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Lost and Found	By : TheLibrarian Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female Views: 3257 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 6
- 7
- 8
Disclaimer:
Harry Potter and all his friends (and enemies) are the brain-child of J.K.
Rowling. I�m just borrowing them. Exclusive ownership belongs to JKR, Arthur A.
Levine Books and Scholastic Inc. Jane Sinclair and all additional characters
belong to me. You belong to yourself.

A/N:
A bonus chapter for you all, because you have been so patient.

***

Tell it to me slowly (tell me what).

I really want to know. It's the time of

the season for loving.

Time
of the Season, The Zombies

Chapter
Seven � The Time of the Season

Winter
arrived with a vengeance, covering the entire land with a heavy blanket of
pristine white snow. Hogwarts was preparing for the Yuletide season, and
everyone, from the lowly house elves to the Headmistress, chipped in to make
Hogwarts look especially warm and welcoming. Many students had opted to remain
at school over the holidays, in the safety of the castle�s wall.

Jane was
sitting on the window sill in her bedchamber and stared out into the distance.
She had pulled up a knee and propped up her elbow on it. An open letter dangled
forgotten from her hand. So, she thought as she watched the snow flakes fall
outside her window, the last piece of her past was finally wrapped up. The
Ministry had eventually caved in and restored her inheritance back to her.
Fenton Hall was hers. She wondered if it would look as she remembered it. She
was curious whether her parents had removed any reminder of their murderess
daughter. An overwhelming sense of loss came over her. So many wasted years.
Such a waste of life.

In preparing
her appeal to the Ministry regarding her inheritance, she had stumbled upon
Dumbledore�s letter to her. In it, Dumbledore had recounted what had happened
to her family after her banishment. Her parents had begun proceedings to have
her disinherited, when the press discovered their association with the Beadle
killing. The Daily Prophet had printed article after article, exploring
every possible rumor and scenario. The Fentons soon became outcasts in their
circle and, to them, being cut by their peers was the worst that could have
happened to them. They committed suicide not three weeks after Jane�s
banishment.

The letter
fluttered to the floor, and Jane made no attempt to stop the tears that had
begun to stream freely down her face.

�I�m sorry,�
she whispered.

***

Jane was
collecting her things and prepared to leave. She hesitated, gathering courage to
tell him. She dreaded telling him, but it could not be helped.

�Well,� she
began hesitantly. �I guess I won�t see
you until after the holidays, Severus.�

His head
jerked up. �What?!�

Jane quietly
endured his explosion. She�d known he wouldn�t take it well. He glared at her
angrily.

�You cannot
just take a break when you want to, Jane,� he informed her succinctly. �We
cannot disrupt your lessons. Not now, when you�re making such progress. There
isn�t much time, before��

�I have to
go,� Jane interrupted him. �The Ministry has finally restored my inheritance to
me. I need to visit Fenton Hall to see if it needs any work done. It has stood
empty for thirteen years. Please understand, Severus. I must go.�

He stared at
her darkly. He was most displeased and vented his anger without restraint.

�Go then, if
you�� he wrinkled his nose contemptuously, ��must. I thought your
studies were important to you. Obviously, I was mistaken.�

�Please
don�t be like that, Severus,� Jane pleaded with him. �It�s not like I want
to go.�

He fixed her
with his intense gaze until she squirmed. Something akin to pain and
disappointment flashed briefly in his eyes.

�When will
you be leaving,� he finally asked her.

�The day
after tomorrow. I have to attend the Yule ball.�

�And when will
you be back?� He looked indifferent as always, but the slight quiver in his
voice belied his forced calm.

�As soon as
possible,� Jane told him. �But I don�t think I�ll be back before New Year�s.�

�Very well,
then.� He looked away and stared into the fire. �Good night, Jane.�

Jane moved
to the door, but couldn�t bring herself to leave. An idea had popped into her
head, and she wondered whether she should voice it. She spent several minutes
mulling it over. In the end, she took courage and spoke up.

�Severus��

He whirled
around, startled. Clearly, he had thought her long gone.

�Why are you
still here?� he asked her coldly.

�I just
thought��

�That�s
always commendable.� The look he gave her chilled her to the bone.

�Never mind,
then.� Jane snapped. �It was a silly idea to begin with.�

�Come on,
now,� he mocked her. �Don�t be bashful now.�

�Fine.
I just thought that you�ve been stuck in here for such a long time. You must be
going out of your mind being unable to go outside.�

�I manage to
keep myself occupied,� he told her tersely.

�I�m sure
you do. But that can�t compensate for��

�Get to
the point.� Snape stressed each word with forced patience.

�You could
come with me�� Jane stopped herself, embarrassed.

There was a gleam
in his eyes that she could not identify, but it worried her.

A furious
flush suffused her face. �I only meant,� she hurried to explain when he
remained silent, �no one knows of our association. No one would expect you to
be there.�

�And, Jane?�
He asked her quietly. �What then?�

His voice
had taken on a low silky timbre that felt like a caress. His eyes held hers and
her blush intensified. She recalled her dream and she almost blurted out exactly
what she wanted to do. What she wanted him to do. With her. To
her.

�I just
thought,� she said instead, �that you might enjoy the opportunity to escape
this�,� she waved vaguely into the air, ��this prison. Fenton Hall has
beautiful grounds and there is a lake��

Jane hated
how her voice quavered. She knew he hadn�t missed it and could only imagine how
he planned on using this show of weakness against her.

�Jane,� he
informed her scathingly, �if I wished for more pleasing scenery or a more
temperate climate, I would have gone to the continent.�

�Well, I
thought you would be pleased,� Jane snapped defensively. Tears threatened to
well up. This wasn�t going how she had envisioned it. �I just wanted to help��

�I�
appreciate� your gesture,� Severus took pity on her. �Another time, under
different circumstances�� He cleared his throat. �Don�t concern yourself with
me. I shall be very busy in the coming days��

�Alright.�
Jane nodded, pretending to understand. �You could have said that from the
start, instead of biting my head off.�

�Good night,
Jane,� he dismissed her, turning his back on her.

***

Jane
inspected herself in the mirror. The midnight blue dress she had bought at
Madam Malkin�s so many months ago clung to her most attractively. Tonks stood
beside her, examining herself critically. The two women were getting ready for
Hogwarts� annual Yule ball.

�Ooooh,�
Tonks whispered reverently, looking at her friend. �I like it. It�s simply
gorgeous. Old Nightshade�s going to have a heart attack. Or apoplexy. Or both.�

�It would
serve him right,� Jane said dryly. �He�s a grown man and he keeps following me
around like a lost puppy.�

�But he�s very
dignified,� Tonks supplied eagerly.

It was a
running joke between them that ever since Jane had helped Hogwarts� new Potions
master maintain his dignity after a particularly nasty run-in with Peeves, he�d
been pursuing her with staid persistence.

�I like your
dress, too,� Jane told her friend sincerely, pushing Professor Nightshade�s
somber visage from her mind.

�What? This
old thing?� Tonks tugged at her own loud magenta dress.

�It�s you,�
Jane assured her. �Remus won�t be able to keep his hands off you,� she added
with a suggestive smile.

Tonks sighed
dreamily. �Oh, I hope so. He�s been so stuffy lately.� She wrinkled her nose.
�Doesn�t want to do anything that might corrupt impressionable young minds.
You wouldn�t know it looking at him, but Remus was quite wild in his day.�

�Well, I
say: make love, not war.� Jane commented. �With all that�s going on outside
Hogwarts, a little show of affection can be quite reassuring that all�s well
with the world.�

�Hm,� Tonks
pondered, quickly warming to the idea. �Maybe I could convince Remus
that being affectionate in public might actually be beneficial to all
those impressionable young minds...�

�Well, if
anyone can do it, it�s you. Are you ready?�

Tonks
skipped towards her and hooked her arm into Jane�s. �Let�s go.�

***

Remus
greeted them as they stepped into the Great Hall. He took in their appearances
with an appreciative glint in his eyes, and offered either woman one of his
arms. By the buffet table, Basil Nightshade choked on the Christmas punch as he
beheld Jane. Both women noticed, and Tonks winked at Jane, who merely groaned.

The Potions
master hurried across the dance floor, narrowly colliding with several dancing
couples.

�Professor
Sinclair,� he greeted her, bowing so deeply she feared his spinal cord might
snap.

She inclined
her head in acknowledgment. �Professor Nightshade.�

�May I have
the honor of this dance?� He offered her his arm and looked at Remus. �You
don�t mind, Professor Lupin, do you?�

Lupin had
noticed Nightshade�s adoration of Jane and watched it develop over the weeks.
And Tonks had filled him in on the Potions master�s most recent attempts to woo
their friend. Nightshade was harmless, he had concluded early on, just a lonely
man who had his age and old-fashioned upbringing working against him. Remus
chanced a glance at Jane, who was annoyed at the prospect of having to leave
her friends. Fortunately, she decided to be graceful and put on a brilliant smile.
Nightshade�s worn face and tired eyes lit up hopefully.

�My
pleasure, Professor,� she accepted and let him lead her to the dance floor.

During the
course of the evening, she danced twice more with Basil Nightshade, who proved
to be quite spry for his age. When he finally had to sit down and fan himself,
Remus swooped in and rescued her.

�So, when
will we hear wedding bells,� he asked her mischievously as he swept her across
the dance floor.

Jane
laughed. �Not any time soon, believe me.�

Remus
swirled her around and glanced at the Potions master. �You�ve been very kind to
him.�

�He�s a nice
man,� Jane shrugged, �who doesn�t seem to have much joy in his life.�

The unbidden
image of Severus, all alone, flashed through her mind. He, too, didn�t have
much joy in his life.

�He�s old
and lonely, and having a young beautiful woman pay attention to him� well, it
is a rare pleasure.�

They swirled
around the other dancing couples. �You should know,� Jane told Remus pertly,
nodding towards Tonks. �You�re practically robbing the cradle.�

A shadow
fell briefly over his face and his face reddened. �Yes, well, I��

Jane pinched
him playfully. �Oh, don�t get all flustered now. Tonks told me all about her
relentless pursuit of you. You didn�t stand a chance. Besides, everybody who
knows the two of you knows that you are made for each other.�

Remus
grinned. �Well, I didn�t put up much of a fight. In the end, it was just easier
to let her catch me.�

�And you
haven�t regretted it since.� Jane nodded knowingly.

�Not one
minute.�

After Remus,
she danced with two seventh years, who tried to use the dance as a pretext to
wheedle their end-of-term grades out of her. She sent them good-naturedly on
their way, but her mirth was no longer genuine. Severus kept popping into her
mind. She could just see him, hunched over his work table, concocting potion
after potion, desperately trying to keep himself busy, so the loneliness
wouldn�t overwhelm him. It broke her heart.

***

Jane stood
in front of the door to his den, gnawing on her lower lip, contemplating the
wisdom of her actions. She new how nasty Severus could get if he was disturbed.
Besides, he wasn�t expecting her. But in the end, compassion won out over fear.
She lifted her hand and knocked three times. She heard something drop inside,
followed by silence.

She knocked
again. �Severus,� she asked softly, �it�s me, Jane.�

She placed
her ear against the weathered wood of the door and listened. Nothing.

�Severus?�

�Go away,�
Snape snapped back at her.

�Please, let
me in. I�won�t stay long. I promise. I just wanted to say good-bye before I
leave tomorrow.�

�Say your
piece and leave.� His voice was hoarse and fierce.

�I�m not
talking to the door! Severus, please let me in.�

Finally, she
could hear him move. She stepped back, sporting a triumphant smile.

The door was
suddenly yanked open, and the sight that presented her wiped her smile off her
face. Severus peered at her through bloodshot eyes. His black hair was
disheveled and his cheeks were hollow. He hadn�t shaved and a faint stubble
covered his jaw. He had discarded his robes, but still wore his usual attire of
black trousers and severe black jacket over a pristine white shirt. Only now,
the jacket was unbuttoned and the shirt hung partly open.

Jane didn�t
realize that she gaped at him open-mouthed until he told her so with a nasty
sneer. The man in front of her was not the Severus she knew. Gone was her aloof
and untouchable teacher. In his stead was a man of flesh and blood whose dark
eyes sparkled dangerously, warning her that he was a man not to be reckoned
with. Jane realized that her decision to come had been very foolish. She didn�t
know this Severus, didn�t know how to handle him.

�What are
you doing here,� he asked her drunkenly.

�I�,� she
began, not knowing how to continue. Underneath her cloak, Jane hugged herself,
disconcerted by his hooded stare. Her fingers bumped against the small box
tugged away in her pocket. She perked up. �Well, it�s Christmas, and I�I got
you a present. I forgot to give it to you yesterday.�

She pulled
out the colorfully wrapped box and held it out for him to see. She looked at
him eagerly, but his expression took her by surprise. Jane didn�t know what she
had expected, but it certainly wasn�t this. Pain and disbelief chased each
other in rapid succession as he looked down at the small gift in her hand. It
suddenly occurred to her that this might be the very first real present he�d
ever received. A present that had no strings attached, that didn�t ask for
anything in return.

�Severus,�
she asked softly.

Her voice
shook him out of his reverie. He blinked once and a veil of indifference fell
over his face. Stony-faced, he stepped aside and flung the door open, ushering
her inside. The door slammed shut behind her, and Jane swirled around, only to
find herself face-to-face with Severus. He leaned back against the door,
piercing her with his intense stare.

�What�s the
real reason you�re here,� he finally asked her.

She looked
down at the present in her hand. �I wanted to wish you a Happy Christmas. I was
at the ball and kept thinking of you being here all by yourself��

�Ah,� he
said knowingly and lifted a finger as though he was emphasizing a particularly
important point during one of his lectures. �You were feeling sorry for me!�

�No,� she
shook her head. �I wanted to come. To see you. To keep you
company.�

He flung out
his arms, forcing her to take a good look at him. �Well, now you�ve seen me,�
he snapped viciously. �You can be on your way now.�

For a moment,
Jane considered being as cruel to him as he�d been to her, but she recognized
his desperate attempt to protect himself, and she refused to let him provoke
her. Her gaze softened as she saw the naked despair in his eyes. She took in
his untidy appearance and glanced towards the fireplace. Sure enough, on the
floor lay an empty bottle of Ogden�s. Jane moved to the fire to warm herself.
She shrugged out of her cloak and held her hands against the flames. She felt
his eyes on her, drinking in her appearance. His unabashed admiration gave her
courage.

�Why are you
doing this,� she asked him softly. �Why do you keep pushing me away?�

�You�re the
one who�s leaving!�

His outburst
caught her off guard. It must have shocked him, too, she thought, because he
looked absolutely mortified at his admission. He hung his head, unable to meet
her eyes.

�But I told
you, I�d be back as soon as I could, Severus.�

�What do you
care,� he asked hoarsely. �Why did you come?�

�I was
concerned about you.�

�I�m
touched.�

Jane wrung
her hands, muttering an oath under her breath. He was a most obstinate man.

�Severus, I
realize that for most of your life you�ve never relied on anyone but yourself.
But I thought we�ve become... friends.�

He lifted an
eyebrow. �Friends?�

She nodded
emphatically. �Yes. Friends. And friends help each other when they�re in
trouble or when they�re in pain. I wish I could take away your pain. I�d
do anything��

Severus
didn�t hide his surprise. �Anything?�

Jane gulped.
She hadn�t fully thought this through, yet. But if she wanted to prove her
support, she�d have to stick with it.

�Yes,� she
nodded. �Anything.�

�Well,
well,� he mused, his voice strong again. �Isn�t that a surprise? You never
struck me as the adventurous type.�

�I�m full of
surprises,� Jane told him pertly.

Severus
finally pushed himself off the door and sauntered towards her. He leaned
against the fireplace mantle and brought his face close to hers. �So I see.�

�Yeees,
weeell�� Jane didn�t like the turn their conversation had taken. Nor did she
like the change in him. He was no longer a desperate lonely man, but a
dangerous predator.

He leaned
closer and she stepped back. He kept advancing on her until her back hit the
wall. Severus brought up his arms and planted his hands against it on either
side of her shoulders, imprisoning her. His gaze dropped, taking in her
velvet-clad figure.

�Well, now,
what have we here,� he breathed. Jane�s widened when she saw unconcealed lust
flare up in his eyes.

�You�d do anything,�
he queried her again.

She
swallowed. �If it�s within my power, yes.�

�Would you
kiss me?�

Jane
swallowed and nervously licked her lips. She�d never been a forward woman.
Growing up, she had been trained to be passive and to never take the
initiative. Seeing hope in his tormented eyes, she made up her mind.

�Yes,� she
said simply, squarely meeting his gaze.

�Now?�

Severus
stared into Jane�s wide eyes. He didn�t really expect her to go through with it
� well, he admitted to himself, he hoped she would. Still, she caught him by
surprise when her hands cupped his face, drawing him closer. She looked deep
into his eyes, telling him that she was all right with this, and lightly kissed
him on the mouth. Her gentleness was almost too much for him to bear. A
strangled sob escaped his lips and they pulled apart. Severus searched her
eyes, unbelieving. Jane recognized the years of loneliness and sorrow mirrored
in his eyes and her heart went out to him. She rose on tiptoes and kissed him
again. Her lips were less gentle now in an attempt to drive away at least some
of his torment. Disarmed by her tenderness, he clasped her to him with the
desperation of a drowning man and lost himself in her kiss.

When they finally separated, his hands moved
to her shoulders and he leaned his forehead against hers.

�What am I to do with you?�

�Let me stay,� Jane said simply. She�d made
her decision. �Let me keep you company. I will gladly do it.�

Severus jerked away. �No,� he hissed. �I
will not have your pity.�

�It won�t be pity,� she assured him as she
reached for his face and traced the line of his jaw.

For a moment
he leaned into her touch, reveling in her caress, but then he snatched her hand
away. �Enough,� he ground out. �No more.�

He was still
holding her with a vice-like grasp, but she did not pull away. He stared into
her wide honest eyes, and his anger gradually subsided.

�Come,� he
sighed. �You must return.� His lips pulled into a grim line. �They�ll wonder
where you�ve gone.�

�You won�t
let me stay?� A lone tear rolled down her cheek.

He released
her hand and gently wiped the tear away with his thumb. �No, you must
go.�

Their eyes
locked. �One last kiss, so I may remember you.�

That odd
request caught her off guard. �Of course, Severus, but��

He cut her
off with a slow tender kiss. His tongue traced her lips and explored her mouth
with such purpose as though he was memorizing the taste and feel of her. When
he finally let her go, Jane sighed and picked up the present she had dropped
during their kiss. She walked over to the workbench and placed the box on it.

�Happy Christmas, Severus,� she said softly, throwing him
one last glance, before she picked up her cloak and left.

===

A/N #2:
Hm, I wonder why Severus is holding back. Could it be that he is up to something?
Stick around to find out.

Lost and
Found � 2005 by MMHG

===
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