Chapter 9
The first thing Nyx did when she woke up was head to the showers. She was shocked to see on her head a layered bob like hair cut that much resembled a rock and roll frock –or goth- but she rather liked it. Smiling she brushed it down and slide into the showers. She knew that the shorter layers would frizz up and curl scalp tight when wet, so she was definitely sure she'd have to straighten it every day –or night- to make sure it didn't look too stupid.
She debated on stopping by Snape's before she slipped into her work clothes and heading off but by the time she'd gotten done with her shower she would only have so much time to head out and get ahold of something small to snack on. But she didn't feel it was professional to eat on the job so she canned that idea. Plus her stomach wouldn't be able to hold it for too long anyway.
Getting dressed she grabbed her robes and headed out. She had a long shift today she felt –because of the shift she'd had the day before. She had no definitely schedule yet –she'd have to sort it out with Mr. Liechstrum- but she figured as long as she showed up around the same time she had before she wouldn't be scolded too much. After all, how was she supposed to know when she should show up?
Slipping out into the bright, snowy day she pulled her hood up and made for Hogmeade, relying on the map to show her the way. She wasn't very good at remembering where to go. All twists and turns looked the same to her whether they were or weren't. If there wasn't some sort of sign telling her which way was which then she was completely clueless.
She reached the Dancing Dragon after about 39 minutes walking. It was fairly empty inside, which was a good thing. Walking in she smiled, greeting a few of the customers she'd waited on the day before and headed in behind the counter to clock in. Mr. Liechstrum was behind the cash register, and when she had made her entrance he flashed her a kind smile.
"Hello sir." She bowed, coming in behind the counter, grabbing a pad of meal tickets and slipped it into her apron, her fingers colliding with an object. Pulling her apron open she noticed that it was the present that Dumbledore had given her the day before for Christmas.
"Ah Nyx, I'm so glad to see you here. I was counting all of the money you'd put into the cash register and noticed that there is quite a bit of money that doesn't belong there. By any chance, what did you do with the tips you earned yesterday?" He questioned, leaning up against the counter.
"I didn't know what to do with them sir so I put them in the cash register." She replied, hoping she didn't do anything wrong.
"No no dear girl, any tip you earn is a tip you keep." He laughed. She felt her cheeks flush hot red from embarrassment, feeling as if she should have known that.
"I'm so sorry." She spoke quickly, but this only caused him to laugh harder.
"Don't be sorry my dear, I should have told you before. Any tips you receive you keep. Your shift should only be 7 hours at the most and if you find that you're working alone you tell me when you can. If you need to reach me, just give this a squeeze and I'll be right down." He pulled a small ball out of his pocket that was flat on the top and the bottom. It looked almost like an hour glass with convex sides rather than concave. Taking it she nodded slowly. "Well, I'm going to head on up, give that a squeeze if you need anything." He smiled and turned, heading through the back door, disappearing. She nodded and tucked the device into her apron pocket and set forth working on what little customers they had.
It was a fairly slow day. There was no real traffic of people, or families coming in, or heading out, so she spent most of her time behind the bar, sitting on a stool waiting for someone to come in. She wished she had brought her book with her. Well, it wasn't her book, but the library's. It'd be a perfect time to read, but seeing how she hadn't brought it with her, she played around with other things she could do. Digging into her apron pockets she pulled out the box that Dumbledore had given her and thumbed it for a bit. She wanted to open it but at the same time she felt as if she didn't deserve it.
After a few moments of thinking she grabbed the lid of the box and opened it up. Inside was a small golden ball with a disk like stand. On the face of it were numbers and on top was a small button. At the bottom of the box was a small piece of paper. Pulling it out of the box she opened it carefully, being sure to read it to herself so other people wouldn't hear.
The Dream Siren
Have you ever had trouble getting a good night sleep?
Have you ever thought of using the aid from a sleeping potion?
But were too afraid you wouldn't wake up?
The Dream Siren is perfect for you.
The Dream Siren is an enhanced alarm clock,
When set for the desired awakening time it emits
A high pitched ring that will wake you from your deepest sleep.
Even a sleep so deep it could be counted as being dead!
So go ahead, use that sleeping potion, and remember.
Good night, Sleep tight; don't let the Bed Bugs bite.
An alarm clock to wake you up out of an impossibly heavy sleep? She eyes the ball curiously, jumping when the door to the tavern opened, a bell ringing. Stuffing the clock back into the box she stuffed the box into her apron pocket and looked up, a smile on her face which disappeared as quickly as it appeared. At the door in fancy green robes, a snake head cane and platinum white hair was Lucius Malfoy. The very man who's potion had caused her the loss of most of her hair. Swallowing her pride –and anger- she walked around the counter and forced a smile, bowing to him.
"Hello sir and welcome to the Dancing Dragon, my name is Ellenyx, I'll be your barmaid for the evening." She greeted just as she would anyone else. He smiled faintly at her, his lips twisting a bit in disgust. "Please follow me." Turning she led him to a fancy end of the Tavern by the fire place. A nice and cozy area for him to sit and relax. One she felt might suit his taste.
"Very nice," he commented, sitting down in a chair shrugging his robes off, placing his cane by the table. Underneath his robes was a white button up blouse and over it he wore a shiny silver vest that was a dark green on the back side. The silver was a floral print and very fancy with gold and emerald buttons. He was silent for a while as she waited for him to get situated.
"I like your vest sir." She whispered, pulling out her meal tickets.
"Ah, this?" he looked down, smiling. She nodded. "Thank you." He looked up at her, waiting.
"Would you like dinner tonight sir, or just drinks from our bar?" She questioned, looking up at him only for a split second.
"Some drinks for now would be good. How about a Moaning Maiden, light on the raspberry, a little more Gin than mixer, four cubes of ice and a mixing straw." He explained, snickering at her. He knew she wouldn't get it all down, he just knew. Writing it down she bowed.
"I'll be right back with your drink sir." She replied, but before she could turn and walk away he grabbed her and made her face him.
"Repeat back my order so I know you won't get it wrong." He demanded, a mock smile on his face.
"A Moaning Maiden, 3/5's gin, raspberry not lemon, light mixer 4 cubes with dinky straw." She replied back, not even having to look at her ticket. He was shocked. He'd asked for the same drink at other taverns and other waitresses had mixed it up, putting more mixer in it than gin, or putting in strawberries or forgetting the mixer at all. Clearing his throat he nodded.
"Good, just…making sure." He replied. Nodding she turned and headed for the bar. She slipped the gin and the mix into a mixer and shook it up. Adding fresh raspberries into the mix. She added the ice cubes to the layer on top before adding the gin and mix, more gin than mix. Grabbing a small mixing straw –green- she headed back to the table, a cherry speared over the straw.
"Here's your drink sir." She placed his glass on the table. Nodding he took it and sipped at it, having it planned out to accuse her of getting it wrong, but it was perfect, which again, shocked him. He stared at the drink silently. She had no idea what for and looked at him concerned, hoping that it wasn't because she'd gotten it wrong. "Is….everything alright sir?" She questioned, resting a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her and nodded.
"Yes, yes, it's all…well…good." He replied, placing the drink on the table, mixing it a bit. Nodding she smiled happily.
"Is there anything else I can get for you sir?" He leaned back, sipping at his drink again.
"I see you got a haircut." He commented, not looking at her. Her smile faded again. She was hoping he wouldn't bring that up, her pride being shattered.
"It…was necessary." She replied. "Seeing how the moment I got my hair wet it melted because of that potion you used." He looked at her, his upper lip curling up in a sneer.
"Potion I used? Whatever do you mean?" He faked innocence.
"Sir, no offense, but I'm not as stupid as you think. You were the only one who touched my hair yesterday. I even went to my potions teacher and told him that you were, and he then told me that the potion was banned for animal use, so it would have been physically impossible for a student to get ahold of it, let alone figure out how to make it." She explained.
"Clever girl." He replied, sipping on his drink, then paused.
"I didn't spit in your drink or poison you sir if that's what you're thinking." She replied, her face stern.
"What makes you think that worries me?" He forced a smile.
"Your hesitance to finish your drink. Though you may not believe me, I'm not a petty coward to poison someone or spit in their drink. If I don't like you I'll tell you." She replied, cleaning up the wet ring his glass made.
"Really, how do you feel about me?" He smiled, knowing she'll probably lie to stay on his good side. After all, he was Lucius Malfoy, he had money and power, she'd be stupid to say something negative.
"Well sir, you're more noble than your son, but still a low life who hides behind his money." She started. "You're attractive but looks only go skin deep. You're personality from what I've seen so far is as rotten as a compost. Disgusting and slimy. You seem to be the type to slaughter your own wife if you were bribed with money or goods." His jaw dropped, his eyes burning with anger. "Of course I could be wrong sir." She replied, looking him dead in the eyes.
"I would never sacrifice my family!" he growled.
"Then I got one fact about you wrong. So you agree to the rest?" She turned the tables on him.
"Absolutely not! There are reasons behind my actions." He slugged down the rest of his drink. "Get me another one!" he barked. Nodding she turned and started work on his second one. How could she have just admitted everything so openly? He thought, running his fingers through his hair. She doesn't know who I am, that must be it. If anyone in their right mind who knew me said anything like that they'd be shaking in their shoes! How dare she!
"Here's your drink sir." She replied. "I apologize for seeming rude and cold towards you, but I haven't really seen a reason to be kind towards you, or your son for that matter." She explained. "Although we are fellow Slytherin, he treats me like garbage. Worse than any member from any other house."
"You're a Slytherin?" His eyebrows furrowed as he drank his drink. She nodded. This whole time he figured she'd have been a Gryffindor, or a Hufflepuff. She didn't look like a Slytherin. Yet again… He stopped and looked up at her, taking a mental note of all of her features. She was older than Draco, yes, he could tell that by how tall she was and the size of her breasts. Her black hair looked greasy, yet was soft as silk from what he'd felt the night before. But overall were her eyes. Those beautiful violet eyes.
"You didn't know? I'm surprised Draco told you everything but the important stuff." She commented sounding insulted.
"Who is your mother." He sipped his drink, acting as if he weren't fully interested.
"I don't know who she is, all I know is that she's from Slytherin like I was, and my father was a Gryffindor." She replied, looking off around the room to see if anyone wanted nothing. There was no one willing to ask for another drink to rescue her from this ass.
"A Slytherin." He looked at her for a good long moment then finally it connected. There had been a girl he'd had a crush on going through school. She was in her third year the year he'd become prefect. She was beautiful, he remembered with short bobbed hair and violet eyes. Emilie Lestrange. Though she was a sweet girl, she mostly ignored him and spent most of her time with Severus. "I see," he responded, finishing his second drink, handing her the cup for a refill. Turning she filled it up again and came back.
He had probably three more after that before she capped him off. His face was flushed and a sweat had formed at his hair line. She'd watched him go from composed and pissy to relaxed and loud. "What do you mean no more drinks?" he questioned loudly, his hair messy.
"Sorry sir but you've had six already." She replied.
"So? What's six small drinks?" he smiled at her, leaning back in his chair, balancing it on the hind legs. Walking around behind him she grabbed his chair and pushed it back forward so he wouldn't fall.
"Six small drinks sir? Those were pretty large glasses, and I don't want to be held accountable if you end up drinking yourself into a coma."
"Like that would ever happen. I know when to quit!" He snorted.
"Obviously you don't." Looking up she spotted another waitress come in from the back room, grabbing some drinks for the families in the next room. "Hey, I'm going to walk Mr. Malfoy here to the nearest transport station, make sure he doesn't end up drowning in his own vomit." She called across the bar. The other barmaid nodded and turned, heading back into the family room. "Come on sir." She replied, grabbing his robes, slipping them up and over his shoulders.
"You think I'm a child?" He growled standing, almost falling over. He grabbed his cane and stared at her angrily. "Look in a mirror before you judge!" he snarled, walking wobbly towards the door. Sighing she grabbed her robes and headed for the door, grabbing his arm to make sure he didn't fall. He whined but didn't physically protest. In fact, he leaned on her as she pushed the door open, leading them into the darkness. She had barely noticed that she'd spent almost 5 hours conversing with him as he drank himself into a stupor. It was cold out, but the cold felt good on her flushed skin as she stepped out into the snow. He made a comment about his fingers freezing as he reached into his robes, pulling out a pair of leather gloves.
"Where do you normally catch the bus, or…buggy…or…whatever you wizards use to travel?" She questioned, looking up at him.
"I can get home myself." He snapped, walking, pushing his hair back. She followed him into the dark.
"You really want to return home to your wife snockered? Isn't that a little irresponsible?" She questioned.
"And you, having a job? Isn't that against the rules of students at Hogwarts?" He looked back at her.
"I guess so." She shrugged. "But Albus Dumbledore gave me the job himself. Seeing how I'm living in the school for the rest of my life." She muttered.
"And why is that?" He questioned, taking in a deep breath, feeling a headache start flaring up.
"Well both of my parents are dead, no family members could be contacted and my foster parents were murdered. I have nothing left." She replied.
"And you don't know who your parents are?" He questioned, stopping to calm a swooning stomach.
"No sir." She stopped with him. Catching his slightly doubled over pose her forehead crinkled. "Sir, are you alright?"
"Emilie," he replied. Her left eyebrow rose, looking at him confused.
"Who?" She didn't know who Emilie was. She could have sworn she'd heard it before, but from where she couldn't recall at the moment. Turning he grabbed her shoulders, looking deep into her eyes.
"You look just like Emilie." He whispered. She looked up at him shocked. Before she could say anything his lips were against hers, crushing hers impatiently. Her eyes opened up wide, her heart stopping in her chest. His hands moved from her shoulders, wrapping around her waist. He pulled her against him, his lips mingling amongst hers. Her heart began racing, but it wasn't the same. This kiss, it wasn't the same as when she had kissed Severus beneath the tree in her dream. It wasn't the same racing her heart felt when she laid submissively beneath him. No. This was much different. She felt frightened, fear. Here he was, the father of the kid she hated the most, no doubtably married, drunk, speaking gibberish about how she looked like some girl named Emilie. What was she to do?
She didn't know what to do, so instead, she allowed him to kiss her, and when he pushed back she slipped from his arms and led him down the street.
"I'm sorry sir." She replied. "But that wasn't only wrong but probably illegal." She replied. He grabbed her again, pushing her against the wall of a nearby building, kissing her again.
"I can be everything you need." He whispered in her ear. How much had he drunk?
"A-aren't you married?" She squeaked, pushing her hands against his chest.
"Narcissa hasn't paid attention to me in almost three years." He looked in her eyes. "Once in a while we make love, but sex isn't a part of it, and she doesn't want to make love unless it's our anniversary or my birthday. Do you know how frustrating that is?" His nose was inches from her, his breath reek of alcohol and raspberries.
"Um…no? I'm a virgin sir, I've never had a boyfriend." She admitted quite openly.
"A virgin," He mused, a soft smile on his face. She felt her heart give a worried thrust in her chest. Already she knew she'd said too much. Grabbing her hand he kissed the top of it, his eyes burning into hers. "You've never had a boyfriend?" He questioned, his lips pecking her knuckles.
"No sir." She quivered, not liking where this was going.
"I wonder why," He whispered. "You're a beautiful woman."
"If you count cross eyed and bow legged beautiful then I must be a model." She replied dryly.
"Gorgeous," He leaned down to kiss her once more, but was interrupted by a flash of light.
"Sir Lucius Malfoy?" A man questioned. The blonde pulled away, a rush of relief flooding Nyx.
"What are you doing here?" he looked back stiffly
"I came to make sure you were alright." The man replied. Whether or not he lived with Lucius or was just an accomplice was a question Nyx didn't mind going unanswered. Pulling away Lucius turned, leaving her side, heading towards the man.
"I'm fine, just heading home now." He explained. Nodding the man followed after Lucius as he made his way down the street. Not a single word was said to her, not even a glance was passed. She didn't care though. She was glad to be rid of him. The moment he was out of sight she turned and made a dash for the tavern, but when she'd reached it, it was locked up. It was just a little after midnight. It hadn't seemed like her conversation/make out session with Lucius had seemed that long, but she'd guess it took more than a few hours.
Turning she made her way for the castle. Her mind ran through the events over and over again. The hot lips of the man that fried her hair. His burning gaze catching her attention. Just thinking about it caused her heart to race. Then she imagined him. Sitting beneath the tree, his black hair shimmering in the wind. His kind black eyes, so full of sadness but youth. His soft skin and slightly twisted smile as he listened to her speak. Then, his lips. His soft, thin, lips, so smooth and full of warmth. She felt the urge to be held, to kiss him again. Her heart pounded in her chest.
But she knew she wouldn't be able to see him again. Never again, no matter how badly she wanted to. And not so much for the reason that she'd have to steal more of the Amare Somnium potion –she could do that without getting caught- but the fact that she'd never be able to wake herself up the moment she'd entered sleep. Arriving at the castle she headed straight up to her room, feeling fidgety. Sitting on her bed, she tried to force the urge to kiss young Severus's lips from her mind. Sighing, reaching into her apron she began to empty her pockets, hanging her robes on the end of her bed. Pulling her gift from Dumbledore out of her pocket she looked at it, pacing.
Sometimes the best dreams aren't remembered when we awaken. Even without dreams though the best sleep is the deepest sleep. You'll find that, even the smallest sound can wake you from a deep sleep. Albus Dumbledore's voice echoed deep within her mind. He had said that just before he'd given her the gift. But what had he meant by it? Sitting down she looked at the clock and set it to go off in just a few minutes. She waited, and when the time had hit her alarm time, it let off a soft, high pitched dinging noise. You'll find that, even the smallest sound can wake you from a deep sleep. His words repeated themselves in her head. Then it struck her. Even without dreams though, the best sleep is the deepest sleep.
Standing she grabbed a small flask –bought at the beginning of her school year for potions class- and slipped out of the Slytherin Common room out into the hallway. Keeping to the dark sections of the hall she wandered about. She had wandered about for almost an hour before coming across the small store room of potions, easily mistaken for a closet. Double checking to make sure that the coast was clear, she pulled the small door open and slipped inside. Bending down she looked through the potions by the help of the moonlight that poured in through the windows in the hall.
The very bottom shelf, third to last bottle on the end was a large glass bottle in which read Amare Somnium, the very potion she was looking for. Pulling the flask from her apron she looked back over her shoulder, biting her lip in nervousness, she pulled the bottle open and poured about a half an inch of liquid into her flask. Corking it back up she put the bottle back in place and slipped out of the room, shutting the door behind her, making sure that everything was as it had been before she entered the room.
Putting the cap back on her flash she ran back down the hall, up the stairs and threw herself into the room. Quietly she snuck back up to her room and pulled a dropper out of her potions kit. Just a drop will have your mind in a state of bliss. And she'd grabbed enough to last her two or three weeks. Standing she slipped out of her apron and work clothes. Grabbing her Pj's she put them on and slipped into bed. Resetting her Alarm to the time she needed to wake up the next morning she placed the alarm on the stand next to her bed. Grabbing the flask and the dropper she opened her mouth, letting a single drop land on her tongue. Squeezing out the access potion from the dropper into the bottle she capped up the flask and quickly moved into a comfortable position, a smile on her face as she waited. Her eyelids got heavy almost instantly. She barely had enough time to get herself situated before the darkness shrouded her mind. But it didn't matter; soon, soon she'd be with him again. Soon she'd be with her Severus. Soon.