Chapter 6 Get Down With The Sickness
"Damn" sighed Draco, seeing the black falcon swoop down and drop a letter in his hands.
"What's up?" I asked.
"My father."
"Oh." I responded, letting him read in silence while I ate breakfast.
"He's asked to meet you." He said slightly abashed
"No, Draco."
Knowing that answer would not please Lucius, "Please, Mercy."
"I don't meet parents, besides it's not like I am your girlfriend or anything, why would he want to meet me?'
"I told him about you."
"Why? What would you do a thing like that for?"
"Because you are worth it."
I knew the circumstances in which I would find myself, meaning I knew Lucius Malfoy was a Death Eater and Voldemort's right hand. In my years I had become observant, especially since it could mean my own life if I would remain blind. Knowing I would be entering the snake pit, as it were, and wanting to get closer to the Dark Lord, this was a step I would have to take. If it cost me my life so be it. "Alright, when?"
"This weekend"
"What! Like tonight this weekend?"
"Yeah, but we need permission from your parents."
My eyes fell, "Not enough time" We never talked about my parents or my past, owing to the fact that Draco was on a need to know basis.
"Snape is our Head of House, we can get him to give permission. He and my father are friends, I'm sure he would."
"Alright, I'll ask him," Draco beamed at me; happy that I consented so easily, unbeknownst to him I had my own agenda.
"Well, I need to prepare a few things, if you will excuse me." Draco nodded and I stood leaving the Great Hall.
My first order of business was to go make my weekly potion, but I needed to knick some ingredient from Snape's personal supply closet, which shouldn't be a problem as I'd done it before, when I was out.
Getting past Snape's wards proved to be a challenge, as you had to remove them all in a specific order.
When I finally broke through, I hummed softly a song I had forgotten all the words to, which my mother used to sing to me as a child. Carefully adding ingredients to my bag and reliving memories of my mother, I didn't hear him creep up behind me.
Snape stood leaning against the door, watching the thief. When he was about to make his presence known, he heard the haunted melody coming from her. The notes would rise ever so slightly and decent, it was slow almost mournful.
Mercy stepped away, closing the cabinet and turned, fear evident across her features, so much like his memory of her. Now realizing she was the girl from his past. He had relived the memory of her since her first potions class, even placing the memory in his pensive, to get a clearer view of that day. Yes, this was the one, but now he noticed, other than the fact of not aging, her skin was more translucent, where the memory version, she was flushed.
"Explain yourself, Miss Xavier, and be cautious with your tone, as you are on very thin ice," He scowled down at me.
When I seen him there, I almost dropped my bag in shock. No one in years had been able to creep up on me. "P...Professor, I'm sorry, I just needed a few things."
"Stealing is a very serious offence, Miss Xavier, hand me your bag."
"Sir?" Crap I'm in so much trouble; I knew I could get expelled for this.
"I have a right to know the items you obviously couldn't ask for; we need to find out how serious your punishment shall be."
Regretfully, I handed him my bag." Sir, I was only borrowing I would have replace everything, as I've done before," I defended, thinking that I let my mouth go to far as he looked furious.
"So, this has happened before?" His large black eyes boring into mine. For a moment I felt like I couldn't breathe, drowning into them. I looked away, shaking myself, letting out the breath I forgot I held.
"Why don't you buy your own instead of replacing mine?" He still held my bag, unopened.
"Emergency, sir. Professor Dumbledore had a shipment coming for me, but it has been delayed."
"Student's with emergencies should go to their Head of House." Snape walked over to his desk and carefully withdrew all of its contents, lining vial alongside each other. He was impressed, most of the ingredients were either illegal or underage wizards were not allowed to posses them. 'An odd combination' he thought trying to figure out what she was making by just the ingredients alone. This potion was old, even unheard of since some of them alone would be lethal, nevertheless in combination with other toxic ones.
"This is grounds for expulsion."
"But..." He held his hand up, cutting her off.
"Who are you making it for?"
I looked him in the eye, "I can't tell you, Professor."
"Of course you know this combination was banned a few centuries ago."
"Yes," I said evenly.
"So, who are you making it for?"
"I am unable to say, sir."
"Damnit, Mercedes, tell me!" he shouted. "Are you in danger, Miss Xavier" he asked suspiciously.
"Not so much as others could be" I answered, vague, but honest.
Angered at her vague answers "Detention all weekend."
"I can't sir, I have a previous engagement."
"That was not a request!" he hissed. He is quite frightening when he is angry. "And where do you think you'll be all weekend, no less?'
"Malfoy Manor" I said, short quick precise answers now since I really don't want him any angrier. I was tempted to probe his mind to see what he thought about that, but a wizard of his power, I just didn't want to chance it, not now
"Lucius Malfoy, taken an interest in his son's little girlfriend?" he asked, baiting me.
I was starting to feel parched, the tingling of need creeping through me. Little tastes of Draco here and there seemed to make it harder to resist, and this man before me smelled exquisite
I quickly pulled back, fumbling inside my robes to find my flask and quickly took a sip. While I was replacing the cap, Snape swiped the flask from my hands.
/////
I saw hunger flicker behind her clear blue eyes as realization dawned that she was looking at me like I was food. She even smelled me. I watched her fascinated as she drank from a medium sized flask. As soon as she swallowed, the predatory look faded.
I pulled the flask from her and smelled it, all the strange pieces started to fall into place.
"It's you," he said more to himself than to me. I stood silent, neither confirm nor deny, waiting for him to speak a little more. I heard he along with Draco's father were Death Eaters. I started to feel a tingle of fear, but masked it well.
"It was you, twenty years ago, visiting with your father, Professor Xavier from Durmstrang, who until a few months ago was still there. I heard that he died along with his wife. Aurors killed them, but the rest of the details were sketchy. That's why the Dark Lord is so interested in you, you're the half-breed."
"Half-breed?" I was agitated. "I am no half-breed. My magical ancestors were pureblood. My family dates back for centuries."
"You are the witch turned vampire."
"Yes."
"Rumor had it that there was one but most people thought it just that, a rumor."
I just shrugged a little, feeling uncomfortable.
"That old fool, Dumbledore, will let anyone in here."
"Yeah, tell me about it."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Come on. I see things, I know things."
"Who told you?"
"No one, technically."
"What do you mean 'technically'?"
"Some of the best wizards can't hold their mind in check when they come."
Snape didn't know what to say or if he should be angry of laugh. He finally laughed softly, the laugh actually reached his eyes for a moment "What do you call this potion?" he asked.
"Non Cruentus Venenum."
"Would you like help?" he offered
"Sure, I'm almost out and I'll need it especially this weekend."
While getting the cauldron out she added a few ingredients then lit a fire underneath with her wand,
"Would you mind if I suggest something, Miss Xavier?"
"Go ahead."
"Don't go this weekend."
"I have to."
"Lucius will know."
"No he won't. You've been around me a month or so and it took catching me here, to pull it together."
"Why risk it?"
"For Draco, and no he doesn't know. You've seen how it is between the two of them. I've only seen glimpses of what Draco projected unknowingly. I also need you to grant permission for it."
Snape stood silent stirring the mixture as I added the rest of the contents.
"Alright. He will try to search your mind and become suspicious when he hits that wall."
It was my turn to laugh softly, knowing that he has tried before. "He's already suspicious. That's why he wants to see me. Besides he knows I'm strong anyway and the fact my previous school was Durmstrang. If all else fails I have a backup plan."
"What."
"Now that would be telling." I said slyly.
He raised an eyebrow at me, "How old are you?"
"Why do you want to know? So you can ease your conscience for fantasizing about a student?"
Snape glared at me angrily. I leaned over toward him and inhaled deeply, "I have my sources." I said in my defense. I could smell his blood pumping and a hint of arousal tinged in it. "That's why I need this." I said, pouring the viscous liquid into a goblet, "Dulls some senses."
I could hear students coming down the corridor; I raised the goblet to my Professor and drank. As I filled my flask, he conjured a note for my next class, grabbed my bag and left.
////
A few seconds after she left, his next class arrived. He never in all his years ever encountered such a being. He was attracted to her before finding out her secret, but a darker side of him wondered.
"Damn" sighed Draco, seeing the black falcon swoop down and drop a letter in his hands.
"What's up?" I asked.
"My father."
"Oh." I responded, letting him read in silence while I ate breakfast.
"He's asked to meet you." He said slightly abashed
"No, Draco."
Knowing that answer would not please Lucius, "Please, Mercy."
"I don't meet parents, besides it's not like I am your girlfriend or anything, why would he want to meet me?'
"I told him about you."
"Why? What would you do a thing like that for?"
"Because you are worth it."
I knew the circumstances in which I would find myself, meaning I knew Lucius Malfoy was a Death Eater and Voldemort's right hand. In my years I had become observant, especially since it could mean my own life if I would remain blind. Knowing I would be entering the snake pit, as it were, and wanting to get closer to the Dark Lord, this was a step I would have to take. If it cost me my life so be it. "Alright, when?"
"This weekend"
"What! Like tonight this weekend?"
"Yeah, but we need permission from your parents."
My eyes fell, "Not enough time" We never talked about my parents or my past, owing to the fact that Draco was on a need to know basis.
"Snape is our Head of House, we can get him to give permission. He and my father are friends, I'm sure he would."
"Alright, I'll ask him," Draco beamed at me; happy that I consented so easily, unbeknownst to him I had my own agenda.
"Well, I need to prepare a few things, if you will excuse me." Draco nodded and I stood leaving the Great Hall.
My first order of business was to go make my weekly potion, but I needed to knick some ingredient from Snape's personal supply closet, which shouldn't be a problem as I'd done it before, when I was out.
Getting past Snape's wards proved to be a challenge, as you had to remove them all in a specific order.
When I finally broke through, I hummed softly a song I had forgotten all the words to, which my mother used to sing to me as a child. Carefully adding ingredients to my bag and reliving memories of my mother, I didn't hear him creep up behind me.
Snape stood leaning against the door, watching the thief. When he was about to make his presence known, he heard the haunted melody coming from her. The notes would rise ever so slightly and decent, it was slow almost mournful.
Mercy stepped away, closing the cabinet and turned, fear evident across her features, so much like his memory of her. Now realizing she was the girl from his past. He had relived the memory of her since her first potions class, even placing the memory in his pensive, to get a clearer view of that day. Yes, this was the one, but now he noticed, other than the fact of not aging, her skin was more translucent, where the memory version, she was flushed.
"Explain yourself, Miss Xavier, and be cautious with your tone, as you are on very thin ice," He scowled down at me.
When I seen him there, I almost dropped my bag in shock. No one in years had been able to creep up on me. "P...Professor, I'm sorry, I just needed a few things."
"Stealing is a very serious offence, Miss Xavier, hand me your bag."
"Sir?" Crap I'm in so much trouble; I knew I could get expelled for this.
"I have a right to know the items you obviously couldn't ask for; we need to find out how serious your punishment shall be."
Regretfully, I handed him my bag." Sir, I was only borrowing I would have replace everything, as I've done before," I defended, thinking that I let my mouth go to far as he looked furious.
"So, this has happened before?" His large black eyes boring into mine. For a moment I felt like I couldn't breathe, drowning into them. I looked away, shaking myself, letting out the breath I forgot I held.
"Why don't you buy your own instead of replacing mine?" He still held my bag, unopened.
"Emergency, sir. Professor Dumbledore had a shipment coming for me, but it has been delayed."
"Student's with emergencies should go to their Head of House." Snape walked over to his desk and carefully withdrew all of its contents, lining vial alongside each other. He was impressed, most of the ingredients were either illegal or underage wizards were not allowed to posses them. 'An odd combination' he thought trying to figure out what she was making by just the ingredients alone. This potion was old, even unheard of since some of them alone would be lethal, nevertheless in combination with other toxic ones.
"This is grounds for expulsion."
"But..." He held his hand up, cutting her off.
"Who are you making it for?"
I looked him in the eye, "I can't tell you, Professor."
"Of course you know this combination was banned a few centuries ago."
"Yes," I said evenly.
"So, who are you making it for?"
"I am unable to say, sir."
"Damnit, Mercedes, tell me!" he shouted. "Are you in danger, Miss Xavier" he asked suspiciously.
"Not so much as others could be" I answered, vague, but honest.
Angered at her vague answers "Detention all weekend."
"I can't sir, I have a previous engagement."
"That was not a request!" he hissed. He is quite frightening when he is angry. "And where do you think you'll be all weekend, no less?'
"Malfoy Manor" I said, short quick precise answers now since I really don't want him any angrier. I was tempted to probe his mind to see what he thought about that, but a wizard of his power, I just didn't want to chance it, not now
"Lucius Malfoy, taken an interest in his son's little girlfriend?" he asked, baiting me.
I was starting to feel parched, the tingling of need creeping through me. Little tastes of Draco here and there seemed to make it harder to resist, and this man before me smelled exquisite
I quickly pulled back, fumbling inside my robes to find my flask and quickly took a sip. While I was replacing the cap, Snape swiped the flask from my hands.
/////
I saw hunger flicker behind her clear blue eyes as realization dawned that she was looking at me like I was food. She even smelled me. I watched her fascinated as she drank from a medium sized flask. As soon as she swallowed, the predatory look faded.
I pulled the flask from her and smelled it, all the strange pieces started to fall into place.
"It's you," he said more to himself than to me. I stood silent, neither confirm nor deny, waiting for him to speak a little more. I heard he along with Draco's father were Death Eaters. I started to feel a tingle of fear, but masked it well.
"It was you, twenty years ago, visiting with your father, Professor Xavier from Durmstrang, who until a few months ago was still there. I heard that he died along with his wife. Aurors killed them, but the rest of the details were sketchy. That's why the Dark Lord is so interested in you, you're the half-breed."
"Half-breed?" I was agitated. "I am no half-breed. My magical ancestors were pureblood. My family dates back for centuries."
"You are the witch turned vampire."
"Yes."
"Rumor had it that there was one but most people thought it just that, a rumor."
I just shrugged a little, feeling uncomfortable.
"That old fool, Dumbledore, will let anyone in here."
"Yeah, tell me about it."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Come on. I see things, I know things."
"Who told you?"
"No one, technically."
"What do you mean 'technically'?"
"Some of the best wizards can't hold their mind in check when they come."
Snape didn't know what to say or if he should be angry of laugh. He finally laughed softly, the laugh actually reached his eyes for a moment "What do you call this potion?" he asked.
"Non Cruentus Venenum."
"Would you like help?" he offered
"Sure, I'm almost out and I'll need it especially this weekend."
While getting the cauldron out she added a few ingredients then lit a fire underneath with her wand,
"Would you mind if I suggest something, Miss Xavier?"
"Go ahead."
"Don't go this weekend."
"I have to."
"Lucius will know."
"No he won't. You've been around me a month or so and it took catching me here, to pull it together."
"Why risk it?"
"For Draco, and no he doesn't know. You've seen how it is between the two of them. I've only seen glimpses of what Draco projected unknowingly. I also need you to grant permission for it."
Snape stood silent stirring the mixture as I added the rest of the contents.
"Alright. He will try to search your mind and become suspicious when he hits that wall."
It was my turn to laugh softly, knowing that he has tried before. "He's already suspicious. That's why he wants to see me. Besides he knows I'm strong anyway and the fact my previous school was Durmstrang. If all else fails I have a backup plan."
"What."
"Now that would be telling." I said slyly.
He raised an eyebrow at me, "How old are you?"
"Why do you want to know? So you can ease your conscience for fantasizing about a student?"
Snape glared at me angrily. I leaned over toward him and inhaled deeply, "I have my sources." I said in my defense. I could smell his blood pumping and a hint of arousal tinged in it. "That's why I need this." I said, pouring the viscous liquid into a goblet, "Dulls some senses."
I could hear students coming down the corridor; I raised the goblet to my Professor and drank. As I filled my flask, he conjured a note for my next class, grabbed my bag and left.
////
A few seconds after she left, his next class arrived. He never in all his years ever encountered such a being. He was attracted to her before finding out her secret, but a darker side of him wondered.