[log] for this freedom i have given all i had
[23:57] * Gilly takes her hat off and sets it down, waving that away. "So I can go back, right? Just - poof, through a door?"
[23:57] Severus: "In... theory." He just sort of stares at her. "You didn't die or anything?"
[23:58] Gilly: "No! Why, did you?" There's a pause, and she scrutinizes him intently. "Oh God, did you?"
[23:58] Severus: For a moment he can't decide if he hates her or or wants her to keep talking out of morbid fascination. ".....It's Halloween where you live, then."
[23:35] * Gilly is not the worse for drink, because jumping from a roof trashed is a bad idea even to Gilly Owens, but she is trying to light a smoke without setting the brim of her hat on fire as she kicks her dress out of the way of the door shutting behind her. "...well, huh."
[23:40] * Severus wandered in a little while ago - at some point or another in ten years he's sure he's been here before, but not regular by any means. Without other plans, and finding it empty and not entirely offensive, he had sat down to do paperwork. And now he looks up. ... Halloween?
[23:42] Gilly: "Hi," Gilly tips her hat up so she can a) look at the other person in here and b) not set her head on fire. "Hi! Iiii think I'm kinda lost. You wanna help a girl out?" She leans her hip against a nearby table, taking the measure of him - yeah, he doesn't look the good samaritan type.
[23:44] Severus: "Hello," he says, voice quiet and flat as usual. He's set his paper down, at least. Looking at her fully... well, she's beautiful, isn't she? Somehow he's more distracted by her hair than her hat, which... is saying something. "I believe this is a bar."
[23:45] Gilly: "Shit, you think?" She shakes out her match and exhales smoke, smiling. "Do you believe it has a name? Or...I've wandered into strange bars before, but not like this."
[23:46] * Severus frowns slightly. "..You weren't in the Nexus, prior..?" Fuck he hasn't seen a virgin in years.
[23:48] Gilly: "...the where now?" It says a lot about Gilly that she looks more intrigued than worried.
[23:49] Severus: Paperwork is fully set aside now. Beautiful red haired women in witch hats do not fall out of the sky every day, and he might as well make himself useful before she proves horribly stupid or unbearably annoying. Or a Gryffindor. "..The Nexus. It's where you are, rightly."
[23:50] Gilly: Well, if he's going to involve himself in the conversation, she's going to invite herself to his table. ...The edge of his table. "Well, okay, but where is that?"
[23:51] Severus: "...." Oh, Merlin's... something. He digs through his coat pocket until he finds a PDA-like PINpoint and pulls up The Nexus 101, for lack of a better description. "It's ... everywhere."
[23:51] * Gilly leans forward to have a look, holding her cigarette off to one side. "...you're kidding. You're not kidding!"
[23:52] Severus: "I am not," he says, eying he cigarette in mild apprehension. "Might I ask..." the hat, dear.
[23:53] * Gilly tips her head back to look up at her own hat. "This old thing? It goes with these." She gives the robe a twitch with one hand and swings her (bootless, now) foot up to wiggle her toes in their red and white stockings.
[23:55] * Severus seems to take that as a perfectly fine explanation. Or whatever, as his expression doesn't seem to change from "polite apathy" very often. "In any event... I'm not kidding. The Nexus is the space between all worlds and times, as it were. There are doors everywhere. It seems you've stepped through one by accident."
[23:55] Gilly: "Ooops."
[23:55] Severus: "...Oops?"
[23:57] * Gilly takes her hat off and sets it down, waving that away. "So I can go back, right? Just - poof, through a door?"
[23:57] Severus: "In... theory." He just sort of stares at her. "You didn't die or anything?"
[23:58] Gilly: "No! Why, did you?" There's a pause, and she scrutinizes him intently. "Oh God, did you?"
[23:58] Severus: For a moment he can't decide if he hates her or or wants her to keep talking out of morbid fascination. ".....It's Halloween where you live, then."
[23:59] Gilly: "Good guess." She quirks a weird little smile. "What's your excuse?"
[23:59] Severus: "I'm a wizard."
[00:00] * Gilly pauses, and puts her cigarette out so she can lean forward over both hands, flat on the table. "You're a wizard."
[00:01] Severus: "I'm a professional alchemist and necromancer, more specifically."
[00:01] * Gilly sits back pretty damn fast when he says 'necromancer', eyeing him with new wariness. "Oh yeah?"
[00:01] Severus: "It pays the bills," he says, and though his words are light there's a certain tired apathy to his voice.
[00:02] Gilly: "Those must be some bills." Not...that...Gilly has issues with necromancy why would you think that.
[00:03] Severus: "It's usually getting rid of ancient accidents in peoples basements," he tells her dryly.
[00:04] Gilly: "Men," Gilly sighs. "You're never around when we need you. Well, okay, Mr Necromancer, do you have a name?"
[00:04] Severus: "It's more alchemcy than anything," he points out, though he's sort of sure at this point she doesn't care. "Severus Snape."
[00:05] * Gilly gives him a look, like, well that is a hell of a name sir. "Not that you asked, but I'm Gilly Owens." She sticks out her hand. SHAKE IT.
[00:06] * Severus takes her hand, and his mannerism seem sort of old-fashioned as he does; he's wearing silver rings - a habit, silver's useful in his line of work. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Owens."
[00:07] Gilly: "Are you just saying that to make me feel better?"
[00:07] Severus: "I am saying that because it is polite."
[00:10] Gilly: "Much fun?"
[00:11] * Severus gives her a look that borders on confusion, but is still... very politely apathetic.
[00:12] * Gilly smiiiiles, instead of laughing. "It's a holiday where I'm from, you know. You should relax a little."
[00:12] Severus: "I am relaxed." This is, sadly, true.
[00:13] Gilly: "Is this like when the guy says 'but I am smiling, ma'am'?"
[00:13] Severus: "I imagine it is."
[00:14] Gilly: "Okay, well, that's terrible."
[00:15] Severus: "Really?" ... Somehow he manages to turn a question into the most UN INTERESTED THING EVER.
[00:16] * Gilly examines him for a second, like she's coming to a conclusion, and then bounces off the table. "Yes. Really. Is there a bartender here orrrr...?"
[00:18] Severus: "I believe you serve yourself," he says mildly. "Is Gilly short for something?"
[00:18] Gilly: "Oh, great - Gillian!" This is said over her shoulder as she boosts over the bar.
[00:20] Severus: "Gillian," he repeates, because that is further from Lily, and while he lacks the debilitating obsessive issues of his life, it's still an odd coincidence.
[00:23] Severus: *repeats. wf.
[00:23] Gilly: "Gillian," she confirms, picking through bottles. "Do you want something while I'm over here? I promise not to drug it." ...
[00:24] Severus: The thought of someone drugging Severus fucking Snape is actually kind of funny, and there might be a tug at the corner of his lips there, whether she's looking or not. "Shot of something, if you like."
[00:25] Gilly: "Soooounds good." It wouldn't be the first time Gilly slipped a little something in somebody's drink, but let's...not get into that, how's about.
[00:26] Severus: "You're taking this awfully well."
[00:26] Gilly: "It's an adventure! Don't you like adventures, Severus?"
[00:26] Severus: "I'm not sure that I've ever had any." This is a blatant lie.
[00:28] Gilly: "Being a wizard not that exciting? That's a shame. ...I think I made that a little stronger than I meant to. I hope you can hold your liquor."
[00:29] * Severus takes the glass and raises it in thanks. He actually doesn't drink all that much, and will likely sip this very slowly. "It was, but there was a war. It isn't very glamorous." Particularly when you're a spy.
[00:31] * Gilly salutes him with her own. "I guess that's not most people's idea of fun." Unless they're really fucked up. ...In ways different from both Gilly and Severus.
[00:32] Severus: "Not particularly." He takes a sip of his drink, which is strong, jesus christ, Gilly. "You're a witch." Not a question.
[00:32] Gilly: "Was it the hat? It was the hat, right?"
[00:33] * Severus just staaaaares at her for a moment. Pause. dot dot dot.
[00:33] Severus: "Yes."
[00:33] * Gilly holds his gaze until she starts laughing. "Okay. So it wasn't the hat."
[00:34] Severus: See, he has a sense of humor. It's just as apathetic and deadpan as the rest of him. "Witches tend not to like the word necromancer."
[00:35] Gilly: "Well, like I said. Never around when you need 'em. It's not a nice word, anyway."
[00:36] Severus: "It isn't entire accurate, either, but it soothes non-magic folk, usually." And in response to her initial remark, he takes a business card from his jacket. All it has is his name and a phone number.
[00:36] Severus: *entirely
[00:37] Gilly: "You're not kidding," she repeats, half-laughingly, taking the card. "You sound like a real informed guy."
[00:38] Severus: "I have been doing this for a very long time."
[00:39] Gilly: "And you were forty the whole time, weren't you?"
[00:40] Severus: "Thirty-eight, and for ten years of it."
[00:40] * Gilly gives him a 'any minute now you're going to keep talking and that will make sense' expression.
[00:40] * Severus raises his eyebrows and takes a drink.
[00:41] Gilly: "The point of shots is that you drink them fast, you know. And I've heard of staying twenty-one for twenty years, but thirty-eight?"
[00:42] Severus: "I'll choke if I drink it that fast." At least he's honest. "I died when I was thirty-eight."
[00:43] Gilly: "Oh." ...well. Gilly stares at him for a while.
[00:44] Severus: "Ten years last May. It's rather worn off any need for mourning."
[00:45] Gilly: "You look a lot b- you really don't look dead."
[00:46] * Severus caught that, but isn't going to ask. "Yes, I'm not entirely sure how it worked. Some people in the Nexus are dead, or should be. I imagined I'd go to hell. No such luck." This is his humor again, see?
[00:50] Gilly: "Where'd you go instead?" Gilly is mildly perturbed. Also, considering how rude it would be to check for a pulse.
[00:51] Severus: "Here."
[00:51] Severus: "...Not the bar."
[00:53] * Gilly peers out the window...and then stops, because the nexus looks kind of like Willy Wonka on even more drugs. "Out there?"
[00:53] Severus: "Yes."
[00:54] Gilly: "You need cigarettes more than I do."
[00:55] * Severus actually laughs at that, but it's quiet and very subdued, because... that's just him, okay.
[00:56] * Gilly looks like she thinks she should win a prize for that. For the record. "Are there a lot of witches who don't like necromancers in...England?" She lilts it like a question, because it is.
[00:57] * Severus tilts his head a little, vaguely curious. "Yes. You're from... Salem?" Shot in the dark, but you know, they've got A Reputation out there.
[01:06] * Gilly laaaughs, because...yeah. "No, I'm from - this little New England island. Salem, seriously?"
[01:07] * Severus thinks New England sounds familiar in context of Salem, but he's not entirely sure. "The only American witches I've met have been from Salem."
[01:09] Gilly: "I haven't met any American witches I wasn't related to."
[01:09] Severus: "A familiar story." Severus, stop making fun of your own House.
[01:11] Gilly: "Is that so?"
[01:11] Severus: "Where did you go to school?
[01:14] Gilly: "There's only the one school in town, back there."
[01:15] Severus: "...You went to a muggle school?" Incredulity, thy name is Severus.
[01:15] Gilly: "I went to a what?" Gilly gives him the most amazing look.
[01:17] Severus: "Muggles. Non-magic people."
[01:17] Gilly: "This is what I mean. Informed. I have no idea what you're saying!"
[01:18] * Severus gives her the most distinctive look he's pulled all night. It says: Woman, you are insane.
[01:18] Gilly: "I know that look," Gilly says, immediately, because she does. "Come on. What?"
[01:19] Severus: "It's just been a while since I've met a ... proper witch who hadn't been to one of our schools."
[01:20] Gilly: "Owens women have always done things their own way. So tell me about these schools I haven't been to?"
[01:21] * Severus drinks the rest of his shot glass and... proceeds to explain Hogwarts.
[01:23] * Gilly is a rapt audience! A rapt audience who never wanted to go to boarding school.
[01:23] Severus: "...And I ended up teaching there." Note: no mention of war, Voldemort, or Death Eaters.
[01:24] * Gilly sees NOTHING UNUSUAL about war not being mentioned re: a school. And yet. "What'd you teach?"
[01:26] Severus: "Potions for fifteen years, Defense Against the Dark arts for one, and for my final year of employ, I was Headmaster. My retirement was, I hope, in a pyre and not a coffin."
[01:29] * Gilly doesn't make any innuendo ever about the title 'Headmaster'. MARVEL. "Potions. I like it. Wouldn't it be kind of awkward if you were cremated, though...? I don't know. How does this work?" ...Unless prevented, she will check his pulse at his wrist. (Good odds she will be prevented.)
[01:31] * Severus will just look at her with an eyebrow raised if she manhandles him. "The physics of it defy all reason. I've not attempted to return home." Though he HAS looked into it via his portrait, which is awkward enough to cover all his bases, thanks.
[01:32] * Gilly womanhandles him, which is completely different. "They say you never can. Of course, people also say magic isn't real. Go figure, huh? You still don't seem dead to me." But she's not actually disbelieving.
[01:33] Severus: "I suppose I am not, here. Though I've given a great many fortune-tellers a start. Apparently I have no future."
[01:35] Gilly: "That must make your dayplanner a real bitch. Is it freeing?"
[01:35] Severus: "It's nothing." And this isn't said in some frivolous 'Think nothing of it!' way - it's very clear that he literally doesn't care.
[01:36] Gilly: "What's something, then?" Some people would think twice before interrogating Severus Snape! Those people would be smart.
[01:37] Severus: "What do you mean?" Oh, Gillian.
[01:38] Gilly: "'Oh, I am so British, I don't care about anything and I don't make facial expressions.' So, what's interesting to you? That doesn't have to do with highschool, because - pass."
[01:39] Severus: "Maybe I'm just a zombie. I enjoy reading."
[01:39] Gilly: "You're not a zombie," Gilly says, with confidence. "What do you read?"
[01:40] Severus: "Books."
[01:40] Severus: Yes, he's fucking serious.
[01:41] Gilly: "You are really difficult."
[01:41] Severus: "Quite."
[01:41] * Gilly rolls her eyes. "Okay, smartass. Fiction? Non-fiction? Don't tell me. Bodice rippers?"
[01:43] Severus: "I prefer historical fiction."
[01:44] Gilly: "Historical fiction liiiike...what kind of historical fiction do wizards read?"
[01:45] Severus: "An only slightly wider variety than what non-wizards read, seeing as muggle history is still history." Yes, thank you, she's covered that you're smartass, professor.
[01:46] * Gilly is willing to go over it again if he needs a reminder. "'Muggle'." She's still stuck on that word. Seriously. Muggle?
[01:46] Severus: "I didn't come up with it." Which is true.
[01:47] Gilly: "You are only thirty-eight."
[01:47] Severus: "I'd have to have a time machine to have done it."
[01:50] Gilly: "And if you had a time machine, wouldn't you do something cooler?"
[01:50] Severus: "I should think so."
[01:53] Gilly: "You'd never have to read anything again." She pauses, considers that. "You could correct it all, though."
[01:53] Severus: "All I'd do is create another handful of scattered worlds."
[01:54] Gilly: "You hate fun, don't you."
[01:54] Severus: "I'm not bad at pool."
[01:54] Gilly: "Is there a table?" >:)
[01:55] Severus: "I've not looked."
[01:58] Gilly: "I'm going to look." NOTHING CAN GO WRONG WITH THIS PLAN.
[01:59] * Severus wonders about another drink. Surely this is unrelated.
[02:00] * Gilly can't imagine why it would be related. Really. Upside: she is no longer sitting on his table. Tables are not for sitting on.
[02:02] * Severus actually wasn't minding that, but neither was he conciously enjoying. Someone needs therapy, yes, old news.
[02:06] Gilly: All the therapy ever. "Okaaay - hey, there is!"
[02:07] Severus: "How fortunate...."
[02:10] Gilly: "You wanna?" Is it a trap- no. ...probably not.
[02:13] * Severus pauses, and it's just an odd moment of hanging silence versus hesitation. After a moment he stands, and nods. "I suppose." Since he'd mentioned it, he can't really see a way around it.
[02:16] * Gilly will take this tiny victory, because as adventures go, Severus is currently the most interesting thing here. "Don't sound so enthusiastic. C'mere and I'll even let you break."
[02:18] Severus: He shrugs off his coat first, and folds it neatly over his chair back. The look he gives her is midly pessimistic. "Please." Ladies first, obviously.
[02:23] * Gilly is unfazed, or just nuts. And potentially going to cheat, here, so keep an eye on that. "Well, okay." The coat coming off gets a look, mostly because...layers, he has them, Gilly is pretty sure he's got more fabric on his person than her aunts. Both her aunts.
[02:25] * Severus has actually kind of ~modern-ed it up~ over the past few years, though yes, he's still very formal and very traditionally a wizard. He steps close enough to select a pool cue and watch her, mild.
[02:26] * Gilly 's mental monologue sounds a lot like what comes out of her mouth, let's say. She flashes him an unconvincingly ingenuous smile and breaks, leaning her hip against the side of the table and sinking absolutely nothing.
[02:27] * Severus takes a shot, and makes one. Sry Gilly.
[02:28] * Gilly pokes her tongue out at him. She is a bastion of maturity.
[02:29] * Severus raises his eyebrows, and goes and makes three in a row, just because.
[02:30] Gilly: "...okay, so you're not bad."
[02:30] Severus: "I've one at home."
[02:30] Gilly: "Where's home?" Gilly fails her shot spectacularly.
[02:31] Severus: "Scotland." ...ish.
[02:31] Gilly: "Oh, wild. I've never been there." Ish or otherwise.
[02:31] Severus: "It's quiet." How he prefers, generally.
[02:32] * Gilly has traveled a fair bit. There are any number of possibilities here. "I bet. You don't strike me as a big city, bright lights kind of guy."
[02:33] Severus: "I've had my moments, but you're right, for the most part."
[02:33] Gilly: "Go me." There is what you might be forgiven for thinking was something like a pause before the ball sinks. Gilly has no idea what that might be about. >_>
[02:34] Severus: "There's an easier way, you know."
[02:35] Gilly: "What!"
[02:36] * Severus takes a step toward her and directs her stance. This is done not awkwardly but with a formal sort of indifference that says, what the hell, he's doing this for real and not as an excuse to cop a feel.
[02:36] * Gilly is both confused and entertained by that. "Like this?"
[02:38] Severus: "Yes... it's more of balancing..." apparently he cheats and thinks of this like a goddamn math problem.
[02:40] Gilly: "Is there going to be a pop quiz after this?"
[02:41] Severus: "I'm not sure that would be particularly useful."
[02:42] Gilly: "Prrrrobably n-oh, I got that one. Move over."
[02:43] * Severus steps back, somewhat amused.
[02:44] Gilly: Aaand not that one. "So this is you relaxed?"
[02:45] Severus: "One does not need to be utterly loopy to be relaxed, Ms. Owens." He makes one, misses the second.
[02:47] Gilly: "Gillian." Don't pester the man, even if it is easier when you can slink up the side of the table and it's both marginally less obnoxious and easier to avoid.
[02:48] * Severus eyes her a bit. "What do you do for a living?"
[02:52] Gilly: "I'm working for my sister at the moment. Just temporarily." Whaaat is that look for, mr wizard.
[02:53] Severus: He's just curious. Not much of a social life, this one. "Ah."
[02:53] Gilly: "It's kind of like potions, actually." Kind of a lot! But less obviously.
[02:54] Severus: "Potion-making is an art I am quite fond of." It is actually a real skill to make something like that sound so damned apathetic.
[02:55] Gilly: "You sound really into it." Gilly grins. "I'm good. Probably not as good as somebody who taught it for fifteen years - but I'm good. My sister, she's amazing."
[02:56] Severus: He doesn't say that she seems particularly talented - enough to manage little bits of wandless magic. "Oh?"
[02:57] Gilly: "Yeah. She's just - Sal's great. She's amazing." This is a little quieter, but genuinely sincere. "You should invest in some of her shampoo." There we go.
[03:00] * Severus gives her a look that's almost withering, but she wouldn't know why, not really. He's got very long hair that he keeps back, so sue him. "I admit it is not something I pay overmuch attention to."
[03:00] Gilly: "Ohhh, well, I'm not surprised. But you'd like it. Cross my heart." :> :>
[03:01] Severus: "If you say so." ... This does not sound mocking, because it isn't. He's odd that way.
[03:03] Gilly: "I'd know, right?"
[03:04] Severus: "I'd certainly hope so."
[03:06] Gilly: "I do work there." ...she does more work when she's actually being supervised.
[03:09] Severus: "How did you learn magic?"
[03:11] Gilly: "Well, I was taught, how does anybody learn anything? But if you mean who taught me, that was my aunts."
[03:12] Severus: "Mm." ... Verbose, isn't he.
[03:13] Gilly: Downright loquacious. "I think I'm still learning. How about you?"
[03:15] Severus: "My mother. School. ... I had mentors."
[03:15] Gilly: "Mentors?" :>?
[03:18] Severus: "People who offer guidance in a role-model sort of way." Oh, deadpan.
[03:19] Gilly: "Smartass." In case he'd forgotten from earlier. "That's a whole lot of education."
[03:19] Severus: "I enjoyed it."
[03:19] Gilly: "Lots of reading!"
[03:21] Severus: "Among other things. But yes."
[03:25] Gilly: "Yes!" Gilly checks her watch, now, "...ohhhh, shit, Sal's gonna kill me. Okay, I will see you around, Severus Snape. I'll get you some of that shampoo. You'll like it! Bye!"
[03:26] Severus: "... Of course."
[03:26] * Gilly disappears back through her door, after doublechecking that she's still got his card.