January 9th, 1999

Dear Professor Snape,

I would first and foremost wish you a new excellent year and a prompt recovery. My name is Lucy Velvet. I do not know if you remember me, but I was one of your potion class students belonging to the Ravenclaw house inbetween the years 1991 and 1998. I got to know through The Quibbler that you triomphed in your lawsuit against the Magical Justice Court, after spending months at St-Mungo and Azkaban. It must have been a long and hazardous end of the year, but you are at last free from all accusations! You deserve it. I am friend with Luna Lovegood, who happens to be one of Harry Potter's friends, so you certainly understand the reason why I am already on your side, regarding the whole story about you...

I am sorry for moving away from the actual subject. I have so much to say...
The reason I'm writing to you on this day is for asking you a favor … I am aware one of your previous students that you won't recognize may be the least of your worries, especially after those long weeks of trial, but I have to admit being desperate.

I have come to known your reputation for being one of the best Occlumens in this world, if not THE best? Getting to fool You-Know-Who all this years is proof enough.

My request is simple: Would you accept in teaching me Occlumency? I would, of course, charge you the habitual salary of a teacher, unless you would ask for more. I am open to discussions.
As I said, I am desperate and I would certainly not take this form of art as a simple hobby. Even if I look up to acquaintances, read all the books about this subject, nothing compares to your reputation.

With best regards,

Lucy Velvet

Lucy read her letter many times before sealing it and giving it to Faust, her message bird. She affectionately scratched the top of his head, Faust next taking off from the small apartment's window. The young woman watched it disappear into the foggy and rainy sky of London, soon turning around to prepare her tea and get back to her latest piece.
She grabbed her pencils, resting her choice on an emerald green color, and got started on the irises of the woman who was hunting her previous nights... Each of her strokes were light. Lucy wanted to reflect the feeling of tenderness she could get from this mesmerizing gaze. She didn't know the woman, but had the feeling she may have crossed her eyes somewhere, other than in a dream. It was evidently impossible as Lucy had a good memory of faces and knew she had never crossed path with such woman in her life.

Anyway, that person had died a long time ago.
How did she know?

The woman told her.

January 16th, 1999

A week went by before an owl came pecking at her bedroom's window, a small letter attached to its frail claw. Lucy moved away from her desk and opened to the bird. She opened the parchment and rapidly read the small lettering scribbled inside.
Too rapidly in fact.

January 16th, 1999

Miss Velvet,

You were right, the delusional request of a student I don't even care to remember is the last thing I need to worry about.

The answer is no.

Signed,

Severus Snape

Lucy contemplated the piece of paper with a frown for a moment.
That was all her old teacher had to answer? He didn't even ask for a reason to her request! And how could her request to learn Occlumency be delusional? Lucy knew Snape didn't probably had things going easy on his end for these lasts months, and a part of her somehow knew he would refuse... but to receive such a cold answer? He could have even answered her on the same day, instead of wasting so much time in waiting, especially regarding his short reply.

''Okay, no worry, don't stress about it,'' she told herself, taking a deep, calming breath, finally grabbing a piece of paper and a quill.

As she was starting to write, the newcomer owl did a small sound, impatient.

''It won't be long,'' she reassured, giving it a small biscuit that was laying on a plate nearby. ''I'm going as fast as I can, alright?''

The biscuit seemed to appease the animal, the woman getting back to task; writing the most pitiful answer there could be. She had nothing to lose. She had to find a way to convince him.

Dear Professor Snape,

I implore you to please reconsiderate. I absolutely must become an Occlumens and you are my last hope! I will do anything you want.

Cordially,

Lucy Velvet

She shouldn't panic. Everything was doing fine. Snape could even come back on his decision and show some comprehension... Lucy didn't like being so insistant, but it was for the best.

She had to learn Occlumency or else she would finish just like-

No. She couldn't think about it...
She had to stay strong, at all cost.

She folded the letter, next giving it to the owl, watching it soon fly away. It was already getting late and, even though Lucy was no believer, she prayed all existing gods in this world so her ancient teacher would concede to her demand.

She let out a sigh as she got back to her drawings. She scribbled some sketches, but soon her inspiration was interrupted as she looked up to the green eyed woman which she portayed last week.
Lucy have had the occasion to see her more clearly in her dreams, so she had added autumn colors to her long curvy hair. Each time she completed a piece, the artist would animate them with a single charm from her wand. The woman's portrait was soon enough smiling to her, her eyes shining with infinite tenderness.

It was probably one of the best pieces she had done until now...

The second letter arrived that same night, late. Lucy, for the first time in her life, thanked her insomnia for keeping her awake.

Miss Velvet,

Can you read?

I said no. I would ask now that you do not pester me anymore.

Severus Snape

The parchment fell off her hand, slowly making its way to the ground. She stayed frozen for a couple of minutes, hardly believing that her last hope had been thrown away. She didn't even acknowledge the constant flow of tears that was now pouring out of her sunken eyes...

''Mommy! Mommy?''

The young girl was hungry, sitting by the television. Her father had gone to work, leaving her alone with her mother. It was already late, almost ten 'o clock at night, and the child should have been put to bed long since then.

''Mommy?''

Maybe she had fallen asleep at her desk? That happened often. Mother was tired most of the time and that's why father did most of the cleaning and cooking around the house.
Mother was a witch and wrote books. She often had to take potions to help her sleep. … Maybe she took too much of it and had fallen asleep before tucking her daughter in bed?

The young girl decided to go see her. She was feeling hungry, but knew too well that she had to ask permission from her parents before taking something to eat from the cupboards. And Lucy was a good little girl with good manners!

She gently knocked on her mother's door, but no answer was heard. Her bedroom too...
The child looked around the house, but still no trace of her. Strange. She always brought her whenever she had to do any business outside.

There was a room Lucy didn't check, but she didn't think her mother would be found there. Nobody went to the attic unless they had boxes to store.

Against all good reasoning, Lucy was now under the trap door. Maybe mother was storing boxes?
The string to reach the door was too high for Lucy, but with a little concentration, and closing her eyes, the young girl asked for it to descend. As soon as small creaking sound was heard, she lift her gaze up, noticing that the door was now opened for her.
With a smile, she clumsily climbed up.
Lucy couldn't help thinking about Hogwarts, knowing she would be going there in three years! She would finally be able to do magic and use a wand, just like her mother. It would be much more practical than closing her eyes and wish for things to happen – which was always a lucky guess.

The young girl stumbled upon a dark and dusty room. She couldn't see a thing.

''… Mommy?''

She stood up, guided by the light coming from the trap door, her hands guiding her towards the light switch on the nearby wall. She felt some boxes block her way until she clashed into a massive object before her. … She would need to ask her parent to clean up here, this was getting ridiculous.

She found the switch and a weak pale light was diffused around from the ceiling. Lucy's gaze trailed around the floor, recognizing some old boxes.

Then her eyes looked up, meeting the object on which she had clashed upon earlier.

She first thought it was a mannequin, but she quiclkly recognized those violet eyes which she had inherited. Those long black hair. That soft skin skin that was now strangely very pale...

''… Mommy...''

She could see the same scene before her eyes, again and again. Lucy took her hands inbetween her hands, ripping some strands of hair off her scalp, trying to stop her breakdown.

No.

No, no.

Lucy would never end up like her mother, even with that worthless family heirloom in her veins. From the day her mother left her, she promised herself to find a solution, and if Snape was refusing her, she would find another one.

The young woman took a deep breath, chased the owl away, closing her window afterward before getting back to her desk.

In three days she would go to Hogsmeade and present some of her works. She had to complete more of them in order to gain more visibility from her future customers.

She cursed Snape and his selfishness under her breath. Her pencil was moving through her emotions, the process slightly improving her mood against melancholy.

Her sketch finished, she glanced at her clock, noticing that it was near three in the morning.

She put her pencil down, admiring her work.

Lucy had drawn many people in her life. Whenever she would meet someone special, she would memorize their traits and would put them down on paper or a canvas. She had often immortalized Luna, her own father and some of her teachers at Hogwarts: McGonagall, Flitwick, even Albus Dumbledore. She had also done some portraits of the infamous Rowena Ravenclaw, one of her statue exposed at her school house's common room.

She never thought she'd get to draw Severus Snape's portrait. She had never hated him, but didn't liked him either during her scholarship.
As she had felt immense rage against him a few hours ago, the fact that she had now put him on paper had somehow erased some of that hate away...

Even though it was a piece realized with a few strokes of fury, it was now a straight rival to the portrait of the green eyed woman.

She had succeeded in capturing his cold and harsh stare, those black eyes that had judged her throughout her years at Hogwarts. She could easily remember that long, skinny face, those greasy hair and the prominent nose. He was showing that same look of disgust...

Even though it looked like a complete success, Lucy wouldn't hang that piece at Hogsmeade.

She would never show it anywhere.
Hogmseade received a lot of visitors daily and if Snape was ever to see his own face drawn by an ancient student, Lucy was certain she would lose her life on the spot.