Lauralie Black and the Cloak of Destiny (YEAR 1)
Chapter 8: Mystery Gift
In the din of Slytherin's victory against Ravenclaw, November blended into December. Soon there were white blankets of snow on the grounds, and the lake had frozen over. This new chilling weather was most evident in their Potions class. The Slytherin first years hovered as close to their cauldrons as possible as they brewed their Relaxing Draught.
"Am I the only one who has noticed that Severus and Lucius are around less and less?" Narcissa whispered.
Lauralie sighed. Narcissa was right. Ever since the match against Ravenclaw Ludo had been working the Slytherin Quidditch team harder and harder. When Severus and Lucius weren't in class or sleeping, they were on the Quidditch pitch practicing.
"They want to beat Gryffindor," Lauralie said.
"How are they going to beat Gryffindor if they're half asleep when they are playing?" Katia asked, adding her diced Mandrake leaves to her cauldron.
"You all should be done now," Professor Lestrange announced, "now leave it so that it may simmer overnight. Also, as your House Head, it is my job to take a list of names of students who wish to remain at Hogwarts for the Holidays. Please sign it if this applies to you."
"Good," Lauralie said, "I was wondering when that list was going to come around."
"You're staying here over the holidays?" Narcissa asked, startled.
"Did you think I was going to go home?" Lauralie asked. "My father doesn't even consider me to be own daughter anymore. Besides, Severus will be here, and I'm more likely to have fun with him than at home. Having my father and brother ignore me is not how I want to spend my holidays."
Narcissa exchanged looks with Anastasia. "What about your mother?" Katia asked.
"Well, I figure Mum with have Dad and Sirius. She won't mind having me stay here," Lauralie answered, as she signed the list. "She'll understand."
~~~~~~
The Great Hall was louder and more rowdier than usual. With the end of the term at hand, many students were pumping themselves up for the holidays. The Gryffindor table was by far the worst. For no matter how worked up the Slytherins got, they never really showed it by acting like rowdy, hormone charged fools. It just wasn't Slytherin style. So while the Gryffindors were shouting along their table, and laughing at the top of their lungs, the Slytherins were quietly excited.
Lauralie sat down silently next to Severus, who smiled at her weakly. He looked simply exhausted. The bags under his eyes dark compared to his pale complexion. Lucius, who was sitting across from him looked just as bad.
"Lauralie just signed the list to stay at school over the holidays," Katia announced as she sat on the other side of Severus.
"Really?" Severus asked, looking up in shock.
"Why is this surprising everyone?" Lauralie asked. "Am I the only one who remembers the fact that two-thirds of my family disowned me?"
"Well, maybe you should go home, and try to… make amends," Lucius offered.
Lauralie sighed, and began to cut her pork chop far more violently than needed.
"Um… anyway," Anastasia began, breaking the awkward silence, "are you guys ready for the Slytherin versus Gryffindor match after Christmas?"
There was a chorus of groans from all the members of the Quidditch team. Ludo was not present at the table, or they would not have been showing such frustration.
"I'm just relieved that Ludo's not making us practice over the holidays," Lucius said, "and I am quite sure he has considered it."
"We'll practice the week we get back," Severus said.
"You guys will do fine," Narcissa said, "You steamrollered Ravenclaw."
"Yes, but Ravenclaw was a weak team," Lucius said, rapping his fist on the table. "We have no idea the capabilities of the Gryffindor team."
"And as much as we tease Lockhart, he knows how to run a Quidditch team," Severus added.
"He's also quite handsome," Katia whispered. The girls dissolved into giggles.
"Brainless is more like it," Lucius hissed.
"Oh, you are just jealous Lucy," Anastasia cooed. "You don't have girls throwing themselves on you."
"He won't get anywhere in this world," Lucius snapped.
"Yes, mark my word, in ten years, no on will have ever heard the name Gilderoy Lockhart," Severus added, waving his finger around for a bit of emphasis.
The girls erupted into giggles.
~~~~~
The Slytherin common room was almost completely empty. The only people present were the two figures perched on the hearth, playing chess in the flickering firelight.
Lauralie watched as Severus pondered his next more, he black hair falling over his face. He tucked it behind his ear before directing his bishop.
Lauralie gazed down at the board that was overrun with black pieces. He was most definitely a better player, but Lauralie was just learning. She could never have asked for a better teacher. He was patient, and methodical.
"Um… how about I move my Knight to take out your pawn?" she asked.
"Ah, but your Queen is in jeopardy," Severus whispered.
"Damn, I didn't even see that," she cursed.
"You, my dear, need to learn to look at the whole board, and take in all the positions," he said. "You are making progress, though."
Lauralie moved her Queen out of harms way. Severus was gazing down at the board; his hair slowly loosed itself from behind his ear. She laughed.
"Your hair just doesn't like to behave itself," she said, reaching forward and sweeping it behind his ear for him. Her hand grazed his cheek on its way back and Severus looked up sharply.
Their faces were so close now, too close. Lauralie leaned back.
"I believe it's still your turn," she said.
He ordered his move.
"Check mate."
"Bugger," she said, throwing her hands in the air. "Me and chess just don't mix."
He smiled. "Well, it would help if you had your own pieces," he said.
"Yes, Lucius' set is so stuck up," she said, ignoring her small knight that was brandishing it's sword at her. "They never listen to me."
Severus looked across the board at his young friend. She was gazing at the fire, her face illuminated in a flickering orange light. The flames were reflected in her dark eyes. Her hand fiddled absent-mindedly with the clasp of her robes.
"Where have you gone to?" he asked.
"Hmmm?" she said.
She was looking at him now. He could see himself reflected in her eyes in place of the flames.
"You were a million miles away, Lauralie," Severus whispered.
"Sorry," she said.
"You've been doing that a lot lately," he said.
"I'm wondering if I made the right decision in staying at Hogwarts for Christmas," Lauralie said.
"You miss your mother," he said.
"Yes," she agreed. "Maybe Lucius is right, I should have tried to make amends."
"You don't owe them anything. If they want to make amends, they know where to find you."
"I suppose so." She'd gone back to gazing in the fire. Severus reached out and placed his hand over hers.
"I would have been terribly lonely if you hadn't stayed," he said.
She smiled. "Well, then I'm glad I did."
They sat for a moment, connected. His black eyes, meeting hers of the same, and he was quite sure that if he tried hard enough, he could hear her thoughts. He wondered if she could hear his. Please God, don't let this end. Don't let this ever end.
But the instant those words formed in his brain, it ended. Lauralie pulled her hand gently away.
"We should go to bed," she said. "Tomorrow is Christmas."
"Yes, it is," he said.
She stood and reached out a hand to help Severus up. "Goodnight, Severus," she said.
"Goodnight, Lauralie," he replied, and they each went down their own paths.
~~~~
Sunlight crept gently through the window into the First Year girls' dorm. It spread slowly, and soon it was shining through the crack in Lauralie's green bed curtains. A bright line played across her face, she reached up to bat it away. Her eyes fluttered open, as she sat up in bed.
She got out of bed and walked to the window. Snow fell heavily from the heavens, she was caught up in the beauty of it. She gazed down at the white, snowy lawns. She watched as an owl soared across the sky.
She turned to the empty room. And to the small pile of presents at the foot of her bed.
Lauralie couldn't help but smile as she slowly lowered herself to the ground. She reached for the first package, small and wrapped in plain brown paper. She ripped it open to find a small cat figurine, carved out of wood.
She smiled as she read the note.
Lauralie,
I just wanted to thank you again. Mrs. Norris has been a great companion. Thank you for being a great friend. I hope you are well.
Sincerely, ArgusLauralie looked down at the small cat. She was quite sure she had carved it himself. She sat it down beside her gently. The next present was a beautiful green witches hat, with a silver snake embroidered on it, from Narcissa. Followed by a huge arrangement of sweets from Lucius.
She reached for her next present as an owl appeared outside her window, pecking sharply on the glass. Lauralie rose from the floor and opened the window. A silver owl soared through the window landing gently on Lauralie's bed, a parchment envelope with a red seal clamped in his beak.
Lauralie smiled. She recognized the scarlet seal on the envelope as that of Rainelda Black, her mother. She gently took the envelope from the owl, who hooted gently.
Lauralie pulled open the seal to read her mother's letter.
To my dearest daughter,
Hello my love, I miss you dearly. I wish you had come home for the holidays, but I understand why you wished to remain at Hogwarts. And as stubborn as the men in this family are, I know they both love you very much. They are just too stubborn to admit it now, but one day. My Christmas gift to you is the owl that delivered this message. Professor Dumbledore told me about you giving Mrs. Norris to Argus. That was a very sweet thing you did. And Salazar should be an adequate companion.
Love always, Rainelda Black"Salazar?" Lauralie repeated. The owl hooted and flew off the bed, landing gently on Lauralie's arm. She reached out and stroked his shiny silver feathers, there was a gold collar circling its neck, engraved in the metal was the name "Salazar".
Salazar inched up her arm till he was perched on her shoulder. Lauralie moved to the last two packages remaining at the foot of the bed. The first was wrapped in shiny black paper that fell away on its own as she picked it up. Sitting in her grasp, was a black stone box, embossed in silver on the front were the words To my dearest friend. Love SS.
Lauralie opened the box, which creaked as she did, to reveal a brand new chess set. She picked up the queen and was startled to see a resemblance to herself. "Severus, you sneaky devil," she said, placing the queen in the box. Perhaps if she's looked closer, she would have seen that the knights had shoulder length black hair.
"Merry Christmas."
Standing, framed in the doorway to the dormitory, was Severus Snape.
"You are not supposed to be in here," she hissed.
"And who's around to tell on me," he said. "Did you like your gift?"
"Yes, it's wonderful," she said.
"Want to play a game tonight? Break them in."
"We play a game every night," Lauralie pointed out.
"True. Who's owl?" Severus asked, jerking his head towards Salazar.
"Mine. Do you like him?" she asked. "Mom's present. His name is Salazar. I think it is mom's way of showing it's OK to be proud of Slytherin."
"Looks like you have one left," he said.
"Oh yeah, I was getting ready to open it," she said, picking it up off the floor. She ripped the paper from it to reveal a gorgeous cloak. It was deep green, with silver border and lining. Emblazoned on it was a silver Slytherin Serpent, hissing softly on the chest of the cloak.
"Wow," Severus breathed. "Who sent you that?"
"I have no idea," she answered. She gently transplanted Salazar from her shoulder and onto the post of her bed and flung the cloak over her shoulders.
Suddenly it seemed like the cloak had come to life. The silver sparkled and shined, it seemed to radiate energy and power.
"What the…" Severus gasped. "Look, a note fell out."
Lauralie reached down and plucked the black piece of parchment from the floor. On it, in radiant silver writing, were the words:
My dearest Lauralie,
You do not know me, but I know a great deal about you. You are always in my thoughts and in my heart. My identity has been hidden from you for most of your life, but not for long. Soon I will be able to meet you, and make up for all the time we lost. I am handing down this cloak to you, as it has been no use to me since the day you came into this world. I am sure you will put it to good use.
"There's no signature," Severus breathed.
"No, there isn't," Lauralie whispered. She looked across the room to the mirror. She could see the power radiating off the cloak. Who would send me something so powerful?