Of Charcoal and Rose
By: ann no aku
General Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling.
Chapter Six
Author's Notes: Is this the conclusion?
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Claudia shot up in bed and stumbled through the unfamiliar darkness in search of a toilet. Bile threatened to escape her lips. After much straining of her eyesight, she found the bathroom at long last (she had even stepped on something soft which resembled a hand). The green acid erupted from her as she sat near the toilet, hugging it for support. Morning sickness it was called, but was it morning?
She splashed cool water on her face and looked up into the mirror. "What happened? You look terrible," her reflection said.
"Shut up," Claudia ordered and flicked the water on the mirror. What was wrong with her? She leaned against the bathroom door and tried to stifle her sobs. Ladies did not cry. She had to be strong. She slipped on her boots as well as her cot then gathered her purse and portfolio.
"Going somewhere?" A voice asked coming from the darkness. A shadowed figure approached and cornered her.
"Yes," she stammered, not realizing to whom the voice belonged.
A flame from an oil lamp flickered on sending a dull yellow light throughout the small room. Severus Snape stood before her looking much disheveled. He had removed his Death Eater's robe and was now dressed in a black tunic with matching tweed trousers. His hair was more of a mess than usual, and his angry coal eyes were soft with pity and regret.
"Stay away from me," she warned.
"You need to know the truth," he informed.
"No! I don't want to hear it! What 'truth' is there to know besides the fact that you were supposed to kill me? You were going to kill me!" she shrieked.
"I was never going to kill you," he grabbed her shoulders in attempt to control the anger welding up inside of him. It bothered him even more when she shied from him. He knew it was moot.
"You were brought there to kill me. Surely you had known that." She spoke in the same fear when Michael/Andrew (whichever) had tried to rape her. Claudia struggled to break free from him. "Let me go."
"I never intended on letting you die." He was not prepared for the stinging slap on his cheek. His head snapped back into place. He deserved it.
"I-I don't know what sort of game you and your friend were playing at, but-"
"He's not my friend," he interrupted.
"-I don't want to know," she continued. "It's cruel to play games like that with people. I don't want to be around you anymore." Claudia pried his tight fingers from her shoulders and kept staring at the floor. "You know, at one point," her words caught in her throat, "No, up until tonight, I think I might've," she stopped and tightened her hold on her purse. "I don't think I've ever hated anyone before. I'm sorry."
"Ms. Wallace!"
"I have to go." As he tried to stop her again, Claudia spun around and hit him as hard as she could on the head with her handbag. His body fell to her feet. "Oh god!" she cried feeling terrible for knocking him unconscious. Still carrying all of her belongings, Claudia tore out the room and looked around for an escape.
Stairs were hiding beside another room and she leaped down them to the odd pub from a few weeks ago. She barely caught a glimpse of the people as she escaped towards the door and opened it up pouring in the sunlight from the bright Sunday London morning. It felt wonderful compared to the dull illumination of the cult pub.
She hailed a taxi and scrambled inside, not caring if she had cash on her or not. One thing was on her mind-home, and she did not give a damn how'd she get there. She was going to soak for the rest of the day in the bath to rid herself of the previous night. The bile taste was still fresh in her moth even after she had rinsed thrice. It was going to be a long day.
Believe it or not, that is Chapter Six.
All of that?
Yep. Loads, huh?
Ooh well ..there's still Chapter Seven to look forward to.
~ann no aku