Severus and Ligeia were sitting together on one of the leather couches of the Slytherin common room. Their notes were sprawled out over the coffee table in front of them. They seemed to be in the midst of an intense discussion as Ligeia threw her hands up while she spoke. Severus crossed his arms as he muttered in response.
Ligeia sneered,
"Yes obviously I know that they are indeed allergic, but why are werewolves hypersensitive to wolfsbane, what is it in their biological composition that causes the tingling sensation of limbs? And what is the factor that actually results in their death?"
He raised a brow,
"Magic."
Ligeia glared at the subtle amusement on his face.
Severus sighed,
"That's not going to be on the test."
"Still, it'd be interesting to know."
He peered at her from beneath dark lashes with a sudden air of arrogance about him.
"It's the pseudaconitine poison which leads to the tingling sensation. In werewolves not only is it poisonous but their biological allergic reaction is increased; the anaphylatoxins C3 and C5 cause the systemic effect of anaphylactic shock."
She gazed at him thoughtfully, "Interesting that it's their own complement system -their very innate immunity that leads to their demise…"
Severus scoffed, "Almost as interesting as the fact that we have a werewolf student here in Hogwarts."
Ligeia cocked her head, "Do we?"
"The Gryffindor, Remus Lupin."
He spat the name with clear disdain. Ligeia laughed and relaxed comfortably into the couch.
"I don't blame you, werewolves are disgusting creatures. When they turn they hold no loyalties and have been known to eat their own children...Then again vampires don't have the best reputation either."
Coal black eyes gazed down at her and he smirked.
"So do vampires eat children?"
She tilted her head up towards Severus' and softened her voice to a secretive tone.
"They're my favorite. Sweet, supple little squishy bags of blood. A true delicacy"
He stared at her for a moment, studying her. He was careful to fight his urge to use Legilimency again. Her eyes were dark and did not light up when she spoke and her cheeks held no blush of humor. Still and white as marble, she returned his stare.
Transfixed on the crimson shade of her lips, Severus murmured thoughtfully,
"That mouth of yours will send you to Azkaban someday."
"Oh Sev, you don't know the half of it."
"Perhaps you should enlighten me."
She flashed her fangs at him and he felt his insides jolt. Severus didn't look away but observed the darkness swirling in her eyes. They were deep, as vast the Forbidden Forest and gave off the same feeling of uncertainty. Like night tinged with a red dawn in the looming horizon. As if something wasn't natural, but of course, she wasn't natural.
Severus felt himself being pulled into those dancing swirls, the colors of a murderous midnight embraced each other against what would have been an earthy brown. That soft brown which peaked from beneath was the only indication of the mortal she could have been. The mortal girl behind the demon's blood beckoned to him:
Severus save me.
The common room seemed to fade away as his pulse quickened. Sudden and sharp, deathly cold tendrils squeezed around his heart. He felt her tragedy and shivered.
What had the world done to her?
She looked lost, forsaken. A breathing dead girl, murdered without ever having been alive. Her loneliness echoed his as he felt himself slipping into icy, yet familiar, dark waters.
Their dark waters.
She felt far from him now, as they were being pulled apart by an unseen force. And he couldn't stand it. He realized the only way to save them both was to get nearer to her. He heard her whisper through his mind,
Come closer Severus, it's cold.
Transfixed, his hand reached out on its own accord -His fingertips mere centimeters from those perpetually stained lips. -She slightly pouted, giving him a curious frown.
All distant sound vanished and Severus was aware of nothing save the sound of his own pulse, and the feeling of his blood rushing through his veins. His head began to pound with the beat of his heart as his breathing shallowed.
He grabbed her her face in his hands and the cold vanished, the ache within them both subsided.
Severus felt his temperature rise as he envisioned a quick turn of her head then her teeth sliding into his wrist, piercing into the flesh and ripping it apart. Her mouth on his skin, a crimson trail seeping from the corners of her mouth as he watched her suck upon him, as he felt her take all that he could give, filling her up with him. She threw her head back with debauch delight, his own blood dripping down her chin. Severus wanted nothing more than to taste it from her lips.
In this moment he'd let her kill him if it meant release.
"Severus -stop! Please."
She shut her eyes tight, drawing away from him and the spell was broken. His hands fell to his lap. His brow furrowed and he blinked a few times to regain himself.
"What was that?"
Her eyes slid open but she kept them lowered.
"That's what happens if you look too long into my eyes, I didn't mean to...we have this...almost hypnotic effect on mortals that makes them want to let us feed from them. -you caught me off guard, I haven't experienced it like that before- I didn't mean to-"
"...I've never known anything like you."
She scoffed,
"Now you understand why that's probably a good thing."
Severus wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"Does that happened to everyone who looks at you?"
"There have been few who have looked long enough to tell."
She was gazing at her hands now.
Her voice was soft,
"Are you alright? I've heard it can make you feel weak afterwards."
In all honestly Severus felt as if he'd escaped the shrieking shack and whomping willow all over again...and yet...it felt exhilarating.
He made to catch her eye again.
"Sev what are doing? Stop it."
"I'm fine, really. Look at me, you aren't one to wear a downcast gaze."
Suddenly she glared up at him.
"I looked down for your sake, not from any insecurities on my end."
Severus regarded her.
"I know and I thank you."
Ligeia eyed him with suspicion as he continued.
"Teach me. I'll help you with potions and I want you to teach me how to become accustomed to that, I want to learn to fight against it. Had you been an enemy I would have lasted merely moments. You're... what you can do is... paralyzing."
His silky voice was laced with sincerity that didn't exist. The truth was he had experienced a taste of this...strange sensation and he wanted it again.
"I don't know. What you're asking me could be dangerous."
Was it possible to become instantly addicted to the rush vampires incited in their victims?
Severus didn't really care. This was fascinating, it felt like the lure of dark magic and the excitement of the unknown all in the same twisted moment. The only clear thought within is mind was:
More.
"Ligeia, we're friends now.-
(His thin lips peeled back to reveal an almost pointed smile),
-You can trust me."
….
Severus sat near the lake, back propped against the trunk of a willow. His long legs were crossed at the ankles and his head bent downward as a curtain of hair obscured him from view. He hungrily devoured every line of text from the yellowing, frayed book clutched possessively in his hands. His dark eyes moved quickly, absorbing every detail but never stopping to linger.
Suddenly the book flew out of his hands. Without pausing to process what had happened, he was on his feet. Severus' hand instinctively drew his wand.
Too late. As always. It was four against one.
The wand was ripped through the air and Severus was thrown to the ground. The familiar copper taste of defeat spilled from his split lip.
Laughter rang in his ears.
"Snivillus, there you are ya ugly git!"
Severus picked himself up, locking eyes with Potter.
Black sneered, "Fuck mate, what'd you do to his face?- Oh right, it always looks like that. Fuck'n freak!"
The two Gryffindors exchanged grins while Pettigrew nodded in imbecilic agreement and Lupin averted his gaze.
Severus smirked,
"Potter, and here I thought you might actually spend this year digging yourself out of remedial potions...but alas, some poor souls are destined to be failures...I wonder if squibs run in your family..."
Potter dove forward and knocked Severus on the ground. The Gryffindor was a great deal heavier than Severus and held him down with ease as he punched him in the ribs.
Severus coughed.
"What was that Snivillus? If you want it to stop, just ask me nicely."
Severus grit his teeth as another hit met him with force. He spit his blood in Potter's face and growled,
"You're fucking pathetic!"
"You shouldn't have said that Snivillus."
Then the hits came without rest.
"James, come on, maybe you should let up."
With the ringing in his ears, Severus couldn't place the voice but he assumed it belonged to the spineless werewolf.
Potter's punches ceased and he laughed, still holding Severus down with his weight.
Severus kept eye contact with him as he began to edge a hand free.
"And what are you going to do about it, Snivy?"
Potter made to hit him again when Severus' hand shot up and grabbed him by the throat.
He squeezed, digging his nails into either side of the bigger boy's neck.
Potter instantly dropped his hands as he gasped for air.
Severus pushed him off, hand still squeezing around his throat.
Potter squeaked out as Severus increased the pressure on his neck.
"Speak up Potter, I can't understand you."
The Gryffindor's eyes widened as he opened his mouth in an attempt to pull air into his lungs.
The Slytherin didn't let up as Potter's face turned a bluish hue.
A wicked gleam shone in the depths of Severus' black eyes. His lips peeled back in his infamous grin.
"So, you do fear me."
Severus felt a hard knock on the back of his head and then everything went black.
...
"Leave him alone!"
Severus lay still on the ground, slowly coming to.
Here we go again.
Lily shoved passed Potter.
"Sev are you alright?"
He opened his eyes, with a guarded expression. Her soft green ones gazed down at him with all the concern he'd never seen from another living soul and his heart soared in his chest.
"I'm fine Lily."
She turned back to the Marauders, "Why can't you just leave him alone already? He doesn't do anything to any of you."
Potter gaped, "You didn't see did you? The greasy git attacked me! He had his hands were around my throat! I'll have him expelled for that!"
Lily paused and gave him a once over.
"You appear fine to me, Sev's the one who looks like you'd be getting expelled, or locked away."
Potter shoved his hands in his pocket.
"You're in denial Evans, he's dangerous and you saw it yourself last year! His boggart was his own father! It's in his blood!"
The marauders laughed while Severus' heart sank. He'd done everything to get out of class that day...he knew he'd see his own black eyes staring down at him the moment he came face to face with the shapeshifter. It'd been the most humiliating moment of his life… They couldn't understand why a father would be someone's worst fear, they had no idea just how fucked up and cruel this world could be. Memories of the summer flashed through his mind. That all too common metallic taste, the crunching of brittle bones, Her screams...his inability to do anything, ...if it wasn't for her, he'd never return..but Eileen Prince-Snape was weak and her son would not abandoned her.
"He's a slimy git that-"
The look Lily shot Potter silenced him.
Black scoffed,"Give it a rest Evans, you can't save trash."
Lily gave him a sweet smile,
"Now Black, don't say that. I'm sure you can be saved."
Black opened his mouth but James slightly shoved him with his shoulder,
"C'mon mate, we'll be late for dinner."
Black looked as if he was going to protest but James started walking and his puppets followed. Black lingered a moment longer with a look that clearly stated this wasn't over but he turned at last, muttering, "Fucking greasy git" as he left.
Lily turned back to Snape.
"Hey are you really alright?"
"I told you I'm fine." He was already standing, blank eyes giving nothing away to the screaming pain in his mind as he moved quickly to right himself.
"I'm sorry they can be such arse hats."
"They're Gryffindors, what can you expect?"
Lily quirked a brow.
"Do you want your nose to match your busted lip Sev?"
He smirked,
"Try me Lily."
His voice was suddenly a whisper, almost an invitation. She stared at him a moment before shaking her head.
"You are such a Slytherin."
"How so?"
"You're evil, plain and simple."
Severus shrugged, "The rumors are true, what do you want me to say?"
His black eyes glittered for a moment then his expression returned to his guarded state.
"So it takes a little blood shed to get you to come around Lily? I thought we were friends."
He wiped his hand over his mouth in an attempt to clean his face but only managed to smear the blood.
"We are, don't be like that."
"Hmm."
"It seems you've been busy making friends yourself Sev...I mean a vampire...really?"
At that, he paused.
"Really what?"
Lily shrugged indifferently. His eyebrows shot up.
"And what does that mean?"
Lily rolled her eyes,
"Nothing… just you should place yourself in good crowds is all. You're better than those other Slytherins, you should….you know, step outside your house a bit."
Severus clenched his jaw,
"Do you believe yourself to be the only person in the world who doesn't find me repulsive and can be in my presence? I am capable of making friends Lily, just not the pricks that fly on Gryffindor's quidditch team."
"Sev...this isn't the same thing, she's...she could be dangerous. Just be careful ok?"
Severus furrowed his brow, "Now you sound like Potter."
"Don't say that, Potter is an arrogant toe-rag and I'm your friend. I really do want you to be careful is all...even if she seems...um...nice to you, she's bound to have predatory instincts."
Severus gave her an incredulous look.
"You would know all about dangerous creatures wouldn't you, Lily?"
"Let's drop this before we get into it again."
Severus gave a curt nod.
Ligeia approached them,
"There you are Severus-what happened to your lip?"
He chuckled darkly, running his tongue over the gash.
"Why, is it your feeding time already?"
He didn't know what had come over him but Lily's apprehension of Ligeia had irked him and he wanted to prove she was being ridiculous.
Ligeia smirked, "I'll have to pass this time. When I drink from a living source, it's to kill and I could still use you in potions."
Lily shrank away slightly. Ligeia noted this. She stared at the redhead, unblinking. He instantly recognized her concentration as Legilimency. Lily squirmed and the crimson in the vampire's eyes intensified.
"I'm Ligeia LeFay, I love blood and have no self control which is why Dumbledore allowed me to come to this school, to eat the excess students."
She lept towards Severus, fangs flashed. He threw his arms out instinctively and ended up sort of catching her around the waist. She leaned into him as she threw her head back and laughed.
Severus held onto her for a brief moment, caught off guard by her playfulness, before he slowly let her go. Ligeia turned back to Lily with a soft smile,
"It was just a joke."
"I see."
Ligeia glanced from Lily to Severus then made to turn back to the Castle.
"If I miss you at dinner, I'll see you in the common room. I want to go over notes."
"Alright, I'll catch up with you later."
"Nice meeting you- um…?"
Severus glanced at Lily whose lips were pursed in a tight line. For a moment she rather resembled petunia and he shuddered.
"Lily."
Lily snapped out of it.
"What?"
"That's your name."
Lily glanced back at Ligeia.
"Yes, my name is Lily... Pleasure meeting you Ligeia."
Ligeia grinned her sharpest grin and disappeared back into the castle.
…..
Skipping Dinner Severus had gone straight to the baths to wash. He was in no mood to parade his latest injuries to the entire school.
He now sat in the common room, in a far corner couch, staring at the black lake lapping against the great window. His hair dripped down his back as he remained motionless, a shadow against the dim candlelight of the room.
Ligeia sat down beside him, he glanced over then set his eyes back on the lake.
"Who is the redhead?"
Severus paused...
"My best friend."
Ligeia nodded.
"For a best friend she seems rather blind to your pain. And to be frank I'm not even talking about the physical."
Severus scoffed.
"Perhaps you are projecting your own experiences onto me?"
"No, I felt it yesterday when you wanted me to drink from you."
Severus would have been embarrassed, he would have felt heat rise in his cheeks in an ugly blush...but he was struck with fascionation instead.
He shrugged,
"So you did, and I might add that your heart is a rather dark place as well. Someone did unspeakable things to you."
Ligeia smiled disdainfully,
"That's the curse of being a skilled Legilimens, even when you abide by your word you see too much of what another keeps hidden...at least you did not peer."
"I gave you my word that I would not...not that I always stand by my word, but I did honor your request."
"For the sole reason that you know I could turn and use it on you."
Severus shook his head, "That's only partly true."
She stared at the gash on his face, at the way in his now relaxed state, he leaned to one side, alleviating any pressure touching his left side.
"You said I could trust you, yes?"
Severus stared at her.
"Yes."
She nodded and then,
"I have something. Come with me to the forbidden forest and I'll show you. We'll meet back here just past midnight."
"Alright."
Her eyes shimmered.
"I'll see you then."
They met later in their common room when all was quiet.
Ligeia had a thick leather book clutched under her arm.
"Let's do this."
The two snakes slithered silently through the darkened corridors. Steady, quiet breathes and soft steps, nothing but mere shadows passing along in the night until they had crept far beyond the castle grounds, passed Hagrid's hut, where they sat side by side, masked by the thicket of twisting, claw-like trees.
Ligeia laid the leatherbound book before them. She raised her gaze to his, crimson met onyx as she raised her right hand in the way one does when making a pledge.
Bloodstained lips parted,
"I call upon the darker forces to guide us, protect us. I call upon the silver gaze of the moon to keep us under her watch as we open ourselves to the power of these woods, to the powers of the words encrypted in the pages before us."
Severus did not break their gaze. This was ritual magic, something he had read of but had yet to witness. It was old magic, not the sort they learned in Hogwarts but the sort that had enticed him when he'd come upon it in the restricted section of the library.
Ligeia tilted her head,
"Do you open yourself to the powers of this night, Severus Snape?"
His heart quickened.
"Yes."
"Do you swear to respect the forces which come to us, no matter how ...unusual?"
"Yes."
"And lastly do you agree to follow my lead, do as I say, and follow my instructions without hesitation?"
He licked his lips.
"Yes, I shall."
Ligeia nodded slowly and opened the book before them. She then brought her right hand to her left and quickly sliced her nail across her palm. She hovered her hand above the book and allowed a few drops of blood to drip onto the long-stained page, she'd done this before. Ligeia then ran her tongue over the small scrape and the bleeding ceased.
The book's pages began flipping wildly, as if a harsh wind was upon them...though the night air was still and not a blade of grass blew, nothing but the pages of that odd, cracked book.
Thick black smoke seeped from the book, reaching out and pooling around them.
Ligeia's eyes were all but glowing as she stared intently at Severus.
"We pray now, to The Shadows... Obumbratio, ego quaeritur te ad se. Imple eum de tua virtute. Cum fragmentis hodie sanitates."
The black smoked rose, encasing them.
Severus still held her gaze, her rhythmic chanting filled the air.
"Una enim sumus una flamma tenebris. Una enim sumus una flamma tenebris.
Una enim sumus una flamma tenebris!"
Ligeia raised her hands palms heavenward and motioned for Severus to follow suit. She purred,
"It's time Severus, let go."
He watched her a moment longer, turning over her words in his head. He did not know where this was going but he mimicked her motions and opened his mind.
In that moment there was a surge of energy. He gasped at the sensation.
His body felt electric, the magic cracked through his veins.
His eyes were wide as he titled his head back until the dark strands fell away from his face and he was staring up into the moon.
There was a sensation of flying, of falling, of floating- he did not know. But his defences were down and images of razor teeth grazing his flesh danced through his mind.
Flashes of crimson clashed against the the light of the moon as his blood rushed through his body and he felt great pressure upon cracked ribs.
He opened his mouth to cry out but the darkness Ligeia had called, pooled in, choking him, silencing him. A sudden sharp pain shot through the side of his body and his eyes closed as he crumpled over on his side.
Severus eyes were still closed as he felt a soft hand gently push his hair away from his face.
The motion repeated again, just a light tracing of fingertips now, over his forehead.
"Come back now Sev, you're ready."
His eyes fluttered open and once again the night was clear, the smoke was gone. Only she remained, the demon eyed girl with her angel's touch still lingering on the side of his face.
She tilted her head to the side in that habit of hers which made her seem more fey than person,
"How do you feel?"
He sat up, head spinning. His stomach felt uncomfortable and his hands seemed unsteady. He blinked a few times.
"Not-sure."
"Okay, just take it easy, you did really well for your first time with blood magic."
He fell forward slightly but steadied himself against Ligeia.
He murmured, "I feel drunk."
She laughed.
"And what of your ribs and your busted lip?"
Severus paused. He pushed himself off of her and stretched.
"There's... no pain now."
"There's no gash on your lip either, isn't that interesting?"
He gazed at her in contemplation.
"You healed me. More quickly than I could have hoped for in the hospital wing...not to mention you've spared me the humiliation."
"You're my friend and you would have remained this limping, broken specimen had I not interfered. I couldn't have that."
She smiled softly at him and placed a hand over his. She regarded him for a moment,
"You're cold, for a mortal."
He stared at her hand over his,
"Cold is my nature."
She made to move it away but he caught it and for a heartbeat he held her hand in his. Then he bent his head down, those dark curtains of hair falling down, concealing his face from view. She felt a swift brush of his lips over her hand and then he whispered,
"Thank you, Ligeia."
He released her.
;…..
Ligeia was sitting on the ground, raising bloodied hands in the air as she seemed to offer a chunk of raw meat, to the sky. As she held her hands up the meat broke off in pieces, becoming smaller in hands before disappearing completely. Blood trickled down her arms as she smiled sweetly at the air.
Severus cleared his throat. Ligeia glanced over in his direction and licked her fingers as if she were licking off berry juice.
"You can see them then?"
Ligeia turned her eyes back to the invisible force, lovingly reaching out her hand again and stroking the unseen.
"Thestrals are magnificent creatures. I suppose you could say it is both a blessing and a curse to see them."
Ligeia motioned Severus over. He sat down beside her in the grass. She took his hand and moved it up until he felt soft hairs, like that of a mane, tangle in his fingers. He pressed his hand closer to the invisible creature and felt it's warm, solid neck.
"It's surreal touching something you cannot see."
"She's looking straight at you. She's a beauty."
Severus dropped his hand, slowly.
"Do I get to know the story behind your ability to see them?"
Ligeia pushed one of the unruly strands from Severus' face.
Yes, but not today."
Severus' dark eyes searched her a moment longer.
"I understand. We should get going, or we'll be late for potions."
He stood up and offering her his hand he helped Ligeia to her feet.
In potions class they worked together on a particularly difficult brew. Severus tried for the most part, to allow Ligeia to do most of the work herself. Hoping some of the skills they'd been practicing would show themselves. He became frustrated after a few moments.
"You need a softer hand, you're far too rough! You're going to blow us all up."
Ligeia squished one of the beans between her fingers, shooting bean juice at him. He glared at her lividly. She sighed.
"An accident, I assure you."
"Of course…"
She made her hands more steady, gently coaxing the brew into the proper consistency. She counted and stirred then remembered to move counter-clockwise.
Severus grunted in what might have been approval.
"SHIT!"
The class turned their attention to James Potter, who was clutching his hand to his chest.
"Language Mr. Potter."
"Sorry Professor, but I just 'bout cut my finger off trying to slice those beans!"
Professor Slughorn seemed concerned, "Better be off to the hospital wings, we can't you losing your finger now. Take someone with you."
James suddenly turned his attention to Ligeia. A smirk flash across his face and in an instant he was at their table, shoving his finger in Ligeia's face as blood spurted all over the place.
"Wanna be my escort, Ms. LeFay?"
Severus, as all others, were focused on Ligeia. She wasn't moving, wasn't blinking. Her eyes locked on the injured finger. It was clear to Severus she was holding her breath.
From under the table Severus slid his hand to her wrist and squeezed. She didn't react.
Severus broke his promise then. He focused all his energy into his skills of legilimency and crept into her mind.
Ligeia, come out of it.
There were no coherent thoughts within her mind, only chaotic murmurs and growls. The sound was something inhuman.
Ligeia!
Ligeia snapped out of it and slapped Potter's hand out of her face,
"You're disgusting!"
He busted out in his imbecilic laugh.
Professor Slughorn cleared his throat.
"That's enough. Five points from Gryffindor for being a disruption to the class."
Potter's howling ceased and he groaned. Professor Slughorn continued, "Sirius, please take James to the hospital wing."
Sirius glared at the Slytherins while James shot one last glance at Ligeia. She narrowed her eyes at him and he winked.
She felt his silent promise. He'd make her pay for this.
Well, he could try.
….