[Disclaimer: See the first couple chapters. You know the drill.]
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Adelaide checked herself in the mirror for the twentieth time, an absolute mess of nerves. It was like a formal party, the first day of school, and the first day of work all rolled into one. Tonight was the welcoming banquet, the beginning of the year, where all the first years would be sorted into their houses. Durmstrang had never had houses, nor anything remotely resembling a sorting hat-each student was grouped by their year. So, the entire ritual seemed more than a bit odd to Adelaide. But then, her family once had the strangest sort of traditions too, so who was she to complain? Adelaide shook herself out of her reverie, and glanced out the window. The last streaks of light were dying in the sky. The Hogwarts Express, the train that brought the students to school, would be arriving any minute. She stepped away from the mirror, glancing for the last time at herself. Gray eyes outlined in black stared back at her, and her mass of curly red hair peeked from behind her neck, pinned into a bun at the nape of her neck. A messy bun, of course-one that came off looking proper whilst still youthful and rebellious. The high flared collar of her dress robes was visible in the mirror, as well as the simple silver chain with a pendant in the shape of the Gentry family crest. What the mirror could not reflect back at her was below her neck-a form fitting dress robe with long sleeves, that held claim to the high-necked collar in the mirror. And because she knew what Minerva McGonnegall would have said about her choice of clothing, a second set of robes fell over her dress ones, like an Italian overcoat from the renaissance-sleeveless and straight to the floor, in the same deep blue shade as her robes. A small fashionable blue riding hat with a pheasant feather completed the look. And why so fashionable, so meticulous about her clothing? Because Narcissa Malfoy had felt that Adelaide should put froth the right impression. And so did Lucius, for that matter. A youthful but stylish appearance to appeal to the girls, as well as sex-appeal for the boys, a conservative touch for the scholars at Hogwarts, while informing those who could recognize the crest around her neck that before them stood the Lady Gentry, and she was not to be trifled with. All the labels might have made a lesser woman's head swim, but Adelaide was used to it. Death Eaters, the loyal minions of the Dark Lord were used to wearing many faces. To show weakness was death, to show emotion was devastating. The sound of robes sliding against the stone floor behind her brought Adelaide out of her reverie. Without thinking, she had left her rooms and begun the walk down the now-faintly familiar halls to the Great Hall. A smooth voice, like silk over cold steel, echoed from behind her.
"Lady Gentry."
Adelaide turned to see Snape behind her, a clash of pale skin and dark robes, eyes, and hair. There wers two sorts of Death Eaters. The ones that looked downright threatening.openly dangerous; and those who dressed in the pristine robes of civility and manners, who would seduce their victim with beauty before terrorizing and killing t hem. Snape was the former, Adelaide the latter. The two opposing visages faced one another in silence.
"Here, Professor Snape, I will be addressed as Professor Gentry."
She eyed him warily, then raised her eyes in surprise, nay shock, when he offered his black-clad arm to her without a word. She took it, sheer curiosity winning out over self-preservation. Had Severus Snape actually retained his manners? He was a bastard, completely and utterly, although few knew he had been raised on the same genteel manners as she.
"Surely, Professor Gentry, you did not think I had forgotten everything. Am I correct in assuming you have not been to the Great Hall yet?"
Adelaide frowned faintly, allowing him to escort her. His politeness only served to confuse her. The last time that had spoken to one another outside of school, they'd pulled wands on one another, and he had heard her rather extensive vocabulary of insults. So it led her to wonder: why the kindness? It was certainly out of character for him, and Adelaide had been on the receiving end of his temper often enough to know.
"Quite correct. Which is why I gave myself plenty of time to find it."
Snape raised an eyebrow at her, and Adelaide fought the impulse to smile. Oh, they were being so careful with one another.
"I am sure you would have found it.eventually." He mocked her, and for a moment she had the urge to hit him. Git.of course she would find it, and in time too. He didn't give her time to reply, however, but continued.
"Lucius has requested that I avoid you for the first few weeks of school, so as not to.taint.the students opinion of you."
Adelaide hissed in anger, and tried to pull away from him, but his grip kept her securely on his arm. She settled for glaring at him and refused to continue walking.
"How dare you!? What right had you to go behind my back and speak with him? Do you wish to rid Hogwarts of me, Professor? Jealous that Lucius has a new favorite?"
Snape opened his mouth to reply, his eyes narrowed dangerously. For a moment, Adelaide wondered if she had just stepped over the line, or perhaps been flung far over it. But his head snapped up, and a blank if perhaps slightly annoyed look appeared on his face. Adelaide turned to see Sprout and Pomfrey standing at the corner of a corridor, shock on their faces.
"Cinnia. Poppy." She said, giving them a 'help! Get me out of here!' look. Let Snape be the bastard. He was good at that. Snape scowled at them, and then at her, as he politely disengaged himself from Adelaide.
"Professor. I trust that you will have no trouble finding your way now. Next time, I suggest you get directions before getting lost."
He turned on his heel and strode down the hall, black robes swirling behind him. Sprout and Pomfrey exchanged scandalized looks before Adelaide made a noise of disgust, and hooked her arms through the two elder witches'.
"Honestly, some people have no manners."
Sprout looked at Adelaide curiously, and Adelaide felt panic rise within her. Nobody could associate her with Snape in any way other than professionally and socially. It would put them both in grave danger, and ruin carefully laid plans.
"You two look as if you know each other well," pried Sprout. Adelaide sighed wearily. Cinnia Sprout and Poppy Pomfrey, the two worst people to walk into that scene, had done just so. And if things weren't cleared up, the entire castle would be flying with rumours before dinner had even started.
"I know Severus Snape only formally. We are second cousins, once removed." Weren't all purebloods related? It wasn't a family tree; it was a freaking family hedge. "I know his elder brother better, the Lord Solinus Snape. He and my brother were acquaintances. Severus I have met a few times-at weddings, funerals, the like." She rolled her eyes in annoyance. "He was trying to be polite by escorting me to dinner. Has he forgotten all of his manners? You poor people!" She managed to sound completely scandalized, and it wasn't all an act. But then, it really was better to turn the gossip to Snape's manners, or lack thereof. He gave them enough fuel for the bonfire. Pomfrey snorted loudly. "You have to know him-he's been here almost twenty years, and the only person he is remotely civil to is Albus."
Adelaide frowned, and tilted her head towards Pomfrey.
"I wonder why. I mean, the Headmaster is most certainly impressive, but so is everyone else here. Why him?"
Pomfrey and Sprout exchanged glances, and Pomfrey patted Adelaide's arm. It merely served to let the two witches know that she was suspicious of the truth-that Snape spied for Dumbledore. In reality, she wasn't merely suspicious, she knew for a fact whom Snape worked for, and whom he merely appeared to work for. But if Lucius found out.
The three women headed down the corridor, murmuring amongst themselves about the upcoming school year, having turned the conversation to something more enjoyable.
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[A/N: Merci to my Forbee, who betas for me. He complains that I don't give him enough to criticize. and trust me, he can be caustic in his literary criticisms.I've been spared for the most part. Huzzah! As always, please R&R, I'm desperate for reviews. Oi. I've admitted that I'm a desperate woman. What is the world coming to!?!
The next eight-ish chapters will be up in the next couple of days. I was on vacation, and have them written, just no net access. Look for them!]
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Adelaide checked herself in the mirror for the twentieth time, an absolute mess of nerves. It was like a formal party, the first day of school, and the first day of work all rolled into one. Tonight was the welcoming banquet, the beginning of the year, where all the first years would be sorted into their houses. Durmstrang had never had houses, nor anything remotely resembling a sorting hat-each student was grouped by their year. So, the entire ritual seemed more than a bit odd to Adelaide. But then, her family once had the strangest sort of traditions too, so who was she to complain? Adelaide shook herself out of her reverie, and glanced out the window. The last streaks of light were dying in the sky. The Hogwarts Express, the train that brought the students to school, would be arriving any minute. She stepped away from the mirror, glancing for the last time at herself. Gray eyes outlined in black stared back at her, and her mass of curly red hair peeked from behind her neck, pinned into a bun at the nape of her neck. A messy bun, of course-one that came off looking proper whilst still youthful and rebellious. The high flared collar of her dress robes was visible in the mirror, as well as the simple silver chain with a pendant in the shape of the Gentry family crest. What the mirror could not reflect back at her was below her neck-a form fitting dress robe with long sleeves, that held claim to the high-necked collar in the mirror. And because she knew what Minerva McGonnegall would have said about her choice of clothing, a second set of robes fell over her dress ones, like an Italian overcoat from the renaissance-sleeveless and straight to the floor, in the same deep blue shade as her robes. A small fashionable blue riding hat with a pheasant feather completed the look. And why so fashionable, so meticulous about her clothing? Because Narcissa Malfoy had felt that Adelaide should put froth the right impression. And so did Lucius, for that matter. A youthful but stylish appearance to appeal to the girls, as well as sex-appeal for the boys, a conservative touch for the scholars at Hogwarts, while informing those who could recognize the crest around her neck that before them stood the Lady Gentry, and she was not to be trifled with. All the labels might have made a lesser woman's head swim, but Adelaide was used to it. Death Eaters, the loyal minions of the Dark Lord were used to wearing many faces. To show weakness was death, to show emotion was devastating. The sound of robes sliding against the stone floor behind her brought Adelaide out of her reverie. Without thinking, she had left her rooms and begun the walk down the now-faintly familiar halls to the Great Hall. A smooth voice, like silk over cold steel, echoed from behind her.
"Lady Gentry."
Adelaide turned to see Snape behind her, a clash of pale skin and dark robes, eyes, and hair. There wers two sorts of Death Eaters. The ones that looked downright threatening.openly dangerous; and those who dressed in the pristine robes of civility and manners, who would seduce their victim with beauty before terrorizing and killing t hem. Snape was the former, Adelaide the latter. The two opposing visages faced one another in silence.
"Here, Professor Snape, I will be addressed as Professor Gentry."
She eyed him warily, then raised her eyes in surprise, nay shock, when he offered his black-clad arm to her without a word. She took it, sheer curiosity winning out over self-preservation. Had Severus Snape actually retained his manners? He was a bastard, completely and utterly, although few knew he had been raised on the same genteel manners as she.
"Surely, Professor Gentry, you did not think I had forgotten everything. Am I correct in assuming you have not been to the Great Hall yet?"
Adelaide frowned faintly, allowing him to escort her. His politeness only served to confuse her. The last time that had spoken to one another outside of school, they'd pulled wands on one another, and he had heard her rather extensive vocabulary of insults. So it led her to wonder: why the kindness? It was certainly out of character for him, and Adelaide had been on the receiving end of his temper often enough to know.
"Quite correct. Which is why I gave myself plenty of time to find it."
Snape raised an eyebrow at her, and Adelaide fought the impulse to smile. Oh, they were being so careful with one another.
"I am sure you would have found it.eventually." He mocked her, and for a moment she had the urge to hit him. Git.of course she would find it, and in time too. He didn't give her time to reply, however, but continued.
"Lucius has requested that I avoid you for the first few weeks of school, so as not to.taint.the students opinion of you."
Adelaide hissed in anger, and tried to pull away from him, but his grip kept her securely on his arm. She settled for glaring at him and refused to continue walking.
"How dare you!? What right had you to go behind my back and speak with him? Do you wish to rid Hogwarts of me, Professor? Jealous that Lucius has a new favorite?"
Snape opened his mouth to reply, his eyes narrowed dangerously. For a moment, Adelaide wondered if she had just stepped over the line, or perhaps been flung far over it. But his head snapped up, and a blank if perhaps slightly annoyed look appeared on his face. Adelaide turned to see Sprout and Pomfrey standing at the corner of a corridor, shock on their faces.
"Cinnia. Poppy." She said, giving them a 'help! Get me out of here!' look. Let Snape be the bastard. He was good at that. Snape scowled at them, and then at her, as he politely disengaged himself from Adelaide.
"Professor. I trust that you will have no trouble finding your way now. Next time, I suggest you get directions before getting lost."
He turned on his heel and strode down the hall, black robes swirling behind him. Sprout and Pomfrey exchanged scandalized looks before Adelaide made a noise of disgust, and hooked her arms through the two elder witches'.
"Honestly, some people have no manners."
Sprout looked at Adelaide curiously, and Adelaide felt panic rise within her. Nobody could associate her with Snape in any way other than professionally and socially. It would put them both in grave danger, and ruin carefully laid plans.
"You two look as if you know each other well," pried Sprout. Adelaide sighed wearily. Cinnia Sprout and Poppy Pomfrey, the two worst people to walk into that scene, had done just so. And if things weren't cleared up, the entire castle would be flying with rumours before dinner had even started.
"I know Severus Snape only formally. We are second cousins, once removed." Weren't all purebloods related? It wasn't a family tree; it was a freaking family hedge. "I know his elder brother better, the Lord Solinus Snape. He and my brother were acquaintances. Severus I have met a few times-at weddings, funerals, the like." She rolled her eyes in annoyance. "He was trying to be polite by escorting me to dinner. Has he forgotten all of his manners? You poor people!" She managed to sound completely scandalized, and it wasn't all an act. But then, it really was better to turn the gossip to Snape's manners, or lack thereof. He gave them enough fuel for the bonfire. Pomfrey snorted loudly. "You have to know him-he's been here almost twenty years, and the only person he is remotely civil to is Albus."
Adelaide frowned, and tilted her head towards Pomfrey.
"I wonder why. I mean, the Headmaster is most certainly impressive, but so is everyone else here. Why him?"
Pomfrey and Sprout exchanged glances, and Pomfrey patted Adelaide's arm. It merely served to let the two witches know that she was suspicious of the truth-that Snape spied for Dumbledore. In reality, she wasn't merely suspicious, she knew for a fact whom Snape worked for, and whom he merely appeared to work for. But if Lucius found out.
The three women headed down the corridor, murmuring amongst themselves about the upcoming school year, having turned the conversation to something more enjoyable.
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[A/N: Merci to my Forbee, who betas for me. He complains that I don't give him enough to criticize. and trust me, he can be caustic in his literary criticisms.I've been spared for the most part. Huzzah! As always, please R&R, I'm desperate for reviews. Oi. I've admitted that I'm a desperate woman. What is the world coming to!?!
The next eight-ish chapters will be up in the next couple of days. I was on vacation, and have them written, just no net access. Look for them!]
