𝐒𝐀𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐄 || Severus Snape x OC ||

10. BREATHING FIRE

The Black Lake rippled its waters by the chill touch of the wee hours of the night giving their way slowly to the first kiss of light, as the skies' deep blue darkness turned into a soft lighter tone, foreshadowing the rise of the warm sun against the cold of the winter aura. And as the stars faded, drifting to their hidden realm until the time comes again to speckle the velvet of the night, Alice's pupils narrowed, adjusting to the subtle change of light. Curled up upon the stone ledge of the window, her head leaned against the glass, fog forming upon its freezing surface each time she exhaled.

Perhaps it was the restlessness that seemed to still haunt her and deprive her of the comfort of a deep sleep at night, or the whispering of the students in the dormitories and common room, or the vast, unobstructed view of the Ravenclaw tower that kept her curled up on that ledge, her eyes drifting across the view of the fields that the arched window granted her. Or, perhaps, her thoughts had her mind chained and she longed for the solitude of the night when all voices were silent and no pretense was required.

Hogwarts was preparing for the strangers to come, the athletes and champions of Wizarding Schools to arrive and compete in the Triwizard Tournament. Her ears had caught the name of Victor Krum, and how his victory at the Quidditch World Cup was obscured by an attack of the Death Eaters who cast the Dark Mark upon the night sky, not long after setting the place on fire.

Alice curled further, pressing her back against the stone. The view of the Lake helped her think, helped her clear her mind, and the cold glass against her temple kept the lingering thoughts of the Potions Master at bay. She recalled his words about her endangering herself, risking of being snatched by the Death Eaters. She recalled the image of the Dark Mark upon the night sky, freshly printed on the Daily Prophet, spreading rumours and fear. Words of the one Who-Mustn't-Be-Named kept crawling into her mind making little sense.

What could he ever want from me? Snape's words had made her realise that for whatever reason, she was a target. She recalled everything that had taken place during the last phew months she had spent in Hogwarts. It wasn't long; not too long, but it was enough for her to hear enough of mudbloods, muggle-borns, and half-bloods. Perhaps that was why she was appreciated, neither by most of the students nor by the Death Eaters.

I don't belong here, she thought, and her eyes fell upon her hand. Mudblood. Perhaps that was the reason why she was in danger of being snatched. Perhaps the Death Eaters were aware of the outsider and wanted her out and away from this world. Hell; they wanted out and away with proper wizards, let alone her...

She rubbed her fingers against the furrow of her brows that had deepened by the thoughts, and then raised her gaze upon the waters of the Lake. The gentle light blowing away the shadows across the fields, turning the waters of the Black Lake silvery red. Fear lingered. It was still there, clawing her heart, eating her out slowly, and threatening the little bud of hope that wanted to sprout in her chest.

She was weak; that much she knew. The rules of this world were different than those of the muggle world she'd grown up into. Here, wands cast spells, three-headed dogs guarded precious gems, elves walked around the castle, plants screeched and walked, ghosts dined with the living, and an army of criminals wanted to purge the world of unclean blood... The Death Eaters seemed to be the kind of people who saw corruption everywhere, except within.

It all seemed so distant when standing here, against the window glass, watching the silver ripples of the Lake. She recalled her life before that horrifying day that she had run for her life. What ever had happened to all she knew back then?...

Never mind the past. I can't go back to it. I have myself, and that's all I can count on now...

She wanted to rely upon the words of the Potions Master. His words of making her nightmares go away. But what if...what if I don't want him to know the truth? What if I am afraid of what he'll discover?