Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Zingaro	By : ccino49 Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female Views: 3610 -:- 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
I own nothing from the Harry Potter universe. It all belongs to JK Rowling.

Zingaro

a/n. A little bit of background on Paula here.

Chapter 7

�Why, are you afraid I might become a tasty meal for a werewolf?� She asked, amusement in her voice.
Severus� face set deadly serious. �As a matter of fact I am. The Headmaster has also requested I try to convince you to reconsider for that one night. Several werewolves are believed to inhabit the forest Miss Vance, would you truly care to take the risk they do not?�

Paula studied him for a moment, watching him shift uncomfortably at her scrutinisation. �Severus, if there are werewolves in there, and I don�t for one minute believe that there are, they will not disturb me. They may come out of curiosity, since the smell of human lingers strong here, but they will leave me alone. This place holds no Athinganoi (danger).�

�No what?� He scowled at her offhand attitude. �You are dismissing the danger too easily Miss Vance, that is not a wise move. I urge you to reconsider your decision before Thursday, just because you do not think werewolves do not inhabit the forest, does not mean they do not. You may be putting yourself in grave danger.�

She sighed. �Severus you clearly don�t trust my judgment, there again you haven�t known me long enough to do so. Tell me, do you know of any humans who reside in the wavver, the forest when it is not a full moon?�

�Of course not, no human would survive in there.�

�Then where would the werewolves come from. They cannot get through the wards that surround the forest along with Hogwarts, even in their animalistic form. Nor can they dwell in there on a permanent basis, at this moment there are no other humans in the vicinity but you and me. I would sense them if there was. This wavver does not even have Ruv.�
�You would sense them.� He commented, his tone derisive. �And what is ruv for Merlins sake?�
�Xa.� (Eat. pronounced ka) She told him. �Then you may leave. Ruv is wolf.�
�I am sorry, I have offended you and it was not my intention. And Xa?�
�Dilo� (fool) she hissed. I will not be mocked Severus. I have welcomed you to my table, shared my food and considered your argument. You in turn have challenged everything I have told you, questioned my logic, and ridiculed my beliefs and powers. I think it better you leave before a greater misunderstanding comes to the fore. �Xa. Eat.� She snapped.
�Was that a threat miss Vance? I sincerely hope not for your sake. I was merely showing concern for your welfare, it was not my intention to offend you. No one knows fully what resides in the Forbidden forest, not even Hagrid or the Headmaster. You would be a fool to take the risk.�

�Then I am a fool Severus. Goodnight.� Paula did not lower her eyes, instead she stared at him and he noticed them change colour slightly even in the firelight.
He was first to break the gaze as he stood and turned to leave. His back was to her when he spoke. �Once again, I apologise for offending you, but my opinion is my own and the warning that you put yourself in danger still stands. Goodnight Miss Vance.� Severus walked back to the castle, refusing to look back, even though every fibre of his being urged him to.
Only when he reached the doors to the castle did he succumb and turn, expecting to see her in the firelight, dancing or clearing away the dishes they had used. Only there was no sign of her. He decided she had most likely gone into the wagon, or away from the light of the fire. It still did nothing to relieve the nagging sense that something was not right and he was sorely tempted to head back down to check on her.
�I�m fine Severus, but thank you for worrying about me.�

He spun on the step, his mouth slack and eyes wide with astonishment when Paula spoke directly behind him. He snapped his jaw shut, a scowl on his face as he tried to figure out how she had managed to get here ahead of him. Worse was the fact that she again had managed to sneak up on him while he was totally unaware of her.
�I was not worried in the slightest.� He groused indignantly. �The evening is warm and clear, I merely wished to take in the night air before I retired. Why are you here?�
�If you say so Severus. You left your supper, I hate to see food wasted. You can return the dish in the morning.� She thrust the dish into his hands and brushed past him, skipping down the steps then running across the grounds at remarkable speed.
By the time Severus turned to close the doors she was dancing round the fire. He slammed the doors as hard as he could, which considering their size and weight was not very hard, then stalked back to his dungeon rooms.

He paced his office for a good ten minutes, the food lay forgotten on the desk as he considered their conversation that evening and the way she had reached the castle ahead of him. He thought about the way her eyes changed colour and what she had said about being able to �sense� if danger or another human was in the locality. It annoyed him when she pointed out that any werewolf residing in the forest would also need to reside there in human form for twenty-seven days of each lunar month.

The last thing he had meant to do was ridicule her beliefs, or the strange powers she seemed to possess, if indeed she did.

Ignoring the obvious logic of the werewolf/human aspect of their argument, he decided she was just a stubborn young woman who liked to create an air of mystery about her. The trouble was she was succeeding.

Sitting down in a huff, he used his wand to warm the remaining stew and ate, stabbing at the meat viciously and putting it in his mouth to chew at it spitefully, his face set in a mask of rage and confusion at the enigma that was Paula Vance.
Other than curt �good mornings� at the breakfast table, the only meal Paula conceded to attend inside the castle, she and Severus mostly ignored each other for the next few weeks. She stayed in her bender as usual during the full moon and nothing untoward happened, though Severus spent the night close by the small camp, lurking in the shadows with his wand to hand and a bag of silver filings attached to his belt, to keep a wary eye on her, alert to every sound that emitted from the forest. Not that he would have admitted to being worried about her, if asked he would have insisted he did so merely to prevent the risk of another werewolf being created and putting the schools inhabitants at risk.
Paula knew he was there without needing to see him. She smiled as she sensed the anxiety he felt for her.
Her classes were going well and the first years were more advanced than most second years in previous years. The second years were close to third year level and third years close to fourth. Fifth and sixth years were also ahead of their curriculum and the seventh year students and several of the sixth years were now learning auror standard defence spells.
The Headmaster was more than pleased with her progress when he called her into his office late October.
�I am impressed Paula, you have exceeded even my hopes with your teachings. How goes it with our other project?�
�It goes well. I am fully aware of their inner emotions now, though Severus denies his, locks them away and mentally tortures himself in a way not many could. It shields him, or so he thinks. He feels if he afflicts himself with self-persecution it will prevent others from breeching his inner self and hurting him more. He hides from Vortimo. (Truth). Just like you Headmaster he feels the guilt of past deeds and incorrect decisions. You both wish to change that which has happened, to right your wrongs, and it cannot be done. You must both learn to accept that what is done is done and move forward. Guilt and remorse will hinder you.�

Albus was taken aback somewhat. �You have read me?� He asked surprised.�
�Kak, you know what I am, what I do. It is not possible for me to meet someone and not do so. It was unavoidable and I do not apologise for it. In fact yours was the first magical soul I ever really looked at, before you even taught me how to use my gift. You called me here to help you, that is what I intend to do in the only way I know how. I owe you a great debt, now it is time for me to repay that debt.�
�And for that I am grateful. Paula, I was just surprised that you searched my soul so easily and thoroughly without my knowledge. It is rather alarming from my position. Have you told Severus yet what you do?�
�He hasn�t asked me, though I think he is curious. As yet he will not admit that to himself. When he asks, I will tell him. I am not ashamed of my ability and no longer hide it. You were the one who taught me I should use my talent remember.�

TBC
- 6
- 7
- 8
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Zingaro