(Untitled)

[aimless_cormac]

Date: Thursday, 7 December 2000
Time: 6:30 pm
Location: Spinner's End
Characters Involved: Cormac McLaggen, Mandy Brocklehurst, Severus Snape, anyone else who feels the need to threaten or check Cormac out before they leave Spinner's End.
Rating: R

Comments

[subtle_simmer]

It had taken a bit of a scramble to get here after his final class was over. He had gotten into the habit of showering after lessons due to the fumes of the student cauldrons, out of deference to the sensitive noses of his housemates, but this left him very little time to pass his detentions to a gleeful Filch and get to the house. Particularly since he had to deliver doses of Wolfsbane tonight as well.

He also had no time to brew the Impotency Potion, damn it all, and it wasn't one he kept continually in-stock. The one bottle he had found was past its date, and even he was not so much of a bastard as to risk bestowing permanent impotency during the course of merely being over-protective cautious.

There was, therefore, no 'tea', though Zak was still 'Christmas-ing', which now, apparently, meant baking continually, as there were platters of biscuits, divinity, fudge, peanut brittle, and all manner of 'treats' already scattered about the sitting room.

Presumably, the scent of baking was less objectionable to the werewolf noses than the usual scent of potions. Severus took this opportunity to deliver the wolfsbane potion as well, and was pacing from the sitting room to the kitchen, awaiting the young man's arrival.

Well. At least he was punctual.

"Mandy," he called down the hall. "Your friend seems to have arrived."

Without waiting for her, he went to the door, himself. Opening it, he gave the younger man a very critical appraisal before stepping aside to allow him entrance into the house.

"Mr McLaggen. Enter."

[aimless_cormac]

Cormac gave the man a greeting smile before entering the house. It smelled heavenly. Glancing about all the desserts, he couldn't help but smile. Apparently, Mandy hadn't been exaggerating.

Keeping Snape in the corner of his eye at all times, he looked about their home. There were touches of several inhabitants, but it was orderly and oddly homey ... though that might have been the food.

Finally looking back toward Snape, he greeted him with a nod and a cordial, "Hello, Professor."

[subtle_simmer]

Severus Snape, on his very best behaviour, could never be called 'gracious'.

Still. He seemed determined to play the role he had designated for himself to its fullest extent. Not having, nor consciously wanting any children of his own, he had still watched over his Slytherins excessively, and this was taken to even more of an extreme with this small collection of werewolves.

Miss Brocklehurst was almost like the 'baby' of the 'family'. In a sense.

"Mr Rollins takes great delight in holiday baking," Severus said by way of conversation as they waited for the girl's appearance. "Have a seat and help yourself."

He waved a negligent hand to indicated any one of the numerous chairs and sofas which had been added to the enlarged room when the werewolves first moved in, to ensure there would always be adequate, comfortable seating for lounging in the evening.

Besides, enlarging the room meant more room for bookshelves and books, and Severus had wasted no time in stuffing them appropriately.

For himself, Severus chose a tall, wing-backed chair centrally situated, and seated himself regally, folding his hands together as though in prayer, to regard the younger man over the tops of his fingers.

"So. Mr. McLaggen. What is it you do with yourself these days?"

If he was going to play the protective 'father', he was going to be sure to enjoy the grilling of the potential suitor!

[aimless_cormac]

Cormac moved forward and choose a smaller chair near a few seats removed from Severus. His choose had more to do with the small tray of fudge than the actual chair. Casually, he nibbled on a piece as he thought over Snape's question.

"My plans were rather halted by certain unforeseeable factors. Right now, I'm mostly trying to figure out what I want to do and watching over my mother."

[subtle_simmer]

An eloquent brow arched questioningly as he regarded the boy. That was an almost Slytherin 'non-answer'. Severus would have been grudgingly impressed had the boy not been about to leave the house with one of the pack.

Unforeseeable factors, indeed. Like his father being conscripted into the Death Eaters.

"That seems to be a bit aimless, in spite of whatever benevolent motivations keep you in attendance upon your mother. Have you no career prospects?"

However, this did give Severus something new to think of, and he brightened (though not perceptibly, outwardly) for a moment.

"Your mother will be at home, then? At your home, where you are taking Miss Brocklehurst?"

Worry over chaperons might not be necessary.

[aimless_cormac]

Cormac felt the familiar disease at being grilled over his future plans. Facing off against Snape meant controlling his reactions more sternly than he usually bothered to, so he simply gave a smile.

"My family situation has made rushing into something unseemly completely unnecessary. I always planned on going into politics, but that's unlikely now."

Hearing Snape's obvious pleasure over someone at the house with them, he gave a sad smile. He knew that the best he could hope for was his mother staying upstairs if she decided to drink, but there wasn't much point in disillusioning the man.

"Yes, she will be at the estate."

[subtle_simmer]

Well! If someone had told him that a long time ago, much of this fuss might have been unnecessary!

Then again, probably not, as Severus did not know Mrs McLaggen from Circe - and clearly the woman was not well, so there was little protection to be depended upon from that quarter.

Still, some 'adult' presence had to be better than no adult presence, and Severus relaxed some of his more foreboding demeanor.

"Excellent."

With a flick of his wrist, his wand was in his hand, and he summoned a bottle of brandy and a snifter. ONE snifter - he was not going to 'share' his alcohol with the boy and then risk being responsible for an error in judgment which might cause splinching when they went to Apparate. Pouring himself a small measure of the amber liquid, he swirled it lazily in the fat bowl of the glass, warming it in his hand.

He had no idea what was keeping the girl in her room, this time, but he was not going to go hunting for her to speed her way out of the house and on an 'adventure' which he was not yet certain he approved.

Selecting his own sweet from the tray nearest him - a rich lemon-cream biscuit which made him experience a momentary pang of melancholy for Albus, he continued his rather nosy questions.

"Politics, hmmm? I do not recall that you ever possessed the necessary diplomacy for such a pursuit - but then I am an exceedingly poor judge of such things.

"What is on the menu for this evening, then?"

Severus had no idea if the boy knew Mandy was a werewolf - though he'd have to be a total simpleton not to after the Prophet article when they had gone to the Ministry together. Still, unlike with Remus, Severus did not speak freely of their condition with others outside the household. However, it was a cogent question - there were some exotic dishes which ought to be avoided in conjunction with the Wolfsbane potion - and chocolate, which McLaggen was consuming with such delight, would make her quite ill this close to the change, if she consumed much of it.

[aimless_cormac]

"No, you're quite right. I was somewhat difficult at Hogwarts. I'd like to think that I've mellowed since then, but I'll allow you to be the judge of that. It's quite beside the point now, though."

He suddenly wished he hadn't eaten the fudge. Without a drink, it hung heavy in his mouth. As he wasn't about to ask for something, he managed in silence.

"Dinner, some swimming, perhaps a few drinks. It's all quite harmless." He didn't doubt that Professor Snape would disagree, but it was the truth. He had no intention of hurting her. "If you mean the physical menu, we're having steak and vegetables. Mandy already warned me against anything too spicy this close to the full moon."

[subtle_simmer]

It would seem he had relaxed too soon. He had no sooner taken a healthy mouthful of his mid-range brandy, to savour the warmth on his tongue, than Mr McLaggen dropped the bomb.

Severus Snape did not do anything so mundane as 'spit-take' and spray his drink across the sitting room. He did, however, swallow at the same time as he gasped in outrage, causing him to cough and sputter a bit before he could draw breath and speak coherently.

"SWIMMING?!"

Oh, no. No, no, no. This could not be! And here, Severus was just about to favour the boy with a slight moderation of his disapprobation, considering how easily he had taken Mandy's dietary needs in-stride.

But then this!

Severus, himself, had never been 'swimming' a day in his life. Not once. For one thing, even in summer, most of Britain was a bit on the cool side for such endeavours unless one is swimming in a heated pool, or indoors, and Severus didn't know anyone in possession of such a luxury. Engaging in the activity in public was utterly out of the question. If people thought he was an ugly git when fully clothed... well, no thank you.

He had seen the sort of shocking degrees of mostly-nakedness which most people sported while 'swimming'.

They might as well add bath-foam to the pool and be fully starkers for all the concealment such attire provided!!

So, the boy was proving himself every bit as lascivious and lecherous as Severus had suspected from the outset! For a moment, he envied Remus' lycanthropy - he would have given a great deal to be able to growl threateningly at that moment in time.

He settled for scowling menacingly. It was not nearly so satisfying, but one must work with the tools one possessed. He added the hint of a sneer to enhance its effectiveness.

"Swimming, in December? Are you mad?"

It was impossible for him to even know if Mandy possessed a 'bathing suit' aside from that with which she was born - and Merlin knew he bloody well didn't want to see it, thank you very much!

[aimless_cormac]

Cormac couldn't help but smile ever so slightly at Professor Snape's outrage. You'd think he'd purposed mud wrestling for all the distaste the man seemed to hold for the activity.

"My mother was extremely fond of the activity. We have a small pond that's without animal occupation that we use a heating spell on." Having a pretty good idea that his distaste for the subject wasn't derived at the warmth of the water, he added, "Mandy's warned me about her scars. I won't make her uncomfortable."

Looking about for the girl in question, he had to wonder if she was standing him up. Either that, or she was doing herself the benefit of allowing her protector to scare him into submission. Either way, he wasn't exactly thrilled.

"Mandy does know I'm here?"