The evening Snape arrived to exchange gifts with Olivia. And it would also be the first time Charlie had been around Snape since they started dating. In the drawing room, she sat out some tea and biscuits on the coffee table.
Charlie was fidgeting on the sofa, glancing at the door every few minutes. "Would you relax? Nothing is gonna happen, he'll love you." She said taking a seat next to him.
"Love is a strong word to use." He said, straightening his shirt.
Olivia rolled her eyes, "Okay, how about he won't completely hate you?" She teased, laughing when Charlie let out a sigh.
"I've never done this, I have never met someone I'm dating, parents." He explained, rubbing his palms on his pant legs.
Olivia took his hand in hers, "I've never done any of this before, but I know that I love you and that makes anything worth it." She said sweetly with a smile.
Charlie looked at her smile, those lips that was sweeter than the berries that her lips was a similar shade of. He couldn't resist when she looked at him like that. Like everything in the world was beautiful and kind, just because she willed it to be.
He cupped her cheek, running his thumb across her bottom lip. "I love you." He said smiling back at her. They heard approaching footsteps in the hall and Charlie pulled away.
When Snape come into the room, Charlie was the first on his feet, moving passed Olivia. He held out his hand to the raven haired man, "Happy Christmas, sir." He said.
Charlie wanted to make a good impression on the man, even though he had been Snapes student for many years, he wanted to show him who he became once he left school. Who the person that was now dating his daughter.
Snape looked at the outstretched hand, then to his daughter. She stood behind Charlie with a pleading face. Reluctantly, he shook his hand, giving it a firm squeeze before releasing it. Olivia stepped around Charlie.
"Happy Christmas, Dad." She said with a grinning, she wrapped her arms around him expecting that he would do what he normally did when she hugged him, awkwardly leaving his arms by his sides.
But to her surprise, Snape hugged her back. Briefly.
"Happy Christmas, Olivia." He said, pointedly leaving out Charlie's name.
"Come sit, I made you some gingersnaps." She said gesturing towards the couch and arm chairs. Charlie returned to his spot on the couch and Snape sat in one of the chairs. Olivia stood, not sure where it sit at, so she chose the safe option by her dad.
She picked up the wrapped gift on the table and handed it to Snape. He accepted it and peeled away the paper and bow. Inside was a family ring, just like the one she wore of the Snape Family crest.
"I hope you like it. We can match, I didn't know it but Charlie got me one too for Christmas." Olivia said showing off the hand with the ring that matched his gift. Charlie gave a soft smile. "Now, all the Snapes has them." She softly smiled.
Snape looked at her hand where she wore his family crest on the ring placed on index finger. He noticed the Black family ring that she wore on her thumb. He picked up his ring out of the box and slide it on the same hand and finger she wore hers on. "It's nice." He said.
"I thought she should have family rings for both of her families." Charlie explained, Snape looked him intensely. "For the one she is and for the one she chose." He finished saying. Snape only nodded in response.
Silence filled the room for a moment. Charlie cleared his throat, "How about I let you two spend some time together, Ollie, if you need me I'll be in the kitchen." He said standing, hastily he decided to just pat her shoulder before walking out the room.
Olivia and Snape stared after him. "He seems...." Snape started saying, Olivia gave him a look, "okay." He finished.
"He's good to me," she said. Snape scoffed. "He is. And he's a good man, he's kind and caring."
"Kind and caring, is that suppose to make me okay with him dating my daughter?" Snape said
"It should, but really you should be okay with him because I'm happy. He makes it easier to look for happiness... can't that be enough for you? Enough for you to know that I'm happy, not because of him but because he reminds me to be my own happiness." Olivia said pressing a hand to her chest.
Snape pursed his mouth, and thought about what she said. Heaving a sigh, "Fine, I guess that's enough for me then. But I will call in my one free hex if he ever hurts you." He said.
Olivia gave him a wide grin, and it took effort to fight against his own. He pulled out a box and handed it to her. She took it and opened up the gift.
Olivia pulled out a Hufflepuff colored knitted scarf. In many spots the stitching was very loose and one end was wider than the other.
"Your other one has paint all over it, I made you a new one." He said. She ran her fingers over the material, smiling at it. She couldn't believe it, that he took the time to make it for her. Just like how she had made him a scarf a few years ago.
"I love it, I'm sure it will keep me very warm when I'm watching Slytherin get crushed at quidditch this year." She teased. He scoffed again. "Really though, it's great. Thank you." Olivia said giving him a soft smile.
He nodded his head and looked down. She could see the corner of his mouth twitch up for a spilt second. He picked up the tin of gingersnaps, "Minerva will probably try to steal these from me." He said.
"Tell her that she's got some coming here then." Olivia said.
They chatted for a little bit longer then Olivia called Charlie up to say goodbye. She hugged her dad goodbye, "Be safe please."
"I will," he said. Charlie held out his hand to shake. "You, take care of her." He said sharply, but he shook Charlie's hand.
"Of course." He said to the Snape. Once he was out the door, Charlie heaved a sigh of relief. "I was sure he was gonna hex me."
Olivia patted his cheek, "Oh, dear, haven't you realized, Snapes don't attack like others. We wait until the person least expects it." She said with a evil grin.
Christmas came and went. Sirius slowly began loosing his cheerfulness and became grumpier by the day, as their departure for school neared. Olivia tried to get him to stop locking himself up in Buckbeaks room, but nothing helped.
She tried to reassure him that after this term she was out of school and they would spend more time together. Going as far as to offering to get tattoos together, but it didn't help.
Olivia was coming down the stairs when she seen her Dad coming in from the hallway. "Dad? What you doing here?" She asked.
"Order business, Dumbledore has asked me to teach Harry Occlumency." He explained. Sirius had come down the stairs too, to hear what Snape was saying.
"Excuse me, but what is this I hear about my godson?" Sirius said, with a raised brow.
"How about we move to the kitchen?" Olivia suggested before things got heated, herding them to the doorway.
Once in the kitchen, Snape and Sirius took opposite seats from one another. Olivia asked Mrs.Weasley if she could go get Harry, fearing what might happen if she left the men alone.
The silence was heavy with the mutual dislike they shared. Olivia knew that with the mood Sirius was in nowadays that his tolerance for her dad would be long gone.
Harry came into the room with wide eyes on the men. "Er," he said announcing his presence.
Snape faced him with his face framed by curtains of black hair. "Sit Potter."
"You know," said Sirius loudly leaning back on the rear legs of his chair. "I think I'd prefer it if you didn't give orders here, Snape. It is my house, you see."
Harry came around the table and took the spot next to Sirius across from Snape. Olivia leaned on the hearth of the fireplace near the tables end.
"I was supposed to see you alone, Potter," said Snape with a sneer, "but Black-"
"I'm his godfather." Said Sirius even louder.
"I am here on Dumbledores orders," said Snape, "but by all means stay Black I know you like to feel... involved."
Olivia leaned off the fireplace. Sirius let his chair fall back on all four legs. "What's that supposed to mean?" He said.
"Merely that I am sure you must feel- ah- frustrated by the fact that you can do nothing useful," said Snape, "for the order."
Sirius flushed with rage, and Snape sneered. "The headmaster has sent me to tel you, Potter, that it is his wish for you to study Occlumency this term."
"Study what?" Said Harry blankly.
"Occlumency, Potter. The magical defense of the mind against external penetration. An obscure branch of magic but a highly useful one."
Harry's face showed panic, "Why do I have to study Occlu- thing?" He blurted out.
"Because the headmaster thinks it a good idea." Said Snape smoothly, "You will receive private lessons once a week, but you will not tell anybody what you are doing, least of all Dolores Umbridge. You understand?"
"Yes," said Harry. "Who's going to be teaching me?"
Snape raised an eyebrow.
"I am." He said.
Harry looked horrified, he looked at Olivia and then to Sirius for support.
"Why can't Dumbledore teach Harry?" Sirius asked aggressively, "Why you?"
"I suppose because it is a headmasters privilege to delegate less enjoyable tasks," said Snape. "I assure you I did not beg for the job." He got to his feet. "I will expect you at 6 o'clock on Monday evening Potter. My office. If anybody asks, you are taking Remedial Potions. Nobody who has seen you in my classes could deny you need them."
Snape turned to leave, Olivia a step behind his billowing black cloak.
"Wait a moment," said Sirius sitting up in his chair.
Snape turned around sneering, "I am in rather a hurry, Black... unlike you I do not have unlimited leisure time..." Olivia closed her eyes at the blow.
"I'll get to the point then," said Sirius standing, balling his fist in his pocket. "If I hear you're using these Occlumency lessons to give Harry a hard time, you'll have me to answer to."
Olivia looked from her uncle to her dad.
"How touching," Snape sneered, "But surely you have noticed that Potter is very like his father?"
"Yes I have," said Sirius proudly.
"We'll then, you'll know he's so arrogant that criticism simply bounces off him." Said Snape.
Sirius pushing aside his chair, drawing out his wand as he came around the table. Snape drew his wand too, squaring up to each other. Sirius looked livid and Snape calculating- looking from Sirius' wand to his face.
"Sirius!" Said Harry loudly, but was ignored. Olivia stood between the men, hands out towards both of them.
"I've warned you, Snivellus," said Sirius inching around Olivia to get closer to Snape. "I don't care if Dumbledore thinks you've reformed, I know better-"
"Oh but why don't you tell him so?" Whispered Snape, "Or are you afraid he might not take the advice of a man who has been hiding inside his mothers house for six months, very seriously?"
"DAD!" Yelled Olivia, glaring at him.
"Tell me, how is Lucius Malfoy these days? I expect he's delighted his lapdog's working at Hogwarts isn't he? Especially after he beat Olivia and got away with it!" Snapped Sirius.
"SIRIUS!" Yelled Olivia at her uncle.
"Speaking of dogs," said Snape softly, "did you know that Lucius Malfoy recognized you last time you risked a little jaunt outside? Clever idea, Black, getting yourself seen on a safe station platform... gave you a cast iron excuse not to leave your hidey-hole in future didn't it?"
Sirius raised his wand, Olivia tried blocking his aim if he was to cast. "NO!" Harry yelled vaulting over the table trying to get in front of Sirius. "Sirius dont-"
"Are you calling me a coward?" Roared Sirius trying to push Harry and Olivia out of the way but neither budged.
"Why yes I suppose I am." Said Snape, pushing Olivia away, but she held her ground.
"ENOUGH!" She shouted, all eyes on her. "I'm sick of it!" Yelling, she felt her skin begin to heat up. "You two are adults! ADULTS! You can't hurt each other without hurting me in the process!" She said looking from her uncle to her dad. Her hands tingling.
"I hope you got it out of your system because this is the end of it. I swear if either of you so much as looks at the other in the wrong way I will stop speaking to BOTH of you. You are acting like children right now! Our job is to protect Harry, and to do what's best for him. BOTH of you are failing right now. BOTH of you need to change. Or say goodbye to me now, because if any of this interferes with what Harry needs, I will cut you out immediately-Sirius I know you're his Godfather but I don't want to hear it, this is a childhood rivalry that should have expired a LONG time ago." She roared at them.
The kitchen door opened and the entire Weasley family plus Hermione came inside, all looking very happy, with Mr.Weasley walking proudly in their midst dressed in a pair of striped pajamas.
"Cured!" He announced brightly to the kitchen at large, "Completely cured!"
He and all the others froze on the threshold, gazing at the scene in front of them. "Merlins beard," said Mr.Weasley, the smile sliding off his face. "What's going on here?"
Both Sirius and Snape lowered their wands. Snape looked at Olivia and gave her a nod before heading to the door. He turned back before he left, "Six o'clock Monday evening, Potter." He said then he was gone.
Sirius glared after him and then looked at Olivia, she pointed a finger at him. He nodded.
"But what's been going on?" Asked Mr.Weasley again.
"Nothing, Arthur, just a friendly little chat between two old school friends..." with what looked like an enormous effort, he smiled. "So... you're cured? That's great news, really great.."
That nights meal should have been a cheerful one with Mr.Weasley back but Olivia could tell that her uncle was trying to put up a front that he wasn't bothered by earlier events. She noticed his face dropping after laughing harder than need at the twins jokes, when he thought no one could see.
Joined by other order members she tried not to let it show how upset she was. How it hurt to see two men she loved and cared for, like that. She wasn't naive enough to think that things would ever be good between Sirius and Snape, but she hoped that for her sake that they could push aside their differences and act civil at least.
Charlie looked next to him where she sat, with worry etched on her face. He rubbed her back, drawing her attention to him. He leaned over to her and whispered in her ear, "I'm here for you."
She pulled back to look up at him, she gave him a sad smile and nodded her head. He kissed her temple, pulling her into his side.
Olivia wouldn't tell anyone how thankful she was for the Weasleys interruption. Because while Harry, Sirius, and Snape looked at the door, she looked down at her hands.
With the attention on the men with their wands drawn, no one but her noticed the sparks of flames in her palms. Flames that came without the need of any spell.
The interruption had gave her enough time to clench her fists to make the fire vanish, not wanting everyone to see what was happening to her.