The Redemption of Severus Snape

Part 45

Lindsay reached out a hand and Snape grabbed it back. He whispered to her, "This is a wild herd. Be still." She relaxed and leaned into him as she silently watched the thestrals pass by. Snape hadn't the slightest interest in thestrals. His face was turned to hers. Her hair smelled lovely. She was wearing the perfume he'd made for her. His attention was so focused on the delightful feeling of her lean curvy body pressing against his, that he hadn't noticed that the thestrals had passed and were almost out of sight.

"That was the most unique and thoughtful Christmas present I've ever received. Thank you, Professor." She was so excited that she kissed his cheeks several times. He apparated her home without any warning. They appeared at her back door with a tiny pop. He'd planned on excusing himself immediately, but she dragged him inside, still chattering excitedly about how lovely the thestrals were and how impressed she was that he could fly without a broom.

"It's an uncommon ability," said Snape. "Very few know that I can do it, and I'd like to keep it that way."

"Your secret is safe with me. Can I make you something to eat?"

"Uhh, I really should be going..." he didn't actually need to be anywhere, but was afraid he'd end up doing something he'd regret.

"Indulge me, Professor. I'm a quarter Italian; I love to feed people. It won't take me long to whip something up."

"If you insist," replied Snape.

"I'll get you something to drink. Would you like a mug of ale?"

"I can get it," replied Snape as he turned to descend the cellar steps. She busied herself with pulling out ingredients and cooking utensils. It was all very meticulous, much Snape himself when preparing to brew a potion.

He watched her remove her hoodie and don a cooking apron. She chatted amiably about the first time Hagrid had shown her thestrals and how exotically lovely she thought they were. Her chatter meandered to other related topics. She could be annoyingly loquacious, but she was also very good at small talk and quite interesting at times. She was capable of deep discussions on a great variety of topics, but Snape wasn't interested in chatting. He wasn't interested in making friends.

He had no idea what she'd put in front of him, and didn't dare ask as he had no desire to get her talking again. Right now she was quietly eating and he was enjoying the silence. She typically was quiet during meals unless someone spoke to her, which Hagrid and Lupin often did. If it wasn't one of them that got her going, it was Dumbledore or that nitwit Trelawney. He ate quickly and hadn't realized how hungry he'd been. She might talk too much, but he had to admit that she was an excellent cook. They retired to the library after their pleasantly quiet meal. He was still nursing the same mug of ale.

The library was a pleasant room, very warm with a roaring fire. It housed an impressive collection of books—mostly literature, but Snape saw quite a few texts on muggle medicine and psychology. He set down his ale and pulled a book from the shelf and thumbed through it; 'The Psychology of the Criminal Mind, Volume Two.'

"Bit of light reading?"

"Human behavior fascinates me," replied Lindsay.

"Why criminal behavior specifically?"

"I have always been a factual sort of person. My family was deeply religious and they could understand the idea of good and evil, but those terms were too simplistic for me. I needed facts and calculations, so I buried myself in books like the one you're holding. Personality and upbringing undoubtedly influence behavior, and these are important topics of study for people who catch criminals. But I wasn't interested in catching people; I just wanted to understand them. After all of my experiences and all of my studying, do you know the conclusion I came to? Some people are just evil, and that's all there is."