Chapter Four - Veritaseum
The next evening, Snape was sitting at the table eating spaghetti bolognaise boredly with a pair of chopsticks.
Womtail was sitting under the table (Snape never let the filth occupy a seat at the table and so Wormtail often sat under it), eating some plain spagetti off the floor with his hands.
Snape dropped his chopsticks in surprise when the door was flung open and there stood Bella. Stopping himself from staring open mouthed at this beauty, Snape regained himself and picked up his chopsticks.
The potion had definatly had an effect on her. Her cheeks were no longer red and swollen, the rings from under her eyes were gone. She had brushed her hair at least, and applied some heavy black kohl eyeliner. She was wearing a pair of long, thick, black velvet dress-robes with draping arms, baring the silky, pale skin on her throat and collarbones. her hands were covered in beautiful ruby, onyx and ebony rings.
'I see you are well?' Snape said, masking the nervousness that he felt with a swagger and a smirk.
'More well than yesterday, I suppose.' Bellatrix muttered.
What the hell was this? Though she was glaring at him with the expression of utmost contempt on her face, Bellatrix was neither cursing him or throwing things at him.
Snape stood up and with a flick of his wand drew a chair to the table and, with another flick, a plate of spaghetti and a pair of chopsticks landed gracefully opposite him, along with a tall glass of water.
'Sit.' He said, It was more of a command than an offer. 'You need to eat.'
'Don't think you can tell me what to do!' Bellatrix hissed. 'I may be in your house, using your spare bedroom and breaking your things,' She said the last part with a ferverant sneer, 'But that doesn't mean you can tell me what I must do.'
But she sat anyway, glaring at her food for a while. 'You are eating Italian cruisine with Asian utensils?'
Snape shrugged. 'I like the fusion of ethnic styles. Unless you think that you can cook better?'
Bellatrix took a bite dubiously. 'No.' She admitted, 'I cannot cook. I have never had to in my life. Rudolphis...' She stopped, blinked back tears, and turned her face to her food once more, focusing all her concentration on it.
'Neither can I.' Snape said, trying to make light of the situation, 'Cook, I mean. I buy the ready-made stuff.'
Bellatrix let out a snort, but the edges of her mouth had curled into a small smile. 'So did Rudolphis...' The smile had a flicker of sadness in it.
Why did it sting everytime she said his name?
Snape just nodded, silent. It was strange, usually when Bellatrix was around he couldn't shut up, always going on about this and that, informing them, impressing them with what seemed his endless knowledge. But now, he kept silent. She obviously needed to get something off her chest.
'...He never was good at anything other housework, would often get me to do it, but at least he could follow instructions on a packet of ready-to-make food.' She said sadly. 'The bastard would never let me out of his sight though... except for when the Dark Lord summoned me, and he couldn't do much else. He thought me and the Dark Lord had something...' she snorted. 'And when I came back he would get angry... jealous... violent... '
She twisted her face into a grimace. Why was she telling Snape all this? And why wasn't he interupting has he always did... Why was he looking at her in a concerned way?
They sat silently for a while.
Bellatrix broke it with a whisper. 'I hated him. Always did, Severus. But My father and mother set me up with a Pureblood as was thier wish. If I had had my own way... well, I wouldn't have married at all.'
Snape nodded silently, he understood.
'Though I miss Rudophis, And I have regret for not saving him from death, I can't say that he didn't deserve it.'
Snape laughed lightly. 'Anyone who hurts you Bella, deserves death. And Rudolphis, well... can't say he wan't an idiot.' He stopped, and jammed his mouth shut. Where did that come from? It had spewed so eagerly from his mouth, a secret piece of his heart that he kept so well guarded.
Bellatrix stopped suddenly, a thick silence cloaked them. she resumed her icily tone. 'Did you put Veritaserum in my food?'
Snape shook his head no.
'You're lying through your teeth, Snape.' She glared.
'What you want to tell me is your responsiblity.' Snape answered, smirking half-heartedly. 'I will say that you are the most accomplished occlumens the wizarding world has ever met, doubtful I would be able to peak into your mind if I tried- and I have.' His hand almost flew to his mouth but he kept them, with difficulty, poised with his chopsticks. He had let too much slip.
'Don't mock me!' Bellatrix said furiously. 'And don't lie to me so! You pretend to care, but you don't give a shit about anyone, not even yourself! You have poisoned me with the truth potion, something that even my husband never dared to do! I have always kept my thoughts so well guarded- I had to, living with Ru--' She clamped her hand over her mouth, eyes burning with anger.'
'Listen Bella, I-'
'Don't call me Bella, you bastard!' She stood suddenly and flung her plate at him, threw her chair onto the floor and stamped out of the room, her velvet robes swishing behind her.
Snape pulled the spaghetti out of his hair.
Underneath the table, Wormtail smothered his laughter with fingers of his stiff, silver hand, the small vial of Veritaserum dancing merrily in his pocket.
Snape kicked him.
PR&R/rigamortis.