Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or anything relating to it. I do however own any characters you have not heard of before in the books.
A/N
Well finally, after all of this time, I have updated. I am so sorry everyone (and yes I have noticed that lots of people read this story and don't review.)
I thankyou for being patient.
If you are new, I ask that you start from the first chapter and read right through. Don't worry, the chapters are short. I also welcome you to the grand adventure that is 'Angel.'
So what's in store for Snape?
So far he has had many run-ins with Jane Revesberry, the new DADA teacher and had nightmares where he encounters the mysterious Angel.
When does all the action come into play? Soon, my pretties soon…
Last chapter Snape duelled with Jane for a class demonstration, now he must suffer the consequences of scaring her silly….
Oh yeah, I assume that some of you don't review, because you wish to refrain from abusing me for showing characters in a negative light. If this is the case, please accept my humblest (yet powerful) apologies. I like most of the H.P characters, and simply wish to keep Snape in character.
You will now notice that there is a more sophisticated and mature tone in the story. That's what fine-tuning does to ya! Speaking of fine-tuning, I've gone back and revised this story. Don't worry, the changes are only minor, and don't affect the storyline.
Enjoy
Chapter Six- Dark Waters.
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"Did you hear about Revesberry?" shrieked Pavati Patil.
"I've heard that she's locked herself in her office ever since she duelled with Snape" chortled a friend scandalously.
"I've heard that she's run away!" claimed another.
"I've heard that she ran away into the Dark forest, to join her fellow kind!"
"What on earth are you talking about?" demanded Pavati
"I bet she's a Veela." Chimed in another student spitefully, "my boyfriend can't keep his eyes off her!"
"Maybe she's a siren! I mean she is a good singer!" mused Anabelle to Sila, who was sitting at the front desk in the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, and gathering her books to leave.
Snape snorted. These stories were becoming more and more obviously fabricated. Though, Jane's absence was becoming peculiar to him. For weeks now, he had been covering Jane's classes, as well as teaching his own. Sure, he has always wanted to teach the subject, but the amount of homework he has to mark was ridiculous! And that guilt was still hanging over him. Did he really upset Jane that badly?
"Well, I don't care!" moped Sila, "All I know is that I spend all my time, writing extra credit essays, and the teacher I hand them in to doesn't respond!" Her final words were scorched with a glare directed at Snape.
He sighed, as he didn't know how to respond to extra credit essays discussing his fashion choices for each day, including suggestions for the future.
"Though," Her voice softened so only Snape could hear, "it is good to see that my criticism is noted. 'Good to see you've stopped wearing that black cloak - it was too feminine for you. It does, however, look a treat on Revesberry."
She peered from under her eyelids while her nose hung in the air.
Snape started at her keen observation whilst she chuckled darkly. That Sila is dangerous, no matter how intelligent she is.
The essay papers rustled as Snape clenched his fist. Glancing down, he saw his latest triumph- "Harry Potter: F"
Snape called Harry over as he moved to the door, his voice slick with cunning and malice. Harry gave Ron a significant look, who tailed him to the front of the room like a loyal dog. A deep satisfaction contented Snape as he thrust Harry's essay at him like a dagger. He watched Harry's face fall as he saw his grade. Ron gazed up at Snape in horror.
"How could you give him a stinkin' grade like that? Harry's almost as good as Hermione! This is his sixth F! He'll fail the subject!" he blithered.
"He didn't answer the specified question," sneered Snape.
"What on earth are talking about?" snapped Harry in frustration, "I've already told you, Professor Revesberry gave me a set of more advanced questions to answer in the place of the questions she sets the class!"
"I was not given any notice from Professor Revesberry specifying any … 'advancement'…of any students. For all I know you could be lying- and I wouldn't be surprised!" stated Snape efficiently.
"How could she? You scared her off! She didn't know she'd be absent!" shouted Harry
"How dare you! Harry deserves an 'A,' and you know it! Why would he lie to you? You- you cheap ba-"
"Silence, the both of you!" Snape interrupted Ron's cussing in shock. They were both reacting, as James would have.
"Now," Snape's voice rung over the partially empty and silent room, "I don't know what is more disturbing, your lack of respect, or your use of obscene language!"
Shame crossed both boys' faces, but a slightly mischievous glance was shared between the two. Snape was enjoying this- the more they showed disrespect, the more reason he had to hate them. Now, he had yet another plausible excuse to utter the ever familiar word:
"Detention."
…………………………………………………………………..
Snape muttered to himself over a rather large pile of essays, which sat amongst other parchment towers on his desk. Half of the pile consisted of Hermione's essay, which was a whopping three metres in length. He really needed to set word limits.
Twelve down, five to go.
Well, at least he had a detention with Potter and Weasley to look forward to.
Suddenly the door to his office burst open. Snape jumped out of his seat, wand raised and mouth poised to release an indignant rebuke.
When the intruder strode into the dim candlelight, he relaxed a little. It was Jane.
"Hello Severus," she greeted.
Snape was inwardly taken aback. Jane's manner of speech had changed entirely. Eyeing her suspiciously, he tightened his grip on his wand.
She advanced towards him slowly, pinching the bridge of her nose. Her hair was bedraggled, and her deep crimson robe- obviously a new instalment to her wardrobe- she wore smelt as if it had gone a week unwashed. She seemed to breathe away all of her youth with a single sigh. She massaged her temples, presumably to combat a headache, and cupped her cheeks with her hands.
"I hear that you have given Harry and Ron a detention."
She seemed to have lost the mocking undertone in her voice. It was now stretched and sigh ridden. Snape sniffed. She meant business.
"Yes, I have. Potter and Weasley decided to give me a smorgasbord of cheek and attitude," he replied, certain that this was a reasonable justification.
" 'Seems a little extreme, doesn't it?" she asked, a stretched, bemused smile crossing her face.
Snape did not respond. He was determined to carry on with the detention, no matter what. No dishevelled looking half-wit would tell him otherwise.
Reading his facial expression, which must have sported this thought, Jane waltzed even closer to him.
She seized his face.
Snape felt his face contort into some intimidating form. He stiffened and fought off red tingles with stabbed at his cheeks. Lost in her eyes, with seemed to consume half of her face, Snape failed to hear her little speech.
Something about jealously… something about stress…Her eyes seemed sorrowful. The deep pools that resided in them were still…
…Something about reason…something about trauma…
In those eyes were a long wailing cries…
…Something about justice…something about youth…
In her eyes there was rage. A deep rage that grew louder and louder. His stomach lurched. His face was being held for a reason… He snapped back to reality.
"…I think that this detention is some petty form of revenge. This simply proves that YOU'RE A POMPOUS GIT, WHO ONLY THINKS OF HIMSELF!" she screeched into his face.
Snape jumped and pulled away, retreating to his desk. He almost drowned in those eyes. The struggle to stay above the surface had blinded him. He had almost let his guard down. He would not let that happen again. He barricaded his heart - the parts that felt compassion. So he was Snape once more.
Jane was panting from her attack, looking even more of a mess. Snape was about to respond but he was interrupted.
"Hence, I think that I will be taking the detention," she concluded.
With that she swept out of the room, leaving the enigmatic tides that cooled Snape's feet.
Snape slumped into his seat. He was getting too old for this. It seemed that every now and then some lunatic abused him. Now he had more to ponder upon. Why the sudden change? Jane had just demonstrated more than a typical female mood swing. He extinguished the withering candle and sat in darkness.
…………..
Lingering in one of the dungeons' corridors, Snape relived Jane's puzzling intrusion for the millionth time. How dare she pluck away one of his only pleasures?
He stormed through the castle, becoming more determined with every turn. This time, he was going to fight back. This time Jane was going to be put in her place.
After an eternity, he reached the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. He wondered what the dimwit's punishments were. Hopefully something more impressionable than lines. He heard counting made in sets. He smirked. So Jane was not as soft as he anticipated. He imagined the two juvenile delinquents organising files to a rigid rhythm. Maybe she had them doing painful exercises. He silently slipped into the classroom.
What he witnessed was to his displeasure.
Jane and Harry were standing together in the waltz position. Jane was softly counting and guiding him through the rhythmic steps of a slow dance. Harry seemed to be quite aware of their close proximity and was shooting Ron significant glances whenever he turned to face him.
Both Ron and Harry were smiling. They were actually smiling. During detention. Snape's lips curled with disgust. This was ridiculous!
"Good Harry, good!" cheered Jane as the soft music reached a crescendo and concluded. "I am impressed with the both of you. 'rarely ever encounter such gentlemen."
She turned around, unaware of the 'gentlemen's' exchanged grins. Snape started. She was looking at him quizzically. Dismissing the boys, who trudged out of the room with those stupid grins on their faces, she turned to inspect a skull that rested on a shelf.
"How may I help you Severus?" Once again, her manner of speech had transformed. It was formal- rigid even.
"I came to ensure that you were handling the… errr what was it again? Oh yes, that's right... detention." Snape replied darkly.
"My choice of punishment was not to your liking?" she asked callously, reacting to his tone.
Snape glared at her, pouring every once of venom he possessed into it. She however, seemed more interested in the fossilised artefact than his wrath.
There was a deadly silence. Eventually it was broken by a rattle, which echoed from her chambers upstairs. Glancing at its source, Jane turned to face Snape. The tides in her eyes slowly drew him in once more.
"Listen, I'm sorry about earlier on okay. Sometimes I wonder if the potion you knocked me out with had some nasty side effects. As it was you made it, I wouldn't be surprised."
Snape assumed that this was some form of apology. Deciding to stay in the safe zone, he remained silent.
Janes deep eyes were glazed over- sealed off. Snape followed suit.
"'Thought that a little dance lesson was in order," she said weakly. "I mean, we all need a little preparation for the Halloween dance."
Snape started. He had not been notified of any dance.
Reading his face like a book, Jane laughed.
"'No need to be afraid. I simply organised a little 'shindig' for the students. 'Thought they'd want a little taste of muggle culture. You're invited of course."
She was becoming haughtier by the minute.
Raising an eyebrow, Snape simpered with sarcastic excitement. She laughed again. So she had become Jane once more.
"Well, 'must be off to bed. I hope you go to sleep early. "Don't want you having anymore nightmares." She winked, and slinked up the stairs.
…………………
Snape slumped into a chair for a second time that day. This time, however, he sunk into a plush couch that resided by the warm fireplace of the staffroom. A notice lay unwelcomed in his lap. It was a flyer advertising a Staff versus Students Quidditich match. It had flew into his face upon entering the room. He really needed to speak with Flitwick about his ridiculous charms.
Determine to avoid nightmares, Snape had decided to rest in the staffroom. In spite of Jane, he would stay up for as long as possible. He would not fall asleep if it was the last thing he did. He would not…
Snape wandered in the darkness of the grounds, letter clutched in hand. Tears pricked his eyes. His mother was dead. An owl had arrived this morning. He hadn't said much that day. He didn't even respond to Sirius' remark:
"What's the matter Snivellus? Have they stopped making that body grease that you always seem to apply so liberally?"
It wasn't worth it.
The pale moonlight caressed his face, but he fought it off. He didn't want anyone's sympathy. He wanted to be alone. Simply alone. This was every angry seventeen-year-old's dream.
He stopped at the edge of the lake. Its sparkling reflections illuminated a figure dipping its feet into the waters. Snape retreated a few steps- he did not wish to caught breaking rules.
It heard him.
Its head snapped in his direction. Snape started. Its lips parted to speak, but instead formed a welcoming smile. Enchanted by the enigma of it all, Snape approached its watchful gaze.
It was Angel.
She smiled and indicated for him to sit next to her. He obliged. Comforted by the idea of having a friend, Snape maintained the tranquil silence. They both gazed up at the twinkling sky. Snape, not appreciating its useless beauty, glanced at Angel. Ignorant of its gaze, she seemed lost in its brilliance. Desperate for her attention, and curiosity gnawing at him, Snape posed a previously asked question.
"Is your name Angel?"
"Is your name Dark Swallow?" she asked in return.
Snape was unnerved by her voice. It was almost silent, as if the hood she wore greedily gobbled up its beautiful tones.
He pondered upon her response. Was he Dark Swallow? He was certain that he wasn't. Who was Dark Swallow?
Dark Swallow.
Perhaps Dark Swallow was a name for him, as Angel was his for her. Perhaps Dark Swallow was the code name for a member of a secret conspiracy. Perhaps…
Her response had a multitude of meanings and he didn't like it.
He turned to her again. She wasn't smiling. He glanced at her feet which were swallowed up by the lake. He decided to sacrifice his feet in the same way.
He gasped. The water was freezing.
"Sometimes we must do things that bring about pain," she stated. "Sometimes, we must sacrifice things for the greater good."
Baffled by her statement, Snape looked away. He preferred her when she was silent!
Swinging his feet to-and-fro, Snape embraced its chill. Then something embraced his foot.
With a terrible force, something pulled Snape into the lake. Desperate for air, Snape uselessly struggled for the surface.
He cried for Angel, but she did not respond.
He could see her distorted figure from underwater. She watched him plunge deeper and deeper.
"Sometimes we must be patient. Then all becomes clear."
Snape could hear her voice in his ear. Why wouldn't she help him? He let out a strangled cry and let the water gush in.
Snape woke, screaming for air. His eyes came into focus to see that he was on the floor of the staffroom, and that it was well past midnight. Slowly the buzzing that filled his ears died, just in time to allow him to hear the speedy footsteps of Professor McGonagall. She barged into the room, desperately searching for someone. When she saw Snape she instantly seized him by the wrist, and began to drag him along the corridor.
"What is the meaning of all this?" Snape spluttered, as he almost tripped over his own feet.
"Oh, I'm so sorry Severus, but you must hurry! Its Harry!" She took a deep breath, and fortunately did not see Snape roll his eyes. "It's Harry, Severus! He's in the Entrance Hall and seems to be hallucinating."
Her claims were illustrated as they beheld that very room. Harry was on the ground, clutching his head. Screams consisting of a variety of pitches resinated from his screwed up face. Groggy students gathered around him. Ron and Hermione were shouting at each other, presumably arguing over what Harry was 'seeing.'
Snape could feel McGonagall's grip shift and tighten around his forearm.
"Severus, I need you to help me. The others are coming I presume," she pleaded.
She seized Harry by the shoulders and pried his hands from his face. Snape drew back, deciding to supervise the operation. She called to Harry desperately, gently slapping his face. Hermione and Ron joined in. Eventually, Harry came to his senses.
"I saw…I saw…"
He passed out.
Students squealed and screamed. Remembering his duty, Snape ordered them all to return to bed. By the time he had finished shooing them all, Ron and a number of Gryffindors had begun to carry Harry off to the hospital wing.
"Thankyou for you help," said McGonagall, too stunned to notice Snape's limited assistance.
Dazed, she hurried off to find Dumbledore.
Rolling his eyes at the idea of yet another dramatic Potter scene, Snape turned on his heel and strode to his chambers. As he did so, he noticed Jane retreat into the shadows.
A/N
Ooohh… exciting is it not?
So what was all this about? Well you'll just have to wait and see!
In the meantime, why not take a look at my other works? I have just started a fic about the Half Blood Prince, that has been read by over a hundred people (I'm thrilled!)
Some replies to some dedicated reviewers:
Aimee Damita-
the fruity one dances also, until Snape yells at it to stop dancing around in Potions class.
Thanks for the 2 reviews. Don't you worry. Even if I only get a few reviews I'll keep going for u guys!
Please don't cry…. I'm your fav fic? Starts to cry I'm so flattered.
You wouldn't believe how hard it is to keep Snape in character. I had to read all the Snape parts in the H.P books a million times, considering I'm not J.K Rowling, who has full written bios on Snape (must find bios….) Also finding synonyms for 'stalk' and 'sweep' can prove to be difficult.
Snape shouts at Aimee to release him this instant or he will give her detention where she will have to scrape bubotuber pus from cauldrons. The Fruity One launches herself on him whilst he's distracted, laughing like a maniac, and pins a 'fair –go-4-muggle-borns' badge on him with a permanent sticking charm.
Linzy-
hey ur funny!
YES REVIEW ME YOU SLACKERS OR I SHALL SMITE ALL OF YOU!
You know stuff about monkeys it seems…
Please not the fragments! Cowers (in an all-powerful way)
Um… why would you explode? I'm not THAT good.
My story's original? Are you sure? I don't think this idea is new…(not that I've read any other ones like mine..) Naturally, all will change with the twist towards the end… epp! I've said too much!
Snape yells at the Fruity One for slacking off in Potions. Fruity One runs up and smacks another muggle born pin on him. Snape lets out a submitting sigh, whilst going to his store room for a Draught of Peace which he now needs lots of…
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So will you guys please review now?
Some criticism would be O.K. I always read over my work in horror to find totalism, spelling and grammatical errors. Perhaps there is a flaw in my writing style that just bugs you – I hope not! Don't let that stop you from reading.
I won't publish anymore of this story, unless I GET AT LEAST THREE REVIEWS! That's right kiddies, THREE reviews! Tell your friends to at least check out my story!
Take care, tiddly-peeps!
ALL HAIL THE FRUITY ONE!
P.S
REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!