She sat in the stillness of the room. The night sky was bright with
the waxing moon. A pale figure appeared behind her and slid a cold
hand onto her shoulder. It squeezed her warm skin and sent shivers
pelting through her like a Morse code made of ice. "you remember our
bargain" the cold voice breathed. She nodded, never lifting her gaze
from the floor. The truth, was too hard to handle. The fact that she
now belonged to this man, this monster, was too much for her to bear.
The hand left its perch on her shoulder and tilted her head up towards
his face. She hid her fear behind her unblinking eyes as she stared at
him. He looked her over with one scrutinizing look and then gave a
pleased smile. "come with me" he said.
*******************************
Snape loathed his job. He loathed teaching sniveling little brats. But
above all else, he loathed Gryffindors. He frowned as he looked down
at his schedule for the day. br"Just my luck" he sighed. "Double
potions with Gryffindors. Ah well at least I can punish that nasty
Potter" he mused as he sat down at his desk. For years, he had been
applying for the Defense against the Dark Arts position. The Dark
Arts, being the area in which he was most adept in other than potions
was a passion of his. But to his dismay, every year, the dear
headmaster would turn him down. Snape grunted at this thought and went
to the window. It was a blustery fall day. The air had just become to
turn cold and a few leaves had already started to fall. Snape rubbed
his hands together, subconsciously warming them. He remembered a day
just like this when he had been attending Hogwarts. br br It had
been a nippy October day right before Halloween and he had been
outside studying the dark arts avidly when it happened. He remembered
it like one would remember a favored childhood toy or pastime. He had
been totally unaware of the figure approaching him until it was almost
a foot away. br
"What're you up to?" a cold voice drawled. Severus had looked up.
Standing over him had been none other than Lucius Malfoy. br "What
do you want?" Severus had asked. br " Only to show you something
dear friend. I have something that I think may interest you." Said the
pale boy. Severus snorted but his curiosity had gotten the best of him
and he had followed. That was when he first saw him.
*************************
The Stillness of Morning was still intact when An Apprehensive Potter
snuck quietly out of the Portrait hole. He pulled the invisibility
cloak tighter over his head and started off down the corridor. The
night was easy and uninterrupted. The faint warmth left from Summer
mingled with the newly cooling air sending chills up Harry's spine. He
tugged the cloak closer and swore under his breath.
"This had better be good" he mumbled grumpily. He stealthily walked
onward until he reached his Destination. Making sure the coast was
clear, he sprinted across the hallway and into the seclusion of the
Library. Only after double checking that no one had followed him, did
he throw off his cloak. "Whattaya want?" he grumbled as he sat down.
The figure he was addressing was currently absorbed in a thick novel
and only after finishing the page acknowledged his question. Hermione
Granger put down the dusty book and stared at Harry with a glare
almost as vicious as his own.
"Finally" she said crossing her arms. "I've been waiting for almost
two hours!"
Harry rolled his eyes and slumped down in his chair.
"And where's Ron?" she demanded looking around the dark room.
"How should I know?" Harry retorted angrily. He still didn't
understand what could possibly be so important that they all needed to
hold a secret council in the Library. Voldemort hadn't been heard from
in quite some time. With no other threats bothering Harry, he had been
looking forward to a long, uninterrupted break.
"Im right here" Ron said, as he stumbled out of the shadows. "Sorry,"
he muttered. He Stumbled over to the table and plopped down in a
chair. Harry noticed that he was bleeding.
"Ron, Why are you bleeding?" Harry asked. Ron stretched and let out a
long yawn. "Oh. I thought Crookshanks was a pillow." Ron scowled at
Hermione who had taken up her interest in the old book again and
didn't notice. Harry sighed. He too had been woken up by the enormous
ginger cat demanding attention. Apparently, Hermione had written them
both messages and sent her cat to deliver them. The only drawback
being that Crookshanks wasn't always the nicest of animals. Harry
frowned. All he wanted to do was sleep. The sooner this ordeal was
settled the sooner he could do just that.
"So," he started. "Are you going to fill us in or are you going to get
your cat to deliver it to us again."
Hermione was not amused. "Harry, don't make a joke out of this. I've
just gotten word of some serious news. It seems that things aren't as
quiet as we think." Harry and Ron exchanged nervous glances. "I heard
McGonagall and Dumbledore talking about it when I was doing extra
credit Transfiguration work this afternoon. Apparently, Voldemort has
something in his possession that Dumbledore is worried about." Having
said that, she went back to her reading. Harry and Ron looked at
eachother.
"Is there anything else?" Ron asked. Hermione shook her head. Harry
yawned. "Well I guess this means no more afternoon naps eh?"
the waxing moon. A pale figure appeared behind her and slid a cold
hand onto her shoulder. It squeezed her warm skin and sent shivers
pelting through her like a Morse code made of ice. "you remember our
bargain" the cold voice breathed. She nodded, never lifting her gaze
from the floor. The truth, was too hard to handle. The fact that she
now belonged to this man, this monster, was too much for her to bear.
The hand left its perch on her shoulder and tilted her head up towards
his face. She hid her fear behind her unblinking eyes as she stared at
him. He looked her over with one scrutinizing look and then gave a
pleased smile. "come with me" he said.
*******************************
Snape loathed his job. He loathed teaching sniveling little brats. But
above all else, he loathed Gryffindors. He frowned as he looked down
at his schedule for the day. br"Just my luck" he sighed. "Double
potions with Gryffindors. Ah well at least I can punish that nasty
Potter" he mused as he sat down at his desk. For years, he had been
applying for the Defense against the Dark Arts position. The Dark
Arts, being the area in which he was most adept in other than potions
was a passion of his. But to his dismay, every year, the dear
headmaster would turn him down. Snape grunted at this thought and went
to the window. It was a blustery fall day. The air had just become to
turn cold and a few leaves had already started to fall. Snape rubbed
his hands together, subconsciously warming them. He remembered a day
just like this when he had been attending Hogwarts. br br It had
been a nippy October day right before Halloween and he had been
outside studying the dark arts avidly when it happened. He remembered
it like one would remember a favored childhood toy or pastime. He had
been totally unaware of the figure approaching him until it was almost
a foot away. br
"What're you up to?" a cold voice drawled. Severus had looked up.
Standing over him had been none other than Lucius Malfoy. br "What
do you want?" Severus had asked. br " Only to show you something
dear friend. I have something that I think may interest you." Said the
pale boy. Severus snorted but his curiosity had gotten the best of him
and he had followed. That was when he first saw him.
*************************
The Stillness of Morning was still intact when An Apprehensive Potter
snuck quietly out of the Portrait hole. He pulled the invisibility
cloak tighter over his head and started off down the corridor. The
night was easy and uninterrupted. The faint warmth left from Summer
mingled with the newly cooling air sending chills up Harry's spine. He
tugged the cloak closer and swore under his breath.
"This had better be good" he mumbled grumpily. He stealthily walked
onward until he reached his Destination. Making sure the coast was
clear, he sprinted across the hallway and into the seclusion of the
Library. Only after double checking that no one had followed him, did
he throw off his cloak. "Whattaya want?" he grumbled as he sat down.
The figure he was addressing was currently absorbed in a thick novel
and only after finishing the page acknowledged his question. Hermione
Granger put down the dusty book and stared at Harry with a glare
almost as vicious as his own.
"Finally" she said crossing her arms. "I've been waiting for almost
two hours!"
Harry rolled his eyes and slumped down in his chair.
"And where's Ron?" she demanded looking around the dark room.
"How should I know?" Harry retorted angrily. He still didn't
understand what could possibly be so important that they all needed to
hold a secret council in the Library. Voldemort hadn't been heard from
in quite some time. With no other threats bothering Harry, he had been
looking forward to a long, uninterrupted break.
"Im right here" Ron said, as he stumbled out of the shadows. "Sorry,"
he muttered. He Stumbled over to the table and plopped down in a
chair. Harry noticed that he was bleeding.
"Ron, Why are you bleeding?" Harry asked. Ron stretched and let out a
long yawn. "Oh. I thought Crookshanks was a pillow." Ron scowled at
Hermione who had taken up her interest in the old book again and
didn't notice. Harry sighed. He too had been woken up by the enormous
ginger cat demanding attention. Apparently, Hermione had written them
both messages and sent her cat to deliver them. The only drawback
being that Crookshanks wasn't always the nicest of animals. Harry
frowned. All he wanted to do was sleep. The sooner this ordeal was
settled the sooner he could do just that.
"So," he started. "Are you going to fill us in or are you going to get
your cat to deliver it to us again."
Hermione was not amused. "Harry, don't make a joke out of this. I've
just gotten word of some serious news. It seems that things aren't as
quiet as we think." Harry and Ron exchanged nervous glances. "I heard
McGonagall and Dumbledore talking about it when I was doing extra
credit Transfiguration work this afternoon. Apparently, Voldemort has
something in his possession that Dumbledore is worried about." Having
said that, she went back to her reading. Harry and Ron looked at
eachother.
"Is there anything else?" Ron asked. Hermione shook her head. Harry
yawned. "Well I guess this means no more afternoon naps eh?"