A sigh escaped the female in the chair opposite Albus Dumbledor. The old wizard looked over his half moon glasses at the American witch sitting before him, still so young even after all these years. A simple hazel blue robe covered her forest green tee and dark, form fitting blue jeans, the sleeves of the robe long enough to hide her hands even when sitting. Tea sat untouched in her cloth covered hands and her gaze was faded, informing Albus he had lost his companion to memories of the past. He smiled, though, as the twinkle in his eyes sharpened. He cast the cup of tea back to the tray just as a knock on the door startled the young American witch.
The door opened without Albus uttering a word as the witch scrambled to her feet to face the entering duo. Albus studied the still startling symbol on the back of her robe as the witch held a passive face till she met the gaze of the second one to enter.
The witched blinked before grinning. "I never expected to see your face again, Severus. It's been a rather long handful of years, hasn't it?"
The man spoken to gave a rare smile as he commented, "Winter Smith. I expected the last time I was to see you was after you left to head home the day Lilly and James died."
The witch made a face before grinning. "Always with the wry remarks. You just never quite, do you?"
Severus chuckled, though Winter wasn't done. Her smile vanished as she stated, "You can't blame me for having left 10 minutes before Voldemort arrived. If I had known he was coming, I would have stuck around, but Death Eaters were on my tail and Lily was urging me to catch the next flight out."
Winter's gaze fell onto the gawking boy before Severus, smiling gently at him. "You grew up faster than anyone could have expected. You look a lot like James, though Lily's features are more prominent now, I'm sure."
The boy blinked his green eyes that grew in size. "Y-you knew my parents."
"Yep," Winter stated proudly, tilting her head to the side with a smile. "They graduated Hogwarts three years before I did. Since I had been sorted into Gryffindor, it was a lot harder not to know them. Lily helped me out when I was in a few rough spots and Remus helped me in a few classes, getting me mixed up with the Marauders."
The utter joy on the boy's face lit up the entire room and Winter chuckled. "How has your life here been, Harry? I hope it's been wonderful."
Harry chuckled, stating, "It's defiantly been a wonder."
"You're 16 now, right?" Winter asked, the smile fading. She glanced at Severus to see his impassive expression giving away nothing. "The last time I saw you was 15 years ago and not under good circumstances. May I?"
Winter held her hand towards his forehead and waited till Harry nodded. She moved his hair and traced the lightning bolt scar with her thumb, muttering, "Something so small causing so much pain from such a dangerous spell."
She removed her hand, smiling at Harry. "I apologize for looking at it. It's just hard to believe a curse meant to kill could leave such a small mark. And I still remember when it wasn't there. That day held no warning for what was going to happen that night."
She turned, looking to Albus before Harry could reply. "I have business I need to take care of, Albus. I'll be back in time for dinner."
The old wizard nodded as the witch left without another word.
The door opened without Albus uttering a word as the witch scrambled to her feet to face the entering duo. Albus studied the still startling symbol on the back of her robe as the witch held a passive face till she met the gaze of the second one to enter.
The witched blinked before grinning. "I never expected to see your face again, Severus. It's been a rather long handful of years, hasn't it?"
The man spoken to gave a rare smile as he commented, "Winter Smith. I expected the last time I was to see you was after you left to head home the day Lilly and James died."
The witch made a face before grinning. "Always with the wry remarks. You just never quite, do you?"
Severus chuckled, though Winter wasn't done. Her smile vanished as she stated, "You can't blame me for having left 10 minutes before Voldemort arrived. If I had known he was coming, I would have stuck around, but Death Eaters were on my tail and Lily was urging me to catch the next flight out."
Winter's gaze fell onto the gawking boy before Severus, smiling gently at him. "You grew up faster than anyone could have expected. You look a lot like James, though Lily's features are more prominent now, I'm sure."
The boy blinked his green eyes that grew in size. "Y-you knew my parents."
"Yep," Winter stated proudly, tilting her head to the side with a smile. "They graduated Hogwarts three years before I did. Since I had been sorted into Gryffindor, it was a lot harder not to know them. Lily helped me out when I was in a few rough spots and Remus helped me in a few classes, getting me mixed up with the Marauders."
The utter joy on the boy's face lit up the entire room and Winter chuckled. "How has your life here been, Harry? I hope it's been wonderful."
Harry chuckled, stating, "It's defiantly been a wonder."
"You're 16 now, right?" Winter asked, the smile fading. She glanced at Severus to see his impassive expression giving away nothing. "The last time I saw you was 15 years ago and not under good circumstances. May I?"
Winter held her hand towards his forehead and waited till Harry nodded. She moved his hair and traced the lightning bolt scar with her thumb, muttering, "Something so small causing so much pain from such a dangerous spell."
She removed her hand, smiling at Harry. "I apologize for looking at it. It's just hard to believe a curse meant to kill could leave such a small mark. And I still remember when it wasn't there. That day held no warning for what was going to happen that night."
She turned, looking to Albus before Harry could reply. "I have business I need to take care of, Albus. I'll be back in time for dinner."
The old wizard nodded as the witch left without another word.
...last for a while
