A Darker Shade of Curiosity

disclaimer: can be found in first entry

The fire was still burning in the hearth as Severus came quietly into the girl's room. The soft glow of candles cast a dull light upon the small quarters; a large four-poster bed, a large leather chair, and an ancient-looking desk took up most of the space. Beyond the general furniture there was little else to be seen. He crept further into the room and saw a door that led into a private bathroom. On the walls of the room there were a few beautiful paintings of Italian villas by the sea and ships crashing through the waves of a powerful storm. A large window with a window seat took up one corner of the room, a thick book lay with pages open upon it.

Severus, never failing to be curious, went to the window and picked up the book and perused through its pages. He sneered at it. "Utopia. How dull." After reading a few sentences from the page, he placed the book back on the cushion and stepped over to the desk. A piece of parchment, and ink lay atop its surface. Severus pulled a drawer open and saw nothing of interest among its ordinary contents. He began to close it when something caught his eye. He reached into the drawer and revealed a photograph with a young, beautiful woman in it. She was standing next to a tall, gray-haired wizard and they were waving happily in the sunshine before a large manor. Her long, dark hair danced in the wind as it blew and rustled the deep-green robes she wore. The old man merely nodded with a thin smile upon his face.

"Is this actually her?" He muttered, "How strange." Severus eyed the photo carefully, memorizing the features on her classic face and scrutinizing the most minute details. He began to lower the photograph back into the drawer but drew it away once more and placed it in his pocket. He began to kneel down to look in the other drawers but he stopped abruptly. "Someone is coming," he sensed. He muttered a spell quietly and went quickly to the door and burst out of it. He looked about himself and although he felt as though he wasn't alone, he saw no one else. Suspiciously, he walked very slowly away from the painting and stopped once more, looked back, and then finally left for the dungeons.

As he grew nearer to his own quarters, he retrieved the photograph from his robes and stared into it beneath the torches. His shoes echoed down the empty corridors and, knowing that he was alone, slowed his pace and simply pondered about the woman. What would he write in his letter? Should he ignore whoever this girl was and if not, what would be the point? His mind spun with various ideas of whom the woman might be, starting from McGonnigal's cousin to some strange, "psychic" relative of that bloody divination professor.

He approached the door to his classroom and unlocked it with his key, pushing it open slowly and shutting it behind him. Photo in hand, he went to his desk and pulled out a piece of parchment and his plume and began to form his letter.

To A. E. Partana,

The occurrences that took place by the lake the other day were most peculiar and if I may, quite aggravating. Your apology is lacking in explanation and as such, have left me rather curious. As such, I request that you take your dinner tonight as usual and meet with me in my quarters thereafter. I hope that this is of no trouble to you and I look forward to meeting with you after you've dined.

-Professor Severus Snape

After rereading his letter for any error, Severus rolled the parchment and sealed it with a quick wave of his wand. He stared at it for a moment with mild concern that it sounded too aimiable for his liking but dismissed the thought and placed it far away from him on his desk. Not knowing what else to do, the Professor simply sat with his hands folded upon the desk staring at the clock. He realized that Sleach would not return for the letter for another fifteen minutes or so, but he remained as he was, unmoving until finally the scrawny house-elf knocked on the door.

"Professor Snape, Sleach is here to deliver your letter, sir. May Sleach come in?" The elf asked in a strained little voice from the other side.

Severus looked up at the door. "Yes, yes. Of course, come in and get it."

"Very well," Sleach said as he meekly peered from behind the door. He hobbled up to the desk and looked at Severus with his big brown eyes.

"Is there anything else, sir?"

"No, please, just deliver this and ask her not to be late."

"Yes, sir."

With that, Sleach bowed with buckling knees and made his way out the door. Severus watched him go and then rested his head in his hands. "Now what, Snape?" He asked himself and prepared for a long five and a half hours until dinner.