Forever Yours [Book 2]

Chapter 47

The staff stood in the small corridor that leads to the door behind the head table. Severus eyed Lupin as he waited. Minerva chatted away at his side and then stopped when she spotted something in the distance. Severus could hear the soft clicks of a pair of heels. He looked in that direction and spotted Amilia's hat. She fiddled with it for a moment before approaching the rest of the group.

"Oh, that is a lovely color on your, my dear," Minerva said as she grabbed Amilia's arm to inspect the fabric.

Severus's eyes raked over her; her hair had been made into a low bun sitting to the side of her head. She had darkened her makeup and wore a slimming black dress beneath the cardigan. A shimmering black belt nestled at her waist, and her heeled shoes gleamed with a fresh polish.

Amilia turned her chestnut eyes to him, "Your," She paused, trying to remember what it was called but instead pointed at her neck, "it is crooked."

Severus touched it with his slender fingers, "Thank you." 

Minerva swatted his hands away and corrected it. "Alright, everyone, let's go sit down." The staff members paraded into the Great Hall, and after they took their seats, Dumbledore walked in and clapped his hands. Food appeared on the tables, and everyone tucked in.

"Are those feathers from your birds?"

Amilia turned her head slightly to look at Remus, "Yes, they are."

"They are lovely."

"Thank you." They both looked back at their plates. She had so many questions burning her tongue, but she did not ask them out of respect for both Remus and Severus. She peered down the table at Severus; he slowly at the soup in front of him and only looked up to look at her. She sat back quickly. No, no, no. You still need to figure yourself out.

Severus stood with the staff when a Gryffindor student came barreling into the Great Hall. "Professor Dumbledore!" The boy repeated several times. "We need you to come quick."

Severus, Amilia, and Minerva looked at each other. "What could it be?" Amilia asked.

"I need to go." Minerva hiked up her skirt and ran after Albus.

Severus looked at Amilia, "Go check on the common room." She nodded at him and took off to her office.

Severus and Minerva arrived as Albus was barking orders. "No need for that!"

"What do you mean, Peeves?"

"She has gone. Fled." He cackled, "Very embarrassed, you see. Crying in all of the portraits as she ran."

"Did she say who did this to her?" Albus pointed at the painting.

"Oh yes, she did Headman, sir!" Peeves said with his chest all puffed out, "Twas that Black. Nasty temper he has."

Severus blanched as he looked at Minerva and then laid eyes on Harry Potter. The boy looked as shocked and as sick as he felt. Albus looked at Severus, "Go collect your House."

Severus calmed himself before running into the common room and quickly scanned it for Amilia. She was already getting up from the piano. Several students turned to look at him as the music she had been playing stopped abruptly. Having noticed the change in atmosphere, Draco darted over to the piano and started playing something to distract everyone.