Disclaimer; J.K. did it all but this plot is mine.
CRUMBLING MYTHS
THE ASHWINDER
Severus was watching the fire dancing in the fireplace feeling somewhat awed. It was beautiful and alien. Fire was one of the few things that could kill a pure blooded vampire.
The forbidden killing curse could get the job done as well. But that was an 'unnatural' way to die.
Severus wished he had not been put in this situation. Evan Rosier was okay most of the time, but when he put something in his head, it became hard to fight him. Severus had been expecting to use his floo powder at home. In private. It was his by rights of acquisition and possession and should be used on his terms.
Not so.
Rosier wanted to go somewhere and so, Severus would have to waste it on a fireplace where it wouldn't work. The second year mate took two handfuls of the powder from the glass flask and said:;
"I'm taking a bit more, so I can return this way."
"Go ahead. Make my powder yours."
"Snape." He said warningly.
Severus shut his mouth. Evan grabbed him by his shirts collar and said;
"You won't tell a soul where I'm going."
"Who would I tell, for Merlin's sake?" Complained Severus holding the flask closer.
"Okay then." Satisfied with the answer, Evan smiled in a friendly fashion, and turned to the fire place. He thrown a handful of powder to the blazing fire and, to Severus' surprise, said in a clear voice; "Ravenclaw common room." Shooting another glare at Severus, the second year entered the green flames and disappeared.
It works! Severus thought excited. He wasn't sure what was more surprising; that the common room was floo connected, or that Rosier's destiny had been Ravenclaw's common room. What was it that he wanted in there? And in the middle of the night, at that. Severus found himself giggling at all the possible and humiliating hypothesis.
At least he was the last to try his luck. Rosier wouldn't know where he had gone. He could just imagine Jen's face when he'd manage to knock at her window. He just had to jump to Knockturn Alley and pass to muggle London at the same passage he'd used before. This time he'd make sure to mark the alley where the passage opened, to find his way back to school.
"Knockturn Alley!" He said, throwing the powder to the fire place. The flames turned suitably green once more, but as Severus stepped inside, nothing happened. No weird vacuum sucking sensation, no dizziness, no bumps against other firestones in the network. He was standing in the middle of the burning flames and no Knockturn Store in sight. And, fuck, this is getting hot!
He felt some hands grabbing his cloak from behind and pulling hard, before he had time to react. In an instant, he was out of the fireplace, unhurt, except on his pride.
William Wilkes was near him, his brown eyes wide.
"You might start calling me your guardian angel." Said the first year in a hushed voice. "If you had stayed there longer, you'd have burned to cinders. I'm starting to wonder if it is a good idea wanting you for a partner.
"What do you mean?" Severus ego was wounded, but it wasn't the only thing hurting. His plans had not worked as he was still in Hogwarts.
"You seem to have a death wish. I can't imagine how can that bring me profit. I TOLD you the powder wouldn't work here."
"But it did. It did!" Severus repeated frustrated. "It worked out for Rosier."
"Yes. I saw. He went to Ravenclaw common room."
"Don't you sleep, Wilkes?"
"When I'm curious? Hardly!" Will looked at Severus, as if he had gone crazy. "You could just tell me your intentions and let me sleep."
"And just keep you daily informed?" Severus said sarcastically.
"Yes. For both our sake. My sleep and your health. What would become of you if I didn't lend a hand once in a while?"
Severus had to smile at that.
"Okay, you win that one." He said magnanimously.
"What do we do now?"
Severus wished to cry over his shattered plans, but his pride wouldn't allow it.
"I think I'll wait for Evan."
"Why?"
"Why not?"
"He might not like it."
"It was I that gave him the floo powder. I want to see him safe in here."
Will seated comfortably in a couch near the fire place to wait with Severus.
"Let us hope he returns before everybody wakes up." The boy said.
They wished for a house elf loaded with food and hot chocolate mugs, but none of then dared to leave the common room, even though Will swore he knew where the kitchen was and the password to get inside.
So they talked and for the most part of the night the conversation was on Quidditch. Will was a feverous adept. Severus couldn't care less, but his favoured team was the Heidelberg Harriers from Germany, because father liked them. Will was a stinger, or a Wimbourne Wasps' fan. He new the team's origins and history, all the games they had won and in what conditions. All team's heroes and was a huge rival of the Appleby Arrows, on whom he insisted in forgetting the 1932's great victory against the Vratsa Vultures. Severus knew that bit since father mentioned that often as a stain in the great European team's curriculum. They both agreed Chudley Cannons were totally surpassed and should be kicked out of the league.
Eventually, they both fall asleep in front of the warm fireplace.
When Severus felt a hand shaking his shoulder, he woke up to see Rosier was back.
"What is that kid doing here?" Asked Rosier pointing sleepy eyed Will, who had sat at the sound of voices.
"I can't seem to lose him." Answered Severus. "He has proclaimed himself my shadow."
Rosier looked coldly at Wilkes.
"I can make him leave."
"I'd like to see that." Said Severus. "I've been trying since I got here."
"Hello Rosier." Will stood in front of the second year. "I'm Wilkes. Will Wilkes."
"I know who you are." Said Rosier disdainful. "you're a mudblood."
Severus looked surprised at both of them. No one had told him that. He had been seen roaming the entire school in the company of a mudblood for the last month! How could he know? Rarely had a muggle born child been placed at Slytherin. Still that was not unheard off. Severus found himself torn between admiring the sneaky little rat, and run from him lest the stain stick with him for life.
"Yes, I am." Wilkes smiled. "Which of course makes me a wizard."
Rosier kept his cold glare on the first year for a while, then he smiled back.
"You're a Slytherin." He said as if that solved any flaw the boy might have.
"Yes, I am." Repeated Wilkes.
"So. Were you snooping on us, Will Wilkes?"
Severus was interested in observing on the front row those two cunning minds facing each other, but something caught his eye.
In the fireplace, the cinders were still hot causing a red light to spread through the room, playing over the boys faces and objects. What caught his attention was cinder traces that left the fireplace to the green and silver carpet on the floor.
"Merlin!" He exclaimed. "This place is a mess! Evan, you swine! Couldn't you step out of the fireplace with less fuss? We have to clean this before anybody sees it."
"What? I didn't do this. I got out of the fireplace and sat here to wake you! You two were here before I arrived. You must have done this mess."
"Oh. My God!" Said Wilkes, muggle like. "Don't you see? This is not our doing!"
"Don't say that." Severus soul seemed to fall on his feet.
"What is it?" Asked Evan.
"Ashwinder." Answered Severus, extremely pale. "We left the fire unguarded."
"An ashwinder?" Evan recalled having learned about the cinder snake in DADA first year. "Oh no! We have to catch it!"
"Them! From all this traces I can see their at least four." Said Severus. "We also have to find all the eggs the snakes hatch."
"And freeze them quickly!" Jumped Will. "They'll catch on fire one hour after they're hatched."
"Who knows when did they started hatching?" Rosier was frantic, looking at all sides. "Where could they be?"
"They like cold and isolated places to hatch." Said Wilkes.
"Which leaves all and any place in the whole dungeons!" Severus spat frustrated. "Follow the tracks." He ran behind the couch Wilkes had been sleeping at. For a first try, it couldn't have had better results. A light grey snake with shinning red eyes rose protectively over its red hot eggs.
"AAAAHHH!" Severus jumped backwards as the sake stroke to bite.
"Pellere." Evan Rosier used the repulsive spell to send the ashwinder back to the fireplace.
Bashful at his show of fear, Severus jumped in the direction of the glowing eggs and used a freezing spell to be able to handle them. Then he kept the three small objects inside his robe's pockets.
"It's almost Seven A.M." Complained Will following other cinder traces on the floor. "Everybody will be waking up soon."
The small glowing snakes were fierce and stood a fight for every hiding place discovered. In the end, Wilkes had a bite in his left hand to show for their troubles.
"You should to go to the infirmary." Severus advised.
"How will I justify an ashwinder bite?" Complained Will.
"You both should go to the infirmary, your face is a mess, Snape." Said Evan.
"Thank you."
"And you" Evan continued talking to Will. "just have to say you were bitten by a snake. Not give the beast's pedigree. You don't know were it came from nor what kind it was."
"Just as easy?"
"Just so." Rosier said matter-of-factly. "If you're smart. The more one tries to explain a mess, the more one gets dirty."
"Go to the infirmary. " Insisted Severus. "Everybody's leaving their dorms. We'd better go to the Great Hall for breakfast and mix with the others." He told Rosier.
They were so tired, their only real wish was to go straight to bed. Their predicament called for other measures though.
They were in front of porridge bowls looking at it and gathering courage to eat something, when Hassan came running through the large doors of the Great Hall.
"Fire!!! In the dungeons!" She screamed and run back in the direction she had come from.
Dumbledore ordered the prefects to watch the students of their respective houses, while all teachers left the great table and ran to the dungeons to extinguish the fire.
"How many snakes did you think there was?" Rosier asked between his teeth.
"One too many, I suppose." Severus wished for an invisibility cloak.
So Rosier when to Ravenclaw's common room? Until next time Hugs Aliera
OH, I almost forget: Please review
CRUMBLING MYTHS
THE ASHWINDER
Severus was watching the fire dancing in the fireplace feeling somewhat awed. It was beautiful and alien. Fire was one of the few things that could kill a pure blooded vampire.
The forbidden killing curse could get the job done as well. But that was an 'unnatural' way to die.
Severus wished he had not been put in this situation. Evan Rosier was okay most of the time, but when he put something in his head, it became hard to fight him. Severus had been expecting to use his floo powder at home. In private. It was his by rights of acquisition and possession and should be used on his terms.
Not so.
Rosier wanted to go somewhere and so, Severus would have to waste it on a fireplace where it wouldn't work. The second year mate took two handfuls of the powder from the glass flask and said:;
"I'm taking a bit more, so I can return this way."
"Go ahead. Make my powder yours."
"Snape." He said warningly.
Severus shut his mouth. Evan grabbed him by his shirts collar and said;
"You won't tell a soul where I'm going."
"Who would I tell, for Merlin's sake?" Complained Severus holding the flask closer.
"Okay then." Satisfied with the answer, Evan smiled in a friendly fashion, and turned to the fire place. He thrown a handful of powder to the blazing fire and, to Severus' surprise, said in a clear voice; "Ravenclaw common room." Shooting another glare at Severus, the second year entered the green flames and disappeared.
It works! Severus thought excited. He wasn't sure what was more surprising; that the common room was floo connected, or that Rosier's destiny had been Ravenclaw's common room. What was it that he wanted in there? And in the middle of the night, at that. Severus found himself giggling at all the possible and humiliating hypothesis.
At least he was the last to try his luck. Rosier wouldn't know where he had gone. He could just imagine Jen's face when he'd manage to knock at her window. He just had to jump to Knockturn Alley and pass to muggle London at the same passage he'd used before. This time he'd make sure to mark the alley where the passage opened, to find his way back to school.
"Knockturn Alley!" He said, throwing the powder to the fire place. The flames turned suitably green once more, but as Severus stepped inside, nothing happened. No weird vacuum sucking sensation, no dizziness, no bumps against other firestones in the network. He was standing in the middle of the burning flames and no Knockturn Store in sight. And, fuck, this is getting hot!
He felt some hands grabbing his cloak from behind and pulling hard, before he had time to react. In an instant, he was out of the fireplace, unhurt, except on his pride.
William Wilkes was near him, his brown eyes wide.
"You might start calling me your guardian angel." Said the first year in a hushed voice. "If you had stayed there longer, you'd have burned to cinders. I'm starting to wonder if it is a good idea wanting you for a partner.
"What do you mean?" Severus ego was wounded, but it wasn't the only thing hurting. His plans had not worked as he was still in Hogwarts.
"You seem to have a death wish. I can't imagine how can that bring me profit. I TOLD you the powder wouldn't work here."
"But it did. It did!" Severus repeated frustrated. "It worked out for Rosier."
"Yes. I saw. He went to Ravenclaw common room."
"Don't you sleep, Wilkes?"
"When I'm curious? Hardly!" Will looked at Severus, as if he had gone crazy. "You could just tell me your intentions and let me sleep."
"And just keep you daily informed?" Severus said sarcastically.
"Yes. For both our sake. My sleep and your health. What would become of you if I didn't lend a hand once in a while?"
Severus had to smile at that.
"Okay, you win that one." He said magnanimously.
"What do we do now?"
Severus wished to cry over his shattered plans, but his pride wouldn't allow it.
"I think I'll wait for Evan."
"Why?"
"Why not?"
"He might not like it."
"It was I that gave him the floo powder. I want to see him safe in here."
Will seated comfortably in a couch near the fire place to wait with Severus.
"Let us hope he returns before everybody wakes up." The boy said.
They wished for a house elf loaded with food and hot chocolate mugs, but none of then dared to leave the common room, even though Will swore he knew where the kitchen was and the password to get inside.
So they talked and for the most part of the night the conversation was on Quidditch. Will was a feverous adept. Severus couldn't care less, but his favoured team was the Heidelberg Harriers from Germany, because father liked them. Will was a stinger, or a Wimbourne Wasps' fan. He new the team's origins and history, all the games they had won and in what conditions. All team's heroes and was a huge rival of the Appleby Arrows, on whom he insisted in forgetting the 1932's great victory against the Vratsa Vultures. Severus knew that bit since father mentioned that often as a stain in the great European team's curriculum. They both agreed Chudley Cannons were totally surpassed and should be kicked out of the league.
Eventually, they both fall asleep in front of the warm fireplace.
When Severus felt a hand shaking his shoulder, he woke up to see Rosier was back.
"What is that kid doing here?" Asked Rosier pointing sleepy eyed Will, who had sat at the sound of voices.
"I can't seem to lose him." Answered Severus. "He has proclaimed himself my shadow."
Rosier looked coldly at Wilkes.
"I can make him leave."
"I'd like to see that." Said Severus. "I've been trying since I got here."
"Hello Rosier." Will stood in front of the second year. "I'm Wilkes. Will Wilkes."
"I know who you are." Said Rosier disdainful. "you're a mudblood."
Severus looked surprised at both of them. No one had told him that. He had been seen roaming the entire school in the company of a mudblood for the last month! How could he know? Rarely had a muggle born child been placed at Slytherin. Still that was not unheard off. Severus found himself torn between admiring the sneaky little rat, and run from him lest the stain stick with him for life.
"Yes, I am." Wilkes smiled. "Which of course makes me a wizard."
Rosier kept his cold glare on the first year for a while, then he smiled back.
"You're a Slytherin." He said as if that solved any flaw the boy might have.
"Yes, I am." Repeated Wilkes.
"So. Were you snooping on us, Will Wilkes?"
Severus was interested in observing on the front row those two cunning minds facing each other, but something caught his eye.
In the fireplace, the cinders were still hot causing a red light to spread through the room, playing over the boys faces and objects. What caught his attention was cinder traces that left the fireplace to the green and silver carpet on the floor.
"Merlin!" He exclaimed. "This place is a mess! Evan, you swine! Couldn't you step out of the fireplace with less fuss? We have to clean this before anybody sees it."
"What? I didn't do this. I got out of the fireplace and sat here to wake you! You two were here before I arrived. You must have done this mess."
"Oh. My God!" Said Wilkes, muggle like. "Don't you see? This is not our doing!"
"Don't say that." Severus soul seemed to fall on his feet.
"What is it?" Asked Evan.
"Ashwinder." Answered Severus, extremely pale. "We left the fire unguarded."
"An ashwinder?" Evan recalled having learned about the cinder snake in DADA first year. "Oh no! We have to catch it!"
"Them! From all this traces I can see their at least four." Said Severus. "We also have to find all the eggs the snakes hatch."
"And freeze them quickly!" Jumped Will. "They'll catch on fire one hour after they're hatched."
"Who knows when did they started hatching?" Rosier was frantic, looking at all sides. "Where could they be?"
"They like cold and isolated places to hatch." Said Wilkes.
"Which leaves all and any place in the whole dungeons!" Severus spat frustrated. "Follow the tracks." He ran behind the couch Wilkes had been sleeping at. For a first try, it couldn't have had better results. A light grey snake with shinning red eyes rose protectively over its red hot eggs.
"AAAAHHH!" Severus jumped backwards as the sake stroke to bite.
"Pellere." Evan Rosier used the repulsive spell to send the ashwinder back to the fireplace.
Bashful at his show of fear, Severus jumped in the direction of the glowing eggs and used a freezing spell to be able to handle them. Then he kept the three small objects inside his robe's pockets.
"It's almost Seven A.M." Complained Will following other cinder traces on the floor. "Everybody will be waking up soon."
The small glowing snakes were fierce and stood a fight for every hiding place discovered. In the end, Wilkes had a bite in his left hand to show for their troubles.
"You should to go to the infirmary." Severus advised.
"How will I justify an ashwinder bite?" Complained Will.
"You both should go to the infirmary, your face is a mess, Snape." Said Evan.
"Thank you."
"And you" Evan continued talking to Will. "just have to say you were bitten by a snake. Not give the beast's pedigree. You don't know were it came from nor what kind it was."
"Just as easy?"
"Just so." Rosier said matter-of-factly. "If you're smart. The more one tries to explain a mess, the more one gets dirty."
"Go to the infirmary. " Insisted Severus. "Everybody's leaving their dorms. We'd better go to the Great Hall for breakfast and mix with the others." He told Rosier.
They were so tired, their only real wish was to go straight to bed. Their predicament called for other measures though.
They were in front of porridge bowls looking at it and gathering courage to eat something, when Hassan came running through the large doors of the Great Hall.
"Fire!!! In the dungeons!" She screamed and run back in the direction she had come from.
Dumbledore ordered the prefects to watch the students of their respective houses, while all teachers left the great table and ran to the dungeons to extinguish the fire.
"How many snakes did you think there was?" Rosier asked between his teeth.
"One too many, I suppose." Severus wished for an invisibility cloak.
So Rosier when to Ravenclaw's common room? Until next time Hugs Aliera
OH, I almost forget: Please review