OLFC - Round 13
Ghost: Write about someone who is unable to let go of a grudge or resentment
(word) Feverish; (weather) rainy; (phrase) drop of a hat
HA - Arts and Crafts
Task 5 - Write about someone feeling stuck
Insane House Challenge
362. (word) Assemblage
365 prompts
120. Era - Trio
Pinata
Medium Pinata - Angst
Bi-Monthly Challenges - Princess Lessons
Vanellope - Sarcastic
Bi-Monthly Challenges - Around the Board
3. Write about a Black family member
Writing Club - Character Appreciation
(location) Grimmauld Place (Sirius inc.)
Writing Club - Lizzy's Loft
Daniel Howell - (colour) black
Writing Club - Count Your Buttons
(character) Sirius Black
(word) Adrenaline
Writing Club - Ami's Audio Admirations
The Crystal Kingdom - (colour) Black
Word Count: 1218
Reluctant Reunion
Head down against the lashing rain, Severus Snape hurried through the dark and deserted streets. He gritted his teeth, swallowing a frustrated growl as he stomped through a puddle in his haste, the icy water soaking his legs.
Lightning cracked across the sky, throwing the sodden landscape into sudden relief, the image now branded onto the back of his eyelids. Thunder rumbled and crashed almost immediately afterwards, telling Severus what he already knew — he was at the centre of this storm. He couldn't help but feel like it was an omen — a nasty premonition of the upcoming meeting.
Despite being surrounded by allies, Severus couldn't help but feel as if he were walking into a trap. The rumble of thunder seemingly in agreement was not very reassuring. He cleared the wrought iron bars that guarded his destination and stopped at the edge of the pavement, facing a row of neat town houses. He rummaged through his cloak pocket for the scrap of paper, the movement creating enough of a gap for raindrops to slide down his neck and trickle down his spine. Now scowling deep enough for the droplets to drip from his eyebrows, Severus read the elegant script silently to himself.
12 Grimmauld Place
Slowly, painstakingly, frustratingly slowly, the house began to emerge. It slid into view as the icy rain continued to batter him, ensuring that his dank, black locks were plastered to his face. Trust the over-dramatic mutt to invest in a Fidelius Charm that would allow him such a grand reveal.
By the time Severus made it up the stairs and someone opened the door to let him in, he was soaked through. The steady splash of water into the puddle at his feet was loud, but not loud enough to cover the sound of a familiar, scoffing laugh.
His blood freezing impossibly colder, Severus raised his eyes to look down the gloomy corridor. There, past the flustered form of Molly Weasley, he stood. Or rather, he slouched, surrounded as he had always been by an air of arrogance. Severus felt his lips curling in a silent snarl as he beheld Sirius Black properly for the first time in twelve years. He was paler and far more gaunt than the last time their paths had crossed. Azkaban had certainly taken a toll, but as they looked at each other, Severus could see the dark gleam in the other man's eyes — though Black worked hard to deny his Slytherin heritage.
Sensing the rapidly rising tension in the corridor, Molly stepped forward and blocked their view of each other. She mumbled a quick spell, her nerves making the wand movement jerky and stilted, and Severus felt his shoulders relax as he became warm and dry. The snarl shrivelled away, though he didn't smile at her.
"This way, Severus," she told him, ignoring the less than grateful look. "The meeting is through the back here, in the kitchen. We are grateful that you've come…"
She prattled on, leading Severus towards the warmth and buzz of conversation, but her words faded into an unintelligible mumble as he passed through the door frame. Black, stubborn as always, refused to move and make his passing easy. He stared hard at Severus, the hostility rolling off him in waves.
X
The majority of the meeting went right over his head. He knew people had spoken, he had been slightly aware of the theme — how the world was going to hell — but all and any particulars had been lost on him. He wasn't even sure if anyone had spoken to him, so consumed was he by the mere presence of that snake in the room.
Sirius had spoken loudly and often about how he couldn't be trusted. That he didn't want him in this house and that they would be sorry to include him in their private plans — but Dumbledore had simply regarded him with that twinkle in his eyes and said nothing. Sirius had been ignored, considered outdated and prejudiced; his views dismissed. As if being trapped in this accursed house didn't chafe enough. Sirius had always been a man of action, the first one charging through the doors into the path of danger. He lived for the adrenaline — something that had been denied him for twelve years. Not even escaping the bars had actually released him.
It was only as the buzz of chatter rose and the assemblage started to filter out of the kitchen that Sirius realised that the meeting was over. So consumed had he been by his hatred, nothing else seemed to matter. It made him feverish. His temperature spiked suddenly; he could feel the dampness of sweat on his body. Such was the intensity of his hatred — it set him on fire. He skulked in the shadows by the doorway, ignoring the greetings and comments made to him as his fellow members passed by him, and watched Severus slowly pack away his things.
The Slytherin professor took his time, obviously hoping Sirius would get bored and move on, but to no avail. After a few minutes of being alone, Severus squared his shoulders and moved towards the door. It was a sick sort of pleasure to see the snake pale even further. He headed for the door, but Sirius sidestepped, blocking the entrance.
Severus raised dark eyes to meet his own, his lips curling involuntarily. "Could you move, Black?" he asked, venom dripping from his words though Sirius could see the hesitation beneath the hatred.
"I just want you to know," Sirius told him, donning his usual swagger, "that everyone else may trust you at the drop of a hat, they may believe that you actually care and want to do something for the greater good, but I do not."
"Oh, how will I ever survive?" Severus drawled sarcastically.
Sirius stepped forward, crowding into his personal space. He felt the arrogance waver, a hot spike of fury breaking through.
"You won't," he promised. "I may be trapped here, but I will know your every move, your every word, your every breath at Hogwarts. If you do anything to deliberately hurt my boy, you will regret it." He had spoken quietly, honestly, but with an edge that was more terrifying than if he had screamed like a mad man.
Severus was quiet, dark eyes searching his own. "I'm doing all of this to help the boy," he insisted quietly.
A humorless laugh escaped him. "No, Snape and if you believe that, then you're even more delusional than I thought."
"If not for him, then why would I risk my life? It's certainly not for you," Severus snapped at him, temper flashing across his face at the jab.
Sirius leant forward, lowering his voice even further. "The same reason you've done anything in your sad little life. Your sick obsession with Lily. It's driven your every desire and goal and not even in death can she escape you." Sirius smirked. "Remind me, Snivellus, what is your Patronus again?"
His mouth opened, and then closed again. Severus pressed his lips together, his sallow face flushing with sudden colour. Angrily, he shoved past Sirius, stormed down the corridor and fled into the rain.
"Yeah, that's what I thought."