Two Roads Diverged...

A/N: Yes, I know it's been a while, but I hope these two chapters will appease you (for now).

Disclaimer: (Shamelessly stolen from JK Rowling) "I solemnly swear I am up to no good!" (But I don't own the characters of places you recognize, and I don't get paid for any of my efforts. What a damn, crying shame.)

Kim: *huffing* About time!

Shana: *hangs head* I KNOW! I've been kinda busy putting my life back together.

Kim: Yea, that's a valid excuse.

Shana: *indignant* It IS!

Snape: *rolls eyes* Will the drama never cease?

Kim & Shana: *glare at wizard*

Chapter 17: Two Roads Diverged...

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I –

And that has made all the difference."

- Robert Frost 1916

Shaluinn woke up feeling every bit of her progressing illness. It was by sheer force of will that she forced herself to rise from her nest on the floor. She could feel every ache, every pain, and every little bruise throughout her body. This is shaping up to be a wonderful day, and I haven't even gotten up yet.

The redhead slowly went stiffly about her morning routine, waiting for the various potions she had imbibed to take effect. As her disease progressed, she had discovered that the efficacy of the healing potions decreased. She was developing a resistance to the medications. The final result had her feeling drained and exhausted, yet still mobile.

Appetite nonexistent, she chose to forego breakfast. Lacking the energy to lift her bow, let alone shoot it, Callaway opted to take a walk around the lake. Letting her mind wander where it willed, she let her feet do the same. She didn't make it very far.

Settling down against a tree, the American cast her gaze out across the large body of water. All too soon, and predictably so, the murky Scottish morning sky opened up, expelling a softly pattering drizzle. This time Shaluinn had the presence of mind to cast an Impervious Charm on herself before she became soaked to the skin. She allowed her eyes to droop shut, lulled by the gentle sounds of raindrops striking the leaves above her and the mere before her.

Severus awoke thoroughly refreshed, feeling as if he had slept for ages. The sensation was... odd.

The Potions master had become accustomed to his insomnia, having taken to patrolling the hallways of Hogwarts in an effort to keep his mind and body occupied. It had been an exercise in futility as the silent halls had only infrequently yielded up the odd, rule-breaking student. The literal miles he had walked over the course of the average night had kept his prematurely aging body in shape but, lamentably, had left his mind all too free to wander where it willed, and where it went was seldom warm and cheery.

Severus sat up on the bed, shaking his head, and with it shaking away the line of thought his mind was heading down. Squinting, he turned his gaze toward the window, taking in the angle of the light. His best estimate was that it was about mid-morning, somewhere between eight and nine o'clock. If he wished to put his plan for the day into motion, he would need to get up and moving.

He allowed himself a moment more to dally, reflecting back on the previous day's events. Not since I was a teenager have I felt so bloody randy. It had to be stress that brought that on. Irregardless, I've spent enough time musing. Now, I must see about making contact with this mystery woman. With that, he levered himself out of the bed, a small portion of his mind registering the acute lack of aches and pains.

The tall wizard went about his morning routine with haste. As he performed his ablutions, he considered the various options he had for making his way to Hogwarts. Flying the distance in his Animagus form wasn't really a viable option. He needed to be fresh and rested for any confrontation that might result from this meeting. Using an unregistered, unauthorized Portkey was not really an option as he well knew that such mode of transportation was being monitored very closely. No, he would have to arrive at the school by other means.

Apparation it would be then. That left choosing a place that was close to the school, yet concealing enough that his arrival would not be noticed. There was a point well within the confines of the Forbidden Forest that he had used for Apparating while still employed at the school. It would serve its purpose yet again.

Carefully choosing a set of robes that were in the best repair, he dressed. As much as he disliked taking the time to care for his appearance – catering to his vanity was not something he had ever been comfortable with – he recognized the need to make a good first impression on his contact. Her cooperation was imperative. The unknown witch would quite literally hold his life in the balance. Damn Albus and his bloody scheming.

With every button he did up on his customary frock coat, he mentally recited various hexes, curses and protective spells. The ritual was both comforting and reassuring as well as being practical in the sense that it helped him remember an enormous number of spells. He surely hadn't survived as long as he had without being both cautious and proactive.

Standing before the transfigured bathroom door-come-full-length-mirror, he assessed his appearance. The robes were black, and starting to take on a somewhat grayish cast from repeated washing, but they were clean and in good repair. I am no prize, but this will have to do. Besides, it's not like I'm looking to court this woman. Nodding to his dubious reflection, somewhat satisfied by what he saw, Snape flicked out his wand and turned the mirror back into its solid wood self.

Having taken quick stock of his appearance, he considered the contents of his bare kitchen. Damn. Nothing in the house worth eating. Strike that – nothing in the house I want to eat. I'll have to catch something "on the fly." He chuckled lightly to himself at the intended pun.

Snape swiftly exited the house, robes billowing, and with three quick steps was outside his Anti-Apparation wards. He was startled to realize that for the first time in a long time he was actually feeling hopeful. With a crisp turn and a POP! he was gone.

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Shaluinn remained beneath the large tree's canopy. What precipitation managed to filter through the foliage and drip onto the redhead was diverted by her carefully cast Impervious Charm. To the outside observer it would appear that the water stopped about a centimeter from her and then went around, like a form-fitting bubble surrounded her.

She observed the world through half-lidded eyes, physically dozing, but very much aware of her surroundings. The gentle sounds of the softly falling rain succeeded in relaxing her, where her night of unrest had failed. The American consciously set aside any insecurities, any doubts that rose in her mind, utilizing meditation techniques she had learned years prior.

Her muscles limbering with her relaxed state, Shaluinn drew her legs up to her chest. She wrapped her right arm around her knees, her legs angled to the left, her left thigh resting against the upper part of her left arm. Her left hand was braced against the ground, and her chin rested against the side of her right knee. While the position sounded painful in theory, for someone who regularly practiced yoga it was actually quite comfortable.

It was in that position that Severus found her some time later.

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Snape appeared in the center of the small clearing located well within the curtilage of the forest. A swift pivot on his heels confirmed that he was indeed alone. The next thing he registered was the light rain that was peppering him. Typical weather. As if I should expect any less.

The sudden ominous, and highly audible, growling of his stomach, all too similar to the distant thunder, reminded him that he had not had anything really resembling a meal in days. His Animagus form expended a great deal of energy, meaning he needed a substantial caloric intake in the very near future. And that was how he happened upon the way he would approach his new contact.

Taking several running steps, Severus leapt into the air, transforming into his raven-self. He whirled in the mist, beating his wings hard as he made his way toward Hogwarts proper. As he flew, he let his avian instincts guide him in catching a snack on the wing. Had he allowed himself to consider it, the thought of eating live insects – of any size – would have disgusted him. By taking that time to allow his mind to rest, he was able to maintain his altered form's metabolic needs, for the time being.

Breaking from the verge of the forest, he swooped along the edge of the lake, his keen eye catching a distinctive flash of bright red beneath a weeping willow. Altering his course, he gave himself no chance for second thoughts, diving straight for the woman curled up into herself against the tree trunk.

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Movement at the edge of her vision caught Shaluinn's attention. Without turning her head, the witch cast her gaze toward the increasingly large black silhouette that was dropping at an alarming rate of speed in her direction. The shape dissembled itself into an enormous ebony bird as it spread its wings to brake, coming in for a landing.

Callaway bit back a bark of laughter as the avian – that she now realized was a raven – very nearly planted its prodigious beak in the ground with its overbalanced landing. The initial impression the witch got was that the animal appeared to be quite... drunk. She actually did snicker as the bird, upon righting itself, immediately began preening, settling its ruffled feathers down and doing an all-around thorough job of putting its appearance to rights.

If she hadn't known better, she would have sworn it was making itself presentable for her. Casting that ridiculous thought aside, the redhead tipped her head, turning it so the strange animal was fully in her field of view. Under the weight of her gaze, it broke off its fussing and drew itself up, settling its wings tightly against its body.

The American cast about in her memory for what little she knew about this particular species. Incredibly intelligent; in fact the most intelligent bird in the Crow family. They have the rudimentary ability to make use of tools. Capable of basic problem-solving and, if I remember correctly, they mate for life.

She felt vaguely unnerved as she realized that, as she was appraising the bird, it was, in turn, taking the measure of her. No, can't be. Could it? The notion was decidedly unsettling, no matter how ludicrous.

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Severus could have transfigured his wand into a sword and fallen upon it for all the grace he displayed in landing at the witch's feet. In his mortification he immediately began preening, making sure his appearance would pass muster. The witch's badly concealed snicker didn't help matters. Huffing audibly, he broke off his efforts, turning his dark gaze on the woman Albus Dumbledore had chosen to be his contact.

She was staring rather pointedly at him. So, he stared back. After several long, unblinking moments, he realized they'd settled into an impromptu staring contest of sorts. He was the one to break it off first, shaking his feathers out with a squawk. The redhead was blinking irregularly, like she'd just left a trance. He was left feeling... unsettled.

He started when she spoke suddenly, her voice pitched low and soft so as not to startle him – not that it worked.

"You appear to be waiting for something. Is it, perhaps, something I'm supposed to do?"

Surprised at her apparent astuteness, he bobbed his head and called out.

Shaluinn's eyes widened as the raven cried out what sounded suspiciously like a "yes." Damn. Forgot that these birds are capable of human-like vocalizations. That was kinda creepy.

"Are you hungry?"

Impressed now, Severus spread his wings and shook them, calling out, "Yes! Yes!" He settled down and watched as the curvaceous woman stood.

Unfolding from her prone position, Callaway rose to her full height, shaking her coat out. Looking expectantly down at the avian that just about reached the height of her knee, she gestured at him. "Well? What are you waiting for?"

Chagrined, Snape shuffled his talons in a close approximation of a sheepish gesture.

"Ah. I think I know what's wrong. Don't wish to embarrass yourself by attempting to fly up to my shoulder, eh?"

Merlin, I feel idiotic. But, yes, I have no desire to make a fool of myself again. As if she can actually hear me.

As if she could hear him, Shaluinn bent at the waist and stretched her arm out to him, giving Snape a rather nice view of her décolleté in the process. The Animagus took a long second to take in the vista before stepping lightly onto the redhead's forearm and climbing up to perch on her shoulder.

Damn, this bird is heavy. Then again, he is pretty big. And am I so sure he is a he? Not like I can tell just by looking at the critter. Been a while since I last had a familiar. Where the hell did that come from? ... What is he doing?

Severus was oblivious to the American's inner musings, having settled on her shoulder. In making himself comfortable, his Animagus instincts took hold, and he started preening the redhead's hair, carefully pushing the locks on his side behind her ear. Snape trilled softly when the woman turned her head far enough to look at him from the corner of her eye. He danced foot-to-foot before hunkering down for the impending long walk he knew was coming.

Shaluinn twisted her head around as she felt the large avian playing with her hair and tucking it behind her ear. Strange, strange animal. Just when I thought life couldn't get any stranger.

"Ready to go?"

A softly called, "Yes," was her answer.

"Alright then." Without further preamble, the witch set out on the trek back up to the castle. Unconsciously, she began humming It Can't Rain All the Time from The Crow, under her breath, leaving the transformed wizard on her shoulder to his thoughts.

Now that I've found my way into the castle, what now? How, exactly, am I to approach this witch without somehow placing myself in jeopardy? Brilliant planning, Severus. "Play it by ear" is NOT an actual plan. What is she humming? I don't recognize it. From the way she's doing it, I can almost hear the words.

The dark wizard let the melodic vibrato wash over him, his eyes slipping closed as he lost himself in the impromptu concerto.

Callaway, for her part, was wracking her brain for everything she could remember about Raven biology and mythology.

Ravens are the largest member of the Crow family. Heh. I find it more than a little ironic that my favorite movie is The Crow, and here a member of that family is perched on my shoulder. Damn, but he's heavy. At least I'm not carrying him like a falconer would. I really don't have the stamina for that. Now, what else do I remember?

Larger, heavier beak than a Crow – she looked to her right – check. Deeper and more varied vocal range – double-check. Shaggy throat feathers and wedge-shaped tail – check and check. Ornithologists believe them to be the smartest of the familia. This one, at least, seems pretty intelligent. He seems to have understood everything I've said to him so far. He must have been around humans before. That's the only plausible explanation I can conjure.

Shaluinn glanced to her right again, taking in his relaxed posture, and realized with a start that she'd been humming her favorite song from The Crow. How's that for irony?

This is abysmal! I should remember more of that legend. Now, with European mythology I recall that two Ravens sat on the god Odin's shoulders and told him news of the world, but I can't recollect their names. I know there are more stories, but damned if they elude me. There is, of course, the well-known legend that England would never fall to a foreign invader as long as there are ravens at the Tower of London. That's it. That's all I can come up with right now. I'll just have to do some research to fill in the gaps in my memory.

Coming out of her reverie, Shaluinn looked up to find they were passing through the main courtyard and back into the castle proper. Severus also noticed the momentary change in her stride, a small shudder passing through him as they crossed the threshold into the edifice.

Callaway made it back to her rooms with only a couple of wrong turns. Snape watched with interest as she stood before her office door, resetting her multi-layered wards to recognize and admit his presence. It was ingenuous how she incorporated his unique magical signature (for every living thing had one) into the very fabric of her defenses. It was also a very dangerous, yet trusting move on her part. Considering what little Albus had told him of her recent years spent living as a Muggle, the inadvertent mistake made sense.

Alert now, the transformed Potions master took in the surroundings with interest, dismissing the office space as standard for any new professor. It had taken years for him to transform his into the mad-scientist's lair that Potter had known. What caught his attention was how she entered the adjacent living quarters.

The witch had put her wand away and merely waved a hand at the wall, walking straight for the obstruction. Severus let out a warning squawk and began to spread his wings, prepared to leap from her shoulder, when they passed through the barrier unhindered. All he felt was a vague tingling sensation as they made the transition.

The sight he was presented with on the other side had his beak dropping open in astonishment. These were most certainly not the standard living quarters of a new professor. The size of the main room made him wonder what the American's bedchamber looked like.

Directly opposite him on the far side of the room were floor-to-ceiling windows flanked at the edges by tied-back heavy velvet drapes in a deep blue-black shade. The vista beyond was grey with the shifting curtains of rain. But it wasn't the view that commanded his attention.

What had him veritably drooling at the beak were the huge, library-style bookcases lining both walls on either side of them. The shelves were, at most, only half-full, the remainder of their contents scattered before them in numerous carefully packed crates. The ranks were broken at regular intervals where sconces extruded from the walls. Beneath these were shorter bookcases, topped by graduated racks that held, what Severus realized, were sheathed, curved swords of varying length.

His inspection of the weapons was diverted by the redhead walking further into the room. She had paused at the entryway, almost as if she was giving him a chance to take in his new surroundings.

In reality, Shaluinn had paused on the threshold to fight back a wave of dizziness and nausea that rose up as she passed through the wall. She had expended more energy than she'd realized, adjusting the wards to allow her new familiar (as she'd hastily decided) entrance. The fact that she had yet to eat anything that day only compounded the problem. The potions she was taking to hold the disease at bay usually destroyed what little was left of her appetite. So it was with barely steady steps that she made her way over to her Transfigured recliner. She bumped her shoulder up in a silent indication that the Raven should get off.

Severus let out an irritated, "Harrumph," and leapt off, spreading his wings to glide to the far end of the room, landing on the back of her couch. The spacious, black, micro suede piece of furniture was set to allow comfortable observation of the striking vista out the windows. Snape turned his back on the view, his gaze again passing over the contents of the room, watching as the American doffed her coat and sank into a clearly comfortable chair with an audible sigh of relief.

With a critical eye, he observed the witch as she rubbed her face with both hands, using the heels of her palms to press circles over her eyes. She dropped her hands to her legs with a slap, turning a weary look his way.

"I don't know about you, but I think it's about time we had something to eat." Shaluinn took his answering cry as a sign of agreement and called out in a clear, firm voice, "Dobby, I need you!"

With a soft pop, the House-elf in question appeared before her, floppy ears perked up and a grin on his face. "Yes, Miss?"

"Dobby, do you think you could rustle up something substantial for me and" – she gestured toward the raven – "my feathered friend there to eat?"

The elf followed her motion and turned to look at the avian, his gaze lingering just a hair too long as a shadow passed over his face. Spinning back to the redhead, he answered with an enthusiastic, "Yes, Miss! Dobby can do that!" and popped out of sight with a snap of his fingers.

Shaluinn let her head fall back, her eyes drifting shut as they waited.

Severus took the opportunity to glide from the couch to perch atop a stack of crates. He took a closer look at the array of weaponry the witch had displayed. He noticed that some of the swords were very simple, for all intents and purposes appearing to be long, curved walking sticks. The fact that the other, much more ornate and intricate pieces were clearly swords, katanas, told him there was more concealed beneath the deceptive exteriors. Whether simple or ornate, each and every weapon was displayed with obvious care, their age evident in their appearance.

What an incredible, fabulous collection. I wonder how she acquired them all.

Above one low bookcase, topped by a lone, short obi, was a Japanese longbow, mounted with two arrows. Had he been able to ask, Callaway could have told him that the pieces of leather of varying widths that were wrapped around the limbs of the bow denoted the level of the owner's training and expertise. What she likely wouldn't add was that it was her own, and only one other living master had achieved a ranking higher than hers. Like the swords, it was clearly very old.

Snape then turned his attention to the books in the crate he was perched upon. Tilting his head, he began reading the spines with interest. The Prince and the Pauper and A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, The Definitive Collected Works of T.S. Eliot, The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer, Dracula by Bram Stoker, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, and an enormous worn leather-bound volume, The Complete William Shakespeare. A large number in that particular box were written in what appeared to be an Asian script. Some of the tomes were very old, their bindings worn, but each and every one was well cared for.

She clearly has both a love of and respect for the written word. That's something we share in common.

A soft popping heralded Dobby's return.

Turning to face the elf, Severus observed that Dobby had brought two platters with him. One was piled high with various sliced meats and cheeses and several crusty rolls. The other had what appeared to be shredded roast beef and chunks of the same crusty bread. The miscellaneous plate was set on the table by the woman's elbow, while the other dish was set on the floor, only after the elf conjured a cloth to place under it to catch any crumbs.

Already salivating at the sight of the tasty-looking repast, Snape literally dove for the dish, nearly falling talons-over-beak in his haste. He pointedly ignored the snickers coming from the redhead as he began gobbling the morsels with gusto. Tossing the occasional glare in the witch's direction, he polished off half of the contents of the platter in no time.

Taking a break, lest he make himself sick, Severus again turned his attention to the American. Despite what he knew to be an excellent assortment before her, the woman was not tucking in like he expected. Instead she was picking half-heartedly at the meal, seemingly forcing herself to eat anything.

Oblivious to his scrutiny, Shaluinn was quite literally willing what she had managed to choke down, to stay down. The potions she was taking not only stole her appetite, but coupled with the advancing disease, deadened her ability to taste, so often only the strongest and spiciest of flavors came through.

I'm going to have to see if there's a Hooters in London, or somewhere near a Floo connection. I need to get my hands on something with some kick to it. What I can taste of this is good, but other than texture, I may as well be eating cardboard.

She looked for her new familiar, finding him gazing pointedly at her. "It looks like you enjoyed your meal. I wish I could say the same. For someone who's always enjoyed both eating and cooking, this side-effect is particularly irritating. Well, nothing for it. Accio Shaluinn's potions."

Severus turned as several phials came whizzing through the air toward the seated woman. He counted them as the redhead did a "swish and flick" with her right index finger, causing the bottles to hover before her. He watched as she downed the five different potions, the empty containers relegated with glassy clinks to a pile by the side of her chair.

Side-effects? Why is she taking so many potions at all? Who the hell had Albus gotten me involved with? More than a little confused, Snape watched the redhead rise to her feet. That confusion was sidetracked as the American gingerly crossed the room to where she had left her CD player and CD books. Bending at the waist, she presented the transformed wizard with an unavoidable view of her derrière. She does indeed have a shapely arse.

Oblivious to the fixed attention her backside was receiving, Callaway flipped through the loaded pages until she found the set she was looking for. Leaving the book open to that page, she swapped out discs, flexing her right wrist to retrieve her wand and activate the player. Snape watched the witch rise to her feet and move carefully toward one of the still unpacked crates of books as the sounds of Enigma: MCMXC a.D. filled the room.

Shaluinn lovingly ran her fingers down the spines of the volumes in the box. That particular crate contained all the works of JRR Tolkien. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings were both leather-bound and boxed limited-edition printings. Along with those prized pieces were The Silmarillion and hard-bound collections of all of Tolkien's writings, both complete and incomplete. Long before the onset of her illness, the redhead had often escaped into Middle Earth. It was one of her favorite forms of retreat from a life that never seemed to go the way she hoped or wanted.

Moving slowly and precisely, Callaway began meticulously shelving the tomes, making sure they were aligned just so. Hips swaying with the hypnotic beat, Shaluinn hummed along as she completed what others might consider a tedious task, especially done manually. She was methodical and precise, moving with an economy of motion that the Potions master could easily appreciate. While she worked, Snape took up a position perched on the back of the leather couch.

Some time passed and the American nearly forgot about her companion. The redhead spun as the large avian let out a dry-sounding cough. Good job, Shaluinn. You got him food but neglected to make sure he had water. A flex of her wrist and a twirl of her left wand later, one of the now empty bottles Dobby had brought her was a good-sized bowl. "Aguamenti!" The bowl filled with fresh, clear water.

Severus let out a deep, "Chirrup!" and glided, somewhat gracefully this time, to partake his fill.

Considering another sure to be emergent need, Callaway moved over to the far right window. Closing her eyes and concentrating for several moments, she retrieved her right wand and began a complex incantation that she hoped to the heavens was the right one. Another several beats later and a horizontally louvered pane had been incorporated into the top portion of the window.

The avian lifted its head when she addressed it. "I hope you understand me. If you need to go outside, just tap on that panel and it will swing open. At least, I hope it will."

The disguised Potions master cocked his head at the witch, trying not to be distressed with the apparently scatterbrained manner that she went about things. Perhaps she's just a bit disoriented, what with having to cross "the pond" and all. He hoped to Merlin that was all it was.

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The morning passed uneventfully into the afternoon, the redhead emptying several more crates and switching out the silvery discs for other holding music clearly composed by the same group. The music itself was odd, but somehow soothing, the beat wending its way into Snape's mind until it seemed to wrap around him.

He made use of the Transfigured window several times, mildly impressed that it actually worked, and polished off the remainder of the meat on his platter. He found himself somewhat worried that the American barely touched hers, only occasionally retrieving a small morsel to chew on.

Suspicion and apprehension were added to that when Dobby reappeared to retrieve the platters. The concern-laced look of worry the house-elf threw toward the witch's back when he believed he was unobserved was disturbing. Dobby left the woman's plate and replaced Snape's with one containing shredded chicken this time.

With a jerk and a muttered curse, Shaluinn ceased her shelving. She spun on her heel and made straight for the door to the bedroom. Pausing only to remove her boots, she continued in, undoing her pants as she went. Standing before the bureau, she reached down and undid the snaps on the bodysuit, pulling it up over her head. She muttered again as her bra was revealed, a slim, silver piece of metal protruding from one side.

"Goddamnworthlesspieceofshitunderwirewouldgiveoutonme."

With practiced ease, she reached back and unhooked it one-handed, pulling the offending garment off and throwing it away from her. Pulling open a drawer, she withdrew a replacement, donning it quickly. Deciding to use the opportunity to answer nature's call, she took her bodysuit in hand and strode to the bathroom.

Unable to contain his curiosity, Snape stood just inside the doorway, his beak hanging open in astonishment. Sweet Nimue. Albus, you really went all-out. Tearing his gaze away from the undeniably opulent room, he watched the American partially disrobe, drinking in the sight of her exposed skin. He beat a hasty retreat as she turned toward the lavatory, hoping she hadn't spotted him snooping.

While in the bathroom, Callaway considered her new "friend." As she had put up her library, she had been unobtrusively observing him watching her. The way he'd taken off just now only reinforced the sneaking suspicion that had been growing in her mind all day.

He behaves too much like a human for my tastes. But why wouldn't Dumbledore tell me Snape is an Animagus? Why would he tell me Snape would use Polyjuice to approach me instead? I know you can't use that potion for non-human transformations. Hell, I'm not even sure you can use Polyjuice to cross genders.

While Raven-Snape made himself scarce, Shaluinn finished up, swapping her customary jeans for soft, stretchy cotton-knit pants. She went barefoot, relishing the sensation of sinking into the thick carpet with every step. Returning to the main room, she noted the avian's absence as she moved her boots over by the coat rack at the entrance. Callaway passed by the CD player and put Enya's Watermark in. The soft, ethereal music served to help keep her calm as she finished up her self-appointed task.

By the time Severus returned, Shaluinn was comfortably ensconced on one end of the couch, a colorful book open in her lap, another hardcover tome on the floor beside her. He swooped through the room before settling on a spot on the same piece of furniture. The redhead turned another page and looked up to regard him with a pointed gaze. After several beats, she began speaking a well-remembered quote.

"'People once believed that when someone dies, a crow carries their soul to the land of the dead. But sometimes, something so bad happens that a terrible sadness is carried with it, and the soul can't rest. Then sometimes, just sometimes, the crow can bring that soul back, to put the wrong things right.'"

The bird turned and tilted its head to look at her with one black eye, staring at her from his position on the arm of the couch opposite her.

"I'd almost wonder if you were the harbinger of Albus Dumbledore, but I know better. He went willingly, the only great sadness he might carry being from his inability to accomplish more before he went. As loath as I am to admit it, Severus Snape did the right thing."

The enormous raven spread his wings, beating them quickly, before folding them again. It shook itself thoroughly, like it would upon emerging from a puddle of water, before settling back down. The only thing missing from the picture were water droplets flying off its feathers.

Strange. "I wonder how much of what I'm saying you actually understand." She studied the surprisingly expressive avian. "Anyway... I know that the right thing is very seldom also the easy thing. Snape chose the harder path. And I can't say for sure that, had our positions been reversed, I would have made the same choice." Shaluinn stopped, looking down at her nervously twitching hands, where they lay in her lap. She took several deep breaths before continuing. "But it's all moot now. Even with the use of a Time-Turner, I doubt an event like that could be undone."

The American snorted, stifling a laugh as she smirked to herself. "There I go again, venturing off into the land of the theoretical. Most of my ideas and theories give people headaches, when they try to wrap their minds around them. But past-tense 'what ifs' have no real bearing on life. They only serve to distract us from present possibilities, diverting our attention to stale events of the past." She laughed outright at that. "Damn. I should take my own advice."

Unexpectedly, the witch lunged forward, catching the raven about the body with both hands, preventing it from spreading its wings and escaping. She settled back into her previous position, legs stretched out in the couch, the bird ensconced on her lap. "So, what about you, hmmm?"

The midnight avian was struggling in earnest, emitting cries that startlingly, sounded much like growls. It twisted and bobbed and weaved under her hands, but stopped short of pecking at her with its enormous beak; which for an actual wild bird was highly unusual.

Shaluinn shifted her grip, moving her left hand over its back, the fingers of her right hand stroking its ebony breast. "Shhhh... I'm not going to hurt you. You've been hanging around all day. I think I should give you a name."

The raven finally settled down, and she took her hand off its back, still stroking its feathered chest. She smiled when the avian gave her an undeniably curious look.

"I think I'll name you Sev."

The bird narrowed its eyes at her.

"As in 'Seven of Nine'? Star Trek: Voyager? Borg chick that showed up in this past season cliffhanger?"

The bird shook its head.

"Of course you wouldn't know anything about that... Severus."

TBC...

The "Crow Quote" is from the Brandon Lee movie The Crow and is the voice-over heard at the beginning of the film. Ravens are a member of the Crow family, so the quote is appropriate. The Crow was released in 1994, so it is a valid canon timeline Muggle reference.

The character "Seven of Nine" was introduced in the Star Trek: Voyager Season 3 cliffhanger episode Scorpion: Part 1 that aired 5/21/1997. This would be right before Shaluinn left the USA to come to the UK and Hogwarts. So I am sticking to the canon timeline with that reference as well.

A huge thank you to my reviewers and especially my beta Kim, who played "Comma-Fairy" with aplomb.