I deeply apologize for the sudden hiatus. Real life took a turn for the worse. But I'm back now! So you'll be seeing this story getting more active in the coming weeks. :)
As usual, I own nothing. This is an AU where Snily happens, if you don't like it... You're in the wrong place.
Upon closer inspection, with the light from Severus' spell hovering over them in the air, Fatime's skin looked... Ill. Decayed. Flakes of it were peeling away to reveal rancid flesh beneath it, and Lily was terribly grateful that she was further away from the thing than Severus, because she was SURE it probably smelled like death. Before she could do a damn thing, however, what had once been Fatime was scrabbling across the forest floor towards Severus. He managed to duck his head and roll through her lunge to tumble several feet across the ground, tangled up in his own flowing robes, attempting to get his wand out and pointed at the creature.
Lily, on the other hand, was on her feet and back to her senses. Recovered from the momentary shock of seeing what had, not too long ago, been the innkeeper, rolled her wand to the tips of her fingers and let out a jet of scalding water that slammed the creature in the face. It's skin bubbled and boiled, burns erupting on the dead flesh as it ran it's filthy fingernails across it's face. It let out a terrible wail, and fled in between the trees, it's shrieking howls echoing through the mountains.
Safe for the moment, she dashed to her husband, and helped extricate him from his own clothes.
"What- by Merlin's ancient undergarments- what was that?" she asked, more on principle than true curiosity, as her husband finally located his wand among his robes and clutched it carefully.
"I-I think that was the innkeeper..."
"Yes, but..." she shook her head, staring at the trail of burned skin and blood the creature had left in it's wailing retreat. "What is she now?"
"I don't know," he muttered, getting to his feet carefully, checking for injuries. He was scraped up and a little bloody, but nothing dangerous. "You were always better at Magical Creatures than I, Lily."
She thought for a moment, crouching down near the flecks of burned flesh, and inspected the less burned section. "... The skin's already dead."
"Sorry?"
"It was dead even before it was burned. We saw her... What, how many days ago? She's decaying. The noise she made..."
Severus could see the cogs turning in his wife's mind, and was struck by just how intelligent a woman she was. He knew she was bright, knew she was smart, but sometimes... Sometimes he just had to revel in how wonderful she truly was.
"I've got it. I know this. This was Defense Against the Dark Arts, our sixth year. We covered Hags."
"She's a hag? What's dead skin have to do with it?"
"She's a Boo Hag. Sub-type, far more feral and dangerous. They steal the breath from sleeping victims, it explains the noises we heard outside our tent- she was trying to get in at us. They wear the skin of their last victim, often." she stood up from her crouch and went back to his side. "Looks like she needs a new... coat."
He almost laughed, possibly would have, had the concept not been so grisly. "... We can't leave her out here to hunt another person."
"I know. Not that she'll be terribly difficult to track..." she eyed the tree line, and without another word, the two set off.
It was irritating work, clamboring over roots and little outcroppings, following the broken branches and bloody splotches where the Boo Hag had passed over. She hadn't gotten too far, thankfully, but she had far more maneuverability in the night than they did, having to rely on the hovering ball of light between them. The Hag could travel in trees and easily leap over rocks, and despite the disgusting nature of the trail it left, they were grateful to have something to track with. It was an hour and a half of grueling, stumbling tracking through the trees before they finally heard it. Severus snuffed out his light.
The sound of water splattering across something, pained whimpers and irate snuffling.
They crept, quiet as they could, grateful to be downwind, and peered around the edge of a large, bristly tree. There was no moon in the sky, but they could see with the light of the stars, the dim shape that was, or had been, Fatime.
She was there, crouched at the edge of a round pool, run-off from the snow higher in the mountains. The creature was plunging her burned face into the cool water, lifting it out and breathing the night air.
"Do you know the spell to get rid of it?" Severus whispered, very close to Lily's ear.
"Yes," she breathed.
"... Be careful." he trusted his wife implicitly, knew she was more than capable but... Well he would always worry.
She squeezed his hand, and carefully, slowly, came out from behind the tree to inch closer to the Boo Hag, her old Defense Against the Dark Art's teacher's droning voice echoing in her mind.
"Boo Hags, while vicious, are really just vengeful air creatures. Spirit is the closest definition. Living air that has stolen skin to live and act as a regular human. They steal the breath of others to feed their own energy, and so snuffing one out, so to speak, is as simple as taking the air away from them... Now class, if you'll all turn your wands at your candles- ONE AT A TIME, we don't need to be suffocating anyone..."
She stopped just behind the Hag and pointed her wand at the back of it's throat.
The Hag went still.
Lily dared not breathe.
A deathly silent moment passed, and the Hag, after sniffing momentarily, turned it's head slowly around to face Lily.
"Aeraufero!" she whispered as the Hag's eyes met hers, and in a tiny second- she saw the Hag realize what had happened. And then, the skin merely collapsed to the ground, and disappeared into dust. No energy to keep it moving, no life to sustain it. It faded away and blew away on the mountain breeze. Lily dropped her wand hand, and let out a sight of relief.
Severus appeared beside her, arm sliding around her shoulders to pull her closer.
They were quiet for a moment.
"... Was this the vacation you wanted, dear?" the smirk on his lips was practically audible.
"Don't you start with me, mister."
"I wouldn't dream of starting anything with you..."
"You are a filthy liar, Severus Tobias Snape, you absolutely adore prodding me- look!"
He'd been casually staring at the sky, trying not to make eye contact with his dear wife, but glanced down to where she was pointing.
His mouth dropped open.
There, at the bottom of the pool, glowing faintly orange-yellow, was a spreading patch of Noctis Florere. Blooming elegant little petals that curled at the ends, tapered into wide swaths at the core that were a bright, day-glow orange.
"I found them." Lily chirped brightly.
"Fowa fowa fowa fowa fowa-"
"Yes yes, that's enough..."
Beatrice Snape, enthralled by the flowers in the enchanted dark terrarium that sat on the windowsill of the Snape family sitting room, was less enthralled when her father scooped her up. She let out a keening little whine and squirmed in his grasp, before the tip of his wand came up, a bright yellow flower sprouted from the tip to bop the little girl on her nose. She giggled brightly as he brought her into the kitchen, grabbing for the flower to bring the petals to her cheek.
"It seems we have an Herbology Professor on the rise."
"Excellent. Pomona will be thrilled. How'd you sleep?" she looked up from that morning's Prophet as Severus set Bea into her seat.
"Fine. Any note-worthy news?"
"Mm... Remus sent a note- thanking you for that Potion. Wants to know if any amount of sugar will make it taste better." she ignored his scoff. "Quick letter from Sirius, poor thing's still trying to un-stick that portrait of his awful mother. Harry keeps disturbing her and... well it's no fun for either of them." she shuffled the letters on the table. "Oh, and letter from Dumbledore. Would like your syllabus for the year, and wants to know all the details about our vacation."
"You're not going to tell him everything are you?" he eyed her over his toast.
"Oh just the regular. Slept under the stars, had some peace and quiet, got attacked by a Hag, found some pretty flowers, the usual."
He couldn't contain the smirk. "Do try and leave out that she bested me."
"Oh goodness no, I HAVE to tell him that... Think of all the sneaky looks he'll give you over the new Term! Good fun, that's what it'll be... Oh, and Sirius invited us to Harry's birthday party next week."
He didn't miss the quickly added last bit and gave her a look.
"Oh come on, you're great with toddlers."
"Yes, -my- toddler. He gestured at Beatrice."
"Me!"
"Yes, you, Bea. Other children are always... sticky."
"Sticky?"
"They have Jam hands." he muttered, taking a bite of his toast, more to shut himself up than anything else.
"Well I'm sure you can handle one or two." she muttered, returning to the Prophet.
He peered at her. "What birthday party has only two children at it?"
"Who's to say it's a birthday party? Could be anything. Could be right here..."
She was grinning broadly behind the Prophet, and she knew it was coming when one spindly finger appeared over the top of the paper and pulled it down, crumpling a young Witch's face as he gave her a look.
"Is there something I should know?" he asked.
She grinned at him impishly, folding the paper and placing a hand on her abdomen. "Maybe this one won't be sticky."
Aeraufero- (Air-o-fair-o)Latin, Aer Aufero, Air Remover.
Boo Hags are a real myth. Google that shit, yo.
Apologies for a tiny update. Trying to get back into my groove.
-Clocky