Roses and thorns

It was pasted the middle of the night when she finally arrived as quiet as a ghost. First, he heard the click-clack of her high-heels around the room then, as he lifted his eyes, he noticed she was there. She'd changed her dress. Again. Severus didn't bother to contemplate how shallow she was or how dresses, cakes and jellies occupied most of her brain. Yet he couldn't figure out why he hadn't heard the door when she'd entered. Had he fallen asleep?

Viper was dressed in a long lavender shirtdress fastened with silver buttons which stopped just above her knees. While she walked, her silk dress flew backwards like a train, revealing her shiny diamond-encrusted high-heel straps that go up her ivory legs, resembling two dazzling snakes coiled around their prey. A middle-sized dark dog was following her its tail high up like a fluffy hook.

Severus watched her from the sofa where he'd been sitting for over an hour as the experience with the rose made him decide to stay away from Viper's things. He didn't believe what the house elf had said. Obviously. But he couldn't deny the rose wasn't an ordinary flower.

She smiled as her eyes stopped on him. She seemed much younger and more natural compared with the last time he'd seen her, he couldn't help noticing. She seemed surprised as his eyes met her, but she said nothing. Instead, she returned her attention to her beloved dog, who had turned his belly upside-down waiting for a rub. Begging her to with his sparkly eyes. Eventually, she laughed and pressed her small hand on his belly. It was the first time she seemed to act like a human and not a barbie doll princess. Yet she kept ignoring him. But she'd seen him. She knew he was there. Severus was certain she had. She'd looked at him. And yet she acted like he wasn't there. Like he wouldn't be able to see or hear her.

"Maybe, it's an act. Or a spell that had gone wrong." He considered the possibility. There were few things that could surprise him when it came to Viper. So, he kept pretending he hadn't heard her only to see what she'd say later. For a moment, their glances locked again. The same surprise. But, as if the possibility of him seeing her was too low to consider, she ignored her gut. At least that's what it looked like. However, Severus was more and more confident she had failed at performing a spell and she wasn't aware of it.

She sat down on the floor next to the dog and kept running her fingers on his fluffy fur. Up and down. Drawing imaginary lines on his face. Massaging his eyes and then his ears. His head.

"I can't believe he's here." She exclaimed. With such enthusiasm in her voice. Her happiness seemed so genuine. "Come here, Cerby." The dog turned and stood on his four. Then, he came and put his head on her lap while she massaged his head and ears.

Severus wondered if there was some sort of melancholy in the way she smiled while she put her head on the warm body of her dog or if he had imagined it. Considering it came from a creature as vain as Viper it was hard to believe she would be able to care for something else but herself and her looks.

"Where's the cat?" He asked letting her know her invisibility spell didn't work. He stood up ready to leave as soon as she would bring the cat.

She lifted her head and watched him flabbergasted. It was the first time he'd really caught her with her guard down and he enjoyed having the upper hand.

"Whatever spell you tried, obviously it didn't work." He sneered. "I can see you. Yes, I do. Not very good at spells are you?"

"How? It can't be...I mean...Yes, you do see me."

"I've told you the spell doesn't work."

"The dog...you..do you see him?"

"Dark...long..short feet. Idiot, considering it seems to love you. Do you intend to eat it for dinner?"

"Fine...you see us. Strange."

"Why is it strange?"

"Because you are..." She came closer to him, and reached her hand out towards him, closer and closer to his chest, but she stopped before it touched the fabric of his outfit. He stood there, not knowing what to do. He watched her hypnotised as she kept her palm a few inches away from his chest. "Yes... it's..unusual. Fine, then. So, I'll be able to visit you and talk. Bad for you, though. It's sad. So very sad."

Viper retreated to the other corner of the room, putting some distance between her and him. Yet he didn't have time to contemplate how unusual it seemed as her words kept spinning in his head. Much he tried to understand, they didn't seem to make sense. And it made his blood boil in his vein.

"Could you just stop speaking in riddles and explain why it is bad that I can see you?" He hissed struggling to control the hurricane her presence always managed to stir inside him.

"You don't need to know that. It can't be fixed, anyway. So, why not make the best of it until I figure out what's wrong with you."

"There's nothing wrong with me." He cried. "Where's the cat? I really need to go."

"The cat hasn't returned. But I spoke with the Dark Lord. He won't blame you for the delay. I explained everything."

"Yeah sure. And he let you go. Do I look stupid? Where is the cat? He doesn't like to wait."

"It is beyond my power. She won't be able to return before dawn. But we can speak a little till then. To make the time pass. It's only 1 p.m. Have you seen the balcony? The moon is wonderful tonight."

And she hurried towards the door which was hidden by heavy velvet curtains, and disappear. Severus waited for a while then, deciding to see if she was behind that door, he dragged the green curtains away, opened the door and stepped into 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 bathed in the chill air of the night.

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 up her hair. "Don't you think these stars resemble thousands of fireflies?"

"I don't have time for this." He complained.

"Idiot." Her voice was cold as autumn rain. She was meters away, but he could sense her fury. Raining over every inch of his body, entering his soul, his mind, his senses.

The world he knew disappeared all of a sudden and it was replaced by a very different scenery. He was on the edge of a cliff and just a step further was the sea. He couldn't see it clearly. He only saw the water shine as the moon's light was reflecting on it, dancing with the waves. But he heard the waves crashing on the cliffs and felt its salty, cold breeze. He didn't dare to make a step, either back or forth. Whatever the destination that path paved with bone-like rocks seemed to lead to his own grave. He had the slightest idea how he'd ended there. His feet seemed so feeble and he feared they would abandon him and when they did, he would fall into the water. Severus realized he didn't want to die for the first time in years. He was afraid. It felt stupid. He hated to be a coward, but he couldn't help it and every beat of his heart amplified the desire to live.

He looked at the sky. The moon was indeed magnificent. The night had never seemed more beautiful. Even his gloomy life looked way brighter as the realization he was about to die chased away all the fury and frustration and left only light and hope.

"Have you changed your mind?" He heard Viper's voice. "It seems you have enough time to see the beauty if only you want to." Her tone was warmer now like that of a mother who'd forgiven her naughty child.

"What are we doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" She laughed. "Admiring the moon. Splendid, isn't it?" He didn't answer. What could he say after all? Yes, it was splendid. Scary as it was, everything felt shockingly amazing. He didn't remember the last time he felt it was so marvellous to be alive. Challenging, breathtaking and sometimes, difficult, but it felt so good. Worth fighting for. "Your life isn't that bad, after all, is it, Severus?"

"I won't beg for mercy."

"No, you wouldn't. It wouldn't be you if you did. Good luck, Severus.".

The cliff broke under his foot so fast that he had no time to react. He felt his body falling down, down, pray to the fury of the goods of the sea. This was the end. He knew it and he almost could sense the Death reaching to him, latching its long fingers around his body, embracing him and dragging him into the depth.