Chapter 8: The Picnic

Alex put the finishing touches on dessert.  She wrapped it and placed it in the hamper.  I hope he’s hungry, she thought looking at the hamper, which was packed to the top. 

She had a few minutes to rush up to her room and fix herself up a little.  She knew exactly what she would wear.  I think the teal blue velvet dress with the low neck.  I can take my shawl. 

As she wrapped two wine glasses and put them in the hamper, she called out to one of her friends in the kitchen, “Dobby, will you please do me a favor?”

Dobby’s large green eyes brightened.  “Yes, Miss.  You is going on a picnic this afternoon?”

“Yes, Dobby.  Will you please put this hamper in my car for me so I can run and change?”

“Yes, Miss.” 

“Thanks, Dobby,” she said, and handed him her keys. 

Alex ran up to her room, took a quick shower, and dressed.  Checking herself in the mirror after putting on some make-up she thought,  Not such a total troll.

“Going out, are we, dear?” asked the mirror. 

“Yep.”

“A bit low-cut for midday, don’t you think?”  the mirror asked her.

“Nope.  Let’s put it this way, if I want this one, I’ll have to hit him over the head and drag him into the cave.”

“Oh well, in that case, dear, do wear the dress and don’t forget your club!”  Gee, that makes me feel better . . .

As she rushed out of the oak front doors, Alex ran into Harry, Ron, and Hermione.  “Hi, guys, I’ll see you later at dinner,” she said to them, and then rushed away.

When Alex got to her car, Dobby was waiting for her.  “You is meeting Professor Snape, Miss.  I just saw him leave a few minutes ago.  You is made the sponge cake with strawberry filling like Dobby told you,” he said smiling, at her sheepishly.  “Dobby thinks Miss Alexandra is looking very pretty.”

“Why thank you, Dobby.  Good detective work.  I am meeting Professor Snape.  You know, I think my brother could use you as a secret agent,” Alex said to the beaming elf. 

“Thanks again!”  As she drove out of the gate a little faster than she meant to, she noticed that her palms were sweaty.  It’s no wonder, she thought.  It’s pretty hard to have a private life in this place when even the elves and the mirrors keep tabs on you.

*  *  *

As Harry, Ron, and Hermione watched her walking to her car, Ron spoke up.  “She’s looking a bit posh.  I wonder what’s up?”

Harry just looked at him, but didn’t say anything.

“Oh, no,” said Ron with a horrified look on his face.  “Not that again.  I thought it was all a bad dream.”

“You should keep your nose out of it, Ron,” Hermione snapped as they watched Alex drive away.

Fred, George, and Lee came up just then and confirmed Ron’s suspicions.  “I thought we were seeing things, mate.  There was Snape dressed in Muggle gear walking out the front gate.  We almost didn’t recognize him.” Fred reported solemnly.

“Yeah,” said George, “Clean hair and everything.”

“Then a bit later, we saw her tearing out of the gate in her car.  I tell you, she’s not half bad for her age,” Lee said, with a wistful look on his face.

“Oh, honestly,” said Hermione with a twinge of disgust in her voice.  “If you really liked her, you’d mind your own business.”  The three friends walked in and had lunch, without another word about Alex and Snape.

*  *  *

Alex spotted Severus on the main road and pulled over.  He was wearing a dark green shirt and dark trousers.  He had pulled his hair back into a ponytail, perhaps in an effort to look more like a Muggle.  Alex was very surprised, but she really loved it.  He looks pretty hot, she thought and took some pleasure in the fact that he went to the trouble to look nice.

“Hey, there,” she greeted him, as she got out of the car.  “Ready to take the wheel?”

“It’s been a while, but I think I am.”

“Don’t worry.  It’s an automatic.  I am a lazy American, after all.”

They got in the car and she pushed the button to let the top down.  Severus looked at her.  He seemed to be taking in the dress she was wearing.  “Do you want me to suggest a spot?” he asked.

“That sounds good,” she said.  “I’ve flown over the area, but I don’t know it that well.”  It’s just as well that I’m not driving.  He’s so distracting, I might just end up on the wrong side of the road!

Severus drove through Hogsmeade and continued north for a bit.  He told her that he was looking for a certain stream he’d seen before.  In a few minutes, they had arrived. 

“This is the perfect place!” she exclaimed, smiling at him.  She looked around before conjuring a table and two chairs.  She opened the hamper and started setting the table.  She uncorked the wine and gave him a glass.  “I hope you like red wine,” she said.

“Thank you.  I do,” he said, taking the glass.  “May I help you?” he asked.

“Just relax, Severus.  I’ll put you to work cleaning up later,” she said, smiling at him again.

*  *  *

He was glad to oblige, since that gave him the perfect opportunity to sit and look at her.  Wild little girl, she has grown up to be quite appealing.    He thought back to the letter he’d received from her a few weeks after the night of Lily’s death.  He had refused to respond.  Years later he had heard that she was engaged and then that her fiancé had been killed.  Is it wrong to be glad that he’s out of the picture and that she’s here now? 

*  *  *

Alex set out the last of the food and said, “Let’s eat.  I’m starving, aren’t you?”

They ate and talked about the school and the students, enjoying the sunshine and the delicate breeze.  “Alexandra, I didn’t expect anything so elaborate.  Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.  It relaxes me to be in the kitchen and I really like the house-elves.”

“What is that necklace that you’re wearing?”  he asked.  She noticed that he been staring a bit and thought maybe he was studying the locket she was wearing at the base of her throat.  The gold case had the letter “C” engraved on it.  She knew that it appeared that the “C” was shining with a violet light.

“This locket was my grandmother’s.  After she died we learned that it is a very important piece of jewelry.  It might well save my life some day.”  Seeing the effect this had on him, she continued her story. 

“Gran was a student at Hogwarts some fifty years ago.  She was Christina Shelton before she met my grandfather.  Gran fell in love with a dark-haired orphan named Tom when she was in her fourth year.  He gave her this locket.  In the locket, he placed his picture and one lock of hair for each year they were a couple.  Things didn’t work out for them, though.  Gran knew that Tom was slipping away from her as he delved deeper into the Dark Arts.  When she was in her sixth year, she had a dream that he would someday transform himself into something horrible, something less than human.  She broke it off with him and strangely enough, he never tried to retaliate.  She kept the locket and his hair.  After she left Hogwarts, she had several copies of the locket made and used an ancient Shielding Charm to create what she hoped would be protection for the person wearing the locket.  Hopefully, as long as I wear this, Tom can’t hurt me.” 

“By Tom, I take it you mean Lord Voldemort.”

“Yes, Severus.  In fact I have something to give you.”  She pulled a small bag out of her pocket.  “Michael sent me one of the copies for you.  You can wear yours on the inside of your robes.”

“How do you know this will still work, after all the transformations he’s undergone?”

“I don’t.  Michael found these just before James and Lily were killed, but he didn’t understand their significance immediately.  They were hidden in the corner of the basement of her house.  The letter explaining their purpose was in her safety deposit box in the U.S. wizarding bank.  It was only by some strange coincidence that Michael even found the letter.  The night Voldemort arrived at Godric’s Hollow to kill the Potters, Michael had come to see Dumbledore to try to locate James and Lily.  It was too late, so the lockets were never tested.”  Alex stood up and stepped around the table.  She pinned the locket to the inside of his shirt pocket.  She felt tears welling up in her eyes.  She took his hand.

“Let’s go for a walk,” she said, trying to cheer up.  “It’s so beautiful here and we may not see the sun for a while after today.  We can clear up and have dessert later.”  They walked hand in hand in silence for a while.

*  *  *

Severus looked over at her.  Should I kiss her?  Does she really want me?  I must admit, my desires definitely outstrip my experience.

As if she could hear what he was thinking, she drew closer and put her arm around his waist.  He put his arm around her shoulder.  She seemed to want to be closer still, and led him to the nearest tree.  She leaned on the trunk and looked up at him.  He looked into her eyes for an instant and saw how much she wanted him.  He pulled her to him and kissed her very tenderly.  “Lexy,” he whispered softly into her ear.  “Lexy.”  He kissed her a bit more urgently, trying to control himself. 

They kissed and nuzzled a bit more.  “Are you ready for dessert now, Severus?” she asked.

“I thought I was just having dessert,” he said with a wry smile.

“Why, Professor Snape,” she said in her best Scarlett O’Hara.  “Are you trying to be naughty?”

“If that’s what you want.” 

He waited for a sarcastic response, but all she could do was giggle.  “Could it be, Alexandra Lennox, that I have finally rendered you speechless?”  She doubled over with laughter and had to stop walking.  “I suppose I had better enjoy this moment.  It may never happen again,” he said and smiled just a little.

*  *  *

She put her arm around him and they walked back to the clearing.  Alex realized that she had finally let go of Eric.  It feels so right.  I haven’t felt this happy in a long time.  

They spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying each other’s company.  They had dessert, which was a big hit with him, as Dobby had predicted.  That elf is a regular yenta, she thought. 

They sat on a blanket and pretended to read the books they brought with them, stopping to kiss and snuggle a little here and there.  They went back to the castle in time for dinner.  Although they separated before entering the building and changing back into their robes, they did sit together at dinner.  Alex noticed that he didn’t seem to mind sitting close and talking privately to her.  She observed more than a few curious looks from the some of the other teachers and from some of the students, as they left together.  He walked her back to her room, came in for a little while to talk, and then left. 

The next morning as Alex entered the Great Hall, she noticed that Severus was not in his usual place.  At her normal spot was a lovely crystal vase full of water.  She sat down, looking at the vase and could find nothing to indicate why it was there.  She heard the rush of owl wings and one by one, twelve owls dropped beautiful red roses on her plate.  The twelfth owl had a note tied to his leg.  She fed all twelve of them and took the small piece of parchment from the last owl’s leg.  The note said, “Alexandra, I love you.  Severus.”  She stared at it disbelievingly for a second.  Someone must have helped him with this one, but hey, I’ll take it.