The Mirror of Erised
Chapter Seventeen
By Jewel Little Bird
Snape turned to go back to his office then stopped when he heard the "thump" of something heavy hitting the floor. He groaned and turned. Sure enough, Fleur had passed out, and now lay face down at his feet.
He barely registered the flash of Mrs. Norris disappearing down another passage to get Filch as he knelt beside the girl. "Bloody idiot," he muttered.
Filch appeared in moments. "Been expecting this to happen," he said, rolling her over and checking her forehead for bumps. "Mrs. Norris told me she's not been eating much."
"No wonder she looks like Lupin gone blond with a sex change," Snape sighed, lifting her into his arms. Despite the loss of weight, she was still heavy enough to make him stagger. "When it did occur to her to eat something, what did she devour, bricks?!" he complained.
Filch snorted. "Just take her to her room. The password is 'slut'. I'll go to the kitchens and send up Winky with something light for her to eat."
"Please do," Snape muttered. He took a deep breath, and then started off at a fast walk to her room. Once there, he snapped the password at the portrait that covered the door, and it obligingly swung open.
He put Fleur on the bed and sighed in relief, stretching his arms. He looked around the room, only now pondering at the password Filch had given to the portrait. He must've really liked Fleur to give her a password similar to his nickname for her.
Thinking it'd be best to cover her with something, he debated rolling her over and pulling the blankets out from under her until he saw the thick cloth covering something flat and tall. That would do just fine. He reached up with his left hand, not noticing the sleeve fall back far enough to reveal the Dark Mark tattooed on his forearm, and whipped off the cloth.
He had not expected yet another encounter with Dumbledore's accursed Mirror of Erised.
He started in dumb shock at Lily as she smiled and blew him a kiss. After what seemed like hours but could only have been a few minutes, he forced himself to cover the mirror once again. He grabbed his throat, forcing himself to breathe and not weep. Within five minutes, he had forced the tears back and was breathing normally.
Just in time, too. Winky entered the room, carrying a large tray which had on it a bowl of chicken broth, crackers, and milk.
"Winky," he said, "stay here and make sure she eats. Also, try to find a way to cheer her up." He swallowed. "Her family was killed recently, so you have my permission to tell her anything that you think will make her feel better. Understood?"
Winky nodded. "Yes, sir. Winky understands."
"Good." He opened the door and put one foot out before he thought of something. "Oh, and Winky?"
"Yes, sir?"
"Don't remove that cloth." He pointed to the covered mirror, then left.
@
End of Chapter Seventeen
Snape turned to go back to his office then stopped when he heard the "thump" of something heavy hitting the floor. He groaned and turned. Sure enough, Fleur had passed out, and now lay face down at his feet.
He barely registered the flash of Mrs. Norris disappearing down another passage to get Filch as he knelt beside the girl. "Bloody idiot," he muttered.
Filch appeared in moments. "Been expecting this to happen," he said, rolling her over and checking her forehead for bumps. "Mrs. Norris told me she's not been eating much."
"No wonder she looks like Lupin gone blond with a sex change," Snape sighed, lifting her into his arms. Despite the loss of weight, she was still heavy enough to make him stagger. "When it did occur to her to eat something, what did she devour, bricks?!" he complained.
Filch snorted. "Just take her to her room. The password is 'slut'. I'll go to the kitchens and send up Winky with something light for her to eat."
"Please do," Snape muttered. He took a deep breath, and then started off at a fast walk to her room. Once there, he snapped the password at the portrait that covered the door, and it obligingly swung open.
He put Fleur on the bed and sighed in relief, stretching his arms. He looked around the room, only now pondering at the password Filch had given to the portrait. He must've really liked Fleur to give her a password similar to his nickname for her.
Thinking it'd be best to cover her with something, he debated rolling her over and pulling the blankets out from under her until he saw the thick cloth covering something flat and tall. That would do just fine. He reached up with his left hand, not noticing the sleeve fall back far enough to reveal the Dark Mark tattooed on his forearm, and whipped off the cloth.
He had not expected yet another encounter with Dumbledore's accursed Mirror of Erised.
He started in dumb shock at Lily as she smiled and blew him a kiss. After what seemed like hours but could only have been a few minutes, he forced himself to cover the mirror once again. He grabbed his throat, forcing himself to breathe and not weep. Within five minutes, he had forced the tears back and was breathing normally.
Just in time, too. Winky entered the room, carrying a large tray which had on it a bowl of chicken broth, crackers, and milk.
"Winky," he said, "stay here and make sure she eats. Also, try to find a way to cheer her up." He swallowed. "Her family was killed recently, so you have my permission to tell her anything that you think will make her feel better. Understood?"
Winky nodded. "Yes, sir. Winky understands."
"Good." He opened the door and put one foot out before he thought of something. "Oh, and Winky?"
"Yes, sir?"
"Don't remove that cloth." He pointed to the covered mirror, then left.
@
End of Chapter Seventeen