He onlyDisclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter
Here goes another one. Let's see how this one goes.
Taste
"Bloody hell," Monna hissed as she started to climb onto the pile. "Now I'll have to find someone else to…."
At that moment, the pile began to shake. Monna leaped off. Rising out of the pile was a hand, followed by the rest of the body. Snape groaned as he pulled himself out of the rumble. Monna stood back transfixed.
"You're alive? And without my help?" Monna asked.
As soon as Snape was out of it, he began brushing himself off.
"Of course, I don't need your help with anything," he hissed. "Ouch, I scratched myself."
Snape looked down at his hands and noticed that his nails were a lot longer than they were before. They were long and curved almost like claws. He felt some discomfort in his feet so he pulled off his shoes. His toenails had grown just as long and were tearing through his socks. He pulled them off and threw them aside.
"Curse that Granger," he hissed. "That's the second time she's…I'm alive."
Snape stared as it suddenly dawned on him.
"That's what I said," said Monna. "Curious."
Snape hissed. "This is getting ridiculous."
He marched his way out of the boathouse with Monna following behind, staring at him with great curiosity.
"I wonder," she whispered to herself. "Where are we going now?"
"To see the Dark Lord," Snape muttered.
"Severus!"
Snape froze when the snake like voice reached him. Voldemort had appeared out of nowhere behind him. He turned to him and gave him a slight bow.
"My lord."
"Where have you been Severus?"
"Tracking the Potter boy," Snape answered.
Voldemort glared. "The boy seems to have given me the slip. Come. We shall return to Malfory manor."
"My lord?" Snape questioned. "We're retreating?"
"For now," Voldemort answered. "I wish to plan a different tactic for flushing the boy out of hiding. Too much magical blood has been spilled already. I do not wish to spill more, but if there is no other way, then so be it. Come."
Snape gave a small bow. "As you wish."
"And do something about that cat," he said over his shoulder.
"I assure you she's very tame," said Snape with a careful glance down at Monna who gulped. She didn't want to be anywhere near the cause of the war, but she also didn't want Snape to leave her sight.
"Tell me we're not going to the manor," Monna sighed.
"You're not going to the manor," said Snape coldly, "But I am."
Just before Snape disappeared, Monna hitched a ride.
An hour later, Monna found herself seated next to Snape who sat at the large dinner table in the Malfoy manor. She was eager to create space between herself and the men Snape sat among, but the giant reptile had her glittering eyes upon her. Since he was so close to the other Death eaters, she couldn't talk to him. Snape barely cast a look in her direction. While the conversation was echoing around him, his thoughts drifted back to Granger and he sneered. Though he had promised to track down Potter, he was determined to settle the score with Granger.
"Severus, Severus!"
Snape looked around to see that Lucious had been calling to him.
"Something troubling you?"
"The thing that troubles me, troubles us all," Snape answered smoothly.
"I was going to ask if you would like another drink. You haven't touched the firewhiskey."
Snape looked at his still filled goblet.
"Perhaps another drink. Milk."
"Milk?"
"Yes. I…suddenly find myself desiring it."
Lucious gave him an odd look, as did Monna from the floor. Nonetheless, Lucious snapped his fingers. His current house elf came hurrying up and took Snape's glass. In a few moments, his whiskey had been replaced by milk. Snape gladly sipped as if it where the finest wine in the world.
When Voldemort finally arrived and took his place at the head of the table, the meeting began. Of course Voldemort gave his speech about the war effort. He congratulated his strongest fighters, then set about making plans for a second attack; one that involved the death of Potter.
Snape only half listened to what was said. His mind was still on Granger, but after he found himself going for his final sip of milk, his thoughts shifted to the substance. Snape quickly put the goblet down. In all his life, he couldn't remember the last time he had drank milk.
"Severus!"
Snape looked around at Voldemort. Every eye was upon him.
"Yes my lord."
"You will be ready by tomorrow?"
Snape paled slightly. He had not been paying full attention.
"Tomorrow, my lord?"
"Yes, tomorrow. I shall send yourself and a few others to seek the boy's location. I shall no longer call for him to come to me."
"As you wish," said Snape. "If you'll excuse me, I'll go and rest up for tomorrow."
Voldemort nodded and Snape left the table with Monna following behind.
Once they were out of earshot, Monna turned to him.
"Are you alright?" she asked with some concern.
"Never better," Snape sneered. "The Dark Lord has given me the task of tracking the Potter boy. Once I find him, Granger will not be too far behind."
"Still determined to get her then?"
"Of course."
"And what will you do when you catch her? Kill her?"
Snape kept his lips tight. He really had no intention of killing any of his enemies from the other side. He was suppose to remain faithful to Dumbledore, but Granger was throwing him off. She had killed him twice afterall.
"Snape, Snape wait!"
He turned around to see a thin, whiskery man hurrying up to him.
"I don't believe we've met. I'm Gollin. I'll be accompanying you on the task."
"I don't need to be accompanied," Snape growled.
"Really? You could have fooled me with that cat that's tailing yah," he said with a hoarse laugh. "But it's not my decision. It was ordered by the Dark Lord. So I'm coming with you whether you like it or not."
"Wonderful," said Snape sarcastically.
"I think so," said Gollin. "We'll get that Potter."
Snape ignored the man as he started to ramble about the possibilities of their triumphing. What he was starting to wonder was his own changes, which he had completely ignored. The fact that he had been frightened by Hagrid's dog, and the fact that he found himself suddenly craving milk. But his latest thoughts went out the window when an enticing scent came to his nose. Snape came to a stop with Gollin next to him.
"What is it?"
Snape didn't answer. His eyes were searching the dark corner of the hall. Monna was watching Snape curiously.
"It's there," Snape said quietly.
"What's there?"
Without thinking, Snape crouched and made like he was about to pounce. Much to Gollin and Monna's surprise, he did. He leaped in one jump to the corner and his hands closed onto something. Only when Snape stood did Gollin cross over to him.
"Merlin's beard, what are you…what have you got there?"
Snape turned and revealed a struggling rat in his hands. Snape was smiling triumphantly at it.
"A rat of course."
"Oh," said Gollin. "Not…not the Pettigrew rat."
"No you fool. Pettigrew is dead. No. Just an ordinary rat. I'll dispose of it."
Snape turned before Gollin could make any comment on his unusual capture technique. Monna hurried behind him. When they reached the room that had been assigned to Snape, she spoke.
"I was afraid of this."
"Afraid of what?" Snape asked, though his focus was still on the struggling rat.
"It seems I may have put a little too much of my essence into you when I was reviving you back to life."
"Meaning?" Snape questioned, though he didn't appear interested enough to pay full attention to her.
"Meaning you seem to possess certain cat instincts. You even possess the rare, supernatural longevity of nine lives. But that's just a hypothesis."
Snape was silent a moment.
"Well, if that's the case, it looks like my odds of catching the Potter boy without harming myself, have increased." His grin widened as he stared at the rat. "You don't really expect me to believe that do you?"
Before Monna could respond, Snape had stuffed the rat into his mouth. Monna was sickened by the way he devoured the thing, like a starved creature.
When he was done, Snape went to licking his hands. He was completely oblivious to what he had just done, and what he was continuing to do.
"Yes, I don't expect you to believe it," said Monna to herself.
So, it's possible for me not to kill Snape every chapter. And, as you've noticed, Snape's cat instincts are getting stronger. Stay tuned for the next chappy.