Cecilia opened her eyes slowly. Her head still felt like it was being stabbed repeatedly, but, thankfully, the rest of her didn't hurt so much. She appeared to be lying on top of a comfortable quilt in a large bed. A gigantic, ornate, marble fireplace was set into the wall directly across from her. She turned her head to the right and a sharp pain shot behind her eyes. She gasped softly, blinked a few times, and then rested her gaze on the silver and green tapestries lining the wall around a large oak door. Slytherin colors.
In a second, the magnitude of the situation came rushing back to her. Her aunt had been killed. She had been captured. She had heard Voldemort and two Death Eaters discussing her fate. The Death Eaters had been told to put her in the dungeon. So why was she in a richly furnished bedroom? She sat up quite suddenly, ignoring the agony slicing through her brain. Cecilia looked to her left and, with a jolt, realized there was a man sitting in a chair less than five feet away from the bed. He had his head in his hands and appeared to be massaging his temples. He didn't seem to notice she was awake.
"Hello?" she whispered timidly. The man's head shot up to look at her, and Cecilia, shocked, thought that she knew him. "Pr-professor Snape?"
And as she said it, she knew it to be true. The same hooked nose, greasy, black hair, and dark eyes that had stared at her contemptuously in so many Potions classes were right in front of her. When he spoke, it was much softer than she had imagined it would be. "Hello, Cecilia."
Her mind raced. Snape was… a Death Eater. He… "You murdered Professor Dumbledore!" she shouted, her head throbbing. Professor Dumbledore's murderer was sitting right in front of her!
Snape sighed. "I cannot deny it. And do not exert yourself. You've been through a lot today."
How could he speak so calmly? "I will exert myself if I so choose! Where am I? What does You-Know-Who plan to do with me?" She knew she should be frightened, but her anger at Snape and the despicable nature of his crime overrode all other emotions. Snape was silent for a moment. He was scrutinizing her carefully, almost as if he was trying to read her thoughts…
"Lie back down," Snape said suddenly, as he himself stood and approached the bed. "I'll answer your questions after I make something to get rid of that headache."
She didn't bother asking how he knew she had a headache. She knew the Dark Lord could employ Legilimency. It only made sense that his most faithful servant would be able to do so as well. "Forget the headache potion. I want answers," she said as coolly as she could. "If I am to die soon, I'd like to know."
Snape sighed again, then moved the chair closer to the side of the bed and sat down. "What do you want to know?"
"Where am I?"
"You are on the fourth floor of Malfoy Manor. This is my bedroom."
Cecilia was baffled. "Wait, why am I here? I was supposed to be in the dungeons."
He hesitated. "The Dark Lord requested that you be brought here."
Why was he speaking so kindly? Cecilia was even more confused. Was he condescending to her because she had a truly horrific fate in store? "What's going to happen to me?" she whispered, for the first time feeling fear.
Snape stood up and turned around to look out the window, his hands clasped behind his back. After what felt like an eternity, he said, "Nothing."
Cecilia blinked. "What?"
"You are going to stay with me. Indefinitely."
"I don't understand. What do you mean?" Cecilia said blankly.
"No more questions." Snape turned back to her abruptly. "I'm going to make a potion to relieve your headache, and then we can talk." Noticing the apprehensive look on Cecilia's face, his voice softened. "I'm not going to poison you, and I'm not going to hurt you."
"Like I'm going to take your word for it," Cecilia snorted derisively.
Snape ignored her and walked towards a door next to the fireplace. He turned back to her. "And don't try to escape. That would be most unwise." He then walked through the door into what Cecilia assumed was another room of the apartment.
He can't keep me here, Cecilia thought. I mean, the next time he walks through that door I can just disarm him… Cecilia stopped, her eyes widening. "My wand!" she whispered. She rummaged quickly through her pants pockets, but came up empty. Of course they would've taken it away. Disappointment flooded through her. She lay back down on the pillows and shut her eyes.
A few minutes later, Snape walked back into the room, a steaming goblet in his hand. "Drink this."
Cecilia did not move.
Snape sat down, on the bed this time. "I assure you that you will feel much better after you drink this."
"Your word means nothing," the girl said deliberately, not bothering to open her eyes.
There was a pause. "I swear on the grave of Albus Dumbledore that this is not a poison and I am not going to hurt you."
Cecilia sat up and eyed Snape carefully. He seemed sincere. She took the goblet, being careful not to let her fingers brush Snape's, and sniffed the potion within. It had a light, fruity smell. Making up her mind, she closed her eyes and drained the potion. At once, her headache lifted. She handed the cup back to Snape.
"Do you feel better now?" Cecilia nodded curtly. "Good." Snape set the goblet down on a small wooden table next to the bed. He stared at Cecilia for a few seconds and, although she had begun to feel drowsy, she resolutely returned his gaze. She was determined not to show any sign of weakness. She waited for him to speak.
When he did not, she said, "I'm not dead, but my aunt is. I'm not in the dungeons. In fact, I don't feel like a prisoner at all. Tell me what's going on." Cecilia yawned, her drowsiness becoming almost unbearable. With a start, she realized that Snape must have put something else in the potion to make her fall asleep. Her fears were confirmed when Snape merely stood up and said, "Close your eyes. I'll tell you everything you need to know tomorrow. I still need to work some of this out myself."
Cecilia opened her mouth to protest, but her argument no longer seemed important as the promise of sleep swirled through her brain. Her blurred vision registered Snape shutting the curtains over the window before she let unconsciousness claim her.