Caitlin: is sitting on a casket that has Cassie convienently locked inside

Cassie: muffled Mmmfffff! Mffffff mmfff, mmmmmmfffff!

Caitlin: plugs stereo in and blasts ICP out of the speakers

Brittany: appears from no where once again Hey! What's with all the noise!

Caitlin: I'm trying to silence the blonde-haired menice!

Brittany: Who, Cassie? But she has my diclaimer!

Caitlin: Oh... Scribbles on Brittany's forehead There!

Brittany's Forehead/Disclaimer: Owns Cassie, nothing more, bug off.

Brittany: Great...

Falling Into the Darkness; A Serpant's Tale

Chapter Five
"It's Not Yours"

Lucius' hands were placed over Rane's once agian like they'd been all week as he guided them across the piano keys. She'd memorised most of it but her fingers continued to stumbled over the third verse. Rane had somewhat avoided Narcissa and Bellatrix over the past few days...ind doing so, she'd begun to learn more about the boys.

Lucius, for example (looking past his rich-and-proper exterior), had been found to be quite warm. He was protective and spoke softly with a sharp tounge. His grey eyes would sparkle mischeiviously when speaking of power and black magics. When challenged, all of his gaurds were put up. Rane loved Lucius like an older brother...he took James' place. She looked up to him and sought him out whenever the need for protection arose.

Rodolphus, on the other hand, was quite the charmer. When int came to using his brain he was a master. Quick-wited and immensivly wize, he always knew everything about anything. He loved to stir up trouble with the other houses. Whenever a girl would stare at him his lips would flash them his sexy trademark smirk and he'd fold his arms behind his head as he'd lean against one of the stone walls or back in a chair. If Rane was upset he always found out why first, even before Severus, and always found some way to make it somewhat better.

And then there was Severus. No more needing to be said. Rane loved to listen to his deep temor voice when he read to her. She always desired his warmth when he'd wrap his arms around her and pull her close to him in a tender carress.

But now he sat across the room, staring past her...through her. His onyx eyes were flaming with an unknown anger.

"Now you try." Lucius said, releasing her hands.

Rane nodded and began to let her digets dance over the smooth keys. Haplessly, her mind was set elsewhere causing her hands to freeze and the music to cease. She saw Lucius glance quizically at her.

"Severus?" she asked.

His eys shifted towards her as she snapped, "What?"

Her face fell and she stood abruptly. Glaring at him she headed towards the dorm.

Rane hugged the pillow close to her body as she layed in the bed that she and Severus shared. The sun was setting now and nobody had entered since she'd left. She had been hearing faint noises outside of the door for quite some time now; she was begining to wonder when they would actually come in.

"Tell her!" Somebody hissed...Bellatrix

Severus' reply came muffled but Rane could make it out. "I-...no...'Cissa doesn't have to do it!"

"Narcissa proved her loyalty without it." Lucius said. "Do you want what happened to her to happen to Rane?"

"No...I just...I can't..."

Bellatrix shrieked, "Aren't you loyal to him, Snape?"

"Of couse!" Severus said without hesitation. "I just...I don't want her to die."

"How will she die?" Bellatrix's voice came once more. "He will protect her...he will protect all of us as long as we remain loyal!"

"I-fine." Severus sighed. "But not tonight."

After a momentary pause the door handle turned. Rane rolled onto her side away from them as she heard the squeaking hinges. There was an emptiness of voices as curtians were closed. The bed dipped as Severus sat beside her.

"Rane?" he said quietly.

She peaked at him over her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you...I..."

Rane hesitantly rolled over to face him and sat up slightly so she could kiss him on the cheek. "S'okay, Severus." she said. "Lay down and go to bed, I'm tired."

Severus foced a small smile and wrapped an arm around Rane's shoulders. "Scarlet?" he asked.

Rane looked up at him in aknowedgement.

"Love you."

She smiled, "Love you too."

Her stomach heaved again and the bile from deep within her body rose up her throat.

Severus held her hair back, grimmacing as she wiped her mouth.

"Stomach empty yet?" he asked.

Rane nodded wearily and layed her head on Severus' shoulder.

"C'mon." he said softly. "Let's go down to Madam Pomphrey." he kissed the top of her head.

Rane sat on one of the hospital beds as Madam Pomphrey rechecked her.

She sighed, "I can't find anything wrong with you, dear."

Rane shrugged. "It was probably something I ate...I feel better now...so, can I go to class?"

The nurse gave her an examining look. "Just one more test dear."

Rane hummed softly, staring at the whitewashed walls, waiting for the resaults of the "one more test".

Madam Pomphrey slowly walked into the room with an burdened look on her face. "Well, Dear..." she began dryly. "...I'm not sure how to tell you this but, you're pregnant."

Rane's mind froze, she was...pregnant. She couldn't believe it and subconciously her hand pressed itself against her belly. A small smile krept to her face.

"Do you know who's it is, hun?"

Rane nodded airily, the unsure smile on her face. She was scared, terrified even, but it wasn't the worst thing in the world to happen. She stood and turned to leave. As she passed through the door Madam Pomphrey called something to her back that caused her to drop her books.

"Be sure to congradulate Mr. Lupin for me!"

Rane wrapped an arm around herself as she plunked notes onto the piano keys in the empty Common room. A sigh came from her being as the frown on her face multiplied.

"Something wrong?"

She jumped and turned around on the seat to find Rodolphus staring at her. She shook her head and turned back to the piano.

He sat next to her, always reluctant to give up. "C'mon love-dove, it's just ol' Rodolphus you're talking to! You know you can talk to me about anything, sweet pea."

Rane smiled, leave it to Rodolphus. "I...can't..."

"On the contrary, O gloomy one."

"I can't!" she persisted.

"According to you and you only."

"Rodolphus..."

"Love bug..."

They stared at eachother for a long moment.

"I'm hungry, can we hurry this up?" he asked, looking at the grandfather clock.

"I don't want to tell you! I don't want to tell anyone!" she exploded, banging her hands on the keyboard.

"Hey, girlfriend. It's time to get off of the crazy train, you can talk to my freaky friend!...I know you want to..."

"I'm pregnant..." Rane whispered, dropping her head in her hands.

Rodolphus froze, a huge smile carving itself into his face. "ARE YOU SERIOUS? I get to be an uncle!...not biologically of couse but close enough!" He jumped up, acting like he always does when nobody's around...in other words, very unSlytherin-like. "Oh my kitty cat! You must be happy, aren't you? Oooh, when are you going to tell Severus? Man, I wonder if it's gonna be a boy or a girl...I think either way you should name it after me! Like..." he stopped, thinking hard. "...like Rodolphus-Jr. or Rodolphus-etta! Aww! I'm so happy for you, Scarl-wait, why aren't you happy? WHAT'S WRONG...what've you done to ruin my beautiful moment of happiness?"

Rane rolled her eyes, she had to adore his enthusiasm and he did make her smile, but this was not the time. "It's not Severus'." She dipped her head low, letting a tear roll down her cheek.

"What?" Rodolphus asked softly sitting down next to her once again. "Then who's is it Dearheart?"

"Remus'." she sobbed.

"Oh, Honey Bee... I'm sorry...this is all because of that stupid idea I had about you switching houses isn't it? Oh, I'm so sorry Rane, Scarlet, HoneySuckle." He said, with tears in his own voice. "But I'm sure Severus' will want it anyways..."

"What will I want anyways?" Severus said, entering the Common Room with Lucius at his side.

"And what's up with the HoneySuckle thing, Rodolphus?" Lucius asked, eyeing him oddly.

Rodolphus stood, regaining his Slytherin composure. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Severus..." Rane choked as she stood and hugged him.

Letting her bury her face in his neck, he asked, "What's wrong, love?"

She looked at him with eyes full of sorrow. "I can't tell you...I can't..." She fled the Common Room, leaving the three boys behind.

"Erm...Severus...maybe I should tell you what's going on..." Rodolphus offered, touching Severus' arm.

"What's shaken backon?" Sirius asked as he plunked down onto the Gryffindor Table in the Great Hall, slipping an arm around Kiri's waist.

Rane watched them from the doorway. Sirius and Kiri kissed once, before resuming a conversation with James and Lily. Remus listened and nodded at certain times, a half-smile on his face while Peter evesdropped eagerly.

She approached them, keeping her eyes focused on Remus and ingoring how the other's conversation ended and they stared at her.

"We need to talk, now...alone." Rane whispered, looking into Remus's pained eyes.

"There's nothing to talk about." he said, ruffling his hair to cover up the last scar-remains of 'Scarlet Fever'.

She sighed and quoted Rodolphus...well, almost. "On the contrary, O spermful one."

A/N: And this is where I leave you! But if you're good and leave a review and don't yell at me because I had some serious downtime and didn't update in forever, I'll promise to try and update as soon as I can! -Bloody Werewolf-