by Empress Sarah
Lavinia stared at the hem of her robes whilst Dumbledore proceeded to explain things to her. She occasionally looked up to meet his face, but would only put her head back down again.
She had not noticed that he had stopped speaking now and had moved to
stand in front of her, until a hand reached under her chin.
He gently lifted her head up to look at him.
"My dear, you have nothing to be ashamed of at all. You must act strong
and proud. You will make it through this and I admire your choice. I am
well aware that who your family is plays a part in your apparant pain,
but they will have to learn to accept it just as you have. For now I offer
you a position here in my school as my Herbology professor. I believe the
students will love you."
"I dont know Albus-"
"Lavinia, you have nothing to worry about right now. When the time
comes we shall, but not now. You will have plently of collegues and friends
here for you when you need it."
"Alright Albus, alright. But I dont want anyone to know about this
right now. Maybe when I come to terms with it then I will share it with
someone else, but not right now. Okay?"
He patted her shoulder.
"Okay. Now, lets get you up and down to see your classroom."
He reached out for her hand and helped her stand.
"Down?"
"Ah yes. Your classroom is in the dungeons, next to Professor Snape's."
They started to walk together.
"wonderful."she said sarcastically.
"Now Lavinia, you havent seen each other since your graduations and
a lot of things have happened. Severus has had his own plight that he had
to fight and come to terms with. He may be a bitter person in action and
appearance, but theres a lot more going on in that mind than what you think."
"Is he still a death eater?"
"I dont think it is my place to say. You can ask him when you think
the time is right."he replied.
Lavinia shook her head. She hadnt spoken to Severus since that night.
That night that forever changed the way they were to each other.
"Lavinia!"shouted Severus. She turned and saw him coming towards
her and she smiled before taking him in her arms and kissing him.
"Hello love. And how are you today? I was getting very worried about
you. You dissapeared almost a week ago. Where have you been? What's going
on?"
He kissed her again.
"Hello to you too. Im great, absolutely great! Im sorry I havent
been here Lavinia, but I was finishing something I started."
Just then Lucius Malfoy stepped up behind them.
"If you are quite finished Snape, we have plans to make."
He nodded and looked over at Lavinia's face which was now full of
terror.
"What have you done?"she whispered.
"I've joined our Lord Lavinia, see!?"
He pulled up his sleeve to reveal the Dark Mark on his upper arm.
Lavinia stepped back in horror.
She began to speak shakily.
"H-how could you do this Severus?"
He looked at her repulsed face and put his sleeve down.
"What do you mean how could I do this? I'm a Slytherin Lavinia.
I've been bred for joining the Dark Lord. It is my destiny."
"No..no its not. I am your destiny Severus, or so you said. But
I guess you lied. I cant believe you would do this Severus. After everything
that we did and planned Severus...how?"
"What does this change Lavinia? I'm still Severus Snape from Slytherin,
you're Lavinia Karenina from Griffyndor."
"No you're not. It changes everything. It changes you, therefore
it changes me. I can't love evil Severus. And HE is evil. You're no longer
Severus Snape, just another nameless, faceless death eater under his command
and I cant and wont live with that. Goodbye Severus."
Then she ran. Ran as far as she could away from him , despite his
cries for her to come back and despite her heart's cries for him as well..
She would have no part in it. None at all.
She wiped a small tear from her eye at the recollection and absently
fingered the ring on the necklace under her robe. Suddenly Dumbledore awoke
her from her reverie.
"Here we are then."
He motioned inside the door and into her classroom.
It was very large but very dreary.
*With a little spruceing up...a little color here....yes it could be
a very nice room.*
"Severus is just down the hall and your quarters are through a secret
passage in your office."
She mentally sighed.
*Quarters next to Severus. Great, just what I needed.*
"You pull out the book entitled Dreams into the Waking and then wait
for the door to open and you go inside. If you need anything at all, everyone
would be glad to assist you. Now I'll leave you to yourself. Your things
are already in your room. Good day Lavinia."
"Good day Albus."
She sat down at her desk and listened to Dumbldore's retreat
down the hallway. She put her head down in the desk and sighed audibly
this time.
