Disclaimer/Author Note/Rating: Please see Chapter 1 for full disclaimers, legal info, etc.
Go raibh maith agaibh:
Twistedmind… I loved your review: "Severus, you dog!" LOL.
Lady of the Dog Star… My assumption is Sirius' innocence is not widely advertised yet. So all Serena knows of him is what was reported before… she hasn't had time to get the full scoop on him yet.
Trina/Leonora… Your wish is my command. Here is the start The Evil Plan.
Diosa Alexia… Welcome! Thanks for your review.
Annie Black… A wedding? Maybe in this story, maybe not… but that doesn't mean there couldn't be a sequel brewing in the future!
Mercury Gray… I don't know. It just seemed like something McGonagall would say.
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Chapter 25: Beneath the Mask
"Thanks, Uncle Malificus. This is outstanding." Draco and his cohorts from Slytherin all looked at the pile of gifts that Malificus had brought them, including a book on Dark Magic for Draco that he wasn't really supposed to have on school grounds.
"Never let it be said I don't treat my nephew well," said Malificus. "But I do have to run. I'm out this way on business and I can be late."
Draco looked genuinely disappointed. "Oh. I'd hoped you could stay longer." He really enjoyed spending time with his uncle.
"Well, once my business is done, perhaps I can come back and the Headmaster will let me take you into Hogsmeade for dinner."
"Really?" asked Draco.
"Really," said Malificus with a smile.
He disappeared out of Slytherin House. Part way down the hall a few students – including one of the Weasley twins – crossed his path and he turned to examine something on a statue, trying to make sure his face was concealed. After they passed, he crept down the different corridors until he came to the Dark Arts room.
He walked in and looked up at the dragon skeleton suspended from the ceiling beam. With a flick of his wand he moved all of the tables to the sides of the room; the chairs simply vanished. Then he uncorked a flask and poured some foul-smelling liquid into a cup and downed it in one gulp. The Polyjuice Potion tasted as nasty as it smelled and he grimaced.
A few moments later a warm tingle spread through Malificus' body and then he felt a strange bubbling sensation in his skin. He grunted softly as the potion transformed the angles of his face. It wasn't painful, really, but there was definitely some discomfort. A moment later, the bubbling feeling subsided and he looked into the mirror – and Severus Snape's face was looking back at him.
"Marvelous," he said. "Snape should be on his way to my wild goose chase, and while he's out, I can take care of my business here." He left the Dark Arts classroom and headed towards Serena's cottage.
Three times, he almost ran across other Professors and Malificus chose to hide. He might look like Snape, but he wasn't foolish enough to get into a conversation with someone who knew the potions professor. Because of his detours, it took him longer to get to Serena's cottage than he anticipated and he was extremely irritated when he reached her door. The Polyjuice Potion would only last for an hour, and he'd wasted more than half of that time already.
Serena looked up when he came in. "Hello," she said.
He offered her a quirked smile but said nothing.
"Are you feeling well?"
"Mmm. Long day." He coughed and cleared his throat.
"That doesn't sound good. Let me get you some tea." She bustled around the kitchen and finished preparing some tea and brought two cups over to the living room. "Here, the hot liquid will help."
He took a sip. "Thank you," he said amid another phony cough to disguise his voice.
"You know, you should probably have some honey in that," said Serena. "I'll be right back." She got up again and went to pull something out of the cabinet. While she was gone, Malificus took advantage of the moment and sprinkled some powder into her tea. It vanished instantly. She came back with some honey and put it into his cup.
"The honey will make your throat feel better." She gave the cup to him.
He smiled thinly and took a sip. Drink your own tea! I'm running out of time.
She picked up her own cup and took a drink, letting the hot liquid roll on her tongue for a moment. It had a spicier taste than she'd expected. She looked up to see Severus staring at her with the oddest expression. He held up his cup in a gesture of toast. She laughed quietly and tapped her cup against his, and then she took another drink.
Suddenly, he stood up and pulled Serena to her feet. The motion was so sudden and abrupt, she dropped her tea cup. It spilled on the floor and the cup shattered on the table.
"Severus?" She couldn't say any more as he pulled her in and kissed her roughly. He didn't usually kiss her like that…
"What's gotten into you?" she asked. A wave of heat coursed through her and she pushed back from him, putting her hand to her head. She felt dizzy; the room started to swim and the first feather-light touches of fear chilled her skin. He pulled her close again.
She looked up. "What have you done…?" Her voice was slurring and then to her horror she watched as Severus' eyes turned from dark brown to icy blue. Blond tendrils appeared in his dark locks and grew wider and longer… And then the face changed. She pushed back and tried to spin away, instead, she tripped over the coffee table knocking several things, including her wand, to the floor.
Malificus grabbed her arm and pulled her back. He seized her by the hair and dragged her face back to his. He kissed her again, even more roughly this time. All Serena could manage, her eyes wide with terror, was, "Malificus…" before blackness sucked her under.
"Now," said Malificus as he used his wand to float Serena's limp body in the air, "it is time for a new kind of game. A game that will make me the pre-eminent wizard in the Malfoy family. Me and not Lucius… and you, my dear, will be the key." A simple levitation spell made Serena's body lift off of the floor. He started to guide her toward the door but then turned back. He walked over to the coffee table, picked up Serena's wand, and tucked it into the folds of his robe.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
And so it begins! I'm really looking forward to hearing what you all think of this. Please read/review and let me know!
Go raibh maith agaibh:
Twistedmind… I loved your review: "Severus, you dog!" LOL.
Lady of the Dog Star… My assumption is Sirius' innocence is not widely advertised yet. So all Serena knows of him is what was reported before… she hasn't had time to get the full scoop on him yet.
Trina/Leonora… Your wish is my command. Here is the start The Evil Plan.
Diosa Alexia… Welcome! Thanks for your review.
Annie Black… A wedding? Maybe in this story, maybe not… but that doesn't mean there couldn't be a sequel brewing in the future!
Mercury Gray… I don't know. It just seemed like something McGonagall would say.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Chapter 25: Beneath the Mask
"Thanks, Uncle Malificus. This is outstanding." Draco and his cohorts from Slytherin all looked at the pile of gifts that Malificus had brought them, including a book on Dark Magic for Draco that he wasn't really supposed to have on school grounds.
"Never let it be said I don't treat my nephew well," said Malificus. "But I do have to run. I'm out this way on business and I can be late."
Draco looked genuinely disappointed. "Oh. I'd hoped you could stay longer." He really enjoyed spending time with his uncle.
"Well, once my business is done, perhaps I can come back and the Headmaster will let me take you into Hogsmeade for dinner."
"Really?" asked Draco.
"Really," said Malificus with a smile.
He disappeared out of Slytherin House. Part way down the hall a few students – including one of the Weasley twins – crossed his path and he turned to examine something on a statue, trying to make sure his face was concealed. After they passed, he crept down the different corridors until he came to the Dark Arts room.
He walked in and looked up at the dragon skeleton suspended from the ceiling beam. With a flick of his wand he moved all of the tables to the sides of the room; the chairs simply vanished. Then he uncorked a flask and poured some foul-smelling liquid into a cup and downed it in one gulp. The Polyjuice Potion tasted as nasty as it smelled and he grimaced.
A few moments later a warm tingle spread through Malificus' body and then he felt a strange bubbling sensation in his skin. He grunted softly as the potion transformed the angles of his face. It wasn't painful, really, but there was definitely some discomfort. A moment later, the bubbling feeling subsided and he looked into the mirror – and Severus Snape's face was looking back at him.
"Marvelous," he said. "Snape should be on his way to my wild goose chase, and while he's out, I can take care of my business here." He left the Dark Arts classroom and headed towards Serena's cottage.
Three times, he almost ran across other Professors and Malificus chose to hide. He might look like Snape, but he wasn't foolish enough to get into a conversation with someone who knew the potions professor. Because of his detours, it took him longer to get to Serena's cottage than he anticipated and he was extremely irritated when he reached her door. The Polyjuice Potion would only last for an hour, and he'd wasted more than half of that time already.
Serena looked up when he came in. "Hello," she said.
He offered her a quirked smile but said nothing.
"Are you feeling well?"
"Mmm. Long day." He coughed and cleared his throat.
"That doesn't sound good. Let me get you some tea." She bustled around the kitchen and finished preparing some tea and brought two cups over to the living room. "Here, the hot liquid will help."
He took a sip. "Thank you," he said amid another phony cough to disguise his voice.
"You know, you should probably have some honey in that," said Serena. "I'll be right back." She got up again and went to pull something out of the cabinet. While she was gone, Malificus took advantage of the moment and sprinkled some powder into her tea. It vanished instantly. She came back with some honey and put it into his cup.
"The honey will make your throat feel better." She gave the cup to him.
He smiled thinly and took a sip. Drink your own tea! I'm running out of time.
She picked up her own cup and took a drink, letting the hot liquid roll on her tongue for a moment. It had a spicier taste than she'd expected. She looked up to see Severus staring at her with the oddest expression. He held up his cup in a gesture of toast. She laughed quietly and tapped her cup against his, and then she took another drink.
Suddenly, he stood up and pulled Serena to her feet. The motion was so sudden and abrupt, she dropped her tea cup. It spilled on the floor and the cup shattered on the table.
"Severus?" She couldn't say any more as he pulled her in and kissed her roughly. He didn't usually kiss her like that…
"What's gotten into you?" she asked. A wave of heat coursed through her and she pushed back from him, putting her hand to her head. She felt dizzy; the room started to swim and the first feather-light touches of fear chilled her skin. He pulled her close again.
She looked up. "What have you done…?" Her voice was slurring and then to her horror she watched as Severus' eyes turned from dark brown to icy blue. Blond tendrils appeared in his dark locks and grew wider and longer… And then the face changed. She pushed back and tried to spin away, instead, she tripped over the coffee table knocking several things, including her wand, to the floor.
Malificus grabbed her arm and pulled her back. He seized her by the hair and dragged her face back to his. He kissed her again, even more roughly this time. All Serena could manage, her eyes wide with terror, was, "Malificus…" before blackness sucked her under.
"Now," said Malificus as he used his wand to float Serena's limp body in the air, "it is time for a new kind of game. A game that will make me the pre-eminent wizard in the Malfoy family. Me and not Lucius… and you, my dear, will be the key." A simple levitation spell made Serena's body lift off of the floor. He started to guide her toward the door but then turned back. He walked over to the coffee table, picked up Serena's wand, and tucked it into the folds of his robe.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
And so it begins! I'm really looking forward to hearing what you all think of this. Please read/review and let me know!