Chapter 7
"Miss has to get up now," said the house elf, she never spoke loud and never touched the girl. The poor elf had nearly crapped itself yesterday when she had screamed.
"I'm up," she said immediately.
"Master wants to see you in his dungeons in twenty minutes, with the barrel of potion ingredients that were dug up yesterday," said the elf.
"Ok" she said.
She quickly bathed, put clothes on, which were similar to the ones she had on yesterday. There was a different style around them, two stripes on the top instead of one.
"I'm taking you to the dungeons now, after this week we won't be showing you were to go, we will just be telling you" said the elf.
"That's fine," she mumbled not sure what else to say.
"Follow me then miss," said the elf leaving the room, Sara following behind her.
They walked down the stairs, slower than normal because the elf was showing her the way. Obviously, it would take longer house elves having smaller legs. They were there in twenty minutes, practically right on time, for that, Sara was thankful, she still did not know what her new master was like.
"Sir?" she asked.
"Get the barrel" was all Severus said in a clipped tone.
"Yes sir," she said immediately leaving.
She went to where she left the ingredients before taking them to the dungeons. Thankfully, she had not taken them from the Dungeons area so she would be back in no time at all.
"Good, now I want them sliced, diced, and grinded," said Severus going back to what ever he was doing.
"Grinded Sir?" she asked looking terrified.
"What?" snarled Severus, looking up.
"I've never worked with Potions sir, I'm not sure what I'm to do" said Sara ashamed at having to ask.
Growling under his breath, causing Sara to jump she looked ready to bolt. With a sigh he walked over, he was glad his potion was not at a delicate stage or it would be wasted.
"First, this is how you slice," said Severus getting the knife and slicing the first asphodel. The sliced root was set aside, in a glass container saying sliced asphodel.
"This is how you dice," said Severus cutting the root into fine square chunks.
"You use a mortar to grind it, into fine powder," said Severus grinding the root into powder.
"What is it?" she asked fascinated, her eyes widened when she realized she had asked a question.
"I'm sorry sir, I won't ask again," she said, her heart rate speeding up.
"It's an asphodel root, it's used in a potion called the draught of the living death, a sleeping potion that would render you in a sleep but you would look dead to the world. It's associated with the afterlife and underworld," said Severus sounding lecture like.
"Thank you sir," she said bowing her head; she did not bring it back up until he was back at his potion.
She spent most of the day cutting, slicing or grinding asphodel root. She found it calming, just like everything she done. It was easy to get lost in thought, she had a few times, and it left her feeling more confused. This was not how her other master acted towards her, she knew what to expect from him, but her new master, remained a mystery to her.
She did not even stop when lunch was brought along, Severus did not tell her to eat anything not wanting her to feel as though she was being forced. Come four o'clock and she still had nothing to eat all day he then told her,
"Take the wheelbarrow back to the garden, go and have a bath, a lunch will be brought up for you, and then you can make dinner," said Severus still working on the potion.
"Yes sir," she said.
The wheelbarrow was empty; she had just finished slicing the last piece of asphodel root. The containers were mostly full, apart from the powdered stuff that still would need a good quarter of asphodel to need filled to the brim like the others.
'Two baths in one day, this is amazing, perhaps my new master won't be like my previous master? However, why would anyone be nice to a slave? He paid for me, so he will want his money's worth back right?" she asked herself, as she soaked in the warm water.
She decided not to think on it much, just enjoy her newfound freedom while she had it. It could not last forever, she could not go from being in the worst to practically free, something would happen she knew it.
She noticed her master had brought her other stuff she needed, and had never used before. Like shoes and a hairbrush, and things like that, even elastic bands to tie her hair up they were different from the usual elastic bands they were colorful she liked them.
"Severus" said a girl's voice from down the stairs; she could not help but think perhaps he did have a wife. The voice seemed a bit old; perhaps it was just a relative.
"Mother, what are you doing here?" she heard her master ask.
"I have come to see you're…" was all she heard. She shut the door and never listened to the whole conversation. She did not want her master finding out she had intruded on a private conversation.
She panicked when she heard her door open, but none of it showed on her face when they entered. Sara blinked, she had been right it was an old woman, she looked like Severus.
"You're his mother" she said she did not realize she had said it aloud. Clasping her hand over her mouth in horror but before she could get to worked up the woman said,
"Indeed I am, it was nice meeting you Sara and congratulations," said Eileen.
Sara blinked not understanding where the conversation was going. With the warning look her master was giving her, she mumbled a thanks her eyes on the floor. She was now more confused than ever before, she was now convinced there was more to the reason she was brought here. Something was going on, it's just a shame she did not have the guts to talk and ask.
She was just about to go down to dinner when Severus came back, flinching slightly she held her breath. When he came in he did not seem mad or anything, just weary. Like his parents were badgering him into something, he did not want. He had a ring in his hand; it was the Snape coat of arms. She had the coat of arms on her clothes, a small sign but one none the less.
"I want you to wear this ring, it will give me your location when I need it, and it won't come off unless I take it off" said Severus grabbing her hand roughly he put the ring on. She noticed it was on the finger you use for engagement and marriage rings. That had her confused but she just blinked it off, not caring much. She would always be owned she would never get married. She would probably die being still owned, sighing she went down the stairs and started making his dinner.
She knew that there was a tracking charm on it, but what she did not know was that there was a well being spell on it too. As well as a monitor spell as well, Severus would always know whether she was ok or not.
The ring was not big nor heavy, so it did not bother her as much as she had thought it would. She had never worn jewelry before so she had not known how it felt. She put chicken breast, and then covered it in sauce into a dish. Putting it in the oven, she then started with the potatoes, mashing them up this time, and added sweet corn to the lot. There was not much sweet corn; she had put the rest of the unused sweet corn into the fridge.
"This is what you have to do tomorrow," said Severus giving her a piece of paper.
"I can't read," she said,
"Then how did you follow your other owners instructions?" he asked scornfully.
"He always told me what to do sir," she said.
With a sigh, he rolled his eyes, thinking 'she's more trouble than I thought, can't bloody read that's ridiculous did they not teach her anything?'
"Fine I will ask the elf to show you what to do.," snapped Severus.
Just then, the fire erupted, spitting Lucius Malfoy out of it. Closing her eyes she slipped from the room unnoticed, or so she thought. Severus had seen her and was confused by her actions. How did Lucius scare her? He was nice nothing like him, so why is she scared, shaking his head he asked.
"What's wrong?" asked Severus. Sara of course heard, she could not help but, she tried to get away quicker, but she heard the next sentence.
"Adam Damon's been disowned, the ghost of his father disowned him, the children are not allowed in, the wards have come down," said Lucius.
"Wonder why" mused Severus.
"I don't know, but he has money he is just going to buy a new one, he wants to know if he can have her back, he will give you Damon manor, with the wards gone, you could get the ghost banished and have another home" said Lucius.
"Tell him no, I don't want some old gruffly manor, plus she is an excellent cook" said Severus smirking.
"Ok, I will tell Damon, are you coming over tonight?" asked Lucius.
"Your wife away?" asked Severus,
"Yes, Draco is staying at a friends place tonight," said Lucius almost seductively.
"I will be there after dinner," said Severus nodding his head curtly.
"Ok, see you then," said Lucius kissing Severus hard on the lips.
