Of Death and Fire

CHAPTER 13: Trick or Treat

CHAPTER 13: Trick or Treat?

Author's notes: I took the liberty of moving up the time of the first basilisk attack prior to the Halloween night. I don't think it makes a great difference, but suits my own story better. Enjoy, and leave a review!

 
Over the next few days, Morgaine regained her strength slowly, but steadily. Much to her surprise, she had numerous visitors. A few hours after regaining consciousness she was pleasantly surprised to see Aurion Whitebone stepping into her chambers, followed by her brother, Alexander. She tried to jump out of bed to hug them both, but she was held down by Snape's firm grip. And she couldn't help noticing the icy stare between the two men. However, Snape had the decency of leaving them alone, heading to his own room to get some rest.

She felt week and lightheaded, not just because of her recent adventure, but due to her brother's presence as well. She hadn't seen him in almost ten years, and he had grown even more handsome. His hair was long, caught in a simple low ponytail, its color a rainbow of ash blond to crimson gold. His face was like the winter sun; beautiful and yet painful to look at for long. But she didn't care. She was happy, having the people she loved again in her life.

Whitebone departed after a couple of days, leaving a few vials of a special revitalizing potion to her. Alexander stayed with her, after an invitation from the Headmaster to stay until the Halloween Feast. It would be a big celebration this year, in the hope that it would draw the students' attention from the recent events.

Morgaine meant to speak with Snape privately and thank him for his assistance during her injury, but he seemed to be occupied all the time with schoolwork. Either that or he was in the company of Lucius Malfoy, who made no effort of concealing his interest in her. Alexander and Malfoy hated each other on sight. And to Malfoy's disappointment, he made it his personal task to keep Morgaine at distance. As for her, she tried to summon the Sight in several occasions to find out more of her brother's concerns, but she still was week.

~*~

The Main Hall was decorated with grinning pumpkin heads, and the tables had disappeared, leaving the floor free for the couples dancing to the sounds of enchanted instruments. All the students had been waiting eagerly for this night, with dates being the topic of the day over the past week. Several parents had been invited as well, among them the Malfoys. Narcissa had declined the invitation, appalled in the idea of socializing with non-purebloods. But Lucius was there, following his own secret agenda.

Morgaine was accompanied by her brother, but she soon lost him to a flock of female teachers and students alike. She felt rather good about herself that nigh. She had regained her full strength, and she felt attractive in her new dress, a gift from her brother. Nothing very revealing; it was a simple blacwn, wn, but it fell all the way to the floor, caressing her body like a breeze of silk and lace. Little did she know that all men in the room had neseenseen anyone as seductive before.

She stood in her usual place, leaning against the wall, a glass of white wine in her hand, being the observer she had always been. She enjoyed watching the young people dancing on the floor, the relationships forming and ending just as fast, the sounds of music and laughter. She turned down several invitations to dance, but she couldn't say no to her own brother. She let him lead her to the middle of the room, moving her body to the tune of an old elfish song. She hadn't heard that in years. It was rather difficult to be played by human hands, but this was a band of enchanted instruments. As the song came to an end, she found herself breathless in her brother's arms, as the room burst in applause.

Blushing, she retreated back in her corner. Across the room, she saw Malfoy and Snape standing close to each other, talking in low voices. Malfoy felt her gaze and replied by raising his glass to her. At the wimp of the moment, she summoned the Sight.

The room became dark around her; the people turned to shadows, crowned in colorful auras. She saw her brother, bright as the sun, bathed in silvers and golds. And she turned towards Malfoy, seeing his hidden face. She saw the darkness and the purple lace of lust. And then, for the first time in all her years of summoning the Sight, she saw inside another human's head. It lasted only for a heartbeat, and it broke off so violently that she had to steady herself to avoid collapsing.

She only saw three words, but they were enough to sound the alarms in her head. "Virgin Elf's Blood". She had no idea of the meaning, only it was somehow connected with her and the making of a very powerful potion. She became restless, knowing that the knowledge that eluded her was of the utmost importance. She had to know, but how? Whom could she trust? Certainly not Snape, who probably was in Malfoy's scheme as well. The thought of her brother crossed her mind, but she turned down the idea, knowing that, even if he knew, it would undoubtedly add to the hostility between the two men. And then it came to her. The library! Even if it wasn't in usual bookshelves, she might find a clue in the restricted section.

She turned and left the Main Hall, unaware of Snape's eyes following her.

~*~

After some time of fruitless searching, Morgaine cursed her bad luck. A pile of dusty books had formed on the library floor, the result of her disappointment. She pulled out one more, searched through the pages and threw it on the floor with the others, cursing once more in elfish. She sat staring at the selves before her, deciding on her next choice.

"You won't find it here", she heard a voice behind her back.

She turned on her heels to see Snape standing a couple of meters behind her, leaning his back against the door.

"And exactly what do you know of the information I'm looking for?" she asked, meeting his gaze.

He stood up and came closer to her.

"Virgin Elf's Blood. This is what you seek. Am I wrong?" he asked in a velvet voice. Her silence was his answer. He moved closer to her, his eyes never leaving hers, moving in an orbit around her, circling as a vulture moves above its prey.

"What you seek is in no book. Only certain wizards know of the secret, and it has always been an oral tradition from master to disciple", he added, his voice low and seductive. "A very rare ingredient, priceless to the hands of the right alchemist".

"How can it be so rare?" Morgaine broke her silence. "Even with the Elven race diminishing in numbers, I'm sure that a few drops of blood wouldn't be that hard to acquire from the younger ones. All things have a price, after all", she added sadly.

"You still don't get it, do you?" he whispered in her ear. "It's not the blood in your veins Malfoy's interested in. A virgin's blood", he repeated, his tongue dipped in honey. Venomous honey.

Reality hit hard Morgaine, as it all came clear in her head. Snape laughed softly, seeing her shocked face.

"That's right, my beautiful elf", he whispered to her. "The blood of your first mating is what Lucius is after".

Regaining her control, Morgaine met Snape's eyes, and moved closer to him.

"And what about you?" she asked, raising her face to his, smelling his scent.

He looked at her with a lustful glow in his eyes.

"Would you give it to me?" he whispered, his lips closing to hers.

"Do you want it?" she replied back, turning slightly her face, her breath kissing his ear.

The air was heavy with sparks in the room and none of them seemed to notice that there was anything else in the world but them. Snape touched Morgaine's chin with his fingers, turning her face to meet her eyes.

"No, my beautiful elf, I don't want your blood", he replied in a steady voice. And he turned and left the room.

Moorgaine stood petrified, unable yet to conceive what had just happened. She dropped on her knees, fighting to hold back the angry howl that rose in her throat.

Severus Snape had humiliated her for the last time.