Chapter 28: Salient Scars 

[Author's note: Happy Birthday, Severus Snape!  — 9th January 2014 ] 

When Lucy awoke she was vaguely aware of where she was, it took her a good few moments to realise she was at the Jarvin's house. She didn't have much motivation to move to prove her theory as her eyes stayed glued shut. It felt as though she'd been running all night so there wasn't much energy left in her. Despite this she sat up and didn't open her eyes until she'd stretched, even then she had to prize them open. 

"Matt?" Lucy groaned as she rubbed her eyes, it was like she was saying it on instinct. He wasn't with her and she'd expected him to spend the whole night next to her. In fact, she couldn't sense any movement in the Jarvin house at all which concerned her. 

Lucy untangled herself from the many sheets on the bed before getting up and walking over to the wardrobe where she'd temporarily stored all of her clothes. She stole a quick look inside before she pulled out a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and a long black cardigan. Lucy then picked up Merlin's sword and opened up her door. 

She looked left and right, as if she were about to cross a road, before she stepped out into the abandoned hallway. Lucy held out the sword in front of her, it was like she was certain she was going to come across danger (but after last night's episode, who could blame her?) 

Slowly, Lucy stepped into the living room where she stopped, not shifting from her protective stance, to look at the Christmas tree. Scott and Anna must have added more decorations to it while Lucy was sleeping because she knew there wasn't this many on the tree yesterday. The house looked even more welcoming than it had before which made Lucy smile, this helped Anna catch her off guard.

"Merry Christmas, Lucy!" Anna chirped as she walked through the open front door.

Lucy jumped then smiled back awkwardly. "Merry Christmas, Mrs Jarvin!"  

"Don't worry about the Christmas tree, dear, it won't eat you. I've checked it for any medieval traces," Anna assured as she noticed Lucy staring at it as if she was going to tear it down with the sword in her hands. 

"I know, I'm just a little on the edge because of yesterday," Lucy admitted, Anna patted her shouldler as she walked past. 

"I understand, I feel so sorry for you." 

Lucy opened her mouth to tell her that she felt more sorry for her because she had to put up with Lucy but then closed it because there was no point in trying to change the Jarvins' minds. Instead she decided to ask an appropriate question. "Where's Matt?" 

"Out in the forest, he just ran out this morning which is a shame because it's Christmas and I'd have liked it if he stayed," Anna wiped her hands on a tea towel and sighed. "But Scott saw what direction he went in so if you want to ask him, he's outside." 

Lucy said a quick thank you before heading out the front door, she found Scott standing there with his wand in the air, building something out of nothingness. Lucy approached him and then stood next to him. He saw her immediately and looked down at her. 

"Morning, Lucy, and a Merry Christmas to you!" 

"And to you too," Lucy replied. She really liked both Anna and Scott, it was as though if you made any mistake no matter how severe they wouldn't blame you and would probably end up blaming themselves. "Did you see where Matt went this morning?" 

"Oh yes, I saw him disappear into the forest. He muttered something about javelin and one only presumes he went to the place where I hung up all those targets for him," Scott shrugged, he put his wand down. "What do you think? I've been making this force field all morning and I'm almost done." 

"It's...brilliant!" Lucy looked up and admired the slight blurriness around the Jarvin's house, it was completely covered in a dome. Well, almost, Scott just had one more part to do and then he was done. 

"Do you want to try it out? Swing your sword at it, I want to see how strong it is." 

Lucy raised her sword and hit the shield gently, she didn't want to break it, it didn't even move. Lucy was impressed with Scott's work. 

"Thank goodness it works, I assumed it wouldn't." 

"Going back to Matt, do you know how I can get to that place you described?" 

"Sure," Scott pointed towards the forest. "Head straight up that path then take a right, then a left. You'll end up in a clearing, if Matt's there stay with him for a little while but then come back so we can start Christmas. If not, come straight back and I'll see if I can go and find him." 

"Okay, I'll see if I can find Matt," Lucy agreed.

"When you're back the force field will be complete but either Anna or I will see you, if not call us and we'll let you in," Scott nodded as Lucy ducked under the part of the force field that hadn't been made yet. "Be careful in there too," Scott cautioned. 

"I will," Lucy reassured as she waved goodbye and Scott continued making the force field. Lucy ran into the forest and headed straight up the path that Scott had pointed to. She then turned right up the path and then took a left. 

Before she even made it into the clearing she heard Matt throwing the javelin with mighty yells followed by the sharp metal object hitting a target with a dull thud. Lucy walked into the clearing holding Merlin's sword. This clearing was bigger than yesterday's one and was decorated with targets hanging in the trees . Every target in the clearing had at least two javelin's in the centre and no where else. 

Lucy watched in awe as Matt picked up a javelin, threw it, then picked up another one from the pile next to him and repeated. He didn't even look when he was throwing it, he knew that he'd hit the centre. She watched as he leaned back and threw the javelin with such force his muscles were screaming to be paid attention to.

"Bad day, huh?" Lucy called out over the sound of another javelin being thrown. Matt stopped throwing the javelin and looked in her direction. His anger melted as soon as he saw her, it was replaced by a welcoming smile. 

"Not really, I've just missed doing this so much," he shrugged, itching the back of his head awkwardly. He wore only a plaid shirt, jeans and a pair of converse. Neither of them were dressed suitbly for the cold weather. He noticed Lucy admiring the targets again. "And you wonder why I have so much upper body strength." 

Lucy couldn't help but laugh. "I guess I know now." 

Matt stepped over to each target in turn and pulled out all the javelin's, he threw them back on the pile and looked at Lucy who still seemed fascinated by the javelin itself. She placed her sword down and picked one up. 

"How do you throw one of these?" Lucy wondered. "You throw them so easily and don't injure yourself, how do you do it?" 

Matt didn't say anything, instead he took the javelin from her and stood her sideways on to the target that was directly ahead of her. "Always stand sideways on to the target, not face on." 

"Why's that?" Lucy asked as Matt positioned the javelin so she was holding it by her ear. 

"So you don't hurt yourself," he laughed. He then stood behind her and put both hands on her waist. "You have to use your upper body strength and keep a straight back when throwing the javelin." 

"I hope you know I'm going to loose my ear when throwing this thing," Lucy warned. 

"No you won't, you think you're going to but you won't, I swear. Please trust me on this one," Matt then leaned her back slightly. "Take two side steps and then throw the javelin straight ahead towards that target." 

Lucy obeyed his commands and threw the javelin at the target, it didn't even make it there, instead it landed with a clanking sound on the muddy earth. Lucy's shoulders slumped as Matt went to retrieve the javelin. 

"Don't be disheartened, that always happens. It's happened to me lots of times, you just have to keep practicing and then you'll be able to hit targets easily," he handed her the javelin. "Want to try again?" 

Lucy practised throwing the javelin many times under Matt's instructions. After about what felt like a million tries she ended up hitting the target and when she did Matt applauded her. 

"Told you, you could do it," Matt grinned. "Now you can throw the javelin when Zuc comes back to town and show him who's boss." 

"I think I'll leave that technique to you," Lucy concluded as she helped Matt put the javelin's into a neat pile so that he could carry them back to the house. Lucy picked up Merlin's sword and began to walk towards the exit of the clearing but Matt's voice stopped her. 

"Lucy?" Matt called out, Lucy spun around and faced him. 

"Yes?" She asked, wondering what Matt had halted her for. 

"You're wrong when you said I don't get injured when throwing the javelin," Matt pointed out, Lucy frowned at him before she watched as he lifted up his plaid top and revealed a rather large scar across his middle. "Dad wasn't entirely right when he said my friends stopped me throwing the javelin. It also destroyed my vanity especially as I'd worked so hard to get these muscles." 

Matt closed his eyes for an instant and remebered the day he'd got the scar. He was with his parents and they were moaning at him once again for being excluded from Durmstrang and how disappointed they were in him when he got up and left. 

"I HATE BOTH OF YOU!" He had yelled as he'd slammed the front door to their new cottage in England and picked up his set of javelin's. He'd run down to the clearing, pushing thoughts of Collin's academy out of his head. He picked up a couple of javelin's and threw them perfectly, it was the third javelin that let him down. 

He picked it up quickly and threw the javelin too quickly, not giving time to set it in the right place, instead it scraped across his middle. He then saw blood seeping from the tear in his shirt where the javelin had dug into his skin. He screamed in pain and just about managed to get back to the cottage to inform his parents of what had happened. 

They took him to St. Mungos as quickly as they could. Matt was immediately put under anaesthetic so that the doctors could check whether he had damaged any organs, luckily he hadn't instead he'd just cut himself deeply. He was given several stitches and a variety of potions when he woke up.

His parents were in shock and spent several nights with him despite his yelling and protesting. Matt yelled at them so much he had to be sedated even though he'd tired himself out so much anyway. He started to refuse help at the hospital, too, he was fed up of everyone around him and even tried to escape the hospital when they gave him medication.

Eventually he was allowed to leave and Matt would never forget the moment he was getting changed back home into his nightwear and he saw the ugly scar dominating his middle. It destroyed his confidence and vanity. Not only did it destroy that but it made him angrier, throwing the javelin was a way he could release his anger but he was too afraid to do that anymore and so the anger ended up building inside of him even more. 

"Matt, I didn't know you had that scar," Lucy admitted, she felt incredibly guilty. "Why didn't I see it that day when you were swimming in the black lake?" 

"Because there are some spells you can use to temporarily hide things and I knew I was willing to risk it for a couple of hours just to get your attention," he shrugged. "This is why I don't notice your scars, this is why you're the first person in forever that I liked through their personality rather than their looks. That's why I didn't tell you why I loved you at first when I was the mad stalker because I didn't want anyone to know about my scar but I trust you so much now and I'd tell you anything."

Lucy reached out to hug him and Matt wrapped her safely in his arms. For the first time Lucy felt truly proud of her scars and she felt proud of Matt for overcoming his fear and plucking up the courage to show Lucy what he was so secretive of. 

Matt rested a hand just where the scar on her cheek that Kingston made was. "I love all your scars even though I hardly ever notice. Besides, most of the time I'm looking past them and at your personality. Not that you're not beautiful anyway." 

When Matt removed his hand he saw the scar on Lucy's face more prominently. "This never really healed, you know. I covered it up more with my metamorphmagus abilities. I guess if you have the confidence to show off your scar I have the confidence to show off mine." 

"It makes you so beautiful," he kissed her exactly where the scar was and when he moved away it was back to it's original form. "I love it." 

The two of them walked hand in hand back to the cottage. Before they even approached the shield, Scott came out of the cottage and un-did part of it so Lucy and Matt could come through. 

"Come on, in you go it's cold out here," Scott ushered them in. Evidently the Jarvin family still weren't used to the cold temperatures in England and were still accustomed to that in Los Angeles. 

Scott sealed back up the shield as soon as Lucy and Matt had come through. He ran over to the front door and stood in the doorway. "Matt, drop your weapons." He nodded to the javelin's Matt was carrying.

Matt placed his javelin's by the door in a pile. Scott looked at Lucy and her sword, then grinned. He stepped aside. 

"Go on ahead, Lucy." 

"I didn't realise I wasn't the favourite anymore," Matt joked.

"With the sword not only comes responsibility but power too," Lucy winked as she slipped off her boots. 

Lucy walked to her room and placed Merlin's sword on the bed. Lucy then reached into her suitcase and pulled out her present for Matt and two smaller one's for Anna and Scott as well as all the presents she had been given at school. 

Lucy ran back to the living room and placed the presents under the Christmas tree. The Jarvin's were already sat down and so Lucy took a seat next to Matt, exactly where she had sat yesterday when she'd first entered the Jarvins' house.

"Alright," Scott clasped his hands together. "Who's going first?" 

"I nominate Lucy," Anna grinned. 

"I nominate Matt," Lucy replied instantly. 

"I nominate Lucy," Matt said smugly.

"Well I nominate Lucy's decision because she is our guest," Scott finished. "Go on, Matt, take a stab at your presents." 

Matt sighed and picked up the first present he could reach and began un-wrapping it. The Jarvin's had an awful lot of presents under their tree, Lucy peered at the labels when Matt opened them and saw that they were from the various Aunts, Uncle's and cousins he had talked about. Lucy couldn't help but envy him a little for the wonderful family that he had that were still prepared to send him gifts even though they were in America. 

When Matt was done and only a few presents under the tree remained, Scott nodded to Lucy. "Go on, your turn." 

Lucy gingerly got up and scooped up her measly pile of presents (which they were in comparison to Matt's). She sat back down and began to un-wrap the present from Dean first. She found a photo album with a small note on top. Lucy took the letter first and read it: 

To Lucy 

I'm not good at choosing presents, I never have been and I'm sure that you'll open much better presents than this but I had to get you something for being so wonderful. 

Lots of love 

— Dean 

P.S) Thank your father for most of the photographs, he was kind enough to give them to me. 

Lucy opened the photo album, expecting it to be blank, but it was full of pictures. It started in chronological order with her in first year, then second year and so on. Some of the pictures were of Snape and of her or both and even Shona made an appearance in the pictures. Then when Lucy made it to the sixth year (she'd already passed various press clippings and pictures) she found pictures of her and Matt and pictures of Ben as well as Dean. Eventually she made it to the end of the photo album, yet it was not empty instead there was another note: 

Roses are red 

Violets are blue 

You're my very best friend 

I hope you're mine too

Please keep filling out this album 

You know I really hope you do

And it would be nice if you kept going

Until it's finally through

"That's so sweet," Matt smiled, peering over Lucy's shoulder at the photo album. "Dean's so nice." 

"Who's Dean?" Anna asked, trying to look at the photo album that Lucy held. 

"My bodyguard," Lucy flicked to a page in her photo album and showed Anna. "He's absolutely wonderful, you have to meet him one day." 

"I thought Matt was your bodyguard," Scott joked. 

"He is, it's just that the head of the resistance — who's my soon to be step mum — thinks it's prudent that I have an official bodyguard to keep me safe now that Zuc has access to the portal of England," Lucy reached under the Christmas tree again and picked up a present Matt had missed. Despite the large packaging, Lucy had strategically placed the present where he wouldn't reach for it so that she could see his reaction. "Speaking of wonderful, I hope you like your present, Matt." 

Matt examined the large package on his lap. "What's in here? A dead body?" 

"Damn, I wish I'd thought of that," Lucy frowned. "I could have wrapped you up a knight from yesterday." 

All three Jarvin's laughed as Matt started tearing the wrapping paper carefully. Deep curiosity was in his eyes as he took off the wrapping because he had no idea what Lucy had got him and it was as though he couldn't open the present quick enough to find out. He opened the cardboard box carefully and froze. 

"LUCY! YOU DID NOT BUY ME A GUITAR!" Matt yelled all of a sudden. 

"Sorry, did you you want the body instead because I can easily — " Lucy didn't get chance to say anything else because Matt had silenced her with a kiss. Lucy felt incredibly awkward with Matt's parents there but they seemed very happy at Matt's gesture. It was as if they'd finally decided that Matt had changed. 

"Well at least I know you won't steal mine anymore," Lucy laughed when Matt let her go and put his presents on her lap. 

"I don't think I'm going to top the guitar now but I still hope you like the presents," Matt itched the back of his head awkwardly as Lucy began to un-tie the ribbon that Matt had so neatly put on one of the packages. She then tore the wrapping paper as carefully as Matt had done with his present, before she found herself a small box on her lap. She opened it up and pulled out a gold chain with a locket. 

On the front of the locket it had 'Lucy' engraved there with tiny diamonds bordering the heart shape locket. She opened it up carefully and found an image of Snape, Dean and Matt. Lucy never wanted to know how much Matt had paid for the necklace. 

"I had that custom made," Matt announced proudly. 

Lucy's bottom lip quivered. "Y-You what?" 

"I did, I thought of it all myself. I had no idea what to get you in such short notice but I came up with this and thought it was a good idea," he took the necklace from her. "Let me put it on you." 

Lucy shifted her hair to the side, Matt un-did the clasp to the necklace and put it around her neck before re-fastening the clasp. Matt's necklace now sat next to the necklace Snape had given her with the family crest he created. 

"What do you think?" Matt asked as he handed her a mirror. Lucy admired the necklace, it caught the light beautifully even though the lighting was quite dull. It was literally 'Lucy's heart' everyone she held most dear was inside that locket even when they weren't with her. It was honestly beautiful but Lucy had no idea how to phrase how much she loved it. 

"Tell me if you don't like it, I won't be offended," Matt piped up, realising her shocked look. 

"It's absolutely stunning," Lucy coughed out through her absolute shock. "But it's more than that, there's just too few words in the English language to describe it." 

Anna clutched her heart. "She's so posh! Matthew you don't deserve this girl!" 

"Quite the contrary," Lucy looked up. "I don't deserve him." She then leaned in and kissed Matt gently on the lips. "Thank you so much for this, I really appreciate it, I really do. I wish I got you something custom made now." 

"No way, I love this guitar. It's the best thing you could have gotten me," Matt smiled. 

"Wait a second," Scott butted in. "I've changed my mind, I want to know how you two got together. It's really bugging me now. Matt's actually grateful for something and I don't understand how he's changed so fast." 

"Lucy will be the best one to tell you that," Matt looked at Lucy. "Go on, Lucy, you tell them." 

"Here goes nothing," Lucy unknowingly held onto the locket around her neck. "When I met Matt he was exactly like you described, he liked stalking me, he liked being rude and he thought he'd be able to go out with me by being like that. I didn't have a slight interest in him and I just didn't want to get near him." 

"This is more like the Matt we knew," Scott burst out laughing. "Sorry, Lucy, continue." 

"So, my friend tricked him into thinking that I liked him when I really didn't and told him to take me on a date. He did and afterwards I ended up almost killing him — " (Lucy left out the small detail what Matt had branded all females as). "He ended up apologising, or getting one of his friends to send a note from him because he thought I was going to punch him. He then attempted to climb through my window on the top floor of the castle and I ended up giving him a chance as a friend probably because I'm a forgiving person." 

"You're lucky this young lady is forgiving," Anna chipped in with a sigh, shaking her head at Matt. 

"My sight decided to take a turn for the worst after that and so he left Hogwarts to go and find me a pair of glasses. We still fought a little and eventually he invited me and my friends on a camping trip where I had to tell Matt I still wasn't interested in dating when he asked. The next day he begged for another chance and I gave it to him but this time I knew it was the last chance I was giving him. He took me out on a date that night and poured his heart out to me, he admitted he was an idiot and promised to do everything I asked. I doubted him every time before that but that's when I knew that I really did trust him and it was worth giving him all those chances because he'd done everything he could for me. He didn't love me for my Merlin status, nor my popularity. He loved me for me and that's more than I could ever ask from anyone." 

Lucy looked up and found Anna sobbing into her hands and Scott looking teary eyed himself. Lucy looked at Matt who was grateful for her words, he was shocked again and felt like crying too. He hadn't been complimented in a long time. 

"Oh dear, I think I broke the Jarvin's," Lucy cringed, she then looked at them all. "What? What did I do?" 

"Nothing, dear," Anna stood up and embraced her. "It's just the sweetest thing I've ever heard. You changed our son, you made him polite and made him care about things. I have no idea how to re-pay you." 

"You don't have to, you should be thanking yourselves because you have a wonderful son. Break down his walls and he's really a great guy." 

Anna then moved onto Matt and hugged him, to Anna's surprise he hugged her back. While Anna embraced her son, Scott walked over to Lucy and put a hand on her shoulder. 

"Can I speak to you outside for a moment, Lucy?" Scott asked politely. 

"Of course," Lucy replied kindly, following Scott outside into the cold. He shifted the snow off of the bench outside and sat down on it, he patted the seat next to her and she sat down. "What is it, Mr Jarvin?" 

"Seriously, how did you change him?" Scott stared at the ground as though he was hoping to burn it with his eyes. "Me and Anna have being trying to do it for years, he was the most terrible boy. Even when he was younger he was horrible. Then when we had to move he got worse and the more he moaned the angrier he got with us." 

Lucy watched as Scott's laugh lines were almost invisible as years of frown lines stood out on his face, making him look old and tired of everything he'd done. He was no longer the ecstatic man she met yesterday instead he was a parent who'd struggled through years of dealing with Matt who'd been worse than Lucy thought. 

"I'm incredibly sorry for what has happened — " Lucy began to say when she noticed Scott was crying. 

"We did everything we could to stop him, I just thought I was a terrible parent and I almost find it unbelievable that you changed him in a couple of weeks," Scott looked up at her. "Not that I doubt you, Lucy Snape, because there's a good in you, I knew it as soon as I saw you at the train station. Your words work wonders." 

Lucy put a hand on his arm. "Thank you, but I must insist that you and Mrs Jarvin are wonderful parents, you're not terrible parents at all. At one point I was dying for parents and I would have killed for parents as wonderful as you. I can't deny that Matt was absolutely horrid when I met him and I'm glad I've changed him for you." 

"And for you, he changed for you," Scott pointed out. "That's the whole reason he's changed and I can't thank you enough for what you've done," Scott hugged her tightly. 

The front door swung open and Matt stepped out carrying his coat. "Dad! Why are you making Lucy sit out here in the cold? She'll freeze to death!" Matt helped Lucy up and put his coat around her. She thanked him for it as he did up the buttons of the coat for her. "I've still got another present for you inside, are you going to come back in and open it?" 

"I promise I will, just give me a second, okay?" Lucy hugged him and he hugged her back tightly, attempting to make her a bit warmer. But just as he was about to let go, Lucy grabbed hold of his arm and closed her eyes. 

"Are you alright?" 

"I'm fine," Lucy whispered although she wasn't there with Matt, instead she was seeing something else. All she could see was herself running around Hogwarts her footsteps were echoing on the floor, she was searching desperately for something. She couldn't hear it yet but when she did it scared her. 

"LUCY! LUCY HELP ME!" Matt was yelling at the top of his lungs with pain that was frightening her. 

"MATT!" She screamed back in a blind panic, running around the empty halls of Hogwarts. She almost didn't know where she was going. "MATT! WHERE ARE YOU!" 

All Matt did was yell out in pain and wherever she went, the sound sounded the same. She threw open classroom doors and even kicked those open that were locked until she stumbled across an already open room. She knew Matt was in there but it was pitch black and as soon as she'd run in there the doors slammed shut. 

She knew she'd made a mistake and she didn't know what to do until she saw Matt in the corner of her eye holding his wand with the activated lumos charm. She began to run towards him with relief but then stopped when she could only see the white's of his eyes and all he said was "Everyone is going to die and it's going to be all your fault." Before she snapped back to reality where the real Matt had her face in his hands and was trying to snap some sense back into her. 

"Lucy! Lucy — oh, you're awake. Are you okay? You just zoned out for a minute there." 

Lucy blinked a couple of times. "I'm fine, lets go inside; I'm cold." 

Scott, Matt and Lucy all walked back inside and Lucy un-wrapped her other present from Matt. It was another pair of glasses, identical to her current pair but with a stronger prescription. Lucy put them on and took in her surroundings properly. 

"I can see again," Lucy laughed. "I hope my sight doesn't get any worse because I really don't want to go blind." 

"I'm sure you won't," Matt reassured. "You'll kill Zuc off before that."

Soon enough, Matt and Lucy were laying the table for Christmas dinner while Scott and Anna cooked it. Lucy wasn't supposed to be helping but she felt rude not to help Matt because she had to help the Jarvin's with something after they'd done so much for her. It would be rude not to. 

"This is weird," Lucy admitted as she set down another plate. "I've never had a Christmas this extravagent before, I've just un-wrapped a couple of presents before and then done nothing for the rest of the day. Is this how everyone else does their Christmas or is it just you?" 

"Most people do their Christmas like this, yes," Matt nodded as he set down a glass. "I guess it's how you're supposed to celebrate the tradition but there's lots of other ways." 

"Like I said, it feels weird." As soon as Lucy had finished her sentence a loud sizzling sound could be heard. Anna poked her head outside the kitchen door. 

"I swear I didn't burn the turkey." 

Scott joined her side. "Neither did I." 

"It sounded like it came from outside," Matt set down the last fork. "I think we better check it out because it sounded like someone or something hitting the force field." 

Lucy put down the last plate and opened the Jarvin's front door, she looked around and spotted a black figure struggling to get to it's feet outside the force field. It muttered several curses at the force field before breaking it with a spell in annoyance. It shattered around the Jarvin house like pieces of non-existent snow. Matt looked up as the pieces of matter landed around him and joined Lucy's side. 

"That was the most pathetic shield I have ever seen!" Snape yelled in annoyance. "I could have broken that with my bear hands!" 

"Dad?" Lucy frowned, she hopped through the snow to where he was just as Anna and Scott stepped outside. "What are you doing here?" Lucy held out a hand. 

Snape took her hand gratefully and got to his feet. "I had a vision." 

"Couldn't you have saved it? I was trying to enjoy Christmas and forget about Zuc for once." 

Scott stepped in front of Lucy. "She's had enough to deal with about Zuc for one day, leave her alone." 

"Get out of my way," Snape hissed and shoved Scott out of the way. 

"DAD!" Lucy yelled at him and grabbed hold of his arm. "Don't be so rude! You can't just show up here, break the shield that Mr Jarvin worked so hard on and act like you own the place!" 

Snape looked awkwardly at Mr Jarvin. "Apologies." 

Scott looked annoyed for a moment before he brightened up and shook Snape's hand with a huge grin. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr Snape! May I just say that your daughter is absolutely wonderful!" 

"She is!" Anna agreed and ran up and hugged Snape, he tried to fend off the hug but had no luck. "You should be so proud of her!" 

"Yes, thank you," Snape finally freed himself and turned to Lucy. "You know I foresee things and so you must listen to what I have to say." 

"I've seen it," Lucy blurted out, remembering what she'd seen while she was outside with Scott and Matt. Snape looked shocked. "I've already seen what you've seen, it's not going to happen." 

"Most of the things I've seen have happened — " 

"Most, not all. I doubt it's going to happen."

"It might." 

"It might, it might not. Go home, dad, and stop worrying." 

"But — " 

"IT'S NOT!" Lucy yelled, silence broke out again making the falling snow peaceful again. She noticed Snape's shock and her shoulders slumped. "Please stop worrying, I know you should be but I promise you I'm fine. You have no idea how well the Jarvin's have been treating me." 

Anna smirked. "That's the best compliment I could have ever been given, the great Lucy Snape thinks that I've been treating her well." 

"I'm sorry but I have to inform you of these things just in case." 

Lucy hugged him tightly and didn't let him go until she was satisfied that her apology had been heard. "It's fine." 

Snape let go of her and Matt walked over to him. "I just want to inform you that I think I have been treating Lucy well and you have my full permission to kill me if I ever hurt her, which I promise I won't." 

Snape snorted and placed his hand on Matt's shoulder. Matt thought he'd finally gained Snape's trust. "No, no; she'll kill you." 

Lucy found herself laughing a little just before Snape apparated back to Spinners end. Matt looked at Lucy, shocked at what Snape had said. "You wouldn't kill me, would you?" 

"Oh, Matt," Lucy put an arm around him and they walked back towards the cottage. "He was only joking." 

Matt smiled at her and stopped walking, Anna and Scott walked past them and back into the house and continued making the dinner. Matt looked up and noticed a bit of mistletoe hanging over their heads on a branch. Lucy followed his glance and groaned. 

"You strategically placed that there, didn't you?" She wanted to moan but she found herself smiling despite this.

"No I didn't," Matt frowned, still looking up at it. 

"I know you, you must have put it there." 

"I swear I didn't!" Matt looked back at her with the flirty smile he hadn't used in ages. "But it's still a tradition, you know." 

"I suppose it is," Lucy nodded and looked up at Matt hopefully. Matt tilted his head and Lucy stood up on her toes while Matt held her waist. They kissed there in the falling snow despite the fact that they were absolutely freezing but they didn't mind. Lucy felt incredibly happy in that moment and wondered what she would be doing without Matt at Christmas. The thought was currently unthinkable as Matt reminded her again that he loved her so deeply. 

"You put it there, didn't you," Scott said quietly as he and Anna looked out the front window at their son who wasn't the angry boy he had once been. 

"No, you did," Anna kept a straight face. 

"I know you, you put it there." 

"What are you talking about? I would never put it there." 

Scott gave her a look and Anna threw up her hands. 

"Fine, I put it there," Anna's innocent face dissolved into one of amusement. "I couldn't resist it! They're just so adorable together! I never thought this would happen to Matt and it has!" 

"He actually changed for someone, he finally learnt his lesson. He deserves it." 

"They both do," Anna agreed as he took hold of Scott's arm and leaned into him as Lucy and Matt found themselves laughing and throwing snow at each other even though they were already frozen and would have to be thawed out on a radiator. 

Lucy didn't think about Zuc again around the Jarvin's and her entire experience was unforgettable and she was so glad that she had vowed to give Matt a couple more chances so that he changed. Because he'd gone from a complete and utter idiot to a wonderful young man who promised anything and everything to Lucy who meant everything to him. 

They meant everything to each other and there was nothing that could stop them from being together and break their sadness.