A BROTHER'S UNEASE

Severus Snape was uneasy. The return of his sister after such a long absence was as unexpected as it was disturbing. He couldn't say he had been surprised when she had left 10 years ago. She had left his room in a torrent of tears after a bitter argument. His cruelty to her that afternoon had been unrestrained. He had lost his temper with her and had unleashed upon her the full measure of his cutting tongue. To his best recollection—and his recollections were seldom anything but flawless – his final words to her had been "Remove yourself from my sight immediately—and do not return. Never return, do you understand me?" Oh, yes. Those had definitely been his words!

And later that evening, when he had received her letter, its contents had also offered him no surprise. Those words, too, were indelibly etched in his cursed memory:

Dearest Severus,

I have taken far too great advantage of your unique understanding of my situation. Rest assured that I will not impose upon your kindness any further. But you must understand, brother, you cannot make me into what I am not. The blood of our father is in your veins, as well, Severus. I know you deny it, refuse to yield to its seduction. But I am not as strong as you, my love. And if I were, I am still not certain I would choose to follow any other path.

But I would not make trouble for you… Since you tell me to leave, I will leave. It just so happens that of late I have been feeling an almost overpowering desire to travel—extensively. This island has suddenly become much too small…

Be happy, Severus. If you cannot be happy, at least be well. Think of me from time to time (in your nightmares, at the very least!). It is not likely our paths will cross again, my dearest love.

Yours always,

Felicia

For all her faults, Felicia had always been true to her word. He had truly expected to never see her again. Once his anger with her had cooled, he had suffered mixed emotions over that prospect. Their relationship had always been somewhat unusual, to say the least. Closer than brother and sister, more intimate, even, than lovers. The communion they shared was borne of blood, of a mutual, undeniable heritage. In some ways, he had always felt that Felicia and he were merely two separate parts of the same being. Separation from her had been both a relief and an agony. Rather like the severing of an infected hand.

And now she had returned, and with a rather spurious reason for doing so. He knew her too well to believe she had been driven home by an overwhelming sense of homesickness! But why, then, had she returned?

He sat staring into the dying embers of the fire. Her proximity was vaguely disquieting. He could sense her presence. And he could almost smell her desire. This brought him up short. A frowned deepened the furrows between his brows.

With a sense of urgency—almost a sense of impending doom (Felicia had a tendency to bring out unwontedly dramatic thoughts in him!), he rose and set off towards her rooms.

He knew before he knocked that she was not there. Her door was unlocked, which irritated him slightly. She had never bothered to lock her doors. It was as if she were issuing a standing invitation to all and sundry to visit themselves upon her at all hours of the day and night! She could be as open and welcoming as he was closed and forbidding. Again, the two separate—opposite—parts of the same being.

Where had she gone? She could be very dangerous when…stimulated. He called upon the senses he so carefully suppressed. Sniffing slightly, he picked up her scent. It wasn't difficult. She was obviously strongly aroused—and hungry.


He followed her scent through the corridors and came upon her coming out of the Slytherin Common Room. His perceptive eyes took in her flushed face and slightly glazed expression. He noticed with a sense of foreboding that her sweater was partially unbuttoned, revealing a substantial amount of her undeniable charms.

He scowled mightily, looking from her to the closed door. "What have you been up to, Felicia?"

Felicia licked her lips slightly. "Why would you assume I have been up to something, dear brother?"

"Because I know you, dear sister."

A slow, tantalizing smile crossed her lips. "Yes, you do—better than most." She purred.

Severus took a step towards the door to the Common Room. Felicia forestalled him, placing a hand upon his arm.

"Now Severus," she began, her eyes glittering merrily. "The poor boy is in no condition to be seen right now. Please give him a few moments to…recover himself before you go barging in on him."

He glared down at her. "What have you done with him, Felicia?" he demanded fiercely, eyes blazing.

The look she gave him from under her lashes exuded the essence of pure, raw, sexuality. It would have melted most men instantly. Severus merely scowled more deeply. .

"Nothing…damaging…I assure you. He will be right as rain in a few moments, though perhaps just a little…tired?"

"Return to your rooms, at once, Felicia! I will see you there momentarily." The tone of his voice would brook no argument.

Her lips twisted slightly. Was she one of his students? Oh, but he was still so sexy when he was angry! "As you say, dear brother." She looked over her shoulder as she left, "But do hurry, Severus. You know I can't bear to be kept waiting." She laughed merrily, almost skipping down the corridor.

Snape stood silently for a moment and waited. He did not have long to wait. The door to the Common Room opened and a disheveled Draco Malfoy appeared. Snape's lips twitched slightly at the look of utter horror that appeared on Draco's face as he saw the Potions Master standing in front of him.

"Professor Snape!" He instinctively tried to straighten his robes. Oh lord! He was done for now!

"Trouble sleeping, Mr. Malfoy?" His voice was quiet, his face as unreadable as always.

Draco blushed hotly. "Y-yes, P-professor. I w-was having some trouble with the essay you gave us. I came down to the Common Room to do some reading…" No chance in hell he was going to believe that one!

Snape regarded him cooly. He was deciding whether to let the boy off lightly… Lord knows if Felicia had just done with him, he had suffered enough for one night! It was amazing that the boy could even stand!

"Admirable of you, Mr. Malfoy." His eyes never left Draco's face. "But I suggest you return to your bed at once. Doubtless you are in need of some…sleep."

"Y-yes, Professor, I was just on my way to do just that!" Draco turned to go, barely able to believe his good fortune.

"One more thing, Mr. Malfoy…" Snape said quietly, "If I were you, I would try to resist the urge—however powerful—to leave your dormitory in the middle of the night. Such actions might be very…damaging to your health." He turned and strode off quickly down the corridor after his sister.