-85-
Wormtail forced me to go down a steep flight of stairs, that seems so dangerous anyone could slip and end up breaking their necks. At the bottom the stairs is a heavy barred door. Wormtail unlocked it with the tap of his wand and pushed me and Sniffy into the dank and musty room and quickly left us in total darkness. The only light in here is coming from the upstairs fadely. For a moment I hold the cage Sniffy is in against my chest, taking this all in. Sniffy feels a bit more calm when he's finally alone with me. Then, my eyes goes down to look at my beloved niffler. "Hi... Hi, love." my voice sounds like a whisper. With that, I put the cage down and open it. As soon as I get the tiny door open, Sniffy rushes into my arms and I wrap my hands around him to hug him. My left forearm is aching from the pain underneath the sleeve. Once again, tears appears on my eyes, but I try my best to keep them down:"It's alright, Sniffy. We're okay. We're okay...".
Some time goes by. No idea how long we've been down here. An hour? Maybe even two? I really don't know. No matter what we've tried, there is no way out. Sniffy can't even go thru the bars, a invisible wall won't let him whenever he tries. Even I can't use Apparate spell to move myself from here to the other side of the door. The cellar is enchanted. After it became clear to me there is no way out, I have done nothing but sit here, having my back against the cold stone wall while Sniffy is on my lap. Since got nothing else to do, I've thought once again everything thru. From the start to this very moment. Everything Severus and I have gone thru together... Every word, every touch, every kiss... Was it really all just... Part of his plan? Whatever it is in the end. How should I know? I'm just half-witted witch, according to him. I really feel so small right now. Sniffy and I also feel hungry, which does not help the situation - at all. My gaze lowers down to my left arm. Disgrace.
Finally, I hear someone's coming down the stairs. Quickly, I raise myself up from the floor and compose myself, ready to deal with whoever is about to appear soon. For my surprise, it's Draco! My lips apart a bit, ready to say his name, but ended up closing my mouth. The boy comes to stand right at the door. He still looks like he's on the edge - almost like he shouldn't be here right now. "...What are you doing here?" my voice sounds like a whisper. "I..." he starts, unsure what to say. The poor boy can't even look at me directly. Slowly, I approach him and keep the voice down just in case someone might hear us:"It's okay, Draco. You did what you could.". He finally lift those sad eyes on me. Even he isn't saying anything, I can just tell his eyes are saying:'But it wasn't enough.'. Now I'm standing right in front of him, looking back to him with softer manner while holding onto one of the bars with one hand:"It's okay.".
There is self hatred written all over his face. "It's okay." I repeat, eyes going glossy. Draco quickly glances over his shoulder, like he heard something coming from the upstairs. I too automatically lift my eyes up to see the top of the stairs, but can't see as well as he does. He does a little gulp before turning his head back to me. We make a quick eye contact before his gaze goes down as he picks something from his pocket. Both of my eyebrows raise when I see what he pulled out. "An apple?" I wonder out loud. Without a word, he reaches his hand out to hand me the fruit. I frown slightly confused:"But why..-", "Just take it." he whispers quickly. With both hands, I hold onto it, still confused. Sniffy climbs against my leg up to my right shoulder to see what's in my hands. "Is this one of those poison apples?" I ask with hint of jokiness. Draco looks at me confused:"What? No.". Guess he hasn't heard the Muggle fairy tale of Snow White...
Then, Draco turns around and climbs up the stairs. I stare after him as long as I can't see him anymore. Sniffy won't waist anymore time and takes a bite of the apple after sniffing it's indeed edible. He really came down here... Just to give us something to eat. Being so touched by the gesture, I sigh deep and walk away from the door. Gotta give it to the Malfoys, they raised their son pretty well after all. After Sniffy and I shared the apple, we hear how someone's coming down the stairs again. Thinking it's Draco, so I got up from the floor again and turn around, forcing a smile:"Did you bring some dessert as well?". My heart skips a beat and eyes goes wide as soon as I realize it's not Draco - no, it's Snape. Soon my heart quickens, feeling somewhat nervous as we stare at each other for a moment longer without saying anything. As he's standing there, right behind the bars, he really does look like over sized dungeon bat like the students likes to call him. The sight makes me question if I even know this man.
The thought of Tonks and Ted immediately comes to my mind. Quickly, I push down the stunned look on my face and give him stern stare:"Where are they? What did you do to them?". He keeps staring at me with those dark eyes for a moment longer before he speaks:"Where they should be.". Taking a step forward and frown:"That's not an answer!". The look on his face won't budge:"You really had to disobey when I ordered you far too many times to stay out of the way.". "I'm not a beast to be ordered around." I stated sternly while clenching my hand into a fist. "But still in a cage like one." he smites back calmly. Quickly, I come to the door and hold onto the bars while glaring up to him:"Go to hell.". "I already am." his voice sounded like a whisper as he stares right back into my (e/c) eyes. His answer makes my eyes widens for a split second.
Snape's eyes then goes to my left arm that has partly rolled sleeve and he sees few letters of the carving Harold made. Could have sworn there was a split second change in his eyes when he realized the wound. "Give me your arm." he bluntly orders. Confused by this, I let go of the bars and take a step back:"Wha..?". Those dark eyes narrows on me:"Give me... Your arm. Now.". Then I realize he means the left arm. Quickly, I bring the arm close to my chest:"No.". "(Y/N)... I won't be asking again." he growls. Rolling my eyes at him:"Technically, you didn't ask..-", with stern glare, chest buffed up, he takes a step forward and effortlessly pushes himself thru the metal bars that turns into soft mist as he walks thru them. Our bodies almost brushed against each others as he did that. What the..-?! Baffled by this, eyes wide I start to take more steps away from him.
As soon as he has walked thru the bars, they turn back into solid ones. Apparently, Death Eaters are the only ones that can go thru the gate like that. Well, that's not fair, now is it. Before I could react, he grabs me by the wrist, yanks the arm towards him and pushes the sleeve further to see what's underneath. "Hey..!!" I whine from the sudden pain. Sniffy doesn't really know what to do here either. He just stands there little bit further away and watches us. Slight pain starts aching as Snape twits my arm a bit as he examines the carvings. "Careful!" I hiss. No matter how I try to yank my arm away, the grip around the wrist is way too strong for me to break the touch. Damn it. Those dark eyes lifts up from the arm to me:"Did you really think you could take down a house full of Death Eaters? Specially considering the condition you are in... You really are insufferably foolish, (Y/N).". Did he really came down here just insult me?
Then, with his free hand, Snape takes a tiny bottle out of his cape's pocket. Little panic raises in me since I have no idea what kind of potion is that. Is that Veritaserum? Is this what he meant by interrogation? Or is he going to chop my arm off with that?! Whatever it is, I don't want it. "Wh-What are you doing? No, stop..!" I try to take a step away from him. "Quiet." he growls while trying to maintain the cold and cool manner, holding onto my wrist now even tighter. "No!" I frown. Trying my best to break the touch between us. Why he has to be so strong?! My struggles irritates and frustrates him more, but he still tries to keep me in hold. "You are resisting for vain." he says smoothly. When I finally manage to rip the arm out of his grasp, Snape immediately pushes me up against the nearest wall, so my chest is against it and he presses his whole body on my back, preventing me to escape. What the..-?!
Without a word, he pushes himself more against me and lift my left arm above my head. "What are you doing?!" I try to glance over my shoulder while panicking. As Snape is holding the left wrist on the wall, with his free hand he pops the bottle openand brings it to close to the arm. My head snaps right up to see what is he doing and gasp under my breath:"No.". When I see the liquid is about to fall down, I close my eyes and prepare for more pain. As soon as the bottle's insides get in touch with the skin, the wound on the arm heals instantly. Huh? "Phoenix tears." Snape's deep and smooth voice vibrates against me which brings light blush onto my cheeks. Why I feel... Like my heart is melting..? Like many times before, I feel so conflicted. There is this part of me that tells me he really isn't the bad guy here. But, then there is this other part that... He killed Dumbledore for Merlin's sake!! I really am a fool, aren't I?
The carving is now fully gone - like there never was a wound in the begin with. Softly, Snape releases the arm, but won't move away from me:"You really like to make things difficult for yourself, (Y/N), don't you?". I turn myself around to face him, so now my back is against the stone wall and we are now pretty much standing chest to chest:"You're one to talk! You could have just tell what's in the bottle.". No answer. When our eyes meet, I feel this jolt in my heart. The look in his eyes are now a lot more softer than before. Severus... Hate to admit, but I really wish to kiss him. It feels like there is this string attached to him... Calling my name. Snape brings his face closer to mine, so our breath almost becomes one.
My heart starts beating faster and face goes more red, making the breath shudder:"Sev..-", just when the tip of our noses is about to touch, we hear how someone's coming down the stairs and Snape immediately pulls away, leaving me feel somewhat flushtered and confused by this whole situation. It's Wormtail. He's slightly surprised to see the Potions Master this side of the caged door, but quickly brushes that off. "It's time." he tells. Time? Snape gives a slight nod and walks away by my side. Wormtail opens the door, and after Snape walked thru it, Wormtail points his wand at me:"You too. Come.". "What?" I frown. "I won't be asking again. Leave the niffler down here." he orders. I take a quick glance at Sniffy who already had his tiny shiny eyes on me. After giving him a small kiss on top of his head, I leave the cellar with Wormtail. Without any of our notice, Wormtail accidentally leaves the door slightly open.
While walking up the stairs, my heart starts beating faster and palms start to sweat. Are they now going to look into my mind to find out where Harry is? The thought they might torture me more raises the anxiety in me. But then again... I want to believe as long Severus is there, I won't be harmed. Or at least that's what I hope for. As soon as I get to the top of the stairs, an instant headache strikes. I shut my eyes and groan sharply:"Ah..!!". Right away, memory after another starts flashing by. How I was just a little girl and try to lock myself up in my own room. How I first time met Edward. How I was forced to erase his mind so my parents won't hurt him. How I'm in the Headmaster's Office and how he offered me Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. How I saw how he died. How Draco and I were sitting in the Boathouse side by side.
As these random memories keeps flashing by, I have fallen down on my knees to struggle fight against the Legilimency. Is Severus doing this? If so, why it hurts more than the times he tried to teach me Occlumency? When the memory how I first met Severus comes flashing, I grit my teeth eyes tightly shut and force myself to use Occlumency. Soon enough, I managed to block the invader and shoot my eyes wide open, gasping:"Haahh..! Hahh...". "Impressive." unfamiliar voice hums. Huh? Slowly, I raise my gaze from the floor to see who's standing in front of me. Right away, I see the new face in middle of the all in black dressed Death Eaters. This person here is wearing more greenish robes. Their skin is whiter than a skull, with wide, livid scarlet eyes and a nose that is flat as a snake's, but with slits for nostrils. My heart misses a beat. Voldemort.