Disclaimer: No, Harry Potter is not mine. (sigh) I know I'm not the only
one tired of this drill. (ahem) However, Selcah is my character, and
certain things, like new plants or animals or races, belong to myself alone
or with a group of friends. Please respect our rights, as well as
J.K.Rowling's.
I will not continue this story unless there are interested readers. I'm not trying to force anyone to review it, but please tell me if you're interested in reading the rest. No flaming, though, please. If you do not like it, you can politely state so and why, and then check back or ignore it. If you do like it, I would be happy to hear so. Polite suggestions are appreciated. (I just say that because I consider flames rude and because they tend to make me mad.) On to:
My Immortal
Chapter 1
That Annoying Ravenclaw
—5th Year, September—
Selcah smiled as she entered the greenhouse and sat at a table beside her friend Kali. "What is this, Lady Greenthumbs?" Kali asked, pointing at a small plant.
Selcah smiled at the plant, its long leaves sprawling over the sides of its pot like octopus tentacles. "It's a Spiny Terantculas." The plant's feelers reached towards Selcah's books as she set them on the table; she quickly removed them to the floor. The Terantculas felt around for the books for a minute, then shrank bank. Selcah laughed; she could easily imagine that it was sulking. "So Kali, how—" Selcah looked up as someone sat across from her. It was the black-haired Slytherin boy from Potions, the one she had sat next to, since she'd arrived late and all the other chairs were occupied. Selcah looked around the greenhouse. All the tables were full except hers and Kali's. "Just a sec," she mouthed to her friend, and she turned to the boy. "Hello."
He looked at her from behind long, black hair, and he barely nodded.
"I'm Selcah, and this is Kali."
Glance. "Snape."
"Pleasure to meet you. Watch out for your—"
The Terantculas grabbed Snape's books, and it started pulling them apart and trying to stuff the sheets in its small mouth. Snape clutched the books, and Selcah and Kali pried the feelers apart. The Terantculas whined as they managed to pull the last bits of paper and book cover from its grasp. Selcah winced. "Sorry."
Snape glowered at the torn and somewhat soggy remnants of his Herbology book. "Wonderful," he muttered.
As Professor Higglepot started speaking, Selcah lifted the Terantculas aside and slid her book over to Snape. Kali moved her book so both girls could read from it. "Now, being careful of your Terantculas, if you would please turn to page 64, we'll read. Kali, would you read the first paragraph?"
Selcah glanced at the boy as her friend read out loud. Snape scowled, hesitated, and took the book. Selcah smiles.
—October—
The first month of the sixth year went slowly, and the students and teachers plunged into the second. Now Severus halted at the door of the greenhouse. As the students settled into their seats, the only chair left open was across the table from the black-haired Ravenclaw. Severus groaned. Slytherin only had two classes with Ravenclaw, and he hadn't often been so unfortunate as to have to sit near beside Selcah Taylor. But today was one of the bad days; she always insisted on saying hi and being nice. Severus shrugged as he went in; he did do better in Herbology class when sitting with her. She tended to make a mess of her potions, though.
Severus sat down across Taylor, and she smiled at him. He nodded to her, and he looked at the plants of the day: two Hreays and a Prog in separate, high-rimmed plates.
Taylor stroked the fuzzy back of one of the Hreays, and the long plant shivered, its feet-like roots drumming the soil of the tray. Severus poked the white-spotted Prog. "Ouch!"
"Careful."
Severus stuck his finger in his mouth and glared at the Prog. Its spines slowly retracted into the white dots on its skin. The other kids turned back to their own conversations. Taylor reached over and took Severus's hand. She opened it; blood welled up from Severus's fingertip. She sighed and shook her head, and she pulled out a handkerchief and blotted off the blood. Wrapping the handkerchief around his fingers, she pushed his hand back. "At least it wasn't an old plant. They have barbs."
Severus looked at his hand. "Thanks," he muttered.
"No problem."
Professor Higglepot tapped his wand on his desk, and the class began.
—After Class—
The other students passed Severus as they walked up towards the castle. He unwrapped the handkerchief; the puncture had closed. Severus looked ahead. Taylor was in the midst of the Ravenclaws, and she didn't look back. Severus shrugged. He'd leave it for the house elves to clean. If they knew it was hers, they'd return it.
I will not continue this story unless there are interested readers. I'm not trying to force anyone to review it, but please tell me if you're interested in reading the rest. No flaming, though, please. If you do not like it, you can politely state so and why, and then check back or ignore it. If you do like it, I would be happy to hear so. Polite suggestions are appreciated. (I just say that because I consider flames rude and because they tend to make me mad.) On to:
My Immortal
Chapter 1
That Annoying Ravenclaw
—5th Year, September—
Selcah smiled as she entered the greenhouse and sat at a table beside her friend Kali. "What is this, Lady Greenthumbs?" Kali asked, pointing at a small plant.
Selcah smiled at the plant, its long leaves sprawling over the sides of its pot like octopus tentacles. "It's a Spiny Terantculas." The plant's feelers reached towards Selcah's books as she set them on the table; she quickly removed them to the floor. The Terantculas felt around for the books for a minute, then shrank bank. Selcah laughed; she could easily imagine that it was sulking. "So Kali, how—" Selcah looked up as someone sat across from her. It was the black-haired Slytherin boy from Potions, the one she had sat next to, since she'd arrived late and all the other chairs were occupied. Selcah looked around the greenhouse. All the tables were full except hers and Kali's. "Just a sec," she mouthed to her friend, and she turned to the boy. "Hello."
He looked at her from behind long, black hair, and he barely nodded.
"I'm Selcah, and this is Kali."
Glance. "Snape."
"Pleasure to meet you. Watch out for your—"
The Terantculas grabbed Snape's books, and it started pulling them apart and trying to stuff the sheets in its small mouth. Snape clutched the books, and Selcah and Kali pried the feelers apart. The Terantculas whined as they managed to pull the last bits of paper and book cover from its grasp. Selcah winced. "Sorry."
Snape glowered at the torn and somewhat soggy remnants of his Herbology book. "Wonderful," he muttered.
As Professor Higglepot started speaking, Selcah lifted the Terantculas aside and slid her book over to Snape. Kali moved her book so both girls could read from it. "Now, being careful of your Terantculas, if you would please turn to page 64, we'll read. Kali, would you read the first paragraph?"
Selcah glanced at the boy as her friend read out loud. Snape scowled, hesitated, and took the book. Selcah smiles.
—October—
The first month of the sixth year went slowly, and the students and teachers plunged into the second. Now Severus halted at the door of the greenhouse. As the students settled into their seats, the only chair left open was across the table from the black-haired Ravenclaw. Severus groaned. Slytherin only had two classes with Ravenclaw, and he hadn't often been so unfortunate as to have to sit near beside Selcah Taylor. But today was one of the bad days; she always insisted on saying hi and being nice. Severus shrugged as he went in; he did do better in Herbology class when sitting with her. She tended to make a mess of her potions, though.
Severus sat down across Taylor, and she smiled at him. He nodded to her, and he looked at the plants of the day: two Hreays and a Prog in separate, high-rimmed plates.
Taylor stroked the fuzzy back of one of the Hreays, and the long plant shivered, its feet-like roots drumming the soil of the tray. Severus poked the white-spotted Prog. "Ouch!"
"Careful."
Severus stuck his finger in his mouth and glared at the Prog. Its spines slowly retracted into the white dots on its skin. The other kids turned back to their own conversations. Taylor reached over and took Severus's hand. She opened it; blood welled up from Severus's fingertip. She sighed and shook her head, and she pulled out a handkerchief and blotted off the blood. Wrapping the handkerchief around his fingers, she pushed his hand back. "At least it wasn't an old plant. They have barbs."
Severus looked at his hand. "Thanks," he muttered.
"No problem."
Professor Higglepot tapped his wand on his desk, and the class began.
—After Class—
The other students passed Severus as they walked up towards the castle. He unwrapped the handkerchief; the puncture had closed. Severus looked ahead. Taylor was in the midst of the Ravenclaws, and she didn't look back. Severus shrugged. He'd leave it for the house elves to clean. If they knew it was hers, they'd return it.