her like this forever. But the desire to hold gives way to the need to act; he kisses her tenderly and caresses her, and Malfoy strokes her star-lit hair. "How shall we please you, little love?" She looks from Snape to Malfoy, blushing just a bit at his question. Therion settles behind Malfoy, rests his head on the wizard's...

Snape feels the man in his arms slip into a very deep, healing sleep, while he himself sleeps only lightly.

For some reason, he feels as if he's waiting for something. It's not a sense of forboding, he senses no direct threats, and yet...he is uneasy. He lets his mind wander free throughout the city as he has done so many times before and is comforted by the other minds his touches. If someone three years ago had told him he would almost be at peace with himself and would actually feel joy, he would likely have used one of that odd Lovegood girl's sayings, and told them their mind had been stolen...