Severus pushed the deep emerald canopy aside to reveal the silk slytherin bedspread embroidered with silver thread. Lavish and excessive, the dormitories' decor would be suitable for royalty. A bitter smile graced his lips for a moment as he compared it to his bed at Spinner's end with it's tattered graying sheets -adorned with moth holes.

He'd been awed by the beauty of this place when he'd finally come here to escape that living hell he'd been born into...He'd come here to prove himself, to work to the bone, through blood, sweat, and tears to become a great wizard. The reality of it was that no one could question his skill. He excelled in every area of magic, spent obsessive nights reading and practicing, creating. His characteristically pale skin and deep shadows beneath his eyes were obvious signs of his dedication. His thin frame was due to forgotten meals when he was wrapped up in a project, which was his norm. He possessed brilliance through no lack of effort. Determination was something etched into his very being. He was Slytherin to the core.

The magic of this place was not lost upon him yet he held resentment towards it, this place that'd torn his best friend away from him, the only person he'd ever cared about. He never guessed that the colors of a robe and a few choice traits would be the things to break apart a lifelong friendship.

Severus laid down on the bed, propped his arms behind his head and crossed his legs at the ankles, losing himself in thought.

Perhaps this year things could change, if he could only get Lily away from her prat housemates…

"Hey Sev!"

Regulus grinned in greeting as he took residence in one of the other beds in the room. Severus always chose the rooms furthest in the back of the dungeon. They were slightly smaller but resulted in a shred of privacy with their limited beds, only two to the standard three and Severus wanted nothing more than to be as far away from others as possible. Regulus, however always managed to find him and claim his place as roommate. By now, it was tradition.

Severus peered over at him. The younger Slytherin appeared far too excited as he sat up and stared back at Severus expectantly.

"Hey Reg."

"...Well...Are you going to tell me about the vampire or what?"

"What is there to say?"

"Sev...you were talking to her the whole time, you must have learned a few things."

There was a long pause and then,

"She drinks blood."

Reg let out a breath of frustration.

"You're an arse sometimes."

"Only sometimes?"

"Alright most of the time."

He smirked.

"She seems to hate it here."

"She told you that?"

"Not exactly but I can read it fairly easily. I wouldn't be surprised if she made an escape for it tonight."

"Did you find out if she was kicked out of Beauxbatons for drinking another student's blood?"

Severus shot him an annoyed look.

"I didn't ask her. Reg, just go up and talk to her if you want to know about her. I'm not one to engage in gossip ...you must get that charming little habit from Bellatrix."

"Fine."

It was obvious he was pouting. Severus was thankful for the silence. He closed his eyes, reeling in the coldness of the dungeon. Severus had always had an affinity for the cold.

Regulus muttered something under his breath. Severus debated ignoring him but after a moment he conceded to the boy. Reg was his only real friend here besides Lily. He was like an irritating but endearing little brother.

"I'll be assisting her in potions."

"Sev that's awesome! You're going to be friends with a vampire!"

"I think you're getting ahead of yourself, I don't tend to make friends. I'm simply offering her some assistance since it seems her previous instructors were dunderheads when it came to handling her sort of magic."

Regulus' spirits were high again.

"...She's beautiful isn't she?"

The statement had caught Severus off guard. When he thought of beauty it was Lily that came to mind -her vivid green eyes and sun kissed cheeks, Ligeia was nothing like Lily. He was quiet for a moment.

"I hadn't thought of it."

"Hadn't thought of it? She's like this goddess from another time!"

Severus glanced over at him. Reg smiled sheepishly but had no intention of letting the matter drop. He raised his eyebrows at Severus.

"She is though...admit it."

Severus cocked a brow at him. The boy was a hopeless romantic, more hopeless than anything else.

"Yes Reg, she's beautiful and your family would disown you if you pursued after a halfblood. Vampire or not."

"I never said I was going to..."

Severus didn't have to use Legilimency to detect the hidden meaning in his words.

The younger flashed him a wicked grin; had there been any doubts he shared blood with Bellatrix, they'd be quashed at the sight.

Severus said nothing more.

…..

Ligeia kept her eyes straight ahead of her and her chin slightly raised, ignoring the stares and whispers as she found the room she would make her own. She then laid down and closed her eyes in an attempt to be left alone.

Naturally this wouldn't be the case.

Bellatrix sat down on the edge of Ligeia's bed. The vampire exhaled through her teeth and fixed the other girl with an annoyed glare.

Bellatrix giggled.

"Hi. I'm Bellatrix, I'll be sleeping in the bed next to you. Are you going to drink my blood in the middle of the night?"

Ligeia licked her lips, "Only if you ask stupid questions."

Bellatrix moved off the girl's bed and grinned at her.

Another voice cut in,

"You'll have to forgive my sister, sometimes I believe she's a bit touched."

The delicate blonde made her way into the room and took the next nearest bed.

She looked back at Ligeia.

"I'm Narcissa, but please, call me Cissy. Narcissa is so formal..."

The vampire didn't respond.

Bellatrix started rummaging through her trunks before taking out her nightgown and stripping down without a care in the world. She stood there in almost all her glory sporting only the bearest of black thongs.

She glanced towards Ligeia and winked. Ligeia held her gaze with bored eyes.

Bellatrix laughed wickedly and slipped on the black negligee before sprawling out in her bed.

"Ligeia, lighten up. You stick with Cissy and I and we'll show you the ropes. You'll be a proper Slytherin in no time."

"If I have to strut around naked, I'll pass."

"Ah c'mon it was just us girls. It's all in fun."

"No thank you."

"Fine, we won't make you strip for initiation."

"Initiation?"

"Yeah into our club."

"I'm not interested."

"Sure you are. Cissy tell her."

"Bella isn't as bad as she seems, I promise. We just want to get to know you, I know it must be strange coming to a new school late in the game and well, the thing is you're one of us now, one of the elite and we Slytherins look out for our own."

Ligeia sat in contemplative silence for a while. Never had she been sought after, she naturally frightened people away, even if they didn't know what exactly she was they felt something was off. Yet these two girls were tracking her down wanting her to join whatever their little club was. She'd spent her life on the outskirts, never involved, never a part of anything really.

"What would I have to do?"

Bellatrix rejoined the conversation.

"Just be stick with us. Don't let Gryffindor get away with their bullshit, they're the most judgmental, hypocritical house here at Hogwarts."

Narcissa nodded, "The other two aren't as bad, Ravenclaw well they're ok for the most part, but they can be insufferable know-it-alls, and hufflepuff well…they're just too nice, it's almost creepy. No one should be in an eternal state of sunshine all the time. We just keep the other houses in check."

"And how do you do that?"

Narcissa and Bellatrix exchanged knowing looks.

"We'll show you."

…

The next day Severus was sitting off by himself in the Great Hall, a book open before him yet from under his curtains of hair his eyes swept the table, searching for Ligeia. He hadn't seen her this morning in the common room so after lingering for a while he figured he'd try here. They were to walk together to Potions where they'd planned to partner up for the year.

Finally they entered, The silver and onyx trio. Bellatrix, Narcissa, and Ligeia. The Slytherin girls walked in sync, lithe and lethal, seeming to almost float across the Great Hall. Immediately the voices in the hall hushed to low murmurs. It seemed the Vampire had found her niche. They sat down as one, and began chatting with the rest of Slytherin house.

Curious, what a stark difference just one night can make. Yesterday they feared her, today the ones who had seemed weary of her were almost fawning over her. Bellatrix and Narcissa had that effect on the people of their house, now that they'd decided to accept Ligeia, the Snakes' curiosity would get the best of them.

Severus watched them, Bellatrix and Narcissa chatting away and Ligeia answering questions now and then but he could sense her slight discomfort. Suddenly she snapped her head up and met his eyes. He held her gaze, an almost smile tugged at his lips. He knew what she was feeling, could read it from her last night and sense it even now, her restless nature. To his surprise she murmured something to her house mates then stood up and made her way towards him.

Ligeia slipped in beside him.

"There you are, I was looking for you."

He raised a brow.

"I see you're all settled in."

"This school is...certainly different."

"Unaccustomed to the fame?"

"Precisely, I've my life in the shadows and now...everything is just out there in the open. They know what I really am. I'm not too sure how I feel about that."

"Understandable."

Just then Regulus scooted in beside them.

He flashed a dashing smile at Ligeia.

"So...blood huh?"

Severus shut his eyes in exasperation.

Ligeia smirked.

"Yes, blood."

Reg nodded, "Do you...well do actually enjoy the taste? It seems so... salty. Or do different blood types have different tastes?"

Ligeia bit back a laugh. She reached for the amulet around her neck and twisted the top off the vial.

"Would you like to taste for yourself and see?"

Regulus paused.

"Um...alright."

He reached for it. Ligeia placed her hand over his, stopping him. She laughed.

"I was joking, it won't taste good to you, you're human. To answer your questions though, yes I do like it but no I cannot tell different types. Only human versus animal.

Regulus ran his hand through his hair.

"Oh, of course. Well I'm Regulus, but call me Reg."

"It's nice to meet you Reg."

The younger Slytherin's bright green eyes seemed to sparkle.

"I can't believe I'm talking to a vampire. Are you immortal too?"

Severus growled,

"Reg that's enough."

The boy bit his lip,

"Sorry. Sev says I can be overly enthusiastic."

Ligeia smiled kindly at him.

"There's nothing wrong with that."

He was beaming at her once again.

Severus rolled his eyes,

"Don't encourage him, you'll never get a moment's peace...trust me."

He gave Reg a half smile.

"Anyway, Ligeia we should get going. I'd like to get to class early and set up."

"Alright, lead the way Severus. Reg, I'll see you around I'm sure."

"Yeah, for sure!"

He watched Ligeia and Severus make their way out of the Great Hall, naturally gravitating closer together as they became engaged in conversation.

She said something that elicited a chuckle from Severus, a rare occurrence. Reg smirked as they disappeared out the doors.

…..

Severus chose a table nearest the window and set his things up. Ligeia watched the careful way he handled his supplies, taking out various ingredients and inspecting them almost lovingly.

"Looking at your collection I fear I may be dreadfully under stocked."

He glanced at her things.

"You'll be fine, I like to have access to a little of everything. I create in my spare time so I need the extra ingredients."

"You really have a passion for potions."

"Among other things, yes. Defense against the dark arts is one of my other obsessions."

"And another is the craft of dark arts itself."

He caught her gaze and started at her thoughtfully.

"Perhaps."

Ligeia smiled knowingly and let it go.

"So what is your plan to help me with my little problem?"

"Are you from the muggle world or the Wizarding world?"

Ligeia hesitated, "Muggle, why?"

"Are you familiar with any of their studies? Sciences?"

"Yes."

"Well potions is like chemistry. I'm going to have to approach it as if I was going to balance a chemical equation, but working with chemicals whose stability is unknown. Basically I'm going to have you try out different measurements little by little until we see a reaction, even a miniscule one. Then we'll just keep working with it until it strengthens to the percent required. You have to pay close attention though, one misstep and you'll have the classroom in ruins."

She laughed. Severus made no comment. Ligeia gathered herself,

"Alright, I'll pay attention."

He gave a curt nod.

"Then let us begin."

Sometime later Severus had produced a flawless elixir and Ligeia was battling with hers, her hair was sticking up all over the place and her lips peeled back in a snarl,

"This isn't working Sev! Nothing I do is making a difference at all now!"

"You need to calm your mind."

"MY MIND IS CALM! ANY CALMER AND I'D BE DEAD!...er."

Severus smirked.

"Ligeia you're never going to make it with impatients, if you truly want my help do as I say or I'm wasting my time...which is not something I'm fond of doing."

His coal black eyes gleamed with a subtle threat. He'd leave her to her own devices if she didn't do exactly as he instructed.

She drew a sharp breath.

"Alright..I just...I don't know what else to do at this point, I haven't seen anything that resembles even the hint of a reaction."

He looked over at her potion.

"Add half a leaping toadstool."

"The book says one."

Severus clenched his jaw, eyes flashed in irritation.

She snatched the knife and catching the leaping toadstool that tried to bounce out of her grasp, she sliced it in half, dumping it into the cauldron.

Sure enough her brew began bubbling.

"Sev you did it!"

She read over the instructions and began stirring her potion. It hissed and popped,

fizzling over the sides. She swore.

Severus reached over and sprinkled salt into the solution which worked to calm it down, negating some of the magical elements of the elixir.

He glance at the instructions in the book before snapping it shut.

"Let's try this a different way...Stir it...very slowly and try it, counter clockwise."

"Alright."

She did as he instructed and the solution picked up bubbles again, not as intensely as before.

He scribbled his findings down and walked her through the remainder of the potion, attempting different strengths in some ingredients and going lighter with others. After a grueling extent of time her potion took on its sheer purple color and was complete.

She shook her head, a bright smile stretching across her face.

"You did it! It's a perfect potion!"

Without a thought she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

Severus stiffened, unaccustomed to physical affection.

"Thank you so much Sev."

He gently pulled away, but was gazing at her with pride evident in his eyes.

"It was a rough start but you're determined to excel. I appreciate that."

"I appreciate you! You're...well you're brilliant."

He opened his mouth but closed it once more without saying anything. Instead he just furrowed his brow.

"We still have a lot of work to do. Why don't we meet during the free period for extra practice?"

She appeared moved by his offer.

"Yes, that would be wonderful, truly thank you for doing this. Have you ever thought of teaching as a profession?"

Severus sneered and gestured at the class with a wave of his hand,

"And be stuck with a bunch of dunderheads like these for the rest of my life? I'll pass."

"Oh...I hope that's not how you see me…"

"Of course not, you did well today. You tried, you didn't give up...there was that particular moment but as long as it doesn't happen again, we don't have to speak of it."

He shot her his half-smile. She had a mischievous glint in her eyes. He was curious what it meant and staring at her he focused his mind on Legilimency.

He saw himself through her eyes then, feelings of admiration and excitment tickled through her as she held his gaze. Her mind whispered something and he locked down on it to make out what it was-

He was slammed out then, back into his own conscious. Ligeia's lightness had vanished to be replaced by a cold glare.

"Don't ever do that to me again without permission, who do you think you are? Some sort of God who can invade a mind at will?"

Severus was intrigued, she was powerful, more powerful than he'd realized to be able to sense him that quickly and throw him out.

"Forgive me it's just…"

He paused taking her in for a moment.

She was livid, her eyes as dark as his, narrowed as she waited for him to continue.

He weighed the pros and cons and decided his best bet was honesty.

"You fascinate me. I'm curious about what you are...and who you are. I wasn't thinking when I passed into your mind, I'll be more cautious not to do it again."

Ligeia regarded him cooly.

"Fine, I'll accept your forgiveness…"

She licked her teeth and leaning into him she whispered,

"Just this once. Next time, if you take my private thoughts from me I'll tear you open and read every shadowed detail of your soul until there's nothing left of you but the pain you keep chained down."

His eyes flashed to hers, she nodded.

"Yes Severus, I can feel it in you. Underneath your steel exterior you bleed like the rest of us."

He smirked.

"Do you, bleed Ligeia?"

"Not easily."

"Nor do I."

She smiled wickedly. Her full lips parted to retort when Professor Slughorn's voice broke the intensity of their whispered conversation and dismissed the class.

Ligeia bit her lip.

"I'll catch you back here during free period."

He nodded once,

"I'll be here."

She turned from him then and made her way after the rest of the students pouring out into the hall. Severus ran a finger across his lips,

Such a strange girl...

A/N: I know it's been a few months since I've been back on fanfiction but university is all consuming lately. I have several pages of notes for this story and my others that are still incomplete as well as the endings written out. None of the stories will be abandoned, I'm just extremely busy right now but I will always return to my stories.