Chapter IV- Meeting Morganeva
Life is twisted. I realise this more and more every day of my own, as angry little jocks hurl insults and Lucius Malfoy gets away with everything because his father is some important and rich Pureblood. It's hard to decipher who's in the right and who's in the wrong.is the richest wizard in Britian. Sometimes
It's sad to say this, but as I'm walking down the corridor, I am actually excited to work on my Defense Against the Dark Arts homework. We're learning about counter jinxes, and that is something I really need. I try to remember the entire incantation for a spell to be rid of the Scourgify spell, but this is not a good thing to be doing as I'm walking down the hallway. While muttering at the floor, I collide with a very strange feeling object, and I seem to bounce backward. And now I'm on the floor.
I gaze up and see what seems to be a stack of books with legs. Pretty legs that obviously belong to a girl (or Lucius, but considering he's probably still being worshipped, that guess is not correct). Legs in a skirt. I have to urge to crane my neck and take a peek, but somehow that seems wrong. I'm not like that... Mostly.
"Oh! I'm so sorry!" cries a voice from behind the books. And yes, it is female. "Did I knock you over?" In attempt to see me, the person drops her load of what appears to be school books, and unfortunately, they land right on my legs. Bam bam bam.
"Ouch! Damn it!" I breathe, though not directed at whoever it is. I try to shimmy out of the pile of reading material, and she helps me. That's when I look at her face.
I've never noticed this girl before. I know that if I had, I would remember. She has short, light hair and huge golden eyes. She's very attractive, though not in an ordinary way. Her eyes almost make her look weird. But very good weird. She's wearing odd clothes, too.Along with the "normal" school skirt, she has a long, see- through sweater and lots of beads around her neck. She's staring at me, not laughing at all, as I attempt to not be devoured by the quicksand that is books. All I can do is stare dumbly at the way her beautiful eyes glow. A knot begins to grow in my stomach.
She kneels down beside me, trying to dig me out. "Wonderful.. The first day I get here, I cripple someone!" She tuts, shaking her head. "My name is Moragoneva Connelly, but everyone calls me Moore, or Morgan. I've just transferred from Salem Magic Academy in America."
"Ah..." I'm finally out.
She grins.
"I'm Severus Snape."
"Nice to meet you." She tries to offer me her hand, but then nearly tumbles over and thinks better of it. "I'm sorry. I'm not always this clumsy- well, at least not most of the time. It's just, Headmaster Dungledore just loaded me up with all of your reading material and- whew.. It's a lot," she finishes.
I don't have the heart to correct her. I stand up and brush off my robes. Got to get out of here before I make a complete fool of myself. "Well, I'd best be off."
"Wait-" she says, grinning. "Aren't you going to show me around a bit? I've only just gotten here this afternoon."
"There isn't much to look at. There's the loo, a depressing statue in the courtyard, the tapestry with an old mad man who looks perverted. That's about it." I inch backward.
"Sounds great. Look, I should just drop these books off at our common room and then you can show me around and introduce me to some of your friends." She struggles with the awkward pile.
Great. My chance to show what a loser I am. Be social, Severus. Be social!
"Er-kay," I shrug," I should drop my bag off as well. Common room's this way." I point and begin to walk, only to notice that she's staggering behind me. "Uh- I'll get some of those!" I grab the first six books off the top of the stack.
She beams as though noone's ever done that in her life. "Thank you, Severus!"
And for some weird reason, I do not say "Call me Snape." I just nod and continue on my way.
"What year are you?" she inquires, flipping a straying walnut coloured lock out of her eyes.
"Sixth," I reply cautiously. "You?"
"Same," she smiles. "I just turned sixteen last April. And then my dad surprised me with 'We're moving!' I wasn't all too delighted, as you might imagine. Years of friends, just down the drain. I suppose I can write them, though, so I shouldn't be moaning about it."
"I guess..." I respond slowly. My head is spinning from all of this optimistic thinking. "What are your favourite subjects?" I ask. I'm trying to add to the conversation, but I'm struggling very badly.
She doesn't seem to notice. "I love Care of Magical Creatures and History of Magic."
I am completely baffled. "History? No one likes that class!"
"Well, at the Salem Academy, we mostly study the witch trials and take part in demonstrations. In fact, I'm missing the live trial."
"Live trial? That sounds so cool. All we have here is notes, notes, lecture, test. And, it's taught by a dead man."
She laughs. "I like it all ready."
'I like you all ready,' I think, 'and I haven't even known you for five minutes.'
"What are your favourite subjects?" she inquires.
"DADA," I put in quickly," but Potions is my best."
She looks confused. "DAD- what now?"
"Defense Against the-"
-"Dark Arts.. Sorry. I just say the entire thing. I guess I'm old fashioned," she smiles.
I feel my palms sweating, but I ignore it. "No problem."
"You're lucky to be quick in Potions. I'm awful, just awful!" She laughs, and then shakes her head. "I quite like it, too."
"It's hard," I shrug. Instantly, I realise I sound arrogant. "What I mean is, some people don't get it... Not to say that you're a drip, or anything like that." I honestly don't know what I'm saying. I'm constantly harping on others about how they're bad at Potions. People like Potter, who cannot appriciate anything that doesn't include a Golden Snitch.
"Here we are," I say quickly, before I make myself sound too sad again, nodding toward the gargoyle statue guarding the staircase.
"Only a true Slytherin shalth know the password," it growls.
"Yeah, yeah. Dr-"
Morgan runs up to me. "Did that statue just say 'Slytherin'?"
I nod. "Yes. As if we'd forget which house we're in. It's tiring really."
The gargoyle spits at me.
"But- Severus, that hat- The Sorting Hat?" she manages to get out, a very confused look upon her face. "It said I was in a house called Gryfdinwar. Is there such a thing?"
"Gryffindor?" I correct, the knot I'm getting in my stomach doubling in size.
She smiles that blinding smile. "That's right. You must forgive me. I'm not so good at names. I remember yours because it's the most interesting one I've heard since- is there something wrong?"
"You're a Gryffindor," I state, tasting the words, and deciding that they taste worse than my mother's cabbage stew and that I hate them. This girl, this spell-binding, beautiful girl, belongs in Gryffindor, with the cruel and unfeeling Maruaders. With pulverized lunchmeat Pettigrew. With Lily Evans, full of sorrow for you one moment, then snarling at you about your dirty pants the next. Gryffindor, brave and bold and...
Slytherin's rival.
"What's the matter with it?" she inquires, studying me with a frown in those pretty jewel eyes. "It's not where- where murderers go, or something?" She laughs nervously.
"Quite the opposite," I state delicately. "Look, I hate to say this but Slytherins and Gryffindors are rivals. Always have been, always will be. It's stupid and it's pointless, but everyone goes with it. And soon, you'll have to as well. So I'm sorry that I had to say this, but we can't talk to each other anymore."
She laughs. "You're joking. Because of some school rival rubbish you're going to turn me down? I think you seem like a very nice person and I don't care if my fellow students want to disagree!"
This is not the response I expected. I expected 'Oh. Yes, I remember now. Well, see you in Transfigurations, Snivellus.' But not this. Especially not "nice person." "Nice Person?" Goes to show that some opinions we have of people we've only known for ten minutes are completely wrong.
As if this situation couldn't get any worse, I hear footsteps above us.
"Damn... That'd be other Slytherins. You should hide. I don't want them being asses to you."
She shrugs. "I told you I wanted to meet your friends."
Before I can convince her that she doesn't, Bellatrix and Lestrange come around the corner, holding each other in a very tight grasp. Lucius and Narcissa follow, holding hands. Lucius suddenly slams Narcissa against the wall in what looks like a rather violent matter, and snogs her as though he's going to bite her face off. From this scene, Morgan must be thinking that the hat's poem should have gone "You may belong in Slytherin: you'll learn your sexuality in first year, lose your virginity fast, and take part in orgies every evening."
"SEVVIE!" screams Bellatrix. "How are you feeling?"
"My face isn't burning anymore," I shrug quietly.
"Did you like the little visit we gave you this morning?" she inquires, smiling. She turns to her boyfriend. "Sevvie really enjoyed it. Didn't you?"
Morgan looks at me with very wide eyes. Needless to say, my face begins burning again. Salazaar knows how this must sound to her.
Lestrange chuckles. "Leave the poor boy alone, Belle. You know you're irresitable to everyone. Especially me."
She smiles darkly.
"BUT," continues Lestrange, his voice getting louder," SNAPE, if you EVER try to make a move on my girl, you'll be dead faster then I can say Avada K-"
Lucius looks toward all of us. "Who are you?" he yells at Morgan, pointing.
"Yes. Who's the cutie, Sev?" Bellatrix smiles a bit devilishly.
"Er.."
"I'm Moragona," she states, smiling back at Bellatrix. "I'm new here, and just met Severus in the hallway."
Bellatrix looks tickled. "The hallway. Oh, darling, Sev!" I swear, she adores torturing me. Her dark eyes focus on Morgan's bright ones. " You know, that is amazing! Because we were just in the hallway ourselves, and we ran into a few interesting people, too. Just out of curiousity, which house might you be in, sweetie?"
Is there radar in those eyes, I wonder?
Morgan looks to me, then stands a little taller. "I'm in Gryffindor."
Lucius coughs on Narcissa's tongue. Lestrange crosses his arms. Bellatrix laughs delightedly. Narcissa shrieks, but I think that's only because Lucius is choking on her tongue.
"It's as I thought. Know James Potter at all, Moragona?" Bellatrix continues, coming forward. Morgan doesn't even react. She stands completely still.
"I do! Why?"
"Any relation, Moragona?"
"We're cousins. Our dads are brothers."
"What?" I exclaim. This is becoming worse than I ever would have expected. "You're related to THE James Potter?"
Morgan nods. "Why, do you know him?"
"KNOW HIM?" Lucius screams. "HE'S A CAULIFLOWER THROWER!"
"A what?"
"Actually, Sevvie does know him," Bellatrix goes on. "Loathes him, actually, Moragona. It might be best if you haul out of here quickly now."
"Yes, you hoity little slag," growls Lestrange, obviously wanted to have some sort of threat in this.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY ABOUT ME?" Lucius yells.
"Don't speak to her like that," I declare.
"I'M NOT A HER!"
"What did you say, Snivellus?"
"Now, now, Lestrangie. Calm down. Moragona, I thought I told you. Get out of here. Your little cousin is looking for you upstairs. Wouldn't want to disappoint, mmmm?"
Morgan's eyes flash. "No, actually I wouldn't." She looks to me. "Can I have my books, please?"
"Aw, you carried her books? You're such a nice boy."
"GO TELL YOUR BASTARD COUSIN TO-"
"Shut up and kiss me, Lucius."
"I'll go with you."
"Severus, you don't have to."
"I'll go with you."
"CAULIFLOWER, I TELL YOU!"
With that, we run up the stairway, almost knocking down Andromeda, who is still reading.
"Oh, hello Severus. What's all of the commotion?" she inquires lightly.
"Don't ask," I instruct her.
"Goodnight, then," she replies, engrossed in the book and not even looking up.
Morgan and I slam the door at the top of the staircase behind us.
I set her books on the floor and get into a fetal position, rocking back and forth.
"They are kind of awful, aren't they?" Morgan says, and giggles.
After all of that, she just laughs!!!?
"You mean you aren't completely angry?" I look up.
"Not at you," she shrugs. "Just because those people were all kind of crazed at the moment doesn't mean you are."
I sigh. "Thanks, but... But your cousin's James Potter," I exclaim, sitting up all of a sudden, my heart pounding in my chest.
"What's the matter with James, I'd like to know?" Morgan inquires, and I wonder what it must be like to live in a world where you can say 'What's the matter with James?' .
"Oh... We just don't... Click?" I roll my eyes. "All right, we're complete and total enemies. It began in first year. We were ten years old, and he knocked over my plant in Herbology. I told him he was clumsy, he made a joke about me wearing a winter cloak in a sweltering greenhouse. It was the beginning of a beautiful horror." I pull my shaking knobbly knees together. "Back then, it was making little jokes and giggling. Now we mostly yell at eachother, and as Lucius reported, hurt eachother by means of vegetables and hexes. But you're related to him."
She nods. "Yes, and I can speak to him about the way he acts here. I'm really surprised. I would've never guessed. We've always been quite friendly."
"You don't need to talk to him," I shake my head. "It's never going to stop, so it would be best if you never mentioned my name." I don't want her hearing embarrassing stories even I've pushed to the back of my mind. She looks confused. I go on. "I'm guessing he's protective of you, and if so, he'd kill me if I ever touched you."
Wait. Did I just say that aloud? My face burning again, I focus on the rug. How could I be so stupid? What on earth is wrong with me? I always manage to keep my emotions inside, but now, I just say something totally humiliating to a complete stranger? Maybe she'll ignore it. I'm probably making too great of a deal about it. It's all in my head.
But, Morgan slides down the wall and ends up next to me. "Do you want to touch me?" she asks softly.
I feel like my insides are filled with ice water. Is this flirting? Is this radiant girl actually FLIRTING with me? Ha! Take that, Pettigrew! Now you're really a loser! One to zero! Take that...
Except she asked me a question, so now I must decide upon an answer... To humiliate myself further, I could tell the truth. I've known her for almost fifteen minutes now, and I'm finding myself imagining her snogging me. How sad is this? Or is it really that sad? But maybe, since she's Potter's cousin and all, it's a set up and she's just saying this to hurt me in the end.
That is it.
It's a bloody fucking joke and I bought it. I BOUGHT IT. I'm always bloody buying it!
I mean, look at this girl. She's got pretty skin, hair that looks totally soft, golden eyes, and she seems so nice.
Look at me. I've got pale skin, I'm much too skinny, I probably smell disgusting despite the little bath this afternoon, and my black hair is hardly desirable. And I'm in Slytherin. I've got assholes surrounding me every moment, and I'm one of them! I'm not nice. I'm a horrible person. I keep inside myself, I don't want people talking to me, I let everything get to me...
Oh. And I'm gullible, too.
I stand up quickly, her eyes piercing me from her place on the floor.
"No." I snarl. "I wouldn't. So just stay out of my way."
She jumps a little bit.
I'm surprised at the bitterness myself, but she deserves it.
I kick the books in her direction, and I head back to my Slytherin dorm room where the people are jerks sometimes, but at least they don't try to trick me.