Imperfect Conclusions

Chapter 7: Imperfect Conclusions

A/N: All that you recognize belongs to Joanne Rowling and her lawyers.

Many thanks to my wonderful beta, JaneAverage, and to all who read and review!

Previously, Severus disclosed that Emma, and Ravenclaw's bracelet, are in the castle. He suggests their only alternative is to destroy both the wearer and the Horcrux/bracelet.

"Severus! Your estimation of the situation is rash at best. In this room we have the best magical minds of their respective specialties. Certainly we can come up with a more humane solution!" Dumbledore thundered.

He paused and considered his Potions Master, trying to ascertain his mindset. "Do you not think the poor woman has suffered enough at the hands of the Death Eaters? And still she forsook all to come here with you to help Wizard-kind. Her capacity to love seems boundless," Dumbledore finished softly.

"What do you propose, then, Headmaster?" Snape replied furiously. "Do you think such an animated, intelligent woman will be satisfied to hide in my suite, until we create a magical solution to rid her of Tom Riddle's soul?"

"No, of course not," replied Dumbledore. "Here is my proposal. We introduce her as a distant Squib cousin of mine." Snape snorted in disgust but Dumbledore continued, "And apprentice her to Professor Philogen. He has been complaining about his workload now that Muggle Studies has been elevated to a N.E.W.T. level course. She must stay in the castle. It is the safest place for her. And she seems quite taken with you, Severus," Dumbledore smiled merrily, "so by all means, her rooms may stay attached to yours."

Snape returned to his suite to find Hermione Granger trying to teach Emma how to control the lights by using the Nox and Lumos spells. Neither woman was surprised that these simple spells did not work for Emma. Emma smiled sadly at Snape and thanked Hermione for her attempts. Snape nodded indifferently to Hermione, snarling at her, "Order business, Miss Granger. Not a word to anyone, especially not Mr. Potter." Hermione quickly packed up and left without another word.

Emma bristled at his brusque treatment of the girl and was about to address it, when Snape curtly summoned her to the couch.

He related Dumbledore's plan and was surprised to learn Emma was reluctant to stay in the castle. "We discussed sending you to a safe house with an Auror...a very technically advanced wizard...to safeguard you, but at the moment the Order is stretched to its limits. Staying here is your best plan. Minerva, Filius and I will be here to help you, and Professor Philogen is giddy at the thought of working with an actual Muggle." Snape rolled his eyes dramatically before continuing, "But of course, you realize that I am a very busy man. I have classes all day, my Slytherin Head of House duties at night, and frequently I am . . . called away . . . from the castle. I will not be able to mind you every waking moment, Emma."

Emma was not used to such condescension. She was furious and she glared at him; when she spoke, her words dripped with sarcasm. "I realize I am at a great disadvantage, here in your world. I will do everything in my power not to encroach on your very full life. Good evening, Severus." You miserable bastard, she added to herself.

Snape did not see Emma for the balance of the day, nor the following morning. He attempted to work in his private lab, but could not concentrate and did not trust himself to work with volatile potions ingredients. He was rehashing last night's conversation with Emma over and over again, disgusted at the remorse he felt for speaking so sharply to her. You're losing your edge, Snape. Your brain is addled with her, and that's how mistakes are made in the spying business, he chided himself. Yet part of him, the "Steven" part, wanted to reach out to her, hold her, and apologize for his callousness.

Finally, his growing feelings for the woman trumped his self-control. He crossed his sitting room and knocked on her door. He received no answer. He opened the door and called for her with no response. "Where can the bloody woman be?" he hissed, as he pelted Floo powder into his fire. "Headmaster's rooms!" he snarled, and immediately Dumbledore's smiling face appeared in his flames.

"Well, good morning, Severus! What can I do for you today?" Damn that man, he was always in too good a mood.

"Emma is missing, Headmaster. I have not seen her since late yesterday afternoon."

"My, my, trouble in paradise already?" Dumbledore inquired sweetly, ignoring Snape's glare and growl. "Today being Saturday, Minerva took Emma to Diagon Alley to do a bit of shopping. She'll need teaching robes and supplies for Monday. From now on, she'll be eating in the Great Hall with the staff, as I introduced her at breakfast."

*************

Snape did not see Emma until she entered the Great Hall for dinner that night. His breath caught in his throat as he saw her. Her hair had been darkened and changed to a chin-length bob, and instead of Muggle clothing, she was now wearing figure-gracing sapphire-blue teaching robes. Her sparkling eyes sought his, and he bowed his head in apology. She returned the look with a warm smile of acceptance. She twirled once in her robes for him, and without thinking, he smiled...a genuine, warm smile that was not missed by anyone at the head table.

Flitwick, Minerva and Philogen corralled Emma to sit with them. Snape, as was his custom, ate silently, in his usual seat at the end of the table. He could hear her laughter and snippets of their conversation. When they were done, she left with Minerva and Flitwick, and he felt a stab of jealousy, which he immediately negated as foolishness. You made a point to push her away, fool. For her own good. And besides, any feelings she has are for "Steven," not Snape.

***********

Emma returned much later to her suite of rooms, led by Winky the House Elf. Minerva had obligated Winky to Emma, as a personal assistant, as Emma could perform not a single spell. She badly needed assistance navigating her way through the castle, as well. She was still mystified by the moving staircases and myriad passages, and she had been harassed by Peeves. That night, too, she had made a heart-wrenching confession to Minerva: "I am unnerved at being around so many young witches and wizards, all who have powers I do not."

"But my dear, you realize no one can harm you whilst you wear that bracelet."

"Of course, Minerva, I'm not worried about being harmed. No one has tried to trick me or fool me yet, but some students, the Slytherin students especially, seem unfriendly and a bit dodgy."

Minerva suppressed a snicker at Emma's confession. "Well, my dear, you are right. When in doubt or trouble, seek out a Gryffindor. Or a Ravenclaw. Or, well, a Hufflepuff."

Winky was thrilled to be needed and of service again, and she did not mind too much that Emma was a Muggle. Earlier, Minerva and Flitwick had performed some very complex Charms to open Emma to the magic of the castle. They secretly hoped these ministrations would ease her transition into, and acceptance of, her inevitable new way of life.

**********

Dumbledore was gone from the castle for increasingly long stretches of time. Whenever possible, Minerva called together the "team," to work on the Horcrux dilemma. Snape, Flitwick, Minerva and Bill Weasley worked late into many nights. Bill, a former Hogwarts Head Boy and accomplished scholar, had been working as a Curse-Breaker for Gringotts. In that capacity, he had crafted many effective approaches to obscure curses. He had been a late addition, but a valuable one; for with all their research, through the Restricted Section and Snape's own private Dark Arts collection, they had not found a single spell to release the soul from a Horcrux without destroying the object. They were in uncharted territory and would have to create their own magic, incorporating all their specialties...a kind of holistic, "complementary" magical approach. Whenever they started to feel frustrated or blocked, they reminded themselves of Emma and worked with renewed spark. Especially Snape.

**************

Despite his best intentions, Emma and Snape had fallen into a comfortable routine in just a fortnight. Emma would sit with her friends at dinner and chat and catch up on the day's news.

In the early evening, she would bring her marking into Snape's suite. Emma enjoyed her teaching and found much hilarity in seeing the Muggle way of life from the wizard point of view. They would work there companionably, regaling each other with occasional bits of student idiocy. It was during these quiet, intimate evenings that Snape was most himself, Emma suspected. With her, he was gentle and attentive, and he let loose his dry and witty sense of humor. Frequently, he would have a wizard liqueur to sample, or a magical gadget for her, like the two-way mirror he gave her, or the charmed galleon which could summon him, for emergencies. He showed her his private laboratory and allowed her access to his common remedy potions for headaches, dreamless sleep, etc.

One memorable evening, he showed her a Muggle-style picture of himself, about age five, in his mother's arms as they sat on a bench in a sunlit garden. Eileen Prince could not be considered pretty, but as she gazed at her dark-haired son with unconditional love and acceptance, she was beautiful, and Emma had said so. Snape had startled Emma then by impulsively sweeping her up into an intense, powerful hug. He had held onto her for quite a while before reluctantly, and embarrassedly, disentangling from her. Emma surmised that during these times, he shared more of himself with her than he had with any other woman.

Every two days Snape would go to Hogsmeade for her to check the post and bring back connections to her other life. She treasured these letters and books and kept her sadness to herself, as she felt he had more than enough of his own. Enough for both of them.

If she wondered why their relationship was so chaste, she didn't let her frustrations show. She knew he would have to determine the level of intimacy if they were to build a lasting relationship. He's so guarded and closed off from people. Nastiness and ill humor are his chief defenses. But I think Nonna was right, when he decides we should be together, nothing will stand in his way. I wonder if he's wary of Rick? But I know I have his blessing; Rick would want me to be happy. Even if it's soon . . .

"Am I falling in love with Severus?" Emma mused out loud.