Updated March 2008.
Usual Disclaimer.
Megan was furious, absolutely furious.
"What on earth did you think you were doing?" she hissed at the boys sitting in the back row.
Adam and looked taken aback more than ashamed.
"It wasn't supposed to do that," Adam said and frowned.
"Not supposed to do that? Then what was it supposed to do?"
"Erm… produce giant bubbles that would stick to the ceiling."
"You have just managed, single handedly, to reduce my entire shelving to rubble." Meg looked across at the ruin of where her shelving had stood; potion bottles and ingredients now lay strewn broken across the floor.
"Get out! Get out now!" She yelled, pointing at the door, her face white with anger.
The boys hastily got to their feet and hurried to the door.
"Get yourselves down to Mr Filches' office and inform him of what has happened here and how!" She shouted. "Then I want you both back here with him to clear it up!" She looked around at the rest of the students glaring at their slightly scared faces.
"Looks like her and Snape are well suited," whispered one of the girls quietly to her friend.
"Jackson, do you wish to be helping them?" she asked pointedly, the girl coloured up.
"Oh, get out all of you! Go straight to your next lesson and wait outside the door; any wandering and I will personally remove every last house point from you. Now go!" She watched them all hurriedly file out of her classroom.
She crossed to stare down at the disaster. For some unknown reason she just wanted to curl up and cry. There were several jars that had been Severus when he taught here. Jars that held unmentionably horrible things; frogs severed down the middle lay staring up at her; different animals in several states of disembowelment. Things that turned her stomach as she stared down at them.
"Oh, for crying out loud, this is potions not Anatomy!" She stamped her foot in frustration and felt tears creep down her face. She dashed them away angrily. She had no idea why such a thing like this would reduce her to tears.
She stomped back to her desk and scribbled a note to pin on the outside of the door. She cancelled the last class of the day and instead informed them to spend the hour in the library writing a five thousand word essay on the basic potion ingredients for a Lacklustre Potion.
Damn she could with some of that!
She pinned the note on the door and with a very satisfying bang slammed the door behind her.
She crossed once again to the mess on her floor and with her hands on her hips shook her head in dismay.
The door opened and a wave of immense irritation came over her. She whirled around.
"Don't you have any manners whatsoever? Knock, please! Oh… it's you." She sagged slightly before straightening up as Severus came towards her. She saw a grim faced Mr Filch behind him with the two terrified looking boys.
"I heard what these two dunderheads did." Severus glared back at them and then stared down at his destroyed collection. "Have you any idea how many years collection that was?" he growled at them before standing aside to let Mr Filch heard them towards the mess.
"Completely ruined!" She nodded sadly. "Although why you have to collect half mutilated animals is beyond me," she added huffily and under her breath; but he heard her.
He looked at her sharply, his eyebrows drawing together in a frown, but Meg was looking down at where the toe of her boot was nudging an eyeball from one poor unfortunate creature.
"Oh, gross," Adam cried out when he saw it too.
"Yes, quite, but you should have thought of that before you treated my classroom like some joke shop," she snapped.
"Mr Filch, would you supervise these two please?" she added looking at him briefly.
He sneered nastily at the two boys who were shrinking by the minute.
"And don't let them use magic," she snapped. "Thank you, Mr. Filch." She crossed to the door, completely ignoring where Snape was watching her, his face impassive.
He remained silent as he followed her, narrowly avoiding having the door slammed in his face.
"Thank you," he drawled as he caught the door in time and went out. She stopped and looked back at him.
"Sorry, didn't realise you were right behind me." She shrugged. "Don't you have a class now?" It came out sharply, she was aware it did, but something inside her didn't really care.
"No." He shook his head and placing his hand on the small of her back, directed her towards his study.
"What's wrong?" she asked him as he closed the door behind them both.
"I was about to ask you that." He watched her slump into the chair by the fire and rub her hands across her eyes.
"I don't know; tired," she sighed. "I don't know what it is really. Just don't want to be here I guess!"
"Here, as in Hogwarts or here, as in teaching?"
"Both I guess," she admitted and kicking off her boots curled her feet under here. "I suppose I'm asking the wrong person if I ask you if you ever doubt yourself."
"You doubt yourself?" he was taken aback by the question.
"Not me as such, but definitely my teaching."
"I thought you loved teaching."
"I do…." She banged her head repeatedly against the back of the chair, feeling her frustration beginning to bubble over. She couldn't understand why she was having completely odd mood swings. One minute she was in cloud nine the next she was in the depths of depression. It just wasn't like her. She was never usually so narky. Little things were irritating her so much she was beginning to wonder if Minerva had been right that first staff meeting. Maybe Snape was a bad influence on her.
"Megan…"
"I feel like screaming," she admitted quietly.
"Would it help if you did?" he asked her quietly.
She looked up at him in surprise.
"Pardon?"
"Would screaming help you vent your frustration?"
"I don't know." It was the last thing she'd expected from him.
"Try it!"
She blinked at him rapidly before sitting forward.
"Seriously?"
"Yes." He cast a silencing spell on the room "No one will hear you. Go ahead."
"Are you seriously suggesting I just scream?"
"Why not? Frustration kept in always finds a way out and I'd much rather it be on me and in here. I don't fancy the chances of those boys if they cross you again while you're like this."
"I didn't think you cared about them."
"I don't. I do, however, care about you. I wouldn't like to hear that the board has sacked you because you've lost your temper with the students."
"They've never sacked you!"
"I've never lost my temper. I've come close, but I possess more self-control than you do."
"You do, don't you," she mused. "How do you do that?"
"Years of having too. Now, are you going to scream or do you want me to suggest another way of relieving stress."
"What's that then?" she asked and began to smile as she saw him raise one eyebrow and smirk at her.
"We could of course combine the two." He moved closer to her and sank to his knees in front of her. Meg bit her lip as his hands found their way onto her waist under her robes.
"I could relieve your stress and make you scream. Yes?"
She nodded at him, her eyes huge in her face; his touch on her skin already soothing and exciting her at the same time.
He smirked wickedly at her; completely arrogant in the knowledge that he could render her speechless with just a few touches of his hands on her back.
"I'd better keep the silencing spell on then, hadn't I?"
"Uh huh."
Her classroom was completely back to normal, the two boys were close to being shattered and missing their tea.
She stood in the door and thanked Mr. Filch who had spent the time sitting at her desk, reading his book and stroking Mrs Norris who had curled on his lap.
"Right you two, get down to the great hall before you miss your dinner. I trust you won't be repeating that again?"
"No, miss!" They trooped past and out of the dungeons. Mr Filch close behind them, Mrs Norris hissing at them as she shepherded them out.
Meg crossed to the shelving and began making notes on which things had to be replaced.
"Leave it and come and get some dinner." Severus stood in the doorway. Not a hair out of place, looking coolly remote as he always did, despite what they'd just been doing.
She turned and smiled widely at him as she crossed to him; she reached up and kissed his cheek gently before stepping away from him.
He was relieved that she no longer appeared to be under stress. But he wasn't sure that the boys had caused it. He knew that they had definitely been the final straw but they weren't the root of it. He would wait till they were alone again. He always found she was more receptive to telling him things if she was curled up in bed with him. He had even discovered that if he drew her into his arms and stroked her back she would talk endlessly. But it wouldn't be about mundane things. It would be whatever had been worrying her. He'd spent weeks and weeks after Rider had tried to kill her just lying with her at night letting her talk herself into realising that she wasn't to blame for his actions. He'd been surprised how easily it had begun to feel right; having someone to hold close, give support to, be there for. He still preferred to lie apart from her when he wanted to actually sleep, but before they both fell asleep he would hold her close, and then they'd move apart and her feet would slip under his leg and everything would be right.
He looked down at her now and his eyes held his love for her, even though he was sneering slightly at her.
"Thanks for being my stress reliever," she grinned at him.
"The pleasure was all mine," he smirked.
"No, not entirely all yours." She looked up at him and winked.
"Severus! Megan!"
They both turned to see Dumbledore coming towards them, the usual twinkle missing from his eyes.
"I'm glad I caught you before you went to dinner." He moved them back into the classroom.
"Something is wrong?" asked Meg looking alarmed.
"Well, not wrong exactly I just felt you should have some warning. Odile is here; with Morgana."
Snapes face went from impassive to shocked, to alarmed and back to impassive in a matter of seconds.
"To what do we owe the pleasure?" he drawled dryly.
"Apparently there were a few problems in Durmstrang and Odile wishes to place Morgana here."
Snapes eyebrows rose before drawing together in a dark frown.
"Where are they?"
"In my office. Odile has demanded to see you. Morgana has already been sorted and has been placed into Ravenclaw."
Meg saw the look of pride briefly cross Snape's face.
"I expect that didn't go down well," he remarked mockingly.
"Not really,Odile demanded she be sorted again. Same result of course." Dumbledore fingered his long beard and shook his head sadly.
"Thank you for coming down to us. We will be up in a moment," Snape spoke quietly his eyes going to Meg who was looking quite bemused by the whole thing.
"Of course. Take your time." Dumbledore left them shutting the door behind him.
"It seems the unthinkable has happen." Snape caught Meg's arms and turned her to face him.
"You make it sound as if the end of the world has arrived." She laughed nervously, but something in his eyes sent uneasy shivers of apprehension down her spine.
"It probably has," he remarked dryly. "Actually it must have done for Odile to even let Senga within several miles of Hogwarts, Albus and myself.."
"Why do you call her Senga? I thought she was called Morgana."
"It's what she likes to be called. Her middle name is Agnes, which when spelled backwards gives you Senga. She is not a Snape, well she is by birth, but by nature she's a Holland."
Meg's eyes opened wide at the significance behind his words.
"Your sister married a Holland?"
The Holland were a very powerful family in the wizarding world, but unlike the Snapes and the Malfoys, keeping their blood lines muggle free wasn't important. Family name meant more than the blood that ran through their veins.
"No, she didn't marry a Holland, she just pro-created with one. Odile married a Malfoy."
Meg rolled her eyes and sighed.
"A Malfoy!" She sank down onto the desk. "So Odile is a Malfoy, Senga is a Holland. Is she aware of this?"
"She is now. I informed her last summer. Odile has no idea she knows and it must stay that way, Megan." He sat down beside her. "I have no idea how long Odile will be staying here, hopefully not for long."
"Which Malfoy did she marry?"
"Lucifer, Lucius' brother."
"Good lord, who on earth would call their son Lucifer? Why not go the whole way and call him Satan?" she exclaimed.
"Point. Lucifer was well named believe me."
"Oh Merlin!" Meg turned her face into his shoulder.
"Didn't you say she had a son as well?"
"Yes. Lucifer and Odile had a boy, two years younger than Senga, Damien."
"Damien?" Meg burst out laughing, but it was humourless. "Oh, this just gets better and better! Go on, tell me they have another boy called Beelzebub."
"Just the two," he spoke softly, his eyes on her face.
"Merlin, what have I married into?" The words left her mouth before she even realised what she'd said. But she felt him stiffen and draw away slightly.
"Oh, god Severus. I am so sorry. I never meant for…"
"It doesn't matter," he spoke coldly and stood up. "I needed you to know, so that you don't put your foot into it when you meet her."
"Sev… don't get annoyed with me please. I never once meant I regretted marrying you," she pleaded with him to understand.
He looked down at her, his face completely unreadable, even his eyes were blank, something she hadn't seen from him for a long time.
"I wonder though, would you? If you knew your brother in law was a Malfoy and that your sister in law was an immoral black witch?"
"She's a black witch?" Meg swallowed nervously, feeling as if she was being sucked into a nightmare.
"Of course she is. She's a Snape. A Snape learns how to cast Dark Magic before it learns to walk!"
"Well, I married you, not them," she replied and stood up and slipped her hand into the crook of his arm. "And it would have made no difference. It makes no difference to how much I love you."
"I should have told you all this sooner; it's just not something I thought about." Snape frowned at her. "We're not a nice family, Megan."
"I'm you're family now, you and me, and I think we're nice enough. I knew you had a sister, you told me about some of it. I didn't care then and I don't care now. I only care about you. I do love you, Severus."
"I know," he whispered and kissed her quickly. "And I love you."
Megan felt as if she had been weighed in the balance and found wanting; extremely wanting.
Odile Malfoy was a stunning woman in an ice queen type of way. She had the back hair and black eyes common to all Snapes, but her nose was not hooked like her brothers. It was a long fine nose, autocratic in appearance. Her eyes glittered dangerously, the smile on her blood red lips not reaching them. She was tall, almost as tall as Severus, but her body was more curved and she displayed it to advantage in a tight, figure hugging, ankle length black dress. The sleeves draped down over her arms to her hands, ending in points. Her hair was long and hung over her shoulders and Meg had a brief thought that she was finally meeting Morticia Adams in the flesh. Except she didn't think there would be anything remotely funny about this situation at all.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Odile spoke politely but her voice felt like an arctic wind across Meg's soul. She unconsciously stepped closer to Severus as she held her hand out in polite greeting to the beauty in front of her.
"Likewise," she returned and resisted the impulse to fidget nervously under the glittering black stare.
Odile reached out impossibly long, cold fingers and briefly touched Meg's own warm, clammy hand. A look of distaste flashed across the older witch's face. Meg saw her move her hand back to her dress and very slightly wipe her fingers across the fabric, as if Meg was dirty and she had to wipe away the touch.
It left Meg feeling insulted and very plain. She suddenly felt conscious of her height, her build, everything. This was out of character for Meg, who usually didn't think about herself much at all. Make-up was something she thought about once a year if ever. She kept herself clean and presentable, but she was aware she would never win any beauty contests and this had never worried her before. But today, she was wishing she'd inherited her father's height and her mother's beauty instead of her father's brains and her mother's sense of humour.
She mentally kicked herself for feeling inferior. There were far more important things to a person that appearance. Kindness, love, loyalty; things Meg felt sure that this woman would be unable to spell let alone possess.
She felt Severus hand move to the small of her back and press comfortingly. She instantly felt his warmth seep through her, making her feel better. He loved her despite all these things and that was good enough for her.
"Severus, darling!" Odile stepped forward and air kissed his cheeks. "I was so disappointed when Lucius told us you'd got married. I would love to have been present." She smiled condescendingly at Meg. "Such a charming child."
Meg bristled and humped under her breath slightly.
"Megan is no child, Odile." he spoke quietly, his eyes searching the room, and then he saw her.
"Morgana." He nodded curtly at the child Megan hadn't noticed till he spoke to her.
A child of about thirteen stood in the corner of the room. Her hair was as black as her mother and uncles and it was plaited into pigtails either side of her face. She wore a plain black dress under a black robe. Her face was blank, although Meg thought she saw the briefest flash of something when her name was spoken.
"Uncle Severus," her voice was a monotone.
"Professor Snape from now on," Severus said, his face and eyes impassive.
Meg frowned slightly before smiling at the girl, but she got no response.
"Morgana has been sorted into Ravenclaw. I am sure you see there has to be a mistake." Odile looked across at the girl with nothing more than irritation on her face.
"The sorting hat is never wrong, Odile," Severus said quietly. "Morgana is highly intelligent is she not?"
"Of course!" Odile looked faintly offended. "But she is a Snape, Severus, and all Snapes are sorted into Slytherin."
"I'm sure she'll be very happy in Ravenclaw." Meg tired to add something to the conversation and wished she'd kept her mouth shut when Odile looked at her as if she'd grown two heads.
"It's not about being happy, Professor Kincaid. It's about tradition; Snapes are Slytherin by tradition. It's what runs through our veins that have us sorted into Slytherin."
"I was under the impression it was what your character was that chose your house for you," Meg spoke clearly a tiny amount of venom in her voice. "And it's Professor Snape actually."
"I thought professional woman kept their maiden names these days. Although I suppose there is something to be said for taking the name of Snape. I suppose if you wished to advance yourself you could with our name." Odile spoke carelessly but Meg knew that under all the vagueness she'd just been insulted and put in her place.
Meg pursed her lips; she could feel her temper rising. She hadn't wanted this, for Severus' sake she had wanted to be able to get along with his sister. But she wasn't sure that was an option. She didn't want to get along with this woman; she wanted this woman to get out.
"We are digressing ladies." Snape moved his hand from her back and caught her elbow instead. "Dinner has been underway now for quite a while. Albus, could we have something sent up?" He spoke to the older wizard who had been observing quietly from his chair, Fawkes on his arm.
"Of course!" Albus smiled around at everyone. "I hope you don't mind but I really must get back to the hall. I will see you later, Mrs Malfoy." He left the room and Meg felt the strongest urge to leave with him. It was as if the only light in the room had gone out. Power radiated from the older woman and it reeked of evil. Meg was beginning to feel frightened.
"I am not happy with the whole Ravenclaw issue," Odile spoke coldly and sat down at the table indicated by Snape.
"There is nothing to be done about it, Odile. Morgana will do fine and I will personally keep my eye on her," Snape spoke curtly.
Odile humped and sat with her back ram-rod straight as Snape called for some food to be brought up.
Meg sat beside Snape and watched as Morgana came to sit beside her mother.
"So how is Lucifer?" Snape asked her, his tone of voice conveying quite clearly he didn't much care but he would keep up appearances if she did.
"He's taken Damien to see Lucius," her voice was clipped, now Dumbledore had left, the friendly façade could be dropped. She began to pick at a chicken salad that appeared.
Meg, who was by now hungry and unused to anything putting her off her food, stuck in with relish. Giving her tiny sighs every now again; something she was completely unaware she did.
"And will Damien being joining Hogwarts?" asked Meg, hoping that her voice didn't convey how much she wanted her to say no.
"Merlin, no!" Odile sounded offended. "Morgana wasn't supposed to be here either. Except she couldn't seem to settle." She sent her daughter a look of pure venom that had Morgana sink in her seat slightly. Meg's heart went out to her and she resolved there and then to try and make life better for the poor girl.
"So Damien will go to Durmstrang." Meg didn't bother to keep the relief from her voice this time.
"Of course." She eyed Meg closely. "So who are your parents then? I'm afraid Severus had told me nothing about you. In fact he hadn't even told me you existed." If Meg hadn't been aware of Snapes relationship with his sister she would have been upset by her words. As it was, she was in the least bit surprised she hadn't heard of her.
"Ewan Kincaid and Lucinda Drimble," she replied softly. "They passed away some time ago now."
"Drimble. I don't recognise that name." Odile frowned as she set her fork down delicately, hardly anything gone from her plate. "I've heard of the Kincaids of course, a lower class wizarding family." Her black eyes pinned Meg who refused to look away. Meg narrowed her eyes in a manner not unlike Snapes.
Meg was unsure whether to reveal that her mother was a muggle. She wasn't embarrassed by it, not at all; but sometimes discretion was the better part of valour.
"Megan's mother was not a witch." Snape settled it for her. He slid his hand under the table and gripped her leg tightly; half warningly, half in support.
"Muggle!" Odile went puce and then very quickly recovered herself. "Oh… so you are muggle born." Her black eyes went to Snape. He arched an eyebrow at her, his face otherwise impassive.
"Yes. My father was a wizard. I was very fortunate to be able to grow up with both worlds," Meg spoke clearly.
Odile was clearly not impressed, but Meg had seen the light of curiosity burn in Morgana eyes. Meg gave the girl a tiny wink when Odile was not looking and was pleased to see the tinniest of smiles on her lips.
"So…" Odile drew in a breath and pouted at Snape. "So, you've been married for how long now?"
"It was three years in May," Snape replied.
"I do think it was rather bad form not inviting us, Severus darling!" Odile quite recovered from her shock of Meg being muggle born slipped easily back into her false charming way. Although Meg knew it was far from over or forgotten.
"It never occurred to me. We had few people attending. It was a ceremony between the two of us and know one else," he intoned and set his own plate away, completely empty now.
"How romantic." Morgana spoke for the first time; her eyes went slightly hazy as she looked at Meg. They snapped back into blankness as she saw her mother arch fine black eyebrows at her in a most disapproving way.
"Yes, it was actually." Meg smiled at the girl and was glad to feel Snape squeeze her knee slightly.
"Humph!" Odile was not impressed.
Meg looked at Morgana sympathetically.
"Could it be possible for Morgana to get herself settled into her dorm room, Severus, there are a few things I would like to discuss with you. Alone." Her icy black eyes flicked form Snapes face to Meg's quickly before the false smile was pinned back on her face.
"Certainly." Snape stood and pulled Meg's chair back for her. "Megan and I will show Morgana to her dormitory. Would you care to wait here or go to my study?" he spoke to Odile.
"I will await you in your study." She waved her hand imperiously and Meg immediately felt as if they'd been dismissed.
Severus didn't speak to Morgana till they were on the staircase that led them back down to the main floor.
"So, Senga. How did you work it to come here?" He looked down at her, one eyebrow arched, but his eyes were soft.
"I refused to eat," she spoke quietly but her eyes flashed and Meg was suddenly aware that this girl wasn't as mouse like as she appeared.
"Did you? Had I been there I would have put you over my knee for such atrocious behaviour," he said sharply, but Meg was still aware of the warmth in his eyes.
"If you had been there I wouldn't have needed to starve myself," she replied instantly making Meg chuckle.
"Don't be fooled by my niece's outward appearance. She is no mouse, Professor Snape, in fact she has a very quick mind." Snape informed Meg with a sharp voice.
Senga stopped suddenly and Meg saw true apprehension in her eyes.
"Are you disappointed that I was put into Ravenclaw? I begged and begged that hat thing, but it refused to put me in Slytherin."
"I am not disappointed." He frowned slightly. "I was in fact quite proud to think you had the intelligence for Ravenclaw."
Meg watched the girl flush with happiness. She stepped forward and before Snape knew what was happening, she stood up on her toes and throwing her arms around his neck, kissed his cheek.
"Thank you for writing to me," Meg heard her whisper to Snape.
Meg felt as if she was intruding on a special moment. She stepped back slightly and turned staring intently at one of the paintings. It was a picture of a maid milking a cow that refused to stand still. Meg absently watched as the maid in a furious temper, got up and stormed out of the side of the painting leaving the cow to wander out of the other side.
"Senga. I would ask you to curtail your displays of affection until we are in private." She turned and saw Snape disentangling his niece, but not before he'd kissed her cheek.
"I like your name. It's unique!" Meg stepped back again and grinned at the girl.
"It's a darn sight better than Morgana," Snape snorted and pressing his hand into the girl's back urged her forwards.
"I like it," Senga replied. "Although of course Mother absolutely refuses to call me anything except Morgana."
"PETERS!" Snape shouted to where a fourth year Ravenclaw was about to disappear into the common room.
"I have a new first year for you, Senga Malfoy."
Meg saw Peters eyebrows go up at the name but he wisely remained quiet.
"Please take her to Professor Flitwick."
Senga gave her uncle one last tiny grin before heading off with the older Ravenclaw.
"Shall we?" Snape held out his hand towards the dungeons.
"Do we have to?" Meg asked him turning in the direction he indicated.
"Unfortunately, yes," he replied and once again rested his hand on the small of her back.
"Once more into the breach," Meg said and then frowned. "Or words to that effect."
Odile was not happy to see Meg walking into Snapes study ahead of him.
"Anything you say to me can be said to Megan; there is nothing hidden between us," Snapes voice was icy cold now it was only the three of them.
"Are you sure of that, Severus?" Odile narrowed her eyes. "There are certain things I would have thought you'd wish remained secret."
"If you are referring to Severus as a Death Eater, I can assure you I already know," Meg said sharply and sat in her chair by the fire.
"So you have told her," Odile spoke to Snape, but once again Meg cut in.
"It would be rather hard to hide the mark; considering we sleep together ever night." She spoke with asperity; her eyes slid to Snape but his face and eyes were completely blank as he transfigured a book into a chair for Odile to sit in.
"Of course." Odile sat down and crossed one long leg over the other.
"You must understand, dear, I hold nothing against you personally but…" and her eyes slid from Meg to Snape, "you have to understand what a shock I had when I found out not only had you got married, but it was so long ago. And, again no offence my dear, a muggle born witch? What on earth would father say if he knew the bloodline had been… er…. and what would he say if he thought the pureblood lines of the Snapes were to end if you have children."
Meg's hands curled into fists at the insults. Half of her wanted to stand up and slap this woman hard. The other half of her was aware that while she may be a coldhearted bitch, she was still his sister.
"I don't much care for what father would have thought. Thankfully, he is dead. Besides the Snape line will die with me. It is about time this family was brought to a halt."
"Severus!" Odile looked mortified "How could you be so heartless?"
"Quite easily," he replied. "Now, what else did you wish to discuss with me?" It was a blatant dismissal.
Meg closed her eyes at the amount of venom in the room. She had known he didn't care much for his sister, but until now she hadn't truly realised how cold towards her he was. She had never experienced anything like this before. Although her and Jack had their arguments, they had never gone more than a few hours before one or both of them apologised. She couldn't imagine living in this kind of atmosphere. It was like living in an emotional wasteland. It certainly made her more aware of why Snape was the way he was. It reminded her of that old Indian phrase; Never judge a man till you have walked a mile in his moccasins. Or something like that. Odile's sharp voice brought her back to their conversation.
"I think that you are not in a receptive enough mood to talk at the moment. I have no idea why you are being this way but I want you to know it hurts! I am, after all, your sister!" She stood up and walked gracefully towards the door. "Lucius will be most amazed to hear how you have become. Although…." She looked over at Meg. "I am in no doubt that you have taken leave of your senses. I can just pray it is temporary. Good-day Severus." She went out and shut the door behind her.
"I was expecting her to slam it." Meg said as the door shut quietly.
Snape looked at her, his face hard and his eyes still cold.
"Odile is far too well brought up for that."
"I slam doors and I wasn't exactly dragged up," Meg informed him pointedly.
"I know you weren't dragged up. But then again you do let your emotions take control of your actions." He watched her eyebrows arch in annoyance. "And before you get all worked up, I can tell you that I would far rather you are the way you are than like Odile." He stood up and crossed to the desk, transfiguring the chair back into its true form. "I can tell exactly where I stand with you. With Odile you never know what is truly going on it that brain of hers. And that makes her very dangerous."
"She was quite miffed when you mentioned about the Snape line ending with you. I suppose Damien is a Malfoy." Meg was fishing for further information.
"Indeed."
"Erm…" Meg frowned wondering how to prise it out of him. "You were serious then."
"Deadly serious."
"Um… why?"
"Megan, are you telling me you want to have a child?" his face was blank once more.
"Oh, no." She shook her head, no she wasn't ready for children any more than he was. Besides she had never considered herself the maternal type, thankfully. "I was just wondering why you were so intent on your family ending with you. You said it as if…." She faltered again, unsure of how to put it.
"Just say it, Megan," he sighed wearily.
"Well, you made it sound as if being a Death Eater was more of the friendlier things your lot have got up to."
He snorted but it wasn't with amusement.
"It probably was." He came back from the desk and took her hands in his pulling her up to stand in front of him.
"The Dark Arts has been going a lot longer than Voldemort. Have you heard of Grindelwald?"
Yes, I take it your family was behind that particular uprising as well?"
"Never publicly of course; completely behind the scenes, but that's missing the point. The Snape name is synonymous with black magic."
"Until you," she pointed out. "You're one of the good guys."
"Now maybe, although calling me a "good guy" is perhaps a trifle too strong. And I doubt greatly whether any of the students would agree with you." He winced slightly.
"You're a good guy to me," she whispered and slid her arms around his waist. "And I don't care what's in your past."
"I was lucky to find you. But I am even luckier to have you love me." He buried his face into the side of her neck. "I was afraid you would meet Odile and run the other way."
"Severus! I told you, I married you, not your sister. And I think I'm the lucky one, to know that you love me."
"I do," he replied deeply.
"I suppose, and no disrespect here, we haven't seen the back of her, have we?"
"I don't think so." He pulled away slightly to look down at her. "I know I said this before and failed, but I mean it when I say I won't allow Odile to hurt you."
"Thank you. But it's Senga who concerns me more."
"Why?" he seemed surprised at her words.
"She's a child, Severus, growing up in what I would imagine is very cold conditions and I don't mean the temperature."
"She's not as hard as I was." Snape conceded and stepped towards the chair, taking her with him. He sat down and settled her onto his lap. "Neither is she like her mother I'm glad to say."
"She needs love and affection if she is to mature properly."
"Something you know more about than I do," he said quietly. He tugged her down onto his chest so he could rest his chin on the top of her head.
"It doesn't have to be hugs and cuddles. Words sometimes have more effect than touch."
He frowned darkly, his black eyes staring into space.
"Sometimes…" he stopped, his hands linked around her back. "Sometimes I envy you your childhood."
"And I wish I could give it to you, " she replied, pulling back to look down into his dark, unguarded eyes.
She placed her hand on his cheek and smiled sadly at him.
"If I could, I would give you every minute of happiness I ever had." She felt a tear roll down her face. He lifted his hand and wiped it away.
"I don't need your memories. I have you. And the happiness you give me is all I will ever need; no matter where time takes us." He pulled her face down to his and kissed her softly, gently.
A/N:
A big thanks to everyone who reads this. I just hope you enjoyed it.
Odile may sound like a huge flight of fancy, which she is, but I wanted her to be the essence of why Snape is the way he is.
Just a few comments and thanks…
Thanks to mcmish for your email. It was nice to receive that when I was feeling low. And to:
Calvin: Thank you for your review. It made me feel warm to know that people who have never seen each other in the flesh can still feel empathy. It restored my faith in human nature, right when I needed it. I hope you feel better now too. Thanks!
Mione: We will find out what Harry is up too. Also Jack as well if anyone is interested.
Lunarmouse: Yes you're right, there will be a baby. I love babies… and I'm getting very broody recently as my friend has just had an adorable little boy. About time my little girl had a brother or sister! (sees husband running for the hills shrieking insanely)
Gumlick the Rickmaniac: Yup! She's a Snape now. Typing Kincaid-Snape was too much for the old fingers.
Chary: It's gonna be a new story (if you've read the new chapter 24 you'll see why.) I'm way too lazy to start a new story so I'll add it on here. If it helps I can let you know when I update if you want. Sorry!
Laura: Excellent point. I had actually typed a few honeymoons out but wasn't happy with them, so I've re-figured ch.24 and I'll end the last story in that chapter. You were quite right. It started as an epilogue and then as usual the old imagination was working overtime and it became another story. Which is why it seems so messy. Sorry!
Redmond: Thanks for the words! They say it far better than my Swedish proverb (which I am sure I've got wrong anyway!)
Just a quick note on Odile: I called her that because I wanted to get across what's she like. In my world Odile is like the black swan in Swan Lake. Beautiful but deadly. Which incidentally, is why Snape gave her the music box with the white swan Odette on it. To Snape, Meg is his white swan compared to Odile. His saviour and his true love. ( okay so that's maybe a bit much but you know what I mean. I hope!)
Humble apologies for atrocious spelling and grammar errors!
Another thing I'd like to add…. I think you have such great pen names! Some of them are just amazing! Makes my little Starlight pale into unworthiness (part from the fact I was completely stumped for ideas. It kinda sprang it on me when I joined up. Didn't know I'd need one! (in the infamous Homer voice duh!) in my defence I was listening to a song that had starlight in the words… light bulb goes on over head! I'll be starlight! My husband takes the mickey out of me something chronic. He says I should have gone for something more appropriate like Weirdo. He has a point!
Anyway, thanks to everyone who reads this, whether you review or not. I just hope it was worth your time and you enjoyed it!
Have a great day!