Chapter 14
Snapes POV
I didn't see her all week. I could see her friends taking her meals from the hall but she never appeared. Not bothering to attend my classes. I did not pursue her. She was talented at potions and if needed I had six weeks to go over what she had missed. I wondered if she was okay as her dark arts exam loomed ever closer.
It has been nearly two weeks and no one had seen her. She'd been in her dormitory or the library, rarely doing much else. It was the day of the exams and I wondered, as I sat eating breakfast whether she would even bother to turn up. I didn't have to wait long, nearly choking on my coffee as she entered the great hall. She was beautiful. Wearing black leather, skin tight trousers with a black top that clung to her like a second skin. She made a beeline for her friends, picking up an apple as she did so. I watched her. Fascinated. She bent down to her friends, whispering something in their ears. A second later a smirk crossed her lips, she took a single bite of her apple and placed it back down, turning on her heels. She looked just as mesmerising from behind. The back of her top was made up of two emerald snakes, crossing in the middle, showing only her shoulder blades. Her hair was wrapped neatly into the most intricate folds and fastened in place with a green and silver pin. As she strode out of the hall, I had to pick my jaw up from where it had fallen open as she gained numerous wolf whistles. Both Dumbledore and McGonagall looked at me, eyebrows raised. If this was a so called 'revenge outfit' she had well and truly succeeded.
I sat nervously beside Lupin and the headmaster. It had been an excruciatingly long morning grading the Dark Arts exam. I become anxious as I waited for her to enter the room. Knowing how petrified she was of her boggart. She'd flown through the theory exam but if she couldn't hold her nerve here it would be for nothing. As the door knob turned and she entered the room with all the confidence in the world. Grinning at each and every one of us. The dual went well. She deflected Lupin with ease and her counter spells were neat and effective. Even Dumbledore seemed impressed. Lastly it was time to face the boggart. Her expression faltered if only for a split second, showing how false her confidence had been this whole time. Lupin opened the cupboard and it began to form. What formed in front of me was nothing I could of predicted. I recognised myself as it formed slowly. It was insulting her. Telling her how worthless she was. How I'd never want her. I felt the headmaster shift uneasily in his chair and the expression on Lupins face was of great discomfort. She was taking her time. An internal battle taking place in her mind. Was this real or was it a boggart.
"Riddikulus!" She'd done it. A heavy sigh of relief and she left the room quietly, brushing a single tear from her eyes.
Y/N POV
I'd done it. I'd made it through the exam and looked beautiful whilst doing so. I would take no questions from him about my boggart and mentally prepared myself for what would be the longest 6 weeks of my life. I'd had to tell Anna and Jenny everything, gaining some relief from sharing my problems and internal conflict. Not about my hurting myself but the strange relationship with our potions master. It had been their idea to dress as I did today. As uniforms were not required on exam day I thought I'd show him what he was missing.
Walking down to the train station to say goodbye to my friends was hard. I'd never experience getting to come and go on the Hogwarts Express again now that my parents had gone. Despite both Dumbledore and Snape telling me I was in no danger I couldn't believe them. Why was I to be under Snapes protection all summer if there was no threat?
Speaking of the devil he appeared on the platform.
"We will be leaving within an hour to my house. Are you ready?" I sighed and turned, not expecting the answer to be yes but I'd try anyway.
"I'd like to go home for a couple of days on my own first. I've not been home since my parents died. I just want to be there, collect a few things you know." His dark eyes softened.
"Of course, I can take you."
"No. It's okay, I'd like to be by myself. Our house elf will apparate with me." He nodded. A grim smile on his lips but he understood my need for some closure and some time to myself. It had been a hell of a year.
All too quickly Prinby appeared.
"Mistress Y/N. I'm ready." I took his arm and we apparated.
Snapes POV
I missed her in those three days. I understood she needed to be alone. Take in what had happened and reflect on the year but I missed her. Worried for her. I was glad that Monday had arrived and I could collect her. I apparated to the address she'd given me and stood in awe. It was beautiful. Large iron gates led down a sweeping driveway, lined with oak trees either side. The house was captivating. A beautiful 16th Century, white mansion with beautiful white roses climbing the walls. I hadn't known she'd had such a wealthy family, the house was surrounded with gardens and water features, not a place I'd expect the girl to live.
I knocked gently on those huge oak doors and was greeted by her elf.
"Master Snape sir. I am honoured. Mistress is through in the garden room. You shouldn't disturb her though. Master Y/L/N forbid it." His eyes were full of love for the girl. She was obviously kind to him. I was led into the kitchen, a vast room but beautiful, a harp played itself softly in the corner and a book lay open beside a blanket in the window seat with half a cup of tea drunk. The elf carried on through another set of doors and down a corridor. I could hear a piano, and her voice. Sweet against the piano keys singing softly. It was angelic. I walked into another large room to see her sat At a grand piano, her back to us both. The piano alone would of cost thousands of galleons and the decor in the room was tasteful and expensive. Her hair fell straight down her shoulders, not the delicate ringlets she wore during school. She either spent a lot of time in the morning or had become skilled at appearance charms. The elf made her jump as he placed a plate on the table beside her.
"I'm sorry mistress. I made you some miggleberry pie."
"Why Thankyou Prinby, my favourites." She smiled lovingly at the elf as I watched her from the doorway.
"And master Snape is here mistress." She jumped, turning round to face me. She was beautiful. She wore a light blue summer dress with tiny detailed Lily's. Again, it looked to be an expensive material. Her eyes shone and a slight flush appeared in her cheeks. She looked at peace here. The circles gone from her eyes indicated she had slept well for the last 3 nights.
"Prinby you should of told me he was here. How long have you been here?" Her voice was shocked but kind. The elf gripped the bottom of her dress
"Sorry mistress. Your father forbid me to disturb you when you were playing." She smiles kindly at him.
"He's not here now Prinby. You can do as you please." The elf ran along to the kitchen as she took a mouthful of the pie. I must remember that she enjoyed this food, for this was never on offer at Hogwarts.
"Hello." Her voice was nervous but she looked straight at me, her brown eyes filling my black ones.
"Well I did not expect you to live in a place like this." I arched a brow and she looked around her, taking in the house.
"It's beautiful isn't it? I'm very lucky to call it my own." It crossed my mind suddenly that this was now all hers. She looked overwhelmed but still, the most at ease I'd seen her all year.
"I'll be ready to leave in a second. I just have a few things I need to do. You can come with if you like?" She was a different person here. She spoke properly, sure of herself. I followed her through the building, everything decorated perfectly, but to high taste. She led me through some double doors and the sight that greeted my eyes made me gasp. Easily one of the largest rooms I'd seen and full from ceiling to floor of books packed neatly onto shelves.
I heard her giggle at my reaction as she walked in front of me.
"Silly really. A room full of books I'll probably never read again." Her fingers caressed the spines of the books as she walked through the library.
"You've read all of these?" My curiosity grew, I hadn't know about any of this.
"Yes. They're mainly muggle books but it makes me laugh to see how they portray these fantasy worlds they don't believe to exist." A smile crept across her face and her eyes lit up as she picked up one book in particular. An original Deathly Hallows story book. How did she come to have possession of such wonderful items. She carried on through the library and up a winding staircase, I followed, in awe of such a magnificent building. She opened a door to a bedroom and the scent of her filled my nostrils. Her room was perfect. Perfectly white with sage green decor. An armchair sat in the corner with a table beside it. Again, another open book with a half drunk tea. It made me glad to know that she had had chance to relax here on her own. Prinby followed her in, collecting her tea cup.
"It's okay Prinby I can take it. Would you run along and fetch me the key to our gringotts vault please?" The elf nodded and scampered off.
"Just in case." She smiled, opening a door to the largest closet of clothes I'd ever seen. All expensive materials and lots of it. She picked out a new outfit, a pair of jeans and a black top. Changing with a spell from her dress to these new garments before pulling on a jacket that looked to be pure dragons-hide. Another expensive but beautiful item.
"Y/N it's 28° outside you'll be too hot." A small laugh returned.
"Wherever you'll be taking me I can guarantee will not be this warm. I keep weather charms over the house to keep it like summer all year round. It makes me happy. And besides, you live in a dungeon at Hogwarts, I highly doubt your home is much warmer." Her confidence and ease in this house made me warm to her even more. She began placing clothes into a bag, laced with an extension charm. Walking out onto her balcony she sighed.
"You can always come back here. You don't need to take everything."
"I can't come back. Not after everything that's happened Professor. It just doesn't feel right." Before the tears could fall shed brushed them away, giving me a half hearted smile before walking back down to the lobby. The elf returned, handing her a key and she took a scarf from a nearby hook, crouching down to the elf's height.
"Prinby you've been my best friend forever. I can't thank you enough for what you've done. Now go, be free. You can stay here if you like, but you don't need to serve me anymore." She wrapped the scarf around his neck, and the elf placed a hand on her cheek.
"Always so kind Mistress Y/N. I'm sorry we couldn't celebrate your birthday." It was her birthday?
"Just having you here for the past sixteen years was enough Prinby." Her eyes glittered with tears and she stood up, taking my arm and we went.
***Hello! I hope you're all enjoying this book so far. I'm not sure with it being my first one I've written if it's any good so any feedback is welcome or if there's anything anybody would like to see? Please leave a star and a comment 💖***