Don't own anything except my original characters and ideas.

1. Morsmordre

'Mr. Snape! Long-time no see!'

'Miss Adams', drawled the Potions Master of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry when he entered the Muggle bookshop three blocks from his house in Cokeworth.

The shopkeeper, a 29 year old girl with short dirty blonde hair and bright blue eyes smiled at him, not knowing anything about the true identity of the brooding man. Snape always found it odd why a nice, pretty girl like Claire would greet a "greasy git" like him with a smile.

'I was afraid I lost one of my favourite customers.' Her voice was honest. 'You usually arrive the day after the summer term ends in the boarding school.'

'I am sorry, I had other things to attend. It is only the middle of July, I am not that late.'

'No, you're not,' Claire smiled at him again. 'I have something for you.' She went to the back of the small bookshop and came back with a huge stack of books in her hand and with a loud thud she put them on the counter.

Snape looked at the books and raised an eyebrow.

'These are books I thought you would be interested in. I gathered them since your last visit here.'

For a moment, Snape looked baffled then he put on his usual mask.

'Thank you. That was – very nice of you.'

'I thought it would be easier for you to choose your summer readings. There are mostly scientific and modern history books but I also chose some literature too.'

'There are quite a few books.'

'You don't have to buy them all!' Claire said quickly and blushed a little.

'I am relieved,' Snape said with a hint of humour in his voice. 'And how is business going?'

'It's alright, it's not as good as it was, though,' the girl sighed.

'How so?'

'Did you notice this strange mist?'

Snape nodded.

'I don't know what causes it. I mean, we are in Britain but it is not the normal fog. It's… I don't know how to phrase it. Depressing or–'

'Like happiness is disappearing from the world.'

'Exactly! You feel it too?'

Snape nodded again.

'Anyway, people don't like to go out and even if they do, usually they don't buy books. They are just sitting in their homes or they are going to the pub. I wish I would have inherit a pub instead of a pathetic bookshop.'

'This bookshop is not pathetic', Snape groaned while scrolling through a chemistry book from the stack Claire put on the counter. 'It suits you well. I am sure this is just a temporary situation.'

'I hope you're right. Or else I have to think find another way to earn money.' Claire cleared her throat. 'Why don't you sit down in the armchair at the window, Mr. Snape? It would be easier to take a look at the books.'

'I don't want to be a nuisance for you.'

Claire snorted.

'You? Nuisance? I'm really happy you're back. It is good to have someone to talk to about the books.'

Snape took a seat in the armchair, the books piled up in front of him on a small table.

'You don't say you read all these books …'

The girl blushed again.

'I did. I had time and usually we are interested in the same kind of books. So I thought that if you come back and read them, after that we can talk about the books.'

'I am not sure that I can read all of them until September, I am – quite busy but I'll try my best.'

'It's alright. Oh, would you like some tea? I have your favourite.'

'Earl Grey?'

'Of course.'

'Then I will have some.'

Claire smiled at the dark haired tall man in black jeans and black sweater sitting in the armchair then disappeared through door behind the counter. Snape always wore Muggle clothing when he went to a Muggle shop but he didn't change the colour of his attire. It was his signature.

Several minutes later, Claire came back and put a cup with steaming hot tea on the small table next to Snape.

'Here's your tea, Mr. Snape. Small milk, no sugar.'

'You remembered how I drink my tea.'

'Not many people come here so often that I would offer them something to drink.' She turned around and went back behind the counter. She continued to talk but didn't look at him. 'You were the favourite customer of Uncle George and even after his death, you stuck with the shop. And with me. I really appreciate it, Mr. Snape.'

'You can call me Severus,' the dark wizard muttered while watching the woman.

'I'm sorry?' looked up Claire from the paperwork she wanted to do.

'You can call me Severus. If you want.'

She smiled broadly.

'Thank you, Severus. But only if you will call me Claire.'

'Very well, Claire.'

~0~

After closing the shop at 8, Claire went to the grocery store to gather some food. She had a car but the story was only a 10 minute walk away so she decided to go on foot. Even if it was the middle of summer, the air was chilly like October. The strange mist was thicker than during the day and the light of the street lamps were dimmed. Claire had to cross a dark alley but it was short so Claire never felt it would be dangerous. The only sound she heard were her steps on the ground and she tried to remember the things she have to buy. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't see two people appear in the alley from thin air, she only realized she wasn't alone when one of the men grabbed her arm and pushed her to the wall. Claire wanted to scream but for some reason her voice disappeared.

'Now, now, we don't want you to call here the others to our private party,' the man who held her whispered. He had such a foul smell that Claire got nauseous. She tried to escape but the man was much stronger than her. He leant closer and sniffed her throat. 'You are one filthy Muggle but you smell delicious. The others will be very pleased that we find you. I assure you, you will have the time of your life tonight.' Claire was now silently crying and the next moment she felt something tug her through her navel, the alley disappeared and when she hit the ground she vomited. When she looked up, she saw that she was in a dark house and a very strange looking man stood in front of her. The man was very pale, his skin was almost translucent. His eyes were red and he had no nose just two slits on the centre of his face. He looked like a snake. Claire was horrified.

'Where did you find her?' The Snake Man had an unusually high voice which gave Claire chills.

'In an alley. In Cokeworth.'

'Cokeworth? How delightful! Then I think we have the best man to greet her and entertain her in our lovely home. Severus!'

Claire's head snapped up and looked around. She saw now that she was in the middle of a circle formed mostly by dark clothed men wearing cloaks. She only saw two women: one with black hair and one with dark hair with blonde streaks in it. They looked similar, perhaps they were sisters. There were some movement in the circle and a tall man stepped closer to her.

'My Lord,' the tall man bowed.

Claire wanted to talk but she still didn't have her voice.

'My dear Severus, we have this young lady from your hometown. Maybe you could be her host tonight.'

'Thank you, my Lord, that is very generous of you.'

The woman was still very weak but she managed to get on all fours and tried to move closer to Severus.

'Look, Severus, she is very eager to get to know you better. Don't let her wait longer.'

Snape nodded and turned to Claire. She looked up at him, tears in her eyes but she was horrified of what she saw. The Severus Snape she knew was nowhere: there was a man with utter disgust on his face and Claire felt her heart broken. He was her only hope but he was no better than the others.

Claire Adams was sure she would die that night.