The Butcher and the Baker?
“Your friend is late, Rosenberg.”
Willow looked at Snape. “Sometimes she’s late. I didn’t really give her a set time to be here. You need to meet her too, and try not to be all sarcastic and stuff. She could break something on you.”
“You have mentioned this. Repeatedly. So much so that I am seriously considering hexing you into silence.”
Buffy was running late. She had been training by herself in a small exercise room and completely lost track of time. She debated taking a shower but decided that meeting Willow’s new mentor man while sweaty and stinky wouldn’t be a good first impression, so she tried to get dressed as quick as she could.
After drying her hair as much as possible, she started to head out, still running her fingers through the damp hair. Just as she got to Willow’s office, she pulled it back out of her face into a bun at the nape of her neck and would deal with the funky locks later. She opened the door and continued to push some stray hairs out of her face.
“Sorry! I got so caught up in training that I lost track of time.” Buffy walked right up to the man sitting in the chair across from Willow’s desk and held out her hand. “Hi. I’m Buffy.”
Severus looked at her hand before taking it. She reminded him of someone, but he could not quite put his finger on it.
“Buffy, this is Severus Snape. Snape this is Buffy Summers. He’s Draco’s godfather, Buffy.”
Severus kept a bland look on his face even though her grip was tight. “Pleasure.”
Her eyebrow went up when he looked anything but excited to be there, but she sat down without saying anything. They were all quiet for a moment and she felt compelled to fill the silence. “So, you’re one of those witch-y types like Draco and Mac?”
Severus looked at Willow before turning back to her. “I am a wizard, yes. And I assume when you say Mac, you mean Morag MacDougal.”
“Mr. Snape used to be a teacher at their school, Buffy, so he knows Draco and Blaise and Theo and everybody.”
Severus bristled when Willow mentioned Theo.
“Oh,” Buffy said in surprise. “So I guess you have all the dirt on them, huh? How were they in school? I mean, they’re snippy right now but was it worse when they were younger? I don’t know how on earth Draco could be any more childish that he is now, but I’d be interesting in any stories you have.”
Severus actually started laughing which caused Willow to jump.
“They were far worse. Especially Draco and Blaise. Theo’s always seemed to be the more level-headed of their group. Pansy is the most closed-off. Don’t let them fool you. They’ll tear each other apart, but if someone else moves to hurt one of them, an outsider, they’ll come at that outsider with everything.”
He wanted to ask her if she ever felt like her destiny was a burden, but he could not quite make the words come out.
She smiled sadly at the memory of Cordelia. “We had someone in our group like that. She was a bitch, but she was our bitch.” Buffy stopped suddenly. “That sounded less pimp-like in my head.”
“And Malfoy says you don’t understand him. I think you grasp his way of thinking fairly well at times.”
“If Cordelia comes a’hauntin’ at that alluding to her being a prostitute, don’t come crying to me,” Willow said.
“Draco is worse than those seagulls in that fish movie, Finding Nero or whatever it was. Almost every time he opens his mouth now all I heard is mine mine mine,” Buffy mocked. “He sounds like Dawnie, and if Cordelia ever tries to haunt me, all I have to do is come hang out with you for a while. Between the two of us, we’ll get irritated enough that we’ll do something.”
“I dunno, Buff,” Willow said. “As much as she supposedly hated us senior year after the Xander thing, she still helped.”
“Draco considers you his? Interesting,” Severus said. “You can rest well knowing your foes stand a real chance of being lit on fire. He speaks of you often, and has a rather extreme dislike for your seeing Theodore Nott. I understand you taught him how to drive a Muggle vehicle.”
“We don’t talk about that,” Willow said.
Buffy was about to answer when Willow interrupted her. “It wasn’t that bad! Considering how he flies that broom of his, it could have been so much worse. I mean, have you seen the tricks he does and how high? Flying broom people are crazy! That game Theo took me to...I’m surprised no one fell to their deaths. My driving is so much safer.”
Willow shook her head ‘no’ at Severus.
“Draco was always very adept on his broom. He also excelled in his charms work as well. Theodore is not as fast, but he is accurate which has sevred him very well for healing. There is also more going on under his surface. Do not be fooled by that calm exterior.”
Willow shook her head ‘no’ at Severus again. Buffy didn’t know about Theo yet, and WIllow was trying to give him some time to come forward.
“Do you have a twitch or something?” Buffy asked Willow. She kept seeing her move out of the corner of her eye.
“She’s nervous about our meeting,” Severus said smoothly. “I was given very specific instructions for dealing with you.”
“What?” Buffy asked, not understand his meaning. “Instructions? What? Why?”
Willow was shaking her head ‘no’ yet again, but this time Severus ignored her.
“I was told not to be too snotty and British. I was also told not to be too sarcastic, but I suspect you are quite used to sarcasm and would do well.”
Buffy glared at Willow. “If I can handle Spike and not kill him, I think I can handle the scary dude in black, Wills.”
“She worries that if you try to hurt me, I’ll try to hurt you in return,” he said. “I am here to help Rosenberg with her problem of control, Miss Summers. I have experience there, and past history does not clearly define what side I was on because I played for both. You know someone like that, one of your kind, you see how tenuous the balance can be. It is more difficult to return to being in the light when you’ve played in the dark and enjoyed it.”
Buffy peered at him for a few moments before her eyes widened in recognition. “You’re the creepy hooded bat dude from the museum!” she said loudly, pointing at him in excitement. “I knew I recognized your voice!”
“Buffy...” Willow’s eyes had gone wide.
“Well, that’s certainly not the worst thing I have been called, but I do prefer your using Mr. Snape or just Snape as opposed to creepy hooded bat dude from the museum, but yes, I was there that day. I suspected Miss Rosenberg might have issues holding her composure around such dark power, particularly the sais. Those weapons should not be displayed anywhere. They should be locked in a Gringotts vault where no one can touch them. They are composed almost entirely of evil. Anyone who’s ever even dabbled in the dark can feel it.”
Buffy shrugged, pulling one of her legs up onto the chair. “Not our call. We have girls patrolling and one of our slayers was a thief before she came here. She looked over the museum and showed us all the ways it could be stolen. That’s all we can do.”
“I would still assign more security. I would even speak to someone in the Ministry about putting an Auror on security as well as your slayers. Obviously the slayers like MacDougal who have wands will be better equipped to handle a wizarding threat, but that might not be where the threat comes from.”
“Why are you saying all of this?” Willow asked.
“Isn’t that what the dark half of you is saying? I know it’s what mine is saying to me. Get my hands on those sais, drain the power from them.”
“We were lucky enough to get the girls we do have to stand watch. I doubt they’ll let us double, not that I even have enough slayers experienced enough to feel confident placing them there,” Buffy replied. “We’re not exactly on the best terms with your government, although I’m not about to go chopping at them with my scythe like Draco thinks.”
“Might make the right sort of impression if you did,” Severus said. “They seem to respond best to grand gestures. It took Potter years to convince them that Voldemort had returned. It would definitely make them think twice before hauling one of your people in.”
“She is not going to the Ministry and hacking people up,” Willow snapped.
“I didn’t say she should hack anyone up. Really all she’d likely have to do is swing her weapon about and destroy a few bits of furniture.”
Willow’s face was scrunched up and she was shaking her head no. “And be arrested.”
“Fine. I thought you said she understood violence best. Perhaps you should have a word with Potter. He’ll help, and he won’t laugh at you when you say evil is afoot. He’s possibly the second most paranoid person I know. Draco being the first.”
Buffy gave Willow an exasperated look. “I understand violence best? I can use words, too. Although as many times as I destroyed our coffee table back in Sunnydale before the whole town became a crater, there might be some truth to that,” she finished.
“That wasn’t exactly how I put it,” Willow said.
“Well, as they have yet to assign a liaison after the dismissal of Miss Abbott,” Severus said. “I would try to make an appointment with Potter. He whines a great deal for being the boy who lived, but if he suspects there might be evil up to no good, he will assist. Unless he’s changed so much since defeating Voldemort, and he has the distinction of surviving certain death several times himself, you two should have a vast amount to discuss and compare.”
Buffy snorted. “I don’t survive death. I die then get brought back. But it’ll be interesting to talk to someone who has been in my shoes.”
“Oh he’s died. Only for a bit, though. Voldemort killed the part of him that lived in Potter.”
He almost told her that Nott had died too, but he was guessing she did not know yet since he was understanding from Willow’s ‘twitches’ that Buffy Summers did not know about Theodore’s necromancy.
“Fun times all around then,” she said dryly. “I want to meet this guy. Especially if we can get some backup on the evil front. Between the zombies and the magic swords on display for the taking, who knows what is going to hit us next. We’ll need all the help we can get.”
“I don’t think the zombies shall be an issue any longer.”
Willow gave him a panicked look while Buffy Summers was giving him a curious look.
“I am... working on that problem.”
Rosenberg looked like she wanted to hit him. He’d like to see her try.
“Good,” Buffy replied. “It’ll be nice to have another set of eyes going over the problems. The facts and research are all starting to run together, and those were never my forte in the first place. My sister researches. I just kill things.”
“I would not classify myself in a way that’s so limited were I you, Miss Summers. Saying you merely kill things is like saying I merely cook. The potions stores that are here, Mr. Malfoy procures them, does he not? I’m the one who brews them.”
“So Daphne became a potions master to be like you?” Willow asked.
“Huh. That’s what I said to Daphne. Weird,” Buffy shook her head. “Wait, so you brew the stuff here? You’re the one who made that nasty tar tasting headache be gone stuff? Can’t you make it taste like chocolate or something?”
“Adding anything to a potion could change the way it works.”
She was looking at him expectantly.
“That was a no.”
“Well, what else do you add to it? Essence of old boot?” she asked, making a face as the memory of the foul tasting concoction brought a bitter taste to her mouth. “I might just let it go next time. Give me some Advil and a good nap.”
He chuckled. “Yes, I add old boot flavor to most of my potions. Though some I enjoy mixing with tar or tree bark.”
“It shows,” Buffy said with a glare. “I thought I felt a bit of crunch in that thing.”
Smart mouth and good intentions. Righteousness. He now knew exactly who she reminded him of - Potter.
“Can you guys not do the snarky thing?” Willow asked. “I wanted you to meet so if there was a thing then no one would get staked or hexed or anything.”
“Willow, I know he does sort of look like Dracula, but I can tell the difference between a human and a vampire,” Buffy said. “Come on. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen vamp look-alikes.”
Snape was glaring at Buffy.
“Buffy, don’t call him a vampire,” Willow whispered.
She rolled her eyes. “Have you looked in a mirror lately? It’s not that hard of a jump to make.”
“Buffy,” Willow said through her teeth.
“I have never cared for my appearance,” he said. “I dress for comfort and practicality while still keeping within the traditions of wizards.”
Her eyes widened and she didn’t know whether to feel horrified or see the reason behind his statement. “I understand when you need to dress for practicality, but come on. There are other colors in the world besides black. Draco and Theo seem to grasp that concept.”
“Anything spilled on a black robe save bleach comes out or does not show. Especially blood.”
Willow swallowed nervously.
“Uh, duh. If I ever stopped wearing colors because I was worried about blood or guts, I would probably look a lot like you. Ever heard of OxiClean? Or Shout? I’ll get you some if they don’t have it over here.”
“Is she wanting me to wear different clothing?” Snape asked Willow. “Is that really a concern? I don’t wear colors. I never have. Everything I have ever owned has been white, black or a shade of gray.”
“And that’s perfectly fine,” Willow said. “Right, Buffy?”
“I’m not saying let’s put you in hot pink or lime green. Would it kill you to add a bit of amethyst or royal blue?”
Even as she suggested it, Buffy knew he was a lost cause. It made her sad. “I mean, even Dracula had a little red going on there for a while. It really looked good.”
“I am not dressing up like a vampire who is over 200 years old. I don’t need fancy dirt to sleep on and I’ve certainly never turned anyone into a minion who likes to eat insects. Again, I have never been nor am I likely to develop the inclination to be concerned with appearances. I am more concerned with doing what is necessary.”
Buffy regarded him silently. “Draco said that he wouldn’t wear pink. I have pictures that show otherwise.”
“Yes, he said you tricked him.” Severus replied, giving her a sarcastic smile. “That boy could not keep a secret to save his life. Well, except for me.”
Buffy’s mind immediately went to all the times Draco saw into her mind. “He didn’t tell you everything, did he?”
Severus just smiled slightly at her. “Suppose he did?”
She stared at him, trying to see any indication if Draco had spilled too much. “He didn’t. He was way too embarrassed. And he knows I would kick his ass.”
“No, an arse beating isn’t what kept him from it. Draco can take a beating. Draco can take quite a lot of pain without breaking. It’s when you threaten those he cares for that he breaks. No, it was because he respects you too much.”
“That or he’s worried I’ll distribute the pictures of him with pink hair, pink clothes, and a roaring lion on his ass, which is a valid concern he should have.” Buffy knew, though, that Draco did respect her and wouldn’t share her secrets, just as whatever she learned, she wouldn’t share.
“He’s weathered worse humiliations. Some of them at the hands of his own family.”
Willow looked away. She knew this. It had leaked into her mind without her even trying. Draco tried very hard to hide his pain, but aside from Blaise, Severus Snape was probably the person who knew Draco best.
“His mom seemed pretty cool. She rushed right over when he was hurt, but he did mention that his dad wasn’t the most loving of people.” Buffy shrugged. “Mine just ran off with his secretary, so I can’t complain too much.”
“We used to be friends once, his father and I. Well, as close to being friends as you could be with a prat like Lucius. Narcissa is a different story. I believe she is the one who insisted I be Draco’s godfather. It was as if she knew I’d watch over him.”
“Then he watched over you,” Willow said.
“Yes.”
“It’s like that song in the Lion King. The Circle of Life. Without all the wildlife bowing to the monkey.” Both Willow and Snape looked at her like she had lost her mind. “What?”
“Buffy, he doesn’t know what the Lion King is. Wizards don’t watch movies and stuff. You remember how Draco didn’t even know what the TV was when we first met him?”
“Are we finished here? Or are we now going to have a conversation on what Muggle things I am not familiar with? I have some brewing I would like to return to. Stasis charms only hold for so long, and I need to add my essence of old boot.”
“Don’t forget the shoelaces,” Buffy quipped.
Willow looked at Snape. “Sometimes she’s late. I didn’t really give her a set time to be here. You need to meet her too, and try not to be all sarcastic and stuff. She could break something on you.”
“You have mentioned this. Repeatedly. So much so that I am seriously considering hexing you into silence.”
Buffy was running late. She had been training by herself in a small exercise room and completely lost track of time. She debated taking a shower but decided that meeting Willow’s new mentor man while sweaty and stinky wouldn’t be a good first impression, so she tried to get dressed as quick as she could.
After drying her hair as much as possible, she started to head out, still running her fingers through the damp hair. Just as she got to Willow’s office, she pulled it back out of her face into a bun at the nape of her neck and would deal with the funky locks later. She opened the door and continued to push some stray hairs out of her face.
“Sorry! I got so caught up in training that I lost track of time.” Buffy walked right up to the man sitting in the chair across from Willow’s desk and held out her hand. “Hi. I’m Buffy.”
Severus looked at her hand before taking it. She reminded him of someone, but he could not quite put his finger on it.
“Buffy, this is Severus Snape. Snape this is Buffy Summers. He’s Draco’s godfather, Buffy.”
Severus kept a bland look on his face even though her grip was tight. “Pleasure.”
Her eyebrow went up when he looked anything but excited to be there, but she sat down without saying anything. They were all quiet for a moment and she felt compelled to fill the silence. “So, you’re one of those witch-y types like Draco and Mac?”
Severus looked at Willow before turning back to her. “I am a wizard, yes. And I assume when you say Mac, you mean Morag MacDougal.”
“Mr. Snape used to be a teacher at their school, Buffy, so he knows Draco and Blaise and Theo and everybody.”
Severus bristled when Willow mentioned Theo.
“Oh,” Buffy said in surprise. “So I guess you have all the dirt on them, huh? How were they in school? I mean, they’re snippy right now but was it worse when they were younger? I don’t know how on earth Draco could be any more childish that he is now, but I’d be interesting in any stories you have.”
Severus actually started laughing which caused Willow to jump.
“They were far worse. Especially Draco and Blaise. Theo’s always seemed to be the more level-headed of their group. Pansy is the most closed-off. Don’t let them fool you. They’ll tear each other apart, but if someone else moves to hurt one of them, an outsider, they’ll come at that outsider with everything.”
He wanted to ask her if she ever felt like her destiny was a burden, but he could not quite make the words come out.
She smiled sadly at the memory of Cordelia. “We had someone in our group like that. She was a bitch, but she was our bitch.” Buffy stopped suddenly. “That sounded less pimp-like in my head.”
“And Malfoy says you don’t understand him. I think you grasp his way of thinking fairly well at times.”
“If Cordelia comes a’hauntin’ at that alluding to her being a prostitute, don’t come crying to me,” Willow said.
“Draco is worse than those seagulls in that fish movie, Finding Nero or whatever it was. Almost every time he opens his mouth now all I heard is mine mine mine,” Buffy mocked. “He sounds like Dawnie, and if Cordelia ever tries to haunt me, all I have to do is come hang out with you for a while. Between the two of us, we’ll get irritated enough that we’ll do something.”
“I dunno, Buff,” Willow said. “As much as she supposedly hated us senior year after the Xander thing, she still helped.”
“Draco considers you his? Interesting,” Severus said. “You can rest well knowing your foes stand a real chance of being lit on fire. He speaks of you often, and has a rather extreme dislike for your seeing Theodore Nott. I understand you taught him how to drive a Muggle vehicle.”
“We don’t talk about that,” Willow said.
Buffy was about to answer when Willow interrupted her. “It wasn’t that bad! Considering how he flies that broom of his, it could have been so much worse. I mean, have you seen the tricks he does and how high? Flying broom people are crazy! That game Theo took me to...I’m surprised no one fell to their deaths. My driving is so much safer.”
Willow shook her head ‘no’ at Severus.
“Draco was always very adept on his broom. He also excelled in his charms work as well. Theodore is not as fast, but he is accurate which has sevred him very well for healing. There is also more going on under his surface. Do not be fooled by that calm exterior.”
Willow shook her head ‘no’ at Severus again. Buffy didn’t know about Theo yet, and WIllow was trying to give him some time to come forward.
“Do you have a twitch or something?” Buffy asked Willow. She kept seeing her move out of the corner of her eye.
“She’s nervous about our meeting,” Severus said smoothly. “I was given very specific instructions for dealing with you.”
“What?” Buffy asked, not understand his meaning. “Instructions? What? Why?”
Willow was shaking her head ‘no’ yet again, but this time Severus ignored her.
“I was told not to be too snotty and British. I was also told not to be too sarcastic, but I suspect you are quite used to sarcasm and would do well.”
Buffy glared at Willow. “If I can handle Spike and not kill him, I think I can handle the scary dude in black, Wills.”
“She worries that if you try to hurt me, I’ll try to hurt you in return,” he said. “I am here to help Rosenberg with her problem of control, Miss Summers. I have experience there, and past history does not clearly define what side I was on because I played for both. You know someone like that, one of your kind, you see how tenuous the balance can be. It is more difficult to return to being in the light when you’ve played in the dark and enjoyed it.”
Buffy peered at him for a few moments before her eyes widened in recognition. “You’re the creepy hooded bat dude from the museum!” she said loudly, pointing at him in excitement. “I knew I recognized your voice!”
“Buffy...” Willow’s eyes had gone wide.
“Well, that’s certainly not the worst thing I have been called, but I do prefer your using Mr. Snape or just Snape as opposed to creepy hooded bat dude from the museum, but yes, I was there that day. I suspected Miss Rosenberg might have issues holding her composure around such dark power, particularly the sais. Those weapons should not be displayed anywhere. They should be locked in a Gringotts vault where no one can touch them. They are composed almost entirely of evil. Anyone who’s ever even dabbled in the dark can feel it.”
Buffy shrugged, pulling one of her legs up onto the chair. “Not our call. We have girls patrolling and one of our slayers was a thief before she came here. She looked over the museum and showed us all the ways it could be stolen. That’s all we can do.”
“I would still assign more security. I would even speak to someone in the Ministry about putting an Auror on security as well as your slayers. Obviously the slayers like MacDougal who have wands will be better equipped to handle a wizarding threat, but that might not be where the threat comes from.”
“Why are you saying all of this?” Willow asked.
“Isn’t that what the dark half of you is saying? I know it’s what mine is saying to me. Get my hands on those sais, drain the power from them.”
“We were lucky enough to get the girls we do have to stand watch. I doubt they’ll let us double, not that I even have enough slayers experienced enough to feel confident placing them there,” Buffy replied. “We’re not exactly on the best terms with your government, although I’m not about to go chopping at them with my scythe like Draco thinks.”
“Might make the right sort of impression if you did,” Severus said. “They seem to respond best to grand gestures. It took Potter years to convince them that Voldemort had returned. It would definitely make them think twice before hauling one of your people in.”
“She is not going to the Ministry and hacking people up,” Willow snapped.
“I didn’t say she should hack anyone up. Really all she’d likely have to do is swing her weapon about and destroy a few bits of furniture.”
Willow’s face was scrunched up and she was shaking her head no. “And be arrested.”
“Fine. I thought you said she understood violence best. Perhaps you should have a word with Potter. He’ll help, and he won’t laugh at you when you say evil is afoot. He’s possibly the second most paranoid person I know. Draco being the first.”
Buffy gave Willow an exasperated look. “I understand violence best? I can use words, too. Although as many times as I destroyed our coffee table back in Sunnydale before the whole town became a crater, there might be some truth to that,” she finished.
“That wasn’t exactly how I put it,” Willow said.
“Well, as they have yet to assign a liaison after the dismissal of Miss Abbott,” Severus said. “I would try to make an appointment with Potter. He whines a great deal for being the boy who lived, but if he suspects there might be evil up to no good, he will assist. Unless he’s changed so much since defeating Voldemort, and he has the distinction of surviving certain death several times himself, you two should have a vast amount to discuss and compare.”
Buffy snorted. “I don’t survive death. I die then get brought back. But it’ll be interesting to talk to someone who has been in my shoes.”
“Oh he’s died. Only for a bit, though. Voldemort killed the part of him that lived in Potter.”
He almost told her that Nott had died too, but he was guessing she did not know yet since he was understanding from Willow’s ‘twitches’ that Buffy Summers did not know about Theodore’s necromancy.
“Fun times all around then,” she said dryly. “I want to meet this guy. Especially if we can get some backup on the evil front. Between the zombies and the magic swords on display for the taking, who knows what is going to hit us next. We’ll need all the help we can get.”
“I don’t think the zombies shall be an issue any longer.”
Willow gave him a panicked look while Buffy Summers was giving him a curious look.
“I am... working on that problem.”
Rosenberg looked like she wanted to hit him. He’d like to see her try.
“Good,” Buffy replied. “It’ll be nice to have another set of eyes going over the problems. The facts and research are all starting to run together, and those were never my forte in the first place. My sister researches. I just kill things.”
“I would not classify myself in a way that’s so limited were I you, Miss Summers. Saying you merely kill things is like saying I merely cook. The potions stores that are here, Mr. Malfoy procures them, does he not? I’m the one who brews them.”
“So Daphne became a potions master to be like you?” Willow asked.
“Huh. That’s what I said to Daphne. Weird,” Buffy shook her head. “Wait, so you brew the stuff here? You’re the one who made that nasty tar tasting headache be gone stuff? Can’t you make it taste like chocolate or something?”
“Adding anything to a potion could change the way it works.”
She was looking at him expectantly.
“That was a no.”
“Well, what else do you add to it? Essence of old boot?” she asked, making a face as the memory of the foul tasting concoction brought a bitter taste to her mouth. “I might just let it go next time. Give me some Advil and a good nap.”
He chuckled. “Yes, I add old boot flavor to most of my potions. Though some I enjoy mixing with tar or tree bark.”
“It shows,” Buffy said with a glare. “I thought I felt a bit of crunch in that thing.”
Smart mouth and good intentions. Righteousness. He now knew exactly who she reminded him of - Potter.
“Can you guys not do the snarky thing?” Willow asked. “I wanted you to meet so if there was a thing then no one would get staked or hexed or anything.”
“Willow, I know he does sort of look like Dracula, but I can tell the difference between a human and a vampire,” Buffy said. “Come on. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen vamp look-alikes.”
Snape was glaring at Buffy.
“Buffy, don’t call him a vampire,” Willow whispered.
She rolled her eyes. “Have you looked in a mirror lately? It’s not that hard of a jump to make.”
“Buffy,” Willow said through her teeth.
“I have never cared for my appearance,” he said. “I dress for comfort and practicality while still keeping within the traditions of wizards.”
Her eyes widened and she didn’t know whether to feel horrified or see the reason behind his statement. “I understand when you need to dress for practicality, but come on. There are other colors in the world besides black. Draco and Theo seem to grasp that concept.”
“Anything spilled on a black robe save bleach comes out or does not show. Especially blood.”
Willow swallowed nervously.
“Uh, duh. If I ever stopped wearing colors because I was worried about blood or guts, I would probably look a lot like you. Ever heard of OxiClean? Or Shout? I’ll get you some if they don’t have it over here.”
“Is she wanting me to wear different clothing?” Snape asked Willow. “Is that really a concern? I don’t wear colors. I never have. Everything I have ever owned has been white, black or a shade of gray.”
“And that’s perfectly fine,” Willow said. “Right, Buffy?”
“I’m not saying let’s put you in hot pink or lime green. Would it kill you to add a bit of amethyst or royal blue?”
Even as she suggested it, Buffy knew he was a lost cause. It made her sad. “I mean, even Dracula had a little red going on there for a while. It really looked good.”
“I am not dressing up like a vampire who is over 200 years old. I don’t need fancy dirt to sleep on and I’ve certainly never turned anyone into a minion who likes to eat insects. Again, I have never been nor am I likely to develop the inclination to be concerned with appearances. I am more concerned with doing what is necessary.”
Buffy regarded him silently. “Draco said that he wouldn’t wear pink. I have pictures that show otherwise.”
“Yes, he said you tricked him.” Severus replied, giving her a sarcastic smile. “That boy could not keep a secret to save his life. Well, except for me.”
Buffy’s mind immediately went to all the times Draco saw into her mind. “He didn’t tell you everything, did he?”
Severus just smiled slightly at her. “Suppose he did?”
She stared at him, trying to see any indication if Draco had spilled too much. “He didn’t. He was way too embarrassed. And he knows I would kick his ass.”
“No, an arse beating isn’t what kept him from it. Draco can take a beating. Draco can take quite a lot of pain without breaking. It’s when you threaten those he cares for that he breaks. No, it was because he respects you too much.”
“That or he’s worried I’ll distribute the pictures of him with pink hair, pink clothes, and a roaring lion on his ass, which is a valid concern he should have.” Buffy knew, though, that Draco did respect her and wouldn’t share her secrets, just as whatever she learned, she wouldn’t share.
“He’s weathered worse humiliations. Some of them at the hands of his own family.”
Willow looked away. She knew this. It had leaked into her mind without her even trying. Draco tried very hard to hide his pain, but aside from Blaise, Severus Snape was probably the person who knew Draco best.
“His mom seemed pretty cool. She rushed right over when he was hurt, but he did mention that his dad wasn’t the most loving of people.” Buffy shrugged. “Mine just ran off with his secretary, so I can’t complain too much.”
“We used to be friends once, his father and I. Well, as close to being friends as you could be with a prat like Lucius. Narcissa is a different story. I believe she is the one who insisted I be Draco’s godfather. It was as if she knew I’d watch over him.”
“Then he watched over you,” Willow said.
“Yes.”
“It’s like that song in the Lion King. The Circle of Life. Without all the wildlife bowing to the monkey.” Both Willow and Snape looked at her like she had lost her mind. “What?”
“Buffy, he doesn’t know what the Lion King is. Wizards don’t watch movies and stuff. You remember how Draco didn’t even know what the TV was when we first met him?”
“Are we finished here? Or are we now going to have a conversation on what Muggle things I am not familiar with? I have some brewing I would like to return to. Stasis charms only hold for so long, and I need to add my essence of old boot.”
“Don’t forget the shoelaces,” Buffy quipped.