Chapter 47

I slept undisturbed on Monday night. Snape had given me a Dreamless Sleep Potion when I had gone to bed and so I was able to sleep peacefully without being reminded of the now dull pain that resided in my back. I vaguely remembered Snape standing over me as the potion had taken hold. I had welcomed the darkness that surrounded me as much as I welcomed the happiness in my heart that I was home.

On Tuesday morning, I woke up feeling under the weather. I had a cold, a sore throat and a headache, and I still felt tired. That was just my luck. If I had to get sick, it had to be when I was home, finally free to do what I wanted again, though I wondered if sickness would have gotten me out of memorising books at Snape Manor.

I groaned and rolled over, feeling the dull ache in my back remind me of its presence. I looked at the clock. 8:27 am. I was surprised that Snape hadn't come in to wake me yet; he generally did when I slept past seven thirty. I didn't understand his need to get up so early. Maybe he felt that this time I deserved to sleep in.

I fell back into a doze, having to come out of it several times to sneeze or blow my nose.

A sudden flutter of wings followed by incessant hooting finally roused me from my sleep. I sat up, rubbing my eyes as two owls came soaring into the room and landed on my bed, each trying to nudge the other out of the way in order to get to me first. Morag hooted from her place on top of the armoire, clearly excited at having guests.

Snape strode in a few seconds later, looking a bit disgruntled.

"It sounds as if you've opened an owlery in here," he said, glaring at the owls on my bed, both of which seemed to be lobbying for my attention. Morag continued to hoot, as if wanting to remind me that she was there, and not to forget that I liked her above the others.

"So the owls know the entrance to these rooms then?" I asked, my voice sounding dry and husky. I leaned forward and to untie the envelope from the leg of one of the owls. It hooted in excitement at being chosen first and the other abruptly stopped hooting altogether.

Snape frowned as he moved towards my bed. "Yes, they know it."

He watched as I untied the other envelope. The owls then went to join Morag for some water. Morag continued to hop about and hoot in her excitement. Snape had opened his mouth to say something, but Morag and the other owls were making such a racket that he would have had to raise his voice to be heard.

"Cease that infernal racket!" he snapped at the owls. The two guests immediately stopped their noise, and hopped around in an intimidated manner to peer at Snape. Morag, however, seemed to decide that no amount of snapping would deter her from making noise if she wished. She looked directly at Snape and continued to hoot, albeit quieter than before.

Snape glared at her, his lips pursed. "You are a daring one, aren't you?" he said coldly. Morag hooted in reply and flapped her wings. She grew to her fullest form and went jet black. She stretched out her suddenly long sharp claws for Snape to see.

"Your point?" he asked sarcastically.

Morag hooted indignantly and her claws grew even more, becoming so long that they curled at the edges. She began to hoot again, as if Snape's mere presence was egging her on.

"Poor," Snape said dryly.

It seemed to me that in my absence, my brother and Morag had developed a hostile relationship. I wondered exactly how much noise she made at night when I wasn't there with her.

Morag decided to change tactics at that moment. She opened her beak and let out an almighty high-pitched hoot. It was enough to make me want to cover my ears.

Snape whipped out his wand and pointed it at her threateningly. She ceased at once and I wondered if that was due to experience. He continued to point it at her for a few seconds, wearing a look of the utmost contempt. Finally, Morag was the first to look away and she hopped over to her water and made no more noise.

Snape pocketed his wand again, still glaring at the owl, who had now resumed her usual small snowy form. "I will not be defeated by an owl," he said maliciously, apparently to no one in particular.

"Have you used magic on her before?" I asked. I followed my question up with a sneeze.

"No," he replied, looking at me closely. "But it's certainly a good threat."

"She hasn't been making too much noise, has she?"

Snape gave me a grim smile as he moved forward to sit on my bed. "Just a little," he said, sneering. He looked over his shoulder to glare at Morag. "Enough to make us resent each other's presence at any rate."

"Oh," I said dolefully. I hoped he wasn't about to say that Morag would have to go and live in the owlery.

"Don't concern yourself," he said, waving a hand aside, "I will view her as a challenge. She just needs taming."

"It seems like she doesn't want to be tamed," I pointed out.

Snape gave me a self-satisfied look. "Her desires are not to be considered. If she wants to remain here, she will be tamed." Snape turned and looked back at Morag again. "Did you hear that, Morag? Tamed!" Morag blinked at him, but didn't hoot. Snape turned back to me, shaking his head.

"I think you'll be good friends before long," I said, looking at the letters in my hand.

"Mm. She'll rue the day she decided to cross me." He reached forward to feel my forehead. "What luck you have," he said, leaning back. "You've got a fever. Well that's an excuse for you to stay in bed today."

"But I don't want to stay in bed," I said indignantly.

Snape raised an eyebrow. "Then prepare to be disappointed." He got up and walked to the door.

"But I'm not that sick," I complained, finishing my sentence with a poorly timed sneeze.

"Indeed," he drawled, turning around in the doorway. "Forgive me if I do not trust your judgement. I believe that the last time you were unwell, I said that in future, decisions pertaining to your health would be left to me." He fixed me with a look that dared me to challenge him. "You're staying in bed today."

Before I could reply, he swept from the room leaving me alone with the owls and my letters. If I had felt much better, I would have been annoyed with the man for telling me to stay where I was. In truth, if I did get of bed, I wouldn't feel like doing much anyway. And besides, Snape was easier to get along with when I let him be right. He loved to be right.

I knew the letters were from my friends because I recognised the handwriting on each right away.

Dear Mill,

Hello from Copenhagen! My family and I have been here in Denmark for five days and we're all having a great time. I've picked up some great presents for you. I had a pretty good Christmas – I got everything I wanted. Thanks for your present. The bag is beautiful and it goes perfectly with my dress robes. Speaking of dress robes, I bet you looked nice in your new ones the other night. You'll have to tell me all about it when I see you again.

Did you have a nice Christmas? Did you get anything nice? I'm dying to talk to you about how everything turned out.

I'll be back at Hogwarts on Sunday, just in time for school on Monday. Are you back at Hogwarts now or Merrigan Hall? Wherever you are, I hope you have a lovely week. I miss you heaps.

Love, Lisa

Dear Milly,

Terry always referred to me as Milly when he wrote because it was the only time he could get away without me hitting him.

Greetings! I hope you woke this morning to the sound of a mooing alarm clock – I thought it was such a laugh when I found it. I hope Professor Snape lets you use it. Thanks for the book – it was the only one in the series that I didn't have.

How was your Christmas? Where did you go and what did you do? Oh yeah, and what did you get? (I do have many questions, but I'll save the rest until I see you next).

I had a spiffing Christmas. I got an excellent racing broom and I can guarantee that I'll beat you any time now…just name the day and I'll leave you behind at the starting line! Hmm, I had better finish this letter before my head gets too big and bursts.

Lisa and I were thinking of you a lot over the past week. Just assure us again that you're happy and we'll be content.

I'll see you either on Saturday night or Sunday morning.

Terry

Folding their letters, I smiled down at them sadly. I missed them both so much. They were still worried that I wasn't happy with Snape though. But then, they didn't know him as I did. They only knew him as the cruel, cold, sarcastic, but skilled Potions Professor and Head of Slytherin. I supposed they had a right to worry when that was the only side they saw.

"Your friends have wasted no time in writing, have they?" asked Snape as he came back into the room, carrying a couple of potions, as well as my breakfast.

"They've been waiting for me to come back here before they wrote," I replied, putting the letters aside.

"How thoughtful," he said dryly, handing me the tray with my breakfast.

I looked down at the porridge, pumpkin juice and tea. It was certainly an improvement on the tiny breakfasts Rougier had given me at Father's house.

"Eat," Snape ordered when I made no move to pick up my spoon. "All of it."

"I didn't get food like this at Father's house," I said quietly, picking up my spoon. "Rougier wouldn't let me have much."

Snape's face darkened as he placed a couple of potions on my bedside table. "What exactly did you live on for the past few days? Tonks told me you were given a tiny portion of soup for dinner when she was there."

"A couple of cherries and strawberries for breakfast and then tomato or pumpkin soup for the rest of the day," I answered. I tried the porridge, savouring its sweetness.

Snape pursed his lips. "I'll be having words with Father about that when you go back there in the summer. He gave too much power to that woman."

"Hag," I corrected quietly.

My brother met my eye and I knew he was thinking to my admission the evening before of calling Rougier a painted old hag to her face. He inclined his head, wearing an expression I couldn't identify. "Hag," he agreed.

As I ate, Snape used magic to clean Morag's cage for me. I was grateful, but Morag watched him suspiciously the whole time. When he finished, she hooted at him softly.

"I didn't do it for you," he scoffed.

I refrained from rolling my eyes. I wondered if her snowy form caused him irritation because it reminded him of Harry's owl.

As I finished my breakfast, Snape uncorked two potions, one of which I recognised as Pepper-Up potion.

"Thanks," I said, taking the vial from him. I grimaced at the taste.

"Pain relief," Snape said, looking slightly amused at my smoking ears as he held out another vial. "I assume your back is bothering you?"

I nodded, accepting the potion from him.

"Definitely not a story for Mother," he said a moment later, after taking the empty vials from me. He shook his head grimly. "It'll cause her too much grief to hear it."

I nodded my agreement. I wondered how many injuries Mother had suffered over the years.

Snape vanished the breakfast tray with a flick of his wand and I laid down again, not feeling enthusiastic about the prospect of a whole day in bed.

"If I feel better later, may I get up?" I asked hopefully, knowing perfectly well what the answer would be.

"No, you may not," replied Snape smoothly, pulling my covers back up. "Except for bathroom use, you're staying right there until further notice."

"I'll be bored," I grumbled.

"No you won't," he replied. "You have plenty of sleeping to do."

"I slept the whole night," I pointed out, trying to keep irritation out of my voice. "I only have a cold."

Snape shook his head. "Not just a cold, but exhaustion and a small case of malnutrition. Enough to warrant a full day in bed, if not more."

"But-"

He held up a hand, fixing me with a stern gaze. "I thought you would have learnt from experience that I do not accept buts."

"I do know," I said quietly. "I wanted to try anyway."

"Oh, I feel for you," he said, smirking. "I can always offer you Potions books to pass the time."

I looked up at him, trying to hide my smile. "I'm not sure that would make me feel better."

Snape gave me a deadpan look as he sat in the armchair next to my bed. "But you love Potions, Armilla."

This time I did smile. I didn't mind Potions, truthfully, more so now that I wasn't so nervous of the teacher.

"Father told me that he wanted me to go to Beauxbatons, but you wouldn't let him," I said. "You didn't tell me that."

"I didn't think it important," he said indifferently. "There was never any question of you changing schools, regardless of what Father felt about it."

"Why did he want me to change schools?"

"He believes the calibre of students is higher at Beauxbatons," he replied, rolling his eyes. "No amount of pointing out that half-blood and and muggleborn students also exist in France merited a change in his opinion." He looked over at me. "The truth of the situation, however, is that Father would prefer for you to be away from me. It's about control for him and it bothers him greatly that you spend more time with me."

I nodded. Once again, I was thankful that Father didn't have full custody. "The calibre can't be too high," I commented. "Rougier must have gone there."

Snape flexed his fingers. "I would dearly love to meet that woman," he said darkly.

"I think Tonks found her amusing to start with," I said.

"She would," Snape muttered. "Speaking of Nymphadora, did Father or Rougier go with you to meet Tonks yesterday?"

"Rougier," I answered. "I'm not sure if I prefer her to Father."

"Rougier's probably easier to squash," he said, rationally. "Tonks took you straight to Grimmauld Place?"

"No," I answered, hoping I wouldn't blush. "We went shopping."

"What f-" Snape paused mid-sentence. "No," he said, shaking his head. "Never mind." There was an embarrassed silence.

"I hadn't been to Grimmauld Place before," I said, watching him closely.

Snape scowled, though not at me. "It is my wish that any time you spend there will be limited." He looked closely at me. "Who did you see there?"

"Mrs Weasley, Professor Lupin-"

"Not Professor anymore," he muttered. "Go on."

"Sirius Black."

Snape positively glowered at the name. "There's an acquaintance that you could do without," he said darkly. "Did you meet him?"

"Sort of," I replied. "Not properly. He got a shock when he found out who I was."

His lip curled. "I bet he did."

"Lupin and Mrs Weasley were nicer than he was," I said thoughtfully. "He seemed more acquiescent when Lupin told him I was in Ravenclaw."

Snape was glaring at the wall. "Well, Black hates anything associated with Slytherin."

"But his house has serpents everywhere," I pointed out.

"Black comes from a family of Slytherins," he explained, turning back to me. "His younger brother, Regulus, was a Slytherin."

"Where is he?"

"Dead," he replied shortly.

"Oh," I said quietly as Snape turned to glare at the wall again.

We stayed silent for several moments. "Why don't you like each other?" I asked softly.

Snape didn't answer at first. Initially, I thought he wasn't going to answer, but at length, he turned back to me. "There's nothing to like about him," he said in a hard tone. "We have our differences, Armilla, and our history extends over many, many years. It is not worth delving into and I would prefer not to." His hard expression told me his word was final.

I nodded.

"You must have come into contact with a few more Gryffindors," Snape said, raising an eyebrow.

"I did," I replied. "Hermione, Ginny, Harry and Ron…I didn't see the twins though."

"No great loss, I assure you," he said indifferently. "Did you talk to them much?" He was watching me closely.

I shrugged. "Hermione came in late in the afternoon and I talked to her for awhile. The other three came in together later on." I was trying to refrain from mentioning Harry's name again. Snape's expression had darkened when I had said Harry.

"So they talked to you properly, though they're fully aware that you're my sister?"

"Yeah," I said. "They seemed okay with it after awhile."

"After awhile?"

"I've always gotten along with Hermione," I explained. "I don't know Harry and Ron well and they were bound to be wary."

Snape scoffed derisively. "I hope you put their worries at ease."

I contemplated this. "They seemed okay," I said finally.

Snape looked sternly at me. "I do hope you're not friendly with them," he said in a hard tone, "especially Potter. Father would do more than curse you if he found out."

"What about you?" I asked. I thought Snape would curse me first if I was a friend of Harry's.

Snape stared at me. "Potter is-" he began, looking agitated. He shook his head. "I understand that you need to maintain relations with students from other Houses," he said, "but I would prefer it if your contact with Potter was kept to a minimum."

"Is he such a bad person?" I asked. I had never understood the animosity that had existed between the two since Harry's first year.

Snape considered me for a moment, as if weighing up something in his mind. "Potter," he said finally, a look of utter distaste on his face, "has many things to learn in order to improve his character. He is disrespectful, reckless, arrogant, and has an undue propensity for playing the hero."

I considered this. He hadn't really answered my question and I felt that he didn't want to. I decided not to push the subject any further.

I watched as Snape summoned a pile of parchment, a quill and ink from the sitting room. "I have marking to do," he said, unscrewing the bottle of ink. "Am I to assume that if I stay here with you, you will oblige me and sleep?"

I nodded, feeling something unexplainable inside me at his words. He didn't have to stay, really.

But something in my heart told me I was glad he was.