Coffee and Conversation @ the LC || SNAPE

[nathanyal]

d o n t l o o k n o w b u t i t h i n k t h e

ghosts are watching us --- they a within the shadows

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,10,true][atrb=style,background-image: url('http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g79/Juliart/background_black.jpg');,true][cs=2] O F O U R D R E A M S

[atrb=width,240] Severus, Good evening my friend, I hope this owl finds you well. I will be heading back to London in a few days and thought of catching up with you prior to you returning to your school year duties. I thought possibly coffee at the Leaky Cauldron? I will be there at noon on Tuesday and would appreciate your company greatly. Til then. Nathanyal So there he was, seated comfortably in a wooden chair, one hand working over some papers, jotting down notes and ideals and another tapping casually on his thigh. The day was unsurprisingly chilly, as such, he was in thicker trousers than he had been in recent weeks, and his heavy cloak was now rested behind him on the chair. Thankful for the warmth of the Tavern he'd taken the robe off the moment he'd entered the Cauldron. Within his head was swirling thoughts of far off places, he spent a great deal of time abroad and adored the scenes he was able to experience... even if all the places he'd gone only left him wishing he'd been going with her, he still at least enjoyed his time. At this particular moment, he was back in sandy Egypt, writing down thoughts about the Pyramids and mysterious hieroglyphics. His mind taking him through every twist and turn that was possible, working his way into dank cellars and misty tombs. He had found one of the ultimate worlds of ruin, a land surrounded in tourism yet lost to the forgotten notions of the past. Yes... he had enjoyed his time. The sound of footsteps near him brought him from his nostalgia. He looked up, nodding politely to a waitress as she asked if he wished something to eat or a refill on his coffee. He looked over at the cup, spoon still stirring away, he hadn't even taken a swig of it yet, he'd been so enthralled in his work. He chuckled softly, grasped the cup and removed the spoon before taking a hearty swig, setting the half empty mug back onto the table. The waitress giggled softly, poor thing, couldn't be more than Hogwarts age... must be working here to school started again, he'd tip her well... she seemed polite enough and wasn't hurried or rushed to get him leaving or ordering, she deserved a little more gratuity and he was well off enough to be pleased at the giving. He nodded then, as she poured him a freshening and set a new tumbler of cream down at the side of his mug. After she'd smiled and left, he poured a bit of cream into his mug and added just a dash of sugar before setting the spoon stirring once again. This time he watched it, keen to wait only long enough for the sugar to melt and the cream to mix well before drinking, then he'd be able to write more and not have the same, though slightly amusing, embarrassment the next time the young lady came to check on him. He removed the spoon, took a swig, and nodded. The coffee was well made, even for the Tavern. Most people didn't come here for the coffee, as this place was well known for it's drink. But Nathanyal wasn't one to drink outside of his home, unless prompted correctly. So coffee was pleasant for him and the Leaky Cauldron served it's purpose well with him, he enjoyed the robustness of their grounds. He set the mug down and went back to his quill and ink, dropping the tip in the ink momentarily before sketching out the underlying structure of one of the archaeological dig sites he had visited on his trip. He wondered what Severus' opinion would be on his idea... you see... Nathanyal wished to write a novel, a non fiction work about how Witches and Wizards see the world in comparison to how Muggles see it, and what wonders even Witches and Wizards can experience from different cultures in the Wizarding world.

[atrb=width,100] words , 684 words tagged , Severus Snape notes , So excited to get this 'ship going!

TEMPLATE BY THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE MIKEY @ CAUTION 2.0

[SEVERUS TOBIAS SNAPE]

[atrb=border, 0, true][atrb=style, border-left: #405142 4px solid; border-right: #405142 2px dashed; background: #161616; padding-top: 16px; padding-right: 16px; padding-left: 16px; padding-bottom: 12px; -moz-border-radius: 10px; width: 210px;] [/style][style=width: 400px; line-height: 24px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 40px; text-shadow: #505050 1px 0px 1px; color: #405142; letter-spacing: -4px; text-transform: lowercase; text-align: center;]--- COFFEE & CONVERSATION --- ----- Subtle Secrets ----- Severus had been in the midst of a discussion with Poppy about the current state of the Hospital Wing’s potions stocks for the coming year when a rather perky and somewhat insistent little owl interrupted them. Irritated at first, Severus had taken the missive from the commanding little sprite and turned back to Poppy to assure her that he would handle it, as frankly he had little faith in Slughorn’s capabilities, such as it were. The little owl had other plans however, and fluttered around their heads until Poppy laughed and told him to catch up with her later. He had given an irate huff in reply, but she knew as well as he did that it wasn’t often he had an owl so eager to pester him. “Yes yes,” He muttered at the busy little thing, unfolding the letter and reading through it rapidly. It was quite a rare thing for Severus to receive personal mail that wasn’t something to do with Potions Quarterly or the arrival of some order or other at some shop he frequently visited. As such, he was pleasantly surprised to realize this letter was from an old friend of his, whom he had not heard from in some time. This was as much due to Nathanyal’s travels as it was to Severus’ infamous ability to avoid social interactions. Folding the letter away into one of the many pockets hidden within his robe, Severus took a moment to search himself and pull out an owl treat for the dutiful little fellow who had delivered the message and ensured it was read post-haste. Though he was never open about it, Severus had a slight fondness for owls and generally ensured that those who did take the time to visit him for whatever reason at least received something for their efforts. If he was ever half as kind to his students, he might have been one of the more favored teachers at Hogwarts. Sweeping down the halls to his quarters, Severus mentally double-checked his list of things to do as he contemplated whether or not to respond to Nathanyal’s missive or merely arrive on Tuesday at the aforementioned time. He had a few potions to stock for Poppy, as he had made quite clear that although he had changed positions at the school, he was still a celebrated Potions Master and he frankly would not tolerate the Hogwarts infirmary being stocked with inferior product. There was a batch of Polyjuice brewing in his lab at the moment that he knew he should tend to before he took to any letter writing, so without any further thought to the matter, Severus slid into his lab and set back to work. Albus and the vast majority of the Hogwarts faculty were aware of the fact that Severus had a considerable disdain for the bulk potions sold at Slug & Jiggers and, as a result, tended to spend the vast majority of his summer months restocking what he had been unable to replenish during the school year. It was a traditional duty for the Hogwarts Potions professors, but one that had been mostly abolished in favor of purchasing outside the school to grant Potions professors more time to do their teaching duties. Severus had personally re-established the tradition on his own time, without ever really announcing it, and it had become something the faculty had simply accepted as Severus’ way of things. Poppy had commented on more than a few occasions that his potions tended to be more potent and effective than what Slug and Jiggers provided, which was all the thanks Severus truly needed. More often than not, if his extra work was brought to light or praised, Severus tended to ignore it or pass it off. He had never been particularly good with compliments, and so he tended to brush them off in rather brusque manners. As such, nobody had thought to ask Severus whether or not he would be continuing his duties as Hogwarts Potions Master now that another Potions professor would be on the grounds. Being familiar with Slughorn’s work as he was, Severus had established rather firmly with the man that he would continue maintaining the stores for the school. With nobody thinking to question Severus, Slughorn had been abandoned to the worst of Severus’ intimidation tactics. Naturally, in the end, Slughorn had little problem passing off the work – he was genuinely incompetent enough to not even realize the insult to his abilities Severus had delivered by demanding the duties. Shaking his head, Severus finished up with the final stages of the Skele-Gro and realized that several hours had passed. Reminding himself that food was a necessity for living organisms, Severus left his lab long enough to summon dinner, adjust his teaching rubric slightly for the first through third year courses, and then return to work on the batches of pain reliever Poppy had mentioned needing. Things carried on much in this manner for the next two days, Severus managing to completely forget about Nathanyal’s letter nestled into his pocket as he bustled about doing his regular before school routines, with added unpleasantries such as Death Eater meetings and infuriating discussions with Albus. He was just storming down the corridors of Hogwarts after having left one of the latter when he finally recalled why something about Tuesday had been nagging at him since morning. Muttering a curse under his breath, Severus strode purposefully back to his quarters with the realization that, thanks to his own forgetfulness, his decision about whether or not to owl ahead was now made. Upon reaching his quarters, Severus switched out of his Hogwarts cloak and into his travelling one before taking hold of a small handful of floo powder and tossing it upon the fireplace. Intoning the location of London’s most popular wizarding pub, Severus stepped through and back out with exceptional grace. Hate floo travel though he most fervently did, Severus always made certain he arrived as impeccable as possible. His choice of all black attire tended to assist, and the fact he kept his teaching robes spelled to repel all manner of potions ingredients, he never truly had to worry about making the usual faux pas of stepping out of a floo covered in ashes. His gaze swept across the Leaky Cauldron in a sharply systematic manner, automatically noting exits he was long familiar with and high risk security areas where it would be too easy to be approached from behind or easily surrounded. It was an automatic practice whenever he was out in public to ensure he was fully aware of his surroundings, and Severus frequently made the habit of positioning himself where he could see most exits and his back was to a wall. He was aware that the precautions were slightly paranoid – he was also aware that they had saved his life on enough occasions to be worth the accusation. As such, noting that Nathanyal had positioned himself along the back wall by the windows caused Severus to breathe the smallest sigh of relief. His table was in the middle, keeping it from being an optimal spot, but at least the man hadn’t settled for something in the central seating area. Moving towards where Nathanyal sat bent over his work, Severus carefully side-stepped a disgruntled goblin who seemed to be cursing the entire establishment in his effort to weave through the tall bodies that were rudely oblivious to his plight. Reaching Nathanyal’s table, Severus eased himself into the chair opposite him soundlessly, rather than stand about awkwardly for a welcome. When it came to certain social niceties, Severus always had been, and always would be, a brusque novice. He preferred to avoid the vast majority of them, as he had long ago come to the conclusion they left one a touch vulnerable, which was something Severus had never been good at allowing himself to be, for any reason. “As busy as ever I see,” Severus intoned mildly, raising a brow at the sheer amount of journaling before him. Whomever thought Ravenclaws were not just as ambitious as Slytherins had clearly never dealt with any in close quarters. “I take it you are doing well for yourself, Nathanyal?” Severus asked, broaching the choppy waters that was casual conversation; a skill he’d never fully acquired, being more the sort to make his words brief and ensure that each one was delivered with good reason. tag: Nathanyal Cain words: 1440 template by eliza @ shadowplay

[nathanyal]

d o n t l o o k n o w b u t i t h i n k t h e

ghosts are watching us --- they a within the shadows

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,10,true][atrb=style,background-image: url('http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g79/Juliart/background_black.jpg');,true][cs=2] O F O U R D R E A M S

[atrb=width,240] The words within him flowed through ink and quill and onto the page. His mind seemed locked into the perfection that was his own world. Within it, he saw the people, walking around without a care in the world. Oh how he envied them, though in his perfect world, there was no need for him to be jealous, for she was beside him. They remained in Rome, where they'd met. They remained happy... there was nothing stopping them from living their lives with one another. He was there with her, walking with her, hand in hand, smile on his lips and in his eyes. She was alive. He sighed and put down the quill, looking at the pages scattered about his table. Words scribbled in his barely legible writing, words about worlds far beyond this one. Places that most could only hope to see, things and lives that were changed by his questions. Could he really do this? Did he have the power, the ability, to put to words all the splendors he had witnessed? Did he even have the right to? He started again... Egypt, a land of sand and hidden pasts. A world within a world. Magic lies around the scattered ashes and within the ruins of forgotten cities, even in a country thick with magic, the passion and power lays within what is not longer living, what is long since passed. There was truth in his words, he thought to himself. Everything seemed to lie in what was long since passed, what was before, what once was. His life showed this painful truth, as did his counterpart, the man he was planning on meeting here. It was no secret that Severus adored Lily... they had been friends since childhood. It was no lie and it was hard for Severus to hide his infatuation with her. His love. As it was hard for Nathanyal to hide his adoration of Alina. The only difference, Alina was the darkness to his light. Lily was the brightness to Severus' shadow. He began jotting down words, descriptions of magic, what it meant to be a wizard or a witch, in comparison to what it meant to be oblivious to the world of magic. His mind sliding back to his Alina. She was so very lost, she was running from her past and her sorrow, she ran right into the arms of those who ended up killing her. There was a time, a short time, where his arms were where she ran. He ran his fingers through his tousled hair, pulling at the strands before resting his near quivering hands on the table firmly. He was going to drive himself positively batty. He sighed a rather heavy sigh and leaned back, taking another full swig as the waitress came around to him. He turned to her and held up the mug, his hands much more firm now that he'd calmed himself down and pushed the haphazard thoughts out of his mind for the moment. She smiled down at him, leaning onto the table for a moment as he made his coffee the way he liked it. "You seem perplexed mista..." She said to him, her arms folded over her stomach a bit. He looked back up to her and nodded slightly, in agreement. "I am a bit lost on my work is all... nothing too terribly I suppose." She leaned over a bit and looked at his scribbles. "You an author or sumthin'?" She inquired. He shrugged a bit. "Or something." She chuckled and rested her hand on the paper. "I have faith yer doing good. Then again I'm just the one givin' ya coffee." He mimicked her chuckle for a moment. "It is a lovely coffee.. thank you." She smiled to him and nodded, before bowing out politely to go serve other customers. He sighed, a bit refreshed, taking another swig of his fresh coffee. He turned his attention back to his pages, sifting through them for a moment before landing on another empty piece of parchment, putting quill to page. He nodded softly and began to write again. Deep in the bowels of articulately created pyramids, mysteries unravel in the form of threads of knowledge. Witch and muggle have spend decades deciphering words of long ago, wishing to seek out the meaning of it all. The feelings and the passion that was within the hearts and minds of people from those times. To learn their history, where they came from... and to answer that age old question.. Why? Suddenly there was a form beside him, then languidly placed in front of him at the seat directly across the table. Nathanyal looked up as a slow hint of a smile slid onto his lips. It had been quite some time since he'd seen his good friend and it was a breath of fresh air to be reunited with someone he'd known for so very long. He was pleased to see that his friend had not changed, which he'd never expect him to anyhow... Severus wasn't the sort of person to change for anyone. When Severus noted the mass of chaotic papers strewn around the table, Nathanyal nodded with a chuckle. It was good to be around someone who didn't beat around the bush about things, it was refreshing to be around someone and something real. "Yes, yes... ever as I have been." He slid the papers aside for a moment and motioned to the waitress. "Would you like some coffee or tea while we talk?" He asked as the waitress stood before them, a small smile on her lips. She was no doubt an old student of Severus, he hoped she'd be as polite to Severus as she was to him. He leaned back in his seat for a moment, grabbing his mug and taking another drink of it, before setting it down quietly. "I have been doing as well as to be expected... traveling a great deal, spending time reading when I am not... and of course, keeping up the manor and the like." He leaned forward a bit. "How are you though Severus? It has been some time. I hear you are the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor now... I must commend you on your excellent determination. As always. I never had a doubt in your abilities to get what you wanted." He chuckled softly, meaning his words as a compliment to the man's ambitions and will to reach his goals. He sighed softly and stacked up his papers. "I didn't realize it was this messy... I dislike mess..." He muttered softly, knowing that Severus understood his slight obsession with order. It was an odd little habit, but an old one. He sorted out his actual writings from his notes and set them to two separate piles right beside one another, leaning back in his chair once more, as soon as he'd completed the task. His hand at his mug and his mug at his lips moments later, partaking of the slightly bitter but all together satisfying beverage.

[atrb=width,100] words , 1213 words tagged , Severus Snape notes , I adore you! It feels so good to write like this again!

TEMPLATE BY THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE MIKEY @ CAUTION 2.0

[SEVERUS TOBIAS SNAPE]

[atrb=border, 0, true][atrb=style, border-left: #405142 4px solid; border-right: #405142 2px dashed; background: #161616; padding-top: 16px; padding-right: 16px; padding-left: 16px; padding-bottom: 12px; -moz-border-radius: 10px; width: 210px;] [/style][style=width: 400px; line-height: 24px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 40px; text-shadow: #505050 1px 0px 1px; color: #405142; letter-spacing: -4px; text-transform: lowercase; text-align: center;]--- COFFEE & CONVERSATION --- ----- Subtle Secrets ----- As Nathanyal smiled at his arrival, Severus found himself reflecting on the rarity of such a cordial response to his presence. It was times like these, so few and far between, that Severus fully appreciated how twisted his reality truly was. He very rarely chose to reflect on the matter, finding that it was too easy to find regrets and buried pains best left untouched. He had long ago come to accept the fact that his life would never be a pleasant one, and had learned to defend himself against it at a young age. There were very few people in Severus’ life these days whom he could genuinely state he cared about – and even fewer whom he could confidently state cared about him in return. Nathanyal was about as complicated as everything else in Severus’ life, their relationship a mixture of unforgotten childhoods and adult lies that combined to make something that on the surface was friendly enough by most standards. Those who thought they knew Severus – generally members of the Hogwarts faculty or the Order of the Phoenix – would likely consider his relationship to Nathanyal to be exceptionally friendly, for Snape standards. The exceptionally few who knew him more accurately would recognize the layers of defense Severus kept up when he dealt with the man. They were subtle enough, easily dismissed as his infamously surely attitude and overlooked by Nathanyal as personality quirks. There was a layer of silence and lies between them that Severus would never breach, secret truths that while hidden, kept their relationship amiable on the surface. For Severus, dealing with Nathanyal was a special sort of personal punishment. They had known one another decently enough during their school days, and developed enough of a bond that Severus had found himself genuinely enjoying the Ravenclaw’s company. When he began walking a darker path with his other companions, Severus had been careful to keep Nathanyal clear of it, having picked up quickly enough that life as a Death Eater would not be as glamorous as Lucius had initially proposed and not wanting to involve anyone else he liked with that particular mess. Yet for all his efforts to keep Nathanyal out of it, there was no stopping Nathanyal’s love for Alina anymore than there was a way to stop Severus’ love for Lily. Their story had ended in tragedy eventually, and Severus had found himself feeling partially at fault. He often wondered if he had been aware, somehow, that something was happening and had dismissed it out of mind. If perhaps, had he paid more attention, he could have spared Nathanyal the pain of his loss. If he somehow could have helped Alina. Like so many other things in his life, Severus carefully chose not to think of these things very often. There was little point in dwelling in the past and contemplating the what if scenarios. Things were what they were and no amount of wishing was going to change that. The fact Nathanyal and Severus remained friends was because Severus had kept him clear of his relationship to the Dark Lord, to the point that somehow, Nathanyal managed to be oblivious to his association with the man. It was the first layer of lies between them – the fact that Nathanyal did not know Severus was a marked Death Eater in the eyes of the Ministry, regardless of where his loyalties may lie publically. Drawing himself forth from these contemplations, Severus awarded Nathanyal a small smile and responded mildly, ”Tea would be fine.” Severus was not a particular fan of coffee, though he would drink it if there was no tea available. It was a remnant from his childhood that had never really left him over the years. His mother had always kept tea around the house, while coffee had always been strictly for Tobias’ consumption. He had been foolishly curious enough once to try some, and had found the flavor hardly worth the punishment received. Ever since, he had held a particular dislike for coffee that as only ever overlooked when he was feeling particularly tired or there was no other viable option. He nodded slightly as Nathanyal spoke of his travels, giving the slightest of smiles when the conversation was drawn toward himself and his new post as Defense instructor. There was far more to the position than Nathanyal could ever fully comprehend – more to it than Severus had ever anticipated until the day Albus had sat him down to discuss him taking it. He would have been a little less interested had Albus ever deigned to tell him it was cursed – though Severus had suspected as much for a time – and knowing he was being granted the position because the likelihood of him vanishing behind the Dark Lord’s ranks with the most exceptional cover Albus could provide was so high took a bit of the accomplishment away from him. Rather than discuss any of that, Severus gave a slight snort at Nathanyal’s realization of his disaster area, and calmly began helping Nathanyal stack the papers. ”You were in Egypt for a time, were you not?” He queried with a touch of genuine curiosity. Having been born into poverty, Severus had a rather frugal approach toward money and tended to be extravagant with it only when he was purchasing books or rare potions ingredients – the latter of which he generally picked up on Albus’ tab whenever he could manage it. As such, Severus was not the sort of man who did a lot of travelling, though he had always considered Egypt as a place he wouldn’t mind witnessing for himself. The ancient Egyptians had created some of the most fascinating curses and protections, that the idea of seeing them first hand and attempting to find a way to replicate them had been a bit of a daydream in his youth. He was about to opt against talking about himself, as he generally speaking was not particularly fond of discussing his own personal matters. More often than not, Severus directed conversation away from himself frequently and with the ease of a man with years of practice at the art of such subtle manipulations. Still, despite all the lies between them, Nathanyal was one of the few people Severus could consider a friend. Complicated as everything else in his life, but a friend just the same. As such, for the sake of that friendship and for the silent gratitude Severus held for it, he carefully pushed aside his usual ways for a time and stated with a small amount of pride, ”My days have been much the same as they always are, so I suppose that amounts to me being well enough. The promotion is certainly something to be proud of, but it changes little duty wise.” Severus knew he wouldn’t have to explain that particular statement to Nathanyal, who was aware of the fact that Severus had reinstated the old duties of Potions Master at Hogwarts, and as such would guess that he strongarmed the new professor of the subject away from such duties in order to continue maintaining them himself. Ever the perfectionist when it came to his potions, Severus. Words: 1209 Notes: Thank you ^.^ I love Nathanyal's posts <3 Also, I sent myself a PM so I don't forget to code these when I get home XD template by eliza @ shadowplay

[nathanyal]

d o n t l o o k n o w b u t i t h i n k t h e

ghosts are watching us --- they a within the shadows

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,10,true][atrb=style,background-image: url('http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g79/Juliart/background_black.jpg');,true][cs=2] O F O U R D R E A M S

[atrb=width,240] Nathanyal disliked mess, though it seemed to follow him wherever he went. It was an amusing sort of thought, he usually told Edwin to stop messing with his things, even though he knew full well that the house elf never messed with Nathanyal's papers. But it was a fond little joke between the two, seeing as... aside from Severus and a select other few, Edwin was Nathanyal's sole source of socialism. If you could really call it that. Nathanyal peered down at his papers for a moment, thinking of where he should go next with his writing, what world could he conjure with this thoughts and words. It was a silly little habit of his, but he had an acute ability to remember things with striking detail. As such, writing about the places he'd been was almost elementary. "Tea will be fine..." He heard Severus say to the waitress, she nodded politely to him before looking back over at Nathanyal. He peered at her and nodded softly. "And a refill on my part, also, please bring us some scones with cream and jam. Thank you." Nathanyal then turned his attention to Severus now, studying his facial features for a moment. For a moment, prior to his ordering, Severus seemed to be deep, deep in thought. Which was all together normal for his brilliant friend, but... something in his dark eyes worried him that Severus was thinking upon things of the past, things that hurt. The moment he'd ordered however, the feelings seemed to have dissipated, for the moment. This eased Nathanyal somewhat. He was not as close to Severus as others, in his youth, but he was not blind to the pain that Sev endured... nor was he particularly fond of those who caused it. Nathanyal set down his pages and took a swig of his coffee before setting the empty mug down. "Ah, Egypt... yes. It was bloody brilliant Severus. I believe, had you had the time from school planning to have come with me, you would have thoroughly enjoyed yourself." He said with some mark of conviction. He knew Severus was a man of few means, he also knew that he was a man who prided himself on his distinct abilities, as such... a visit to another country, a country of some fine magic, would have certainly been pleasing. "As such..." He said with a mischievous little grin on his lips, turning slightly to rummage through his robe for a moment, before bringing out a small bound book, about 4in in length and 2-3in in width, small by any means. He set it on the table and slid it toward Severus, the wicked little smirk on his lips remaining still as he let go of it and leaned back. "A journal... of sorts. I, as you know, am remarkably good at gaining and retaining information. As such, I was able to hunt down some information that I believe you would enjoy knowing. Information on ancient elixirs and potions from Egypt, as well as spells, in their original hieroglyphs as well as translated." This hunt of his was extremely thorough, he had indeed spent many days in pyramids owned by great leaders, Pharaohs, and their Prophets and holy men. What muggles were unaware of was the fact that many of the so called "holy men" were actually wizards and witches, crafting brews and working spells to aid their leader, spells and magic that were lost to those who knew nothing of it's power. Severus would appreciate these ancient and timeless creations, more than anyone Nathanyal knew... of that he was positive. The waitress returned with a tray full of delights, Severus's tea and accoutrement's, as well as more coffee for Nathanyal. She then set the plate of scones down and some jam and cream. Nathanyal nodded to her in thanks as she turned and walked away. Nathanyal added some cream to his coffee and just a small amount of sugar before taking a sip. He nodded silently and set down the mug, grabbing a piping hot scone and adding jam to it. He set it down on his plate and looked back over to Severus. "The journal, is my gift to you, to make up for you not being able to accompany me. I do hope you find some useful items in it. I know you are no longer the potions professor, but you are still brilliant at it and lack of teaching shall not diminish your love for it. As such, learning from a culture such as the Egyptians should prove to provide you with some level of enjoyment." He then broke his scone into small pieces and popped one in his mouth. Oh how he'd missed the deliciousness of scones, their buttery, flaky, lightness was very satisfying. Not that Egypt didn't have delicious dishes, but there was something about food from his birthplace that brought him more enjoyment than foods from anywhere else in the world. Though he had to say, the jam would have tasted better had some blueberry been added to it. But the strawberry was not all together displeasing. He continued eating while he listened to Severus speak on his pride in gaining the mastery he so deserved. He wiped his hands and his mouth. "Well, it could not have come to a more deserving man, I dare say. Do you believe you'll make any changes to the curriculum? I know there are some things to be desired from when we were boys... the points are important, but I sense you'll be able to make some alarming and useful changes. Enlighten me, my friend, I'm eager to hear of your ideas." He said, being completely honest. When they were younger there were many things they learned together, he was interested in what had changed and what would under Severus's tutelage. Severus was one of the most brilliant men he knew, though the students may not take well to his abrasiveness and lack of compassion for failure, they were very lucky to have him.

[atrb=width,100] words , one thousand twenty three tagged , Severus Snape notes , I hope it's not too far fetched for me to assume that the things written in the journal would be enjoyable for Severus. :]

TEMPLATE BY THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE MIKEY @ CAUTION 2.0

[SEVERUS TOBIAS SNAPE]

[atrb=border, 0, true][atrb=style, border-left: #405142 4px solid; border-right: #405142 2px dashed; background: #161616; padding-top: 16px; padding-right: 16px; padding-left: 16px; padding-bottom: 12px; -moz-border-radius: 10px; width: 210px;] [/style][style=width: 400px; line-height: 24px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 40px; text-shadow: #505050 1px 0px 1px; color: #405142; letter-spacing: -4px; text-transform: lowercase; text-align: center;]--- COFFEE & CONVERSATION --- ----- Subtle Secrets ----- As the waitress took her leave with their orders, Severus noticed the way Nathanyal appeared to be studying him. He wondered mildly what was on his friends’ mind, if perhaps his thoughts had carried him back to similar lines of thought and memory, but when he spoke it seemed as though he had merely been lost to something altogether different. It was not unusual, as far as Severus was concerned, for Nathanyal to fall back upon his thoughts and lose himself to reality for a time. It was a similarity the two of them shared to a degree, and so Severus was always rather accepting of it – just as Nathanyal was accepting of himself. He turned his lips upward ever so slightly as Nathanyal spoke of Egypt and how he believed Severus would have enjoyed himself there. While most people would assume the dour Potions professor to abhor the thought of a land with so much sunlight, Nathanyal looked at it from an academic perspective and recognized Severus as the sort of man who would have enjoyed himself for the educational purposes. It was his way at looking at Severus for his mind as opposed to the personality he projected that had endeared the Ravenclaw to Severus in the first place. He did, however, arch a brow at that mischevious smile. Having spent years teaching the many and various jest-inclined youth of Hogwarts, the sight of such a smile on anyone now made Severus immediately suspicious. As Nathanyal rummaged about for something, Severus feared that the man may have purchased some sort of mortifying souvenier for him as some sort of jest. Or worse, brought him back some mildly cursed object just to watch his reaction to it – though admittedly the latter was more a Lucas thing to do, and didn’t really match with Nathanyal’s sense of humor. As such, when the man drew forth a leather journal, Severus relaxed only remotely. It clearly was not some embarassingly foolish souvenier – but that didn’t mean it didn’t have a clever jinx upon it. As Nathanyal began his description however, Severus began to relax and, as the waitress returned with their order, found himself rather intruiged. Noting the amount of added pleasantries to their order, Severus quirked a brow and fell under the assumption that Nathanyal had managed to impress someone. Not that he would point it out of course – the waitress was a bit young, and as far as Severus was aware, that was a sensitive subject. While his friends were usually more than happy to pester him about his lack of a lady friend, Severus was simply not the sort to nose back at any of them about the subject. Partially due to how easy it was to turn back at him, and partially because he had too much respect for the decision to be alone to comment against it. When Nathanyal confessed that the journal was in fact a gift, Severus looked at him a bit dumbfoundedly before acknowledging within himself that Nathanyal wasn’t the cruel sort, and would hardly jinx such a thing on him. After taking a sip of his tea, Severus reached out and accepted the journal slowly, bringing it over to himself with an expression of mingled surprise and gratitude before it fell away behind his usual expressionless mask. This was a considerable amount of effort for anyone to go to for him, and Severus was not entirely certain how he felt about it – he did, however, know that he was grateful. ”Thank you, Nathanyal,” Severus stated lowly. Not being one for emotional displays, Severus did not say much beyond this, but he did give Nathanyal a small smile to show his gratitude was genuine. Severus opened the book and began reading with interest. He knew, of course, that it was not entirely polite to read when invited out to coffee, but at the same time he knew Nathanyal would understand his immediate interest in things unknown. Not to mention, as far as Severus saw it, it was rather a bit of a compliment that he would take to reading it so quickly. As the conversation turned back around to him, Severus carefully closed the journal and set it inside one of the pockets of his robe, once again finding a reason to love the undetectable extendable charms he placed upon them. Looking back at Nathanyal, he inclined his head slightly in response to the compliment, wishing for the briefest of moments he could just come out with it and confess the position to be cursed, and that his ‘promotion’ was nothing more than a farce to allow him better access to the murder of his own mentor. Dismissing the thought as quickly as it came, Severus smiled softly and responded, ”I’ve already made plenty of changes with the cirriculum, starting with the assigned textbooks. They were out of date when we attended Hogwarts. I’ve assigned Merrythought’s Layering the Defenses to all years, and am examining various aspects of Auror training for the older students. I would, admittedly, be a touch less presumptious if it were not for the state of affairs our society currently finds itself in,” He stated dryly, referring of course to the coming of the war, ”But I imagine if the Ministry comes to learn of it, they’ll keep their heads down, considering the position the Fudge administration has placed everyone into.” His disdain for Fudge was multiplied by his exposure to one Dolores Umbridge, causing his tone to shift to something cold and harsh that would be recognizable to Nathanyal as the same culture of disdain and disgust used when speaking of the Marauders – which was saying something indeed for his opinion of the Fudge administration. ”Beyond that, I am thinking of including an assigned essay for the older years on the events of the first war. I believe they could learn something from studying the actions of the past, and Merlin knows our History class won’t cover anything that happened in this centure or the last.” He added mildly, mostly as an aside. WORDS: 1014 TAG: Nathanyal Cain NOTES: I apologize for how long this took D: I had a response written and then my comp crashed T_T I lost my muse for this for awhile as a result, and I’m sorry if this post isn’t as good as usual DX template by eliza @ shadowplay

[nathanyal]

d o n t l o o k n o w b u t i t h i n k t h e

ghosts are watching us --- they a within the shadows

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,10,true][atrb=style,background-image: url('http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g79/Juliart/background_black.jpg');,true][cs=2] O F O U R D R E A M S

[atrb=width,240] Nathanyal was pleased with his visit thus far, it having been quite some time since he'd seen his dear friend Severus. It was not so much the time apart that saddened him, more so it was the fact that they were so close to one another but the busyness of their schedules didn't allow for regular consort. It seemed as if their lives were taking them down different paths, taking them far from one another. Severus was a Professor, on the pursuit of betterment in his career... Nathanyal was lost in the world of the past, attempting to see why things happened though history. It seemed as if Severus had his eye on the future, whereas Nathanyal was trapped in a world of yesterdays. Nathanyal did not let his bother him though. He was content with his life, though he knew for a fact that it would be better if his wife and son were by his side... but he had to make due with what he was given. He was dealt this hand of fate, this loss of his wife and his child and as such, he must live with the consequences as well as the blame for his own mortal failure. It was clear to Nathanyal, through many nights of staring at himself in the mirror, cursing himself and the skies for their betrayal of his heart... that it was entirely his fault for his wife's demise. Had he followed her sooner, had he realized she'd left him sooner, had he looked harder, his wife would be here with him and their son would not have been abandoned to the world of men. Nathanyal's mind was taken from disheartening thoughts when he stared into the slightly dumbfounded gaze of Serverus Snape. He laughed, wholeheartedly laughed. "Bugger all man... is it that odd, after all of these years for me to bestow a gift?" He found this highly amusing, but the truth remained... Severus was not a man of unfathomable means, he was not a man of worldly possessions nor was he a man who openly enjoyed receiving things from others. Nathanyal did hope that his friend knew he was merely teasing about his comment, it was merely that Severus' facial expressions rarely ever faltered from their usual indifference. So the fact that he was so obviously shocked at this small token of friendship just amused Nathanyal to no end. Still, when Severus thanked him, Nathanyal smiled softly. He knew his friend was not accustomed with things of the kind nature but this did not stop Nathanyal from doing what he could for is friend. Severus was likely one of Nathanyal's oldest friends, save for his now set free (yet still remaining... stubborn old coot) house elf, Edwin. Even through everything in Nathanyal's life, a well placed letter delivered by owl from his friend always seemed to cheer him up, even slightly. Severus had known Alina... as Nathanyal had known Lily. Which was another factor that bonded the two, their star crossed loves... as the muggle writer would say, made their spirits kindred... in a way. Nathanyal stirred his coffee for a moment whilst his friend took a skimming over the journal's contents. This pleased Nathanyal greatly, as he had genuinely wished Severus would enjoy the particular snippet. It was, at the least, a much more desirable token from his travels than some horrid hat or God Forbid a muggle t-shirt with a picture of a pyramid on it. He'd seen such silly designs on his trip, looking through little shops to see if there was something that peeked Edwin's interest, as he did enjoy little trinkets. A few things had and were purchased with muggle money, thankful to Gringots for changing the currency over. Nathanyal ate a bit of scone before offering some to Snape as he read, sliding the plate of scones over to him in case he wished for something to accompany his tea. Nathanyal hadn't eaten this morning, having woken up yet again in his study and yet again, late for his early morning appointments. It seemed as if this habit was becoming taxing on his system, he would have to see to it that he no longer stayed late in his study when he knew there were morning appointments to attend. Not only was it bad for his clients, but it was also rather terrible for his back. He wasn't getting any younger, as it were. There was a spell for that, wasn't there? Perhaps not. At the noting of Defense Against Dark Arts and the changes, Nathanyal nodded vigorously, his mouth still a bit full with scone. He took a swig of his coffee to wash it down before speaking. "Out of date is a polite way of putting it... the books were positively ancient. Though I can attest to some of their reasoning's... it is rather difficult to find works of an appropriate nature for that class. Many of the books out there do not have correct information, or their information is rather shoddy and sometimes falsified." He took another swig of his coffee, finishing it off and motioning for the waitress to refill it. She nodded and went behind the counter for the pot. "Though, I must say, I have read Layering the Defenses and I do find it to be a much better insight into warding off the Dark Arts than many of the novels I have read on the subject. Even ones of different cultures, which I am currently translating for the National Wizarding Library... should you ever be inclined to wish their translation, you know you have but to ask... regardless, it is a much better telling of protection that it's previous curriculum book. I applaud your ability to assist the students as well as you do. Though, I am interested in knowing if they will take kindly to you teaching them the aspects of auror training. I know some students have their minds and hearts set on ministry positions that have nothing to do with the line of fire. Do you think they will even bother to listen? I should hope they would, but not all are as dutiful as those with a true desire for that career." He was wondering himself, had he been given knowledge of the training of an Auror in his days, would he have commuted to that line of Ministry work instead of following in his father's footsteps at the Magical Catastrophe Squad? He honestly did not know. He leaned back in his as he listened to his friend discuss the possibilities for essays on the rather pertinent and historical First War. He was wondering why that topic had not been assigned sooner. Severus and Nathanyal both had lived through the first war and it seemed as though they both would journey through a second. "It is a bit irksome that no one has taken an interest in the happenings of the first war, enough to prepare for another. Most students don't even know the entire story, all they know is what fanfare is posted in the Daily Prophet, not that it can be entirely true any how... Rita has always been one to flourish her writing with slightly skewed knowledge for more readers. She was always one who enjoyed twisting facts to suit theories instead of theories to suit facts..." Yes, they had both known Rita during her time at Hogwarts, if he was not mistaken, neither had been particularly fond of the woman. It wasn't so much her tight curls blocking the oxygen supply to her head as much as it was the fact that she enjoyed causing issue, stirring drama, repeating rumors and gossiping about things she knew very little, if any, information on whatsoever. It was her way though, as was many of the others in their time... though that fact had not changed, it seemed, as many people of this time were the exact same, if only marginally different. He couldn't help but sigh at that thought. It seemed that even with new generations, there was a great deal of old habits, not that they were dying hard, it was that they weren't dying at all. Pureblood Mania being one of them. He leaned forward a bit in his chair and rubbed the back of his neck, the waitress coming moments later and filling his cup. She turned to Severus and asked if he needed a refill as well. Nathanyal busied himself momentarily, with the creaming of his coffee. He took a swig, sighed once more, before setting down the cup and resting a bit on his elbow. "Do you believe there will be changes made to your Potions curriculum? I heard that there was the possibility of Professor Slughorn coming back into Hogwarts... which doesn't much surprise me, as he was a favored teacher in his days. Or, should I say he was a favoring teacher in his days. He did thoroughly enjoy collecting valuable students. I was never one of them, as you know... and he knew of my slight distaste in his ever so obvious enjoyment of having 'pets'. I suppose that is my own opinions however. Seeing as no teachers stopped him and the students rather enjoyed being favored, though those who didn't weren't too terribly fond of the acts." He took another swig of his coffee before setting it down and leaning back in his chair once again, to study his long time friend..

[atrb=width,100] words , one thousad five hundred ninety seven tagged , Severus Snape notes , You're fine. ^^ Completely understandable and I enjoyed you post. I hope mine didn't ramble on too much.

TEMPLATE BY THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE MIKEY @ CAUTION 2.0

[SEVERUS TOBIAS SNAPE]

[atrb=border, 0, true][atrb=style, border-left: #405142 4px solid; border-right: #405142 2px dashed; background: #161616; padding-top: 16px; padding-right: 16px; padding-left: 16px; padding-bottom: 12px; -moz-border-radius: 10px; width: 210px;] [/style][style=width: 400px; line-height: 24px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 40px; text-shadow: #505050 1px 0px 1px; color: #405142; letter-spacing: -4px; text-transform: lowercase; text-align: center;]--- COFFEE & CONVERSATION --- ----- Subtle Secrets ----- At the sound of Nathanyal’s laugh, Severus couldn’t help but look a tiny bit abashed at himself for his immediate suspicion. Paranoia had been a way of life for so long that he’d in many ways forgotten how to trust even the closest of friends when something unexpected came into play. He carefully opted not to respond verbally, understanding the depths of teasing that were weaved into the comment and having no wish to turn the conversation too personal or dark by elaborating on his reasoning for doubt. Bowing his head a bit and running a hand over the top of the book, Severus fought not to fall too far behind his mask in order to escape the awkwardness of this moment. He disliked feeling awkward – ever since he was a child, in fact – though now, as an adult, the feeling left him feeling far more vulnerable and on edge than it ever did when he was young. Which, in many ways, was a reflection on how difficult his life had become as he had aged. The book, if nothing else, provided a distraction from his thoughts and allowed him to block away the feelings until once again his inner self was entirely tranquil, allowing his masks to settle back into place with a habitual ease. Furrowing his brow slightly at the description of a particular potion that sounded like a rather archaic version of a stomach reliever, he was about to make a comment when he realized it was more like a stomach remover, a potion obviously (Or so he prayed) used for mummification purposes. With that pleasant thought bouncing through his mind, Severus politely declined the scones and took a sip of his tea instead to settle the disruption in his own stomach. Leave it to him to assume there was at least one instance when a potion so foul was used on a living person. Benefits of a Death Eater education; anything that causes pain, at some point or another, will be used to do so. Setting down his tea, Severus gave a soft snort of agreement at Nathanyal’s agreement in regards to the Defense texts. ”The last six years have seen some of the worst professors of Defense Against the Dark Arts Hogwarts has ever seen. In truth, the only one who did even a half-way decent job was Remus Lupin, and he was very specialized toward Dark Creatures as opposed to general spellwork. Though I suppose even I have to admit the obstacle course he built for practical examinations was ingenious,” Severus stated reluctantly, having honestly felt that to be a rather brilliant move on Remus’ part, but not at all willing to say as much to the man himself – or anyone else for that matter. ”I still cannot believe Albus hired Lockhart; by far the most ridiculous charlatan I’ve ever had the displeasure of dealing with,” Severus added darkly, taking another sip of his tea. ”It will be a marvel if I can manage to correct even half of the damage done to these children and their Defensive education.” In truth, there was only a select few whom he was genuinely concerned for, though they had certainly managed themselves decently enough last year. Picking up his tea again, Severus took another sip before nodding slightly in agreement with Nathanyal’s assessment, setting down his tea once more and replying, ”I have always been fascinated by the defensive strategies of other cultures, as a matter of fact. If you have the time, i certainly would ot be opposed to a copy of the transcriptions,” Severus responded, always willing to observe other takes on defense and build up his own skills with styles unique within Britain for the fact they were more common elsewhere. At the commentary on Auror training, Severus’ expression darkened and he responded plainly. ”Frankly, I don’t give a damn where their heads are at in regards to future employment – the skills I will be teaching them will help to ensure they live to see said future, and there is not a single position in the Ministry that would not look highly upon someone with adequate skills and training in Defense. I will hardly be running an Auror training course; the skills and spells I am intending to teach them will be based more on practical application during dark times such as these, as opposed to arresting dark individuals.” It was a very roundabout way of saying he would be teaching them defensive and offensive spells above their year, many of which were commonly used by Aurors during duels, as opposed to during easy arrests. In other words, he was training them to fight, and some of the best fighters in the wizarding world came from the Auror program; therefore, teaching the students certain spells from that curriculum could only be beneficial in the end. “The wizarding world is no different from Muggle society in its desire to keep the darker parts of its history vague and hidden. I’m certain as far as the Ministry is concerned, the events of the First Wizarding War are not meant for children to be made aware of; as though history does not have the habit of repeating itself.”

[/b] Severus shook his head, his disdain for the Ministry evident. ”Considering their response to the return of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named last year, I’m certain they’d have been quite content to keep the past hidden despite the sheer amount of survivors from it. Better to ignore it than face it, I’m sure.” He sneered, obviously displeased before turning back to his slowly cooling tea, wishing once again to distract himself.

At the question, Severus allowed yet more disdain to show itself as he responded, ”Oh I imagine it will depend on whether or not old Horace is up to doing his job; he never was one for actual work, so he will likely take my curriculum and work with it rather than invent his own again.” Severus gave a slight shrug; despite having been a member of the Slug Club for his astounding performances with Potions and his incredible skill with Charms, Severus had absolutely no love for the man’s teaching skills. He had allowed far too many accidents in his class, two of which had been critical enough to warrant trips to St. Mungos.

One of Severus’ greatest prides as a Professor was the fact he had only had perhaps fourteen hospital wing trips as a result of potions accidents in the entirety of his tenure; being quick to catch things before they happened, or to clear away potions before cauldron melted, he rarely had any serious injuries and he had yet to send a child to St Mungos. A part fo him genuinely feared for the students what with Slughorn’s return, though he was very careful not to show it.
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WORDS: 1140
TAG: Nathanyal Cain
template by eliza @ shadowplay

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[nathanyal]

d o n t l o o k n o w b u t i t h i n k t h e

ghosts are watching us --- they a within the shadows

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,10,true][atrb=style,background-image: url('http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g79/Juliart/background_black.jpg');,true][cs=2] O F O U R D R E A M S

[atrb=width,240] Nathanyal had heard much of the happenings in the school by way of fluctuating teachers. He of course was privy to the information about Professor Quirrel's affiliation with He Who Must Not Be Named, as well as Lockhart's sad attempt at keeping his celebrity status intact during one of the most complex situations in Hogwart's history. He knew Remus on a personal note, never having befriended the man to a large extent, but he knew him, so the thought of him being a Werewolf was rather, well, interesting, to be honest. Though, the fact that someone could capture the infamous Auror Moody and turn themselves into him, lead Nathanyal down a slightly dismal ideal, he did not like that sort of ease when it came to getting to those he felt close to. Which left the year prior, the horrible excuse for a teacher and likely the worst (yes even worse off than Lockhart in his mind) was Umbridge from the Ministry. That fluffy pink gnome made Nathanyal's blood boil. He brought his attention back to Severus when he spoke, echoing Nathanyal's inner sentiments. "Oh believe me Severus, I will not argue with you on that point. Not in the least. As you know, I have considerable pull when it comes to information. As such, I am well aware of the happenings at Hogwarts. I believe that if anything, the school would have been better off doing away with the class for a few years rather than employing some of the teachers they had. Especially that pompous pink pompom dwarf Deloras. Telling the students that they would not need their wands and that all the information for them would be hypothetical. If the school was meant for only hypothetical knowledge... I dare say the first war would have gone a much, MUCH, different way." Nathanyal said, a bit begrudgingly. He was not exactly pleased with the fact that he was speaking on that subject, but it was truth. Nathanyal took up his coffee once more and drank a bit of it, listening to Severus and nodding slightly as he did so. He set down his cup and nodded once more. "Well, I would not have issue with giving you anything you desired on that aspect. I am currently working through Egypt, obviously. I have many transcripts I have picked up over the course of my trip. Not just in potions, but in defense spells, even some notorious hexes that were used. Spells to ward against entering crypts when unwelcome and many other aspects that are, for lack of a better term, foreign to Britain and it's surrounding areas. If you would like, seeing as my time is not limited at this point in time. I could bring them by Hogwarts for you, I know you are a rather busy man and I believe some of my defensive information might be of use to you." He noted, offering his assistance as always. Especially when it came to Severus. One of the many defining factors of their friendship was their adoration for learning new things, obscure things. It was actually what had bonded them in the first place. Nathanyal could tell that the topic was turning a bit more dark than he had intended for the afternoon. Perhaps there was some way for him to divulge in another topic, perhaps he could discuss his novel idea with Severus. Get their minds off the Ministry's incompetence and corruption? Though, his comment on teaching the children in his classes to survive rather than pass tests was a wise and commendable attribute for his teaching methods. "That is rather impressive. I actually may be able to help you there. I have many transcripts from China, Italy, Japan, even the Americas with spells that even books have not heard of. I plan on accumulating them all together into a well documented encyclopedia of worldwide spells. One book for defensive, one for charms, one for potions, and so forth. This is, on top of my idea for a novel, which I am currently in the process of writing." Severus was by far the most adept at speaking with on these matters. Which is likely why Nathanyal was so comfortable with discussing them with him, he knew Severus was not a man of great ambitions if it meant he would sacrifice too much for them. He was a man of solidarity and though he was determined, he was also cautious and very methodical, as well as logical to an end. Which made Nathanyal trust that if he were to speak more in depth about his ideas for written works, Severus would not take them, he would give him critiques, even read over some of his writing if asked and tell him what he could add or subtract. Severus was likely one of the people Nathanyal trusted most on this aspect. Nathanyal took another hearty swig of his coffee before deciding to continue, hoping that the conversation's turning would lighten the mood. Also, he was genuinely interested in Severus' take on his ideas. "Severus, I have an inquiry for you. I am, as I have told you, in the process of writing a novel and I would like to know if you have any opinions on some of my ideas." Nathanyal leaned back and pondered for a moment before continuing. "I am contemplating the title, The Mysterious Cultures: What Magic Can They Bring... though I am note entirely sure as to whether or not it will remain. As you can more than likely ascertain from the title, I am writing a novel on the magical cultures aside from our own and bringing forth information that was long since buried and forgotten. Important information, not only about technique and casting but about our very history. The myth and the truth of it." Nathanyal was rather pleased with this ideal for the novel and was actually rather excited about it's publication. He knew more than a few wizards would be interested in the works, though, he would likely not publish it until the war was over. Seeing as it would more than likely contain spells of great power within them, spells that had been lost for many years. He wished to for it to be a scholarly work, not something that could be used against his comrades. "I have been collecting information for this novel for twenty years and I have visited twenty different countries... all to which will have their own chapter, as they all have information of importance that should be conveyed in detail."

[atrb=width,100] words , one thousand one hundred fourteen tagged , Severus Snape notes , Tralalalalalalaaaaaa... time to discuss lovely little books to get his mind off of broody-like subjects. :3

TEMPLATE BY THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE MIKEY @ CAUTION 2.0

[SEVERUS TOBIAS SNAPE]

[atrb=border, 0, true][atrb=style, border-left: #405142 4px solid; border-right: #405142 2px dashed; background: #161616; padding-top: 16px; padding-right: 16px; padding-left: 16px; padding-bottom: 12px; -moz-border-radius: 10px; width: 210px;] [/style][style=width: 400px; line-height: 24px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 40px; text-shadow: #505050 1px 0px 1px; color: #405142; letter-spacing: -4px; text-transform: lowercase; text-align: center;]--- COFFEE & CONVERSATION --- ----- Subtle Secrets ----- Severus gave a slender, almost imperceptible smile at the mention of Nathanyal’s contacts. The comment was of course innocent enough – harmless by all standards, in fact – but it struck a chord in Severus, reminding him yet again of his low status in wizarding society. He may have been one of the youngest acclaimed Potions Masters in well over a century and an esteemed member of the Hogwarts faculty – the latter of which may have shocked his students, but his track record of producing above-standard potions makers and the exceptionally low numbers of accidents in his class certainly made him notable – but at the end of the day he was still a halfblood wizard whose connections to upper society were slim at best and downright questionable at the worst. Of course, the commentary on ‘the pink pompom’ was enough to pull Severus back to the present with a completely derisive snort. ”Do not even mention that despicable color in my presence again. If it was not loathsome enough before, I assure you it is an anathema to me now.” The man drawled with his infamously dry humor, before coming to the thought that perhaps bringing up the war in any aspect at all was unwise in this particular company. As such, he was glad for the momentary change of subject toward less painful topics as transcripts on foreign magics. Egypt was certainly one of the more fascinating countries for its magical history, and it had always fascinated Severus in a distant sort of way. As Nathanyal had already observed, Severus was not precisely a man of means, and so despite his wish to one day see Egypt, he had not allowed himself to dig too deeply into its secrets, lest he want too much for what he could not have. In an interesting contrast, his knowledge of the ancient magics and ways of Romanian Europe was quite extensive despite the fact it was not a region he would ever be likely to visit. Though of course, his reasons for that study were a bit more personal than mere educational curiosity. The offering of Nathanyal’s assistance and notations, as such, was incredibly enticing. Yet as ever, Severus was reluctant to ask for much of anything, so his response was appropriately formal; for all his antisocial ways, manners were surprisingly a fall back of social interaction for Severus, depending on his company. Around neutral or friendly parties, more often than not he only fell to formality when he felt uncomfortable or that the conversation had dragged past the point where he felt the need to continue speaking, reserved as he always was when it came to his words. Around more dangerous parties, Severus would fall back on either aggression or formalities so perfunctory and flawless that it would be impossible to fault him and therefore spark a fight. ”Only if it is not out of your way, Nathanyal. It is not my wish to inconvenience you.” With a slight incline of his head to indicate his gratitude for the offer all the same, Severus took a slow sip of his drink as the former Ravenclaw continued speaking of the transcripts he had gathered over the course of his travels. Mention of the Orient had Severus arching a brow despite himself, before he lowered it with a look of clear condescension at the mention of the Americas, having no love for any of that mess. The idea of a documented encyclopedia had Severus tilting his head ever so slightly to one side in contemplation, indicating he was both listening and finding himself intrigued by what he was hearing. If the Potions Master had been at all aware of the trust Nathanyal was regarding him with by revealing such plans, he would have been awkwardly humbled; though in what was best for both their sakes, the surly Slytherin alumni was rather oblivious to it, as the idea of stealing Nathanyal’s work was a ludicrous enough notion that it would not have even been born into his mind in the first place (Which was, perhaps, another reason for the trust that he was unwittingly bestowed with). As such, at the inquiry he set down his tea with little thought to it, gracing Nathanyal with the entirety of his attentions. At the end of it, Severus appeared quietly contemplative before he responded. ”It certainly sounds like a noble endeavour, though I wonder if perhaps the title is a bit too novel,” Severus stated finally, his head still somewhat tilted in thought. Novel was the best word for it, if only because it held multiple meanings that could attribute, all of which were likely not quite what Nathanyal’s book would need when it came to sales. After a moment, Severus asked the most logical question. ”Have you spoken to anyone in the publishing industry about the idea? Generally speaking editors tend to be in charge of such things as difficult titles, among other things, yes?” Severus was not attempting to brush off Nathanyal, so much as guide him toward more appropriate venues, as when it came to books and publishing, Severus had a knowledge that was limited (rather dynamically) to the purchasing and reading side of things. He had articles published in Potions Quarterly, but the editing process for such things was a far different animal than what was needed for a book Severus knew. ”The idea is unique and useful enough that it could be marketed to just about anyone, so I doubt you’ll have any problems there,” Severus added, thinking that he himself would likely find such a book rather fascinating. ”One would have no choice but to admire your dedication, if nothing else,” The Potions Master allowed himself to add as well, considering the fact that twenty years was over half of Nathanyal’s lifetime. Severus would have said more when he felt the all too familiar flare of agony that was the Dark Lord’s call. His response was subdued enough to be imperceptible – little more than a flaring of his nostrils and a narrowing of his eyes – but it was also enough to cause Severus to look down at himself as though he’d suddenly recalled something, both to hide the small response and to think up a reason for exiting that would not arouse suspicion. Reaching into his jacket pocket, Severus wrapped his hand around the pocket watch Albus had insisted on giving him to honor his fifth year as a Hogwarts professor. Flicking one of the dials, Severus pulled it out and opened it briefly enough for a golden glow to emanate from it, before snapping it shut sharply. Looking up at Nathanyal apologetically, Severus gave a rather believable grimace of annoyance and stated, ”I apologize for having to cut this short, but it appears Albus has need of me,” He stated smoothly, refusing to feel guilt for the lie, as to do so would cause him to think of all the other reasons why answering the call after speaking with Nathanyal was deeply unfortunate; thoughts he could not afford when he needed his shields high and strong. ”Perhaps we can continue this conversation at a later date?” Severus queried, a new flare of pain indicating the Dark Lord was not going to be patient this afternoon. Nevertheless, Severus refused to be rude and simply apparate off without some sort of explanation to his old friend. WORDS: 1232 TAG: Nathanyal Cain template by eliza @ shadowplay