Disclaimer: All of the characters in this story belong to JK Rowling apart from Raine and who am I to control the weather? I would also like to say that the scenery- Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is not mine either only a couple of strange little things that couldn't be associated with JK's genius I'm not that talented and it saddens me... *sobs a bit*
Author's Note: Right then have a read of this... I couldn't think of a very good title so you can be left to wonder until you have a read by which time you'll be looking at me like I'm a complete weirdo! If you have any questions on it.. any at all... Email me and I swear I'll answer you because I always answer my Email! I love to receive it and stuff so you'd be making my day... Anyway I'm babbling *hits herself* Just saw the second Harry Potter trailer and Snape has got a voice to die for.... or should I say Alan Rickman but.. gawd! *melts* Read on while I try to fix my molecules back together properly! lol!
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If it isn't really there does it need explaining?
Sadistic Sapphire, Wand Hands and Wilting
Shortly after she had arrived back at her office after that interesting lesson a very menacing Severus Snape confronted her. He stepped in wearing a very angry expression that she just caught a glimpse of before going back to her work. He followed by non other than Draco Malfoy who was looking very smug for some reason she couldn't stand that boy or his mannerisms- they annoyed her. He always seemed so sure of himself.
She just looked at Snape in a contemptuous manner as he glowered down at her then yet again went back to her work in no worse a mood. In front of her was a book of Law and another on Philosophy; her desk had the appearance of a Muggle teacher rather than a witch's. A wooden artist doll was the only thing on the desk that gave away any hint of magic; she had bewitched it to do a little jig then after about sixteen bars reach for the sky before repeating the action. Severus might have found it slightly more entertaining had he not been in a stinking mood.
"What can I do for you Severus?" She said not bothering to look up from the homework papers she was looking at. "Accio orb!" She shouted holding out her hand expectantly, nothing happened. Malfoy gave a snort of amusement and then a large sapphire orb flew just over his head and into her hands knocking any signs of amusement off his features.
"I wanted to know why you insist on bullying my students? Or student it seems to be this one in particular," he said looking at her hoping she would look back at him, otherwise the look of pure hate he was giving her was a waste of time. She didn't bother looking at him but simply opened the book on law and pulled a small pair of lenses out of a deep pocket in her fine black robes.
"Could you ask Mr. Malfoy what he called me today before you go down that track Snape?" She said still not bothering to look up but beginning to peruse the large tattered book pressing her fingers along the old stained pages.
"I know what he called you!" Snape snapped. She placed the lenses over her nose and held up the orb in her hand studying the surface closely.
"And you don't have a problem with it?" She said looking up at him finally still holding the orb in her out stretched hand.
"I.... erm.. What did you call her?" Snape asked Malfoy quietly, Raine turned back to her book the smashed the orb with a loud clatter on her desk.
"You didn't know what he called me did you?" She said narrowing her eyes and picking up the largest piece of broken sapphire.
"I didn't... No." He said shamefully watching her hands like a hawk unsure what she was going to do with the stabbing implement she had in her hand.
"Draco, say it again. With as much venom as before please so Professor Snape knows exactly how to punish you... Or would you rather I dealt with you?" She said looking at Malfoy as he tried to hide behind the Potions Master he too was worried about the shining glass that was now cutting into her own flesh as she gripped it. "I didn't think you wanted to say it again. Severus, he called me a Mudblood. Not that it upsets me. In fact if he knew things I did then he wouldn't have said it, but he believes that he can treat me with such little respect because I'm a woman and I teach Defence Against the Dark Arts. If you care to leave now Mr. Malfoy, I should like a word with your housemaster alone!" She barked at the surly sixth year that practically ran from the room blood now dripping in slowly from a slash across her palm.
"What is it you want to say?" He asked trying not to sound frightened himself as she looked murderously at him the sapphire in her palm turning crimson. Snape was unsure whether to say anything about the trickle from her palm.
"Consider what you come in here for in future," she said calmly dropping the now purple piece of glass and taking out her wand pointing it at her hand sending green sparks out of the shaft and healing her palm.
"Is that it?" He said coldly eyebrows raised as he looked at her analytically. She'd just done that to frighten Malfoy the sadistic bitch. He thought to himself looking at the sapphire smashed upon the desk, it had worked though and deep down it amused him.
"I do not pick on your students!" She shouted sharply causing him to jump back landing in a seat behind him. She laughed coldly before looking out the window behind her dropping the wand back into her pocket.
Severus had noticed that her wand was more unusual as she was, it must have been made of some kind of birch tree, most likely silver since it had shimmered silver in the light, and instead of having a normal handle was spun to a coil at one end. The wood was looped so that she could stand without holding it properly and still use it without problems. He looked at her hands more closely, they were every neatly kept, the nails were clean and she didn't appear to bother with nail varnish as most other witches did. They were a natural peach colour and her fingers were slim not very long but not small or average either, each finger was adorned with at least one ring. Most were plain or had some form of hieroglyphic inscription, she had changed them since the last time he had bothered to note any of this. The ring on her left hand middle finger was quite large as before with a stone that seemed more of a liquid held in by its own gravity with flowing liquid colours moulding into each other. It seemed that underneath the stone there was a hole the size of the beginning of her wand. She must have slipped the ring over her finger and into the gap, this was the left hand, it meant she was left handed, his was highly unusual in the wizarding world when he decided to look more closely at the right hand, it was the same. She must be ambidextrous, that was even more unusual.
"Care to do a little sparring?" She asked as he sat quaking in the seat before her, the scar on her hand had completely gone and the sapphire was melting into the table. It was then that he noticed the surface of the desk. There were some patches of what could only be described as melted precious stones burned into the oak.
"What?" He said looking at her, fear in his eyes. The stones however looked magnificent, they magnified the grain of the beautiful wood highlighting the colours except in places where the stone was a little dark. The tinges the oak now had were indescribable but they were definitely interesting.
"You know.... Practice for the next class," she said looking back at him with a devious smile.
"I... Suppose so.... Now?" He asked feeling a new chill in the room, a tingling sensation down his spine as if a wandering spirit passed through him. It reminded him of his days as a pupil standing in front of the older wiser Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher who also made him feel three sticks short of a bundle even though he was exceptional at the subject. Raine had a presence that caused you to look at her when ever she entered the room. Snape wouldn't have exactly described her as stunningly beautiful but she was very attractive due to the way she carried herself. Some people just have an aura that makes you interested in them, she didn't need to be drop dead gorgeous though her athletic contours did help and her eyes.... Stop it! He thought feeling himself studying her yet again.
"Yes now," she said standing up and walking into the free corner of the room that seemed to be ideal for fighting there were wind chimes hung in front of the windows clinking in the breeze. He looked around to see yet more crystal and sapphire pendants hanging from the ceiling and about the room. On a shelf there was a small wooden box that lay open and within it there were all sorts of bracelets and rings and a few more pendants. The inside rim of the box had an inscription on, Calling The Spirits With All My Heart But You Are The One Who Holds It. If Only You Knew......
"Are you sure about this?" He asked looking at her as she stood waiting for him to stand the breeze now brushing her face. She could be all that stony after all, who ever had made the inscription thought a lot of her but then they weren't that rare things to have, he was pretty sure he had given something similar to a girl when he was young. Not that this woman shared his feelings, he never did find out, she died, just like his mother who had owned it before.
"I'm always sure," she said in a low teasing voice as he stood to join her. "Ready?" She asked poised to strike. He took his thoughts away from his mother and the girl who had broken his heart more than once and prepared to take a beating.
"I guess," he said just as she crouched very quickly sweeping his legs out from under him and keeping one of her feet under his groin and her other knee in between his shoulder blades a short sharp pain shot up his spine. All reminiscent thoughts were killed as he hit the floor.
"Watch out for that one," she said as she moved her knee from his back and then her foot, he winced.
"Okay... I've been doing a little research and I think that I now know something that will surprise you," gaining his breath and gritting his teeth in an effort to control the pain he was feeling in his lower region.
"Okay then show me, but telling me about it isn't really going to surprise me now, is it Severus?" She said standing ready as he grabbed both of her outstretched hands and threw her over his shoulders to the floor, she landed sharply on her back and a breath escaped her quickly as she smacked the floor with her entire body Severus still holding her hands as she landed. Then he did something that amazed her; a flip smoothing his hands around her wrist as he went, her flesh tingled under the unusual sensation of what should have been a friction burn but was far too gentle. She noticed the effort he had gone to, to learn this and not hurt her in the process even though she would have been no where near as courteous had it been she doing this. In her trade you were supposed in to inflict maximum pain, it was the whole point of the exercise. He landed his knees just over her thighs and held her hands out to her side. She looked up at him dazed as he jumped to his feet and turned his back on her trying to mask the look of triumph that was written all over his face. His once sallow skin was now just pale and he had acquired colour in the cheeks from the exercise that was soon to be drained from it again. He swept his hair out of his face because it had flown out of place when he landed on his feet in one swift movement.
"What did you think of that then?" He said not looking at her. "Raine?" He turned to look at her but she wasn't there- she'd gone. "Raine?" He said looking about the room when he turned to face a figure running at his incredibly fast, doing a somersault, holding his shoulders and bringing their knees into the backs of his. He fell to the floor in a crumpled heap, feet up near his backside and arms sprawled out by his side. He then heard a little clicking and Raine's face loomed over his.
"Yes?" She said smiling wryly. Her face pale as ever, she looked lie she'd exuberated no energy at all and this annoyed him.
"Where.... Where did you go?" He said panting still spread-eagled trying not to study her too closely again.
"I went to get the paper while you were marvelling in your so-called victory. Then I thought I'd come back and show you how you can't always be too sure of beating people. I still haven't won yet though, I do not consider it a victory until I've knocked you out but I don't want to do that," she said softly going to put her shoes back on.
"But I do!" He said sharply pulling her over by her legs causing her to let out a tiny squeak as she flew towards the floor her face was mingled fury and surprise and he thought she looked funny every time her nose twitched.
"Severus!" She said as she landed on her back on the floor with a small thump, she sounded annoyed but not too annoyed; more shocked that she was on the floor. He was looming over her now and pausing looking into her deep dull eyes for a moment they did nothing, Raine too was talking a while looking into his eyes, neither noticed the other in their own loss of reality. When she looked into his eyes she found herself imagining ebony onyx, a quartz of different layers great depth of soul but very cold and hollow. You could get lost in those, she thought. Stop looking at them. Severus leaned his face very close but looming over hers, when he looked into her eyes the iris seemed like a liquid constantly swirling, usually a trait of one capable of hypnosis and he understood why. They were like the colour of an ever green forest with the odd silver pin prick appearing at the surface, they were beautiful. The pupils were black tunnels that glistened as some of the light from the window hit them. An Evergreen forest under a star lit sky, he imagined. Wake up man you're dithering.
"You are not going to make a fool of me all the time young lady!" He said dryly still thinking of her eyes, holding her legs down with his left shin and holding her arms down with his hands. His arms before had been over her shoulders and now the silence had passed they both tried to forget what had just happened. Did I really just lye under his grasp and stare quite obviously into his eyes? No I couldn't have, he hasn't said anything to me about it, perhaps I just imagined that feeling but then do I do that either? She thought. Say something else, take you're mind off it.
"Make a fool of you? Young? I'm flattered," she said a perplexed expression on her face looking up at him with a warm smile that she had obtained through her mild embarrassment.
"Well you are. And yes you always go out of your way to make me look an idiot," he said increasing the force on her arms. Try to make her think you hate her! That will cover up for the little ahem, his mind told him. She doesn't like you and this will affect you're working together if you don't make the hating her thing convincing, you're not pulling it off too well though are you! Get a grip! It continued. Oh Sod off! He snapped at it from within his head. Did I just do that?
"Severus that hurts," she said widening her eyes slightly and looking at her arms, being a man he had a lot of force in his weight and she was tiny in comparison. Oh great he did notice! Shit! He hates me for that, should stare, what did you mother tell you. Shit! He's got a lot of strength but I don't like having it exercised on me. Can't move, damn.
"Hurts you? I'm the one that always looks an idiot." You're getting there, but Severus, you are an idiot, you like her is that not proof enough, his mind said waking up again. The heart wants what the heart wants, I'm used to rejection, he told it.
"No, your arms please loosen your grip, or I'll have to get out of he predicament in a way that will definitely make a fool of you," her tone was now biting and raged because she felt a fool.
"Oh... Sorry," he said still holding her down but more gently.
"Why are you so concerned with my age?" She said looking at him lifting her eyebrows but still very vexed.
"I'm concerned because a young person teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts doesn't have that much experience with teaching it and it's a very important topic. And a woman- sorry but you do not stand a chance against dark magic," that was a sexist comment but for some reason it had to be said, it was sitting in his mind. It wasn't something he had planned to say either but deep down when he discovered a woman was going to be teaching it after years of male teachers abandoning the post after a year how she could cope where they failed.
"Oh and you think that someone who is only two years older can handle it better? As for the thing with my sex I had no problem teaching it at the University I used to work at, and I had no trouble fighting it so drop it Snape! I am just as apt as you are if not better trained," he let her go, two years younger? She couldn't be that old; did he just say all those things? A pleasant smell drifted up his nose and caused him to feel funny in the head. He felt light-headed and looked down at the woman who was laying on her back, looking up at him eyebrows raised in a provocative manner with eyes that glistened in the light. Stop it! He snapped at himself thinking about what he knew he shouldn't again. The truth hurts doesn't it, something was telling him.
"Are you going to move your leg Severus?" She asked impatiently looking irked.
"Sorry Raine, but I like it that way," he said without thinking. "You can't get away."
"But Severus, I can get out of it as quickly as I got into it. It involves some things that;
let's say you wouldn't appreciate. Why don't you want me to get away? What do you think you're going to do?" She said testily.
"I... erm... Sorry," he said allowing her to break free. His mind was buzzing, did he really think she was that attractive? She had got to her feet and pulled a rose out no where, smelt it with sudden pleasure her eyes closed softly and then brushed the red rose round her face allowing it to wander at her lips.... Yes he did.
"This is a defence lesson; I do not see where you keeping me pinned to the floor helps. Other than the obvious that I can't hurt you," she said taking up the defensive position again. After causing the rose to evaporate into nothingness. "Fight me like a man. You wouldn't be afraid of hitting a man would you? I require you to be completely serious Severus, the other day was funny yes but it deluded from what we were supposed to be teaching, you want to fight dirty now's the time- not in public," she said waiting for him to get up off of his feet. She began to tie her hair back properly again waiting for him to get up and face her. He didn't bother; instead he swung his legs out and tried to pull her over using his legs as scissors. She narrowly missed being tripped, by doing an aerial cartwheel over to his other side, spinning to her feet again daintily still holding onto her black hair trying to tie it up quickly. "Now that was a good try but I don't think you'll catch me that way."
"Then how will I catch you?" He said sitting up brushing his robes off.
"I don't know, think of another way," she said looking around the room. "Oh... We had better just do some sparring because I think that is something we need to practice."
"Fine.... What exactly are you going to do?"
"Severus the whole point of sparring is so that you don't need to know you pre-empt it. It is the skill of predicting the future without using magic. It makes you more aware of what is going on around you, how to cope with things minus the use of magic. I learned the skill when I was sixteen. I'm sure at thirty-eight you can figure out that little skill," she said bowing her head to him.
"What are you doing?" He said waiting for her to strike.
"I'm being polite! Is that completely foreign to you?" She snapped, lifting her head abruptly.
"No!" He said irritably. "So we are going to fight, yes?"
"Yes," she said brushing her black robes down.
"Who is going to make the first move?" He said eyeing her up.
"You I would guess," she hummed winking at him. He stopped where he was and looked at her taking on a worried expression. "Why so worried? Afraid I will do more damage than you originally thought?"
"I have to leave," he said shortly thinking that she had seen him staring at her turning on his heel and walking quickly out of her office. She watched the door slam behind him and she began to laugh to herself. This man doesn't know how to have a laugh, she thought.
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Author's Note: What did you think? Any good? Please leave me a review....... I love reviews! As for reviews.. Thank you everyone who reviewed. No flames so far! Groovy! And please that isn't really an invite to flame me.... Don't want to be flamed.. ever! If I can help it that is........ Anyway I have taken to saying this just lately that freaks out Natsume... mOOf! lol....And Green_Pig doesn't really have any idea what I'm going on about... well okay it's a cross between a moo and a woof! Can't help myself these days... Yes I can appreciate that it is really immature and everything but I just don't care... No school for me until September so you can expect the chapters to zoom up pretty quickly... well as fast as I can be bothered to work that is..... Nimph you're fab and I'm going to be sad that you'll not be able to beta read for me this summer because you're going travelling... grrrr lucky, I've got to stay in boring old England.
Hey yeh! People want to know who this Quentus dude is...... hehehhe.. wait a while! You'll find out!
A funny thing happened the other day... someone asked me what git meant.... well I'll tell everyone!
Ciao.
I.C. Fire
silver_shadow54@hotmail.com