Author's Note: Eventually we'll actually get somewhere with this. Like, there's a teachers-only party coming up involving a bit more alcohol than healthy.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Alternate Universe (where Sirius still lives...) and slash.
Disclaimers: I do not own...
Summary: They say love is blind... Well, so is Snape. And only his worst enemy is capable of snapping him out of his downward spiral into self-destruction. AU.
Love is Blind
Chapter Four: In Which There Are Stale Biscuits
The next morning, Sirius navigated his way through the halls of Hogwarts to the teacher's lounge. He'd overslept and ended up missing breakfast, but the lounge always had snacks handy for the teacher's with free periods; something Sirius planned to make use of.
Yes, of course he could just ask one of the house elves, but Sirius didn't really trust how he'd behave around them. He'd had another nightmare that night.
It started off simply enough; he was back in Azkaban with every worst memory echoing through his mind until he was about to go insane. To escape it, he transformed into his animagus form and slipped through the bars and down to the sea. He started swimming, but felt the water drag him down. Down, down and inexplicably he was human again with the surface far above his head and a great coral palace before him. Then he was inside the palace, facing the cruel mermaid Queen. She looked like his mother and she was skinning house elves alive. Suddenly, he was in her place, watching his own rough hands wielding the knives. Sirius tried to scream, but all that came out was a high, cold laugh, and then he wasn't skinning house elves but Harry and Remus and James and Lilly, and Snape...
Sirius leaned against the wall, pressing the cool stones against his aching head.
"All right, there, Sirius?"
The animagus straightened immediately and blinked at the other man. "Charlie? Oh-- no, I'm fine." He forced a smile. "How are you?"
Apparently in too good a mood to question Sirius, the redhead grinned. "Quite well, thanks. Actually, I'm glad I spotted you; McGonagall told me that most of the teachers don't come 'till August. I was afraid it'd just be me and her for the summer."
Sirius found himself chuckling. "I know what you mean. She still makes me feel like a naughty student." The other man nodded ruefully. "Did you just arrive?"
"Yeah." Charlie sighed. "And just missed breakfast, I expect."
"I missed it, myself. The teacher's lounge usually has food at least remotely edible; care to join me?"
"Brilliant."
In little enough time they were both seated in comfortable armchairs, sipping tea and munching only slightly stale biscuits.
Charlie stretched comfortably. "So..."
"So."
"It's been a while since we've seen each other, huh?"
Sirius acknowledged that with a nod. "Four months, three weeks," he said quietly. The last time he'd seen Charlie it had been in the aftermath of the final battle. In the midst of all the dead and dying, he had been relieved to find that the young man he'd befriended through their shared missions had survived.
Charlie cleared his throat and Sirius looked up again from his plate. "Has Remus come by?" the redhead asked in far too casual voice.
Sirius, caught off guard, choked on a piece of biscuit and coughed. It seemed none of the Weasleys had any idea how to be subtle. "Er--"
Well, as much as he wanted Charlie and Remus to get on with... whatever it was they were doing... The Padfoot in him told him to be loyal. Letting the redhead corner his friend was apparently the wrong thing to do. Besides, Remus couldn't be planning to avoid the redhead the entire summer, right?
Right?
He shook his head slightly with a laugh. "Still worried about an empty castle? Don't be-- I heard that there's going to be a sort of 'End of the Year' celebration, or something. Apparently they have it every summer and all the professors are required to come." Sirius grinned at the other man. "You can ask McGo-- er, Minerva about it. I don't remember much of what she said.
"Um... thank you. I think I will." And then there was nothing for it but for Charlie to get up and search for the Headmistress.
Sirius chuckled quietly to himself in congratulations at a good diversion.
To Be Continued
HJ - Why, thank you.
moondancer - I'm glad you think so. Soon? Er, that depends on your definition of the word...
Barb8 - Glad to have you back again, then. Update!
mon - Of course I'm still on this fic. I never abandon a story! It just takes a while to update...