Cassie: wearing a black jumpsuit and a ski mask Muhehehehehohohoha! She'll never find the it now!

A/N: Find what? Have you seen my disclaimer?

Cassie: not-so-innocently No...

A/N: Caitlin!

Caitlin: Cassie... takes out salami stick

Cassie: Ahh! It's under Jessie the hobo!

A/N: Oh...here it is!

Disclaimer: Never ever ever ever never ever will own Harry Potter.

Falling Into the Darkness; a Sepant's Tale

Chapter Two

"A Plan of Suduction"

Severus and Rane sat in a booth at a cafe silently sipping their drinks. Rane absentmindedly rubbed her foot against Severus' leg. They hadn't spoken since they'd left Lucius, Narcissa, and Bellatrix.

"Why do you let them call you Rane?" Severus asked suddenly.

"I like it, besides it is my name."

"Your name's Scarlet." Severus corrected

Rane sighed and reached for Severus' hand. "I can never win with you, can I?"

He shook his head.

"Fine. I'll be Scarlet with the Slytherins."

Severus tightened his grip on Rane's hand as they spotted James and Lily...they had just bearly walked through the door. James glared at them but continued to walk by with Lily.

"Time to go?"

Severus nodded and they both stood.

"I wish he wasn't such a prat at times!" Rane exclaimed as they exited.

Severus nodded and smirked slightly. "It seems you enjoy making him have nervous breakdowns." He eyed her dress.

Rane smiled and pulled herself closer to Severus.

Rane had fallen asleep that night listening to Kiri and Lily talk about how their dates went. The morning was cool but it was refreshing after the long, humid days that'd been present. Once outside, the girls met the Mauraders and, of course, Kiri chose THEN to bring up Rane's date.

"So, are you going out with him again."

Rane avoided their apprihencive faces before pulling up all of the courage she had in her and said firmly, "Yes. I. Am."

James looked as if he'd been slapped in the face. "What? You are i not /i going to go out with him. I wont let you."

"I can, and I will!"

"No you wont!"

"James!" Lily scolded. "Leave her alone."

"I'm not letting her go get herself shagged by some Death Eater!"

i Death Eater? /i "You don't know what you're talking about!" Rane cried and left fuming, a storm brewing in her soul.

She spotted Severus and, knowing James was searching to hex him, grabbed his arm, dragging him along behind her. She half-expected him to pull away, but he never did. Rane eventually stopped as they neared the Slytherin Tower. She turned towards Severus who had leaned against the wall. The gentle scent of alcahol lingered on his breath. It was then that Rane realized that he was drunk.

"Severus..." She wispered, he looked away. "C'mon." She pulled him gently to the portrait gaurding the Slytherin Common Room. She had to thretan first year's life to get the passward but soon they were inside. She sat Severus infront of the dead fireplace and made a move to sit next to him when he rolled off onto the floor.

"Oomph!" he ejected as he hit the ground.

"Here." Rane hauled Severus back onto the couch. He ended up falling on top of her, pinning one of her legs to the couch under him while the other one hung off the side. He laid his head on her shoulder closest to the back of the couch. Rane shifted uncomfortably for a moment before she began to drift off to sleep, her senses fringed with the faint scent of spice and whiskey.

A great weight shifted off of Rane's body, causing her to stir. She felt the fire's flame dance across her face and heard voices. Slowly, she opened her eyes to the darkness, illuminated by the bright fire. Even though their faces were shadowed she could make out Severus (who was still half laying on her), Narcissa (who was sitting on Lucius' lap in a large chair with her arm draped over his shoulder), and Bellatrix.

"You've missed lunch and dinner." Bellatrix said matter-of-factly.

Rane shrugged, and puched Severus up so she could sit by him before grabbing his hand.

"What time is it?" Severus questioned groggily.

"Nearly midnight." aswered Narcissa. "I'd have figured Severus would sleep that long, since he was drunk off his ass. But you, Miss Perfect, were quite sober."

Severus glared at Narcissa before standing abruptly and leaving. Rane was about to follow but was stopped as Bella and Narcissa darted after him, one pushing Rane back into the couch.

She heard Lucius' low chuckle. "Stay Scarlet...the girls will drag him down here. Narcissa meerly embaressed him; he doesn't like to talk about his little...problem."

Something clicked inside Rane's head. "He drinks? I-I mean, all of the time?"

Lucius shrugged. "Drinks and cuts...if it's not one then its the other. Especially since he's been with you...he's quite taken, really. Some of the simple-minded may go as far as to say he loves you. But, he think's you're just using him...like some of the sluts in this school." He paused and added as an afterthought, "You're not one of them, are you?"

"Of course not!" she defended immediatly. "No, I love...I-I'm in love with him. He's...different."

Lucius raised an eyebrow but remained silent.

A few seconds passed.

"Where is he? Show me where he is!" Rane stood.

"I don't think that's such a good idea-"

"Show me where he is, damn it!" Rane's voice elevated.

After a moment Lucius replied. "Very well, follow me."

They clambered up a narrow passage seprate from the other dormitories. Beyond a magically sealed door were three monsterous beds, each covored with silky black, green, and silver bedding. Surrounding the high-posted beds were thick, onyx curtains. The room was highly decorated, reflecting just how rich most Slytherins were.

On one bed, Rodolphus Lestrange laid staring across the other beds. The middle one was empty, and then she saw what Lestrange was staring at. Narcissa and Bellatrix were both trying to wrestle a knife from Severus on the third bed, blood pooled on his arm and rolled off.

Rane never remembered walking over but soon she'd pushed through the girls and taken the daggar out of Severus' grasp. She felt his eyes boring into her and yet her gaze was transfixed on his arm. Through the blood she could clearly make out something tatooed into his pale skin. A skull glared back at hear...fully unaware of the snake that was petruding from its gaping mouth; the Dark Lord's hand had scarred him.

James' words came racing back...Death Eater

She grimmaced and eventually brought her head up to Severus' level. A terrified feature had been wiped across his face, expecting Rane to run. Rane wispered a cleansing spell, ridding Severus of the already spilled blood and wrapped the flesh wound in clotyh, purposly covering up the Dark Mark.

Suddenly her mood changed. "Don't you ever-ever hurt yourself like that EVER!" she snarled. Her voice echoed around the room causing Severus to flinch. Rane's eyes softened. "I love you, Sev."

She felt the bed rise as the two girls stood. Narcissa joined Lucius and Bellatrix joined Rodolphus, with a swift motion of Lucius' wand, all three curtains closed.

"Face it Rane," she voiced soundlessly. "You're staying the night here."

She pulled the bedding up and crawled under, motioning for Severus to join her. Reluctantly, he did. He wrapped his arms around her small frame as a content look crossed ihs face. As Rane drifted slowly off to sleep, she heared Severus' voice, soft and yet full of honesty, "I love you, too, Scarlet, my sweet angel."

Rane couldn't go back with Lily, Kiri, and the Marauders after what had happened, so she ended up sitting the three boys, Narcissa and Bellatrix in the private bedroom on the dreary Sunday morning. She mostly clung to Severus while the others spoke of random things. Before she knew it, the subject had moved to i her /i .

"Maybe you should speak with Dumbledore about changing houses, Scarlet. Gryfindor scum and Slytherin's really shouldn't mingle." Rodolphus said. "Of course, I'm not in any way meaning to insault you."

"Dumbledore would want a reason for switching Houses. And Little Miss Perfect is his pride and joy, what reason could she possibly have?" Narcissa argued.

Lucius smirked. "She could tell him that she wanted to screw Severus, here."

Severus rolled his eyes and tossed a pillow at him, which he caught with skilled accuracy.

"I've got an idea!" Bellatrix exclaimed. "What if she can get the Gryffidor House to hate her? In fact, what if we can get all of the Houses except for Slytherin to hate her?"

Rane suddenly had an intrest in what Bellatrix had to say. "Go on." she urged.

"Hmmm..." Bella looked as if she were in deep thought. "Is there any guy in the Gryfindor House that's hot for you...a guy who's liked by the whole school...with the exception of us of course?"

"Remus Lupin... Where are you going with this?"

"Seduce Wolfboy, shag him, and dump him. Easy. Then you'll be Queen Slut."

"Fun." Rane droned, leaning into Severus who had suddenly become very protective.

"I think I know what Bella's talking about, Scarlet." Narcissa drawled. "If you get this guy to fall in love with you...make him think that he'll have you forever...fuck him. If you can do that, and then show the whole school it was just a joke and come right back here to Severus, everybody will be calling you a whore. I'll make sure the Slytherin House knows what is going on and not to taunt you so that you can come here...that is if you can drop the Little Miss Perfect act."

"Where the hell do you get Perfect from?" Rane demanded defensivly.

"Relax." Severus wispered, his breath warm on her ear.

Rodolphus cleared his throat. "So, what do you think about this, Severus."

Severus took a moment before answering, although he wasn't talking to Rodolphus, he was talking directly to Rane. "I want you to do this Scarlet...so that you can be with me. I want you to do this...but I want to have you first.

A/N: All right, far too much to write for one night!