Snape
A dark figure stood before Miriam, black hair in curtains around his face, skin with a parlour of falling snow, a hooked nose and a thin mouth in an expression of blank calmness and mild interest of the manor around him.
His intense, dark eyes looked down at Miriam as he gave his cloak to a waiting houself, who staggered at the weight of the garment that could serve as a very roomy tent.
A tiny squeak and the cloak seemed to dip as the elf tried to give a bow. But Severus Snapes attention was on Miriam.
She always found him fascinating, a middle aged man with a constant air of dignity, he was an old school friend of Lucius's, and Snape was a well known deatheater that Miriam knew to be a spy for Dumbledore.
He never gave his thoughts away, never showed emotion, and now he spoke in his deep, silky voice.
"If you'd be so kind as to show me to your Mistress and Master, I have a feeling there's some questions you need answered."
Miriam sighed with relief. "Yes!"
He screamed at the sheer insanity of it all! Why, how did this happen?
The pain was excruciating, every time he touched his son it happened! This was insane!
It was the damned mark! He couldn't get rid of it!
Walking quickly in circles round his bedroom his thoughts spun round his head like wasps, jabbing and stinging as a migraine set in and dots danced before his eyes.
Who did this? How could it stop?
He needed to calm down, needed to think things through, get a plan, anything!
Then he stopped. He could hear a voice, one you don't easily mistake. Severus.
Miriam took a deep breath after pretty much explaining every detail of what had happened.
About Lucius and his anger, about the mark, about Draco, and about the pain that Lucius experienced.
Severus listened with mild interest; he of course knew all of this.
It had always troubled him about the violent relationship between father and son. The coldness, the harsh demands.
Lucius never knew that the night he struck his son the ground, five years ago, that Severus himself had been watching by the door.
Since then he had watched Draco, noticed his behaviour in class after he was given a badly marked paper, seen his eyes full of hidden fear whenever he was with his father.
He had vowed to take as much care of him as he could, kept close to Lucius, constantly visited and had talks with Draco.
And now he had had enough, he could see Draco's eyes clearing and saw a sparkle of rebellion in there troubled depths.
And he knew all about the mark, the pain, oh he knew better then anyone. It was time to talk with Draco.
Draco's eyes snapped to the door, expecting fully to see his father…
Professor Snape walked through the door.
"Professor Snape!"
Moving slowly? Tell me about it, explanation by Snape in next chapter. :)
Thanks to my reviewers!
CmTaylor531 and LadyLilyMalfoy