Chapter 4
The library was quiet during lunch because most students are in the Great Hall. But even if her body was present as she was trying to read in advance for her next class, her mind was not. Severina couldn’t help but think of the stag she had met yesterday, who knew there were still nice things in this world even if it was from an animal. She grinned to herself as she recalled how he had allowed her to pet his soft fur and how it had stayed with her while she was merely talking. Should she return to the pond to view the deer again? She wants to go back so she may see him again. Who is she kidding, it’s a stag, not a dog of course he wouldn’t be waiting for her, it only listened to her because maybe it felt pity for her. It doesn’t matter if the deer is there or not, it’s her spot anyway, so she will still go back. “That is disgusting.” Severina swiveled her head up to see who it is. “Who knew Snape could smile in such a creepy and disgusting way,” Avery said from across the table. “I didn’t even think she could smile,” Mulciber smirked. “Mulciber, Avery, Madam Bertha must be losing her hearing, because who would’ve thought she would let squealing pigs in.” then suddenly Avery grabbed her wrist and pulled her forward, “Watch who you're talking to bitch.” Avery growled as he tightens the hold on her wrist “A half-blood like you should know you’re place, wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to you now would you?.” Mulciber threatened. “First of all, let’s face it if given the chance you nitwits would never step inside the library. Two, you wouldn’t dare do something, because the both of you being here must mean that you are looking for me cause you need something. Now, what the fuck do you want?” Severina hissed as she pulls her arms back. “Be lucky that you’re smart Snape and useful or else you’d be long gone,” Avery said with a glare in her direction. ‘I’m lucky that the both of you are stupid’ Severina thought but she did not say it out loud as it would be adding more fuel to the fire. “Do this potion’s essay for us.” “Then you better pay up.” “Relax Snape, we’re not poor like you.” Mulciber sneered, while he and Avery paid her. “Do yourself and us a favor, buy soap, shampoo, and maybe some clean clothes with it,” Mulciber said as he leaves with Avery, leaving Severina behind. For as long as Severina can remember, she never had clothes that fitted her or suited her. So why bother to buy clothes for herself when she can save the money for something else or use them for needed potion ingredients? And as for smelling a bit bad, she always needs to hurry up in the showers before the others came to avoid being the laughing stock for the other girls because of her body. Now that her father was dead, she can just use their house on Spinner’s end, although the awful memories make her uneasy and add more fuel to her nightmares, it would help her save some more money. She wants to take her masters in potions, but no one will sponsor her so she will have to pay for her own. She can also just eat once a day since her body is used to eating so little anyway. When she was seven, she survived three whole days without eating and just drinking water due to her forgetting to buy her father a pack of cigarettes, and since then she tries to never forget anything. As she thinks of more ways to save money, she hears someone approaching her in the woods. It was a stag, the very same stag that came to her yesterday. She is stunned to see him again and lay down beside her, but she didn’t say anything yet and continues to overlook the frozen pond as she thinks. They just sat there quietly enjoying the peace and the view for quite a while before she decided to do the essay Mulciber and Avery has given her before it gets dark. The stag nudged her wrist as she picked up her materials, it seems to have noticed the red marking around her wrist. “oh that, Mulciber and Avery were just making fun of me and when I insulted their ego, that happened, don’t worry about it, they wouldn’t do anything bad to me since they need their potions essay done.” The stag looked her in the eye before averting its gaze somewhere else. James was getting angsty to fill his curiosity because of a certain girl, so he wasted no time in getting to the forest after classes, but now after knowing what happened to her, he felt pretty bad about it, but why should he, he was being a hypocrite by feeling sorry for her when he probably did something even worse to her than them. But seeing her in a new light made him terrible knowing the things he did to this girl, his jealousy and pride made him blinded from the truth, he wanted to make it up to her for the grave mistakes he had done, but knowing her, she would no doubt downright reject any forms of help from him of all people. And just as fast as a lightbulb will light when switched on, an idea popped into his head, something that will help him get her revenge on those who did her wrong but not noticeable enough to know by her. Something that he is good at and maybe this way he will be able to atone for his misdemeanors against her. Something that his friends won’t even suspect. What other way is there but to prank them instead? It was a good plan, a foolproof plan, and convincing his friends would be easy since Sirius was deprived of his fun and, they are used to James pranking people even if it was not Severina, and now all he needs to think of is what prank he will do. “James are you sure about this” Remus said, voicing his concern. “Moony stop worrying about it.” Sirius tutted like a mother. James was however not listening, he knew his prank would work and was not worried, on the other hand, though he was currently stealing glances at the Slytherin table for a specific young woman who was picking at her food. James for some reason was getting worried for her health, she was already so thin, and yet she was not eating well, James is surprised she hasn’t yet collapsed from anemia seeing as how little she eats. Although she was fierce, she still looks so delicate that he feels like she will easily break. “James you too, stop worrying and stealing glances at the Slytherin table, you’ll make it obvious that it was us who did it. They will eventually come anyway.” Sirius scolded. “I’m not,” James mumbled as he finishes his breakfast. Then the door to the hall opened slightly to let in two hooded students as they sneak into their seats, trying but failing miserably to get unnoticed. The hall all of a sudden burst into snickers and giggles as they saw two green-skinned students who looks like trolls. “Told you,” Sirius whispered snickering If it weren’t for the color of their skin both Mulciber and Avery would have probably been red with anger from the embarrassment and as Rosier furiously asked them for answers. James took a glimpse at the two and smirked before he finishes his drink to finally be ready for his morning classes.