First of a series (don't cringe, it won't be THAT bad) that I plan to write about Snape. This one takes place when he's sixteen and he falls in love with the worst possible person. Ha ha, comic relief comes when we learn his sister(Verona) dresses like a Goth. More volumes to come soon.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Everything belongs to J K Rowling. I only own Verona, Fiona (I didn't realized they rhymed), and Elle. Verona and Fiona, Verona and Fiona....*writer goes off into a chant/dance break*
Chapter One
But Call Me Elle
It was the first day of my fifth term at Hogwarts, and I was blissful to be home. While the rest of the student body was dining in the Great Hall, I was walking around the school, ecstatic to see things both familiar and joy-bringing at the same time. I loved it here, despite the torment I received from my peers. It was no matter: I'd trained myself early to take the mellow with the bitter. Perhaps James Potter wouldn't even see me this year; maybe he'd be so intrigued with the stick up his ass, I'd be no more than a shadow to him.
I'd been prowling down the long corridors for quite some time (it was dark now) when my ears were introduced to a human sound that was quietly cautiously reverberating off the walls. Almost against my control, I followed it with great inquisitiveness until I stumbled upon its discreet location.
It was coming from a quivering bundle of school robes and wiry flaxen tresses, which was wedged between two columns that opened out onto the luscious court yard, which was thriving in its amber autumn splendor. It snuffled petulantly, but I felt some compassion for it. It was a girl, after all; she'd probably lost her way in the new territory. I mean, she had to be a new pupil: no one last year had such hair.
"Girl, I say!" I barked, causing the creature to flinch miserably and rear its head an iota. "You ought to be in the Great Hall for the sorting. I suppose you were thrown off by a trick staircase or something of the kind. In my graces, I will guide you back to the Great Hall, but I deem it indispensable that you learn firstly to always watch where you're walking!"
I had charmed her!
"No, I'm not lost, you stupid git, I'm pretending to be lost," she muttered tolerantly in a thoroughly congested voice, justifying herself with an air of nonchalant audacity that made me quiver in partial fury and partial envy. She then swiveled her neck abruptly and continued to sob into her robes with such vigor that I began wonder if this was a talent of hers.
"Look," I growled, trembling because I felt my superior control as an old-timer creeping out of my grasp, "I don't draw up the rules, but I have no intention of letting you infract them. New students must be sorted today."
"I was sorted! That's the whole ordeal!" she hollered at me. "Good God, you're an ass."
"I suppose you're a Griffindor then," I hissed maliciously. "They march around like swaggering fools in this school, and you seem eager to join the crew."
The girl let out an inhumanly loud wail that shook me where I stood.
"That's the thing!" she screamed, turning to me with a face crimson with weeping. "I wasn't sorted into Griffindor! It doesn't make any sense at all! That stupid hat, little smug piece of shit, it said that...that...." The girl's thick lips trembled in an attempt to stifle another moan. "The hat said I didn't have enough 'gumption' to be a Griffindor. I mean, really!"
"Obviously not, you're sitting hear bawling in the cold instead of talking it out with the Headmaster, you dumb ass." I blinked in realization of my own words. "God, I'm sorry, I truly didn't mean...."
"No, you're right! That's just it! Don't apologize, just because I'm a pussy." She let out a burdensome sigh as she let her knees drop from her chin so she could mop her damp cheeks with her palms. "But it's my family! I'm not worried about me, but....Everyone in my family was in that house. Everyone! Both of my brothers, my older sister, my parents, my grandparents....It was almost written in stone that I'd be....Oh well, but I'm not. Never will be, no use in trying." She shrugged. "Anyhow, who are you?"
Watching the irate color drain from her face, I suddenly trembled with the epiphany of her attraction. She had sky-colored eyes, skin that told glories of fresh milk and warm fruit, a smile that glittered with brackets and wires, Guinivere's mane, and fern-like eyelashes that tilted in a feline fashion.
"My name? Oh, uh...."
She smiled in a goading fashion, exposing white teeth that put my yellow ones to shame. I folded my lips over them as I muttered,
"Severus."
"I'm Elle." She then paused and flushed a few hues of pink. "Actually, my full name is Ellamae. Horribly American, I hate it. I sound like a Muggle car mechanic."
I grinned, but I didn't know why.
"Any brothers or sisters, Severus?"
"One, a sister. Her name's Verona."
"It's pretty, but a far cry from the mystical sound of Severus. Latin, I think, yes?"
"Mm"
"So, what are you doing in the corridors, Severus?"
For a good twenty seconds, I forgot. I then lifted my eyes from the floor and stared off into the courtyard. "Um, I was given permission to. You see...I don't have too many companions....Too many foes, really."
"So do I. It's why I left Atlasander, really. I was literally abused at my old school."
"Oh, shut up. You weren't unpopular, you're just trying to pity me."
She blinked indignantly. "Who would lie about something like that?"
I rolled my eyes and set my teeth. "But you're too...."
She stared intently, raising a thick eyebrow, sucking in her cheeks to create a truly austere countenance. "Well?"
"Never mind what you are," I sighed. I'd almost said she was too pretty to be a pariah. I then blinked. "I just mean that you probably won't have too much friction at this school. Who knows? I think you'll be rather popular."
"Whatever, it's never really intrigued me, being popular. It matters a lot to my brother...."
"And my sister," I chimed in for no reason at all.
"Oh! Was she the girl that looked like a model in Slytherin?"
I stifled a growl.
"Is she? Are you?"
I froze and brandished a truly searing scowl in her direction. "Don't be a bitchy little vixen."
"I wasn't poking fun at you. To put it candidly, I think you're...quite striking."
"Yes, I'm quite a pretty picture with my oily hair and hawk nose. Honestly, Elle, you're really not humorous."
"Wasn't trying to be," she muttered, standing up and straightening the creases in her sweeping robes. She then paused and glared at me rather frostily, her azure eyes darkening to the color of sapphires.
"What?" I demanded.
"I wish to return to the Hall, Severus. Escort me," she commanded in an imperial manner.
"Don't you want to wait for your footmen?" I hissed dryly, genuflecting and pantomiming kissing her Mary Jane-clad foot.
"You suit me," she replied haughtily, putting her hand on the back of my head and pressing my face to the floor. I gasped out in shock as I sprawled out on the stone like a linen sheet.
"Count your blessings that I'm not angry with you....I'd break your neck if I wasn't a gentleman."
"Shut up and scream 'Mercy', you little fop," she murmured without expression, calmly placing her foot on my back. When I sputtered in rage and asphyxiation, she merely sighed and let me roll over. "You're no fun," she accused, her arms akimbo. "If I wasn't so dejected, I'd taunt you for it. Call you a pansy, maybe. But since I'm without spirits today, shall we call it a draw?"
"You've got a bone-splintering grasp for a girl," I muttered between a few dry heaves as I slithered along the floor, shaking my head. "Good God, woman...."
"I don't play nice," she replied neatly. She stood motionless and placid as I collected myself and stood before repeating her order. When I nodded as a symbol of agreement and began to walk, she followed me like a fair shadow, mute and attentive. Her silence made me ill at ease, for I sensed her eyes following my steps. "Well, what is it?" I asked, half-way through our trek.
"You've got a nice butt for a fifteen year-old."
"What now?!" I roared, whipping around to see her giggling cheerfully. I then sensed her light-heartedness and lack of malignance and felt goaded to join in as well. "And you've got a nice rack for a girl."
"That's the ticket, I knew you weren't such a nasty person," she almost chirped. She then put an arm around my neck and nudged me to indicate that I was to continue walking. "You know, I really do like you. I hope you won't ostracize me because I splattered you on the floor."
"I don't think that should impair our relationship." I then looked at her furtively, a tiny smile twitching on my lips. "I really could have pushed you off if I wanted to."
"Maybe next time, old chum. What do you think?"
"Most definitely." I then stopped at the door to the Great Hall and leered at it. "Bloody hell, we're here. It sounds like the ceremony's almost over, I can hear people swarming towards the door."
"Everything ends sooner or later," she replied ominously. She then adjusted the pointed black hat perched atop her mane of blonde tresses and struck a half-hearted pose.
"Tres chic."
"Thank you. You cannot comprehend my anguish when I came here and realized everyone was wearing it as well."
"You'll find most of the students here lack creativity."
She shrugged to express her consent and waited for the door to open. When it did, the entire school flooded out in a melee of shouting and guffaws. I watched her stand paralyzed, her eyes misty and stony at the same time, a tiny puddle of tears making them look hopeless. Suddenly feeling a trifle bad for her, I approached her and put a perspiring palm on her broad shoulder. "You know, Elle," I murmured, "you really shouldn't worry about your family. I'm sure you'll have so much fun in Ravenclaw that you won't even remember them."
Moving her thin lips slightly, she swiveled her head and stared at me gratefully, almost dependently. "Thank you, Sevvy," she whispered, a tiny tear wriggling down her cheek and onto my knuckles. She then looked away hastily and swallowed thickly.
"Hey, Elle! Over here!"
Elle waved to an unseen presence. "Oh, hi, James."
James! James Potter! My greatest fear! My reason for being a maverick! That little twerp...her brother?! Our relationship was doomed from birth.
I let my hand slip from her shoulder and rest at my side as I briskly stormed away."Severus, wait!" she cried.
"I'm looking for Verona," I lied, trying to flee in the great throng, finding it impossible. I couldn't face James....
"I'm right here, you little git," Verona muttered, almost perched on James's shoulder. She folded her arms and cocked her head in a self-important way. I glared at her: brazen little Marauder slut. She was Remus' girlfriend and she gabbed on about him all summer. He now stood next to Sirius and Peter (two more Marauders) who were smiling at me in a lupine fashion. I sneered in reply: it was a mutual repulsion.
"Verona, this is my sister, Elle. Oy, Peter, stop blushing. Sirius, doesn't he look like a pomegranate? Little plump pomegranate. Lily, Fiona! Stop giggling and say hello to Elle."
"Love the rocks," Verona said generously and cordially, brushing her fingers against the necklace of glistening black stones strung around Elle's white neck.
"I don't look like a pomegranate, do I?" Peter demanded, grinning sheepishly at Elle.
"Stop flirting, you little geek, she's mine, James said so," Sirius snarled jokingly, blushing himself when Elle laughed lightly.
"Omigod, I love your hair," portly Lily Evans gushed, feeling Elle's soft waterfall of light locks.
"I hope you'll join cheerleading," Fiona said quietly.
Remus stared wide-eyed at her, gaping. I hated him for looking like he wanted to hit on her. The trendy, attractive people got everything. It was so unjust.
"Oh, crud, it looks like I missed my tour guide. Where's Ravenclaw, again?"
"It's no too far, I'll take you," James shrugged, snatching her forearm and toting her along.
"Let me come!" Peter squeaked, trotting behind them.
"Fleas before beauty, Pettigrew," Sirius scoffed, jumping in front of him.
"And pearls before pebbles, Black," Lily tittered, standing at attention at Elle's side.
"Hey, what about us?" Fiona called, catching Verona by her long black plait and giving it a healthy yank.
No touchy, Fiona, NO TOUCHY," Verona barked, holding her skull and rocking slightly in pain.
Watching their gay procession with a concoction of anguish and longing, I retreated back into the Great Hall to wait for Dumbledore to receive me. I had questions, suggestions, comments....
"Severus!"
I spun around and saw Elle being pulled into the next corridor, pausing to wave congenially. "I'll see you in DADA!" she mouthed before flashing a smile that glittered of dental work and inner contentment and vanishing altogether in the current of popular teenagers.
"Bye, Elle," I hollered in reply, almost certain that she heard me in the next room. I then clasped my hands behind my back as my callow, impressionable mind became a rose-tinted cloud of things to tell her tomorrow.
"Severus?" I heard Dumbledore murmur in a questioning voice behind my back.
Without thinking, I whipped around, grinning like a fool, and blurted, "She's so very, very pretty, Headmaster! I hope she meant what she said about my butt." I then paused. "AAAGH! I just said that out loud." I began to kick the threshold of the Great Hall, chanting, "Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!"
*Not 2 bad for one of my stories; not 2 banal, that is. Well, a little banal, but it's gets less banal w/time. Keep reading and remember to review!*