Pale in the Shadows
Part II Unfortunate Spell – Chapter 10 A Step
NOTE: Sorry this took so long to get up. I didn't mean to take a two month+ long hiatus from this story; however, after moving I got food poisoning, was hit by a car while walking, had my wallet stolen, etc., etc., so needless to say I've been very exhausted. Sorry. This chapter is probably a little disappointing after it took me so long to get up - it's really short compared to other chapters.
The sickly sweet smell of musty rot was refreshing as he leaned back in the chair, closing his eyes and laying a hand over them. When the letter had first arrived he had considered throwing it into the fire, but after a quick reread, the better part of him had sat down at the desk and puzzled over it. He would have preferred to be in his quarters just above the dungeons instead of in his classroom office, but it was the only place that Dumbledore didn't pry. As much as he owed the wizened man for saving and taking him in, Severus still couldn't shake his need for privacy especially around a wizard such as the headmaster.
From a Dark Lord to a Light Lord, he found himself thinking numbly, sitting back up and looking at the letter addressed to his Spinner's End home. The only difference between the two is where their purposes lie and oftentimes where they believe the right path should be.
Sighing, he pulled out some parchment and began to scratch out a response with his quill, several lines being crossed out and ink dotting more than one sentence in exasperation. 'How the bloody hell am I supposed to write someone like this!?' he groaned, glaring at the picture that sat on his desk—a taunting memory.
It was from his childhood and one of the only times he could remember being honestly happy. In the frame was the image of his mother and him smiling and waving at the camera, beside them was the pureblood family that lived next to them. It had been at the local fair and several of the wizarding families had gotten together selling trinkets and snacks, putting on performances—And that was where I met you two, he thought glaring at the photo.
Before his reminiscing could go any further, a sharp tap on his office door made him turn, his chair creaking. He raised an eyebrow at the man who leaned his bulk against the doorframe. 'Crabbe. What brings you here? Surely there are other people you can bother. Then again, it's my misfortune I'll probably be seeing a lot more of you at the school whenever it pleases your fancy since your son is starting here this September.'
The other man gave a smirk, his charcoal eyes alight. 'Narcissa asked me to come,' Vince said, toying with the tail end of his curly brown hair and ignoring Severus's comments. 'On behalf of the school governors you, Severus Snape, are now in charge of a Mister Harry Potter until school's beginning in less than two months time.' The man carefully emphasized the boy's name before continuing. 'There is also to be almost no contact with Headmaster Albus Dumbledore as requested by the House of Black.
'Lucky you to be paired with Potter, isn't it?'
A nerve in Severus twitched at the latter comment, but he only said, 'As to why Dumbledore is to not contact Mister Potter, you will be telling me, Crabbe' Severus said, slowly standing to stretch and lean on his desk. He could feel a certain tension in the air as Vince watched him, noticing the other man's hand going to his shirt sleeve where his wand was mostly likely tucked. Not like I would need to pull a wand out Crabbe, he thought letting his own lips curl into a smirk. 'Narcissa wouldn't call on a relative to the House of Black if it was merely about the Harry Potter.
Vince burst into a rich laugh, which made Severus grind his teeth. The other man had always been flippant, part of the reason he was able to stay hidden in the shadows when he was a Death Eater. 'You truly suspect everything, Snape. That aside, you're right. Narcissa would hardly ask me to come if it weren't of some importance and I would have told you anyway, gibe comments aside.'
Nonchalantly, Vince strode into the office until his was only a few inches from Severus, making the hair on the back of the man's neck stand on end. 'It's good, Snape, that you're talented at occlumency,' he said casual, leaning forward until Snape could feel his hot breath on his ear. 'The boy can use wandless magick.'
The whisper was stained with magick, which Snape mental brushed away trying not to shudder at the proximity of the other man. With a cackle, Vince backed off and slapped Severus jokingly on the arm. 'Really, Snape. I've missed these moments. Others cave too quickly.'
'You certainly have seduction down to an art,' Severus muttered, yawning widely, not bothering to cover his mouth. 'As for the boy, why should I care? Certainly accidentals are usual at his age.'
Raising an eyebrow, Vince shook his head. 'Ah, but creating an barrier impenetrable to minor spells with control and without a wand? Narcissa would never waste her time on something so simple as accidentals. Don't tell me you're going to let some childhood bullshit leave you blind to what this means.'
Severus barely caught himself before he responded; some part of him ached with a sharp retort. Instead, he found the gearts in his head turning as his thoughts went back to the letter he had received only earlier that day. Only dark wizards and witches dared to use wandless magick, and of course children had accidentals all the time; however, it was another thing entirely if the power of Harry Potter had caught the attention of a dark witch such as Narcissa.
'I see,' he finally responded, feeling as though his brain were going to explode with all the twists and turns that had recently sprung up in his life. 'I will mind Harry Potter and ensure he stays out from under Dumbledore's watch. Tell me more about what has happened that Narcissa would worry to this extent. I can tell when you're playing games, Crabbe. Enough of this.'
The hazy swirl of green suddenly ended as the fireplace ejected him into a dimly lit room. Harry was relieved to see Narcissa was there waiting for him on the other end, and quickly found himself looking around the room he had appeared in. It was a small sitting area with a hardback chair and small sofa. The carpeting was a soft brown, and the walls had scrolls depicting wars in various colours of red and blue. With the dancing flames being the only light, Harry felt almost cozy in the darkened space.
'On time, I see, Narcissa,' a man with pasty white skin opened the door, his black cloak suffocating and ominous. Harry couldn't help but feel tension as their eyes met. 'And of course Mister Potter.'
Suddenly his scar burned, and the boy felt the strange tingle he was beginning to associate with magick creep in defense. Rubbing his forehead with the back of his hand, he glared at the dark haired man twisting that strange defense into a shield. He didn't know why he did it, but he knew that he had to. With that, the other man flinched and a look of amusement crept over his lips.
'You really do bring me the most interesting…things, Narcissa,' the man slowly answered, nodding his head at Harry.
'Severus, you have heard all from Vince,' Narcissa said this without asking, a slight incline to her head. 'Then you know the protection of the House of Black?'
Chuckling, the other man sat down in the chair, reclining back into almost a slouch. Harry was surprised, but quickly realized this was the man's way of telling Narcissa to back off and that they were, in fact, in his space. Just last night with the Dursleys and now all this with magick and wizards, he thought, a little numb to the subtle dance that the two adults were playing at. I feel like a bystander.
'Harry, this is Severus Snape,' Narcissa said, a look of concern on her face.
'Hello, sir,' he said, clenching his teeth. He was sick of it all. His brain was swimming with the entire day, the Dursleys – he felt the chasm of his heart opening up and quickly slammed down on it like a sledge hammer suddenly feeling dizzy. 'Is there some place I can lie down?' Harry did his best to look exhausted, which didn't take much.
'Go through that door and the guest room you'll be staying in has been arranged, boy,' Snape said pointing to a door just next to the fireplace. 'We'll discuss certain things in the morning.' He was glaring at Narcissa who returned the hardened stare with one just as fierce. 'You've had a hard time, boy, so go rest and let your magick relax or you'll be feeling it in a few days time.'
