I've noticed that the last chapter "The stuffed heart" doesn't have any view. Is something wrong with it? (I mean you can't see it or something similar?)

I hope you haven't got bored of my story. Let me know how you feel about it.

P.S. The story is going to be updated on Fridays. Today is an exception because I was too busy last Friday and I don't want to let you wait too much.

The fall of the first rose petal

"This is my temporary home." Viper declared as she opened the door and invited Severus inside. Adwin had done a great job and the place looked clean and cozy. He threw a quick glance at the room. It was too colourful and too cheerful for his liking. He agreed with the utility of a sofa and a wooden table but was completely disappointed when his eyes met lots of boxes with dresses and shoes and not a single book.

"Have a seat, please" she tried to play the good host. And she hurried to drag the heavy curtains and opened the door which led to a small, but lovely balcony, full of lots of potted flowers. Fresh air entered immediately into the room, carrying a sweet fragrance of May lilies. "The moon looks magnificent tonight." Viper remarked as she stepped in the chill air of the night.

The gentle breeze brushed through her face. She breathed in, hungry for feeling the chill air in her lungs.

She had purposely asked for a room on the last floor so she could watch the entire town from up above while the wind would mischievously mess her hair. "Don't you think these stars resemble thousands of fireflies?"

"I don't intend to stay." Severus interrupted her. The beauty of the night didn't impress him. Romance and poetry weren't for people like him. Viper abandoned the balcony and returned to the room.

"Pity. I would have liked to admire the moon with you. I feel like there won't be a second time." She answered melancholically. He didn't want to be a second time. He wished he would never have to see her again.

"Bring that cat and let's put an end to this…situation." He continued. "I have better things to do with my time."

"Such as?" Viper asked and she launched on the comfortable sofa, showing him she is willing to listen to his enumeration.

"Bring the cat."

"You haven't answered." She insisted.

"Don't you have anything better to do?" He snapped at her sick of her games.

"Nothing that requires my immediate assistance. I'm listening." But she soon changed her mind. "Wait! I need to bring myself a glass of wine. Do you want some wine?"

"I WANT TO GET OUT OF HERE." Severus hissed.

"Fine. I'll send Adwin with the cat. Bye, Severus. See you tomorrow." She uttered so suddenly and unexpectedly that Severus forgot everything he had wanted to say. She was ready to leave the room when she remembered something and came back. "Sorry. I've forgotten." She took a sheet of paper and started to write something.``

"What are you doing?"

"You'll see." She replayed and he found himself forced once again to wait.

"Missy has come home," echoed Adwin's voice as he noticed her presence. He'd fallen asleep with the snake in his arms. He hadn't slept that well for such a long time.

"What are you doing with my snake?" Viper inquired the house-elf as she noticed the toy in the elf's arms.

"I gave him a heart. Cut it, sew it, put it inside its chest. Now he's a good guy." Adwin explained.

"He has always been a good guy. He didn't need a heart to be a good guy." She replayed.

"Now, he's much better." Adwin declared.

"You're acting like two kids who've escaped from kindergarten. It's just a toy." Severus scolded them. It wasn't enough she was wasting a lot of time writing. He wasn't willing to allow her to toy with his patience even more.

"He's not just a toy." The house-elf complained. "He's my friend."

"Why am I surprised?" Severus muttered. "Like it wasn't enough she's completely crazy, she had to have a crazy house-elf as well."

The remark made her furious. The smile faded from her lips and the feeble sparkle from her eyes disappeared.

"Do not offend my house-elf." She ordered. "Crazy or not, I won't allow you to judge him."

"It's just a house-elf. I didn't know you are fond of house-elves." Severus commented. He didn't agree with the nobles' way of treating house-elves, but he wasn't going to call a house-elf his equal, either.

"IT'S MY HOUSE ELF." She thundered. Then she lowered her voice instantly as if she hadn't been furious just a few seconds before. "There are a lot of things you don't know about me."

"Bring that cat and let's finish with it." He said for the umpteenth time.

She didn't answer, instead, she went back to her letter and focused on writing.

"Missy, are you getting married?" Adwin asked out of the blue. She lifted her head from the paper and watched him. "the dress…the wedding dress is lovely. It's fit for a princess."

"The dress. O, yeah…I've forgotten about it. No..who would want to marry me? He must be really mad or very brave to want to stay with me until death sets us apart."

"It's the first time, I'll have to admit, I do agree with you" Severus commented. "…but I should add that this type of bravery can only be the result of madness." He didn't have time to say more as one of the paintings from the wall flew directly in his head.

"Adwin." Viper cried and she hurried to help Severus.

"I won't allow you to offend my missy." The house-elf muttered angrily.

"Go inside the room and wait for me there, Adwin. We need to talk." She ordered firmly.

"Alright." Adwin answered disappointed, his enthusiasm gone.

"Let's see. Where did I put the medicine?" Viper asked herself as she started to search through her luggage. It seemed as if she would never be able to find it as there were lots of boxes to look into.

"Leave it. Bring the cat." He commanded.

"Can't you just stop speaking about the cat? You need to be treated. Sit."

"I'll be worse when the Dark Lord will finish with me. It's very late….."

"Sit." She insisted and, as he refused to obey, she threw him on the ground. It didn't hurt as she'd transfigurated the carpet into a mattress, but he was too shocked to react. The next thing he knew he was lying on his back and she was applying something on his forehead. "Fine. It wasn't that difficult, was it?" She uttered as she finished applying the cream to his wound. He kept watching her unable to articulate a single word.

Eventually, she went back to the letter, leaving him alone with his thoughts. He stood up as quickly as he could, but he wasn't as confident as before.

"Here." She said as she finished the letter. "Give it to the Dark Lord. It will justify your delay."

"I thought you said you don't care." He pointed out while he looked over the content of the letter.

"Yes, I don't care what he thinks, but I've never said I want you dead or tortured. It must work."

"But's a lie. He's the best…"

"You just give him the letter. I'll deal with everything. Unless you wanted to tell him you spent your whole day watching me eat a cake and that you got that wound from a house-elf who dropped a painting on your head. You should add that I knocked you down and forced you to stay so I could apply medicine to your wound. So, what do you prefer? The letter or the ….truth."

"He can't be deceived." Severus insisted.

"He won't have time to analyze it. I'll bet this meeting will be…unforgettable. He and the cat had…a very interesting story. So….you're little escapade won't matter at all after today."

"You seem to enjoy it." He was shocked at how nonchalant she was. While everybody ran like headless chickens around the Dark Lord she dared to challenge his power and his ability. And she was so relaxed as she said all those things.

In fact, she seemed more preoccupied to find the right dress and pair of shoes than she was with the consequences of her stupid behavior. From the moment she'd given him the letter, she continuously snooped through her staff, choosing one dress only to give up the next moment.

"Being able to read people's minds has its advantages. I'm curious how it's going to end. I wish I could be a fly on the wall and see him." She giggled happily as she'd finally found the right dress.

"Which side are you on?"

"On my side." She uttered mysteriously and then she took a rose which was standing alone in a vase and picked up a red petal from it. She took the petal and went to Severus. Gently she grabbed his hand while he watched her confused, and put the red petal on his palm. He didn't have time to react as the petal turned into a sort of red dust which soon disappeared inside his hand.

"What?" Viper didn't answer his question. She looked him in the eye. For the first time, he didn't try to avoid her eye. In fact, he was searching for any explanation her face might provide him. She laughed as she guessed he didn't find what he was looking for and suddenly she turned around and retreated to her room. "By, Severus." She shouted from the door before she closed it.

He was left alone in the room. He looked at the door, but she did come back. Eventually, he sat on a chair and waited. Thousands of thoughts crossed his mind. It was clear she didn't care about the Dark Lord. She didn't respect him or believe in his great powers. And yet she was one of his followers.

"What does she hope to achieve by working for him?" He couldn't help asking himself. "She seems to like expensive staff, high society life, and good food. Did she join him because she hoped he would provide her with this type of life? How strong is she? Could she really read people's minds as she said?"

She was a mystery to him. He read the letter once more. It was risky. If the Dark Lord were to find they'd lied to him….but she was right. He couldn't tell him the truth. "Is she able to hide something from him? Well, I doubt he would have been so proud of her if he were to know she wasn't as loyal as everyone though."

Adwin didn't know if his new missy was a good person or if she was as cruel as his former master. All he knew was he had to obey and protect her. His master and the other house-elves used to think he was stupid because he had the mind of a kid. Yes, he was different. He was a child caught into the body of an adult, but he wasn't stupid. He was maybe too innocent, but he could notice things that adults usually couldn't or didn't dare to voice out. His child-like innocence gave him certain freedom such as it was the time he disagreed with his new missy about the snake.

But now his missy was furious with him and he was afraid. He grabbed his snake tightly and waited in a corner for her to enter the room.

"Are you loyal to me?" She asked as she entered the room. The house-elf nodded. 'How loyal? What are you willing to do if I order you to?"

"I can't disobey my master," Adwin muttered through the tears.

"Will you die for me?"

"Have mercy, My Lady." Adwin begged.

"Will you die for me?"

"If you command me to kill myself, I'll do it on the spot." The house-elf watched her reaction with big, scared eyes.

"Good. You will only have to bring a cat to that man…and keep your lips sealed about everything you heard or saw today. No one must find out. Not even your snake."

"Yes, My Lady."