[personal profile] rm
Ghosts (repost), Snape/OFC, 32/48
Rating:
G – hard-R; this chapter G
Author’s Notes:
  • If you don’t know what this is, please read this.
  • Despite a recent tune-up, this was written in 2001 and is not compliant with the current state of the HP universe.
  • Your feedback and commentary are always welcome, even for a time capsule such as this.
  • You can find all chapters here.
  • If you’re looking for slash, het, poly, Book-6 compliant Slytherin backstory please visit the recently updated Fascilis Descensus Averno a WIP written with [livejournal.com profile] kalichan. It features Severus Snape, Lucius & Narcissa Malfoy, Bellatrix & Rodolphus Lestrange and Regulus Black and mostly takes place in 1979 – 1981 but has forays both significantly forward and back in time.
    Disclaimer: It’s JKR’s world, I just mess about with it.



    Allosia searched her mind rapidly and somewhat obviously for a song that didn't involve dead lovers or muggle religious habits and found few that matched her mood or the situation. With her mind screaming at her to just sing already as it wasn't such a big request, she opened her mouth and just let the notes come out, improvising in front of him as she did only in private or in the lessons that had made her the most shy. Using made up words and phrases and random syllables, she built the melody, weaving its pattern with the sounds and shapes that were the favorites of her voice. As she felt herself give in to the song, she realized she couldn't look at him, was afraid of his reaction to her sudden illogical intensity, worried that she didn't have a right to sound this way and to sound so certain about it. She got up, strengthening her voice and turned her back to him, pacing slowly. As she quieted, as she wound the sounds down, she found it in herself to face him again. She closed her mouth and her song in a hum, and looked at him over her arms folded on the back of her chair.

    He smiled at her, weakly, and took a long blink. "I don't know much about these things," he said in a voice particular to when his intellect could not and would not back him up, "but that seemed like very powerful magic."

    She nodded then, understanding what she had been too in the moment to notice while singing, that it was in some form a spell to keep him safe, not from Voldemort or this stupid party, but his own relentless self-directed anger.

    "Thank you," he said, his voice barely audible.

    "Thank you for asking," she said.

    "Did your ex, you never told me his name, did he like your singing?"

    "Phillip. When I sang songs yes. That, what I just did, those scared him."

    "Why? It was very beautiful."

    "Because it wasn't predictable. They can sound very angry as well, very mournful."

    Severus nodded. "He wasn't a muggle?" he asked, somewhat incredulously.

    "Muggle born," she said.

    "And it showed," he said, understanding.

    She nodded. "I don't like to think those things matter."

    "But we both know they do," he said with an intentional wickedness.

    She shrugged. What could be done? Their prejudices were their prejudices and they had both had experiences that made them seem logical. She happened to feel guilty about that fact. Severus didn't, but that's because all of his capacity for guilt was generally absorbed in other matters.

    "What's your plan, for tomorrow, I mean, you said - "

    "Yes. It's al right to ask." He paused, glanced to the corner for a second and then looked back at her. "I'd like you to stay tonight if you don't mind."

    Allosia shook her head, and he indulged a slight smile. Of course she didn't mind.

    "Tomorrow, I'll need to leave probably around six to get there."

    "You're not apparating," she stated.

    "Gods no. In fact it will take a strong argument for me to do anything other than take a carriage there with my broom loaded into it just in case."

    Allosia stifled a giggle.

    "At any rate, the real favor is that I'd you to be here, when I get in, afterwards. If you don't want to, or this seems odd, I do understand, it is merely a luxury that I would be most grateful for."

    "It's fine, Severus." She was quiet, interested in the formal tones he used when he found himself in the unpleasant position of having to ask for anything.

    "Thank you."



    "All right, you understand how chess is essentially a military conflict, yes? The troops have taken the field and the battle must be joined, correct?"

    Allosia nodded. They had in fact given up on wizard chess after one rather weak game. They were both too distracted to play decently and their tempers had shortened considerably as they had laughed at each other's moves. Once the pieces joined in they knew it was hopeless. Severus thought he might have a good alternative.

    "In go, we focus on deploying the troops for battle. It's really a much simpler game than chess, but much harder to master."

    He took her through some sample situations before they actually settled in to play. Allosia found it hard to place stones with any confidence she had an actual strategy, and he kept encouraging her to not even respond to the moves he was making on the board. It was a better activity though. She was happy for the small heavy objects to worry in her hands and for not having to look like she had the faintest clue what she was doing.

    And Severus seemed happy. His eyes never left the board and Allosia took both pleasure and interest in watching them scan up and down the playing field's grid lines, before unfocusing to see the larger pattern.

    Losing by ninety-one stones didn't thrill her though, although he tried to reassure her.

    "That's what the first game is for Allosia, to determine the handicap so we can play equally."

    She made a face.

    "Don't be like that. I've played this game for ten years now and there are many many players I take significant handicap to. A true go master could easily defeat me, and create a preplanned artistic pattern on the board at the same time."

    "Really?"

    "Really. Now, again?"

    Allosia nodded, and with a slight flourish of his wand he cleared the board, separated their stones, and set up her handicap.

    "Now remember," he said, "divide and conquer. Divide to conquer. And watch for the eyes."

    They looked at each other then, just briefly, before they both tilted their faces back to the board.
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