Chapter three,
'What can I get you?' Tom the bartender asked holding his pad ready to scribble the order down. He was toothless and his head was bolding.
'Let's take two Border's Brews, shall we,' Lucius Malfoy immediately said not even asking Snape for his order.
'Make that one... eh... I will take a glass of milk instead,' Snape was quick to say. Lucius Malfoy and Tom turned to look at him.
'Milk?' Lucius asked.
'Well... I... I already had a big one this morning...' Snape lied. Lucius Malfoy's face loosened up a bit.
'Take away the milk and make that a Border's Brew instead!' he said and clapped Tom's shoulder in a friendly way. Snape opened his mouth to protest but he was interrupted. 'Milk is never good for a grown up man like you Severus, Border's Brew is never resistible, and no women at all get attracted to men who drink milk, and a woman is what you are looking for isn't it?' he let out a loud laugh and Tom made a small one too. Snape didn't smile. He wished he could just tell Lucius straight out that he didn't drink any alcohol, but he just couldn't. 'Oh yeah, I am paying for it too,' he added and made a sneaky smile towards him.
'Is that all, sir?' Tom asked and folded the pad together.
'Yes, please,' Lucius said and turned towards Snape who was sitting a bit distant from him. Lucius must have realised that Snape was more quiet than usual because he immediately asked 'Everything all right, there?' Snape looked up and made a silent nod and watched Tom walk back to the bar.
'You are a bit quiet,' Lucius said and settled his elbows on the table eying Snape closely.
'I am a quiet person,' Snape muttered. Lucius nodded. There was an awkward silence between them for a moment.
'Severus, are you planning to stay at the school all your life?' Lucius asked straight out looking towards Tom who was mixing the drinks behind the bar. Snape was about to reply yes, but then he remembered what the fortune- teller had told him; "... Loosen up and get a life..." He was quiet for a moment.
'I don't know,' he finally answered.
'What are you planning to do instead then?' Lucius asked, scratching his chin.
'I have no put plans,' Snape replied coldly. He knew that there was something not very right about where this conversation was going, and he didn't like the topic Lucius wanted to discuss.
'Two Border's Brew,' Tom's voice suddenly said and Snape saw him standing next to their table. He nodded silently and watched Tom place the cups carefully on the table, careful not to spill anything.
Snape watched with detest the brownish colour that filled the glasses. Lucius Malfoy took his glass and smacked his lips while looking at it.
'Put plans or not, I have a small thing I want to discuss with you... an offer,' Snape kept looking at him trying not to blink. Lucius took a large gulp of the drink before carrying on. 'As you know, He-Who-Must-Not-Be- Named has gone very strong...' Lucius stopped as if he wanted Snape to reply but Snape kept quiet. Instead Lucius took another sip of his drink. 'And you are on top of his list of people he want to kill, since your betrayal to him...'
'Lucius, understand one thing. I am not afraid of Voldemort, and I will never be. Do you know why? Because I know that Voldemort only kills innocent people, and I am not innocent,'
'Severus, you are more innocent than you know. And still, that won't help you hide,' Lucius took another sip of his drink and bent towards Snape who stared unwillingly back. 'But you might not need to worry about being murdered by Voldemort, if you join this plan...
'Listen carefully, all right. Two years ago a plan was set at Hogwarts to bring Voldemort back to life... and kill Harry Potter. Now the first plan succeeded, but the second failed. Why? Because Harry Potter isn't as stupid as he looks. Now, you are his teacher and you might know his weaknesses...'
'I can't give that out, Lucius. I am working on Albus Dumbledore's side and he trusts me unlike what you do... you know what I am talking about. I know you haven't trusted me since I betrayed Voldemort those sixteen years ago, and I know that the only reason why you don't just murder me straight out is because you still don't want the ministry to think you have anything to do with Voldemort,' Lucius had opened his mouth as if to say something but he didn't get anything out. Instead he reached for his drink.
'How d-dare you say that about me?' he stammered. 'I am your friend and I have always been...'
'You'd rather work for Voldemort and kill people, than help me be saved,' Snape said sternly.
'Well what have I just been trying to do? I have been trying to give you an offer that will make Voldemort forget your sins. And by the way, aren't you going to drink that?' he pointed towards the drink Snape hadn't touched.
'Lucius, you know I won't agree to your offer,' Snape said ignoring the question. 'And by the way, you know that Voldemort never forgives, and never take things back. He couldn't have set this plan out. Now, truthfully, tell me why it is so important I do this Kill-Harry-Potter- Thing,' Lucius wasn't looking into Snape's eyes anymore. Instead his body was twisting uncomfortably.
'Why don't you want your drink?' he asked and stared deeply at the drink.
'Because I don't like Border's Brew,' he said coldly.
'Everyone likes Border's Brew,' Lucius said and looked up at Snape with a glint Snape didn't really like. 'No wonder no women attract to you... women want men who drink... men who let themselves be loosened up and let things not always go their way,' Snape forgot to keep his mysterious stillness for a moment. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Here, twice in a day, he was being told he needed to loosen up. He, who had always found his personality perfect; all silent and secret, not letting any information slip, making his opinions clear... wasn't this what everyone wanted in a gentlemen... although he could never remembered being called a gentlemen.
He woke up from his thinking when Lucius Malfoy suddenly grabbed the non- touched Border's Brew and drank it all in one. Snape could tell he was getting a bit drunk. He hated when people got drunk, and he had experiences from it. After he had betrayed Voldemort and came to Albus Dumbledore, he had been drinking a lot. So much he had had so many blackouts he suddenly didn't remember what he had been doing the night before. At first he had enjoyed being so lost and free, but things got way out of hand, and he couldn't stand his life any more. He had been caught in the place of a crime scene once, but been proved not-guilty after Dumbledore convinced the ministry of Magic his wand hadn't casted any of the spells needed to make such a scene. He had also somehow joined a strip poker once down in the Three Broomsticks that people still couldn't forget for some reason. But this had not been the worst part of it. One day a lady he had never seen had came to Hogwarts looking for him; and she had claimed she was pregnant with HIS baby.
That was when he hadn't been able to take it anymore. He completely stopped drinking, and even if he never had seen the baby that was said to be his, he had felt he was forced to send money to the poor woman, even if he only had seen her once. He couldn't stand thinking about being forced to take care of a baby on his own, so he sent a third of his payment to the lady every month.
That was why he never had any special clothing to wear or had any extra money to spear. Why he only travelled into London during the summer to refill his supplies but nothing more, and why he only ate the Hogwarts food. He was thankful he didn't need to buy anyone a Christmas gift at Christmas since that really would have ruined him. His life was so simple he didn't even have any complex questions left. He had simple answers to all of them which made them simple.
'Lucius, I need to get going if I don't want to miss the train back to Hogwarts,' he said and stood up. Lucius looked at him. Snape realised he was swaying a bit. 'Thank you for the offer but I won't take it,' he tried to stay polite but Lucius slammed his fist in the table.
'Voldemort will soon catch you and you will wish you would have taken my offer,' he said coldly. Snape stared at him. 'I have been trying to help you way to long, but this just isn't what you are after is it? Remember your friend Malfoy's offer right before your death... that will be to late...'
Snape turned around and left. He was not so sure any more that he would be alive at the end of the year as he had been before meeting Lucius.
'What can I get you?' Tom the bartender asked holding his pad ready to scribble the order down. He was toothless and his head was bolding.
'Let's take two Border's Brews, shall we,' Lucius Malfoy immediately said not even asking Snape for his order.
'Make that one... eh... I will take a glass of milk instead,' Snape was quick to say. Lucius Malfoy and Tom turned to look at him.
'Milk?' Lucius asked.
'Well... I... I already had a big one this morning...' Snape lied. Lucius Malfoy's face loosened up a bit.
'Take away the milk and make that a Border's Brew instead!' he said and clapped Tom's shoulder in a friendly way. Snape opened his mouth to protest but he was interrupted. 'Milk is never good for a grown up man like you Severus, Border's Brew is never resistible, and no women at all get attracted to men who drink milk, and a woman is what you are looking for isn't it?' he let out a loud laugh and Tom made a small one too. Snape didn't smile. He wished he could just tell Lucius straight out that he didn't drink any alcohol, but he just couldn't. 'Oh yeah, I am paying for it too,' he added and made a sneaky smile towards him.
'Is that all, sir?' Tom asked and folded the pad together.
'Yes, please,' Lucius said and turned towards Snape who was sitting a bit distant from him. Lucius must have realised that Snape was more quiet than usual because he immediately asked 'Everything all right, there?' Snape looked up and made a silent nod and watched Tom walk back to the bar.
'You are a bit quiet,' Lucius said and settled his elbows on the table eying Snape closely.
'I am a quiet person,' Snape muttered. Lucius nodded. There was an awkward silence between them for a moment.
'Severus, are you planning to stay at the school all your life?' Lucius asked straight out looking towards Tom who was mixing the drinks behind the bar. Snape was about to reply yes, but then he remembered what the fortune- teller had told him; "... Loosen up and get a life..." He was quiet for a moment.
'I don't know,' he finally answered.
'What are you planning to do instead then?' Lucius asked, scratching his chin.
'I have no put plans,' Snape replied coldly. He knew that there was something not very right about where this conversation was going, and he didn't like the topic Lucius wanted to discuss.
'Two Border's Brew,' Tom's voice suddenly said and Snape saw him standing next to their table. He nodded silently and watched Tom place the cups carefully on the table, careful not to spill anything.
Snape watched with detest the brownish colour that filled the glasses. Lucius Malfoy took his glass and smacked his lips while looking at it.
'Put plans or not, I have a small thing I want to discuss with you... an offer,' Snape kept looking at him trying not to blink. Lucius took a large gulp of the drink before carrying on. 'As you know, He-Who-Must-Not-Be- Named has gone very strong...' Lucius stopped as if he wanted Snape to reply but Snape kept quiet. Instead Lucius took another sip of his drink. 'And you are on top of his list of people he want to kill, since your betrayal to him...'
'Lucius, understand one thing. I am not afraid of Voldemort, and I will never be. Do you know why? Because I know that Voldemort only kills innocent people, and I am not innocent,'
'Severus, you are more innocent than you know. And still, that won't help you hide,' Lucius took another sip of his drink and bent towards Snape who stared unwillingly back. 'But you might not need to worry about being murdered by Voldemort, if you join this plan...
'Listen carefully, all right. Two years ago a plan was set at Hogwarts to bring Voldemort back to life... and kill Harry Potter. Now the first plan succeeded, but the second failed. Why? Because Harry Potter isn't as stupid as he looks. Now, you are his teacher and you might know his weaknesses...'
'I can't give that out, Lucius. I am working on Albus Dumbledore's side and he trusts me unlike what you do... you know what I am talking about. I know you haven't trusted me since I betrayed Voldemort those sixteen years ago, and I know that the only reason why you don't just murder me straight out is because you still don't want the ministry to think you have anything to do with Voldemort,' Lucius had opened his mouth as if to say something but he didn't get anything out. Instead he reached for his drink.
'How d-dare you say that about me?' he stammered. 'I am your friend and I have always been...'
'You'd rather work for Voldemort and kill people, than help me be saved,' Snape said sternly.
'Well what have I just been trying to do? I have been trying to give you an offer that will make Voldemort forget your sins. And by the way, aren't you going to drink that?' he pointed towards the drink Snape hadn't touched.
'Lucius, you know I won't agree to your offer,' Snape said ignoring the question. 'And by the way, you know that Voldemort never forgives, and never take things back. He couldn't have set this plan out. Now, truthfully, tell me why it is so important I do this Kill-Harry-Potter- Thing,' Lucius wasn't looking into Snape's eyes anymore. Instead his body was twisting uncomfortably.
'Why don't you want your drink?' he asked and stared deeply at the drink.
'Because I don't like Border's Brew,' he said coldly.
'Everyone likes Border's Brew,' Lucius said and looked up at Snape with a glint Snape didn't really like. 'No wonder no women attract to you... women want men who drink... men who let themselves be loosened up and let things not always go their way,' Snape forgot to keep his mysterious stillness for a moment. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Here, twice in a day, he was being told he needed to loosen up. He, who had always found his personality perfect; all silent and secret, not letting any information slip, making his opinions clear... wasn't this what everyone wanted in a gentlemen... although he could never remembered being called a gentlemen.
He woke up from his thinking when Lucius Malfoy suddenly grabbed the non- touched Border's Brew and drank it all in one. Snape could tell he was getting a bit drunk. He hated when people got drunk, and he had experiences from it. After he had betrayed Voldemort and came to Albus Dumbledore, he had been drinking a lot. So much he had had so many blackouts he suddenly didn't remember what he had been doing the night before. At first he had enjoyed being so lost and free, but things got way out of hand, and he couldn't stand his life any more. He had been caught in the place of a crime scene once, but been proved not-guilty after Dumbledore convinced the ministry of Magic his wand hadn't casted any of the spells needed to make such a scene. He had also somehow joined a strip poker once down in the Three Broomsticks that people still couldn't forget for some reason. But this had not been the worst part of it. One day a lady he had never seen had came to Hogwarts looking for him; and she had claimed she was pregnant with HIS baby.
That was when he hadn't been able to take it anymore. He completely stopped drinking, and even if he never had seen the baby that was said to be his, he had felt he was forced to send money to the poor woman, even if he only had seen her once. He couldn't stand thinking about being forced to take care of a baby on his own, so he sent a third of his payment to the lady every month.
That was why he never had any special clothing to wear or had any extra money to spear. Why he only travelled into London during the summer to refill his supplies but nothing more, and why he only ate the Hogwarts food. He was thankful he didn't need to buy anyone a Christmas gift at Christmas since that really would have ruined him. His life was so simple he didn't even have any complex questions left. He had simple answers to all of them which made them simple.
'Lucius, I need to get going if I don't want to miss the train back to Hogwarts,' he said and stood up. Lucius looked at him. Snape realised he was swaying a bit. 'Thank you for the offer but I won't take it,' he tried to stay polite but Lucius slammed his fist in the table.
'Voldemort will soon catch you and you will wish you would have taken my offer,' he said coldly. Snape stared at him. 'I have been trying to help you way to long, but this just isn't what you are after is it? Remember your friend Malfoy's offer right before your death... that will be to late...'
Snape turned around and left. He was not so sure any more that he would be alive at the end of the year as he had been before meeting Lucius.
