The Raven and the Snake

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Chapter Four

Severus Snape struggled to pull his battered trunk up the steps of the Hogwarts Express. He muttered under his breath about the insanity that was the underage magic rule. Finally the truck slid free of the step and he fell back from the exertion. He got to his feet and straightened his second-hand robes with one hand while grabbing the trunk’s handle with the other. Honestly, this would be so much easier if he could just use the spell. Severus turned and walked, tugging his trunk behind him, down the aisle to find a suitable compartment.

He didn’t notice the two boys that fell into step behind him and his trunk. He didn’t see them draw their wands. Someone did, however, someone behind them.

“Levicorpus” a clear, feminine voice stated.

Severus turned around, dropping his trunk and drawing his own wand. He was too late. Behind him, levitating upside down a few feet from the ground were the two boys that had made his school years a nightmare. He tilted his head to see past their dangling heads and arms. Sure enough, there stood Onyxia O’Dwyer, wand in front of her with a haughty look on her face.

Sirius Black and James Potter were at a loss for words. At least at first. What the bloody hell just happened? They glared at Snivellus, but noticed that he was looking behind them. Turning their heads they saw the petite, pretty girl who always seemed so aloof. Her black hair, with the odd red highlights, was piled up on her head. Her robes freshly pressed and perfect, with her Prefect badge in place. Her wand held steady in front of her and her face showing signs of boredom.

“Damn it, Nexi,” Sirius cursed. “Let us down.”

Nexi raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. “And why would I do that?” She cooly asked.

“We didn’t do anything.” James offered with a glare.

“Yet. You didn’t do anything yet.” Nexi said, raising her wand which made their feet scrape the ceiling.

She held her wand there for a moment before flicking her wrist and letting them fall into a tangled heap. She carefully stepped over the two boys and addressed Severus.

“Our compartment is down here. Do you need any help with that trunk?” She asked, bending to pick up the handle. Severus brushed her hand away and shook his head. She turned back to Sirius and James. “I suggest you two get to your own compartment, the train’s about to leave.”

Severus didn’t know whether he was pleased at seeing his arch enemies cut down so quick or angry that Nexi had defended him before he even needed defending. He wrestled with the two as he followed her to their compartment. She opened the door for him and waited until he got his trunk inside before entering. He took his time pushing the trunk up into the rack above his seat. Anger was winning out. How dare she step in, making him look inadequate. Seething he turned around to find her already in her seat, writing something on a piece of parchment.

“Onyxia,” he started, his teeth grinding.

“Severus,” she offered, not taking her eyes from the parchment.

“I do not appreciate...” he ground out before she interrupted him.

“Yes, I know you don’t appreciate me stepping in, but it’s over and done with. Stop grinding your teeth, the noise is irritating.” She was signing the parchment with flourish.

He sat down and glared at her. Far from ruffled, she calmly smiled back at him before releasing her raven, Athena, from her cage. He watched her tie the parchment to Athena’s leg, whisper something to the bird, then open the compartment window and release her. Curiosity peaked, but anger still flowing freely, he waited until she was settled back in her seat.

Taking a deep breath, he sat back and said, “You really shouldn’t have stepped in earlier.”

Nexi sighed. Severus was always so touchy about women stepping into his battles. It was understandable, knowing what she did about his home life. He really should learn to take the help as it was given. She waited, wondering if this would be the time that his emotions would show.

“I could have handled them on my own.” Severus willed his voice to remain steady.

“I’m sure you could have, if they weren’t coming up from behind while you were weighed down with a trunk.” Nexi said calmly. She wouldn’t have stepped in if it were a fair match. Two against one, from behind, however wasn’t what she’d call fair. Besides, Black had nearly gotten Severus killed the previous year, by a werewolf no less.

“Yes, well that is the way Black and Potter play.” He could see what she was saying, and it was true, it would have been an unequal attack. “I’d really prefer if you didn’t step in, however.”

Nexi sighed again. Men, she thought. Always so touchy when it came to things like this. “Fine, next time I’ll stand back and watch them hex you into next year.” She agreed conversationally before turning to look out her window.

It was Severus’ turn to raise an eyebrow. Normally when he called Nexi on something he was in for at least a drawn out argument of why she wasn’t in the wrong. And now that he was thinking on it, since when did she wear a goofy grin on her face?

“Just what happened to you this summer?” Severus asked, suspiciously. He silently begged that it not be something girly like falling in love.

It took Nexi a moment to turn back to him. She tilted her head, innocently, and asked, “What do you mean?”

Inside Severus was telling himself to back out now. It was definitely something girly. Nexi could be described with many adjectives, innocent wasn’t one of them. Against his better judgment he asked her again what happened over the summer.

“Nothing,” she said a little too brightly. “Same old, well there was the ball my parents threw for my sixteenth birthday. Dreadfully boring,” her face shown with happiness, “my feet only just stopped hurting.”

“Same old summer, with a dreadfully boring ball,” Severus repeated, his eyebrow raised. “Then why are you lit up as though someone stuffed fairies inside of you?”

Nexi could have pinched herself. This was going to be harder than she thought. She and Lucius hadn’t really talked about others knowing about them, but given that he’d been married a week before she doubted he wanted the world to know about his mistress. Unfortunately, her face was screaming “look at me, I’m the mistress of one of the world’s sexiest wizards”.

“Oh, that. Mother and Father said I could start looking for my own home next summer. I suppose I’m just thinking about all the possibilities.” She lied, praying he would at least pretend to buy it.

Severus raised an eyebrow, but decided not to delve deeper. After all, he could care less if she’d been snogged senseless by some random clumsy wizard. He shuddered to think of someone pawing at Nexi. Not that she was unattractive. He supposed that some might find her quite fetching. He studied her face and realized that most would find her quite attractive. Her dark hair, with the red streaks she’d explained to be a birthmark, stood a stark contrast from her pale skin. Her eyes were an unusual shade of green, pale and clear as glass, so unlike the emerald of Lily Evans’. Studying her, he found himself feeling rather uncomfortable. She was so unlike Lily in so many ways, but he was feeling rather warm suddenly.

“Severus, you’re staring.” Nexi said conversationally.

He started and felt the burn of a blush creeping up his cheeks. Bloody hell, he thought, I’ve known her for six years and just now realized she’s as much of a girl as Lily. He stood and turned away from her to unlatch his trunk and pulled a worn book down. He settled back in his seat and opened the book.

“I was thinking,” Severus said, nose firmly in the book’s pages. “I didn’t realize I was staring.”

Nexi smiled and leaned her head on the glass of the window. If he hadn’t blushed when she told him he was staring, she might have believed him. Fortunately, she wasn’t in the mood to press the issue. Instead, she allowed her mind to drift to the parting she’d had with Lucius the day before.

She’d been sitting in the garden, beneath the same willow tree they’d been caught under. For once she wasn’t reading, she was simply breathing in the last day of summer holiday and thinking of saying good-bye to Lucius. She hadn’t heard him approach and didn’t realize he was behind her until his hands fell to her shoulders.

“You’re too quiet,” she’d whispered, tilting her head to rest on his hand.

His fingers gently massaged the bare skin of her shoulders and she closed her eyes to his touch. Leaning down, he dropped a kiss on her hair, before removing his hands and moving around to sit beside her.

“You’re leaving tomorrow,” he stated with a sigh. He turned to look at her profile, watching the summer breeze tickle her hair.

She turned to face him, her light eyes glassy. Sighing herself, she laid her head on his shoulder. It wasn’t fair. They’d only just begun, it seemed, and now she was going back to school. He’d been married nearly a week, but his visits hadn’t lessened. Maybe it was for the best that she was leaving. Then he could play proper husband to his wife.

A finger found her chin and tilted her face up. Before she could voice any of her thoughts, his lips met hers and all was right in the world. If only she could spend the rest of her life in this moment, being near him, kissing him. He pulled back reluctantly, his thumb smoothing along her lower lip.

“I’m going to miss doing that.” His voice sounded huskier. “Merlin, Nexi, what am I going to do until you come home for holiday?”

She smiled up at him. He was going to miss her as much as she would miss him. “You could try to do your husbandly duties. If you don’t put forth some effort, Lucius, she’s going to suspect.”

He sighed again and leaned forward to press his forehead to hers. He knew she was right, he had to make an effort to make his marriage seem perfect. How was he supposed to tumble into bed with his cold wife when he had Nexi to compare her to? Bloody hell, they’d not even bedded yet and he was already addicted to her presence in his life. The next few months were going to be torture.

He groaned and pulled back. “Write to me,” he commanded. “I mean it, Nexi, write to me. Not having you near enough to touch will be torture enough. At least give me your words.”

“Every day,” she promised, pulling his head back for another kiss.