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Chapter 8:
I walk resolutely to the dungeons, anxious to escape the cheerfulness of the morning that pervades the rest of the castle. Several portraits, awake now, call their greetings to me, remembering my visits from a lifetime ago.
I quickly find myself at the entrance to Severus's rooms. However, before I can mutter the password, a portrait to my left calls out, in an unmistakable drawl, "How is it that the long-lost neice of Albus Dumbledore suddenly decides it's time to come home?"
"Phineas," I acknowledge with a nod, "good to see you don't feel it above you to recognize me in the morning. I thought the snuff last night a tad rude. Fortunately, I had other things on my mind."
He ignores the barb, as he always does. "Back at Hogwarts, eh? Willing to forgive Dumbledore? Willing to take on Severus? I am surprised. I thought you had turned tail and run away for good."
I will not rise to his baiting, "No Phineas, you should know by now I have the strength of character to rise to occasion. Severus is not great challenge," he snorts in agreement with this, "and Albus is proving to be less of a problem than expected."
"So you do mean to go through with in, then?" I eye him curiously, wondering how much he knows.
He seems to sense this, for he continues on, "I am referring to your plan of restoring the family Snape to power, even if it means crumbling the house of Dumbledore in the process. Very risky, Hummel, especially as you have taken on so many other quests already."
I am shaken. I had not meant for anyone to know that was my ultimate goal. But then I forget Phineas was my confidant many years ago, before I fled for the States. He would know quite well how much it burns me still that I am denied my name.
I shake my head minutely, and smile widely at him. "Phineas, I think you've forgotten that eighteen years have passed since you and I last spoke. My plans have changed, I have grown up."
He looks skeptical. "Don't worry, I won't tell the Headmaster. Or Severus either. I don't think he'd much relish the idea of knowing what you're up to. You've taken quite a bit to chew on, haven't you, my dear? Any idea of how you're going to declare allegiance to the Dark Lord? He's rather particular about his followers. Makes them do awful things to muggles, and each other, I know; I've seen Severus come back from meetings, bloodied and broken. I don't know if you've got exactly the correct disposition."
"There is much about me you don't know, Phineas. You may be surprised. Now, please excuse me." Turning on my heel, I fling wide the door to Severus's rooms and storm into the bedroom to walk off whirling thoughts in my head.
I do indeed have plans of restoring the name Snape to its earlier granduear, at least in some small way. By this time in history, Severus is the only remaining Snape alive. His brother, Gaius, was killed by Aurors in a raid many years ago; his father died in the same raid. His mother whittled away to nothing three years later. Both Septimus and Ormana had been only children, and there were no other relatives.
Ormana, Septimus, and Gaius were all alive when we were married; the raids took place a year later. I heard about their demise through letters from my uncle. Ormana had been a great beauty in her day, though her beauty was cold and disdainful. It was hard to say whether Severus took after his father or mother more for looks. The nose was certainly the Snape nose, but his hair, blank and lanky, was his mother's, as was his pale complexion. The sneer was, I believed, learned, for I have seen portraits, and only the last few generations starting wearing it regularly.
The Snapes were, as many pure-blood mania driven families were, very strict. Their two boys could deliver more curses, hexes, and jinxes by the time they entered Hogwarts than most beginning year Aurors. Septimus had that in common with Titus, Lucius Malfoy's father.
Before Hogwarts, Lucius and Severus were not friends, Lucius being closer in age to Gaius, who was three years older than him. Once the younger Snape entered, the Malfoy family in general started to take an interest in him, as Gaius becoming overly interested in the eventual downfall of many Snape men--women, drink, and general debauchery.
Severus's determination had been set from the beginning. He and I have talked of motivation in great detail. His motivation was to finally earn his father's praise, but also to overcome his father's knowledge, so that he could escape. He studied potions so dilligently because his older brother had not excelled at it, and this could be his one area of excellence.
During my retelling of Snape family history, I have come to rest in front of the photograph from our wedding day. I gently take it off the wall. It, unlike the other hangings in his rooms, is not covered in dust, but looks well taken care of.
In it, we are wearing our wedding robes, brilliant purple, fit for a king and queen; a gift from the Malfoys. In my hair is a wreath of daisies and small bells that tinkled everywhere I turned my head. Our eyes are shining. In the photograph, we are facing each other, and as I watch, Severus brings my hand to his lips, before tipping my face to his in a kiss. Our picture-selves turn to me and begin waving. Severus looks happy. I look radiant.
A noise at the door startles me. Severus is framed there again. I hastily put the photograph back on the wall, wiping the tears that had begun to form from the edge of my eyes, though not quickly enough. Severus notices and crosses the room to me in three strides.
Looking wildly into my eyes, he searches for something. Apparently finding it, he crushes his mouth upon mine. I return in kind. Hands begin to roam as electricity flares between us. I have no intention of stopping this time. I sense his hesitation, and take the moment to push him on his back on the bed. His eyes widen, sensing I am in earnest, and we move to complete our reaquainting for the fifth and final time since my arrival. Perhaps returning to Hogwarts is not so odious a task as I had first thought it, as I slink down under him, a soft moan escaping my lips.
I walk resolutely to the dungeons, anxious to escape the cheerfulness of the morning that pervades the rest of the castle. Several portraits, awake now, call their greetings to me, remembering my visits from a lifetime ago.
I quickly find myself at the entrance to Severus's rooms. However, before I can mutter the password, a portrait to my left calls out, in an unmistakable drawl, "How is it that the long-lost neice of Albus Dumbledore suddenly decides it's time to come home?"
"Phineas," I acknowledge with a nod, "good to see you don't feel it above you to recognize me in the morning. I thought the snuff last night a tad rude. Fortunately, I had other things on my mind."
He ignores the barb, as he always does. "Back at Hogwarts, eh? Willing to forgive Dumbledore? Willing to take on Severus? I am surprised. I thought you had turned tail and run away for good."
I will not rise to his baiting, "No Phineas, you should know by now I have the strength of character to rise to occasion. Severus is not great challenge," he snorts in agreement with this, "and Albus is proving to be less of a problem than expected."
"So you do mean to go through with in, then?" I eye him curiously, wondering how much he knows.
He seems to sense this, for he continues on, "I am referring to your plan of restoring the family Snape to power, even if it means crumbling the house of Dumbledore in the process. Very risky, Hummel, especially as you have taken on so many other quests already."
I am shaken. I had not meant for anyone to know that was my ultimate goal. But then I forget Phineas was my confidant many years ago, before I fled for the States. He would know quite well how much it burns me still that I am denied my name.
I shake my head minutely, and smile widely at him. "Phineas, I think you've forgotten that eighteen years have passed since you and I last spoke. My plans have changed, I have grown up."
He looks skeptical. "Don't worry, I won't tell the Headmaster. Or Severus either. I don't think he'd much relish the idea of knowing what you're up to. You've taken quite a bit to chew on, haven't you, my dear? Any idea of how you're going to declare allegiance to the Dark Lord? He's rather particular about his followers. Makes them do awful things to muggles, and each other, I know; I've seen Severus come back from meetings, bloodied and broken. I don't know if you've got exactly the correct disposition."
"There is much about me you don't know, Phineas. You may be surprised. Now, please excuse me." Turning on my heel, I fling wide the door to Severus's rooms and storm into the bedroom to walk off whirling thoughts in my head.
I do indeed have plans of restoring the name Snape to its earlier granduear, at least in some small way. By this time in history, Severus is the only remaining Snape alive. His brother, Gaius, was killed by Aurors in a raid many years ago; his father died in the same raid. His mother whittled away to nothing three years later. Both Septimus and Ormana had been only children, and there were no other relatives.
Ormana, Septimus, and Gaius were all alive when we were married; the raids took place a year later. I heard about their demise through letters from my uncle. Ormana had been a great beauty in her day, though her beauty was cold and disdainful. It was hard to say whether Severus took after his father or mother more for looks. The nose was certainly the Snape nose, but his hair, blank and lanky, was his mother's, as was his pale complexion. The sneer was, I believed, learned, for I have seen portraits, and only the last few generations starting wearing it regularly.
The Snapes were, as many pure-blood mania driven families were, very strict. Their two boys could deliver more curses, hexes, and jinxes by the time they entered Hogwarts than most beginning year Aurors. Septimus had that in common with Titus, Lucius Malfoy's father.
Before Hogwarts, Lucius and Severus were not friends, Lucius being closer in age to Gaius, who was three years older than him. Once the younger Snape entered, the Malfoy family in general started to take an interest in him, as Gaius becoming overly interested in the eventual downfall of many Snape men--women, drink, and general debauchery.
Severus's determination had been set from the beginning. He and I have talked of motivation in great detail. His motivation was to finally earn his father's praise, but also to overcome his father's knowledge, so that he could escape. He studied potions so dilligently because his older brother had not excelled at it, and this could be his one area of excellence.
During my retelling of Snape family history, I have come to rest in front of the photograph from our wedding day. I gently take it off the wall. It, unlike the other hangings in his rooms, is not covered in dust, but looks well taken care of.
In it, we are wearing our wedding robes, brilliant purple, fit for a king and queen; a gift from the Malfoys. In my hair is a wreath of daisies and small bells that tinkled everywhere I turned my head. Our eyes are shining. In the photograph, we are facing each other, and as I watch, Severus brings my hand to his lips, before tipping my face to his in a kiss. Our picture-selves turn to me and begin waving. Severus looks happy. I look radiant.
A noise at the door startles me. Severus is framed there again. I hastily put the photograph back on the wall, wiping the tears that had begun to form from the edge of my eyes, though not quickly enough. Severus notices and crosses the room to me in three strides.
Looking wildly into my eyes, he searches for something. Apparently finding it, he crushes his mouth upon mine. I return in kind. Hands begin to roam as electricity flares between us. I have no intention of stopping this time. I sense his hesitation, and take the moment to push him on his back on the bed. His eyes widen, sensing I am in earnest, and we move to complete our reaquainting for the fifth and final time since my arrival. Perhaps returning to Hogwarts is not so odious a task as I had first thought it, as I slink down under him, a soft moan escaping my lips.