Forever and Always Yours, SS [Book 3]

Chapter 9

Amilia put her feet on the table in front of her. The rest of the staff filtered in; all but one, whoever was taking Defense Against the Dark Arts, still had not been decided. Severus sat a few chairs down, Poppy next to him, and Minerva settled next to Amilia. That morning they had breakfast in Minerva's office; they had discussed what to do to keep Potter safe during quidditch matches and a rough idea of who would be keeping close at Hogsmead.

Now, they pretended as if nothing had transpired, trying to act like nothing had changed since the last school year. However, it was different. The staff stood behind Dumbledore, they knew someone had killed Cedric, and their fearless leader was not one to lie to them.

Dumbledore fussed over his beard as he waited for everyone to fill in, and when he was ready, he stood up. "Good afternoon everyone! It has been a busy summer, I do hope that each one of you got plenty of rest." He smiled at them, "However, I assume you all saw the new decree that the Ministry set out. Since I have not been able to find someone to take the position, they are sending someone to teach DADA. I do not know who it is yet, so hopefully, they will be here by the feast."

Some of the staff cast curious glances at Severus, it was no secret that he wanted to position, but he was never given it.

Dumbledore cleared his throat, "Hagrid is going to be gone for a few weeks, he has had some personal issues come up, so Grubby-Plank will be subbing for him."

Eyes shifted over to Amilia; she was the one who would usually substitute for staff when they were ill. Amilia stared back at them, "Not my chickens. It would be better to hand that course off to someone with far more experience than I have."

"You have substituted it before though." Flitwick said.

"Yes, she has." Dumbledore answered for her, "However, she would then be neglecting her own classroom for weeks. A day or two here and there is a different story and easily managed."

Flitwick accepted that answer and moved on. The rest of the meeting went by smoothly.

"Amilia, I need you to escort the first years to the boats."

Amilia, who had been leaning back in the chair, slammed forward. "What?"

Dumbeldore stares at her with those blue eyes, "Hagrid is gone. I need someone to do it."

"Why me?"

"If you are concerned about not making the feast on time, I assure you, you will be. In fact, I doubt anyone will notice that you are not there at the start."

Amilia gawked at the cold tone of his soft voice. She took a moment to recollect herself, "How will I make the boats go?"

"You must be the last to board. Then they will do what they are charmed to do."

Amilia crossed her arms over her chest and nodded. This was not something she expected; even Severus looked confused and concerned.

After the meeting, Severus hung behind, "Sir, do you think it is wise to assign Amilia to the boats?"

Dumbledore turned a steely gaze at the Potions Master. "She does not need to be coddled. You need to understand that Severus, and so does she."

"Amilia has more than proven she is capable and I do not coddle her."

"I assure you, you do." Dumbledore turned away to leave.

"How is my concern for her safety coddling?"

"You kept her locked away in a cottage all summer Severus. Is that what you would have done to Lily? Or perhaps that is exactly what you did. How did that go again?"

Severus stood there, dumbfounded. There is absolutely no way that I am treating Amilia that way. She would have told me. Am I?

Later that evening, Amilia was in the boathouse, trying to remember how many students could sit in each one. Dusk was approaching, and she needed to get the boats ready. She scowled as she finally found a note scribbled in Hagrid's handwriting, 4 to a boat.

"Finally." She counted them and sent them on their way to the train station.

Severus watched her from the shadows. He was concerned that she would be exposed to anyone coming into the boathouse, and so far, she had not noticed him. He crept up quietly, secretly hoping she would notice.

Amilia heard boards creaking; it sounded different than when they shifted with the water. She took out her wand, brandishing it before her as she spun around. A red light flashed, and the sound of a wand clattered on the floor. "Lumos." The boathouse was illuminated, and she saw Severus standing off in the distance. "Seriously?"

"I."

"Do you not trust that I can handle myself?"

"I do."

"Then why were you sneaking up on me?"

Severus shielded his eyes, and Amilia lowered her wand. "It is best to practice."

The light went away, and Amilia holstered her wand. "I am fine."

"I know...but I am not."

She looked over in his direction, "What is wrong?"

"I just...Dumbledore said something."

Amilia scowled, "He always says something."

"I only want you to be safe."

"I know."

Severus took cautious steps forward, "He said I am doing to you what I did to Lily."

Amilia felt him grab her arm to steady himself, "What do you mean?" She hated being compared to that woman in any capacity.

"By keeping you too safe. The Potters were basically on house arrest because of me."

"Severus you were a Death Eater at the time, how could you be responsible for that?"

Severus placed a hand on her face, inching closer so they could see each other better, "I am the one who overheard the prophecy, only I did not hear all of it. I told the Dark Lord and he decided to target them."

Amilia could see the pain in his eyes as he told her his deepest regret.

"When I learned who he was going after I ran to Dumbledore. I had begged the Dark Lord to spare Lily but I still went to Dumbledore...just in case."

"Severus, I do not need to hear this." She tried to be reassuring; she did not want to hear it. It made her angry, and she wanted to shove him into the water and run far away because of him, a boy who was orphaned. However, that little boy defeated a Dark wizard and brought about peace.

"Yes you do because it appears that my fear of something happening to you...because of me, I have been keeping you from doing what you want."

Amilia laughed, trying to make him feel better. "You have not kept me from anything."

"I kept you at the cottage all summer. You barely went anywhere."

"I did that of my own choice."

"Amilia."

"Severus, no. Just no. I am not pleased to hear that you were the catalyst for the Potters." Severus looked away from her, his hand falling from her face. Amilia grabbed it and pulled him close, "However, I am not Lily. I do not have a child to worry about. I will take out as many Death Eaters as possible before they ever kill me."

Severus did not like hearing that. The thought of her death haunted him every moment, awake or not.

"I will always come home to you." Amilia said. She kissed him softly, "Now, I need to do the task I was assigned. I will see you in the Great Hall." She let him go and stepped into a boat, watching the boathouse get smaller and smaller.

Severus stood there, unsure of what to do now. Amilia's statement concerned him, but he wanted her safe. How could he balance that desire to protect her and still allow her freedom to do as she pleased?