Alex lay in her bed that night, staring into the blackness, wondering
if she should peek in on Severus. She knew that his choice would be made
that night, but she was unsure how Malfoy would convince him. Finally she
resolved to see how things were going.
Closing her eyes, she let her power take her vision to the Slytherin fifth year dormitory. Severus and Malfoy were having a row in the middle of the beds, Severus was bright red and clenching his fists at his side.
"Muggle clothes," Malfoy repeated. "That must mean something, Snape! The girl wore muggle clothes to a wizard ball! She's a threat to you!"
Severus sat down and stood back up again, unsure of what he wanted to do with himself. "So what, she told me she liked the way muggle clothes looked." His voice was deathly calm compared to Malfoy's loud rambling. "So what does clothes have to do with all of this?"
Malfoy took a long deep calming breath before he spoke again. "I have met with the Dark Lord again, and while he is not quite ready to rise to full power yet, not quite ready to take over, he is clearly the most powerful wizard to come into being. Severus, aren't you tired of getting pushed around by those mudblood Gryffindors and your parents. And your would- be- girlfriend is toying with you and secretly snogging Lupin behind your back! The time has come for you to choose your side, and if I were you, I'd choose the side that can offer you the true power." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a roll of sealed parchment. "I told the Dark Lord about you, about your genius in potions, and the dark arts. I told him about your ambition to gain power and when you offer your loyalty, it will be unwavering. He has sent out these tasks to his followers. It is an...initiation of sorts, a task to prove your loyalty to him." He handed Severus the parchment. "Think on it tonight, decide where you want to be when it comes down to the war. But only open the parchment if you intend on performing the task. If you don't wish it, I will return it to him. I can't say he won't be...disappointed though. And he hates to be disappointed." With that, Malfoy closed the curtains around his bed and said no more.
Severus fingered the parchment seal, and placed it on his bedside. He lay staring into the black space where Alex had stared into in her own room moments before that. She knew what he would choose, but she didn't know what was written on the scroll. She feared it was something that would stain his soul forever. Alex had assured Severus that they would be together in the end, but she didn't really know that for sure. Severus could develop a taste for blood and if that happened, there would be no bringing him back.
Maybe he won't open it, she thought hopefully. But even as those thoughts entered her head, she heard a soft ripping sound. Severus had opened the scroll and was reading it. Alex started to retreat, but in the distance she heard Severus begin to cry softly into his pillow.
The next morning, Alex sought out Lupin. She found him leaving the Great Hall after breakfast on his way to class. She pulled him away from the crowds and began to sob into his arms. "He's gone," she whispered. "He's left me and I don't know if I can get him back."
Meanwhile, Severus was still in his dormitory reading the parchment for the hundredth time. He shook his head at the task, but he felt it was the only way to get the power he sought, to get the respect he deserved.
Find the Mudblood you hold so dear and use the Crutacius curse on her. Be stealthy, for I wouldn't want any of my loyal Death Eaters to be imprisoned or expelled. Never speak to her again, and make sure she knew it was you.
He started downstairs when he ran into Malfoy. "Are you going to do it," he asked, eyeing Snape's pale face.
"How can I? She's done nothing but love me."
Malfoy smirked, "You think so? Well follow me and I will show you what I just saw. I can assure you, it was not her loving you." He rushed Snape along the corridors until they were in view of Alex in Lupin's arms. "And just after you two had your lovely date at the ball."
A large statue concealed Snape and Malfoy, but Alex was in range of Snape's wand. He began to feel a strong bitterness and an urge to hurt someone. He waited for Lupin to release Alex and he pointed his wand.
Alex felt the on coming spell and fell down with mock pain. No wizard spell or curse could actually touch her, but she felt that it was something she had to pretend. She writhed in pain on the floor for several moments. The hall was blessedly free of students and teachers, save for Lupin who was trying to get her up.
Alex felt Severus release the spell and she stopped shaking. She collapsed into Lupin's arms and bit her tongue so a trickle of blood could be seen spilling out of her mouth.
"Alex," Lupin breathed. He looked up and saw the shadows of Malfoy and Snape walking away. Snape turned his head and gave Lupin a bitter smile before disappearing into another wing of the school.
"What did he do to you," Lupin demanded.
"C-Crutacius curse," Alex whispered. "I need the hospital wing." She clung onto him. "You can't tell anyone. Just say I fainted."
Lupin shook with rage, "I can't let him get away with that! He can't just use an unforgivable curse on you and expect you to still protect him!"
Alex gave a feeble laugh, "It's for the greater good, I assure you."
Closing her eyes, she let her power take her vision to the Slytherin fifth year dormitory. Severus and Malfoy were having a row in the middle of the beds, Severus was bright red and clenching his fists at his side.
"Muggle clothes," Malfoy repeated. "That must mean something, Snape! The girl wore muggle clothes to a wizard ball! She's a threat to you!"
Severus sat down and stood back up again, unsure of what he wanted to do with himself. "So what, she told me she liked the way muggle clothes looked." His voice was deathly calm compared to Malfoy's loud rambling. "So what does clothes have to do with all of this?"
Malfoy took a long deep calming breath before he spoke again. "I have met with the Dark Lord again, and while he is not quite ready to rise to full power yet, not quite ready to take over, he is clearly the most powerful wizard to come into being. Severus, aren't you tired of getting pushed around by those mudblood Gryffindors and your parents. And your would- be- girlfriend is toying with you and secretly snogging Lupin behind your back! The time has come for you to choose your side, and if I were you, I'd choose the side that can offer you the true power." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a roll of sealed parchment. "I told the Dark Lord about you, about your genius in potions, and the dark arts. I told him about your ambition to gain power and when you offer your loyalty, it will be unwavering. He has sent out these tasks to his followers. It is an...initiation of sorts, a task to prove your loyalty to him." He handed Severus the parchment. "Think on it tonight, decide where you want to be when it comes down to the war. But only open the parchment if you intend on performing the task. If you don't wish it, I will return it to him. I can't say he won't be...disappointed though. And he hates to be disappointed." With that, Malfoy closed the curtains around his bed and said no more.
Severus fingered the parchment seal, and placed it on his bedside. He lay staring into the black space where Alex had stared into in her own room moments before that. She knew what he would choose, but she didn't know what was written on the scroll. She feared it was something that would stain his soul forever. Alex had assured Severus that they would be together in the end, but she didn't really know that for sure. Severus could develop a taste for blood and if that happened, there would be no bringing him back.
Maybe he won't open it, she thought hopefully. But even as those thoughts entered her head, she heard a soft ripping sound. Severus had opened the scroll and was reading it. Alex started to retreat, but in the distance she heard Severus begin to cry softly into his pillow.
The next morning, Alex sought out Lupin. She found him leaving the Great Hall after breakfast on his way to class. She pulled him away from the crowds and began to sob into his arms. "He's gone," she whispered. "He's left me and I don't know if I can get him back."
Meanwhile, Severus was still in his dormitory reading the parchment for the hundredth time. He shook his head at the task, but he felt it was the only way to get the power he sought, to get the respect he deserved.
Find the Mudblood you hold so dear and use the Crutacius curse on her. Be stealthy, for I wouldn't want any of my loyal Death Eaters to be imprisoned or expelled. Never speak to her again, and make sure she knew it was you.
He started downstairs when he ran into Malfoy. "Are you going to do it," he asked, eyeing Snape's pale face.
"How can I? She's done nothing but love me."
Malfoy smirked, "You think so? Well follow me and I will show you what I just saw. I can assure you, it was not her loving you." He rushed Snape along the corridors until they were in view of Alex in Lupin's arms. "And just after you two had your lovely date at the ball."
A large statue concealed Snape and Malfoy, but Alex was in range of Snape's wand. He began to feel a strong bitterness and an urge to hurt someone. He waited for Lupin to release Alex and he pointed his wand.
Alex felt the on coming spell and fell down with mock pain. No wizard spell or curse could actually touch her, but she felt that it was something she had to pretend. She writhed in pain on the floor for several moments. The hall was blessedly free of students and teachers, save for Lupin who was trying to get her up.
Alex felt Severus release the spell and she stopped shaking. She collapsed into Lupin's arms and bit her tongue so a trickle of blood could be seen spilling out of her mouth.
"Alex," Lupin breathed. He looked up and saw the shadows of Malfoy and Snape walking away. Snape turned his head and gave Lupin a bitter smile before disappearing into another wing of the school.
"What did he do to you," Lupin demanded.
"C-Crutacius curse," Alex whispered. "I need the hospital wing." She clung onto him. "You can't tell anyone. Just say I fainted."
Lupin shook with rage, "I can't let him get away with that! He can't just use an unforgivable curse on you and expect you to still protect him!"
Alex gave a feeble laugh, "It's for the greater good, I assure you."