Tempted by Fate: A Serpent's Requiem

Severus sat outside in his front yard playing with his new potion’s set. It was the day after Christmas and although his parents hated Christmas with a passion, they still managed to find the time to get him some new test tubes and beakers. He was eleven years old and would be starting Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry in a few weeks. He finished cutting up the rest of the ginger before adding it to a beaker of red liquid. He watched in awe as the liquid changed to a bright blue color when he added the ginger. He picked up the instructions and read the results. Yep. It was perfect. He had gotten the same results as the directions said he should have. He sighed as he emptied the contents into small test tubes before sealing it up. This was kid stuff he thought.

He finished cleaning up his mess before taking his things back into their home. Upon entering through the front door, his mother was there in the living room fuming about something or another.

“Severus, where have you been?” she huffed.

“I was out front testing out my new…”

“I don’t give a damn what you think you were doing! Did I not tell you that today we were meeting with the Malfoys?”

“Well I thought…”

“No you didn’t. You never use that big brain of yours Severus. Now go upstairs and put on something decent! You have ten minutes now go!” Margaret boomed.

Severus lowered his head and headed up their dark, winding staircase. He could never understand why his parent wanted a winding staircase of fifty stairs but then again, his mother was such a prude that he highly doubted that it was his father’s doing. He pushed open his bedroom door and crept inside lightly shutting the door behind him. His mother didn’t notice that he had already changed and into his best robe. She had just bought him that robe a day ago yet she didn’t notice. She never paid attention. Neither did his father for that matter yet Severus had become so accustomed to it that it hardly mattered to him anymore. The times that his parents actually did pay attention to him were times that involved making good impressions, screaming at him because they had a bad day, or sitting him down telling him how worthless he was. Worthless. I am worthless.

“SEVERUS! DON’T MAKE ME POOF UP THERE TO GET YOU! GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE NOW!”

“Coming Margaret,” he mumbled, flattening his untidy hair as he headed back down the stairs.

“What took you so long?” she asked frowning down at him as if he were a slug. Her long hooked nose and her small, onyx eyes were a bit intimidating. Her long dark hair was now frazzled as if she had taken straight fire to it and burned it.

“I was…”

“Never mind. Let’s go,” she said hastily. She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him out the front door. As he was being drug down their walkway and out towards the street, he looked over to his right and saw that the house that had been for sale for ages was now being inhabited. People were moving things in and out of the house. There were two young girls watching eagerly as two men—possibly Muggles—were hammering some sort of weird gismo into the ground. It was a set of swings, he reckoned, and they were for their enjoyment.

“Um…Margaret?”

“What is it boy?”

“Who are those people moving in next door?”

“Oh,” she said scoffing. “That would be our new set of half-breeds moving in. I heard that the mother of those two girls is a wizard; their father is a Muggle. They are moving here because both girls are expected to receive letters within the month or so. They moved here because they heard that mostly wizards reside here. Anyway, it will do for you to just stay away from them. People like them could never appreciate what we pure bloods are. Now hurry up or we’ll miss our ride! Lucifer is sending a car to pick us up at 3rd and Gilmer Avenue.” Severus turned his head and hurried up to catch his mother. Despite what she said, he was going to find out for himself what Muggles were like.

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Hermione, Harry and Ron sat in the common room that evening fuming over the day’s events. Potions had been dreadful as usual but it was Professor Lupin’s class that had been the worse.

“I still can’t believe that pompous git gave you detention Hermione,” Ron said hotly.

“Yeah well I don’t care,” Hermione said. She stood to her feet and headed towards the portrait hole. “I’ll see you guys later. If it makes you feel any better, Malfoy’s not joining me tonight.” She flashed her friends a warm smile before heading out to the dungeons. As she entered Snape’s dungeons, she felt a warm, tingling sensation come over her. Whatever Snape was brewing was not only sweet smelling, but it seemed to make her feel 10 times better than before.

She found Professor Snape sitting behind his desk, his nose buried in another book. This time she was able to glimpse the title of the book and was surprised to see that it was indeed a Muggle book. “Tales and Poems of Edgar Allen Poe” was what Snape was reading.

“Oh my God! I love Poe!” she said excitedly. Snape’s head popped up and Hermione clasped her hand over her mouth. She had not meant to blurt that out. In fact, she had not meant to say anything out loud at all but she was too excited to stop herself and she was pretty sure she was going to pay dearly for it.

“Why does that not surprise me?” he replied dryly going back to his reading. “No wait, it does. I would think a person of your caliber and your overbearing air headedness would make you more a fan of, say, someone like Robert Frost or Emily Dickenson?” Hermione looked completely taken back and wanted nothing more than to lash out at him for his terrible assumptions but rather than take the bait, she chose to indulge him instead.

“Professor, do you read a lot of literature by Muggle writers?” She walked over and stood next to his desk. Snape lifted his head, rolling his eyes at the curious young witch.

“If you must know then I will tell you that I hardly read anything outside of Muggle literature. In case you haven’t noticed, there aren’t many talented wizards who can write such wonderful things. I am yet to find some type of poem or short story worth reading all the way through.”

“Oh I see. So are you a big fan of Poe?” she asked. The fact that Snape was reading Muggle literature was already enough to excite her sense of curiosity but the fact that it was Snape only raised her curiosity more.

“Ms. Granger, I wasn’t aware that it was a crime to read Muggle literature. Please by all means take me into custody now.” He offered her his wrists in which she quickly refused, frowning at him as if he had insulted her. “I am not so sure that I can handle anymore of your questions. I often wonder how those two worthless brats get along with you.” Snape shut his book before putting it on the shelf behind him. He shooed Hermione away from his desk before he moved, gliding across the room towards the weird potion that he was brewing.

“Professor, for some reason I feel so…tired all of a sudden,” she said twisting her face thoughtfully. “Well, not tired really,” she added, “but…it’s weird. Like, I really want to lash out at you for insulting me earlier but for some odd reason, I can only smile and think about how wonderful it is that you and I have something in common.”

“I think I may vomit,” he muttered. He looked up to see her staring at him dreamily and he let out a sigh. Why on earth had Minerva requested that potion when he had people in detention? He looked up to see Hermione coming towards him and he sighed. “What do you want Ms. Granger? Can’t you see that I’m busy?”

“What’s this potion?” she asked sleepily. She leaned over to get a better look but she started to waver.

“Ms. Granger, you need to take a seat. Otherwise you’re going to…” Before he could finish his statement, Hermione started to fall towards the floor. “Oh, damn.” She had fallen asleep, just like he figured she would. The Joyous Sleeping Drought that he was making for Minerva was made especially for her. Anyone else who whiffed it would fall asleep if they stayed too long in the room. The gas emitting from the potion made people feel warm and happy. This was why Hermione didn’t argue back. The gas would not put Minerva to sleep like it had Hermione. It acted as a source to relax her before she drank a bit to fall into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Snape looked at his watch and saw that it was only ten thirty. Hermione’s detention was supposed to start at ten but she had been late. Snape hurried and capped the potion into several beakers from his cauldron before turning towards the fireplace. He threw some floo powder into it called out to Minerva.

“Come and get it.” Not a second had passed before Minerva was entering the dungeon. He handed her the beakers and she beamed at him.

“Thank you Severus. You just don’t know how much I need this. Between the first years and the Sirius Black case, my nerves have been shot!” She looked on the other side of Snape’s desk to see Hermione slumped over sleeping peacefully. “Severus, why is…?”

“I haven’t tried to molest the girl,” he said frankly. “She had to serve detention for me tonight since she and her friends, the Lupin Fan Club, kept interrupting my lessons today. When she came in, your drought hit her with a bang and she passed out several seconds ago before I called for you. You should take her to her room. She’s not going to wake for at least another hour or so but expect the latter. You asked for a stronger dose than usual so I suspect she’ll be out all night.”

“Yes, I suppose you’re right but unfortunately I haven’t the time nor the strength to take her up the stairs. Why don’t you do it Severus?” Snape looked absolutely horrified but Minerva frowned. “No one’s going to look down at you for taking care of the girl. In fact, people may like you more knowing that you care.”

“I don’t and I could care less about being liked.”

“Dammit Severus! Take that child to the common room. Tell the Fat Lady I sent you. You can’t leave this girl in this dungeon. You know Peeves likes to hang out here at night. I mean it Severus! You do as I say!” And with that, Minerva disappeared into the fireplace leaving Snape with the girl.

“Oh damn,” he muttered. He stared down at Hermione dreading the thought of having to heave her up the stairs when he noticed something about her. The insufferable know-it-all who looked stressed half to death from day to day looked nothing like that. In fact, she was sleeping so soundly and beautifully that he didn’t really want to disturb that. What am I saying? I could care less!

Snape leaned over and scooped Hermione into his arms. Just like he stated to Minerva, she barely stirred. The gas had pretty much knocked her out cold. Her eyes fluttered open once or twice as he headed up the staircase but she only smiled and went back to sleep, nuzzling her face into his chest.

“Worrisome child. Even in her sleep she worries,” he muttered. He finally reached the Fat Lady, who swung open without any questions. He entered the vaguely familiar looking common room and decided to leave her there. It was as far as he was willing to go and he figured that the common room was better than nothing. He placed her onto the couch near the fireplace then proceeded to look around for a blanket of some sort. Damn Gryffindors. There was none in sight so he conjured one of his own with his wand. It was green and silver, like the Slytherin colors but it was the best he could do on such short notice. He lifted her head and propped under a pillow then covered her up with the blanket. He proceeded to tuck her in, making sure the blanket was up just right. Before he could get away, she turned a little and her eyes fluttered open. She was only half awake and had the dreamiest look about her.

“Professor, you should frown less often. You’re actually a nice looking man,” she said, her speech slightly slurred. Then she rolled back over and passed out again.

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Snape entered his tower and flung his robe to the side. He quickly undressed and collapsed in his bed. That potion he had made for Minerva was starting to get to him too and just like Hermione, he fell into a deep sleep.

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Snape sat outside their house on the porch watching the two young girls play on their swing set. Both girls were fair looking but the red head was by far the prettiest thing he’d ever laid eyes on. She had long, wavy red hair and piercing green eyes—the greenest he’d ever seen. The strands of her hair seemed to just dance with the wind as she swung back and forth. Higher and higher the swing rose until he heard her sister shout at her.

“Lily, you’re going too high! Stop that or you’ll fall!”

“Petunia, I’m quite alright now watch this!” She brought the swing a little bit higher before jumping from the swing landing gracefully on her feet a few feet from the swing set. She’s definitely a witch Snape thought to himself.

“Lily I’m telling mom! You’re not supposed to do things like that!” Snape watched as the Petunia girl stormed off towards their house leaving Lily all alone. Snape looked around to make sure his mother was nowhere to be seen before sneaking off the porch towards the line of bushes that divided their yards. He silently crept behind a bush to get a closer look and noticed that the pretty girl was now weeping softly. Not knowing what he was going to do or say, he came from behind the bush and stood over her.

“Um…are you alright?” he asked. She quickly wiped her eyes and stared up at him curiously. After studying him for a few moments, he deducted that she deemed him as a bad guy for her face went pale with fright.

“Who…who are you?” she asked, her voice wavering.

“I…live next door. I…I was sitting on the porch watching you play and then I saw you crying. I just wanted to tell you that you have no reason to be ashamed of what you are.”

“What do you mean?” she snapped.

“Well…I saw you jump. No ordinary person could have landed that gracefully. You’re a witch like me…well in the female sense of it,” he added. She stared at him long and hard before answering him.

“I am no witch. There’s no such thing,” she grumbled.

“Yes, there is. Look. I show you.” Severus took out his wand and waved it a bud, blooming near by. It immediately bloomed into a very pretty daffodil. Lily clasped her hand over her mouth before struggling to her feet.

“You’re…you’re a…a freak!” she screamed before running back towards her house, leaving Severus standing outside sad and confused.

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AN: You'll get a longer chapter next time...Maybe. It depends on how the story is coming along. Harry Potter fiction is very difficult to write. Unless you know every book backwards and forwards then it takes a lot of time to research...yada yada. Since this is an AU story, don't expect everything to always be right. I may change some things to help myself out. Anyway, I promised more Snape/Lily and it has begun. I am not sure if the next chapter will feature them but don't fret. There will be more to come. I am exploring what may or may not have been the cause of Snape's vindictive attitude towards people. As for Lucius and Molly, you better believe there will be more of those two. It's coming. Just...not yet. I have to update my Tragic--Inuyasha fic before I update this one again. -sigh- So many stories, so little time. Let's see...I definitely made up the sleeping drought although I am pretty sure sleeping droughts were used in one of the original books. I hope you can deduce the transistions between Marauder/Present day. If not, let me know and I'll try to make it more readable, although I don't know how else to do this. When is the next update? Hell if I know. Now review! Ta Ta!