author: Lucinda
main characters: Severus Snape, Drusilla
third in the 'Brave Snake' series
rating: pg13-16
disclaimer: I hold no legal rights to Severus Snape (property of JK Rowling) or Dru (property of Joss Whedon).
distribution: Twisting, OADNT, Paula, Jen & Cat if they want, anyone else please ask first.
note: AU post season 5 BtVS, AU post book 3 for Harry Potter.
Severus Snape had been carefully experimenting to see if his magic still worked after his change. So far, the results were interesting. Certain spells were more difficult, others were more easily, and the sensation of the power moving through him was... different, although he couldn't quite put the difference to words. Perhaps it was a fortunate thing that he taught Potions, and not Transfigurations or Charms.
But now, it appeared that things were finally ready to make the attempt. The few things that he'd had with him were packed, as were the collection of things that Drusilla had gathered since her arrival in England. They found no difficulty in arriving at Hogwarts, although he found himself newly sensitive to the wards surrounding it. He could almost feel them now, like a hum against his skin.
"Will we be able to go in? I've not had an invitation." Drusilla's voice was soft as she stared at the castle. It was an impressive sight, rising over the lake, one tower framed by the rising moon.
He blinked, considering her words. If they could not enter the school, that would complicate matters. "I'm not entirely certain. Shall we go find out?"
They made their way to the front doors, which swung open, revealing Albus Dumbledore. "Ah, Severus. Back early from the summer holidays?"
The feeling of Dumbledore's power had never been so noticeable, like the crackling of lightning all confined behind blue robes and crescent spectacles. Would Dumbledore know what had happened, try to prevent him from... No, the best thing to do would be to try to remain calm, to act casually. "You must know by now that the summer has never been my favorite season."
"Indeed, although I would think that you would enjoy the time away from your students." Dumbledore nodded, looking faintly amused. He then paused, looking at Drusilla. "And who is this with you, Severus?"
"Please, allow me the introductions. Albus Dumbledore, I present to you Drusilla Cambridge. My sweet, this is Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of this school."
Drusilla smiled, holding one hand towards the elderly wizard. "Delighted to meet you... such a lovely school... all sparkly and so many towers."
Dumbledore smiled at her, apparently delighted as he kissed her fingers. "Such a charming lady. I am glad to see someone bringing a bit of joy to Severus' life. Do come in, I think we have many things to talk about, the three of us."
He tried to keep the triumph out of his smile as they followed the old wizard into the school, and up to his office. Could it truly be this easy?
Fawkes shifted on his perch at their entry, before fluttering over to perch on Albus' shoulder and watch the pair of them with what looked like suspicion. "Do settle, Fawkes, you are well acquainted with Severus."
"Now, while I may be old, I am not entirely foolish. I am aware that Miss Drusilla is a vampire. For the safety of the students and faculty, I really must ask that she..." Fawkes interrupted with an oddly unmusical cry and half spreading his wings, looking straight at Severus. "Hmm, very well then, I must ask that both of you maintain careful behavior, and not cause any harm to the students or the rest of the faculty."
Drusilla cringed slightly away from Fawkes, one hand nearly crushing Severus' fingers. "Flames all around the bird... what is it, my dragon child?"
"Fawkes is a phoenix. As long as he doesn't think you're a threat to Dumbledore, you should be in no danger from him." He sighed, feeling grateful that his hand would recover. "I believe that we can do that, Headmaster. I am also hoping that we might be of... additional assistance."
"Nasty snake.... he must go. He tried to hold my Dragon Childe, but I do not share." Drusilla looked at Dumbledore, frowning a little. "We will help you cut down the big snake, for he is ugly and the stars do not like him."
Perhaps this was the first time that he'd seen Dumbledore looking so flummoxed. "Ahhh.... that is reassuring, Drusilla. We will appreciate your assistance in removing... the snake. On a different note, where will you be staying?"
Severus smiled, leaning back in his chair slightly. "My chambers are already in the dungeon, they should be entirely suitable for our needs. And if Drusilla stays with me..."
With a little giggle, she leaned over, one hand running along his thigh. "I do like my dragon childe's company so..."
There was a hint of pink visible above Dumbledore's beard as he looked at his desk. "Ahhh, yes, that should be entirely suitable. It would also give you a bit more privacy... good. Very good. And how shall we explain the presence of Drusilla?"
"I seem to recall that Sibyl was rather... stressed by the events last year. Perhaps she could use an assistant?" He caught Dru's hand before she could do something that would truly embarrass the Headmaster. "Drusilla is clairvoyant, perhaps she could offer her assistance?"
Dumbledore looked carefully at Dru's face, and made a thoughtful noise. "Yes, she is, isn't she? I don't see how she could be a more unsettling instructor than Sibyl... Very well, you shall be the Assistant Divinations Professor."
"Oh, goody. I shall teach them how to listen to the stars, and unlock the secrets of their dreams. This shall be fun." She giggled a little.
Severus stood, pulling Drusilla to her feet as well. "Perhaps we should go settle ourselves in the dungeons."
"Indeed. You and Drusilla look in need of a little settling. I shall alert the house-elves of your new dietary needs." Dumbledore looked almost relieved that they would be leaving the office.
They were barely out the door before Dru's lips covered his, in a kiss that made him glad he no longer needed to breath. "This is going to be such fun... Are there chains in the dungeons?"
"Of course, my sweet. What dungeon would be complete without them?" He smiled just a little, certain now that his lovely Sire wanted to play.
"You were right, I'm going to love staying here."
end Dark Snake Lairs.
main characters: Severus Snape, Drusilla
third in the 'Brave Snake' series
rating: pg13-16
disclaimer: I hold no legal rights to Severus Snape (property of JK Rowling) or Dru (property of Joss Whedon).
distribution: Twisting, OADNT, Paula, Jen & Cat if they want, anyone else please ask first.
note: AU post season 5 BtVS, AU post book 3 for Harry Potter.
Severus Snape had been carefully experimenting to see if his magic still worked after his change. So far, the results were interesting. Certain spells were more difficult, others were more easily, and the sensation of the power moving through him was... different, although he couldn't quite put the difference to words. Perhaps it was a fortunate thing that he taught Potions, and not Transfigurations or Charms.
But now, it appeared that things were finally ready to make the attempt. The few things that he'd had with him were packed, as were the collection of things that Drusilla had gathered since her arrival in England. They found no difficulty in arriving at Hogwarts, although he found himself newly sensitive to the wards surrounding it. He could almost feel them now, like a hum against his skin.
"Will we be able to go in? I've not had an invitation." Drusilla's voice was soft as she stared at the castle. It was an impressive sight, rising over the lake, one tower framed by the rising moon.
He blinked, considering her words. If they could not enter the school, that would complicate matters. "I'm not entirely certain. Shall we go find out?"
They made their way to the front doors, which swung open, revealing Albus Dumbledore. "Ah, Severus. Back early from the summer holidays?"
The feeling of Dumbledore's power had never been so noticeable, like the crackling of lightning all confined behind blue robes and crescent spectacles. Would Dumbledore know what had happened, try to prevent him from... No, the best thing to do would be to try to remain calm, to act casually. "You must know by now that the summer has never been my favorite season."
"Indeed, although I would think that you would enjoy the time away from your students." Dumbledore nodded, looking faintly amused. He then paused, looking at Drusilla. "And who is this with you, Severus?"
"Please, allow me the introductions. Albus Dumbledore, I present to you Drusilla Cambridge. My sweet, this is Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of this school."
Drusilla smiled, holding one hand towards the elderly wizard. "Delighted to meet you... such a lovely school... all sparkly and so many towers."
Dumbledore smiled at her, apparently delighted as he kissed her fingers. "Such a charming lady. I am glad to see someone bringing a bit of joy to Severus' life. Do come in, I think we have many things to talk about, the three of us."
He tried to keep the triumph out of his smile as they followed the old wizard into the school, and up to his office. Could it truly be this easy?
Fawkes shifted on his perch at their entry, before fluttering over to perch on Albus' shoulder and watch the pair of them with what looked like suspicion. "Do settle, Fawkes, you are well acquainted with Severus."
"Now, while I may be old, I am not entirely foolish. I am aware that Miss Drusilla is a vampire. For the safety of the students and faculty, I really must ask that she..." Fawkes interrupted with an oddly unmusical cry and half spreading his wings, looking straight at Severus. "Hmm, very well then, I must ask that both of you maintain careful behavior, and not cause any harm to the students or the rest of the faculty."
Drusilla cringed slightly away from Fawkes, one hand nearly crushing Severus' fingers. "Flames all around the bird... what is it, my dragon child?"
"Fawkes is a phoenix. As long as he doesn't think you're a threat to Dumbledore, you should be in no danger from him." He sighed, feeling grateful that his hand would recover. "I believe that we can do that, Headmaster. I am also hoping that we might be of... additional assistance."
"Nasty snake.... he must go. He tried to hold my Dragon Childe, but I do not share." Drusilla looked at Dumbledore, frowning a little. "We will help you cut down the big snake, for he is ugly and the stars do not like him."
Perhaps this was the first time that he'd seen Dumbledore looking so flummoxed. "Ahhh.... that is reassuring, Drusilla. We will appreciate your assistance in removing... the snake. On a different note, where will you be staying?"
Severus smiled, leaning back in his chair slightly. "My chambers are already in the dungeon, they should be entirely suitable for our needs. And if Drusilla stays with me..."
With a little giggle, she leaned over, one hand running along his thigh. "I do like my dragon childe's company so..."
There was a hint of pink visible above Dumbledore's beard as he looked at his desk. "Ahhh, yes, that should be entirely suitable. It would also give you a bit more privacy... good. Very good. And how shall we explain the presence of Drusilla?"
"I seem to recall that Sibyl was rather... stressed by the events last year. Perhaps she could use an assistant?" He caught Dru's hand before she could do something that would truly embarrass the Headmaster. "Drusilla is clairvoyant, perhaps she could offer her assistance?"
Dumbledore looked carefully at Dru's face, and made a thoughtful noise. "Yes, she is, isn't she? I don't see how she could be a more unsettling instructor than Sibyl... Very well, you shall be the Assistant Divinations Professor."
"Oh, goody. I shall teach them how to listen to the stars, and unlock the secrets of their dreams. This shall be fun." She giggled a little.
Severus stood, pulling Drusilla to her feet as well. "Perhaps we should go settle ourselves in the dungeons."
"Indeed. You and Drusilla look in need of a little settling. I shall alert the house-elves of your new dietary needs." Dumbledore looked almost relieved that they would be leaving the office.
They were barely out the door before Dru's lips covered his, in a kiss that made him glad he no longer needed to breath. "This is going to be such fun... Are there chains in the dungeons?"
"Of course, my sweet. What dungeon would be complete without them?" He smiled just a little, certain now that his lovely Sire wanted to play.
"You were right, I'm going to love staying here."
end Dark Snake Lairs.