Chapter 3 - Journey of Promise


"Miss Roth, I presume."

Raven stopped and whipped her head around to find the source of the voice. She saw no one, but she could sense a presence in the dark shadows to her right. "I prefer to be called 'Raven'. The other sounds too much like my mother."

From the shadows slowly appeared a man. He was very tall, and painfully thin. The black, straight hair which hung around his face cast more shadows on his face, but one could hardly miss the large, crooked, hooked nose that protruded into the light. "I am Professor Snape. Please follow me."

Professor Snape turned sharply and headed down a different hallway, causing his floor-length robe to billow dramatically. He assumed that, like all his students and not a few staff members, the girl would follow behind him. Instead, he was surprise to see her walking adjacent to him, and, even though she was a head and shoulders shorter than he, keeping pace rather easily.

"So what do you teach, Professor?" Raven asked, looking at him out of the corner of her eyes.

He raised an eyebrow and glanced down at her. "As a Potions Master, I teach Potions," he said simply.

The pair continued on in silence for another few hallways and corridors.

"The Headmaster must consider you very important for him to send a private escort to bring you to him," Snape said casually. Anyone who didn't read him carefully would have missed the curious tone in his voice, or the sideways glance he gave her. But Raven had seen it.

"Or perhaps since I don't know the way, myself."

Snape's eyes narrowed dangerously. "And yet you're not with the rest of the first years, waiting to be Sorted."

"From what I know, sir, I'm not here to be Sorted."

"Then for what purpose are you here?"

"If Albus Dumbledore didn't see it fit to tell you, why then should I?"

Snape suddenly stopped and shoved her into the wall, using his forearm to pin her. Raven could feel his eyes trying to gain access to her mind through Legilimency. But her mind was kept closed at all times, so he could not enter.

"I'll have you know," he hissed, "that Dumbledore isn't the only one responsible for the safety of this school and its students."

It was then that he was pushed off her by a black energy force.

Snape caught his balance as he stumbled backwards, but he didn't regain his composure. His eyes were wide, and he was breathing heavily through his open mouth as he drew out his black wand from his sleeve.

"What was that!" he snarled, holding Raven at bay with his wand.

She lowered her head submissively, internally kicking herself for being so weak as to use her powers, thereby giving herself away. "I'm sorry." She turned to the side, still not looking at him. "I don't take too well to being thrown against a wall and pinned there."

"Yes, but...what was that?"

Raven met his eyes, and for the first time, she noticed they were completely black. His sallow skin offset the intense blackness of his hair and eyes. He continued to look down at her over his large, crooked nose. His wand, although still pointing at her, was now held casually in a relaxed manner. "Perhaps," she said slowly, "it would be better if all was explained in the Headmaster's office instead of in the middle of the hallway." She inclined her head in the direction they had been going.

"Yes, I do believe this is a matter for the Headmaster."

The two returned to walking through long corridors and up staircases in silence. He never gave her another look, and she didn't bother looking at him throughout the rest of the trip.

They finally arrived at a large stone gargoyle. Snape stopped in front of it, causing Raven to wonder just what was so special about the statue. She stared in awe after he murmured a password to quiet for her to hear and the gargoyle came to life and stepped aside.

Snape swept a hand behind her. "After you."

Raven gathered her nerves, and stepped onto the rising staircase.