CHAPTER 8: A SHOWDOWN AT HOGWARTS

INT. HOGWARTS CASTLE, THE GREAT HALL - AFTERNOON (DEC. 15TH, 1973)

Throughout Hogwarts Castle, the castle was decorated with a bright and glittering display of Mistletoe, enchanted Christmas lights and enchanted Christmas ornaments. The students and teachers alike were getting ready from the coming Christmas festivities, the Christmas Feast and the lighting of the special Hogwarts Christmas Tree, which would remain lit from Dec 15th and all the way through New Year's Day. The Great Hall was lavishly decorated with enchanted white and sliver Christmas wreaths, glittering sliver Christmas tinsel and white and sliver vases full of enchanted white Poinsettias which moved about and blew blasts of cold, icy air up the robes of any students that passed by them.

One Gryffindor student had her robe blown up over her head by one of these cold, icy blasts, the sight of which was followed by the boisterous laughter coming from a small group of Slytherin students who were sitting about the Slytherin table nearby. The Gryffindor student looked over at the Slytherin students as she pulled her robe down and straighten it, narrowing her eyes and scowling at them before walking on. The illusion of snow falling into the Great Hall from the ceiling could be seen in the empty space above the floor and the student tables, while a pile of gifts, both large and small were hiding underneath a large white Christmas tree which sat near the staff table.

EXT. OUTSIDE HAGRID'S HUT – AFTERNOON (DEC. 15TH, 1973)

Outside on the school grounds behind the castle however, things were a bit more interesting for Severus, who was sitting on the doorstep of Hagrid's Hut eating chocolate covered ginger snaps and drinking peppermint tea with Hagrid, observing all the snow and ice that surrounded them. Past the back garden and beyond the wicker fence behind Hagrid's Hut was the edge of the Dark Forest, which was nothing but bare trees, dead underbrush, yellow nettles and iced brambles, covered in snow and ice as far as the eye could see. According to the school rules, the Dark Forest was off limits all year round to everyone except Hagrid, teachers or students that were escorted by Hagrid or teachers. Though everything was warm and inviting inside the hut, Hagrid was more interested in sitting outside on a large wooden chair covered with animal skins, which sat near the stairs which led up to the front door.

"Doin' alrighty there, young Severus?" said Hagrid, sitting next to Severus. A muffled mumbling of enjoyment and appreciation rose up from Severus as he drank up another cup of peppermint tea and stuffed another chocolate covered ginger snap in his mouth, his red cheeks bulging.

"Now don't yeah be eatin' up all them there ginger snaps and peppermint tea now," said Hagid cheerfully, "I wouldn't want yeah to go spoilin' yer Christmas Dinner now, especially since them teachers have been workin' so hard on it."

But Severus wasn't even listening to Hagrid, as Severus was doing nothing but sitting and humming a muffled wizard's Christmas tune contently to himself as he continued to drink up peppermint tea and stuff chocolate covered ginger snaps into his mouth. Hagrid looked down at Severus and smiled, all too aware that Severus seemed quite a peace and content enough with simply just sitting on the doorstep next to Hagrid and eating up all the chocolate covered ginger snaps and peppermint tea that he could stomach.

"Pathetic," uttered a familiar voice suddenly, causing Severus to stop eating and look up in front of him.

There, looking coolly down at Severus, was Verena, scowling and standing with her arms crossed. "Pathetic I tell you, eating up all of Hagrid's ginger snaps and peppermint tea!"

"But I like them!" mumbled Severus through a mouth full of ginger snaps. "Don't you want any?"

"And end up looking as pathetic as you? No thank-you." hissed Verena, her arms falling to her side.

"Why hello there, young Witchazel," said Hagrid, looking over at Verena. Severus slowly swallowed his mouth full of ginger snaps and quietly licked his lips a bit as Hagrid continued, listening on in silence. "Came down'ear to collect young Severus for the Christmas Feast did yeah? Why don't yeah wait awhile and be havin' a ginger snap and some peppermint tea with Severus'ear."

"No thank-you, Professor. I only came down here to fetch Severus." said Verena.

"Whatever for?" asked Severus, drinking up another cup of peppermint tea. "I'm quite content with just sitting here and eating ginger snaps. I'm tired of going to that stuffy Christmas Feast every Christmas. I'd rather sit here in the snow and talk to Hagrid."

"Suit yourself," said Verena coolly, "But that means you won't be able to visit with your Aunt Adelaide."

"My Aunt Adelaide? She's here, at the castle?" said Severus.

"Your Aunt Adelaide," scoffed Verena bitterly, her pallid face wearing its familiar cold and bitter expression. "I wish I had someone visiting me and to go home to during the holidays. But alas, I have no one to go home to...I am alone."

"You mean you have no one to be visitin' you during the holidays?" asked Hagrid concernedly, looking over at Verena, who was starting to scowl and brood where she stood. "Don't you be havin' any family to go home to?"

"No one, Professor, I have no one. I lost my family a long time ago, they all died." hissed Verena.

"But you never told me that!" said Severus suddenly with a subtle stunned look upon his face, realizing that Verena had never said a word to him about losing her family before.

"You never asked," said Verena coolly, narrowing her eyes at Severus. "And frankly I don't know you or trust you well enough to open up to you, at least not yet anyway."

"But we've been friends for months now! I trust you exceedingly, you could have told me!" said Severus with a subtle stunned look on is face, standing up and walking up to Verena and then standing. "Why didn't you tell me, Verena? I can understand how you feel right now."

"I don't know how you can understand me, Severus, you still have your family, I do not. But enough about that for now, I need to take you to your aunt," said Verena coolly as she turned and began walking up the path again to the castle. "She's probably waiting for you in the Great Hall by now. We mustn't keep her waiting."

Hagrid watched as Verena and Severus left and went up the cobbled path together.

EXT. COBBLED PATH TOWARDS HOGWARTS CASTLE – AFTERNOON (DEC. 15TH, 1973)

Soon, Verena was half way up the path before Severus caught up with her.

Severus began to flank Verena as he spoke, "Why don't you trust me as much as I trust you, Verena? You're the only other student here I trust the most besides Edward Groset. Though frankly I also trust Lily Evans and Victor Scabior as well, but maybe not like I do with Edward."

"Ugh! Edward Groset? That Slytherin snake in the grass? Why on earth do you trust him so much?"

"It's a long story. And frankly I don't trust you well enough to tell you about it!"

Verena let out a small gasp, then spoke, "Severus, how dare you? That is just underhanded and low. Don't be so...mad about it."

"But you should trust me as much as I trust you, Verena!"

"Severus, please. You clearly must understand why I couldn't tell you, especially since we are both Occlumens..."

Verena narrowed her eyes at Severus for a moment, then spoke softly once more, "...I'm sorry. I suppose I should have told you. But it's just so hard for me to open up to anyone...even to my friends."

Severus looked at her disagreeably at moment, then spoke softly, "You're right, I'm sorry to...Anyway, I wouldn't call my family much of anything. My mum and dad are almost always fighting, which is always forcing me to have to hide somewhere and get away from it. Sometimes I even run over to my Aunt Adelaide's house now and again to get away from it when I am not here at school. Since my mum hardily ever comes to the school to visit me because of my dad and her job, my Aunt Adelaide takes it upon herself to come and see how I am doing now and again. Why don't you visit with me and my aunt at the school, Verena? I'm sure she'd be alright with it."

"She's not my aunt to visit, Severus, she's yours!" said Verena bitterly, scowling at Severus before looking forward again, walking in front of Severus. "And what's gotten into you? You were never this polite and understanding to me before."

"Because you are just like me." said Severus softly.

Suddenly, Verena stopped and looked behind her, looking drearily at Severus as Severus continued, "I understand now. Why you care so about me so much and why we're such good friends. You grieve and you hurt just as I do. We're both Occlumens and we understand one another in so many different ways. I could even admit that we're hardily different from one another at all. We're equals, Verena, you and I."

Suddenly, Verena turned, walking calmly and slowly up to Severus before stopping and looking up at him sadly, taking his right hand into her left hand gently and holding it. "Yes, Severus. We are equals in so many ways," said Verena softly and calmly, no longer sounding angry or agitated. "We both have painful and tormented memories that we strive to keep hidden from the rest of the world and we both find means of protecting ourselves from the rest of the world so that it will not hurt us anymore then it already has. I'm just glad that we both finally realized that. "

And with that, Verena let go of Severus's hand as she and Severus smiled gently at one another. Verena then turned to face the back of Hogwarts Castle again as Severus offered Verena his left arm. Verena smiled as she took Severus's arm and together, they walked slowly up the narrow cobbled path and up to the back of the castle, walking over the back courtyard.

But just before they were about to enter the castle, a loud flapping of wings was heard behind them, along with a hideous and ear-splitting shriek. Verena and Severus turned and looked up above them, only to behold a most terrifying, horrific sight. It was a monstrous hydra, with shiny, pitch black scales; massive, sleek bat-like wings; large, long and slender limbs; a long, sleek tail and five long, sleek necks topped with five large and sleek heads. It had long, sharp claws on its hands and feet and its gaping mouths were full of long, needle sharp teeth like that of an anglerfish, but were larger and able to be bent back into its mouths like that of a snake's fangs.

Though fairly large in size, its body was slender and sleek, like that of a cat's body and its heads were fairly large but sleek and arrow shaped in appearance. The creature was both beautiful and terrifying at the same time. And it was now barreling down on young Verena and Severus. Verena and Severus screamed and ran into the castle as the creature dropped down several yards behind them, flying over Hagrid's Hut and nearly landing on Hagrid. The creature hissed and shrieked as it pulled in its wings and began walking on all fours towards the castle, unaware that Hagrid was already trying to stop it from going into the castle, but to no avail. The back entrance to the castle was just large enough for the creature to enter through it, hissing and flicking its forked tongues as it entered.

INT. HOGWARTS CASTLE, FIRST FLOOR CORRIDOR – AFTERNOON (DEC. 15TH, 1973)

Inside, Verena and Severus ran towards the Great Hall, going past students and teachers alike.

"Hydra!" cried Verena loudly, "Hydra in the castle!"

Suddenly, a loud shriek from the creature sent the students and teachers screaming and running for their lives as it turned the corner and walked into the corridor beyond it. Turning its heads to look down the corridor, the hydra spotted Verena and Severus running down the corridor. It quickly made chase after Verena and Severus, blazing past panicked and frightened onlookers. At one point as it got closer and closer to Verena and Severus, a large burst of brilliant blinding sliver-white flame bellowed out from the centermost head of the hydra, aiming it towards Verena and Severus, missing them but scorching everything in sight.

"What the...? That's magnesium flame!" cried Verena, who looked back only briefly to see if the hydra was still following her and Severus. "Since when does a hydra shoot magnesium flame from it mouths?"

"No time to explain, keep running!" shouted Severus, who ran past Verena, grabbing Verena's arm and turning a corridor with her. All around them, students, teachers and those in the portraits panicked, flattening themselves against the walls of the corridor as the hydra charged down the corridor past them, shrieking and snarling loudly. Suddenly realizing what was going on, some teachers and courageous students alike began to assemble and ran after the hydra down the corridor, their wands drawn and poised for a battle. Another burst of magnesium flame nearly struck Verena on the back as she and Severus ran and turned towards the open doors to the Great Hall, entering through them, followed closely by the hydra.

INT. HOGWARTS CASTLE, THE GREAT HALL – AFTERNOON (DEC. 15TH, 1973)

"Out, everybody out!" yelled Severus, causing everyone who was in the Great Hall to look up and notice the hydra coming through the doors to the Great Hall. Looks of fright and disbelief fell upon the faces of those in the Great Hall as they began to scream and scatter, running for their lives.

"Why on Earth did you lead the hydra into here?" yelled Verena, who ran up to Severus and grabbed him by the arm, turning to look up at the hydra.

"Because it won't be able to fly or escape from here. It will be trapped! Now we can fight it together!" said Severus, who was already looking up at the hydra with his wand drawn.

It was at this moment, when everyone but Severus and Verena had escaped out the back door to the Great Hall, that the hydra turned and stopped just inside the door of the Great Hall, placing its hands and feet on the wall and then burying its claws into the wall as it climbed up it, its back facing Verena and Severus, hissing loudly and flicking its tongues once more.

But this was no ordinary hydra that had been chasing Severus and Verena. The hydra had a reason and purpose to chase them, though its main focus was on Verena. It didn't take long for Verena to realize the hydra's reasons and purpose for chasing her and Severus. The long scar of three claw marks which went down its back told Verena one thing, it was the very same hydra that had killed her family many years ago, the hydra that went by the name of Sulphilim.

"Sulphilim? Severus, It's Sulphilim!" said Verena suddenly, trying to keep one eye on Severus and the other on Sulpilim. The hydra, Sulphilim, continued to keep an eye on Severus, but particularly Verena, as it hissed and continued to climb up the back wall of the Great Hall.

"What?" said Severus.

"It's the hydra that killed my parents, my whole family," said Verena, pulling on Severus's arm. "Severus, come on! She's going to kill us! We need to escape!"

"No!" said Severus defiantly, narrowing his eyes and still looking on at Sulphilim. "I didn't lead him in here so that you and I could run away and escape! We must fight her and stop her before she destroys the school before it's too late."

"She's not here to destroy the school, Severus, she's here to destroy me!" said Verena, who continued to pull on Severus's arm.

Severus glared over at Verena then reluctantly following her as she ran out the back entrance to the Great Hall. Suddenly, Sulphilim took flight inside the Great Hall briefly, then landed on the floor as she started chasing and baring down on the fleeting Severus and Verena, knocking over the tables and everything in her path. Once again, Sulphilim shot a molten white blast towards the pair, nearly scorching Severus's back. However, once through the back door to the Great Hall, Sulphilim couldn't follow Verena and Severus and began ruthlessly scratching and pawing at the door, shrieking and roaring loudly. Thinking that they had evaded Sulphilim, Severus and Verena stopped running and turned around to look at Sulphilim, who was now staring right at Verena through the opened back door with its many heads.

Verena then yelled as she glared at Sulphilim with burning eyes, "I know you, you monster! You remember me, don't you? You killed my parents! My entire family! You came here to finish the job, but it's not going to happen, not ever! So you know what will happen next and what I am about to do...to you!"

With vindictive eyes, Verena soon pulled out her wand and slowly aimed it up toward Sulphilim. Noticing the wand aimed towards her, Sulphilim stepped away from the back entrance to the Great Hall and suddenly vanished. Then, moments later, a loud crash resonated across the grounds behind the Great Hall. It soon became clear that Sulphilim had taken flight and had crashed through the large stain glass window of the Great Hall, flying out beyond it and over the grounds below. Soon, Sulphilim was once again chasing Verena and Severus, this time towards the armory, a lone stone structure which sat not far from the Great Hall. All around them, students and onlookers alike panicked and fled, trying to get away from Sulphilim as fast as they could.

INT. THE HOGWARTS ARMORY – AFTERNOON (DEC. 15TH, 1973)

Verena and Severus quickly ran into the Hogwarts school armory, which was normally off limits to students. Upon the walls and within the armory, various swords, staffs and other medieval type weaponry were being displayed. Realizing where she and Severus had ended up, Verena quickly hid away her wand and pulled down one of the long swords from off the wall. A panicked Severus, with his wand drawn and pointed in front of him soon looked over at Verena, who was now holding up the sword and looking at it with wild glaring eyes.

Severus then spoke, "Blimey, and who says chivalry is dead?"

"It never was, Severus. And I know what to do now. I must face Sulphilim and kill her...for my family." said Verena, as she walked towards the entrance to the armory with the sword. Outside, the loud shrieking and roaring had stopped and now everything was quiet and unsettling.

"No, please don't," said Severus, grabbing onto Verena's arm. "Please don't go out there, it's not worth it. I like you to much to let you risk your life like this. Let me face her and kill her in your place. I understand how you feel, Verena, and I'm willing to do that for you in the name of friendship."

"I know you would, Severus, but you can't. I must be the one to kill Sulphilim, Severus. It's the only way to stop her and to ensure that she doesn't do this to anyone else ever again. She murdered my family, Severus. I watched her kill my family in cold blood. Now, she will pay the price."

Verena soon pulled her arm away from Severus. She then stared at Severus a moment and then turned and walked on out the door to the armory, holding the sword in her right hand.

EXT. THE HOGWARTS ARMORY – AFTERNOON (DEC. 15TH, 1973)

Outside, Sulphilim was perched precariously upon one of the castle spires, looking down at the armory below, knocking off snow and shingles with her claws. She knew that sooner or later, Verena would have to come out of the armory, since there was only one way in and out of it. As expected, Verena slowly appeared in the entrance to the armory and stepped out onto the grounds beyond it. By this time, the teachers and students that had followed Sulphilim were now trying to find where she had gone. With Verena and Sulphilim there virtually alone, it was made clear that they would fight. Though it would have been easier to use her wand to defeat Sulphilim, Verena instead wanted to use a sword which unbeknownst to Severus, had been enchanted with a spell by Verena's wand just before Verena hid it away back into her robes.

Verena had turned the sword into a truly enchanted weapon, which now had the ability to do more damage then would be seen with the naked eye. As Verena looked up at Sulphilim and Sulphilim looked down at Verena, both prepared themselves for the fight of their lives, a fierce and violent showdown from which only one was destined to survive.

Verena raised her sword, which began to glow with a hazy blood red light as Verena yelled towards Sulphilim, "You want to finish what you started Sulphilim? Then come and get me!"

A loud and lengthy screech resonated outward from center-most head of Sulphilim and ceased as she spread her wings and flew up into the air. She then started barreling down on Verena, shrieking loudly as she came. And then - crash! - Sulphilim nearly landed Verena, who quickly reappeared within the large folds of Sulphilim's wings. Verena started batting at Sulphilim with her sword, cutting wounds and scratches into Sulphilim's thick hide. Severus quickly stepped in with his wand soon after, aiding Verena in her fight. Sulphilim's heads took turns attacking Verena and Severus, but every time each head got anywhere near Verena or Severus, they were being cut and wounded by Verena's enchanted sword or being sliced by Severus's Sectumsempra spell as he used his wand. Though Severus wanted to use the Avarda Kedavra and the Crucio spells on Sulphilim, he couldn't for fear that he might hit someone with them or be caught using Unforgivable Spells, which would have meant almost certain expulsion from Hogwarts.

Knowing this, it made it quite clear why Verena was not using her wand to fight Sulphilim. Verena continued to weave and dodge away from Sulphilim's razor sharp teeth and claws, as well as her hot white magnesium fire blasts as they fought. At one point, Sulphilim was using her tail to strike at Verena, swinging it around as hard as she could. But every time Sulphilim tried to hit Verena with her tail, she would instead hit the ground or hit a surrounding structure, knocking stone and other materials around. Verena swiftly used her sword on Sulphilim's tail, placing deep cuts and wounds within it. After a couple minutes of fierce and bloody battle, Verena suddenly disapparated, vanishing from Sulphilim's sights. Sulphilim began to look around for Verena with her five heads, looking everywhere and at everything around her. Nearby, students and onlookers alike watched in horror, unable to do anything when in fear of their lives.

What Sulphilim didn't know was that Verena had appeared again, only this time she was on Sulphilim's back. But by the time Sulphilim realized this, it was to quickly pointed the tip of her sword down and held it with both hands as she spoke, "Caedere Impalare..."

The blade of the sword glowed an even brighter blood red as Verena plunged the sword into Sulphilim's back, causing Sulphilim to shriek and cry out in pain. Sulphilim froze in a contorted pose for a moment before ultimately going limp and falling towards the ground. Verena pulled out the sword and jumped off as Sulphilim fell with a mighty crash, kicking up a cloud of ice and snow around her. Sulphilim would move no more. Once the clouds of ice and snow had parted, Verena stood alone, triumphant, panting heavily and with only a single cut running across the top of her left forearm, which had come from one of Sulphilim's claws as it grazed her.

The group of students and teachers that had been following behind with their wands earlier suddenly appeared and beheld the sight of Verena, standing in front of Sulphilim's body. Sulphilim had gasped her last breath, leaving her mouth wide open, exposing her long and pointed teeth and forked tongues. An uproar of cheering and clapping began to resonate through the air as Verena turned around and looked at Sulphilim grievingly, dropping the sword next to her and grabbing onto her left forearm. Severus quickly reappeared and ran up to Verena as students, teachers and onlookers alike began to appear and surround Verena and Severus. Verena first looked at Severus and then looked at everyone cheering and whistling around her, giving an uncomfortable grin and nodding her head in response. Severus quickly tied a cloth around Verena's forearm to cover up the wound and followed her through the crowd surrounding them. A teacher soon appeared and placed an arm around Verena's shoulders, sending her towards the infirmary.

As Severus was about to follow the teacher and Verena to the infirmary, a scream rose up from the crowd. A student pointed at the body of the hydra nervously and spoke, "Look! the Hydra! It moves!"

Severus and Verena turned almost instantly, only to watch the Hydra's body begin to shrink and melt, transforming into a blob-like puddle of scaly skin and blood. It took Severus a few moments to realize what was happening, but once he did, his face began to turn red with anger. The group of students and onlookers suddenly screamed when a woman began to appear from underneath and out of the blob-like puddle, getting on her hands and knees at first as she rose from it, dressed in her long, violet purple robes. To everyone's horror and dismay, Sulphilim the Hydra had not been a Hydra at all, but a witch with exceptional Animagus abilities. But this witch was no ordinary witch with Animagus powers, but was someone that Severus had recognized from a time long ago, Lady Mapheria. The crowd of teachers, students and onlookers began to panic and run away, disappearing back towards the castle, while Verena stood still with the teacher that was standing next to her, looking on.

Mapheria then got on her back and laid on the ground, stunned and bleeding from the wound in her back, her forehead covered in sweat. Without so much as a word from her mouth, Severus picked up the sword that Verena had just dropped and went charging towards Mapheria in a fit of anger and rage, raising the sword over his head. His Occlumancy powers had become greatly compromised upon seeing Mapheria, who he recognized as someone whom he clearly despised for some reason.

"Severus, what are you doing? Stop! Don't! You mustn't!" cried Verena as she ran towards him briefly and then stopped. But Severus wouldn't hear of it, he just kept charging towards Mapheria with the sword over his head. But Mapheria was too quick and pulled out her wand before Severus could plunge the sword into her. Getting up onto her knees in a flash, her wand suddenly transformed into a long sword similar to the one that Severus had and came up to meet his sword coming down upon her, blocking it and stopping it over her head. She then spoke forcefully, "Deflecto Auria!" sending out a powerful blast of crimson red light in all directions, which projected outwards from her body, knocking Severus, Verena and those nearby back hard.

Mapheria then stood straight up, gesturing and posturing with her sword a moment before setting herself into a striking opposition with it as she spoke, "I have learned a great deal more ancient Dark Magic since last we met, my dear second cousin. Oh, how I've waited for this moment!" said Mapheria, holding the sword sideways out in front of her as the blade of her sword glowed a brilliant and bright crimson red light.

Severus quickly got back on his feet and pointed his sword back towards Mapheria, ready to charge towards her again, but before they could really get into an all-out brawl with one another, Mapheria could hear the familiar sound of reinforcements coming up from behind Severus and Verena.

Mapheria then spoke once more, "It seems that your lady friend here does not know. Perhaps you should tell her before she finds out unexpectedly. We will meet again, my dear second cousin and then we can continue with our little duel. But for now, enjoy the rest of your time at Hogwarts, while you still can."

And with that, the light from Mapheria's sword faded, then the sword transformed back into a wand as she hid back under her robes and ran towards the Dark Forest, vanishing into the underbrush. Severus would not follow her, watching her as she ran off. He would indeed meet her, some other day. Verena stood back up and then walked up behind Severus and stood next to him as she spoke, mildly worried and confused, "Severus? What just happened? What was she talking about?"

Severus brought down his sword and turned to face Verena, "I'll tell you about it later. But for now, me and the teacher need to get you to the infirmary."

And with that, Severus gently took Verena by the arm and brought her back to the teacher who had been standing and watching the whole thing silently as other teachers came along soon after, having heard the commotion.

Never in the history of Hogwarts School, has a witch of Verena's age ever taken on a fully grown hydra, namely a hydra as infamous as Sulphilim, and lived to tell the tale. From then on, Verena would be known by more then just her name, but also as Veridonna, The Hydra Slayer. Verena would slowly become a legend of Hogwarts School and would eventually receive special awards for Services to The School, as well as win the house cup for her house of Ravenclaw within the year for killing Sulphilim and ridding the Wizarding world of yet another unwanted burden, even though Mapheria was Sulphilim and continued to live. But Verena remained humble, sharing half the credit with Severus, since he helped her defeat Sulphilim.

This is course, caused Severus to receive some of the reverence and gain a great number of points for House Slytherin, which made James Potter somewhat spiteful and jealous of Severus from then on. Lily Evans on the other hand, didn't think of Severus in the same way that James Potter did and instead continued to treat Severus like she had always done ever since they met. But for the boy who was normally alone and kept to himself, Severus was now being invited to join various school clubs and organizations, including The Slug Club. But it wasn't until a few weeks later that Severus had discovered another secret that Verena was hiding from him and he would soon confront her with it.

CONTINUED...CHAPTER 9...