A/N: I'm sorry this took so long, I was very busy with other engagements. But here it is, finally. The seventh chapter! Rejoice! And it's going to get good... Read on!
Disclaimer: Our dear lady, J. K. Rowling, owns the Harry Potter books.
*********************************Chapter 7********************************************************************
Severus was ecstatic. He had finally won a quidditch match against that insufferable Potter. The sound of the cheering crowd was deafening as he held the golden snitch high into the air.
"And Slytherin wins the match!" yelled Jordan, the game's commentator.
"Alright, Severus!" shouted Malfoy. "You're the best seeker we've ever had!"
Every Slytherin at the match rushed onto the field, surrounding Severus and the other players. Severus liked the attention, but it was somewhat overwhelming. He also found himself scanning the crowd for Lily. But before he had the chance to look for her, Malfoy's younger sister, Cassia, approached him.
"Hi, Severus," she said shyly over the noise of the crowd. "You were really good out there," she added, twirling a lock of her blonde hair around her finger.
"Thanks, Cassia," he said distractedly. "I need to talk to Lucius. Do you know where he wandered off to?"
Cassia shook her head. "I think he went back to the castle. He's planning to raid the kitchens for a small celebration tonight."
Severus smiled slightly, but his eyes still searched for Lily.
"You know, Sev," Cassia started as the crowd began to disperse. "There's something I've been wanting to talk to you about."
Severus raised an eyebrow and gestured for her to go on.
"Well, it's about Lucius. Have you noticed that he hasn't quite been himself lately?"
Severus smiled dryly. "No, he seems to be as agressive, ruthless and taunting as ever. Perhaps a bit more secretive than usual..."
"Exactly," Cassia said, her face set in a serious expression. "Whenever I usually talk to him, he gives me an exact opinion on any subject. But lately he skirts around every question I propose, especially regarding the Dark Lord gaining more control, terrorizing civilians in the Wizarding and Muggle communities alike. It's as if he's hiding something." She looked Severus directly in the eye. "You wouldn't happen to know what he's up to, would you, Sev?"
He avoided her gaze. "Well, um, I might...possibly know a few things..."
"Come on, Severus, you have to tell me. I'm worried about him. He may be a year older than me, but I still feel like I should watch out for him, as he looks out for me."
Severus stood quiet for a long time, then said, "Cassia, I know how much Lucius means to you, but I just can't tell you right now. If I betray his trust, I might also be betraying his life. I couldn't endanger him like that."
Cassia's face grew sad. "He is trapped, then," she said softly. "Somehow I knew it would come to this. Lucious always gets into situations where he digs too deep to ever get out. I warned him." She laughed bitterly. "But when has he ever listened to me?" She turned to Severus once more. "Severus, you must try to talk him out of this. He has joined the Dark Lord, hasn't he?"
"How did you know?" asked Severus. But he knew that it was easy for Cassia to figure out. Lucius had bragged about joining The-One-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named for a long time. Only with his close friends, of course, but it still didn't help matters.
"Severus," Cassia said gently, but with conviction. "You are the only one he listens to, if he listens to anyone at all. Surely you can try to talk him out of this madness before it is too late."
Severus sighed. "I'll try my best," he said heavily. "But it won't be easy to convince him."
"Thank you, Severus," Cassia smiled. She held onto his arm. "You don't know how much this means to me."
Severus smiled a little, but it quickly faded when he saw who was standing on the other side of the field. It was Lily. In Potter's arms. They were staring madly into each other's eyes, oblivious to everything that happened around them.
"So she has chosen him, then," Snape whispered. "I'm such a fool."
He turned his back on them and went back to the castle with Cassia, trying to hide the pain of his broken heart.
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Disclaimer: Our dear lady, J. K. Rowling, owns the Harry Potter books.
*********************************Chapter 7********************************************************************
Severus was ecstatic. He had finally won a quidditch match against that insufferable Potter. The sound of the cheering crowd was deafening as he held the golden snitch high into the air.
"And Slytherin wins the match!" yelled Jordan, the game's commentator.
"Alright, Severus!" shouted Malfoy. "You're the best seeker we've ever had!"
Every Slytherin at the match rushed onto the field, surrounding Severus and the other players. Severus liked the attention, but it was somewhat overwhelming. He also found himself scanning the crowd for Lily. But before he had the chance to look for her, Malfoy's younger sister, Cassia, approached him.
"Hi, Severus," she said shyly over the noise of the crowd. "You were really good out there," she added, twirling a lock of her blonde hair around her finger.
"Thanks, Cassia," he said distractedly. "I need to talk to Lucius. Do you know where he wandered off to?"
Cassia shook her head. "I think he went back to the castle. He's planning to raid the kitchens for a small celebration tonight."
Severus smiled slightly, but his eyes still searched for Lily.
"You know, Sev," Cassia started as the crowd began to disperse. "There's something I've been wanting to talk to you about."
Severus raised an eyebrow and gestured for her to go on.
"Well, it's about Lucius. Have you noticed that he hasn't quite been himself lately?"
Severus smiled dryly. "No, he seems to be as agressive, ruthless and taunting as ever. Perhaps a bit more secretive than usual..."
"Exactly," Cassia said, her face set in a serious expression. "Whenever I usually talk to him, he gives me an exact opinion on any subject. But lately he skirts around every question I propose, especially regarding the Dark Lord gaining more control, terrorizing civilians in the Wizarding and Muggle communities alike. It's as if he's hiding something." She looked Severus directly in the eye. "You wouldn't happen to know what he's up to, would you, Sev?"
He avoided her gaze. "Well, um, I might...possibly know a few things..."
"Come on, Severus, you have to tell me. I'm worried about him. He may be a year older than me, but I still feel like I should watch out for him, as he looks out for me."
Severus stood quiet for a long time, then said, "Cassia, I know how much Lucius means to you, but I just can't tell you right now. If I betray his trust, I might also be betraying his life. I couldn't endanger him like that."
Cassia's face grew sad. "He is trapped, then," she said softly. "Somehow I knew it would come to this. Lucious always gets into situations where he digs too deep to ever get out. I warned him." She laughed bitterly. "But when has he ever listened to me?" She turned to Severus once more. "Severus, you must try to talk him out of this. He has joined the Dark Lord, hasn't he?"
"How did you know?" asked Severus. But he knew that it was easy for Cassia to figure out. Lucius had bragged about joining The-One-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named for a long time. Only with his close friends, of course, but it still didn't help matters.
"Severus," Cassia said gently, but with conviction. "You are the only one he listens to, if he listens to anyone at all. Surely you can try to talk him out of this madness before it is too late."
Severus sighed. "I'll try my best," he said heavily. "But it won't be easy to convince him."
"Thank you, Severus," Cassia smiled. She held onto his arm. "You don't know how much this means to me."
Severus smiled a little, but it quickly faded when he saw who was standing on the other side of the field. It was Lily. In Potter's arms. They were staring madly into each other's eyes, oblivious to everything that happened around them.
"So she has chosen him, then," Snape whispered. "I'm such a fool."
He turned his back on them and went back to the castle with Cassia, trying to hide the pain of his broken heart.
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