Chapter Sixty-Eight: Bad Timing

Chapter Sixty-Eight: Bad Timing

Sunday, 21 March 1999

Severus headed straight for the Hospital Wing when he returned to the castle. If he was going to implement Stage One of Operation Woo and Win Poppy Pomfrey, there was no time like the present to take the first step.

He presented himself to Mrs Framingham, who had barely left her frame before Poppy opened the door to him.

"Severus, come in! I was about to make myself some tea, perhaps you'd join me?" she asked, stepping back to let him in.

"I would like that. Thank you. But first, I have something for you," he replied as she closed the door. It was a hopeful sign that she had invited him to have tea with her, he thought. They'd done nothing like that since their early morning conversation several days before. "I was in Hogsmeade today, and I was thinking of you."

Poppy took the bag that he held out to her. "What a nice surprise! Thank you!"

Casually taking a seat on the sofa, Severus nonetheless felt nervous as he watched Poppy put the bag down on the coffee table and look inside it. She saw the tea first and smiled as she took it from the bag.

"Jasmine! We'll have to have this tea right now. It's one of my favourites...did you know that?" she asked.

"I hoped it would be suitable," Severus replied. "And I thought the tin was appealing, as well."

"It is very pretty. Thank you!"

"There's more yet." Severus gestured toward the bag.

Poppy pulled out the pink and white box with the Madam Puddifoot's logo on it. "Mmm, anything from Madam Puddifoot's is bound to be delicious," she said. She set the box on the coffee table and untied the string. "Oh! Florentines! They are one of my secret vices, Severus. And the little biscuits look good, too. Thank you!"

Severus couldn't help his smile. He had chosen well, then, and she was pleased. His smile grew when she bent and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"You didn't need to get me anything," she said, "but these are wonderful and very thoughtful of you."

"I'm glad. As I said, I was thinking of you and I wanted to bring you something when I saw you this afternoon."

"I'll fix the tea now. Would you like the biscuits with it?"

"I am not hungry at the moment, but please have some yourself, if you would like."

Poppy quickly prepared the tea, and as it was steeping, she set out a Florentine and a couple of the small buttery biscuits on a plate for herself. She sat down in the chair at the end of the sofa.

"I'd been looking forward to seeing you this afternoon, actually, Severus," Poppy confessed.

"As was I. Looking forward to seeing you, that is."

"You could take off your jacket, if you like," Poppy said. "You look very nice today. Did you have special plans?"

Severus shrugged off the leather jacket and sent it to drape over another chair. "I assisted Ms Benetti with some trial flights of a broomstick she is testing for Nimbus." Lest Poppy believe it was a date, he added, "I saw her in the Three Broomsticks on Friday night and she showed the broomstick to me then. Well, after we left, she showed it to me. She had one more set of tests to run before she could write her report. Since I'd never seen a broomstick tested before, I thought that would be interesting, so she invited me to watch and I was able to help her record her results."

Poppy nodded, smiling.

"It was a pleasant day for it," Severus continued when Poppy didn't say anything. "A little windy, but she said that would be good for the high altitude tests. She said it went more quickly with my assistance."

Poppy nodded again. "I see. I'm glad you enjoyed it."

How should he indicate to Poppy that he wasn't interested in Helena, he wondered. "I ran into McGonagall after I left Ms Benetti. Hermione was gone for the day, and his mother is spending most of her time at the estate, so he was eating lunch at the Three Broomsticks. I joined him. I considered trying to set up McGonagall with Ms Benetti, but I think he's interested in someone else at the moment. Also, after having lost her fiancé so recently, I doubt that she would be interested in dating yet."

It seemed to Severus that Poppy's smile brightened, and she reached over to pour their tea. "They would make a stunning couple, though," she said.

"Indeed."

"So, who is Gareth interested in?"

Severus hesitated. "I believe he has not yet told the lady in question, so it would be better if I didn't say anything just yet."

"I understand. And it's a witch?" Poppy asked, adding a little milk to their tea.

"Yes." Poppy must know of McGonagall's eclectic sexual proclivities, Severus thought...either that or she was distinguishing a witch from a Muggle.

"You two seem to be becoming friends. It's nice that he feels he can confide in you about his relationships," Poppy said.

"Indeed. He has been a good friend to me, as well. That was unexpected."

"He is a good man," Poppy said. "Somehow a wonderful combination of his mother and his father. You would have liked his father, I believe, Severus."

"I have heard something about Malcolm McGonagall. Even at his age, Gareth seems to have quite a case of hero-worship for him."

"Malcolm was a great wizard, and it was a terrible loss," Poppy replied. "Minerva told me once that Albus had said that Malcolm possessed as much magical power and talent as he did, but he had much less interest in utilising it publicly than Albus did, less ambition. Minerva always said that Malcolm was too flighty, as well, and too, well, I suppose we'd call it 'hyperactive' nowadays. He was also rather unconventional...Malcolm disliked the Ministry more than almost any wizard I've met, and he wasn't very good at working within the establishment. 'The Wild McGonagall,' Gertrude would tease, and he'd tease back that she'd tamed him and he wasn't wild any longer. He was a true free spirit. Yet he never shirked his duty as he saw it! He was even somewhat at odds with Albus, though, over the approach that the Order of the Phoenix was taking toward Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Malcolm advocated a much more proactive approach, more aggressive, and very early on, he thought that we should have a spy in their midst. Albus didn't know how they could accomplish that without recruiting someone of dubious moral character and questionable loyalty to the Order, and yet having someone become a Death Eater who was already a member of the Order seemed nearly impossible, given that they were all well-known for their opposition to Voldemort. It was rather a stroke of good fortune that later you . . . that you became available." Poppy paused. "Terrible for you, of course, whether you had become a spy or not. But they were terrible times."

"They were. Speaking purely for myself, I wish I had not been such a fool and joined the Death Eaters. However, my life came to have some meaning even through that error, and I believed that my death in the war would have meaning, as well. It is not everyone who can say such a thing."

Poppy nodded thoughtfully. "And now?"

"And now . . . I believe that I might find some further redemption," Severus admitted softly. "And as for my life now and my future, I begin to have some hope." He raised his gaze to meet Poppy's eyes. He took a breath and found courage. "You've given me hope. One of the best nights of my life, if not perhaps the very best in my life, was spent with you, Poppy. I hope that there will be more of them."

"I hope there will be, as well, Severus," Poppy said. "You deserve many happy days, you know."

"Whether I deserve them or not, I hope to have them, and with you. In fact . . . I thought that perhaps we might go out to dinner this evening. Neither of us is scheduled for the Great Hall, and we don't have patrol duty, either, so..."

"I'm sorry, Severus," Poppy interrupted, "I can't. I already have plans for the evening."

"Oh . . . I see." Although he had immediately tried to mask it, Severus couldn't completely hide his disappointment from Poppy.

"But if I didn't already have plans," Poppy added, "I'd have liked to go have gone to dinner with you."

"Of course. It was just an idea." He stood, sighing. He had been too late. "I should go. You probably need to get ready for your date."

"I don't have to just yet," Poppy said. "You could stay a while longer."

"If you wish me to," Severus replied, unhappy that she hadn't denied it was a date.

"I do. I've missed you, Severus...I'm sorry," she said quickly with a shake of her head, "I shouldn't have said that."

"Why not? Is it not true?"

"Yes, it is, but it isn't fair. You . . . you need to go out and enjoy yourself with others."

Severus looked down at her. "You said that you believed we should simply take a break to think about what we want. Have you thought about what you want?"

Poppy stood and stepped away from her chair, thinking for a moment, then she turned to face him. "What I want . . . I want you to be happy, Severus. I want to do the right thing for you. I want to be a good friend to you."

Severus reached out tentatively, as if to caress her face, but he dropped his hand. "A good friend? Is that all that you want?"

"My friends are important to me. Friendship is a good and important thing, Severus."

"I recognise that . . . but . . . I've missed you, too, Poppy. I hoped we could begin to see each other again."

Poppy hesitated.

"If you wish me to keep my distance from you, to remain aloof, I shall, but that is not what I want," Severus said, trying to remain calm and sound reasonable, though he felt anything but reasonable at that moment. "I wish to be able to take you to dinner, to have tea with you in your rooms, and just spend time with you. I want to see you, Poppy, often, not just for Hogwarts business and not just as friends."

"We did just have tea in my rooms, Severus, and I would have accepted your invitation to dinner if I hadn't already had plans. I simply think it wouldn't be bad for you to go out with others, as well."

"As a friend, Poppy? I have been out with others. I went out with the staff to the Broomsticks on Friday. I spent time with Helena Benetti earlier today, and then I met up with Gareth after that. Spending time with them did not abate my desire to be with you."

"I won't ask whether you've had any . . . well, if you've been intimate with anyone..."

"I have not..." Severus began.

"I don't want to know, but it also hasn't been very long. Less than a week, really. I'd think you might want to date someone, or at least have a few casual relationships, whether they proceed to intimacy or not. You needn't rush. Take your time. You have time now."

"That isn't what I want, Poppy." He paused, thinking of Quin MacAirt. "Of course, if that is what you want for yourself, if you are trying to be . . . kind, if you have discovered that you want to be with someone else . . ."

"It's not that. It really isn't." She placed a reassuring hand on his arm. "I did go out with an old friend on Friday, as I mentioned to you yesterday. With Quin MacAirt. And he's taking me out again today. I just got an owl from him this morning."

"I see." He should have spoken to her sooner, Severus thought miserably. His timing was always abysmal. He would not allow himself to behave petulantly, though. He knew that Poppy didn't like that. He would wait until he was in his rooms to let his jealousy out. He wouldn't give up, though. Operation Woo and Win Poppy Pomfrey was not going to be scuttled before it began. For once in his life, he would try not to engage in any self-sabotage. He tried to smile. "I should let you get ready, then. You look lovely as you are, but no doubt you wish to change clothes before Quin picks you up."

Poppy blushed. "I'm meeting him at the gates later. He's sending me a Patronus to let me know when he arrives. It was my suggestion," she said quickly when she saw Severus's raised eyebrow. "Especially with the new security measures, I thought it would be more convenient."

"Yes, more convenient, certainly." Not very gentlemanly, though, he thought.

Poppy rubbed his arm. "Nice jumper, Severus. It's very soft. Cashmere, isn't it? I've never seen you in it before."

"It was a gift from Minerva a couple years ago, the Christmas just before Dumbledore . . . didn't die, but we all thought he had. This is only the second time I've had occasion to wear it."

"You would probably object if I said that you look cuddly in it," Poppy said with a mischievous smile, still rubbing his sleeve.

"I might object if you were to express such a sentiment in public, or if anyone else were to say it, but at the moment," Severus said, raising his hand and touching her cheek tenderly, "I find I do not mind it at all."

"I suppose . . . it wouldn't be a good idea to ask for a cuddle, though," Poppy said.

Severus's smile grew. He was glad he had fought off his petulant, jealous feelings. "I might indulge you."

"It wouldn't be wise . . ." Even as Poppy said that, though, she stepped closer and put her arms around him.

Severus let out a long, slow breath as he put his arms around her and held her close. He bent and kissed the top of her head. "I am not an expert in these matters," he said softly, "but I believe that a proper cuddle might require us to sit on the sofa."

She squeezed him and looked up. "If you think so."

"I do." He sat, pulling her down to the sofa with him. He rested his head on hers and closed his eyes. "This is part of what I have missed. Holding you closely like this."

"It is nice, isn't it . . ." Poppy sighed.

"When we met about the staff training for the project on Thursday, it was all I could do to keep from taking you in my arms and holding you, or just reaching out and touching you, feeling your skin beneath my fingertips."

"We probably should exercise more restraint, though. It wouldn't be fair of me to . . . to tell you to see others but then to do this with you each time we are together. I do want you to find your happiness, Severus."

"And if my happiness is found with you in my arms?"

"You don't know that yet," Poppy said softly.

"I do not appreciate being told what I know or don't know, Poppy."

"I just meant that you shouldn't make up your mind too quickly, that's all."

Severus shook his head, but didn't say anything.

Poppy let out a sigh and rubbed Severus's chest briefly. "I suppose I ought to change now. I think Quin will be here soon."

"You dated him in the past, didn't you?" Severus asked softly.

"Yes, for a short time, many years ago. The summer before he was cursed."

"Are you . . . Is he interested in dating you now?" Severus asked, remembering both Minerva's advice to be direct and yet Hermione's reaction to a similar question. He held his breath.

"We haven't exactly talked about that," Poppy said. "I do hope to see much more of him, though, now that he's free to interact with the wizarding world again."

Severus was quiet. He didn't see how he could possibly compete with such a handsome, successful wizard, and he didn't like the idea of Poppy seeing more of him.

Poppy raised her head and looked up at Severus. "He's a good man and a good friend, Severus."

"I am sure he is," Severus said tonelessly.

"You would like him," Poppy said, pulling back a bit.

Severus shrugged one shoulder. "If you say so. There aren't many people I like. His son is acceptable, though," he said grudgingly.

"He is." Poppy grinned. "I remember when he was in school. He was always up to something...he and Caspar together. They were a pair, for sure, and little Porry...Pádraig Wode...who was in Hufflepuff, would run around with them, too. They'd never get up to anything truly bad, you understand, but they'd get ideas in their heads, things they'd have to try. They once tried charming an old sow in Hogsmeade, wanted to make it fly." Poppy laughed at the memory.

"What happened?" Severus asked curiously.

"It flew, but they didn't have any control of its flight, and the pig apparently didn't, either, and it took Filius and Minerva together to catch the poor beast, return her to her pen, and remove the charms!"

"Foolishness."

"Yes, but it was funny...though they did lose Hogsmeade privileges for the rest of the year, so it taught them not to charm other people's property, at least. Alroy claimed the pig agreed to it," she said with a laugh.

Severus snorted at that. "He seems to have become more sensible since then, thankfully."

"He still has a roguish, playful side to him, though I doubt that was evident last year. He was not here for pleasure, after all."

"Why was he here?" Severus asked. "I still haven't worked that out. I understand that having a relative of Robert Crouch's working at the school and seeming to interact with Albus as the genuine Crouch lent 'verisimilitude' to Albus's false identity, but it seemed an extreme thing for someone like MacAirt to agree to. He must not have been able to keep up with his business interests very well whilst he was here."

"It was because of Quin. I understand that, years ago, Quin made a pledge to Minerva to come to her aid, or to Albus's, whenever she might need it. Obviously, given his condition, Quin was unable to do anything to help, but Minerva called on Alroy. He was more than happy to fulfil his father's pledge. Minerva had also been his Head of House and his Animagus instructor when he was a student. Minerva tried never to play favourites with the students in her House, but I think she always had a soft spot for Alroy, and not just because of his dad."

"His sister, was she a Gryffindor, too?"

Poppy shook her head. "Ravenclaw."

"So she could not have fulfilled the pledge."

"Not by becoming Head of Gryffindor, anyway. But I think that it was merely a convenience that Alroy could also become Head of Gryffindor for a year. We all did wonder why Minerva didn't make Vector the Head of House. In fact, I'm surprised that Vector didn't become Head of House after Alroy left."

"Probably didn't want it. Smart witch," Severus said. "But this pledge that Quin made, it's a bit . . . old-fashioned of Alroy to fulfil it, especially given the sacrifices he must have made in order to drop the rest of his life for a year and spend it here."

Poppy shrugged. "I think he was happy to do so. I am sure that Minerva wouldn't have forced it on him. The MacAirts have an old-fashioned sense of loyalty, though, and Quin is one of the most loyal souls you could encounter. It may sound dreadfully outmoded to you, but he is a righteous man in the very best sense of that word, and he passed his values on to his children."

"Hmpf. If he is loyal to Minerva, I suppose that speaks well of him," Severus said, trying to find something positive to say about this wizard who was going to be taking Poppy out that evening.

Poppy smiled. "Yes, it does."

Whatever else Poppy may have said regarding Quin, it was left unsaid as an enormous Patronus leapt through her wall. The Irish wolfhound happily circled Severus, and he felt a peculiar tickle of magic as the dog seemed to lick his cheek before it flew to Poppy, placed its paws on her shoulders, and then disappeared, a vanishing, spinning whirlpool of magic, entering her ear and delivering its message.

Poppy appeared alarmed.

"He's arrived?" Severus asked.

"He's not only arrived, but Hagrid let him in and he's on his way up...and I had wanted to change, or at least fix my hair and brush my teeth!"

"I'm sure you have time to do that," Severus said. "And I meant it when I said you look lovely as you are."

Poppy drew her wand. "I'll just let him know that I'm in and he should just come in and wait in my sitting room." She glanced at Severus. "Now, don't laugh at my Patronus, Severus! It's nowhere near as dramatic as Minerva reports that your giant panther is."

Severus raised an eyebrow. He found most Patronuses interesting, and Helena's Animagus form had caused him to laugh, but with delight. It might have been small, but her hummingbird was utterly suited to her.

"If I laugh, it will be in appreciation, I am sure," he said.

Poppy looked sceptical, but cast.

Severus's lips twitched. A duck waddled through the air, its wings flapping ineffectually, as though it was having difficulty taking off. It moved swiftly, nonetheless, and disappeared through Poppy's window, in search of its target.

"It's a duck," Severus said, trying not to laugh. "It doesn't fly?"

"It flies! Well, it flies as a Patronus, it just doesn't use its wings much. But it is very corporeal!" Poppy said defensively. "And it's quite effective; it moves as fast as it needs to."

"It was . . ." Severus looked down into Poppy's eyes, and he saw the apprehension in them. She valued his opinion, and something about her Patronus made her feel insecure. "It was utterly adorable," he said softly, "just like you are, Poppy." He brushed his lips over her cheek in a light kiss, but remembering that she was about to go on a date with another wizard, he didn't linger.

"Minerva laughed the first time she saw it," Poppy said. "Albus was pleased I had learned so quickly, and then Minerva laughed as soon as I showed her."

"Probably because she thought that it's a sweet Patronus, I'm sure."

"That's what she said."

"It is sweet, Poppy. And one of the most corporeal Patronuses I have encountered. Very clearly highly effective." Severus warmed to see Poppy's obvious pleasure at his words. His affirmation was important to her; that was certainly a positive sign for their relationship. He didn't want to be there when her date arrived, however, and he stood. "Enjoy your evening, Poppy." But not too much, he added to himself.

Poppy gave his arm a quick squeeze as she opened her door for him. "Thanks for the tea and biscuits, Severus. It was very thoughtful, and you brightened my day."

Severus nodded. He wished he were also brightening Poppy's evening, but it couldn't be helped. Not unless he were to hex the wizard now on his way up to see her. And that would hardly endear him to her.

He felt broody as he walked down the stairs to return to his quarters, his petulance and jealousy finally bubbling to the surface of his mood as he no longer felt the need to hold it in check in Poppy's presence, and he again remembered all of MacAirt's apparent multitude of virtues and all of his own miserable failings. As he turned on the landing between the first floor and the ground floor, Severus saw the object of his jealousy coming toward him, energetically taking the steps two at a time.

Quin grinned. "Professor Snape! Good t' see you! We've been meanin' to owl you, Alroy and I. Kieran's workin' out well. He's a bit rough around the edges still, but we'll make that an asset for the boy. Tutoring him meself in his wandless skills...quite a bit of talent there...and I think he'll go far once he settles down some."

"Hmpf. When I saw him at the Three Broomsticks, I thought O'Fallon might find a better use for his magic than end up squandering it in some menial job in Knockturn Alley," Severus replied, still not feeling well-disposed toward the older wizard, especially now, in person, when the wizard exuded vibrancy and charm, and so much damned good-will-toward-all. "He seemed to need a firm hand."

"That he does, firm but gentle, like a skittish colt," Quin agreed, mounting the last couple steps to meet him. He clapped Severus on the arm. A puzzled expression crossed his face, and Quin's hand lingered a bit longer than a simple friendly pat normally would call for.

Severus turned slightly as he stepped down past the wizard, effectively removing the other wizard's hand, but without shaking it off, as he would have preferred to do.

"Convey my greetings to your son," Severus said shortly. He paused on the next step and turned his head as Quin said his name.

"Professor Snape? Is there . . . is there aught the matter?" Quin still appeared to be puzzling over something.

"I must return to my rooms and change for dinner in the Great Hall," Severus replied. If it weren't for the other wizard, he'd be taking Poppy to dinner, instead, he thought. "I cannot stay and . . . chat." A sneer finally slipped out as Severus uttered that last word. "Good evening, Mr MacAirt."

NEXT

Chapter Sixty-Nine: Moulting

Sunday, 21 March 1999

Severus meets with Minerva and has a surprise or two awaiting him, including a proposal she has regarding Hogwarts' future. Minerva doesn't allow him to be moody, but she is nonetheless sympathetic to his situation when he tells her the reason for his bad mood. In turn, Severus learns a few things about Minerva herself that he hadn't known.

Rated T.

Characters: Severus Snape, Minerva McGonagall, Albus Dumbledore, Fawkes