Hoping the creatures were gone, Harry took another look around the dark room as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. Harry noticed a lumpy shadow in a corner of the room, it was too small to be on of the monsters, but he couldn’t be sure it was Remus either. He shuddered as he recalled his friend’s unconscious form being swallowed by the monster. “Remus? Remus, is that you?” Harry called out softly, “Remus, can you hear me?”

Harry heard a soft groan coming from the corner he had seen the shadow in. “Harry? Are you alright? I don’t think I can walk, something’s wrong with my legs. Can you walk? Or can you at least call out for help?”

“Remus! You’re alive” Harry sighed with relief. He tried to stand up, only to realize that he too was unable to move his legs. “I can’t walk either, it must be this ooze. Do you have any idea what those things were, or where they are now?” he asked as he drug himself towards his friend.

“They are called Sith. Very nasty things, they steal magic and energy from living beings. They’re from your mother’s land. I’m surprised she didn’t tell you about them, they were probably looking for her.”

Using his arms to pull himself along the floor, Harry grew nearer to Remus “But why would they be after her? And why would they come to the dungeon, she hardly ever comes down here unless she’s looking for Snape.” Harry asked as he finally reached Remus.

“She has a lot of enemies Harry, you should know that.” Remus replied flatly as he turned to look at the young wizard.

Harry felt a cold chill pass over his body as Remus glared at him. “Remus, what is it?”

“Don’t you know by now, my little prince….you should always listen to your first instincts. You should have ran instead of asking me why the hall was so noisy when most the students had left. A slight oversight on my part” Remus replied as he grasped Harry’s wrists in a vice like grip.

Remus laughed cruelly as Harry struggled weakly against him, “Feeling a bit weak are we?” he asked, “Poor little prince, and your mother’s not here to help you is she? And after your little encounter with the Sith, I doubt you have the strength to call out for your overprotective vampyre guardian. Tsk tsk, tsk…. I really hate to torture without and audience, it takes all the fun out of it….. Well, not all the fun.”

Harry glared at the man who held him captive, “Who are you? And where is Remus?”

“Haven’t you figured it out yet?” the man taunted “How disappointing. Well let me enlighten you” he said as the room suddenly filled with the light of hundreds of candles. “I’m an old acquaintance of Cash and your mother, they call me Gustavas, but you can call me Gus, it will be much easier for you to scream as I slowly kill you.” he replied as Remus’s face melted away, revealing the true form of the man underneath…..

Catri sighed as she threw her head back, “I swear Severus, if I didn’t know any better, I would think you were using me to exorcise the demons from this house” she teased as she ran her hand languidly across his face as he rested on her stomach.

Looking up and grinning Sev drawled “I hope you will forgive me if I take the room by room approach,” he teased “I find it much more….thorough.”

“Among other things” Catri grinned back as she rested against the pillows he had thrown down on the floor. “But if you don’t mind, I really need to stretch my legs…..and don’t get any funny ideas Mr. Snape.” she winked.

“Ah no, again with the “Mister Snape“, now what have I done my darling.” Sev replied, grinning widely as Catri rolled her eyes. “No, no, I would rather not know.” he added as he stood up, offering Catri his hand as she also rose. “Well then Miss MacLeod , perhaps a quick walk of the grounds would do the trick.”

“The grounds?” Catri repeated, “How large is your yard?” this time it was her turn to laugh when Sev rolled his eyes.

“Not a yard, my dear, believe me, nothing out there could be considered…” he paused as a shadow passed over his face. “Perhaps not.” he said bruskly, turning to pick up the pillows and grab his clothes, he fought off the tears as the memory of his daughter playing on the thick, green grass ran through his mind.

“I think it would be lovely,” Catri said softly as she knelt next to Sev and cupped his face in her small hand. “If you’re still willing, I’ll go upstairs and get some….appropriate clothing on.”……

Sev stood at the landing of the stairs waiting for Catri to dress. He was still amazed at how tender and understanding she was, never once did she berate him for the tears he shed or tried to shame him with his own emotions. He felt his heart leap in his chest when he heard the sound of her bedroom door opening. Smiling happily, he reached out to take her hand as she came down the stairs, not only did she willingly take his hand, she seemed glad to hold it, as if it meant so much more to her than simple politeness. “You look lovely as always my dear.” he whispered as he kissed her cheek, feeling the warmth of her blush as he did so.

Cat smiled warmly, she adored the way he spoke to her, the way he gave her his undivided attention. She wondered if her family would ever be able to accept him, or he them. She felt a pang of guilt as she remembered her conversation with Cash from the evening before. But nothing was ever written in stone, and it was obvious how much Sev cared for her, maybe he would be willing to bend a little, accept some of her clan’s ways.

Cat snuggled against Sev as they walked arm in arm through the formal gardens of his home. “They must be gorgeous in the Spring” Cat sighed “and you have so many roses, I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many different varieties in one garden before.”

Sev looked down at her fondly as he pulled her closer “Yes, my mother adored roses as well, they were one of her passions. Sadly, the gardens have been quite neglected since her passing.” he smiled tenderly as he felt Catri rub her head against his chest, comforting him, letting him know he was loved.

Cat suddenly lifted her head and smiled brightly “Well the gardens may have been neglected, but they certainly haven’t been abandoned” she informed him as she pointed to a snowman sitting by the fountain. She paused, waiting to see who had built the lopsided snowman with the old-fashioned high peaked wizards cap and twig wand. She looked up at Severus and grinned as she heard the sound of children playing, “Come on…” she urged as she kissed his cheek and ran off, following the sound.

Severus stood there, shaking his head but smiling just the same “Catri, what am I going to do with you” he sighed as he walked after her. He knew very well what she would see, the little girls from the guest house. His mother had bequeathed the guest house to a widowed woman with two babies, and his father had not lived long enough to force them out. Sev knew the woman lived in constant fear that one day he himself would force her and her girls to leave the only home they had known, but he didn’t have the heart to do such a thing. He simply snarled and snipped at them, making sure they kept far away from him and his house, although lately the girls had been becoming bolder and bolder.

At he turned the corner in the garden path, he paused and grinned widely. There was his Catri, laughing and playing with the little girls, chasing and being chased as they skidded across the slick paths of the garden. “You will make a wonderful mother Catri, I can see that already” he sighed as he leaned against one of the statues adorning the garden. It took them several minutes to even realize he was there, but when they did, Severus regretted it terribly. The little girls froze as if staring at a monster, and Catri seemed terribly confused by their reaction to him.

“I see you are all having fun” Sev deadpanned, not wanting to frighten Catri, but at the same time not wanting the girls to get close to him. “My dear Catri, you seem to have gotten the worst of it I fear.” Relief flooded through him when he saw her smile and stick out her tongue.

“It is two against one, and I’m not as fast as I used to be” she smiled as she rubbed the girls caps playfully. “Care to join us Professor?” she asked, grinning mischievously.

“Thank you, no. I have seen you fight Catri, remember?” he reminded her “And even without the sword, I would be hesitant to press my luck.” He watched as the two young girls stared up at Catri in obvious amazement of the woman who spoke so fearlessly to him. “Shall we return to the warmth of the house? Or do you intend on dragging me into this?” he asked as he motioned towards the little snowball battle he walked in on.

“Talk about temptation” Cat replied as she picked up a snowball, tossing it up and down in her hand.

“Personally, other things come to mind when you mention temptation.” he smirked as he approached her. He watched with a pained grin as the girl ran behind Catri, as if seeking her protection as he grew closer. It hurt him deeply to see how frightened they were of him, but it was for their own good. No good could ever come from caring for him, both his mother and daughter had been proof enough of that, the only reason he was even willing to risk taking the chance with Catri was due to her unimaginable strength.

“Shame on you Severus,” Catri teased “and in front of children too.” she said as she kissed him gently and rubbed her nose against his. “You are cold,” she gasped “maybe we should go back inside, I don’t want you becoming ill. You are going to need all your strength for next term, and all your wits.” she added winking as he rolled his eyes. Turning to the girls she spoke “Now don’t you two stay outside too long, I don’t want your mother becoming cross if you catch a chill.” she said gently as the girls smiled up at her, nodding vigorously.

Cat smiled happily at the girls as she took Sev’s arm once more “They are just so adorable, do they live around here? I don’t recall seeing any other housed nearby.”

“Their mother lives in the guest house, her husband saved my mother’s life once, and unfortunately lost his own in the process.” Sev explained somewhat briskly “They stay as long as the wish, as long as they live, the guest house is theirs to do as they please.”

Sensing Sev’s reluctance to discuss the subject further Cat simply nodded and changed the conversation. “By the way, I noticed you rolling your eyes at me when I told you that you would need all your strength and wit next term. Are you doubting me?” she taunted, knowing the challenge would be the best way to rouse him from his encroaching depression.

“I find it hard to believe a handful of students, even MacLeod students, would be ‘that’ difficult to manage” he said flatly, his mind still on the past.

“Oh really…” Cat responded, “Fine, have it your way. All I ask is you remember me as a student, then multiply that by ten or so.” she said as they walked towards the house, she noticed Sev’s mind working as they walked, until he suddenly stood still, a strange look on his face.

“Times ten!!!” he bellowed, as if suddenly realizing the full depth of her warning “Are you mad?”

Cat smiled as she took his hand and pulled him toward the house “At least ten, maybe more” she winked “Albus and Minerva are talking about making another house all together just for them” she teased, “and of course it would fall to me to be head of house.” she giggled, unable to keep it in any longer.

Sev narrowed his eyes at her and half smiled, knowing she was simply teasing him now “But what would your precious Gryffindors do without their, what was it Lupin called you, ‘their house mother’, I believe.” he teased back.

“Well you have a good point there Professor” Cat agreed, “Maybe I should just have all my clan put into Gryffindor and settle it that way.” she winked, watching as Sev’s face grew pale with the thought. “Oh come on Sev,…. If Albus insists on the sorting hat YOU may end up being responsible for a few of them”