Katya awoke on Sunday morning to warm, golden sunlight peeking between a small crack in her bed drapes, softly beckoning her well-rested body to rise and meet the day. She stretched and let out a large yawn. When she rolled to her right to look at her clock, she started. It was one o'clock in the afternoon! Nightmares had woken her many times last night, so her body must have decided she was in major need of rest.Katya never slept this late, but she couldn't deny how good it felt. Feeling refreshed, Katya freed herself from the tangle of blankets and sprung out of bed.
After showering, she pulled a sky blue t-shirt over her head and slipped into her favorite pair of faded jeans. She swept her rich dark hair out of her face and into a high pony tail. She felt wonderfully comfortable, perfect for a lazy Sunday of catching up on homework. Between the new DADA professor and Snape, there were plenty of assignments to keep her occupied, not to mention her new potions assistant position. That was sure to consume a decent chunk of her free time.
Katya's stomach let out a vicious growl, harshly reminding her that she had not eaten since Hogsmeade the day before. None of the other girls were in the dormitory, so Katya strode down the winding staircase and entered the almost empty common room. She sighed in relief when she saw Hermione and Ginny sitting near a large window, apparently studying. Hermione chewed her pencil, deep in concentration while Ginny absentmindedly twirled a lock of her fiery hair around her finger as she stared out the winding. Through the window behind the studying pair, Katya could see that it was going to be another perfect fall day.
"Hey guys!"
Ginny and Hermione's heads snapped up and swiveled in Katya's direction, excited recognition brightening their eyes when they caught sight of her.
"Good morning, sleepy head," Ginny teased playfully.
"Yea, I can't believe I slept that late. I am starving! You two look like you could use a break, want to go to the Great Hall and get lunch?"
"We were just talking about how hungry we were," replied Hermione. "And it is so beautiful out! How about we take our books, get some lunch, and study down by the lake? We won't get many more days like this one."
"There's a reason you're known as the most brilliant witch of our age, Hermione." Ginny eagerly rose from her chair. "Harry and Ron are out practicing at the Quidditch pitch, but I didn't feel like it today."
With the days plans set out, the trio collected their schoolwork and sauntered towards the Great Hall.
Severus Snape could not believe his awful luck. The Forbidden Forest could be dangerous and unpredictable of course, but who would have thought he, of all people, would get lost? His hunt for potions ingredients had begun much later than anticipated and his thoughts had been deeply preoccupied by the conversation he had had with Minerva, distracting him from his search, making him terribly inefficient. How unlike him! He paid little direction to how far off the trail he had wandered and he hadn't even noticed that the sun was sinking lower and lower behind the tall trees. Before he knew it, twilight had descended on him, sparking the tiniest flutter of panic. He had maintained his composure and set out for the trail, only he had been completely unable to locate it. After wandering through the darkening forest for roughly an hour, Severus was completely enveloped by the night.
Even a lit wand would do little to alert him of the horrors that traversed the Forbidden Forest at night, so Snape used his better judgment. He had pulled a small tent and sleeping bag out of his charmed pack, set up camp and surrounded himself with protective wards. Spending the night in the forest was thoroughly miserable. Even though he lit a fire, the fall chill seeped through the rock hard earth deep into his bones, making sleep near impossible. The incessant howling and curious screams of the wildlife did not encourage slumber either. After what seemed an eternity, rays of sunlight began to break through the forest's canopy.
Severus had pried his aching, stiff body off the freezing ground and packed up camp. With the sun revealing the landscape around him, Snape was quickly able to identify familiar landmarks and make his way back to the trail. Once he was safely back inside his castle chambers, he gulped down several mugs of hot tea, not caring that he was scorching his throat, only relishing in the warmth that wove its way through his body. He then thoroughly enjoyed a steaming shower before passing out in his bed for the entirety of the day.
Katya, Ginny and Hermione had a rather enjoyable day near the lake, soaking up the last warm rays of the season while studying and talking. Katya felt she was getting quite close to these girls, and she knew it wouldn't be long before they started to ask questions—questions about her previous life, her nightmares, and exactly how she ended up at Hogwarts. She wondered if she shouldn't distance herself now, before things became complicated. Surely they wouldn't want to be her friends after they learned of her past. Perhaps it would be better, safer, if she closed herself off now. It had been so long since Katya had felt close to another person, since before her family had died. Her heart longed for connection, and as much as she wished she could deny it, she so strongly desired to be wanted again. Her intuition told her she could trust these girls, and her reason told her to back off.
When the trio returned to the common room around 7 pm, they found Harry and Ron playing chess at a table near a window.
"If you two studied half as much as you played around, maybe I wouldn't have to help you so much," scolded Hermione half-heartedly with smile on her face. She ruffled Ron's red hair and planted a sweet peck on his cheek. The girls sat down at a table near the boys and Ginny summoned a house elf to bring them all some hot cocoa, with the utmost gratitude of course. A few minutes later, a sudden clacking against the window made them all jump. A small tan owl was battering itself wildly against the glass to gain their attention. Harry let in the frantic owl, taking the small white envelope from it before it darted back out the still open window. The crew huddled around Harry curiously.
"Katya, I think this is for you," declared Harry upon examining the writing on the front.
Katya was surprised, but took the envelope from Harry and tore it open. Her eyes grew wide as she read it first once, then a second time. The color ran from her cheeks, leaving her looking as if she might faint. She abruptly sat down without saying anything.
"Katya, what is it?" asked Ginny with worry in her voice.
"It's nothing. Just about my assistantship for Snape, I had forgotten about that for a moment," Katya lied. She made a show of stretching and yawning widely. "I am really tired guys; I am going to go to bed."
"Are you sure you're okay," pressed Hermione.
"Sure, sure. I am fine, really. Just tired. Goodnight!"
Katya turned from her friends' quizzical stares and practically flew up the stairs to her dorm, where she flung herself onto her bed in pure exasperation, the letter floating down beside her. In McGonagall's elegant, looping script, the letter announced her mentor assignment ….Professor Snape.
When Severus had woken back up at around 9 pm, he felt groggy and sore. What a vile waste of a day! Fortunately he would soon have an assistant to help him with the mountains of grading and stock potions he was behind on. Maybe he would even have time to continue his research…yes, perhaps having Katya as an assistant wouldn't be entirely unbearable. She had seemed fairly competent in basic potion making, after all.
Severus Snape reignited the fire in his hearth and began working on his potions grading, calling a house elf to bring him dinner from the kitchens. He would have no time to make it to dinner, not that he desired the company of his fellow professors. He was especially thrilled with avoiding Sybil. Minerva had not been lying, Sybil had developed an unreciprocated infatuation with the potions master, and he dodged her every chance he could. After making it through the sixth years' essays on the potion making properties of unicorn hair, he moved on to the first years' weekly essay. He continued grading late into the night.
When he was finally mostly caught up, Snape pushed himself away from his desk and moved wearily to the plush armchair near his fireplace. He snapped his fingers to conjure a large bottle of fire whiskey and a dense shot glass. After tossing back several shots, he no longer felt the burn in his throat. Snape watched the flames as they lapped at the wood, slowly turning it to ash. Much like life, he pondered. Didn't people start out like wood, strong and supple, only to have life burn them to charred, ashy remnants of their former selves?
He reached almost automatically to the sturdy oak side table next to his chair, opening the door and pulling out a small, worn photo album. Its pages held his most cherished memories, bitter reminders of what he had lost. As he turned the familiar pages, Lily's smiling face shone up at him. Even he couldn't figure out why he tortured himself this way, he only knew he would love her forever. Now that his purpose had been served, and Lily's death had been avenged, Severus was lost. Other than his research, he lacked direction or passion for his life. All he had now was haunting memories of his past….regrets, should-haves, and horrific memories. The hurt in Lily's eyes as he called her a mudblood…Dumbledore's limp body plummeting from the astronomy tower on that fateful night…all the crimes he had committed as a spy for the Order…it felt too much at times. Like the darkness within his mind would swallow him entirely, and he half-way welcomed the abyss for it was all he felt he deserved. Snape took another shot as he stared into the dancing flames.
