The Lion and the Serpent

CHAPTER ONE

"You'll be working here, for now. The other offices are completely filled."

"But this is a storage closet."

"Well, you'll get used to it."

***

This is the story of my life. I have been forced to fulfill every dream I have from the confines of the world's box, and my first office job in the magical world was no exception. I was a transcriber, paid for by the state, and it would be my job to create files for every student at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Yet, here I was, conforming to a storage closet, cleared out of everything except four filing cabinets, a grey shelf made of rock, and a desk made from lowly wood. This is the story of my life, or rather when it began.

***

My first day began roughly. I had to fit my living quarters and my working space into a storage closet, and it was not going well. Three chairs had been brought into the room: one for my desk and two for a meeting area that would allow for me to meet with the house heads whenever I needed them, or a student for an interview. This is how I met the staff of Hogwarts.

Though my job was to create transcripts for students, Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of the school, wanted me to create files on the staff members during the summer. So, I began running down the list. I decided to go in reverse alphabetical order (which made it easier to file). Every staff member had a house (or they were assigned one), and they were to be filed in their designated filing cabinet on the bottom shelf. Little did I know, my systems would be in question.

An intern was the sixth person I interviewed. Name: Snape, Severus, and my sources told me of his…darkness, for lack of a better word. Sure enough, not only was he clad in black bleakness, he was cold and heartless, and he was very quick to point out that my system was inoperable.

"Explain this to me, how my system is impossible for me to work with?" I questioned. He nodded curtly, refusing to drink some of my freshly-brewed tea.

"Because you have no idea what in bloody hell you're doing. Care for more of an explanation? By the way, I refuse to answer your measly questions."

"Headmaster Dumbledore informed me that I was to interview everyone and create an extremely detailed file about everyone in this school. You, my dear friend, are considered a part of this school, correct? Skip the childhood, then. Where in bloody hell did you go to college?" I asked coldly. He spat in my tea, poured it into my trashcan, threw his cup onto the table (breaking it, the bastard!), and slung back his chair so fast the back came off of it. I drew my wand. "Is this how you treat everyone you encounter, you heartless bastard?" I spat, whispering despite my rage.

"No, only imbeciles," he replied in the same tone, drawing his wand.

"You wish to fight the system because the system has whomped your ass. Guess what, Snape? I don't give a damn. It is my job to figure you out and you will not leave this office until you answer the questions. Now, sit down and answer the questions before I get Dumbledore," I spat. He sat down, fixing the chair with his wand (though the damn thing still wobbles), and crossing his arms.

"I shall write my answers. Who knows who is listening through these walls?"

"No one. You're not in your office right now," I smirked. He scoffed and sunk down, feeling that I had the upper hand. And our interview continued, with me asking the questions and him speaking in hushed tones. I filled out my forms, placed them in a file, and stood angrily. "Now get out," I said sternly. He cocked his head to one side as if in thought.

"Interesting for you to say that. I was just leaving and going to Professor Dumbledore. It seems you have an attitude," he said calmly. I slammed a magical forced against the door, preventing him from opening it.

"Interesting for you to say that. It was merely a misunderstanding between you and me, correct? Because speaking when you are not spoken to can result in fighting, correct? And speaking lies gets you fired, especially if I can prove that you were the one acting defiant with me."

"You have no proof," he smirked, scoffing a few times. I pointed above my head at a Muggle device called a tape recorder.

"I often miss facts, and you, Sir, have prevented a great challenge to the systems microphones, but, our argument will likely be on that tape. So, do you wish to bring Dumbledore into a situation that you will most certainly lose?" I asked. He scoffed and nodded. I removed my force from the door and he sprinted into the hallway. I slammed the door and sighed heavily, knowing that this would not be a simple task, living with this horrid man.

***

Dumbledore was never informed about our little strife in my office. I completed my staff files and began working on the students. Lucky for me, though not really, the Slytherin head of house contracted a very bad case of pneumonia. While he was on bed rest was when I got into the stack of Slytherin profiles in my tiny closet. In order to get my facts straight, I was forced to walk into the neighboring office, the office of Severus Snape.

"Professor Hallowed?" I called, knowing that he was not going to be there unless he had passed and his spirit roamed. Severus poked his head from behind a lamp. "Professor Snape. I am here to schedule meetings to begin forming by files on Slytherin students. Do you have your planner for me to view?" I asked calmly, acting as if I had forgotten his rudeness.

"I will have it for you shortly. Sit," he commanded in a dull, low whispered. I scoffed to myself and sat down. He went into a back part of the office (in my case it would be my living space, but I held this tidbit to myself). When he returned, he threw the planner into my lap. "Leave," he whispered shortly, returning to his work. I didn't argue, until I met Dumbledore at the door. I bowed my head slightly. He did the same.

"Severus, I need to talk to you. Madam Lillian, this concerns you also," Dumbledore whispered. I nodded and returned to my seat. Severus looked up from his work and placed his quill in its proper holding place. "Professor Hallowed will not be returning. His mistress filed the proper forms this morning. With no one to replace him on such short noticed, the responsibilities fall upon you, Severus. A meeting will be held tomorrow morning to inform the staff of the situation's sudden change. Madam Lillian, Severus will be the one you meet with to gather transcripts."

"Yes, Sir," I nodded, glancing to Snape. He refused to meet my eyes.

"I hope he will survive this, but I'm sure it is only a matter of time before his heart fails and he passes away. Well, enough said. I'll leave you two to your work. Good evening," he whispered. We nodded and watched him leave. Once the outside door was closed, I stood with a mission.

"Looks like you better start respecting the fact that I live and breathe, Severus Snape," I whispered sternly. He did not reply as I left the room, closing his office door heavily. I felt his gaze fall upon my neck.

***

Professor Hallowed died within the night. Severus was accepted as the new head of house, but complaints were hidden behind their eyes. I too was not happy with the situation, but…life and death occur simultaneously, and I cannot stop it, though the coldness of Severus Snape's heart could surely cause the later.

Snape and I met the class period after the meeting. He had already written his own transcripts, which I immediately lit on fire.

"Why the hell did you do that?" he spat angrily.

"Wrong format," I replied coldly. "Now, we begin again. If you wish to aid in my work, making my job easier, then you will follow the proper format. Now, the name is here, along with birth date and house. Are you following me?" I asked. He scoffed and began writing. After giving him the example, he picked up his share of the work, but we were only a quarter of the way finished when he left. I returned to my other work, which was with the Hufflepuff house. While I wrote everything, the professor hit on me and asked me on a date four times. Rejection was clearly not something he understood, which made my job much, much harder.

At lunch, I remained in my office, transferring the information for Gryffindor students (I was merely handed files and told to return them by a certain date). After lunch, a soft knock sounded on my door. I did not look up, not feeling the need. The knock was louder and accompanied by cursing due to a fallen plate. Snape.

"Leave it," I said sternly.

"I have fifteen minutes for transcripts."

"Enter," I sighed, putting down my quill and making room for the tray on my desk. I began boiling tea as he set it down. "So, kindness or for pay?" I asked with a smirk.

"Force," he said sternly. "Besides, I was on my way by, anyhow. Do you want help?"

"Can I at least finish my tea?" I asked, applying greater heat to the kettle, which soon turned red. I poured water into one cup and began brewing my tea. When I was done (without asking him for his take on the matter), I began our duty. We finished a few more before he gave another outburst.

"We'll never finish at this rate! You go entirely too slow!" he spat.

"Then you do the damn deed," I hissed. "I'm sorry that there are more students than I have brain cells, in your opinion! If you'd shut up for a mere second, then our pace would likely quicken! If you have a problem with helping me, then give me the damn files and I'll write all of them!"

He was silent from this point forward, merely handing me his finished products for me to glance over. He never made a typo, and I was happy for his fifteen minutes worth of work. When he was done, he left the room without as much as a goodbye. Through the open door, I saw the remains of my side dish. I sighed and used my abilities to clean it up. As I did, a newspaper was delivered by a student. I paid for a subscription, and it was really like paying for my own tea break.

As I read, I sipped my tea and nibbled at a roll. Suddenly, I choked and threw down the paper. A passing student heard the massive coughing outburst and stormed through my door. I informed him that I was fine, then I returned to reviewing the source of my sudden inability to breathe.

An evil man was finally captured. He had murdered a close friend of mine and I watched it. This was my reason for being forced to conform to college: I had to deal with the fact that he was still out there, and that he knew I watched him kill my friend. Now, he had been captured.

The bell rang, and students passed by my open door, but they did not see the horror on my face. I sat like this for an entire class period until my daydreaming was broken by Snape. He sat down and watched. My eyes continuously scanned the same line: CAPTURED!

He cleared his throat and I dropped my tea glass on the floor and watched it shatter. A large shard landed on his shoe, but he didn't notice as I ran from the room, not wanting him to see my next reaction: tears. Then, the screaming began. It was a reaction that always occurred for whatever reason, and it overtook me too quickly for me to silence myself. No one noticed this, however, and I was soon just experiencing the last phase: uncontrollably shaking accompanied by paleness and sweating. This was the phase that I was in when Snape found me in front of the teacher's bathroom just up the hall.

"Are you all right?" he asked. I shook my head, a massive shiver vibrating my legs and causing my boots to click together. "You're a liar, Madam Lillian," he spat, sitting down beside me (was this kindness? What is he doing?).

"Gggggoooo….aaaawwwaaayyyy," I shivered. He shook his head and held the newspaper in front of me.

"It'll never last," he whispered. He then stood and left me there, shivering in the middle of the hallway. A few minutes later, a first-year escorted me with the help of a prefect to the hospital wing. They gave me a calming potion and told me to stay in bed for the rest of the day. Of course I couldn't follow their directions. I had to do double time to complete the remaining stack of transcripts. I was determined to finish Slytherin's so that I could move on to Ravenclaw's, so I knocked on Professor Snape's door at seven that evening. He answered and walked away with the door open.

"We have to finish these tonight, an order from Dumbledore," I half-lied. He just wanted them finished by the end of the week.

"Sit," Snape whispered. I nodded and put down my supplies. He gathered his and our work began. In absolute and total silence. Not a word was spoken for three hours, which was when we finally finished. Even then, we muttered 'good night' and 'thank you' then went our separate ways. No questions were asked and none were answered. I was right. He was a cold-hearted, poor excuse for a man, and his sudden 'sympathy' was obviously short lived. I remained in my room for the rest of the night, alone, thinking of the times when my past was happier and my future wasn't hidden in the shadows.

***

Dumbledore contacted me the next morning for a meeting about my progress. I informed him about the completed Slytherin transcripts and that the Ravenclaw head of house would be with me throughout the afternoon. After nodded slightly, he brought up something else.

"Professor Snape has informed me about your…outburst yesterday. You and I know of the cause, but…I want to ask about your well being, Lillian. Are you alright now?"

"Of course," I replied. "It was…a reaction that began the day after I witnessed the act."

"I understand. I hear that the courts may summon you. Do you need to take leave to testify?"

"I'll send a written statement, Sir, but a journey would not be necessary. I will keep you informed. Now, I have a meeting in a few minutes. May I be excused?"

"Of course," he smiled. "And Lillian?" he called. I turned around, looking into his calming eyes. "We are all here to help you, even Professor Snape. He needs more help than you do, I feel, but he will be there to give it if need be."

"Thank you for the piece of information, Sir," I whispered. I did not understand the 'more help' thing, but something inside me said that he was probably the reason why he needed help, not because the world sent him shit for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

I turned out of Dumbledore's office to see Professor McGonagall. She did not look pleased and forcefully led me to my office, sat me down, and asked about the progress of my transcripts.

"You are not the only one I'm here to serve," I said sternly. I handed her two boxes of the files. "The rest could be done sooner with help that I will obviously not be receiving from you. Now, leave me to my work."

"You shouldn't be so short with me," she said arrogantly. I scoffed.

"Then why did you feel the need to lead me to my office?" I asked. She huffed out of the room without another word. A knock sounded as soon as she was done. "Yes?"

"A note from Professor Snape, Madam Lillian," a Slytherin prefect nodded to me. I nodded in return and accepted the note with its poor excuse for handwriting. He could meet with me during lunch to help, if I wanted it. The prefect was waiting, so I accepted his offer and set aside a few files for him to help me with. I then left my office to retrieve the Ravenclaw head of house. He was lugging the files, so I took a box and said I would return them when I was finished. After a few breathy 'thank yous,' he turned back up the stairs and continued with his perfect day. Mine, however, only got worse.

An explosion rocked the bowels of the dungeon shortly before ten and an evacuation ensued, sending me into an upstairs classroom to finish my work. Unfortunately, it was Professor McGonagall's and she angrily sent me back to my office, which was now outside because of the explosion. A breeze carried away six finished transcripts (but luckily no contents of a file), which sent me into the library, but a sudden attack from charmed books caused that area to be evacuated, sending me to the stairway leading to the dungeon. This is where Snape found me. He was covered in stray potion that he was cleaning, and I couldn't help but smirk.

"What is so funny?" he spat.

"Believe me, my day has been the same way, though I have nothing to show for it. Would you like me to help you clean your robes?" I asked. He scoffed, but he didn't walk away. I used a special charm for the deed, and he thanked me.

"You can use your office again," he whispered before leaving. Without waiting, he left for Dumbledore's office. I went into my office, and after twenty minutes, I could begin my work again (a shelf collapsed apparently in some sort of aftershock, sending binders everywhere, along with two bottles of ink). Before I could begin, however, Snape walked in with my lunch.

"You don't have to help. I'm currently too busy to work on anything you could help me with," I whispered. He sat down anyhow and looked at my work.

"It's the exact same," he whispered. I nodded and looked to my filing cabinets.

"Each is filled with the same type of files, but there is no easier way. Using magic would leave me with nothing to do, so…here I am."

"I can still help."

"I'm fine, thank you," I said sterner than I wanted to. He looked around the room. My living area was covered in dust thanks to the explosion, and my belongings were strewn on the floor.

"You have no room in here," he said quietly, standing.

"That is my living area and I'd appreciate it if you'd go no further," I said sternly without looking from my current file.

"Sorry, sorry," he whispered, sitting down. My cups then caught his eye. "You have very few belongings. You must live somewhere off campus."

"No, just here," I replied, looking back and forth between the newly written transcript and the student's file. "What is Quidditch?" I asked.

"What?"

"I'm not from around here. What is Quidditch?" I asked again.

"A common game," he replied. "You mean to tell me that you have no idea what some of these things are?"

"I'm an American witch, not a British or a Scottish witch," I said sternly. "My wand abilities are merely a fluke. Most of us cannot use a wand. It'll explode in our palm if we try. My first one did that, but the guy put another into my hand. He said it was calling me, but I didn't want to try. He forced it into my hand and wind howled from all around us. Sure enough, I could use it, but mostly it's for show, particularly here. It was a job requirement, really," I explained, never looking up. I felt him nod.

"So, you have wand abilities and natural abilities?"

"Yes," I replied. He nodded and looked to my tray of food.

"Are you going to eat?"

"Not at the moment," I whispered. I finished a transcript and used a spell to levitate it into its proper spot. I then looked up to Severus, who watched me use the wand carefully. "What did Dumbledore ask of you?"

"Nothing, nothing," he replied quickly.

"You're lying. What did he say?"

"You needed my assistance, that no one respected you…"

"Oh, those were just strange cases of…misunderstandings and such. You're the one around here with no respect, not me."

"He told you this?"

"I assumed. You aren't the most normal character in the bunch, as I'm sure you're aware."

"Same to you," he scoffed mockingly.

"It's the truth," I said sternly. "Dumbledore must look out for people like us. I don't know why, but…it's not my business. I'll take what little I can get from this world, and I'll go a long way with it. I'm just happy for the chance."

"You sound as if the world gives you nothing."

"Look around! This is what I have, what little you see!" I exclaimed. "Those cups aren't even mine, that hot plate, nothing is mine! The shoes I wear are borrowed from a friend, the regular clothing I have is from a dead woman north of London. I have never owned one thing worth more than a dollar or a pound. NOTHING!" I exclaimed loudly.

"Then how are you here?"

"Government," I replied. He nodded as a knock sounded. We had missed the bell and Snape's class was going haywire. I listened intently as he instantly calmed them to silence. How could such a strange character have so much power over everyone else? I had no time to answer this. The world was calling again.

Another paper revealed my fate: I would have to testify against my friend's murderer, and it would be within the next month. I contacted Dumbledore before dinner, and he granted me permission to go as I needed to. Transcripts were less important than justice in both of our minds, but I had an unforeseen ally.

That night, I had the dream again. I relived the events, and I woke up screaming, as always. I was soon shaking, which was compounded infinitely by my door suddenly opening by none other than Severus Snape, dressed in his night garments. I was too terrified to speak. My look of terror made him stay back as I trembled so violently my blanket fell from my shoulders.

"Are you alright?" he asked. I did not answer. I'm sure that he could determine it without me forcing the words from my mouth. "Did someone attack you?" he asked. I forced my head to answer. 'No.' "What happened?"

I could not tell him. I sat there, panic in my eyes, and said nothing. I waited on him to do something, anything, but he eventually left the room, leaving the lit candle sitting on a side table that was broken.

Eventually the shaking broke, and the sweating, and I forced myself to drink a cup of tea. There would be no more sleep tonight, even if I tried to force it. So, I continued my transcripts. I wrote ten when a sudden noise outside scared me into flinching and making a large, half-empty bottle of ink to hit the floor, shattering it. But I stopped it from spreading across the floor by freezing it in place. It was a power I rarely used, but the moment was right, or so I thought. I cleaned up the mess and threw away the shards. As I sat down again, Severus entered again, wearing his daily clothes.

"What happened?"

"An accident," I whispered. "I am capable."

"How long have you been awake?"

"You saw me last," I replied. "Since then."

"Can you answer what happened then to me?" he asked. I sat down completely and pulled the newspapers from my desk and laid them beside him.

"There are your answers," I whispered. "Any more questions?"

"Not at the moment," he said quietly, looking over the headlines. A look of recognition flew across his eyes numerous times. I knew that the killer was famous, but how famous I didn't know.

"How did you know him?" I asked suddenly. He looked up, fear in his eyes. "I know recognition when I see it. How did you know him?" I repeated. He shook his head, refusing to answer. "Snape, don't play that game with me. It's a two-way street, not some messed up therapy session. Who was he to you?"

"I knew him when I went to school here," he whispered quickly. "He helped lead me into dark magic, into the world of murder. You watched his work? I lived it. He's powerful, and you must stop him."

"How could I stop someone so evil?" I asked.

"If you don't stop him, history will be rewritten from this point forward."

"How?"

"I do not know!" he hissed. "It just will!"

"I have work to do," I whispered after a moment. I ignored him, and sure enough he went to breakfast within a few minutes. I finished several transcripts before another knock sounded at my door. Dumbledore was paying me a visit.

"Another episode in the night, I hear? Will you be alright?"

"It will continue for a lifetime, Professor. I must learn to deal with it. Did I wake anyone but Professor Snape?"

"No, no, not with the thickness of these walls," he smirked. "Snape knows why now, doesn't he?" he asked. I nodded. "Well…I believe he's given you advice on how to go about your testimony?"

"It was more of a threat than guidance."

"Oh? Snape threatened you?"

"He said that if I didn't stop him, then history would be rewritten. I don't understand. The killer was cold-hearted, pure evil, but how could he get any worse?"

"Snape understands more than he lets on, and that it what you must remember when he tells you such information. He lived with this man, he served him. He knows more than your role as a victim could provide. Snape is…right about the changes to history that this would give him. If this man lives through these charges or is allowed to escape, then our world will be threatened. He preys on those who are of a mixed blood line, those who flaunt this. Tomorrow he will prey on the remaining parts of the world. He will not rest until magical blood is pure and indestructible," Dumbledore whispered. I nodded as the clocks sounded outside.

"I'll need help," I whispered.

"We will provide it, but…trust in Severus. He knows the enemy more than anyone. I feel that is why he is here, to help Good in any way possible. He has always held love for society, though it threw him from its reaches long ago. He is a tortured soul, Lillian, and until he receives the proper respect from the world, he will have to gain respect from the wrong characters. Help him."

Dumbledore left on that note, leaving me to look over the remaining Gryffindor files. Professor McGonagall barged into the room at noon to retrieve the files I had kept. I still needed to keep a few, which angered her. I said nothing and locked my door with my abilities as soon as she left. I then let myself fall into the rhythm of the work. Soon, a stack of finished transcripts lay on either side of me, and a knock was sounding at my door. I decided to keep going with my work, but the knock continued. I realized soon enough that it was a professor here for a meeting. I opened the door.

"Please sit, Professor. Sorry, but I've been very busy. Let me file these and I'll be with you in a moment," I smiled, but he did not. He sat down angrily and stared at the wall while I filed the finished transcripts. When I was finished, he merely handed me the files he brought and told me how to present them. I stopped him immediately. "The format is provided by Professor Dumbledore. If you wish to change it, do so on your own time. Now, goodbye," I said sternly. He scoffed in my face and left the office. I shook my head and put the files under my desk.

My work never seemed to stop. I finished my last file that night and made sure they were all still in their proper place. I attended dinner and enjoyed a nice bowl of hot soup, then I went to a meeting like Dumbledore asked.

"I hired you for the full year, so I have another job for you. The library wants to do a database for their books and things for the students. Most of it is done already, except for the Restricted Section and a storage room of books that were never filed. But that is not the only job I had in mind," he explained. He wanted me to do transcripts for previous students as well as current ones. I nodded, but sighed as I sat down in my office. I would be given access to the storage rooms containing old student records AND the storage closet filled with the books I would have to create transcripts for. My work was never-ending, and other jobs began finding their way to me. I was about to be an official witness, and I would have to take off the next month from Hogwarts, but would I even be able to return? The events I would have to reveal to the courtroom could stress me back into a state-run hospital, or the man's allies could come after me in my time away. But I could say nothing about it, nothing at all. I had to conform to the world again, and this time it wouldn't be pretty.

******