Chapter Eleven
Virginia followed Severus Snape. She really wished to turn back and run away, but it was just an unrealistic thought.
"Jobberknoll!" Snape muttered. It was so quirky a password that Virginia thought it must be somehow related to potions ingredients or dark magic. But she had no time to deliberate about that. She began to sweat again and called herself a coward repeatedly in her mind.
"Oh! That's a first-year student! From Ravenclaw!" a voice rang behind.
"What do you say does Snape want to do?"
"I think….."
"…Well, actually….."
The whole room was whispering. Virginia knew that these portraits belonged to the headmasters of Hogwarts who had already passed away. Did people realize that they spoke too little when they were alive after they passed away?
"Silence!" Severus Snape turned back suddenly. He glanced over the portraits on the wall and silence did fall in the room.
"Ms. Winchester," his voice rang as though he was merely reading a name from a paper, "I don't think you are as frightened as you seem to be. Oh yes, this is obvious. Now let's have a small test about it."
Stay vigilant, Virginia thought. She quickly lowered her head and entered into a highly stressed condition. Obviously Snape noticed all these, for his thin face seemed to show slight amusement, "Your wand! Ms. Winchester, give me your wand!"
Virginia took her wand out, trembling from head to feet. Recalling the situation of choosing the wand, she suddenly gained some courage. "What do you want to do with it?" she asked with trembling but clear voice.
"Ah, I need to examine it. Now I believe you should hand it to me." He said in a low voice.
Virginia reluctantly gave it to Severus Snape. "Very special…" Snape said under his breath, "Priorincantato!" He suddenly said an incantation loudly.
Virginia knew it was used to show spells she had performed previously. "Er…" Snape's voice grew quirky, "The Disillusionment Charm. Our clever Ravenclaw first-year Ms. Winchester has already mastered this advanced spell before staying at Hogwarts for even one week! This isn't some sort of surprise right? Ms. Winchester?"
As a spy, Snape is rather sensitive toward the surroundings. At the new-semester feast he noticed someone staring surreptitiously at him. He didn't discover who that was, but he didn't forget either.
He also noticed six first-year Muggle-borns who claimed to have wizarding relatives. He really doubted that, but he didn't have the interest to report them to the Dark Lord.
This Virginia Winchester is the only one of the six who ended up in Ravenclaw. He didn't observe her on purpose, but he noticed occasionally that she seemed not to be noticed by others. She had fair grades, not too outstanding but nevertheless acceptable. She liked to stay in the dorm or library during spare time. A knowledge lover, that wasn't perculiar at all for a Ravenclaw. But she seemed to be exaggeratingly careful.
She always kept her head down when walking in the corrider. At her height she cannot be seen by Snape at all unless she raise her head, but she still kept her head down. Well, maybe this is just one of her habits. If all these were not peculiar, then it grew more quirky – he stopped noticing her.
He was too busy. He was busy solving stupid problems created by the silly Carrow brother-sisters; he was busy dealing with endless troubles made by the reckless lions. And that damn DA, and he had to complete tasks from the Dark Lord; he didn't even have time to play with his dear Potions.
And that damn Dumbledore, asking the brainless Potter to do dangerous things! He thinks he had a fair understanding of what that was about!
So that day he nearly walked into the Ravenclaw girl, whom he had nearly forgotton. That was strange, for he was good at observing details. He had to learn about this.
Watching the quiet girl standing in front of him with her head down, Snape broke the silence.
"Oh, I wonder what Ms. Winchester has to do with the Disillusionment Charm. That was highly advanced, that was….. What did you do with it?" Snape said softly, but Virginia felt dangerous, so she answered carefully, "I just learnt about it to check how it works, sir." This time her voice was rather steady and she was surprised not to feel that nervous. She seemed to have got used to the situation.
This, then, was how to transcend one's limit. She thought ironically.
"You seem sepcial, Ms. Winchester."This time Snape assumed a cold voice, "According to my knowledge, your parents are both Muggles, aren't they? Now look at me and answer my question!"
But then he suddenly moved slightly back. Virginia felt the movement, and heard him shout, "Now go away! Get back to your dorm! Now! At once! And don't forget your wand! Ms. Winchester, we shall go on later!" Virginia suddenly raised her head and surprise was written in her pale face. And then she saw the pale jaw, bloodless mouth lips, thin face, the holy eyes, and…. the tightly grapped left arm.
Seeming shocked by Virginia's sudden raise of head, Snape was lost for a second before he loosed his grap pretendedly and shouted, "I said, go away now! At once!"
Virginia grabbed her wand and ran out. She ran all the way to her dorm and lied down on her bed as though a ghost was chasing after her.
That was a close shave and she first observed his face at such a close distance. She wondered whether she had ever seen a better match of face and personality. She took out her quill to write a letter to her parents, suggesting them to travel for a while, to Espa, to Hawaii, to Vegas, anywhere. They seldom go out themselves, and this was a very good chance to do so. They can bring Gigi. He can find his own food. And then she lied down but didn't sleep well the entire night of course.