A New Start - Chapter 5

Brekka looked in the mirror and yanked the braid out of her hair again. Her curls immediately went wild and she frowned as she pulled a different clip out and charmed her hair into it. Finally satisfied that she looked nice but not obvious, she tidied up the room and headed down the stairs to the shop.

She was bent over the ledger when the chimes sounded admitting Severus to the store. She looked up to say hello and noticed it instantly the difference in him.  He seemed more relaxed and as he said ‘Good Morning’ to her he headed for the back room.

“I will be working in the back today,” she said trying to not to let the disappointment enter her voice. As he turned to face her she could see the distinct hickey peeking over his collar.

“As you wish,” he said in a strained voice as he walked up to the counter.

Brekka removed herself, “Oh and don’t step on the giant tube sock, that’s Rigor in his winter coat.”

She pushed passed him, resisting the urge to run upstairs and hide. She knew better than to trust men. When would she ever learn?

Severus wasn’t certain what had caused the change but as he had entered he was well aware of how striking Brekka looked in the dress she was wearing with her hair half up and half down as she worked on the morning ledger. Then she had seen him and her whole demeanor had changed.

He was uncertain if she was expecting someone else. She was being a particularly difficult potion today and it angered and intrigued him as much as making Wolfsbane.

It was slow this morning and Severus could see Brekka through the small window as she worked. He walked up to the closed door and opened it.

Brekka whirled and glared at him, “Is there a problem?”

“Other than today being extremely slow, no there is no problem that I have.”

Brekka continued to glare at him, “I can not make the customers come in. But if you are bored, you are welcome to go home. You will be paid for the hours you worked.”

She watched his features darken but truthfully Brekka was almost to the point of telling him that she didn’t need his help in the shop any longer. She really never should have hired him.

Severus could feel the anger boiling off of her and knew it was directed at him. He decided that he would use his legilimency on her just for a moment. He barely moved his lips as he kept his eyes locked on hers.

There was an instant jolt to his mind and her eyes narrowed, “Don’t you ever try that on me again.”

He raised an eyebrow at her, “I should not have taken the liberty, but felt it the only way to find out what I have done to deserve such hatred from you.”

Brekka could feel her cheeks redden. She had probed and found out several interesting things out about Severus yesterday and one was that he was quite a powerful Legilimens and Occulment.

“If I wanted to share my thoughts with you I would. As it stands, you are welcome to take lunch now. When you return I will be gone for the rest of the afternoon, unless you get busy. You can buzz the shield on the picture and I will be notified.”

She watched as Severus turned and walked out of the shop. She breathed a sigh of relief.

Severus returned promptly in one hour and Brekka left. She headed down the street towards the Livery stable on the west of town. There were several guests getting mounted on their horses when she arrived and stepped into the barn for those that boarded horses.

As she approached the stall she saw Aramis leading the big black horse out.

“What are you doing?” she hissed at him.

The stallion turned nickering to her, not at all fearing the hissing voice.

Aramis laughed, “I heard your argument with Snape. Rigor was very talkative today.”

Brekka picked up the brush and began brushing the stallion. The giant black horse leaned into the brush on his withers.

“I figured you’d come to see Larth today and I needed to talk to you away from Snape and Bannon and the fact that I can get past your charms again without triggering the bell so change them.”

Brekka bristled at the name and at the fact he was testing her charms. Aramis laughed, “Big sister is jealous of Bannon.”

“No I am not.”

“Whatever. I personally think Snape wants you both. You should see Father pacing. It’s all I can do not to laugh.”

“He doesn’t want me; Snape that is. I am not blonde.”

Aramis appeared around Larth’s rump and glared at her, “You are just a beautiful as she is. You just try to hard. There are men that would line up for you, not just my father. You just don’t see it and they get tired of being ignored Brekka. Look past what the shithead did to you. Get past what my father tries. If you want Snape so badly, steal him away. Or better yet, piss father off royally and both of you do him. Hell I’ll even lie and say I have done you if you want me too. But I think you need to accept her into your confidence. Brekka, both of you against father would be classic. He can’t break you so he tries to cheat you both. Work together and with me and my group on the inside, we can bring him down.”

“He’d kill you if you told him you fucked me.”

“No he wouldn’t. I am his only son of 15 children by 12 different women. He’s not going to do anything to me for fear he’ll keep siring girls. That’s why he wants you Brekka. He thinks you’ll give him a boy.”

“I’d rather poke my eyes out.”

“Yeah, well, I have some interesting news if you want to quit feeling sorry for yourself.”

She chucked the brush at him and listened while he talked.



Severus was not expecting to see Brekka again but she arrived back in the shop about ten minutes to five. She again smelled of leather and horse and it intrigued Severus for some unforeseen reason. He finished his task and exited them store, leaving the invitation sitting on the ledger.

Brekka watched him leave then went to the ledger. There was a letter written in Severus’s hand. She tentatively opened the envelope. It was an invitation to dinner at his home. She debated for a moment just tossing it but she completed the ledger work and decided she would go as she was. She didn’t feel like getting dressed up because she truly wasn’t sure of his intentions.

She fed the animals and left by the back staircase so that she could apparate without being seen.

She apparated to the park near Severus’s place and walked up to the path to his house. She was certain that Aramis or one of his mates would be watching from the large russet cabin where he lived. She hadn’t bothered to tell Severus it was Aramis that lived here and had seen her that night.

Brekka took a deep breath and knocked on the door. It slipped open and she stopped as she went to cross the threshold.

“Brekka, wait.”

She turned and stormed out the door. She could hear Elissa’s voice and the Severus calling her name, “Brekka.”

“You lied to me Severus,” she said not looking back at him.

“Brekka,” she heard as she felt a hand grasp her arm. She whirled with the pull and smacked him hard across the face.

There was a look of shock on Severus’s face. The he grabbed her and kissed her. It was Brekka’s turn to be shocked. Shocked at the electric jolt she felt and the fact that she wanted this. She pulled away remembering that Elissa was in his house.

“Please do not bother to come to work on Saturday. You no longer work for me. I don’t like being made fun of or being used.”

She turned again trying to leave and Severus held her arm, “I was not expecting to see Elissa tonight.”

“Oh so it was going to be me tonight and then her tomorrow night and me on Saturday? I thought you were different than Vantavington, but I gather you are from the same mold.”

“I am not like him and you are not letting me explain.”

“There’s no need Severus. I understand. Please remove your hand from me.”

Severus released her arm and she strode through the park gate and apparated with a pop. This was so not working out like he had planned. He turned to see Elissa standing in his doorway looking dead sexy. Part of him wanted to chase Brekka and the other said go back to Elissa.
Elissa was having a hard time getting out of bed Friday morning.  She didn't quite feel like herself but she forced herself to the kitchen to start tea.  She wasn't even dressed yet when she heard a knock on the door and glancing at the time, figured it would be Severus to come to work.  "Morning," she said as she opened the door, letting him in.

"Rough night after you left?" Severus asked putting his arms around her playfully.  

"It's not that," Elissa said as she freed herself and sat at the table.  "I'm not feeling all that well this morning, almost as if there is something off.  I think I'll have you work in the back room alone today."

"If that's what you wish," Severus said taking a seat at the table after helping himself to some tea.  "Would you want me to brew you up something to help?"

"Thanks for the offer, but I'd better not," Elissa said, thinking she might have an idea what might be troubling her.  "I think I'm just going to relax today, which I can do manning the front of the store, not too many people need help when they come in, they know what they need."

Severus shrugged and sipped at the tea he had poured.  "If need be, I can open the store alone to give you time to get ready," he said, glancing at the clock that showed just a few minutes until eleven.

"That would be fine," Elissa said.  She wasn't in any hurry to cast the charms she knew would give her a definate answer to her questions in her mind.  'Could it really happen that quickly?' she asked herself watching as he walked down the stairs.  She walked over to the shelves and pulled out the dusty book that she had borrowed from the old library a week ago.  She had planned on this happening, but according to the book, it could take weeks or months.  She turned to the page she was looking for and cast the charms over her stomach.  "Well," she said softly to herself, "it looks like you got your wish Elissa."

She cleaned up and got dressed and took the second staircase that led to the front of the store, bypassing the lab completely.  She had heard that it was dangerous for a woman to be around certain herbs during certain times and she didn't want to risk anything happening.  "If you need anything Severus, just call through the small window," she said to him as she took her place behind the counter.

"Anything you need me to work on?" he asked, coming over to the window and peering out at her with a smirk.  "I can brew you something to make you feel better."

"That's not neccessary Severus," she said with a smile of her own.  "I received an owl order this morning for Draught of Living Death, think you could handle a batch or two of that?"

"Of course I can," he replied before dissapearing in the back again.

Elissa shook her head and chuckled a bit when a group of men entering the store changed her expression completely.  "It's not wise to have your store closed when people expect it to be open," Norris Vantavington said as he glided up to the counter.  "You would think with your assistant you could keep better hours."

"He was assisting me in another room," Elissa said, looking in disgust at the men gathered in front of her.  She didn't trust his son anymore than she trusted him, and the one on the other side of him was only one curse away from being sent away for a very long time.  "Not that it's any of your concern," she added.  "What is it you needed so badly?"

"Only to talk," Vantavington said, leaning up against the counter.  "I know what you are up to.  You and Miss Campbell and that assistant of yours.  I know you are plotting against me and I won't stand for it."  He glared at her a moment more and left the store, his son pausing and looking back at her with an apologetic look in his eyes.

"Before it was just for fun," Elissa said softly to herself.  "Now I think it will be more than that."  Elissa grabed her stomach, feeling a bit odd again.  "Severus, will you listen for customers in the front of the store?  I need to get away for a moment."

Severus came out from the back room and looked at her.  "Are you sure you are ok?" he asked again, concern etched in his face.

"I assure you I am fine, I just need to use the bathroom," she said with a smile as she brushed past him.  She turned when she reached the top of the stairs to see him sitting behind the counter instead of in the back.  She knew he must have finished the potion he was working on, he wasn't one to leave something unattended.  She made her way to the bathroom and flipped through the small book she had grabbed on her way.  She found the spell she was looking for and read over the wand movement for a few moments before setting down the book.  She took a deep breath and then did the movement she practiced with the incantation over her stomach.  "I knew it," she said with a satisfied glint in her eye.  Without another word or thought, she returned to the store and sent Severus back to the prep room without any words or explanations.