Rom To My Private Dungeon

***

Snape narrowed his eyes and scowled. Yet, Maracuja could detect a faint blush beneath the pallor. \"First chink in zee armour.\" she congratulated herself.

Standing frozen and gobsmacked, Snape considered his possible responses. Another comment? Thank her? Ignore her? Change the subject? But before he could respond, Professor Sprout interjected.

\"That was funny? I thought it was rude. Well, I don\'t think I\'ll ever understand the humour of you potions people.\"

Snape glowered in Sprout\'s general direction and took a seat. Since the usual staff table had been replaced by a single large round one, he could not be spared the comfort of his usual seat at the end-far away from everyone el M Maracuja promptly sat down to his immediate right, with Professor Sprout on the other side of her. Professor McGonagall sat to his left. Other attendees included Madame Pomfrey, Hagrid, and t oth other summer apprentices.

Food appeared on the table, along with jugs of red wine. Dumbledore raised his glass \"A toast, to our newest arrivals. I hope your heads will be full when you leave here. But for now, we\'ll just focus on the stomach.\" Everyone smiled and raised their glasses in response.

Snape, having regained his composure, turned to Maracuja. \"I trust you found your quarters adequate. My apologies for not escorting you to the Great Hall.\"

\"Oh, yes. Everything is just lovely.\" She cooed in return. \"I feel at home already. As it turned out, the moment I went in search of food, a house elf appeared and showed me the way. Very convenient. Although, I\'m not so sure I can find my way back.\" Maracuja contemplated batting her eyelashes, but then thought better.

\"I can show you how to get back.\" Snape replied iallially. \"In fact, I shall show you the whole castle. I feel it is my duty.\"

\"I would greatly appreciate that.\" She responded.

Professor Sprout, who seemed to be slurping rather loudly and generously from her cup, interjected. \"SO. WHERE ARE YOU FROM? YOU HAVE AN ACCENT.\"

Snape and Maracuja gave each other quick amused looks.

\"Celebrating the end of term a bit...early?\" Snape condescended. Sprout gave him a dirty look and breathed in Maracuja\'s face.

Maracuja recoiled slightly, but responded \"I am from Romania. I am a Rom.\" It rolled off her tongue softly. She hoped her tone would give a hint for Sprout to lower her voice.\"

\"A Rom? What\'s that? Short for Romanian?\" she squawked. \"Say, I hear there\'s quite a lot of vampires in Romania, aren\'t there? I think Professor Snape knows a lot about that. Some people think he is one, you know.\"

Maracuja let out a small haughty laugh. \"Yes, you know, there are many vampires in Romania. But, really, Professor Snape? A vampire? I\'ve heard many things about Professor Snape before my arrival. But, I assure you, at a glance I can see, he is no vampire.\" She lowered her voice dangerously. \"Do you even know anything about vampires?\"

Professor Sprout became flustered. \"Well, no. I mean, You know. The pale skin. The dark eyes. The...\"

\"But I have dark eyes and pale skin, Professor Sprout.\" She came back quickly. \"Are you calling me a vampire?\"

Snape sat quietly and listened while drawing from his cup. He was amused. No, he was surprisingly pleased with his new apprentice.

\"Uh, uh, of course not!\" Professor Sprout stuttered. \"Oh dear. I didn\'t mean. I mean, uh. Oh dear.\" mop mopped her forehead with the serviette pitched into her front. \"Well, at any rate, welcome to Hogwarts.\" And with that, she quickly turned to Hagrid on her right, with whom she felt considerably more comfortable.

\"Right, so, that got rid of her.\" Maracuja intoned, a sparkle in her eye.

\"Indeed.\" Snape responded in kind. He furrowed his brow. \"Those damned vampire rumours have plagued me for years you know.\"

\"Well, Professor Snape, you look like a healthy human male to me.\" She smiled,

Was it Snape\'s imagination that she seemed to choose that exact moment to suck the hollandaise sauce off the tip of her asparagus?

Professor McGonagall turned just then and introduced herself. \"I am so pleased that you are here this summer, Ms. Feuer. Professor Snape seldom takes apprentices, you know. It\'s a pity. He is a very gifted man. I\'m proud to call him my colleague. And, I think, he will need something to take his mind off losing the house cup this year. Are you familiar with our house system here?\"

\"Now, now, Minerva.\" Snape toyed in return. \"Once in seven years is hardly something I need to \'take-my-mind-off-of\' as you say. Appreciate your little acquisition while you can. I assure you, it won\'t remain in your office for long.\" This time, Maracuja got to sit, amused.

Minerva quickly changed the subject. \ tel tell me, a lovely young lady such as yourself, what made you want to come all the way to Hogwarts to spend the summer on potions?\" she inquired.

\"Professor Snape\'s reputation, of course.\" She responded flatly. \"I wish to learn from the best.\"

\"I overheard you say you were a Rom? I thought Severus told me you were muggle born.\" Minerva continued.

Snape raised an eyebrow in Maracuja\'s direction. He too thought she was a muggleborn.

\"Ah yes, well\" she answered, a touch of disdain in her voice. \"My chief recommendation came from Headmaster Karkaroff. I don\'t know if you know him. But he is a racist-against my people, and against muggleborns as well. Many in Romania are racist against the Roms. They call us filthy gypsies behind our backs, and often to our faces. They do not respect my people. They do not acknowledge our magical traditions and abilities. But I am very good at what I do. And, of course, not many Roms choose to take a formal magical education. So, he chooses to ignore this \'little fact\' about me, and refers to me as muggleborn. I have given up correcting him. What he thinks, it does not matter anyway.\"

Snape and McGonagall nodded in understanding. But in a flash he realised there was much more beneath the surface of this woman than he expected. His pulse quickened ever so slightly.

\"I am interested in studying more, the formal magic of potions. But I am also interested in the deep, old magic of my people. We have many folk recipes and traditions which I think would benefit the larger wizarding world.\" She continued. \"My people shun outside society. So I feel it is my duty to do what I can to bring them our knowledges together. You understand? My English is not always so good.\"

\"Yes, dear. Your English is just fine.\" Professor McGonagall responded, seeming somewhat impressed.

Snape sat a little straighter and leaned in to her intently. \"Hmmm. Interesting that you should say that. I have recently come across some things in my rech, ch, which seem at first glance like muggle food recipes. But with magical infusion, they apparently have the capacity to take on other ...properties\" He said softly. \"I would be interested to see if you know anything about them.\"

This time, Maracuja\'s pulse quickened. She knew Snape had much he could teach her, but secretly she\'d hoped her internship would provide an opportunity for some mutual research interest. \"I would be very, very pleased, if to have a look at these.\" She smiled.

The rest of the meal passed pleasantly, if quietly. Staff and apprentices chatted away. A quiet hum passed between Severus and Maracuja. But only Dumbledore seemed aware of it.

***

Thanks to April for the reminder about the vampires of Romania. I really hate that theory about Snape. At least Maracuja got to cut someone down about it.

Oh, and I know this story is rated NC-17, and you may be wondering why... Not to fear. Things will start to heat up, beginning with chapter 5.